photo credit: bdollprojectyou are a new dog owner, or even if you have had a pup before, you may be amazed at the vast amount of choices you have as far as puppy accessories go.  Perhaps you have walked into a pet store and seen row upon row of different styles and brands of dog crates and you wonder why you really need one in the first place.

Many dog owners have found that training their pup with the crate method (that is, putting puppy in the crate at certain times of the day) is the easiest dog training method.   Usually dog owners will put their new puppy in the crate when they have to go out for a short period of time, or attend to something else in the house (such as a phone call, or a visitor dropping in).  Leaving your little puppy out and running around while unattended, and while your puppy is not fully trained, is a recipe for disaster – puppies love to chew shoes and furniture and wreak havoc when given the opportunity to do so.

Believe it or not, dogs do actually appreciate having a dog crate, once they get used to it.  It is ‘their place’, a nice quiet place where they can go to rest, or when things get hectic and confusing around your house.  They just like having that spot that they know is theirs and belongs to them.

But perhaps your dog is an outside dog and you feel he would only need a dog kennel.  Well, here are two points to keep in mind that apply to outside dogs as well as inside dogs, which may help you see the importance of choosing a dog cage even for your outdoor pup:

• If you ever have to travel with a dog, for example, if you are visiting family over the holidays or if you move houses, then you will need to put the dog in a dog crate and it is much easier if the dog is used to this than if you have to put him in one for the first time right when you are about to walk out the door.  And if your dog gets car sick, as some dogs do, you will likely find it much easier to handle with him in his crate than with him roaming the car!  And even if your dog is not the kind that gets car sick, it can actually be quite dangerous to be driving with a loose pet in the car, as it can easily distract you or get in your way and cause an accident.
• If your dog gets sick, or the weather gets really bad, then you will most likely want to bring your pet indoors either for the night, or for a few days, as the case may be.  During that time, as an ‘indoor dog’, you will want to have a cage for him and have trained him to be used to the idea of at least tolerating dog pens.

With the number of pet meds growing daily just why is is that Revolution is becoming more and more popular?

Well, the fact is that most medications will perform one function only. This means that if we wish to treat for heartworms and fleas we normally will have to use two medications. But if we buy discount Revolution for Dogs we can treat for both. The fact that this is a combination medication really does mean that it is the best possible medication that we can use to ensure that our pets stay healthy and protected from these all too common problems.

We will find that we can buy Revolution for Dogs with no prescription from a number of online stores and this is another reason why it is becoming so popular.

Revolution is applied externally once a month to our Dogs skin. It then goes on to protect them for the whole month. It ensures that fleas are not a problem and it also works to ensure that our dogs will never develop the adult form of heartworms that can be such a danger to our pets if left untreated. We should find that it totally ensures that our dog will never be at risk of heartworms and it is certainly the best possible choice that we can make for the season when mosquitoes are present.

Revolution cuts down on the amount we have to spend on medications. Available for about the same price as just a flea treatment it is the most economical way to keep our animals free of this problem and that of heartworms. We can then revert back to just flea meds if we wish once the risk of the biting mosquito has finished. More and more pet owners are now finding that this is the absolute best way to ensure their pets are totally protected, and all for a very low price.

photo credit: ktylerconkHomemade Dog Treats have recently become the new craze. Their increased popularity has many people wondering what is so great about homemade dog treats. Three little known facts about homemade dog treats are that they are healthier than most of the commercially produced dog treats available today, they are rather cheap to make, and if you are willing to put in the time, they can earn you some extra cash!

Pet food recalls have worried people into making homemade dog food and homemade dog treats for their dogs. There are very few restrictions when it comes to commercially producing pet foods, so it’s no wonder that so many pets have gotten sick from some of the food that they have eaten. Making homemade dog treats eliminates any fears that you may have when it comes to mass produced pet products that are available today. You do not have to worry about any harmful preservatives or by-products because you are buying the ingredients that are going into your dog’s treats. It’s a proven fact that your dog will eat much healthier if you make their food and treats at home.

Making homemade dog treats really is an inexpensive way to pamper your pup. A lot of the fancier dog treats and foods are very expensive and they are not as nutritionally valuable as a homemade snack. Most dog treat recipes use everyday inexpensive ingredients that you can buy at your local supermarket. There are tons of resources online that can help you learn about homemade dog treats.

If you are really crafty you can turn your homemade dog treats into a profitable little side business. Selling homemade dog treats made me a lot of extra cash last year! Try baking a few batches of dog treats and then selling them online using sites like Ebay or Craigslist. If you are not internet savvy try looking into local craft fairs or street fairs. You would be surprised at how many people are interested in buying their dogs some tasty homemade dog treats!

photo credit: otisarchives4This is a guest post from a caring cat lover with flea issues…
For years we were very fortunate when it came to fleas. We gave our dogs their monthly flea medicine and never really had a problem. While there are lots of dogs in our neighborhood, we all did a good job of keeping the fleas under control.

Unfortunately, a few months ago we started fostering two very sweet, young kittens that were found without their mommy under a house. Fortunately for them, a no-kill shelter in our town heard about them and sent someone to collect the starving animals.

Two days later, we got a call and the staff at the shelter asked if we would foster the kittens. They would require special care since they were bottle-fed and required regular feedings. Fortunately, we were able to care for them and brought them into our home.

The kittens did not seem to have a flea problem when they arrived, but then the eggs hatched. We knew we had to wait a while, since they were not old enough for flea medicines. Later, we called the shelter and they gave us some recommendations on what we could do to stop the fleas. However, these were not ordinary fleas and nothing seemed to kill them. Before long, they started to get on our other animals. We continued to use our regular dog flea treatments on the adult pets, but they didn’t seem to be effective. After a while, we moved our dogs to K9 Advantix (or you can use generic Advantix for cheaper) and finally started to gain some headway and the got rid of the fleas on the dogs.

We got a different flea medicine from the shelter (Advantix is toxic to cats.) Since the kittens were too young to treat initially, so we had to wait until they were old enough. Once we were able to do the treatments, they did not work. Since then, we have tried sprays and even flea dip to make their situation better.

While the flea dip did the best job of taking out the fleas (we found around 20 fleas on each cat), we are still looking for a long term solution. My goal at this point is to continue treating all of the animals, our house and yard until we can break the vicious flea cycle.

photo credit: IrisDragonThe most important thing that you can do for teething husky puppies is to make sure that they have something to chew on. Your puppy will be uncomfortable during the teething process and they will look for something to chew on. If you do not provide your puppy with something to chew on, they will find something on their own. Puppies can be destructive if they are not properly supervised and cared for during the teething process.

We found some great teething products for our husky puppies online. If you know anything about husky puppies then you know that they love to chew!! One of our puppy’s favorite things to chew on is the Complete Natural Nutrition Terrabone Chew Bone. I like these bones because they are edible and they’ll provide your puppy with more than just something to chew on.

Terrabones are one the safest and healthiest edible bones on the market. Complete Natural Nutrition Terrabone Chew Bones come in two sizes (small and large) and they are made in three different flavors. The first flavor, Terrabone Fresh Breath bones, are made with peppermint and parsley which helps to maintain your puppy’s fresh breath. The second flavor, Terrabone B-Calm, are made with chamomile and lavender which can help keep your puppy calm. These are a great snack to give your pup before a visit to the vet. The last flavor, Terrabone Jump’n Joints, are probably the most beneficial for puppies because they are made with glucosamine and Omega Fatty Acids which are essential for healthy growth and maintenance of muscle and joints.

If you stay on top of your puppy during the teething process it shouldn’t be too traumatic for anyone. Our husky puppies teething process lasted for about seven weeks from start to finish. As long as they had something to chew on they were fine.

Natural Terrabone Edible…
Terrabone is the world’s healthiest and…

If you have recently welcomed Siberian husky puppies into your home than you are aware of just how active these little guys are. Did you know that most puppies have two to three more times the energy of an adult dog? It’s important that you are feeding your husky puppies food that will help them to grow up healthy and strong.

We have been raising husky puppies for over thirteen years and we are often asked about our puppy’s diet. We believe in feeding our puppies all natural puppy food. We think it’s very important to feed your husky puppies a brand that uses thoughtfully chosen ingredients to provide the vitamins, minerals and enhanced levels of protein, fat and calories that active puppies need.
Wellness Just for Puppy is one of the best all natural puppy foods on the market. This puppy food uses real-food ingredients like chicken, salmon meal (for DHA), wholesome grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. Puppy foods that use these types of ingredients support bone, muscle, brain and eye development. This is an excellent way to ensure that your puppy gets a healthy start for a lifetime of health and wellness!

Wellness Super5Mix, Just For Puppy Dog Food, 30-Pound Bag
$51.27

Wellness Super5Mix, Just For Puppy Dog Food, 15-Pound Bag
$29.67

Wellness Super5Mix, Just For Puppy Dog Food (Pack of 24, 6-Ounce Cans)
$33.36

One of the best places to purchase Wellness Just for Puppy Food is at Petco. Petco is one of the largest pet superstores and they have some of the best prices available. Petco also has an extremely large selection for you to choose from. For example bags of Wellness Just for Puppy food are sold in a variety of sizes. You have the option to buy in bulk and save some money or if you are just starting out, you can buy a smaller bag of food to make sure that your puppies will eat it. Wellness Just for Puppy also is available in both wet and dry formulas and Petco carries both. One of the best features of shopping at Petco is that you have the option of shopping online! You don’t even have to leave your house and Petco often offers free shipping.

Potty training your Dobermans at home sounds fun and simple. For first time trainers, housebreaking dogs needs more than a little conscious effort. It takes a spoonful of dedication, a cup of patience and a handful of love and care. Take note! You are teaching something that will last for a lifetime.
Rule no. 1: You should choose the potty spot.
This feat is easy but sometimes forgotten. Exactly on the first day you bring your Doberman Puppy home, you must have designated places for him to rest, potty and eat. Like humans have their own rooms for eating, bathing, and etc. YOU must choose the places before they have chosen on their own. Because once they have pooped on your Persian Carpet, they will forever use it as a potty place.
Rule No. 2: Anticipate the Need
You must stay with your dogs always until you recognize the signs of their call of nature. Furthermore, you must anticipate the hours you expect them to void or move their bowels. It could be after nap, or after their meal. Once you have gotten their habit, anticipating their needs will be easier.
Rule no. 3: Clean their accidents thoroughly.
Accidents are expected during Potty training your Doberman. The best way to manage these accidents is to clean it thoroughly, until the puppies does not recognize the stench. Remember that puppies have a very sensitive sense of smell. Thus to be safe, we could mask the stench by strong detergents or cleaning liquids especially designed to remove such odors.
Rule no. 4: Provide Positive Reinforcement
Like experts say, Doberman Puppy Training
is best achieved when positive reinforcements are used instead of punishment. Therefore, do not forget to always give your Doberman a treat or a pat whenever it has a successful potty. Praises or treats would motivate your dogs more to do the right thing and please you, as the owner.

There is no such thing as right or wrong ways of Doberman Puppy training. It is your own dog anyway. How you treat your dog will determine its behavior in the future. It is still best to seek the advice of professional Doberman trainers for guidance during housebreaking and through all aspects of your puppy’s training if you are not certain about how to proceed.

Because there are so many dog treats on the market today, choosing the best treats for your husky puppies can be a difficult task if you are new to owning huskies. It’s important to realize that your puppy’s treats should only account for about 10% of their daily caloric intake. Your puppy’s food is really their sole source of nutrition so treats should only be given as a supplement to their food. Treats can be used during training and rewarding good behavior.

It is extremely important that you monitor your husky puppies treat intake to ensure that they do not become overweight. While a healthy puppy diet should be high in fat and protein, puppy treats can also be high in these areas as well and too much fat and protein can cause problems. You want to make sure that the puppy treats you are feeding your husky puppies will simply be an addition to a well balanced diet.

Our husky puppies can be picky so it took us a while to find the right treats for them. After looking and looking we finally found treats that our puppies love. Our puppies go crazy for “Wellness Just For Puppy Treats.” These soft, wholesome treats are made especially for puppies. The treats are healthy and from what we can tell, our puppies think they are delicious! The treats are soft so they are easy to chew. They are available in a variety of flavors and they are made with healthy ingredients such as lamb, salmon and whole fruits and vegetables. These healthy ingredients provide puppies with energy, omega fatty acids and antioxidants for overall health and vitality. All treats made by the Wellness are made with out any by-products so you can feel good about feeding your puppies these treats! There are about fifty treats in each package so they will last a while as well.

Wellness Just for Puppy Dog Treats
At Wellness, health is always part of the equation. That’s why we created these soft, perfectly-sized treats as a complement to our Just for Puppy…

Wellness Just for Puppy Lamb and Salmon Treats 3.5oz
Each irresistible little Dairy Free real food bit is made from a unique blend of healthy ingredients like lamb, salmon, carrots, blueberries and flaxseed…

Wellness Just for Puppy Treats
Perfectly sized for puppies these treats are made from wholesome natural ingredients packed with nutrition. All your puppy knows is how delicious and…

Glucosamine for dogs is an amino sugar complex that is often used to release bone and joint pain in older dogs. Dogs suffering from arthritis are often prescribed glucosamine to reduce inflammation and pain. However, as with any other medication, there can be side effects. Some pet owners report a glucosamine rash on dogs taking the medication regularly.

Glucosamine helps arthritic dogs by healing painful joints. When taken correctly, this amino sugar stimulates protein production in the joints. This helps to build and repair the connective tissues of tendons and ligaments. Though dogs’ bodies produce it naturally, over time the body can begin producing less or stop all together. This can lead to the painful joints of osteoarthritis.

The glucosamine for dogs that is given as a supplement is a sulfate drug. It is often derived from shellfish, where chitin is available. Though glucosamine is not an allergen by itself, if is it poorly prepared from the shellfish it can cause a reaction. Also, some animals cannot handle sulfur medications well. Negative side effects such as a glucosamine dog rash, nausea, fever, and diarrhea have all been reported.

It is important that a dog who is taking glucosamine and displaying any of the negative side effects be taken off of the medication immediately. Though it is possible for these side effects to be caused by other illnesses, only a veterinarian can safely diagnose the cause. For dogs who are dealing with side effects from the glucosamine, there are vegetarian and non-sulfate versions of the supplement available.

Dogs who are suffering from joint pain due to osteoarthritis can greatly benefit from taking a glucosamine supplement. Many owners have reported marked improvement in their dogs pain and movement after taking this medication. Side effects can occur, however, and owners should be aware of this.

If like me, you like the benefits of using Advantix for Dogs but are not quite so keen on the price tag you may want to know how to save on K9 Advantix.  After much research here are the easiest ways to save on your dog’s flea treatment:

• Forget buying from your local vet.  They just don’t sell in quantities large enough to get the best deals from wholesalers.  Instead buy your flea treatment online.
• Consider buying Generic K9 Advantix.  This is relatively new to the market, first appearing on the shelves in the spring of 2010.  With prices around half that of even the cheapest supplies of the branded version it is a really simple way to make great savings.
• Check Canadian pet pharmacists as they tend to offer a range of pet medicines including Advantix flea drops at far lower prices than their American competitors.
• Buy the largest pack size you can afford.  A twelve month supply of these flea drops will offer you much better savings than the cheapest four month supply.  Remember for most of us flea protection is a year-round issue so it makes sense to buy in a large volume as you will certainly use it.
• Consider clubbing together with friends or family.  Most of the cheap online retailers will charge a standard shipping rate for all orders.  If you order jointly you get to save all those extra little costs.

It is really quite easy to save on the cost of Advantix flea drops.  But you do need to be organised.  The biggest issue is to forget to order in time for their next application and be forced to buy locally at higher prices.  Always be sure to place your order for a new batch of flea medicine when you use the last dose you have at home.  That way you never run out and always benefit from the cheapest supplies.

You can also find some pretty good prices at larger, established sites like Amazon. Some people prefer sticking with names they are familiar with, and Amazon would certainly qualify. Below are some of the Amazon.com deals currently available.

K9 Advantix Flea Control for Dogs, 6 Applications
K-9 Advantix 6pk for Dogs 56+lb
$56.50

Advantage Topical Flea Treatment for Dogs 11-20 Lbs (4 Applications)
Advantage 4pk for Dogs 11-20lb
$22.42

K9 ADVANTIX Dog Flea Control 21-55 lbs Red 6 Month
 
A synergistic effect that enhances efficacy. K9 Advantix is a unique combination of two proven ingredients imidacloprid and permethrin – that work…
$61.95

6 MONTH K9 ADVANTIX Blue (For dogs over 55lbs)
New Advantix Blue kills 98-100% of fleas on dogs within 12 hours and continues protection at least 4 weeks. Repels and kills a majority of ticks and mosquitoes…
$64.98

4 MONTH K9 ADVANTIX Red (for dogs 21-55lbs)
K9 Advantix Redis a once-a-month topical tick, mosquito and flea treatment for dogs and puppies 7 weeks of age and older. It contains imidacloprid and…
$42.75

4 MONTH K 9 ADVANTIX Blue (for dogs over 55lbs.)
K9 Advantix Blue is a once-a-month topical tick, mosquito and flea treatment for dogs and puppies 7 weeks of age and older. It contains imidacloprid and…
$43.99