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How You Can Improve Your Parenting Skills

It’s 4 a.m. and you wake up to that dreadful noise of your baby crying… again. Are you a new parent pregnancy blog that is in some desperate need of great parenting tips? Great! You’ve come to the right place! Read on and discover some excellent tips for surviving those rough days with your baby.

When you’re out an about, make sure you introduce your child to anyone you meet. This helps their self-esteem and gets them used to meeting new people. If you don’t introduce your child, you make them feel invisible and ignored. It’s important that your child feel loved and like they’re part of the family.

When it comes to trying to change kids’ bad behavior, parents should try to “walk the walk” by setting a good example. Just as most parents cannot stand the sound of their children whining, nearly all children can hardly bear parental nagging. Instead of constantly harping on your child, make a positive statement encouraging them to follow through with some action and accompanying it with a brief explanation of the consequences of failure to do so.

Sometimes squirmy toddlers and kids wiggle their way out of their car seats or learn to unbuckle the straps. Instead of trying to reach behind you and make the needed adjustments, you should pull the car over as soon as you possibly can in a safe spot. Do not attempt to strap your child in while the car is still moving.

If your baby is irritable and not relaxing as quickly as you want him to, head to the bathroom with him. Make yourself comfortable on the toilet and rock your baby as you have the exhaust fan and the faucet running. These sounds mimic the sounds of the noise of the heartbeat in the uterus.

If you are trying to keep track of your baby’s feedings, nap cycles, diaper changes and many other things, try locating one of the great apps that are available for smart phones. It will make it quite simple to keep track of the many things that a baby needs during the day.

Set aside some of your toddler’s toys so that you can begin rotating them in and out of circulation. Toddlers normally become bored with a toy after a couple of days, unless the toy is special in some way. Your toddler will regain interest in their toys if they are different every day and this will make it so you don’t have to buy as many.

Engage your older children in making sure your home is safe for a baby or toddler. While older children enjoy more freedom in the household, they may not understand why their small toys or art supplies are dangerous to their younger sibling. Explain the dangers and involve them in keeping your home safe for everyone.

Establish a relaxing, fun bedtime routine to help ensure your child a good night’s sleep. When a child is having fun playing, or excited about what he is doing, it’s a real mood-buster to hear the dreaded words, “Bedtime. Right now!” Instead, try to wind down the evening with a 15 minute warning, followed by a bedtime snack, tooth-brushing, or maybe a few minutes of cuddling on the couch. An interesting, funny, or happy bedtime story is the perfect end to your child’s routine, as it gives him some alone time with you and helps him relax on his way to dreamland!

To reduce stress when flying with children ask the gate attendant if they offer early boarding for families. If they don’t, ask if you can board early. This will allow you to secure your children in their seats ahead of time and it will also make it easier to find a storage compartment for your carry-on baggage.

As the parent of a young child one of the most important things to take into consideration is how to “childproof” your home. Make a checklist of items in the home that need to be childproofed. Avoid sharp edges on desks and tables and don’t leave out small gadgets that a child can swallow. Make sure all cupboards and cabinets are both out of reach and securely fastened. You can never take too many precautions when it comes to the safety of your child.

Scheduling is essential when it comes to adolescents. There needs to be a plan that is set into place so that everyone knows where they need to be and who is taking them there. Parents need to work together as a team to get their kids where they need to go.

Hopefully your new found and useful parenting tips can assist you with being the best parent you possibly can be. Now that you’ve read through all of this helpful advice, it’s a safe bet that someday you’ll be receiving one of those coffee mugs that proudly states, “World’s #1 Parent!”

Great Tips For Any Cat Or Kitten Owner

Cats are one of those animals that you will want to train indoors for most of the time. This means protecting your important valuables and moving the breakables to the top-shelf before they arrive. There are several different approaches shown to have great results, but this is a choice left up to the intuition of the owner.

Spay your female cat. Even if she stays inside all the time, she could get out when in heat and end up pregnant. The best method of stopping this is to have your cat spayed.

If your cat is picky about drinking water, invest in a cat fountain. These battery operated or plug in fountains keep water circulating and aerated. Many cats prefer this. A cat fountain will help keep your cat out of the kitchen sink and the toilet. It will also help prevent your cat from pawing water onto the floor in search of fresh water.

To keep your cat healthy and strengthen its bond with you, always set aside lots of play time. Kittens especially need lots of attention, which you can easily give to them through play. Pull a piece of string around for a fun and gentle way to keep a cat entertained for hours!

Keep your cat healthy and non-finicky by introducing a varied diet. Always purchase several different brands of food and rotate them. In this way, your cat will be used to trying and accepting new tastes. If one food brand goes out of business, you will always have lots of other acceptable choices to offer.

Keep your cat’s coat healthy by giving them a supplement of nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is an inexpensive supplement that can be found in most health food stores. Simply sprinkle a little bit on your cat’s dry food, or mix it in with their wet food. Not only do they love how it tastes, but it’s full of protein and vitamins that will keep them looking their best!

If your cat is overweight, there are two things you need to do. First, you have to adjust the amount of food you give them, and the other is that you need to get them exercising. Get them cat toys, or play with them yourself, to make sure they are getting the activity they need to slim down.

A tablecloth for the feeding area can be quite useful. Some cats prefer to remove their food from the dish and eat it off to the side. That means you will have to tidy up the food left beside the cat bowl. An easier way to do that is to either buy a placemat and put it underneath the cat bowl, or to cut a bit of fabric to use as a tablecloth that you can pick up and wash or shake over the garbage can.

feline lower urinary tract diseaseUse your cat to teach your children responsibilities. A pet demands care that the whole family can participate in. Each child can take different day to feed the cat, for instance. Same thing for litterbox care. You can make a schedule and post it on the refrigerator. Then, everyone knows what they are responsible for.

Are you the owner of both a dog and cat? Dogs will always try to eat a cat’s food. Try locating your cat’s food in an area where the dog cannot go. That also means they don’t fight about water after eating the food.

If your cat goes outdoors a lot, the chances are good that they come home filthy once in a while. When your cat is especially dirty or smelling like a skunk, you should make an appointment with the local groomer. Groomers will be gentle with your cat, resulting in a less traumatic experience.

When the cat’s litter box starts to become rough and worn at the bottom, it is time to replace it. If you leave it this way, it will cause waste to accumulate in damaged areas. Your cat may be very offended by the odor and decide to use the bathroom somewhere else in the house.

Provide safe and engaging entertainment for your cat at all times. Even if you cannot be in the house with your pet, you should ensure that it has access to toys and other diversions. Sometimes we perceive that cats are lazy animals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy playing to pass the time. This is especially important if your cat is alone in your house for long periods of time.

How to spot feline lower urinary tract disease. It is a misconception that cats should drink milk or cream after they are weaned. Once a kitten is weaned from its mother’s milk, it no longer needs milk of any kind. In fact, milk or cream can cause digestive problems when given to an adult cat. So, to be on the safe side, skip the milk, and offer your pets lots of clean water instead.

When your cat starts urinating often or in odd places, it may be time to see the vet. This sort of behavior is common among cats with UTIs and other health problems. Often this problem is quickly and inexpensively cured with a common antibiotic.

It is very easy to only feed your cat dry food, but this may not meet all of your cat’s nutritional needs. Dry food has lots of carbohydrates. Dry food has also been connected with excess weight, diabetes and urinary problems. Talk to your vet about different foods you can introduce to keep your healthy and happy.

Feed your cat food especially suited to its needs. Do not try to feed your cat dog food, table scraps or food intended for other animals. Cats have special nutritional needs. They need a special amino acid called taurine, for instance, that isn’t found in other foods. Taurine prevents blindness, urinary infections and heart problems.

You will surely make the right choices while training your cat and will never be forced to deal with a misbehaving cat tearing your furniture apart. Don’t forget to let your kittens outside at times because they are animals and do love the sunlight. Regular activities keep the pet healthy and entertained.

What are the Best Dog Food Brands?

bestdogfoodsWhen you consider pet supplies, food is one of the most important product you need to consider in your list. Your pet’s wellness and healthy are dependent on the overall maintenance of a balanced and healthy diet. It’s very important for pet owners to become educated about appropriate dog nutrition, and get some idea about the best dog food brands in the market. Before we discussed what the best dog food brands are, here is an overview of the basic nutritional needs of dogs.

Basic Nutritional Needs of Dogs

In order to understand what dogs need to remain happy and healthy, you need to consider that they’re omnivorous. Unlike cats, dogs aren’t obligate carnivores. However, they aren’t true omnivores either. In fact, you can say that dogs are omnivores of luxury and convenience. Most dog owners report that many dogs eat almost anything if given a chance. They don’t tend to be fussy.

Since dogs have descended from different species of ancestral wolves who roamed the planet hundreds of years ago, canines are more leaned toward the basic carnivorous side. Due to this, dog’s best thrive when they are given a diet rich in high quality meat protein. Meats from poultry and beef are the best choice. However, you shouldn’t feed them meat by-products.

According to experts, dogs can benefit from a wide range of vegetables and fruits. In addition to this, dogs can also enjoy many different whole grains, such as oats and barley. On the other hand, there are some experts that say dog food needs to be grain free. The primary reason is that most dogs are prone to allergies.

A lot of holistic and natural dog food brands contain various ingredients, such as rice, pumpkin, potatoes and cranberries. For some people, this may seem confusing. In simple terms, dogs should be given diets that have a higher protein to carbs ratio.

So what are the Best Dog Food Brands?

As mentioned above, while considering specific brands of dry food, you should choose the ones that are low in carbs and high in protein. Some of the most reputed dry dog food brands in the market include:

● Fromm

● Acana

● Orijen

● Life’s Abundance

● Halo

● Pinnacle

Besides this, you can also buy canned food for your dog. It’s worth mentioning that wet dog foods are the best choice for your dog’s diet. Despite the various pet food recalls in 2007, most experts claim that wet dog foods still offer the best and high quality nutrition for dogs. Moreover, they also contain more moisture than dry dog foods. Moisture is also important to your dog’s health. Some of the most reputed canned dog food brands include:

● Halo Spot’s Stew

● Hound & Gatos

● Weruva

Some dog owners consider these brands to be quite expensive. It’s true that some of these brands are priced higher than other dog food brands available in the market. However, with these brands, your dog will receive the best nutrition. Buying these dog foods will also save a lot of your money on vet bills, and associated heartache. Most importantly, your pet is worth it.

Finding the Best Puppy Foods

puppiesFeeding your puppy with a well-balanced food is the best thing that you, as a pet owner, can possible do for the animal. The right food will keep the puppy’s hair coat sleek and shiny, strengthen its digestive system and help keep the puppy’s digestive system in good shape. However, when it comes to choosing the best dog food for puppies, the options seems to be quite endless making finding the best a daunting task. But don’t despair, this article will give you tips on just how to find the best dog food for your puppy.

Always know what is in the puppy food

The AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) has established some guidelines on what a dog food company should include in their products. If a food is said to have a single ingredient, then it must contain a minimum of 95% of that ingredient, excluding water.

If the food has phrases like platter, dinner and entrée, then it must have at least 25% of the mentioned ingredient.

Ensure protein sources are very high in the ingredient list.

Go for foods that are rich in meat. Puppies are carnivorous and thrive well on a diet based on meat.

Other protein sources are crucial for your puppy’s health. It is for this reason that you should look for food sources at the top of the ingredient list. Meat and other protein sources should always be identified by species (for example, turkey, chicken or lamp). Avoid any source that uses identified formulas (such as turkey meal or chicken meal).

Look For Adequacy

You should always check the puppy food for a nutritional-adequacy statement. Puppies have different food needs than adult dogs. It is for this reason that you should always look for statements such as “the food is balanced and complete for all life stages” and “this food is balanced and complete for growth”.

Always consider the guaranteed analysis

This analysis lists the amount of fats and proteins by percentage as well as the maximum amount of moisture and fiber also by percentage. This analysis provides you with a measure of nutrients category but does not indicate the digestively or quality of the ingredients.

Always consult your vet for advice

Genetics, age, reproductive status and lifestyle all play a role in the type and amount of food your puppy should have. Ask your vet to perform a body condition evaluation to find out all about the dog.

You may also find that your puppy needs a little more or a little less than what the packaging suggests. This is so because some puppies needs some special foods for them to lose weight. Always ask your vet for a dietary suggestion.

Do your homework

You may not find information on quality or sourcing control during manufacturing on labels. However, you can find such information on the manufacturer’s website. If this is not the case, then you can decide to call the manufacturer’s customer relations

Go for a company that manufactures the foods in its facility rather than outsourcing. This is because such a company has better control and better food for your puppy.

Never leave anything to chance when looking for the best dog food for your puppy. Your efforts will result will be a happy and healthy pup for years to come.

What is the best dog food for puppies?

Puppies grow 20 times faster than adult dogs hence need a well-balanced diet for the major growth spurt. Puppy food can be; tinned, homemade, semi moist and dry complete diets.
There are certain growth foods given to puppies to support their constant growth. However, these foods should strictly be given at specific intervals otherwise their little stomachs will overstretch which is harmful to their health. At a tender age of below four months, puppies should be fed four times a day. The number of feeds reduces gradually as they grow.

A puppy requires 37 nutrients for proper growth. These include 10 amino acids, 12 minerals and 11 vitamins. However it is important to note that there are nutrients that you should be extra careful about to avoid putting the puppy in danger. The calcium, phosphorus and magnesium content in the dog food for puppies should neither be too high nor too low. If it is, the puppy is put at risk of developing bone problems.

Trying to check the dog food packages for individual nutrient content might be a daunting task. However, there is an easier way whereby the Association of America Feed Control Officials puts up a nutritional adequacy statement on the packaging for easy identification. This stamp of quality is only present in puppy food that is nutritionally balanced.

Puppies should strictly be fed on puppy food and not ordinary dog food. This is because puppies require certain nutrients in large quantities and others in lesser quantities. Therefore, feeding them with adult dog food might lead to malnutrition.

Before starting your puppy on any specific dog food, it is advisable to ask for advice from its breeder or a vet. If buying ready packed dry food, ensure that the age recommendation indicated on the pack matches your puppy’s age. This way, you are assured that the contents and food servings will give the puppy the necessary nutrients for proper growth and nutrition.

Apart from the dry foods, you can feed the puppy with some natural foods such as raw meat. Diced chunks of fresh lamb is an ideal choice. Never feed the puppy with cooked bones at a tender age as this might bring forth some deficiencies. It is fine for some puppies to feed on bones as long as they are raw. A vet is in a better position to advice on the type of puppies that are allowed to feed on raw bones and which ones aren’t. Human grade fresh raw meats is a better option as packed pet meats include preservatives that might pose danger to the puppy’s health.

Access to fresh grass is also important as puppies might eat them as a source of micro-nutrients and vegetable matter. Water should also be available at all times for the puppy. You might be advised to empty the puppy’s feeding bowl every now and then but there should be a constant supply of water available.

Foods To Avoid include; chocolate, onions, avocado, coffee, macadamia nuts, bread dough, grapes, sultanas, fruit stones, fatty trimmings, green tomatoes, cooked bones, mushrooms and very small piece of raw bones.

Taking the time to research and find the best dog food for puppies is something that will benefit your puppy for many years to come.