admin answers:

Dry dog food is dog food that has been baked or cooked and then ‘dried’ into small cubes or shapes. One of the major benefits of dry food is that it helps keep your dogs teeth in good condition as the chewing action helps remove plaque. Dry dog food is normally ‘complete’ meaning it contains all the recommended daily vitamins and minerals for a dog’s daily diet. There are many kinds of dry dog food that you can buy, including organic dog food, holistic dog food and natural dog food. You even get a variety of dry dog foods specially created for different kinds of dogs. There’s dry puppy dog food, junior dog food, adult dog food, senior dog food, even dog food for lactating bitches or those recovering from surgery.

Mixer

Dog food Mixer, is ‘dry’ dog food, but generally, it is not a ‘complete’ food and is intended to be ‘mixed’ with tinned dog food or other foods. Its original use was that it added ‘bulk’ to the food at feeding times and was therefore used to help with dogs that ate excessively and needed to cut their calorie intake. However these days dog mixers are not so widely used, as other foods, particularly as ‘complete’ dry dog foods come in various packages aimed at different kinds of dogs (including overweight dogs).

Hope this helps!

admin answers:

You need to change the food. I have a 2 yr old Boxer and let me tell you, he’s nasty. My Dane (who I had first) was eating Eukenuba and loved it. When I got my Boxer, he started eating it too, and I swear, it smelled like he took a Sh** in the house. Anyway, someone told me that the expensive/rich foods cause gas. So I switched to Purina One and its soooo much better.

Also, it you want a good laugh, get a kids book called “Walter the farting dog”. Its so true…

admin answers:

They will be fine. There are laws about how pet food is made, it has to be safe for human consumption. Sounds terrible but SOME homeless and/or poor people buy pet food to eat because it is cheap.
Don’t everybody attack me, I said some.

admin answers:

There is only one answer for this!

A Rough or Smooth Collie-Lassie! (Smooth is the short haired version of the breed)

The nice thing about Collies is not only are they smart and gentle, they are not hyper and pig headed as some of the other breeds that people will suggest here.
Also they do not have the health issues of other breeds.

Visit the CCA website to learn about the Collie as a family dog.

Http://www.collieclubofamerica.org/cfd/index.html

I picked the breed as I wanted a dog who was gentle with all my different animals, including my cats and parrots. Collies are inherently gentle and are the ultimate family dog.

admin answers:

Collie–rough or smooth (they’re the same breed but with a short easy-care coat) I know of no better family pet, safe, gentle, caring, responsible, loving, as well as active and playful when you want them to be, calm when you don’t. They’re good watch dogs (bark when someone comes or is hanging around) but not guardy dogs that are likely to bite the mailman or your child’s guest. They can do it all and do it well–dog sports, herding, carting, backpacking, therapy work, guide/service dogs, nanny or couch potato. They aren’t obsessive or hyperactive like many herding breeds.

And in no particular order:

Golden retriever–only a sensible, calm one–the active hunting type is way too rowdy until they grow up and settle down, which can take a couple of years or more. But at their best they’re sweet, loving, and beautiful.

Standard poodle–if you can afford the grooming. They’re quick, very funny, happy, bright and responsive dogs, and beautiful. Their coats are just wonderful to touch.

German Shorthaired Pointer.. Handsome, easy-care, bright, responsive, a bit rowdy while growing up but essentially gentle dogs. Very nice to live with. Sometimes predatory with cats though.

Doberman Pinscher–elegantly beautiful, “velcro dogs” that want to be with you all the time. Intelligent, responsive, loyal, gentle. American bred ones mostly lack the strong guarding temperament these days, but they can certainly intimidate if needed.

I will add that the “best” breed for anyone is different for each person, depending on what they want in a dog.

admin answers:

Ridgebacks are from Southern Africa. They have been developed by crossing lots of breeds, mainly from gundog, terrier and hounds, but mastiff types and indigenous African hunting dogs are in there too! The ridgeback is not an attacking breed; it is bred to track game and then keep it at bay and also to be a loyal companion. They are not guard dogs as such, but will keep a very watchful and protective eye on the family they love.

Ridgebacks are bred for endurance and stamina but should be light on their feet and extremely agile. Being a hunting breed and developed to think for themselves, they will chase anything that runs away, which could cause problems. It is important that time is made available to give them the amount of good exercise they need. Without the stimulation a daily run gives the dog, you may find you have a very bored hound on your hands, and a bored ridgeback can be a destructive ridgeback.

These dogs are big and strong in mind and body. If your ridgeback does not respect your authority you may be faced with a problem! Earning a Ridgeback’s respect should be a first priority. They can test you to the limits, so you must be prepared to out think your dog. Never lose your temper though, they are not servants and although they are more trainable that most hound breeds, you won’t ever get the instant submission you see in a working or gundog breed like the collie or Labrador. Once you have gained a Rhodesian Ridgeback’s respect you will have a life long devoted and entertaining companion.

With strangers ridgebacks can be standoffish. Even after a proper introduction a friendship cannot be rushed, but once given it is rarely forgotten. Natural suspicion should not be confused with nervousness. Ridgebacks are playful and love to romp and chase anybody and anything that joins in, and they can play very rough, shoulder barging is a speciality. This can be off-putting to other dog owners in the park, and they may think you dog is aggressive, when all he wants to do is play.

In daily life, most ridgebacks think they are unable to live on an ordinary floor or dog bed, and will try every trick in the book to take over the sofa, or even your bed! Most ridgebacks are gluttons, which makes them notorious thieves; keep your kitchen secure and the butter at the back of the fridge. Ridgebacks are excellent gardeners, you would almost think that they wanted to live in an underground den in the middle of your lawn, instead of on your sofa, and they love rearranging your spring bulbs, and are ready to help with pruning at any time of the year. They can be incredibly lazy and expect to be lifted over the smallest fence; others can outmanoeuvre Houdini. Some have a taste for chewing antique furniture or car interiors; others won’t touch the stuff, and stick to seeing how fast they can chase round your legs as you carry in the shopping.

Ridgebacks don’t necessarily grow old gracefully but if you have a sense of humour and a love of animals then a ridgeback can be the most rewarding of companions. Loyal to a fault, loving, devoted member of the family, they adore children and hate burglars, are sensitive to your moods, but independent. They can lie around the house for hours or walk for weeks, there are no short cuts to training a ridgeback, but once over all the hurdles you will be in danger of wanting to do it all over again.