How important is predictability to you when you are purchasing a puppy?
As in… how important is it to you that you are able to meet the puppy’s sire and dam and see where your puppy’s temperament will generate from, view health records and genetic testing results, etc?
Or, does that not matter to you and you are willing to roll the dice with a dog from a shelter?
(Yes, I know not *all* shelter dogs fit in that category, just as all dogs from a breeder don’t fit in the category above. I am speaking generally.)
Since I’ve only gotten dogs from reputable breeders(or bred my own 100% purebred registered & titled animals),I don’t need to meet/see the sire & dam;I know what the breeders produce. I know the pedigrees. I know they can judge/grade/select correctly to suit me. *&* that if it isn’t right,there’s no problem returning the dog.
As is the reverse,the breeders can get a dog from me w/confidence.
I am not & never will be interested in any sort of mutt/mongrel. My stock must be quality,purebred & “bred-to-the-standard”.
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We feed our dogs bakers, but I know that its not very good (but its cheap). Basically I want the best at a good value price so does anybody feed their dogs a great dog food that doesnt cost the earth haha?
Thats a good question! I feed Arden Grange Lamb & Rice which is £35 odd a 15kg bag. THe good thing about it is that you feed less so it is better value for money. I get it at Mutley & Mog, they deliver which makes it so much easier. Here is the link: http://www.mutleyandmog.co.uk/dog/dog-food/complete-dry-dog-food/arden-grange-dog-food/arden-grange-adult-lamb-rice
Another food which is not as bad as Bakers but still on the same price level is Field & Trial: http://www.mutleyandmog.co.uk/dog/dog-food/complete-dry-dog-food/field-trial-dog-food/
It has a duck & rice which is hypoallergenic, no wheat etc. Good on you for wanting better for your dog. You really will notice a difference when you change!
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People tend to think that commercial dog food, especially if it has been recommended by their veterinarian is of good quality and is giving your dog the best chance in life. Right?
Wrong!
While vets should be the best people to advise about dog food, sadly they’re not. Why? Because the top commercial pet food manufacturers now financially contribute to many veterinary schools. They have a foot in the door. They can, and do, influence the students.
After all you generally don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
In most countries of the world, there are, at least some basic laws governing the quality of human food, whether it’s fresh produce, meat or fast food.
In no country are there laws (which are enforced) that insist commercial pet food manufacturers use quality ingredients. That means anything can, and does, go.
After all, if meat is of good quality, wouldn’t you sell it to the highest market – the human market? So, it’s only the poorest quality meat, more often meat by-products (such as hair, intestines and contents, chicken feet, brain, skin, grizzle, fat, etc) that goes for dog food.
This means that the overall nutrient quality is as poor as it gets, as different proteins have different nutritional absorbability.
Pet food is always bulked out with inert (or not as the melamine scam from China testifies) filler. Typically, this filler will be the current cheapest carbohydrate. There’s often a world glut of something, driving down the price. It may be sugar one year, wheat the next.
Do you think the addition of sugar into your dog’s diet will serve to improve his health?
Why do you think that diabetes in dogs is on the increase?
Dogs may bulk out their food in the wild, but it would be on fresh plant matter that’s available, such as fruit or leaves.
Cooking destroys many vitamins and enzymes which are critical to the overall health of your dog.
As most dog food is dried pellets, which keep indefinitely at room temperature, preservatives must be used. Some manufacturers claim they have not added preservatives. Look carefully at the wording. They did not add it. This may be true. But preservatives will always have been added to the meat before it was delivered to the manufacturers.
It’s impossible to keep meat products at room temperature indefinitely without the use of strong preservatives. Preservatives that would never be allowed in human food, because of their poisonous effect.
So your dog may be well fed as far as volume is concerned, but will be starving for quality food. How can your dog remain healthy if he’s fed garbage?
Most people would be appalled at the process that goes into the making of commercial pet food. That would be a really good incentive not to feed it. I’m attempting to give you a glimpse behind the scenes, so you can give your dog the best dog food available within your budget and within your time available.
Where can I find good ratings on dog food quality?
Is there a consumers report, or some other independent rating system? I’m not interested in people’s personal opinions on dog food, but some sort of scientific studies.
Dog Food Analysis is the website that has ratings/reviews of dog foods. (I recommend only feeding foods rated 4, 5, or 6 stars. Anything 3 stars or less, I would stay away from.)
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
Dog Food Analysis isn’t a “scientific study” per say, they don’t do any sort of experiments with chemicals to see how the food breaks down of anything. But they do use a standard way across the board of reviewing the foods, which you can see here: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/how_do_we_assess_the_foods.htm
Dog Food Project is a great website as well. It tells you more about the ingredients in your dog food, how to read labels, etc.
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When a dog has skin problems, we rarely suspect these as food allergies or sensitivities. As most dogs keep eating the same type of dog food for years, the food usually escapes our radar as the problem. But dogs, like humans, can develop sensitivity to any food or additive at any time. Recent estimates indicate that 10 to 15 percent of all allergic skin diseases in dogs are caused by food allergy. In such cases, they should be given allergy dog food, i.e., food that does not cause allergic reactions.
As dog food is made up of a combination of ingredients, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly which is causing the allergy. The most common ingredients that can cause problems in a dog include beef, chicken, corn, eggs, fish, lamb, milk, preservatives, pork, soy, wheat, and whey.
The primary symptom that appears in a dog having food allergy is itchy skin.
Other symptoms may include anal itching, ear inflammations, hair loss, licking front paws, loss of appetite, face rubbing, and head shaking. Sometimes asthma-like symptoms, behavioral changes, diarrhea, flatulence, seizures, sneezing, and vomiting can also be observed.
When you conclude after consultations with your veterinarian, that food may be the underlying cause of your dog’s allergy, then you can begin an elimination diet. Discard all the foods in the dog’s diet that are included in the list above, and give him/her allergy dog food, which may be a commercial or homemade diet comprising ingredients the dog has never eaten before.
The homemade allergy dog food should comprise two parts starch and one part protein. Duck, salmon, soy, venison, and rabbit may form the protein part, and rice and potatoes the starch, but soy and rice cannot be always called safe substitutes. Some animal medical centers recommend duck and potato based foods as allergy dog food.
You can also choose a special commercial food blends as allergy dog food. As the homemade food is not nutritionally complete, it should not be continued for more than 8 weeks.
Whatever allergy dog food you choose for your pet, it should be the only food the dog ingests during the elimination period. So, say adieu to table scraps, dog biscuits, dog bones, rawhide chews, vitamins, minerals or chewable heartworm pills.
If symptoms improve during the elimination period, you can reintroduce each of the eliminated food items one at a time. Each food should be tested for a week before another is introduced. This will help you to pinpoint which foods may be causing problems if symptoms resurface. And once you detect the offensive food, it will be easier for you to choose the right allergy dog food to keep your pet free from allergy.
Spring season is not always a happy and exciting period for some dog owners and also for their sensitive dogs. During this time of the year, most dogs often suffer from some sort of allergies and you can only notice these allergic reactions around their three to six years of age. These dog allergies may even get worse every year. Your dog can be able to acquire or obtain these sensitivities through the air, from the food they eat and from their own bodies as well.
As a dog owner, it is your obligation to take good care of your pet during times when he/she suffers from these allergies. It is your task to provide and give medications to your pet’s allergy in order for him/her to survive the season. In order for you to determine if your dog has an allergy, you should observe him first. The thing is even if you do not perform any observation you can still notice when your dog suffers from any allergy. Your pet dog is suffering from allergy when he scratches too much, he/she loses fur or hair, rubbing off his face, shakes his/ her head all the time, loss of appetite, coughing, sneezing, suffering from diarrhea and so many other unusual practices. These are the most common symptoms that you will notice when your pet dog starts to suffer pain due to allergy.
First, you need to look for any allergy indications in your dog’s body, particularly in your pet’s skin. In fact, you can be able to notice immediately the symptoms and the indications. In addition, itchiness and rashes can also be an allergy indication of your pet. These series of warning signs are often noticed all throughout the spring season wherein your pet can be able to inhale the allergies blown up in this season, and the most common allergies, which your dog can acquire are the flea allergies.
In order to prevent your dog allergy from worsening, you must make your first move. You should consult your nearest veterinarian to get some advices and first aids. It is very important to follow all the prescription of your dog’s veterinarian.
You can also apply some natural medications instead of the artificial ones. We all know that some dog’s medicines have side effects that would not be good to their health. There are actually a lot of natural medicines for dog allergies that are sold in the market today. Instead of using steroid medicines, corticosteroids, NSAIDs or the antihistimines medicines, you can use the alternative one – the skin and coat tonic. This type of natural medicine contains natural herbs that will treat and heal your dog’s dry peeling skin, eczema, and itching problems. In addition, it can quickly heal the dog’s skin wounds due to scratches and some infections.
You really need to pay attention to your dog’s health. If they have the symptoms that will indicate allergies, then give him first aid right away. Do not ignore the warning signs for it might get worse and your dog will definitely suffer from those spring allergies. Thus, make sure to protect and secure your pets during the spring time.
It is very imperative to take good care of your pets, not only in spring time but also in all seasons. Let us provide them their needs and make them feel our deep affection for them.
Pugs, like any human or other animal, can have allergies. You can learn how to avoid allergens and how to deal with any allergies that happen to keep your pet happy and healthy. Some of the basic things you need to be aware of are chocolate, allergies to chemicals and food, and also seasonal allergies. Being mindful of things that might cause allergies in your Pug is the first step in combating the problems.
A Chocolate Free Diet: Pugs just like any other dog should never have chocolate. Aside from making a dog uncomfortable, chocolate is actually toxic to them. This is just not because of a concern for health problems due to gaining weight or from consuming too much sugar. Consuming chocolate can lead to major problems and cause your pet to die. Chocolate may taste like a piece of heaven to us, but to a dog it is poisonous. You need to keep chocolate away from your dog at all costs. Some people believe it is okay to give them a little bit, but it is never okay.
Food and Chemical Allergies: Food and chemical allergies are sometimes not specific allergies. They may happen over a period of time due to certain foods or chemicals in the environment. These allergies are much harder to pinpoint because they may develop an allergic response that can mimic almost anything. The main concern is taking care of your Pug, and of course to check with your veterinarian if any problems result. If your dog tends to get sick after visiting certain places or eating certain things, you should pay attention to see if you can narrow down the cause and get your dog back to optimum health again.
Allergy Season: Just like human beings, Pugs can also suffer from seasonal allergies. Having allergies is no fun for humans or dogs so it is a good idea to take care of any symptoms as quickly as possible so your dog can be comfortable. Otherwise your Pug may suffer from itchiness as well as a plethora of other symptoms. The best way to handle allergies is to get a veterinarian/dermatologist who can take a look at the symptoms and formulate a treatment plan. This may include taking antihistamines, using special shampoos or even taking steroidal medications. The point is to get the symptoms under control so you can both get back to enjoying life again.
Allergies can pose a big problem with Pugs if for no other reason than they cannot always be identified quickly. Allergies include chocolate, allergies to something they ingest and whatever they might come into contact with during the course of the day and regular seasonal allergies as well. Being vigilant and taking care of these allergies requires stopping them as quickly as possible and might even save your dogs life. A trip to the vet may seem expensive, but could very well be worth the money if it ends up saving your dogs life. Some breeds require more health care than others and the Pug just happens to be one of those breeds.
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