The Dog Bowl Pet Supply and BARF Raw Food Blog
The Dog Bowl is an online storefront that offers quality pet products including: raw dog food, B.A.R.F., pet beds, dog dental care, pet first aid kits for travel, and every other luxury pet gift imaginable.Sunday, December 31, 2006
Is Vomiting Natural for a Dog?
Dogs frequently avidly eat grass, which is a harmless activity. Explanations abound, but rationales such as that it neutralizes acid, or that eating grass might make the dog vomit, so dogs eat grass to remove unwanted substances from their stomachs, are at best educated guesses. Dogs do vomit more readily than humans, as part of their typical feeding behavior of gulping down food then regurgitating indigestible bones, fur, etc. This behavior is typical of pack feeding in the wild, where the most important thing is to get as much of the kill as possible before others consume it all. Individual domestic dogs, however, may be very "picky" eaters, in the absence of this evolutionary pressure.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Facts: A Dog’s Sense of Smell
Dogs have nearly 220 million smell-sensitive cells over an area about the size of a pocket handkerchief, compared to 5 million over an area the size of a postage stamp for humans. Some breeds have been selectively bred for excellence in detecting scents, even compared to their canine brethren. What information a dog actually detects when he is scenting is not perfectly understood; although once a matter of debate, it now seems to be well established that dogs can distinguish two different types of scents when trailing, an air scent from some person or thing that has recently passed by, as well as a ground scent that remains detectable for a much longer period. The characteristics and behavior of these two types of scent trail would seem, after some thought, to be quite different, the air scent being intermittent but perhaps less obscured by competing scents, whereas the ground scent would be relatively permanent with respect to careful and repetitive search by the dog, but would seem to be much more contaminated with other scents. In any event, it is established by those who train tracking dogs that it is impossible to teach the dog how to track any better than it does naturally; the object instead is to motivate it properly, and teach it to maintain focus on a single track and ignore any others that might otherwise seem of greater interest to an untrained dog. An intensive search for a scent, for instance searching a ship for contraband, can actually be very fatiguing for a dog, and the search for bodies has been known to cause the dog to be depressed. For all these endeavors, the dog must be motivated to continue this hard work for a long period of time.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Facts: A Dog’s Hearing
Dogs detect sounds as low as the 16 to 20Hz frequency range (compared to 20 to 70 Hz for humans) and above 45 kHz (compared to 13 to 20 kHz for humans), and in addition have a degree of ear mobility that helps them to rapidly pinpoint the exact location of a sound. Eighteen or more muscles can tilt, rotate and raise or lower a dog's ear. A dog can identify a sound's location much faster than a human can, as well as hear sounds up to four times the distance that humans are able to. Those with more natural ear shapes, like those of wild canids like the fox, generally hear better than those with the floppier ears of many domesticated species.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Facts: A Dog’s Sight
Different breeds of dogs have different eye shapes and dimensions, and they also have different retina configurations. Dogs with long noses have a "visual streak" which runs across the width of the retina and gives them a very wide field of excellent vision, while those with short noses have an "area centralis" -- a central patch with up to three times the density of nerve endings as the visual streak -- giving them detailed sight much more like a human's.
Some breeds, particularly the best sighthounds, have a field of vision up to 270° (compared to 180° for humans), although broad-headed breeds with short noses have a much narrower field of vision, as low as 180°. Dogs were once thought to be color blind, but it is now known that dogs can't see the color red very well.
Some breeds, particularly the best sighthounds, have a field of vision up to 270° (compared to 180° for humans), although broad-headed breeds with short noses have a much narrower field of vision, as low as 180°. Dogs were once thought to be color blind, but it is now known that dogs can't see the color red very well.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Customer Feedback
Dear Dog Bowl,
Just wanted you to know my cats are loving your lamb and beef raw foods and are developing a taste for the chicken & turkey. They are pigging out and so happy! Wish I’d have put them on raw meat diets a long time ago.
J. Eastwood
Just wanted you to know my cats are loving your lamb and beef raw foods and are developing a taste for the chicken & turkey. They are pigging out and so happy! Wish I’d have put them on raw meat diets a long time ago.
J. Eastwood
What are the top ten largest AKC registered breeds?
Top Ten AKC Breeds in Registration Numbers (1999):
- Labrador Retrievers 154,897 registered
- Golden Retrievers 62,652 registered
- German Shepherd Dogs 57, 256 registered
- Dachshunds 50,772 registered
- Beagles 49,080 registered
- Poodles
- Chihuahuas
- Rottweilers
- Yorkshire Terriers
- Boxers
Just for Comparison - the last five breeds:
143. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs 54 (newly accepted into the AKCMisc. Class)
144. American Foxhounds 49
145. English Foxhounds 40
146. Harriers 24
147. Otterhounds 17
Friday, December 22, 2006
How often should I bathe my dog?
Obviously, dogs who romp outside get dirtier than dogs who are more frequently inside. There is no rule of thumb to follow when deciding how often to bathe your dog except to keep his skin clean as possible with the least amount of bathing.
Usually it takes about 24 hours before a dog’s oils returns back into the hair and skin. But overdo bath time and you can run into some dog skin related health problems. Frequent baths with the use of harsh or inappropriate shampoos will dry your dog’s skin and cause it to flake and itch. Bathing your dog every two to three months is usually adequate enough to maintain a clean dog without causing skin issues.
Some dogs are born with natural waterproof coats. If you bath them to often their coats will lose their ability to repel water—a critical need to dogs who swim a great deal, live in cold temperatures or are kept outside quite often. Also, your dog should be completely dry before going outside in the cold to avoid a chill.
Brushing a dog’s coat daily removes grime and accumulated dead hair. In addition to regular brushing, wipe down your canine companion with clean water and a towel to help control allergy inducing dander.
During your dog’s bath time take the time to examine his eyes, ears, nose, skin and paws for signs of infection, unknown lumps and parasites (mites). As you begin the bath process, talk softly to your pet and stroke him frequently to reassure him that all is fine.
Usually it takes about 24 hours before a dog’s oils returns back into the hair and skin. But overdo bath time and you can run into some dog skin related health problems. Frequent baths with the use of harsh or inappropriate shampoos will dry your dog’s skin and cause it to flake and itch. Bathing your dog every two to three months is usually adequate enough to maintain a clean dog without causing skin issues.
Some dogs are born with natural waterproof coats. If you bath them to often their coats will lose their ability to repel water—a critical need to dogs who swim a great deal, live in cold temperatures or are kept outside quite often. Also, your dog should be completely dry before going outside in the cold to avoid a chill.
Brushing a dog’s coat daily removes grime and accumulated dead hair. In addition to regular brushing, wipe down your canine companion with clean water and a towel to help control allergy inducing dander.
During your dog’s bath time take the time to examine his eyes, ears, nose, skin and paws for signs of infection, unknown lumps and parasites (mites). As you begin the bath process, talk softly to your pet and stroke him frequently to reassure him that all is fine.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
How Often Should I Brush my Dog?
Brushing your dog’s coat will give pleasure and will strengthen the emotional relation between you both. If you have a puppy, try to get him used being combed and brushed. More serious brushings can come later on, when the young dog has already no fears to this process.
Breeds with long hair need to be brushed daily. It's much better if you do it daily, otherwise you'll have to deal with the matted locks of hair, which will be painful for the dog, and he will strongly fight against it. With an unknown dog, that dislikes this process, use a muzzle for your own security. If your dog has his hair too tangled, take him to the veterinarian, who will give a sedative, avoiding additional pain while his hair is cleared up. Brushing not only improves your dog's shape, but is an excellent way of detecting flies and other parasites, as well as possible superficial tumors. When brushing your dog, start by the head, moving the brush or comb downwards. It's important that the dog stands over a solid surface and at a convenient height. In case of bigger breeds, the dog better stands on soil. Dogs with smooth hair like the hound can be brushed with a glove in the hand. As time goes by, dogs loose part of their hair; in spring they change the thick winter hair, and another great change comes on the autumn. In these seasons brushing will take more time, but will prevent "dead hairs" spreading all over the house. Combs allow brushing around eyes and other more sensible parts of the body. In fact, combing after a complete brushing will eliminate any "dead hair" remaining, and will clear up the hair completely.
Breeds with long hair need to be brushed daily. It's much better if you do it daily, otherwise you'll have to deal with the matted locks of hair, which will be painful for the dog, and he will strongly fight against it. With an unknown dog, that dislikes this process, use a muzzle for your own security. If your dog has his hair too tangled, take him to the veterinarian, who will give a sedative, avoiding additional pain while his hair is cleared up. Brushing not only improves your dog's shape, but is an excellent way of detecting flies and other parasites, as well as possible superficial tumors. When brushing your dog, start by the head, moving the brush or comb downwards. It's important that the dog stands over a solid surface and at a convenient height. In case of bigger breeds, the dog better stands on soil. Dogs with smooth hair like the hound can be brushed with a glove in the hand. As time goes by, dogs loose part of their hair; in spring they change the thick winter hair, and another great change comes on the autumn. In these seasons brushing will take more time, but will prevent "dead hairs" spreading all over the house. Combs allow brushing around eyes and other more sensible parts of the body. In fact, combing after a complete brushing will eliminate any "dead hair" remaining, and will clear up the hair completely.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Stop your Dog from Growling by Establishing Alpha Status
Dogs descended from wolves, and deep within the psyche of your dog lies instincts they have retained from their wild ancestors. In order to live with and communicate with your dog you need to understand why you must maintain Alpha position in the "pack."
Your dog depends on you for its survival. It has learned that it must cooperate with you through thousands of years of evolution and adaptation in human society. The first domestication by man was the wolf. About twelve thousand years ago we discovered that having a wolf as a "pet" was a great asset. They could hunt alongside us and they could guard us as we slept.
As the years went by, the wolf began to mutate into different breeds. Scientists are unsure exactly how the first breeds developed. There are several different theories that include natural mutations, climate, and environment. The breeds became more numerous and more specialized. That is how we ended up with groups such as herding, hunting, shepherding, guarding, and of course, companion and lap dogs.
Of all the animals that we have domesticated, only the dog has willingly allowed itself to accept the authority of man without constraint. But as I said, it still retains the instinct to test its position. Yes, even sweet little Lady, the Maltese lying at your feet, has the genes and instincts of the wolf.
Wolves live by rules and have a social structure. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined. The leader of the pack eats first, and then the rest of the pack can eat.When your dog growls at you when he is eating, he is saying "I am the leader, and you must wait."
If your dog has a growling problem, here are some suggested "rules to live by" that may be of help to you:
- Never tolerate growling. This is a threat and it means your dog sees you as a subordinate meant to be dominated by him. Tell him No!Let him know it is not acceptable to EVER growl at you or your children. Make it clear that your children are the offspring of his Alpha leader (you) and that they are to be treated as Alpha "pups."
- Do not let your dog walk through the door first. If your dog always goes ahead of you, you need to get your leash and open the door. When he rushes ahead you pull him back and tell him “Curb”. You walk in and then give him permission to come in. This will be easier and faster if you have someone help you.
- Do not let your dog sleep in the same bed as you. This is a definite Alpha position. If you just can't be without your dog in the bed, at the very least you need to make sure he sleeps at the foot of the bed. A doggie bed on the floor beside you is your best bet for maintaining Alpha position. (This rule is for aggressive dogs or dogs showing signs they are forgetting their place... a pet that is well behaved and obedient can sleep next to you or your child.)
- Socialize, socialize, socialize! I cannot stress enough the importance of introducing your dog to different places and people.Find something to do with your dog. Join and agility or obedience class. Take your dog to the park. If you have a laid back dog or puppy share your time with the local nursing home. Volunteer with disability groups so children and adults with special needs can enjoy the non-judgmental love a dog or puppy can provide.
- Do not let your dog ride in your lap in the car. Make him sit in his own seat or on the floor. It is unsafe for you and your dog. Buy him his own seat belt or safety booster or use a kennel. Some states will give you a ticket for being a distracted driver. (Click here to see some helpful tips for traveling with your pet.)
- Do not baby your dog too much. He needs to learn to be a dog. Do not over-protect him. He needs to explore and learn to be independent. You do not want to raise a flighty, paranoid dog. When he acts afraid of something that he should not be afraid of, do not pick him up and ooh and ahh over him. Simply tell him it is okay, and show him the object, person, etc. Your confidence will make him a confident and dependable dog. If you feed his imaginary fears, he will become a snappy and untrustworthy dog. He may develop fear aggression. An example of fear aggression could be a dog that sits in its owner's lap and growls at people or other animals. If you pet him, and tell him "It's okay." You are really telling him this is the type of behavior you expect of him, and he will continue to do it because there is a reward attached to it. Tell him no and put him down off your lap. While some owners think it is sweet that their little lap dog is "protecting them," it is not. When a child reaches to pet the dog or hug Grandma it could bite them if it is allowed to get away with this antisocial behavior. This is a dog that has taken on Alpha position and you are a subordinate. I have seen so many children chastised when they get bitten, when it's the owner that is responsible. You will often hear people say "Now, you know Granny's dog doesn't like you to go near her. She is jealous, and protective. We have told you over and over not to do that." What a shame. And it could all be avoided if we would just take the time to learn canine behavior. As much as we would like to believe that they think like us, they do not.
- If you have a problem with your dog growling at you or another family member, you may want to try having the person your dog growls at the most be the only one to feed him. You want to make him sit to reinforce your position as the leader. He is learning that he depends on you and he must obey in order to eat. And if he growls after you set down the food, tell him no and take the food away. Tell him to sit again. This is how you will reinforce the "no growling rule.''
- You must never tolerate growling because this will usually lead to biting. Not always, but it usually does. So you need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. I want to make it clear we are not talking about puppy play growling. Only growling that is geared towards aggression growling. Puppies need to be able to be puppies.
- Do not play tug of war with a puppy, at least not until he grows into a respectful dog. Play fetch and tell them to release the ball.Never be overly harsh with your dog. Use common sense.
- One last thing... spend time with your dog. Play with him. Train him, and love him. Just as a child looks to his parents for guidance and boundaries, so does your dog. Sometimes we have to use tough love, but in the long run, you and your dog will be happier if you maintain the Alpha role.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Teach your Puppy to Heel
How many times have you seen dogs walking their owners instead of theother way around? Teaching your puppy to heel will result in so muchpleasure for you as he grows. Here's how: get your puppy's attentionwith a delectable treat at about his head level on your left-handside. Say "Heel" and walk briskly forward. Let the puppy munch a bitas you walk. Go only a few steps at first, then extend the range. Release the pup and praise him. As the puppy progresses, lift thefood a little higher, but do not reward the pup for jumping.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Brushes... The Dog Bowl found a winner!
Ever wonder why you haven't found the best brush for your dog or cat? I know you have looked.... we all have. The Dog Bowl has done the research and compared a number of popular brushes and they have found it!The Dog Bowl is proud to announce the best brush we have EVER tried is called a Furminator. It is a well weighted, fine comb constructed pet brush. It doesn't pull the hair, but simply and finely combs and seperates through the strands of fur and grabs the loose ones.
We have been using the Furminator brush the storefront on our pets (dogs and cats) & letting our clients try it as well. The results have been incredible!
The box for the furminator brush says it cuts down on 90% of the shedding. We though "ha" no way! Initially The Dog Bowl just bought a few to try out & test out with our clients. Nothing but positive results were found and of course, the shedding... What shedding? Our life, our homes, and our storefront, is forever changed for the better! We have been enjoying those furry pets without a trace of them being there, being held, being rubbed. No more loose fur being left behind!
One of our test pets includes a storefront cat, named Mongo, though he is on raw food diet and looks georgous, still seemed to shed obvious little black hairs everywhere. (It seemed as though we were constantly cleaning black hairs from the white shelving. Ok.... not that much hair, but his hair is black & very obvious even if just a few hairs.) The first "grooming session" we literally could have made a full length coat for ourselves to wear in the upcoming tough winter days! We are not kidding! And this is a cat who was constantly groomed daily with other brushes! It was simply amazing how much hair was "furminated".
After using the Furminator consistantly for just a few days we noticed Mongo's fur looked smoother & less "frizzy" along the siloutte. And of course no more fur balls for him to potentially ingest, and no more little black hairs on our white shelving.
Happy ending! The Dog Bowl loves the furminator, and our clients who have tried it readily purchase this brush after they see the results of just one try. Click here to see a photo of a brushing session & to also purchase a Furminator.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
At what age can a puppy be fully housebroken?
A puppy is not physically able to control the muscle that allows himto "hold it" until he is about 12 weeks of age. Before this time, good housebreaking routines should be practiced to avoid having himurinate and defecate in your home. Watch for signs of urination ordefecation, such as turning in circles. Take your puppy out often. Use a crate or confine your pup to a small part of the house that haseasy clean up floors. It is much more difficult to housebreak a puppyif he smells his urine in places you do not wish him to relief himself.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Question: At what age should a female dog be bred?
Answer: Female dogs should be bred when they are at least 2 years old and nomore than every two years after that up until they are 8 years old.
Question: How long is a dog's pregnancy term?
Answer: A typical dog's pregnancy tern is about 58 to 62 days.
What is recommended spaying and neutering age for a dog?
- Females - 5 to 8 months
- Males - 4 to 8 months
According to a new study by the American Veterinarian MedicalAssociation, a female dog should be spayed at about six months, before her first heat. Doing so greatly reduces the chance of breastcancer. A male dog should be neutered at the age of eight months. If neutered earlier, his sex organs will not have a chance to fullydevelop.
The neutered male makes a better family pet because he no longer produces the hormones that make him want to be dominant and will therefore be easier to train and live with. In the wild he would need those extra hormones for survival. Another benefit of early neuter is better health.
Research shows that older pet dogs who are neuteredyoung have fewer tumors and other related health problems. Many vets are starting to neuter at around 4 months, before they start to lift their leg.
Friday, December 08, 2006
How to Stop Puppies from Biting
For starters, avoid letting a puppy play with your hands or feet – nomatter how cute it seems. This teaches him that it is okay to biteskin. Even though tiny puppies playing tug-of-war with your bigfinger or toes or socks is cute, it is teaching a very bad habit. Itis far easier to prevent bad habits from developing that it is toretrain an older puppy or adult dog. Here are two techniques to teacha puppy not to bite. Try technique #1 first. It may take a few daysor so for him to catch on.
Technique #1 – yelp and walk away:
Puppies are very social creatures and refusing to engage in play canbe an effective training technique. As soon as puppy starts to biteor nip, give a loud, yelping OUCH!!! Glare at the pup, get up andmove away. After a minute or so, get a toy and return to puppy. Encourage him to play with the toy. If he goes for you with a nip,repeat yelping and walking away.
Technique #2 – shake down:
Start with a loud yelping OUCH; at the same time as you grasp theloose skin on puppy’s neck. Give a firm but gentle shake and firmlysay “NO BITE!” Release puppy, wait a second for the correction tosink in, then involve him with a good toy. After a while, stop theshake and just use the verbal. The instant he repeats the sameplayful action without biting, praise him and say, “Good “no bite!”
Technique #1 – yelp and walk away:
Puppies are very social creatures and refusing to engage in play canbe an effective training technique. As soon as puppy starts to biteor nip, give a loud, yelping OUCH!!! Glare at the pup, get up andmove away. After a minute or so, get a toy and return to puppy. Encourage him to play with the toy. If he goes for you with a nip,repeat yelping and walking away.
Technique #2 – shake down:
Start with a loud yelping OUCH; at the same time as you grasp theloose skin on puppy’s neck. Give a firm but gentle shake and firmlysay “NO BITE!” Release puppy, wait a second for the correction tosink in, then involve him with a good toy. After a while, stop theshake and just use the verbal. The instant he repeats the sameplayful action without biting, praise him and say, “Good “no bite!”
Which Dog Breeds are Best for Allergy Sufferers?
Please note: One person's allergies may vary greatly from anotherperson's. It is always wise to visit the dog to see if you areallergic to it before you bring it home. Dog breeds that tend to behypoallergenic:
- American Hairless Terrier
- Basenji Bedlington Terrier
- Bergamasco
- Bichon Frise
- Bichon/Yorkie
- Bolognese
- Border Terrier
- Cairn Terrier
- Cavachon
- Chacy Ranior
- Chinese Crested (hairless)
- Cockapoo
- Coton De Tulear
- Doodleman Pinscher
- Giant Schnauzer
- Hairless Khala
- Havanese
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Kerry Blue Terrier
- Labradoodle
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Lowchen (Little Lion Dog)
- Maltese
- Malti-Poo
- Miniature Littlefield Sheepdog
- Miniature Poodle
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Native American Indian Dog
- Peruvian Inca Orchid
- Poos
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Puli (Pulik)
- Schnoodle
- Shepadoodle
- Shichon
- Shih-Tzu
- Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
- Spanish Water Dog
- Standard Poodle
- Standard Schnauzer
- Tibetan Terrier
- Toy Poodle
- West Highland White Terrier
- Wirehaired Fox Terrier
- Xoloitzcuintle
- Yorkshire Terrier
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