Nutrition: Treats

Let's face it...the easiest way to get a dog to do something (learn new tricks and behaviors, come downstairs to go out for potty, leave something alone that could get eaten and shouldn't be, etc) is with food! Particularly, the treat variety.

I love to make our dogs homemade treats. Our dog recipe app on iTunes (available for download at the app store, search: dog recipes) has a bunch of our tried and true recipes for treating our babies to something special.

Quality of treats is as important as having a good dog food regimen. We think of a dog biscuit as the equivalent to 1 M&M to a human, when really, for an average dog, it is more like the whole bag! So, quality of treats and how frequently they are used are pretty important.

I've recently found a great brand of treats that are wheat, soy, and corn free and made of healthful ingredients at, of all places, Target! They are also on Amazon.com, but for the same price, so I just get them at Target. We have all enjoyed Big Bark Bakery brand's Bare Bones Oatmeal Cinnamon treats. In fact, I've tried them and they really are quite tasty, if not a little bland (for humans, they could be a bit sweeter, but honestly, they are pretty good, though I don't suggest buying them as a human snack in general). I often try our dog treats. It helps me determine if the treats are worth our boys having the extra calories. If they taste salty at all, I know they aren't worth it. Extra salt just isn't something I want to add to their diet.

We love Innova's small bars (the large bars don't fit in their kongs, but the small bars do easily), Wellness treats, and Zuke's. Zuke's has a line of edible bones with carrot and parsley in them that are great for our Saint Bernard's teeth, which are always a big problem.

Mostly, we use treats as a very special, only occasional type item. Our boys might get one treat in a week's time, and then when we have company over, they often get a kong filled with goodies, so when they get it, it is incredibly special. They really value the time they get a special treat, so it is always a good experience.

We like to stuff kongs with just about anything, but a combination we like a lot is reduced fat peanut butter and treats or Laughing Cow spreadable light cheese with treats. We spread a little of the peanut butter or the cheese in the bottom of the kong, then we shove in three Innova small bars (we use large sized extreme (black) kongs), and then top with more peanut butter or cheese. Then, when they crunch on the kong and break the treats, the peanut butter or cheese clings to the treats and it takes them an extra long time to clean out the kongs entirely. This makes a great babysitter if you have to be away for a lot of hours, or if you have company over and need your dogs out of the way. They have a good time and don't mind being ignored for a 30-60 minute period, depending on how long it takes them to annihilate the kong.

Our boys used to enjoy raw beef marrow bones, but they ended up being too rich for Gordie's tummy (gave him the runs and a tummy ache) and Angus can't have the bones because he is prone to urate stones and the marrow bones can contribute to the stones forming. However, that is just two cases. Our previous bulldog, Rosie, LOVED marrow bones and had no issues with them. If you have never tried them, ask at the butcher counter for beef marrow bones (usually, they are frozen) and I always ask for them to cut them into halves, a managable size for any size dog, unless you have a fierce chewer who is large breed. Even Angus, Mister I'll Destroy Anything I Chew, was perfectly content with this size. Give the bone to your baby in their crate, because it will stain your carpets, plus if you have multiple dogs, they will usually fight over these (raw bones make the primal side come out of even the most docile, submissive, non-food aggressive dogs, so don't underestimate the power of the marrow bones!) and you can keep them separated by putting them in their crates.

This is also a trick we use for crate training. Marrow bones are like the ULTIMATE snack for almost every day, so almost no dog can resist spending time in their crate when there is a marrow bone to distract them. I'll be posting on crate training soon, but for now, if you need help with crate training, try the marrow bone trick a few times a week for two weeks, and see how it goes. Then step down (marrow bones are fatty, caloric, and rich, so you don't want to feed them often for very long) to filled kongs, then down to chewing bones like Nylanbones (the durable brand are usually a good option for even the tough chewers, though flexible brand are okay for some dogs).

For big celebrations, like their birthdays, we make a special cake or cupcakes (we call them pupcakes), or we make frozen yogurt. They have no idea it is their birthday, but we get a real kick out of them going nuts over a special treat!

Car Rides and Travel Safety

When I see someone driving down the road with a dog in their lap, I cringe. I want to slap these people. Same with idiots who do not wear their seatbelts or allow their children to roam free in the car. Seatbelts save lives people! And there is no exception for animals!

Animals really need to be contained in moving vehicles, for their safety, and the safety of all the other passengers in the vehicle and all the others on the road. Jumping and hopping around in the car can distract a driver to the point where they get in an accident because of it. It isn't worth having your pet on your lap for a car ride if you both end up in the hospital, or worse, you in the hospital and your beloved pet splattered on the highway or splintered into your windshield. Totally uncool, man.

We use a safety hammock for our bulldog, and our Saint Bernard travels in the very back cabin of our small sized SUV. Separating pets is a good idea when traveling, especially on long trips when they can get cranky and start fights while you're driving.

I found a great option for a hammock on Amazon here. It looks inexpensive, but functional. We bought ours a few years ago and spent about $50.

We also keep a crate on hand for car trips, but as we don't have enough room in our vehicle to crate both boys, we typically just rely on the hammock.

We've tried seat harnesses, and I'm all for them, except that our Rosie got herself strung up in it when she got excited and nearly choked to death while I tried to slam on the brakes, reach over to the back seat, and pull her free while still trying to keep the car on the road and not alarm other drivers. It was a terrifying experience for both of us. My guess is that harnesses are fine for dogs who are completely stationary in the car, but for any furball who likes to move around even the slightest bit, I can't say I would suggest a seat harness. The hammock is our best option. Though they can still jump it if they want to, and perhaps fly out if in a serious major car wreak, it will protect most dogs from most collisions and if they are trained and not a behavior problem, they should be fine. If there is a behavior problem that keeps your dog from remaining in his place on his own accord, time for crate in the car, and a visit with a good behaviorist. That is not a behavior that you want to let linger.

Please, do not let your baby hang his or her head out the window in the wind at any speed higher than 25 MPH. Driving around the neighborhood can be okay, but any speed higher than that could put your dog at risk to be hit in the face (eyes!) with debris kicked up on the road. I have seen some horrifying pictures and heard some awful stories about dogs who have been injured (or killed!) while doing this. The few minutes of joy they get isn't worth the risk. Do it on your way out of your neighborhood, or your way back in, but not once you start going at a decent pace. One story I heard from a friend about a friend of her's included details about getting sideswiped and having her dog's head get crushed between her car and the car that hit them. That doesn't sound worth risking.

Carpet Freshener: Baking Soda

So after our delightful moving out experience, T did some good research on how to really keep the carpet from holding on to Eau de Doglette. I have never been a fan of those carpet powders, and especially after using some recently, I'm even less of a fan.

The secret magic cure for the carpet? Plain old baking soda (Bicarbonate of soda, for you Brits.) The secret? Don't use it with the kind of vacuum that doesn't have replaceable bags. Over time if can build up in those suckers (heh) and break your vac, but if you have a vacuum that uses disposable bags, you're in luck!

Lucky for us, we have 1 vacuum that does in fact use disposable bags. I'm not a fan of the disposable waste, but to keep the dog smell out, I'm willing to allow myself this indulgence.

It is best when you can rope off the room you want to treat, sprinkle lightly with baking soda (more is not necessarily better in this case) and let it soak up the smells over a little while, like at least 30 minutes, but a few hours would work awesome! Simply vacuum up and walk away. Ta-da!

For a little extra something special, mix in a few drops of your favorite essential oil before sprinkling. I like lavender, cedar wood, and bergamot, but that's just me.

Carpet Cleaner: Folex

This miraculous carpet cleaner comes in a delightfully cheesy, as-seen-on-tv-circa-1993 packaging and works wonders on carpet stains from barfy bulldogs and waves away a whole host of other doggily fluids too. We just spray and blot (no rubbing!) Use it in a steam cleaner, too! There's an every day spray bottle size, and an industrial sized jug for steam cleaning, or refilling the spray bottle.

It's safe around kids and pets. The amazon reviews say it all, except those idiots that don't know what they are doing and obviously used it wrong. I spray a very concentrated amount--not just a light misting. Get about 2 inches from the stain, and cover the whole stain in spray and then let sit about 1-2 minutes, then blot up with paper towels. Repeat for worse stains. I promise--everything except oil based paint has come out in my experience, and that includes dog urine, dog feces, dog barf (plain food barf and also bile barf), wine, soda, jell-o (red!), dirt, blood, green marker, and plenty of other unknown stains.

Drool Fighter!

There is never a shortage of drool in our house. Between our overpanting Saint Bernard and our dribbling English bulldog, we're practically swimming in it. Something that helps to combat the gooey gunk is a little apple cider vinegar added to their giant 16 quart water bowl. We use about 1 Tbsp. for every 2 quarts (most standard food and water bowls are 2 quarts). Of course, we only use stainless steel in our house. Stainless steel is about the only material for bowls that won't make a bulldog's face break out, and is the easiest, durablest stuff to keep clean and in a regular rotation. We have a gigantic water bowl that the boys share, so we use a lot more vinegar per bowl, but we only fill the bowl once a day, which is highly convenient if you consider how many times we'd have to reload a 2-quart bowl. We also keep their bowl in a giant low-walled Rubbermaid container, so that it catches the overspray and dribble.

The vinegar also helps Angus (the bulldog) to breathe properly when he exercises, as it doesn't make his throat all phlegmy and gross. Neither minds the flavor now, but it is something you have to let them get used to. Gently introduce it a 1/4 tsp. at a time per 2 quarts. We tried to just do the whole dose from the start, but they weren't interested. Eventually they would have drank it, but it wasn't hard to just ease them into it slowly. Sort of like food changes, water changes can upset their tummies and their disposition, so slower is better for an easy transition.

Unlike our food bowls, we do not put kongs in their water bowls. In their food bowls, we place a few kongs (three for Angus, but just one for Gordie--Gordie is a much slower eater) to make them work around them when eating and thus take their time chewing and swallowing before gobbling food down. Between all the bulldog barf and digestive issues and bloat for the saint, we do whatever we can to head things off before they become problems.

Hygiene and Grooming

Dog's skin is different than humans. They have fur, not hair, and they aren't cut out for a daily bath. They are animals that have not yet evolved to get rid of their fur, like we did, because they use it. Sooo...dog's skin and fur needs different treatment than people's skin and hair. It is important to only use products designed for dogs. The pH level in human and human baby shampoos and soaps are way too tough on a doggie's outsides.

Here's a list of bathing products we enjoy:

For our Saint Bernard, who tends to have itchy skin and hot spots:
Earthbath Tea Tree Oil & Aloe Vera Shampoo

For our very smelly little English bulldog, who, I swear, sweats in his armpits like a kid in middle school:
Earthbath Mediterranean Magic Rosemary Scented Deodorizing Shampoo

For both boys after shampooing:
Earthbath Cream Rinse & Conditioner

Earthbath's products are environmentally friendly and are completely harmless to lawns, which makes this a great product for outdoor baths on the patio. :) They are all 100% bio-degradable, free of phosphates and enzymes, and are animal cruelty-free. That's a good thing in our book!

Ordinarilly, I find Earthbath products in the specialty pet stores we frequent, but Petco is now carrying them, so if you don't have a reputable pet store near you, Petco is a good option to find Earthbath.

You can also check out Earthbath's website to find where to buy near you or online.

I'm not a big fan of foo-foo dog products, but Cain and Able make a great paw rub that is perfect for dogs with beat up pads like our bulldog who has weird feet. His pads are very silky smooth, and not designed for good walking on cement, concrete, and pavement (where we do most of our walking together). Our previous bully had great pads for it, but Angus apparently came from very different bully stock. We use this paw rub for his feet when he gets beat up from walking:

Cain & Able Every Dog Has His Day Spa Paw Rub

Our Gordie has DISGUSTING ears. We don't know why. He also has digusting teeth. We think he was given a weird antibiotic as a youngin' that altered the way he excretes things in his body (saliva, ear wax, boogies, etc). Because of this, we are obsessed with cleaning his ears and keeping them from becoming infected. We like to use a little bit of ear cleaner along with some soft cotton pads (and occasionally a gentle q-tip swipe) to clean him out. This is the cleaner we like the best, because it is chock full of natural essential oils, doesn't irritate his skin, and smells yummy:

Cain & Able's Every Dog Has His Day Spa Ear Cleanser

Bulldog care is very special, and must be taken very seriously. If a bully gets infected in their folds and wrinkles, it can be very dangerous (tails removed!) and extremely uncomfortable. For our bulldog's nose rope and tail pocket, we clean him out daily with:

Huggie's Natural Care baby wipes

We buy them in a huge refill pack at Target for cheap.

Twice a week we use Malaseb wipes on him.

When he gets some irritation in there, we use a little A&D Ointment. When he just needs some routine drying out, we use Desitin Creamy. Typically, we use A&D in his nose rope because it is usually irritated from licking and eating, and Desitin Creamy in his tail, where it get sore and then gunky.

As for their teeth, this is a constant challenge in our house. Neither of our boys play nice when it comes to brushing their teeth. Gordie runs and hides. If you eventually get to walk up to him to brush, he pees himself. Angus bites the toothbrush. If you take it away, he growls and tries to get it back. He thinks it is a toy and tries to play his favorite game with you: Keep Away.

In light of this, we have mostly given up on toothbrushing in this house. We continue to work on their behavioral issues with toothbrushing and try a few times a week, but neither has made much progress, and we have bigger fish to fry on the behavior front right now, so toothbrushing has taken a back burner for a while. We use a couple of products to help keep their teeth healthy, and we also send them in for a full dental cleaning once a year, which is covered by our pet insurance. When they go in for the dental, we also order hip x-rays for our Saint Bernard, to keep an eye on arthritis and any other issues that might pop up. Angus is now almost 3, and we'll be doing x-rays on him as well.

We use the following products in conjunction to help combat the breath and teeth problems:

BreathaLyser PLUS Drinking Water Additive

D.D.S. Dental Squares (Gordie only)

Coenzyme Q10

Vitamin C

Zukes' Z-Ridge Dental Chew (We LOVE Zukes!!)

When we had our previous bulldog, Rosie, we were able to brush her teeth 4-5 times a week. She had great teeth! This is the toothbrush that worked well for us then:

Triple-Pet Toothbrush

We just used a doggy toothpaste from the petstore. Whatever was on sale was good for her. We didn't get too concerned with ingredients, but if we found a natural option, we went with that.

Both boys get brushed on a regular basis (few times a week for Gordie, once a week for Angus). Gordie gets a good long toothed comb, and Angus gets a short toothed rubber number (he has coarse, short hair, so his hair doesn't get any knots in it). It is a great time to bond with your dog, so make regular brushing a habit for your baby.

Nutrition: What to Feed A Sick Baby

Every once in a while, we have a sick pup. Either they ate goose poop (yup!) and have spores in their tummies, or they just are having a hard time adjusting to something new...it happens a few times a year, depending on what they get themselves into and where they've been. It is good to keep a "bland diet" stored away in your freezer for times like these. You don't want to have to leave your baby to go to the store just to buy them food to make them feel better...just keep it on hand, so you'll always have it when you need it and it will take a lot of the frustration away.

For average, non-urate-stone forming dogs, this is what I suggest:

Chicken Breast
Rice
Yogurt
Banana, Pumpkin, or Applesauce

That's the basic list.
Here's the subtleties:

Chicken Breast
You'll want to cook the crap out of it to make sure it has no lingering creepy bacteria. You don't want to make your dog sicker. Even though their tummies can usually handle more than we can, when they are fighting something already, don't add to the mix. I boil the chicken in a big pot, and make about 8 breasts for Gordie for 4 days. He gets 2 breasts over the course of 1 day, and he weighs 140 pounds. Angus gets about half that. You can do the math for your baby's size. Once the chicken has cooled a bit on a plate, I shred it. Shredded chicken goes down the throat smoother, and is easier to digest than cubed or cut up chicken. A very friendly, helpful emergency veterinarian taught us that when Angus went in with a bug a while back.

Rice
I use the cooking water from the chicken to make the rice with. I let the water cool, then I fill up my rice cooker with it, and add the appropriate amount of rice for the amount of liquid. Each rice cooker is different. I make about 6 cups cooked rice. You can skim the chicken cooking liquid of fat before using, if you are concerned about that. I sometimes ignore this step, but try to do it when I have time and remember. Prepare the rice as you normally would cook rice, but don't add ANYTHING. No salt, no nothin'. Just plain. The chicken cooking liquid both saves water (yea for the environment!), but it also imparts some more flavor without making the food too rich or salty or heavy for dog bellies.

Yogurt
I continue with my usual 1 tbsp. daily regime when our boys are sick, to help with that bacteria stuff. If your dog is lactose intolerant, you'll want to avoid the yogurt.

Bananas, Pumpkin, or Applesauce
What you use depends on what the problem is. If you have a dog with diarrhea, go with 1/4 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix!!) in each meal. If the pumpkin doesn't work or your baby doesn't like the sweet delicious autumnal essence of pumpkin, try 1/2 a mashed banana in each meal. The softer the banana, the better. It is a great time to use up those uggie brown ones before they turn into banana-booze. If your pooch is constipated, use the applesauce. I go with 1/2 cup per meal until I SEE results. Heh. These amounts are appropriate for all dogs over 50 pounds. Under 50, shrink it down proportionately.

You'll want to feed your baby 4 times a day. With Gordie, I feed 1/2 chicken breast at all four meals, plus 1/2 cup rice at each meal, 1/4 tbsp. yogurt, and whatever fruit I'm adding (banana, pumpkin, applesauce). I mix everything together well, and make sure the rice isn't lumpy and the shredded chicken is nice and thin and managable. Be sure to provide your babe with plenty of water, unless instructed by your vet to withhold.

When it comes to stone formers, use 1/2 cooked plain egg white (just nuke it for 30 seconds) for each 1/2 chicken breast. The rest is the same as above.

I do not use supplements for the dogs during their illness. It can be a little harsh on sore tummies, and it can conflict with medication, so inform your vet that you will not be using supplements until they are well again, and make sure it is safe to start using it again if your baby will be on medication for a while.