American Eskimo Dog

The American Eskimo Dog is a small to medium sized breed of dogs of the Spitz type. The breed was developed in the United States. The name was devised to differentiate the breed from its German ancestors. Although the breed is similar to some of the German Spitz breeds, the American and German dogs have developed separately over the past 100 years. The American Eskimo Dog is a house dog, companion, and a great watch dog.

The Eskie is built along classic Nordic lines, a form that has proved effective at pulling heavy loads through snow and ice. It is compactly built, slightly longer than tall. The stand-off, double coat resists soaking and provides insulation against the cold. The small thick ears are also cold-resistant. The breed's smaller size has moved it from the realm of sled dog, but it remains a sled dog in miniature. The American Eskimo Dog stands furry with erect ears and a long tail curling over its back.

There are three separate size divisions in the American Eskimo Dog breed recognized by the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club.

* Toy, 9–12 in (23–30 cm) at the withers
* Miniature, 12–15 in (30–38 cm)
* Standard, 15–19 in (38–48 cm)

Dogs over 19 inches or under 9 inches are disqualified at breed shows in the US and Canada, in order to discourage the breeding of oversize or excessively small dogs. The United Kennel Club in the US does not recognize the Toy variety.

Cooking For Your Dog

Many people become wary of commercial brands of dog food. Not knowing what kinds of chemicals are used in the processing methods as well as exactly what meats are classed as 'by products', and especially since the recent dog food recalls, they sometimes decide against feeding this food to their dogs. Instead they choose to make their own dog food. However this requires some research and the correct amounts of everything that a dog needs.

It might be a good idea to devise a weekly menu for your dog. This enables you to vary his food, provide him different flavors and give him a rotation of the right nutrients so that he will be getting a balanced diet. Just like people, dogs need a balance of protein, fats, starch and some vegetable intake too. Therefore your menu rotation can involve any mixture of the following things:

Proteins

• Any meat, in particular red meat or fish for higher protein.
• Poultry will also provide some much needed nutrients.
• Organs that many people do not eat are also very good for dogs too, such a kidneys, liver etc.
• Eggs. Not only are they a good source of protein but they also help your dogs coat shine too.

Fats

Do not go overboard with these, since there are often fats included in the meat, but you can add a little cheese or a little butter, but no more than flavoring as some people do not like to feed much dairy to their dogs.
Vegetable oil can be added, simply as a fat supplement.

Starch

• Potatoes,
• Rice,
• Oats
• Pasta - these are all good sources of starch and are healthy too.

Vegetables

This is entirely up to you. Generally a dog will enjoy carrots, peas, corn, potatoes, beans etc. You can flavor vegetables with gravy if you have a picky eater.

Once you have devised your food plan and concocted a nice menu, you should introduce it gradually to your dog. Try mixing half of your homemade food with half of a tin of commercial food. This way your dog will gradually get used to his new diet. Otherwise he may experience symptoms such as diarrhea or belly ache, because of a sudden change, and the way his system is accustomed to digesting and metabolizing food.

Always cook the food you give to your dog (meats and pasta and vegetables) an egg can be fed raw as can dairy products and oats etc. If you opt for a raw food diet for your dog, be sure to do some research and gather any and all information you can get from your vet. The raw food diet is not for everyone.

Adding a little garlic to their food is a good way to flavor it, since dogs do tend to like it, but not too much since it can be toxic to them. Garlic is also useful as a flea repellant, since they sweat it through their pores and fleas try to avoid it.

A homemade diet for your dog is a good idea for those worried about the contents and mixture of commercial brands, but you must be sure to get the right mixture of nutrients to ensure your dog's health and well being. It may take some trial and error to find the right ingredients that your dog likes and that is good for him.

Guy Berg is a respected author and dog advocate. For more on dog health and nutrition see http://www.healthydogfoodchoices.com

For a selection of healthy home made treat recipes make sure you check http://www.homemadedogtreats.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Guy_Berg

Dog Training For Tricks - Have the Top Dog Around

How do you go about teaching dog training for tricks? This is something that a lot of owners want to do, but not many are able to accomplish.

Requirements

Prior to starting this, which is quite an advanced topic, your pet has to be proficient with the essential commands; assuming that is the case, then you can start dog training trick teaching.

Before you start teaching a particular skill, you need to first consider whether or not your dog is physically able to do what you want them to. This might not necessarily mean the dog is handicapped; you might just be asking too much of them.

For example, some people have attempted to do dog training for tricks by having their pet try and jump over extremely high items that they aren't able to. This is an obvious example, but the point is, make sure they are physically able to do whatever you are teaching them.

How to choose a trick

How do you choose the right trick? Think about the traits your dog naturally possesses, and then attempt to utilize them. For instance, they might be able to naturally something like rolling over when they are playing; all you have to do is get them to do it on command.

Just watching them closely for this will give you some ideas. As soon as you've done this, now just get them to do this on command, whether that is you motioning in some way to it or saying something out loud.

The RIGHT way to train

Give them a treat when they've successfully obeyed. Soon, you won't have to give as many rewards, as they will just do the trick on command. Another thing you might want to look into is clicker training, which ensures they won't need a reward to do it.

Many people have the experience of always using treats to bribe their dog to do something; when they finally take it away, the dog likewise stops obeying. This is a problem that the clicker overcomes.

Taking them to the next level

Also, once you've taught them a particular trick, now you can actually get more in depth with it. For instance, if you've taught them to roll over one way, then get them to roll back over the other way.

This is a ridiculously simple example, but expanding on what they already know is one of the best ways to increase their arsenal. Just use your imagination, and you'd be amazed at what you think up.

The main recipe for success in dog training for tricks is consistency, and make sure to correct them promptly if they don't do what they were supposed to. Most importantly, give them a tremendous amount of positive reinforcement when they do it right.

Traditional dog training tips are HOLDING you back. Discover how to have a well trained dog in just 6 days by checking out http://www.dogtrainingtips.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Ericson

Dog Health Care Insurance

Dogs might have been called "mans best friend," but at times it can seem like they are always getting themselves into some kind of trouble. This might be accidents like swallowing something inedible, getting injured or into a fight with another dog and even just becoming ill. At these times the expenses of caring for your dog can seem excessive, but with dog health care insurance you can have peace of mind that if any of the these unfortunate events do occur then you (and your pet) will be completely covered.

This type of dog insurance coverage will offer protection from most accidents and illnesses that could affect your pet including, but not limited to; cancer, heart conditions, liver failure, poisoning, accidents, reconstructive surgery and many more. These conditions could set you back more than $5000 without pet insurance and this could affect your final decision about saving your pet. When that kind of money is involved this is not an easy decision, especially if you have a family.

There are many insurers offering dog insurance, which means that there are lots of different policies to choose from. It is a good idea to compare the different offerings and find something that matches both your budget and coverage needs. Coverage varies from company to company and it is very important that you make sure that your pet will be covered for all potential injuries or accidents. Online is a good place to start your research as there are many sites out there that allow you to compare the different pet insurance plans.

The author, Rodger runs the website http://www.healthinsuranceforpetsonline.com where you can find out more about the best dog insurance plans by clicking here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rodger_Pilkman

Dog Care - Tips to Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy

Proper dog care is important to maintain your dog's health as well as to keep your dog happy. There are many different aspects to dog care that you may be unaware of and you should try to stay well informed in order to prevent as many problems as you can. Allergies can be a problem for dogs and besides treating any allergy symptoms you can try to prevent the allergic reactions in the first place. Most of dog's allergies are due to airborne particle sin the air. Bathing your dog regularly and rinsing their feet after they have been outdoors can reduce the amount of allergens on your dog's skin.

Dog dental care is also necessary but very easy to do at home. You only need a few simple tools and you can regularly take care of your dog's teeth to ensure healthy gums and teeth.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental clean solutions, dental treats and dental toys can all be used for dog dental care. Many of these items can be found in dog dental care kits. It may take some time for your dog to get used to having its teeth cleaned but in the long run it will be worth it.

Having clean ears is very important for dogs and you should be particularly vigilant about ear care, especially during the summer. Infections can occur when there is too much build up and moisture in the ear canals. To prevent this you can use a variety of products that loosen build up, rinse away dirt and kill mites.

Eye care is also an important part of dog care and properly cleaned eyes can prevent infection.

Certain types of dogs are particularly susceptible to eye infections and conjunctivitis is the most common eye infection for dogs. You can use eye cleaning solutions and protective ointments to kill of nasty bacteria and protect the eye from irritation. Other steps that can be taken to keep eyes clean is to trim the hair around your dogs eyes, keep the corners of the dog's eyes mucous free and to try to stop the dog from partaking in any activities that may result in eye injury.

Also as your dog ages you will need to alter some of your dog care routine. No matter your dog's age, exercise is still important. However as your dog gets older the exercise should be less intense and for shorter time periods. You should also switch its dog bed to one made of foam as that will better protect its joints. Your dogs dietary needs will also change as he or she gets older and you may need to add supplements to its diet or change the dog food altogether. You should also be aware of any behavioral changes and have them investigated as soon as possible as they may be a sign of more serious issues.

For more tips on dog care, dog health and dog training, visit Dogs For Pets. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins