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Enzyme Therapy for Quicker Canine Injury Recovery

By
CJ Puotinen
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1

When Dee (Ch. Antren’s Dearest Jaegerin) jumped onto her owner’s bed last May, she slipped and fell flat on her back. The 10-year-old, 98-pound Rottweiler scrambled to her feet and seemed fine, but a few hours later, her hind legs collapsed. “They just buckled,” says her owner, Kathy Signorile. “We were on our afternoon walk here in rural Pennsylvania, and suddenly Dee couldn’t move. After a few minutes she took a few steps, but then she had to sit down again. It took forever to get back to the house, and it was really scary.” X-rays taken the following day showed that Dee’s hips and legs were exceptionally healthy for a dog her age and size. “The problem was the area along her spine just above the hip joint, which by then was noticeably tender and swollen,” says Kathy. “The veterinarian told us she had probably suffered nerve damage and that there wasn’t anything we could do but watch and wait.”

11 year old rottweiler

That was difficult for all concerned. “Dee had always been an active dog,” says Kathy. “She loved to play, go for walks, and take long rides in the car. She had been a therapy dog for five years, visiting hospitals and nursing homes, and she had just won an award from the Colonial Rottweiler Club for therapy dog of the year. Now, in addition to being in constant pain, she was losing interest in the world around her. Unless my husband and I lifted her, she couldn’t get up. We put her in a harness to take her outside, but even with our help she could barely manage the walk to the yard. Sometimes she’d fall over, and we had to pull her up. We began to consider the possibility that Dee would never recover.”

Dee obviously became the main topic of conversation between the Signoriles and their friends, and it was this support network that was responsible for leading the concerned couple to a solution to Dee’s problems. One of their friends had read about systemic oral enzyme therapy, and suggested that they try the product mentioned in the article, a German product called Wobenzym N, which is sold in American health food stores. Therapeutic doses of the digestive enzymes are taken between meals on an empty stomach.

Two weeks after Dee’s accident, the Signoriles began giving the dog five Wobenzym tablets twice a day. Within just a few days, they noticed an improvement. “She moved a little more comfortably,” says Kathy, “and every time we took her out, I got her to walk a little farther. She had been sleeping in the same spot by the sofa day after day, but one afternoon she surprised us by not being there. She had moved to a different side of the room. Then she walked by herself onto the back porch. We were thrilled. Dee was showing signs of life.” Their daily outings grew longer, and three weeks after beginning the enzyme therapy, Dee walked a mile. Soon she was strolling three miles with ease, and one day, Kathy found her lying on the bed she had originally fallen from. “We couldn’t believe it,” Kathy says. “It seemed like a miracle. By mid-July, which was two months after her accident and six weeks after she started taking enzymes, Dee was not only completely well, she was healthier than she’d been in years.”

What’s An Enzyme?

Enzymes are protein-like compounds that, in small amounts, speed the rate of biological reactions. Unstable, fragile, and easily inactivated, enzymes are produced within living cells to perform specific biochemical reactions. Enzymes exist in plants as well as animals. Without them, life as we know it would not exist. Enzymes cause seeds to sprout, flowers to blossom, plants to grow, autumn leaves to change color, and fruits to ripen. Enzymes play a vital role in the fermentation of foods such as cheese, kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and soy sauce. Many enzymes are cultivated for use in industrial processes, medical testing, food production, and as ingredients in household products such as pet stain removers, laundry detergents, toothpaste, and facial cleansers. Living animals manufacture thousands of enzymes for various functions throughout their bodies.

Metabolic Improvements

Two of the most important types of enzymes are metabolic enzymes, which operate throughout the body, and digestive enzymes, which stimulate biochemical reactions in the stomach and intestines. Nearly every raw food carries within it the enzymes necessary for its digestion, as well as metabolic enzymes, but cooking, baking, pasteurization, frying, high-temperature drying, and boiling destroy them.

Like humans, dogs and cats that eat mostly cooked or processed food consume few if any enzymes, and must manufacture the substances themselves. Proponents of enzyme therapy believe that supplemental enzymes can benefit the body in two important ways: They can spare the body the effort of producing enzymes, and they can initiate improved cellular function in every body system.

Dr. Edward Howell, author of Enzyme Nutrition: The Food Enzyme Concept, forwarded the theory that when a person or animal eats food that does not contain enzymes, forcing the body to manufacture the enzymes needed for digestion and other functions, it is as if the body must make a withdrawal from its enzyme bank. The more withdrawals that are made without compensating deposits, the faster the enzyme bank is depleted. Dr. Howell believed that health itself depends on the efficient action of metabolic enzymes, and providing the body with fuel that spares its metabolic enzymes can be a key to maintaining good health.

Metabolic enzymes do all the structuring, repair, and remodeling in every cell, organ, and tissue. When metabolic enzymes decline in number, Howell speculated, the aging process accelerates. Dr. Howell observed that dogs and cats in the wild do not produce enzymes in their saliva – ostensibly because their raw diets include adequate enzymes. He also learned that dogs switched from raw food to a high-carbohydrate, heat-treated diet begin to produce enzymes in their saliva within about a week. He theorized that the manufacture of these enzymes may cost these animals enzymes they may need at a later date for metabolic functions. “The remarkable thing about the eventual bankruptcy of the enzyme account,” wrote Howell, “is that it can proceed quite painlessly, without immediate symptoms.”

The digestion of food takes a high priority and acts as a powerful stimulus in the demand for enzymes. If the function of digestion takes more than its rightful share, other organs and tissues must manage with the remaining capacity. This, he explained, is how many illnesses and ailments begin.

Many holistic veterinarians agree with the theory. “Young bodies can compensate for a lack of enzymes in the food they eat, but enzyme production declines with age. Older dogs and cats benefit from enzyme supplements, which improve digestion, tissue repair, and inflammatory conditions like arthritis,” says Beverly Cappel, DVM, a holistic veterinarian in Chestnut Ridge, New York. “Animals of all ages benefit from enzyme therapy for injuries, wound healing, and serious illnesses.”

In New Hampshire, one of Susan Appelin’s Greyhounds had part of a rib removed to treat a hemangiosarcoma, but the tumor grew back. Another Greyhound was diagnosed with a mast cell sarcoma. “These cancers are almost always fatal,” she says, “and my veterinarian gave me no hope for the dogs’ survival. I decided I would not give up and prayed for guidance.” When a holistic physician told her about Wobenzym N, she added between-meal enzymes to a regimen of vitamins and home-prepared food for her dogs. “Eighteen months ago, the dog with the hemangiosarcoma was given 30 days to live,” she says, “but thanks to Wobenzym, his tumor shrank and disappeared. The other dog has been in remission for 12 months. I now have all four of my Greyhounds and five cats on Wobenzym.”

Digestive Enzyme Supplements

The use of enzyme supplements that specifically assist digestion is fairly well known and utilized among dog caretakers – much more so than metabolic enzyme supplementation – perhaps because proper digestion affects the body’s overall health in such profound ways. “Incomplete digestion allows partially digested particles to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream from the large intestine, creating immune dysfunction, inflammation, allergies, and other problems,” says Dr. Cappel. Veterinarians and pet owners who supplement their dogs’ food with Prozyme, a popular digestive enzyme supplement, typically report improved skin and coat, increased stamina, improved immune system response, fewer allergies, faster wound healing, improved digestion, stronger joints, and increased range of motion. The most commonly reported side effect is that dogs often gain weight when Prozyme is added to their food. In underweight dogs, this is an asset. In previously normal-weight dogs, serving portions may have to be reduced by up to 15 percent as the dog’s digestion becomes more and more efficient. Research has shown that Prozyme increases the absorption of essential nutrients, especially zinc, selenium, vitamin B6, and linoleic acid, from pet food. Digestive enzyme supplements abound; just go look in your local health food store. Plant-derived enzymes include protease, which digests protein; lipase, an upper digestive tract enzyme that breaks down fats or lipids; and amylase, a saliva enzyme that digests starch or carbohydrates. Proteases, or proteolytic enzymes, include many different enzymes, each of which breaks down a specific amino acid found in protein. Lipases, or lipolytic enzymes, digest lipids (oils and fats), including phospholipids such as lecithin, sterols such as cholesterol, and triglycerides. Amylases, or amylytic enzymes, interact with carbohydrates, including lactose, a sugar in milk; fructose, a simple sugar found in honey and sweet fruits; starches, which occur in almost all plant foods, especially grains; and sucrose, the disaccharide found in cane sugar and beet sugar, which contains fructose and glucose. Pancreatic enzyme supplements are usually derived from pigs or cattle. Pancreatin contains many enzymes, including protease, lipase, and amylase. It works in the small intestine, where it assists in the digestion of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Most digestive enzyme products utilize protease, amylase, and lipase. Some brands also include hydrochloric acid, pepsin, ox bile, papain from papaya, cellulose-digesting enzymes, bromelain from pineapple, and other ingredients. Enzyme supplements are sold as powders, capsules, or tablets. Tablets labeled “coated” or “enteric-coated” are protected by an acid-resistant shell that passes through the stomach undigested and breaks apart in the intestines.

Systemic Oral Enzyme Therapy

When taken with food, digestive enzymes improve the food’s breakdown and assimilation. When taken on an empty stomach between meals, the same enzymes are carried by the blood throughout the body, hence the term “systemic.” Instead of addressing a single function, such as digestion or circulation, systemic therapies have a tonic effect on the entire body, helping it heal itself from within. Proteolytic enzymes taken between meals correct a host of illnesses and imbalances by degrading protein molecules that have penetrated tissue, resulting in edema and inflammation; in addition, they increase the flexibility of red blood cells, improving the flow of blood through the arteries and inhibiting platelet aggregation, which helps prevent abnormal clotting. The same enzymes stimulate the immune system by activating macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. Cellular debris is removed more efficiently, cleansing tissue, improving circulation, and stimulating the growth of healthy new cells. In research conducted on boxers (human athletes, not the dog breed!), bromelain was shown to significantly reduce swelling and bruising from trauma injuries and speed wound healing. Papain has proven anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. Pancreatin taken on an empty stomach reduces inflammation and pain throughout the body and helps eliminate intestinal parasites by literally digesting them. Other enzymes reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and stimulate the digestion of bacteria, toxins, and incompletely digested proteins, cleansing the lymph and blood of problem-causing particles. Digestive enzymes taken at night, several hours after dinner, help relieve food sensitivities, hay fever allergies, and insomnia caused by reactions to food. In dozens of clinical trials in which systemic oral enzymes were compared to prescription drugs or other conventional therapies, patients taking oral enzymes experienced comparable or superior results. European athletes on systemic oral enzyme therapy have recovered quickly from sports injuries. In addition, enzymes increase the effectiveness of prescription drugs, such as antibiotics, when they are taken together. Many enzyme supplements sold as digestive aids can be taken between meals to help speed healing. Single-enzyme products include bromelain, pancreatin, and papain. Most health food stores offer several brands of each as well as blends containing these and other ingredients. Note: Products containing hydrochloric acid (HCl), sometimes labeled betain hydrochloride, should not be taken on an empty stomach unless recommended for between-meal use on the label. In Europe, systemic oral enzyme therapy is often used in place of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen, phenylbutazone, and diclofenac. Dr. Cappel is one of the growing number of American veterinarians who recommend enzymes for their anti-inflammatory effect in dogs and cats. “It’s ironic,” she says, “but both steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs actually cause degeneration. They temporarily suppress symptoms such as pain, swelling, tenderness, and inflammation, but they don’t correct the cause of these problems. In fact, they make it worse. Enzymes are wonderful for pets because they don’t have adverse side effects, and they address the cause of inflammation, so the body heals itself.” David Steinman, enzyme authority and publisher of The Doctors’ Prescription for Healthy Living newsletter, agrees. “There is a big push by the pharmaceutical industry to market NSAIDs for pets,” he says, “but European studies show that NSAIDs are, after vaccines, the leading cause of treatment-related death in dogs. Enzymes stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissue, so they don’t just mask the problem, they actually repair it.” In addition to using systemic oral enzyme therapy for injuries, arthritis, auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular disease, and all types of digestive problems, Dr. Cappel prescribes enzyme supplements for cancer patients. “Large doses of pancreatic enzymes have been used with human cancer patients for decades,” she says. “Dogs with cancer often respond well to this treatment.” The German product Wobe-Mugos, made by Wobenzym’s manufacturer, has orphan drug status in the United States for multiple myeloma because it prolongs survival. The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 allows the marketing of drugs used to treat rare diseases, for which there is little potential for profit, even if they have not been tested according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration protocols. FDA requirements are waived for these drugs. Wobe-Mugos contains concentrated trypsin, chymotrypsin, and papain. The usual comparison is that one Wobe-Mugos tablet equals three or four Wobenzym tablets.

Enzyme Dosage for Dogs

For effective systemic oral enzyme therapy, enzymes should be taken at least 45 minutes to one hour before meals or at least one to two hours after. When adapting over-the-counter enzyme products for canine use, consider your dog’s weight. Label directions are appropriate for a 100-pound human, so adjust accordingly. Considering the well-documented safety of enzyme products (note cautions below before using), proportions can be approximate. For dogs over 80 pounds, the human dose is likely to be effective and well tolerated. For dogs weighing 50 pounds, cut dosage in half; for those weighing 25 pounds, use 1/4 the recommended amount. Most product labels list a maintenance dose for everyday use. Labels on single-ingredient products like bromelain and pancreatin give dosages for use with food. In addition to using these enzymes with food, the same dosage twice or three times per day between meals is appropriate for systemic therapy. Experts disagree as to whether enteric-coated tablets taken between meals work better than capsules; uncoated pancreatin and bromelain have been shown to be effective by themselves. Some dog owners use all three strategies – enzymes with food, uncoated enzymes between meals, and enteric-coated enzymes between meals – to be sure their dogs receive all the support they need, especially while recovering from a serious illness or injury.

Cautions and Side Effects

Oral enzyme products can be problematic for any dog that is allergic to beef, pork, papaya, pineapple, Aspergillus oryzae, or other food-source ingredients. If your dog has specific allergies, check product labels and contact manufacturers to verify ingredients and their sources. Many dogs with seasonal allergies and food sensitivities have improved as a result of taking enzymes both with food and between meals, but it’s a good idea to use a small first dose and check for adverse reactions before increasing to therapeutic levels. Dogs with bleeding disorders should not take systemic oral enzymes because they reduce clotting and thin the blood. For the same reason, large doses are not recommended immediately before surgery. Those whose dogs have a serious illness, such as liver disease, or are pregnant or nursing should consult a veterinarian before giving enzymes between meals. Enzymes given with food at recommended maintenance doses are usually safe for dogs with clotting disorders and other serious illnesses because they interact with the body the same way that enzymes in raw food do. Follow label directions and, if in doubt, consult a holistic veterinarian. In some cases, human patients taking very high doses of systemic oral enzymes have developed a buildup of uric acid, a waste product from protein breakdown, in the urine or blood. Allergic reactions, bleeding disorders, and uric acid buildup are rare side effects. More common are temporary reactions that disappear when the therapy is discontinued or the dosage is reduced, including minor changes in the patient’s stool and/or gastrointestinal disturbances such as flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, or a feeling of fullness. Enteric-coated capsules should be swallowed whole, not chewed. Powders, such as Prozyme or bromelain, can be mixed with a small amount of water and given between meals, but it’s usually easier to dose a dog with tablets or capsules. If your dog is impossible to pill, give tablets or capsules with the smallest amount of fat-free, protein-free food your dog will swallow, such as a grape or a teaspoon of grated carrot. For best results, try to get your dog to drink a few ounces of water with each dose. Refrain from giving snacks or training treats within an hour of using systemic oral enzymes. Enzymes are easily damaged by heat. For example, bromelain powder retains its enzyme activity for 10 years or more if refrigerated, but storage near a hot oven or sunny window can inactivate it in just a few hours. Always store enzyme products in a cool, dry location.

Treating Specific Conditions with Enzymes

Systemic oral enzyme therapy has a general or tonic effect that improves conditions throughout the body, so instead of treating a single problem or illness, it addresses several. A dog with heart disease, arthritis, infected gums, and an ear hematoma is likely to improve in all of these areas, not just one. In fact, our hypothetical patient will probably experience improved digestion, faster wound healing, brighter eyes, and a calmer, more focused personality, especially if the therapy is continued for several months. To treat acute injuries, sprains, bruises, contusions, hematomas, pulled muscles, abrasions, broken bones, and burns, give large quantities between meals, such as up to 10 times the maintenance dose several times per day for several days. The more severe the injury, the more enzymes the body can utilize. Watch your dog’s reaction, and if digestive disturbances or diarrhea result, reduce the dosage. In general, frequent, small doses are more effective than single large ones, so continue giving enzymes throughout the day. Healing will occur as the injury is cleared of damaged tissue, congestion, and debris. When there is noticeable improvement, gradually reduce the dosage to maintenance levels. For chronic joint conditions such as arthritis, tendinitis, and hip or elbow dysplasia, give two to four times the maintenance dose two or three times per day. Conditions that develop slowly over time take longer to clear than sudden injuries. When the animal shows significant improvement, gradually switch to the recommended maintenance dose and continue indefinitely. Switch back to more frequent and/or larger doses if symptoms recur. Respiratory problems, seasonal allergies, and sinus infections often respond to systemic oral enzymes. If the maintenance dose is used, give it twice as often as recommended, or increase the dosage as well as frequency. For acute infections, such as bronchitis, use larger doses; for chronic allergies, continue the maintenance dose for several months. Urinary tract infections, prostate inflammation, intestinal inflammation (ulcerative colitis and related disorders), tooth and gum infections, and circulatory disorders can be improved with enzymes. As explained above, give large, more frequent doses for acute infections until they clear; treat chronic conditions with the recommended maintenance dose (or, until symptoms improve, give it twice or three times as often as the product label recommends), and continue indefinitely. Dogs recover quickly from spaying, neutering, oral surgery, elective surgery, and emergency surgery with the help of enzyme supplements. Taken for a month or more before the operation, maintenance doses help prepare the body for healing. Because enzymes thin the blood and help prevent clotting, some experts warn against using enzyme supplements for 7 to 10 days before and after surgery. Others suggest using the maintenance dose until a day or two before surgery, then resuming it a day or two after. Still others recommend using systemic oral enzymes without interruption. Discontinuing oral enzymes reduces the risk of hemorrhage, but it increases the likelihood of swelling, pain, and other conditions that enzymes help prevent. For best results, consult a holistic veterinarian and consider the patient’s physical condition, medical history, and type of surgery. (As noted, dogs with clotting disorders should not take enzymes between meals.) When danger of hemorrhage has passed, large doses can be given to speed healing and prevent infection, swelling, pain, excessive scarring, and postsurgical complications. The dosages for postsurgical care are the same as for trauma injuries. In addition, enzyme powders can be mixed with water to form a paste that can be applied topically to wounds, cuts, hematomas, burns, abrasions, hot spots, and other irritations. Papain, the enzyme used in meat tenderizers, is widely used as a treatment for insect stings. To neutralize insect venom, mix papain (or a meat tenderizer containing it) with a small amount of water, apply as a poultice, and hold in place as long as possible. For dogs with tooth and gum infections, mix bromelain, Prozyme, or a similar enzyme powder with just enough water to form a thin paste and apply it with a fingertip, small piece of gauze, or canine toothbrush. If touching the teeth or gums causes pain, dilute the paste with enough water to make a liquid and squirt it into the sides of the dog’s mouth with an eyedropper or ear syringe. Enzyme pastes and washes should be applied several times a day for best results. Like systemic oral enzyme therapy, topical application can be combined with other healthcare products and therapies, enhancing their results. It is impossible to predict how quickly a patient will respond to systemic oral enzyme therapy, for much depends on individual variables such as height, weight, age, general health, dietary patterns, and the severity of symptoms. However, people who use the supplements say that most bruises and injuries begin to respond within a day or two, most painful inflammatory conditions begin to improve within a week, and most auto-immune disorders, such lupus, begin to respond within three months of daily supplementation. In some chronic conditions, symptoms improve, grow worse, and improve again. According to Dr. Anthony Cichoke in The Complete Book of Enzyme Therapy, “When the condition is worse or when you notice an exacerbation of symptoms, it’s important to increase the dose.”

Blessing in Disguise

Even though Dee took a maintenance dose of Wobenzym, which is substantially smaller than the therapeutic dose recommended for trauma injuries in dogs her size, her recovery was dramatic. “Dee’s injury was a blessing in disguise,” says Kathy Signorile. “If it hadn’t happened, we would never have known about enzyme therapy. Now my husband and I are taking Wobenzym every day, and we feel better, too. Dee’s stamina keeps increasing, her muscle tone has improved, she’s more youthful, and her energy is amazing – it’s like she fell into the fountain of youth. Just a few months ago, Bill and I were asking ourselves difficult questions about whether Dee would ever recover and what a permanent disability would mean to the quality of her life. We prayed for the tiniest bit of improvement, any little sign of healing. We never imagined that a few weeks later, she would be healthier than she’s been for years.

CJ Puotinen is the author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care and Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats. Both books describe balanced, raw, natural diets. She is a frequent contributor to WDJ.

The Best (and Worst) Dog Boots

By
Nancy Kerns
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7

[Updated January 4, 2019]

The first time I ever noticed booties for dogs advertised in my pet supply catalogs, I laughed out loud. How frou-frou can you get?

I have since realized that there are some very legitimate purposes for dog boots, and have revised my opinion of their usefulness. In fact, the dog boot industry is a highly specialized one, with different styles of boots produced for different purposes.

There are winter boots to insulate your dog’s feet from cold, damp, ice, snow, and salt; summer boots to shield your pup’s paws from the heat of pavement and asphalt, and hiking boots to protect him from the dangers of sharp rock, brambles, burrs, cacti, and foxtails. They can be used to give a tentative dog traction on slippery floors, to prevent scratches on hardwood floors and snags on carpets, and to deter digging. They can prevent chewing and licking of sores, bandages and medications on the dog’s feet. There are even rubber boots that purport to keep your dog’s feet dry in rainy weather.

The biggest dog boot challenge is keeping the little devils on their feet. Dogs don’t have much in the way of ankles, and a well-fitted boot must hug the ankle joint tightly without rubbing, constricting blood flow, or annoying the dog.

The best boots offer a wide selection of sizes to allow for a good fit. The boot should fit fairly snugly while still providing ample room for the dog’s foot. It should slip onto the dog’s foot with relative ease, not slip off until you want it to, and be constructed of materials that are soft enough to conform to the shape of the foot and be comfortable for the dog, yet sturdy enough to stand up to the rigors of vigorous hiking.

Price is always of interest to the cost-conscious dog owner, who can usually find ways to spend any extra cash on new dog toys and more treats. This is one category of product where it doesn’t pay to skimp. For the most part, the cheaper brands of boots are just that – cheap.

The Problem(s) With Dog Boot Sizes

Various companies gauge their boot sizes differently. Some measure from the heel of the pad to the tip of the toe, others include the toenail length in the size (probably a more appropriate measure, since not accounting for the nail could put excess pressure on the toes). A few brands measure size by the dog’s weight – in our opinion an inaccurate system of measurement, since a dog’s weight can vary although his foot size does not.

Anyone who has ever struggled to put shoes on a baby (it’s pointless, but fashionable!) will immediately understand the challenge inherent in putting boots on dogs: They don’t have a clue that a little pushing down movement with their feet would make your job a million times easier. Fortunately, with a little practice, you get better at getting the boots on quickly. Just watch out for those dewclaws, if your dog has them.

Dogs are unaccustomed to having something attached to their feet, so don’t be alarmed if your canine pal acts like his legs are broken when you first try his boots on him. It can be amusing to watch your dog try to walk without putting his feet down. One of our test dogs tried to take several steps while holding both hind legs off the ground. (It didn’t work.)

Your dog should quickly adapt to the strangeness of shoes on his feet and begin to walk normally again. Be sure to administer plenty of treats when you put boots on paws so your dog learns to happily anticipate their application. If he always wears his boots when he goes for a hike, they will become a reliable predictor of great times, and he will get as excited about seeing them in your hand as he does his leash.

When you first go out with boots on your dog, keep him with you on leash. You may have to readjust the boot straps a couple of times until you get them snug enough to stay on. If Ranger loses a boot when he is deep in the woods you’re not likely to find it again!

Note: Dogs cool themselves by perspiring through their pads. If you are using boots in warm weather, be sure to take breaks and remove the boots from time to time to prevent overheating.

We’ve rated several dog boots on our 0-4 Paws scale based on our observations and preferences. The descriptions should help you determine which product would be the best choice for your dog.

The Absolute Best Dog Boots You Can Buy

We’ll start with our favorites. Muttluks are the Mercedes of the dog boot world and our top choice for winter boots. They exhibit extremely high durability. The sole of the boot is made of water- and salt-resistant leather that stands up well to the elements. The entire boot is stitched with heavy-duty industrial nylon thread, and the Velcro fastener is backed with silver reflective material for nighttime safety and visibility. The larger sizes have a sturdy leather toe-protector (the smaller sizes have Cordura toe-protectors), and the body of the boot is made of soft, heavyweight fleece to cushion the dog’s ankle from the Velcro strap.

Muttluks are available in eight different sizes, from Itty Bitty (smaller than 1.5″ foot) to XXL (4.75″ to 5″). The materials are soft and flex easily with the motion of the ankle. The self-tightening fastening system allows for uniform distribution of pressure around the ankle as well as quick and easy fastening and tightening. The comfortable stretchy leg cuff can be pulled up to protect long legs, or folded down for stubby ones. You can also roll the cuff down over the Velcro strap for extra security. This is the only boot we tested that was at absolutely no risk of falling off.

However, because these boots are made of soft, stretchy materials that fit the foot snugly, and because they are taller than all of the other boots we examined, they are a little harder to put on than some of the other brands. You must hold your dog’s leg while you stretch the elastic cuff and pull it over the foot. It may take some positive reinforcement to get your dog to buy into the process, especially if he is sensitive about having his feet handled.

On the plus side, these boots look just great – the only ones that appear to be made well enough to stand up to serious, long-term use. They are pricey- ranging from $48 to $56 depending on the size, but in our opinion they are well worth it!

The Dog Boot Brands That Aren’t So Great

All of the products in this group are good quality products and reasonable purchases – they just don’t quite measure up to the standard set by the Muttluk. Some are made better, but don’t fit as well. Some have an advantageous design, but aren’t made that well. None of these products puts it all together as well as Muttluk.

Take, for instance, the Velcro Dog Shoes made by Duke’s Dog Fashions of Beaverton, Oregon. Made of tough, flexible Cordura nylon, these boots are well made, but don’t offer as much warmth or insulation as the products designed expressly for extremes of heat or cold. The Cordura material has less give than the fleece used by several other boot makers, and the fit is not as snug or as comfortable. These boots would nominally protect a dog’s feet from mud or rocky terrain, say, but would not offer much in the way of warmth, water-resistance, or traction.

In addition to these shortcomings, the product is available in four sizes only, which limits the accuracy of the fit, and is measured by weight – the least desirable of the measurement methods – up to a maximum of 150 pounds.

In the plus column, the boots appear to stay on reasonably well in the proper sole-down position. Generally, they required only one adjustment after a few minutes of walking to stay securely on the dog. Like many of the boots we found, they are relatively short, which helps them slip onto the dogs’ feet with ease (but may make it easier for them to come off). The simple Velcro strap pulled tight at the ankle and fastened easily. They are also attractive, and available in two-tone colors of red and blue or navy and Kelly green.

As the name suggests, Polar Paws are made to provide protection against cold weather conditions. Made by The Original Polar Paws of Tempe, Arizona, these boots feature a rubberized sole for water-resistance and a slight traction advantage on snow and ice, a Cordura reinforced toe, and a medium-weight soft fleece body. The Velcro fastener features a helpful strap guide on the back of the boot to hold it in place.

Polar Paws are available in six sizes, from Tiny (.75″ to 1.5″) to XL (3.75″ to 4″), and, like all of the short boots, slip onto a dog’s feet easily. The boots seem to flex easily with movement of the dog’s feet, and stay in the correct position, soles down. The boots are attractive, but are available only in red with black toes.

The bad news? These boots didn’t stay on all that well; we had to readjust and tighten the straps after just a few minutes of walking. Also, we found what could be an annoying problem for the dog: In one place, where the inner seam of the boot concludes, the fabric has been melted (in the way that many synthetic fabrics must be cauterized to keep them from fraying) into a sharp edge. This rough knob is above the Velcro tightening strap, so it’s not being forced against the dog’s leg, but we would expect it to rub. This might not be a problem on short walks, but it could definitely cause discomfort on a long walk.

Polar Paws are priced moderately high at $17.95 for all sizes. Though this is high compared to some of the other products we examined, it is not unreasonable considering the quality of the materials used.

Initially, we had less enthusiasm for Cool Paws, the hot-weather version of Polar Paws. (The maker of Cool Paws is listed on the label as The Original Cool Paws; like The Original Polar Paws, this company is also of Tempe, Arizona, so we’re assuming it’s one and the same, and goes by both names.) Cool Paws are made of slightly lighter weight Cordura, in a slightly looser weave. Although the fabric is undoubtedly cooler in hot weather, we found it more likely to snag. Even the package insert warned against using the product in rocky terrain, and keeping the dog’s nails trimmed to prevent puncture of the fabric.

However, it was only after, as instructed, we had soaked the boots in water for several hours that we were able to appreciate the product’s main selling point: The addition of water-absorbing gel beads in between layers of the double sole. The beads swell with water when soaked, then release water over time in the same cooling evaporation action used in other canine cooling products.

Prior to soaking, it seemed to us that the amount of gel beads used in the boots is minimal. We even cut one boot apart so we could examine the gel pack, and we were unimpressed with the tiny amount of beads. But then we took the soaked boots out of the bucket of water we had thrown them in – Wow! Those beads really do swell, forming a cool, cushioned pad under the dog’s feet. Amazingly, the beads don’t squish or ooze water; they simply evaporate and shrink over time as they dry.

Obviously, you wouldn’t use Cool Paws in cool or cold conditions; they are designed specifically for use in hot weather. We don’t know whether there is any research that indicates that cooling pads on a hot dog’s feet really do contribute to lowering or maintaining their body temperature but we can say this: They would definitely protect a dog from burning his feet on hot pavement, sand, or other hot surfaces.

Cool Paws slip onto the foot easily, and the boots are attractive. They are available only in blue with black toe.

After looking at the careful workmanship that went into the preceding products, the first glance at the Nylon Dog Boots made by Scott Pet Products, of Rockville, Indiana (and sold by Valley Vet Supply/Direct Pet Superstore), was a bit of a shock. This is partly because of the product’s simplistic design; the boot is nothing more than a Cordura nylon mitten with a Velcro strap. But the crude look of the product comes from a reversed seam on the upper part of the boot. Such a visible ragged edge and quadruple-sewn seam looks crude. Actually, it makes sense, from the standpoint of the dog whose foot and ankle end up inside that boot. The reversal of the seam also forms a unique pleat at the back of the boot that allows the excess material to fold rather than gather or bunch. It’s an unattractive but comfortable solution to the problem of a seam that could otherwise rub the dog’s leg.

In terms of durability, we have some more concerns. The boots are made of a good quality Cordura fabric (the soles consist of two layers), but the toes are not reinforced. These boots wouldn’t last forever, and they’d provide only a minimum of protection from the elements. We’d expect a product that is targeted toward hunting dogs (they come only in bright orange and only in four sizes) to be tougher.

On the other hand, the boots slipped on easily, and stayed on well if snugly fastened. At $14.25 for all sizes, it’s not a bad buy.

These Boots Aren’t Recommended for Your Dog

The products that we rated with just one Paw are definitely of lesser quality. Their lower prices are attractive, but they just are not durable enough to be considered real hiking boots – they are more like slippers. They might be appropriate for short trips to the backyard, or to prevent licking of wounds or medications on feet. But they really can’t be considered protection from any real weather or rough footing.

Take, for example, the Arctic Fleece Boots made by Ethical Products of Newark, New Jersey and sold by J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies. What the maker calls “Arctic Fleece” is neither; the single-layered material feels more like felt. The strap is elastic (read, prone to stretching and wearing out), with a small square of Velcro sewn onto it. A small circle of vinyl material is sewn onto the bottoms to provide what the maker calls “non-skid” soles – but the vinyl is smooth and could not provide traction. In addition, the boots do not stay in position – the “sole” ends up on top of dog’s foot. Not that it matters; this soft material couldn’t be uncomfortable for the dog in any position.

The Arctic Fleece Boots are available in five sizes by weight, from Extra Small (under 20 pounds) to Extra Large (over 60 pounds). For $5, you get what you pay for.

In another case of a badly named product made by Ethical Products, we found the Waterproof Quilted Boots to be neither, either. The material is “quilted” in only the most generous sense; the outer layer of lightweight nylon fabric is stitched with a quilted pattern, but it doesn’t hold any other layers together. The inner layer is a nylon material so thin that our test dog’s nails caused “runs” from just a few steps around the house. As with the felt boots described above, a circular patch of vinyl (in this case, vinyl with a slight texture) is sewn on the bottom, but no matter; the boots do not stay in position, and the soles generally end up on top of the dog’s feet.

Is there anything nice to say? The synthetic fleece lining around ankles is a nice gesture toward comfort, and the Velcro strap appears appropriately long. The boots slip on easily, and the material is soft. They are available in five sizes, from Extra Small (under 20 pounds) to Extra Large (over 60 pounds). The boots are cute (too cute?), available in red or blue, and cheap at $7.

We didn’t have much use for Pawtectors, either. Made by Pedigree Perfection of Tamarac, Florida and sold by Valley Vet Supply, they are unlike any other boots we saw – perhaps for a reason.

The material Pawtectors are made from is a very unusual composite; it’s a flexible, fully sealed rubberized material on the outside that is soft and fuzzy on the inside. We’ve seen heavy-duty rubber kitchen gloves made of similar material. The top and bottom of the boots are identical; in fact, the packaging suggests turning the boots around when one side gets worn out. It seems durable enough, but it also seems like a dog would get overheated in these boots; there is no breathability to the material.

Also, the unattached Velcro strap is prone to getting misplaced. The rubberized sheath bends with the dog’s motion but doesn’t mold to fit the foot well – there is too much excess material even when boot is fitted according to size chart. And finally, the boots fell off our test dogs several times.

Pawtectors are available in five sizes, from XS (1.75″) to XL (3.75″). They slip on easily, and are available in black or red. At $17 to $22, depending on size, they are no bargain.

Note: This product bears the ASPCA Seal Of Approval, but don’t let that influence your decision. (See “Nonprofit Animal Welfare Groups – Competition for Donation Dollars is Fierce” for more about the Seal of Approval (WDJ, October 2000.)

But our absolute scorn is reserved for the boots made by Four Paws Products Ltd. of Hauppauge, New York. Modeled on “people” boots, this product hardly fits a dog’s foot and ankle anatomy and the strap cannot be tightened enough to stay on. They are essentially “dress up” boots – something you would put on a doll-like dog you hold in your arms. The boots are available in five sizes, XS (1.5″) to XL (3.5″), and available in red or black. The price is low, but entirely too high for a product that is totally useless. 

-By Pat Miller

Canned Dog Food or Dry Dog Food? We’ll Help Break it Down

By
Nancy Kerns
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Caring guardians of companion canines often wonder whether one form of commercially prepared food – kibble or canned – is better than the other. The truth is, both types of food have relative advantages and disadvantages in terms of palatability, digestibility, and necessity for preservatives or other chemical additives.

While they generally meet the same chemical composition standards in terms of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, these types of food provide very different nutritional value. Canned foods contain more protein and fat than dry foods, and they typically contain a greater percentage of animal-based ingredients than dry foods (see sidebar: “Comparing Apples to Apples: The Dry Matter Comparison,” next page). There is a limit – about 50 percent – to the amount of animal-based products that dry foods can contain; the machinery that mixes and extrudes kibble “gums up” if less than half of the dry food ingredients are carbohydrates (cereal grains like corn or starches such as potatoes).

By and large, canned foods contain higher quality protein ingredients than dry foods. Generally, the lesser quality pet food ingredients, such as processed and rendered products such as meat by-products, meat and bone meals, and animal digests, are routed toward dry food production lines, which require lower-fat, lower-moisture ingredients for extrusion or baking.

More whole ingredients, such as meat and poultry appear at the top of the list in canned foods, because they are high in natural moisture content. Lower-quality canned foods utilize “meat by-products,” which contain no muscle meat, but consist of organs such as intestines, spleens and lungs, and other parts of the carcass that are undesirable or unfit for human consumption. Chicken or poultry by-products may contain a little bit of muscle meat, but are still mostly “guts.”

Meat or poultry “meals,” which are produced by rendering, are widely utilized in dry foods, but are not generally used in canned foods. The raw starting material is ground to a mushy consistency by a huge auger. Then it is cooked for several hours. When the mixture is cooled, the fat (tallow) rises to the top and is skimmed off and routed, according to its composition, for edible products like animal feed, or industrial, cosmetic or agricultural uses. The remaining material is mostly protein and water. When the water is removed, a dry, powdery, mostly protein “meal” is left.

Meal that is identified solely as “chicken meal,” “beef meal,” or “lamb meal” is generally a higher quality product; it is supposed to contain only the muscle meat (which may include non-skeletal muscles such as the esophagus or diaphragm) of the animal. When a meal gets more generic by name, such as “meat meal” or “meat and bone meal,” you’re likely dealing with very low-quality ingredients.

Both dry foods and canned foods are cooked at high temperatures, which kill bacteria and other pathogens. While all the types of cooking employed in the production of pet food alter the proteins and destroy the enzymes in the meat-based ingredients, cooking actually makes the grains and starches more digestible. (All cooking methods cause the proteins in meats and meat by-products to lose their original molecular shape; this is called “denaturing.” This protein alteration is why meat changes color from red to brown when it’s cooked. Enzymes – special proteins that are used by the body to regulate its chemical and metabolic reactions – tend to be very fragile and are destroyed even in the lower temperature ranges used for baking.)

Preservatives
One of the most notable differences between canned and dry foods is the use of preservatives, which must be used liberally in dry foods (but are not generally added to canned foods) to combat the ill effects of exposure to oxygen. The interaction of oxygen with fat – known as oxidation – causes rancidity. Rancid fat not only smells bad and can put a dog off his food, but also can make a dog sick if he eats it. Fats intended for use in dog food are almost always preserved with antioxidants by the supplier before they are even shipped to the manufacturer, and food makers are required to list these antioxidants on the food label. Again, dry foods require the use of a greater quantity of preservatives because of the need for stability in a wide range of storage conditions.

Preservatives are also used to retard the growth of microbes like bacteria. While extruded foods are relatively “sterile” after departing from the high temperature and pressure environment of the screws, they may be re-contaminated during the drying process, or by bacteria lurking in the sprayed-on coating materials. Mold spores, which are ubiquitous in the air, can also sneak into the bag with the food. Preservatives also help prevent deterioration of vitamins and other nutrients.

NOTE: We’ll be discussing more about natural and artificial preservatives and “date of manufacture” labeling requirements in the next issue of WDJ.

How canned foods are made
The process of canning was devised in 1809, when a clever Frenchman was hired to provide his government’s troops with preserved food for their campaigns. The goal was, and still is, to sterilize the food to prevent spoilage. Today, dog food is canned through a process similar to the one your grandma employed to “put up” peaches and other garden produce, but on a very large scale!

First, fresh or frozen meat and/or by-products are ground to a fine texture and sent to a cooker/mixer. There, the ground meat is mixed with the grain or starchy vegetable ingredients (like potatoes or peas), vitamins, minerals, additives like anti-caking agents and stabilizers, and water.

This mixture is heated to the specific temperature necessary for producing the desired texture, which varies according to the ingredients. Mixtures containing mainly carbohydrates must be cooked at high temperatures to “gelatinize” the carbohydrates, while lower temperatures can be used when there is more animal tissue in the mixture.

Canned foods typically contain less grain than dry foods, so different combinations of time, temperature, pH, and vegetable gums are used to gel and thicken the food. “Nuggets,” “slices” and other shapes are molded from either natural tissues or, more commonly, from texturized plant proteins. Some foods contain vegetables like carrots and peas that will appeal to the consumer who opens the can (though not necessarily to the dog). These may be real veggies, or artificially colored and shaped ones.

After cooking, the mixture is pumped to a heated storage reservoir above the filler/seamer machine, which fills 300 cans (or more) a minute, puts on the lid and seals the seams. If the mixture was initially cooked at low temperatures, steam must be injected to displace the air to create a vacuum. Hotter mixtures create their own steam.

After the cans are sealed, they are sterilized in a “retort,” which raises the temperature enough to kill pathogenic bacteria, specifically Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism, a particularly nasty form of food poisoning. Once the cans are cooled in the last compartment of the retort, they are stamped on their sides and/or bottoms with codes specifying the date and time of production. Finally, they are scanned for distortion (which would cause automatic rejection), labeled, and packed in cases for shipment.

Canned advantages
The high moisture content of canned food may be helpful for dogs with cystitis or kidney disease. If you are tempted to mimic this by simply adding water to the dry food – don’t! Dry foods commonly have bacteria on the surface that would love a warm, wet environment to grow in. Moistened dry food that sits out for a couple of hours can make a dog very sick.

If your dog is chubby, you might want to add some canned food to her ration. Canned food may fill her up and leave her more satisfied, yet she would be consuming far fewer calories than if she were eating only dry food. (Choose a low-fat canned food, however, because many canned foods are also considerably higher in fat than dry food.)

Canned food is usually more palatable than dry, and may be more successful in tempting a sick or fussy dog to eat.

How dry food is made
Most dry dog foods start with ground yellow corn or similar cereal grain, and a meat or rendered product such as poultry by-product meal, which are blended to make a dough. Various additives such as gums, emulsifiers, stabilizers, colorings, and flavors may be added at this point. The dough is then put through an “extruder,” a long tubular machine with an internal screw that moves the dough along its length.

There are many kinds of extruders, which can be used for everything from plastics to sausage. Commonly, dog food is made in a single or twin-screw extruder. Depending on the content and desired texture, parts of the extruder may cook the product as it moves along. Generally, steam heat and pressure are used to push the dough. Newer extruders use very high heat for very short periods of time to cook the product.

At the end of the extruder, the dough is squeezed out through the small openings of the die, much like a cake decorating tip. Immediately outside the opening, a rapidly whirling set of blades slices off tiny pieces of the dough, which “puffs” as it exits the pressurized extruder. The shape of the die determines the shape of the kibble. Extruders are limited in their ability to handle wet or greasy materials. The need for a firm, doughy consistency is one reason dry foods contain a large proportion of starch or cereal grains, such as potato, wheat or corn.

After the product comes out of the extruder, it must be dried. There are vertical, horizontal, belt, and carousel type dryers. Each has its advantages; vertical dryers take up less floor space, while some carousel dryers provide more even heating. The moisture content is carefully controlled because it affects the stability and palatability of the product. After being cooled in the latter stages of the dryer, most extruded products are sprayed or dusted with fats, digests, or other flavorings (see WDJ’s article about palatants, “He Likes It! Hey Mikey!,” November 2000).

Finally, the food is bagged, sealed, and put on pallets for shipping. Most manufacturers still use paper bags with a relatively impervious liner to keep air and dampness out, and oils and flavors in. A few products are now bagged in Mylar, which has long been popular for treats.

I like mine dry
Dry food is more convenient and less messy than canned food. It is much more economical, and may be the only realistic option when feeding big dogs, lots of dogs, or lots of big dogs! It is easier to transport for dogs who travel. It can be left out, or stored in automatic feeders, without getting dry and crusty, and does not require refrigeration for leftovers. The higher fiber content of dry foods may be advantageous for diabetic dogs because it moderates food absorption, thus keeping blood sugar more stable.

-By Jean Hofve, DVM

Dr. Jean Hofve is the Companion Animal Program Coordinator for the Animal Protection Institute, located in Sacramento, California.

Canine Diabetes, A Common Yet Serious Problem

By
Kim Campbell Thornton
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Romeo’s owners live in an upper unit condominium, so they sat up and took notice when the little white dog began demanding numerous daily trips outside to urinate. Romeo’s appetite changed as well. He had always liked his food, but suddenly he was ravenous, eating every bit of his meals and still wanting more. Despite his avid appetite, he was losing weight. A trip to the veterinarian was definitely in order. After seeing the results of Romeo’s blood test and urinalysis, the veterinarian delivered the bad news: Romeo had diabetes.

Diabetes is a common and serious problem in pets. Formally known as diabetes mellitus (the sweet sickness), it’s a disorder of the pancreas gland. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, whose purpose is to drive nutrients, specifically glucose, or blood sugar, into the cells. It’s the body’s most important fuel molecule.

When the body doesn’t have enough insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, a condition called hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Having no place else to go, the excess glucose spills over into the urine, resulting in excessive urination. Because their bodies are losing so much water, diabetic dogs compensate by drinking a lot, which in turn leads to more frequent urination.

Even when dogs eat more, the cells aren’t getting the nutrients they need to function, so diabetic dogs lose weight and become weak. “Basically, the system can’t run without proper fuel, and the fuel isn’t being made available to it,” says William Pollak, DVM, of Fairfield Animal Hospital in Fairfield, Iowa.

Which dogs are at risk?
The cause of diabetes onset is unknown, but contributory factors include genetic predisposition, infection, insulin-antagonistic diseases and drugs, immune-mediated disease, and inflammation of the pancreas.

Breeds with a high incidence of diabetes include Golden Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, Keeshonden, and Poodles, but any breed or mix can develop the disease. It’s seen more commonly in females than males and usually develops at six to nine years of age. Obese dogs and dogs that have had recurrent bouts of pancreatitis seem most prone to the disease, says Ellen Paul, DVM, of Lipton Animal Hospital in Urbana, Illinois. Long-term treatment with corticosteroids can also predispose a dog to diabetes.

Alternative explanations
Some holistic veterinarians offer other possible explanations for diabetes onset in dogs, but these reasons are controversial. Practitioners who advocate meat-based homemade diets for dogs often blame the presence of processed, high-carbohydrate foods in doggie dinner dishes. “I feel that commercial, processed, grain-based diets contain far more carbohydrates than are appropriate for the well-being of our dogs,” Dr. Pollak says.

Michele Yasson, DVM, who has an international homeopathic practice based in Rosendale, New York, says that when dogs are fed commercial foods instead of home-prepared diets, the result is a degree of malnourishment, creating stress for the body to cope with.

Dr. Yasson also believes that vaccinations play a role as well. “Vaccines stress the physiology in such a way that you wind up with chronic abnormalities in physiology,” she says. “The extra stress of that tends to lead to all sorts of chronic disease, including diabetes.”

Dr. Pollak suggests that diabetes may also be an allergic phenomenon. “When you feed a processed diet, the biological system isn’t functioning on the quality octane fuel that it was designed to function on, so you get abnormal metabolic processes. You get excessive heat in the body because of the abnormal breakdown, the rate of the breakdown as well as what’s being broken down,” he says. “The system is agitated. It doesn’t work right, so what happens is that the system starts attacking itself.”

Treatments
Diabetes cannot be cured, per se, but it can be managed successfully and sometimes even reversed if detected and treated early enough. Conventionally, diabetes is managed with once or twice daily insulin injections, a high fiber diet, and regulation of the dog’s mealtimes. Exercise is important as well, because it leads to weight loss, which can improve a diabetic animal’s condition.

Among the alternative therapies that can affect the disease’s progress are acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal remedies, and homeopathy. “Each dog is different, so working with an experienced veterinarian is important,” Dr. Paul says.

Usually, the first step in bringing diabetes under control is to start the dog on daily insulin injections. Insulin types include a combination of beef and pork insulin, pork insulin, or synthetic human insulin, all of which are effective in dogs. It’s scary to think of giving a dog an injection, but the technique is easily learned after a little practice on a thin-skinned orange. Your veterinarian will show you how to prepare the syringe and inject the insulin. Insulin injections are given subcutaneously, meaning under the skin, and are much less painful than intramuscular injections. Some dogs don’t even notice them after a while, especially if they’re rewarded with a meal immediately afterward.

While holistic veterinarians start their patients on insulin if necessary, they prefer to manage without it if possible. Instead, a change in diet is mandated. “I introduce a raw diet,” Dr. Pollak says, “but I do whatever I have to do to stabilize them and maintain adequate, normal levels of blood sugar. If you get it early enough, the sugar levels will come down with less and less insulin, and many times you can get them off the insulin.”

Dr. Paul prefers a homemade diet for all pets. “A diabetic needs to have complex carbohydrates,” she says, “and brown rice is a good choice. I would add some psyllium for extra fiber. Fiber helps to slow down the digestion and absorption of foods, preventing rapid peaks in blood glucose levels. I also advise a pancreas glandular supplement.”

On the other hand, Dr. Yasson, who starts treatment with classical homeopathy, prefers complementing the homeopathy with a high-protein diet. “A high-fiber diet is normal and appropriate for people with diabetes, but for carnivores such as dogs I find that a high-protein diet with raw meat serves very well,” she says. Whatever the diet, dogs with this disease need two or three equal-size meals each day, spaced out at intervals determined by your veterinarian.

Supplements are also important. “I use chromium, a good multivitamin, and essential fatty acids (EFAs),” Dr. Yasson says. “The EFAs affect the metabolism of hormones and the glandular system. I find that the EFA that usually makes the most difference in my cases is flax oil-based, but a good balanced fatty acid will work as well.”

Blood sugar tests
If diabetes is to be brought under control, the urine and blood must be monitored regularly for sugar levels. “You want to give the least amount of insulin that results in just a trace amount of sugar in the urine,” Dr. Pollak says. At-home urine testing is easy with dipsticks available from your veterinarian or a drugstore. To collect the urine, Dr. Pollak says, simply take a wire coat hanger, open it up, and bend the end. Stick a paper cup on the bottom, and as the dog urinates, place the cup beneath the stream. Your dog may look at you as if you’re crazy the first time you do this, but it’s a generally successful method of collecting urine.

Glucose levels should be checked on a regular basis as well to make sure the insulin dosage is appropriate, Dr. Paul says. This is especially important during the first stages of treatment, when the proper insulin level has yet to be determined. Each dog is an individual, and changes in dosage or type of insulin are often necessary to bring the disease under control.

The test for blood sugar levels is called a blood glucose curve. This involves a day at the veterinary clinic for a diabetic dog. Over a period of 12 to 24 hours, blood is drawn at given intervals to see when the blood sugar peaks and decreases. This allows the veterinarian to better determine the amount of insulin given and the timing of the injections.

“If it is difficult to regulate his insulin level, have him checked for Cushing’s disease,” Dr. Paul advises. She also recommends regular blood tests at least every six months to check for other conditions that could aggravate the diabetes. Common complications of canine diabetes that can be identified with the aid of a blood panel include liver disease and infections.

Regular urine cultures are important as well, Dr. Paul says. “Diabetic dogs are prone to bladder infections, so urine cultures should be done to check for them. Dogs may not show signs of bladder infections, and a urinalysis may look normal. Cranberry supplements may help to control bladder infections,” she says.

Schedule
One of the most important aspects of managing diabetes is keeping the dog on a regular schedule for feeding, exercise, and insulin injections. Meals and insulin injections should be given at the same time every day.

If it’s difficult to be at home in time for the evening meal, the purchase of timed feeders, which can be set to open at the appropriate hour, can solve the problem. For dogs on raw diets, such feeders are available with refrigerated compartments to keep food fresh.

“Regularity in feeding is very important in taking the workload off the system,” Dr. Pollak says. “The biological system metabolically is able to settle down and create a less agitated state, and in that clear-functioning state it’s able to maintain itself at a higher level of wellness, the result being that the disease symptoms will subside.”

While diabetes is a serious condition, it’s important to approach it with the idea that there is hope, Dr. Yasson says. “Not every case is curable, but I find that although there are some cases where you can really get stumped, the majority are relatively simple and straightforward to treat. If people are willing to do the little bit of work that’s necessary with supplements and diet and so forth, treatment can be very successful.”

-By Kim Campbell Thornton

Kim Campbell Thornton is a frequent contributor to WDJ. She lives in Lake Forest, California.

Dogs Who Are Harness Escape Artists

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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A Harness Escape Artist

My dog, Bear, has developed extreme cunning in getting out of whatever device I have on him – buckle collar, body harness (two different styles), Halti head halter – or any combination of these. The only time he was unable to free himself was when the buckle collar was too tight for safety or comfort. Bear’s strategy appears to be to face me, pull backwards, and hop around on his back legs until he pops out of his restraint. Even with the belly band of his harness on tight, he managed to wiggle his elbows through it and pull out backwards.

Also, he’s not easily trainable. He’s smart enough, but he doesn’t really care that much if he pleases us by doing what we say, and he’s not well motivated by food. He’s simply disobedient.

This is getting to be a real problem. Bear gets free so often that my son and I are almost afraid to walk him. As a result, he’s not getting much exercise, and that makes his behavior worse. We’ve been lucky so far that he hasn’t come to grief during his wild getaways, but we can’t go on like this.

dogs

-Krista Gimeno
via email

Pat Miller, WDJ’s Dog Training Editor, answers this question for us. Miller, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, offers private and group dog training classes from her base in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

You are right to be concerned. As you are aware, Bear risks his life every time he escapes, and his lack of cooperation diminishes the quality of the relationship that you and your son have with him.

In fact, the collar problem is just a symptom of the relationship problem. Bear is not motivated to do what you want, and he has discovered a very successful strategy for getting to do what he wants instead. I can give you a solution for the collar-slipping problem, but that won’t solve the relationship problem. That’s a bigger challenge, and one that needs to be addressed in greater detail than we have room for here. I would suggest that you locate a good positive trainer in your area to help you find the key to motivating Bear to do what you ask.

You can find trainers who are Association of Pet Dog Trainer members on the APDT website. Please take time to read the “Guidelines for Choosing a Dog Training Professional” that are posted on the web site. While the APDT promotes and endorses the use of positive training tools and techniques, not all APDT members are committed to positive training to the same degree. Be sure to look for one whose philosophies are aligned with yours before putting Bear’s training in his or her hands.

By the way, it’s a misconception that any dog tries to please us. All dogs try to please themselves. It just so happens that what pleases some dogs also makes us happy. These are the dogs that we call “eager to please.” They are really eager to please themselves, and we are fortunate that their “please factor” is aligned with ours. All dogs are motivated by something, and a good positive trainer will be able to help you identify what Bear’s “somethings” are.

Also, dogs who appear to be indifferent to food sometimes just haven’t found the right food yet. A good positive trainer will have access to a virtual smorgasbord of treat options to experiment with in order to find a food that Bear will work for.

Now, back to the collar. A different brand of head halter might be the answer. Many trainers find the Halti is the easiest of the head halters for dogs to escape from. (See “Proper Use of Head Halters for Leash Training,” WDJ June 2000). The others are not escape-proof, however, particularly for a dog who has found collar-slipping to be a successful behavior strategy.

I would strongly suggest you try the Premier Collar, also known as a martingale or limited slip collar. When properly fitted, this collar will tighten only if Bear tries to back out of it, and only enough to prevent his escape, not enough to choke him or cause damage to his trachea. (See “Looking at Dog Collars as a Restraint Tool,” WDJ, October 2000). This collar should keep Bear safe and secure while you find a trainer to help him (and you!) fix the underlying relationship problem.

A Clicker That’s Not So Loud?

Have you ever heard of a “quiet clicker?” I have been experimenting with all kinds of noisemakers, including the click of a ball-point pen, in hopes of finding something that delivers a well-timed click without making a racket. Many trainers are so enthusiastic about clickers that they use them everywhere, even though they are incredibly disruptive and annoying in many situations. I found something called the Sound Leash on-line but haven’t sent for it yet. It’s battery operated and has a volume control. My dog’s hearing is excellent. When she’s standing next to me, she doesn’t need a click that can be heard a block away. Any ideas?

Miller answers:

Hmm – volume controlled clickers – sounds like a great marketing idea to me! Your experiments with ball point pens are on the right track if you want a quiet clicker. Virtually anything that makes a sharp, abrupt sound can be used as a reward marker. Many trainers use a mouth click, a finger snap or a word – a verbal reward marker – that is reserved, like the clicker, to mean only “the behavior you were doing when you heard the word (or other sound) has earned you a reward.” Some behaviorists theorize that the sharp “Click!” of the clicker is more effective than a word, because it reaches a part of the brain that directly reacts to the sound, rather than having to be filtered and interpreted first.

dog training clicker

Also, because the clicker (or some other mechanical sound) always sounds exactly the same, it is a more consistent signal than a word, whose sound can vary depending on your mood, tone of voice, or health. I teach my dogs both a Click! and the word “Yes!” so I can use one or the other, depending on the circumstances.

There are cheap plastic frog clickers that make a softer click, available from mail-order places like the Oriental Trading Company. It can still be a pretty annoying sound, however.

The easiest way to get a soft clicker is to take a regular box clicker and place strips of white adhesive tape over the dot on the metal side of the box. (This handy tip comes from legendary clicker-trainers Bob and Marian Bailey. See “Training Other Species to be a Better Dog Trainer,” WDJ December 1998.) The more tape strips you place over the dot, the more the sound is muted. We use this to desensitize dogs who are fearful of the clicker, by starting with a very soft Click! and gradually removing pieces of tape until it is full strength. But if you wanted to leave the tape on and have a permanently muted clicker, you certainly could!

My Dogs Are “Undressing” Each Other

I hope you can help me with a small but strange problem: I have two Labs who refuse to wear collars. It’s not that they struggle to get out of them; it’s that they have learned that they can take turns chewing each others’ collars off! Needless to say, I have gone through a small fortune in nylon and leather collars.

I now remove the collars when they are left alone. Unfortunately, this action leaves me nowhere to attach their dog licenses or identification tags. I also don’t want to use choke collars for fear they could get snagged on something and do as their name implies.

I’m hoping you may have some recommendations on chew-proof collars or suggestions on how to correct this behavior. By the way, I’ve tried soaking the collars in everything I can think of that will leave a bad taste in their mouths. They seem to appreciate the additional flavoring!

Pat Miller writes:

Clicks to you for being aware of and concerned about the dangers of keeping your dogs without their identification on at all times. You do have a dilemma, don’t you? We can address it a couple of different ways. You could have your dogs tattooed and/or microchipped as identification insurance – not a bad idea even for dogs who don’t chew their collars off, since collars can be removed by other means. (See “Microchip Your Dog to Get Him Home Safe,” WDJ November 1998). These are not perfect I.D. solutions either, but every little bit helps…

A training solution is probably not the answer. Since the behavior happens in your absence, it would be very difficult to come up with a positive approach to preventing the undesirable behavior and rewarding a desirable alternative. You say you have used every taste aversion you can think of. If that means home remedies, you might try the commercial preparations like Bitter Apple. If you’ve tried those to no avail, talk to your veterinarian’s staff. They may have access to veterinary products that are used to prevent dogs from chewing on bandages, products that are significantly more bitter and bad tasting than Bitter Apple.

Actually, your chew-proof collar question made me think of a whole new application for a collar that I previously had no earthly use for. You know those ugly leather spike collars with the metal studs that stick out from the collar, most often seen on Pit Bulls and Rottweilers? Might be worth a try! I would test it for short absences at first, to make sure your dogs don’t ignore the pain and cut their mouths up on the spikes. They are Labs, after all, and tend to have a high pain threshold so they can run through the briars and retrieve fallen ducks from ice-cold lakes.

The other management options are separating them when you’re gone, which I doubt would make anyone very happy, or putting them in doggie daycare, where they can be more closely supervised during the day.

Sit Happens

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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Sitting on cue is one of those basic behaviors that every dog should know, and happily, it is an absurdly simple behavior to teach. In fact, I remind my students that their dogs already know how to sit – it’s just the “doing it on cue” part that we have to work on!

Nowhere, perhaps, is the difference between positive and compulsion training more beautifully obvious than with the “sit.” A considerable part of the first session of many compulsion classes is spent teaching owners how to force their dogs to sit by jerking, pushing, and manipulating various body parts. I spend my first night of class talking with my students, explaining how (and why) we are going to train our dogs without using force. Meanwhile my demonstration dog for the night – an obstreperous, untrained dog provided by one of my students, a dog whom I have never met before – emphatically offers sit after sit after sit. Magic? Not really – just an application of the positive reinforcement elements of “operant conditioning,” a training technique that teaches a dog to voluntarily offer the behaviors that we want.

Magic Markers

The key to positive training is remembering to notice and reward the dog when he does something right. A dog sits dozens of times a day, all on his own. If we make it a point to reward him a good percentage of the times when he does, he’ll do it even more, because all living beings repeat behaviors that are rewarding to them. This is why so many dogs jump up on people. We tend to ignore dogs when they’re sitting quietly, and pay attention to them when they jump up. They get rewarded for jumping, so they jump more.

A reward marker is a word or a sound that tells a dog the instant he has exhibited a desirable behavior. Clickers are commonly used as reward markers because the Click! sound is so distinctive and consistent. Reward markers can also consist of the word “Yes!” (or any other word you choose), a “mouth click,” the click of a ball-point pen, or any other consistent, distinct sound. The Click! or “Yes” (or other reward marker) is a promise to the dog that a treat is forthcoming, and every Click! earns a treat.

Positive trainers use treats as rewards because food is a primary motivator – all living things need food to survive – and because a dog can quickly eat his treat and get back to the fun of training. It is possible to train without reward markers and treats by using toys, play, petting, and/or praise as rewards; but in my experience, it’s less effective and less efficient.

Let’s take a look at my first-night demo dog and see how the reward marker works.

I begin class by introducing myself and talking about the philosophy of positive dog training. While I do that, I also have the demo dog’s leash in my hand. I test his response to the clicker by clicking it in my pocket to muffle the sharpness of the sound. Then I feed him an irresistible treat. I click and treat several more times and then, assuming he doesn’t react badly to the sound of the clicker, I bring it out of my pocket and continue the clicks and treats while I talk. Usually, it takes no more than a half-dozen treats to convince the dog to rivet his attention on me.

Once this happens, I stop the constant flow of treats, and hold one up near my chest. Often, the dog will try to jump up for the treat. If he does, I simply whisk the treat out of sight and turn away, without making eye contact or paying him any attention. Eventually he will sit, because it’s easier to look up at me (and the treat) when he’s sitting. The instant he does, I Click! and treat.

It takes most dogs less than three minutes to become sitting machines, offering sit after sit in order to make the Click! happen and earn the treat reward; this is the secret of the “magic marker.” The dog learns that he makes the Click! and treat happen. Trainers jokingly call this the “Helen Keller moment.” Once we open that door, the dog is ready for training.

Putting Sit on Cue

Although the class listens to my comments while I work with the designated demo dog, they also watch his miraculous transformation from an out-of-control busy bee, to sitting at my feet, paying rapt attention to me. His behavior, more than any words I could speak, underscores the effectiveness of positive training.

At this point, I point out that I have not yet asked the dog to sit. With operent conditioning, we get the behavior first, then we add the verbal cue. There is no point in using a word to ask the dog to do something when he has no idea what it means. Once we know we can get the dog to offer the behavior, then we add the word so that he can start to make the association between the word and the behavior.

This is easy with the sit. I take a step backward. The dog gets up to follow his newfound treat machine. I stop, and he sits to make the Click! happen. As his bottom touches the floor I say “Sit!” then Click! and treat. I am telling him – in verbal shorthand – that the behavior he just did is called “Sit.” I repeat this several times, and then I start saying “Sit” just before he sits. By watching his body language, it’s easy for me to predict when he is about to sit. Now I am teaching him that the “Sit!” sound precedes his sit behavior. I click and treat every time.

I suggest to the class that an uneducated observer would think that the dog was responding to the verbal cue when he’s really not. I am predicting the dog’s sit behavior with the word. He does not yet understand that the word is his prompt to sit.

We test this assertion. I ask the dog to sit at a time when his body language tells me he is not about to sit – he is distracted, sniffing the floor, or looking away from me. Lo and behold, he doesn’t sit! I explain that he has not “refused” to sit on cue – he simply didn’t understand the slightly different context. I don’t nag at him with several repetitions of the “Sit” cue. Rather, I get his attention, and when I can see that he is ready to sit, I say the word. He promptly responds. The class gets the message.

Downhill from Here

Teaching the down is not quite as easy as the sit, since dogs are less apt to “offer” the down behavior in a training session than a sit. Once again, a food-treat motivator comes in handy. You can lure your dog into a down by putting a treat in front of his nose and moving it slowly toward the ground. Lots of dogs will follow the lure easily and end up in a perfect down on the first try. Click! and treat!

Some dogs won’t, however. They may not understand what you want them to do, and so they stand up when you try to lure them down. Some dogs are reluctant to lie down because they feel more vulnerable in the down position. In these cases you can “shape” the behavior. Shaping means breaking the final desired behavior into small steps and clicking and rewarding the dog repeatedly at each step along the way. Here is one way to shape the down:

1. Have the dog sit facing you. Hold the treat in front of his nose and move it two inches toward the ground. Click! and treat. Repeat several times until he shows no sign of trying to stand when you move the treat.

2. Have the dog sit. Hold the treat in front of his nose and move it five inches toward the ground. Click! and treat. Repeat several times until he shows no sign of trying to stand when you move the treat. If he does get up, say “Oops!” in a cheerful tone of voice, and try again. If he consistently gets up, go back to two inches, and when he can do two inches without getting up, try three inches. (When your dog has trouble with the transition from one step to the next, make the steps even smaller.)

3. Keep moving the treat closer to the floor until your dog’s nose is touching the ground. Now move the treat away from his nose along the floor, toward you, a few inches. Click and treat when he follows it with his nose. Gradually move the treat farther and farther away from his nose, clicking and treating as he follows without getting up. Eventually he will move one paw forward as he follows the lure. Click! and treat, then continue to lure him with the goodie until he is all of the way down. Click! and jackpot! Give him several treats, one after the other, while you tell him what a wonderful dog he is.

Bingo – you’ve done it! Or rather, the dog has done it. Once. Fortunately, it’s usually much easier the second time. Keep practicing until he will lie down for you easily when you lure him, and then start adding the verbal cue, “Down,” as he does it. Remember, you’re not asking him to “Down” yet, you’re telling him that the behavior he is doing is called “Down.”

As soon as your dog has had an opportunity to hear the word with the behavior a half-dozen times or more, you can use the word first, then lure to help him lie down.

Fading the Lure

Now comes the real challenge – getting your dog to lie down on the verbal cue without the lure. You must “fade” the lure – that is, reduce his (and your) dependence on the treat to get the “Down.”

Have your dog sit facing you, and hold the treat behind your back. Say “Down” in a cheerful tone of voice. He probably will sit and look at you, since he doesn’t know what the word means yet. Give him several seconds to think about it, then put the treat in front of his nose and lure him down. Click! and treat. Then do it again.

Watch him closely when you say “Down.” If he looks at the ground or makes a tentative motion as if to lie down, it’s almost as if he’s asking you if that’s what he’s supposed to do. Tell him “Good boy!” and quickly lure him the rest of the way down for a Click! and treat. If you encourage his tentative movements, you will speed up his response to the verbal cue.

Another way to fade the lure is to use smaller and smaller motions toward the ground with the treat until you’re not moving it at all. Or, motion toward the ground with your empty hand; Click! when he goes down and feed him the treat.

How quickly you accomplish the verbal down depends on the dog and you. I have seen dogs go down on a verbal cue in as few as three repetitions, and I have had students who still need the lure at the conclusion of a six-week class. Timing and persistence are key. If you frequently forget to pause after the verbal cue before you lure, your dog will focus on the lure, and won’t learn the cue.

Formula for Learning

Remember that the more complex a behavior is, the more likely it is that you will have to shape it. The better you are at breaking the behavior into small steps, the easier it is for your dog to understand what you want. Once he figures out that he makes the Click! happen, you can use the same training formula to teach any behavior. Figure out how to get the behavior, Click! it, and put it on cue. Simple. Not always easy – but simple.

The most valuable aspect of this training method is that it teaches a dog how to learn. This is a skill that the two of you can rely on for the rest of his training career – whether for formal competition, or to perform new tricks to impress your friends. His ability and interest in learning behaviors that please you will also help make him a more enjoyable housemate and companion.

Pat Miller is a freelance author and a professional dog trainer in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Thanks to trainer Sandy Thompson, of Sirius Puppy Training in Berkeley, California, for her help demonstrating these techniques in these photographs.

An Interview with Donna Duford on Kids and Dogs

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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Like peanut butter and jelly…like macaroni and cheese…like Lassie and Timmy, dogs and kids just naturally seem to go together. Still, for every heartwarming story we hear where a loyal Shep pushes his toddler out of the path of a speeding car, it seems we read about an equally bone-chilling tragedy where Cujo mauls a child.

Dog bites are responsible for a minuscule number of fatalities per year an average of 19 per year over the last 20 years, not all of them children compared to thousands of children’s deaths from auto accidents, house fires, and domestic abuse. According to the Centers For Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, however, non-fatal dog bites are the number one health problem for children in this country, outpacing measles, mumps, and whooping cough combined.

It is an unusual child who does not, at some point in his childhood, want a puppy more than anything else in the whole wide world, and it is an unusual parent who does not, at some point, succumb to those wishes. It’s also unusual for a child to reach the 12th grade without having been bitten by a dog on at least one occasion. Since, thank goodness, kids will have and love dogs, it is critically important for parents and the dogs juvenile caretakers as well to do all the right things to make sure they end up with a Shep rather than a Cujo.

Donna Duford is an internationally-known positive dog trainer and behavior consultant. Her dog training business, Companion Dog Training, is based in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, where she frequently sees clients with kids and dogs. Duford has a special interest in child/dog relationships, and has presented information on the subject to other dog trainers at the annual conference of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), a professional organization that promotes dog-friendly training and ongoing trainer education.

Duford says there are so many wonderful things that happen in positive dog/kid relationships, that it’s hard to know where to begin! Children who have good relationships with dogs often learn about responsibility and develop great empathy for a species different from their own, she says. I have seen many children gain self-esteem from caring for and/or training their dogs.

On the other hand, Duford recognizes that there are myriad ways that the child/dog relationship can turn sour. She has seen dogs with every conceivable negative reaction to children, and has been consulted by countless families to solve problems between dogs and kids in a household. WDJ caught up with Duford at November 2000 APDT meeting in Houston, where we discussed ways to train dogs and kids to build the strongest and safest relationship possible.

WDJ: What are some of the problems you see occuring between kids and dogs?

Duford: The negative aspects of the dog/child paradigm that I see most frequently are children teasing dogs, and dogs chasing, mouthing, and sometimes mounting children. The good news is that these problems are quite treatable if the family is motivated to work on them.

The worst thing I see in child/dog relationships is antagonism, deliberate or not, that results in aggression. When the family dog bites a child it is a traumatic event. It is scary, there may be injuries, and it causes great emotional upheaval for the family, not to mention financial liability.

WDJ: Clearly, the largest part of the responsibility to create good dog/kid relationships falls on human shoulders. What are the most important things that you teach parents to do to dog-proof their kids?

Duford: Dog-proofing falls into three categories: dogs in general, the family dog, and strange dogs.

To be dog-proofed, kids need to have respect for dogs, and they need to understand strict rules about dog safety. Parents should teach their children empathy and respectful behavior to all dogs.

Parents also need to teach dog safety much the way they teach fire safety with a clear, strong message. Children need to know that they must not bother dogs when they’re eating, chewing on a bone, or playing with other dogs. They must never approach or run from an unknown dog. They should be taught to ask owners of unknown dogs if they may pet the dog, and they need to be taught the correct way to pet.

Also, all children need to know that all dogs can bite. Dog bites are serious and the topic should not be sugarcoated.

With respect to the family dog, very young children under five years of age should not be encouraged to hug or kiss the dog. Even if the family dog tolerates or likes it, children of this age are impulsive and not old enough to understand one set of rules for one dog and different rules for others. If a young child routinely hugs and kisses her dog, she will be more likely to try it with strange dogs, which could have devastating results. Older children can be taught, if it is appropriate, that there are different rules for the family dog and other dogs.

WDJ: Let’s turn it around. What can dog owners do to kid-proof their dogs?

Duford: Socialization to children is paramount. Building a positive association with children by exposing the dog to friendly, polite children is a great start. Playing the dog’s favorite game or giving her special food treats when children are around is even better.

Another child-proofing measure I teach all my clients is to help the dog to have positive associations with all kinds of handling. We do this by pairing various types of touching with something the dog loves, like a special food-treat or toy. This should be done systematically, starting with very gentle handling and working up to rough, toddler-like handling such as tail-pulling, hair grabbing, and poking. The handling should not actually hurt the dog, and is best done under the supervision of a qualified dog trainer.

WDJ: Are some breeds of dogs better choices for kids dogs?

Duford: This is a tough one I hesitate to classify dogs by breed. There certainly are tendencies, within breeds, but each dog is an individual and I would hate to deprive a dog or a kid of a great companion based on a generalization. Instead, I would look at temperament qualities.

Good qualities for family dogs are high sociability and responsiveness, and low to moderate energy and excitability. This is somewhat dependent on the age and number of children and the family lifestyle, of course, but you stack the deck in your favor by choosing a dog who likes people, one who actively seeks them out. A social dog chooses to be with people when given the chance. This is different from a dog who likes people but doesn’t actively engage with them.

Dogs who are responsive take direction easily and are easy to train. Energy level and excitability are especially important considerations for families with small children. Dogs who are easily aroused and have a high energy level are likely to get overstimulated by children running, playing, and squealing.

If there is one breed category I would steer clear of with young children it would be toy dogs. Bigger dogs are sturdier and will fare better when accidentally stepped on or tripped over.

Also, with young families, I usually suggest adopting an adult dog. Most families with young children do not need the extra work required to raise a puppy or adolescent dog. It is also often easier to evaluate the temperament of an adult dog and its suitability to living with children.

WDJ: What are some of the worst things a parent can do in a dog/kid relationship?

Duford: Lack of supervision is a big problem. Dogs and kids should not be left unsupervised. Even the best-behaved children and dogs slip up. Accidents happen. Forcing dogs to interact with kids is also a big no-no. If the dog doesn’t want to be with kids, she is sending a clear message.

Pushing kids to take too much responsibility for the dog is also something I discourage. Unless we are talking about a teenager, dogs should always be the total responsibility of the adults in the household. Children do not have the maturity or self-discipline to care for another being, and parents need to understand that the kids should, at best, play a supporting role in dog care and training.

WDJ: Once a dog has bitten a child, can he ever be trusted with children again?

Duford: This is a loaded question. It depends on the severity of the bite and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Some dogs are fine with the family children but not with strange children. Some dogs are wonderful with children of a certain age and not with others.

Occasionally, the dog will be fine in all situations except the one in which the bite occurred. For instance, a dog may be wonderful with the kids except when they approach the dog’s food dish. Regardless, if the dog has bitten, or even growled at a child, everyone should sit up and take notice. This is not a fluke. The dog is communicating something and there is every reason to expect that if she finds herself in the same situation she will bite again.

Also With This Article
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Holistic Treatments for Canine Skin Rashes

By
CJ Puotinen
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Nancy Strouss lives and works with dogs. As the owner of People Training for Dogs in Valley Cottage, New York, she teaches group and private classes from puppy kindergarten to advanced obedience. Her own Golden Retrievers compete in the show ring, obedience, and agility, and when time permits they visit nursing homes as therapy dogs.

Juniper (Shady Lane Juniper, CDX, NA, TT, CGC) is a spayed 7½-year-old Golden Retriever who has been on a well-balanced raw diet for the past four years, prior to which she ate high-quality kibble and a variety of raw foods. Strouss, the dog’s co-breeder, raised Juniper without heartworm medication or unnecessary vaccinations. “She has been a very healthy dog with minimal need for veterinary care,” says Strouss. “Juniper has had an occasional hot spot, but otherwise, her health has been excellent. Her only regular veterinary appointment is a monthly maintenance adjustment from a veterinary chiropractor.”

Spilled food starts problems
As part of her training business, Strouss sells training equipment, natural pet foods, and supplements. Recently a local pet food store that was going out of business asked Strouss to carry its customers’ favorite reduced-calorie kibble. The food’s first ingredients are ground yellow corn, poultry by-products, wheat flour, poultry by-product meal, oat flour, and beet pulp.

“Some of its ingredients, like poultry by-products and beet pulp, are controversial,” says Strouss, “and I have serious questions about foods that contain large quantities of grain. At the same time, this food does not contain chemical preservatives, flavoring agents, or dyes. As a convenience to the store’s customers, I agreed to carry it.”

One day a 40-pound bag of the food broke open while Strouss was moving it. She put the spilled kibble into a container with a tight-fitting lid, but a few days later someone moved the container, the lid came off, and Strouss’s assistant discovered Juniper helping herself to the kibble. Strouss and her assistant weren’t concerned because Juniper hadn’t eaten much, and she seemed fine.

That night after teaching her classes, Strouss took her dogs outside to play ball, after which the dogs, as usual, drank plenty of water. She waited an hour before feeding them dinner.

“My dogs are all good eaters and never miss a meal,” she says, “so I was startled when Juniper refused to touch her food. I remembered the stolen kibble and immediately thought of bloat. Sure enough, her stomach and sides were distended. Of course, it was after hours and no vets in the area are open for emergencies, but fortunately I have a friend, Beverly Cappel, who is a holistic veterinarian. I decided to call her before making the 40-minute trip to the emergency hospital in New Jersey.”

Juniper was in the early stages of bloat and not yet showing the dangerous symptoms of panting, drooling, trying to vomit, or having difficulty lying down. Dr. Cappel suggested that Strouss give Juniper charcoal capsules, walk her for at least 15 minutes, and try to get her to burp.

“I did this right away,” says Strouss. “After a 15-minute walk, Juniper burped a few times and then defecated. I brought her back inside and kept a close eye on her. Her stomach was definitely less distended, and she lay down on a cool part of the floor and fell asleep. Half an hour later, she jumped up onto my bed and fell asleep again.”

The next day, Juniper seemed completely well, but Strouss decided to feed her a very small morning meal, just in case. “Late that afternoon I again noticed the early symptoms of bloating,” she says. “This time it happened during office hours, so I decided to take her across the street to my conventional veterinarian. Her stomach and sides were once again distended, but only slightly. We decided to repeat the charcoal and walk-till-you-burp routine, and again her symptoms disappeared.”

New signs of trouble
Juniper was her happy, healthy self for the next few days. Then Strouss noticed her licking an area on her inner thigh. At first it was a small, inflamed lesion, like a hot spot, but as the day went on, the inflamed area spread until it took over her entire belly, both inner thighs, and the sides of her ribcage. “It was like a wildfire burning out of control,” Strouss explains, “like a severe burn with a poison ivy rash on top of it. Ouch! The skin was red hot and moist. Juniper was obsessed with licking the area and had difficulty standing, walking, and sleeping due to pain and discomfort.”

Strouss contacted a veterinarian whose line of natural skin-care supplements she carries, describing Juniper’s symptoms. “Go see your local vet,” he told her. “This could be a superficial spreading pyoderma that will require antibiotics for about three weeks and may require short-term prednisone to put out the fire.”

However, after hearing this, Nancy Strouss didn’t follow his advice. Instead, she took matters into her own hands. Why?

“Juniper is a seven-year-old Golden Retriever,” says Strouss. “That’s an age/breed combination that tops the charts these days for developing cancer. Juniper has been raised and cared for holistically all her life. My goals for her have always been good health, good quality of living, and greater longevity. A conventional approach to the problem would have provided relief from her extreme discomfort, but at what price? In the long run, the excessive use of steroidal drugs and antibiotics destroys the body’s immune response and, I believe, leads to the development of cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”

Turning down the heat
Strouss cut all the hair away from the inflamed area and continued to trim it as the inflammation grew in size. “Every hour or so until bedtime, I took Juniper outside and sprayed her gently with cold water from the hose,” she says. “Sometimes she would stand in the wading pool, telling me it was time to hose her down. This brought her enormous relief. Had it been winter, I would have done this in the bathtub.” After each soaking, Strouss gently dried the area with soft towels and a hair dryer set on “cool.”

When Juniper’s skin was dry again, Strouss sprinkled the area with Gold Bond powder, a drug store talc powder that contains menthol, zinc oxide, acacia, eucalyptol, methyl salicylate, thymol, zinc stearate, and salicylic acid. “It’s recommended for skin irritations like burns, poison ivy, and prickly heat rashes,” says Strouss. “She lay on her back as I applied it, and I was careful to keep it away from her nose and mine, so we wouldn’t inhale its dust. Then I covered the area with a towel and held it in place for several minutes.

“These steps minimized her pain and allowed her to rest for about an hour, when we began again. Thinking about what was going on inside her, I gave her Traumeel, a homeopathic remedy for the symptoms of pain and inflammation, and Rescue Remedy, the Bach flower remedy recommended for stress, which I gave her orally whenever I noticed her panting or acting anxious. I diluted the Rescue Remedy with distilled water and sprayed it directly on the inflamed skin and in the air around her.”

Strouss also supplemented Juniper’s diet with digestive enzyme tablets (one or two every hour or so), extra vitamin C, two echinacea/goldenseal capsules three times a day to boost her immune system, and her usual raw diet. Juniper eats raw meat, raw meaty bones, and raw vegetables pressed with salt to produce lactic acid to feed her beneficial bacteria. Also, for several days Strouss added raw garlic to Juniper’s dinner for its immune system support.

Positive outcome
Juniper’s ordeal lasted one week, from the first symptoms of bloat and inflammation to their complete resolution. The rash disappeared, her skin stopped itching, and her playful disposition returned.

“Caring for a sick dog holistically can take longer and make more demands on the dog and owner than the use of symptom-suppressing drugs,” says Strouss. “I knew that in the long run, preserving Juniper’s own healing abilities was the right thing to do, but there were moments when I found myself fantasizing about prednisone.

“The temptation to treat these symptoms conventionally is overwhelming, both from the perspective of the dog’s discomfort and the amount of time and effort needed from the owner,” admits Strouss. “For many, like those who work away from home, hourly treatments are out of the question. If I didn’t have a flexible schedule, I would have used conventional therapies. But I was able to spend time with Juniper, so when I weighed the long-term benefits of natural care against the quick fix offered by conventional drugs, I decided in favor of Mother Nature, and I’m glad I did.

“Juniper is completely well, and she isn’t having to deal with the residues or side effects of cortisone, antibiotics, and other prescription drugs. I hope that, as a result, she will have a longer, healthier life.”

-By CJ Puotinen

CJ Puotinen is the author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care and Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats. She is a frequent contributor to WDJ.

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It’s All In How You Make It

By
CJ Puotinen
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0
The author’s Labrador, Samantha, dives right into a bowl of lacto-fermented cucumbers fresh out of a ceramic German pickle crock. Most dogs (and their families) relish the taste of vegetables prepared by this method.

There would we be without our microwave ovens, convenience foods, and modern, high-tech food production methods? A lot better off, say some researchers.

One of them is Sally Fallon, founder of the Weston A. Price Nutrition Foundation and author of the ground-breaking cookbook Nourishing Traditions (New Trends Publishing, 1999). According to Fallon, just about everything that has been done to America’s food supply in the last century has been detrimental to the food itself and to those who consume it. The way we grow, harvest, store, and process our grains, fruits, vegetables, oils, meat, poultry, and dairy products is entirely different from methods used by humans around the world for thousands of years.

The result, says Fallon, is an epidemic of modern diseases, including cancer, heart disease, allergies, and auto-immune disorders. It is only by adopting our ancestors’ farming and food preparation methods, she says, that we can fully meet our nutritional requirements and enjoy perfect health.

Today, food scientists are educating people in the art of preparing foods in ways that preserve and enhance the nutrients naturally contained in them. People who are committed to providing the healthiest foods for their families won’t find it too difficult to extend these methods to the preparation of the family dog’s meals.

Traditional preparation methods increase the digestibility of many foods we share with dogs. These simple steps so dramatically improve the nutritional content of everyday foods that they reduce or eliminate the need for nutritional supplements.

In fact, the food-source nutrients that these techniques release are so easily assimilated that their effects are superior to those of any synthetic or laboratory-produced supplement. Improving the nutritional content of the food we give our dogs can significantly improve their overall health, endurance, skin and coat condition, joint flexibility, strength, digestion, wound healing, reproduction, and immune function.

Time and organization are the main ingredients in these techniques, but quality is a factor, too. Holistic veterinarians agree that today’s dogs are adversely affected by industrial and agricultural chemicals and pollutants. Whenever possible, it makes sense to use organically grown, minimally processed, fresh, whole foods.

Any home-prepared diet can be improved without altering its basic ingredients or menus by using the following methods.

Lactic acid fermentation

Vegetables are important to canine health, and although advocates of home-prepared diets debate the quantity of vegetable matter dogs should consume, all agree that vegetables contain essential nutrients that are not provided by other foods.

Unlike animals that evolved on a vegetarian diet, dogs lack the ability to break down cellulose, a carbohydrate consisting of linked glucose units in plant cell walls. One way to help dogs digest vegetables is to puree them. Blenders and food processors make this task easy, and pureed root vegetables like carrots and parsnips, leafy herbs such as parsley, and grasses like wheat grass or barley grass can be added to every meal with good results.

There is another way to improve the digestibility of vegetables, and a growing body of research indicates that this method both prevents and helps cure cancer and other serious illnesses. Lactic acid fermentation is one of the simplest and oldest methods of food preservation.

There are two kinds of lactic acid. One is found in the blood, muscle tissue, and stomach; the other is produced by bacteria. During active exercise, pyruvic acid, a compound derived from carbohydrates, breaks down into lactic acid, which can accumulate in the muscles and cause cramps. Lactic acid consumed in foods such as yogurt and naturally fermented vegetables does not have this effect. It actually helps remove the harmful lactic acid from muscles.

Lactic acid that is generated through fermentation produces vitamin C, vitamin B12, enzymes that support metabolic activity, choline (which balances and nourishes the blood), and acetylcholine, which tones the nerves, calms the mind, and improves sleep patterns. Lactic acid is also a chemical repressor that fights cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

As William L. Fischer explains in his book How to Fight Cancer and Win (Alive Books), unpasteurized sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables are living foods that improve bowel health and digestion, maintain beneficial intestinal flora, help eliminate harmful bacteria, improve the assimilation of nutrients, and enhance healing.

To make lacto-fermented vegetables, you don’t need special equipment, although a plastic Japanese salad press or ceramic German pickle crock simplifies the effort. You can do it in a glass or ceramic bowl using a weighted plate as a press. The basic ingredients are vegetables, a pinch of salt, a few optional herbs, and time.

Cucumbers, the fastest to prepare, are ready in about two hours. Carrots and other root vegetables take a couple of days if they are sliced rather than shredded and a week or more if prepared in a large ceramic crock. You may try this technique on your pet’’s behalf, but once you taste the results, lacto-fermented vegetables may become part of your own daily diet. The vegetables can be added to salads, served as side dishes, or used in recipes that call for raw vegetables.

As with any new food, introduce fermented vegetables gently and in small quantities. Many dogs love them at first bite, but if your dog needs coaxing, mix a tiny amount with her regular food and whatever oil you normally add, such as flax seed, coconut, or cod liver oil.

Some pet nutritionists recommend that vegetables make up as much as 20 to 25 percent of a dog’’s diet, while those who follow the prey model, in which vegetables represent the partly digested contents of a prey animal’’s digestive tract, use much smaller amounts. Whatever vegetables you now feed can be replaced with a slightly smaller amount, such as 10 to 15 percent less by volume, of lacto-fermented fare. Fermentation and pressing condense the vegetables and concentrate their nutrients. The resulting liquid, which looks like water but is really the vegetable’s’ juice, is a rich source of lactic acid and other nutrients. It can be added in small amounts, such as 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, to your pet’s food and drinking water.

Vegetables are “”done”” when they taste tangy and feel slightly soft. They keep in the refrigerator for several weeks, especially if stored in plastic bags from which you press the air before sealing, or store them in glass jars with their juice.

For best results, use an unrefined sea salt such as Eden, Lima, or Celtic Sea Salt, all of which are sold in health food stores. These salts, which are manufactured in France by traditional methods, are gray in color, feel moist to the touch, and contain all of the minerals and trace elements found in unpolluted sea water.

Wash vegetables thoroughly, but do not peel organically grown produce except for thick-skinned cucumbers; if the vegetables are commercially grown, reduce pesticide residues by washing well, removing outer leaves, or peeling. Then slice with a knife, shred with a grater, puree, or slice/shred with a food processor, discarding any tough stems or damaged portions. Use only glass, ceramic, stainless steel, or plastic pressing materials, not aluminum, tin, or copper. Keep all utensils meticulously clean.

Want a preview? Too busy to make your own? Some health food stores carry lacto-fermented vegetables, including unpasteurized sauerkraut.

Making grains digestible

Although dogs are not designed to eat cooked food, they cannot digest raw grain, either. Pet nutritionists agree that the only grain that dogs can fully utilize has been predigested, such as by a prey animal’s digestive organs. Cooked grains are more digestible than raw grains, but cooking does not digest grains. Microwave cooking, cooking in a pressure cooker, and the high heat and pressure used in extrusion processing (the method used to produce most commercial kibble) alter the protein molecules and fragile oils in grains.

In traditional cultures, grain was never used in its dormant state. Raw grain contains enzyme inhibitors that prevent sprouting until the grain absorbs enough moisture and warmth to support life. Lacking these conditions, grain remains inert.

In the industrial West, grain is taken from field to storage in a single day. This is very different from traditional methods, in which harvested grain was left in the field for days or weeks, during which rain and sunlight provided the conditions needed for germination. Partly germinated grain was stored whole, ground just before use, and soaked overnight before cooking. Gruels and porridges made from the grain were cooked slowly over gentle heat, and breads made from it were allowed to ferment for days before baking. All of these steps release vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients while removing chemicals that interfere with digestion.

Soaking removes phytic acid, an organic acid in untreated grain which combines with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc in the intestinal tract, blocking their absorption. According to Sally Fallon, this is why a diet high in whole grains can lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. You can prevent this adverse effect with overnight soaking in warm water, which, in addition to destroying phytates, neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors present in all grains, increases the production of beneficial enzymes, helps break down gluten (a difficult-to-digest protein found in most grains), and makes grains less likely to cause allergic reactions.

Unlocking nutrients

The process of germination or sprouting changes grains into living foods that are rich in vitamins, trace minerals, the carbohydrate-digesting enzyme amylase, amino acids, and other nutrients. Before-and-after measurements show as much as 25 times more vitamin K and 12 times more carotene in grain after it has sprouted. B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid typically increase up to 200 percent, vitamin B12 by over 500 percent, pyridoxine by 600 percent, and riboflavin by nearly 150 percent.

Use organically raised wheat, rye, spelt, kamut, barley, oats, millet, buckwheat, or other grains from a health food store, macrobiotic supply company, or sprout catalog. Rice is the only popular grain for which this process is not recommended.

Soak ½ to 1 cup grain in a wide-mouth quart jar of water to which you have added 10 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract, an all-purpose disinfectant. Soak the grain 10 to 12 hours or overnight. For increased mineral content, add a pinch of powdered or liquid kelp to the soak water. H

ealth food stores sell plastic sprouting lids for wide-mouth quart jars, or you can fashion a sprouting lid with cheesecloth and a rubber band. Sprouting lid in place, drain the jar well, then lay it on its side in a warm place away from direct sunlight. Ideal sprouting temperatures are between 70° and 80° Fahrenheit.

After 24 to 36 hours, you will see small white roots emerge from the grain. If you don’t see this growth on almost every seed by the second day, your grain is not viable and should be discarded. Assuming that it’s sprouting, let it grow another day, then puree the grain in a blender or food processor.

Add a tablespoon of raw honey (a source of carbohydrate-digesting amylase) and/or ¼ teaspoon of an enzyme powder containing amylase and let the mash stand at room temperature for an hour or two before refrigerating. This gives the amylase a chance to work, further breaking down and predigesting the grain.

To introduce predigested grain to your dog, start with 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight every other day and gradually increase the amount as desired.

Cooking grains

Many popular diets for dogs include large or small amounts of cooked grain. The nutritional content of any cooked grain can be improved by first soaking it in warm, filtered water and whey. For best results, soak 1 cup grain such as whole wheat, rolled or cracked oats, or a coarsely ground blend of wheat, millet, short-grain rice, barley, and oats, in 1 cup water plus 2 tablespoons liquid whey for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. Some grains, like rye, may need additional water and soaking time for complete hydration. The ancient grains teff and amaranth are best soaked for 24 hours.

To make a traditional porridge, add the soaked grain to 1 cup boiling water or stock, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Soaking significantly reduces the cooking time of whole grains.

To make a simple whole-grain casserole, Sally Fallon recommends combining 2 cups sprouting grain with 3 cups beef or chicken stock. Bring to a boil and skim. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon each dried thyme, rosemary, and crushed green peppercorns. Boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced to the level of the grain. Transfer to a 250°F oven and bake for approximately 4 hours, or until the grain is tender.

Add digestive enzyme powder according to label directions when feeding cooked grain to help compensate for the enzymes destroyed by cooking.

Whole rice and millet contain lower amounts of phytates than other grains, and they are gluten-free, which makes them easier to digest even without presoaking. However, these grains should be cooked very slowly over low heat in a high-mineral, gelatinous broth to facilitate digestion.

Corn is widely used in commercial pet foods because it is inexpensive. It is also notoriously difficult for dogs to digest. In traditional cultures that utilized corn or maize, it was always soaked in lime water. Soaking in lime water releases the vitamin B3 in corn, which otherwise remains bound up, and it improves the amino acid quality of proteins in the corn’s germ. Soaking also destroys corn’s enzyme inhibitors.

To make lime water, place 1 inch of dolomite powder (sold as a supplement in health food stores) in a half-gallon (2-quart) glass jar. Fill the jar with filtered water, cover tightly, shake well, and let stand overnight. The resulting clear liquid will be lime water, which does not require refrigeration. To use, carefully pour off what you need without disturbing the settled powder. To replenish the jar, top it with filtered water, cover, and shake well. Also With This Article Click here to view “Feed Your Dog Vegetables” Click here to view “Home Prepared Dog Food Recipes”

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Nancy Kerns
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By
Nancy Kerns
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