This weeks Munchy Monday treat review is of Pet Botanics Training Reward Treats. These little treats are great for working on new tricks with your puppy.
I would recommend these treats for medium to large dogs if you are working on fast repetitive training. They are bite site but may take an extra chew for a smaller dog. The treats are nice and moist so big or small your puppy will be ready earn one of the delicious morsels. You will also be able to break these treats in half if you really need to for an even smaller size.
They come packaged in a bag with the resealable zip lock feature on the top. This helps keep the treats fresh and moist. The bag also makes for easy grabbing if you don't have a treat training pouch. Be sure to check that it has a tight seal before putting them away. The plastic zip feature can be a bit tricky if not lined up and pressed firmly.
Our pups give these treats 3 paws. they love the taste, which comes in 3 different flavors. They also love that they are bit size and get more than one.
Do you want to give these treats a try, for Free? At the end of every month we will randomly select a winner to receive a package of one of the treats we reviewed that month. To enter simply subscribe to our blog and post a comment every Monday that month about the review.
Food Safety Tips
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
One big concern for many owners is what dog food to buy for their pet. We all care about our dogs and want them to be happy and healthy. We also worry about what treats to give them and what they may eat around the house that they think is a treat. It is important to look around for things your puppy might mistake as something yummy to eat that may actually be harmful.
Because there are so many different dog food brands out there I have a few tips to help you pick the right one for your pet. It's important to look for a food that will match up well with your dog. If you have a puppy then buy a puppy formula to help your puppy grow. As they get older you can switch to an adult brad dog food. Talk to your veterinarian to figure out the right time to switch your dogs diet.
When you do decide it's time to make the switch remember it is important to mix the new food in slowly over the next week to help your dogs stomach adjust to the new food. Switching your dogs food to fast may cause bowel problems or cause your dog to vomit. This is also important to remember when switching dog food brands. A gradual switch will help your dogs digestive system switch over to the new food better.
When choosing wet or dry food there are some important things to consider depending on your dogs breed. Some dogs are at a high risk for bloat. This is when extra air is trapped in the dogs stomach and makes it hard to breath and can cause it to twist. (If this happens seek a veterinarian's help right away.) There are some things you can do to help prevent this in breeds that are at a higher risk. the first one is to do a food test one night on the dry dog food brand you are going to give your dog. Fill a bowl with the dry food and add a cup of water to it; let it sit over night. In the morning you will be able to see how much the food has expanded. This is the approximate size it would be in your dogs stomach. If it expands to much you may want to consider a different dog food brand.
Other things you can do is feed your dog smaller meals instead of one big meal a day. You can also mix canned dog food with dry to help moisten the food before your pup eats it. If your dog eats to fast he can ingest a lot of air as well. Try and train your dog to eat slower or by a food dish that encourages slower eating.
The last option I have for you today is home made dog food. Remember that you can always cook food for your dog and store it so that your dog can eat as healthy as you. If you don't want to do this full time consider it as a once in a while treat for your pet. Many foods can be great for your dogs skin and coat. If you choose this option be sure to check out what foods are ok for your dog to eat. There are some items that can be poisonous to your pup. I've listed some foods to avoid below.
Because there are so many different dog food brands out there I have a few tips to help you pick the right one for your pet. It's important to look for a food that will match up well with your dog. If you have a puppy then buy a puppy formula to help your puppy grow. As they get older you can switch to an adult brad dog food. Talk to your veterinarian to figure out the right time to switch your dogs diet.
When you do decide it's time to make the switch remember it is important to mix the new food in slowly over the next week to help your dogs stomach adjust to the new food. Switching your dogs food to fast may cause bowel problems or cause your dog to vomit. This is also important to remember when switching dog food brands. A gradual switch will help your dogs digestive system switch over to the new food better.
When choosing wet or dry food there are some important things to consider depending on your dogs breed. Some dogs are at a high risk for bloat. This is when extra air is trapped in the dogs stomach and makes it hard to breath and can cause it to twist. (If this happens seek a veterinarian's help right away.) There are some things you can do to help prevent this in breeds that are at a higher risk. the first one is to do a food test one night on the dry dog food brand you are going to give your dog. Fill a bowl with the dry food and add a cup of water to it; let it sit over night. In the morning you will be able to see how much the food has expanded. This is the approximate size it would be in your dogs stomach. If it expands to much you may want to consider a different dog food brand.
Other things you can do is feed your dog smaller meals instead of one big meal a day. You can also mix canned dog food with dry to help moisten the food before your pup eats it. If your dog eats to fast he can ingest a lot of air as well. Try and train your dog to eat slower or by a food dish that encourages slower eating.
The last option I have for you today is home made dog food. Remember that you can always cook food for your dog and store it so that your dog can eat as healthy as you. If you don't want to do this full time consider it as a once in a while treat for your pet. Many foods can be great for your dogs skin and coat. If you choose this option be sure to check out what foods are ok for your dog to eat. There are some items that can be poisonous to your pup. I've listed some foods to avoid below.
- Alcohol
- Moldy foods (If you don't eat it then your dog shouldn't)
- Coffee (grounds and beans) and tea Tea (caffeine)
- Candy (chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol)
- Onions and onion powder
- Salt
- Fruit seeds and pits
- Avocados
- Grapes, Raisins
- Macadamia nuts, Walnuts
- Mushrooms
- Yeast dough
- Potato leaves and stems, Tomato leaves and stems, (green parts)
Munchy Monday Review - Nature's Recipe
Monday, September 21, 2009
Today is Munchy Monday here at the Puppy Culture blog. We are going to start reviewing food and treat related items for your pup every Monday.Today's review is about Nature's Recipe Training Treats for Dogs. These little meat shaped treats are perfect for training your puppy. Both our dogs love these treats. As soon as we reach for the can they are sitting at our feet ready to show us what they can do.
The size of the treat is perfect. We give our Ausie a whole one and it only takes one or two quick chews and he's ready for the next trick. For our little Pom we are able to break it in half because they are nice and moist. He gets a half a treat for every command he gets right. He can chew a whole one, they are not that big, it's just that it's much faster with a half a treat. Plus it lets us practice a little longer without disrupting his food plan for the day and it makes the treats last longer.
The container has a twist top and the large ones have a flip lid on the top so that you can easily pop it open and grab a treat. The tight lid also helps keep the treats moist and yummy. You can grab treats directly out of the can or pour a few into a training treat pouch for even faster grabbing.
Overall Puppy Culture gives these treats 4 paws. These treats are bite size, come in a container that keeps them fresh, and our dogs LOVE them! Oh and did we mention they are a good price too. You can find these wonderful treats at your local pet store.
Do you want to give these treats a try, for Free? At the end of every month we will randomly select a winner to receive a package of one of the treats we reviewed that month. To enter simply subscribe to our blog and post a comment every Monday that month about the review.
Who gets the Pets
Thursday, September 17, 2009
When a couple, married or dating, brakes up they have to decide who gets the pets. This can be a very difficult situation if the pet was adopted during the relationship and both parties equally care for the pet. If the dog was your before you started dating then it's obvious that you should get the dog if you break up.
I was reading a news article posted by Fox news yesterday about Jon Gosselin sending his dogs back to the breeder. (You can read the news story here.) He mentions in the article that he thinks it's Kate's fault that he has to give up the dogs because she doesn't take care of them while he is away from the home. He also doesn't think his kids can handle the dogs. I'm sure with so many young kids it's hard to supervise them %100 percent of the time. Adding 2 puppies to the mix is a LOT of work.
I think it takes everyone in a house doing their part to care for a dog. I feel though that he could have taken them with him. If he really cares about the dogs he could have moved them to where he is staying in order to take care of them all the time. Also his oldest girls who were really excited about getting the dogs would be able to see them and still learn to care for them. I would imagine that it was hard for the kids as well as the dogs.
This case is unique in the fact that they opted to give up the dogs and it seems neither party wanted to keep them. I usually hear about a couple splitting up and fighting over who gets custody of the dog. It's important to remember that this break up doesn't just effect you it also effects the dog/pet.
What's your dogs story? Did you and your dog have to go through this as well?
E-mail puppyculture@gmail.com with your dogs story and tell us what happened.
I was reading a news article posted by Fox news yesterday about Jon Gosselin sending his dogs back to the breeder. (You can read the news story here.) He mentions in the article that he thinks it's Kate's fault that he has to give up the dogs because she doesn't take care of them while he is away from the home. He also doesn't think his kids can handle the dogs. I'm sure with so many young kids it's hard to supervise them %100 percent of the time. Adding 2 puppies to the mix is a LOT of work.
I think it takes everyone in a house doing their part to care for a dog. I feel though that he could have taken them with him. If he really cares about the dogs he could have moved them to where he is staying in order to take care of them all the time. Also his oldest girls who were really excited about getting the dogs would be able to see them and still learn to care for them. I would imagine that it was hard for the kids as well as the dogs.
This case is unique in the fact that they opted to give up the dogs and it seems neither party wanted to keep them. I usually hear about a couple splitting up and fighting over who gets custody of the dog. It's important to remember that this break up doesn't just effect you it also effects the dog/pet.
What's your dogs story? Did you and your dog have to go through this as well?
E-mail puppyculture@gmail.com with your dogs story and tell us what happened.
Featured Dog - Satchel
Friday, September 4, 2009
The new dog of the month for September is Satchel. His owner should also be noted as owner of the month for this cute story. I quoted directly for most of it because he did a wonderful job telling his story.
I was starting a new job, with a new apartment in a new town, and on top of that with a new puppy... Since I now had a tiny roommate I decided that he should have a tiny room of his own. With that in mind, I turned the guest bathroom into a Boston Terrier sized master suite... I took the door stop off the bathroom door and duct taped towels to the floorboards and cabinets to prevent any unwanted chewing. Then I covered the tile with "piddle pads" recreating the most luxurious puppy bathroom one could imagine. After placing a bed, food, water, and several chew toys inside, it was time to fortify the entrance.
I erected a baby gate over the opening in the doorway and securely fastened it into place. Duct tape was then used again to reinforce the gate as I figured it was better to be safe than sorry when trying to keep the fury Houdini behind bars. After twenty minutes I climbed over the miniature plastic fence and stood back to marvel at my accomplishment. Admittedly, my puppy compound wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing design as scraps of duct tape littered most of the bathroom walls. However, what it lacked in stylish design it made up for in fortitude. I had successfully recreated a tiny Fort Knox that would hold even the most terrible of Boston Terriers.
Feeling overly confident I hoisted the little trouble maker over the fence and plopped him gently onto his bed. Smiling to myself, I challenged the little fellow to do his worst. My eyes were met with a confused look from the tiny prisoner as he struggled to comprehend why his new environment strongly resembled the inside of a space station. I gave him a little pat on the head and then scurried off to work.
After reading this part of the story I was very impressed with his puppy suite. having to leave a puppy home while you go off to work or even to the store can be a challenge. No matter what room you put them in they usually find a way to chew on something. It still amazes my sometimes that they fin mop boards and the floor to be so entertaining. duct taping the towels down around the edges is a great idea and if they do get board they rip that off and not the walls. Back to the story though. :)
Amidst a busy day of orientation, timesheets, and sexual harassment seminars, my mind wondered back to the puppy sitting in the bathroom. I suddenly began to feel anxious and I envisioned myself returning home to find the entire apartment in shambles and a hole in the back door shaped like a Boston Terrier. A few deep breaths later I felt better and I reassured myself that both the puppy and my security deposit would be safe thanks to my precautionary measures. I took every conceivable scenario into account and was certain that I would be able to outsmart a two month old puppy.
Upon returning home I felt anxiety creep over me again as I fumbled with the key in the door. I pushed my way inside and hurried to the guest bathroom. As soon as I turned the corner into the hall I was immediately met with confusion. I stared dumbfounded at what could only be described as a scene from a Robert Frost poem as my hallway and bathroom had been covered in what appeared to be a thick blanket of snow. Upon further examination I discovered the "snow" to be nothing more than tiny shreds of toilet paper. The entire hallway and bathroom looked as if it had been victimized in some horrible Halloween prank.
There was bath tissue in the hallway, in the fence, stuck to the walls, and covering every inch of the bathroom floor. I stood there in awe until a little whimper from inside the bathroom caught my attention. In the middle of the two-ply carnage sat a wide eyed puppy with a piece of toilet paper clinging to his nose. Once I saw how adorable he looked I realized that I wouldn't have the heart to scold him. So I swallowed my pride and humbly spent the next forty five minutes picking wet clumps of toilet paper out of the carpet.
As frustrating as it can be sometimes with a new puppy it is great to have that kind of attitude when these things happen. It's funny because I myself have overlooked the TP in the bathroom only to find it later completely unwrapped and flooding the bathroom. It's not to bad to pick up and if it kept your puppy busy while you are at work then it's a good thing. I would much rather pick up scraps of TP than have to pay to replace flooring or mop boards.
Remember if you have a new puppy to make sure you check their play pen area for hazards to them and also things that they might damage. It's important to provide a safe place for your puppy while you are away. Try not to get to mad at the mess when you arrive home. He/she was only trying to amuse himself because he was board without you. ;)
Please send sorties and pictures about your dog to dogofthemonth@puppyculture.com
Say Ahhh
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Some owners forget that brushing their dogs teeth is very important. Just like us your dog needs to brush his teeth to keep them healthy and clean. Of coarse he can't do it himself and will need you to brush them for him.He may not be able to brush them himself but he can chew on a few different treats that will help keep his teeth looking their best. Some of those products include dry dog foods, raw hides, and hard bones that have been marked with a healthy teeth logo on the packaging. Rubber toys and bones are great as well and some have been specifically designed to rub against the teeth helping to clean them as they chew. These are not a substitute for brushing your dogs teeth and should be used in addition to a brushing routine.
It is important that you brush your dogs teeth at least 1 to 2 times a week. Some small dog breeds need their teeth brushed every day to every other day. It depends on the breed and amount of tooth problems they are predisposed to. The more you can brush their teeth the better. Just like how we brush 2 times a day you really should strive for once a day with your dog. If your dogs teeth get really bad buildup on them it will have to be removed by the vet. Buildup on teeth can also lead to gingivitis and other diseases that can spread to parts of the body. Brushing their teeth can help save your pet from unnecessary pain and you from a pricey vet bill to take care of their teeth.
Start when your dog is a puppy gently touching their mouth and teeth with your fingers to get them used to the sensation. You don't want brushing their teeth to be a battle. As they become used to your finger probing their teeth add one of those finger tooth brushes that you can find in the pet isle. Those finger brushes usually come in a pack with an actual brush and toothpaste as well. Use the finger brush only without toothpaste for a while until they seem used to it.
The next step is using the toothpaste and actual brush. You can use whatever combination of the brush or finger brush that make it easiest for yo to reach all their teeth. Don't forget to get the back molars! Please do NOT use human tooth paste on your dog. Human toothpaste it meant to be spit out, NOT swallowed. Dogs do not have control to spit out the tooth paste while you are brushing. There are plenty of dog safe tooth paste brands in the pet isle. You can even pick out a tasty flavor for them so that they enjoy it even more.
Make sure you put everything away where your puppy can't get to it. Mine was smart enough to get inside a cupboard and chewed on the finger brush some. I guess he definitely liked the peanut butter toothpaste I got him, I don't think he wanted to show me he could brush his own teeth. Although, that would be something to see.
Send pictures of your dogs smile to puppyculture@gmail.com and he may be featured on our site.
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