Shocking Pet Food Ingredients – 10 Harmful Ingredients That could Be In Your Pet’s Dinner Tonight

I knew when I began to research the types of ingredients in commercial pet foods that I would probably be shocked, but it really is a lot worse than that. In many cases it is down right disgusting, not to mention harmful and unhealthy to our pets. Many foods that have been declared unfit for human consumption are trucked off to pet food companies.

Here are 10 common ingredients that could very well be in your pet’s dinner tonight if you are feeding them a commercial pet food product.

1) Euthanized cats and dogs (including collars, I.D. tags and flea collars, the fur is not removed)
2) Diseased animals
3) Hydrolized poultry feathers – pressure treated feathers from slaughtered poultry
4) Hydrolyzed hair – pressure treated hair from cattle, horses, pigs, and other slaughtered animals
5) Animal blood
6) Dried poultry waste
7) Dried swine waste
Ground almond and peanut shells
9) Various leftover parts from slaughter houses such as lungs, spleen and brain, just to name a few
10) Stick marks – the chunk of flesh cut from an animal for human consumption that has been injected with hormones, antibiotics and other drugs Read more »

Six Important Tips for Successful Car Travel with Your Dog

Nothing is quite as fun as packing up and heading out of town for a weekend or a longer trip. A change of scenery from time to time is important to recharge your battery. This is true for your dog as well. Most dogs love to travel and to be exposed to new places just like you do. But there are a few things that you need to do to make the trip a positive experience for everyone.

TIP ONE
Make sure that you take with you items that your dog is fond of on the trip. Being ripped away from their routine and surroundings can be traumatic for your dog. If your pet has a favorite toy or blanket, be sure to take it along with you in the car. For more comforts of home, you can also bring their food and water dishes from home to use when you arrive at your destination. Also pack a good supply of paper towels and blankets for cleaning up dog hair, dirty paws and the like. Read more »

It is a debate that has been going on for decades: to crate or not to crate your dog? ‘Crating’ simply means putting your dog in a cage usually while you are away from your home or to calm your pooch. These cages are usually made from plastic or metal.

Those in favor of crate training argue that a crate provides a dog with a safe haven and a place to call its own. The dog feels safe in his little den within your home as familiar smells and objects surround him. Many dogs seek out the comfort and security of their crate especially if they are easily startled by loud noises or children.

Another advantage of crate training is that it can make potty training that much easier. Dogs will usually avoid soiling their ‘den’ and will wait until they are able to go outside to relieve themselves. Read more »

Training a terrier puppy can be a challenging task. However, teaching your dog basic social and obedience skills will make for a well adjusted canine. Just remember that in dog training, the handler needs to be trained just as much as the dog. To help you in your training efforts, you may wish to enlist the help of a professional dog trainer. Dog training will vary in terms of quality, cost and training philosophies. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a trainer.

Determine your needs and your budget. Training costs can vary from free – sometimes offered by volunteers in parks or shelters to $100 per session. Training fees will vary depending on your location, trainer experience, length of program and your goals. Shop around and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Read more »

Training Tips To Keep Your Dog Happy With A Daily Routine

It is so easy to get distracted when working in your own home environment and as I work full-time from home running my own business, it was important that I settle my puppy into a daily routine from an early age.

I got my latest dog Zoe as a 7 week old puppy and to ensure that she got the attention and exercise that she needed and I was able to carry on with my own work with minimal disruption, I felt it was important to start the puppy training and get her into a routine at an early age. Read more »

Leaving Your Pet In A Parked Car Can Be A Deadly Mistake

With the summer months upon us, it’s time for a reminder about the dangers of leaving your pet in a parked car. Whether you’re parking in the shade, just running into the store, or leaving the windows cracked, it is still not ok to leave your pet in a parked car.

The temperature inside a car can skyrocket after just a few minutes. Parking in the shade or leaving the windows cracked does very little to alleviate this pressure cooker.

On a warm, sunny day try turning your car off, cracking your windows and sitting there. It will only be a few short minutes before it becomes unbearable. Imagine how your helpless pet will feel. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows cracked can reach 102 degrees within only ten minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. At 110 degrees, pets are in danger of heatstroke. On hot and humid days, the temperature in a car parked in direct sunlight can rise more than 30 degrees per minute, and quickly become lethal.

Stanford University School of Medicine conducted a study to measure the temperature rise inside a parked car on sunny days with highs ranging from 72 to 96 degrees F. Their results showed that a car’s interior can heat up by an average of 40 degrees F within an hour, regardless of ambient temperature. Ambient temperature doesn’t matter – it’s whether it’s sunny out. Eighty percent of the temperature rise occurred within the first half hour. Even on a relatively cool day, the temperature inside a parked car can quickly spike to life-threatening levels if the sun is out.

Further, the researchers noted that much like the sun warms a greenhouse in winter; it also warms a parked car on cool days. In both cases, the sun heats up a mass of air trapped under glass. Precautions such as cracking a window or running the air conditioner prior to parking the car were found to be inadequate.

Pets are very susceptible to overheating as they are much less efficient at cooling themselves than people are. The solution is simple – leave your pets at home if the place you are going does not allow pets. Read more »