YEAR OF THE DOG 2018
I read somewhere that 2018 should be a good time to make life changes. In fact, most people plan and even start some kind of life change in January. But for how many are these plans just a glimpse in a rear-view mirror by February?
And when it comes to our dogs, we often make new year resolutions: walk more, brush more, train more, put them on healthy diet etc.
So maybe one resolution could be to start a more natural, green way to look after your dog?
Here are some tips on how to start to ensure you continue!
Change of diet – Modern dog food is high in simple carbohydrates, low in protein, and full of unfavourable fats which is a perfect recipe for your dog to gain weight. So why not feed your dog a more traditional, natural diet? That’s a diet high in protein, low in carbohydrate with the right amount of good fat.
Every species needs to eat biologically appropriate food. For example, pandas must eat bamboo and dogs, like wolves, need high-quality animal protein to thrive. Next time you buy a food for your dog, check the labels. How much and what kind of protein is in your dog’s food? And how much is carbohydrates (rice, wheat, potato, corn)?
Do you feel confused or need more advise about feeding your dog? Ask the pro! Check Moddie Lambert’s Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1468256220143824/ Moddie is a qualified canine nutritionists who works with holistic vets and she will be happy to help. Also you can check her website https://www.simplyrawfeeding.co.uk.
If you are not ready for a big change, just do little things, like ditch the rawhide chews for natural treats. Do you know how a rawhide chew is made? Producing rawhide begins with the splitting of an animal hide, usually from cattle. The top layer is generally tanned and made into leather products, whilst the inner portion, in its “raw” state, goes to the dogs. Removing the hair from hides often involves a highly toxic recipe called sodium sulphide liming… Nasty stuff. And the rawhide chews are actually pretty dangerous, containing carcinogen FD&C Red 40, along with preservatives like sodium benzoate and others… Really, nothing can beat nice juicy raw bone for goodness and dogs love them best! Bones such as a cow’s femur or shoulder-blade, for example.
Natural insect & tick repellent – Ticks operate mainly by using their sense of smell. Ticks don’t jump or fall from trees; instead, they do something called “questing.” That is, they climb to the top of a blade of grass or plant and stick their front legs up in the air, waiting for the scent of a victim walking by. If you find one on your head, then it crawled there (ticks don’t jump) . Their front pair of legs have what are called Haller’s organs, which detect smell, temperature, movement and carbon dioxide. This is how they know you’re coming. They love warmth and moisture and are just waiting for a warm, moist environment to call home – such as your dog or you… The great discovery is that, for some reason, they are not attracted to the scent of some essential oils. Yippee!!
Certain essential oils smell soooo disgusting to ticks (it’s like the smells of food you don’t like or something even worse… cooked tripe… blah), that they would rather go hungry than come any closer to your dog! These include geranium, grapefruit, cedarwood, rosewood, lemongrass… all of these are in Vita Canis Tick Off, of course.
Natural skin & coat care products – one of my favourite shampoos to use on my dogs and in the salon is All Dogkind shampoo. It is an award winning shampoo using ethically sourced essential oils and other plant extracts. https://foralldogkind.co.uk/
Ear & Paw care: The contains some powerful anti-bacterial, anti–fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti–viral ingredients: Aloe Vera, Geranium, Witch Hazel and Lavender hydrosols, also called flower waters; and also two powerful essential oils: niaouli and lemon. Niaouli essential oil is a more gentle relative of the very popular Tea Tree oil. It is gentle and well-tolerated, a perfect oil for allergies manifesting themselves in the ear. It has powerful anti-histaminic and anti-bacterial properties. Lemon essential oil is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal as well as being an immunostimulant, meaning it helps to strengthen the body’s immune system.
As you can see, the word anti-bacterial is mentioned a few times. The biggest difference between natural and synthetic anti–bacterial products is that bacteria can build up a resistance to synthetic products but not to natural ones. “Why?” You ask. The simplest way to explain is that the synthetic product is always the same, each and every time, forever… So when bacteria come into contact with a synthetic anti-bacterial product for the first time, or the first few times, it gets killed. However, with a few more contacts the bacteria realise – actually we know how this works, we’re not scared of this one any more, it comes here all the time, acts the same way, nothing new – so we’ll just build our shield and protect ourselves… And so become resistant.
Our dogs’ paws can suffer in winter. The cold, the wet. The grit from the roads, as well as the central heating can play havoc with their pads, causing dryness and cracking; just like our hands when they are exposed to too many extremes of cold and heat. The pads of dog’s paws are designed to provide protection from the ground but also from invasion by bacteria, viruses and fungi. If the surface of the pad is damaged in some way then obviously this protection is not as effective as it should be. This can lead to discomfort for the dog and even a risk of infection.
Vita Canis Paw Butter is designed to guard against this in a number of ways, providing 100% natural protection for your dog’s paws:
When applied to the pads before walk, it creates a safe and effective barrier against cold, wet and muddy surfaces, nourishing the surface of the pads and helping to ensure that no small cracks or cuts develop. Additionally, its unique composition with its triple protection of anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties can help to safeguard your dog’s health and well-being on walks.
These are just a few tips but whatever your new year’s resolutions, remember even the longest journey starts with a single step, so take one today!