If you consider what a dog or wolf rather would eat in the wild-fresh kill- think about those hard,dry, overly processed dog foods on the market. Would any human want to eat it- yeah- if you're starving to death. Why not ad some real meat,potatos and vegetables to a dogs diet. It does them wonders to their coat,health,energy, and longevity. Why do you think so many Americans are sickly and over weight,especially our youth? PROCESSED FOODS-YUCK

I apologize for going off the subject here. My dog is wonderful and he is obedient to me, but when we take him to a dog park, he thinks that every owner that is throwing the ball for their dog is really throwing the ball for him. I have taught him to sit for it, but he only will sit for me. He jumps and hops around other people with a ball in hand, then he is so fast that he tramples over the other dogs, and he always gets the ball. He has some whippet in him which seems to make him a fast runner. Then he will leave the ball far away from the person who threw it. Some people understand that he is just being a dog, yet other people get annoyed and try to shoo him away because he just takes over. He gets long walks a day, and is seemingly very well balanced. I do need help on some things though. please help

About waiting after the exercise to feed them...
My thought would be if a wolf is tracking an animal, tracking, traveling, tracking, traveling, then sprints in for the kill. I dont think they are going to wait to eat it. Every dog is different, and I'm far from an expert, thats just my thought process on it.

Hi,
I have 2 dogs, a rottie, & a boxer mix.i've had dogs all my life. I've always left the food out for them. they eat whenever they want. they usually eat breakfast when they get up, then about an hour later, i take them out. i've never heard to give them food as a reward. We also give them some of what we eat, usually chicken,veggie's,grain.

When I got my shepherd she was pretty underweight. Her previous owners said it was hard to keep weight on her because she ran around the back yard all day (I don't think she got any other exercise). So when I brought her home with me I thought I could fatten her up in no time with bigger quantity of high quality dog food but she just wasn't interested.

Even though she has gained weight she just doesn't seem that interested in food. I mix just a couple tablespoons of wet food with her dry to get her to eat it and that works pretty good. I still think she could use to gain a few pounds and hope that now I am waiting to feed her until after our morning walk she'll be more interested in finishing her food every day.

Missy - Some commercial foods add unnecessary sugar, salt and other artificial flavorings to encourage animals to eat it instead of the healthier but possibly blander products. The best way to judge a food other than reading and understanding the ingredients is to observe the pets' health and energy levels rather than whether they like it. Since they will eat road kill, they can't be tusted to know what's good for them!
You are lucky to be able to leave your dog out when no one is home. I have heard of dogs being poisoned or getting out somehow and that would make me too nervous. If you have any choices where you work, could you arrange to go in later so you could sleep and walk the dog too? People think it's crazy to choose later hours but sometimes it helps to miss the rush hour traffic and I like to walk when my energy is highest!
Finally, and on another topic, would anyone else like to see a tax deduction for owning neutered pets? The government complains that dealing with homeless animals is a financial burden. Then they should provide an incentive for people to adopt (not breed!). Between food prices and vet bills, not to mention training and other expenses, pet ownership is very costly and this is probably a deterent to many. At least for dogs, ownership could be verified by USDA licensing. Any thoughts?

"Should I take up the food and have them go hungry until they eat it when I put it down? "

It won't hurt them to go hungry a day or two, or even three if they are not tiny toys. Remember, wild canines don't have a successful hunt EVERY time they hunt.

Doggone/GA,

I went to a screening of "Dealing Dogs" here in Los Angeles and it made me sick and mad. C.C. Baird (the owner and operator)is only getting 10 years for the harm he caused at Martin Creek Kennels (down from 40 years - he made a deal)and the USDA had nothing bad happen to them. No one lost their job, got fined or punished in any way. Who is going to go after the USDA? Last Chance for Animals is going to try to get an investigation going but that will cost even more money then the Martin Creek Kennels raid. What a sorry state of affairs.

My experience follows that of Cesar’s with the way dogs eat. In fact I bless the ole country vet of 25 years ago who told me that dogs in the wild DONT eat every day or sometimes even every other day and to not stress if they don’t respond to the mean. Of course, the missing link to that old conversation was the direct cause effect of activity with the dogs - (exercise/discipline). Living in South Carolina with my husband who kept us fed for a year with the food he was able to hunt with his labs, was my first experience with true working dogs who experienced both the exercise and discipline on a regular basis. Another comment that a vet made was because of the calories involved with many of the foods, that it is actually healthier to feed dogs half portions - 2 times a day, which is a practice I have used. If a dog doesn’t eat within the allotted time, the food comes up until next meal time. This follows the wild practice, as I understand it, that any food not eaten is many times taken by another predator and so not there to come back to.

Having said that, let me preface the rest by saying that I have been teaching and working with workplace safety and environmental health for 30 years now. Am writing an article about how our dogs are the new "canaries" (they used canaries to detect the toxic gases in the mines in the early days of mining in the US).

Since the pet food industry is completely unregulated many companies have rendering facilities where anything and everything can go into the creation of the food. Further when these same companies use chemicals such as Ethoxyquin which has reversible toxic effects on the liver, the liver (and other affected organs) over time becomes less able to de-tox from these accumulations.

You see, it doesn’t come from just one place, our tap drinking waters, the chemicals we use to clean our home, that gets on their paws that they lick (whatever isn’t absorbed into their skin, goes in through the digestive system. The pesticides in the yard, that when they play, lay or roll in the grass gets in their fur, breathed in through their nose..., pest control visits, out gassing from carpet cleanings and on and on.

Take the "natural food (BARF) gang as well, bought from a non-organic store, raw food also has chemicals on it (which is seldom specifically removed before serving, or meats coming from animals who have feed on grass with pesticides in or food from that same unregulated industries. Especially the organ meat so promoted can much more toxins accumulated in them because of that animals inability to de-tox over time.

So my dogs drink from the same purified bottled water I do, (maybe a 5% savings on ingestion from medications and toxins allowed by the EPA) eat the best dry food I can find from a business that does use a rending farm or chemicals in preservation (maybe another 5% reduction of toxins and medications) no more pest control - I sealed up my house and close my drains (3% reduction maybe?). No chemical cleaning (2%?). DONT run Signal on asphalt when temps get above 90 degrees (asphalt has a carcinogen that can get on the feet/absorption, never mind the toxins from the fumes he has to breath in during or runs) 3%... Even when I had to repaint my house two months ago because of the electrical remodeling, I paid extra for paint that would not outgas - (non VOC paint, another short term 10 % reduction?)

Even Vit C, since dogs produce their own, can be toxic, but in Vit C deprived dogs like my Foxie with cancer and others I have had, its addition to their diet is a blessing to their ability to walk.

So, all we can do is all we can do, and know by researching through this wonderful information highway called the internet, being aware of where problems can occur and doing what we can to reduce the exposure to the hazards and the toxic accumulations which are happening not only to our beloved dogs, but to us as well!

I neglected to mention that I've always fed my dogs
right after our walk, way before I ever heard of Cesar's
recommendations, which coincidentally happen to be the
same. But we have been vigorously exercising this week,
and I changed the order of feeding, feeding Hector the
Lab/Coonhound first (two seconds before Hobie the Lab/Shep)
and since Hector is very sensitive and considers Hobie
his superior maybe it made him have a nervous stomach,
on top of the vigorous exercise. I'll just keep an eye
on him. I've been making a lot of changes lately, so
he's probably just sensitive to the changes.

On work schedule I am lucky, I'm an executive and our
company is open until 10:00 at night, so I go to the
office at around noon-ish, sometimes earlier. That
allows me to walk the dogs after the morning rush hour,
after the school buses and all the work traffic (the
main road at the end of our street is the main thoroughfare
to the closest major city, so it can get scary with early
a.m. traffic). I am fortunate to be able to walk them
starting around 8 or 9 am, and take my time getting
ready for work. And I also work at home for half of my
10-hour day, so I take my "lunch break" late afternoon
and we go for our second walk, then I get down to work at
the computer until 10:00 pm with two dogs at my feet
snoozing. I wouldn't trade my schedule for anything -- I
love it! But the trade off for a lot of people would be
having to work til 10 pm, but I actually do my best
work at night, so I prefer it to having to get up early.

I've always fed my dogs dry dog food. My Beagle lived
to be 16 and my Lab to 18. When my Lab/Shepherd was
alone between co-dogs, he would leave the food in
the bowl all day and pick at it. As soon as I adopted
hound-dawg (!!) who wolfed down the food in two gulps,
then he followed suit, and now they both wolf it down
really fast.

"Blood sugar levels are a physicological reality"

Not if your dog has a normal physiology and eats good quality food. Blood sugar levels are a carb dependent issue and if your dog is NOT diabetic and eats a good, high quality, high fat & protein diet he won't have blood sugar issues.

My Whippets participate in the CLASSIC "hypoglycemic" sports - sprint running. They are fed once a day, or to be precise, once a night. I feed them in the evening.

When we go to a running event, they have eaten the night before, around 9:00 pm. They usually don't get to run until around 9-10 am the next day, or even later...but they don't get a morning meal.

I have NEVER, not in 25 years of running Whippets, had one have any sort of blood sugar episode. They run well, they run fast, and they can run all day...in sprints.

The only dogs I've seen at these events that have problems with blood sugar levels are the ones whose owners can't leave well enough alone and insist on giving their dogs all sort of meals and snacks during the day.

Cookies, honey, sugar they can all lead to hypoglyemic episodes in a performance dog.

I feed a high quality, closed recipe food and have done so for over 15 years now. My dogs eat well, they perform well, and they look good. And they eat once a day once they are fully mature adults.

Blood sugar levels are indeed a physicological reality.
That's not to say every creature on earth has problems, but they certainly have blood sugar levels that go up and down, that's a reality. How far up and how far down was the point I was trying to make.

"For those who worry that the deduction might be abused, USDA licensing records would help keep dog ownership claims legitimate. I’m not advocating that agency actually be involved in any way otherwise. Breeders have their own business expenses and exemptions and are not what I am referring to here. It’s just a thought I have every year around tax time"

First of all, USDA involvement means USDA involvement...and I consider that to be a BAD thing. Second, only commercial breeders have a big enough operation to qualify for any kind of business expenses. The VAST majority of breeders are small time breeders who breed to help improve their breeds and their lines within that breed and they DON'T get any kind of tax or expense breaks.

As far as I am concerned, keep the government out of my backyard. I don't want them there, even if it meant some kind of tax or license break.

I have to agree with Doggone/GA and CJ Anderson about the feeding. I feed my dogs once a day for my convenience and their health. Every morning the routine is feed, walk, potty. I currently feed them science diet dry kibble. I would never feed them canned dog food. My dogs are fit, trim and healthy. They have great teeth and great coats. They don't beg because they have never had people food. They get treats once in a while. I give them the smallest size milk bone and sometimes break it in half. They have 20 minutes to eat and then the food gets put up. They eat good everyday...no problems!

SJS,

That's interesting. I have also heard that feeding two or three small portions a day can help keep dogs fit. Particarlarly for low-energy dogs and dogs who gain weight easily. They are not as hungry during the day because the small portions don't stretch out thier stomachs and make them hungry. That's a good thing to do for poeple with Dachsunds and Corgys. With thier backs, you always have to be aware of thier weight. Of course for high-energy dogs, that's a different story. My neighbors have 2 dachsies and they feed them vegetables all the time. They love carrots. That's great that you only have to feed your dogs once a day. What kind of dogs are they?

~Chantel

I have six big dogs. I feed in the evening after walks. I have to be at work at 5 am so there is not time for walks in the morning, plus, they are still in bed. :) I make homemade food from chicken, chicken livers, rice, lentils, sweet potatoes, applesauce or blueberries, cottage cheese, garlic, veg. protein crumbles, nutritional yeast. I may also add tofu for additional protein. I don't feed beef. I mix a 3/4 cup of this with a good kibble, sometimes Venison and Rice, sometimes Vegetarian. Nature's Recipe's carrys both. And both are free of beef, wheat and corn which are bad for dogs. When I can remember, I will add green tea as this is good source of anti-oxidents and adds additional liquid. I make sure they have lots of fresh water too.
Also Nutro for large Seniors has following: Crude Protein (minimum) 22.00%
Crude Fat (minimum) 10.00%
Crude Fiber (maximum) 4.00%
Moisture (maximum) 10.00%
Linoleic Acid (minimum) 3.50%
Calcium (maximum) 1.20%
Phosphorus (maximum) 1.00%
Zinc (minimum) 250 mg/kg
Vitamin E (minimum) 250 IU/kg
Ascorbic Acid (minimum)* 60 mg/kg
L-Carnitine (minimum)* 10 mg/kg
Glucosamine (minimum)* 950 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate (minimum)* 750 mg/kg
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

It has Glucosamine in it and I've seen my 11-year-old Boxer and 10-year-old Shep/Dane mix have less joint pain and actually run like they were pups when I feed this to them. It does have wheat powder in it tho...

I've also seen research that shows that most domestic animal diets increase the life of animals substanially because of development of healthier immune systems. I don't think grocery store kibbles are as good for dogs as special brands which avoid corn, wheat, sugars, salt, beef and by-products. My dogs don't eat as much with Nutro, Nature's Recipe, they are happy and healthy. My boxer had cancer twice before she was four years old. A holistic vet recommended the above dog foods as well as Solid Gold and a few others. She is 11 now and has the same body she had at four.

What is a "closed recipe food"?

Cesar recommends walking first, then feeding because
he considers mealtime as "affection". Also, his
methods are based on the natural pack mentality of dogs
as if they were in the wild. In nature, a pack walks all day in search of food and water. When they find the
food, they eat, and then they sleep with full bellies.
Of course we don't have to do EVERYTHING the way Cesar
recommends -- but it does make sense. I just so happen
to have always fed my dogs after our exercise. When I
had my Black Lab, I only fed her once a day. With my
two big boys I was noticing they seemed to be always
hungry so I asked my vet's advice and he suggested I
feed them the same amount, but split it up twice a day.
Both times, they go to sleep with full bellies and are
happy, so it works for us but like someone else said it
is personal preference. I was feeding them premium dry
dog food and after about 3 years they started turning
their noses up at it. I again asked the vet what to do?!
He suggested changing their food, and I started buying
a popular advertised brand of dry dog food and they just
LOVE it. I'm a semi-vegetarian, and I don't ever feed
dogs human food anyway. My boyfriend will cook a steak
on the grill every so often, and I'll give them pieces of
steak after my boyfriend is finished eating (no bones!). It's a real treat for them! About once a week I give them
the white rawhide bones. This cleans their teeth and keeps
them satisfied -- I'll usually give them one on a rainy
day when I may not be able to go for a long walk. It
helps to burn off some energy. I never give food without
supervision. I've given them real bones from the butcher
before, but they EAT them, not just chew on them, and so
they have become ill afterwards -- diarrhea, bloody stools,
vomiting. So, I have pretty much stopped doing that, even
though they probably would love a real bone once in a while, it's not worth the risk in my opinion.

"The diet of wild dogs and wolves cannot be realistcally compared to that of a fully domesticated companion dog. "

This is a very good point. One of the many reasons dogs are domesticated & wolves are not, is that they adapted to an "unnatural" diet - that provided by the leavings of mankind, which contains much more grain and carbs than does a more natural diet.

Also, in a sense, I do feed my dogs they way Cesar reccommends...I just do it differently. My dogs are outside all day, every day, while I am at work and they get fed the last thing at night before we all go to sleep.

I adopted a dog that had been malnutritioned-stained teeth,boney,dull coat,dry nose. I fed him a top quality natural dry food along with a little cooked meat, vegetables,vitamins,and a dash of cod liver oil. Within a few weeks he looked like a different animal. Healthy,happy,and a fluffy coat. I didn't mean that dogs should eat like a wolf eats. I just feel it does't hurt to add people food. Didn't mean to sound like I knew it all. Dogs are all unique in every situation-I am just angry with the condition this poor dog was in at only 10 months of age.

I feed my boxer twice a day because my vet suggested that I do this or even 3 small meals a day due to bloat that big chested dogs can get. He said they shouldn't gulp down one large meal. I noticed that many of Cesar's dogs are large breeds and I wondered what his feeding schedule is. I agree that we can't do EVERYTHING that Cesar does...he practically spends the whole day exercising and working with his dogs when he is at his center. His book has helped me a lot, but I still probably give affection at the wrong time. I can't refuse that kissable smuggly face of a boxer!!! I have always considered my boxers to be balanced and that was long before I ever heard of Cesar. The walk has just added so much to our relationship though. I appreciate all the comments...I have learned so much from everyone!

Sharon, Sylvain, and Cockersx3-

You all have very good points, and Sharon, especially when a dog is emaciated, I agree that it can only be benificial to that dog to eat meat and veggies. It can however, like Sylvain had mentioned, be a problem if he/she is ever switched back to regular food only. The dog has already developed a preference for meat and veggies. Cockers three is also right that every situation is unique. I am not a know it all either, but I just wanted to mention that I work at a boarding kennel, and some of the owners have us feed their dog a little dry dog food mixed with alot of bread and chicken and/or other human foods, and not one of them were in good health. One that eats bread has problems with constipation. Others were dogs that are just overweight in an unhealthy way. Now, most dry dog foods that you find in the grociery store are truly not the healthiest thing that you can feed your dog either. Some people feed their dog alpo, or mighty dog, ect. which is like feeding them Mc Donalds every day. It tastes good, but is not nutritionally the best for them. Science diet is ok, but it is really not much better than some pedigree or purina foods. Do not get me wrong here because these 3 are all better quality ingredient foods than the cheap grociery store foods, but Science diet is manufactured to be sold in veterinary hospitals, which means that the veterinary hospitals benifit from reccomending and selling that one brand. Natural Choice seems to be a very good food as well, and is right up there with Science Diet, and possibly has even better ingredients and more nutrition. Like I mentioned, I am not a know it all either, and I apologize if that is all that I am sounding like, but I just thought that maybe I could offer up a little information if you are interested. I feed my dog Natural Choice, which seems to be very good for him, and on occasion I will give him raw diet, which, I was told by an honest veterinarian (who was not trying to sell me something)is the best thing that a dog can eat, because it is what they would eat in the wild, and it has all of the right proteins. Plus they love the tase of it.

Tianna

The point you bring up about Alpo and Mighty Dog are very true. I don't think there is one healthy
ingredient in either food. Also, giving dogs too many treats is a bad idea. 2 Milk Bones (Medium size) is like give them a double Mac with cheese. Any treat or dog food with wheat or wheat flour as the 1st ingredient, is bad. Chicken as a first ingredient is better, followed by brewers rice, as in Royal Canin food. The food is a little expensive but totally worth it. I'm sure there are different, excellent dry foods in other parts of the country. And absolutely, NO BREAD. That is the worst thing for a dog to eat - pure indigestible food. I have a friend (and I use the term loosely) who give her dogs pizza crusts. Drives me up the wall.

There was a story about a company that was shut down for manufacturering sub-par food that ended up killing several dogs in the south and in New York. I don't remember the name but the news was hot and heavy here in LA, where they don't distribute. Always shop at familar places for food and if they don't carry it, they will order it for you or go online for it. Breeder's Choice is another top line as well as the Natural Choice you mentioned or Nutro. Read labels.

K2

Unfortunately, I was supervising my dogs while they were eating the bones and took them away when the pieces got too small, I just had no idea that Carnegie would get so sick over it. The other cockers are fine. I called the company that makes them and they said if my dog had gone to the ER, they would have paid the bill right off. Odd that they would do that and not pull the product off the market. They said these bones are much better for BIG dogs with bigger teeth. They say the bones are fully cooked and are safe to eat. I returned the rest of them and got bully sticks.

What we won't do for our precious pets.

Cockers3-

I do remember hearing about that dog food. I dont remember what caused the deaths, but those poor people who lost their dogs! And those poor dogs who suffered until death! stuff like that taught me to read labels.

Seriously, with things like that happening to common dog food, think of what us people are eating as well! It is very good to look at ingredients, and take precautions. I recently watched a documentary called "Supersize Me" which is a great and truthful movie, but it also ruined fast food for me. I dont think that I can eat it again.lol

I believe the tainted dog food was called "Blue Diamond" or ______ Diamond. My heart broke when I read that the dogs wouldn't eat it so the owners put gravy on it. :(

Anne-

Wow, that is awful! I did not know that. :(
The dogs almost knew better yet they were still forced to eat it. how sad.

Thanks Tianna,
I looked up both Science Diet and Solid Gold Hund-N-Flocken on the internet. I noticed that Science Diet has Corn and peanut hulls (fiber) as the first and second ingredients. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Hund-N-Flocken has meat, chicken or fish as the first ingrediant. It too is loaded with vitamins and minerals. But it gives my Lab liquid stools! YUCK! In fact anything but Science Diet will give my Lab liquid stools and lots of horrible gas. After trying several different brands I went to the Vet and like you said he recommended Science Diet. It works so I stick with it.

anne in RI,

You are right about the name, it was Blue Diamond.

SJS,

Science Diet is an ok food but one of the reasons your dog is having such a touch time with this food is the wheat factor. Your dog may be alergic to it. Mine are so I stay away from this food. The 2rd or 3rd ingredient is wheat. It may also be too rich for your dog. You might try a "vet" dry dog food with less moisture in it. Richer food leads to loose stools and kidney problems down the road. After your dog settles down, try another food that doesn't iritate his tummy so. Depending on the age, the dog should be on a food that is a little blander and add vitamins.

Good luck.

The other foods listed in my previous posting #46 are better than Science Diet, IMO.

Gaston Facility Products Removed From Sale

Diamond Low Fat Dog Food
Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food
Diamond Maintenance Dog Food
Diamond Performance Dog Food
Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food
Diamond Puppy Food
Diamond Maintenance Cat Food
Diamond Professional Cat Food
Country Value Puppy
Country Value Adult Dog
Country Value High Energy Dog
Country Value Adult Cat Food

Linda,

Thank you for the update.

By adding vitamins, I meant vitamin supplements in pill form. I also give my little senior citizen a supplement for her arthitis. It really helps her. I hide Kahlua's in peanut butter.

does anybody know what their last name was??

K2-

You did not give off a wrong impression at all. What you did worked for what you needed it to, and that is a very good thing! Bread as part of a regular diet day by day is not good for dogs. It can cause constipation, and does not digest well in general.

"I was kind of surprised to see Cesar feed him Chicken towards the end when he usually feeds dry food to all of his DPC dogs. "

But that was only in order to "shape" his behavior...to get him to WORK for his food. When you are using food like that it works better to use something really tasty to get them really motivated. It's not a all the same thing as what the owner was doing, trying to use tasty food to TEMPT the dog to eat.

Cesar never ceases to amaze me, even with segments of the
show that I think don't apply to me. I always learn
something new! I really related to the problems with
the two Akitas, and the Shiba Inu. I now claim my door!
I just can't get over that! How simple!! Today, instead
of moving to the middle of the kitchen to put the choke
collars and leashes on, I stood RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE
DOOR, and put the collars and leashes on. I learned that
from last night's show. And guess what, it was much more
calm! I now have both dogs waiting at the door, and
waiting at the top of the stairs! Victory is sweet!

Now, the Storm segment I thought wouldn't apply to me, but
surprise, surprise I learned that I should put the bowls
up onto the counter, put my hands all over the food, and
wait for the dogs to be completely calm. I tried it this
morning, and it worked!! I had previously been keeping
the bowls on the floor, bringing the bag of food over to
the bowls (which causes the incessant barking!) and
scooping the food out with a plastic cup. I'd make them
each sit before I filled their bowls separately, but
Hobie would be barking his fool head off, and pawing his
front paws in the air. And then Hector about two days
ago started barking too! This is after almost 5 years!
I had tried feeding him first because he was the calmest,
well, I guess that translated to "you have to bark" and
it was becoming even MORE nuts than it used to be. Trying
it "Cesar's Way" this morning was the solution to the
whole problem. Hobie barked once, when I brought the bag
over from the closet, and then they both sat calmly
while I filled the bowls. All that from a DW segment I
thought wouldn't apply to me!!! Wow!

I give my dogs soup bones (also called marrow bones) from the supermarket. I believe they are the only ones that (most) dogs can't shred. They are from cows' legs, with thick - more than 1/4 inch - walls. If I am going to leave them alone for a long time, a long frozen soup bone with marrow inside is a great project for them to work on. It's also great for a rainy, or freezing cold day when there is a lot of extra energy that you are not going to burn off outside with a long walk. I've been told that there is no lamb, pork or chicken bone that will stand up to a dogs' teeth.

For dry food I always look for one that has "meat meal" as a first ingredient. If it just says "meat" that means it is the first ingredient by weight BEFORE the water has been taken out to turn it into meal. So it really may be the 3rd ingredient. I stay away from ones with meat by products, dyes and preservatives. You may pay more for dog food, but less for vet bills. Also less corn and wheat filler means you feed them less volume and clean up less poop. Check out petsmart Authority. It's not too expensive and has better ingredients than some of the costlier name brands.

Why do people practically worship kibble. Do you think these big money companies have something to do with it? As long as a dog is eating and getting balanced nutrition in a "raw" diet what's the big freaken deal if Cesar fed a chunk of chicken to a dog. How many pieces of chicken have you had in your life time. A dog is a living breathing animal with keen senses. We indulge our dogs in many things that they enjoy-why can't a bit of real food be good for them. What did we all do before someone invented the convenience of processed food? KIBBLE=CONVENIENCE=MONEY Absolutely nothing wrong with high quality kibble,but there is nothing wrong about real food fed in the appropriate balanced way if someone has the time to make dog food from scratch. What do you think the ingredience of kibble are? Let me see. Chicken, rice, vitamins,oil,veil-take your pick-just dehydrated.

My dogs eat both, kibble and fresh foods. I tried raw, but they would burry the bones, and then bring them home after a week or two (stinking up the whole house). I still give them raw meat occasionally, but they also eat cottage cheese, fish, veggies potatoes, rice, cheese, eggs in addition to kibble (and yes, one of my dogs loves whole grain bagels, and she gets a piece almost every day as a treat). They are healthy and full of energy. I read that dogs are omnivores, just like people. I have a friend whose dogs are mostly vegetarian. They eat sweet potatoes, applesauce, and other things like that. Her Bichon Frisse died a few months ago at the age of 19.
I personally am not fond of feeding my dogs kibble, but it's a convenient way to feed them. If I had more time, they would eat homecooked meals more often.

"Why do people practically worship kibble" Worship? That's kind of a strong word. There is a lot of testing and science that goes into modern top quality kibble. It's convenient and it produces excellent results. My dogs are running, working animals - lure coursing and both straight and oval racing. I also show the ones that have the quality to do well at that venue as well, and I show them in running condition.

My dogs eat a high quality, closed recipe food and always have. I have a 10 year old here right now that is in superb physical condition that is still competitive in the running sports. Why should I change what I am feeding, when I am more than happy with the results I get?

Plus, I travel maybe 10 - 15 weekends a year with 10 dogs. Raw diet is simply not feasible for that many dogs on the road that much.

My dogs are eager eaters, good runners, in great condition. I see no reason to change their diet.

BilJac is an excellent liver training treat. I don't know much about it being a "food item" but it is great for training purposes. put some into a pouch that you wear on your belt, if you have a belt and go train. The dogs will always come back for more.

Raw diet is coming to pet stores here - in frozen form. That way, they can keep it as fresh as possible (here In LA, anyway).

I use premium dry dog food, and always have. My previous
dog lived to be 18, and was healthy and active up until
the last 6 months of her life when she became unable to
walk (certainly not a sign of what she was being fed).
My current two guys are incredibly healthy, so I have no plans to change their food (the same brand I fed Timba
all those years). One nice thing about the premium dry food is that their stools are solid, and easy to clean
up from my boyfriend's precious front lawn or the beach!! And, you can bring the food with you conveniently (we travel frequently by car) and can buy the brand anywhere.

"I understand about being in front of your dog to be leader of the pack, but what about letting the dog have fun, and to go to the bathroom? Our bloodhound lives to smell and when we walk him, he LOVES to run and gallop and smell in all directions - and go to the bathroom too. How can we maintain being leader of the pack while letting him do what he needs to do (smelling and bathroom)by letting him have some free leash? "

Certainly you can do all that! But the whole point is that it's when YOU say it's ok, not the dog.

When i take my two dogs out, we walk as a pack to the destination, then, on the way back, i let them smell,pee for about 4 blocks on a green strip in the middle, then we walk as a pack the rest of the way back. this works well for us.

My vet has always told me not to feed my dogs lamb and
rice food. Don't know why, but that is what he's always
told me, repeatedly. (and I don't, but he says it every
time I see him LOL!) Must be a reason, but I haven't the
foggiest idea....

Since "mastering" the walk Cesar's way, and reading his book, I now walk the dogs "military style" with them right
by my side (me in the middle) for the first 30 minutes, and
once we get to a particular spot, I use Cesar's advice and
let them in front of me for just a couple of minutes.
When I do this their leashes are always loose -- I can hold
on with just one finger. After about a minute or two, not
more, I tell them to stop, come back to me, and I re-set
their choke collars way up high and walk with them at
my sides again. I'll do this 3 or 4 times until we get
back to the main road, and then I do it one last time right
before we get to our driveway. During these leisurely
spurts, they're allowed to pee wherever they want. We
live in the woods, so it's no big deal if they pee anyway.
Study the chapter of the book where Cesar describes his
daily routine of walking with his pack (at the beginning
of the book).

Thanks Doggone,
I don't think it's that he "can't" give me a reason, I
have just never bothered to ask why because I don't feed
them lamb & rice food anyway. Your explanation makes
sense. My vet is a little bit "old school" and this is
a very small town we live in, so being baack 20 years
would make a lot of sense. I refer to him as "Doc
Baker" ha ha ha He is a GENIUS and "my hero" for saving
my dog's life several times.

When you are walking with your dog he is and/or should be having more fun following you than he would if he were sniffing, marking territories, and wandering aimlessly. It is challenging, stimulating, and relaxing to your dog when he is walking behind you. It gives him a sense of relaxation because you are in control. You certainly can allow free roam/sniff on your terms, but do not misunderstand and think that it is not fun for him to walk behind you. If you consider that dogs are always learning and enjoying challenges, the walk is as beneficial and fun as it would be for us to read a book every day.

I goofed, it's Dogfoodproject.com

Hi Pat Williams,
How did you detect the hip dysplasia? I thought only x-rays revealed that diagnosis?
Thanks

I have an anexoric dog. It's very frustrating. I think he should weigh 10 - 11 pounds, but I've never had him above 9.5 pounds.

About a month ago he stopped eating. I offer two meals/day. One day he'd eat one meal, the next day, nothing. After a couple days of this, I'd try to tempt him to eat different things. One day, he'd eat one of the things I'd offer him, the next day he'd refuse it. Before this he was on dog-food only. I've never catered to him / gave him people food. He has set eating times, after which I take his food up until the next meal time.

My vet did blood tests and x-rays but couldn't find anything wrong. His weight was becoming life-threatening when he dropped down to 8 pounds and was refusing all food, so she finally suggested prednisone because a side-effect is increased appetite. It worked! He ate like a little horse as long as he was on it.

He's been off prednisone for a week now and has started returning to anexoria. I've had to stand over him to make him eat. If I walk away, he paces in his x-pen and won't touch his food, no matter how long I wait. This morning he refused to eat even with me standing there and handing him pieces of kibble. I think we're starting this whole pattern all over again.

I'm very frustrated. It seems like I'm doing things "right." I make him get exercise every day -- either a walk or two every day (1/2 hour each walk), or a walk and a trip to the dog park. He doesn't lose his sense of play when he stops eating, but he does get a bit lethargic. Makes sense -- no food = no energy.

When he steps eating, he stops eating *everything!* I've offered him things my other dog is going nuts trying to get to - hot dog, cheese, chicken, even the steak I fixed for my own dinner. He turns away from all of it. I resorted to using a syringe to force feed him human baby food for a couple of days at the last go-around.

He's only about 2 years old, but he does have some sort of neurological problem that causes him to be blind. Could the anexoria be based on something neurological? Any suggestions?

Deanne

I saw the problem first when he was on the treadmill. His right hind foot was turned out and he had a marked limp. Being involved in show handling, I noticed his poor gait immediately. Though it may seem to have improved that is not the case. Since I tape all of Cesars’ shows, I was able to watch it again. The first sign of a problem was when Storm got hung up on the rope that was strung across the yard. He didn’t jump it because he couldn’t. Storm also had trouble getting up from the down position ( dogs with bad hips will “hop” up onto their front legs then pull themselves up), he had trouble getting in and out of the pool and when he was getting his bath his leg gave out causing him to fall over. Though Storm seemed to be running with no problem his gait was a hopping style rather than the strong pulling stride this breed is known for.

Newfoundlands are a very laidback breed but they love to work. They are world champion swimmers training in water rescue where they are able to test their skills by hauling a two man row boat to shore, they compete in hauling competitions and excel in obedience training.
This is not a lazy breed. So, when I see a Newfoundland lay down and go off his food I know there is a problem. Hip dysplasia is only an educated guess without x-rays. He could have a damaged cruciate ligament, this is a common injury in big dogs that play on slippery surfaces like hardwood floors. Either way, this dog is in pain and should see a vet before taking on any form of exercise.

I wonder why Cesar would not have had Storm checked out by a vet for the hip dysplasia. That is pretty disheartening that he could have done more harm than good with regards to the exercise. I wonder how the owners felt about that or if they are even aware of the situation.

Not much can be shown in a 20 minute segment. If Storm was moving better when his owners picked him up, I'm sure the problem was addressed off camera.

“Not much can be shown in a 20 minute segment´

This is a very true statement but, the bigger issue is that this dog should not have been used to demonstrate an eating disorder. Storm’s problem stems from a painful condition that keeps him house bound and lethargic. Walking does help strengthen the surrounding muscles of the effected hip but it does not help the condition it self. Also, if this dog does not have a hip problem but instead a damaged ACL then exercise is the last thing he needs. Surgery is the only way to help either condition.

I totally agree with the idea of exercising a dog to stimulate his appetite but, only when the animal in question is physically healthy enough to endure the increased activity level.
Dogs are very much like humans in as far as they should be in good health before starting a new physical activity. If you had an injured knee or hip you wouldn’t take up jogging, so why would you ask a dog to do the same thing.

Hence the disclaimer, "Do not attempt these techniques yourself without consulting a professional." Like people, dogs may benefit from medical clearance to begin an exercise regimen.

"I didn’t see him eat a meal from a bowl."

Then you need to watch it again.

"I can understand that people should not try to work with a “red zone” dog, as Cesar calls them, without a professional. But, walking a dog?
This was not a case of a dog misbehaving or out of control, it was a dog with a medical condition. "

Storm was not a "red zone" case. Cesar uses that term for dogs that are at, or close to, being dangerous in terms of attacking people or other animals.

You have truly missed the really important issue in that case...as with most of his cases, the problem was really the OWNER. She was not treating the dog as a DOG, she was treating him like a human child. Cesar worked with the DOG in order to show his PERSON that HE was not the real problem.

My Black Lab had arthritis, and it improved when I walked her regularly -- not long walks, and not strenuous walks,
just regular walks of, say, 10 minutes duration. She
developed the aching joints at about 12 y/o and spent most
of every day cuddled under my desk while I worked really
looooong hours. We both gained a lot of weight during those years, and we both were experiencing pain in our joints. The exercise helped both of us, and I think the pain was caused by being both overweight and sedentary.

I realize you guys are talking about hip dysplasia, which is obviously a completely different situation than just a little achiness, but I think I agree with Doggone that a MILD case of hip dysplasia can be helped by moderate exercise, just as the aching joints can too.

K2, I agree that daily walks are good for any dog including a dog with a bad hip. But in the case of a dog like Storm whos weight can range from 150 to 200 pounds you must consult a vet to be sure you aren't causing more damage by asking him to jog or run.

From the blog entry on which we are commenting: "I do want to stress that there are some times when a dog’s lack of appetite is a red flag for physical problems. If your dog’s appetite changes suddenly, especially if the condition continues for a few days, please contact your veterinarian. If the doctor runs tests and finds there’s nothing medically wrong with the dog, then it’s time to look at other aspects of his relationship with food." This would suggest that Storm was checked for physical problems.

Deanne and Linda, you are right. I can only imagine that before coming to her last resort (Cesar) that she would have had him checked out by a vet for his eating disorder. I do not doubt that the hip displasia has been addressed and that nothing was done wrong on Cesars behalf.

"Hey Cesar is amazing, but that doesn’t mean he knows absolutely everything! If he missed the hip displasia, I’m sure he would benefit and learn from having it pointed out. THis is not a close minded guy. Is there any way to communicate with him about it?"

I suggested, above, that a letter (I'd make it a letter, not an email) be sent with an enclosure for the owner, explaining the issue and asking that the DPC forward the enclosure to the owner. That way the people at the DPC would know, and hopefully, the owner as well.

"That said, the problem in that show segment was not just displasia. THe woman was feeding her dog 8 very large bone shaped treats a day, and then complaining that he didn’t eat dinner. Isn’t that like giving your kid 8 bowls of ice cream a day and then moaning that he lacks interest in steamed broccoli?"

It was more in the nature of a "vicious circle" - she gave him the treat bones because THOSE he would eat...but of course, they did mean he didn't want anything else.

"She was also seasoning up fancy meals (chicken piccata) as if the dog were human, (while her son drooled on the sidelines.) Any dog I’ve every seen is totally happy with chicken-a-la-dirt. Some love a nice used tissue as an appetizer! These guys were definitely out of balance"

Yep!

Susan,

It's ok that she "hunts" for her kibble on the floor. It's fun for her. I did that with Kahlua, my chocolate cocker and its great bonding/trusting game. You continue to bond with her and she continues to trust you. you might also try a treat kong and stuff goodies in that. Some dogs like a challenge when they are eating. Might help, couldn't hurt.

Good Luck!

thurt.

help!

my 9 1/2 month old french bulldog was doing GREAT on a prepared raw diet (bravo, for those of you who are familiar). i was following the guidelines of switching the protein source, supplementing with things like sardines, mackarel, a meal of offal once a week, wild salmon oil...

i've created a picky eater. he has no interest ing his regular favorites anymore (he's been on a beef strike, a lamb strike). i took him to the vet yesterday, as he had a soft-ish stool and seemed a little lethargic, just to do some bloodwork and rule out any problems of that sort. the vet recommended sci diet i/d chicken and rice, which has (of course) given him diarrhea today. i really wish i had just prepared these meals myself, rather than given him the can. it did get him eating, though, atleast for a day.

he also seems very wary of our cat, to whom we feed 2-3 T of prepared raw in the same area as our pup (i lay down the cat's portion first). however, switching our dog's food to another room has not been successful. changing the type of dish/plate: unsuccessful. eating after walks: unsuccessful.

i usually feed him twice a day (sometimes i divide it up into 3 meals), but always a total of 12 ounces a day (he's 21 pounds). i have been trying the 20 minute rule (picking up the food after 20 minutes) but it hasn't worked either and i really don't want my growing puppy to skip meals!

any more suggestions? i think maybe i just need to buckle down and wait this out, but i don't want to harm my dog. i would really rather NOT go off of the raw, as his coat is lustrous, he has an acceptable energy level (not too hyper, not too mellow, likes to play), and he's growing at a healthy rate.

"In the episode with the newfoundland, (storm, I think), at Cesar’s institute, there was a large dog pool"

It probably isn't specifically a dog pool...just a large plastic pool for kids.

Susan - At the dogfoodproject web site I did a dry food search for " - rosemary" and came up with 200 hits including Solid Gold "Barking at the Moon" and various Purina formulas. You may have more options than you thought.

I think Cesar is a miracle worker with dogs.If he can tame a pit bull he's gotta be a-ok.Keep up the great work Dog Whisperer.

hello cesar as my name says im randy i am 15 years old how are you i am a huge fan of the show i have seen every episode and a lot of your ideas i already thought should be in play were right you just proved that i was right.

I walk several dogs around my neighborhood and i seem to have no real problem with them but i have a jackrussel terrier/beagle mix pup that is about 2 to 3 months old and her name is spice. She seems to like to attack my other dog sugar who is a week younger that her and I can't seem to get her to stop. I know that you cant answer questions on here but I would really appreciate if you could e mail me at the e mail address listed i would really appretiate it i to am interested in dog psycology and I really wish that i would actually really enjoy meeting you but that is obviously not possible I live in kentucky but i would appreciate an E mail i know you are busy with Bigdaddy and luigi and the dogs that you rehabilitate but if you happen to read this I would really aprreciate it. I do not have a video camera so i can't send a video thak you

Cesar porfavoooor!!! give some insight either on this blog, your newsletter or the actual TV show on "hard to groom dogs". My chihuahua used to be so so and its just been getting worse and worse. I would hate to have to buy a muzzle just for that activity, how can i get him to comply without stress and getting bit?
thank you!

nice one...now even i feel like starting a blog like the one you have now ...

Superb blog keep it up

I say briefly: Best! Useful information. Good job guys.