k9healthsolutions.com Blog

Have you ever wanted to give your pet some of your hot cocoa while you’re curling up on a winter’s day? Well, hot chocolate isn’t great for your pet, but there is indeed something you can treat him with when you’re both watching the snow fall outside. Puppy pretzels are an easy to make and hearty treat that any dog will love and can be a great comfort food when the weather outside gets frightful. Try out this yummy recipe the next time you’re expecting a snow day.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup water
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons soy flour, low fat
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon dried liver powder
1 tablespoon bone meal flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg – beaten, divided (1/2 in recipe, 1/2 in glaze)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons wheat germ

Directions
First, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the rest of the dry ingredients. To the dry ingredients, add half of the beaten egg, oil, and then the yeast mixture. Mix well until a dough forms.

Remove dough from bowl and knead on a well-floured surface until the dough is firm. Add dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until it nearly doubles in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After the dough has risen, roll out and shape into pretzels. Place the pretzels on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush them with the remainder of the beaten egg. Sprinkle with wheat germ. Return to oven and bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they are nicely browned and firm.

Way back when we started this blog, we introduced you to a very special dog: Rakker. This spectacular dog is very special to us and we consider him to be one of the inspirations for starting up K9HealthSolutions.com.

The story of how this business was started is really rather unique. The owner of K9HealthSolutions.com, Jeff Button, was working at the Pentagon Police Department as a Bomb Dog Handler and his assigned canine, Rakker, a Belgian Malinois, had developed some severe digestive issues and was also shedding like crazy. They tried everything to help him…and nothing worked.

Then, one of Jeff’s coworkers mentioned a product called Dinovite. Jeff read all the information and felt it was probably too good to be true but decided to give it a try for Rakker’s sake. Within about a month the problems were gone and the then 8 year-old Rakker was once again acting like a puppy.

Dinovite was able to help Rakker be the best Bomb Dog he could be, and in turn, it inspired Jeff to start up a business where other dog owners with similar problems could find a solution that would really work. That all happened back in 2007.

Since then, K9HealthSolutions.com has developed into one of the top retailers of Dinovite, as well as other dog care products, with Rakker as a chief tester of any new toys, treats, or other dog care supplies we add to our selection.

Jeff resigned his position as a Police K-9 Handler to take on the business full time and his old partner Rakker was granted retirement. He still lives with Jeff and his wife Joanna today – and he still gets his daily dose of Dinovite.

Just like humans, dogs can catch colds that can leave them feeling down and out for a few days. However, if your dog is generally healthy, you might be able to treat a canine cold at home without having to pay a visit to the vet. Here are some tips for treating a canine cold:

1.Keep your dog warm and dry as best as possible.

2.Avoid taking your dog around other dogs, as that’s how illnesses are easily spread.

3.Limit time spent outdoors in cold weather, as a cold will cause the bronchial passages to constrict, making it harder for your dog to breathe.

4.Try to run a vaporizer near your dog’s sleeping area to keep his bronchial tubes moistened.

5.Do not give your dog over the counter medicines since they are not meant for dogs. If your pet needs something stronger to kick his sniffles, talk to your vet.

6.You could give your dog some warm chicken broth to keep him happy and hydrated.

7.Try turning your bathroom into a steam room by running the shower very hot and then having your dog breathe in the steam for a few minutes. This will help loosen any congestion that might have built up.

8.As your dog starts to get better, be sure to disinfect his food bowls, toys, and bedding so that he won’t get himself or others sick.

9.Older dogs and puppies should always be taken to the vet when they get a cold, even if they are in good health. Very young or very old dogs can be more susceptible to complications from a cold.

10.Boost his immunity by supplementing his food with Dinovite. It’s not a cure, but it can help your dog keep up his overall level of health so that he can fight off infections like the common cold.

We recently came across the Kay’s K9s blog, where Kay blogs about her oh-so-adorable Miniature Needle Felted Dog and Cat items! We love how unique her cute keychains are, and they really do amazingly resemble the dog breed.

She’s been receiving quite a bit of Press lately, and it’s no wonder with how accurate her needle felted dog and cat sculptures are, all of us at K9Health were quite impressed (especially our dog Rakker!). We hope you’ll head on over and visit her site, and we wish her only more success in the future!

Winter can be a dangerous time of year for your dog and it’s important that you keep a few safety tips in mind this season. By protecting your dog now, you can ensure that wintertime can be a fun and enjoyable experience for both you and your pet. After all – who doesn’t love playing out in the snow with your pup? Keep in mind some of these valuable health tips for dogs this winter:

If you need to use de-icer around your sidewalk or porch, be sure that you’re choosing one that’s pet-friendly and designed to be non toxic. Many de-icers used on roadways and sidewalks contain chemicals that can be toxic or irritating to your pet. While you can’t avoid what you encounter on the roads, you can however keep your dog safe. Be sure to wipe your dog’s paws clean after spending time outside.

While you’re wiping paws clean, also be sure to check for ice that may have formed in between the toes of your dog’s paw while he or she was outside in the snow. Ice can be irritating to the paws, not to mention, can encourage frostbite. Remove any ice if you find it, or you can try preventing it by having your dog wear booties.

Finally, keep your dog away from any antifreeze. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which can cause fatal kidney damage in your pet in just a few hours. If your dog ingests antifreeze, seek out veterinary assistance immediately. Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning include depression, lack of coordination, diarrhea, thirst, and seizures.

Winter is here and it’s important for you to remember that although your pup has a ton of fur, he may need a little extra help keeping warm this season. To make sure that he stays toasty, use some of these helpful tips from K9Healthsolutions.com.

1.)If your dog sleeps in a dog bed, try moving it close to a heating source in your home, however, make sure it doesn’t get too close as you don’t want to create a fire hazard or have your dog become overheated.

2.)If you like to walk your dog every day, think about having your dog wear a dog coat or a sweater while you’re out. Dog clothing can protect your pet from the wind and the cold while helping to keep his natural body heat close.

3.)If your dog sleeps in a specific part of the house, make sure that area is well heated and well ventilated during the winter months to keep your dog comfortable.

4.)Keep your pooch’s paws clean by slipping on booties or dog boots. There warm and incredibly adorable!

5.)Finally, take extra care to notice if your dog is getting cold while you’re out walking or playing. If he’s shivering, take him back home to cuddle up on the couch with a warm blanket.

New years is almost here and the American Kennel Club has already started thinking about what dogs around the nation will be coming up with as their resolutions! The list, which is listed below, can be a fun way for you to think about the new year with your dog. Will you help these resolutions become a reality, or will you choose something else that’ll get two paws up from your pup? While you think about your dog’s resolutions, consider some of these picks from the AKC:

10.  Owner on floor, dog in bed.
9.  Stop begging and actually get a seat at the dinner table.
8.  Give up the dream of ever catching my tail.
7.  Bark like a big dog but still get cuddled on lap like a little dog.
6.  Get back at cat for litter box incident.
7.  Find every bone I ever buried.
4.  No more haircuts!
3.  Become alpha dog in my house. Well, at least stop letting the cat push me around.
2.  Invent goggles that allow me to see the electric fence.
1.  Finally pass that darn AKC Canine Good Citizen test.

Have you thought of a good resolution for your pet? How about for you in relation to your dog? Share with us in the comments and we’ll post your resolutions!

2009 was one turbulent year for the world, and we’re looking forward to a great 2010! We recently met the great people behind Ruff Ride, who just published their very witty new book, enhanced by photos of adorable dogs! We all need a little smile in our lives, and what could bring more cheer that seeing a cute dog and a funny witticism?

Definitely head on over and check out the Ruff Ride book, and tell them we said hello!

We recently had the pleasure of getting to know the great people behind Paw Prints Life (formerly Paw Prints Pet Photography), and wanted to introduce our readers to them, too! Paw Prints Life is a wonderful pet photography business, as well as now branching out into pet (and people!) gifts.

Rebecca Forrest and Virgil Sweeden are the faces behind Paw Prints Life, and we applaud their dedication to their business and wish them continued success! Be sure to check them out, and if you live around Dayton, Ohio, we encourage you to visit their pet photography studios with your dog!

Pups The Traveling Labrador is one of the most fun pet blogs we’ve had the pleasure of coming across. Pups is a plush Black Labrador who has been traveling the globe for the last three and a half years with friends and family members, and taking photos everywhere he goes! Pups’s mom found Pups at a small boutique store a few years ago, and Pups was welcomed into a family complete with his brother, Garth Milo, a 10 year old Black Labrador!

Check out the “Puparazzi” section, where you can view fun photos of Pups in some of the great locations he’s visited! Everyone’s talking about Pups, so check out his “Press” page to see the spotlight he’s getting!