One of my partners called me yesterday, and he wanted to tell me about what one of the participants in our test group had told him. Our test group had tested my ultra pure pharmaceutical grade fish oil for a few months, before it was released, and the female participant that had spoken to my partner was one of our lucky subjects.

The woman in question is a nurse at a dialysis clinic, is around 50 years of age, widowed, and has two dogs, (real dogs…not those miniature rats that are so popular today), and the dogs are somewhere between 9 and 10 years old - in human years.

She took my pharmaceutical grade fish oil, because the stuff she was taking gave her “fish burps,” which she didn’t like, and she liked the the higher levels of EPA/DHA contained in my formula, which she couldn’t get in the stuff she picked up at the drugstore.

Her main reason for taking the fish oil was to reduce arthritic discomfort. At fifty, and being a full time nurse, she is on her feet for many, many hours at a time, and its taken its toll on her.

She had been taking my special fish oil formula for a month, when she told us that she had felt a substantial decrease in her pain level. She said it was like she had new legs!

Here’s where the story goes to fish oil for dogs.

Her dogs, named Shea and Shaggy, were getting older and were not as active as they were in their younger days, and Shea seemed to have a bit of limp. After being on the fish oil formula for a month and feeling great, she had the idea to give the dogs one soft gel at the same time as they got their dogfood. In only two weeks, the dogs’ energy levels were markedly increased and Shea was walking without a hitch.

Now I know this is not scientific, and I’m far from a veterinarian. I’m not really sure what to say, other than it’s a good story. But if it has benefits…I’m not going to stand in the way of her giving fish oil for dogs.

Shea and Shaggy’s mom is certainly not the only person who has reported that fish oil can reduce the pain associated with common arthritis. Taking pharmaceutical-grade fish oil is a tremendous help for battling joint troubles.

I read a study recently from Columbia University Medical Center that stated omega 3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 19 to 24%. Enteric coated fish oil can also help with heart, joint, and brain function.

Alzheimer’s is the greatest health fear of my generation, and the one that follows, too.

If you want your dogs to remain happy and content then you have to feed them with the best dog food. This in turn means that you will have to consider a few things that will help you pick the best foods for your dog, especially when you are planning on buying dry dog food. Though it is quite an possible that your dog(s) might not have any discernment between dry and wet dog foods it still pays to see which type your dog loves the most. In case of most dogs they do tend to be picky and so you have to use trial and error methods to establish which kind your dog loves the best.

Regulate His Diet

It is also a good idea to ensure feeding your dog with regulated diet so that you can choose certain dog foods that the dog will relish and eat happily. It also means avoiding feeding him with human food as this can give rise to numerous health concerns including stomach aches and obesity as too problems with behavior.

Another significant consideration related to dog food is that you must master feeding him according to his body weight and for more selective information you must check the dog food label to see how much of a portion is safe for feeding your deary dog. Even when starting your pet on a new dog food it pays to start off slowly to ensure that the food goes down well with your dog and does not make him feel sick.

If you want your pet to feed on moist food you can add a little water to his dry dog food and get the desired results though be careful that by adding water to his food, it can spoil the smell of his food. And, after having fed your pet dog it is also necessary that you ensure that he gets his fair share of exercise so that he remains in shape.

It pays to also select dog food that has enough vitamin content as this will help to create a shinier coat and his nails too will grow stronger. When picking his food, you should check the major dog food brands which are well known for having a lot of nutritious content and which also come in many flavors that will appeal to your dog’s senses. Some dog lamb accompanied by rice is OK for your dog.

Choosing the right dog food can often be confusing because of the different ingredients used as too because of the terminology used. There are also foods that are suited for puppies and those that are suited for larger sized dog breeds and you will also come across foods that help control your pet’s weight and there are also wellness dog foods that suit pets that have allergies or some other kind of health problems.

Times have so changed since the antecedent of the nineteenth century before which dogs in the main subsisted on wheat, bread and barley and rye. Only rarely did dog owners feed their dogs with meat. During the nineteenth century feeding dogs with meat was something that signified the dog owner’s status – that is until the first dog food was introduced in the year 1860 when in England an American called James Spratt founded his own dog food company.

Since then dog food has become big business and of course many changes have taken place in what we can and cannot feed our pets. The fifties saw the advent of dry dog food and today there is much variety in the type of commercially produced dog food that is available on the market.

The bottom line is that you should only feed your dog the correct type and amount of food. For a ten pound dog it is necessary that he gets 850 calories on a daily basis; for a twenty pound dog the number of calories should not exceed 1400 per day while a thirty pound dog must not be fed more than 1800 calories on a daily basis and a fifty pound dog should get at most 2700 calories per day.

Most dogs go through the puppy chewing phase, where they will chew on anything and everything. Our dog Mittsy was no different in that respect. Up until she was just over a year old we would often find clothing, shoes or parts of furniture that had been chewed on.

Even after the teething phase wore off, she would always find something new to chew on. We were only able to control what she had available to her by using pet gates to limit her access.

I have to believe that Mittsy’s stomach was stronger than most dogs, because many of the things that she wolfed down are considered very dangerous to the health of a dog.

One example of this was about a week or so after the Easter holiday. One of my daughters had left her chocolate Easter egg stash on the floor in her room. Mittsy devoured I’m guessing about a pound or more of chocolate Easter eggs, wrappers and all.

Sure she was ill the next day, but she soon recovered and somehow decided that the short period of agony was worth the wonderful taste of chocolate. Every year she would do her best to find the chocolates stashed somewhere in our children’s rooms. It was like her very own Easter egg hunt.

Mittsy’s next favorite food was lipstick, the redder the better. Mittsy had mostly black fur, except for around her paws and face. Needless to say, it was real easy to spot when she had found a lipstick tube to chew on. Our daughters never seemed to learn, as they would always leave their lipstick somewhere that was easy access for Mittsy.

I don’t know how many times we had to try to remove red lipstick from our beige carpets. It would often take more than a few passes of the carpet cleaner to get it all out. The question for my wife and I was whether we should be trying to train Mittsy or our kids about the issues with lipstick and chocolate. Of course there is always the handy pet gate.

Hold onto your hats folks, because the next Mittsy feast will surprise even you.

Once a year, friends of ours host a long weekend get together at their summer cottage. Several families are invited and pets are included. Its a favorite weekend for our family and we look forward to it as soon as Spring arrives.

As usual, the weekend was a smashing success with beautiful sunny days, warm water and great company. Unfortunately it came time to start packing up for home. I guess the act of packing was some sort of sign to Mittsy that she had better feed up for the long trip home.

Mittsy’s hunt started indoors, and she somehow managed to track down a french loaf that had been set aside for the parting meal that evening. She managed to eat the whole 18 inch loaf of bread without being noticed by anyone, but her feast was not yet finished. That was just the appetizer.  

At one point during the day, I had gone into the cottage to look for some water toys for the kids. As I passed by the kitchen window overlooking the back yard of the cottage, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Mittsy was chowing down in the cottage compost heap.

Not long after pulling Mittsy away from her feast, she became very ill. Go figure!!! Soon she was unable to lift her head off of the ground where she lay. Each breath she took came out as steam even though it was 90 degrees outside that day.

It would be four hours before we got back to civilization, and we thought by starting the trek as soon as possible, we could get Mittsy to a vet before nightfall. We finsihed packing the car, said our goodbyes and headed out.

She was sick at least a half dozen times before we got home. It was the most unpleasant trip our family has ever experienced.

When we arrived home everyone was feeling ill, except for Mittsy. Somehow the events of the trip home had been enough for her to gain the upper hand. When the car door opened, Mittsy jumped out and wanted everyone to chase her around the yard.

We watched her closely, made sure she had lots of fresh water to drink and marveled at the dog with the iron gut. It was like she was saying to us “I told you I could eat anything”.

When selecting a new puppy for your family, the Basset Hound is one of the best.  Basset Hound puppy training is very easy and this particular breed loves humans. They are extremely friendly and calm and want to become a member of your family.  Basset Hound puppy care is simple because the animal is not inherent to any particular disease and because the puppies are eager to please. Their growth at full maturation is small and can weigh anywhere between 30 and 70 lbs. These dogs are known as the hush puppies of the dog kingdom.

Crates

Since puppies do not begin to think intelligently until they are about 12 weeks old, the early weeks of Basset Hound puppy care are similar to any puppy care. Puppy proof your home before bringing your Basset Hound puppy home. Have a crate prepared for him to sleep in at night. A crate is the best investment you will make for your new puppy.  A crate can be a combined sleeping area; housebreaker and can prevent bad habits.

Select a crate that will be large enough for your puppy when he is full grown. A good idea is to insert a divider in the crate to make it smaller for housebreaking. His toys and a small water bowl can also be placed in the crate. But only leave your puppy in there for short periods of time so he will learn that he will not be confined for long periods of time. His diet should consist of high quality puppy chow. The Basset Hound puppy should be fed several small meals per day. Your vet will help you choose the best puppy chow for your particular puppy.

Housebreaking

Housebreaking is a little more challenging in Basset Hound puppy care than in other puppy breeds. But starting the dog training as soon as they arrive to your home is a good idea.  Basset Hounds, as many other hound breeds, respond better to a food reward. When a food reward is not present, they tend to ‘forget’. But consistency and patience will pay off in your Basset hound puppy care. Take your puppy outside at the same time every day and reward him immediately when he has accomplished his mission. Do not play or talk to your puppy until he has finished.

Remember, if he doesn’t ‘do it’ outside, he will ‘do it’ inside your house. Regular brushing, bathing and nail clipping is essential in your Basset Hound puppy care. Basset Hounds especially need their ears cleaned often. They grow very long ears as they get older and getting them acquainted with ear cleaning early can help a difficult task in the end. Do not bathe your puppy before he is 12 weeks of age unless absolutely necessary. It is too easy for them to get a chill at an earlier age.

Your Basset Hound puppy care should be a pleasant one if you follow some of these suggestions. These hush puppies are extremely fun to have in your home. They love kids, adults and strangers. With proper care as a puppy, your Basset Hound will be a happy member of your family very quickly.

Crate training is an effective way to train a new puppy. While crates can be a wonderful training tool they can also be very unattractive. Looking around the pet store you will not really see any options that will blend in well with your home décor. The crate you find are typically made from plastic or metal and very unattractive. This is not a problem if you plan to use your crate exclusively for traveling or keep it in the garage. 
 
But if your puppy will be living inside your home their crate will most likely be in your living space. There are a couple of effective ways to fix an ugly crate. The two biggest options available to your are to buy a crate made from attractive materials or to buy a crate cover. 
 
There are all kinds of dog crate covers and they are available in different types of fabrics. Dog crate covers come in almost any color or style you can think of. Since they are designed to fit snugly over your crate you will need to order the appropriate size to get the right fit. 
 
A dogs crate cover is an easy and inexpensive way to improve the appearance of your dog crate. They also help to make the crate cozier for your dog. Many dogs appreciate the den feeling that adding a crate cover provides. Expect to pay forty dollars or less for a crate cover. Your other option is to buy a crate made from a material other than plastic or metal. One of the more popular crates along these lines are those made from wicker. These crates do not clean out easily like plastic and metal so you should wait until your dog is potty trained to use wicker. You can also find crates out there made from wood to look like ordinary furniture. The crate is hidden under a table top and almost disappears. These crates will not be cheap or easy to clean so do not buy one until your dog is fully trained.