Did you know that a leather belt is a good source of protein and Pennzoil motor oil is a great source of fat?  Of course you wouldn’t  feed that to your precious pets, would you? 

I’m not suggesting that any pet food manufacturer would ever put those ingredients in their pet food, but you do need to know how to distinguish which ones use inferior protein sources in their products.

Healthy pet food is essential to your pets overall health and appearance.  Did you know that dogs and cats have the biological potential to live into their 20’s?  Proper pet food nutrition will significantly increase those odds.

I realize that in this economy, it’s hard to justify buying a superior, more expensive brand of pet food, but they are part of your family and you wouldn’t want to start feeding your children junk food for every meal!  Inferior pet foods are essentially the equivalent of junk food for dogs.

Here’s what you DO NOT want to have in your pet’s food. If you see these ingredients, just know that the product is inferior and the pet food manufacturer tried to cut corners.  A named animal protein (i.e., Chicken, Beef) should always be the number one protein source.

1.  Corn, Wheat and Soy – These are considered cereal grains and a low quality source of protein and highly indigestible that can cause stress on the kidneys.  In addition, corn is the 3rd leading cause of allergens in dogs and cats.

These come in many forms such as:  Ground Yellow Corn, Gluten Corn Meal, Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour and more.

What, Duck Bill's in Dog Food!!

2.  By Products – We’ve all heard that by-products aren’t good for your pets, but exactly what are by products?  Not only are they also highly indigestible, but hold on to your hats – By Products can include:  Animal Organs, Chicken Heads, Bones, Intestines, Chicken Feathers, Duck Bills, Fish Heads, Hide, Feathers, Chicken and Turkey Feet and Hair!!  OMG, I wouldn’t feed any of those ingredients to my pets!

By Products also do not have to include any meat and can include diseased or contaminated meat from the slaughter houses.  Yummy!

3.  Meat and Bone Meal – These can legally include dead pets and animals from road kill.  Not only that, it can include euthanized pets from vets offices that are ground up in rendering factories.  These animals could have been shot up with antibiotics or been severely diseased.

4.  Chemicals – Chemicals are usually used to preserve the freshness for pet food storage.  The top three are:  BHT/BHA both are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and are known carcinogens.  The third chemical is Ethoxyquin which is used as a rubber stabilizer.  There are many natural preservatives that can be used such as, tocopherols (vitamin E), vitamin C and Rosemary extract.  Companies use these chemicals because they need a long shelf life.  Sometimes it can take 18 months before the pet food is even sold further lessening the nutrient content.

5.  Artificial Colors, flavors, sugars, beef tallow (lard) and corn syrup – The sugars are used to sweeten the deal for the dogs.  They are usually used to offset a product that contains little healthy animal protein.  Artificial Colors, what’s up with that!  Pets don’t care what the food looks like – they eat other dogs poop, I doubt they care about the color!  Natural pet food is a better way to go. 

Now that you are armed with some information, we need to talk about the Guaranteed Analysis which is the percentages of Protein, Fat, Fiber and Moisture set by the AAFCO (Association of the American Feed Control Officials).  If you just look at the percentages only, you won’t get the whole picture because as I said in the beginning, a leather belt is a source of protein.  You need to look at exactly what the quality of the ingredients are to make an informed decision.  Also, the higher the moisture percentage, the less nutritious the food is.

Now, go give your dog a nice big, fat steak!

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog

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This is a story about a sweet, lovable 17 month old Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix named Henry.  He’s been to my house many times and has always been obedient (although he loves to eat tissue out of the garbage) and gets along with all the other dogs.

A Young Henry with Clayton

Before his last stay, his mom Kristen, told me that he got in a fight at the dog park which is very unusual and was humping a female dog until he was exhausted.  Kristen said it was as if he needed a cigarette afterwards he was so wiped out!   So I said that I would keep an extra eye out (I have three off them!) when we went to the dog park and make sure he didn’t get into any trouble.

She dropped him off and Henry got along with the other dogs and was playing and having a great time.  In the meantime, Kristen had sent me an article about puppy adolescence.

On the last day of his boarding, we went to the dog park as usual.  Nothing happened until Noodles the Pit/Mastiff mix came into the park.  It was as if the heaven’s opened up and Henry went like a laser beam to him.  From then on, Henry couldn’t think of anything else but Noodles rear end.  He followed him around like he was super glued to his bottom.  I tried calling  him to leave the poor dog alone, but he wouldn’t listen.  It was when his sniffing went a little farther (I won’t describe the details) that I had to put him on a leash to stop him.  Needless to say, Henry was the talk of the dog park that day.

Henry and Dylan Cuddling

When I got home, I read the article Kristen had given me and it described Henry to a tee.  This subject of dogs going into adolescence has come up several times with my clients.  I watch a Great Dane, Murphy, who has gone through a similar thing with dog aggression.

Adolescence can start anywhere from 6 months in smaller breeds to 3 years in large breeds. If your dog displays any of these dog behavior problems, nip them in the bud.  Start short, fun training sessions and don’t let them get away with the behavior because it can blossom into something much worse if not kept in check.

Murphy The Great Dane

If you think your dog might be going through the same thing, here are the signs to watch out for:

• Dog housetraining and good dog manners may start to slide.  Basic commands that were once known and obeyed are now of no interest to your dog.

• Your dog is much more interested sniffing not only other dogs rear ends like Henry, but urine, feces and other nasty smells that dogs just love to rub in.

• Aggression toward other dogs might start to kick in just when their jaws are getting stronger and socialization around other dogs and people may decline.  To keep them well socialized, go to different dog parks or go at different times so your dog can meet new dogs and new people.  This way he will stay confident in different situations and will be less likely to be insecure and snap at other dogs or people.

Keep your dog well exercised and praise him when he is doing the right thing.  This is not a time to become lax in your training.  When he comes out of it, you’ll have a happy well adjusted dog.

I know Henry will be fine because he has great parents that are very diligent in his training and behavior.  If you would like to read the article in its entirety, please go to Dog Adolescence.

I realize that all of these behaviors can be said about human teenagers.  If you’ve had a wild teenager that is now a normal, calm human being, you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Stay Strong!

Now go take the cigarette out of your dogs mouth.

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tip and Tales

With record cold temperatures around the country, your dog may be less than enthusiastic to “go potty” outside.  When you get that, “I’m not going out there – are you crazy” look, you know you have to use your powers of persuasion.  Think about it, would you want to go outside in the cold and rain?

Do I have to go outside?

The last couple of years of my Nikki dogs life, she would starting urinating closer and closer to the back door and finally started going on the door mat!  There really wasn’t anything I could do but move the mat over.  She was just too old to learn new tricks.

As a pet sitter, clients tell me that their dog won’t go potty outside in bad weather, and see it first hand when they’re boarding in my home.  I know that last potty break is going to be a rough one!

Here’s 6 tips that can help:

1. Go out with them.  Many a night I have been outside in the rain waiting for them to go potty.  Give them their special cue to go and wait.  If they see you are willing to brave the weather they can too.  Besides they will follow you anywhere.
2. Bundle them up in a dog raincoat, sweater and dog boots especially if you live in snowy areas.
3. If raincoats and sweaters aren’t their thing, get a huge umbrella and walk with them.   Make sure your dog is used to the umbrella before you use it.  I’ve known dogs that get very skittish when an umbrella opens up near them.
4. Construct a covered area that’s sheltered from rain and snow as close to the house as possible.  If you live in snowy areas, you may have to dig a trail, but make sure you can fit in the shelter along with your dog.
5. Put them on a leash.  If your dog likes privacy, this may not work.  I took care of a dog that wouldn’t go if anyone was in the backyard let alone right next to them on a leash.
6. Use an indoor dog potty and put it in the garage or under a covered porch.  However, you will have to teach them how to use the box before the weather gets too severe.  An indoor dog potty with artificial grass may be easier for them to get used to.

I hope this helps you with your shivering pooches.  Anyway you look at it, you’re both going to have to brave the cold weather together.

Please stay warm this chilly Winter!

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog

Learning to train your dogs can be a very frustrating and arduous tasks. One of the most frequent complaints I get from my pet sitting clients about their dog is that they can’t seem to stop them from jumping up on people. Nobody likes a jumping dog! If you have a cute little Shih Tzu it might be tolerable, but if you have an 80lb Lab, it’s not so nice especially if they jump on children. If they are continually jumping, it might be that you are inadvertently reinforcing the behavior.

Pat Miller, the training editor with The Whole Dog Journal, has 5 suggestions to help curb a jumping dog.

1. Interrupt. If your dog starts jumping on people, simply remove him from the situation. Just as you would put a child in “time out”. You could use a 4-6 inch tab on his collar (or cut up an old leash) for these situations.

What a good dog!

2. If you have a situation that you know will trigger his jumping, such as people coming over, put a leash on him before they come over. If you see that he’s going to jump, hold him back to prevent him getting the reinforcement he likes before the initial contact. You may also want to use gates, pens or crates. Be creative.

3. Educate your friends on how you would like them to behave to the dog jumping.

6 things for friends to know:

• Tell them to greet the dog before he jumps,
• turn and step away until he sits or has four paws on the ground, once this happens, you may greet the dog,
• Ask the dog to sit and pet him a lot so he knows that it’s better to sit and get some love, rather than jumping and getting scolded,
• If your dog is on a leash, back away until he sits and give him some love. If he keeps jumping up, stop the love and take another step back. Start the love again only if he sits.
• If you see that he’s going to jump, throw a toy in another direction before he jumps.
• Finally, walk away through a door or gate and keep your dog on the other side. You can bet he’s going to hate being away from you.

4. Train your dog when other people aren’t around. Reinforce the practices with your family members even if you have to use the leash to hold him back.

5. Finally apologize for your dog jumping on your friends. Sometimes when my clients pick their dog up right after work, they might have nylons or a nice suit on. You don’t want them jumping up and damaging or soiling someone’s clothes. Offer to pay for any damage if that happens to your friends.

Training your dog takes a lot of patience, but if you are consistent and reinforce good manners every time, your hard work will pay off.

Good luck and let me know how this works for you.

Chris Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

http://www.waggysecopetproducts.com
http://www.waggyspetsitting.com

In the years that I’ve been a pet sitter, I’ve seen many kinds of dogs, but there are always those dogs that look like it’s been sewn together like a quilt.  The head is from a Lab, and the legs are from a Bassett Hound.  Don’t laugh, I’ve seen a lab/basset mix and it was very cute!

My clients and I have had many discussions on what kind of dog they have.  As you may know, there is a Dog DNA Test that can be performed to find out where your mixed breed dog comes from.

Emma is one of my furry friends that stays with us.  Can you guess what she is?  After she did a DNA test, she found out that she was primarily a German Shepherd, next was Boxer and Bulldog!!  I guess I can see a little boxer??

Emma

How the DNA Tests Work

In 2004 there was a public research project that unlocked the sequencing of the canine genome.  They were trying to eliminate inherited canine diseases, but from that research, they  discovered that they can find out what breed your dog came from.

By using genetic “markers” known as SNP’s (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and micro satellites they were able to test hundreds of different DNA markers in over 100 purebred dogs to get a unique profile for each breed.  Using a cheek swab of skin cell DNA from your dog, they plug that into their  database of markers and by using algorithms, come up with the best match for your dog.  That’s it in a very teeny, tiny nutshell!

3 Reasons to take the Dog DNA Test

1.  To find out with a high degree of accuracy the closest match for your dog.  Usually stated by Primary Breed which has 50% or more of the matched markers for that particular breed.  The secondary breed(s) might have a 20% to 50% match to your dogs DNA, and a 3rd category might have a 10% to 20% match.  Each company has their own      variations and uses their own percentages.

2.   To determine dog behavior characteristics.  If your dog is always chasing after rats, you might find that they have some terrier in them.  Or your dog is always patrolling your back yard  and making sure it’s secure, he may have some German Shepherd in him.  It’s a useful tool to figure out a training and behavior plan for your dog.

3.  There are always those inherited dog diseases that come with certain dog breeds.  This   will best help you to manage their nutritional and exercise needs and live a longer, healthier life.

3 places to go to find out more information

1.  Wisdompanel.com by Mars Veterinary.  They are a division of the MARS corporation that make pet and consumer foods.  Yes, it’s the candy people.  Their test are the most comprehensive with about 170 breeds in their data base.  The cost is $79.99.

2.  Canine Hertitage.com a division of MMI Genomics Inc which provides identity and parentage verification services for the AKC, UKC (United Kennel Club) and the PKC (Professional Kennel Club), uses over 100 breeds in their tests.  In 2001, they participated in the most advanced genomic research in the world  which lead to the   sequencing of the canine genome.  Their price is $119.95

3.  BioPetVetLab.com. Their philosophy is that 92.5% of mixed breeds are covered by 62 breeds, which means that if your dog is outside their breed list, it won’t necessarily recognize them.  Their cost is around $59.95

All of these sites are very informative and tell you which breeds they test for and where to get their kits.

I hope this was helpful to you and although no test is 100% accurate, it sure is fun to find out what your patchwork quilt is make out of!

Chris L Wagner

Reflections of a Dog Lover and Mompreneur

http://waggyspettipsandtales.com