Food and Fits - What's a Dog Owner To Do??

As a dog owner, I feel I'm bombarded with information every day on what and what not to feed my dogs, as well as numerous ideas on how to train them to behave. I am having a hard enough time trying to decide what's healthy for my own self (Adkins diet, low fat, the cabbage diet, red wine/no red wine?) let alone my dogs. However, with the recent tragic deaths of many pets linked to the food they ate, I know that this is one topic that is important to get right. Also, living in a multi-dog household, with new dogs coming in all the time as fosters, good behavior and training is also key.

The Whole Dog Journal is a wonderful resource for people trying to sort through these issues and hoping to do the best for their pet in the most natural and healthful way possible. The monthly guide is dedicated to providing the latest info on natural dog care and training. Regular articles in the journal include information on behavior and training, nutrition, health and care.

Supplementing the printed journal is a great website with even more information on the subjects found in the journal as well as topics ranging from puppies to senior dogs, problem solving and a blog.

The Whole Dog Journal advocates raw feeding, but realizes that this may not be the best answer for every family with a dog. Recently they mailed me a supplement to their journal entitled, "Top Dog Foods for Total Wellness". This mini-guide talks about the importance of food in relation to your dog's health, and also recommends the best foods available at local pet supply stores whether they eat kibble or soft food. (I was happy to find the kibble that I feed my canine kids listed!!)

Optionally, they offer several books for purchase on their website (both by hard copy and downloadable onto your computer) on subjects such as feeding your dog, puppy training, and solving such problems as separation anxiety or teaching your dog how to greet people properly.

Topics in this month's October issue include: senior dog hearing loss, bone marrow transplants in dogs, understanding canine aggression, and carbohydrates in kibble. A yearly subscription runs $20 with two years for $30. Since each individual issue is $5.95, then buying a subscription certainly makes sense. As a Whole Dog Journal subscriber, you are also entitled to all the back issues via the WDJ website for free. For me and my pack, I need all the help and advice I can get. Along with frequent consultation from my favorite veterinarian, this is definitely some quality reading that I don't want to miss!!!

Teeny's Friends Toy Drive Benefits HOTLR

Teeny's Friends (logo on the right) is an Austin-based organization that holds monthly toy drives for needy dogs. Each month, Teeny's chooses an Austin based dog related business to place their "toy bin". The "host" of the toy drive for the month chooses a beneficiary and during two weeks of that month, toys are collected in the designated bin.

This month Heart of Texas Lab Rescue will be the recipient of the Teeny's Toy Drive thanks to Austin Canine Central who nominated HOTLR.

Austin Canine Central (logo on the left) is the home of Joyce Morgan Dog Training and is located in central Austin at 5402 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin, TX 78751, (Phone 512-458-8800). ACC offers a variety of training, agility and conformation classes as well as doggy daycare, grooming services and rental facilties for dog-related activities or non-dog related activities. Make sure to visit their website to learn more.

Austin Canine Central makes it easy to donate to the Teeny's toy bin as you can shop the doggy boutique that carries a wonderful assortment of treats, food, collars and toys from the comfort of your home and of course, from their Middle Fiskville location. Stop in today, check out ACC's schedule of classes, get a tour of the facility. Stop by the boutique on your way out to buy a little special something for your canine companion and drop a little something in the Teeny's toy bin. Click here to shop on-line and have Austin Canine Central drop the toy in the bin for you.

Teeny's toy bin is waiting to be filled with lots of Lab-friendly goodies to help our rescue pups pass the time until they are ready to meet their forever families. The deadline for toy collection is this Saturday, September 25th, so don't waste time, donate a toy to Teeny's Friends and help HOTLR today!!! Loads of thanks and puppy love to Teeny's Friends and Austin Canine Central for dedicating this toy drive to HOTLR!!!