There are many possible causes of the chronic itchy skin, hot-spots, dandruff and oily coat that plague many dogs. In the summer months, fleas or environmental / contact allergies may be the culprit – many pets are sensitive to certain types of grass and weeds. Other possible irritants in the home include detergents used to wash blankets and bedding, household cleaners, or sprays used in the yard.

One common cause that’s often overlooked, is diet. Food sensitivities are abundant in almost every breed, possibly due to genetics or that fact that many animals are fed the same food for months or even years on end, with no variety in ingredients or alternative sources of nutrition, such as fresh real food.

One of the most common causes of food sensitivity in pets, is grain. Lots of pets are sensitive to gluten, which can cause an inflammatory response that manifests itself as itchy skin or red and inflamed feet, GI Upset or persistent ear infections.

Recommending a no-grain diet to customers who have itchy pets, is a great first stop in helping them to overcome this problem that can be uncomfortable for the pet - and frustrating and upsetting for the whole family.

If it is not possible to feed a completely no-grain diet, then one with only organic, whole-grains would be the next best choice. Grain fractions (gluten, husks, hulls etc) can be more problematic than the whole grain, and organic food, by definition, cannot be genetically modified. One school of thought is that GM grains are more likely to cause an adverse reaction in a sensitive pet; Studies show that when butterflies and other species come in contact with pollen from genetically modified crops, they suffer a number of health problems and genetic mutations eventually occur. It is possible that a similar thing happens when other species consume GM grains – especially species whose systems aren’t designed to cope with a grain overload in the first place.

Some pets are sensitive to ingredients other than grain, such as certain meats, vegetables or herbs. These sensitivities are generally less common, and in fact a pet who seems to be allergic to a certain meat, say chicken, because she gets itchy every time she eats her chicken flavored kibble, may actually be just fine when eating real, home-prepared raw or lightly cooked chicken. The problem is high heat processing that alters the amino acid structure, making the protein problematic in its processed form.

A natural, no-grain, minimally processed diet that’s also free of chemical preservatives and fillers, can go a long way to combating the problem of itchy skin, from the inside out. Customers are usually delighted with the results and under veterinary supervision , they may even be able to start reducing the long-term steroids and antibiotics they’ve had to administer to their pets. Many cats and dogs show a noticeable improvement in just a few days after starting a no-grain diet.

You should also consider the types of shampoos that you’re using. Are they all-natural? Are they PH Balanced for a dogs skin? Do they have ingredients to help combat itchy skin?  If not, you should find a shampoo that does. We recommend Comfy Dog Oatmeal Conditioning Shampoo for Dry & Itchy Skin .

Also contrary to popular belief, in some cases washing your dog more often can be a good thing! Since environmental allergens are usually absorbed through the skin, weekly bathing can prevent itchiness , washing allergens away before they get a chance to penetrate the skin.

Back to food–Our favorite line of fresh no-grain food is The Honest Kitchen . They produce a line of dehydrated foods that are guaranteed human grade because they’re actually produced in a human-grade plant. The company offers several completely grain free diets as well as a gluten free option made with the ancient grain, Quinoa.

In the meantime, you can try a topical all natural anti-itch spray until a more permanent solution can be found.

Good news for pet store owners– We happen to know that they are currently offering specially priced ISO’s for new stores (whooo hooo!) Contact Cami at accounts@thehonestkitchen.com for more information.

The other day I found myself mesmerized by an article about a wedding ceremony recently performed in Florida. What made this ceremony so special were the participants;

"Tiffany is an 8-year-old standard poodle and Skipper is a 12-year-old beagle/jack russell mix. On Saturday they will take a break from their therapy dog roles and don a wedding dress and tux before some of their closest friends. Actual vows will be exchanged – doggie style – and a champagne reception complete with “people” and “doggie” wedding cakes and hors d’oeuvres will immediately follow".

But that wasn’t the interesting part, after all, I work in the pet industry so I see a lot of this kind of thing, the paragraph that got me thinking was:

“Skipper ditched his old wife for a younger one with Tiffany,” said Helen Savill, of the Treasure Coast Humane Society.
“The wedding is the second marriage for both.”

I have heard of quite a few dog weddings but this was the first time I’d heard of a doggie divorce. And this got me thinking; with the human divorce rate above 50% what do dogs know that we don’t (I should say in the interests of full disclosure that I am part of the divorced 50%)

Let’s crunch the numbers. Taking an admittedly small sample (me) I have heard of about two dozen doggie weddings over the last five years and in that same time this is the first divorce I’ve encountered. Given a sampling error rate of 5-10 % (I’m wrong about 10% of the time) that still leads us to the the conclusion that up to 90% of all doggie marriages are successful. That’s amazing!

So what can we learn from our canine compadres? I’ve drawn up a list of the ten things dogs can teach us about marriage.

1. Make sure your marriage is arranged, preferably by someone who feeds you regularly and is happy to pick up your poop. It’s a fact of life that anyone who picks up your poop must really have your best interests at heart. (let me also point out here that arranged marriages have been the norm rather than the exception for most of human history)

2. Your partner doesn’t always have to be of the opposite sex.
(Especially if you live in Massachusetts) Remarkable but true! I’ve heard of several same sex doggie weddings that are still going strong years later. Draw your own conclusions here

3. Leg humping is an art form, and like any art form, practice makes perfect.

4. There’s no reason why the wedding should be limited to only two parties. I have heard of several situations where three or more dogs have participated in the festivities (It also spices up the honeymoon no end) Of course these dogs all lived in Utah and are currently evading the law.

5. It’s not the size of the snozzage, it’s the tastiness of the treat…of course no matter how tasty the treat bad breath is inexcusable, especially on the wedding night! A few squirts of Dog Smog Remedy Breath Freshener will prevent this muttrimonial "faux paw"

6. Always dress up for your wedding. Tuxedos and wedding dresses, are a must, however it seems less important that the clothes actually stay on throughout the entire ceremony (I have to say however that for the majority of human weddings long term clothing retention is a definite plus…I for one prefer my relatives clothed) A little spritz of Shimmering Mist is an excellent way to class up even the most dog-eared wedding gown, spray a little on the bride’s "decolletage" for some doggie sparkle.

7. Be loyal

8. Be flexible on rule 7, especially if your being disloyal with someone who has great snacks

9. Don’t take it too seriously. In fact if you feel like going for a pee in the middle of the wedding vows go right ahead, of course your prospective mother in law may have a heart attack. and depending on your relationship with her this could be a good or bad thing.

10. …and please, be responsible, always have have your partner spayed or neutered! (Especially if you catch him with that bitch from down the street!)

These are only the ideas that sprang to my mind. Has your dog taught you any interesting lessons about marriage? Drop us a line and we’ll post the funniest, or most insightful.

Click here to read the press release

About three years ago I noticed that my Maltese was limping. She was only one at the time, so I thought it was strange for her to have these problems at such a young age. I took her to the vet and it turns out she had a luxating patella which is a problem with her knee, and apparently is common in small dogs.

The vet gave me some powder to put into her food and in about a month I really started to see results. I was amazed as you normally don’t expect for those things to really work so fast! What the vet gave her was collagen and ever since I have been looking for an application in which to offer collagen in a happytails product.

And so it comes to pass we launch Joint Resolution an all natural herbal elixir that lubricates sore, aching joints through our blend of BioCell Collagen II, herbal extracts, and chondroitin. It’s perfect for dogs suffering from degenerative effects of old age, arthritis or hip dysplasia

Some history on arthritis and joint inflammation:

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis in dogs. Weight bearing joints in hips, elbows and knees are most often affected and the result in often painful inflammation.

Inflammation is the body’s response to tissue injury, irritation or infection. It’s the rush of blood and immune cells to a site of injury for the sake of repair and to signal the need for help. Related symptoms include pain, stiffness, heat tenderness, swelling, fatigue, muscle aches and spasms, and loss of function.

The most common inflammation is joint inflammation and an underlying concern is the impact of inflammation on collagen. This connective tissue helps support blood vessel walls and forms the cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Collagen is diminished with inflammation. A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacological and Therapeutics showed that collagen had reduced pain and lameness in arthritic dogs and improved the overall activity of the dogs. Collagen Type II is the most abundant protein found in joint cartilage that helps promote new cartilage synthesis and reduces oxidative damage to the joints.

The formula contains a generous amount of Hyaluronic Acid which is an important joint and skin nourishing element which promotes healing and skin tissue rejuvenation. HA is essential in reducing joint friction caused by the joint’s degradation of its natural lubrication.

We’ve also included a blend of herbs in Joint Resolution to work synergistically with BioCell Collagen II including boswellia, devils claw and licorice which all work to reduce inflammation and pain while dandelion is a diuretic to eliminate toxins from the body.

Benefits of Joint Resolution

• Promotes healthy active joints*

• Helps improve joint mobility and flexibility*

• Promotes healthy strong connective tissue*

• Easy to administer

• Liquid absorbs faster into the body than tablets or pills

• All natural- herbs are organic or wild crafted

• A side benefit of collagen is that it promotes healthy skin so

  • A dog may grow a more luxurious coats*
  • healing of skin diseases may be faster*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

To learn more about Joint Resolution, click here

BioCell Collagen II® is a registered trademark of BioCell Technology and is the only Hydrolyzed Collagen Type II preparation supported by US Patents # 6,025,327 and 6,323,319 that cover the use and manufacturing of this ingredient. Companies or individuals using any Hydrolyzed Collagen Type II preparation within patented claims other than BioCell Collagen II® in their respective product formulations are infringing on BioCell Technology’s intellectual property.

It’s the perfect time to promote first aid products in your store so your customers can be prepared in case of an emergency.

Of course pet first aid came into the spot light during Hurricane Katrina when thousands of dogs had no access to medical care. While Katrina was an extreme case, we should still be prepared for the smaller, more common mishaps like dog park injuries, scratches, flea bites, ticks, thorns in paws, hot spots etc.

Walk around your store and identify the items that could be categorized as health and first aid and put together a display. You can also merchandise these packs as pet sitting packs- everything a dog owner would need to give their pet sitter.

You can purchase preassembled packs or you can create your own first aid kits by assembling the following items:

- Tweezers (to remove ticks)

- Antibacterial Ointment

- Bandages

- Dry Dog Instant Clean -a spray to use after the dog park to keep your dog clean and sanitized

- Flea the Scene- an all natural insect repellant and sunscreen. (yes, dog’s can get sunburned too!)

- Cotton Swabs

-Emergency Phone number list (As basic as it sounds, how many people really know where the nearest animal emergency hospital is? Or what about those customers who may not drive- do they know the number for the animal emergency vehicle?

- Assemble everything into a cute bag. Or you could purchase pre-assembled first aid kits like the ones from VSI

The Red Cross is also offering a pet first aid class. To find the Red Cross chapter in your area click here. You can let your customers know about this, or even organize a group and go together, make it a fun social group event!

In addition, the Red Cross assembled a skilled team of animal, emeregency and safety professionals to develop a guide which covers many aspects of pets’ physical and mental well-being.

Pet owners will learn other great tips, such as:

• Paying attention to what is normal for your pet so you can detect signals when something is wrong;
• Learning how to build a pet first aid kit;
• Labor and delivery – and what to do if there is a problem;
• Making your pet part of a Family Disaster Plan, including identifying hotels and shelters that accept pets before a disaster situation; and
• How to spot signs of depression in pets.

You can purchase the “Pet First Aid” guide at your local Red Cross chapter or by visiting www.redcross.org/store. Each purchase made through the Red Cross online store will help benefit the Red Cross chapter in your area.

When it comes to innovative personal care products you no longer have to look to L’Oreal or Shiseido for the latest ingredients and cutting edge concepts. Today the hottest trends are often spotted first in high-end dog products! Whether it’s the use of micro-encapsulated ingredients, new formulas based on state-of-the-art research or just 100% organic food that would be the envy of even the most militant Vegan, these days it’s likely that your dog’s products are more advanced than yours. 

Take InFuzion Shampoo & Conditioner by happytails, a new formula that contains a unique blend of 14 amino acids which were formulated to resemble cell membrane proteins in the hair. They penetrate the follicle, replenish lost moisture and help condition, repair and strengthen. InFuzion also features a swirl of blue beads with micro-encapsulated vitamins right in the formula. 

Kevin Fisher, owner of happytails said, “Dogs usually have much thicker hair than humans, and of course they usually have more of it. In the past you could add any number of great conditioners to your products but they would have a hard time penetrating thick fur, they’d just get rinsed down the drain. InFuzion’s micro beads work their way through the coat and then as you rub they release against the skin delivering the vitamins and conditioners right where they’re needed- to dry and irritated skin.” 
 

Happytails is not the only one leading the way. VivoAnimals of Seattle have introduced several formulas designed to stimulate the production of Nitric Oxide in the dog’s body. Why? Well, research shows that Nitric Oxide regulates blood flow and improved blood flow improves a dog’s health. You may have heard of a drug in the human arena that emerged form the same research; Viagra. 

Even something as basic as food has seen a massive change in the last few years. The distinction between pet food and human food is rapidly evaporating.  In fact you have to look no further than a company called the Honest Kitchen that produces completely organic,  human quality food, in fact the company motto is People Food - Formulated for Pets!  Their foods contains no by-products, added salt or sugar, chemical preservatives, artificial colors or flavors and NO beet pulp, rice, wheat, corn, or soy.  “I wish my diet was this healthy,” Fisher said.

Fisher added, “Today’s pet product creators and formulators are not reacting to the trends in human personal care they’re leading the way forward.”

If this isn’t a case of the tail wagging the dog then it might be a case of the dog wagging the human.