Does you dog LOVE to chew?

Yes, dogs love to chew. It can be a very soothing activity that brings your dog a lot of comfort. You can't change your dog's biology. The fact is they are driven to chew.

What can you do?

Well, to begin you can make the activity safe for him (and easier on you) by getting him/her a chew toy.

Here are some important safety tips for choosing chew toys.

Size matters.

Make sure the chew toy is the right size. Avoid toys that are small enough for your dog to swallow or too large for your pup to play with comfortably.

No spare parts.

Make sure the toy has no pieces that can be chewed off and swallowed.

Don't buy toys with sewn-on eyes.

Some dogs will even tear toys apart to find the squeakers inside...and swallow them.

The right stuff.

If your dog tends to tear stuffed toys apart and eat the stuffing, look out! It can make him/her really sick. Look for durable toys that will be hard for your dog to chew apart.

Get Involved.

When you first give your dog a new toy, supervise his/her play to make sure he/she plays with it appropriately.

Keep it clean.

Between the dirt and drool, your dog's chew toys can become pretty disgusting...not to mention a natural breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria.

Choose a toy that can be washed and kept clean.

I read about a very inventive new chew toy called "Bottle Crunchers". Bottle Crunchers were designed to give your dog all of the fun of chewing empty water bottles ... without the danger. These brightly colored protective "sleeves" look like cute little critters- an adorable alligator and one very cool cat. They fit snuggly around an empty water bottle. They are also machine washable.

Getting involved also helps with stopping the urge to chew. Exercise is very important to keeping your dog happy and healthy!!!! It is a good mental break, good physical activity, and good stress reliever.

Exercise is one of the best ways to spend time with your pet. Dogs are adaptable and are happy to play Frisbee in the park or take long walks in the neighborhood.

Without the outlet of play, your dog may show behavioral problems that can range from destructive tendencies to attention-seeking antics.

A few games you can play with your dog:

The time-honored game of Fetch Hoops

Take a container such as a big cooking pot, laundry basket or large plastic pail and weight it down with a heavy object.

Introduce your dog to the basket and the ball. As he/she watches, drop the ball into the bucket several time, while saying "drop".

Give him/her the ball, then bring him over to the basket and say "drop". Do this until he/she drops the ball in the basket, then immediately praise him.

You'll have to repeat this several times before your dog makes the connection between the reward and the action. When the connection is made, roll or throw the ball to him and watch him doggie-dunk it!

Swimming

Swimming is strenuous to any creature not used to it, so don't let your dog swim for too long. If you bring your dog to the beach, watch out for strong tides, and don't let your dog drink salt water. (You should also be aware that your dog is a target for sea lice, sand flees and jellyfish.)

Hula Hoop

Begin by holding a hula hoop upright, but on the floor. Lead your dog through the hoop, then reward him with praise or a treat.

Repeat several times. Raise the hoop several inches off the ground and lead him through again. Then let him go at it!

Keep raising the hoop a little more each time to make it more of a challenge, rewarding your dog each time he/she makes it through. Quit before he/she gets bored or no longer wants the treats.

Tug-of-war

Dogs like playing tug-of-war, but it is very important not to let the game get out of hand. Because dogs are, by instinct, hunters, the game reminds them of catching prey. For that reason, stop playing when the game starts to appear too serious. If your dog starts to take winning seriously, it's time to play a less competitive game.

Do not ever show off your dog's grip by picking him up with the rope in his teeth.

Playing with your dog not only keeps him happy and healthy; it forges a special bond between you and you pet!

Brushing you dog’s teeth could add as much as 5 years to his/her life!!!!

Start by picking a good doggie toothbrush and toothpaste.

It has been my experience that dogs like the meat flavored toothpaste better than the mint ones. Also try and get a three sided toothbrush.

Bad breath in pets is often joked about, but this is no laughing matter. Dental disease affects up to 80% of pets over the age of three, and there can be serious consequences from poor dental health.

Infected gums and teeth aren't just a problem in the mouth - the heart, kidneys, intestinal track, and joints may also be infected. The tartar and any infected areas of the mouth contain a multitude if bacteria that can spread to other parts of the body.

With regular dental care you can prevent some of these more serious side effects.

Brushing your dogs teeth regularly can help prevent these problems from occurring. Talk to you local groomer about a dental plan for your pet.

How much water does your dog need?

It simply cannot be overstated how important water is to your dog's health and well being.

Drinking water helps your dog digest food, absorb nutrients, flush out waste and control body temperature. Next to oxygen, water is the most important nutrient in you dog's body.

Dogs can go for days without food. Their bodies can lose all their fat and up to half their protein and still survive. But when a dog loses just 10 percent of his/her body's water, bodily functions shut down causing serious illness. A 15 percent loss of body water will kill him/her.

There is no steadfast rule. In general, animals should take in two and half times more water than food. Another useful guideline for dogs weighing 20 pound or less is that they need about 1 cup (8 oz) of water for every 5 pounds of body weight. So, a healthy 15 pound dog would need 3 cups of water a day.

Here are a few tips:

• When fresh, clean water is available a dog will generally drink all he needs to survive. The fresher the water, the more appealing it will be to your dog. As a general rule change the water in your dog's bowl at least 3 times a day.

• Make sure your dog's bowl is clean. If you wouldn't drink from it, chances are your dog won't either. You need to wash your dog's water bowl every day.

• The better the water tastes, the more likely your dog is to drink it. Try using bottled or filtered water. Dogs also prefer cool water.

While we humans love the change in the routine, the parties, the guests and the decorations, our furred and feathered family members too often find the disruptions disturbing--and sometimes dangerous.

With the increase in activity, cats and dogs get nervous and some will take off if they can. The best solution for nervous pets is to confine them for the evening in a crate or a quiet room far from the front door or any holiday commotion.

Any celebration can be made pet-safe with just a few basic precautions.

* Make sure that you are at the door every time a person arrives.

*If you normally trust your pet in the yard for a few moments, don't during the holidays. There are many new smells and people for them to investigate and all it takes is one unfocused moment to have a horrible holiday.

*Tell your guests the rules for your pets.

*Do not let children harass your pet or feed your pet.

* Do not ignore your pet. Take the time every hour to stop and say hello and give a pet or head rub.

Halloween precautions.

Some costumes (or all) can be very scary for your pets.

Even though they know your smell they do not recognize you and this could catch them off guard, so please be mindful of their possible fear.

Do not give your pets candy as this will cause stomach difficulties and may require a trip to the vet's office.

Also watch the wrappers from the candy, they smell just as good to your pets.

If you dress your pet in a costume make sure that there are no pieces that your pet can ingest.

Also make sure that the costume is comfortable and non-restrictive.

Make sure the Halloween decorations that have candles are placed out of reach of your pets.

With the fall and winter holidays come many new faces, guests and pet sitters. Each time guests enter your home pets are exposed to new levels of stress, both positive and negative.

Please make sure that your pets holidays are as enjoyable as yours!