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[My comment: Another Great Dane taking over the world tallest dog title. This is a rescue with several medical issues. Thank you Diane for rescue this Great Dane. I hope Titan's fame will help you with your shelter idea. I think that's brilliant! Thomas Sandberg]

This article is from SignonSanDiego.com

You can find the original article here

Titan to be measured for Guinness record

2:00 a.m. August 22, 2009

SAN DIEGO — A border collie from Hungary is in the Guinness Book of Records for fastest car window opened by a dog: 11.34 seconds. A golden retriever from Dallas is in there for most tennis balls held in a dog’s mouth: 5.

Soon, a Great Dane from North Park could be listed as the world’s tallest dog.

Titan — could there be a more fitting name? — is to be formally measured for the mark by a veterinarian this morning. Owner Diana Taylor has long planned this day. She’s done her research, talked to people at Guinness and is confident that Titan will stand tall.

She even has the shell of a Web site up at titanandfriends.com .

Diana Taylor of North Park took a stroll yesterday at Ocean Beach with 4-year-old Titan, who will be measured today to see if he is the world's tallest dog. (Peggy Peattie / Union-Tribune) -

In a dry run Monday, the dog measured 42.375 inches at the shoulder, more than an inch taller than Gibson, the Great Dane in Grass Valley who held the record until he succumbed to bone cancer two weeks ago. Basically, Titan is tall enough to safely board the Splash Mountain ride at Disneyland.

Taylor, 49, a San Diego Gas & Electric Co. communications adviser, hopes Guinness will grant Titan the title in a month or two, which would allow her to spread the word about Great Danes on a grander scale than she does now.

“We’ve got a lot of good things coming down the pike if we can make it happen,” she said.

Jacque McAndrew, a 40-year veterinarian at the South San Diego Veterinary Hospital and Titan’s doctor for nearly a year, is scheduled to record the animal’s height with a tape measure and a special wicket at a dog day spa in Hillcrest at 11 a.m.

“We’re pretty sure he’ll make it, but how high we don’t know,” McAndrew said.

McAndrew and Taylor said they set today as the measuring day months before Gibson died. Taylor actually planned “a challenge,” as it’s called, 15 months ago, but pulled back in part because she wasn’t ready to thrust Titan into the limelight.

She said she didn’t know the distinction existed two years ago, until she met people who knew Gibson personally and later met the titleholder herself.

Taylor adopted Titan in May 2005 from Middle Tennessee Great Dane Rescue while she was living in Atlanta, and drove her SUV for hours to pick up the puppy.

Within two weeks, she could no longer carry him. By the time Titan was 3 months old, he weighed 55 pounds, nearly double what most Danes weigh at that age.

Now, he towers above all dogs, including two others she owns, a German shepherd named Diego and a second Great Dane, Ari, who stands 38 inches tall.

Collectively, the three dogs weigh 465 pounds, eat 40 pounds of dry food a week and look sort of like furniture when they’re asleep.

Titan is clearly different. He’s deaf, partly blind and epileptic, and has spinal issues that require orthopedic adjustments and even acupuncture. But he hasn’t had a seizure in a year and seems to enjoy all the attention he gets.

“His world isn’t a world of fireworks,” Taylor said. “It’s not a world of sirens. It’s not a world of helicopters. He lives in a very, very peaceful world, and people notice that in his soul.”

At first, Taylor resisted claiming the title of tallest dog out of deference to a local Boston terrier, Bandit, whose motorcycle riding and apparel brought owner Mark Shaffer a following until the dog died in December.

Taylor said Bandit remains “the star attraction” in San Diego.

“Titan will certainly step in and fulfill some of those duties, but we love Bandit and this is really Bandit’s town, and in no way are we really trying to pass him,” she said.

What finally pushed Taylor to proceed with the formal record attempt was an idea she got while volunteering at Mira Mesa High School during the 2007 wildfires. She just couldn’t stand to see people sleeping on the ground with their dogs because the pets weren’t being allowed in the temporary shelter.

Should Titan become a celebrity, Taylor imagines asking Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno for help transforming empty train cars into emergency housing for 20 people and their pets. She said they could be given to the Humane Society of the United States for use at national disasters.

“Every time there’s a fire, every time there’s a flood, every time there’s a hurricane, every time I feel those temporary shelters could be used for something, I feel like I’m dropping the ball,” Taylor said. “I should have those things in existence. They should be using them now.”

Union-Tribune

Matthew T. Hall: (619) 542-4599;

One of the best advice I’ve received from dog owners is to learn your dog’s daily routine. Dogs have routines and they are very much the same from day to day. When you see changes in their routine be aware, this may be a sign that something is wrong with your dog.

Thomas

If you feed your dog commercial dog food please read this article by Dan J Scott. It should make you think (Thomas)

Dog Health Problems – 12 Common Diet Disorders Exposed and Why
By Dan J Scott

Countries participating in a survey on dog health problems completed a lengthy questionnaire about various canine complaints. By the time the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Denmark finished the assessment, there was much in the way of shocking information. For instance, in these countries it is reported that the average life span of most dog breeds is ten to thirteen years. If the average dog is genetically programmed to live into its twenties, what could be cutting short their longevity by such a drastic amount? While many point to a number of dynamics, the one common factor these dogs have is their commercial dog food diet.

The following are diet related disorders that can be found in canines:

Metabolic/Endocrine- The grains and high sugar content in commercial foods often push a dog into dog diseases such as diabetes or hypoglycemia. Flame retardants and other chemicals that survive the rendering process when dog food is made are linked to thyroid problems in canines.

Digestive- The concentration of preservatives, additives and toxins often promotes frequent vomiting and diarrhea, two symptoms that can spiral into even greater health problems.

Renal- Because dry kibble can dehydrate kidneys, blood in urine is not an uncommon health issue for dogs and can be a precursor to deadlier dog diseases.

Dermatological- As a dog’s body tries to keep harmful chemicals away from internal organs, toxins excreted through the skin in large amounts lead to hotspots and constant scratching.

Skeletal- A dog’s bones and joints are often deprived of the right mineral combinations then further stripped by caustic toxins in their food. This leads to dog diseases such as arthritis or dysplasia and luxating patellas.

Ocular- Vitamin enriched dog food often contains too much of one element and not enough of another, leading to macular degenerations and even cataracts.

Circulatory- The lack of proper nutrients and the surplus of fats in a commercial dog food diet often lead to heart disease, one of the deadliest dog diseases for today’s domesticated canine.

Immune- the chemicals, toxins, funguses, molds and other additives found in commercial dog food take on a non stop, relentless attack on a dog’s immune system breaking it down and making it susceptible to everything from infections to cancer

Muscular- dogs without the right nutrition cannot build the proper amount of lean healthy muscle or keep a healthy weight, something that spawns into additional dog health problems.

Nervous- chemicals and toxins such as Butylated Hydroxanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) found in dog food are known to affect neurological development in regards to sleep and aggression.

Respiratory- Additives and preservatives in dog food are well known for being at the center of allergic reactions in canines with irritated airways.

Reproductive- inadequate nutrition often results in smaller, low quality litters and the inability to get a good immunity to fight dog health problems.

From snout to tail, an all natural diet composed of raw meat and bone is just what the canine system was designed to gain its nutrients from. Unlike commercial dog food that cooks and destroys essential enzymes, a dog on a raw diet has all the building blocks he or she needs to rebuild its system from the inside out. There is simply nothing in canine physiology that is capable of finding nutrients in the dead animals, restaurant waste, spoiled grains, rancid grease and the mixture of toxins and residual drug residues that come in each bag or can of commercial dog food. Your dog deserves to live a happier longer life free of dog health problems on the raw diet that Mother Nature first intelligently created.

Dan Scott author of “Real Food for Dogs” has lived, trained, studied, worked and very much loved dogs for over 43 years. His burning passion for Canine Nutrition – “what your dog eats” through research and practice of natural diets for dogs is helping people the world over to have a healthy dog for life.

For a wealth of information and videos go to http://healthydogforlife.com/blog and sign up for the free controversial report.

(c) Copyright – Dan Scott. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_J_Scott
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dog-Health-Problems—12-Common-Diet-Diso

Another dog making great improvements on raw food. I like this article. (Thomas).

By: Kate Salmon

We adopted Elliot from the shelter in Orange County. The shelter workers’ estimated his age to be about 5 months. As Elliot grew he resembled a mix between a White Labrador and A Great Pyrenees. Elliot was always a very active dog. He was a regular at the beach and also enjoyed to roam his 3 acre property.

Elliot turned eleven in December of 2006. It was around this time, that I began to notice some changes. One night he began to urinate in the living room. He didn’t bother to alert us or anything, he just looked at us and urinated. It almost seemed liked defiance, but he wasn’t that type of dog. The next day I noticed blood streaming out with his urine. I made an appointment with his veterinarian. The vet put Elliot on antibiotics. Two weeks went by and no blood was visible. About a month later, it began again. Same vet, same antibiotics. After the third try, the vet ordered a blood test to see if his liver was healthy. I was a bit confused but I figured “what did I know?” The tests came back normal.

When all of this happened again in June, I opted to change veterinarians. I had spent over one thousand dollars on tests and no one had any answers for me. The new veterinarian put Elliot on more antibiotics and ordered a cat scan to check his bladder. The test revealed that Elliot had a large tumor growing in his bladder. More tests later revealed that the mass was cancerous and had spread to his oral cavity as well.

Elliot was given about six more months of “quality” life, if I obeyed the following rules: 1. Removal of half of his bladder. 2. removal of (half) the lower part of his jaw. 3. Chemotherapy 4. Radiation. What kind of “quality” life includes any of these things, let alone all of them? They explained that my dog would have to urinate extremely frequently and that it would be best to leave him in an area of the house where clean-up would be easy. The absence of most of his lower jaw would cause him to be wet all the time as the saliva would be flowing out constantly. I was told not to worry because dogs and cats do extremely well with chemotherapy and radiation. As I walked out of that office, I was heartbroken. I knew that I would be putting my dog down very soon. My dog had lived a beautiful life until now and I wasn’t about to let him die in agony, with half of his bladder and half of his lower jaw, just so that I could have him for another six months. That’s not love, that’s selfishness.

But Elliot wasn’t suffering. Not yet anyway. I would never have allowed that. I decided to see if there were any other options for him. My search ultimately led me to a holistic food retailer. To my surprise, this place was next door to my veterinarian’s office. A place I had passed a million times but never entered. I explained my situation to the ladies and they began to give me so much hope. One by one, they placed items in a bag and within twenty minutes, I was off with my remedies… A months worth of raw food! Raw food! I could hardly believe it, but it was worth a try.

For the next month I fed Elliot natural supplements, raw dehydrated food, raw meats, raw vegetables, omega rich oils and the dog came back to life. Literally! He began to run again, he could stretch his body out completely. He could chase the cat again, he urinated without straining, his appetite was back, the blood in his urine was gone and I knew that the dog felt good again. I knew he was happy! I noticed the difference within three weeks of changing his food. That’s all! Just his food! My twelve year old dog was five again. It was not chemotherapy or radiation or extreme surgeries that kept his cancer at bay, it was wholesome, proper nutrition.

Elliot was given a maximum of six months with conventional medicine and treatment. We were able to buy him a year of real quality life, naturally. My only regret is, I wished I had known about raw food sooner.

Thank you Cami and everyone at The Honest Kitchen for providing such a fantastic product! I am and always will be a faithful customer.

Thank you for allowing me to share my story,

Kate Salmon

Great article. This subject is often neglected by dog owners. I’m a huge believer in providing my dogs with mental stimulation. (Thomas).

By:

Diane Podolsky is an Examiner from New York. You can see Diane’s articles on Diane’s Home Page.

In many ways, modern pet dogs have great lives. They are kept clean, receive excellent veterinary care and sleep on bedding most of us would like to have for ourselves. But often there is an important quality of life factor that is overlooked: their mental health.

“Mental health?” you might ask. “Really?” Yes. Really. Boredom is at the root of many of the problems people experience with their dogs. And some dogs are unnecessarily fearful because their families did not know how to prevent this problem from developing or were unaware that they needed to take it seriously when symptoms began to appear.

Dogs in well-run animal shelters, such as the San Francisco SPCA (SFSPCA), are offered leash walks each day, off leash play opportunities with other dogs, opportunities to dissect donated plush toys and eat their meals from stuffed Kongs. The luckiest ones attend training classes, too.

What does your dog do all day? Is your dog’s life as enriched as an SFSPCA shelter dog’s? When you come home in the evening, are you tired and eager to curl up with a good book or looking forward to watching your favorite TV show? Yet there’s Fido, full of mental and physical energy, wanting to play and go, go, go, after saving energy all day by being “good” and sleeping while you were gone! Both of you have needs and both of your needs are very understandable. And yet, at least sometimes, incompatible!

Suggestions from Diane Podolsky, CPDT, CTC of The Cultured Canine:

To help you meet your dog’s mental health needs (and your own), here are a few general suggestions. Each dog’s activity level varies by breed, age and individual, so bear that in mind when considering these options. One size does not fit all! And always check with your vet before increasing your dog’s activity level, even if your dog is in good health.

• Dogs are most active at dawn and dusk. So see if getting up a bit earlier and taking a brisk 20 minute walk helps your dog burn off some energy. For mental benefit, don’t just walk – train, too! Stop every few minutes for a Sit break. (If your dog does not know how to Sit, here’s a reason to teach it!) Feed your dog some of her breakfast each time she Sits for you. Reverse direction and feed her for coming along with you quickly. Make the walk interesting!
• When you return from your early morning walk, train your dog for 5-10 minutes. Work on a new trick or polish an existing one. Feed your dog part of her breakfast this way.
• Repeat this routine in the evening, too.
• Stuff a Kong or other puzzle toy for entertainment after you leave. No food bowl – boring! It is much more interesting to figure out how to extract food from a puzzle like a Kong than it is to simply gulp food from a bowl.
• Rotate your dog’s toys each day. Try scenting them with vanilla, anise or lavender. Or put them in the laundry bin with your workout clothes before presenting them to your dog – a real treat!
• Instead of leaving your dog’s toys out on the floor or in his toy box, hide the toys around your home. Dogs are natural scavengers. They love to discover things in novel locations.
• Teach your dog to come reliably when called and use the recall exercises for physical exercise. Then visit your local dog park a few times each week in the early evening. By the time you go home, your dog will be ready for the sofa, especially after your dinnertime training session.
• Teach your dog to be a calm passenger in the car or a good citizen on the Metro North train. Then go on a small adventure on Sunday morning to a new park, suburban town or into the big city instead of just staying home. Dogs need a change of environment, too.A successful outing not only provides a change of scenery; it is an opportunity for your dog to exercise her problem solving skills. Behaving politely in public (riding in the car, waiting calmly to exit and enter the car, walking with a loose leash past distractions, sitting to greet new people) are all opportunities to practice decision making skills: which behaviors lead to good things for dogs? This is a valuable form of mental exercise!
• Consider dog sports like agility, rally or breed specific activities like lure coursing or earth dog activities. There are local clubs organized for all kinds of dog-related activities. You’ll make new friends and your dog will also.

Work tiny training activities into your daily routine. A sit-stay at the front door each time you go out gives your dog mental work to do (and a chance to earn a treat and a positive interaction with you). Walking attentively next to you anticipating a treat at random intervals is much more interesting than just walking along the same old route while you talk on your cell phone.

A Certified Professional Dog Trainer can teach you and your dog a set of cued behaviors that can be worked into games that you can play together inside and outside to provide your dog with the mental stimulation he or she needs. And your trainer can help you enrich your dog’s home environment to make it more interesting for your pet. Remember: your dog’s mental health helps yours, too!

Since I travel with dogs I find this to be good information. (Thomas). It is from: Mail Tribune in Medford Oregon

Successful dog camping depends on knowing the challenges pets face in unfamiliar surroundings

By Althea Godfrey

Camping, the iconic American vacation, is especially appealing this year, because it implies a simple and inexpensive holiday solution. For families with dogs, that often means bringing the pooch along.

“It’s a blast. They love it and then they sleep for a week afterward,” says Holly Ferguson of Medford. “After day two of camping, Moonshine just lays on her side, asleep.”

Successful camping with dogs means becoming aware of the challenges pets face in unfamiliar and often remote locations. You don’t want your camping trip to be curtains for your dog.

“The biggest danger is losing your dog,” says Sky Loos, education and community outreach manager at the Southern Oregon Humane Society, a no-kill shelter in Medford. Strays usually go to county animal shelters, which generally have a time limit for holding animals.

Tags and a micro-chip are basic identifiers, but according to the Humane Society Web site, microchips inserted after 2003 are not universal and may not register on scanners in other regions.

“Attach an extra tag saying what campground you are staying in,” says Loos. “Or add one with an alternate phone number, like a neighbor’s number or your cell phone.” Then, if someone finds your lost dog and calls when you are still in the woods, you can respond. If your answering machine or service can be accessed when away from home, make sure to know the access code before you leave.

An “emergency recall” can help keep your dog near you and out of trouble, says Wendy Pool, owner of True Companion Training in Medford. Different than your usual “come” command, this is a word you teach the dog to associate with lavish rewards of really special treats, like meat, games or car rides. Vary rewards your dog loves when you use the command, repeating daily at first and gradually diminishing frequency. To maintain, use the command and rewards at least once a month. “Everybody in the family should be able to use the word,” says Pool.

Make sure your dogs are up to date on their vaccinations, because wild animals can be sources of diseases like Lyme, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and rabies. Protect your dog from ticks and fleas with a “spot” treatment like Frontline or Advantage. “Make sure they are on a heartworm preventative, since they are exposed to more mosquitoes, carriers of the parasite, in wilderness areas,” says Pool.

Know basic animal first aid and include items in your first-aid kit for them: gauze wrap, tweezers for splinters and ticks, vet wrap (sticks to itself, not fur), antibiotic ointment, turkey baster (to flush wounds), and hydrogen peroxide, says Loos. Bring a doggie first-aid book, with mouth-to-mouth and CPR described, she said.

After any hike, check your dog for unwanted hitchhikers, including foxtails. These fuzzy grass-seed heads can do terrible damage. Since dogs love to snuffle the ground, they are in danger of getting these sticky barbs in their noses, ears and underbelly. Prevention is key, since once inside your dog the seeds may migrate, cause pain and even damage internal organs.

With your own sense of liberation expanded, you may be tempted to share the freedom by allowing your dog to roam off leash. While Forest Service and BLM trails do allow this, dogs must be in “strict voice control,” because that kind of freedom carries risks.

Ferguson is concerned about aggressive dogs. “The worst problem I’ve encountered is when other dogs not on a leash attack my dog.”

“Hikers should consider what might happen if their dog encounters horses, a mountain biker, other people or an animal on the trail,” says Paul Galloway, partnership coordinator for the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest. “They have to consider the pet’s safety, public safety and the potential to harass wildlife.”

Pool tells a story about an unleashed dog scaring up a bear that proceeded to target the dog owner. The man got away unharmed, but bears, skunks, snakes, deer and cougar present risks. More subtly, an unleashed dog can run through poison oak. Once the family touches him, it’s an itchy vacation.

While in campgrounds and developed areas, a leash is generally required, and always carry bags for the inevitable. “Pick up after your pet. That’s a big campground faux pas,” Loos says. And it’s another way disease spreads.

A different problem occurs when campers leave a dog tied out. Don’t do it, says Pool. “They are bait for aggressive dogs or can be approached by strange children.” Even a dog that has never shown aggression may do so with the combination of anxiety and frustration caused by being tied out in a strange place. “Frustration and aggression are linked,” says Pool.

Consider bringing an X-pen — a metal fold-up enclosure that allows your dog more freedom. Even then, “it’s best to say with your dog.” Pool says. “Being left alone in an unfamiliar place is frightening.”

Some dogs bark and howl all night, says Ferguson, voicing a common complaint.

Scared dogs bark and howl in an effort to contact the owner, says Pool, who recommends a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter to occupy the jaw. If a dog startles easily, limiting what can be seen and heard decreases barking.

Following these guidelines may add a few steps to packing the car, but they will ensure a trip that leaves the drama to the landscape. Wasn’t that what you had in mind?

This is a good article by Jen from Illinois. She recently switched to raw after her dog was diagnosed with cancer. Read more here

It’s no coincidence that my first real “meaty” post (oops…no pun intended!) on this blog is about raw food diets. The raw diet is probably the best thing I’ve learned from Indiana’s experience, and something I wish with all my heart I had learned about 11 years ago when I became a parent. Alas, I had to learn the hard way. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Learn about raw food now, read about it with an open mind, and give it a try. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

I first learned about the raw food diet from the wonderful Dr. Karen Becker. On our first consultation with her, after Indiana’s cancer diagnosis, she explained that it was vitally important that dogs with cancer eat a grain-free diet. Standard commercial kibbles and canned foods are PACKED with grain (mostly corn). Honestly, grain isn’t good for a healthy pet, let alone one with a weakened immune system. Cancer feeds off carbs (especially true for tumor-based cancers), so feeding a diet high in grains is essentially feeding the cancer. Indiana had struggled with weight problems her whole life, so we had her on a kibble that we felt was the healthiest. While I won’t name names just yet, it was a “premium” kibble, and it was the “weight management” formula, which Dr. Becker informed me was around 80% grains. Gasp! Aren’t dogs carnivores, for heaven’s sake?

And so we began our slow transition to raw foods. Both Indiana and Isis were put on canned foods alone–no kibble (canned is so much healthier for dogs, because it has more meat and more moisture). Slowly, we added in raw foods over a period of about eight months. Dr. Becker was really careful with Indiana, because of the fact that she’s missing part of her stomach. We also added in a digestive enzyme, Prozyme (it’s good stuff) to help. We still use Prozyme today, with all of our pets.

A lot of people have a tough time with the idea of a raw diet. They worry about the bacteria. Well, many vets think dogs’ stomachs are much more adapted to bacteria than our own, making the bacteria not a big deal. Plus, if you handle the meat properly (keeping it frozen, etc.), bacteria shouldn’t be an issue. We’ve fed raw exclusively for two and a half years now with no problems whatsoever. For crying out load, doesn’t your dog eat poo or dead animals off the ground? I know mine do. No bacteria there, uh uh.

Other parents are concerned that raw food is “gross.” I’m a vegetarian, folks; if I can do it, you can do it.

Another worry about raw food is the cost. Is it more expensive than kibble? You bet. Is it worth every penny? No doubt. I won’t deny that not every family can afford to feed a raw diet. But every family should consider a raw diet and see if they can swing the cost. I’m going to be incredibly unhelpful here and tell you I have no idea how much I spend each month on pet food. It’s a lot. But feeding our kids the healthiest diet possible is a big priority for Jim and I, and we’re willing to make budget cuts in other places in order to keep our kids in fresh meat. I feel so good about feeding raw, I’ll always find a way to make it work.

The biggest obstacle you’ll reach is probably your veterinarian, unless you’re blessed to have someone like Dr. Becker. I’ll save the drama for another post, but I’ll just make this statement: vet school nutrition classes are taught by the commercial pet food brand manufacturers. A bias there, perhaps? Do your research, follow your gut instinct, and sometimes you just have to do your own thing. I actually had an oncologist basically tell us we would kill Indiana by putting her on the raw diet. Hrmph. Shows how much she knows.

So I’ve talked a bit about common raw food concerns. You’re probably still wondering–if it’s so controversial, what makes it so great? Aha. Here’s where it gets good. The benefits of a raw food diet include, but are certainly not limited to:

• weight control (Indiana is at her ideal weight for the first time EVER!)
• decrease in allergies (many pets are allergic to grains)
• immune boosting (fresh, chemical-free ingredients–it’s ideal!)
• improved joint function
• clear skin and shiny coat

Take those benefits and multiply them by 1000, which will then tell you how awesome the raw diet is. I seriously understate it.

It’s important to mention that kibbles aren’t the best diet for a pet. They’re processed–highly processed. I could blabber on forever about this (and I will later, trust me), but Dr. Becker puts it best, I think:

“To think we could sustain life on a 100% processed diet is conceivable, but to thrive…it’s not possible. Much like trying to sustain your kids on Ensure© liquid beverage; it’s 100% nutritionally complete but if that’s all kids were fed generation after generation, overall health would deteriorate. All life requires living foods for health. Can you and your pets survive on canned/boxed foods? Sure. Can you or you pets thrive on canned/boxed foods? No. It’s that simple.”

Over the next week or so, I’ll be sharing more about my pets’ diets with you. I make a homemade diet (vet-approved), so I’ll share pictures of our process. I ask you to follow me with an open mind, and I encourage you to do your own research. There’s a lot of information out there, both pro and con, and I suggest you read both. I’ll talk about diet a lot over the course of this blog, as diet is the fundamental building block of health. I also happen to be pretty obsessed with the topic!

From your4state.com

FREDERICK, MD – A group of gentle giants known as Great Danes made a stop in Frederick on Saturday.

The Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League set up shop in the humane society to teach people about the breed of dogs.

Volunteers say they rescued twice as many dogs in 2008 than in 2007.

They say the economy is hitting the animal world hard but it affects big dogs the most.

Valerie Perrin from the rescue said, “We have people, who are losing their house, and there’s no place to rent, they don’t take large dogs. Even some of the few ones that do, they have breed restrictions, and they’ll be on the breed restriction list.”

If you are interested in Great Danes the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League will be back at the Frederick Humane Society August 22.

This great information. I have feed my Great Danes raw for over 8 years and they have never had parasites or fleas. I’m sure this is due to the food I feed them. Thomas.

This article is from: Tricia Spencer suite101.com You can see full article here

How to Organically Control Dog Fleas, Worms and Other Pests

© Tricia Spencer

Jul 10, 2009

Alleviating parasite problems for dogs using natural methods instead of harsh pesticides and other chemicals is possible and easy.

Fleas, worms and ticks are the most common parasites dog owners contend with, and while there is a cornucopia of commercial products to deal with these issues, they are not for everyone. Not every pet owner wishes to subject their dogs to the potentially harmful side effects of chemicals.

Dog Health and Parasites

The first consideration for a dog with parasites is diet. Dogs fed only de-natured, commercial pet food can suffer from parasites due to poor nutrition.

A parasite is defined by Webster’s New World College Dictionary as: “a plant or animal that lives on or in an organism of another species from which it derives sustenance or protection without benefit to, and usually with harmful effects on, the host.”

Parasites, by nature, find their greatest host source to be an animal that is in ill health, and the first and best defense against parasites is a healthy body. A dog achieves a healthy body through a diet rich in whole food nutrients. Commercial pet food, particularly kibble, is void of anything fresh or raw and is filled with undesirable ingredients dogs should avoid, like the excessive fluoride in the bone meal common in commercial pet food.

Grains are another unhealthful culprit in commercial dog food. Most skin problems in dogs can be corrected by removing all grains from a dog’s diet. Dogs do not need, and are often harmed by, grains. A dog’s short digestive tract is not intended to process field grains.

A diet rich in raw, whole, fresh dog-appropriate foods helps to build the animal’s immune system and ward off parasitic infestation.

Natural De-Worming and Dog Flea Control

Almost all puppies inherit worms from their mothers. And while the worms need to be eliminated, the practice of administering harsh drugs to kill those worms is mostly unnecessary. With the exception of heartworm, worms can be naturally addressed. Some natural sources that help with de-worming and flea and tick control include:

• Powdered raw pumpkin seed – Pumpkin seed not only helps keep internal parasites at bay, it acts as a digestive aid that helps prevent gas and bloating. Pumpkin seed is especially effective in eliminating tapeworms.
• Coconut – Coconut (unsweetened, finely ground) expels internal parasites from the gut and can relieve issues such as irritable bowel syndrome in dogs.
• Fennel – Fennel aids in worm expulsion and in soothing other digestive issues. It can be administered as a powder sprinkled over food, or given as a fennel tea to drink.
• Garlic – Parasites do not like the garlic scent detectable on the skin of the host animal, and pests will choose to move on to an animal whose body does not emit that smell. Garlic also promotes a healthy immune system. Fresh garlic can be fed to dogs in moderation. But garlic’s cousin, the onion, is deadly to dogs. Onions cannot be substituted for garlic.
• Citrus – Parasites react unfavorably to citrus. A spray made from boiled and strained lemons can act as a flea repellent.
• Food grade diatomaceous earth – When added to the dog’s diet, food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) kills worms internally. Made from miniscule sea creatures, the ingested earth attacks the worms’ skeletons causing them to die and be eliminated through the dog’s waste.

Very important notes about diatomaceous earth:

• Food grade diatomaceous earth is not the same diatomaceous earth used in swimming pools. Swimming pool diatomaceous earth is toxic and can kill a dog. For use with dogs, or people, only Food Grade diatomaceous earth is acceptable.
• Food grade diatomaceous earth can also be occasionally and gently rubbed into a dog’s fur or ground into bedding to deter fleas. Food grade diatomaceous earth is perfectly safe to ingest, however, inhaling the dust is harmful to the lungs of people and pets. Safe handling of DE requires precautions to insure that the dust will not be inhaled or reach the eyes.

Adopting Safe and Sane Canine Parasite Prevention and Resolution

The five steps to optimal parasite-free health are:

• A healthy, raw diet as close to organic as possible with unlimited fresh water
• Natural pest control from Mother Nature’s bountiful resources
• Attention to natural grooming with clean living quarters
• Diligent research and education
• The regular use of a flea comb

One key to determining how much of any food source to use is to begin small and increase dosage until results are achieved. However, one individual clove per day is generally the garlic maximum for a medium to large dog, less for smaller dogs.

Dogs can lead healthy, happy lives without incurring adverse consequences from harsh chemical solutions that spawn damaging, sometimes deadly, side effects. Adverse effects from chemicals are not always readily apparent and may manifest as multiple diseases weeks, months or even years after the dog has been exposed.

A homeopathic or holistic vet can help steer dog owners with an interest in natural canine health toward a chemical-free existence.

Every dog deserves a healthy life free of harmful parasites, but trading the parasites for cures that harm does not have to be the answer.

For additional healthy dog reading, consider Four Easy and Natural Dog Food Treat Recipes.

**Diatomaceous Earth photo used with permission of Wolf Creek Ranch