You know we must protect our children and ourselves from the sun. But do you know that leading canine health experts now say that the most important dog health advice they can give is to protect your dog from the sun, too?

Dog Health Advice: Identifying Dog Sunburn

Like we humans, dogs need sunlight to help balance their bodies’ levels of calcium with their metabolism.

Yet too much ultraviolet radiation can irritate our dogs’ skin as it does our own, causing sunburn.

Dog sunburn begins as redness and hair loss.

Where sunburn first appears:

• bridge of the nose

• tips of the ears

• belly

Dog Sunburn Dangers

• aggravates any existing skin problems

• skin ulcers (sores)

• infection

• cancer

Sunburn and Dog Breed

• Pale and short-hair dogs are particularly prone to sunburn, usually on the nose, abdomen, groin, and inside of the legs. Being close to the ground, they not only are affected by the downward sunlight, but also by sun reflecting up from pavement or hot sand.

• Some breeds, like Weimaraners and Boxers, are predisposed to cancer. Therefore, they must have extra protection from the sunburns and UV rays to avoid a kind of skin cancer.

How you can protect your pets:

Think about the precautions that you take to prevent yourself from sunburn and UV exposure. You stay out of the sun at the peak hours like noon to 3PM, use sunblock and cover up, don’t you? Those same suggestions can work for your dog.

Sunburn prevention tips especially for dogs:

• Be sure that your dog is inside the house or in a shaded area during the sun’s peak hours, even on overcast days.

• Apply sunblock to the bridge of the dog’s nose, ear tips and other small, sensitive areas whenever the dog is outside for more than a few minutes.

• Consider some sort of covering for your dog. Some veterinarians say that the most important and effective protection is a type of bodysuit for dogs, which is designed to block ultraviolet rays and prevent sunburn.

In the end, it’s still good dog health advice to let your dog play outdoors. But spare your “best friend” the pain of sunburn and its consequences.

About the Author: Joel Walsh has written a number of articles on dog health: http://i-love-dogs.com [When posting on the web, please make "dog health" the visible text for the link (anchor text).]

Source: www.isnare.com

Crate training is wonderful part of an overall family training program if handled correctly. Your puppy will feel secure in his space if you make it a pleasurable experience from the very beginning by following these 14 tips.

1.Get a crate large enough to allow your pup space to turn around, stand up and lie down for a nap.
2.Put a soft blanket in the crate, preferably with his mother’s scent on it when you bring him home.
3.Make sure to put his toys for chewing and a treat or two in the space furthest from the ‘door.’
4.Put the crate in a corner of room where he can feel out of the way, yet have access to you.
5.Let your pup wander in and out of the crate to get a feel for it, the crate makes a nice ‘den’ for your puppy and he will likely take to it for comfort and solace when he is tired, over-excited or worried.
6.Remove your pet’s collar/s before closing the crate to avoid any choking;
7.Have a bottle of water with ice hooked to the crate if you will leave your puppy for more than an hour;
8.When it’s time to be crated, tell your puppy “Crate” or “Bed” and show him to the crate. You may put a treat in there if you have been training him with treats.
9.Don’t ever: scare him into the crate, put him in there as a punishment or otherwise encourage a negative connotation to the crate.
10.Practice this several times a day during his first few weeks home. Leaving him in the crate for short intervals while you leave the house. He will soon realize that you come back and let him out.
11.If your dog needs something to chew, make sure you give him a toy that he cannot shred, break or otherwise harm himself with. If he is an aggressive chewer, I recommend the Galileo Bone by Nylabone.
12.When you let your puppy out of the crate, immediately take him outside to relieve himself. For very young puppies, this will likely be every 4 hours. (on average a puppy needs a break in as many hours as he is months old – if your puppy is 4 months, please give him a potty break every four hours)
13.When you are leaving, or putting him in the crate, give him his command, “Crate,” praise him gently when he complies (but do not get effusive – you don’t want him to get all riled up!) and then leave without a commotion.
14.Upon returning, open the crate and let your puppy come out at his own pace. Don’t make a big fuss, simply praise him gently, put on his collar and leash and take him outside.

Crate training is a valuable asset to any training program for new puppies and can help enhance your relationship with your canine pal. A happy and comfortable puppy will mature into a well-mannered and loving companion.

About the Author

Pet-Care Expert, Peggie Arvidson-Dailey, is the author of “How to Maintain Your Love Affair With Your Pet” and the founder of Peggie’s Pet Services. To learn more about maintaining YOUR love affair with your pet sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleclasses, visit http://www.peggiespets.com