4 Ways In Which You Can Show Your Dog How Much You Love HimWritten by Mark Eckenrode
4 Ways In Which You Can Show Your Dog How Much You Love Him by Mark Eckenrode Do you have at least one framed photo of your dog somewhere in your house... or maybe in your wallet? Is your dog pretty darn close to being very center of your universe? Do you love spoiling him, respond to his every whimper and cry, and spend hundreds of dollars on gourmet treats? To say that dogs are man's best friend is anything but a cliché. You might be most miserable person in world without a friend to your name... but your dog will treat you like royalty every time you walk through door. So how do you repay that unconditional love and devotion? There are hundreds of different ways! 1. Spoil him rotten. A lot of people spend a lot of money at chic pet boutiques, dressing their dogs in hundred-dollar sweaters and paying for meticulous pawdicures. They buy diamond studded collars and give their dogs rooms all to themselves. You probably don’t have budget for things like that, right? You can still spoil your dog with simple, everyday things that cost you absolute minimum. Next time your pooch needs a bath, focus on giving him a massage while you’re working shampoo into his coat. Take him out for a drive once each week and dress according to weather so you can open a window and let his head hang out, his ears flapping in breeze. Or you can… 2. Stuff him silly. Your dog lives by food! It drives every thought he has, every impulse in his body. But you’re more rational, you know that food needs to be both delicious and nutritious to make sure he has as long and happy a life as possible. Why not try making some homemade treats and dog food that are absolutely packed with all of vitamins and nutrients he needs? Bake him a delicious, healthy cake for his next birthday, then share a few cookies with him! 3. Prepare for worst. If you know exactly what to do in a tough situation or an emergency, you infinitely increase chances that your dog will be around for a long time to come. Do you know what to do when he’s choking? You should lay your dog on his side and place one hand on his back and other on his stomach just behind his rib cage. Using stomach hand, push in and toward throat twice, but without too much force. If you can see a foreign object, sweep your fingers through his mouth to remove it. If he’s still choking, place your mouth over his nose and exhale until his chest rises. Repeat once, and then thrust two more times. Continue until he coughs out obstruction. Now consider what would happen if he started to choke and you had no clue what to do, then ended up spending 10 minutes calling vets and driving him there. Making sure you’re prepared to care for his health and wellbeing is a great way to show him how much you love him.
| | 5 Tips For Feeding A Happy, Healthy DogWritten by Mark Eckenrode
5 Tips For Feeding A Happy, Healthy Dog by Mark Eckenrode Do you really know all there is to know about your canine companion’s nutritional needs? Many pet owners think they’re doing what’s best for their dogs when it comes to food, but in reality they rely on pure instinct more than science. Nutrition isn’t a guessing game, even when it comes to your pooch. Think about it – if you were left to feed yourself based only on what you craved and had no knowledge of what your body needs to function, would you be eating 5 servings of fruit and veggies or would you head straight for Ding Dong case at market? 1. Cover all of bases. A dog’s diet can be as complex as any human’s (including yours!), and it’s absolutely essential that you, as an owner, hit all of vital nutritional bases. A deficiency of certain vitamins and nutrients can lead to upset tummies, overly dry or oily skin, brittle bones, weight issues, and, in some of worst cases, death. A balanced and proper diet is building block of your dog’s overall health – if he doesn’t get right blend of nutrients, most impeccable care otherwise won’t mean a thing. But with right diet, his defenses against disease and disorders are infinitely stronger than a dog whose owner hasn’t put much thought into an eating plan. 2. Mix it up! For most part, pre-packaged food will help you cover all of major nutritional requirements a healthy, fairly young dog has. This where many owners trip up simply because of ease of decision. Most think that major choice is between dry and moist food, when in reality best diet you can provide your dog is one varied in ingredients, textures, and nutritional value. Dogs, of course, are carnivores, and that instinct remains in their blood to this day. They continue to hunt prey (poor Kitty), love sausage-flavored treats, and adore great crunch they get when chowing down on a bone. Those varied elements should give you a little bit of insight into how diverse your dog’s diet can be. 3. Move beyond meat. Building some portion of his diet from meat gives you many of crucial nutrients he needs for energy and growth, but he also needs fiber and carbohydrates to aid in digestion and stability. You could throw down a bowl of dry food every day and maybe give him a “treat” of moist food once a month, but how would you like it if tables were turned and he insisted on feeding you pancakes every day for rest of your life? Not such a sunny outlook, is it? 4. Make it a real meal. Listen, nobody ever said you had to rely on a bag or can of food to feed your dog. You cook for your family all time. Doesn’t your dog deserve similar treatment? Most owners say they’d love to cook for their pups but just don’t know where to start, and that’s where I come in. Now you can help fulfill all of your dog’s nutritional needs as well as his taste desires with just one quick flip through my new book, 180 Delicious Gourmet Dog Recipes. I know, I know, you’re busy, and there’s barely time to cook your family a proper meal. That’s why you’ll love this book – in addition to covering all of usual recipes like traditional dog chow and cookies, I’ve created several that are healthy and delicious enough for you, your dog, and your family. Being skeptical is natural; after all, I never dreamed I’d come up with recipes I could easily share with my dogs! But how can you pass up recipes like biscotti, muffins, omelettes, dinner mints, and even sushi?
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