Healthy Dog Food Off The Shelf Or Make Your Own?

Dogs. They are our pets, our best friends, and the one set of ears that will never pretend to ignore us. Due to the fact that they are such great companions, it is clear why owners always want the best for their furry friends. After all, they do resemble a human being, thus it is reasonable to feed them the healthiest foods and purchase a plethora of unused toys. While top notch pet food is available in every store, it can be perplexing to try and find the healthiest product. With so many factors taken into consideration, the percentages and ingredients become mind boggling. So how does one pick dog food out of the thousands of brands?

The first thing a pet owner should know is that affordable brands dont always mean that it is better. As we all know, dogs are like humans and they need their nutrition. Most dog food brands make sure that ingredients include meats, proteins, and fibers. However, there are those that focus on affordability rather than nourishment, which is why many animals begin to face problems. In order for your pet to have a healthy diet, you must find a food brand that incorporates protein, such as steak, chicken, or another type of meat. Additionally, these types of food should also have vitamins and minerals in them. Though dogs are much different than human beings they still require nutrients that keep them healthy and feeling great. If you are hesitant on a certain brand, chances are there may be a problem. It is recommended that you either consult the company itself, or perhaps find a book on healthy dog food. These resources will easily help you eliminate the brands that are more concerned with money.

Are you still unsure of what youre feeding your dog? Many pet owners simply run to their veterinarians, hoping that they will have a speedy answer. Fortunately, they can recommend many different brands one which will hopefully be affordable and still beneficial for your dog. Although some people feel that professionals will just try to steer them in the expensive direction perhaps food that is sold in their office, this is not necessarily true. A vast majority of veterinarians are concerned and want to make sure your dog is in top shape.

Luckily, there are other alternatives to healthy dog food, if you are just not pleased with the products. Recently, pet owners are beginning to take matters into their own hands. Since resources are booming, people can now cook their own dog food. Thats right no more instantaneous trips to the pet store. Since dogs love meat and vegetables, it is easy to find them a balanced diet. Many people are actually adding chicken to their dogs kibble or attempting to make beef cookies and dog food stew. Astonishingly, there are many health food websites catered to dog food, which will tell you exactly what to add to your dogs meal and which recipes are popular. Given that we treat our animals as if they were our human companions, it is no surprise that we are now feeding them the same way.

Pascal Erdmann is ths owner of PetThoughts, a large pet community and Natures Products Ltd, distributing Noni juice and other alternative health products. Websites: http://www.petthoughts.com and http://www.noninz.com

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Advantages And Disadvantages Of Playing Online Poker Vs. Playing At A Poker Table

The differences between online poker and more traditional poker table games are sometimes not as obvious as they may seem.

Unlike sitting down at a poker table with friends, online poker has an added dimension these days. There is a lot of pressure from many quarters to make online poker illegal, particularly in the United States. You will almost always know if the table game you are playing is in an area where poker is legal, but it is getting harder to know if this is true about poker played online.

In spite of these gray areas, millions in the U. S. and around the world regularly enjoy participating in online poker games from the comfort of their own homes. Just to give this some perspective, in 2005, the revenue from online poker was reported to be in the vicinity of $200 million.

Not only is online poker generating huge amounts of revenue and creating new millionaires, among players, site owners, and affiliates of poker sites, but, due to its pervasive influence, the appeal of poker in general is growing. The public is not only gaining knowledge about poker, but is showing an interest in all things poker. From the tables to the chips at the table, to the people who play at the tables, poker is huge.

Poker players such as Chris Ferguson (Jesus), Annie Duke, and her brother Howard Lederer (The Professor), and Hoyt Corkins (The Alabama Cowboy), to name a few, had never been heard of by the public a few months ago. Now they are celebrities in their own right. Even people who have been celebrities, such as Jennifer Tilly, Ben Affleck, and Mimi Rogers have traded in the bright lights of Hollywood for the green felt of the poker table - at least on occasion.

While many of these famous people play in tournaments sitting at the table with the celebrities of poker, most mortals enter the poker arena via online poker websites such as partypoker.com, pokerstars.com, ultimatebet.com or fulltiltpoker.com.

Sitting at a poker table can be intimidating, particularly for the new player and just is not that inviting for the beginner. They are apt to feel out of their league, and, if others at the table have more experience or are strangers, they are apt to feel intimidated.

The online poker experience is quite different. There is an anonymity which protects the psyche of the "newbie". They can watch games as long as they want before actually taking part. Additionally, most online venues will have tutorials and practice games for beginners that help ease the learning process. Sometimes the main site will actually have a completely separate site set up strictly for the beginner. Another helper for the beginner is that online games tend to have buttons labeled for the various actions and often include on-screen prompts for the appropriate action.

Internet poker sites also offer a range of limits so that the beginning player can actually start betting pennies. Not only is the betting easy, but so is the access. Unlike a table game, an online game can be found 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world that there is a computer and an Internet connection.

There are, however, two drawbacks to playing online, particularly if one's goal is to eventually participate in the highly televised poker tournaments occupying more prime time slots on TV. First, there is the hurdle of actually sitting and playing at the table itself. No amount of online preparation can duplicate or offset the first few times you find yourself in a chair across from a Doyle Brunson, Chris Moneymaker, or Daniel Negreanu.

Second, although it IS possible, it is exceedingly difficult to bluff at an online poker game and even harder to learn how to read your opponents.

Look on the bright side, however. It IS easy to learn basic poker skills and improve your technique online, and you won't have to worry about your poker face!

Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer and Unversity of West Florida alumnus. He is a member of Mensa and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. Find information on how to play poker at http://donovanbaldwin.com/cbmall/poker.html.

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