Product Review: Steve’s Raw Goat Milk Yogurt

My poor dog was up all night, and poor me, I was up all night too…cleaning up her vomit. Dogs occasionally get stomach aches, just like we do. Pi is a healthy, raw-fed dog, so her digestive system is pretty solid, but even she isn’t immune to the effects of the neighbor kids feeding her brownies through the fence.

I’ve long been a proponent of using raw goat milk as a supplement for dogs and cats and I’ve seen it work wonders in animals suffering from cancer, diabetes, allergies and digestive illnesses. Steve’s Real Food just released their Raw Goat Milk Yogurt, so I was eager to try it on Pi’s upset tummy.

Steve’s Raw Goat Milk Yogurt has just three (AMAZING) ingredients:

  1. Raw Goat Milk- Full of probiotics and digestive enzymes (i.e. digestive aids and upset-tummy soothers)
  2. Chia Seed- Superfood that absorbs toxins from the large intestine. Also, awesome source of magnesium and phosphorus
  3. Coconut Flour- Believed to be antiviral, antibiotic and anti-parasitic

Goat Milk acts as a complete diet for dogs (remember unpasteurized milk is the first thing infants eat!)  It’s super gentle on their stomachs and is helps keep them hydrated.  For the first 24 hours after Pi’s puke-y night, I just fed her Steve’s Raw Goat Milk Yogurt. Those probiotics got to work, and she quickly made a full recovery back to her wild self.  Hooray!

The yogurt comes in a convenient, resealable, absolutely mess-free container (available in 4oz. or 16oz.) And you can serve it to your dog daily, as a treat, or just when his digestive or immune system needs a boost.  Cats love it too!

And of course, being a crazy dog-mom, I had to try a spoonful of the yogurt too. It’s tangy, smooth and pretty delicious!

Eat Well my Happy Beasts!

Dog Exercise New Year's Resolutions | The Happy Beast

Sticking to resolutions can be hard, but everything’s easier with a buddy. This year, let’s make New Year’s resolutions for you and your dog! Here are three easy ideas for you and your pup to do together.

  1. Exercise
    You don’t have to join a gym or start training for a marathon. To get started, take your dog for a walk around the block. Getting out for a ten minute walk promotes healthy blood flow, allows you to soak up Vitamin D from the sun and helps boost your mood, altogether protecting his you from stress and disease. Your dog will benefit from the mental stimulation provided by the ever-changing smells in the environment and the relationship-building power of leashed walking. (Read more here!)
  2. Eat Fresh Food
    YOU: Grab a salad for lunch or replace your afternoon sugar snack with an apple.YOUR DOG: Add a little life to your dog’s food! Dogs fed mostly kibble miss out on all the awesome nutrients and enzymes found in fresh foods. Adding a dehydrated food like Sojos or The Honest Kitchen is an easy way to provide the benefits of home cooking without having to do all the work.
  3. Take a Fish Oil Supplement
    Omega 3s reduce inflammation, joint pain and promote healthy skin, fur and hair! This one’s easy. Keep your dog’s fish oil next to yours, and when you take two, he takes one (or two if he’s a big guy.) I’ve been giving my dog the awesome Omega 3 supplement from InClover called Glow. She LOVES these little treats, and reminds me to give her one every day.

Happy New Year’s to all you happy beasts and good luck with those resolutions!

Dog Food Diets | Warming Foods | The Happy Beast

So…winter finally showed up this morning in Lafayette. It’s dropped below freezing and all we want to do is eat a spicy bowl of chili. In the winter months, we tend to center our meal plan on soups, stews, tea and roasts. Why? Warm, hearty foods help starve off the cold! In studying Chinese medicine, we find that certain “warming foods” have a positive effect on the body.

You can take advantage of this to help your dog stay warm this winter too! Older dogs, small dogs, and ones with short hair or arthritis and joint pain may benefit from warming foods. Most pet food companies offer a few  recipes that can be fed in rotation, allowing your dog to easily transition to a different food. (Read our Happy Beast transition tips here!)

For the next few months, choose a diet based with a warming protein like venison, lamb, chicken or turkey.

(And, be sure to spend extra time cuddling your pup by the fireplace!)

Your dog’s GREEN “Voice and Sight Tag” will expire on December 31, 2014 and a new BLUE tag will be required for off-leash dog hiking in the new year. The City of Boulder program that allows dogs to be walked off-leash on designated open trails is going through a few changes. If you’d like to continue taking advantage of their awesome off-leash dog trails, here’s what you need to know.

1) You have to take a class.

Classes meet in Boulder and are offered every day (with lots of evening and weekend options!) It’s only an hour long and covers the expectations and requirements of the program as well as tips for having a successful off-leash experience with your dog.

Sign up here.

2) There are added fees for additional dogs and guardians.

The fee for one dog and one guardian is $13 for City of Boulder residents, and $33 for Boulder County residents. Additional dogs in your household can be registered for just $10/dog. Additional guardians must take the aforementioned class and pay a $5 fee.

3) Your dog must be vaccinated and registered.

  • You’ll have to submit your dog’s rabies vaccination records.
  • If you live in Boulder, you must register your dog with the city.
  • Boulder County residents who do not live in the City of Boulder do not have to be licensed to qualify for the program. (Most cities do require a license. While not required for the Voice & Sight Program, this would be a good time to make sure your dog’s license is up to date!)

4) You can register online!

Click here to register online.

Currently, requests are taking about 5 days to process, so expect to wait at least a week for your tag to arrive in the mail.

5) You have to follow the rules.

The motivation behind the updated program is to reduce conflicts between people, dogs and wildlife.

Here’s a sampling of the rules you will learn in class:

  • Your dog must always be within your sight and must immediately come when called
  • Your dog must not chase, charge, jump on or show any aggression towards people, wildlife, livestock or other dogs
  • Your dog must wear his Voice & Sight Tag
  • You must always carry a leash

Have more questions? The City of Boulder has all the details here!

The most widely used cat litter brands are made of bentonite clay, but many cats and owners (including yours truly) prefer a litter made from pine, corn or wheat. Be sure to research your particular brand, but the points outlined below are true of most products. Experiment with different styles of litter until you find one that both you and your cat prefer.

Pine (Nat’s preferred litter!)
We like “Feline Fresh”

  • Non-tracking and non-dusting
  • Made of reclaimed pine wood from sustainable forestry products, in a zero-waste production facility
  • 100% renewable and biodegradable
  • No Chemicals or Additives

Corn
We like “Integrity Corn & Pine Blend” and “World’s Best Cat Litter”

  • Lower tracking than clay litter, with a texture that most cats prefer
  • High absorbency and odor control
  • Superior clumping for easy cleanup
  • Free of chemical fragrances

Wheat
We like “Swheat Scoop”

  • Low tracking
  • Odor control from natural wheat enzymes
  • Clumping
  • Chemical and Clay free

Clay
We like “Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat” and “Integrity”

  • Most common due to it’s superior clumping ability and odor control
  • Suitable for sifting/mechanical litter boxes
  • Texture preferred by most cats

Cons of clay litters:

  • More dust and tracking than other types of litters.
  • Cats with respiratory issues, such as asthma may benefit from a non-dusting litter.