 |
Hey, Katie K-9!KatieK9@readthecitizen.comwww.KTK9.com 651-429-5433 |
Hey, Katie K-9!
My cute little Yorkie-Chihuahua mix is becoming a very big stinker! In the last few months she has been passing gas that makes us want to pass out! Any ideas on why this has become a problem and what I need to do to stop this?
Looking for fresh air.
Sherry
Hey, Sherry!
Gas is caused by many things.
The most likely cause is the dog food you feed and/or the treats you are giving. There could be something in them that her system cannot tolerate anymore.
Change to a GOOD dog food, ones that you can buy at Centerville Pet Foods in Centerville or Chuck and Don's in Forest Lake. You want a food with no corn. Avoid cute dog foods and semi-moist foods: you want ones that start with a main meat source in the top two ingredients - like chicken, chicken meal, then maybe brown rice. Ask for help at these stores. The personnel will be happy to explain the whole good dog food thing.
Now, as to the treats: throw out ALL rawhide chewies, greenies, any snack food. For treats, you are only going to give good things, like homemade treats, fruits and vegetables in moderation. Try one new thing each week to see how your pupper does on it. If it works out, you can add good, healthy treats from there.
Also, adding plain yogurt to her diet will help her digestive system become more efficient. For dogs from 1-15 pounds, give 1 teaspoon; 16-35 pounds, two teaspoons; from 36-65 pounds, 1 Tablespoon; and for dogs weighing 66 pounds and up, 2 Tablespoons once each day I taught Benn to lick it off the spoon, which is another thing you can teach your dog - how to lick nicely and not gulp it down.
Fresh air in just around the corner now!
Katie K-9!
Send in your dog questions to "Hey, Katie K-9!" by mailing them to The Citizen, P. O. Box 393, Hugo, MN 55038 or e-mailing them to Katie at KatieK-9@ReadTheCitizen.com. Visit Katie's dog obedience school website at www.ktk9.com. The Katie K-9 radio show is now on every Sunday afternoon fr om 4 to 6 p.m. on FM107.1