When it comes to pet food nutrition, you should always read the bag when you buy cat food. The ingredients are going to tell you if you should buy that bag of food or if you should keep looking. Meat has to be the first ingredient, or should be near the top. It should have whole grains, vegetables, and fruits (to some extent) as the main ingredients. You do not want a bag of cat food that lists corn as the first ingredient. Cats are not herbivores by nature. They are carnivores. They need meat to be healthy. Don’t buy a bag with strange ingredients that you do not recognize.

Those that feed their pets from the table should be selective about doing it. Pure meats are usually just fine, as long as they are not pumped full of sodium and preservatives. You should not eat something like this, and you don’t want your pet to eat that either. This type of pet food nutrition is about keeping it as natural as possible. Fats are good for your pet in small amounts, so don’t give them meat after you have trimmed the fat. Fat keeps them healthy and gives them a shiny coat, just to name a few of the benefits. They shouldn’t eat large quantities of it, but some is good.

There are a lot of people that like to give milk to their cats. This is not always a bad idea, but some cats do not digest it well. There is no nutritional need for them to have milk, but if they handle it okay, most cats are just fine with milk as an occasional treat. However, you may find that your cat will have diarrhea or perhaps even throw up after having milk. If this happens, don’t give them milk any longer. It is not a part of necessary pet food nutrition, so only give it on occasion if it agrees with their system.

Talk to your veterinarian about the basics of pet food nutrition if you own a cat for the first time, or if you realize you are not sure you are feeding them right. There are kitten, grown cat, and senior formulas, and they all have a different function for your cat. Some older cats may need softer food because their teeth hurt, which may be evident when they are throwing up a lot and the result is a wet pile of whole, hard cat food. Any stomach upset that happens more than once should be discussed with your veterinarian to make sure your kitty is okay.

Some veterinarians prefer raw meat for our pets. I prefer to cook the meat because of concerns over E Coli and other bacterial contamination. If you wish to use raw meat, do not use ground meat. The grinding process increases the possibility of contamination by providing more surface area for the bacteria to grow.

Canine Meat and Grain Menu

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2/3 cup Lean beef
• 2 teaspoons lard — or veggie oil
• 1/2 cup vegetables — no onion*

Mix all together. You can serve the beef raw if you use chunks of beef. Do not serve ground beef raw, the grinding process increases the chances of bacterial contamination. Use any vegetables you like. You will find over time that your dog will leave any vegetables he does not like. Mix the above. Serve slightly warm, but not hot.

Chow Chow Chicken

You must remove the meat from the bones in this recipe. Chicken bones can easily splinter and cause choking problems in dogs.

• 2 chicken thighs — or white meat
• 1 stalk celery — sliced thick
• 3 carrot — peeled and halved
• 2 small potatoes — peeled and cubed
• 2 cups rice — uncooked

Place chicken pieces in large pot. Cover with cold water (5 -6 cups). Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to water. Add salt to taste if you want. Cover and simmer on low heat about 2 hours until the chicken becomes tender. Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove soup from heat. Pull the chicken meat off the bone ( it will practically fall off), discard bones. Return shredded pieces to pot. Stir well. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

Meaty Dog Biscuits

Use beef, chicken or lamb strained baby food for these biscuits.

• 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 to 10 tablespoons water
• 2 jars baby food meat, strained

Mix all ingredients together and knead for 3 min. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a dog bone shaped cookie cutter, and place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 min.

Makes approximately 2 dozen doggie biscuits

Bacon Bites for Dogs

• 6 slices cooked bacon — crumbled
• 4 eggs — well beaten
• 1/8 cup bacon grease
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup powdered milk — non-fat
• 2 cup graham flour
• 2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup cornmeal

Mix ingredients with a strong spoon; drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cookies on baking sheet in the oven overnight to dry out.

Ace’s Favorite Cheesy Dog Biscuits

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 pound margarine — corn oil
• 1 clove garlic — crushed
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup Milk — or as needed

Grate the cheese into a bowl and let stand until it reaches room temperature. Cream the cheese with the softened margarine, garlic, salt and flour. Add enough milk to form into a ball.

Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll onto floured board. Cut into shapes and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until slightly brown, and firm.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size.

I hope that these free dog food recipes will inspire you to cook safe and healthy food for your pet.

When choosing a food or treat, check the label and make sure the first listing is protein. There are many cat foods which will use a filler ingredient such as wheat or corn instead of protein as the main ingredient. Cats are obligate carnivores, which mean that they must eat meat; no matter how wonderful vegetables may be for the health of a human being, they are not essential or even needed to maintain the health and happiness of our feline friends. Feeding a cat food that has wheat or corn as its primary ingredient can lead to health problems in the long run, including joint, skin, coat, and eye conditions. Also, it is important to remember the wheat gluten contamination that led to the recall of so many cat foods as well as multiple deaths in 2007.

Another problem with cat foods that contain corn or wheat gluten is that cats can develop allergies. If you notice that your cat is scratching more, or develops scabs around the head and neck, you will want to discuss with your veterinarian switching your cat to a different cat food that contains higher quality ingredients not found in your cat’s current diet.

Many people think premium cat foods are expensive, but in fact, because they have less filler, the cat is able to gain a full day’s nutrition eating as little as half the amount as of a lower quality food. As a result, often the cost per day is the same. The difference is, with a high quality cat food, your cat is not immersed in a diet of artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA or Ethoxyquin, animal by products, or unnecessary fillers. Removing these unfavorable ingredients makes a significant difference in the overall health and well being of your cat, improving quality of life, as well as reducing the likelihood of developing health issues and frequent trips to the vet.

Humans may eat junk food once in awhile but we surely couldn’t survive or thrive with a daily diet like this. Imagine now that we tend to feed our felines the same thing everyday. Daily feeding of junk food (which unfortunately some cat food brands are) would not be healthy for them. Sometimes we will see this manifest into a dull coat or bowel/urinary issues. Sometimes we may not see anything wrong. However, as most people know quality nutrition and proper absorption of nutrients is beneficial to over all health and the same is true for our cats.

Whether we have two legs or four, what we eat makes a difference. Avoid animal bi-products, fillers such as corn or wheat gluten, and keep your cat on a food that promotes health.

You can buy a variety of seed mixes formulated with particular species in mind such as robin or finch food. Smaller birds prefer straight foods such as millet or mixes that don’t contain fillers such as wheat or oats. If you want to attract goldfinches try niger seed – this is a tonic that has been very popular in North America for a number of years and is now starting to gain popularity in Europe.

You can feed seed mixes to birds by putting directly on a ground feeder or bird table or you can buy special seed feeders. You will find that seed feeders tend to be more economical as there isn’t the risk of seed blowing away in windy weather.

Sunflower hearts are another popular bird food as they are packed with essential energy. Although they are expensive birds will eat every last bit as there are no husks for them to discard. Black sunflower seeds are a cheaper alternative although some birds such as softbills will not eat the outer casings and you may find a lot of waste.

Peanuts are popular with most types of birds and you can feed them on a bird table or in a special peanut feeder. Choose unsalted nuts and buy them from a good supplier so they are free from aflatoxins which are very harmful and can be fatal to birds.

Never put out whole peanuts in the breeding season as baby birds can choke on them. Crush the peanuts or use a feeder so the adult birds can peck out small bits of nut for their chicks. Don’t use netting to feed nuts to the birds in your garden as their feet and beaks can get tangled in them.

Chicks need a lot of protein as they develop and live bird food is ideal for this purpose. You can buy live mealworms from many pet suppliers or garden centres of if you are squeamish dried worms are a good alternative.

You can make a variety of home made bird feeders from left over food. Cut a fresh coconut in half and smear it with peanut butter and sprinkle with seeds. Or spread some dripping over a piece of stale toast and hang outside for the birds in your garden to eat. You can make a fat feeder by filling an old yoghurt carton with a mixture of melted suet, seeds, raisins and other kitchen scraps. When the mixture has set remove the plastic casing and hang from your bird table or a branch of a tree.

Birds will eat many left over kitchen scraps such as bacon rind, grated cheese, soaked dried fruit, the fat from the roasting tin and stale cake and bread crumbs. You can also put out tinned pet food but avoid cat and dog biscuits as birds can choke on them.

Plant berry bearing shrubs and trees such as rowan or holly and wildflowers to attract insects and caterpillars which are great natural sources of food. Sunflowers are fun to grow and at the end of the growing season you can leave the heads on the plants or remove the seeds and feed to birds in a feeder or on a bird table.

Once you start feeding the birds in your garden they will come back regularly and will learn that it is an ideal place for them to bring up their chicks as there is a plentiful supply of food to help the chicks grow.

One of the advantages of a Pug rescue centre is that the volunteers and foster Pug parents take the time to get to know the dogs in their care as individuals. They can better help you get the Pug that best fits your temperament and lifestyle. They also will have worked on the Pug’s training and can help you with further training. They never put any Pugs up for adoption that have severe emotional or health problems (or at least, they shouldn’t.)

A legitimate Pug rescue group will never do or offer any of the following. They won’t offer puppies year round. They usually never have puppies at all! They also will never offer to ship the dog anywhere. You usually have to provide all transportation yourself. And they will have you fill out a long application form and then set up an interview with you rather than having you fill out an order form to be filled. Most importantly, a good Pug rescue centre will never have you pay all of the adoption fees before you meet the Pug.

You can find links to good Pug rescue centres from Petfinder.com or PugRescue.com. Both of these sites contain two of the most comprehensive lists of Pug breed rescues in America and Canada. Because dog rescues are made up of volunteers, there is no parent organization that governs them or makes them have to put up a website at all.

A good Pug rescue centre will grill you over closely with a ton of questions, background checks, home checks and application forms. They have the final say over who gets what Pug – you don’t. A good Pug rescue centre will also help you with any Pug information questions you have and can help you with training and advice long after you bring the dog home.

Be patient with Pug rescue centre people. They are usually not paid employees of any organization. They are volunteers who have opened up their home to taking in one or more abandoned Pugs, rehabilitating them and then letting them go again. Don’t rush them, and realize that you have to work around their schedules (not the other way around). The adoption process can often take months. In this way, you are reassured of getting a dog that will want to be part of your family.

Within the animal shelter community, there are two types of shelters. The first type, called “Kill-Shelters,” euthanize animals that are not adopted within a certain period of time, and/or that simply do not have a space to live within the shelter. The second type of animal shelter, called a No-Kill Shelter, has a policy not to euthanize adoptable animals. Unfortunately, there are many stray animals in America and it can become difficult if not impossible for shelters to provide temporary homes for all of the animals. This is especially true for senior animals, “bully breeds” (like pit bulls and Rottweiler’s that are not considered to be highly adoptable) and certain other dogs and cats that are considered less desirable for various reasons.

Private and not-for-profit groups have been created by animal lovers to attempt to fill the gap left by animal shelters who are simply unable to provide homes for all the animals. Private and not-for-profit animal rescues are generally funded by private donations and run by individual animal lovers. They receive favorable not-for-profit tax breaks, but are otherwise unaided by the government.

The role of the rescue groups is to take animals from shelters that would otherwise be euthanized due to lack of space or health issues, and find permanent and loving homes for these animals. No one wants to see dogs euthanized alone, without loving owners to memorialize them with pet urns or pet head stones, so these rescues are highly valued within the pet community. Some rescues operate kennels, where they house the dogs until a permanent and loving home can be found. Other rescues use a system called a “foster” system which is similar to the idea of human foster care. Volunteers take a dog or cat into their home and feed and care for the dog or cat until a suitable permanent home can be needed. The amount of time a dog stays in “foster care” varies depending on the needs of the dog. Some dogs can spend a lifetime in foster care if they have behavioral problems that make them unattractive to adopters, or if they are unadoptable for whatever reason.

Most animal rescues charge a fee for adopting a rescued dog, in order to cover the expenses they have incurred on that dogs medical care or to aid in the care and rescue of other needy pets. However, this cost is generally less than the cost of purchasing a dog from a breeder, and the personal attention that comes with the fee is worthwhile. Foster dogs who have been living with rescuers are generally trained within the rescue environment to become a good house pet. Furthermore, their temperament and mannerisms are well known to the foster family, who can then make sure the dog is a good match with their new owners. This can be really important when a family with small children needs to ensure that the dog they want to adopt is “child-friendly”.

Rescue organizations are important because they save the lives of many animals who would otherwise be euthanized. Many rescue dogs go on to live long lives in loving homes, and are memorialized in beautiful pet memorials by their owners when they ultimately pass. It has been speculated that rescue dogs bond even more strongly to their owners than puppies, because they are aware of life without a home and are thus all the more grateful for the love they receive from their owners.

As an animal lover I really hate to see dogs and other pets that can be saved but the owner just can’t spend the money upfront to save their loving friend. For the last 5 years consumers have spent 15% more each and every year on their pets. That’s 100% more you spend then 5 years ago. The cost of a good vet has risen close to this as well.

Is Pet Insurance new?

Animal insurance or most often referred to as pet insurance has been around for many years now. In fact over in the UK 1/3 to half of all people in some areas have pet insurance on their pet. Getting insurance on your pet puppy is an investment. Your dog may never get sick but if he does then the insurance will offset the cost of major surgeries. With Every insurance policy you need to do a little research. All puppy breeds and pet breads have different traits and the rate for one pet will be different then another. You need to find out ahead of time what the insurance will cover. Will it cover regular checkups? What type types of surgery the insurance will cover and hospital stays? What is you co-pay?

Insure Your Puppy or Pet When They are Young

When puppies are young or any pet you are more likely to get a better deal. If you get insurance later in the dogs life the price will be more because adult dogs are prone to more health issues just like humans. If you are looking at saving a few bucks I recommend getting insurance that does not cover the regular checkups. This normally drops the price in half. Yes you would still have to pay for the checkups but at the same time you are balancing out your costs if the pet never ends up needing surgery.

It is always best to look at the puppy insurance plan and then make an informed decision based on your life style and the puppy. Pet insurance can be very low in price and the piece of mind it will give you is great. I know I do not have $5,000 to spend on my dog if he needs surgery but the insurance will cover most of it so when and if the time comes I do not have to tell my 5 year old that we had to put his best friend down because we could not afford to save his life.

Since the dog is likely an adult by the time they are rescued they can also be highly disturbed which makes it a more difficult situation. Just keep in mind that you and the Bulldog may not always get along right away. They probably won’t respond to what you say right away since the Bulldog is a very stubborn and dominant breed. Training can take awhile especially if the Bulldog has had bad experience and bad training before coming to you.

An adult Bulldog from an American Bulldog rescue can be very difficult to train or housebreak. You may even feel like your Bulldog rescue is a completely hopeless case at times. However, you should never give up on your adopted Bulldog, just remember what the dog has been through. You can understand why they are reacting the way they do by consider what they have gone through. In fact, considering the prior conditions of the dog can also help you to gain insight into better techniques that have a better impact on the dog rather than standard training methods.

It is also important to remember that you are in a sense giving the dog a second chance at life. If you don’t put forth the effort then they will have to go to another home. Often if a dog is placed up for adoption twice it will be more difficult to find a home for them. As a result the dog can end up spending the rest of their life in a dog pound or kennel. So keep these facts in mind to help give you the motivation and keep striving to train your American Bulldog rescue.

Eventually your American Bulldog rescue will come to trust you, especially after they realize that you are the only remaining hope in their life. As a result they will start to love you just as much as you love them. This can also be considered one of the main benefits you have by adopting an American Bulldog rescue. Once the dog realizes that they have been adopted into a house with an owner that is going to take proper care of them then they will be forever grateful and loyal to you.

Although it is important to know when you should ask for help. If you find your American Bulldog rescue is too difficult to train then you should think about enrolling them in dog training classes to get help. It is always best to leave the training of truly difficult dogs to the professionals. American Bulldog rescue comes with both advantages and disadvantages, however they are about even so you need to rely on your own instincts when it comes to choosing to adopt an American Bulldog rescue.

The largest industry leader is still pet supply, and companies like PetCo and PetSmart are the leading forces, providing everything from pet foods to grooming. Companies like these have evolved because their services are based on the growth of the pet population, and our need to make our pets feel like a family member. This focus has driven the industry from a single section in discount and grocery stores into a wide range of businesses that are tailored at pampering our pets.

One of the services that have grown out of this industry are pet sitting services that will, as the title implies sit for your pet like a baby sitter sits for you children. These services can range from kennels with all the amenities that will pamper your pet while your on extended absences, to small home services that sit for your pets while your at work. The cost for the services can range from a few dollars per hour for basic sitting services to a few thousand dollars for the more posh kennel services that cater to your pets’ every need.

Then there are the specialty service that have become popular by their use in movies and television commercials, and the most recognized of these is the pet walking services. Pet walking services became popular in movies of cosmopolitan life in the inner city, and this service has grown ever since. Another popular service, but not as glamorous is the poopey scooper service, that effectively keeps our streets clean. And, with the recent laws that have been enacted regarding this issue, this service is becoming ever popular.

And finally there are services that have become popular with the growth of the internet; one type of service that is growing is the pet recovery field. This service helps pet owners recover their pets by providing a place to list their pet in advance, so when the lost pet is found, the owners contact information can be retrieved. One company that also includes a free pet identification tag with registration is RecoveryPets and this enables the finder to quickly find the lost pets’ owner by knowing exactly what site visit.

Because of these specialty services our pets are more pampered and secure, and if the pet ownership population continues to grow, we will see an increase in the number of services dedicated to our pets, and the continued growth of this multi-billion dollar industry.

So you finally went and purchased yourself a pet. One of the first things that you have to do after getting a pet you will need to locate a veterinarian to use. Typically you can go to your local phone book to find a veterinarian. However, if you have what people would consider an exotic pet such as a snake, parrot, or other animal that is not your normal pet then you will have a harder time finding a vet. For an exotic pet you might have to call your local animal shelter for who treats them or you might even consider talking to your local zoo to see if they can refer you to anyone.

For your normal pets such as dogs and cats then you will want to consider some questions before going to a veterinarian for the first time. You will obviously want to have some research questions to ask before deciding on the veterinarian to use.

The first question that I have for any new veterinarian that I would consider taking my animal to is how long they have been in practice. Granted some of the older veterinarians will be able to tell you what is wrong with your pet immediately, but the newer ones might be more up to date on the new technology. In my opinion I actually prefer a veterinarian that has been in practice for a while because they have seen more problems and know how to deal with them in a more realistic approach. By that I mean some of the newer veterinarians will only have the book learning without all the real life solutions that the older veterinarians have found work better than the book response.

The next question that you will want to ask is how the appointments scheduled. For instance you will want to know if you wake up one morning and your dog is vomiting will you be able to get him seen or will you have to wait a week before being able to be seen. I know our veterinarian that I use is very flexible on his scheduling and is able to fit you in the same day typically for a sick animal. You might also want to find out what the walk in policy is as well.

The third question that I always ask is what is the after hour’s policy for contacting the vet or do you get referred to an animal hospital that will want to see you and your pet before giving any advice. I know that the vet that I use will give you a voice mail number to call to get a hold of him and then he calls you back typically this is within several hours of calling. If you are able to find a veterinarian that does that then you might be able to help save yourself some money by asking him the question rather than having to go to an emergency animal hospital.

All of these are my top three questions that I ask any new veterinarian office before allowing my dogs and cats to become a patient of theirs. Now I have found a veterinarian that has all of the above questions answered in a way that I found acceptable. I know that he is a great veterinarian and will be able to help my animals in any illness that they encounter for some time to come.