Well, now you can get your pooch a fine bottle of “Johnny Barker Black Lab” Described as:
“A Premium Canine Spirits. Sniff the richness, lick the flavor, taste like no other. Give the gift of taste, alcohol free aus-jus to be poured over the evening meal. Enjoy Irresponsibly.”

Perhaps a bottle of White Sniff n Tail described as:  “White Zinfandel lovers eat your heart out. Imagine the unmistakable aroma of fragrant salmon, combined with all the nutrients of delectable sweet potatoes. Now imagine your loved four legged member of the family savoring every delicious drop of the sweet nectar of Bark Vineyards White Sniff-n-Tail.”

Bark Vineyards warns that you be sure to have a Licker License if you plan on hosting a Canine Wine Party and Enjoy Irresponsibly!

Super cute marketing and I am sure all my 4 legged clients would love the product!  Gonna have to look into that Licker License !

Beneficial yeast ?  Why you might ask would I want my dog to have beneficial yeast, well the yeast which is chronically found in the infected ears and paws of our pets is usually of the Staphylococcus variety and  Kefir possesses antimicrobial activity against bacteria and some fungi (1).  Using Kefir is like treating from the inside – out, creating an in-hospitable environment for the bad yeasts and bacterias, 1 ml of Kefir contains up to 109 microbes(2).

Research has shown a clear link between Kefir consumption and overall immune system function(3) along with inhibiting the growth of bacteria and non-beneficial yeast.  I have been feeding Kefir to my dogs for almost two months now and most importantly they LOVE it !  I haven’t had a meal refused since I started adding kefir.

How do I make Kefir ?

It is really easy actually, you start with the grains pictured above.

1. Place the grains in a wide mouth, glass jar

2. Add Milk, cover with papertowel and rubber band

3. 24 hours later strain the grains and BAM you have Kefir

I got my first Kefir grains from our friends, Peter and Shannon, over at Basalt Canyon Kennels in Eastern Washington, I believe you can find Kefir grains on ebay or check with your local health food store.  Thank you again to Peter and Shannon for the grains !

Sources and to Learn More About Kefir:

1. Toronto Advisors Kefir Research Doc

2. Kefir.org

3. A Complex Probiotic

I enjoy that each of my clients bring in their own meal ingredients for two reasons; First because it is less stressful on the dog when his diet remains the same and two it allows me to observe so many different diets and see the effect on each dog. 

Here are a couple  of today’s orders:

• Cooked rice and lamb meat – prepared at home by client, I warm and serve
• Raw Ground turkey, ground vegies, yogurt – prepared at home by client, I mix and serve
• Ready made Pet loaf – I cut in chunks and serve
• Several different kibble orders with mixed in goodies, which sometimes I do yell BAM when I mix in a dollup of canned food !

Really a ton of fun and everyone munched up their breakfast !  Later this week I will go into some clients feeding details on individual posts as they are all so unique!  Just like us humans, every dog has different needs and preferences.

Eat well and enjoy your day !