House training a small dog is not quite as easy as it is to house train a large dog. But it can be done, when you look at from the perspective of a small dog.

Any sized dog needs to feel safe and secure in the location you have chosen to be his outdoor elimination spot. A dog’s guard is down during the act of elimination and they feel vulnerable. If there is anything taller than they (except you) in nearby proximity to their elimination spot, the dog will not eliminate for fear of an attack.

For a small dog, grass that is too tall can make him feel like he is in a jungle and he will refuse to eliminate until he returns back inside the safe confines of your home. Any debris nearby on the ground will make your small dog less likely to do his business for fear of an attack.

To house train a small dog, you need to provide the small dog with an outdoor spot that is clean, clear and the grass cut short.

Feeding your small dog on a regular schedule and taking him outside to his spot on a regular schedule will also help get the house training accomplished.

A regular schedule to aim for is to take your small dog outside upon awakening, after meal time and after play time. Praise and reward your dog when he does his business outside.

You can house train a small dog, including puppies, when you look at it from their perspective.

House training is one of the first tasks that every new dog owner will undertake in the introduction of their puppy to its new home.  There are three categories of house training types :
a) Basic house training ; the establishment of an allowable toilet area for your pet.
b) Submissive wetting ; urination occurring when greeting, disciplining or high excitement.
c) Marking ; upon reaching puberty – some dogs (male or female) will mark their territory. House Training :
House training should only take approximately two weeks to establish as a routine provided;
a) you must be consistent and committed
b) you are prepared to train your pet from the moment you take possession. Have a leash, collar, a designated area and are prepared to maintain a schedule.
Retraining a dog that has already established bad habits can take six weeks or more.

As soon as possible get your new puppy to the vet for a complete check-up.  This will assure you that you have obtained a healthy pup and alert you to any medical complications that can make house training more difficult.  Situations such as intestinal upset, intestinal parasites and urinary tract infections can make house training difficult to impossible.

The designated toilet area can be as general as outside of the house or as specific as a particular corner of the backyard.  You must have a specific plan as to what the designated area is going to be.  You can not teach the dog what is acceptable if you are uncertain.

Your attitude is one of the most important ingredients in house training your dog.  Your puppy does not know what is wrong.  If there is a mistake tell him “no” but do not discipline too severely.  You only want him to know that you are displeased, you do not want the pup to feel that you are the source of pain.  When the pup has done well, pat him, praise him, let the dog know that you are very pleased.  The pup will want to do things that please you.  House training can be a foundation for all future training.  Affection and praise as a reward for proper response – “no” signaling displeasure and guidance to show the dog what you do want.

Scheduling:
1. Create a schedule that is practical for you to maintain.  If you can not stick to your schedule – you can’t expect the dog to adhere to it.
2. Do not allow your dog to free feed until house training is well established.  Be very careful of your dogs diet – avoid foods and/or snacks that can be upsetting to his digestive tract.
3. Schedule your dog’s bed time and waking-up time.  Adhere to these times as closely as possible.
4. Young pups will require frequent nap times, be sure that your schedule can accommodate the pup’s naps.  Remember that the pup will need to be taken outside after each nap.
5. Emotional intensity – after intense emotional stimulation (badly scared, frightened, or a particularly rowdy play session) the pup may need to relieve himself.
6. Within two to three days, most dogs will be able to “control themselves” for eight hours during the night.  You must keep in mind that your daytime schedule will need to be somewhat flexible.  By paying attention to your dog, you will learn his nap requirements.  Your dog will learn “the routine” and you will both have a schedule that you can live with.

Supervise in the House :
1. By knowing where your dog is at all times, and what he is doing, you can avoid mistakes.  When a pup stops playing and starts to look around for a “good spot”, he needs to go out.  By observing your dog you will quickly learn to tell the difference between the pup’s exploring his new universe and his searching for a “good location”.
2. If the pup starts to make a mistake, firmly but quietly say “No” and take the dog straight to his toilet area.  Do not yell at the dog.  Do not chase the dog.  At this point it is up to you to be observant of your dog.  Any mistakes that are made are due to your not paying attention.
3. If you can not supervise the dog for a period of time, put the dog in a confinement area (prepared with papers) or confine him to the room where you are.
4. When you are relaxing (watching TV, reading or on computer), have the dog with you.  Give the pup some of his toys to play with.  Have the dog on his leash or confine him to the room where you are, so that he doesn’t wander of and have an accident.  Teach him that it can be enjoyable just being with you.

When you can’t be with your dog:
1. Provide a small area confinement area (bathroom with all “chewable” items removed, fenced off area of the garage, or a crate).
2. Do not leave food and water with the dog, or fill him with cookies or snacks before you leave.  You should schedule the pup’s breakfast to be at least 2 hours before your planned departure time.  That way the pup can eat, digest his food and relieve himself prior to your departure.
3. Ideally, if you are going to be gone for more than eight hours, someone should give the dog a drink and an opportunity to relieve himself.

Taking the dog out (to the latrine) :
1. Take your dog on leash to the designated toilet area.  Stand quietly, so that the dog can find the right spot.  Do not distract the dog.  Do not praise the dog during his search.  If after about 5 minutes your dog hasn’t gone to the bathroom, return him to the house (keeping a close eye on him) for about 1/2 hour, then try again.
2. As the dog starts to relieve himself; calmly praise him.  Use a chosen word or phrase (good potty or wonderful potty).  This phrase will only be used for praise in going potty.
3. When the dog has finished relieving himself praise him more enthusiastically.  Let him know that you are very proud of him.
4. Remember your dog’s routine. Some dogs will “potty” two or three times per outing in the morning, but only twice per outing in the evening.  Urination is often followed by defecation, while other dogs will do the reverse.
5. Even. if the weather is foul, do not let your dog know that you don’t want to be going outside with him.  By teaching your dog that even in bad weather going outside is “the thing to do”, to please you, then he will be more willing to convey his needs to you.
6. While you are learning your dog’s “time table”, take him out immediately after he wakes up, after he has eaten and after all play sessions.

Catching the dog “in the act” :
1. Without yelling, firmly say “No”.  If you still don’t have the dog’s attention, clap your hands.
2. Get the dog outside, to the designated latrine area.  If the dog relieves himself outside praise him.  Proceed with the potty routine.
3. Clean the mess with a deodorizing or odor killing cleanser.  If the dog smells his own scent as having been used as a bathroom area, the dog will continue to use the area.
If the cleanser is not able to eliminate enough of the scent so that the dog can not detect it, you can help mask the scent over with vanilla extract.  Just one or two drops will make it impossible for the dog to smell any lingering odor.

If you find a mess after the fact :
1. Do not punish the dog.
2. Accept the fact that you were not paying attention to the dog.
3. Do not show the dog that you are upset.  Calmly put the dog on his leash and bring him to the location of the accident.  With the dog at your side, firmly scold the potty.  Do not scold the dog.
4. Blot up some urine, or pick up some stool with a piece of paper.  Take the evidence and the dog to the latrine area.  Place the paper on the ground and with the dog watching praise the potty for being in the “right” place.  Temporarily leave the paper there. (Remove it when the dog isn’t watching)
5. Clean up the remaining mess in the house as outlined above.

tips

The absolute first thing you must train your dog to do is is housebreaking No, no, you don’t teach your dog how to break into your house when you forget your keys. Housebreaking means he must learn where and when he may do his business. Besides being substantially advantageous to the hygiene of your household, dogs benefit from having rules and a routine – as pack animals, they look for duties issued by the pack leader and naturally enjoy keeping schedules. Here are the steps to housebreaking your dog.

Dog House Training 1 – The best age to begin housebreaking your puppy is between 8 and 12 weeks old.

Dog House Training 2 – Experts suggest incorporating a crate in a young dog’s training process. (To housebreak an older dog, skip this section.) A crate usually resembles a cage, with a locking door and see-through bars, and should be big enough for the dog to move around in. While it sounds like a miniature jail cell, crates should not be used to punish your puppy. The idea is to make the crate into a doggy bedroom – someplace where your puppy can play and sleep. He should never be confined in his crate for more than two hours at a time.

Dog House Training 3 – Because dogs, thank goodness, don’t believe in eliminating by their sleeping areas, your puppy will not relieve himself in the crate unless you’ve cruelly locked him in there for longer than he was able to hold it in. Three-month old puppies generally need to eliminate every three hours, so lead your puppy to a designated outdoor bathroom spot often.

Dog House Training 4 – Try to always leave the house through the same door – the door you’d like your dog to scratch at to signal his need to go out in the future.

Dog House Training 5 – Try to take your dog out at around the same times each day. A routine will eventually be established, and your dog will soon know to hold it in until you take him out.

Dog House Training 6 – If your not-yet-housebroken dog is used to roaming freely around the house, look for clues that tell you he needs to go. Your dog may suddenly put his nose down and sniff the ground intently. He may begin to circle an area. Or, he may stare at the door with an intense look on his face. Signs like these tell you to drop what you’re doing and get that dog out of the house. If you catch your dog doing his business inside (and only if you catch him – not after you discover he’s already committed the crime), rush over and stop him by grasping his collar, pulling up on it, and saying, “NO” in a deep, stern voice. Then take him outside to let him finish up and praise him with pats on the head or a pleasantly chirped, “Good Fido!” when he does. (Note Don’t say “Fido” if your dog’s name is “Rex.”)

More Dogs House Articles

What you feed your cat should deserve more attention than you once thought. Take note that what your cat eats will determine how healthy your cat will be or how long it can live.

The components of the meal that you will serve your cat should be complete. For its nutritional needs to be met, you need to ensure that you can provide a balanced meal. The most common nutrient that your cat needs is protein. This is an easy food item to come by. It is recommended that this should be served in every meal your cat has then to be added with other nutrients.

Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, as well as fatty acids are also added in your pet’s diet. Essential amino acids are also included. You can prepare their meals yourselves. Or, you can simply purchase commercially made cat food. You just need to check the product label to see what nutrients it has.

Specifically for buying commercial food products, there are a few things that you should look for in their labels before you decide to buy one.

The first thing that you should look for is a compliance certificate or seal from a governing body in your locality.

This will tell you that the product that you are trying to buy has been certified safe, the components declared correctly, and the ingredients are right for your pets.

There are some pets which thrive better in a certain type of meat that in another. Take note that you have several choices in the kind of meat for your cat’s food. The most commonly used are chicken, lamb or beef. You can try each one and see which your cat will like better.

And just like any food item, before you pick out one, you need to check its expiration date. You wouldn’t want to feed your cat spoilt food.

And if there are things that you should look for, of course, there will be those that you should avoid.

One is avoiding products that state that they contain by-products. By-products represent other parts of the food source other than the meat. This can be bones, internal parts, etc.

Aside from by-products, fillers can also be included in their food. This is not ideal for some as there are pets which are sensitive to the ingredients that are used as fillers. These fillers are mostly grains. These can even bring excess amounts of carbohydrates to your pet’s diet.

Some chemical preservatives have been linked to cancers and other disease conditions in animals. These chemicals that are potentially harmful include propyl gallate, BHA, BHT, and a few more. You need to make it a point to avoid buying items that have these listed on their labels.

Preservatives can come in the safer forms like Vitamin E and C. These are the chemicals that you would want to see in your labels.

Aside from solid food, water is also an important component in your cat’s health. If you live in a warm continent, the more that you should make sure that your cat is well hydrated throughout the day.

Feeding your finicky (or not so finicky) feline should not drain your pocket book. Some simple suggestions will leave your kitty well fed and your cash intact.

Quality Ingredients in Dry Foods

While all foods meet the minimum standards for pet nutrition, very few exceed them. Low quality ingredients mean your cat simply must eat more food to get nutrition. Many foods use cheap filler such as corn and by-products. Cats are obligate carnivores, corn has no place in their diet. By-products are beaks, feet, feathers, and other bits that are not recognized as actual meat. To some extend they are non-digestible and offer little value, again this is a filler, of no real nutritional value. A cat who is eating a food containing a lot of corn or by-products simply must eat more food to get any nutrition. They will also poop more too as a result.

Most of these foods spend a lot of money on advertising, therefore the consumer should note that the cost of the food also reflects this, not a nutritional value.

People who feed these foods often think that because they are cheaper per bag, they are saving money. In fact they may be feeding more food than if they bought a better quality food. Sadly too, these lower priced foods are often preserved with cheap preservatives linked to health problems.

By selecting a food that uses only top ingredients, a person can save money, your kitty will actually eat less. Look for the first ingredient to be chicken meal, turkey meal, or lamb meal, never corn or by-products.

While buying the most expensive, holistic food, may be out of your budget, you should understand that buying the more expensive, better quality foods, actually is cheaper in the long run.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jon_a_ross/2635640777/

Buy in Bulk

Buying a large bag of food is always cheaper than buying the equivalent in smaller bags. As long as the open bag can be kept in a sealed container it will remain fresh. A bag of food can be purchased to last as long as 30 to 60 days, which makes far more sense than buying a box of food to last only a week or two.

Look for Programs

Many of the better foods offer programs where after you buy 10 bags you get a free one, this represents a 10% savings over time. Sticking with the same kind of food may sound boring to us, but to pets it is easier on their stomach to remain consistent with a brand of food.

Where to Shop

The foods commonly sold in grocery stores and department type stores are generally the lower quality foods. The chain big box stores do not always sell quality foods either. Instead look for the better foods at independent stores or even groomers. You may find lower prices on pet food by shopping at livestock feed stores.

Canned Foods

The quality variations that exist in dry foods are far greater than in canned foods, as such you can shop a bit more by paying attention more to price than to ingredients. Still some people pay for things that their cat should not have. Avoid foods with gravy as these are fattening, and a waste of money. Remember vegetables are not meat, a canned food that advertises “vegetables you can see” is not going to be a food fit for a cat. Buying larger cans is cheaper than buying several small ones, they can be kept refrigerated with sealed lids for a few days. Young cats, pregnant and nursing cats, should always have canned food a few times throughout the day, however feeding a whole can is not necessary. Since canned food is more expensive, if a person wishes to reduce spending they are wise to leave the dry food out all day, and offer only a teaspoon of canned food per feeding. The canned food can be mixed with water to increase urinary tract health. Some owners may wish to do without feeding canned food altogether.

Coupons

Keep a look out for in store specials and coupons on the brand of cat food you buy. Again it is unwise to switch brands every time you buy food, particularly with dry food, but if you can find a savings on your regular brand why not take advantage of it?

Veterinary Care

Deworming will mean your pet is healthier and able to digest its food better. Keeping the cats teeth in good shape also will mean better fewer problems with eating. Proper veterinary care, and proper care in general will mean your cat will not need as much food. Neutered, and spayed cats, require fewer calories in a day.
Milk and Treats

Cats are actually lactose intolerant, if you have been feeding your cat milk, you can save money and stop this right away. Equally so, while they like treats, treats can consume your budget. Most cats will even accept a piece of dry food from your hand as a treat as much as they would an actual, more costly, cat treat.

Ultimately

Saving money on pet food is always good, but never at a health risk to your pet. Some people might think that feeding less food is a way to save money, but it may jeopardize your pets well being and result in higher veterinary bill. Feed dog food to a cat is also not a good way to save money, dog food does not meet a cats level of nutritional needs.

Litter Box

One other benefit by picking a quality food is that not only will you save money by not paying for things your cat cannot digest, you will also save money on cat litter, because cats who eat better foods actually poop less.

Mice

Letting a cat eat mice does not actually save you money on cat food. In fact cats who eat mice are exposed to a wide range of internal parasites who will actually make it so the cat needs to eat more food to stay alive and healthy.

Related Reading

Feeding Kittens

Care for Stray Cats

Care for Pregnant Cats

Problem Ingredients in Cat Food

Article by Guitario Telestrasina

Soft cat food

Cat food is specially made to meet the specific nutritional requirements of cats. One element that should be paid attention to in their diet is that cats need the amino acid taurine. Make sure your cat food has little or no grains and only a small amount of vegetables. The right cat food is critical in keeping your cat happy and healthy!

Adult

The ingredients in kitten, adult cat, and senior cat food is really all alike. Adult cats (1 year) may be given food once or twice a day. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and drinking milk will give them diarrhea. Kittens and aging cats need more food than the adult cat. Also, kitten nutrient needs are greater than an adult cat’s because they are growing SO very fast!

Balance

There are many nutritionally balanced cat foods that you can get in both the canned and dry forms. August, 2007: The FDA recalled several foods under the Natural Balance Eatables product line due to botulism toxin contamination. It’s really simple to get the nutrients out of balance and seriously compromise your cat’s health. Try to use cat-treats that are nutritionally balanced so as to minimize any disruption in your cat’s overall diet.

Foods

While the Menu Foods recall was the largest pet food recall in the history of commercial pet food, don’t think that this was the first time that many cats and dogs have died after eating commercial pet foods that have been contaminated with chemicals, bacteria, and bacterial or mold toxins. Foods like Science Diet, although more expensive than the average, are usually better for your cat.

Kittens

Kittens have other special food needs, so be sure to get a kitten formula for kittens. Give them food that’s dry as soon as the kittens teeth are strong enough to chew hard food (8 to 10 weeks). Kittens will need supplemental food as early as 2-1/2 weeks after birth and surely by 4 weeks because mom’s milk isn’t going to be an efficient nutrient food source. Kittens should only be given kitten replacement milk (like KMR), never cow’s milk.

Nutrition

Your cat’s nutritional needs will change as she grows from a kitten into an adult. Giving her a premium cat food formula for each stage of her life gives her nutrition that will help her stay fit and healthy. My cats are very special to me and I feel it is important for them to eat a diet that is equal in nutritional quality to what I would eat myself. Purina one cat foods are formulated with high-quality ingredients to give your cat all of the nutrition he needs. Nutro natural choice cat food contains the finest natural ingredients with essential vitamins and minerals for superior nutrition, taste and performance. Evo cat and kitten food was created to supply the key nutritional benefits of a raw food diet in a safe and convenient manner. Diamond cat food gives your pet high quality nutrition at an affordable price. This is important, since every pet is unique, and has different nutritional needs. Over the years we are glad to have witnessed an increasing trend of caregivers becoming more participatory in understanding their feline companions’ dietary/nutrition needs.

Owners

In reading the survey results, it seems that many cat and dog owners don’t know quite as much as they think they know about the food they are giving their pets to eat. Many cat owners are turning away from commercial pet foods and are feeding their cats homemade organic pet food. The quality of ingredients in cat food has become more vital than ever in many owners’ eyes, especially following the pet-food recalls of last recent yeras. Today cat owners are being tortured by the uncertainty of it all.

Problems

Even though bones are the most natural and optimal source of calcium, one of the most common problems that people run into in their cats when starting to feed a raw diet is them getting constipated. In theory, we should not need to remove any bone when using chicken thighs but if your cat is experiencing some problems with constipation, try removing 20% of the bones and see if that helps. Do not use canned fish as a protein source for cats that are prone to urinary tract problems. Did you know that wheat and corn can cause skin problems and diarrhea and vomiting in cats and dogs. Whole brown rice (not rice gluten) is about the only grain that provides some good nutrition for a cat or dog and doesn’t cause allergies or digestive problems for your pet. There are variations for cats with kidney problems (lower protein), cats with weight issues (more bulk like wheat bran and water-filled veggies), etc. Forget about buying anything for “Urinary Tract” problems because these are still the same old cheap pet foods with a fancy name so people will buy the product.

Soft

The three main types of cat foods are dry, soft-moist and canned products. Soft-moist cat foods generally offer higher palatability as compared to dry diets, are convenient to serve and store easily. Soft cat food is also sometimes the only alternative to feeding your cat because that’s all they really enjoy sometimes!

KING CRIMSON – CAT FOOD Lady Supermarket with an apple in her basket Knocks in the manager’s door; Grooning to the muzak from a speaker in shoe rack Lays out her goods on the floor; Everything she’s chosen is conveniently frozen. “Eat it and come back for more!” Lady Window Shopper with a new one in the hopper Whips up a chemical brew; Croaking to a neighbour while she polishes a sabre Knows how to flavour a stew. Never need to worry with a tin of ‘Hurri Curri’: “Poisoned especially for you!” No use to complain If you’re caught out in the rain; Your mother’s quite insane. Cat food cat food cat food again. Lady Yellow Stamper with a fillet in a hamper Dying to finish the course; Goodies for the table with a fable on the label Drowning in miracle sauce. Don’t think I am that rude if I tell you that it’s cat food, “Not even fit for a horse!”

More Cat Food Articles

Browse any grocery store or pet food store to buy Dog Food and you will agree that trying to decide on what is best for your dog is an exhausting task. Scanning the shelves of products available, you are bombarded by foods extolling different health benefits as well as a huge range of prices. The pet food industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and pet food manufacturers are eagerly marketing for every dollar. Not only are they marketing us to death, but also developing new products to put in front of us. Those products include “dry”, “canned”, “semi-moist” and health targeted products such as “senior”, “premium” and “gourmet.

So which food is best for your dog? Finding that out takes time and research. The truth is, the best dog food is the one that meets your dog’s nutritional requirements, which vary based upon the dog’s age, breed, body weight, genetics, and amount of activity… and one that fits within your budget. It is definitely worth consulting a veterinarian to get the best advice and nutrition plan for your dog. But for those of you that want to take matters in your own hands, you will find detailed below the most important things you will need to know.

Dog Food Labels

Susan Powter comes to mind when thinking about food labels. Remember this iconic infomercial star with the coined phrase “Stop the Insanity”? Her gospel about nutrition and the importance of studying the ingredients on the side of the packaging to distinguish the various elements and how each plays its role in overall nutrition, was novel at that time. It seems that this was the beginning of the mass movement to better nutrition, label reading and choosing products more carefully.

With all the recent pet food recalls, millions of dog owners have extended this scrutiny to selecting a dog food. But we can’t pull from the Susan Powter gospel for this, because dog foods are manufactured under a series of different standards and regulations, put forth by the AAFCO ( The Association of American Feed Control Officials ). There are special labeling requirements that require all dog foods to have certain information on the label. So, in order that we can all make a proper choice for our dogs, we must know how to read and understand the dog food label.

The AAFCO puts out an official publication, on a yearly basis, detailing special requirements for dog food. Among all the different requirements, they request all dog food manufacturers to adhere to label regulations and must include on the package the following:

# Product Name
# Guaranteed Analysis
# Nutritional Adequacy Statement
# Feeding Directions

The Name Game

When shopping for dog food, what is the first thing you look at? The product name, of course. We’ve all walked down the pet food aisle and seen the product names jump out as us…calling us. Displayed in bold type and fancy fonts such descriptions as “With Chicken”, “All Life Stages”, “Duck Entree”, “95% Beef”, “Natural Dog Food”. But what do these descriptions really mean? Is it just fancy marketing? The AAFCO has set forth rules that dictate how ingredients can be used in a product name.

95% Rule

# Applies to most canned dog food that consists mostly of meat, poultry or fish.
# Specifies that at least 95% of the dog food must be the named ingredient on the label, not counting water and preservatives added for processing.
# Counting water, the product must still consist of 70% of the product.
# If the name consists of a combination of ingredients, the two combined must equal 95%.
# The rule only applies to ingredients of animal origin, so grains and vegetables cannot be used as part of the 95% rule. So if the product name was “Beef and Brown Rice”, the product would still have to consist of 95% beef.

25% or “Dinner” Rule

# This rule applies to many canned as well as dry dog foods.
# If the named ingredient, or a combination of ingredients, found on the label consists of 25% of the weight (but less than 95%) excluding water for sufficient processing.
# The name must include a descriptive term, such as “Dinner”, “Platter”, “Entree”, or “Formula”.
# If more than one ingredient is in the name, they must both total 25% combined, with each named ingredient equalling or exceeding 3%.

3% or “With” Rule

# Originally, this rule was intended to apply only to ingredients highlighted on the package, outside of the product name.
# It allows manufacturers to highlight minor ingredients.
# The ingredient must have at least 3% added.
# The rule now allows manufacturers to use the term “With” in the product name.

Be careful when reading the dog food label because “Beef Dog Food” and “Dog Food with Beef” are not the same. The first must have 95% beef, whereas the latter only needs 3%.

Flavor Rule

# A percentage of any one ingredient isn’t required.
# The word “Flavor” must appear on the label in the same font size and color as the ingredient name.
# The flavor might be the corresponding ingredient, but more often than not, it’s another substance such as “meal”, “by-product”, a “stock” or a “broth”.

Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis is the next component that needs to be on a dog food label. It serves as a general guide as to what the percentages of the main nutrients and other items are in the total makeup of the product. At the bare minimum, the guaranteed analysis must consist of the following:

# Minimum Percentage of Protein
# Minimum Percentage of Fat
# Maximum Percentage of Fiber
# Maximum Percentage of Moisture

Go ahead and look at your label at this point. See it there? Good. Now, if you have a can of dog food and a package of dry dog food at your disposal, take a look at both labels. After careful analysis you might want to ask, “Hey Michael, I notice when looking at both labels that the dry dog food has way more nutrients. I thought canned food had way more protein…what gives?”

Keep this in mind, as I have noticed this as well, that the amounts of protein and other nutrients stated on the labels appear to be less for canned versus dry, but looks are deceiving. The reason? Differences in moisture content. Canned dog food, on average, consists of 75% water, while dry dog food contains about 10%. So to make a true comparison of the nutrient levels, we need to put both types on the same playing field. To do this, we will be converting both products to dry matter.

To convert the nutrients, we need to dust off our calculators that we last used in high school, in order to perform a little math. (And you said to your math teacher, “I’ll never use this in the real world!”), But I digress. Here’s the formula we will be using: % Guarantee divided by % Dry Matter multiplied by 100

Example In one corner, we have a canned dog food that has a guaranteed analysis consisting of 9% protein, 6% fat, 1.5% fiber and 78% moisture. In the other corner, we have a dry dog food that has a guaranteed analysis consisting of 24% protein, 14.5% fat, 4% fiber and 10% moisture.

# Dry matter of canned: 100 – 78 = 22
# Dry matter of dry: 100 – 10 = 90
# Now we can do our calculations

Canned Dog Food

# Protein: 9 / 22 x 100 = 40.9%
# Fat: 6 / 22 x 100 = 27%
# Fiber: 1.5 / 22 x 100 = 6.8%

Dry Dog Food

# Protein: 24 / 90 x 100 = 26.6%
# Fat: 14.5 / 90 x 100 = 16.1%
# Fiber: 4 / 90 x 100 = 4.4%

So after were done, do you notice the protein? The canned dog food actually has 14% more protein.

Nutritional Adequacy Statement

You’ve seen it on the labels…”Complete”, “Balanced”, “For All Lifestages”, among others. But how are these claims substantiated? What rules are in place to regulate such verbage? The answer is set forth, once again, by the AAFCO.

The Nutritional Adequacy Statement is required and is one of the most important aspects of a dog food label. This statement assures us that a product meets all of a dog’s nutritional requirements. So how is a dog food substantiated for nutritional adequacy? They must use one of two ways:

Calculations

# The method whereby the dog food contains ingredients formulated to provide levels of nutrients that meet an established profile
# Calculations estimate the amount of nutrients either by an average nutrient content of ingredients or results of laboratory tests using standard chemical analysis.
# If it meets the profile set by the AAFCO, the label will carry a statement as follows: “(Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Dog) Food Nutrient Profiles for (specific life stage).”

Feeding Trials

# The product (or a similar product made by the same company) has been tested in dogs under strict guidelines and found to provide proper nutrition
# If it meets the profile set by the AAFCO, the label will carry a statement as follows: “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition for (specific life stage).”

The Nutritional Adequacy Statement will also include a statement about which life stage(s) the dog food is suitable for. Two profiles are used. Below is a definition of each and additional information about other profiles:

# Growth/Lactation – A product intended for growing puppies, for pregnant dogs or lactating females.
# Maintenance – Suitable for any adult, non-reproducing dog of normal activity level, but may not be sufficient for a growing, reproducing, or hard working dog.
# Terms like “Senior” or “Formulated for Large Breed Adults” means the dog food meets the requirements for the Maintenance profile, but nothing more.
# A product that doesn’t fit within the two profiles above must state that “This product is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding,” except if it is conspicuously identified as a snack or treat.

Feeding Guidelines

Feeding guidelines are very broad, to say the least. At a minimum, they should include instruction like “Feed ___ Cups Per ___ Pounds.” But keep in mind that these instructions are very rough estimates. Most people feed their dogs way too much. In fact, 25% of all dog’s are overweight…causing problems such as:

# Diabetes
# Arthritis
# Heart and Liver Problems
# Bladder Cancer

You should treat the guidelines as a place to start. Talk with your veterinarian about your dog food and how much to feed. They understand that nutritional requirements vary and, by knowing your dog, they will be able to recommend a feeding schedule based upon several factors including:

# Age
# Body Weight
# Breed
# Genetics
# Activity Level

Article by K. Dutchess

Your dog’s health and well being is important to you and your family. Not to mention keeping down the cost of veterinarian bills! So you need to carefully consider the food that you give your dog. People sometimes just pick the first dog food bag they see at the store. It’s easy to overlook the importance of dog food but it is essential to pick the right one for your dog.

To keep your dog healthy he needs plenty of fresh water and should be fed good quality dog food in amounts just right to meet his energy requirements. Always follow the guidelines on the dog food package for recommended feeding amounts.Picking a dog food

The first challenge in choosing a dog food is picking one that has overall quality. The term that comes up a lot about dog food is human grade. Human grade implies that the dog food is good enough for us to eat. Many commercial dog foods are made from materials unusable or less desirable for human consumption. Often the meat that is used in dog food is of a quality considered unfit for humans to eat.

Major dog food companies try to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum benefit to your dog. Although you may see that many brands of dog food have almost identical labels, a reputable dog food company will provide an explanation for each supplement and how it benefits your dog.

Always read the label to see what proteins, vitamins and minerals are being provided to your dog. Try not to use store brand dog food they may short change your dog on much needed nutrition.

Studies have shown that the primary ingredient in dog food should be meat-based protein, not corn meal, flour or corn gluten meal. According to reviews a better quality dog food results in a healthier coat, fewer digestive problems and firmer stools. Pet-nutrition experts agree that the best dog food is made from human-grade ingredients like meat, whole grains and vegetables. Premium dog food is so important because good nutrition is essential for a long, healthy life.

Types of dog food

There are many varieties of dog food to choose from. The three most popular types of dog foods are dry, semi-moist and canned products. Check the color of your dog food. Usually dog food made from natural ingredients will have soft earth tones and contain no preservatives, artificial colors and flavors.

Raw dog food is becoming more popular. More and more veterinarians recommend feeding your dog with raw dog food. They feel that this is the best choice and is the healthiest food for your dog. After all, you’ve never seen your dog enjoy commercial dog food the way he enjoys a good meaty bone.

Raw food advocates concede the diet costs more than traditional dog food, but they argue it’s worth it. You may find that locating free natural home made dog food recipes is not easy. Try making a mixture of ground turkey, rice and carrot as your own dog food. Your dog will thank you for it.

If you decide to go the commercial route, try and choose a good premium dog food since it contains more energy and protein than an economy brand. Unfortunately not all dog food brands contain high quality and natural ingredients, so always check the label. It is best if you seek advice from your veterinarian before deciding on which dog food to feed your dog or puppy. He will know your dog’s dietary needs and you will find that veterinary offices and feed stores often carry excellent and natural dog food.

All Natural Dog Food

Many natural dog foods contain only fresh, natural and wholesome ingredients for your dog. Not only are the protein ingredients digestible, but the carbohydrates in the dog food are digestible. Natural dog food has 100% nutritional value which is important for healthy strong dogs. Chicken, egg and fish are examples of protein that is provided in natural dog food. There are also ingredients in natural dog food that really help the health of your dog’s skin and also your dog’s coat. One of the main draw backs of natural dog food is that it has a shorter shelf life and may spoil before it is used.

Dried Dog Food

A good high quality dry dog food will work out to be more economical than the generic brands even though they cost more per pound. A vast majority of dog owners go for dry dog food for its convenience and ease of storage. The cheaper dry dog foods are made from soybean, corn or rice, while many premium dry dog foods are made with all-natural, human-grade ingredients.

Vegetarian dog foods

There are dog foods specially formulated for dogs that are allergic to wheat, corn, and/or chicken. There are also vegetarian dog foods marketed to owners who do not want their dogs to consume meat products. Most vegetarian dog foods use soy as a protein source. If your dog has allergies consult your vet before putting him on a specialized diet.

Conclusion

Overall it’s usually best to let dogs enjoy dog food and not our food, even though they may prefer what we’re eating! Of course you can feed your dog treats from time to time, every dog needs some TLC from time to time!

For More information please visit My Puppy Academy

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A trip to the supermarket can turn into pure confusion when you see the dog food aisle with its countless options. There are dry foods, can foods, and packaged foods. It’s hard to know where to start.

To begin your search for the proper dog food you should concentrate on dry food first. Dry food makes up the bulk of what your canine will eat. Some dogs may never even need to eat canned foods.  If you choose to feed your canine canned food, mix it with dry food or provide it simply as an occasional treat. Canned foods can be high in fat.

The first factor of dog food is age. Puppies need special foods that are for puppies only.  These foods tend to have a higher fat content to provide energy as well as smaller bits that are easier for puppies to chew. Older dogs may need a food that is geared toward their aging needs. These foods may introduce special oils and minerals that older dogs need to maintain healthy bones and muscles and avoid injury.

Protein, fat and by-products are also important factors when choosing the right dog food for you and your dog. Always read the back of the dog food bag before you buy and serve it. You should look to see what proteins are used. Great foods will state the actual protein source such as chicken or beef whereas lower quality foods may just say meat or poultry.  You should also avoid foods that derive protein from plants. These foods may be cheaper, but your dog needs the best protein sources available.

Each day, your dog should receive twenty percent of fat from their food. Dogs use fat to provide them with energy. As long as your dog is getting plenty of exercise, they will burn off this high fat content and convert it to lean muscle. If your dog is overweight or older you may opt for a special diet food that provides a lower fat content. When your dog is overweight it puts strain on his or her bones, joints and heart.

When your dog is healthy you should be able to feel but not see his or her ribs. If you can see your dog’s ribs, increase their food intake or provide a food with a higher fat content. If you cannot feel your dog’s ribs, add more exercise and then consider moving to a special diet dog food. Filler or by-products are also a chief aspect in your dog food selection. Not all by-products are bad as long as they name the source, such as beef or chicken by-products.

When you purchase dog food, remember that cheaper is not always better. The less you spend on dog food may mean higher vet bills because improper nutrition may cause health issues.  As mentioned before, always read the back of the dog food. If you are still unsure how to make the right choice, your veterinarian is a great source of information for food recommendations.

You can also ask your vet to recommended types of wet or canned food for treats or to add to your dog’s dry food. If your dog is overweight, your vet may even suggest that you avoid these fattier canned foods for leaner special dry food that will help your dog reach and maintain a proper weight.  

Your vet can also advise you on what type, if any, of table scraps you can give your dog.  If you do feed your canine table scraps, learn what foods to avoid and consider adding scraps to their bowl at meal time instead of allowing all day snacking.  A proper dog diet along with plenty of exercise will help your canine to live a happy and full life.
 

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