Boyd's Better Bites

02/04/2018

2 Cont'd Follow Up Flea Prevention
Not April Fools day

Researching plants that prevent or help prevent fleas.

We do home guarding that include sage, rosemary, Thai lemongrass, Thai basil, and mint, we did not that the plants help repel fleas through the natural oils that they secrete and deter fleas from entering the house.

01/04/2018

I know, too much information.

How to keep your yard protected
"Keep pots of lemon balm, sage, rosemary, catnip, lemongrass, basil and mint outside of your main “potty” doors and throughout your yard. These plants help repel fleas through the natural oils that they secrete and deter fleas from entering the house."

I am going to move potts around.
dogsnaturallymagazine.com/

Dedicated to ethics and integrity in every aspect of our publications and courses, Dogs Naturally is your complete resource for natural canine health care.

31/03/2018

Cont'd Flea Prevention.

We are going to a nearby lake and I am going to try lemon spray repellent for the dogs (maybe me too). It looks easy enough to make, and I drink lemon water every day, so I have the ingredients. According to popular sites, cutting a lemon into quarters, covering with boiling water, and letting it steep overnight will create a good cover for your dog. Please don't confuse this with 'oil extract' as that can be very harmful to your pet (dog or cat). Limonene is the main product in oil extract and is found in household cleaning products that are harmful to your pet! The difference between creating lemon spray (boiling down lemon) and oil extract is extremely significant, please don't confuse the two.
Sadly, I found out fire ants eat flea larvae. I treat our property for fire ants, I am allergic to them, so they had to go. If it was just like a mosquito bite, I would consider an alternative.

I wonder about eucalyptus leaves? Might give them a try in the house.

30/03/2018

Flea Prevention?
While in China we gave our Zoe NexGard FLEA & TICK
CONTROL, and HeartGard for HEARTWORM DISEASE. This past year I went ahead and got all the pups on both products, as we live in the south, a normally good temperature for fleas, ticks and heartworm.

Recently, I have been researching flea control, "It is much easier to prevent fleas than to treat fleas".

Last year when we got back to the US, our house and yard was infested with fleas. I called ABC Home and Commercial Services (www.abchomeandcommercial.com) to get it under control. GOOD CALL! Now I want to know what I can do to help my furbabies to prevent pests like fleas and ticks, especially now that we have the 3 furbabies.

Any home remedy suggestions?"

ABC is an award winning provider of home and commercial pest control, air conditioning, heating, lawn care and more. Call us to schedule an inspection.

29/03/2018

I was researching recent dog treat recalls and was surprised that as recent as Feb, 2018, that Smokehouse had a recall for its 'Beefy Munchies' dog treats. Shocking to me, that was just last month. So I took another look at my cooking area and practice to ensure we do all that we can to keep our food healthy for your 4 legged loved ones and all in your family. Simple tasks will help you prevent any cross food contamination.

"PREVENTION OF SALMONELLA INFECTION
These safety measures can help prevent Salmonella poisoning:
• Wash your hands before preparing food and after handling raw meats
• Cook meat and eggs thoroughly until they reach an internal temperature of 160 F (71 C)
• Do not eat foods containing raw eggs or milk, such as undercooked French toast
• Avoid cooking raw meat in the microwave, as it may not reach a high enough internal temperature to kill Salmonella bacteria and may be unevenly cooked
• Avoid bringing uncooked meat into contact with food that will not be cooked (i.e. salad)
• Wash hands with soap after handling reptiles or animal f***s
• Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom" (foodborneillness.com)

I use sanitizer and bleach on all food prep items between all recipes. I wash my hands several times during cooking, anytime I go out of the cooking area or touch anything outside my ingredients. All meat is cooked to exceed 160G or dehydrated for more than 8 hours (can be up to 24 hours). None of our food is cooked in the microwave!

Having said that, I do eat sunny-side up eggs, never to my puppys.

27/03/2018

Large bones, fresh out of the oven!

27/03/2018

Large bones, so tasty.

24/03/2018

Are Oats Gluten-Free? I cook Gluten-Free treats and dog food, I often get asked the question, are my oat treats gluten free? The answer is, sadly, no. The way commercial oats are processed, they could be contaminated by other products processed in the same facility. If your 4 legged baby is gluten intolerant (celiac disease) then only give them gluten-free products; if they are gluten sensitive, you can try 'oat products' and keep an eye on them.

"While dogs in general don’t suffer from true celiac disease (with the possible exception of Red Setters), gluten can be a problematic ingredient for many dogs, and can cause problems like gastro-intestinal upset similar to that seen in humans, as well as itchy skin and ear infections. In many cases, simply reducing or eliminating the grain content of the diet can actually reduce or even eliminate the need for prescribed steroids and antibiotic treatments" (thehonestkitchen.com)

23/03/2018

Eggshells for Dogs?

If you look at our ingredients, you will notice the use of egg shells. Eggshells are a great source of calcium for your dog. In nature, eggs are consumed by most cornavors, it is a great source for nutrients, it is considered "one of nature's perfect foods," I do believe in a 'raw' food diet for dogs and again leave that up to you to determine what is best for your dog. We do however, cook the egg and the shell for use in our products, giving your 4 legged loved one the best possible nutritional value (even in the treats).

Check out the video at petmd
https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_multi_eggs_for_pets2 #.WrQdOtL3Xvo.facebook

As we worry about our own health and what we put into our bodies, we also worry about what we are feeding to our pets. So what about one of nature's "perfect foods," the egg?

23/03/2018

National Puppy Day, March 23, 2018

Puppies are the most trusting and joyous creatures on the planet.
Oh, to be more like a puppy.
~Colleen Paige
founder of National Puppy Day

While there is not a "National Senior Dog Day", there should be, we love our girl Bella, adopted last year at the age of 12 ish.

22/03/2018

This is from 2015, but over the past couple of years it keeps creeping up. Consumers thinking they are buying a product they later find out does not contain most of or any of the ingredient 'suggested' in an advertisement or lables.

My bacon products contain bacon, no artificial bacon flavor whatsoever. Just lovely bacon, which I might snack on as I am preparing.

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/07/17/375527.htm.

Reported by law360 "April 12, 2017, Purina has resolved a proposed class action claiming the company tricked customers into thinking that Beggin' bacon-flavored dog treats contain more bacon than they actually do". As usual there was nothing disclosed about the resolution of the case.

Nestle Purina Petcare Co.'s Beggin' dog treats may fool dogs into thinking they are mostly made of real bacon, but a federal lawsuit claims that humans may

22/03/2018

Fresh out of the oven, Chicken Marrow Biscuits with Peanut Butter.

20/03/2018

How to Spot Arthritis in Dogs.

Symptoms of Arthritis -

The clinical signs of canine arthritis usually appear gradually and slowly worsen over time. Outward signs of arthritis are not specific to this disease and can mimic those of many other disorders. The first symptoms are often so mild that even the most observant owners may miss them. Eventually, however, owners will notice that their dog just isn’t doing right. The signs of arthritis include:

Intermittent lameness
Reluctance to rise or move
Stiffness (especially after vigorous exercise)
Swollen joints; may be warm and tender
Visible joint deformities
Painful joints (when touched/palpated or moved)
Prolonged periods of rest (sleeps more than usual)
Exercise intolerance; disinterest in physical activity
Weight gain
Lethargy
Depression
Irritability
Aggression when joints are touched
Appetite loss
Abnormal stance when walking (pelvis tucked under; using hind legs with exaggerated care)
Affected dogs may rise slower in the morning and take longer to warm up after naps later in the day. They often spend more time resting or sleeping, which can lead to weight gain and exacerbate the effects of the disease. If a single joint is affected, the animal may become “three-legged lame,” which will predispose joints in the other limbs to develop arthritis, because they will be carrying more weight than normal. (holistapet.com)

19/03/2018

Finally, my site is set up, not completely, but you can shop online for our treats. I still have to adjust the shipping, it comes up really high on USPS?
https://www.boydsbetterbites.com/

Home

18/03/2018

I know vaccinating is controversial right now, so please read with knowledge, you decide for your pets, I vaccinate my babies.

7 Things You Can Do to Keep Your Pet Healthy

1 Keep your pet at a healthy weight.
2 Exercise your pet.
3 Feed your pet a balanced, nutritious diet.
4 Have your veterinarian examine your pet at least once a year to
make sure your pet is healthy and to help detect problems earlier.
5 Vaccinate your pet against potentially deadly diseases such as
distemper, parvo, and rabies.
6 Keep your pet free of parasites (fleas and ticks, heartworm, etc.) –
consult your veterinarian for the best product for your pet.
7 Spay or neuter your pet. If you are not planning on breading your
dog, please take the steps needed to prevent unplanned for pups. (again some controversy, you decide, I don't like garments to prevent breeding in dogs)

17/03/2018

A great ending to the dog, Irgo, the GS that went to Japan and the GD that went to Kansas City. While the Great Dane traveled home using the regular process, Irgo got a private charter.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/03/16/family-reunited-dog-mistakenly-sent-japan/434456002/

16/03/2018

As a follow up to yesterday's post on United Airlines, a poor senior German Shepherd was mistakenly sent to Japan.

http://www.kctv5.com/story/37719697/kansas-familys-dog-put-on-flight-to-japan-following-airline-mix-up

A Kansas family says a mix-up with United Airlines has resulted in their German Shepherd dog being mistakenly flown to Japan.

16/03/2018

I am still working on the actual website, so don't order off of FB, just message me. Soon a real shopping cart to come!

15/03/2018

We have traveled on planes with our 4 legged family for years. However, never with United. With the news we read it seams to keep us away from United Airlines flights.

I do wonder how many people die on flights unrelated to 'crashes'. This number is not as easy to discover as an emergency landing may be the 'official' report.

Having said that, a 4 legged family member passed this past Monday on a United flight. According to USA Today, "For the full year 2017, United accounted for 18 of 24 animal deaths on flights among the 17 airlines that reported to DOT", making United questionable for pet flights.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/03/13/united-apologizes-fliers-dog-died-after-put-overhead-bin/422293002/

United is apologizing for the death of a flier's dog that an attendant reportedly insisted be stowed in an overhead bin during a flight from Houston to NYC.

15/03/2018

I normally do research for my dogs before I give them any medications, better than I do for me or my husband. However, I never posted to the public. I do believe in preventative medication for heartworms and give my dogs preventative medication.

The beginning of the month all three pups went in for check-ups and with the weather warming in the south I got them all checked for heartworms and all the medication for them to take monthly.

"Q: How do dogs get heartworms?

A: Only by the bite of an infected mosquito. There’s no other way dogs get heartworms. And there’s no way to tell if a mosquito is infected. That’s why prevention is so important." (pets.webmd.com)

See the map for impact of heartworm disease and see if your loved one is at a higher risk (note, all 50 states now report out breaks of heartworms).
https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/incidence-maps

Founded During The Heartworm Symposium Of 1974, The American Heartworm Society Aims to further scientific progress in the study of heartworm diseass, inform the membership of new developments, encourage and help promote effective procedures for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heartworm di...

08/03/2018

I have a hard time with my dogs nails, found this interesting. https://iheartdogs.com/5-essential-grooming-tips-for-dogs/

Grooming your dog is a crucial part of caring for them, and failing to do it can lower their quality of life. Grooming your dog regularly could even help save their life if you spot lumps, bumps, or disease-causing ticks. …

08/03/2018

So after a long time away, my husband is walking today, for the first time in months. Thank GOD