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12/05/2016

Understanding Dietary Requirements of Your Dog.

Dogs need a balanced diet of 6 important components

1) Protein
2) Carbohydrates
3) Fat
4) Vitamins
5) Minerals
6) Water

Protein.

Protein has many critical functions in the body, but is best known for its role in supplying amino acids to build :

Hair
Skin – A healthy skin has better immunity to fight against skin problems like fungal and or bacterial infections, skin odour, dry skin, flaky skin etc. Healthy skin helps heals wounds faster and thus offers greater protection to the dog.
Nails -
Muscles –
Tendons
Ligaments
Cartilage.

Protein also plays a main role in hormone and enzyme production. Proteins are also very important for a healthy immune system. Protein level in the body of dog is not constant but always fluctuating depending on breed, age, activity level, general health etc. As cells die and tissues wear out the dog depends on his diet for resupply of essential proteins. Accordingly the diet needs to resupply the normal loss of proteins and maintain the level of protein in the dog's body.

Proteins are broken down into amino acids. There are 22 amino acids that dogs need. Dogs are known to synthesize 12 of these and depends on its diet to supply the balance. The amino acids which the dog cannot synthesize on its own are called as essential amino acids. The essential amino acids are as under :

1) Arginine
2) Histidine
3) Isoleucine
4) lysine
5) Methionine
6) Phenylalanine
7) Threonine
8) Tryptophan
9) Valine
10) Taurine .......required for Cats. It is believed Dogs can synthesize Taurine hence is not usually supplemented in their diets.

Protein related health problems usually arise due to deficiency in amino acids.

Quality of Protein
Not all sources of Proteins are the same i.e. various Protein sources contain different levels of amino acids. It should also be noted not all proteins are readily broken down by the body. Accordingly some protein sources are better suited for dogs then others. The ability of a protein to be readily broken down by the body and the level of usable amino acids is understood as Protein Quality and is refereed to as 'Biological Value'. Egg has the highest Biological Value and sets the benchmark at 100. Fish and Milk have values of 92. Red Meat is approximately 78 and Soyabean is around 67. Wheat is around 50 and Corn is approximately 45.

Common Protein Sources
Animal Sources :
Chicken – When chicken is considered it is important to note that such chicken is excluding feathers, heads, feet, beaks, nails, entrails etc. Biological Value of Chicken is 79. Eggs are also considered very good source of Proteins

Red Meat – When Red Meat is considered it is important to note that such meat is excluding horns, hooves, hair, hide, blood etc. Biological Value of Red Meat is approximately 74.

Chicken or Read Meat Meal : 'Meal' usually means grounded or reduced in particle size. Good Practice expects a Chicken meal has chicken parts excluding feathers, heads, feet, beaks, nails, entrails etc. The ingredient is then heat processed to remove water and fat. The end product is then ground to get a protein rich product.

Poultry or Meat By Products : 'By Products' usually mean ingredients unfit for human consumption are included eg. Chicken / Poultry By Products usually contain clean parts of chicken, feet, bones, head, entrails etc. Feathers are usually not included. Meat By Products may include bones, kidneys, heart, brain, liver, blood, lungs, spleen etc. Usually hooves, horns, hair, teeth etc are not included.

Other Sources :
Gluten : During processing of certain grains like wheat, barley, rye, oats etc the starchy carbohydrate is washed out and what remains is the rubbery protein residue. This residue is refereed to as Gluten. It is a crude mixture of Gliadin and Glutenin. Some dogs may be prone to Gluten allergy. Care should be taken while in such cases. Need to add something about merits/ de-mertis of gulten.

How much Protein ?

Protein requirement varies as factors like breed, age, activity level etc are to be considered. All other things being equal, a puppy will need more protein then an adult. A general guide to protein requirement is made available as under :

Stage
Suggested Protein % of food per sitting
Puppy
28% to 30%
Adult
17% to 20%
High Activity Dog
23% to 27%
Pregnant and or Lactating Dams
28% to 30%

Carbohydrates

To understand Carbohydrates role in a Dog's diet one needs to understand how the body utilizes carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates provide Energy. Carbohydrates are broken down into 3 parts i.e. Sugar (Glucose), Starch and Fibre.

It is Glucose that is needed by the body to maintain the health of vital organs like liver, heart, brain, thyroid, nerve tissue etc. The Central nervous system and the Brain needs adequate quantity of Glucose for optimum functioning. The brain dos not store glucose and is dependent on blood for the bare minimum supply. Correct amount of glucose production is essential for Thyroid functioning.

Gluconeogenesis is the process of converting Amino acids and Fat into Glucose.

The dog depends on Protein for its principle supply of amino acids (Refer to section on Protein). However if carbohydrates are present then the body will first convert carbohydrates into glucose instead of protein and fat as it is easier. In the absence of enough carbohydrates protein and fat are converted into glucose to fulfil the energy needs. Excess carbohydrates are stored in the liver and muscles as Glycogen and in the body as Fat.

The ancestral diet of dog largely consists of Protein. Carbohydrates played a minimal role in the dog's ancestral diet around 12% to 14%. As such dog's have evolved favouring Protein and Fats in their diet and do not expect or need large quantity of carbohydrates in their diet. However dogs can digest and utilize carbohydrates if present.

Sources of Carbohydrates
Rice
Corn
Wheat
Barley
Oats
Pulses
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes

Fat

Fat is very essential ingredient in a dog's diet. Fat is necessary for optimum health of coat, skin, kidneys, heart and inflammation free joints. Fat is also a very important source of energy and give more energy then carbohydrates and proteins. Fat are preferred source of energy ahead of proteins and carbohydrates.

It is important to note that Fats do not affect dogs as they affect humans as far as cholesterol or heart diseases are concerned. Dogs do not have the tendency for cholesterol blocking the arteries.

Fat contributes to a dog's food taste, smell, structure etc. Fat also helps the body to absorb fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E & K.

The building blocks of Fat are Fatty Acids. A dog's body can make some fatty acids on its own however some fatty acids are needed to be included in the diet, these fatty acids are known as essential fatty acids. The essential fatty acids are divided into two groups as Omega 3 and Omega 6. A good diet for dogs should have both the groups of Fatty Acids in a specifically balanced ratio.

Sources of Omega 3 include Fish Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Canola Oil etc.
Sources of Omega 6 include Poultry Fat, Pork Fat, Sunflower Oils etc.

Since a dog's diet usually contains Omega 6 sources it is essential to add a good source of Omega 3.

Fish Oils have a form of Omega 3 called as DHA & EPA. Plant biased Oils have Alphalineoleic Acid (ALA), which needs to be converted in the body to be of use. Some dogs may not be able to convert the ALA due to deficiency of desaturase enzymes needed for the conversion.

Deficiency of sufficient quantity and or quality of Fat in diet may result in skin conditions like itching, dermatitis, dull coat etc. It is to be noted that substandard fat or rancid fat is not good for a dog as they may cause a deficiency of essential fatty acids resulting in poor coat or skin conditions mentioned above.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic substances required in minute quantity by the body for many of the bodies metabolic processes..

Vitamins are divided into 2 groups Fat Soluble and Water Soluble.

Fat Soluble Vitamins
Fat soluble Vitamins are A, D, E & K. These Fat soluble vitamins are used by the body in the same way as Fat in diet. Excess amounts of the vitamins are stored in liver.

Water Soluble Vitamins
Water Soluble Vitamins are generally absorbed in the small intestine. Excess amounts are excreted through urine.

Following is a brief summary of some vitamins necessary for you dog.

Vitamin A
Necessary for: Good appetite, Good eyesight, helps in maintenance of skin and coat.

Deficiency: Skin problems, bone growth issues, decreased eyesight.

Sources: Liver, Chicken, Pork, Kidney, Brain, Carrots, Egg Yolks, Green leafy Vegetables.

Vitamin D
Necessary for: Assists the body is absorbing Calcium. Calcium is important for development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Is important for blood clotting. Is needed to maintain sufficient blood level of calcium and phosphorus.

Deficiency: increased tendency of bones to fracture, abnormal bone formations.

Sources: Cheese, Yoghurt, Eggs, Cod Liver Oil, Liver, Kidney, If sufficient exposure to UV radiation is provided than Vitamin D can be manufactured by the body. Approximately 15 minutes of sunshine daily is sufficient for the body to produce the required quantity of vitamin D.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is needed for normal reproduction and acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin E is also necessary for formation of red blood cells and helps the body to absorb vitamin K. The biologically active form that needs to be supplemented or present in the dog food is alpha-tocopherol or alpha-tocopherol acetate. There are other less optimum forms like gama-tocopherol or beta-tocopherol however alpha-tocopherol should be preferred wherever possible.

Deficiency: may lead to impairment of immune system, adversely affect reproductive system, degeneration of retina.

Sources: Spinach, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, vegetable oils, corn.

Vitamin K
Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting. Usually the bacteria already present in a healthy intestine synthesize all the vitamin K needed by the body.

Deficiency: Only occurs if the body is unable to absorb Fats or Vitamins from the instestine.

Sources: Spinach, Green leafy vegetables, Cauliflower, Cabbage.


Water Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is needed for optimum functioning of Heart, muscles, nervous system. It is also mainly needed for conversion of carbohydrates into energy.

Deficiency: Causes nerve damage, seizures, weakness.

Sources: Liver, Peas, Rice, Whole grains, Meat.

Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 is important for production of red blood cells, growth, maintenance of coat and skin, processing Fat, Carbohydrates & Protein. It also has a part in many enzyme reactions of the metabolism.

Deficiency: Usually causes weakness, anaemia, decreased reproductive performance.

Sources: Cheese, Yeast, Fist, Eggs, Organ meats, Liver.


Vitamin B3
Vitamin B is required for functioning of digestive system, nerves & skin.

Deficiency: Loss of appetite, bad breath, diarrhea, inflammation of the gums.

Sources: Liver, Meat, Poultry.

Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 is required for synthesis of hormones and enzyme reactions in metabolism.

Deficiency: may result in diarrhea, hair loss.

Sources: Fish, Broccoli, Fish, Eggs, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes.

Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is important for optimum health and functioning of the nervous system, supports the synthesis of antibodies by the immune system, is required for formation of red blood cells is necessary for protein metabolism.

Deficiency: may result in seizures and or anaemia.

Sources: Bananas, Eggs, Meat, Fish.

Vitamin B9
Vitamin B9 is necessary to synthesis new Proteins when needed. Vitamin B9 along with Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C is helps to digest Proteins. Vitamin B9 is useful for tissue growth and production of red blood cells.

Deficiency : may result in bone marrow disorders

Sources: Liver, Egg Yolk, Yeast, Melon, Carrots, Pumkins.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is synthesized in the liver by dogs. Vitamin C is necessary for proper functioning of the immune system.

Deficiency: may adversely affect proper functioning of immune system and also result in improper or inadequate wound healing. Deficiency may also result in greater susceptibility to infections. Muscle and or Joint pains may also be a result of deficiency of Vitamin C.

Sources: Citrus Fruits, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Green Leafy Vegetables.

12/05/2016

Potty Training......
All other things being equal, Potty training is usually the top most priority for Puppy owners. Many a (first time or even otherwise) owner has pulled at his hair in dispair and frustration when it comes to Potty training. Vast majority of the complains are 'training does not seem to go anywhere' or some variation of the same. Potty training is unlike most of the 'tricks' training where results / milestones are quickly seen. Potty training takes T I M E and C O M M I T M E N T. Let me stress on this, the corner stones of all dog training is repetation and consistancy and Potty training even more so. To set expectations right It is not unusuall for a Puppy to be not completly Potty trained till about 4 to 5 months, in some cases even more.
Regardless of what You are trying to teach your Puppy, You would do well to firmly understand 'Not All Things Work For All Dogs'. You would need to observe and understand what works for Your Puppy and proceed accordingly. Puppies have small bladers and have no control over them. Puppies need to learn their blader control. Generally a Puppy can hold his blader the same number of hours as his age in months. Accordingly some of the most succesfull types of Potty training methods are shared here for your easy reference. However please note Potty training is not limited to these methods.
Choosing the Potty designated area :
It is advisiable to give due thought to Potty designated area. The area needs to be easily accesable. Common areas you can avoid are kitchen, living room or any other area where you routinely entertain your guests, your bedroom, other bed rooms in the house, routinely used balconies etc.
Some commonly potty designated ares are bathroom, toilet, out of the way unused balcony.
Whichever area you choose try to choose it with as much as forsight as possiable as it becomes combrulsome and confusing to the dog to change the established potty designated area.
Crate Training.
You would need a crate. Idealy, You should get a crate that Your Puppy would grow into and still be comfortable. You may partition the crate as per your needes. For the purpose of Potty training we need to have just enough space in the crate that enables the Puppy to stand up and trun around. Should you make more space available it will only enable the Puppy to eliminate at one end and rest at other. Prefferebly get a wire mesh crate or a crate which gives unhindered view of the Puppy.
Feed Your Puppy at regular times. Make a time table for feeding and implement it as strictly as possiable. This will assist You to predict with fair amount of certinity when your Puppy needs to 'go'. Avoid general feeding or 'Free feeding' this will only make your Puppy eliminate at random and You would not have any control.
Time Management is critical in Potty training and is needed for succesifull implimentation of all methods . You would need to observe and understand when Your Puppy needs to go. Some Puppies would want to go right after having their meals, having a large drink of water, heavy play or even when they are very exitited. Otrher Puppies take any where from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Every Puppy is different and You need to be very familier with Your Puppies tendencies. Once you can predict fairly correctly approximetly when Your Puppy is most likely to go, You would need to put him in his crate approximitely 15 minutes before his 'go' time. In case your Puppy usually eliminates shortly after meals You may put him in his Crate immiditely after his meal or even feed him in his crate, as per your prefference.
Understanding the 'Take Me Out Signals' is of utmost importance. A puppy will instinctivly keep his immidiate area clean. As metioned earlier, Your Puppy need not have too much space in his crate. You may partition the crate as needed and remove the partitions as your Puppy grows. When its time for your Puppy to go he will give some definite signals. Some Puppies scratch at the door, Some wine, some bark etc. You would need to know exactly what is Your Puppies 'Take Me Out Signal'. Once Your Puppy gives the 'Take Me Out' signal immidiatly take the crate to the Potty designated area and release the Puppy. After the Puppy eliminates in the Potty designated area lavish him with praise and rewards.
Thereafter the Puppy need not go back into the crate.
Having said this, please understand the Crate is not to be used for Punishment at any time. Your Puppy needs to have a very possitive association with his crate. Proper introduction and usage of the crate is essiencial.
Training Pads / Paper Training :
When you are not at home it becomes difficult to supervise and constantly observerve the Puppy. In such a scinerio how do we do Potty training ? This is a dilema faced by many of the Office going owners. It is not pragmatic to expect a Owner to take leave of some months from office to train his Puppy nor is it fleasable. In such a case You may consider Paper training.
You would need newspapers, disinfectant liquid, Deoderiser and lots of Patentence. As mentioned earlier (in Crate Training - Time) it would help a lot if your know your Puppies schedule times. Confine the Puppy in the long term Puppy containment area & cover the Puppy containment area with newspapers / training pads. Do not let the Puppy out till the Puppy relieves itself. Whes the Puppy does relieve its self do lavish lots of praise and rewards (this becomes optional if you are at office or otherwise unavailable). Repetation and consistancy is the corner stone of training. Very graduadely You may expect specific areas of the Puppy Cotainment area are soiled while others are not. Gradualy Your Puppy will percive the paper as a place to relieve itself.
Very graduadely then move the Paper to the Potty designated area. Should Your Puppy miss the paper then you have moved too fast. You would need to go back a couple of steps and start over. A time will come when the Puppy will eliminate only on the paper in the Potty designated area. Now its time to remove the paper and you would have finished the Potty training !!

Observe and Act :
Should one have time on hand and is inclined to give close attention You can consider the Observe and Act methodology. While the basic fundamentals remain the same this method some times gives relatively fast results as the output is almost directly proportional to the personal effort put in by the indivudial.
This involves as mentioned earilier a clear understanding of Your Puppies Potty schedule. As mentioned earlier regular feeding time is highly recommended as this will almost always result in regular elemination time. Your Puppy will give you little warning and even lesser time for you to act before he relieves himself. You would do well to understand his specific body language just before he relieves himself. A vast majority of the dogs circle or 'track' sniffing around. If this is done with their tails held a bit high then usuall then its almost always time to 'GO'. Immiditely pickup or lead your Puppy to the Potty designated area. Lavish praise and rewards are due when Your Puppy relieves himself in the right place.
Your Puppy and You would need to practice and practice this till Your Puppy is perfect.

Mistakes / Accidents :
Mistakes are inevitable. It is essential not to punish the Puppy for mistakes. Use disinfectant and deoderiser to clean up Your Puppies mistakes and continue Your efforts with renewed vigour and determination. Some trainers may recommend startling the Puppy if caught in the act in an effort to stop eleminating and carry the Puppy to Potty designated area however should one consider the expected total time of the training and the opportunites for error, an occossional mistake may not make much of a impact on the eveuntial outcome.

Remember Puppies are very sensitive and very intilligent. Use this training as an opprtunity to strengthten Your bond with Your Puppy. Consistently following a choosen method with dedication will certainly reslult in a perfectly Potty trained dog.

12/05/2016

Your Dog and his Exercise.

Help !

My dog is Obese ! My dog is dangerously aggressive ! My dog is destructive !

These are some of the common Dog issues commonly faced by countless dog owners. Such dogs are usually, sadly, misunderstood and some cases even drastic steps are taken.

The root cause of most such cases is, the forgotten exercise !

Most dog owners pay attention to their dog's physical health but what about their mental health ?Most dog owners don't think much of the unassuming exercise for their dogs. They Should. Simple adequate appropriate exercise does wonders not only for the dog's health but also his temperament. So many so called aggressive, destructive dogs would have been saved from various simple to drastic steps taken by desperate owners had the owners known about the importance of exercise for their dogs.

So what is dog exercise and how does it help ?

Dog exercise is nothing special nor does it need special equipment. Any activity that makes a dog happily tired may be considered exercise. Please note the dog needs to be tired and happy NOT completely exhausted.

Depending on the breed, age, energy level and health of your dog you would need to give adequate appropriate exercise for your dog.

Benefits of exercise can be understood simply as healthy dog.

Healthy in body and spirit. Your dog would not gain unnecessary fat. His muscles would be well developed and toned. Your dog is less likely to suffer from joint and heart problems. It is important to note here that not only expenses of Vet visits may be avoided but much more importantly unmeasurable misery and pain to your dog can and will be avoided with adequate appropriate exercise. All the obesity related health problems are likely to be avoided / controlled for your dog.

Dogs who don't get enough exercise are likely to be aggressive and or destructive. If you notice your dog is getting more and more aggressive day by day check on his exercise. How and how much exercise is he getting ? If your dog is chewing away at expensive (or otherwise) furniture or other items, your dog is probably bored and restless, he needs exercise.

General Exercise for dogs. A good exercise needs to challenge a dog's mind along with his body. So what are the general types of exercise you can do with your dog ? There is no specific type of special 'must do' dog exercise. All exercise which successfully challenge a dog's body and mind are good exercise. Exercises such as fetch, catch, hide and seek, frisbee, jogging, hiking, swimming etc are generally considered as good exercises.

You would have to consider your dog's breed, age, energy level and health before starting exercise schedule with him. Generally speaking categorise your dog in the established type of dog i.e. Toy breed or herding breed or hunting breed or guard dog etc. Depending on his breed he would have natural disposition and need towards exercise. A toy breed may be exercised around 2 sessions of 30 minutes a day while a herding breeds may need a couple of around 1 to 2 hours sessions a day. A hunting breed is likely to need more. Brachycephalic breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs etc would needs considerably less. Accordingly understanding your dog is of paramount importance. Please note different dog breeds mature at different ages and you should NEVER force a dog to exercise beyond his capacity at that point in time. Overexercising your dog may cause heart and joint problems. Dogs prone to breed specific issues like hip displacya may be at high risk due to overexercising.

How much exercise is enough ? Generally speaking most dogs would start giving signals when they get tired. If your dog is starting to lag behind you, is panting heavily (usually with tongue out and hanging long..... sometimes sideways), is sitting down etc it usually is time to stop and rest. It would be advisable not to restart the session unless the dog gives a clear signal of wanting to do so.

Please make allowance for a warm up period and a cool down period. A brisk walk around the garden or local area is usually enough. Allow the dog sufficient time to cool down after a good session. Please note the dog is expected to be 'happy' and tired at the end of the session an exhausted dog means you have done too much.

You would need to pay attention to the weather. A hot sultry sunny day may be avoided. On such days you would do well to spend time with your dog indoors. Be ever mindful of the heat stroke on such days while exercising with your dog.

Exercising with your dog is also an excellent opportunity to bond with your dog.

A fit dog is a happy dog.

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