WHAT VEGETABLES CAN DOGS EAT? HERE’S THE VERDICT ON WHICH COMMON TYPES ARE SAFE AND WHICH ARE TOXIC.

WHAT VEGETABLES CAN MY DOG EAT SAFELY? Below are a few of the more common types of household vegetables. Some are safe for your dog to have, and some are not. We like to treat them like our children, but dogs are a different species and can’t always safely eat what we do. Although a few vegetables included with your dog’s food, or as a special treat, may add important vitamins or minerals to his diet, remember that dogs are carnivores. A few carrots, or a piece of broccoli every now and then is fine; but anyone who tells you a dog can live on a vegetarian or vegan diet is wrong. Trying to force a carnivore into surviving without animal products leads to malnutrition and death. Dogs do not thrive without meat and other animal products – unlike humans, they are not able to process a diet based entirely on plants, even with supplements. CAN I FEED MY DOG……? ASPARAGUS NUTRITIONAL VALUES Asparagus is a low calorie, high nutrient vegetable. It contains the following vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C, Vitamin…

Post author:abbey
Post published:February 6, 2020

EIGHT JOBS WHICH ALLOW YOU TO WORK WITH DOGS. GET YOUR “PUPPY FIX” AND MAKE MONEY AT THE SAME TIME.

EIGHT JOBS WORKING WITH DOGS Getting a job working with dogs every day is a dream of many animal lovers. Good news. There are many positions available throughout the country where you can do so. Unfortunately, most are extremely poorly paid, which means you’ll either have to have a partner who makes a good salary, or struggle financially. Still, for many dog lovers, the financial sacrifices are well worth it. Also, since some of these positions are part-time, it's easier to make them a second job. Below are several occupations which involve handling dogs, listed from highest paying to lowest. VETERINARIAN EDUCATION REQUIRED UNDERGRADUATE Forty-five to ninety hours of prerequisites including such courses as biology, physics, animal nutrition, etc. POSTGRADUATE Graduation from a four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Many veterinarians then go on to serve a one-year internship at a veterinary practice. LICENSES REQUIRED All veterinarians must pass a state-wide test – the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination – before being able to practice. An aspiring vet must also know the regulations and laws of their state. Unfortunately, this means…

Post author:abbey
Post published:January 16, 2020

DO DOGS NEED TO WEAR COATS? HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PET FROM HYPOTHERMIA AND FROSTBITE IN BITTER WINTER COLD.

DO DOGS NEED TO WEAR COATS? Do you live in a cold climate and wonder if your dog should wear a coat when outdoors? How about booties? Ear muffs? The correct answer depends a lot on how cold it is, what type of dog you have, and, to a lesser degree, your dog’s personality. WHAT TYPE OF NATURAL COAT DOES YOUR DOG HAVE? Different dog breeds have different types of natural coats. At what temperature your dog will start to feel the cold depends a lot on what type of coat he has. SMOOTH COAT This category includes miniature pinschers, dachshunds, and chihuahuas. Dogs with this fur type will feel the cold sooner than those with other types of coats. An external coat or sweater is advisable for these guys whenever the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. DOUBLE COAT Some of the dog breeds which have a double coat are German Shepherds, Huskies, Great Pyrenees, and Shiba Inu. These dogs are usually the hardiest in the cold – Huskies, for example, can tolerate extreme low temperatures. That having been said,…

Post author:abbey
Post published:January 8, 2020

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T GET A DOG. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SAY NO NOW INSTEAD OF REGRETTING YOUR DECISION LATER.

REASONS NOT TO GET A DOG Why you shouldn't get a dog. Despite all the hoopla about the health and mental benefits of dog ownership, there are just as many reasons not to get a dog. Not every home, not every family, is a perfect place for a pet. And, although every dog should have a home, not every home should have a dog. Here, spelled out plainly, are a few of the reasons why you shouldn't get a dog. COST If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, this could be a big factor in your decision. I am not one of those who thinks you need to be rich to own a dog, but you do need to have your head firmly above the financial waterline. FOOD Dog food is expensive. The cheapest out there is the bargain basement Old Roy from Walmart (which is not the healthiest food for a pet), at about $20.00 per 50 pounds. On the other end of the scale, Taste of the Wild dry dog food goes for $65.00 per 28 pounds. A 40-pound dog…

Post author:abbey
Post published:November 7, 2019

11 SCOTTISH DOG BREEDS – RANGING FROM THE THIRD MOST POPULAR TO THE 182ND. ARE ONE OF THESE BREEDS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Many dog breeds originated in Scotland, a mountainous and rocky country with lots of open spaces. Due to necessity and the terrain, Scottish dog breeds include a few terriers, used to control the vermin population. Scotland also produced three few shepherd breeds, a retriever, a setter, and a sight hound used for hunting. Although all the breeds here are still viable, some are rarely seen in the United States, which is a shame. Read through these interesting breeds and see if one is right for you. CAIRN TERRIER HISTORY The Cairn Terrier is one of the oldest of the Scottish dog breeds, originating on the Isle of Skye in the far northwest. The word “cairn” denotes an outcropping of rocks, as these dogs’ original purpose was to hunt otter. One of my personal favorites, this breed was included with all the other terrier breeds until 1912. Then, they were split from the other four breeds into their own group and first appeared in the United States in 1913. BEHAVIOR Cairn Terriers (I speak from personal experience here) are feisty, independent, and…

Post author:abbey
Post published:October 16, 2019

AVOID RETURNING YOUR ADOPTED DOG TO THE SHELTER, AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. WILL YOU EVER BE ABLE TO ADOPT A DOG AGAIN?

Returning a dog to the shelter happens pretty regularly in animal rescue. Approximately ten percent of adopted dogs are returned to the rescue they were adopted from within six months. Another ten percent will follow later. Why does this happen? What can you do to avoid bringing the wrong dog into your family in the first place? And, if you return a dog, will any shelter ever adopt to you again? KNOW YOUR LIMITS BEFORE YOU ADOPT TO AVOID HAVING TO RETURN YOUR DOG TO THE SHELTER Many shelter dogs have no past history, having been found as strays and never reclaimed. It would be wonderful if previous owners would at least call Animal Control and give them an idea of the dog’s temperament and history. But this just doesn’t happen. If the previous owner has no desire to reclaim their dog, they generally have no interest in what eventually happens to it. Which leaves the shelter reading past training and personality from only a few days or weeks at the facility. Even owner surrenders, where a personality assessment has…

Post author:abbey
Post published:September 17, 2019