So what is better for your dog – homemade dog food or the stuff that you get in cans. Certainly the canned kind of dog food is more convenient but is it the healthiest for your pet.

The problem is that you can’t always be sure exactly what is in canned dog food. This is because according to the Federal Drug Administration itself there is no requirement that pet food products must have approval. The FDA only requires that the ingredients be truthfully labeled and that the food not contain any ingredients that are “deleterious” to the animal. However that word “deleterious” can be defined many different ways. The dog food manufacturer is the one who decided what kind of additives; animal body parts or fillers are bad for a dog to eat. This of course is a conflict of interest because the manufacturer is always going to say that it is cheapest ingredients that are good for your pet. This is why you will find all kinds of dog foods out on the mark with cellulose-based fillers in them, which could affect a canine digestive system in a negative way or cause obesity.

Like it or not, a dog is a carnivore. However many people that are fans of home made dog food insist that it is all about making them vegetarian meals. This is not fair to your dog that does not have the teeth or digestive juices to handle this type of diet. By making your dog a homemade mash of vegetables instead of giving him canned dog food or fresh meat you are putting him or her at severe risk of anemia.

However there is another school of cooking when it comes to making home made dog food and that is that your dog is healthier if you cook the meat yourself and serve it to him. This of course makes a great deal of sense.

The benefits of homemade dog food are better control over your dog’s diet in general. You can control the amount of protein and fat he eats and unless you are shaking MSG in it you can be assured there are no additives in the food. If you fry the food you can actually drain the fat like you would for a human. There is also no risk of food poisoning due to a sabotage of manufacturing processes

To keep your dog healthy serving up your own home made dog food might be a great idea especially if you want to have more control over what your pet eats. You could purchase specialty meats such as rabbit or other types of game at a pet food store or you could go the much cheaper route and by ordinary hamburger or other types of meat in a supermarket. The benefits to making your own home made dog food are that you are never blindsided by the sight of your dog being sick or getting too fat possibly as the result of what he or she is eating.

Choosing a new pet so that your other pet will have some company while you are at work is a fantastic idea. Just keep in mind that your costs of owning a pet will be double – including food and veterinarian bills.

Of course it is important to choose dogs that are peaceful and make easy friends with other dogs. It would be a bad idea to combine a Yorkshire Terrier with a Rottweiller for example, as the Rottie may perceive it as food. You are much better off to pair that Yorkie with a Dachshund who is very sociable with other animals. However just because an animal is small does not mean it is more sociable. Jack Russell Terriers have been known to kill other pets simply because they are jealous of the attention they are getting from the owner.

There are some dogs that are hard wired to see smaller furry creatures such as cats as prey

Watchdogs and guard dogs do not necessarily make the best pets. For one thing, the instincts that make them such good guardians are the same ones that compel them to attack strangers or even a member of your family who may accidentally come too close to you.

The best guardians are usually the dogs that qualify as alpha dogs. They respond well to training but untrained they can attack loved ones and strangers, make a shambles of your house and yard and incur lawsuits for noise, injuries and damage to other people’s property.

Guard dogs and watchdogs usually comprise the larger breeds such as German shepherds, Bull Mastiffs and Akitas. This means that they can easily overpower a small animal or child. Most of them also tend to shed quite heavily and do not make great house residents.

Some smaller dogs such as Maltese, Daschunds and Yorkshire Terriers do make keen watchdogs but they are not really capable of defending you in case of an attack. In fact some little watchdogs, such as the Pomeranian are more likely to sound the alert and then make friends with the intruder.

The key is to choose the dog according to what you need as security. As a rule of thumb the larger and more “alpha” the dog is the better he will be at protecting your person and your property. The smaller the dog the more likely he is to sound the alert not only when real threats appear but also when he perceives just about anyone approaching you or your yard. Some animal owners find this tendency for small dogs to bark at the drop of a hat to be very irritating (and so do the neighbors.)

Owning a pet requires self-discipline and responsibility. Unfortunately many people adopt athletic larger dogs that need plenty of exercise and then drop the dog’s walking schedule as easily as they do the latest fad diet. If you are going to adopt a dog of a breed that requires plenty of exercise then make sure you are ready to commit to walking it at least three times a day for the span of its entire life.

Different breeds do better in different living situations and that is why you need to vigilante when it comes to knowing a bit about dog breed behavior before you bring a new one home. For instance you do not want to cage up a Whippet in a 500 square foot apartment. You also don’t want to make your dashed with its long sensitive spine walk up a 50 stair grand staircase each day. It is a bad idea to bring a yappy Jack Russell into a condo full of senior citizens. A Chihuahua could get crushed underfoot in you need to match the breed to the living space

If you live in an apartment. then you need a smaller quiet dog that does not smell, can be left alone without barking and that needs a moderate amount of exercise. Breeds that fit the bill are Affenpinschers, American Water Spaniels, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Brussels Griffon, Cairn Terrier, Cardigan Corgi, Cesky Terrier, Chinese Shar Pei, Coton de Tulear, Daschund, Dandie Dinmont Terrier English Bull Dog, Miniature Poodle, Papillon, Pug, Shi Tzu

If you live in a condo then you can accommodate any of the dog breeds listed for living in an apartment and add a few of the slightly larger quieter breeds such as the Dogue De Bordeaux, Italian Greyhound, Norwegian Lundhehund and Standard Poodle to your list of potential pets. Make sure however that there is dog park nearby for these pets to get some exercise in. You should avoid the really noisy dogs as condo associations can be very strict about pets that are disturbing the other condo owners. Make sure you dog is well trained before you move into any kind of community where others can frequently encounter your pet.

If you live in a suburban area you can accommodate any of the dogs listed in the answers to #1 or #2 as well as the American Cocker Spaniel, the Bearded Collie, Bouvier Des Flanders, Briard, Cavalier King Spaniel, Collie, Dachshund, Irish Setter, Irish Terrier. These dog are larger or have more of a need to roam, jump or dig around in a back yard. Once again dog obedience training is a good idea because suburban areas tend to be full of children who might tease your pet or chase it. The last thing you need is a litigation because of a dog bite.

If you live on a farm you can have any dog that is listed in this article as a pet and more. However the more fragile toy breeds such as the Chihuahua, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin, Papillion and Yorkshire Terrier may be too fragile to withstand a lot of action. Lapdogs can also become prey to other animals on large farms and in rural areas with coyotes and other predators. Other pets or children that are too enthusiastic can also trample them. The slightly larger dog is happier on a farm. Delicate little chi chis are happiest in someone’s arms.

What dog breed you can afford to keep might depend on your income. I thought it might be interesting to break down your pet ownership potential by looking at your annual income. Many people think they can afford a Labrador for instance and then are amazed at the amount of food it eats as well as the dental care and other expenses that it requires just to keep it healthy. They don’t really take into account that a Labrador is the same size as a small human being and has similar health care needs like dentistry and grooming.

For instance if you make fewer than twenty thousand dollars a year it is quite obvious that you can barely take care of yourself never mind a pet. You can’t afford food or health care for a dog as expenses could be as much as 5,000 a year. There is nothing worse than having a sick pet and not enough money to take care of it. Get a goldfish!

If you make less than forty thousand year then you can afford smaller dog that does not require the extra expense of a lot of food or training. You should stick to pets that are medium sized (less risk of accidents then toy breeds). Good choices include the American Water Spaniel, Bacon Fries. Bolognese, Brussels Griffon, Cairn Terrier, Cardigan Corgi, Javanese, Cotton De Tulia, Standard Poodle and the Tibetan Spaniel. These are compact pets that are well behaved, flexible, adaptable and do well in rented spaces because they tend to quieter.

If you make under sixty thousand year was your answer then you can probably afford most dog breeds for a pet with the exception of the more expensive breeds that cost over $1000 to purchase such as the Appenzeller Mountain Dog, the Cesky, the Chinese Shar Pei, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, the Norwegian Lundehunde, the Afghan, the Giant Schnauzer, the Irish Setter, the Jack Russell Terrier, the Pharaoh Hound, The St. Bernard, the Shi Tzu and the Whippet. These dogs are all a bit alpha and require a lot of training to combat their hard wired instincts to chase, herd, run, jump up on people and nip at their ankles. They are also larger and more neurotic pets. You need to stick to braes that feature all smaller to medium sized dogs that don’t eat a lot and don’t need a lot of health care. Look for a friendly smaller dog. Better yet adopt one from a shelter.

If you make over sixty thousand a year you can well afford any dog that you like including many of the expensive toy breeds. However be aware that if you choose an alpha dog and do not have him trained that you could be liable for millions of dollars in damage. This is why it is a good idea to budget in for some dog training for your pet. An untrained dog can cost a lot of money in the long run especially if he or she bites someone.