When you get a brand-new dog, often you think that's that. There's nothing else to think or worry about. Wrong. Actually there's tons more. You have to think about several things. Why did you get a dog? Did you even need one? Why a dog? Did you want a pet you can hug or just something that is almost maintenance free? Who will take care of that dog? You have to keep in mind that dogs are living, breathing creatures who need to eat, relieve themselves, and have a set of habits. Someone who took him home, you, will have to take care of him and get used to him.

So then, so that your dog will conform to your way of life, living, and rules, and so that you will be able to live with him better, you will have to train him. That's right. You. You brought him home, you're the responsible owner. That dog of yours will have to get used to the way you live and get used to your working and sleeping hours. But since you didn't bring home a programmable cell phone, you can't really realistically expect the dog to conform to your expectations immediately. Your dog has his own nature, his own ways, and he'll do what's natural for him, like pee and poo. And you will do the natural thing a new dog owner will do. Clean up the kitchen floor. Clean up the neighbor's driveway. Replace the chewed on curtains.

So then, he needs training. Dog training is not there to completely alter your dog's habits. It's more of a realignment, a negotiation, so to speak. The rules of the house you will be imposing are more words you will be telling yourself. That dog knows the language of gestures and intentions, cause and effect, reward and punishment. You will have to speak those languages. He will be answerable to you. You're the boss. You will have to make him listen to you, else you'll be cleaning poo and pee and replacing chewed up stuff for a long time.

What can make the dog training smoother, easier is you bond with your pet. Bonding is not some mechanical and forced putting up with each other. The dog can sense if you're sincere. The point is to spend time together so the dog will trust you, so you'll be accustomed to him and his ways, and him with yours. The more you do this the more you're in a position to restrain his behavior, the more you'll know subtle clues and hints about his behavior, too.

When you get down to it, training your dog is not that hard that you have to hire someone else do it for you. You'll have to raise him yourself and not leave him with a sitter. When you establish some rewards for good behavior his less unacceptable dog behavior will curb down and you can even begin to teach him some advanced behavior, like pretty tricks you can show off to your friends.

Have a great "dog training" day,

Dr. Alfonso

Read this story with a metaphorical grain of salt. That's not to say there may not be some problems with some Nutro food, but there can be problems with any dog food. If you are feeding Nutro and not having any problems I wouldn't be too concerned. But this is something to consider. Remember, too, that Consumer Affairs is where everyone naturally goes to report a problem, so this probably shows a disproportionate number of complaints about the food, especially considering that Nutro claims to be the top-selling pet store dog food. Actually, if you look through the Consumer Affairs Web site you will find complaints about other foods, too, so it's not unusual for people to voice their concerns here.

Anyway, read and see what you think. I thought I should bring it to your attention.

String of Illnesses Afflicts NUTRO-Fed Pets
Company insists its food is '100% safe'
By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com
April 18, 2008

A worrisome health trend among dogs and cats across the country has surfaced in the past few months. Scores of pets from California to South Carolina have experienced sudden and recurring bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, and other digestive problems.

Through an examination of reports submitted by readers, ConsumerAffairs.com has uncovered a common link among these pets: They all ate the same brand of food: NUTRO pet food.

In all of the cases we've examined, the animals' conditions improved once their owners switched them to another brand of food.

"I've been feeding my chocolate Lab, Indy, NUTRO for almost four years," said Laura F. of Las Vegas, Nevada. "He's always been happy, healthy, and big. Recently I switched him to NUTRO (Natural Choice) Lite at my vet's request. Three weeks ago, he started vomiting uncontrollably."

Laura said her veterinarian initially thought Indy had pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. The vet prescribed some medication and Indy's condition gradually improved.

"Now, three weeks later, he started vomiting again," she said, adding she continued to feed her dog NUTRO. "He's now lost about 8 pounds in three weeks and is weak and lethargic.

"The vet believes — as do I — that it is the food," she said.

Laura switched brands of dog food and Indy's health improved. After a while, Laura tried mixing in the NUTRO with the new food. But that turned out to be a bad idea.

"The vomiting started again," Laura said. "I also noticed that he only ate about half his food and was actually dropping the NUTRO out and trying to only eat the Science Diet. I think even my dog knows there is something wrong with the NUTRO food.

"I will never feed any of my pets NUTRO again."

Similar stories

We've heard similar stories and sentiment from scores of pet owners nationwide — many of whom are loyal NUTRO customers. We've also heard from a pet store employee, who noticed these same digestive problems with her clients' pets that ate NUTRO products.

A pet owner in South Carolina told us that she found foreign objects in her last few bags of NUTRO foods.

And a disabled woman in California said all these pets' health problems have given her a horrible sense of déjà vu. Her service dog, she said, experienced these same digestive problems a few years ago – after eating NUTRO food.

"I would not venture to give any pet one nugget of NUTRO food after what my dog went through," said Maggie D. of San Francisco.

NUTRO responds

NUTRO, however, defended its products.

A spokeswoman told us she is unaware of any substantiated medical problems like these linked to her company's pet food.

Many NUTRO customers also tout the food, saying it's an excellent product. Veterinarians told ConsumerAffairs.com that many factors can cause gastrointestinal problems in dogs and cats, including changes in diet, newly-developed sensitivities to pet food, or viral infections.

But scores of pet owners who've contacted us are convinced that something is now wrong with NUTRO's food.

They're pet owners like Lynn C. of Cabot, Arkansas.

"I've used NUTRO for years and never had any problems," she told us. "But my 10-year-old border collie, Boo, became sick six weeks ago. He was lethargic, lost weight, and when evaluated by a veterinarian, his liver enzymes were critical. They were elevated…off the chart. My vet said we've got to do something.

"She put him on antibiotics and a strong amino acid, but he continued to deteriorate."

A week into Boo's treatment, a co-worker told Lynn about problems she'd read about regarding NUTRO's pet food.

"I had never dreamed it could be the food," she said. "I'm feeding all four of my dogs the food, so why all of the sudden would it affect Boo? The other three are still thriving. But they're younger—and he's the smallest dog."

Lynn did some digging and found the complaints filed by pet owners on ConsumerAffairs.com.

"I was shocked at the information that I found on NUTRO," she said. "I faxed pages and pages of this information to my veterinarian, who became alarmed and told me to stop feeding him the NUTRO."

Within days, Boo's condition improved.

"He started acting like he felt better," Lynn said. "It's amazing. He wasn't responding until I took him off the NUTRO food. Within a week, he had regained two pounds, and after two weeks, his liver enzymes were still high, but improving.

"I cannot explain why this happened all of the sudden since Boo has been eating this food for years. But I know my dog and I know it was the food."

Another pet owner in the small town of Cabot, Arkansas, who shows Westies, said her dogs experienced the same problems with NUTRO's food.

"I started using NUTRO Natural Choice for my show dogs last fall," said Judy Y., who has fed dogs NUTRO on and off for years. "With the last two bags my dogs started to lose weight and their stools were extremely soft. One litter had constant diarrhea. They were losing weight, their coats were not in the condition they should be. And after they ate, they would suck up water like they hadn't had any all day.

"The only dog I wasn't having problems with was the old dog that can only eat raw meat, no dog food at all."

Judy also noticed that one of her puppies wasn't growing.

"She was growing fine until I put her on NUTRO," Judy said. "And then it was like she just stopped growing. She looked like she had been starved and her coat looked real bad."

Judy's vet examined the dogs — and their stools — and didn't find any problems.

"So I said the heck with the commercial dog food and I started feeding all my dogs raw food," Judy said. "They've all bounced back. They have all gained weight and their hair is growing again."

The only exception is the puppy that had growth problems.

"My puppy is 10 months old now and her growth seems to be stunted," Judy said. "I have never had this happen in the 40 years I have been showing and breeding dogs. I'm not sure this show quality puppy will now get big enough to show or breed. It is so heart breaking to see such a good quality dog not live up to her potential because of a dog food."

Similar tales

Scores of other pet owners echo these concerns. Consider some of their pets' recent experiences with NUTRO:

• Michele T. of Northridge, California: "I've been feeding my dogs NUTRO Natural Choice Senior kibble for years. Lately, the last few months, they've both had very upset tummies and very unusual and loose stools."

• Rachel B. of Indianapolis, Indiana: "I have a three-year-old Poodle who I got from a rescue (group), and he's been on NUTRO Max since I've had him. Within the last few months, he has had quite a few digestive problems that his vet has not been able to figure out thus far. He has not been eating like he normal does and his stools have been incredible sporadic — soft then hard, then soft then bloody. His appetite has been pretty bad. He'll wait to eat until he's starving because he doesn't want to eat the food. He's drinking water like he's been in the desert, and coughing and dry heaving a lot. He repeatedly tests negative for stomach parasites and we have been uncertain what the problem was until I received an e-mail about NUTRO foods from the shelter he came from. I know I will be weaning him off NUTRO immediately!"

• Kelly M. of Moyock, North Carolina: "I switched my dogs to NUTRO Natural Choice Large Breed chicken and rice, thinking I was improving the quality of their food. They loved it! Unfortunately, a few days after I began feeding the new food, which I converted by mixing in increasing quantities over a week long period, both of my dogs — a Great Dane and a Dane/Blue Tick mix — developed watery bowels and lots of digestive activity. We took the Dane to the vet, because he exhibited symptoms first, and they performed a fecal test for both parasites and Giardia. Both were negative. When the other dog began having the same symptoms, I began to suspect the food. I placed a call to NUTRO yesterday and spoke to a customer service representative. She said they had never heard of any dogs having problems like the ones I described. And then, the next day, I found your Web site and saw the numerous complaints. I am not pleased."

• Lin D. of Fresno, California: "I have three miniature pinschers and it (the NUTRO food) has affected all of them same way – diarrhea, throwing up, loose stools or totally water stools. They have eaten this food for four years and never had any problems until this last bag. The thing that was interesting is when I opened the last bag and scooped out the food, it was more grainy than normal. My eight-pound girl, she's a wolf and eats everything, she kind of backed away from the food and I had to coerce her to eat. I have taken my dogs off NUTRO and they are doing fine. I also called NUTRO and spoke to a representative in consumer service. She, too, said she had not heard of any problems with the food. She is blaming the shipping and storing of the food – she kind of giggled when she said it. I won't go back to that food. My dogs are much too precious to me and I am extremely fortunate I didn't lose them to a bad bag of food."

• Jacki G. of Dornsife, Pennsylvania: "I recently purchased a 40 pound bag of NUTRO Natural Lamb and Rice small bites for my Weimer. We've been very happy until this last bag (dated 10 may 2009,13:38 2 a x 4 j p). Our dogs were throwing up, diarrhea as well as the usual allergy reactions. I figured they had gotten into something they shouldn't have, so I fed them brown rice and boiled ground beef to allow their bellies to settle down. The dogs got better. I resumed feeding NUTRO, with the same results. I figured the bag was somehow tainted with corn (which the Weimer is allergic to), causing the intestinal and other reactions. I purchased another food. Symptoms immediately subsided. I was determined not to waste a 40 pound bag of dog food, so I tried to mix it 50/50 with the good food. Bad Idea! Immediate return of symptoms. I called the company to report my dismay. After a 25 minute wait I spoke to a very uninterested woman, who told be to take the food back to the store for a new bag or a refund. I was shocked there was not more alarm that their food wasn't properly manufactured. I was frustrated and dumbfounded at this lack of customer service. I then Googled to see if there was anything going on with other folks. Wow, am I surprised – and a little scared that I tried so long to get my Zippo to eat this food."

• Leigh P. of Olmsted Falls, Ohio: "After years on NUTRO, both my cats started vomiting almost daily. I did plenty of research, feeling that I should switch their food. I will never feed commercial brands like this again. My cats are now on a raw BARF diet, which they were designed to eat, and they are thriving and healthy. My Persian cat, who lost fur four years ago from an illness, is now fluffy again after just 1 month on raw. Don't feed NUTRO or commercial brands. Now I feel guilty for donating this poison to my animal shelter."

Pet store employee

These problems don't surprise a pet store employee in California, who contacted us with concerns about NUTRO's products.

"Of the customers that come in with health issues occurring in their pets — such as those described by the people reporting here (on your Web site), NUTRO is the only food with these problems," said the employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing her job.

"We've averaged 20 customers a week with this food issue for the last five months or so. I'm rather surprised it's continuing and that nothing is being done about it."

Foreign objects

ConsumerAffairs.com also heard from a South Carolina pet owner, who discovered what she calls "foreign" objects in her recent bags of NUTRO food.

"In two of the last five bags I've fed my dogs, I've found pieces of something that look like nylon," said Lori W. "I found one piece stuck out from one end and hooked through a piece of kibble. It was maybe one-half inch long. Most are a lot thinner."

Unidentified object found in Lori W.'s NUTRO pet food

After making these discoveries, Lori switched her six dogs to another brand of food.

Lori's pets

"I don't know, maybe that's supposed to be in there," she said. "But I'm transitioning my dogs to another food. I'm not panicked, but I got concerned after reading the other comments (on ConsumerAffairs.com). I can't deny that I found something in the food that I've never noticed before."

Lori also said one of her dogs — an eight-year-old German Shepherd-Great Dane mix — recently became ill after eating some NUTRO food.

"But that could be totally coincidence," she said. "Rufus has had bouts of soft stools and diarrhea since we've had him. But now I wonder if he had some sensitivity to NUTRO…after we opened that last bag of NUTRO, he got sick."

She added: "I loved NUTRO and would love to continue loving it, but I'm just not comfortable with the food right now."

Service dog

She — and other pet owners — shouldn't feel safe feeding their dogs and cats NUTRO, warned a disabled pet owner in California.

Radio talk show host Maggie D. said her service dog — a Pit Bull-mix named Little Maggie — became ill a few years ago after eating NUTRO food.

"I'd been feeding her NUTRO since she was a pup," said Maggie, who hosts a radio show for people with disabilities on KUSF. "Then she suddenly started having digestive problems. She had terrible diarrhea. She'd indicate that she needed to go out, but couldn't wait. She was also lethargic and she'd drink a lot of water and then quit drinking water.

"She lost a lot of weight. She had absolutely no energy and could not pull my manual wheelchair as trained."

That meant Maggie could not leave her home.

"She's my lifeline," Maggie said of her beloved service dog. "She goes everywhere with me."

Maggie knew she had to act fast. She couldn't function — physically or emotionally — without Little Maggie.

She immediately switched Little Maggie from NUTRO to rice and cottage cheese.

"It took about 12 to 14 days of this diet to bring her back to normal stool formation," Maggie said. "I then would slowly re-introduce the NUTRO one nugget at a time — more each day until she was entirely off the rice/cottage cheese diet."

But Little Maggie's condition worsened again.

"Within a month, she returned to the watery frequent stools," Maggie said. "Back and forth we went between the NUTRO lamb and rice and the rice and cottage cheese until my vet told me to put her on straight boiled chicken breasts and boiled skinned diced potato.

"After three months of the chicken/potato diet she had a shiney coat, her hair was silky once again as is her skin," Maggie added. "She had boundless energy again. She now pulls my wheelchair and stretches herself across the bed so I can pull up to a seated position and get ready to transfer to my wheelchair."

Is Maggie surprised by the recent problems dogs and cats have experienced with NUTRO products?

"No. I think they're using something different in the food – they have to add fillers," she said. "I have no confidence in them."

'Look out'

Maggie decided to contact us now — even though her problems with NUTRO occurred two years ago — to warn other dog and cat owners about this brand of pet food.

"My message to pet owners is — look out. If you love your animal get them off NUTRO. I would not trust the pet food industry or commercial pet food. I will never feed my animals NUTRO again."

But many pet owners stand by NUTRO and its products. And they warn consumers not to jump to conclusions based on unsubstantiated claims posted on the Internet.

"I have used NUTRO for both of my dogs and both of my cats for over two years now and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this product," said Jennifer A. of Spokane, Washington. "The benefits are amazing and the ingredients are quality. I was a little shocked when I read some of these postings, but it will not make me quit feeding this product. I think that people need to remember that animals are like people, just because you get sick, you would not quit eating everything that you had before."

She added: "I have called NUTRO and spoken with them on numerous occasions concerning ingredients and other aspects of their food, and they have always been very nice. I find it extremely unlikely that a business would laugh at a customer on the phone, not only from a sensitivity standpoint, but also from a liability standpoint. Overall, I think NUTRO is a great product. My feeling go out to all of the people that have lost a pet, but unless you have actual proof, it is dangerous to spread false information. Get facts."

A Maryland pet owner agreed.

"We've been feeding NUTRO for years and never had a problem," Tabitha A. of Upper Marlsboro, Maryland, told us.

She advised pet owners to consider the following before criticizing a pet food:

• If you change your dog's food quickly, it's likely to get an upset stomach;

• Things can happen to any food — people or pets. "It can get damp or bugs or be out of date, and it isn't always the manufacturers' fault."

• Even a careful company can have occasional problems. "If you have problems and can't attribute it to anything but the dog food - contact the company," she said. "They may ask for food to test. If you don't contact them, and there is a problem, they can't fix it or do a recall. I had a friend who got food with an incorrect mix and because she was diligent and sent samples, the company did a recall. She had already stopped feeding her dogs the specific batch, but she probably saved many lives."

A woman in Winnipeg who runs a dog rescue also defended NUTRO and its products.

"You had asked for bad experiences and good, but chances are you likely will not print the good ones," wrote Sally H., who runs Hull's Haven Border Collie Rescue in Winnipeg, Canada.

"All of my own dogs are on NUTRO, as are all of our rescues. We have had excellent results placing emaciated dogs on High Energy, puppies raised on NUTRO Puppy, seniors and overweight dogs on NUTRO, and we have had nothing but good results. Not only do we use the brand ourselves, but we also ask our adopters to continue to use it, as we want the best in health for our rescues," Sally said.

'100% safe'

A spokeswoman for NUTRO told us the company's products are 100 percent safe and meet all standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other federal regulators.

"NUTRO pet foods undergo rigorous quality assurance testing beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing all finished products," said company spokeswoman Alice Nathanson. "This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO pet foods."

Nathanson said her company is aware of the complaints posted on the Internet about NUTRO's food.

"Some things can get posted and they are not verified," she said. "I'm not aware of any issues with the products. My dogs eat NUTRO and they have never had any problems."

Nathanson encouraged worried pet owners to contact the company directly with their concerns.

"We absolutely want to hear from customers," she said. "The safety and quality of our products is our top priority. When a consumer does have a concern with any of our products, an in-depth review of the consumer-provided samples is performed to determine if an issue does exist."

What about the complaints we heard regarding NUTRO's customer service department?

"I'm surprised to hear those comments," Nathanson said. "We take any complaint seriously and we will conduct an in-depth review if a consumer provides us with samples."

The best way to contact NUTRO, she said, is through the company's Web site: www.nutroproducts.com. Pet owners can also call NUTRO at 800-833-5330.

Veterinarians skeptical

Veterinarians we contacted about the recent problems dogs and cats have experienced with NUTRO products told us it's not uncommon for pets to have sudden bouts of gastrointestinal problems.

They also said a number of factors could be the culprit, including pet food.

"Food can cause GI upset if sudden changes are made in the type of food you're feeding," said Dr. Robert Backus, an assistant teaching professor and director of the Nestle-Purina Endowed Small Animal Nutrition Program at the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine. "And there may be some intolerance if you wean them from a previous food to another one."

He added: "As far as pet food manufacturing goes, I'm not an authority. There are many ingredients that go into these products and there could be problems with an ingredient source. There also could be problems with the formulation. And there are occasional processing problems — maybe the food was over-processed or under processed — which could affect GI health and pets could end up with diarrhea."

Dr. Steven Hansen with The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) agreed.

"There could be many causes for what you're seeing," said Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist. "Changes in diet can likely make a change in what's happening to a (pets') system. A dog may have a sensitivity to whatever he's eating – even if he's eaten the food for a long time. What can happen is they develop a sensitivity to one ingredient and now their systems no longer manage the food right. That doesn't mean there is something wrong with food.

"Stress could be another factor."

Hansen, however, suspects another culprit is to blame for these recent bouts of GI problems: "A viral infection seems the mostly likely cause to me."

The ASPCA's Poison Control Center, he said, has not received any cases regarding NUTRO's food in the past six months.

"We get hundreds of cases a day and I have zero cases on NUTRO products. But given the symptoms pet owners are reporting — they're mild gastrointestinal problems — we might not get calls. So, I'm not aware of these problems, we have no data on them, but I'd like to know more information."

Hansen, for example, wondered if any of the pet owners fed their animals' NUTRO products with the same lot and formulation numbers.

Few pet owners had that information.

"If they have the same lot numbers, it would get my attention," Hansen said. "If they have the same formulation numbers, it may suggest there may be an ingredient that's the problem."

He and Dr. Backus encouraged pet owners whose dogs and cats have experienced these recent GI problems to contact their veterinarians.

"They need to document the problems — especially if they are serious problems," Backus said. "And bloody diarrhea is a serious problem.

"I would also recommend that if they suspect the food is the problem, they should take a freezer bag full of it — along with the label information that has the product's name and lot numbers — to their vet," he added. "If the vet suspects the food is the cause, the vet should then contact the company and FDA. If there's a problem, we need to document it and get supporting lab results."

Dr. Hansen also recommended that Lori S. — who found "foreign" objects in recent bags of NUTRO — send samples of that food directly to the company.

"NUTRO can do a microscopic examination of the food," he said. "Maybe it is something that is normal. But if it's not, NUTRO should tell her what it is. In light of the (2007) pet food recall, I would expect pet food manufacturers to be responsive and give her an explanation for what it is."

Waiting for results

Some pet owners told us they've already sent in samples of their pet's food to NUTRO. They're now waiting for the results.

Others said they've reported their concerns to the FDA.

A few pet owners told us they hope this is all just a bad coincidence – or a couple bad batches of food. Most pet owners, however, are grateful they learned about others pet' experiences with NUTRO.

"I cannot believe that a company that sells their product as safe and natural is instead injuring and killing pets," said Lynn of Arkansas. "If I had not been informed about other pet owners' experiences with NUTRO Natural Choice, my dog would be dead … I would have kept feeding him the food.

"It is my hope that some consumer group or authority will begin to investigate this company and its products before other pets are affected."

Almost every dog breed was bred from the wolf. Like wolves, dogs are pack animals that became domesticated approximately 15,000 years ago. With that said, you must realize that like wolves, your dog is a den animal as well. What this means is that your dog requires a haven that they can feel security and protection.

Many dog owners leave their animals to roam freely about the backyard or garden. There are too many distractions for this to be considered a place of safety for your dog. Your dog's haven should be its crate — the proverbial wolf's den. It isn't meant as just a place for rest but also the ideal location for offspring to be born. Just as you come home from work each day to the comfort of your couch and television programming, your dog needs a sanctuary to experience true relaxation.

Many dog owners believe that crate trianing dogs is cruel. It is not, dogs enjoy the tranquility of been in their crate, and they feel safe, especially when they have been crated
at an early age.

When a dog becomes tired of playing, or if it seeks privacy for whatever reason (devouring a new bone for instance), a crate is its ideal place of solitude. The crate is a simple, modernized and man-made dog house that every home should make room for.

Dog crate training should ideally begin when your dog is a puppy. At the time you bring your new pet home, you should start crate training your dog puppy. Whether young or old, your dog should still readily adapt to this new edition, but it is definitively easier when you crate train a dog at as early age. The instinctual draw the dog feels towards its confines makes this training much easier than expected. Nature is on your side.

To begin crate training a dog, you must have a crate large enough to support your dog's size. It is impractical to buy a new crate every time your dog grows a few inches. Dogs
grow quickly and this method can turn out costing you heavily. Instead, buy a crate that can handle the puppy's eventual size. The only issue with this is that a puppy might consider the available room adequate enough to relieve itself on one side while sleeping on the other. This can be unhealthy considering many dogs tend to consume fecal matter, or lay down on their pee when it's too warm.

Start crate training by introducing your dog to its new sanctuary. He may sniff it and even enter it. Next, place the dog's food inside. Be sure not to immediately close the cage's door. You must portray the crate as a non-threatening device — somewhere the dog may go and leave freely from. Remember to always praise the dog when he is inside the crate.

Step two involves making sure the dog is familiar with its crate. Once achieved, close the cage's door. Expect restlessness and agitation. The puppy may cry or whine to start.
Ignore its behavior and the panic should lessen. The more attention you pay the dog, the more noise it is likely to create. With many animals, including cats, any amount of attention will elicit bad behavior.

A way to lessen the strife of the dog is to include a toy of his inside the crate to keep him occupied. You can also exercise your dog (e.g., take him out for a walk or play catch) prior to placing him inside the enclosure. A preferred method is to use a special treat for crate time — a treat exclusive to being placed inside of the crate, this will be your create training your dog treat.

Crate training for dogs — a basic but essential aspect of your dog's curriculum — can be a tedious task. Rest assured, though, that everything will turn out fine if you rely on patience to get you both through it. You and your dog will have a much smoother relationship once crate training is completed.

Have a great "dog training" day,

Dr. Alfonso

From KREN.com Reno.

Pop Quiz: Is Your Dog Eating Properly?
By Darcy Lockman

A fast-growing, toy-chasing puppy has different nutritional needs than a slumber-loving, slow-trotting older dog. Feeding your three-month-old meals meant for its elders could mean puppy’s not getting the right amount of calories or nutrition. When the problem is reversed, older dogs could consume too many calories, leading to paunchy pooches. According to the National Academies’ National Research Council, an obesity epidemic now exists among dogs and cats, so we need to better match foods to the needs of our pets.

Keep in mind that your dog will have different nutritional requirements at various stages within its lifetime. Given these fluctuating requirements, how can you best meet the breed- and stage-specific nutritional needs of your best canine friend? Here, The Dog Daily asks veterinarian Trisha Joyce, DVM, of New York City Veterinary Specialists for answers to the most important food-related doggie dilemmas.

Puppies need more calories than adult dogs.

TRUE Puppies are growing rapidly, especially in the first months, and this requires the higher caloric intake of specially formulated puppy food,” says Dr. Joyce. A diet with antioxidants like Vitamin E also helps to support the health of the developing immune system, and may improve your little love’s response to vaccinations.

Puppies are puppies. Large and small breeds can safely eat the same food.

FALSE “All puppy diets support growth,” says Dr. Joyce. “However, breed size does matter.” While small breed dogs can safely grow very quickly, the same is not true for large breed dogs. “To prevent orthopedic issues (such as disorders of the skeletal system and associated muscles, joints and ligaments), we try to slow down their growth.” To feed a small-breed puppy food to a large breed puppy is to put it at risk for hip dysplasia, a gradual loosening of the hip joint that can ultimately be crippling, and other malformation problems. Joint protective agents can be important for large-breed little ones.

The biggest health issue for today’s adult dogs is obesity.

TRUE “The food choices you make for your middle-aged dog largely have to do with whether or not it’s overweight,” says Dr. Joyce. “Owners should always be thinking about preventing obesity, and weight-control formulas can help with this.” Your veterinarian can monitor your dog’s weight, but you can also keep an eye on your canine’s physique. You should be able to feel your dog’s spine and ribs, and see a noticeable waist between the rib cage and hips from above.

Once puppyhood ends, large and small breeds can eat the same foods for optimal health.

FALSE Large-breed dogs should be fed a large-breed diet, says Dr. Joyce. For large-breed dogs, a diet that includes cartilage building-blocks, like glucosamine, can help maintain healthy joints and cartilage.

Male and female dogs have different nutritional needs.

FALSE “This is false, with one exception,” says Dr. Joyce. “Pregnant and lactating females need more calories.” You can provide this extra energy by feeding your pregnant or nursing dog puppy chow. However, make sure it’s small-breed puppy chow, whether or not your dog is small. It is higher in calories than the large-breed puppy equivalent.

Senior-specific diets should be fed after a dog reaches the decade mark.

FALSE “I’m a broken record, but it depends on the breed,” says Dr. Joyce. Veterinarians generally say that dogs in the last third of life are seniors. Larger breeds tend to have shorter life spans, so they may be considered senior as early as six years old, while smaller dogs are not generally considered seniors until 10. New research also shows that a higher-protein diet can also be beneficial for senior dogs. Your veterinarian can tell you whether it’s time to start Rover on a senior meal plan.

You can prevent the common health problems of older dogs by feeding your dog an issue-specific diet — like a food for dogs with kidney problems — before your dog is diagnosed.

FALSE “You shouldn’t feed a health-specific diet until a condition has been diagnosed,” says Dr. Joyce. Preventative diets focus on the general health of a dog, its weight and joint health, rather than on specific conditions. That being said, weight-control and joint-health formulas are generally safe for older dogs. There are many maturity foods on the market. Again, breed size should be a consideration in choosing these meal plans.

Though canine health food information may be harder to come by than the human variety, what you learn can go a long way toward helping your pet. With just a bit of dog food nutritional savvy, feeding your canine companion for optimal health is as easy as scooping out a serving of dog chow.

About The Author: Darcy Lockman is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Rolling Stone. She lives in Queens, with the prettiest pug dog in the five boroughs.

There are many different types of dog foods out there on the market today and with the dog food recall scare, more people are being cautious about the foods they purchase for their dogs. Many dog owners are turning to dog food reviews to help them pick out the best dog food for their pets. Usually you'll find that these reviews are quite easy to find, especially if you look for them online. If you are concerned about the well being of your dog, you'll want to know more about their food before you purchase it. So, the following are some important reasons that you should take the time to read dog food reviews before purchasing a dog food product.

Reason #1 Easy Compare Prices of Dog Foods: One great reason for reading dog food reviews is to find out about the prices of different foods so it is easy to compare different prices. Yes, you'll want to be sure to get dog food that is quality; however, you'll no doubt want to make sure that you get a good deal on the dog food as well. So, reading reviews can help you check into the prices of the food so you can find the best possible deal when you go out to buy it.

Reason #2 See What Others Have to Say: Reading dog food reviews can also help you see what others have to say about the dog food as well. You'll find out how it worked for their dog. This allows you to find out how a dog food reacts without having to buy it yourself and try it on your own dog. So, you get the benefit of someone else's experience.

Reason #3 Learn About Recalls When you take the time to read dog food reviews you will also be able to learn about any recalls that may have been associated with that type of dog food. You may not know about all the dog food recalls that are out there, but when you read reviews, often you'll find out if there are any current recalls you need to know about. This can save you from having a serious problem with a dog food because you weren't aware there had been a recall on it.

Reason #4 Find Out Where to Purchase the Food: You'll also learn about where the best place is to purchase the food when you take time to read the reviews as well. The same dog food may cost a different price at different stores. When you read reviews you'll be more likely to find where you can find the best deal on that particular brand of food.

Reason #5 You'll Get More than a Sales Pitch: If you take the time to read dog food reviews, you can be sure that you'll get more than just a sales pitch. You'll learn what real people have to say about the food and you won't have to worry that they are just trying to sell it. Reading what the company has to say about their food only gives you a one sided opinion, so reading reviews can help you get a more rounded view of the dog food.

Reason #6 Discover Any Possible Problems: You will discover any possible problems with the food when you read the reviews about it as well. If it caused a dog a problem, you can find that out when you read what the review of that dog food has to say. This will allow you to learn about problems without having to experience them yourself.

As you can see, reading reviews on dog food is definitely a great idea. These are just a few of the reasons that you should take the time to start reading the reviews. You owe it to your dog to make sure he gets the best possible food, so take the time to read dog food reviews to make sure your dog gets a food that will benefit him.

Dr. Alfonso