Comfort your dog, but don’t coddle him: It is ok to give your dog a pat and reassure him, just don’t over-do it. Handing out treats to stop howling and whining during a storm can reinforce that negative behavior you’ve been working so hard to stop. On the other hand, make sure you do not ignore your dog either. The tough love approach can back-fire and fuel his fear even more.

Allow your dog to hide: Give your dog one space to hide (preferably a crate), where he already feels safe. This will allow his fears to slowly subside over time.

Desensitize: On non-rainy days play the sound of thunderstorms lightly as background noise while playing with your pup. This will give your dog a chance to grow used to the sound gradually instead of being shocked by it when a storm does pass you by.

Speak to your veterinarian: Your veterinarian will be able to help you more thoroughly assess this problem. They may be able to provide you with more in-depth suggestions specific to your dog’s needs and could also provide your pup with medication as well.

Your Dog Needs the Right Diet. Be Sure He's Getting What He Needs By Following Our Tips.

Protein is an essential component of your dog’s diet as it helps your dog repair, regulate, and protect his body. As a building block of life, protein remains a key component of a healthy dog’s diet at all stages of life and if you want to make sure that your dog has the proper nutrition, you’ll start by taking a look at the requirements and facts regarding protein.

Requirements for Protein in Dogs
Puppy diets should have about 28% of their diet as protein. Adult dogs should have 18-35% of their diet as protein depending on their size and occupation. Racing dogs and performance dogs will tend to fall on the higher end of the protein scale. Pregnant or lactating dogs should have protein as 28% of their diet. These are just the general guidelines. If your dog has special health issues or concerns, always talk to your vet about proper dietary guidelines and practices.

Can You Feed Your Dog Too Much Protein?
Well, yes and no. Any protein that isn’t used up in your dog’s natural body process will usually be used or excreted in urine, however, if your dog has any kidney problems, it can be harmful. But let’s take a look at the issue closer.

A few years back, research was done that concluded that too much protein can lead to kidney damage. This study was conducted on rats, who differ in kidney function from healthy dogs. It turns out that excess protein isn’t really a problem for healthy dogs, as it will either be stored as fat, burned as calories, or excreted in urine. But in dogs with kidney damage, additional protein causes the kidneys to work harder, which can discourage healing. In cases where kidneys need less stress, a lower protein diet is recommended.

Picking the Right Dog Food
So what can you do to pick the right balance of protein in dog food? Well, for starters, you can take a look at some of these tips.

When it comes to picking dog foods, you’ll want to make sure that you’re choosing one that has the right balance of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Foods that are heavy in fillers (e.g. corn, wheat) aren’t as easily digested. You need to have dog foods that include the dietary values your dog needs to be healthy without compromising digestive function.

The general rule is to choose a dog food that is about 18-25%protein, 30-60% carbohydrates, and 15-19% fat. Carbohydrates usually make up a fair percentage of any dog food and are essential, just like vitamins and minerals, so don’t leave them out either. Same thing with fats.

Do you have any more questions about dogs and diet? Feel free to ask us in the comments!

Remember what it was like to own your first dog? Well, on My Mixed Up Mutt & Me, you’ll get to relive the experience through author April’s posts about her dog Toby. April adopted Toby in June 2009 and since then, her life has never been the same. Also, recently, she just added another pup to her household: Todd!

If you want to see some great posts on what it means to be a dog owner (and some pretty awesome product reviews and other tips), then you’ll love My Mixed Up Mutt & Me. Did we mention they feature adoptable dogs too? Such a must-read for any dog owner or dog lover!

Romeo The Cat – and Pugsley too – are two “rascallly boys raising money for rescues” and we just had to share their stories. Romeo The Cat is a great blog dedicated toward raising money and awareness for animal rescues so that animals can get the love and care they need when they need it most. The site has a really cool fundraising program called FURPOWER, which you can learn about here.

Romeo The Cat shares some awesome pictures, stories, and of course, information on how you can help animal rescues.

Also, Romeo and Pugsley told us to spread the word about other project, BlogPaws.com, a network of pet bloggers. Basically, BlogPaws is designed to be a blogger community where pet bloggers can meet and learn from each other so that they can forward their mission, whether it’s educating pet owners or raising money for rescues. Be sure to check them both out!

If you’ve been looking for a dog blog and community that has all of the best info on caring for your dog, finding great pet products, and even picking out pet insurance, then you’ve gotta check out Dogtime.com.

Run by a group that has years of experience “raising dogs, writing about dogs, rescuing dogs, training dogs, walking dogs, falling in love with and having our hearts broken by dogs,” the staff at Dogtime is a great group who loves to share great advice and care tips so that dogs can get the best life possible.

Plus, their site includes a great blog network, which connects other dog bloggers over their blog posts. Tons of great information – all in one place!

Finally, Dogtime.com has lots of great things on the horizon. According to their site, they’re hoping to add online training classes offered by experts Ian and Kelly Dunbar, a dog adoption center, and an area to swap dog advice on boarding options, vets, parks, and more!

If you love dogs as much as we do, check out Dogtime.com. It’s definitely something to bark about!

We stumbled upon this absolutely fabulous community for dog and cat lovers and we just had to share!

PetTalez is a totally cool, incredibly interactive online community for pets and pet lovers to connect, share information, and learn from each other in an environment that’s incredibly friendly and laid-back. Unlike other social networks for pet owners that charge you to become a member, PetTalez is totally free and you get to share lots of cool photos, blog posts, and other information that’ll help you connect with dog owners and dog lovers just like you! Plus, they always have a lot of helpful links and suggestions, so you’ll never feel lost when it comes to finding the right resources for your pet. They even have an on-site veterinarian!

So stop on by and become a member! If you do join up, be sure to connect with us because we’re on there too!

Remember, they’re dedicated to bringing gourmet all natural dog treats to all dogs with distinguished tastes! The treats are baked fresh, never stored, and made with all natural human grade ingredients. No artificial ingredients, hormone/antibiotic free meats and cheeses, and always BOGO! Wholesome ingredients plus eco friendly packaging – what’s not to love?

Both you and your pup will adore the Culinary K9 – we know we do! Be sure to check them out at their blog, or on Twitter

We’re all about blogs that help educate dog owners on dog health and happiness, and Polka Dot Pup certainly does both! The site has everything from dog-related iPhone apps that help keep your dog-walker or dog-sitter up to date with your dog’s important info, as well as ideas on environmentally-friendly pet products.

We’re happy to have come across the Polka Dot Pup Blog, written by the creative Becca Plummer and inspired by Vixen, her cute 4-year old Labrador Retriever! Take a look at the blog and the interesting posts!

We love their Dog Collar Charms, they’re so pretty and help give your dog some style and personality! Know a dog lover in your life? You can gift them with one of Big Paw Design’s pretty charms, they’d look so cute on a bracelet or necklace! We love all of Big Paw’s great dog products and gifts, they’re so fun.

Their blog is filled with great dog news, dog health tips, and even some posts on our feline friends! Be sure to visit BigPawDesigns.com and the Big Paw Blog, you’ll love it!

It’s always important to understand animals that need rescuing, and In Love of Animals often posts on endangered animals and animals in need of our protection, such as in their post, Endangered Sage Grouse – Decision Delayed. Stay up to date on animal rescue issues and help preserve the beauty of the animals on our Earth.

Be sure to check out In Love of Animals, a site dedicated to showcasing animal issues and helping us better understand the animals on our Earth!