Healthy Pets, Healthy Lives !
From Maui to the Czech Republic If you have been following me on social media, you may have noticed that I have relocated from Maui to my home country of Czech Republic, 12 time zones away. My mamma is 85, and I don’t want to wait until the world switches back from crazy to normal again before I see her. It may be a very long time before it does,…
Do you have a grumpy dog? It might have some hidden talents. In a recent study in Hungary, researchers found that dogs with personality characteristics they had grouped under the “grumpy” heading were better able to learn from a stranger than more easygoing dogs. This is admittedly a limited skill, but owners of grumpy dogs may be pleased with good news of any sort. Consider some of the characteristics that…
César Chávez (1927–1993)—civil rights, Latino and farm labor leader—was a genuinely religious and spiritual figure as well as a community organizer and social entrepreneur, a champion of nonviolent social change, and a crusader for the environment. He also deeply loved his two German Shepherds, Boycott and Huelga (“strike”), dogs he was given in the 1970s and trained himself. The German Shepherds provided security for Chávez and his family at La…
Why dogs get gas and how to prevent It I have said many times that dogs are my favorite lifeform. However, even dogs come with little ‘flaws’ and one of them is their tendency to flatulate. There have been numerous jokes written and cartoons drawn about people using their dogs as scapegoats when they accidentally ‘let go.’ In other words, some canines are well known for their ability to clear out a room in a second when…
A refresher, reminder and heads up This week I had a conversation with a personal coach who reached out to chat. During our conversation, he asked me where I wanted to be in a year or two from now. I had to pause and think on it, because unlike 5 or 10 years ago (when I was thinking much more about my life’s destination), I am happy to be where…
Introduction I have a confession to make! My team has been very persistent in making me write a more detailed article about ticks and tick-borne disease, and while I don’t love spending my day writing and thinking about ticks, I am excited about the possibility that this article will help many dogs to stay safe from ticks, Lyme disease, and toxic chemical tick products. It may surprise you, but ticks and mosquitoes statistically…
WHAT IS THE “VOLHARD” PUPPY APTITUDE TEST? Years ago this test was developed by an individual (Wendy Volhard) that felt it could predict the temperament of a puppy or dog by assessing the litter at a young age. Just so you get an idea of what it entails, here is an overview: (Source) “Top Dog Tips: The ideal age to test the puppy is at 49 days of age when…
Noses to the ground, seven Boykin Spaniels range across open grassland and into a forest of oak and hickory trees. They’re followed by a rangy guy in an orange high-viz vest and a pack of researchers in green vests. As one of the dogs nears a find—in this case, a three-toed box turtle—her tail begins wagging wildly. Once she locates the turtle, she carefully picks it up in her mouth, then…
Bag or Flick? If you wonder why I have decided to write about dog poop today, here is the story. It all began with cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, and putting the table scraps into the compost bin. There were a few lettuce leaves and veggie leftovers in the sink, and I just couldn’t bring myself to push them into the garbage disposal (garburator, for my fellow Canadians). Over…
Your dog will LOOOVE these and Pax does too! 🐶😋🦴 Ingredients: 2 pounds extra-lean ground beef 2 cups cooked quinoa 2 large cloves of garlic minced or crushed 2 tablespoons tamari Directions: Mix and spread thinly on parchment paper Dehydrate in a dehydrator or oven – I dehydrate at 170F – It takes about 24 hours. Break up into pieces and store in the fridge for use in the next…