links...

* transforming an old tv into a dog bed at Erin Rages...
(after)

(before)


* cute dog collar accessories and doggie travel bags, here at Bookie and Belle...






* have you seen the new dogwashing machine, the Dog'O'Matic?



* hey, we found Oprah's dog groomer's blog, Happy Dog Land. tons of great info!

* petfood recalls as of 6/15/09 here.
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Do you feed your pet Nutro dog food?

We have many canine dog friends that eat Nutro dog food. When we heard that pets were getting sick and dying, allegedly from eating Nutro, we had to share these links...

1. Nutro Dog Food Kills Again! -click here to read all about it.

2. You can check out the consumer complaints about Nutro dog food on the Consumer Affairs website.

We certainly are not trying to cause hysteria. Just wanted to share this info with our friends, especially with all of the pet food recalls, etc.
____________________________________________________

dog food news

FDA Ignores the Pet Food Safety Deadline by Susan Thixton, citizen journalist of Natural News.
Click Here to read the entire article

Melamine may be Just the Tip of the Iceberg by Susan Thixton of Natural News.

"Chinese Veterinarian reporting melamine is just the tip of the iceberg of chemicals routinely added to animal feed ingredients exported to a world of pet food and animal feed manufacturers".

Click Here to read the entire article.

So what do we feed our pets? Here are some helpful links...

- Dog Food Ingredients to Avoid, Click Here.

- Click Here to learn how to feed your dog a "Raw" diet.

- Read about the Myths of Raw Feeding HERE.

- The 2008 Whole Dog Journal's approved dog food list
is Here.

Campaign for more effective regulation/enforcement of pet food labels. Click HERE for tons of information on ways to help crusade.

the dog days of summer

hello!
we're just taking it easy and trying to stay cool.
here are some links we have been meaning to share...
- Singing the Praises of Apple Cider Vinegar at Whole Dog News.

- Great article on dietary intolerance here...

" In dogs dietary intolerance most commonly affects the skin or digestive system causing disease/disorders related to these organs. This might be eczema, itchy skin, dermatitis, otitis (ear inflammation), vomiting, diarrhoea, colitis, gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, abdominal discomfort etc.
Other organ systems can also be affected e.g. immune system, musculoskeletal system, nervous system, endocrine (hormonal) system. Any symptom or disease affecting any of these organ systems could be caused by a dietary intolerance. This would include arthritis, convulsions (epilepsy), abnormal behaviour, allergic (pollen, house dust mite) and inflammatory reactions (pancreatitis, hepatitis), susceptibility to infection, Cushing’s, Addison’s, under- and over-active thyroid etc.
Long-term unrecognised dietary intolerance may be the underlying cause of degenerative diseases such as heart or kidney failure and cancer. "

- Check out Canine Reference for the "ultimate dog breed resource", click HERE.

- This book looks interesting, "The Real Safety Guide to: Pet Health: How to secure your pet’s long-term health, safety and welfare". It says, "ninety percent of all pet health problems are caused by pet food and preventable health hazards."

- Tell Congress -- No More Toxic toys, click HERE. Yes, lead and toxic chemicals, called phthalates, are not a good thing.

- Check out the Truth About Pet Food website HERE.

- Cool dog blog to add to our favs- Dog Bliss: all dog things sublime and ridiculous.

- 21 Symptoms you should never ignore in your dog by Dr. Debra Primovic.

- hazel & gertie's looks like a cute shop! we will have to put it on our list of places to visit the next time we're in San Francisco.

- Do your dog's feet smell like corn chips? If you know what I'm talking about you must click here! While you're there be sure to check out the most awesome Punk Rock dog fashions.

- Is your dog a fan of Obama or McCain? Check out My Political Pet.

- Interesting...Rachel Ray has her own line of pet food...and Ellen is now an owner of Halo pet food.

- Jonathan Adler line for pets...nice! love the British flag dog bed.

- we want to check out this all natural breath freshener , found via Low Impact Living.

- Concerned about vaccines? Click here to read about the Rabies Challenge Fund.

- Click HERE for FREE resizeable dog apparel patterns!

We have used the pattern shown below, and it turned out great. Click HERE to see directions.



Update: after looking in the archives, i found the coat made from this pattern, click here. wow! that was over 3 years ago. time flies...

yummers!

We have had a busy & fun week with the holiday, but have fallen a bit behind on our grocery shopping and dog food making. To get through the weekend, we stocked up on cans of this wonderful Homestyle Chicken Stew by Nature's Variety. It's full of healthy ingredients. We highly recommend it! It's a little bit decadent for our budget to serve all the time, but fine for those times when we're too busy to cook.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend, staying cool and eating well!

FDA Requests Seizure of Animal Food Products at PETCO Distribution Center

FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 19, 2008

Today, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals seized various animal food products stored under unsanitary conditions at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center located in Joliet, IL., pursuant to a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago.
U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible to rodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a case filed by the United States Attorney that they were being held under unsanitary conditions. (The Act uses the term "insanitary" to describe such conditions).
During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April, widespread and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDA inspected the facility again in May and found continuing and widespread infestation.
"We simply will not allow a company to store foods under filthy and unsanitary conditions that occur as a direct result of the company's failure to adequately control and prevent pests in its facility," said Margaret O'K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "Consumers expect that such safeguards will be in place not only for human food, but for pet food as well."
The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food products and supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
FDA has no reports of pet illness or death associated with consumption of animal food distributed by PETCO, and does not have evidence that the food is unsafe for animals. However, the seized products were in permeable packages and held under conditions that could affect the food's integrity and quality.
As a precaution, consumers who have handled products originating from the PETCO distribution center should thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap. Any surfaces that came in contact with the packages should be washed as well. Consumers are further advised as a precaution to thoroughly wash products sold in cans and glass containers from PETCO in the 16 affected states.
If a pet has become ill after eating these food products, pet owners should contact their veterinarian and report illnesses to FDA state consumer complaint coordinators.

Media Inquiries: Kimberly Rawlings, 301-827-6242Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
Click HERE to click to the news release.

m & d's muesli

We made up a big bowl of muesli to add to the dog's diet this week. They rarely eat grains, mostly just meat & veggies. But now that Meena has recovered from her bout with giardia, we thought it would be a good idea to clean out those intestines.
As far as grains in their diet, we use mostly oats. Oats are inexpensive and easily digested.
This time we decided to add some flax seed since we had some on hand....


First we pureed the seeds (I feel like it's easier for the dogs to digest)...


then added the seeds to the oats...


next, water was added to the grains to soak...


Once the grains have been soaked, it's easy to add in our veggie mix and meat.

** BTW, we added fresh garlic to the mix.
Click here for more info on garlic for dogs.


Here is a list of grains we have used in the past to make our muesli:
- rolled oats
- rye flakes
- barley flakes
- buckwheat
- quinoa
- millet
- wheat bran
- flax Seeds

If you don't have the time or patience to make your own, there are some good muesli mixes for dogs that you can purchase. Check out these...

Monzies Organic Muesli for Dogs and Europeon- Style Dog Food Mix from Sojos- Click here .

Primal Canine Chicken Formula

Since there has been some slacking in the dog food making department, the dogs are trying out the Primal Canine Formula Raw Diet this week.

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken, Chicken Necks, Ground Chicken Bones, Chicken Hearts, Organic Kale, Organic Carrots, Organic Yams, Chicken Livers, Organic Broccoli, Organic Apples, Organic Ground Flax Seed, Organic Cranberries, Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Parsley, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Kelp, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Garlic, Mixed Tocopherols (Source of Vitamin E), Organic Grapefruit Seed Extract.

the dog food conspiracy...

...for more information click HERE.

Pet Food Ingredients Revealed!

Click on the link below to see how the ingredients in your pet's food ranks:
Pet Food Ingredients Revealed!

grammy's pot pie

We've been slacking this week and didn't make our homemade dog food. So it's been all commercial dog food this week. Tonight I served Grammy's Pot Pie by Merrick Pet Foods. It was a hit! Mee & Dee loved it.
I have to say that there are some really good dog foods out on the market. It can get a bit pricey if you have big dogs, or a lot of mouths to feed. It is way more economical to do it yourself (DIY), but involves planning and preparation time. That's what we typically do.
Our usual store bought food in times of need is the Nature's Variety frozen patties. They come frozen, so I occasionally pick up cans of food if there isn't enough time to defrost.