Maybe getting a dog – any advice?

[KTC]

OMG stop being so cure Igor! We have working breeds - Australian cattle dogs (kelpie and border collie). We feed them mostly raw meat and I cook them up liver or kidney since they wont eat it raw for some reason. My understanding is they get their fiber from the animal organs so I feed them that to avoid the dry food which is the doggie equivalent of fast food IMO. Plus the older one gets a can of sardines a couple days a week to help with his joint health.

I feed them every second or third day and they are very active as we live on 2 acres and swim at the beach or run in the bush most days and I find that by feeding them inconsistently instead of daily keeps them a healthy weight and prevents them from begging for food since they are not expecting a meal every day. It may also be the breed - cattle dogs are bred for working and aren't so driven by food. I used to have a dalmation and he would eat the entire pantry out if we left it open.

I buy a bag of mixed bones once a month and give them that in between meals to keep their teeth clean (not proven but my own assumption) and keep them occupied so they don't chase the chickens.

Our border collie had her first vaccinations as she came from a breeder and that is standard but the kelpie we got from a station so I'm not sure if he is vaccinated but at 11yrs old has never been to a vet.

I'm no expert but we treat their health care the same as ours and stay away from any synthetic medications unless absolutely necessary.

Enjoy the puppy stage!

 

[hiker]

Forgot to add this observation. Sometimes I get to pet a dog that belongs to a neighbour or a friend, and at some point they might mention something about the dogs' diet. If it is "junk", you can actually tell it by the dog's fur: its look and feel can be dull and downright tacky. On the other hand, the fur of a dog that has been fed proper diet of raw meat/bone (like my bro's dogs), looks shiny and feels "healthy" to the touch.

Btw, my brother feeds the younger dog 3 times a day as it is growing, but the older dog has been eating only once a day for 11+ years, so he's been eating "OMAD" before the trend became popular with us humans!

Faire attention avec les os, ils ne sont pas tous bons, surtout pas d'os de lapin et poulet...

Be careful with the bones, they are not all good, especially not rabbit and chicken bones...

Yes, absolutely, I think a puppy should not have any bones at all (only after it has lost the baby teeth?), and bones of certain small animals like chicken should be avoided altogether even when the dog is an adult (I guess due to the risk of them getting stuck in the throat).

 

[Jones]

Forgot to add this observation. Sometimes I get to pet a dog that belongs to a neighbour or a friend, and at some point they might mention something about the dogs' diet. If it is "junk", you can actually tell it by the dog's fur: its look and feel can be dull and downright tacky. On the other hand, the fur of a dog that has been fed proper diet of raw meat/bone (like my bro's dogs), looks shiny and feels "healthy" to the touch.

I've noticed the same thing. Dogs not fed a biologically appropriate diet seem to have a dry but waxy feel to their coat that leaves my hands with a very mild tingling/burning sensation when I pat them.

 

[Nienna]

Igor is just such a cutie!

Until Deckard or keit show up, you may want to read the following threads if you haven't already:

Pets Health and Nutrition - Starting Point

Same like with human health many disease processes can be prevented and reversed with proper nutrition. General rule of a thumb should be "longer the shelf life of the food, shorter the lifespan of your pet". Here are some links with detailed information for proper start, feel free to continue...

cassiopaea.org

Vaccination of Dogs and Cats - Very Important Information

Lawsuit over vaccines (Received via email 9-26-06; note date below) Vet Sues Due To Overvaccination Of Dogs And Cats Critter Fixer Pet Hospital Bob Rogers, DVM 5703 Louetta Spring, Texas 77379 281-370-3262 April 17, 2002 Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division Box 12548...

cassiopaea.org

As Jones pointed out, and so does the thread on pet nutrition, a raw meat diet seems to be what is best for our 2D companions.

 

[PERLOU]

Nous avons tellement de chance d'avoir de bons vétérinaires comme Deckard et Keit qui nous donnent de bons conseils pour nos petits amours, je les remercie pour tout leur savoir qu'ils nous font partager... Un grand MERCI à eux...

We are so lucky to have good vets like Deckard and Keit who give us good advice for our little loves, I thank them for all their knowledge they share with us... A big THANK YOU to them...

 

[Keit]

Right now I think I'm on top of most things, but I wanted to ask those of you with experience and 'dog knowledge' about two things, the diet and vaccinations. I've read the mainstream manuals, but as it is with human dietary recommendations, I don't trust those sources.

Igor is such a cutie!

Here's a link to Dr. Karen Becker's puppy vaccination protocol. I link to the forum post because the link to Mercola site is blocked in Russia (yep!), and I can't check if it is still there. If not, the main info is in the quotes.

Also this link to doggie diet:

The complete diet for dogs

Many dog owners are intimidated with the idea of preparing home made meals for their best friends. This is hardly a rocket science and making your own dog food is easier than you think, and can also be quite inexpensive!

vetmalta.com

And I also advice to go over Becker's YT channel and look for various useful videos. Like this one, for example:

 

[aragorn]

Thank you all for your tips and advice! I’m going to read, watch and learn... A quick question though: I suppose it would be too early to give Igor of those ‘meaty bones’, since his teeth (and stomach) are still at the puppy stage? I happen to have a large moose bone (left over from a stew I made) but I think it’s best not to give any that to him?

 

[Keit]

Thank you all for your tips and advice! I’m going to read, watch and learn... A quick question though: I suppose it would be too early to give Igor of those ‘meaty bones’, since his teeth (and stomach) are still at the puppy stage? I happen to have a large moose bone (left over from a stew I made) but I think it’s best not to give any that to him?

Here's a quote from Deckard's article:

• Prefer pork bones because they are much softer than beef bones and will be easier on your dogs’ teeth. The cartilage attached to them and the marrow inside contains essential fatty acids as well as substances like glucosamine and chondroitin, which are vital for your canine friend’s health.

So yes to preferring something softer. These teeth are going to change eventually anyway, but still.

 

[Nienna]

I happen to have a large moose bone (left over from a stew I made) but I think it’s best not to give any that to him?

Adding to what keit said, I think that the bones are supposed to be raw (uncooked) as they don't splinter like the cooked bones do. I am pretty sure that is covered in the material you will be looking at, but just thought I'd share it in case it isn't.

 

[aragorn]

I’m happy to report that Igor is doing well and growing very fast! I took him to the veterinarian on Monday where he received his first batch of vaccines (the one with four different ‘strains’). From what I’d read, I’d rather had opted for the combo with three ‘strains’, but the vet said that they don’t do those, only the one with four. I also asked about the next vaccination for rabies, and that I’d read of that it would be best to give separately, and he said that they always give the booster and the rabies vaxx together, adding that “There’s a lot of false information on the internet that you shouldn’t trust”! Well, I didn’t want to start on the wrong foot with him, so I didn’t push the topic further.

Igor has one complication, though. His right testicle hasn’t yet descended, and the vet said that it will probably not descend at all. Which means that Igor will need surgery when he’s around 1 year old, where both testicles will be removed. This made me a bit sad, but what can you do... It appears that this is not uncommon, but if any of you experts have any advice regarding this, I’m all ears!

 

[Keit]

Well, I didn’t want to start on the wrong foot with him, so I didn’t push the topic further.

Thank you for sharing about Igor! And just a note that there are other vets. Just saying because it's probably very easy to be pressured instead of looking for someone else. In any case, it also means that they will be sending you annual booster reminders, so just make sure to inquire about the titre testing and use it as an excuse for not doing revaccination.

As for Igor being a crypto doggie, well that happens. And yeah, surgery is necessary in this case. You can read about it here.

 

[aragorn]

Thank you for sharing about Igor! And just a note that there are other vets. Just saying because it's probably very easy to be pressured instead of looking for someone else. In any case, it also means that they will be sending you annual booster reminders, so just make sure to inquire about the titre testing and use it as an excuse for not doing revaccination.

As for Igor being a crypto doggie, well that happens. And yeah, surgery is necessary in this case. You can read about it here.

Thank you, again! I feel a bit bad being too careless with choosing the vet – it was my neighbor who recommended this company, saying that "it was absolutely the best!" I'm going to do a search to see what other options there are in my area. How important do you think it is that the rabies vaxx should be done separately?

 

[Keit]

Thank you, again! I feel a bit bad being too careless with choosing the vet – it was my neighbor who recommended this company, saying that "it was absolutely the best!" I'm going to do a search to see what other options there are in my area. How important do you think it is that the rabies vaxx should be done separately?

It's quite possible that the clinic is indeed the best. Unfortunately most vets, even good ones, follow the mainstream notions regarding vaccination and diet. And they also consider raw diet as "dangerous". It doesn't mean that they won't be able to help in case of emergency or in case of routine procedures, but they will repeat the same "annual vaccination" mantra, and will adhere to the "evidence-based medicine" principles.

So in general it's not a bad thing to go to such clinics, especially when it is an emergency. Actually, most of the times they are better equipped for emergency than natural vets. It's like what the C's said about doctors. I am paraphrasing, but it's similar to: "avoid them, until absolutely necessary".

There is a saying in Russian about farm vets. That a good vet has nothing to do. Meaning, that if the animals are well kept and well fed, there is no illness and nothing to treat. So prevention is key. And this is where natural vets are better. Just sharing my thoughts so you will be able to make an informed choice.

As for the rabies vaccine. It is considered to be one of the strongest vaccines with higher chances of possible adverse reactions. So it's best to do it separately from the booster, simply so it would be easier on the body.

At the clinic I worked at, we also usually advised to come for rabies at the separate day. And this clinic was one of those "mainstream" ones.

 

[aragorn]

I tried to search for a discussion on this board about the necessity to brush dogs' teeth but couldn't find one, so I'm asking for advice here. With our dog Igor, who just turned 1 yo, I haven't yet brushed his teeth at all. His teeth look very healthy and white (which our neighbors who own dogs have marveled at), and I guess it has to do with his grain-free diet and chewing those meaty big bones 1-2 times/week?

With previous dogs I've had as a kid (in my family) the idea of brushing their teeth didn't even cross our minds, so I've kinda forgot about the whole thing until I was talking with one of the neighbors today who said that their ca 2 yo dog had to 'see the dentist' because of cavities. Doing a search on the internet produces only results like "You have to brush your dogs' teeth twice a day!"

So, is the whole brushing dogs teeth a scam? Or, is it necessary from time to time? Is brushing dogs' teeth maybe more necessary for dogs who eat more carbs and human food?

On the whole Igor is doing very well. The upbringer lady visited us a couple of weeks ago and marveled at his muscularity and vigour, so I guess we're doing something right. Igor is scheduled to have his 'crypto' testicle removed in August, and I've told the vet that they should NOT remove his existing normal testicle. This request was apparently a bit unusual/unorthodox but the vet promised not to cut it out (she still wanted me to remind me of the fact at the day of the surgery). From what I've read the main reason why they always want tor remove both testicles in these cases is because the dog might 'accidentally copulate' with another dog and transmit this genetic error to future puppies!

 

[PERLOU]

L'ostéopathe de mes petits Yorks m'avait recommandé de leur donner une goutte d'extrait de pépins de pamplemousse par jour, ils le prenaient très facilement et sentaient vraiment très bon de la bouche...

The osteopath of my little Yorks had recommended me to give them one drop of grapefruit seed extract per day, they took it very easily and smelled really good from the mouth...

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