Taking your faithful dog as a companion on a journey with you can be very enjoyable as you both see and do things you haven’t done before. Many dogs exist that are happy to be such a companion for your expeditions. And lots of hotels nowadays are happy to accept dogs provided they have good behavior. Obviously, when you decide to take a journey along with your trusty dog, some key things should be thought about to create a more pleasurable and easy trip for you and your dog.

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Check that Your Dog’s vaccinations are in Date

Has your dog had all the required vaccinations? This is the first thing you should consider. by going to the vet and checking all his injections are in date. Many places will ask for proof of the date of your dog’s injections. It is especially vital that you make certain your dog has had his rabies vaccination since this is necessary all throughout the USA.

Attach a Collar with ID Tags On Your Dog

In anticipation of your dog getting himself lost, you should give him forms of identification on his collar. This is important regardless of whether he has a microchip or not inside himself. The reason is that if you lose your dog, people who may find him will not know whether he has a microchip in him since they cannot see it. A dog collar is plainly visible. On the collar you should put your name as well as some means for the person who finds your pet to contact you.

Always Carry Water

While on your journey, don’t forget to carry some bottled water or water from home with you. As your dog accompanies you on your outings, he can often drink water that doesn’t agree with his system and leave him with a poorly stomach, which could later lead to diarrhea. Bringing your own water on the journey will ensure your dog will be in as good a shape, health-wise, as he can be.

Bring Dog Food From Home with You

Again, to avoid giving your dog any unnecessary stomach issues, bring with you his regular food to eat when he’s hungry. Dog food may be hard to find in the places of your travels, so this is a good idea regardless of the consideration of your dogs stomach.

Keep Your Dog in a Crate While Traveling

Always remember to position your dog in a crate while driving. This may seem a little unfair on the dog, but it’s for his safety.  If you had to stop suddenly and your pet was riding without a crate or anything to protect him, he would fly out of the windshield. Make sure that you buy a crate which is the correct size for your pet too. It must not be overly big or small otherwise your dog will be flying about in it.

Information provided by Sharon Flarity of www.ohmydogsupplies.com, the top ranked place to purchase dog beds online.

BARF diets, also known as Bones and Raw Foods or Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods are not a new concept. Wild dogs historically consumed these diets, as do many feral dogs and even domestic dogs and cats today. The trend towards more natural types of foods is based on the belief and research that dogs need a largely protein meat based diet to stay in optimum health.

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While it is hard to see the resemblance between a pampered Pomeranian and a wolf, they have the same metabolic system if not the same physical appearance. Feeding natural foods as they would be consumed in nature does make sense, however for many dog and cat owners it is a bit of a scary concept. The good news is that many companies now make BARF diets that you can feed fresh or fresh frozen, perfect for ensuring a balanced diet for your pet even if you can’t get to the butcher’s every day.

It is a good idea to start a BARF diet completely and not keep feeding part kibble or canned food and part raw food. Initially your dog will have some digestive reaction to a purer type of protein and natural fat. Most often this is noted as slightly looser stool to mild diarrhea, typically lasting not more than two or three days. Very runny or extremely foul smelling fecal material is not common with this transition and may indicated other health conditions.

Bones are an essential part of the diet, providing both tartar control for your dog’s teeth as well as essential nutrition. If you have a house dog bones in the home may not be a good idea unless you can confine the dog to a suitable room or area. Bones also need to be monitored for splintering and removed before they begin to become rancid. Surprisingly raw chicken and poultry bones, particularly the neck and back bones are a great source of nutrition on these diets. They have to be fed raw however and should never be fed in any type of cooked preparation.

Read as much as you can about BARF food diets. Since you will be providing the food for your dog you need to make sure it is balanced and complete in the nutritional content. This really isn’t as difficult as it sounds since raw meats, a small amount of fruits, vegetable and grains and lots of bones to chew on is just want a natural diet includes.

For some people the idea of throwing their dog a whole chicken carcass or a fish isn’t appealing, so a good option may be to buy the pre-packaged and ground patties sold through many BARF diet manufacturers. These are nutritionally balanced and may contain supplements such as Omega 3 fatty acids, essential amino acids or even minerals and vitamins important for your dog. These pre-packaged foods are easy to use fresh or you can buy them frozen and thaw as you need. The cost is sometimes a bit daunting if you have a large breed dog or several dogs if you choose this option.

Article by Jesse Campbell, check out Petflow for Solid Gold pet food & Innova dog food online!

A variety of parasites can afflict your favourite canine. Fleas and worms are two of the more common ones causing owners to worry about the health of their animals. Fortunately, veterinarian science and common sense has helped reduce the possible damages and reduced the instances of these problems. Of increasing concern among pet owners is another problem caused by a parasite. This is Lyme Disease.

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What Is Lyme Disease?   
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection. The disease first became known in1975 when it received initial recognition as a human health issue in Lyme, Connecticut. The source of the problem is a small tick – the deer tick. The deer tick attaches itself to white-tailed deer and white-footed mice, as well as to your dog. This limits its range to grassy and bushy environments as well as moist and warm climates. Since ticks are seasonal creatures, the period of greatest infection is between May and September.

The Mechanism of Disease Transition
A deer tick begins to feed off the animal’s blood. In doing so, if the tick is infected, it passes on the infection – Lyme disease. It is best to remember that not all deer ticks carry Lyme disease. Moreover, only a few dogs bitten by deer ticks will develop the disease. Yet, no one can be sure of how many canines are actually affected. Health and/or government agencies currently do not regularly gather statistics for dogs.

Symptoms
Symptoms for Lyme disease may not show up for between 2 to 5 months. Indications of an infection include:

• Fever
• Lameness – or walking stiffly
• 1 limb may show swollen and painful joints
• Lack of appetite
• Heart problems

What To Do
If you see a tick on your dog, remove it carefully. Pull the insect out directly (straight) with tweezers. Do not twist the tick’s body in case you leave part of the tick in your dog. Place the insect in a container and take it to your vet for identification.
If you live in an area that has had incidents of Lyme disease, see your vet immediately at the first sign of problems. If your dog does exhibit signs of Lyme disease tell the vet. Failure to do so may result in the problem spreading to the heart and kidneys and causing permanent damage to the joints.

Treatment
You can protect your dog in a number of ways. The most common are

• Spot-ons – These external applications act to protect your dog from a variety of parasites. You can purchase them through your vet or as an over-the-counter medication. Apply seasonally and only as directed
• Bathing – medicated shampoos are available. Just remember that ticks, like fleas, can survive a bath
• Vaccinations – some dogs receive vaccinations against the deer tick and Lyme disease. In heavily infected areas, a puppy may receive the first shot at between 9 and 12 weeks. A second shot will follow 2 to 4 weeks later. Annually, just prior to tick season, the dog will get a booster shot.

While vaccines are possible, questions remain as to the possible side-effects
If you are not sure how to treat your vet, talk to your vet and other dog owners.

Conclusion
Lyme disease is a very real concern for many dog owners. This disease can create serious health problems for your favorite canine. If you live in an infected area, talk to your vet about tick control. You can choose between several possible solutions. All can help to keep your dog safe.

Article by Jon Lewis, check out Petflow for Natural Balance dog food online!

If you have an energetic dog, you can easily become involved in the wide world of dog sports. The events are wide ranging. They may be individualistic events or team sports. They are competitive and non-competitive. The regulations may require a certain breed of dog or the event may be open to all comers. You and your dog may join for exercise and stay for the fun. The following is a brief look at various open dog sports you and your canine can consider.

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Agility
If your dog loves to jump and go through, over and/or under objects, agility may be the right sport for him or her. This is a timed competition. It is an individual sport open to various breeds of dogs from the Yorkshire Terriers to Border Collies to Saint Bernards. Developed in the United Kingdom in 1977, it first debuted in 1978.

The winner in agility is the dog with the fastest time and the least faults. The dog who does best in this sport is agile, quick and intelligent.

Disc Dogs
Disc Dogs requires chasing and catching a disc (Frisbee). It is both an individual and team sport. Any breed of dog can enter as long as he or she is capable of catching the disc in his or her mouth in a variety of scenarios. This includes a basic “Toss & Fetch” as well as distance.

The most popular sporting event of Disc Dog is Freestyle. The dog owner creates an entire routine. The dog performs the catching to music. During the event, he or she must exhibit musicality, twisting, turning, leaping and even flipping to catch the disc. Judges mark your dog in terms of choreography, line and speed.

In Disc Dog, it helps if your dog is energetic. He or she must be, essentially, fascinated or even obsessed with this object. This is an inexpensive sport. It increases the close ties between a person and dog, provides exercise and can actually be fun.

Dock Jumping/Jetty Diving
If your dog loves being in the water, he or she may like this sport. It requires little equipment but your canine’s favorite toy or ball, a dock and a body of water. Dock jumping is simple. You throw a favorite object of your canine off a dock or platform resting 2’ above the water. Your canine runs along the dock or deck, throws him or her self after the object with the purpose of retrieving it. The winner is the dog who has leaped the longest distance.

While not breed specific, Dock Jumping requires your dog be a true water dog. He or she must be in great physical condition. The sport is a wonderful way to meet people and other dogs and enjoy time on the water. Travelling can be fun and your dog enjoys the workout.

Flyball
This requires teamwork between you and your dog and your dog and other canines. Your dog will race down the area and throw him or herself over 4 hurdles, each set about 10’ apart. At the end of the course, your dog must step on the spring-loaded ball box. This releases a tennis ball. Your dog has to catch it, return over the hurdles to finish.

This is a relay event with 4 dogs on each team. The results are based on the fastest time as well as the ability of each dog to clear the jumps. Dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds can get into Flyball.

Conclusion
You and your pet can exercise by walking, running or playing outdoors. Yet, you can also get involved with other dogs and their owners by taking parts in sporting events. Whether you have a registered purebred or a mutt, chances are you will find a suitable sport. Agility, disc Dogs, Dock Jumping and Flyball are only 3 of a large list. Others you might want to look up and consider are Herding, Lure coursing, Earthdog Trials, Sledding and Frestyle. Check them up. They are an excellent way to bond with your dog, give him or her a good workout and to have fun.

Article by Kerry Thompson, check out petflow.com for Evo pet food & Merrick dog food online!