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Dog Lover Profile: Ted Kerasote

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Ted Kerasote

Dog lovers have people they look up to, and what Ted Kerasote is doing is really amazing. He is a dog professional, by way of a stray named Merle, who changed his life. Since that time, he has studied, learned, and questioned the traditional ways of living with our canine companions. Truly an astonishing amount of research, and revolutionary ideas, I think you will be enthralled by his story.

Merle’s Door: Lessons From A Freethinking Dog

This book is simply amazing, and is the story of how a dog changed the path of one man’s life. What’s truly different is how Ted Kerasote re-examines wolf pack behaviour. His research found that wolves are far more individual and permissive than traditional pack-leader thinking had us believe. Alphas are more experienced, and respected, but each individual pack member has the freedom to choose. As a dog lover, he uses this idea for his companion Merle. Two years of studying the latest scientific research makes him a true dog professional in my mind.

Pukka’s Promise: The Quest For Longer-Lived Dogs

After the loss of Merle, this book tells of his next companion, Pukka. Here the focus is answering how to give dogs the best and longest life possible. Ted Kerasote refuses to just accept conventional wisdom and researches spaying and neutering and compares to vasectomy and tubal ligation. As a dog lover, he is willing to go to the expense of a raw food diet, because of what he has learned on his way to becoming a dog professional.

Spaying And Neutering Controversy

I think this is where many people get upset, but Mr. Kerasote has good reasoning. He points out that after searching out a companion with great genes, why end the chance to continue their line? Again, with his willingness to go to great expense, he advises a vasectomy or tubal ligation, which at least can be reversed. As a dog professional, Ted Kerasote’s research of scientific evidence has led him to conclude that spaying and neutering shortens a canine’s lifespan, has an increase in some cancers, and more frequent ACL problems.

Number One Cancer Prevention

As a dog lover, this is absolutely my favourite piece of advice, and that is to check your companion over, from head to toe, every day. Why? To look for lumps and get them looked at by a vet immediately. Common sense, and to the point. What could be better?

At Bark & Fitz, we’re firm believers in learning, reading, sharing, and Ted Kerasote clearly is, too. As dog lovers, we’re all eager to find ways to help them live longer, better lives, and keeping up with the latest research is a great way to do just that. Although you may not agree on all things with this dog professional, I am certain that you will learn a number of great things that you do agree with. Both books are compelling reading, and the website has excellent information.

What Do You Think? Have you read Merle’s Door and Pukka’s Promise or visited the website? How did Ted Kerasote change how you look at your companion? Or maybe you’ve got a suggestion for our next Dog Lover Profile?

Dog Raw Diet: Learn More For Your Dog’s Health

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Feeding a dog raw diet food instead of processed and how it makes a difference to their health is making big news. I was all set to do a completely different blog, since I just wrote about “The Raw Truth About Eating Healthy” in April. Then the New York Times blogged about the raw food diet for pets and interest in feeding a dog raw food has gone through the roof! I thought this would be the perfect time to talk more about this, and bring up a few points.

Science versus Anecdotal Evidence: This is such a big argument that has people tied up in knots. Look, for me it is very simple. If your dog is not healthy, you want to help them. The one thing that I keep hearing about over and over again is that the dog raw diet was a last resort, and it worked for a lot of people and their pets. The science minded people are never going to accept a dog owner’s own evidence; they must have a study done. Fair enough, but, I applaud dog parents who learn, read, and try for themselves. You know your companion better than anyone else, and I think we’re all smart enough to trust the evidence of our own eyes. If feeding a dog raw food made them sick, I’d stop, and I certainly wouldn’t try that experiment again! Instead, what we have is a lot of people sharing their raw food diet for pets and how successful it’s been for them.

What About the Veterinarians? There are a large number of vets against feeding a dog raw food, but there are also those who do support a dog raw diet. I’m going to resist blaming the pet food industry, and seeing conspiracy theories between them and the vets (there’s been enough of that done already). I think the main fear is the safety of having raw food in the home, and what might happen to the humans, especially children. This is absolutely something to be careful about! Wash carefully, don’t cross contaminate, and use good hygiene. This should go for any and all food prep, not just the raw food diet for pets.

Buy Safe! It doesn’t matter if you’re feeding a dog raw diet, or any other kind of food, if you don’t know where it comes from. Trusting the source of the food has to come first. We take that very seriously at Bark & Fitz, and only carry brands from companies we trust, whether it’s a dog raw food, a biscuit, a treat, or kibble.

Final Thoughts: I don’t think there is anything more important than what we eat and what we feed to our families, including our pets. I urge everyone to learn more about where their food comes from, including learning about dog raw diet.

Click here to read the New York Times article, I found the comments to be even more interesting than the article itself.

Pet Food For Animal Health Is Paramount At Bark & Fitz

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High-end pet food that is the very best for animal health is the number one priority at Bark & Fitz. I am a pet lover and owner first; President and CEO second. No matter which hat I wear, I know there is nothing more important to your pets health than what you feed them. I made it a point to learn as much as I could about pet nutrition to help my own dog live his best life.  Here are some of the things I learned about food and keeping him healthy.

What Ingredients Are Best?
This is very simple. Dogs and cats are carnivores, and are meant to eat meat. Their digestive tracts, sharp teeth, and jaw movement are biologically designed for meat. In order to get the very best dry pet food for animal health, you need to have a food rich in animal protein, with a variety of fresh meat (including essential fats), and that is low in carbohydrates.

Why Are So Many Brands High In Grains And Carbs?
Cheap grains and by-products are easily turned into a cheap and shelf-stable kibble. It is not about what is best for your pets health, it’s about what is easy and cheap. Dogs and cats are not built to digest grains, and they will never live as long or as well as they do on a meat-based diet. Pet food that is rich in animal protein is the very best.

What Are The Best Carbs For Animal Health?
Kibble needs some kind of carb to hold it together. The key is to use an appropriate kind for carnivores. Rather than rice, wheat, or corn, which are high-glycemic grains, fruits and vegetables are far more biologically suitable. It’s the difference between simple (grains) and complex (fruits and vegetables) carbohydrates. Simple carbs are absorbed quickly resulting in a quick rise of blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to obesity and diabetes in pets. The complex carbs take a long time to break down, and do not have this effect.

Here at Bark & Fitz, we only carry products that we would feed our own companions, and we pride ourselves on it. Our goal is to help you look after your pets health. Pet food is single-handedly the most important way to provide a long, healthy, and happy life for your companion. Feel free to contact us, either in-store or online, our pet experts are here to help.

Interested in learning more?
• Orijen White Paper on Dietary Needs of Dogs and Cats
• Dog Food Analysis
• Whole Dog Journal

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