Food and Health Q&As

Hello Cindy, I just have a question. Since reading on your website, and doing quite a bit of my own research I have switched my German Shepherd puppy to a raw diet. She is almost 10 months now, and she has been on it for about 4-5 months. I usually give her either organic beef or chicken, a raw egg yolk a day, and supplement with calcium, vitamin c, vitamin e, and the salmon oil from your website. She also off and on gets things like vegetables, pumpkin, etc... She does really well...

I know you are probably busy - so I'll make this as short as possible. I am an RN (feel like I should have known what to do...) who just lost a 3 year old AKC beautiful male shepherd to bloat (fast). Fortunately, the vet had administered pain medication. I read posts on your site from similar BROKEN HEARTED people. You mentioned - no experience of it w/ your dogs? Question #1 - I have a nephew of my dog?s ordered - but am thinking now, I don't want to go thru this again... Is it he...

Dear Cindy, I've received Training the Retrieve DVD and Tugs for my dog. Everything is great as usual - my dog took no time learning out with Michael's techniques. Thanks a lot. Cindy, I know you must be very busy with the e-mails, just I know that I can trust your opinion 100%. Recently I've noticed that my 22 months GSD has all!!!! of her canine teeth chipped - little pointy bits are gone!! I was so shocked and angry with myself as I didn't even notice how i...

Hello, I have a question for you. Can I give my German Shepherds Ivomec once a month by injection to protect against heartworms instead of the heartgard if given the right amount/dosage by weight? Please advise. Thank You, Serafin

Ed and Cindy, I have a few questions concerning food and vaccinating my new puppy... I didn't know who to send this to so I sent it to both of you and and hopefully both of you with your plethora of knowledge can help me. My question/problem is that I'm getting a GSD puppy in about a month and was wondering what to feed it. I have done A LOT of research on feeding raw vs. high end dog food. My big problem that I keep running into is what to feed a puppy so they gets all the vitami...

Hi Cindy, Thank you for your wonderful website. It has been and continues to be a wealth of information for us. You have helped us in so many ways. Whenever I had a question regarding Amigo's training and what he was doing, I would check your question and answer site. We have been going through a very questionable time. Amigo, who is now 3 years old, was just diagnosed with a rare disease, although when we check the internet we found that GSD's contract it. It is called Onychodystroph...

Good morning, If you don't mind I have a couple more questions. We just received our two Giant Schnauzer puppies. We have some of your training DVDs and are also certainly taking your advice about raising two at the same time. My questions are one of them arrived and has some fleas. We are concerned about the commercial flea products as these pups are only 9 1/2 weeks old. Do you have any recommendations of what products are safe for young puppies? My second question is about dog/puppy f...

Hi, I just received my shipment of alfalfa and kelp powders. The dosage is for small, medium and large breeds. What is considered medium and what is considered large? I have an American Bulldog that weighs approximately 90 lbs. and want to make sure he is getting the correct amount. He scratches a lot (to the point of making himself bleed) and breaks out in red bumps every now and then. We think he may be allergic to grass, plants, etc. (we live in Arizona). We currently g...

My one year old GSD has scratched all the hair off of his nose, ears, both his sides, bites at his rear ends both sides, bites and licks at his feet. I have taken him to two different vets now and they both say it is because he is on a raw food diet. He eats chicken, hamburger, beef heart, tripe ox tail, and pork neck bones, raw eggs, yogurt, all feedings he gets salmon oil, vit.(e) super c 2000, and now I have added flax seed oil and more vit. (c) to help boost his immune system. They say I...

Dear Cindy/ED; I will be getting a 12 week old german shepherd puppy next month. And when I have him, he should be done with his puppy shots and his worming. I'm against vaccines, so after I get him he will not be getting any vaccines other then the rabies shot that is mandatory in NY. The reason for this email is I will be continuing him on all natural raw food die. I will be buying Alfalfa, Kelp, Vita E, Super C 2000, Salmon Oil and using that with his daily food. My concern was:...

Hello, I have visited your web site several times for information on training, so I know you have vast experience with German Shepherd Dogs. I have a wonderful GSD from German lines and he is very healthy, EXCEPT for his feet. We are a very active family and love going running, hiking, walking, doing agility, etc, and love the companionship of our 5 year old dog. However, his feet constantly get worn. We have tried a number of ointments, salves, boots, etc,; just about everything b...

Hello, I was wondering if you could provide some insight. I purchased a Boston Terrier from a reputable breeder that has all the required testing for the breed. Our plan was to show our puppy in conformation and then move to rally/obedience and breed him once he obtained his CH. He was playing the other day which led to a fall where he yelped and held his leg up. A few moments later he was running and playing as if nothing happened. We took him about a week later for a check...

I have purchased a packaged training video from your company and would only trust you folks for advice on hair loss. We have a 4 month old blue APBT that is well on her way in training. We follow everything your vids. say to do and its WORKING out great!!! But, we have a problem with her patches of hair loss around the right eye, chest and front legs and sides. We have tried borax and now Nu Stock. It seemed to be working a little with the Nu Stock. The hair looks like it is growing back ...

Mr Frawley, I have 3 year old German shepherd that is always scratching his lower back. I tried Vita E and pure code liver oil. Nothing helps. He is on raw diet, mostly on whole chicken daily. Please advise what should I do. Thanks, Tom

Hi Cindy, My lab (male, 3 years) has green urine. I just noticed it last night and again today. Do you know what might be causing this/what I should do? I will call the vet first thing in the morning. On the leerburg discussion board, some people thought green pee might be the result of a urinary tract infection. Thank you for any advice you can give, Sharon

Hi Cindy, You've helped me in the past and I'm hoping you can help me again! We've found out that Kodi is allergic to cow, chicken, and peanut butter. He's also off all grains (just to be safe), although he doesn't seem to have a problem with brown rice. Here's what I'm currently feeding him, which seems to keep him from itching. Our vet said that what we're feeding him is 'fine,' as long as we feed him Pet Tabs (which I haven't started yet; have you seen what's in th...

Cindy, I took my wonderful, healthy 4-year-old female German Shepherd to our vet last night for her annual Therapy Dogs International physical. He told me that she was otherwise healthy, but that every hundred or so heartbeats, her heart skips a beat. He said that it was nothing to worry about until she is much older, and that I shouldn't change anything. She is on a strict diet to maintain her weight at 73 lbs, because she had plumped up about a year ago to 86 lbs. ...

3 year old GSD with an extremely sensitive stomach ... We feed him Royal Canin GSD. Often, his stools are somewhat pudding like. No diarrhea, No giardia (he did have it bad when he was young). We are doing chicken and rice right now with some flagil (as recommended by our vet who we trust greatly). Are there any supplements that you can recommend which can help rebuild and maintain his system? There's so many... What's your best recommendation? Thanks so much. Frank

I came across your site and found it to be very informative. I recently purchased a GSD pup. I had asked for a short haired GSD for Search & Rescue and family pet. I ended up with a long haired GSD with 1 fair and 1 poor hip and cryptorchid to boot. He just had his neuter yesterday and Dr. Parker tried for 48 min to find the non decending testicle. Sounds bad, doesn't it? I had started K-9 Kody's training with Urban Search & Rescue of South Carolina last month. Dan Fuller, the trainer...

Hello, I have a 4 year GSD. Female spayed. I feed her raw. In fact, I have fed raw for over 10 years. I have had this girl for 1 years and have not vaccinated her-I titer-in spite of my vets objections. She came to me with several issues. Most I have cleared up. One I have only partially cleared. The tips of her ears get little bump like things that can be pulled right off hair and all. Its right down to the raw flesh. So she ends up with ragged looking ears. I have tried ...