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to subscribe: www.whl-dg-jnal.m cygh © 2007, blv Mda G, LLc THEWHOLEDOGJOURNAL|

sm 2007

the Whole

Dog Journal

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eatures

A monthly guide to natural dog care and training

2 ed’N24 Pdcndexprc

3 aHmmdDsw Atastymedleyofnewproducts,updates, andanswerstoyourquestionsabout home-prepareddietsfordogs.

8 sheadmn Whyyoushouldgetyourpuppyintothe bestpuppygartenyoucannd,asearly aspossible.

14 HwDgdHChngd Petfoodexecutivestelluswhattheyare doingdifferentlysincethe“rollingrecalls” ofearly2007–andwhatownerscandoto protecttheirdogsfromfutureproblems.

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eDitor’s NoteeDitor’s Note

How many dogs and cats died as aresult of contaminated pet foodsearly this year? It’s become clear that we will probably never know.Last May, Michael Rogers, director

of the Division of Field Investigations for theFood and Drug Administration (FDA), saidin a telephone conference that the agencyreceived as many as 18,000 calls about therecalled foods, with as many as 50 percent“alleging” an animal death. “Certainly as part

of a longer-term process, the agency is goingto be evaluating this data, and we’ll certainlycome out with a nal characterization of – intotal the number of conrmed deaths associ-ated with these recalled products,” he said.

However, our efforts to determine howmany people are investigating the reports thatFDA received – or whether there are actuallyany people currently working on those reportsat all – led nowhere. Every FDA spokespersonwe encountered told us, “We’ll release thenumber as soon as we know it.”

Information released by other sourcessuggests that the nal number will be muchhigher than the 17 or 18 cases that FDA ac-

cepts as positively conrmed. The Oregonstate veterinarian, Dr. Emilio DeBess, statesthat he has received reports 127 “suspectcases” of dogs and cats who experienced anadverse response to eating contaminated food;this number includes reports of 49 deaths – 20dogs and 29 cats.

Also, the 20,000 members of VeterinaryInformation Network (VIN, an online, sub-scription-based education and communicationforum for veterinary professionals) reportedalmost 1,500 cases of dog and cat injuries and

ByNaNCykerNs

infdWtrWhat’s being done to restore confdence?

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THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL makes every eort toprovide inormation on dog health, care, and treat-ment that is authoritative, reliable, and practical.It is not intended, however, to replace diagnosisor treatment rom a veterinarian or other qualifeddog proessional. THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL doesnot assume any legal responsibility. Readers shouldalways consult qualifed healthcare providers orspecifc diagnosis and treatment.

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effective holistic healthcare methods and successful nonviolent training. The methods we discusswill endeavor to do no harm to dogs; we do not advocate perpetrating even minor transgressionsin the name of “greater good.” We intend our articles to enable readers to immediately applytraining and healthcare techniques to their own dogs with visible and enjoyable success. All topicsshould contribute to improving the dog’s health and vitality, and deepening the canine/human bond. Above all, we wish to contribute information that will enable consumers to make kind,healthy, and informed decisions about caring for their own dogs.

deaths related to contaminated pet food. VIN plans to investigate as many of these reportsas they can, in an attempt to independentlyconrm links between contaminated foodsand illness.

There is a silver lining to this cloud. Petfood companies are doing more than they’veever done to secure better ingredients,establish or enforce traceability of those ingre-dients, monitor their contract manufacturers(if they use one), and communicate with us,

the people buying their products.Of course, in some cases, “more than

they’ve ever done” isn’t much. Makers of low-cost, low-quality foods will still buy

bargain ingredients; they’ll just be a tadmore certain of the ingredients’ origin. Butthe companies who make products aimedat the top end of the market – the so-called“super-premium” foods – are pulling out allthe stops to accomplish these tasks and earnconsumer condence. On page 14, seven ex-ecutives from companies that meet the latter description discuss what they are doing (andwhat they had already been doing) to maketop-quality, safe foods.

Many owners who have lost condence inall commercial pet food makers have foundcomfort in our series on home-prepared diets,which concludes in this issue. We’ve received

many letters fromowners who havemade the switchto home-prepareddiets for their dogsand couldn’t behappier.

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duced to the market since I wrote aboutthem, also in July’s article. Steve Brown,the creator of Steve’s Real Food for Dogs,has developed a new product called s

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Mx. Designed to balance a meat-baseddiet, this product can be used by ownerswho are unable to feed their dogs the va-riety needed to create a complete diet, or those who simply feel more comfortableusing a supplement to ensure that AAFCO (American Association of Feed ControlOfcials) and NRC (National ResearchCouncil) nutritional guidelines are met.

A second product, Vm & Mr-

l fr Hm-Ckd Dg Fd made byFuroshnikov’s Formulas, is designed to

balance out a diet that is higher in carbo-hydrates. This product is also guaranteedto make a diet meet the AAFCO guidelinesfor a canine diet when used according todirections.

Both of these new products, as wellas the two mentioned in previous articles,Wysong’s Cll f h Wld (designed

ByMarystraus

aHmmdDsw

W

A tasty medley o new products, updates, and answers to your FAQ s.

hen we rst planned a seriesof articles for WDJ on home-made diets, WDJ Editor NancyKerns and I had no idea thatmassive pet food recalls would

erupt almost simultaneously with the pub-lication of the rst article, and continue toexpand over the following months.

Throughout the aftermath of the recall, Isaw a variety of recipes for home-prepareddiets, to be fed as a safer replacement

for potentially contaminated commercialfoods. Presented in newspapers, magazines,and online, most of these diet recipes

provided incomplete nutrition, lacked anysource of calcium, offered no variety, andwere heavily laden with carbohydratesrather than the protein that dogs requireto thrive.

As more and more owners made thedecision to switch to homemade dietsrather than risk feeding contaminated foodto their dogs, I grew increasingly awareof the importance and urgency to supplyappropriate guidelines that could help

NutritioNNutritioN

■

wa y an . . .

Read at least one recommended

book i you want to eed a home-

made diet to your dog. Be wary

o books whose recipes do not

provide or calcium, or appear

excessively high in carbohydrates.

I you are concerned that the

homemade diet you’re eedingisn’t complete, consider using one

o the supplements designed or

use with limited diets.

Look or brands

o chicken that

do not contain

arsenic or

antibiotics.

■

■

people create homemade diets that wouldmeet the nutritional needs of their dogs.

Over the past ve months, I’ve present-ed information on homemade diets, cookedand raw, with whole bones, ground bones,or boneless. During that time, I’ve learnedabout some new products, read a great new

book, tried out some sample pre-mixes andfreeze-dried foods, and responded to ques-tions from people about issues raised in myarticles and points that would benet from

clarication. I’ll discuss these topics in thisnal installment of our series.

Nwcddb There are an innite number of cookbookswith recipes for human diets, and latelyI’ve seen quite a few of them for dogs, too.But I just nished reading the rst cook -

book I’ve found with recipes for people toshare with their dogs.

Carol Boyle, who discussed the diet sheshares with her husband and her two GreatPyrenees in “Reality Cooks” (WDJ July2007), has published a book on the topic. NaturalFoodRecipesforHealthyDogs:

EverythingYouNeedtoKnowtoMaketheGreatestFoodforYourFriend is delight-ful, easy to read, and lled with recipes for dishes you can share with your dogs.

Boyle’s simple but thorough guidelinesfor how to feed a healthy diet to your dogs,as well as to the humans in your household,made me begin to think that maybe evenI could learn to cook! While I haven’t yetgone that far, I have found myself makinglarger portions and sharing them with mydog when I feel the meals I’m eating areappropriate, rather than just offering a fewtidbits as I’ve done in the past.

Be sure to get the newly revised ver -sion available from naturaldogfood.com(or 908-728-0010), not the older editionfound elsewhere.

sppmnmddTwo new supplements designed to balanceout limited homemade diets were intro-

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for meat-based diets) and Blc it (designed for high-carbohydrate diets),supply calcium as well as other neededvitamins and minerals, so there’s no needto add a separate calcium source whenusing any of them. Because of this, theyare not appropriate to use with diets thatinclude edible bone.

GnbnnxcAlso in July’s article, I said, “Legumes(including green beans) should always becooked due to a toxin they contain whileraw (though small amounts would not beharmful).” Correction: This warning doesnot apply to green beans after all. It is onlythe mature beans, such as kidney, lima,and fava beans, that contain signicantamounts of toxin prior to cooking. Green

beans (also called string beans, snap beans,and French beans) are immature and arene to be fed raw.

GndI’ve discovered three new sources for electric meat grinders since writing aboutthem in WDJ’s May article on raw diets,“A Raw Deal.” Several raw feeders haverecommended stainless steel grinders madeand sold by Cabela’s, especially the 1 and1½ horsepower models.

“My 1 HP Cabela’s meat grinder willgrind up veggies, whole chicken parts, andturkey wings and backs (I haven’t tried legsas their bones are quite thick),” says CaryBranthwaite of Durham, North Carolina.“We grind and butcher quite a bit of veni-son, so we needed the 1 HP capacity, but a

½ HP grinder would be adequate also.”Mary Waugh Swindell of Boyd, Texas,

had a mechanical problem with the larger 1¾ HP model that she bought at Cabela’sin Fort Worth, but raved about the store’scustomer service and willingness to takeit back with no questions asked. She ex-changed it for the 1½ HP model, which

both her best friend and her dad have beenhappy with, and says, “It works like adream. I needed something big and fast, asI’m feeding six large dogs. I would whole-heartedly recommend their grinder.”

These Cabela commercial-grade stain-

less steel grinders run $400 to $600, plusshipping (which is expensive on theseheavy items) if you can’t nd them locally.Cabela’s also sells lower-priced models,

but I’ve heard no feedback about them.Heather Smith, of Fayetteville, Penn-

sylvania, recently purchased a ¾ HP LEM stainless steel grinder from Bass Pro Shops

(they’re also available directly from themanufacturer), and says, “It was about$350 and has worked great on chickenquarters, chicken wings and necks, turkeywings and necks, and oxtails. If you can tit down the chute, this grinder will grindit.” LEM also makes smaller grinders, butI’ve not heard feedback about them.

Another recommended grinder is the1.35 HP grinder from Gander Mountain,which costs about $150. Check with localstores specializing in outdoor gear andhunting and shing equipment to see if any

offer electric meat grinders, often used byhunters to process wild game.

In the past, many people recommendedthe Tasin grinders sold by Northern Tool,

but, according to reports I’ve heard fromdog owners, the quality of those has de-clined in recent years, so if you’re thinkingabout a grinder, you may want to try oneof those listed above instead.

CmmcnvMy dog, Piglet, volunteered to test samplesof the four different varieties of dehydrateddiets made by th H Kch, and

gave them high marks. I’ve been inte-grating them into her diet as part of her breakfast every three days, for variety and because she likes them so much.

Laura Fulton, who told us about thediet she feeds her two Weimaraners inlast month’s article, “Reality Cooks,” alsooffered some samples from The Honest

Kitchen to her dogs and reports that theylove it. Her dog Violet, who is prone togassiness and digestive upset, has had no

problems with these foods. Fulton has fedall but the Verve variety, which is beef-

based, as Violet is allergic to beef.Another friend, Sheryl Matzen, of Gold

River, California, tried Embark, the varietyapproved for puppies, mixed half and half with fresh foods, to feed her new GermanShepherd moose . . . uh, puppy, Apollo, andshe, too, reports that he loves the food andis doing extremely well with it. She wantedto feed him a homemade diet, though shewas worried about getting it right for alarge-breed puppy; happily, she feelscomfortable using the pre-mix. Matzenwas cooking the added meat, but a recentheat wave convinced her to try feeding rawinstead. In fact, she even gives him meatthat is still frozen, as he enjoys chewingon it, and it helps to distract him from therocks that he otherwise wants to eat.

Piglet also tried some samples of sll& Chwy’ Frz Drd sk. Thisis a complete diet, which comes in bothfrozen and freeze-dried form. It is avail-able in beef, chicken, and lamb avors,using free-range meats and human-gradeingredients.

The company recently opened its own processing plant in order to maintain con-trol and ensure the safety of their products.I rehydrated the patties with warm water

before feeding, and Piglet whimpered pathetically while waiting for them to beserved. The result was a complete suc-cess: she ate with enthusiasm and tried

to convince me I had not fed her enough.Complete packaged raw diets are tooexpensive for most people to serve all thetime, unless you have very small dogs,

but they can be handy to have on hand for quick and easy meals, and freeze-driedfoods can be great for traveling, especiallycamping and backpacking.

emnccmA question was raised about the amount of calcium in eggshells due to the difference

between calcium carbonate and elementalcalcium. “Elemental calcium” is just a

way of saying pure calcium, and this iswhat you will nd listed in the nutritionalanalyses of most supplements.

Eggshells are 95 percent calcium car - bonate; calcium carbonate is 40 percentelemental calcium. A large eggshell pro-vides about 5,500 mg (about 1 teaspoon)of ground eggshell. So, 1 teaspoon of

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ground eggshell provides about 5,225mg of calcium carbonate, or 2,100 mg of elemental calcium. Thus, the recommen-dation to add ½ teaspoon ground eggshell

per pound of food (when you do not feededible bones) supplies about 1,000 mg of elemental calcium.

If a supplement says it contains 500 mgcalcium, that means 500 mg elementalcalcium, though the amount of the calciumcompound used to make the supplement,such as calcium carbonate or calcium lac-tate, will be greater. That’s why it doesn’tmatter what form of calcium you use, aslong as you give the proper amount of el-emental calcium as shown on the label.

VmnaOne of the sample diets described in July’sarticle mentioned limiting the amount of liver in the diet due to concerns about vita-min A, and this is a worry I’ve heard voiced

by many other people as well. Vitamin A

is fat soluble, so an oversupply of this nu-trient can be toxic. The reality, though, isthat you would have to feed huge amountsof vitamin A for many months in order tocause toxicity. A diet that was all or mostlyliver could lead to vitamin A toxicity over time, but a diet that includes small amountsof liver on a daily basis will not.

Liver is one of the most nutrient-densefoods you can feed, providing not onlyvitamin A, but also all the B vitamins,choline and inositol, vitamins D, E, and K,and the minerals iron, zinc, copper, man-ganese, selenium, and potassium, as wellas essential fatty acids and high-quality

protein. Don’t skimp on this nutritious fooddue to an unreasonable fear of too muchvitamin A. Around ve percent of the totaldiet should be liver, if possible.

WhdvnhcppmnWhole food supplements use benecialfoods and herbs rather than syntheticvitamins. Examples include nutritionalor brewer’s yeast (source of B vitamins,chromium, selenium, and trace minerals),cod liver oil (source of vitamins A and

D), organic apple cider vinegar (providessome trace minerals), and garlic (offersnumerous health benets). Green blendsare whole food supplements that include

primarily green foods, such as kelp, alfalfa,and spirulina, which provide trace mineralsand other nutrients.

It is hard to quantify the benets of whole food supplements, as little in theway of measurable nutrients will showup on a nutritional analysis. Syntheticsupplements generally offer much higher amounts of vitamins. If you want to givemegadoses of vitamin C, for example, youwill have to rely on synthetic supplements

to do so. Whole foods may offer superior nutritional value due to the combinationsof nutrients, which may act synergisticallyand which the body may be better able toutilize than isolated nutrients, and their structure, which may be more bioavailablethan synthetics.

As with foods, it can be helpful torotate among different whole food supple-ments rather than always using the sameone. Different brands, even those withsimilar ingredients, each offer their ownunique combinations of nutrients, so onceagain variety can help to ensure that allnutritional needs are met while nothing isgiven in excess.

rcpvdOne criticism of my raw diet guidelines

provided a spreadsheet analysis of a singlerecipe, and stated that it was incomplete. Idon’t doubt that any single recipe derivedfrom the guidelines I offered may be in-complete, due to the fact that the diets Irecommend strive for balance over time,not in every single meal.

I cannot stress enough the need to feedvariety, rather than feeding the same foodsall the time. A diet that is half chicken

wings will not meet all of your dog’snutritional needs, and will be higher in fatthan is desirable. A diet that includes mealsof chicken wings rotating with meals of other types of raw meaty bones will havea reduced amount of fat and provide addi-tional nutrients. In addition, of course, theother half of the diet should also include a

variety of different foods such as musclemeat and organ meat of various kinds,along with eggs and dairy.

While fat is a good source of energyfor dogs, too much can lead to weightgain, reduced nutrition (if the amount of food has to be limited to keep your dog atthe optimal weight), and digestive upset insome dogs. Unless your dog is quite activeand has trouble keeping weight on, the dietyou feed should not contain an abundanceof fatty meats and skin.

MndnThere has been a lot of concern lately aboutthe use of menadione, a synthetic form of vitamin K, in pet foods. Menadione has

been banned for use in human over-the-counter supplements because it is toxicat excessive dosages. This problem wasseen primarily in human infants when theywere injected with vitamin K to preventdeciency.

Since synthetic vitamin K has doublethe potency of natural vitamin K on a per weight basis, this resulted in toxicity. Onenursing encyclopedia says that “prolongedconsumption of megadoses of vitamin K (menadione) results in anemia,” and that “adaily injection of 10 mg of menadione intoan infant for three days can kill the child.”It was this tragic discovery that led to itsuse being banned.

In comparison, the amount of menadi-one in commercial dog foods is extremelytiny. The Balance IT supplement, whichis meant to supply nutrients at AAFCO recommended levels, contains 0.0774 mg

menadione per scoop. One usage recom-mendation I’ve seen is to use 3 scoopsfor 900 calories (for a 35 lb dog), whichwould be 0.2322 mg daily. This amountis just over 2 percent of the dosage thatwould be considered toxic to a muchsmaller infant.

Many substances, even water, are safein recommended amounts but toxic whenexcessive amounts are ingested. While Iagree that the natural forms of vitamin K,

phylloquinone (vitamin K 1), and menaqui-

none (vitamin K 2), would be preferable to

the synthetic form, my feeling is that the

risk presented by feeding foods or supple-ments that use menadione (vitamin K 3) is

minimal, and I would not avoid a food just because it contains this ingredient.

hndfhcncnMany people worry about the amount of salt in canned sh. It is true that canned sh

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is salty, but dogs require a certain amountof salt, and a homemade diet is naturallylow in salt, so the amount in canned shthat is fed once or twice a week shouldnot be a concern. If your dog suffers fromheart disease or needs a low-sodium dietfor some other reason, you can rinse thesh to remove most of the salt.

Concerns also arise over possiblecontaminants in sh and sh oils, suchas mercury, PCBs, and dioxin. Mercurycontamination is mostly a concern in larger sh, such as tuna, swordsh, and kingmackerel. Salmon, jack mackerel (notthe same as king mackerel), and sardinesare all low in mercury. Farmed salmon ismuch more likely than wild-caught salmonto be contaminated with PCBs and dioxin.Canned salmon is almost always wild-caught Pacic (Alaskan) salmon. Check the label if you’re unsure.

Both Consumer Reports and Consu-merLab.com have conducted tests on a

variety of sh oil supplements and foundthat none contained a signicant amount of mercury, PCBs, or dioxins. They also foundthat almost all, including the less expen-sive brands, were fresh and contained theamount of omega-3 fatty acids promisedon the label.

If you’re still concerned, look for pharmaceutical-grade oils, as they areguaranteed to be free of all impurities.

Chcn,nc,nbcArsenic and antibiotics are fed to somechickens to encourage rapid growth.While the residual amount of arsenic left

in the meat was considered too low to bea concern for human consumption, recentstudies have shown that levels are higher than previously acknowledged. Addingarsenic to chicken feed also contributes toenvironmental contamination, while theindiscriminate use of antibiotics can leadto the development of antibiotic-resistant

bacteria.There are many brands, including

supermarket brands, that do not containarsenic or antibiotics. Organic chickencontains neither arsenic nor antibiotics aswell. Check with the supplier to verify that

the brands you use are both arsenic- andantibiotic-free.

dwghThere is often confusion between differ-ent ways of expressing amounts, such ascups vs pounds. While a cup is a measureof volume and a pound is a measure of

weight, the general rule of thumb (and theway to remember it) is, “A pint’s a pound,the world ’round.” A pint is 16 ounces,which is two cups, so a cup of food willweigh around 8 ounces. This will varydepending on density, but it should give agood approximation for fresh food, whichhas a high moisture content.

Other measurements and conversionsthat may be helpful:

• A large egg weighs about 2 ounces, of which 2/3 is the white and 1/3 the yolk

• 1 uid ounce is 6 teaspoons (2 table-spoons)

• There are about 28 grams per ounce,and 454 grams per pound. To convertounces to grams, multiply by 28. To con-vert pounds to grams, multiply by 454. Toconvert grams to ounces, divide by 28. Toconvert grams to pounds, divide by 454.

CngpwmbnA few people objected to my advice toowners who are concerned about the risk of their dogs choking on raw meaty bones.I said that owners could cut up raw meaty

bones into bite-sized pieces. Some arguethat the way to prevent choking is to feedlarge pieces that are too big to be swal-lowed whole. They feel that cutting up rawmeaty bones actually makes it more likelythat dogs will choke.

In my experience with two dogs whohave had problems chewing raw meaty

bones, feeding large pieces doesn’t always

help. If your dog’s teeth are too worn to beable to slice off pieces to swallow (as wasthe case with my dogs), it doesn’t matter how long they chew on the piece, eventu-ally they still try to swallow it whole. Evenif your dog is able to chew off pieces,that large piece then becomes smaller,and your dog may still try to swallow itwhen it is large enough to cause choking,

particularly if you have a dog who tendsto gulp his food.

It is important to cut food up intochunks that are too small to cause choking,even if swallowed whole. For example,

turkey necks (or chicken necks for smalldogs) need to be cut lengthwise rather than or in addition to crosswise, so thatyou don’t end up with short pieces thatare still too thick to go down comfortably.When I cut up raw meaty bones for my dog,Piglet, she still chews the pieces, but hasno problem swallowing them despite the

fact that her teeth are too worn to chew alarge piece into smaller pieces.

Another objection is that pieces of bone that are swallowed whole without being crushed by chewing are more likelyto cause obstruction. In my experience,obstruction from raw bones is quite rare,and dogs have no problem digesting them,even if the bones are not crushed. However,if your dog swallows pieces whole and yousee pieces of bone in his stool, you maywant to invest in and use a grinder.

For those who do want to cut up their dog’s food, I’ll say once again that myJoyce Chen Unlimited Scissors work far

better than any of a number of poultryshears that I’ve purchased over the years.They’re also great for cutting up gristlymeat that is otherwise almost impossibleto saw through.

QndaThe following are questions that I received

from readers about earlier installments inthis series.

■ Eden Le Bouton of Cleveland, Ohio,writes, “InMay’sarticleonrawdiets, yousay,‘ RMB sshouldmakeup30to50 percentofthetotaldiet.’Laterinthesame paragraphyousay,‘Whileareasonable

amountofrawbonewon’tharmanadultdog,morethan15percentisnotneededandreducestheamountofothervaluable foodsthatcanbefed.’Myconfusionis: should RMB smakeup15,30,or50percentofthedietandisthatthedailydiet?”

The confusion lies in the difference

between “bone” and “raw meaty bones”(RMBs). Raw meaty bones are, by deni-tion, at least half meat, and so thereforeno more than half bone. If you feed a dietthat is 30 to 50 percent RMBs, the amountof bone in the diet will be 15 to 30 percent

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or less, depending on the ratio of meat to bone in the parts that you feed.

Dogs need no more than 15 percent bone, so if you feed the higher percentageof RMBs, you should try to use parts thatare more than half meat. There is no needto feed an exact percentage of bone on adaily basis, though this is one ingredientthat often works best when similar amountsare fed daily, as too much bone at one timecan cause hard stools and constipation,while feeding no bone at all one day maylead to looser stools the next.

■ David Logue of Allen, Texas, writes,“MywifeandIhavethreerescuedMaltesewhohavenoteeth.Wefeedthedogsahome-prepareddiet,butwithlittlevariety.Whatsuggestionscouldyouofferus?”

Most foods can be fed to dogs who lack teeth. The only real exception is whole

bones. You can purchase products thatinclude ground bone, or buy an inexpen-

sive grinder that will grind softer bones,such as from chicken and rabbit, and do ityourself. Or you can feed a diet that doesn’tinclude bone, and use a different calciumsource instead.

Remember that no more than half thediet should be raw meaty bones, so even if you can’t provide much variety in that area,you can still feed lots of different kinds of meats, organs, and other foods, includingeggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, canned shwith bone (jack mackerel, pink salmon,sardines), and healthy leftovers in the other half (or more) of the diet.

■ Brenda Stoner of Henderson, Arkansas,asks, “Whatisyouropinionongivingvitaminsupplementsmadeforhumanstodogs?Isitokaytouseyogurtorcottage

cheeseandeggseverydayaslongasIuseavarietyofmeats?”

Human supplements are okay to use,as long as the amounts are appropriate.Adjust as needed for the size of your dog.For example, a large dog could take anadult human dose, while a medium-sizeddog would take half that much, and a smalldog one quarter or less.

It is ne to feed yogurt, cottage cheese,

eggs, or any other food on a daily basis,as long as the rest of the diet providesadequate variety. No one food should ever

be more than half the diet, but there’s no problem adding the same healthy foodsdaily, particularly in small amounts. Amedium- or large-breed dog could eatan egg every day with no problem, but a

whole egg every day would be too muchfor a toy breed, as it wouldn’t leave enoughroom for a variety of other foods.

■ Gerda Alexander of Newville, Penn-sylvania, asks, “CanIuseeggshellsfromboiledanduncookedeggs?”

Yes, eggshells from either cooked or uncooked eggs can be used. Just rinsethem out and let them dry overnight beforegrinding in a clean coffee grinder. Groundeggshell will keep a long time if you re-move the inner membrane before grinding.There’s no need to refrigerate it, as groundeggshell is just minerals.

■ Winnie Laning of Toronto, Ontario,writes, “IfIfeedahome-cookeddietandaddcannedsalmon,willthistakecareofthecalciumrequirementso thatI don’t

needtoaddasupplement?Also,isitben-ecialtoaddsunoweroiltothediet?”

No, you can’t use a single form of meat

with bones to provide all the calcium your dog needs. You would end up feeding toomuch canned salmon (not enough vari-ety), and too little calcium. Canned shwith bones has far morecalcium than plain meat,

but it actually has more phosphorus than calcium,so it can’t be used to bal-ance the phosphorus in therest of the diet.

It’s easy to add groundeggshells or any other calcium supplement whenyou don’t feed edible bone,

at a level that providesaround 1,000 mg calcium

per pound of food. It’s neto feed canned salmonsome of the time, maybe once or twice aweek, but don’t feed it daily, unless youfeed very small amounts.

I don’t recommend adding vegetableoils to dog diets, especially in largeamounts. Vegetable oils such as safower,corn, and sunower oil are high in linoleicacid (LA), a form of omega-6 fatty acidsthat is usually plentiful in the diet, and thatcan lead to inammation when too much is

given. Fish body oil is high in the omega-3fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are anti-inflammatory and hard to find in food(other than fatty sh). Note that axseedoil and carmelina oil are not good choicesto replace sh oil, as the form of omega-3fatty acids found in plant oils (alpha linole-nic acid, or ALA) must be converted in the

body to the forms that dogs can utilize (EPA and DHA), and dogs are not able to makethis conversion very well, if at all.

If you do add plant oils, the best kindsto use are borage oil and evening primroseoil, as the gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) theycontain is preferred over the LA found invegetable oils. Olive oil, which providesomega-9 fatty acids, is also okay in smallamounts. Remember that you need to addsome vitamin E when you supplement witheither plant or sh oils (the tiny amount of vitamin E included in most supplements isnot enough).

Note that some of the oil supplementssold for dogs are mostly vegetable oil. For example, Derm Caps are mostly safower oil (up to 72 percent linoleic acid). Check the label before making a selection.

nnI hope that the guidelines in this article se-ries help you start feeding healthy foods to

your dog, whether you feed a raw diet with bones, a raw or cooked boneless diet, a diet based on pre-mixes, or just a commercialdiet with fresh foods such as eggs, meat,

and dairy added.It’s important to

realize that it is nomore difcult to feedyour dog a healthydiet than it is to do thesame for your fam-ily, though there aredifferences in their nutritional needs. It’snot necessary or de-

sirable to feed only“complete and bal-anced” commercialfoods, nor that every

meal be complete and balanced, as long as balance is achieved over time.

Just as with our own diets, fresh, whole-some, species-appropriate foods offer superior nutrition to processed, packagedfoods. Remember the three basic rules

– variety, balance over time, and calciumin appropriate amounts – and open the door to improving your dog’s health in the mostnatural way possible.

Forproductsandresourcesmentionedinthisarticle,seepage23.

MaryStrausdoes research oncaninehealthandnutritionasanavocation.SheistheowneroftheDogAware.comwebsite,andlivesintheSanFranciscoBayArea.

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ByPatMiller

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Get your pup into the best puppygarten, as early as possible.

hat’s the best age to start train-ing? For most puppy owners,the answer is “Yesterday!” Infact, the optimum time to starta puppy’s education is as early

as possible: about eight weeks of age.It’s hard to fathom that at one time

many trainers insisted that puppies be atleast six months old in order to enroll ina training class. Today’s positive trainer

– and educated, progressive veterinarian

– knows that the rst four months of your dog’s life are the most important time for socialization, to lay the foundation for learning that will serve him (and you) for the rest of his life.

Of course, in “those” days we alltrained with choke chains, using solidyanks on the leash (“corrections”) to getour training message across. And becausechoke chains can damage (or even col-lapse) a dog’s trachea, trainers were wisenot to inict that harsh punishment on thetender throats of eight-week-old puppies.

Today, with food treats and clickers asthe primary tools in our training arsenal,

puppy tracheas are safe, and we can helpowners start educating their youngsters ata much more optimum training age, before

pups have had several months of reinforce-

ment for unwelcome and inappropriate behaviors.

Paradoxically, some veterinarians stillcounsel owners to wait until their new

puppies are six months old and “fullyvaccinated” to take them to training class.Unfortunately, this advice is just as out-dated as the use of choke chains in puppyclasses!

It’s true that you shouldn’t wantonlyexpose your pup to high-risk dog popula-

tions; you should never take him to a dog park, or let him play with stray dogs on thestreet. But the risk of contracting an infec-tious disease in a controlled setting, withother healthy puppies, is quite low. In fact,there is probably a much greater risk of adog meeting a tragic end due to behavior

problems from lack of early training andsocialization than from exposure in a well-run puppy class to some deadly disease.(See “Puppy Vaccination and SocializationShould Go Together,” page 11.)

thw-npppcThe caveat is that you nd a “well-run”

puppy class. You want an experiencedtrainer who uses gentle, effective trainingmethods on her human clients as well asthe dogs, and who conducts her classes in

■

■

wa y an . . .

Do your trainer research before

you bring your new puppy home

so you’re ready to get him started

in class as soon as he’s had a ew

days to settle into his new home.

Be an assertive guardian or your

pup: don’t ever let anyone do or

make you do anything to him thatyou’re not comortable with.

Remember that

training’s

supposed to

be un. Have a

blast learning

new stu with

your pup!

a safe and clean environment. She shouldhave a good understanding of dog bodylanguage and social behavior, and knowwhen to intervene if a puppy is being inap-

propriate with his playmates. She shouldalso have knowledge of puppy diseases and

parasites and require presentation of healthrecords upon registration for class.

Ideally, you’ll nd an instructor whoteaches good manners behaviors in her

puppy classes as well as providing puppysocialization (play!) time, and who willalso address questions you may have aboutother topics, such as housetraining, crating,and puppy biting.

Sadly, there are still plenty of old-fashioned trainers who are apt to administer

a physical correction to your puppy for perceived transgressions. Avoidthosetrainersatallcosts.These trainers maycall themselves positive, and in fact may

be more positive than they used to be, butif they still use leash corrections, loudverbal reprimands, any kind of physical

punishment, or restraints such as pinning

■

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to subscribe: www.whl-dg-jnal.m cygh © 2007, blv Mda G, LLc THEWHOLEDOGJOURNAL|9

a puppy on his side, they’re not positiveenough!

You can nd trainers from a variety of sources: the phone book, referrals fromdog-owner friends or your veterinarian,dog clubs, business cards on pet supplystore bulletin boards, the Internet . . . andany of these might be great – or not. (See“Internet Resources for Finding a Trainer,”

below.) To be on the safe side, arrange to sitin on a class or two and watch the trainer in action. If the trainer doesn’t allow this,nd another trainer.

When you are watching a prospectivetraining class, look for these things:

• The trainer appears friendly, condent,and competent.

• She allows time for questions, andanswers them willingly and thoroughly.

• Canine and human students appear to

be learning, enjoying themselves, and suc-ceeding at assigned exercises.

• Students receive individual attentionand coaching.

• There is adequate concern for dog andhuman health and safety. The facility isclean, with no strong odors, and the oorshave non-slip footing.

• The environment is well controlled to promote calm – no running children, loosedogs (except during playtime), loud noises,excessive barking, etc.

• Dogs are handled gently – without physical force, punishment, strong verbalreprimands, or forcible restraint of a strug-gling or vocalizing puppy.

• Trainer doesn’t do or require owners todo anything that conicts with the owner’straining and dog handling philosophies.

• During playtime, puppies are separatedinto appropriate playgroups where they areclosely monitored and inappropriate playis interrupted.

• The trainer is respectful of dog andowner individual needs and traininggoals.

WhxpcYou’ve researched and selected the rightclass for your pup. If you’ve watched a

class or two in session, you already havesome idea of what to expect from the train-er you’ve chosen. What you encounter inthe actual classes you’ve signed up for willvary, depending on the trainer’s or trainingschool’s puppy class curriculum.

Some puppy classes focus primarilyon socialization. A good part of the classmay be dedicated to puppy play, with other activities included. A trainer might haveowners encourage their pups to encounter new surfaces – walking across a board onthe ground, stepping through scattered hulahoops, crossing a blanket, a box lled withsand or gravel, or a crinkly substance likealuminum foil.

There might be some time spent withgentle restraint, helping puppies learn that

being held makes good things happen, and playing “pass-the-puppy” so baby dogshave good experiences meeting a varietyof people. Pups might come nose-to-nosewith nail clippers, hair dryers, vacuum

cleaners, crutches, and other real-life potentially scary stimuli for the rst time.Puppies aren’t forced, of course, but rather given a positive association with all thesethings, and are reinforced for any willing-ness to be brave.

Other classes may have a stronger em- phasis on actual training. Since 8-week-old puppies are perfectly capable of learningall the behaviors that older dogs do, there ishuge value in teaching them what to do atan early age, well before they have a longhistory of practicing and being reinforcedfor behaviors you want them not to do.

Some training schools offer both.Legacy Canine Behavior and Training inSequim, Washington, is operated by long-time positive trainer Terry Ryan. Legacy’sPuppy HeadStart class includes social-ization, condence building, leadershipexercises, and information on housetrain-ing and other family living skills. The classis free with paid registration for Ryan’s“Pet Dog Manners” class, where pups16 weeks and older (and their owners)learn important life skills such as walkingon leash, polite greetings, coming whencalled, and more.

Many classes, including the ones at

Legacy, require owners to come to aninitial orientation class without pups, socourse goals and expectations, training

philosophies, equipment, training center rules, etc. can be discussed and questionsanswered without concern for restless

innrcndngtnpcblpw.cm: Pat Miller’s website offers three referral lists for trainersworldwide who share her positive training philosophies: graduates of her trainer academies; graduates of her apprentice program; and other trainers she knows

personally and to whom she is comfortable sending referrals.

rulydgfrdly.cm: Website and listing for trainers who are committed tousing positive training methods.

clckrchr.: This is a list of people who use clicker teaching whenteaching others. Clicker teachers use the “positive reinforcement” and “negative

punishment” parts of the operant conditioning spectrum, an approach that has been proven to be the quickest and most effective way to teach. An added bonusis that it is also a fun, safe, and gentle training method.

karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer:These are trainers certied to teachKaren Pryor’s clicker courses. Most of them also offer puppy classes and other training services.

pd.cm: Website for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers – has a listing of all

their trainer/members worldwide. Also has an excellent page on what to look for in a trainer. Not all APDT members are committed to positive training methods,

but many are.

ccpd.cm: Website for the Certication Council for Professional Dog Trainers,has a listing for all Certied Pet Dog Trainers worldwide. Not all CPDTs arecommitted to positive training methods, but many are.

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PppCDp-oIf you’re committed to your pup’s training program, you’ll want to complete his

puppy class and see him graduate with honors. No one likes the sense of failurethat comes with dropping out of a class. There are, however, legitimate reasonsfor deciding you can’t participate in the remainder of your pup’s lessons. Hereare some:

1. You’ve discovered the trainer’s methods and philosophies are not a goodmatch for yours. You may be able to compromise, with the trainer agreeing notto require you to do things that you’re not comfortable with, but if not, rather than subject your pup to harsh methods, just say good-bye. You are your pup’s

protector; he relies on you to keep him safe. Whether it’s a trainer, a groomer,a veterinarian, or any other friend or animal care provider, trust your instincts.Don’t ever let anyone talk you into doing something to your dog that you don’twant to do.

2. The training environment makes your pup uncomfortable. You can expectsome anxiety or arousal the rst night or two of class, but that should graduallysubside as your pup has a good time training there. If you see signs of discomfortincrease(rather than subside) over time, you may want to talk with the trainer about discontinuing classes and doing some behavior modication instead, to

help him gain condence in new situations.

3. You encounter a health problem with your pup. If he should contract a conta-gious disease, whether something relatively mild like kennel cough, or the moreserious parvo or distemper, you’ll need to drop out of class until he’s healthy

again. This is likely to keep you out of class at least threeto four weeks, so rather than trying to come back and catchup, you’re better off signing up for a whole new class.

4. You experience a family crisis. A major health problem inthe family or some other life-changing experience can also

put you out of commission for several weeks – or longer.Again, it makes more sense to start a new class than returnto one that’s nearing completion.

Whatever your reason for dropping out, it’s considerateto let your trainer know why you’re not coming back. Youcan politely agree to disagree on training method, and if your reason for not coming back is health-related or per-sonal, she’ll be relieved to know it’s not a problem with her teaching that’s keeping you away. Also, trainer policies willvary, and while many may advertise a “no-refund” policy,they will often offer you another class when your absenceis due to circumstances beyond your control.

puppies. This helps ease owner concernsabout what to expect, and gives them andtheir pups a training head start. This way,they’ve already practiced and had suc-cess with some of the training exercisesbefore they arrive in a new, sometimesoverwhelming, environment the follow-ing week.

The traditional format then followswith six to eight weeks of classes. Oftenthe last night of class is a “graduation”celebration of some sort, with certicateshanded out to those who successfullycomplete the class.

A new format gaining in popularityis the “Levels” class. Each level coversonly a few exercises, and when pup andhuman are competent at those, they moveon to the next level. Level 1, for example,might include name recognition, sit, anddown. One training team might master those in one short week and immediatelymove on to Level 2, while another may

nd the down to be challenging and takethree weeks to reach Level 2. Level 2 mightconsist of stand, polite leash walking, andtargeting.

The value of this format is that eachteam can move aheadat its own pace. Dogsand owners don’t be-come overwhelmedwhen new exercisesare introduced eachweek (especially if they haven’t yet mas-tered the prior week’sassignments). Plus, if

at any time the teamneeds a refresher ona previous level be-havior, they can drop

back and work thereuntil they’re ready tomove forward again.

This format alsoallows owners whohave missed classesto pick up right where they left off, rather than feeling that they’re way behind.

andngc

Nervous, you arrive at class with your puppy in tow. You’ve purchased the equip-ment and books recommended by your trainer, and diligently practiced the rstweek’s exercises. Now what?

Expect chaos. If your trainer hasn’talready suggested it, you should havetreats in hand as you walk into class, and

use them to keep your pup focused on youinstead of trying to greet other pups. Thisis a good time to teach your pup that just

because he sees other dogs doesn’t neces-sarily mean he gets to go say hi. By thesame token, if another owner allows her

pup to rush up to yours, politely ask her tokeep her pup away until a more appropriategreeting time.

Some pups are so overstimulated by allthe other dogs and people that they bark, or

act afraid. Your trainer should understandthis arousal behavior, and prepared to helpyou manage it with high-value treats, and

some kind of barrier (if necessary) to block visual stimuli and allow your pup to relax.It may take 5 to 15 minutes (or more) toget all the excited dogs and humans settledenough to begin class. Mammals who arehighly aroused don’t think well, so there’sno point in asking your pup to respond tocues until you’re both ready to learn.

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Dr.Andersonis aveterinarianand inventorof theGentle Leaderheadhalter.Heisastrongadvocateforpuppytraining,andhasmadeitpartofhismissiontoeducatetheveterinarycommunityabouttheimportanceofstartingtrainingforpupsatanearlyage,wellbeforethesixmonthsthatsomeveterinar-

iansrecommend.Hehaswrittenthefollowing“openlettertomycolleaguesinveterinarymedicine,”andurgesdogownersandtrainerstoshareitwiththeirownveterinariansiftheyencounterresistancetotheconceptofearlypuppytraining:

The most common questions I receive from puppy owners,

dog trainers, and veterinarians concern two points:

1) What is the most favorable age or period of time when puppies learn best?

2) What are the health implications of my advice that veteri-narians and trainers should offer socialization programs for

puppies starting at 8 to 9 weeks of age?

Puppies begin learning at birth. And their brains appear to be particularly responsive to learning and retaining expe-riences that are encountered during the rst13 to 16 weeks after birth. This means that

breeders, new puppy owners, veterinarians,trainers, and behaviorists have a responsibilityto assist in providing these learning/socializa-tion experiences with other puppies/dogs, withchildren/adults, and with various environmen-tal situations during this optimal period from

birth to 16 weeks.Experience and epidemiologic data support

the relative safety and lack of transmission of disease in these puppy socialization classes.

Many veterinarians are making this early socialization andlearning program part of a total wellness plan for breeders andnew owners of puppies – the rst 7 to 8 weeks with the breeder and the next 8 weeks with the new owners. This socialization

program should enroll puppies from 8 to 12 weeks of age as akey part of any preventive medicine program to improve the

bond between pets and their people and keep dogs as valuedmembers of the family for 12 to 18 years.

To take full advantage of this early special learning pe-riod, many veterinarians recommend that new owners taketheir puppies to puppy socialization classes at 8 to 9 weeksof age. At this age they should have (and can be required tohave) received their rst vaccines. Further exposure to these

PppVccnnndscznshdGtghantigens, through repeated vaccination during the next 8 to12 weeks (and possibly through natural exposure), will helpthem develop protective antibodies against specic canineinfectious diseases. In addition, the owner and trainer shouldtake precautions to have the environment and the participat-ing puppies as free of natural exposure as possible throughgood hygiene.

Experience and epidemiologic data support the relativesafety and lack of transmission of disease in these puppysocialization classes over the past 10 years in many parts of the United States. In fact, the risk of a dog dying because of

infection with distemper or parvo disease is far less than themuch higher risk of a dog dying (that is, being euthanized)

because of a behavior problem. Many veterinarians now offer new puppy owners puppy socialization classes in their hospi-tals or nearby training facilities in conjunction with trainersand behaviorists because they want socialization and trainingto be very important parts of a wellness plan for every puppy.We need to recognize that this special sensitive period for learning is the best opportunity we have to inuence behavior for dogs and the most important and longest lasting part of atotal wellness plan.

Are there risks? Yes.But 10 years of good ex-

perience and data, withfew exceptions, offers vet-erinarians the opportunityto generally recommendearly socialization andtraining classes, beginningwhen puppies are 8 to 9weeks of age. However,we always suggest fol-lowing your veterinarian’s

professional judgment, in individual cases or situations wherespecial circumstances warrant further immunization for aspecial puppy before starting such classes. During any periodof delay for puppy classes, owners should begin a program of socialization with children and adults outside their family totake advantage of this special period in a puppy’s life.

Veterinarians may call me at (651) 644-7400 for discussionand clarication. – Robert K. Anderson, DVM; Diplomateof American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine;Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Behaviorists;Professor and Director Emeritus, Animal Behavior Clinic andCenter to Study Human/Animal Relationships and Environ-ments, University of Minnesota, Falcon Heights, MN

From there, class should progress moresmoothly. Your pup will learn to focus onyou and perform the behaviors he doesso well at home, even in the presence of distractions. A good trainer will be patientwith her students, willing to answer your questions, and able to help you and your dog progress in your training. Remember

this exceedingly important point – trainingshould be fun! As the weeks go quickly byand you’re astounded by your pup’s abilityto learn – and your own ability to teach her

– you should look eagerly forward to goingto class each week because you both enjoylearning new behaviors and showing off your accomplishments.

PatMiller,CPDT ,isWDJ ’sTrainingEditor.MillerlivesinHagerstown,Maryland,siteofherPeaceablePawstrainingcenter,with

herhusbandPaul.Patisalsotheauthorof The Power of Positive Dog Training andPositive Perspectives: Love Your Dog,Train Your Dog. Formore information, see“Resources,”page24.

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PdindPcpn

ByNaNCykerNs

Mvngon,Mvngup

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Pet ood executives tell us how the industry has changed, post-recall.

CoNsuMer alertCoNsuMeralert

P ab, marketing managerBreeder’s Choice Pet Foods, Irwindale, CAThird-generation, amily-operated Breeder’s Choice was purchased in2006 by Central Garden & Pet. Breeder’s Choice makes several lines oits own dry oods, including AvoDerm, Pinnacle, Active Care, and HealthFood or Dogs, and manuactures dry oods or other companies.

Pt ats, coounder and presidentnt Pt Pts, Santa Clara, CAFounded 15 years ago, privately held Natura is the maker o Innova,Caliornia Natural, Evo, Karma (an organic ood), and other lines o petoods. Natura’s dry ood products are manuactured in its own plantin Nebraska, where it also co-manuactures dry pet ood or othercompanies.

B c, cooundercst & Px Pt Ws, Clackamas, ORA amily-owned company, Castor & Pollux debuted its Organix, a lineo certifed organic ood and treats or dogs and cats, in March 2003.Connolly says that Organix was the frst pet ood made with certifed

organic ree range chicken as the number one ingredient in both dogand cat ormulas and the frst to meet the USDA National OrganicProgram labeling regulations.

db e, chie executive ofcerWss/o Mt hbb, Chelmsord, MAOld Mother Hubbard, an 80-year-old, privately held company, launchedits Wellness line o “natural and holistic” ood or pets in 1997 – and the

line now dominates its business. In addition to the Wellness productline, OMH makes biscuits and treats, the Neura (95% meat) line o

wet oods, and, in a very recent launch, a new line o grain-ree, high-protein pet ood called Core.

J Msm, director o marketing and nutritional servicese P Pt s, Mishawaka, INEstablished in 1970, Eagle Pack makes its own dry dog oods (the EaglePack and Holistic Select lines) and co-manuactures products or othercompanies. In 2003, the amily-owned company received a fnancialinusion rom a capital investment company, which has helped Eaglegrow its operations. Eagle estimates its size as in the top three largestproducers o pet oods in the “natural and holistic” category.

l Psts, coounderT hst kt, Pacifc Beach, CAPet oods made by The Honest Kitchen are made with dehydrated reshood ingredients; all ingredients are “human grade,” and the ood ismade in a human ood manuacturing acility. The amily-owned and-operated company has enjoyed a reported 100 percent growth per

year since its inception in 2002.

r rmp, Vice President o NutritionB S s, i., Londonderry, NHA subsidiary o Muscatine Foods Corporation, Blue Seal makes its BlueSeal, byNature, and BrightLie dry pet ood lines in its manuacturingacilities in New York and Vermont. Blue Seal also manuactures drypet ood products or other companies.

herehavebeenpetfood recallsbefore,andtherewillberecallsinthefuture,butthe eventofearly2007willprobablyberecorded

asthecostliestpetfoodrecallinhistory.However, it’smyhope,and theopinionofmany,thatthelessonslearned fromthisinfamouseventshouldpreventanysimilarlarge-scalepetfooddisaster fromhappeningeveragain.

Note that noneofthecompanieswhose

executivesarequotedbelowhadproductsinvolvedintherecalls.Buteverypetfoodcompanyin thecountrywasaffectedbytherestormof inquiries fromterried

petownerswhosoughtinformationabouttheirpetfoods.

Iappreciatetheseriousness,honesty,andcommitmenttoprovidingqualityfoodsthattheseexecutivesexhibithere.

In your opinion, what is the most significant aftereffect of the recalls on the pet food industry?

– where their food is manufactured, whereingredients come from, and the types of testing employed by the manufacturer to assure safety. Based on the dramaticspike in our sales, customers are obviouslyseeking products from smaller suppliers of holistic, organic, and natural products.

Br Clly, Cr & PlluxThere have been several outcomes. Oneis the need for pet food companies to bemore forthcoming with information as towhere their products are made and whereingredients are sourced. From the rst dayof the rst recall, we provided pet parentswith information on who made our customformulation canned products for us. This

Phl abr, Brdr’ Chc

The recalls put the pet food industry onalert; we must be more diligent in assur-ing that all companies involved in theingredient-sourcing chain are the mostreliable and follow the highest food safety

procedures.

Pr ak, nurConsumers are interested in more than justa pretty bag and are now reading – moreaccurately, scrutinizing – labels like never

before. There is obviously a heightenedstate of consumer awareness about petfoods, pet food companies, and the ingre-dients that go into pet foods. Customershave a new expectation for transparency

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We continue to test all ingredients and haveminimized the few ingredients we sourcefrom outside of North America.

We continue to require that everyvendor certify all ingredients and provideus with a guaranteed analysis. We alsotest ingredients in our quality control laband conrm results prior to being utilizedduring production. We now require thecontract manufacturers that make our wetfoods to provide us with manufacturingrecords for all production runs of our wet

products.

Also, we have reviewed and updatedour recall procedures and established acrisis management team to ensure 100

percent implementation of the plan.

Pr ak, nur

We’ve always had quality management programs, validated by third-party certi-

was done via our website, in the thousandsof e-mails that Shelley (my wife and co-founder) personally answered and on the

phone with our customer service team.Even though we are a small company (just17 people), we are committed to being astransparent as possible – unlike some other companies that chose to hide behind auto-mated answering services and answers like“I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to releasethat information.”

The other outcome has to do with over-all pet food safety. All manufacturers are

paying much more attention to where in-gredients come from and the quality/safetyassociated with those ingredients.

You can’t test your way to safety; youneed to know that the ingredients are safefrom the time the seeds are planted inthe eld, through the growing, handling,

processing, storage, transportation, andmanufacturing process.

With our Organix food, pet owners have

the benet of knowing that an independentthird-party organic certifying agency un-der the mandate of the USDA’s NationalOrganic Program has the responsibility of doing this. Each and every ingredient inOrganix must be reviewed and approvedfor inclusion in our formula by the organiccertifying agency. This third-party review

and approval process does not apply to“natural,” “holistic,” or “human grade”

pet foods. Certied organic pet foods andtreats take safety to another level.

Dbrh ellgr, Wll

The recall taught consumers how importantit is to focus on the ingredient choices andquality standards of the brands behind the

products. A positive outcome of the recallis that consumers are more aware of whatis in their pet’s food, and are reading labelsand asking more questions. The industryas a whole is responding, and this willultimately improve all products.

Jh Mrm, egl Pck

The events made both pet food and humanfood companies more aware of food safetyvulnerability. Companies have becomemore aware that the recalls have height-ened pet owner awareness about ingredientquality, ingredient country of origin, where

the brand is made, whether they maketheir own food in their own plant, bestmanufacturing practices, quality control,and company integrity.

It is no longer good enough (and it wasnever right), for a company to say ingre-dients are purchased from US companieswhen that company is a broker that may

be importing, or is an importer. The brandshould know the origin of ingredients.(Eagle Pack is EU certied, which requiresdisclosure of the country of origin of theingredients.)

Lucy P, th H Kch

The industry has been forced to take avery close look at its ingredient-sourcingand manufacturing practices. Above all,

pet food manufacturers (as well as thecompanies who are actually named on thelabels) have been forced to become moreaccountable for their products and the in-gredients that go into them. Ignorance andnaiveté will no longer be tolerated.

Ultimately, the company whose name ison the bag is responsible to the customer.Contract manufacturers are accountable totheir clients but it should be the responsi-

bility of the company that takes the public’smoney, to ensure their products are safeand that their labels are truthful.

R Rmpl, Blu sl

Pet owners [now] have a lower degree of condence in commercial pet food. Own-ers are more likely to blame the food for

problems that their pets may encounter andare less likely to hesitate to nd alternativefoods.

Have you changed anything about the way you operate your business since the recall? For example, have you changed the way you source or test ingredients?

Made changes to the manner in which you utilize or oversee contract manufacturers?

Developed a consumer-response plan in case of any future problems?

cations, that have enabled us to supplyour customers with the highest quality andsafest products in the industry.

Because of the recall we have made ahuge investment in new testing protocolsfor melamine and cyanuric acid. We havealso directed our buyers to source ingredi-ents from domestic sources and, in the fewcases where an ingredient is only availableoffshore, we have instituted an elevatedlevel of control and testing.

We did make changes to the manner in which we utilize or oversee contractmanufacturers [currently, Natura’s wet

products are made by a contract manu-facturer]. We have a heightened presenceat their manufacturing facility and haveinstituted a rigorous quality management

program which requires the contractor to prove their quality controls with detailedreports on each production run.

We have always had a consumer-

response plan as part of our qualitymanagement program.

Br Clly, Cr & Pllux

The recalls caused us to really step back and evaluate all aspects of our businessfrom ingredients to providing more infor-mation to pet parents.

The battery of tests that we run onall of our Organix and Natural Ultramix

production has increased to include testsfor melamine and cyanuric acid. We haveestablished even tighter quality controlstandards and are working to augment our

stafng in this area, too. We are postingeven more information on our website toallow pet parents to make informed pur-chasing decisions. And we have changeda number of ingredient suppliers and havemore detailed protocols related to our ex-

pectations of them.Even though this was our rst expe-

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rience with a recall, we already had aconsumer-response plan in place but wereable to improve upon it as a result of thisexperience. Most important to us was stay-ing accessible to pet parents and retailersthat carried our products.

Dbrh ellgr, Wll

We performed a full review of all of our practices, even though we were notimpacted by the recall. We already hadhuman-grade auditing processes andcontrols in place for our manufacturing,along with a robust ingredient sourcingapproach, so we did not need to makesignicant changes to our processes or our manufacturing relationships.

However, like most others, we addedtesting for melamine and other contami-nants that were identied in the recall,and we continue to look for improvementopportunities. We also expanded our phonecenter and added more product informa-

tion on our website to help consumers getanswers to their questions.

Since our products were not affected by the recall, we have attracted a lot of new consumers. We have had to step upour production dramatically, and are nowspending a lot more time forecasting de-mand and trying to meet our customers’increased needs.

Jh Mrm, egl Pck

Naturally we started testing ingredients and both dry and canned food for melamine(everything was negative) and reviewedour “best manufacturing practices” plan.

Fortunately, due to our program and our EU certification, all safety procedureswere in place. While it reafrmed the waywe do business, we also enhanced testingand reviewed sourcing procedures withquality-certied long-term suppliers.

We looked to eliminate any China-sourced ingredients, but this is not possiblefor taurine, glucosamine, and at least onevitamin. Virtually all brands must buythese ingredients from China; I stronglyquestion any brand that states otherwise.Vitamin premixes are comprised of at least13 vitamins. Of the two biggest vitamin

makers in the world, neither one makesall of its own ingredients. They, too, out-source. A responsible pet food maker mustknow this if it is to be in control.

We make all our dry food here inMishawaka, Indiana. For our contract canmanufacturing, we specify high qualityingredients. We did review all procedures

and ingredient sourcing with the maker.They will not add or substitute ingredientswithout asking, and we rejected substitu-tion the times they asked.

Lucy P, th H Kch

Since our products are made in a humanfood plant – not in a pet food plant – manyof the measures that conventional pet foodmanufacturers are now adopting were al-ready part of our procedures and protocol.Our production is all under human foodstandards so ingredient substitutions andformula changes are simply not allowed.That is precisely why we chose a humanfood plant to make our products.

So, we have not really had to changemuch ourselves in the way of operations.Our company already takes responsibilityfor directly sourcing, ordering, and payingfor 100 percent of its own ingredients; wedo not allow the facility that makes our diets to buy ingredients on our behalf.

We know our vendors directly and takedirect responsibility for what goes intoour foods.

Although we don’t buy or use any of theingredients that were found to be contami-nated (we use meats, not plants, as sourcesof protein), and we had no reason whatso-ever to suspect that there was any risk toour products, we did realize that amid thestate of panic that ensued, no company’sword alone was good enough. Thereforewe decided to implement melamine testingimmediately on all nished products.

We paid for overnight testing so that wecould offer the peace of mind of melamine-

free certicates to customers right away(and found it curious that FDA repeatedlystated they would not have results for

two weeks). We also put new measures in place to have each of our raw ingredientsscreened for melamine prior to production.Going forward, melamine screening has

been added to the list of routine screenswe run on all nished products.

R Rmpl, Blu sl

We have increased our efforts to better know our suppliers. More stringent re-quirements are in place for new suppliers.We have accelerated establishing HAACP (hazard analysis and critical control points)

plans and having plants in condition to beapproved by AIB (the American Instituteof Baking). We also have performed spotchecks for melamine and increased thenumber of assays for other contaminantssuch as heavy metals and PCBs. We haveincreased the size of our customer servicedepartment.

We did not have any products affected by the recall but we were inundated by

phone calls from current customers withconcerns and from pet owners that hadused products that were recalled and look-ing for alternatives.

We increased the number of people at-tending the phones and e-mail responses.We established an auto-reply to provideinformation via e-mail or telephone im-mediately to concerned customers. I metdaily with the people in customer serviceto keep them updated on the situation and

provide information to better answer ques-tions. I also spoke directly with severalcustomers to alleviate technical issues. AsI mentioned earlier, pet owners were not

hesitating to voice concern and wantedreassurances if their animals exhibited any

perceived problems.

In your opinion, did consumers overreact? What do you think consumers should do differently in case of future recalls?


The consumer’s rst concern or priorityhas to be the safety of their pet. Consumersdiligently sought out information throughthe media, Internet, and in many cases,contacted the manufacturer for informa-

tion. Consumers acted in a very responsiblemanner to seek out as much information as

possible in order to protect their pets.

Pr ak, nur

Absolutely not. Perhaps the media can be blamed for creating a panicked frenzy byrunning constant fear stories without a lot

of specic substance in many cases. Butone can’t really fault pet loving familiesfor responding aggressively and seekingthe truth for the health and safety of their companions. And if the end result is thathundreds of thousands of consumers have

abandoned formerly trusted products thatwere perceived as “premium” for healthier and safer alternatives, can one really saythat is an overreaction? In my opinion, itis an appropriate adjustment to the newrealities of the market.

God forbid that there is another recall.But should it occur, consumers should

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gather good, accurate, and truthful infor-mation from trusted sources. They shouldmeasure very carefully all the informationmade available and apply this informationrationally, without painting every pet foodcompany with the same soiled brush.

And consumers should not throw awayfood packaging until the food has beenconsumed so that if there is an issue, the

proper date code numbers are accessible.

Br Clly, Cr & Pllux

I don’t think consumers overreacted atall given what they knew about pet foodmanufacturing, and given this entire ex-

perience was truly terrifying for them.Rolling recalls like these had never oc-curred before, and there was so muchuncertainty as to what the problem was,what brands were affected, and what might

be coming next. Certainly some of themisinformation on the Internet blogs didn’thelp consumers at all. Most assumed that

all pet food manufacturers had their own plants; even though this isn’t even true of human food producers, it was a shock tomany to learn this.

I also don’t think that most peopleunderstood that you can’t run “one test”to prove something is safe. You need toknow what you’re testing for and then runthe test that is specic to that. And, I think the extent of our global economy was notfully understood. The fact that some in-gredients in pet foods just aren’t availablein this country came as a real surprise tomany, too.

Our advice to consumers in the case of

future recalls: Get to know – now – whatthe brand stands for that you are feedingyour pet. Send the company an e-mail or give them a call to ask questions. Get asense for how open and honest they areand how quickly they respond to you. Seeif they have a list that you can be added tofor future notication.

Dbrh ellgr, Wll

No, consumers did not overreact. Theydid everything they should have done, likewatch the news, check the Internet, and callthe 800 numbers. Our animal companions

are an important part of our lives and theycan’t advocate for themselves. Consumersdid the right thing by looking out for the

pets that depend on them.

Jh Mrm, egl Pck

No way. They had every reason to reactquickly and strongly. They were fed

misinformation. Correct information wasdelayed. And the recalls kept snowballing.Pet owners kept wondering if their foodwas next. This is a “perfect storm” sce-nario to generate concern and fear among

pet owners.Consumers should not wait for another

recall. Just as manufacturers must estab-lish ongoing trust with their suppliers,

pet owners must establish trust with a petfood brand. Why ever do pet owners keepcoming back to a brand that won’t tell youwhere it is made, or another that lies aboutit three consecutive times? If another recallwere to occur, pet owners should get a vetreport stating that whatever caused therecall issue was directly related to the prob-lem with their pet, and send it to FDA.

Here are questions pet owners shouldask in an effort to establish condence andtrust in a brand now, not when the nextrecall happens:

Who makes your food?

Will you disclose the country of originof any ingredient or component? And in-clude every vitamin and nutrient, includingtaurine and glucosamine?

Will you disclose the level of any nutri-ent in your food if that nutrient is listed inthe AAFCO nutrient proles?

Lucy P, th H Kch

I don’t think it was an overreaction at all.Particularly as things escalated, people justdidn’t know where to turn next. I don’tthink any industry has ever seen a recall of that magnitude and scope, with brand after

brand being added to the list. People were

shocked and disillusioned that the productsthey were buying were made with the samelow-grade ingredients as many genericgrocery brands – and then shocked all over again when other companies announcedthey didn’t even know what ingredientswere being put in their diets. People foundthat absolutely absurd, and rightly so. If Ididn’t have my own brand of pet food tofeed my dogs and complete condence inmy nished products, I think I’d have beenin tears, too.

In the face of a future recall, the mostimportant thing is to knowyourdog.That

way, it’s so much easier to spot whensomething’s up. Tune in to how he behavesat meal times. Does he have a voraciousappetite or is it usual to eat more gin-gerly? What do his eyes look like whenhe’s healthy and happy? How do his eyeschange when he’s under the weather?

What are her normal urination and

defecation patterns? Pick up poop frequentlyso you can identify any abnormalities rightaway; a weekly pickup routine might notreveal blood in the stool quickly enough.

The most important thing where thefood itself is concerned, is to hold on tolot codes and manufacture dates. We’ll belaunching some exciting packaging optionsthat address this, in the fall.

We have never been proponents of feeding one diet exclusively; feeding avariety of brands and incorporating home-made food into your dog’s daily ration may

possibly lessen the effects of consuminga contaminated product in the worst-casescenario.

The sheer volume of recalled productsmade this disaster almost impossible tokeep up with. Make use of the Internet.Sites like Itchmo and Pet Connectionmay have saved thousands of lives withtheir up-to-the-minute recall info. Signup for alerts right away if a recall strikes

and please take responsibility for helpingelderly relatives or neighbors, or otherswithout Internet access, keep up to dateon which brands are affected.

R Rmpl, Blu sl

Given the situation, owners did not over-react. The media did overreact and hypedthe story. You couldn’t blame the custom-ers for their concerns considering that theyheard that pets were dying and a large num-

ber of companies recalled their foods for unknown reasons. To make things worse,the number of products and companiesinvolved with the recall grew daily.

I don’t believe owners will act or are expected to act any differently if thesituation presents itself again. However,you’ll see a difference in the response of

pet food companies; they will be sensitiveto complaints and not make any assump-tions. Investigations concerning multiplecomplaints will be taken very seriouslyand handled more thoroughly and swiftly.I’m sure that pet food companies that didnot have a team to handle situations of thisnature before, do now.

ct p 22

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ByCjPuotiNeN

aHnyCr

B

All the products made by bees have special gits or dogs.

ees may sting, but they create someof the world’s most valuable, ver-satile products. Honey, bee pollen,royal jelly, beeswax, propolis, andeven the venom from bee stings are

enjoy honey and it is considered a staplefood of the omnivorous bear.

“Honey is the greatest of the naturalenergizers,” Levy writes, “a nerve tonicand a supreme heart tonic . . . Predigested

by its makers, the bees, it is absorbedimmediately into the bloodstream of theconsumer. A diet of only milk and honeycan sustain life for months in humans andanimals. It has been well and longtime

proved that honey is also highly medicinaland will inhibit growth of harmful bacteriain the entire digestive tract and destroythose of a toxic nature.”

Levy recommends fasting animals whoare ill to let their digestive organs rest and

the body to heal quickly. In addition towater, the only food she recommends for fasting animals is honey.

An invert sugar, honey containsmostly glucose and fructose, which aremonosaccharides or simple sugars. Mono-saccharides are more easily assimilatedthan the disaccharides and polysaccharides

all touted for their human health benets – and many experts say that dogs derivethe same advantages.

Feeding honey to dogs is nothing new.Juliette de Bairacli Levy, whose NaturalRearing philosophy has offered alterna-

tives to conventional treatment for over 60 years (see “Grandmother Nature,” WDJJuly 2006), recommends honey in all of her animal care books.

“I believe I could not successfully rear domestic dogs without this remarkableantiseptic food,” she says in TheComplete HerbalHandbook fortheDogandCat. She adds that while honey is not a normalitem of diet for carnivores, lions in the wild

found in table sugar, milk, grains, legumes,and starchy vegetables. A tablespoon of honey supplies 63 calories. Honey doesnot require refrigeration but keeps bestin tightly sealed containers stored awayfrom heat and light. Honey thickens whenrefrigerated.

Depending on the owers harvested by the bees, honey is light or dark incolor, and its avors vary from delicate tocomplex. Raw honey contains vitamins A,B-complex, C, D, E, and K, plus calcium,

phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, potassium, manganese, copper, and iodine,with darker varieties such as buckwheatcontaining higher mineral levels. Vitamin

C levels vary; some honey contains up to300 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams(about 3½ ounces or 7 tablespoons).

Honey has been a medicine as well asa food for millennia. Ancient Greek, As-syrian, Chinese, and Roman physiciansroutinely prescribed it for health andlongevity and for conditions such as in-

HealtH

■

■

wa y an . . .

Look or raw local honey; support

beekeepers who use organic

methods and maintain healthy

hives.

Add honey to your dog’s ood as

an overall health tonic and to help

prevent allergies.

Apply honey to burns, cuts, and

wounds or rapid healing.

Experiment cautiously with bee

pollen beore using it as a vitamin-

protein supplement.

Keep propolis on

hand to fght

inections and

protect against

contagious

illnesses.

■

■

nw Js bp J d, w ss mts s ssts t s bs, ts c, t t’s lb, t stt m tv. l mst s, s vs t tst. Photo by Joel Hollenberg.

HealtH

■

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digestion, diarrhea, fevers, coughs, colds,u, asthma, allergies, and ulcers, and as arevitalizing food for athletes, soldiers, andthose recovering from illness or injury.Honey is said to increase the absorption of calcium consumed at the same time, helptreat or prevent anemia, reduce arthritis

pain, and work as a gentle laxative to help prevent constipation. It was also appliedtopically to treat open wounds, burns, cuts,abrasions, and skin infections.

HndgMost dogs love the taste of honey, so it’susually easy to feed. Some dogs eat it rightoff the spoon, some get it in their dinner,and quite a few enjoy their daily honey ontoast with butter.

In Denison, Texas, 50 miles north of Dallas, beekeeper and companion dogtrainer Michele Crouse considers honeythe best medicine for her dogs Bonnie,a four-year-old Staffordshire Terrier, and

Cracker, a ve-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever.

“Bonnie has always had a hard timewith allergies,” Crouse says. “Her symp-toms used to be worst in the spring andearly summer, but they continued throughthe fall ragweed season. She rubbed her face, licked herself, especially on her feetand the inside of her thighs, and scratchedon her stomach like crazy, creating dime-sized sores. She itched so much that the vet

prescribed Benadryl and prednisone.”To prevent these attacks, Crouse feeds

her dogs a tablespoon of honey twice a day.“I mix it with their food or feed it directly,”

she says. “Sometimes I’ll give them berriesas a snack, with the honey mixed in. BothBonnie and Cracker love the taste. Otis,our mixed-breed, isn’t interested in honeyor anything sweet. Fortunately, he doesn’thave allergy symptoms.”

Crouse uses raw honey which shestrains through a single lter to removedebris. “Otherwise,” she says, “it’s straightout of the hive.”

As long as Bonnie receives her dailyhoney, she remains free of allergy symp-toms. “But if I forget for a week or so,”says Crouse, “the symptoms come right

back. I know several other dogs who havehad the same response. They react to sea-sonal allergens until their owners put themon honey, and then they’re ne.”

Crouse agrees with beekeepers andhealth experts who have observed thatlocal raw honey works best on allergysymptoms. “It makes sense,” she explains.

“When you eat the honey, you ingestminute amounts of local pollen, and after your body adjusts so that it doesn’t reactto the pollen, you can be exposed to larger amounts, such as when plants or trees arein bloom, without being affected.”

In addition to using honey as a food,Crouse washes her dogs with it. “I startwith a clear, natural shampoo base froman organic supplier,” she says, “and mixit with an equal amount of honey to whichI’ve added aloe vera and essential oils likelemon grass, orange, lemon, lavender, teatree, citronella, and the Asian herb MayChang (Litseacubeba). All of these plantshave disinfecting, deodorizing, or insect-repelling properties. The essential oilsmake up about 5 percent of the formula, soit’s safe for adult dogs and older puppies.To dilute the shampoo and make it easier to use, I add about 25 percent water.”

Crouse says that the resulting shampoodoesn’t lather much, but it cleans the dog

well and soothes the skin. “I let it standfor a minute or so, rinse it off, reapply, andthen give a nal rinse. I board dogs, andif a visiting dog is scratching and itching,I’ll give him a bath in honey shampoo, andthat always helps.”

In Jacksonville, Oregon, Natural Rear -ing consultant Marina Zacharias feeds her dogs honey and applies it topically to cutsand wounds.

“The high sugar content of honey isone of the factors that makes it such anexcellent infection fighter and woundhealer,” says Zacharias. “Glucose oxidase,an enzyme in honey, produces hydrogen

peroxide, which helps kill harmful bacte-ria. In addition, there are yet-unidentiedsubstances which bees collect from owersthat give their honey antibacterial proper-ties. For best results, it’s important to useraw honey that hasn’t hadits effectiveness destroyed

by processing.”Clinical trials of burn

and injury patients showthat the application of honey as a wound dressingrapidly clears infection,inflammation, swelling,

pain, and odor whilespeeding the sloughingoff of necrotic tissue (deadskin) and the growth of new skin cells. It remainsmoist, seals wounds – including skin grafts

– and protects them from exposure to air,absorbs pus, reduces scarring, and prevents

wounds from sticking to bandages. Unlikeother topical antiseptics, honey preventsmicrobial growth without causing tissuedamage.

Raw honey eventually crystallizes or solidies, making it difcult to apply. Inaddition, honey crystals can feel sharp ontender or inamed skin. For best results,apply soft or liquid honey. To liquifycrystallized honey, stand the jar in hotwater until it can be stirred or poured.Microwaving is not recommended becausein addition to destroying enzymes andother nutrients, heating honey in a micro-wave increases its hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF) content, which adversely affectsits avor.

In addition to applying honey towounds, Zacharias has successfully treatedwart-like growths with honey. “Whenhoney is applied daily, they eventuallysoften and disappear,” she says. “Julietterecommends honey as a treatment for

burns. I have personally seen this work,and the healing is remarkable. In one case,a young mixed-breed toy dog tripped hisowner and the scalding hot coffee shewas carrying burned his back. The skindid not blister but it was very painful andangry looking. Thanks to honey, the doghealed very well, and his hair grew back

beautifully.”The procedure Zacharias recommends

is to wash the burned area with vinegar and apply honey thickly every 10 minutesuntil the pain subsides, then apply light

bandages over the area. “Unfortunately,the hair will need to be clipped away,” she

says, “and if the dog wants to bother the bandage, you will need to use an Elizabe-than or cervical collar.”

On other wounds, Zacharias says,you can apply honey directly without

bandaging. If the dogwants to lick it off, trydistracting him for 20minutes or so and givethe honey time to beabsorbed by the skin.You can reapply it thisway three or four timesa day.

“Honey appl iedtwice a day healed anopen cyst that wouldn’tclose in one of my older Basset Hounds, Savan-

nah. As soon as I started applying honey,her skin closed over the wound, it healedfast, and we avoided surgery.”

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HnndhbMost dogs enjoy the taste of honey, whichsimplies the administration of fresh or dried medicinal herbs. “Canine Aller-gies and Your Dog’s Health” (May 2007)described how the herb cleavers (Galiumaparine)helped cured a dog’s allergy-related sores on its legs. Several readers

who began feeding their dogs cleavers teareported that the strategy worked for themas well. Brewing tea is one way to addcleavers to your dog’s diet, but another isto make an herbal honey.

Start by coarsely chopping enoughfresh lemon balm (see “It’s the Balm!,”April 2007), thyme, sage, oregano, laven-der, basil, or other herbs to loosely ll aglass jar. Alternatively, ll the jar half fullwith loosely packed dried herbs. Fill the

jar with honey, covering the herbs. If thehoney is too thick to pour easily, warm it by

placing the honey jar in hot water or heatthe honey gently in a saucepan or double

boiler just until it is liquid.Seal the jar of herbs and honey and

leave it in a warm location, such as asunny window, for at least two weeks.For a double-strength herbal honey, waita month or more, then ll another glass jar with herbs, pour the contents of the rst jar into the second jar, and let the honey standanother month.

If you’re in a hurry, heat the honey untilit’s almost boiling and the pour it over the

herbs. The honey won’t be raw any more, but it will still contain signicant healing properties, and it can be strained and usedthe same day.

Before using herbal honey, filter itthrough cheesecloth or a strainer to re-move plant material and store it at roomtemperature or in the refrigerator. Add themedicated honey to your dog’s food.

In addition, keep a small jar of honey(herbal or plain) in your rst-aid kit or

backpack for use in emergencies.Honey infused with the herbs men-

tioned above is an effective dressing for cuts, surgical wounds, burns, lick granu-lomas, abrasions, hot spots, and infectedwounds. It can be given orally to preventinfection from viruses or bacteria, soothea sore throat, help an anxious dog relax,improve sleep, and speed recovery fromillness. Added to food, herbal honeyhelps reduce gas and other symptoms of indigestion.

Another way to feed herbs is to mixthem with thick raw honey (refrigeratehoney for a thicker consistency if neces-sary) and shape it into small balls that areeasy for the dog to swallow. Use the sametechnique you would to pill a dog.

All honey, especially organic raw hon-ey, has medicinal benets, but the honey

best known for its antimicrobial propertiesis manuka honey from New Zealand. Morethan 20 years of research have shown it to

naturally destroy harmful bacteria such asStaphaureus and Streptococcus (includ-ing drug-resistant strains); Helicobacter pylori bacteria associated with stomachulcers; vancomycin-resistant Enterococci;and Pseudomonas. The veterinary use of manuka honey includes its applicationas a dressing for burns, amputations, andwounds, and its internal use for gastroin-testinal and digestive problems.

Can honey be given to dogs with diabe-tes? Experts disagree as to whether honeyhas all of white sugar’s harmful effects or has a slower blood sugar absorption rate,

putting it lower on the glycemic index andmaking it less likely to disrupt the patient’s

blood sugar levels. Some tests have shownhoney to cause a signicantly lower rise in

blood sugar, but results vary according tothe type of honey used. Discuss this withyour holistic veterinarian.

Also, consider feeding dark raw localhoney or raw organic honey. The safest

way to feed a therapeutic tablespoon onceor twice a day to dogs with diabetes is tostart with smaller amounts and always feedit in combination with fats, which by itself lowers a food’s glycemic index. Coconutoil and butter are excellent honey part-ners. Observe your dog’s reaction beforeincreasing the amount and discontinue useif he displays any adverse symptoms.

BpnAs they collect nectar from flower

blossoms, bees also gather pollen, a high- protein food, to carry back to the hive.While doing so, they spread pollen from

ower to ower, fertilizing plants so thatthey produce berries, fruits, nuts, andvegetables. More than 100 crops grown inthe US are pollinated by honeybees.

Bee pollen, which is collected fromhives and sold as a health supplement, haslong been prized for its proteins, aminoacids, vitamins, enzymes, and other nutri-ents. Approximately half of its protein ismade up of free-form amino acids, whichrequire no digestion; they are immediatelyabsorbed and utilized by the body. It isunusually high in the bioavonoid rutin,which strengthens capillaries, protects

against free radical damage and has anti-inammatory effects.Proponents claim that bee pollen im-

proves energy, endurance, and vitality,speeds recovery from illness or injury,helps convalescents gain weight, helps theoverweight lose weight, reduces cravingsand addictions, ghts infectious diseases,

M cs, Denison, TX. (903) 465-0069, super-k9.com or crousearms.com

M Zs, Jacksonville, OR. (541) 899-2080, naturalrearing.com

The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat, by Juliette de Bairacli Levy

J’s gs hb T Ws, Schodack, NY. Herbal teas, dried herbs, and herbalproducts. (518) 479-0471, jeansgreens.com

B vm b vm . Inormation rom ApiHealth, New Zealand,apihealth.com. Sold in the U.S. by Honeybee Therapy, Gillette, WY. (866) 289-9233,honeybeetherapy.com

M m nw Z, Manuka Honey USA. Many honey products,including bee venom honey. (407) 523 2205 or (800) 395-2196, manukahoneyusa.com

r j, YS Organic Bee Farms, Sheridan, IL. (815) 496-9416, ysorganic.com

T f , visit armer’s markets and county or state airs, or contactcooperative extension agencies or state beekeepers associations (most have websites)

mt bt ptt bs rom Colony Collapse Disorder usingnatural methods, contact Proessor James W. Amrine Jr., Division o Plant and SoilSciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, (304) 293-6023,wvu.edu/~agexten/ipm/insects/pollinat/honeybee/index.htm

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boosts immunity, improves intestinal func-tion, increases fertility, and helps preventcancer.

Bee pollen is also a widely used remedyfor hay fever and allergies. As with rawhoney, which contains small amounts of

bee pollen, it is said to be most effectivewhen derived from local hives and takenfor several weeks prior to allergy season,then continued through the year. Thisdesensitization process begins with tinyamounts, such as a single pollen grain or

pellet, and continues in gradually increas-ing amounts until the maintenance dose, asmuch as a tablespoon per day for humanadults, is reached.

Some canine athletes are fed bee pol-len to improve their strength and stamina;some owners give it to their dogs as an all-

purpose supplement or to prevent allergysymptoms. For best results, avoid inex-

pensive imported heat-processed pollen infavor of raw, unprocessed pollen from local

beekeepers. Fresh bee pollen is slightlymoist and requires refrigeration.

Like people, dogs can have allergic re-actions to bee pollen, including wheezing,

breathing problems, and even anaphylacticshock. Start with a single grain of bee

pollen and carefully check your dog’sresponse. If he shows no symptoms of discomfort, give two grains the next day,and slowly increase the amount over several weeks to a maintenance dose of 1 teaspoon per 30 pounds of body weight

per day, mixed with food. Bee pollen isoften blended with honey.

rTo appreciate the nutritional value of royal

jelly – for bees, at least – consider that allqueen bees begin life as worker bees. It isonly because they are fed royal jelly andnothing else that they grow larger thanworker bees and live far longer. Whilethe average worker bee lives for ve tosix weeks during summer, queens livefor three to six years, laying 2,000 eggs

per day.The queen bee’s longevity and fertility

gave rise to royal jelly’s reputation as amiraculous rejuvenator, fountain of youth,

and energy enhancer. Modern researchershave substantiated at least some of theseclaims, describing royal jelly as a meta-

bolic catalyst, a substance that combatsfatigue, increases energy, and supportsthe adrenal glands. Some of royal jelly’scomponents are natural antidepressants.

Royal jelly has become a popular sup-

plement for humans and for some canineathletes and breeding dogs. Organic royal

jelly is available in natural foods markets.Highly perishable, it requires refrigera-tion. Most labels recommend taking smallamounts, such as ¼ to ½ teaspoon once or twice per day between meals on an emptystomach. Adjust the label dose for your dog’s weight, dividing it in half for dogsweighing 60 to 80 pounds.

Because of its slightly sharp, bitter, bit-ing taste, dogs may not care for royal jelly.Blends of royal jelly and honey, which arealso popular, may be more to their liking.Try mixing your own by blending 2 ounces(4 tablespoons) organic royal jelly with 6ounces (¾ cup) of local raw honey. Keeprefrigerated. Give your dog ½ to 1 teaspoonof this blend twice per day, morning andnight.

Some manufacturers of human andcanine grooming products add royal

jelly to their shampoos and conditioners,claiming that it enhances hair color andincreases volume. Those claims have not

been scientically tested, but royal jelly iscertainly a luxury ingredient.

PpFew substances are as antiseptic as propo-lis, a sticky, resinous material also knownas “bee glue,” which is gathered from the

buds, bark, and leaves of deciduous trees.Bees seal cracks and holes in their hiveswith propolis to prevent the entrance of intruders and to disinfect or sterilize bees

brushing against it. When a mouse or other invader is stung to death in the hive,

bees seal the body in propolis, preservingit while keeping the inside of the hivesanitary.

Although propolis has been used for millennia to ght infection and improvehealth, it is unfamiliar to most Americans.However, it’s gaining popularity as a naturalantibiotic that doesn’t disrupt benecial

bacteria or cause other side effects.Propolis, which is rich in bioavonoids,is effective against viruses, harmful

bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. It also has anti-inammatory properties, helps preventallergies, and speeds the healing of ulcersand skin problems such as acne, eczema,wounds, cuts, and burns.

The only down side of propolis, espe-cially when it comes to treating dogs, is itsawful taste. Freeze-dried propolis is sold incapsules, which can be hidden in food, andsmall amounts of propolis tincture (liquid

extract) can be placed in empty two-partgel caps, which are sold in health foodstores, just before using.

Propolis tincture can help protect dogsfrom canine u, kennel cough, and other infectious illnesses. It can be applied tocuts, wounds, burns, bites, stings, hotspots, and lick granulomas (its bitter tastehelps deter licking). However, its sticki-ness can complicate topical application.Mix propolis with a small amount of ol-ive oil to create a less sticky disinfectingsalve. Mix it with honey to help heal gumdisorders.

BwxBees produce wax to construct the combsthat store honey. Beeswax contains morethan 300 different chemicals. It’s bestknown for its use in candles and as an in-gredient in cosmetics, oor wax, furniture

polish, and salves.The makers of herbal salves often use

beeswax as a thickener. Michele Crousemakes body bars by combining beeswaxfrom her hives with coconut oil, avo-cado oil, cocoa butter, and mango butter.“They’re the consistency of a ChapStick,”she says, “and they do a great job of healing

sores, moisturizing dry skin, and soothingcracked paw pads.”

BvnmSome people pay to get stung by bees or injected with bee venom in medical clin-ics. Apitherapy, or bee sting therapy, iscommon in China and gaining popularity

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conditions. Bee venom honey is said tosupport the body’s natural coritsol levels,increase blood flow through affected

joints, and inhibit the production of prostaglandins, which are chemicals thatincrease inammation.

New Zealand honey producers have re-ceived testimonials describing dogs whosearthritis, hind end weakness, torn liga-ments, and even hip dysplasia improved asa result of using bee venom honey.

BndngFor the past two decades, Juliette de Baira-cli Levy has asked her followers not to usehoney or other products from honeybees

because these helpful insects are under so much environmental stress. Between

pesticides, mite infestations, foulbrooddisease, hive-damaging moths, and other

problems, bee populations have dramati-cally fallen across North America. NowColony Collapse Disorder is destroying

entire hives. Bees look healthy one dayand disappear the next, becoming too weak to return to their hives. In most cases, thevictims have been raised for commercialcrop pollination, given supplemental feed-

ings containing white sugar, and exposedto chemical pesticides.

At the same time, organic beekeepersand beekeepers who feed their bees disin-fecting essential oils report that their hivesstay healthy even in areas where ColonyCollapse Disorder has become common.

In her many years as a beekeeper,Levy prevented bee diseases by growingdisinfecting herbs near her hives. “The

bees themselves are natural herbalists,”she wrote, “and will gorge themselves on

bitter rue or pungent lavender and rose-mary. My bees enjoyed excellent healthand possessed complete resistance to themany diseases aficting the local white-sugar-fed bees.”

Local organic honey, if you can nd it,can be an excellent addition to your dog’sdiet and health care. A good second choiceis organic honey from nearby states.

CJPuotinenisauthorofThe Encyclopedia

of Natural Pet Care, Natural Remediesfor Dogs and Cats,andotherbooks(see“Resources,”page24forpurchasingin- formation).ShelivesinNewYorkwithherhusband,aLabrador,andatabbycat.

in Europe and the US. It is said to alleviatearthritis, other symptoms of inammation,and allergic reactions to bee stings.

Now dried bee venom is being addedto some New Zealand honeys and topicalcreams to provide the benefits of api-therapy without the pain. The theory isthat venom that is ingested or appliedexternally has the same health benets asvenom that’s injected.

Large-scale venom collection is made possible by a technology developed in Rus-sia and New Zealand in which a bee venomframe is mounted on top of a hive’s honeyframe. Bees receive a mild shock from theframe’s electro-stimulator and in responsesting a glass collection sheet. Venom drieson the glass, which is taken to a nearbylaboratory for processing. The dried venomis removed from the glass and mixed withhoney or used in other bee products.

Arthritis is the human condition for which bee venom honey is said to be

most effective, but bee venom honeysuccess stories include the treatment of auto-immune disorders, shingles, tenniselbow, bursitis, lower back pain, ligamentinjuries, premenstrual syndrome, and other


While no Breeder’s Choice products wereinvolved in any of the recalls, it is troubling

that any pet would be exposed to harmfulfood. Our team of pet nutrition profes-sionals continues to work hard and givemaximum effort to provide our customerswith the best nutritional and safe productsthat will provide their pets with a long andhealthy lifestyle.

Pr ak, nur

To buy or build a canning plant so that wecan have control over all of our manufac-turing. And to keep doing what has madeus successful and kept us out of the recallmess – maintain the highest standards for ingredients, processing and quality control.Test, test some more, and then test again.

Br Clly, Cr & Pllux

Continue the work we started as listedabove. We’ve further developed a programrelated to ensuring our products are safe.Although we’re a small, family-ownedcompany, we’re committed to producingsafe, healthy, natural, and organic productsfor dogs and cats. We’re all pet parentsourselves and take this commitment very,very seriously.

Dbrh ellgr, Wll

To continue to raise the bar on all aspects

of formulation, ingredient choices, ingre-dient sourcing, quality control, and doingwhatever it takes to help pets lead longer,healthier lives. We want to continue to bea company that consumers trust becausethey know we will always do whatever ittakes to provide excellent natural nutritionfor their pets.

Jh Mrm, egl Pck

We have made a quality food and have been totally forthright with consumers. Wehave dedicated ourselves to continue onthat path to earn the pet owner’s trust.

Lucy P, th H Kch

We have strengthened our resolve to be100 percent accountable for everything we

produce. We always try to put ourselvesin the shoes of the customer, and goingforward, every decision we make will beinuenced by the question, “How wouldI feel if I were buying this food, and TheHonest Kitchen did this . . . ?” We want todo only things we can be proud of.

Never take anything for granted. Test,test, test. Partner even more with our vendors to ensure they continue to becommitted to our values. Make lots of spotchecks and have regular meetings at themanufacturing plant.

R Rmpl, Blu sl

Never feel that a company can do toomuch quality assurance. Although we didnot have any products recalled, you can’tfeel safe and think that it can never hap-

pen to you.

Last question: What are your company’s post-recall resolutions?

h f aan,nnfr a 17

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Hm-PpdDrc (cnpg3-7)

eleCtriCMeatGriNDersam e, ameagle.biz, (800) 836-5756

cb’s gs, cabelas.com, (800) 237-4444

g Mt, gandermountain.com, (888) 635-2614

leM gs, lemproducts.com, (877) 536-7763 (also available atBass Pro Shops, basspro.com, 800-227-7776)

nt T, northerntool.com, (800) 221-0516

Sm B gs, sillypugs.com, (925) 778-2340

otHertoolsJ c umt Ssss, joycechen.com. May be purchasedrom many retailers and kitchen supply stores.

VitaMiN&MiNeralMiXesDesigned to balance out diets that are mostly meat:

hmm d Mxs rom See Spot Live Longer,seespotlivelonger.com, (541) 685-0538

Ws’s c t W, wysong.net, (800) 748-0188

Designed or diets that are high in carbohydrates:

B iT, balanceit.com, (888) 346-6362 or(530) 756-3862 outside the US

Vtms & Ms hm-c d , Furoshnikov’s Formulas, cookoryourdog.com, (612) 388-2315

CoMMerCialraWCoMPleteDietsd. Bst’s Bar dt, barworld.com, (866) 282-2273

M, armoredogood.com, 866-507-8255

hm M 4 l, homemade4lie.com. Manuactured in Ontario,Canada by Pets 4 Lie, pets4lie.com, (519) 372-1818, and in the US byAunt Jeni’s Home Made, auntjeni.com, (301) 702-0123

nt’s Vt, naturesvariety.com, (888) 519-7387

ntwst nts, nw-naturals.com, 866-637-1872

Pw ntw o, z, rw dts (new certifed organicline o rozen raw diets, not yet widely available), pawnaturaw.com,(866) 729-4738

St & cw’s, stellaandchewys.com, (888) 477-8977

Stv’s r ds, stevesrealood.com, (888) 526-1900

CoMMerCialraWDiets,PartsaNDBleNDsBv!, bravorawdiet.com, (866) 922-9222

g Tp and o B, greentripe.com, (831) 635-0724

hs, halshan.com, (888) 766-9725

om’s P, omaspride.com, (800) 678-6627

Tptt’s g Tp (cooked), tripett.com, (866) 536-8773

CoMMerCialDietPre-MiXesT hst kt, thehonestkitchen.com, (866) 437-9729

kw Btt d , knowbetterdogood.com, (866) 922-6463

Sj ms, sojos.com, (888) 867-6567

ub W, urbanwol.cc

W V’s nd m Phd Pts, phdproducts.com,(800) 743-1502

Wst cst c l, westcoastcaninelie.com, (250) 598-8370

BooksaBoutraWDietsWitHBoNeGive Your Dog a Bone; Grow Your Pup With Bones; and The BARF Diet, by Dr. Ian Billinghurst

Raw Dog Food: Make It Easy for You and Your Dog,by Carina Beth MacDonald

Switching to Raw, by Susan Johnson(available only rom switchingtoraw.com)

Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet,by Kymythy Schultze, CCN, AHI

BooksaBoutCookeDorraWDietsWitHoutBoNeDr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats,by Richard Pitcairn, DVM

Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog,by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, DVM

Home Prepared Dog & Cat Diets, by Donald Strombeck, DVM

Natural Food Recipes for Healthy Dogs, by Carol Boyle (2006 edition available only at naturaldogood.com)

The Complete Herbal Book for the Dog and Cat ,by Juliette de Bairacli Levy

See the author’s Web page at dogaware.com or more inormation onhome-prepared diets. On that website, also see the table o nutritionalvalues on the kidney disease page or nutritional inormation on rawmeaty bones.

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The Whole Dog JournalTM

WHat’saHeaD

ot!What to look or, and what to avoid, whenlooking or healthy treats or your dog.

smCnI your dog “downs” when you tell him to“sit” or “sits/downs/

shakes/rolls over” when you tell himto “stay,” you need

stimulus control! What this is, and how to accomplish it with

your dog.

engHngWhat it is, who does it, where to go or in-

ormation, and what you can do to heal your own dog.

lnghWhPcSolving your dog’s

problem – whether behavioral or

physical – requires consideration o his whole world.

rc-GdngHow to reorm a dogwho tries to guard her ood or toys (and why this is anurgently important task).

tbod,tfcdGreen tripe smells awul! But it oers

special benefts todogs who eat it.

resourCesBooksWDJ Training Editor Pat Miller is author of two

books: ThePowerofPositiveDogTraining and PositivePerspectives:LoveYourDog,TrainYour

Dog.Both books are available from DogWise, (800)776-2665 or dogwise.com

TheEncyclopediaofNaturalPetCare and Natural RemediesforDogsandCats, by WDJ contributor CJ Puotinen, are available from DogWise, (800)776-2665 or dogwise.com. Puotinen is also author of several books about human health, includingNatural RelieffromAchesandPains, available from your favorite bookseller.

HolistiCVeteriNariaNsAmerican Holistic Veterinary Medical Association(AHVMA), 2214 Old Emmorton Road, Bel Air,

MD 21015. (410) 569-0795. Send a self-addressed,stamped envelope for a list of holistic veterinariansin your area, or search ahvma.org

traiNiNGaNDiNstruCtioNPat Miller, CPDT, Peaceable Paws Dog and PuppyTraining, Hagerstown, MD. Train with modern,dog-friendly positive methods. Group and privatetraining, Rally, behavior modication, workshops,intern and apprentice programs. (301) 582-9420;

peaceablepaws.com

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) hasreferences to member trainers in your area. Call(800) 738-3647 or see apdt.com. APDT is dedicated to building better trainersthrough education, promoting dog-friendly methods,and encouraging their use. APDT’s membership is

composed of trainers from across the spectrum of training philosophies. Membership does not neces-sarily ensure all members employ similar trainingmethods, nor does APDT set standards of skill or

competence. APDT encourages (but does not re-quire) its members to use training methods that usereinforcement and rewards, not punishment.

PleaseNote:unhzdcpngdbnWDjnpmd

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