Sometimes, for whatever reason, we may be forced to give our dog a food that they are not accustomed to eating. Many dogs make the change without any problem at all. Some dogs though, are sensitive to certain ingredients and will not respond well. Here is an example of what happened with a pet who had dog food allergies.

James was reclining on the couch resting when his phone rang. He made Thunder, his Labrador Retriever get off of his lap so he could get the phone. It was James’ boss. They talked for a while and James learned he had to fly out the next morning to go to Memphis to take care of a client’s issue.

The next moment James realized that his mother, who lived near him, would not be available to watch Thunder since she was at his aunt’s house. James quickly went through people that might take him and thought of Brad, a neighbor that had a friendly mutt named Sandy. Thunder and Sandy got along well enough and James was in a pinch, so he called Brad.

Brad said he would be happy to do it, so James dropped Thunder, his food and instructions off the next morning before leaving town.

James’ trip that was only supposed to last 4 days ended up taking three weeks. When James spoke with Brad, James was assured that it was not a problem and that everything would be fine.

When James finally returned, he found Thunder in a lot different shape than he left him. His normally carefree pup was scratching at different areas of his body and had lost some of his coat in those areas. James at first thought Thunder had gotten fleas, but after a thorough inspection, he did not find any. Before leaving, James asked Brad how long Thunder had been like this, while trying really hard not to offend his friend. Brad said the scratching had only happened a few days ago. With further questioning, James learned that Thunder had run out of his regular food and James had given him the same food that Sandy ate.

James quickly realized that Sandy’s food had wheat and corn in it, to which Thunder was allergic. Thunder had been placed on a special food a few years before after having problems with dog food allergies. James explained the situation to Brad, and Brad felt terrible. Sandy had eaten the food for years, but never had a problem.

If you believe your dog has a dog food allergy, it is important to get them to a vet to be properly diagnosed. A non-seasonal itchiness could be caused by a dog food allergy, but could also be due to fleas. Your vet will be able to help determine the cause.

Indoor dog kennels are a necessity to any family that adopts or purchases a new dog. It is always a good idea to keep new dogs in a kennel because new owners cannot be sure how the dog will behave when they are not supervised. Dogs have a tendency of getting anxious when left alone, leaving them to chew up anything in the house including the owner’s belongings, furniture, and items that could be poisonous to the dog. Kennels are also very helpful in house training a dog because dogs tend not to want to urinate in a closed and contained area.

There are a few different types of indoor dog kennels. Most indoor kennels are made out of plastic with metal wire openings in the sides with a plastic or metal wire door. These are great for indoor use because they can be moved and cleaned easily. There are also metal wire cage style dog kennels. These are also light and easy to clean, and bedding can be changed easily. Some owners prefer these because the dog is able to see out of the kennel from any direction.

Indoor dog kennels can easily be found at any large chain store, and they are also available at pet supply shops. There is a wide variety available at online retail stores.

When purchasing a dog kennel an owner must take the size of the dog into consideration. For indoor kennels the size does not have to be too large, but the dog should be able to move around comfortably. The kennel should also be large enough to fit light bedding and a couple of chew toys to ease the dog’s discomfort and loneliness.

An indoor dog kennel is very often overlooked when new pet owners adopt a dog, but it is a very good way to ensure the comfort of the dog and the comfort of the new owner. It helps to build a trusting relationship with the new pet, and it also helps to protect the home and belongings of the new owner.

Some advice from a West Highland Terrier owner…West Highland Terriers can get along very well with cats and once they have grown used to each other they make excellent companions for each other. The integration needs to be performed carefully, though, because of the nature of Westie Terriers.Because they are a small breed, people often perceive Westies to be lapdogs. Nothing could be farther from the truth. These dogs were bred to hunt and they remain hunters and fighters to this day. One trait that all the terrier breeds share, Pit Bulls to Yorkies, is that if something runs away they will chase it. If they catch what they are pursuing they grab it and give that terrier headshake that kills so fast. So, when you try to bring a cat and a Westie together you need to do everything you can to protect the cat. There are two basic situations:

• Introducing a dog into a household with an established cat.
• Bringing a cat into a household that already has a Westie.

In either case, the main thing you must ensure is that the dog learns to submit to the cat. This may not meet our standards of fairness, but its the only way to guarantee the safety of the cat.You also need to know for sure that you can control the dog under all circumstances. In practice that means the dog needs to be leashed in the house for the first while. The best way to do this is to put the dog on umbilical. Get a six foot leash and tie it around your waist with the dog attached. This keeps your hands free to do other things and also means that you can’t accidentally lose your grip on the lead if the dog gives a sudden lunge.So, put the dog on umbilical and just sit on the couch with both animals in the room. What we want to see is that the animals first ignore each other, then become curious and sniff each other. You may be able to hasten the process somewhat by presenting each animal with the others butt and letting them get a good sniff.If your Westie starts lunging and snarling, lay it down on its side and make it submit ala Cesar Millan.There really isn’t much more to know or do for success. The only caution is that the process takes at least a couple of weeks. Before that time has elapsed you really can’t count on the dog. Keep him on umbilical whenever hes around the cat. This training is good for him in many other ways anyway and you’ll find he’s much more respectful and attentive to you after a couple of weeks of umbilical training. Westies and cats can definitely be friends. Look here for more information about the training of  West Highland Terriers.

If you have a problem with balloons attacking you or your property, this video shows how a Westie could save the day…

There are a number of Frontline products available for your dog! Dogs are prone to a variety of illnesses and conditions that all pet owners should be aware of. Ticks and fleas can cause skin conditions in dogs that make them very uncomfortable. These pests can even transfer over to humans. Dogs that reside outside for most of their life are more prone to these pests, but indoor animals are no exception. Preventative measures can be taken to stop these pests from harming your animal before it happens. It is a whole lot easier to prevent an infestation than it is to stop one in progress. However, if you are ever faced with flea or tick problems, I recommend a product from Frontline designed for dogs. This fast acting solution is applied in minutes and can offer continuous protection for up to 30 days. This system does not harm your animals, but works powerfully against ticks and fleas. Within12 hours, Frontline kills fleas, their eggs and prevents future outbreaks. The special ingredient in Frontline is stored in your dog’s oil glands in their skin. Total control comes from the fact that Frontline kills four species of ticks, including the ones that may contain harmful Lyme disease. The Frontline solution is constantly distributed into your pet’s hair from their oil glands, offering continuous protection for peace of mind. The waterproof solution will not come off even when exposed to water. Different packages are available for different sizes of dogs. Choose the appropriate package according to your dog’s weight in pounds. Frontline is a name brand product that gives dog owners peace of mind for a whole month. Other tick and flea products can have wishy washy claims, and may harm your pet. Frontline has been tested and approved by countless dog owners across the country. Through a simple application process you can protect your pet and home. Keep in mind that flea control is only one aspect of keeping your dog healthy. Be sure to use dog clippers regularly to keep their nails at the proper length.

The BARF diet or more descriptively the bones and raw food diet is an interesting way to bond with your dog. My great danes have been very willing participants in my experiment to find out exactly what works and what doesn’t. For those of you that are not familiar with this dog food diet it is simple. You simply feed your dog what it would eat in the wild. This means, lots of raw meat, some organ meat, bones, pureed veggies and fruit, eggs, yogurt (maybe not be available in the wild, but still good for them), fish, and really whatever else you can think of. A couple of things have become apparent since I have started feeding my danes in this fashion. First, they love it, give a dog a bone and you have a friend for life. It is amazing how long a dog will crunch on a bone. Great for cleaning their teeth and improving dog breath. Second, giving dogs actual nutrients instead of store bought processed dog food really does improve their coat and muscle tone. My dogs both lost some flab around the mid section but actually gained a little bit of muscle and weight. Last, it is difficult to feed animals like this all of the time. I usually mix in a little bit of regular dog food, the amount is determined by how much other stuff I am giving them. On busy days they may just get a couple of scoops of regular dog food. And yes they do seem a little disappointed. A couple of things to watch out for. First, make sure you are giving your dog good quality meat that has not had a chance to go bad. I may leave it in the refrigerator for a day or two but more than that is asking for trouble. Don’t make any transition too quickly, give their systems a chance to adapt to the dietary changes or you will most likely be cleaning up a surprise off of the floor. Last warning. If you give them bones they will crunch until the bones are gone, this is completely normal. Shortly thereafter, I’m talking 2-10 hours they will regurgitate the indigestible bone fragments. This is kind of disgusting and a bit alarming at first but completely normal. Many animals do this, it is a mechanism which allows them to get the most out of their meals. My great danes love the BARF diet and I have witnessed numerous health benefits from feeding them like this. I am happy to do whatever needs to be done to extend and improve the lives of my furry friends.