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There are times where my dog refuses to eat? What happened to him? Not feeling well? Sick?

Do not worry when your dogs refuse to eat. Just recalled back the time when you were a child. You still remembered the time where your parents forced you to eat vegetables. Dogs, just like human child counterparts will refuse to eat sometimes. It is not necessary that your dogs are sick when they refuse to eat. This most likely happened just because they are tired of the food they are having!

I would say it is not necessary to bring him to the vet when he refused to eat. You should observe and prepare a checklist with you first before bringing him to the vet. There are times where your dog will lose appetite but if the situation only last for one or two days then it might not be critical. But if it last for more than 3 days, then you might need to bring him to the vet.

Generally, dogs are not picky to their food. There are reasons that could contribute to loss of appetite to your dog.

Still remembered once my little Nina loses her appetite when I changed her food abruptly. There are so many brands of dog food available in the market, but how to decide your dog favorite brand? To get the best dog food that suit your dog, you will need to try varies type of dog food brands until you get the one she enjoy the most. Remember to choose the appropriate dog food for your dog.

Sometimes, dog refuse to eat when they are having tooth ache. How to know whether your dog are having tooth ache? Normally dog suffering from tooth ache will refuse to eat dry kibble, whining while eating, scratching or pawing at his mouth and bad breath. Just open up his mouth and check his teeth. There might be plaque build up on his teeth and gums.

Female dogs might be losing appetite during their heat cycle too. These happened to female dogs while male dog’s appetite might be affected when there is a female dog in heat nearby. But if your female dogs stop eating after the heat cycle complete you will need to bring her to the vet. As this might be an early sign of illness.

If your dogs have been prescribed with any medications, this might be one of the factors that contribute to loss of appetite. Medications might contribute some side effects to your dog. If these happened continuously for few days, then you will need to stop her from the medications immediately and consult your vet.

But generally, dog refuse to eat most likely occurred due to the problem that dogs are getting bored with their food and just don’t feel like eating. As long as you are giving him the right food then you should be able to have a happy eating dog.

So how do you make 100% sure your dog food is safe? Make it yourself! It’s quick, easy, cheap, and most importantly… safe. This video will show you how.

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But how do you know when you’re buying good, quality food? This video explains how not to put your dog at risk…

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Nutritional Needs

Senior dogs have very different nutritional needs than puppies or younger dogs. There are now specially formulated dog foods available just for senior dog’s nutritional needs. In addition to senior foods, there are also supplements available which typically include glucosamine, fatty acids, antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals.

Activity Needs

A senior dog will naturally slow down, but health willing, senior dogs should stay as active as physically possible. Be sure to take time to walk and play with your senior dog. Activity is just as important for a senior dog as it is for a puppy, it’s just that the kind of activity might be a little different. Don’t forget to exercise your dog’s mind as well, give him or her new toys or introduce new activities.

Health Needs

Many older dogs develop arthritis, where it may become difficult for them to get up after laying or sitting down, especially after a long period of time. Thankfully, there are ways to remedy this problem. Some joint supplements are available specifically to combat arthritis pain in senior dogs. Often, just by using the appropriate supplement, you’ll see a marked improvement in your senior dog’s physical mobility.

Dogs often develop sight problems as they get older, you can make life easier for a sight impaired dog by keeping walking paths clear inside and outside of the home. For dog’s who have trouble leaning down to get their food or water, simply placing the bowls higher, on a platform of some kind, will make it much easier for the dog to get their food and water.

Dental health is also extremely important to an older dog’s quality of life. Don’t forget to check on and brush their teeth as often as possible. Poor dental health can lead to poor nutrition and eating habits.

It’s also important to monitor your dog’s weight. A few extra pounds on a senior dog are much more worrisome than on a younger dog. Keep your dog’s weight a healthy weight by purchasing the best food you possible can, in a senior formula preferably.

Don’t forget the most important way to care for your senior pooch, which is to make sure to visit the vet more often. At least once or twice a year or more often, if trouble arises. Prevention or early detection is often the best form of treatment for so many canine diseases. Prevention is the key to your dog’s health and quality of life.

Normal Signs Of Aging

Normal signs of aging for any dog include graying hair around the muzzle, cloudy or blue-ish eyes, a general slowing down of activities, loss of muscle mass and minor loss of hearing. These symptoms are usually nothing to worry about and are typical with aging dogs.

With just a few considerations and adjustments for your dog, you can extend their quality and quantity of life.

Lydia Quinn writes for KnineTraining.com, offering a dog training toolkit and free gourmet dog treats recipe book for instant download. Visit us at:
http://www.kninetraining.com/

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Dog Food

Dog food must comprise of the major portion of your canine’s food. The major brands like Pedigree

have gone through great lengths to ensure that foods are developed for your dog and keep the right nutritional balance. Unless your vet tells you differently, just common dry dog food should be the foundation of your dog’s diet plan.

Added supplements

Just as you may supplement your diet with added supplements of calcium and other vitamins, you should also try adding the same vitamins to our pups. Professionally developed supplements help immensely to keep the canine’s coat and skin glowing as well as ensuring that the dog’s nutritional needs are fully met.

Absolutely no sweets

It is crucial to remember that sugar for your canine is like a ticking time bomb. It will do intense damage to their system, so you should ensure that even while training your dog, you do not offer sugared cookies but instead use dog biscuits as treats for following the commands.

Pile on the fiber

A common mistake is to ignore fiber intake when planning your dog’s menu. Have you ever noticed that dogs, even wilds dogs, are known to chew on grass on several occasions to keep their bowel movement operating smoothly. Add fiber to your dog’s diet plan by incorporating fruit peels (especially fruits such as papaya) and wheat husk.

Quality, not Quantity

By far the most important aspect of proper nutrition for your canine involves giving your dog the right quantity of food. While most dog feeds have the specification printed on the bags, the rule of the thumb is to simply gauge your dog’s weight and increase the diet if you find your pet is losing weight and decrease it if they seem to be getting obese. Feeding pups four times a day in small quantities and adult dogs only twice a day is usually the standard.

A proper and balanced diet along with an appropriate exercise plan will ensure that your canine has a smooth shiny coat, the right weight, great health, and well developed muscles. A healthy dog that is neither underweight nor obese will enjoy a dramatically improved life and will be able to be part of your family for a much longer time.