Securing Your Pet’s Future if Tragedy Strikes
2018-01-15
Whether you have a goldfish, dogs or cats, you should know how fragile and unpredictable life can be. That is why it is important to provide for the future of our beloved pets in the event of tragedy. Tragedy can strike at any time. If it does, who would know that you have pets at home waiting for you? If someone knew that you had pets, would they know their basic needs? Who would they call for help? Close your eyes, push all thoughts from your mind, and picture this: The busy holiday season has come to an end. You… Read More
Labelling Protein in Pet Foods
2017-12-01
Our last issue provided some insight into the truth of the ‘ingredient list’ on the side panel of pet food bags. One does not have to be a dietitian to understand that AAFCO enables pet food manufacturers to do the least for the most. The bottom line is about profit, not nutritional quality or compassion for your pet. Manufacturers resist any attempt by regulators to hold them more accountable to the consumer. The fact that manufacturers spend more on marketing and packaging than on quality ingredients is telling on its own. In this issue we will take a deeper look… Read More
Interpreting Pet Food Ingredients
2017-10-31
On our last issue, we took a closer look at the truth behind the words used by pet food manufacturers to convince you, the consumer, that their product is the best for your pet. This month, learn more about interpreting pet food labels to determine what is best to feed your canine pal. Discover the truth behind the ingredients list, guaranteed analysis, minimum and maximum content, natural vs. organic quality and ‘human grade’ ingredients. 1. INGREDIENTS LIST The labeling rules for food ingredients require manufacturers to list ingredients in descending order by weight before processing. Some ingredients, like whole meats, are wet when added and may… Read More
The Truth Behind Pet Food Industry
2017-09-30
On our previous issue, we have discussed regulations of the pet food industry and introduced the elements of pet food packaging which includes Best Before Date and what it really means; Display Panel that faces the aisle for you to see; and the Information Panel located in not-so-obvious places on the side or back of the package. For this month’s issue, let’s take a closer look at the truth behind the words used by pet food manufacturers to convince you that their product is what’s best for your pet. We will explore the real deal behind the ‘complete and balanced diet’… Read More
Pet Food Regulation and Labels – Can You Believe it?
2017-08-21
Commercial dog food has changed considerably over the years. When I trained my Labs for field trial competition in the 1990’s, there were only a few high performance brands available and it was easy to find the best food to match the performance requirements of my dogs. Fast-forward to 2017 and the diversity of brands and range in quality of commercial kibble available on today’s pet food market is mind-boggling. How do you choose the best kibble for your pet? Interpreting the information provided on pet food package labels can be daunting. Price is not always the best indicator of… Read More
Why Does Your Dog Do That!? – Diffusing the Explosion
2017-07-31
I receive a number of inquiries from people struggling with dog reactive behaviour towards another dog. The situation may be in a multi-dog household, or a dog reacting when on leash or social situations where fights erupt for no obvious reason. If you have one or more dogs who seem to continuously erupt at other dogs, it seems natural to reprimand the dogs who are doing the ‘erupting’. You may find yourself yelling, yanking their leash or whatever it takes to get them to stop. Without knowing it, you may be inadvertently contributing to the problem and creating a sense… Read More
Crate Training Made Easy
2017-06-19
A very important ‘first thing’ to teach your puppy or ‘new to you’ dog is to love his crate. Your pup’s crate is his sanctuary! Teaching your puppy to be comfortable in his or her crate will ensure that both you and your puppy get a good night’s sleep and will enable you to have a life away from pup without worrying about coming home to a destroyed house. So many times I meet owners who have “felt sorry” for their pup and taken it out of the crate as soon as he makes one little peep. This innocent act… Read More
How to Potty Train Your Puppy
2017-05-08
Do you have a new puppy or adult dog in your family? Are you planning on adding a new puppy or adult dog soon? Spring brings warmer weather, green grass and sunshine – ideal conditions for a new furry companion. The most common question that I am asked by people adding a new dog to their home is “what is the first thing that I should teach my puppy?” Over the next several issues I will discuss many “first things” that are important to teach your puppy. Let’s start with what is most important to YOU. By far the number one issue that… Read More