101 Dog Care Tips - Tip 1 - Oral Care for Your Dog

101 Dog Care Tips - Tip 1 - Oral Care for Your Dog

We are starting a new blog series called 101 Dog Care Tips today which will hopefully benefit dogs and owners alike.  If you have any suggestions that you would like to see a tip on, please let us know.

May dog owners overlook the value and importance of oral care when getting a dog and seldom include it in their pets routine maintenance like regular grooming.  Dogs are like people in that the more their teeth are brushed the better their oral hygiene will be!  Adding this habit to your dogs maintenance regiment can add years to their life, keep their breath fresh, and alert you to any potential oral related problems early.

Many experts agree that owners should brush their dogs teeth about 3-5 times per week to keep them in optimal shape.  Many pet stores sell dog friendly toothpaste and brushes that are specifically designed to accomplish this task.  Failure to do this can lead to periodontal disease, and the sad fact is that 7 or 8 out of pets at their time of passing suffer from some stage of this disease!  Make sure that when brushing you don't use your typical toothpaste (it can be harmful to dogs), but instead buy dog specific toothpaste or you can make your own with baking soda and water.

There are also many kinds of new supplements out now that you can add to your dogs water which will help in oral hygiene and reduce the natural build up of plaque, however, as a natural dog treat and chew company we recommend keeping it as simple as possible.  Bully Sticks are also great when chewed because they become soft and act as a sort of natural floss.

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Spotlight on a Breed: Dachshund

A reddish-brown Dachshund

Weight: 16 – 28 lbs (11 lbs for a miniature)

Height: 10 – 15 inches

Coat: Smooth, Long Haired, Wire (least common)

Color: Red is dominant, but also black, faun, brown, chocolate, tan. Can be tri-color or dapple as well as solid color.

Appearance

Dachshunds are long bodied (which is why they are often called "weiner" dogs) and muscular. Their hair can be smooth, long, or wire. The wire hair Dachshund is the least common, and is often mistaken for another breed. Their eye color is typically dark, though lighter Dachshunds can have lighter eyes, and dapple colored Dachshunds are known to have different colored eyes (heterochromia).

Temperament

Dachshunds are playful, fun dogs with a propensity for chasing small birds, small animals, and balls with great ferocity. They are quite clever and rarely shy (considered a poor trait if they are). While not shy, they can be wary of unfamiliar people and may bark or growl at strangers until they get to know them. Fairly energetic, it is not unknown for some to be sedate, but they can become destructive if bored, so keeping them stocked with chew toys like toys and bully sticks is a good idea.

They may or may not be good with small children. Some will avoid children, whereas others will be fiercely loyal to them as family members. However, due to their back problems, small children should be taught to be gentle with them, and you may want to avoid having small children around them

Health

Dachshunds are prone to spinal problems, especially Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD) due to their long spinal column and short rib cage. They can also be prone to Patellar Luxation, a condition where they knee doesn't move along the joint correctly. Dapples are prone to blindness and deafness.

Famous Dachshunds and Dachshund Owners

Andy Warhol (artist) – Archie and Amos

Kevin Smith (film maker) – Shecky

Pablo Picasso (painter) – Lump

Odie – Garfield comics and movies

Slinky – Toy Story and Toy Story 2

Schatzi – That 70's Show

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Abacus Dog Treats

Abacus Dog Treats

We are pleased to bring you a new line of dog treats that are sure to be a hit.  These Abacus products come in several different varieties!  The different varies include, chicken and banana, chicken and kiwi, chicken and pineapple, in addition duck and banana, duck and kiwi, and duck and pinapple.  In addition to only being a two ingredient product; the protein source and dried fruit piece, they are enhanced with some great sources to help contribute to healthy joints and overall energy.  These great additions include; glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3, vitamin E, beta caratene, barbary wolfberry fruit, chrysanthemum, and black sesame.

For those of you who have pooches that are fans of our duck and sweet potato or chicken and sweet potato, these are just as exciting and will be a similar experience for your pooch.  They come in a 4 oz. resealable package and are great for just your everyday treat or for training treats.  They also have a great smell, which works well for the most picky of eaters.

As always, be sure to check out our bully sticks and other all natural dog treats!

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Spotlight on a Breed Great Pyrenees

Spotlight on a Breed Great Pyrenees

Weight:  From 85 pounds

Height:  25 -32 Inches

Coat:   Outer coat is straight or slightly wavy

Color: solid white, or white with patches of tan, wolf grey or pale orange

Appearance

The Great Pyrenees dog conveys the distinct impression of elegance and unsurpassed beauty combined with great overall size and majesty. He has a white or principally white coat that may contain markings of badger, gray, or varying shades of tan. He possesses a keen intelligence and a kindly, while regal, expression. Exhibiting a unique elegance of bearing and movement, his soundness and coordination show unmistakably the purpose for which he has been bred, the strenuous work of guarding the flocks in all kinds of weather on the steep mountain slopes of the Pyrenees.

Temperament

The Great Pyrenees is a capable and imposing guardian, devoted to its family, and somewhat wary of strangers - human or canine. They are often used to guard livestock. When not provoked, it is calm, well- mannered, and somewhat serious. Courageous, very loyal and obedient. Gentle and affectionate with those he loves. Devoted to family even if self-sacrifice is required. It is very gentle with its family and children.

Health

The Great Pyrenees, like many larger, purebred dogs, is prone to hip dysplasia, a degenerative joint disease related to arthritis.  In addition, because of their long, thick coats, they can be prone to heat related issues if in warm weather for too long.

Famous Great Pyrenees and Great Pyrenees Owners

None to be found
Thank you for following our latest blog post, for all natural dog chews and dog treats like bully sticks make sure to checkout our shopping section!

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Some Simple Dog Training Advice

Some Simple Dog Training Advice

Having a dog as a pet brings a great deal of satisfaction and happiness for millions of owners and their families, but training a dog is essential if you are to fully enjoy having a dog and if the dog is to enjoy life with you.

Training methods vary greatly but there is one underlying principal they all share – positive reinforcement.  With positive reinforcement you are seeking to reward the animal every time they do what is being asked of them; the command is “Sit!”, the dog obeys and receives a reward or praise – this is positive reinforcement.

Techniques which involve physical punishment or intimidation are ineffective when it comes to training a dog and you should never hit your dog as though this may produce a short term association of pain or humiliation with an unwanted behavior it is terribly damaging to the relationship you have with the animal.  Your relationship with your dog is vital when it comes to training; your dog looks to you for leadership and views you in doggy terms as the leader of the pack; they look to you for companionship, food and shelter but they are also looking to you as their leader and provider of the standards to which they must conform.  When you hit your dog, you are damaging this perception and the animal is less likely to respond positively to you in future and a scared dog is not an animal you want around you or your family.

Positive reinforcement requires patience on the part of the owner; training your dog is a process and not something that will produce immediate and instant results.  Over time your dog will learn the concepts you are trying to teach but where there is a failure or the animal appears to be learning at a slow pace, it is frequently the owner who is actually the root cause of the issues.

When dog training is carried out, we are not actually training just the animal – we are training a team comprising the owner and the dog, and more often than not, the owner is the one failing in the training program.  Professional dog trainers do not take on a dog directly and train them as a rule, instead, they train the owner in how to train the dog as after all, it is the dog will be looking to the owner for leadership and commands in future and not the trainer.

A dog can also be trained at any age however, the sooner training commences the better; the old saying “You cannot teach a dog new tricks!”, does not hold true but it is more difficult to train an animal that has grown and become accustomed to a different set of rules to work and live by.  Dog training should commence while the animal is still in the puppy stage and can commence as soon as the puppy has been weaned and left the mother.  Start the training process with simple behaviours for the dog to learn – sit and heel, are two good ones to start off with.  Make the activity fun and not just fun for the dog but fun for you too and remember this is not a chore and don’t treat it as such as the dog will very quickly pick up on your cues; every dog will closely look at their owner and take everything in and they will very quickly learn your moods and your personality traits.

Lastly we always recommend dog treats and chews like bully sticks as training rewards as they are a great reward an will naturally keep teeth and gums healthy!

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