Introduction to "Fur-Brained Theory"
When I was a child, my father had always explained that a dog in the city was like a man serving a prison sentence. A city dog would not get the kind of exercise, time outside, or even fresh air that they required to be truly happy and healthy. So… we owned cats. I do enjoy the experience of being a cat owner and I feel a strong connection to these bold and proud animals. In fact, my bedroom has three walls covered in artistic tributes to the tiger - my favorite cat. Still, I had longed to run up and down the street with my loyal puppy and to have this super excited fur ball wiggling back and forth in adulation upon my arrival home from school. However, the bread winner had laid down his law, and it seemed there would be no erasing it.
Now I am an old man… well not quite. I am in my early 30’s and a few years back I was feeling ready to introduce a new chapter to my life - not chronic back pain (although that started to happen as well), but instead a healthy amount of whiplash to keep me on my toes. It was time to buy a puppy and become a proud dog owner. To be pulled up and down the streets by a wide-smiled fuzzy creature and to be assaulted by wet kisses at the front door as I entered from a hard day’s work was becoming a necessity for my life. By virtue of my past three jobs being in the pet health industry at the retail level (that is to say, I worked in a pet store), it only made sense to have a canine companion by my side.
I worked in high-end pet stores under very accomplished and knowledgeable managers and owners. Toronto, my home town, is a city very alert to rights whether they are human rights, animals rights, or the rights of Mother Nature. I was taught by my employers and colleagues about the best food, treats, toys, and products for pets. The focus was on our canine companions among all pets. I learned how to read ingredient lists, met sales reps for distributors and manufacturers, heard their pitches, and learned about new products. I met hundreds of customers and discovered the everyday concerns and questions of pet owners. In time, I was able to make suggestions that led to successful diet transition, and the solving of pervasive pet problems and trouble behavior. Nothing gave me greater joy than to have a customer return to the store to thank me for finding the right food or supplement for their dog. It was sometimes treated as a miracle.
Those experiences then instilled a passion for me to do more in the industry. To work harder and learn more was becoming a reward in itself. What I had studied in university just prior to working in the pet industry did not interest me much and I could not see the light of a shiny gold piece at the end of that tunnel. Few of my high school friends had managed to secure a steady career for themselves through university degrees and those who were successful had achieved it through expertise in particular commercial fields and lengthy unpaid internships. Although, working in the pet industry did not pay well and my first job was at minimum wage at least I loved my job and I saw room for growth. It was nine months after my first job when I ran into a former employer from my days of high school summer jobs. That run-in changed everything.
Fred had a very successful convenience store in the heart of downtown Toronto. One of my high school summers I had worked graveyard shifts at his corner store. It was a unique experience and I quickly learned why the elderly win lotteries and why vagrants panhandle. Stories for another book perhaps. Fred was feeling the hit of rising rent and the new laws on banning advertising for tobacco companies. He had a government permit to build a 1500 square foot extension to his store for the purposes of retaining economic viability at a property where they had been doing business for over three decades. He was going to put in a pet health retailer.
When we met at my other pet job he recognized me and told me about his plans. He asked if I wanted involvement. Although, I had only worked nine months of part time hours at my first pet store, I was definitely up for the task. We met several times over that summer and in a few months opened the new pet store. I had made orders, done the merchandizing of all the product, organized re-order forms, met with the sales reps, and eventually greeted all the customers. It was hundreds of hours of work and research. I was Fred’s only paid employee and the only one in the store who had experience in the pet industry. It went quite well and we had a great opening week and month.
The store still exists and is very successful. Unfortunately, I had to move on a few times to new employers in the following years. My next employer was known as one of the top pet health retail owners in the city. She offered me full time work, and although the pay was a little less than managing Fred’s store it was worth it for the interaction with such a knowledgeable pet person.
My next position in the industry was another manager’s title of a very reputable pet health retail franchise chain. I worked for a corporate location within a 20-some store franchise. I had daily interactions with the owner of the company and the founder of the company. I was trained by the manager of their flagship store. It was an exciting opportunity and provided me the chance to have a team that appreciated my wealth of knowledge and added to it. Still, there is so much to learn. I would say I know nothing in comparison to some of the sales reps I have met. They are truly the most knowledgeable pet people I have ever known.
After working in half a dozen pet stores, attending pet trade shows, and meeting hundreds of customers and their dogs, it was time for me to make a decision on what kind of dog I wanted to have by my side for the next two decades. Two decades?! I still do not think it is a tall task given my pet product knowledge. I have met many dog owners that reported their dogs living into their early twenties in good health through healthy product and diet choices. My book is about my puppy ownership, but it is also about the full life of a dog and making it as long and healthy as possible through proper diet, exercise, training, and a particular approach to solving health issues from puppyhood onward.
After meeting my fair share of Bulldogs and German Shepherds that clearly were developing hip issues, Chow Chows and Akitas that had marked anti-social guard tendencies, Maltese and Chihuahuas that showed nothing but fear and distrust upon being greeted, and American Eskimos and Pekingese that only wanted to nip your finger tips off for trying to pet them… it was not going to be an easy process to find the right dog for me. That being said, some of my favorite individual dog personalities are from the list of breeds above. This made the decision even more difficult as there is no hardline rule about dog breeds that can be applied, just as there is none for humans either. However, the reality is that many breeders fail for a variety of reasons and you have to be aware of the downsides of any breed based on its history and its role in domesticated settings.
The first manager I worked for at a pet store had left me with a dog encyclopedia one day. I enjoyed going through it and finding out about breeds of dog I had never known existed. I took the book home for a week and had to be reminded to return it. In that time, my knowledge of breeds went from maybe 50 to over 250. There are now almost 400 recognized breeds of dogs, depending on how you distinguish them. I learned about the tenacity of the Lakeland Terrier and I learned about the grace of the Greyhound. I found out about the confidence of the Coton de Tulier and the balanced personality of the Norfolk Terrier. I discovered the placid nature of the Akbash and the playfulness of the Bernese. I assembled my list of top choices.
I was almost ready to make my decision. My list had some of my old favorites, like the Rough Collie and Shetland Sheepdog. It had some new guys like the Newfoundland and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. I had always liked the strength of bull baiting dogs like the Bull Terrier, Bulldog, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The beauty of the Samoyed and Siberian Husky were calling out to me as well. In the end, the first spot on my list was and always had been, the Finnish Lapphund.
Now I am an old man… well not quite. I am in my early 30’s and a few years back I was feeling ready to introduce a new chapter to my life - not chronic back pain (although that started to happen as well), but instead a healthy amount of whiplash to keep me on my toes. It was time to buy a puppy and become a proud dog owner. To be pulled up and down the streets by a wide-smiled fuzzy creature and to be assaulted by wet kisses at the front door as I entered from a hard day’s work was becoming a necessity for my life. By virtue of my past three jobs being in the pet health industry at the retail level (that is to say, I worked in a pet store), it only made sense to have a canine companion by my side.
I worked in high-end pet stores under very accomplished and knowledgeable managers and owners. Toronto, my home town, is a city very alert to rights whether they are human rights, animals rights, or the rights of Mother Nature. I was taught by my employers and colleagues about the best food, treats, toys, and products for pets. The focus was on our canine companions among all pets. I learned how to read ingredient lists, met sales reps for distributors and manufacturers, heard their pitches, and learned about new products. I met hundreds of customers and discovered the everyday concerns and questions of pet owners. In time, I was able to make suggestions that led to successful diet transition, and the solving of pervasive pet problems and trouble behavior. Nothing gave me greater joy than to have a customer return to the store to thank me for finding the right food or supplement for their dog. It was sometimes treated as a miracle.
Those experiences then instilled a passion for me to do more in the industry. To work harder and learn more was becoming a reward in itself. What I had studied in university just prior to working in the pet industry did not interest me much and I could not see the light of a shiny gold piece at the end of that tunnel. Few of my high school friends had managed to secure a steady career for themselves through university degrees and those who were successful had achieved it through expertise in particular commercial fields and lengthy unpaid internships. Although, working in the pet industry did not pay well and my first job was at minimum wage at least I loved my job and I saw room for growth. It was nine months after my first job when I ran into a former employer from my days of high school summer jobs. That run-in changed everything.
Fred had a very successful convenience store in the heart of downtown Toronto. One of my high school summers I had worked graveyard shifts at his corner store. It was a unique experience and I quickly learned why the elderly win lotteries and why vagrants panhandle. Stories for another book perhaps. Fred was feeling the hit of rising rent and the new laws on banning advertising for tobacco companies. He had a government permit to build a 1500 square foot extension to his store for the purposes of retaining economic viability at a property where they had been doing business for over three decades. He was going to put in a pet health retailer.
When we met at my other pet job he recognized me and told me about his plans. He asked if I wanted involvement. Although, I had only worked nine months of part time hours at my first pet store, I was definitely up for the task. We met several times over that summer and in a few months opened the new pet store. I had made orders, done the merchandizing of all the product, organized re-order forms, met with the sales reps, and eventually greeted all the customers. It was hundreds of hours of work and research. I was Fred’s only paid employee and the only one in the store who had experience in the pet industry. It went quite well and we had a great opening week and month.
The store still exists and is very successful. Unfortunately, I had to move on a few times to new employers in the following years. My next employer was known as one of the top pet health retail owners in the city. She offered me full time work, and although the pay was a little less than managing Fred’s store it was worth it for the interaction with such a knowledgeable pet person.
My next position in the industry was another manager’s title of a very reputable pet health retail franchise chain. I worked for a corporate location within a 20-some store franchise. I had daily interactions with the owner of the company and the founder of the company. I was trained by the manager of their flagship store. It was an exciting opportunity and provided me the chance to have a team that appreciated my wealth of knowledge and added to it. Still, there is so much to learn. I would say I know nothing in comparison to some of the sales reps I have met. They are truly the most knowledgeable pet people I have ever known.
After working in half a dozen pet stores, attending pet trade shows, and meeting hundreds of customers and their dogs, it was time for me to make a decision on what kind of dog I wanted to have by my side for the next two decades. Two decades?! I still do not think it is a tall task given my pet product knowledge. I have met many dog owners that reported their dogs living into their early twenties in good health through healthy product and diet choices. My book is about my puppy ownership, but it is also about the full life of a dog and making it as long and healthy as possible through proper diet, exercise, training, and a particular approach to solving health issues from puppyhood onward.
After meeting my fair share of Bulldogs and German Shepherds that clearly were developing hip issues, Chow Chows and Akitas that had marked anti-social guard tendencies, Maltese and Chihuahuas that showed nothing but fear and distrust upon being greeted, and American Eskimos and Pekingese that only wanted to nip your finger tips off for trying to pet them… it was not going to be an easy process to find the right dog for me. That being said, some of my favorite individual dog personalities are from the list of breeds above. This made the decision even more difficult as there is no hardline rule about dog breeds that can be applied, just as there is none for humans either. However, the reality is that many breeders fail for a variety of reasons and you have to be aware of the downsides of any breed based on its history and its role in domesticated settings.
The first manager I worked for at a pet store had left me with a dog encyclopedia one day. I enjoyed going through it and finding out about breeds of dog I had never known existed. I took the book home for a week and had to be reminded to return it. In that time, my knowledge of breeds went from maybe 50 to over 250. There are now almost 400 recognized breeds of dogs, depending on how you distinguish them. I learned about the tenacity of the Lakeland Terrier and I learned about the grace of the Greyhound. I found out about the confidence of the Coton de Tulier and the balanced personality of the Norfolk Terrier. I discovered the placid nature of the Akbash and the playfulness of the Bernese. I assembled my list of top choices.
I was almost ready to make my decision. My list had some of my old favorites, like the Rough Collie and Shetland Sheepdog. It had some new guys like the Newfoundland and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. I had always liked the strength of bull baiting dogs like the Bull Terrier, Bulldog, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The beauty of the Samoyed and Siberian Husky were calling out to me as well. In the end, the first spot on my list was and always had been, the Finnish Lapphund.
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It was not easy to find my puppy. There were no registered breeders in my province or in the equally populated province of Quebec to the east. I decided to send a compelling letter to all the AKC and CKC registered breeders of the Finnish Lapphund, explaining my passion for the pet industry, my position in it, my long held desire to be a dog owner, and my continuing interest in the Finnish Lappie. I was greeted by many friendly and helpful responses from wonderful dog breeders. It was a breeder in the province directly to the west of my location that put me in touch with her close friend and family member. They both were registered breeders of the Finnish Lapphund, here in Canada.
Jan, was an experienced breeder of Jack Russells and had spent the last decade also breeding Finnish Lapphunds. She had recently mated her gorgeous and independently-minded dam with a beautiful and strong sire from Europe. They had a rather unexpectedly large litter of pups. Eleven to be exact, and that was the second biggest litter ever recorded for the breed. Jan and I spoke on the phone for several hours. At the end, she was quite convinced that one of her pups would find a great home through my ownership. She respected my knowledge of pet health products and even admitted she had learned valuable tidbits from me. I had learned a lot from her as well.
I was very happy to receive my puppy from Jan’s kennel and I have never regretted the decision. I chose the Finnish Lapphund for many reasons. Historically, it is a breed very close in origins to the wild wolf. All dogs descend from the Grey Wolf, however, all domesticated dogs seem to descend from the Asian Wolf, specifically. The Asian Wolf has its origins in modern China. You can see the evolution of the domesticated dog from traveling across the globe. The Akita and Chow Chow share wolf like muzzles and double coats respectively with the Samoyed of Siberia. The Samoyed and the Finnish Lapphund have much in common, from the thick double coat to the wolf muzzle to their medium size of 30-60 lbs. If you keep going into Europe, you will discover the Keeshond and the Elkhounds of Scandinavia. They also have strong connections to the Finnish Lapphund.
The Finnish Lappie is a herding dog from northern Finland. They were used historically to herd reindeer. In Finland, they are one of two breeds that legally require no covered housing. They are fine to sleep in the harshest of Finnish winter, although, I would not have the conscience to allow it myself. My pup might disagree with my sympathies and think them misplaced as there is nothing he loves more than to sit in a snow bank during a snow storm while chewing on a stick or marrow bone.
I received a rather robust and active male from the large litter of eleven. He has a beautiful thick double coat, mainly black. He has the standard markings of the breed. Light tan “eyebrow” marks and a light tan cover of fur around his mouth and down the front of his neck which makes it appear as if he has a beard and mustache. My dog’s nickname is ‘Bear’ and many Finnish Lappies are called Bear for their close appearance to the mighty beast. He has tan fur on the bottom of his paws and around his butt and up into his big bushy tail. People tend to notice the plume-like tail and the eyebrows. He is a very popular dog and many feel it necessary to comment on his beauty and ask me his breed and origins.
These days, I tell people he is a "Finnish Shepherd" - it is easier for me and people understand that classification better. He is only 40 lbs, but, does share something in the appearance of German Shepherds and Australian Shepherds. There is a cousin breed of the Finnish Lapphund, or Lapinkoira (which means dog from Lapp area, in its native Finnish). The cousin is called the Lapinporokoira and is slightly larger and typically shorter haired. The Lapinporokoira do indeed look similar to German Shepherds and if you saw one you may think it was a hybrid of a German Shepherd and perhaps a Bernese Mountain Dog or Australian Shepherd, or even a Siberian Husky. Similar to myself, many dog enthusiasts like guessing at the breed composition of “mutts”. Unfortunately for them, my dog is pure bred so no games with him. Still, the most common guesses are Border Collie mix or Australian Shepherd mix. I suspect that you could achieve the markings of the Finnish Lappie by mixing Collies with Huskies, however, you would likely have a dog with a totally different physical build.
The Finnish Lappie is relatively short with a deep chest and strong hind quarters. They have a sturdy, strong build. That was important to my selection as well. I contacted some Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders and Samoyed breeders. Those were probably my main choices away from the Lappie. I was interested in a medium sized dog with a strong build and a lot of confidence.
The Finnish Lappie was always my first choice and I got my puppy. I went to the airport with my mom who helped me bring my puppy to his new home. He had traveled with three of his litter mates. I named him the moment I saw him in his crate. I patted his head and called him ‘Sobek’. Sobek was the name of the ancient Egyptian God of health and regeneration - the crocodile God. I have never regretted that name since. It has personal significance in my life and my pup has lived up to the billing. He is the healthiest and happiest pup I know. I am very proud of him.
This book is rudimentary in lessons, but, comprehensive in scope. It will take you through my experience as a dog owner and my knowledge as a pet health retail manager. You will have all the basics on puppy ownership and you will learn much valuable information about products and food for your pet. I also, introduce my training style - TNT style. I do not consider myself a trainer of dogs as much as one who understands something unique about their psychology. TNT style is about teaching the owner how to teach their dog. The process of teaching and the reciprocation involved is what I consider the training itself. The dog will understand humans as much as you will come to understand the wolf.
Even if you have a 5lb Yorkie and think of them as a cute little teddy bear, they are still a wolf and have the wolf nature and the pack mentality. It is important to remember this. Even the most timid people can have a well-trained dog as a pet. It is about communication with the animal and learning where and when to push and pull in the relationship. The goal is for you to have the respect of your dog, respect for yourself as a dog owner, and the knowledge necessary to optimize the health of your pet – this in turn will help save your money and keep your pet happy and healthy.
The title of this book is also its truest statement. Through my knowledge, my dog has not had to visit the veterinarian’s office even once in his first four years of life. Issues have arose, emergencies as well… I have used my knowledge of pet health and healthy products to save an enormous amount of money and keep my pet healthy and safe. I have thus avoided trips to the vet which can often lead to a slippery slope away from optimal health. This may not sound intuitive, but this book will seek to elucidate this point. At the same time, my methods and theories have worked for me. They have been suggested to others and worked for them as well. There is a reality that the suggestions and advice in this book will not work for every dog and every dog owner. My theories and knowledge are based on my experience alone. I do not research hundreds of cases to support my theories or methods. I do not compare my knowledge with hundreds of other people working in the pet health industry. I do my own research, using sources that I trust. My solutions have not failed yet. I trust them. With that in mind, I invite you to discover through this book many of the solutions that I believe are tried-and-true.
We own dogs to make us happy and to have an enduring positive relationship and experience with them. Dog ownership should not be heartache and it should not be a nightmare. My knowledge can help you in achieving a healthy, happy life for your pet and save you money by directing you to better products for both solutions and preventative measures to pet health concerns. Nothing substitutes for the knowledge of a holistic veterinarian. They are the vets who have put hundreds of hours into understanding nutrition for animals. They are very different from the typical “traditional” vets. What I suggest in my book is based on my experience and what has worked for me, and the dog owners I have known and helped. I would advise that in the best interest of all parties you substitute my information and opinions with the advice and instructions of holistic veterinarians. They are few and far between - but fortunately, growing in number. I often consult holistic vets myself, so this isn’t just a suggestion, it is a recommendation.
Jan, was an experienced breeder of Jack Russells and had spent the last decade also breeding Finnish Lapphunds. She had recently mated her gorgeous and independently-minded dam with a beautiful and strong sire from Europe. They had a rather unexpectedly large litter of pups. Eleven to be exact, and that was the second biggest litter ever recorded for the breed. Jan and I spoke on the phone for several hours. At the end, she was quite convinced that one of her pups would find a great home through my ownership. She respected my knowledge of pet health products and even admitted she had learned valuable tidbits from me. I had learned a lot from her as well.
I was very happy to receive my puppy from Jan’s kennel and I have never regretted the decision. I chose the Finnish Lapphund for many reasons. Historically, it is a breed very close in origins to the wild wolf. All dogs descend from the Grey Wolf, however, all domesticated dogs seem to descend from the Asian Wolf, specifically. The Asian Wolf has its origins in modern China. You can see the evolution of the domesticated dog from traveling across the globe. The Akita and Chow Chow share wolf like muzzles and double coats respectively with the Samoyed of Siberia. The Samoyed and the Finnish Lapphund have much in common, from the thick double coat to the wolf muzzle to their medium size of 30-60 lbs. If you keep going into Europe, you will discover the Keeshond and the Elkhounds of Scandinavia. They also have strong connections to the Finnish Lapphund.
The Finnish Lappie is a herding dog from northern Finland. They were used historically to herd reindeer. In Finland, they are one of two breeds that legally require no covered housing. They are fine to sleep in the harshest of Finnish winter, although, I would not have the conscience to allow it myself. My pup might disagree with my sympathies and think them misplaced as there is nothing he loves more than to sit in a snow bank during a snow storm while chewing on a stick or marrow bone.
I received a rather robust and active male from the large litter of eleven. He has a beautiful thick double coat, mainly black. He has the standard markings of the breed. Light tan “eyebrow” marks and a light tan cover of fur around his mouth and down the front of his neck which makes it appear as if he has a beard and mustache. My dog’s nickname is ‘Bear’ and many Finnish Lappies are called Bear for their close appearance to the mighty beast. He has tan fur on the bottom of his paws and around his butt and up into his big bushy tail. People tend to notice the plume-like tail and the eyebrows. He is a very popular dog and many feel it necessary to comment on his beauty and ask me his breed and origins.
These days, I tell people he is a "Finnish Shepherd" - it is easier for me and people understand that classification better. He is only 40 lbs, but, does share something in the appearance of German Shepherds and Australian Shepherds. There is a cousin breed of the Finnish Lapphund, or Lapinkoira (which means dog from Lapp area, in its native Finnish). The cousin is called the Lapinporokoira and is slightly larger and typically shorter haired. The Lapinporokoira do indeed look similar to German Shepherds and if you saw one you may think it was a hybrid of a German Shepherd and perhaps a Bernese Mountain Dog or Australian Shepherd, or even a Siberian Husky. Similar to myself, many dog enthusiasts like guessing at the breed composition of “mutts”. Unfortunately for them, my dog is pure bred so no games with him. Still, the most common guesses are Border Collie mix or Australian Shepherd mix. I suspect that you could achieve the markings of the Finnish Lappie by mixing Collies with Huskies, however, you would likely have a dog with a totally different physical build.
The Finnish Lappie is relatively short with a deep chest and strong hind quarters. They have a sturdy, strong build. That was important to my selection as well. I contacted some Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders and Samoyed breeders. Those were probably my main choices away from the Lappie. I was interested in a medium sized dog with a strong build and a lot of confidence.
The Finnish Lappie was always my first choice and I got my puppy. I went to the airport with my mom who helped me bring my puppy to his new home. He had traveled with three of his litter mates. I named him the moment I saw him in his crate. I patted his head and called him ‘Sobek’. Sobek was the name of the ancient Egyptian God of health and regeneration - the crocodile God. I have never regretted that name since. It has personal significance in my life and my pup has lived up to the billing. He is the healthiest and happiest pup I know. I am very proud of him.
This book is rudimentary in lessons, but, comprehensive in scope. It will take you through my experience as a dog owner and my knowledge as a pet health retail manager. You will have all the basics on puppy ownership and you will learn much valuable information about products and food for your pet. I also, introduce my training style - TNT style. I do not consider myself a trainer of dogs as much as one who understands something unique about their psychology. TNT style is about teaching the owner how to teach their dog. The process of teaching and the reciprocation involved is what I consider the training itself. The dog will understand humans as much as you will come to understand the wolf.
Even if you have a 5lb Yorkie and think of them as a cute little teddy bear, they are still a wolf and have the wolf nature and the pack mentality. It is important to remember this. Even the most timid people can have a well-trained dog as a pet. It is about communication with the animal and learning where and when to push and pull in the relationship. The goal is for you to have the respect of your dog, respect for yourself as a dog owner, and the knowledge necessary to optimize the health of your pet – this in turn will help save your money and keep your pet happy and healthy.
The title of this book is also its truest statement. Through my knowledge, my dog has not had to visit the veterinarian’s office even once in his first four years of life. Issues have arose, emergencies as well… I have used my knowledge of pet health and healthy products to save an enormous amount of money and keep my pet healthy and safe. I have thus avoided trips to the vet which can often lead to a slippery slope away from optimal health. This may not sound intuitive, but this book will seek to elucidate this point. At the same time, my methods and theories have worked for me. They have been suggested to others and worked for them as well. There is a reality that the suggestions and advice in this book will not work for every dog and every dog owner. My theories and knowledge are based on my experience alone. I do not research hundreds of cases to support my theories or methods. I do not compare my knowledge with hundreds of other people working in the pet health industry. I do my own research, using sources that I trust. My solutions have not failed yet. I trust them. With that in mind, I invite you to discover through this book many of the solutions that I believe are tried-and-true.
We own dogs to make us happy and to have an enduring positive relationship and experience with them. Dog ownership should not be heartache and it should not be a nightmare. My knowledge can help you in achieving a healthy, happy life for your pet and save you money by directing you to better products for both solutions and preventative measures to pet health concerns. Nothing substitutes for the knowledge of a holistic veterinarian. They are the vets who have put hundreds of hours into understanding nutrition for animals. They are very different from the typical “traditional” vets. What I suggest in my book is based on my experience and what has worked for me, and the dog owners I have known and helped. I would advise that in the best interest of all parties you substitute my information and opinions with the advice and instructions of holistic veterinarians. They are few and far between - but fortunately, growing in number. I often consult holistic vets myself, so this isn’t just a suggestion, it is a recommendation.
Disclaimer
Fur-brained Theory is auto-biographical in nature and offers information and opinions, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your holistic veterinarian before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone in this manuscript. Only your holistic veterinarian can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your pet's unique needs or diagnose your pet's particular medical history.
