Written by AKC Staff Dedicated dog lovers tend to be very kind people. We share our hearts and homes (and for some lucky pups, even the foot of our beds) with our canine pals. Surely there is nothing wrong with sharing our favorite people foods with our dogs too, right? Not necessarily. Many of the foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that people digest just fine can wreak havoc on a dog’s body, causing severe health problems. On the other hand, some of the foods people eat

Written by Anna Burke for AKC As a dog owner, I frequently come across the 10-percent rule. It sounds simple. “Treats should not make up more than 10 percent of your dog’s diet,” say veterinarians everywhere. I’ve quoted this so many times I’ve lost count, but then, as I was in the middle of a training session with my dog, treat bag full of tiny treats, I had a crisis of faith. What does 10 percent of a dog’s daily diet actually mean? It’s All About Calories It is easy to mak

Written by AKC Staff Dogs do get food poisoning, an illness usually involving gastrointestinal upset caused by bacteria or toxins in food. It is sometimes difficult to diagnose since there are a variety of causes for tummy upset in dogs, including viruses or other medical conditions, anxiety, consuming people foods that are toxic to dogs, or eating garbage and spoiled food. Bacterial causes of food poisoning, like Staphylococcus, have a short incubation period between ingesti

Written for Purina.com Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time, and it’s important to make sure you’re prepared. You’ll need puppy food, a leash and collar, and a strategy for potty training. Doing that prep work will make your first week together a fun one. You’ll spend time getting to know each other and your new puppy will explore his new space, learn where he should go potty and more. Before Bringing Home a New Puppy Prepare for your new puppy’s first week home by

Written Ami Patrick for One Kind Planet Dogs are amazing. They are man’s best friend, and we share almost every aspect of our human lives with them, from working to companionship. Welcoming a dog into your home is a big commitment, though and not a decision to take lightly. Just take a look at your local rescue centre to see the results of people buying on a whim or without research. The number of dogs left homeless is shocking. So, if you are considering welcoming a new dog

Written by AKC Maybe your veterinarian has recommended a prescription diet, or perhaps you’ve simply decided to try a new brand. Whatever the reason for the switch, changing your dog’s diet is more complex than simply pouring the new food into a bowl. In order to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach, you will need to transition to the new food the right way. Here’s the best way to switch dog foods. How to Change Your Dog’s Food Switching your dog’s food abruptly can cause gastr

A safe place to. start in considering canine nutrition is first to determine whether dogs are genetically disposed to need certain diets. This approach will automatically filter out some of the current diet trends and marketing hype associated with these “diets". Based on metabolism and nutrition, many consider the dog to be an omnivore. However, the dog is not simply an omnivore. More like the cat and less like other omnivores, the dog can only produce bile acid with taurin