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.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, April 11, 2011
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
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
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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!!!
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!!!
Monday, April 4, 2011
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.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
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.
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