Breed Spotlight: The Yorkshire Terrier
Who among us can resist the sweet face and devoted nature of the Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie as we affectionately refer to them? As more and more of us move into apartments and condominiums, this American Kennel Club recognized toy breed has become very popular. They are compact and convenient in size and are highy portable, fitting into satchels and baskets quite nicely. No surprise considering they were bred as ratters to fit into the pockets of English miners and for work in clothing mills. Their breed standard is only a maximum of 7lbs.
A healthy silky-coated Yorkie will proudly display his long, glossy hair. This long straight hair does need regular maintenance or professional grooming. It especially helps to keep the hair around the muzzle trimmed to keep them neat and tidy. The soft-coated Yorkies do not require as much brushing or maintenance. (more…)
Puppy Mills vs. Responsible Breeders
We’re sometimes asked why we are so strongly opposed to allowing our foods to be sold in retail outlets that sell puppies and kittens. Some people have also questioned our support of special pricing for approved breeders. Here is a little insight on our policy and if you have more questions, do feel free to ask.
We have refused to allow Honest Kitchen products to be sold in stores that sell puppies and kittens for the past eight years and remain committed to this policy today.
We believe that puppy mills do not constitute ‘responsible breeders’, since puppy-mill pets are not sufficiently socialized to normal everyday situations, causing them to suffer various social problems and making them difficult house pets – which in turn makes them even more at risk of ending their days in a shelter.
There are about 100,000 to 200,000 dogs inside puppy mills at any given time in the United States. In addition, puppy mills do not offer lifetime support to puppy owners and do not agree to take back any puppy they have raised, for the duration of its entire life, as a responsible breeder does. Also, when puppies are sold in retail outlets, there is insufficient vetting of new homes to ensure that owners are sufficiently educated on how to care for their new animal, have the means to care for their new family member and properly understand the lifetime responsibility they are undertaking.
The mass scale breeding of puppies on farms, transportation across the country and re-sale in shops is the single biggest cause of massive over-population of companion animals in the United States and has caused puppies to be considered as commodities or possessions rather than members of the family. The greatest victims in the puppy mill problem are the breeding parents, because they will live their life in a cage and it generally ends fairly brutally.
We do, however, support the sale of our Honest Kitchen products to, and by, responsible breeders. A truly responsible breeder’s puppies would never be sold through a retail store and most certainly would not end up living or dying in a shelter. Why? Because a) responsible breeders thoroughly ‘vet’ prospective new homes to ensure they have the knowledge, time and resources to care for one of their pups and b) a responsible breeder takes responsibility for the life of any animal they breed and would take back an animal in the event that the unthinkable happened and the dog had to be re-homed.
Responsible breeders are involved in the preservation of their breed, not for financial gain. They breed for temperament, soundness and good genetics and take great care to select parents that possess various traits desired in offspring. Responsible breeders are often involved with breed-specific rescue groups, and have the best intentions for the welfare of the breed they love and respect so much. That’s not to say that every breeder does this. We all know that some unscrupulous breeders, over-breed or breed irresponsibly for unacceptable traits (such as an excessively squished nose, or too small a head or body, causing terrible congenital health problems in offspring).
The real problem the pet-retention problem, where people do not retain or provide a lifetime home for the pets they acquire and are too quick to give them up to shelters due to a move or other changes in circumstances. Many wonderful animals are currently in shelters waiting for a loving home. Some of us at The Hones Kitchen and many of our customers, have been able to offer homes to such animals and as a company, we frequently donate food, and money to various rescue organizations.
Of course with a sensitive subject such as this, there are lots of opinions about what is right and wrong. But we do feel there is a very important difference between responsible breeders and those who have unplanned litters, fail to screen prospective owners, sell animals as ‘goods’ and don’t offer a lifetime of support to the animals they breed.
If you’d like further information on what constitutes a responsible breeder, The Whole Dog Journal has an outstanding article. For additional information and resources please contact us — we’re happy to help.
Holistic Care for Puppies
The following natural remedies can help your new puppy through the early, formative weeks and months of life and alleviate some of the troubles associated with joining a new family and growing into a mature, healthy and emotionally strong young dog.
Anxiety
Chamomile Tea can be used to help calm an anxious pup. Simply brew a cup of tea using one chamomile teabag and pour the brew on her food. This can be a useful holistic tool to help take the edge off when crate training and separation anxiety if you serve the tea a half hour or so prior to alone time.
Chestnut Bud Flower Essence assists with learning and helps a young developing mind to form positive associations. It can also help a young pup to think quickly for himself and sharpen his cognitive skills.
Walnut Flower Essence is useful to support a young puppy during a time of change. The essence helps in socialization and dealing with new experiences.
Mimulus and Larch Flower Essences both help with confidence and a sense of emotional security. These two essences are recommended even if a pup doesn’t appear anxious because they can help to alleviate even minimal feelings of nervousness before they escalate.
Elm Flower Essence helps a puppy cope with the sensory overload of moving to a new home – adjustment to a new routine, different surroundings and family members.
Beech and Wild Rose Flower Essences are good remedies to consider for existing pets in the household who may be unsettled by the arrival of a new pup. These remedies help with acceptance and adjustment.
Diet
New surroundings and separation from littermates can make a new pup reluctant to eat, as anxiety plays havoc with his tummy. Avoid hand-feeding or cajoling your pup. Instead, offer small meals and take them away after 15 minutes even if unfinished.
Even if your puppy had been raised on a food you aren’t comfortable feeding, do stick with his original food for a couple of days and then phase in a new diet gradually; start off with a small amount of the new diet and then increase to half and half – eventually phasing out the old food completely after a week or so.
Digestive Upset
Live-culture yogurt (or another source of probiotics) can help to settle the GI tract Honey can be useful for stimulating the appetite in some cases. Both these foods are useful for occasional puppy tummy upsets and diarrhea, too.
Arsenicum album is excellent for GI upset caused by puppy eating something she shouldn’t, such as garbage, food poisoning or simply eating too much. (But if the consumed object is something non-food based, a trip to the vet may be in order to rule out an obstruction which could represent a serious health concern).
Homeopathic Nux Vomica and Ipecacuanha are useful for vomiting. Carbo Vegetabilis is a homeopathic remedy that’s very useful for occasional gas. Hylands makes a good all-round diarrhea remedy called Diarrex, if you can’t decide which single remedy to use,
A 24 hour fast, withholding food and water, is also helpful for cases of vomiting and diarrhea. Withholding just food is usually recommended for cases of diarrhea without vomiting.
Slippery Elm is an excellent herb for soothing an upset GI tract – it soothes and settles inflammation, helping digestive functions return to normal.
Fleas
Brewers Yeast and Garlic supplements, adding to your puppy’s food, can help with more moderate flea problems that don’t warrant topical medications.
Mange
This results from an excessive multiplication of the mites that live normally in a dog’s hair follicles, when a puppy’s immune system is depleted for some reason. This often happens in a weak pup after excessive vaccination, spaying and neutering.
Soaking the affected areas in a mix of Neem oil (about 15 drops in a bowl of warm water) can be helpful but take care to avoid the delicate eye area.
Fortifying the immune system with antioxidants like Vitamin E, as well as Colloidal Silver and a good quality fish oil supplement is also recommended. And a wholesome, natural diet is essential to ensure the immune system is able to restore itself properly.
Puppy Colds
Sneezing and a clear discharge form the eyes and nose may signify a puppy cold. If that’s the case, early administration of homeopathic Aconitum Napellus is useful in the very early stages when symptoms first appear.
Slow Development
Homeopathic Calcium Carbonate is useful for a variety of developmental problems, from slow growth of bones and teeth, joint pain and painful teething to entropion (inverted eyelids) and even anal gland problems and eczema.
Teething
Hylands Teething Remedy for children is an excellent option for pups who are teething and want to chew everything they can get their paws on. This remedy helps with restlessness, irritability and other symptoms related to getting new teeth.
Homeopathic Calcium Phosphate is a mineral-salt remedy that supports the healthy growth of bones and teeth as well as painful joints associated with growth.
Chamomile – some vets recommend steeping a chamomile teabag in hot water and then cooling it in the fridge. Once it’s cold, the teabag can be applied directly to the gums.
Training
Chestnut Bud flower essence helps with healthy cognitive development. Combined with a training regimen based on fair and consistent ground-rules and positive reinforcement, Chestnut Bud can help a pup to think clearly and absorb all the new things he learns.
Vaccinations
Vaccinate minimally. Discuss the specific disease risks your puppy faces through geographic location and lifestyle, with your holistic veterinarian and choose a vaccine protocol that’s most appropriate.
Thuja occidentalis is a homeopathic remedy that can be given before and after vaccines are administered, and helps to minimize the risk of adverse reactions. Thuja has also been used successfully in alleviating vaccinosis and other less severe adverse reactions after they occur – for example lumps that develop and won’t go away after a rabies vaccine is given.
