“Bowser Meets Baby” – How To Introduce Your New Baby To The Family Dog

Congratulations, you’re going to have a baby! In all the flurry of activity, many parents-to-be neglect to prepare the family dog. This can be a mistake. Dogs are social creatures. Left on their own, they form packs. The pack is organized. There are leaders and followers, all equally essential to the pack’s survival. Your dog belongs to a pack, too: your family. The people lead, the dog follows. It’s that simple. Many people tend to forget their dog is a dog. It is important to recognize and respect your dog for who and what he is. You must be able to communicate with him and read his body language. He needs structure and guidance if he is to function appropriately within the family. How? Read on. (more…)

Choosing The Right Dog Food

When choosing the type of dog food to feed your dog, you need to consider his age, breed, your dog’s activity level and also his health condition. For instance, puppies and older dogs will have different types of nutritional needs and you need to ensure your dog or puppy has sufficient consumption of these nutrition for a long and healthy live. It is best if you seek advice from your veterinarian before deciding on which dog food to feed your dog or puppy. (more…)

Common Household Dangers

Many common household items can pose a threat to animal companions. Even some items specifically meant for pets could cause health problems. To protect your pet, simply use common sense and take the same precautions you would with a child. Although rodent poisons and insecticides are the most common sources of companion animal poisoning, the following list of less common but potentially toxic agents should be avoided if at all possible: (more…)

Dog Obesity

No doubt you’re aware of the statistics on obesity in humans, but it may surprise you to know that our dogs are similarly afflicted. Over 40% of pet dogs are obese, and many people aren’t aware of the harm it does to their much loved pet. Research shows that dogs that have a healthy body weight will live up to 15% longer than an overweight animal. (more…)

Dog Toys – The Right Ones

For dogs and other animal companions, toys are not a luxury, but a necessity. Toys help fight boredom in dogs left alone, and toys can even help prevent some problem behaviors from developing. Although cats can be pretty picky when it comes to enjoying particular toys—ignoring a $10 catnip mouse and marveling over a piece of crumpled newsprint—dogs are often more than willing to “play” with any object they can get their paws on. That means you’ll need to be particularly careful when monitoring your dog’s playtime to prevent any “unscheduled” activities. (more…)