Puppies need greater amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates than an adult dogs. Furthermore, puppies need more frequent feeding schedules in a day, unlike an adult dog. The movement based requirements of diet are more in the case of puppies, since they are often more active than the adult dogs.

Elder dogs need restricted protein but the protein needs to be easily digestible and easily assimilated in the body. The diet schedule should have ample supply of water for them. Feeding aged dogs too much protein may finally lead to over burden to the renal structures and ultimately, the dog may end up damaging filters in the kidney.

This is true especially when the immune system of these dogs is compromised due to many factors. Similarly, the elderly dogs need less food only because the movements of the adult dogs are highly restricted and hence, they have to spend a limited of energy.

Female dogs in the pregnancy stage need not be fed a full stomach since it may cause some discomforts to the animal. However, the pregnant animal and the nursing animal need special type of food items that deliver a balanced type of nutrition with proper supplementation of vitamins and minerals.

The nursing animal with puppies need to be fed with enough amounts of calcium and hence, there will not be any calcium based deficiency and the bones of the puppies will be strong without any curving.

In nearly all parts of the world traces of a dog family local to an area are found, the only exceptions are the West Indian Islands, Madagascar, the eastern islands of the Malayan Archipelago, New Zealand, and the Polynesian Islands, where there is no sign that any dog, wolf, fox, or any other member of the canine family lived as a true indigenous animal. In the old Oriental countries, and generally among the early Mongolians, the dog remained uncared for and untamed for many ages, hunting in packs, skinny and wolf-like, as it prowls these days through the streets and under the walls of every Eastern city. No attempt was made to allure it into human companionship or to improve it into docility. It is not until we come to examine the records of the higher civilizations of Assyria and Egypt that we discover any distinct varieties of canine form.

Grant Carroll is a very proud father of four dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with a great selection of Dog Clothing.

Before you make your reservations and bring Fido on the plane with you its important to take certain steps. You first need to ascertain if the airline you are using will allow the type of pet that you have on board and what procedures must be followed that will allow your pet to travel on that particular airline. The rules can vary from airline to airline so don’t assume that since you traveled with your pet on one airline that the procedures are the same for a different one.

Before you head to the airport you will probably need to stop at the vet’s office. Many airlines required evidence that your pet is in good health and is properly vaccinated. This is for the safety of all the animals that will be on board with yours. You certainly wouldn’t want to put your healthy pet in the same area of a sick one that could share its disease so it’s only fair that you prove that your own pet is healthy.

It is also important to ask the airlines what type of container will be required for your pet and then make sure that you have the right one. If your pet is small, it may be allowed to come on the plane with you but will have to be properly contained in a carrier that is small enough to fit under the seat and not block the aisles. This is not a common practice that is allowed because it would be impossible for airlines to determine if any of the other passengers may have allergies to your type of pet or breathing problems that does not allow them to be around furry animals.

Ask your veterinarian if it would be appropriate to give your pet a mild sedative in case they become afraid or anxious on the plane. This might help them to spend the ride in a calm state instead of a fearful one. When you leave for the airport, make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to board your pet. With today’s emphasis on security, the security personnel may need to check your pet’s cage for dangerous items such as a bomb or anything that might cause danger to the plane.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as pet medication at http://www.petmedicationandsupplies.com

Redness and discharge from the eye can potentially be serious. Eye problems left untreated may cause long-term damage to the eye.

When preparing to train your puppy to do what comes naturally outside, rather than inside, it’s very important to understand that dog’s are habit animals. Everything they do as they grow older is born from habit, the choice the dog owner has is whether the puppy is going to create it’s own habits or if the habits are going to be taught.

Another important factor to keep in mind that until after three months of age a puppy cannot physically control the muscles needed to keep from going, it just happens. To overcome this in the early months, take the puppy out often or confine your puppy to an area of the house where it’s easy to clean up any messes. Be sure to keep the area the puppy stays in clean; it can be very difficult to train a puppy to go outside if he or she can smell the scent of urine inside.

Once the puppy is old enough to start the housebreaking process, it is vitally important to remember one of the major keys to training a puppy is promptness. When you display your disapproval for an action the puppy has taken, the puppy relates that disapproval to whatever it is doing at that exact moment.

For instance, if you come by a few minutes after the puppy has done it’s duty on the floor and do your scolding, the puppy will not relate the scolding to the duty but to either the mess itself or whatever he or she is doing when you come along. Thus, all that will happen is your puppy will become scared and not learn a thing about the housebreaking you are trying to teach.

The easiest way to handle this process is to actually catch the puppy in the act of going inside. Yes, the way is easy but doing it can be quite difficult because there is no set timing or pattern to when a puppy my have to go.

At the times you are able to catch your puppy in the act of relieving him or herself in a place you don’t want this to happen, scold the puppy appropriately and take him or her to where you would like them to go. Wait there with the puppy until nature takes hold again then be prompt and very passionate with your praise.

To housebreak a puppy will take time and patience on the part of the owner. With that being said, with proper timing of the scolding and the praising it will indeed happen.

Matt operates the site A Happy Dog - all about the dogs http://www.ahappydog.com

Anal Sac Disease is common in small dogs but rare in large dogs. It occurs when the anal sacs become impacted, infected, abscessed or neoplastic (abnormal tissue formation).

Impaction is when the anal gland fluids become too thick to be easily expressed.

Infections will result in the production of a yellow or bloody pus-like substance.

Abscess around the rectum area will become swollen and will be hot and tender to the touch. If the abscess erupts it will produce pus and blood.

The anal glands are two tiny sacs located inside the dog’s bottom. They are believed to be scent glands because they accumulate a fluid substance that, when released, produces a strong, foul odor.

The sacs are packed with a thick and pasty brown substance which, when secreted, is like a thin ribbon. This substance can be expressed (released) as a thin ribbon only with a great amount of pressure usually produced by the act of defecating.

The anal fluids may fail to naturally express during defecation. When dogs defecate the fluid from the anal sac generally releases leaving the scent of the dog on his stools, thereby identifying him to other dogs.

If the dog is obese he may have poor muscle tone and may not have the ability to cause the release of the anal sac fluids on his own. If the dog is unable to express the fluid himself, it may have to be done manually by the owner or by a veterinarian.

The retention of these fluids can lead to bacterial overgrowth, infection, and inflammation of the anal sac area. Signs of anal sac fluid retention are pain while sitting, scooting or dragging the rear end, licking or biting the anal sac area and pain during defecation.

If your dog is showing any of these signs have your veterinarian examine him to see if the sacs are impacted. If there is Impaction and the fluid is not expressed, the glands could rupture. Your veterinarian may choose to manually express the sacs or, if the area is infected, he may choose to flush the sacs and fill them with antibiotics. Surgical removal of the sacs is also possible on dogs with chronic problems.

Diagnosing the problem is usually done by a digital rectal examination. If the sacs are found to be impacted, they can be manually expressed but must be done very gently. While some dog owners prefer to express the glands themselves, it may be best to have your veterinarian do the procedure.

Generalized seborrhea or the production of glandular hypersecretion may also cause the retention of the fluids.

Round worms or tape worms may also cause your dog to scoot his bottom or bite at the area around the rectum.

Allergies to flea bites can make the area around the rectum itchy.

Article written by JD Hutchinson www.dogbreedcenter.com

Information for this article is from a number of sources including the Merck Veterinary Manual, Ninth Edition, and Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.

Copyright © 2006 Is Your Dog Anal Retentive? This article may be reprinted on the condition that the writer’s name and web address are prominently displayed, and left intact.