Archives 2022

gentle Leader vs. prong collar (pinch collar)

That Mutt is supportive of a range of dog training methods. This is not about “one vs. the other” however instead focuses on a few of the pros & cons of different kinds of collars.

There is no dog training collar that is right for each dog.

I have suggested every type of dog training collar to somebody at some point. Every dog is different, as well as every owner is different. What works for my dog is not necessarily going to work for your dog.

I don’t admire dog fitness instructors who try to push a single tool on everyone.

Every type of dog training collar has its location for the right dog in the right situation. This does not mean it’s right for YOUR dog or my dog.

This publish may contain affiliate links. That Mutt may make money from the business mentioned in this post.

Some of those tools to stop a dog’s pulling include:

Pinch/prong collars
Gentle Leaders
No-pull harness
Martingale collar
Chain slip collars

Most dogs are going to respond well to a strong, fun leader who utilizes positive reinforcement together with moderate “corrections.”

The two collars I want to focus on for this publish are the gentle Leader as well as the pinch (prong) collar. They are extremely different tools however are a few of the most typical tools suggest for strong pullers.

Remember that both tools are just that – training tools. They will not magically stop most dogs from pulling. We still have to put in the work.

*Enjoying this article? get realistic dog training tips emailed when a week. Click Here

Gentle Leader vs. pinch collar

The gentle Leader is marketed as a gentle choice to be used over a dog’s muzzle, similar to a equine halter.

The gentle Leader is designed to prevent pulling since if the dog handler controls the dog’s head, he controls the dog.

A pinch (prong) collar is usually constructed out of metal as well as has flat prongs distributed evenly around the collar. It should be used high on the dog’s neck, right under his chin, as well as behind his ears.

When the dog pulls, the owner can provide a slight “correction” by pulling up or to the side. This correction is not designed to cause pain. It is meant to redirect a dog’s attention.

Let me explain what I like as well as don’t like about each of these collars. I hope to disprove a few of the assumptions about each.

In a great deal of ways, these tools work extremely much the exact same even though they look significantly different. Both the gentle Leader as well as the prong collar make pulling somewhat uncomfortable for the dog in order to motivate him to stop pulling.

Gentle Leader for dog training

When I was mentor my mutt Ace to walk well on a leash, I utilized the gentle Leader in some circumstances as well as a pinch collar in others.

With my present dog, a Weimaraner named Remy, I am when once again utilizing both tools.

What I like about the gentle Leader

Reason #1: The gentle Leader assists some dogs stay calm

I utilize a gentle Leader when I want to assist the dog calm down. It’s a great tool to utilize when I want to bring my dog along however may be preoccupied.

However, most dogs do freak out a bit when they very first have something over their muzzle area. So it’s important to slowly desensitize your dog to using a gentle Leader utilizing treats. Don’t just slap it on as well as head out for a walk or he will most likely paw at it the whole time, trying to get it off.

By slowly introducing the gentle Leader over a number of days, you will assist your dog see it as a positive experience.

So, back to being calm …

Once the dog is utilized to the gentle Leader, the tool enables me to relax as well as just enjoy costs time with my dog in hectic situations.

Ace with the gentle Leader

For example, if I’m walking my dog downtown while speaking with a buddy as well as holding a coffee in one hand, the gentle Leader is available in handy. It enables me to “check out” a bit from dog training.

My dog Ace was anxious in the car, as well as the gentle Leader worked to assist him chill out a bit. The material around his muzzle calmed him as well as put him in a less excited state of mind.

As one more example, my foster dog was feeling stressed out at an adoption event we attended. He was barking at me as well as having problem settling down. When I put his gentle Leader on him, he was able to lie down next to me as well as relax.

Reason #2: The gentle Leader stops a dog from making those “choking” sounds

The gentle Leader is likewise a great tool to keep my dog from pulling as well as making those “choking” noises.

Remy is a great example of adog who virtually strangles himself on a regular, nylon collar. He gets so excited, panting, pulling, as well as “choking” that he triggers other dogs to get extremely agitated as well.

When Remy wears a gentle Leader, it eliminates his panting as well as choking noises by about 90 percent. When he’s quiet, other dogs are less likely to react.

Since Remy is still discovering exactly how to ignore other dogs during walks, anything that assists him provide off calmer energy is a great thing.

If Remy is calm as well as peaceful on walks, then walks are much, much more enjoyable! That means he gets to go along on more walks!

*Enjoying this article? get realistic dog training tips emailed when a week. Click Here

What I don’t like about the gentle Leader

Reason #1: The gentle Leader can put pressure on a dog’s nose as well as eyes

Any collar can be dangerous if the dog pulls for an prolonged period of time.

The gentle Leader is not always a risk-free tool for extreme pullers.

Are gentle Leaders cruel?

No, they are not cruel. The gentle Leader is marketed as a humane option, as well as for the most part, this is true.

However, when a dog pulls extremely difficult for an prolonged period of time, the thin piece of nylon over his nose begins to put method as well much pressure on the dog’s deal with as well as under his eyes.

Dogs that are so focused on moving ahead do not have sufficient sense to stop pulling, even if they are in pain. The pain may even cause them to pull harder, as they are trying to getaway the pain.

Excited dogs do not always understand exactly how to calm down as well as rationalize what is happening.

Example with my foster dog using the gentle Leader

For example, one time I took foster dog Cosmo for a longer walk than usual. He used his gentle Leader. When we came back, he was squinting his eyes for the rest of the night since of the pressure the gentle Leader had caused.

I was truly worried I had permanently damaged his eyes! I was mad at myself for not stopping during the walk as well as changing to his routine collar.

Thankfully, bug-eyed Cosmo was just fine the next morning. Still, the incident was sufficient for me to re-think the gentle Leader. now I rotate which collar I utilize when I’m walking specific dogs.

For shorter walks, a Gentle Leader may be fine. For longer walks, the pinch collar may be better.

And just for the record, the Halti Head Collar is a similar tool to the gentle Leader, however it’s designed much better as well as generally doesn’t put as well much pressure on a dog’s nose or eyes.

It likewise has a security strap that links to the dog’s typical collar just in situation he slips out of the Halti. For more info, inspect out my publish comparing the Halti vs. gentle Leader.

Reason #2: The gentle Leader does not teach a dog to stop pulling

For many dogs, the gentle Leader is a “Band-Aid” if you are not actively working to really train your dog.

By that, I mean a great deal of dogs discover not to pull as long as they are using the gentle Leader. As soon as you eliminate it, they go right back to pulling.

This is not the end of the world as long as you are okay utilizing the gentle Leader whenever you don’t want your dog to pull. If you want to ultimately wean your dog off the gentle Leader, then try to actively work on “heel” or loose-leash walking.

This is one reason why I utilize the gentle Leader in some circumstances as well as the prong collar in other situations.

My goal is always to get to the point where no training collar is needed at all, as well as I discover it easier to shift from the prong collar to a routine collar since both in shape around the dog’s neck.

Reason #3: Some dogs dislike using a gentle Leader

Most dogs do not have any type of problems with a pinch collar since they’re utilized to having a collar around their neck.. however a great deal of dogs do not like having something over their nose/face area.

My mutt Ace quite much shut down at the sight of his gentle Leader. His tail went between his legs, as well as he looked away. when he had the gentle Leader on as well as we went for a walk, he was fine, however he still avoided me every time I got it out.

My dog Remy likewise runs the other method when he sees me grab the gentle Leader. however if I get the prong collar out, he gets excited as well as comes running!

Like I stated earlier, some dogs truly put up a protest, pawing at their nose as well as scrubing their deal with on the ground in an attempt to get the gentle Leader off.

This is why it’s important to slowly desensitize your dog to using this tool utilizing treats.

Reason #4: You can’t provide a dog a leash correction while she’s using a gentle Leader

There are circumstances where I prefer to provide a dog a moderate leash “correction” (tug on the lash) for training purposes.

The gentle Leader is not designed for corrections. In fact, you might potentially hurt their neck by tugging on the gentle Leader, although this is unlikely.

Pinch collar for dog training (also called a prong collar)

What I like about the Herm Sprenger prong collar

I suggest the Herm Sprenger brand of prong collar as it’s the very best quality.

Reason #1: The prong collar enables you to provide the dog a gentle correction

If my dog is focused on a odor or one more dog during a walk, all he needs is gentle tug on the leash as well as prong collar to re-direct his attention.

This is not meant to frighten him or cause pain. It’s just a reminder to get him to focus on the task at hand – walking. kind of like a tap on the shoulder, like, “Hi, keep in mind me?”

Usually my dog’s response to one of these tugs looks something like, “Ha, sorry. I got distracted!”

I tug on his leash so carefully that I believe it is really the slight noise of the chain moving that gets his attention, not the feeling of the prongs on his neck. Remember, these prong are FLAT.

Reason #2: The prong collar will assist teach a dog not to pull

The pinch collar fits around a dog’s neck like a normal, nylon collar. This makes it simple to ultimately shift the dog from the pinch collar to a nylon collar.

My dog Ace

When I was mentor Ace to heel, I would have him wear his nylon collar as well as his prong collar at the exact same time. That method I might switch his leash to one collar or the other as appropriate.

For example, if Ace was walking nicely, I’d clip his leash to his nylon collar. If we saw one more dog approaching, I would clip his leash to the pinch collar.

What I don’t like about the pinch collar

Reason #1: The links on the pinch collar might break apart

I’ve seen a few pinch collars come apart since one of the prongs was bent. This should not occur if you buy a top quality Herm Sprenger prong collar.

I had a cheaper brand for a few years as well as ours did break apart on a walk when or twice. Luckily, Ace had no rate of interest in running away. When his pinch collar fell off, he just stood there looking at me. “Well, aren’t you gonna pick that up?”

Reason #2: The pinch collar gets caught in long hair

I didn’t like the prong collar for my foster dog was since it didn’t seem to work with his thick fur. He was an American Eskimo dog.

It works much better on my dog Remy the weimaraner, who has extremely short fur. I’d like to hear some other opinions on this.

Reason #3: The pinch collar can hurt a dog if it is not utilized properly

Is a prong collar cruel?

The prong collar is absolutely not cruel. It is a humane training tool.

However, I don’t utilize a pinch collar on a dog unless I am calm. If I am frustrated with a dog, I may be as well lured to provide the dog a harsher tug on the leash. This is not what the pinch collar is for.

I likewise see as well many dog owners who do not utilize the pinch collar as a training tool. They just location it around the lower part of a dog’s neck as well as hope for the best.

But the pinch collar is designed to be used high on the dog’s neck, right behind her ears as well as under her chin. If the pinch collar is used on the thickest part of the dog’s neck, it will be as well simple for her to pull.

The pinch collar should be utilized as a tool to prevent pulling, not to just make the pulling more tolerable for the person.

Reason #4: sensitive dogs might overreact to a pinch collar

Cosmo yelped the very first couple of times I corrected him with the pinch collar even though I was cautious not to be harsh. He was so sensitive that any type of correction at all scared him.

He likewise reacted aggressively a few times by biting the leash. This is why some people state a prong collar can make a dog’s aggression worse.

This is not the situation with most steady dogs however can trigger a reaction from sensitive dogs like Cosmo. He would sometimes react on his routine nylon collar as well. I believe his “temper tantrum

A German shepherd/border collie mix named Nubs arrived in California in March after people raised $3,500 for the dog’s trip out of Iraq, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Brian Dennis was reunited with the mutt in San Diego after they both spent months in an Iraqi war zone.

I have read a couple stories this year about soldiers who befriended stray dogs while deployed, despite the military’s guidelines forbidding soldiers to keep animals in Iraq. With the help of pals and family, the soldiers are in some cases able to organize for the dogs to fly to the United States. think of the bond created between an American soldier and a homeless canine in Iraq. Later, reuniting with their Iraqi dogs in the united states helps the soldiers adjust to life in ways nothing else can.

Sgt. Edward Watson cared for a canine while he was in Baghdad. He started a blog there, wishing to find the support he needed to fly the stray he named Charlie to the United States. His blog, operation Bring Charlie Home, tells of the struggles he went through and what it was like to finally be reunited with his dog.

When he saw Charlie in the united states for the first time, Watson wrote, “After a couple seconds of him taking it all in, he went crazy! once I got in through the gate and was able to be next to him, he was SO excited. I had never seen him this thrilled ever before. He was flying through the air over and over again, to jump on me and lick my furiously.”

Most animal lovers will say stories like these are heartwarming. I couldn’t agree more.

As for Nubs, Charlie and their owners, they all got a pleased ending.

What do you think about bringing stray Iraqi dogs to the United States?

(Photo by Scott Linnett, The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Some people have made it clear that I am nuts for trying to stop a Labrador from being obsessed with a ball or that what I am doing is wrong. but I think it’s because people misunderstand my goals. My dog is part lab, and that means he will always, always love playing fetch and retrieving. Chasing, finding and bringing things back is driven into him, and I would never take that away. Retrieving is a quality many working dogs need in order to perform their jobs. I’ve even considered picking up pheasant hunting so my dog can have a job to do.

My main goal is to have a dog that can go to the dog park and enjoy himself. For the last year and a half, going to the dog park has been more for myself than Ace, because I enjoy seeing other dogs and people with their dogs. However, my own dog doesn’t even notice the dogs or people because he is so focused on finding a ball. I want him to be able to play normally with other dogs, and he can’t do that yet. The other dogs actually ignore Ace because they can tell something is off (unless they are humping him while he just stands there staring at a ball!).

Another goal is for Ace to accept when I decide a game is over. right now his brain can’t turn off from thinking “Where’s the ball? Where’s the ball? I want the ball. Ball. Ball. Ball.” I want to help him do that.

I hope that by logging my work with Ace, other people with ball-obsessed dogs (I know you’re out there!) or dogs with other fixations can learn that it is possible to change these types of behaviors.

For the last few days, Ace has been running next to me while I bike. This has been a good way to make sure he is getting enough exercise. but he needs more than just physical exercise. Yesterday, I biked to a park and then walked with Ace on my left and a ball in my right hand. Ace had to focus on heeling and looking straight ahead. every time he turned his head to stare at the ball, I pulled up quickly on the leash. It only took five or six pops before he was heeling normally. I allowed him to glance at the ball every now and then with just his eyes, but no head turning. since he was tired from running to the park it was easier for him not to obsess over the ball.

Next, I began swinging the ball, purposely trying to challenge him more. then I put the ball on the ground and we walked in circles around the ball. He was not allowed to turn his head and stare at the ball. Finally, after success with everything, I sat on a bench and had Ace sit calmly on my left and the ball on my right. I made sure to be as relaxed as possible so he wouldn’t pick up on any tense energy from me. As soon as he was calm or looked away from the ball or made eye contact with me, I threw it. This usually made him tense again, so he had to remain sitting after I threw the ball until he relaxed again. then I said “OK” and let him bring me the ball. Each repetition took about two minutes. I only did this two or three times so he would not escalate into that fixated state again. The goal is for Ace to learn that the ball is thrown only when he is relaxed.

After our short training session, I biked home. So Ace got a good physical and mental workout in about an hour. At home, I have still kept many of his toys out at all times. Every now and then he brings one to me, but I ignore him so for the most part he just carries something around or chews on it himself. This is totally fine with me, normal dog behavior.

never as well old to play ball.

Bandit the Norwich terrier mix

I’ve been volunteering with Rancho Coastal Humane society for about six weeks. every time I visit the dogs, the group has changed. several have been adopted, and several new dogs have arrived.

But all six weeks, Bandit has remained.

When I spend enough time with a homeless dog, I automatically begin to imagine myself adopting that dog.

I’m not going to adopt any dogs right now, but I can imagine Bandit as my dog. He would make a great running buddy. He’s one of those little dogs who can’t seem to hold still in his cage. However, once he’s taken out I hear he’s fairly calm.

He’s smart and attentive. He seeks affection and treats. I bet he’d be an easy dog to train.

And he’s a cute little thing. plus very friendly with people and dogs.

Here in southern California the shelters are full of small mixed breeds like Bandit.

He is safe at this particular shelter. However, it’s still a shelter, and a shelter is no place for a dog long term.

To adopt Bandit

last week marked three years because Baxter concerned live with us. inspired by Tracey at Oh Melvin and Yo Jake, I have a tradition of writing a letter to Baxter on the anniversary of his gotcha day. You can see the letters from year 1 and year 2 and Baxter’s adoption story on my blog. now that I’m writing for ThatMutt.com, I thought I’d share the letter with all of you this year.

Dear Baxter,

Three years. Wow. We wanted a canine for so long, and finally three years ago we felt like the time was right. You hear about how people end up with the best canine for them, and I feel like that’s exactly what we found with you.

I don’t know quite how it happened though. This is one of the times where I’m just thankful that the universe works the way it does. From the posting on Petfinder.com to our brief introduction at your foster home, we couldn’t have known everything that you would add to our lives.

My writing has expanded because of you. I’m enjoying contributing to ThatMutt.com, and I’m working on much more projects with a goal of being able to spend much more time with you.

We love having a sidekick for whatever we’re doing, whether it’s unwinding in front of the TV or working around the farm. It’s special how you want to be part of things and will patiently wait until the work is done.

You make us laugh every day, whether it’s your helicopter tail, your very careful “speak” to get treats or the exhausted sprawl when you sleep (what exactly is it that makes you so exhausted every day?).

I feel like over the past year our bond has strengthened. When we’re hiking and you pause at a split in the trail to see which way I’m going to go, I’m so happy of you. It took us a long time to get here, bud, but we made it. Our hikes together are some of my preferred times.

When you’re prowling around the farm or lounging in the sun, that’s exactly what I had in mind when I imagined adding a canine to our family.

Life with you is extremely special. I can’t think of my life without you. but at the same time, I don’t take a single day with you for granted.

Happy third gotcha day, bud.

Love,
Julia

How about the rest of you? how did your canine turn out to be the best canine for you?

pet dog lovers have raised a lot more than $9,000 so far to help a German shorthaired guideline named Ozzy who was hit by a car.

After the pointer was hit by a automobile and left in the road in Fort Mill, S.C., a good Samaritan stopped to help, according to NBC Charlotte (N.C.).

The good Samaritan brought the pet dog to a Charlotte vet and learned the pet dog had series injuries, NBC said.

Medical bills are estimated to reach $9,000 to repair a broken front leg and at least one of his dislocated hind legs, plus other injuries.

The good Samaritan contacted Southeast German Shorthaired guideline Rescue and also set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the dog’s bills, according to NBC.

From NBC:

Word of Ozzy’s fight spread swiftly on social media and in two days a lot more than $7,500 was raised.

Carol and Randy from Seattle, Washington donated $100 with the message “With lots of love and prayers for Ozzy all the way from Seattle.”

A message from Mary Lou said, “Prayers for this sweet kid from Oregon. will be so relieved when his surgery is over and he can start to get the life he deserves. thanks to the heroes who saved him.”

Southeast German Shorthaired guideline Rescue hasn’t been able to find the dog’s owner, but in the meantime they named him Ozzy. Oz indicates strong in Hebrew.

So far, a lot more than $9,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe page.

Ozzy is estimated to be about 2 years old and is expected to make a full recovery, according to NBC.

Full story

Have you ever made a donation to help a pet dog you didn’t even know?

Image from Southeast GSP Rescue’s Facebook page

When Lindsay asked me if I might compose a publish about why I personally selected to feed my dogs raw food as well as what’s prompting me to continue to do so, I happily agreed.

The short response is since it assisted my boxer mix Missy stay in remission from cancer for 3+ years as well as her sibling Buzz continues to prosper on it.

I essentially discovered that dogs are what they eat after Missy was diagnosed with cancer, as well as consequently I desired the best, healthiest, a lot of nourishing pet dog food for both her as well as her brother.

As I discovered out a number of years ago, raw food occurs to be it as well as trumps anything else offered on the pet dog food market.

I understand that’s a strong statement, yet it’s one that any type of raw feeder will indication in a heartbeat.

I recognize feeding a raw diet plan involves a slew of “whys” as well as “hows” from any individual unfamiliar with as well as curious about this type of pet dog food. So, here’s my attempt to describe what persuaded me as well as why I continue to believe in its power.

To feed your pet dog a raw diet plan indicates precisely that – to feed raw meat, bones, organ meat as well as often raw fruits as well as veggies. See an example of a raw pet dog food recipe here.

Why I feed my dogs a raw diet

Missy eating a poultry leg quarter

I very first came across raw pet dog food when I was trying to find a option for Missy’s cancer diagnosis in late 2014.

While she was undergoing treatment which included the removal of her thyroid tumor as well as 3 rounds of preventative chemotherapy, I spent lots of hours in front of the computer, trying to find solution to the complying with questions:

What might potentially have been the cause of a young dog’s cancer besides her genetic boxer makeup?
Was there anything that might assist her on her road to recovery?
Were there any type of way of life modifications that might improve her immune system as well as keep cancer’s awful deal with from resurfacing?

I discovered solution to all of my questions, both from holistic raw feeding veterinarians as well as typical pet dog owners who actively fed their furry good friends raw pet dog food. These pet dog enthusiasts changed their dogs to raw after experiencing canine cancer in their pack or since of their nutritional understanding in dogs.

Here’s the short rundown:

1. cancer in dogs can be triggered by environmental factors (not always, of course). One environmental aspect might include heavily processed pet dog food like kibble as well as canned food.

After reading this, my jaw dropped. Missy had been on precisely that – kibble as well as wet food – for all of her 3 years as well as 3 months of life before coming down with cancer. had I unknowingly contributed to her illness by feeding her the wrong type of pet dog food?

2. It was suggested to make a switch from kibble as well as wet food to raw pet dog food, either by means of the detour of dehydrated raw food or a chilly turkey technique to raw food (pun intended). So I made the switch.

3. It was likewise suggested to limit the number of vaccinations administered to a pet dog as well as get rid of as lots of chemical elements from their life as possible. I determined a number of in Missy’s, as well as gotten rid of dryer sheets together with topical as well as oral pest preventatives from her as well as her brother’s lives.

Buzz prepared to dig in to his raw pet dog food delivery

I likewise replaced our generic pet dog shampoo (made in China by the way…) with an all natural, chemical-free, herbal pet dog shampoo.

Side note: That was before I realized that raw-fed dogs seldom requirement a bath at all! A bit a lot more about that under “perks of raw-fed dogs.”

Unfortunately, Missy is no longer with me now as her cancer ended up coming back as well as taking her from me after all. However, I have no question that the raw diet plan enabled her to online one more delighted 3 years with me as well as her sibling Buzz.

Her immune system need to have got an extra boost, her coat was always glossy & shiny black, her pearlies were as white as they might be, as well as her appetite for her fresh, raw meals never faded. may she rest in peace together with an abundance of her preferred raw food!

Here’s why I will continue to feed (my future) dogs a raw diet:

Benefits of a raw food diet plan for dogs:

Dogs do exceedingly well on raw food since it consists of a range of cuts of genuine meat that are chock full of all the needed vitamins as well as minerals a pet dog needs not only to survive, however to thrive, as a result improving their immune systems.
Unlike kibble as well as wet food, a raw diet plan has only been minimally processed as well as not subjected to extreme warm which triggers the loss of so lots of nutrients.
It doesn’t consist of any type of man-made components like harmful preservatives, flavors, as well as colors.
It’s created to work with a dog’s teeth, jaws, as well as acidic digestive system that’s made to break down raw meat as well as bones as well as kill potentially hazardous bacteria.
A raw diet plan mimics the food dogs ate not only in the wild, however before the wise people in the food market realized there was money to be made with the introduction of canned as well as dry pet dog food in the late 1800s.
The raw diet plan addresses skin as well as coat issues, allergies, as well as ear infections.

The raw diet plan likewise includes a few side impacts I’ve extremely much come to appreciate over the years:

More advantages of raw-fed dogs

1. smaller poop volume

I like the method Dr. Ian Billinghurst explains this in his book “Give Your pet dog A Bone” (page 126):

Dogs fed raw meaty bones create smallish quantities of solid minimally offensive stools. These are rather different to the revolting mounds of evil smelling partially liquid squander which oozes its method out of the back end of dogs fed processed food.

This is so true! The difference between a raw-fed dog’s poop as well as his kibble-fed counterpart is huge. Literally!

2. No pet dog odor – eliminates requirement for baths

I might tell the difference in odor especially since of my work as a expert pet dog walker. My clients’ houses whose dogs are fed a kibble diet plan have that extremely unique pet dog odor that my house no longer had every considering that making the switch from kibble to raw, particularly when their dogs got wet on a rainy walk.

One of my Air B&B guests directed this out also after she had been in my house for a number of days! She stated something along the lines of “It’s type of odd, however your home truly doesn’t odor like dogs at all, as well as you have two!”

Once Missy & Buzz were a number of months into our raw feeding journey, the only time they would get a bath was when they had rolled around in a puddle of mud as well as genuinely had dirt on their coats.

3. enjoyment at meal time

Missy was a slave to her tummy regardless of what type of food I’d offer her, however I particularly observed the modification in enjoyment at meal time in her sibling Buzz. He was an very picky eater back in our kibble as well as wet food days, as well as it was always a bit difficult getting him to eat.

This habits altered instantaneously when I introduced raw pet dog food. He never turned down a single raw meal as well as has eaten every last bite of raw goodness that made it into his bowl!

4. clean teeth

A raw diet plan eliminates the requirement to manually clean a dog’s teeth in a lot of cases, if raw meaty bones are part of the diet.

This likewise saves pet dog owners the costly dental cleaning done by veterinarians. Neither Missy nor Buzz have needed any type of dental cleanings after their introduction to raw meaty bones as part of their raw diet, as well as I never once again touched a doggie toothbrush!

So there you have it! For a lot more information on feeding your pet dog a raw diet, see a few of our past articles:

Raw pet dog food for beginners
How to safely feed your pet dog raw bones
Supplies for feeding raw pet dog food
Raw pet dog food on a budget
The pros as well as cons of a raw diet.

Barbara Rivers composes on a regular basis for That Mutt about feeding her two boxer mixes a raw pet dog food diet. She is a blog writer as well as pet dog walker as well as preserves the blog K9s Over Coffee.

I’m thankful I produced the 2014 mutt calendar, since mixed-breed dogs deserve a calendar just like purebred dogs have their own calendars.

I wasn’t sure if the concept of a mutt calendar would work, however there are some motivating signs.

Some people thanked me for producing the calendar since they might never discover mutt calendars anywhere else. I’ve had many conversations with mutt owners who like the calendar as well as can’t wait on one more one next year. I’ve had others tell me they’re already planning which picture to go into for the next mutt calendar contest. Some even emailed to tell me precisely where they’ll be hanging their calendars. I like hearing where people will screen the mutts.

And so, the mutts are taking over! The calendar features 12 unique mixed-breed dogs had by visitors of this blog.

Until offered out, the mutt calendars are offered for $7.99. They will make excellent Christmas gifts for dog lovers. order here.