• Other Issues

March 2011

A Review of the Best Books on Home-Prepared Dog Food Diets on the Market

Subscribers Only Over the past few months, I’ve read more than 30 books on homemade diets for dogs. Many offered recipes that were dangerously incomplete; a smaller number provided acceptable guidelines but were confusing, unduly restrictive, overly complicated, or had other issues that made me recommend them only with reservations. A few were good enough to recommend without reservation. This review is about the cream of the crop: three relatively new books (one is a new edition of an older book) whose authors have taken the time to analyze their recipes to ensure that they meet the latest nutritional guidelines established by the National Research Council (NRC).

Five Steps to Take if Your Dog’s Food Has Been Recalled

Over the past few years, owners have become uncomfortably aware that their pets’ food can be suddenly declared dangerous, due to contamination of the product or its ingredients or some sort of processing malfunction. What should you do if you learn about a recall of your dog’s food?

Protect Your Dog - It's OK to Disagree with a Dog Trainer or Your Veterinarian

Subscribers Only It’s awkward at best, devastating at worst, when your trainer or other animal care professional wants to do – or actually does – something to your dog that goes against your strongly held beliefs about how dogs should be treated. This is most often something involving the use of coercion or force, but also includes other things, such as feeding something you don’t want your dog to ingest, and reinforcing a behavior you don’t want rewarded. Professionals, at least good ones, are supposed to be well-educated and know what they’re doing. Who are you to object?

How to React When a Neighbor Complains About Your Dog - Don't Get Defensive!

The natural thing to do when someone complains about your dog is to get defensive. “My dog? Causing a problem? How dare you?!” Don’t go there. Defensiveness exacerbates hostilities, escalates tension, and encourages your neighbor to make a mountain out of what you perceive to be a molehill. Remember, it’s all about perception, and your neighbor’s perception is his reality. Instead of being defensive, try these things.

On-Leash Training Blossoming into Off-Leash Reliability

Subscribers Only The transition from on-leash training to off-leash reliability can be a frustrating challenge. “But he knows what ‘come’ means!” a client wails, and points as proof to the fact her dog comes impeccably, every time, when called in the training center, the house, or the backyard. Her dog does know what come means – in the training center, in the house, and in the backyard. He also knows that when he’s hiking in the woods, chasing squirrels and rabbits is far more rewarding than coming back when he is called, especially since “Come” often means “The hike is over, the leash is going on the collar, and we’re returning to the car.”

Selecting the Correct Leash Length for Your Various Leash Training Exercises

Subscribers Only When you think “leash,” chances are you think of a four-to-six-foot strap made of nylon, cotton, hemp, leather, or (horrors!) chain, with a snap that attaches to your dog’s collar at one end and a handle for you to hold at the other. You use it to keep him close to you when you take him for walks or other places where he has to be under control. But a leash can be so much more than that! Let’s think outside the box. There’s no law that says leashes have to be a certain length, made of a particular material, or be limited to one snap and one handle. There are all kinds of things you can do with non-traditional leashes. Heck, there’s even a good use for the grocery store chain leash.

Canine Orthopedic Equipment Designed for Increased Mobility and Extra Support

Do you have a dog recovering from orthopedic or neurologic surgery, one who has mobility issues, or a senior dog who has arthritis? If so, at some point, you have probably wished you could do something – anything! – to help make your dog’s life (and your own) a little easier. I asked two veterinarians who specialize in canine rehabilitation to share some of their top picks for canine assistive/rehabilitative equipment. Laurie McCauley, DVM, CCRT, is founder and medical director of TOPS Veterinary Rehabilitation in Grayslake, Illinois, and is considered one of the pioneers in the field of veterinary rehabilitation. Evelyn Orenbuch, DVM, CAVCA, CCRT, recently opened Georgia Veterinary Rehabilitation, Fitness and Pain Management in Marietta, Georgia, and has focused on veterinary rehab medicine since 2003.

New Treatment for Pituitary-Dependent Cushing’s Disease

Subscribers Only A surgical procedure used on humans to remove brain tumors that cause Cushing’s disease is now becoming available to dogs, thanks to collaboration between a human neurosurgeon, a veterinary endocrinologist, and a veterinary surgeon in the Los Angeles area. Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism, or HAC) is an adrenal disorder common in middle-aged and older dogs, affecting an estimated 100,000 dogs per year in the U.S. It occurs when the body produces too much cortisol, causing increased appetite and thirst, skin problems, and muscle weakness. Cushing’s can also predispose dogs to other conditions such as diabetes, pancreatitis, and infections.

Are Heartworms Developing Resistance to Preventatives?

Subscribers Only In August 2010, representatives of the American Heartworm Society (AHS), the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), and experts in the field of nematode resistance met in Atlanta. Their goal was to discuss the possibility of heartworms becoming resistant to “macrocyclic lactones,” the scientific name for the heartworm preventatives we know as Heartgard (ivermectin), Interceptor (milbemycin oxime), Revolution (selamectin), and ProHeart (moxidectin).

What’s In a Dog's Name?

The January issue of Whole Dog Journal featured “Say My Name,” an article by Pat Miller that explained the importance of teaching your dog to recognize and respond to his or her name. In a sidebar to that article, Pat also discussed the issue of naming (or renaming) your dog. And she announced a little contest for our readers, asking you to share the story of how you selected your dog’s name and why. Pat said she would select some winners and the “top three” would win a signed copy of her newest book, Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance for a First Class Life.

Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to know if you investigated Orijen dog food. I did not find it listed as one of Whole Dog Journal’s approved dry foods of 2011. Yet I noticed it pictured on the front page. In the February issue with the approved dog foods, I see on the cover a bag of Orijen dog food (which we use), but I don’t see it in your approved list. What is your opinion of this food? Is it not good?

Bringing It All Back Home

I received an email this morning, forwarded from a friend who manages a pet food company. I gather that my friend is feeling just like my husband. “Dear Sir or Madam,” said the email. “We have a new freeze drying factory, Tianjin Ranova Petfood, in Tianjin, China. Do you have time to visit us? We got ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 (HACCP) certified. Please see the attached pictures of freeze dried Pet Treats and prices. The prices have already included costs for irradiation. Are you interested in these products?