What to Feed Fido: Some Quick Tips

Lately, many people have been asking us advice about dog food. To tide you over until September 1st when you can read the detailed, but pithy nutrition chapter in our book Happy Dog Caring for Your Dog's Body, Mind and Spirit, here's some information.

• Learn to read labels. The length of the ingredient list doesn’t always indicate the quality of the food. The ingredient list must show the ingredients in descending order by weight. A protein from a specified animal should be the first ingredient. Avoid generic proteins such as “meat” or “poultry.” Although dogs like to eat some of the animal parts we don’t, proteins from a specified animal are better than by-products. Likewise, by-products are better than rendered meals and digests.
• Watch for ingredient splitting. A manufacturer can list similar ingredients separately to make you think that it’s using less of a lower-quality ingredient. For example, corn is a mediocre, but cheap protein source. Rather than put it first, a manufacturer might order its list of ingredients this way: “Chicken, Ground Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Cellulose, Corn Germ Meal,” etc. Because Chicken comes first, you’d think Chicken is the main ingredient. However, when you add up the three “corns,” they could well outweigh the Chicken.
• Don't fall victim to marketing. Just because a package is covered with beautiful pictures of fruit and veggies or uses the terms “natural” or “organic” doesn’t mean that the food is actually nutritious or healthful. You must read the label and see what’s actually in the food.

Remember, just as with you, Fido is what he eats! Obesity is a growing problem for dogs too. Feeding good quality food and treats will help keep Fido’s waistline in check. This also maximizes his quantity and quality of life.

Don't Skimp on These Dog Care Necessities

You dog depends on you to keep him healthy and happy. So, spend your doggie dollars wisely on these necessities:

1. Regular veterinary care, including vaccinations and parasite preventatives, is critical. Don’t skimp on the “routine” care. Flea prevention is cheaper than treatment for a flea infestation. Heartworm preventatives can save your dog’s life and keep you from spending much more money to treat the disease.
2. A collar, leash, and proper identification (including a microchip) are essential and help keep Fido safe and sound.
3. Always buy the best food you can afford. Cheap food is cheap for a reason, and the old adage “you are what you eat” is true for dogs too. Moreover, when a manufacturer uses cheap ingredients, it has to bulk up the food with fillers to meet the government’s minimum nutritional requirements. As a result, the portion size for cheap food is typically larger than for more-expensive food with higher-quality, more-digestible ingredients. In the end, you’ll be buying more of the cheap food, which usually works out to be more expensive than buying the higher-quality food in the first place.
4. Purchasing a few good quality toys that will withstand your dog’s chewing strength is better than buying many cheap toys that break up and become choking or obstruction risks.
5. Buy yourself a pair of good walking shoes. Walking with your dog is free, and is good for you and your pooch. More than anything, our pets want our time, which costs nothing! You can save money by skipping the movie and babysitter and having game night at home with your cat in your lap and your dog at your feet.
6. Buy only essential grooming tools: for most dogs all you need is a good quality slicker brush and a metal comb. Many of the tools now sold to dog owners are really meant for professionals. These tools can be dangerous in unskilled hands. For example, clippers can scratch or cut skin, or render your pooch accidentally bald! The blades heat up quickly and can burn Fido’s skin. Many tools are just a waste of money. In your kitchen, you don’t really need a tool for each separate task, and the same is true for grooming. Save money by NOT buying the gimmick tools—they are often specialty items that do more dust-collecting than hair-collecting.
7. Forgo fancy spa products. There is no reason to purchase a shampoo for every doggie dirt situation either. A proper wash using a hypoallergenic dog shampoo and conditioner is sufficient. It’s crucial to use only those products formulated for canine skin. The skin and hair on humans and dogs have different pH requirements, which means that most human shampoos (including baby shampoos) dry out a dog’s coat or irritate her delicate skin. In some cases, the resulting skin problem may require veterinary attention. It should go without saying: never use household or industrial cleaners on a dog. The horror stories Billy could tell and does in our book Happy Dog Caring For Your Dog's Body, Mind and Spirit (available 9/1/09)

If you skimp on these necessities, you'll end up paying through the nose later.

Keeping Fido Clean and Healthy On A Budget

Times are tough all over right now and many people have to cut back on dog expenses. Thankfully, there are many things you can do at home to keep Fido healthy and in tip top shape while saving money. Here's a few suggestions:

1. Inspect your dog. Fido can’t tell you if he’s under the weather, or even if he's uncomfortably dirty—you have to discover these problems yourself. An inspection allows you to gather, track, monitor, and assess the state of your dog’s health and cleanliness in a systematic and thorough manner. Moreover you’ll discover medical and grooming issues well before they become painful to your dog and your pocketbook. Once a week, using your hands, eyes, ears and nose, give your pooch the once over. Fido's eyes, however, require daily inspections. Be sure you check every nook and cranny. The entire process takes about five to ten minutes, and your dog will appreciate the attention. If at any time you see, feel, smell, or sense trouble brewing, call your veterinarian immediately. Your inspection may save your dog's life (and your bank account).
2. Dog-proof your house. Many household items are dangerous to dogs as poisons, or as choking/obstruction risks. Spending a few minutes a day clearing your counters, closing drawers and doors, and putting away medicine, cleaners, food, and small objects will safeguard your dog. It’s easier to clean up than to pay a huge a vet bill or replace chewed or swallowed items.
3. Brush, brush, brush! Brushing saves time, money, and is an excellent opportunity to bond with your dog. Brushing also extends the time between professional grooming appointments, loosens and lifts dirt, and keeps skin healthy. Brushing removes the dead coat before it can fall off your dog or cause mats, which can increase professional grooming costs. For most dogs, a slicker brush is all you need. If your dog has extremely short hair, such as a Boxer, Doberman, Dalmatian or a Pug, you can use a rubber curry. You don’t even have to brush the entire dog every time. Brush a quarter of your dog each day and by the end of the week, he’ll have been completely brushed twice. Besides, more fur in the brush means you'll spend less on lint rollers and dry cleaning!
4. Be smart about products. Most people use far too much product when bathing their dog at home, which wastes money and makes rinsing difficult. Dilute shampoo in a bowl or separate bottle. Don’t dilute it in the original bottle because adding water can spoil the product. All you need is one quality hypoallergenic CANINE shampoo and one CANINE conditioner. Although they’re fun to use, you don’t need fancy spa products. And there is no reason to purchase a shampoo for every doggie dirt situation—a proper wash with a regular dog shampoo followed by a regular conditioner is sufficient. Make sure you rinse thoroughly because product left on the skin can cause painful and costly skin infections.
5. Ask for a shorter haircut. When your dog gets a haircut, ask your groomer to cut the coat a “step” (or slightly) shorter. The shorter haircut can stretch the time between professional appointments, but make sure the cut isn’t too short since exposed skin is prone to sunburn. And because you’ll extend the time between appointments, brushing becomes critical—the coat on some dogs can mat up overnight.

In our next post, we'll talk about the most efficient way to spend your dog care dollars.

Fido: Now even happier!

Some have noted that Fido did not seem as, well, happy in that last posting as you would expect for a dog destined for greatness. So why was that?

In truth, he had just consumed some of these pet treats, and was not feeling so hot. After a visit with the emergency vet, he now feels much better -- and much happier.

Actually, and in all seriousness, this brings up one of the most important rules of dog ownership: understand what you are feeding your dogs. As we discuss at length in our book (which, I'm sure, you are now preparing to pre-order from Amazon.com the moment the listing goes live) you need to read the labels on Fido's food, and learn what foods can be dangerous for your canine friends (chocolate, garlic and onions are among the more common ones). Trust me, your dog can easily die from consuming some fairly common household items. Learn to be careful -- Fido will be happier for it. Oh, and you'll be happier too.

UPDATE: For further information on dangerous foods for pets, please consult the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center.