In episode 203, I told the story of the behavior struggles I’ve had with my two-and-a-half-year-old Border Collie This! and the timeline of our challenges that were beyond dog training. And this episode is part two, covering how we began making changes to her diet, the practitioners who helped me help This!, and what I am doing now to ensure that This! has a life of joy. I also want to add a disclaimer that I am not a Veterinarian or Nutritionist. I just want to let you know the journey This! and I have been on together.
00:00 Part two of This!’s story. 00:36 Disclaimer: Consult a veterinarian and/or canine nutritionist. Do your own research. 01:46 You can’t dog train problems caused by diet. 02:28 Why I started taking photos of my dogs’ gums. 02:42 The raw food diet my dogs eat. 03:18 Formulating dog diets with Dr. Laurie Coger, DVM. 04:00 The gums of Border Collie littermates on lower protein diets. 04:18 Hyperacidity from excessive protein in North American commercial raw food diet. 05:30 Foods of ancestral origin impact nutrient digestibility. 06:39 Reaching out to Steve Brown, author of Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet. 07:45 Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM, heavy metal analysis of This!’s fur. 08:28 Narrowing down my dog’s culprits to nutrition and hormones. 08:40 Immediate results of my dog’s diet changes. 11:11 The naturopath and herbalist that helped balance my Border Collie’s endocrine system. 12:11 My training plan to recover my Border Collie’s lost time, create dopamine spikes and increase joy. 12:37 How flyball is growing my agility dog’s drive. 15:48 My dogs’ current nutritional protocol and meal prep hacks. 18:01 My hope for what a commercial raw food diet should look like. 19:24 This! enters World Team tryouts. Here’s my plan. 20:39 Comebacks are bigger than setbacks.
In the episode you'll hear: • How I narrowed This!'s lack of drive and joy for work down to nutrition. • That you can't dog train a problem that isn't a dog training problem. • How an Austrian naturopath helped me help This!. • Why my naturopath requested photographs of my dogs' gums and what they revealed. • Why I believe a raw food diet is the best option for my dogs. • The help I received from Dr. Laurie Coger, an integrative and functional medicine veterinarian. • The role ancestral geographic origins have in nutrition. • About our IC Peeps roundtable with Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet author Steve Brown. • About Dr. Peter Dobias and the results of the heavy metal analysis of This!'s fur sample. • My process for balancing This!'s diet and what I observed. • How an herbalist used acupressure points to balance This!'s endocrine system. • What I'm doing now in dog training to help This! have joy. • How weekly Flyball classes are helping. • What This! is eating now, and my hope for raw food manufacturers. • The reason I entered This! into World Team Tryouts. • Why I believe This!'s comeback will be bigger than her setbacks.
*Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you purchase.
P.S. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you get notifications of new videos! - - - - - - -
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of veterinary medicine, animal nutrition, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical or dietary advice. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, nutrition counseling, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining veterinary medical advice for any medical condition their dog may have, and they should seek the assistance of healthcare professionals for any such conditions - - - - - - -
