Posts from the ‘health and diet’ Category

May 16

Stuff Your Dogs Should Wear If…

I like to put stuff on dogs. I try to find real reasons to put stuff on them, but sometimes, I just like to wrap them in a towel and put their paws in my husband’s Doc Martins. So sue me. My favorite stuff-on-a-dog site is Gator the Deaf Circus Pittie’s Facebook page. Please enjoy it here.

All silliness aside, there are some really helpful things to put on your dogs.

So, in no particular order, here’s a list of Stuff Your Dog Should Wear If…

They have a lot of energy: Backpack

If your dog is high energy and healthy enough to carry some weight, consider a backpack. Wearing a properly fitted backpack, loaded with a couple of soup cans (and by soup, I might mean beer), will help your uber energetic dog work twice as hard on the same stretch of terrain. That means you don’t have to work any harder, but your dog does. Nifty, eh? If you have one of those never, ever tired pups, the added weight will help them burn more steam and tire them out faster during your regular walks. Make sure to start off slow – introduce the backpack first, then add the weight gradually and top out at 25-30% of their body weight. Backpacks are also helpful: if your dog is calmer when they’re wearing their “working” gear, for turning your dog into a sherpa on hikes, and for carrying around litters of hitchhiking kittens.

They need a confidence boost: Thundershirt

If your dog is afraid of thunderstorms then a Thundershirt makes a lot of sense, no? But these slim-cut tops are also good for helping dogs feel more secure, which makes them helpful for some reactive, anxious, and fearful dogs. So don’t keep the shirt on hold for storms and fireworks, go on and bust it out for daily dog walks too. Thundershirts are also helpful: if your dog needs some help during vet visits, for dogs that need barf bags during car trips, and for creating a svelte silhouette for dogs who are self-conscious about their pooch.

They need skin protection: T-shirt

If your dog sunburns easily, try covering them with a t-shirt (in addition to dog sunscreen) to give them some extra skin protection. Or if your dog has environmental allergies, consider putting them in a t-shirt for their trips outside. When you go back inside, take off their t-shirt and you’re taking off the pollen or whatever else they’re allergic to with the shirt (wipe them down with a damp cloth too). If your dog is really itchy or has a skin infection, try putting them in a t-shirt to protect their skin from their teeth or nails. Healing skin needs air too, so be sure to take it off and let them be nudists on the regular. T-shirts are also helpful for: telling people to back off, covering up big nips on mama dogs, and hiding a bad hair day.

They are your co-pilot: Doggles

If your dog likes to hang their head out of your car window, Doggles will protect their eyes from flying debris. That pretty much sums it up. Doggles are also helpful for: dogs that ride in side cars, dogs that are blind and walk into things (it protect their eyeballs), and for any dog that likes attracting a lot of attention at stop lights.

They are scratching themselves raw: Baby Socks

If your dog has bad allergies and they’re scratching themselves to pieces, try covering their paws with baby socks. Allergies can take a really long time to sort out (both the cause and the solution) and dogs who are itchy will sometimes scratch their skin into ribbons, causing secondary skin infections. Try covering their paws with baby socks (size 0-3 months with sticky tread on the bottom usually works), then secure the socks to their ankles with no-stick vet tape. They’ll still scratch, but their covered nails won’t cause so much damage. Baby Socks are also helpful for: dogs that chew their paws, broken toe nails that are healing, and for dogs that can’t stop reenacting that scene from Risky Business.

They just had surgery: Pro Collars

If you have a dog that is recovering from surgery, the vet may send you home with the plastic e-cone of shame, but most dogs can’t stand them. It messes with their peripheral vision, scrapes against things, and freaks them out in general. Plus, it’s cheap plastic that probably smells and feels yucky. If your dog will need to wear a cone for a bit, like after ACL surgery, buy a Pro Collar. It looks like a hemorrhoid cushion or a neck rest for travelling (are those the same things?) but it works. The best part is that your dogs can still see in every direction, they can pick up toys and food, and it’s comfy for them to rest their heads on while they sleep. For dogs that are afraid of a regular cone, this is much less scary. Pro Collars are also helpful for: dogs that have rashes they shouldn’t be licking, little dogs that squeeze through fences, and dogs with hemorrhoids who need a soft cushion to sit on.

They need to get adopted: Tutu

If you have a foster dog or a shelter dog that isn’t getting a lot of interest from adopters, put a tutu on them and take them out on the town. Ridiculous though it may be, that dog is about to get more attention in one walk than it has in a month of “adopt me” vest outings. Be sure to bring business cards with your dog’s photo and info to hand out to anyone who stops to swoon over your pup. Yes, this is for boy dogs too (who cares about gender? this is about getting attention!). Tutus are also helpful for: dogs in parades, dogs doing humane education work with kids, and dogs that dream of starring in the Black Swan remake.

And that’s not all! There are muzzles, wigs, boots, sweaters, and plenty of other stuff dogs can wear. I already feel a Stuff Dogs Should Wear If (Part 2) coming on…

What stuff does your dog wear? I want to see photos of them wearing their favorite stuff, so post photos over on the DINOS Facebook page for me to squeal at. Please?!

Mar 7

3 Comments

High Value Treats for DINOS

Finding a treat that your DINOS™ is willing to work for, especially around distractions, can be tough. The ”sure thing” treat that one dog finds rewarding, might get the cold shoulder from the next dog.

Back when I helped out at reactive dog training classes, we’d do taste tests to see which treats the dogs were willing to pass up vs. gobble down. We found that freeze-dried raw treats were consistently a bigger hit than soft training treats and often more popular than fresh chicken or cheese.

I like to use Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw patties (broken into little pieces) when I know I need to bust out the big guns to help Boogie get through a potentially stressful moment. I never give him those treats at any other time, so they retain their novelty. That works for Boogie, but I know that every dog is different, so I called on Team DINOS for a list of their favorite high value treats.

If you’re still searching for that magic treat that your dog will love or you want to try something new, here are some great ideas from the team:

Brandi C. Squeeze cheese!

Krissii F. Tennis balls!

Stephanie F. Lickety Sticks!

Barbara L. Chicken breast – she prefers the prepackaged kind – or string cheese.

Laurelin S. Cheese (string or cream), buffalo liver or sweet potato!

Jo J. Bread and butter; dismembered natural gummy bears; bonito flakes.

Paula K. My dogs’ favorites have turned out to be thinly sliced hotdogs microwaved until they are curly and crispy! And for dogs not motivated by food: I had a dog in one of my classes who was not food motivated, so I asked the dog’s owner what was the dog gaga for at home and he answered “the feather duster”. I said, bring it in, and the dog worked for the chance to maul that duster ( it was pink, and the owner was a former Marine)!

True Dog Tricky Trainers Salmon Flavor Cloud Star Treats, Buddy Biscuits Lamb flavor Treats, Bil-Jac Liver flavor, wet dog or cat food in a small dish, couple licks as a reward.

Marie N. Freeze dried chicken. It’s like crack to her.

Alexis B. Red Barn! And the number-one-trumps-everything-on-this-earth thing is carnivore diet from the zoo – my husband works at the zoo and sometimes brings this home, it is mostly raw horse meat which is apparently more delicious than anything else on earth.

Pia R. Freeze Dried Chicken!

Karen C. Any food. Especially roast chicken, string cheese, bacon.

Julia K. Lane Liver Brownies from the Liver Lady in Woodstock, IL!

Judy M. Diced Natural Balance food logs!

Star F. Natural Balance food rolls are always a big hit.

Deb M. Try a fox tail tied to a 2- 2 1/2 ft length of clothesline. Stick it in your back pocket and haul out for a quick rewarding game of tug. Training your dog to be both food and toy motivated is the best!

Noelle B. For Brewster, if anything is going to get his attention, hot dogs will. But not even that works with a really intense distraction. Other things that work most, but not all the time, are chicken, cheese, and Zuke’s Mini Naturals.

Stacy S. ‎Riddick’s Treats (bison liver treats are like crack to them)

Marge R. I hate to say it (and I blame my friend Eileen) – sausage, egg and cheese biscuit. What can I say? He gets to choose what is most reinforcing.

Bev R. Anything that squeaks for my girl. Anything they can tug on for both, especially anything that resembles a flirt pole type thing, tug toys, Orbee ball, but food…nothing..they just are not food motivated.

Sheri-Lyn P. Chicken every time!

Sadie B. Some dogs are reluctant to eat when there are distractions or they are stressed. In these situations I would work with very high value food (cheese, etc), toys or even environmental rewards (although that is more difficult to employ practically). My girl finds it aversive to have to stop and eat a treat when belting round an agility course, so a retrieve or game of tug is our reward of choice then the fun doesn’t have to stop!

Laurie W. Canine Carry Outs! Easy to find and inexpensive.

Kristel S. Frozen meatballs, pieces of roasted chicken or salmon-flavored Zukes are Murphy’s favorites:-)

Johnny H. The Disc (frisbee) is my dogs highest value distraction. I don’t have them lying around the house, so he never gets them to play with. At 5pm every day, he knows it’s time for him to go to work. I don’t even need the disc now to use it as a distraction trigger. There is nothing that can redirect his brain over the disc - not a dog or dog altercation, motorbike, squeek toy - nothing brings him out of disc mode until I say “mine now” and put it away.

Elisabet N. Freeze dried beef liver, and cat food.

Juli T. Walking – Casey is so uninterested in food that when we are anywhere more interesting than our living room, not even nice smelly pepperoni or peanut butter will get her attention. Moving – preferably at a fast pace – is her reward.

Kristen B. Toby is all about cut up Natural Balance rolls. He chooses them over one of his typical favorite treats of peanut butter.

Rebecca C. Squeaky tennis ball for one dog. Target\Archer Farms chicken, spinach sausage does wonders for my other dog.

Angelina W. Vienna sausages!

Dawn F. Cut up hot dogs and string cheese!

Jackie D. Home-dried liver, smoked cheese, barbecue chicken, liver sausage…

Jennifer N. Only in extreme situations and VERY TINY bits: Lay’s Stax potato chips! It’s the most insane reaction I’ve ever seen. Even for just a tiny speck of chip, Jacks will focus so hard on it he sees or hears nothing else. Even if he can just smell it, he’s completely focused. Mia isn’t food motivated at all, but anything that squeaks is her addiction…

Jennifer B. Shady Brook cooked turkey meatballs..doggy crack!

Jenifer R. My dog who used to be HIGHLY leash reactive would turn himself inside out for Gorgonzola if he could!

Linda E. My three porties will eat anything put in front of them! They like Natural Balance in the tubes and it’s relatively easy to use. Their favorite is the one I make from scratch and is super simple: Put the six ingredients (2 cups spelt flour, 1-2 cups Quick Oats or Regular Oatmeal, 1/2 tsp salt (optional), 1tsp baking POWDER, 1 can sardines & 1-3 Tbsp Asian Fish Sauce (optional)+ a little olive oil) into the food processor, grind/ pulse, spread 1/4 to 1/2″ on a cookie sheet, heavily oiled with olive oil & bake. Slow bake @ 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I use a pizza cutter to score the treats to size, flip them over & bake for another 30-40 minutes until crisp. Much healthier and less costly! I do the sardines first, with some olive oil to make a paste, then add the dry ingredients. I’m a huge user of go tubes filled with premium duck or rabbit canned dog food. Very easy to use, carry and doggies just lick it up! These have worked the best for me in the dog to dog aggression area!

Susan C. Any food.

Brooke P. Definitely cheese. Cookies also keep my Pom occupied with chewing, rather than reacting while we’re passing tough triggers. He’s a very slow chewer, so it works out. By the time he finishes his cookie, the trigger is long gone.

Ann W. Peanut Butter. I fill one of the little Tupperware midgies, put the lid on, and when I need to get past some other dogs on the trail, I pull the lid off and let my dog lick at it until we’re past.

Ashley C. Deli rare roast beef and/or a squeeze tube of liver paste.

Rebecca A. I’m lucky my reactive guy is both toy and food motivated. He goes absolutely nuts for any toy with a squeaker, so I have a small Wubba Kong that we can tug on past any distraction. But if I need a calmer response (so as not to trigger another dog with his energy while tugging) — it is banana chips, believe it or not!

Ann W. Livercake with garlic.

Marion B. I make my own liver and bacon brownies. Yuck!! But I can get back flips for them. Boiled liver strips work not bad either!

Laurie M. Baby food meat, dehydrated mini hamburger pieces, roasted and frozen beef roast or chicken breast.

Virginia J. I know it’s not right, but cat treats are the only thing she is wild for.

K9Capers dog day center Blueberries and celery!

Suzanne K. Diced cooked chicken breast for reactive class, Merrick lamb filet treats for our daily walks at the park.

Cheryl C. Steak – when we are going to a new event/new place I grill up steak the night before.

Jen R. Boiled and diced beef heart does it every time for mine.

Lisa V. I know sometimes we have to go to extremes to find what our DINOS will work for. In one of our reactive dog classes the only thing their dog would work for was butter! Yikes! My girl LOVES Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs and her tiny squeaky soccer ball. She will do ANYTHING for that soccer ball!

Jennie M. My pup has had a hard time concentrating in class lately, but today she worked for biscuits. People biscuits with butter that is…put on when they are hot, so it is all melted in! I baked them this morning. As long as it works, I will bake! Hot dogs and cheese work well also.

Laura P. If she’s really distracted (or scared) it has to be something she needs to lick. Liverwurst or canned food in a squeeze tube, Cheese or Kong liver squeeze cans, meat-based baby food licked right out of the jar.

Elana B. Diced chicken gizzards. I nuke the package for about 10 minutes and then dice them into training treat size. Way cheaper than anything from PetSmart or PetCo and not made in China!

Nic F. Any type of food. He licks the wall after he eats, just in case something flung up there while he was eating (he is on raw food, so can be a bit messy)!

Jenifer R. Cheese! Any kind but the stinkier the better.

Shoshannah F. Cheese!

Katie G. Dehydrated beef lung!

Helen W. Bozi Dinos will ignore every scary thing if he is busy playing tug or squeaky hedgehog games with me (on lead) just to be sure. He also loves roast chicken, steak and bacon.

Nancy B. Boiled chicken cut up into small pieces is the highest value treat. Hot dogs second.

I hope that gives all of you some new ideas to try!

If you have favorites that weren’t mentioned here, let me know in the comments section or on Facebook!

Looking for a Reactive Dog training class to try out with your new treats?

Check out the Living with DINOS Resource Guide!

Jan 20

9 Comments

Straight from the Pig’s Ear: Vegetarian Treats Dogs Love

My dogs aren’t vegetarians, but I am, so I’m always on the lookout for non-meat treats for my gang. I do feed my dogs a meat based diet, but when it comes to their treats, which aren’t so much about nutrition as they are about fun, I prefer to stay away from bully sticks (bull weenies) and pig’s ears.

Between you and me, pig’s ears just make me so sad. Those smooth triangles are just like my own dog’s ears – the same ones I like to softly rub between my thumb and pointer finger while we watch tv at night. I can never make myself buy them, so I searched out a few vegetarian options for my dogs that I could feel better about buying and they would enjoy.

Even if you’re not a vegetarian, there are two other reasons why these treats are a good option to consider: smell and choking. Bully sticks and smoked bones stink. These options are a little easier on our noses. And if you’ve ever jumped across a coffee table to sweep a folded piece of slimy rawhide out of your dog’s throat, you know there are some choking hazards to contend with when dealing with rawhide and bully sticks (which reminds me: don’t leave your dogs alone with those things). Plus, variety is the spice of life right? Why not give your dog something new?

Here are my top picks:

1. Himalayan Dog Chews: These long-lasting treats are made of yak and cow milk, salt, and lime juice. That’s right, it’s cheese! Rock hard cheese, actually, that takes forever for your dog to soften and gnaw down. The cheese is made using traditional methods in Nepal and India, which the company purchases directly from the farmers.

Thinking my dog Boogie would destroy these in minutes, I avoided buying them for years, but when I finally brought them home, I was pleasantly surprised. It took Boogie a couple of hours to get through one of the medium-sized chews. For Birdie, who is a moderate chewer, it lasted all day. They’re not cheap, but one Himalayan chew lasts 2-3 times longer than a bully stick in my house, so the cost evens out. Also, they don’t smell and my dogs don’t gulp down big pieces, so I’m not worried they’ll choke. Worth every penny.

2. Sam’s Yams: These dehydrated, 100% sweet potato chews are a great substitution for pig’s ears or rawhide chips. For heavy-duty chewers, try the Big Boyz (each chew is the equivalent of half of a sweet potato), and it might last 1-5 minutes. For more moderate chewers, they can last twice as long. If you’ve got a little guy at home, check out their Bichon Fries. If your dog has allergies, these are a great option because they’re made from a single ingredient. No corn, gluten, soy, wheat – just sweet potato. My only warning: expect orange poop later. Do not be alarmed.

3. The Everlasting Treat Ball: If you have a dog that you need to keep busy for a long time, these rubber-like, almost indestructible toys are the bomb – vegetarian or not. They come in a bunch of shapes: the double-sided ball, the fire plug, and the bento ball and they’re all hollow in the middle, so you can use them as puzzle toys by adding kibble.

How are they vegetarian? Because you plug the openings of each toy with an edible, rounded disc, bought separately, and three of the flavors: Vanilla Mint, Hickory Smoke, and the Wheat Free Chicken (with “natural vegetarian chicken flavor”) are all meat-free. This toy/treat combo can potentially last for many hours, sometimes days, and after they’re done eating, they’ve still got a tough toy to play with.

This is another one of those items I thought my dog would destroy, but has held up really well. When I worked at the pet store, the bento ball and fire plug survived the staff’s large dogs: a pit bull mix, a Weimaraner, and a bulldog mix, chewing on them daily.

With these three vegetarian options, you can feel free to skip the bins of pig’s ears, bull weenies, and cow tails. Whether you’re a vegetarian or just want to give your dog something new to grind on, there’s something for all of us. And if you have any veggie-friendly favorites, let me know about it!

Dec 12

6 Comments