Errr…. OK.

If you look up the word “Holistic” in the Dictionary, you will find the word “holiness” which is essentially, connected with religion.

But if you look up the world “Holistic” in an English Medical Dictionary, you will find that holistic is “natural, traditional healing, organic, non-chemical” and the likes.

How can a product be holistic?

Food items like grains, meat, vegetables, even preservatives, can be considered holistic if throughout their manufacturing process they only used organic or natural means. This means, no pesticide, hormone boosters or any chemicals were used during the growing, cooking, preparing of the food.

Dog food manufacturers who claim that their products are holistic will use organic products. If they use preservatives, it will be something natural such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Organic food contains more nutrients than food produced through non-organic means, which is why I am always writing about the importance of eating organics, both for you and for your dog.

Those of you who have read my previous posts will know I’m a sucker for Castor & Pollux. My dogs both love them, my cat is crazy for it, and it’s organic! Downside: hefty price tag. You can find various organic dog food products here.

Remember, at the end of the day, we can’t put a price tag on our health

Many people still feed bones to their dogs, mainly chicken or cow bones. When I had my first dog, I did the mistake of doing so too.

But did you know that bones can kill a dog?

When my Uncle told me this, my answer was quite skeptical: “But I’ve fed him so many times and nothing ever happened.” He then went to explain: Bones are not poisonous, hence will not kill your dog instantaneously. When dogs chew bones, these bones will be crushed into small little pieces. Most of these broken pieces have sharp edges. If your dog is unlucky, these needle-like pieces of bones could penetrate his gums, throat, even his intestine.”

… From then on, I did my research, and found many things.

The risk of your dog dying from bone shards doubles if he has been given a lifetime diet of just instant dog food. This means he is used to soft food and his digestion system is not equipped to digest anything hard. For example, stray dogs who are used to scavenge garbages for leftover bones have better digestive system. But that is not to say they would be exempted from death by choking on bones.

Dogs feeding on bones might also have problems doing number 2, because their poo would be extremely hard. A dog’s digestive system will never be able to digest bone better than meat.

So, we can’t feed them bones?

Dogs still need bones to help clean their teeth, release stress and strengthen their jaw muscle, but you have to select which bone would be harmless to your dog:

• Adjust the bone to the size of your dog’s mouth. Too big, he’ll have one hell of a time chewing. Too small, he won’t ever bother chewing and he’ll just swallow it whole.

• The safest thing to give your dog would be rawhide, which is basically bone-shaped things made out of cow skin, or processed animal bones. When these are crushed, they won’t form sharp edges. You can get this anywhere, even in your neighborhood pet shop. I’d recommend getting some ham bone from Merrick. They’re delish!

• If you want to feed your dog some chicken bone, choose the neck bone because they’re the softest one.

• When giving bones to more than one dog, you should separate your dogs so that they don’t fight over it. Koda chews faster than Bubble, and whenever he’s done with his treat, he would try to steal Bubble’s.

Hope this helps!

Siberian Husky is not for everyone

But they are beautiful, affectionate, smart and friendly. They will force their way into your life (Koda does) and will always be brimming with energy.

Obedience – NON EXISTENT

Do not expect your Husky to follow your instruction. One of their charms is actually their free way of thinking and doing whatever they want. You can get your Husky to obey you if you train him vigorously. A Husky is always thinking, so make sure that the training you are giving them is a fun one. Stop if your dog looks bored. Koda is almost 4 now, and he doesn’t obey me unless he sees the presence of treats.

If you own a Husky, then you should be very familiar with this trait of theirs. As mentioned in other posts, I am not very much into putting my dogs on leashes (which works just fine with Bubble who is a Golden Retriever), so I’ve had my fair share of Koda running away whenever our house’s front gate is opened. Huskies have curious minds, and mine for sure knows no fear. Koda doesn’t understand that I get freaked out whenever he runs near a car or a motorbike. Huskies love to run, and although Koda does follow me when I’m on a bicycle, but if the gate is opened and he sees that I have no intention to take him out for a run, run alone he will. Thus, I believe that a Husky:

1. Cannot be trusted without a leash.

2. Cannot be trusted without a leash.

3. CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITHOUT A LEASH.

Yes, I put him on a leash now. I busted my knee attempting to learn grasshopper kungfu (no joke), and so I’m not in the mood of running after my dog.

Huskies are stubborn. They were initially bred to run 100 miles and pull carts. If you lose sight of your Husky, call for help. Koda kills frogs and rats he finds on the street. Fortunately no neighbors’ cats have fallen into his list of prey so far.

Lastly, I would like to end with a quote from Rose Wier, having a Husky is “like having a two-year-old around for an extended time. Vigilance, vigilance…”

Easy: Ingredients.

Let me break it down for you:

1. Grocery Quality

Dog food of grocery quality will definitely have no “Grocery Quality” written anywhere on their packaging. Grocery Quality refers to dog food brands you can easily find in any grocery store. Their main ingredients are usually rice, cereal, corn and soy beans. For protein, they mostly use egg, bone powder, animal blood and animal by-products such as liver, intestines, etc. Majority of grocery quality dog food still contain chemical preservatives and flavor enhancers.

2. Premium Quality

Dog food of this quality use much better main ingredients such as real animal meat (beef, chicken, ducks, fowls), including fish, egg and the likes. Animal by-products are still used. For carbohydrates, they still use corn, soy beans and rice. Most Premium Quality dog food have abandoned the use of chemical flavor enhancers. Instead they use natural flavor enhancers obtained from dried cheese or egg powder. Premium Quality dog food would also contain proper nutrition for a dog, so that you don’t need to purchase any additional supplements. For preservatives, usually animal fat, vitamin C and vitamin E are used.

3. Super Premium Quality

Ingredients used for Super Premium Quality dog food are usually the same as the ones humans would consume. For example, for chicken, they would only use chicken breast to cut down the amount of fat. Other animal by-products such as bones, blood, skin, etc are not used anymore. Other ingredients that could induce allergies such as corn and soy beans are also omitted. Instead, they include white rice, brown rice and oat meal as their source of carbohydrate. Super good ones use only holistic or organic ingredients, which means your pet’s food is completely free from any hormones or pesticide. Some use only fresh never-been-frozen meat to maintain its taste and nutrition level. Some Super Premium Quality dog food have completely omitted the use of any preservatives (whether natural or not). Instead, they manufacture high quality packaging, such as aluminum foil, to ensure the quality and freshness of the food. If they do use preservatives, they are always natural such as Rosemary Extract, animal fat, vitamin C and vitamin E. Old time readers should know by now how much I love natural products. If you have extra bucks, always try to opt for Super Premium Quality dog food. If you don’t know where to get them in your neighbourhood, you can easily get them online at Only Natural Pet Store. They have awesome products from where I get my supplies of Castor & Pollux Organix!

Damn it! Now I want a man!

Research have shown that having a dog as a loyal companion could improve the life of older people (although perhaps not in my grandparents’ case, as they dislike my cousin’s noisy Beagles). Two things to look at when choosing a breed for seniors: size and temperament. Smaller dogs require less care, hence demand less energy. Below are some ideal breed for seniors:

Schnauzer – This breed really enjoys being around people. They crave for human’s love. They come in two sizes: mini and standard. Both have adorable characteristics. Schnauzers are people pleaser, and they grow very protective of their owner’s family. They don’t require intensive exercise, a daily walk or run would suffice. A frequent grooming would also be required.

Pug – A popular choice for its size. They are known as a small breed with big heart. Although they demand a lot of love and attention, but what they receive, they will give back in return. Pugs are suitable for individuals who have a lot of time to kill. However. they’re not always full of energy. Sometimes they just want to lay down somewhere warm and relax.

Cocker Spaniel – A very popular breed amongst dog lovers. They are naturally friendly and gentle. Cocker Spaniels are loyal and patient, and they can be easily trained without much effort. They don’t require much exercise, a daily walk is enough for them. Their hair are curly and long, so they should be regularly groomed.

Chihuahua - They could be one of the tiny breeds, but boy, can they bark! They tend to be loyal to one person, instead of the whole family. For those living alone, Chihuahuas are good indicator if a visitor is approaching. My other grandma (the one that doesn’t hate Beagles) has 5 Chihuahuas in her house. Whenever I visit her, I can hear an orchestra! Despite its size, this dog is very protective of its owner. Chihuahuas rarely weigh more than 3 kg and they are about 6-9 inches.

Shih Tzu – This dog was born to be human’s bestfriend. They are extremely friendly and gentle in nature. Shih Tzu is also very alert with their surroundings.

Yorkshire Terrier –One of the best breed to enter championships. A Yorkshire Terrier appreciates silent moments with its owner. But don’t let this fool you! They have quite a lot of energy inside!

Scottish Terrier – Obviously from Scotland They are loyal to their family. Not as mini as the others, they could grow up to 20 kg. Smart dogs who can protect its owner.

Toy Poodle – A very playful breed. They prefer to be amongst human than amongst their fellow canine. Poodles love attention and they especially adore being treated like royalties. If you are searching for a dog with whom you can play with, this is your breed!

Pomeranian – Originally from Pomenaria, Germany. Pomeranians look like little fuzzy bears. They are happy jolly dogs and could become anyone’s great companions.

Boston Terrier – Considered as American breed. Although small, they’re innately very protective of their masters. This breed is preferred by parents as they are friendly and great with children.

Good luck with your new puppy!

1. Finish all the dry food within 6 weeks of opening. The “Use By” date only applies to unopened package. During these 6 weeks, the nutrition level contained in dog dry food will gradually deplete compared to when you open the package for the first time. I find it helpful to write down the date of opening. Use a marker and write it directly on the packaging.

2. Always keep dry food inside its original packaging. Put the content and packaging inside a sealed container. There are two reasons to this:

• Premium dog food brands use quality packaging, including those made out of petroleum. This type of packaging helps protect the content from oxygen and dew.
• Dog food original packaging has barcode, batch code and expiry date. All these are used to identify the batch your dog food is coming from. If you sense something wrong with your dog’s food, or if your dog’s health has been somewhat affected, the manufacturer can trace it.

3. Keep your dog food somewhere dry and cool. Do not keep it inside a cupboard because the inside of a cupboard is usually humid. It should ideally be kept under 70°F or 21°C, with humidity under 15%. It’s better if you keep it in an AC room as the temperature there would be more stable. A constant change in temperature could result in dew.

4. Be careful if you keep your dry dog food inside your fridge. Change in temperature occurs when you take the packaging out of the fridge, and this, again, could result in dew. Your dog food could get moist.

5. Wash your dog food container often. Old rotten dog food could easily contaminate the new batch.

6. If you’re using a dog food dispenser, don’t add new food on top of the old one. To avoid contamination, let your dog finishes his old batch, then wash the dispenser before you put in the new batch.

What you should not do:

1. Avoid buying dog food containing preservatives.

Although stuff containing preservatives last longer than others, but they contain chemicals that could be harmful if consumed on a long-term. I confess to eating Doritos like once every year, but I never, ever, not even once, fed my dogs or cat with non-organic food. I get them Castor&Pollux, the same brand I get their  wet food from. Chicken and brown rice, yum!

2. The obvious: Don’t feed your dog anything that smells suspicious.

3. Never buy your dog food from an opened packaging. There are dodgy places that offer dog food in smaller quantity, but this means you have no idea when the package was opened and what the content has been exposed to!

4. Avoid buying in bulk.
I know it’s cheaper sometimes, but if you do, check out the expiry date. Unopened dry dog food could last from 4 months to 3 years (depending on manufacturer, brand, formula, preservatives, etc).

5. Keep your dog food away from fleas.
Fleas can appear in dry dog food that contains wheat.

Hope this helps!

1. Remove the content of your opened can into a tupperware (or any other container that can keep the air out). Use within a maximum of 3 days.

2. It is safe to freeze wet dog food.

Momo-Chan's Eyes

I think I’m in love with Canon.

Swimming is also the ideal sport to burn fat, as well as to strengthen your (and your dogs’) heart and lungs. When a dog swims, his chest contraction is affected by water pressure and he is forced to utilize his lungs and breathe with more intensity. This will in turn strengthen the diaphragm.

Swimming is also used for hydrotherapy, which is frequently used to treat both dogs and humans who are suffering from leg or muscle injury. Especially those with a broken foot. Those who have just healed from a broken bone, but have not walked in a long time would need to through hydrotherapy to facilitate better recovery. Hydrotherapy is also recommended for dogs who are suffering from Hip Dysplasia (HD).

If your dog has never swam before, then try introducing swimming gradually. You could start by immersing him in the shallower part of the pool for 2 minutes per day for a week, then gradually adding the length of time. Never push your dog into the pool or force him to swim on his own. The amount of energy dogs use up in swimming is tremendous, so don’t overdo it. I’m blessed with a Golden Retriever and Bubble swims like a fish in the sea