Hot Weather Reminder!

I don't know how the weather is where you live, but here in the midwest, we've been setting record high temperatures, and the last three days, the temps have been over 100 degrees! That's unusual for us.  The humidity just started creeping back in, which makes it even worse! It doesn't take long to get uncomfortable when outside just for a few minutes!
That's why I am posting this reminder.  Please to do NOT take your pets with you this time of year in the car if you are going in some place where they cannot go.  Do NOT leave them in the car, even with the window cracked, not even for just a few minutes! It's that critical.  The interior of a car can quickly reach over 120 degrees on a hot, humid day in a very short time.  A crack in the window isn't going to help.  We do not even have a breeze here today at our house. The only way dogs have of 'cooling' themselves to to pant (through their nose and mouth), or through the bottom of their paws.  The average body temperature of a dog is between 100 and 102 degrees.  So they will get hot faster than we even would in the heat.
The heat can make dogs sick, and once set in can even be lethal in a short amount of time.  Leave your dog at home when you do errands this summer....make sure they are in a climate controlled environment with plenty of fresh water to drink.  I would hope the last thing you'd want to do is to be responsible for the death of your pet due to your own carelessness.
If you happen to see a dog (or other pet, or even a child) in a hot car...call 911...and if the situation is dire, don't hesitate to break a window to get in to rescue someone's pet.  Maybe that sounds radical or out of place, but to me, it's not.  It's considered pet neglect/abuse...and I will press charges against anyone who would do this to an innocent animal.
Bottom line...use sense...it's way too hot right now to leave a dog in a car.  Hot oven, hot car...same thing! Be a responsible and loving owner...or you might be living with some unpleasant consequences!

Home Cooked

I’ve been cooking homemade meals for my dogs for almost four years.  Over that time I have developed a system that works pretty well.  My dogs and incoming fosters enjoy a flavorful, healthy meal.  I haven’t found a dog yet that doesn’t like meat.  Okay, so maybe that’s not unusual….that’s just normal.  And what dog doesn’t like cheese or peanut butter? However, many of the other foods I include in their diet maybe seem a little ‘outside the box’. 

Vegetables like broccoli, squash and green beans are some of my dog’s favorites.  I’ve had numerous people comment to me that their dog ‘wouldn’t eat like that!’  When I ask if they’ve tried, the response is always, ‘no’.  Dogs like variety as much as people do.  I wouldn’t want to eat toast every day, two or three times a day.  Even though a dog will eat the same kibble day in and day out…that’s boring! Variety is the spice of life…even for the canine.

It’s not necessary to bombard your dog’s daily diet with a bunch of new foods…that could cause digestion issues.  Try one or two new foods in a meal along with their normal kibble.  If they keep it down and don’t get diarrhea, it’s a pretty safe bet they’re okay with it.  Start off with small amounts and gradually increase.  And also realize, there may be some foods they won’t eat the first time, but offered the second time, they will most likely eat it. 

Yummy breakfast additions include peanut butter, banana and plain yogurt.  Scrambled eggs, apples (I peel and grate the ones I use), pureed pumpkin (especially If they’re experiencing diarrhea)…there are many combinations of foods that are healthy choices…get creative.  Know also what foods not to feed your dog…make it fun…you just may find you like it…and I can guarantee a lot of happy dogs with clean doggie dishes!

Should You Be Supplementing Your Dog’s Diet With Alfalfa?

In my canine nutrition studies, I’m really learning in depth the nutrients in many foods.  I chose to research alfalfa for my assignment in my last lesson.  I remember many years ago when I had rabbits as pets they really liked alfalfa hay, and I recall my dad telling me it was superior to the Timothy hay.

Alfalfa is a member of the pea family and is a bushy perennial.  It has blue-green leaves and sports mauve to purple flowers with seeds in a sickle-shaped pod.  It is quite versatile as the stems, leaves and sprouts from the seeds can be utilized.

Alfalfa is an astringent herb known to remove toxins from tissues and is also a diuretic.  It has detoxifier ability and can improve liver function and cleanse the blood.  Two teaspoons fresh chopped alfalfa sprouts with your dog’s daily meal is good for digestion, as it is a natural enzyme. (I would suggest starting with small amounts and slowly work up to the two teaspoons)

It’s a power house when it comes to nutrients.  Rich in minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, D, E & K…and let’s not forget the tremendous amount of chlorophyll it contains, besides carotene and organic acids.  Alfalfa helps to restore Vitamin K which gets depleted with the use of certain antibiotics.

It’s a disease ally, aiding dogs with arthritis and other inflammatory issues of the joints, and is a beneficial choice in treating dogs with cancer.  Alfalfa can be used over long periods of time without adverse side effects, and is useful in animals with debilitating diseases that need to gain weight.  It can also help a dog adjust to a new diet.

In older animals, it aids brain function and improves mental vigor.  For dogs that have ailments of overly acidic urine, bladder irritation and crystal formations, alfalfa can improve and heal these conditions.  I know it sounds almost too good to be true.  Of course, there is always an exception to every rule, even though this is a safe ‘food’, in large quantities it can cause anemia because of its considerable Vitamin K content.  It might also pose an allergic response in animals sensitive to pollen. But use of controlled quantities should not present a risk.  As with just about everything…moderation!

Considering it’s easy to grow…you might decide you want to have it growing in your own yard.  It is so versatile and can be used for so much; it really should be one of those items you always have available in your cupboard!

Firework Safety Around Your Dog

Independence Day is well over two weeks away, and even with quite dry conditions in my area, there are those who have already started ‘celebrating’.  This always puts me on edge, as my dogs are certainly not fond of the noise.  I’m not either!

It is very important that we take extra care and consideration when participating in, observing or just being a ‘bystander’ when it comes to fireworks.  I read numerous lost pet postings after the 4^th of July concerning dogs who have run off from being scared when fireworks lit up.

My suggestion is to not take your dog with you if you go somewhere to watch.  Keep them home, inside, where they are safe and cannot run off.  If you need to let your dog out to pottie, make sure you have a secure fenced yard or have your dog on a harness and leash, with you at the other end.  Even when practicing these precautions, things can happen.  Your dog still might be able to get out or away.  When a dog is scared and the adrenaline sets in, a dog that normally wouldn’t scale a fence, just may.  Or your dog may slip right out of the harness.  Do not under any circumstances leave your dog outside unattended when fireworks are going off.

Plan ahead.  Have some valerian or chamomile treats or medication available to give your dog ahead of time to help keep them calm.  You have enough time right now to get some ordered or pick up something at your local health food store or pet store.  These are herbal supplements that are calming and natural.  If you have a Thunder Shirt for your dog, this can help too.  Usually I have my windows closed, as the temps are warm enough to have the air conditioning on.  You can turn on fans and a tv or radio to make noise inside so the noise outside is muffled.  I have neighbors across the street from me that put on quite a show each year, and there are also many in other close locations setting them off.

Do not set off fireworks in the presence of your dog; this will most likely scare them.  They could also get hurt or burned by fireworks in the hands of children or others not being careful.  It is just not a safe environment to expose them to.  I enjoy watching firework displays, but feel they are better left to the professionals with me at a safe distance.  Part of being a responsible pet owner is doing what is necessary to keep your dog protected and out of harms way.  Enjoy your holiday and be safe!

Pumpkin Yogurt

1/2 cup plain organic full fat yogurt
2 rounded Tablespoons 100% pumpkin
   (canned pumpkin, NOT the pumpkin pie filling)
1/8 teaspoon organic cinnamon

Stir ingredients together. Serve.

Note: This is especially good to feed your dog if he/she has diarrhea.  It's a yummy treat anytime of the year, but especially in the fall.

How To Prepare Fruits and Vegetables For Your Dogs

Feeding our dogs fruits and vegetables is good for them, especially the organic variety! Although they do not require large amounts of these, they can reap the benefits of the nutrients contained in them, especially if your dog is suffering from an illness or disease such as cancer. However, since their digestive system really wasn’t built to consume a lot of fruits and vegetables, it can also put a strain on their digestive tract.  But, all is not lost.  We can assist in this matter. 

Most of the really potent nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are found in those fruits and veggies with an edible peeling. (i.e., apples, zucchini, etc.) Since we want to derive the most value possible from feeding our dogs these foods, we need to include the peel. So, here are some tips.  Buy organic whenever possible, because the peel is edible, it is more susceptible to penetration of chemicals and pesticides.  If you cannot purchase organic, be sure to wash all your fruits and veggies (organic or not) off in water, this will help remove surface residues.  Add a vegetable wash, allow to soak and rinse well.  If the fruit or vegetable will be eaten raw, cut (remove any inedible parts, i.e., seeds, cores, etc.) and place in a food processor and chop it up fine.  Any that are cooked can either be mashed with a fork or put in the food processor once cooled slightly.  By preparing them this way, we jump start the digestive process by making these easier for our canine buddies to utilize.

It really only requires a little forethought to prepare good meals for our pets.  Since we should (and hopefully are) eating better ourselves, it will just be an extension of what we are already doing. 

Note: I prefer to purchase fruits and vegetables that don’t have a peeling (i.e., broccoli, strawberries, celery, lettuce, etc.) as organic.  The less outer ‘protection’ is has, the more of a chance for food borne illness issues.  Produce with a ‘heavy’ shell, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc., are okay to buy non-organic, but rinse well with water and veggie wash.

Natural Antioxidants You Can Feed Your Dog

It’s become a familiar word over at least the last decade…antioxidant.  You can obtain them from the food you eat (naturally), or from whole food supplements, or probably the most convenient and ‘popular’ way for most folk, in a synthetic form; a pill (man-made).  I am very much an advocate of obtaining needed nutrients first from the foods you consume.  The problem is, due to the way most people eat, this would be an insufficient method to acquire them.

Our dogs require certain nutrients in their diet to get to or maintain optimum health. So, why does your dog need antioxidants in particular? The same reason people do…to help ward off certain diseases like cancer.  Unfortunately this is a growing problem especially in the canine circle.  There has to be something to help protect our companions from this, and I believe that something is food.  What are we feeding them? What does it contain? What does my dog need? 

Antioxidants can be found in many of the fruits and vegetables we eat.  They help to ward off free radical damage which can cause disease.  Even though our canine friends do not require a lot of fruits and vegetables in their diet, we can certainly add these in without problem, and still maintain a balanced and variety filled bowl for them. 

The benefits go beyond to provide assistance in other areas, such as protection against cataracts and keeping diabetes in check, both ailments canines can contract.  Cranberries and apples are particularly good choices of antioxidant fruits.  Your dog can have both of these in their diet.  I will do some experimenting with these two fruits, combining them and come up with a yummy breakfast treat.  I will definitely be blogging more about antioxidants in the near future. 

The evidence has proven itself over the years, foods containing antioxidants need to be a part of the daily diet, for doggies and for people.  You really can’t go wrong with obtaining your nutrients from foods first.  I’ve never known of anyone to overdose on lettuce, foods are a safe bet…buy organic and then you’ll know you’re getting top quality produce.  It really is worth the extra money, and feeding your dog properly will reward itself down the line with fewer vet bills and hopefully a disease free canine!

Whole Foods For Canine Health

Eating foods in their most natural state is the healthiest way to consume them.  I’m not just making that statement in regards to humans…it’s the same for canines.  Foods that contain unnatural additives, preservatives, chemicals and over-processing are considered foreign invaders to our body once they enter in.  Depending on how much is ingested, over time our insides lose ability to continue fighting off these intruders and illness and disease set in.

When we fed our canine companions cheap kibble and junk food, especially the fast food variety, and allow them too many unhealthy human ‘treats’, we are not doing them any favors.  Of course, they’ll eat it! Mine will eat anything that doesn’t eat them first! It is our responsibility as pet owners to do right by them.  Awww…does that mean they can never have French fries or ice cream? Well, I suppose that would be like me saying, ‘I’ll never eat cake again!’  I know that won’t happen.  However, I think our ‘allowances’ we provide ourselves, many times gets passed along to our pets as well.

The more I learn about canine nutrition, the more it draws me back to my learning over the last two and a half decades.  Knowing better, and not doing better is hypocritical.  We need to make right and healthy choices 99.9999999% of the time.  That needs to be our foundation. ‘Treats’ aren’t very special if they are allowed too often, they lose their effect .  I know it’s not easy….temptations abound.  Stress and peer pressure to partake are all around us.  So much of it for humans is a mindset.  Learning and becoming educated about health and nutrition will cause you to look at a lot of other aspects of your life in a different light.  Hopefully this too will get passed along to your pets.

Dogs do not require pizza, French fries and ice cream in their diet.  Especially if you have a dog suffering from an illness or disease, like cancer or diabetes, it is of utmost importance they be fed correctly.  Don’t worry, it won’t hurt their feelings, they won’t feel left out if you bake them some chicken and wild rice and serve it with a side of organic plain yogurt mixed with their favorite fruit.  Believe me, they will love it…and will be better off because of it!

When I eat poorly, I feel poorly.  Lack of energy, sleepiness, not wanting to do activities.  For yourself, you have to get to a point where you say, ‘enough is enough’! And mean it! To do it for your dog, it’s a matter of taking care and charge of a creature that cannot do it for themselves. Be sure their diet isn’t overcooked, overprocessed foods.  Allow their quality eating habits to develop into your healthy eating habits!

Canine Zinc Deficiencies

I found it interesting to note that zinc deficiencies in dogs can be genetic, especially in the Northern larger breeds such as Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.  This can cause epileptic seizures, severely affecting the quality of life for these loving companions.

Zinc toxicity rarely occurs, and this is probably due to the fact that zinc is not considered to be highly absorbable.  Only 5 to 40% ingested is absorbed. This type of mineral deficit is also associated with skin and coat problems. Too much zinc however, can bring on copper and iron deficiencies.  Too much calcium in the diet can interfere with zinc digestion.

This type of health issue really highlights the need to feed your dog a quality kibble and a homemade diet.  Since plants and fiber tend to bind zinc, it is best to include meat and bone, as higher concentrations of zinc are found in these, more than double the amount in milligrams than in grains.

Since diet alone would be more of a challenge to supply the necessary dose needed, a good zinc supplement would assist greatly in providing the minimum of 120 mg. for growing puppies and adult dogs. A maximum dosage would be 1,000 mg.  I feel it’s best to obtain necessary nutrients as much as possible from quality food sources first, and since a dog’s natural diet would be high in meat and fat, this is an excellent opportunity to start adding meat into the diet.

Remember that stress also plays a role in the health of your dog.  Situations that put or keep your canine buddy in a state of anxiety can impair absorption of essential nutrients.  Especially for dogs that are genetically predisposed to issues, it is a must to provide your dog a safe and peaceful environment.

Dog Nutrition – It Really Does Matter

Dogs don’t need junk food any more than people need it.  We all need nourishment.  It should be quality, whole foods, not fragments or incomplete nutrients.  What we feed our dogs (and ourselves, for that matter) not only affects their health and how they will function over their lifetime, it can also affect their behavior, and quite possibly what illness or disease may arise.  Think about it, you eat junk, it makes you feel ick…you feel ick, maybe you’re not so nice to other people…same for your dog…except they don’t know why they feel that way.

Learning and developing proper eating protocol is a necessity, since we domesticate these animals into our toxic world.  Applying that knowledge is paramount to build and maintain a healthy immune system.  We want our dogs to be active and well.  This can only come from improving their food program and supplementing with quality products to fill in the gaps as needed.

Even a canine body is complex in how it functions.  What we feed them has a direct effect upon their internal organs, as well as external…skin, coat, nails, eyes, etc.  If something is awry inside, it may well work its way out!  We need to determine what each dog in our care requires, as they are individual, even if they’re blood siblings.

Perhaps you’ve adopted a stray or a dog you know nothing of his/her background.  Where do you start? Issues common in these ‘unknowns’ such as dehydration, emancipation and allergies can take time to turn around.  Consistent attention is required, no slacking allowed.  This is serious stuff!  No hit or miss.  Quality is a must to nourish and allow for rebuilding.  You can see results in some cases in about three week, depending on the severity of the issue, length of time the dog has had the problem, age of the dog, size and breed.  All these factors weigh into the process.

Dogs with a compromised immune system require careful consideration to diet selections, supplements and monitoring.  Any time you notice something that could be a symptom, most times it will be something small or seemingly insignificant, be proactive.  Learn all you can that will help your dog to get better.  Even the canine body is capable of amazing repair and recovery when fed the right nutrients.  Many times this will require a combination of treatment.  It may be necessary to mix ‘conventional’ with ‘complimentary’, ‘vet’ with ‘owner’.

Derive the most available from the whole foods, quality food combinations first.  Be patient.  Unless you have a life or death situation, which is different, and requires immediate attention, it will be necessary to wait it out for positive, progressive results.

I adopted a little four pound dog who had such severe allergies, she lost all the hair (fur) on the top of her head.  She’s been with us six months now.  The regrowth process is slow, but evident, and my persistent follow thru is obvious.  Another six months with this continuing care will provide more positive results. My hope is that all the fur will return.

What you feed your dog really does matter.  I want to help, because the health of your dog matters to me.

Raw Honey Benefits For Your Pooch

I love honey.  We always had it available in our house when I was a kid.  For a period of time my dad was a beekeeper.  I remember him suiting up in his special equipment to go smoke the bees out so he could get that golden comb!  One time, even with all his protection, he was stung on the lip.  My sister and I didn’t think it was too bad…we got to go for icecream, because my dad could only drink liquids for awhile, so he got a malt.  Oh, such fond childhood memories!

My adoration for this tasty nectar overflowed into my adulthood.  I still have honey in my house at all times.  These days, it’s not uncommon to find raw honey on the counter.  It’s not only beneficial for humans, it’s good for your canine companion too! Yup! I feed it to mine.  It’s best to purchase raw honey locally.  You can check your neighborhood health food stores, or go to a farmer’s market in your area.  This yummy stuff has an array of benefits, such as, it’s a great energy source, and even though it contains natural sugars, it does not have the same breakdown influence on the body like simple table sugar.

Depending upon the flower choices the bees in your area make, there are a wide variety of vitamins, especially B’s, such as niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.  Minerals are abundant as well; calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.  Raw honey also contains enzymes and amino acids…all necessary nutrients to round out a balanced, healthy diet.

Because raw honey is not heated and unfiltered…all those good nutrients remain intact and available for your body to use.  The processing methods used today in most foods we consume, destroy much of the nutritional benefit we should get from our food.

So, how do you give this to your dog? You can drizzle it over just about any kind of fruit that your dog can have, such as bananas…I mash up a ripe, organic banana, use about a tablespoon of honey, and several spoonfuls of plain, organic whole milk yogurt…stir it up and it’s ready to go! Also great mixed in with oatmeal.

See, there are a lot of wonderful foods from nature that our dogs (and us owners) can benefit from!

Understanding The Differences – A Primer

We share our homes and our lives with our furry friends. We spend special time with them on walks and errands, and many of us allow them to sleep with us in our beds.  We share a lot of things.  Unfortunately, our wonderful companions share many of the same diseases and health issues.  The more I read about this, the more it saddens me, because I feel so much of it is preventable.

These blogs are designed to sift through all that’s out there and bring simple, usable information that will benefit your dog and you!  Our pets are an important part of our lives, as is evident by the multi-billion dollar a year amount we spend on them.  It’s also vital to make better choices for yourself…after all, you need to be around to care of your loving companions! Some of that mindset comes from my upbringing and the other part from my personal trainer background, and two and a half decades of studying nutrition.

So, what is necessary for good health? First, a good nutritional foundation.  It really starts there.  Junk in, junk out.  My hope is that as you read these various articles I post, you will become more aware of what your dog really does need on a daily basis.  A new awareness that not just anything will suffice.  There’s a whole lot of information ‘out there’.  Knowing what and who to trust can be frustrating, confusing and even overwhelming.  It’s an ever changing, seeming revolving door of one thing one day, then something else the next.  What’s a person to believe?

We also need to understand, as much as our lives are shared, there are differences.  It’s imperative to know where the line is drawn. I will only touch upon it here, and I will be blogging more about it in future articles.  There is a lot, and I don’t want to overwhelm anybody with too much information at one time.  While whole grains are an important part of the human diet, it’s not necessarily a requirement in the canine diet.  The need to focus on quality protein and fats are the mainstay for your dog.  In my opinion, dairy products should only be organic in the diet….for doggies and people.  Why? Because ‘commercial’ dairy typically contain what is called Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH).  This is given to the cows to assist in larger yields.  Antibiotics are also a part of their ‘diet’.  A cow with an infection in an udder is not beneficial to a dairy farmer.  BGH has been found to cause premature breast growth in girls as young as 5 years old! Both of these are passed along the food chain to whomever consumes it…no wonder we’ve developed a resistance to most antibiotics!

We seem to be raising a whole generation of overweight and obese children…and even more adults.  Even with all this food we have access to, we suffer terribly from malnutrition.  It’s rampant. Over 1/3 of adults in the United States are considered obese.  Along with this problem comes heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and even cancer.  We’re out of control, and unless we put the brakes on, we’re headed for disaster!   And our canine buddies seem to be following suit.  55% of them are overweight or obese (according to 2010 statistics)  So you think, ‘my dog won’t eat healthy’! Well, I get razzed about what I feed my dogs from my co-workers.  Their comments are, ‘my dog wouldn’t eat stuff like that!’, my response is, ‘how do you know? Have you fed them that way?’  No, of course they haven’t.  Give ‘em a week at the Chaplin Doggie Diner, and you’d have a ‘new dog’! Even picky eaters like it here!  Adjustments periods are needed for change…we don’t want to make changes too quickly.  It’s necessary to allow time to introduce new foods to our furbabies to make sure they don’t have an allergy or adverse reaction.  We need to be flexible, and our attitude toward these changes need to be positive. It can be done, on both sides…human and canine.  The deciding factor will be, how much are you willing to invest in your health and that of your loved ones, including your dog?

Good Stuff To Buy For Your Dog

There are many websites I’ve shopped over the years for my dogs.  I’m big into all natural and herbal products.  I buy them for myself too! One company I’ve utilized for over 7 years is Mountain Rose Herbs.  (www.mountainroseherbs.com) They’re in California.  They have top quality products, and a large portion of their products are organic.  They have essential oils, teas, bulk herbs, and pet products. For the quality you receive, I find their prices to be quite reasonable.

I just recently ordered the organic shampoo they have for dogs. It’s 100% chemical free.  It contains some great ingredients, such as rosemary, chamomile, sage, peppermint and many other useful herbs.    It restores and invigorates the coat, and natural plant based residues help discourage common pests naturally.

Remember, the state of your pet’s health is part environment. Using quality, organic products aids in helping to keep your pet healthy.  Shampoo absorbs into the pores of your dog’s skin, so you certainly do not want to be washing Fido with chemicals! Just think what that can leave behind! Be good to your dog, it really doesn’t cost that much more than what you’re already spending, and the investment can pay off down the road with fewer vet bills, and a dog with a longer, quality life.

What Proper Nutrition Means For Your Dog

One of the aisles I rarely visit in the grocery store is the dog food aisle.  There is very little to nothing that my dogs need…in fact, sadly, there’s more there that they don’t need! (Buy top quality kibble from a pet store, not the grocery) I understand some people cannot afford to buy much for their pets, so they get the cheapest food there is.  What’s even more amazing are what I consider ‘extras’ they have in their lives that they could do without, or be more restricted with.  Cell phones, fake nails, fake tans, colored hair, maybe an expensive cup of coffee every day, eating out numerous times a week…you see where I’m going with this.  What I am asking is, please…re-evaluate your lifestyle and eliminate some of the ‘extras’ and invest it in your dog.  Gee whiz…get your own nutrition straightened out and on the right track, and share the food with your canine companion.  You won’t need to eat out so much! While it’s true most dogs will eat this stuff I call ‘junk food’, that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. Humans will do the same thing…but that’s our fault, we make our own choices….but consider, we also make the choices for the animals in our care.  Let’s not neglect what they need in their lives to be healthy.  They are our responsibility.

If you are an owner of a younger dog, you may not see the effects of a poor diet in your dog for years to come.  Then one day…something doesn’t seem right…why? It can most likely be traced back to improper nutrition practices over many years.  Granted, some issues can be genetic, and/or environmental, but if you are not feeding your dog appropriately, you are not giving their body what it needs for maintenance and repair.  If you’re not feeding nourishing meals, then it is most likely your dog is suffering from malnutrition….yes, that is very possible!  Can it be corrected? Yes.  Is it too late by this point? I hope not.  That may need to be determined, depending on what your dog is dealing with.  Now it will take double extra care to reverse the effects of lifelong poor habits (on the part of the human responsible for the dog).  Let me stress, caring for a dog properly day in and day out over many years takes extra care, more than just pouring out a bowl of kibble.  That would be like thinking you can get in your car day after day over the years and never do anything to maintain it.  How long do you think it would be before you’d be stranded on the side of the road because your vehicle just quit running? We all need proper ‘fuel’…our dogs included.

Proper food gives energy and encourages good health.  As far as I’m concerned, dogs don’t ‘need’ kibble. (I know that’s a bold statement)  But, consider this, how many wolves and wild dogs are there  eating dog chow?  Not! They’re living off the land…capturing prey, eating meat and digesting fat…searching out other vegetation as needed, driven by instinct.  Many times I think how much smarter they are than a lot of humans I know! Granted, there are no 100% guarantees on anything in life, but by purposefully directing our dog’s nutrition on the right path, you do allow for a certain amount of insurance, in that should something arise, your dog has a strong immune system that will ease the severity, and enable a quicker recovery, thus a more quality life.

Tropical Delight Yogurt

Tropical Delight Yogurt

½ to ¾ cup plain organic whole milk yogurt

1 Tablespoon shredded organic coconut *

¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained, packed in 100% juice (fresh is ok too)

½ large organic banana, ripe, mashed

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix together.  Great served for breakfast or anytime a refreshing treat is needed!

*Note on coconut: Soak in about a 1 Tablespoon of water in a bowl overnight in the refrigerator before adding to mixture.

Learning to Become Better Pet Owners

I began this blog so I could reach a larger audience.  I want to help people to learn things that are important for their canine companions so they can become more informed, better educated, be pro-active, and enabled to assist in the quality of their dog’s lives. I’ve learned, studied and researched on my own for many years now, and I don’t want to keep that to myself, that would only benefit me and my dogs.  Domesticated pet ownership has come a long way in the last several decades, and the number of people with dogs (and cats and various other animals), has grown tremendously over that same time period.  We obviously love to have them in our lives and share with them our homes and families and build experiences from time spent together.  We value their unconditional love, protection and adoration they give so freely.  They become a part of our family.  Personally, I feel very blessed to be able to share the environment with these loving creatures.  Many times they are what preserve my sanity, they temper my emotions and get me through tough times and hard days.  I don’t know what I would do without them, and I truly believe it would not be worth coming home if they were not there waiting to greet me….and with such excitement!

I have begun my studies on advanced canine nutrition, and I am very excited and in much anticipation of what I will learn.  Disease and nutrition play a close role in health, for dogs and people.  I want to learn all about these connections, but would like to specialize in treating various cancers from a nutritional standpoint.  As I have mentioned before in my blogs, this is our first line of defense.  If this is overlooked, then it is quite possible trouble is looming down the road.  I want to address it before it gets that far…I don’t want it to reach the point of no return for anyone. Dealing with disease on any level can be stressful.  Trying to find the right answer and what will work can be overwhelming.  Our dogs are as individual as we are.  What works for one, may not work for another.  There are options, and those need to be discovered.  It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ solution.  In order for me to work with such diseases and find answers, then I need to understand the cause of the disease, that means learning about genetics, which I find to be fascinating.

It’s a big world out there, and a lot can go wrong.  We live in a toxic environment within our cites, and that poison has spread to our suburbs, and no doubt will even touch upon more remote areas in the years to come.  The choices we make today can have an impact on our tomorrow…not only for us, but for those around and with us in our homes.  We are responsible for the well-being of our pets…it is up to us to make important choices for them.  That may require extra effort and maybe even sacrifice on our part.  If we are not willing to do that, then perhaps we should reconsider owning a pet.  It’s not for everybody…and most times it is a long-term commitment.  It is not uncommon for most dogs to live 15 or more years.  They are not a toy that we can shove aside when we don’t want to play with them anymore.  They are a living, created being that requires proper food, fresh water, exercise and necessary health care.  They have emotions and feel pain.  They are not to be abused, neglected or carelessly watched over. Things can happen, and situations change, and there are unforeseen circumstances that cannot be avoided.

We need to train our children proper behavior around our animals.  As adults we need to monitor our pets and get to know them when conditions are normal, so if something goes awry we can be on top of taking care of the problem when it arises.  Pet ownership should be a joy, not a burden.  It is a relationship that is well worth the effort necessary to make it work.

Balance And Variety For Your Dog

There sure are a lot of food choices these days….just a gander down the cereal isle at the grocery store can be an overwhelming experience!  It has been said ‘variety is the spice of life’.  It is obvious us humans put it to practice every day.  But what do we select for our canine friends? How long have they been eating the same brand, same flavor of kibble?  Think it doesn’t matter? Do dogs really get bored with their food? Do they even care?  ‘That reminds me of a dog treat commercial where the owner asks the dog if he wants a certain kind of treat? And the dog’s response is, ‘I’d get it myself but I don’t have thumbs!’  I know…it’s a commercial, it’s cute, and some human created it, and hopefully there’s enough of a lasting impression that you go out and buy it for your dog. And maybe there really is something behind that thinking…what would your dog buy to eat if he could purchase it?

So perhaps your dog isn’t thinking, ‘I sure wish my owner would switch my food…I’m really tired of this chicken and rice…some beef would be nice!’  Even though your dog doesn’t realize she needs variety in her daily dish, she does.  Otherwise, something in her system will become out of balance, and that can cause unnecessary stress, which can bring on preventable illness.  So, what do you as a responsible pet owner need to do to correct this? Well, if you have a healthy dog, this is a simple solution.  Don’t buy the same bag of kibble every time.  There are many quality brands on the shelf.  Personally, I like ‘Innova’, ‘Blue Buffalo’, ‘Castor and Pullox’, and Halo.  That’s a good start.  I like to keep my dogs at 50% quality protein, 25% carbohydrates, and 25% kibble.  The better brands cost more, but when you’re mixing it with real food, it goes much further.

Okay, so we’ve addressed the kibble…now, when you’re cooking for your dog…don’t give them the same meat all the time…or the same vegetable every day.  Here at the Chaplin Doggie Diner, Monday is eggs over easy, Thursday is oatmeal morning (organic, of course…with organic whole milk), and Sunday we have scrambled eggs.  I use whole milk organic yogurt, and switch with organic Kefir…and fruits, banana, apple, blueberries, even blackberries when I can get them for a good price.  They have ground chicken, ground turkey, chicken thigh, chicken breast, round steak, salmon.  They have variety every day.  I always keep staples like cottage cheese, organic cheese and eggs in the house in case we ‘run low’ on the meat for a meal (then I have to cook more!)

If you’re not sure how to prepare some of these, check out the recipes I have posted on my blog.  These will assist, and my dogs love them!  As humans, we make our choices everyday….we don’t eat the same thing day in and day out….we’d get really tired of it quick! The only thing I think dogs really don’t care about is what color their food is! Guess that must be a human trait! Remember to include Fido in the variety of yummy quality foods available, it's a healthy choice for both of you!

Going ‘Greens’ With Your Dog’s Nutrition

Green is popular these days…what did we do before we ‘went green’ with so many things? The ‘green’ I want to discuss in this blog isn’t really about the environment, but it is about something that is typically wild in our environment….greens….the vegetable kind.  Mustard, collard, dandelion…those kind of greens.  What is so great about what most people consider to be weeds (especially the dandelion variety)?  Well, not only are they a power house of nutrients, containing Vitamins A, C, K and folate…they also contain ample amounts of calcium and iron….and since there are many of them that grow in the wild, it would not be uncommon for our canine’s relatives to seek them out and include them in their diets!

Dogs with anemia can certainly benefit from the natural iron contained in these, especially spinach and dandelion greens.  The calcium content is good for dogs with joint issues or our ageing canine friends.  Vitamin A is good for the eyes, Vitamin C for the immune system, and Vitamin K, being a fat soluble vitamin can even benefit dogs with cancer.

If you are going to purchase greens in the store, I would strongly suggest buying organic, because greens are not protected by a shell or peeling to keep pesticides from penetrating.  You can always pick them yourself from your own yard, as long as you are not having your yard chemically treated.  You can cut them up very fine and mix them in with your dog’s meat and kibble, but it would be better to at least cook them lightly, as this will start the carb breakdown process and make it easier for your dog to digest.

This is just another way to boost your dog’s diet, that’s fairly easy, low to no cost and a very healthy choice!