Monday, May 21, 2012

Briscoe the Bullmastiff


There's a new addition at Happy Healthy Pup! Most of you know that I have had Neos for about 14yrs now, I LOVE Neos...but I was open to whatever the universe brought me this time around. And, it so happens that he came in the form of a teeny-tiny Bullmastiff. 

Briscoe the Bullmastiff is 15mos old, pretty under-socialized and all around an anxious kinda guy. He's going to be making the transition to Happy, Healthy, Holistic Pup & if you'd like to follow his progress be sure to follow his blog, or join him on Facebook

Here's to your own Happy Healthy Pup! 

Anna Bettina

Monday, May 7, 2012

How to go Holistic for National Pet Week!

It's National Pet Week! That's right, pet's all across the US get a whole week to be celebrated, and they should! After all, they bring us joy every day of the year, right? So, what better way to celebrate National Pet Week than by going holistic, even if it's just for a week! We've compiled a list of eight things that you can do to become a more holistic pet parent!


- Shop Local. We all know that shopping local helps to support your own neighborhood and can really boost your local economy, but there's one other bonus to shopping local...your dog gets to go too. Dogs look forward to outings and what's more fun than shopping at a dog store! By shopping local, you help to keep pet-friendly businesses in your own neighborhood and in turn, ensure you always have a fun place to go with your dog. So, load them up and take them with next time. And don't forget to spend a few extra minutes letting them look around and stick their nose in everything, that's the fun part after all!


- Buy Organic. Whenever possible, buy the organic toys. Our dogs come into contact with so many more toxins than we do (mostly because of their proximity to the ground and licking paws). There has been a vast number of scares about toxins in toys, these should be fun and safe for your dog! 


- Say Bye, Bye Bugs. Flea & Tick season is ramping up, which means it's time for topicals. This year, try things a little differently...use a holistic or all-natural topical/spray instead of chemicals. Many of these are made with essential oils and not only work, but smell wonderful while doing so! There are loads and loads of effective options out there, and all of them are much safer than applying chemicals directly to your dog's skin. 


- The Raw deal. What we feed our dogs is by far the most important decision we ever make for them. Food effects health, behavior, well-being, and more. So, make the decision this week to move towards a species appropriate diet. Ask your local pet store owner about what types of raw food they carry and bring some home to try. Your dog will be elated...and when that doggy odor, bad breath and big stools all disappear, you will be too!


- De-toxify your Life. Remember how we said that your dog comes into contact with many more toxins than you? Many of these come from our own homes! Toss the chemicals and say hello to green cleaning!  Vinegar is a fabulous all-purpose cleaner and the acetic acid in vinegar kills viruses, germs, bacteria and mold. Add some fresh lemon juice or essential oils (like lavender or tea tree) to help boost cleaning power and add fragrance. Not ready to make your own, check the green cleaning section of your favorite store to see all the options available without harsh chemicals. 

- Walk along together. Many dogs pull on the leash, the world is an exciting place and they want to get there..now. If you have a puller, get the pressure off of their neck. The neck is the gateway to the rest of the body and not only can pulling mis-align your dogs spine, it can interrupt energy flow, put pressure of important blood vessels, nerves, and damage the trachea. You already know that we never condone the use of painful "training" collars...one prominent veterinarian even believes that prong, choke and shock collars can lead to cancer**. So, pick up a harness next time you're out with your dog. If they tend to pull check out the Sense-ation Harness or the Freedom Harness. 

Spend some quiet time. Our lives are often very hectic, and for those of us who do take quiet time, we tend to do so without our dogs. Include them this week! Sit on the floor with your dog and take deep, slow breaths. Watch how your dog calms and starts to take deep breaths as well. Breathing this way will lower both your resting heart rates which has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety! You can even add a couple drops of a lavender massage lotion to your dog's fur before the session. Such a simple way to promote wellness and spend a few extra minutes with your pup.

Add some feel good. If there's one supplement I think every dog should be on, it's fish oil. The naturally occurring Omega Fatty acids in Fish Oil have many benefits: softer coat, healthier skin, clearer eyes, improved brain function, better digestion, and the list goes on. But my favorite benefit of fish oil is the fact that it promotes a feeling of well-being for your dog. Who doesn't want a little feel good dose every day?

While we know you may not be able to do all of these things this week, we hope this gives you some ideas on things you can change in your life to have a happy, healthy, holistic pup!


- Anna Bettina


** Dr. Peter Dobias is a Holistic Veterinarian who promotes the use of humane training tools  , his article on choke, prong, and shock collars can be read here





Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Off-Leash Angst




It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining and birds are singing. You’re out for a walk with your favorite friend…but out of nowhere, an off-leash dog approaches you and rather quickly. All of a sudden you have that sinking feeling in your stomach…is he friendly? Where is his owner? What do I do??

There are few things that are more frustrating than being approached on a walk by an off-leash dog...for you and for your dog. Allowing your dog to be approached and greeted by an off-leash dog is not only an inappropriate dog-dog greeting, but can be extremely stressful for the leashed dog. So, what do you do?

I recommend that you try to keep the off-leash dog from coming near you or your on-leash dog. Here are some things, in my experience, that both work and don’t work:
- The No, No, Bad Dog. Move your leashed dog behind your body and stand tall in front them, put a hand out towards the oncoming dog and firmly yell, “NO!” or “STOP!” Most dogs have heard these words before and have a context for them. Ensuring that you stand tall in front of your dog and yell firmly might even startle the dog and he’ll choose to go another direction or retreat to his owner. This is the method we use most often, and with great results.

- The Hissing Human. When intimidation doesn’t work. I recommend a small can of spray air (i.e. the Pet Corrector) that you can point at the oncoming dog... Use short, fast blasts of air to startle the on-coming dog; some experts even believe the hissing noise from the spray air is a natural deterrent. I equip all my handlers of reactive dogs with this tool I find it so successful.

- What about pepper spray? Some people will recommend the use of pepper spray or other spray deterrents. I find these a bit dangerous. It is very easy to accidentally spray these the wrong direction (also, you can’t control the wind), or even spray the on-coming dog in such a manner that the dog suffers and could even make you legally responsible for veterinary damages. If you feel that a spray deterrent is a good option, keep a small squirt gun (which shoots a stream) and fill it mostly with water and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice. That should be enough of a deterrent to an on-coming dog without actually causing any significant harm. 

- Tossing your cookies? Some people also recommend that you throw a handful of treats towards the dog and quickly head the other way while the dog searches for them. I know people who have used this method successfully. But, personally, I would be concerned that the dog would come looking for you after all the treats are found and/or remember you if they come across you in the future and approach again in hope of goodies.

Whatever you try, I hope it works well for you and your dog. Here’s to safe, happy walkies in your future, whether you encounter an off-leash dog or not!

- Anna Bettina
  HappyHealthyPup.com