Vibrant Health for Dogs!
After more than 30 years of living in my multiple dog household, and extensively researching how to best naturally support their vibrant health, I've discovered some information that I hope will empower you to do the same.
The Essentials
1. Joy. This is the very most enlivening and health inducing thing you can do for your dog (and yourself!). Thanks to contemporary research, we know there are significant health generating effects of regularly experiencing joy. I've noticed these 3 things bring the greatest joy in dogs: shared affection; entertainment such as playtime & chew treats; and running free in Nature as part of a pack (or at least off-leash in Nature with you).
2. Biologically appropriate diet. 25 yrs ago a holistic veterinarian urged me to switch my dogs to a raw diet. I've counseled many friends & clients over the years in making this shift; none of us has regretted it and our dogs are much healthier for it.
3. Vigorous & autonomy-based exercise. While any amount of exercise is better than none, dogs are meant to be moving and engaged - a lot. Most dogs don't get sufficient exercise or have enough fun doing so. Sorry, but leash walks don't allow your dog to get nearly the amount or type of activity they're biologically & psychologically meant to experience. Running or biking with your leashed dog isn't going to do it either, because that's simply not how dogs move their bodies if they're off lead. Equally important - everyone needs to experience regularly autonomy in their lives, or they suffer atrophy of their intelligence and their vitality. Dogs need to have choice, to exercise their curiosity and to sniff as long as they want.
4. Limited vaccines, flea/tick treatments & household toxins. I've admired the preeminent veterinary immunology expert, Dr Ron Schultz for years. His research with vaccine efficacy and duration is the gold standard, so I follow his protocols. This means only the core vaccines, parvo, distemper, adenovirus and rabies. There is no need to repeat parvo or distemper vaccination once your adult dog has received them. The immunity is for life. Over vaccination creates autoimmunity, skin diseases, digestive issues, behavioral issues, cancer and more, so it should be avoided. Flea and tick treatments are highly toxic, especially tick-killing chemicals. The best approach is prevention by having a vibrantly healthy dog. My 4 dogs haven't had fleas for 5 yrs, despite being with packs of dogs and outdoors many times per week. While living in Indiana for 6 yrs I contracted Lyme Disease (Lyme became an epidemic when I lived there), however my dogs did not - despite me regularly removing 3-15 ticks (most of them deer ticks) off each of my 5 dogs post our daily off-leash hike. Vitality works!