September 14th, 2009
By Eric Letendre
On Sunday my wife and I stopped at a Whole Foods Market to get some supplements for her cold. While we were there we decided to get some lunch and sit outside to enjoy the day.
As I was just about to eat a fork full of brussell sprouts I nearly jumped out of my chair. This little kid sitting at the table next to us screamed:
THE WORLD’S GOING TO END! DADDY’S EATING TOFU!
Rach and I were laughing because everyone could hear the kid. As Dad was trying to quiet him the wife walked up and said, "You’re eating tofu and the world hasn’t ended yet?"
I guess he doesn’t like tofu.
Anyway, as we walking away I said to Rach, "It’s funny how some foods create such a controversy."
As I was thinking about it the same thing happens with dog food. One of the big topics on the internet today is dog food and nutrition.
Dog lovers are constantly discussing and debating questions like…
What is the best food? Should you ever give your dog people food? Is feeding raw food good for your dog? What foods should you never give your dog?
After all, we all want the best for our dogs.
The reason I got interested in dog food and nutrition was because my dog Sammi. She developed a terrible skin and coat condition and nothing helped.
Her condition was finally solved through a major diet change. I felt that I should write about it and share what happened to my dog and what I learned.
That’s why I decided to write the "The Ultimate Dog Food Guide" and you can get it free…
I have a couple of finishing touches to put on it and you’ll be able to get it soon. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s ready.
All the best,
Eric
September 2nd, 2009
By Eric Letendre
Wow, instead of driving down to your local ATM all you need to do is follow your dog around the yard. Watch the video…
It’s a funny video but stealing is a serious behavior problem for a lot of dog owners.
Please leave your comments and questions so I can help others who have this problem with their dogs.
August 12th, 2008
By Eric Letendre
Last night Rach and I hurried up to finish all our work so we could sit down and watch the Olympics. You may not know this but Rach is a national champion gymnast and gets very excited when the Olympics come on.
We ordered some Chinese food (love moo shu chicken) and sat down to watch. During one commercial break I fired up my laptop to check for an email that I was waiting for and was blown away by what I saw. My inbox was flooded with questions about garlic.
In yesterday’s email, I stated that I have been feeding my dogs garlic for years to combat fleas and for other health reasons. I have been doing this for so long that I took it for granted that everyone else did the same.
The overwhelming response that I received shows that this is not the case. So let me share some info on garlic with you. I started feeding my dogs garlic after reading “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats.”
Let me state right up front that there are a lot of people out their in internet land that say garlic is not good for your dogs and that it does nothing to keep away fleas. All I can say is that I have used it for years and don’t use any type of commercial flea repellent, and have never had a flea problem, and my dogs are also very healthy.
However if you don’t feel comfortable feeding garlic don’t do it. To quote Dr. Pitcairn from his on-line forum after someone posted a negative response to garlic:
“I already said I have not seen problems with garlic in the amounts recommended in the recipes I have used. However, don’t use it if it frightens you. Why make a problem for yourself? Not that important.”
If you want to feed garlic here is what Dr. Pitcairn recommends:
1/8 tsp to each cup of food.
You have different options when it comes to garlic. You can get it in pill form, powder, you can chop it yourself, or you can buy it already chopped.
I buy the big jugs of garlic. I just scoop it right out of the jar and toss it on my dog’s food.
He also recommends slowly introducing the garlic. Here is a list of benefits of garlic:
As I stated earlier, I have been feeding it to my dogs for years with no problems. As with any drug or herb that you feed your dog, you should watch for any sensitivities.
Wishing you and your dog all the best.
Eric
January 8th, 2008
By Eric Letendre
A few months ago I met with a nice couple to help them with their dog. A few minutes into the conversation the wife asked me, “Does my dog smell bad?”
I was amazed that she asked me that question. When I walked into the house I noticed that the dog not only had a bad odor but looked awful. The dog was a golden mix of some kind and looked to be about 10 years old.
His coat was a mess, he had black gunk pouring out of his eyes and was grey all around his muzzle. I felt really bad for the old guy.
Come to find out he was only about four years old. They called me because they were having a house training problem. My first question was simple. In fact, I knew the answer before they even told me.
I asked them this simple question:
“What are feeding your dog?”
I knew that they were probably feeding a combination of some cheap brand of dry food mixed with some kind of canned food. My prediction was correct, they spent about $12.00 for a 40LBS bag of food made by a large retail chain. The canned food was what ever was on sale.
I told them that the reason they were having house training problems, the reason that their dog smelled and the reason that he looked like he was over the hill was a direct result of the food that they were feeding.
They both looked at me like I was talking Swahili. They went on to say that there was no way that the food that they were feeding was why their dog smelled and looked old. They both thought that it was just the way he was. They added that their vet said that the food they were feeding was fine.
I shared with them the story of my sheltie Sammi. I told them that Sam had some awful allergies, that her fur was falling out, that she was constantly getting fleas. In short she was a mess. I tried everything, cortisone shots, cold tar shampoos, steroids – nothing helped.
It was awful watching her in pain, scratching, chewing, rolling on the ground trying to get some relief.
I asked my vet if maybe what she was eating was effecting her. He laughed at me and said it had nothing to do with it. I ignored him and started to research everything I could on nutrition for dogs. In short, I change her diet, and within just a few short weeks she was a different dog.
Some of the books that I read and people that I studied were Dr. Pitcairn, Dr. Ian Billinghurst, and Wendy Vollard. Now my Sammi is well over 16 years old, very healthy, beautiful skin and coat, clear eyes, and still full of energy.
Your dog’s diet does have a direct result on your dog’s behavior, skin and coat, and general well being. If you spend just a little while learning about proper nutrition for dogs you’ll be amazed at how much healthier your dog will be (and how much smaller your vet bills will be).
As always I look forward to your comments.
All the best,
Eric
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Eric Letendre is a professional dog trainer from the United States. For more than 20 years, he has been developing dog training "hacks" that have worked for dog owners all over the world. Eric operates from a home office or a laptop while traveling and draws on his experience and passion for dog training to show others how to develop a dog that is truly “Man’s Best Friend”.
Eric is the author of numerous reports, the E-Book “101 Ways to Hack Your Dog’s Behavior,” “The Amazing Dog Training Man Book,” and produced and stars in his DVD “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.”
