Big Changes!

We are no longer Fifi Unleashed because Fifi has a new home! People can't believe I did it but I gave Fifi to my friend Diane. Diane has loved her from the getgo, and has more time to devote to her Feefishness than I do. I still get to see her often since Diane is also the Blue Buffalo lady at our PetSmart. I believe that Feef will be spoiled beyond her wildest dreams now. The pink chenille sweater she showed up in last weekend was a dead giveaway.
So, now Turbo will be our headline act.

More Yummy Dog Treats

Basic Yummy Crunchy Treat Recipe
With the suggestions here you can experiment and create your pup's favorite flavor of crunchy treat. Even when you make a mistake, they're pretty forgiving. Well, unless you're talking about Feef. Once the new batch comes out, she's turning her nose up at the old batch. I've pretty much stopped bringing them home any crunchy biscuits from PetSmart because they like mom's home cooking, and I like that I know what's in the treats I'm giving them.
Preheat oven to 325.
3 Cups Flour - I mix it up, Oat flour, Rice flour, Whole Wheat flour, Spelt flour, experiment! Adjust all ingredients for known allergens for your own dog.
1/4 cup wheat germ (or flax, barley, oatmeal)
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (or parsley, wheatgrass, greens)
1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cardomom
2 tsp Brewers Yeast powder
Combine all dry ingredients. Add:
1 can of dog food (I use Blue Buffalo canned food)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (use a fruit or vegetable puree of your choice)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon & drippings (or 1/2 cup cooked salmon, chicken or liver)
1/4 cup sunflower oil (or salmon oil, or anchovie oil)
1/2 Cup liquid (water, chicken broth, vegetable stock)
1 egg

Stir into dry ingredients until you have a big sticky ball of goo. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Flour up your hands, Press your ball of goo flat on the parchment to 1/4" thickness. You may have to divide your gooball in two if you are using a smaller pan. Use a knife to score lines in the dough where you want to break it into bars or squares. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Flip it on the parchment and bake the bottom an additional 20 minutes at 325. Break them up along the score lines.

• These cookies should not be soft or moist in the middle. If they are, allow them to rest in the warm oven until they are dry.
• Store in a tin, use within a reasonable time frame because they don't have all the preservatives store-bought cookies have.
• The food processor is your friend. I have a food processor to make my puree's (meat, fruit or veggie) or to grind whole grains (oatmeal, flax, etc.) and I have a retired coffee grinder to grind herbs, seeds or any vitamin or supplement tablets.

Have fun playing with dog biscuit recipe's. The above guidelines will get you going. My dogs haven't complained yet and I bet yours won't either. The last batch I baked scored 112 on the healthy dog food scale!

Dog food Test Scoring System

We wonder, "just how good is the food I feed my dog?" Feef clearly gives me the bum's rush when I place something substandard under her finicky little nose. Spoiled little princess! She's got a few favorites though so she occasionally deigns to dine on my bohemian offerings.
Someone came up with this interesting system for grading dog foods. It's a fairly accurate system in my opinion. It at least gives a person an idea of what's "good" and what's "not-good". I'm not surprised at some of the widely advertised and/or "vet recommended" brands scores. If I knew who to give credit to for this I would! Whoever you are, thank you! This helps the normal person make sense of confusing labels and misleading information.

• Note: Because there are food allergy points in the scoring system, evaluate a food as it pertains to your own dog!
• Remember, just because it's a good dog food, it might not be good for your dog. Be sure to take into consideration your dogs breed, age, and dietary needs when choosing his food.
• If your dog food isn't on the list, please evaluate yours and add it to the list!

Start with a grade of 100.

1 - for every listing of "by product" subtract 10 points.
2 - for every non-specific animal source (meat or poultry, meat meal, or animal) reference subtract 10 points.
3 - If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points.
4 - For every non-specific grain source (mill run, whole grains) subtract 5 points.
5 - If the same grain is listed 2 or more times in the first 5 ingredients (rice, rice flour, brewers rice all being "same grain"), subtract 5 points.
6 - If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points.
7 - If it contains any artificial dyes or colorants subtract 3 points.
8 - If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn subtract 3 points.
9 - If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points.
10 - If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points.
11 - If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points.
12 - If it contains soy or soybeans subtract 2 points.
13 - If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat) subtract 1 point.
14 - If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef) subtract 1 point.
15 - If it contains salt subtract 1 point.
Extra Credits:
1 - If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points.
2 - If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist (not television personalities) add 5 points.
3 - If the food is baked, not extruded, add 5 points.
4 - If the food contains probiotics add 5 points.
5 - If the food contains fruit add 3 points.
6 - If the food contains vegetables (not corn or grains) add 3 points.
7 - If the meat sources are hormone and antibiotic free add 2 points.
8 - If the food contains barley, add 2 points.
9 - If the food contains flax seed oil (not just flax seed) add 2 points.
10 - If the food contains oats or oatmeal add 1 point.
11 - If the food contains sunflower oil add 1 point.
12 - For every different meat protein source (chicken, fish, turkey, lamb et al) add 1 point.
13 - If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin add 1 point.
14 - If the vegetables have tested pesticide free add 1 point.
Grading:
A = 94 - 100
B = 86 - 93
C = 78 - 85
D = 70 - 77
F = 69 or less

Alpo Prime Cuts - A+ / 81
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy - A+/114
Authority Harvest Baked - A + / 116
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active - B/93
Beowulf Back to Basics - A + / 101
Bil-Jac Select - F - 68
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice - C/83
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice - A+/106
Breeders Choice Chicken & Rice - A+/101
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice - A+/107
Canidae - A+/115
Chicken Soup Senior - A+/115
Diamond Maintenance - F/64
Diamond Large Breed 60 plus - A/99
Diamond Performance - C/85
Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Ultra Premium - A+/122
Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice - A+/106
Dick Van PattensDuck and Potato - A+/106
Eagle Pack Holistic - A+/102
Eukanuba Adult - C/81
Eukanuba Puppy - C/79
Flint River Senior - A+/101
Foundations - A+/106
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium D/73
Innova Dog - A+/114
Innova Evo - A+/114
Innova Large Breed Puppy - A+/122
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice & Vegetables - A+/110
Members Mark Chicken & Rice - C/84
Merrick Wilderness Blend A+/127
Natures Recipe - A/100
Natures Recipe Healthy Skin Venison & Rice A+/116
Natures Variety Raw INstinct - A+/122
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal & Rice C/81
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy - A+/101
Nurtrisource Lamb & Rice - B/87
Nutro Max Adult - B/93
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice A/98
Nurtro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy - B/87
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free - B/86
Nutro Ultra Adult - A+/104
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice - F/23
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Adult - A+/109
Pro Nature Puppy - C/80
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach - A/94
Purina Beneful - F/17
Purina Dog - F/72
Purina Come & Get it - F/16
Purina One Large Breed Puppy - F/62
Royal Canin Mini Adult 27 - A+/101
Royal Canin Boxer - A+/103
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult - A+/106
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7 plus - F/63
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies - F/69
Sensible Choice Chicken & Rice - A/97
Solid Gold - A/99
Solid Gold Hund -n-Flocke Adult (lamb) B/93
Solid Gold Wolfking Adult Dog Bison - A/97
Summit - A/99
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural - A+/120
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken - A+/110

ChemNutra - They Poisoned our Pets!

Shame on you, ChemNutra! You bought and used Chinese imports that poisoned our pets! I visited the ChemNutra website to see what they had to say for themselvs. Not a word of "We're sorry we poisoned your pets". The alarming thing is that they also provide ingredients for the human food and pharmaceutical industry. Be careful what you're eating!
****
"The China Source Experts ChemNutra imports quality ingredients from China to the U.S. for the feed, food and pharma industries. We are a professionally managed, American owned company experienced in negotiating, securing and delivering ultra-competitive pricing on high-quality chemicals and ingredients from quality-assured manufacturers in China. We bridge the business and cultural gaps…including all regulatory, compliance, import and transportation requirements.
We specialize in Taurine, L-Cysteine, Glycine, Vital Wheat Gluten, and Glucuronolactone, and we also handle many other ingredients.
ChemNutra imports high-quality nutritional and pharmaceutical chemicals from China to the US. We purchase our inventory from quality-assured manufacturers in China; most of whom we have strong relationships over the past twelve years. Our US customers are manufacturers of food, pet food, and nutritional ingredients, who want high quality, the best service, and the most competitive prices.The ingredients we import include amino acids, preservatives, nutritional minerals, proteins, flavor enhancers, and sweeteners.The principals of ChemNutra have exported large quantities of feed and food ingredients from China to manufacturers in the US and elsewhere worldwide. Annually, our volume exceeds 4,000 tons of Amino Acids and other quality ingredients.We are qualified as a woman-owned and minority-owned company.
ChemNutra imports over 4,000 tons per year, and our customers include several Fortune 500 companies

• Feed and Pet Food
  Vital Wheat GlutenRice Protein Concentrate
  Amino Acids
  L-Cysteine USP29L-Glycine USP28L-Taurine JP8
  Sweeteners
  D-Xylose USP
  Minerals/Preservatives
  STPP (Sodium Tripolyphosphate)
  Potassium Sorbate
• Food
  Amino Acids
  L-Cysteine USP29L-Glycine USP28L-Taurine JP8
  Preservatives
  Potassium SorbateSorbic Acid"

*****

While there have been no related recalls since August, this isn't information to be lost. Who knows what product will be next to be found to poison our pets? If you want to tell someone at Chemnutra what you think of them, here's a contact e-mail: steve@sdsternpr.com

Puppy Puzzling

Although I no longer breed or show AKC dogs, I am absolutely impressed by the Hastings (AKC husband & wife judging team) "Puppy Puzzling" dvd. One of my students just let me borrow her copy to review, and I am very much in agreement with what I saw. Much of what I always believed about puppy evaluation was substantiated, and many questions I had about certain qualities and flaws were answered. I plan to watch it several times over the coming week, taking notes and absorbing the amazing knowledge being offered.
I highly recommend it, and I will be offering this service to local breeders to help them evaluate and properly place their litters. If you'd like to check it out, here's the link!
http://www.dogfolk.com/dvd.htm

Turbo's Grooming Grumbles

Ok I am a pretty tolerant dog most of the time. I let Feef walk by without jumping her... I let kids pat me on the head... I let Biff the Newfie drool all over me... I even let the groomers groom me without giving them any grief.... until NOW.
It all started innocently enough with Mom letting Meagan groom me. Things were slow in the salon, and I went willingly to my doom. Little did I know what horrors awaited me. I can't even speak of it - I have to let mom take over now... Oh, the shame...
Well poor Turbo - you can't imagine what he's going through. Let me preface the story with the fact that there's 2 feet of snow on the ground. Thats why the salon was so slow. Meagan brings Turbo out to me after he's been groomed, and she tells me "He's usually so good, but today he was being a little grump! He wouldn't let me groom his butt. He got all sorts of upset with me and all grumbly and fidgety."
"Hmmm" I said, "I wonder why"....
Fast forward a day, Turbo and I are playing around. He's learning a few tricks, like roll over and play dead. He wallows around on his back for a minute, legs flailing and I notice something I'd never noticed before. "Wow Turbo, when did your kahona's get so big!" Then it hit me... "Wow Turbo, when did your kahona's get so SHAVED???"
Yep, now I know why Turbo got mad at Meagan. She shaved his twins! There's 2 flippin feet of snow on the ground and she SHAVED HIS TWINS??? No wonder he's upset! That's gotta be darn cold on the poor lil' guy! When I told her why he's mad at her she felt VERY bad about it. She promised it will never happen again. Turbo is still taking a wide berth around the grooming salon entry door. He is not happy. Going out and playing in the snow is not nearly so much fun as it was.
Needless to say, it now says in BIG letters on his grooming card "Do NOT shave the boys!!!"

Important Dog Food Information

Feef's mom steals the soapbox:
I'm providing a link today, to a website that delivers some important nutritional information. After losing 3 dogs in one year to cancers, I realized that it just doesn't pay to feed cheap dog food. Rather like my friend Kim's shirt says "Life's too short to drink cheap beer", I now feel that a dog's life is too short to shorten it further by feeding cheap dog food.
Sure, the savings is immediate when you buy the cheap stuff. After all, our parents dogs ate the cheap stuff and they lived 15-16 years! Rethink that concept please!! Back in the olden days, dog foods were still fairly healthy simply due to the fact that the cornucopia of chemicals and preservatives prevalent today were not available. Farm animals weren't given daily doses of antibiotics or steroids. The ingredients going in to the dog food way back when were still simple meat and grains.
Nowadays though, your source meats are given all manner of chemicals to make them grow faster. Companies are cutting corners buying cheapie ingredients to provide bigger payouts to shareholders. They allow carcinogens into the pet food chain that are banned from the human food chain.
You save money at the checkout but consider the cost of treating a dog with cancer or some other disease caused by feeding that cheap food. You also feed less with a premium food, your dog enjoys better health, longer life, and you pick up less poop! Yahtzee!
Well, check this article out. It is a real eye opener. Then throw out the alpo and go buy some GOOD dog food.
http://www.5stardog.com/dog-food.asp