Dog By Dog: Puppy Mills and The Blackfish Effect

With Christopher E. Grimes, the director of Dog by Dog at the Mayan Theater in Denver, CO 

On Thursday night I attended the premiere of Dog by Dog, a documentary that seeks to reach the general public with information about the reality of puppy mills and the politics and pocketbooks that continue to support them. It was incredibly uplifting to see the support the documentary received in the local animal welfare community. Hosted by Colorado Citizens for Canine Welfare and attended by famous football players and state representatives, the turnout in my favorite historic theater in Denver warmed this advocate's heart.

While it had extremely emotional moments (and in fact I saw most men in the theater wiping their eyes at the end), this is not a film filled with graphic footage of abuse. The shots of the empty cages and the tough guy cradling a filthy rescued puppy against his chest are enough. The real impact of the documentary lies in its informed interviews and shocking statistics, as well as exposure of the ways in which corporate agribusiness and the AKC fight against legislation meant to improve conditions for commercially bred dogs. The film was well-researched and effectively delivered, including interviews with rescue volunteers, politicians and heads of animal welfare organizations.

I already knew much of the information presented, but what I was most surprised by was the widespread lack of knowledge. One of the women interviewed sincerely believed that the puppy she bought online was coming from a loving family home where the dogs were frolicking in fields of flowers. This could not be further from the truth - internet retailers with payment plans and immediate shipment are more than likely puppy mills. According to the film, between two and four million puppies are born in puppy mills every year, to parents who will never know grass beneath their paws, a kind hand on their head or even shelter from the elements.

For my own reasons, I will probably always adopt from rescue. I love potcakes and podencos, and don't have any purpose for my dogs outside of companionship; however, I understand the purpose-bred dog and the love of purebreds, and the movie does, too - it does not vilify all breeders. During the panel discussion after the film, one of the audience members asked why the director and filmmakers didn't take a stand against all dog breeding and the answer was that this was simply not realistic, too polarizing, and essentially shooting themselves in the foot when rescue groups and reputable breeders can and should be a united front against large, profit-driven commercial puppy mills.

The most inspiring part of Dog by Dog - much needed after the discouraging illustration of just how deeply embedded the politics and bureaucracy surrounding legislation of puppy mills are - was the story of Mindi Callison Long, founder of Bailing Out Benji. Since 2011, Mindi has been educating and organizing peaceful pet store protests in her hometown, rain or shine. For a while now I have been considering joining a local protest group, and I think this was exactly the push I needed to get my hands on a sign and my feet on the pavement. If any one of us can get just one person to turn around at the door of a pet store and head to their local shelter instead, or to sign up on the waiting list of a reputable breeder instead of clicking "Buy Now" on that cute picture at the commercial breeder website, then we are making a difference, person by person, dog by dog.

The goal of this documentary is to reach beyond those of us who already know about the horrors of puppy mills. The Mayan Theater was filled with people who were already deeply aware and passionately supportive of this cause. While in this early stage of screenings around the country, the ultimate hope is for Dog by Dog to have the same powerful impression as Blackfish did, for the general public's eyes to be opened to the injustice of keeping loving, intelligent dogs in wire cages for their entire lives, churning out puppies to be sold behind facades of storefronts and webpages, dressed in ribbons and lies. If one by one, our family members and co-workers - potential puppy-buyers whose lives don't revolve around dogs as ours do - abandon pet stores and wholesaler websites the way families and sponsors and stockholders have been abandoning Sea World, then we will see the world start to change the way it should. Please spread the word about this important film - follow Dog By Dog on Facebook, share the trailer, and watch for it in a theater near you.

Best Ginger Sisters Forever

I asked Ruby to sit next to Boca for a picture and this happened.

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Frozen Pumpkin Treats with Goat Milk and Turmeric

I decided to make The Ginger Sisters some frozen treats this weekend, and I wanted them to be healthy. I chose a base of pumpkin and goat milk - two things I almost always have on hand - and wanted to add one more beneficial ingredient. I have read about the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying qualities of turmeric and happened to have a jar of it, so I was ready to whip up my creation!

I already know that Ruby and Boca like goat milk - we've used both the dehydrated powder from The Honest Kitchen, and more recently tried the raw goat milk with honey and cinnamon from Answers Pet Food. When using canned pumpkin, always make sure it is 100% pumpkin with no additives or spices. There are several things to know about turmeric. First, it acts as a blood thinner, so you should not give it to a dog leading up to a surgery or on any medications with blood thinning properties. Second, there are various schools of thought on increasing its potency which are addressed in recipes for golden paste. I did not make the paste for these treats, but I did add a small amount of black pepper, which is said to aid its absorption.

Knowing that when I use my Freezy Pups tray to make 14 bone-shaped treats, I need approximately one cup of liquid, I formulated the following recipe accordingly. I also wanted each treat to contain no more than the recommended dosage of turmeric for each dog (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight per day) and erred on the conservative side so please adjust accordingly if you make a different number of treats.

 

I used my immersion blender to combine the ingredients in a measuring cup. Being familiar with the bright yellow stain that turmeric can leave, I coated my ice-bone tray with coconut oil - another healthy addition - and it did work to repel the staining for the most part. I let the tray sit out on the counter for a few minutes before removing the frozen treats. I have heard that silicon mold trays also work well.

Ruby and Boca were more than ready to taste their home-made healthy treats. Ruby is happy with plain old ice cubes and comes running if she hears one fall on the floor, so take their review with a grain of salt, but both dogs enjoyed the frozen creations, finishing them just as quickly as their other "pupsicles" that I've made. Since we're going through this summer without air conditioning, I like to have refreshing treats on hand for my sweet girls. This is something I will probably make regularly! 

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or pet nutritionist, I'm simply sharing things I've picked up along the path of determining what works for my dogs. Please do your own research before adding supplements to your dog's diet. 

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Five Things I Learned at Ruby's Annual Wellness Check

Ruby did great at her annual wellness check last week. We were able to snag the last appointment of the day and so there were no other dogs coming or going from the office. She took her first ride in her new travel crate and was fairly calm upon arrival instead of all fired up from seeing dogs, cyclists and pedestrians from the car window on the way over. She met the new office cat, Whisper, and greeted her with interest but politely. Whisper even tried to help me hold Ruby's leash while I paid the bill. Here are some results of Little Sister's most recent check-up:

Ruby weighs 18.2 pounds.

It is very important to me to keep my dogs at ideal weights. I was happy to see that Ruby received a body condition score of 5/9, which is perfect...not to brag or anything. People that haven't met Ruby in person are surprised by how small she is - I guess it's true that the camera adds ten pounds! She and Boca often end up looking the same size in pictures, even though Boca is almost twice as big. Ruby is the smallest dog I've ever had but I really love being able to pick her up easily, and she's cute and cuddly without being teeny-tiny.

Ruby does better without me in the room. 

When I lifted Ruby up onto the exam table, she began to struggle and tried to climb up my neck. It was obvious that this wasn't going to work. The vet took her to the back for her parvo shot, heartworm test and physical exam and said she did great. My friend (a mother) said Ruby is like the toddler who throws a fit at daycare until its mother is out of sight. There's that pesky dog/kid comparison again...

The vet described Ruby's temperament as "friendly and outgoing but nervous." 

Ruby is too smart for her own good. When the vet tried to lure her over with treats, Ruby wanted the treats but knew it was a trap. Once her exam was over she was happy and effervescent, even showing off some of her tricks to the vet. I'm glad that even though she is nervous, she recovers quickly, and that even when she is scared she doesn't growl or snap.

Ruby has a tooth that I need to keep an eye on. 

When I pointed out the tooth I wanted the vet to take a look at, she said "I've never seen anything like that..." Leave it to me to have another medical mystery! One of Ruby's big back teeth has a horizontal band running through the middle where the enamel has worn away. It's been this way since I adopted her, noted as something to be addressed in the future on her post-adoption exam. My vet wasn't overly concerned, and since all the rest of her teeth look great it didn't make sense to anesthetize her for x-rays. It's something to watch, and she may need to have it pulled down the road. 

Ruby's microchip scanned correctly.

I was pleasantly surprised when the vet asked if Ruby was micro-chipped and if she could scan her. With all the stories of pets lost around the 4th of July and reunions with owners after being missing for years, this is something that I think should be part of every vet visit, to make sure the chip is functioning properly and the information is up to date. 

After all of the vet visits for Boca's eye this year, it was nice to have one that was straightforward and stress-free, especially with a reactive dog. I was really proud of Ruby's behavior at the vet's office and she definitely deserved the extra treats they gave her. As much as I love my vet, I hope we won't see them again until next summer!

Top 5 Dog Pictures

Dog for kids.

Cute dogs pictures of 2015, see the latest beautiful funny dog pictures for kids of different types of dogs. We have discovered many dogs pics and cats pics for share with you, please follow us to get updates about dogs pictures including German Shepherd, Chihuahua dogs, Bengal dogs, ugly dogs pic, rescue dogs etc. In the first pic of this post, we described how much beautiful a dog with kids. This picture will hit the social network as well as Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and on more. We also discovered woman bed room for dogs picture, however got a funny dog pics that showed us woman in bed with dog ! Love to that woman for sleeping with dog. Here you see other dogs pics, the Hybrid dog, devil dog and Siberian Husky dog pics too.

Woman with dog in her bed.

Siberian Husky dog.

Dangerous Dog.

Hybrid dog.

Five Things I've Learned About Oil Supplements For Dogs

I've been giving The Ginger Sisters a rotation of supplemental oils for quite a while now. They get coconut oil with their breakfast and camelina oil or fish oil with their dinner. Only recently did I delve into researching the different oils more thoroughly, and I learned some surprising things...

Coconut oil is really versatile.
I found out that Ruby loves the taste of coconut oil, so it has helped with her picky eating as well as having other benefits. I've even used it topically for minor skin irritation/dry paw pads with good results, and I love the fact that it's safe if they lick it off. It's also great if you cook for your dog - I like to scramble eggs with coconut oil as a special treat on birthdays and gotcha days.

Coconut oil and fish oil are not interchangeable!
If you are feeding supplemental oil mainly for skin and coat benefits, either one is a good bet; however, it's important to know that coconut oil is a saturated fat containing medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are known to have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties. Coconut oil may also benefit the thyroid and digestive system and help to maintain a healthy weight. Coconut oil does not contain the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in fish oil.

Omega-3 oils found in fish oil are probably the most important.
Most experts agree that if you are going to give your dog any one supplement, it should be fish oil or krill oil. Omega-3 fatty acids have many proven benefits but are also very delicate and don't usually hold up when added to dog food or treats. I have read that animal sources are more available than plant sources to dogs, so I am switching The Ginger Sisters to sardine oil as soon as we finish our current bottle of camelina oil.

If you feed fish oil, you may need to supplement with vitamin E. 
Did you know that the omega oils found in fish oil deplete vitamin E reserves and can create a deficiency? I didn't either, and I kind of freaked out when I learned about it. We hear all the good things about fish oil and think we're doing the right thing by feeding it willy-nilly. Most dogs fed a commercial diet are getting added vitamin E already, but to be on the safe side, I give my dogs extra vitamin E along with their fish oil. This article explains why it's important and dosage guidelines.

Camelina oil can be an alternative to fish oil.
Although there is less information available about camelina oil and animal sources are probably best, like fish oil and unlike coconut oil, camelina oil does contain valuable omega-3 fatty acids. If your dog has a sensitivity to fish oil or simply won't eat it, camelina oil might be the answer. My dogs love it - it has an unusual, herbal smell. The brand I buy also contains vitamin E, though not as much as recommended above.

I hope this helped to clarify a few things about oil supplements for dogs. There is so much to learn about nutrition and feeding our dogs the very best. I am an information-seeker by nature and feel much better about the choices I make for The Ginger Sisters when I have it all in front of me. What about you? Do you give any oil supplements to your dogs? 

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or pet nutritionist, I'm simply sharing things I've picked up along the path of determining what works for my dogs. Please do your own research before adding supplements to your dog's diet. 

India starts dog killing mission

Dog killing.

South Asian country India has started kill the thousands of dog country wide. After thousands of dog slain in China, India becomes another killer of dogs, shocking news for animal lovers. When we talking about what kind of dog should I get? Then we are seeing shocking thing is happening with dogs in Kerala, India. Actually there are no rights for animals, such as dogs. Not only this time, Indian state Kerala long history dogs slain program, they are at least 500,000 dog every year.

Dog killing.

Why I'm a Bad Dog Trainer

What are you waiting for? Let me show you all the stuff I know!

This month for the Positive Pet Training Week Blog Hop we are talking about training failures and mistakes. I am fairly new to dog training, with most of my animal training experience relating to horses. There are more parallels than not, to be honest, especially when dealing with fearful dogs who act more like spooky prey animals than fierce predators; however, I think that I expect more from horses than from dogs, leading me to my biggest failure as a dog trainer. 

I am a fairly passive person. This translates in dog training to low expectations, permissiveness, leaning more heavily on management, and a little garden variety laziness. That's a laundry list of mistakes, but I think it all comes down to not doing as much as I could, and one thing I love about this hop is that it keeps me accountable, keeps me reflecting on the potential of positive training on a regular basis. It's easy once you've gotten the worst kinks worked out to settle into a comfortable routine - even with a reactive dog like Ruby - and especially with an easy dog like Boca or Pamela's Honey. Fear of failure and the accompanying frustration can hold us back from trying new things or tackling big challenges.

I told a friend recently that I have such a reverential view of my animals that I tend to make accommodations for them more often than not. My horse is not trained to tie because of a few scary and dangerous incidents that left us both shaken, and I ultimately decided we would work around it rather than risk serious injury to one or both of us. Is it inconvenient sometimes? Most definitely. I've made a lot of compromises for Ruby's reactivity as well. She is a brilliant, intense and sensitive dog. An experienced professional trainer could probably work wonders with her, but as my first high-energy and extremely reactive dog, we're learning together and the mistakes are always mine. What I need to remember is that even though I've chosen acceptance, I should never admit defeat. Every day is a training opportunity. Ruby is the most intelligent dog I've ever been lucky enough to know, and I don't want to limit her potential by setting the bar too low. 

Sometimes I tend to forget to actually utilize things I've taught her in practical settings. For example: we've spent a great deal of time on mat work and the Relaxation Protocol. Ruby has a pretty solid grasp of this training concept, but I've failed to extend it to real life. When we get ready to go for a walk, she and Boca get wonderfully wound up, start wrestling, stealing my shoes, and jumping up on my legs. Being part Jack Russell terrier, Ruby might as well be on springs and their antics can seriously slow down the act of getting out the door. One day I had a lightbulb moment: what happens if I direct Ruby to "go to her mat" (the mat in this case being Boca's bed in the dining room)? What happened was that she immediately settled on the dog bed, allowing me to lace up my walking shoes in peace. This is what happens when the dog does a better job of generalizing than the human. By raising my expectations (Ruby can in fact wait quietly even though she is super excited to do one of her most favorite things), I set us both up for success. 

The takeaway for this week's theme for me is to be more pro-active and make use of what my dogs already know. Ruby's trick repertoire and mat work foundation have practical application beyond entertainment. Boca's food motivation can cause her to be unruly, but it's also a guaranteed reinforcement system that I probably don't take advantage of often enough. I need to remain open to possibility and the fact that either of my dogs can surprise me with a new approach or a novel use for a behavior. I'm hoping to raise my expectations for both of my dogs in order to see what we can accomplish together, just in time for next month's theme of training successes and strengths!

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. The hop happens on the first Monday of every month, and is open for a full week - please join us in spreading the word about the rewards of positive training! 

Best Cat Pictures of all times

cat playing with kids, amazing cat picture.

Cat Game.

Cat is one of the best pet to play ultimate cat game, no matter how old is cat owner, it can be little kids or beautiful girls. After dog, cat is the widely popular pet in the world. For its popularity, many insurance company in the world covers cat insurance as their major pet Insurance services. However, for kids entertainment, cat is the very safe pet for them. There are no risk as dog bites, have fun.

Tiger cat.

Cat.

Two faces Cat.

Wild cat.

Black cat.

What kind of dog should I get?

Best dog reviews for dog buyers.

Dog for kids.

What kind of dog should you get? it's depend on your need. If you going to buy a dog for kid, then need to buy a suitable dog or puppy, as your kids need. But it's very important to make sure about dog foods, what kind of dog foods best for your desired dog or puppy, it can be orijen dog food or else other innova dog food. But remember, a single dog can't fulfill all of your needs, such as dog for home security, dog for girls, dog for adult etc. Sometimes a single dog can make your dreams real if you get right dog for all of your family. There are many kind of dog in dogs market for sell as well as German Shepherd dog, Chihuahua dog, Bull dog, Siberian Husky dog, Beagle dog, Canine dog etc. Now you can see top 10 most popular dog pictures here to choose best perfect dog for family and others need.

Clone dog.

Bull Dog for security.

Smile dog.

Trained Rescue dog.

Shopping dog.

Wellness puppy.

Family dog.

Love for the dog.

Jack, the dog.

Food for Dogs to build wellness Dog

Dog.

We love to making wellness dog or want to buy wellness puppy as our favorite pet. Sometimes natural dogs food isn't bad for wellness dog if natural foods comes with lot of vitamin, that's needed for a wellness and healthy dog. However not all of dog buyers like wellness dog, sometimes slim dog is better and most suitable pet. We show you two separate dog pictures to comparison dogs, you may get that answer in the dogs picture or you can see our hot published Cats and Dogs pictures. At this time, hundreds of dog store offers healthy dog food for dogs, that foods is very suitable wellness dogs and they are also selling special food for wellness puppies

Tips to get healthy and wellness dogs

A beautiful natural wellness dog.

Wellness dog.

It's important to buy healthy dog foods for dogs and cats to making wellness dogs or wellness cats, it's not important to name of dog food brands, only need best dog food. We have saw many natural dogs with wellness dog body, because they had/have taking healthy natural dog foods. You need train dog to change dogs behavior If we look the dog food comparison, there are many organic dogs foods brand in the world. You also need take care always to making an wellness dog yourself and we can make our dogs healthy and wellness.

Tallest Dog in the world 2015

A dog, much higher than woman.

Tallest Dog 2015.

Dog called as world's tallest dog of 2015, it's a giant. A few days ago we have received this incredible dog picture from our fan, now you can see tallest dog in the world. We have published world's largest dog, world's biggest dog, world's beautiful dog and today world's  most tallest dog picture now online. Dog booming worldwide, dogs and cats took a strong position in the market, it's one of the hot business in the world. Be patient to see more beautiful cats and dogs pics, we publishing unbelievable dogs and cats photos regularly in this website and also on our Google+  page.