Fun for the every day dog – Keep your pets active, happy & healthy.

When the trend initially took off, it was known as BARF, which stood for “bones and raw food”. Later it turned into “biologically appropriate raw food”, and now it is just known as “raw”. Feeding your dog a raw food diet basically means giving them raw, meaty bones rather than packaged dog food.

The Appeal of the Raw Food Diet

Recently, the raw food diet has gotten a lot of praise because of the wide-scale pet food recalls that have been occurring. Suddenly, pet-owners were concerned for their dogs’ health, and since pet food was being scrutinized, the next option was raw foods. Many people favor the idea of feeding their pet a fresh, well-hydrated, raw diet. Not only that, but because the meat has not been cooked at all, its enzymes and amino acids have not been altered. Raw foods have been the go-to solution when a dog has been diagnosed with a health problem like allergies, but now pet-owners are choosing to extend that diet to their dog’s daily routine.

Things to Consider

Many people are still considered with feeding their dogs foods that mimic what they would be eating in the wild (raw meat, bones, vegetables, fruit). Pet owners fear bacterial contamination, dietary imbalances, and internal injury from inadequately chewed bones. There are also specific dogs that may not be well-suited for the raw food diet, such as immune-compromised dogs. One of the biggest concerns over raw food is the cost. If you create a proper, well-balanced raw meal for your dog, it can cost as much as feeding yourself!

There are benefits to the raw food diet, but it may also not be for every dog. Look at online pet supplies to get the help you need.

Well, it’s the time of year to again get out the battle gear and combat that awesome pest…the flea. Flea season is upon us (April-September) and since an adult flea can live and breed well over 100 days on your pet if not disturbed, we have quite a task ahead if we don’t take some preventive measures early on:

* Vacuum frequently- all floors and carpets, stairs and under beds too.

* Wash pet bedding frequently.

* Use a safe topical treatment, flea powder, spray or other product. Follow the product instructions provided carefully.

* Ask your vet about topical treatments like Frontline, Advantix & Advantage (now purchasable at pet stores without a veterinarians prescription – Tip: You can save some $ using Petsmart coupons) – these products kills adult fleas, and makes them unable to reproduce, cutting your combat time in half.

* Brush and comb your dog frequently.

* Bathe him/her if heavily infested.

* Spray the house with a flea product at least once a week, under beds, couches, etc.

It might be tough to see fleas, but they certainly make their existence known – especially to your pet.

WARNING SIGNS
The first step to stopping a flea-for-all is to be aware of their presence. Keep an eye out for the warning signs that fleas have set up shop on your pet!

BLACK SPECKS — black specks on your pet or in your pet’s bed could be flea dirt, which is feces from the adult fleas. There are two easy ways to check for black specks:

Flea Comb — available from your veterinarian (the metal ones are the best). Run the comb over your pet, making sure the comb reaches the skin through the coat. If black specks are on the comb when you pull it off, they may be flea dirt. If fleas are on the comb, drown them in a bowl of soapy water before they can get away or jump back on your pet.

White paper towel — place a white paper towel beneath your pet and rub your hands across its fur. If black specks appear on the towel, they may be flea dirt.

The following steps can also be taken to prevent ticks from harming your pet:

YARDWORK — you can remove tick habitats from your yard by keeping tall grass clipped, removing any mulch or leaf litter and trimming bushes.

AVOID TALL GRASS OR BRUSH — keep your pet far away from these tick breeding grounds.

EXAMINE YOUR PET — examine your pet thoroughly every day for ticks. Although ticks prefer attaching to your pet’s head, neck and paws, you should still try to cover as much of your pet’s body as he/she will allow.

Don’t despair: if you follow through with the steps above, you’ll end up ahead of the battle. As always the best combat is prevention-good luck!

Another great travel tour is the Scenic Granada Tour. Located in Honduras and Nicaragua—as part of Central America, you can visit such sites as the Mayan site of Copan and its remarkable stone sculptures and Roatan Island, where you can snorkel, enjoy the colonial architecture in Leon and other fantastic sites.

Tour Highlights

An example of a tour highlight of the Scenic Granada Tour is Antigua—a beautiful, colonial town that is surrounded by huge volcanoes. Another site you won’t want to miss is Copan. This is in a southern location of the Maya sites where you can discover fantastic pyramids, sculpture and hieroglyphics. Then, you can also visit Granada. This is a lovely colonial town where you can relax for awhile and let the business of life go by. During the Scenic Granada Tour you can also visit Ometepe Island. This is an intriguing island; an island you may want to explore. Here you will find many sites to see. In addition, check out San Jose. This is Costa Rica’s cultural capital and here you will find many cafes, restaurants, theatres and museums that you will want to explore.

The food of Granada is various and delicious. You will find in this area wonderfully prepared vegetables, specially made stews, soups and pottages. In addition, you will find fresh seafood and delicious hams and sausages—meats that are cured in Granada’s high Sierra Nevada mountains and wonderful spices that add zest to any menu—such spices as coriander, cumin and saffron.

Don’t Miss EL Zanion De Granado

In addition, you may also want to check out El Zanjon De Granado. This is an archeology/museum that more than a museum. During this tour you will travel through a museum that has been turned into a tenement building and as you walk along you will see underground tunnels, gaze at beautiful adobe walls and glass kitchen tiles, view an open water cistern, brick arches and much more. You will get a wonderful and eye-catching view of what it was like centuries ago.