Thanksgiving Dog Treats You Can and Cannot Feed

Above photo courtesy of KTW Wraps and Knotless Hair Wraps

With Thanksgiving just right around the corner maybe we should review what we can and cannot feed our dogs as Thanksgiving dinners and treats. It is common for dog owners to want to indulge their dogs to extra tasty foods during holidays just as they do as humans. There are plenty of choices you can share with your dog. Just mark off "turkey bones" as a starter as these are NOT safe treats for Fido. Turkey bones can cause damage to your pet's digestive tract so avoid this treat altogether. 

Dogs can enjoy the great taste and nutrition of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are full of dietary fiber, vitamin B6 and Vitamin C as well as beta-carotene. A point to remember is NOT to give sweet potato treats containing extra ingredients. Try a simple dehydrated sweet potato chew.

How about plain potatoes? These are fine to give as a treat, however, give only boiled or baked potatoes. Do not add butter, sour cream, salt or pepper and always give this treat in moderation. Too much of a good thing is never a good thing for Fido.

Apples are a great choice as they are full of vitamins A and C plus lots of fiber making them a healthy and excellent Thanksgiving treat for your dog. Cut up apples into bite size slices.

Turkey meat, but no bones or skin is fine to give to your dog. Green beans is another good choice. Of course not all dogs like green beans, but if your dog does enjoy eating green beans, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to offer this treat. The key to feeding green beans as a dog treat is to leave out added ingredients like butter and spices.

Pumpkin is usually readily available during the Thanksgiving holiday. Feed canned pumpkin, not the pie mix. Canned pumpkin as a dog treat is great for digestive health and the dog's skin and coat.

You don't have to leave out dessert for Fido. Many dogs have a sweet tooth. Go ahead and satisfy that sweet tooth with something like frozen yogurt.

Do not feed your dog the following at Thanksgiving or anytime during the year:

• turkey bones, skin or gravy
• stuffing
• casseroles
• mashed potatoes
• creamed peas
• chocolate in any form like in cookies, pies or sweets, especially chocolate containing xylitol 
• alcoholic beverages
• raisins and grapes
• onions, scallions and garlic
• ham
• yeast dough
• fatty foods
• foods containing spices

Precious Names for Chihuahua Puppies

Above Photo Courtesy of Las Vegas Tiny Chihuahua

So you decided to get a Chihuahua puppy. Now you have to choose a name. The best names are chosen to reflect the dog's personality and of course for you to be able to remember when you call for him. 

What are some of the personality traits of a Chihuahua? Well, in general the Chihuahua breed is loyal and loving toward their owners. They are usually full of tenacious spirit, one of those big dog minds in a small dog body kind of dog. They fit into small spaces making them perfect for apartments. If you bring home a Chihuahua puppy get ready for lots of love, lap sitting and snuggling and oh I almost forgot, "big laughs." Chihuahuas can be extremely comical. 

Getting back to the name. Naming your new Chihuahua puppy is when the real fun begins. Here is a short list of names you might consider for your little friend in body, but big friend in spirit and mind along with what they might mean to you and your new puppy.

If you decide on "Alpha," which can be for a boy or girl it might be because you sense your little Chihuahua possesses great power. This is a name having Greek origin translated into English meaning "beginning."

I think "Charlotte" is a cute name for a female Chihuahua puppy. It means petite in French. If you feel like your new puppy is quite fancy and one that will rule the family with fancy costumes and cuteness, Charlotte may fit the bill for the you.

Faye is another good name for a female Chihuahua. It is of French origin and means loyalty, confidence and trust, which pretty much describes the basic personality of a Chihuahua. Spell this name just a little different like as "Fay, Fae or Fey" and the meaning can refer to a fairy-like mythical creature which also describes the look of a Chihuahua.

Let us look at some boy names. Griffin means "strong lord" and is of Welsh origin. Think of a mythical creature that is half eagle and half lion who will guard his valuable possessions and treasures such as YOU for one when you name your puppy Griffin.

The name Mar-teeny can be for boy or girl. Think of a playful pet with just the right amount of humor.

I like the name Ruby for a Chihuahua puppy simply because when you think of "Ruby," it makes you think of something precious and of great treasure. A red chi would be nice to carry the name of Ruby.

Whatever name you decide upon make it fun and something that reminds you of your puppy's personality or place in your life.

Camp Fire Tips for Safely Camping with Your Dog

Above photo courtesy of KTW Wraps and Knotless Hair Wraps

Do you like to camp? Your dog may enjoy camping right along with you. In this article read how to camp out safely with your dog by your side.

Healthy dogs can sit near a campfire. Practice a few precautions and all should go well. 

Place your dog a safe distance from the fire while it is burning. Sit Fido "upwind" so flames and ashes cannot reach him. Provide fresh water at all times and be sure he cannot access the fire pit. 

Watch Fido for sign of agitation that may indicate he is not tolerating the camp fire well. If Fido does not enjoy being near the fire don't force him. Many dogs like to sit farther away or to relax inside; dogs can be cautious of open fires.

Puppies, senior dogs and dogs with short muzzles may be more easily irritated by fire and smoke and are best kept inside or far away from the fire.

Watch for signs of smoke inhalation from the campfire. If the smoke irritates you it is most likely irritating Fido as well.

Time to call the veterinarian for possible smoke inhalation is when you notice Fido is:

• wheezing or has loud breathing
• dog becomes weak or experiences disorientation
• dog starts to cough
• dog has trouble breathing
• reduced appetite
• reduced thirst
• red eyes
• excessive tearing or blinking
• pawing at eyes

First Rule of Breeding

Above photo courtesy of KTW Wraps

Animal nutritionists agree that your dog's body condition before mating has an impact on the reproductive cycling success. 

A thin female may not cycle normally. An overly thin female may have limited ability to conceive as without proper nutrition the uterus and ovaries are less active. The nutrient of fat is required to form healthy eggs and later baby puppies. If the eggs are not healthy the puppies may be of low quality and will even be less likely to develop into puppies.

An obese female further complicates conceiving and carrying a pregnancy to term. Obese females have more pelvic fat which prevents puppies from easily passing out of the pelvis. Obesity can also decrease conception rates.

The first rule of successful breeding is a high quality diet given in the right amounts. Feeding should be adjusted based on maintaining ideal body condition for the pregnant female. Ideal body condition during pregnancy is having appropriate muscle and fat balance. You should be able to feel her ribs, shoulder blades and hips.

From 0 to 21 days of pregnancy feed a normal amount of her regular complete and balanced adult dog food. From day 22 to 42 gradually increase the amount based upon the female's demand for more food. From day 43 to 64 day feed one and a half times more food than before pregnancy in small feedings throughout the day. During the final two weeks of pregnancy your female will usually demand more food and you should feed her in several meals a day as she desires to eat.

Therefore the first rule of breeding is feeding your female a high quality dog food in the amounts laid out in this article.

Dogs Love the Taste of Pumpkin: Pumpkin Treat Recipe

Above photo courtesy of Zyana Shih Tzu

Fall is setting in. I love the Fall season. The fall season reminds us of all things "pumpkin." Did you know most dogs also love the taste of pumpkin. Pumpkin for dogs also offer health benefits. Try these treats when your dog is constipated; they should help relieve the constipation.

When you offer your dog the special taste of pumpkin be sure you give only canned pureed pumpkin and not the pie mix that has added sugar and spices. You don't want to feed treats that will add calories and weight to your dog.  Always give treats in moderation.

Try some frozen Pumpkin Dog Treats. I bet your dog will absolute love these.

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions: Mix pumpkin and yogurt together in a bowl (easy peasy). Divide the mixture evenly into ice trays or molds. Freeze for 24 hours. You can either leave these treats in the ice tray or molds or you can put them into a freezer bag for storage.

Cleaning Tear Stains and Some Possible Reasons Stain Occurs

Above photo courtesy of Extreme Chinese Crested

White coated breeds like the Bichon especially at some point in their life may develop tear stains underneath their eyes. Other colors of dogs can also develop stains. Muzzles and between the toes can be a place where stain accumulates. Why does this happen and how do you clean them?

Causes might be:

• health problems
• shape of the eye
• blocked tear ducts
• teething
• ear infection
• allergies of any kind 

If your dog just suddenly develops stains after being free of them you might first consult your vet or a veterinary ophthalmologist to see if there are underlying health issues as the cause. After finding out your dog is healthy, in this article explore a few tips and suggestions to hopefully restore and maintain a beautiful white or light colored face. Not only white coated breeds develop tear stains; other colors do as well; it is just more noticeable on the white coated dogs.

The problem might be the food you are feeding. Check the ingredients of food you are feeding. If it contains corn, wheat and meals used as fillers in dog food, you may have found the cause of tear stains on your dog. Switch to a higher quality brand of food and see if this improves the condition. You need to feed a high quality dog food anyway to avoid other health issues.

If after switching foods you still notice tear stains examine the water your dog drinks. Is the water full of excess minerals? If so, this can cause tear stains. Try using purified, distilled or reverse-osmosis water. 

I recommend using glass water bottles. As your dog dips into a water bowl, this can cause stains around the mouth.

Daily eye and mouth cleaning goes a long way in keeping stains away. Flush the eyes daily with a canine eye wash. You can also get eye wash wipes made especially for dogs to rub underneath and around the eye. 

Try a do it yourself solution for cleaning such as one tablespoon boric acid powder boiled in one cup of distilled water. Make a fresh batch weekly and keep this in the refrigerator. 

Try using 3% hydrogen peroxide on a paper towel to wash the muzzle hair and around the toes; don't use this around the eyes, and be careful to not get into the mouth.

My favorite product is Eye Envy. It is a little expensive, but works very well. Use the solution to clean each day and use the powder afterward to catch whatever falls after cleaning. 

Keep the hair around areas that stain trimmed.

Some Dog Safe Cold Summer Treats for Your Dog to Enjoy

Above photo courtesy of Cathy Tucker from KTW Wraps and Knotless Hair Wraps

Dogs love sharing your cold treats in summer time weather. It is always tempting to give your dog the last bite of anything you are eating. They are certainly standing in excitement waiting for that one last bite of whatever you are eating, however, what you eat is not necessarily healthy for your dog to eat. Ice cream especially is a cold treat that actually can be hard for dogs to digest because of the milk and cream ingredients. Ice cream might even give your dog the runs as well as can put unnecessary pounds on the dog.

This does not mean you have to leave your dog out of a cold sweet treat in summer months. There are other treats you can feed.

You can turn any dog safe liquid treat into a frozen treat. Just pour the dog safe liquid into ice cube trays and freeze, then give your dog a cube or two whenever you want. Consider something like a no salt added beef or chicken broth treat for freezing.

You can also fill dog hollow rubber toys with the liquid, block the openings before pouring in the liquid with a hard treat such as a dog cookie to use like a cork or plug up the holes with peanut butter. Stand the toy upright in freezer until the liquid is ice.

Instead of ice cream treats try blending frozen fruit with plain unsweetened yogurt. Watermelon is safe for dogs as an ice cold treat. See if your dog likes cantaloupe chunks as these are another good safe choice for cold treats in summer months. Feed these sweet treats in moderation. Always remove the rind.

You can cut the fruit into bite size chunks removing seeds as you go. Place the fruit in freezer for at least four hours until frozen. Try spreading the chunks out on a cookie sheet or in a freezer bag to prevent them from freezing into one single clump. Once you have frozen fruit, put it all in a food processor blender. Add 1/4 cup of plain, unsweetened yogurt for every 2 cups of fruit. Blend mixture until smooth adding fruit and yogurt until you have the thickness you desire. To feed, place in a bowl or stuff into hollow rubber toys and serve immediately.