Princess PeggySue & Princess Calay~: 11/7/10

A healthy dog is a happy dog. Most dog health tips will make owning your dog much easier as the dog will have less problems. It is important to be careful when purchasing products to help keep your dog healthy as you need to distinguish quality products from unsatisfactory items. A few basic precautions will ensure that your dog lives a long and healthy life.
Bathing
How much to bath your dog will depend on the breed and where the dog sleeps. Dogs that sleep on the bed are typically bathed more often as are dogs that live indoors. Dogs that live outdoors will be bathed less often. Normally, a dog has a bath when the coat is dirty. Do not use human shampoo to wash your dog. Pet shampoo is made specifically for dogs because a dog's skin is much more delicate than humans. If you bath your dog frequently, then vegetable oil supplements or Linatone can help keep the coat and skin healthy.
Allergies
Dogs have allergies just like humans. Signs of allergies for dogs include biting, face rubbing, face scratching and skin chewing. The areas that are affected by allergies include the base of the tail, ears, mouth and eyes. Most dog allergies are inherited from the parent. As with humans, the best way to prevent allergies is to avoid the allergen. Make sure to keep good records on your dog's behavior because diagnosing allergies is tricky. If the dog has severe allergies, then treatment consists of allergy shots. Talk to the veterinarian about the best allergy treatment for your dog.
Fleas
There are several types of nontoxic flea repellents that will prevent flea infestations. Citrus is a powerful flea repellent. Let a cut lemon sit in boiling water. The water repels fleas when sprayed on the dog. Combinations of aromatherapy oil will also repel fleas. Cedarwod oil and lavender oil will repel fleas when a drop or two is spread over your dogs skin twice a week. Bathing is needed for a dog that already has a flea infestation. Rinse the dog with a solution of fresh rosemary steeped in boiling water. Pour it over the dog and allow her to dry.
Ears
There are many problems that can affect your dogs ears. A healthy dog ear will not have any odor and will be pink-gray in color. Ear infections are common and can be hard to treat. Your vet will know exactly what to do. The minute you notice something wrong with your dog's ears, visit your vet. To prevent infection, clean the ears with hydrogen peroxide. Dip a cotton ball in the hydrogen peroxide, then wipe out the ears. Clean the ear carefully and dry the ears completely after cleaning.
Grooming
Every dog needs to be groomed. Start grooming as a puppy and make it fun. Your dog will enjoy being groomed and will not run away. When the dog associates grooming as fun, this makes grooming quick and easy. A soft brush is best for grooming and brush hair in the direction that it grows.
Water
A dog should always have access to drinking water and the water dish needs to be refilled everyday. When it is cold outside, check that the water has not frozen. If necessary, a heated dog dish can prevent frozen water in the winter. In the summer, if the water is too warm, your dog can get sick. Try to position water bowls in the shade to keep it cool all day long.
Visit the Vet
Going to the vet and waiting to uncover the problem yourself could be life or death for the dog. The sooner the diagnosis is given, the less expensive and more effective the treatment might be. Maintain a good relationship with your vet and call if you notice something not quite right with your dog. It is much better to be safe than sorryRead more: Free Dog Health Tips eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7297486_dog-health-tips.html#ixzz14zGIpHPr

I hope you enjoyed these free health tips by Liz Tomas of eHow.