Food and Health Q&As

I just listened to Ed's video about your advice to the lady whose veterinarian recommended to neuter her GSD at 10 months as it stopped growing. I only agreed with Ed on one thing -- that this Vet was a moron. He said that vets should stick to what they know -- i.e., medical related areas -- this is no true -- many don't even know their medical stuff. I strongly disagree that you and him recommend to neuter a dog after it matured. The research on this matter is clear - there is no hea...

Hi Cindy, I would not have dreamed of asking you this question but I read an article that Ed wrote about it, so thought it may be a valid question. My 5mo shepherd still has both ears down completely. They stand up but flipped at top occasionally when alert for a few seconds but then drop. They didn’t stand up before teething either. How do I know when teething has finished? Is it when the baby teeth have all come out or when adult teeth have fully grown? Should I intervene at this age or...

Will neutering my 3 year old Belgain Malinois protection dog make him less protective? Thank you!

Hello Cindy I lost a german shepherd to bloat in the past. She was not a well dog and developed chronic issues including heart failure and perianal fistula. I am going to have the undescended testicle removed in my 2 year old german shepherd. We will keep him intact. Should I consider doing a stomach tacking (gastropexy) at the same time? He is on raw diet and we never exercising him for few hours after feeding. Thank you so much,

I've been exploring the benefits of keeping dogs intact and encountered a predicament with my 5-month-old blue heeler who has a retained testicle. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this specific issue. Local vet recommends neutering him, and I came across the Leerburg article Neutering Male Dogs: Should You or Shouldn't You, which supports neutering monorchid dogs. However Chris Zink cites a study only about 12.8% of dogs with retained testicles developed cancer in the retained testicle, t...

My GSD (19 mos, female, intact) likes to play with an old garden hose in our backyard for approximately 10 minutes at a time. She bites it like a tug and shakes it around hard. She bites/cuts off ~2' sections over time. She plays with it dragging the hose bundle up and down the backyard. It's good exercise, but my only real concern is whether this will impact her teeth enamel, gums, etc. She plays tug and fetch with me (fully engaged) using a ball on a string no problem. I can throw the...

Hi Cindy! I need to buy a treadmill for my dog and would like some advice on the size. I cannot afford a canine treadmill. The treadmill I am considering has a 'running space' of 104x39cm. It is for a Dutch/Belgian shepherd who is now 14 months. She is approximately 58cm from the top of her of tail to her shoulders. The treadmill is for walking only and only for a small percentage of total exercise. Would this treadmill be an adequate size for this dog? Also, would such a treadmill size be of...

Hi Cindy, I‘m about to get a male puppy in 2 weeks and the breeder told me now that the pup has a small umbilical hernia which is not congenital. Would you still consider getting the puppy or not?

Hello Cindy, Our vet explained earlier today that we should have Olga spayed to prevent the likelihood of her contracting uterine or breast cancer. Really? We made a reasoned decision two years ago, before Olga’s first birthday not to have her spayed. What specifically do you suggest we tell him on this serious matter regarding our Olga, her health, and her longevity? Note: This is the third vet we have gone to with Olga over disagreements with a specific conventional veterina...

I am returning to training an older pet dog that I had stopped training due to work and personal difficulties. He is 13 years old and does not seem to want to play tug outdoors anymore. He will occasionally bring me a tug toy if I leave it on the ground in our room but he built a lot of bad habits playing informal games of tug with my mother while I was away. Is it too much to expect of this older dog that he play tug with me? He acts like he has been beaten when I show him a tug toy but ...

My gsd came to me on pedigree she is 17 wks now and I put her on hills large breed puppy food but I add cooked chicken, rice, veg, ground sirloin, bone broth etc 1/2 and 1/2 some days Ill add chicken hearts etc. point is I want her to eat raw but I dont know who to follow for nutrient/recipes. I want to prepare raw but not sure how to do it correctly. Thank you

Hi Cindy, my 1st DDR sable GSD: She’s now 16 mo, is undergoing her 3rd heat and seems to be blowing her coat in stages. My earlier 3 working line shepherds were West German & all were b & t with stock coats. This little female has had a very thick undercoat. Now it’s all gone & the outer guard hairs are being shed. Please can you give me some idea of how the coat comes back … how long it takes? She currently looks like a coyote! Thanks so much as always!

Do you have a DVD or other reading for some recommended dry foods for puppy to adult German Shepherds and whether to go with grains or grain-free? Also tips for raw foods for puppy to adult, thank you!

I have an 18-month-old malinois/pyrenees mix. How much physical exercise is a good goal each day? We also do training a couple of times a day and mental stimulation. Thank you.

Hello Cindy, I have a German Shephard cross labrador his ears was up within 2 months old but one has dropped and sometimes comes up he is 7 months old and his left ear is down could you advise what I should do to make it stand back up please. Thank you

Hi Cindy, my puppy (4 months Rottweiler) is having some problems eating his meals (2/day). During our training he eats easily his kibble from my hands but when it's time to eat from the bowl he eats something and go away. It looks like he want to be feed by hands. Our meal routine is easy: - I prepare the food (kibble) - he waits in a sit position for a few seconds - I release him and he eats Am I doing something wrong? I can't understand the reason. He's eating less than he sh...

Hi, my 10-week old puppy, since we got him, has never really been into food. We got the food the trainer suggested... didn't like it. Got a new brand, liked it for a day, then didn't like it the next. The only way he'll eat ALL of his food is if I soak it in water and let it sit for 30 minutes... Any suggestions as to why this is happening? Is it just a puppy thing...? Thanks!

Two Questions: !). What do you do to keep your dog's teeth clean? 2). I have a 2 y/o Belgian Malinois. When should I have his teeth cleaned by my Vet? What age?

Hey Cindy, Ed advises not to give dogs sugar, but condones giving blueberries as treats. Is he referring to refined sugar like table sugar? Are the natural sugars in blueberries carcinogenic? Thanks

Hey Cindy! I’m sure this question was asked but I don’t know where it is. I’m trying to find a way to make my own dog treats that are high value but affordable. Do you have any ideas on what I could do or a recipe?