Pitbull Guide

Saturday, January 19, 2008

The Role of Calcium in Your Dog's Diet

It is important for your dog's diet to contain all of the essential vitamins to ensure excellent health. One of the important nutrients in your dog's diet is calcium. When we think of calcium, strong teeth and bones come to mind. Your dog's diet should be rich in calcium to support healthy teeth and bones, but a delicate balance exist in relationship to calcium and your dog's diet.

It is possible to have too much or too little calcium in your dog's diet. When a dog's diet contains too little calcium, your dog may develop a condition called rickets. This condition creates soft bones that bend under the weight of your dog.

In contrast, too much calcium can create bone abnormalities, as well. Large breed dogs, for example, who are given too much calcium as puppies in their diet, will develop large bones that are low in density. Strength is a problem with such bones due to the large amount of calcium supplements.

When your dog's diet contains appropriate levels of calcium, such bone abnormalities occur infrequently. This is just one more reason to carefully select an appropriate diet for your dog. Always consult with your veterinarian to determine the best amount of calcium in your dog's diet.

Calcium plays an important role in your dog's diet, but other vitamins and nutrients work hand in hand with calcium. Some minerals are interdependent. Calcium happens to be one of such mineral nutrients.

Calcium works together with phosphorus. A balance of the two nutrients calcium and phosphorus must exist in a healthy ratio to ensure a dog diet that will maximize the potential advantages for your pet. Studies involving animal nutrition show that a ratio of 1.0 to 2.0 parts calcium should be coupled with 1.0 part phosphorus. When calcium and phosphorus ratios vary greatly from this range, bone troubles result.

Dog diets consisting exclusively of meats, will not provide the proper amount of calcium and phosphorus to create healthy bones. Such a diet results in a ratio of about 1.0 part calcium to 18 parts phosphorus. The range of absorption is where the trouble begins.

Vitamin D is another nutrient that influences the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. If a dog's diet lacks the appropriate amount of vitamin D, the other nutrients will not provide all the benefits to your pet. Excessive amounts of vitamin D can have toxic effects on your dog. It is imperative to maintain appropriate levels of vitamin D in your dog's diet. Again, feeding your dog food from a reputable company will allow you confidence in knowing that your dog's diet is healthy.

During pregnancy or when your dog is nursing, higher levels of calcium are important in your dog's diet. At this time, feed your pet extra amounts of a balanced dog food. You should not have to supplement your pet at this time.

Milk fever, or eclampsia, cannot be avoided with calcium supplements. Eclampsia is not a nutritional deficiency, but a metabolic condition that affects the dog after the pups have been born and begin nursing.

Avoid supplementing your dog's diet with calcium or other nutrients without specific discussion with your vet. When calcium, for example, is out of balance, health can truly be effected negatively. Feeding your dog a balanced diet is essential. Reputable dog food companies have researched animal nutrition to ensure the best possible health for your dog. Providing your dog's diet in a healthy, balanced formula may be the best way to take care of your pet.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

FIVE EASY STEPS TO STOP YOUR PIT BULL PUPPY FROM CHEWING

You got your new pit bull puppy almost a week ago. In that time, the little beast has eaten three pairs of shoes, four of your favorite Stephen King novels ( He left Cujo alone… Maybe he is a fan too?), gnawed the trim around the bathroom doorway, chewed thru the power cord of your laptop and, just this morning, you found him gleefully chewing up your wallet with a side order of your credit cards. This is getting expensive really fast and starting to get dangerous for the pup also. Maybe it’s time we intervened?


So how do we handle this situation? Once again, we want to be sure our young charge is healthy to begin, so off to the vets office if you haven’t been recently.

There is a medical condition that can cause chewing in pups aside from the normal tendencies they have of chewing to explore their world.This illness is called Pica and causes your pet to eat non-food items in an attempt to deal with nausea. So please visit your veterinarian and make sure your animal has a clean bill of health.

The next step involves understanding that, while chewing is a normal and healthy part of any pup’s development, it has acceptable and unacceptable outlets. Puppies learn about their world thru chewing much the same as human children.

They use their senses to explore the new world, which lies before them and their tactile sense, and sense of taste is brought into play as they chew on various objects. Much like human children, pups also need our protection from the dangers that lurk in their explorations.

Electrical cords, needles, poisonous houseplants and household chemicals,even chocolate, all pose very real threats to your pet. It is your duty to protect the animal from these dangers.

Consistent training with the “NO” command can do this. No is a word your dog should learn early and respond to instantly. This one word has saved many dogs from many horrible fates.

The pup is trained by repeatedly using the “NO” command every time a situation occurs. If you pet is caught chewing on your shoes, say “NO” in an affirmative tone and take the item from the animal.

Do not let it become a game of tug-o-war. Rather, remove the item quickly or back up your “NO” with a spray from a water bottle, a loud clapping of the hands or a light but convincing tap on the nose.

This little diversion is usually enough to make a dog lose interest in whatever they may have been chewing on. Also, do not give chase to an animal chewing on an undesirable selection of chew toy. The will interpret this action to be a game and they will be most happy to play for hours on end.

Instead, calmly work your way towards the animal and then remove the object. For items that are habitually mistreated, a chemical additive such as Bitter Apple may be in order to impart a foul taste to the item and make it unpalatable for the animal to chew on. Crate Training is also effective to stop chewing behavior.

You do not want to completely destroy your dogs urge to chew however as this habit is healthy for them when exercised correctly. Instead, offer them suitable objects for their chewing pleasure.

Perhaps a dog toy ( For quieter households, remove any squeakers from the toy.) Rope toys and crunchy dog biscuits provide good outlets for a dog’s destructive behavior and also help to keep up the oral hygiene of your pet.

Also be aware that all animals are different. Your dog may react differently than another dog in a given situation. Some dogs develop aggressive stances upon attempts to remove an object from their possession. If your dog becomes aggressive and territorial, then professional assistance is highly recommended to avoid further problems or biting.

With these simple suggestions, you can insure your pups’ good health and the well being of your book collection. You might even find the time to spend some quality time reading Cujo again with your new best friend.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

How To Control Pit Bull Allergies?

Has your pit bull started seeming itchy and chew until the hair fell out? Do you feel that there is something which does not seem to be right at this moment? Well these are perfect signals that you have started to doubt your pit bull is suffering from allergies.


Some pit bulls are notoriously allergic to chicken and wheat. If you swap his food to natural Nutro lamb and rice (no chicken or wheat) and allergies will go away. There is also a cheap hydra cortisone spray and shampoo that works wonders!

Apart from these simple diet modification and sprays, the pit bull allergies can readily be controlled by simple home remedies.

Due to pit bull allergy, your pit bull will develop skunk smell. Some of the pet owners are using tomato juice to mask this skunk smell. Well, I found a simple way of using tooth paste to dethrone the skunk smell from my pit bull.

Rub the toothpaste into the pit bull's coat after wetting the skin thoroughly. Wash it off perfectly after few hours of drying. I found this works nicely than the tomato juice.

Other Home remedies to control pit bull allergies include-

  • Apply skin So Soft oil twice daily
  • Washing the pit bull with oatmeal shampoo
  • Blotchy and irritated spots may be rubbed with diaper rash cream
  • Introduction of BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) dog diet
  • Using cornstarch powder

Once you have adopted these measures on your allergic pit bull, they won't chew any more and the allergies will be no more, plus the coat will be glossy and healthy.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Black Pit Bull Facts


Black pit bulls are the most preferred popular dog breeds among the dog lovers. But the sad thing is that this breed is under scrutiny as they are gaining its importance due to their illegal dog fighting circles.


Except the appearance the black pit bulls, they are one and the same as like that of other pits. As there are more illegal pit bull fighting are emerging in United States, most of the organizations are raising slogans against pit bull raising in homes. Even few peoples are claiming the ban for the pit bulls.

The black pit bulls are extensively preferred owing to the reason that they're having incredibly strong jaws, which will produce an extensive damage on the target.

There are numerous reports among the media about black pit bull mauling- which tarnishes the image of these pity pit bulls.


Pit bUlls are gentle in nature, which requires to be focused by the owners. Instead they're keen on developing the character of inflicting pain on other dogs and people.


The character of a black pit bull depends on the owner. If the owner wants to made this clay as a perfect pot they can or otherwise also possible. So, train them to treat the guests...

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Are Pit bulls Really Pet Bulls?

Unless trained to attack humans through abusive methods or very poorly trained, Pit bulls are really good with fellow-dogs and humans. Pit bulls are perfect athletic partners and usually excel in obedience work.

Do you know these breeds are extremely affectionate? Yes!!! If you cuddle them, they love very much.

Today I am going to narrate two stories to show the loyalty of pit bull and the cruelty of some other breed than pit bulls.

One pit bull named "Chief" alias "KOYA" (big brother) killed a cobra that tried to attack a woman and got two bites near the jaw. An American Pit bull terrier- Chief, rescued Liberata la Victoria, 87, and her granddaughter Maria Victoria Fronteras from an attack of a cobra.(Read more here...) While dying the "chief" wagged its tail.

Eight month old boy was mauled and killed by a Doberman pinscher in Newyork. The dog was tranquilized and sent to animal care center.(Read more here...)

After seeing these news, do you think till pit bulls are the only breed that is causing damage to the human society. No!!! All the dogs- Dob, Rot, and GSD are equally dangerous to humans.

Owner responsibility plays an important role in raising the dogs as pets. It is the duty of the owners to train and socialize their dog irrespective of the breed to lead a smooth and safe life. Once you trained your pit bulls to behave well with people of all ages and in public situations, your pit bull is really a pet bull...