DOGGIE DENTAL CARE

shaking until you finally flop on the floor with a deep exhalation, followed by three mindful breaths. This one really helps work out kids’ excess energy,” she says.

On her website, Jazwierska offers myriad examples of fun and creative activities to calm and awaken children. She teaches breathing techniques by offering imagery kids can understand, like smelling a flower to learn deep inhalations and blowing out a candle for the exhalations. When kids are overcome with strong emotions, she offers a snow globe. “It’s a great tool for seeing how things start to swirl when our emotions are too strong and our minds too worried. As you take a deep breath and stop moving the globe, the snow settles. We have to stop moving, or move very slowly, for everything to settle for ourselves.”

Jazwierska’s Rock and Floppy Sock exercise instructs a child to make a tight fist— the rock—when they feel anger or another strong negative emotion, and then release their grip, turning it into a floppy sock. “It’s related to progressive muscle relaxation where you provide tension in the body and then you provide the contrast and let go, training the mind. Next time they feel tension, they’ll know how to relax,” she says.

Planting Seeds for Inner Happiness

As children grow older, they can add visualization to their repertoire, like Stewart’s Heart Garden exercise, in which the child sits mindfully while relaxed, takes three mindful breaths and then thinks of a word that makes them smile. “That can be anything—like butterfly, rainbow or watermelon,” she explains. “Imagine planting that word like a seed in your heart. Repeat the word and imagine watering the seed in your heart garden. Repeat the word and imagine the seed opening and growing in your heart. What does it become? See it blossom. True happiness comes from inside. Everyone can plant their own inner happiness.”

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

Doggie Dental Care

Tips for keeping our pets’ teeth clean— so our pets keep their teeth

by Dr. Gerald Buchoff

We humans know the risks of not brushing our teeth: plaque, tartar, cavities, halitosis, root canals and several other horror stories that lead to the dentist. With that in mind, why would we put that stress and discomfort on our pets?

Proper pet dental care is imperative for our cats or dogs to live long, healthy lives. Understandably, it can be difficult brushing a pet’s teeth when it’s not accustomed to the jarring actions of someone shoving a flavored stick in its mouth.

Not to worry. There are several tips and tricks to help keep a pet’s teeth clean without the hassle of wrestling to brush them.

VetzLife Oral Care Gel is easy to use and comes in several flavors. Simply place some gel on a pet toothbrush, thick sock or finger toothbrush, swipe once on each side of the mouth and done. The dog or cat will do the work by licking the gel around their mouth, where the gel will break down any plaque and tartar. Getting a little bit in the mouth at least once a day or once every other day is a win. Dog Breath, by ánímalEO, is a canine-only essential oil. Place a few drops either on a finger or directly on the dog’s gums once a day. It’s simple, easy and tastes good, and a quick dropper allows for minimal drops at a time without risk of spillage. A raw-food diet has infinite benefits for a dog’s overall health. Kibble has been cooked so much that many starches and carbs stick to the teeth, causing plaque to form. Raw food has extra moisture so food slides off the teeth, significantly reducing formation of the plaque that causes bad breath. Water additives are excellent for improving bad breath and cleaning the teeth, all while a pet drinks their bowl of water. Put a few drops in the water, and the pet does the rest of the work. Non-Anesthetic Dental Cleanings (NAD) are excellent alternatives for pets with heart conditions or sensitivity to anesthesia, senior pets and routine care.

The main obstacle to cleaning a pet’s teeth is just getting inside the mouth. Small steps lead to big results over time, so be patient and keep at it. Taking care of our pets’ teeth helps ensure they’ll keep them for the rest of their lives.

Dr. Gerald Buchoff is a veterinarian with Holistic Pet Care, located at 125 Paterson Ave., Little Falls, NJ. Holistic Pet Care provides comprehensive vet care including wellness, alternative therapies, bio-nutritional extensive therapies, surgery and exotic pet care. Non-anesthetic dental (NAD) is provided through Houndstooth Pet Dental (HoundstoothPetDental.com). A prior visit/consultation is necessary to determine if a pet is a good candidate for NAD. For more information, visit HolisticPetCareNJ.com.