Rundown Ranch Cattle Dogs

08/21/2026

✅

HERBS & SPICES FOR YOUR DOG’s BOWL! 🌿

Here are some of our favorites:

• Parsley — Supports glutathione production and antioxidant defenses.

• Turmeric — Rich in curcumin, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studied for joint, brain, and eye health.

• Rosemary — Packed with antioxidant compounds that may support brain, cognitive, and eye health.

• Cumin — Traditionally used for digestion and contains antioxidant and antimicrobial plant compounds.

• Cinnamon — Supports collagen production, making it especially interesting for aging dogs and their joints. Also provides antioxidants.

• Basil — Contains plant compounds that may support heart health and help regulate the body’s stress response.

• Oregano — A powerhouse of antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant compounds.

• Thyme — Contains plant compounds with potent antimicrobial properties.

• Ginger — Best known for supporting digestion and easing nausea, while also providing antioxidant and neuroprotective benefits.

🥄HOW TO SERVE: Finely mince fresh herbs and mix into food. Dried herbs are more concentrated, so use less. Avoid essential oils and concentrated extracts.

⚠️ AVOID: Nutmeg, chives, and other members of the onion family—with the exception of garlic, which is safe in small, proper amounts.

📌Save this for reference and always stick to proper serving sizes.

08/21/2026

Rip headed to his new home in Lakewood Colorado. Daisy and Bear Litter 06.11.26

08/16/2026

Quality matters!

Fifty thousand dogs just taught us something profound about aging.
A June 2026 study out of the Dog Aging Project looked at owner-reported health records from over 50,000 companion dogs to understand what happens when multiple conditions stack up over a dog’s lifetime (multimorbidity). Studying dogs, living in our homes, being individually diagnosed and treated by their own vets, turns out to be one of the best windows we have into how aging unfolds.
Here’s what the researchers found:
📈 The more health conditions accumulate, the higher the risk of death. This mirrors exactly what we see in human aging research; one diagnosis rarely stays isolated for long.
🔄 One condition sets the stage for the next; they don’t just show up randomly; they tend to cluster and build on each other.
⏳ Aging itself drives disease. Of every factor the researchers examined, the dog’s own aging process was the strongest predictor of new disease development.
🏆 Three conditions kept appearing: osteoarthritis, being overweight, and cancer. These were central players in nearly every multimorbidity pattern identified.
This study hands us a roadmap, not just a warning. Three of the most impactful things you can do for your dog’s long-term health are also some of the most doable: keep her lean, keep her joints moving, and start early instead of waiting for a diagnosis to force your hand.

08/16/2026

Truth!

🧬 WHAT DOGS EAT MAY CHANGE HOW THEIR SKIN PROTECTS ITSELF... AT THE GENETIC LEVEL.

A peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, a well-respected international veterinary journal, suggests that a dog’s diet can influence much more than the appearance of their coat; it can also affect how their skin functions from the inside out.

Researchers at DogRisk Research Group compared dogs eating a minimally processed raw diet with dogs eating an ultra-processed kibble and found that the raw-fed dogs showed greater activity of genes linked to healthy skin, natural immune defenses, and the body’s own antioxidant system, including glutathione. They also found that dogs with allergies had changes in hundreds of genes involved in skin barrier function, inflammation, and skin cell repair, highlighting how important a healthy skin barrier is for protecting against allergens and environmental irritants.

One possible reason is the food matrix—the natural structure of whole foods, where nutrients, fats, proteins, fiber, and thousands of naturally occurring compounds work together in ways that isolated nutrients or highly processed foods may not fully replicate. While this study wasn’t designed to determine why these gene changes occurred, the food matrix is one of several factors researchers believe deserves further investigation.

This study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that nutrition can influence health all the way down to gene activity. That’s one reason Dr. Karen Becker recommends feeding a balanced, fresh, minimally processed diet whenever possible. Whole foods provide nutrients in their natural form and may help support healthy skin, immune function, and overall well-being as part of a healthy lifestyle.

And remember, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you’re currently feeding kibble, simply starting with a teaspoon of fresh, whole food added to the bowl is a great first step. Small changes can be a simple way to start adding more fresh food to your dog’s diet.