Today is a huge day for me. First and foremost, I, Louis Reginald, turn one human year old (bring on the presents). Secondly, in honor of my birthday, I am starting my new column, Off the Leash with Louis. Additionally, April 14, 2008 is the day Cup of Dog has been honored with winning Dogmark’s Cool Dog Site of the Day!

In this column I will be chatting with other dogs to share our perspective with people. After all, we canines need a forum to express ourselves with all these humans around!

Our first participants are Stanislaw and his brother Big Pupi . They are two awesome Cocker Spaniels that author their own cool blog, I Eat Raw Meat. Since I also eat raw meat, we have plenty in common!
By the way, call me Louis. (Its pronounced like ‘Louie’ btw).

__________________________

Stanislaw Big Pupi

Louis: Stanislaw and Big Pupi, I really like catching up on your blog I Eat Raw Meat and following your gastronomic adventures. I especially like your menus, even though I drool a lot on the laptop when I read them. Why don’t we start by you two talking about how you found your humans.

Stanislaw: I was arrested by the dog catcher for peeing on private property. I wound up at a kill shelter and the Houston Cocker Spaniel Rescue came and saved me. I was a dangerously skinny, starving boy because I never had any humans to feed me. I lived by eating frogs and lizards that I found in the grass. Soon after, I was at an adoption day and I saw my future humans and their dog Big Pupi. They looked pretty nice, so I asked them if they would adopt me and feed me. Sure enough, they did. I’m around 1 year old.

Big Pupi: In a flash and a blur I wound up behind bars. I swear, I didn’t do it. I was there for over 24 hours, donning my Elvis ‘do and yearning for some belly rubs, when a lady from the Austin Cocker Spaniel Rescue came and took me home with her. Her house was awesome – fun dogs everywhere, fabulous feasting and lots of attention. I got a hair cut and wound up at some adoption days. Finally, I moved in with my mom, made it though heartworm treatment with her, and it’s been great ever since. I have no idea how old I am. I’ve heard anywhere from 4 ½ to 7 years, but my mom sticks with 4 ½ because she says I was such a “puppy-brain” when she first got me. I would have been about 2 then, and have since matured into the perfect boy that I am.

Louis: I live in Miami and it’s pretty easy for my parents to get me all the raw I desire. Tell me about where you live and if it’s easy for you and other raw eaters acquire the meat that makes tummies happy.

S: We lived in Texas and one day we went on a long drive and ended up in Chicago, where there is an endless winter. I miss swimming in the Colorado River, but I do really like Lake Michigan and the geese that live here. I hunt my own meat — you know, squirrel, pigeons, and such. I would be a great hunter if my dad ever let me off the leash. I haven’t actually caught a squirrel yet, so I’m lucky my raw meat comes from the magic meat locker in my kitchen.

BP: Our humans talk about co-ops, a meat packer and a local Yahoo! group that tips them off to meat sales. Stan and I have never gotten the chance to check out these magical meat locations. Our people just sort of arrive at home with mass quantities of feasting materials.

Louis: Wow! I lived in Chicago when I first moved in with my family. After a few months we moved to Miami, my mom said its so we won’t be cold. Anyway, have you always eaten raw meat?

S: I dabbled in some raw meat eating when I was a young pup. Frogs and lizards and such. When I was adopted, I started eating Canidae but my tummy didn’t like it and I was unable to gain any weight on it. I’ve been eating raw for 3 months or so.

BP: I started out on Nutro Naturals, moved to Science Diet as prescribed by my vet (bad experience!), then Canidae dry food and finally raw. I’ve sampled many kibbles and canned foods in my day, and I’m telling you… real meat is the way to go.

Louis: I will pretty much eat anything. I really like that white long paper thing I unroll from inside the bathroom and can drag everywhere. So soft and chewy….Yum. So, since my mom switched me to a raw diet at six months old, I can’t get enough! I am really a lot healthier and more important shinier. I like to look good. Why did your people decide to make the change from another diet to raw?

S: I was 15 pounds when I was adopted. I’m supposed to be around 25. Needless to say, I went on a major feasting campaign with the goal of gaining some serious weight. Kibble helped a little, but my body couldn’t process the grains. In other words, kibble goes right through me and I’m unable to absorb the valuable nutrients I need to gain weight. Since I went on the raw diet, I’ve gained around 4 pounds in 3 months and I’m up to 22 pounds. My body really loves raw meat so it keeps it instead of letting it all go out my bum. I’m a much stronger, healthier boy now.

BP: I’ve got terrible food allergies, and they were just getting worse on dry food. The list of things I could not eat seemed to be getting longer all the time, and the itchiness drove me nuts. Plus, my kidney function was never quite normal, and my humans couldn’t help but wonder if a new diet could help. The raw diet has eliminated about 99% of my allergies, and my kidneys are stronger than they’ve ever been. And as an added bonus, my teeth are sparkling clean.

Louis: I regularly enjoy a variety of raw meats, bones, and I like to snack on stuff from the floor. My favorite meal is pheasant. I also just tried venison for the first time! YUM! What do your favorite meals consist of?

S: Goat, tripe, that sock over there, some garbage, a couple Mexican takeout containers, that thing I found in the elevator, and some yogurt.

BP: I’d have to agree with Stanislaw and say that tripe is pretty awesome. That’s way up there on my list of favorite feasts. Even though femur bones aren’t necessarily a meal, I have to admit that I’m a sucker for that rich marrow. We’ve also got some heart, whiting and duck on order and we’ve never tried those things before… so my favorite list is subject to change. Pheasant sounds awesome too. I’ve got to get on that one.

Louis: My mom has recently added tripe to our diet too. Its great! What would you guys say to other dogs that want to eat raw meat and bones? Is there anything other dogs should be prepared for? I went through a yucky sick period, even though the food was better then anything I ever had, tummy got all out of whack. My mom said it was ‘detox’. Tell me about your experience.

S: The whole first half of my life was a period of detox, so I didn’t really mind that raw meat hurt my tummy for the first week or so that I ate it. I feel great now. A few days of sickness is well worth it in order to be able to wake up every morning and eat bloody goat meat in my bowl or a raw turkey neck in my feasting cage. My advice to other dogs would be ‘no pain, no gain’.

BP: Yeah, it was a rough couple of days there. I didn’t really feel or act ill, but my tummy was an absolute mess. I was waking my mom up at 3am for potty emergencies, and making frequent trips to my favorite vomit spot – the sofa. Our humans kept a close eye on us and make sure our systems weren’t being pushed too hard. I’m sure glad we made it though just fine. Man, I love to crunch those bones.

Louis: Besides eating, I love to hang out in the park, rip open my toys, sniff things, push around my sister, sleep, give lots of kisses and snuggle. What are your favorite things to do, other then chow down?

S: I like to mark over my brother’s spots, harass him and my humans with my lunatic antics, try to snag treats from my mom’s coat pockets (she’s always got some in there), chase dogs and do a million play-bows. I also like to talk a lot and I like to feast hard.

BP: Nothing’s better than a good hard run and swim in the lake. My heart also goes out to day-long hikes and agility… even though I haven’t been able to practice my agility since we moved out of Texas. I’m an all-out exercise kind of guy, but then I love to turn into a mush pile at the end of the day and scrunch up on the sofa with my humans and watch baseball. Oh, and severely thrashing my stuffed-singing-Christmas-tree-mouse-toy. I can’t forget that.

Louis: I really appreciate your taking the time to be a part of my new column. If there are any final thoughts you would like to share with our Cup of Dog readers, please feel free to howl!

S: Louis, you should ask your human to get you some goat meat. I’m sure you’ll love it!

BP: We appreciate your interest in our feasting blog, Louis. Good luck with your new column!

Thanks, Stanislaw and Big Pupi! I really am happy to have had the chance to learn about you guys and how the raw diet has helped you out. On my next trip to Chicago, we will have to catch up and go squirrel hunting and I’ll be pushing to get some goat meat! The mere thought makes my tummy rumble.

I am looking forward to future chats, will include an aspiring canine model, a fashion forward toy poodle and much more!

Bookmark It

The canine ear is a remarkable part of its remarkable anatomy. I learned a lot about it after practically having a standing appointment at the vet’s office to deal with Louis’ ear infections.

According to Monika Wegler’s book, Dogs: How to Take Care of Them and Understand Them, “Dogs hear high tones in particular much better than humans do. Humans can pick up an average of 20,000 acoustic vibrations per second (kHz), whereas a dog is able to perceive between 40,000 and 100,000 vibrations.”

I don’t understand much of this hullabaloo about acoustic vibrations and frequencies, but I can garner that this information means dogs hear a lot better then we do. So on a side note, if you need to yell at your dog in order for him to pay attention, you should probably work on your relationship. He can hear you when you whisper - you don’t need to yell. Think about that…

In addition to hearing better then us, their ears are anatomically different then our. Our ears each have a mere one compartment, theirs have two! The following description comes from Dr. Dennis W. Thomas’s article An Ear Full of Auditory Advice (which you can read in its entirety by clicking here).

Beginning at the opening of the ear canal, the vertical canal travels downward towards the dog’s jaw. Then it makes a 45 degree turn and travels horizontally towards the ear drum. This makes visualization and treatment of the entire canal more difficult. Also, as a rule, most breeds have a much longer ear canal than humans. These differences predispose the dog’s ear to infection as well as make treatment more difficult.

Apparently, breeds with pendulous ears, like my little monster, are far more suceptible to ear infections then those breeds with upright ears. This is mostly because those adorable floppy ears act like trap doors for moisture, yeast and other culprits. But before we all run out and crop our dogs ears, problems can happen to any dog (for instance you wrinkly dog lovers should know that your dog’s ear canals are probably wrinkly as well and for those beasts with super hairy ears, beware!) There are a zillion culprits that can affect your dog’s ears. These issues can stem from foreign objects, yeast, mites, oil secretion differences, dermatological issues, allergies - the list goes on and on.

A good habit to get into is a routine ear hygiene regimen. I know what you are thinking - feeding, walking, trips to the vet, baths, playtime, etc. With all the care these guys require it should be a full time paying job to care for them. The fact is, when we take it upon ourselves to add any members to our household, it is our duty to give them the best care we can. Espcially for our family members who cannot speak up for their needs, we must be diligent in the care we take of them.

This does not mean waiting until there is a problem and running Spot to the vet. Ear cleaning takes all of a minute, once your dog gets used to it, and it can be a nice relaxing and bonding experience. Additionally, even with Louis’ floppy ears, cleaning two times a week, after baths and if its raining out is sufficient. Thats about 5 minutes a week, in total. Another benefit of ear cleaning is that you become familiar with your dog’s ear anatomy and what is normal for him as far as color, temperature, texture, etc. You will be aware of any changes and can act before serious issues arise.

Louis chronic ear infections started after the move to Miami, as the heat and humidity created a literal breeding ground in his floppy ears. Our previous vet attempted to treat him, unsuccessfully and recommended an ear cleaner sold in her office. The treatment dried out his ears, but what made the situation worse was the cleaner. His skin redder then ever and was literally peeling off from his ears, inside and outside. Upon closer inspection, I found the cleaner was made from over 50% rubbing alcohol. On a superficial note, the cucumber melon scent was awful and the product made his hair all greasy. I am not a vet, all of the information I have is from reading books on dogs, canine anatomy, the internet and from speaking to a doctor I trust. The rest is common sense. I would never apply anything with 50% alcohol to my own body, so I certainly wouldn’t want to do that to Louis.

I decided to try something else. I found Halo’s Natural Herbal Ear Wash for the first time at Whole Foods. As things couldn’t get much worse, I decided to give it a go.

According to Halo’s website:

• A full strength blend of herbs in a base of witch hazel
• Can be used for any problem ear condition, heals any kind of infection or abrasion
• Works on contact, is very gentle and is never greasy

Description: The most effective ear solution available today is great for ANY problem ear condition. This soothing blend of herbal extracts (in a witch hazel base)gently eliminates ear wax, odors, prevents infections, heals abrasions, and promotes healthy new cell formation. Natural Herbal Ear Wash is never greasy and always easy to use. Enjoyed by pets and pet lovers everywhere.

My review - it smells nice and fresh, doesn’t affect the texture of his fur and leaves his ears fresh and soothed. I can tell he enjoys cleaning time. The one caveat: be sure to buy a baby nasal aspirator with a bulb for application. The bottle reccomends ‘pouring 1/2 to a capful’ in the ear. You will get the product all over yourself and your dog’s face. This doesn’t work. The aspirator makes things simple. Be sure to give your dog a nice ear massage to work the product into the canal and relax him. You’ll hear it kind of sloshing around in there if you have done it right. Keep your aspirator clean. Louis has not had an ear infection in over three months and any time I notice redness or odor, I use this product and we are in the clear. If you are interested, there are some sites on the internet that list recipes you can make yourself that are similar to Halo’s product, but I admit that I am searching for a little convenience in the sea of care I give to Louis.Call your vet if you think there is anything wrong with your dog and don’t forget to clean his ears.Visit www.halopets.com for more great holistic pet products.

Available at select Whole Foods locations. Visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com to find the closest location to you.

Also available at Louis’ favorite store in Miami!

The DogBar, Inc.

Bookmark It

I mentioned Louis’ plethora of Hanukah gifts in an earlier post - a new collar and leash he received are worth raving about. We needed to get him something a little more ‘Miami’ to fit in with his new surroundings. The basic black nylon worked in Chicago, but Miami is a whole different scene in terms of fashion.

Purchased (of course) at The Dog Bar in Miami Beach, the collar and leash are made by a new company based out of San Fransico called Blueblood. Founded by two close friends, one with a background in the arts and antiques business and the other with a background in finance, Blueblood was founded with a fashion meets function philosophy for the puppy parent with discerning taste. The company makes collars, leads and beds in a variety of collars, patterns and materials. Currently, there are three collections, inspired by and named for coastal United States towns; Pacific Heights, Central Park, and Montecito.

Louis received the his collar and leash from the Montecito collection. The Gretel is made of regal faux white ostrich skin (it really looks like the real thing) and has contrasting chocolate brown fabric on the reverse. The hardware is made of nickel and is rust resistant. The Collar snaps together with a chunky, chic nickel buckle. The dog tag snap is removable so if your pup is lucky enough to have a wardrobe of collars, ID transfer is made simple.

After being soaked in this morning’s rainstorm, I was a bit concerned about the collar and lead maintaining the look they came with. They have both dried out and look as good as when we bought them and so far, the nickel truly is rust resistant! Louis looks totally Miami-luxe in his all white get-up, all in all - a fine upgrade!

Images via Blueblood’s wonderful website, www.bluebloodpups.com

Available at Louis favorite store in Miami!

The Dog Bar, Inc.

Bookmark It

Louis’ first Hanukah was filled with treats and presents, so over the next few days, I will share our experience, since some have been more successful then others. Louis’ grandparents were kind and generous enough to set Louis up with his own bed at their house and a second set of dishes so that he can pack a lot lighter for our weekends with them. In addition, knowing how much their grandpup loves his baths, they gifted Louis with a special dog towel.

The Aquis-Britanne Doggie Dryer® boasts itself to be “Your 2nd Best Friend®.” The claim is that the towel is made of a microfiber material that draws water from his coat quickly, reducing drying time. For Louis, that means less time under the dreader hair-dryer.During our morning walk, about a mile and a half from home, the bright sky suddenly opened up into torrential rain. This was Louis’ first time experiencing this side of nature. We waded home through puddles while the heavy rain soaked us. Less then thrilled, Louis kept attempting to shake the water off and his obvious confusion only compounded when a pickup truck rolled by on the street, sending up a spray of dirty rainwater that aimed itself directly at us.As we arrived at home, I figured it was as good a time as any for a bath and to test out he towel. Louis got the extra-large size, in spite of his diminutive stature. Thank goodness! The extra-large is perfect for swaddling my ten pound bundle of joy. On a bigger dog, I imagine it is better used for more vigorous toweling action as opposed to wrapping him up. The Doggie Dryer does not have as thick of a pile as a regular towel, so I was skeptical of its water sucking power. The company claims their unique fabric dries hair 5 times faster then a regular towel. I’ll take their word for it.Right away, you’ll notice it gets soaked through quicker then a regular towel and I did not notice Louis drying any faster (in truth, Louis’ grandma’s expensive towels from Schweizter in New York did a better job, but until I can afford that kind of price tag, we will make do).

Regardless, it got the job done and its great that Louis now has his very own bright red towel. It’s a cute product and Louis enjoyed a rousing game of tug-of-war with it, in addition to being dried by it.You can purchase your own Doggie Dryer at www.amazon.com.

Bookmark It

My sincere apologies for the lack of posts over the past couple of days.Besides being a dedicated dog mommy and canine aficiando, my other life includes working in the arts. Art Basel Miami Beach came and went. The long days were tough on the two and four legged members of our household. He has forgiven me for last week’s negligence and I have attempted to make it up to him with long romps in the park, lengthy walks to the beach and plenty of playtime.

We have mostly recovered and Louis has started accompanying me to work at a fantastic Miami gallery. He spends his days sleeping on my lap under the desk as I toil away at the computer. As he is slightly too big for lap sleeping, it is a delicate balance of positioning and making adjustments to keep him steady while allowing me to type.

Regardless, I am back and ready to blog. Caninity has started to get comments and the stats show increased amounts of readers, so I would like to extend my appreciation to each and every one of you.

Bookmark It

This has been a poopy week so far - hence the second post on this stinky topic. Not a bad couple days, just literally filled with dog crap. Louis has an exceptionally sensitive stomach. I know dogs have sensitive digestive systems and Lou is not my first pup, so I can confidently say that this dog consistently gets diarrhea with even the slightest upset to his schedule.

After a three month hiatus, I rejoined the world of the working yesterday and it was Louis and my first full day apart in some time. It was enough to throw everything out of whack resulting in some serious carpet stains. Smart to be a renter while Louis is working on being house trained. Anyway, we clearly have some work to do as far as separation anxiety, but that’s another topic for another day.

At the fantastic Dog Bar, mentioned in a previous post it was recommended that we try Pet-Flora. Since using this supplement, we have really been able to relieve Louis’ digestive issues. Its not yet perfect, but as I said, this is partly behavioral rather then a dietary issue.We have struggled with dietary issues since getting Louis. He was on a breeder and veterinarian recommended diet of a premium commercially prepared dog food when we received him from the breeder. I am not informed enough to know what exactly disagreed with Louis from this food, suffice to say, the first four months of his life with us we were constantly struggling with diarrhea and dry flaky skin around his neck. He was really uncomfortable from the diarrhea and quite itchy. I was uncomfortable with each vet we saw suggesting antibiotics as a solution to his stomach issues.

I started to do some research on my own and spoke to a holistic vet, breeders and read some books on the subject. After much consideration, we switched Louis’ food to Nature’s Variety Chicken Meal Formula which is a prepared food that mimics a raw food diet. We added a few drops of Cod Liver oil to his dinner and a bi-weekly dose of the afore-mentioned Pet-Flora pro-biotic.In spite of the past two days, Louis really has improved radically. His previously flaky, itchy neck is completely normal, his coat has never been shinier and he has even more energy then before. This food has an exceptionally high protein content, so it is extremely important not to overfeed your pet. In addition, this brand was unaffected by the pet food recalls, is produced in the United States using only human grade ingredients. I cannot emphasize enough that if we are going to feed our pets prepared food, we must be conscious of supporting companies that are producing human grade products that fulfill our pet’s nutritional needs above and beyond the basic standards implemented by the Association of American Feed Controls, Inc. More on that later….Wishing everyone a Happy Chanukah and easy digestion!!All products mentioned in this post are available for purchase at The Dog Bar.

Available at Louis favorite store in Miami!

The DogBar, Inc.

Bookmark It

Dog poo is a hot topic - no pun intended. It is something every dog owner is forced to deal with and non-dog owners are forced to contend with the issue when less then responsible owners don’t clean up after their pets.In the last week alone, I have been alerted to new laws being drafted in regions as far reaching as South Africa and Moscow. These laws would dictate that owners will incur heavy fines for not picking up after their dogs. These laws are also in existence in cities all over the United States. In Miami, where Louis and I are proud to reside, the fine is $50 for the first offense and $200 for each additional offense per calendar year. Please pick up after your pets. Its just good manners.

Bookmark It

Louis has always enjoyed bathtime. He has even been known to hop into the shower uninvited on occasion. Recently, he developed dry, flaky skin around his neck. In addition to adjustments we are making to his diet, we decided to try a shampoo and conditioner formulation specifically for dry and itchy skin. While on a recent excursion to pick up some beauty products for myself, I came across an Oatmeal dog shampoo and conditioner made by the super cute brand Harry Barker.

Created by a fashion model, Carol Perkins, this line is committed to being environmentally conscious (sustainable packaging, biodegradable materials, etc.) while maintaining the quality of the product. The brand also assists a range of fantastic charities benefiting pets and people.With all the above accolades and endorsements from publications like InStyle, it was a bit trying to wait for Louis to get dirty enough to warrant a bath. After a week of romps through mud puddles and messy meals, we decided to give it a go. Both products are concentrated and must be diluted before use, unlike the previous products we were using. It was helpful to use an empty bottle to mix the products with water. A bonus of diluting means that these 16 ounce bottles will last a long time. The shampoo had a great lather effect and rinsed easily, a major plus. The conditioner was thick and coated his fur with little effort.

Post bath, he smells fantastic, feels soft and his coat is shiny. His previously flake-ridden neck is clear and smooth. Even his rough paw pads are soft and smooth! All in all, another fantastic product.

Harry Barker Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner available at www.harrybarker.com or Brownes & Co., Miami Beach.

Bookmark It

Today, while on a quick errand to get his nails clipped at DogBar, Miami Beach, we decided to get Louis a new dog toy. The pseudo-Rastafarian colors and the dog with dreads were funny enough for me to say yes to this ‘Aniseed’ bean bag. Then I noticed the display.

“DogNip! Like CatNip for dogs!”I looked in disbelief at the knowledgable staff.It was explained that while it wouldn’t make a dog act hyper, the way catnip can hypnotize a cat, it would ‘chill a dog out.’ Since Louis operates on two speeds, on and off, and I trust that DogBar only stocks safe, well made products, I decided to go for it.Louis was in a dead sleep when I decided to try it out. It smells like licorice and almost immediately, Louis was at my feet sitting anxiously, waiting to receive his new toy. He immediately started chewing it and playing, while I waited.Was my dog stoned? Well, lets just say that I have never before seen him in the pictured position and after this photo, he fell asleep. He is still asleep two hours later. Another major bonus? His breath smells like licorice! We will definitely try this the next time Louis decides that playtime should be at 4 AM!

For more information or to order, please visit aniseedog.com

Available at Louis favorite store in Miami!

DogBar, Inc. Miami Beach

Bookmark It