Limited Vaccination Protocol and Good Nutrition for our Dogs

I have done much reading on the subject of dog nutrition and vaccine protocols and would like to give you some basic information as well as a few links to help you with your own quest for information.

HOME PREPARED DIETS

I do believe that nutrition is more important than we realize for our dogs.  We may not be able to see the importance when we have young dogs, but when our dogs begin to age, we can most certainly see how this all plays out.

My own house can provide testimony to this.  Samson is an 8 year old GSD that has bad hips as well as an "itching" problem.  In the last year, I have started feeding my dogs a home-prepared diet, mainly consisting of raw and cooked meat, a few vegetables and brown rice.  It was when I got my puppy Prada in September of 2007, that I wanted to make sure that she was getting the proper calcium levels that I contacted Sabine Contreras with http://www.betterdogcare.com for a specially prepared diet just for Prada.  After feeding her this diet for a few weeks, I decided to get totally on board and do a prescribed diet for the "whole family".  She sent me diets for Samson as well as for Barley my Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Within 3 weeks, there was an astounding improvement in Samson.  For the last 3 years, his physical activity was very limited.  He did fine on normal walks, but getting up and down and chasing a ball or Frisbee was on the decline.  When I played with the other odgs, he basically just lay with his toy of choice and just watched.  Now, with his diet formulated just for him, he is now up and playing!!!  He plays soccer with us and the girls just hate it because he is such a ball hog and never gives them a chance to get it.  He plays ball and runs and jumps for his Frisbee too.  He is feeling much better and wants to join in all the fun.

Feeding a home-prepared diet does take dedication and a few hours a week, but there is no way that I can turn back now.  To see Samson feeling so much better and of course to my other dogs that are still young and healthy means the world to me and how could I do anything less for them?

If you have any questions about diets and what is involved, I would love to talk to you about it.  If you would like to contact Sabine for a diet consultation especially formulated for your dog, you can email her at ask@betterdogcare.com.  Another great site that she has is http://www.dogfoodproject.com if you want to check on dry kibble for your dog.  I do have to say here that I don't get a discount or special courtesy from Sabine for my recommendations.  I just have to sing her praises since the change in my dog.

VACCINE PROTOCOLS

In my opinion, an informed decision is needed by each puppy parent regarding when and how to vaccinate their new puppy.  Instead of writing a long page on Vaccine Protocols, I can't say it better than some of the web sites that I've found.  I agree with what is stated in the links below, but of course you need to use your own good judgement.

http://www.tollwest.com/vaccine.html

http://www.dogsadversereactions.com/minimalvaccineuse.html

http://www.dogsadversereactions.com/sciencevaccinedamage.html

http://www.wellvet.com/vaccine_protocols.htm#D

http://www.topdogboarding.com/vaccine_controversy.htm

I will be on the look out for a vet in my area that will vaccinate puppies according to this protocol.