My Human Gets A Shout Out From Cesar Millan!

So I may have mentioned that my human(Ashley Kujan) is not only my caretaker, but also an artist. She had done a watercolor portrait of "Daddy", Cesar Millan's beloved(now deceased, RIP, Daddy) bully ambassador several months ago then sent it to him as a gift. Well, Mr. Millan must get tons of fan mail, because he just(finally!) received the painting! Yay! You can check it out at this link:

https://twitter.com/cesarmillan/status/525766695768850432

And if you want her to paint a portrait of your companion/s, just contact her through her website(click on tab above that says, "Dog portraits by Ashley")!

                                       Happy Tails!

ACAI IS TOXIC FOR DOGS!!! (Important message from my human!)

   Please do not feed Acai berries/products to your pets!!! As a raw feeder, I usually add a little juice or pulp from my juicer to my dog's food which may include both fruits and veggies. Recently, I had some Acai juice and tried a bit to see if they liked it. After all, it is very high in antioxidants! Unfortuneately, it is also very high in "theobromine", the same toxin found in chocolate! Although my dogs are OK now, I did have a scare when Beowulf started drinking and urinating like a race horse! At first I suspected he might just be anxious, showing signs of aging, and just a little dehydrated. Then he actually peed on the floor indoors, while just laying down! He had just been out a couple of hours earlier and never has "accidents".
   Needless to say, I was very upset and started thinking the worst! I jumped on the computer and did some research, realizing that he didn't show any other signs of illness(No blood in urine, no loss of appetite/energy, no pains). So I started giving him extra coconut water(electrolytes and potassium) to see if it might rehydrate him. I also added extra organ meat to the food to strengthen his kidneys. Over the course of a couple of days, his excessive thirst and urinating had subsided.(Whew!) I tried to discern a possible cause, and finally discovered the Acai juice! I had inadvertently poisoned my dog!!! (As the little one showed no symptoms, I believe that age also played a factor). Fortunately, I caught early what may have become acute renal failure! I also learned a very important fact about those "fabulous" berries, and can now warn other pet owners about the danger. Apparently there has not been much research on the issue, but I got some info from Wikipedia:
 "Serious poisoning happens more frequently in domestic animals, which metabolize theobromine much more slowly than humans, and can easily consume enough chocolate to cause chocolate poisoning. If large numbers of filled chocolate candies are consumed, another serious danger is posed by the fat and sugar in the fillings, which can sometimes trigger life-threatening pancreatitis several days later.[citation needed] The most common victims of theobromine poisoning are dogs,[3][4] for which it can be fatal."
   My one wish is for all of our loving animal companions to live happy, care-free lives, which is why I do so much research on canine health and nutrition. Just one valuable piece of info can literally save a life! Please share this article with your pet-loving friends and family, and always check to be sure that new food or "treat" is safe.
                                Happy Tails to All!!!

How To Make A Road Trip Fun For Dogs

   Yeehaw! I love adventures! We just arrived in Pennsylvania(My human's grandma's house) a couple of days ago and are having a blast, sniffing all the smells, peeing on everything, barking at wild animals, swimming in Lake Erie...Fun times! Personally, I was just happy to get out of that car and onto terra firma. I mean, my human took plenty of breaks(3-4 per day) so we could all run around, stretch, pee, etc., but it is so boring just sitting in the back for a couple of hours at a time! So here are a few tips on keeping us pups happy and comfy on the loooong stretches of highway:
   1. Lavender oil. Please dab a few drops of pure Lavender essential oil on our collars and seat covers(way off on the edges) for calming aromatherapy. Thank you.
   2. Healthy chew treats. Please give us 2-3 per day, right after breaks. That way, we have already relieved ourselves, and can chill out for another stretch.
   3. Chew toys. We probably won't play with them in the car, but it gives us comfort just to have them nearby.
   4. Blankies. Again, might not need them, but want them...for security purposes only.
   5. Most importantly, please attempt to stick as close to our normal routine as possible. The change of scenery, smells, people, and places is enough! At least feed us and put us to bed at around the same time as usual, again, for security reasons.
                                         On behalf of dogs everywhere, I thank you kindly for your cooperation!
                                                Happy Tails!
P.S. For links to some of my favorite travel items, just go to my "recommendations" page...

Dogs LOVE coconut water!!! (And it's really good for us!)

It's no secret to island dogs and people born in the tropics that coconut is a powerful natural healer! I have expounded the magical benefits of coconut oil in the past, and today I want to emphasize the little-known power of the water(or milk) of these nuts. If you live in a hot climate, tropical or desert, the most important thing to remember is keeping your body hydrated. Drinking plain water is not enough, for humans or pets! The body must be able to utilize that liquid, the cells must be able to process the molecules, and that is what "electrolytes" do for us. I don't want to get too sciency on you, but basically coconut water has more than 6X the electrolytes than "sports drinks", 15X the potassium to facilitate the bodies absorption of water. (http://www.naturalnews.com028579_coconut_water_sports_drinks.html)      
No man-made "energy drink" or supplement is as efficient as this natural liquid healer, which is also a strong anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal! During the scorching Summer months, this revitalizing water can be a literal life-saver! Whenever my human takes us to the beach, she gives us coconut water BEFORE we head out, as well as when we get back into the car(about 3:1, plain:coconut H20)...it prevents us from getting dehydrated after running around the hot sand and swimming in the salty sea. (She also rubs coconut oil all over our noses to prevent sunburn.) You may think that just because we are in the water(ocean, lake, pool, etc.) that we stay hydrated, but that is not the case. Everybody must hydrate from the inside. Basically, my human does most of the same things for us pups as she would do for herself, just half/third the dosage of herbs, oils, etc.. In addition, she always checks the online resources(http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/unsafe-herbs.html) when introducing some new remedy, just to be sure it isn't toxic to dogs(Aloe is one which you wouldn't think was poisonous for us!)  As with any new food or herb additive, start with even less than an average amount to avoid the runs. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but who wants that mess?

                       Have a great Summer(it's almost over!),
                                                Happy Tails!!!

Pancreatitis in dogs?

     I recently met a dog who told me he has "pancreatitis"! What is that? Since my human has been working as nutrition consultant at the local pet supply store, I have been hearing all kinds of crazy stories. Apparently this ailment, along with so many others, is pretty common in Dogworld. I do make my own observations, as well as eavesdropping on the human conversations, and it all seems to be related to food. It seems that the majority of issues and illness dogs are experiencing these days are being caused by poor diets. I am not saying that I am perfect(Damn close), but I do not have to deal with half of the issues my buddies do! I will go ahead and guess that's because my human has been feeding me raw meat all of my life(10+ years!). I don't think those guys have bad humans, just that my own is a little nuts about nutrition and is always studying food, herbs, homeopathy, etc.. So I want to pass on what I know from my own experiences with her.

      Pancreatitis is a thing where the organ cannot function properly and starts digesting itself. Gross! As with all of our organs, it needs the proper vitamins and minerals to function well. The common kibble, which is over-processed and devoid of the right nutrients is the most common culprit. According to most holistic vets, switching to a higher quality food is crucial. Some recommend that the dog should fast(refrain from feeding) for 24-48 hours in order for the organs to "recalibrate", or adjust themselves naturally. When feeding resumes, it should be a diet of primarily meat(whole,natural, not meal or byproduct) and no grains, with limited amounts of nutrient-rich vegetable and omega-rich oils. The ideal form would be raw, yet a freeze-dried or high quality kibble is still a healthy and wise choice. As with any mammal, heavily-processed, nutrient-void "foods" will only lead to poor health and illness.    

     So the concensus is that dogs should be fed a low-fat, high-protein diet with no grain and small amounts of plant-based ingredients. The term "biologically appropriate"(referring to the dog's diet) would indicate that feeding meats which are the natural choice of carnivores should provide most of the nutrients needed by the organism. If the animal is compromised(ill), then the diet needs to be even more specific. Dr. Dobias says, "I do recommend lower fat meats for dogs with pancreatitis. Chicken, turkey, rabbit, eggs are good examples of low fat foods. I do not recommend fatty meats such as duck or lamb. I also do not recommend large animal red meat (beef, buffalo or bison) for dogs with pancreatitis." (http://www.peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11016097-pancreatitis-in-dogs) I recommend that all of us(humans and pets alike) eat the most natural, least processed, most appropriate foods for our respective species and avoid "junk foods" like the plague!

                                                                                                                         Happy tails to you!

Bathing: What to use and how often?

Great news! Our friend, Simon, has created an awesome dog shampoo with organic oils and herbs! My human met this young entrepreneur at the Paw Depot(Where she is the "pet nutritionist") just last week and was very impressed by his knowledge and product. Apparently, they are both into herbalism and she uses a very similar blend for my topicals(skin care/bug repellent). Simon's formula includes coconut oil(which is great for keeping skin healthy and itch-free), lavender(which keeps us calm during annoying bath time), and neem oil(which is a skin emollient AND bug repellent).  Needless to say, we highly recommend this shampoo for the rare occasion that we must be subjected to such torture! As for the frequency of bathing dogs, there are many differing opinions on the subject. If I had my way, the answer would be, "Never!". If you ask my human, she will tell you that once a month is sufficient for indoor, inactive dogs, once a week for more active dirt-magnets, and about twice per month for active dogs who also swim several times per month(That would be Ursula and I). Generally speaking, it is not healthy to bathe dogs daily, or even weekly unless absolutely necessary because the soaps can dry out the skin, removing our natural oils. Simon's formula contains organic oils, so it definitely won't be as harsh as the standard shampoos. So if your dog(s) tend to get dirty and stinky, and require more baths, then Simon's "Happy Pet" shampoo is the best choice! Another reason we love to promote Simon's stuff is because he is local! (Check out his interview on National t.v.!) Happy tails!!!