When choosing the type of dog food to feed your dog, you need to consider his age, breed, your dog’s activity level and also his health condition. For instance, puppies and older dogs will have different types of nutritional needs and you need to ensure your dog or puppy has sufficient consumption of these nutrition for a long and healthy live. It is best if you seek advice from your veterinarian before deciding on which dog food to feed your dog or puppy.

Two most popular choices of dog foods are:

Dry Dog Food
Feeding your dog with dry dog food, usually in small pieces of kibbles, is perhaps one of the most popular choices among dog owners. However, not all dog food brands use high quality natural ingredients. Ensure to read the label of ingredients listed before purchasing any brands of dog food. Here are some guidelines to help you to have some ideas of what the label actually tells you:

No Preservative, Artificial Colors and Flavors. Generally, natural dog food contains no preservative, artificial colors and flavors. Consumption of these components may be harmful to your dog’s health if taken in a long run. Avoid those that labeled “chemical additives as a source of flavor”.

Color. Lookout for the color of the dog food, generally dog food made from natural ingredients is in soft earth tones. Existence of other colors may contain some source of additives.

Type of Meat. Avoid brands that labeled “ingredients include meat by-product”. Choose one that made from natural meat such as chicken, lamb or liver.

Raw Dog Food
According to veterinarian, feeding your dog with raw dog food is the healthiest and the best. Raw dog food contains all natural and unprocessed ingredients. A healthy raw dog food meal usually contains 40% meat, 30% fiber and 30% starch. Thereby, when preparing a meal for your dog, be sure to include some source of vegetables and starch in addition to the uncooked meat such as liver, beef, lamb and etc. Types of vegetables like broccoli, carrots and yams are all good sources of fibers and starches for your dog.

Author Emillie Loh is a dog lover and owner of a dog-related website. Visit Dog Obedience Training for more information on dog training.

Yes! You can attract hummingbirds to your home. Even if you live in the middle of the city, and even if you’ve never had any luck getting them to come in the past.

Try one or more of these tips, and you should begin to see hummers around your yard soon.

Plant A Hummingbird Garden:

One good way to attract Hummingbirds is by planting a Hummingbird garden. In addition to providing them a natural diet, a hummer garden is an excellent way to attract birds to your nearby feeder since hummingbirds feed by sight on regularly followed routes. This is called traplining. Their inquisitive nature will quickly lead them to investigate any possible new source of food.

Hummers, like most birds, have virtually no sense of smell, the flowers that attract them tend to have little or no fragrance, apparently directing their resources instead toward high visibility and nectar production.

Some plants to consider that will attract Hummingbirds include:

- Azalea
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
- Cape Honeysuckle
- Manzanita
- Mimosa
- Red Buckeye
- Coral Honeysuckle
- Cypress Vine
- Morning Glory
- Trumpet Creeper
- Bee Balm (Monarda)
- Cardinal Flower
- Columbine
- Coral Bells
- Four O’Clocks
- Hummingbird Mint (Agastache)
- Penstemon
- Yucca
- Fuchsia
- Jewelweed
- Petunia
- Shrimp Plant

Note: none of these need to be red in color although the color red is attractive to hummingbirds.

If you’re in doubt as to whether any of these will flourish in your area check with your local nursery.

You should avoid using any pesticides at all in your Hummingbird garden. The insects that you would kill off serve as a good source of protein for hummingbirds, and can also sicken or kill the birds if ingested.

Set up Hummingbird Feeders:

If you use a feeder and make your own nectar, a few words of caution.

Never use honey or artificial sweeteners. Honey ferments easily, and can cause sores in a hummers mouth. Artificial sweeteners have no food value. DO NOT use red food coloring in your solution, as this could be harmful to your hummers. Most feeders have red on them and that should be enough.

Your hummingbird feeders needs to be cleaned, and nectar changed every 3-4 days. Even more often in hot weather.

If you see black spots inside your feeder this is mold and you will need to scrub it out with a good bottle brush, but if you can’t reach it with a bottle brush you can add some sand with water and shake the feeder to remove the mold.

You should never use harsh detergent to clean your feeder. Rinse out each time you change your nectar with hot water, and if you do this on a regular basis you should not have a problem with mold inside the feeder. Don’t fill the feeder more than half full, because they won’t be able to drink it all before it will need to be changed.

It seems all hummingbird feeders available for purchase these days have red on them, but if you are in doubt that there is enough red, try tying a red ribbon on the feeder.

Another way to attract attention to your feeder is to place it among flowers that hummers like, or hang a basket of flowers nearby.

You will find that feeder activity slows as more flowers bloom in your yard. Do not panic! They prefer natural nectar over what we give them in our feeders, so they are still around, and you will see them at your feeders more often, as the blooms start to diminish.

If you live in the Eastern part of the United States, you’ll find you only have one type of hummingbird that will visit for the summer, and that is the Ruby-throated. They are very territorial and defend flowers and feeders within their favorite roost spot, so if you want to attract more than one hummer, try putting up 2 or 3 more feeders out of sight from each other. Perhaps on another side of your house.

Get more information and tips on attracting Hummingbirds by going to http://www.easyhow-to.com/hummingbirds.html

Happy humming birding!

About the Author

Clyde Dennis, a.k.a. “Mr. How-To”, is Editor at EASYHow-To Publications and has been contributing articles that help people make their lives better since 1999. At his web site, The “How To” Library, you’ll find a collection of the latest How To Articles, Tips and Tools to help you get things done. For more information visit The How To Library @ EASYHow-To.com

Key Facts:

Size: Massive
Height: 58 - 66 cm (23 - 26 inches)
Weight: 36 - 41 kg (80 - 90 lb)
Life Span: 12 years
Grooming: Easy but extensive
Exercise: Considerable
Feeding: Demanding
Temperament: Gentle, but requires understanding
Country of Origin: Belgium
AKC Group: Hound
Other Names: St. Hubert Hound, Chien St. Hubert

Temperament:
The Bloodhound is lovable, kind, patient and good-natured. Bloodhounds are usually affectionate, but can be sensitive and reserved. They are very gentle dogs and are eager to please their owners. Harsh training is unsuitable with Bloodhounds, due to their sensitive nature and it is best to use gentle persuasive training. Some of these dogs will happily accept visitors and unwanted strangers, while others will be quite protective over who enters their home. Bloodhounds enjoy interacting with children, but it is important that they are not pestered or hurt as Bloodhounds will sit there and take it, which unfair on the dog.

Grooming:
Little grooming is required with Bloodhounds and brushing from time to time is adequate. It is important to check the ears for dirt to prevent infections and it may be necessary to wash them if they get dropped in the food bowl, for example.

Exercise:
Bloodhounds have great stamina and can walk for hours on end, so regular exercise is a must. They are tracking dogs, so when they find an interesting scent they will want to follow it, therefore, they should be on a lead when being walked and kept in a fenced-off backyard.

Feeding:
It is usually recommended that you feed bloodhounds small meals several times a day and do not take them out for walks on a full stomach. This breed eats a lot and is very greedy.

History:
Bloodhounds originated from the Asian mastiff family and it’s believed that this breed arrived in France with the Romans. In the 8th century, the monk St. Hubert established an excellent pack and for many centuries, Bloodhounds were known as St. Hubert Hounds. About 4 centuries later, it is presumed that they were taken to Britain. Bloodhounds have such an acute scenting ability, that no other breed can match them. They have been known to follow trails over 100 hours old. Earning the title as Bloodhound, it is no wonder that they became invaluable to the police for their scenting abilities. Bloodhounds are renowned for their gentleness and for showing no aggression to the victim, when successful on a scent mission.

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Solemn-looking, massive and powerful.
Colour: Red, black/tan or red/tan.
Coat: Short, smooth, weatherproof and the skin is quite loose.
Tail: Long, set high, tapered, straight and carried upright in action.
Ears: Long, set low, thin, soft, covered with silky hair and falling in graceful folds.
Body: Deep, broad back, solid loin, slightly arched belly and muscular, sloping shoulders.

Additional Comments:

Bloodhounds are prone to suffer from bloat, where the gases in the stomach tend to be produced in large quantities. Because of anatomical reasons, the gas cannot be belched in the normal fashion and may lead to torsion of the stomach, which can quickly become fatal, unless veterinary intervention is prompt.
The Bloodhound is supported by huge bones and has suffered over the generations from hip-joints, that can’t always take the strain of them running along, head-down on a scent. Therefore it is important that owners always buy from a repuatable breeder.

About the Author

This article provided courtesy of http://www.dooziedog.com/dog_breeds/bloodhound/