CocoTherapy blew my mind in 2018 when I listened to the founders speak on its many benefits. I immediately began adding a spoonful to my dogs' meals, only to discover that not all dogs like coconut oil. Bummer. Today, our dogs get coconut oil regularly; I've learned...
I transitioned my dogs to a raw food diet in 2013 and began DIY raw feeding the following year. To some pet parents, raw feeding seems complicated; for me, it became easier to formulate a diet that meets my dogs' nutritional needs without supplementation as I learned...
I’ve been using Life Line products for years, starting with their pollock oil, salmon oil, and kelp. Life Line’s fish oil products have expanded to six oils, and while it’s tempting to alternate between them, I decided to dive a little deeper to learn the benefits of...
Broccoli and broccoli sprouts are more than just crunchy greens; they’re potent nutritional powerhouses for both humans and dogs. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, these cruciferous vegetables can support detoxification, immune function, and even help...
When I was new to raising dogs, a veterinarian told me that dogs always get diarrhea, and it's no big deal. He's also the vet who told me that it's normal for a cat to vomit once a day and that Rodrigo would die shortly after his third birthday. Well, he was wrong....
The myth that garlic is toxic to dogs has persisted despite the abundance of information highlighting its benefits. Garlic has long been praised in natural health circles for its medicinal properties in humans, and when used correctly, it can offer incredible benefits...
When we switch our dogs to raw, we expect a lot of changes beyond an improvement in our dogs' health. I expected shiny coats, less doggy smell, no issues with fleas, and no grass burning when they go potty. Raw feeding held up to the hype. But urine grass burns are a...
In 2021, the FDA gave conditional approval to a new drug for dogs diagnosed with canine lymphoma, Laverdia. That same year, my dog was diagnosed with lymphoma (but prior to the FDA approval). Scout went through the CHOP protocol, which is a chemotherapy protocol that...
I used to post raw food recipes every Friday and then I stopped. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to making dog food, so I eventually ran out of recipes. LOL But I'm back now because I've been playing around with the Animal Diet Formulator. I'm unable to check...
One of our dogs is going through chemotherapy for lymphoma and, sadly, one of the side effects of the chemo is a lower white blood cell count as the immune system is being challenged by the drugs. Thankfully, for Scout, the drop is slight and our oncologist isn't...
For years, I believed that bone barrow was too rich for dogs. All that fat in one (or two) meals can't be good. It'll lead to digestive upset, diarrhea, and possibly pancreatitis. Plus the thick raw bones that are chock-full of bone barrow are weight-bearing bones, so...
There are a lot of opinions on which nuts are dogs can and cannot eat,. I read in one discussion that we're supposed to peel the skin off of almonds before feeding them to our dogs. What the WHAT???? I love mixed nuts and buy a container of unsalted...
As a blogger, I've been introduced to several subscription boxes. I love the idea of filling out an online form and having cool products curated for me. Yeah, it's a great theory, but these companies are working with what they have, which lead to me being disappointed...
Have you heard of Seresto collars? They're flea and tick collars for dogs and sound like the perfect alternatives to the chemicals we put on our dogs. I was interested when I first learned about them but didn't bother looking further because my dogs didn't wear...
I used to feed our dogs rawhide chews – they’re cheap, easy, and last a long time. I knew of the dangers, but our dogs had never had a problem, so I continued buying them despite the warnings. Until rawhide chews nearly sent us to the emergency vet. Rodrigo’s Near...
I'm a passionate writer in the Pacific Northwest who loves all things dogs. I share what I'm learning as I attempt to crack the code to longevity. Keep the Tail Wagging is a blog dedicated to the dog who inspired this journey: Rodrigo Gauthier - March 2010 - September 2023.