Ticks and fleas are a common problem which can frustrate you and your dog, and they can potentially cause severe health issues. There are many different powders and sprays out there, but with their chemical-based formulas, they could be harmful to the pet’s health or to yours.

Don’t worry – those powders and sprays aren’t your only means of defense against these tiny tyrants. You can fight them off with natural remedies that are safe for everyone and can be effective for your dog.

Check the shelves at the pet store. They sell many products that are entirely produced from natural ingredients. They have no chemicals that could be unsafe for your pets or family, but they have ingredients that are very effective in getting rid of the pesky pests.

Some powders and sprays don’t contain any chemicals either. You can find shampoos and special flea brushes to remove them from our dog’s coat. There are some treatments that you can apply directly to the dog’s skin that won’t harm the dog in any way, but will kill the fleas.

You can always choose a flea collar which repels fleas without any chemicals coming in contact with the skin.

Take extra care to clean your dog and your home. Bathe and brush your dog at least once every week. Make sure to vacuum your carpets and keep your dog’s bedding clean.

Warm, humid areas are perfect for fleas to lay their eggs, so they should be vacuumed often. It’s advisable to sprinkle a little Borax or a bit of laundry detergent on your carpets before you vacuum.

These products kill fleas and eggs, which you can then vacuum. Make sure your pets and any children aren’t around when you do it. Even if they are not harmful, a little caution never hurts.

There are some homemade treatments that many pet owners claim to work very well. It might be best to consult your veterinarian first.

Garlic and Brewer’s yeast seem to be effective. Be careful when you use them. Keep your grass cut and your bushes edged, so that it will be more difficult for fleas to get on your dog.

With some of these tips, you can avoid using chemical treatments that could be harmful to your dog. And also, if you use environmentally safe products, you and your dog will enjoy a healthier life.

Interested in tips for living a healthy lifestyle? We’re your healthy living guide to eating well and living an active life.

Bedding is very important for a dog, especially a puppy which has just been taken away from its mother. In fact, if you can arrange it, it is a good idea to leave a blanket with your puppy when it is still with its mother and siblings, that way the blanket will remind him of home, which will be a big comfort to it in its early days of loneliness.

The best material to use for your blanket is wool. Wool is absorbent and so holds some moisture and smells, which will help the animal feel at more home. Wool is also pretty tough and warm, not that warmth is really a major concern for a dog that lives in the house.

There is no need to purchase a special blanket for your dog. You can cut down an old blanket of your own, a metre square is roughly right. This is big enough for any dog, will fit in a dog basket comfortably and is yet not too large to go in the washing machine every couple of of months. If you do not want to run to the expense of using a blanket of wool, you could make use of an old towel, since towels are also absorbent.

Most dog owners allow their pets to sleep in the house and some even allow their dog to sleep on the bed. If you allow your dog to sleep in the house, it is best not to give food to him after about six or seven o’clock or you will have to let him out or take him out late at night.

It is better to feed your dog twice a day than only once and be careful of leaving food down all day, particularly if there is no-one at home during the day to let him out.

If you choose to leave your dog in the garden all day and night, you will have to provide even more shelter for him. A kennel or dog house is the best way of doing this. A kennel ought to have a wooden floor which is a couple of inches above the ground.

You could put a couple of inches of straw in the kennel for your dog to make his bed and you can put a blanket or two in there as well. Do not worry about what you think it should look like, your dog knows best in these matters. If you can not run to either blankets or towels, believe it or not your dog will be just as pleased with crumpled up sheets of newspaper for bedding. Newspaper is soft, absorbent and astonishingly warm, which is why tramps use it. It is also cheap and easy to replace when it becomes dirty after rainfall.

A dog instinctively tries to form a nest to sleep in. I am sure that you will have noticed that dogs walk around in a circle three times before lying down. This is to flatten the grass before lying down and they do it whether there is grass underneath them or not. If you supply some kind of bedding he will not be wasting his time.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with Personalized Throw Blankets. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Woollen Blankets.

Dog owners would be exposed to the affectionate nature of the dog as this pet has the inclination to give its favorite people sloppy kisses. Certainly, an owner will be overwhelmed by the stench if the dog has bad breath. A strong bond is formed between the family and the four legged friend thus it is not surprising if the dog constantly receives hugs and kisses from the members of the family. This is why a bad doggie breath can be a major concern for pet owners.

Dogs are supposed to have strong teeth. Dogs have the capability to gnaw and break hard to crack bones because they have strong teeth. A dog can escape confinement by boring a hole through a concrete wall simply by using its teeth. Dogs though, like their human friends can have teeth and gum diseases too. A periodontal disease can be the culprit that gives the dog a bad breath.

Dogs eat rotten things thus it would not be surprising if rotten air would come out of their mouths. This time bacteria are the cause of the foul breath. An owner should be concerned if the pet has bad breath as apart from the discomfort it gives the family, the bad breath can be a sign that the pet has an underlying disease.

Before giving the pet a lot of pet breath mints that would last for about five minutes, why not take the dog to the vet so that a pro will rule out any underlying disease that may be the cause of the bad breath. The dog is usually sedated to give the vet a free hand to thoroughly examine and clean the teeth. This will be a good chance to see if the mouth has foreign objects and if the pet has gum problems. You need to shell out cash for the dental cleaning of the pet but what is a few dollars if you can say goodbye to the dog’s bad breath.

Regular brushing would do a lot in reducing the bad breath of the dog. Along with other grooming routines that are regularly done, brushing the dog’s teeth will also be necessary. Dogs too like their human friends would get lots of benefits from regular brushing as aside from keeping the breath fresh it will also prevent the buildup of tartar and plaque that causes bad breath. Invest in specially designed toothbrush for dogs and be sure to use doggie toothpaste. The dog’s bad breath may be due to digestive problems. Some foods given to the dog promote the buildup of bad breath causing plaque. Switching to a different diet or a different brand would prevent plaque buildup and consequently remove the abhorrent smell of the dog’s breath.

More about how to get rid of dog bad breath and dog first aid at Sarah’s Dogs.