Cleaning and Whitening Your Dog’s Teeth

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by Kevin Pederson

Whitening of a dog’s teeth has a lot to do with oral hygiene. It can be very important to maintain the same for your dog since dogs tend not to bother with this as such. Over time, yellowing and decay of the teeth would be only natural if one does not attend to the same. Brushing a dog’s teeth may seem strange and downright unnatural, but it is a very important and often overlooked step. More than a simple case of looks and wishing for whiter teeth, oral care would be important for the dog’s health as many problems can be stemmed if the dog has an established dental hygiene routine.

One would also have to bear in mind that there are differences when it comes to dental care for a canine. Your dog should learn to adjust to you carrying out an oral hygiene routine from the time of being a puppy so as to learn to accept the process. There are special brands of toothpaste that have been formulated keeping dogs in mind and it would be preferable to use these when attempting to brush the teeth. If there is a problem with staining of the teeth, look for special brands catering to dogs which specifically deal with whitening of the teeth. In most cases, simple regular brushing, depending on the dog breed, would be adequate. Talk to your dog’s veterinarian about establishing a dental care routine at home and looking at measures to help keep the dog’s teeth healthy. It is also important to exercise caution and to get the puppy used to the idea of cleaning and sitting still for the process.

It would be of utmost importance to take the dog for dental care to a veterinarian as well, since he or she can perform a much needed cleanup using the tools available. A cleanup is something a regular dentist would perform on you which would take care of a layer of buildup, which can be detrimental for your dental health. Similarly a cleanup for a dog would ensure that the layers of buildup are eliminated and it would take care of a lot of the staining. This would be true in case of regular home dog dental care as well as visits for a cleanup. Getting the stains out if already severe can be a tedious process and would often require a professional to get the job done.

About the Author:

Kevin Pederson, authors web content for http://www.diethealthclub.com a complete online resource featuring diet, health and fitness. This article is focused on helping you plan for new year resolutions for healthy diet plans

Some Foods Are Bad For Dogs

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by Bonnie Dye

Do you feel guilty eating a snack in front of your dog? If so, you’re not alone. After all, we wouldn’t do that to one of our kids, and our beloved pet is just as much a part of the family. Nevertheless, there are some foods you need to make sure your dog does not eat.

When you think about the wide range of things your pets might nibble on – from dirty socks to kitty litter – it’s easy to believe there’s very little that will make them sick. However, your seemingly indestructible pet can be experiencing many internal issues that don’t show up on the outside for quite a while. Some issues only become noticeable when the problem has become extremely serious.

Here are some foods that will make them sick and can cause permanent harm, so avoid these at all cost.

First – CHOCOLATE This is one of the worst foods for your dog because their systems are unable to digest it. Those yummy brownies or a bit of your pick-me-up candy bar will make them sick and can cause major health issues.

If you absolutely can’t resist giving your dog a chocolate treat, white chocolate is the least harmful, while dark baking chocolate is the most dangerous.

Second – GRAPES and RAISINS Once while dieting, I convinced myself that grapes and raisins are candy, so I still eat a lot of them. As a human they’re very good for you, and although they may seem like something that would be harmless to your dog, they’re not.

Consuming grapes or raisins can cause your beloved pet several issues, including kidney failure. At the very least, this seemingly harmless food could result in an emergency trip to the vet to have your dog’s stomach pumped.

Third – ONIONS In most cases dogs don’t really like onions, but if they get hold of one (even in another food) make sure you call your vet right away. This root vegetable will cause your dog to have major digestive issues.

Although these are the most dangerous things for your dog to eat, these are by no means the only items to avoid.

Here are a few other items that should be kept away from your pet:

*Avocado (including the fruit, skin, seed, leaves and stem) *Macadamia nuts *Garlic *Leaves and stems of potatoes, tomatoes and rhubarb These foods are toxic to your dog’s gastrointestinal system and will cause severe digestive problems and potentially kidney failure.

These items can cause your pet to have labored breathing:

*Caffeine *Eggplant *Moldy foods (why do they eat those things??) *Tobacco products

In general, be aware of what your dog is eating at all times. Just as you would for a child, the best way to keep them safe and healthy is to make sure they don’t have access to foods, garbage, chemicals or any objects that could be harmful to their digestion.

It’s ok to give your dog a treat once in a while as long as you know what ingredients are used. Look for all natural products to give your pet the best, and at the same time avoid any health issues.

About the Author:

About the Author: Bonnie Dye has raised, trained and cared for dogs and cats for over 30 years. She is the co-author of “What Your Pets Want You to Know”. To get your free report, “Secrets to Happy and Obedient Pets” go to Free Pet Care Tips.

Buying Your Dog a Gift

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Let’s face it, dogs love getting gifts!  They’re no different from people in that respect. However, purchasing the right dog gift can sometimes be a real challenge for pet-owners.

The bond between you and your pet is a very special one.  When you make your dog happy, doesn’t it make you happy?.  Presenting an unexpected gift to your dog can make any day feel like Christmas morning!  No matter whether you have a new puppy or you want to surprise a friend and their pet, purchasing a special dog gift is one of the pure joys of being a dog-owners.

So what to buy?  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Dog Treats.  You can never EVER go wrong with treats.  We’ve yet to meet a dog who doesn’t enjoy devouring a yummy dog cookie or dog biscuit from time to time.  There are lots of healthy edibles on the market to choose from, or you might even enjoy making your own treats from scratch.  Do a quick internet search, and you’ll find many recipes for homemade dog treats and dog food.  Most of them are easy and inexpensive to prepare, since many of the ingredients are things you may already have in your home.

2. Dog Toys.  There is nothing a dog loves more than being presented with a brand new toy!  Make sure the toy is appropriate for your dog’s breed and size.  Your little chihuahua probably won’t get much use out of a Kong Extreme Dog Toy (made for canines weighing over 30 pounds).  By the same token, if you give your energetic German Shepherd a little plush toy, he will no doubt enjoy it for five minutes before it’s ripped to shreds!  It’s very important to pay attention to quality when purchasing a dog toy, and more times than not, it’s worth the few extra dollars to buy a toy that’s better made.

3. Doggie Attire. Okay, it’s true that dogs may not enjoy wearing a festive holiday sweater (and who does?). And yes, some silly dog costumes are simply for the owner’s entertainment.  However, you might consider some more practical applications of canine attire.  There are dog-sized raincoats which make walking in a drizzle more comfortable for your pet.  There are also fleece wraps that can keep your dog warm and dry on a cool fall morning.  If you’ve just welcomed a new puppy into your home, you should get him accustomed to wearing stylish fashion in his early years.  This will make it easier to keep him comfortable for years to come.

4. Dog Collars.  For something a little different, consider purchasing a new collar or lead for your dog.  There are hundreds of styles on the market to choose from… go festive or more conservative, just make sure it’s a design that will be comfortable for your dog to wear all year.  Whatever style you choose, your dog will appreciate it.  And you, the owner, can show it off every time you’re out and about with your pet.

5. Your Time.  This may seem like an obvious choice, but many dog-owners take for granted how much pets enjoy spending time with their owners.  Even though life can be hectic, try to take at least 30 minutes or an hour to give your dog some one-on-one quality time.  Play fetch in the backyard, or take him for a leisurely walk, or hop in the car and drive to the nearest doggie park.  It’s all about spending time together.  And of all the suggestions mentioned in this article, TIME SPENT with your dog is probably the best gift you can give him!

Make your dog feel special the way in the same way that he makes YOU feel special!  You don’t have to until Christmas or a special occasion to lavish your pet with gifts.  Any day will do.

And if you’re looking for a dog-themed gift to get yourself, check out our huge selection of needlepoint dog breed pillows.  We’ve got hundreds of beautiful and unique items tailor-made for dog lovers… like you!

We’re Blogging Now!

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Welcome to our first blog posting!  Wow, I guess you can say we’ve officially entered the big wide arena of that modern phenomenon known as Social Media!!  In the coming months, we’ll use this blog to bring you a bunch of dog-related articles, pet-owner tips and suggestions, humorous musings, and perhaps even a few nifty gift ideas for the canine lovers in your life!

No doubt about it…. we LOVE dogs here at Kissed By Dogs.  And if you’re reading this blog right now, it’s obvious that you love them as well.  We’re extremely happy to have you as our customers.  Any friend of “man’s best friend” is a friend of OURS!

We’re always happy to hear from you.  If you like what we write on here, feel free to leave us a comment.  And please follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get daily updates on what we’re doing!  Just click the Facebook and Twitter Icons below this posting to go to our pages.

More to come!!!