Your dog's health and welfare Archives : Page 2 of 3 : Judy's Dog Report

Nutrition for dogs – Non processed food alternatives

In this blog, you will continue to learn what to serve your dog for optimum nutrition. By now you have read my last post showing processed dog food is unhealthy, and watched the recommended documentary “Pet Fooled”. If you are new to our community, please READ THAT POST FIRST! The key information that you need to absorb is found in the Pet Fooled Documentary. This is essential homework to understand why I say that processed dog food is unhealthy for your pet.

So now I’m sure you are wondering, what are your options? Which kinds of dog food give proper nutrition? Let’s discuss alternatives to processed food.

Here are the options that I recommend instead of feeding your dog processed food. The list is in order from the most effective, to the least effective nutrition sources for dogs:

Fresh raw, or commercial frozen raw food
Commercial freeze-dried, or air-dried raw food
Home-cooked meals
High-quality canned dog food

Finding a high quality dog groomer – after COVID-19

A well groomed dog. — Roxy strikes a pose!

When the world opens up again after COVID-19, you will need to find or re-engage a high-quality dog groomer so that Fifi can strike a pose and look her very best! I hope you were pleased with your provider prior to social distancing. And when businesses resume, I trust your favourite will still be available. But in case not, you may want to plan ahead. A groomer may not top your list of critical animal practitioners. However, your choice requires specific and important criteria. I have created a series of questions below that will allow you to explore these criteria. For your dog’s safety, you might want to evaluate your present groomer through the same lense. We can be lulled into a false sense of security. So let’s begin!

Grooming Your Dog – during COVID-19 – Part II

Welcome to grooming your dog Part II – during COVID-19. So as I noted in my earlier blog , it is up to us to groom our dogs until our dog groomers open again.

Today, I will take you through my journey from “shaggy” Roxy–after 7 weeks of not being groomed—to “almost vogue” Roxy! Hopefully, you will be inspired to take your own journey to groom your dog during the COVID-19 business closures.

Please note that I purchased all items in this blog to groom my dog.

So just to remind you, this was what Roxy looked like at week 7:

As we commiserated in my previous post about grooming my dog , our groomers are closed. And we don’t know when they can safely reopen during COVID-19. So, I ordered new Wahl brand dog clippers plus the shampoo and conditioner, all recommended via email by my groomer, Pawla’s Grooming . I anxiously awaited the shipment from Rens Pets’ Depot

Dog Nutrition – Why processed pet food is unhealthy

Let’s talk dog nutrition. Before I explore specific diets in my next blog, Dog Nutrition Part II, let’s first consider what the majority of our dogs eat. Over the past 100 years we have been purchasing dog food based on a myth, the myth that dog lovers can feed highly nutritious processed foods in an easy-serve format. I have researched the pet food industry in depth; and it has flourished precisely because we have believed that message and bought into the concept of nutrition in a bag.

And that is because the processed pet food industry has artfully sold us that concept. Yes, I said “concept”, not “product”. Pet parents have bought the idea that we can feed our dogs well from a simple bag of dried food! So easy! Just rip open the bag and pour! Everything we need to nourish our dogs is contained within! But when you learn how this food is designed and produced, you will likely want to avoid it.

Grooming your dog – during COVID-19

While we wait in hope for the world to open up again and our professional groomers to open their doors again, your dog and mine will need to be groomed. And it looks like you and I will be doing it! Below follow the start of my grooming adventure. I hope you will be inspired to spiff up your own dog!

Here’s what Roxy looked like during week 7

Dog needing to be groomed during COVID-19

I typically take Roxy to the groomer every 4 weeks. You can see here she is starting to look unkept. And I haven’t groomed my dog myself in over 10 years! I always left it up to the professionals to make her look salon gorgeous. But these are unusual times.

A Snuffle Mat dog game – for all breeds

In my previous post, I showed you a fun dog puzzle game called Dog Hide N Slide. I said that although that dog puzzle is fantastic, it is not suitable for all breeds. Specifically, that game may not be suitable for dogs with compact noses. And it may not be appropriate for breeds that are structurally too short or too small to effectively interact with that game. But I promised that I would be writing a post about another dog puzzle game soon. So, here it is! I am now very excited to tell you about the Pet Snuffle Mat that I purchased from Amazon!

Watch this video below to see what the Pet Snuffle Mat is all about.

Dog Hide N Slide – A dog puzzle game

Check out this dog puzzle game called “Dog Hide N Slide”by Outward Hound. While you and your dog are likely getting bored staying home for social distancing through this Coronavirus situation, you can enjoy keeping your dog busy by playing this game! Among the many fun and important topics I will be writing about, I definitely wanted to include a category of fun games and activities to enrich your dog’s life!

Photo of Roxy engaged in this game

Dog playing with Dog Hide N Slide puzzle game

Today, I will tell you all about the DOG HIDE N’ SLIDE by Outward Hound game. This is a mental stimulation game that will challenge your dog every time! Watch the video below for my demonstration on how this game works. One of the nice things about this game is that there are no removable parts. This means there are no pieces to be pulled off and become a choking hazard for your dog. Plus, you will never lose any pieces.

A dog’s wisdom on coping with the Coronavirus

This is what Pluto has to say….

To all the veterinarians that remain open…Thank you!

To all the veterinarians that remain open - Social distancing us and our dogs to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.

So as we and our dogs are making changes in our daily lives to social distance ourselves to reduce the spread of Coronavirus, I want to thank all of the veterinarians that remain open with minimal staff risking their own potential health for our pets’ health!

I continuously receive updates from my veterinarian clinic, Davisville Park Animal Hospital, on what they are doing to try to continue to stay open safely to provide care for pets that are in need of appointments for urgent matters.

Coronavirus and your dog-what you need to know!

Caronavirus and your dog - what you need to know!

Wondering if your dog can get the Coronavirus? Well according to this american veterinarian…it’s best to keep your dog away from people and dogs who don’t live in your home.

Watch this interview of a veterinarian in the United States who discusses Coronavirus and your dog and what you need to know!

Wishing all of you to stay safe!

Yours in better dog care, Judy.

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