You're Only As Old As You Feel

DixieLee

Hey Y’all!  It’s DixieLee.  

Mama was worried about Zeva so she asked me to do some research for her.  When I showed her what I found, she said I was a Good Girl and asked me to write a blog about it.

You see, Zeva is getting old.  I know, we all are and none of us likes it.

 Mama saw stuff.  Saw changes in Zeva that bothered her.  She thought Zeva might be getting something called “Dementia”.

 

Dementia is something that can happen to older dogs, just like it can happen to older peoples.

The biggest thing was that Zeva would just stare into space and not listen when Mama called.

 

I found that staring into space and not listening are things that dogs do when they get dementia.  Staring into space is also something that dogs do when their eyes get old.

Mama has said that Zeva has needed glasses for a long time now, and it’s not like Zeva listens when Mama calls most times.

Here are some other things I found out about dementia in dogs that I am going to share with you. 

        

1.     Confusion

2.     Anxiety

3.     Aimless wandering

4.     Peeing in the house

5.     Lack of interest in playing

6.     Sleeping more

If you are having these symptoms, your human should take you to see your Vet because there are things you can do to help.

We looked at the list and decided, Zeva probably isn’t getting dementia after all.

Zeva has always been a little absent minded, not confused but if she were a human, she would be blond.

The only time Zeva is anxious is when there is a thunder storm or someone is making fireworks go boom.

Her wandering isn’t aimless, it’s usually because she finds so many things interesting.

She can hold her pee for hours!

Every morning she insists that Mama play games.  Doesn’t matter that it’s Mama breakfast time.

Sleeping is Zeva’s favorite thing to do when she is not going for walks or playing.

Mama will talk to Doctor Katrina when she sees her for our regular check up and she will keep an eye on things but all seems good so far.

One thing I learned from this, writing a blog is hard work.  No wonder Zeva takes a nap when she is done!

Be good boys and girls,

Love,

DixieLee

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, go to pawpalsboutique.com 

          

To Your Health

Mom works hard to make sure that DixieLee and I are healthy and happy. I bet your Mom does too. 

Poor DixieLee has had the itchies for a long, long time.  Our old Vet said to give her a peoples medicine called Benadryl.  Our new Vet said to give her another peoples medicine called Loratadine.

Even after a long time, she still has her itchies.

Then Mom read that CBD, something that she takes sometimes for chronic pain, works for itchies.  We did some research and CBD is supposed to be helpful for lots of hurts.

She also read that CBD is good for dogs as well as peoples.

I don’t understand some of the words but Mom does so I will let her explain what she read.  CBD is a compound that is found in the cannabis plant.  Most peoples know that the cannabis plant is where marijuana comes from.  But what they maybe don’t know is that CBD comes from a different kind of cannabis plant and it is non psychoactive, which means you don’t get high.

Some of the good things about CBD is that it is safe to use, non-toxic, which we think is really, really good, and it is not expensive.

CBD is supposed to be good in helping make things like big pain, arthritis, anxiety, stress and seizures be less.  Since I am getting a little older, I am taking CBD to help me not hurt from any arthritis and I do sometimes get stressed out.  You would too if you lived with DixieLee.

I know some of our friends have been taking CBD for arthritis already.  Do you take it, and if you do, what for? I would like to know if it helps you and if you have anything bad to say about it.

Sharing information is the biggest reason I write my blog and having you share information back is helpful.

Wishing you much happiness and healthiness,

Zeva

P.S. For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, go to pawpalsboutique.com

Five Second Rule Challenged

My sister DixieLee and I love to watch Mom and Dad eat.  Although it hasn't happened yet, there is always the chance that some of their yummy food will fall on the floor and we will get to eat it.

We all know that there are human foods that are very, very bad for dogs.  Foods like chocolate, grapes and raisins, onion, garlic and leeks, candy and baked goods with sugar and the sugar free ones with artificial sweeteners and cooked bones.  Some of these foods are so bad that they can make a dog be died!

What we don't hear about so often are the human foods that are good for dogs.

I was talking with my friend Beauregard and he said his Mom feeds him a raw diet made up of totally human foods.  Boy is he a lucky dog!

Our Mom is a horrible cook but there are some human foods we get that are super good for us.   Here are some of our favorites:

1.  Peanut butter.  Mom hides pills in peanut butter.  We know she is doing it but the peanut butter is so good, we don't care.  You have to be careful which peanut butter you buy.   It should be unsalted and have no xylitol in it cuz salt and artificial sweeteners are bad for dogs.

2,  Carrots.  Carrots are our favorite snack.   We like carrots even better than cookies.  Mom likes us to have them cuz they have vitamins and the crunchiness is good for our teeth.  We like them because they are sweet.

3.  Broccoli.  Dad doesn't like many veggies but he loves broccoli which is alright with us cuz he give us a taste some times.  Not too often though cuz it can make our tummies irritated.

4.  Yogurt.  Yogurt is another food that Mom can hide pills in.  Dogs that are 'lergic to dairy shouldn't eat yogurt and no dogs should eat yogurt that has sugar or any artificial sweeteners.

5.  Sweet Potatoes.  This is Mom's very favorite food.  Some people consider it a “super food” which means they have lots good stuff in them.  We like them because, like carrots, they satisfy our sweet tooths.

I could tell you about others but just writing about all these good foods is making me hungry.  I think I'll wander in the kitchen to see if anything is in danger of falling on the floor.

Bone appetite,

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. We use only made in USA treats in all of our pet gift baskets. You can check out our whole line at PawPalsBoutique,com

Put The Lime In The Coconut

 

I don’t know about the lime but I LOVE the coconut.  Actually it’s coconut oil that I love.  It tastes yummy and it is really good for you.

We started eating coconut oil this fall when I got a case of the itchies.  Some of my friends suggested Mom give me coconut oil and sure enough, the itchies went away.   Not only that, my fur got fluffier and shinier and even though DixieLee didn’t have the itchies, she has to get all the treats I get so she was getting coconut oil too and her coat got really shiny.

Coconuts are very nutritious (that means they got lots of good stuff in them).  You do have to be a little careful because coconut oil is fat and since I am watching my weight, I just get a teaspoon a day. If you want to start taking coconut oil, you need to start adding a little at a time so your tummy gets used to it.

Coconut oil does more than just make itchies go away and make coats shiny.  It can help digestion, stop infections and helps keep you healthy.  Did I mention that it tastes yummy?  It’s so yummy that if you mix coconut oil in their food picky eaters (if there is such a dog) stop being picky.

There are lots of different coconut oil brands out there so you need to make sure you are getting one of the good ones.   The best kinds are all these things: organic, virgin, unrefined and cold pressed.  The most important words to look for are unrefined and cold pressed.

Oh yeah, coconut oil is also really good for humans.  It keeps them from getting itchies on their skin, makes their hair shiny and keeps them healthy too.

If you already take coconut oil, you know how good it is so let’s spread the word so all dogs can get a yummy nutritious food, be itchies free, have shiny coats and be healthy

Thanks,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  You can never, never have too many toys.  That's why we created our Puppy Power Gift Basket.  It's the perfect "anytime" gift for your favorite pet.

FAST FOOD - 5 Ways to stop your dog from gobbling their food

My sister Dixie holds the world record for fast eating.  She has to eat in her crate cuz she finishes so fast then tries to eat my food too.  I used to eat very slowly.  Sometimes I would take a piece of kibble into the next room, eat it, and then come back for more.  Not anymore!  I have to eat everything sort of quickly or Dixie will steal it.

I can understand when she first came to live with us that she thought she might not get enough food.  She was a stray so sometimes she didn’t get enough to eat.  I tell her that we always have lots of food.  I even show her where we keep the HUGE bag of food in the cabinet.  I tell her it is all for us and it never gets empty! But, she still gulps down her food.

I’m part Lab and Labs are always hungry.  We get lots of very nutritious food which is  divided so we get fed three times every day.  And, we get cookies and carrots for snacks.  I may be starving at dinner time but I still have manners when I eat.

Gobbling food is not only undoggy like, it can cause bloat.  When a dog gulps food, air gets in the tummy which is a bad thing and can make a dog very sick or even died.  So getting a dog to eat nice is very important.

Mom decided Dixie is not going to stop fast eating all on her own so we are trying some tricks.  First Mom tried to hand feed her.  Poor Dixie, she would gobble what little Mom had in her hand then sit and wait for the next handful.  Only, she looks so pathetic while she is waiting, Mom couldn’t keep feeding her that way.  Besides, Mom’s hand got all sticky and yucky from Dixie slobber.

Hand feeding is one trick.  Here are a few others that might work if you or someone you know gobbles their food.

1.      You can buy a special feeding dish called a Break Fast Bowl.  It has big posts in the bowl so the dog has to eat around them.  It also slides a little so the dog has to chase the food.

2.     You can make a regular feeding dish into something like a Break Fast Bowl by simply turning it upside down.  The food goes in the groove around the big bump in the middle so the dog has to work harder to get at the food, slowing down the eating.   A regular feeding dish is much less expensive too.

3.     Instead of using a bowl, try a muffin tin.  Put a little of the food into each of the little compartments.  The dog has to stop a bit when going from one compartment to the next.

4.     Another thing you can buy is a feeding cube or ball.    The food goes into the cube or ball and you have to play with the cube or ball until all the food falls out.  I would like this one.  Sometimes Mom puts some Kibble (or peanut butter) in the big Kong and I have to play to get it out.  It’s lots of fun.

5.     There is another kind of gadget you can buy that goes in the feeding dish.  It’s a round ball made out of ceramic or some kind of shiny metal.  Some people put a big rock in the dish (it has to be big cuz we dogs do tend to eat little rocks), but they say you can’t wash a rock so they invented these other balls.

Mom is trying the “rock” method now only she is using the big Kong.  She puts the food in the dish then puts the Kong on top of the food.  Dixie is eating a little slower cuz she has to stop and move the Kong around to get to the food.  Mom likes the Kong cuz, first all we already have it, and unlike a big rock, she can wash it.

We’ve only been trying it a couple of days, but it seems to be working.

If you or anyone you know is a food gobbler, please let me know what you did to help get better eating manners.

Thanks

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  Dixie and I are very spoiled… so I created a gift basket especially for Spoiled Rotten Dogs. Can you guess what I call it?

Be A Picky Eater

It seems like every day there is another recall of pet food or treats but did you know that it is okay to sell pet food with stuff in it that is not all that good for you.  My friend Eric, The Amazing Dog Training Man, showed me what to look for and what to look out for when choosing food.

Here are the ingredients on two different bags of dry dog food.  Which one would you choose?

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, propylene glycol, meat and bone meal, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, water, animal digest, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine.

Or:

Whitefish, Herring Meal, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Canola oil (preserved with Mixed Tocapherols) Pea fiber, Tomato Pomace, Natural Fish Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries,

Vitamins (E supplement, Beta Carotene, Nicacin, d-Calcium. Pantothenate, A supplement, Riboflavin, D3 supplement Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrae, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Folic Acid)

Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfte, Iron Proteinate, Ferrou Sulfate, copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Maganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate)

Choline Cloride, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Taurine, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation product, Rosemary extract.

I know, the second one has lots of weird sounding stuff in it, but the weird stuff is mostly vitamins, minerals and probiotics which are good for you.  The second one also has many more good for you foods like different fish and lots of veggies.  Corn, rice, soy, sugar and animal by-products will fill you up but they aren’t all that nutritious.  Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 2 are actually pretty bad for you.

I think the best food to eat is raw but making raw food takes time and you need to make sure you are getting the right mix of good for you stuff.  Me, I’d love a whole chicken (raw) or a nice chunk of beef (raw) with a side of mashed sweet potato and carrots.  And for desert, I would love a big Frosty Paws!

Now I’ve done, it.  I am starving.  Think Dixie and I will see if Mom will give us a cookie.

Bone Appetite,

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant Self-promotion. My Own Cookie Tin Gift Basket.

To Your Health Redux

Last week I told you it was time for my annual check up.  I love Dr. Nancy.  She has been my doctor since I first came to live at my forever home and she was the doctor for all the dogs who lived here before.

Doctors are good people to see when you are sick but being sick is no fun so, I try not to get sick.  I do lots of things to help me not get sick.  Eating good food, drinking lots of clean water, getting plenty of exercise and knowing about other kinds of doctors and medicines are all good ways to stay healthy.

There are lots of different foods for dogs.  Some are better than others.  I eat Wellness Core because of what it has in it and also what it doesn't have in it.  Meat and veggies (except corn) are good but even though I LOVE cookies, grains are not that good for dogs so I don't eat many grains.

Clean water is also very important.  My water bowl is kept filled with clean water.  By clean, I mean not just no dirt but no chemicals either.  Our water comes from a well so it doesn't get treated with chemicals like regular tap water.

Chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, Reiki masters, and holisitic vets are some people who help us stay healthy.

Dogs, especially when they get older and get arthritis, or if they do extreme sports like agility, see chiropractors and get massages.   Acupuncture is very helpful in treating lots of things like allergies, epilepsy and even paralysis.

Mom and Dad see a chiropractor cuz they work hard and get out of shape and Mom visits her acupuncturist all the time so she doesn't have chronic pain.  So I know if if I get arthritis or something, they will find the right people to help me get better.

That's what I do to stay healthy.  What do you do?

Your friend,

Zeva

Tricks for Treats

Hi Everyone,
Who likes treats?  I do for sure.  They say if you do something you love, you never have to work a day in your life.  Well, I have the perfect job.  I am the Product Tester at www.laurelmtbasket.com I get to test all of the treats that go into our Pet Gift Baskets. Of all the product I get to test, I like testing cookies the best.
Recently we got a package of treats from Healthy Dogma(www.healthydogma.com) in Michigan.  Because I am such a good product tester they asked me if I would try them and give my opinion.  OMG!   They make the yummiest cookies ever!  I got to test the nutty apple barkers.  Peanuts and apples together! An amazing combination that is so delicious.  Of course they have other good stuff in them like whole grain oats, olive oil and other stuff mom cares about.  But they don't have any wheat, corn or soy which is stuff mom doesn't like to have in my food.
It says right on the package that they are "For good dogs only" which isn't a problem for me.
I also got to test their amazing apple crisps.  Amazing is part of the name and boy, did they name these treats right.  Does your mom bake?  You know that nice smell when she bakes an apple pie?  Well, these treats taste just like that.  The amazing apple crisps are great for all dogs but they could be especially good for those of us who are watching our girlish figures.   They are low calorie and have dietary fiber in them which is all good.  They also have antioxidants and vitamin C.  I don't know where they hide all that good stuff because all the ingredients say is apples and cinnamon.
Healthy Dogma has lots of other great treats I am going to ask my to get for me.    I'm thinking the blissful banana crisps will be pretty good.  I wonder if they taste like banana cream pie.  And there are a bunch of barkers that sound yummy too.
All this talk of treats is making me hungry.  I'll have to go see if there are any nutty apple barkers left.
Be a good dog and maybe your humans will get you some Healthy Dogma treats too.
Your friend,
Zeva

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Give A Dog A Bone

Hi Everyone
Well, the Holidays are over with for another year.  Hope Santa Paws brought you everything you asked for.  I got some really tasty treats and some great toys.  I did lots of toy testing to see which ones shred the easiest. Toy testing is part of my new job as Designer for  the Pet Division of Laurel Mountain Basket Co and I take my job very seriously.  My new NylaBone and King Kong are the only toys that passed the Zeva destroy test.  My mom makes sure all of my toys are safe to play with and when they get shredded she takes them to their new home in the trash.
I did get a couple of raw hide bones but I'm not allowed to have them.  My mom has some concerns about where and how they are made.  She learned that some raw hide, especially from foreign countries, is treated with chemicals like arsenic. Also, I like to eat my toys, not just chew them and she is afraid some raw hide chunks will get in my tummy and cause indigestion or blockage which is really, really bad.
Instead of raw hide I get marrow bones to chew on.  Because I am a fast eater, I get all the good stuff off of the bone so it doesn't sit around collecting bacteria.  If I eat too much of the yummy stuff inside the bone, I can get diarrhea so mom makes sure I don't have too much.  I did get a huge knuckle bone that didn't have any middle stuff but it's great for chewing anyway.
I don't think I will be putting any marrow bones in our gift baskets but I'd be interested in knowing what types of chew toys you think I should include in my new designs.  Drop me note.  I'd love to hear from you.
Remember, no chewing shoes or furniture,
Your friend
Zeva

Staying In Shape

I'm part border collie and part Labrador so I have lots and lots of energy.  My border collie ancestors were bred and trained to gather and herd animals like sheep.  Lots of my cousins still work on farms herding all kinds of animals including cows.
My Labrador ancestors were bred and trained to retrieve game birds.  My friend Sadie is a Lab and is really good at putting up and retrieving birds.
Unlike Sadie and my farm cousins, I spend most of my days inside working behind a desk.  That's why it's important for me to get as much exercise as I can.  Good exercise like walking and playing not only keep me fit but keep me from getting bored.
I have lots of toys at work and at home to play with and my mom tries to take me for a walk every day but there are times when we get so busy she can't leave the Studio so she's found other ways to make sure get my exercise.  When Mom can't take me out I get to go for walks with my friend Lee Ann.  Lee Ann doesn't have any dogs of her own so she takes me and some of my other friends for walks.  Sometimes we dogs play tag or catch and when I get back to the Studio, I'm so tired I need to take a nap.
I love when Mom has all day meetings because I get to go to Dances With Dogs day care.  Being in day care is the BEST.   I get to play with lots of dogs all day long.  We get to play indoors and outdoors.  In the summer they have pools where we can cool off and the toys!  I've never seen so many toys in one place and I can play with all of them.
The people at Dances With Dogs are really nice too.  They make sure I get my lunch to keep my energy up and a nap so I don't get over tired.  Even with a nap, I am so tired when it's time to go, I usually sleep all the way home.
If Mom and Dad need to be away on a weekend Deborah my pet sitter from All Life Matters comes to my house to walk me, feed me lunch and play with me.
Balance in life is important.  Working hard is good but you need to make sure you get plenty of exercise, eat right and get enough rest.  That goes for dogs too.  Dogs, especially working breeds, need lots of exercise.  If we don't get enough exercise or if we get bored, we can get destructive and nobody wants that.   So, I've designed our Good Dog Spot gift basket with lots of toys to keep any dog busy and happy.  A happy dog is a good dog.
Stay healthy, stay happy.
Your friend,
Zeva