Top 10 Holiday Dog Gift Ideas

Christmas day is fast approaching; the big question is, have you bought something for your dog? Are you still looking for that perfect Holiday dog gift to make your pet’s Christmas fun and exciting?

If you want to spoil your dog, here some holiday dog gift ideas for you:

1. Dog accessories such as dog training collar, dog leash, and pet jewelry are great Holiday dog gift ideas that you can buy for your pet this holiday season. Not only are they not costly, they are also stylish.

2. Purchase some gourmet treats for your dog from your local bakery stores and pet shops. If you have the time, cook homemade dog treats or bake healthy and tasty doggie cookies or cupcakes with no added preservatives or artificial ingredients.

3. If you want to have the cutest pooch on Christmas day, prep up your dog with a fashionable holiday dog costume, Santa-inspired sweater or jacket with a collar ruff. Attach some jingle bells too.

4. Pamper your dog and take him to a dog grooming shop where he can enjoy a nice bath, shampoo, massage and other services.

5. Make a personalized dog gift basket which contains fun dog toys, treats and anything inside.

6. Purchase an edible dog holiday card. This holiday dog gift is unique and cheap.

7. Build a nice wood dog house. During winter, your dog needs an insulated house where he can stay warm.

8. To provide your dog with comfortable eating experience this Christmas, buy him new elevated feeders or similar feeding bowls.

9. There's no better way to put your canine to sleep on Christmas eve than in a new stylish, comfortable dog bed.

10. Are you traveling with your dog this holiday season? Consider buying dog strollers to carry your pet more easily.

Article Reprint Policy

Pet-articles.blogspot.com strives to provide readers and webmasters with informative pet articles and information. If you want to share an article with others or republish it on your website or blog, kindly follow the terms and conditions below:

Please provide an active “clickable” link to original article. Never change the affiliate links found in the articles or any of the associated links.

Respect the copyright of the author by reprinting an article "as it is" without changes. No portion of the article, including its links, resources and author information, must be deleted without permission.

This blog is protected by Copyscape. All pet articles are often checked for duplicates throughout the web. Any website found breaching the above article reprint policy will be contacted and appropriate actions will be taken.

If you have any questions, please email petarticlesblog@gmail.com.

How To Prevent Cat Hairballs

Cat breeds with long fur tend to develop hairballs than those with short hair. Hairballs in cats shouldn't be taken for granted for it poses many serious problems if left untreated. If your furry friend cannot rid itself of a cat hairball through defecating or vomiting, she might suffer from a blockage in her digestive system. Severe cases of cat hairballs are life-threatening and need to be removed though surgery. Among the common signs if your cat has hairballs is the loss of appetite or if she is having erratic bowel movements. A cat with dreaded hairballs usually suffers from constipation.

Though there is no exact cat hairball treatment to cure common cat hairballs, there are many preventative ways that can be done before doing any costly surgery. Remember that the formation of hairballs in a cat's stomach is caused by a behavioral problem. Often times, cats that develop hairballs are either compulsive, bored or stressed out. You can prevent your cat from ingesting her fur by redirecting her energy and attention to fun activities such as playing in the park or giving her cat treats and toys.

Here are some simple cat hairball treatment tips to control or minimize the chance of getting cat hairballs:

1. Regular cat grooming is an effective way to prevent cat hairballs. Comb your cat's fur as often as possible to get rid of dead hair. By doing this step, you will lessen the instances of too much ingestion of hair. After brushing, wipe your cat's fur using a moist, clean towel to remove excess dead fur.

2. If cat hairballs continue to bother your pet's life, use a special lubricant to help your cat digest the offending cat hairballs through her digestive system.

3. Buy special hairball treats for your feline friend. Nowadays, you can purchase a wide variety of edible cat treats with particular components that are designed to break up cat hairballs. Many of these cat treats consist of mineral oil.

4. If your feline shows problematic behaviors like retching or lack of bowel movements, bring her to the vet as soon as possible. She needs to undergo a thorough medical examination to determine the best possible treatment method to get rid of dreaded cat hairballs.

Best Dog Training Tips

Do you own a lethargic dog who barks a lot and doesn't obey you? If you're looking for the best dog training tips, read on. There are many dog training methods out there that you can implement depending on your goals or what you want to achieve. If you want to control your dog in public spaces such as parks and streets, then your dog needs to undergo dog leash training. This kind of dog obedience training scheme is highly recommended for all dog trainers.

Here are a few best dog training tips for you:

1. Positive reinforcement matters a lot. It's easier to train a dog if you do it in a positive manner rather than in a strict and punishment-based way. Reward your dog when necessary.

2. Patience is a virtue in any dog training method. Dogs, like humans, have different learning abilities. You must be able to adapt to your dog's learning pace. Some dogs tend to pick up commands than the others. If your dog is a slow-learner, you need to allot more time and attention for him to understand everything. Never rush things!

3. Choose a training method that has worked to you before or someone you know. Consider the breed too for it is a also a big factor to consider in training.

4. All dog's behavior problems are acquired. Start training your dog when he's just a puppy. Most bad habits such as excessive barking, chewing and jumping can be controlled and stopped with a little foresight and consistent training.

5. The best dog training method must be a fun activity. Make your training session as lively as possible. Allot a schedule everyday for you and your dog to bond and play. Training your dog for 20-30 minutes will be good enough.

6. To further help you in training your dog, you can use training aids such as training collar system, remote trainer and many others. Make sure that every gadget you're using is proven to be safe and effective and is applicable to the age and size of your dog.

Pet Shampoo For K9s and Felines

A healthy state of being should be found both from inside and out. Same principle goes with proper hygiene. This fact is very important not only to humans but to household pets as well.

Given that pets have uncontrollable habits of playing around and sneaking into different places around the house, bacteria, germs, and other harmful elements may cling to them and bring about bad effects to both pets and owners. Hence, the introduction of pet care in the form of pet bath came about; specifically shampooing for K9 or feline pets.

Pet shampoo is a very important component to help wash pests out. Most of these infestations are free gliding through the air, waiting for a host. Although shampoos bring about a clean feel to your pet, it is also crucial to choose which one would really work.

Some products can be very harmful that instead of bringing good hygiene, they end up providing allergies and other illnesses. In this case, proper consultation and research on the ingredients of the pet shampoo you’re purchasing are important.

Water alone will not wash out those pests from your pets. So better get a good shampoo and let your K9 or feline buddy run around happily with a good mane and wellbeing.

Canine Lupus Treatment

Canine lupus is a disease that results to discoloration of a dog's nose. In rare instances, it can also affect other portions of dog's skin. Until now, the real cause of this health problem has not yet been determined by scientists. However, genetics may play a big role. There are specific dog breeds, usually big in size, that are usually affected by this health problem such as, to cite a few, Siberian Husky, German Shepherd, and Collie.

There are two kinds of canine lupus, namely Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus and Discoid Lupus. If not treated, canine lupus can result to other complications such as disease of the skin, kidneys, joints, blood and many other vital organs.

If you dog has lupus, you can observe the loss of pigment around his nose. Your dog may also be lethargic and weak because of muscle pains. Skin irritations like lesions and crusting can also be seen in your dog's skin. If it's not addressed immediately, your dog can develop scaling of nasal tissue and sores which are a bit painful and irritating for your canine.

The canine lupus treatment options vary depending on how advanced it is. Mild cases can be treated using a topical ointment. Severe cases, meanwhile, need corticosteroids.

It is also be useful to add some vitamin E in your dog's diet. Take note that dogs with canine lupus are highly susceptible to other bacterial infections so you need to boost his immune system. Herbal supplements and plant sterols are proven to be effective in making your dog healthy and in preventing other complication of canine lupus.

Veterinarians can also perform other canine lupus treatment therapy like gold salts or azathioprine to treat canine lupus. Since exposure to sunlight worsens skin lesions, vets recommend the application of sunblock or sunscreen on affected pets.

How To Stop Your Dog From Jumping

A jumping dog who calls for your attention looks adorable at first. However, if this becomes a habit already, it can be both frustrating and irritating. The good news is, there are several methods to curtail this common dog's behavioral problem. Yes, you can totally stop your dog from jumping too much by using appropriate training techniques.

The primary key for successfully stopping your dog from excessive jumping is "consistency" in training. When your dog jumps up a lot, ignore him for a while. Don't reach down and fetch your dog from the ground. This kind of response will encourage your dog to continue from jumping.

For instance, if you've just arrive to your home after a tiring day from work, don't greet your canine and stay calm. If you act too lively and run to the house, your dog can get too excited that he might associate your hand gestures as signals that you want to play with him. Put a little bump with your leg and say "No!" or "Stop!" using a commanding voice.

Every time your dog jumps unnecessarily, do this kind of exercise again and again until he finally understands you. You must also hold your canine's training collar under his chin and pull it downwards. To make the training even more effective, give your dog some positive reinforcements whenever he obeys you and stays on the ground by rewarding him with dog toys and treats.

Meanwhile, if you don't want your dog to disturb your visitors, you can put him a dog leash. Also train him to follow the Sit command. When your dog barks and jumps, advise your visitors to just ignore him. If your pet tries to jump up, tell him to sit. Don't shout at him for it will only excite him more.

These training methods, however, can only be successful if all the members of your household follow the same rules. Avoid giving mixed signals. Make sure the same training method is employed all family members to totally curtail your dog's jumping problems.

How To Treat Dog Ringworm

Ringworm in dogs is a contagious skin illness caused by fungi affecting various parts of a dog such as the scalp, body and feet. This fungal infection can be transmitted by direct contact between infected and non-infected dogs.

Contrary to popular beliefs, ringworm does not having anything to do with a worm. The term "ring worm" originated from the red ring that can be seen in the dog's skin.

Depending on how severe the infection is, there are a number of treatment options that you can do to treat dog ringworm. One way is by bathing your canine with anti-fungal soap or shampoo and rubbing neem oil onto the dog skin. A pet bath must be done 3 times a week or every other day.

Veterinarians also recommend griseofulvin. This medicine is given daily to an infected dog for about 30 days. Topical anti-fungal medicines may also be applied to your dog's skin to kill the fungi. The area around the lesions may be also carefully clipped down close to the skin. Be cautious when doing this in order to prevent skin irritation and infection. Another dog ringworm treatment method that is proven to be effective is a lime sulfur dip. This procedure is usually initiated twice a week for the first 2 weeks, and once weekly for 4-6 weeks.

These treatments, however, do not make immediate results. During the first few days of treatment, you will observe a sudden increase in your dog's hair loss. In the next weeks, the hair loss should stop. If not, have your dog checked again by a veterinarian for further diagnosis.

Still, the best way to prevent dog ringworm is to keep your surroundings clean at all times and to groom your canine regularly. Bad hygiene and dirty environment are the main sources of fungi that cause ringworm in dogs.