A thought went through my head and I was thinking, when I was feeling really lost about dogs, I was trying to google for help. It was kind of tough to find advice on good dog care in Singapore and so perhaps what I can do is to share my two-cents worth, others can comment and add on, and so, we can then all learn more...
So background:
I have two shelties, one from a responsible breeder, and another is from a petstore (long story, don't ask)... and given that they are both only 6 months apart, it's worth noting the different types of problems or conditions that will arise, given their different background.
The tri-coloured one (black, brown and white) is called Simba (the lion king) while the sable (brown and white) is called Xena (the warrior princess). So one male and one female. As of today's post date, Simba is 1.5 years old while Xena is 2 years old.
So weather...
Singapore being hot and humid, the dog's coat and skin condition is always the first to suffer. So lesson One... feed right and the dog will be healthier... there is no need for constant supplements and doing of this and that... (just like humans, eat right and a lot of things will fall into place)
BARF diet.
I have had quite a few dogs in my life and one of the greatest regret is that I did not realise how good this was (or back in those days, it was unheard of in SG)... but now that I have.. it has made so much of a difference.
Case Study 1: Simba
Simba has always had a good luxurious coat. So no issues at all and he moved from a cooked diet (which I later learnt was not as nutritious, as there are many other vitamins and minerals) for the first 6-8 months of his life to a BARF diet.
Case Study 2: Xena
Xena was pretty okay as a pup but up to about her 5th/6th month, started shedding like crazy, to the point where she looked like a rat. A trip to the vet showed that she could be allergic to something in the food. But as with all commercial dry feed (there is really no telling what could be the cause). We placed her on a croc meat (yes, you can get it from Giant and only Giant, none of the other supermarkets carried it, at least not to my knowledge) and sweet potato. As she was a puppy, we were still very reluctant to have her take the medication. so it was just for the first two days, then we stopped the medication. And the food change worked like a charm.
So back to BARF...
We then started this whole cooking for the dogs journey until Xena was almost a year old. Now what happened was a trip to the vet then revealed that while cooking food is all well and good, these is always the possibility that we are not able to balance their meals well (as there is a lot missing from the cooked food we gave, even if we add in veg and stuff). Fair enough statement as dogs when they hunt in the wild, have access to a lot more variety in their diet...
So after much consideration - we started on the BARF diet, and we haven't looked back since. For the record, we purchase Big Dog Barf. There are many other brands of course, but this seems to work, so we are sticking to it for now. The two dogs are super healthy... don't stink, near to no skin problems (ocassional heat spots, but even that is reducing), teeth can be improved.. but other than that, they are really problem free!
One comment I have had is that the dogs no longer have the "doggie" smell. So there is a bit, as they walk twice a day, but it's definitely not the strong scent that I have come to identify with dogs. So keep them healthy and the smell drops!
Now, I have had like three other dogs before these two, and the smell was a constant, coupled with skin conditions... and for the first time ever, I have two very healthy dogs who are not constantly grappling with bad stomachs and bad skin. I can't say it is 100% attributed to the diet, but I would say, given that we haven't changed that many other environmental conditions, I would say, the fact that they are so healthy and happy (and that makes me happy too) is largely attributed to the change in diet.
Don't do it cuz I said it's good, try it cuz your dog deserves a trial to improve their quality of life.
Anyhow... so what we do is to walk them twice a day and add just a bit of distance, e.g. 20-30 mins minimal, longer if schedule allows, really helps in the paw biting and gnawing... they really do that cuz they are bored, which then leads to skin conditions, which then leads to them biting and gnawing at their paws even more. Couple that with longer jaunts every weekend every two weeks, like visit to dog parks, beach, or just super long walks... really helps them not to be bored and pick up bad habits due to boredom.
No magic rule for walking, just probably that in Singapore avoid walks after 10am (too hot) and and evening walks can start around 6pm when sun is setting. I tend to do midnight walks due to my schedule, but with the help of family members, etc... the midnight walk most times are their 3rd walk...
And...that's all for now... :D
No comments:
Post a Comment