These are usually called mange proper and follicular mange, or scabies. I want to say a word on the latter first. It depends upon a microscopic animalcule called the Acarus folliculorum. The trouble begins by the formation of patches, from which the hair falls off, and on which may be noticed a few pimples.

Scabs form, the patches extend, or come out on other parts of the body, head, legs, belly, or sides. Skin becomes red in white-haired dogs. Odor of this trouble very offensive. More pain than itching seems to be the symptomatic rule. Whole body may become affected.

Treatment

Dress the affected parts twice a week with the following:

Creosote, 2 drachms; linseed oil, 7 ounces; solution of potash, 1 ounce. First mix the creosote and oil, then add the solution and shake. Better to shave the hair off around the patches. Kennels must be kept clean with garden soap and hot water, and all bedding burned after use. From three months to six will be needed to cure bad cases.

Your best option is to be a firm pack leader. In the face of a strong, intelligent leadership, less problems will crop up. Your very attitude will prevent most of them. Understanding the puppy’s inability to behave as an adult, yet curbing excessive flack even while he’s learning.

Knowing that you have the right and duty to be in charge is a good beginning when it comes to dog problem prevention. Your puppy is built to look to a strong, loving leader for direction and guidance. You just have to step into his shoes and continue on - loving, protecting, making rules and setting limits.

One type of behavior problem that needs to be stopped is the unpleasant habit of poop eating. Some puppies indulge in this habit out of boredom. Some get the habit after being punished for a housebreaking accident. They seem to be trying to get rid of the evidence of wrongdoing. And while most people find this habit unnatural, it isn’t really.

When your dog was a little puppy, his mother kept the den clean by ingesting the feces of all her puppies. Still, when you pick up your little puppy to kiss him, you’d prefer his breath to smell like milk. In addition, by ingesting feces, he can reinfest himself with the very parasites you have been battling to get rid of. If he does this with the stools of other dogs, he can infest himself with whatever worms they might have.

The only way to break this habit is to clean up immediately after your dog evacuates. When he’s outside, keep him on leash and do not let him sniff the droppings of other dogs. This habit may take a few weeks to break, especially if your puppy is using papers while you are out to work. But by keeping things as clean as possible, you will end the habit soon enough. Try not to freak out when your pup “cleans up” by himself. This too shall pass.

In all training, particularly in problem prevention and correction, it’s important to examine the activity from the dog’s side, too. Sometimes you will feel that what your dog wants is not acceptable, as in the case with biting. Other times you’ll feel that what he wants to do would be fine if you had some control over it, as in the case with barking.

By pausing to look at life momentarily through dog-colored glasses you will see which activities you should stop cold and which you can redirect. That is the intelligent and humane way to train you dog.

The dietary regimen is an important aspect of survival. The objective of dietary management is to meet the basic nutritional requirements of the individual dog with proper proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in a well-balanced diet that will promote optimal body weight.

Generally, these dietary regimens are employed to human beings. However, with the growing fondness to dogs, most dog owners and veterinarians recommend that dietary regimen should likewise be implemented on dogs.

Like humans, dogs need the right combination of the basic food groups in order to have a healthy life span. Dogs also need to be regulated on the kinds of food that they eat or else they would end up being obese as well.

Included in the dog’s dietary regimen are the proper minerals and vitamins. These essential health items should be well incorporated into the dog’s daily needs in order to have a healthy body.

With proper minerals and vitamins, dogs will be able to maintain shiny, healthy-looking coat.

For people who want to know how to prepare the right diet for their dogs, here are some tips to guide them through:

1. Meat should not be the only food incorporated in the dog’s diet.

In reality, dogs are carnivorous. The dog’s body is especially designed to generate growth and energy from meat products. However, dogs need fiber too in order to help them digest their foods properly and carbohydrates to provide them the added energy that they need.

So, it would be better if dog owners feed their dogs every day with the usual dog foods available in the market and occasionally give them real foods where meat, fibers, and carbohydrates are present.

2. Dogs need minerals and vitamins.

Like humans, dogs need complex combinations of minerals and vitamins. These are needed to maintain the luster and shine in their coats and to provide them with healthy gums and teeth.

Lack of mineral and vitamin supplements will result in certain deficiencies that could be really difficult to deal with, such as extra dry or super oily skin, tummy problems, frail bones, low-weight, and worst cases are death.

Like humans, these dietary supplements are needed to give the dogs the extra needed nutrients in order to keep them healthy.

3. Real meal treats

It should come at no surprise that dogs love the real food more than their typical dog foods. Hence, whenever their owners give them real food, they consider them as treats.

It is best for the dog owners to include their dogs in their meal planning. With real food, dogs will be able to generate the needed nutrients their bodies need.

4. Mixed foods

Most people tend to think that deciding whether to give dogs moist or dry foods is a matter of preference. In reality, it is not. This is because mixing different kinds of foods is actually the best diet owners could give to their dogs.

Giving dogs variety of foods, nutritional value, and texture are the real diet meal dogs really need.

5. Greens.

A well-balanced diet for dogs includes green leafy vegetables. Even if dogs are carnivorous by nature, they also need the right amount of greens to provide them with additional nutrients that are only available in green leafy foods.

No wonder why dogs sometimes chew on grass. This goes to show that dogs really need some greens to provide their body with a well balanced diet.

There are no hard or fast rules when it comes to balanced diets for the dogs. However, it is still important to note the needed food groups that should be incorporated in the dog’s diet.

Best of all, dog owners should always consult their dog’s veterinarians especially on things like health and diet supplements for their dogs. The veterinarian knows what foods should be included in the individual dog’s meal and what foods should be avoided.

Dogs, like humans, should not be fed with junk foods like sugary sweet sodas. These will only make them fat without the needed nutrients.  And by all means stay away from chocolate.  Chocolate is considered as poison to your dog and well as your cat.

When something about your dogs behavior is just not right, consult your vet.  The vet knows best when it comes to the dog’s care.