Tips For Picking A Dog Bed
Dog beds come in all shapes and sizes, large and small, which makes it both easy and hard to find the right bed for your dog. Sure, you have a lot of options: big, small, round, rectangular, colored, patterned, custom and even luxury and designer dog beds. But with all the choices available, you’ll still spend lots of time picking out the right bed for your dog.

Buying a dog bed may seem straight forward, but it’s more complex than you think. Just as you would if you were buying a bed for yourself or a child, think about the comfort of your pet, and remember that this should be your primary criteria. No matter how much you want the bed to match, say, the décor of the living room, bedroom or other area, you have to think about the comfort of your pet over your own desires.

That said, here are some tips and tricks for finding a good bed for your dog (or for any other pets!):

Cheaper is not necessarily better. You want the bed to be made of good, sturdy warm material that will keep your dog comfy while wearing through bouts of scratching, gnawing, drool, accidents and all the other normal habits of a dog. There are plenty of reasonably priced beds that are really well-made, so shop around before you settle on the cheapest deal. There are also many designer and luxury dog beds available if you feel like splurging on your pooch.

Think about your dogs sleeping habits. Does your dog sleep in a ball or sprawl out? Always edge one way on the bed? Wiggle a lot? Toss and turn? Sleep sound as a rock? Identify your dog’s sleeping patterns and choose a bed accordingly.

Think about the shape and size of your dog. Don’t skimp on size and always take your dog’s measurements before buying them a bed. Also, remember with dog beds its better to err on the side of larger than smaller.  You also need to think about size if you have two dogs that sleep together. An extra big bed can fit two little lap dogs easily; however, if you have a way larger breed, like a Great Dane, you may have to go custom, though there are companies, like Mammoth, who offer larger dog beds for up to 200 lb breeds.

Think about padding. This ties somewhat in to the shape of your dog, but also its weight. Over time, dog beds wear out and bed padding thins; make sure you get a material that can withstand at least a decent amount of time. New technology has provided excellent stuffing materials for dog beds, like high memory, virgin upholster filling.

Keep in mind just these few tips and you should be well on your way to finding your much need and much wanted dog bed. From luxury and designer dog beds to cheap, flimsy ones, there are an unlimited number of choices; use the above criteria when searching for your pet’s bed and both they will ultimately get the bed that’s right for them.

Tips on Giving Your Dog Medication

Have you ever tried to give your dog it’s daily medication only to find out the pill was on the floor and not digested. If this has happened to you, then listen up.

First, what is your dog’s favorite treat. Meatball, cheese, favorite wet food etc.
Second, is this medication for stomach problems. If so, omit step one and see below.

Easiest method is to test if your dog will eat the treat. Success - he ate it, then insert the pill into the treat and make sure it is small enough to swallow without chewing. You don’t want your dog to bite the pill and taste it, because this will not work second time around.
If you can’t give your dog a treat because of stomach issues, then follow these instructions on how to give your dog it’s daily meds.  

1) Make sure you have the pill/liquid ready to use.
2) Prepare a comfortable position or dog’s favorite spot.
3) Good idea to have an extra person to help and comfort your dog.
4) Tilt the head slightly back holding the upper jaw with lips folded over the top front teeth.
5) Open the mouth as wide as possible with a clear passage way to the back of the throat.
6) Toss in the pill as far back as possible.
7) Still holding the head tilted up, close the mouth and gently message the neck area downwards.
Watch for the swallow and comfort your dog.
9) Very important, make sure the pill is not on the floor or your dog spit it out. If so, repeat.
All else fails, you might have to crumble the pill down to powder making sure you don’t loose the recommended quantity and sprinkle with wet food or meat. Can’t give your dog any treats, then place powder in liquid such as water or water with a bit of honey. Then follow the steps above from 1 to 9.
Good luck.