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What On Earth Is Holistic Dog Care?

29 14:58:10

In recent years there has been an amazing rise in the number of dog
owners interested in holistic dog care. They share a concern about
the amount of chemicals used in conventional treatments. Many believe
that an over-dependence on conventional medicine can even be harmful,
leading to different types of dog allergy and nasty conditions

‘Holistic dog care’ is a term that we hear often, but many people
admit to being unsure about what it really means.

Okay, let’s put that right!

‘Holistic’ comes from the Greek-based word ‘holism’, and when applied
to medicine (for animals as well as humans!) it means treating the
whole ‘entity’ (body and mind) and not just the symptoms of disease.

Your dog – like you! – has an amazing ability to heal itself. The
only problem is that over the years this ability can be dampened down
by an over-reliance on chemical ‘cures’. Wouldn’t it be better to
help your pet re-activate his natural dog health, and enable him to
ward off harmful diseases and conditions before they take hold?

I became interested in holistic dog care over ten years ago when our
Border Collie pup, Ben, contracted a near fatal condition, Demodectic
Mange. Conventional medicine actually prolonged the illness and
several types of unpleasant treatments had to be tried.

Since we moved to a more holistic and natural approach Ben has never
looked back!

Let me stress again, all humans and animals have a natural tendency to
heal and cure themselves of most illnesses, so the secret lies in
boosting the immune system which our modern ways have encouraged to
become slack or ‘lazy’.

Once it’s stimulated and functioning well, a healthy immune system can
help your dog remain fit and active for longer than you might expect.
Now, that’s great news, isn’t it?

Yes, but I’m sure it’s all very complicated.

Relax, it’s not. In fact it’s simple. Nature’s ways often are, since
they’re the best.

So what do I have to do?

First of all, seek out a vet who either practices or is interested in
holistic or natural treatments. If such a vet isn’t close at hand,
you can register online with many holistic veterinary practices and
receive advice and counseling – and often this will cost nothing.
Then, if you have to go to a conventional vet, you can be forearmed
and say what type of treatment you’d prefer for your dog’s health.

There are many outlets supplying natural dog foods, and again if you
can’t find one in your area there are excellent online suppliers.
Even if this does cost slightly more (and it won’t always!) you’ll
save time and money by not having to drive to the store.

Online you’ll also find lots of advice on natural health supplements
to maintain peak health, or to combat illness and boost fitness if and
when necessary.

However, we’ve found that with a regular combination of healthy food
and exercise, Ben never needs anything other than a check-up at the
vet.

Apart from giving natural dog food and supplements, the other
requisites for holistic dog care are so obvious they are no-brainers!

Normal cleanliness is one. Groom your dog regularly and check his
coat for unwanted guests. Grooming will also promote a healthy skin.
Take care of basic things, such as cleaning and drying his ears after
a swim. See that he gets exercise every day and interact with him as
much as possible by playing with him, stroking him and so on. Holistic
dog care, remember, deals with the mind as well as the body.
Interaction has enormous psychological and emotional benefits for both
dog and human companion. Learn basic first-aid for dogs, just in case
you have to act in an emergency: the least suffering involved, the
less depleted your dog’s natural resources will be.

So let’s sum up:

* Give your dog exercise and companionship

* Feed him a healthy diet of natural dog food

* Give him natural supplements

* See to basic hygiene

* Learn some first-aid

* Take him to a vet who is in sympathy with your requirements

. . . and you will be pleasantly surprised to find your dog avoids
lots of common ailments and conditions. This is because his immune
system will have been strengthened and he will have regained the
natural immunity Nature intended him to have.

Easy, isn’t it? And isn’t your dog worth it?

Interested in learning more about natural care for your dog? Visit
Frank McGinty’s site for some excellent news:
http://www.familysoftshop.com/dogcare

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