Blue Juice - Pet Connection Magazine

Transcription

Proudly
Made in Canada
Canada’s Health Magazine for Pets
Year Round Natural
Flea Control
Silent Night...All is Calm
Dog Park
911
Publications Mail Agreement Number 42660525
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DECEMBER 2014 - JANUARY 2015
What is
HPP?
Blue
Juice
A Promise
is a Promise
Protect your Horse
from Hazards
2
PET CONNECTION • DECEMBER 2014 - JANUARY 2015
GETTING THE SCOOP ON CANADA’S PET CULTURE
VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 5 • DECEMBER 2014 - JANUARY 2015
Inside:
FEATURES
8
Blue Juice
by Dr. Andrew Jones
Getting Rid of Fleas Naturally
10
by Dr. Andrew Jones
What is HPP?
16
by Carly Piatocha
Protect Your Horse from Hazards
20
by Barbara Sheridan
Silent Night...All is Calm!
Chico & Missy
26
Dog Park 911
32
by Lisa Kerley
A Promise is a Promise
40
by Cheryl Thomas
IN EVERY ISSUE
Letter from the Editor
EPIC Photo Contest
Mark Your Calendars!
Freebies
In Memory
38-39
47
Chilo, Gary, Morado
4
24-25
37
Oakley
Cover photo: Shea on a Vancouver beach. Photo courtesy of Eddie Michel www.eddiethepetsitter.com
Helping you care for your best friend.
by Valerie Barry
3
FROM THE EDITOR
PUBLISHER
BC’s PET CONNECTION LTD.
EDITOR
Leslie Kennedy
Tel: 604-220-5346
info@petconnection.ca
www.petconnection.ca
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Britton Design Services
CONTRIBUTORS
Valerie Barry
Dr. Andrew Jones
Lisa Kerley
Carly Piatocha
Barbara Sheridan
Cheryl Thomas
We acknowledge the financial support
of the Government of Canada through
the Canada Periodical Fund of the
Department of Canadian Heritage.
Pet Connection is published 6 times
a year. Founded in 2008.
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4
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PET CONNECTION
does not assume responsibility for any
claims made by its advertisers, or for
any information dispensed. The articles
and information presented are for
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© 2014 - BC’s PET CONNECTION LTD
Publications Mail Agreement Number
42660525
BC
Year Round Flea Control?
Contrary to popular belief, fleas do survive the winter months.
As long as the adult flea can find a warm body to stay warm and feed
from, they will survive. People keep their houses warm all winter and
once settled indoors this can mean a cosy winter for them.
Conventional vets continue to sell, and people continue to buy
toxic substances for flea control. There are safer effective alternatives.
For those who are concerned about their pets health, the safest use
of dog and cat toxic flea products is to simply not use them at all.
For more understanding of the flea cycle and what to do about
it naturally please read Dr. Andrew Jones’s article on Natural
Flea Control on page 10.
Please keep your pets pesticide free!
Happy Safe Holidays!
- Leslie Kennedy
Editor in Chief
“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
You are his life, his love, his leader.
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CONTRIBUTORS
Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP
In Partnership With Dogs
www.ipwd.ca
Valerie has been working with pet owners and their dogs for over
12 years. Together with her business partner, Lisa, the concept of “working
in partnership with dogs” was developed - a different approach to training
and interacting with dogs based on respect and cooperation.
Dr. Andrew Jones, DMV, was the owner of the Nelson Animal Hospital,
a former practicing Veterinarian with 17 years experience, and author of
numerous alternative dog and cat health books and publications.
Dr. Jones’ book is Veterinary Secrets: Natural Health For Dogs and Cats
and is available by going here: www.veterinarysecrets.com
Lisa Kerley, BSc, KPA-CTP
www.dogdaysdaycare.com
www.facebook.com/dogdaysnorthvan
6
Lisa provides a unique, holistic
approach to care and training using progressive, dog-friendly methods. For more
than 15 years she has offered programs and classes in early learning and socialization for puppies, canine good manners and skills for everyday life, along with
specialized programs for confidence-building, social skills, and impulse control.
Carly Piatocha, is a lifelong animal lover and has worked in the pet industry for
over eight years in addition to fostering cats and dogs and volunteering at the
SPCA. Carly developed a passion for both animals and good quality food from
a young age and likes to get creative in the kitchen. Through trial and error
she has found a way to combine these interests, along with her education in
the field of human psychology, with a career teaching pet owners about the
importance of proper nutrition. Carly works at Simply Natural Raw Pet Food
where – with the help of her lovable mutt Tika - she loves helping pet owners
find a diet that gives their furry friends a new lease on life!
Barbara Sheridan is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer and a
former Associate Editor of HorseCare Magazine. She writes on numerous topics,
including equine health and horse care, business and personal profiles, veterinary
topics, and marketing and business for the equine and agricultural sector.
Barbara draws on her 25 years of horse ownership and related experiences
as fuel for many of her stories. In addition to her work as an equine journalist,
Barbara also provides promotional communications for several organizations
in the non-profit sector including the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society
(Ontario Division), Rare Breeds Canada, and the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada.
Barbara teaches the online course offering of Equine Journalism at Equine Guelph.
Cheryl Thomas, Cheryl has been an animal advocate most of her life. Growing up
in Prince George, BC where her father worked as the Fish & WIldlife Officer, she
had many unique opportunities of helping animals. Her fondest memory is the
caring for and feeding of the baby bears. She trained and worked as a Veterinarian Assistant for six years. She then became a professional dog groomer and
has been the owner and operator of Little Hobo’s Grooming Salon in Vancouver
for the past eleven years. When not busy grooming, she spends her time with
her two dogs Diamond and Dody, and her 3 children.
7
Blue Juice
By Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM
8
B
lue juice in a veterinary clinic can kill you; it is
food coloring added to a barbiturate anesthetic
called sodium pentobarbital. In the veterinary
world, it is called euthanyl, and if you have ever had a
pet “put to sleep,” it was likely with this blue-colored
anesthetic being injected into the veins. Veterinarians
are fortunate to be able to humanely end an animal’s life.
With the more than two thousand euthanasias that I
performed, I often heard clients express their gratitude
for ending their pet’s suffering. But I can never legally
perform another humane euthanasia.
My name is Dr. Andrew Jones, and I was a practicing
veterinarian for over seventeen years. I came to question conventional veterinary medicine, I began openly
educating pet owners about the benefits of alternative,
holistic veterinary care, yet my public writings led to my
expulsion from the British Columbia Veterinary College,
which banned me from practicing veterinary medicine.
My published book, Veterinary Secrets, serves as a tale
of what is wrong with conventional health care for our
animals, in particular for our dogs and cats. It’s a warning
call about how large drug companies, food companies,
and corporate veterinary medicine are harming your pet.
It’s also a wake-up call to illustrate to pet owners how
veterinary associations are persecuting holistic practices
and practitioners. I resigned from the College of Veterinarians of
British Columbia effective December 1, 2010, following a five-year investigation into my online holistic pet
health book and newsletter. The college found me guilty
of professional misconduct on April 20, 2010, claiming
that I had committed various offences under its Bylaws
and Code of Ethics.1 For these offences I was fined
$30,000 and required to pay an additional $9,500
for the Inquiry Committee costs.
1
College of Veterinarians of British Columbia, “Inquiry Committee Report re:
Dr. Andrew Jones,” May 5, 2010.
During my years of practice at my clinic, The Nelson Animal
Hospital, I had zero client complaints recorded by my governing
body, the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia. My
alleged professional misconduct was based on what I wrote in
an online newsletter, not based on any client complaint or harm
done to an animal.
I came to believe that natural, holistic veterinary care is not only
undervalued, it is being strongly discouraged- even if your local veterinarian is open to holistic care, they may face reprisals from their
veterinary governing body if they choose to publicly advocate for it.
I really believe that many of our dogs and cats are over vaccinated,
over medicated, poorly fed and exposed to far too many harmful
chemical toxins.
In spite of the dramatic advances in veterinary medicine, we have
dogs and cats getting serious diseases at younger and younger
ages. Illnesses such as allergies, kidney failure, diabetes, autoimmune disease, urinary tract disease, and cancer. In my opinion
many of these can be linked to these outdated, conventional,
veterinary practices.
Blue juice comes in many forms: for Superman it is kryptonite,
for holistic veterinarians it is the conservative governing bodies,
and for your pet it can be conventional health care. I never quite
imagined that my career as a practicing veterinarian would end
this way, but it did. I have moved on, and I can now show you how
alternative veterinary care can, and will, help your dogs and cats.
For more information on
How Conventional Veterinary
Medicine May Be Harming
Your Pets, and What You Can
Do About It go to:
www.veterinarysecrets.com/
Fortunately you can change this, by becoming an empowered pet parent who takes charge of your own dog or cat’s care. I encourage you to
learn about natural veterinary care, to question your vet, to feed your
dog or cat better, and avoid as many chemical toxins as possible.
9
Getting Rid
of Fleas Naturally
By Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM
10
F
leas are one of the
most common
reasons that dog
and cat owners seek out
a Veterinary clinic, yet
unfortunately all that the
Veterinarian can offer is
a variety of potentially
toxic insecticides. Dog and
Cat owners are becoming
increasingly concerned
about the high number of
side effects from conventional flea medication, and many are seeking some of the safer, holistic options of natural flea control.
In this article I will cover basic information on fleas, How to tell if
your pet has fleas, medical problems of fleas, the Flea life cycle, and
conclude with my top natural ways of getting rid of fleas.
Side Effects of Conventional Flea Medication
Conventional Flea medications are increasingly causing medical
problems for dogs and cats. In fact while I was in Veterinary practice,
I commonly saw small dogs and cats with side effects of the medication.
Signs ranged from skin irritation, to hair loss, to vomiting and diarrhea,
seizures and in a few cases cats died.
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Products are finely ground
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We use only “human grade Government Inspected”
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is warning dog and cat
owners about potential health risks to their animals from a variety
of spot-on flea and tick medications.
Spot-on products generally are sold in tubes or vials and are applied
to one or more areas on the body of the animal, such as in between
the shoulders or in a stripe along the back.
More than 44,000 pet health-related incidents from spot-on treatments
were reported last year to the EPA, ranging from mild skin irritations to death. As a result, the EPA recently announced it was intensifying
its evaluation of these products.
The EPA investigation will center on incidents with spot-on treatments,
sprays, collars and shampoos.
“However, the majority of the potential incidents reported to EPA
are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on
products,” the EPA announced.
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Here is a report from the EPA:
11
Pesticide registrants are required by law to submit information to the EPA on adverse effects resulting from the
use of any registered pesticide. EPA said seven products
represent about 80 percent of all adverse incidents.
These medications are potentially very toxic, with serious
consequences.
3. Place the eggs, fleas and flea dirt in soapy water
(this will kill the fleas)
4. If your pet has fleas or lice, repeat this twice a day.
5. Preventively check your pet for fleas/lice once a
week.
Flea Dirt
This does not even take into account the diseases that are
more difficult to link to topical insecticides. By applying
a topical flea medication such as Advantage to your dog
or cat means that every time your pet grooms themselves,
they are ingesting some of that insecticide.
Every time you touch your pet, you are then being
exposed to some of that insecticide.
I suspect that this chronic exposure to insecticides
wears on your pet’s immune system, leading to increasing
incidences of diseases, such as allergies and cancer.
Cancer has risen to epidemic proportions in the dog
population with nearly 50% of the dogs dying of cancer.
The Veterinary community, along with large pharmaceutical companies are minimizing these risks, yet many
pet owners are becoming alarmed, and rightfully so.
This article will give you some of the more effective natural flea control methods.
How to tell if your pet has fleas
12
Itch, Itch, Itch!!! Your pet will not stop scratching. If
you look more closely you will probably see flecks of
black dirt; this is flea feces. A sure way to test for fleas
is by placing your pet over a white piece of paper and
vigorously rubbing her fur. If black ‘dirt’ (flea feces)
falls off, then she has fleas. You may also be able to see
the little guys jumping; using a small fine-toothed comb
you may be able to find them.
Flea combs are fine teethed
combs that are able to pick up
flea dirt (flea poop), flea eggs
and adult fleas.
1. Start from the head, and comb backwards.
2. If you find black specs (flea poop) place it on
a white piece of paper and add water. If it turns
red, your pet has fleas.
Flea Information
Fleas are the most common dog and cat external parasite,
living off your pet’s blood.
Some flea species include:
• Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis)
• Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis)
Over 2,000 species have been described worldwide
• Fleas are small wingless insects with mouth-parts
that allow them to feed on the blood of your pet.
They have long legs adapted for jumping, then
can jump up to 200 times their own body length.
Medical Problems of Fleas
Fleas can cause a whole host of medical concerns for
dogs and cats.
Skin conditions are most common, and this includes
flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), hair loss, hot spots,
excoriations showing up as irritated red skin.
More serious medical conditions of fleas include tapeworms
(very common in cats), and in serious infestation, anemia.
In young puppies and kittens this could result in death.
Fleas have been implicated in transmitting the
bubonic plague. They transmit the bacteria Yersina
between rodents and humans.
They are other lesser know and unusual diseases that are
transmitted by fleas, but these are very uncommon in
North America.
Natural Ways to get Rid of Fleas
Understanding the Flea Life
Cycle is important to be able
to control fleas naturally.
Fleas have a life cycle
of four parts: egg, larva,
pupae and adult.
Common percentages of flea populations include:
50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae and 5% adults.
The life cycle from egg to adult can be rapid or
slow, varying from two weeks to eight months.
This is dependent on a variety of factors: humidity,
temperature, and availability of food (the blood
of your pet!!).
After feeding on blood, the female flea can lay 50
eggs per day with a maximum of 600 eggs on your
dog or cat.
Flea eggs are not firmly attached, and they fall out
where your pet lays down or sleeps. In contrast lice
lay eggs that are firmly attached, and most of their life
cycle is on your dog.
Eggs turn into larvae, and that takes anywhere from
two days to two weeks. Inside the larvae are found
in cracks and crevices, your pet’s bed, kennel or edges
of your house.
The larvae also develop outside – they are especially
adapted to sand and gravel.
Adult fleas need blood to survive and lay eggs,
but may live for one year without feeding.
When you leave your house for a period of time,
flea eggs hatch and larvae pupate.
The fleas fully develop in the pupae, and can survive
for up to a year so long as they do not emergewaiting for your pets to return and hatch ‘en masse’.
In 30 days, ten female fleas can increase to over
250,000.
Optimum temperatures for the fleas are
70°F to 85°F and optimum humidity is 70%.
So where do you start?
According to ‘conventional’ veterinary wisdom, most
pet owners are given only one option, some sort of
potentially toxic insecticide.
My advice is to incorporate a number of natural flea
control methods, using the conventional options in
severe infestations, or when the natural remedies are
not working.
In treating fleas naturally, you need to focus on three
areas of flea control: Flea control on your pet, Flea
control in your house, and Flea control in your yard.
1. Natural Flea Control on Your Pet
A Healthy Pet. A healthy pet will have less of a problem
with fleas than an unhealthy one. If your pet has a skin
problem such as an allergy caused by food, fleas will
make the irritation worse, and may reproduce that
much quicker because they have an easier time feeding
on weakened skin. Do all that you can to boost your
pet’s immune system – you may find that just by
improving your pet’s overall health, you will gain control
of your flea problems. To help boost your pet’s immune
system, use a natural health supplement such as my own:
• Ultimate Canine Health Formula
• Ultimate Feline Health Formula
Flea Comb your pet regularly. Flea combs are
fine teethed combs that are able to pick up flea dirt
(flea poop), flea eggs and adult fleas.
1. Start from the head, and comb backwards.
2. If you find black specs (flea poop) place it on
a white piece of paper and add water. If it turns
red, your pet has fleas.
3. Place the eggs, fleas and flea dirt in soapy water
(this will kill the fleas).
4. If your pet has fleas or lice, repeat this twice a day.
5. Preventively check your pet for fleas/lice once a week.
Shampoo. Bathing is effective at soothing irritated skin
and eliminating some of the adult fleas. There are
a number of flea shampoos combined with oatmeal.
Use cool water and leave the shampoo on for ten
Flea Life Cycle
13
minutes. Your pet can be safely shampooed twice a week.
There are a number of effective holistic flea shampoos
that are reasonably effective. Some of ingredients that
work for dogs and cats include Neem oil, Eucalyptus
and Cedarwood oil.
14
Avoid Tea Tree oil – it is very toxic to cats, and small
dogs, although found in some of the ‘natural’ flea
control products.
Conventional Flea shampoos that contain pyrethrins are
the safest type of conventional flea and lice treatmentI advise using these shampoos for dogs, cats, puppies
and kittens.
Make Your Pet Taste Bad. Garlic and Brewer’s Yeast
have been advocated as a way of repelling fleas. In my
experience it only seems to help a small number of dogs,
but it is worth a try. Garlic is not safe to give to cats long
term. For a 10 lb dog, give 1/4 tsp of garlic and 1/4 tbsp
of brewer’s yeast daily.
Mullein. Make as a decoction/tea and rinse on your pet.
Get a handful of the herb, steep in hot water, cool and pour
over your dog or cat. This will temporarily paralyze the fleas.
Cedarwood Oil Spray. A relatively non-toxic natural
substance, has been proven effective in the eradication of
infestations in pets. Be cautious in spraying any type of
essential oil on cats or small dogs, only lightly mist them,
then use a flea comb to spread the spay around. Here is
a recognized safe cedarwood oil flea spray for dogs and
cats: Triple Sure Natural Flea and Tick Spray made by
Natural Wonder Products.
BORAX. This is another home
treatment for flea infestations.
Borax kills fleas by dehydrating
them.
2. Flea Control in Your House
Suck Them up and Wash Away. Thoroughly vacuum
the areas where your pet spends time. Concentrate on
bedding, carpet, cracks and crevices. Regularly wash
your pet’s bedding. Do not forget about the car. Steam
cleaning your carpets is an even more effective method
of killing fleas, larvae, and eggs.
Chinchilla Dust. This is correctly called ‘diatomaceous earth,’ which consists of the skeletons of
microscopic algae. It can be purchased in pet supply
stores, but be sure it is the kind meant for pets, not
the glassified type which is used in swimming pool
filters. It can be used on your pet and in the house.
Apply it weekly during flea season, vacuuming three
days after applying. Make a point of putting it in
the cracks and crevices. This can also be safely
applied to your dog or cat.
Weekly Wash. Wash your pet’s bedding in hot
water at least once a week. Carefully roll up the
bedding so as to not lose the eggs which could
drop off. Washing will kill the fleas, removing
the eggs, larvae and pupae.
Dehumidify. Humidity is vital for flea survival.
Flea eggs need humidity of 75% to hatch, flea
larvae need 50% humidity to survive. For example
in places with adequate humidity, 20% of the eggs
survive. In dry areas with low humidity, less than
5% of the eggs survive. Using a dehumidifier in your
home will go a long way in stopping the flea cycle.
Natural Control in Your Yard. Nematodes are
microscopic worms that prey on the larvae and
pupae of fleas. They can be purchased at most
garden stores; a small canister contains 100 million
little worms. Follow the label directions, spraying
them on the damp bushy areas in your yard.
Short Lawn. Keeping the grass short allows the sun
to shine on the larvae killing them. The goal here is
to make it uncomfortable for the fleas to reproduce.
Ants are Good. They will eat flea eggs and larvae –
so longs as they are not eating your house, then
keep them alive to interrupt the flea life cycle.
Natural Topicals Outside. Diatomaceous earth,
which consists of the skeletons of microscopic algae.
It can be purchased in pet supply stores, but be
sure it is the kind meant for pets, not the glassified
type which is used in swimming pool filters. It can
be used on your pet and in the house and on areas
where your pet sleeps outside.
3. Flea Control in Your Yard
15
What is
HPP
PRODUCT LOADING
VESSEL PRE-FILLING
UNPROCESSED
BATCH
LOW
PRESSURE
PRODUCT UNLOADING
PROCESSED
BATCH
16
PRESSURIZING
HIGH
PRESSURE
HIGH
PRESSURE
and is it really
a good thing
for your pet?
By Carly Piatocha
In order to set themselves apart from the crowd, reassure
those nervous new-to-raw customers, and ensure the
safety of their products, some companies have started
offering raw food that is not only ready to thaw and feed,
but also “bad bacteria free” through a process known as
High Pressure Processing, or HPP for short.
HPP is a method of food processing that was discovered
over a century ago when scientists realized that bacteria
could not survive the high pressure environment of the
ocean floor. HPP’s use in the commercial food industry
however did not really begin until the 1990’s and has
only become main stream in all areas of food production
since 2000.1
This process essentially uses high amounts of pressure, up
to 90,000 pounds per square inch, in order to crush the
outer membrane of prokaryotes (single celled organisms)
and thereby kill harmful strains of bacteria such as Listeria,
E-coli, and Salmonella. This level of pressure, put in a
different way, is the equivalent of being six times deeper
than the bottom of the Mariana’s trench – the deepest
part of any ocean in the world! 2 Essentially, packaged food
enters one end of a completely enclosed chamber which is
then filled with water and has equal amounts of pressure
applied to all sides with processing times ranging from
a few seconds to up to twenty minutes. 3 According to
several large and well known pet raw food companies, this
process enables consumers to conveniently and safely feed
raw food diets to their pets with no worry over bacterial
contamination. Sounds too good to be true? In many
ways, it is. Let’s explore the potential problems with feeding HPP raw pet food to your furry buddy.
Fresh Food
Diets
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new store or call
for local delivery
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Road, Victoria, BC
250-391-4475
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@Growlies
www.growlies.ca
I
n recent years, feeding a diet of raw meat, bones,
organs and fresh vegetables has become quite main
stream. Veteran raw feeders will no doubt remember a time in the not so distant past where feeding your
animals in this manner meant your only option was making your pets meals at home. Raw food has now become
the “old but new” way of feeding pets a wholesome and
nutritious diet, and new raw food companies are springing up around the country. With this plethora of choice,
it can be difficult for pet parents to know which company or companies to choose in order to ensure they are
getting the best nutrition they can afford.
17
There are several key issues with HPP processed food.
First off, if bad bacteria are being crushed out of the
food, what happens to the proteins of the meat itself
as well as the good bacteria that are also present in raw
meats? This is especially of concern given one of the
main reasons many people choose to feed a raw food
diet in the first place, despite its mess and expense, is for
its unparalleled nutrition and absorbability. Although
the raw food companies that use this method of processing often claim that foods are unaffected by it, the FDA
themselves say otherwise. When raw, high protein foods
go through this process, they will not only look visibly
different, but the process also can also cause protein
denaturation.4 Why is this a big deal? Well, picture a
protein molecule as a curled up spring made of little
amino acids. When a protein becomes denatured,
usually through the application of heat or in this case
high pressure, the string unravels and this renders the
protein incapable of functioning.
There has also been a study done in 1999 proving that
high pressure processing can alter the PH balance of
foods by lowering it overall.5 This is actually part of the
way more resilient strains of harmful bacteria are killed.
Real raw meat is naturally highly acidic, and dogs are
meant to have naturally acidic body systems. Overall,
nutritionally speaking this is all bad news for your pet!
18
Even if we assume that the food produced under HPP is
nutritionally equal to that of non-HPP raw food, we are
still left with the inescapable fact that when a product
is rendered completely sterile, it becomes an unbridled
breeding ground for reinfection of the same dangerous pathogens that HPP killed off. It is a fact that few
strains of bacteria can survive HPP, so even the neutral
and helpful forms will be wiped out, meaning that if a
product were to be re-infected with dangerous bacteria
that cause illness, such as E-coli, there would be no
competition for resources or space, allowing this invader
to multiple at an unchecked rate. Of course, if eaten,
this food would then pose a significantly greater risk for
bacteria borne illness to both your pet and your family
than if you had of just given Fido a piece of raw, high
quality chicken as you cooked dinner. In fact, ironically,
there is also evidence to suggest that the presence of high
amounts of calcium in foods can offer protection
to harmful bacteria when placed under pressure.6
Essentially, this means that any raw food that contains
ground bone, can actually provide protection to E.coli
bacteria making them much more resistant and able to
survive a high pressure environment!
To bring home this point, it is important to note that
one well known company, who will remain unnamed
here 7, began using HPP processing in late 2009 and then
proceeded to voluntarily recall several batches of their
raw frozen chicken patties on February 11th 2010 due
to contamination by Salmonella bacteria. Yes, you read
those dates correctly, this recall occurred AFTER the
inception of HPP processing. This means of course,
that even in sanitized factory conditions, it is a fallacy
to believe that HPP processing can completely eradicate
all harmful bacterium from your pet’s raw food meal.
The above case aside, admittedly most reinfection of
HPP raw would occur in the conditions of the average
home kitchen, not the manufactures. We do not live
in a sterile world and bacteria are on and in everything,
millions of them. I know its gross, but its true and it’s
over all a good thing – we need them around to break
up waste produced by larger creatures like us and hey,
they were the first forms of life on our planet. In fact,
in a study done on sixteen dogs intentionally fed
Salmonella contaminated commercial raw food diets,
none died or even became ill at all. 8
As long as common sense food safety protocols are
followed such as defrosting and storing meat properly
and thoroughly washing everything that has touched
raw meat, there is little need for concern. Given the
superior nutritional value of real raw and the fact that
bacterial contamination is actually less likely given the
reasons above – it is actually safer!
Even putting safety aside, the final issue with HPP is that
it leaves companies who utilize the method with a difficult
to solve conundrum. HPP is an expensive process. Therefore companies are faced with a choice; on one hand they
can use high quality ingredients as well as HPP in order
to ensure what they feel is a superior raw food product,
however this product, while decent quality, will be very
expensive for the average consumer to purchase due to the
high cost of both ingredients and processing. On the other
hand, some companies use HPP as an excuse to use subpar
ingredients and an inappropriate amount of bone/muscle
is to assist owners in making those difficult choices and to
assure you that your hard earned pet food dollars are better put towards high quality, non-HPP raw diets, which
are often cheaper as well as more nutritious and balanced.
Raw food companies that do not use HPP are forced
to use overall higher quality ingredients to ensure
nutritional balance and prevent illness. Most also
employ a “test and hold” procedure where foods are
kept frozen at the facility until such a time as they can
be tested for low levels of bacteria and other food safety
measures. Besides it is important to note that 36%
of healthy dogs and 17% of healthy cats carry live
Salmonella bacteria in their intestines and never become
ill 9. As mentioned before, bacteria are a fact of life!
References:
Overall, there are many choices out there nowadays in the
world of raw pet food companies and every owner needs
to make an educated choice for their pet while weighing
the pro’s and con’s of the quality, safety and price of each
option. If you are curious whether your pets food is made
with HPP, a simple phone call to the company can help
you uncover this information. The purpose of this article
1
www.hiperbaric.com/en/hpp
2
www.hiperbaric.com/en/hpp
3
www.iptv.org/mtom/episode.cfm/3320
4
www.fda.gov/Food/FoodScienceResearch/SafePracticesforFoodProcesses/ucm101456.htm - section 1.1.1 - Process physical description
5
www.fda.gov/Food/FoodScienceResearch/SafePracticesforFoodProcesses/ucm101456.htm, section 1.1.2 - The influence
of pH, water activity, and temperature on HPP
6
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.15746968.2008.01084.x/pdf - “High Pressure Processing – effects on
microbial food safety and food quality” – Considine et. al. 2008
7
Please feel free to do an internet search on “February 11th 2010 raw
pet food recall” for more information
8
Finley, R. et. al. (2007) The Risk of Salmonella Shedding by dogs
Fed Salmonella contaminated Commercial Raw Food Diets. Can
Vet J. Vol 48 #1. Pg. 69-75.
9
Hand, M.S. Thatcher, C.D. Remillard, R.L> and Roudebush, P.
(2000) Samll Animal Clinical Nutrition. Mark Morris Institue.
Pg. 36-42, 188.
meat/organ ratios and assume that HPP will “clean” the
food regardless so it will at least be “safe”. This results in
a much more economical, and nutritionally poor and
unbalanced, product.
19
20
Protect Your
Horse from
Hazards
By Barbara Sheridan
Bailing twine in the field can pose a serious
problem for a horse, including being chewed
and swallowed, if not picked up and properly
discarded.
O
ften times, horse owners feel their
beloved equines are simply a magnet for
injuries. Being accident prone just seems
to be in their nature, most times brought on by
their instinctive fight-or-flight response, their need
to establish herd hierarchy, and in some cases, their
sense of natural curiosity.
By spending time to minimize the various hazards
found on your property through identification and
removal, you’ll take one step closer to making your
barn and property safer for your horse and eliminate any potential accidents that may occur.
“There is no such thing as an accident, they are
only incidents,” says Dr. Rebecca Gimenez, Primary
Instructor and President of Technical Large Animal
Emergency Rescue Inc. (TLAER), based in Georgia.
“No matter how unfortunate the situation, looking
back, something somewhere probably could have
prevented it from happening in the first place.”
She recommends that horse and facility owners
become educated in both prevention and safety
in order to identify any possible hazards and take
the appropriate action beforehand to help offset
an emergency visit from your veterinarian or even
worse, having to resort to calling 911.
“The issue is usually having enough knowledge
to understand where these hazardous problems
lie and to act on them,” says Gimenez.
Farm properties can commonly become a catch-all
for clutter and various safety hazards. Make it a
habit to walk the property and be on the lookout for
anything that could pose a problem should a horse
connect with it. Keep an eye out for any sharp edges
or protruding items such as nails, screws, torn metal,
Gimenez provides training in technical animal
rescue techniques, procedures, and methodologies
across the U.S. and internationally. In addition to
publishing numerous critiques, articles, and journal
submissions on horse safety, technical large animal
rescue and horse handling issues, she published
her first book, Technical Large Animal Emergency
Rescue, in 2008.
21
etc. Farm and maintenance
equipment such as mowers, bailers, and harrows,
should all be stored away in
its proper place. Take the
necessary steps to dispose
of any clutter or debris that
has been collecting along
fence lines, laneways, or
around the barn.
Walk your pastures and
fill in any holes to prevent
torn ligaments or a broken
leg, as well as collect any
discarded round bale
netting or binder twine
– it’s surprising how
some horses like to munch on this. Also keep a look out
for any potentially poisonous or toxic plants, such as
tansy ragwort, nightshade, cocklebur, etc. While they
may have not bothered with them in the past, a hungry
horse without adequate pasture or hay will eat anything.
Inspect not only your grazing field, but your hay as well.
For a list of dangerous plants in your area, check with
your local ministry of agriculture. If you are unable to
tackle any of the potential hazards immediately, make
note of your findings so that they are not forgotten.
Make it a regular habit to
check both sides of your
fences and fence posts for
any sharp protrusions such
as nails, screws, or metal
with which horses could
catch themselves or
become tangled in.
22
For a complete list of identifying hazards on the farm,
please visit www.equineguelph.ca/pdf/courses/trainer_
kit/barn_safety_checklist.pdf.
Hidden Hazards
Dusts, fumes, and vapours are hidden hazards that can
have long-term effects on respiratory health for both
horses and the humans who work around them. Poor
ventilation can contribute to allergies and respiratory
ailments including recurrent airway obstruction (RAO),
better known as heaves.
“We’ve all been in barns during the winter, where all the
doors and windows are closed up tight because of the
cold,” notes Gimenez. “And this comes down to human
comfort. We’re cold, so we think the horses are cold and
close everything up. Without proper ventilation, the
horses breathe in all that dust and ammonia. This is an
unseen hazard that a lot of people don’t think about.”
A properly ventilated barn encourages correct airflow
movement that expels stale air and pushes chemicals odors
such ammonia out of the barn and allows fresh air to enter.
“I’ve seen people spend $100,000 on a new barn and
put in cheap $10 box fans, which are also a huge fire
hazard,” continues Gimenez. “Why didn’t they spend a
bit extra and install overhead fans? Or bring in a ventilation expert to look at their place and evaluate a proper
ventilation system that can release the fumes and help
improve the air quality in that barn?”
High Risk Factors
Statistics show that the two most common emergencies
affecting horse owners are trailer wrecks and barn fires,
notes Gimenez. This is followed by entrapment-type
emergency situations where the horse is stuck in mud
or icy water, tangled in fences, or other around-thefarm situations where they become trapped and cannot
remove themselves.
While a necessity, fencing is also a major contributor to
hazards on the farm and inspection should be done as
part of your daily routine. Don’t forget to check BOTH
sides of your fencing and look for any protruding nails or
wire, rotting posts, loose boards, dropped gates, etc.
“Make a habit of checking your fences regularly,” says
Gimenez. “Not only can your horses injure themselves
on broken boards or wires, but it only takes a stiff wind
or the snow being so deep that the horses can just step
over them, and then they’re loose. And a panicky, loose
horse on the run can then open up a whole new set of
emergency situations.”
Another danger that Gimenez warns of is housing horses
in fields with ponds during the winter. If you are not able
to relocate them to another area of the property, ensure
that ponds are fenced off with some form of temporary fencing before they freeze over. There have been
numerous incidents where a horse will walk out across a
snow-covered pond and fall through the ice into freezing
water. Sometimes it doesn’t end well.
“Last December, the Emergency Equine Response Unit
in the Kansas City area had the horrifically tragic and
difficult job of retrieving the bodies of three young horses
out of a pond after they fell through the ice and drowned,”
she says. “I can’t stress it enough, people have to fence off
their ponds and keep them out of mud, ice and water.”
which delivers monthly welfare tips throughout 2014
and provides tools to aid all horse owners in carrying out
their ‘Full-Circle-Responsibility’ to our beloved horses.
In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food, Equine Guelph is developing a ‘Full-CircleResponsibility’ equine welfare educational initiative
which stands to benefit the welfare of horses in both
the racing and non-racing sectors.
Don’t Fall Victim to
“It Won’t Happen to me” Syndrome
Accidents involving horses can happen anywhere,
anytime, and it’s an unfortunate fact that many could
have been prevented. By taking the time to identify and
correct any hazards that may be found on your property,
you’ll be in a better position to prevent any possible
injuries that can arise. This saves aggravation on not only
your horses, but also your pocketbook.
Visit Equine Guelph’s Welfare Education page for
more information.
Equine Guelph is the horse owners’ and care givers’ Centre
at the University of Guelph. It is a unique partnership
dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine
Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government – for the good of the equine industry as a whole.
For further information, visit www.EquineGuelph.ca.
“I can’t stress it enough, take the time to educate yourself
on accident prevention and maintain your facilities so as
to minimize injury to your horses,” says Gimenez. “They
will thank you for it.”
Reprinted with kind permission from Equine Guelph.
Sign up for our free e-newsletter at EquineGuelph.ca,
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25
Silent Night . . .
All Is Calm!
By Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP
In Partnership With Dogs
www.ipwd.ca
26
Excessive Barking – a very frustrating problem! One
of the reasons it can be so frustrating to try and solve
is that barking is a self-reinforcing behaviour – it just
feels good to do it. That’s a problem because behaviour
that’s reinforced will continue and if you aren’t the one
in control of the reinforcement, it’s difficult to solve the
problem. But wait, all is not lost! You can solve this
tricky issue, but . . . . it does require a commitment
to do it right and to put the time into the training.
Aren’t I cute?!
Why do dogs bark? Well, dogs bark for many reasons –
fear of things, alerting to things, excitement and overarousal, demanding attention, boredom, or frustration.
It is, of course, one way that dogs use to communicate
with us and with the outside world. It’s not something
we should ignore or shut down completely without some
understanding of the reasons behind the barking. They
are, after all, trying to tell us something. For this article,
I’m going to focus on a most annoying barking situation
– dogs who bark for attention.
Attention Seeking Behaviour –
Demand Barking
Barking is the most irritating of the various attentionseeking behaviours. What does barking for attention
look and sound like? It literally seems like your dog is
yelling at you to do something while looking right
at you – “give me something to do!”; “get up and play
with me!”; “come and feed me!”; “rub my tummy!”;
Let me out of here . . . NOW!!
“my ball is under the couch!”; “this toy is too hard!”;
“here’s my ball – throw it!”. It sounds just like what it
looks like – demanding, repetitive barking with a single
tone that’s often higher in pitch than barking at other
times. The energy behind it just “feels” like a demand for
something vs. “someone is at the door” or “I’m afraid of
that person”. If it’s ignored and continues, the barking
tends to get louder but remain the same tone.
One way to stop unwanted behaviours is to simply ignore
the behaviour – remember that behaviour that’s reinforced
I just like to bark!
27
will continue, but behaviour that isn’t reinforced will
stop. That’s great in theory (and does work with many
behaviours) however; it’s very difficult to ignore a dog
who is “yelling” at you as loud as they can for attention!
It’s particularly difficult if they happen to have a very
high-pitched bark that’s painful on the ears. Also
remember that the very act of barking, for that dog, may
be reinforcing so all your ignoring may be for nothing!
The other interesting and very challenging thing about
behaviour is that random reinforcement strengthens
behaviour. In other words, those few occasions when you
just can’t stand it any longer and give in to your dog, or
even get angry with him, can and often does, strengthen
the behaviour of barking. While getting in trouble may
not seem particularly reinforcing to us, it can be to some
dogs – at least they’ve gotten your attention. Darn –
your dog has just learned that 712 barks equal success!!
• Use treats that are easy to see like orange cheese bits
or that make a slight noise when they hit the floor like
crunchy kibble, so they can track them easily. I’ve learned
not to use “round” treats that roll under furniture!
• Click and treat rapidly – as soon as your dog finishes
eating and turns his attention back on you, Click
and treat again.
• Keep doing this for 5 or 10 minutes, and then give
your dog a stuffed kong, bone or captivating chew
toy to keep him happily occupied for a short period
of time while you take a break from the training.
• Be prepared to begin working on “silence” again as
soon as he appears to be on the verge of finishing
with his kong.
So how can you combat this most annoying problem?
The Training
Being proactive is always the best first choice. From the
moment you get your dog – whether it as a puppy or an
adult – make a pact with yourself not to give in to the
barking when it’s a demand for attention. Learn what
that looks like in your dog and train yourself and your
family to recognize it and ignore it when it begins. If you
start early with a young dog who hasn’t practiced much
yet, you can be successful just ignoring the behaviour.
28
If you already have a very barky dog, then the proactive
way to deal with this is to begin marking and paying
the behaviour of “not barking” or “silence” (which also
includes whining) – well before any barking is likely
to take place in any given situation.
For example: if your dog tends to bark at you when you
sit at your computer doing some work (“I’m bored – play
with me now!”), plan in advance and have your Clicker and
plenty of yummy, tiny treats with you before sitting down.
• As soon as you take your seat, begin Clicking and
treating “silence”.
• Toss your treat for your dog to run and get and
make sure you toss it somewhere easy to see and get.
Be prepared to get up and point it out if they miss
it – you don’t want to trigger frustration barking!
Busy NOT barking.
Yes, you are not getting a whole lot of work done
during these training sessions! However, if you do lots
of proactive training like this for awhile, then you can
start pairing back the rapid Clicking and treating and
have longer pauses between. How long you need to work
will depend on your dog and his level of patience. You
can also begin to pair back the frequency of training
sessions but give your dog a kong more often. Next is
to begin inserting bigger pauses between the time the
entertainment toy is finished and the next training session begins. Remember to use your voice to give your
dog positive feedback for his patience – especially when
you begin inserting longer pauses. Your voice can help
fill the pauses and begin the process of reducing the need
for Clicks and treats as his skill of being patient increases.
Once you’ve had lots of early training sessions and are
now beginning to lengthen the pauses and the time
between training sessions and entertainment toys, you
may experience moments when barking kicks in briefly.
If this happens, just temporarily lower your expectations
and take a step back in your training. If you’re lengthening pauses, make the pauses random vs. simply making
them longer each time. Ensure that your reinforcement
and entertainment toy quality is good enough to meet
challenge of the situation. Don’t forget to verbally praise
and provide positive feedback during the whole process.
The good news is that all the training and entertainment
toys are mentally challenging which will make your dog
tired, too, as an added bonus.
The Management
Good training involves both training and management.
You can’t change behaviour without a good mix of both.
When you are not able to combine a training session
with the situation that can trigger demand barking from
your dog, keep some stuffed entertainment toys on hand
so you can give him something to do as an alternative.
We have at least 5 (to 15!) stuffed kongs in the freezer at
any given time for just such occasions. We also have lots
of chew sticks and various treat-dispensing toys that can
quickly be filled and dispensed. If you’re in a hurry to get
a project done and simply can’t spend time training, give
him something he loves to do instead and keep it coming
so barking doesn’t start.
Yes, these training tools and tips involve using a lot of
food. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your dog
getting all his meals as training or entertainment toys!
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Make a list of all the times your dog tends to begin
demand barking so you can plan training sessions around
those times of day. My dogs can sometimes get demanding when: they haven’t yet had any exercise; one is busy
the other isn’t; making meals or preparing kongs; after
dinner time; they’ve had a big hike and come home a
bit wired. My goal is to teach my dogs to simply wait
patiently and fun things will eventually happen. Yelling
at me to “hurry up and do something” will accomplish
nothing and, in fact, may ultimately result in some good
things temporarily coming to a screeching halt.
29
However, make sure that you are carefully monitoring your dog’s weight. Cut
back on his meal portions to compensate. If you have a small dog or one
prone to weight gain, get creative with
your treats. Find low calorie treats that
your dog loves – dehydrated veggies;
low calorie, grated cheese; shreds of
chicken breast; bits of tinned, low salt,
tuna in water; low calorie cat kibble
(cat kibble is usually much smaller than
dog kibble). Get creative with your
treat dispensing toys and learn how to
stuff a kong that lasts as long as possible.
My personal record with a food-stuffed
toy is 4.5 hours (yes, I timed it)! Of
course you also have to work on building your dog’s desire to work that
hard for that long….
30
After the 4.5 hour kong!
What’s important about any episodes
of demand barking is what you do after
it stops. If you reinforce your dog for
silence immediately after the barking
stops, there are some risks involved!
Even though you think you’re marking and paying “silence”, many dogs
think you’re paying – “bark, then
stop”. Therefore, “barking” becomes
tied into the behaviour of “silence”.
It’s very similar to dogs who jump
up on their humans – in order to get
the “Good Girl!” praise from us for
putting 4 feet back on the ground,
they must jump up first – it becomes
a cycle of behaviour and so the jumping continues. Instead, wait for or ask
for an additional behaviour before
reinforcing “silence” – barking stops,
ask for sit or high-five, Click then
treat – then continue your training
for “silence”. Asking for an additional
behaviour interrupts the sequence
and focuses your
dog on something
else for a moment.
As always, when
you are working
to change or train
behaviour, keep it
positive! Demand
barking can quickly
become fear-based
with aggressive
behaviours creeping
into the equation if
you start to employ
punitive tools or
methods to curb
barking. Shock collars, “barking collars”
that squirt air or
citronella, or other
punishment-based
barking “fixes” are
not appropriate for
any barking problem (or any other
problem, frankly). Have fun with it
– because training should always be
fun for you and your dog!
Can I get your attention
if I stare at you instead?
How about now?
I’m not barking . . .
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Can you find all
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31
Dog Park 911
32
By Lisa Kerley BSc, KPA-CTP
Dog Days Daycare
dogdaysdaycare.com
F
perspective, parks aren’t safe and until a pup has a proper
level of protection from illness, parks are not an appropriate
place to be. The risks go far beyond health issues however,
and its not just puppies that you need to worry about.
Most people know to stay clear of dog parks until their
pup has completed early vaccinations. From a health
The atmosphere at a dog park can present social and
behavioral risks as well. For young or immature dogs,
‘social immunity’ needs to be carefully developed
through pleasant and appropriate experiences. As
youngsters, dogs, like humans, need role models to
or many people, going to the dog park is part
of the fun of having a dog. It’s an opportunity
for their dog to socialize, play, exercise and burn
off some steam without a lot of effort. It seems like a
win-win situation. Dog parks in concept, are a nice idea.
In practice, however, they often create more problems
than they are worth.
teach them good lessons and
help develop good skills. For
this to happen, appropriate play
opportunities have to be set up
with proper supervision by a
knowledgeable human. Without
this, inexperienced or insecure
dogs will learn that other dogs
can be scary and may result in
them becoming reactive as a
means to protect themselves.
This dog has everyone’s attention. Intervention may be required
in case she becomes anxious or the dogs gang up on her.
Without the proper choice
of playmates and adequate
supervision, young dogs can learn
that being rough and ignoring
other dogs’ signals to back off,
is OK. This is how bullies get
created. During adolescence,
increased size, confidence and
hormones can often lead to
rough and inappropriate play.
33
piddle or drink of water, but they allow for one or
both of the dogs to calm down or recover and keep
the play at an appropriate level. Dogs that just keep
going until they drop, are not learning the subtleties of good social interaction. Over time these dogs
will often ignore their playmates signals to ease up,
only paying attention when the other dog finally
has to lose his temper to get a break.
Remember, socializing and play isn’t a benefit
unless it is done well in your young dog’s life.
It’s easy to see there is a problem here.
Would you be willing to step in?
To discourage these behaviors from being reinforced and
becoming a habit, it is important that your young dog has
play time with dogs that have great play and social skills.
Just as with puppies, it is vital that they have good role
models and appropriate supervision.
Even adult dogs can be at risk at the park. Dogs often
group themselves and multiple dogs can ‘gang up’ on
one dog. Small dogs are often placed in danger when
they mix with bigger dogs in an uncontrolled setting.
Aroused play can quickly turn into something dangerous.
34
Park guidelines (if there even are any) usually indicate
that dogs must be “well-behaved” to be allowed. This
leaves a lot of room for interpretation, as most dog
owners don’t know what inappropriate behavior looks
like. Many don’t think there’s a problem unless a dog is
obviously aggressive or one is traumatized to an extreme
extent. It’s unfortunate that sometimes the only way you
realize that any particular dog should not be present is
after there has been a problem and some poor dog gets
injured or traumatized. Unfortunately, most parks have
no supervision, leaving no one regulating the dogs that
are allowed to be there.
Additionally, dogs at parks are typically left to play for
too long. Skilled play involves lots of breaks. They may
not be long - just time enough for a shake off, sniff, a
Even if you are well-schooled in understanding
body language and the nuances of dog interactions,
that still doesn’t mean your dog will be safe. It’s
common practice for dogs to be unsupervised while
at the park, with parents collected somewhere in
the distance, busy chit-chatting or having a latte.
Many parks are too big to allow parents to stay
near their dogs and be ready to step in, if necessary. We’ve even seen dogs being let out of their vehicle
at one end of a park, the parent driving to the other end
and waiting to pick the dog up. Others are let out of
the vehicle to run free and out of sight while the parent
stays in the vehicle. This lack of supervision may leave
you having to step in unassisted to split up a tussle with
another dog to keep yours safe or comfortable. Are you
confident that you can manage unfamiliar dogs that are
aroused or aggressing?
If you are not convinced and choose to take your
dog to a dog park, there are some things to keep
in mind that can help to lower the risks.
1. Educate yourself.
Do you know how to do a “consent check” to ensure
the dogs want to continue playing together?
Do you know three ways that dogs show they don’t want
to interact or need a break (other than growling or
snapping)?
Can you recognize more than five body language signals
that indicate stress?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of these, then you would
benefit from the advice of a skilled positive trainer before
supervising your young dog’s playtimes on your own.
What does good play look like?
Observing and supervising play is a big part of my
day job. After 15 years, you get pretty good at
recognizing the subtleties of canine body language,
interaction and play. Dogs that frequent dog parks
are pretty easy to pick out at my facility. Their play is
rough or intense; they get stuck on a certain behavior,
such as chasing or playing on top of other dogs; they
don’t acknowledge signals from other dogs to stop
or slow down; and often get upset when another dog
finally resorts to a more intense request to take a break.
Unskilled dogs usually have an agenda and their own
set of rules. Good play is more like a dance. It may
be intense at times, but both of the dogs involved are
active participants. One dog is not just doing stuff
to the other.
A skilled player:
• adjusts his play to accommodate the skill, style
and confidence of his play partner.
• uses lots of body language to reassure the other
dog that his antics are all in fun.
• offers a variety of play behavior versus just doing
the same thing over and over.
• is happy to give and take. This means that
even though he may love to chase and does
it frequently, he is able to accept being chased
as well. Another example is being on top or on
the bottom in play.
• initiates breaks and is happy to accept requests
for breaks from other dogs.
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2. Be choosy
Many people choose a particular park based solely
on convenience or proximity to home. There are
more important considerations that should factor
into the ones you choose.
Parks get reputations, just like other kinds of hangouts can. A particular park in our area is known as the
‘gangster park’. There are more dogs roaming around that
apparently have no parent present; more rough, unsocial
dogs; and a higher incidence of fights. Although many
have frequented the park without a problem, why
take the risk? Remember that a traumatizing social
interaction in a young dog’s life can have a serious
impact on future socializing and confidence.
You should also be selective about the physical setup
of the park itself. Ideally, a dog park should be completely fenced and have a double-gate for security. If
not, it should be located away from roads or other local
dangers. Every spring there are a number of dogs in our
An informed handler understands what good play looks
like and allows interactions only with dogs that are
skilled and appropriate with their dog. They recognize
signs of stress, and can identify when a dog is unsure or
uncomfortable, and step in to help out. They are aware
of signs of aroused, asocial or inappropriate behavior
and keep their dog safe by avoiding these dogs. Dogs
need frequent breaks to keep play appropriate and
establish good play habits. A skilled handler will
regularly interrupt play to help keep play at an
acceptable level and prevent interactions from
getting out of hand.
35
area that are swept away in the fast-moving waters at
one local park! If the ground is mucky or has a lot of
standing water you might be exposing your dog to
giardia or various other pathogens. Parks that are
heavily used by large volumes of dogs will build up
residual fecal matter - also a health risk.
36
good play opportunities with proper supervision
(and with an appropriate dog!) This is invaluable
and if you come across them, take advantage and
set up more play times together.
Being involved in your dog’s interactions will have an
additional benefit beyond safety and creating a socially
There should be separate areas where small dogs, more
skilled dog. Typically, once parents let their dogs offtimid dogs and younger dogs can play safely away from
leash, they don’t interact until it’s time to go. The dog is
the more intense activity. Is the area small enough that
having a good time on his own, when suddenly the paryou can stay near your dog as they
ent appears and the fun ends.
move about? If you can’t stay close
Not really the association we
at hand, you won’t be able to
want! By staying involved, you
It’s interesting that most
supervise them properly or help
can harness the power of play
them if they are in trouble. The
as a meaningful reinforcer.
professional dog people
park should not be over crowded.
You will also help your dog
don’t
go
near
dog
parks
As the volume of dogs at any one
to learn how to work with
time goes up, so does the chance
you around a big distraction.
with their own dogs.
for problems.
You might have the
3. Be involved
impression that I’m not
a big fan of dog parks. There are safer, more appropriate
Remember what makes for great play? Good playmates
ways to socialize and exercise dogs, so I don’t
and an involved, skilled handler. Ensure your dog is
recommend them to my clients. It’s interesting that
having a good experience by:
most professional dog people don’t go near dog parks
• choosing an area of the park where there are only
with their own dogs. Considerations for health and
a few dogs.
safety, along with social and behavioral well-being
(for dogs of all ages) are typically compromised there.
• checking that all dogs are accounted for.
I hope that this information will help you and your
Do they have a guardian with them who can
dog stay safe and have great experiences.
advocate for them when they need a hand
or step in when they are being inappropriate?
• choosing appropriate playmates for your dog.
Pick confident but calm playmates if you have a
rowdy dog. This will discourage him from bullying
and help him learn to control his excitement
during playtime. Choose gentle, careful playmates
for a shy dog. This will allow him to develop
confidence.
• monitoring your dog and watching for signs
of stress, or alternatively, for signs of arousal.
• ensuring he has regular breaks throughout the play.
• keeping an eye on what’s happening around you.
Stay clear of over-aroused, rough play, or bigger
groupings of dogs. If something is developing, get
your dog, secure him and move to another area.
• finding other parents who are interested in creating
For more valuable information on keeping
your dog safe at the dog park, check out
these 2 videos from Sue Sternberg:
At the Dog Park – The Importance of Participating:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Az6K1wZGb8
At the Dog Park – Red Alert Behavior Series
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_
embedded&v=z18_TAYooHo
For more information on body language,
signs of stress and maximizing your young
dog’s positive experiences, please visit
www.facebook.com/dogdaysnorthvan.
December 2014
Ongoing
Saturday December 6th
11:00am - 3:00pm
Photos with Santa
Mutt & Moggy Pet Store
#101 - 7655 Edmonds St.,
Burnaby, BC
Pictures are only $15.00
each and all proceeds
goes to West Coast
Rottweiler Rescue
ONGOING LIVE
with Dr. Kim Bloomer and Dr. Jeannie Thomason,
LIVE on the RADIO
Saturday December 6th
10am - 7pm and Sunday
December 7th 10am - 6pm
Annual Winter Sale at
Simply Natural Raw
Pet Food Store
5565 West Blvd.
Vancouver, BC
Are you interested in a career in truly natural animal health care?
The American Council of Animal Naturopathy is offering the
above certification courses online, now.
Natural Animal Health Coach, Animal Naturopathic
Consultant and Carnivore Nutrition Consultant
The intent of A.C.A.N. education and certification is to provide
assurance to the public that those certified by the Board of
the American Council Animal Naturopathy have successfully
completed an approved educational program and an evaluation
process assessing their ability to provide quality care in natural/
holistic animal health coaching and consulting.
www.animalnaturopathy.org/courses.htm
To find us on facebook go to:
www.facebook.com/
PetConnectionCanada
Follow us on Twitter
@PetConnectionCa
The Pet Connection assumes no responsibility for any information listed for any of these events. While every
attempt is made to double check information submitted, we are not responsible for any cancelled events,
rescheduled events, wrong dates or times, location changes, wrong address’s or wrong phone numbers. If you
have an event you would like to mention, please submit it to, info@petconnection.ca. Due to space limitations
there is no guarantee that it will be listed.
Family Pet Show with Products and Services for
Lovers of Dogs, Cats, Horses and Pocket Pets!
TRADEX, Abbotsford, BC
february 27--28 march 1st, 2015
friday 3pm-8pm
saturday 10am-6pm
sunday 10am-5pm
“LIKE” us on facebook
• seminars by pet experts
• skill demonstrations
• great live shows
Booth spaces still available: contact us 604-535-7584
• 100s of exhibitor
& 1000s of products
on display
The 12 Days of Christmas
December 12th December 24th
Meowy Rexmas at
In The Raw Pet Store
150 E 2nd Street,
North Vancouver, BC
Every Wednesday 11:30am PST
www.blogtalkradio.com or www.animaltalknaturally.com
for previous shows.
37
Freebies!
Accessories
Food
Toys
38
Monthly prize draws!
Win Pet Toys, Food and
Accessories!
Starting this December 2014.
Every month a different product will be given to one
lucky reader who likes our Facebook page!
Entries will be accepted from the 1st of every month
to 12:00pm Midnight PST on the 15th or every month.
Winners will be announced on our Facebook page, on the
20th of every month, and in the magazine the following issue.
Enter To Win!
1. Like our Facebook page:
facebook.com/PetConnectionCanada
2. Go to our website on or after December 1st, 2014
3. Follow the link we will provide
4. Fill out the entry form
GOOD LUCK!
December 2014 Prize:
January 2015 Prize:
Dog Tornado has four layers of
rotating discs. In three layers there
are compartments where treats can
be hidden. The dog/cat has to learn to
rotate the different layers in different
directions with its nose or paw in
order to find the hidden goodies.
The blanket we are giving away
is Black, as seen in the photo above.
www.nina-ottosson.com
www.backontrack.com/ca
Solution to Breed Search Puzzle
Located on page 31
Thank you to Lakes Animal Friendship
for supplying this puzzle.
www.lakesanimalfriendship.ca
The Dog Blanket may be applied in a number of ways: in the
car as a mat to lie on so the dog remains warm. Alternatively, it
may be of use so the dog’s joints and musculature warm up and
become supple. Even your pets’ master or mistress can make
good use of the Dog Blanket.
39
40
A Promise
is a Promise
Bambi
I
t was the month of June and I scheduled a trip to
Cuba with a girlfriend. It was just beautiful when we
arrived and we were greeted by hosts they were singing and dancing for us. After we checked into our hotel,
we were waiting in the lobby where there was warm air
flowing though the open setting. It was paradise. As we
were waiting in line I looked over and there was a small
dog laying there on the furniture all by himself. I was
surprised as he appeared to be alone. Being an animal
advocate and dog groomer I asked who the little dog
belonged to? They said they didn’t know, and that there
used to be three dogs but now there is just the one.
I sat for a bit and played with the small puppy and
then we went to our room for the night.
When we came down to the lobby the next day the dog
was not there, but the following morning there he was
again. So I went over and spent some time with him.
He was just so cute, about six months old, brown and
black, with a small frame and long legs. From the side
when I looked at him it looked like he was smiling. He
almost looked like a baby deer. Since he had no owner
and no name tags, we decided to call him Bambi. So we
went about our day and then when we returned to the
hotel there he was again. We began to worry about what
he was eating as he was so small. From that point on I
started feeding him. He was always so happy to see us
and whenever we came back to the hotel from our daily
outings there he was again. He was now becoming accustomed to us and the attention and love he was getting.
We have holistic dog food,
raw food, treats, supplies
and breed specific giftware!
Voted #1 Groomer
in Chilliwack,
Courtney Penner
604-846-DOGS (3647)
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Chilliwack, British Columbia
rainingcatsanddogs01@shaw.ca
www.rcad.ca
Raining cats & dogs
By Cheryl Thomas
41
You could tell how
delighted he was that
someone was caring
for him and that
someone cared.
42
Taylor was so excited when
I gave her the puppy.
it was high season and
they didn’t accommodate people with pets.
We had to return to
Canada without him.
Well, I just couldn’t
So one month later in
leave him in the lobby
July when school was
anymore. I wanted to
out I booked another
bring him to our hotel
flight back to Cuba
room and I did! I gave
for my daughter and
him a bath and let me
I. I had called the past
tell you it was like a
month and my friend
bucking bronco, but
in Cuba (Myra) was
he slept like a baby after.
keeping the dog
So now I started taking
at her moms house.
the dog with me everyI thought how honorwhere and people would
able she was to keep
see me and say “So how
the dog until I could
Taylor and Bambi
is Bambi?” I would just
find a way to get him
say OK. I just could
back to Canada. I was
not get into my vacation as I was just so concerned about
so excited to know I would see little Bambi again.
minding this little helpless puppy.
When we got back to Cuba I phoned my taxi driver
Then this little girl came up to me and said “Where is
friend that I knew and he picked us up and drove us
that small dog?”. I said he’s in my room. She asked if she
to my friend’s house. I then also phoned Mr. Green
could see him? I said sure. She was traveling with her dad,
and told him I was back in Cuba with Bambi. I just
Mr. Green. Later I asked if she could ask her dad if she
wondered what he was thinking about all this, but this
could watch him for the day while we took a day tour.
was all because of a journey for Bambi, Taylor (the little
From that point on they were also supporting me
girl) and I. We had made a promise to help Bambi, and
with Bambi.
we even did a pinky promise.
The little girls name is Taylor. She said to me I wish
my dad would let me have this dog and I said tell you
what, if I can get this dog back to Canada I would
give him to you, since this is part of what I do working
with animals over the years finding good homes for
dogs in need.
I then went on two different trips to see the local doctor
in a taxi with one of the local tour hosts and we got the
vaccination and the International Health Certificate that
Bambi needed to come to Canada. I was so happy when
I got back to the hotel I asked the representative of the
tour bus to please find out if I can take him on the plane.
They checked all airlines and they said no at this point
We arrived and were so excited. There she was at my
friend’s house, there was Bambi. We spent our vacation
together and then we returned to Vancouver on Westjet
via Toronto. Monday morning the Green family had
been leaving messages on my machine. I phoned back
and I said YES - Bambi is here with me now and we met
up that evening. Taylor was so excited and I gave her the
puppy. I was a bit sad when I went into the house after
all Bambi had felt like mine, but I knew he was going to
a good home. They were so kind, and generous and they
gave me a card, flowers, and a donation to help with my
efforts. This was all just for Bambi, myself, and my new
friend Taylor. A promise is a promise.
Natural Remedies for Pets
•
•
•
•
Professional & Trusted Products
Expert Health & Nutrition Advice
Consultations & Seminars
Leaders in Natural Health Education
Kava & Lucy
Riva’s Animal Health Line:
1-800-405-6643
www.rivasremediesfordogsandcats.com
Britton Services Social Media & Design
WordPress updating & Social Media (Facebook,
Twitter) posting. Let us take care of all your Social
Media needs.
Contact us at:
mbritton@shaw.ca or call: 604 734-7661
Print design needs: brochures, logos (corporate packages),
displays, ads, magazine layout, catalogues, etc.
43
Looking to make
more HEALTHY
CONNECTIONS?
Join our
growing
NATURAL
HEALTH
related pet
community!
Advertise in PET CONNECTION!
Next Advertising Deadline:
January 2, 2015.
Email: info@petconnection.ca
Phone: 604-220-5346
COMING IN...FEBRUARY
• Dog Breeds
AT T E NT I ON R E A D E RS !
If you’ve enjoyed this independent publication, please use the products and services of our fabulous advertisers. Without them this magazine would not be possible.
THESE PEOPLE CARE!
American Council of Animal Naturopathy (page 37)
mutt & moggy Pet Store (page 35)
Amoré Pet Foods (IFC)
Omega Alpha (page 48)
Back on Track (page 39)
Nina Ottosson (page 39)
Best Buddies Pet Services (page 43)
Petlovers Show (page 37)
Britton Services (page 43)
Pets Go Raw (page 11)
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (page 21)
Pet-Tek (page 29)
Dog Days Daycare (page 21)
Raining Cats & Dogs (page 41)
Finlandia Natural Pharmacy (page IFC)
Riva’s Remedies (page 43)
Growlies For Pets (page 17)
RPB Hotels & Resorts (page 7)
In The Raw (IFC)
Simply Natural Raw Pet Food Store (page 9)
In Partnership With Dogs (page 23)
Soggy Dog Seat Covers (page 43)
Korna Natural Pet Supplies (page 19)
Tisol Pet Nutrition and Supply Stores (page 29)
Leba Lab Dental Product (page 5)
Tail Blazers Health Food Store for Pets (page 15)
Lil’ Hobo Dog Grooming (page 43)
Until We Meet Again (page 33)
Look for a retailer near you!
Please tell them you saw them here in Pet Connection!
45
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In Memory
Bella
Shelby
July 2005 - July 26th, 2014
Song for Bella
2003 – October 3, 2014
Bella, you made my heart sing.
And now wonderful memories of
times shared with you live in my heart.
I’ll never forget the love you so freely
gave and the light of your
amazing spirit.
Thank you so much, dear Bella.
Vivien
Shelby was rescued by the Voice4paws Canine
Rescue Society and in foster care for a short
three weeks, her senior years were looking
bright; but then things took a turn for the
worse, the years of neglect caught up with her
and sadly she succumbed to heart failure…..
despite all the efforts to save her, she slipped
away. Shelby knew real love and affection
for the last three weeks of her life, and for
that we are grateful. Rest in peace sweet
Shelby, forever in our hearts.
Until one has loved an animal,
a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
-Anatole France
Has your Best Friend recently passed on? Send in their photo, name and
a few words and we will gladly mention them in our In Memory section.
Send to: info@petconnection.ca
The greatest gift in life is to love and be loved.
47

Blue Juice - Pet Connection Magazine

Transcription

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