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Bark Back

By
Nancy Kerns
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First let me say that I devour every sentence of every issue. I love it! Now, let me say how disappointed I was to read in “A New Threshold,” October 2010, the statement concerning Pit Bulls and Rottweilers being able to inflict more damage when they bite than other breeds. What?

Aggressive Dogs

Photo by Penelope Brown

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Why would you add to the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding Pit Bulls? Any large or medium breed can inflict terrible damage. A Golden Retriever is a large powerful breed as well. Do I really need to tell you this? The level of damage inflicted has to do with arousal, fear, motivation, etc., not the breed of dog. If you haven’t already, please read The Pit Bull Placebo, by Karen Delise.

I never stop my quest for more information. I hope you are open to educating yourself as much as your readers!

Kelley MacConnel
Via e-mail

Thanks for writing, and for your kind words about WDJ. We, too, are fans of continuing education, especially when it comes to canine behavior. However, I beg you to read the paragraph again. The author, WDJ’s Training Editor Pat Miller, did not say that Pit Bulls and Rottweilers are able to inflict more damage when they bite than other breeds. Not even close.
 
What she did say was that our society has gotten more reactive (the word she actually used was “oversensitized”) about dog bites. She also she gave a number of theories as to why humans are more reactive and phobic about dog bites today than they were 30 or 40 years ago. One of the contributors, Miller speculated, is the increased population of breeds that many people find frightening. Here’s the paragraph again:

“There has been an increase in popularity of dog breeds that contribute to our cultural sensitization – large, powerful breeds who can do serious damage if they bite, such as Pit Bulls and Rottweilers – as well as breeds who are sensitive to violations of their personal space and have a lower tolerance for inappropriate human behavior, such as Border Collies and Australian Shepherds.”

Miller never said Pit Bulls and Rottweilers bite more, or bite worse, than any other breeds. She suggested that their increased populational presence – and a number of other factors – has helped sensitize and frighten society about dog bites. That’s all.

It is an odd phenomenon, because, as you mentioned, there are also an awful lot of large, powerful Golden Retrievers “who can do serious damage if they bite” in our society, too, and yet few people associate them with a dog bite epidemic.

I enjoyed Pat Miller’s article on dogs who can’t or won’t climb stairs (“Help for the Stair-Impaired,” November 2010). I thought your readers would enjoy seeing the lift I installed in my home for my dog.

Helena Doerr
Olney, MD

Thanks so much for sharing that with us! What a caring owner! Your dog looks very comfortable with the lift!

Regarding your editorial about the Dyson DC 23 Animal vacuum you received for review (“Cashing In? No.” November 2010): I have a purple Dyson DC-14 Animal vacuum. I’ve had it for four or five years. They don’t lie when they say it sucks up hair better than anything else. I have four Mastiffs, a flat-coated retriever-mix, and a Chow-mix. I vacuum up about at least two canisters of hair a week.

Trouble Climbing Stairs

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I almost didn’t buy it. It was $500 at the time and I thought that was a lot to pay for what looked like a pile of cheap plastic. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The vacuum is very well designed and easy to use. You really appreciate it after you use it for a while then switch to something else. Nothing else compares. Don’t send it back. Keep it. You won’t regret it.

Dave Hala, Jr.
Via e-mail

Before you wholeheartedly endorse the Dyson, please take it to the home of someone who owns a Newfoundland or Great Pyrenees – maybe a Collie. I have a Newfie/Pyr-mix. A couple of years ago, I purchased an expensive Dyson DC 17 Animal. While this vacuum does have amazing suction, I found it to be horrid as far as long hair. Not only would the hair wrap around the beater bar (typical and to be expected) it tangled around the internal gears and caused the vacuum to make terrible noises. I would have to stop and de-hair the darn thing at least four times while vacuuming my 1,000 square feet.

A plea to Dyson resulted in them telling me to try vacuuming without the beater bar engaged, and then vacuum again with it engaged. This did not work; without the beater bar engaged, the hair remained stuck to the carpet. Vacuuming became something guaranteed to make me very angry. I finally found a slicker brush on a long handle and resorted to brushing up dog hair before I vacuumed. Even then, the Dyson would tangle once or twice and require the entire beater bar assembly be taken apart and dehaired. What should have taken 20 minutes in my small house ended up taking over an hour.

The Dyson now sits in the basement unused. I use a Bissell pet hair eraser. It is not perfect. The cord comes out of the machine at an awkward spot and when the dust bucket is removed for emptying it causes the dust up above it to spill all over the machine. But I do not have to stop and dehair it and it cost about a fourth what a Dyson costs.

I hope they have improved on the DC 17. It is my belief that the manufacturers of vacuums do not test their machines on homes with long-haired dogs. Note that I have chosen to blame vacuum manufacturers for this issue – not the fact that I choose to have a huge hairy dog (I can’t imagine life without her).

Karen Stenson
Via e-mail

I appreciate the suggestion. I’ll be sure to invite myself and my Dyson to the homes of friends with long-haired dogs. My research is ongoing!

My husband and I have subscribed to Whole Dog Journal for many years. We were shocked when we read the article about the dog that was shot (“Dog Shootings by Law Enforcement Seem to Be on the Rise,” November 2010). There is so much unthinking cruelty in our civilization toward all animals! The facts about the shooting have haunted me since. I applaud your publication for bringing this shooting and others to your readers’ attention. Keep fighting the good fight!

Lynda Lloyd
Via e-mail

Thanks for your concern. We’ve been somewhat heartened to learn about a few law enforcement departments across the country who have instituted remedial training for law enforcement officers who may have to deal with dogs when they go out on calls. Pat Miller has a further suggestion:

“We need a grassroots campaign that insists our law enforcement officers be trained and equipped to appropriately and non-lethally handle situations in which dogs are involved. Call your own police department tomorrow to inquire about their department policies for handling dogs, and to ask if their officers are equipped with and trained in the use of humane canine capture equipment. Then ask three of your friends to call, and have them ask three of their friends. Get it started.”

Dog Play Groups

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I just finished reading your article on dog daycare (“Dog Daycare: Yay! Or Nay?” November 2010). I thought it was a fabulous article with one exception: Your warning about facilities that do no allow unscheduled viewings of all areas of the daycare.

I have been in business for 15-plus years and operate a smaller facility, both in size of dogs and number of dogs. Typically, we have a 10 to 1 dog to handler ratio. I do not allow viewing of the entire facility unless dogs have been moved out of the play yards.

My #1 concern is and always will be the safety of the dogs. Some dogs get over-excited when they see new people. Also, one of our specialties is hosting fearful dogs. We integrate dogs slowly for small amounts of time. The best part of my work is when I see a dog who wouldn’t willingly enter the facility now running in and not even looking back.

Otherwise, it’s a fabulous article. I’m glad that you made the point that owners should understand that just because their dog is not a good daycare fit, doesn’t mean it is not a fabulous dog.

Another question worth asking prospective daycare providers: “How many of the dogs who are evaluated are good daycare candidates?” If they answer that they rarely have a dog who doesn’t work out well, I would also run away!

Debbie Oliver, CPDT-KA
Miss Daisy’s Dog Camp
Tomball, TX

Thanks for your letter. You make a good point – but it sounds like you manage your facility in a way that controls the real source of my concern about not being able to see the dogs at play; you have appropriate dog : handler ratios.

I’ve seen facilities that keep 60 or more dogs in the same play area. Before I’d put my own dog in such a potentially volatile environment, I’d want to see that the facility keeps enough well-trained staff members on the yard and has performed adequate screening of the canine clients to ensure my dog’s safety. I’d also want to be certain that the staff members did not use aversive handling methods to maintain order in the pack. Unless I could put these concerns to rest, I wouldn’t enroll my dog at a facility of this size. – NK

Understanding The Triggers of Canine Separation Anxiety

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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Have you ever had the misfortune of walking into your house to find overturned furniture, inches-deep claw gouges on door frames, blood-stained tooth marks on window sills, and countless messages on your answering machine from neighbors complaining about your dog barking and howling for hours on end in your absence? If so, you’re probably familiar with the term “separation anxiety” – a mild label for a devastating and destructive behavior.

Dogs are naturally inclined to become anxious when left alone. Many well-intentioned but misguided owners of new dogs inadvertently set the stage for SA by doing all the wrong things when they first bring their new dog home.

For example, lots of families adopt their new dog or puppy at the beginning of the summer, when the kids will be home to spend a lot of time with him. Other new-dog parents may take several days off from work, or at least arrange to bring the dog home on a Friday afternoon so they have the entire weekend to help the new kid settle in. On its face, this is a thoughtful approach to acclimating the dog to his new life. What better way to help him feel comfortable and welcome than to give him a couple of days of your loving company?

It’s true that spending extra time with the newcomer can help smooth the transition for him, but unless you take some important precautions, you could be setting him up for a rude awakening on Monday morning when you go back to work, leaving him alone all day to wonder and worry the pack is ever coming back to rescue him from solitary confinement.

For more details and advice on ways to prevent and cure canine separation anxiety, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Separation Anxiety.

Canine Kismet

By
Nancy Kerns
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One of the most gratifying things that readers say to me is, “Every time I need an article to appear on some topic, it does!” It’s obviously a coincidence when it happens at just the right time for any given reader – but it’s also an indication that we’re on track in presenting enough articles on the issues that are relevant to you and your dogs, whether you are dealing with vexing puppy behavior, a senior dog health problem, a dietary dilemma, or any other dog-related issue.

Nancy Kerns

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It’s weird, but it also happens to me. Sometimes I’ll be privately wrestling with a dog-related problem, or starting to research a topic that is relevant to my dog, or one of my siblings’ dogs. Right then, I’ll get an e-mail message or a phone call from one of my regular writers, wondering whether I’d be interested in an article on that very topic.

As it happens, this issue contains a number of those kismet-kissed articles. My sister (the one with three small, naughty dogs) is hosting Thanksgiving this year; Stephanie Colman’s article on the facing page could have been written specifically for her – but it wasn’t, I swear.

Very recently, Training Editor Pat Miller and I were exchanging articles – which appeared in newspapers on our respective coasts – about car crashes in which dogs were lost after being thrown from an accident victim’s car. Not “lost” as in “died,” but “lost” as in they survived the crash, but ran in a panic from the crashed car, and couldn’t be found. In both cases, the dogs’ owners couldn’t help with the search, either, as they were hospitalized with serious injuries themselves. My chest tightens and my eyes tear up as I imagine lying in a hospital room while Otto is out there somewhere, lost, injured, and afraid. Ack! Then, a day or two later, Susan Sarubin contacts me to ask whether I would like an article on canine car safety! Sarubin has contributed a number of articles to Whole Dog Journal in the past, but I hadn’t heard from her for a while. I really appreciated the arrival of “Buckle Up Your Pup!” (page 4).

Two years ago, I tried feeding Otto a number of different commercial raw diets, and he rejected each and every one. I ended up giving them all to a friend for her dog.

Recently I tried again, in an effort to empty my freezer of the many samples that arrived while working on last month’s review of commercial raw frozen diets (and this month’s follow-up, on page 11). I guess his palate has matured, because he’s been chowing right through the samples this time. I haven’t noticed any of the dramatic changes that the proponents of home-prepared raw diets describe, such as a nicer coat, better energy, or fresher breath; he wasn’t lacking in any of those departments. But his poop is a lot smaller and less smelly. And I know a raw diet comprised of fresh foods would be healthier for him.

Between Otto’s newfound appetite for raw food and my newfound spare time (my baby boy moved out – into a college dorm! How can he be ready for college? He was only five when Whole Dog Journal was launched!) I’m ready to start making Otto’s food myself. And Mary Straus’ review of books (appearing on page 6 and in the next issue) devoted to home-prepared diets will help me choose which guides I’ll use to make sure the resulting diet will be complete and balanced.

As helpful as it is to me, it’s more critical that Whole Dog Journal is useful and relevant to you, too. What would you like to learn more about? What would you like to see less of? What training or health experts would you like to hear from? My mailing address and e-mail address are at the top of the next column. Let me know what Whole Dog Journal can do for you.

How to Keep Your Dog Safe This Holiday Season

By
Nancy Kerns
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The holiday season is upon us. As we settle into the hustle and bustle and begin planning for an onslaught of holiday visitors, it’s important to remember that environmental changes can be challenging (and sometimes dangerous) for our pets.

Keep Your Dog Safe This Holiday Season

When planning the perfect festive gathering, consider the following:

1. Train, don’t complain.

Dogs rely on us to teach them acceptable behaviors. Jumping up, stealing food, barking, and digging are normal dog behaviors. Unfortunately for dogs, they are also behaviors few people find enjoyable. The arrival of holiday houseguests often introduces ample opportunities for dogs to engage in unwanted activities. Even trained dogs can benefit from brushing up on basic skills. Help remind your dog what’s expected of him by practicing and rewarding desired behaviors on a daily basis. Basic obedience can help keep your pet safe and happy.

2. Use the magic of management.

In a perfect world our dogs would behave beautifully under any circumstances. When we live in the real world, management tools are a wonderful way to help create and maintain calm under challenging conditions. For example, if your dog is an avid counter-surfer, consider baby-gating him out of the kitchen when preparing the five-course feast. Baby gates, crates, tethers, and x-pens are all useful tools to help ensure correct behavior even when around high-level distractions.

Whenever possible, give your dog something to do rather than letting him become unemployed and seek out trouble. Complex food delivery puzzles (Buster Cube, Kibble Nibble, Kong, etc.) are wonderful ways to keep dogs happily entertained. A secret stash of his favorite chew bones will also be helpful. Plan ahead and have several doggy “sit quietly and color” activities on hand for your pet to enjoy.

3. Respect each other.

Avoid forcing your dog on non-dog people, and don’t let guests force themselves on your dog. You may generally live by the motto of “Love me, love my dog,” but a holiday party is not the best time to prove your point. You might find it endearing when your Great Dane thinks he’s a lap dog, but your guests may feel otherwise. Don’t expect others to enjoy the same type of interaction with your dog as you do.

Likewise, your second cousin might think it’s adorable when Little Johnny tries to ride your dog like a rodeo cowboy. Don’t be afraid to step in and toddler-wrangle. Set clear ground rules for how your dog is to be treated and if necessary, politely remove your dog from the situation if guests are unable or unwilling to follow them. Watch your dog closely for signs that he’s uncomfortable, such as yawning, lip-licking, turning away, or actively trying to get away from the situation.

If you know your dog has fear or aggression issues, do everyone a favor and help guarantee success by completely avoiding interactions that can trigger unwanted or unsafe behavior. It’s better to safely confine a dog away from the party than to risk a bite and undermine training progress.

4. Decorations or disasters?

Be mindful of holiday decorations. Strings of lights, breakable ornaments, poisonous plants, and glowing candles can attract curious canines. Management and supervision is a must during the holidays.

5. Leave the leftovers.

Rich, fatty foods can cause stomach problems ranging from simple upset to pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas resulting in pain, vomiting, and dehydration. Dogs with this serious condition often require hospitalization for treatment. Ask that guests refrain from feeding table scraps and be sure to dog-proof your garbage. Be especially mindful of cooked bones.

Alcohol, chocolate, xylitol (artificial sweetener), tobacco, and medications can be fatal when consumed in quantities proportionate to the size of the dog. Instruct guests to keep purses and suitcases closed and safely out of reach.

Keep your local emergency vet’s phone number handy, along with driving directions if you’re not familiar with its location.

Holiday festivities can become hectic. Don’t forget to relax and spend quality time with your dog!

Want more tips? Check out Dogster.com for even more ways to keep your dog under wraps this holiday season!

Stephanie Colman is a writer and dog trainer in Los Angeles. She shares her life with two dogs and competes in obedience and agility.

This old dog is learning a new trick: Video!

By
Nancy Kerns
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For years, I’ve been begging the powers that be who own this magazine for the resources that would enable the production of videos that would accompany articles in the magazine. My concept was that people learn differently, and while some people can read about something (and look at the photos and captions) it won’t make sense to other people until they can see it acted out – video! I thought it would be especially helpful for training articles; people could see exactly how quickly you need to click the clicker, how the placement and presentation of a treat is important when you want a dog to hold his position, how you could shape a behavior by rewarding successive approximations of what would finally become the desired behavior . . . the options are endless.

Recently, my wishes came true. Our publisher equipped me with video and audio recording equipment and the computer technology required to produce video. Go for it, girl!

But wait! In my dreams, I filmed the action, and selected the footage that would best show my readers what the article was talking about . . . and then I guess I’d just hand that footage over to someone else, and then the video would appear! Voila!

Well, that’s just not how we do things around here. Publishing budgets are tight – what budgets aren’t, these days? So if I want video – and I do – I’m going to have to learn to produce it myself (and some support and encouragement from HQ).

The first video I produced by myself is currently on the website, accompanying the article about dog daycare. It’s not perfect, it contains some glitches and bobbles, and I can’t stand to see or listen to myself, but I’m learning. I hope to improve and produce a lot more video on topics that will help our readers see what we’ve been talking about.

Here’s a question for you: What aspect of training that you’ve read about in Whole Dog Journal perplexes you the most? Is there a training activity that you just can’t visualize or understand? Let me know, and I’ll put it on the video “to do” list. I’m excited to have the tools to show you – not just tell you — how powerful positive training can be.

-Nancy Kerns

(Crate Training Made Easy Tip #1) Crate Training Made Easy

By
Nancy Kerns
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A crate, or, in other words, short-term close confinement, can be used to help dogs teach themselves two very important skills. The first is eliminating only when and where it is appropriate. The second skill is keeping out of trouble – behaving appropriately in the house. Without these two skills, a dog doesn’t have much of a chance in this world.

When the crate is properly introduced using positive training methods, most dogs love their crates. Canines are den animals and a crate is a modern den – a dog’s personal portable bedroom that he can retire to when he wants to escape from the trials and tribulations of toddlers and other torments. He can take it with him when he stays at boarding kennels, and when he travels with you and sleeps in hotels and motels.

For more details and advice on crate training, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Crate Training Made Easy.

Another Foster Dog Found Her Way Into My Car!

By
Nancy Kerns
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Whoops, I’ve done it again! Another foster dog found her way into my car.

A couple of months ago, I started contributing a “pet of the week” column for the local newspaper, featuring a dog or cat from my local animal shelter. It worked out great at first; every animal that appeared in the paper drew immediate interest and was adopted within days. But when the animal doesn’t get adopted right away, I take it personally. I can’t help it! It’s inevitable, because the preparation of the column actually requires that I spend a chunk of time with the animal, both to get a good sense of its personality and behavior and to get a good photograph. And by then, I’m hooked – determined to find that dog or cat a home.

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Three weeks ago, I featured this little dog in the paper. She’s a young dog, some sort of herding-breed mix, and on the small side. She grew up semi-feral, and was turned over to the shelter along with five other dogs found living in a barn on a rural ranch that was for sale. The dogs had been fed, but no one had handled them much. I never saw the two worst cases among the bunch; they were so frightened of people, they were judged to be poor candidates for adoption and were euthanized. (Keep in mind that this is a small shelter in a rural area in one of the poorest counties in California; they just don’t have the resources needed to do extensive behavior modification or rehabilitation.) A couple others were friendlier and were adopted in a relatively short period.

This dog was right in the middle. She’s really interested in people, and loves being petted (and having her belly rubbed), but she’s also jumpy and nervous. If you move too fast, or make a funny noise (a sneeze, for example), or drop something, she leaps in the air like a cartoon dog and runs for her life, leaving a cartoon dust plume behind her. And then, just as fast, she’s back. “That was silly, I’m sorry; I was scared. Pet me?” On leash, she’ll trot along until she gets frightened, and then she bucks and pulls like a coyote caught in a trap. “Help! Oh, help!” Then you see the sense come back into her eyes and she dives for your leg. “Thank goodness you are here. Pet me?” She moves fast, physically and emotionally.

The shelter was keeping her in a pen with one of the calmer dogs she grew up with, which was really helping her confidence. He’d sit at the front of the pen, and when people came to pet him, she’d tiptoe up behind him and lean in for a sniff and petting. But when he got adopted, she backslid. She needed his stalwart presence at the front of the kennel to give her the confidence to approach people. When I saw her glued to the back of her run, I decided she’d have a far better chance of finding a home if she was better socialized, so here we are! She’s been in my home for only about 36 hours so far, but she’s already happy to go into a crate for a Kong toy stuffed with canned food, and she has completely taken over Otto’s thick dog bed. And she’s met four or five people, friends and neighbors, and passed muster with the cat. She’ll have a great home in no time at all.

A few months ago, I found myself getting weepy every day for a week or more, every time I thought about the foster dog I had just placed in a home. I had really bonded with her, and it was sort of traumatic when I left her with a new family, closed the door between us, and drove away. WDJ readers suggested that I’d eventually heal and find comfort in the fact that she had a nice home, and I could then help another dog another day. You were right!

Lifelong Learning for You and Your Dog

By
Nancy Kerns
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“Why are you taking an agility class? Isn’t Otto agile enough?” That’s my husband’s question.

Otto is plenty agile; I am much less so. But that’s not why Otto and I are taking an agility class.

One of the main reasons I signed us up for the class is because I’ve found that it helps to take classes yourself when you are learning to teach. I’m interested in teaching, both in print (in the magazine) and in the course of my volunteer work at my local animal shelter.

I find that I often observe something about teachers when I’m a student. In my first class, for example, I noticed how much I like it when the instructor said, “Good job, Nancy!” – but only when I really thought whatever I did WAS good. I didn’t like it at all when I thought I did a lousy job of something. Praise has to feel authentic for it to actually feel good. At least, for people. I don’t know about dogs. Otto doesn’t seem to mind getting a treat at any time!

I’m also taking the class to help maintain Otto’s interest in working with me. When we work on the same stuff all the time, I notice he starts to get a little less enthused about the process. But whenever I ask him for something new, his eyes light up, and I can see him concentrate in an effort to figure out what he has to do to earn my praise or treat. He enjoys learning something new. Don’t we all?

The first class was not a huge challenge. I often ask him to jump on or over things on our walks, so the table, plank, and the jumps were not particularly novel for him. He’s previously been through an agility tunnel and over an A-frame at dog daycare. However, we both had to concentrate on doing these things with him on my right side, as opposed to my left. And building in the “pause” at the end of the obstacles made him furrow his brow in concentration. After just a try or two, he got the hang of it, and was bright and enthused about more.  I can’t wait for the next class.

What are you working on with your dog?

(The Finer Points to Home-Prepared Diets #1) – The Finer Points to Home-Prepared Diets – Liver and its Benefits

By
Mary Straus
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Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can feed, providing not only vitamin A, but also all the B vitamins, choline and inositol, vitamins D, E, and K, and the minerals iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and potassium, as well as essential fatty acids and high-quality protein. Don’t skimp on this nutritious food due to an unreasonable fear of too much vitamin A. Around five percent of the total diet should be liver, if possible.

For more information on Home-Prepared Diets for Dogs, purchase any of Whole Dog Journal’s ebooks on the subject: Home-Prepared Diets for Dogs, Part Four: The Finer Points of Home-Prepared Diets

Or purchase the entire series

Home-Prepared Diets for Dogs, The Complete Series.

Feeding People Food to Dogs is Not Harmful as Long as the Food is Healthy!

By
Mary Straus
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If you follow any pet-related blogs or other social media, the odds are you’ve heard of Nulo, a new company that has been marketing its foods aggressively through a variety of online channels.

Nulo Pet Food Marketing

It’s not a good idea to give our dogs our food when that food is not even good for us. But owners should not be made afraid to feed healthy “people food” to their dogs. We’ve been doing it for thousands of years!

Nulo’s main thrust is that its foods and feeding programs will help your dogs reach and maintain a healthy weight – an admirable goal. Its foods are relatively high in protein (27 percent) with moderate amounts of fat (14 percent) and fiber (4 percent), appropriate for dogs who are overweight or who tend to gain weight easily. So I’ve had no objection to the marketing messages I’ve received from them (these messages were sent to members of one of the blogs I subscribe to).

Recently, however, a message went out from Nulo’s marketing department with the subject line, “The Dangers of Feeding Pets Human Food.” The enclosed article is entitled, “Why Feeding Your Pet Human Food Is Bad,” and proceeds to try to scare the bejeezus out of anyone who feeds their pets any food that doesn’t come out of a bag or can.
Sigh.

While I share the company’s concern about overweight pets and the negative effect that fatty scraps and unhealthy foods such as French fries and potato chips can have on our dogs’ waistlines, its claims go far beyond this.

“Few pet owners realize the dangers of feeding their animals human food.” Hmm – just what do they think goes into dog food – special “dog chicken” and “dog rice”? We all eat from the same food chain; dog food is made from the same sources that we eat (though not always the parts we choose). It must be a miracle that dogs managed to survive for at least 15,000 years before pet foods were invented!

It gets worse. “Even the most discerning pet owners are feeding their animals the equivalent of human fast food, leading to a surge in obesity and diabetes in dogs and cats.” Excuse me?

Those of use who feed our dogs a homemade diet use a combination of meat, eggs, fish, dairy products, grains, fruits, and vegetables. These fresh, high-quality foods supply better nutrition than can be found in any processed food. People who add ingredients such as these to their dog’s commercial diet are improving the nutrition that their dogs receive. High-quality fresh foods do not contribute to obesity and diabetes in dogs as long as calorie intake is not excessive. And dogs fed high-protein diets have a greater percentage of lean body mass than those fed diets that are high in carbs, as almost all dry foods are.

In fact commercial foods, particularly dry foods, are far more comparable to “fast food” than most homemade diets. Convenient, quick, and processed vs homemade fresh foods – which sounds more like “fast food” to you?

Who are these people?
Curious as to who was behind this new product, I went looking for more information. It was surprisingly difficult to find any substance on the slick website. The “Who We Are” page contained no names nor credentials, just this: “We are pure. We are honest. We are fresh.” Wow! Well, that’s nice!

Nulo’s FAQ page has over 80 entries. Under “Who makes your foods,” no names appear, just more hype.

Ah, finally a name under item 42, “Who founded Nulo?” Michael Landa, founder, chairman, and CEO of Nulo, has over 20 years of corporate development experience, according to the answer. (That explains the slick marketing.) His qualifications? He “has conducted extensive research” and “has become a recognized resource for the media on [pet nutrition and pet obesity].” He has made radio and television appearances. In addition, he co-founded a pet sitting and walking business. Oh, and he also owns a dog.

The original email I received from the company’s marketing department contains more empty descriptions: “Nulo is a team of veritable pet advocates that promote wellness and nutrition for animals.” (Veritable pet advocates?)

I have nothing against this particular brand of pet food, and I applaud the company’s focus on keeping dogs at a healthy weight. But when any dog food company claims that its products are better than fresh, healthy, unprocessed foods used in a well-designed homemade diet or added to a commercial diet, I can’t help getting upset. Using scare tactics to market products and making unsupportable claims such as “even the most discerning pet owners are feeding their animals the equivalent of human fast food” is just plain wrong. – Mary Straus

Celebrate life!

By
Nancy Kerns
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I attended a unique canine-related event yesterday, and while I was initially reluctant to go, I’m really glad I did.

An acquaintance, not someone I know well, was holding a “celebration of life” for her Boxer, Dempsey, who has terminal cancer. She knows it’s just a matter of time before she has to put her very special dog to sleep. And she decided she wanted to have one more party, one that Dempsey would enjoy, with her dog-loving friends (and their dogs). She held the event at a training and daycare center, so the dogs could have fun socializing and playing in a safe and dog-friendly environment. She baked some special dog treats, and provided human snacks, too.

Dempsey is only five years old; he should still be in the prime of his life. Lymphoma has turned him into a skeleton and shortened his lifespan. However, thanks to his owner’s assiduous care and attention to his diet, and a veterinary-guided plan to keep the dog as comfortable as possible to the end, Dempsey’s coat is as glossy and smooth as ever, his eyes are bright, and his energy is good. He was literally the life of the party. He played with his friends, ran herd on the obstreperous pups, let everyone run their hands over his silky coat, and begged for treats – and why not? His guests gave him anything he wanted, because we couldn’t give him what we really wished for him: a longer life.  

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By
Nancy Kerns
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