Dental care is more important for your dogs than you may realize. Periodontal disease has become the most common disease in our furry family members, which is a hard fact to digest since dental disease is extremely easy to prevent.

As dogs enter their golden years, poor dental health is the ticket to a shorter life riddled with illness and potential disease. Bad dental health can cause liver, heart and kidney disease; Infection from ill-kept teeth can travel through the blood stream and infiltrate the body's organs, which inevitably causes disease or failure. Since dental disease in dogs can be easily prevented, it is important to find a cleaning routine that works best for you and your dog.

You can use safe, natural and effective methods to keep your dog's teeth white and clean without having to spend a lot of money or jeopardize your dog's health.

A RAW FOOD DIET: NATURE'S TOOTHBRUSH
The incredible raw food diet is nature's toothbrush, having been the ancestral diet of all carnivorous and predatory animals for millions of years. A raw food diet does not leave residue or food particles on the teeth, which turn into tartar and plaque, and the natural crushing and chewing of raw bone scrapes the teeth and keeps them clean.

BRUSHING TEETH WITH COCONUT OIL   
The amazing benefits of coconut oil for dogs are no longer a secret! Coconut oil is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and is a very effective deodorizer! If your dog has bad breath, give brushing with virgin, unrefined coconut oil a try. You will be impressed with the results!

AN ALL NATURAL GEL FOR DOGS WITH DENTAL DISEASE
If your dog has already developed dental disease, a great option along side a good brushing routine is adding an all natural but effective dental gel. PetzLife Oral Gel works by softening the build up on teeth and beginning to break it down so that you can brush or scrape it away. This is a natural, effective product I often recommend and have used myself on my cats!

CHEWING SCRAPES THE TEETH
By offering your dog a raw bone, an elk antler chew or a toy designed to help clean teeth via chewing can help reduce build up on the teeth, and is also an excellent preventive. Chewing is a natural, instinctual thing for a dog to do and can benefit them in terms of mental stimulation and enjoyment as well! Get a raw beef hock from your local butcher and monitor your dog as they enjoy this healthy, natural "toothbrush"!

Implementing a brushing routine with good recreational chewing is a great way to prevent dental disease in your canine companions, but there are safe and natural options for fighting dental disease too! If you have more questions about keeping your dog's mouth healthy, do not hesitate to contact me!

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Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

There is truly no better diet choice for your dog than a species-appropriate raw food diet. Much like their ancestors the wolf, our domestic dogs are biologically designed to thrive on a diet of raw meat, raw bone and raw organ. Wolves and dogs share 99.8% of their mDNA sequence, which also means that they share an identical digestive system and require the same type of raw food diet their carnivorous canine cousins enjoy in order to reach a state of optimum health.

The domestic dog, much like the wolf, is biologically designed to eat a nutritious raw food diet. Dogs have the same attributes that their carnivorous ancestors have that help us identify what kind of food they need to eat in order to thrive in life. You may be wondering what exactly makes a dog a carnivore and how we can identify their dietary needs based on their basic anatomy and physiology. You can learn more by reading one of my previous articles, Dogs and Wolves: Eat like a wolf and live a long and healthy life!

A raw food diet is the most pure, wholesome nutrition you can provide your best four-legged friends with. Raw food is full of living nutrients and enzymes that cannot be matched by any other diet. Commercial kibble diets and even homemade diets involve cooking the ingredients which inevitably destroys a lot of the nutrients and all of the essential enzymes. The additives and chemicals in many commercial kibble diets also have a negative effect on our pets bodies over time.

The benefits of a raw food diet are amazing. Dogs with medical issues, allergies, skin conditions, digestive disorders and other ailments can find relief and the potential for a complete recovery by switching to a healthy, clean raw food diet. Switching your dog to a raw food diet can prolong their life and reduce the frequency and intensity of illness throughout their lifetime; This works by providing proper nutrition to strengthen the body and keep chemicals, additives and junk food from their system. A longer, healthier life is the result of dogs being fed raw food.

The sky is the limit when it comes to ways in which dogs can benefit from a raw food diet. What we know for sure is that we do see positive changes in dogs who are fed raw. One of the most evident changes occurs with physical condition. Our dogs coats becomes thick and shiny while fur becomes soft to the touch. Color pigment in the coat is also enhanced, which for example can make red fur rich and deep. Raw fed dogs shed less and lose that signature "dog smell" that many pet owners complain about. Raw fed dogs tend to have little odor due to the overall health of the skin and coat when coupled with eating a clean diet free of chemicals and junk ingredients.

A raw fed dog's eyes suddenly become clear and lose the dullness you didn't even realize was there to begin with. Their irises become more crisp and the color intensifies. With that, we see a revitalized spirit shining through their loving gaze.

Another wonderful benefit of feeding raw is dental health. Dogs that are fed raw have fresher breath, and their teeth are kept clean and white. The act of crushing and chewing bone scrapes the teeth and stimulates the gum line. A commercial kibble meal is mashed up between the teeth and crumbles in the mouth. That chewed up kibble mash sticks to the teeth and gets caught between teeth and under the gum line (often the source of bad breath). The raw diet provides nothing that can get caught in and around the teeth; There is no residue to cause a tartar build up and gum disease.

Dehydrated beef trachea chews make an excellent time-consuming snack and are fantastic for promoting dental health! These crunchy, lean pure protein chews are full of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine and are great for dogs with sensitive stomachs or allergies.

Purchasing raw beef trachea is extremely cheap! Buying in bulk can be even more inexpensive. Making these great chews will be cheaper for you and healthier for your dog!

How to make your own dried beef trachea chews!

1. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees.
2. Place your raw beef trachea on a rack over a cookie tray.
3. Leave the trachea in the oven for 12 hours.
4. Once the trachea are dark and hard, they are ready! Store them in a container or large ziploc bag.
5. If they need more time, put them back in the oven and check them every 4 hours.

If you have a dehydrator, the process will be faster.

These are really easy to make, since all you have to do is pop them in the oven and forget about them for the day! They are cheap to make as well, since you can often buy them from a butcher or meat processing business for next to nothing.

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Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

We love to keep our dogs busy and the old saying is true: A tired dog is a good dog! When we pair good, age-appropriate exercise with mentally stimulating things to chew on in the house, we can create balance and stability in our canine companions. Giving your dog something to chew on is a great way to entertain them on a instinctual level. Dogs were born to chew bones and antlers, that is what wolves and other wild canines entertain themselves with in the wilderness!

The best long lasting chews are ones that are healthy, grain-free, perhaps single ingredient and easy to digest. They should be made within North America to ensure quality, and should be wheat, corn and soy free!

Elk antlers and deer antlers are excellent choices for long lasting chews. I've had one that lasted approximately 8 months, but the length in which they last depends entirely on each individual dog. Elk and deer antlers are easy to digest, contain a spongy marrow in the center, are 100% all natural, taste great, don't leave a mess or stain, and are full of vitamins and minerals! It is also fair to mention that elk and deer antlers look pretty cool on your floor!

Bully sticks are one of my favourite options, as they are single ingredient treats made from 100% pure beef muscle (beef pizzle). They are 100% digestible protein and can be given in place of rawhide. They are long lasting, tasty and help promote clean teeth!

Beef tendons, much like bully sticks, are 100% pure digestible protein. These treats are made from the Achilles tendon of cattle, and last fairly long. They are single-protein treats as well, which it good for dogs with sensitive stomachs or food allergies.

Raw knuckle bones and marrow bones are very long lasting, delicious and nutritious chews. Make sure you get the raw bones from a safe local supplier such as a butcher or raw food business. Get a bone sized appropriate for your dog, you don't want them to be able to swallow it or break it apart and swallow the pieces. Raw bones are safe, but some dogs tend to try to crack bones in half and may damage their teeth. This goes for any hard chew, so keep watch and make sure you dog is chewing and gnawing as opposed to trying to break it and swallow it.

Dental health has a major impact on a dog's over all physical well-being and poor oral condition can lead to many different kinds of medical conditions and diseases. With veterinarians pushing their dental chews, dental kibble and expensive surgical dental cleanings, it is hard for pet owners to decipher the best way to promote oral health in their pets.

Good oral health will help your dog live longer, and will make it more pleasant to receive their loving doggy kisses! There are several steps you can take to maintain good dental health with your dog and there are many all natural options for cleaning!

Diet is a major contributor to dental health in dogs. Feeding your dog a species appropriate raw food diet is the very best option for creating good dental health. Dogs who are fed raw food have visibly whiter, cleaner teeth and fresher breath. The reason is that the dog's teeth are being manually cleaned by the act of chewing and crushing bone. The action of chewing scrapes the teeth and stimulates the gums. On top of that, raw food doesn't leave any 'left-over' food in the mouth the way kibble does. Due to the texture and composition of commercial kibbles, the kibble crumbles and sticks to the teeth and all of the areas in between. Many chemicals and oils in the kibble will help the food particles bind to the teeth and promote the build-up of tartar which inevitably leads to oral disease.

"Dental kibble" formulas provided by your veterinarian will not help clean your dog's teeth. Regardless of the marketing behind these expensive vet formulas, kibble will still crumble and turn to mush in your dog's mouth. That mush becomes the debris that clings to your pet's teeth and turns into tartar and plaque. Think about when you eat crackers and you feel mushy left overs sticking to all your teeth; The same thing is happening with kibble plus the added issue of the oils that make it even more sticky.

Giving your dog things to chew on is the best way to start cleaning the teeth and keep them clean! Consider healthy chews like bully sticks, beef tendons, dried knuckle bones, raw knuckle bones and elk antlers. When a dog chews and gnaws on these items, they scrape the teeth clean and assist in breaking up any residue to be swallowed instead of hanging around in the mouth.

There are many toys that act as great chews to promote oral health by also cleaning the teeth. I really like Nylabone products for the added benefit of the flavour infused in the material, which encourages dogs to chew on them. Nylabone breaks off in tiny shavings making it safe to pass through the digestive system without causing any issues. Flossy chews are rope toys that also help clean the teeth as the dog chews and plays with them.

Brushing your dog's teeth is the next best option. All you need is a soft toothbrush or a finger brush designed for pets and some sort of toothpaste. It is important to never use human toothpaste, as there are ingredients in those products that can make your dog very ill. The Triple Pet EZDOG Toothpaste is the most popular one due to being more of an all natural product. I personally like to use extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil as a toothpaste because of all the amazing benefits of this oil. Learn more about the benefits of coconut oil here!