Your Pet Guide

Do you need a cheap, healthy alternative to store bought kitten food to help wean your kittens off their mother's milk and transition them to traditional canned kitten food?


More than likely, they have shown little interest in regular canned food, preferring the milk to anything you might put in their bowl. Dry food will also be too hard on their developing teeth. The best option would be to start them on a food that reminds them of what they prefer, but can be mixed with traditional wet food to help transition them over.

This recipe is simple to make, and kittens find it delicious. Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and mix in one envelope of unflavored gelatin. Be sure to mix thoroughly, and do not boil the gelatin. If the water tastes bad or has a heavy chlorine taste when it comes out of the tap, consider using filtered water instead.

Pour this mixture into a blender along with half of a 12 ounce can of goat's milk. Blend just long enough to combine thoroughly. Do not substitute cow's milk because cats tend to be lactose intolerant. Using cow's milk can lead to discomfort, diarrhea, and worse if fed to kittens. Add the following ingredients one at a time. After each addition, blend briefly to combine before moving on to the next.

You will want to use the lowest setting to avoid overmixing. Add: 3 tbsp full fat yogurt, 3 tbsp real mayonnaise, 3 tsp light corn syrup, and 1 raw egg yolk. Concerning the egg yolk, raw eggs carry a small risk of salmonella poisoning. To eliminate any risk of accidentally passing this on to your kittens, use eggs that have been pasteurized in their shells

You can serve the completed homemade kitten food the way it is, or you can store it for use later. To store for later usage, cover the mixture tightly in a small container. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to ten days or in your freezer for up to three months.

If U are going to use food that you have prepared in advance, you will want to warm it up before serving, especially if it is coming from the refrigerator or freezer. Cold food causes severe stomach upset in kittens. Warming it up will also make it more aromatic, and thus more appetizing to the kittens.

For puppies, giving them instructions is not that difficult to do. But house training a dog, especially during his young adult years may yield some complexities along the way compare to doing it during the puppy years. But then, it pays if you are uncomplaining in performing it together with him.


No matter how cute or cuddly your dog is, if he doesn't know where to put his waste properly, he will surely be labeled by your visitors as a 'bad dog' or worst, 'dirty dog'. Surely you wouldn't like it to be that way, nor do you not want to be blamed for having not trained your dog to do it in the right manner during his puppy years.

To start your dog in the house training process, it is important that you should establish a good working relationship with him. It may sound crazy, but try to talk to your dog by sharing words of encouragement to him. He may not interpret every word that you say, but he can feel the dedication you give to make him a better dog.

For training on his elimination manners, you should try to open the areas at your home, and locate where your dog goes when he has the urge to defecate. Probable he will go to the gardens or any place he considers as private for such an activity to do. Take note of the place, and allow him to go to that place again and again if he feels urges to drop his waste. But if he is littering anywhere around the house, try to transport him outside if you notice his actions at once. Do it for several times until it will stick to his thoughts that you want him to defecate outside the house and not inside the house.

Moreover, when your dog is urinating somewhere else than where you want him to be, it is important to do the same thing as to when he is defecating. He will probably pee in places outside your house, and he will leave a mark on that place instantly. Allowing him to do it in a constant manner will give him the initiative that the right pee place is the one you desired for him. You should also limit your dog's oral fluid intake, so that his bladder contents and movements will be controlled. Doing so will give some adjustments to your dog's urinating time of at least four hours interval. Some dogs that are poorly trained on this aspect will urinate every hour in any place they want to.

It is not advisable to place your dog in a cage that gives him no room for elimination. If your dog is placed on a cage, it is important to let him out at least thrice a day to give him time for defecation and urination. Try to bring him around the park for a walk, and there he will be able to find a perfect place for these activities. Leaving him unattended at his cage will surely result to a stinky smell of your dog's place.

For training him to situate his own area for sleeping and recreation, it is important that you should be able to allot a simple space for this. This is the area he will treat as his own. Place some toys or anything he can chew on that place so that he will not get bored. It may be advisable to place a clean rag, because sometimes your dog is searching for a soft spot where he can place his bone and chew it. Spend some quality time with him in his area. In no time, he will sense that the area you prepared to be his space is his own room. You should also keep it clean at all times.

House training a dog is a very rewarding thing to do. It is considered as a special way of showing love to your pet. You can't just imagine the satisfaction that it brings, especially when you see your dog doing his stuffs on his own. You will surely become a proud person when this happens.

What is the key to house training your puppy? Patience, persistence, gentle firmness. By correctly house training your puppy, you are setting the foundation for strong and loving relationship with your puppy.

I know that when you think about new puppy training and hear the words "housebreaking" and "potty training," you think endless pooh and mess, but this doesn't have to be the situation when you understand the basics.

Get step-by-step instructions for basic puppy training and understanding dog behavior at Dog Talk Nation. Discover the amazing world of dog training and dog behavior broken down into tasty, understandable "snacks" that both you and your dog will relish and learn from.

You've picked out the perfect puppy. You spent hours on the internet, researching the right breed for you and your family. Then you went from breeder to breeder or humane society to humane society, meeting and greeting pups until you find just the right match.
Now what? He needs a name! Over the course of its life, you will use your dog's name more than 35,000 times. So be sure you're picking a name you can live with and love.

With these seven simple steps, the key to finding the perfect puppy name is at your fingertips!

• Dogs understand short commands. Easy names with two or fewer syllables work well.

• Your puppy's name shouldn't sound like any commands. "Stacy" and "stay" are too close for comfort. Such a name will only confuse the issue.

• Remember, you'll be using your pup's name in public. "Boner" may be cute among your fellow fraternity members, but it won't go over well at the veterinarian.

• Make your kids part of the decision process. Kids like it simple, too, so if calling your Champion Cavalier King Spaniel "Bootsie" works for them, consider keeping the hoity toity name strictly for AKC purposes.

• You may think it's an honor to name your pup after you're favorite Uncle Norbert. Naming your baby after him may keep you in the will, but naming your puppy after him won't.

• If you're bringing home an older dog, ideally, stick with the name it already owns. Can't stand it because "Barney" was the first boy who broke your heart? Then stick with similar sounds when choosing a new dog name. "Barney" morphs into "Farley" easily.

• Once you've chosen a name, try it out for a day or so. You'll know right away whether it's a keeper. If not, there's always more puppy names on your list!

Take a look around you. All around are terrific ideas to inspire you.

At first glance, a couple things will stand out about your new puppy. Enjoy him or her for a day or two and take these into consideration.

• Appearance. What's your dog look like? His color, size, and personal style inspires a variety of name choices. "Stubbs" would be a great name for a dachshund pup. Or you may call a cream colored cock-a-poo "Buffy."

• Personality. Given a couple of days, your new dog's personality will really shine through. Try "Cuddles" for the sweet little guy who loves to get cozy or "Puddles" for the pooch who can't seem to find the doggie door.

If you want to go beyond the basics, many famous dog names or foreign dog names can fit the bill. Consider these favorite puppy names when making your decision.

• Celebrity puppy names. Today, pooches have more celebrity following than their famous owners. Chew on "Lola," a name used by both Hilary Duff and the Osbournes.

• TV dogs. "Scooby" and "Astro" come to mind if you want to honor a famous TV pup.

• Movie dogs. Cool movies and cool dog names seem to go hand in hand. Cool Hand Luke's "Blue" would be a fitting label for a variety of dogs. Or try "Bodie," from the weeper Steel Magnolias.

• Comic dogs. "Snoopy" will always be a favorite, but also consider "Daisy" or "Odie."

• German dog names. For starters, try out "Fritz" or "Kaiser."

• Irish dog names. "Finn" fits well for any pup, as does "Murphy," which just happens to mean "hound of the sea."

• French puppy names. "Pierre" and "Gigi" are top contenders for any dog, especially those with a little oo-la-la in their genes.

The choices are endless. However, with these simple tips and some thought, before long, you'll have found the perfect puppy name!

You are bringing your new bundle of joy home finally. You have done your research, know you have the right breed and you have complete faith in the breeder of your new pup. You have visited the litter each week to watch the pups develop, bought all the toys and the crate the breeder recommended and you already have her signed up for puppy kindergarten. Now for the most difficult decision - what do you feed her?

Puppies need special diets to grow strong and healthy and thankfully, there are many varieties to choose from that are designed to fit the needs of our furry bundles of joy! There is small dog puppy food, regular puppy food and foods for large and giant breed pups. Each is formulated a little differently - small breed puppy food is calorie dense with a physical size that matches their diminutive mouths.

Large and giant breed dog food is designed to allow for slow, steady growth which helps build strong and healthy bones and joints. Added nutrient are also designed to regulate joint health since so many of these breeds are plagued by hip dysplasia as well as back, elbow and knee issues.

The first person to ask for a recommendation on what to feed your new pup is the breeder. They know their breed best and usually have the best intentions for the health and happiness of both their puppies and their new owners. However, do not take their word as gospel - sometimes they are forced to buy a lesser quality food then what would normally be recommended because of the sheer cost of feeding a litter of pups as well as possibly a full kennel of adult dogs.

No matter what, however, have a small bag of the same food waiting at home for the day the pup arrives – you do not want to make a sudden switch of food ever with a dog but it can be catastrophic for a new pup! House training is almost impossible to start if you are also dealing with a bad case of diarrhea. A change in food should always be done gradually over a number of days with each day decreasing the amount of the old food while simultaneously increasing the quantity of new food. After five to seven days, the pup should be on the new food entirely with little to no adverse affect on their bowels.

All dogs thrive on routine and your new pup is no exception! Young pups should be fed at least three times a day but preferably four if possible, at least for the first couple of weeks they are home with you. Make sure you feed them at the same time each day and once they are finished eating, put them outside for a poop - within fifteen minutes of eating, you will be rewarded with a step towards a perfectly house trained puppy!

How much to feed the pup is the most common question asked a veterinarian. Double check with your breeder before you bring the puppy home and also check the recommendations listed on the dog food bag. Usually it is weight based so make sure you have an overall idea of what your pup weighs now as well as what they will weigh as an adult.

A rule of thumb is to watch your puppy’s waistline and growth spurts. A skinny puppy is a healthy puppy because it puts less stress on the still forming skeletal system. You do not want to see all the ribs but there is no harm in seeing the last one or at least a hint that there could be ribs under a thin layer of pudge and the thick puppy coat. Like human children, pups grow in spurts and stops. Usually they will sleep more and eat ravenously when they are in a growth spurt and our inclination is to feed them until they stop eating.

Don’t! Pups, especially large and giant breeds, are healthiest if they grow at a slow and steady pace and by marginally restricting their food, you are making sure the growth spurts do not get out of hand. Large and giant breed puppy food helps keep the growth spurts to a minimum as well.

The biggest mistake new owners make is leaving the food down until the puppy has cleaned his plate and/or add tasty morsels to the dish until the pup concedes to eat the kibble. This actually teaches them bad puppy manners and no one wants that! Give yourself a break - never add tidbits to the dish and only leave the food on the ground for twenty minutes. If they have not finished their plate after that time, pick it up and do not put it on the floor again until the next scheduled feeding.

They soon learn to finish their plate quickly and that they are not going to get something tastier if they ‘hold out’ for better! No puppy will starve themselves to death and they will eventually eat their entire meal as long as you are strong and not give in to those adorable puppy eyes!

Feeding a puppy is not difficult but it does take a bit of knowledge and some diligence on your part. Keep your puppy at a healthy weight, have them dewormed regularly and make sure you have fun with your new ball of fur - puppy hood lasts only a short time and it will be over before you know it!