IAMS recall

If you feed Iams please be aware that there is a massive recall from one of their foods. 
 

"Aflatoxin Detection Prompts Limited Puppy Food Recall

A single-production lot of Iams Proactive Health Smart Puppy dry dog food" on the Dog Channel site.

Signs of Aflatoxin posioning include severe diarrhea, yellow vomit and yellowish tint to the eyes or gums. It is very hard on the liver and should be seen to immediately.
Carcinogenic Strains of Aflatoxin are produced by fungal parasites on soy, corn and field cereals when moisture promotes mold growth.
 

Rachel Ray Nutrish Just 6 Crunchies with lamb review

We had a coupon and sample for these lamb treats. Cresteds do not do well with corn, so when this stated it was "No artificial flavors, artificial colors or artificial preservatives, (corn free) with 6 simple ingredients," it seemed ideal. Usually a meat based food does well, especially lamb and rice, so we tried it was rice.
Mistake. I shouldve paid attention to the light beige color and will in the future. As the waste piles were puddles of this color meaning it wasnt digested. Too much bran and flour, albeit made from rice bran and flour, its just starch. I will stick to darker cookies in the future as they are not solely flour.
I was very disappointed as with her being a chef, I had thought these would be a better quality. When I buy cheap biscuits at Walmart and see puddles color coded to the biscuits, I get what I pay for. But when I would spend about $5-$7 on dog treats, I didn't get what I paid for at all, in my opinion. It can be rough on a small dog to eat something like this. It may only do well with bigger dogs with a higher tolerance.

Coconut oil for dogs (and humans) as a supplement and treatment

The following was posted to a list and such a good tip- had to try it!

"I had a Border Terrier in very bad coat following major surgery and someone

suggested coconut oil and sent me this to read. Now her coat is so

profuse I'm having trouble getting her into any sort of show

condition!!! How true Sheila...I use the Melrose brand, Organic.... Unrefined...mine is white when cold and goes clear when it melts standing in the kitchen on the bench...I dribble a teaspoonful over their dinners each night, then mix up the food...they like it... "

Coconut oil can be a wonderful supplement for a dog, as well a topical conditioner.
As a Supplement:
The coconut oil is a solid under about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and you can give it to the dog on a spoon, mix in food. Generally they like it and it has very many good properties. Many of the independent dog food stores are carrying it. You can go most anywhere and find it, but be sure to select the unfiltered, low heat type and clear glass when possible so you can see what you are buying. It should be white and not yellow!

WHY? Coconut oil contains many natural properties that make it a double whammy for a natural program.

Coconut oil contains Lauric Acid : Microbial activity on the scalp and hair roots controls hair fall and hair loss. Bacteria are killed by the cytotoxic Monolaurin in the Lauric Acid of Coconut Oil. This monolaurin has wonderful antimicrobial properties so as a topical bactericide, it can be beat for hair growth.
Coconut oil contains Vitamin E: A long time known moisturizer, Vitamin E breathes new life into your scalp by keeping it supple and moist.

Coconut oil contains Anti-dandruff properties: Dead flakes choke out the new growth and are a feeding ground for microbacteria, Coconut Oil can rejuvenate a dull, dead scalp by killing the bacteria that eat these flakes. A scalp treatment of coconut oil left in overnight can have wonderful health benefit and kill the seborric bacteria and yeast feeding on the flakes. The anti-fungal properties have been used for centuries.
Coconut oil keeps the moisture in: Coconut oil when applied topically helps promote a barrier of protection and reduces the breakage of brittle hair.

Coconut oil is considered the best product you can use for a natural conditioner. We really had good results as both a supplement and a topical treatment. Nutria was wonderful and I will be ordering more!

MY FAVE GINGIN VIDEO FROM JULIE WELLS YOUTUBE...miss you girl

MY FAVE GINGIN VIDEO FROM JULIE WELLS YOUTUBE...miss you girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7YXbqFXEOQ

Animal Planet episode Dogs 101 look for GinGin!

I I have watched on Animal Planet for a few months for the Dogs 101 on Chinese Cresteds as GinGin (Sakkarra N Jewels Got Chocolate?) is there at time marker 1:59 and 2:11 Pretty cool as a breeder so I wanted to tape it!
Congrats to Julie Wells on her litter with GinGin with Monkey (Japanese American Champion Vanitonia Monkey Business)!!
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-chinese-crested.html

Prissy not enjoying playing fashion show

Prissy not enjoying playing fashion show

Sakkarra Glamourpuss "Barbie" Group 3

Barbie at 7 months on top with a summer tan, then in winter at almost 2 at bottom with her owner Debra Ball. Barbie is from Draco x Fancy

BABYLON SAKKARRA WATER DRAGON "Draco"

BABYLON SAKKARRA WATER DRAGON "Draco"

3 pt Major Win pedigree

it was 90+ degrees and I had on a backbrace, not my greatest pic, but Draco looks cute!

Catching up

Well its not 95 now, it will be a high of 36 all week.
I am trying to update our dog pages. I am working on my RN degree and my oil portfolio for upcoming art shows so my websites have fallen behind!
It seems as the economy fell and its trying to stabilize, things like dogs shows and other luxury hobbies ...i.e. hobbies that are an expenditure more than anything are hit hard also. I havent shown as much as I'd like as with hardly any majors in an 8 hour driving range, when I have to choose between a show for single points with just a few dogs showing up or an art show with up to 5000 attendees it is the latter.
Our biggest dog show was the August Bluegrass cluster and for well over a decade we attended when entries were bigger and we had some nice wins there, and now its 4 or 5 dogs in our breed, but now thats the same weekend as Dragoncon with 36,000 attendees over 4 days.
Maybe things will pick up and people will start showing again. We will continue to build our program so when the time is right & we can travel more once we obtained our degrees. I worked as a restoration ceramist in a dental lab for over a decade but again, thats in cosmetic dentistry and the specialized fields took a hit also. People still get crowns and caps, but my specialty was veneers and bonding.
I always loved art and ironically things have come full circle and I do more now than ever!
And I say all this as the economy is making people do extra things to earn money, and we have had some real looney tunes try to lie and pressure us into selling them dogs or getting fake names and inquiries to "buy." People will straight up lie and then get angry when you send the money back and tell them why. I have had it thrown in my face that we didnt ask enough question or the right questions.
People are crazy out there as times get tighter, research your breeders as they will research you. But make your own opinions, sometimes some breeders are just running off the competition by rumors. Visit the breeder and see how the dogs live. Do you want a dog that will be a wildchild a he was raised in a kennel? No, but neither do you want a couch potato who would rather be a doormat...literally. A breeder will never mind you wanting to come by to visit.

Summertime tip for dogs- Doggie Cubes

Well its been 90+ with many 95+ degree days so watching the dogs heat levels and water intake is crucial.
As I was doing this today I thought I'd write.
I make "doggie cubes" for the outside water dishes. I use a metal mixing dish, about 12" across that is rounded on the bottom. Fill it with water and a squirt of lemon juice, then freeze it.

Nutritionally, the lemon constitutes on of nature’s seven top sources of potassium, a mineral that promotes clear thinking, aids in normalizing blood pressure, and works with sodium to regulate the body’s water balance.
Lemons are also nature’s tops sources of citric acid, a life essential found in the cells of all living creatures.
The lemon is also a first rate insect bite repellent, not just because of its citric and ascorbic acid content but because of the organic citrus compound azadirachtin, a potent natural insect repellent which is secreted by the skin
of the lemon. Azadirachtin belongs to a family of limonoids, which give some citrus fruits their bitter taste.


I just run water over the outside of the metal bowl and it will slide out, making a huge ice cube that lasts longer than many small ones in the waterbowl.
We put a cage/box fan in back of that and it makes a cool breeze they lay in front of, the porch is covered but it gets very, very humid here. The cresteds love being outside, but their origins are Mexico and hotter climates so that makes sense!

Under eye staining: and solutions

Angel Tears or Angel eyes are higher priced dog remedies for the under eye staining in many toy breeds. Its main ingredient is Tylosin. Many people say to supplement with Angel eyes pretty much the life of the dog. A small bottle is 35.00-50.00 and I used for a few weeks before shows on my puff....but my other puff was fine.

Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic they give to cattle do you want to keep your dog on antibiotics its whole life ? We are looking for ways to curb bacterial resistance to antibiotics, not promote it, and Angel Eyes is promoting it . Its illegal in Europe.

The staining is caused by red yeast from excessive tearing spilling onto the dogs face or hair around eyes as the moist warm hair under eyes is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and red yeast. Topicals are cosmetic. You have to find out why the dog has excessive tearing in the first place . Tear ducts normally carry tears down through the nasal cavity not spilling onto face. Tear staining in some toy breeds is common but it should never be called normal .

Anywhere damp moist hair red yeast staining can occur, even around mouth (slobbery mouthed breeds) and between toes .

The exact amount of Tylosin is not specified on label which means pets could be using an unkown amount of a drug daily and secondly its not appropriate to use an antibiotic daily for a cosmetic problem.

Bacteria that become resistant to Tylosis also become resistant to Erythromycin and Tylosin can falsely elevate certain blood liver tests like ALT and AST

*** add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to the dogs drinking bowl to make a hostile environment for yeast to grow and the dogs PH more acidic.
Keep hair under eyes clipped short and use doggy eye wipes to keep the bacteria down.