http://www.topdogclub.com/best-foods-for-our-dogs

I am not sure why I have these negative feelings/thoughts, it most probably could be because I read too much on things concerning the well being of our furry companions. I read and hear heaps about the increase in diabetes/heart disease and the shortened lifespan in some breeds, and the same questions come to my mind- why is this decrease in ‘dog health’ happening?
Are our dogs eating the right stuff?

http://www.topdogclub.com/best-foods-for-our-dogs

Have you ever wondered what types of food items are best for your dog? Are you feeding your loved pooch the right diet? Could you be doing something differently with your dog’s meal to aid your dog’s health and development?
If you have the same feelings as I do, and want to make sure your dog is on the right track to a long and healthy life, then take a look at this article, it may clear up some foggy areas.

http://www.topdogclub.com/best-foods-for-our-dogs

Are You Feeding Your Dog the Wrong Foods? is a post from: Top Dog Club

http://www.topdogclub.com/best-dog-foods-for-dogs-with-allergies

But they can get a whole lot worse! Some dogs lose their appetite and a whole lot of weight to boot. The dog food allergies that can occur are too many to list, and trying to find out the actual cause of individual allergies can be like finding a ‘needle in a haystack’. So dog owners need to start from scratch, use one food product at a time, making sure that each of the food items are o.k. for their dog. Only when the owner is sure that a particular item is not causing an allergy or sensitivities – can this food be given to the dog as part of their diet and meals.

http://www.topdogclub.com/best-dog-foods-for-dogs-with-allergies

It does seem like a very slow and painful process, but it is the best way to alleviate dog allergies-caused by foods in individual dog diets
If you want to find out more about the types of food allergies shown by our dogs, and how to prevent them from occurring, you really should read on.

http://www.topdogclub.com/best-dog-foods-for-dogs-with-allergies

Best Dog Foods for Dog Allergy Sufferers. is a post from: Top Dog Club

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-arthritis-pain-symptoms-causes-and-treatments

My beloved Duke is no longer a spring chicken – when he wakes in the morning, I can tell his legs are very stiff and a little numb. This is especially obvious whilst he makes his way out of his basket, after a long sleep, I know he is in some form of discomfort. I have had him checked out by our vet, and it is definitely Joint pain. But this is not the only type of pain he could suffer from, now that he is reaching his later years.
You see Duke could also have some symptoms related to Canine Arthritis. Although Arthritis in dogs may have other causes apart from old age, most forms of the disease are just as hard to treat and have no real cures.
There are many causes of arthritis in dogs- which you as a dog lover should be aware of. These include, old age, lack of exercise , genetics, hip dysplasia, joint trauma, ruptured ligaments, just to name a few.

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-arthritis-pain-symptoms-causes-and-treatments

This is why I have sent you this e-mail today. You see, Duke’s sore legs in the morning are just the very start of joint pain or arthritic pain. Knowing that arthritic pain in dogs is very common and that most dogs will experience either joint pain or arthritic pain, I feel you should be aware of it, and treat it wherever possible.
Don’t let your loved canine companion suffer – help him/her live as comfortably in ‘retirement’ as possible, read on to learn more about all the arthritis types, signs and treatments.

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-arthritis-pain-symptoms-causes-and-treatments

All About Dog Arthritis Symptoms and Pain. is a post from: Top Dog Club

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-insurance-cost-how-is-it-really-worked-out

Are the costs simply plucked out of thin air, or are they calculated using some other mathematical formula? Or are they just one big ‘big rip off’? This has occurred to me more than a few times, because I have dog insurance, and a friend of mine has dog insurance as well, but our annual policy cost is not the same- why?

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-insurance-cost-how-is-it-really-worked-out

Well after looking into this matter, and asking heaps of questions to my current Insurer- in a pretty firm voice- I was a little fed up and annoyed because I still could not get an answer that satisfied me.
In all my huffing and puffing about how the actual Dog Insurance policy amount is figured out, I did come across this informative article that sort of made some sense of all the different prices out there!
So if you are really want to know how the Insurance companies arrive at your insurance cost amount than you should read on.

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-insurance-cost-how-is-it-really-worked-out

Why Dog Insurance Costs Change-Shocking Truth Revealed? is a post from: Top Dog Club

http://www.topdogclub.com/joint-pain-in-dogs-symptoms-causes-and-treatments

I have him checked out by my local vet regularly-maybe to the point of being obsessive! This is mainly because I understand how age can affect any dog’s (especially larger dogs) bones. I am always concerned about Duke and whether he is suffering from joint pain or arthritis.

http://www.topdogclub.com/joint-pain-in-dogs-symptoms-causes-and-treatments

It is just so hard to know or understand what any dog is feeling –unless he/she starts to whimper and stops moving around. But by this stage your loved family dog could be in great need of help and probably has already suffered somewhat.
If you want to understand the signs of when your dog is experiencing joint pain, and also what you -as a dog owner can do about it, before too much damage has been caused, then you should really read on-

http://www.topdogclub.com/joint-pain-in-dogs-symptoms-causes-and-treatments

Your loved pooch will thank you for it-in his/her own way!

How to Stop Your Dog Suffering Crippling Joint Pain! is a post from: Top Dog Club

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-skin-allergies-real-causes-finally-exposed

You see Duke was scratching at his front paws- non-stop, and also continuously biting and licking at them as well. His front paws ended up being red-raw – then they started bleeding, from all the scratching.
Those paws must have been a ‘nightmare’ for Duke, because he just would not stop with the scratching. You would think he would stop scratching and itching when the bleeding started, but no, this did not stop him. Not even the ‘crusty scabbing’ stopped him!

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-skin-allergies-real-causes-finally-exposed

It is hard for any dog lover to see their or any other dog go through so much pain and discomfort, but sadly this type of allergy is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ‘Skin Allergies’. There are so many more severe allergies and side effects.
I wish I knew now what I as a Duke’s owner should have known back then, all the pain Duke went through at the time, might have been avoided. This is why you don’t want to miss out on this eye-opener report –

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-skin-allergies-real-causes-finally-exposed

Dog Skin Allergies- Real Causes Finally Exposed is a post from: Top Dog Club

It is so hard to see a loved dog in any pain and discomfort, and a dog not being able to sit still without scratching himself- so much so that he may start bleeding, or a dog not wanting to eat and hence losing weight because of allergies- well this behaviour can really make a dog owner feel miserable! As a dog owner and lover myself, I would do everything in my power to stop Duke from feeling ill because of allergies.

 http://www.topdogclub.com/dogs-with-food-allergies

It is very hard to understand why your dog may be allergic to something. Firstly it may be hard to isolate what it is that your dog is actually allergic to in the first place. It could be anything, from an ingredient in your dog’s diet, to shampoo, powder, to even a plant outside your home and in your garden. I suppose this is the first step to dealing with any allergy – and that is finding the cause!

Once you have isolated that it is actually a food allergy, in question, the next step is dealing with it. And this is where you as a dog owner may find the following article about dogs and food Allergies of great help to you.

I know that dog food allergies can be overcome, it just takes a little love help from you as your dog’s owner and care taker.

http://www.topdogclub.com/dogs-with-food-allergies

Caring for Dogs That Suffer From Food Allergies is a post from: Top Dog Club

This would be so painful for any loving dog owner to hear- I know I just couldn’t handle hearing Duke in so much pain!

http://www.topdogclub.com/5-top-dog-arthritis-pain-relief-tips

So this is where we, as dog owners, need to be very sensitive and careful to make sure our dogs are cared for, especially as they grow older and become frail. Caring for our dogs with Arthritis, and stopping any further discomfort because of Arthritis may include using certain forms of pain relief forms, which may include medications amongst other things.

Here is an article which may help you understand Dog Arthritis and help deal with it a little bit better.
Remember your dog is like a part of your family and no dog lover would want to see their loved pooch in any preventable pain.

http://www.topdogclub.com/5-top-dog-arthritis-pain-relief-tips

Pain Relief for Dogs Suffering From Arthritis is a post from: Top Dog Club

I put together a brief article about it here:

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-food-allergies-what-you-can-do-about-them

What I discovered was that other foods like beef and even some
dairy products could cause all sorts of allergies – and itching
and scratching is one of the most common symptoms.

As dog lovers, we really need to be vigilant as to any of the signs of
Dog food allergies. I cover off on a few here:

http://www.topdogclub.com/dog-food-allergies-what-you-can-do-about-them

Anyway, I thought i’d send this to you to have a read and at the very least it may just help keep you aware that our dogs too
can develop food allergies. And the last thing we want is to have our dogs suffer an allergy in silence!

Does Your Dog Have a Dog Food Allergy? How to Tell… is a post from: Top Dog Club

Diagnosis and Differentiation

Now we will examine the behavior of our dog a little more closely to understand the underlying reasons of his behavioral change. The most common symptom of Separation Anxiety is destructive behavior. Destructive behavior may be caused by a number of reasons. If the dog targets doors and windows along with personal belongings of his owner (the things that carry his odor) a short time after he leaves the house, Separation Anxiety is the most probable cause. The destruction starts in the first hour of the owner’s departure. The destruction of personal belongings like books or shoes should not be seen as vindication or getting back at you for leaving him alone. The only reason your dog destroys the things you love is that he wants to be closer to your odor. Noise phobia, playing, teething, inadequate stimulation or exercise may be the other reasons of destructive behavior.

Vocalization like barking, yelping, whimpering that starts with the first signs of the owner’s departure (like taking keys, putting on coat, etc), can be interpreted as Separation Anxiety. If the dog is blocked from reaching his owner vocalization can be observed even when the owner is home. Discomfort, alarm, predatory behavior, compulsion and territorial aggression may be the other causes of vocalization that must be ruled out.

House soiling or elimination right after the owner leaves house is another symptom of this disorder. If the dogs eliminates in the house while the owner is present, it must have some other reason and the most common reason of house soiling is lack of training.

Other symptoms of Separation Anxiety include depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, self-mutilation, diarrhea, withdrawal, lethargy and emesis. All of these symptoms may be caused by organic disorders therefore before trying to solve psychological problems a complete physical exam and check up is a must.

How to Treat Separation Anxiety?

Change in routine, a new home, spending some time in a kennel, a new baby or social relationship may trigger Separation Anxiety. In older dogs it can manifest itself gradually in time without a specific trigger. It can start to show itself as extreme attachment to the owner and exaggerated welcoming or greeting behavior. Separation Anxiety is easier to cure if treated early like all of the behavioral disorders. There may be different courses of action for treatment. Punishment is not one of them. Because the undesired behavior takes place when the owner is absent, the dog can’t relate punishment with his behavior.

Two different corrections must be applied at the same time to the dogs having Separation Anxiety. First one is to help him tolerate the absence of his owner and the second is correcting the destructive, vocal and/or elimination behaviors.

If you are not going to change your new routine as a dog owner, you should change the relationship with your dog. For behavioral corrections about vocalization, house soiling, chewing and other destructive behaviors please follow the relevant links to our answers. Here, we will presume that your dog responds to simple commands like “sit” and “stay”. If not, our first step should be to teach him these simple commands. This is a very difficult process for the dog and his owner. There are some psychotic drugs that can be used to accompany the treatment process however if you are willing and able you can correct any behavior problem with some effort without resorting to medication. The most difficult aspect of the treatment is for the owner to change his attitude towards the dog.

Yes, he is very cute; yes he wants to be petted but you must stop indulging his desires for attention. This doesn’t mean you should ignore him completely. Just don’t give attention on demand. When he is excited use commands like sit and stay and don’t show affection. Restrain yourself until he is calm and stable. This way he will learn that the excited behavior is not being rewarded. For some time your departures must be kept from the dog. You can change your departure routine by using another door, putting on shoes and coat outside the house and so on. When you return home you shouldn’t let the dog greet you with excitement. He must see that this is not a big deal. You leaving the house or coming back is a perfectly ordinary thing. To decrease the departure anxiety you can make a departure exercise. Taking the keys putting on coat and shoes and taking them of and leaving the keys right after. If you repeat this exercise every day at different times of day, you can stop the association in the dog’s head.

First you must teach the dog stay alone in the house in another room. For this you should use the sit and stay commands each time lengthening the time he stays alone in a room with door open. This exercise can start with a few seconds and must be lengthened to at least 30 minutes. Once the dog learns to stay in one room alone for 30 minutes you can start the real departure exercises. After leaving the dog for 10-15 minutes you can depart the house to return in a few minutes. You must act like he doesn’t exist for the duration of this exercise. You must repeat this, each time extending the period you stay out. You must repeat this exercise until the dog gets used to your leaving and returning to the house.

Anticipation and prevention are notable features of modern medicine. Vaccination for medical prevention is the widest spread practice. Dogs are pack animals that are used to a stable life style. If you can foresee a change in the future or are planning to make a change you must let the dog get used to it gradually. This way you can prevent problems before they get out of hand.

How Can I Cure Separation Anxiety? is a post from: Top Dog Club