# Whole Dog Journal - New Issue Available! July Issue of Whole Dog Journal is available today! Articles: Improve Your Dental Acuity - What do you know about your dog's teeth? Probably not enough! A visit to a veterinary dental specialist is invaluable for detecting and fixing dental problems. (Peace) Fully Equipped - How to choose the most… ## Thread In General · started by ljowen123 · 48 replies - **Category:** [General](https://nihonken.org/community/c/general) - **Forum:** [Nihon Ken Forum](https://nihonken.org/community/) ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-06-17T11:16:36.000Z July Issue of Whole Dog Journal is available today! Articles: Improve Your Dental Acuity - What do you know about your dog's teeth? Probably not enough! A visit to a veterinary dental specialist is invaluable for detecting and fixing dental problems. (Peace) Fully Equipped - How to choose the most appropriate training gear for your dog. How Green is Your Tripe? This raw, unprocessed meat smells worse than anything you've ever smelled before - but many owners swear by its health benefits for their dogs. Scared to Be Home Alone - A dog with separation anxiety or isolation distress must be treated promptly, lest he destroys your home - or himself. ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-06-17T11:18:28.000Z I think it's time to buy WDJ, I think I'll need to get the dental article! ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-06-17T11:42:13.000Z I bought the subscription a couple of month's ago based on Brandon's advice - I've got to say - it's been a great investment. It was well worth the price just on the food evaluation, but the other articles have been great! ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-06-17T12:20:32.000Z All I hear is praise about WDJ! Its time to make the investment! Thank you, LJ!!! ## zoiegirl · 2008-06-17T18:27:52.000Z Interesting i would like to read the green tripe one i bought some for harley in a can and i could bring myself to open the second can ## brada1878 (admin) · 2008-06-18T02:57:16.000Z We have been subscribed to it since, well I think since Kaia - I think Patrice [StaticNfuzz] told us about it when we adopted Kaia. Anyway, I think its a must for any dog owner. ---- ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-06-18T14:19:09.000Z As of this morning, I am a subscriber! ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-06-20T12:24:56.000Z Has anyone used Diamon Natural? My local feed & tack store (just a 3/4 mile away - we walk there and buy snacks) carries it and it looks like it has few fillers. I subscribed to WDJ after the grain issue and really don't want to pay 7.50 for one article - if anyone has that copy would you see what they say about it? ## brandon_w (admin) · 2008-06-20T12:55:30.000Z For Diamond products with grain they recommend Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul and Premium Edge lines. ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-06-20T13:01:30.000Z thanks! ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-06-20T14:44:42.000Z I'm having issues signing onto their website with my new name and customer service said it takes a week?? Are you able to sign into their website? Thanks!! ## brandon_w (admin) · 2008-06-20T14:47:52.000Z I am signing in without problems. ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-07-18T10:34:51.000Z The New Topics in this month's Whole Dog Journal are: Training Your Dog with Rewarding Treats and Praise Keeping Dog Training Fun and Playful Acquiring a New Dog or Puppy Socializing a Shy Dog Dog Vaccination Information How to Solve Canine Digging Problems Teaching Your Dog to "Leave It" On Cue Too Much Fun? ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-07-18T10:55:30.000Z So I subscribed in July and it never came to my mailbox, so I ended up printing the pdf file.. when do you get it in the mail usually? ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-07-18T11:20:50.000Z Usually the first week of the month - probably around August 4 or 5? ## StaticNfuzz · 2008-07-18T23:42:18.000Z Thanks for the reminder.....I just pulled it up. Good stuff in there! BTW they used to send it to me via email but that stopped for some reason, so each month I have to remember to go in and check for the latest. Snf ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-08-15T14:22:38.000Z September's Issue is out. Here are the topics: Getting to Know You Figuring out a new dog: What motivates him, what frightens him, and what makes him itch! Grass-Fed Is Greener What’s the absolute ultimate in healthy diets for dogs? Pasture-fed animals provide healthier meat and dairy products – and their production is better for the environment than factory-farmed livestock, too. Please Play Tug Tug o’ war has a bad rap among some dog trainers. But many positive trainers regard it as a fantastically fun and useful game to play with your dog. Pet Food Politics A review of a riveting new book that explores the 2007 pet food recalls in depth, and an interview with the author, food industry expert Marion Nestle, PhD. Build a Powerful Partnership Your relationship with your dog is built in thousands of tiny, positive moments; a foundation constructed in this way will last forever. ## Kaddy · 2008-08-15T19:22:01.000Z Interesting, Keiko came with Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul and I couldn't find any information about it - she's still on it since we bought the only bag we could find (a huge one). Good to know the brand came recommended since I couldn't find much information about it online. ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-09-22T17:57:37.000Z October's Issue is out! My apologies for not getting the topics to you sooner! Solutions For Reactive Dog Behavior At some point in our lives, some of us find ourselves living with a difficult dog, one whose behavior challenges our patience, and exhausts our training knowledge – and opens our hearts and eyes to a new, better way of training. This is the story of one such dog and her very knowledgeable dog owner. Together, they reached an entirely new and higher level of dog training skills, thanks to the owner’s life-altering experiences with a reactive dog who wasn’t fit to compete in the career intended for her: Flyball. Flyball is not the sport for everyone. It is a relay team event, which means you have to commit to training and competing with your dog and other dogs and dog owners as a team, and you have to have an appreciation for over-the-top dogs and the resulting cacophony of sounds. In flyball, a team of four dogs race, one after the other, leaping a series of hurdles, throwing their bodies against a spring-loaded box that ejects a tennis ball, snatching the ball, and hurtling their bodies back down the row of jumps to where their next teammates strain to be released for their turns. The fastest team wins. Dog Trainers Use of Generalizing a Behavior But he does it at home!” Usually uttered in a plaintive wail, this common dog owner complaint is often heard in dog training classes, among other places. When one of my students says this, I reassure them that I believe their dog probably does perform the behavior in question with a high degree of reliability in the comfort of his own home. The fact that he won’t do it in class is usually a generalization issue; the owner has only practiced the behavior with her dog at home. He doesn’t know he’s supposed to do it other places. According to authors Mary Burch, PhD, and Jon Bailey, PhD, in their excellent book, How Dogs Learn, “Generalization occurs when behaviors are seen in contexts other than those in which they were originally trained.” Simply stated, this means practicing with your dog in different places, at different times of the day, under different conditions, in the presence of different people, dogs, and a variety of other distractions. Remedies for Kennel Cough Anyone who’s heard it will recognize the dry, hacking, something’s-stuck-in-my-throat cough that won’t quit. It’s the signature symptom of canine infectious tracheobronchitis, also known as Bordetellosis, Bordetella, and most commonly as kennel cough. Whatever you call it, tracheobronchitis is one of the world’s most widespread canine diseases. Like the common cold in humans, tracheobronchitis is highly contagious, rarely fatal, and runs its course in a few days. Fortunately, there are several ways to help make canine patients more comfortable, speed recovery, and prevent future infections. Tracheobronchitis is called kennel cough because of its association with boarding kennels, animal shelters, veterinary waiting rooms, grooming salons, and other areas where dogs congregate in close quarters. It can strike dogs of any age but is most common in puppies, whose immune systems are still developing, and adult dogs with conditions that impair immune function. Nocturnal Dogs Some of my friends have been horrified to learn that my husband and I have chosen, so far, to allow our new dog, Otto, to spend his nights outdoors. From some of our friends’ reactions, you’d think we were turning him loose in the Alaskan wilderness each winter, but the fact is, the decision was made in response to Otto’s own wishes –and our own pressing need for sleep! Allow me to explain. As I’ve hinted before, Otto is quite nocturnal. Left to his own devices, he would sleep through most of the day, and do his very best to party all night. To his dismay, he’s alone in the wee hours. This is incredibly boring, but he’s game for the challenge of finding things to do, even with so few activity partners at night! On the few nights when we did try to have him sleep in the house, he paced, whined, chewed stuff up, and nudged me repeatedly (seemingly right after he had gotten a drink of water, and had water all over his beard, every time) as I slept. When we gave him toys and chew-items, he threw them around, clunking them into the walls and furniture. Then he paced and whined some more. Help for OCD Dogs You’ve probably heard about people who wash their hands repeatedly until the skin wears off, who pull out their hair until they’re bald, or return home, time after time after time, to make sure the stove is turned off. These are obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCDs). Sad to say, OCD behaviors aren’t confined to humans; dogs get them, too. Oh, you won’t see your dog worrying about whether the stove was left on, nor will you catch him washing his paws repeatedly in the sink. Dogs have a whole set of potential OCDs all their own, specific to canine behavior. Canine OCDs are just as capable of destroying a dog’s ability to function as human OCDs are capable of affecting human lives. “OCD is a psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding. One of the anxiety disorders, OCD is a potentially disabling condition that can persist throughout a person’s life. The individual who suffers from OCD becomes trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to overcome. OCD occurs in a spectrum from mild to severe, but if severe and left untreated, can destroy a person’s capacity to function at work, at school, or even in the home.” ## StaticNfuzz · 2008-09-22T19:24:20.000Z Thanks LJ....I look for your reminders! Snf ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-09-22T19:28:43.000Z You're welcome - since I was out of my office last week, I didn't see the note on my planner. ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-09-22T20:37:55.000Z thank you for reminding me to send them my change of address!!!!!! oh well, I'll just d/l this one. I'm really looking to read the reactive dog behavior article. ## asia · 2008-09-23T13:24:46.000Z NEver heard of this magazine, but the articles look great. I think i will have to get a subscription... thanks all! ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-09-23T13:35:10.000Z It's a great publication - in Feb/March they do a complete review of food - with grain & without - one of the best I've ever seen. Kudos to Brandon for telling me about the publication, because I'm definitely a believer. ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-10-16T17:38:56.000Z November's Issue is out. Here's the topics for November: High Quality Dog Food in its Various Forms The commercial pet food industry has enjoyed strong growth in the past two decades – and spectacular growth in the past five years. According to Euromonitor International, an international market intelligence provider, sales of pet food in the U.S. exceeded $15 billion in 2007 – up from $12 billion in 2002. Some of this growth is due to an increase in the number of pets in the U.S. (Euromonitor estimates that there were 67 million dogs in the U.S. in 2007, 7 million more than in 2002.) But not all of the industry’s growth can be directly correlated to the increase in the number of canine and feline mouths to feed. The pet food industry, like the human food industry, has become increasingly savvy about marketing – essentially, selling more pet food than is actually needed. And empires are being built from the innovation of products that fill previously unnecessary “needs.” How did our dogs survive before they had special diets for seniors, large-breeds, small breeds, dogs of specific breeds? (Really? A food just for Yorkshire Terriers?) If Your Dog Goes Missing For some reason the blinking red light on my phone that signals “message waiting” always seems ominous to me. Last Thursday, my wariness was reinforced: my friend Cindy had left a frantic message. Her dog was lost. “Hattie’s missing!” I could hear the panic in her voice. “I was walking her at Antietam Battlefield last night, the leash came off her collar, and she took off after a deer!” Bad news. In many parts of the country, dogs who chase wildlife or livestock can be shot. There was more bad news as Cindy’s message continued. “I have to leave town today for a work-related retreat. I have people looking for her, but if there’s anything you can do?” I called Cindy back immediately. She had already placed a “lost dog” ad in the paper for her 18-month-old, wheaten-colored, Irish Wolfhound-mix. She had put up posters in the area where Hattie was lost, as well as on the five-mile route between the park and her house in Sharpsburg. She had notified the only shelter in the county that handles stray dogs. She left one of her sweatshirts in the spot where Hattie went missing. And she had people who knew Hattie well - staff from the doggie daycare facility she visited regularly - looking for her. There wasn’t much more I could do. I gave her contact information for a person in Maryland who has a dog trained to find missing pets, and suggested setting a humane dog trap. And praying. Positive Dog Trainer Wins 2nd Place in CBS's "Greatest American Dog" How many of you would put your dog and yourself at the mercy of a network TV “reality” show, competing against other dogs and dog owners for more than six weeks? Keep in mind that the show’s producers will do their best to foment discomfort and personal conflict between yourself and your fellow contestants. Also, while your every moment will be filmed, only a highly edited and manipulated version of what actually happened will be broadcast to a national audience, who will be encouraged to share their opinions with other dog owners about you, your dog, your dog training skills, and your most unguarded facial expressions and utterances. I don’t think I would do it! In my opinion, all of the 12 people who actually put themselves through this very experience last spring and summer – on CBS’s “Greatest American Dog” – were very brave. True, they were competing for a prize of $250,000, and some hoped to use the exposure to promote their various careers; there was potential for some compensation to offset the risk of being made to look ridiculous. Canine Pancreatitis Pancreatitis literally means inflammation of the pancreas, the glandular organ that secretes enzymes needed to digest food. When something causes these enzymes to be activated prematurely, they can actually begin to digest the pancreas itself, resulting in pain and inflammation. Pancreatitis occurs in two different forms, acute and chronic, and both may be either mild or severe. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and is more often severe, while chronic pancreatitis refers to an ongoing inflammation that is usually less severe and may even be subclinical (no recognizable symptoms). Acute pancreatitis can be extremely painful, and can become life-threatening if the inflammation spreads, affecting multiple organs and systems. Symptoms commonly include anorexia (loss of appetite), vomiting, weakness, depression, and abdominal pain. Abdominal pain in a dog may be exhibited as restlessness or not wanting to move; a hunched appearance or a “praying position,” with the chest down and the rear raised; or vocalization (crying or whimpering). Additional symptoms may include diarrhea, drooling, fever, and collapse. ## tsukitsune (moderator) · 2008-10-17T00:18:34.000Z Thanks LJ! ## brada1878 (admin) · 2008-11-17T17:55:28.000Z OK LJ, this is back... ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-11-17T17:56:41.000Z Thank you! The new issue is out and here are the topics: Training Your Newly Adopted Dog I have had a number of dogs over the years, but Otto is actually the very first dog that I’ve gotten as a co-owner. A former boyfriend paid the $40 or $50 that a Bodega, California, sheep rancher wanted for my heart/soul dog, Rupert, way back in 1989, but the puppy was a birthday present for me; Rupe was always my dog. He stuck close by my side through the breakup of that relationship and the next few, too. When Brian (the man who later became my husband) came on the scene, he and Rupert formed a bond, but still, Rupe was mine. Later, a summer of dog-sitting my sister Sue’s long-haired Chihuahua, Mokie, turned into a several-year stay. Mokie has since gone on to live with my sister Pam, who won’t ever give him up; Brian was more than happy when I did so. He tolerated Mokie, but never fully embraced the idea of a yappy little house-dog, no matter how smart and cute. So, while Brian and I have shared a home since 1996, we have never truly shared full ownership of a dog, like we do now. I selected Otto from a shelter, but Brian was the one who gave the signal that it was time for us to get a dog. When Brian and I got married, I kept my own last name, but Brian wanted to be sure that Otto took his surname, and even made sure the dog’s full name (“Otto Maddock”) was engraved on his ID tag. And Brian has been a real champ about sharing dog-care duties with me. Teaching a Reliable Recall A solid recall is a valuable behavior for dogs of all sorts, including dogs who compete in sports, do therapy or assistance work, or provide the valuable service of being someone's beloved companion. The better the recall, the safer he is when off-leash, and the more he can enjoy off-leash freedom with his human. One good off-leash hike is worth at least 10 on-leash walks around the block! I've been blessed throughout much of my life with dogs who have had naturally solid recalls. Maybe it's due to my predilection for herding breeds, who seem to have a genetically programmed tendency to stick close to their humans. But then there was Josie, the best dog ever, a terrier-mix who never once entertained a "run away" notion during her 15 years as a beloved member of our family. Still, I don't think it's a coincidence that on our farm, Lucy the Corgi and Missy the Australian Shepherd can be off-leash at will, while Dubhy the Scottie and Bonnie the Scottie-mix require closer monitoring. The two terriers have outstanding "situational recalls." They will both come beautifully sometimes, in some places - not surprisingly, the places we've practiced the most - but not with the generalized reliability that Missy and Lucy demonstrate. How to Care For an Older Dog Each of us has, at some point, wandered into a room and realized that we’ve forgotten why we’ve gone there. When that happens, chances are we are momentarily perturbed with ourselves, but typically we chalk it up to too much on the brain, remember why we’re there, then move on. Should our dogs wander in the same fashion, it could well be a sign of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), a condition quite similar to Alzheimer’s in humans. CDS happens when the aging process affects brain pathology, resulting in behavioral changes, including cognitive decline (memory and learning). One of the biggest culprits is the damage done to mitochondria caused by oxidative damage over time. Researchers also believe that a decline in cerebral vascular circulation contributes to the changes we see in our aging dogs. Testing dogs’ cognitive abilities in a laboratory setting has shown that signs of CDS can be seen as early as seven years of age, yet we, as pet owners, often don’t realize a change in our canine companions until they reach 10 years of age or older. However, dogs trained to a higher level – such as service or guide dogs, agility, and other competition dogs – are those whose cognitive decline might be noticed sooner than that in “just” a pet dog because of a subsequent drop off in the highly trained dog’s performance. More Unconventional Dog Food Any time we aspire to review the best products in a given category, we inadvertently miss some. Last month, we highlighted some interesting “novel” foods – products that are manufactured outside the conventions of dry, canned, or raw frozen foods. Somehow, we failed to include a few interesting dehydrated products. As we stated last month, dehydrated foods are light and compact, and easy to take on the road; just add water. Because most include raw, dried meat as the major protein (and indeed the major ingredient), they are frequently used as “travel food” for dogs who ordinarily eat a home-prepared or commercial raw meat diet. Healthy Low-Fat Diets For Dogs With Special Dietary Needs Last month, we talked about the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatitis. This month, we will discuss diets that can be used long term for dogs who cannot tolerate too much fat in their diet. These guidelines are meant for adult maintenance only, not for puppies or females who are pregnant or nursing, as their requirements are different. Many dogs with chronic pancreatitis and those prone to recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis do better when fed diets that are low in fat. Dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) due to damage to the pancreas, or with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), may also respond favorably to a low-fat diet. Some dogs need a low-fat diet to control hyperlipidemia (high levels of triglycerides in the blood) that can lead to pancreatitis. Dogs with fat intolerance or mal-absorption may show signs such as diarrhea and weight loss, or steatorrhea (excessive excretion of fat in the stool, resulting in large, pale, greasy, and malodorous stools) in more severe cases. Fat malabsorption can also be associated with liver and gall bladder disease, intestinal infection (viral, bacterial, or parasites), lymphangiectasia, and other conditions. It’s a good idea to try a low-fat diet for any dog with digestive problems to see if he improves, though if no improvement is seen, it need not be continued. ## StaticNfuzz · 2008-11-17T18:39:35.000Z Thank you LJ....you keep me on track! : ) Snf ## ljowen123 (moderator) · 2008-11-17T19:06:12.000Z No problem - I just like to remind everyone. I keep a digital backup here at work and the paper copies at home. --- **Navigate:** [Forum home](https://nihonken.org/community/?format=md) · [Sitemap](https://nihonken.org/community/sitemap.xml)