All Dog Blog

Dogs :Spotlight’s on us

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:15:32 +0000

Just dropping by real quickly today to let everyone know that we’re being featured over at Beloved Pets Blog today!! This is a really exciting opportunity for our us, and you can officially consider us honored : ) Cheeks blushing and all.Check out our exclusive interview with Hailey

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Just dropping by real quickly today to let everyone know that we’re being featured over at Beloved Pets Blog today!! This is a really exciting opportunity for our us, and you can officially consider us honored : ) Cheeks blushing and all.Check out our exclusive interview with Hailey from Beloved Pets by clicking right here. Hope to see you all over there, and thanks as always for your comments and support.

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Dog :Apple Cider Vinegar: For Dogs

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:15:32 +0000

Apple cider vinegar is one of those hot topics that has become popular in health related discussions lately. It’s reportedly great for your heart, can help to help manage blood sugar levels, and has a lot of beneficial properties for our skin and hair. I’ve even found a few ways to

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Apple cider vinegar is one of those hot topics that has become popular in health related discussions lately. It’s reportedly great for your heart, can help to help manage blood sugar levels, and has a lot of beneficial properties for our skin and hair. I’ve even found a few ways to use apple cider vinegar (ACV) to benefit our canine pals!ACV: An introductionApple cider vinegar has both antibacterial and anti fungal properties which makes it a valid remedy for a variety of ailments and illnesses. Just like the rest of the herbs and supplements featured in our herbal highlights, ACV has both internal and external benefits for dogs. Besides its antibacterial characteristics, apple cider vinegar is full of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. ACV can be found at your local grocery store right next to the white vinegar. Until last week, I’d only seen small bottles available, but I recently discovered that some grocers sell the large jugs of it as well which is a lot more cost effective. ACV: How-toApplying a small amount apple cider vinegar topically (to the skin) can mean the difference between comfort or misery for a dog with itchy skin. To relieve your pups itchy skin: start by giving a bath using a gentle oatmeal or aloe shampoo. Rinse well. Finish off your pups spa experience by dumping a cup of apple cider vinegar on his coat after the bath. Give it a quick rub in with your fingers and consider yourself done. You should not rinse out the vinegar as it conditions best if allowed to soak into the coat. What…you don’t like the smell of vinegar? ME EITHER! Simple solution: add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (we used lemon grass) to help mask the smell. Some cautions when using ACV:

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Dog :Happy Hooooowl-oween!

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:15:32 +0000

Happy Howl-oween to you and yours!The various kong recipes I’ve posted in the past are some of the best received posts to-date, so today I’m sharing a festive “Howl-oween” kong recipe for your pups to enjoy. Last year I covered the benefits of including pumpkin in your pooches diet,

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Happy Howl-oween to you and yours!The various kong recipes I’ve posted in the past are some of the best received posts to-date, so today I’m sharing a festive “Howl-oween” kong recipe for your pups to enjoy. Last year I covered the benefits of including pumpkin in your pooches diet, so consider this recipe yet another trick up your sleeve.You can use canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!) for this recipe, or you can roast a fresh one yourself. This recipe makes enough filling for two kongs, any extra can be refrigerated in a plastic container for up to four days: use it to stuff another kong or simply include it with your dogs normal kibble. You’ll need: 1/2 cup pumpkin puree1/2 cup cooked brown rice2 TBS peanut butter1/4 cup diced peas n carrots2 tsp cinnamon1/2 red apple: finely diced (do not include skin)2 small dog biscuits: broken into bitsMix the first 5 ingredients together. Stir to combine. Allow to chill and set in fridge for 15 minutes. Mix in biscuit bits, stuff kong and let your dog enjoy his healthy holiday treat! *For those of you with super strong chewers: try freezing the assembled kong for an hour first*Pumpkin can be messy, and might stain carpets and fabrics. This would make a great treat for your pup to enjoy in the crate or perhaps out in the backyard. Need to brush up on your pet holiday safety tips? We’ve got you covered, look no further. Find our other kong recipes here: “Rice and Veggie”, “Chicken Lickin’”, “Eggstra Good”, & “Tasty Tuna”Anyone have a favorite seasonal recipe you make for your dog? I’d love to hear from you!

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Pet Dog :Herbal Cure: Abrasions & Bald Patches

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:15:32 +0000

My poor ‘ol Bear’s legs are in rough shape these days. He’s got several cuts and abrasions on them that are having a rough time healing up completely. I have no idea where they came from but I think the main problem is the fact that he won’t leave them alone long enough to heal. Things

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My poor ‘ol Bear’s legs are in rough shape these days. He’s got several cuts and abrasions on them that are having a rough time healing up completely. I have no idea where they came from but I think the main problem is the fact that he won’t leave them alone long enough to heal. Things were looking bad enough that I decided it was time for me to intervene, and started looking into the best ways to help him. I found this recipe in my “10 Herbs for Happy Healthy Dogs” book and was happy to discover I had all the ingredients on hand. The recipe was only three ingredients, and while I can’t ethically post the ingredients and how-to on my blog, you can buy the book here for yourself. I promise it’s .95 well spent!We’ve been using the new serum (nearly) once daily for two weeks now with relative success. Let me explain:Pros:*Easy to use/apply: Once or twice daily depending on your memory*Low odor: smells natural and chemical-free* Low maintenance: keeps in fridge for two weeks, apply with Q-tip*Affordable: Some store bought wound sprays can run you or more!*Gradual improvement, slowly but surely they’re looking betterCons:*Cold application: Neither Bear or I like how cold the serum is after being stored in the fridge (brr!), but it is not shelf stable like store-bought wound sprays so that’s our option.*Watch carefully: Bear seems to have the urge to lick the serum off after I apply it. If I don’t keep him nearby for 10 minutes or so after applying he’ll get to it undoubtedly.For us there are certainly more pros than cons, which makes this a very valid treatment option for our family. I feel the need to mention here that about twice a week after the 10 minutes of monitoring I will finish things off by putting a drop of honey on each of the abrasions. You can read all about the benefits of honey here in case you missed it. Fair warning: Of course adding the honey treatment means an additional 15 minutes of babysitting while you wait for that sweet stuff to soak in. Fifteen minutes seems to be the key amount of time for honey to work its magic on the skin. And YES, after that it’s safe to let your pooch lick the rest of the honey off.Bear sure does……with gusto. And don’t even try to stop him.

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Dog Pets :Wheatgrass for dogs

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:32:31 +0000

I planted some wheatgrass for the dogs to munch on about 4 weeks ago. I decided to mix mine in a longish planter amongst some spring lettuce mix to create a few options for their munching pleasure. The grass is finally getting lush and filling in now, so I’m able to let the dogs dig

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I planted some wheatgrass for the dogs to munch on about 4 weeks ago. I decided to mix mine in a longish planter amongst some spring lettuce mix to create a few options for their munching pleasure. The grass is finally getting lush and filling in now, so I’m able to let the dogs dig in and enjoy.Both Bear and Scooter love to munch on grass. It’s often how Bear ends up getting stung by bees. Three quarters of the year, they’ve got access to some sort of green edible outdoors, but the winter months can be so hard on their digestion. Right now the plan is to keep nursing this batch along and plant a second one to rotate through the winter. I just purchased my seeds from an online vendor in a batch I was already getting for the garden. You can make things really easy on yourself and pick up a commercially sold wheatgrass for pets kit instead to get started.What kinds of special precautions do you take for your dogs as the seasons change? Any new routines you’re planning to implement this year? We’d love to hear from you, BARK BACK!Image credits: wheatgrass SheSpeaksBark: The quirky dog blog discussing modern dog care & ownership. All thoughts, images, and opinions are soley that of the blog author unless otherwise noted.

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Dog :Mmmm wheat grass

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:32:31 +0000

Thought I’d share “the evidence” on wheat grass, the boys truly love this snack!Bear: concerned faceBear: avoiding-you faceBear: annoyed faceSheSpeaksBark: The quirky dog blog discussing modern dog care & ownership. All thoughts, images, and opinions are soley that of the blog author

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Thought I’d share “the evidence” on wheat grass, the boys truly love this snack!Bear: concerned faceBear: avoiding-you faceBear: annoyed faceSheSpeaksBark: The quirky dog blog discussing modern dog care & ownership. All thoughts, images, and opinions are soley that of the blog author unless otherwise noted.

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The Dog :Oh honey

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:32:29 +0000

Whew it’s been a long time since I’ve posted much of anything around here! Is anyone out there still tuned in?If you’re reading this, I sure appreciate you! : )My interest in herbal supplements for the dogs isn’t something new. You might remember previous herbal highlights covering

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Whew it’s been a long time since I’ve posted much of anything around here! Is anyone out there still tuned in?If you’re reading this, I sure appreciate you! : )My interest in herbal supplements for the dogs isn’t something new. You might remember previous herbal highlights covering cinnamon (the first ever herbal supplement we tried!), rosemary, and most recently wheat grass. Learning new ways to use herbs and other natural supplements for improved health has become a large part of our lives recently for two main reasons.ONE: Bear is officially a senior. At nine years of age, there really is no denying it anymore.Good ‘ol graybeard TWO: Scooter is handicapable and needs all the preventative care he can get. His trachea has been a source of problems lately, maybe herbal treatments offer a solution…?Currently Bear’s eating Iams Lamb & Rice kibble with Nupro and a sprinkle of cinnamon added twice daily. We use garlic and thyme (along with the ever constant cinnamon and Nupro) on their food about twice a week. I’m too leery to use garlic daily, even when paired with thyme because I’ve heard it can build up in their systems. I always lean toward the side of caution, since I’m not a nutritionist by any means and am just learning as I go.Lately, I’ve been feeling like we’re ready to add another vitamin/supplement/mineral to their diet. Right now, the anatomy of their food dish usually looks like this….And just so you can tell what’s going on here… the black arrow points to Bears morning portion of Nupro. White arrow points to his 3/4 cup of kibble, green to the 1/4 cup french style green beans, and red points to the two shakes of cinnamon (barely visible-sorry!) Scooters dish is similarly assembled, with everything measured in smaller portions for him of course.Bear likes his food mixed with a little water so that it creates a gravy with the Nupro, and then everything all mixed together. Scooter on the other hand won’t eat unless his food is all kept separate, and he hates water mixed with his Nupro. Go figure. Guess how long it took us to figure that one out? I’ll tell you….FOREVER!My husband and I have both been suffering from severe allergies this year. I’ve read from several sources that consuming local honey can be a helpful solution to the suffering. The honey contains small amounts of the pollen which our bodies are able to gradually build a resistance to. Local honey wasn’t hard to find, we were able to obtain some at our local farmers market on our first stop. We now try to incorporate it into things like yogurt and cereal once daily. But then I got to thinking…what about honey for the dogs too?As it turns out, honey can be advantageous both when consumed orally, and applied to the skin. In both humans and dogs, liquid honey has antibacterial qualities when used on burns and wounds. It apparently makes a wonderful face mask, and can be used to help heal pimples and blemishes too.Starting today, I’m going to start adding 1 TBS of honey to Bear’s food, and 1 tsp in Scooter’s food. They’re fed twice daily so this means I’ll do it consistently each evening, and skip it for the morning feeding. I’m always in a rush in the morning, so I know I’ll stick to the routine better in the evening. I’m going to start adding honey three times a week to start, and may make some adjustments from there depending on how things go. I’ll of course be back to share all the juicy details on how this works (or potentially doesn’t work) for our family. What herbs or natural supplements do you feed your dogs? Are there any herbs in particular you’d like to learn more about (the effects, dosage methods etc.)? Or how about this, what’s the weirdest thing your dogs have ever eaten? For us, it’s always been Bear and his bad bee eating habits…Image Credits: honey combSheSpeaksBark: The quirky dog blog discussing modern dog care & ownership. All thoughts, images, and opinions are soley that of the blog author unless otherwise noted.

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Dog Pets :Reece (April 4, 1997-May 19, 2011)

admin — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:19:15 +0000

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Dog :Smiling at your dog

admin — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:19:15 +0000

I was reading a devotional this morning, and I came across this section:We can affirm with eye contact, too. Try smiling at your child with your eyes. We often convey discipline through our eyes; but we can also communicate warmth and affirmation with our eyes.It reminded me of

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I was reading a devotional this morning, and I came across this section:We can affirm with eye contact, too. Try smiling at your child with your eyes. We often convey discipline through our eyes; but we can also communicate warmth and affirmation with our eyes.It reminded me of my first obedience lesson with the late Al Breece. He lived outside of Columbus, Ohio, and trained seven or more CH OTCH Belgian Sheepdogs and Tervurens. His great CH OTCH Houdini sparked a love in me for Belgian Sheepdogs, which resulted in my getting Houdini’s nephew Ian a few years later.I took Reece to Al for obedience lessons. Reece was only about a year old, and he had some fear/reaction aggression issues, which he grew out of by 2 years of age through training. The first thing Al did was just look at Reece and smile. Reece relaxed his body posture and wagged his tail. Al looked up at me and said, “Well, good. He knows what a smile is.”I wish I had not been so intimidated at the time and asked Al why he did that. Today, I can make a few guesses. But it has always made me smile at my dogs, just to tell them I think they are great. I caught myself doing it just this morning, in fact. It usually makes that dog wag it’s tail, and then another pup (usually Devon) will be jealous that someone’s getting attention and they come to me for attention; leading to me being surrounded by everyone wanting their share of attention.But I still think it’s nice that my dog knows what a smile is.

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The Dog :Pup tent

admin — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:19:11 +0000

Scoot’s officially a camping pro after breaking in our new tent.SheSpeaksBark: The quirky dog blog discussing modern dog care & ownership. All thoughts, images, and opinions are soley that of the blog author unless otherwise noted.

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Scoot’s officially a camping pro after breaking in our new tent.SheSpeaksBark: The quirky dog blog discussing modern dog care & ownership. All thoughts, images, and opinions are soley that of the blog author unless otherwise noted.

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