I could further explain my points but you’ll get the most benefit by reading these articles (including critiques on industry propaganda) here. As you weave through their 100 over articles you will notice one core principle, that’s Wysong makes no claim of any kind (despite many mass marketed pet food companies firmly making such a claim) indicating theirs is a 100% complete diet. To further illustrate, here’s an excerpt from one of Wysong’s lits on feeding ideas for our pets in obtaining optimal health.

• Begin today giving your pet fresh foods in variety. Introduce small amounts of meat chunks, organ meats, raw bones, cheese, yogurt, grated veggies and fruits…the possibilities are endless and very exciting for your pet. (Every nutrient in the universe does not have to be in every meal.) Healthy table scrapes are fine too provided they are not scraps from junk food. (More complete details are found in Dr. Wysong’s popular book, The Truth About Pet Foods.)
• As an alternative and for variety you can purchase frozen foods and dried non-thermally processed foods. Wysong Archetype is a good choice.
• Canned and dried processed foods can be rotated into the diet. Choose products based on the credibility and motives of the company since every manner of misleading claim can be made.
• Supplement heat-processed foods with appropriately designed products that add life back to the food. Fresh and raw foods can be also benefit from the appropriately designed supplements. Wysong Biotics (AddLife, C-Biotic, Biotic pH+, Biotic pH-) are a good choice.
• Give your pet fun exercise, pure water, fresh air and sun every day plus big doses of that most important of all life ingredients…love.

I do not know of any other pet food company would not to promote their line of products given such opportunity. Clearly, you can see Wysong is in the business for healthy reasons—very well excogitate philosophy, not just mere profit gains considering how lucrative the pet industry is.

Wysong Dog Introductory Pack

When Wysong stated that they would send samples of their products and information to their affiliates, I gladly grab the opportunity. Never did I expect to receive such a generous sample pack—Dog Introductory Pack. Keep in mind, I’m not under any obligation to write positive review, or any review for that matter, if their products don’t warren one. I chose to write because I personally try them on my dogs, even tasted a few meals myself, and saw the many health benefits my dogs gain from eating the foods and supplements.

A brief introductory for those who are new to Wysong pet products: Wysong dog foods are not meant to be fed as a singular source of nutrition, they are meant to be rotated, not just in favor but in different types—dry food for example, rotating Maintenance with Senior, Synorgon, Anergen or even rotating Growth with Senior, Vegan and so on—as well as canned food and Archetype range. But since this review is on the introductory pack I would only review what it contains. Without further ado, here’s my review:

• Retail Price: $17.99
• Shipping cost: $9.99
• Coupon Code: SMALLDOG18
• Price after 18% off: $14.75

Wysong Dog Introductory Pack Contains:

4 lb. bag of Maintenance ($7.59): It’s a base kibble for adult dogs. Main ingredient is chicken. Unlike other brand kibbles, Wysong’s kibbles are rather small, approximately 0.6cm in diameter. I tasted many brands of kibbles before (seriously!) and rarely do I find one (maybe a couple competitive brands) that is as yummy as Wsyong’s. The smell is pleasantly piquant on its own, and when I slightly streamed the kibbles, it made it even more inviting. My dogs are moderate finicky eaters, they usually don’t ask for second servings but for Wysong’s, they do; unfortunately their requests are turn down! What I like most about feeding Wysong’s kibbles to my dogs is their “end result”—my dogs’ feces—they’re nicely formed, are neither too hard nor too soft, and most importantly, they don’t have funky smell. When my dogs eat well, poop well, I’m a very happy mom!
1 Small Bag of Dream Treats TNT ($2.89): These treats are 99% meat base. Although it’s meant to be given as treats, I personally find it a little bit too indulgence; reason being that it’s a rather big treat (1¾” in diameter and ½” thick) to be given to small dogs. I could spread over a few days, still it’s a bit cumbersome to break into small pieces; not to mention it’s a hard “biscuit.” Whatever I could break into bite-sizes, I gave as treats, the crumbs I use as supplement toppings.
2 Single Dream Treats TNT ($1.38/0.69ea.): If you would to rate base on appearance like many other dog treats in the market, Dream Treats will probably rank the lowest. But if you to base on the nutritional values, it’s rather unbeatable. Just looking at the ingredients used, it’s as good as any supplement for pets. Dream Treats comes in 3 sizes (single, small, and large) and three different favors (chicken, beef, and pheasant); the pheasant is the yummiest.
2 Pouches of UnCanny TNT ($4.18/2.09ea.): Part of the reasons I don’t go full-fledged on BARF because of its lack of accessibility, storage space required, and cost. But with UnCanny, it’s different. UnCanny is basically a canned food without the can and without the heat processing. Similar to any instant meal, but contains all the critical food components (prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, omega-3, vitamins, and minerals) needed for your dog, just tear open and add water (may be warm but not above 118°F).  Although it states that one packet is a meal for one small dog, I find it a little too much for my Maltese and Silky. So the remaining I use as toppings for the following meal. Not surprising, both my dogs and I love the Seafood and the Beef & Egg. This is probably my one of my favorites, it’s very economical and will be ordering in cartons…for my dogs, of course!
1 Au Jus Turkey 5.5 oz can ($1.79): 95% meat, 5% organ diet. It comes in 6 flavors: beef, chicken, rabbit, duck, venison, and turkey. As you can see from the image, it doesn’t contain too much water which it is good. Many other brands of canned dog food are loaded with so much water or curvy that leaves little room for real meat. Can you imagine how shortchanged we are when we pay for the liquid instead of meat?

Although the total value added is $0.16 less than the actually amount you’d paid for (assuming you didn’t use my coupon code), however, you are more than compensated by their free samples and an copy of CD which is worth about $15.59 not including health and product literature. Except for the CD (The Master Key to Health) which is the actual retail price, the prices for the samples are derived from my calculation base on their retail price on ounce/milliliter basis—it’s just my guesstimate.

Free Samples and One CD:

1 Sample of Archetype TNT (3/4oz – $1.53): Archetype, unheated at any stage of production, is extreme concentrated (99+%) with meat protein (beef, chicken, livers, ground bone, etc.) and fresh, unadulterated “living” nutrients (organic quinoa sprouts, apples, wheat grass, dried kelp, collagen, proteoglycans, vitamins, chelated minerals, etc.). It’s hard to categorize Archetype because it can be used in many ways, as a singular meal, added mixture over regular meal, supplement, or treat. What I do is use the larger chunks as treats and the crumbles ones over the kibbles. What’s even more interesting is that Archetype can be fed in dry or soaked format, making it more versatile in preparing the meal. Because of its extreme palatability and super rich content, it’s idea for convalescing dogs who need a little weight gain or to restore appetite. For healthy dogs, I think it’s best to feed at least twice weekly which my dogs are currently on two-singular-meal per week.
1 Sample of DentaTreat (5ml – $0.48): A natural dentifrice which can be used to sprinkle over food, or be fed directly, or applied to the teeth. Since I have only 5ml of DentaTreat, I can’t test the effectiveness of it; however, I have to say it’s very tasty.
1 Sample of AddLife (10ml – $0.63): It’s a power supplement (contains whole, raw meat, and antioxidant properties of blueberries); its main function is to restore living food elements to any heat-processed dog food.
1 CD of The Master Key to Health (value of $12.95): An entertaining and thought-provoking relook at how health should be approached. Dr. Wysong wipes away all the modern assumptions on nutrition and health and with a clean slate logically rebuilds proper thinking. Duration: 52:25 minutes.

Free Health Information and Product Literature: Many of which can be found on their website.

• Rationale For Probiotics Supplementation: A 9-page article, pdf format at Wysong’s website
• Rationale For Enzyme Supplementation: A 8-page article, pdf format at Wysong’s website
• The Wysong Optimal Health Program – Wysong Prevent/Therapy Guide: A 2-page chart and diagram
• 22 Pet Food Fallacies: A 2-page article
• Does Your Pet Need a % of Something?: A 2-page article
• “I’m Confused”: A 2-page article
• How To Apologize To Your Pet: A small 25-page booklet, guide to using whole food for pets, recipes, and FAQs which can’t be found on their website
• Nutrition For Companion Animals: A 31-page product catalog
• Wysong Resource Book: A 31-page of human/animal product catalog
• Does American Owe An Apology To Its Pets?: A 6-page literature brochure

To say I’m a convert is an understatement. When I saw the improved health (especially my almost 16 years old Maltese, Zody), I couldn’t wait for my next order which I think it will be a huge one.

The only regret I have was not knowing about Wysong while I was exhibiting my show dogs. Sure, my dogs won a few championship titles during their prime years; but if they were on Wysong then I believe they could go much farther into their “senior” years.

You don’t have to believe what I’ve said or what you’ve read at Wysong’s website; what you could do is simply invest $14.75 and get your dog to verify the “claims”—by carefully watching and monitoring your dog’s health (coat, eyes, behavior, stool etc.). You already had invested a lot of money in dog food, supplements, and treats, so what’s another $14.75 for your dog to begin gaining great health.

If you are a fanatic on raw dog and cat food and want to save enough more bucks, I highly recommend Wsyong Raw Introductory Pack. Retail price is $47.99 (actual value $52.26{food} + $27.90: {Lits}) but with my 18% off coupon code you pay only $39.35.

Secrets To  Preparing Kibble-Meals for Finicky Dogs

I prepare the meals slightly differently. My secret is in the coat; specifically, the meat that coats the kibbles. It’s not that difficult as you think just a little more effort, that’s all. As you will notice in my recipes below, most call for some sort of liquid—be it soup, sauce, or paste.

Another secret I use is that I steam the meat-coated kibbles lightly. This allows the paste, soup, or sauce to work its way into the kibbles. To lightly steam the dish is to pre-steam the pot/wok/streamer, turn off the stove/streamer, and then put in the dish for a minute or 90 seconds. For some kibbles that are as hard as pebbles, you might want to leave it a longer in the streamer. To know if you’ve got the right texture for the streamed kibbles is to test it using your index finger and thumb. You should be able to make a slight indentation; and if you could easily squash them, it’s too soft. Most dogs hate mushy kibbles! Give it a final stir; add in supplement, if any, before you serve.

• Added Tip For Smart Super Finicky Dogs: In most cases, the two secrets are more than enough to trick you dog into eating his kibbles, however, there may come a time when you need to upgrade your scheming skill. If it’s called for, prepare as per suggested, garnish few shredded meat over the meat-coated kibbles, leave some shredded meat behind just in case your dog didn’t finish all the kibbles. If he does finish, good on him then reward him the remaining shredded meat for his good behavior.

How Should the Meat Be Shredded?

Most kibbles for small dogs are usually no bigger than a dime. In order to get the kibbles evenly coated, I shred it finely using a spoon to chop them up or manually shred them into thinly pieces.

As for the toppings, be more generous with the size. Microscopic pieces will be less appealing to your dog.

Please be warned, there is no turning back when these tips are implemented. Once your dog tasted real meat, getting to eat his plain kibbles is practically impossible. The only option is to turn to BARF diet or home cooked meals.

Ways Of Cooking for For Finicky Eaters

Dogs love food with piquant flavor, the more piquant it is, the better it works up your dog’s appetite. Some food maybe fetid to us but to dogs it’s a heavenly scent. So work up a strong piquant meal whenever you can.

Avoid Stew: I’m don’t fancy cooking stew for my dogs. Stew is meant to have curvy, and I don’t like kibbles soaking in it making them very soggy; unless you have a senior dog with no teeth otherwise avoid stew. It’s also a messy meal especially when you have dog with fairly long mustache. Like soup, the most nutritious values lies in the sauce, and it’s waste to throw away the excess curvy.

Chicken: You can have it boiled or stir-fried or grilled. Boiled will be the most easiest and convenient method.

• Boiled Chicken: The amount of water should be just enough to boil the chicken and vegetable (i.e. carrot, pumpkin, potato) with. If there is excess soup left, don’t throw it away as it can be used for the next cooking. If your dog likes it as it is, don’t change; if not, add a tiny pinch of sea salt to the soup (salt stimulate appetite).
• Stir-fried Chicken: It can be a little challenging to work out a decent sauce or paste for the stir-fried chicken if you have no broth to cook it with. I usually cook stir-fry chicken if I’m certain I have leftover chicken soup or sauce.
• Steamed Chicken: It’s not the most appealing dish to dogs, especially very finicky dogs. I rarely cook steamed chicken unless I incorporate it with Chinese herbs to bring the aroma or I need some tonic boost.
• Roasted Chicken: Dog loves roasted chicken because it’s juicy and tender, but it’s very unhealthy to eat it on a daily basis. Of course, you can treat your dogs on certain occasions. Just make sure you don’t coat the chicken with much oil or butter just as you would do for grilled chicken.

Fish: Both my dogs and I love fish. We could have it in every meal and never get sick of eating. Since there are so many types of fish available and many ways of preparing them, it’s rarely a problem to cook up delicious fish dish for your dog. Most dogs love fish because of its smell, all the more it’s easier to cook. Most of times I use sea bass, dory, pomfret (silver and black), sardine, eel, mackerel, red snapper, tuna, anchovy, and some other local fish. If my schedule is tight (which usually the case) or I’m too tired, I serve my dogs steamed sea bass or silver pomfret. The oil that used to steam the fish with makes the best “sauce” to coat the kibbles. But do so sparingly, you don’t want your dog consuming too much fats.

For sardine and tuna, I usually buy them in can (in water or oil) as backups. Anchovies are best eaten when they are deep-fried, however, they don’t coat the kibbles well. Or you can add anchovies (fried or raw) into the vegetable soup.

Beef: Dogs love beef, however, I don’t cook beef much mainly due to environmental factors. I would suggest use beef as your backup meat or special occasion.

Pork: This is one ingredient that you will never find in any dog food and yet many owners would occasionally give bits and pieces of pork to their dogs; me too. The one important thing is that you must thoroughly cook the meat (however way it is cooked) before giving it to your dog otherwise you can place them at greater risk for trichinosis. Please, no barbecue sauce over the pork chop! Pork without any spice or herbs is already very tasty for your dog; but if you want to enhance the flavor use a good premium cooking oil.

Liver: Most commonly used is pig liver because it’s one of the “tastiest” liver dogs love. The best way to cook pig liver is to stir-fry them as it emits the most pungent aroma. Slice it thinly, add some finely chopped garlic prior cooking the liver, and some water between stirs; and you have the best dog food in the world. What you want is to work a slight paste not gravy or sauce as this will retain the strong aroma you dog love. Make sure they are well-cooked but still remain tender.

Broccoli and Cauliflower: They are best eaten when stir-fry. My dogs love broccoli because of its crunchy feel and I believe your dog will love them too.

Carrot and Sweet Potato: Dogs have sweet tooth and most love carrots especially if they’re cooked as part of the soup or stew.

Pumpkin: Since pumpkin are easily cooked, don’t cut them too small when use in soup. Try stir-fry them with chicken, it makes a very delicious meal. Also add them in just a few minutes before everything else in the soup is done.

Potato: However you cook the potato avoid mash potato, very messy job after eating; mostly likely you have to do a thoroughly teeth brushing for your dog.

Special Note: If your dog has hypothyroidism, it’s best to avoid feeding him broccoli, cauliflower, and sweet potato. It’s been known that consuming goitrogenic foods can cause the enlargement of the thyroid gland in human. No study has been done on dogs yet, but never hurts to be too conscientious.

I have many more recipes to entice your dog into eating his kibbles but these tips are more than enough to last a very long while, if not a lifetime. If you need more inspirations, check out my dog food recipes and dog treat recipes categories.

In my honest opinion, I believe every owner is capable of coming up creative ways to prepare his/her dog’s meals given more practice. And who knows, you may come up with your own concoction that is so powerful and in return I have to ask you to share your secret ammunition.

Finally, I would like to leave you this note which my mom once shared, “What makes a great chief great isn’t so much on his culinary skills but also his attention to details and love.” Although we may not be eating every dish we cook for our dogs, it doesn’t mean we should cook substandard meals for them. Cook it just like you would cook to impress your in-laws or dates. When we cook it with love and details, we replace worries (i.e. my dog might not eat this) with absolute certainty that our dogs will enjoy and finish their meal.

Series Posts on Finicky Dogs:

• How To Deal With Dogs Who Are Finicky Eaters?
• How To Coax Your Finicky Dog To Eat His Kibbles? – 1
• How To Coax Your Finicky Dog To Eat His Kibbles? – 2
• How To Coax Your Finicky Dog To Eat His Kibbles? – 3

There are many possible reasons why some dogs are finicky eaters while others aren’t. Lack of palatability, undesirable feeding methods, and too many options and varieties of foods given; these are some of the common causes. Instead of dwelling of the causes and hate yourself for creating them, it’s best to tackle this behavior with effective tips that you can easily implement.

I could just give you straight my secret ammunition in coaxing your finicky dog to eat his kibbles but I won’t do you great service if I don’t share the principles behind the secrets. Metaphorically, it’s like giving you a bicycle with tires that are almost flat. You will, no doubt, reach the destination but how many destinations can that vehicle take you is very much in question.

It’s almost three years since I last wrote on this topic: How To Deal With Dogs Who Are Finicky Eaters?, and I thought it’s a good time to revise a couple points and add a few more tips and requirements. For the completeness of this subject, I divided them into 3 sections/posts: basic requirements, presentation and preparation, and action (this is where my secret ammunition revealed). So bear with me, folks.

Basic Requirements For Eliminating Your Dog’s Finicky Eating Behavior

High Quality Premium Dog Food: I can’t stress enough the importance and benefits of feeding our companion dogs high quality dog food. When we feed our dogs less quality food or food that isn’t agreeable to his stomach, dogs will display all those finicky eating behaviors.

• Quality Ingredients: Ever since the massive dog food recall in 2007, many dog food manufacturers have taken proactive steps to ensure the ingredients used are closely monitored. With this in mind, we still have to be selective given the wide range of food available. I’m not going into details on how to select premium dog food, but the primary rules are 1) Two meat listed in the first two ingredients. 2) Crude proteins should be no less than 22%. Some examples can be found in these brands: Taste of the Wild, Sigma, and Wysong (will be reviewing their product line soon Wysong Introductory Dog Pack reviewed , just received their complimentary Introductory package yesterday) are ones that I highly recommend.
• Stick Too Long: Another common overlook is owners sticking to one brand for way too long (two to five years); and if they do change, they change only the flavor but not the brand. Although I said this before, variety is not as crucial to your dog as it may seem to you, nevertheless, sticking to one brand for years (even if it’s the best of the best dog food in world) will only deprive your dog from many other nutritional values which other brands can offer that the current one lacks.
• Keep Them Fresh: Without question, it’s cheaper when you buy in bigger bulk, but if your dog is not going finish the kibbles within a month then it’s not at all economical just by saving the few bucks because the kibbles already lack freshness. Not forgetting all dog food do travel quite a bit between states or countries, container to truck, and warehouse to retails before the bag of kibbles arrived at your door step. The food is already exposed to various temperatures hence it would be best to buy just enough to feed your dog for three to four weeks.
• Rotate: My philosophy is to rotate two different brands (from different manufacturing plant), not at the same time but one after the other. Should I need to introduce a third brand, one of the current would have to be replaced. You may be quite skeptical on this approach which it’s very understandable because not many owners practice this. I shall leave this option open to you but heed the first three suggestions.

5/8 Filled: One of the best health advices I got during my 6-month stay in Japan, if not thus far, was from an elderly lady. “Always leave 3/8 of the stomach empty after every meal.” She then went on to add, “This will keep your mind alert, less taxing on your digestive tract, and always ready to appreciate your next meal.” I think she missed out two important benefits, trim and longevity! Obaasan died at age 98 at almost the same weight she had during her prime years. Pardon for the tangent.

• Longevity and Trim: Two decades later, I still heed her advice, not just for myself but also use this cardinal rule to feed my dogs—past and present ones. Maybe this is one of the reasons why all my dogs are always at the right weight and live pass their average life span.
• Change of Lifestyle: Unlike wild dogs, our domestic dogs never have to hunt and their meals are always presented in timely manner, so why the need to feed them to the brim like there’s no certainty when their next kill would be.
• Breaking the Rule: This cardinal rule isn’t just for finicky dogs but applicable to all domesticated dogs. The only time you can break this rule is when your dog is in some sort of strenuous activities (i.e. agility class, flyball). Even so, you only need to fill 7/8 of the stomach, a meal before and a meal after the activity.

Skipping A Meal: I’m neutral on the concept of fasting for dogs. I don’t conform to the idea whether it must be done religiously or not at all, to do so will only contradict my points above. Having said, I think it’s a good idea to fast once in awhile (i.e. fortnightly) during warmer months and after a great feast (e.g. dog’s birthday party, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day). The health benefit behind this concept is to give the digestive system a break.

Unlike humans, all healthy dogs can cope very well when fasting without much fuss or any withdrawal syndrome. If your dog is under the weather or ate irregular small amount for past few meals, do not implement this. Otherwise, your dog might vomit yellow foamy liquid just before his next meal is served. There’s no need to be overly concern, it’s the digestive fluid. Should this happen, continue as per normal using the 5/8 filled rule. One common mistake owners make is feeding the dog more than usual as a way of compensation. Just like insufficient amount of sleep, you can’t compensate what was lost during the week. Doing so will only mess up your sleeping pattern and create undesirable behaviors or illness. In addition, you are also making your dog’s digestive system work much harder when you feed more than normal.

To keep my promise, I won’t rehash all the points written in the previous article. If you haven’t read it yet, please do so as there are 9 more tips on eliminating your dog’s finicky behaviors.

Next posts, I will be giving you more tips on how to prepare, present, and incorporate meat into your dog’s kibbles.

OnlyNaturalPet is offering 10% off on all grooming products for the month of August. Code: GROOMING

Grooming Products:

PetzLife and Leba: If you’ve read my review on oral care dental cleaning products, without a double PetzLife and Leba (especially so due to its hefty price tag) are value for money. I stock these items up to a year supply, which is about 4 of each.

ONP Pure Salmon Oil: This is one excellent (one of the most effective and fastest result achieved thus far) fish oil supplement for dogs with skin and coat problems. Although it is stored in finest quality aluminum bottle with a safe epoxy coating that protects the purity of the oil inside, I personally don’t think you should stock this product up. At most, buy no more than thrice the amount your dog needs (no, I don’t mean overdosing!). Refrigerate the one that is in use. For small dogs, I suggest giving 1/3 of a tsp (1 pump) for a start. Slowing adjust to the suggested dose once your dog is accustomed to the smell (yes, it states odor-free but still…) and taste—it shouldn’t take long!

New Product:

Shoo!Tag Natural Pest Repellent: This is the latest flea and tick repellent gadget. One tag is to keep away fleas and one tag is to keep away ticks. Collar not included! Shoo!TAG utilizes the power of the bio-energetic field which surrounds all living things to create a frequency barrier which repels targeted pests for up to four months. Sale price is $27.49 (both tags).

Remedies, Food, and Gears

Prices on these items below seen on the site are already discounted. In additional you could get further 5% discount if this is your first order. Code: SS15

Newton Homeopathics: 10% off all remedies. There are 13 remedies aiding from nervousness & fear to asthma. Each costs $14.99 except for Thuja. Only five of them are worth buying base on their effectiveness. They are:

• NH Detoxifier
• NH Eye Care
• NH Cough – Asthma
• NH Thuja – Vaccinosis
• NH Diarrhea & Gas

Wellness Simple Solutions: 15% off on dog food. Created for dogs who thrive on a limited ingredient diet due to food allergies or intolerance. A Simple Solution to a difficult problem! Available in dry and canned foods. Comes in duck, venison, salmon, and lamb favors. Sizes for dry food are in 10.5lb and 26lb and their prices range from $24.29 to $59.89.

Natural Balance Dog Food: 15% off on new formula dog food—Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry and Allergy Formula Canned Dog Food. You’ve been a regular reader of mine, you surely know that Natural Balance is one of the five premium dog food I highly endorse and recommend. Sizes for the dry food are in 5lb, 15lb, and 28lb and prices range from $12.59 to $43.29. Canned (sweet potato and chicken favor) comes in 13oz. for $1.69 each or $18.89 for a case of 12 cans.

Ruff Wear Gear: 10% off on all Ruff Wear Gear. Items include dog gear, boots, coat, life jacket, backpack, leash and collar, bowl, toys, bed, and even first aid kit! These are designed for dogs who love outdoor activities. Be it summer or winter, dog boots is one gear your active dog can’t do without. Expires: Aug 31, 09.

GollyGear is offering 10% off on all items until Sept 15. Code: dogdays.

Nina Ottosson Plastic Interactive Toys: These are incredibly popular and trend-setting interactive toys for dogs. The purpose is to get your dog to locate where the hidden treats are in the toys. They either have to move objects (Magic) or slide them (Brick), or spin the toy (Spinny) to reveal the treat!

Prices varies: Spinny is selling at 29.70, Magic (below) is $31.50, and Brick (above) is $40.50. These prices are already 10% off plus you’ll still get an additional 10% reduction with the coupon code.

EasyGo and EasyGo Sailor Harness & Leash Set: These aren’t just  your regular vest-type harnesses, they’re stylish and comfortable—the vest is made of soft cotton jersey material with slight padding and mesh on the other side. They come in two unique looks—EasyGo and EasyGo Sailor (seen on the right) and 8 different colors for EasyGo and 2 colors for EasyGo Sailor.

EasyGo is priced at $18.95 and EasyGo Sailor goes for $20.95. Both comes in 4 sizes—extra small to large. The leash is 3/8 inch wide. Go walk in style!

EntirelyPets is offering $10 off on small FURminator and $15 off on Medium and Large Furminators. Code: FURMSPECIAL10 and FURMSPECIAL15 respectively. Expires: Dec 31, 09

FURminator deShedding Tools: If you’re still contemplating on getting this revolutionary grooming tool, FURminator, to groom your dog’s double coat, think no more. With this crazy summer heat, your dog will thank you for getting the FURminator. Plus your hubby will stop accusing you of cloaking the bathtub and toilet drain with “your” hair!

Prices are $29.99 for small, $44.99 for medium, and $54.99 for the large ones. These prices are before discount.

Wysong is offering 18% off on ALL items. Code: Click here to get SDP exclusive coupon deal.

Introductory Pack: If you’re thinking of switching to BARF diet or just different brand for your dog, Wysong Introductory Pack is the best option to do so. It comes with both dry and raw food which make the transition less taxing on your dog’s digestive tract. Price: $17.99 (read my review here) for Dog Intro pack and $47.99 for Raw Intro Pack. Prices are before discount. Each Wysong Product Introductory Pack contains:

• 4 lb. bag of Maintenance
• 1 Small Bag of Dream Treats
• 2 Single Dream Treats
• 2 Pouches of UnCanny
• 1 Au Jus Turkey 5.5 oz can
• 1 Sample of Archetype™ (FREE)
• 1 Sample of DentaTreat™ (FREE)
• 1 Sample of Addlife™ (FREE)

Please do remember to check out my pet coupon and exclusive coupons pages regularly for more discounts and deals.

What Is the Function of Dog’s Anal Glands?

Dogs have two anal sacs located on each side of the anus (5 and 7 o’clock position). The sacs contain a strong-smelling liquid which is unique to each individual dog. They use it to mark their territory (I was here!) or when frightened, and also to identify each other—which you often see dogs sniffing each others rear end when they say hello. =|

What Is the Cause of Anal Sacs Problem?

The sacs normally release a little fluid (grayish or brown in color) through tiny openings whenever your dog defecates. They are then refilled every day. When the stools aren’t firm enough, they can’t exert enough pressure to empty the sacs. When this happens, the fluid will accumulate in the sacs and eventually becomes overfull and impacted, making the anal area itchy and sore.

Anal sacs problems are more common among smaller breed dogs, which many vets aren’t sure why it is so.

Tips to Ease your Dog’s Anal Sacs Woes

• Stop Feeding Table Scraps. Not all human food is suitable for dog consumption. Some food will cause stools to be unusually soft—result in more fluid built-up.
• Change Diet. If you are feeding low-quality dog food, try introducing a higher quality dog food that has at least two meat sources in the top 3 ingredients listed. A couple good examples of premium dog food are: Wysong and Taste of the Wild.
• Increase Fiber Intake. If you’re feeding your dog homemade food, give an additional half to one serving of vegetables as fiber absorbs large amounts of water in the intestine making the stools become larger. Hence it will put more pressure to empty the sacs.
• Walk Regularly and More. As I said in my dog constipation topic, exercise helps “things” moving in the right direction. Regular exercise strengthens the rectal and abdominal muscles.
• Epsom salts. It is said that soaking your dog’s butt with Epsom salts water will help liquefy the fluid in the anal sacs so that it will flows more easily. It also reduce swelling, relaxes muscles and among many other benefits. If your dog is not willing to rest his butt in a tub filled with two inches height of water for 10 minutes twice daily, then you may have to bring Epsom salt to his rear by using hand towel. First, pour a tablespoon of Epsom salt into a small basin filled with 1 liter of lukewarm water. Let the salt dissolved before soaking the hand towel. Wring it lightly and cup it to your dog’s rear for 10 minutes, twice daily. Thrice daily, if it is a severe anal sac problem.
• Silica (Silicon dioxide). Silica is a homeopathic remedy that can help to treat anal sacs problems—swollen glands. It’s very useful especially for dogs who have frequent recurrence. Please consult your vet for the proper dosage for your dog. Alternatively, you may want to try Vetri-Science Fast Balance – G.I. (to be consumed) or AnalGlandz (to be applied) remedy which contain Silica as one of the ingredients. They are both easy to use and very effective, however I’m more incline to use Vetri-Science Fast Balance – G.I. as it has a host of other essential nutrients to promote healthy gastrointestional tract.

Steps to Express the Anal Sacs

For immediate relief, you may have to express your dog’s anal sacs. It is best to have your vet or groomer showed you once before attempting the following techniques.

Warning: The fluid has an exquisite smell (some think it’s worse than skunk stink), so it’s best done before bath. Folks with long nails please do not attempt to do it yourself. Though we only use the sides of our finger tips, inexperience owners may accidentally use their nails to express the glands. So don’t traumatize your dog any further.

1. Have your dog’s rear face 45 degree away from your face.
2. Lift his tail up with one hand and place a folded paper towel on the other palm to catch the secretions. (Personally, I use my bare hand to catch the secretions as it’s much easier and faster than having to worry about the paper slicing off my palm.)
3. Place your thumb and forefinger at the 5 and 7 o’clock position, slightly outside the circumference of the anus.
4. Gently press inward on the sacs until the fluids are released.
5. If nothing comes out the first time, slightly adjust the position of your fingers and retry. If you still can’t get any secretion out, stop trying. Pushing too hard can be painful for your dog and may also damage the sacs.

After you have tried all the above methods with no success (extremely rare but it happens), you may have to bring your dog to the vet immediately when…

• Your dog cringes whenever you touch the anal area.
• You notice large swelling or growths and it’s very sore.
• You notice the fluid contain blood or it has a gluey black substance.

Your dog could have anal-gland abscess which has become infected or ruptured. Your vet may suggest surgery to remove the sacs if all the above steps had taken and failed.

Final words: Remember, remedies are just remedies. They are not meant to be used on a long term basis. The only way to get out of this “predicament”  for good is to change lifestyle as I stated in the first 4 tips above.  Also I’d like add to the list is to get a good gastrointestinal supplement for your dog, for example, Only Natural Pet GI Support.

However, take a closer look. Do you even recognize some of the ingredients? Do you think your dog will look and feel his best if he eats this sort of food every day?

Probably not!

In addition, proponents of natural and raw food diets suggest that commercially prepared food is inadequate for a variety of other reasons, including:

• Some of the ingredients can be less than desirable, such as poor quality meat or restaurant grease.
• Fats added to the product can go rancid before it ever gets to your dog’s bowl.
• The method of creating commercial dog food (e.g., using high heat) may destroy some of the nutrients in the food.

Perhaps the best thing you can do for your dog’s diet (and for your diet, for that matter) is to make it as close to nature as possible. That means fresh food, no preservatives. It means doing your best to mimic your dog’s natural diet if he was out in the woods fending for himself. He’d very likely be eating bones, vital organs, raw meats and some vegetation. By eating a raw food diet versus a commercially processed diet, dogs can be introduced to various beneficial enzymes and the good types of bacteria.

So does this mean that you can just start feeding your dog table scraps and it will be healthier than feeding commercially processed food?

Absolutely not! In fact, that would most likely be even more detrimental to your dog’s health.

Dogs require a different balance of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients than you do. If you do not get this balance correct, you are putting your dog at risk for various ailments.

Indeed, the American and British Veterinary Associations are opposed to raw food diets. Part of their disapproval is due to their concerns about food-borne illnesses and parasites.

Some skeptics believe that the vets have monetary reasons to dissuade you from feeding a raw diet, simply because a vet office often supplements their practice by carrying a line of commercially processed dog food.

However, I suspect that part of their concern also stems from the fact that most people will not take the time to learn the correct way to feed a raw or natural diet (which again is detrimental to the dog).

Let me use the analogy of jumping from airplanes. If you take the time to learn how your parachute works and learn all the safety features, your skydiving experiences can be safe and enjoyable. On the other hand, if you get all gung-ho and jump out of the plane before you learn how to pull the rip-cord on your chute, you’re likely in for a nasty landing.

What I’m trying to say is this: if you start feeding your dog a raw food or natural diet BEFORE you learn how to do it safely, it’s like jumping out of a plane before learning how the parachute works.

For example, many times humans have a tendency to want to feed their dogs foods that they themselves would eat. If you wanted chicken perhaps you’d choose the white breast meat.

However, in order for dogs to get their required nutrients, they usually have to eat the whole food just as they would in the wild. So instead of a chicken breast, they get the whole chicken so they can eat everything including the vital organs. Instead of just meat, they get the entire bone. Instead of an egg, they get the shells and all. Instead of a fish fillet, they eat the whole fish, head, eyeballs and all.

Once the dog gets started it can be difficult to make him stop. As a matter of fact, most dogs do it occasionally if no preventive measure is taken. However, it is not impossible to eliminate this behavior for good or even prevent it from happening. So don’t go all panicky just yet. I’ll explain why they have such a repulsive behavior, what danger it might lead and show you ways to suppress this appetite.

Why Do Dogs Eat Feces?

Seeking Nutrients Not Found in their Diet. Remember that dogs didn’t magically appear on the earth fully domesticated and ready to do our bidding. They’ve evolved from thousands of different breeds of wild dogs, many of whom were scavengers. Consuming the fecal matter of little woodland creatures was an excellent way to consume extra vitamins, so the behavior is sometimes hard-wired into dogs.

Out of Boredom. In the wild, wolves have “jobs”. The adults hunt for food and protect the youngs. The parent wolves establish the rules within their own family while the adults and adolescents help enforce the rules within the pack. When wolf pups are not sleeping they spend most of their time socializing with their siblings and other adults. Whereas domesticated dogs these days aren’t fortunate enough to earn a minimum wage.

It’s Delicious. As dumb as it sounds to us, dogs find feces to be quite a tasty treat because of the pungent smell.

Any Sign of Danger I Should be Concerned About?

While eating his own feces doesn’t usually cause any health problem, it sure does make your dog unpleasant to be around with. However eating feces from other dogs could pose potential hazard as stools might contain parasites or be the source of serious infection diseases; which eventually result in nutritional deficiencies or blood loss. Seek immediate veterinary attention if your dog seems to be tired or losing weight. And if your dog consumes large amounts of kitty litter it can result in intestinal obstructions.

11 Ways to Prevent your Dog from Eating Poop

1. Quality Premium Dog Food. Most reputable, pet food manufacturers use surplus nutrients from the human food chain in their products that are designed to have all the nutrients most young dogs need. So don’t compromise on giving inferior dog food to your pooch. Highly Recommend: Natural Balance, Wysong, Taste of the Wild.
2. Supplement his Diet. If your dog eats homemade cooked food on a daily basis, you could add multi-vitamin to his food to ensure he is not lacking certain vitamins or minerals in his diets. Read more about the importance of dog vitamins and supplements here and some of my recommendations.
3. Change Its Taste. You can buy product like Stool Eating Deterrent or 8in1 Excel Deter Coprophagia for Dogs (both are equally effective but the latter one is cheaper) to put into his food that makes the stool undesirable fare. Usually it takes a couple lessons for the dog to quit his repulsive behavior for good. If unsuccessful or repeated occurrence, increase the dosage. Eventually your dog will get the hint. This method is only workable if your dog eats his own stools. If you have more than one dog, you might have to add this on all your dogs’ meals.
4. Spice It Up. Add Tabasco or cayenne pepper to the stools. However do this with caution as it might backfire. Although dogs dislike fiery spices but if your dog couldn’t resist the temptation of eating feces, chances he might have serious tummy aches later on.
5. Clean Up After Him. The best and zeo-cost approach is to simply pick up his stools or others (your other cats and dogs) immediately after they have done before temptation strikes. Of course, it would be less hazardous if everyone dog owner picks up after their pets when walking them in public places.
6. Supervise Outdoor Activities. I know it sounds ridiculous to follow your dog everywhere he goes but least you could do is to be watchful while you walk your dog. Do not allow your dog to roam too far in the park or freely in the neighborhood. Keep the leash short when you stop to chat with friends on the streets.
7. Crate Training. It is without a doubt that using crate as a house training tool for young dogs is very effective, it is also important to allow your dog out often enough to do his business. By keeping him in the crate for too long, he might defecate within the confined area and end up “cleaning them” without you knowing it.
8. Routine. Dogs are creatures of habits. You have to set specific time for specific activities in order to keep any misfits from occurring to its minimum. Dogs defecate 1 to 3 times a day – when he wakes up in the morning, before and/or after a meal, and before bedtime.
9. Limit Treats. Cliché…“What goes in must come out”. The more you feed him food of no nutritional values, the more your dog has to defecate. This is where the vicious cycle begins. For all you know, you might reward your dog for the wrong behavior. Here’s an example, after consuming a hearty meal of two dung sausages without your knowledge, your dog came slugging by your side on the sofa for a nap. Seeing his cute and demure behavior, you offer him a bite of your sandwich. Yucky!
10. Be Productive. Dogs usually develop foul habits or behavioral problems when they have too much time on their hands paws. One of the best ways to keep them occupied is to teach your dog tricks, obedience lessons and/or incorporate fitness workout routine.
11. Stock Up Toy Inventory. While you are out or busy, make sure your dog has plenty of safe toys and chews to keep him busy. My favorite is using Kong ball and fill it with bread and peanut butter or cheese spread. This can be hours of fun for your dog. It is highly effective when you alternate the toys so that your dog won’t be bored with the same old stuff. Do not overuse food treats even they are nutritional otherwise we are back to point #9.

On a lighter note, most puppies usually outgrow this behavior but it will not disappear completely without your intervention.

“Super Premium Small Dog Food”, I smiled.

And in return, I got a blank look on their faces. So they tried to rephrase the question, hoping I wasn’t being cheeky. Unfortunately to them, my answer remains unchanged.

As we all know, there are many premium dog foods in the market but what differentials Super Premium Small Dog Food from the rest.

Before I tell you what the experts have to say, let me share with you my personal journey on dog food.

For decades, I’d tried almost a gazillion so called premium dog food for all my dogs be it pedigrees, mutts or even my former rescue dogs; and I won’t deny many were good but only to a certain level.

Briefly put it, many premium dog foods lack the holistic approach and many have by-products in them.

Shocked? Don’t! I know what you were thinking.

How can that be possible when these are classified as premium dog food?

Hate to alarm you, but it’s true.

What I’m saying is… these premium dog foods can only satisfied to your dog’s basic needs which is….hunger, but not to his overall optimal health.

So what is this Super Premium Small Dog Food that I’m so willingly endorse? Or I should rephrase it this way…my small dogs willingly endorse. After all, they’re the ones that’s wagging.

Without further ado, let me present you

Solid Gold Holistic Animal Nutrition

Because of the vast information it provides, it’s impossible for me to list them on one page. Hence I’ve categorized them into sub-categories. So do click on the topics that interest you most. Frankly, I’d suggest you to click on all categories to increase your knowledge on what Super Premium Small Dog Food is really all about.