Podcast – Science Dogs of New England with Lindsay Ware, – 22FEB21

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 22FEB21 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMwSciDogs2020 >

 

In case you didn’t know it, your dog’s sense of smell is amazing. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 24th, 2020, Kate and Don talk to Lindsay Ware, the founder of  Science Dogs of New England, where Lindsay trains her dogs to use their noses to help preserve wildlife. Lindsay has been a past guest on the show where she discussed her work with United Blood Trackers using trained tracking dogs to recover wounded game such as bear, deer, and moose. If you are interested in how your dog’s sniffer can be put to good use, tune in!

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info

Don Hanson & Kate Dutra
Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show

Location: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204
Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103
Email-Email Don

Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/
Facebook-Green Acres : https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/
Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/
Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/
Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/
Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets

 

Lindsay Ware
Science Dogs of New England

 Email: Email Lindsay
Website: https://www.sciencedogsne.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ScienceDogsofNewEngland

Scent dog takes on new role-Finding Imperiled turtles-from the Portland Press Herald–2020-09-27https://www.pressherald.com/2020/09/27/scent-dog-takes-on-a-new-role-finding-imperiled-turtles/

 

©22FEB21, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Pets in the News No 13 – All About Cats

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 16JAN21 >

< A short link for this page – insert link >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 16th, 2021, Kate and Don focus on our feline friends. They start by discussing an article entitled “What Makes A Cat” by Dr. Liz Bales that suggests how we can improve our cat’s lives. Bales notes: Just about everything you need to know about cats comes down to one thing. Hunting.

Next, we look at an article that discusses a new study concerning the most common behavior problem in multi-cat homes; the litterbox. Feline Litter Box Problems: The Needs of the Many reports that when one cat is not using the litterbox, all of the cats in the household are experiencing stress, and thus all cats should be treated.

Then Kate discusses an article on feline nail trims. We close with an article from Dr. Karen Becker that discusses the use of an “eye blink” in establishing trust with a cat. You will find links to all of the articles on Don’s blog and the Woof Meow Show podcast page.

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info

Don Hanson & Kate Dutra
Green Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show
Bangor, ME
(207) 945-6841
https://www.greenacreskennel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/
https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

Recommended Resources

Links to Articles in the Podcast

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

 Cat Behavior – Inappropriate Elimination (Urination & Defecation)http://bit.ly/Cat-Inapp-ElimUrin

Cat Litter: Who Gets to Choose? – http://bit.ly/CatLitter-Choices

Cat Behavior – Make Your Life Easier – Get Your Cat to Love Their Carrierhttp://bit.ly/Cats-Carriers

 

©16JAN21, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Preparing for the Holidays; Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 18OCT20 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMwHolidayPrep >

The last three months of the year are often your favorite or least favorite time of year. It is a time filled with holidays, more guests in our home than usual, frantic activity, hectic schedules, and yes, stress, and not the good kind but unpleasant distress. All of these things can affect our pets every bit as much as they affect us. In this show, Kate and Don will be discussing ways you can make this time of year less stressful for both your and your pets. We’ll address Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple podcast app.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info

Don Hanson & Kate Dutra
Green Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show
Bangor, ME
(207) 945-6841
https://www.greenacreskennel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/
https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

 Halloween Tips for Pets and Their People – http://bit.ly/Halloween-Pets

Preparing Your Pets for the Holidayshttp://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/01/preparing-your-pets-for-the-holidays/

 Other Resources

Mighty Dog Graphics Halloween Postershttps://www.facebook.com/mightydoggraphics/posts/the-halloween-collection-/1328779170582929/

©18OCT20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – This and That About Living with Pets, Volume 1

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 01AUG20 >

< A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/2Xh4arB >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 1st, 2020, Kate and Don share some of their experiences with their pets. Even with their knowledge and expertise, their pets are not always “perfect.” In this show, they discuss our pet’s interactions with wildlife and going back to work after being home with the pets almost continuously for several weeks.

Lastly, they discuss a new peer-reviewed study, (Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement, Front. Vet. Sci., 22 July 2020-China Mills, Cooper) This study indicates that positive reinforcement training is more effective than training a dog with a shock collar. These finds are incredibly significant. Many shock collar proponents have long argued that shock is necessary for some behaviors, such as recall, and is more efficient at training than reward-based methods. Note, no research supports this conclusion by shock proponents. However, there is now evidence that suggests the exact opposite; an electric shock is not more efficient nor more reliable when teaching the recall.

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Contact Info

Green Acres Kennel Shop
1653 Union Street
Bangor, ME 04401
207-945-6841

www.Greenacreskennel.com

https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

Alone Training – http://bit.ly/AloneTraining

Preventing separation anxiety – Teaching your dog to cope with being alonehttp://bit.ly/PrevSepAnx

The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collarshttp://bit.ly/ShockCollars

What’s Shocking about Shock – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Traininghttp://bit.ly/ShockBARK-JUL2019

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show
( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts )

 Separation Anxiety in Dogs with Dr. Christine Calder – https://bit.ly/WfMw-SepAnxDrCalder

Anxiety, Fears & Phobias with Dr. Christine Calderhttps://bit.ly/WfMw-AnxFrPhbiaDrCalder

What’s Shocking About Shock – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Traininghttp://bit.ly/WfMw-WhatShock-27JUL19

Charlee and the Electronic Shock Containment System w-Dan Antolechttps://bit.ly/Blog-Charlee_E-Fence

Other Resources

Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement, Front. Vet. Sci., 22 July 2020-China Mills, Cooperhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508/full?fbclid=IwAR3QINaZm1Hwq-ejO30plmfK3f9Ce3YLuldwe4a9Orih6rHDSuYJg0_r3lI

Positive Reinforcement is More Effective at Training Dogs than an Electronic Collar, Study Shows, Companion Animal Psychology, Zazie Todd, PhD, July 22, 2020https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2020/07/positive-reinforcement-is-more.html

E-Fence Fallout, BARKS from the Guild, April 16, 2020https://barksfromtheguild.com/2020/04/16/e-fence-fallout/

 

©01AUG20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Green Acres Kennel Shop’s Puppy Headstart Class Goes ONLINE

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 21JUN21 >

< A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/WfMw-GAKS-PuppyONLINE-21JUN20 >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 20th, 2020 Kate interviews co-host Don Hanson about the online Puppy Headstart class he has developed for Green Acres Kennel Shop. They discuss what prompted the development of an online course and the process involved. Kate asks Don about the typical audience for the class and how they have reacted to learning online versus face to face. They then go on to discuss the topics covered in the class. Don then reveals a new option for class students; puppy daycare.  Kate wraps up the interview asking Don about the pros and cons of online courses and their role in Green Acre’s future.

FMIhttps://bit.ly/GAPuppyHeadstart-Online

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Contact Info

Green Acres Kennel Shop
1653 Union Street
Bangor, ME 04401
207-945-6841

www.Greenacreskennel.com

https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

 What Is Dog Traininghttp://bit.ly/WhatIsDogTraining

How to Choose a Dog Trainerhttp://bit.ly/HowToChooseADogTrainer

Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Training Dogs – Gus, the Dominance Myth, An Alpha Roll, and a Damaged Relationship – WWM-SEP2018 http://bit.ly/Things-Gus-Dominance

Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog – Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 1 – WWM-JAN2019 http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-1

Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog – Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 2 – WWM-FEB2019 –  http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-2

About Don Hanson – http://bit.ly/AboutDonHanson

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show
( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts )

The Woof Meow Show: Introducing The Woof Meow Show with Kate Dutra and Don Hanson – https://bit.ly/WfMw-MeetKateAndDon

 

©21JUN20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Anxiety, Fears & Phobias with Dr. Christine Calder

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 09FEB21 >

< A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/WfMw-AnxFrPhbiaDrCalder >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 6th, 2020, Don talks with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder about anxiety, fears, and phobias in pets. We start with a discussion of the multitude of words used to describe fear in our pets; anxiety, nervous, shy, skittish, timid, and more and then discuss how pets indicate they are afraid through body language and their actions. We also discuss extreme fear, phobias, specifically noise, storm, and firework phobias. Lastly, we offer suggestions to help you help your pet.

If your pet is afraid of summer storms or fireworks, you will not want to miss this show

Contact Info for Dr. Calder

Business: Calder Veterinary Behavior Services
Address:
Phone: (207) 298-4375
Email: reception@caldervbs.com
Websitewww.caldervbs.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/

More info on Dr. Calder from the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog Newshttps://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

Crate Habituation to Reduce Anxietyhttp://bit.ly/CrateHabituation

Help! My Dog is Aggressive, Reactive, Fearful, Anxious, etc. – What do I do? – WWM – APR2017 – http://bit.ly/HelpDogAggx

How Can I Tell When My Dog Is Anxious or Fearful? – http://bit.ly/DogsSignsofFear

Management of An Aggressive, Fearful or Reactive Doghttp://bit.ly/BhxManagement

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show
( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts )

Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behaviorist – http://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx

Podcast – Separation Anxiety in Dogs with Dr. Christine Calderhttps://bit.ly/WfMw-SepAnxDrCalder

 

©17JUN20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Pets in the News No. 10

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 02MAY20 >

< A short link for this page –

https://bit.ly/WfMwPetNews-10 >

If you brought home a puppy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, you will not want to miss this show. Puppies have a critical socialization period from 3 to 16 weeks of age. How they are exposed to new things can greatly affect their behavior and quality of life. Socialization requires interaction with a wide variety of people and animals during this time frame, which is not practical or safe during a pandemic. Don and Kate will review articles and offer suggestions on what you can to provide your pandemic puppy with the best socialization possible. We also discuss keeping your adult dog mentally stimulated. We finish the show with a discussion of how our dogs signal us to do things for them. You can find links to all of the articles we discussed below.

Links to Articles from the Show

Time is of the Essence: Puppy Socialization During a Pandemic from My Fantastic Friend by Jessica Ring – https://www.myfantasticfriend.com/2020/03/19/time-is-of-the-essence-puppy-socialization-during-a-pandemic/

5 Mind-Challenging Games to Play With Your Dog – Dr. Karen Becker – https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2020/03/09/brain-stimulating-games-for-dogs.aspx

Cross-species referential signalling events in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) from Animal Cognition (2018) 21:457-465, Worsley & O’Harahttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-018-1181-3

Contact Info for The Woof Meow Show

Address: 1653 Union St., Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: 207-945-6841, x103
Upcoming Shows: http://bit.ly/WfMwUpcomingShows
Website: www.woofmeowshow.com
Don’s Blog: http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows
Podcast Site: http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts
Live Stream: http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

 

©02MAY20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Babies, Toddlers, Kids & Dogs with Jennifer Shryock from Family Paws Parent Education

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 31OCT20 >

< A short link for this page
–  bit.ly/WfMw-Kids_Dogs-28MAR20 >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from March 28th, 2020, Kate and Don have a conversation with Jennifer Shryock about keeping children and dogs safe. We believe this podcast will be especially useful to anyone called upon to supervise the interactions between a child and a dog. This podcast is not just for people with kids and dogs. Any professional that works with parents, children, and dogs can benefit from this information.

Jennifer Shryock is the founder of Family Paws Parent Education and is an excellent resource for helping parents manage a home with a little human and a canine. As a mother, pet parent, teacher, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Jennifer knows how to help mom, dad, a child, and the dog live in harmony.

In this show, we discuss the behaviors dogs need to learn to perform reliably and the fact that training a dog takes time. Prepping the dog and your home for the arrival of the baby should begin many months ahead of time. If the dog has anxiety or fear issues, working with a veterinary behaviorist may be essential and should start even earlier than training. Jennifer discusses the importance of parents learning how to familiarize themselves with carrying an infant while interacting with the dog and recommends that be done before the child ever comes home.

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info for Jennifer

Organization: Family Paws Parent Education
Address: 141 Brannigan place. Cary, NC 27511
Phone: 919.961.1608
EMAIL: jen@familypaws.com
Website: https://www.familypaws.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPawsParentEd/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/familypaws
Instagram: #familypawsofficial

Recommended Resources

Free Downloadable Handouts from Family Paws
Click on the title to view/download as a PDF

Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

Behaviors your dog needs to know

How to Choose a Dog Trainerhttp://bit.ly/HowToChooseADogTrainer

Reward Based Training versus Aversives – http://bit.ly/RewardVSAversive

 Alone Traininghttp://bit.ly/AloneTraining

Teaching the ATTENTION or LOOK Behavior – http://bit.ly/GAKS-Attention

Teaching The Name Game – http://bit.ly/TeachingTheNameGame

What Should I Do When My Dog Does Not Let Me Take Something They Have Stolen and Snaps or Tries to Bite Me?http://bit.ly/StealGuardGrowlSnap

What Should I Do When My Dog Growls?http://bit.ly/DogGrowls

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show
( http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts )

Podcast – The Benefits of Training Your Dog and 2020 Classes at Green Acres Kennel Shophttp://bit.ly/WfMw-Training2020

Podcast – How to Choose A Dog Trainer (2017) – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2017/01/08/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer/

Podcast Kids & Dogs with Colleen Pelar – part 1http://traffic.libsyn.com/woofmeowshow/WoofMeowShow-2007-02-11-LivingwithKidsDogs-part-1.mp3

Podcast Kids & Dogs with Colleen Pelar – part 2http://traffic.libsyn.com/woofmeowshow/WoofMeowShow-2007-02-18-LivingwithKids-Dogs-part2.mp3

Podcast Dogs and Babies with Jennifer Shryock from Family Paws Parent Educationhttp://traffic.libsyn.com/woofmeowshow/WoofMeowShow-2013-08-17-Dogs_and_Babies_w-Jennifer_Shryock_.mp3

Books

A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog! by Niki Tudge http://bit.ly/BkRvw-KidsGuide-Tudge

Living with Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind: A Parent’s Guide to Controlling the Chaos by Colleen Pelar http://bit.ly/BkRwv-LvngKidsDogs-Pelar

©28MAR20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Introducing My Perfect Pet, Gently-Cooked, Fresh Food for Pets, with owner Karen Neola

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 23FEB20 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMw-MyPerfectPet-FEB20  >

If you are looking for healthy options when feeding your dog or cat, we think you will find this podcast very informative.

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from February 22nd, 2020, Kate and Don interview Karen Neola, the founder, and president of My Perfect Pet.

If you are a regular listener to The Woof Meow Show you know that Don and Kate believe that what we feed our pets is important to both their physical and mental wellbeing. Both of them choose to eat fresh, wholesome food as much as possible and choose to feed their pets the same way. In this week’s podcast, we interview Karen Neola, the founder, and owner of My Perfect Pet, and a kindred spirit in our approach to pet nutrition.

For the last thirteen years, My Perfect Pet has been making and selling food for cats and dogs using fresh ingredients sourced from local suppliers who exclusively sell human-grade food, the same companies that supply restaurants and high-end grocers. The food is gently-cooked, frozen, and packaged in a ready-to-eat format for cats and dogs.

You can learn more about Karen and My Perfect Pet in this podcast and in our show notes below.

Learn what Green Acres Kennel Shop likes about My Perfect Pet at – http://bit.ly/WhyWeLikeMyPerfectPet

Below you will find a summary of Karen’s answers to our questions.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your pets.

My Perfect Pet has given me the opportunity to combine my career and love for animals.  I’ve been an animal lover my whole life, my parents named me “Karen’s Reject Animal Farm” when I was 7 because I was always bringing home strays and begging them to let me take care of them.  Dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, even the chickens we hatched at school. At present, I only have one dog, Sweetheart, adopted from Lab Rescuers – named Sweetheart only because I started calling her that while I was trying out other names and the only time she responded seemed to be when I called her Sweetheart.

Why did you decide to get into the pet food business?

After working at Hewlett-Packard for 25 years as an R&D program manager, I had a bucket list a mile long when I left.  However, on Jan 3rd, 2007 I lost my lab Hunter to contaminated pet food that was subsequently recalled. I was devastated.  And angry. I felt betrayed by companies who had knowingly put toxic substances into food to increase their profits. I vowed never again to buy commercial pet food and started making my own, using only fresh, whole, natural and safe ingredients – the same quality I trusted for myself.  I immersed myself in research on dog and cat nutrition and worked with nutritionists, veterinarians, universities and health care experts to create the perfect blend of all-natural high-quality ingredients that provide maximum nutrition for dogs and cats with the least processing and highest safety.  I did not start with any intent to build a business, it just kept growing.

The My Perfect Pet Story – check out the video here – https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/process

Tell us about My Perfect Pet:

I started making my own food in January 2007 – with no idea that my decision to make dog food with cooked meats and raw vegetables would 13 years later become the fastest-growing category of pet food.  I wondered for 12 years why no one else was doing this, finally this year we’re starting to see everyone jumping into this category. We are located in Poway, CA near San Diego, and have a second facility under construction in Sulphur Springs, TX (90 miles NE of Dallas)

My Perfect Pet is in a relatively new category of pet foods, gently-cooked from fresh whole food.  Why did you make that choice over kibble, canned, frozen, or freeze-dried?

I wanted my pet’s food to be as fresh and natural as possible, fresh whole foods with minimal processing and no preservatives.  My decision to go fresh and natural basically ruled out other options. I didn’t want to do raw as I was vegan at the time and didn’t want raw meat in my refrigerator next to my food.  My dogs were therapy dogs and while their registrar had no restriction on pet diets, many hospitals and health centers ask that we not feed raw diets before a visit out of concern what might be transmitted to a person with a weakened immune system.  So I decided to use the same food standard that I used for myself, following FDA food safety guidelines which meant cooking meats to minimum temperatures. It was I believe, the best of both worlds – all the benefits of raw with the safety and convenience of food that had been gently-cooked.

Canning requires heating to temperatures far above FDA minimums, which eliminates fresh foods.

The extrusion process used to make dog kibble requires the highest temperatures used in the pet food industry and requires that all ingredients be in powder or pellet form, which is about as unnatural as it gets compared to fresh whole foods.  In addition to cooking at high temperatures, kibble is also cooked under high pressure which is detrimental to many of the ingredients. That is why synthetic amino acids and vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients needed to be added to kibble after the cooking process.

Freeze-drying also involves far more processing than gently-cooking and is expensive.

Pet parents intrinsically understand the benefits of eating fresh whole food because that’s what they hear from human healthcare professionals. It is not a leap to understand that fresh food is also better for their pets.

Some of the reaction to the Grain-Free & DCM “crisis” has been for some in the veterinary community to tell clients not to feed a food unless the company making it has an accredited veterinary nutritionist on staff.  Do you think that is important and who formulated the My Perfect Pet diets?

I believe that companies with deep pockets that employ their own staff of nutritionists are the ones telling vets and clients to demand this. I find it amazing that companies with veterinary nutritionists on their payroll saying what they are told to say have more credibility than companies like My Perfect Pet who consults with a number of independent, objective, unbiased, and accredited nutritionists without any potential conflict of interest.

There are international standards for nutrient profiles, some far more stringent than the AAFCO standards in the USA. These standards have been developed over the years by thousands of animal nutritionists and have been proven by testing.  I put far more credibility into consistent results from wide international sources than an employee on a single company’s payroll.

My Perfect Pet does not recommend nutrient profiles that deviate from recognized standards.  We do not use ‘exotic’ ingredients in our blends. The ingredients we use have been used in pet food for decades, we just have consciously chosen to use a higher quality version of those ingredients.  We do not claim to have more company expertise in determining nutritional needs for animals than recognized experts in those fields.

My Perfect Pet has been a preferred supplier to a major zoological park, supplying carnivore diets to a number of animals including polar bears, cheetahs, and a lot of other carnivores.  Cheetahs can be extremely finicky and liked both raw and cooked versions of diets we produced. The zoo did not ask us to become experts on the nutritional needs of all those animals, but just to asked us to formulate diets that met the nutritional needs and profiles that their animal nutritionists provided. We do the same for our pet foods.

We base all our formulas on known and established standards and use only ingredients that have been proven to be easily digested by the intended species and that offer the best bioavailability and absorption of nutrients.  If it’s not absorbed it is just waste and unnecessary processing.

While some of the big pet food companies make a big deal about feeding trials they do not disclose the relatively low standards for a feeding trial and the conditions in which the subjects of the feeding trial are kept. For the record, My Perfect Pet will never cage an animal for feeding trials.  Some of the companies making these claims have done what I consider unspeakable testing on animals. We will continue to rely on published results and decades of proven results.

Tell us about the ingredients you use in My Perfect Pet? 

We source our ingredients locally whenever possible.  All the ingredients are sourced within the USA with the exception of lamb from New Zealand and Australia, and coconut oil from the Philippines.

We buy only from suppliers who exclusively sell human-grade food, mostly the same companies that supply restaurants and high-end grocers.  We never purchase ingredients from any company selling feed grade ingredients or foods not intended for human consumption.

The ingredients we use in our products are better than what many people can buy in supermarkets.  One of our company perks is that employees can purchase our ingredients at cost for home use – they often go together to buy cases of chicken or beef or some of our produce.  Our fresh locally grown produce is the best – I can hardly stand to buy vegetables at the market after eating the ones at My Perfect Pet. If you visit My Perfect Pet I’ll make lunch from whatever we are making that day, you’ll be amazed! In fact, it is not uncommon for employees to make themselves lunch from the same ingredients we are using to produce pet food on that day.

I’ve stopped taking multi-vitamins since starting My Perfect Pet.  I realized many of my supplements were originating in China, if I’m not willing to give them to my pets why would I take them?  I decided throwing a bunch of fresh vegetables and fruit, along with a little dried kelp and calcium supplement into my blender was just as healthy and a lot tastier.

How many formulas do you have for dogs and cats?

We currently have ten blends for dogs and three blends for cats.

What drove you to develop those specific formulas?

The original blends were the Boomer’s Chicken & Rice and the Buckaroo Puppy formulas which is basically the puppy version of the Boomer’s.  When I started My Perfect Pet I had one older dog and one puppy – the puppy’s name was Boomer but I called him my little Buckaroo, so that’s how I got those names, Boomer’s for the adult blend and Buckaroo for puppies.

We recognized that pets with beef, chicken or grain allergies needed different ingredients and developed foods that were appropriate for them.  Then we addressed other pets with special dietary needs, and the My Perfect Pet line keeps growing. We produce a number of specialty blends not currently released for retail distribution.

Do the My Perfect Pet blends meet AAFCO’s requirements for all-life stages?

Buckaroos blend is for puppies and all of our other dog blends are for adult dogs. We do have one all-life stages cat blend, Toby’s Turkey Carnivore because the profiles for cats and kittens are so close.

Because we use real food with nutrient profiles certified by USDA, we can publish complete nutrient profiles which means pet parents don’t have to wonder how much is really in a blend when the label states “minimum crude” – our profiles are actuals.

Nutrient Profiles – Cat Blends

https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Cat_Blends.pdf

Nutrient Profiles – Standard Dog Blends https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Std_Adult_Dog.pdf

Nutrient Profile – Buckaroo Puppy Blend

https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Puppy_Blend.pdf

Nutrient Profiles – Personal Care Dog Blends

https://www.myperfectpetfood.com/store/assets/pdf/PROFILES_Personal_Care_Dog_Blends2019.pdf

All of our blends meet all AAFCO nutrient profiles except for two:  Low Phosphorus Lamb for dogs and Low Phosphorus Chicken for cats. These are intentionally lower in Phosphorus which is commonly recommended for dogs or cats with compromised kidney function.  Because we use only muscle meats as the protein source, we can keep the protein at recommended levels while lowering the phosphorus levels.

How have you evaluated the food to make sure all formulas meet the required nutrition requirements?

We have all profiles tested prior to release to confirm that they meet the nutrient profiles published on the label, and we have 13 years of proven results.

See what the ingredients in the My Perfect Pet Formulas look like.

Cat Formulas

Dog Formulas

How is your food distributed?

We have distribution to independent retailers in 26 states, and we serve those areas without retailers online. Unfortunately, we have to charge for overnight shipping for food purchased online since it’s a frozen food, so we’re working to get local retail distribution set up for the entire U.S.  Our website has a store locator where pet parents can put in their zip code and find the closest store, and if you’re outside of our distribution area then you can order it online until we get distribution in your area. We are glad to say that pet parents in the greater Bangor region can get My Perfect Pet at the Green Acres Kennel Shop.

We’re excited that you believe in sampling. In the short time, we’ve had My Perfect Pet at Green Acres, providing a sample has been instrumental in getting people interested in and willing to try it My Perfect Pet with their pets.  How have you seen cats and dogs respond to My Perfect Pet?

We’ve been accused of putting crack in the food!  That’s why we believe in sampling – the first one is free, then when you see how much your pet loves it you have to buy it!  Who doesn’t love watching their pet go crazy happy over their meal!

People have asked us what we put in the food that seems to resolve a number of health issues – from itching and scratching to fur balls, to tearing/staining, sensitive stomachs, etc.  I tell them we don’t do a thing except use the freshest highest quality ingredients and prepare it in the best way to ensure easy digestion. We don’t make any guarantees or claims, we just encourage pet owners to try it and see for yourself.

I encourage every pet owner to do their research.  Don’t take anyone’s word for it in the pet food industry, there are companies out there making claims that I think should be criminal.  Don’t even take my word for it, do your homework, look at the ingredients list, know what every ingredient is, where it comes from, how it’s processed, the company’s history and reputation, etc.

Describe what the food will look like when a client opens the bag and prepared to feed their pet.

The standard dog food packaging is a pouch containing 7 individually wrapped food bars for easy portion control, thawing, and serving.  They are stored frozen to avoid preservatives. The average feeding amount is 1 food bar for every 20 lbs of the adult dog’s ideal weight, more or less depending on age, exercise, metabolism, etc.  The food bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We commend thawing before serving so your dog doesn’t try to swallow frozen chunks whole.

We also have plastic-free packaging for dogs, 30 individual food bars in a compostable carton, all made with 100% recycled materials – except for the food bars.

Cat food pouches have 10 individually wrapped food bars, with recommended feeding 1 food bar per day for every 10 lbs of the cats’ ideal weight.

While it would be ideal if everyone could feed My Perfect Pet at every meal, due to the nature of the quality of ingredients used it is more expensive than kibble. Will a pet still benefit form My Perfect Pet if it is only fed periodically?

We recognize that not every budget supports feeding exclusively My Perfect Pet and it can easily be mixed with other food – just remember to decrease the other food by whatever amount you are feeding My Perfect Pet.

Any fresh is better than no fresh!  Ours is the perfect topper that not only adds delicious taste but also the benefits of fresh whole food and balanced nutrition.

If someone tries My Perfect Pet and they or their pets don’t like is, what is your refund policy?

When in doubt we encourage your customers to try a sample before purchasing the entire bag – it’s not a feeding trial but 1/2 bar is a generous taste test. We have never had a quality issue so there should never be a return due to a quality concern provided customers keep it properly frozen or refrigerated. We get very few returns, but we do stand behind our products and of the proper documentation is completed we will honor the occasional return.

My Perfect Pet is not alone in the gently-cooked category.  What sets you apart from your competitors?

My Perfect Pet was the first company to introduce gently-cooked pet food and has been doing so for thirteen years.   We have the longest history and a perfect track record.

Our quality is unparalleled.  Most companies claiming human-grade ingredients use a contract manufacturer, and we have seen many recalls where the companies point to their manufacturers or suppliers or whoever. I decided early on I wanted absolute quality control over every step of the operation. We source the ingredients ourselves and manufacture it in our facility.  We are building a second new facility to expand while keeping the same absolute quality control.

I have spoken to enough suppliers and enough others in the industry to be confident in saying My Perfect Pet has the highest quality ingredients in any pet food. Fresh quality ingredients cost more but I will never compromise pet health over profit.  I don’t answer to investors or private equity, only to my commitment to the integrity of our company and our products.

What are the four most important things you would like our listeners to remember about My Perfect Pet?

  1. Quality of ingredients, Quality of Processing, Quality of Nutrition – It doesn’t get better than PERFECT! Go for quality, don’t take any chances with your pet’s health.
  2. Convenient portion control packaging for pets of all sizes from small dogs and cats to large breeds. Our food stores and thaws easily.
  3. The taste! We win every picky eater contest! The real meat gets them every time.
  4. The variety of blends we offer, from complete and balanced diets to fresh whole food alternatives to many of the prescription diets or veterinary blends.

 

Contact Info for My Perfect Pet

Address: 11870 Community Road Suite 200, Poway, CA 92064
Phone: 858-486-6500
Website: www.myperfectpet.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MyPerfectPet/
Instagram: www.instagram/myperfectpet

 

©23FEB20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Spaying & Neutering with Dr. Christine Calder

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 09FEB21 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMw-SpayNeuter2020 >

If you are wondering if you should spay or neuter your pet, and when to do so, may find this podcast helpful.

Not so many years ago, the consensus opinion was that spaying and neutering pets early was necessary to control pet overpopulation. Evidence also suggested spaying/neutering reduced the risk of various cancers and the development of certain behavioral problems such as aggression and marking. Today, the evidence is less clear. In fact, if you ask five different pet professionals if you should spay or neuter and when to do it, you may get multiple opinions even from the same individual.

Before you decide whether to spay or neuter your pet, the best thing you can do is take the responsibility to do some research and to consider the information that is available. Your decision may depend on many factors; species, breed, your individual pet, lifestyle/situation, and even where you live. Did you know that in some countries it is illegal to spay/neuter a pet, or that, in some of those same countries animal shelters and rescues are unnecessary because they do not have homeless pets? As for the health and behavioral pros and cons of spaying and neutering they can go both ways.

For this show, which first aired on February 15th, 2020, Kate and Don invited Dr. Christine Calder, a veterinary behaviorist, who also spent fifteen years as a general practice veterinarian, to help us sort through the latest information on spaying and neutering so that you will know what to ask and consider when you discuss whether to spay your pet with their veterinarian. Our podcast page will include links to several articles you may find helpful, but be advised they do not encompass all the information on the risks and benefits of spaying and neutering your pet.

Contact Info for Dr. Calder

Business: Calder Veterinary Behavior Services
Address:
Phone: (207) 298-4375
Email: reception@caldervbs.com
Websitewww.caldervbs.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/

More info on Dr. Calder

From the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog Newshttps://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547

Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behavioristhttp://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx

For Reference

Reexamining the early spay-neuter paradigm in dogs, dvm360, 2019, Dr. Mike Petty and  Dr. Mark Goldstein, – https://www.dvm360.com/view/reexamining-early-spay-neuter-paradigm-dogs

Are There Behavior Changes When Dogs Are Spayed or Neutered?, Stanley Coren, PhD., DSc, FRSC, Canine Corner, Psychology Today – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/201702/are-there-behavior-changes-when-dogs-are-spayed-or-neutered

Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay/Neuter in Dogs, Laura J. Sanborn, M.S., dogs naturally blog, – https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/long-term-health-risks-benefits-spay-neuter-dogs/

Behavioral and Physical Effects of Spaying and Neutering Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris), Summary of findings detailed in a Masters thesis submitted to and accepted by Hunter College by Parvene Farhoody in May 2010. – http://www.naiaonline.org/uploads/WhitePapers/SNBehaviorFarhoodyZink.pdf

Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing, McGreevy PD, Wilson B, Starling MJ, Serpell JA, 2018, PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196284, – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5931473/

Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers, Hart BL, Hart LA, Thigpen AP, Willits NH 2014, PLoS ONE 9(7): e102241. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0102241 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4096726/

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

 

©15FEB20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >