ORGANIC and GLUTEN FREE

Pure and Natural Treats LLC has turned a new leaf today. After much deliberation we have changed the formula of our cookies to be gluten-free!!! We are very excited. From now on all of our cookies will be made with oats instead of wheat. As before our cookies are always preservative free, additive free, chemical free, corn free, antibiotic free, and hormone free. Whew! What a list!! That is because we only use whole food product in our cookies. Even our oats are ground by hand, by us when the cookies are being made.

Every order is made fresh to order. We don't keep cookies laying around. When you order it we bake it. How many companies can say that? We feel fresh made cookies are important because it keeps the integrity and potency of the vitamins and minerals as high as possible. The longer the cookies are left out the more nutrients they lose.

We have always strived to use organic products if they were available to us. We are now located in a city where we can find organic EVERYTHING!!! This is spectacular for us, you, and your dog! Now you have the freshest, best quality product available. The only things we put in our cookies that are not certified organic are the medicinal herbs that are provided to us from a local naturopathy, and the honey we buy locally here in Colorado. We gaurantee the herbs and honey are of the highest quality! Unfortunately medicinal herbs do not have a certification for organic. Everything else is pure organic! So no worries about any pesticides in your pet's cookies!!!

We are very excited that the product level has increased but we have better news, the price stays the same!!! YAY!!! Order some of our new and improved cookies today.

***Also for the month of October we will be donating $1 from every $10 sold to our local ASPCA in remembrance of shelter dogs everywhere. All of our dogs our rescues and if we had room for more we would adopt more. Instead this is the way we are supporting the ASPCA this year. Help us help them and order a bag today.

http://pureandnaturaltreats.com/dogpage.html

Beef and Barley goodness

So today I want to write about our newest cookie addition, Beef and Barley. This is a cookie I have been thinking about for a long time. Recently I was connected with a naturopath in Colorado Springs, through a lot of my own research with a holistic veterinarian, and through her guidance, a new cookie has been made that is a whole health cookie.

To start with I wanted a cookie that would give essential nutrients and minerals to dogs. I have cookies that are geared toward specific ailments, i.e. healthy joints, but I wanted one that was more of a multi vitamin in a sense. A beneficial cookie for all dogs, not just ones with health concerns. I am very particular about what I feed myself as well as my dogs. I don't believe in giving them anything but the best. Cookies are intended to be a treat and should be fun, but they can be beneficial and good for your dog at the same time. Why feed your dog processed junk when for the same price you can feed them something fresh made from the highest quality ingredients.

So before I ramble on about dog health, enter Beef and Barley. It is rare that you find beef in anything dog related. I don't understand why since there are proteins and 80 essential nutrients and minerals, like iron, that are in beef. We only buy he highest quality product and all animal products must come from fairly treated animals that have a good quality of life, it is essential they never be treated with antibiotics or growth hormones. The beef we buy is from Whole Foods, it is organic, free range, grass fed beef.

The herbs we use are barley grass, wheat grass and turmeric. There are so many health benefits that accompany these herbs! Let's start with turmeric, which is highly recommended as a daily nutrient for dogs for multiple reasons.

Turmeric is used as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, it is also antimicrobial and an anti-carcinogen. Turmeric is beneficial for liver health, gastrointestinal problems, (such as excessive flatulence or irritable bowel syndrome), and for overall cardiovascular health. Turmeric has also been used as an anti-cancer herb. It has no side effects and dogs love the taste of it. Hello!!! Talk about an awesome herb!!! We should all take it everyday! If you aren't sold on this cookie yet just wait until I tell you about the different grasses we use.

Barley grass is the barley plant in its early stages and has vegetable like nutrients. The list of nutrients and benefits is extremely long so I will sum it up and give you a link to read more about it. Barley grass contains all the essential nutrients the body needs at any age, this is true for your dog as well. It is beneficial as a pain reliever from arthritis, helps combat blood clots and cancer, relieves inflammation, relieves stomach and intestinal disorders, and helps promote healthy skin and DNA repair. So far we have two SUPER HERBS in this cookie and there is still one more! :)

Wheat grass is something I used to take regularly when I worked at Jamba juice. It is so good for you. I use a shampoo for my dogs that is made with wheatgrass and it is the best for their skin and hair. Wheatgrass is great for dogs because it provides them with essential nutrients. It also helps digest food due to its natural enzymes, it detoxifies the liver and the intestines, and it helps with nutrient absorption. It also helps rebuild red blood cells, has high amino acid content, and it fights and protects against illness.

So welcome the SUPER COOKIE!!! I hope by this time you are convinced to give your dog something better than a processed treat. If they tasted better to people I would recommend them for our intake. I do not guarantee any specific healing or results, but I can guarantee a peace of mind that you are treating your dog with a wholesome cookie. I recommend 1 cookie/day for dogs less than 20 lbs, 1-2 cookies/day for dogs 20-50 lbs, and 1-3 cookies/day for dogs over 50 lbs.
ORDER TODAY to start changing the way you feed your dog :)

http://pureandnaturaltreats.com/dogpage%20beefandbarley.html

Barley Grass info: http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/barley-grass-powder.html

Adjusting to our new home

Well moving went very well...until we actually got into the house! It is a really nice house and two of our dogs are quite happy! Except for the fact we don't have any squirrels in our yard. We have a very pretty park across the street from our house we walk them to every morning. This is the life! Well not quite for everybody. Melody Rose our oldest, is having difficulty adjusting.

The morning after we got to our house and some amazing, wonderful people came to help unload all of our belongings into the house. This is when Melody began having her meltdown. I had to put all the dogs in the backyard while we unloaded the truck. Melody barked the ENTIRE time. This is no surprise unfortunately. She is quite friendly but can be a barker when she is nervous. After everyone left about 3.5 hours later they all came inside. I thought everything was normal until Melody started running around crying, scratching and screeching. Sometimes she spazzes out a little so I ignored her. Then I thought maybe she had been bitten by some of the ants while outside. I consoled her for a few minutes but then had to go back to my work. Well by about an hour later she had calmed down and went to sleep. The next morning I let them all out to use the restroom, but Melody wouldn't go. GREAT! Now what!?!

She ran around rolling and crying and itching that morning. I started to wonder if there was something wrong. I called a local vet and they informed me that sometimes dogs won;t use the restroom for up to 48 hours after a move. Since she was eating and drinking they said that it was likely nothing was wrong with her. So I was on a mission to get her to use the restroom. They recommended canned pumpkin but the grocers do not sell that at this time of year. I began cooking her plain sweet potatoes and an egg.

Eventually we were successful getting Melody to go to the bathroom at the park. However..3 days into this she is still only going at the park. She will go out in the backyard but won't leave the porch. She needs to go but refuses to go. We don't want to continue to take her to the park all the time and cater to this behavior but we also don't want her to hold it and continue to run around crying randomly. We aren't sure what to do to help her. She usually is wonderful at walking on the leash, always walking right next to me, however since the move she has been extremely difficult on the leash either pulling or sitting and refusing to go. Of course I correct her and I do not allow this behavior. But I wonder when do I cut her some slack and when do I discipline her. Also she is usually amazing off leash but she won't come to either of us when we call her right now. It is extremely frustrating.This is a completely new area for me. I know we will come out victorious and it might take some time for Melody to adjust. I am hoping that it will happen quickly..I truly want all my puppies to be happy, healthy pups! We are in a beautiful place and I want them all to be able to enjoy it. With Melody's behavioral issues I don't believe we will be able to for awhile.

I am open and listening to any advice anyone might have for me on how to help my sweet girl adjust.

Colorado here we come!!!

It has been 2 months since my last post. It has been quite crazy. I almost forgot I had a blog. We are finally moving to Colorado next week. We are sooo excited!!! We love adventures and this is definitely a great adventure. We are almost completely packed up. I have been trying to prep my dogs for the move as much as possible. As usual they have been calm and nonchalant about the whole ordeal. They don't seem to care that there are boxes everywhere and that all of the stuff in our house seems to be disappearing. I am sure it will sink in when I pack their food, beds, and toys for the trip up. Our dogs LOVE car rides so I am hoping they will enjoy the 17 hour trip we are about to take.

We have been quite busy selling our house and getting ready for our move, but in that time we have also been working on our Pure and Natural Treats business. We have modified the website and created a NEW COOKIE!!! The new cookie is one that is based on the essential Omega-3's that is necessary in anyone's diet including your pet.

I will write more about the Omega-3 cookie soon. Check out our website and read some of the great testimonials we have received!
http://pureandnaturaltreats.com/testimonies.html

Where can we go? What can we do?

I might have mentioned before that we are in the process of moving out of state. It is challenging to sell a house with three dogs living in it. We always need an hours notice to be able to clean up and eliminate as much of the dog "presence" as possible. Then we are always scrambling to find an activity.

Yesterday was no exception as we had the notice we needed to have our house available for 2 hours in the middle of the hot, humid Texas afternoon. In Texas as the day goes on it always becomes hotter. So 3-4pm is the hottest part of the day. Yesterday the temperatures reached to 102 degrees. :-{ So this left me without the option of being able to take my doggies to the park to walk and play, my preferred activity.

I decided it would be the perfect time to do some training at the pet store. It is air conditioned and we are allowed to be in there with ALL of our dogs at the same time, for as long as we like. It was a great idea! Instead of our usual get in, get out trip. We walked down every aisle, let them smell EVERYTHING! Those with doggies know how important their sense of smell is. Their nose tells them the story of who has been there and what has happened. We were able to socialize and refresh our memories of how to obey even when we are in a whirlwind of chaos. It was alot of fun for us, and our dogs enjoyed it thoroughly.

So my suggestion is to head to the pet store next time you want or need to get out of the house with your dogs. It is a cool and inviting place that will give your dog a world of excitement! I have attached a picture of my sweet Melody Rose, my first puppy.

HOT HOT HOT

Here in south Texas it is already 100 degrees during the day. So this means we spend more time inside or at the pool. Unfortunately my pups LOVE to be outside, this is not safe for them because of the extreme humid heat. I try to monitor their time outside and give them 5-10 minute increments as well as keeping fresh cool water at hand for them.

One treat my dogs LOVE in the summer are the Chicken Pupsicles I make for them. I always keep homemade chicken broth on hand. I specifically make mine without onions because onions are toxic to dogs. Please do not use the broth from the store for these. I take cute little ice cube trays that have hearts or other fun shapes, spray lightly with olive oil, then fill with the broth. Put them in the freezer for a couple hours. After they are frozen I pop them out, hand out a few, and put the rest in a ziploc bag for keeping. They are a HUGE HIT with my dogs. They are a super simple way to give your dog a fun, healthy treat during the summer.

Take care, wear sunblock, and have fun!!!

Summer safety and fun!!!

Here in the south summer is in full swing. With the temperatures in the 90's most of the day and even at night it stays in the 80's. That is HOT!!! As people when we get hot we sweat and that naturally cools our bodies down. Dogs however do not have the ability to sweat. The only way dogs have to cool themselves is through panting. I write this blog to raise awareness about our pets and how to take measures to help keep them from overheating. Just like people animals experience heat sickness and can die from it also. :-( It is possible for pets to experience heat stroke so i have posted a link to a site that will give you more information.
As always if you have questions or suspect anything contact your veterinarian immediately.
http://dogs.about.com/od/dogandpuppyhealth/qt/heatstroke.htm

If dogs are kept outside during the summer it is imperative that we make sure they have a fully shaded place to lay down and plenty of water that is kept in the shade. If you can have a baby pool that is in the shade for your pet to cool himself off with.

If you are running errands this summer please do not take your dog with you, unless your dog can accompany you inside to every place. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PET IN THE CAR!!! Many people think this is okay if the windows are down, but this is NOT TRUE! Even on just a warm day the inside temperature of a car can become dangerous within a few minutes. The temperatures can get well over 100 degrees and with a full coat and no way to sweat it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS to your pet.

If walking your pet do it in the morning or the evening and choose shaded areas. We people tend to forget how hot the concrete and streets are because we wear shoes. The temperatures of the ground can easily burn your little puppies paws. If at all possible walk them on dirt or grassy trails. ALWAYS carry water and a collapsible bowl with you to give your pet plenty of water. The water will help cool them down.

Bringing your pets along in all the fun summer family activities is a no brainer for most of us. Just be careful and make sure that you are prepared and are taking care of your precious pet.

HAPPY SUMMER !!!!! :)

As with any heat sickness, keep an eye on your pet for signs of heat sickness.
* Increased rectal temperature (over 104° requires action, over 106° is a dire emergency)
* Vigorous panting
* Dark red gums
* Tacky or dry mucus membranes (specifically the gums)
* Lying down and unwilling (or unable) to get up
* Collapse and/or loss of consciousness
* Thick saliva
* Dizziness or disorientation

For our husky mix we shave him to help keep him cool! He loves it and is so much happier this way!

Veggies and your dog

Dogs like humans need a variety of foods in their diet in order to receive all the nutrients and digestion aids the require for healthy systems.  If you look at the ingredients of higher quality dog food they use a combination of meat (should be the first ingredient), whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.  Although the main part of a dog's diet is meat, due to their need of large amounts of protein, they also need vegetables.  There are foods that your dog should never eat and those can be commonly found on the internet.  Here is  a link for you just in case you haven't ever heard this before.
http://k9domain.org/toxic.aspx
http://www.naturalbalancemagazine.com/page/page/5922012.htm

One vegetable I really like giving my dogs is raw carrot.  They are great for helping to clean the teeth due to their crunchy nature and they are full of great vitamins.  Most dog love carrots, however be careful how much you give your dog so that you do not overload their system with fiber. 

Carrots are an excellent source of pro-vitamin A, Vitamins C, D, E, K, B1, and B6.  They are rich in biotin, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.  So with all those reasons carrots are a great part of our pets daily diet.  As with any food item make sure you thoroughly clean the carrot before giving it to your pet.  Do not peel the carrot because most of the nutrients are directly underneath the skin.  If you peel the carrot you generally take too much off.

Here are some sights to look at that will give you more information on the wonderful benefits of carrots.

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/carrots.html

http://www.juicing-for-health.com/carrot-nutrition.html

http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/99221.aspx

So hopefully you will join us in feeding your pet more carrots.  Since carrots are such an awesome vegetable I felt the need to develop a cookie around them.  We have a cookie called Carrot Crunchies.  The main ingredient is organic carrots followed by whole wheat flour, Oatmeal, Organic Free Range eggs, and All natural Wheat Bran and a touch of garlic.   Order some healthy Carrot Crunchies today for a low price of $10 with more than enough cookies to last your pup the entire month.

http://pureandnaturaltreats.com/dogpage.html

Healthy Joints for life

     Many dogs suffer from joint pain.  This occurs in older dogs or in certain pure bred dogs.  I have personally known two dogs who have suffered, one of them severe the other minor.  Both have drastically benefited from the use of Glucosamine-Chondroitin.  The first dog is Champ, she is my brothers golden lab.  She is currently only 3 years old and around 80 pounds.  She was prescribed Glucosamine-Chondroitin to help with her hip displayisa.  Champ is one of the worst cases I have ever heard of.  Without her dose in the morning she will not move all day.  You can tell she is in extreme pain.  However with regular dosing she plays and wrestles and runs around all day. 
     Champ's case inspired me to create an affordable cookie that would allow pet owners to provide their dog with glucosamine without the struggle of trying to force pills down your pet's throat.  It is difficult on the owner and the pet to struggle with pill taking everyday.  There are many options of treats and things that have glucosamine in them, but they are not a regulated dose and do not have as much in each treat that allows for a significant dosage. 
    As I created the cookie, there was alot of math involved in the designing, and I tested on two different dogs.  This is a very special cookie and each cookie must be accurate in dosage.  I wanted to make sure that the cookie would be tasty and full of nutrients along with the glucosamine-chondroitin.  I packed the cookie with organic roasted sweet potato (the most nutritious vegetable we have on the planet), organic peanut butter (for protein), organic banana, and oatmeal.  Each cookie has 344 mg of glucosamine, this allows for a wide variety of dosage from small dogs to extra large dogs.  Usually a dog less then 20 pounds will have 344 mg of glucosamine a day.  Champ requires 4.5 cookies because her veterinarian prescribed her a full human dose each day.
     Gabby, my lhasa apso, was my other test.  She has had trouble with her legs.  I didn't think she was in any kind of pain, but the last couple of months she has not been very social or active.  I thought she was just in a funk.  I usually call her my happy Gabby, but that hadn't been the case for awhile.  After one week on the cookies I started to notice she was more active in the morning.  After two weeks on the cookies she was running and playing, wagging her tail, jumping around, chasing squirrels, and truly enjoying her life again.  It was such a joy to see her back to her old self.  I was saddened with the realization that I didn't even realize she was in pain and I have no idea how long that had been the case.
     I highly recommend these cookies for those that suspect their dogs have joint issues.  As always please see your veterinarian first, for dosage information.  These cookies do contain shellfish, so if you have a fish allergy DO NOT HANDLE these cookies.  Glucosamine is made from shellfish.  I use a high grade glucosamine-chondroitin tablet that I grind to a fine powder so it will be evenly distributed.
     For more information on these cookies you can visit our website  
http://pureandnaturaltreats.com/dogpage%20joints.html
or you can email me at animalbites@gmail.com

I look forward to your orders and questions.  They are sold by the cookie so you can decide whether you would like them in two week doses or by the month.

STRESS FREE

Starting this blog I had every intention of writing 3-4 times a week.  Very shortly after I committed to this, I was hit with the reality that we are relocating in less then 3 months time!  AAHHHH..Time to prep the house, pack the stuff, sell the house, buy a house and move ourselves and our puppies 18 hours NW.
Since I have had a lot going on I have not been able to post.  I thought today would be a good time to discuss stress in pets.

When you act stressed your pets pick up on it.  When things start to change, like the moving and packing of furniture and behaviors out of the normal, many pets can become stressed and or scared.  It is inevitable sometimes for our pets to experience stress only because we are unable to communicate to them what is going on.  Moving to a new home can be extremely stressful.

The first thing I recommend is to use soothing confident tones.  They need to know and feel that you the pack leader are in control.  The second is to keep their sleeping area the same.  Don't move their bed around or wash all of their things to clean up or organize.  Allow them to have the comfort and confidence that their stuff is the same.  The third is to try some herbal methods to help calm and relax the mind.  There are certain herbs that can help them calm down.  Oatmeal and chamomile are great  ways to calm your dog.  My method of choice is Rescue Remedy.  I highly suggest you check with your veterinarian first to seek out if it is okay for your dog and to agree on a dosage.  I have used Rescue Remedy on myself and I have used it on my dogs.  It can be found at most health food markets.  This really works for my pet's.  I don't want my pet's to be anxious, I want them to have peace of mind, and this is one way that works very quickly.  Here is a link to more information about Rescue Remedy, so you can decide if this is an option that might work for you and your pet.


http://www.rescueremedy.com/

Remember stressed spelled backwards is dessert, so if you are feeling stressed, relax have a sweet dessert snack, and focus on calming and redirecting that energy.  Then just smile, smiling has been proven to change your mood.  Doing this will benefit you and your pet's moods.  They feed off your energy.

My Motivation

I thought today would be a good time to write about why I became so passionate about pet health.  Almost four years ago I began the search for my first puppy.  I had puppies before but they were the family pet, and my parents had most of the responsibility of taking care of them.  I searched for months at shelters and adds for the surrounding 150 miles.  5 days after my wedding, I convinced my husband to go with me to our local downtown pound because I saw an add about new puppies.  I was so convinced I was coming home with a puppy that day, I headed down to my local apartment office and paid the pet deposit.

We ventured into the pound and of course I ha to say Hi and your beautiful to every dog in there.  I LOVE animals.  ALL of them!!  I would adopt them all if I had the space, time, and money to.  After I made my rounds I came to the small cages.  I saw in one a litter of three puppies, 6.5 weeks old.  They were terrier-spaniel mixes, so they passed the husband test of "small dog."  We opened the cage and way on the back I saw the perfect puppy face.  We looked at all three, very sad we couldn't take them all home.  My husband liked one that looked more like a spaniel and I loved the first one I saw that looked like a terrier.  At the time we could only afford the pet deposit for one dog so we had to make the hard choice.  We chose the dog that was more responsive and alert, which was Melody Rose, the one that took after a terrier.  Melody was so tiny and had already been spayed a few days earlier.  She and her sisters had been left in their cages with sutures on their bellies laying in their own waste.  It was heart wrenching.

We brought Melody Rose home she ran around the house like a spazz ball.  We took her to the vet the next day and had her checked out.  They gave us medicine for the sutures because they were infected.  Then the traumatic first few months of my puppies life began.  Melody was very very sick.  The vet put her on a few different medications, but they didn't do anything except keep her illnesses from getting worse.  We switched to holistic care and saw some improvement, but she had a rough first  6 months of life.  This next part is quite gross...Melody Rose was not able to eat dog food very well.  We tried many kinds but they all resulted in her always having bloody mucus stools with very little waste in it.  It was so hard for me to watch my tiny puppy go through this.  I was taking her to one of the nicest most expensive vets in town, but there was nothing she could do.  I started researching how to supplement my puppy with more nutrition and more whole food options then the dog food.

So begins Melody's homemade food.  Even though I was made fun of for it, I am convinced that by the grace of God and this homemade food, Melody Rose was spared.  I made all of her food just as you would baby food. I always mixed a lean protein with multiple vegetables, rice,  and an apple.  Then it would be pureed together.  I fed Melody this for the first year of her life.  After a couple of weeks we were able to mix it with dog food and it would pass through her well.  The homemade food helped stabilize her system.  When she was stabilized then she had larger ratios of dog food to homemade food.  The best thing was Melody Rose got 1/2-1 egg every morning.  Sometimes it was mixed with veggies, sometimes rice, and sometimes dog food.  The egg provided her with necessary fats and proteins and it helped her appetite open up.  If her appetite wasn't stimulated in the morning she wouldn't eat all day.


I would spend all day the first summer of my marriage caring for Melody Rose.  Feeding her, training her, and loving her.  She is now a very very smart dog, sometimes I think too smart.  She knows over 100 human words and has decided she is above the other dogs.  Melody Rose has always been a little eccentric, but we love her.  We found out a year ago that Melody had distemper as a puppy and that is why she was so sick.  She has very badly damaged teeth.  When we finally switched to a new vet he asked us about it.  We told him the story and that is when we finally found out what had been wrong with our sweet baby puppy.  It was quite infuriating for me that I spent more money then I would have on 2 AKC certified dogs and my first vet could never tell me what was wrong with my puppy.  We did find out that Melody has an amazingly strong immune system, YAY!  She is an extremely healthy active dog.  We walk six miles, the rest of us are exhausted and Melody is ready to go another six!  She is only 16 pounds and is tough as nails.  She is the leader of the dog pack and helps train, teach, and order the other dogs.  Melody Rose was my inspiration to begin providing nutritional care for dogs.  I don't believe in feeding my dogs food that have anything but meat in the first ingredient.  I also do my best to eliminate all preservatives from their diet.


That is why I started


I hope this long blog has helped you to understand my passion and my devotion to my business and animals in general.  I believe in providing better treats for dogs.  My prices are competitive with the treats you find at the pet stores and mine aren't made with preservatives, artificial ingredients,  food colorings, or flavorings.  Only whole food or supplements go into my cookies.  I hope you will check the website for Pure and Natural Treats.  I look forward to providing you and your pet with a wholesome delicious treat!
www.PureAndNaturalTreats.com 


                                              Sweet Melody Rose

HAPPY WALKING!!!!
Everyone needs exercise, at least in some form.  We are designed to move and be challenged.  We all know that as people we are encouraged to participate in some form of exercise 3-5 times a week.  This can be as simple as taking a walk to as exciting as climbing a mountain.  You don't need a gym membership or extra money to exercise, just time and commitment.  It is equally important for our pets to exercise as well as ourselves.  Cesar Milan the dog whisperer is well known saying "First exercise, then training, then loving and playing with your dog."  This truly is key to keeping a healthy, physically and emotionally balanced dog.  Cats need exercise too, they just receive it in different forms.

First I will talk about dogs.  With all dogs it is vitally important they receive a walk every day. So you are combining your exercise time now with the dog's, a win-win situation.  It is a big commitment to own a dog.  It is well known dogs of all sizes need to walk everyday.  I do believe that depending on the type of dog you have it depends on how long they need to walk.  High energy dogs need to walk 45 minutes a day.  This is important to their mental health as well as their physical.  It is also important to make sure they are walking next to you, and not pulling you or leading you.  They need to walk in a calm and relaxed state.  It takes a great deal of patience at first to get your dog there, but they will get there!  It is very rewarding to have a dog just walk with you.  They are able to relax and enjoy the walk more when they don't feel that they have to be in control of the situation.  Dogs that are medium energy will benefit best from a 45 minute walk but you could probably be fine with a moderately paced 30 minute walk.  Low energy dogs still need to be walked but can be walked at a leisurely pace for 15-30 minutes depending on their age and their responsiveness to the walk. Be careful to not walk them in the hottest part of the day, they do not have sweat glands and are not able to cool themselves the way we do by sweating.  Also always carry water and make sure to give them opportunities to drink.  We have a collapsible bowl that fits in our pocket perfectly.

Having three dogs it is not easy to walk them all the proper amount of time everyday.  We live in an area where there are alot of stray dogs and I prefer to walk one dog at a time so that I have a hand free to control a stray dog if necessary.  It works best when my husband and I walk them together.  The problem is he walks in the morning and I walk at lunch or in the evening before dinner.

We notice that when we walk all the dogs the proper amount of time for each one, we have a quiet peaceful house.  Which is rare for a 3 dog house.  We also spend a good deal of time everyday training.  I believe every situation is an opportunity to enforce obedience.  They all know they must sit before I will pay any attention to them at all.  It is a good idea to enforce boundaries and discipline with your dogs.

Cat's are another story.  They need exercise but are not animals that are fond of discipline or walks.  Playing with a laser beam or attaching a toy on a string are two really great ways to get your cat up and moving.  Playing with cats is very fun and can be done while you are sitting watching television.

Having a pet is a rewarding experience but it takes responsibility.  They rely on you for everything so make sure you are making the effort to meet your pet's needs.  I hope you find the enjoyment that comes from spedning time with your pet meeting their essential needs in life.  Happy Walking!!!

Here is a picture of my Gabby, she is the sweetest most precious dog EVER!!!  She is the middle dog, Happy Gabby all the time!!!

Prepare for Battle, Here come the FLEAS!

With spring comes flowers, warmer air, green grass, and pests!  One of my least favorite pests of all time is the flea.  It is such a bother!  They are incredibly difficult to get rid of once they make their appearance but it is possible and without harmful chemicals too.  However the best way to fight fleas is to prevent them.

One thing I always try to focus on in my home is keeping it free of toxic chemicals.  The modern flea prevention that is recommended is full of toxins.  It is too toxic for you to get on your skin but it is intended to be absorbed by our pets.  Umm no thanks!!  Did I mention yet that the pesticides used in anti-flea products are not regulated?  I do not like the sound of that!  Thankfully there are some all natural remedies to get rid of fleas and to prevent them.  

I have done research as to how to get rid of fleas in my own home, having three dogs they make appearances occasionally because of visits to the groomers, vet, or dog park.  So I decided I wanted to find an alternative to the ones using pesticides.  I almost gave up until I came across a book called "Clean Home Green Home."  It has many remedies to clean your home without toxic chemicals.  I did research on the information presented, I didn't trust it blindly.   Having researched and tried these methods on my own pets, I recommend looking into the following methods.  You don't have to do them all.  See which ones might work for you.  The less chemicals in your home the better.

FLEA PREVENTION:

1)  Try adding nutritional or brewer's yeast and/or flaxseed oil to your pet's food.  You can find it at your local health food store.  I know they are both carried at Whole Foods.  These ingredients not only deter fleas from attacking and living on your pet, but they will also improve skin health and coat luster. 

2)  Many pet stores are now carrying flea prevention made with all natural essential oils like clove.  There aren't any pesticides in them and they naturally repel the fleas.

    *ALWAYS check with your veterinarian before administering anything to your pet or trying a new method on your pet.

FLEA CONTROL:

    When flea season starts there are things you can do around the house that don't involve chemicals.

1)  Vacuum floor, curtains, upholstery, and clean the vacuum after every use.

2)  Wash all bedding and blankets frequently.

3)  Use beds for your pets that are filled with cedar.

4)  Place lavender, mint, rosemary, or cedar essential oil sachets along furniture cushions and beds to repel fleas.  ( I use fresh lavender with drops of lavender oil in homemade pantyhose sachets, they work great and smell fabulous!)

5)  Use beneficial nematodes in your yard.  These are wonderful.  We use them in our yard twice a year.  They eat all larvae quickly so any pest that lives in your yard is gone as a larvae.  They are completely safe too.  Check your local gardening store for more information.

6)  I have found a spray at Petsmart that my veternarian said was safe for my pets.  You can spray it on pets and bedding and furniture to get rid of fleas.  Please check with your vetrenarian first before using.

It is called "De Flea, Pet and Area Spray"  It combats fleas, ticks, and lice.  It kills on contact and is said to be natural and safe.  I use it as a last resort and I have a picture of it below.

I hope this information has been helpful.  It was a relief for me when I found these methods so that I didn't have to resort to pesticides anymore.  Good luck to you this spring, let the battle commence!!

Investing in your pet's health

Welcome to my blog.  I am embarking on a journey I have been passionate about for quite some time.  Do you love your pet's and consider them to be members of your family?  I do.  My husband and I have three dogs that are just amazing.  They add extra joy, comfort, and fun to our lives.  Which is why we are so passionate about how we treat our pet's.  To have a truly happy pet they need to be balanced, physically, emotionally, and mentally.  I  am here to help inform others about how to easily improve and maintain their pet's health.  Most of what I do is focused around dogs.  Cat's can greatly benefit from the nutritional information I post about too.

I focus on all natural pet care.  I do everything in my power to keep preservatives, pesticides, food coloring, and artificial ingredients away from my pets.  I have recently started a dog treat business, they are all natural, mostly organic, homemade, preservative free, hormone and antibiotic free treats.  You can check out our products and our mission statement at www.pureandnaturaltreats.com

Keep checking in for recipes, tips, stories, and fun facts to help change your pet's world for the better! This is our third dog and the baby of the family Sebastian.  He is a Border Collie-Siberian Husky Mix.  More pictures to come of the rest of our pack.

  *Warning changing your pet's life to a healthier more active balanced lifestyle will give you a happier pet as well as could cause you to have a happier and healthier life too.