Pet Connection Canada June/July 2021 Issue

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Canada’s Natural Health Magazine for Pets

JUNE - JULY 2021

MANAGING CHANGE

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Things to Look for in a Vet

To Chew or Not To Chew…

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Inside: Managing Change in a Changing World

by Dr. Debbie L. Stoewen Yeast Candida! It May Not Be An Allergy

by Julia Ries

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Diatomaceous Earth

by Terry Chamberlin

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To Chew or Not To Chew

by Alina Sherman

5 Things to Look For When Choosing a Vet

by Lucy Jabrayan

30

Ciwai

34

My Dog Talks to Me

by Julia Penistan Trigger Stacking

by Valerie Barry

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Travel in Canada With Your Dog

by Mieke Hoekman

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Letter from the Editor

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Mark Your Calendars!

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Cross Canada Photo Contest

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Cover Photo: Frank Photo Courtesy of Gina Minervini Frank is wearing Threadsntails. See page 11.

MInky

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IN EVERY ISSUE

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Letter from the Editor

EDITOR Leslie Kennedy Tel: 604-220-5346 info@petconnection.ca www.petconnection.ca GRAPHIC DESIGN Britton Design Services CONTRIBUTORS Valerie Barry Terry Chamberlin Mieke Hoekman Lucy Jabrayan Julia Penistan Julia Ries Alina Sherman Dr. Debbie L. Stoewen

Pet Connection is published 6 times a year. Founded in 2008.

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PET CONNECTION does not assume responsibility for any claims made by its advertisers, or for any information dispensed. The articles and information presented are for information only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher. Permission to reproduce any part of this publication must be approved by the publisher. All pictures, articles or emails sent in become the property of Pet Connection.

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Summertime 2021!

I believe all pets are amazing and help keep us sane. We can never thank them enough.

We are so very grateful to all the pets and through them, the people we have met through this connection of health and wellness. It has all truly been a gift!

they're family

Usually during the summer we travel and do pet events. In the past, we have enjoyed going to agility competitions and pet expos across Canada. This year, we are staying home and will be making some fun videos. We hope to connect with more of you online.

Please follow us on social media, and watch for our new You-Tube channel, starting up on July 1, 2021.

Please stay safe, enjoy extra time with your pets and get connected with us digitally.

Happy Canada Day, and have a fabulous summer!

To your pets health,

- Leslie Kennedy Editor

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.

You are his life, his love, his leader.

He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.”

- Unknown

OUR MISSION: To save innocent companion animals from any type of harm.

JUNE - JULY 2021 www.petconnection.ca • AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2019

PUBLISHER BC’s Pet Connection Ltd

PEFC 4

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CONTRIBUTORS

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Terry Chamberlin, B.Sc., C.N.C.,is a retired Bioanalyst living in Nova Scotia, Canada. Although Terry had two clinics in the past where he helped clients with natural health, he has now retired from personal consultation and is only involved in research. He still reads everything he can find on Natural Health and you can connect with him on his Facebook Group. "The Natural Health Library”.

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Julia Penistan, CCBW, EEBW2, MT, author of In Touch, An Introduction to Canine Massage, has been massaging animals since 1999. Her canine clients range from puppies to seniors, rescues to purebreds, pets to world medalists, in many stages of wellness and activity. She lives in a small village in southwestern Ontario, and can be found on facebook at The Pulse Beneath the Skin.

Julia Ries has a degree in Biology from Guelph University, putting it to good use with her three pet related businesses: her natural pet supplement line, Earth MD, a dog boarding kennel, and a healthy pet food store. Her businesses, nine dogs, and four cats keep her life interesting. www.earthmd.ca

Mieke Hoekman was born and raised in the Netherlands. Together with her partner Andy and their husky Tron, they have traveled 3 continents (Asia, Europe and North America). Currently, they reside in Vancouver. The inspiration to start Petventures, an online resource for import regulations, transport policies, tips and tricks and inspiring stories , was to make traveling with pets more accessible for everyone. For more information www.pet-ventures.com

Alina Sherman is owner and founder of The Hungry Pooch - Southwestern Ontario’s premier pet raw health food store. Over the past 7 years, helping pets transition to a raw food diet, she has done extensive research to educate herself on different ailments and how to heal not just the symptoms but the underlying cause of those symptoms in a natural, holistic way.

Alina has a wealth of knowledge and expertise gathered and would like to share it with pet parents to help their pets heal and live long healthy lives. www.thehungrypooch.com

Lucy Jabrayan, BSc, C.E.M.T, has an education background in Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, BSc in Psychology where she also studied Animal Behaviour and is a certified equine massage therapist. Lucy is the founder of Thrive4life Holistic Pet Food and is passionate about helping many pet guardians turn to natural food and alternatives. Lucy has been in the nutraceutical industry for over a decade as she takes her broad knowledge to educate many pet guardians, she makes segment appearances on TV and is a contributing writer to numerous publications.

To learn more visit www.thrive4lifepetfood.com

Dr. Debbie L. Stoewen is a veterinarian and social worker with a PhD specializing in communication. As an academic, entrepreneur, and facilitator, she is committed to advancing the health and welfare of people and animals through speaking, writing, and continuing education.

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Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP, Valerie has been working with people and their dogs for almost 20 years. Accredited by the BC SPCA AnimalKind Program, Dog Partners (formerly In Partnership With Dogs) uses Positive, and Force-Free training methods. Valerie was one of the first dog trainers to recognize the need for classes designed specifically for the adolescent dog. She really enjoys working with puppies, young dogs and their families. She also specializes in Behaviour Modification for dogs with all levels of aggression, reactivity, fear and anxiety. Valerie enjoys learning and finding new educational opportunities to further her goal of helping pet owners build true partnerships with their dogs.

Dog Partners: www.dogpartners.ca / hello@dogpartners.ca / 604-868-5145

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By Dr. Debbie L. Stoewen

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concept of screening clients has taken on a whole new meaning. Who ever imagined the extent to which we would alter operations, providing urgent care only?

Who would have imagined outdoor appointments and curbside services as the norm? Infection management protocols never seen before. Limits on filling orders, shortages of medical supplies, and delays with deliveries of inventory. The call to fulfil civic duty by donating personal protective equipment and loaning ventilators and anesthetic gas machines. The very face of companion animal practice has changed, and virtually overnight. It would seem we are at war in a time of peace.

The key word that comes to mind with the pandemic is “change.” Our world has changed, and it is clear it will never — cannot possibly — go back to normal.

To go back to “normal” would be like going back in time. Impossible. So when the pandemic is over — recognizing that it will likely occur in waves — we’ll find ourselves in a “new normal.” Change, of course, is pervasive. As Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher said, “Change is the only constant in life.” When a simple saying such as this remains alive for centuries, it’s a good idea to pause and acknowledge its truth. Even as we do so, we realize that the order of magnitude of this change cannot but have lasting impacts, and in ways we can’t yet possibly imagine.

Change doesn’t come easy at the best of times. Change typically takes time, but in this case, there was no time — not even to prepare for it. So what do circumstances such as these call for? And especially unprecedented circumstances? Resilience. The ability to flex with the times, to move with the change.

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Who ever imagined telemedicine to become the modus operandi for the delivery of veterinary services? The

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Moving With The Change

Expect a Higher Standard in Natural Pet Nutrition

Moving with the change To move with the change, paradoxically, the first thing we need to do is stop moving. Not what you expected to hear, right?! Listen on.

We need to pause. We need to take the time to pull out from the chaos, the changes, and the upheaval of our lives so we can, from a balanced mindset, choose how to carry ourselves forward. Without choice, without setting a direction, we are just like leaves on

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MANAGING CHANGE IN A CHANGING WORLD PART 1:

e find ourselves in extraordinary times.

We’re facing what we have never faced before, a global pandemic. Within weeks, the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, spread worldwide.

Nobody knows how long it will last or how long it will be until we can resume our usual lives. With so many unknowns, it’s hard to imagine what’s on the other side.

For now, all we have is today, and for today, we can, and should, do all we can, individually and collectively, to carry us through these times in the best ways possible — for ourselves, our families, and our communities. We are, after all, in this together.

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Take time in solitude Take time in solitude to pause and let the thoughts that may be whirling in your mind settle. Fears can get us racing in so many directions that we can feel overwhelmed and out of control. But when you stop and really look at the situation, you can see it for what it is. You can gain perspective. Maybe it’s a catnap on the couch; a hot bath with candlelight and soft music; meditation or prayer; hiking through the woods, walking the dog, or sitting on the porch after the kids have been put to bed. Maybe it’s engaging in activities that you enjoy, like gardening, carpentry, or knitting, when your mind can wander. Maybe you reflect best when you’re in the rhythm of jogging. Whatever it is, take the time to pause within and put things in perspective. What is the worst that could happen? How could things be worse right now? Where are the silver linings? What do you have to be thankful for?

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Craft your life narrative

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Writing about stressful events can help you come to terms with them. The act of writing accesses your left brain (which is analytical and rational), and while your left brain is busy, your right brain is free to create, intuit, and feel. In this way, writing removes mental blocks, allowing you to use all your brainpower to better understand yourself, others, and the world around you (1). Journaling your thoughts and feelings will help you understand them more clearly and gain new insights on the challenges you’re facing. And as you craft your own life narrative, you gain a sense of control.

Practice yoga Yoga offers a variety of physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits (2). It combines physical movement, meditation, light exercise, and controlled breathing —

all of which calm the mind and relieve stress. Even a single yoga session can be of benefit, so give it a try.

Enroll in an online program or use an app to help you begin. And if you blend it into your lifestyle, the benefit will be that much more. If yoga doesn’t interest you, try something else. Yoga is only one form of mind/body exercise, “exercise with an inwardly directed focus.” Do some simple stretches, turn up the music to lose yourself in dance, or go for a meditative walk.

take perspective, and regain balance, we can accept the changes for what they are, quiet the fears, and get grounded. And from a place of calm, of collectedness, we can choose our response. It is what it is — we are in a pandemic. We can’t change that. But we can choose how to carry ourselves “in” and “through” this. As Viktor Frankl said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response” (5).

Just breathe

There will always be change. Instead of focusing on the disruptions, accept that change is a natural part of life and that it can also bring opportunities and positive outcomes. The next article will focus on choosing our response, on making the choices that will support us through these times in the best ways possible — for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

There are many kinds of breathing exercises that calm the mind. They’re a great way to ground yourself so you can think clearly and maintain perspective. Try the “one-moment meditation” (3). It really does just take a moment, although starting off with a minute can help you get used to it. Relax your body, quiet your mind, and take even breaths. You can use it anytime to create an instant shift.

Accept your feelings It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during this time. It is important to accept them rather than try to push them away (4). You may be sad with the loss of your usual ways of living, worried about a lack of resources, or concerned about the kids getting cabin fever. If you avoid these emotions, they will only get stronger and last longer. Instead, notice these emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations, look into them with curiosity, describe them without judgment, and then let them go. Envision them as seeds blowing off a dandelion in a gentle breeze.

References 1 Purcell M. The Health Benefits of Journaling. Available from: https:// psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefitsof-journaling/ Last accessed April 16, 2020.

2 Scott E. Effective Stress Relievers for Your Life. Available from: https:// www.verywellmind.com/tips-to-reducestress-3145195 Last accessed April 16, 2020.

3 Boroson M. One Moment Meditation. Available from: https://one momentcompany.com/ Last accessed April 16, 2020.

4 Kecmanovic J. A psychologist’s science-based tips for emotional resilience during the coronavirus crisis. Available from: https://www. thehour.com/lifestyle/article/Apsychologist-s-science-based-tips-for- emotional-15135619. php Last accessed April 16, 2020.

5 Frankl VE. Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984.

©Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Originally published for the CVMA Stoewen DL. Managing change in a changing world Part 1: Moving with the change.

Can Vet J. 2020 Jun;61(6):651-652. PMID: 32675819; PMCID: PMC7238459.

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Accept what you cannot control There are circumstances that are not in your power to control. Focusing on what you have no control over will leave you frustrated and exhausted. Instead, let them go.

Doing so will help you move on and focus your energy constructively. Remember, you may not be able to change the circumstances, but you can change how you respond to them.

The power to choose When we pause, taking the time to slow down, reflect,

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JUNE - JULY 2021

a stream, randomly being carried along by the current.

It’s no longer life as usual. We need a new game plan.

But we can’t create one without pulling out, without distancing ourselves to reflect on the circumstances, take perspective, and regain balance. So amid these changes, as unsettling as they are, take the opportunity to pause — to slow down, check in with yourself, and get grounded. There are many ways to do this.

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As stated in Part 1, we find ourselves in extraordinary times (1). We’re facing what we have never faced before, a global pandemic. Nobody knows how long it will last or how long it will be until we can resume our usual lives — whenever that will be. Nobody knows what life will be like on the other side. For now, all we have is today, and for today, we can, and should, do all we can, individually and collectively, to carry us through these times in the best ways possible — for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

JUNE - JULY 2021

Change doesn’t come easy, even at the best of times.

Before we knew what was happening, social (aka physical) distancing was put in place and our lives changed overnight with the gargantuan effort to slow the spread, i.e., “flatten the curve” (2) — gatherings on pause, schools shut down, public spaces closed, and many working from home. For so many, life has virtually ground to a halt, isolated at home, while for others, it has ramped up in ways unimaginable. Certainly the veterinary profession has much to be proud of, from deftly restructuring services for companion animal care and livestock management, to providing personal protective equipment, ventilators, and anesthetic gas machines to hospitals, to calling out — again — for a One Health approach with research and response to zoonoses (3). The COVID-19 pandemic marks the third novel coronavirus outbreak of the 21st century. With a One Health approach, veterinarians may one day play a vital role in preventing the next pandemic.

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For all of us, there is a call for resilience. The ability to flex with the times, move with the change, to recover quickly from difficulties. Part 1 of Managing change in a changing world focused on “moving” with the change, which referred, paradoxically, to doing quite the opposite. Pausing, pulling out from the chaos, the upheaval of our lives, to reflect, take perspective, and regain balance, so we can, from a balanced mindset, choose how to carry ourselves through the pandemic.

As Victor Frankl said, “Between stimulus and response

there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”

Express gratitude

Choose how you want to carry yourself forward! There are steps you can take to support yourself, your family, and your community as we move through this pandemic.

Maybe it is just following the hygiene recommendations, maintaining social distance, and curbing travel. But it can be so much more. Just as social distancing has its limits — on your life, so to say — it doesn’t have to limit you. There are many things you can do to keep you, and those you care about, well.

Gratitude is empowering. It not only helps you recognize all the things you have to be thankful for, but reminds you of all the resources that you have to cope with this (5). Whether you’re grateful for a sunny day or a child in your arms, think about all the good things that you have in your life. Consider keeping a journal on the things you are grateful for or that are going well.

Share what you’re grateful for and what is going well with as many people as you can. Let gratitude show up in conversations. Make gratitude a habit. As Melodie Beattie said, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life… makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Lean into self-care

Be creative

Self-care is vital for the resilience needed to manage the stressors in life that can’t be changed (4). It’s important to assess how you’re caring for yourself at this critical time. Eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep, balancing movement with rest, and engaging in leisure activities are always key to staying physically and psychologically healthy during stressful times. Good selfcare also keeps your immune system robust.

Immersing yourself in a creative activity helps you to temporarily forget your troubles and worries. As you become engrossed in what you’re doing, you enter an almost meditative state, an inner focus that distracts you from what’s happening in the world around you. Creative expression, whether through art, drawing, coloring, reading, or writing; or through crafts, pottery, carpentry, knitting, or sewing; or through photography, music, dancing, gardening, or cooking; and so much more, makes us feel better (6). Creativity can even boost the immune system! When was the last time you danced in the kitchen, sang in the shower, or sat at the piano? How long has it been since you curled up to read a good book? If you aren’t into drawing or painting, why not try coloring?

It’s a great stress reliever (5). Love

The power to choose

Customize your self-care to your needs. Self-care isn’t a one- size-fits-all strategy. Assess which areas of your life need more attention. And remember, as your circumstances change, your needs may change. Lean into your self-care more than ever before, even if it is hard to find the time and space. It’s imperative. When you care for your body, mind, and spirit, you’ll be able to live your best life.

Mind your attitude Choose optimism. Catastrophic predictions aren’t helpful. Create a positive future story. The way you think and the things that you fill your mind with greatly influence your psychological well-being. If you’re constantly thinking things like, “I can’t stand this,” or “Things will never be the same,” you’ll stress yourself out. Positive thoughts will help you develop

to cook? Or want to start? Take advantage of the time saved with not going to restaurants to create new dishes. Take-out is riskier than making food at home, given the links between the people who prepare and deliver it and you. It’s hard to know what that is, but it is certainly higher than making meals at home.

Get outdoors Barring a complete lockdown, one thing that is still available to us is the outdoors. Spending time outside, even if just in the backyard, is good for the body, mind, and spirit. Catch some sunshine. Take in the green.

Listen to the birds. And don’t forget to look up. There’s that vast sky above us. When was the last time you followed the clouds or looked for the big dipper? The outdoors offers the chance to enjoy a change of scenery, which gets you into a different frame of mind. Walking is a simple but effective way to rejuvenate both mind and body. If you have kids, join them in a game of catch, soccer, hide-and- seek, or tag. Although they can’t play with other kids, surely there’s still the kid in you! Go bicycling together. Plant a garden. Enjoy a picnic.

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MANAGING CHANGE IN A CHANGING WORLD PART 2: The Power to Choose

a healthier outlook. Choose to have optimistic conversations with yourself. They will help you manage your emotions and take positive action (5). What you say to yourself matters.

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Maintain routines With social distancing, we’re doing less of the things we normally do. Amid these changes, try to keep up with regular routines, as it will lend the sense of normalcy and control. And as you develop new routines, stick to them.

It’s important to maintain structure, predictability and a sense of purpose in each day. Stick to regular wake-up, grooming and meal times (8).

Where and how everyone works and plays at home should be planned, recognizing the need for flexibility.

Design your life with an emphasis on control and continuity.

Connect with others Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation. Connection is essential, especially during challenging times. When we can’t gather in person, “gather” virtually — with gratitude that we live in a time when that’s possible. Leverage technology to stay in touch. Phone, e-mail, text, and use social media to connect with friends, family, and those in your community. Play online games, form a digital supper club! Talk “face-to-face” with Skype or FaceTime.

Likewise, be sure to disconnect from technology to spend face-to-face time with your family. Taking the time to savor heart-to-heart conversations can bring about stronger social connectedness going forward. There are many ways to maintain the social ties that bind us (9).

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Be of service

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Ask yourself, “What can I do to help?” Helping others is good for everyone, including yourself (!), because service is an anti- dote to fear. So every day — and especially when you’re caught up in fear and worry — ask yourself what you can do to help. Providing urgent care is service.

Beyond this front-line work, is there something else that you can do? Is there someone you can call who might be feeling particularly worried, afraid, or lonely? Can you “Zoom” a friend with your pet, bringing extra smiles?

Can you get groceries for the next-door neighbor?

Can you support a restaurant or retailer by purchasing

an online gift certificate to use later on? What about a donation to a food bank? What about donating blood — naturally there are protective protocols, and the need never goes away. Think about acts of kindness.

The smallest acts often go the farthest. And when we each do our turn, and the kindnesses circulate, we quickly realize just how much we are in this together.

Seek help when needed In times like these, tuning in to mental health is important (10). Some will experience mental health problems for the first time, while others find that their symptoms worsen (11). It’s not unusual to feel more on edge than usual, angry, sad, or even helpless. You may notice that you’re impatient and easily irritated. You may want to avoid any reminders of what is happening.

For those who struggle with mental health, you may feel more anxious or depressed, and less motivated to do the things you usually do. The physical isolation, the closure of community-based mental health programs, and the move to virtual counselling can make the adjustments needed at this time more difficult. Those with severe anxiety may increase their use of substances. Those in recovery may become more likely to relapse.

If your mental health is impacted by the stress of COVID-19, then you may want to seek professional help. A licensed mental health professional can help you manage your fears. If you’re feeling alone and struggling, you can reach out to the Crisis Text Line (12) by texting 741741 or Crisis Services Canada by calling 1-833-4564566 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-TALK. Help is always available.

You may also contact SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 (13).

Stay informed, within reason It’s natural to feel anxious when missing information, so stay informed. Learn all that you can about COVID-19 and what you can do to protect yourself, and your family, coworkers, and clients, and prevent the spread. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from trustworthy sources and officials. And be aware of the rumors that spread, especially on social media. Avoid media outlets that build hype or dwell on things that can’t be controlled.

Check your sources and turn to reliable sources of

information, like your government authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (14).

Just as it’s natural to feel anxious when missing information, if you have too much information or are inundated with the news, you can feel quite the same — or worse. Too much information can be confusing and overwhelming, making it difficult to make sense of it.

Repeated exposure to troubling news can be traumatic.

This is where media distancing comes in.

Set limits on your media consumption (11). Tuning into stories that incessantly talk about how fast the virus is spreading, how many people are getting sick, and the death tolls, only increases anxiety. It can even cause you to overestimate the risks of contracting the infection. Take breaks from the news, including social media. Follow your regular daily routines as much as possible, checking in for updates as seems reasonable. Just as we absolutely need to stay informed, we absolutely need to avoid too much exposure.

Carrying on, moving forward It is what it is — we are in a pandemic. We can’t change that. But we can choose how to carry ourselves “in” and “through” this. To do this, we need to first pull out from the chaos, the upheaval of our lives, to reflect, take perspective, and regain balance, so we can, from a balanced mindset, choose how to carry ourselves forward. These choices will hold us in good stead.

It’s clear that we’ve never faced a situation like this before. However, this shouldn’t mean that we’ll fall apart. Quite the contrary. We are in this together and can join in collective action for the common good.

What will life be like on the other side? Maybe we’ll feel a greater sense of community. Maybe we’ll know our neighbors a little better. For sure we’ll see the outcomes of the choices we’ve made.

©Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Originally published for the CVMA Stoewen DL. Managing change in a changing world Part 2: The power to choose. Can Vet J. 2020 Jul;61(7):771-773. PMID: 32655162; PMCID: PMC7313352.

References 1 Stoewen DL. Managing change in a changing world Part 1: Moving with the change. Can Vet J 2020;61:651–652.

2 Kristof N, Thompson SA. How Much Worse the Coronavirus Could Get, in Charts. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/ interactive/ 2020/03/13/opinion/coronavirus-trump-response. html?action=click& module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage-Last accessed May 13, 2020.

3 Nolen RS. Can veterinarians prevent the next pandemic?

JAVMAnews April 15, 2020. Available from: https://www.avma. org/javma-news/ 2020-04-15/can-veterinarians-prevent-nextpandemic Last accessed May 13, 2020.

4 Scott E. 5 Self-Care Practices for Every Area of Your Life. Available from: https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overallstress- reduction-3144729 Last accessed May 13, 2020.

5 Scott E. Effective Stress Relievers for Your Life. Available from: https:// www.verywellmind.com/tips-to-reduce-stress-3145195 Last accessed May 13, 2020.

6 Benayon C. How Creativity Improves Mental Health And Wellness. Available from: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ charles-benayon/how- creativity-improves-mental-health-andwellness_a_23016111/ Last accessed May 13, 2020.

7 Williams F. Call to the Wild: This Is Your Brain on Nature.

Available from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/ magazine/2016/01/call-to- wild/ Last accessed May 13, 2020.

8 Kecmanovic J. A psychologist’s science-based tips for emotional

resilience during the coronavirus crisis. Available from: https:// www. washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/anxiety-coronavirusmental- wellness-tips/2020/03/16/f187faf2-67b8-11ea-992357073adce27c_ story.html Last accessed May 13, 2020.

9 Pajer N. 40 Ways to Maintain Social Ties During the Coronavirus Quarantine. Available from: https://parade. com/1011597/nicolepajer/ ways-to-stay-social-coronavirus/ Last accessed May 13, 2020.

10 Marshall D. Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty. Available from: https://afsp.org/taking-care-ofyour-mental- health-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/ Last accessed May 13, 2020.

11 Morin A. How to Cope With Anxiety About Coronavirus (COVID-19). Available from: https://www.verywellmind.com/ managing-coronavirus- anxiety-4798909 Last accessed May 13, 2020.

12 Crisis Text Line. Available from: https://www.crisistextline.org/ texting-in Last accessed May 13, 2020.

13 SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administra- tion) Disaster Distress Helpline. Available from: https://www.samhsa. gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline Last accessed May 13, 2020.

14 CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Coronavirus from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- index.html Last accessed May 13, 2020.

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And if you can’t get outdoors, even looking out the window or at the photo of a landscape can make you happier healthier, and less stressed (7).

15

YEAST CANDIDA

It May Not Be An Allergy

By Julia Ries

T

ell me if this situation sounds familiar: Your dog has started itching and chewing at their paws.

You try giving them a bath in some soothing shampoo to try and ease their itching. This does not help.

You notice that they smell a little funny and look in their ears and there you find some black, mold-looking gunk.

After you clean it out over and over, it just keeps coming back, and the itching never stops. After a while you go to the vet, maybe they will have the answer. They run some expensive tests and tell you it is an allergy and recommend you feed their ‘hypoallergenic’ food. You notice how expensive it is but think, if it helps then I am willing to spend the money. Much to your dismay the symptoms don’t improve, and may even get worse. You have been at this for months, maybe longer. Is there any solution?

If this sounds like you and your pet’s situation, they may have Yeast Candida.

It is a condition where the yeast overtakes the good bacteria in the gut. Often, steroids and antibiotics are prescribed in these instances.

But guess what? They actually make this condition worse.

Typical Symptoms: • Mold smell • Black mold in the ears • Itching skin and ears • Chewing paws • Losing hair • Skin discolouration

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• Medication that affects the gut flora (including antibiotics and steroids to treat allergies) • Vaccine • Environmental stressor • Sickness

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Possible Causes:

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There are some simple steps that can be taken to help remedy this condition.

STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE CAUSE The first step is to try and identify what is causing the gut flora to die off and allow the yeast to take over.

Try looking into more natural ways of treating your pet’s minor ailments as natural remedies tend to be gentler on the stomach. An example is using Colloidal Silver instead of antibiotics for a mild infection. Silver is a natural antibiotic and has much less effect on the gut flora than prescribed antibiotics.

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STEP TWO: ELIMINATE AS MUCH STARCH AS POSSIBLE The second step is to look at the food you feed. You want to cut out as much starch as possible! Basically, you want to avoid any kind of sugar, white potato, white rice, tapioca, beet pulp, corn, wheat, oatmeal, or any other ingredients that are high in sugars and starches.

Starches feed yeast and allow it to prosper. Minimizing

the yeast’s growth is an important aspect of eliminating Yeast Candida from your pet. Take a look at your ingredients and it will surprise you!

STEP THREE: REBUILD THE GUT FLORA The next step you can take is to supply some supplements to bolster the bacteria in your pet’s gut. This includes Pre- and Probiotics, as well as olive leaf powder. Prebiotics can be obtained in the form of digestible fibre, which feed the good bacteria of the gut and help them grow. Pumpkin is a good source of these digestible fibres, and can help with stool formation as well. Probiotics are the bacteria you want included in the gut flora, so feeding them to your pet helps increase colony formation in the intestines. Yogurt, or a form of powdered probiotic are two good sources; the brand Omega Alpha makes a very good probiotic powder which I feed to my own dogs for the maintenance of their healthy colons. However, if you are going to try giving them yogurt, you want to make sure that the yogurt you get is a plain yogurt with no added sugars or flavouring, and of course that it contains added probiotics. Now, I mentioned olive leaf powder as another supplement to add to their diet. This is because it is a natural antifungal and will therefore help knock back the yeast numbers in the body. If you cannot find olive leaf powder or want to try something else, coconut oil is also an antifungal, but it is not as potent, so it may take longer for it to start showing improvements.

Taking any of these steps should in some way help with a Yeast Candida problem. All together they are the ultimate weapon against the condition.

With any of them, however, be prepared not to see a drastic improvement for three weeks to three months, depending on the severity. This entire epidemic, as I see it, could be drastically reduced if some sort of probiotic was given with when antibiotics are prescribed. This practice is commonplace in Europe, and they do not seem to have the same problems, so let us take a lesson from them and start taking responsibility for what is becoming a severe problem.

on.

Chill’s Owner, Handler is Tiffany Salm

Meet Chill !

Omega Alpha’s Ambassador!

Chill with her siblings, Aloha & Fury!

Chill is a 12-year-old Border Collie (black and white) and she’s been an Omega Alpha Ambassador her entire life.

Chill has dabbled in many canine sports in her twelve years, from dog sledding to herding to flyball, but where she’s focused the majority of her energy over the years has been on the agility field. Chill is beyond accomplished when it comes to dog agility. Not only does she hold Agility Championship titles with the Agility Association of Canada (AAC), the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), US Dog Agility Association (USDAA) and UK International Agility (UKI) and won many Regional and National Championships, but she’s also represented Canada at nine World Championships!

Chill has competed all over North America as well as Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary and Luxenbourg. Chill finished up her International career by winning the bronze medal at the past World Agility Open in the Netherlands at the age of 10.5 and by winning the 2020 Canadian Open by Video National Championship. These days Chill is enjoying a pain free and healthy retirement. She does some recreational agility, still leads the dog sled in the winter and joins in on daily hikes through the forest.

A big thank you to Omega Alpha for being such a huge part of Chill’s life. She wouldn’t be the dog she is today without Omega Alpha’s support. − Tiffany Salmon, Manotick ON TNT Agility & Dog Training

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This condition is usually caused when the gut flora in the stomach undergo some kind of stressor that kills them. This stressor can be a vaccine or medication, or something environmental. More often than not, antibiotics and steroids are the main culprits. Normally, the gut has a balance of healthy gut flora (healthy bacteria) and yeast. These microorganisms help the gut digest foods, especially plant-based ones, and produce and absorb some nutrients. However, when the number of bacteria is drastically reduced the yeast begins to overgrow.

It starts in the gut, with the only symptoms being occasional itching and possibly diarrhea. If it persists, the yeast will start building up in the ears and feet and can come out the pores of the skin. You may see darkening of the skin on the stomach and sides of your pet. As some of us know, yeast also has a distinct smell, and this scent will often come off of your dog, especially in the ears where the yeast builds in large quantities.

Trusted Since 1992 18

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By Te rr

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analys

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Diatomaceous earth is a powder containing about 80%-90% silica.

Diatomaceous earth is thought to kill insects by dehydrating them or drying them out. This powder allows liquids to flow through while capturing unwanted material. DE is good for both people and pets.

If it remains dry, Diatomaceous Earth has an unlimited shelf life. It can be white, tan, or gray in color. The more common gray DE contains more clay.

Always use FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth ONLY How Diatomaceous Earth Works

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When Diatomaceous Earth is taken into the body it starts working in 3 different ways:

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1st: As it moves through the stomach and digestive tract, it attracts and absorbs bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, endotoxins, pesticide and drug residues, E-Coli, and heavy metals. These toxins are trapped and passed out of the body. In addition, any larger parasites that happen to be in the stomach or digestive tract are killed by the D.E. All of these activities result in a much healthier body with less sickness. We often hear the phrase “I just feel better” with our DE users. This better feeling comes from all the “junk” being removed from the body and by giving our immune system the “jump start” it needs.

2nd: Diatomaceous Earth is very hard. On the hardness scale where diamonds are a 9, DE is a 7.

This is very important, because as those millions of tiny hard and sharp DE cylinders pass through the small and large intestines, they “scrub” the walls. After only

a few months of taking DE, the intestine wall is no longer coated with mucus and molds but CLEAN!!

The advantages of this are: 1. Regular bowel movements (This is the #1 comment everyone makes about DE) 2. Healthier Colon. This is especially important as we get older. A clean healthy colon keeps away polyps, cancers, and ulcers. Today, many are spending thousands of dollars to get colonics to do the same thing as DE does. Many users report increased energy and needing less sleep. This is a result of all the food and nutrients that are taken in being better absorbed into the blood stream. With a coated colon –many nutrients never get absorbed.

3rd: A small amount of Diatomaceous Earth gets absorbed into the blood stream as silica. One of the benefits of Silica is that it helps to destroy bad fats.

Everyone that we know that is taking DE has lowered their cholesterol by 40-50 points. Everyone is also amazed at how their high blood pressure goes down.

calcium and thus hastens the degenerative process of osteoporosis and similar diseases that affect the supportive and connective tissues in the human body. For osteoporosis, silica can stop the pain and even restore the bodies’ self repair process. Silica is responsible for the depositing of minerals into the bones, especially calcium. It speeds up the healing of fractures and also reduces scarring at the site of a fracture. Even when calcium is insufficient, the body can turn silica into calcium that the bones need.

4. Healthier skin – Overseas, DE is used extensively as a health and beauty product for hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints. Tissue degeneration accelerates due to aging when connective tissue develops an increasing inability to retain moisture when left unassisted. Silica can help slow the degenerative process of connective tissue. With silica, vitality and life, which are often lost as the years accumulate, can be naturally maintained or even restored to your skin. Collagen, largely made up of silica, is the glue that holds us together. If our body has enough silica,

the collagen will make us look younger. Silica helps with skin problems and injuries including itching, rashes, abscesses, boils, acne, calluses, warts, eczemas, burns, frostbite, benign skin sores, insect bites and bed sores. If you regularly follow a silica regimen, your skin will keep its young look.

5. Hair That Grows! – Hair is nature’s greatest beauty enhancer. Hair deserves to be pampered. Hair at 90 micrograms per gram is almost as rich in silica as are healthy bones, which contain 100 micrograms per gram. Silica is a major component of hair. Using a good silica supplement (such as DE) should be part of your ongoing hair care program for revitalizing hair. Silica helps to prevent baldness, stimulates healthier hair growth and assures beautiful shine, luster and strength.

6. Teeth and Gums! – Hardening the enamel, silica prevents cavities and preserves teeth. Silica also prevents bleeding gums, gum atrophy, and recession that causes the loosening of teeth, which could

The benefits of silica are many. In today’s grains, there is actually a shortage of silica. Years ago, the silica found in our foodstuffs was adequate, but with today’s hybrids and depleted soils, only about 1/3 of the silica needed is supplied in our food. DE is a simple and inexpensive way to get the silica your body needs.

The intake of silica through DE can help you in many ways: 1. Lower High Blood Pressure!

2. Lower High Cholesterol! – Many are reporting 40-60 points lower after only 2 weeks on DE. 3. Sore joints feeling better – Osteoporosis is a symptom of the aging process. As calcium in our body system depletes, our bones become brittle and weak. Taking only a calcium supplement can not correct or stop this threatening and crippling disease because the body cannot assimilate and make use of the calcium without the presence of silica. Evidence suggests that, instead of affecting healing, supplemental mineral calcium, on the contrary, accelerates the leaching away of bone

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Diatomaceous earth (DE) is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. A diatom is a single-celled organism found in fresh water lakes, river beds and oceans.

Their skeletons are made of a natural substance called silica.

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7. Toughens nails – Your nail plates are complex protein structures that grow four to five millimeters per month on average. With silica supplementation, fragile nails become normal within a short period of time. Silica will beautify the appearance of your nails and improve their hardness, making them shinier and less prone to breaking.

More Benefits!

Silica lowers bad cholesterol and raises good. Silica fades age spots. Silica stimulates metabolism for higher energy levels. DE has a negative charge and bacteria have a positive charge. It is believed that it sweeps bacteria out of the body by trapping it in its honeycomb shaped skeletal form. Silica supplementation helps repair and maintain vital lung tissues and protects them from pollution. By maintaining or restoring the elasticity of lung tissues, silica reduces inflammation in bronchitis. It acts as a cough decreasing agent. Silica tones the upper respiratory tract (nose, pharynx, larynx) and reduces swelling because of its positive action on the lymphatic system.

• Silica supplementation keeps menopause free of stress and helps to prevent many unwanted side-effects.

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• Cancer can not survive in cells that have the correct levels of Silica.

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• Silica works with other antioxidants to prevent premature aging and to preserve youthfulness.

• Silica can help prevent kidney stones and heal infections of the urinary tract. It is a natural diuretic which can increase excretion of urine by 30 percent, thus flushing the water-excreting system and restoring normal function to these vital organs.

The presence of sufficient silica in the intestines will reduce inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can cause disinfection in the case of stomach and intestinal mucus and ulcers. Silica can prevent or clear up diarrhea and its opposite, constipation.

• Silica will help normalize hemorrhoidal tissues. In regulating and normalizing the bowels, silica has a pleasant side effect; it can alleviate lower back pain, which often troubles the elderly.

• Silica proves effective with female discharge, abscesses and ulcers in the genital area and cervix, as well as mastitis (especially for breast feeding mothers).

The intake of silica acts as a supportive treatment for inflammation of the middle ear. Because of the beneficial effectiveness on the lymphatic system, silica can be used for swelling of the lymph nodes in the throat.

• Has anti-inflammatory disinfecting, absorbing and odor binding effects.

• Silica can normalize circulation and regulate high

Dosage for Humans*:

Dosage for Pets*:

Take 1-2 tablespoons per day mixed in some kind of liquid or food. There is no unpleasant taste.

Since it will not dissolve, stirring several times while drinking will prevent settling. Some have experienced higher energy levels, so it is probably better not to take it right before sleeping. No worry about getting too much - any excess silica not needed by the body is automatically eliminated through the blood stream, kidneys and colon.

Kittens

1/2 teaspoon

Cats

1 teaspoon

Puppies

1/2 to 1 teaspoon

Dogs under 35 lbs. 1 teaspoon Dogs over 35 lbs.

1 tablespoon

Dogs over 100 lbs. 2 tablespoons

*MAKE SURE YOU ONLY USE FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

blood pressure (hypertension).

• Silica can decrease vertigo, headache, tinnitus (buzzing of the ears) and insomnia.

• Silica can help diabetes by promoting synthesis of elastase inhibitor by the pancreas.

• Silica can help arterial disease by strengthening the blood vessels. Studies confirm that with age, silica disappears from the aorta, the heart’s key blood vessel thus weakening its critical connective tissue and resulting in a greater cardiac risk.

• Silica can help prevent Tuberculosis.

2. Rids your pet of fleas.

Fleas hate diatomaceous earth.

DE is a natural form of pest control that is great to use around your home because it's natural and chemical-free, making it the safest option to put on and around pet area and pet gear. While it's more common to use Diatomaceous Earth as flea prevention, many people add DE to their pet's diet.

DE is largely made up of amorphous silica, but it also contains calcium, magnesium, titanium dioxide, gallium, sodium, and other trace minerals.

• By improving the elasticity of the joints, silica helps rheumatism.

• Silica has inhibitory effects on coronary diseases.

• Silica can help avoiding or alleviating Alzheimers disease by preventing the body from absorbing aluminum and may flush out aluminum from the tissues. Silica can stimulate the immune system.

More Pet Benefits!

1. Are you dealing with worms and don’t want to use chemicals to deworm your pet?

When food grade diatomaceous earth is fed in adequate daily amounts, it eliminates all intestinal worms and parasites. DE actually rids the body of roundworms, whipworms, pinworms, and hookworms within 7 days of being fed daily. To be most effective, though food grade diatomaceous earth must be fed long enough to catch all newly hatching eggs or cycling of the worms through the lungs and back to the stomach as DE does not kill the eggs. A minimum of 60 days is suggested for most worms.

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ultimately lead to tooth loss. Silica effectively fights ulceration and the decay of bones and teeth and also lessens inflammation.

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TO CHEW OR NOT TO CHEW…..

By Alina Sherman

H

ave you walked through a big box pet store just to see AISLES of dog chews? Rawhide, rubber chews, dehydrated bones, smoked chews, plastic toys, puppy chews, senior chews, dental chews, the list goes on!

We’ll break down the DO’S and DON’TS of dog chews so you can keep your pooch chewing safely.

We all want our pets to be happy and let’s face it sometimes busy. The mental stimulation and predatory instinct that a chew can provide is substantial. But did you know some of the most popular dog chews are not only dangerous… but POISONOUS?1

DON’T….Give your pooch rawhide!

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In order to process rawhide into a treat, it goes through a few key steps. First, the often rotten leather skin is gathered into large vats and dumped into a chemical bath to separate layers and remove hair. This process alone makes it highly toxic for dogs.

Next, industrial strength chemical bleaches and preservatives are added to the hide so that it does not continue to rot. This gives rawhide that white appearance. At this point, it would be highly unappealing to chew, so they add synthetic dyes and coloring back to the product to make it look more natural. At this point, occasionally synthetic flavorings such as smoke flavour or a meat flavour is added for pet appeal. Lastly, the product is cut, rolled, and toxic glues are used to shape them into cute bones or other shapes often seen at Christmas time.

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Basically, rawhide is highly processed and highly toxic. It is not digestible in its final form and has been found to cause blockages and death for many dogs. A natural based pet store will likely never carry rawhide chews.

DON’T….Give your pooch Flavoured Rubber Bones!2 Popular rubber and plastic bones are marketed for new pet owners. But these chews are NOT digestible. Although they may satisfy a teething puppy for a few minutes, they can break off in large pieces which can be a choking hazard,

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Rawhide, unlike the name, is NOT raw, NOR natural hide. Rawhide dog chews are the most DANGEROUS and POISONOUS treat available. Here’s a quick breakdown as to why rawhide is so dangerous:

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So what’s all the fuss about?

For traditionally kibble fed dogs, dental chews have long been marketed as being abrasive enough to clean plaque and tartar off of teeth. While some pets may report some slight scraping of plaque, the ingredients make these treats far unhealthier than any dental cleaning they could ever provide.

DO….try these natural treats!

Well now that we know what NOT to do, let’s look at some more digestible and healthy alternatives! or even cause a digestive blockage. Even the manufacturers do not claim they’re digestible. Yikes! Many are even given flavor additives often made of synthetic derivatives.

make sure to feed a bone that’s proportional in size for your pooch. There are bones suitable for small dogs and those suitable for big dogs. For meal replacement bones, reach out to your local raw food store for guidance. They’ll know what’s best to start your pooch on based on their current diet and health needs. For an average one year old raw fed dog, excellent meal replacement bones include chicken/duck feet, brisket bones or poultry necks. These do count as part of your pet’s daily food intake and needs to be balanced with the rest of their diet.

Lastly, always feed bones on a surface you can clean or outdoors and remember to supervise your pet at all times while chewing.

Antlers & Horns - Will This Be Ok?

5

Give a Dog a Bone:4

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Dental Sticks and other dental chews marketed for keeping those teeth shiny and healthy but do they really?

The first ingredient making up most of these chews is WHEAT. Wheat and wheat gluten starch is the number one allergen causing food for pets! These treats are also typically loaded with various chemicals,

Not all bones are created equal, and it’s important to stick to natural grass-fed free range bones that have had no processing such as smoking. Smoking actually cooks the bone part-way and makes it undigestible. This means a potential digestive blockage - a dangerous situation no pet wants to be in.

There are generally two types of bones: meal replacement and recreational. While both can provide teeth cleaning, recreational bones are used most often to clean plaque and tartar, and provide lots of relaxing chewing time. Start with a beef flat rib bone - as these are much less dense than traditional femur bones and are a safe starter bone. And

For teething help try frozen bone broth cubes to soothe aching gums, frozen natural Hero peanut butters in an interactive WestPaw toy, or look to nature with a flat rib beef bone!

Healthy Chew Snacks:

DON’T….Use Dental Stick Treats or Chews!

Truly nature’s toothbrush, natural raw bones, when used properly, can provide so much healthy mental stimulation and dental cleaning! Over the decades, we’ve forgotten dogs and bones go together like peanut butter and jelly.

toy line for raw feeders! Many of them can be stuffed with natural bully sticks, peanut butter, or even raw meals.

Naturally shedding elk antlers and lamb horns have been a long time staple for healthy chews. Although they are much harder, these can be an excellent alternative for adult dogs so long as your pooch doesn’t bear down with their back teeth. Always supervise your pet and if they are aggressive chewers, you may need to reconsider the type of antler or horn. Many natural antler chew companies offer pre-cut antlers, allowing your pooch to get to the inner marrow that they find so delicious, without creating any wear or tear on their teeth! These chews would not be a good starter chew for puppies.

What about Teething Puppies?

Look for things that are digestible and will keep your puppy stimulated. For chew toys check out interactive puzzle toys like Nina Ottosson Dog Treat Games or durable safe chews such as Goughnuts or WestPaw. Goughnuts have a lifetime guarantee and label their toys for suitability based on size of dog and whether they are chew toys or for play. WestPaw toys are the most popular

Typical chew snacks available at pet stores can vary, but many people choose snacks like Cow Ears, Bully Sticks / Pizzles and Braided Tendon treats. These can definitely be safe to eat, and many natural holistic pet stores carry them. Just make sure to ask the store you buy from whether the ones they make are manufactured using bleaching (many chews are given a 2%hydrogen peroxide bath for bleaching), as this can be dangerous and toxic.

There is nothing wrong with animal parts like cow ears or bully sticks as chews as they’re fully digestible and can satisfy your pet’s chewing needs. Just make sure you count it towards your pet’s daily food intake - as many of them can be high calorie treats.

1 Dr Frank J.M. Verstraete, DV; https://www.whole-dogjournal.com/care/commercially-produced-recreational-chewbones/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBasically%2C%20t he%20 main%20rule%20that,our%20bag%20flunked%20his%20 test.&text=Nature's%20Variety%20uses%20a%20slow,bone%20 les s%20brittle%20and%20hard 2 https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/dog-toys/the-dangersof-vinyl-dog-toys/ 3 https://www.greenies.com/products/dog/dental-treats/originaldental-treats/greenies-original-regular-size-dog-dental-treats 4 Dr. Ian Billinghurst ’s book Give Your Dog a Bone Published 1993 5 Frank J.M. Verstraete, DVM, a diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College and a professor of dentistry and oral surgery at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine,

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preservatives and synthetic dyes and flavourings. There is hardly anything natural or healthy for your pet’s teeth.

The only ingredient that could be listed as helpful is calcium carbonate (the mineral found in bone), but unfortunately, this is no substitute for a real bone.3

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By Lucy Jabrayan

Veterinarian offices/clinics should be no exception- if the receptionist looks tired and is short with you, or quite frankly is a little too free with their ‘opinions’ and ‘information’, that is all a telling sign, and has already set the tone for your visit.

1. Do they create an inviting atmosphere?

2. How does your vet make you feel?

You and especially your pet(s) need to feel comfortable when you are at your vets’ office during a visit. One oversight that I feel most vet offices have is who they hire as their receptionist, as that is the first and last person you will see in the office. This lesson was actually given to me many years ago during the only time I ever worked in a restaurant as the hostess. My boss told me that I am the most important person he can hire, I am the first person his customers will meet and the last person they will see when they leave the place, and we all know that first impressions are important. I needed to act and look like I owned the joint, to which I did, so naturally I kept getting mistaken for the manager/ owner of the place!

It is not lost on me that many a pet guardian feel pressured or make fear-driven decisions for their beloved pets when they are at a vet visit. Your vet should empower you with knowledge and educationnot make you fearful! Next time you are at your vets’ office, even while they are speaking, tap into how you are feeling at that very moment, do a quick check within yourself and ask, “How am I feeling right now?”, are you feeling belittled or worried/scared? Or do you feel good?

After speaking and educating many pet guardians myself, the common denominator is that they all exclaim how ‘excited’ they are for embarking on their pets’ new wellness journey, and I guess you could say I pride myself on that empowerment. You see, in empowering someone

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5

Things To Look For When Choosing A Vet

W

hether you are looking for a holistic, conventional or allopathic veterinarian, (In short- I believe they all have their place), here are some basic principles that you should look for when deciding which clinic/vet to choose;

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to help them help their pet, there is no aspect of control, or me trying to control them, the side-effect is that they feel free to make the decisions they make for their pet, and when they come back to thank me and give me credit, I simply reply with, “All I did was empower you with knowledge and information that you chose to utilize, so thank yourself ”.

3. Do they listen?

Does your vet actually listen to your concerns and requests? For example, if your pet is healthy, and you are buying and feeding them a well-balanced quality raw pet food diet, then there really should be no concern from your vet. It does not make much sense to switch over a healthy pet doing incredible on a balanced fresh diet to a commercial and highly processed pet food does it?

Food for thought.

4. Knowledge vs. Education

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Does your vet self-educate him/herself, or do they rely on the information they graduated with X amount of years ago? The health and medical industry is constantly changing and being updated, so the question lies, is your vet taking it upon him/herself to access the latest unbiased research and information? Even in the nutrition industry, lots has changed and things keep evolving. Fat was once ‘bad for you’- but now everyone is on a keto diet! Coconut oil was once highly villainized by nutritionists- now it’s everywhere! See what I mean?

For example; does your vet still spay and neuter puppies and kittens at 6 months of age or do wait until the animal reaches maturity until all the proper glands and hormones are in place and developed? Do they vaccinate senior and/or immune compromised pets? Do they push unnecessary vaccines?

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5. They put the animal first It is in fact true that veterinarians must take an oath like human doctors do, the Canadian Veterinary Oath (CVO) is as follows;

Check your local area for updates.

“As a member of the veterinary medical profession, I solemnly swear that I will use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society. I will strive to:

June 2021

July 2021

Sunday June 20th The Summer Solstice and Father’s Day!

Thursday July 1st Canada Day Canada turns 154 years old

• promote animal health and welfare, • prevent and relieve animal suffering, • protect the health of the public and the environment, and • advance comparative medical knowledge.

I will perform my professional duties conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.

I will strive continuously to improve my professional knowledge and competence and to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards for myself and the profession.” (www.cvo.org) So, it should go without saying, that no matter what their opinions are, they should always put the animal first. However, sometimes a professional opinion is quite different than a personal one, and one must of course understand that veterinarians have regulations and government standards to be kept at, what I am trying to say here is that no matter what their intentions are, their hands are tied when it comes to certain things and that is not their fault. You as the pet guardian must understand this, and ask yourself, ‘Is my vet just doing his/her job?’.

At the end of the day, your animal(s) belongs to you, and the choices you make for them belong to you.

Choosing the right veterinarian is one of the most important part of pet ownership. At the end of the day, one must like and trust the person they are giving their business to, especially when it comes to family health, and your pets’ health should be no exception.

Due to the uncertainty of future restrictions on gatherings and events, please check your local area for updates.

The Pet Connection assumes no responsibility for any information listed for any of these events. While every attempt is made to double check information submitted, we are not responsible for any cancelled events, rescheduled events, wrong dates or times, location changes, wrong address’s or wrong phone numbers. If you have an event you would like to mention, please submit it to, info@petconnection.ca. Due to space limitations there is no guarantee that it will be listed.

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Even when some people get overwhelmed at how much information there is (and believe me there is a lot!), I am constantly reassuring them that they are not alone, and Rome was not built in a day. Your vet should do the same.

Many events are either postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19.

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By Julia Penistan

M

A photograph of a dog cringing while a baby crawls on them has made the social media rounds a few times. In it, the dog is using every part of their body to say, ‘Stop!

Back off ! Too much! End of my rope here!’ But how can you tell? Even if you haven’t yet developed your gift of animal communication, it’s not that difficult to see your dog talking. See? Yes. See. Dogs, even though seemingly mostly non verbal, have a rich, expressive language. Once you know what to look for, you will be able to read them like a furry, four-legged book.

Aside from their natural telepathic abilities, dogs use every part of their physical body to communicate with us and with each other. They express calmness for themselves and help other dogs calm down. They show different levels of stress. And they do things that just mean ‘no worries, not good not bad, happily hanging in here.’

Let’s have a look. When you’re starting out, it’s easier to observe one area at a time.

The Eyes Have It. ‘Ear ‘Ear and Read My Lips

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Dogs’ heads have many parts, and each can talk. A quiet, calm eye has soft eyelids that may blink slowly; a very relaxed eyelid is soft and half closed. Behind it, the eyeball sits comfortably in its socket, the pupils are the normal size for the lighting and their gaze is relaxed.

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With a little bit of stress, your dog may turn their head away or simply avert their gaze. On the massage mat or when you are petting them, they may look at your hand - “Pay attention there, please.” With more stress, their eyelids will be fully open and start to stiffen, and the eyeball may seem to get bigger and jut out - the expressive ‘bug-eyed’ look. At this level of stress, you will likely

see some white around their eye, known as ‘white eye’ or ‘whale eye’. With rising stress you’ll get the ‘stink eye’ and once you’ve experienced that you won’t forget it! At extreme tension, you will likely see white around the entire eyeball, and the pupils will be almost as large as the iris.

If you ever see this, particularly if paired with a hard stare and a ‘frozen’ body, back off ! You’re about to be bitten!

Fortunately, you can help diffuse the situation by making space: slow your breath, drop your shoulders, pull in your hands, bend your body away from your dog, look down and away, give a big yawn and slowly sidestep away.

Next the muzzle. Relaxed, happy lips are soft, their jaw closed or slightly open and they may literally smile at you. You’ll notice! Their nose will be nicely moist. With a little bit of stress, your dog may let you know or selfcalm with a nose flick; that tongue swipe is very fast, so you need to be observant. Next they may give their lips a quick lick, sniff the ground or lick their privates.

At this point they are definitely doing what they can to lower their own tension. With a bit more stress, they may draw your attention to themselves by putting their nose

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My Dog Talks to Me? YOU BET!

ost pet owners sense when their dog is happy, and sometimes when they are hurting, but how do they know?

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Tobie

and wags evenly from side to side. The ‘underside’ may also give off some gas. If your dog does this when you are massaging or petting, and you know for sure their digestion is fine, take this as a supreme compliment! On the other hand, a tail expressing worry or fear becomes tense, tucks up, and in extreme situations, jams right under the body.

Don’t Hold Your Breath

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Now the ears. Relaxed earflaps will be soft and in their normal position. For down-eared dogs, they will also be nice and floppy. With a little bit of tension, whether good or bad, those ear flaps will turn toward you and pay attention. Under duress, they will stiffen, then tilt back, and when totally stressed out, lie flat on their skull.

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Moving on Back Your happy dog’s body is relaxed and carried or held in their normal posture; they may lean into you or bring their hips to you for some scratching on their ‘lovin’ spot’, in the middle of their spine, just in front of their

hip bones. But if they bend their ribs away, look for something that is worrying them. With more stress, their body will stiffen. If you are massaging, they may pull away, do the ‘alligator roll’, start scratching or, ultimately, leave. At that point, let them, and find out why.

While we’re on the body, run your hand along their coat. Is its texture the same as usual, is it soft, smooth and uniform? Is it the same temperature throughout?

Or is it talking to you with coat swirls (quite often there is pain underneath)? Are there areas where your hand doesn’t glide as well, or the coat feels abnormally coarse?

Is it flaking, unexpectedly giving off dandruff ? Is the hair suddenly dropping out? Veterinarians are always cleaning hair and dandruff from their examination tables after a visit.

Talkin’ Tails Here’s another body part people notice more often.

A contented tail is loose, thumps happily on the floor

And finally, something most people don’t know to look for, though they experience it themselves — the breath. A calm dog’s breathing is slow and even. They may give some nice, loose yawns, big sighs and ultimately fall asleep. A worried dog will yawn quickly, with tense lips and maybe a quick nose flick or two. Under duress, they may start panting, drooling, rasping and finally hold their breath.

Here’s one of my clients, Tobie, at an international agility competition. Her eyelids are soft and almost closed, her ears are totally loose, her muzzle is quietly closed. Her body is so relaxed it’s taking the shape of the step she’s lying on. Her breathing is slow and her tail is flopped on the ground (trust me - I was there!)

Total bliss.

Slight stress: People appreciate the direct look; dogs not so much. How many of your great shots been flummoxed by your dog looking away? To a dog, a straight on look in the eye, whether with your own eyes or a camera is an aggressive act. So try to avoid it.

Here is a typical reaction to having a camera pointed straight at a dog. Missy’s ears, eyebrows and lips are tight,

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on or under your hand. You might see the corners of their lips begin to pull back and perhaps the tip of their tongue will edge forward. With more stress, the tongue will come farther out, and in extreme stress, the tongue will be all the way out and the end will be widened like a spoon. At this point, expect the dog to be panting, and showing their worry all over their body.

Putting it all Together

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this point, but if the circumstances were to ramp up, his reactions could, too.

Missy

Extreme stress: Tiny 2BQ hates the dremel. Her entire body is rigid and her back and ribs curved away from her people. Her eyes are starting to bug out, and her eyebrows are stiff. Her back is arched, and her pelvis and tail are tucked under tightly.

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Moderate stress: See the difference between Zappa’s expression and Tobie’s? Zappa’s ears are stiff, pointing in different directions and slightly depressed. He’s showing whale eye. His lips are tight and even his whiskers are pulled back. He’s handling the situation at

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Zappa

2BQ There are two more areas of communication I haven’t addressed here - personal space and play, which, just to confuse you, often use many of the same signals as above.

But as most dogs are taught body language as puppies, they can tell the difference. Can you?

Once you know what to look for, you will understand what your dog is saying and feeling quite easily and consistently. Get to know the nuances in your dog’s signals. They will thank you for it!

Resources to find out more: Turid Rugaas, On TalkingTerms with Dogs: Calming Signals - the original text on body language; Rachelle Buckle: Introduction to Canine Body Language - excellent drawings. Contact the author to purchase; Brenda Aloff, Canine Body Language - A Photographic Guide - extensive, very clear photographs, great exercises to develop your eye.

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as are her shoulders and forearms. Her hind claws are also digging into the carpet. But no whale eye, no panting, no tongue out; she’s just waiting for this uncomfortable moment to end.

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TRIGGER STACKING Arousal levels, stress and how it affects our dogs.

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rousal levels in dogs is something that is not well understood or even thought about by many pet dog owners. It is, however, the number one thing I discuss with a new client who has troubling behaviour issues with their dogs.

High arousal or over-arousal (stress) is a big contributor to a lot of behaviours that pet dog owners identify as problems with their dogs:

By Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP Dog Partners www.dogpartners.ca

• Incessant barking • Leash pulling • Reactivity on leash • Poor play skills with other dogs • Nipping and biting inappropriately • Leash grabbing and biting

Pet dog owners actually, inadvertently, do a lot of things that contribute to or exacerbate high arousal in dogs: • Let them “cry it out” during crate training or alone training.

• Play fetch a lot in an effort tire out their dogs.

• Walk them for hours every day.

• Humping humans, dogs or other objects

• Play tug a lot without a lot of play training “rules” in place.

• Resource guarding

• Don’t encourage and/or arrange for enough sleep for

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Summertime Health

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• Let their young children have free access when/how to play with their dogs.

• Use “no-pull” leash walking equipment vs. teaching the skill of loose leash walking.

• Have them off leash most often and rarely on leash.

• Let them play for long periods of time with other dogs without supervision or interruption.

• Use dog parks for exercise and “socialization”.

• Run or bike with their dogs without due consideration to passing dogs and dog social behaviour.

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• Let them eat out of food bowls during mealtimes.

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• Send them on long hikes daily with a dog walker.

Some of the things listed above are not bad things to do with your dog but they need to be done with thought and mindfulness. It’s important to find the balance between physical exercise and mental exercise for our dogs. Mental stimulation and contentment are important to maintaining a healthy balance of arousal for every dog. I would actually go as far as to say that if you can only do one thing that day, err on the side of providing some mental stimulation instead of physical exercise. Obviously, a balance of both is the best, but I do think mental stimulation and enrichment is just that important.

• Suppress any unwanted behaviour with punishment or equipment (bark collars, electric fencing, shock collars, prong collars, choke collars, bark mats, compressed cans of air blown in their faces, “alpha” rolls or scruff grabs, forced “downs” when “bad”, etc.);

In behaviour modification work, clients usually call me for help when something bad has happened or some undesirable behaviour is clearly escalating into worse behaviour. Often, they feel the troubling behaviour has just started recently or has suddenly started getting a lot worse.

• Send them to daycare all day or long stretches of time.

One example would be a call I got from someone with a very large dog, nearing social maturity but still quite

young for his size – under 2 years of age, who had started biting his owners at times. He was described as: “Friendly off leash with other dogs and plays well, but on leash he’s reactive, and he’s also reactive to dogs living next door when he’s in his fenced yard”.

This dog had begun to turn and bite them, drawing blood, whenever they tried to intervene by pulling him away by the collar or harness during a reaction. They had also recently moved to a home that had narrow hallways shared with other neighbours with dogs, so the possibility of passing someone in the hall with a dog, while their dog was also present on leash was very alarming to them in light of this “new” behaviour.

There are many reasons why a dog does what a dog does.

However, a good way to start working with a dog like this is to plan a program of counter conditioning and desensitization – attempting to build a more positive association to what appears to be causing the dog stress and anxiety at a level that is comfortable for your dog.

Here is a good article on counterconditioning and desensitization by Dr. Zazie Todd, Companion Animal Psychology: www.companionanimalpsychology.

com/2018/07/what-is-desensitization-and-counter.html In addition to the counterconditioning and desensitization process, putting management into place, simultaneously, is a very critical component.

Management means that you make every possible effort to prevent situations in which your dog reacts – we don’t want him constantly “practicing” the very behaviour we are trying to extinguish.

When I start working with a new client, my number one goal is to strongly encourage a program of increased mental enrichment. In my experience, this is critical on so many levels. Not the least of which is that it is the easiest and fastest way to begin lowering arousal levels.

Reactions based on fear, anxiety, stress and even excitement increase, among other things, adrenaline and cortisol levels which in turn raise your dog’s arousal level. Cortisol is the stress hormone, and the effects of increased cortisol and adrenaline can take as long as a week to reduce in your dog’s body. If you think about that and then think about a dog who is having reactions on a daily basis, when do these levels ever have a chance

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their dogs especially young puppies and young dogs.

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• as you’re racing the last few blocks to work, someone flies through a red light and hits your car.

Can’t you just feel the build-up of anxiety as you read through this scenario?! We call this “trigger stacking” – one stressful thing followed by another stressful thing, and so on, can add up quickly to the point of near explosion and the affects can stay with us for days.

The affects can be seen in an overreaction or felt in that jumpy, unsettled feeling that takes a while to go away.

I published an Instagram story recently in an effort to describe trigger stacking in the context that might relate to a dog. I had several people (who own dogs) tell me they could feel their anxiety building just looking at it.

Here it is – what do you feel when you look at it?

How to counteract over-arousal.

In the case of the dog mentioned above, I discovered a few other things that I would consider contributing factors to his behaviour issues:

In addition to the reported “problem” – let’s say it’s reactivity on leash – there are many things that dogs can find stressful throughout a regular day which will compound the stress brought about by displaying the actual unwanted behaviour. Every dog is different and what he or she finds stressful will be very individual. Not all stress is bad stress, some can be good and even exciting but it’s still stress, and it can still be a contributor to a state of high arousal.

Some examples of common stressors for dogs are: loud noises, thunder, fireworks, children running around and yelling or screaming, babies crying, a knock on the door, sirens, smoke alarms, car alarms, dogs barking in the distance, people passing your house, people talking out in the hallway, a dog barking on TV, squirrels running up a tree, the sound of racoons fighting outside, putting on a harness, going to the vet, people skateboarding, the sound of a motor bike, having a bath, going to the groomer and many, many more.

For comparison, imagine yourself in this scenario: • you get up late because you forgot to set your alarm the night before;

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• you rush through your morning routine but have to skip the shower because you’re running late and have an important early meeting;

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• you spill your coffee on your shirt racing out the door and don’t have time to go back in and change; • you forgot your car is almost out of gas and now you have to stop to fill even though that will make you late for work; and

• He was a guarding breed mix and appeared to display behaviour that resembled resource guarding at times, at home.

• He pulled on leash and was walked on a collar and leash.

• He had a poor recall especially when playing with other dogs.

• He ate out of a bowl and only occasionally got a Kong or treat toy at home.

• He barked at sounds in the hallway and at people walking by that he saw out the window.

• They had recently moved into a new home.

• He had access to a yard for the first time and had dogs living on both sides of him.

What training plan did we come up with for this dog?

Even though the behaviour they wanted to eliminate was the biting and/or leash reactivity, in my experience a lot of seemingly extraneous things play into behaviour issues and should also be addressed.

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to get back to normal? It may never lower to normal and that’s a problem and that’s how problems can easily escalate out of control.

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• Another reason I think it’s important to have your dog walking on a loose leash is because it takes thought to perform the “job” of loose leash walking.

Both the human and the dog have to perform their own parts of that job. For the human, it helps relieve the stress of walking a reactive dog because you now have a plan and steps to follow. For the dog it’s similar – you have to follow the training steps of walking nicely in order to be able to move forward on your walk. This keeps everyone thinking and the stress of the walk will be lower overall.

1. Leash Walking skills and equipment.

Teaching a dog to walk on a loose leash is really important for lots of reasons. In addition to obviously being more comfortable for both human and dog, there are other benefits as well:

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• If your dog is pulling on leash, then he knows exactly where you are – at the end of the tight leash. If he’s walking on a loose leash, he actually has to put some thought into keeping track of where you are and what you’re doing – turning, slowing, stopping, etc.

If he’s putting thought into something like keeping track of you, there is a decreased chance he will jump into the part of his brain responsible for reactivity when a trigger appears, or, if he does react, there is a good chance it will be less of a reaction than it would normally be.

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• Because I’m also always looking to change a negative association into a positive one, I think it’s important for a dog’s equipment to be as neutral a part of their walking experience as possible. In other words, when your dog is wearing a collar with the leash attached and he’s pulling, the sensation of your air being choked off and the discomfort of the tension on the delicate parts of their throat has to make an already scary or stressful situation worse.

If, instead, your dog is wearing a comfortable body harness and the tension of a tight leash is more widely distributed and not on such a sensitive

2. Resource Guarding.

I think this is an important problem to solve for many different reasons. In this particular situation, there is always the possibility that leash reactivity toward other dogs has some degree of resource guarding in it – “don’t approach my owner when he/she is walking with me!”

Additionally, if there is even a small chance that resource is also going on at home with food, toys or other items or in other ways that are subtle and unnoticed by the owner, it will also contribute to that trigger stacking scenario and can only be beneficial to solve – it certainly won’t be harmful to work on it.

3. Limited visual and audible access to outside triggers.

When the owners of dogs like this are absent, I think it’s important to put a system of management in place to limit the likelihood of a reaction like barking at the people in the hall or at the people and dogs walking by.

Again, this is one more trigger to put on the pile and if it’s happening many times a day, that’s a lot of extra stress and extra triggers. Visual limits are fairly easy – drapes, blinds, opaque sheets of film for the windows – I’ve even taped garbage bags to my windows at times when nothing else was available! Blocking sounds is a bit harder but you can make use of white noise machines, radio talk shows, music, kitchen or bathroom fans as well as containing your dog in the part of our house farthest from outside sounds. There is even a company that creates music specially designed to calm down dogs and cats. Strange as it may seem, I have known people to have success with this music and, once again, there is no harm in trying it. Here is a link to “iCalmPet”, formerly “Through a Dog’s Ear”: https://icalmpet.com 4. Increased mental stimulation and enrichment.

There is no question in my mind that every dog can benefit from mental stimulation and enrichment.

Changing meals from bowls to treat dispensing toys is an easy way to start. Next, either buy or craft some additional toy options that you can make use of throughout the day. Make sure whatever toy you’re using is one that is safe for your dog to have unsupervised – and every dog is different on this front so take the time to supervise them and watch how they play with their toys many times before ever considering leaving them

alone with a toy. For my dog, he gets up to 12 treat toys a day (in addition to his daily hikes and meals) and his best “treat toy times” are: • After meals – even though he’s just eaten, his meals cause him to have the “zoomies” and the toys help him focus on a task and calm him down quickly.

• After physical exertion – physical activity increases adrenaline and mental stimulation helps to balance that out with mental contentment.

• When he’s left alone – the obvious answer is that it gives him something to do should he wish to do so.

Working on toys when he’s alone also helps bolster his skill at being alone – you can’t practice this enough and it’s a skill that should be maintained even if your dog doesn’t appear to be worried when he’s alone.

• When I’m home but busy. Just in case my dog needs some entertainment, I think it’s nice to provide some options and he can choose to busy himself or not. You do need to ensure that you don’t always use treat toys only for absences as they will come to predict that your dog will be left alone, so it’s okay to give them to your dog “just because”.

If you’re using treat toys, just ensure that your dog isn’t getting too much food by monitoring their weight and daily intake. There are treat toy options for any type of food you feed your dog. The toys don’t have to contain treats at all, but it is nice for your dog to have some extra special goodies in there from time to time.

In addition to the above, we also did some counterconditioning and desensitization out on walks – working on leash skills when no dogs were in sight. We also incorporated this same training into the sight/sound of the dogs on either side of their yard when the dog was in the yard – at first on leash and eventually off leash.

When we were doing the off-leash yard training, we were also incorporating training for a better Recall – often you can accomplish more than one thing at a time which is helpful and expedient!

This family did a great job! Within the first 2 weeks of making efforts to lower his arousal overall, there were no more bites to them, and they were seeing a big difference in his leash reactivity. Because he was friendly with dogs

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location as the throat, it can’t help but feel better.

I have met dogs who have displayed a dramatic reduction their poor behaviour on leash simply by changing their walking equipment. For some dogs, it really can be that impactful.

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I can’t tell you how often I discuss the concept of over-arousal with my clients and how often it really resonates with them once they hear my explanation.

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Can you think of instances where your dog experiences trigger stacking in his day-to-day life? What kinds of things do you think would help you and your dog? At the least, I would highly recommend adding some more mental enrichment to your dog’s day – have fun coming up with some creative ideas or DIY options. Visit the FB group “Canine Enrichment” – they have some great ideas and tons of members contributing all the time.

Have fun coming up with new ideas to enrich your dog and lower his or her arousal and stay positive!

In the Apr/May 2021 issue ,in the article titled 21 Fascinating Dog Facts written by Carly Piatocha, we mistakenly forgot to include the References. Here there are now.

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https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(03)02679-4/fulltext https://habri.org/research/child-health/autism/ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/can-dogs-detect-cybercrime/ https://elifesciences.org/articles/55080 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/dogs-poop-in-alignment-with-earths-magnetic-field-study-finds https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-science-based-benefits-dog/ https://slate.com/technology/2014/02/dogs-can-help-you-get-a-date-and-look-more-attractive-the-power-of-a-labrador-puppy.html https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/underdogs-the-bloodhounds-amazing-sense-of-smell/350/ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/153331750301800610 10 https://www.hindawi.com/journals/cggr/2014/623203/ 11 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320104#Dogs-and-death-risk 12 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201029141945.htm 13 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.552251/full For simplified review see: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201113103723.htm 14 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210125094057.htm 15 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5492993/ 16 https://www.animalwised.com/18-oldest-dog-breeds-in-the-world-2540.html#anchor_2 17 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7058607/ 18 https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2012/06/08/Study-Dogs-show-empathy-to-crying-people/87001339200976/?ur3=1 19 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0225320 20 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190129093722.htm 21 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190115144053.htm 22 https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-pekingese-dog-195234 23 https://abcnews.go.com/International/Technology/stray-dogs-master-complex-moscow-subway-system/story?id=10145833 1 2

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and did have a history of playing well off leash, this was also something we could use as an added reinforcement to all of his training. This isn’t always the case with every dog, of course, but it is nice when you can incorporate that “real life reward” into your training plan too.

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TRAVEL IN CANADA WITH YOUR DOG (After Covid)

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ith a width of 5780 miles, Canada is an ideal country for road trips. Beautiful Canada has some impressive features, including vast mountain ranges and more than 2 million lakes. It is bordered by three oceans, Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic and spread over 13 provinces and territories.

What better way to see Canada than together with your pet? There’s too many amazing places to list, but I’m happy to share a few highlights!

Kathleen Lake and views deep into Kluane National park at the summit.

After a long day of hiking and exploring, what better way to rest your head and paws in one of the beautiful Yurt huts at Mount Logan Ecolodge, just outside of Kluane National parks. The Yurts are dog friendly, feature a wood stove and are very cosy. A good night’s rest is guaranteed.

Northwest Territories

Yukon

By Mieke Hoekman

Yellowknife - Green Northern Lights Thanks to HyunKuk Kim @spacekhk

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One could argue that the whole of the Yukon Territory is one big playground for dogs. Endless hiking trails, things to see, bushes to sniff. If I would have to pick one place to go visit, it would definitely be Kluane National Park.

Be warned though, with an abundance of wildlife, you need to be prepared. Always keep your dog on leash and carry bear spray!

Lake Louise, Alberta, Mieke Hoekman

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With a vast wilderness of ice fields, forests and towering peaks like Mount Logan, Kluane national park should be on anyone’s list. With hiking trails varying from day trips to long overnighters, you and your dog can pick one that suits your needs. If you are looking for an easy start, the Spruce Beetle Trail might be for you. A 1.3 km loop, featuring educational information about the destructive nature of the Spruce Beetle, a viewing platform and a chance of seeing wildlife. For the more advanced hiker, King’s Throne Peak trail is an 8 hour or 15 km out and back route that treats you to spectacular views of

If there is one thing the Northwest Territories are known for, it is the Northern Lights. With over an average of 200 nights of the Aurora dancing, you are almost guaranteed to hit the jackpot.

A great base to start your chase of the northern lights is Yellowknife. With plenty of dog friendly accommodation and hotels to choose from, you can focus on ticking off the northern lights from your bucket list. Unfortunately, visiting the Aurora village or taking a Northern lights tour is not possible with your dog, but you can definitely do it yourself ! You’ll want to get away from the light pollution which won’t take long. Take the Ingraham trail road out of the city and stop at one of the many lakes, which are a great place to view the lights. Prelude lake territorial park is a popular spot. The ice roads are another option for viewing the Aurora Borealis in the wintertime when they are frozen over and safe to drive on. Auroras are usually on the northern horizon, so the best place to see it is wide open areas. Do make sure to wrap yourself and your dog up warm, it can get very cold at night!

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Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada Thanks to Kalen Emsley @kalenemsley

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Nunavut

the most spectacular coastlines. You could fill a whole book with spots one more amazing after the other. It’s incredibly hard to pick only a few, but the following spots are a must if you travel with your dog: Tofino: The West Coast Vancouver Island shoreline is rugged and in many places mountainous, characterized by its many fjords, bays, and inlets. Between all the inlets, you have vast stretches of sandy beach. And that’s where the magic happens. All this space for your dog to run around while you are able to clear your head listening to the crashing waves. Especially on a stormy day, clouds of fog and mist keep rolling in adding to the dramatic outlook. Keep in mind, most beaches around Tofino require your dog to be leashed to be mindful of local wildlife (Yes, wolves roam in the area!). After you and your dog have had some great zoomies at Chestermann beach, you can visit one of the many dog friendly patios for a drink or a bite to eat. I can definitely recommend the burgers at The Shed!

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One of the least visited territories of Canada, Nunavut forms most of the Canadian Arctic archipelago. Most places are only accessible by plane or boat. Which makes it a hard territory to travel around in with your dog. If you are still set on visiting, make sure to arrange dog boarding or people to watch your dog beforehand as most activities are not dog friendly. Nonetheless, being a dog lover you can still eat your heart out because Nunavut is an excellent place to go dog sledding. Even though dog sledding tours are offered all across Canada, in Nunavut you can experience the real authentic mode of transportation. A great place to do this is Iqaluit.

Using a qamutik, a traditional Inuit sled, you navigate through the icy cold tundra encouraging the dogs with “Attii”, meaning “Let’s go”.

British Columbia Beautiful British Columbia earned its name due to the numerous mountain peaks, lush forests and one of

Hollyburn Mountain winter time: Nothing is as magical as watching the sunrise while you try to catch your breath catching up with your dog climbing the Tunnel Bluffs all year around: The first ⅓ of the trail are steep upwards, but well worth it. After about 6 km you are rewarded with a magnificent view over the Howe sound from the Tunnel Bluffs. Make sure to leash up, the drop is steep!

Kelowna: When you think of Canada, you don’t immediately think of wine. But let me tell you, some of the best wines come from the Okanagan. Now you would usually not put wine and dogs together, that is

Tofino, BC, Mieke Hoekman

what makes Kelowna so special. With over 40 wineries, vineyards, orchards and farms, and most of them dog friendly, you can spend all day hopping from one to the other tasting all the delicious things the Okanagan has to offer. One of my favourites is Summerhill winery. Not only offering a spectacular view over Okanagan Lake from the terrace, there is a special dog friendly shaded area where you can chill and taste wine with your dog.

Alberta Alberta is best known for the Rocky Mountains. And it is a great thing to be known for. Most tour guides recommend visiting Banff National Park, and I won’t be any different.

Please be aware that you will have to buy a park pass to be able to stop or overnight in the national park.

Banff: Straight from a postcard, Banff is a destination you have to visit. Loaded with pet friendly accommodation options (expect to pay an additional pet fee per night) makes it very comfortable to stay with your dog. Anywhere you look, you’ll see the Rocky Mountains towering over Banff town. An easy day hike to get a better view over Banff is the Tunnel Mountain

Banff Photo Courtesy of Krista Joy Montgomery

Trail. The well-graded switchbacks make the ascent up the mountain something that most reasonably fit people can accomplish. Or you can just let your dog pull you up! Although it is the smallest mountain in Banff, Tunnel Mountain offers spectacular views of the valley and panoramas over the town of Banff.

Lake Louise: No matter the season, Lake Louise shines with all its brilliance. At about a 45 minute drive from Banff, you have to get up very early in the morning to

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Arctic Circle marker in Auyuittuq National Park Pangnirtung, NU, Canada Thanks to Isaac Demeester @demeester

Vancouver: Vancouver is an amazing base to explore the most popular area of British Columbia. There where the sea meets the sky, you and your dog can eat your hearts out at the limitless number of trails and hikes you can do together. It’s an all season playground, but make sure to bring suitable gear for both you and your dog to safely explore the mountains (think of snowshoes, booties for winter and lots of water for the summer time, it can get quite hot)!. Some of my favorite trails are: Pump peak in summer time: A 7 km steep incline round trip brings you to an almost 360 degrees view of Vancouver and surrounding mountains.

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Bruce Trail Thanks to Christina Brinza @cbrin

Saskatchewan Most people try to cross Saskatchewan as fast as they can during their road trip through Canada. But there is one place you need to stop at, as it’s like no other in Canada.

Great hills sand dunes: Like being transported in a different world, the ever changing sand dunes are a rare sight in Canada. The dunes and the accessible area around the Great Sand Hills are both beautiful — and perfect for you and your dog to burn off some of that pent up energy. Don’t expect formal hiking trails.

Most of the dunes are no more than 15 m above the surrounding plains. But they’re stacked close together so as you can imagine, walking on the dunes is hard work.

Want to have a bit of fun? Bring something to slide down the dunes on, your dog will love chasing you down! Just be sure to keep track of the location of the parking lot.

Manitoba

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Canada’s central province, Manitoba is primarily known for being home to the polar bear capital of the world, Churchill. Unfortunately, Churchill is not accessible by road, so not ideal to travel to with a dog. However, Manitoba still has a lot of fun activities to offer when it comes to your dog and you.

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Arctic Snow Tube Park: A fun activity during the winter time is snow tubing and ice skating. The best part is that your dog can join you for free! The Arctic Snow Tube Park in Winnipeg is where you can catch a thrill on the Konex Cable Tubing system that pulls tubers back and forth along a snow track for a continuous 5-minute ride. Warm

Kings Park Winnipeg, Manitoba Thanks to Brydon McCluskey @brydoncreative

up with some hot chocolate and marshmallows before you head to the Red River Mutual Trail and skate its length to check out unique warming huts along the way. Dogs are welcome but must stay on leash.

Ontario Ontario is Canada’s second largest province, 1 million square kilometers featuring vast forests, four of the five Great Lakes, cities like Ottawa and Toronto and Niagara Falls. It’s hard to pick only a few highlights of a province this size, the possibilities are endless for you and your dog to enjoy nature or explore cities.

a hidden gem, it is still well worth a visit with your dog.

You can walk the Niagara Glenn trail, about 2.3 km looped, and enjoy the rugged paths that wind through this pristine pocket of Carolinian Forest, past prehistoric geological formations, wild flora and fauna. The Niagara Glen overlooks the rapid waters of the Niagara River and the natural phenomenon that is the Niagara River Whirlpool. Keep in mind, it can get quite busy, so it’s important to keep your dog on a leash as not everyone might appreciate being approached by one.

Algonquin park: When you visit Ontario, you can’t leave out Algonquin park. A beautiful hike to see Jack Lake from above, the Hemlock Bluff trail is a must see.

The Hemlock Bluff Trail is a 3.5 km loop taking you through a variety of hardwood and coniferous forests and, most notably, a large stand of hemlock. Dogs are allowed on leash. The drop at the viewpoint over Jack Lake is quite steep, so make sure to stay close together.

Hamilton: Just outside of Toronto, the area of Hamilton is a must see with your dog. Not necessarily for Hamilton itself, but for the many beautiful trails surrounding it.

Bruce trail is an absolute favorite. One of Canada’s oldest marked footpaths and with a total length of 900 km, the Bruce trail takes you from Niagara to Tobermorey. Of course you don’t have to walk the whole way (although your dog might want to)!, but you can enjoy the beautiful section just outside of Hamilton. While you are in the area, you might as well check out Hilton Falls too.

Quebec

Niagara Glenn Nature reserve: Even though this is not

Quebec City: Quebec City is rich with history,

Quebec brings the ultimate combination of nature and cities. With 24 national parks and metropolis like Montreal and Toronto, there is something for everyone. Luckily for us dog owners, from May 2019 dogs are allowed in all Québec national parks, except in the Anticosti and Île-Bonaventureet-du-Rocher-Percé national parks. However, dogs are only authorized in certain places, so make sure to check before you travel. My highlight focuses on the oldest city in the province, Quebec City.

Quebec Thanks to Damien DUFOUR Photographie @ddufourphotographie

architecture. A walking tour is certainly the best way to discover Old Québec. On leash at all times, your dog can accompany you during your exploration of the fortifications, the Dufferin terrace, the Petit-Champlain district, the Plains of Abraham, etc. After your tour, you can share a real Quebec poutine with your dog on one of the many pet friendly patios in the area to replenish your energy before jumping on the Quebec City - Levis Ferry.

The Quebec City-Lévis ferry offers spectacular views of Old Quebec City, Cap-Diamant, the Château Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace from the water. Only a 12 minute ride takes you to Levis across the St. Lawrence River. Once in Levis, Fort Levis National Historic Site of Canada is another must-see; it was constructed in the 19th century to protect Canada from potential American invasions.

New Brunswick Very popular in the past, over the past decades, New Brunswick might have slipped off of many bucket lists around the world. However, it is time to put it back on.

It can easily match its neighbouring provinces Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in beauty. Especially when you look at the Bay of Fundy.

The Bay of Fundy is one of North America’s 7 wonders. It has the highest tide in the world (a change of 16 meters) and is home to many dinosaur fossils. The Bay of Fundy has a diverse coastal landscape of breathtaking cliffs, sea caves and rock formations. And the best part, you can explore them together with your dog. At low tide you can easily make your way down the staircase to the

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beat the masses. But then you can enjoy the turquoise waters surrounded by sharp mountain peaks to its full potential. Dogs are very welcome, you’ll probably get stopped every few minutes by other visitors wanting to pet your dog. The best (and most pricey way) to explore Lake Louise is by Canoe. You can rent them right on the spot, but expect to pay a hefty fee of over $100 an hour.

If your dog is not fond of Canoes or you want a cheaper way of seeing Lake Louise, you can pick one of the many hiking trails. The Lake Louise Lakeshore trail is an easy one or the Fairview Lookout uphill hike offers you a unique look at both the lake and the historic Fairmont Chateau.

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seabed where you can explore. Look for fossils (maybe your dog can sniff out some dinosaur bones)!, carefully examine ocean life in the tidal pools, join a guided tour for expert insights, explore the caves, or simply marvel at the incredible scenery. The Bay of Fundy is a sensitive area with lots of marine and wildlife, so make sure to keep your dog on leash!

Hillsborough Bridge in Stratford. Or a few minutes further down the Keppoch Road, you can find Tea Hill Beach. If you want to combine a beach outing with visiting a beautiful quaint little artisan town, Victoria by the sea is a must see. Lots of shops and some dog friendly patio dining areas make it the ideal place to enjoy some local delicacies like oysters and mussels.

Nova Scotia

Looking for a bit more exercise? All of the island trails

Peggys Cove Thanks to Suchakra Sharma @suchakra

PEI Thanks to Tobias Negele @tobiasnegele

Nova Scotia is made up of the mainland peninsula and of over 3800 islands. Almost completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Nova Scotia offers plenty of coastline to explore, including the World Famous Cabot Trail.

The best way to travel with your dog is by car. And what better way to do that than to drive one of the most scenic routes in Canada, the Cabot trail on Cape Breton Island.

With a length of about 298 km, you can make the drive as long as you want, just a day, or stretch it to a few days.

There’s plenty to see, from stunning ocean vistas, to old growth forest, prehistoric rock scarred by glaciers, and the mysterious Cape Breton Highlands. And numerous pet friendly accommodation options like the Cabot Shores Wilderness Resort.

are welcoming to dogs, provided they are on leash. The Homestead Trail is a great option to see the beautiful New London Bay and the back side of Cavendish Dunes.

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Prince Edward Island (PEI), also called the Island, is one of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. And what does an island have that dogs absolutely love? Beaches!

While dogs are not permitted on the national beaches (including the one in Rustico), they are welcome on leashes on the many provincial and private beaches.

Kinlock Beach is a good choice, it’s just across the

To put it simply, Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the premier whale watching locations in the world.

So this highlight is not necessarily about a particular location to visit in Newfoundland and Labrador, but an activity you usually do not get to enjoy together with your dog. Whale watching. You can spot whales while hiking or walking along seaside trails, rugged cliffs, and sandy beaches. Look out from a cliff-side peak and see the tails of humpbacks splashing in the sea. Or picnic alongside the ocean and get a fine view of whales and porpoises swimming nearby — no binoculars needed.

Whales can be seen in all bays along the coastline.

Some spectacular viewing sites are Signal Hill, Cape Spear, Trinity, Cape Bonavista, Twillingate, White Bay, Strait of Belle Isle, St. Vincent’s, Cape St. Mary’s, Cape Race, Witless Bay, and St. Anthony. Now the question becomes, will your dog be able to sit still long enough for you to spot the whales?

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Prince Edward Island

Newfoundland and Labrador

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