My Organic Dog

I made a vow to myself if I ever got a dog again, I would do things very different.  My first dog was a yellow Labrador who was an amazingly great and obedient dog but was plagued with all sorts of health problems.  Of course, if I could do things over again, I would do many things differently like give him more healthy food.  I wasn’t on the internet when we first got the dog and just plain wasn’t aware of the relationship between diet and health.  It was so easy to go to the store and just buy whatever dog food was on sale and feed it to him.  He ate everything!  Not only did he eat whatever I gave him, but ate so fast I swear I think he inhaled his food.  I wonder if all his health problems, (hot spots, skin disorders & allergies, and eventually cancer of the stomach) could have been avoided if I had made better choices for him.  Therefore, I vowed to myself that I would do things differently the second time around.  I now have my chance.

We recently adopted five month old Abbey from an animal shelter.  We were told she is part Australian Shepherd and part Labrador.  Our dog trainer thinks she has some coon dog in her.  In my mind, she is part wolf.  Abbey is one tough cookie.  It’s going to take a while to domesticate her.  Do you remember the T.V. series Green Acres?  Well, my dog reminds me of Zsa Zsa Gabor.  Zsa Zsa’s character got married and had to live where she was not accustomed, a city girl living in the country.  My dog belongs running around some big farm chasing sheep not in a suburban Long Island home.  However, I’m up for the challenge or maybe I need my own reality show?

Abbey is one spoiled pooch!  She is currently getting three meals a day through her growing period.   I am feeding Abbey organic  dog food that I make myself as well as supplement with a can of dog food (Wellness Brand) at lunch.  I will phase out the can of food when she is eight months of age.  Here’s how I make her dog food:  I buy some organic, non GMO, no antibiotic chicken thighs at the store.  I boil the thighs in some water for about a half hour.  I then remove the chicken and add some brown rice to the water and cook until done.  I then either boil some carrots in the water or grate them and leave them raw.  Put all of it in a food processor with some of the liquid and mix until smooth.  She gets about two cups of my home made  food in the morning and two cups in the evening.    For treats, she likes organic jerky and peanut butter.   I sneak a few drops of cod liver oil into her food each day as well as a teaspoon of olive oil because her skin is a bit dry.  Is this the best food regime?  I doubt it.  My gut tells me that dogs should be on a raw food diet.  After all, in the wild, dogs were never able to cook their own food.  It seems to me that giving dogs raw meat is better for their digestive systems.  Therefore, I will begin introducing raw foods to Abbey, starting with raw eggs, one a day.  I will then introduce bits of raw grass-fed meat.  My trainer says it’s “smelly” so we will see how it goes.  In the meantime….

Abbey enjoys her beef bones that I purchase from Wild By Nature in East Setauket.  They are from a company named “Happy N’ Healthy” (www.happynhealthypet.com).  The beef bones contain no antibiotics, no added hormones, nothing artificial and are 100 percent natural.  Sorry to disappoint you, but the package does state that they are NOT for human consumption….lol.  There are so many alternative choices available for pets these days.

Did you know that Petco has a section of toys that are made with organic cotton?  Since the toys go right in the mouth, it is a good idea to buy fabric that does not contain any harmful chemicals and are safe and non-toxic.  I purchased a few of these toys for Abbey and she loves them.  I was surprised she didn’t rip them apart like my other dog would have, but she seems to really enjoy them.

I also purchased an organic cotton bed for Abbey online at www.onlynaturalpet.com.  This website contains natural products, holistic remedies, organic food and more for your pet.   The bed cover is made with 100 percent certified organic cotton and is stuffed with certified organic buckwheat hulls.  Just as synthetic materials in bedding and mattresses outgas in human beds, it also outgases in pet beds, which can be hazardous to your pet.  The organic cotton bed is also made without polyurethane foam, chemical flame retardants, formaldehyde, anti-fungicides, pesticide-treated cotton or other harmful chemicals.  Abbey really loves her bed and I don’t have to worry about chemicals soaking into her skin.

It’s fun to have an organic dog.  As a result of my efforts, I know she will have a healthy long life.

**Thanks to my friend Arlen, I just ordered some beef bully sticks for Abbey.  They are from an online company (www.bestbullysticks.com) are all-natural, and are from free range, grass fed bulls.