What happens to abandoned dogs, or those who run away, or get lost? Many end up in pounds where it is only a matter of time before they are put down.

Animal shelters, which take in unwanted dogs and try to rehome them, have been driving home the message over the last five to ten years the importance of spaying and neutering dogs. This has helped reduce the numbers of stray dogs in many parts of the USA.

Still, some animals will end up in shelters, often through no fault of their own. Their owner may have died, or become unable to look after them, or worse, been unwilling to look after them.

On the flip side, some might end up in shelters because they were too much to handle for their owner, they may have become too boisterous around the children or had some behavioral issue.

If you want a new dog, look first at a shelter. They have mixed and pure breeds desperately waiting for a new owner.

There are some aspects to remember when you adopt from an animal shelter. The dogs rarely come with any medical history, so any future illnesses or conditions cannot be predicted.

The character of the dog will also be somewhat a mystery, so if you are choosing a dog for a vulnerable household (ie one with children or old people) choose carefully and try to spend time with the dog first.

In addition, be prepared to have to do a little dog obedience with your new pet, to iron out any bad habits his former owner allowed him to have. Your new pet might be anxious or hyperactive in the first days and weeks as he gets used to his new circumstances.

The Humane Society is the largest organization for animal protection in the USA. Its central offices are based in Washington DC. It works on a local level with many regional branches across the USA. It is funded by donation.

The work of the Humane society includes looking after the rights of both wildlife and domestic animals. It carries out its wok through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and field work.

The branches provide sanctuary for unwanted animals, which are available for adoption for suitably vetted candidates.

You might feel you want to support the Humane Society; if so there are three ways you can do it. Offering a home to an abandoned pet is an enormous help. You can support the Society by giving a regular amount of money to their fund raising efforts. You might also consider lending a hand in a shelter.

All of these will help the Humane Society in their work. Animal shelters are the last resort for sick, injured and homeless animals. Make sure you don’t forget about the animals no-one remembered.

Dog food can be examined for nutrition required for daily functioning. Reviewing the nutrients dog food contains is very important. Quality dog food needs to contain carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. A dog must have a balanced diet in order for the dog to have energy and be healthy. Giving the dog too much food leads to obesity and reproduction. Since dogs’ lives are short, frequent pregnancies are not recommended.

Carbohydrates can be found in wheat products, as well as rice, corn, and other grain products. The dog’s movement is greatly impacted by the carbohydrate portion of the dog’s diet. When carbohydrates enter the digestive system, they break down and form glucose which in turn creates energy.

Protein is an important aspect of dog food as well. This nutrient is responsible for cell growth. Since millions of cells are grown and shed daily, the cells must be replaced by protein. This nutrient can be found in meat and meat products. Protein also helps dogs maintain a healthy coat.

Fiber is essential for stomach functioning. Fiber is found in many places. Fiber helps the stomach achieve a feeling of fullness, so the dog can remain active for many hours. Plant foods, green vegetables, and other plant items contain fiber.

Dogs must have vitamins in their diet too. They are an important component that ensure the body is functioning correctly. Vitamins A, B, and D are essential to the lifespan and health of the dog. Dog food must contain generous amounts of these vitamins. Fruits, vegetables, and the sun are all great sources of vitamins.

Health is definitely directly related to a dog’s nutrition. Happiness and proper body functioning will be achieved from a nutritious diet. Training can also be much easier if a dog is fed properly. Many dogs can be trained to work fields, tend sheep and cows, and perform laborious tasks. Other dogs can be trained to do basic tasks like fetching a newspaper, protecting the home from intruders, or keeping dangerous animals like snakes away.

Proteins can be found in soy beans and cereal. Dysentery can be avoided by giving your dog moderately spicy foods. The form the food is served in is very important. Natural foods are usually more healthy than processed foods. Homemade food is actually easy to make, but do not let the food spoil.

Watch your dogs so that they do not ingest small animals like snakes or rodents which could poison them. Also, have your dog checked regularly by a veterinarian and adjust his diet if necessary. Make sure your dog does not mate with dogs that could carry disease.

Ear mite infections are a big problem for both cats and dogs. If you watch your cat or dog and notice some changes in behavior it could be that your pet has ear mite problems.

If your pet starts shaking his head violently or won’t stop scratching at his ears, even to the point where he is crying out because it is painful, you are probably dealing with ear mites.

So what are the culprits to these unpleasant symptoms? The ear mite is a tiny parasite that lives in the lining of the ear canal.

The ear swells and becomes painful as they bite through the skin to get at the blood supply.

Left undetected or untreated you are probably looking at more problems, with opportunistic yeast infections, bacterial strains, sores and painful scabs to contend with.

If you still do nothing your pet could lose his hearing or require expensive surgery.

One ear mite infection will lead to another if you have multiple pets, as they transfer from one host to another.

Ear mite infections are a particular problem in places where there are large numbers of animals, such as pounds, boarding kennels and breeders.

So if you have more than one animal it is wise to treat them all as if they had an ear mite infection.

Although both dogs and cats may contract ear mites, you should take special car if you are the proud owner of a spaniel as their glorious long haired long ears are especially attractive to ear mites.

Ear mite treatments are available over the counter. Clean ears are a must so try PNP Healthy Ears Ear Cleanser for Dogs to get rid of any discharge or dirt in the ear.

It can help prevent ear infections, and is easy to apply with a specially designed nozzle. Use regularly and apply after swimming.

Lambert Kay Ear Rite Insecticidal Ear Wash is another great ear cleaner product in the battle against ear mite infections.

It helps clean the external ear surfaces, preventing infection. If you want to keep your pet’s ears dry, try ClearQuest Ear Powder.

It is suitable for both dogs and cats and helps to control odor and keep ears dry and therefore more resistant to yeast infections.

ClearQuest also make Ear Wipes - a quick and convenient way to keep your cat or dog’s ears clean and healthy.

Formulated with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal components, infections are kept at bay. They come in a convenient container which means clean and easy storage and no waste.

Nature lovers might like Dr Golds Extra Gentle Ear Therapy for dogs and cats to cleanse their pet’s ears.

Be amazed how quickly this product will neutralize the odor from yeast and mite infections, and feel reassured that the product also disinfects with added natural ingredients such as Witch hazel and Tea Tree Oil.

Gimborn R-7M Ear Mite Treatment for Pets is a good choice for severe problems.

It contains a natural miticide that will dispatch ear mites and ticks promptly leaving your pet pain and infection free. Popular among breeders and showers.

If the situation has gotten really bad and your are struggling to cope with repeated or severe infections you need something with some punch, such as Zymox OTIC Solution with and without Hydrocortisone.

Seven days dosage at once a day should resolve severe inflammation, and fourteen days for chronic conditions where the animal is persistently infected.

Your pet’s ears don’t have to be a problems with so many high grade products on the market.

So watch out for those warning signs and deal with ear mite and yeast problems fast.

Dogs and cats are pretty adorable generally, right? It’s true enough, but sometimes just like humans it’s nice to give your pet a distinctive look.

Charms are a quick, easy and inexpensive way to give your pet a new look, and luckily there are loads on the market.

As a general rule these collar charms look good on smaller dogs especially of the lapdog variety.

Larger dogs look better with a wider collar, rather than a charm, plus with the boisterous nature of larger dogs, a charm can get broken quite easily, so stick to the small guys.

The first choice for charms would be Aria, who make glittery, fashionable charms for pets.

The Enamel Bone Charm is a cute little touch, which comes in three colors, pink, white and blue with rhinestone detail and fixes onto the collar easily. The charm is an inch long, so a perfect size for a little dog.

For sophisticated dogs and cats with a touch of class, Aria’s Royal range might be the ticket; with a wonderful Crown design studded with rhinestones.

It comes in two colors and has a proper lobster clip fastening. This sophisticated little number would look a treat against pets of any shade although grey, white and black fur would set off the pendant the best.

Aria have designed a half inch long pawprint charm, available in dark blue, white or pink rhinestones for added sparkle. They are more suitable for boy dogs, as are the Skull and CrossBones designs in silver and brass in two sizes.

The heart shape is a perennial favorite; and how cute it would look sparkling off your dog’s collar, especially this rhinestone studded one. With a lobster claw clasp this one inch wonder is bound to get some attention.

Pet Studio also have a range of charms on the market with their colorful Crystal Crown design. They also have created a flower pendant, and open heart pendant and a funky star.

Adorning your dog with small trinkets doesn’t have to cost the earth either.

One of the most attractive classic shapes is the simple silver Open Heart charm, which is a dead ringer for the famous heart shape by Tiffany.

There are so many occasions to dress your pet up, parties, photoshoots, parades, shows, the list goes on and on. A charm is a cute way to make your pet look a million dollars.

All the charms featured in this article should be available for cats too so check them out.

If you have ever gotten a painful bee sting in the summer, your dog probably has too and it hurts just as much for him as it does for you! Here are some things you can do to alleviate the pain of dog bee stings.

Anyone who’s brought their dog outside in the summer sees that dogs just can’t help snapping at insects that fly past his muzzle. We’re not sure why dogs like to do this, but often the outcome is a painful sting in a sensitive part of the mouth or face!

When your dog reacts to a sting in his mouth, he will scratch and paw at the area that was stung. Your dog may also react by heavy drooling, which can alarm some owners that are not aware of the wasp or bee sting.

If your dog gets bit, here are some steps you can take to relieve them from the pain of dog bee stings:

If your dog is stung by a bee or wasp, one option to make your dog more comfortable is to mix baking soda and water. The combination of 1 tablespoon baking soda to 2 pints water should be applied every 10 minutes until pain is gone. If your dog should lick the sting area or swallow the baking soda mixture, do not worry, this solution is not harmful.

Ammoniated quinine can be put directly on the area.

Bee stings generally don’t upset any dog too much, but if your dog is seriously panicked or bothered you can give him a little potassium bromide to make him more tranquil.

See if you can locate the stinger, and if you can you might try to take it out with tweezers - that is, if your dog will sit still for that.

It’s perfectly alright to bring your dog to the vet for a professional examination of the area. She might decide to administer a shot of anti-histamine to you dog to reduce some of the swelling and itching, and keep systematic disturbances at bay.

People typically do not think of dogs as getting stung by bees, but dog bee stings do happen. Dogs are seen all summer long trying to “eat” bees, so it’s no wonder they get stung every so often. It is great if they do not get stung, but if they do now you know ho w to treat it.

Every puppy has to go through the teething process, but unfortunately most owners are relatively uninformed about the whole process. It can be uncomfortable for your dog and trying for you, which is why puppy teething relief can provide sanity for the both of you.

Puppies actually teeth twice in their lives. The first period is at around 3 weeks of age. They get their baby teeth then. Generally, this process doesn’t cause as much discomfort or chewing behavior as the adult teething period later on. Sometimes owners may not even notice that their puppy is getting his baby teeth.

Adult teeth begin to appear in your puppy around the time they are 6 months old. First the canines will appear, then incisors, then finally the pre-molars.

Dogs might have discomfort from teething, using your shoes and furniture as chew toys. You can help prevent this by providing some much needed puppy teething relief.

The chewing of anything by your puppy is a sign of discomfort. Many people will consider this normal, however, it is a sure sign of teething

Gnawing on things is just instinctive for your dog, so unfortunately you can’t do a lot about it. But asking your vet for relieving gel might help your dog feel better. It might even save you some stress about your furniture and shoes, as it may reduce the need to chew. Make sure you try to redirect the chewing behaviors to new chew toys rather than your new shoes! You can hope that he will choose a favorite chew toy and leave other forbidden items alone.

When your puppy is teething, give them cold things to chew on. The cold feels good on the gums, helping to reduce pain and inflammation. Place their chew toys in the freezer overnight so they’ll be ready in the morning. Keeping a supply in the freezer is a great idea, so you always have a cold chew toy to offer when your puppy needs a distraction from teething pains.

A puppy will use your shoes to help get it through its teething period. This is not a pleasant time for your puppy which thankfully does not last all that long. Providing a little bit of puppy teething relief at this stage will help ease the discomfort and may just save your favorite pair of shoes.

In the last few years, a number of supplementation products designed to boost your cat’s health have been created. Many veterinarians are recommending those that contain a little known immune boosting component called transfer factors. If your cat is in poor health from a long term chronic illness, or is in a weakened condition due to an immune system disorder, injury, or other ailment, many veterinarians are recommending these products.

What are transfer factors? Transfer factors are small protein molecules that are part of the immune system. In order to get a handle on the concept, it’s necessary to understand a bit about the immune system.

Cats, like all mammals, have an immune system that protects them from disease.

In a healthy immune system, foreign invaders, such as bacteria, are recognized and the body mounts a defense against them. Certain specialized cells are called on to attack the invaders. When the invader is defeated, the attack is called off. This is a proper immune response.

Sometimes, however, things don’t go quite right with the immune response. For example, in cats with certain conditions, such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the immune system is compromised and has trouble defending the cat’s body against invaders. This is the feline version of HIV-AIDS, and causes the immune system to under perform.

If the immune system gets confused, it may not know when to shut down, or it may identify healthy tissue in the body as foreign and attack it. This is what happens in an autoimmune disease, such as forms of arthritis. Essentially, the body attacks itself.

Transfer factors act as messengers, alerting your cat’s body to the presence of foreign invaders. These proteins also have a modulating effect and tell the body when not to attack.

Since transfer factors have a balancing effect on the body, they can be used on cats with weakened immune systems, as well as those with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Dietary supplements are available for your cat, combining the immune balancing power of transfer factors with nutrients that are beneficial to the overall well-being of your cat.

There are a number of veterinarians using homeopathic techniques, and some have added products containing transfer factor to their recommendations. If you’re interested in boosting the immune system of your cat with transfer factors, check first to ensure your vet is open to the idea, and that there are no negative interactions.

Holistic dog health care is becoming a natural way for pet owners to provide a dog health diagnosis so their cherished pets are always at their healthiest.

Your dog’s nutritional needs may be the most important aspect when it comes to a dog health diagnosis, as nutrition is the basis for health. Dogs neede a certain balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to ensure everything from the digestive systems to the bones, joints, and organs as well as the skin and coat are as healthy as possible. Dogs’ nutritional needs differ to our own. A diet of meat, vegetables, and whole grains without any processed foods or unnecessary fillers is usually recommended when thinking about holistic dog health.

Once you have a dog health diagnosis, you can go the conventional treatment way, or use a combination of various essential oils, flowering essences, plant extracts, and certain herbs. You can consult with a holistic veterinarian, or you could do your own research on holistic dog health care and run your ideas past your vet before embarking upon a holistic treatment regime. These ancient healing practices have in recent years found their way into pet care and are now becoming increasingly popular as more and more dog owners are looking for safer, healthier, and less invasive alternatives to treating their pets.

Calendula and chamomile may be recommended for promoting the healing of wounds, with the latter often being used for the treatment of respiratory ailments also. If your dog is suffering from constipation or a bowel disorder, crushed flaxseed mixed with plenty of water may be helpful. Dry, itchy skin, can be soothed with oats, and if your dog is having trouble sleeping, you may well find that lavender essential oil may help your to relax fall asleep just as well as it will work for yourself if you suffer from insomnia.

Before concocting any type of herbal remedies of your own, make it a point to do plenty of research and be absolutely certain that what you’re giving your dog isn’t toxic or harmful in any way, as not all herbs and flowers are safe for pets, or even people for that matter. It is always wise to consult with your veterinarian about the proper care and possible remedies for holistic dog health.

There are an increasing number of veterinarians these days who are putting great stock in holistic dog health, making it a large part of their practice. A veterinarian who practices holistic pet care treats animals as a whole, rather than identifying a certain problem and prescribing one type of treatment related to that specific injury or illness.

As an example, if your dog presents with a skin rash displaying symptoms like itching, irritation, redness, and possible infection with concomitant fur loss, a presciption from a “traditional” vet would certainly include an antibiotic and maybe an ointment for the itching.

A holistic veterinarian will place more emphasis on determining the cause of the rash as the source of the infection before prescribing those two remedies. Before coming to a conclusion or offering treatment, the dog’s entire lifestyle are taken into account, incorporating his living environment, nutrition, exercise and all habits.

Raising a healthy dog begins with caring for him correctly from the time you bring him home. Below are 5 tips on how to care for a puppy that will keep him healthy and comfortable.

1. Keep Him Comfortable

In order for your new puppy to be secure and comfortable in your home, you should prepare for its arrival. Set up a special place for your puppy to sleep, with a soft, warm bed as well as toys and a convenient location for food and water.

You want to set aside time to spend with your puppy when you bring him home, so he’ll feel safe and know that you are going to take care of him. He has just left the only family he’s ever known to come live with you; so he’ll need some patience and some time to feel safe with you.

2. Proper Food

A proper diet is very important in your new puppy’s health. Start off with the food he was eating before he became your new pet, as their digestive system is a little touchy at this age. To change his diet, gradually substitute some new food into his regular food until you are eventualy feeding him the food of your choice.

When he comes home, your puppy may want to eat your table scraps, but you should introduce these foods slowly. His stomach will need to adjust before it can handle a lot of “people” food.

3. Veterinarian

Knowledge and regular practice of veterinary care are of foremost importance when learning how to care for a puppy. You should remember that puppies often need to be wormed and adequately vaccinated. The new puppies must be taken to a Veterinarian for vaccination as well as for scheduling regular check ups. This will keep the puppy in good health.

4. Puppy Safety

Puppies have a lot of energy and like to explore. You’ll need to take some steps to keep him safe. Look around and see what areas might be dangerous for him; you’ll want to keep him away from these places. If there are other pets in your home, you’ll want to supervise their interactions to make sure things don’t get too rough for your new puppy. If there are children in your home, make sure they understand the new puppy isn’t a toy and teach them how to treat him gently.

5. Training

A well trained dog is a joy to be around, but a poorly trained dog is a nuisance. You’ll want to start training your puppy early on so that he is a joy!

Learning how to care for a puppy isn’t hard, but it takes a bit of planning and commitment on your part. Don’t worry, if you plan it properly and give your puppy lots of love, you will be amply rewarded.

Contrary to popular belief there are not as many training styles as there are trainers and one of the most interesting dog behavior questions that arise is how the trainers attitude affects the training process. The despite an individual differences people handling dogs fall into clearly recognizable categories. And no matter your an individual style or that of your dog there remain certain truisms.

You must have patience when trying to develop good behavior in your dog just about as much as raising a child. For the most part we as humans don’t have that much patients. So when trying to train your dog to behave you may need to train yourself.

Be prepared to an invest the time daily at least half an hour but preferably an hour to developing the desired behavior in your companion. And when you feel you’re at your limit of patience whether at 10 minutes or an hour an end the session.

Strive to length that ‘time to boiling point’ a little an each day. Remind yourself you are dealing with a dog. Even the most an easily trained breeds or individual dogs an understand at roughly the level of an average two-year old persons. Of course there are those rare an exceptions.

Dog behavior questions can always be answered by thinking about nature. In nature, dogs live in packs where there is an alpha dog or leader. When training your dog remember you are the boss or alpha dog. Remember in order for your training to work you must assert yourself as the leader and not the other way around.

When giving commands, be firm, but do not yell. Do not get angry with your dog when they do not obey. Rather than becoming frustrated with your dog, persist in your practice. Also, do not let the dog become the alpha of your pack. Your goal in training should not be to stroke your ego or to feel like you have power over your dog. The goal should be to have a safer environment for your dog and your family.

There are dogs who are naturally easy to train, but not all of them will be this way. You need to have patience and remember that your dog wants to please you. Keep up on it consistently and your dog will eventually follow your instructions.

Even the best-trained dogs will not an always do what you want when you want. Expecting a dog to too-quickly an understand a new command or to unfailingly remember a previously learned one is a recipe for frustration. The dogs’ memories work very differently from humans so you need to keep this in mind and not expect him to act like one. Take the time to learn your an individual dog’s capacity and limitations.

There are different factors that affect how easily your dog will be to train. One of these factors is breed. Some breeds are easier to train than others. For example, some breeds are energetic- such as terriers, retrievers, and Dalmatians- whereas others are more relaxed. These breeds include basset hounds and collies. Another factor is age. A young puppy is going to have a shorter attention span than an adult dog.

The best way to train your dog is by working with their unique personality traits. Do not yell at your dog needlessly or use strong physical punishment whenever they don’t immediately obey. This will not help train your dog. In the end, training is about building trust with your dog so that he will obey you by choice rather than through fear.