Help for Dogs Afraid of Thunderstorms

June 10, 2015 by Fanna Easter

New Finding to Help Dogs Afraid of Thunderstorms

It’s that time of year again. As we broke record rainfall levels in north Texas this year, it seems thunder and lightening were the forgotten villains. Well, I’m beyond happy to share a new finding, which can reduce your dog’s anxiety during terrible thunderstorms. Drum roll please!

L-Theanine Calms Dogs During Thunderstorms

I’ve been successfully using this amino acid in the past to reduce fear and anxiety in dogs, and humans too. But now, we have scientific proof that L-Theanine works! If your dog is afraid of thunderstorms, I highly recommend taking a look at this research study.

Basically, the study proves L-Theanine reduces anxiety caused by thunderstorms. You’ll notice a decrease in fearful dog behavior such as:

Pacing
Drooling
Heavy panting
Vocalizing
Trembling
Seeking comfort from a person (e.g. waking you up, trying to get close to you and following you around)
Hiding in a bathroom (sometimes in the bathtub) or closet

Now, L-Theanine is not a cure. It’s a preventive, and with everything a combination approach is always best. By preventing your dog from reacting to thunderstorms, over a period of time your dog’s anxiety will decrease. However, it’s not immediate. It’s accumulative.

To learn more about calming a thunder-phobic dog, take a peek at this article. It goes into further detail.

L-Theanine Dosage

This is a bit tricky, as I’ve taken too much L-Theanine in the past and felt overly exuberant (hyper). 🙂 I was happy and not a bit stressed in the least, but I had a ton of energy! So dogs may react this way too if given too much.

It’s even trickier dosing smaller dogs. I recommend products especially made for dogs that contain L-Theanine plus other calming supplements.

By far, my favorite brand is Composure by Vetri-Science. These pills are chewable and available, depending on your dog’s weight. Also, Composure contains colostrum calming complex, which promotes well-being during high-stress situations.

Anxitane by Virbac pills were used in the study. However, this product is currently out of stock nationwide. No one knows why or when it’ll be restocked. (This always makes me nervous.)

It’s best to dose your dog at least 20 minutes before a storm appears. Now, if a storm sneaks up on you, still give your dog a dose. Preventing anxiety from creeping in works best.

Best Burrowing Bed for Dogs

June 9, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Best Burrowing Dog Bed Ever

Does your small dog adore burrowing under blankets and pillows? Won’t you like to find a bed made for your burrowing beauty? Well I found it and it rocks!

Menusha’s Slipper Bed

This made-in-America bed is perfect for dogs seeking to tunnel and hide in complete comfort. Basically, Menusha’s Slipper Bed has a thick cover sewn on top of an ultra thick cushioned pad and the whole thing is wrapped in microsuede and lined with faux fur.

Let’s chat about the sewn cover, as this is the crème de la crème of this dog bed. The cover’s top is covered in microsuede and the underneath is lined in faux fur. It attaches to the pillow on two sides so your dog can easily tunnel under or pop out. No instructions needed. If your dog loves to burrow, he’ll figure it out in seconds. You’ll giggle watching your dog’s feet sticking out one end or, better yet, slipping upside down with his head and feet poking out each end. 🙂

If that’s not enough, you can choose from designer colors, such as butter, hot fudge, coffee, camel, navy or red. And boy not only does this bed wash well, but it’s also a snap to put the pillow back into place. Honestly, I think the fabric gets softer after every wash. Since the makers understand the antics of most Terriers, they’ve hidden the zipper because, as we all know, Terriers know how to zip just about anything!

Prices start at $86 for smaller slipper beds. Don’t let the price scare you away. They are worth every penny. I can’t tell you how many cheap beds have been destroyed or simply fallen apart within weeks. When tallying $30 per pop, it would’ve been cheaper purchasing a well-made bed in the beginning.

A bit about the bed’s maker: these folks are extremely reputable breeders who actively participate in rescue every day. Before bringing a Menusha Mini Bull Terrier home, you must pass a lengthy, challenging interview process and sign a contract. These folks are the real deal. They take back one of their puppies with no questions asked plus they’re always fostering and transporting rescues to their forever home.

Is this Bed for Puppies?

Yes, but I would introduce it after a year of age, as it will most likely be chewed on. For puppies, I toss old towels and blankets in as bedding. Once chewing subsides, I introduce a well-made bed in their crate.

Choosing a Dog Bed Size

Stella Mae is 28 pounds and 13 inches at the shoulder, and she fits perfectly in the medium slipper bed. She has room to turn around and sprawl out under her cover. The small slipper bed is probably best for dogs under 20 pounds. When in doubt, go a size up. No one likes a tiny bed. 🙂 Dogs more than 30-35 pounds would enjoy the larger slipper bed.

Do know, I don’t make any money off these beds. My goal is to share products that really work, as this is a rarity these days.

You may also like: Choosing a Dog Crate

Are Chicken Byproducts Bad for Dogs? No, They’re Good for Them!

June 8, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Chicken Byproducts are Good for Dogs

Dog food is a hot topic. I’ve witnessed dog enthusiasts argue for hours about chicken byproducts, and I’m not exactly sure why. Dogs thrive on certain byproducts because they’re nutritionally packed with vitamins–much more so than muscle meat.

Don’t believe me? Check out this unbiased research on nutritional content because a bit of research will prove this disclaimer wrong. Don’t fall for the hype.

How This Myth Started

Pet owners spent $21.57 billion dollars just on dog food in 2013–that’s a lot of dough! So to further capitalize on this growing market, newer dog food companies had to differentiate themselves from other companies and hence the formation of the myth that chicken and beef byproducts are bad for dogs.

Boy, did this slogan spread like wildfire. It was like a hidden secret brought to light. Many pet owners began whispering and pointing fingers while turning up their noses to any dog product containing any type of byproducts. You can’t believe everything you’ve been told. Fact-check first.

What are Meat Byproducts in Dog Food?

It’s a challenge finding AAFOC’s official definition of meat byproducts, but you can certainly purchase their book for more details. Here’s the best official meat byproduct definition I could find.

Chicken Breast or Liver?

Chicken is, by far, the most popular protein ingredient in dog food followed closely by fish, lamb and beef. So which has more nutrition?

Chicken liver (1 oz raw) contains higher levels of vitamin A and vitamin C loaded with B12 and iron than chicken breast. Plus, it’s lower in fat, which is great for dogs watching their waistlines, which has become a huge American epidemic.

Boneless and skinless chicken breast (1 oz) contain no vitamin A or vitamin C and significantly less iron than chicken livers. Chicken breast contains higher protein content, B6, but is higher in calories. Higher protein values doesn’t mean superiority. It just means more protein.

Ground Beef or Beef Heart?

What about beef? Let’s dive in!

Beef heart (1 oz raw) is loaded with iron, vitamin B6, and additional vitamins and minerals. Plus it’s lower in calories and fat content, which works best for most dogs.

Ground beef (1 oz) has a tiny amount of calcium and a higher protein percentage than beef heart, but it’s not as nutrient dense as beef heart. And mercy, the fat and calorie count are ridiculous. There’s no way an average dog could eat mostly beef, especially if he is a couch potato.

Beef stomach (green trip) is extremely nutritious for dogs (and cats). You’ve probably heard of raw green tripe (not the bleached white tripe sold at supermarkets). This stuff smells beyond terrible, but it’s a rich source of protein for dogs. Plus, it has the perfect combination of omega-6 and omega-3s, ideal calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (huge plus for large breed dogs), and beneficial bacteria. If you’re going to feed any type of protein byproducts, this is the one! Your dog will thank you for it!

RELATED: Homemade Diets for Dogs

Stay Away From Mystery Meat

Stay away from mystery meat. This stuff is a mix mash of unnamed protein sources, which remains a mystery unless DNA tested. We’ve all heard how certain protein sources creep into dog food. Well, this is probably how they cover it up. If mystery meat is listed as an ingredient in your dog’s food, put the bag down. One word: gross! Meat byproducts should be listed by animals, such as chicken byproducts or beef byproducts.

Byproduct Takeaway

Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Everything must be in moderation. One protein source won’t provide all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs every day. Sure, you can feed your dog chicken breast and rice forever, but you must add lots of vitamins to meet their nutritional requirements.

Balance is key so adding protein byproducts will boost nutritional value while keeping calorie intake low. Also, just because you dislike liver, hearts and tripe doesn’t mean your dog does. Don’t believe me? Purchase raw chicken livers or, better yet, raw green tripe and watch your dog’s eyes light up. 🙂 You’ll certainly see a huge difference in your dog’s coat without all the added oil, which most dog food companies add to replace nutrients.

Lastly, Research Before Jumping on a Bandwagon

It’s so easy to fall for unverified claims, especially if an author or pet food company claims additional health benefits for your dog. I can’t say this enough, please fact-check and verify before believing. Dogs rely on us to feed them so please take the time and do it right. Check out SELFNutritionData to know what your dog is eating.

READ MORE: Healthy Dog Treats

Dog Gates for Safety

June 4, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Dog Safety Gate Tips

Want to know a quick way to prevent most naughty dog behavior? Ever wonder quick ways to teach dogs polite behaviors? Want an easy tip to help during puppy stage? Install a dog safety gate.

Yes, it’s that simple. Management is often overlooked. Instead, we focus on the grandeur of instant behavior changes in dogs. Well, we all know it’s not that simple. I wish I’d quit eating cupcakes, but that behavior hasn’t changed yet. 🙂 If I didn’t buy cupcakes, then I would not eat them, and folks that’s what you call management!

With all the attractive models to choose from, you can’t go wrong! I’ll tell you another secret: I have three safety gates in my home right now because they’re invaluable safety and management tools. 🙂

Dog gates prevent dogs from:

Chewing walls, furniture and shoes.
Making potty accidents.
Running outdoors.
Knocking over guests.
Jumping on furniture.
Barking out windows.
Digging in trash.
Eating cat poop.
Resource guarding.

RELATED: Dog Time Out

Where to Install a Dog Safety Gate

Entryway

Blocking access to other rooms keeps dogs and puppies from wandering around unsupervised, chewing or pottying indoors. Try placing the dog gate in the entryway to prevent your dogs from jumping on guests or running out an open door.

Garage and Window

Use the dog safety gate as a barrier to keep your dogs in a specific area to prevent garage raiding or barking at neighbors, dogs, cats and squirrels through a window. At night, keep all dogs in the bedroom with you. Use a gate to separate your dog from the kitty litter box. Most cats jump over a gate. If not, choose a gate with a cat-sized opening.

Kitchen

Separating dogs while they’re eating is vital to prevent resource guarding (guarding food). It’s also a good idea to separate dogs when they’re chewing on high value items, such as bully sticks or food-stuffed toys.

Introducing Dog Gates

Easy, just install. Management works many different ways. It prevents your dog from practicing a behavior, which is a huge win! It’s half the battle when teaching your dog polite behaviors. Now, you can teach your dog what to do instead like potty outside, chew bully sticks instead of mold or cat poop, ignore movement outside, and most importantly self settle.

If your dog whines or tries to push through a safety gate, ignore him. He’ll learn it won’t budge. If your dog is persistent, give him a food stuffed Kong instead so he forgets what’s on the other side. Make sure it’s tall enough for your dog’s height so he doesn’t learn to jump over it.

Lastly, introduce a new safety gate when you’re home at least for the first week or two. This way, your dog learns to ignore it instead of figuring out ways around it or panicking due to space restrictions. It’s never a good idea to introduce anything new when you’re not home to monitor.

Best Dog Gate Brand

My favorite brand is pressure mount KidCo Safety Gates. I’ve had them for 15 years and they still work and look great. I’ve not had a dog knock one over yet (knock on wood!)–not even Sobek, my bouncing Rottweiler. With a 4.2-star rating on Amazon, I think you get the point.

KidCo gates range between $60-$150, depending on length and height, with many options to choose from. I’ve purchased cheaper brands and they all ended up in the garbage. My dogs either pushed past or destroyed them.

When in doubt, use a dog safety gate!

Not All Dogs Like Dog Day Care

June 3, 2015 by Fanna Easter

How to Know If Doggy Day Care is Right for Your Dog

I’d say 30-40 percent of dogs don’t enjoy playing with other dogs. Shocking, right? It’s true. If your dog doesn’t like to play with other dogs, it’s okay. Yes, it’s totally normal. Not all humans enjoy hanging out with a large group of people, especially rowdy young ones so why should our dogs? 🙂

Wild dogs certainly don’t play in large groups. They have friends and that’s it. If someone is rude, that person is kicked out, which doesn’t always happen in doggy day care.

Signs Your Dog May Not Like Doggy Day Care

Dog is Fearful Around Other Dogs

If your dog runs away, hides, folds ears back, tucks tail or acts generally afraid of other dogs, then doggy day care is not for him. Throwing your dog into a group of playing dogs won’t help. It’ll make it worse. I see the repercussions daily. If this happens, scared dogs will usually sit away from the playing dogs and freeze (look away and become terrified) if a dog approaches.

If dogs continue to approach and pester a scared dog, he’ll learn to fight. He is freaked out and trying to defend himself (offensive aggression). If you were afraid of snakes and were thrown into a pit filled with slithering snakes, I don’t think it would help you overcome your fear. It would make it worse. It’s the same thing with dogs so don’t force them.

RELATED: Dog Aggression

Dog Acts Aggressively Around Other Dogs

“My dog is fine with other dogs during day care, but lunges and acts aggressively with other dogs everywhere else.” Oh boy, I hear this a lot from pet parents. During behavioral consults to address their dog’s aggression toward dogs, I see a frightened dog that’s learned offensive aggression to mean: “I better get them before they get me” (defensive aggression). Yes, this was probably learned during doggy day care.

Understand aggression is a symptom of anxiety. If a dog can’t get away, he will either freeze or fight. The same happens with us–remember the snake pit? 🙂

Is This Your Dog?

Don’t beat yourself up. You do better once you know better. Pull up your bobby socks and enroll in a relaxed rover class, which addresses fearful and aggression behaviors around other dogs. Now, find an excellent pet sitter for leash walks and potty breaks.

READ MORE: Dog Day Care Interview Questions

Help for Dogs Afraid of Thunderstorms

New Finding to Help Dogs Afraid of Thunderstorms