A natural diet can do wonders according to Jacki Bunn, HNC Canine Behaviour & Training. Plain and simple foods such as chicken, rice and vegetables, with as few additives as possible. It’s true for you so it’s equally applicable to your dog.

Every dog is different, and there are certain factors to consider when determining the diet program and the dog nutrition that will fit the needs of his growing body. However, there are also general rules that owners must follow to ensure that their pets are getting the balanced food and supplementation that their bodies require.

You May Want To Avoid Giving Your Dog Human Food

Most vets and breeders do not recommend adding table scraps to your dog's diet. They will also likely tell you that the majority of commercial vitamin and mineral supplements that are available today are only a waste of money. When you give your puppy human food, he will not only get used to eating that type of food, but the difference in the taste of human food and dog food will cause him to reject his own food. He will become a finicky eater and it will be more difficult to get him back to eating his regular food.

Take It Easy On The Supplements

It is also not necessary to give your dog a separate vitamin and/or mineral supplement along with human food and his own food. The majority of supplements out there are ineffective and can even be dangerous to some level.

Worth a Look:

Dog Food Nutrition

One of the most common questions new puppy owners have is what they need to know about house training a puppy.

One of the most frustrating things about new pups is their habit of answering to calls of nature almost anywhere they feel like it. Your bedroom rug, the drawing room sofa, your Persian carpet; everything seems as good a place as any for your little pup to go cool his bladders on.

If you have just brought your pup home therefore, buckle up and get ready to save your upholstery and carpets by means of a simple method we call Housebreaking.

Now, here’s what housebreaking is all about. We humans tend to visit the loo when we feel like we must relieve ourselves, in one way or the other (thank god for that!). However, our pooches don’t have mother potty training them at the age of 1, telling them to take a crap at some fixed time on a shiny blue potty, and hence they tend to treat everything like a big ol’ lavatory. And that would be ok if we were dogs perhaps but most average human beings tend not to like that sort of thing. So what we have to do is potty train our doggies ourselves. And this training, to cut a long story short, is what we call ‘housebreaking’.

Now, facts first. Remember,

• No pup is able to keep himself from peeing or …well…relieving himself in some other form, till about 12 weeks of age. Your attempts at training your dog therefore must begin before this.
• Most puppies need to engage in  bathroom related activities approximately 6-7 times a day
• Every time your dog seems to be following its tail rather slowly, and doing giddy rounds around a non-descriptive area put your shoes on to take it out cause it’s getting ready to relieve itself
• Take your dog out every time it has a meal because food immediately puts pressure on its colon and bladder.

The first lesson in housebreaking, ‘communicate with your dog’. Make sure you let your dog know that you don’t like him peeing all over the drawing room loud and clear. No there isn’t any need to use violence; just a loud “NO’ should do the trick. For best results catch him in the act so that he has no problem in associating the rebuke with the exact action.

Keep a keen eye on your pooch. As soon as he looks like he could do with a visit to the good old lavatory take him out. Once he relieves himself at the right place pat him to show how much you appreciate the fact that he didn’t pee all over your favorite rug. Give him a biscuit, and an appreciative nod and he’ll know.

See, dogs are like politicians, always eager to please. They will do anything to get cuddled and patted by their masters, thus it’s always easy to make them do things as per your requirements. You want him to pee outside? Show him how happy you are when he does so and he’ll do it always, you want him to crap every morning? Give him a friendly pat and he’ll bound off to be at it everyday. For your part make sure you know your dog’s habits, build your routine round his, try and find out what his usual urinating or defecating times are, is it after dinner? Before going to bed? Or right in the morning? Take him out accordingly.

Proper communication will ensure your pooch's proper health and your peace, and of course a clean bedroom rug.

Click for a full, in depth guide on house training a new puppy.

Learning how to spot the symptoms of canine Cushing's Syndrome could save your dog's life. In this article we will identify some of the common warning symptoms to look out for (and don't forget, you can get more information on Cushing's in dogs by accessing this free report (Cushing's Disease in Dogs).

Canine Cushing’s syndrome is a chronic (lifelong) illness that can affect any dog (yes, even YOUR dog). If left untreated it can rapidly and severely affect your dog’s quality of life and can lead to a range of more severe health problems and in certain cases, it can cause death.

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The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling select packages of pet food sold in some of its retail stores because the products may contain aflatoxin, which poses a health risk to pets.

Kroger stores in the following states are included in this recall:  Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. 

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In the latest of our pet friendly business profiles we take a look at St Giles Hotel  in New York.

Luxury lifestyle, chic design and residential ambiance is what comes to mind when you think of St Giles Hotels in New York City where you and your dog will have a fantastic vacation.

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In the latest of our pet friendly business profiles we take a look at Clearwater Suite Hotel in McMurray, Alberta.

The Clearwater Suite Hotel features all the comforts you need and a quite vacation and dog is welcome too. Guests may also enjoy the services at the Stillbrook Spa, our fully licensed lounge and heated underground parking(fee).

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In the latest of our pet friendly business profiles we take a look at El Portal Sedona Hotel in Arizona.

Located in the heart of Sedona, El Portal Sedona Hotel is a luxurious twelve suite, pet friendly bed and breakfast where you and your dog will have a fantastic vacation. El Portal Sedona Hotel understands pet owners don’t like to leave their pets behind when they go away and this award-winning inn wants to make your pet's stay the best ever. 

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In the latest of our pet friendly business profiles we take a look at Rathbonne Inn of New Orleans in Louisiana.

Completely renovated and decorated with style in 2003 by its new owners, the Rathbone II offers luxurious rooms and easy access to the pool and hot tub area where your dog and you will have a fantastic vacation.

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Pine needles, glass decorations, left over food and an abundance of chocolate – this might sound like your average family Christmas but for dogs and their owners it can be an extremely hazardous environment. A survey carried out by Churchill Pet Insurance and dog rehoming website Dogsblog.com has revealed Christmas to be a hazardous time of year for dogs and their owners. With alcohol, bad weather, crowded homes and Christmas decorations contributing most to the problem.

Almost half of all dog owners admitted over-feeding their dog during the festive season. Normal table scraps, that are fine in moderation, soon mount up over Christmas and Boxing Day and dogs are often the grateful recipients of the overspill, but DogsBlog.com founder Ryan O'Meara warns against giving your dog anything extra from the table.

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