Rochester's Place

Grain-Free Diets – A Vet’s Opinion

A couple weeks ago, Rochester’s veterinarian took time out of her busy schedule to speak with him about grain-free diets and whether they’re healthy for dogs. He wanted to share it with all his readers.

Rochester: “Dr. Raines, thank you for taking time to speak with me today. I know all my readers are excited to learn more about how to feed their dogs the healthiest food available. So let’s get started.”

Q: There are a lot of foods commercially available today. How do you even know where to start when you’re selecting the proper diet for your dog?

A: There is no one-size-fits-all or best food on the market. It’s best to start by checking the bag for an AAFCO statement. AAFCO is the American Association of Feed Control Officials. It is a non-governmental agency that publishes guidelines for pet food quality and labeling.

AAFCO does not inspect or ensure food for quality or safety. An AAFCO statement lets you know that your food meets basic ingredient requirements and labeling. The nutritional standards and safety of a food are ultimately regulated by the food manufacturer. I recommend you have some knowledge of and trust the manufacturer.

Q: What role does brand and price play in whether a food is of high quality?

A: Maybe less than we previously thought. Good quality ingredients cost more, but that doesn’t mean every expensive food is good quality. Quality ingredients also don’t ensure a properly balanced diet.

Q: What about consistency? Is wet or dry better?

A: Both wet and dry food can provide good nutrition. Remember, canned food is about 30% water and may contain fewer calories by volume than dry food. Preference and some health reasons may dictate whether canned or dry is best for you.

Q: As you said, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to choosing a commercial food. How do we determine what’s most important?

A: Individual dietary needs are most important. We treat a lot of food allergies and chronic gastrointestinal problems. Your veterinarian can help you navigate the options for individual needs.

Q: Before we get down to the nuts and bolts of this interview, let me ask one more superfluous question. What about all these designer brands the chefs and celebrities are coming up with?

A: Be wary of designer brands. Some are well-known companies with special labeling for the brand. Others may be less established and less concerned with long-term reputation and customer relationships.

Q: Now let’s talk about commercially produced grain free diets. Is it the direction we should be taking? After all, dog’s don’t eat cornbread and biscuits in the wild.

A: No, Rochester, they don’t eat cornbread and biscuits. However, there are a couple things to consider. Canines in the wild are herbivores. Their stomachs and intestinal tracts are full of partially digested grains. Also consider that domesticated dogs have been living alongside humans and eating what they eat for more than 15,000 years. Dogs have been benefiting from the calories and nutrition in grains for as long as there have been dogs. We really shouldn’t compare the domesticated dog to a wolf because they have survived under very different conditions for such a long time.

Q: But our digestive systems are still much the same as our ancestors’, aren’t they? Doesn’t that mean we don’t have as much natural digestive support for breaking down and metabolizing complex carbohydrates and cereal grains? Can’t this end up damaging our digestive systems, causing bowel inflamation and even obesity?

A: There is plenty we don’t know. I can’t tell you the grain requirements of a wolf. Evolution in its most basic form is survival of the fittest. The most fit live longer and have the most babies. When humans started growing grains thousands of years ago, their survival improved. We can safely assume that the scraps of their diet were given to their new canine companions. Back to our fireside canines, the dogs who ate the grains lived longer and had more pups because they had more and easier access to calories would have lived longer and raised more pups. After countless generations, most dogs should be able to digest grains and benefit from them. However, everything is best in moderation. We should be vigilant about too much grain and obesity.

Q: Are there any scientific studies to back up what you’re telling me?

A: Tufts University has published several articles on the subject. Unfortunately, when we started feeding grain free, we made our pups guinea pigs for a new and unstudied diet. As a result, there are countless case studies and new cases emerging every day.

Q: Okay. If grain-free diets are not good for us, why are they so popular?

A: Grain-free diets were an easy option for dogs that may have had an allergy to only a single grain. Owners also fed them because they thought it was a better diet. We just didn’t have the information we have now.

Q: What can happen to us medically if our owners insist on feeding this to us?

A: Some dogs will develop heart failure.

Q: Are there some dogs who should go the grain-free route?

A: I don’t recommend grain free for any dog. Allergy testing and diet trials are a great way to determine which diet will be the healthiest.

Q: What about puppies?

A: Grain free isn’t for puppies either.

Q: And dogs that are diabetic or have food allergies?

A: There are tons of options available for diabetics and food sensitivities that also include grains.

Q: If our people had the time, would we be better off if they cooked for us instead of feeding us stuff out of a bag?

A: Have your person consult with a veterinary nutritionist. Remember, healthy ingredients don’t automatically mean well-balanced.

Q: I’ve read the FDA is investigating a possible link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy. What do you know about this?

A: We know there is a very real connection between grain-free diets and cardiomyopathy. More recently, this link has been extended to other BEG diets. BEG stands for boutique, exotic and grain-free.

Q: Something else I read indicated that grain-free foods based on peas, lentils and potatoes were often the diets of dogs that were diagnosed with canine dilated cardiomyopathy. Does this mean we should avoid these ingredients?

A: There is no need to totally avoid these ingredients, but they should not be one of the main ingredients and should not be used in lieu of a grain. We thing they may be inhibiting taurine absorption. Even when taurine has been added to the food.

Q: In conjunction with these reports, I also have read something about taurine deficiency. Isn’t that an amino acid type thing that is essential for us carnivores? Doesn’t it help us build protein or something like that?

A: Taurine is necessary for many biological processes. We are seeing taurine deficiency manifest as heart failure as the individual cells have all become weakened.

Q: I know you mentioned exotic ingredients earlier when you spoke of the BEG diet. Should exotic ingredients like kangaroo and chickpeas be totally excluded?

A: We aren’t sure why the exotic ingredient diets are causing taurine deficiency. We do know that these diets were not tested adequately and many times the manufacturers did not perform any research at all.

Q: And what about those people who choose the RAW diet? What should they include/exclude? Or should they abandon the RAW concept altogether?

A: There are no proven benefits of feeding a RAW diet. My concerns are for bacterial exposure and that the RAW diet may not be well-balanced.

Q: Okay, should I tell my mom I should have prime rib and chicken for every meal?

A: Some fresh, lean meat is okay, but don’t forget your balanced diet!

Q: And speaking of chicken. I’ve heard that many people believe it can be a cause of prolonged periods between estrus cycles. But that’s a topic for another conversation.

A: I’m not familiar with this occurrence. However, Eastern medicine suggests that chicken as a “hot” food is best for estrus and cold food such as whitefish for pregnancy Possibly neutral foods such as beef and quail would be best for diestrus. Or a cold food for diestrus if the female is yin deficient. I agree, this is best for another conversation.

(Rochester: I think I’m gonna have to do a lot of research before we get to that subject.)

Q: Just a couple more questions before we stop. Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? Where did you go to school? How did you become interested in veterinary medicine? What about your family – both human and canine? What aspect of treating animals do you like most?

A: I’m from just outside Columbia, SC. I went to undergrad at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, and to veterinary school at University of Georgia. (Dr. Donna Raines currently lives near Landrum, SC, and practices veterinary medicine at Landrum Veterinary Hospital in Landrum, SC.)

Rochester: Thank you for taking the time today. It has been very informative for me and I know it will be for my readers as well.

Do Dogs Need GPS?

Many dogs are microchipped today. I got mine when I was a little puppy. That means if I get lost, my humans can find me. Right?

Wrong.

My humans can find me if someone else finds me and takes me to a vet or other establishment where they have a reader to find out what is stored on my “chip”. Then they will call my mom and she will come get me. All will be well.

But what will happen if I don’t get taken to the vet where they can read that information stored in my neck. Or even worse, what if no one find me and I am in the woods hiding from the coyotes who want to have me for dinner. I don’t even want to think about it.

So, that raises the question. Do I need a GPS?

A GPS tracking system keeps track of your dog’s movements. It can be embedded in a collar and the owner can keep track of the dog on his computer or other device like an iPhone. That would mean if I were in the woods where they coyotes hide out, my mom would know where I was.

I started thinking about this last week when my cat Benjamin disappeared. He’s been gone over a week now and I fear the worst. He has a microchip, but no one has called me to come get him. If he had a GPS, I could go get him wherever he is.

GPS means global positioning system and it keeps track of objects using satellites. If I had one in my collar, my mom could know exactly where I am at all times and, if I got in trouble, she would come get me FAST.

GPS tracking devices often are used by people who hunt with their dogs. During that activity, it’s inevitable that dog and hunter can get separated. Before the development of this technology, hunters had to rely on their dogs finding their own way home if they got separated. Sometimes they made it home. Sometimes they didn’t.

There are several different GPS trackers for dogs on the market today. Let’s talk about a few and help decide which one I should have.

A lot of people like Whistle GPS Pet Tracker. It can be used with the collar your dog already is wearing. It uses cellular and GPS technology to send signals and email about the dog to your phone. If your dog crosses the labeled “whistle zone,” you will instantly get a notification to your phone. Then you can check its location using the mobile app. In other words, if the dog gets out of his fence while you’re at work, you will get notification and will be able to fetch him, or have someone who is closer to his location do it for you.

This device is waterproof and goes wherever you dog goes. You can monitor stuff like how much and when the dog eats while you’re away. You will know if it leaves the house. His location will be shown on an interactive map.

The Whistle device is ideal for dogs weighing 15 pounds or more but it can be attached to a collar or harness that is at least one inch wide. In order for it to work, you must subscribe to a service plan or cellular connection with 24 hour service to be able to use it.

One other aspect of this device that you should remember is that it has a battery that will give you about eight days of moderate use. Then it needs to be recharged or replaced.

So, it has a lot of positive aspects to it like the advanced technology, the interactive map and the instant notifications. The negatives are the need to be constantly subscribed to a GPS service and the need to keep the battery powered up so the device will work when it need to.
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The Tractive GPS Pet Tracker allows you to use free mobile apps to keep up with your dog’s location. It uses many cellular phone networks to enable you to always know your dog’s location.

It is lightweight and waterproof and has an integrated SIM card that identifies real-time location using the T-Mobile cellular network, It’s good for dogs weighing more than nine pounds. And, it can be used on cats, horses, pigs and even children.

The positive aspects of this device are that it gives you real-time information and creates a virtual fence around your dog. The negatives are the short battery life and the monthly service fee, which starts at $5.
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The Link AKC Collar is a “smart” dog collar designed with sophisticated tracking technology designed to ensure your dog’s safety. It sends a signal to the dog’s owner if the dog passes outside a designated area.

This collar also contains a link to an app that helps you monitor temperatures so you will know if your dog is in an unsafe environment. It also stores vet records. It comes attached to a leather collar and a base station where you can use the USB connection to charge the collar and your cell phone.

Again, with this unit, you need a monthly that starts at around $10. It is recommended for dogs who weigh more than 10 pounds.

The positive aspects of this collar are that it comes with the base unit and it can monitor temperatures. The negative, and it is a big one if you have a dog that is left outside while you’re away, is that it has an active time of only about 90 minutes.
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The Garmin Alpha 100 Tt15 is a whale of a device. It uses a free tracking technology that can monitor the dog’s movement up to 10 kilometers. When your dog crosses the “safe zone,” you are alerted with a silent, vibrating alarm.

The positives to this unit are that it has an extensive reach and a powerful system. The negatives are the battery life and the price. It’s expensive.

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Okay, these are four of the top-selling devices. Which one should I get?

I think price will rule out the Garmin device for me. And the very short battery life of the Link AKC makes it less than desirable. That leaves the Whistle and the Tractive are left and I think they come in about equal.

I am going to have to think about this a little more, but I know I am going to get something. In a week or two, I am going to start my scent work training and I might be out in the woods some of the time. I don’t want to get lost.

I’m Getting My Healthy Dog Spring Cleaning Today

Okay! The house has had it’s spring cleaning. Now it’s my turn. We dog’s need a good spring cleaning just like everything else so they can stay healthy.

Here are the “must-do” items for spring cleaning your canine companion and keeping him healthy all year.

Health
Food
Feet
Ears
Coat
Teeth
Eyes
Private Parts
Bed
Hugs

Let’s talk about our health first, because it’s important.

Health

Now, I know not every dog goes to the doctor at the same time every year for an annual check-up. But, it you feel like it’s been a while since you paid them a visit, spring is as good a time as any. We need to be checked for internal parasites (I don’t like calling them worms) that might have found a warm winter hiding place inside our bodies. Our hearts need to be checked to be sure they’re in good beating order. Make sure we don’t have any heartworms too. With spring here, mosquitos will be invading our space soon, so get us on some kind of preventative. Fleas will be jumping up and down soon too, anxious to use us as their mode of transportation everywhere we go. Get something to get rid of those little pests.

FOOD

Now is a good time to check our food. Are you feeding us a good, quality food? Have we gained weight during the winter and need to take off a pound or two? You can ask about that while you’re at the vet. And get on the computer and do a little research on the best foods available for us. I like Purina Pro Plan. I eat it every day and so do all my family members – even those who are older and need to be on a special diet. If you aren’t sure if your food is giving you the nutrition you need, ask your vet. If he or she doesn’t know, ask mine. She knows everything about keeping us healthy.

FEET

Now, who checks their feet in the spring? Well, ours need to be checked for cracked pads, matted hair between the pads. Nails that need clipping. And have your owner take a sniff and see how your feet smell too. Sometimes they start smelling like corn chips in the spring.

Why is that? Well, we have sweat glands in our feet and they’re surrounded by fur. This creates a great environment for bacteria to grow. That’s where the smell comes from. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing unless it suddenly gets really strong. That could mean a yeast infection. If that happens, back to the vet you should go.

EARS

When you’re giving us a big hug and an overall checking out, be sure to take a look at our ears. Are they dirty inside? Do they smell bad? Is hair matted inside? If so, clean them up. You can use tweezers to gently pull out the hair. If our ears are dirty, and they probably will be if we haven’t had them cleaned all winter, just use some over-the-counter ear cleaner and then wipe them out with a soft tissue or cotton ball. Whatever you do, don’t stick anything in the ear canal. You can cause damage in a dog’s ears just as you can in your own.

EYES

Make sure our eyes are clear and clean. We might get crusty stuff in the corners. If so, wipe it our with a soft tissue or cloth. Be careful using your fingertips because if we suddenly jerk, your finger might poke us in the eye.

COAT

Oh goodness, that means it’s time for a bath. Some dogs hate them. I think they’re fun. Before bathing, always brush your dog out and be sure all the tangles and mats are gone. This will help remove any debris that may be in the coat, but it will help the dog dry more quickly as well. And, there won’t be any knots and tangles in that wet hair.

When you bathe, be sure to use a good shampoo. I get mine at a place called Blue Ridge Scents ‘n Soaps. It is an online store, so the shampoo comes right to my door. I use a creamy shampoo in a cedarwood scent. It’s more masculine (like me) and it has smelling great. Not only am I squeaky clean, buy my coat is healthy and with the cedarwood it helps me naturally repel fleas. Another good scent is lemongrass. You can buy it at the same place and it does the same job as my cedarwood. Check it out here. Get Some Shampoo

TEETH

Take a look at my teeth. I like to have a sparkling white smile. If they are stained or look like they’re turning brown, let the vet take a look at them. Maybe tartar has just build up and a good cleaning will do the trick. But one could be cracked and causing some pain.

PRIVATE PARTS

Take a look behind your pup’s tail. Be sure it is clean of any waste that may have gotten stuck. Be sure there’s no swelling, odor or discharge too. If so, off to the vet you go.

BED

Check your dog’s bed. Be sure it is clean and comfortable. It might be time for a new one if it’s getting worn around the edges. Or maybe a new one of the latest spring colors …

Of Course Dogs Can See Ghosts – One Lives at My House

We read a very interesting article from AKC this morning titled, “Can Dogs See Ghosts?” by Alexandra Anastasio. It was printed in the AKC Nibbles Newsletter. I’m going to share some of it here with you, but first I wanted to tell you about these “ghosts” who live in the forest behind my house.

Several years ago, long before I was born, a giant tree fell just behind the fence in my back yard. My mom knew someone who used wood in their fireplace. Since this was a big oak tree, she offered it to these folks if they wanted to come cut it into logs. The lady, her husband and their son came.

These people were very interesting. The father could talk with ghosts and the son could see them. Well, they met one in our forest. He was laughing at them because they were having so much trouble with their chainsaws cutting the tree. They said he was a small, African-American man who had lived in the 1800s. He didn’t know how to read or write, but he did know how to express his displeasure with the beautiful trees being cut so people could build houses.

Of course, the people told my mom about the little man. She had never seen or heard him, but it did bring to mind some strange things that had happened at our house. One summer for several nights, the CD player would turn on by itself in the middle of the night and it was always playing Christmas songs. Weird! Right?

There were other times when doors would be open when my people would come home from work when they knew they had been closed and locked before they left in the morning. And of course there were many, many times when my ancestors – Hunter, Emily, Taylor and dozens of others would stand in the back yard barking at what appeared to be nothing. It became the joke that they were barking at the “little man,” as we called him.

Let me share a little of that AKC article with you and then you can tell me what you think.

“While there are people who believe in the paranormal, have you ever wondered whether your dog is able to sense the spirits? After all, canines have extraordinary senses that are much sharper than a human’s. And wouldn’t it be comforting to know that your dog is able to detect a loved one who has passed on?

“As much as we’d like to believe there is some truth to the idea that dogs can sense the paranormal, the scientific answer is that we just don’t know. Despite the fact that there is no scientific proof that dogs can see ghosts, so much of animal behavior is uncertain that the possibilities of a dog sensing something a human can’t is not out of the question. “The most interesting part of the science of dog behavior and understanding is that we simply don’t know so much,” says Russell Hartstein, a certified dog behavior consultant and dog trainer in Los Angeles.

“Much of a dog’s behavior can be a mystery to an owner, but there are countless examples that leave us wondering if the unimaginable is actually conceivable. “When someone is inclined to believe in the paranormal, some dogs may exhibit behaviors that make it look like they are perhaps sensing an apparition is nearby,” says Dr. Mary Burch, director of the AKC Family Dog Program and a certified animal behaviorist. “This may be the dog that stops and stands still at a given point in the house, and the owner later finds out someone died there.”

“If a dog is standing in a corner, barking at nothing visible, could it be that he senses something out of the ordinary? Or perhaps he stays close to an object that is associated with a deceased family member, whether it be a favorite chair or side of the bed, as if that person is still present.

“Dr. Burch points out that when a dog barks at what appears to be nothing, an owner sometimes thinks it’s because he’s seeing a ghost or picking up on something she can’t. “While clairvoyance generally falls outside of what we can prove in terms of science, we do understand and have research on a dog’s basic five senses,” she says.

“When a dog runs and sits by the door waiting for his owner, Dr. Burch explains this behavior could be a habit simply learned through repetition. But if the owner comes home much earlier than usual, and the dog still sits by the door within minutes of his arrival, that unexplained behavior could appear to be his sixth sense.

The Sixth Sense

“In addition to the five senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing), dogs also possess a sixth sense — that “gut” feeling we get when something doesn’t feel right. The difference though is that dogs are more open to trusting what they feel and acting on those feelings accordingly, while most people’s minds analyze what’s going on and deny the possibility that auroras or spirits exist. “Dogs are remarkable creatures, with senses that far exceed a human’s,” explains Dr. Burch.

“Dogs also have the ability to detect impending disasters before they happen, thanks to their powerful sense of smell. “Barometric pressure and all natural phenomena have odors associated with them,” says Hartstein. “They are beyond the capacity of our noses to recognize, but dogs can sense these changes immediately.”

Can Dogs See Things We Can’t?

“The level of a dog’s hearing also surpasses a human’s, and dogs possess the ability to hear higher-pitched noises from a much greater distance. “Dogs’ auditory perception is another area where they perceive the world around them in a vastly different way from human beings,” points out Hartstein. “These differences may be connected to their ability to pick up on different and undetectable phenomenons that we do not.”

“A dog’s field of vision is much wider than ours; they can see objects at a greater distance, and their ability to see in twilight, dusk, and dawn is far superior to ours, making it possible to pick up certain movements that are undetectable to the human eye. “It could be absolutely accurate that the dog is picking up on something we may not be able to see. But what they are perceiving may not be Casper the Friendly Ghost,” explains Dr. Burch.

“Dogs are fascinating creatures, and there is still much uncertainty when it comes to the abilities of man’s best friend. “Their senses are highly attuned, and it is obvious they are perceiving the world in a vastly different way than we do,” says Hartstein. Whether their extraordinary senses are able to pick up on unknown forms, energies, or the paranormal continues to remain a mystery.”

So, what do you think? I think dogs can see ghosts and I hope I see the little man in my forest one day.

—Rochester

Rochester’s Peanut Butter Brownies

It’s a rainy Sunday, so I decided to head to the kitchen and bake some homemade dog treats for the gang here at Rochester’s Place.

After giving it some thought and dog-earing several pages in my mom’s cookbooks, I decided on an old favorite that I haven’t had in a while. It’s a homemade dog treat, so that makes it healthier, right!

It’s easy to make and delicious. Try some!

Rochester’s Peanut Butter Brownies

1 lb beef liver

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup peanut butter

Put the liver in the blender and whiz until it is almost a liquid. Then add the flour and peanut butter. Continue to blend until you have a slightly thickened mixture. It will look something like a chocolate milkshake. If it is too thick, just add a little water or beef broth to thin it slightly.

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased pan. Use any pan you like, but be sure the mixture is about an inch thick. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. The time will vary depending on how thick you make your brownies.

Let cool and slice in small squares. These freeze well, so store some for later. Remember, they’re treats, not a meal.

Hope you enjoy!

Alternative suggestion – if you are not in the mood for brownies, make cookies instead. For this, you simply put small scoops of the mixture on a cookie sheet and bake until they are crisp. Be sure to spray the pan with a cooking spray or line it with parchment paper so the cookies don’t stick and break apart when you remove from the pan.

And, if you suddenly realize you’re out of peanut butter, that’s okay. Just leave it out. Liver brownies are delicious too.

May I Have Some People Food, Please

Can you and your dog eat the same things?

If you like kibble, definitely yes. If you’re thinking more like letting him have your leftovers or a couple bites of what’s on your plate, that’s a little different.

Everyone (well almost) knows chocolate is dangerous for dogs. So don’t sneak him a bite of grandma’s chocolate cake no matter how much he begs. Don’t give him grapes or raisins either. And probably not avocado because it can upset his stomach.

Let’s take a look at several “people food” categories and some of the items that are and are not safe for your dog.

Vegetables

Carrots, cucumber, zucchini, bell peppers, lettuce, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, green beans – they’re all good for him. Either grate or chop the first four and steam the others. These will give him vitamins and fiber.

Onions and garlic are off the list. And keep in mind anything containing these ingredients. They can cause problems, too.

Fruit

Most fruits (except raisins and grapes) are okay. A lot of dogs like bananas, blueberries, melon and oranges. Be careful with the oranges. I had a dog once who would drink orange juice every chance he got. But he would always get an upset stomach as well. Be careful with things like cherries if they still have the pits. And give them in limited quantities even if they are pitted.

Freezing blueberries for a treat on a hot day can be a good idea. Apples can be a good source of potassium and Vitamin C. Blackberries give them antioxidants. Cranberries also are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. They help make the urinary tract healthier as well.

Pears are a good source of folic acid, phosphorus and potassium. One or two chunks makes a great snack. Give watermelon for a tasty, vitamin-filled treat. But don’t let them have the rind.

Meats

All dogs like meat. But if you are going to give them some of your leftovers or a chunk of that prime rib you’re making for dinner, be sure it’s cooked and free of all bones. Avoid giving them fatty pieces. It will do the same thing to their arteries that it does to yours. Also ensure the meat is cut into bite-sized pieces and never give him old or moldy meat. You wouldn’t eat it and he shouldn’t either.

But what about that leftover bone from the Easter ham? He would love it and you would love keeping him busy for a while. But think about what’s going to happen if it splinters and perforates his intestines and toss that bone in the trash.

A few other good treats

Cashews – these provide calcium, magnesium and protein. But they also contain fat, so use sparingly. But just because cashews are okay, doesn’t mean all other nuts are as well. Macadamia nuts are not safe and almonds should be used sparingly.

Coconut – helps strengthen the immune system.

Eggs – Just be sure they’re fully cooked.

Salmon – It’s full of vitamins. But don’t give it raw or not fully cooked.

Yogurt -Plain is good. Save the flavored for yourself.

And what about drinking

No, your dog does not need a cocktail before dinner. He doesn’t need a beer either A little milk may be okay, but limit quantities. Tea and coffee are a no-no. Water is always a good thing.

And a few other foods to avoid.

Anything containing the sugar substitute xylitol. He shouldn’t eat raw yeast, lemons or limes. Nutmeg is a spice he should avoid.

When in doubt about whether something you are eating is safe for your dog, check with your veterinarian before giving him a bite.

Aromatherapy and Dogs

Aromatherapy has gained significant popularity among the health conscious population. And, it can be a good thing for those who need to relax and let everyday stresses disappear.

But can it be a good thing for our dogs. They get stressed out too. Right.

Well, let’s look this a little further.

Dogs’ noses are more sensitive than humans’. So, common sense would indicate that dogs would be more sensitive to the aromas than people are. This should always be taken into consideration if you’re thinking about exposing your canine friend to any kind of essential oils.

Sometimes we humans use essential oils at full strength. This is never a good thing for the dogs. The oils should always be diluted in an appropriate medium. More about those mediums later.

Most of the time, a dog can get all the benefits he needs from aromatherapy simply through inhalation. Occasionally, a topical application is appropriate, but we’ll talk about that later as well. They should NEVER be added to a dog’s food or water. And they should never be used around a puppy less than 10 weeks old.

Essential oils should be used only to address and issue with a dog, never to prevent one.

Caroline Ingraham is a recognized expert on essential oils and animals. She founded an approach to using essential oils with animals called zoopharmocognosy. This approach allows animals to self-select the essential oils that will benefit them the most. Interesting!

She says, “Applied zoopharmacognosy enables self-medicative behaviour in domesticated or captive animals by offering plant extracts that would contain the same, or similar constituents to those found in an animal’s natural environment. The practice encourages and allows an animal to guide its own health, since unlike their wild counterparts, captive and domesticated animals rarely have the opportunity to forage on medical plants. The extracts offered include a variety of essential oils, absolutes, plant extracts, macerated oils, tubers, clays, algae, seaweeds and minerals. Once the animal has selected its remedy, it will then guide the session by inhaling it, taking it orally, or by rubbing a part of its body into it.”

Ingraham says you should pre-select 3 to 5 essential oils you feel would be most effective for the problem needing addressing from a safe list. Then let your dog choose the one he needs.Get 100% Pure Essential Oils at Blue Ridge Scents ‘n Soaps

The oils are offered to the dog in closed bottles that the dog sniffs. When he has chosen one, it can be diluted and then used appropriately.

This is an interesting approach, but not necessarily one endorsed by Rochester himself.

However, we can benefit from Ingraham’s list of safe oils. A book called, “The Aromatic Dog,” lists safe oils and their uses. It also contains information on hydrosols, carrier oils, information on making lotions and more.

Here are some of the oils it lists as being safe for dogs.

Angelica Root Angelica archangelica
Basil (linalool chemotype) Ocimum basilicum ct. linalool
Bergamot Citrus bergamia, Citrus aurantium subspecies bergamia
Black Pepper Piper nigrum
Cajeput Melaleuca cajuputi
Caraway Carum carvi
Cardamom Elatteria cardamomum
Carrot Seed Daucus carota, Daucus carota subspecies sativa
Cedarwood (Atlas) Cedrus atlantica
Chamomile (German) Matricaria chamomilla, Matricaria recutita, Chamomilla recutita
Chamomile (Roman) Anthemis nobilis, Chamaemelum nobile
Cinnamon Leaf Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Cistus Cistus ladanifer, Cistus ladaniferus
Citronella Cymbopogon winterianus, Cymbopogon nardus
Coriander Coriandrum sativum
Cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Elemi Canarium luzonicum, Canarium vulgare
Eucalyptus Eucalyptus radiata (this is the species specified, but the other species have the same safety issues)
Fennel (Sweet) Foeniculum vulgare
Frankincense Boswellia carterii (this is the species specified, but the other species have the same safety issues, with the exception of Boswellia papyfera which is not recommended to use during pregnancy for humans)
Geranium Pelargonium graveolens, Pelargonium x asperum
Ginger Zingiber officinale
Grapefruit Citrus paradisi
Helichrysum Helichrysum italicum (this is the species specified, but Helichrysum splendidum has similar properties and therefore also should be safe to use)
Juniper Berry Juniperus communis
Lavender Lavender angustifolia, Lavender officinalis
Lemon Citrus limon, Citrus limonum
Lemongrass Cymbopogon flexuosus, Andropogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon citratus, Andropogon citratus
Mandarin Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis
Marjoram (Sweet) Origanum marjorana, Marjorana hortensis, Origanum dubium
Melissa Melissa officinalis
Myrrh Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora molmol
Neroli Citrus x aurantium
Niaouli Melaleuca quinquinervia
Nutmeg Myristica fragrans, Myristica moschata, Myristica aromatica, Myristica amboinensis
Opopanax Commiphora erythraea, Commiphora guidottii
Orange (Sweet, Blood) Citrus sinensis, Citrus aurantium var. sinensis
Palmarosa Cymbopogon martinii, Andropogon martinii var martinii, Cymbopogon martinii var motia
Patchouli Pogostemon cablin, Pogostemon patchouly
Peppermint Mentha piperita
Petitgrain Citrus aurantium
Plai Zingiber cassumunar, Zingiber montanum, Amomum montanum, Zingiber purpureum
Rosalina Melaleuca ericifolia
Rose (Bulgarian, Damask) Rosa damascena (this is the species specified, but it’s actually the Rose which needs the most dilution, so it stands to reason the other Rose species are also safe)
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Sandalwood Santalum spicatum, Santalum album (this essential oil was not listed in either book below, but was verified to be safe by Kelly who runs the EO animal group)
Spearmint Mentha spicata, Mentha cardiaca, Mentha crispa, Mentha viridis
Spikenard Nardostachys grandiflora
Tangerine Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis, Citrus tangerine
Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia For more info on tea tree please see below…..
Thyme (linalool chemotype) Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool
Valerian Valeriana officinalis
Vanilla Vanilla planifolia, Vanilla fragrans, Vanilla tahitensis
Vetiver Vetiveria zizanoides, Andropogon muricatus, Andropogon zizanoides, Chrysopogon zizanoides, Phalaris zizanoides
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Ylang Ylang Cananga odorata, Cananga odorata genuina

If you are new to aromatherapy, you may not know how to find 100% pure essential oils for dogs. There are lots of places where essential oils can be purchased. You also will find quite a big difference in price for the same oil at different stores.

The following guidelines will show you how and where to get high-quality essential oils for your dog:

- Look for important information of the oils (either printed on the label, and/or on the store’s website, brochure, etc.):
Essential oils are generally expensive, so don’t go for unreasonably cheap oils since cheap oils are likely to be adulterated.
If a store is selling all essential oils at the same price, then you have to question the quality and purity of their oils. Some oils (e.g. rose oil) are difficult to extract and naturally they are (and should be) much more expensive than oils that can be extracted more easily.
Avoid buying essential oils at supermarkets or health food stores (they may be cheaper but usually of a lower quality).

One source of 100% pure essential oils is www.blueridgescentsnsoaps.com

Click here to see what they have to offer.

Here’s your source for 100% pure essential oils

Finally, one piece of advice that is always correct. Take this advice and you will never go wrong.

Always check with your veterinarian before using any essential oils for your dog.

Canine Communication

Canine communication is the transfer of information between dogs or between dogs and humans or other animals. Dogs communicate affiliation, happiness, excitement and pleasure through vocalizations, just as people do. But they also use body posture and scent cues as significant components of their vocabulary.

Dogs also differ from humans in their methods of communication in other ways. People listen Dogs watch. Another difference is that humans can communicate specific information and dogs communicate in a more general way.

For instance, body posturing indicates emotional states, but not specific intent.

People may be a long way from learning to speak the dogs’ language, but they can learn to communicate effectively.

Canine communication is more of a sign language than it is a verbal one. It does, however, incorporate vocalizations and scent ability. Dogs use their communication system to communicate with other dogs and as a way of resolving conflicts within their group.

This is one reason it’s important to socialize a young puppy. He has to learn how to communicate with his peers.

Compared to dogs, people are scent blind and deaf as well. That makes some of the subtle aspects of canine communication impossible for us to understand. But, if we listen and watch carefully, we can learn to understand a lot of what our dog is saying.

Dogs like to combine their three modes of communication. They use these basically to increase the distance between the and their “communication partner,” or to decrease the distance,

For instance, if a puppy wants to decrease the distance, he will display a wagging tail. Growls are intended to increase the distance.

A lot of studies have been done in dog-human and dog-dog communication. And, it has been found that there are a lot of similarities that may have been learned over the many years of canine-human interaction.

Take pointing for example.

It’s a building block of human communication. Infants point before they speak their first word. In 2009, researchers compared the response to a range of pointing gestures by human infants and dogs. The results showed little difference between a 2-year-old child and a dog. By the time the child had reached the age of 3, their performance was higher than the dogs.

Another study indicated a dog can communicate its size via its growl. The study showed that dogs cannot and do not misrepresent their size. The test showed images of different size dogs and played recordings of their growls. Twenty of the 24 test dogs looked at the image of the appropriate size dog and looked at it longest.

Body positioning is an extremely important aspect of the dog’s communication system. As far back as 1872, Charles Darwin , in his book, “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals,” published examples of body positioning to communicate emotions in dogs.

Small dog watching a cat on a table Dog approaching another

dog with hostile intentions

Dog in a humble and affectionate

frame of mind

In her book, “On Talking Terms With Dogs,” Turid Rugaas identified signals she claimed dogs used to calm themselves or to calm other people or animals around them.

She claimed that a dog that was sitting with its mouth relaxed and slightly open, its tongue slightly visible and maybe draped over the lower teeth was showing he is relaxed and content. On the other hand, a dog with its lips curled to show the teeth is sending a warning signal. It is showing its weapons – the teeth.

She says if a dog sits with its mouth closed, it usually is showing interest in something or is appraising a situation.

A dog’s head position also is an important form of communication. A dominant or threatening dog looks directly at another individual and a dominant dog that is attempting to calm a more submissive dog will turn its head to one side away from the submissive dog.

Other researchers have identified five groups of canine communication signals. The first is fear and a dog communicating fear might lick his lips, hold his mouth tightly shut, yawn, cover, tremble or shake. It’s also easy for a fearful dog to switch to aggressive behavior quite fast, so it’s important to pay attention to any changes in what or how a dog is communicating.

Another group of communication signals is excitement or arousal. It often is a reaction to a stimulus a dog likes. Some frequently observed behaviors in the excited or aroused dog are jumping, mouthing or mounting. Often dogs will play bow. Reactions to an unfavorable stimulus could be holding the tail low, cowering, barking or lunging.

A dog communicates that he is anxious or feeling stressed by excessive panting or pacing. And like the dog who is excited by an unfavorable stimulus, he may bark or lunge.

The fourth of the communication groups is aggressive communication and can include stiffening the body, growling, showing the teeth, curled lips and snapping at the air.

The last of the five groups is relaxed communication. The dog acts like he doesn’t have a care in the world. His eyes are soft, his body limp and sometimes he almost looks as if he is smiling.

We’ve talked a lot here about non-verbal communication, but dog’s verbalize when they communicate, too. The American Kennel Club says low-pitched moans are a sign of contentment in puppies. A sigh is another way a dog communicates contentment or pleasure. On the other hand, a sign accompanied by wide open eyes can mean the dog is disappointed.

Whines usually indicate distress, but also can be used to communicate happiness and excitement. The difference is in the pitch, with the higher pitched whine indicating distress.

The same is true for growls, which can be used to communicate warnings or threats, but also the desire to play. Again, the pitch gives the true intention with a noisy, medium-pitched growl indicating the dog wants to play.

And then there’s the howl. Perhaps it’s a throwback to their ancestors – the wolves. Many say when a dog howls alone, it is indicating it wants it’s pack. Then, often, other dogs will join in. I know that’s often the case at Rochester’s house. We will have 9 wire fox terriers howling in unison. What a lovely sound.

Canine Intelligence, Cognition and Memory

Dog intelligence is the ability of a dog to learn, think, and solve problems, according to Science Daily.

Dog intelligence or dog cognition is the process in dogs of acquiring, storing in memory, retrieving, combining, comparing, and using in new situations information and conceptual skills. Just like it is in humans. Studies have shown that dogs display many behaviors associated with intelligence. They have advanced memory skills, are able to read and react appropriately to human body language such as gesturing and pointing, and to understand human voice commands. Dogs demonstrate a theory of mind by engaging in deception.

“Theory of mind” is the ability to attribute mental states—beliefs, intents, desires, pretending, knowledge, etc.—to oneself and others and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are different from one’s own.

Here is an example of demonstrating a theory of mind using deception. One observer reported that a dog hid a stolen treat by sitting on it until the rightful owner of the treat left the room. Although this could have been accidental, it suggests that the thief understood that the treat’s owner would be unable to find the treat if it were out of view. A study found that dogs are able to discriminate an object that a human partner is looking for based on its relevance for the partner and they are more keen on indicating an object that is relevant to the partner compared to an irrelevant one; this suggests that dogs might have a rudimental version of some of the skills necessary for theory of mind.

I have seen young wire fox terriers exhibit behavior very similar to this. They will sit innocently while their human is in the room and immediately upon the human’s departure will engage in inappropriate behavior.

We all know dogs are very capable of learning. Most everyone is familiar with Pavlov’s experiment. Other researchers looking into classical and operant conditioning have seen evidence of social-cognitive abilities in domesticated dogs. They’ve also found that these same characteristics are not found in the dog’s closest non-domesticated canine relative or in other highly intelligent mammals such as apes.

Instead, the domesticated canine’s skills resemble the social-cognitive skills of human children. It has been hypothesized that this could be an example of convergent evolution, which happens when distantly related species independently evolve similar solutions to the same problems. For example, fish, penguins and dolphins have each separately evolved flippers as a to the problem of moving through the water. With dogs and humans, we may see psychological convergence; that is, dogs have evolved to be cognitively more similar to humans than we are to our closest genetic relatives.

Researchers continue to question, however, whether the cognitive evolution of humans and animals may be called “independent”. The cognitive capacities of dogs have inevitably been shaped by years of contact with humans. As a result of this physical and social evolution, many dogs readily respond to social cues common to humans, quickly learn the meaning of words, show cognitive bias and exhibit emotions that seem to reflect those of humans.

All the while we discuss how dogs’ intelligence or cognition may have evolved with their relationship with humans, we also must ask if it has “devolved” as well.

Research suggests that domestic dogs may have lost some of their original cognitive abilities once they joined humans. For example, one study showed compelling evidence that dingos (Canis dingo) can outperform domestic dogs in non-social problem-solving experiments. Another study indicated that after being trained to solve a simple manipulation task, dogs that are faced with an unsolvable version of the same problem look at a nearby human, while socialized wolves do not. Thus, modern domestic dogs seem to use humans to solve some of their problems for them.^[3]^[13]

Of course, as evolution occurs, the genetic make-up of an animal is subject to change. In 2014, a whole genome study of the DNA differences between wolves and dogs found that dogs did not show a reduced fear response, they showed greater synaptic plasticity.

In neuroscience, synaptic plasticity is the ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, in response to increases or decreases in their activity.^[1]Since memories are believed to be represented by vastly interconnected neural circuits in the brain, synaptic plasticity is one of the important neurochemical foundations of learning and memory. It is widely believed to be the cellular correlate of learning and memory, and this change may have altered the learning and memory abilities of dogs.^[14]

The first intelligence test for dogs was developed in 1976. It included measurements of short-term memory, agility, and ability to solve problems such as detouring to a goal. It also assessed the ability of a dog to adapt to new conditions and cope with emotionally difficult situations. The test was administered to 100 dogs and standardized, and breed norms were developed.^[17] Stanley Coren used surveys done by dog obedience judges to rank dog breeds by intelligence and published the results in his book The Intelligence of Dogs.

Most modern research on dog cognition has focused on pet dogs living in human homes in developed countries, which is only a small fraction of the dog population and dogs from other populations may show different cognitive behaviors.^[15] Breed differences possibly could impact on spatial learning and memory abilities.

Perception is another element of intelligence that must be taken into consideration.

Perception refers to mental processes through which incoming sensory information is organized and interpreted in order to represent and understand the environment.^[18] Perception includes such processes as the selection of information through attention, the organization of sensory information through grouping, and the identification of events and objects.

In the dog, olfactory information (the sense of smell) is particularly salient (compared with humans) but the dogs senses also include vision, hearing, taste, touch and proprioception. There is also evidence that dogs sense the earth’s magnetic field. One researcher has proposed that dogs perceive the passing of time through the dissipation of smells.

Another aspect of intelligence is object permanence.

The concept of “object permanence” refers to the ability of an animal or human to understand that objects continue to exist even when they have moved outside of their field of view. This ability is not present at birth, and developmental psychologist Jean Piaget described six stages in the development of object permanence in human infants.

A similar approach has been used with dogs, and there is evidence that dogs go through similar stages and reach the advanced fifth stage by an age of 8 weeks. At this stage they can track “successive visible displacement” in which the experimenter moves the object behind multiple screens before leaving it behind the last one. It is unclear whether dogs reach Stage 6 of Piaget’s object permanence development model^[21]^{[22] .}

I know of one wire fox terrier named Helen whose abilities is a perfect example of object permanence. She remembers of location of an object for weeks after first being introduced to it if that object is something that interests her.

Dogs are capable of learning through simple reinforcement (e.g., classical or operant conditioning), but they also learn by watching humans and other dogs.^[22]^[25]

One study investigated whether dogs engaged in partnered play would adjust their behavior to the attention-state of their partner. It was observed that play signals were only sent when the dog was holding the attention of its partner. If the partner was distracted, the dog instead engaged in attention-getting behavior before sending a play signal.^[26]

Puppies learn behaviors quickly by following examples set by experienced dogs.^[22] This form of intelligence is not particular to those tasks dogs have been bred to perform, but can be generalized to various abstract problems.

The social rank of dogs also affects their performance in social learning situations. In social groups with a clear hierarchy, dominant individuals are the more influential demonstrators and the knowledge transfer tends to be unidirectional, from higher rank to lower. In a problem-solving experiment, dominant dogs generally performed better than subordinates when they observed a human demonstrator’s actions, a finding that reflects the dominance of the human in dog-human groups. Subordinate dogs learn best from the dominant dog that is adjacent in the hierarchy.^[28]

There are many other aspects of intelligence in our canine friends. In another post, we will explore how dogs communicate and develop a receptive language vocabulary and solve problems, demonstrate emotional intelligence.

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A Shelter Dog’s Prayer

‘Tis the night before Christmas and all through the town,

the shelters are full – we are lost, but not found.

Our names are hung on our kennels so bare,

we hope every minute that someone will care.

They’ll come to adopt us and give us the call,

“Come here, Max and Sparkie – come fetch your
new ball!!

But for now we sit here and think of the days…

we were treated so fondly – we had cute, baby ways.

Once we were little, then we grew and we grew

now we’re no longer young and we’re no longer new.

So out the back door we were thrown like the trash,

they reacted so quickly – why were they so rash?

We “jump on the children, don’t come when they call”,

we “bark when they leave us”, or “climb over the wall”.

We should have been neutered, we should have been spayed,

now we suffer the consequence of mistakes that THEY made.

If only they’d trained us, if only we knew…

we’d have done what they asked us and worshiped them, too.

We were left in the backyard, or worse -let to roam-

now we’re tired and lonely and out of a home.

They dropped us off here and they kissed us good-bye…

They said “Maybe someone will give you a try.”

So now here we are, all confused and alone…

in a shelter with others who long for a home…

The kind workers come through with a meal and a pat,

But with so many to care for, they can’t stay long to chat,

They move to the next kennel, giving each of us cheer…

we know that they wonder how long we’ll be here.

We lay down to sleep and sweet dreams fill our heads…

of a home filled with love and our own cozy beds.

Then we wake to see sad eyes, brimming with tears –

our friends filled with emptiness, worry, and fear.

If you can’t adopt us and there’s no room at the Inn –

could you help with the bills and fill our food bin?

We count on your kindness each day of the year –

can you give more than hope to everyone here?

The shelter that cares for us wants us to live,

and more of us will, if more people will give.

– Author Unknown

Think about helping them this holiday season. It isn’t too late. There’s a shelter near you that can use your help.