Feeding your Dog

Two well fed and happy dogs.

A large part of having a healthy happy pet is good nutrition. With good nutrition you can reduce the amount of waste your dog expels; improve skin, coat, and eye health; and improve your dogs overall quality of life. Just as is the case with human food, not all dog foods are created equal. It is important as a dog owner to know how to choose the right dog food for your pet by looking at the lists of ingredients and nutritional value label.

Like in human food, the ingredients are listed in the order of the largest quantity present to the least quantity present. Unless the dog food is vegetarian, the first ingredient should always be a real meat (i.e. Lamb, Beef, Chicken). Other ingredients to look for are brown rice or other whole grains; dried vegetables, like carrots; fruits, like blueberries; egg; and natural animal fats (indicated as chicken fat or poultry fat).


Here are some common dog food ingredients to avoid:

•  Meat by-products, because by-product are undesired animal parts like organs bones, blood, intestine, lungs, ligaments, heads, feet, and feathers; which are lower in nutritional value and are not very digestible. 
• Meat and bone meal, which is an inexpensive protein consisting mostly of poorly digestible bone materials.
• Animal Fat, which consists of generic fats and oils sometimes deemed too rancid for human consumption (identified fats like chicken or poultry fats is okay because it is naturally preserved).
• Corn, because it is difficult to digest for many dogs and can cause allergies, bloat, or gas.
• Food Fragments like brewers rice, which is a waste product of the alcohol industry.
• Sweeteners like corn syrup, sugar, and cane mallases; which can aggravate health problems such as diabetes. 

Another important thing to look at is the percentage of protein and fat. Dogs need different amounts of protein and fat in their diet based on their breed, activity level, and age. Use the chart below to see how much protein and fat your dog needs.

Activity & Growth Stage               Protein %               Fat %

Puppy                                            28%                       17%

Adult dog                                      18%                        9-15%

Performance dog                           25%                        20%

Racing sled dog                             35%                       50%

Lactating dog                                 28%                       17%

Have more questions about dog food nutrition? Visit these links for more information.

• Dog Food Ingredients & Nutrition
• Healthy Dog Guide
• Your Dog's Nutrition

Potty Training Your Puppy

Holly, my sister's Chiweenie, going potty.

Puppies are fun, adorable, and sweet... until they leave a stinky surprise on your fresh clean carpet! The solution is to house-train your pup. House training is beneficial to all dogs and their owners, even if the dog will be an outside dog. Training your dog to relieve themselves on command will come in handy during severe weather when they are trapped in the house, during long car trips, and during vacations to name a few.

There are many equations trainers use to predict the amount of time puppies can wait to relieve themselves based on age, size, time of day, or activity. I say forget the rules and use my thirty minute method. The trick to potty training is catching your pup relieving them-self in an appropriate place so that you can reward them.  From the moment they wake up take them outside or to your choice of potty area. Make sure you carry treats to support positive reinforcement and increase their motivation. As they sniff around say "Go Potty" in a high happy voice. The second your pup starts to relieve them-self get excited and say "Good Boy/Girl, [name of puppy]." and give them a treat. My general rule with young puppies is to initially take them out every 30 minutes they are awake until you get a feel for their potty patterns. Other times you should take them out are after your puppy eats, drinks a lot of water, or after naps. Pay attention to your puppies behavior right before they relieve them-self to recognize the signs that they might have to go. Eventually you will get a feel for how often they need to go and the whole process becomes easier.

The amount of time it takes to potty train a puppy depends on your persistence and the puppies motivation to be rewarded. The more you catch and reward your puppy for relieving them-self in the appropriate place, the sooner they will begin to associate going potty in the right place with the word "Potty", and with a reward. NEVER PUNISH your puppy for accidents in the house! Doing so can teach the puppy to hide when they need to relieve them-self, which will increase the dirty surprises and make potty training more difficult or unsuccessful.

Potty trained dogs have better things to get in trouble for.

• For other potty training methods visit PerfectPaws.com.
• For tips with adult dogs or other house training problems visit 101-dog-training-tips.com.
• Need help cleaning up those accidents? Visit DoodyCalls.com for great advice.

So you have a new puppy, now what?!

Pepper at 6 weeks

The first night with your puppy can be exciting, stressful, and scary for you and the new puppy. Your puppies new surroundings will be unfamiliar and frightening. The first night your focus should be on helping your new pup adjust to its new surroundings. If possible bring home an article from the puppies previous home like a toy, towel, blanket, etc. The first week, let the puppy sleep in your bedroom. Make a comfortable space for them that has a comfortable place to lie and the article from their home. I would also recommend placing puppy pads inside the space you provide for them because they will more then likely need to alleviate themselves at least once during the night. Let the puppy sleep in your room for the first week. Move them to your hallway the second week, then to another area like the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room the third week. If you plan on having your dog sleep outside as an adult, depending on the weather in your area, wait until they are at least 3 months old.

A Pug in Play Pose

Do you have other dogs? If so, part of bringing home a puppy is introducing them to each other. When introducing your new puppy to your dog, place a leash on your dog, and if possible, on the puppy. Choose a neutral meeting place that both dogs have never been to and have someone else handle the puppy as they meet. Allow the dogs to smell each other's scent. Make the experience as pleasurable as possible for your dog by rewarding them for good behavior with a favorite toy or treat. If your dog and the puppy take on a playful stance (see "A Pug in Play Pose") then they will most likely have no problems getting along. If your dog shows its teeth, growls, or snaps at the puppy, without much provocation, then you need to distract the dog by calling it away with a toy or treat. Make sure to give your dog a command (i.e. come, sit, or down) before giving them the toy or treat so that you do not reward the aggressive behavior. Try walking the dogs parallel to each other but not close enough to interact. Try letting them meet again when the adult dog is tired or more relaxed. If your adult dog is too aggressive you may have to consider rehoming the puppy or seeking out an animal behavior expert. Remember to never leave your new puppy alone with your dog, even if they get along, because accidents happen and your dog is much stronger then your puppy.

• For more tips on your puppies first night visit RaisingSpot.com.
• Read more on how to introduce a new puppy to your dog(s) at The Humane Society's website.

Choosing a New Puppy

Logan and Holly at 12 weeks

Dog owners choose to add a puppy to their pack for numerous reasons. Some have an elderly dog and miss having a youthful active dog, some need a working dog for a specific task, and others just get the periodic puppy itch. In my case, a good friend offered me a free purebred German Shepherd pup. After the initial excitement of realizing I would be getting a puppy within a few weeks, it hit me, I had a lot preparing to do.

Anytime you bring home a new dog you must think about all of the getting a new dog questions as mentioned in my first post Tips on How to get the Perfect Dog for You; but it is much more complicated when you are adding a new dog to your existing dog pack. The first thing to think about when adding a new puppy to your pack is, "Will this breed match the breed(s) of my other dog(s)?" When considering a different breed you should think of temperament, size, and energy level. It is a bad idea to bring home a high energy dog, when you have a low energy anxious dog at home, or vice versa. It is also better to match dog sizes, especially when the smallest dog is anxious and might become fearful of the larger dog. My current dog, Logan, is a German Spitz Mittel. He is a medium size dog with medium to high amounts of energy, and a slightly anxious disposition. German Shepherds are large, known to have about medium to high energy, and a calm disposition. I would say that so far it sounds like the two breeds will not clash, but that is not enough.

The next step is thinking of your current dog's personality. Just like people, dogs can have varying personalities that are affected by their genes, their owners, and how they experienced their own puppyhood. Logan is a dominant dog who tends to get along well with submissive dogs. Logan has trouble meeting new dogs that are high in energy, aggressive,  and dogs that are much larger then him. Knowing this, I must make sure that the puppy I bring home does not show signs of dominance or agression. Puppies display dominance and aggression by biting the legs of their litter mates as they walk or try to get away, pouncing on and pinning other puppies, and growling at others who come too close when they are eating. When I pick up my puppy I will have to spend some time watching them interact and talk to the owners about what they have observed.

• Visit Stacy's Wag'N'Train for more information on reading k9 body language.
• For more information on adding a second dog read this article from VeterinaryPartner.com.
• Answer the questions on this Humane Society pamphlet to see is a second dog is right for you.

Tips on How to get the Perfect Dog for You

Thinking about getting a dog? For first time owners, there is a lot of pre-planning to be done when choosing to bring a dog into your household. Some questions to ask yourself before you do anything are:

1. Can I afford to feed a dog? Depending on the size and breed it may cost up to $40 a month.
2. Can I afford health care for a dog? Dog's can get sick, swallow objects, or become injured leaving you with a hefty vet bill. Can you afford any possible emergencies?
3. Do I have time to train and spend time with a dog? Dog's need attention just as much as they need food and water. A lonely untrained dog has a higher potential to wreak havoc in your yard or home; making you an unhappy owner. 

If you answered no to any of these questions, you should reconsider getting a dog at the time.  To those who can honestly say yes, the next step if finding a breed of dog that will fit in with your living arrangements and lifestyle.

Where do you live? If you live in an apartment, condo, townhouse, or home with little to no yard, you should consider looking for a small to medium sized breed, or any calm laid back breed. Different breeds of dogs will require more or less exercise and space to run. Do not be fooled by size, a Pug will do well with no yard and small amounts of activity, but a Terrier will go crazy if kept confined to a small space for extended amounts of time with little exercise. Which brings me to my next question, what is your energy level?

Match your energy level to your dog if you want a balanced relationship. Do you walk or jog regularly? A Golden Retriever makes an excellent jogging partner, but an English Bulldog would not. If you tend to stay in or do leisurely activities on your free time a Basset Hound or Dachshund would make a nice companion. Even if you plan on getting a mixed breed from a shelter look into all possible breeds he/she may be to get an idea of what your dog's needs will be.

• If you want help finding which breed is right for you, take a breed search quiz here. 
• For more information on getting your first dog visit the AKC website for more in-depth tips.

If after doing some research you find that getting a dog is not right for you at the time, don't feel glum. You can always try volunteering at your local dog shelter where there are plenty of dogs that will be more then happy to spend some time with you.