A Diet of Good Food and Good Exercise

Dog Quote: You never realize a dog is a man’s best friend until you start betting on horses.
….Anonymous

To stay fit and healthy and happy and strong, a dog needs good exercise and good food just as humans do.

They’re an important part of our families, and they rely on us understanding their needs, as they cannot talk to us.

Fortunately, dogs are a bit more resilient than humans but they still do need regular exercise and good food.

One of the benefits of owning a dog is the fact that in many cases, knowing that they need exercise is a good reason for us to get out and exercise as well.

So you could say that owning a dog actually keeps humans healthier. Certainly a well-trained dog keeps us a lot happier.

There are many benefits that can be gained from owning a dog but you only get as much out of them as you put into them.

Good training, good shelter, good food, fresh water, regular exercise and a happy home are all that a dog needs to be content.

Just as the wrong foods can be very detrimental to the health of humans, the same goes for the health of dogs.

We have already discussed some of the nutritional requirements in an earlier newsletter and in the next newsletter we will be looking at some items that can be quite dangerous to dogs such as chocolate.

Until then, feed your dog premium pet food and fresh meat and make sure you get out and take them for a walk or run.

More Info

Proper support in a bed is important for good sleep and good health. It is no less important for your dog or pet. You would want for yourself the best bed you could practically afford, and it should be just as essential that your dog’s bed be designed with its health and well-being in mind. The family pet counts on you to provide a comfortable and supportive dog bed that fulfills its need for deep, restful sleep.

There are lots of dog bed choices that cater to the various sizes, sleeping habits, behavioral patterns and health issues of our canines. Many are comfortable, top quality dog beds; other choices are not as desirable.

Advertising will display words like luxurious, the best, cool, fashion, custom, designer, orthopedic and discount prices, which are fine. However, more important words that should receive our attention are support, pressure relief, comfort and durability.

Think of the forces at work on your body when you’re lying in bed. Gravity is pushing you down. Your hips, shoulders, joints and skeletal frame are being pushed into your mattress. If your mattress were cement or other hard surface, it would not compress at all, natural curvatures would not be supported and additional pressure would be placed on sensitive points. Your hips and shoulders would be subjected to the brunt of the force and would probably start to hurt and bring about discomfort and less-than-restful sleep. That is why people seek out muscular and skeletal support with as much pressure relief as possible.

Pressure on the bones and joints has a cumulative damaging effect.

The same forces of gravity that cause us to look for comfortable sleep support also affect our pets. To prevent calluses which can occasionally become infected, the dog should have a well-padded bed located where it tends to lie, sleep or relax. Inner spring mattress dog beds, regular foam dog beds, egg crate foam dog beds, shredded foam dog beds and polyfill dog beds will all compact and create resistance at points where the most weight is applied.

Hospitals and burn units have used memory orthopedic foam for patients for many years in the effort to eliminate pressure points that create bed sores. Your dog or pet is also susceptible to the same laws of gravity we all are that cause the cutting off of circulation creating pressure point discomfort. These pressure points build up, and that is why people and pets toss and turn to get away from the pressure build up triggering the need to turn over. The pressure points soon build up again and the cycle continues.

Orthopedic foam can reduce a dog’s tossing and turning by up to 90%.

Orthopedic memory foam dog beds reduce pressure on joints and other jutting body parts, firm enough to satisfy your dog’s instinctual need to sleep on solid ground, while assisting healthy circulation. Traditional material is susceptible to sag; orthopedic pet bed surfaces refresh their form with every use, providing exceptional therapeutic cushioning. Absorbing, redistributing and balancing weight pressure evenly across the surface of the dog’s body as it gently cradles the body helps afford superior comfort.

Equally appreciated by younger pets, the sleep surface offers excellent preventative care. Orthopedic dog beds improve the quality of life for dogs and cats with hip or elbow dysplasia, arthritis and joint problems associated with large breeds and older dogs.

You may want to consider a heated dog bed in winter or a cooling dog bed for summer. If you are considering a pet bed for outdoor use, you should choose one made of high-quality tough materials that can withstand the wear.

It’s the little things that are really big things when it comes to extending the life and the quality of life of our pets.

We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs, the dogs that have been a part of our life, and the passing of one dog in particular, Rusty, that inspired the creation of http://www.CalloftheDog.com and http://www.CalloftheDogShop.com — created to provide the things your dogs and pets need. Visit us for great information and quality dog supplies! Be sure to see our

About Us page as well. The two sites are dedicated to the dogs we have loved so deeply, and who have given us so much love in return. Purebreds and mixed breeds, but mostly rescues in need of a home. We educated them, but each one has had something to teach us in exchange. For a great selection of dog bed product recommendations see our website page at http://www.CalloftheDog.com/dogbed.php

More Info

Regardless of the breed of dog you have, and no matter whether you’re feeding him off a regular dog bowl or an elevated dog feeder, your dog’s diet plays a crucial part in his health. It’s easy to get swayed by the number of dog food products out there, and the continuous blitzkrieg of advertising and marketing tactics by dog food companies may leave you confused about what your dog’s diet should be.

If your dog relies exclusively on tinned dog food for his daily diet, make sure the food contains all the nutrients that are essential for his well being and health. Take a look at the nutrition label on the food before you buy your next tin. A lot of ingredients find their way to your dog’s feeder, and these have very little nutritional value. An inadequate diet can lead to joint and bone problems in a dog leading to an earlier wearing out of his bones, and requiring special items like an orthopedic dog bed. An orthopedic dog bed is a dog bed that’s made for older dogs who might have difficulty adjusting to a regular bed that offers no extra support.

Here are a few things you might want to look out for to avoid health problems in your dog. The first four ingredients in your dog’s food label should be meat and proteins. Watch out for inferior sources of protein like Soya and wheat. A dog needs meat protein to be healthy. Not only do wheat, corn soy and other inferior sources have less good protein, they are also hard to digest giving your dog stomach and digestion problems down the line.

Watch out for sugar. A diet high in sugar can cause a dog to be prone to worms, and can cause hyper activity.

When chicken is part of a dog food diet, it should include chicken meal as the main ingredient, and not simply chicken. Many manufacturers use the beak, feather and other unwanted parts of the chicken to fill their tins, and these are a pretty much useless source of protein.

If you have questions about your dog diet and would like to reassure yourself that what you’re feeding is indeed what’s best for him, talk to your vet who will be able to advise you better. Some dogs need to be on a special diet, and your vet will be able to inform you if your dog needs a prescription diet.

This author lives in Flemington, NJ with her husband and 5 month old daughter and is an expert contributing author for a luxury dog feeders boutique offering variety of dog beds and orthopedic dog beds. This author and DogBedSupplies are also dedicated to providing valuable and informative articles on pet health, dog training, crate training, puppy breeds and more.

=================================

Though they are not at greater risk of hypothyroidism, Beagles in rare cases have the tendency to develop this disease. Notice your Beagle shedding hair? Check it out because it may not be a skin infection caused by fleas and ticks, the shedding maybe because of hypothyroidism.

The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. It is consist of two lobes located at the base of the neck. This gland is known for it produces thyroxine, a hormone that regulates the body’s metabolic rate. This hormone controls how quickly the body burns calories and makes proteins. When thyroxine is not produced sufficiently, hypothyroidism occurs.

Hypothyroidism affects dogs between 4 to 10 years old and is common in middle to large size breeds. It is also common in neutered dogs than in intact animals.

Deficiency of thyroxine or thyroid gland is distinguishable through various symptoms. Excessive shedding and difficulty in growing hair are likely to happen. Excessive black pigment in the skin of their groin is also visible. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include mental dullness, obesity, low tolerance to cold, slow heart rate, high blood cholesterol and anemia. These symptoms when combined together will be the basis of your veterinarian in diagnosing the presence of hypothyroidism in Beagles.

Hypothyroidism is diagnosed through various tests. These tests are T4 test, T3 test and TSH Stimulation test. The most common is the T4 test wherein blood sample is drawn and then tested. This is to determine the level of T4 thyroid hormone in the bloodstream. T3 test is similar to T4 but is not quite accurate in early case of hypothyroidism. To ensure accuracy, T3 test is oftentimes used together with T4 or TSH Stimulation tests. TSH Stimulation test is used when results of T3 and T4 tests are in doubt.

Hypothyroidism is not a life-threatening disease. This disease is best treated with the use of thyroid hormone or thyroxine. It is available in various brands and comes in tablet form. Dosage of this drug varies depending on the severity of the condition. It is usually based on the dog’s weight, blood samples and to the dog’s response to the drug. Once thyroxine medication is started in dogs, it should be given for the rest of dog’s life.

Richard Cussons has created various articles on dogs. Discover useful information about Beagle training at this site about Beagles.

===========================