Are you looking for a dog food that is formulated free of corn, wheat, soy or meat by-products*?  Is it important to you that the first ingredient is chicken?  Do you want the ingredients to promote your dogs skin and coat?  Throw in natural FOS for healthy digestion and a formulation free of artificial colors, artificial flavors or artificial preservatives, and what you want is Eukanuba Pure.  You asked and we heard you: these bags are all resealable!

Find the freedom in natural nutrition!  Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts to learn about our three new formulas~

*Official Feed Terms, Assoc. of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)

Have you ever wanted to take your pooch on a canoe trip down the river?  We are so excited to sponsor the 1^st Annual Dog Paddle event at Morgan’s Canoe in Ft. Ancient, Ohio.  It will take place on Sunday, May 23, 2010 from 10am-5pm.  If you are interested in attending, you can register online or you can register at the event.

Event Details:

• Registration Fee-$50 per canoe for early registration and $60 per canoe for walk-up registration
  • Registration fee includes a canoe for two adults, two children and a dog and lunch for everyone.  (For large dogs, one less person in the canoe).
• 3 mile canoe, kayak, or raft trip ending at the beautiful Riverside Park and Campground.  After the trip down the river, there is a nice 2.2 mile walk back to the livery alongside the pristine bike trail (Return transportation is available, if needed).
• After the trip, you can eat lunch, visit exhibitors, and participate in fun contests like a dog fashion show, “Dog Eat Dog” hotdog eating contest, fetching, and dog maze/obstacle course.
• Free Parking & Barking

The event will benefit Cancer Free Kids, which is a great organization!!  Cancer can affect our two-legged and four-legged family members and friends.  Hopefully, one day we can find a cure for this life threatening disease.  I was doing some reading on their website and here is some info I found about this organization……

• Founded in 2002 to ensure funding is made available to researchers who are working hard every day to find a cure.
• Mission is to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening disease in children by funding promising research that might otherwise go unfunded.
• Thirty years ago, just 10% of kids diagnosed with cancer survived.  Today, thanks to advances in research, about 80% of children will beat the disease.

The event is going to be a lot of fun and benefit a great cause!  Hope you can make it with your four-legged pal.  I can’t wait to see all the pooches at the river for a day of relaxation and fun!!!

Please note that Morgan’s Outdoor Adventures, Inc. is operating this event.

Ten years ago, on a breezy spring afternoon, Esther opened the doors to Canine Companions for Independence in Santa Rosa, CA. “I asked myself, ‘Why was I sent to a dog place?’” she amusingly recalled. “I was referred to CCI by a placement agency,” she explained. “I had expressed interest in returning to the real estate field.” Turns out, the qualities CCI was looking for in prospective employees were a good personality coupled with a tenacious work ethic. She was hired on the spot.

Esther has a comprehensive history at CCI beginning in 1995, when she started working in administration. “I was able to see, firsthand, all of the work that goes into preparing a dog for a person with a disability.” Frequently stopping in her tracks to watch training sessions across the campus became her modus operandi. “It was then I knew I had to be involved on another level,” she said.

In 1997, Esther entered a 10-week apprentice instructor course. She completed the program and was instantaneously ushered in as Interim Breeding Program Assistant. A few months later, Esther rejoined the Training Department to continue the instructor program. At the same time, Esther decided to take on another project in raising a puppy for CCI. This would be her first puppy, Valentina.

Over the next two years, Esther created and taught puppy obedience classes, said good-bye to Valentina (who was ready to start training at CCI), and quickly welcomed a new puppy named Hilton. In January 2000, Esther completed all of the necessary requirements for promotion to CCI Instructor. Shortly thereafter Esther would advance to Northwest Puppy Program Manager, her first managerial position at CCI.

During the past six years, Esther has served as the National Breeding and Puppy Program Manager. Hers is, irrefutably, a big job, “but one that I enjoy doing each and every day,” she says. “CCI is about helping people. If every American lived by that motto, our country would be a better place.”

In addition to her professional responsibilities Esther continues to devote volunteer time to CCI. Esther is a breeder caretaker for CCI’s infamous stud dog, Baumann, and an active puppy raiser for her fourth puppy, Journey. When reflecting back to that serendipitous spring day, over a decade ago, when she cracked open the doors, Esther remarks: “Actually, I feel like my life began when I started my career at CCI.”

Stay tuned for more stories and tips from Esther!  Let us know if there is a particular training topic that you would like to learn more about.

What is Success?

When a breeder “does well” they are most likely referring to the consistency in their breeding plans, personal satisfaction in doing what they do and positive feedback they have received from seeing their puppies go to happy owners… and success in the show ring.  NOT how well they are doing financially selling puppies!  Plus there is tremendous satisfaction when a puppy buyer calls you back a year later and tells you how happy they are with their dog.  

Costs to Expect

The expense of operating a kennel is a big consideration that simply should never be underestimated when considering whether or not to get into this business seriously. You must consider nutrition, housing, veterinary care, pet sitters, insurance, advertising costs, show entry fees, transportation, etc, etc…  The list goes on and on… 

Medical Expenses

Along with housing expenses, there are also medical expenses.  Every breed has different hereditary or medical concerns that need to be screened thoroughly before a dog can medically be determined to be breeding quality. 

Here are some examples of common health screenings and medical expenses that can occur before a dog is bred (these can vary greatly based on breed and you will be able to easily research and identify the needs for your particular breed):

1.)     Evaluation of hips by the OFA-Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.  This consists of x-rays that show the hip joints and associated bony components and any deviations from normal.  A score of Excellent to Dysplastic is given by the OFA upon reviewing the x-rays.  If your dog doesn’t pass, then they are not breeding quality. Dogs must be at least 2 years old before they can have this registry done (when the growth period is complete). A newer hip evaluation, called the PENN HIP procedure is also used to evaluate the hips.  This method shows any laxity of the hips, the dog should score high and well above the medium.

2.)     CERF- this is the registry of eye quality; a Board Certified Veterinary Specialist in Opthalmology must examine the eyes for any hereditary defects.  These are conducted annually.

3.)     Cardiac- a heart evaluation that is conducted by a Board Certified Cardiologist usually at a University and usually needs to be updated yearly also.

4.)     Thyroid Function- This blood test can be done through your local veterinary hospital and is a one-time evaluation. 

5.)     DNA and Microchip are very important.  These need to be registered through AKC (The American Kennel Club) or CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) and are a must if you plan on using Artificial Insemination. DNA profile and Microchip expenses vary greatly.

6.)     Brucellosis- This test needs to be run prior to each breeding.  It will show if the male or female are carriers of this sexually transmitted disease.

7.)     Vaccination – take your dog to the veterinarian for any vaccinations and a preventative worming before your dog is to be bred. 

Before you consider breeding, you need to determine if you truly have a dog that is worthy of being bred. The primary goal of breeding is to improve the breed.  Just because your dog is AKC registered doesn’t mean it should be bred. This dog breeding business IS serious stuff!

Please share a comment with the costs that you have encountered with breeding.

Protein is an important nutrient for both cats and dogs.  It is best known for supplying amino acids, which are the building blocks of hair, skin, muscles and internal organs.  The protein that is found in pet foods can be supplied by animal sources, plant sources, or a combo of the two.

Sources of Protein

Some common animal-based proteins are:

• Chicken
• Egg
• Fish
• Lamb
• Beef 

Some common plant-based protein sources are:

• Soy Gluten
• Corn Gluten
• Wheat Gluten
• Rice Gluten  

Dogs – Omnivore vs. Carnivore

Dogs are considered omnivores, which means they do not have a requirement for taurine like cats.  However, there have been reports of dogs becoming deficient in taurine when fed high levels of plant proteins or low quality animal-based proteins.  This may lead to higher levels of body fat and less lean muscle.  For this reason, Eukanuba (link to www.Eukanuba.com) believes that dogs are best fed as carnivores.

 Cats have different protein requirements

It has long been known that cats are obligate carnivores, which means that our furry friends need to eat meat to survive.  Taurine was proven to be an essential nutrient in cats for normal eye and heart function in the mid-1970’s and late 1980’s.  Taurine is naturally found in animal-based proteins. 

Got Protein?

The bottom line is high quality animal-based proteins contain essential amino acids to help build, repair, and sustain healthy muscle and tissue to help keep our dog and cat family members healthy and happy.  

Would you like to learn more about the use of protein in our diets?  Check out our Dog and Puppy Nutrition video.