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CrockPot Cooking for your Pup

From The Dog Dish Diet by Dr. Greg Martinez

Canine Crock Pot Recipe: Dr. Greg’s Basic Select Starter Recipe.

This is a good recipe to use when you want your dog to lose weight and also a good one to use when you first start out.

Put half of a whole young fryer (about 2-3 pounds) and 5-6 pounds of frozen green beans in the crock pot. Add 8 oz. of chicken livers. Cover the mixture with water and cook on high for 2-4 hours, then on low for 8 more hours. (Or, on high for 8-24 hours like I do when I forget, but that’s another story!)

Stir all of the ingredients to blend them and let cool for a couple hours then refrigerate. Skim the layer of fat from the top of the pot. Doing so will reduce the fat content to 10-15 percent.
Use veggies in the mixture to satisfy carbohydrate, omega oil, fiber, and vitamin requirements and also because they have a lower glycemic index than white rice. Brown rice, white rice, white potatoes, or sweet potatoes can be used for those animals that hate or are intolerant of green veggies. As I stated above, sensitive dogs may vomit or have a few mild bouts of diarrhea when first introduced to the crock pot diet.
The amount of chicken and fat in the diet determines the caloric density and amount to fed to dogs. The more chicken you use, the more calories in the mixture. Dogs will maintain their weight or even gain weight with more chicken in the mixture.

 

EEDING: So how much canine crock pot cuisine do you feed your dog? Imagine your dog weighs about 20 pounds. It may need 200-1000 calories per day depending on its metabolism and activity level. Obese dogs with poor muscle development need less. Fit, active dogs need more. A 20-pound obese dog may only need 200 to 400 calories per day to go from the dog bed to the bowl twice daily . The average 20-pound dog that likes to play needs about 600 per day. A 20-pound maniac may need 800 and up to 1000 calories per day. You can also adjustthe amount of calories in the mixture by adding more meat and fat or reducing the meat and increasing the veggies. Cooking a whole fryer instead of half really increases the calories.  You can find a complete discussion of calories and feeding in Dr. Greg’s Dog Dish Diet, starting on page 106.

 

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Dog Mountain

To most of us, art means expression. Communication of an idea, emotion, or  a story. Most accomplished artists excel in one modality.


Stephen Huneck, writer, wood carver, builder and painter gifted the world with his ideas through a panoply of work. Centering on dogs, Stephen was able to embody his love for them through creation of The Dog Chapel, on Dog Mountain in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont.

Stephen built this incredible structure to celebrate the bond between humans and dogs. From The Dog Mountain web site “the chapel is open to dogs and people. People of any faith or belief system.” Designed to integrate with the its surroundings Dog Chapel resembles any church that would have been built in early 1800′s New England.

 

We all can’t visit Dog Mountain – but what an amazing place to stop on a New England trip.  Through these pictures and the Dog Mountain website,– we can sniff the essence of this beautiful structure on-line. Stephen’s other work and images which exude happiness and dog love are available on mousepads, rugs, t-shirts and in his charming books.

Please visit Dog Mountain at least on-line, and enjoy the view.

Stephen and Gwen are no longer with us but their loyal staff  continues to operate Dog Mountain..

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Breed Profile: Shepherd Husky Mix

By Lauren R. Tharpe

The Shepherd Husky is a mix of two breeds: The German Shepherd and the Siberian Husky.  Most Shepherd Husky owners consider this breed to be the best of both worlds.
Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Large.  Shepherd Huskies range from 20 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder.  Their weight also varies, but usually falls within the 35-75 pound range.

Coat & Color: Very thick coated dogs!  Their outer coat is coarse and their undercoat is thick, plush-like, and like their Husky-half, have the ability to thrive in cooler weather.  They also come in a variety of colors.  Black, black and white, or black and tan.  Their coats tend to shed constantly and will need to be groomed on a regular basis.

Other: While most Shepherd Huskies have brown eyes or blue eyes, some have one of each!

Also, the most decorated war dog of World War II, Chips, was a Shepherd Husky!

Life Expectancy: 10-13 years

Temperament

Shepherd Huskies are diligent working dogs who are eager to please.  Shepherd Huskies are highly intelligent (their “shepherd” half, the German Shepherd, was ranked the third most intelligent dog breed in the world!) and they adapt quickly to just about any situation.  Equally good as a service dog or a family pet.

Wags

  • Highly intelligent and fairly easy to train – if the Shepard side is dominant, if Husky is prevailing – dig in, you’ll have your work cut-out for you.
  • Highly courageous.  Makes for a great watch/guard dog.
  • People “person.”  These dogs, unless trained otherwise, get along with most people—including children—that they meet!

Challenges

  • Shepherd Huskies can be howlers!  Be prepared for a long night of howling any time a siren passes through your neighborhood.  They’re also known to be very “talkative.”  They may howl and moan more than actually bark, but expect a full bodied bark when they do vocalize in that way.
  • Require a lot of exercise!  Without daily exercise, these dogs may become destructive.   With your Veterinarian’s approval, this would be a great dog to bicycle, run or trike with.
  • The predator/prey instinct runs fairly strong in this breed.  If not properly socialized with other animals from a very early age, they may see smaller creatures as “prey” rather than “playmate.”

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Breed Profile: German Shorthaired Pointer

While the exact origin of the German Shorthaired Pointer is unknown, what is known is that they were bred to create an enthusiastic weekend hunting dog that also made a great family companion and watchdog. What resulted was a dog with the clean lines, keen nose, and good looks of a Pointer, as well as the loyal, even temperament of a lapdog (although their size may require a rather large lap!). Full of energy and happy to be included in a sporting adventure, German Shorthaired Pointers make great companions for active families.

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: German Shorthaired Pointers stand from 21-25 inches at the shoulders and weigh in between 45-70 pounds, with males being larger than females. They have long, streamlined bodies that are typical of most Pointer breeds.

Coat & Color: German Shorthaired Pointers have short, thick coats that are water resistant and keep them warm in cold weather. Their coat color can be solid liver or a combination of liver and white, and serve as camouflage in snowy weather.

Life Expectancy: 12-15 years

Temperament

Equal parts brains and brawn, German Shorthaired Pointers are very intelligent dogs with great athletic ability. A dog originally bred for hunting, they possess not only a great nose, but can point, track, and retrieve on land or in water, making them versatile, sturdy hunting dogs. They also rank as the 17th most intelligent breed of dog and are highly trainable, often performing well in obedience tests, as well as with simple at-home commands like sit and stay. More than just hunting animals, German Shorthaired Pointers are very loyal and even-tempered companion dogs that can make a great family pet in the right home. Their endless dose of energy does require daily exercise, so they are best suited for an active family—they’re very happy to tag along on the morning run!

Something to Bark About: German Shorthaired Pointers have been highlighted in many literary works for their superior hunting skills. Two works of non-fiction—Run, Rainey, Run and Colter: The True Story of the Best Dog I Ever Had—have delved deeper and explored the authors’ extraordinary relationships with their beloved dogs (I’d say the Colter title says it all!).

Wags:

  • German Shorthaired Pointers’ strong sense of loyalty makes them great watchdogs.
  • German Shorthaired Pointers have friendly personalities, and get along well with kids.
  • Their requirement of daily exercise will keep you active and healthy!

Yelps:

  • These dogs require LOTS of exercise on a daily basis. They should have access to open space so that they can run, and are not suited for apartment living.
  • German Shorthaired Pointers who do not get daily exercise can become bored and restless and exhibit destructive behaviors.
  • German Shorthaired Pointers have strong hunting instincts, which can sometimes be misdirected at the family cat or rabbit. They should be trained at a young age to discern what is prey and what is not, and should be carefully socialized with other small family pets.

Do you think the German Shorthaired Pointer would make for a great running buddy and friend? Contact the German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue of South Florida to adopt.

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Calling All Advocates – Urgent Meeting Tomorrow 4/23/19

For so many who worked long and hard to stop the retail sales of dogs and cats in Sarasota County, the victory is bittersweet as Petland will reopen just a few miles away.

Manatee County Commissioners are meeting on Tuesday, April 23 (address provided below) to discuss whether or not they should move forward and begin drafting an ordinance that addresses the puppy mill to pet store pipeline in Manatee County.

The agenda on Tuesday includes a citizen comment period at the beginning of the meeting, which is when citizens can comment on any item on the agenda.Each citizen can speak for 3 minutes on each agenda item. If a person would like to comment on several of the items, they will have 10 minutes total to speak on all those items.

If you are able to attend the meeting and would like to speak, please arrive at the hearing around 9am.

If you are unable to arrive at 9am, but would like to still come and show your support, please do! The discussion on a pet store ordinance is the last item on the agenda, which is very long, so it could take hours before the item comes up.

If you are unable to attend the meeting on Tuesday, please contact your Manatee County Commissioner and ask them to support a humane pet store ordinance that prohibits the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. Here is a link to the Manatee County Commissioner’s contact information: https://www.mymanatee.org/government/board_of_county_commissioners/contact_your_commissioner

For those who may not already be familiar, Petland Sarasota is moving to Manatee County and there will soon be two Petlands within the county. Why is Sarasota Petland moving to Manatee County? Two years ago, when a Sarasota County law prohibiting the sale of commercially-raised puppies in pet stores went into effect, the Petland owners refused to comply with the law and continued selling puppies. Petland sued the county and asked the judge to allow it to continue selling puppies while the lawsuit was in progress. The judge denied this request for an injunction yet Petland continued to sell puppies in blatant disregard of the law. This lawsuit was recently settled because Petland plans to close its Sarasota store and move just outside the county into Manatee County.

Manatee County

Administration Building

1112 Manatee Avenue West

Bradenton, FL 34205

Jenna Jensen, Public Policy Specialist, Stop Puppy Mills campaign

[email protected]

P 301-258-1506     C 202-689-9621

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s most effective animal protection organization, fighting for all animals for more than 60 years. To support our work, please make a monthly donation, give in another way or volunteer.C

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Give A Homeless Pet Something To Be Thankful for This Thanksgiving:

Manatee County Animal Services Waives All Dog & Cat Adoption Fees Through November 30

 

Give a homeless pet a reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving and beyond… Manatee County Animal Services (MCAS) is waiving all dog and cat adoption fees through November 30. All adopters will be entered into a raffle to win a holiday dinner. Winners will be notified at the end of the promotional period.

MCAS will be closed to the public on November 22-23 for Thanksgiving.

All fee-waived cat and dog adoptions include spay/neuter, microchip and rabies certificate. Manatee County residents are required to license their new pet for an additional $15. The special promotion will be held at the MCAS located at 305 25th Street West in Palmetto and 1002 Manatee Avenue West in Bradenton (cats only.) MCAS in Palmetto is now open 7 days a week through 2018. Please go to our website, www.mymanatee.org/pets, to view all adoptable pets and for hours and directions.

 

Manatee County Animal Services is Manatee County’s only open-admission shelter facility, taking in an average of 10 animals per day in 2017. By never turning any animal away that comes to us (no matter the condition, age, breed or species), that average has increased this month to 15 animals per day due to kitten season, confiscation cases and owner surrenders. The mission of Manatee County Animal Services is to maintain public health and safety through the enforcement of laws and ordinances related to animals, to promote responsible pet ownership, promote adoptions, and reduce pet overpopulation.