Food for thought.

I've noticed alot of people are coming into the store with specific dietary needs for their dogs. Some of them sound quite logical and some downright weird.
What seems to be the trend is that dogs are now becoming "alergic" to just about everything and anything.
Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia defines "Allergy" as a disorder of the immune system that is often called atopy. Allergic reactions occur to environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophilis by a type of antibody known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives,hay fever,asthma, food allergies and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees......"
It goes on to say a bit more but the point I hope to make is that I'm afraid that there is HUGE difference between allergic reaction and simple reaction to certtain conditions.
I for one, absolutely love hot peppers and am not allergic to them but have a sometimes funny reaction to them with profuse sweating around the eyes..which is odd as eyelids don't have sweat glands....I also love cabbage but it doesn't love me if you know what I mean. The point I am vaguely trying to make is that there is a difference and some people are being taken to the cleaners by others in the pet wellness industry who are all too happy to do test after test on poor Rover only to find out that in almost most cases the crappy food he has been eating has upset his natural digestive capabilities and NOW he is being called allergic to almost everything except what comes outta the tap.
I am no vet or doctor..and will go on record to say that I only know what I see, read, experience and hear for other pet owners so my expertise only goes so far as the great many people I see every day and the materials I come into contact with from being in the pet business.
My biggest "pet peeve" (hey thats a great title for another blog) is the people who are convinced that their pet and ONLY their pet has special needs that must take them out of their everyday convention and into a spending frenzy like I have never seen before.
Perhaps I am a bad salesaman but when I ask what the particulars are (and I ask alot of questions before suggesting anything) I often offer a natural alternative to many of the problems. It often goes like this..."take your dog out for more walks...stop giving him/her crappy treats all day, integrate some vegetables into the diet..yes the poo will be stinkier...its POO...and cut back on food that labels wheat,corn, or "meal" as major or first ingredients."
Lemme tell you that I have had no less than a dozen owners in the past short while who have come back with happier dogs and a new respect for getting a second opinion on what ails the pooch.
Another tip I always offer is to go online and look for blogs or forums that pertain directly to specific breeds and their owners. Tips for your Golden Retriever or Italian Greyhound will come form the best sources..those that own them.
As an aside to the food problems I ask that people examine what "food" is before putting it in a bowl. We seem to have no problem doing this for ourselves (or we should at least) but we don't give a second thought to what bag Fido is eating from as long as it says "balanced nutrition" on it.
Balanced Nutrition means absolutley nothing! Its like our sugary cereals that we are offered but its only balances when you have another glass of milk one of orange juice and some more toast. Ever wonder about that?
Since the post war years when manufacturers were seeing a huge growth in pet ownership and the need to package pet foods when before that pets ate..ummmmm food to now it is a huge business...huge....but that does not always mean good.
Trends are changing fast and furiously these days too with many going to a "raw" diet which in my opinion if handled correctly is fantastic......cause...its food. But doncha have most of that in the fridge anyway?!?!? Just asking.
The big trend for peope these days is the "pro and prebiotic" additives to our diet that are hugely lacking. These are bacteria pure and simple. When we lived on farms and ate stinky cheeses and sometime older salted meats and raw food we had bacteria in our system in a normal and balanced state and the same is happening for our pooches. Its a wee bit too orderly and clean in the plumbing.
Some customers are also motivated by the '"tootsie roll" quest as I call it. This is the determined effort to have their dogs poop look like nothing more than a tootsie roll...dark....odor less and easy to pick up. Ummmmmmm its poop. If yours looked like that YOU'D be in the doctors all the time too complaining of digestive problems.
So! do your research get good advice put some REAL food into the diet (food is food) and dont let any one person tell you what will work for your dog (myself included)
Woof!