Ingredients To Look For In Good Dog Food

Below are three ingredients listings from foods that I not only have used, but that I recommend to those wanting to switch to something better for their dog:

Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract), Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory root), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Yucca Schidigera Extract Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Dried Papaya, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Bison Salmon Meal Millet Brown Rice Cracked Pearled Barley Rice Bran Canola Oil Flaxseed Oil Garlic Amaranth Blueberries Yucca Schidigera Extract Dried Chicory Root Taurine Carotene Choline Chloride Vitamin E Supplement Iron Proteinate Zinc Proteinate Copper Proteinate Manganese Proteinate Potassium Iodide Thiamine Mononitrate Ascorbic Acid Vitamin A Supplement Biotin Calcium Panthothenate Selenomethionine Pyridoxine Hydrochloride Vitamin B12 Supplement Riboflavin Vitamin D Supplement Folic Acid

Turkey, chicken, chicken meal, ground barley, ground brown rice, potatoes, natural flavors, ground white rice, chicken fat, herring, apples, carrots, cottage cheese, sunflower oil, alfalfa sprouts, egg, garlic, taurine, vitamins/minerals, Viable Naturally Occurring Microorganisms

Ingredients You Should Stay Away From In Dog Food

The following is a list of ingredients that you should try to stay away from when purchasing dog food:

1) By-products. By-products are what is left over after the processing plants remove what meat is fit for human consumption and send it to the grocery stores. By products can contain anything from chicken heads and feet, to cow hooves and horns, fur, feathers, blood, skin, bone, feces, and even dirt and sawdust from the floors. By products are not kept fresh, and in some cases have even been known to sit in containers for 5 days or more before being picked up from the meat plant and taken to the dog food rendering plant.

2) Corn in any form, including “ground yellow corn,” “corn meal,” and “corn gluten meal.” Corn is what is called a ‘filler,' and it serves one purpose in pet food – to make the animal feel full. Dogs and cats cannot digest corn, so it just passes right through the digestive system and you get the privilege of cleaning it up when it comes out the other end. Some dogs are also allergic to corn, so just avoid any foods that contain any form of corn in their ingredients listing.

3) ‘General' ingredients like “animal fat,” “animal digest,” and “meat meal” – you have no idea what these could contain (and you don't want to know). Instead, you want to look for things that are more specific, like “chicken fat” and “chicken meal,” that way you know exactly what is in the food.

4) Chemical preservatives such as “propylene glycol,” “BHA,” and “BHT.” Chemical preservatives make the food last longer, but every single one of them has been proven to cause cancer in lab rats. They will tell you that in small quantities, the preservatives are safe, but if you stop and think about it, your dog will be ingesting small quantities of these preservatives every day over his entire life span. They then build up to toxic levels inside his body and that's when they become dangerous and cancer-causing. You want food that's been naturally preserved. “Mixed tocopherols” is a natural preservative.

5) Soy, in any form. Soy is another filler, like corn, and some dogs are also severely allergic to it. It's best to just stay away from foods containing soy altogether.

6) Sorghum is another filler. Sorghum is an Old World grass that is cultivated as grain and forage.

7) Wheat – I only say this because some dogs are allergic to wheat. If your dog isn't allergic to wheat, then foods with “wheat flour” are okay. It won't hurt her unless she's allergic to it, and then you'll know because she'll likely develop skin problems.

8) Salt, while found in many dog foods, is an unnecessary ingredient, so if the dog food you choose contains salt, make sure it's down near the bottom of the list of ingredients, as there is usually a form of sodium in the added vitamins, and you don't want to be giving your dog too much of it.

I know this seems like a lot, but you say you want the best for your dog, and unfortunately, you just aren't going to get the best if the food you feed her contains the ingredients named above. The three ingredients listings I gave you will help you when looking at and comparing labels in the store, because all three are foods to stay away from.

Best & Worst Dry & Caned Dog Foods

This is compiled from Whole Dog Journal as the best & worst dry and caned dog food on the market today.

Best Dry Dog Food:

Artemis
Azmira
Back to Basics
Bench & Field
Blue Buffalo
Burns
By Nature Brightlife
California Nautral
Canidae
Canine Caviar
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul
Could Star Kibble
Drs. Foster Smith
Eagle Holistic Select
Evolve Natural
Flint River
Foundations
Fromm 4 Star Nutritionals
Go! Natural
Hund-n-Flocken (Solid Gold)
Innova
Karma
Lick Your Chops
Lifespan
Limitied Diets (IVD)
Merrick
MMillennia (Solid Gold)
Natural Balance
Natural Choice Ultra
Newman's Own
Organix
Phd Viand
Pinnacle
Praire (Nature's Variety)
Premium Edge
Prime Life
Royal Canin Natural Blend
Showbound Naturals
Timberwolf Organics
Verus
Wellness
Wellness Simple Food Solutions
Wysong

Worst Dry Dog Foods:

Beneful
Cycle Adult
Dad's Bite Sized Meal
Diamond Premium Adult Formula
Excel Lamb Meal & Rice
Gravy Train
Happy Tails
HiPro Dog Food
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice
Kibbles & Bits Homestyle Chicken & Vegetable
Max Adult (Nutro)
Maxximum Nutrition
Natural Choice Adult Lamb & Rice (Nutro)
Nature's Recipie "Breed Specific"
Nutra Nuggets Adult Maintenance
Ol' Roy
Pedigree
Purina Dog Chow
Purina One Total Nutrition
Science Diet Adult
Science Diet "Nature's Best With Real Beef..."

Best Canned Dog Foods:

Active Life
Advanced Pet Diets
Artemis
Avo-derm
Azmira
Boulder Creek Farms
California Nautral
Canidae
Drs. Foster Smith
Eagle Holistic Select
Evolve Natural
Evanger's For Dogs
Innova
Lamaderm
Merrick
Natural Balance
Natural Life
Neura Meats
Newman's Own
Nutro Natural Choice Ultra
Petguard Organic
Pinnacle
Prairie (Nature's Variety)
Precise Plus
Sensible Choice
Solid Gold
Spot's Stew
Triumph
Verus
Wellness
Wysong

Worst Canned Dog Foods:

Iams
Eukanuba
Ol' Roy
Pedigree
Science Diet

Chico

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Sit & Down Command

This is the sit/stay and down/stay command.

Coprophagia (Eating Feces)

Problems with Coprophagia (eating feces)

There are many reasons a dog may eat his own feces, both physical and psychological. A popular cause can be a digestive problem that needs to be checked by a veterinarian.

1) Have him checked over by your vet to ensure he doesn't have a condition that may be inhibiting his ability to absorb or break down nutrients.

2) Make sure your dog is getting a nutritionally balanced diet with as many natural ingredients as possible. A supplement containing alfalfa may satisfy his craving for fecal matter containing plants.

3) Adding digestive enzymes a spoonful of canned pineapple or a teaspoon of spinach to your dog's diet can help.

4) Keep your yard/potty area clear of fecal matter.

How To Properly Socialize A Puppy

• THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIALIZATION FOR YOUR DOG
  
  A properly socialized dog is an animal that is well adjusted and comfortable around both other animals and people. It is neither frightened by, nor aggressive towards, anyone or anything it would normally meet in day to day living. This is the Dream Companion. Unfortunately…we find that most dog’s mentalities are as diverse and intricate as people’s. Fears, aggressions, anxieties, worries, depressions and so on, can become part of a dog’s psychological make-up early on and if not acknowledged, can become hard if not almost impossible to alleviate. In today’s fast moving, worry-free and litigious society, many people may feel an un-socialized dog to be untrustworthy and many times, an unwanted liability, due to excessive barking, depressive attitudes and fear or aggression biting.
  
  While socialization treatment and training is available for most all dogs at varying levels and ages, nipping this problem at an early stage in the Dog’s life is paramount, meaning it all begins as a Puppy.
  
  When you bring a new Puppy home, there are some absolutes in regards to rules that you should follow which will insure your Puppy grows to become a well adjusted dog. The critical socialization period for most all dogs is from 4 weeks to 4 months. While exposing your dog to family, friends and a few other dogs is a good start and may aid in a light form of socialization, it is normally not enough to truly “socialize” your dog. Overall, your dog will need to be exposed to all sorts of situations over a lengthy period of time, to include many people, a multitude of environments and of course, as many other dogs as you can.
  
  Effective Socialization technique from my experience, is applying a well balanced combination of both universal and breed-based canine behavior understandings with consistent, positive training. Basically, it is taking the Puppy everywhere you go, exposing the Puppy to hundreds of people, dozens of environments and all kinds of dogs. This includes both friends and strangers of all makes and models, situations such as construction sites, school yards, heavy traffic areas, etc., and finally, dogs of all different sizes and color. Walking paths and city parks are normally great places to get your Puppy acclimated to the “Dog Experience.” And remember, this is not just a short term thing. To promote a well balanced mentality, this socialization will need to continue throughout most of the dog’s life.
  
  As you expose your Puppy, applying general and advanced positive training technique can be of benefit as well. Once you have established command training such as sit, stay, come, down, heal and so on, in the quiet, controlled environment of your home or a trainer’s facility, the distractions of people, environment and other dogs will give your training a challenge.
  
  One methodology that many have found to work well is the “Rule of Seven.” The “Rule of Seven” say’s your Puppy will need to be exposed to seven new kinds of surfaces, seven new kinds of people, seven new kinds of foods, seven new kinds of sounds, seven new places and seven kinds of dogs by the time he is 12 weeks old. While I personally promote even more exposure, this is a solid, working model that can be used to socialize your dog properly. And above all, situations, especially new ones, should be introduced in a neutral or positive way—nothing frightening or hurtful.
  
  Between 7 to 10 weeks of age (this figure will differ depending on which expert you ask), your Puppy is experiencing a major IMPRINT PERIOD. Both enjoyable, positive conditions, as well as hurtful or traumatic situations, may stay with the Dog for his whole lifetime. While there will always be things that startle your dog, much like a human (jack hammers, skateboards, car horns, fire trucks, etc.), the exposure to situations will ultimately pay off by reducing the overall fear factor. Not every encounter can be controlled and at times, your dog will experience a fearful situation or possibly get hurt. How you handle these situations after the fact is also of great importance. With a good dose of love, treats and reassuring speak and manners, your Puppy should move through a troubling period with ease, creating cautiousness more than fear.
  
  Your Puppy will have developed a full ‘adult brain’ at 49 days of age. But…this doesn’t mean stop. Keep with your Puppy’s socialization program for up to 16 weeks of age at least. Socialization of your Dog after that time is always necessary and encouraged, but it is never more important than the first 4 to 16 weeks of your Dog’s life.
  
  SOCIALIZING YOUR PUPPY – One Way to go
  
  There are a variety of methods that approach the socialization of your Puppy. The recommendations offered here are combinations of many methods and applied experience.
  
  - Initially, invite friendly, healthy, vaccinated dogs, puppies and even cats to your home to meet and play with your new Puppy. You can also take your Puppy to the homes of these pets, increasing not just dog exposure, but new environments and possibly new people, etc. Make sure if using cats, to find dog-friendly cats.
  - Do not force or rush your Puppy. Let your Puppy take things at they’re own pace. Your job is simply to provide the opportunity for the socialization to happen.
  - Take your Puppy to the Vet when he doesn’t need a shot. Just hang out and feed cookies and have fun!
  - Take your Puppy to pet shops (most of them allow pets). You’ll meet a lot of dog-loving people who will be happy to introduce themselves to your pup. The Puppy should be able to meet other animals there as well (Please keep in mind…you may not want to take your Puppy close to any “for sale” animals at a pet shop—many times these animals come from Puppy mills or rescue environments and may be sick or unvaccinated, etc. While not probable, they may transmit something to your Puppy).
  - Take your Puppy to a park (not a dog park yet. While it may seem like the perfect place to expose your Puppy to a lot of dogs at once, you are at the mercy of dogs that may have untreated diseases which could cause a Puppy without complete vaccinations harm. There are also behavior issues in other dogs to consider that, while a full grown dog could deal with, could overpower a Puppy).
  - Take your Puppy to a training class, or Puppy playgroup. Whether in-home or at a Training Facility…these are invaluable.
  - Take your Puppy to outdoor sporting events, starting with day and then at night as they get a bit older.
  - Take your Puppy anywhere and everywhere that the proprietors will let them come in.
  
  Like with a child, as they venture outdoors and experience other kids and environments, yes, there is a risk that your pup could get sick by socializing it before all the vaccinations are completed, which ironically, can’t be completed until your pup is 16 weeks of age or more. But…if you don't socialize your pup before 16 weeks of age, an under-socialized dog may develop and is more likely to bite and or become stressed, develop fears or anxieties, etc., in unfamiliar environments and situations. Simply be aware of the environments you expose your Puppy to, making them familiar, clean environments as often as possible. Happy Socializing!

Here is a letter from a vet named Robert K. Anderson DVM. How he states how important it is to socialize a puppy and not be to worried about not being fully vaccinated.

http://www.apdt.com/m/news/rk_anderson_letter.aspx

House Breaking Tips

How To Potty Train Your Dog Or Puppy

There are 3 key components to house training a dog. First make it difficult or impossible for the dog to have house-soiling accidents. Second reward your pet for eliminating in the right place and third, teach your pet to ask to be let outside. Dogs are predisposed not to soil their nests or places where they spend most of their time. Use this to your advantage during the house training process by giving the dog a crate or small gated area (playpen type gate) to sleep and stay in when you can't watch her. Otherwise your puppy should be under constant supervision during house training. Leash her to your belt, a chair where you are sitting or some other piece of furniture so she can't leave your sight and relieve herself when you aren't paying attention or she's out of sight. Most dogs need to eliminate first thing in the morning, after meals, after play and after naps. Be sure to take your dog to the same spot to eliminate outside at these times, or every two hours, whichever comes first. Watch for signs that your dog needs to eliminate, sniffing the floor, circling, arching her back or tail or squatting. When you see these signs, ask her if she needs to go outside (or whatever phrase you use), then take her on leash to the place were you want her to eliminate. Encourage her to relieve herself by saying, "Go potty" (or another phrase that works for you). When your dog eliminates in that place, praise her lavishly and give her a treat. That is very important and most people forget to give the dog a treat.Accidents will happen. If you catch your dog about to or in the act of relieving herself inside, scoop her up gently and take her outside to her spot to finish. Don't punish her or yell at her. This will only make her afraid to relieve herself in your presence. If you aren't quick enough to catch her in the act, don't take her to the location and show her the "accident" or reprimand her. She won't understand why she is being punished and it won't help with her house training. Simply clean up the mess with a good enzymatic cleaner and think about what you have to do differently so she doesn't have another accident. Patience and persistence pay off in house training a dog. It can take weeks or even months for a dog to become reliably house trained. With communication, consistency of routine and constant oversight, success should come quicker.