'Tis the Season for Diets!

During the festive period many of us tend to indulge in foods which are higher in calories than the norm and more often than not we spoil our dogs just that bit more. Some dogs, just like humans, put on those extra pounds very easily so it is vitally important that, once the festive period has passed, a low calorie diet and fitness regime is put into action. There are numerous low calorie dog foods and lighter treats on the market that your four legged friend will enjoy just as much and who ultimately will benefit enormously.

Arden Grange Light contains the best ingredients and has properties that can help convert fat into energy leading to a lean body mass. These are naturally hypo-allergenic diets and contain no artificial flavourings or preservatives and exclude preservatives, gluten, wheat, beef and soya products.

A new light kibble from James Wellbeloved has been developed to help reduce weight in obese dogs as it contains high levels of fibre and fewer calories together with Glucosamine for healthy joints and Taurine for the heart. The James Wellbeloved Light kibble is available in either Turkey or Lamb (both with rice) and comes in 1.5kg and 12.5kg bags.

All dogs love a treat and a number of natural treats such as Pet Munchies are naturally low in fat and made from real meat and fish classed as ‘human-grade’. Again, there are no additives or preservatives and these dog treats come in six varieties.

As an extra aid to your dogs weight loss why not tries ‘Slimmin Tonic’ from Pooch & Mutt?  It is designed to be used with a healthy diet and fitness regime and is simply added to your dogs food. Slimmin Tonic helps increase your dog’s metabolic rate and therefore helps burn fat, suppresses the appetite and helps build muscle.

All of the above may be found at the online pet shop supermarket of Home Pet Shop.

Ferret Food

Ferrets are meat-eating; they are carnivores not vegetarians! They are an obligate carnivore, which means that they must be given a particular diet that is largely meat-based and contains between 32-38 % proteins along with around 15-20 per cent fat.
For quite a considerable time now experts have been researching and testing with what is the best kind of feeding for ferrets. The Bones and Raw Food Diet appears to be essentially the most satisfactory, if not always sensible, in terms of the health and survival for your ferret. Here is some information that spells out the concerns about ferret eating habits The ideal feeding regime is an uncooked food diet of things like chicken wings, stripped carcasses and necks, turkey necks, rabbit, all kinds of game birds, pigeons, cheap ground beef, cheap lamb, all offal, (lambs heart is an excellent one and cheap). Every ferret possesses its own tastes though. Uncooked bones are good for cleaning their teeth and the calcium in the bone is also good. They are lactose intolerant so cows’ milk is out but goats milk is in and goats’ yoghurt, sometimes with an egg beaten up with some lactose free milk for a treat will be appreciated. Ferrets also like a bit of fresh fruit, melon is good in the summer to assist them to stay cool but again, each ferret has its own fruit preferences. Do be wary of food poisoning and storing as ferrets love to hide food. If concerned about this feed in a special ferret cage that is an easy task to clean and puts a stop to hoarding and hiding. A great time for you to do this is when you're cleaning the main living accommodation out.Zero Salt, pork, chocolate, or nuts. The salt along with chocolate can be fatal to a ferret. The pork is generally not good for them and nuts get stuck in their teeth leading to mouth problems. Alternatively, a ferret biscuit such as Alpha Ferret Feast is a good idea. It is available to buy at the online pet supermarket of Home Pet Shop along with other similar ferret foods. It is OK to feed a mixed diet of raw food and biscuit although raw food is best as it drastically decreases the occurrence of adrenal disease.
Ferrets need to have a constant supply of clean water particularly in summer because they can become dehydrated really quickly. A very heavy bowl is essential because the little monsters tip it over. A good alternative is a water feed bottle with a large supply end.

Crufts 2011

Crufts 2011 begins at the NEC Birmingham on Thursday 10^th March through until Sunday 13^th March when the ‘Best in Show’ is finally announced. Over the four days there will be lots happening within the outside halls and the main arena which has seating for up to 6,000.

Day 1 in the main arena shows a variety of Sporting & Gun Dogs such as Pointers and Labrador Retrievers with various capabilities on display from agility to heelwork culminating in a parade of gamekeepers’ finalists when they will be judged and presented with their prizes. The obedience ring is located in Hall 5 and here you can view the Obedience World Cup with challengers from across the globe competing for the coveted trophy.

Day 2 sees working and pastoral dogs, such as German shepherd and Rough Collie breeds, being put through their paces with great entertainment from the challenges put to these tireless animals. The obedience ring is located in Hall 5 and here you can view the Obedience World Cup with challengers from across the globe competing for the coveted trophy.

Day 3 is the turn of the terriers and hound group breeds with a whole host of dog displays and competitions including everything from agility to Best in Show. The obedience ring is located in Hall 5 and here you can view the Obedience World Cup with challengers from across the globe competing for the coveted trophy.

Day 4 is the final day at Crufts and features Toy and Utility breeds such as the adored Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Miniature Poodle breeds. The obedience ring is located in Hall 5 and here you can view the Obedience World Cup with challengers from across the globe competing for the coveted trophy.

Each day on the dog activities stand in the dog activities ring you will find lots of information telling you how to become involved in dog activities which is something that the Kennel Club is passionate about and will have experts on hand to tell you about getting started.

There is also the YKC (Young Kennel Club) on hand for the younger generation of dog lovers and owners. This club is for 6-24 year olds and has a full programme of high class competition for its members to be enjoyed at Crufts 2011.

In the outside halls will be lots of exhibitors showing many dog products from dog foods to other dog equipment but before you buy anything check out Home Pet Shop where you can buy pet products online at their pet supermarket and get free delivery on orders over £35!

Feeding peanuts to small pets and birds

It's important when feeding birds and small pets peanuts that the nuts are fresh and have been tested for aflotoxin. Aflatoxin is produced by a kind of fungus named Aspergillus and can cause liver disease and cancer in both birds and animals.

It can be present in many grains as well as peanuts and can affect wild birds and poultry as well as caged birds.The same applies to hamsters and other small animals which might be fed peanuts in their diet.

Therefore only buy best peanuts that have been tested and approved and where this has been verified on the packaging as high levels of toxin can kill.

See Home Pet Shop for safe peanuts on offer.

About Dogs-The Whippet

The Whippet was developed in the north of England during the late 19^th Century. It was seen as an alternative to the larger greyhound and was perhaps achieved by crossbreeding Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds and some terrier breeds. The ultimate goal was to get a dog that was still good for racing and coursing but was on the small side and quick with lots of stamina.

The Whippet is widely thought to be the fastest four-legged animal for its size on earth attaining speeds of almost 40mph (64km/h) and was first recognised by the British Kennel Club in 1890. A breed club was then founded in 1899 from when Whippets became a popular show dog.
They tend to make an affectionate companion compared to most hounds of its type and are usually quiet around the home. However they love the chance to be in the open from where they can run freely.
Whippets can sometimes suffer from stomach upsets with many foods and for this reason there are a number ofspecial diet foods available to buy from Home Pet Shop which usually help to alleviate this problem.
Other performance foods such as high energy hypoallergenic nuggets which maximise performance under racing conditions and provide the ultimate high performance diet are also increasingly popular.