Q: I’m a vegetarian, can I safely feed my dog a vegetarian diet?
A: A dog is able to survive on a well-balanced vegetarian diet. But this is a path no dog willingly follows. Dog are designed to eat best as a carnivore. Vegetarianism is a human ethical decision.

Q: Does my dog need carbohydrates in its diet?
A: Carbohydrates are not a natural energy source for dogs. But dogs are able to convert them into glucose. Starch is the most common form of carbohydrates for dogs.

Q: Can I supplement my dog’s diet with vitamins and minerals?
A: Take great care if you decide to give vitamin and mineral supplements to tiny “Fifi”. Higher levels of some nutrients reduce the absorption of others. It is dangerous to
Give large amounts of ANY single mineral. When a higher dose of nutrient is needed, use a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement specially formulated for dogs.
Remember: the dogs make great running partners. 64% of all new dogs are bought to help their masters exercise. As similar as people and dogs are, laziness will kill a dog. Take him out jogging every now and then, play fetch at the park, just do something active and fun.

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Golden Retrievers are bright and beautiful dogs, which, of course ,explains their popularity. Begin leash breaking at the earliest age possible. Use motivational techniques instead of force. These dogs excel at Clicker Training. Golden Retrievers have a tendency to disobey shortly after they obey. If a dog is allowed to get away with this behavior, he will become less and less responsive.

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German Shepherd: There is no dog more willing to learn and respond to their masters than the German shepherd. This particular breed of canine will have lots of chewing and digging problems if not corrected at an early age. Give them every chance to learn, reward them with praise, make training a lot of fun, and you should have no problem with this breed.

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* loss of appetite or ravenous appetite without weight gain
* frequent urination
* diarrhea or constipation
* vomiting
* discharge from eyes, nose, or mouth
* coughing or respiratory difficulty
* trouble urinating or abnormal urine
* shivering, or fever
* unexplained weight loss
* problems walking or moving around
* anything out of the ordinary from your dogs typical behavior

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Most dogs will eat just about anything. They drink from the toilet and eat out of the trash can. But a dog’s diet is as important as your own. Now I’m not saying to put your dog on the Atkins diet, but a healthy low-protein diet will ensure your dogs maximum life capacity. However, how do you choose the right dog food?

There are two major categories of dog food – dry and canned. Dry is the most popular, it contains more nutrition by weight, and is less expensive then the latter, plus the hard texture of the dry dog food will actually reduce tartar build-up. Canned foods are definitely favored by dogs and includes fewer calories per volume (70% of canned foods are water).

Special foods are available to counter almost everything from diabetes to obesity to allergies. Lamb is usually the concoction for such formulas because very few canines are allergic to it.

Expert tip: Unless you are prepared to work very hard at it, do not attempt to make your dog’s food. Creating the proper balance of nutrients, minerals and vitamins takes a great deal of effort.

FUEL FACTS

* Small dogs need more calories per pound of body mass than large dogs
* Very active dogs may require 40 to 50 percent more calories than that of an average dog
* Pregnant dogs may need 30 to 50 percent more calories than usual, sometimes even double their normal serving
* During winter, your dog might need additional calories to maintain a constant body temperature

SELECTING A BRAND

Dog food, just like our canned processed foods, are required by law to post the nutritional information on the can. These labels include the ingredients and a statement of nutritional purpose and adequacy. For instance if you have a pregnant dog then you would want to look for a label such as “Complete and balanced nutrition for growth and reproduction.”

Top Products will state these claims are based on “Association of American Feed Controls Officials” (AAFCO). Lesser quality products will insist they “meet AAFCO nutrient profile recommendations.

In general, some sort of real meat should be at the top of your list. Meat by-products are of a lower quality product and could do your dog permanent damage. Cereals and soy are also important ingredients and should appear on a daily basis.

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