The answer is probably because they don’t know how to.  Companies making dog foods, who do know how, have traditionally provided only “feeding instructions,” but never instructions for a procedure that might enable you to discover a product that was superior to their own.

The widely held belief that any food, simply because it is the product of the American pet food industry, is automatically adequate and nourishing to a dog, is pure myth.  A feeling of security because the food has been purchased from your trusted local grocery is based on even less reality.

There is only one way to select a food that you can be confident will provide your dog with adequate nourishment.  That way is to subject all of the foods available to you to a critical evaluation program.  The time taken to correctly make a food evaluation is time well spent, and the procedure should never be slighted.

One strategy to make sure you know what nutrition your dog is getting from his/her food is to make it yourself! We have a great dog food cookbook available at our main site. Check out the 180 Gourmet Dog Food Recipes now!

It is best to be prepared for the most common injuries and dog health symptoms as well as having the appropriate necessary supplies that you can use at a moment’s notice.

Here is are a list of 10 items that are important to keep handy in case any boxer dog health symptoms pop up all of a sudden:

1. Bandaging materials

2. Duct tape to help immobilize your pet in case of emergency

3. Commercial muzzle

4. Information card with your pet’s baseline temperature and weight

5. Antiseptic liquid

6. Ready made cold packs and hot packs

7. Bubble wrap for splinting

8. Rectal thermometer

9. Information card with your veterinary clinic contact information

10 Needle nose pliers to remove foreign objects

If you’re going far from home, then be sure to bring an emergency pack containing all of those things in a small duffle or even a large ziploc bag.

If you’re looking for a great boxer dog health reference, check out our Keeping Your Boxer Healthy eBook.

Is it important to have dog ID tags connected to your dog’s collar? Of course it is… at least in my humble opinion! Getting an ID tag is always the first thing I do when I adopt a new animal. What if your boxer dog wandered off by accident and got lost? How would someone know how to find you without having a dog ID tag connected to it?

Dog tags do not have to be fancy by any means. Simply have a tag made out with your name, your phone number, your dog’s name, and of course your address. Dog tags are an important precaution to take to insure that your pet comes back to you in case of some unforeseen circumstances causes him to get lost.

You can find dog tags at any number of local pet shops and especially online. In fact there are hundreds of online dog tag stores that will provide you with exactly the look you desire and will engrave all of the information that you want to have. And depending on your needs, all of this can be gotten for under $10 most of the time. Last time I bought a tag online, they even offered free shipping!

One afternoon my neighbor’s black Labrador dog was out roaming the country side on his 5 acre property and within an hour he heard the most frightening yelping and crying noises coming from his dog. As he ran outside, he saw his poor pet come limping to the backyard with blood running all down his head as well as his paw.

With no dog care kit around the house he didn’t know what to do so he called for help. The animal hospital was closed and so without immediate assistance he had to wait hours upon hours for his dog to get help, and without any available dog care in the meanwhile.

Had he at least had a dog care first aid kit he could have helped clean the wounds up a bit. Because it was so late in getting help, his dog developed a major infection.

Moral of the story? Have a dog first aid kit available in case of emergencies.

P.S. You can learn about how to handle boxer dog emergencies on our main site

Many health-oriented veterinarians are huge advocates for this diet, which can completely replace commercially prepared dog food.  One of the first proponents of the BARF diet was Dr. Ian Billinghurst who still recommends it today.  He believes that it is the ultimate way to get our pets in to optimum health. Many people believe that the BARF diet simulates what your dog would eat in his natural environment.

Many people today feel that there are a lot of health advantages to feeding a raw food diet to both humans and dogs.  Most owners who have dogs with problems such as allergies, skin problems, weight problems, and anal gland problems have found that the bones and raw food diet has helped to significantly remedy these issues.

Some of the advantages to feeding a biologically appropriate raw food diet include:

• avoiding the preservatives found in most commercially prepared kibble diets
• tastes better to your dog than regular dog food
• in general, muscle mass and body condition improve on a raw food diet

You might also find that your boxer dogs produce fewer stools, eat more slowly, and have fewer health problems.  Many advocates of the raw food diet also claim that it is less expensive than commercially manufactured dog food.  One of the biggest disadvantages to this diet is that it takes longer to prepare.

If you decide that you would like to try the BARF diet with your dog, you must first do the research.  There are many websites and books available to guide you through the process.  Talk to your veterinarian, though many veterinarians are unfamiliar with the BARF diet.  Find people in your area that feed the raw food diet to their animals.  Make sure it is right for you and your dog before you try it.

The next step is to transition your dog from his commercial dog food to his new bones and raw food diet.  You may want to do this gradually as often times, dogs develop digestive problems when switching to new diets.  Some advocates of the BARF diet recommend switching your dog to the new diet cold turkey, however.

When feeding a raw food diet, you will generally want to feed your dog twice per day.  The first meal of the day will usually consist of raw meat and bones like turkey or chicken legs, thighs, wings, or necks, pork riblets, lamb chops, and the like.  The second meal will consist of a mush made with raw meat, fresh vegetables, and Offal (the organs parts of the meat you are feeding).

Usually you will want to supplement this with cottage cheese, eggs with the shells, yogurt, fruit, fish, and recreational bones (which are the harder to chew kinds of bones).  This can vary, so do your homework.  You will want to avoid grains.  Advocates of the biologically appropriate raw food diet agree that dogs do not have the proper digestive systems to deal with whole grains and that most food allergies are grain related.

Most advocates of the raw food diet do not recommend supplements.  If you aren’t sure what to do,  speak with your veterinarian.

If you’d like some recipes for preparing delicious meals for your dogs, check out our 180 Gourmet Dog Recipes cookbook.