A female dog goes into heat roughly two times a year. The first time they go into heat is when they are around seven to eight months old. However, small breeds may start sooner than that. You will often be able to tell that your dog is about to go into heat by looking at the vulva. It will swell and there will also be sightings of blood. This period generally lasts anywhere between 6 and 14 days.

It is very important for the owner of the female dog to track when they go into heat. This is for two primary reasons. The owner will either want to try to get their dog to breed around this time or they will need to take action if they are looking to prevent pregnancy. There are pills available that will prevent the female from going into heat. Medication is also available for males who are a little bit too sexually excitable.

If you want to prevent your dog from going into heat, you need to act within one to two weeks before the heating stage starts. After they have started going into heat, contraceptive pills should not be given unless there is a really good reason, although they can still be used. Many of the pills (or injections) will contain megestrol acetate, which will stop them from going into heat. The pill does have some side effects. However, they are pretty minimal. Make sure that you look at the package so that you know what the side effects are. The contraception is usually are given in a form of sugar and dogs easily ingest it without much fuss.

The first thing that you want to do is to record when your dog first becomes pregnant. You can expect for your dog to give birth around two months later, or 60 days. Be sure that you make arrangements to be at home during this, and are prepared for the birth. Avoid giving your dog foods out with a lot of extra calcium while they are pregnant. This is especially true during the last week to two weeks of their pregnancy. Do not give them any type of calcium supplement. They will need some calcium, you just do not want to provide them with too much. While your dog is in labor and after the puppies are born, you may then give them extra calcium.

The first week that you determine that your dog is pregnant, you may have noticed some sort of morning sickness in your dog. They may also act differently. Watch them carefully for infection. You may want to make an appointment with your veterinarian so that they can examine her. Keep feeding your pet good, healthy dog food and provide any additives that you deem necessary. Your dog will still need to get plenty of exercise. Being in good shape will help them during labor and while they are caring for their puppies. You want to be careful about administering any medications. Talk to your vet first to make sure that any medicine that you give them will be safe. If you are worried about worms, again, speak to your vet, because there are medications that can be given even while your dog is pregnant. You will want to avoid giving them anything for insects or fleas and live vaccinations are also off limits.

Too many people never stop to think of the kind of shampoo they are using to bathe their dog – until the dog shows an adverse reaction to it. A good dog shampoo is important for so many reasons. Unlike us, dogs cannot apply lotions and ointments to their skin if it gets dry and sore – they lack the thumbs! But dogs – and their skin – can be just as sensitive as our own, if not more so. A shampoo that worked during the summer may make your dog uncomfortable during the winter, and a shampoo which works perfectly for one dog may be all wrong for another dog. There are several things to consider when choosing the best shampoo for your dog, but first, there is a rule: never, ever use your own, human shampoo on your dog. It can be irritating and itchy. But think about it – you may need a shampoo for dry hair, oily hair, thick hair, thin hair, et cetera. Does it not stand to reason that your dog has such needs, as well?

The first step in choosing a good dog shampoo is to know your dog’s skin type. Just as it is for humans, there are dog shampoos designed to help oily skin, dry skin, and normal skin. Because it can be difficult to determine your dog’s skin type on your own, you can talk to your vet, he has the knowledge and resources to help you figure it out.

Dogs are great pets, always pleased to see their owners shown by the wag of their tails. They do not complain and are a way to de-stress from everyday life. Taking your pet out for a walk or for a simple game with the Frisbee can ensure a healthy workout for you and in the most enjoyable manner possible. Your pet gives you silent company on lonely evenings and is more than happy to take a backseat when you are surrounded by your friends and family. They will never complain that you don't have the energy for that walk you promised them the day before, or the bath they so desperately need.

It is not very often that we are able to show our appreciation the way your dog displays theirs for you, but keeping them healthy is one way and a good dog insurance plan is a way we can give something back. Various pet insurance policies exist and how complete they are will depend on the provider as some will incorporate routine visits to the vet to check your dogs health in addition to situations like accidents or even illness. Even the healthiest of dogs can become sick and knowing you have a dog insurance policy that will pay for medical attention means the cost is never a concern.

There are lots of questions that dog owners should ask regarding their dog’s safety and health.

How often should the dog visit the veterinarian? For most dogs, they should visit their vet once a year for their vaccinations. For puppies, they should visit their vets more often since they require frequent vaccination boosters. If your dog has a medical problem, he should visit the vet more often. When your dog is six years old, you can take him to the vet twice a year for a thorough check up to find out if he is healthy or if a budding disease may be cropping up that needs immediate attention.

How do I know if my dog is sick? It is important to know your dog well and watch out for any changes in his over all appearance, behavior, eating, and drinking patterns. Other common signs include not having any appetite for food, changes in water consumption, changes in consistency of his wastes, vomiting, changes in behavior, weight loss, and frequent urination are other tell-tale signs of problems. Some obvious signs include whimpering in pain and limping.

Should I neuter my dog? If you are not planning on breeding your dog, then you can choose to neuter him. Health advantages include less aggressive behavior. Furthermore, neutering reduces their risks of developing testicular and prostate cancer in male dogs. Female dogs won’t get mammary cancer, womb infections, and diabetes. Neutering is usually performed on dogs that are six months old, although it can be done in very young puppies.

There was a time when no one gave a second thought to whether their dogs nutritional needs were being met. At that time, any old dog food would do. Now however, after study and research, we have learned that a quality food, wet or dry will impact our dogs health. A quality dog food has minimal fillers, added vitamins and minerals, and is appropriate for the dogs life stage. Dogs do not naturally produce all the nutrients they require so they depend on us to feed then quality, nutrient rich dog food.

There has been a trend lately to feed dogs bones and raw food, or "BARF" as it is known. The idea is to feed dogs what they ate in the wild, before they were domesticated. The truth is, it is hazardous to your dog due to toxins, food borne bacteria, intestinal obstruction and the possibility of intestinal perforation. If you stop to think about it, you will realize dogs did not live as long or as well in the wild as they do now.

In this article, I will discuss just a few of the important nutrients required for a healthy dog. One nutritional element you may not be familiar with is Iodine. Iodine is crucial for proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Just as in humans, the thyroid plays a major role in regulating metabolism and growth. Symptoms of hypothyroidism, which is not enough thyroid hormone, include poor growth, weight gain and hair loss, as well as weakness and irritability.

I don't know about the area you live in, but it costs close to $30 for the most basic trip to the pet groomer in my town. And I don't even have a dog with long fur or any special needs. For more deluxe treatments, the prices quickly go up.

Even if you do the grooming yourself, you can spend a lot at the pet stores for special dog soaps and shampoos and toothpastes and brushes and what not. There are all sorts of toys, care items, and luxuries for pampered pets, and the pet stores want you to buy them--for a small fortune.

But what if you want your dog to be clean and look good, and you don't have a lot of extra money to spend? You might be surprised at how many simple household items can be helpful in pet grooming and care. Here's a look at some specifics:

Baby Powder

Baby powder is one of those cool (and expensive) things that has a ton of uses around the house, and you can even dry-shampoo your pet with it. Vigorously rub a couple handfuls of baby powder into your pet's fur and let it set for a couple minutes. Then brush it out, and your dog will look and smell good.

Dogs are very sensitive and affectionate. Dogs obey and follow instructions if they are put into practice from the puppy stage. Dog care is not a simple procedure. One has to know a lot of things about dogs. Dogs are to be regulated in their food habits, personality, the toe nail lengths, and sensory organs.

Dog’s skin is very sensitive. The dog’s skin is shining, healthy and free from dandruff if it is taken proper care of. Its skin depends on the diet it has. Its skin will be in good condition only if it has correct weight. An underweight or an overweight dog may have health problems. Knowledge, precaution and proper attention will surely keep the dogs healthy. Regular vaccinations ensure dogs from getting affected from any infection. The most common disease is allergy in dogs. To keep them away from allergy the surroundings should be clean. A daily bath to a dog will make its skin lose its natural oils. It is advisable to give a bath at intervals or when you find them to be very dirty. They should be patted dry with a soft towel and their coat should be brushed with a soft brush. This will help the skin look shining and healthy.

Knowing when to take your dog to the vet and when to let him "self-regulate" is a pretty tricky business - how do you tell when he needs to see a professional? After all, it's not as if you can rely on your dog to let you know.

Nobody likes forking out $80 for a needless visit to the vet, but then again no conscientious dog-owner can bear to contemplate their dog's suffering, either! Frankly, it's a bit of a quandary.

I've owned dogs on and off my whole life, and this is still something that I've never been 100% comfortable with: of course, I'd always rather be safe than sorry (a viewpoint which has resulted in many, many unnecessary trips to the vet over the years, just to set my mind at rest) ... but I've also always wished for the kind of solid grounding in canine medical basics which would enable me to confidently decide for myself when my dog needs to see the vet - and when I can save both him and myself the hassle!

Stress-Free Dog Care

You can imagine the relief I felt when I happened across The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health (by Malcolm Fields - dog-care professional) on the Internet. It was uncanny: this guide is exactly what I was looking for. It's complete and detailed, covering all the common health problems (both serious and not) that dogs suffer from; the overall focus is on being prepared and taking preventative action; it teaches you how to accurately self-diagnose (with the assistance of step-by-step flowcharts which tell you whether he'll be fine by himself, whether he needs to see the vet, and how urgently the vet should be seen); and, while it's packed with knowledge and advice from veterinarians and trained dog-care specialists, it's easy on the eye and reader-friendly ... you can actually understand what they're trying to say!

Most dog owners in America have not arranged for pet health insurance, and I'm not quite sure why. We all know just how important it is to have health insurance; so it makes sense that we should consider veterinary pet insurance to protect our pets.

It may at first look like just another regular expense; that is until dog owners are face to face with the expensive vet bills after their pet has an accident or gets sick. With everything around us is costing more and more money everyday, it is not surprising that vet fees have also risen as well; of course the knock-on effect has been a rise in pet insurance premiums. That being said, policies are much more affordable than you might expect.

The rising cost of medicine is one point to consider but is there any others to consider? Unfortunately, animals become sick from time to time or are involved in an accident. This can happen at any time and usually does when you can least afford it!

If this situation should occur, sometimes unfortunate choices have to be made; you know that treating your animal will place financial strain on you.