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How to Clip a Dog's Nails

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 15:52:40 GMT

A Quick and Easy Guide

Few dogs like getting their nails trimmed, but this is a necessary procedure, and for more reasons than plain aesthetics or ruined furniture.

Overgrown nails may also:
• Split and break, causing pain.
• Affect your dog’s posture and eventually cause serious problems like joint issues and arthritis.
• Leave scratches on you, your family, and any visitors.

So how do you keep your dog’s nails trimmed in a regular, effective, and non-traumatic manner – without putting your pet under anesthesia?

Read on for some helpful tips.

Reduce the Need for Clipping

You’ll need to clip your dog’s nails less often if you take them out regularly and let them run about on rough surfaces such as pavement, concrete, or rocky terrain. The exercise will naturally wear away at nails, keeping them from growing too fast.
There are also some nifty methods for keeping the dog’s nails at optimal length by filing them, such as rough-surface nail trim mats and sandpaper-covered filing boards the dog is encouraged to paw.

Classical Conditioning
Pavlov had discovered this a long time ago: our brain may make a connection between any two stimuli, which affects our behavior. For many dogs, nail clipping is associated with uncomfortable restraint and a forced procedure.

What you want is to have your dog associate that nail clipper with something they love, like a very special treat. You start slowly, by simply picking up the clipper while feeding the treat to your dog, then gradually work towards touching their paw with the clipper and, eventually, gently trimming their nails.

Of course, this will only work if your dog is comfortable with having their paws touched in the first place. If they dislike having their paws handled, you’ll need to resolve this issue first.

Have Everything Ready
When you begin the nail-clipping procedure, the last thing you want is to have to dash away for necessary equipment just as you got your dog settled.

Make sure you have all the essentials on hand:
• Nail clippers or grinder
• Scissors
• Good lighting; if your dog has dark nails, you may opt for a head flashlight, or have an assistant hold the flashlight for you.
• Treats

Be Extra Careful
The inner part of your dog’s nails is supplied with blood, and if you accidentally over-trim, you could cause bleeding and severe pain. Then all the work you’ve done on positive conditioning goes down the drain – it will take a long, long time for your dog to let the clipper anywhere near them again.

If you aren’t sure where the blood-supplied area ends, use a flashlight. If your dog has dark nails or you can’t easily define the cutting range for some other reason, it’s better to err on the safe side and clip away the bare minimum to keep your dog comfortable, then file the nails down a bit more.

Always cut parallel to the bottom of the nail rather than from above and down.

After-Clipping Care
You may want to complete your nail-clipping session by trimming your pet’s paw-hair and softening the skin with paw balsam. Don’t forget to give your dog an extra treat at the end to maintain a positive association.

For optimal nail length, repeat trimming every two weeks. If you keep your trimming schedule regular, the blood vessels will retreat into the paw with time, making your job easier.

Nail trimming is an essential part of your dog care routine, so you want to do it right. Once you take the daunting factor out of the procedure, you can make it into a fun, special grooming time your beloved pet enjoys.

Want a fun and healthy way to get your dog to sit still during clippings?

Try the Poochie Butter lick pad: https://shop.poochiebutter.com/products/poochie-pad-lick-mat-for-dogs
Use one-time coupon code PBLICKPAD15 for 15% off your lick pad purchase.

Wondering where we got this information?

Our sources:

https://andreaarden.com/dog-health/how-to-train-a-dog-or-cat-to-let-you-clip-their-nails/

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/nail-clipping/force-free-nail-trimming-techniques-for-your-do...

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/take-the-stress-out-of-trimming-your-dogs-nails?page=2

https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-behavior/my-dog-afraid-nail-trimmings

Are Dogs Allergic To Peanut Butter?

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 00:12:24 GMT

Know the facts.

We know that dogs love peanut butter, but recently, people have been claiming that this sticky treat is toxic to dogs. Could this be true? Should you feed peanut butter to your dog? Let’s set the record straight.

The toxic ingredient isn’t the peanut butter itself, but rather the artificial sweetener xylitol. Even a small amount of xylitol can poison your furry friend. Unfortunately, many “sugar-free” brands of peanut butter contain this ingredient. Here’s how you can keep your dog safe.

Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs. As little as 1.37 grams of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia , which can lead to disorientation and even seizure. A larger dose of xylitol causes severe, irreversible liver damage. By contrast, it takes 150 grams of dark chocolate to cause the same effects.

That means you must be certain that the peanut butter you give your dog has absolutely no xylitol. Don’t be fooled by product labels that say “all-natural.” They can still contain this ingredient, and even a tiny amount can cause severe health effects.

Read the ingredient labels.

Xylitol will always be listed in a product’s ingredient list. Peanut butter often contains additives to make it taste better, last longer, and so on. According to veterinary nutritionist Susan Wynn, dogs have different nutritional needs than people do. Never assume that human-grade food is safe for dogs.

In addition to xylitol, ingredients such as sugar, salt, palm oil, and corn syrup can cause health problems in dogs (and these ingredients aren’t too healthy for you, either!). That’s why it’s a good idea to find natural peanut butters that don’t have these extra ingredients. (Be sure to read the ingredient list carefully.) Better yet, purchase a peanut butter that’s made especially for dogs.

Shop for doggie peanut butter.

Peanut butter for dogs isn’t just pure peanut butter. Often, it has extra nutrients that benefit your dog — and absolutely no xylitol or other toxic ingredients. Veterinary nutritionists formulate these special peanut butters with healthy alternatives to the sugary, processed ingredients in many human-grade peanut butters.

Just be sure to give this sticky treat in moderation. Never feed your dog more than 10 percent of your dog’s daily calories in treats . Peanut butter is chock-full of protein and vitamins, but it’s also high in fact. Giving too many high-fat goodies to your pup can lead to pancreatitis, which is painful and difficult to treat.

Wrapping Up

So, before you open up that jar to give your furry friend a well-deserved treat, be sure you check the labels. Look for xylitol in the ingredients list, as well as any processed ingredient such as hydrogenated oil. It’s a good idea to choose natural peanut butters that are primarily made with unsalted, dry roasted peanuts — no extra sugars. Even better, choose a doggie peanut butter that’s specially formulated for your pup. These peanut butter brands will definitely not contain xylitol and will offer some extra nutritional benefits to your dog. And remember: it’s a treat, not a meal. Feed this tasty snack in moderation!

Why Dogs Love Peanut Butter So Much | Poochie Butter

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 12:48:14 GMT

Why do dogs never seem to tire of the licking and smacking that comes with eating peanut butter? Although many have tried to answer this question, we still aren’t entirely sure why our canine companions love gooey, sticky peanut butter so very much.

Is it the high fat, salt, and sugar content in most peanut butters (the ones we shouldn’t feed our pets), or do they really enjoy the contortions of the tongue that eating peanut butter requires? As it turns out, we really have no idea exactly why dogs love peanut butter so much. But the fact that they adore it remains nonetheless.

Salt?

Probably not. Dogs lack the salt-specific taste buds that humans have, making sodium less appealing. Dogs also don’t need much salt, and most dog foods contain a sufficient amount. To further remove salt as the factor, dogs seem to like natural peanut butter with no added salt just as much as the ‘loaded’ stuff.

Fat?

Peanut butter is full of fat, and dogs seem to love the flavor fat as much as humans do, since they do have fat-specific taste buds. However, these taste buds seem to only apply to fats that come from meats, not from legumes (peanuts) or vegetables.

Sugar?

Dogs tend to have a sweet tooth, and ‘sweet’ even registers on smell receptors at the tip of your dog’s tongue. However, sugar is probably not the winning factor because, again, dogs like natural peanut butters just as much.

It has to be the protein. Or does it?

Protein could be the component that dogs are drawn to when they get so excited about their peanut butter snacks. They need lots of protein, and peanut butter is loaded with it. Plus, it’s easy to digest. These two factors pull the most weight in answering our question.

So, what’s the verdict?

We, the dog lovers, find all factors in question guilty as charged for being potentially responsible for your dog’s zealous behavior in response to a peanut butter treat. Whether that really answers the question as to why dogs love peanut butter so much is up for debate. Ultimately, we may never know.

What we do know is that dogs absolutely love peanut butter. We also know that it’s fun to watch them eat it, and no matter how odd they look while eating it, they must enjoy it too.

Raw, natural peanut butter with no added sugar, salt, or preservatives, such as Poochie Butter Dog Peanut Butter is fun to eat, healthy and safe, and adds hours of entertainment to your household.

And, that’s all we really need to know.

Best Healthy Snacks For Dogs | Poochie Butter

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 02:32:55 GMT

People give their dog treats for many reasons, including rewards for training or simply to keep them busy for a bit. And, if they’re healthy and safe, snacks can add a little variety to your dog’s life, as well as some added nutrition. Here are some of the healthiest snacks for your dog, all low-calorie and low-fat, as well as mineral and vitamin-packed.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is not only a highly nutritious dog treat – it’s versatile and entertaining. You can sneak pills with it, put it in an interactive toy, or simply enjoy watching your dog have a lip-smacking good time. There is an excellent treat on the market known as Poochie Butter , the makers of which have done the peanut butter research for you. It meets all the requirements of a safe and healthy peanut butter treat - no salt, sugar, or preservatives- with added nutrients to boot.

Strawberries

If you’ve never given your dog strawberries, you both may be in for a treat. Many dogs absolutely love strawberries, which are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and other nutrients that support your pup’s immune system and muscular function. Fruitables makes crunchy strawberry-yogurt dog treats, or you can DIY and whip up some homemade strawberry-oatmeal treats for your canine companion.

Carrots

Carrots can add both vitamin A (good for healthy vision and immune system support) and extra fiber to your dog’s diet, Just make sure that it’s small enough for them to safely eat. Whole baby carrots can be given to bigger dogs, but it’s ideal to cut carrots into small pieces to be safe. Whether you make homemade peanut butter-carrot dog treats or give your pet the carrots raw, they’re sure to love this particular treat.

Bananas

Many vets recommend bananas as a healthy alternative to salty, fatty treats. Bananas are high in vitamins C and B6, potassium, fiber for gastrointestinal health, and magnesium for bone growth and protein production. They do contain a lot of fructose, so moderation is the key.

Try some DIY peanut butter-banana treats or Nutro Crunchy with Real Banana dog treats.

Cucumber

Cucumber is a crunchy, low-calorie snack that many dogs love, with just eight calories per 1/2 cup serving (Milk Bone dog biscuits, in comparison, have 40). They are great for a dog on a weight loss plan and offer other benefits as well. One cup of cucumber contains:

Potassium
Copper
Vitamins C, B1, and K
Molybdenum
Manganese
Biotin

With this well-rounded list of the healthiest homemade and packaged snacks for your dog, you should be able to avoid giving your pup empty calories and add some variety to their life.

Best Interactive Toys for Dogs | Poochie Butter

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 12:11:37 GMT

Sometimes, our furry friends just get bored. Whether they’re home alone or you’re simply too busy to take them for a walk at the time, interactive toys for your dog can occupy them and distract them from feeling your absence. These toys stimulate your dog’s mind, give them exercise, and they’re multi-functional. In addition, many interactive dog toys are the perfect place to hide healthy snacks, like peanut butter, and can keep your pup busy for quite some time.

Best of all, you have lots of options to choose from. First, however, are some important considerations when choosing an interactive dog toy:

Adjustable difficulty level
Safety
Availability of different sizes
Ease of Cleaning

The perfect interactive toy for your pooch is out there, and lucky for you, we’ve taken some of the research and guesswork off your shoulders. Based on customer reviews, functionality, versatility, safety, and cost, here is a list of the best interactive toys to keep your dog active, stimulated, and happy.

1. Interactive Dog Ball
The Interactive Dog Ball by FurryFido provides both physical and mental stimulation, reducing stress, negative separation anxiety behaviors, and boredom. You can easily stuff the toy with small treats, such as Poochie Butter peanut butter chewies , to add nutrition and more excitement to the activity.

2. Zoo Friends Burrow
The Zoo Friends Burrow by ZippyPaws has a design similar to Russian nesting dolls. There are four parts: one larger one with holes and three smaller ones to fit in these holes. Each smaller toy contains a squeaker, requiring your dog to use physical coordination and brainwork to maneuver each toy out.

3. OurPets IQ Treat Ball
The OurPets IQ Treat Ball is perfect for dogs on the lazy side who need an interactive toy that really rewards. All they have to do is roll the ball around for small treats to fall out, so it’s a little more motivating for the exercise-challenged. This treat ball is also easy to twist apart and clean, is completely non-toxic and is made of strong, durable plastic.

4. Trixie Poker Box
The Trixie Poker Box consists of four boxes, each holding a treat and opened with a different mechanism. One is lifted by a string and another by sliding a door, for example. You can also use each box, or puzzle, separately. This toy offers the option to vary the number and placement of snacks, to change the difficulty and processes involved. Customer reviews praise this toy for its durability.

From exercise to a cure for boredom, brain games to tasty rewards, interactive toys can provide many benefits for your pup.

5 Health Benefits of Peanut Butter for Dogs

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:45:00 GMT

While you don’t want to give your pup just any old people food, peanut butter is a people food that’s great for your dog’s physical and mental health. So, when the irresistible urge to share a table scrap with your canine buddy hits you, peanut butter is an overall good choice that provides them with plenty of vitamins, protein, and healthy fats.

However, here are a couple of considerations to keep in mind about peanut butter and dogs.

As with any treat, it’s only healthy in moderation.
Check labels to ensure you avoid peanut butters with xylitol , a sugar substitute that is deadly to dogs, even in small amounts.
Too much peanut butter can result in obesity and pancreatitis.
Check with your vet before giving your dog peanut butter if your pet has food or other allergies.
Look for peanut butters without sugar or added salt.

What are the benefits of feeding peanut butter to my dog?

Here are five healthy reasons to choose raw, unsalted peanut butter, with no added sugar - and NO xylitol - for your pup’s treat time.

1. Peanut butter is perfect for interactive toys.

There are many interactive toys available for your dog that have the added benefit of providing a way for your canine to ‘hunt’ for their food. And peanut butter is the perfect food for them to fulfill this natural instinct. Its consistency makes it challenging to get all of the morsels, keeping your dog busy feeling productive and nourished.

2. Peanut butter is great for sneaking pills.

Once again, the texture of peanut butter adds to its benefits. It’s sticky, so it binds, and it’s delightfully smelly and helps hide the scent of the medication. Even the most skeptical pup will never be the wiser.

3. There are amazing peanut butter dog treats available.

There are many ways to DIY peanut butter treat recipes for your dog, or you can choose from a plethora of premade treats on the market, varying in form, ingredients, and special features.

Poochie Butter is one form of peanut butter indulgence for dogs, which takes the hassle out of finding the healthiest peanut butter for your furry friend. This tasty treat has no salt, sugar, or peanuts roasted in fatty oils, and instead offers added supplements perfect for optimum canine health.

4. Peanut butter is impeccably nutritious.

Peanut butter is a nutritionally well-rounded dog treat, providing nutrients and fiber as well as protein and healthy fats. It’s also a good source of folic acid for cell growth and magnesium to assist cells metabolize B complex vitamins.

5. It’s hilarious when dogs lick and smack repeatedly, and that never gets old.

You know when you pull out the peanut butter treats, your dog will:

Enthusiastically wag its tail with extreme excitement.
Smack and smack. And smack. And lick. And smack some more.
Hunt and gather with interactive toys for hours.
Make you smile and laugh.
Make you feel like a rockstar.

This is all great for your mental health, as well as your pup’s.

For the absolute best in peanut better for your dog, consider taking a look at what Poochie Butter has to offer!

Why your dog may not be eating their food | Poochie Butter

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 02:37:31 GMT

Finicky and picky eating dogs are always a challenge to any dog owner. It can be a source of ongoing frustration in the upbringing of your pooch. First, let’s distinguish these two terms. A “picky” eater is one that only occasionally refuses to eat and can be tempted with a simple cheese slice added to their meal bowl. A “finicky” eater has decided to completely give up dog food.

The causes of such tendencies can be traced to any number of factors. Some common ones are as follows:

1. Basic health issues, especially during early stages of their life. Visit your veterinarian, if any early issues arise.

2. Breed of dogs more prone to be finicky such as Bsenji , Siberian Husky and Yorkie

3. Environmental conditions such as noise vs. quiet

4. Training your dog to stick to dog food over human food.

How can you correct this problem and get your dog eating what and when he or she should? Here are suggestions:

1. Use a dry food topper to stimulate your dog’s appetite. Poochie Butter offers 15% Off their Dry Food Topper with POOCHIE15

2. Spay or neuter your dog. It can help prevent dog’s finicky tendencies in addition to many other benefits.

3. Do not feed from the table, as tempting as it may be. To get your dog reliably tied to dog food, it is important not to get him/her used to human food.

4. Limit the number of treats. Just as with humans, a dog’s appetite can be significantly affected by eating between meals. To ensure your dog eats his/her optimal allowance of his serving, his/her hunger should be at a significant level at “meal time.”

5. Stick to regular time schedule so that your dog gets used to eating at certain times of the day. In the early stages, you may want to try experimenting with different times to see when your dog best responds.

6. Add water and heat to food to increase aroma.

7. Make sure that feeding time is in a quiet and peaceful environment.

8. Exercise your dog just before eating. This will provide a health benefit, not just for your dog but for your own health, as well.

9. Offer a small smorgasbord of humming food and see which they seem to prefer

10. Keep the type of food consistent. Dogs should understand that no options exists.

11. When transitioning, do it gradually and methodically. Combine old food with the new.

Peanut Butter is Good For Dogs | Poochie Butter

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 23:33:19 GMT

Is Peanut Butter Good for Dogs?

It’s a well-known fact most dogs love peanut butter. I’m sure you can relate, every time you open up a jar and you find your furry friend flying into the kitchen. The question still remains whether peanut butter is indeed good for our little pupperoni .

Can My Dog Eat Peanut Butter?

Loaded with protein, vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium, peanut butter can be a great snack for you dog. But, depending on the brand, there an be many harm additives that are toxic for your dog. For example, a lot of popular brand names like Skippy, Jif, Peter Pan, and more , contain unhealthy additives such as:

Sugar
Salt
Palm Oil
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Corn Syrup

No, these ingredients won’t kill your dog, unless it’s xylitol (most brands eliminated this deadly sweetener, but a few under the radar brands still have it: Go Nuts, Co., Krush Nutrition, Nuts ‘N More, P28 and No Cow) but they’re still toxic and can lead to more serious problems like:

Obesity
Diabetes
Arthritis
Nausea
Diarrhea
Metabolic Changes

According to Your Dog's Advisor , dogs can experience liver failure if they "ingest 0.5mg of xylitol per kilogram of body weight."

What are the health benefits of peanut butter?

Not only is it a good source of protein, but it also contains heart healthy fats, vitamin B, niacin, and vitamin E.

PROTEIN is necessary for building and maintaining muscle.
HEALTHY FATS control blood sugar levels, enhance metabolism and digestion.
VITAMIN B keeps the skin and coat looking fresh and clean.
NIACIN breaks down sugars and fats into energy.
VITAMIN E ensures a healthy blood circulation and keeps muscles strong.

As you can see, peanut butter is clearly good for dogs, but imagine if there was an even healthier peanut butter for dogs? Introducing Poochie Butter! An all natural, no preservative, peanut butter for dogs with added supplements for a nutritional boost.

So what kind of peanut butter is safe for my dog?

Ideally you want to look for brands that contain the following ingredients:

Dry Roasted Unsalted Peanuts

Yup, that’s it! And none of the brands shown above keep their ingredients that simple. Your best bet is to find a peanut butter that is low or completely free of any additives. The one exception where more additives is actually better for your dog, would be Poochie Butter.

Get 15% off your order of any product with coupon code POOCHIE15. Click Here to view products

Not to be biased, because there are other peanut butters out there that are totally fine for your dog, but Poochie Butter is the only product on the market that has a multitude of health benefits compared to regular peanut butter. So let’s break it down.

What’s the difference between regular peanut butter and Poochie Butter?

This is a common question we get all the time. Watch the video for a quick one minute explanation or keep reading.

The main difference between regular peanut butter and Poochie Butter is the ingredients:

Dry Roasted Peanuts - See health benefits above.
Turmeric - Anti-inflammatory, prevents cancer, relieves pain from arthritis, and promotes a healthy heart, live and digestive system.
Cinnamon - Rich in nutrients which regulates blood sugar and promotes weight loss, relieves stomach discomfort, strengthens bones and has anti-fungal properties which prevents yeast infections.
Parsley - Good for breath, rich in vitamins and minerals, and helps with urinary issues, indigestion immune health and more.
Coconut Oil - A powerful superfood which promotes a healthy skin and coat, reduces allergic reactions, improves digestion, increases metabolism and the list goes on!
Ginger - In the same family tree as turmeric, ginger helps with nausea, bloating, arthritis, heart-worm and even cancer.

As you can see, Poochie Butter is loaded with superfoods containing a plethora of healthy benefits, but people still ask us, “why can’t I just give my dog regular peanut butter?”

The simple answer is, you can, but my response is always, “if you really love your dog, why wouldn’t you want them to live a longer and healthier life?”

See, we’re fortunate enough where we can make decisions for ourselves. If we want to eat steak for dinner with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, that’s our choice. If we want to make a healthy smoothie with kale, hemp seeds, matcha powder or any other superfood to give ourselves a nutritional boost, we can do that too because that’s our choice.

Our beloved dogs on the other hand don’t have that kind of freedom. It’s up to us the owner, to make decisions for them. So whether you take your own diet serious or not, our dogs deserve the best decisions that are in their best interest, because their time on earth is short lived, and it’s our responsibility to take care of them.

How much peanut butter is OK for my dog?

It depends on the size of your dog, but generally speaking, roughly a tablespoon a day. Moderation is key, too much of anything can be bad for your dog.

Here’s a slightly more detailed outline based on your dogs weight:

20 lbs = 3/5 tbsp
30 lbs = 1 tbsp
50 lbs = 1 & 1/6 tbsp

Personally, I like to give my dog ½ tbsp twice a day and she weighs about 40 pounds.

Final Thoughts

Now that you’re aware of the health benefits and dangers of peanut butter for dogs, make the best decision for your pooch. Just so this article isn’t totally biased, regular peanut butter is fine and it’s a healthy treat as long as you’re aware of the ingredients and buy a brand without the harmful additives.

We still believe Poochie Butter is the healthiest option for your dog, plus we have a dry food enhancer made with similar ingredients, so give our product a try and let us know what you think!