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February 2011

Holistic Dry Dog Foods That Missed The Mark

Subscribers Only The eight products we reviewed in this article are intended to appeal to dog owners who are interested in a “holistic” and/or “healthy” food for their dogs. None contains artificial colors or artificial preservatives. But none can hold a candle to the products on our “approved” foods list. Each misses that mark – some miss by just a bit, and some miss by a country mile.

Training Police Dogs and Military Dogs Using Positive Methods

Subscribers Only Positive reinforcement training has made significant inroads among much of the dog-owning population. However, many handlers involved in precision-based sports such as field work, obedience, and Schutzhund, along with many pet owners of “strong” breeds such as Rottweilers, Dobermans, and so-called “bully” breeds, still believe a healthy dose of compulsion is necessary to convince the dog he must perform as “commanded” (as opposed to “cued” or “requested”). The trainers of working police dogs generally feel that their dogs – and their jobs – also require the use of force-based techniques; a majority of law enforcement dog handlers still rely on compulsion. Fortunately, a growing number are beginning to realize that positive reinforcement not only produces reliable dogs, it also decreases dog-handler conflict and creates stronger working relationships.

Maintaining Healthy Physical Contact with Your Dog

Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a day you do something to your dog that involves physical contact? I’m not talking about petting him when he nudges up against your leg; I’m talking about grasping his collar, putting his leash on, picking him up, wiping debris from the corners of his eyes, wiping the mud off his paws, trimming fur somewhere on his body, and many more “husbandry” procedures that require various degrees of restraint and touch. Chances are you really only think about it when your dog protests, but chances are he thinks about it every time you reach for him.

Whole Dog Journal's 2011 Dry Dog Food Review

Subscribers Only Here is Whole Dog Journal's Approved Dry Dog Foods List for 2011. Along with the list of this year’s approved dry dog foods we’ll explain on what criteria you should use when selecting a food for your dog. Some of these criteria range from price, ingredients, a manufactures’ past history and the size of the manufacturer. All of the products that made the list have met our selection criteria – including our newest criterion, that the company discloses the name and location of its manufacturers.

Gratitude

Often, writing something to appear on this page is the last thing I do before shipping the issue to the printer. That’s true tonight, too. Exhausted from making the calls and compiling the information that goes into our annual dry dog food review, I was drawing a blank on an idea for the editorial. So I did what I often do when I’m all wrung out; I took my dog Otto out for a walk.