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.

photo credit: brykmantraWhat is your pup’s skin type? Does your dog have oily skin with scales and perhaps crust? Or does he have dry skin that’s flaky? You’ll want answers to these questions before you begin looking for a brand new dog shampoo.

When you head over to the store, you’re likely to uncover a lot of selections for dog shampoos. They’ll range in price from fairly affordable to quite costly. Just before you go and put down $15 on a dog shampoo, you ought to know what your needs are.

If your dog has very sensitive skin, there are specific things you want to keep away from. Try to avoid fragrant shampoos and conditioners because these can inflame your pet’s skin. If your pet’s skin is already inflamed, some good ingredients to use are aloe vera and oatmeal. I’ve used these ingredients with my pet with good results. If you find that soon after using the aloe vera and oatmeal shampoo or conditioner, your pup’s skin continues to be inflamed, you may want to try out some hydrocortisone to see if that will help. For canines with very sensitive skin it is usually a good idea to stay clear of shampoos and conditioners with synthetic ingredients. These are typically omitted from shampoos created for pets with sensitive skin.

If your dog has excess oils or scales on his skin, you can try a shampoo with sulfur and salicylic acid. These ingredients will work together for a synergistic effect and help remove the crust and scales from your dog’s skin. Once this is done, they will also help reduce scale production in the future. These ingredients provide an antibacterial and antifungal agent and help reduce itching.

It is always important to make sure that you thoroughly rinse your dog when you are done washing them. You always want to avoid getting the dog shampoo in the dog’s ears, eyes, and mouth. Used properly, a medicated dog shampoo can be a wonderful experience for your dog and they will really appreciate the relief.

Synergy Groomer’s Blend Oatmeal Protein Shampoo, 17.3 Ounce
$4.25

FURminator deShedding Shampoo for Dogs and Cats, 16 Ounces
$8.99

Crazy Dog Baby Dog Shampoo
$4.39

FURminator Waterless deShedding Shampoo and Conditioner for Dogs and Cats, 8 Ounces
$9.13

Sergeant’s Fur-So-Fresh 21.8Ounce Medicated Dog Shampoo with Tea Tree Oil
$6.99

Hartz UltraGuard Rid Flea & Tick Shampoo for Dogs 18oz (Citrus)
$3.44

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: 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…

Looking at some interesting Furminator reviews is the best way to see just how effective it is as a deshedding tool. Many pet owners simply despair of ever finding anything to get rid of all the fur their pets shed but the Furminator really does live up to the hype.

Looking on Dog Blogs and reading what others have to say is a great way to get a little more understanding of just how effective it really is. We will see after reading reviews that it really is about the best hing on the market for stopping the house being full of the animals fur.

It works by getting deep in to the under coat of our pets and getting rid of all the old fur that is shed every month or so. If you have never used it before then you will be amazed at just how much fur does come off the animals when you use it for the first time. In fact you will think that it is actually cutting fur as it simply never seems to stop coming out.

All of that fur would have been in the house sooner or later so this de-sheddding tool really will cut down very dramatically on the amount of fur we have to clean up on a daily basis.

And what we will find is that the animals actually seem to enjoy being brushed with this tool. It gets really deep in to the fur and will make their skin feel great, we just need to ensure that we do not over do it. It is a very powerful brushing tool and gets rid of so much fur that we need to ensure that we do not use it too often, we could end up with a bald patch otherwise. If you have problems with constant fur in the house then the perfect answer is to use the Furminator.

FURminator Large Yellow deShedding Tool with 4-Inch Edge
The patented FURminator Large deShedding Tool quickly and easily removes (it doesn’t cut) the loose, dead undercoat hair that is the underlying source…
$10.50

FURminator deShedding Tool with FURejector
The FURminator FURejector Tool quickly and easily removes the undercoat and loose hair without damaging the topcoat. Reduces shedding up to 90-percent…
$28.50

FURminator Dog-and-Cat deShedding Solution, 16 Ounces
FURminator 16 oz. deShedding Solution is enriched with Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids plus oatmeal, vitamins and aloe vera to help strengthen hair shafts…
$6.99

2 Pack Large Yellow Furminator Deshedding Tool (4″ Edge)
The FURminator deshedding tool is a specially designed shed-less treatment for cat and dog brush. FURminator’s unique blade is designed to remove loose…
$29.95

FURminator deShedding Shampoo for Dogs and Cats, 16 Ounces
FURminator deShedding Shampoo helps promote healthy skin and shiney topcoat.
$9.00

FURminator Waterless deShedding Shampoo and Conditioner for Dogs and Cats, 8 Ounces
Furminator – Waterless deShedding Shampoo and Conditioner for Dogs and Cats.
$9.13

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.

photo credit: Melody.loves.youJust like humans itch every now and then, dogs do too. But if your dog has been scratching incessantly of late, there must be some reason behind it. Treating such itching problems is sometimes as easy as changing their food or shampoos, however, it’s important that the underlying cause be determined, to ensure that your dog’s not suffering from a serious health problem. Food and flea allergies are two of the most common dog itching causes.

Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Dogs suffering with Flea Allergy Dermatitis, experience loss of fur in the area near the base of their tails, and behind the hind legs. Along with these symptoms, reddish bumps will appear in the patches where the dog is losing fur. It’s obvious that he/she has an allergy to fleas. The saliva of fleas is what causes FAD, and even a single flea bite can cause a problem in dogs that are prone to this type of condition. The obvious way of treating this condition, is to rid the dog of fleas. There are many dog products available in the market for combating fleas, and also to soothe any skin irritation your pet may be experiencing.

K9 Advantix Flea Control for Dogs, 6 Applications
$62.57

Merial Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Control for Dogs and Puppies, 6 Doses, For Dogs 89 to 132 Pounds
$69.90

Advantage Flea Control For Dogs Blue over 55 lbs 4 mth sply
$40.20

Food Allergy Dermatitis

Food allergies are another common cause for dog itching. In general, food allergy symptoms are seen early on when the dog is a pup; however, sometimes symptoms may only present themselves in a dog’s adulthood. You may be wondering how you can determine whether your canine has this sort of allergy. Well, if he/she is suffering from diarrhea and a stomach upset, it is likely to be food intolerance. On the other hand, if your dog is suffering from excessive itching and hot spots, then it surely is a food allergy. For this, all you need to do is replace its existing food with a diet that agrees with him/her.

It is not necessary for your beloved pooch to suffer from such skin conditions. To free your pet from dog allergies, you can easily find some good dog food recipes, and learn how to get rid of fleas. By doing any one of these two things, you and your pooch will be able to live a happy and healthy life!

Fleas are a nuisance that can be brought into the house by both pets, in particular dogs and cats, but humans too. There are many methods in ridding the house of these pests. One solution for fleas: flea bomb your home. This is one of the most effective and efficient ways to get rid of fleas. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to use flea bombs.

Zodiac FleaTrol Fogger 3pk
Protect your home, garage and kennel for up to 7 months from fleas & ticks. Also kills cockroaches, ants, spiders, mosquitoes and silverfish. One fogger…
$10.99

Knockout Room & Area Fogger, 6 oz.
Room and Area Fogger kills adult and Pre-Adult Fleas, including flea eggs for up to 7 months. Also kills cockroaches, spiders, ants, and ticks, including…
$5.85

Johnson S C Inc 51528 Fumigator Fogger
Raid Fumigator fumigating fogger creates a deep penetrating fog that flushes bugs out from where they hide and kills them on contact. When activated it…
$12.94

First, choose a product that has the ingredient IGR that will prevent fleas to reach the reproductive stage.  Also, be sure to purchase enough that will cover the entire house. Check the directions on the product because many are designed to cover a certain amount of space within a house. If you are wondering where to buy flea bombs, they can be found at hardware stores and pet stores.

Tape shut all of the cabinets or move anything used to prepare food from the home. Be sure all food is properly wrapped and stored. Move all furniture to uncarpeted areas. All carpeted areas should be exposed to the chemical because fleas tend to live in the carpets. Make sure that all of the windows and entrances are shut as well.

Remove all pets and pet items such as litter boxes, toys, cages and tanks from the home. Most importantly, make sure all people are out of the home as well.

Place the bomb, or bombs, in the intended areas. Following the instructions of the product, release the bombs and leave the premises immediately. Stay out until the listed time has elapsed.

Once you have returned, give the treated area a good cleaning as guided. Typically you will need to vacuum all carpets and dust all surfaces that have come into contact with the insecticide. Wash any dishes, pots, pans, linens, pillows and counter tops.

One of the most important things to remember is to always follow the instruction on the product. Another thing to consider is to flea-dip your pets right before the house is bombed and straight away remove them. While fleas can be a nuisance, a flea bomb can restore your home to a pest free state very effectively.

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…

Providing dog bones to your dog is a contentious concept with many folks “for” and many “against” the idea. There are pros and cons to feeding dog bones.  This article will offer some comments from both side of the fence to help you decide.

Some animal health care practitioners will tell you most problems with dog’s teeth are caused by not having a hard object to chew on. Chewing on a hard bone provides a natural cleaning experience for your dog’s teeth and can reduce dental problems.  The hard bone literally scrapes tarter from the teeth and lowers the risk of gum disease. The synthetic bones such as nylon can remove hard to reach plaque and tarter. The resulting smooth tooth surface is less likely to reform plaque.

Chewing is a natural habit for dogs. Providing him with dog bones is also a better alternative to allowing him to chew on household items.

Here are some things to be cautious about when feeding a dog bone. Some dogs chew more vigorously and can break teeth on a bone. If he breaks the bone he is chewing on he can swallow bone fragments, which can be dangerous. These pieces of bone can become lodged inside the dog. A puncture of internal organs can occur and possibly an infection.

Animal professionals offer varied opinions as to whether dog bones are a good idea. Observe your dog’s chewing habits and jaw strength before choosing your bone type. Overlook his chewing activities. If he breaks a bone be sure to discard the fragments.

The correct bone can be enjoyable and healthy for your dog.  The wrong bone can lead to a trip to the vet. Here are a few general rules.

Most opinions say that raw bones are less likely to break than cooked bones. Choosing raw bones over cooked bones is probably the better choice. Large marrowbones available at your local pet supply are a good choice to reduce splintering problems.

Bones made of rawhide can be a good choice but be sure to remove small fragments that may break off.

Nylon bones provide another good alternative. Nylon wears down very slowly and virtually eliminates any swallowing of material.

You might also enjoy reading about fleas on dogs.