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7 Vitamins Your Dog Needs for a Healthy Lifestyle

July 26, 2020 by Mandy

Dog parenting is a blessing that offers you the opportunity to enjoy blissful moments with your cherished pet. You obviously leave no stone unturned to keep him healthy and fit as much as possible. Being a responsible and caring dog owner, you want to ensure a healthy lifestyle to your beloved pet and must be wondering whether the food you are giving him can meet his demands for the essential nutrients or not. With the shops infesting with human multivitamins, you may think if they are also beneficial to the loving up. With the growing age, canines may also face physical issues, like humans, and need a supplement regimen to be included in their diet depending on their specific health condition. Do dogs need joint supplements? Do we need to give them dietary multivitamins? Well, dogs need supplements, and while supplementing their nutrient intake, you need to get one that contains some essential nutrients.

Essential Vitamins to Ensure a Healthy Lifestyle

Vitamins are equally significant for dogs and humans, and you need to ensure a balanced diet to fulfill this need. To help you out, we are mentioning 7-necessary vitamins for canines so that you can have precise knowledge about how they help maintain balanced nutrition.

These essentials include:

Vitamin A

Have you ever noticed a pup with dull hair and rough skin? It is a sign of a lack of nutrients in his diet. More specifically, it indicates vitamin A deficiency. After digestion, this nutrient is stored in the liver’s fat cells, and the dog’s body uses it when needed. It is a vital element that ensures a healthy coat and supports the dog to grow well. If your pup’s body lacks this nutrient, he may face night blindness. Giving Vitamin A contained diet is a must if your dog is pregnant to ensure normal reproductivity. It also helps muscle growth and neurosurgical improvement in puppies.

Vitamin B

This nutrient’s family plays a very significant role in canines’ health and ensures a strong immune system.

A deficiency of thiamine in your pooch may slow his carbohydrate metabolism and affects his central nervous activities.
Vitamin B12, Niacin and Riboflavin act as the coenzymes in some significant biochemical reactions. They play a vital role in protein synthesis and help produce red blood cells.
Feeding vitamin B, particularly thiamine, keeps the ticks and parasites away from the dog.
Folic acid takes part in the metabolism in amino acid spurs protein synthesis.
Vitamin B6 helps keep the nervous system functioning, produce erythrocytes, maintain hormonal balance, and boost his immunity.

Vitamin C

It is a significant antioxidant that boosts cognitive development in your dog and improves his immune system to minimize the chances of diseases like cancer. It limits the harmful free radicals and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. The pooch’s body needs it to produce neurotransmitters. Moreover, puppies need a significant amount of vitamin C for bone and muscle growth.

Vitamin D

Also called ‘sunshine vitamin,’ it gets generated by the canine body when he comes to exposure to the sun. Vitamin D regulates the body’s calcium level and ensures muscle and bone development. Canine’s nervous system also needs vitamin D to work properly. It manages calcium and phosphorus ingestion from the bowel and regulates its amount in the bones. It also controls how much calcium the kidneys will eliminate. A deficiency of this nutrient may lead your canine to suffer from cancer, congestive heart collapse, and create bone diseases like rickets, osteomalacia, etc. An optimal amount of this nutrient ensures healthy joints, skin, and coat in your dog. But excess of this fat-soluble nutrient can also be fatal and produce intoxication.

Vitamin E

Again, it is a fat-soluble nutrient that acts as an essential antioxidant to preserve the fatty acids and blood cells of your pup. It improves the dog’s immune system by decreasing the damaging free cells and boosts his cardiovascular health by improving blood circulation through the blood vessels and heart. It helps his skin maintain its elasticity and improves his coat condition. Vitamin E is a vital element to boost productivity, delay cognitive age, and combat many diseases.

Vitamin K

It is a fat-soluble element that acts as an activator to spur the process of blood clotting in your canine. The deficiency of this nutrient may cause excess bleeding because of the failure of the fibrin coagulation configuration. Your pet may face hemorrhaging or even death if distinct mouse poisons get ingested into his body. These poisons hinder the nutrient’s activities, and the dog cannot use it for blood coagulation. He may also suffer from infiltrative intestine illness, intrahepatic cholestasis, biliary obstruction, etc.

Choline

It is another essential nutrient to maintain your pup’s healthy lifestyle and a vital part of the cell membrane. It embodies carnitine from the digestive system, supplies enough energy to the liver and brain, and helps them function properly. Choline is also used as a therapeutic element to treat epilepsy in canines and cats. The deficiency of choline may lead your pup to Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD).

You may have to give your dog vitamin supplements if his food fails to fulfill the requirements in distinct conditions. They are the vital building blocks to keep your pup healthy. But before feeding any supplement, you must consult your vet to avoid any potential risk.

Why Pet Product Reviews Save You Money

June 10, 2020 by Mandy

How do you buy products for your pets? Are you an impulsive buyer? Do you happen to walk by a shop, see something you like and then you just have to have it? If this is you, then you must have all kinds of excuses to get all kinds of unnecessary things. It doesn’t matter if that collar is expensive, it will look absolutely wonderful on your dog, right?

Speaking of collars, you might use a few tips on how to choose the right one: https://blog.dogids.com/what-collar-does-my-dog-need/

On the other hand, you might be one of those people who think too much about whether they should buy a particular tool, toy or food product for their pet. After thinking about it for far too long, you will eventually give it all up, because something new, better and improved has entered the market. Then, you’ll start thinking about buying something new, better and improved, but you’ll have no luck this time either, because you’ll never go further from thinking about it.

Even if you are in the second group, you still have to spend some money on your puppy, at least to get the minimum and bare essentials. I suppose your problem is not money as much as being unable to make the right decision about what you should buy. You’d think that a person like this would probably save some money, but that’s not the case. This indecisiveness can actually lead towards overpaying for certain things after realizing that it’s high time to buy your doggie that collar or something similar.

At that moment, you stop thinking altogether about which product to choose and you are ready to pay any price just to get the burden off your shoulders and finally own the thing that your puppy needs. Oh, the marvelous psychology behind shopping. How astonishingly complex and yet amazingly simple it is. No matter how much or how little you think about your purchasing decisions, you will eventually end up paying a huge price.

There is a simple way, though, to win that battle of wits between you and all the effective ads that are so cunningly and subtly inviting you to spend your hard-earned money. There is a way to come out as the winner and walk away with the perfect products for your four-legged friend without spending a small fortune. All you need to do is find a few websites offering dog reviews and dog product reviews. Those will turn you into a smart shopper in no time and save you a significant amount of money. Let’s see how.

Reviews Tell You Which Products To Avoid

Just as it is important to know what to buy, you also need to know what to avoid buying. There are all kinds of dog products on the market nowadays. Frankly, some of those are a complete waste of money, since they are absolutely unnecessary and pointless. What’s even worse, some of those things might be harmful for your puppies. No manufacturer will tell you openly and straightforwardly that their product might impact your dog negatively.

Do you know how you can find out that without the manufacturer telling you directly? I assume the answer is rather obvious. By reading dog product reviews, you will know exactly which manufacturers and which products to avoid. I am fairly sure that you don’t want to waste your money on unnecessary or even harmful equipment. By telling you what to avoid, reviews will definitely save you more than a few bucks.

Reviews Tell You What Is Reasonable And What Is Expensive

Let me ask you a question and I want you to answer sincerely. Of course, you’ll be answering to yourself, but that’s exactly why you need to be completely honest. Can you really tell if something is expensive, or do you just go buy your guts? I am inclined to think that you do have a perception of some kind about what is expensive and what is reasonable. Who can tell you, though, that your perception is correct?

It can really get difficult to determine which dog products are expensive and which are reasonably priced, especially if you don’t have much experience with buying these. Reviews can significantly help you. The people who write them are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to this market. That means that reviews will help you avoid getting ripped off by certain sellers. You will be able to get everything at reasonable prices.

Reviews Tell You What You Need And What You Don’t Need

One of the main ways in which you lose money is by buying things you don’t need. In this case, it’s by buying things your pets don’t need. Let us be honest here. We all have those moments of thinking that something is absolutely necessary, buying it and then storing it away without using it even a single time. In an effort not to miss out on the perfect product, we end up buying a lot of useless things.

When you start reading reviews, you will find out when and why certain products are used, which will help you determine whether you actually need it. That way, you will save a lot of money by not buying unnecessary pieces of equipment. When you think about it this way, the best way to shop is by getting yourself familiar with specific products first and you can do that by reading reviews.

Pets After Retirement Can Make You Really Happy

February 21, 2020 by Mandy

Do you want to know a sure-fire way to put a smile on your face? Go to an animal shelter and adopt a cat or dog. Getting a furry friend will bring you lots of joy and make you healthier during retirement. Read ahead to find out how.

Finding Your New Pet a Home

Sometimes, retirees have a hard time finding a new home that allows them to bring a dog or cat with them. Many condominiums are not pet-friendly, asking that tenants leave their pets once they sign the lease. Apartments and other types of rental units also try to prohibit applicants from bringing pets — this is illegal, but it doesn’t stop many landlords from trying.

Luckily, there are quality residence homes for seniors that understand how important pet ownership can be, allowing people to move their furry friends into their suites. A pet-friendly living-space can be hard to find, but it’s out there.

How Will Pets Change Your Life for the Better?

They Improve Your Mental Health

Having a pet is good for your mental health. It can actually prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness. Owners don’t have to worry about having an empty home or yearn for physical affection.

There’s a reason why pet therapy (animal-assisted therapy) is considered an effective method of reducing stress, alleviating pain and producing endorphins.

They Improve Your Physical Health

Pets can increase your physical fitness, too. Research shows that owning a dog decreases your risk of having a heart attack by 11% and decreases the risk of dying due to cardiovascular-related conditions by 36%. Dogs have lots of energy, so owning one encourages you to keep up. You have to get off of the couch to take them out for long walks and trips to the park. If the trip is too far, you can always tire them out with a quick round of fetch in your backyard, using a tennis ball or squeaky chew-toy.

Are you a cat person? That’s not a problem. You can leash-train your cat so that you can take them on nice walks to the park. If that doesn’t work, there are plenty of specialized strollers and bags that can help you bring your feline friend out for a stroll. And on days when the weather is rough, you can play with them indoors. A simple piece of string or a laser pointer can entertain them for hours.

They Incite Social Interaction

A pet can also be a great way to meet new people. People are far more comfortable approaching strangers walking dogs, seeing if they can pet them or learn their names. If you’re shy, your dog can help you become a social butterfly.

If you’re not sure whether you want to commit to buying a pet just yet, you can always foster one for a trusted organization. You can take care of them for a month or two, and then decide if you want to make them your official pet. The best-case scenario is that you’ll bond with your new furry friend and get to keep them for the rest of their life.

4 Things You Need to Consider Before You Buy Your Family Pet

January 22, 2020 by Mandy

Buying a pet is a big decision, and not one that you want to take lightly. This is especially true when you are looking for a family pet. Buying a pet for your kids can be a life-changing decision for you all, as long as you pick your pet carefully.

Below are 4 things to consider when deciding on your family pet.

The Division of Labour

Lots of children are very eager to have their own pets. Many of us can remember our own childhood and the burning desire that we felt to have an animal companion. However, while children may love the idea of having a pet and playing with it, they are usually a lot less enthusiastic about the actual work involved in looking after the pet.

If this is the first pet that your family will have owned, it is important that your kids understand that having a pet is a responsibility and that pet owners have a solemn duty to take care of their animals.

Obviously, some animals are much higher maintenance than others. If you buy a dog, then you are going to need to work out a schedule for walking it and feeding it every day. However, if you decide to start with something smaller like a goldfish, which doesn’t require so much effort. And then, of course, there are cats, who are more or less capable of looking after themselves¹ – but you still need to make sure you feed and water them.

What you don’t want is to find yourself in a situation where you are now responsible for a pet, but simply don’t have enough hours in the day to actually look after it. Do your homework beforehand and make sure that you choose an animal that you will be able to look after properly.

The Environment They Will Be Living In

Some pets will spend most of their lives confined to an artificial habitat of some sort. For example, if you are thinking of getting a reptile, then you will also need a vivarium tank to keep it in. Similarly, a hamster or gerbil will have a special cage that it will spend most of its time in. For these pets, all you need to do to provide them with a suitable environment is buy the correct equipment.

Other pets, like cats and dogs, will need to roam around. This can complicate things depending on your living situation. If you live in a detached house with plenty of garden space for a pet to run around in, you don’t need to worry so much. However, if you live in a block of flats and don’t have access to a garden, then you will need to consider how you will provide your pet with the exercise that it needs.

Of course, lots of people successfully keep cats and dogs while living in blocks of flats, but if you are going to be in this situation, then you need to have a clear idea of how and where you will exercise your pet.

Your Available Budget

Money is always a key consideration when you are making a big family decision. The budget available to you will determine what kind of pets you can realistically keep in your home.

Remember that the costs of owning a pet go beyond the initial price that you pay for the animal. Naturally, you will also need to provide food for the animal and in some cases, you will also need to provide it with new bedding every now and then, like with a hamster, for example².

These costs can be low, but they are also recurring. Over the course of a pet’s lifetime, these small costs can rapidly accumulate. It is therefore important that you sit down and carefully cost your pet plans.

One thing to consider when you are costing up your pet plans is whether you are going to take the plunge on insurance or not. Pet insurance will cover some or all of your pet’s medical bills should they need veterinary care. If you are thinking of buying a cat or dog, both of which can live for a decade or more³, buying pet insurance could save your family a lot of heartache down the line. You can buy pet insurance for cats and dogs through websites, where you can also find information that will help you weigh up the pros and cons of going with either maximum benefit or lifetime insurance.

It’s a Wonderful Experience

Provided you carefully consider your choice and ensure that you are emotionally and financially prepared for the demands of pet ownership, being a pet owner is a wonderful experience. Your children can learn some of the most valuable lessons of their lives through pet ownership. They will learn about the responsibility that comes with looking after another living creature, as well as learning about the species itself, and, ultimately, how to process the grief that comes with the death of a pet.

Owning a pet isn’t always easy, but it is an eye-opening experience. If you choose the right pet, then before long, it will be another member of the family – you won’t be able to imagine life without them.

5 Awesome Charity Gifts for Cat Lovers

June 9, 2019 by Mandy

When shopping for gifts to give cat lovers, consider giving back for a cause. There are several online shops run by groups that work for the welfare of cats. Consider purchasing over sites that need financial assistance to feed cats, provide shelter for stray cats, and seek a loving home for them. You can also support brands that give a toy or food to shelter cats with every purchase.

1. A loving cat memorial

For a cat lover, saying goodbye to a feline friend can be as painful as losing a family member or a confidante. When you learn about the passing of a friend’s cat, consider giving a gift in memory of the cat. A limited edition memorial bracelet can be a way to express sympathy over their loss.

You can also create a collage using photographs of the cat owner and the loving feline. A hand-crafted angel sculpture lovingly embracing a cat is also a wonderful way to treasure memories with the feline buddy.

2. Cat rescue

If you can, volunteer some time at a pet shelter feeding and playing with shelter cats. You may also learn how to care for kittens as well as senior cats. Your friend will surely be delighted to know that you volunteered or even adopted one of the senior tabbies or kittens.

If caring for a cat in your home is too much of a responsibility for you, there is still a way you can help in the efforts of rescuing cats. Second Chance Movement™ Necklace is a lovely accessory for cat lovers. They can look at it and know that you cared to save cats in high-kill shelters. Every purchase of this necklace funds 5 miles of transportation of threatened cats to safe areas.

3. Cat activity mat

Consider looking into the replacement warranty of a product before you buy it. My Feline Buddy found a brand that donates activity play mats to charity when possible.The brand has a 100% brand new, never used, and never touched by a pet policy which gives the consumer peace of mind that the product is free from parasites that can be passed from cat to cat through products.

You may also be thinking of giving cat gear as a gift for the cat lover. So be sure to check out the same policy for a cat bed or pet kennel as well.

4. Cat toys

Giving gifts to entertain cats will surely make the cat mommy and daddy happy. Consider toys that will be challenging to our cats like food puzzles and multi-level cat toys. This should encourage mobility in cats and take their mind off boredom.

Some companies give a toy to a shelter cat for every purchase of their cat toys. The options are plenty. You can buy a feather wand with bells, a catnip-filled sushi box, and the list goes on.

You can also look into the daily essentials such as purchasing a bag of organic cat food. Some brands donate a bag of cat food to pet shelters for every purchase you make. Organic cat food is also something that cat lovers don’t always buy due to price. Gifts like this will make not only our cats happy but shelter cats as well.

5. Cat donation

If your cat-loving friend has a favorite charity group for cats they support, it is wise to give a donation to such charity. Consider making donations on their birthday or on holidays as a gift. Several cat lovers ask for donations or volunteer time to a chosen shelter in lieu of birthday presents. Donations can also be made in tribute of a cat lover or a cat that passed away.