Wireless Doorbell (for doorbell reactive dogs)

Like most dogs, our 2 boys Pepe and Sarge quickly became reactive to the door bell's *DING DONG* which usually meant intruders wearing UPS uniforms, or service technicians coming to murder us. Obviously the boys always felt the need to react with their most ferocious barking to scare them away. And it works everytime! Everytime they bark their heads off, they've saved us from imminent death. Right!? In their doggy minds. Doorbell tone=murderous intruders. So rather than the painstaking process of training them out of it (which isn't easy if you're not home when the doorbell rings), I decided to cheat our way out of it and eliminate the common denominator. Goodbye doorbell.

I removed the wired doorbell button and installed the wireless battery operated button that controls two wireless plug-in doorbell receivers. I chose these ones because of the vast range of chimes to chose from but also, there is a silent option which also flashes a light on the receivers.

I really wanted a strobe light so I could use no audible tone, just flashing lights, but I only found one of those on the market and not what I was willing to pay. This kit I bought only has a light that flashes on the receiver. It really has to be in your line of sight for you to notice it FYI. But with two receivers, it could be easy to plug one in where you would spend most of your time. For me, I have one in the kitchen by the counter where I do all my food prep, and one in the family room where it is seen from both ends of the house.

This doorbell kit also has volume options! So if you're hard of hearing or want something actually very quiet, you get to choose! For us, I wanted something quiet that maybe the dogs wouldn't notice with the TV or radio on.

For the first 8 months or so, I had our doorbell play a nice chime that included birds chirping. The dogs were totally unaware that someone had just dropped off a package and rang the doorbell as they left. But finally Sarge started to get a little wise to it. I just switched chimes on the doorbell and once again, they are clueless that anyone is swinging by to drop off packages. Success! 

An additional benefit to all this is since they no longer hear the triggering "ding dong" on a weekly basis, they have also become much less reactive to the sounds on TV! Previously, any doorbell played on TV would often send them barking to our front door. Now that reaction has been drastically reduced!

See our wireless doorbell kit here.

With 3 dozen chimes to choose from, I see this being a worthwhile investment for the sanity of our home.

June 2020 Update:
After using this doorbell for a year, it continues to work great for our doorbell reactive dogs! No more charging to the door when the bell rings for delivered packages, contractors coming to the house etc.

Natural Sources for Better Joints

 Those who know me know that I try to give my animals the best I can, focusing on fresh food and supplements. So I wanted to share some info on the things that I offer our dogs and cats.

Expensive joint supplements are everywhere and becoming more and more popular as consumers are spending more money on their furry family members.  It's hard to pick a good supplement that will contain what's on the label as supplements are not very well regulated.

During my years as a vet tech, I've had a lot of experience with joint supplements and anti-inflammatories which has given me a little extra knowledge on the matter. But experience or not, one thing we can almost all agree on is that fresh products are better than processed products. In one of those Hippocrates moments of "Let Food be Thy Medicine.." you can get joint support in natural, whole foods.

Glucosamine

Chicken feet are a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin that deliver up to a whooping 450mg of glucosamine per foot! They aren't the prettiest things in the world but are a lot more cost efficient and the least processed source. They aren't very easy to find though. For raw chicken feet, your best bet is to check out any ethnic grocery spots though I've occasionally found them at our local chain grocery stores. You can find dried chicken feet in some pet supply stores, mainly feed stores, but there's no guarantee how old they are or where they originated from (China?)

 If you're interested in offering your dog some dried chicken feet, I offer a 10pack bag for $6 (if you're local).

Omega 3's

Many people are familiar with Omega 3 fatty acid supplements and why they're good for joints, but there are other ways to offer fresher and cheaper options than pills or powders.

I offer our dogs sardines as well as New Zealand green lipped mussels. First the sardines. I buy 5lb boxes from a large ethnic market for only $9! The sardines are completely whole so again, not the prettiest thing to deal with but worth it. Sardines are a great option for Omega 3's since they, of course, have a high amount of Omega 3's but also a low mercury level. I feed Sardines to my dogs a few times a week. Sarge eat them whole, while Pepe and Zoey get them cut in half.

The dogs also get New Zealand green lipped mussels - they are aptly named for the bright metallic green that lines the shell. No, they do not eat the shell but just the muscle meat. I also purchase these from the same ethnic market. I can buy them on the half shell for $5/lb or just the mussel meat for just $5.50/lb.

If you take a look at almost any veterinary OTC joint supplement, many (most) will have these mussels listed as an ingredient, but in an 'extract' dried and processed form. They have long been part of joint supplements without many even knowing they can buy them whole and fresh! For us, the additional benefit is that we also eat the same mussels, so we share with the dogs :) Our dogs also eat a few of these every week.

Our dogs routinely eat sardines and mussels a few times a week, the past few years. At ages 9, 11, and 13 they have no known joint or mobility concerns. Raw bones are also part of their daily diet but I still monitor them with items like chicken feet, and they are never left alone or unattended with any kind of chew. If you chose to incorporate new items like chicken feet or trachea, be responsible and always monitor your pets.

Sources:

Dogs Naturally Magazine

WebMD

Lyprinol—Is It a Useful Anti-Inflammatory Agent?

Clinical efficacy and safety of Lyprinol, a patented extract from New Zealand green-lipped mussel (Perna Canaliculus) in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee: a multicenter 2-month clinical trial
Chicken Feet, Beef Tracheas, and Other Natural Glucosamine Sources for Dogs
Glucosamine by Mayo Clinic
Glucosamine for Dogs: What are the best sources?

Kelp for Tartar Control? Yep!

Kelp is a nutritional powerhouse, providing minerals, vitamins and amino acids. This group of sea-vegetables has proven abilities to help our bodies and dog's bodies too. That doesn't mean supplementing with a little kelp will even out a crappy diet, but it is still a supplement worth using.

I actually learned of kelp's ability to help tartar by accident.  I purchased it for it's abilities to boost the health of my dogs skin and fur. I started finding that certain kelps have a bacteria (a good bacteria!) that releases an enzyme in the mouth that helps to reduce plaque on teeth by breaking down the biofilm.  Less plaque in the mouth means less bad breathe!

This is when I started making my Coconut Biscuits, which have the same 2 kelps in them that have these tartar reducing enzymes. Because of all the wonderful properties of these kelps along with the other high quality ingredients in my Coconut Biscuits, I make sure these are a daily treat for our dogs. No, kelp will not magically dissolve all of the tartar currently on your dogs or cats teeth but it can help soften the plaque and help prevent further accumulation.

With daily use, kelp can impact your dogs or cats tartar within weeks.

Read about Newcastle University's discovery on kelp's tartar fighting enzyme here.

Another study on it here. And lots more info online!

If you want to incorporate the benefits of kelp into your dog's daily routine, you can contact me to purchase my Coconut Biscuits through my store.

Review: Pet Fooled

 I recently flew across the country to visit my sister and was able to download this film to watch on the airplane, which allowed me to give it my undivided attention.

The pet food industry continues to thrive due to our ignorance as pet owners. We are suckers for flashy pet food bags and commercials that tug at our heart strings. We're also in a time where knowledge is just a few clicks away and while we're making healthier food decisions for ourselves, we continue to buy the same bag of kibble at the store, with no understanding of what is actually in that bag. Let's change that!

PetFooled is a short documentary/series of interviews with enlightened veterinarians that push us as pet owners to open our eyes to understand how unregulated the pet food industry is.  You may suspect that this film has an ulterior motive behind it, to buy THEIR food and treats or use THEM as veterinarians but neither would be correct. I enjoyed the fact that the film's main purpose wants to be an education tool for making a better informed pet parent. They want to help you ask better and tougher questions when it comes to your pets health and nutrition. You may be surprised who doesn't want to give answers to those tough questions...

So I gave you an idea of what this film is, I want you to know what this film is NOT.  This is not a plug for some healthier brand of food, or a plug for some pet supplements, it's not even a list of what brands to stay away from! There is no hidden agenda in the short film and no hateful accusations.  It is simply a group of people who want pet owners to be informed. Some of the people in the group have had dogs that died during the massive 2007 pet food recall, some people in the FDA, pet food advocates and some enlightened veterinarians that are pioneering the way for better food.

For those that don't know my background, I started as a young vet tech assistant who fed the kibble my vet/boss recommended. I eventually started reading, researching and understanding food and step by step made better nutrition choices moving onto grain-free kibble, and then commercial made raw food, then homemade raw food. I have worked alongside several vet's in the 3 states I've lived, I have attended nutritional CE's that were NOT sponsored by the big name companies, I worked in the pet food industry for a year, I study books on homemade food written by Vets. I am a well-rounded informed pet owner and I recommend this film.

Pet Fooled is currently on Netflix, available to rent or buy on Amazon, also on iTunes or Vimeo.

Pet Fooled on Facebook

Pet Fooled website 

Watch the trailer here:

Bored Beyond Belief

The Washington Post just put out an article titled How to Keep Your Cat From Losing Its Mind, and I couldn't be happier!  The author Karin Brulliard touched on so many topics that I feel most cat owners ignore: that indoor cats are bored beyond belief.

If you're one of my clients you may have heard me say before that I believe that cats are not as domesticated as we make them out to be. They still have those desires to hunt, stalk, and pounce and instead of encouraging those behaviors in appropriate ways, we make them settle by giving them a cat condo and calling it quits. That's not good enough.

I'm not saying let your city slicker cat outside, or fill your homes with expensive carpet covered cat condos, but I do want your creative juices to start flowing. I certainly had to think outside the box when we adopted our cats, and I admit I have a difficult time coming up with new and exciting ideas. So I turn on an episode of My Cat From Hell and Jackson Galaxy inspires me! Creating fun spaces for them that encourage them to jump, climb, and watch 'prey' (they have visual access to my flock all day) keeps them happy and entertained and I don't have jerk cats that tip over cups or claw up things they aren't supposed to.

I bet you didn't know that urinary tract problems in cats can be caused by boring indoor living! Pandora Syndrome is the term for the litany of health and behavior problems that can be caused by a stuffy, boring, depressing environment for a cat.  Now that alone should get you pumped to start creating some exciting things for your Garfield. 

Before you get started, make sure to tailor anything to the wants of your cat. Not all cats like cat condos if they're bush dwellers that prefer to stay on the ground in dark cozy hiding spaces. Rethink how you feed them as well.  I feed all of our cats off the ground - it forces them to jump up to their food and water. You can even try using food puzzles for cats which can help them lose weight! Read this article in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, it's pretty awesome!

Here's a list of some things to think about to create a cat friendly home:

• Does your cat have visual access to wildlife? Think about a catio or use window bird feeders where your cat can watch them upclose from the indoors.
• How are you feeding your cat? Cats are not cows and get bored from 'grazing' their food that is out all day/night. Consider set mealtimes, food puzzles, or an automatic feeder on a timer.
• Do you encourage your cat to climb to high places? Think about installing some simple shelving or moving furniture around to facilitate natural climbing behaviors.
• Does your cat have a way to act out natural hunting skills? Think of a 'wack-a-mole' type toy, or any toy with erratic movements. 
• Is your cat bored with the toys you currently have? Odds are they are probably out 24/7 sitting in the same cat toy box on the floor. Consider rotating toys and putting unused toys away out of sight. Also move toys around from room to room.

If you look at my Amazon Store, you'll see I have a few food toys and puzzles and window feeders listed for cats.  I hope these help you get started in creating a healthier cat home! Below are some great options to get started!