It doesn’t matter who you are once you have a pet it quickly becomes a part of the family and even the most mucho person falls in love with his pet. That is why taking proper care of your pet is essential especially when children are involved.

You see I went for many years without a pet as I couldn’t handle getting attached again only to see them die. As a young child we had many pets and most met some tragic end or another.

One of our dogs for example escaped our backyard and got hit by a car. I have seen numerous dogs die this way in my travels. However in our case we really thought we had a securely fenced off backyard however it wasn’t to be.

Of course this places special emphasis on having proper dog fencing and for your kids sake and for your pets sake make sure you do a quality of job of securing your yard so that your pet can not get out.

One of the most heartbreaking things I went through as a kid was losing a dog to distemper. The dog had been our family for years and was muched love by us all however it tragically got sick.

We of course took it to the vet who told us our beloved pet had distemper and that it would die. We did everything we could to save that dog. I still remember it laying in front of our big wood heater in our lounge room.

Our dogs weren’t allowed in the lounge room normally but this was a special case. We spread out a rug on the floor, stoked the fire up, had blankets on the dog and basically patted it and talked it almost non stop.

However the vet turned out to be correct and the dog died after about 5 or 7 days. I don’t think any more could have be done in a serious situation like that however this little story again illustrates the importance of proper pet health care.

Make sure you have a good vet and follow the vets advice. Sometimes your animal might need worming or some other simple thing that can save its life and your family from sorrow.

Of course I have dwelt on some of the negatives of owning a pet however I have come to realise that some of my most precious moments growing up was with the pets I had grown fond of and the events that took place makes us who we are today. Older and wiser we can make sure we take premium care of our pets.

Allan Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/even-mucho-people-love-their-pets-133581.html

It’s been said that dogs are man’s best friends, and that’s perfectly shown in our societies today. Not only are dogs given expensive dog foods or gourmet dog treats, they’re also showered with a lot of fancy accessories.

Before, dogs used to sleep on the cold hard floor, but now, comfortable and soft beds for dogs are made available in the market. What’s even more amazing is that manufacturers are coming up with more dog accessories ideas such as Halloween costumes, dog toys and even dog sweaters to keep the dogs warm during winters.

The ordinary dog collars are slowly being replaced with something fancy. If you think dog collars are still those boring pieces of leather with a hard buckle attached on them, then you should try to visit a few pet specialty shops.

The mall has a wide collection of fancy dog collars. Now, collars come in different shape, color and size to suit the taste of the finickiest dog owner. They could even be made out of different materials such as nylon, leather, suede, metal and fabric.

Different designs are also available. No matter what your preferred design is, you’re sure you could find one to match your dog and fit your taste. In fact, it’s possible for your dog to wear a collar that perfectly matches whatever it is you are wearing. Examples of beautiful patterns of dog collars are polka dots, crystal, mink, bone, denim, crocodile prints and even Victorian.

If you think these collars are fancy, then you probably haven’t seen a dog collar attached with adjustable buckles, speakers, reflectors and RFID. A dog collar can even contain a GPS device so you can locate your dog wherever it goes. Now, just how fancy is that?

There are also lighted dog collars which can help keep your dogs safe. If you usually bring your dog outside for a walk at night or during foggy days, these lighted collars will enable you to see your dog even if it’s half a mile away. Usually, these illuminated collars run with an ordinary watch battery, and are weather- and shock-resistant.

There are also fancy dog collars which are highly personalized. Most of them are made-to-order. If you want a beautiful dog collar that comes with beads or small letters spelling your dog’s name, you can just order online.

Some manufacturers would even allow you to personally your dog’s collars. So if you have a great idea on how a collar should be made for your very special pet, then you should try to give your local pet shops a visit.

But dog manufacturers didn’t stop there. They know that dog lovers are not reluctant to spend a few hundred dollars just to accessorize their dogs, thus, they took full advantage of this. The most exquisite dog collars have probably been designed.

There are collars which are made of expensive materials like gold, platinum and silver. With precious gemstones such as sapphires, rubies and crystals embedded on them, these collars are more of jewelry than a dog collar.

Gone are the days when dog collars are simply just name tags. Dog collars also speak of the dog owner’s fashion and style preference. In addition, these dog collars are just one of the ways you can show how much you value your dog.

With such fancy dog collars available, it’s make you wonder if the dog itself is able to appreciate such extravagance. Well, whether the dog appreciates these fancy dog collars or not doesn’t really matter. What really matters is that you, as a dog lover and your dog’s best friend, were able to get your dog a fancy collar he deserves.

And if you’re feeling a bit more extravagant, you might even consider giving your dog other dog products like a throw blanket or dog totes. Do you know that the dog accessories industry is becoming a multi-million dollar industry? And that’s because of the numerous dog lovers like you who would probably spend a fortune for your pets.

That’s also one of the reasons why dog owners are the easiest people to find gifts for. Dog owners shower their dogs with so much attention, that you can’t possibly go wrong if you get them something for their pets. So don’t stress yourself too much thinking on what gift to give them.

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/give-your-dog-some-bling-with-fancy-dog-collars-90317.html

I personally do not advocate for commercially prepared dried pet food diet. From the pet food recall incident, we know that dogs today get sick from cancer, diabetes, liver and kidney diseases at a young age and most died suffering from the onset of the illness. The pet food recall exercise have just confirmed my thoughts about pet diet does contribute and play a major role in their health condition today.

Thus, we cannot ignore the fact that commercially prepared food is a cause of these recent pet health issues. Cook for your pet today instead if you can. Check out my previous article on quick and easy way to prepare home cooked meals. Alternatively, you may visit my site to sign up for regular newsletter on FREE tips on health care for dogs at www.dogcarezone.com If you are unable to provide for homemade natural diet or BARF, here are my suggestions on selecting and doing the best you can with your kibble options for your dog.

• Select from specialty shop like your local pet shop rather then buy from supermarket. This option is most convenient for working adults however, much consideration must be put into selecting premium dog foods to ensure quality food source goes into preparing the food.

• Select only brands that has meat sources listed as first two ingredients in the list. Look out for words like human-grade food source or organic. Avoid brands that list grains as their main source of protein, meat meals and by-products, dyes, artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin and propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is known to cause bloat and anemia in dogs.

• Do your research on dog food brands that you are feeding. Talk to dog owners who purchase the same brand as you and observe if their dogs are healthy and coat is looking good.

• Choose premium brands from specialty store and perform some basic research on the source of meats and food source of the brand you choose.

• Consider cooking and making a little extra fresh foods for your dog’s daily meal and let this little extra be about 30% of your dog’s diet. Very simply, just include in your dog’s kibble diet cooked meats with some pulp vegetables and eggs instead of just dried food or canned foods. This will not throw the diet out of balance and your dog will have a more palatable and healthier meals.

• Add enzymes to their meals. Cooked food or kibble diet do not contain enzymes which is responsible for breaking down the food properly. You can consider feeding aloe vera juice with the kibbles. Aloe vera juice is a natural plant full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Take note to purchase pure aloe vera juice from health food store, not those aloe vera drinks found in supermarkets.

• Enzymes are also found in fresh fruits daily (just a little portion a day (AVOID all citrus fruits, avocados, grapes and raisins), if you feed your dog one meal a day, feed them fruits for their second meal)

• Canned Dog Food vs Home Cooked Meats

• Personally, most canned dog food usually contain some preservatives and/or salt. Though some preservatives are natural, but we have to ask ourselves. If eating canned food daily is not a good for us humans, logically, it is unhealthy for your dog as well. Canned food is a very convenient option and can be used occasionally when you are in a rush or your dog is in boarding. But on a regular basis, avoid giving your dog canned food everyday.

• If you would like to make your dog’s meals more palatable, cook a pot of minced/chopped meats with olive oil, add some minced vegetables and eggs. Freeze a week’s worth of cooked food in portions of 3 days worth. Defreeze as and when you need so you can mix with dry dog food. It will save you a lot of preparation time if you do in bulk but most importantly, you have prepared a much more healthier and wholesome meats for your dog. It is also a cheaper option compared to canned food.

For more precious health care tips for pets, visit my site and subscribe to the newsletter today! www.dogcarezone.com

Veronica Eng @ www.dogcarezone.com/blog

P.S. No amounts of the information should be duplicated in any website, ebooks or books without the author’s permission. Email to info@veronicaeng.com if you want to do so. Alternatively, include the author’s website www.dogcarezone.com as a reference site to your book or article. Thank you for your kind cooperation.

Veronica Eng
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-select-commercial-pet-food-a-quick-and-easy-guide-125832.html