Food and Health Q&As

Cindy, I was wondering what would be the earliest age you could start giving you dog Grand Flex? I have very large Rottweillers, one is 11 and has been on grand flex for years and has changed his life. I have a 1 year old and he looks like he might have problems like the older one did before I started giving him grand flex. So my question is can I start giving the 1 year old grand flex? Thank you, Anthony

Hi Cindy, A non-training question: my Brittany seems to have pretty sensitive skin and a healthy, but thin, coat. I have noticed that she seems to itch a lot (scratches and chews though doesn't have any "hot spots") and though her outdoor kennel has a thick bed of cedar chips and she gets bathed about every couple months (she just doesn't get very dirty). I continue to find a flea or two every now and then. I don't think her skin can handle harsh chemicals and I don't like to use them anyw...

Hi Cindy, Do you carry any products that you have seen help with anal glands that fill up and need monthly expressing? I have a 2 year old F GSD that is really bugged by the quick-to-fill-up glands. The vets say diet could be a factor, but don't know what to include/exclude...just trial and error and no real science. Only thing I've yet to try food-wise is a raw diet and I'm hoping not to have to! Many thanks, Gretchen

Cindy, I need help with my 3 years old pit bull that just wont quit eating our 4 other dogs poop. I can't get outside fast enough to pick it up. While I'm picking one dogs up he's eating another's. I feed Natural balance kibble and canned. Should I change food? Do you recommend any supplement or vitamin that will stop this terrible habit? I have tried two different pills from our vet and he didn't miss a beat and continued to consume poop. HELP

I recently purchased the DVD "8 weeks to 8 months" which has been a great training aid. I wanted to ask at what age does Ed typically recommend to spay his female shepherds? Thanks in advance, John

I have an 8 month old that HAD 1 testicle that never dropped. I do not want to get him neutered. Is there a test we could do to see if he only has 1? If I do not get him fixed after 2 years is it dangerous for problems to arise?

Hello! I have 2 questions- my dog has given birth to 6 gorgeous healthy pups. Samoyed x husky - the pregnancy was planned. She is 2 and I would love to keep a puppy. Is it recommended to NOT keep a puppy from a mother's litter?? Also, our local vet said there is no evidence now days to show puppies need the 6-8 week vaccination, they only need the 8-12 weeks then the 12-16 weeks one. I was sure they need 3 in total, but he gave me info saying only 2 times worth of injections. Your help...

Dear Ed and Cindy, We have a six month german shepherd puppy and we would like to know what is the best dog food for him. Right now we have been feeding him with the brand AUTHORITY. Is this a good quality food for him? Also we would like to know why he is constantly scratching and licking his paws. Will it be an allergy reaction from the food we are giving him? Could you please advise us what brand should we get for him? By the way, I am taking him to the park three times a week for him t...

Hi Cindy, I'm looking for a professional, unbiased opinion, and I thought of YOU! You have given me such excellent advice in the past and since you don't know me personally, you'll just give me an honest answer instead of trying to guess what I might want to hear... which is what usually happens! LOL! Ok, so I know a well-trained dog IS a well-trained dog; neutering a badly trained dog won't miraculously make him well-trained. That said, is it easier to work with/train a neutered male v...

I have a 10 year old male GSD who has degenerative arthritis in his hock and knee in the same leg. He is really starting to have difficulty moving around. He currently is on Glucosmine/Chrondtin/MSM; Fish Oil tablets; Duralactin; Tramadol for pain as well as Gabipentin (I?m sure I botched the spelling of that). A friend of mine was telling me about Yucca and how it helps her older dogs. Jesse does have an issue with his kidneys so he cannot take anything stronger, such as Metacam to help him...

Hi Cindy, I'd like to know where you got your three wheeled bike? I've got a 110 pound three year old female Rottie, we walk an hour a day approximately 3 and a half miles. I wanted to get a bike but I am not sure how long or how far I should run my dog. I was also afraid my dog might pull me over on a two wheeled bike. Can you use the dog harness (pole) that attaches to the main handle bar? Any information will be helpful. Thanks, Gwen

I have an almost 15 year old black lab who has started to misbehave terribly. The worse is the barking. He has some difficulty getting up (although he can do so quite readily when food is the object) and barks every 45mins to 1.5 hours AROUND THE CLOCK to be picked up. Due to his age, he is under the care of our vet for spinal stenosis. He currently takes both a prescription anti-inflammatory (Metacam) and herbal tabs for relief. When the barking started about 6 months ago, we put him out eve...

Cindy, Thanks so much for what you and Ed produce. We've got a 9 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback that has been a great dog (so far). We (him and I) have been through the basic obedience and pack structure work and it has made him a great little dog (though he's 85lbs now). We got your e collar video and that has really helped me work with him (he now knows the difference between corrections and rough play). Last month he ate some Sago Palm seeds (highly toxic) which of course sent him ...

Hello Cindy, I began feeding my dog raw food last April, in large part because of the wonderful information I found on the Leerburg website. The FAQ's are SO helpful and really convinced me it is the right way to feed my dog. So, thank you for all that information! I'm writing to you to ask if you think raw food could have some connection to recurrent giardia. My 17 month old American Bulldog has giardia for the 3rd time in 2 months. The vet prescribes Metronidazole and Panacur, which ...

Does your synflex glucosamine come with a precise measuring cup? I have an 80 lb. GSD, and I would try your product if it's easy enough to administer. Also, can I mix it right into his raw food diet, and is it palatable enough for him not to reject his food? Please let me know. Thanks. Dan

Hi Cindy, I have an 8 month old GSD. When he was about 5 months old he starting limping so I took him to the vet and was told to rest him. A week later he was 100%. The limp has returned and it is been about 2 1/2 weeks and he is showing no signs of improving. When it started this last time I read the article you have about pano and I ordered everything you said to give him except the vitamin E and the super C. I also cut his food back by 1/2 and he has been in a crate or at my feet the wh...

Hi, Cindy! Hope all is well. It's been a while since I have had to email. In a nutshell, our 10 yr old Golden has been displaying a slight stiffness that I attribute to the onset of arthritis. She is fed raw salmon oil...and otherwise seems to be in good health. Today her stiffness was very apparent so I can no longer dismiss it as my paranoia. What supplements do you recommend I order for her? I'm particularly interested in the Syn-Flex and Grand Flex. I'm not sure what to order and w...

Bravo! for you Cindy. I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician and, in my province of Ontatio, technicians are not considered part of the veterinary health team, therefore having no input into patient care or information. ALL NSAIDS carry risks, and those folks who used to give their pets aspirin decades ago were very very lucky. Dog and cat livers do the same job as humans but they do not have all the same products to process the things that we have. The result is liver and kidney toxicity. We,...

Hi Ed, I'm a customer of yours and I have many of your training DVDs. I have a question for you regarding perhaps both training and just general advice. I will be getting an 8 week old Czech/DDR female puppy soon, which by virtue of genetics and early testing should be potentially a very hard dog with extremely high prey drive. Presently, I have a 4 year old GSD, an unneutered and professionally trained male (both obedience and protection), who thankfully is not at all dog aggressive...

Hi Cindy, I've been somewhat disappointed by the relatively narrow perspective being presented about the use of Rimadyl in the Newsletter. While I don't doubt that there will always be a downside to the use of any prescription medication, there are also upsides as well. For example, I presently have a 10 year old Border Collie that LOVES to train, compete, etc. and has since day one. Unfortunately, after a long career in dog agility, she's arthritic. Should she "be put out to pasture" and ...