While there is a relatively massive toy market out there for dog’s there are certain things you need to take in to consideration when you go out to buy toys for your dog. Many people ask me why I purchase stuffed animals for my 90lb labrador and I reply to them that it’s because he loves them, why else? People don’t understand that just because the dog is large and has powerful jaws it doesn’t mean he’s a shredding machine. Jet would much rather have a pile of stuffed animals that he can carry around like his “baby” as opposed to a black Kong which he will shred in minutes. The point is, toys are based on individual dogs, there are no guidelines based on breed of dog, a dog’s likes and dislikes when it comes to toys are based solely on the individual dog in question and nothing more.

So how do you go about picking the right toy for your dog? Picking the toys for your dog is very much a trial and error process. While you are at home and can spend time observing your dog try a few different toys with him and see which ones he’s most comfortable with and which you are most comfortable with. Keep in mind that the toy your dog is most fond of may not be the one that you are most comfortable with. Jet would much rather have a Kong that he can shred to pieces in seconds as opposed to a stuffed toy to baby; however, I would much rather have him play with stuffed toys which he gets enjoyment out of but does not have a risk of choking on when he’s shredded and eaten the pieces. This is why it’s extremely important that you are around your dog when you’re testing toys with him in case, like Jet, he prefers to shred and eat certain toys, it is important that you are around to take these toys away before he chokes or swallows a potential obstruction.

When you choose toys for your dog you also need to make sure that they are safe for play. While Jet loves stuffed animals most stuffed animals that are made for children are not safe for dogs. While children tote around their toys dogs will chew on them and eyes and noses that are not embroidered on pose a choking/obstruction to your dog, this also goes for bean filled toys. The best option for your dog is always toys that are intended for dogs and if you notice a toy getting broken down or chewed to pieces always remove the toy from your dog’s stash of toys.

It is also important that you give your dog a variety of toys to play with, while it’s not necessary to provide your dogs with boxes upon boxes of toys to play with it is important that he have a variety to pick from. Your dog’s toys are his stimulation, his entertainment – while you have the opportunity to go outside of your home to interact with other people and perform any task you desire, your dog does not always have that option and needs to gain stimulation from his toys. A great way to keep your dog intrigued and entertained by his toys is to find toys that are challenging such as the egg baby toys, or the hide-a toys that encourage rooting out a toy from inside another toy. If you have a dog that doesn’t do well with stuffed animals you can try putting a larger dog biscuit inside a Kong and have your dog work on figuring out how to remove it.

Finally, when picking a toy for your dog make sure that when you leave your dog alone in his crate or even in the house that none of his toys pose a threat to him. Although rawhide is not a toy this is a great example of what i’m talking about. If you feed your dog rawhide treats there is an extremely high likelihood that he can choke on them once they become chewed and salivated on, because of this high likelihood this is not a good thing to leave in your dog’s reach when you are not in the house.

Picking toys for your dog is basically based on common sense, only you can determine what is an appropriate and safe toy for your dog to play with and be left alone in the house with. With such a wide variety of toys to choose from you shouldn’t have any problem finding a toy that suits your dog’s needs!

We’ve all heard the term “doggy breath” before and for some of us it is a daily problem that must be battled with our dogs; however, there are both reasons for and solutions to that doggone doggy breath problem! Before attempting to solve the problem of doggy breath; however, we must first find out why the dog in question has doggy breath.

Primarily doggy breath is caused by gingivitis, bacteria, pieces of food and other tid bits build up between our dog’s teeth just as they do in humans and as they begin to decay they give off a terrible odor…imagine what your breath would smell like if you didn’t brush your teeth at least twice a day! Bad dental hygeine is not the only cause for bad breath though and you should watch for any other symptoms which may be caused by illness as opposed to dental hygeine. Bad breath can be caused by things such as diabetes, sinus infections, cancer, infections and other such problems. If your dog is not displaying any symptoms of being ill take a look at your dog’s mouth to see the extent of plaque buildup on their teeth. Plaque build up can be a good indicator of how clean your dog’s teeth are, looking at the base of your dog’s teeth especially there should not be any brownish buildup at all. If you see brownish buildup on your dog’s teeth you want to book your dog in for a dental cleaning. Dental cleaning, while taxing for your dog because it involves anesthesia is also a great way to save your dog from losing his teeth to decay – can you imagine being a dog without teeth? While dental cleanings are not recommended for senior dog’s who do not fare well under anesthesia they are relatively safe and routine for other dogs. Your dog should have a once a year dental check with your vet to ensure that good hygeine continues. Following a dental cleaning you need to make sure that you upkeep your dog’s teeth with routine at home tooth brushing.

Brushing your dog’s teeth can be an arduous task; however, is it a great way to get your dog used to being handled and having his mouth touched as well as to make sure when he’s in his golden years he has some teeth to enjoy that kibble with! Brush your dog’s teeth using a canine toothpaste only (available at your local pet store) and either an infant’s toothbrush or a canine toothbrush. Tooth brushing is a good way to stimulate your dog’s gums, keep his teeth clean and make sure his breath is fresh!

If your dog still has bad breath and his teeth are clean then a visit to the vet is in order, while it may be nothing to worry about the potential for an underlying cause of your dog’s halitosis is something to investigate. Don’t waste your time with “breath fresheners” and “fresh scented cookies and toys” because all you are doing is covering up the underlying cause of your dog’s halitosis which could result in major health effects later in life. Another way to make sure that your dog’s teeth stay around as long as possible is to avoid feeding your dog people foods, people foods are high in sugars that our dog’s teeth are not used to eating and without regular brushings that sugar sticks around to snack on your pup’s teeth!

Basically what you should know is this: doggy breath is a symptom and as a responsible dog parent it is your job to find the underlying cause and rectify the situation so your dog is not left to spend the rest of his life without his chompers!

Many people think that being a responsible pet owner is synonymous with being someone who doesn’t bat an eyelid at dropping $100 here and there on their dog for toys, this is simply not true. Being a responsible dog owner has absolutely nothing to do with how much money you are prepared to drop on your dog and everything to do with how diligent you are at taking care of your dog’s basic needs. It is entirely possible to be a great dog owner without dropping insane amounts of cash on your dog, in fact it is even possible to save money when you think about your dog. Below are some ways that you can minimize your expenses as a dog owner and still be considered a great owner!

* Feed a high quality kibble or a raw food diet – low quality kibbles are filled with chemicals and preservatives as well as “junk” ingredients that are no good for your dog. Think of this as if it were your car, if you put premium gas in to your car it is going to run better than it would if you put the low grade gas in. Believe me when I tell you that it’s well worth the investment!

* Know your pet. Knowing your pet like you know yourself is an extremely important tip when it comes to being a thrifty pet owner. When you know your dog as well as you know yourself you are able to catch little things before they become big things. Often times you can observe your dog and know that he is unwell or that he has ingested something he shouldn’t simply from knowing his usual behaviour.

* ALWAYS maintain preventative medications like flea treatments and heartworm prevention – while these may seem like a burden as a monthly expense you should be aware that the investment you make in these medications is nothing compared to the cost of an exterminator or heartworm treatments.

*Be deligent with healthcare – always stay on top of your dog’s annual visits and if you suspect something is wrong go to the vet immediately without waiting. By doing these two things you will cut down on your dog’s medical expenses immensely. Catching something before it becomes a much bigger something is always going to pay off in more than one way.

*Groom at home – just because your fancy neighbor takes FiFi to the groomers every week does not mean that you are obliged to as well. Purchasing an appropriate brush for your dog’s coat and a nail clipper can save you hundreds of dollars a year simply by cutting nails and brushing your dog’s coat yourself. There are countless videos and diagrams online to instruct you on these matters and you can even ask your vet to walk you through these processes if you are nervous about them the first time around. You should also be aware that your dog’s nails will be kept pretty worn as long as you are exercising him adequately so the need for nail trimming will be minimal.

*Be vigilent at keeping an eye on your pet or keep him crated when you are unable to keep an eye on him. Most accidental ingestions of foreign objects occur when you turn around or are engrossed in another task, while these incidents may be accidents they are also fully preventable by being vigilent.

*Get generics or purchase medications online – all accredited online pharmacies require a valid vet prescription and contact information for your vet; however, once you have set up your account with the online pharmacy in question you will be able to refill prescriptions with no hassle and save a few dollars each time you refill.

There are many more ways to save a few dollars as a responsible pet owner but as you may notice from the tips above, most of them rely on you being watchful and knowledgable about your pet’s individual conditions and states of mind. Knowing your pet is the best thing you can do to ensure you save money as a responsible pet owner!

I’m late coming in with this cartoon but everytime I see it it makes me smile

Copyright Gary Varvel www.GaryVarvel.com