Are Dogs Good for Our Health?

Health by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

They say that a dog is a man’s best mate. And while there may not be much scientific evidence to back up this claim, it’s hard to argue with the fact that dogs have helped their owners through some rough times at least in theory. There’s something about these furry creatures that makes people want to take care of them and give them love when no one else will.

 

Even if you don’t own a pet, you’ve probably seen someone walking down the street holding on to a leash and admiring their favorite mutt or stray as though it were a small child. The question is why do we feel so attached to these animals? What qualities make them such an important part of many people’s lives?

 

There are several reasons why owning a dog seems like such a great idea. One reason is that dogs are very social animals. They’re not just packed animals; dogs tend to form strong bonds with each other. These friendships often last beyond death, even when the owner isn’t present. Another reason dogs are popular pets is that they’re relatively inexpensive compared to most other pets.

 

Dogs also require less maintenance than cats, birds, and rabbits, which means they’re easier to keep clean and more economical to feed. Pets provide companionship, too. Many people find comfort in the company of another living being. Finally, dogs are extremely loyal. In return, humans offer food and shelter.

 

But perhaps the most compelling argument for keeping a canine friend is psychological. Studies show that having a pet reduces stress levels. This effect has been attributed to two factors.

 

First, pets relieve boredom by providing activity. Second, since pets are usually dependent upon their human counterparts for survival, they become familiar with the …

Are Dogs Carnivores?

Dog Diet by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

If your dog is like most dogs, he probably loves you more than anyone else in the world except maybe his favorite human family member. But that doesn’t mean your pooch has to be so smitten with the taste of flesh that it prefers meat to healthy food. In fact, there are many reasons why your dog might not want to eat as much meat as you’d like him to eat.

 

Meat-eaters or Vegetable-Eaters?

 

Just because your dog enjoys eating steak every now and then, it doesn’t necessarily follow that your pet should enjoy eating lots of red meat. It may just be too rich and heavy for his digestive system. In addition, if your dog eats too much animal protein, he could become overweight, which can lead to health problems.

 

Because your dog has such a short gastrointestinal tract compared to humans, he can’t break down large amounts of meat into small enough pieces to digest properly. Plus, the enzymes needed to digest certain proteins aren’t present in dogs.

This means that even though your dog may like the flavor of beef stew, he won’t get any nutritional value from it. He also wouldn’t benefit from eating large amounts of milk products, since these don’t contain the same nutrients found in cheese.

 

While some people believe that their dogs need meat to build strong bones, this isn’t actually true. Bones are made up largely of collagen, which is what gives them strength. Collagen is produced naturally by the body, and it forms when connective tissue cells die (this happens constantly). If your dog gets plenty of calcium and vitamin D, both of which are essential to bone development, he will still develop strong bones without consuming large amounts of meat.

 

The question arises of …

Why Do Dogs Sleep So Much?

Habit by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

If you’re like most people, you might not realize that dogs actually need and benefit from nap time. In fact, some experts say that napping can help improve your dog’s health and well-being. It also helps regulate body temperature and reduces anxiety, making it a good option for pets with trouble sleeping at night.

 

Your pooch may already be aware of all this. But if he or she needs convincing, consider how many hours a day your furry friend sleeps. The average adult dog gets between 10 and 12 hours of shut-eye each night. If your pup isn’t snoozing away those hours, there could be something wrong.

 

We’ve all seen our dogs curl up on couches, chairs, and beds after an exhausting day. We know these moments as comforting reminders of home and family. And we probably don’t give it another thought when our canine companions get down for a power nap. After all, they should be happy just to be together. So what exactly happens during that little slumber party? How long does a dog nap typically last? What happens while they’re asleep? And can you let them have short breaks? Read ahead to find out.

 

How Long Does a Dog Nap Usually Last?

 

A typical nap lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, although some dogs take longer than others. During this time, muscles relax, blood pressure drops and body temperature evens out. This means that your pet will wake to feel rested instead of groggy.

 

Napping is also beneficial because it gives dogs a chance to recuperate from the physical activity of walking, running, and playing. Dogs who spend too much time awake can suffer “weariness,” which makes them more prone to accidents such as chewing shoes, digging holes, or getting into …

Is it Better to Get a Crossbreed Dog?

Breading by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

You know those commercials where they say “Do Your Own Research”? Well, when it comes to pets, it really does pay off. The Internet is full of information about different types of animals, from cats to horses, as well as all kinds of other potential issues like training and behavior problems.

 

You can also find out everything you need to know about specific breeds, including their origins and characteristics. It’s easy to do research online, and once you’ve done some investigating, you’ll be able to make an informed decision before making any purchases.

 

So why not take that same approach when deciding which type of pet to buy? That way, if you end up finding out later that your choice isn’t right for you, at least you didn’t waste money on something you wouldn’t have wanted anyway. There are plenty of purebred dogs available today, but did you know that some people don’t consider them the most ideal option?

 

In fact, some experts argue that buying a purebred might actually cause more harm than good by creating health problems due to inbreeding. Instead, they suggest giving crossbreeds (a mixture of two different dog breeds) a chance. But how much better is a crossbreed over a purebred? And is it even possible to create such an animal?

 

Crossing Breeds Is Not Always Easy

 

When someone says “mixing breeds,” most people automatically think about mixing up a few ingredients to come up with something completely new. However, we often overlook the fact that the process of breeding animals to produce offspring is already somewhat random. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that crossbreeds aren’t viable options, it does throw into question whether certain traits will emerge, because unlike humans, animals can only mate within their own species.

For …

Do I Cut My Dog’s Hair Wet or Dry?

Health by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

When you think about what goes into cutting a dog’s hair, shampooing probably isn’t one of them. It doesn’t take much time at all to rinse off your pet with shampoo and towel him dry and that’s basically all there is to it. For many of us, this technique is good enough to get the job done. However, if you’re interested in giving your pooch a more stylish look, you might want to consider a different method.

 

There are two main ways to trim a dog’s coat. The first involves using scissors or clippers (or both) while wet. This technique works well when you need to cut away long tangles, but it can also be tricky because it requires you to keep track of where each cut begins and ends.

 

When you’re dealing with dogs who have thick coats, it’s easy to lose sight of where you’ve already made cuts. If you don’t make sure to follow up on each pass of the scissors, you could end up making too big of a change between passes. The other common technique is called dry trimming. Instead of having to deal with water during the process, you simply soak the entire animal before beginning the haircut.

 

You then use clippers and/or scissors to remove unwanted bits of fur without worrying about accidentally slicing through healthy areas. With dry trimming, you’ll only need to worry about how close you come to any sensitive parts of your dog’s body. Although this method takes longer than wet trimming, it allows you to create a cleaner, neater finish.

 

If you’d like to learn more about these methods, we spoke with three experts who gave their input on which approach is best suited to your particular breed of dog. Read on to find …

How Do You Stop a Dog from Peeing and Pooping in the House?

Habit by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

Some people love cats. Some people hate them. But everyone agrees dogs are better than cats. No one disagrees about why that is. It’s because dogs are more fun. Dogs make us laugh. They’re so cute! Cats never do that. But there’s another reason dogs are superior to cats. While both animals enjoy sleeping together, dogs also enjoy relieving themselves where ever they want, while cats must go outside.

 

This means that, unlike their feline counterparts, dogs urinate and defecate around the entire home including carpeting, rugs, furniture, pillows, etc. as well as any area where they roam freely. This includes the kitchen, the bedroom, and anywhere else they choose to spend time. Yes, cats do pee and poop in the litter box. But only in the designated place.

 

If you take your cat outside each day, it will eventually learn that its familiar surroundings mean it doesn’t need to use its litter box after all those hours confined indoors. However, if you own a dog, you’ll always have to deal with the fact that your animal needs to relieve itself wherever it happens to be at the moment.

 

And just how much does a dog pee or poop? In most cases, quite a bit. A medium sized adult male usually goes through four to five liters (about 11 gallons) of water per day. A female will drink two to three times that amount. Large males may produce over 10 pounds (.45 kg) of feces during a single 24 hour period.

 

How Can You Solve This Problem?

 

Unfortunately, there aren’t really any foolproof solutions. Like I said, the best way to avoid having a dog pee or poop in the house is to get professional help. There are several different approaches you can employ, and …

Can Dog Eat Pumpkin

Dog Diet by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

If you’ve ever seen someone with a cat peeling an apple or a mouse gnawing celery, then you know that animals have a way of getting into everything. And when it comes to fruits and veggies, cats and mice aren’t just interested in what’s on top  they actually like to sample the insides too.

 

But while most people probably wouldn’t want their pets digging around in their vegetable gardens looking for hidden seeds or worms, there’s something about pumpkin that makes them particularly irresistible to critters. In fact, some species of rodents will go after anything green, including leaves, branches, bark and twigs.

 

They also love to munch on plants that are covered in wax, such as hemlock trees. That means that dogs can eat pumpkin, but not very much. It also doesn’t mean that pumpkin is harmful to dogs either it depends largely upon which variety you choose to grow.

 

When grown commercially, pumpkins are harvested before the seed has developed inside the fruit, so you won’t find any actual seeds in the flesh of a ripe pumpkin. Once cut open, however, those seeds become visible and edible. So why do dogs get a bad rap?

 

Well, because of their short snouts, cats and mice can easily reach inside for a snack without having to dig under things, whereas dogs need to stand up tall enough to peer over obstacles. If you’re growing pumpkin solely for human consumption, though, this shouldn’t matter since the flesh of the pumpkin itself contains no nutritional value anyway.

 

Here’s the thing about pumpkins: There are hundreds of different varieties out there, ranging from large jack o’lanterns to miniscule acorn types. Some are orange, others are yellow, pink or purple. Although the color of the flesh may seem unimportant, …

6 Benefits to Bathing Your Dog

Health by Joshua. CollinsWorth0 comments

When we talk about baths in our house, it’s usually not “for humans,” per se. The dogs get their basic grooming done once or twice a week when my husband takes them out back for a quick romp around the yard.

 

But I’ve seen plenty of people who insist on bathing their pets daily — including some pet owners who also bathe themselves every day. If you fall into this category, I can understand how difficult it must be to give your pet only a weekly bath.

 

6 Benefits to Bathing Your Dog

 

If you want to do right by your furry friend, here are six reasons why you should consider giving your pooch a regular bath.

 

1.    They Can Be Cleaned up Quickly

 

If you don’t have much time to devote to baths, you might find yourself rushing through one because you just know you need to get everyone ready for dinner. That’s where most pet-washing techniques fail us: We end up spending more time cleaning up after our pups than we do actually playing with them.

 

A good way to avoid this problem is to use a bath bucket instead of traditional tubs. A standard plastic laundry basket makes a great container for water, shampoo/conditioner, and any other items you’d normally place in a sink.

 

This gives your pooch room to move around while you clean them without getting drenched and making a mess. And since they’re outside, all those nasty smells will linger even longer as you rinse off their fur.

Another option is to buy a collapsible toilet seat. These seats can fold down so you can easily sit inside a small area like a bathroom stall and keep an eye on your pup during the wash. No more …