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” Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in”. - Mark Twain -

A healthy dog is a happy dog. We dog “owners” are almost solely responsible for our dog’s eating habits. Of course Fido wants those left over doughnuts, but by NOT feeding them to your dog, you have done her a great favor. Dogs want whatever we eat. Some are more obsessed about food than others, but most will eat people food. We’ll start with the basics, quality dog food. Feeding a quality dog food, with some quality dog treats, keeps them in shape and extends their lives. My dogs believe they NEED to eat every time they come in from outside. During the warmer months this isn’t a problem as they’re outside most of the day. The winter months pose a great risk of them getting fat. Yes, the fat word. For a dog, even a few extra pounds makes them fat. Keeping the weight off is crucial to your dog’s health.

If you can “pinch and inch”, or can’t feel his ribs, then your dog is overweight. There should be a loose covering of fat and muscle over your dog’s ribs and spine. If your dog is fat, start with a commercial weight-loss diet higher in protein and fiber, and lower in carbohydrates and fat. Any additional weight puts incredible strain on joints.

STOP giving all table scraps and treats, and switch to low calorie ones, or even vegetables. Control the feedings. Feed twice a day. Free fed pets are often overweight.

Lastly, make sure your dog gets enough exercise. Obese dogs will move slower and may need encouragement to get moving. Dogs are made to run all day, not spend their days inside eating human food. If you can’t let your dog run free, commit to walking her twice a day for at least 30 minutes each time. If you can make it aerobic by jogging or bike riding, that’s even better. If this won’t work for you, consider hiring a dog walking service in your area.

If you really want your dog to lose weight, and see dramatic results, feed a high quality, calorie reduced, or elevated fiber diet. Increasing his exercise is important. Remember, it’s not a favor giving your dog high calorie human food, even though he’ll have you believe he really needs it.

Instead of commercial food, you can prepare a homemade diet like the one included here.

Natural Homemade Dog Weight Loss Diet

Macaroni 2 cups

Carrots 2 cups

Chicken (no skin) 1/3 lb

One a day vitamin 1 tablet

Calcium Carbonate (Tums) 1 tsp or 1 tablet

Ground Flax Seed 4 tsp

Cook all ingredients and mix together to produce a mash. The average 20 lb dog should get 2 cups per day.

Your dog will live longer and be happier if kept at a healthy weight, so get started now.

“To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs”.
- Aldous Huxley -

Patricia Bulzan publishes a newsletter and web page that teaches people how to care for their dogs at home. Do it yourself knowledge enables people to rescue more dogs by reducing the cost of owning them. Visit diydogs.com for more information.

Teaching your puppy crate training is the first and best step in his life. It makes all the other steps in his training go so much smoother, much like a solid foundation makes for a superior wall. Establishing you as the Alpha member of his “pack” is one very good reason for starting your puppy in a crate when he is very young.

Another reason for crate training is that dogs love predictability. To know what is going to happen in any given situation makes him happy, and more apt to be the best-behaved dog he can possibly be.

A strong crate is the very basis of good puppy training. A wire crate with a lock is the best kind. Make sure it is large enough for him to stand up and turn around. But not so large that he can roam and wander around. A too-large crate will inhibit house breaking.

A crate that is just the right size will be perceived as his “nest”, where puppies never “go potty”. They will learn to hold it if you don’t make a prison out of it. Never leave a puppy under 8 weeks longer than one hour in his crate. He will soil it, after struggling and suffering as long as he can.

Put a nice pad in there with a bone. Start with placing a tasty treat in there, he will go in and get it. Do this several times without closing the door, let him come in and out freely for an hour or so. Praise him highly each time he goes in, make it all very pleasant.

Then when his attention is on his treat, close the door. Praise him quietly, “What a good boy, it’s ok, such a good boy!” In 10 or 20 seconds, no longer, let him out without a word, no praise, just a pat. Do this for increasingly longer intervals, but do not give him a chance to get upset. You can do this several times the first day.

Make sure every training session ends on a happy note, this is crucial.

Once he sees the crate is his own private territory, he will go in there on his own, expecting treats and your attention. When he does, say, “Wanna crate?” with a happy face while getting his treats. Start leaving the room while he is in there for 2 minutes and onward, gradually. When you return, don’t make a fuss, just walk over and open the crate. In 3 days he will be officially crate-trained, ready to be left alone for an hour, no longer at first. Leave him gradually longer, slowly and carefully.

Q. Why do I want a crate for my puppy? A. Because they love it is the best reason. They feel very safe and secure in there. Here are some more:
When you leave a puppy alone, he always has some measure of separation anxiety. This leads him to any behavior that brings him comfort, which is chewing, digging, or when it is severe, voiding his bowels. When placed in a crate, he feels safe because nothing can get to him, nothing can harm him. He will sleep and chew and wait for you to return. When leaving him overnight at the vet, if your dog is not crate trained he will cry the entire time, feeling lost and abandoned. With crate training, he is sure you will return, you always do. Of course the vet’s office is strange and will cause him some anxiety, but nothing like the pure terror he will feel without experience in being locked in.

NOTE: About crate-training, do not make a prison of his crate. Do not use it as punishment. Do not leave him there for more than 2 hours, just time for a long puppy nap and some chew time. After that he will cry. Do not remove him while he is crying. This will make him think he has to cry to get out. No matter what, make sure he is being good when you open the door. He will learn he has to be quiet to get out. Do not make a fuss when you are letting him out, just quietly open the door and take him out to potty. When he potties, praise him to high heaven! Dogs naturally do not go where they nest, but sometimes it happens. Do not scold, just clean it out with a bland face. He will learn the lesson. If possible, try to clean it while he is outside so he returns to a clean crate

. In 25 years of training dogs, I have never seen any one thing more critical for a dog’s well-being than good crate training.

Dy Witt has shown, bred and trained standard poodles for 25 years. She is committed to this positive and loving form of training dogs, and her dogs cannot get enough of it. For more on her training techniques, visit: www.DogTraining15MinsADay.com

You will be simply amazed at what is covered when it comes to pet insurance. There are dozens of reputable insurance companies that offer very competitive rates when it comes to comprehensive dog and cat insurance coverage. You can get your pet covered for unexpected illnesses and accidents or just for routine care. Such items as injuries, and emergencies are covered, as well as your office visits, prescriptions, x-rays, diagnostic tests, lab fees and lots more. You can even get a routine care or vaccination rider on your policy that covers pet care items, and some come with one small fee per year with no deductible, so it pays to shop around. Pet insurance can be comprehensive and there is almost an exhaustive list of items that can or will be covered depending on your requirements. Such items as cat scans, surgeries, cancer treatments, medication prescriptions, and even hospitalization of your pet. Imagine vaccinations being covered. Now that is a significant expense when it comes to pet care. Other items such as heartworm protection, annual exams and flea control also can be covered, and of course, your traditional spay and neuter procedure.

Pet insurance is excellent for that unexpected expense that always seems to crop up. I am sure you know what I mean! When your pet becomes ill, you want to make sure that you are getting the best care quickly without worrying about how much it is going to cost. Did you know that one in three pets need veterinary treatment each year? You can get plans that have great premium payment options such as direct debit. Most claims are settled fairly and promptly and will cover most breed types. Some offer you the flexibility as well to get a 100% refund within a specified time for your peace of mind. Here is a link to some great pet insurance information: http://www.pet-supply-discount.com/102-pet-insurance.html

Remember to get coverage when your pet is young because you pets are like babies and toddlers. They lack coordination so they are more accident-prone, and we have the experience to know what situations might hurt them. Sometimes they don’t know when they are in the way and accidents do happen. It is always better to enroll them when they are young and before any problems develop or that unexpected mishap occurs. Here is a link to some good information on pet insurance: http://www.pet-supply-discount.com/106-vet-pet-insurance.html

By Terry Price- Remember to visit http://www.pet-supply-discount.com for a great resource on all kinds of pet supply products, articles, pet id tags, and of course pet insurance. Save money and buy online with a good selection of online merchants, ready and waiting to serve you and your pet.