How Diet and Environment Impacts Allergies in Dogs and Cats

Does Your Pet Have Allergies?

Allergies in pets are often misunderstood and can lead your pet down a path to a diminished existence. Limited ingredient diets, allergy medications, and, at their worst, injections or prescription medications with hefty side effects can reduce allergy symptoms but don’t address the root cause. Several of the common medications work by shutting down the immune system partially or entirely, which is not a good long-term solution, as it may increase the risk of infections or cancer.

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to allergies, but many pets find relief by following a more natural, holistic approach.  Soothe the symptoms, focus on the root of the problem, and keep supporting the system to reduce the chances of future flares.  

What is an Allergy?

An allergy, simply put, is an overreaction or hypersensitivity to a typically harmless thing. Allergy symptoms pull double duty, letting you know there’s an issue and working to expel the “intruders.” Inflammation, itching, swelling, runny nose, sneezing, teary eyes, coughing, and even diarrhea all drive potentially harmful particles out of the body and communicate a problem. These reactions are necessary responses by the immune system, but sometimes it reacts to things it shouldn’t or overreacts to small threats with big symptoms. 

Why is the immune system misidentifying threats and overreacting? And more importantly, how do we help our pets feel better and live richer, more comfortable lives?

Here’s the exciting bit: allergies are not always permanent. A dog being genuinely allergic to chicken and reacting to chicken every time he eats it are two different things.  There can be a genetic or physiological component, but more often than not, it’s an immune system issue you can improve.   

In a survey of 632 dogs conducted by the University of Helsinki, over 90% of dogs suffering from skin or digestive issues recovered after changing to a fresh food diet.

But that’s not always the whole story.  So, where do we start? 

First, we remove or minimize exposure to whatever is making him uncomfortable.  Doing so will help us soothe the discomfort as soon as possible and give his body a break to work on the next step: addressing the root of the problem. Often, it isn’t one allergen causing all the discomfort, although repeated exposure over time can sensitize your pet’s immune system, making reactions from certain things more visible.  

Common Allergens for Dogs and Cats

  • Dust Mites: helpful for recycling materials back into the ecosystem, like skin cells that we’ve left lying around, but their poop isn’t pleasant for the body.  A decent percentage of dust is dust mite poo.
  • Storage Mites: if you’re feeding dry pet food, there’s a great chance it is home to thousands of storage mites.  They’re ubiquitous in the environment, but kibble tends to be a favorite breeding ground/food source/bathroom, and they find their way to it the moment you open the bag.  A 2008 study by Univet at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona found that within five weeks of being opened, 9 out of 10 bags of dry food were contaminated with storage mites.  One of the bags came with mites sealed inside already.  Again, their poo is irritating. 
  • Pollen: Trees, flowers, and grasses all release pollen.  High levels can make anyone uncomfortable, but healthy pets should be able to handle everyday levels.  After all, dogs and cats have only been living indoors for a few seconds on an evolutionary scale.  
  • Mold Spores: The immune system has a point here. Mold spores can be problematic for overall health, depending on the mold.
  • Synthetic Fabrics: Many pet beds are made of synthetic fibers that don’t breathe like natural materials, leading to microbial growth that can cause or exacerbate itchiness.  Switch out these synthetic fibers for natural counterparts, like hemp or cotton. 
  • Synthetic Vitamins and Minerals: Many pet foods, including limited ingredient foods, are high in synthetics to provide essential vitamins and minerals.  Just because they’re human-made doesn’t mean they get a free pass in the body. They can cause an allergic response just as well as any meat protein.
  • Proteins: Some animals may become sensitive to specific proteins, especially if inflammation has damaged their gut. Often caused by a heavily processed diet, the damage allows undigested food particles and proteins to escape the gut into the rest of the body.  The immune system labels that protein as a “foreign invader,” so it causes an immune response whenever it’s eaten.   
  • Insect Bites: fleas are a great example. The flea’s saliva can cause an allergic response that can itch long after the flea has happily hopped away to lay some eggs under the couch.

The goal is not to completely eradicate all of these. That isn’t realistic, and besides, some exposure is necessary so the immune system can learn what is dangerous or pathogenic and what is benign and not worth reacting to.  The whole system relies on balance. That’s where food and gut health come in.

Common Allergy Symptoms in Dogs and Cats

Skin Issues

  • Itchiness
  • Flakiness or Dandruff
  • Excessive Shedding or Hair Loss
  • Swelling or hives
  • Hot Spots or Rash
  • Excessive Licking
  • Chewing Paws or Skin
  • Redness Between Toes

Digestive Problems

  • Loose Stool or Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal Discomfort
  • Sensitivities to Ingredients
  • Anal Gland Issues

Eyes & Ears

  • Puffy or Red Eyes
  • Eye Discharge
  • Itchy or Smelly Ears
  • Chronic Ear Infections
  • Head-Shaking

Respiratory

  • Sneezing/wheezing
  • Coughing
  • Runny Nose
  • Difficulty Breathing

How Does Food Relate to Allergies?

In a 2021 study at the University of Helsinki, researchers found that puppies who consumed 20% or more of their diet as raw foods saw significantly fewer skin issues than those who ate a wholly processed diet.   

Chart A shows the relationship between dogs who reported allergic or nonallergic skin symptoms vs how much of their diet was raw food.  Notice the sharp dropoff in symptoms with the inclusion of raw foods.  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvim.16211

The study authors noted: 

Raw organ meats are dense in vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals and are also a good source of high-quality protein and fat (USDA Food Composition Database). Since some of these nutrients are heat-sensitive, especially the vitamins, offering organs raw to puppies allows them to get the maximum nutritional value. Moreover, raw organ meats as a raw meat-based foods are a good source of beneficial bacteria which may help puppies develop a healthy gut microbiota.”  

(Puppyhood diet as a factor in the development of owner-reported allergy/atopy skin signs in adult dogs in Finland https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvim.16211

70-90% of your pets’ immune systems reside in their gut, and everything they eat passes through. The gut is like an analyzing chamber, creating a microscopic view of the world outside and educating the immune system. Pollen, dust, spores, bacteria, viruses, and fungi all end up in the gut, where the immune system can closely examine it. In an animal with a thriving community of microbes in their gut - also known as their gut microbiome - the body works with the good microbes to decide what is friend, foe, or not worth noticing. This healthy symbiotic communication reduces the chance of the immune system overreacting to potential allergens and other benign substances. 

However, everything gets a little screwy in pets with an unbalanced gut microbiome (known as dysbiosis).  Several things are happening here:

  • Loss of communication between microbes and the immune system: If the right microbes aren’t thriving in the gut, the immune system loses an essential tool for differentiating between threats and harmless particles.  In a 2004 study published in The Journal of Immunology on mice with peanut allergies, the test mice had a genetic issue that damaged one of the types of receptors in their gut that microbes use to talk to immune cells.  These mice were susceptible to peanut allergy, with the same symptoms seen in humans with peanut allergies.  Some would even go into anaphylaxis.  The researchers also had a group of control mice with no peanut allergies. When they had their gut bacteria wiped out, these mice also became susceptible to a peanut allergy.  The microbes were no longer there to signal that the peanuts were harmless, so the immune system reacted. An allergy was created. In a more recent related study published in Nature Medicine in 2019, researchers took gut microbes from two groups of human babies - one group had a milk allergy, and one did not.  They introduced microbes from each baby into the two groups of sterile-gut mice. The mice that got microbes from healthy babies gained protection from milk allergies, and the ones that got microbes from milk-allergic babies showed susceptibility to a milk allergy.
  • Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome: The gut lining is made of trillions of tiny fingers called villi and microvilli. They allow fully digested food and beneficial compounds to cross into the bloodstream to be circulated and used throughout the body.  A thin layer of mucus protects these villi.  When the microbes in the gut become unbalanced, they damage the mucosal lining and start to irritate and inflame the villi.  Not only does this keep the villi from absorbing nutrients properly, it also enlarges the gaps between them, allowing undigested particles of food, bacteria, and other things into the bloodstream.  This condition is called leaky gut syndrome.  Potential causes are eating a heavily processed, species-inappropriate diet, antibiotic use, toxins, etc. When undigested food particles, say chicken proteins, are allowed to enter the bloodstream, the immune system recognizes that they shouldn’t be there and attacks the intruders.  This immune reaction can cause itching, inflammation, and other discomfort.  The immune system also goes on high alert, meaning it will react with life-or-death seriousness anywhere it encounters those chicken proteins - even in the gut where they belong.

  • Loss of microbiome diversity - In addition to communicating with the immune system, the microbes that live in and on your dog or cat provide several types of protection.  They crowd out pathogenic or irritating microbes, forming a shield.  They create beneficial compounds that nourish your pet’s cells and aid their immune system.  They play a significant role in digestion, hormone production, and much more.  

In a healthy animal, hundreds or even thousands of different types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses live in and on their body.  This diversity is vital to maintaining a thriving microbiome.  

When the microbiome becomes unbalanced, diversity plummets.  Important jobs may go undone, and less desirable microbes can grow unchecked.  In a 2022 study by the University of Zurich, dogs with skin allergy symptoms also had less diverse gut microbiomes.  In another 2014 study published in PLOS ONE, researchers compared the skin microbes of healthy dogs and dogs with skin allergies. They found similar results: the healthiest dogs had the richest, most diverse microbiomes.

To sum it up, many allergy symptoms stem from an out-of-whack immune system related to an unbalanced gut. If you’d like to dive deeper, check out these interviews with exceptionally brilliant experts: Dr. Odette Suter “The Microbiome,” and Julie Anne Lee of Adored Beast “Allergies in Pets.”  

The Best Diet for Allergy-Prone Dogs & Cats

Species-appropriate fresh foods will help balance the gut and immune system and encourage the right microbes.  Dogs and cats are both carnivores, but a few differences exist in their ideal diets.  Dogs should eat a meat-based diet supplemented with veggies, herbs, grasses, and fruits. This plant component only makes up a fraction of their ideal diet but provides rich sources of diverse prebiotic fiber.  Prebiotic fiber is a favorite food source of good microbes.  Steve’s Real Food Original Beef formula is 80% meat, organ, and bone and 20% purposeful produce. All the nutrients come from natural foods, which is essential for a thriving, species-appropriate microbiome; we’ll cover exactly why in just a bit.

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they have an obligation to their body to eat a carnivorous diet. Left to their own devices, they would prefer to eat a diet of fresh, raw prey that they hunt and kill. Steve’s Real Food Prey Model Diet and Quest Cat Food are 95% fresh raw meat, organ, and bone and 5% natural supplements like kelp, chia seed, and goat milk.  

All the nutrients should come from natural foods, which is essential for encouraging microbiome diversity because it means no microbes are out of a job.  When synthetic vitamins and minerals are relied on to balance and complete a recipe, the microbes that break down or form those compounds don’t have anything to do.  More importantly, they don’t have anything to eat, and so they decline in numbers or disappear altogether.  By providing real food to your dog or cat, you also provide food and jobs to the trillions of microbes that work to keep them healthy and strong.  In a 2022 study at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, researchers discovered that dogs who ate a fresh diet saw an increase in skin microbiome diversity - an essential step in helping dogs with skin allergies.

Rotate the proteins in your pets’ diet.  Eating the same thing for too long leads to boredom and food monotony and may even cause intolerances and sensitivities.  For a healthy pet, you can switch flavors whenever you open a new bag to keep things fresh and interesting.  More sensitive pets may require a slower transition between flavors the first time they try a new one. 

The goal of feeding an ideal, species-appropriate diet is to eventually reduce or overcome sensitivities by building a robust, well-educated immune system.

Ingredients to Avoid

  • Preservatives - Common in processed pet foods, they allow that bag to sit on a shelf with no refrigeration for over a year. Unfortunately, they also harm the microbiome.  Preservatives can slow or disable microbes and don’t stop working once your pet eats them.  
  • Synthetic Vitamins and Minerals - Dr. Judy Morgan states, “Synthetic nutrients can behave differently in the body than their natural counterparts. In some cases, the animal’s body may look at the synthetic vitamin as a foreign body and not recognize it as food.”  You can read more about her take on these food additives here.
  • Mycotoxins - Mold often grows on grains and legumes before harvest or during storage.  These molds create potent toxins that can be carcinogenic, cause damage and discomfort, suppress the immune system, and disrupt the microbial balance. Their effects can be sudden or cumulative over the years.  A study published in 2019 by MDPI reported that 98.6% of USA-grown corn tested positive for mycotoxins.
  • Pesticides - Pesticides can damage microbial diversity when used on crops grown for pet food.
  • Other Inappropriate Ingredients - Avoid high-sugar and high-carbohydrate diets.  Dextrose, corn syrup, maltodextrin, potatoes and sweet potatoes, peas, chickpeas, lentils, and grains are high in carbohydrates and can feed microbes like yeast that can cause or increase irritation.

Steps for Allergy Relief in Dogs and Cats

Medications and prescription pet foods with predigested proteins designed to alleviate the symptoms do not address the root cause of the issue.  It’s like taking off your sweater because the house is on fire.  Sure, you’re not as hot, but there’s a bigger problem you should probably address.

Our goal is to reduce discomfort now and improve the immune system response over time.  Soothe the gut, support the body to heal itself, and diversify the microbiome. 

  • Allergy Tests: For any pet experiencing severe allergy symptoms, an allergy test can be a good place to start.  Again, we’re not looking to avoid these specific allergens permanently but rather give the body a break from them as we work on balancing the immune system.  Nutriscan by Dr. W. Jean Dodds was highly recommended by several of the experts we interviewed, so if your dog or cat is suffering from persistent allergies, you can start by getting a test done.
  • Minimize Exposure to Environmental Allergens: Clean up dust around the house, change your air filters, switch out synthetic fabrics for natural fibers, and look for any mold or mildew growing indoors.  The goal here is to reduce the load on the immune system as we work on balance.  After spending time outside, be sure to decontaminate. Pollen can hitch a ride indoors on your clothes or your pet’s coat and continue causing issues. Wipe down your pet with a damp cloth whenever they come in from outside, paying special attention to the face and feet.  Pollen counts tend to be highest earlier in the day and on windy days, so save walks for later in the day if the weather allows and find ways to have fun indoors instead.
  • Work on Improving the Gut: Feed a species-appropriate diet that is made with whole foods and encourages microbial balance in the gut. Because it discourages diversity in the gut, if you feed a highly-processed diet, include some fresh raw foods or switch to a fresh diet. Adding probiotic-rich foods like Steve’s fermented Protein Bites can help the gut achieve better balance, providing a mix of pre-, pro-, and postbiotics. It’s important to note that diet is a huge, but not the only, piece of the puzzle. For many pets, relief will require combining several of these steps. Stress can actually be a significant factor in gut health, so reduce stress in your pet’s life during this time.

A holistic veterinarian will be helpful for pets with severe sensitivities, suspected yeast overgrowth, or leaky gut.  

Adored Beast Apothecary also has a Leaky Gut Protocol and a Yeasty Beast Protocol available for dogs and cats.  

  • Naturally Soothing Additions to the Bowl - Reishi mushrooms can help balance the immune system, and you’ll want a blend of fruiting body and mycelium. Blueberries and parsley contain Quercetin, which is a natural antihistamine.  Herbal teas can be effective. “The Natural Pet Doctor, " Dr. Katie Woodley,” created this video. Herbal Teas for Pet Allergies.
  • Don’t Use Harsh Shampoos - Go for plain water or gentle natural products instead.  We’re working to restore healthy skin function; harsh cleansers will strip away natural oils.  A daily wipe-down with a damp washcloth can help reduce allergens on the coat.
  • Be Proactive and Plan for Next Allergy Season - Although some pets may be able to leave allergies in the past, some will suffer from seasonal flares for the rest of their lives.  It’s crucial to get ahead of allergy season and ensure your dog or cat is strong and well-supported before the pollen starts making them miserable.  

Could it be Something Other than Allergies? 

Though we’ve addressed the root cause of many allergies, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  Some conditions and diseases may appear as allergy symptoms, so if you’re concerned, consult with your holistic veterinarian, who will take a whole-body approach to wellness. You can locate a holistic vet on the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association’s website.

CAN NUTRITION AFFECT ANXIETY IN PETS?

This guest post was written by Jody L. Teiche, Pet Health Expert & Pet Parent Coach with over 30 years of experience using homeopathy to heal pets naturally.


Almost three-quarters of all dogs in the U.S. suffer from at least one form of anxiety. That’s right. Three-quarters. It’s less so with cats; about a quarter of all cats suffer anxiety issues. Pet mental health is real, and those pet parents affected will attest to it.

If your dog or cat has mental health challenges, it is likely impacting your life, maybe even turning it upside down. Some pet parents can’t go on vacation, out to dinner or even leave the house without fear of their dog destroying it or if confined to a crate, hurting themselves. It’s heartbreaking for the pet and the parent.

Types & Causes of Anxiety in Pets

Luckily, there are several gentle, yet powerful tools we have today to help our anxious animals. But first, let’s look at what can cause pet mental health issues, such as separation anxiety, fears and phobias of things like loud noises, lights, textures, new places, strangers, children, other animals, and even certain clothing.

Anxiety in pets can be the result of a variety of factors, such as fear of abandonment, which would tie into a fear of being home alone or separation from a pet parent. This often arises from past traumatic experiences and is seen often in dogs and cats that have been rescued. Fears and phobias can manifest in your animal as a result of past trauma, like PTSD. Perhaps your dog was nearby when a loud siren or fireworks went off, which traumatized them, making them fearful whenever they hear loud noises. Certain textures can remind some animals of bad experiences they’ve had, as can certain garments or even smells.

Pet anxiety can manifest itself in things like excessive barking, whining, trembling, cowering, howling, lip licking, obsessively licking themselves and aggressive or destructive behavior to the environment or themselves.

When I coach pet parents with anxious animals, there is one question I always ask first, and it might surprise you.

What are you feeding them?

Nutrition is Always the Foundation of the House

If the foundation is weak, eventually, something has to give and the house will fall. And, when I say foundation, I mean holistically – the whole mind/body connection we and our animals experience.

Nutrition plays a significant role in creating and managing anxiety in pets. Certain foods and supplements may have a calming effect on animals. Conversely, certain foods may instigate anxious feelings. Let’s unpack that.

A whole foods healthy diet for your dog or cat gives them all of the vitamins and minerals their body needs to do its job – maintain homeostasis or balance, and heal. A diet of highly processed food or food high in carbs/simple sugars not only robs the body of these essential nutrients, but causes sugar level spikes which, in turn, causes an increase in their feelings of stress and anxiety.

Dry food or kibble is highly processed and consists mostly of carbs. Even grain-free or low-carb dry food diets often include poor-quality proteins like lentils, legumes, and starches like potatoes, beets, and peas.

Poor quality food creates inflammation in the body. Periodic inflammation is good when needed to fight off infection or rally around an injury. But, chronic inflammation is the precursor of all dis-ease, and a catalyst for increased anxiety.

More and more, we are learning the gut microbiome is the key to good or poor health in ourselves and our pets. The goal is a balanced gut, as much as possible, and diet is the key to this.

Remember I mentioned the mind/body connection? Your animal’s gut is connected to its brain via the Vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body. The brain and gut talk to each other all day long via this hotline. It’s the origination of the expression, “I have a gut feeling,” and happy hormones like serotonin are 90% produced in your dog or cat’s gut. So, you start to see a picture developing that what you put in their bowl has a profound effect on how they look, feel and behave.

Species-appropriate diets for dogs and cats is the key to good health. Raw feeding is how our dogs and cats ate for thousands of years, and while we’ve domesticated them, what does that really mean?

  • They live inside now vs out back or in dog houses
  • They have comfy beds to sleep on
  • They sleep with us in our comfy beds
  • They are pampered, dressed up, taken places and treated like our children

But, has their digestive tracts changed? Not really.

Dogs have learned to eat a more varied diet, living with humans for so long. But, given the choice and taking species bio-appropriate diet into consideration, they killed an animal, and feasted on every part of that animal, including skin, hair, and usually leaving the contents of the stomach, which was vegetation, alone. So, they left the vegetables behind. Perhaps, if they killed a small prey, like a rabbit, they’d eat the whole animal in one go, including the stomach, but their choice was the organs first, then muscle meat, then bones. This diet provided them with all of the essential vitamins and minerals their bodies needed to thrive and sustain them until the next kill, which could be days off. Cats, considered obligate carnivores, have historically killed and eaten their entire prey, as well.

If need be, and this isn’t always the case, you can add to the diet a well-sourced, sustainable Omega-3 fatty acids supplement, shown to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects and that may, additionally, help reduce anxiety in pets. A good, soil-based probiotic, raw goat’s milk or a good kefir and some prebiotic foods like medicinal mushrooms (Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Shitake, Turkey Tail and more), chicory root, garlic, dandelion greens and burdock may also help improve a pet's overall mental well-being by strengthening their gut microbiome. This will impact their levels of anxiety positively.

Other Natural Ways To Address Anxiety in Pets

We have many natural options available to us today that more and more pet parents are learning about and trying with their animals. I’ll cover a few of them here.

  • Exercise & The Happiness Protocol:  Regular, vigorous exercise is important to take the edge off of an animal’s anxiety. Science has shown that when our pets are doing what they love, and their happy hormone levels increase, so does their immune system strengthen. More happy hormones equal less anxiety; a stronger immune system also means less anxiety and an all-around healthier pet.
  • Homeopathic Remedies: Homeopathy is tailored to your individual dog, but there is a list of common remedies for anxiety in dogs, in this blog post.  It’s always best to do an individual case taking of that particular dog and its specific symptoms to be most accurate in choosing a remedy
  • Herbs: As herbs contain active ingredients, unlike homeopathy, it’s always best to consult with an expert. Here is a list of herbs recommended by pet herbal expert, Dr. Chris Bessent.
  • Essential Oils: Essential oils are a wonderful tool in your natural healing kit and, again, contain active ingredients, so follow the guidance of someone who is an expert in this area. Balance, Peace, Console and Adaptiv are some go-to’s for anxious animals.
  • CBD Oil: Not all CBD oil is created equal, and after much research, trying this on my own pets and an interview with the CCO and co-founder of this company, I am recommending ElleVet Sciences as my go-to CBD product. Learn more about why here, and you can check out my interview with Amanda Howland of ElleVet here.
  • LovingTouch™ or Intentional Touch Healing Therapy: This hands-on calming practice is based on Temple Grandin’s squeeze box, which comforted her autism-associated anxiety, and is practiced by holistic veterinarian, Dr. Edward Bassingthwaighte. Learn more about LovingTouch™ through booking a free consult with me.
  • Frequency Scanning: Tesla and Einstein discovered it back in the 1940’s and it’s been greatly perfected technologically over the decades. As Tesla said, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” We are all made up of energy and everything around us is, too. And, each cell, organ, muscle, and tissue vibrates on its own frequency. So, when you have access to a handheld technology that has over 150,000 optimal frequencies in its database, you have the power to scan your body or your pet’s body, the machine reads the frequencies, identifies those that are out of balance and then optimizes those back into balance. The result? Your pet feels better, emotionally and physically. Learn more about frequency scanning.

To summarize, pet anxiety is a prevalent issue. It’s painful for the animal and painful for the pet parent. There are many types of pet anxiety and many different causes of it. Nutrition is the cornerstone of good or poor health and feeding a fresh food diet is step one in creating a healthier gut microbiome, which has been scientifically shown to affect stress and anxiety levels in our dogs and cats. Many parents opt for pharmaceutical medications and, sometimes, as a bridge, that may be necessary. I like to try natural options first. From homeopathy, CBD oil, essential oils and frequency scanning, these options all have their place in the tool kit for pet parents to help their animals. Each pet is unique in their expression of their anxiety and it’s through knowing your animal better than anyone and trial and error where you’ll find the best combination of natural modalities that work for them. And remember, the one question I ask first…start with nutrition. It will impact everything else.

Click here for more information or to book a free 30-minute health consult with Jody L. Teiche, C.P.H.E.:

How to Train Your Dog When Feeding a Raw Diet

If you're feeding your dog a raw diet, you invest too much in keeping them healthy to feed them junk food, even for the sake of training them… and with our creative tips, you won't have to!

Lifestyle Habits

Being professional dog trainers, we look at it as not only an activity but a way of life.  There are so many different ways that we each interact and live with our dogs that can either help or hinder our goals… it is in what we do (or don't do) in our day-to-day life that predicts how successful we are in training our dog to be well-behaved.

It's best to start with a plan.  Pay attention to what your current daily routine is and audit it to see where you have room to improve.   If you're feeding a raw diet, be sure you know what time to start thawing their food for the following day or how long it takes to rehydrate a meal.

Make sure that the frequency, amounts, and times are agreed upon and understood among all members of the household.  Develop a system for communicating your dog's intake that works for everyone to keep track and avoid under or overfeeding.

using steves real food for training

Activities & Exercises

Since training is always happening, it's important to know what things can be implemented into our routine to reach our training goals so that we're not left asking where we're going to find all this extra time!

Instead of feeding them all their meals in a bowl, use one or both mealtimes as a training opportunity.  We'd be using food/treats to train them anyway; you might as well do double duty.

The wonderful thing about feeding Steve's Real Food is that we have plenty of options to use as a stand-in for training treats… and the formulations are similar enough to be unlikely to cause tummy upset:

  • NEW! Protein Bites (Fermented and Freeze-dried treats to boost gut health)
  • Freeze-Dried Raw Nuggets
  • Quest Cat Food (Bite-Sized, Prey Model Diet Nuggets)
  • Cut up Frozen Raw Patty

If you don't have time to actively work their brains, let them do it themselves!  You can squish their food into a lick mat, a food-dispensing toy, or a safe bone and they can learn some independence as well (which is equally important to teach them).  And you can buy yourself even more time if you freeze it first!

Learn What and How to Train

Even more important than what we use for training, is when we are training… and because we believe it's a lifestyle, we encourage pet parents to use the things your dog wants throughout the day to teach them the things that you want from your dog.

Don't just give them a treat because they're cute… have them do something for it!  Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Have them sit before giving them anything
  • Make them wait to be released for their food
  • Call your dog to you for a treat
  • Give them a piece of their food every time they go into their crate
  • They have to stop jumping up to get the ball before you throw it
  • The fun stops if teeth are felt on your skin
raw dog food for training

No matter what you're doing, whether it be socializing your puppy during that stage in their development (8-16 weeks), teaching them obedience, or reinforcing good manners, nothing will help you reach your goals faster than being consistent with them.

If you're interested in learning more about consistency, we welcome you to check out our free webinar:
"The 3 components of Training your Dog to be Well-Behaved through consistency"

  • Gaining the confidence to know What to Do AND When
  • The #1 way to get your dog to Listen to You
  • How to continue consistency around Other People

We wish you all the training success and congratulate you for doing what's best for your dog's health... You really don't have to sacrifice your principles to train your dog to be well-behaved.

on-dog-training-academy-logo

~ By: Jenny Schneider, OnDog Training Academy

{Side Note: Our dog is an intact male Belgian Malinois turning 7 years old on March 1st, 2023, named, “Luda”… short for Ludacris, with AKC registered name of “Mohawk's Southern Hospitality”}

 

Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics for Dogs and Cats

All disease begins in the gut  - Hippocrates

Much has changed since ancient Greece, but time and modern science have taught us that Hippocrates was right; gut health is one of the most critical aspects of overall health. With over 70% of your pet's immune system residing in their digestive tract, one of the most impactful things we can do is support their gut.

BUT HOW DO WE SUPPORT THE GUT?

Gut health relies on the community of microorganisms, called the microbiome, residing in your pet's digestive tract. High quantities of friendly bacteria are necessary to keep harmful bacteria in check. Enter Probiotics!

WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?

Probiotics are live microorganisms (good bacteria and yeasts) that help to fight off harmful bacteria to keep your pet's gut microbiome balanced. They contribute to many aspects of your pet's health that you may not even realize are gut-related. Probiotics may help reduce inflammation, regulate hormones, better absorb nutrients, prevent diarrhea or constipation, and boost your pet's immune system

Gut health = overall health! 

Here are a few easy probiotic-rich options you can add to your pet’s bowl:

  • Fresh raw food: raw dog food like Steve’s Real Food that has not been sterilized or processed with heat is naturally rich in probiotics.
  • Raw goat milk: raw dairy products are a great natural source of probiotics and digestive enzymes; for an even bigger boost of probiotics, you can culture them!
  • Fermented foods: fermentation is an effective method to increase the probiotic content in foods; for more info, check out our blog on fermentation

WHAT ARE PREBIOTICS?

Now that we know probiotics support our pets' health, we must ask how we support probiotics—the answer: Prebiotics. If probiotics are the worker bees of the digestive tract, prebiotics is the nectar on which they feed. Prebiotics are the plant fibers that probiotics use as a food source.

Excellent sources of prebiotics found in Steve’s Real Food products:

  • Inulin
  • Apples
  • Collard greens
  • Flaxseed
  • Kelp

Feeding a fresh diet incorporating high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and natural supplements is the best way to ensure your pet gets the prebiotics their microbiome needs to thrive!

WHAT ARE POSTBIOTICS?

Postbiotics is a term that few people are familiar with; even in the conversation of pre and probiotics, it seldom makes a debut. Probiotics feeding on prebiotics create postbiotics. When we talk about the benefits of adding probiotics and prebiotics to your pet's diet, we’re often actually talking about the benefits of creating postbiotics! Many of the health benefits associated with the consumption of probiotics are also due to specific postbiotics. For example, the boost to your pet's immune system when taking probiotics can stem from creating short-chain fatty acids like butyric acid, a postbiotic that can help regulate immune responses. Postbiotics also include vitamins B, K, and amino acids, essential nutrients for overall health.

A SOLUTION: PROTEIN BITES

Let food be thy medicine - Hippocrates

Another quote from the “father of medicine” resonated strongly with us here at Steve’s Real Food and influenced our newest product! We’ve partnered with the fantastic people at Gussy’s Gut, a supplement company based in Colorado that specializes in wild fermentation, and chief advisor Dr.Ian Billinghurst, the “Father of Raw Food.” This freeze-dried treat uses meat as the ultimate delivery system for prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics. Our shelf-stable Protein Bites utilize 20% wild-fermented superfoods, making them a gut health powerhouse! The fruits, vegetables, herbs, and botanicals we have chosen are naturally high in prebiotic fiber, and the fermentation process increases their natural probiotic content and creates postbiotics! 

Check out our new fermented treats for dogs and cats - Protein Bites!

Fermented foods and why they’re so beneficial for dogs and cats!

Can our pets eat fermented foods? YES, fermented foods may actually be one of the most beneficial things you can add to your pet's diet!

What is fermentation?

Fermentation is a process as old as life itself. It's happening all around us, even inside our bodies! When it comes to food, fermentation is the process of bacteria and yeasts breaking down sugar and starch. You may already be familiar with some fermented foods and not even realize it! Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha are popular fermented foods you can probably find at your local grocery store.

Why are fermented foods so beneficial to our and our pet's health? 

Fermentation transforms food's nutrients; here are some of the amazing things that happen when food is fermented:

  • During fermentation, bacteria and yeast break down sugars and starch, greatly reducing the overall carb content of a food. They leave the insoluble fibers intact, making fermented foods naturally low in sugar and high in prebiotics, the food source of probiotics
  • As the good bacteria consume the sugars, they rapidly multiply, making fermented foods a great natural source of probiotics! What are probiotics? Well, they’re the healthy bacteria in your pet's digestive tract! Probiotics are responsible for helping your pet break down their food, absorbing vitamins and minerals, and supporting the immune system.
  • Fermentation also helps to break down antinutrients, compounds naturally found in plant matter that make it harder to digest and utilize nutrients. Carnivores have an especially hard time with antinutrients because of their short digestive tract, and fermentation is a great way to combat this issue!
  • If that's not enough, not only is it proven to greatly increase the levels of certain vitamins and minerals already present in foods (calcium, manganese, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin K), but it can create B vitamins not previously present! 

How do I add fermented foods to my pet’s diet?

After learning all the exciting benefits of fermented foods, you may ask yourself: How do I get these into my pet's diet?? Well, at Steve’s Real Food, we were asking ourselves that very same question! Have you ever tried to get your cat to drink Kombucha? Not gonna happen.

So we came up with a simple solution, a highly palatable treat that incorporates 20% fermented foods!

Protein Bites: freeze-dried treats with a purpose

Introducing our newest product at Steve’s Real Food, Protein Bites! This new line of shelf-stable freeze-dried treats will be the perfect solution for getting fermented foods into your pet's diet easily. 80% pasture-raised meat keeps these treats palatable and biologically appropriate for our carnivorous companions while 20% fermented fruits, vegetables, herbs, and botanicals pack a nutrient-dense punch!

To bring these treats to life, we’ve partnered with Gussy’s Gut, an amazing supplement company based in Colorado that specializes in wild fermentation. Created under the advisement of veterinary surgeon Dr.Ian Billinghurst, the “Father of Raw” food movement, Gussy’s Gut’s fermentation process uses the good bacteria and yeasts naturally found in raw fruits and vegetables to ferment the plant matter naturally. By not relying on added bacteria to begin our fermentation process, our one-of-a-kind treats have a different and more diverse profile of probiotics.

With their digestive system making up over 70% of our pets' immune systems, one of the absolute best things we can do for their health and longevity is to prioritize gut health! What better way than adding Protein Bites to their diet?

Look for Protein Bites at your favorite Steve's Real Food store. Click here to find a location near you.

https://gussysgut.com/

Tips for a Safe Thanksgiving for Your Dog and Cat

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and of course, lots and lots of food. While you're looking forward to enjoying turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, it's important to remember your furry friends' needs too. Thanksgiving is the #1 day of the entire year for emergency vet visits. Here are a few tips to remember this Thanksgiving to ensure your pets have a happy and safe holiday.

Make a Plan for Your Pet Before Thanksgiving 

If you are hosting or attending Thanksgiving events, it's a great idea to think of obstacles regarding your pets and prepare for anticipated scenarios. 

A few ideas for making your plan:

  • Take your dog for a walk, play fetch, or partake in other physical activities before Thanksgiving events to encourage a calmer, more relaxed dog
  • Feed your dog before Thanksgiving events, so they are full and less likely to seek out food scraps
  • Keep your pet in another room or their crate during peak times, such as when everyone is arriving or sitting down for dinner, to keep pets away from unsafe foods and kids who may not know how or aren’t old enough to be gentle to a dog. 
  • Don't leave dogs in the backyard all night. It can get quite cold in certain regions in November, so leaving pets outside for extended periods is not recommended. 
  • Let your guests know in advance that you have pets so they can take necessary precautions, such as keeping their food out of reach, keeping the front door closed, etc.
  • Consider a calming aid such as CBD oil if you have a pet who is anxious around strangers.

Keep Pets Out of the Kitchen 

The kitchen can be hazardous, with all the hustle and bustle of preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Dogs can get under your feet and eat unsafe foods dropped on the floor or sneak something from the trash while nobody is looking. Cats can counter-surf while you are trying to cook and eat something unsafe or even step on hot surfaces. 

Don't Feed Pets Table Scraps from the Thanksgiving Feast

We all know how tempting it is to share your food when a pup gives you those big, pleading eyes while you are eating - but resist the urge! Thanksgiving table scraps are often high in fat, sugar, and salt, which can be dangerous for pets. 

Here are a few Thanksgiving foods the ASPCA recommends avoiding giving to your dog or cat:

  • Turkey bones and skin: while plain, uncooked turkey can be an excellent protein choice, Thanksgiving turkey should be avoided. The cooked turkey bones can pose a threat of splintering and causing internal damage or even causing blockages if swallowed whole. The string that is used to tress the turkey can be swallowed and require surgical removal. Turkey skin is very high in fat and could stress the pancreas.
  • Cranberry sauce: while plain cranberries can be good for a dog, cranberry sauce can contain the sweetener xylitol, which is toxic to pets.
  • Alcohol: Giving alcohol to animals is never a good idea. Alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and even coma or death in severe cases.
  • Fatty or greasy foods such as gravy, bacon, butter, meat drippings, etc. are not toxic; however, they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, and in worse cases, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or other GI issues.
  • Chocolate or baked goods such as pie can pose health risks for pets - as little as 0.5 oz of certain chocolate can cause poisoning. Chocolate contains the toxin theobromine and caffeine, which can cause your dog’s heart to race too quickly.

Some safe Thanksgiving foods for dogs include:

  • Plain carrots or green beans
  • Cooked, plain sweet potato
  • Apples - no core or seeds
  • Plain or canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
  • Turkey’s gizzards - neck (uncooked), heart, liver

Remember to give these foods in moderation or stick to their regular raw dog food.

 

Following these simple tips can help ensure that your pets have a happy and safe holiday. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Join Steve's Real Food at the Raw Dog Food Summit: Oct 7-9

Just as processed food has contributed to human health issues, processed pet foods are doing the same for our beloved dogs. Chronic conditions such as cancer, obesity, allergies, and diabetes in dogs today are skyrocketing.

The big question then becomes, well, what can we do about it? Just like with humans, the solution is a natural, species-appropriate diet.

Reducing Our Carbon Pawprint

As a pet parent, you want to provide your furry friend with the best possible food, but what does that mean for the environment? With growing numbers of people and pet populations, our earth’s natural resources are dwindling. By making environmentally responsible choices, we can reduce our impact on the planet while providing cats and dogs with nutritious meals they love. ​​

Feeding Picky Cats, Food Rotation & Introducing New Foods

You’re at your local independent pet retailer to pick up cat food. These days you don’t bother with dry kibble and speed past it straight to the canned food, nothing but the best for your kitty (you’ve heard great things about raw, maybe next time). A new canned food catches your eye and even though it’s a little more expensive than you’re used to, you spring for a few cans in various flavors like “beef wellington” and “chicken a la king” because your cat is going to LOVE it!

The Difference in Nutritional Requirements for Cats and Dogs

It’s undeniable; dogs and cats have captured the hearts of millions. Whether you pair ‘em together or think of them as opposites, the two undoubtedly go hand in hand. Or do they? Even though they have many similarities, they have less in common than one might realize. That’s because many of their differences are hiding beneath the surface and these differences impact many things. Today, we’re going to highlight nutritional requirements for cats and dogs. Understanding nutritional differences allow us to make better choices when deciding what to feed our pets. This is important because, despite their differences, their whole health is what matters - inside and out.