Tender Paws Dog Services

26/11/2023

Did the shawnigan craft fair yesterday.
Ok..I forgot to take pictures or post anything. I was busy. And thank you to Warren Miles-Pickup for the help. He sold lots for me. It was great to see people I don't see often. And meeting new people.
I will be making some more treats if anyone is interested. Size appropriate for your pup, or training reward. They are made small batch and no preservatives. All are dehydrated so they last. If your pup cannot eat harder treats I can skip the dehydrator. They just need to ve kept in ghe freezer.

21/11/2023

I could not agree with this more. Listen folks, if your dog does not have 100% recall your dog has no business being off leash. FULL STOP. END OF STORY.

As someone who works with clients who have reactive dogs, this type of interaction is their absolute worst nightmare. Some people work so hard just building their own confidence and tackling their own anxiety about walking their reactive dogs. And then someone who has an off-leash dog with no recall in less than 30 seconds can ruin all of that. I know this because I see it all the time.

I also know of at least two local dog walkers who had an off-leash dog charge their on leash pack; and both of these ladies were injured in the altercation. Injury for a self-employed person means no work, which means no money all because of someone else's carelessness.

This evening I happened to be walking two of my own dogs in our neighborhood. A lady stopped and wanted to say hello, so we did that. A dog came running from a field, and crossed the road! This dog could very easily have been hit by a car. This dog had zero recall. Both of its owners were yelling at it to come back and trying to run to catch it. The dog then got directly in both of my dog's faces. As I was maneuvering to get my dogs behind me this lovely woman who wanted nothing more than to say hello to my dogs actually raised her foot up at the other dog to get it to back off. There was no part of this situation that was okay.
I said to the couple that not only is that not an off leash Park, if your dog has no recall your dog has no business being off leash. Instead of taking responsibility, the guy started spewing insults at me. Things escalated and there were Witnesses, thankfully.
Most of us are just out here doing the best we can. And it's up to each one of us as RESPONSIBLE dog owners to advocate for our dogs. It's one of the things I teach in class. Do not be afraid to use your voice. Do not be afraid to ask someone to leash their dog. Most people are actually going to be really great about it. This guy was a different story. And I really hope he reads this. And I also hope his wife reads this. The language he used to me I can only hope he doesn't use to her at home.
Can't we all just TRY to do the right thing? Be kind to each other.

END RANT.

21/11/2023

Round 2 at the farm.

21/11/2023

At the field

17/11/2023

13/11/2023

Itchy dog..read this.

A little late today, but still Monday! Our Myth for today is, the idea that whenever a dog is itchy, experiences recurrent ear infections, reddened paws and chin, the way to move forward is to ADD STUFF - like protocols for yeast, or blackseed/camelina/ahiflower/fish oil, or turmeric, probiotics, cbd; or whatever else is trendy at the moment, much as one would add a pharmaceutical to suppress symptoms.

The truth is, most of the time, from a dietary perspective, we should look at removing items - strip the diet down often to a true elimination protocol, one novel protein and one novel carb (or maybe not even a carb, but assorted steamed greens, according to case).

While it is always easier to just add something that makes huge marketing claims, often probiotics, fish oils, etc etc are all wrong and may even exacerbate symptoms for some dogs.

To identify which foods are triggring itch, remove things, and methodically add them back in (simplification, but that's the jist of it).
It's a long hard journey, but still the most powerful way forward to help a dog with itchy inflamed skin.

13/11/2023

🍂🦝🍂

12/11/2023

Started baking for the Shawnigan craft market.
As well as my regular clients.

12/11/2023

I wish this was common knowledge. If you choose to have a dog, be a responsible owner. Train your pup 🐾

12/11/2023

This 👌
Thank you all for supporting my small, local, home-based business ❤️

11/11/2023

And Bailee also loves the Sqishmellow. This is how she slept last night.

04/11/2023

When I choose to make food for my dog(s) it is a pain. It takes a lot of time. Especially when you are new to it. I am not talking about feeding your dog. For me that is putting food in a bowl. I am talking about the nutrition behind the food in the bowl. I want to feed my dog correctly based on science. Even home cooking for two dogs of different weights in the same home changes the recipe. However that is science based nutrition. I usually follow recipes from Hillary's Blend. It is one of the supplements I add to Bullets diet. It balances out what she needs. It is not perfect doing it this way, but it is better than tossing food in a bowl without supplementing or over supplementing. I can pick and choose the ingredients I want to use. I can cook or feed raw. At the end it is balanced and that is what I want.
When I am looking for information on feeding there are two sites I use, The Possible Canine and Monica Segal. These two are professional Pet Nutritionist Consultants. They work with your vet if needed to formulate a diet for one dog at a time.
If you are looking for actual science based information for your dogs food check them out. They are not Social Media Influencers. They do not make money by selling one type of supplement or food. They educate themselves and have many clients that have had their dog live a longer and healthier life feeding this way.
This picture is a recipe from Hillary's Blend that I made for my dog.

04/11/2023

Most people want a dog food recipe that uses foods which are easily available and affordable as well as meeting optimal levels of nutrients, the ability to feed healthy treats, while maintaining their dog’s healthiest weight.

Here are a few pointers when evaluating recipes at a glance:

▶Is the diet formulated to meet the National Research Council (NRC) which is an independent body, AAFCO or FEDIAF (guidelines are for commercial products formulated with expectation of less absorption of minerals)? I would choose NRC.

▶Look for a defined source of calcium. Cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds don’t provide enough.

▶Is there a source of iodine (eg: kelp) in the diet?

▶Does the diet include a breakdown of all vitamins, minerals and amino acids it provides?

▶Does the recipe include caloric values and the suggested feeding guidelines based on calories, or is it based on feeding 2-3% (or other) of body weight which isn’t as accurate as calories?

▶Are supplements included if a food source doesn’t provide enough of a nutrient?

▶Does the diet include detailed information about the antioxidants and phytonutrients it provides?

▶Are there step by step instructions rather than telling you to combine everything and serve?

▶Does the diet plan/recipe include tips for treats?

▶Is the diet specified for adults or puppies? Nutrient values would be very different.

01/11/2023

Tender Paws 1st Annual Halloween Party.
Featuring: Bullet, Finn, Grizz, Hazel, Hobbs, Ivy, Kora, Lily, Milton, Mongo, Moto, Ricky Tucker. Thanks for helping Kyla. Thanks for lending us your shop Sweet Bee Soap Co .

31/10/2023

Myth of the Week - Chicken is a "toxic food" and should never be fed to dogs....if your dog has any kind of allergies or food intolerance, your first step is get rid of chicken!

Newsflash - chicken is just one of MANY foods that may be contributing to itchy skin and/or loose stool. Removing it may or may not help clear up these issues.

Ok, how this one spread I have no idea, although the popular practise of tossing a little Chinese food theory (a very little, to be honest) into an otherwise Western protocol is part of it. The facts are; many dogs react to chicken, as they do to beef, fish, rice and other foods. It's also true chicken contains an Omega 6 fatty acid essential for dogs, that is often referred to (correctly) as pro inflammatory - but the fact remains linoleic acid IS essential and must be fed, either via vegetable oils (which have pros and cons, like everything) or from animal sources, like chicken fat. The popular idea that chicken is inflammatory because it contains an Omega 6) is incorrect. The biggest issue with Omega 6 is feeding an excess amount - bear in mind, there IS a minimum requirement and for the most part, I prefer dogs get it from animal sources, not plant oils.

Another concept is, chicken is a "dirty" food, given how commercial birds are fed and raised, and the handling of the meat. This is undeniably true, BUT it's true for beef, lamb, pork etc and not to MENTION, fish. With all foods, the ideal is not always affordable, and even with regular grocery store chicken a home made, balanced recipe is till preferable to highly processed, wholly unnatural kibble.

I can't address all the problems with simply declaring a food "hot, dry, stimulating" etc in context of a Western protocol - but will do so in an upcoming article. I touch on this in an earlier blog entry and will link to it in the comments.

The bottom line here is, overfeeding chicken is not a great idea, some dogs DO react to it, and it is really not the most nutritious of meats. That said, many dogs do very well with chicken in the diet but react to other, more popular foods. As with all the ideas floating around on social media, take this one under consideration, and do your research - meaning, use science based sites like The Possible Canine to verify what you read from Influencers.

27/10/2023

While I appreciate wanting to change a diet when our dogs have been diagnosed with something, it's really important to understand what to do and when to it, especially with something like kidney disease.

▶As an example, SDMA is a sensitive biomarker that can show an increase before other tests for kidney trouble would. But! due to this high sensitivity it can show a slight increase even when the issue is something else. I've seen it increase in cases of pancreatitis and even a GI upset at times. If we were to jump on this singular test result and start feeding a diet that's for kidney failure we could easily cause a calcium imbalance. We could also cause the underlying GI or pancreatic problem to get worse since most diets for kidney disease would be higher in fat.

▶A blood test showing elevated BUN doesn't necessarily mean the dog has kidney disease because BUN isn't specific to the kidneys. It can increase as a response to dehydration (if the dog has been vomitting, has diarrhea, or even if fasted), heart trouble, a liver problem, or a high protein diet.

Very few tests stand alone. Try not to panic :)

18/10/2023

Well there was more room in the SUV than I thought.
Grizz and Cooper both rode together I the backseat with Duke, Tucker, Hazel and Hobbs. So good.

18/10/2023

Now I know why my foot went to sleep.
These two. Ivy never sleeps near me.

18/10/2023

𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴'𝘀 𝗼𝗻-𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵

It's important to understand that what we and our dogs eat is what cells are built with. Cells use the nutrients in food to build cell structures, make energy, or store them for later use (think fats as an example)
▶️This gives us an opportunity to have a positive impact at Every. Single. Meal.

📌Lifestyle changes are deeper than they may seem. For example, a young dog that hikes every weekend is not the same as s/he will be when hiking at mid life because this is not the same dog in some ways. Muscles, cell energy *and* the amount of free radical damage that has built up due to a variety of exposures and other activities are only one thing to consider as you look at diet.

17/10/2023

Grizz turns 7 today.

04/10/2023

So I bought Bullet a pair of boots for winter. Someone did not like them. I have boots for her back paws as well. Thought I would intro slowly.

04/10/2023

There are instances when a calcium supplement is far superior to eggshells.

▶️Puppy diets.
Puppies can't excrete excess calcium until they're about 6 months old.

▶️Dogs with kidney disease - we shouldn't guess at the amount of calcium being fed since we're aiming for a 3:1 ratio with phosphorus. We need to be precise.

I’ve sent egg shells to a lab for analysis and checked with universities teaching poultry studies, and the bottom line is that it depends on the egg shell we’re talking about.
📌 The theory is that 1 large egg shell provides 2,000 mg of elemental calcium, but the truth is that it can vary. Some provide 1,800 mg of elemental calcium and others as much as 2,100 mg.
Does the feed the chicken has access to make a difference? Not always!

29/09/2023

Which variety to choose depends on your nutrition goals 🎯

▶️Butternut is a good contender if you’re looking to bump the Vitamin A (3162iu per oz) and beta carotene content in your dog’s diet. With almost 1gm of fiber and only 11 kcal per oz you can make a significant nutritional impact with low caloric impact.

▶️Acorn squash delivers impressive potassium amounts – 1oz of acorn squash has more potassium than 1oz of mashed banana 🍌(102mg per oz). Acorn also has more calories (16) and more fiber than butternut but as you can tell from the lighter flesh color, doesn’t contribute much beta carotene.

Fun facts:
📌Acorn squash has a 1:1 calcium phosphorus ratio and is a very low oxalate vegetable.
📌Butternut squash is often available in the frozen or refrigerated veg aisle, already peeled and cubed.
📌Avocado 🥑 has 138mg potassium but only 18mcg of Beta carotene and is 45 calories per oz

12/09/2023

MCADD is a genetic disorder (a fatty acid oxidation disorder) found in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) that prevents the conversion of certain fats to energy. Medium-chain fatty acids are particularly dangerous because they lead to a build-up of toxic metabolites. Coconut oil and other MCT oils should be avoided for all Cavaliers unless they've tested clear for the mutation.

▶️Be careful with this breed's diet (for many more reasons) because dogs with a history of seizures and epilepsy are often fed diets high in MCT. Not all vets may know about this new genetic finding. It may be important to take a Cavalier that's been diagnosed with seizures, epilepsy et al for a revisit to discuss.

To the best of my knowledge, a 2022 Swiss study found over 39% of that study group (162 Cavaliers) had MCAD (medium chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase - do not! ask me to pronounce that 😁) deficiency.

At the moment it looks like 53% of Cavaliers are carriers, but more sampling is needed. All breeding dogs need to be tested. It's a simple swab.

07/09/2023

Tuna fudge for tonight's class.

07/09/2023

When there is no time to groom your own dog. 530am was Bullets bath time then snuggles on the couch with squishmellows and me.

06/09/2023

Duke and Cooper going home.

06/09/2023

Seamus practicing his stand.
Today he started heeling level 2 in a straight line. He did awesome. Love working puppies as they learn so fast.
He also started more fitness by learning Downward Dog. I did have to back up and teach him about standing for belly rubs. He will gave this mastered next week.