Commercial chemical flea treatments usually work rather quickly and are easy to use, unfortunately, some pets and their owners are allergic to them and need a natural flea remedy. Fortunately for both the pet and pet owner, there are a number of ways to get rid of fleas naturally. These remedies work for both dog fleas as well as cat fleas.

The first thing you’ll want to do is wash all of your household bedding, rugs and furniture covers that your pet may have come into contact with, which will probably be just about everywhere in your home. Then sprinkle a natural flea remedy of a powdered form of dried pennyroyal, of the mint family, or pyrethrum powder on your carpets, furniture and any place where your pet often sleeps. Repeat this for the next three to four days.

Now it’s time to wash your pet using a natural shampoo made of one cup of a very mild dishwashing detergent and two teaspoons of eucalyptus oil. Before you wash your pet in this natural flea remedy, steep pennyroyal leaves in boiling water and then let it cool. Once you have shampooed your pet and lathered it up with the shampoo, use the pennyroyal tea to rinse it off.

Prevent Fleas Before They Bite

Pennyroyal planted outside your home will stop a flea infestation before it has a chance to get inside the house. If your pet spends part of the day outside and part inside, plant it where your pet usually hangs out while outside. As a natural flea remedy, pennyroyal will continue to grow as a ground cover and is attractive and has a pleasant flowery smell to it as well.

Another natural flea remedy is to make a small tube for your pet to wear around its neck and stuff it with pennyroyal and a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Your tube will have to be re-stuffed and oiled every few days to keep it fresh.

A homemade flea trap can be created that will serve as a natural way to get rid of those pesky cat and dog fleas. Fill a pan similar to a cookie sheet with water and place it under a light close to the ground. At night, the fleas will jump towards the light and fall into the water and drown.

Another good idea to prevent flea infestations is to keep your grass cut short. The heat from the sun will kill flea eggs before they can hatch. Also, keep your pets away from dark, wet areas where fleas often lay their eggs and the conditions are ideal for hatching.

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Thousands of pet owners who will be traveling this holiday season will be boarding their pets at vet’s offices and boarding kennels. But with so much traffic going in and out of these kennels, the chance of your dog catching kennel cough greatly increases.

Kennel cough, or Tracheobronchitis, is caused by a highly contagious airborne virus, and is a type of upper respiratory infection in dogs. The symptoms are dry, hacking cough that may sound as if the dog has a bone caught in his throat. Even though kennel cough is rarely deadly, it can be very expensive for your vet to treat.

If you are boarding your dog this holiday season, there are a few tips you could use that could keep man’s best friend from coming home with kennel cough.

- Make sure the kennel has an effective, daily clean-up process and follows a strict schedule of disinfecting with the proper chemicals.

- Make sure the kennel provides clean, individual water and feeding bowls for each animal.

- Make sure the kennel requires the proper immunization requirements to help prevent from other dogs infecting your dog.

- Make sure that the kennel has proper climate control and that the animals are protected from all elements. Cold temperatures can increase the chances of your dog contracting kennel cough.

- Clean all your pet’s toys, bedding, and other supplies that you supply both before and after boarding.

- Check to see if the kennel or boarding facility is a member of the American Boarding Kennels Association.

Another way to ensure that your dog will not suffer from kennel cough is to treat them with K-9 Cough (www.k9cough.com) after returning from the kennel. K-9 Cough is a potent and successful treatment for your pet’s kennel cough. K-9 Cough uses the very best ingredients to ensure that your dog has first-rate treatment to guarantee a complete and quick recovery from kennel cough.

K-9 Cough is safe, effective, and easy to administer. K-9 Cough works for all breeds and all sizes of dogs. Since the symptoms of kennel cough do not appear for 3 – 5 days after exposure, by treating your dog immediately after returning from the boarding facility will ensure that your furry best friend will never have to suffer.

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Similar to people, your dogs teeth need to remain clean, and free from decay and infection. When they eat, plaque can collect on their teeth. Left unchecked, the plaque can turn into tartar. Eventually, an infection can emerge causing severe discomfort and pain for your dog. Many owners, perhaps from negligence, fail to keep their dogs teeth in good condition. Below, we will describe a few measures you can take to help ensure that your dogs teeth are clean, healthy, and free from problems.

Brushing Your Dogs Teeth

Your dogs teeth need to be brushed a couple of times each week at a minimum. This helps them to remain clear of plaque, and thereby prevents the build up of tartar. When you brush his teeth, do not use the toothpaste from your grocery store. The mint taste may be pleasant for you, but it can be excruciating for your dog due to his heightened level of smell. Visit a pet supply store to purchase a toothpaste that is formulated for dogs. They will also carry special toothbrushes that are designed to reach your dogs teeth.

Chewing For Good Dental Hygiene

When dogs chew on food or toys, the process can keep their teeth clean. For example, dog biscuits are usually hard and break easily. The small bits from the broken biscuits rub against your dogs teeth, effectively keeping the plaque and tartar from collecting. Of course, chewing shouldn’t take the place of brushing, but it is an alternative for owners who are too busy to brush their dogs teeth. Ideally, you should brush his teeth a couple of times each week and allow him to chew biscuits throughout the week.

Time For The Dentist?

Occasionally, your dog will need to have his teeth professionally cleaned by a veterinarian. Even with diligent brushing and constant chewing, bacteria can build in the crevices between his teeth. With enough time, that bacteria can grow and enter your dogs body, causing harm and impacting his overall health.

Typically, a veterinarian will use an anesthesia to keep your dog sedated during the cleaning process. Then, an x-ray will be taken to examine his teeth more clearly. If the veterinarian does not find any teeth that have been damaged or have become abscessed, he will perform the cleaning. Otherwise, he may suggest that your dog receive a root canal or other procedure.

Only One Set

Your dog has only one set of teeth and can not afford to lose them. To keep them clean and healthy, brush them regularly and give your dog plenty of opportunity to maintain their cleanliness through chewing. Then, schedule a visit to the veterinarian to have your dogs teeth cleaned professionally. Through regular dental care, you can prevent your dog from enduring discomfort and pain.

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After the puppy has been weaned, he can begin to learn how to handle and digest different types of new dog foods. During the next 12 to 18 months of his life, he will continue to learn how to cope with the variety of new dog foods he eats. For the first six to eight months of that period the puppy will be both growing and using nutrients and energy at an incredible rate. If a dog food is fed containing ingredients to which a puppy is not used to or nutrients that are difficult to digest, he may be unable to obtain enough dog nutrition and energy to sustain his rapid growth. In such cases the puppies are usually stunted.

In addition, dog foods containing too many ingredients which the puppy has not yet learned to digest can cause another problem called “hurry diarrhea”. When a dog owner gets in too big a hurry to feed adult dog food to a puppy, excessive amounts of indigestible materials are usually introduced into the puppy’s digestive tract. These materials irritate the sensitive intestine of the inexperienced puppy and produce a diarrhea.

Good dog nutrition is key so formulating a suitable diet for a puppy is one of the most important steps in starting a dog’s life. The only source of nourishment a rapidly growing puppy receives comes exclusively from what his owner provides him. His health and growth will be a reflection of how well the owner is doing his job. If you provide your pet with poor dog food materials during this building period your puppy will be destined to carry inferior parts for the rest of its life.

A growing puppy needs twice as much energy and nutrients as an adult dog. Simply feeding him twice as much as an adult dog’s food is not enough, however. The energy and nutrients must be in a form that is digestible by the puppy’s inexperienced and sensitive digestive tract. However, as the puppy grows older, the diet can include dog foods that are more and more difficult for a dog to digest. Continue to feed your growing puppy the same dog food that was used to wean him, but gradually add additional foods to train the puppy’s inexperienced digestive system. Just as the food fed to an adult is not suitable for a puppy, the dog food fed to a puppy is not suitable for an adult dog.

By the time the puppy has reached maturity, his digestive system should be thoroughly trained to handle all of the dog foods it will be fed during his adult life. Generally, canned and soft-moist foods contain ingredients of higher digestibility than dry dog foods. Canned dog foods are usually more suitable to feed to growing puppies than soft-moist dog foods. There are exceptions, however,a few dry dog foods contain excellent dog nutrition which are easily digestible. are much better for feeding fast growing puppies than numerous canned dog foods containing poorly digestible nutrients.

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Taking care of a dog or cat involves more than providing food, shelter, love and affection. Pets also have grooming needs that are paramount for helping them maintain both their looks and their health. One area that pet owners tend to overlook involves nail trimming. This is not something that requires a trip to the groomer. If you want to do it at home, rest assured, you can. If you want to make sure your pet’s nails are trimmed as often as they should be, it does pay to learn to do it yourself.

Why Should You Trim Their Nails?
Many pet owners think a monthly trip to the groomer is enough to keep their pet’s nails neatly trimmed. This is not the case and it can become a pricey monthly expense. To do it yourself, remember that your dog or cat’s nails should be trimmed weekly. If your pet’s nails are not properly trimmed, a number of problems can arise. Some of the top reasons to learn the right techniques include: Comfort – When a dog or cat’s claws are allowed to grow too long, they can get in the way of comfort. Particularly long claws can make it very difficult and even painful for your dog to walk.
Health – Serious problems with walking can develop when a dog or cat is made to walk on claws that are too long for a lengthy period of time.
Preventing Damage – When a dog or cat’s nails are too long they sometimes have a propensity to leave claw marks behind while playing. This may also happen when your pet jumps on the furniture or paws at the doors. Keeping them neat and trim can help on this front.

Selecting the Right Tools of the Trade
When it is time to trim your pet’s nails, it is important to have the right tools. This can help ensure a faster, cleaner job. There are two main options to consider:
Regular clippers – Most pet stores and veterinarian offices sell special clippers for cutting claws quickly and evenly. These work well for dogs that are generally calm when their nails are being trimmed. When used correctly, they get the job done right and they are fast to use. The problem is they are not easy to use.
Filing tools – Some pet owners find that clippers scare their pets or make them uncomfortable. If this is the case, you might want to consider using a specialized filing tool. There are special grinders that are made for trimming canine and feline claws. In fact, this is often the best choice for those who want to make sure their pet’s nails are trimmed perfectly every time.

Getting the Job Done
Once you decide how you want to trim your pet’s claws, it is time to begin trimming your pet’s nails. There is a basic process to follow to make sure he is happy and safe during this process. To tackle the job right, try these tips:
Inspect before a trim – Claws to have blood vessels in them. You want to be careful not accidentally cut this blood vessel. Before you pull out the trimmer, inspect claws to make sure they are long enough to warrant a cut. Pay attention to how much needs to be cut before you attempt using the trimmers.
Hold the animal tight – Once you know how much needs to be cut, make sure to hold your dog down firmly, but comfortably. You do not want him to move when you are trimming.
Cut away from the quick line – Place the clippers on the part of the claw that does not have a visible vein.

To help you and your pet along with the process, remember you can:

Go slowly – If your pet gets uncomfortable, stop. You do not have to trim every claw right away. Go for one paw and come back for more when you are both ready.
Have an emergency kit ready – If you cut your pet’s quick, do not panic. An emergency kit including baby powder or even flour can be used. Apply the powder to the claw and grab a cloth to staunch the bleeding. It will stop shortly. If you are using a specialized grinder to trim nails, you should not have to worry about a bleeding problem. This is one of the benefits of using this type of device instead of regular clippers.

Keeping your pet happy and healthy does involve some maintenance, patience and hard work. In the end, it is all worth it because your pet should be happy and healthy since their nails are more comfortable. Keep up with your pet’s nails on a regular basis and your pet will be very comfortable.

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Dog grooming is an important facet of being a pet owner. Proper grooming helps with the prevention of parasites (such as ticks, fleas, etc.), and contributes to the overall comfort of your dog depending on the season and temperature.

Proper dog grooming includes fur brushing, baths, and other items such as tooth brushing or nail clipping. All of these should be done on a regular basis to keep your dog healthy. This article will describe some of the techniques you may use in order to properly groom your dog.

Bathing should be the first step for any pet owner. This should be done before any hair trimming, nail clipping, or other treatment is done, as this will remove many of the parasites that may have found their way onto your dog. This will also get rid of some of the dirt or debris that may have worked its way into your dog’s fur, and will make your job easier when it comes time to actually start brushing or trimming. Also, this softens up the hair, which is to the benefit of you and your dog.

Some dogs don’t like to have their hair trimmed, so it’s important that you leash your dog if you feel as though he won’t like it. For dogs that like to nip (Border Collies are one such breed), it may be a good idea to put on a humane muzzle to keep yourself from getting bitten. Of course, if this is a serious concern with an aggressive dog, your best bet is to leave grooming to a professional! Brushing is important both before and after trimming. This removes clumps of hair and untangles areas that may be difficult to trim. Purchase a good pair of grooming clippers and simply trim down your dog’s hair in areas that may have become overgrown. During the summer months, you may consider trimming to a shorter length than during the winter months.

Your dog’s nails should be clipped at regular intervals, as this will contribute to your dog’s paw health and keep your furniture (and you!) from getting scratched. This should be done starting when they’re puppies to get them accustomed to the procedure. Cut the nails short, but don’t clip too far and into the dog’s “quick.”

Teeth, eyes, and ears are important parts of dog grooming, just as they are for humans. Tooth health can be provided by giving them specially designed chew toys, or using special dog toothbrushes and toothpaste. Eyes should be checked for leakage, and may need to be cleaned on a daily basis to keep from becoming infected. Finally, ears should be checked regularly for parasites and cleared of dirt and other debris.

I hope this article has given you a better understanding of dog grooming techniques.

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Dog owners are concerned about making sure their pets get the healthiest options available when it comes to dog food. Owners spend time and effort reading up on the optimum nutritional values in dog food and the alternatives. Today our pets have a wide variety to meet their tastes and needs and we have our choice of what kind of food we can choose to feed them. Despite the variety, pet foods usually fall into three major categories. These categories are: Grocery store foods, these types of dog and pet foods are usually found in grocery stores and mass marketed retailers and can contain lower quality, less expensive ingredients. The second category is “premium dog foods,” which can also be found in grocery’s stores but are also found in pet stores and through your local veterinarian’s office.

These types of foods are usually made from some higher quality ingredients and are usually made evident by the expense of the food. Some of these pet foods though can contain lower quality ingredients that you aren’t aware of. The third and final category is healthy dog foods which are a relatively new addition and make use of the latest research into the best foods and blends for your pet.

So what is best for our pet and how do we choose the proper dog food?

Quality, healthy ingredients make quality, healthy dog food. Nutrition is important no matter whether you’re a person or a pet. Pets, just like humans, need good nutrition not just to survive but to truly be healthy. They need good quality protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fats. This is where premium, healthy dog food can benefit your pets.

Typically, healthy dog food contains quality protein, good quality carbohydrates and fiber, natural fats and preservatives. The protein does not come from dead or diseased animals and you will never see the word by-product on the label. By-products (feet, bones intestines, etc) are inferior protein sources that are sometimes used and can be very hard for your dog to digest. Less digestion means less nutritious and therefore not as healthy. Quality protein helps build and maintain muscle strength.

If you see corn, soy or wheat used as protein sources instead of meat, you now know your pet isn’t getting healthy dog food. Good quality carbohydrates give your pet the energy to be active. Good fiber sources help promote a healthy digestive system and colon. Quality fats from animal sources contain omega fatty acids that benefit the skin and coat.

Believe it or not dog food manufacturers that label their bags “premium food” use these ingredients as well as chemical preservatives and artificial colors that can be harmful to pets.

Benefits beyond healthy nutrition

When your pet is eating right, it feels better, giving you a happy and more playful companion, fewer trips to the vet, and less wasted food. Ultimately, giving your pet better food might seem expensive initially, but keeping your pet healthy saves you money, time and expense in the long run. Healthy, premium dog food can possibly extend the life of your pet giving you more quality years together.

Find dog food and more useful information health care on Alabama directory.

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Your dog’s fur is a very important aspect of your dogs life, keeping it clean and in good shape is a good way to keep your dog happy, healthy, and clean. If you don’t keep your dogs fur in good shape it will only be a mater of time before tangles and knots appear in your dog’s coat picking up insects, pests, and causing discomfort for your dog.

Different dogs have different types of fur and with so many cross breeds and different looking dogs, naming all the different types of fur would be impossible. There are many different types of dog fur, some will look after themselves more than others but the general rule is that a longer dog coat will normally tangle and knot easier than others.

To maintain your dog’s fur and keep it looking as it should, lots of grooming may be needed so this should be taken into account when buying a new dog. But grooming does not need to be a chore you have to do for your dog because grooming is proven to be a great bonding between owner and dog and creates trust and comfort for your dog making them a lot easier to train.

Step one is to get a good comb for your dog ensuring that there are no sharp edges and that your dog is comfortable with you using it without hurting him/her. Your vet or local pet shop many be able to help you and give you advice with choosing the correct comb but this will be a deciding point in whether your dog will enjoy you doing it or not.

After you have chosen your comb, grooming should happen often and you should do it thoroughly each time, ensuring all knots and angles are removed, if you haven’t yet combed your dog’s fur then it may be difficult to start so do a bit at a time to ensure you don’t discourage your dog and make them not like the grooming process.

After the initial combing, the more often you groom your dog the easier it will be, leaving it for long periods of time is not advised because this means it is more likely to hurt your dog when it eventually does get done. If your dog is finding it tough going then maybe a dog bath is needed to make it easier to detangle and add to your dog furs health.

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