Raw Pet Digest June/July 2015 by rawpetdigest

June/July2015

RAWPET DIGEST IN THIS ISSUE: - Raw f eed i n g " h o w -t o " - Ex er ci se - Essen t i al o i l s - Sk i n al l er g i es - A n d m o r e!

Meshach, a Great Dane. Photo credit: Kim Bloomer

Raw Pet Digest Editor-in-chief: Kristin Clark Technical editor: Dr. Jeannie (Jeannette) Thomason

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Our goal at Raw Pet Digest is to share this information to a broad audience to help improve the lives of our companion animals. We sincerely hope that the information presented in this magazine will be of use to you and your pets.

DISCLAIMER: All information contained in Raw Pet Digest is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prevent, or treat any disease, illness, or injured condition of the body or pets and the author(s), publisher, and contributors accept no responsibility for such use. Anyone or their pets suffering from any disease, illness, or injury should consult with their physician or veterinarian. The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the author. The articles herein are for educational purposes only. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader.

Lycan, Merlin, Midge, and Pansy. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

FEATURESAND COLUMNS Letter from the Editor - 4 A Practical Guide to SARF feeding - 5 Finding Meat Suppliers - 10 The Importance of Exercise - 14 Healthy Treats for Cats - 20 Healthy Treats for Dogs - 21

Grubat, a Maine Coon kitten, playing with a paper bag. Photo credit: Jim Clark

Stopping the Itch: Skin Allergies in Your Pet - 22 Introduction to Essential Oils - 28 Building Your Essential Oil Kit - 34 The Vegetarian Dilemma - 36 Lessons in Love: My Time with Gwinnie - 40

Turner, a Shetland Sheepdog, enjoying the great outdoors. Photo credit: Jill Ermel

Letter fromtheEditor Welcome to the June/ July issue of Raw Pet Digest! As I sit here writing this, I keep thinking about how excited I am to bring you all the information that?s packed into this issue. Inside, you'll find a range of topics, all of which I think you?ll find valuable. This issue, I wanted to not only continue what we started in the inaugural issue of Raw Pet Digest, but also expand by bringing you more and different information about how to help your pet achieve true, holistic health naturally. And so, we continue the journey we began with the April/ May issue by bringing you specific information on how to feed a species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diet, from tools you?ll need to where and how to feed. We also take a look at the best ways to find affordable, high-quality raw meat suppliers. And we explore what it means to feed your carnivore pet a SARF diet if you?re a vegetarian (or vegan).

Kristin with Cleo, Motley, Elle, and Barkley. Photo credit: Adam Gilbert

health. These are of course not ?cures? in and of themselves, but instead are supplements and support to the body to help it heal. This list includes (but is by no means limited to!) acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, Although nutrition is the foundation of health, it?s chiropractic work, and essential oils. In this issue, not the only aspect of it. This issue of Raw Pet we introduce essential oils and also talk about Digest also takes an in-depth look at exercise in several oils you may find useful to keep on-hand. our continuing series covering the eight laws of health. Exercise is one of the most neglected but And, finally, as part of our ongoing series on animals most important parts of maintaining your pet?s as inspirations and teachers, I bring you a story health naturally, and we talk about why exercise is about an amazing dog named Gwinnie. She taught so important and discuss different ways you can me so much about life, love, and letting go, and I am forever grateful to her. make sure your pet gets enough exercise. Now that spring is here, many of our pets are starting to experience allergy symptoms. As you may remember from the April/ May issue, it was actually my dog Barkley?s allergy symptoms that initially started me on my journey of naturopathy and feeding my animals a SARF diet. And so, I wanted to examine what causes allergy symptoms in our pets and look at ways we can address the root cause of those symptoms and help their bodies heal and maintain health naturally.

As always, I would love to hear from you! If there?s a particular topic you would like to see covered, or if you have a question about something you see, email me at kristin@rawpetdigest.com. And, if you have pictures of your cat or dog that you?d like to share, send them to me! Please include a sentence giving us permission to use the photos, your pet?s name, and your name. You may see your pet in an upcoming issue of Raw Pet Digest! Thank you for reading!

One of my dreams for the magazine is to highlight Kristin Clark various natural things you can do for your pet to help support them in regaining and maintaining Editor-in-Chief 4

APRACTICALGUIDE TOSARFFEEDING

Lycan, a Belgian Malinois. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

If you?re anything like I was when I decided to make the switch to feeding a species-appropriate diet, you may be a bit overwhelmed by the logistics of it all. I had lots of questions, and sometimes it was hard to find answers. The previous issue of Raw Pet Digest went over lots of information about what to feed, how to introduce your dog to a species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diet, and why it?s important to feed a SARF diet. But this article goes a little further? it describes the nuts and bolts of SARF feeding. Of course, there is more than one way to do it, and what works for one person may not work for another, but hopefully this article will take some of the mystery out of the process. First, let?s take a look at some items that will make feeding your pet a SARF diet much easier. A f reezer One of the most crucial items in your SARF toolkit is a deep freezer. If you don?t already have one, you will want to get one. They come in various sizes and have various features; you can decide what is important to you. To give you a sense of size, I have four dogs (ranging from 17-50 pounds) and one cat, and my freezer is 5.1 cubic feet. About 95% of the freezer is devoted to food for our pets, and I can store plenty in there? enough so that I only have to stock up about every 3-4 weeks (on average). The freezer?s dimensions are approximately 29

inches wide by 33 inches high, and it has a depth of about 22 inches. I know someone who has a much larger freezer than me with 2 dogs, and she can stock several months?worth of food in hers. I opted for the smaller size because I needed something that fit into a small area, and this freezer worked perfectly. Find something that fits in the space you have and that fits your budget, but get a freezer? you'll find it really useful. Of course, if you don?t have room for a separate freezer, you may have to stock up more often on food for your pet or skip freezing it all together. This is less convenient, but it is an option. A kit chen scal e When you first start feeding a SARF diet, it is important to make sure that you are feeding your dog or cat the appropriate amount of meat, bones, and organs/ glands for their weight (or ideal weight). The best way to do this is by weighing the food you?re giving them using a kitchen scale. You may eventually get to the point where you can ?eyeball? the food to make sure it's the right amount; you may also get to a place where you know your pet so well that you can use their energy level, physical appearance, and stool appearance to judge the amount to give them. But, especially when you are starting out, or when you are working with a new protein source, it is important to be able to weigh it out. I also use my scale if one of my animals doesn?t finish what I?ve given them. This tells me how much they did eat, helps me determine how much to feed next time, and lets me keep an eye on their ongoing food intake. A good cl eaver and poul t ry shears

95% of the freezer is stocked with food for our animals. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

Most of the food I get for my pets needs to be cut up to whatever size and weight I want to give them that day. Generally, I need to cut through meat and bone (for example, if I am working with a whole turkey or chicken, or portioning out rabbit or parts of a cow, lamb, or goat). I invested in a high-quality meat cleaver, and it has made the job of cutting everything up much easier. I also have a pair of poultry shears that are really helpful if I?m cutting 6

up a chicken. Each of my animals eats a different amount, so it?s important to be able to quickly portion out whatever size is appropriate for each. I would highly recommend a cleaver and shears; I use mine on a daily basis. On a side note, many supermarkets will sharpen your knives for free; talk to the butcher at the market to see if this is an option. They will also be able to tell you the best way to care for your cleaver. I always hand-wash mine, and I hone the blade each time after I use it. You can also find information about how to properly care for a knife online. A raw f ood journal When I started feeding raw, someone suggested I keep a raw food journal. Over time, I have refined mine to include the information I find relevant and useful. Again, everyone does it differently, but I use Microsoft Excel and have a different tab for each animal. My journal includes the date, the amount of food (in ounces), type of food given, whether or not organs were given, and any additional notes. It also has a place to include the total amount of food given each week so I can make sure I?m within the target range for that animal. And, it also includes that pet?s weight and the target amounts of meat, bone, and organs/ glands (on a weekly basis). I have an example of my raw food journal on the next page. The process of f eeding When I first started feeding a SARF diet, I wasn't sure of the best approach to take. When I fed kibble, I just scooped it into the bowl and put the bowl down. Each animal had their special place to eat inside, and they would run to that spot and wait for me to put the bowl down. They would scarf it down, and I wouldn?t give it any more thought until the next meal. When I made the switch, I knew that I wanted to feed the dogs outside (the cat eats inside on a little mat), since I wasn?t sure if they would keep the meat and bones and organs in the bowl or drag them

around. But beyond that, I didn?t know what the best way to do it was. What I soon figured out, though, is that each dog has their own special approach to eating a SARF diet. I feed my dogs once per day in the morning, and in general the routine goes like this: I cut up and portion out the food for each dog for the day, put it in that dog?s bowl, carry it outside, and put it down on the cement. Elle, Cleo, and Motley tend to eat their food right out of the bowl, and if they do take it out they stay close to their bowl. Barkley carries his food off to a small patch of grass, lays down, and eats it there. I generally stay outside with them while they eat (which could take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour, depending on what type of food it is and how much I?ve given them). I do this to make sure that Elle and Motley don?t steal food from anyone else, and because I enjoy watching them experience fulfillment in their food. When they are done, I gather up the bowls and bring them inside to clean them, the cutting board, the countertop, and the cleaver and/ or shears. Cleanup generally takes me about 10 minutes total (it actually takes much less time to clean up after the animals' breakfast than it does to clean up after cooking dinner for us!). The Quest ion of Bowl s I have met some people who say that you shouldn?t use bowls for SARF-fed pets. Again, it really comes down to whatever works best for you, but I find bowls are very handy for carrying the food outside without dripping anything on the floor. I also find them useful if I?m feeding a mix of things? for example, some liver along with chicken and maybe a turkey wing or two. If you do use bowls, opt for stainless steel rather than plastic. Stainless steel is relatively inexpensive, very durable, and it won?t harbor bacteria or leach anything into the food (plastic can leach and because it is porous, bacteria can linger even when you wash it). Plus, you can find bowls in all shapes and sizes.

Example of Motley's tab in my raw food journal. This represents the beginning of his entries (we got him on 4/ 12/ 15). As you can see, I include the date, the amount (in ounces), the type of food given, any additional notes, and a "cheat sheet" of weight and targets. I have a tab set up for each animal, and I review it regularly to make sure that everyone is on track.

Where t o f eed

Preparat ion is key

As I mentioned, I feed my cat inside on a small mat. I feed my dogs on the cement for several reasons: my backyard is predominantly composed of cement, a wooden deck, and a swimming pool (there's hardly any grass); the food doesn?t seem to stain the cement; and the place I feed them gets full sun throughout the day. Sunlight acts as a natural disinfectant, so this helps keep it clean and disinfected without having to use any chemicals. I don?t feed the dogs on the deck because they have a tendency to lick up minuscule bits of blood and meat, and I don?t want them to ingest any of the stain that?s on the deck or get splinters in their tongues. Some people feed their dogs on grass. If you want to feed your dog inside (in case of really bad weather or because you don?t have a backyard), you can feed on a mat or old blanket? this is perfectly fine, and you can lay the mat or blanket out in the sun to disinfect each day, or wash them. You may also want to feed in a crate if you live inside and your dog or cat tends to drag food around everywhere. If you feed inside and your dog or cat does drag the food onto the floor, it?s not a big deal; you will just need to clean it up after. The August/ September issue of Raw Pet Digest will have information on safe, natural cleaners which you may find useful, particularly if you feed inside.

Once you establish a routine, you will probably find that feeding a SARF diet is as convenient as feeding kibble was. One last tip I can give you is to plan ahead. I have a general idea of what I want to feed the next day when I finish feeding each day. I keep food for the next day or two in a tub in the refrigerator, and I make sure, if it?s running low, to pull out food for the next day or two from the freezer and put it in the tub so it can defrost.

Tub where I keep defrosted meat. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

I have fed all types of meats (including chicken, turkey, lamb, tripe, muskrat, goose, llama, alpaca, rabbit, quail, beef, trachea, gullets, liver, kidneys, brain, testicles, etc.), and when I keep them in that tub I never smell the meat. Food doesn't stay in it more than a day or two, and I wash the tub every week to make sure it stays fresh. With some time and practice, feeding a SARF diet can be just as convenient as feeding kibble. If you haven't already made the switch, give it a try! Your pet will thank you for it. I hope that this article answers some of your questions about the process of raw feeding. If you have any questions or suggestions to share with other readers, we'd love to hear them! Please send me an email (kristin@rawpetdigest.com). -By Kristin Clark

Motley, our newest dog, enjoying lamb. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

FINDINGMEATSUPPLIERS Securing food sources will be one of your first steps once you have made the decision to feed your pet a species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diet. There is a bit more planning and work involved, especially when first starting out. But it could not be more worth it for the health of your animal! First things first, the amount of freezer space you have available will determine if you are able to buy in bulk or not. You can save yourself a lot of money and weekly trips to purchase food when you buy in bulk. If you have minimal freezer space consider purchasing a used freezer for the purpose of storing pet food. When looking for a source of raw food there are three main things to consider: the quality of the food, the price of the food, and the availability of the food. The quality and price will generally go hand-in-hand (the higher the quality, the more costly) but not always, so don?t assume a more costly product is better quality. Depending on the volume of food you expect to go through, there are a variety of sources to investigate. If you are feeding one or two smaller pets, then doing your shopping at the grocery store, butcher shop, or pet store may work well for you. If you have larger dogs, a number of pets or are on a tighter budget, you will need to devote some additional time to lining up some sources that match your particular needs. Where do you start looking? If you know of or can get in touch with people in your area who are already feeding a SARF diet, they should be able to give you some valuable information on where they are purchasing their food. I have used this tactic myself. It?s much more efficient to glean

Raw meaty bones. ÂŠ Cybertrone | Dreamstime.com

information from other raw feeders than to try and do all the research from the beginning on your own. Generally, they are happy to share the suppliers they like and those they don?t. If you don?t happen to know anyone who is feeding raw in your area, don?t worry, you can find them! Google and Facebook are invaluable tools in your search for raw food; I will talk about them a little later in the article. When you are trying to nail down some good sources, you might first start close to home with your friends and family. I think everyone has that one person in their family that buys more meat than they could ever possibly eat. Tell them about your pet?s new diet and ask them to get in touch when/ if they are cleaning out their freezer. Let your friends and family know you will take unadulterated raw meat for your pet. Just stay away from meat that has anything added to it, such 10

as hamburger patties, sausage, marinated or spiced meats, etc. If you have a friend or family member that hunts, it is quite likely they will still have meat left at the beginning of the next hunting season. Let them know that you will put any meat to good use if they are discarding it. Also, during hunting season ask them to save you the parts of animals they are not using, including the internal organs. Wild game meat is an ideal source of food as the animals are eating a natural diet and living a natural existence! You can try posting in online classifieds for freezer-burnt meat. Please use good judgment and be cautious when getting food from people you do not know. If anything seems off about the meat, do not feed it to your pet. You can also search the online classifieds for meat that is listed for sale. Sometimes using the word meat will bring up results, but other times you must search for a specific type of meat (beef, chicken, rabbit, etc). I

have been successful both posting for meat and searching for items. You can use the Internet to network with other raw feeders in your area. Breeders are often a great place to start. Do a Google search for ?raw feeding dog breeders your city? or visit the Naturally Rearing Breeder?s Association or The Natural Reared Support Supplier & Practitioner Directory. If you are on Facebook, there are a multitude of groups from all over the world that share raw food supplier information. Carnivore Feed Supplier (CFS), for instance, is a general group on Facebook for finding raw food suppliers. Search for terms such as ?raw pet food your city?. Reach out to people in these groups and ask for recommendations around your location. Google the term ?raw food co-op your city?. Co-ops are where a bunch of people get together to place a large order from a supplier in order to receive bulk discounts.

King, an American Bully, enjoying a raw meaty bone. Photo credit: Kim Bloomer

Here are some ideas of a few types of companies to contact and ask about raw meat, bones, and organs to feed pets: -

Butchers Restaurant suppliers Meat packers Raw pet food companies Livestock farmers

What exactly do you ask for when contacting retail stores that are primarily selling food for human consumption? If the store is accustomed to dealing with people looking for raw pet food, they will have an idea of what you are looking for and it should be an easy conversation. If, however, they don?t get many inquiries about this, you may have to really spell it out for them. Be sure to ask specifics in regards to the parts of the animal that would be available, the price, how the animals were raised, how large or small the pieces of food will be, and if they will be packaged or not. When looking for livestock farmers, add the type of animal into your search. What type of animals are

Knox, an English Mastiff, eating in the snow. Photo credit: Jennifer Lee

raised in your area? The most commonly raised animals will be the best place to look. To find local farmers use search terms such as ?beef producers your area?. Many of the different types of livestock producers have their own websites where you can find a lot of great information and listings of all the producers. Even if you contact the farmer and they have nothing available at the time, they might in the future. Livestock animals that are destined to be used for human consumption must be healthy (criteria is set by government) and able to stand on their own prior to slaughter. A cow that breaks a leg while out in pasture is not able to stand up on their own and therefore cannot be sold and the meat cannot be used for human consumption. This would be an opportunity for a raw feeder to purchase a lot of meat and the farmer could receive at least some financial compensation for the animal. Downed animals can be a beneficial source of food for your carnivore pets. If such an opportunity arises, just be sure to ask if any drugs or medications were administered to the animal recently.

In general, my least favorite place to purchase raw food is at a pet retailer. Often they only have ground mixes available, and ingredients that are not suitable for carnivores have been added to the food. Additionally, they are usually quite costly. There are different levels of quality in meat to be aware of. The best of the best is certified organic meat. Organic beef in the USA, for example, must meet the following criteria: born and raised on certified organic pasture, never received antibiotics, never received growth-promoting hormones, only fed certified organic grains and grasses, and allowed unrestricted outdoor access. Animals that are raised on open pasture as opposed to the confined space of a feedlot or barn are always a better choice. The meat is higher in nutrients when it is raised in a natural manner. Also, be aware that younger animals are a better option than older animals, because generally they have accumulated fewer toxins in their tissues. Check the regulations for your area and always ask suppliers how the animals are raised. Some important questions to ask are: What type of conditions do they live in? What do they eat? Are they fed antibiotics or given growth hormones? Are they treated with respect and kindness? Make sure that they answer these questions to your satisfaction before purchasing meat from them. Although many people don?t think about it, I want to mention the option of using road kill. This is a better option in cooler months with a freshly hit animal. You must contact the organization responsible for picking up the animals and ask what their policy is regarding the public using road kill. This is an excellent method to obtain a whole intact animal for free. And remember, feeding all the parts of whole animals is the perfect way to feed our carnivore pets. One caveat: if you use road kill, inspect it for large amounts of ticks. An overabundance of these pests can mean the animal was generally unhealthy and should not be fed to your pets.

Maybe you have the space, time, and desire to raise your own food. Another great option is home-grown animals, which are good for our own meals as well as for our carnivore pets! With home-grown animals, you know exactly how they are raised, what they ate, and you can ensure that they hormone- and antibiotic-free. The more variety of meats you are able to source and feed to your pet, the better. You can feed chicken, turkey, duck, quail, pheasant, eggs, fish, rabbit, rodents, goat, lamb, pork, emu, beef, bison, deer, elk, kangaroo, and so on. In a wild setting, canines would generally consume the entire prey animal and our goal with raw feeding is to model that in our pet?s diet. The more variety in parts of animals you are able to feed, the better. Seek out and obtain the best quality meat that your budget will allow. Your carnivore companion will benefit in many ways! -By Jennifer Lee Jennifer Lee is the founder of the Natural Carnivore, dedicated to teaching pet owners how to prevent illness and promote health using natural, gentle and time-tested methods. She is a Carnivore Nutritionist, a Natural Rearing Dog Breeder, and author of The Inner Carnivore: A guide to species-appropriate feeding for dogs and cats. Jennifer earned her certification in Carnivore Nutrition from the American Council of Animal Naturopathy and has many years of hands-on experience and self-learning with her own animals. She lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and their many animal companions.

THEIMPORTANCEOFEXERCISE

Liberty, a Havanese, running and playing. Photo credit: Patty Jicha

In the April/ May issue of Raw Pet Digest, we started our series on the eight laws of health with an overview of each law: nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine/ supplements, temperance, air, rest, and trust. Much of that issue was also devoted to topics that relate to the first law of health, nutrition. This law, of course, relates to species-appropriate nutrition, which for our cats and dogs equates to raw meat, bones, organs, and glands. In this second article in our series on the eight laws, we are going to look more closely at the second law of health: exercise. We will get at the root of why exercise is so important, what appropriate exercise is, how to determine the right amount of exercise for your cat and dog, and different ways you can exercise your pet. Whether you have a cat or a dog, a young animal or a senior, exercise is a crucial component to maintaining health naturally.

Exercise is one of the most neglected laws of health in Western society today. Our dogs and cats are frequently obese or overweight. While much of this is due to diet, lack of exercise also plays a key role. Exercise has a myriad of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. And ultimately, remember that true health is achieved when the body, mind, and spirit are appropriately balanced. It is our job to support our pets in achieving and maintaining balance. This requires a holistic approach? balance by its very nature means that more than one factor is involved, and all the factors must be in harmony. Exercise is one of these factors. Let?s start with the role exercise plays in the immune system. Like us, our dogs and cats have lymph fluid, which moves throughout lymph vessels in the body picking up bacteria, waste products, toxins, and even tumor cells. The lymph fluid carries this toxic waste matter back to the

Midge (Redbone Coonhound), Merlin (American Pit Bull Terrier), and Lycan (Belgian Malinois) running in the snow. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

lymph nodes, which are located throughout the body. The lymph nodes then break down this waste matter and dispose of it. Our dogs and cats have twice as many lymph vessels as blood vessels, but unlike blood (which is pumped through blood vessels by the heart), the lymph fluid only moves as a result of exercise or physical stimulation, such as deep tissue massage. This difference is vital; the lymph fluid must have exercise to move. If the lymph doesn?t move, the waste matter will build up, which causes inflammation. Chronic inflammation can cause various diseases, including cancer, to appear. Being hunters, our dogs and cats are designed to move around in search of prey and then expend vigorous effort bringing the prey down. And although our pet dogs and cats may not have to hunt for their meals anymore, their bodies are still adapted to need this kind of exercise to achieve optimum wellness. Exercise strengthens and tones your pet?s lungs, heart, and overall muscle tone. It aids them in staying at an appropriate weight. Obesity, of course, throws the body out of balance, and even animals on a species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diet can become overweight or obese if they are fed too much or aren?t exercised enough. Exercise also helps lower blood glucose levels, and the increased bloodflow aids in insulin absorption. In addition to all the physical benefits to exercise, it has lots of mental and emotional benefits as well. Remember the old adage ?A tired dog (or cat) is a good dog (or cat)?? This is because exercise helps maintain brain health, drain excess energy, promote better sleep, and release endorphins in the brain that contribute to overall happiness and wellness. It is vitally important to make sure your pet gets an adequate amount of regular exercise. The amount and intensity of the exercise will vary based on several factors, which we will discuss in a moment. No matter what, though, they should move around and exercise every single day. The only exception to this may come if your pet is injured or if you are

Freedom, a Havanese, running in a field. Photo credit: Patty Jicha

fasting your dog; when fasting, it is helpful to let your dog rest (note that it is tricky to fast cats; generally speaking, avoid doing this, or seek the help of a qualified animal naturopath before fasting your cat). When you are considering how much exercise is the right amount, you can start with general guidelines. For example, if you have an active 3-year-old border collie, he or she will require quite a bit of intense exercise. A 10-year-old cat will require much less. A good rule of thumb to determine the right amount of exercise is to watch your pet when the exercise is over; if he or she lies down and rests or falls asleep afterwards, it was an appropriate amount. If your pet is still running around or still seems hyper, then it wasn?t enough. And if your pet drags around and still seems lethargic the next day, then it was too much. You should also pay attention to trends over time: if your cat or dog is awake for much of the day, then they are not getting enough exercise. Carnivore pets that get an appropriate amount of exercise tend to sleep for much of the day. This follows the natural cycle of carnivores in the wild, who engage in moderate exercise while searching for prey (think of a wolf pack trotting for several miles to find a deer they can bring down) and then a shorter burst of intense 16

Exercisehelpsmaintainbrainhealth,drainexcessenergy, promotebetter sleep,andreleaseendorphinsinthebrain that contributetooverall happinessandwellness. -Krist in Cl ark

Merlin playing in the snow. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

exercise when chasing and bringing down their prey. Once they have made their kill, they eat (gorge) and then sleep most of the rest of the day. Because they have drained their energy in the process of the hunt, they don?t have nervous energy left over preventing them from settling down and relaxing. Dogs and cats have a certain amount of energy that builds up in their system each day. This is cumulative over time, so if the energy isn?t drained one day, it doesn?t reset to zero the next. Whatever amount of energy they had from the day before gets added to the energy of the new day. This keeps adding up until the energy is drained by exercise. Think of it as an empty cup that gets a certain amount of liquid added to it each day. For example, let?s say that the cup holds 3 cups of liquid, and each day Â˝ cup of liquid gets added. If you don?t drain the liquid, on the second day the cup will have a full cup of liquid in it, then 1 Â˝ cups of liquid on the third day, and so on. Eventually, it will overflow and cause a problem. Your pet?s energy is like this too, so draining it is crucial. Since dogs and cats both tend to move around in search of prey and then expend lots of energy in the actual chase, just taking your dog on a moderately-paced, 20-30 minute walk once a day, or playing with your cat for 10 minutes or so each day, isn?t enough. Also, dogs and cats tend not to move around much when they are left to their own devices, especially as they get older. Therefore, just having a big yard or a big house doesn?t help much with exercise if your pet is left on its own. So what are some ways that you can make sure your dog or cat is getting enough exercise? Let?s look at cats first. Cats are hunters. So, many of the toys that are available are designed to mimic prey. Find out what sort of toy your cat likes. For instance, my cat Gryphon absolutely loves wand toys, particularly ones with feathers attached to them. He is 13 and still chases and plays with them like he?s a kitten. To keep it exciting for both of us, I try and get him

to jump in the air and catch the feathers, or move it fast enough that he has to really run to catch it. If your cat likes to bat things around and chase them, get him or her some little balls or mice toys. You can try throwing them and getting the cat to chase them, and you can leave them out for the cat to play with too. With some practice, you might be able to teach your cat to fetch toys to you. I had a wonderful cat named Dexter that would fetch toy mice to me. It took some time to get him to do it, but with lots of praise and practice, eventually he did. I would throw the little toy mouse, he would chase it and bring it back, and he would get lots of great exercise this way. No matter how you exercise your cat, though, a good starting point is to play with them for 45-60 minutes per day. This can be done in shorter intervals, of course? perhaps you play with your cat for 15-20 minutes in the morning, then again in the afternoon and evening. You may also want to take your cat outside and let it roam. I live in an area where there are lots of cars, dogs, and other cats, so I use a harness and retractable leash when I let Gryphon out to roam. He runs after leaves, jumps up on things, and explores. It?s fun for him, he gets exercise, and his brain is stimulated. Plus, it?s fun for me to try

Grubat getting ready to pounce. Photo credit: Jim Clark

and keep up with him wherever he goes. I make it a goal to always keep slack in the leash; that way he never feels inhibited, and I have fun trying to figure out where he might go next. It?s a great bonding experience for us as well as being a good way for him to get some exercise. There are lots of different ways to make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. Many people take their dogs for walks; this is fine, but it is important to make sure that the walk is long enough to burn off some energy and move the lymph around. Use the rule of thumb I mentioned above? if you get back from your walk and your dog is still active, then try walking for a longer duration and/ or moving more quickly. If walking isn?t doing it, you might try taking your dog out with you for a run or for a bike ride. There is a particularly useful tool called the WalkyDog PLUS that makes bike riding safe for you and your dog. It prevents the dog from getting tangled up in your bicycle, and if he or she lunges at something (a cat or a squirrel, for example), it absorbs the shock so you don?t get pulled over. I have used the WalkyDog PLUS on many different dogs of all shapes, sizes, temperaments, and energy levels over the years, and it has worked with all of them, even if they?ve never seen a bike before. It is important to make sure that you keep the bike at a rate where they can comfortably trot alongside (rather than having to run full-out), especially when first starting out. Let their paws toughen up a little bit if they aren?t used

to running on the pavement, and opt for shorter sessions more frequently. If they start to drag or they seem really tired, slow down and let them rest. And of course, use common sense. If it?s hot outside, your dog isn?t in good shape, or they just aren?t keeping up, don?t push it. Pay attention to them and let them dictate how far or fast you go. Many dogs really like going for runs. Taking your dog on a run with you can make the run really enjoyable. If you don?t like running but have a friend that does, see if they would be willing to take your dog with them when they go. Or, look for a reputable dog walker or talk to a local running club and see if they would be willing to take your dog running. While it?s important to exercise good judgment in deciding who to trust to take your dog out, if you find a responsible runner who loves dogs and is familiar with them, it can be a wonderful way to make sure your pet gets some good exercise. If your dog likes to play with toys, you can play fetch with them. Using a Chuckit!ÂŽ or something similar will help you throw the ball farther than you could without one; this means your dog has to run further to get the ball and bring it back to you. You can also play Frisbee with your dog. If you have access to a swimming pool and your dog likes the water, you can let them swim. Of course, teach them where the steps are and monitor them when they are in the pool! You can also opt to try an organized sport like agility, Flyball, or sheepherding with your dog; this can greatly increase your bond with them and burn energy at the same time. There are so many ways to make sure that your pet gets ample, regular exercise. Making sure they exercise enough will help them maintain health in mind, body, and spirit. It will help reduce inflammation, make sure they stay at an appropriate weight, and help them stay relaxed mentally and emotionally. -By Kristin Clark

Meshach out running. Photo credit: Kim Bloomer

HEALTHYTREATSFORCATS Many of us enjoy giving our feline friends treats but struggle wiht finding good options. But, what are some good treat options for your cat? One great option is freeze-dried meats. This can be an especially great way to get liver and other organs into your cat, especially if they are hesitant about eating them. And, it's easy to break the treat up into whatever size piece you want. Many pet stores carry freeze-dried meats and organs that make great treats for cats. Make sure that the meat is antibiotic- and hormone-free, that the animals were pasture-fed, and that the treat doesn?t contain anything other than the single ingredient (for example, beef liver). It is vitally important that your cat get an appropriate amount of organ meat each week (about 5% of their weekly intake should be liver and 5% should be non-liver organs). Try to get your cat to eat several different types of organs from different species of animals. Of course, if your cat will eat fresh organ meat, that's ideal, but if not, this can make a great treat for them. Many times people are unsure of the difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated meats. Freeze-dried meat is flash frozen. Then, it?s placed in a vacuum container, which causes the moisture in the meat to vaporize. Dehydrated meat is heated; the heat causes the moisture in the food to evaporate. Freeze drying removes more of the moisture content from the meat (about 98% ), while dehydration removes less (estimates range from 75-95% ). Because freeze-dried meat has less water, it lasts longer without expiring. Also, because freeze drying doesn?t require heat, the meat retains the nutrients it had in its original form after the freeze-drying process is complete. Dehydrating food does require heat, which means (depending on the temperature used)

that the protein may be denatured; when this occurs, your cat's body can?t effectively use the nutrients and amino acids in the meat. For this reason, I recommend freeze-dried meats as treats for your cat (if you want to give them a treat), but some people find that their cats prefer dehydrated meat. If this is the case, you may want to invest in a dehydrator; this will allow you to ensure that the meat is dehydrated at a temperature that won't denature the protein. Relatively speaking, it takes very little heat to denature protein; cooking the meat at just 117 degrees Fahrenheit will do it! If you purchase dehydrated meat as a treat for your cat, follow the same guidelines: hormone- and antibiotic-free, pasture-fed, and organic. If you give your cat treats, there are some good options out there. We'd love to hear what sort of treats your cat likes: send an email to kristin@rawpetdigest.com and let us know! -By Kristin Clark

Six, a polydactyl cat, getting a treat. Photo credit: Jennifer Hughey

HEALTHYTREATSFORDOGS Many of us love giving our dogs treats. We do this when we are training them or just to show a little extra love. But it can sometimes be hard to figure out an easy, species-appropriate treat. Since it?s not always easy to give pieces of raw meat or organs as treats, what should you do? One of the best (and easiest) treats to give is frozen, whole sardines!

have exactly what you need at a reasonable price. Otherwise, your local grocery store should carry them (if you don?t see them, ask the manager, as they may be able to order them for you). I use the Oceankist brand, but any brand of wild-caught, frozen sardines should work. -By Kristin Clark

Sardines are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, according to the website raisinghealthydogs.com, an average sardine has about 175 mg of Omega-3s. Sardines are also full of protein, can help with skin and coat issues, can help animals with allergy symptoms, and support proper brain function. And whole sardines still have their bones and organs, so your dog gets a nice blend of everything in each little fish. Because the sardines are frozen (there?s no need to thaw them or debone them), they have very little smell. Dogs can eat them relatively quickly because they?re small, and they are a nice supplement to a SARF diet. While you shouldn?t feed them every single day, feeding them a couple times per week is perfect to give your dog the benefits of sardines without overdoing it.

Oceankist sardine box. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

When you are buying sardines for your dogs, I would recommend getting wild-caught, flash-frozen, whole sardines. I buy them in 5-pound boxes for around $9/ box. Each sardine weighs around 1.5-2 ounces, with an average of about 40-50 per box. Pretty inexpensive treat that lasts for quite a while, even with four dogs! We get our sardines from the local Asian market. If you have an Asian or other ethnic market close by, check there first. They may Elle, our 3-year-old terrier mix, eating a sardine. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

STOPPINGTHEITCH:

SKINALLERGIESINYOURPET Merlin. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

It?s springtime. And for many of us, that means allergies. But allergies don?t just affect people? they also affect our pets. According to petinsurance.com, skin allergies are the second-most common reason people take their dogs to the vet (and the fifth-most common reason they take their cats). Why do our pets suffer from allergies? And how can we help them overcome these issues? While this is a vast topic, this article will look at some of the basic reasons for allergies and talk about some of the things you can do to help your pet find relief. What causes skin al l ergies When an animal?s body is out of balance, it presents with different symptoms. Diarrhea, hot spots, itchiness, and lethargy are all signs that there is an imbalance in the body. Skin allergies, and all the itching that goes along with them, are not, in and of themselves, a disease. They are a symptom of a body that is not in harmony. They are indicators that your pet?s body has built up too many toxins and is frantically trying to rid itself of them. Because the skin is the largest eliminative organ, when the liver and kidneys are overloaded with toxins and the immune system is working to bring everything back into balance, many toxins are forced out of the body through the skin. This causes itching, hot spots, inflammation, and yeast infections, among other things. As difficult as it is to see our beloved pets in discomfort, it is important to view these symptoms (often labeled as ?allergies?) as clues that the body is out of balance. Trying to suppress them without addressing the cause of the symptoms ensures that your dog or cat will never find true and long-lasting relief. Allergies? in humans and in animals? occur when the body?s immune system overreacts to something in the environment or in the body itself. This is vital to understand. In essence, the body?s overreaction is causing the problem; the problem is not caused by whatever is in the body

or environment. Let?s take a closer look at this, because understanding this imbalance is key to understanding what causes these various symptoms. The immune system, which is found throughout the body, includes Th1 cells and Th2 cells; these cells must be in balance or the whole system is thrown off. For example, if Th2 becomes too prevalent, it will overproduce antibodies that attack things that are not normally considered threats. Th2 is intended to trigger attacks on bacteria, viruses, and pathogens; when it is overabundant, it starts to trigger attacks on its own body and on normal species-appropriate foods. Th1 and Th2 get out of balance when toxins (which can be pesticides, household cleaning products, innapropriate foods, heavy metals, vaccines, and so on) build up in the body faster than the body can get rid of them. This imbalance weakens the immune system, and in this weakened state, it overreacts to what it perceives are foreign substances and releases histamines and antibodies normally used by the body to fight microbial invaders. Often, the triggers for this reaction (the foreign substances) are processed foods, pollens, dust, mold spores, or grass (many of the same things that trigger our allergies!). Basically, in this state the immune system can perceive any foreign substance, even if it is just a tiny particle, as something to defend against. It then releases a flood of histamines and antibodies to attack the perceived threat, which triggers a host of symptoms, including itching, upset stomach, hot spots, runny eyes, red eyes, and so on. Tradit ional approaches t o ?t reat ing? al l ergies Many times, when you take your dog or cat to a traditional veterinarian for allergy symptoms, they will tell you that the symptoms are caused by a food allergy, flea allergy, or some other environmental allergy. They will often advise you to switch to a different protein source (rarely do they advocate that you switch to a species-appropriate diet, however). They treat the symptoms instead of the root cause. Because the root cause is not addressed, the symptoms come

back over and over, and usually they get worse. This is because the body builds up a resistance to the "treatments" that were suppressing the symptoms, so you must increase the frequency and/ or the dosage. And, to make matters worse, frequently the suggested remedies contribute to the problem. Take, for example, steroid shots, which are given by many veterinarians to suppress the itching. Your veterinarian may give a steroid shot, for example, of cortisone or prednisone. These are immunosuppressants, which means that they suppress the immune system. When your pet has allergy symptoms, their immune system is overactive, but when it is suppressed, it can no longer do its job and keep the body healthy. In addition, steroids can cause multiple side effects, such as increased thirst and urination, increased hunger, panting, general loss of energy, development or worsening of infections, vomiting, or nausea. Veterinarians may also recommend and/ or prescribe antihistamines, such as Benadryl. Again, these act as a Band-Aid because they only address the symptom (itching, runny eyes, etc.) and not the actual cause of the problem. And, if the body does not get back into harmony, it will

Zipper (Havanese) out for a romp. Photo credit: Patty Jicha

generally require higher and higher dosages to achieve relief. Think of these "solutions" as putting a patch on a torn shirt sleeve. The tear is still there, and eventually it will tear again, because the fabric is weak. The patch did not inherently fix the shirt, it just provided a temporary solution. This is exactly what the steroid shots and antihistamines do. So how do we address al l ergies? We have established that traditional ?cures? for allergies don?t really fix the problem. So what, then, will help? Remember that the body possesses the innate ability to heal itself? and actually, it is only the body that can truly heal itself. What we must do is give it the proper support to achieve balance again. Balance is achieved when the toxins are eliminated, the body is nourished properly, and all the systems are working in harmony. There are several steps to do this, and depending on the severity of your pet?s symptoms, you may have to provide your pet with a little additional support as they get back into balance. Remember, we are not looking to suppress the symptoms, we are looking to achieve total health. Once that is achieved, the symptoms will no longer be present because the body won?t be in a state of imbalance.

Elle waiting for an essential oil "treatment." Photo credit: Kristin Clark

Our ultimate goal when faced with allergies is to remove the excess toxins as much as possible from our pet?s environment (and by environment, I am referring to both their external environment and their internal environment). The first step is to make sure that your dog or cat is eating a species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diet. We discussed this at length in the April/ May issue of Raw Pet Digest. In a nutshell, though, a SARF diet for your dog or cat consists of about 80% meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and 5% non-liver on a weekly basis. They should eat about 2-3% of their ideal body weight per day. The meat you get should be pasture-raised/ grass-fed/ organic, not enhanced, and hormone- and antibiotic-free. This is especially important for animals that have allergies, as their immune systems may recognize the excess sodium, hormones, and antibiotics as foreign substances, triggering a flare-up of allergy symptoms. Switching your pet to a SARF diet will go a long way towards ridding their internal environment of toxins and revitalizing and balancing their immune system to clear out the toxins that they do come into contact with. This is because each meal will give them the nutrients they need to support health and balance, rather than adding to the toxic load (which is what processed dog or cat food does). But it doesn?t stop with just switching them to a SARF diet. You also need to make sure that they are getting clean, fresh water. This means water that is fluoride- and chlorine-free. If you drink filtered water, give them filtered water too. Again, this ensures that they aren?t adding to the toxin load each time they drink. We will be taking a closer look at fresh water in our Eight Laws of Health series in an upcoming issue of Raw Pet Digest. In addition to providing them with a SARF diet and clean, fresh water, it is important to switch your household cleaners away from those that contain harsh chemicals. You should also stop using commercial flea and tick preventatives or

heartworm medicine, and stop vaccinating to the maximum extent possible. The August/ September issue of Raw Pet Digest will discuss vaccinations, preventatives, and cleaners in greater detail and provide alternatives and natural ways to achieve true immunity and health in dogs and cats. It will also talk about more environmentally and pet-friendly cleaners that won?t contribute to your dog or cat?s toxin load. Once you have switched your pet to a SARF diet and eliminated ongoing sources of toxins (such as fluoride in the water and flea/ tick preventatives), it is important to start rebuilding your pet?s immune system. Remember, allergies are a reaction to the immune system being out of balance. The immune system needs to be rebuilt so that it will be able to respond appropriately to different foreign substances. To rebuild the immune system, provide whole, natural sources of probiotics, enzymes, immunomodulators, and essential fatty acids. Let?s briefly look at each of these to see what it does and where you can find it. Because vaccines, antibiotics, and toxins wreak havoc on the ?good? bacteria in your dog or cat?s gut, it is important when rebuilding the immune system to reintroduce the good bacteria. This is done through probiotics. A healthy supply of probiotics allows the body to absorb vitamins, minerals, and nutrients much more readily. It also maintains a healthy balance of bacteria so that the ?bad? bacteria don?t gain a foothold in the body. You may need to supplement with probiotics, particularly if your dog or cat has been on a processed-food diet. To do this, feed green tripe or provide a supplement (one example is Pet Flora from Vitality Science). Enzymes are another important supplement, particularly if your dog or cat is coming off kibble. Enzymes are responsible for many vital functions in the body, including detoxification and healing. They also allow the body to digest and absorb nutrients from food. They regulate thousands of functions, including thinking. If the body does not have enough enzymes, it will die. In the wild, carnivores naturally 25

get enzymes from the meat and bones of their prey. If your pet has been on a kibble-based diet, its enzyme levels are undoubtedly very low, because the process of cooking and processing the kibble kills all the live enzymes that were in the meat. Green tripe is a great source of enzymes, as are other types of raw, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, pasture-raised, organic meat. Immunomodulators can aid in regulating the immune system? essentially, strengthening a weak system or calming down an overactive system. This makes them especially helpful for animals that suffer from allergies, as those animals? immune systems tend to overreact to any foreign substance that comes along. One really great immunomodulator is bovine colostrum. Supplementing with this for a short period of time can help the immune system become more balanced. Essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids, are incredibly good for the immune system. You may know that fatty acids are good for your pet?s skin and coat, but they play vital roles in other areas as well, such as joint support, assistance with inflammation, and allergy reduction. Your pet can produce some fatty acids, but not all of them. The ones that have to be obtained through their diet because they cannot produce them themselves are called ?essential? fatty acids. You should focus on supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids and avoid omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. It is important to provide these to pets using a SARF diet, because cooking can destroy the essential fatty acids. Additionally, many commercial pet foods contain far greater amounts of omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids include: - Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) - Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Fish, such as sardines, contain a high amount of fatty acids. Interestingly, beef fat contains a low percentage of fatty acids. This is one reason why feeding variety in a SARF diet is so critical. It ensures that your pet gets the correct amount of nutrients for optimal health. You can get whole, frozen sardines (wild caught) to feed to your dog. I give them as treats. They are small and the dogs love them. I generally feed them a couple of sardines a week to help supplement their omega-3 fatty acid levels. In addition to supplements, you may want to consider using essential oils to help your animal?s allergies. Make sure that any essential oil you get is pure, therapeutic grade. It should not contain fillers or impure ingredients. For more about essential oils and how they work, see Introduction to Essential Oils on page 28 of this issue. I have successfully used lavender essential oil (from Young Living? ) to help my dog, Barkley, with his allergy symptoms. When his allergies are flaring (which does still happen every once in a while), I put a few drops of lavender essential oil on my hands and then pet him. This simple approach generally calms down his itching. I repeat as necessary. At the start of the allergy season, I did this about every 2 hours on the first day I noticed lots of itching. The second day, he only needed an application in the morning and the evening. On the third day, he only needed one application. Since then, he has only needed one application total. You can experiment with different types of essential oils to find out what blend works best for your pet. One caveat is that you cannot use some essential oils on cats. Do your research or talk to a certified naturopath before using essential oils on your cat. Finally, remember to keep a positive attitude even though your pet is experiencing allergy symptoms. They pick up on our emotions, and when we feel sad, frustrated, or disappointed, even if it?s because we are sad that they are in discomfort, it can depress their energy and their immune system and

slow down their healing. Remember that their symptoms are a clue that something is out of balance, and greet the journey to true health with

joy. As they become healthier, the symptoms will begin to subside, and real health will be achieved. -By Kristin Clark

Barkley, our Border Collie mix, laying under a bush that used to trigger his allergy symptoms. Now he can lay under it without any resulting symptoms. Photo credit: Milton Clark

INTRODUCTIONTOESSENTIALOILS need a little extra help to overcome obstacles to achieving balance and achieve true wellness. As I mentioned above, some of the ways you can do this include acupuncture, iridology, essential oils, homeopathy, and herbal medicine. This article takes a look at what essential oils are and how they work. Essential oils are complex and the information about them far surpasses the scope of this article, but it will give you basic information about what essential oils are and various ways to use them. Remember that if your dog or cat is showing illness symptoms, you should work with a certified animal naturopath to help resolve them. You can find a list of certified naturopaths on the American Council of Animal Naturopathy's website.

ÂŠ Duskbabe | Dreamstime.com - Essential Oils And Medical Flowers Herbs Photo

As part of a regular column, Raw Pet Digest will bring you information about different ways to support natural health, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, iridology, herbal medicine, and so on. This month, we take a look at essential oils and some of the ways they can be used. If you?ve never used essential oils before, read on! They are a wonderful way to support the body in maintaining balance. Many of our dogs and cats have been fed a processed-food diet and had their systems overloaded with toxins. Switching them to a species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diet goes a long way towards rebalancing their immune systems, which allows them to achieve true health and wellness. However, sometimes they

Recently, essential oils have been enjoying a surge in popularity among mainstream society. People are beginning to realize that essential oils possess powerful properties that promote and enhance wellness by supporting and balancing the body?s resistance to disease. They enhance the immune system, enabling it to come back into harmony, which in turn allows the body to achieve health. But what exactly are essential oils? In essence, they are oils that are distilled from the liquids found in all parts of a plant, including their flowers, leaves, stems, roots, seeds, and bark. They have been used by people for thousands of years, and references to them are found in cultures and societies all over the world. It is interesting to note that all plants are capable of producing essential oils. However, over time, people have found that some plants produce oils that have unique properties that assist the body in achieving balance, which is how true healing takes place. Because making essential oils is such a long 28

and difficult process, only some plants are considered worthwhile to use to make essential oils. The book Essential Oils in Animal Care (by Sarah Reagan, Kim Bloomer, and Jeannette Thomason) tells us that ?the essential oils? purpose in plants is multifaceted, serving as both protection and communication? with each of these functions having a varying range of benefits depending upon the plant?s needs. When properly extracted, these oils have the capability to translate those benefits into human and animal use.? This varying range of benefits means that the oils serve more than one function for the plant. They are volatile and unique, which is largely why they are so good at assisting our pets when they need extra support. It is important to understand that essential oils do not, in and of themselves, heal anything. There is a tendency in our culture to view things from an allopathic, or conventional, medical perspective. Because conventional medicine works to ?heal? symptoms, it tends to view things in their parts rather than the whole. When you get sick and go to the doctor, they typically prescribe you a pill to address the symptom you are having, rather than providing you with something to promote holistic health. Essential oils, however, do not work this way. You would not, for example, use lavender oil by itself to "heal" your dog?s allergy symptoms. What you could do, however, is use it, in

Lavender. ÂŠ John Stocker | Dreamstime.com

conjunction with a SARF diet, supplements, plenty of exercise, clean water, and sunshine, to calm your dog?s overactive immune system. This approach addresses the root cause of the symptoms? the overactive immune system? and therefore the symptoms themselves go away. This is a very important, albeit perhaps subtle, distinction. The oil itself does not act like a pill. It acts with the body to help rebalance the immune system and promote health. And as the body becomes healthier, disease symptoms disappear. Essential Oils in Animal Care is an excellent reference for anyone who wants to use essential oils for their pet. In the book, the authors point out that essential oils have the ?capability to enhance, support, boost, and improve the body?s own natural defenses so that it can heal itself.? This is a fundamental truth in natural health? only the body possesses the ability to heal itself and maintain that health. In our understanding of holistic health, we know that all parts must function together to achieve health and balance. This means that the physical, mental, and emotional aspects must all be healthy and balanced. When we use essential oils, our intention plays a significant role in the efficacy of the treatment. When you use essential oils with your pets, remember to focus on healing and balance rather than, for example, fighting the disease or illness. The so-called disease or illness is simply the body?s way of ridding itself of toxins and is a sign

that something is out of balance. It is not something to fight against or put negative energy towards; actually, when you view it this way, your pet may pick up on your negative emotions, which can depress their immune system and make it more difficult for the oil to do its work and for the body to heal itself.

that don't meet quality control standards. But, regardless of what oil you use, make sure that it is high quality, pure, and therapeutic grade. This is important whether you apply the oil topically, diffuse it, or use it internally. While internal consumption is beyond the range of this article, there is a great discussion about it in the book I mentioned earlier, Scientists have found that everything has an Essential Oils in Animal Care. Please take a look at the electrical frequency; healthy mammals have a section on Internal Consumption for more frequency of 62-72 MHz. In this context, information. frequency, which is usually measured in cycles How t o Use Essent ial Oil s per second or Hertz, refers to the number of In his book The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made cycles per unit time of a wave or oscillation. If a Simple, David Stewart says that ?a single drop of living being?s body frequency drops below 58 essential oil contains 40 quintillion molecules. You MHz, disease and illness symptoms begin to have 100 trillion cells in your body. Hence, one drop appear. Essential oils can help the body of oil is enough to cover every cell in your body with maintain higher frequencies; they have been 400,000 molecules.? As you can see, just a drop or found to have frequencies from 52-320 MHz, two of essential oil goes a long way, and you do not depending on the oil. Because of their high need to use much at all when you are using them for frequency, they assist with creating an your dog or cat. In many cases, the animal only needs environment where bacteria, viruses, and other a little bit of help to begin to bring the body back into toxic matter cannot survive. And because there balance. In some instances, of course, the problem is is no longer an overload of toxins, the immune severe and requires more oil. However, an increase system gets stronger. in dosage should be given by dosing more frequently, When you use essential oils, make sure that they not by giving a larger amount of oil at the same time. are pure, therapeutic grade, and that they don?t You should never give your pet more than 5 drops of possess any fillers. I have a strong preference essential oil at any one time, no matter how severe for Young Living? oils. While Young Living? is not the only essential oil company out there, they are at the forefront of the industry and provide high-quality oils. They have a ?Seed to Seal? guarantee, which guarantees that they control the entire process and ensures that their oils are all pure and organic. Young Living? owns its own farms, and the land their plants grow on has never been contaminated with pesticides and other chemicals. Their seeds are certified organic, and they harvest their plants when the oil yield for that plant is highest. They also own their own distilleries, which means that they control the distilling process and can ensure that the best practices of distilling are followed. Finally, before bottling their oil (sealing it), they test each batch and reject any Peppermint herbs. Copyright: Smokon - Dreamstime.com 30

the issue. And remember, if you aren?t sure how much to give, give less and increase as needed. This is an art more than a science, so watch your dog or cat and let them guide you. There are a few common-sense precautions I'd like to share before we look at the various ways to actually use essential oils with your pet: - Keep essential oils out of your pet?s eyes - Keep essential oils out of your pet?s ear canals - If you are going to use diluted essential oils in the ears, use a cotton ball to apply them and just swirl the cotton ball around the outer portion of the ear, being mindful that none of the oil ends up in the ear canal - Certain essential oils should not be used on cats, on animals that are prone to seizures, or on animals with high blood pressure. Do your research before using any essential oil on your pet - Keep a bottle of organic vegetable oil available to dilute the essential oils if necessary. Be aware that water actually intensifies the effect of the oil - Always read the bottle to see if dilution is required I would also like to mention that cats do not have enzyme glucuronyl transferases. This means that they cannot eliminate compounds through hepatic glucuronidation like many other animals can. Hepatic glucuronidation, which takes place in the liver, allows the body to make many substances more water-soluble so that it can eliminate them through either urine or the stool (via bile from the liver). Essentially, what this means in regards to essential oils and cats is that they eliminate compounds relatively slowly and run the risk of toxic buildup, because their bodies cannot eliminate compounds as quickly as other animals can. So, if you are using essential oils with your cat, use a smaller amount than you would for dogs. Petting is a great way to apply essential oils to your cat: put a drop or two of oil in your hands, rub them

together, and then lightly fluff your cat?s coat. And again, do your research before using any oils on your cat to make sure that they are safe. Met hods of appl ying essent ial oil s Now that we?ve briefly discussed essential oils, let?s take a look at how to actually apply them. There are several different ways to administer essential oils to your dog or cat; the method you choose will vary based on the issue, your animal?s preference, and the oil itself. You can diffuse the oil, let your dog or cat inhale it, apply it topically through a petting or raindrop technique, use water misting or soaking, or give it to them internally. If you aren?t sure what technique to use, you can talk to a certified animal naturopath for guidance in what technique is best for your pet?s specific situation. The following information about how to do the various techniques comes from my own experiences as well as information that I have learned through Essential Oils in Animal Care. I really enjoy experimenting with different oils to see what sort of impact they might have, and I am always amazed at how individual animals respond differently and how the right oil with the right dog or cat really makes a difference. I also use oils for myself and my family. For example, I recently had several mosquito bites (which are normally really uncomfortable for me and get very large and painful to the touch). I applied a bit of lavender oil to each bite and within a few hours the bites were almost totally gone. My point here is to feel free to experiment with the oils. I tend to think of it like cooking? there are lots of great recipes that point you in the right direction, but depending on your individual needs and taste you might end up tweaking the recipe a bit. It just takes a willingness to experiment, an open mind, and a little thought, and the results might truly surprise you! Dif f usion and inhal at ion Diffusion uses a diffuser to disperse particles of the essential oil into the air. When the oils are breathed in, they begin to work to relax, energize, 31

or stimulate the body (depending on the type of oil used). Diffusion also clears the air of many allergens and pathogens, and it can cut down healing time if you have a sick or wounded animal. Inhalation differs a bit from diffusion because animals inhale the oil directly from the bottle (rather than inhaling the oil that has been diffused through the air). If you use the inhalation technique, let your dog or cat decide if they want to inhale the oil, and hold the bottle at least 2-3 inches away from their nose. If they don't show any interest in sniffing the bottle, don?t press them. Animals often innately know what oils they need, so let them guide you in the correct oil to use. Give your pet a few minutes to inhale the oil. Often animals will inhale, turn away, process the oil, and then come back for another smell. If they don?t come back, though, don?t force the issue! Try a different oil, or try a different technique. If, on the other hand, your dog or cat is really interested in the oil, you can place a drop on your fingertip and let them lick it off. Again, don?t force them. It is their body that is doing the healing, so respect their signals and let them guide you to what they need. Topical appl icat ions: Pet t ing, wat er mist ing, and soaking Sometimes, you may want to apply the oils topically rather than having your pet inhale the oils. Applying the oils topically means that they can directly enter the body through the skin. The skin has lots of small capillaries, and applying the oils topically means that they will get into those capillaries and therefore the bloodstream pretty quickly. If your pet experiences a burning sensation after topical applications, apply a small amount of organic coconut, vegetable, or olive oil to the area. Do not apply water, as this will only intensify the effect of the oil. There are several different ways to apply oils topically, including the Petting technique, water soaking and misting, and the Raindrop technique.

You can use undiluted or diluted oils with the Petting technique. This technique is one of the easiest to do with cats, and it's also a great way to apply oils topically to your dog. To do it, put a drop or two of the essential oil on your hands, rub your hands together, and then lightly fluff the coat (rather than slicking it down). You can go over the whole body or just focus on a particular area. For Barkley, I often use the Petting technique with lavender essential oil, and just focus on wherever he's been itching (such as his front legs). Remember, if the issue is severe, repeat the application more frequently rather than increasing the amount of oil used. So, in the case of allergy symptoms, I do the Petting technique with just 1 or 2 drops of oil (rather than dumping 15 or 20 drops of oil on my hands all at once). Then, I watch him to see how he responds. If I notice that he is licking or scratching again, I do another application. One of the best times to use water misting to apply essential oils is when you are looking to use essential oils to help discourage fleas and ticks. One caveat: as mentioned earlier, some essential oils should never be used for cats, so do your research before you use any oils with your pet! The technique of misting is very simple and well outlined in Essential Oils in Animal Care: put a small amount of distilled or spring water in a dark blue or brown glass bottle, add a few drops of the oil (or oils) that you want to use and then add more distilled water (or spring water) until the solution is close to the top of the bottle. To make sure the oils blend and emulsify, you can add a few drops of ThievesÂŽ Household Cleaner or Animal Scents? Shampoo (both of which can be purchased from Young Living? ). Then just shake the whole bottle well so the solution is mixed and lightly mist your pet! Some people use organic witch hazel instead of water; the oils blend better with witch hazel, so if you use organic witch hazel, you don?t need to use any water, Animal Scents? Shampoo, or ThievesÂŽ Household Cleaner. Again, what you choose will depend on the issue, your pet, and what you have available. 32

You can also soak your dog or cat?s feet in water with a few drops of the oil or oils of your choice mixed in. To do this, just fill up a bathtub or large bucket with warm water, mix in a few drops of oil, and let your pet stand in it. They will absorb the oils through their skin. This technique can be especially helpful if your pet is really itchy or has other skin issues. There are other techniques that you can use depending on the specific outcome you would like to see. One of these techniques is the Raindrop technique, which was originally created in the 1980s for people and has since been used with great success for various animals. According to Essential Oils for Animal Care, this technique is especially helpful in providing ?pain relief from joint/ bone challenges, relaxing and calming for anxiety issues, pest deterrent, immune boosting, and gentle detoxing.? This technique can be a bit more complicated to use,

Tree blossoms. Photo credit: Milton Clark

although you can use it on dogs, cats, and other animals; I highly recommend that you get a copy of Essential Oils in Animal Care, as it goes into great detail about this as well as other techniques. Essential oils are a powerful aid to the body's natural immunity and vitality. While they do not, in and of themselves, cure any disease, they do help support the body as it rebalances and heals itself, and can provide support to your pet on their journey towards true, natural health. We would love to hear about how you use essential oils with your pet! Send an email to kristin@rawpetdigest.com. Be sure to include a picture of your pet, along with the oils you've used and what you've used them for. Also, please include your name and your pet?s name. We may feature this in an upcoming issue of the magazine! -By Kristin Clark

BUILDINGYOURESSENTIALOILKIT In the article Introduction to Essential Oils, we took a brief look at essential oils and how to use them. Now that you have a basic understanding of what essential oils are, how they work, and how to apply them, let?s look at a few essential oils that are great to have on-hand. Remember, the information in this article is primarily based on anecdotal evidence. Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA; it is up to you to make your own judgement. Also, note that information contained in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any symptom, illness, or disease. While there are lots of great essential oils out there, there are a few that I find myself using over and over for my pets. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it does outline some great oils you may want to keep stocked. Some of my favorite oils to keep on hand are lavender, peppermint, PurificationÂŽ (a blend from Young Living? ), and cedarwood. Lavender essent ial oil Lavender is a wonderful oil to diffuse or apply topically. I have found that using the Petting technique with lavender oil has helped calm various dogs? skin allergy symptoms. Lavender is also good for hot spots, and can be used on sores, cuts, insect bites, and bruises. It can also help with sore muscles, sprains, arthritis, and painful joints. I have had great success easing soreness in my dogs when I regularly use it to massage the sore area. Lavender is very gentle, so it does not need to be diluted for anything but the most sensitive skin. Remember, if you do find that you need to dilute it, use oil rather than water (which will just intensify the effect of the essential oil). Additionally, lavender is a very

Young Living essential oils. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

calming scent, so letting an animal sniff it (or diffusing it) can help them remain calm in stressful situations. In fact, I have found lavender to be of great use with anxiety, nervous tension, stress, and restlessness. It can also assist with aggression, fear and phobias, and obsessive behavior. Peppermint Peppermint is one of my favorite oils, and one that I diffuse at least 2-3 times/ week. It smells amazing and has profound positive effects on mental clarity, alertness, and the ability to focus. In 2010, researchers found that the flavonoids (oxygen-containing aromatic antioxidant compounds) in peppermint oil are powerful antimicrobials. According to Essential Oils in Animal Care, they found that peppermint oil has bactericidal properties for various bacteria, including E. coli, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and others. Peppermint oil is also very soothing to the digestive system (I?ve used it very successfully to help ease heartburn!), and can be great for colic-like symptoms. It has a cooling effect, so it can help soothe itchy skin. And, it can help with repelling fleas and other insects (particularly when applied using a misting technique). Peppermint oil (and lavender oil) are also great for helping remove ticks: 34

simply put a drop of the oil on a cotton swab, swipe the tick, wait for it to let go, and pull it out to remove it. This helps ensure that you get the head of the tick upon removal, removing any chance that the head stays in your pet?s body. Purif icat ionÂŽ bl end I have found the PurificationÂŽ blend from Young Living? to be incredibly good at repelling fleas, ticks, and biting flies. The oil is a blend of citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, tea tree, and myrtle essential oils. I apply it in a mist to the dogs before we go out for hikes and walks, and I also apply it when the flies and gnats seem to be bothering them when we are just hanging out at home. I have also had some success applying a few drops directly to the outside of their collars; this seems to help keep insects away from their heads and ears, but it does not seem to be

as effective as applying it in a mist to their whole body. Cedarwood Cedarwood can be remarkably good at helping the body deal with congestive issues such as kennel cough or bronchitis. This is because it can help loosen and remove mucus. Cedarwood can also be used if your pet has a skin infection or dry, flaky skin. Like many other essential oils, cedarwood has multiple benefits: in addition to the ones I just mentioned, it is also a good insect repellent, and can deter many irritating insects from annoying your pet. Cedarwood can also help in instances of aggression and agitation. -By Kristin Clark

Ryu, a Rottweiler, enjoying the grass and sunshine. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

THEVEGETARIANDILEMMA

Elle. Photo credit: Adam T. Gilbert

I have a confession to make. Normally, it?s not something I tend to bring up, because, to be perfectly honest, I don?t think it?s that interesting or relevant to whatever is going on. But it's come up a lot lately in discussions I?ve had with people. So, the confession: I am a vegetarian. I don?t eat cheese or dairy products either, although the occasional butter sneaks in, and I do enjoy eggs (free-range and hormone/ antibiotic-free). So why am I mentioning this now? What place does this have in a magazine devoted to our dogs?and cats? natural health and species-appropriate diets? I mention it because so frequently I hear vegetarians and vegans say that they don?t want to feed their carnivore pet raw meat and bones because they themselves are vegetarian/ vegan, and I hear those who aren?t vegetarian/ vegan disparaging those who are. It seems to be widespread on both sides, and I thought it was important, as a vegetarian, to share some information about species-appropriate raw food (SARF) diets and why it is important to feed your pets a SARF diet, no matter how you decide to nourish yourself. For simplicity?s sake, I will just use the term vegetarian in this article, but please understand that I am referring to vegans as well. Many of us vegetarians make the choice to be so for health reasons or because we are concerned about animal welfare and the environment (or perhaps a combination of the two). I personally made the decision to be vegetarian several years ago, and I did it for both of the reasons I just mentioned. I am an omnivore; physiologically, I can take in both plant and animal matter for nourishment. However, my dogs and cat are carnivores. They can only thrive on a diet appropriate for carnivores, which boils down to meat, bones, and organs/ glands. As a vegetarian, I am concerned with animal welfare. Of course, this includes animals like cows, sheep, chickens, and turkeys, but it also includes the welfare of companion animals like my dogs and cat. This is an important point to remember? the welfare of

our own pets is as important (not more important, perhaps, but certainly not less) as the welfare of other animals in the world. Loving our pets as we do, it is so important to take care of them and give them what they need to thrive and flourish. And, as we discussed in the last issue, one of the fundamental ways to do this is by making sure they have the proper nutrition? in other words, feeding them a SARF diet. Nutrition is the cornerstone of health, because it gives the body the support it needs to achieve harmony and balance, which leads to and maintains good health. I recently saw something that said that the life expectancy of Golden Retrievers is half of what it was 20 years ago. I don?t know if this is accurate, but I do know that dogs (not just Golden Retrievers) are presenting with instances of diabetes, cancer, and other serious issues at younger and younger ages. We are seeing a huge rise of kidney and liver issues in cats, and diabetes and cancer rates among cats are also increasing. When I talk with people these days, they tell me that their pets are passing away at 8, 9, and 10 years old. This is due, in large part, to the processed food diets that we feed them, because those diets do not give our pets what they need to maintain true health. In light of this, I think that it is absolutely imperative, as the custodian of my pets?health, to feed them what they are designed to eat so their bodies can stay strong, fit, and healthy. So how do I reconcile my dogs? and cat?s welfare with the welfare of the animals they are eating? For me, it boils down to being mindful of the suppliers I use. I look to make sure that they are treating the animals humanely and giving them access to plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and species-appropriate food. I look for meat that is pasture/ grass-fed and that is free of added antibiotics or hormones. Some suppliers I have seen include information about how they treat their animals. For example, Layne Labs, which sells things like quail, rabbits, rats, and mice, 37

includes an ?Animal Bill of Rights?, which states: All Animals Born In Our Facility Have Certain Inalienable Rights. These Include: -

A Stress Free Living Environment A Constant Flow of Fresh Air Clean Drinking Water Fresh Food, Available at All Times Clean, Dry Bedding Peace and Quiet Natural Day and Night Light Cycles To Be Treated Humanely, With Compassion and Respect

I also look for information on how the animal is dispatched. It is important to me that this is done in a humane manner. By making sure that I support the farms, ranches, and suppliers that raise their animals humanely and compassionately, I am helping to make sure that those are the farms and suppliers that will thrive. I believe that one of the best ways to show support (or lack thereof) in our society is through where we spend our money, and each time I purchase meat from a responsible supplier rather than a big factory farm, I am furthering the ability of those farms to keep raising animals in a sustainable, healthy, and compassionate way. I also want to point out that just because kibble looks like a dried nugget that is meat-free doesn?t mean that it actually is. This is important to keep in mind if you are a vegetarian feeding kibble to avoid giving your pets meat. Kibble does contain meat, but that meat (protein) has been denatured by the cooking process. This means that your pet can?t utilize the protein effectively to thrive. Also, much of the meat that is used in processed pet food is not raised with any concern for the meat animal?s welfare, and frequently the animals the meat comes from have been treated with hormones and antibiotics and enhanced with sodium and other things that are then passed on to your pet. We discussed processed pet food at length in the April/ May issue, but for this article, suffice it to say that, if you are looking to feed

your pet a vegetarian diet, you are not achieving that by feeding kibble or other processed food. Most of the vegetarians I know respect and honor other species. I believe, as I said earlier, that it is just as important to honor the carnivores that share our lives as it is to honor the herbivores that they have evolved to consume. Honoring and loving them means honoring and loving the essence of who they are. This includes feeding them a species-appropriate diet of raw meat, bones, and organs. To do otherwise is to disregard the essence of our pets and instead try to turn them into little versions of us. In truly understanding our pets, perhaps the most important thing is to understand that they are different than us. They share their lives with us, and the love and joy we get from them and they get from us cannot be questioned. However, they are not humans. We have a tendency to think of them as little people. I call my pets ?kids? and think of them as such. Our animals sleep in bed with us, share adventures with us, make us laugh, and provide us with comfort when we are going through a rough time. I know that there is a movement to refer to people who have pets as ?pet parents? instead of ?pet owners.? I think that, in light of how integral they are to our lives, and how close they are to our hearts, it is perfectly normal to start to think of them as little people. But they are not humans, they are dogs and cats. By keeping that in mind, we can more easily remember that they have needs that are different than ours, and treating them as little people, especially in how we feed them, doesn?t do them any favors. They are family, but of the four-legged kind. And so, we should feed them as such. Finally, I know that some vegetarians are really uncomfortable handling raw meat. Because I chop meat up every single day for my dogs and cat, I don?t have any issue with it. However, at the beginning, it did take a little getting used to. I would suggest using gloves and an apron if you don?t want to touch the meat (just make sure the 38

gloves don?t have any chemicals or anything on them). I have a separate cutting board devoted just to meat for the animals. And I make sure after each feeding to thoroughly clean the cutting board, cleaver, poultry shears, countertops, and bowls, so no meat or blood smell lingers and so that everything is clean when I prepare our meals.

or cat a species-appropriate diet is critical to maintaining their health. If it was for animal and environmental welfare, keep in mind that your dog or cat?s welfare is just as important as the welfare of other animals, and feed them what they need to thrive. Do everything you can to find meat suppliers that treat their animals with It is my sincere hope that this article will make you compassion, dignity, and respect, and you will be stop and think a bit about how you feed your helping to ensure that the lives of those animals, carnivore pet, whether you are a vegetarian or not. as well as the health and well-being of your If you are struggling with feeding your pet a SARF beloved pet, are the best they can be. diet because you are a vegetarian, think about why -By Kristin Clark you became a vegetarian in the first place. If it was for health reasons, remember that feeding your dog

Old barn in Iowa. Photo credit: Milton Clark 39

LESSONSINLOVE:MYTIMEWITH GWINNIE

Gwinnie, an Australian Cattle Dog mix. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

In the April/ May issue of Raw Pet Digest, I talked about my ?soul dog? Barkley. But Barkley is not the only pet that has taught me more than I ever dreamed possible about myself and my own humanity. I believe that each animal we have touches our lives, some immensely, some more subtly. My dog, Guenivere (Gwinnie for short) was an example of a pet that touched my life in ways that I still feel to this day. Gwinnie came to me rather unexpectedly in August of 2012. She was a senior Australian Cattle Dog mix, and I learned about her through Aussie Rescue So Cal, a group that I have fostered for and volunteered with on and off for years. Gwinnie had been found as a stray by a family just after the 4th of July, and they had taken her in. However, she was incontinent, so they kept her outside. Our summers are brutally hot, with temperatures regularly reaching 105 degrees and above, and she didn't have much shade. Additionally, they kept her water in a metal bucket, so it got quite hot during the day. They had decided that they didn?t want to keep her anymore, since she was beginning to need medical attention, so they contacted Aussie Rescue to let them know that they wanted to surrender her. Gwinnie needed a foster home for two weeks, until another person could pick her up and take her to Arizona to stay until a home could be found for her. It was a hectic time, but I decided to step up and foster her, figuring that two weeks was no problem at all. She needed to get into a different situation immediately, which is where I came in.

Upon spending some time with Gwinnie, I came to learn several very important things about her: she had been well-loved by someone, she was in pretty bad shape health-wise, she had a definite mind of her own, and she wasn?t likely to easily find a home that would be interested in adopting her. We estimated her age to be around 12 or 13, and she had several tumors along with her incontinence. But the more I was around her the more I fell in love with her. And so, I decided at the end of the two weeks to adopt her. She was such a sweet girl, and so friendly to every person she met. Unfailingly cheerful, she would greet you like a long-lost friend. And if you weren?t interested in petting her, she would move on to the next person, never dwelling on why you might not like her or getting cranky if she was being ignored. She was pushy, but she exhibited that pushiness with a graciousness that made it OK. It was clear that she believed she had earned the right to demand attention, by coming over and leaning on your leg and pawing at you a bit if you didn?t respond. But if, after some time of this, you continued to ignore her, she would sigh, look at you lovingly but with a bit of confusion, and move on. Gwinnie was the kind of dog that could pick up on the most subtle and nuanced emotions of the people around her, and she always seemed to know exactly how to respond. She came to me when I was going through some rough patches in my life, and she seemed to know just when I was feeling down. She would suddenly appear, out of nowhere, and lay her head on my leg and just lean into me. She was my rock, a solid and loving presence in my life who embodied true unconditional love. Gwinnie set clear boundaries with other dogs. If another dog was not respectful to her, a quick snap at their nose would generally set them right. She never hesitated to set and enforce firm boundaries with other dogs, but she was never malicious and never held a grudge. A dog that she had just snapped at a minute or two before would

Gwinnie. Photo credit: Milton Clark

At that moment,I felt thelessonsthat she hadtaught me?throughher ownbeautiful, gentleexample?settledeeplyintomyheart. -Krist in Cl ark

Photo credit: Milton Clark

be greeted with joy and love as soon as they approached her respectfully. No matter how many times she had to mete out a correction to another dog, she never showed frustration or resentment towards it. She gave every dog as many chances as they needed to get it right. Watching Gwinnie interact with other dogs and with people taught me so much about true compassion and unconditional love. Before I had her, I didn?t really understand that we can be compassionate and love someone unconditionally while still setting and enforcing boundaries. I didn?t truly understand that we can be firm in insisting that we are treated with respect, and that our insistence did not have to change the relationship, make things awkward, or make us feel like we had done something wrong. When I saw other dogs experience Gwinnie?s form of boundary enforcement, I never saw them react back in anger. Usually, they would yelp in surprise, move away from her, think about what just happened, and then come back to try greeting her again. Sometimes it took a few reminders, but eventually they seemed to understand that they could greet her with respect and get the result they wanted? her attention and interactions. She was always ready to meet them at whatever frame of mind they were in, and she never took anything personally. I know that it may sound like I?m making her into a person here, but watching her interactions with so many different dogs over the 18 months that I had her proved, to me at least, that these impressions were completely correct. Truly, she was an amazing dog.

became clearer and clearer. When I got my girl, she was already having a hard time moving around and getting up and down. It was clear that her body was starting to fail. She had various urinary issues, trouble walking and getting up and down, and several tumors that were growing in size. The vet thought she might also have a brain tumor that was starting to put pressure on her eyes. However, she never, ever let these things stop her or get her down. Her body language never suggested she was feeling sorry for herself. Instead, she showed that she was grateful to spend time with the people and dogs she loved. She never failed to enjoy her food (my goodness, how that dog loved her food!). She enjoyed the slow walks we would take together, just her and I. She would sniff the grass and the trees and just stare out in the distance and watch the birds and the cats. She planted a seed in me to focus on what I appreciate, and that seed has grown to the point where my life is overflowing with things for which I am grateful. She taught me so much about loving life, even if that life isn?t ?perfect.? And, when the end was getting near, she seemed to accept that too. She radiated contentment with her life and her journey, and at the end she accepted that it was finally time to rest.

In the time I knew her, I grew so much in my level of compassion towards others, but also in my insistence that I be treated appropriately. The two went hand-in-hand, really, because I began to understand that to truly have compassion for others, you have to have compassion for yourself. And, I saw that having compassion for myself meant that I had to make sure that I was treated appropriately by those around me. But Gwinnie?s lessons for me didn?t end there. As the months went by, Gwinnie?s other lesson for me Gwinnie and Barkley in the holiday spirit. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

When the time finally came to let her go, I made the decision to let her pass at home. It was January 16, 2014, and my boyfriend and I gathered close to her when the vet came to the house. That morning, I had gone to Dairy Queen and gotten her an ice cream cone. No, it wasn?t a species-appropriate food, but on that day, for her, it didn?t matter. I held her while she ate it and pressed my face into her fur. Barkley was my soul dog, but she was the one that I could turn to the most when I was sad. And that morning, while she ate her ice cream cone (rather daintily, I might add), she let me lean into her and she leaned back into me, simultaneously giving and receiving comfort. And at the very end, when the vet gave her the last shot, she looked up

into my eyes while her head rested on my lap. I felt complete peace emanating from her, and then she was gone. My boyfriend and I held her for a long time, and through the sadness I felt grateful that I had been part of this incredible soul?s journey, even though it was just for a short while. At that moment, I felt the lessons that she had taught me? through her own beautiful, gentle example? settle deeply into my heart. But most of all, I felt how she had forever touched my heart and changed my life. She was my teacher, my rock, and my friend, and I will be forever honored and grateful that I knew her.

Gwinnie and me. Photo credit: Milton Clark