Cate's Canine Kitchen

03/07/2025

⚠️ 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐇𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐓?

Summers are getting hotter and hotter, and many people are unaware of how dangerous higher temperatures can be for their dogs. I always see people walking their pup in hot weather, making them vulnerable to heat stroke, dehydration, and damaged/burned paws. So exactly how hot in too hot?

I have created the poster below for you to save, print, and share, with the goal of putting all the important info in one place.

Whether the weather is hot or not, our dogs need potty breaks. So here’s what you can you do to help keep them safe:

☀️ 𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮: 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 & 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. Avoid going out for prolonged periods when the sun is at its peak.

☀️ 𝙂𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮. You want to go at a much slower pace and come back inside as soon as they have gone potty.

☀️ 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙬𝙨. Even when walking them during the cooler parts of the day as the ground can reach much hotter temperatures even in the shades.

☀️ 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩 as it helps keeping their body temperature lower. Still keep the walks very short, but this will offer an extra level of protection.

☀️ 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 with you, and regularly offer a drink.

☀️ Once back home, 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙡 (𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙙) 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢: by the air conditioning, by a fan, on a cooling mat, etc.

☀️ 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙜𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮, make sure to entertain them while indoors: sniffing mats, walking around the home, playing games they enjoy.

Wishing you all a lovely & SAFE summer!

Cate

02/07/2025

🍓 𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 F𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕤 🫐

With summer here, it means we now have easier access to fresh fruits & vegetables. Most of us love enjoying juicy berries, crunchy veggies...

𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣j𝙤𝙮 𝙖 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙤f 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙪𝙥𝙨?

Here are my top 5 summer foods to share with Chester & Paddington. Nutritious, hydrating, ready to find, and quick to prepare:

[https://youtu.be/jSGPr8XLwxU?si=CkeWJAjswTCTLBaQ]

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠'𝐬 f𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬?

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

28/06/2025

As a canine nutritionist, I often get asked about my favourite books on the topics of dog health and dog diet. I therefore decided to start sharing them with you all, in video format.

Here's one of my favourite of 2025, by the incredible Rita Hogan.

https://youtube.com/shorts/vs3lX-cZ3eE?si=gkOqS6z5lPc32rS_

Have you read it yet? If so, what did you think?

24/06/2025

‼️ AWARENESS POST ‼️

There are big celebrations taking place over the next few days: Canada Day on July 1st, Independence Day on July 4th and Bastille Day on July 14th.

While these are fun for us humans, they can be very stressful for your pets. Fireworks are pretty... But for them, they're very scary.

Fireworks can distress them so much that it can lead to injuries.

Here are a few basic tips to prepare yourself, even if you don't think your dog is sensitive to them.

If you have a pup that gets very distressed, you should look into the following:

🌟 CBD oil to calm them
🌟 Thunder shirt
🌟 White noise on TV: it masks triggering sounds, creates a calming auditory environment, and helps reduce stress
🌟 Keep them indoors while fireworks are taking place

Do you have an anxious dog? If so, what works for them during stressful events? Share your tips below! 💚

01/06/2025

📽️ NEW VIDEO ALERT 📽️

In this video, I share my top feeding tips for a healthy & happy life with your pup(s). Right here:

https://youtu.be/6Q7ONyHFfps?si=q34123Z4cqVdsfOU

Don't forget to click like & subscribe to the channel: it makes such a big difference.

Thank you!

27/05/2025

Chester, the little pup that got me started on my canine nutrition journey, is celebrating his 8th gotcha day today. We are doing many of his favourite things for the occasion, like going out for nice walks.

With the weather getting really hot here, our walks are now shorter, slower, and we try and stay in the shade as much as possible.

Of course, he also takes the time to sniff flowers every chance he gets. 🌸

20/05/2025

🌿 FOOD AGAINST FLEAS & TICKS 🌿

The battle against fleas & ticks can be very frustrating!

Did you know that on top of spraying your dogs with a good natural spray everyday, there are also food items you can add to their diet to help repel those little beasties?

I'm explaining it all in this video:

https://youtu.be/UyqN1SR__bk?si=G7fqQeAhbvGy-61a

As always, please do not hesitate to ask your questions below. 💚

These two ingredients are great additions to your dog's diet all year around, but especially during flea and tick season. If you found this video interesting...

11/05/2025

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there.

Wishing you a day that is as fabulous as you are! 🌸

27/04/2025

💚 OUR VERY FIRST VLOG 💚

Come spend the day with Chester, celebrating his birthday:

https://youtu.be/xb-kR5tATjQ?si=uWjBMacAA74Gdh6_

We're so excited to share more of our everyday dog parents life with you, and give you the chance to really get to know the boys.

Please give the video a like, and share it. It really helps the channel. 😊 While you're at it, why not also subscribe...? 🙊

Thank you!

Our very first vlog!We thought it would be fun to share everyday life moments with you all, allowing you to get to know the two pups behind this educational ...

13/04/2025

🌳SAFE & NATURAL DIY FLEA & TICK SPRAY🌳

With flea and tick season arriving here in the northern hemisphere, I thought it would be a good idea to share one of my recipes for repellent spray.

RIGHT HERE: https://youtu.be/Ssr5NQbBKq8?si=xMzm48HIbvDsH3ed

The good thing about making this spray yourself is that you'll know what's in it, and you'll save a LOT of money in the long run.

Each organic essential oil can be purchased for approximately $10, while you can buy aloe vera gel for less than $10, apple cider vinegar for around $5 and lemon for $1 or so.
Overall, I've spent less than $100 on all the supplies for this spray, including a set of glass spray bottles.

Essential oils, when stored away from light and heat, are good for 3 years. So far, I've done over a dozen sprays, which comes to approximately $8 per 36oz bottles, and my oils are still good! If you buy commercial, you'll likely pay a good $40 per bottle...

So It's safe, efficient and very economical!

Do you have any questions? 🙊

19/03/2025

THE POWERS OF THE SHROOMS

Mushroom is another superfood that is often misunderstood when it comes to giving it to dogs. Chester the Foodie and his brother Paddington Bear have been getting mushroom powder supplement for the past several years, and I also always add shiitake to the home cooked patties.

Mushrooms are filled with amazing nutrients and adding them to your dog’s diet can provide the following benefits:

🌟 Support liver and kidney function
🌟 Improve nutrition
🌟 Stabilize blood sugar and metabolism
🌟 Lower cholesterol, boost weight loss, and aid in preventing fatty liver disease
🌟 Help prevent viral infections
🌟 Boost immune system
🌟 Reduce blood pressure
🌟 Prevent heart disease
🌟 Prevent and battle cancer

Why are they so good? It's all due to their nutritional value:

✨ Minerals
✨ Good sugars
✨ Protein
✨ Vitamins B complex, folic acid, pro-vitamin D
✨ Enzymes
✨ Lipids

Which mushrooms are excellent for dogs? These ones:

🍄 White button
🍄 Cremini
🍄 Portobello
🍄 Porcini
🍄 Reishi
🍄 Shiitake
🍄 Maitake
🍄 Turkey Tail
🍄 Chaga

‼️ WHAT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT ‼️

♦️ Feeding raw mushrooms is not recommended: you can gentlycook them or dehydrate them.

♦️ Mushrooms that are toxic for humans are also toxic for dogs. When in doubt, research it… Or ask me.

Chester the Foodie and Paddington definitely LOVE them. Then again, it's food, so... 😉

Any questions? Ask below! ❤️

23/10/2024

🧡 The Mighty Pumpkin Seeds 🧡

Did you know that pumpkin (and other squashes') seeds are a superfood?
They're such a great supplement to add to your dog's diet!

You can buy raw unsalted pumpkin seeds and ground them, or you can prep them from scratch at home... After all, it is squash season and they're everywhere!

What are the nutrients and benefits?

🧡 They are rich in fiber
🧡 They are also a good source of protein
🧡 And also provides omega 3 (healthy fats)
🧡 They provide many good & needed minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants

🧡 They support digestion
🧡 They help prevent/fight intestinal worms
🧡 They support urinary health
🧡 And have even proven to health weight management

How to prepare them at home:

🐾 Preheat your oven to 300 F

🐾 Once you have carved them out of the pumpkin, rinse them very well under tap water.

🐾 Lay them on a paper towel, and pat them dry. This step is very important.

🐾 Place the dry seeds on a baking tray, single layer and put in the oven.

🐾 Let the seeds roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Keep a close eye as they can burn very quickly.

⚠️ Do not add salts or other seasoning to your dog's pumpkin seeds. It can lead to gastrointestinal or other health issues.

You can however roast yourself some seeds too by following the same steps, but by also adding a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

How to feed them:

🧡 Let them cool fully
🧡 Ground them into a fine powder
🧡 Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months
🧡 You can give up to 1 teaspoon of ground pumpkin seeds per 10 pounds of body weight per day

Do you have any questions? Ask them below!