Naturally Healthy Dogs
Help Your Dog Beat the Winter Blues

February, 2011

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Natural Dog Health Remedies

In this issue:

• Help Your Dog Beat the Winter Blues
• Winter Hazards
• Dog Treat Recipe - Cupid's Cookies
• Aromatherapy Recipe - Battle-the-Blues Body Spray for YOU

I don't know about where you live, here in Japan it has been COLD and snowy this winter. Most houses in Japan are not centrally-heated, so we have to heat up whichever room we choose to spend time in. (Going to the bathroom is a torture!)

While we can get the winter blues, so can our dogs. According to a study by the veterinary charity People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), one in three dogs experiences a downturn in mood during the cold winter months. It is also easy for dogs to gain weight and be lethargic due to a lack of outdoor activities and stimulation.

Here's how to raise your dog's spirits (and yours!) in the cold winter season:

• Rotation Diet: Offering different food forms (canned, raw, homecooked, kibble) and proteins (fish, poultry, meat) will keep your dog interested in eating and improve his behavior. If your dog is less active during the colder months, you have to adjust the quantity of food you are feeding. If you follow a rotation diet, chances are you pay more attention to what you are feeding your dog and decrease your chances of over-feeding.
• Play Hide and Seek: This is my dog's favorite pastime. Create a treature hunt for your dog around the house. Hide healthy treats or his favorite toys in different places. This interactive game is stimulating to the dog's brain and encourages him to move around and explore his surroundings.
• Back to School: Another way to give mental stimulation to your dog is to train him new skills and/or work with him to improve basic skills such as heel, turn, sit, stay, etc.
• Give Him Light: Dogs and cats respond to illumination like we do: they like sunbathing and get peppier when the light is brighter. If it’s too cold to go out, be sure to open drapes and let in the sunlight for your dog.
• Indoor Pools: If you have access to an indoor pool or pet rehab center, swimming is a great physical activity for dogs, even for those with joint problems.

When you go out with your dog in the winter, pay extra care to the following common hazards:

• Ice Melts and Salt: These products are spread on sidewalks and streets, and can get on your dog's paws and between his toes. Your dog may also ingest the salt or ice melt if he licks or cleans his paws. If ingested, these products can cause gastrointestinal inflammation in your dog. One way to prevent ingestion is to wash your pet's feet after coming indoors.
• Antifreeze: Antifreeze is another winter hazard that can cause poisoning in dogs. Even a small amount of antifreeze is extremely toxic. It has a sweet taste that attracts animals, but it can cause permanent kidney damage or death. The lethal dose is 1 teaspoon per 2 pounds of body weight. Don't let your dog drink from puddles, and make sure to clean his paws when coming in from the outside.
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Don't leave your dog alone in the car with the engine running while you do last-minute shopping or errands. Carbon monoxide from an engine left running is dangerous and can kill your dog.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching! Here's a recipe that can definitely steal the heart of your four-legged companion. This recipe is from the book "Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way" (by Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye). The recipe makes about 36 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 5 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease 2 baking sheets with nonstick vegetable spray.
3. Stir together flour, baking powder, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, stire together the oil, molasses, and honey until well mixed.
5. Add applesauce, egg whites, and vanilla to the molasses mixture and stir to blend.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
7. Drop the dough by the rounded teaspoonful, 1 1/2 inches apart, on the baking sheets.
8. Use the back of a spoon to press down on each dough drop to make an indentation.
9. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until light golden.
10. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Dogs are sensitive animals. They can feel and pick up our emotions. So if you are feeling the blues, your dog may also feel down. Use this simple body spray to lift your spirits.

Make a body spray from a cup of water, into which you add:

• 2 drops of Bergamot
• 2 drops of Lavender

Use it any time you feel you are drooping.

Bergamot helps uplift and refresh your mind as well as your body!