Dog Treat Review (Yay): Yöghund (Slurp)

Yöghund, because it feels good. Yöghund, makes hair grow on your dog's chest. Yöghund, once you start licking it, you can't stop... You have entered the yöghund zone. How do you get out? You don't until the last little bit of your yöghund is consumed.

 Making every yöghund lick count!

The other day, another humid scorcher in Los Angeles, my pack and I did a lot of panting. We lounged, panted, and lounged some more. We were miserable. Our human is not an a/c fan. I, the hypothermic teacup chihuahua, couldn't even use my heating pad, that's how hot it was. My tongue was sticking out, as I waited for the temperature to drop and dreamt of small dog treats. When a friend of M's came by and suggested we all go for yöghund, we didn't know what we were in for. 

We were in for the best dog treat of our lives!

You can tell we loved our dog treats. During our taste test, yöghund got a raving 10 out of 10, but what is yöghund and how safe is it for dogs? It is an organic treat loaded with nutrients. Yöghund is also low on calories so that even those fighting dog obesity can enjoy without guilt. I believe there are three yöghund flavors in the market: Organic Banana and Peanut Butter, Organic Blueberry and Vanilla Bean, Natural Peanut Butter and Papaya, and  Natural Apple and Cheddar. Yöghund is real yogurt. It is produced by the fermentation of organic, low-fat milk containing live bacterial cultures (probiotics), known to aid the digestive and the immune system while helping with nutrient absorption. The Banana and Peanut Butter yöghund recipe contains potassium rich bananas, also a great source of  inulin, along with rich in antioxidants and flavor peanuts. The Blueberry and Vanilla Bean recipe includes all the antioxidants and vitamins found in the vanilla beans and the blueberries. 

Yöghund is a healthy dog treat alternative for the health and fitness conscious.

Yöghund also comes with the TBD Brands guarantee: If you or your dog are not completely satisfied with your order, we will gladly replace your order or refund your money. You can find this on the yöghund website along with a store locator, so you can run out and get your own yöghund! 

I said, get your own yöghund!

Yöghund is to be enjoyed by small dogs and large ones too. It's the perfect summertime treat because it's healthy and delicious. There's only one negative thing I have to say about yöghund: 

It's finished.

Still here? Go get your own yöghund, you can stop by and thank me later.

Twinkie

Did Somebody Say "Dog Treats"?

Another crazy day at the horse barn with the rest of the rescue dogs had us all starving! Sure, we did find a hoof clipping to munch on, some even stole some food, but the rest of us were simply dying of hunger! One of the horseback riders, was kind enough to break out the bag of dog treats. Sure, these were no Himalayan Dog Chew treats, but I get those at home regularly.

We all gathered together, around the good samaritan, waiting for out dog treats.

Madi (left), the blue heeler, got a new hairdo. I think she looks funny. I think that she thinks she looks funny too. Since her new do, she's been hiding. With the "fun police" in hiding, the rest of us get to run wild!

Of course, nobody really hides when the treat bag is opened.

Check out the clingy doxie pups.

Here you can see Boomer, the chihuahua, having moved up to an advantageous position.

Holly, the other blue heeler (right) has boubled in size since her dog adoption a few short months ago. Her mom says she could gain more. I guess Holly doesn't have to worry about dog obesity like my brindle chiweenie sissy.

Hey, guys! Make some room.

Don't worry. My entire pack got lots of dog treats too. Everyone gets both tender loving care and tender loving treats at our horse barn. It's a dog utopia. 

Twinkie

Starving Chiweenie Plea

Ever since our last dog vet visits, one thing is apparent, with me as the sole exception, the rest of the pack needs to lose weight. The chiweenie, Frankie, didn't take the news very well. She does not consider herself in any way overweight so she's rather upset about having to go on a diet. M is determined. She realizes the dangers lurking behind dog obesity and wants to keep the pack healthy and happy for as long as possible.
According to the dog vet, the chiweenie, has to lose ONE pound. One pound may not seem much to most but considering that the chiweenie's weight is only NINE pounds . . .

. . . it's a bit much. 

The "diet" was going well, until last Monday. M had been cutting back Frankie's caloric intake slowly but surely. On Monday we were moving so there were lots of people in our home and one of them left a bean burrito on the coffee table. Frankie assumed it was for her. M was livid but there wasn't much she could do short of wearing an oxygen mask and waiting it out. This was a first. Apparently the chiweenie will be honored by having her name added to the Counter Surfers' Hall of Fame.

"I would prefer dog treats to honor."

I feel for the chiweenie, a.k.a. the brindle burrito!

Twinkie

AKC Canine Good Citizen Exam

The moment you've all been waiting for! Roxie's Canine Good Citizen exam was this past Monday and the verdict is in! But first, I would personally like to thank you for all the encouraging, funny, and warm comments you all left for Roxie on my last post. I printed them out and handed them to Roxie's mom (handler) right before they were to take the exam, just around the time Roxie's mom mentioned that she felt she was about to take her SAT.

We kept up the tradition of the last Canine Good Citizen helping out with the next dog's exam. Frankie had to work not just with Roxie, but with three dogs. 

She was a trooper. Brave chiweenie!

Molly passed the canine good citizen test with flying colors.

She's a rescue dog. She wondered off the streets on her own into her new forever home.

Congratulations Molly, on your certification and your choice in homes.

This is Pete. Another rescue dog.

He was awesome. His least favorite part was "supervised separation". He missed his handler, but he behaved, therefore he too passed.

Maybe the chiweenie brings good luck.

Our beloved Roxie.

Notice the star on her pretty brindle boston terrier face.

She sure passed, no doubts about it. She was on her best behavior ever!

We're really proud of our Roxie. 

Despite the fact that her's is considered a "hyper" breed, and despite the fact that she's one of the youngest canines to pass the test, at 8 months, she was awesome!

Wait a minute! What's this about?

After she passed, Roxie tried to make friends with Frankie, once again.

While Frankie wasn't too pleased about it, she wasn't too upset either. 

Frankie and Roxie have a play-date scheduled in the near future. (BOL)

The GRAND FINALE

Roxie's mommy brought the chiweenie the best dog treat the brindle spaz had ever seen.

She didn't complain. She chose instead to delicately lick it.

Thank you Roxie and mommy. I had some too, and so did Linguini, and we still have some left. We're painfully aware of the dangers associated with dog obesity.

Roxie and Frankie had the same trainer. I have to tell you, both of them were not easy cases. Both were on the young side, particularly Roxie, and both had some difficult issues to work on. Neither would have made it without the help of one caring troubleshooting trainer. Our trainer is the best. She didn't just help with Roxie and Frankie, she helped with their handlers too, and only using positive reinforcement. Thank you Cyndy!

Congratulations Class of July 2010!

Twinkie

Dog Obesity

The obesity rate in the U.S. is still growing dramatically. About one third of of american adults are indeed obese. Great news for dogs: get off the couch and walk your pooch. Canine obesity is a serious matter. If you care about dog health, read on.

There are two main actions one can take to curb obesity: Eat less, exercise more. Same exact principal applies to your canine companion. 

1. Adjust the amount of food you give your dog. 

2. Provide your dog with regular physical activities, such as walks (a couple of times a day if there is already an issue), dog hiking, dog parks… 

All dogs are susceptible to obesity, just like humans, however those that are fed high calorie diets (that includes table scraps I'm afraid), and those that do not get adequate amounts of exercise are at risk. There are some breeds, such as doxies, beagles, and labradors that are known to be predisposed. 

Fact: Obesity affects 20-40% of all American dogs

Visible Signs: visible body fat, not visible ribs, from above your dog the belly is bulging out

Clinical consequences: difficulty exercising, walking, getting up or down, difficulty berating, and canine arthritis (in other words, extra stress on the already inflamed joints)

Causes: too much food very little if any exercise

Organs affected: bones and joints, lungs, heart and potential diseases include canine diabetes

Exceptions to the rule: hypothyroidism, insulinoma, intestinal parasites, fluid in the abdomen, pregnancy

The majority of dog obesity can be easily treated at home, cutting back on your dog's caloric intake and increasing the exercise periods. If you have tried this simple solution and see no results, it is a good idea to visit your dog vet for a proper evaluation, including blood tests that can rule out hormonal and thyroid disease. The dog vet is also where you can purchase low calorie kibble, although having checked all the ingredients on those (mainly byproducts and lots of corn meal), I recommend to stay away and instead use a good quality dog food in slightly smaller portions. Some dogs love canned pumpkin, green beans, carrots . . . See if your dog likes those. I personally use all of the above including a small dollop of non fat yogurt for my barely obese senior dog. I know many people who simply cut back by a quarter of a cup per day the food intake on a larger dog and they have no problems. I use both of my suggestions: I substitute some of the reduced kibble with veggies and I cut back a little of the dogs' food. This way, my dogs never know they are on a diet! Do not ever put a dog on a crash diet. That can both shock his system and make him miserable. Long term but steady weightless is the goal. 

Table scraps and treats are generally bad for dogs, but especially bad for overweight dogs. Some dog owners also use a large portion of dog treats, disproportionate to their dog's overall daily caloric intake. Be careful with that. A treat is just a treat, not a meal. The good news for dogs is that nowadays you can find many low calorie dog treats available. You can also substitute store bought treats with boiled chicken cubes, celery with a taste of peanut butter to make it more desirable, and experiment with carrots and other safe vegetables. All our dogs are nuts about carrots. 

Two cases:

1. Our brindle chiweenie is almost two years old and she weights 9 lbs. A week ago, during her physical, the vet recommended she loses one whole pound! That is almost 10% of her body weight. How did we miss it? Because of her age. As she is still growing, she would one day look chubby and the next normal. Now that we heard the dog vet's warning, We're watching her like a hawk and monitoring her food intake more than we did in the past. 

2. Our dalmatian and german shorthaired pointer mix is slightly overweight. Since she's almost 11 years old, a senior dog, she is also suffering from dog arthritis. I have to keep her weight as low as possible.

For both these dogs, I do as I said from the start of this post: healthy diet, regular exercise, and creative low calorie dog treats. My dogs' health is of chief importance. 

Twinkie