Contributions of Dogs to Human Civilization

Did you know it might be only because of dogs that we humans have permanent cities? A study of indigenous tribes shows that those with dogs stay in one place longer as compared to those tribes without dogs. This is because the dogs would eat food remains and other garbage, keeping settlements cleaner and therefore allowing us to live there longer. I read about this in How to Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication by Stanley Coren.

3 good proteins and 3 bad proteins to look for in dog food

3 Good Proteins
-Muscle meats
-Eggs
-Organ meats (such as liver)

3 Worthless Proteins
-Wheat
-Corn
-Barley

What's the Point in Knowing This?
Dog food manufacturers must have at least 9% protein in their food (called the Guaranteed Analysis) or they are required to print on the label that the food is not nutritionally adequate.
So how dog food companies cut this corner? They use cheap vegetable proteins like wheat, corn and barley to meet the Guaranteed Analysis requirements AND keep their profits high by not using more expensive meat... all at the expense of your pet's health.

Find out more at www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com

Chicago Animal Care and Control Has New Hours

CACC is now open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 4 pm-7 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 pm and from 4pm-7pm. The city shelter is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The shortening of adoption hours from 49 a week to a mere 17 lessens the chance of animal adoptions drastically. This comes in the year where a million cars have a sticker reading "Dog Friendly Chicago" plastered on their front windshields. Since CACC is an open admission shelter they take in every dog and unfortunately must euthanize some perfectly adoptable pets. In 2008 only 17,00 animals had to be adopted. This year shelter workers were hoping to decrease that number, yet that seems unlikely. The hours were changed on July 16th to be closed on Sundays but were recently modified as to allow potential adopters in on the busiest adoption day of the week. Hopefully the city will be able to lenghten the shelter hours rather than spending millions on the Olympic bid, or once the economy gets a bit better. I hope you'll adopt a dog, cat or rabbit from this shelter, the fee is only 65 dollars.

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog

Why adopt an adult dog? Maybe you're thinking, I don't wan't someone else's problems! The dog won't be able to be taught at all! He won't bond to me the way a puppy would! And they aren't as cute as that little puppy!

Well most of this is wrong. That tiny, adorable, wriggling puppy will grow up into an adult. That puppy will need structure, potty training, time, effort, and a lot of vaccinations. A puppy will chew, destroy, soil the house, wake you up numerous times at night and never let you sit down to relax. They mouth, and you can't be sure what this animal will be like as an adult, especially with a mixed breed. If you don't train that puppy he will grow up and pull on the leash, yap all day and never listen to you.

How about an adult:

-He's already housebroken. If not, he's easier to housebreak because he can hold his bladder much longer than a puppy.

-He'll sleep through the night without whining and waking you to go potty.

-He's content to lie by your side as you finish reading the newspaper.

-He won't mouth each and every thing he sees, human or object. If he does chew it is a problem easily fixed as he will have a longer attention span and won't be going through teething.

-He won't need all those puppy shots, fecals, and other boosters. He will only need to get a few annual shots.

-What you see is what you get: He won't get any bigger or become aggressive out of blue.

-He'll do everything for you now. You can go jogging without waiting for a puppy's bones to finish growing, you can go out without waiting for a puppy's shots to take effect, and you don't have to wait for the puppy to grow up and hope he likes what you want him to do. You select the dog most compatible with you.

-He will bond to you very closely. He doesn't want to become homeless again and wants to please you.

How about a senior dog who's content to lie around and fulfill his duty as loyal companion? He can live out his last, golden years with you.

I hope I've convinced you that older dogs are worth saving, too. So even if right now you'll adopt a puppy and you are hoping that your next rescuee will be an adult I'd like to thank you on behalf of all the homeless animals in the world who are overlooked.

Does Your Dog Have a Wirehaired Coat?

Need help with grooming your wirehaired dog? Here are some grooming tips from http://www.petuniversity.com/dogs/grooming/hair-types/wire-hairbroken-coat.htm

Wire (or broken) coats are not supposed to be soft and silky, like the coats of most other dogs. A properly groomed wire coat will be rough and bristly. The wire coat does not shed, which makes wirehaired breeds good choices for some allergy sufferers.

The following is a list of some common wirehaired breeds:
Affenpinscher
Border Terrier
Brussels Griffon
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Irish Terrier
Otterhound
Scottish Terrier
West Highland White Terrier

The best way to groom a wirehaired dog is by plucking out any unruly hairs, using your fingers or a stripping knife. By plucking out old, dull hairs, you will stimulate your dog's skin and allow healthy new hairs to grow in. This procedure can be time-consuming, but it's the best way to keep your pup looking sharp.

There are two methods for this hair removal: taking the coat down or rolling the coat. Taking the coat down means plucking your dog's entire coat all at one time. This method is normally used by owners who plan to show their dogs, as taking the coat down several months before a show can ensure that your dog's coat will be in perfect condition for the event. Rolling the coat means plucking small amounts of hair at a time, just whenever you see some strays or think a plucking is necessary. Rolling the coat is the more commonly used method, since most people can more easily spare five minutes than an entire afternoon.

To pluck, begin by using your non-dominant hand to hold the skin taut in the area where you will first be removing hair. If you find it difficult to get a good grip on the hair, sprinkle some grooming powder over the section. With your dominant hand, hold just a few hairs at a time, pulling them down and straight out in the direction of hair growth.

The Long Wait

When looking to adopt a shelter dog, be prepared to wait even a few months for the right pup. Take it from me- my family first went to a shelter on the first Sunday in May of 2009. It is now mid-July and still no dog. I have already found at least one dog per shelter visit that would be perfect for us, but my mother has other ideas. Also, we can barely fit in any shelter visits(well, I can definetly find a spare hour or two in which to find a dog, but I'm not so sure that every one sees that the hour spent watching old TV reruns can be devoted to a higher purpose). Wish me luck and a cooperative mother when we go to CACC again next Wednesday or Thursday!

Cat Stuff

Did you know that in domestic cats, females have a tendency to be right-pawed while males have a tendency to be left-pawed. Cool, huh? I found this on discovvery channel website.

Why Every Kid Should Have a Dog

Kids who grow up with dogs have higher IQs and are more developed emotionally, and treat fellow human beings better.

Starved Rock, Illinois

I went there over the weekend and it is amazing. I was camping with my family for one night. Our campsite was really pretty. I woke up at 5:20 am to the dawn chorus of hundreds of birds chirping and singing. I even heard a chickadee! And at night we made the mistake of leaving our trash bag out- a racoon(we think) ripped our bags open and licked the meat container clean. One night of camping was only 25 dollars! Seriously little. Leashed pets are allowed. Entry to the park is free. Only 2 hours away from Chicago(94 miles). Beautiful sandstone canyons. I went to St. Louis Canyon where there were 3 murders in 1959! I was a bit freaked but it was amazing: the waterfall, and the little stream I crossed on a log. There were barely any people, unlike the Starved Rock hike(which was not even close to being as pretty as St. Louis). Next time(I'm going again next week!) we will hike the 6 mile hike to LaSalle Canyon(a gorgeous but challenging hike). I'd also like to go to Matthieson(did I spell that right?) State Park which is nearby as well as Buffalo Rock and Illini State Parks.

At The Shelter: Picking The Right Pup For You

Before you visit a shelterThere are a number of steps you need to take before you even set foot inside the shelter door. Doing some pre-visit homework can greatly increase your odds of finding the perfect pup. Here are Sternberg's suggestions:

-Petfinder is not a complete list of all shelters, so you also need to check your local phone book for others in your area. You should be willing to travel a good distance, as much as three hours or more, to find the right dog at the right shelter.
-Contact the shelters on your list and ask about their return policy. A good shelter will always accept any dog as a return that they have adopted out at any time in his life, for whatever reason the owner may be unable to keep him. You should not expect a refund if you must return your dog, but shelters that refuse to take a dog back after 30 days (or whatever time limit) are not accepting full responsibility for the lives that pass through their hands.
-Ask the shelters about their adoption procedures. You will want to be able to visit with your prospective new family member outside of the kennel. If that is not allowed by a shelter, cross that one off your list.
-Ask the shelters about their criteria for making dogs available for adoption. Good shelters do temperament testing, and do not make dogs available who have a prior history of biting. Some dogs are not appropriate for our human society. A shelter who places all dogs up for adoption and never euthanizes is doing a disservice to potential adopters. Don't go to such a shelter.
-Sit in on a dog training class (or several). Find a trainer you like, who is kind to dogs and motivates them with treats, toys, and praise. (A selection of trainers from across the country is available from the APDT Trainer Locator at www.apdt.com.) Ask the instructor for good shelter referrals. If there are students in the class with shelter dogs, ask them which shelter they adopted from and what their experiences were. Avoid shelters where others have had negative experiences.
-Talk to the trainer you like about accompanying you to the shelter to select a dog. You should expect to pay a fee for this service, so you may want to arrange to have her visit with you once you find one or more possible adoption candidates.
-When you do start visiting shelters, look beyond a slick exterior. A good shelter is made up by people who care, and the good dogs in their kennels. There are lots of old, rundown, dark and damp shelters that have great dogs and are staffed by wonderful people, and there are others that are just as wretched as they look. There are also bright, pretty, high-tech modern shelters that treat people and animals well, and still others that are all window-dressing, forgetting to treat their human and canine clients with compassion.
-Avoid rigid preconceptions about what kind (age, breed, sex, size, color, coat length) of dog you want. Be prepared to enter the shelter with an open mind. Size, for example, is not a good indicator of energy level or adaptability to a small house many large dogs are better suited to apartment life than are the typically high-energy but small Jack Russell Terriers.
The shelter visit
-Although it's best to avoid preconceptions about what model of dog you are looking for, Sternberg advises that it is very important to know what to look for behaviorally. 'A high level of sociability will contribute more to a dog's success in a home than any other trait, Sternberg says. 'Overall, be looking for a dog that really likes people and wants to be with them, who is affectionate, congenial, and bonds easily and strongly. These are the dogs who are most fun, and the least worry to live with.
-Stand firm on this behavior criteria as you progress through Sternberg's 12-step program for adoption success:
-As you enter the shelter, get a reading on the attitude of staff and volunteers. Are you greeted warmly and treated well? If you are asked to fill out a questionnaire, are the interviewers genuinely interested in who you are and helping you find the right dog, or are you grilled like a criminal? Any concerns about your answers should be used to help educate, not condemn you. If you feel like you are getting the thumbscrews and third-degree, leave. It would be almost impossible to concentrate on your task in an environment like this.
-When you enter the kennels, make a quick pass through without stopping to schmooze the dogs. Pen and paper in hand, make note of any dogs that stand out for you. Ideally, you might find four or five who do.
-On your second pass-through, stop and visit with each of the dogs you noted. Put your hand up to the kennel wire or bars. The dog should readily come up to visit you and sniff your hand. Remember, these dogs are socially deprived, and should be seeking your attention. When a candidate sniffs your hand, tell him he's a good dog, and move your hand back and forth, slowly, several times, about five inches each way. A social dog will follow your hand. Remember, you want a social dog a well-socialized, outgoing, and friendly dog is the least liable to be aggressive. If the dog jumps at your faces, barks at you, lunges or, alternatively clings to or retreats to the back of the kennel, cross him off your list and move on to the next dog.
-When you have identified the dogs on your list who are very social, take them out of their kennels one at a time, to a quiet room if possible. (Not all shelters can provide this luxury. Do the best you can find a relatively quiet corner somewhere.) Stand with the dog for five minutes, and totally ignore him. The dog should look at you in a warm way, and try to worm his way into your affections leaning on you, nudging, licking, trying to cuddle. Jumping up is okay if it is done as attention-seeking, not in an attempt to bowl you off your feet as he bounces away from you. If an employee is with you and the dog is seeking attention from the employee, that's okay it just means the dog has already formed a bond with that person. If in five minutes the dog shows little or no interest in you or in other humans who are with you, put him back. He is not a good candidate.
-If he is very social, pet him slowly and gently down his back. He should stand still and enjoy this, or lean into you, seeking more contact. If he shakes you off after you've touched him ('Yuck, people cooties!) or moves or lunges away from your touch, he's telling you he doesn't like being petted, or being around you. This dog is at risk for being aggressive anytime people touch him in a way that offends him. Put him back.
-If he passes the petting test, ask a shelter staff member if you can feed him a meal a small bowl of kibble, or a handful of biscuits that you brought with you. You want to test him for resource guarding another behavior that puts him at high risk for biting. Put a bowl of food or pile of treats on the floor, enough that it will take him about 45 seconds to finish it. Now (BE CAREFUL!) talk to him, then pet him gently on the back. (Do not try to take the food away!) You want him to wag his tail, wag his tail harder, or even stop and look at you as if to say, 'Hi! I'm eating right now, I'll be back with you shortly. He may even stop eating and prefer to be with you. However, if he stiffens, blocks you with his body, glares at you, lowers his head into the dish, growls, or tries to move the food away from you, he is a resource guarder, and not a good adoption choice.
-If he passes the first food test, up the ante. Ask the shelter staff if you can give him a chew hoof, pig ear, rawhide, or some other very valuable object. Again, you want to see if he is cooperative or competitive with this resource. Slowly move toward him and look for any of the guarding signs described in the previous step. If you see them, stop the test. If not, slowly reach for the object from a distance of at least two feet, then jerk your hand back. Repeat this step three times. You are looking for a dog who is relaxed about your approach. If you see any signs of guarding, don't adopt. Have the staff person retrieve the valuable object and put the dog away.
If the dog is still with you, your next step is to pet him all over. He should actively enjoy being petted, perhaps wag his tail, even lick you. He should not mouth you, even gently. If he does, put him away. Mouthiness, even done gently, is a sign of resistance, and may escalate to a bite if someone, such as a child, ignores the sign and keeps on petting or touching.
-Now take out a toy (that you brought with you for this purpose, or one that the shelter provides, if they prefer) and see if he will play some sort of game with you: fetch, tug-o-war, or chase. Play the game for three to four minutes enough to get him excited and aroused. Then abruptly stop the play, and put the toy up, preferably on a shelf where he can see it. Take note of how long it takes him to disengage from playing and return to you to settle and socialize, perhaps sit or lie down next to you. Ideally, he will do this within two minutes. If he is still aroused after five minutes, put him away. This is the kind of energy level that the average dog household is not equipped to deal with. (If, on the other hand, you are looking for the next World Frisbee or Agility Champion, he might be a candidate.)
-Take the dog for a walk on leash, outside if possible. Don't worry if he pulls, or is very distracted these are behaviors that are normal for shelter dogs, and can be retrained. Do watch for aggressive behavior toward other dogs or people while he is on leash. If you see any, put him away and cross him off your list.
-If this dog is still on your list when your walk is done, have a staff person put him back in his kennel, then watch him as other strangers pass by, especially children, big men, and anyone who moves or dresses oddly. Avoid a dog who barks or lunges at anyone who walks by this is a sign of inadequate socialization. If your dog will be around children, look for a dog who wants to greet passing children first. A dog who will live with children must worship little humans, not just tolerate them.
-If you still have one or more candidates in the running, ask the shelter staff if you can put them on temporary hold while you make arrangements to return with your kids and spouse (if you have them) and trainer. You may also want to bring your current dog, if you have one, so your trainer can help with the first introduction. Shelter staff may tell you that they can't put a dog on hold, because if someone else wants to adopt in the meantime and you don't return for some reason, he might miss out on his best chance for a home. This is reasonable. However, they should be willing to note that you are interested on the dog's paperwork, and give you a reasonable amount of time to return, so the dog isn't selected for euthanasia before you can get back with your crew in tow. When you do return, your trainer will be able to help you make an educated final decision about which of the dogs on your short list is the best choice for a long relationship with your family.

More on petfinder.com go to "before you adopt"

How to Show Your Dog that YOU are Alpha

• One of the simplest ways to get your dog to realize that you are the leader of the pack is in the way your feed your dog. Your dog's meal time is excellent training ground and will not take any longer that it usually does to feed him. The first rule is you must eat first and your dog must see you eating first. Once you are done, then you can begin to prepare your dogs food. Place his food into his bowl, swish it around with your hands to distribute your scent all over his food, make him sit, and then feed him. By doing this every time your dog eats, he will soon learn that you are the alpha of the pack because the alpha always eats first. Plus, you are further enforcing your status in the pack by placing your scent all over his food. In basic dog language you are claiming that the food is yours and that you are letting your dog eat your food.
• Another way to show your dog who is boss is to simply ignore him when you come home. I know this sounds mean and that you just want to show your beloved dog how much you missed him, but your dog does not see it that way. You see, in a pack, when someone comes in, the leader is always greeted first and with much praise. So, when you come home and you immediately show your dog affection, you are basically telling him that he is the leader of your family pack. When you come home, ignore the dog and greet the other people in your household first. Then when your dog is calm, call him over to you and shower him with affection and love. This simple change will let your dog know that he is not the alpha of the pack.
• Next method is for you to make all the decisions for your dog. This one, I feel, takes the most time and is the hardest for us to implement simply because we love our dogs and it is hard to deny them love and attention. You see, in a pack, the leader makes all the decisions and the rest of the pack follows the leader. So, when you dog demands it is play time or wants some love and attention, you simply ignore him. This one is much easier to read than it is to implement. You must make all the decisions for your dog. If he wants to play and brings a toy over to you, ignore him until he gives up, then grab his toy and ask him if he wants to play. You see, it on your time and not his. Pretty soon, your dog will realize that you are making all the decisions and will await your next instruction because he will see you as the leader.
• Bedtime is one more method where you can show your dog that you are the leader. The alpha dog, in the pack, always gets the best of everything, including where he sleeps. When they all sleep, the alpha dog gets the highest spot over all the other dogs because they are looking out after their pack. So, when you go to bed, you need to make sure that your dog sleeps on the floor in his bed while you sleep up higher than him in your bed. You can still play with your dog while in bed or while you are watching a movie before your go to sleep, but when it is time to go to sleep, you need to make your dog go lie down in his own bed.
• The last way you can assure your dog that you are the leader is through massages and grooming. What you need to do is make your dog lie down on his side and then gently brush him and rub his belly. This is also great quality time for both you and your pet. This works well because when a dog lies down on his side, he is showing total submission. An alpha dog will never assume this position with a dog who is subordinate to him. So, by making him lie on his side, you are letting him know that you are the leader and he is the follower. If you do this regularly, you dog will look forward to his grooming sessions and will have no problem submitting to you.A pack leader can do anything and they can also make their followers do anything without any complaints. Once you put these five tips into practice, your dog will soon learn that he is the follower and you are the alpha leader. He will then be more willing to listen to you and learn what you are trying to teach him.

Read more here: http://www.barkleyandpaws.com/Dogs/Training/While_dog_training,_here_are_5_easy_ways_to_make_your_dog_mind_200805081255/

Dog Photos

Just some cute doggie pics to tide you guys over... and tide me over as well. I'm supposed to get a dog soon, but it's taking forever for my mom to find a shelter mutt she actually likes... and it's even harder because she never seems to have time to go to any shelter! By the way, the first 4 dogs above(from top to bottom) are adoptable in the Chicagoland area. The first is a Chihuahua from C.A.C.C. Well, bye and please get me a dog!!

I Ate Dog Food Just To Try It...

OK, not real dog food. But my best friend and I mixed together a lot of different foods and put them in a bowl on the floor next to a bowl of water, and tried it. We almost barfed.... yet it was still better than commercial dog food. Sorry but I don't have a pic of it!

10 Summer Grooming Tips

1. Always bathe your dog after a swim to wash away any chlorine from a pool or bacteria from a lake, river or the ocean.

2. While it is fine to clip your dog's coat shorter for summer, clipping it too short may expose his skin to sunburn.

3. To prevent matting, brush your pet's coat weekly and every time his coat gets wet.
Grinding you pet's nails can make wearing shorts in the summer less painful when they jump on your legs.

4. Keeping your dog's eyes as clean as possible can prevent common summertime allergens from irritating them.

5. Enjoy the summer weather and groom your pet outside. Just make sure your dog is on a leash and all your tools are within reach.'

6. Summer is the perfect time to bathe your dog! The warmer temperatures keep your dog comfortable and help his coat dry faster.

7. To keep your dog's coat and skin moisturized and protected, consider his coat type as well as the weather conditions when selecting the shampoo.

8. Because of all the extra sunlight, your dog is likely to shed more in the summer. So help remove his dead undercoat with an Oster® rake.

9. Even though the extra outside exercise may require less nail clipping in the summer, make sure to frequently check your dog's nails for cracks or tears.

10. Grinding you pet's nails can make wearing shorts in the summer less painful when they jump on your legs.

For more info, visit www.petfinder.com
To save up to $17 on dog grooming products, go to http://www.cleanhappydogs.com/SpecialOffers.aspx

123456789 Day

I apologize for the late posting, but Wednesday was 123456789 Day. At 12:34:56 on 7/08/09(or Wed.) all 9 digits were consecutive. This happens only once or twice every 100 years. Cool, huh?

American Cocker Spaniel

Breed Group:Sporting Group
Coat Color(s):Many varieties; black, black with tan points, parti-color, tan points, and any other solid color(the two pictured above would fall into the ASCOB category, or any other solid color other than black, they are buff)

Coat Type: Long, silky, must be groomed at least twice a week and clipped professionally one a month or so
Size: 14-15 inches
Weight: 15-30 lbs
Exercise: Require regular exercise, one long daily walk is the minimum as these are sporting dogs
Temperament: Trusting, Sensitive, Gentle, Playful, Eager to please
Trainability: Easy to train with a soft approach
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Common Health Problems:
Cataract, Cleft lip/palate, Cranioschisi, Distichiasis, Hip dysplasia, Glaucoma, Luxating patellar, Hemolytic anemia, Progressive retinal atrophy, Ear and eye infection

You must be wondering why I, mutt-enthusiast extraordinaire, am writing about an actual breed of dog. My family is looking into a cocker spaniel mix, that is why. Also, for those of you also looking for a cocker, the two gorgeous pups pictured above are available for adoption in the Midwest.

Which Brand of Dog Food Should I Feed My Dog?

With all the suspicion about the edibility of dog food going around, you may be wondering: Should I still feed my pup Eukanuba? Science Diet? Iams? Ol' Roy?
Well, wonder no more. Canidae outshines them all. Visit www.dogfoodanalysis.com to compare ingredients of your current pet food to Canidae All Life Stages. You'll be surprised! Also, a 50 lb. dog only has to be fed 2 cups Canidae, compared to 2 1/2 cups Iams. See for yourself how your chow compares!

What to look for in dog food

"Here is my "short list" of rules when I am looking at dog food ingredients:
1) When I chose a dog food, I chose one high meat content. I want to see preferably at least 2-3 out of the top 5 ingredients be meat or meat meal (first ingredient must be!). Meal is simply the meat with the moisture removed.
2) I want to see higher quality grains, such as barley, brown rice, and oatmeal, instead of seeing wheat and corn. Or an alternative starch/carbohydrate such as potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3) I don't want to see any byproducts.
4) I don't want to see a lot of fillers.
5) I don't want to see preservatives that are believed to be carcinogens (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin).
6) I don't want to see artificial colorings such as the Red, Blue, and Yellow dyes.
7) I don't want to see added sugars (sugar, corn syrup).
8) I don't want to see mystery meats (meats identified only as "meat" or "poultry".)"

The original text is at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/indexqid=20080303023737AACUg7S

Pet Food Alert: 5th Installment

"SPECIFIC PET FOOD INGREDIENTS
>>> Additives and Preservatives
Many chemicals are added to commercial pet foods to improve thetaste, stability, characteristics, or appearance of the food.Additives provide no nutritional value. Additives includeemulsifiers to prevent water and fat from separating, antioxidantsto prevent fat from turning rancid, and artificial colors andflavors to make the product more attractive to consumers and morepalatable to their companion animals.
Adding chemicals to food originated thousands of years ago withspices, natural preservatives, and ripening agents. In the last40 years, however, the number of food additives has greatly increased.
All commercial pet foods contain preservatives. Some of these areadded to ingredients or raw materials by the suppliers, and othersmay be added by the manufacturer. Because manufacturers need toensure that dry foods have a long shelf life to remain edibleafter shipping and prolonged storage, fats included in pet foodsare preserved with either synthetic or "natural" preservatives.
Synthetic preservatives include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) andbutylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol(also used as a less-toxic version of automotive antifreeze), andethoxyquin.
For these antioxidants, there is little information documenting theirtoxicity, safety, or chronic use in pet foods that may be eaten everyday for the life of the animal.
Potentially cancer-causing agents such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquinare permitted at relatively low levels. The use of these chemicalsin pet foods has not been thoroughly studied, and long term build-upof these agents may ultimately be harmful.
Due to questionable data in the original study on its safety,ethoxyquin's manufacturer, Monsanto, was required to perform anew, more rigorous study. This was completed in 1996. Eventhough Monsanto found no significant toxicity associated with itsown product, in July 1997, the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicinerequested that manufacturers voluntarily reduce the maximum level forethoxyquin by half, to 75 parts per million.
While some pet food critics and veterinarians believe that ethoxyquinis a major cause of disease, skin problems, and infertility in dogs,others claim it is the safest, strongest, most stable preservativeavailable for pet food. Ethoxyquin is only approved for use in humanfood for preserving spices, such as cayenne and chili powder, at a levelof 100 ppm -- but it would be very difficult to consume as much chilipowder every day as a dog would eat dry food.
Ethoxyquin has never been tested for safety in cats. Some manufacturershave responded to consumer concern, and are now using "natural"preservatives such as Vitamin C (ascorbate), Vitamin E(mixed tocopherols), and oils of rosemary, clove, or otherspices, to preserve the fats in their products. Other ingredients,however, may be individually preserved. Fish meal, and some preparedvitamin mixtures used to supplement pet food, contain chemicalpreservatives. This means that your companion animal may be eatingfood containing several types of preservatives.
Not all of these are required to be disclosed on the label. However,due to consumer pressure, preservatives used in fat are now required to be listed on the label.


>>>Additives in Processed Pet Foods:
- Anticaking agents

- Antimicrobial agents

- Antioxidants

- Coloring agents

- Curing agents

- Drying agents

- Emulsifiers

- Firming agents

- Flavor enhancers

- Flavoring agents

- Flour treating agents

- Formulation aids

- Humectants

- Leavening agents

- Lubricants

- Nonnutritive sweeteners

- Nutritive sweeteners

- Oxidizing and reducing agents

- pH control agents

- Processing aids

- Sequestrants Solvents

- Synergists Texturizers

- More...?


While the law requires studies of direct toxicity of these additivesand preservatives, they have not been tested for their potentialsynergistic effects on each other once ingested. Some authors havesuggested that dangerous interactions occur among some of the commonsynthetic preservatives.
Natural preservatives do not provide as long a shelf life as chemicalpreservatives, but they do not carry the unanswered questions about their safety."



Again, to get this in your inbox go to www.i-love-dogs.com and subscribe to the Pet Food Alert.

Pet Food Alert: 4th Installment

"SPECIFIC PET FOOD INGREDIENTS
Animal and Poultry Fat You may have noticed a unique, pungent odorwhen you open a new bag of pet food - what is the source of thatdelightful smell? It is most often rendered animal fat, restaurantgrease, or other oils too rancid or deemed inedible for humans.
Restaurant grease has become a major component of feed grade animalfat over the last fifteen years. This grease, often held infifty-gallon drums, is usually kept outside for weeks, exposed toextreme temperatures with no regard for its future use.
"Fat blenders" or rendering companies then pick up this used greaseand mix the different types of fat together, stabilize them withpowerful antioxidants to retard further spoilage, and then sellthe blended products to pet food companies and other end users.
These fats are sprayed directly onto dried kibbles or extruded pelletsto make an otherwise bland or distasteful product palatable. The fatalso acts as a binding agent to which manufacturers add other flavorenhancers such as digests.
Pet food scientists have discovered that animals love the taste ofthese sprayed fats. Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog or acat to eat something she would normally turn up his or her nose at.
>>> Wheat, Soy, Corn, Peanut Hulls, and Other Vegetable Protein
The amount of grain products used in pet food has risen over the lastdecade. Once considered filler by the pet food industry, cereal andgrain products now replace a considerable proportion of the meat thatwas used in the first commercial pet foods. The availability ofnutrients in these products is dependent upon the digestibility ofthe grain.
The amount and type of carbohydrate in pet food determines the amountof nutrient value the animal actually gets. Dogs and cats can almostcompletely absorb carbohydrates from some grains, such as white rice.
Up to 20% of the nutritional value of other grains can escape digestion.The availability of nutrients for wheat, beans, and oats is poor. Thenutrients in potatoes and corn are far less available than those in rice.
Some ingredients, such as peanut hulls, are used for filler or fiber,and have no significant nutritional value. Two of the top threeingredients in pet foods, particularly dry foods, are almost alwayssome form of grain products.
Pedigree Performance Food for Dogs lists Ground Corn, Chicken By-ProductMeal, and Corn Gluten Meal as its top three ingredients. 9 Lives CrunchyMeals for cats lists Ground Yellow Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, andPoultry By-Product Meal as its first three ingredients.
Since cats are true carnivores - they must eat meat to fulfillcertain physiological needs - one may wonder why we are feedinga corn-based product to them. The answer is that corn is muchcheaper than meat.
In 1995, Nature's Recipe pulled thousands of tons of dog food offthe shelf after consumers complained that their dogs were vomitingand losing their appetite. Nature's Recipe's loss amounted to $20 million.The problem was a fungus that produced vomitoxin (an aflatoxin or"mycotoxin," a toxic substance produced by mold) contaminating thewheat.
In 1999, another fungal toxin triggered the recall of dry dog foodmade by Doane Pet Care at one of its plants, including Ol' Roy(Wal-Mart's brand) and 53 other brands. This time, the toxin killed25 dogs. Although it caused many dogs to vomit, stop eating, and havediarrhea, vomitoxin is a milder toxin than most.
The more dangerous mycotoxins can cause weight loss, liver damage,lameness, and even death as in the Doane case. The Nature'sRecipe incident prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)to intervene.
Dina Butcher, Agriculture Policy Advisor for North Dakota GovernorEd Schafer, concluded that the discovery of vomitoxin in Nature'sRecipe wasn't much of a threat to the human population because"the grain that would go into pet food is not a high quality grain."
Soy is another common ingredient that is sometimes used as a proteinand energy source in pet food. Manufacturers also use it to add bulkso that when an animal eats a product containing soy he will feel moresated. While soy has been linked to gas in some dogs, other dogs doquite well with it. Vegetarian dog foods use soy as a protein source."

The One and Only Dog Food Brand I Recommend...

is Canidae. Here are the ingredients in the Canidae All Life Stages food:

Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, peas, potatoes, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed meal, ocean fish meal, choline chloride, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.

As you may(and should) have noticed, there are no by-products, and the first 3 ingredients are meat, rather than grain fillers that are inedible. After this meat is the grains, rice which dogs can absorb carbohydrates from. As compared to Iams ProActive Health Adult Chunks:

Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Meal, Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Flax Meal, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Caramel(why does a dog need this?), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), DL-Methionine, Rosemary Extract.

Sheesh. Such a premium dog food.
Also, a 50 lb. dog only has to be fed 2 cups of Canidae- but 2-1/2 cups of Iams. You feed less, get less poop, more nutrients, a healthier dog, and a heavier wallet in the long run. What more can you ask for?

What Kind of Garbage Do You Feed Your Dog?

This is very horrifying news. Your pet is a cannibal. That's right-he eats dogs, cats, zoo animals, animal control, and road kill. It's all in commercial dog food. And the drug used to euthanize these animals are still in the food. Not only do you feed your dog animal matter, but collars(pet and flea), ID tags, and plastic bags. No joke! This is processed until the portion left over for dog food is 25% fecal matter... yes, that's the stuff that goes in the toilet. Visit http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com/ for more, and to buy some book sets.

Add Up To 8.3 Years to Your Dog's Life!

Just watch this FREE video at http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com/1/2/warning.php?hop=runtowin .

Pet Food Alert: 3rd Installment

"GENERAL PET FOOD INGREDIENTS
Although the purchase price of pet food does not always determinewhether a pet food is good or bad, the price is often a goodindicator of quality. It would be impossible for a company thatsells a generic brand of dog food at $12.95 for a 40-lb. bag touse quality protein and grain in its food.
The cost of purchasing quality ingredients would be much higherthan the selling price. The protein used in pet food comes from avariety of sources. When cattle, swine, chickens, lambs, or anynumber of other animals are slaughtered, the choice cuts such aslean muscle tissue are trimmed away from the carcass for humanconsumption.
However, about 50% of every food-producing animal does not getused in human foods. Whatever remains of the carcass - bones,blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, and almost all the otherparts not generally consumed by humans - is used in pet food,animal feed, and other products.
These "other parts" are known as "by-products" or other names on petfood labels. The ambiguous labels list the ingredients, but do notprovide a definition for the products listed.
The Pet Food Institute - the trade association of pet foodmanufacturers - acknowledges the use of by-products in pet foodsas additional income for processors and farmers:
"The growth of the pet food industry not only provided pet owners withbetter foods for their pets, but also created profitable additionalmarkets for American farm products and for the byproducts of the meatpacking, poultry, and other food industries which prepare food forhuman consumption."
Many of these remnants provide a questionable source of nourishmentfor our pets. The nutritional quality of meat and poultry by-products,meals, and digests can vary from batch to batch.
James Morris and Quinton Rogers, two professors with the Department ofMolecular Biosciences, University of California at Davis VeterinarySchool of Medicine, assert that,
"There is virtually no information on the bioavailability of nutrientsfor companion animals in many of the common dietary ingredients used inpet foods. These ingredients are generally by-products of the meat,poultry and fishing industries, with the potential for a widevariation in nutrient composition. Claims of nutritional adequacyof pet foods based on the current Association of American FeedControl Officials (AAFCO) nutrient allowances ('profiles') do notgive assurances of nutritional adequacy and will not untilingredients are analyzed and bioavailability values are incorporated."
Meat and poultry meals, by-product meals, and meat-and-bone meal arecommon ingredients in pet foods. The term "meal" means that thesematerials are not used fresh, but have been rendered.
What is rendering? Rendering, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is"to process as for industrial use: to render livestock carcasses andto extract oil from fat, blubber, etc., by melting."
Home-made chicken soup, with its thick layer of fat that forms overthe top when the soup is cooled, is a sort of mini-rendering process.Rendering separates fat-soluble from water-soluble and solidmaterials, and kills bacterial contaminants, but may alter ordestroy some of the natural enzymes and proteins found in theraw ingredients.
What can the feeding of such products do to your companion animal?
Many veterinarians claim that feeding slaughterhouse wastes to animalsincreases their risk of getting cancer and other degenerative diseases.The cooking methods used by pet food manufacturers - such as renderingand extruding (a heat- and-pressure system used to "puff" dry foodsinto nuggets or kibbles) - do not necessarily destroy the hormones usedto fatten livestock or increase milk production, or drugs such asantibiotics or the barbiturates used to euthanize animals."

Do you really want to feed Fido all this junk? Tomorrow I'll tell you 3 brands that are worth your money- because your dog's life may depend on it.
Once again, to recieve this same pet food alert by e-mail, visit www.i-love-dogs.com and subscribe to the Pet Food Alert on the top right hand side.

Pet Food Alert: 2nd Installment

"WHAT IS REALLY IN YOUR PET FOOD???

"Plump whole chickens, choice cuts of beef, fresh grains, and all the wholesome nutrition your dog or cat will ever need."
These are the images pet food manufacturers promote through the media and advertising. This is what the $11 billion per year U.S.pet food industry wants consumers to believe they are buying when they purchase their products. This report explores the differences between what consumers think they are buying and what they are actually getting.
It focuses in very general terms on the most visible name brands -the pet food labels that are mass-distributed to supermarkets anddiscount stores - but there are many highly respected brands that may be guilty of the same offenses. What most consumers don't know is that the pet food industry is an extension of the human food and agriculture industries.
Pet food provides a market for slaughterhouse throw aways, grains considered "unfit for human consumption," and similar waste products to be turned into profit.
This waste includes:
- intestines
- udders
- esophagi
- and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts

Three of the five major pet food companies in the United States ar subsidiaries of major multinational companies:
- Nestle/Alpo (Fancy Feast, Friskies, Mighty Dog)
- Heinz (9 Lives, Amore, Gravy Train, Kibbles n Bits, Recipe, Vets)
- Colgate-Palmolive (Hill's Science Diet Pet Food)

Other leading companies are:
- Procter & Gamble (Eukanuba and Iams)
- Mars (Kal Kan, Mealtime, Pedigree, Sheba)
- Nutro

From a business standpoint, multinational companies owning pet foodmanufacturing companies is an ideal relationship. The multinationalshave a captive market in which to capitalize on their waste products,and the pet food manufacturers have a reliable source from which topurchase their bulk materials.
There are hundreds of different pet foods available in this country.And while many of the foods on the market are virtually the same,not all of the pet food manufacturing companies use poor qualityand potentially dangerous ingredients."

So what foods are safe to feed your furry, four-legged friends? Find out in tomorrow's post.
And to learn more, visit http://www.i-love-dogs.com/ and subscribe to the Pet Food Alert.