The Dog Food Freak Out

I've known something has been "off" with my dogs for a while.  When they went in for their annual check up all of the dogs on Acana had anal gland problems and all of them had been having abdominal difficulties - if you know what I mean.  My lone dog on a different brand of dog food (Wellness) had none of these issues.  

Being a take charge kind of person I went into the local dog food store to switch brands.  Only to be faced with such a wide variety of dog foods that I truly did not know where to begin.  As a label reader I compared brand after brand.  While Tessa's Wellness dog food has limited ingredients for dogs with allergies, it also causes constipation.  (Tessa gets her dog food, Metamucil Coarse Fibre, Cod Liver Oil, topped off with a bit of water as her meal.)  The constipation factor, along with the fact it's a ridiculously expensive dog food, caused it's removal off my potential feed list for the other dogs.  (When feeding as many as I am money does eventually factor in!)  I tried different brands both cheap and expensive, mixing some of the cheaper brands with the very high end brands to combat constipation issues.  

With a Maremma and Border Collies I tried to figure out what the difference between large breed and normal adult dog foods.  I tried to figure out the virtues of meat vs meat meal vs meat by products.  I pondered the differences between chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, and bison.  I faced dog food store clerk heckling as they tried to sell me their propaganda.  I scrolled through Internet site after Internet site searching for research, anything that would tell me the magic answer.  Telling me what I should be feeding my dogs.  

Based on information from the Edmonton Rehab Clinic, who do a lot of blood work on dogs, I was avoiding grain free brands as they found the puppies who came in and were on those brands had low blood sugar.  As a farm person I know dogs will eat darn near anything they can - ranging from berries off the patch to corn off the cob to cow turds to dead creatures.  (They are omnivores.)  But how does this translate into dog food?  What exactly should a person be looking for in their dog's food?

After a particularly humiliating and patronizing experience at a Pet Store I came unglued.  This morning I drove into the vet clinic, and cornered my vet.  Frustrated, I explained I needed to know how to choose a dog food.  She looked at me and explained she probably wasn't the one to ask as she's not a "dog food nazi" meaning as long as the dog is healthy she doesn't care what they are being fed, but I insisted that I wanted an unbiased opinion.  At the very least a starting point.  I told her that Reba was molting in the strangest manner and I was not impressed with the dog's body conditions.

I learned that By Products are not necessarily bad - just because I don't want to eat lung doesn't mean it's not a good source of protein for my dog.  This is something I'd judge on the quality of the food - if it cost $5.00 a bag the by products are likely not quality ones.  I learned that most high end dog foods are too high in protein and don't have enough fibre.  High protein + Low fibre = constipation.  I learned that Eukanuba and Science Diet have completed field trials and SHARE the results.  I learned that some of the very popular brands do not share any of their so called research.  Most importantly I learned to look for a protein level in the +/- 23% range, to look for high fibre and if needed add Omega 6 (fish oil).  I also learned that dogs are opposite humans and need more Omega 6 than 3.  Who knew?  I learned that filler often is fibre and not always a bad thing - based on the types of filler (beet pulp is good).  And I found out once my large breed dog is fully grown its not such a big deal for them to be eating regular adult dog food!  (At one point I was buying four different brands - so this is good!)  Of course this is my retelling of what my vet said and I'm not including all the details, so please, speak to your vet and get their opinion.

With focus and on a mission, my aunt and I went to the largest pet supply store in the area.  On the drive in we had decided we would start with Eukanuba.  The options within the brand were slightly mind boggling so we began comparing labels.  We eventually settled on Eukanuba Naturally Wild North Atlantic Salmon & Rice formula for the following reasons: 1) It was lower in protein than the Maintenance formula. 2) The fibre/protein ratio was better than the Maintenance formula.  3) It had higher fats/oils and Omegas.  4) I wanted something different than the chicken based protein sources I had been feeding. 5) Added bonus - it was cheaper than the other formula.

The trial now begins.  The vet did say to pick something and stick with it and if we need to tweak individual dog diets we would do so.  

For those of you who may be curious how my outside dogs (Eukanuba) and Tessa's (Wellness Whitefish and Sweet Potato) foods compare here are the labels.

Eukanuba Wellness

Crude Protein Minimum:  23.0% 22.0%

Crude Fat Minimum: 14.0% 12.0%

Crude Fibre Maximum: 04.0% 03.0%

Moisture Maximum: 10.0% 11.0%

Omega 6 Minimum: 02.1% 02.7%

Omega 3 Minimum:   0.4% 01.1%

Incidentally, Wellness is around $20 more a 30 pound bag than Eukanuba.

I think one of the things I found the most frustrating about the whole experience is the lack of reliable information.  I like to research and make choices based on facts.  I do not like making blind, misinformed decisions.  The entire dog food debate is highly opinionated which makes it challenging to get quality information.  In fact, most pet food clerks are educated by the people supplying them with dog food, who of course want you to buy their brand.  Which, in my mind, makes the people in dog food stores unreliable sources of information.  Leaving most pet owners either scratching their heads in confusion or buying into whatever the latest trend is.

All I wanted was to be able to make an informed decision.  And now, finally, the dog food debate, debacle and freak out is concluded.  I've made a decision and I'm going to stick with it!

The Wave

Many years ago, I lived in a small, very rural community that consisted of oil/gas and ranching industries.  One of the things I loved about living in Consort was the random friendliness of people.  It never failed to amuse me to be driving down the road and have people I didn't know waving at me.  At first I thought they were mistaking me for someone else.  Eventually I came to realize that people - especially farmers - waved at everyone.  If I had to put a number on it I'd say a good 80-90% of vehicles I passed on the isolated highways would wave when they met you.  The number increased to closer to 100% if you had a horse trailer.

The wave is one of the things I miss about my more populated pseudo urban area.  People here just do not wave when you meet them on the road.  Instead you run the distinct possibility of other not so nice hand gestures.

This morning while on my run I noticed something strange.  As I worked with Reba and Joe to teach them a "Ditch" command - meaning hit the ditch when a vehicle approaches - I had a couple of people give me the wave as they passed.  At first I didn't think anything of it, but as car after car waved past me I began to wonder, do they always wave at me and I just not notice it, or was today different?  Were people just happier today?  I don't know.  What I do know is I'm going to be watching for the wave as I make my miles down my busy country road.

Grab A Gun

Last week was a week of guns.  While working with the horses I heard Bella let out some running yelps getting increasing closer to the corrals.  Looking up I saw the biggest coyote I have ever seen.  Bella is not a small dog.  This coyote was the same height as her.  He was right on her flank biting at her and she was busting a move to get home.  Normally, Bella is the one that does the chasing, however I think she may have been ambushed because she didn't do her routine of warning barks.  And she doesn't generally run from predators - she is a livestock guardian dog after all.  This is the same dog that took on a coyote when she was four months old.  But she was definitely scared.  I ran waving my carrot stick, yelling, towards the field and the coyote slowly turned off.  He was clearly not afraid of me which makes me believe I need some new tools.  My whip isn't cutting it anymore.  So, I've decided I need to learn how to shoot.  As in a gun.  And yes, this animal lover is fully capable and willing to kill anything that threatens her little furry family.

I've also started shooting at Reba.  With a water gun!  After dealing with a scary dog fight between Tessa and Reba I decided I needed some serious artillery.  So I invested in a Super Soaker water gun.  And it works like a charm!  My brother and sister-in-law were up visiting with their puppy this weekend.  Reba was her charming rotten self.  So I spritzed her every time she looked funny at this puppy, every time she growled or made a negative mover she got sprayed.  Fun for me and very effective.  Worked well with Tessa too!  

Tonight when I was going to work the sheep with Joe, Reba began the awfullest racket.  So I sprayed her and magic - no more barking!  Love the water gun!  She's gotten so all I have to do is pick it up and she'll run into her house and pout.

Now all I need to do is develop some practice with a real gun and do some predator control of my own.

The Neatest Thing

This morning I was witness to one of the coolest things I've ever seen.  Bella is starting to come into her own and is spending more and more time with the sheep.  She seems to be maturing out of some of the silly adolescent behavior she had been subjecting us all to.  

As I was bringing the horses in from the field after their morning meal, Chevy (sheep) ran up to the top corral where I was tying each horse before going out for the others.  Bella had been lazing in the shade by the sheep when she saw Chevy running up the hill.  She proceeded to give a giant woof and ran after Chevy.  Chevy was looking around and seemed kinda confused.  I think he just realized his buddies were still out grazing.  

I continued on collecting up my horses.  As I was leading Roxy into the top corral, Chevy began bleating, clearly realizing he was alone and not seeming to know where the rest of the crew was.  Bella once again gave a giant woof and began to run down the hill towards the other sheep.  What makes this so cool is when Bella barked Chevy's head shot up and he began to run after her.  Basically, Bella led Chevy back to his buds.  Or so it seemed.  Bella of course was very pleased with herself.  

I find it fascinating that the sheep recognize Bella is there to take care of them.  I find it equally fascinating what hundreds of years of selective breeding can accomplish in a dog.  Bella is developing into a fine Livestock Guardian Dog.

Barking Bonanza

As I sit here in front of my computer I'm being serenaded by my dogs.  Which wouldn't be so bad if  it wasn't eleven at night.  Normally, by this time I'm cozily ensconced in my bed, dreaming sweet dreams.  Reba, for some unknown and cruel reason has started barking wildly the moment the sun goes down.  I had been bringing her into the house and putting her in her crate to sleep but it's getting cooler here at night and I can't keep that up indefinitely.

I have to wonder if there are any magical solutions to the barking frenzy that occurs, because as anyone with multiple dogs knows, when one barks, they all bark!  Not cool.  

Day Off

Yesterday it became clear I've become a bit of a hermit.  One of my long time friends was getting married and I made the trek to her small town an hour and half east of here to join in the celebration.  The only problem was I really just wanted to stay home.  Which is horrible I know!  But I felt guilt at leaving my critters.  As I sat at the table surrounded by good cheer it was all I could do to resist calling my dad to check up on him - to ensure the dogs really were getting their play time, the horses made it out into the field okay and he was able to catch them.  

I'm seriously getting neurotic, always been something of control freak, but I'm becoming a hermit.  I've discovered that I get resentful when I have to leave my little furry family.  Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoyed getting dressed up and dancing, but I hated being away from my animals.  

Just think, this January I'll be sending Roxy off to the cutting horse trainer.  And he's talking about spending 3 months down in Texas (save on heating costs and avoids the high cost of hay).  Perhaps I'd better practice letting go before she goes off to school.  :0

Progress

Progress is a funny thing.  Some days it's so subtle you don't know it's there and some days it's like the most brilliant sunset filling the sky - impossible to miss.  My dog's are making progress.  Slowly but surely they are growing in their ability to work sheep.  In the drizzling rain (Finally!!) it became clear to me.  

Joe, while still fast, can circle both direction, change directions based on my body pressure, lie down, come off the sheep when I call him and is starting to understand how to trail the sheep.  He's also respectful of the leash and is my loving shadow.  This may not seem like much except when I got him he was crazed on the stock, had no understanding of how to work with a person, no control, and was continually strangling himself when on a leash.  He shows that he trusts me in his willingness to be with me.  I can see the dog he's going to turn into and it's exciting.

Reba, is learning her Come Bye and Away To Me commands, and is continuing to work on her outruns.  Plus my persistence away from the sheep on Obedience skills is paying off with her listening much more consistently.

Tess, is working on learning her whistles, (I'm lazy and generally revert back to voice - but no more - we have a whistle focus!), and continuing to work on her understanding of an outrun.  

I think some days I'm too close to see the progress we make but today was an "aha" moment.  All the dogs tried hard and listened well, which is all I can ask for.  After the sheep were put away we (Tessa, Reba, Joe, and Bella) went for a play in the field.  They were all so happy.  Me too!