Spring Into Easter with an Omelette

Spring daffodils in Mainau, Germany

Spring is back for another year and with it comes Easter with all its beautiful colours. At this time of the season we see evidence of Easter with chocolate bunnies in the stores, beautiful daffodils on the kitchen table and of course, brightly coloured Easter eggs.

Eggs are a fantastic source of nutrition for your dog. They are jam packed with nutrition, affordable and delicious (well, ok I am assuming dogs think they are delicious by their manner of goggling them quickly).

Below is a quick little recipe for a nutritious Spring Easter Omelette.  This omelette can be served raw or flash fried for added palatability. I don’t recommend cooking the omelette completely as cooking changes the molecular structure of the proteins and insignificantly decreases their biological value (how easily they can be absorbed). Often you will read that raw eggs should not be fed to dogs, but I disagree. The myth goes that raw eggs will cause a biotin deficiency which will cause a dry, itchy coat. Biotin is important for fatty acid metabolism and cellular growth. In truth, egg whites do contain an enzyme inhibitor called avidin which does bind biotin (a B vitamin) making it indigestible. However, this problem can readily be solved by feeding the entire egg, as egg yolks contain one of the highest sources of biotin found in nature.  This recipe also contains liver which is another excellent source of biotin.

For extra information on eggs click here.

Spring Easter Omelette

4 fresh, organic eggs

½ cup fresh, organic beef liver

1 tbsp fresh cut parsley

1 cup finely chopped or pureed arugula

Mix vigorously and serve with your dog’s regular meal.

This recipe is ideal for a dog that is 50 lbs or higher. Half the recipe for dogs 25-50 lbs and quarter it for dogs under 25lbs. Remember that these are just guidelines and that feeding all about balance. Follow your common sense when preparing portions for your dog or cat (yup they are carnivores too!).

Green Lipped Mussels, a miracle food?

Canine Hip Dysplasia is a debilitating degenerative disease that affects a wide range of large breed dogs and some small breed dogs. When Kya, my German Shepherd, was only one year old, I noticed that towards the end of long walks, she would start to sway her hips. In addition, she was sensitive around her hips and would often have lick granulomas on her legs. Because of the granulomas I at first suspected allergies, but with her ever increasing wobbly gait, I brought her in for hip xrays. The results were devastating. Kya had severe hip dysplasia in both hips and already osteoarthritis was evident over her acetabulum socket.

Almost four years after this diagnosis Kya is still going strong. She receives daily supplements of liquid glucosamine and MSM, sardines, which are extremely high in vitamin B and omega 3s, and of course, her raw, vitamin and mineral rich, diet.

As Kya ages, I know her body will need more support to help remain agile and pain free. I therefore began a ‘google research’ campaign to investigate the various supplements used for hip dysplasia and arthritis. This search lead me to Green Lipped Mussels.  Green Lipped Mussels are considered by many as a new miracle food, particularly in the region of joint health. Green Lipped Mussels, or Perna canaliculus, are a type of shellfish that are found on the shores of New Zealand. These mussels have been consumed for years by the indigenous peoples of New Zealand, the Maoris and consequently have resulted in a remarkably low incident of joint disease and arthritis within the people. When analyzed, these mussels are shown to carry optimal levels of omega 3 essential fatty acid, glucosamine, MSM, enzymes, nucleic acids, naturally chelated minerals, vitamin D3 (cholecaliferol) and calcium.

Of in particular importance is this mussel’s ability to inhibit 5 lipoxygenase pathways, which leads to the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are eicosanoids derived from the oxidation of omega 6 and trigger the release of histamine, an inflammatory stimulator. Therefore, not only does this supplement inhibit inflammatory pathways, but it is also high in the other vitamins and minerals you need to promote joint health. Vitamin D3, for example, helps rebuild cartilage and tissue in the body as it is involved in normal calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. Deficiency of this vitamin can lead to arthritis.

In conclusion I’m pretty impressed with the potential benefits of this supplement and I’m definitely going to give it a try with Kya. I’m even thinking it for myself considering how my body feels this morning after an intensive hike yesterday. I’ll keep you posted on Kya’s progress and hopefully this summer will be her best yet!

Live your life like a dog!

To date I have been living in Radolfzell, Germany for four months. Radolfzell is a beautiful little village in the south of Germany very close to the Swiss border. From where I live it takes me about 5 minutes to walk to the Lake of Constance (the biggest lake in Europe) and 5 minutes to walk to the altstadt. The altstadt, means Old City, and it is located in the centre of the town. The roads are paved with brick and there are no cars allowed. In the center is a majestic church with a tall steeple. If you close your eyes and perfect a quaint, German village, you are picturing Radolfzell.

The altstadt

Radolfzell at night

Needless to say my life is pretty amazing at the moment. I spend my days horseback riding, biking and of course German beer tasting (Rothaus all the way!). The only thing that was missing in my life is my daily dose of dog. Although I usually ALWAYS travel everywhere with my dog Kya (even packing her in the car and driving her across Canada), bringing her to Germany was just not an option. Luckily, I have fantastic parents that agreed to look after her and she has been happily spending her days with them. I miss her like crazy, her constant badgering for a walk, her excited bark when I come home, even her wet, sticky Sunday morning kong on my pillow (or more appropriately on my husbands' pillow hehe).

The solution to my empty doggy hole was my husbands' friends dog Baloo. Baloo is a 2 year old yellow lab that is the happiest dog in the world. Because of his owner's long working hours he was spending a lot of his day inside. I was the perfect solution and I eagerly pick him up every day for his mid-day lunch.

Always playing!

Baloo

To begin, let me say that if you are ever in a foreign country, get yourself a lab. If you have a lab at the end of your leash, if doesn't matter if you speak German, English or Alien, people will want to talk to you. It's amazing! With Baloo by my side I am meeting the entire population of Radolfzell! Not only that, but we are also assembling our own little doggy pack (ok it is really Baloo doing all the work). Almost every day we meet up with friends down by the water and well, PLAY. Although I love Kya to death, I had forgotten why labradors are so special. They are (ok generally) the happiest dogs on the planet. They want to greet people, children, other dogs. Baloo even tried to be friendly with a swan yesterday.

Baloo encompasses the saying "Live your life like a dog". If we were all to live like Baloo we would be much happier and healthier. In fact, I just goggled that saying and found that many personal coaches are using that saying to encourage a more stressfree style of life. Should I start a company called "Rent a Lab"?

If we were to all live our life like Baloo we would:

1. Enjoy 3 daily walks

2. Love to play and always be up for a game

3. Constantly smile at other people (or in Baloo's case smile and kiss)

4. Take naps in the sun

5. Take time to smell the flowers

6. LIVE FOR FOOD

With that in mind I'm off for my daily dose of lab.

Germany

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.

-Unknown

Hello and welcome to my blog! I am a 28 year old Canadian women that loves dogs, well ok, all animals, cooking, travelling and nutrition. I am currently living in south Germany with my husband and this has afforded me the time to finally get this underway!

My history with dogs started back when I was 8 years old (or was it 10?) when my family and I got our first puppy. Maggie was a beautiful, soft, black Labrador that was basically the best pet any family could ask for. Starting at the age of 14, I began working in the dog industry. I have worked in veterinary clinics, boarding kennels, doggy daycares and most recently, I worked for four years in a fast-paced, no kill shelter. Working in a shelter was an eye-opening experience for me as I would work with dogs of all different backgrounds, breeds, ages, as well as physical or mental ailments. We saw chronic allergies, varying stages of urinary diseases, the devastating effects of vaccinosis and many other medical conditions. We were constantly working with owners that were forced to part with their pets because of mounting vet bills or general frustration. With a background working for 5 years in a veterinary clinic, as well as a degree in Animal Science, I would diligently treat these ailments with the prescribed prescription diets. Antibiotics and steroids were given ad nosium and results were slow and generally fragile. Towards the second year of my employment, my team and I decided to take a leap and try feeding raw food to our dogs. This was something that no other shelter in our experience had tried before...we were taking a step into the dark!

At the beginning of our journey we were learning how to prepare the food, how much to feed and how often. We learned how to transition to a raw diet without dietary upsets and how to entice a picky eater. I remember one particular 7 year old rotti cross that for 3 days would pick up her bowl of food and throw it at her kennel gate. This same dog slowly began to try the food and by weeks end was goggling her dinner with eager enthusiasm.

The results within the entire kennel were slow in some areas and rapid in others. To begin, our dogs no longer suffered from bouts of diarrhea. In our kibble days this would be a regular occurrence due to the stress of their environment as well as their digestive tracts. Our raw fed dogs had clean, small stools which to us signified health and digestion and also contributed to a fresh, clean kennel atmosphere. The long term effects came to those dogs that had suffered from poor nutrition for a very long time. We witnessed senior, legathic dogs become energerized and peppy, chronic skin allergies developed into a soft and supple coats, overweight dogs shed the pounds and developed visible muscles. These changed I witnessed began my passion for canine nutrition wellness.

This blog is not just about raw food feeding. In this blog I will write about well quite simply, my life with dogs!