Dog harnesses...why do people use them with their pets?
Harnesses, of course, are used in the pulling of sleds and small carriages...other small vehicles.
The benefit of a harness is to distribute weight the weight evenly over the neck, chest, shoulders and haunches of the dog so there is little if any pressure points.
The downside is that in the event of any leash training a harness is not recommended as there is little communication to the dog for which way he/she is to go and when to stop or start. The same holds true to using an extendable leash....the dog feels no instruction if they do not know they are even ON a lead.
I often suggest and will sometimes talk people out of the sale of a harness if it is to be used for a young dog who is learning to walk on the lead.
A regular collar or a "Martingale" collar is what I will usually offer as a good training tool used in tandem with 3 or 4 tips on keeping the dog learning what is expected of them.
Harnesses will not allow for any instruction to pass down from owner to pet if they are unable to FEEL the directions.
Having said that I also do not sell the typical harnesses at Woofles and Meowz as they are often ill fitting and will pull and tear the fur around the pet's from legs.
I stock the 3in1 vest harness that is superior to most makes in that it can also be used as the simplest seatbelt in the car...plus it is very comfortable for all dogs and particularily for dogs that are covered in very thick fur like Pomeranians and Sheba Inus.
Coupled with a good collar I also recommend the typical 6 foot lead.
Any questions..please feel free to contact us at our store.
Showing posts with label freeze dried dog treats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freeze dried dog treats. Show all posts
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Freeze dried dog treats
As a dog trainer here in Vancouver I get asked alot of times "what is the best reward for training purposes?"
Well...I usually say "as little as possible" as what you want to do is use the treats to start of the reward system and then it should be just for the patting and kind words that a dog will obey.
For the puppies...its a different story....like kids they can be bought!
I will often use a very simple freeze dried liver treat as it seems to be very gentle on the stomach and dogs can eat alot without getting the poops from them. If your dog is reactive to wheat proteins then this is a great alternative for them. There are several on the market and I carry a few lines from only the best suppliers here at the Granville Island store however there are alternatives...
A lovely customer of ours here at Woofles and Meowz makes her own treats with the liver doing both a dehydrated version and a freeze dried one.
For a great dehydrated treat you must start with either a good dehydrater or use the oven to dry out the product on a very low temp...almost baking the liver pate.
She says to take as much beef liver as you like and make it into a pate in a food processor. Some people will add salt and/or other ingredients to the pate at this time but it is not necessary.
Simply spread the mixture on a flat baking pan no more than an half inch high and bake at 275-300 degrees until the mixture has shrunk and completely dried out. You can not overcook this mixture too much as it is all about getting all the water out of the liver while the temp kills any bacteria. I have usually cooked it for 2-2.5 hours but your oven may vary. Just MAKE SURE the product is completely dry.
After it is done simply break up the dried pieces and keep in a freezer.
I am not sure on the length of time it can be kept as it only lasts a few days around here. Use your best discretion.
OH! and major tip....open ALL the windows in the house when doing this as it is a smelly project!!! fair warning!
The freeze dried method is:
Take any cow or calf liver and boil for 30-45 minutes until fully cooked. Let cool and cut into dice sized pieces and lay out on a flat baking pan and put in a very cold freezer. Often the freezer in your fridge may have to be made colder as they are not as cold as say..a deep freezer. There IS a difference and what you want is the DRY cold of a freezer set on the coldest temp. After a week or so the product will be dried out and you can test this by taking one piece out and letting it thaw. If there is any water in it you will see it leak out. Dont be afraid to see the liver turn white in the freezer..this is normal. Dont keep for more than a couple of months as it does get too dry and unappetising for even the biggest food-hound.
Hope this works and oh: Disclaimer of course...wash all utensils and hands after using with raw ingredients...dont keep product too long.....dont use old liver from dinner that had onions or other spices that may not agree with FIDO and use only fresh liver. If unsure there are a variety of packs her at the store!
Cheers! and enjoy your freeze dried dog treats
Well...I usually say "as little as possible" as what you want to do is use the treats to start of the reward system and then it should be just for the patting and kind words that a dog will obey.
For the puppies...its a different story....like kids they can be bought!
I will often use a very simple freeze dried liver treat as it seems to be very gentle on the stomach and dogs can eat alot without getting the poops from them. If your dog is reactive to wheat proteins then this is a great alternative for them. There are several on the market and I carry a few lines from only the best suppliers here at the Granville Island store however there are alternatives...
A lovely customer of ours here at Woofles and Meowz makes her own treats with the liver doing both a dehydrated version and a freeze dried one.
For a great dehydrated treat you must start with either a good dehydrater or use the oven to dry out the product on a very low temp...almost baking the liver pate.
She says to take as much beef liver as you like and make it into a pate in a food processor. Some people will add salt and/or other ingredients to the pate at this time but it is not necessary.
Simply spread the mixture on a flat baking pan no more than an half inch high and bake at 275-300 degrees until the mixture has shrunk and completely dried out. You can not overcook this mixture too much as it is all about getting all the water out of the liver while the temp kills any bacteria. I have usually cooked it for 2-2.5 hours but your oven may vary. Just MAKE SURE the product is completely dry.
After it is done simply break up the dried pieces and keep in a freezer.
I am not sure on the length of time it can be kept as it only lasts a few days around here. Use your best discretion.
OH! and major tip....open ALL the windows in the house when doing this as it is a smelly project!!! fair warning!
The freeze dried method is:
Take any cow or calf liver and boil for 30-45 minutes until fully cooked. Let cool and cut into dice sized pieces and lay out on a flat baking pan and put in a very cold freezer. Often the freezer in your fridge may have to be made colder as they are not as cold as say..a deep freezer. There IS a difference and what you want is the DRY cold of a freezer set on the coldest temp. After a week or so the product will be dried out and you can test this by taking one piece out and letting it thaw. If there is any water in it you will see it leak out. Dont be afraid to see the liver turn white in the freezer..this is normal. Dont keep for more than a couple of months as it does get too dry and unappetising for even the biggest food-hound.
Hope this works and oh: Disclaimer of course...wash all utensils and hands after using with raw ingredients...dont keep product too long.....dont use old liver from dinner that had onions or other spices that may not agree with FIDO and use only fresh liver. If unsure there are a variety of packs her at the store!
Cheers! and enjoy your freeze dried dog treats
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