Obey thy Dog! Grrrrrrowl!

Dogs growl. It is part of being a dog. Dogs growl to protect stuff, dogs growl to say "hey, that is enough of that" to other dogs, and dogs growl when they are having a good time sometimes.

Dogs growl for a reason. Aggression is a very expensive behavior in the big scheme of things. It takes a lot of energy and risk to react aggressively. A growl is a down-payment on an investment in aggressive behavior.

If something happens that causes your dog to growl - STOP. Do not push your dog any further. Say "Thank you!!" and retreat. Go sit at the kitchen table with a pad of paper and a pencil. Write down what time of day this happened, where it happened, what the dog was doing, what YOU were doing, and what was involved(dog bed, particular type of bone/chew, toy). Your dog was being polite when he told you, "Hey, I am not so sure about this. You better back off."

When a dog growls at us we have to respect that. We have somehow pushed him past his comfort point and we have to retrace our steps to find out where we went too far or wrong. By retreating from a growling dog we did, technically, reinforce him growling at us. That much is true and, in my book, totally okay. I will accept just a growl any day. By pushing him further, not backing away, we chance an even bigger display and possible injury due to his Plan A not working. Dogs don't miss when it comes to landing bites. Read the entire article.
Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Nature's Sunshine Reduced Shipping

$3 Shipping
We're offering reduced shipping for a limited time! We would like to help you finish this month with a bang! Order online between October 30-31 (Friday and Saturday) and get $3 standard shipping* on orders of $100 or more. Click here to start shopping.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Caring for an Older Dog

How to Care For an Older Dog
Detect, treat, (or prevent?) canine “cognitive dysfunction syndrome.”
By Lisa Rodier

Each of us has, at some point, wandered into a room and realized that we’ve forgotten why we’ve gone there. When that happens, chances are we are momentarily perturbed with ourselves, but typically we chalk it up to too much on the brain, remember why we’re there, then move on. Should our dogs wander in the same fashion, it could well be a sign of cognitive dysfunction syndrome

(CDS), a condition quite similar to Alzheimer’s in humans.

What’s wrong with this picture? When your dog suddenly has a difficult time remembering which way to enter a door (or which side of the door opens), he may be experiencing CDS.

CDS happens when the aging process affects brain pathology, resulting in behavioral changes, including cognitive decline (memory and learning). One of the biggest culprits is the damage done to mitochondria caused by oxidative damage over time. Researchers also believe that a decline in cerebral vascular circulation contributes to the changes we see in our aging dogs.

Dietary intervention

A variety of clinical studies have revealed that dietary intervention in the form of an antioxidant-enriched diet improved the learning ability of older dogs, and a resulted in a subsequent decrease in CDS symptoms. Primary supplementation included:

• Vitamin E: Acts to protect cell membranes from oxidative damage

• Vitamin C: Essential in maintaining oxidative protection for the soluble phase of cells as well as preventing Vitamin E from propagating free radical production

• L-Carnitine: Mitochondrial co-factor

• Alpha-lipoic acid: Mitochondrial co-factor

• Other antioxidants from fruits and vegetables (i.e., spinach flakes, tomato pomace, grape pomace, carrot granules, and citrus pulp) that are also rich in flavonoids and carotenoids .
Read the entire article.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Diamond Cat Food Recall - Dr. Yin's take

Sophia Yin, DVM has elaborated on the recall from Diamond on cat food:

"SO far, based on calls from pet owners and veterinarians, the problem appears to be centered in the Rochester, NY, area. The company has contacted all retailers and outlets to which these lots were shipped and asked them to pull the product from the store shelves. The retailers were also asked to contact their customers via email or telephone requesting them to check the date code of the food. However, pet owners who feed either of these cat food brands should check the date codes regardless of whether they are contacted."

Click here to read the article .

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Cat Food Recall

Diamond Pet Foods has issued a voluntary recall on the following date codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult cat food and Premium Edge Hairball cat food: RAF0501A22X 18lb., RAF0501A2X 6 lb., RAH0501A22X 18 lb., RAH0501A2X 6lb. The date of manufacture is May 28, 2009. All retail outlets shipped the above lots were contacted, asking them to pull the product from the store shelves. The retailers were also asked to contact their customers via email or telephone requesting them to check the date code of the food. However, if you or anyone you know has these date codes of Premium Edge cat food, please return them to your retailer.

Symptoms displayed by an affected cat will be neurological in nature. Symptoms may include wobbly walking or muscle weakness, paralysis of the hindlimbs, seizures, ventroflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, and abnormal eye movement called nystagmus. Any cats fed these date codes that display these symptoms should be immediately taken to a veterinarian. Click here for more details.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Pampering Your Kitty

The Best Way to Pamper Your Kitty

When it comes to treats, cats are frequently passed over by many pet food companies. If you haven’t had the pleasure of giving your sweet kitty the nutritional delight of Life’s Abundance Gourmet Cat Treats for Healthy Skin and Coat, you won’t believe the level of feline joy these kibbles can evoke. Your cat’s mouth will water in anticipation of these tasty indulgences, which feature chicken, herring, flaxseed and eggs.

As we have noted in the past, Dr. Jane believes that a stronger coat will lead to less hair being swallowed during grooming. To that end, these gourmet treats contain the superior-quality proteins crucial to the growth and maintenance of a strong coat.

To further support your cat’s health, these yummy nuggets feature a full range of nutrients to address the needs of the skin, which is the body’s largest organ. Dr. Jane included omega-3 fatty acids to help keep the skin hydrated and pliable. And vitamin E further helps to maintain skin elasticity. Additionally, there’s added vitamin C, to promote the production of collagen, the major component of skin.

Isn’t it time your cat enjoyed a little extra support, disguised as a tasty morsel?
Click here for more information.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Advantage Spot-on Flea Product

Dog stuck in crate highlights rare risk of spot-on flea treatment
October 7, 2009
By: Edie Lau
For The VIN News Service

A veterinarian presented with a peculiar case of a poodle stuck in its crate last week traced the problem to the pet’s spot-on flea treatment.

Residue from the product Advantage, which was applied between the poodle’s shoulders, somehow came in contact with the plastic base of the animal’s crate, dissolving the plastic and causing it to adhere to the dog’s belly.

When the dog wouldn’t come out of its crate the next morning, its concerned owner brought the dog, crate and all, to Dr. Tej Dhaliwal of North Town Veterinary Hospital in Ontario, Canada. Following two hours of sleuthing, Dhaliwal concluded that benzyl alcohol, an inactive ingredient in Advantage, was to blame.

Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advantage, acknowledged that the flea treatment was the likely culprit and offered to pay the owner’s veterinary bill, compensate him for loss of salary and replace the crate, Dhaliwal said. Read the entire article.

Click here to read about natural options for flea control.
What's on sale?.

Babies Understand Barking Dogs!

Babies Understand Dogs, Bark-matching Study Finds

Six-month-old babies can match the sounds of happy and angry barks to pictures of happy and angry dogs. — New research shows babies have a handle on the meaning of different dog barks – despite little or no previous exposure to dogs.

Infants just 6 months old can match the sounds of an angry snarl and a friendly yap to photos of dogs displaying threatening and welcoming body language.

The new findings come on the heels of a study from the same Brigham Young University lab showing that infants can detect mood swings in Beethoven’s music.

Though the mix of dogs and babies sounds silly, experiments of this kind help us understand how babies learn so rapidly. Long before they master speech, babies recognize and respond to the tone of what’s going on around them.

“Emotion is one of the first things babies pick up on in their social world,” said BYU psychology professor Ross Flom, lead author of the study.

Flom and two BYU students report their latest “amazing baby” findings in the journal "Developmental Psychology".
Read the entire article.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Wysong Recall

The following batches of Wysong Canine Diets Maintenance™ and Senior™ have shown above acceptable moisture levels and may contain mold.

Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090617
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090624
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090706
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090720
Wysong Senior™: lot #: 090623

Wysong Site - Further Details.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

The Macho Myth

By: Ian Dunbar, DVM

The social structure of domestic dogs is often simplistically described in terms of a linear dominance hierarchy, in which the topdog, or “alpha animal”, is dominant over all lower ranking animals, the second ranking dog is subordinate to the topdog but dominant over all others, and so on down to the lowest dog on the totem pole. Moreover, it is popularly believed that rank is established and maintained by physical strength and dominant behavior, that the more dominant (i.e., higher ranking) dogs are more aggressive and that the most dominant dog is the most aggressive. Hence, dogs that frequently threaten, growl, fight and bite are often assumed to be “alpha” animals. The majority of the above assumptions are quite awry. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Such a simplistic view of a most sophisticated social structure is an utter insult to dogs but more disturbing, when cavalierly extrapolated to dog training and the dog-human relationship, such bizarre notions are ineffective, counterproductive, potentially dangerous and quite inhumane.
read the entire article.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Message from Dr. Jane Bicks

Message from Dr. Jane
Jane Bicks, DVM
Product Formulator, Life's Abundance Pet Foods

Every minute of every day, there’s a battle going on inside your pet’s body. Thankfully, there are some excellent ingredients in many foods that are widely recognized as effective weapons for this fight to preserve health.

The troublemakers in this ongoing conflict are free radicals, which can negatively affect DNA, lipids and proteins. Their combined impact can lead to cell mutation, disruption of normal cellular processes and even the death of cells*. In fact, cells can be “attacked” by free radicals many thousands of times … every single day.

Free radicals can be caused by any number of environmental sources, including pollution, secondhand smoke, chemicals from cleaners … even oxygen! Additionally, the normal chemical processes of the body can trigger the creation of additional free radicals.

According to many health authorities, if we can somehow prevent the excessive development of free radicals, it’s likely that we could also prevent any number of medical problems**. Research journals and popular magazines alike have praised the health benefits of antioxidants for years. We now have evidence that supports the view that antioxidants are a necessary line of attack in fighting free radicals. It seems pretty clear that antioxidants are our best hope of destroying free radicals before they negatively impact your pet’s health.

As a holistic veterinarian, I have seen firsthand how antioxidants are just as beneficial to companion animals as they are to humans. That’s why so many of our recipes feature an antioxidant component. In fact, HealthyPetNet was one of the first companies to incorporate antioxidants in their pet food and treat formulas.

Antioxidants are widespread in nature and can be found in numerous vegetables, fruits, spices, nuts. Ingredients like vitamins C and E, as well as beta-carotene, are actually classified as antioxidants. The greater the variety of antioxidant sources, the better a body is equipped to fight off free radicals. That’s because different antioxidants have special affinity for different areas in the body. For example, the antioxidants from carrots cluster largely in the eyes, while those from tomatoes directly affect the heart.

In a time when many are trying to cut costs and trim budgets, I’m particularly concerned about how the economy will affect our nation’s four-footers. I’m worried that pet parents, while still recognizing the need to feed a premium diet, will go back to feeding cheap pet snacks. It bears repeating how harmful some of these inferior-quality products can potentially be. Often, what’s lurking in those brightly colored bags (featuring words like “Happy”, “Tail-wagging” or “Doggone-Good”) are more health threats than healthy treats. I can assure you that HealthyPetNet’s treats are not empty-calorie junk; each morsel is a powerhouse of nutrition.

As a caring pet parent, you should be aware of and approve of the approach behind the formulas. At HealthyPetNet, we believe that everything your pet eats should play a role in achieving the ultimate goal … helping them to live happier, longer and stronger.

We’ve all heard the common saying that a recipe simply tastes better when love is one of the “ingredients”. I’d like to think that this expression accurately reflects my commitment to providing the very best for your dogs and cats.

I put my heart and soul in every recipe, and I’ve been told that that’s especially obvious in the two tasty treats featured in this newsletter: Antioxidant Health Bars - Oatmeal & Apple Recipe and Life’s Abundance Gourmet Cat Treats for Healthy Skin and Coat. To give your sweet companion a healthy helping of natural goodness, I strongly recommend these delicious morsels, not only as sources of great nutrition, but also for their daily happiness, too.

As always, I thank you for all that you do to make the world a better place for companion animals.

Very best regards,
Dr. Jane
Click here to learn more about Healthy Pet Net Products.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

H1N1 Vaccine update....

The first doses of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine are now being administered at clinics and hospitals across the United States, and many Americans are eagerly lining up to take their vaccine. But is the mainstream media accurately informing the public about what they are taking? The reality is that most Americans do not realize that all of the early batches of the H1N1 swine flu nasal vaccine (called FluMist) contain live swine flu. If you are trying to avoid the swine flu do you really think that it is a good idea to have live swine flu injected up your nose? Many health experts are expressing a grave concern about the safety of this FluMist vaccine, and many hospitals are rejecting this nasal spray vaccine altogether. In fact, several Denver area hospitals are rejecting the FluMist swine flu vaccine because "they don’t want to endanger patients". read the entire article.

Click here to read about holistic ways to help fight the flu season.

What's on sale?.

Dog Treats

The Treat Worthy of a 10-Tail-wag Salute!

If you haven’t yet tried the new and improved Antioxidant Health Bars - Oatmeal & Apple Recipe, your precious pup is missing out on a seriously nutritious and noshable reward.

Packed with ingredients handpicked by Dr. Jane, HealthyPetNet’s Antioxidant Health Bars have always been a fantastic way to nutritiously reward our lovable four-footers. But now, there’s even more reason to celebrate this formula for better health. In the new Oatmeal & Apple Recipe formula, our good doctor added hefty helpings of vitamin E, C and beta-carotene for a serious jolt of antioxidants to help support and maintain their immune systems.

Dogs find this new recipe utterly irresistible. These delicious snacks have the tempting taste of apples, peanut butter and honey – flavors that come from those actual ingredients, not from artificial chemicals.

Just like the previous formulation, the new Antioxidant Health Bars feature a whole host of wholesome ingredients, including oatmeal, brown rice, ground flaxseed, rolled oats, dried whole eggs, cranberries and carrots, all of which help to round out this satisfying and healthy treat for a sublime taste sensation. You might even find yourself tempted to take a bite yourself! Click here for more information.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Old Dogs

By: Sandy Weaver Carman

Old age isn't a disease. If you notice changes in your dog, have them checked out by your veterinarian. Often disease processes present very subtle symptoms, so it's important to pay attention to any and all changes you may notice. Most diseases can be successfully treated if caught early, even in an older dog.

If your dog is overweight, do you both a favor and take some weight off. Research has shown that a dog that's a little bit on the skinny side will live two years longer and will have less problems with arthritis.

Humans are very bad at recognizing pain in dogs. The two best ways to tell if your dog is in pain are by elevated respiration rate and elevated heart rate. The only way to know if they're elevated is to know what "normal" is for your dog, so get in the habit of checking both on a regular basis. If you don't know how, your vet can teach you.

Massage is a stress-reliever for you both, and is a great pain-reliever, too. Learn how to administer a good canine massage or enlist the services of a massage therapist who specializes in dogs. Your vet can give you names and contact information.

Think about what would be most comfortable for you and your dog when the time comes to say goodbye. Dogs rarely go to sleep and never wake up - it's usually up to us to make the decision that the end of life has come. Decide whether you want to take your dog in to the vet, or whether you want the vet to come to your home for the euthanasia. Decide if you want to bury your dog in the yard (check to be sure that's legal in your county) or if you would rather enlist the services of a pet cemetary or crematorium. Knowing all of this well ahead of time will make it easier for you to focus on your dog when the time comes. Read the entire article.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.

Shock Collars

Steve Dale
Vets on Behavior Proclaim, Never Use Shock Collar
How to Choose A Dog Trainer

Orlando, FL. Never, under any circumstances, choose a dog trainer who uses an electronic collar (shock collar). "You wouldn't send your kid off to a school where they use shock," says veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall. "So, why would you send your dog there?"

After falling out of favor, the electronic collars are making a comeback. "We're so concerned about keeping sharp knives or anything that may be poisonous away from our pets because we love them so much; yet, it's acceptable to give our best friends a jolt," says Dr. Kersti Seksel, who is a board certified veterinary behaviorist in both Australia and in the United States. "It's appalling!"

Overall and Seksel led a group of 23 veterinarians participating in the North American Veterinary Conference Post Graduate Institute in Advanced Clinical Behavioral Medicine, May 23 through 29, in Orlando, FL. In addition to providing accelerated advanced education, the Institute offered a rare opportunity to set a standard for the profession. The attending vets in the behavioral medicine group (including a vet from Spain, three vets from Australia, and three from Canada) created a document with a list of recommendations for choosing a dog trainer.
Read the entire article.

Visit Bandit's Buddies Now.
What's on sale?.