Dogs are used as guards in military as well as in civilian occupations. Guard dogs may serve as a sentry, on patrol, shore watch, riot control or in security jobs such as at a mall. Regardless of where a dog is working as a guard dog they all have one common trait, their high degree of training.

Guard dogs are trained to keep their senses while they are on duty, maintaining their performance at a peak level while they are working. This is often sustained for long periods of time. While they are working they are burning large amounts of energy. They also need energy to deal with the stresses that they deal with while they are working.

To give the guard dog the energy that it needs often it is necessary to look beyond the normal “dry foods” that do not contain an adequate amount of calories to sustain a guard dog on duty. It needs a more concentrated diet that gives the dog a larger amount of energy without increasing the quantity of food.

Something that could become a problem is the dog’s fecal waste, especially if it is working in a civilian environment where the mess and small would be a problem. This could be, for example, if the dog were working inside a mall, or an office building. This would need to be taken into consideration as well.

In order to reduce the amount of stool it would be necessary to give the dog a diet containing the largest amount of energy combined with a smaller amount of dry matter. You could do this be increasing the digestibility of the diet or by reducing the indigestible dry matter. This way the food can be used more for energy and the waste is reduced, resulting in fewer stools. As an added benefit the digestibility of the proteins and carbs is greatly improved causing the odor of the stool to be less offensive.

Finding the optimal feeding routine for your dog is about more than timing. It also includes what you will feed your dog. Here is a brief guideline of what would be acceptable to feed your dog.

Animal Fats: Many animal fats contain just as many calories as vegetable oils but only two contain the fatty acids that are essential, and in the amounts necessary to give your dog what it needs. These are the pig (or lard) and the fat of a horse. Beef and mutton should not be used as the only source of energy for your dog, simply because they contain less than the necessary fatty acids that your dog needs. Animal fats contain over 120 calories in every tablespoon.

Cereal Grains: The main source of carbs, both for man and for dogs is the cereal grain. Found mostly in the starch, the starch can also be purchased in pure form, it containing about 30 calories per tablespoon or 470 calories per cup. Other grain resources include dry as well as cooked breakfast cereals, rice (boiled), hominy, and corn meal. You should never give your dog a diet that contains more than 50% dry matter.

Potatoes: Although potatoes have more water in them the volume of carbohydrates is basically the same as in the grains found in cereals. You can use potatoes in the diet as well, just make sure that they don’t constitute over 50% of the diet, the same as with the cereal grains.

Breads: Bread is among the better carbohydrates to feed our dog. For one reason, it is usually fortified with vitamins and minerals that is needed for your dog. Another reason is that dogs tend to like the taste of bread more than cereal grains in their raw forms. Although some say that the bread should be toasted before giving it to your dog it really does not enhance the nutritional value because the grains have already been subjected to cooking. Toasting the bread does, however, make the bread easier to crumble into the rest of the food.

Specialty Flour Products: Something that you may not want to overlook is specialty flour produces such as noodles, spaghetti and noodles. These products have similar energy content to the cereal and grain products and like the other dry products, rice for example, they can be added to dry food and then cooked after the water has been added. This allows you to mix large amounts of dry food at one time and add water to smaller amounts as needed.

If you are having a difficult time administering liquid medicine to your dog (as many people do) then these two methods may help you.

The first method is known as making a pouch and basically consists of pulling the dog’s lower lip down in order to make a little pouch where you will put the liquid. The dog’s head should be tilted back slightly while you pour the medicine into the pouch using the other hand.

Sometimes the medicine does not go down right away, usually when the dog’s teeth are clenched tightly, not allowing the medicine to pass through. In this circumstance you should pry the dog’s teeth gently apart using your fingers. If the dog should try to move away, simply back your dog’s rump into a wall so that they can not back away from you.

An additional way of using this same method is to sit on the floor with the dog resting between your legs. The dog’s rear should be toward you and his head should be facing away from you. This will allow you to keep him positioned easily. When you have the medicine in the dog’s mouth you should make him swallow by holding his mouth almost closed and lightly rubbing and massaging his throat. The medicine is down when the dog’s tongue comes out of his mouth briefly. You can also make him swallow by briefly placing your thumb over his nostrils.

The second way that we will discuss is called prying his mouth open. You should do this by gently grasping the dog’s upper jaw with one hand and putting your thumb and fingers between the fangs in the front of your dog’s mouth. Most dogs will allow their mouths to relax at this point and make it easy to pour the liquid into the dog’s mouth. You should use a spoon or a dropper to accomplish this. Make sure that you keep the dog’s head tilted at an angle.

If you are trying to give your dog a pill you can do this by opening his mouth just like you would do when administering liquid medicine. When you have his teeth pried apart with your thumb an fingers you should push the pill as far back as you can into the dog’s throat. You would then induce the swallowing either by massaging the dog’s neck or by gently holding your thumb over his nostrils.

I hope that this short article has helped you in some way to make it easier and less stressful for both you and your dog when giving them medicine.

Dogs have been used as companions for centuries, they also have been used for other purposes throughout history such as hunting, working and herding. This has led to a difference in the nutritional needs from dog to dog. For example, when I first started working at a desk job instead of out in the field I gained weight. It was necessary for me to change my dietary habits to maintain the same weight as before. It is much the same with a dog. Their jobs, as well as the physical output differ from dog to dog.

Dogs today still help man with working in the field. They also serve as companion dogs, often found relaxing on the couch at home while their masters are out working their jobs. The dog gets it’s energy from the food it eats, and if the nutritional input of the food does not equal the output of a working dog then one of two things will happen. Either the dog will slow down, or if forced to work harder it will maintain an unhealthy weight.

You should always watch your dog’s weight to make sure that it is getting it’s necessary nutrition and energy. At the same time overfeeding and inactive dog will put it’s health in jeopardy as well by making it fat. It’s a delicate balance, but once the optimum feeding requirements are found then maintenance should be a snap.

As a responsible dog owner it is up to you to ensure the health and happiness of your dog. It is often a difficult thing to do because our dogs tend to be curious, yet smart and can get themselves into predicaments that can cause injury. If your dog should get sick or injured then it would be up to you to make sure that proper treatment is administered.

First, I must say that this or any of my articles are no substitute for the care of a good veterinarian. Some times there are things that go wrong that you, as a dog owner, are unable to handle or deal with. There may also be questions that you have about a particular injury or illness that will need to be, and should be addressed by a vet.

Knowledge is power, and you must make sure to be knowledgeable about dog first aid so you can properly treat the little things that go wrong, or to help your dog cope until you are able to get him adequate care. Just make sure that you are not over treating something that really should be handled by a professional. This could be damaging to your dog’s health and you are the one responsible for that health. If the dog is in need of a vet, please make sure that he is taken to the vet.

You should prepare yourself now for the possibility that you will need to administer first aid to your dog. If something should happen unexpectedly you will want to be able to handle the situation at that time with the materials that you have on hand. It’s amazing though that an untreated small problem can often turn into a big problem before know it.

Proper first aid supplies

Here is a short list of some of the first aid supplies that you should have on hand. These supplies can be found in many pet catalogs, pet stores or internet websites. You can also find a lot of them right in your local drug store.

You should have such things as Ammonia, Peroxide, some sort of antibiotic cream, hydro cortisone, eyewash and a liquid antihistamine.

Having the basic materials to handle a first aid situation is important as well. Here is a short list of some of the things you should have on hand just in case you might need them. Gauze, bandages, adhesive tape, some cotton (absorbent) scissors, tweezers, thermometer (rectal) blankets, and a plastic bowl for mixing medicines.

Most important make sure you have your vets number handy, preferably written on the package where you keep your doggy first aid supplies. A contact number for after hours and emergencies should be kept as well.

Respiratory disorders in your dog can be alarming at times and they should be treated as a potential problem. As I always tend to say, your dog can not tell you when something is wrong. Having breathing problems is a sign that something is not right and should be treated as such.

Sneezing / Nasal Discharge: Sneezing is not uncommon in dogs. They often sneeze when they wake up, or at other times like if they are laying on their backs. However, an allergic sneeze is different from an infectious sneeze. The infectious sneeze will often cause puss. If you notice blood coming from one of your dogs nostrils this could be a sign of a tumor or a foreign object lodged in his nasal cavity.

If your dog is displaying any symptoms other than the normal sneezing you should consult with your veterinarian right away to find out what the problem really is. Allergic sneezing can be treated by removing the cause of the allergy or by antihistamines. If it is an infection that is causing the sneezing your vet can give you the proper medications to treat the infection. In the worst case if there is a tumor your vet will likely need to operate, while if it a foreign object it can be removed once it has moved forward enough in the nasal passage to be easily reached.

Abnormal Breathing: If you notice that your dog is showing some abnormal breathing you should act quickly. If the breathing is distresses or unusual it can signal a life threatening situation or a major issue with your dog’s health. Coughing blood or a puss discharge along with a lack of energy is also something that should be looked into without delay. Last but not least shallow or rapid breathing can also be a sign of a serious problem.

If your dog is displaying any of these breathing problems then your veterinarian should be consulted right away. This is not something that should be delayed just because no physical injury is obvious. The fact that your dog is having trouble is evident by his breathing so make sure that you take care of it immediately.

Coughing or Gagging: This could be caused by a heart problem, a windpipe that is collapsed, bronchitis or perhaps even a parasite. If fluid is building up in your dog’s lungs this could cause it to gag. Typically the coughing or gagging gets worse with time and may be more noticeable after exercise.

If your dog is having problems then you should seek a veterinarian’s advice immediately. He may have to help the dog to breathe by inserting an artificial windpipe, with medication or with surgery. If the coughing is heart related and you are able to improve his cardiac function then this should relieve the coughing.

If you are dealing with a respiratory disorder, or if you can talk to someone who suffers from one then you know that it is not a fun thing to endure. Your dog is unable to tell you when he has a problem but if you notice some of these things in your dog hopefully this article will help you to better deal with it.

Acute Coughing: This is different from a persistent coughing problem, and it is a sign (generally speaking) of something less serious but it could be important to note the situation regardless. Acute coughing can be a sign of kennel cough, bronchitis, pneumonia or even something foreign in the airway. It could also signal some form of infection that needs attention. Kennel cough if passed on from dog to dog (like a cold) and causes an inflammation in the voice box. Bronchitis is a bacterial or allergic inflammation of the bronchi that are located in the lungs.

If your dog has Kennel cough you should make sure to keep him away from other dogs as it is highly contagious and the other dogs could end up with the same disease. Take him to the veterinarian immediately for treatment (call ahead to make sure of a good time to come in when other dogs are not present). The vet can give him cough suppressants to ease the discomfort of the illness. Medications will also be given to help treat any of the illnesses that we discussed. Of course if a foreign object is lodged in your dog’s throat this is a serious situation and should be treated by a veterinarian right away. He should be able to remove the object with forceps.

If snoring is a problem (in your dog, not your husband) this can come from something that is breed specific. Some breeds have elongated soft palates that are hanging in the backs of their throats and they can cause a partial blockage of the larynx which in turn makes the dog snore. It can also be cause by an allergic inflammation in the dog’s throat, this would cause the dog to snore and the snoring could be worse if the dog happens to have narrow nostrils.

Snoring in itself generally does not signify a serious issue but if it is a problem it is always best to ask your veterinarian for his opinion. In the worst case, in some breeds, it could signify a heart or breathing problem which would need to be addressed immediately.

Sometimes a dog’s voice will change and you will notice that his bark is different than it was before. This can be caused by a number of things such as a damaged larynx, allergic problems or a reaction to bee stings or, in rare cases, a tumor has developed that caused the dog’s voice to change.

You should take your dog to the vet for a check up as he may be able to give your dog antihistamines or some other medication to help reduce the swelling. If the worst is true and there is a tumor it may have to be removed with surgery.

One of the most difficult things about being a dog owner is that they aren’t able to tell you when something is wrong. This can be a problem, especially if what they are going through is painful and needs attention. If you’ve ever had a toothache then you can be sympathetic with your dog if they are having problems with their mouths as well. Today we are going to discuss three things that could be wrong with your dog’s mouth, how to recognize them and what to do about them.

Excessive Drooling: There are a lot of different things that can cause a dog to drool excessively. It could by a cyst on the salivary gland, some sort of periodontal disease, an injury to the tongue or mouth lining, or perhaps just something lodged in their mouth, perhaps between their teeth. If it is cysts they should look like blisters under the tongue, periodontal disease can destroy their teeth by harming the “cement” that keeps them in place, mouth wounds can happen just like us biting the insides of our mouths or they can come from fighting with other dogs.

If you notice that your dog is drooling excessively you should seek the advice of a trained veterinarian. Cysts on the salivary glands need to be drained, or perhaps even removed. Periodontal disease should be treated and, in the worst case, your dog’s teeth may need to be removed if the disease is advanced. Of course that is not always the case. If a mouth injury is causing your dog to drool they you may need to switch his food to a softer variety until the injury heals so he doesn’t continue to injure himself over and over.

Misaligned Bite: Just like humans, dogs can have an under bite or an overbite. They are called undershot jaws and overshot jaws in a dog. You can generally tell if this is the case with you dog by looking at his mouth. When a dog has his mouth shut his upper and lower teeth should mesh perfectly. There are some breeds that have an undershot or overshot jaw by nature. The Pekingese has an undershot jaw while breeds such as the Doberman tend to have an overshot jaw.

If your dog has an undershot or an overshot jaw typically it is not a cause for alarm unless it is making your dog uncomfortable. If treatment is needed then it is generally corrected by fitting a removable tool over the upper front teeth and palate to help ease the dog’s teeth into a more comfortable position.

Something that has become a big problem, especially with unscrupulous breeders is congenital problems. There are a variety of illnesses that can come from irresponsible breeding so I thought that I would write an article to help you to avoid this problem with your future dog, or if you plan on breeding dogs. Of course the best time to prevent congenital problems is even before the breeding begins, but what should you do if your dog was born with one of these health problems?

There are some options available to help you dog that was born with a defect. These range from surgery to correct some sort of structural problem to regulating it’s feeding, exercise and grooming to help control the disorder but by far the best way is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

While this is not an exhaustive list of options it does give you a few ways that you can stop congenital problems from happening in the first place.

First you should never breed unhealthy dogs. If you have a stud and a bitch that are unhealthy then the odds are that you are going to end up with an unhealthy litter. Even if one of the dogs is in excellent health and the other is unhealthy, it is likely that the bad genes are going to be passed onto the litter. Some things to look out for are obvious birth defects or behavioural problems (although the later may have something to do with the owner and not be a breed problem at all) Also be aware of the dogs health support system overall as it may pass on something to the litter and may not be a good candidate for healthy breeding. You should also not take on a puppy with a health problem unless you are willing and able to give the care that they need on a regular basis. If you are able to do this then great, but it could be bad for the dog if you are unable or unwilling to take on that additional responsibility.

Make sure that you research the dog’s family history to check for any health disorders. These could range from an overall unhealthy disposition to ear and eye problems or other issues that may be obvious when you do the family research. You should also make yourself aware of any temperament issues, although I tend to put these in another category, but it is an important thing to consider. Check both parents thoroughly for health problems and if they have already had litters make sure of the percentage of healthy dogs.

Close relatives should not be bred, such as siblings, parents, aunts and uncles. There are legal precedents to avoid this in humans, and for good reason. It is up to the breeder to do the responsible thing and not breed too close of relatives. Along the same lines you should not be breeding inbred dogs. Be especially careful of breeds that are popular within your area because inbreeding could be a problem.

There are a lot of other things that can be considered when choosing a new puppy or picking out dogs to breed but this short list should get you started. There are an inexhaustible amount of books available on this subject that will help you to be a responsible breeder and to avoid passing on defects that would be hard on the puppy.

When the hair on a coat gets tangled, usually with the dog’s undercoat it forms a tight knot that resists brushing, This is what is known as a mat, and they can be quite frustrating. Mats often form in areas where there are corners, such as the base of legs, under the tail and around the ears. I know that Chase gets mats quite often around his ears and they need attention regularly. Sometimes a daily brushing and combing can reduce the mats but they can come from nowhere seemingly.

The hairs on a dog are covered with tiny scales that tend to stick up when the hair is treated harshly. These “scales” then get tangled with the undercoat or with dirt and other debris and can form hair. They are similar to Velcro, or the tiny stickers that cling to your pants leg and accumulate when you walk through them. Eventually they grow and form a solid bundle of hair that no brush can find it’s way through.

Most people tend to just cut the mats out with scissors and leave holes in the dog’s coat, and at times mats are so bad that it leaves you no choice but to shave the dog, ridding it of all the mats at once. The method that you choose should take into consideration the comfort of the dog since it can be quite uncomfortable if you try to comb the mats out.

There are some tools available to help you get the mats out from your dog’s coat. These help keep the coat intact and make it a more pleasant experience for both you and the dog.

Oil based coat conditioner: This spray will prepare the dog’s coat and helps to smooth out the scales that caused the mat in the first place. With the use of the oil based conditioner spray it can help you to move a comb through the coat easier

Mat Comb: This is a comb tool that is similar to a comb but it has blades instead of teeth. This cuts the mat into smaller slices that can then be combed out easier.

Mat Splitter: This is a blade with a curved handle that’s job is to cut through a mat to make it more manageable.

Scissors: If you are going to use scissors to cut out the dog’s mats make sure that it is sharp and that you have someone help hold the dog if necessary so you do not harm the dog

Slicker Brush: for finalizing the coat after you brush out the mats

Using these tools in the right way will help you to take good care of your dog when they have mats.