Avocados Are A Surprisingly Healthy Fruit For All Dogs
If you feed your dog a diet consisting of only lean meat, chances are it could have severe nutritional problems. While a dog is a carnivore, it cannot live on protein alone. Just like its owner, a dog needs a balanced diet including fats, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Few of us could afford a predominantly steak diet for our dogs, but even if we could, they would be a lot healthier with a cheaper cut of meat. Less expensive meats are better for dogs because they have a higher fat content.
Fats provide dogs with energy and heat and help keep their skin healthy. Not enough fat in a dog’s diet can cause scaly, dry skin. its coat may become coarse and lifeless. A diet low in fat may also cause a dog to become highly nervous and more susceptible to many types of illness.
There are three fatty acids that a dog needs. These are: linolenic, linoleic and arachidonic. Linoleic acid can be found in meat products, suet, butter and corn oil. It can also be found in avocados.
The Avocado
Avocados are one of the few fruits that most dogs love. One reason for this is that these fruits add palatability and texture to food, especially dry meal. It is also a nutritious supplement of fats to the canine diet. This pear-shaped fruit contains sixteen percent of rare oil seldom found in fruits, as well as an unusual amount of protein.
One medium avocado contains about 35 grams of fat, mostly monounsaturated. This fruit also has more potassium than bananas. Avocados are also rich in vitamin E, vitamin K and the B vitamins.
When the nutritional requirements of adult dogs were compared with the composition of avocados, particularly Californian avocados, this fruit proved to be a good source of vitamins and minerals. One half of a medium avocado provides a mature dog with all his daily requirements for magnesium, potassium and niacin. About half of his requirements for thiamin, manganese and vitamin A, are also provided with this awesome fruit.
Compare what the avocado offers a dog nutritionally, to some of the other foods often added to a dog’s diet to improve his skin tone and coat. Half an avocado supplies thirteen grams of fat. There is one gram of linoleic acid in half of the fruit.
An egg has half the amount of fat grams and only a trace of linoleic acid. One half cup of cottage cheese only offers five grams of fat and a trace of linoleic acid, while one tablespoon of corn oil has fourteen grams of fat and seven grams of linoleic acid, but none of the vitamins and minerals that the avocado offers.
Knowing Your American Water Spaniel
The exact origins of the American Water Spaniel was never officially recorded. But most experts agree that a combination of the Irish Water Spaniel, Tweed Water Spaniel, English Water Spaniel and the Curly Coated Retriever all had a part to play in the equation. This theory is based largely on the breed’s appearance.
Another theory is that the American Water Spaniel was created by American Indians who had tribes located in the Great Lakes regions. Whatever the origins of this dog are, it is irrefutable that the breed became hugely popular and established as a reliable hunting companion in the Midwestern section of the United States.
The American Water Spaniel is a small dog that has a waterproof coat and an amazingly keen nose, allowing it to hunt through rough terrain and retrieve a variety of game from both land and water. It is no wonder that this breed became a sought after hunting companion in America.
It wasn’t until after the year 1940, at which time it was officially recognized by the AKC, that the American Water Spaniel started to become the target of breeding enthusiasts. Before then, no one really had considered breeding American Water Spaniels for any other reason besides hunting.
Personality
As you can tell by its name, American Water Spaniels absolutely love water and have a natural ability to swim and hunt. This dog is a highly skilled retriever and is able to hunt a variety of animals.
At the same time, these Spaniels make great family companions. They are lovable and always willing to please. Some of them can be quite timid, yet other American Water Spaniels may be aggressive towards strange dogs. They are also known to bark loudly.
Taking Care Of Your American Water Spaniel
Like all dogs whose prime desire is to hunt and retrieve, American Water Spaniels must have a vigorous amount of exercise on a daily basis. Two or three long walks on the leash each day will suffice, but running outside in a safe area is best.
As far as living arrangements are concerned, American Water Spaniels should have access to the outside but remain indoors at night with the rest of the family. Grooming requirements tend to be a bit more work than other breeds, largely due to its long oily coat. Weekly brushing is a must and the hair may need to be clipped around the feet, ears and the topknot.
Health Information
The average lifespan of a healthy American Water Spaniel is between 10 and 13 years. The only major health concern that may come up is mitral valve disease. Minor issues include CHD, PDA and pulmonic stenosis. A few of these Spaniels may show signs of PRA and patellar luxation, but these occurrences are rare.
Have You Puppy Proofed Your Home Lately?
If you have an adorable little puppy running around the house, the last thing you want to see is an accident. Accidents do happen and you should be prepared. It is best if you practice safety prevention, rather than waiting for something to happen to your puppy.
It takes one thing to go unnoticed and can cause a great deal of pain to your puppy. These little animals are full curiosity. Everything they see and smell looks like a great adventure and from their point of view, it’s all open territory. They see no danger and move forward to check things out. This is why you want to take the following safety prevention measures to “puppy-proof” your house.
1. The first thing you should do is look around every room of your home and dispose of small items that your puppy may swallow. Puppies tend to try and swallow anything that they can get a hold of.
Unfortunately, not all small items will safely pass through the dog’s intestines which can prove to be fatal. Other times, your puppy’s system will try to gag and cough up the object, which can go on for a long period of time. If your dog does not get the object out, then the intestine becomes blocked and can rupture.
2. The second important home safety precaution is to hide or elevate your electrical cords and wires. Every home has wires and cords that must be in each room, but if left hanging there, dangling like a treat, your puppy is guaranteed to be tempted to play with it.
If it chews on these electrical items, your puppy is going to get hurt. The damage caused by gnawing through to the inside wiring of these cords can cause a mild shock or worse, third-degree burns. In many cases, the electrocution can be so severe that it may cause your puppy to die from the shock. It is best to elevate all of the wiring that you can and use heavy-duty tape to cover up the other cords that have to be on the floor area
3. Last but not least, keep your home free from dangerous poisons and toxins that your puppy can ingest. Remember, our pets use their mouth’s for virtually all investigations and because they are extremely curious, toxic items can be easily ingested with one lick. Such household poisons can include anti-freeze, rat poison, garbage, lead and even chocolate.
How To Start A Business Selling Dog Training Products
If you are a dog lover, one of the best ways for you to earn income while staying at home with the kids, is to sell dog training products online.
Dog training products are some of the most salable items online, so you have a fair chance of earning money. Selling dog training products online does not r need a huge start-up capital. You do not have to keep an inventory of dog training products if you are selling them online. As long as you have access to these products, you can put these items for sale on your website.
Before you start building your website, you will need to find the right dog training products to sell online. You need to do some research on the different dog training products available in the market. Study each product carefully and make sure that these products are really what they claim. Once you are sure which products you want to sell online, find a good supplier who can provide you with these products anytime you make a sale.
Once you have the right dog training products to sell online, you can start building your website. If you are not really good at building websites, you might hire someone to do this for you. Having a good website that is easy to navigate is very important, so do not hesitate to invest some money in building your site. Make sure that you only spend within your means.
Driving Traffic To You Site
Having a good website is not a guarantee that you will be able to sell dog training products. There are thousands of other websites out there that are selling dog training products, so you need to work hard to attract customers and beat your competitors. To drive traffic to your site, you need to advertise. Use those free advertising sites to get you started. You can also send emails to friends, relatives and colleagues telling them about your business.
Air Travel – Why Are Dogs Dying On Airplanes?
Animal air travel is not always dangerous for your pet. Dog enthusiasts and breeders routinely fly their dogs without having any trouble at all. The airlines make every claim possible that dogs that travel on-board will be perfectly safe. The same claim is held by the Transportation Association of America.
The American Kennel Club feels differently. But the organization’s leading spokesperson does add that air travel may be safe provided that the owners take specific precautionary measures.
The number one suggestion to all pet owners is to completely avoid sending your dog traveling in an airplane unless it is absolutely necessary. Many veterinarians and humane organizations are constantly reporting about dog injuries from air travel, due to dogs that desperately attempt to claw their way out of the crate in order to escape. Some of them actually do escape and become injured in the cargo bay.
It is much safer to bring your dog inside your car or SUV when traveling inside the country. You can take breaks as needed, so that your dog can stretch its legs, use the bathroom and remain free of stress and anxiety. Your dog will also be surrounded by its family which helps provide comfort and security during the long trip.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Of course there are a large number of successful trips made by dogs on airplanes, but every now again a true horror story emerges. One of the most important things you can do is to have your dog thoroughly checked by your veterinarian for any medical issues.
This check-up should be scheduled approximately 9 to 10 days before the trip begins. Many dog owners have no idea that there pets may have a pre-existing condition that could become a problem during the flight.
A perfect example is older dogs. They could be at the beginning stages of kidney disease and you would never know because early in this condition, the dog compensates by drinking tons of water. If an older dog in this condition sets foot on an airplane without water to drink, it may experience renal failure.
