metropet magazine january/february issue
DESCRIPTION
Metropet Magazine January/February IssueTRANSCRIPT
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Feature Articles5 KC’s Pet Ambassador
Gary Lezak loves his four-legged friends and works hard to help other pets find furever homes.
6 When Good Behavior is Physically Impossible When a pet suddenly changes its behavior, it may not be a training issue.
10 Puppy Tails — Bringing Up FidoIf you recently added a new family pet — Start with a Trainer!
14 What to Know before Acquiring a RabbitRabbits are very different than dogs — learn more about this species.
18 Leash Pulling DogsDoes your dog pull on the leash? What do you do? Here are some tips.
21 Online Pet Contest — Your Vote Counts!Place your vote for the MetroPet magazine Cutest Pet contest — on Facebook now!
22 Firefighter’s Project BreathePet oxygen masks were donated to the Liberty Fire Department.
24 Interested in a Vet Tech Career? There are three types of pet lovers — one makes a great Vet Tech!
26 The Adventures of ChipRead about the journey of a puppy called Chip.
28 Life After a Puppy MillThis wonderful pet inspired his Mom to start a business!
30 National Train Your Dog MonthFind a local trainer to help you start off this year!
32 Cold Weather Care TipsCold weather is especially hard on pets — review these tips.
In Every Issue4 Happy New Year! Make this your best year ever!
16 Chip’s Corner — Complete this pawzzle and learn bunny breeds!
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January/February 2012
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!2012 is starting with a feeling of optimism! People
believe that this year will be better than last year — theeconomy will improve, the job market will be strongerand everything is going to be better. Here is hoping that2012 will be all you want it to be — and more!
ONLINE PET CONTESTMetroPet launched a new online pet contest last month. And, MetroPet readers
will pick the winner! Just go to www.metropetmag.com for the link or to ourFacebook page to vote. All the entries from the last 30 days will be shown. Thewinner will receive a prize package that includes a photo session, a photo in theMarch 2012 issue and a wall canvas of their pet. We need your help to pick thewinner — go vote today!
ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUEAs always, we have some terrific articles in this
issue. Since January is National Train Your DogMonth, we have included several training arti-cles. The APDT offers many FREE resources,check it out at www.apdt.com. We also haveinformative articles about the vet tech pro-fession, rabbits and life after the puppymill.
Enjoy the article about Gary Lezak and his com-mitment to the shelter animals in Kansas City. Join him during the KC PetTelethon on Sunday, March 4, 2012, from 6:30 — 9:30 pm.
VOLUNTEERINGAs you make your New Year’s resolutions, consider volunteering time at a
local shelter or with a local rescue group. Ask yourself, “What are my talents?Where can I make an impact?” Are you willing to foster a puppy. Walk dogs at ashelter? Help with a mobile adoption. Whatever your interests, there is a placefor you.
When you decide you are ready to commit, consider the different groups. Doa little research first. Then, select the group. Most volunteers say they receivemuch more in return, then they give. You might be amazed at the difference youcan make.
Enjoy the season! Remember, this is a double issue — you will see us againin March! Thank you for your support of MetroPet.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Barbara Riedel, Editor
P.S. Remember to continue to support our advertisers —they make this magazine possible. Tell them you sawtheir ad in MetroPet magazine.
Publisher’s MessageStaff &
ContactsPublisherBarbara Riedel
Editor/ProductionManagerDan O’Leary
Magazine LayoutROI Marketing
816.942.1600 • [email protected]
Advertising SalesAd Sales: 913.548.1433
Deals of the [email protected]
Contributing Authorsand Photographers
Mike DeathePat HennessyPatty Homer
Pawlean JourneGary Lezak
Heddie LegerMarissa PoulsonJoseph PetersonRick Wheaton
Contact MetroPetPO Box 480065
Kansas City, MO 64148Phone: 913.548.1433
Ad Sales: 913.548.1433Fax: 913.387.4313
Publishing Policy: Articles printed in the MetroPetMagazine express the opinions of the individual authors and donot necessarily represent the formal position of MetroPetMagazine. Acceptance of advertising does not necessarilyconstitute endorsement by MetroPet Magazine.
Articles: Readers are invited to submit articles for considerationfor publication to [email protected]. All materials aresubject to editorial review.
© 2009 MetroPet Magazine. All rights reserved. Requestreprint permissions at [email protected].
MetroPet Magazine is owned and published by ROI MarketingServices, all rights reserved.
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Many people think of Gary as the “most trustedweather man,” but he is also know in many circles as KansasCity’s unofficial “Pet Ambassador.”
He’s an outgoing, friendly, charismatic, sensitive personthat cares about the Kansas City community. And, he has ahuge passion for pets, especially his two favorite four-leggedfamily members — Breezy and Stormy.
A PASSION FOR PETSGary’s passion for helping homeless pets started with
Windy, the weather dog. For almost 17 years, Windy wentwith him to the studio, assisted in weather presentations atschools, and went just about anywhere an animal wasallowed. Gary had a special connection with Windy and itwas through her that he learned what an amazing animalcan come from an animal shelter.
As Windy’s and Gary’s reputation as a team spreadthroughout the pet community, Gary was invited to getinvolved with and even emcee events for the Humane Societyof Greater Kansas City (HSGKC), Wayside Waifs, other res-cue groups and other pet events.
Windy lived to a nice old age of almost 17 years old.Stormy now carries on Windy’s legacy at public appearanceswith Gary. And, while Breezy is more adept at being a “stayat home” dog, she occasionally makes an appearance aswell. Stormy has taken the torch and run with it. She attendsalmost as many schools as Windy did as well as accompa-nies Gary to public appearances including those sponsoredby cancer awareness and fund raising groups. Both Breezyand Stormy were adopted from HSGKC.
Pet AmbassadorKansas City’s
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EXPERIENCING LIFE WITH DOGS THROUGH PHOTOSGary has a little side hobby of taking pictures of Breezy and
Stormy in every weather situation. As you can see in these picturesthe dogs know how to pose to help share the weather experiencewith Kansas City. Whether it’s a spring storm or a winter storm thedogs know when it’s time for that photo opportunity and Gary thenshares the pictures on his fan page at Facebook.com/GaryLezakand on NBC Action News.
ANNUAL PET TELETHONThis year Gary will again host the annual Kansas City Pet Telethon
for the HSGKC. He views his participation as an important oppor-tunity to promote the plight of homeless pets.
Gary’s enthusiasm for pets can’t be contained. His love for ani-mals shines through during this event, and he feels especiallyexcited when the money that is raised during this event helps theshelter care for and adopt out pets during the rest of the year.Stormy has been in each Pet Telethon from the first one in 2000 toher 12th appearance this March.
JOIN GARY ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4Join Gary and many other area pet lovers on Sunday, March 4,
2012, from 6:30 - 9:30 pm to pledge your support for the HSGKC.This year’s telethon will be telecast on Channel 38.
The HSGKC will celebrate 100 years of helping pets during 2012.For complete details about their work and other events, pleasevisit www.hsgkc.org.
Photo courtesy of Gary Lezak
Photo courtesy of Gary Lezak
There are many causes of behaviorchange in our pets including environmentaldeficiencies, traumatic events, gradualincrease of behavior that has been leftunchecked, and physical and mental ail-ments. When you hire a trainer for abehavior consultation, the first thingthat trainer should do is to take acomplete history of your pet. Just like aveterinarian or doctor, before she/he candiagnose a problem andcreate a treatmentplan, a trainermust first ask manyquestions and havea complete picture.
CASE STUDYBailey, a 5 year old neutered male Labrador
Retriever with no history of aggression living with afamily of 4 — Dad, Mom and 2 children ages 5 and8 has suddenly started growling and snapping at hisfamily, friends of the family and strangers. Thisbehavior started about 1 month ago. Bailey has notmade contact with a bite yet, but the family fears thata bite is imminent and fears that they may have togive the dog up or euthanize him to keep their chil-dren safe.
During our consultation Bailey is very friendly tome and to the family. The family says that Bailey isunpredictable and that a growl or snap can comeout of nowhere. He loves to be petted and sidles upto me as I give him treats and pet him under his chinand on his side showing no signs of aggression atall.
by Patty Homer
As I explore each incident with the family a pattern becomesclear. Bailey only bites when being petted on the head or low on hisback. Since this behavior is new and selective and taking the dog’sage, general temperament and history into consideration, the nextstep is very clear to me. A visit to the vet is in order and an X-ray isessential to check on the dog’s hips and a physical exam to checkBailey over from head to toe paying close attention to his eyes, earsand teeth.
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There are many causes of behaviorchange in our pets including
environmental deficiencies, traumaticevents, gradual increase of behavior
that has been left unchecked, andphysical and mental ailments.
When
is Physically ImpossibleGood Behavior
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The owners took Bailey to the vet and he had an earinfection and quite a bit of arthritis in his hips. Medicationto clear up his ear infection, pain medication andGlucosamine supplements for his hips were prescribedand the aggression disappeared completely. No need for adog trainer, just a veterinarian.
PHYSICAL AILMENTSBelow are just a few of the physical ailments that can
affect your pet’s behavior.
OcularEye sight changes don’t only happen when a pet is aging,
there are many breeds that have hereditary ocular dis-eases including Labrador Retrievers, Poodles, Schnauzers,English Springer Spaniels and Collies of all types. When apet’s eyesight is diminishing it can cause restlessness orlethargy during the day due to disturbances in theirsleep/wake cycle, aggression, increased vocalization andanxiety.
Auditory When a pet starts to lose his hearing, it can cause many
of the same symptoms that ocular issues cause. Of course,if the dog can’t hear, he will likely ignore your cues andnot come when called and they can startle easily by peo-ple “sneaking” up on them which can cause the dog toreact defensively. There are a few breeds prone to deaf-ness such as Dalmatians, English Setters, Australian CattleDogs and many white dogs of breeds that are not normallywhite.
Ears An ear infection is a common reason for aggression
when being petted around the head regardless of the ageof the pet. Ear infections will also cause whining, rubbingtheir head on the ground and either increased clingybehavior or more independent behavior. Dogs with hangdown ears are more prone to ear infections than otherdogs. Recurrent ear infections are generally linked toallergies — most commonly food allergies.
Diabetes and Urinary IllnessThis can cause increased water consumption and
increased urination. Any time a house trained dog or catstarts to have urinary accidents, it is important to have aurinalysis and possibly bloodwork done to rule out anybladder or urinary tract infections and diabetes.
Hip Dysplasia/ArthritisThese can both be very painful causing aggression due
to being touched in painful areas or general crankinessdue to constant pain. The list of breeds that are prone tohip dysplasia is vast — just a few are Labrador Retrievers,Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, Pugs, Bull Dogs, Beaglesand Lhasa Apsos.
Hypo- andHyperthyroidism —
Typically dogs get Hypo (low) andcats get Hyper (high) thyroidism.Hyperthyroidism can cause cats tohave irritability, increased waterconsumption/ increased urinesometimes inappropriately andlethargy. Hypothyroidism can causedogs to have lethargy and disinterestor intolerance to exercise or affec-tion, aggression and even seizures.
Cognitive Dysfunction With dogs becoming part of the
family and having better veterinarycare, our pets are living longer thanthey ever have which can lead tocognition problems. Cognitive issuescan cause house soiling, aggression,confusion, not responding to hisname, status changes between thehouse dogs which can increase fric-tion and not wanting to interact withthe family.
DON’T STOP AT THE VETS OFFICE! When your pet receives treatment for a physical ailment that has
brought on behavior changes, the cure doesn’t always stop at thevet’s office. Many times, the new behavior will continue without
behavior modification being part of the treatmentplan. Urinary problems can continue and the petmight need to be re-housetrained and the carpetscleaned with an odor eliminator. Aggression or,really any behavior that has been allowed to con-tinue for any length of time can become habituat-
ed quickly which will require behaviormodification.
In a perfect world, since medical andbehavior issues are so closely related,veterinarians and trainers would workvery closely together — in fact therewould be a trainer/behavior consultanton staff at every veterinary hospital.Unfortunately, the opposite is true muchof the time. Veterinarians often justaddress the physical symptoms and train-ers often address only the behavior symp-toms because neither professional isextremely knowledgeable about the otherprofession. However, more and more,veterinarians are realizing the impor-tance of working with a qualified sciencebased positive reinforcement trainer andmore trainers are realizing the impor-tance of working with veterinarian who iswell versed in behavior modification.
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ARM YOURSELF WITH INFORMATIONArming yourself with as much information as you can and being watchful
and aware of your pet’s normal behavior as well as any slight behaviorchange can allow you to catch illnesses, injuries and behavior problemsearly making the treatment easier, less extensive and less expensive.
So, although I make my living as a dog trainer, my advice to you is whenthere is any sudden change in your pet’s behavior, atrip to the veterinarian is your first priority. Themoney spent with the vet will not be wasted because ifyou still need to hire a trainer, you will have alreadyhave ruled out any underlying medical causes for thebehavior change.
Patty Homer has worked as a vet techfor 10 years and has been training petsfor over 20 years. She offers in hometraining, behavior consulting and pri-vate obedience classes for dogs and catsas well as Pet First Aid and CPR classes.Patty is certified through theCertification Counsel of ProfessionalDog Trainers (CPDT-KA) and is the
founder and president of HEARTland Positive Dog TrainingAlliance. Her experience in the veterinary field as well as train-ing gives her a unique approach to dog training, consideringthe mind, body and spirit of each pet she works with. You canfind her at www.goodpupkc.com,[email protected], 816.699.2260 and followher on facebook.
Maybe you got a puppy over the holidaysor you are looking to bring a puppy, or newyoung dog, into your life now. Well —Congratulations!
You will have many years of entertainmentand affection ahead. However, there are somethings you might want to consider to makeyour life (and Fido’s transition) easier!
START TRAINING EARLY!You want to start your training program
early. A pup is never too young tostart reinforcing good behavior.You should always use positive rein-forcement techniques, because yourpuppy will be more motivated andinterested in participating and youwill not risk poisoning the relation-ship with something that causesfear or pain. You have the opportu-nity while Fido is a puppy to builda solid foundation and a relation-ship based on knowledge andtrust. Your dog will do better ifhe “learns” a behavior vs.responding in fear. No one (be it usor our canine companions) learns wellwhile in fear or pain, we just react to our envi-ronment but do not learn.
You need to remember that your young doghas a short attention span (like a child), so themore you can repeat and reward the faster yourpup will learn. You also want to reserve somespecial treats to use for training only (likefreeze-dried liver, canned chicken or hot dogs),which will up the ante and increase motivation.
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Puppy Tales
by Pat Hennessy
Bringing up Fido
Set aside a few minutes a day to practice, and don’t miss out onnatural opportunities to reward (when Fido offers the appropriatebehavior). You don’t always have to use food, as praise (aka atten-tion) is a wonderful secondary reinforcement. Once your pup haslearned the behavior, then you phase out food/treats but neverphase out the praise.
Have a new puppy inyour household?Congratulations!
Now is when you wantto start training.
There are several common sense solutions tothings that puppies do, but we have the tendency toforget about them…….until it’s too late.
PUPPY PROOF YOUR HOMEEven though puppies get their permanent teeth at
around 4-6 months, they will find things to chew onup through 2 years old (and longer for somebreeds). To avoid disasters with your new puppy:
✓ Stow away trash bins (out of reach, preferablyin secure closets, pantries, or the garage),instead of out of sight out of mind, it is morelike out of reach out of mouth
✓ Puppy-proof your home by picking up shoes,trinkets, anything small, anything of value, andsecure power cords, etc., then keep it put up orout of reach until your pup is past the chewingstage (he will put everything in his mouth, likea baby growing up through the toddler stage,but is more likely to swallow it because theyhave teeth that can chew it up)
✓ If you have an item that can’t be removed, suchas a large area rug where Fido keeps going afterthe corners of the rug — then place somethingheavy on each corner (i.e. a brick). For Fido,
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There must ALWAYSbe supervision with
Fido around children, even
when you learnthat he is
friendly and playful.
it is probably just convenient to chew itbecause it is there, but he probably won’tgo out of his way to move the brick.
✓ Offer appropriate items for them to chewor to entertain them, such as Kongs® withtreats or stuffing, bully sticks,Nylabones®, etc.
SUPERVISE, SUPERVISE, SUPERVISESupervise, supervise, supervise — that is the
mantra for avoiding many issues.✓ Potty training is pretty simple -
put your puppy on a feedingand potty schedule and thenmanage him at ALL other timesby supervision or containment(crate or appropriate smallspace like a utility room, ortether him to you or withinyour sight), because the key tofast potty training is to rewardhim for the right thing andredirect him outside immedi-ately upon witnessing himpotty inappropriately — usingthe “outside” cue/commandand as soon as he potties in thecorrect area reward it (withtreats or praise). You must beobservant, however. As helearns to go outside he willstart to give you hints and you
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must be on the lookout for them, as they may besubtle. If he goes to the door and stands, but does-n’t bark or whine, then you may miss the opportu-nity to let him out. If he has an accident it is nothis fault as he gave his signal — thus why super-vision and observation are important parts of yourtasks in the potty training effort.
✓ There must ALWAYS be supervision with Fidoaround children, even when you learn that he isfriendly and playful. You never know when some-thing, like a squeal or fast movement, might spookhim and he has the right to react to someone step-ping on him or pulling his tail. It is the adult’sresponsibility to make sure everyone plays safe.
SOCIALIZATIONSocialization is the key to having a well-mannered
and well-rounded pup.✓ Lack of socialization (or exposure) to other dogs,
people, or other types of animals is what makesdogs fearful or reactive, and it is because they justdon’t know what to expect or how to act. Again,because puppies have a short attention span, it isimportant to give them “controlled”, frequentsmall doses to the world around them. Take yourpup to safe places and use a harness (which pro-vides more influence over directing him whenneeded). It is a good idea to take your puppy to apuppy class, where he can not only learn socialinteraction but manners training at the same time.
Many of these tips are just as good for the young dogthat you have adopted, as you don’t know what he hasalready learned that he may need to be reminded of,refined for your home environment, or redirected intoa new behavior. There are very few behaviors that can-not be modified with just a little time, consistency,“repetition and reward.”
CONGRATULATIONSCongratulations on your new canine companion! If
you keep life positive and fun you will have few frustra-tions, many days of joy, and a lot of love.
Pat Hennessy is the founder of N2paws,LLC, an organization that provides a holis-tic approach to companion animal carethrough behavior education, energy work,and positive training methods. Pat is aLevel 2 TTouch® practitioner, CPDT andmember of the IAABC, IAATH and AWA. Youmay contact N2Paws via email
[email protected], phone 816-522-7005, or visit the websitewww.n2paws.com.
RABBIT LANGUAGEThink twice before purchasing a rabbit as a
pet. Often times, people expect rabbits to belike dogs. Nothing could be farther from thetruth. The most important difference in therelationships they form with humans is thatwhile dogs may give unconditional love andtrust, rabbits don’t. It is very important toknow how they think and what they want! Whatall rabbits require and need more than any-thing is respect and affection.
LANGUAGE BARRIERSLanguage barrier existing between
species is nothing new. It is frustratingwhen we’re unable to understand orbe understood by others. When itcomes to understanding rabbits orLagomorphs, the access to informa-tion regarding their body language isfew and far between. Very few peoplewho share their lives with a rabbitknow what their rabbit is trying to tellthem, or how to express themselves interms their rabbit will understand.Although rabbits appear to be cuteand cuddly, the fact of the matter isthey are far from cuddly and only cer-tain breeds truly enjoy being held andhugged, if any. Before thinking aboutgetting a rabbit for a pet, it is impor-tant to study up and be able to speakand understand Rabbit. This requiresthat you learn to think a bit like a rab-bit.
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What to knowbefore acquiring a
Rabbit
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EAR SIGNALSRabbits signal a great deal with their ears.
The challenge becomes in that not all domes-tic rabbit breeds have upright ears. Lop-earedrabbits will move their ears in a manner con-sistent with what upright eared rabbits, but themessage is usually much less obvious.Different lop eared rabbits will vary in howthey are able to move their ears, therefore theymay be able to use only certain ear signals, butnot all ear signals.
If you pay close attention you may be able todraw almost as much information from thebehavior of lop eared rabbits, as an uprighteared rabbits. Some signals’ descriptionsmight be superficially similar and yet have verydifferent meanings. An angry rabbit, one that’sscared, and one asking to be groomed will allhave their ears back. Accompanying signalswill almost always indicate the real meaning.
SPECIAL POSTURESRabbits use a lot of special postures to signal
communication, but just because some partic-ular action or pose is a signal in one contextdoesn’t mean that every time a rabbit does it ameaningful signal is intentionally being given.Humans are not as good at nonverbal commu-nication as most animals, including contextand accompanying signals. Although, we do itall the time with each other, and it comes quitenaturally. Due to our use of verbal communi-cation we sometimes loose our ability toobserve body language signals to a highdegree.
Rabbits should always be neutered, if show-ing and ultimate breeding and is not takingplace. Unneutered rabbits are often signifi-cantly more aggressive, and may be less inter-ested in conversing with you about anythingbut hierarchy and territory.
We are not going to talk about training yourrabbit in this issue, but are providing somebasic tips on communication with thesedelightful animals. Learning to speak rabbit,will help with every other aspect of living witha rabbit and it is also tons of fun.
Sites to learn about rabbit communication include:
• http://rabbit.org/behavior/body-lan-guage.html
• ht tp : / /www.funkyranger.com/web-pages/rabbitlanguage.htm
• http://www.ehow.com/how_4523600_read-bunny-body-language.html
My pet has always given me joy and laugh-ter. He cheers me up when I feel sad. I got
him when I was only 7 years old. I have always loved him and Ialways will. I feel like he is a brother. I love him very much.
Submitted by Evan L.
Sailor
Submit your photo at metropetmag.com.
Is Your Pet the
Cutest
Won fourtickets toa show at
www.martincitymelodrama.org
Rascle
Sailor helping rake leaves!Submitted by Marcia M.
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Chip’s Corner
Pawzzleby Pawlean Journe
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Several months ago (or maybe longer :) Iwrote an article on Why Dogs Pull on theLeash. And while it was well received, I leftthose who were already having issues withdogs that pulled on their leash to wait for thenext article for help. Well, after severalreminders via email (thank you to the read-ers!) I have finally gotten around to writing it.So let’s get started!
OK, we know your dog pulls, but let’s delvea little deeper. What is the reward for yourdog when he pulls? Honestly, he figures thatthe fastest way to get from point A to point Bis…well to drag you along. There is no dom-inance, thinking your dog is trying to takeover the world or any other is just plain silly.
It is just the fact that Fido (and you) arehere and he wants to go there. So guess what,you are going along for a ride (or drag!) Afterall, you are connected by this goofy rope thingaren’t you? Put simply, your dog has neverbeen taught to pay more attention to you thanto his environment; and at this point there is alot of cool stuff in the world Fido wants to see,so get ready for the ride.
WHAT REWARD DOES FIDO RECEIVE?First, ask yourself one very important question,
“What reward does Fido get from being on a walk?”Think hard, because the answer is irritatingly simple.It is the walk itself. The reward your dog gets fromgoing on the walk is actually the walk.
Now the next question with another irritating answer.(I promise there is a point to all of this.) “If Fido isinappropriate on a walk, what action do we take?” Wealready know dogs only do what is rewarding right? Ifthe walk is the reward and the unwanted behavior ispulling, what is it that we must do before anything else?That’s right, we must stop walking! If Fido is not walk-ing correctly then the walk must stop. This is the easi-Me
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What is the reward for your dog whenhe pulls? Honestly, he figures that the
fastest way to get from point A topoint B, is…well to drag you along...
Leash Pulling Dogs...So What Do I Do Now???
by Mike Deathe
est technique to use to stop a dog from pulling, but we can’t forgetthe other side of this equation…if we don’t want him pulling and westop every time he does pull, do we have any idea just what it is wewant Fido to do???? Without this answer, it’s going to be pretty darnhard to get any level of reliability when walking without pulling.
PAY ATTENTION TO US! My suggestion is simple. We want Fido to pay attention to us on the
walks instead of all the other crap he has been paying attention to
SIT PLEASEThe important part is not asking for the sit but
waiting till you get it — as long as you havetaught Fido to sit! We are teaching Fido thatwhenever we stop he must come around in frontof us and sit and wait for further instructions.Now I am sure you have figured out that the nextstep is simply more starts and stops until thebehavior of front and sit are reliable at least85% of the time! (Come on no one is 100% atanything.) So start moving in all directions andwith different numbers of steps, until every timeyou stop, no matter where you are, you are get-ting a front facing sit. Once that accomplished, itis time to back-track to the Watch Me game.Only this time with a leash and while increasingnumber of steps and varying directions, whilestill getting the front facing sit.
TAKE IT ON THE ROADAre you ready to take this act on the road?
You’ve been in the low distraction environmentof your living room up to now. So what is the
previously. I know this may sound simple (solutions usually are!) but adog that is paying attention to his/her owner is not pulling on the leash.It is basic physics. We need to let Fido know you don’t like his pulling onthe leash, by stopping the walk. We know what we want Fido to do onthe walk — pay attention to us. But just how do we accomplish that?
THE WATCH ME COMMANDFirst off, let’s start with the command Watch Me. It may be easier to
accomplish these steps in the comfort of your living room, where thereare less distractions. This command is simple when you point to yournose. Fido looks you in the eye and is rewarded for that contact (detailsin the KISS blog of Watch Me). Once you have a good Watch Me, throwFido a curve ball, turn your back on him and wait. In a matter ofmoments Fido will come around and look at you with out you having toask! Jackpot time. Give him a nice big reward and turn around again.Before too long this becomes a game and you are on your way to havinga dog that is paying attention to you. Oh, and by the way, at this point inthe game we may not even need to have Fido on leash.
As Fido gets better at this, the game will become boring and once againit’s time for the curveball. Now, instead of just turning your back, takeone giant step away from Fido and wait. Yep, he will still come aroundfront and look at you, but this time looking at you is not good enough.Patience… just keep waiting. If you have taught your dog that all thegood stuff in life come after he/she sits (say please), then before youknow it Fido is going to sit in front of you!
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secret to successfully loose leash walk with your dog? Guesswhat? It’s simply paying attention. Too many people checkout while walking their dogs, they get bored and then thepulling begins. So begin immediately where every 50 to 75feet you stop and practice the front facing sit! If you want toget really crazy, start practicing all your commands on yourwalk. 50 feet sit, 75 feet down, 50 feet front facing sit, andso on. One last thing. I want you rewarding the dog for cor-rect decisions and paying attention, so take treats on thewalk. After all, you are expecting Fido to consider you morerewarding than the sights, sounds and smells of the walk, sogive him a reason to pay attention to you!
Mike Deathe is a stay-at-home dad whofound his passion as a dog trainer in 2008.The author of the Keep It Simple Stupid(K.I.S.S.) Pet Blog. Mike has had dogs sincehe was four years old! In 2009, he and hiswife Kate founded Muttz “R” Us, a t-shirtand pet product company with a philan-thropic motto of “Adopt a Pet, Save a Life.”In 2011 Muttz “R” Us also launched KEEP
IT SIMPLE STUPID DOG TRAINING. He is a charter member ofHeartland Positive Dog Training Alliance and just earned his CPDT-KAcredential! Visit him at facebook or twitter or follow the blog@http://muttzmembers.blogspot.com/ or check out the web-site muttzrus.com for details about shirts.
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Who willbe the
Winner?1Starting Friday, January 6, 2012, photos entered will be shown ina gallery on the MetroPet magazine Facebook page.
2Once you “LIKE” MetroPet magazine, then you can vote or “LIKE”the photo. The Facebook fans will pick a winner.
3The winner will receive a photo session for the pet, one photo asa wall canvas, and the photo with an article in the March issue ofMetroPet magazine!
Online Pet ContestYour Vote Counts
To enter in the next contest — Snap a photo of yourpet and submit it at metropetmag.com.
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AROUND THE COUNTRYLiberty is now joining the ranks of cities like
Chicago, Cleveland and Memphis, who have allreceived donated pet oxygen masks from ProjectBreathe™.
“Thank God they had the masks. They (the dogs)are just like family. I don’t know what I’d do withoutthem. Things can be replaced. Lives can’t, whetherthey’re animals or people.” Said a pet owner whosedogs were recently rescued using donated masks.
Although the number of pets that die in fires in notan official statistic kept by the U.S. FireAdministration, industry web sites and sources havecited an estimated 40,000 to 150,000 pets die in fireseach year, most succumbing to smoke inhalation. Inmost states, emergency responders are unequipped to
S tarting in 2012, firefightersof Liberty Fire Department, LibertyMO, will become one of the best-equipped in the nation to save apet’s life. That’s because Heart ofAmerica Invisible Fence donatedthree pet oxygen mask kits to thefire department.
PET OXYGEN MASK
DONATION PROJECTThis donation is just a small part
of Invisible Fence® Brand’s ProjectBreathe™, which was establishedwith the goal of equipping everyfire station in America and Canadawith pet oxygen masks. Thesemasks allow firefighters to giveoxygen to pets who are sufferingfrom smoke inhalation when theyare rescued from fires. The masksoften save pets’ lives.
This program has donated a total of more than 10,000pet oxygen masks to fire stations all over the U.S. andCanada throughout the life of the program. A reported50+ pets have been saved by the donated masks so far,including two pets saved on April 1, 2011, in Willoughby,Ohio.
“When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives areturned upside down,” said Joseph Peterson, Heart ofAmerica Invisible Fence. “Pets are valued family mem-bers, so we want families to know that their pet can becared for if tragedy strikes.”
“We realize that humans are the first-priority, but inmany cases, pets can be saved if firefighters have theright equipment,” said Peterson. “Project Breathe issimply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary tosave pets’ lives.”
Firefighter’sProject Breathe
by Joseph Peterson
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deal with the crisis. The loss is terrible for the family,heart wrenching for firefighters.
“These masks truly are blessings for Liberty” saidDivision Chief Larry Radley. “We’ve seen residents runback into burning homes to save a pet. It’s understand-able, but extremely dangerous. These masks will giveresidents comfort in knowing that we can save theirpets if they are suffering from smoke inhalation.”
The company has set up a website, www.invisible-fence.com/O2, where people or companies can sup-port the effort.
Joseph Peterson is the Marketing Director for Heart of AmericaInvisible Fence. A lifelong pet lover, he has consulted with hundredsof pet lovers in the past several years about the benefits of theInvisible Fence Brand system. He recently completed his MastersDegree in Human Resources. He can be reached by calling 816-941-7700 or emailing [email protected].
Tiger — This cat is a fun loving, goofy, and unbeliev-ably cute pet. Tiger loves to cuddle and play wrestle withthe other cats in the house. He loves his food but lovespeople even more! He is a friendly cat with that likes toshow off his deep green eyes.
Submitted by Sarah G
WinnerPet of the Week
Won a bag of pet food from
www.americanmidwestkc.com
I like to think that there arethree kinds of animal lovers.
PRACTICAL ANIMAL
LOVERThe first kind of animal lover is
the practical animal lover. Theylike animals in general. Theymay have a pet dog or a cat ormaybe even a fish. They takecare of their pets and smile whena puppy chow commercialcomes on the TV. When they werea kid, they liked to go to the zooand the circus to see the ani-mals. They might be grossed outby slobber or other animal ten-dencies, but it doesn’t stop themfrom liking animals in generaland having pets.
IMPRACTICAL ANIMAL
LOVERMy second category of animal
lovers is the impractical animal lover. The impractical ani-mal lover cannot stand the thought of any animal being inany kind of pain or discomfort. They don’t like sad animalmovies, but if they do watch one, be prepared to have thembawl their eyes out. They bend over backwards for theirpets and spoil them beyond belief. If they accidentally hit ananimal while driving, be prepared for hours of remorse andgrief. A couple of tears wouldn’t be completely uncalled foreither. They might also talk to animals in funny voices (Wecan’t help it! I mean…er…they can’t help it). Ahem, mov-ing right along.
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by: Marissa Poulson
Interested in a
TACTICAL ANIMAL LOVERThe third kind of animal lover in my opinion is the tac-
tical animal lover. I use this title for a couple of reasons.One, it rhymes with the other two. Two, tactical can
Vet Tech Career?
A veterinary technologistfor example, would beconsidered a tactical
animal lover in my book.
mean skillful. In other words, a tactical animal lover hasa skill set that allows them to work with animals. Theyprobably have a lot of the same characteristics of a prac-tical animal lover, and might even share a couple ofcharacteristics with the impractical animal lover (only acouple, mind you), but they take their love for animalsa step further by turning it into a career.
A veterinary technologist for example, would be con-sidered a tactical animal lover in my book. They proba-bly don’t like seeing an animal in pain, but instead ofbeing overwhelmed by emotion and not being able to doanything, they would rather work to try and help fix andcalm the animal as much as possible.
VETERINARY TECHNOLOGISTSAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), vet-
erinary technologists and technicians carry out a varietyof clinical tasks, such as performing medical tests, ordiagnosing and treating medical conditions and diseasesin animals. Having good communication skills is alsoimportant for veterinary technologists because theymust interact with the animals’ owners, the veterinarian,and the rest of their team. Veterinary technicians alsoneed be organized and have a strong attention to detail.
Vet tech students are trained in labs that are designedto look like a veterinarian office. They also participatein an externship after they finish the rest of their course-work. The externship allows them to practice theirskills, gain valuable professional experience, and bebetter prepared to compete for positions in their fieldafter they graduate.
POSITIVE JOB GROWTHThe BLS indicates that the job outlook for veterinary
technologists across the country is excellent becausemore qualified veterinary technologists are needed tomeet current and future demands. In the Kansas Cityarea specifically, the Missouri Economic Research andInformation Center expects the veterinary technologistoccupation to grow by almost 28% by 2018.
As the American Veterinary Medical Association putsit, “If you care about animals, enjoy working with yourhands, are good a basic math and decision-making, andlike working with people and handling a variety ofresponsibilities,” then becoming a vet tech could be agreat career option for you.
Anthem College-Kansas City offers an Associate of AppliedScience degree in Veterinary Technology that provides hands-ontraining for students who are interested in pursuing a career inveterinary technology. Call Anthem College-Kansas City today at816.444.4300 or visit the website atwww.anthem.edu/KansasCity to learn more about our excit-ing veterinary technology training program! You could go fromlearning to earning in less time than you might think! JA
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The Adventures of
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CHAPTER 1He sat wet and shivering in the dark box not knowing here he was. His MawMaw had
taught him not to bark as it made most humans mad. He always listened to hisMawMaw as the others in the barn called her the “wise one.” Who was he to doubt the“wise one?” They never really had lived in a home, but did have a nice barn that waswarm and smelled sweet from hay. He loved the smell of the horses and cows, but nowall he could smell was things he did not even know how to describe. “Where am I,”Chip said to himself, curling up in a little ball to keep warm. “Where is my MawMaw”and why didn’t she come back,” he wondered to himself.
He did not like being all alone in the dark with nothing to eat or drink and no oneto keep him warm and dry. He missed his brothers and sisters. He was hungry andthirsty, but the little bit of food and water that had been left in the box was all gone.His MawMaw had taught him that if he remained calm and did not panic, even whenhe was scared that eventually something good would happen. He did not doubt that herwords were true. He could hear her voice in the darkness that surrounded him and itmade him feel safe inside, “Don’t be discouraged. It’s often the last key in the bunchthat opens the lock. When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one moretime.” MawMaw had told him this the time he fell down into a big ditch and could notget out. He eventually did get out, but not after many hours of trying over and overagain. He never gave up hope and persevered in his effort to get out of that ditch.
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WELCOME TOOUR NEWSERIES
We are pleased to announce thelaunch of a special BowWow-WINSeries in which readers can sharewith children and help them learnbasic tenets of the values ofresponsible ownership of pets. Theseries includes a word of themonth that readers can explorealong and a discussion guide. Inthis series, a puppy named Chip,the MetroPet Magazine mascot, isthe main character and will bring alearning experience regardingCharacter Traits each monththrough this year.
We selected January to introducethis series and invite you to join useach month to experience theAdventures of Chip as he learnshow to live in the world of humans.It is a Win-Win for children thatlearn how to have fun reading andexperience the valuable skill thatwill help them navigate life andincrease their ability to succeed atschool, their chosen extra-curric-ular activities and eventualcareers. Enjoy BowWow-WIN forbooks with the Adventures of Chipas you meet his friends and peoplewho help him along the way.(Although these stories are gearedtowards children, they are benefi-cial for adults as well.)
Look for what happens to Chip inthe next issue of MetroPetMagazine.
Perseverance — Continuing to give your best effort, even whenfaced with obstacles or rejection.
Chipby Heddie Leger
On a hot summer day in June,2009, I found myself riding in a car in akennel. I had been in a puppymill for 4years and on this day, I met the personwho would give me a forever home. Ihad been in this foster home for 10days. The people were very nice to mehelping me adjust to being an insidedog so I wasn’t really sure of what toexpect. I had been in a kennel on con-crete floors; was fed once a day; and amterribly afraid of thunder and otherloud noises. I’m very timid and shy. Myfuture was unknown.
MEETING MY NEW MOMSo the back door of the car opened
and these two women were talkingabout me like I wasn’t even there.
Foster Mom: “He’s shy but verysweet.”
Woman: “What’s his name?’Foster Mom: “Boomer”Woman: “Is he potty trained?”Foster Mom: “UH, no.”Potty trained? What does that mean? I was cautious but kind of excit-
ed because my life was changing right before my very eyes. My fostermom handed her my food and said: “We’re not sure how often or howmuch he eats. We’ll call you in a week to see if you want to keep him.”
A NEW LIFEThe foster mom picked up my kennel and put me into the woman’s
car. I had a leash and a harness. I had no idea what these items wereor how they were used! But the woman’s name was Barb — and shetook me home.
Once home, Barb took me outof the kennel and brought meinside. I went from kennels andconcrete to sofas and rugs! Therewas so much to see and explorebut since I was shy it took me awhile.
I didn’t know what stairs wereor how they worked. After a briefexploration Barb brought me out-side to potty. We were on her deckand I was sniffing around whenthe deck ran out and I ended upin this green stuff. It was soft andwet in between my toes. I was soexcited that I wriggled out of myharness. AHHHH! Free at last! All Icould think of to do was to runaround the yard. Some (neigh-bors) people came over andhelped Barb get my harness backon me.
LEARNING NEW THINGS!During the next several weeks, Barb was walking
me about 4 times a day around the block. Shewanted to make sure that I had plenty of opportu-nities to potty outside. I was beginning to feel likethis was a life I could get used to. Eat, walk, sleep.This was absolutely heaven! My foster mom hadcalled Barb to see if I was staying. Barb said, “He’sso sweet. I’ll keep him.”
The, I went to school where I learned to sit! Theygave me “treats” for doing what I was supposed todo. I also went to a “groomer.” She gave me a bathand cut my hair. I smelled good when I left but itsure was scary.
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Life After thePuppymill
Boomer’s story, as written by Barbara McPherson and Katy Konovalske
Barb kept taking me out for walks around the block. I wentto the bathroom when we went out but there were times whenI couldn’t wait. Barb never scolded me when I couldn’t waitbut I tried harder each day. Sometimes, when she left, shewrapped a cloth around me so if I couldn’t wait, there would-n’t be a mess when she got home. Eventually, by December, Ididn’t need the cloth anymore.
Mostly in the first few months, I slept on the floor. Barb hadput this soft thing out but I wasn’t sure what it was for. Oneday, I decided to take a nap in it. WOW! It was soooo soft. Islept in it from that day on.
TWO YEARS LATERIt has been almost two years since I came to Barb’s house.
So much has happened to me. I have some fabulous friendsin the neighborhood named Annabelle, Bristol, Izzy, Lexi, andAddie. My vocabulary has become bigger including the wordscar, steps, grass, deck, couch and chair.
I also now have a wardrobe — a fleece KSU Powercatsweater, an all-weather coat, a jersey and more. I even havea special water bowl, that has Barb’s favorite school mascot,the KSU Powercat!
After Barb made the first few outfits, all the neighbors lovedthem. They wanted one for their dogs, too! So Barb decidedto start her own business and she named it Boomeroos —after me. I think that is WAAAY COOOOOL!
LIFE CONTINUES TO BE WONDERFULAFTER THE PUPPYMILL!!!! I’m sohappy Barb found me and I have my
forever home!
B a r b a r aMcPherson has livedin Shawnee for 16years. She has twocats, Willie and Oly.She is a retired ele-
mentary school principal. Inspired byher adopted dog, Boomer, she createdBOOMEROOS. BOOMEROOS offers afull line of collegiate products for pets.Barbara can be contacted on her web-site at boomeroos.com or by phoneat 913-526-4384.
Katy Konovalskehas lived in Shawneefor most of the last31 years. She ismarried with twogrown children andworks as a librarianat an elementaryschool as well as a city library. She isthe proud owner of Boomer’s friend,Annabelle. JA
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National Train Your Dog Month is anAssociation of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) annualcampaign, and 2012’s event will be better thanever! Join us for FREE educational webinarsand live chats with professionals!
INCREASE THE BOND BETWEEN YOU
AND YOUR DOGThe Association of
Pet Dog Trainers(APDT) promotes thecaring bond and rela-tionships betweenpeople and their dogs.The organizationworks to increasepublic awareness ofdog-friendly trainingtechniques. Unfortunately, there are manythousands of dogs that are relinquished to ani-mal shelters due to lack of training or due toowners not knowing how to deal with behaviorissues. Often owners are at a loss as to findinga reliable resource to help them.
The APDT has designated the month ofJanuary as National Train Your Dog Month tobring awareness to the importance of socializa-tion and training. More important than all, thegoal is to inform the public that training yourdog can be simple and enjoyable!
NEW PUPPY AT YOUR HOME? January was selected as National Train Your Dog Month due to the
fact that so many dogs and puppies are adopted and brought homeduring the winter holidays. Within a few weeks, the adorable new addi-tion to the family becomes a challenge to live with and the sheltersbegin to fill. Hundreds of thousands of pets are turned into animalshelters because their owners couldn’t find a reliable resource to helpthem with their pets’ behavior problems.
The goal of National TrainYour Dog Month
is to help these new pet parents start off the
new year with theirnewest family member in
the best way possible.
by Heddie Leger with informationprovided the APDT
National TrainYour Dog Month
APDT CelebratesNational Train
Your Dog Month!
For more information aboutNational Train Your Dog Monthor the Association of Pet DogTrainers visit www.apdt.com.
Sadly, the end result is often euthanasia at the shelter ratherthan rehoming the pet. The goal of National Your Dog Monthis to help these new pet parents start off the new year withtheir newest family member in the best way possible.
WEBINARS AND FACEBOOK CHATSTo help the pet-loving public, as well as professionals in the
animal shelter and others in the pet care industry, we haverecorded free educational webinars featuring many well-known pet training and behavior professionals and experts.These FREE webinars will be available starting in Januarythrough the Train Your Dog Month event website.
APDT has also filled the month of January with a variety of“live” Facebook “chats” where anyone can “talk” in real timewith professional training and behavior consultants, on a vari-ety of topics pertaining to the training and care of dogs, catsand even rabbits! Anyone with any behavior and training ques-tions can join the chats to learn more about their chosen pet.Visit the event website, www.trainyourdogmonth.com, forfull schedule information, professional bios, as well as fundownloadable resources on training and behavior.
The APDT believes that a better understanding of our pets’behavior can lead to happier, healthier and harmonioushouseholds for humans and companion animals. Since 1993,the APDT has promoted education for dog trainers and othersin the pet industry. With over 6,000 members who are willingand able to assist pet owners, the APDT is the largest profes-sional organization for pet dog trainers in the world. Weencourage anyone interested in learning more about theirdogs and other pets to visit our web sites www.apdt.com andwww.trainyourdogmonth.com for more information andresources.
COME JOIN US!Please join the APDT in celebrating National Train Your Dog
Month! The APDT invites every dog owner, shelter staff, and otherprofessionals in the pet care community to visit the event website(www.trainyourdogmonth.com) to learn more about how easyand fun training can be. “It is the APDT’s belief that a better under-standing of dog behavior can lead to happier, healthier and harmo-nious households for humans and canines.”
For more information, visit www.apdt.com.
Heddie is a Certified Humane Educator andmember of APDT, APLB, APHE and NHES shar-ing a lifelong passion of helping children andthe elderly learn manners reinforcement withtheir pets through the PawZone In-HomePetSitting and The DogSpot Training Center.
The APDT, located in Greenville, SC, is a pro-fessional educational organization of trainers
who are committed to becoming better trainers through using positive,dog friendly methods based on sound scientific principles. With over6,000 members worldwide, the APDT strives to provide professional dogtrainers with a respected and concerted voice. The APDT promotes caringrelationships between dogs and people and works to increase publicawareness of dog-friendly training techniques.
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FIND A LOCAL TRAINER
Did the holidays find you with a new pet? The ensure along-term successful relationship, Start with a Trainer.The time and energy you take up-front to train your pet, willmake a huge impact on you and your pet’s relationship.
Please support these MetroPet advertisers.
• Dog and Master Behavior and Obedience Training— deal with excessive barking, separation anxiety, andspecializing in aggressive dogs 816-631-6640
• Good Pup — certified and experienced positive rein-forcement trainer with 20 years experience 816-699-2260
• KISS Dog Training — Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) dogtraining courses gives you 20 weeks to get it right! 913-269-7595
• N2Paws — behavior and wellness support from a certi-fied TTouch practitioner and CPDT 816-522-7005
• The Dog Spot — the community spot for dogs and thepeople who love them! 816-438-7788
• The Paw Zone — pet care and canine coaching. Sheoffers private and group classes for pet owners. 816-820-5829
Brrrr—it’s cold outside! The following guide-lines will help you protect your companion ani-mals when the mercury dips.
1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felinescan freeze, become lost or be stolen, injuredor killed. Cats who are allowed to stray areexposed to infectious diseases, includingrabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.
2. During the winter, outdoor cats some-times sleep under the hoods of cars.When the motor is started, the cat can beinjured or killed by the fan belt. If there areoutdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on thecar hood before starting the engine to givethe cat a chance to escape.
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snowor ice, especially during a snowstorm,
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Cold WinterCare Tips
More pet care information can be found onthe ASPCA website at www.aspca.org
dogs can lose their scent and easilybecome lost. More dogs are lost during thewinter than during any other season, so makesure yours always wears ID tags.
4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog’s legs andstomach when he comes in out of thesleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt,antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chem-icals while licking his paws, and his paw padsmay also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
5. Never shave your dog down to the skin inwinter, as a longer coat will provide morewarmth. When you bathe your dog in the cold-er months, be sure to completely dry himbefore taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat orsweater with a high collar or turtleneck withcoverage from the base of the tail to the belly.For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
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6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a carduring cold weather. A car can act as arefrigerator in the winter, holding in the coldand causing the animal to freeze to death.
7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as wellas adult dogs, and may be difficult tohousebreak during the winter. If yourpuppy appears to be sensitive to the weather,you may opt to paper-train him inside. If yourdog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness orbreed type, take him outdoors only to relievehimself.
8. Does your dog spend a lot of timeengaged in outdoor activities? Increase hissupply of food, particularly protein, to keephim, and his fur, in tip-top shape.
9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poisonfor dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughlyclean up any spills from your vehicle, and con-sider using products that contain propyleneglycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit theASPCA Animal Poison Control Center moreinformation.
10. Make sure your companion animal has awarm place to sleep, off the floor andaway from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bedwith a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.
Tank & Jackson — “Son, get thee some mouthwash!”Tank meets his son Jackson for the first time. Jackson is 3months old and Tank is 3 years old in this picture likefather, like son!!! Submitted by Amy C
WinnerPet of the Week
Won a pet consult from
www.goodpupkc.com
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Directions:
• Preheat oven to 325°.• Heat honey, oil and vanilla in a
saucepan.
• Pour over all the dry ingredients in abowl. Mix thoroughly and spread on twogreased baking sheets.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until nicely gold-en brown. Stir occasionally during bak-ing to prevent overbrowning.
• Cool and store in a sealed container.
Recipe credit:
Three Dog BakeryCookbook
by Dan Dye & Mark Beckloff
Over 50 wholesome, healthy, sim-ple-to-cook recipes for your pooch,from Hearty Hound Loaf and BananaMutt Cookies to Hungry MongrelTurkey Burgers and Fiesta Bones.
GRRRRRRRANOLA
GRRRRRRRANOLA
Ingredients
3/4 cup honey 1/2 cup vegetable oil1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups cracked wheat2 1/2 cups rolled oats 2 cups bran flakes1 cup wheat germ 1 cup sunflower seeds1 cup chopped roasted soybeans
Isn’t it funny how a dog loves honey? Nutty,all natural, mixed flavors for your nutty,all-natural, mixed breed (or pedigree)!
