Dog Cuisine: The Do’s and Don’ts

Dog cuisine & treats come in all sorts of fun shapes and sizes these days, but what goes in to that food matters much more than the size of the kibble! With all of the brands available to a consumer today, you want to be sure to get the most nutritious and delicious meals for your canine friends.

When choosing a treat or a meal for your furry friend, there are ingredients to chase after and ingredients to bury in the backyard! Always check the back of the bag or back of the can to view a list of ingredients contained in your dog’s food. Just as in human food, items that have high portions in the product will be featured first. Items lower on the ingredient lists are not featured prominently in the foods recipe.

Meat should definitely be found within the first 5 ingredients of your dog food label. Whether beef, poultry, fish, or pork you want meat to feature prominently in your dog’s food as this is what will keep them healthy!

Other ingredients that are included in dog food may seem strange, but do provide large amounts of energy for your pup! Wheat flour, barley flour and brown rice are common dog food ingredients used to provide extra energy for your dog. Vitamins and minerals also help to keep your dog strong and healthy.

You want to avoid foods that contain a large amount of wheat, corn, soy & preservatives, or at least purchase foods that have these low on the ingredient list. These items don’t contain the nutrients that your dog needs, and some of them are simply filler.

Fats are an item that you may think belongs on the ‘bury’ list, but some fats are good for dogs and humans alike! Saturated fats, like those found in peanut butter and cheese, pack your pups food with an extra energy punch!

No matter which foods or treats you choose, you want to find a type of food that your dog enjoys!

Things To Consider When Buying A Pet Bird

Birds are wonderful creatures and make brilliant pets. However there are things you need to consider before you make this huge commitment. Birds, like all pets require love and attention from their owners. They also need money, patience and quality bonding time. Do you have what it takes to be a pet bird parent? Read on to find out more.

Image Source: Flickr

Do you have enough time?

Pet birds need a lot of attention. They need time to bond with you as an owner and other members of your family. This is vital for them to feel safe and relaxed in your home. When given this quality time, they can be very affectionate pets and become valued members of the family. You need to be aware that different birds require different things from you. Doing your own research is also going to take some time. If you have other pets in your home it is important that they all learn how to socialise together. This will take a lot of patience, but can be achieved.

Do not be mistaken. Having a pet bird is a lot more effort than a cat or dog. It’s just as important to build that strong bond you have with your other animals. You need to ensure you make plenty of time to play and interact with your pet, as often as possible. Don’t forget it will also take a fair amount of time to frequently clean their cages too.

Where is the bird going to live?

Birds love to get attention. It’s important that you consider where you would keep their cage, so it will allow them to get plenty of human interaction. A kitchen or living room are ideal.

Choosing the right cage for your bird is an essential task. If you get it wrong it could be detrimental to your pet's development and happiness. Take a look at these Avian Adventures bird cages. They offer some wonderful cages, in an array of sizing depending on the bird in question. It’s important that you buy a cage that is big enough for your bird to freely move around in. A simple rule of thumb is to buy a cage that is three times bigger than your desired bird's wing span.

Can you afford a pet bird?

Veterinary bills, Insurance, and food bills all add up. Will you be able to continuously offer your bird the support it needs? Your local vets may not treat birds, so you may have to make longer trips to get them medical treatment, which can also be very expensive. Something else to consider is their life span. If treated well they can live almost as long as humans. Would you be able to sustain their upkeep for this long?

Bird such as parrots, need stimulation to keep them happy, so will also require lots of toys to amuse them. These will need to be replaced every so often, to avoid them getting bored.

Owning any bird is a huge responsibility. Think very carefully about whether or not you have the time to bond with them, can afford them and can provide them with a safe environment. If you think that you can cater for each of these I think you will make a fantastic owner. Now go and find your new feathered friend.

Are You Ready For A Lifetime Of Happiness With Your Pet?

When you commit to having a pet, you are committing to providing for that little furry for the rest of their life. It’s a wonderful journey from puppy or kitten right through to their twilight years. They will provide you with hours of fun, comfort and companionship every day for many years. But they will also cost you a small fortune in veterinarian fees. They might also cause a lot of destruction to your home!

A lifetime with a pet gives you the chance to bond and get to know each other. Your furry baby will know when you need a cuddle, and he’ll know when to hide until you’ve cleaned up! It’s true that pets can make a terrible mess in our homes. Upsets, poor training and illness, can cause toileting accidents around the home. These things happen, though, and come with the territory of pet ownership.

Your pet may also be destructive with their teeth or claws. Cats like to scratch furniture. Dogs like to chew shoes. Keep temptation away or provide other distractions. Scratching poles and chew toys are wonderful ways for your pet to do what they need to do without destroying your home. When they’ve performed the right behavior, a small treat can help reinforce that you are pleased with them.

All pets need exercise. You may not be keen to let your bunny or cat out of the house, but fresh air and interaction with your garden is very healthy for them. You can use a bunny run to keep your rabbit in. But a solid fence buried a little beneath the topsoil is usually secure enough. A cat will jump up an eight-foot fence with no problem. And they’ll travel up to a mile away from your home without thinking about it. The best you can do is an ID collar.

Cats are wild at heart, and they may kill smaller creatures. Some will do it simply by playing too rough. Others will eat what they have caught. But some cats will bring you what they killed as a gift. It is an offering for the larder. If you scold your cat, he may do it again thinking the offering was inadequate. Thank your cat, and then deal with the gift as best you can. A bell on the collar can reduce your cat’s chances of success.

As animals get into old age, they suffer some of the physical difficulties we humans have. Joint stiffness and discomfort are common. When it comes to your canine companion, you should choose the best joint supplements for dogs you can find to help reduce the symptoms. You may need to take your walks more slowly, and provide a jacket to keep his back and hips warm.

As our pets age, all of their needs will change except for one - You. They will still need your love, understanding and compassion. Most importantly, they will need your companionship. Some of the old games may need to be adapted, but they will still want to play with you. Love your pet for life.

Butterflies : Flitter Flutter

Our butterfly bushes ar in full bloom so we have a lot of butterflies in our garden.  Watching those butterflies flitter and flutter their wings around the garden is   full of joy.  This is one of the many things that I love about summer.

 We have seen big ones, small ones, and they are all  beautful.

 I always have fun  taking photos of them when I am outside the house.  I am going to miss this when summer ends.  I feel like summer is too sdhort and winter takes a long time to end.

 I wish summer is  all year long so we could enjoy outdoor to the fullest.  I miss the weather at my former home  country, Philippines.

 Then again, the other  seasons are totally  unique and beautiful ain many ways too so I am not complaining.

Anyway, while I can, I want to enjoy every moment I have in watching the butterflies.

How To Keep Your Dog In Show Condition

Regardless of how you feel about dog shows, one thing is for sure: the animals that compete all look fantastic. They are alert, well-trained, and have glossy coats that look incredible. So, it’s fair to say that the owners must be doing something right!

The big question is, what is their secret? And, how do you go about keeping your dog in a condition that it would breeze into a show?

Here are some of the things that are a necessity in a show dog, so take a look and see if there are any areas that you can improve. Even if you have no interest in owning a competition dog, follow these ideas, and you can rest assured your pet will be as fit and healthy as it possibly can.

Give it a better diet

There is a lot of misinformation about dogs and diet. There are a lot of gray areas, and just like humans, different dogs prefer different foods. However, there are a few ground rules to follow. First of all, you have to make sure they enjoy a balanced diet, and you should avoid overfeeding. By their nature, dogs will eat whatever they can, and appear that they are hungry at all times. Don’t be fooled, because you will just end up overfeeding them, and they will run the risk of turning obese. Check out my guide on dog nutrition for more ideas.

Top up with supplements

If your dog has a balanced diet and is great shape, there is no need for supplements. But, if your pet has a condition, it may enjoy the addition of supplements to its diet. For example, green lipped mussel is thought to be great for joint pain, which many dogs suffer when they develop arthritis in their later years. So, it might make sense to add some powder to their diets once in awhile. Look at this guide for more - http://greenlippedmusselbenefits.org/green-lipped-mussel-supplement-for-dogs/. However, before putting your dog on any supplements, you should always talk with a veterinary professional.

Take it out

If your dog isn’t getting the best amount of exercise, it will soon start to show. Of course, some dogs prefer a lazy life, such as the Great Dane. They will be happy smooching around with just a couple of short walks every day. But, if you have something bred to work, such as a collie, then you are going to have to give it what it needs. In the short term, they are likely to have behavior issues, and in the long-term it could also have an effect on their appearance. Again, obesity is a big issue here, as is muscle wasting.

Socialize it

Show dogs tend to be happy creatures who enjoy the company of other dogs. There’s a simple reason why - it’s how they have been brought up. So, if you want your dog to have a similar view of the world, it is essential that you socialize it from an early age. Give them the chance to play with other dogs, and people. The more they do it, the better they will be when you take them out for walks.

Give them a Treat, They Deserve it: Dental Chews and a Frisbee #ProductReview

It's all about treats for our fur babies this month.  Chewy.com sent my fur babies  a bag of dental chews and a zogoflex air Dash.  I think if our dogs can talk, they would bark "I love Chewy!"

 This West Paw Zogoflex Air Dash Frisbee Peacock features  an ergonomic shape that is designed  for  easy handlomh by us and easy for  our dogs jaw to pick up.  I love that they thought it carefully like this.  It has a  hole in the middle which makes it fast and steady when you throw it on the air for the dogs to catch.  This is made by  West Paws Design and being sold at Chewy.com for $17.99.  It is bright in color and light weight, it's non-toxic amd you can wash it in  shelf dishwasher.  

This Natural Balance Dental Chews Pumpkin and Chicken Meal Formula with Papaya Dog Treat is formulated to encourage your fur babies to chew naturally.  This healps support healthy teeth and gums.  My dogs are not used to brushing teeth so their breath can be very  stinky sometimes depending on what they eat for the day.  I am glad to have this dental chews because it freshen up their breath.  A bag of this  is $14.99, it contain 22 treats.  

I gave each of them  toght away when we opened the box.  It took them a while to chew it.  These dental chews is suppose to help  in reducing  plaque and tartar and it has an antioxident nutrient in it.  If you want t get your  fur baby a treat with pumplon this  holdiay season, this would be perfect.  Give them a treat, they deserve it!

Champ is the playful one among our dogs.  He love to play goalie with his ball and he found out that this frisbee is  so much fun to play with as well.

 

He was on it right away when I first  throw it in the air.  Our big dog, Bolt,  is not much into toys but he loves to run around with Champ because he love to chew his neck!  I feel bad for Champ, it must be so annoying lol.

I was surprised thta he actually  offered to take away the frisbee from Champ.  But since Champ is the dominant one, he doesn't give it up.

This frisbee is  made really well.  This would be a good toy for our Jack Russell for a long time.  He go through with rubber balls very fast.  So glad that he has a new toy for a change.

Disclosure: The owner of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review.  I was provided with the product/s mentioned  to help me  facilitate this review but  opinions are my own.