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My friend, David created and then perfected, these treats for their adorable rescue dog, Gizmo. David assures me that all dogs are CRAZY for these treats!

David & Tom’s TLC Turkey Treats

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well with your hands. Mixture will have the consistency of a meatloaf. Shape into patties suitably sized for your dog. We recommend rolling them and then slightly flattening till you have a patty approx. two-inches long, one-and-a-half-inches wide and one-inch thick.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 12 minutes. Flip patties over and bake for another 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Patties can be frozen for later feeding. Defrost before serving. Break off small pieces for treats and watch how your dog falls in love with you all over again!

All of us are concerned about the environment these days and the fact that a lot of little things can add up to big change has never been more apparent. Just in time for Earth day, Dogtime points out that, even our dogs can help make a difference for the environment when they suggest the “Top 10 Ways to Reduce Your Dog's Carbon Paw Print.”

Humans aren’t the only species to leave their mark on the environment, but we alone have the power to do something about our impact. And, we can do the green thing on behalf of our animals.

In recent years, eco-friendly versions of just about any pet product you can imagine have hit the market, from paraben-free shampoos to all-natural treats and biscuits to dog beds made of 100% recycled materials. That's the easy stuff. If you're really serious about reducing your dog's carbon paw print, consider preparing her food yourself with locally made ingredients. And for the uber-conscious -- or maybe just extra ambitious -- teach your dog to turn off lights and put the newspaper in the recycle bin.

Here are the top ten things Dogtime suggests:

Top 10 ways DogTimers are reducing carbon pawprints

10. Use eco-friendly dog accessories

9. I use natural/organic flea medicine

8. Make homemade dog food/treats for my dog

7. Feed dog raw, organic, or holistic diet

6. Use biodegradable or flush-able poop bags

5. Use natural/organic shampoos to keep my dog clean

4. Use eco-friendly cleaning supplies for dog messes around the house

3. Reuse leashes, collars, and other dog accessories

2. Keep my dog leashed at all times except in designated off leash areas

1. Spay/neuter my dog(s)

You can read the full piece here.

Meanwhile, if you have your own list -- or even just some clever ideas -- we’d love to hear them.

Editor’s Note: One of our clients, Josh, owns Wrangler, the sweetest boxer on the planet who is slowly becoming paralyzed. Josh’s blog is heartwarming and heartbreaking but full of useful information. I wanted him to tell you all about it in his own words. -- Tammy

By Josh Davies, Vancouver, B.C.

http://www.mydoghasdm.com

I am the owner of a 10-year-old boxer named Wrangler who has Degenerative Myelopathy. Finding information on Degenerative Myelopathy can be difficult. It’s surprising how little information there is and even how little some vets seem to know.

In Wrangler’s case I actually figured out he had DM by talking to other people and searching online. I found lots of touching websites where pet owners have built tributes to their pets who have struggled with DM, however, I have yet to find a one stop place for all things DM. Things like pet stories, product reviews, vet stories, approved kennels, and advice and tips among other things.

I hope to be able to tell Wrangler’s story while talking about all the little day to day things you may encounter while caring for a pet with DM.

Some of the goals for the site are:

1) Provide first hand experience with caring for a pet with DM.
2) Review products that can help with caring for your pet.
3) Reviews of overnight care facilities in different cities. (kennels)
4) Guest bloggers by people with pets that have DM.
5) Vet Stories
6) Non Profit -- A long term goal is to raise enough money to buy an Eddie’s Wheels cart and donate it to someone who can’t afford to buy a cart on their own.
7) Organize a dog cart walk to raise awareness about DM.

Visit MyDogHasDM or contact Josh via e-mail.

Many of my clients tell me that for breakfast and lunch eat very healthy and are able to control their calorie intake. However, later in the day, and especially after dinner, they get hungry and start craving carb-rich foods (whether it be ice cream or tortilla chips). Many people with this tendency get themselves into trouble,  because for some reason most people feel like calories after dinner don't count. If this is the case with you, you could be consuming several hundred more calories than you've accounted for during the day, and you may end up sabatoging your weight loss goals.

Carb-cravings and late night eating are a tell-tale sign that you are not consuming enough calories early in the day, and that your body is seeking more nourishment. You are probably missing out on key nutrients and your body is trying to tell you to get them in! So, I recommend you evaluate how many calories you are eating every day and determine if this is enough to sustain you. My rule of thumb for most women is never to go below 1500 calories, and for men, never below 1700 (unless you are a very small, inactive person). After you have established that you are eating enough calories to support yourself, evaluate whether you are consuming enough carbs and protein early on in the day. If you are eating an omelet for breakfast and a salad for lunch, chances are  you need a lot more carbs to keep you feeling satisfied. Note: CARBS ARE NOT BAD!!! I cannot emphasize enough that carbohydrates are critical to having a healthy diet, and some of the healthiest foods are mostly carbohydrates: oat bran, sweet potatoes, barley, kidney beans, etc.

I had a client come in for a follow-up yesterday and she told me since we changed her meal plans she is feeling so much more energetic during the day and does not get hungry mid-afternoon anymore. What did I do? I recommended that she consume more protein with breakfast, and add more starches with lunch.

So, if you are a person that binges late-day or night, here are my steps to ameliorate the problem:
1. Determine if you are eating enough calories for your body and activity level (if you don't know the correct number, come see me!).
2. Determine if you are eating enough calories, protein, and carbohydrates during the day when you are most active
3. Determine if you are eating enough protein each day.
4. Determine if you are eating enough carbohydrates each day.
5. If you found that you are not eating enough for questions 1-4, try to add protein and starches to breakfast and lunch. Sample meal ideas:

Breakfast: 1 egg + 2 egg white omelet with spinach and a slice of multigrain toast or oatbran with flax, blueberries, and soymilk or whole grain cold cereal with skim or 1% milk
Snack: Yogurt with fruit or Kelly's Healthy Trail Mix (recipe to come later)
Lunch: Salad with chicken and whole-grain pita and an orange on the side or turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with fruit and yogurt on side
Snack: Apple & Peanut butter or cottage cheese with fruit
Dinner: Sweet potato, salmon, kale & broccoli or stir fry (mixed veggies, brown rice, chicken)
PM snack: cottage cheese and fruit or soy/almond milk or yogurt & flax

Other tips:  Brush your teeth & use mouthwash after dinner or chew a piece of mint gum to discourage you from eating more.

Don't let the late night eating get out of control. If you need help with your diet, I recommend you see a dietitian ASAP. Just a pound of weight gain each year can put you at an increased risk for many diseases (heart disease, diabetes, cancers, etc) ... plus an extra pound a year can add up to a LOT considering the average age that people are living to nowadays.

Good luck!

We’re loving the idea of Easter fun to share with your canine pal and this year the nice folks at Three Dog Bakery are making it happen on Saturday, April 23rd. Though the nuances of the season may truly be lost on your canine pal, the fun of the day and the great quality of Three Dogs treats will not.

So Bark down the biscuit trail for Three Dogs’ first ever Easter “Begg” Hunt. The fun starts at noon on the 23rd at Suter Brook Village Courtyard, Port Moody where over 1000 “Easter Beggs” will be hidden. There is a $5. registration fee per dog. You can RSVP via the Three Dog Bakery Facebook page here.

One of my favorite vegetable groups to recommend are the "leafy greens", and particularly, spinach. I tell my clients to buy frozen spinach and add it to omelets in the morning, or use it to bulk up soups or any meal. I also tell clients to keep a bag of frozen vegetables on hand at all times (I love the stir fry bags from Costco!). A lot of times people are surprised by the fact that I am recommending 1) frozen vegetables, and 2) heating/cooking the vegetable.


I understand that most people believe that eating raw and fresh produce is best... which it is. However, rarely do we consumers actually get the freshest produce. If you look at your piece of fruit, or the artichokes that just came in, they are most likely from some other continent. If they are actually from the US, they are most likely from California or somewhere far away. If the produce came from far way, obviously this means that thit couldn't have been picked today- it was probably picked several days (or weeks?) ago, put into cold storage, and shipped to your local store. So, I do recommend frozen vegetables because these are picked at the peak of ripeness and flash frozen to keep all their nutrients in.

Anyway, as far as cooking vegetables, certain types lose a lot of nutrients when you cook them in water, while others have nutrients that are made more intense and more bio-available (i.e: easier for your body to absorb) by cooking. However, it does depend on the type of vegetable, cooking method (microwaving, baking, steaming, boiling, roasting, grilling, etc.), and length of time the vegetable is exposed to heat and/or water. For example, spinach has many water-soluble vitamins and it is not recommended to boil spinach for more than one minute in order to obtain the most nutrients. However, for kale (another leafy green), it needs to be steamed for about 5 minutes for maximum nutrient availability. Lycopene (a phytonutrient) in tomatoes is made stronger by cooking down the tomatoes. So, my recommendation is to look up whatever vegetable you are going to prepare and determine the best way to cook it to preserve the most nutrients.

Final Thoughts: Don't go crazy thinking about your vegetables and how to cook them properly. For many people who don't eat any vegetables, it is much better to eat overcooked spinach than to have no spinach at all! Try to maximize the amount of veggies you eat during the course of the day by making 1/2 of your plate at lunch and dinner full of vegetables. If you only like cooked vegetables, then cook them! If you are eating a ton of veggies, you will most likely be getting enough of the critical nutrients your body needs, even accounting for nutrient losses through cooking.