A lot of people may think that they know everything about the nutritional needs of their pet dog. A lot of owners often believe that they are doing the right thing by their dog, but more often than not, in reality they can be harming their pet with the food that they are giving them.

Your dog’s diet can be quite complicated, and it is essential that you ensure your dog is getting all the nutritional aspects of their diet. If your dog is not getting enough vitamins, then this can lead to tummy upset, brittle bones and more serious health problems.

A lot of pre packaged food on the market will help ensure that your dog is getting all of their vital nutrients and vitamins, and you should start this at a young age. There is always a big debate over whether you (more…)

Some people who adopt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle may choose to reflect their diet onto their dogs. Yet is a dog that doesn’t eat meat going to have a healthy quality of life compared to a meat-eating canine?

Dogs in reality are almost omnivorous and like to consume both plant based foods and meat. However a dog is mainly a carnivore and deal better with meat based foods. Their guts, although designed to consume a wide variety (more…)

Most dogs are generally not fussy eaters (just ask your slippers or your newspaper) and, inevitably, during their life they will consume food that you don’t want them to.

Whether they find leftover food on the floor or just steal out of your hands, dogs will do whatever they can to eat what they want. However, there are some foods that have huge dangers to a dog’s health.

Most people know that chocolate is harmful to a dog as it contains a chemical called (more…)

When a puppy is first they are not adept at retrieving food from a person’s hand, this can cause a problem when accidentally someone’s hand is bitten or nipped.

What happens is the next time food is given to a puppy the person is frightened of receiving another nip, the result is the hand is quickly pulled back before the puppy can get at the food.

A puppy will think he has to be quick to get the food and, before you know it, (more…)

Nutrition is one of the key components to good dog or puppy care. The food a puppy eats is of paramount importance to its development and long-term health. Just like human beings, dogs and puppies require a balanced diet to maintain their health and good fitness levels.

The main element of a dog’s diet is the protein food group. This is generally made up from meat and chicken (and sometimes fish) and should be given to a puppy daily. However, it is important not to over-feed a dog or puppy (more…)

A dog requires stability in his home, and regular meals that consist of quality ingredients that will help as he reaches adulthood and, later in life, seniority.

Just as humans need to eat the best groups of foods, so does a dog. A brand of puppy or dog food should have the following ingredients listed:

• Proteins and Carbohydrates.
• Good fats and low amounts of salt.
• Vitamins and minerals.

A dog requires all of the above, fed the right amount of portions at mealtimes and having access to fresh water at all times. Manufacturers of dog food are required by law to print the ingredients and the relevant amounts (more…)

In larger breeds of dogs, such as Rottweilers, Retrievers, German Shepherds and Great Danes, there is a tendency for them to be affected with Hip Dysplasia. This is when the hip joint, or the ball-and-socket, becomes loose; the hip socket becomes too shallow, the actual ball is not round, or when the ligaments are too loose.

When a puppy or dog has this condition it is easily recognisable, you will hear a clicking sound when your dog moves, he will have difficulty in moving about as the condition is quite painful.

There is also Elbow Dysplasia; this is a condition that affects the (more…)