Are Peanut Butter Dog Treats Safe?

Wednesday 10 March 2010 @ 1:19 pm
by Hugh Montgomery

Many people despair about the safeness of giving their dog peanut butter. The basis for this apprehesion is probably due to the stories we have read about nuts being deadly for dogs. This is in fact true, many types of nuts, are extremely unhealthy for dogs. These consist of the Macadamian and walnut, just to mention a couple.

The concern with feeding nuts to dogs is that some of these can become toxic over time. This is due to the high phosphorous levels and other ingredients that become more toxic over time. These levels of toxicity may cause both kidney and bladder problems. In the most severe occurrences these levels may actually become fatal. It should also be kept in mind that some mixtures of chocolate also contain nuts.

There is great news for those of us that like to use peanut butter as an aid in administering medication, rewarding our dogs with peanut butter dog treats or just sharing a smidgen on the tip of our finger. Peanuts are not really nuts! In fact, peanuts are actually a species in the legume family (Fabaceae) to be specific. In other words, peanuts are actually a type of bean!

Like many items is life, there is good and bad in most things. To begin with you should dispense only a small portion since dogs may have food allergies just like people. If you feel that your dog has an allergic reaction, stop feeding them peanut butter immediately. One of the great benefits of peanut butter is the fact that it is high in protein, just note that it is also high in calories. Organic brands can be examined if you are worried about preservatives and sugar.

In conclusion, peanut butter is not known to be bad for dogs. Like any consumable or dog treats we provide our dogs, we should look at the label and review the other ingredients used in the manufacturing process. This is exciting information for my dogs since they love a KONG(R) filled with peanut butter from the freezer.

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Puppy Training Tips From The Pros

Wednesday 10 March 2010 @ 10:15 am
by T Clancy

New puppies are filled with so much energy and provide tons of entertainment for the family they become a part of. It’s a good idea to start training your puppy as soon as you get him, in order to make sure that he becomes a well-adjusted member to the family. There’s nothing more frustrating than an unruly ball of fur that turns into a very large unruly ball of fur. The puppy training tips described below should provide some helpful guidelines to getting started with various types of training.

Housebreaking: Using a crate is the most desired way to start with housebreaking a puppy, since it’s easier to keep track of his whereabouts when he’s in the crate. This should be an area filled with toys and a comfortable bed for him to nap on. Try taking him outside every hour to relieve himself, until you know how long his breaks are between bathroom needs. It’s a good idea to give him a break from the kennel every couple of hours, just to have a chance to romp around the house. The crate method is great for the evenings too, since puppies will usually whine when they need to go to the bathroom in the night when they are crated.

The other method of housebreaking is by simply monitoring the puppy’s whereabouts all day long. This works for people who are able to do so consistently. Not everyone can do this all day long.

When people aren’t able to watch their puppy all the time and this method is sometimes used at night as well, a crate can be used to contain the pup. This isn’t used for punishment, but as a place for the puppy to remain for an hour or two at a time.

Praise is always a good thing to give after the puppy is finished with relieving himself outside. This will let him know that going to the bathroom outside is the best thing to do. Having a regular schedule for bathroom breaks will provide a better idea as to how long it is between times when the puppy really needs to relieve himself.

Chewing: Problem chewing can be solved by having plenty of chew toys available for your new puppy. Sometimes sore gums is an issue and is why chewing starts. Having a clean sock in the freezer that is filled with some crushed ice is a great treat for soothing sore gums.

Excessive chewing usually means that his gums are feeling a bit sore. A great remedy for sore puppy gums is by providing a sock with crushed ice in it. This can be placed in the freezer when he isn’t using it.

Having a routine to housebreaking and consistency to monitoring chewing are going to make these puppy training tips more effective. This will may be a very trying process for most new dog owners, but having a well-behaved puppy will make life less complicated for both owner and puppy.

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Train Your Dog - 10 No Fail Tips On Dog Training

Wednesday 10 March 2010 @ 9:48 am
by Chris Station

If you want a well behaved dog you need to teach him how to behave. An untrained dog can make your life miserable, but you can’t really hold him responsible for his actions. He doesn’t know any better. But before you start on a training program there is some basic information you need to be aware of. Professional dog trainers use these basics all the time. Here are their top 10 tips.

1. Don’t waste any time in starting to teach your new puppy. Establishing routines right from the start and sticking to these routines is easier than trying to change things up after a period of time. That only succeeds in confusing your pet. For instance, if your dog is not allowed on the furniture, don’t let him join you on the couch one day and then shoo him off when you find him on your couch another day.

2. Be firm, but fair and consistent. If you change the rules you will only frustrate and confuse your dog. So, if you don’t want your dog to beg food from the table, don’t ever feed him treats while you are eating.

3. Collar and lead training is one of the most important things you can do to have a well behaved dog. Start in on this as soon as possible when your puppy arrives to make training much easier and more effective.

4. When training your dog, have fun with him and reward his accomplishments, no matter how small they may be. Rewards can be treats, a scratch on the head, or praise. If he enjoys what you’re doing with him and can look forward to being rewarded, you will accomplish a great deal in a shorter time frame.

5. Patience is a quality that every single good dog trainer needs to have, and lots of it. Progress should be measured in very small steps. Your dog will not learn and remember overnight. It takes lots and lots of practice before the desired behavior will come naturally. Be sure to reinforce the targeted behavior by repeated practice and rewards.

6. When disciplining your dog, never use the command “come”. The command “come” should only be used in a positive way because it is such an integral part of training. Don’t hit your pet when you are disciplining him. This will only cause him to fear you and it will end up damaging the trust between the two of you.

7. When starting a new session with your dog, start by reviewing behaviors your dog has already mastered. Reward him and then move on to new training exercises.

8. Keep lessons short. You never want to drag things out to where the training becomes a chore. So if your dog begins to lose focus, end the lesson with a simple-to-follow command. Then give him a reward and then spend a few minutes playing with him.

9. Always teach basic commands first. Things like sit, stay, down, and come are integral for success with more involved dog training. So be sure he has mastered these commands before you try to teach him more complex commands.

10. Only reward when a command is executed correctly. This goes along with being consistent. If he knows that he will get a “good boy” whether or not he sits on command, he won’t learn the lesson.

By following these tips on dog training, you can be sure of having success in your quest to have a well behaved dog. And really wouldn’t you rather have a dog that listens to you than one who doesn’t?

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The Rocket Science Behind The Best Mange Home Remedy For Dog Mange

Wednesday 10 March 2010 @ 1:30 am
by Wendell Ruben

Understanding why the best mange home remedy for dog mange works is an article that explains the scientific principles that allow certain home made remedies to relieve the suffering caused by mange.

Inside cage CZ of the animal shelter, this newest inmate of the shelter shakes, and when the mange itches too much, chews another patch of skin. So far, all attempts to relieve the suffering of the animal have failed miserably. Do other remedies exist? Will their drawbacks outweigh their benefits? Can any remedy make this pet look more attractive? Such questions occupy the mind of pet lovers.

Hydrogen Peroxide Mixed With Borax

The first remedy is a solution made with borax powder mixed with hydrogen peroxide. This solution penetrates the outer layer of skin, and kills the buried parasite that causes mange. A person cannot see the parasite but the solution still kills it. The peroxide sinks into the skin pulling the borax inside also. The borax dries the parasite then kills it. The formula for this solution does not need exact amounts, but between four and eight teaspoons poured into one liter (or one quart) of one percent hydrogen peroxide should suffice. Stir this solution until the borax powder disappears. This is the same powdered borax long used to wash laundry clothes.

But there are many, many caveats. Here are the top seven caveats. Do not splash this solution in the eyes of a person or dog. Do not drink this solution yourself and do not let other people drink and do not let a dog drink this solution. Do not use boric acid because boric acid is too poisonous; use only borax powder. Do not use hydrogen peroxide that is stronger than one percent concentration (the percent is written on the hydrogen peroxide bottle.) If you cannot find one percent hydrogen peroxide then just get one gallon (or four liters) of water and pour two to four cups of borax powder into the water and then stir. Do not use any other form or type of peroxide; only use hydrogen peroxide.

Apply this solution to the dog by pouring the liquid onto the skin that is covered with mange. Let the wind and the sun dry the dog. Pour this liquid onto the dog every week for about one month.

Soapy Water Remedy

Another best home treatment for mange is water that is mildly soapy. Soap with water drowns tiny bugs. The amount of soap dissolved in the water should be one part per hundred (one percent). One cup of soap added to ninety nine cups of water creates a one part per hundred concentration. Two cups of soap per ninety eight cups of water make a two parts per hundred concentration. A century ago people used a one or two percent solution of soapy water to kill tiny insects. Do not rinse off the soapy water from your dog until five or ten minutes have passed. Leaving the soap to sit drowns insects on skin and inside the fur.

Oil As A Remedy

This next best home remedy smears oil onto the skin and fur of dogs. As odd as it sounds, oil is thick and kills by depriving insects of the air they need to breathe. Oil in its many forms is just lying about the house. Oil is made from petroleum and from plants such as corn, soy, olives, and sunflowers. Butter contains animal oils. These oily products can smother small insects so that they die.

Clean Living Area As A Remedy

Prevent other new parasites from attacking a dog by removing parasites from floors, toys beds, and so forth. Frequent or regular cleaning and washing removes parasites. Whenever bathing the dog, feel with the fingers or look with the eyes. Notice bumps, raw patches, abrasions, rashes, and rough skin. Big leathery patches in dog skin especially legs or ears might be mange.

The Science Behind Home Remedies For Mange

These home remedies reduce mange to some degree because their application accomplishes three actions.

To kill parasites that cannot be seen.

Kill parasites walking in plain sight.

Block new parasites from infesting host.

Mites, a type of external parasite, create skin disease called mange. Most people know that fleas and ticks and mosquitoes are also external parasites. Mites hide under the epidermis. Borax kills mites under the skin. Soapy water kills mites on skin surface. Regular cleaning of a dog and its environment removes mites and prevent new infestations.

How the best mange home remedy for dog mange matches up with science is a short article that illustrates how four at home treatments align with scientific knowledge. Maybe this alignment accounts for the effectiveness of such low tech solutions for treating mange.

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Discovering Exploring Ways Find A Way Cure Mange With A Non To Find A Wayxic Mange Medicine

Tuesday 9 March 2010 @ 3:10 pm
by Wendell Ruben

Many animal lovers have had their dog’s hair suddenly start to fall out and sores appear. This disease, mange, is very contagious to other animals and needs to be treated immediately. When humans get the disease it is called Demodicosis but is usually cured quite rapidly. The disease is caused by mite infestation can causes loss of hair and other problems. In looking for treatment for this condition it is important to try to find a way to cure mange with non toxic mange medicine.

There are different, specific types of mange mites. The Red Mange Mites, Demodectic Mange Mites (which infect cats) and Scarcopic Mange Mites. The latter type is the most infectious. The severity of the infection in dogs is usually shown by loss of hair in a small patch of skin or on the majority parts of the body.

Intensive scratching will show that the animal is suffering from a great deal of itching. These areas will eventually become crusty and will bleed if scratching continues. If this is not stopped it can become life threatening and require immediate professional attention.

A Mitaban Dip has been approved by the FDA for treatment of mange. This comes in a concentrated form, which is mixed with warm water and then applied, to the animal. This is usually administered by a veterinarian but can be done by a pet owner. It is unfortunate, however, that it has been found that this can be toxic to some animals and require further medication to offset the side effects.

If home medication and treatment does not bring about a cure, the condition can become life threatening. In this case a veterinarian must be called. Antibiotics, Amitraz Dips and other oral medications might be required. Again, there is no assurance that some dogs might not react favorable to this treatment as each one is different.

Dipping was the favorite method of treating mange for many years and is still used by many people. It is important, when using this treatment, that the animal be shampooed first in some anti-bacterial shampoo. There is no rinsing off after the dip. A check of the Internet will find many advertised products, which claim a cure for the disease. One of the most interesting is testimony from a number of people who claim to have found a cure when all else failed.

These people claim that a combination of borax, peroxide and warm water have brought about a cure when all else failed. It is also said that this has resulted in the regrowth of hair and clearing up all scabs and other broken skin. Before trying any treatment of this kind, it is important that contact be made with someone who has used this method to see if it would work in any specific case.

Comfort of a pet is very important in the family. When the pet develops a disease one wishes to find the quickest way possible to make them well again. However, if the wrong treatment is chosen it can sometimes have toxic effects. For this reason, one should always try to cure mange with a non toxic mange medicine.

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