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Friday, March 7, 2008
Your Dog's Water
Think that finding a good, high-quality dog food is important?
All of the beneficial ingredients that go into dog food will not help your dog if he it is not drinking enough water. Water is the body's most important nutrient. Adult dogs' bodies are 60% water, and a puppy's is 84% water. Dogs can lose all of their fat and half of their protein without adversely affecting their health, but a loss of 10 % of their water can cause significant problems. Dog owners should place as much attention on the quality of the water their dog drinks as they do on the ingredients that go into the best dog foods; not all water is the same.
The criteria for clean drinking water for dogs is similar to the criteria for drinking water for people. Tap water generally provides the best nutrients and least contaminants; if, however, the tap water contains high amounts of magnesium, nitrates, and iron it can cause long term health risks. For those who fear their tap water may be contaminated, bottled water can be a better choice.
Stainless steel and stoneware dishes are good, safe choices for food and water bowls. Plastic bowls may scratch, giving unhealthy contaminates an ideal place to live. The water should be cool in the summer and room temperature in the winter. The dogs bowl should always be clean. If you're not sure if it needs changing, ask yourself if you would drink the water -- if the answer is no, change it.
Dogs should have access to fresh water at all times. This is even more important than giving it the best dog foods on the market. Dogs need three times more water than they do food every day. They need even more water if it is extremely hot, the dog is lactating, or if the dog is exercising more than normal. Dogs that eat canned dog food do not need to drink as much water because of the high amount of water contained in the food.
Often, sick dogs don't want to drink the water they need, but the illness increases the need for water. When this happens, a dog can become quickly dehydrated. To check for dehydration, dog owners can pull upward on the dog's skin at the nape of the neck. If the skin snaps back, the dog is sufficiently hydrated, if it takes several seconds for the skin to go back, fluids may need to be replaced intravenously or subcutaneously. Owners should never offer water to vomiting dogs; this is perhaps the only time to make sure dogs don't have access to water. If a dog vomits for more than a twenty-four hour period it should see a vet immediately.
In addition to better health, proper hydration contributes to the performance of a dog. Many owners of working dogs flavor their dog's food in order to make sure it is drinking the appropriate amounts. Studies have proven that proper hydration increases an animal's working ability by 80%. The next time you pour one of those "better" dog foods into your dog's bowl, remember that if the dog doesn't have the right amount of clean water, the food is useless.
Daniel Moore contributes articles to several web magazines, such as http://kydel.com and http://sufup.com.
All of the beneficial ingredients that go into dog food will not help your dog if he it is not drinking enough water. Water is the body's most important nutrient. Adult dogs' bodies are 60% water, and a puppy's is 84% water. Dogs can lose all of their fat and half of their protein without adversely affecting their health, but a loss of 10 % of their water can cause significant problems. Dog owners should place as much attention on the quality of the water their dog drinks as they do on the ingredients that go into the best dog foods; not all water is the same.
The criteria for clean drinking water for dogs is similar to the criteria for drinking water for people. Tap water generally provides the best nutrients and least contaminants; if, however, the tap water contains high amounts of magnesium, nitrates, and iron it can cause long term health risks. For those who fear their tap water may be contaminated, bottled water can be a better choice.
Stainless steel and stoneware dishes are good, safe choices for food and water bowls. Plastic bowls may scratch, giving unhealthy contaminates an ideal place to live. The water should be cool in the summer and room temperature in the winter. The dogs bowl should always be clean. If you're not sure if it needs changing, ask yourself if you would drink the water -- if the answer is no, change it.
Dogs should have access to fresh water at all times. This is even more important than giving it the best dog foods on the market. Dogs need three times more water than they do food every day. They need even more water if it is extremely hot, the dog is lactating, or if the dog is exercising more than normal. Dogs that eat canned dog food do not need to drink as much water because of the high amount of water contained in the food.
Often, sick dogs don't want to drink the water they need, but the illness increases the need for water. When this happens, a dog can become quickly dehydrated. To check for dehydration, dog owners can pull upward on the dog's skin at the nape of the neck. If the skin snaps back, the dog is sufficiently hydrated, if it takes several seconds for the skin to go back, fluids may need to be replaced intravenously or subcutaneously. Owners should never offer water to vomiting dogs; this is perhaps the only time to make sure dogs don't have access to water. If a dog vomits for more than a twenty-four hour period it should see a vet immediately.
In addition to better health, proper hydration contributes to the performance of a dog. Many owners of working dogs flavor their dog's food in order to make sure it is drinking the appropriate amounts. Studies have proven that proper hydration increases an animal's working ability by 80%. The next time you pour one of those "better" dog foods into your dog's bowl, remember that if the dog doesn't have the right amount of clean water, the food is useless.
Daniel Moore contributes articles to several web magazines, such as http://kydel.com and http://sufup.com.
American Bulldog - The Facts Every Owner Of This Dog Breed Should Know
Descended from the English Bulldog, the American Bulldog was nearly extinct after World War II. Thanks to the efforts of John D. Summerville, this breed has returned from the edge of extinction and flourished in America. This working dog has been described as fiercely loyal, an excellent hunter, and wonderful family pet. In fact, some American Bulldogs are known for their extraordinary acts of bravery and courage when defending their masters.
There are two types of American Bulldog: Classic (also known as Johnson or Bully) and Standard (also known as Scott or Performance); however, many of today's American Bulldogs tend to be a combination of both. Standards tend to be shorter and stockier, causing them to sometimes be mistaken for their cousin the Pit Bull, but otherwise Classic and Standard American Bulldogs look similar to one another. American Bulldogs are primarily white though some may have patches of brindle or red. Their coats are short and wiry, feeling bristly and rough to the touch. American Bulldogs require relatively little maintenance thanks to this short coat, and only need the occasional bath and regular brushing with a stiff bristle brush. Their strong jaws give their heads a boxy and strong-looking appearance.
Male American Bulldogs will reach an average height of 22 to 27 inches and average weight of 75 to 125 pounds. Females will reach average heights of 20 to 25 inches and weights of 60 to 100 pounds. American Bulldogs will live, on average, 16 years. English Bulldogs were bred as working dogs that helped herd cattle and the American Bulldog retains some of these characteristics, particularly the strong jaw and equally strong personality. Though American Bulldogs are known as fierce protectors of their properties and masters (making them excellent guard and watch dogs), they are very gentle and good with both children and other family pets.
However, an American Bulldog is sometimes unaware of its own strength and for this reason, children should always be closely supervised when playing with this breed. In general, American Bulldogs can be difficult to train, as they are stubborn, but once consistently trained, will obey. American Bulldogs are suited for apartment life, as they tend to be relatively inactive indoors. However, they should be exercised at least once a day. Some American Bulldogs are prone to hip displaysia, but otherwise, are a healthy breed of dog.
There is a website that has great information on American Bulldogs and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:
http://www.dogandcatfacts.com
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
There are two types of American Bulldog: Classic (also known as Johnson or Bully) and Standard (also known as Scott or Performance); however, many of today's American Bulldogs tend to be a combination of both. Standards tend to be shorter and stockier, causing them to sometimes be mistaken for their cousin the Pit Bull, but otherwise Classic and Standard American Bulldogs look similar to one another. American Bulldogs are primarily white though some may have patches of brindle or red. Their coats are short and wiry, feeling bristly and rough to the touch. American Bulldogs require relatively little maintenance thanks to this short coat, and only need the occasional bath and regular brushing with a stiff bristle brush. Their strong jaws give their heads a boxy and strong-looking appearance.
Male American Bulldogs will reach an average height of 22 to 27 inches and average weight of 75 to 125 pounds. Females will reach average heights of 20 to 25 inches and weights of 60 to 100 pounds. American Bulldogs will live, on average, 16 years. English Bulldogs were bred as working dogs that helped herd cattle and the American Bulldog retains some of these characteristics, particularly the strong jaw and equally strong personality. Though American Bulldogs are known as fierce protectors of their properties and masters (making them excellent guard and watch dogs), they are very gentle and good with both children and other family pets.
However, an American Bulldog is sometimes unaware of its own strength and for this reason, children should always be closely supervised when playing with this breed. In general, American Bulldogs can be difficult to train, as they are stubborn, but once consistently trained, will obey. American Bulldogs are suited for apartment life, as they tend to be relatively inactive indoors. However, they should be exercised at least once a day. Some American Bulldogs are prone to hip displaysia, but otherwise, are a healthy breed of dog.
There is a website that has great information on American Bulldogs and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:
http://www.dogandcatfacts.com
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
Your Guide To The Ultimate 3-step Free Dive Training Program
Theres a good reason Tanya Streeter holds multiple world records for free diving. Its all in the training. Here are a few tips from Streeters own training regimen:
First, expect to stick with this plan for 14 weeks. Its rigorous but well worth the time spent and you could very well find yourself improving on your time and stamina in No Limits, Constant Weight or Static and Dynamic Apnea events.
Bear in mind that in each phase of training youll work out for six days and rest on the seventh!
Part I Strength Building
During Week 1 youll alternate days between 1 hour of cardio and 1 hour of weight lifting. The cardio training should consist of at least 45 minutes of your heart rate between 65%-85% of maximum. When weight training, lift between 60%-75% of your ability. The first and last thing to do each day is stretching and be sure to stretch the muscles youll work on that day.
For weeks 3-6, youll alternate between cardio and the treadmill or elliptical machine. Do 2 hours of cardio using interval training on Day 1 of that week, peaking your heart rate at 65%-92%. Follow that with 1 hour of cardio endurance with your heart rate between 75-85%.
Day 3 should consist of 2 hours of intensification training at around 80% heart rate with high intensity and followed by 1 hour of cardio endurance. Start Day 5 with 2 hours of endurance training with your heart rate between 75%-85%. Dont forget to stretch before and after.
On Days 2, 4, and 6, start with a 30-minute warm up on the treadmill or elliptical machine then lift 70-85% of your ability on weight training.
Part II Conditioning
On weeks 7-10, youll alternate each day between a 2 hour pool session and 2 hours of apnea weight training following some light stretching.
On day when you do your apnea training youll want to start with a minute of breath-up preparation lifting 30% of your ability. Do as many repetitions as you can handle in apnea, then perform 1 hour of endurance training at a heart rate of 75%-85%.
Pool sessions should consist of underwater laps. Vary your exercises to include restricted breathe-up preparation with increasing underwater distance, decreasing breath-up preparation utilizing the same underwater distance, and limited breathing during an extended swim involving hypoxia endurance training. Dont forget to stretch before and after and include a warm down swim before your final stretching.
If you can fit it in and it doesnt overtire you then include some static apnea training as well.
Part III Diving
Over the next four weeks youll want to do some actual diving. Remember, though, every time you dive you should take a buddy to keep an eye on safety precautions. Each time you dive increase your depth a little more, but dont overexert yourself. The goal is to improve your free diving skills, not to kill yourself.
Plan some rest days in your regimen. They should fall every 2-4 days. On those days you can maintain your strength and cardiovascular skills by reverting back to the workouts in Parts I and II of this plan. You want to be sure not to tire key muscles.
Also, when training for free dive competitions you want to pay special attention to your diet and sleep habits. Eat right and get plenty of sleep. Above all, be safe and stretch, stretch, stretch those key muscle groups!
Rick Abbott is an avid diver, part time author, and consultant in the IT field. For more dive articles and tips, go to http://www.divervillage.com. If you are a writer and like writing articles about diving, submit your articles to http://www.divervillage.com where divers can read them online. Also, visits Ricks diving blog at http://divervillage.blogspot.com.
First, expect to stick with this plan for 14 weeks. Its rigorous but well worth the time spent and you could very well find yourself improving on your time and stamina in No Limits, Constant Weight or Static and Dynamic Apnea events.
Bear in mind that in each phase of training youll work out for six days and rest on the seventh!
Part I Strength Building
During Week 1 youll alternate days between 1 hour of cardio and 1 hour of weight lifting. The cardio training should consist of at least 45 minutes of your heart rate between 65%-85% of maximum. When weight training, lift between 60%-75% of your ability. The first and last thing to do each day is stretching and be sure to stretch the muscles youll work on that day.
For weeks 3-6, youll alternate between cardio and the treadmill or elliptical machine. Do 2 hours of cardio using interval training on Day 1 of that week, peaking your heart rate at 65%-92%. Follow that with 1 hour of cardio endurance with your heart rate between 75-85%.
Day 3 should consist of 2 hours of intensification training at around 80% heart rate with high intensity and followed by 1 hour of cardio endurance. Start Day 5 with 2 hours of endurance training with your heart rate between 75%-85%. Dont forget to stretch before and after.
On Days 2, 4, and 6, start with a 30-minute warm up on the treadmill or elliptical machine then lift 70-85% of your ability on weight training.
Part II Conditioning
On weeks 7-10, youll alternate each day between a 2 hour pool session and 2 hours of apnea weight training following some light stretching.
On day when you do your apnea training youll want to start with a minute of breath-up preparation lifting 30% of your ability. Do as many repetitions as you can handle in apnea, then perform 1 hour of endurance training at a heart rate of 75%-85%.
Pool sessions should consist of underwater laps. Vary your exercises to include restricted breathe-up preparation with increasing underwater distance, decreasing breath-up preparation utilizing the same underwater distance, and limited breathing during an extended swim involving hypoxia endurance training. Dont forget to stretch before and after and include a warm down swim before your final stretching.
If you can fit it in and it doesnt overtire you then include some static apnea training as well.
Part III Diving
Over the next four weeks youll want to do some actual diving. Remember, though, every time you dive you should take a buddy to keep an eye on safety precautions. Each time you dive increase your depth a little more, but dont overexert yourself. The goal is to improve your free diving skills, not to kill yourself.
Plan some rest days in your regimen. They should fall every 2-4 days. On those days you can maintain your strength and cardiovascular skills by reverting back to the workouts in Parts I and II of this plan. You want to be sure not to tire key muscles.
Also, when training for free dive competitions you want to pay special attention to your diet and sleep habits. Eat right and get plenty of sleep. Above all, be safe and stretch, stretch, stretch those key muscle groups!
Rick Abbott is an avid diver, part time author, and consultant in the IT field. For more dive articles and tips, go to http://www.divervillage.com. If you are a writer and like writing articles about diving, submit your articles to http://www.divervillage.com where divers can read them online. Also, visits Ricks diving blog at http://divervillage.blogspot.com.
Obesity In Dogs The Problem Isnt Just For Humans Anymore
Most overweight dogs were made that way not by themselves, but by their owners! Few owners realize that the health related problems in dogs are the same as they are in people. While dogs dont suffer from heart attacks like we do, obesity does put a great strain on their cardiovascular systems.
Other internal organs suffer as well. Obesity promotes pancreatitis among other gastrointestinal disturbances. Overweight dogs seem to suffer from more skin ailments and coat disorders than slimmer dogs. Muscle and joint disorders including intervonterbal disk disease occur much more frequently with overweight dogs.
Causes of obesity are numerous, but diet is at the top of the list. Table scraps and people food have a much greater effect on a small animal. The wrong kind of dog food can do the same thing. Pet food manufacturers have given us a wide range of brands and formulas geared for different stages of a dogs life. Pet owners can become confused, and many just buy the name brand.
As dogs age their energy requirements drop considerably, and require senior-type diets containing high fiber and fewer calories. Growth formula dog foods should only be given to puppies and pregnant or lactating dogs. Overfeeding is another common cause you should avoid, no matter how much they beg. Remember, overweight means poor health and shorter life.
The energy requirements will vary with each animal. You should find the ideal weight of your dog from your veterinarian, and then check the label of the dog food you are using. Feed the recommended amount for 3-4 weeks, while checking your dogs weight frequently. If a weight gain is seen, reduce the food amount, if a loss, you can increase the amount.
Your pet is counting on you for regular feedings, and it is up to you to provide the right type and the proper amount to keep them healthy.
Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can shop for the latest dog collars, dog clothes, pet supplies and more. Check them out at http://www.joncopets.com.
Other internal organs suffer as well. Obesity promotes pancreatitis among other gastrointestinal disturbances. Overweight dogs seem to suffer from more skin ailments and coat disorders than slimmer dogs. Muscle and joint disorders including intervonterbal disk disease occur much more frequently with overweight dogs.
Causes of obesity are numerous, but diet is at the top of the list. Table scraps and people food have a much greater effect on a small animal. The wrong kind of dog food can do the same thing. Pet food manufacturers have given us a wide range of brands and formulas geared for different stages of a dogs life. Pet owners can become confused, and many just buy the name brand.
As dogs age their energy requirements drop considerably, and require senior-type diets containing high fiber and fewer calories. Growth formula dog foods should only be given to puppies and pregnant or lactating dogs. Overfeeding is another common cause you should avoid, no matter how much they beg. Remember, overweight means poor health and shorter life.
The energy requirements will vary with each animal. You should find the ideal weight of your dog from your veterinarian, and then check the label of the dog food you are using. Feed the recommended amount for 3-4 weeks, while checking your dogs weight frequently. If a weight gain is seen, reduce the food amount, if a loss, you can increase the amount.
Your pet is counting on you for regular feedings, and it is up to you to provide the right type and the proper amount to keep them healthy.
Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can shop for the latest dog collars, dog clothes, pet supplies and more. Check them out at http://www.joncopets.com.
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