1. Feed your dog food that is organic.  If your dog’s food contains byproducts – that’s a sign you should consider finding a healthier food to serve them.  Always check the label.  If you see the USDA Certified Organic label on the product, you can be fairly certain that your dog’s health will not be lessened by the food.  In general, whole food, food-grade products are the best for your dog, and will keep their immune system fully functional.

2. Proper hydration.  Your dog should be drinking lots of water.  Water is necessary for the body’s vital functions, so this should be a no-brainer.  Water also flushes toxins from the body, leaving your dog healthier.  Some people additionally recommend to filter the water before giving it to your dog, as unfiltered water may contain harmful impurities, depending on where you live and where the water comes from.

3. Feed your dog supplements.  Daily supplements are the best way to ensure your dog gets the proper nutrients that it needs to function at optimal levels.  By feeding it a supplement that gives it this benefit (ideally whole food, and organic), your dog’s immune system can function fully.   Look for ingredients such as cranberries, blueberries and red raspberries – antioxidants which mop up harmful toxins in the bloodstream and restore the body to its optimal state of being.

http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1857978

http://ezinearticles.com/?Can-a-Dog-Supplement-Be-the-Key-to-Dog-Health-and-Longevity?&id=1614158

When it comes down to it, the only supplements that can really increase your dog’s lifespan are the ones that fend off a host of common dog illnesses – supplements which are whole food or food-grade, and preferably certified organic.

Health Care for Older Dogs
by: Valerie Goettsch

Dogs are wonderful, loyal companions and an integral part of our families. Time flies, though, and in a few short years we start seeing changes in our faithful friends. There may be white hair around their muzzle, they may be less active and energetic, and they may be a little slow getting up. As a dog ages, his metabolism also slows, just like ours, and his health care and nutritional needs may change. Here is a look at how we can make life a little easier for our aging pets… (Click here to read the whole article!)

Potent berry-based antioxidant supplement helps prevent chronic degenerative disease in pets

Cranimals announced the immediate availability of CRANIMALS VERY BERRY, a daily nutritional supplement formulated specifically for preventing and mitigating chronic degenerative disease in companion animals. CRANIMALS VERY BERRY is formulated with extracts of certified organic cranberries, blueberries and red raspberries, rated by the USDA as three of the world’s top 10 antioxidant foods.

Antioxidant phytochemicals are established as potent disease-fighting and anti-aging compounds. They neutralize free radicals, the unstable molecules which are either generated by the body’s metabolic processes or ingested e.g. via contaminated food. Free radicals damage cells and DNA, and over time lead to chronic degenerative diseases such as cataracts, arthritis and cancer. Pets who do not obtain sufficient amounts of antioxidants are at risk of developing these diseases later in life.

“Emerging research indicates that the antioxidant phytochemicals in superfoods such as berries work most effectively to combat disease and aging when delivered in combination” explains Cranimals Managing Director, Dr. Wilma Pretorius. “CRANIMALS VERY BERRY combines a variety of phytochemicals from three different berries. We have also used certified organic berries in the manufacture of our extracts ensuring the highest quality.” The berry extracts in CRANIMALS VERY BERRY are certified Kosher and meet international organic food standards including those of Canada, the United States and the European Union.

Pretorius further commented that as little as a teaspoon of CRANIMALS VERY BERRY per day provides a potent source of antioxidants in a pets diet to help prevent chronic degenerative disease. CRANIMALS VERY BERRY is especially suited to aging pets and pets engaged in high energy sporting activities, e.g. agility training.

About The Animals Behind CRANIMALS

Cranimals develops berry-based natural supplements targeted at improving animal development, overall health and well-being. All CRANIMALS™ products begin with high quality human-grade raw food ingredients sourced directly from the farm. CRANIMALSTM is a subsidiary of I&W Research Inc., Canada’s premier producer and supplier of certified organic and conventional berry ingredients for the natural cosmetic, animal health and food functional industries. Additional information regarding CRANIMALSTM products and distribution inquiries can be found at:  http://www.cranimal.com

Choose food that is USDA certified.

Yes… it’s really that simple!

Of course, there are varying degrees of goodness within USDA-labeled products, but let me explain.  USDA-approved means that the government of the United States has officially audited the product and found it to be fully certified organic.  This way, you know that the ingredients you are feeding your dog are not garbage, but prepared in a way that puts your dog at less risk to toxins, while maximizing your dog’s enzyme and nutrient consumption.  Read the article:

USDA Certified Organic Dog Food

By Eric P Taylor

Unquestionably, USDA certified organic pet foods are healthier than pet foods made from conventionally produced ingredients. Unlike cheaper conventional pet foods, USDA certified organic pet foods contain no residues from pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or chemicals accumulated during manufacturing that may include a number of the toxic chemicals that are associated with conventional pet food processing.

Organic pet foods contain more nutrients–such as vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals–than non-organic pet food. This is especially important, considering the depletion of nutrients that comes with heavy processing and the consequent need to supplement pet foods with mostly synthetic, low-grade nutrients in order to provide some level of nutrition to dogs, cats, or other pets. So, USDA certified organic pet foods are a great way to provide your animal friend with safe, nutrient-rich food staples. But beware: currently in the USA, only organic certification is regulated by law and any claim of organic status other than that of ‘(USDA) certified organic’ is not substantiated by an unbiased third party.

Organic dog foods are great if done right. The best organic dog food is, of course, prepared fresh at home. However, this may be challenging, given the time constraints of the modern world. Although USDA certified organic dog foods are a great choice, there are big differences in quality among the many available choices. Most of these differences stem from the quality of the ingredients used. Although no low-grade ingredients, such as byproducts or other indefinable ingredients, can be included in USDA certified organic dog foods, a number of important nutritional distinctions arise from manufacturers’ choices of ingredients. Some of these distinctions are highlighted below.

Organic dog food should not contain grains or flours as first, or primary, ingredients. Dogs did not evolve to eat grains, whether raw or cooked. Although cooking will render grains digestible by the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, cooking also destroys many constituent nutrients; often, the only thing left are empty calories with little or no substantive nutritional value.

The first ingredient in organic dog food should always be a clearly defined source of animal protein. Don’t choose dog foods that contain ingredients listed as ‘chicken meals’ or ‘animal protein,’ as these cannot be reliably traced to their origin. Absent any known origin, it’s easy for manufacturers to use low quality sources of animal protein. Moreover–and tragically, as recent history has taught us–if any contamination or tainting of unsourcable ingredients occurs, it becomes difficult to mount a quick and effective pet food recall to save animal lives if one can’t trace the ingredient in question to its source. In the case of USDA certified organic dog foods, one needn’t worry because the USDA organic standards prohibit the use of obscure and unsourceable low quality ingredients.

Any choice of organic dog food should contain some fruits and/or vegetables. However, plant matter should never make up more than 50% of the total contents of a given dog food product. The percentage of plant matter in a given dog food should be more in the range of 30-40% of the contents by weight. And it goes without saying that these ingredients should be organic as well, both to avoid contamination with toxins and increase the nutritional value and health benefits of any given USDA certified organic dog food.

The great thing about feeding your animal with whole food-based USDA certified organic products is that you shouldn’t have to worry about routinely supplementing whole foods with isolated nutrients because organic foods are generally much more nutrient-dense than conventional–or non-organic–pet foods. In the case of a truly organic diet, you can supplement with nutrients simply on the basis of your own animal’s particular individual needs, and only when necessary. Such occasional supplementation makes it possible for you to choose high-quality supplements for your dog instead of the typically low-grade vitamin-and-mineral mixes added by conventional pet food manufacturers to enable them legally to call their foods ‘balanced’ or ‘complete.’

Although choosing USDA certified organic pet foods over conventional varieties is just a first step toward better health and well being for your animal, it’s a very important first step. So, be good to your animal; take that first step today!

Eric Taylor has years of expertise on pet care and pet rearing. He writes on dehydrated pet products, organic dog foods and pet treats that could be used as diet for your pets and ensure their health and wellness

e concern to eat healthy foods seems to equally apply to people and animals, since many pet owners prefer to purchase organic products to feed their four-legged friends. You would be shocked at all of the healthy dog food offers available in supermarkets. Just like for people, there are certain health issues that one could put a stop to or prevent in the first place. Thus, this particular dog food will reduce the risk of the pet developing dry skin diseases and allergies. The explanation for the good health impact is the absence of additives, chemicals, colorants or pesticides. Rather there will be just grain extracts and high quality proteins as ingredients of organic dog food.

Organic dog food also has more nutrients, and this aspect is reflected in the most relevant of ways in the higher levels of energy and the healthy weight of the dog. Regular dog food may cause diabetes and weight gain with all the other issues that come with these illnesses: back ailment, organ failure and decreased mobility. How can healthy dog food help here? Well, healthy food items for pets do not contain bulk fillers, they are nutrient-packed products that will give your pet energy not fat deposits. Yet, it is best and much easier to prevent health issues than to treat them afterwards.

Good digestion and overall stronger immunity: these are other good benefits that come together with the use of organic dog food. Because of the deficiency of chemicals normally present in normal pet food, your dog will no longer vomit, experience gas or diarrhea. A healthier metabolism is thus what you will mainly achieve with a regular healthy diet. Then, the quality of the nutritional ingredients in organic dog food boosts up the immune system eliminating the risk for infections and all other issues of specific diseases that affect dogs on a common basis.

All in all, veterinarian experts claim that with organic dog food, the life span of any animal can increase significantly, not to mention the fact that it will go a lot better through their aging years. Most of the time, pet owners that choose organic dog food, are also interested in applying the same health rules to their own diet, sticking to clean natural products that boost up body functions and keep intoxications and disease away. Ask your dog food provider about organic dog food, and if there is none available with the supermarket or your local pet store, try to buy it online. There are quite a few of web pages that sell such products at fairly low prices.

Organic Dog Food is an important aspect in your dogs health, as well as excercise and more. Visit Michelle Johnson’s blog to learn more on how to have a happy and healthy dog. http://www.rustydogblog.blogspot.com

Click here to see the article on its original page

When was the last time you bought yourself something eco-friendly?  Do you use organic, environmentally friendly products?  Yeah, probably – a lot of people do now.

But what about your dog?  Most of the dog owners I know are environment conscious – but many don’t buy their dogs organic things, opting instead for conventional products from big brands that are almost always non-environmentally friendly.

Consider the following points, as illustrated in this article by Amy Nutt:

Cruelty-Free

Safe for you AND your dog – not to mention the environment.

These are both important concerns when buying for your dog, so next time you buy your favourite pooch something – make it organic and enviro-friendly!

blood?  hair?? low-grade waste!?!?  no human would even consider eating this crap, so why would we feed it to our furrriends?

These days, going eco-friendly and organic is all the rage, and you can see people striving to make a change in their lifestyles and their eating habits. So why not include dog food in the organic crusade? Sales of organic dog food are going up, and this is due to the fact that pet owners who are trying to eat well also want their dogs to do the same. People are starting to think that the usual commercial dog foods aren’t the best option (especially with the dog food recall), and that organic dog food is the key to keeping their dogs healthy.

Many dog owners are convinced that organic dog food ensures better health for their pets. However, there haven’t been any studies or reports that make such a claim, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) itself also states that the main difference lies in how the food is produced and processed, not in their nutritional content.

Nevertheless, this doesn’t stop people from helping their pets adopt an organic diet, and the fact that organic dog food uses more wholesome ingredients is already a major part of its appeal. (read more here…)

The point is, even if your dog is following a 100% organic, USDA certifiedfood diet, he is not getting all of the nutrients he needs.  We need to wake up and realize that our dogs need access to proper nutrition.