Cruisin with my Canines

It's the little things in life....................
Baxter...........

Hanna Banana enjoying the breeze...........(and looking back for a nice photo opp for mom :)

Hanna and Pilot...................(Hanna looking a bit "blown away" here.....)

Food Matters

 Finally America's fat ass is catching on to a health "trend"  With movies like Food Inc. and best selling books, Food Matters, The Kind Diet, Skinny Bitch and Skinny Bastard,  (just to name a few) America is revealing the true identity of mass production in the food industry. Don't think your grocery store-pet food is off the hook, In fact, all the crap we can't eat (FDA regulations) gets tossed in a bag of Kibble for our best friend to eat. not cool.


Always check the ingredients BEFORE buying that beautifully marketed bag of kibble and know that "meat-by-products and bone meal," "animal fat," "xxx-meal," and "corn" should not be on that list! A food may also be labled "duck flavor, beef, etc." and may not even contain such ingredients, that's a red flag for a no no! When you consider healthiest food for dogs, find products that offer 40% meat, 50% vegetables and 10% carbohydrates. These are the best nutritional ratios for a healthy dog diet. And mix it up, dogs have tastebuds too, how bad would it suck to eat the same thing over and over and over again? (One of Hanna's favorite foods is cooked broccoli--no lie.) Something I have discovered with my dog food obsession is by spending more for the good stuff, you are spending less in the end. The healthy stuff ensures your dog is getting what he needs and he wont have to find it elsewhere. Check out, http://www.healthydognutritionsecrets.com/ Remember, you get what you pay for............that is increasingly being found true with food products, both dog and human-So next time you see a cheapo- bag of kibble, know it's cheap because the food is crap--poor Fido.
Check out these links for help on finding the best food for your four-legged friend :)


http://www.squidoo.com/10-Best-Dog-Food
http://www.barfworld.com/html/learn_more/barf_pups.shtml
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/pet-treats-beef-bison-liver.aspx

A shout out to Charley!

Happy 4-Year Birthday Charley! 

Dog and Baby

So, I very recently was emailed a "dog in need of home" emails............ I get a lot of those but this one was different. The dog was being given up because he was snapping at their young child--who was admittingly being "rough" with the dog. "A child needs to be taught how to play and handle their puppy or dog. They need to be taught that a dog is not a toy or doll and shouldn’t be handled roughly." (Dogs and Small Children--Advice and Education) I am by no means excusing their dog's behavior! Bad dog! Bad!! .....And I know the owners are heartbroken over this matter, but "Children have to be taught to understand how dogs react in different situations. They must learn that a dog has feelings too and they don’t like to have their tail or ears pulled on. They might get mad and snap or bite." (Dogs and Small Children--Advice and Education)
It is a very sad situation. I feel bad for the owners and the dog. I can only imagine how confused the dog will be when adopted off to a new home (or considering the "urgency" of the email, a shelter....) I hope they can resolve the situation.  I know they are just devastated.
One way to hopefully avoid this situation is to begin with the right breed of dog, check out The Best Family Dogs-10 Breeds For Homes With Children. (cited below) and remember kids: all living things deserve respect.  
Check out what Cesar has to say:
http://www.cesarsway.com/askcesar/phobias-and-fears/Babies-and-Dogs
Sources and links :


To avoid dog bites in the home here is some advice: 

1. Properly socialize your puppy. BEFORE the age of 16 weeks, your puppy must encounter all of the things he'll see in his adult lifetime. If he doesn't, then, in all likelihood, he'll be terrified of those things later when he encounters them. You must introduce him to friendly adults, children, old people, noisy teenagers , disabled people, people with beards, hats, bald heads, abnormal gaits, canes, cars, bicycles, veterinarians, loud noises, other animals, toddlers, stairs, water, noisy kitchen instruments and other strange things. If the dog is not afraid of it, he won't try to attack it to defend himself. A well-adjusted dog is not a biting dog. Dogs must learn to use teeth properly as part of behavior development. Dogs normally learn bite inhibition by 4 and a half months of age.Bite inhibition is a learned response in which the dog consciously inhibits the full force of his biting ability. When pups bite while nursing, the mother dog will train them by standing up and walking away. When pups bite too hard during play with siblings, the bitten pup will yelp and stop playing with the rough pup or knock the rough-housing pup over with a loud bark or growl. This teaches a puppy that playtime ends if he bites too hard. People can use the same idea to teach their puppies bite inhibition. No matter how hard you try to socialize a dog to people or other dogs, there may be times when it is not sufficient. For example, someone shuts the dog's tail in a door, or your dog is attacked by another dog. In these cases, your dog will instinctively respond by biting, whether it's out of provocation or self-defense. Whether or not your dog does damage depends on the level of bite inhibition that was established, usually before he reached age four and a half months. 

2. Teach your children to respect life. Show them how to properly pet, and handle a dog. Young children should not be allowed to carry puppies. They want to, because they see you doing it, but they don't know how to yet, and they lack the coordination to properly support the dog and keep him from falling. This terrifies the puppy, and if you want the puppy to grow up thinking, "When I get my adult teeth, kid , you’re MINE!" You must teach the child that handling the puppy in this way is not comfortable for the puppy, and the child must not try to hurt the puppy. 

3. NEVER leave a young child alone with your puppy: No matter how good you think your child is, when you're not looking, the child wants to do all of the things you won't let him do when you're around. The child is usually "low man on the totem pole" in the household, and if he can have control over the dog, it makes him feel less powerless. This means poking pens into him, pulling his tail etc. You may not realize your child is pestering the dog until the day he comes running to you, dripping blood, saying, "Doggie BITE!" At this point somebody's in trouble, and its usually the dog. He can't defend himself and he didn't have witnesses. 

4. If you have toddlers, create a safe "haven" for your dog. Create a place where the dog can escape to when the dog does not want to be bothered with the child. If the dog is not able to get away from the thing that terrifies him he will try to make the child go away by lip lifting, growling, snapping, or biting, all of which are proper social signals to avoid REAL aggression, by communicating that the dog wants to be left alone. However, children do not understand this language, so it's important to give the dog a place to go where the child absolutely cannot follow. 

5. Don't tie your dog out. Tied dogs are frustrated dogs. This tends to make them hyper and testy. A child entering the area where a dog is chained could be easily knocked down or bitten. If one or more of your neighbor’s ties a dog out, don't let your children go near these dogs. They are an accident waiting to happen. 

6. Some people think it's cute to tease dogs by pretending to beat up another family member in front of them, or by playing "games" like "slap-boxing" ,wrestling or tug-if –war with the dog. These mindless ways cause the dog to become aggressive, or at the very least, teach him to snap at hands. He won't always understand the difference between play and real-life situations. 

7. Establish yourself as the leader and teach the dog a few commands. You can have him "go away” or "lie down" when company arrives, so that he doesn't go into a barking frenzy at the door. Stop your puppy from chewing your hands and teach him that gnawing on your body parts is "off limits." Do not allow guarding behavior to develop. Resource guarding means the dog might growl at someone walking near his food dish, or might not let you take a bone away from him politely, or might even guard YOU so that other family members can't get near. Start looking for a trainer where you will desensitize your dog to the things that are "triggering" his behavior now. 

8.Get your dog used to having you touch, groom and restrain him at an early age. If your dog does not allow you to touch him in certain ways or in certain places, this problem must be addressed. He may only be warning you with a growl, now, but if you let it be, there will come a time he's liable to bite. From an early age , accustom him to having you hold and touch his paws, stroke him and hold him on his side. By teaching him that this contact is not-threatening and not harmful, he will accept it without a second thought. 

9. DON'T pass on your fears to a child. Don’t gasp, cry out, or shriek when you see a dog; children learn by example, and these behaviors can startle or frighten a dog into snapping or biting. DON'T ever allow your child to tease, hurt, confine, challenge, growl at, bark at, or otherwise confuse, frighten, or threaten any dog, including your own. Many "unprovoked" attacks on children are in fact provoked by the cruel or at least ignorant and behavior of children to dogs. Do not allow children visiting your home to treat your dog this way, even if your dog will tolerate it; the next dog the child meets may not. DO teach your child to approach a dog in a calm and friendly manner. Children and dogs are naturally friends, and letting them get to know each other in a quiet, gradual way is best
When do the stray dogs bite? When the females are on heat and the male dogs stray outside their own territories and into other territories following the smell of the female. In the excitement of their frustration and the heat generated by the fear they have by stepping into unknown territory, a dog may (and even then its very rare) bite a human being that threatens it. 

The second reason is when the female dog has had puppies and is scared of people killing them. Anyone who comes near , specially children , whom she knows from experience , will harm her or her puppies will first be warned by her snarling. If they get closer she will bite.
Sterilisation does two things -- 
a) a sterilized animal has been seen to live a longer and healthier life. 
b) spaying prevents male animals from getting into fights with each other. Sterilized animals show no aggressive behavior due to frustration either to female animals or to humans. Local administration of a city and the colony associations must understand that the solution is not killing them because more will come, but in sterilisation. 

Spay or neuter your dog. Dogs who have NOT been spayed or neutered are three times more likely to bite than are dogs who HAVE been spayed or neutered

Maneka Gandhi
Gandhi, Maneka. "Living With Street Dogs--To Avoid Dog Bites in the Home." Web Log post.People For Animals PTA. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. 

"Dogs and Small Children--Advice and Education." Web Log post. Pets Education Online. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. .

"The Best Family Dogs-10 Breeds for Homes with Children." Web Log post. Dog Reflections. 5 May 2008. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. 

I need a Nap

Belly Fat Cure

As Spring time approaches, I know I have to start to lose those extra pounds put on by holiday foods (and winter excuses to eat those foods), however, I didn't know Charley felt the same way...................

Before pic......................

Behind the Wheel With Baxter

Driving tips from Baxter:
Tip # 1:  Keep your hands (paws) on the wheel at all times

Tip 2: Check your mirrors, scan your surroundings

                                 Tip #3:  Keep your eyes on the road

  

                                                               and remember kids............don't text and drive!

Taste of Freedom

 Celebrate like someone forgot to close the gate!!!!

I'm A Cheerleader

KU vs. KSU

Hanna, who's your pick??

good girl.

Dog Food vs. Dog "Food"

Have you ever read the label on that bag of Kibbles N' Bites you feed your four-legged friend? Better yet, can you understand it? you should. Sparky can't read and so you have gotta do it for him! Pet food standards are crap. What goes into our beloved friend's food would shock most people. Sometimes shock power is what's needed to make a change.

FOOD LABELS: Does your bag O kibble read "by-product meal?" For example: Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken by-product meal, corn, etc............according to the AAFCO, 

"Chicken by-product meal consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice." YUCK! So you are feeding Sparky the crap of crap.

It gets more disturbing........According to the article, What's Really in Pet Food,                   

"What most consumers don’t know is that the pet food industry is an extension of the human food and agriculture industries. Pet food provides a convenient way for slaughterhouse offal, grains considered “unfit for human consumption,” and similar waste products to be turned into profit. This waste includes intestines, udders, heads, hooves, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts."

  Not only is that disturbing that Sparky is woofing down un-edible "food" but it's harmful to him. Cancer is on the rise in canines and food is to blame.
So what should they eat? Lettuce???
A good ole' motto I remember helps me stick to my plan, "pay now or pay later!" Pay for the right nutrition now or pay the vet bills later. Here is what I feed my three smaller dogs, (and no, I have NO ties to this company) It's called Freshpet Select. It's $10.87/6 pounds and lasts a little over a week for three mouths. Not too shabby.

The ingredients are simple:

http://www.freshpetselect.com/index.htm

The food is refrigerated, which makes it more like, well food. The dogs really seem to enjoy it and as I cut it up into pieces I actually see whole chunks of carrot, beef, chicken and veggies which is what I paid for. I feed Charley (lab mix) Kirkland Dog Food from Costco-the ingredients are good and it costs approx $20.00/ 40 pound bag. I mix in frsh veggies and or meat to buff up the nutrition! I also switch things up on weekends and scramble or boil organic, local eggs for everyone. Don't get me wrong, these pups aren't always eating like they should, some of our favorite snacks are mac and cheese spirals and ramen noodles.

It's always fun to cook for an audience.

Today's menu: shredded carrots, veggie burgers and whole grain rice.

A few things you will NOT see in their food dishes: 

• rawhide bones -they are white because they are bleached. that's a no no.
• almost all brands of dog food stocked on grocery store shelves (I said almost all)--specialty stores is where to shop :) 
• any treats in shapes resembling human food -the shape is the only resemblance
• any treats that are colorful, ex: christmas tree rawhide-I'll pass on the dyes, thanks.
• any dog food with corn in first ten ingredients, Hanna is not a hen.
• any treats from the dollar store-think about it

What I remember:

Cheap food=cheap ingredients

More to come..........

Helpful Links:

guide to feeding
http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html

"people food" for dogs

http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/10-more-people-food-dogs/9241

The Truth......

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/downloads/pdf/PetFoodReport_05-07.pdf

"The King," Cesar Millan 

http://www.cesarsway.com/

Note:  This is a blog, thus reflecting my opinions based on related research so if you don't like my opinions, bite me :)

Works Cited:

 Dell, Kristina. "Unraveling the Pet- Food Mystery." Time Magazine. 5 Apr. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2010. .
"What's Really In Pet Food." Born Free USA (2007): 1-18. Web. 27 Feb. 2010.