5 myths about your dog busted

1. Rub a dog's nose in its 'business' to housetrain it: That only makes your dog afraid of you. Instead of learning to potty outdoors, it will find hidden places to go in the house and avoid relieving itself in front of you, even outdoors. The best way to train any animal is to reward the appropriate behavior.
2. Tail-wagging means a dog is friendly: Don't buy that. The tail wags for various reasons. Some for good and some for not so good reasons. You have to look at the body posture of the animal and everything else it’s doing.
3. Bad breath is normal: Just as in people, bad breath is a sign of a serious health problem. A healthy pet has fresh breath. By having good oral health, pets can live up to 15 percent longer, which is an average of two years. Brush your pet’s teeth regularly, making sure to use a toothpaste that's intended for your dog. Daily is best, but even weekly is better than nothing.
4. Dogs eat grass when they're sick: Nope, they’re just connoisseurs of the green stuff. They love the taste and texture of grass. The newer shoots with a little water on them from the sprinklers or rain is even better. Sometimes dogs consume large amounts of grass, which then propels food through the intestinal system, either back up or out the other end, so that may be the source of the belief.
5. Never give pets 'people food': You sure should not give your pet high in fat or salt food like chicken and onion ring, but baby carrots, apples and popcorn are excellent low-calorie treats for dogs. And as long as you’re using high-quality ingredients and a good recipe that meets a pet’s nutritional needs, “people food” is perfectly healthy as a regular meal for your dog. The biggest concern with feeding (pets) ‘people food’ is that most people feed too much and create an unbalanced or incomplete diet.