Specially for Rossi Gal

Rossi gal's New Tellington TTouch Harness

2012-02-01T13:54:00.005+08:00

On the recommendation of my fren, I placed the order for the 'Tellington TTouch Harness' for Rossi gal. At the same time, I was also looking to get a new harness for her.

After my fren got the TTouch harness for her dogs, I got the chance to borrow hers and try it on Rossi gal. It fitted her nicely and she seemed comfy wearing it. Thus, I decided to get it for her too.

I ordered the harness before the Chinese New Year. And it arrived yesterday afternoon in my mailbox after about 10 business days.

So what is so special about this TTouch harness?

Based on the webby, 'TTouch works on the nervous system, helping to improve mental, physical and emotional balance and bringing in turn an enhanced ability to learn and co-operate by opening new channels of communication.'
http://www.xtradog.com/shop/harnesses/ttouch-harness.html

A look at the TTouch harness. I like the contrasting colour combination of red and black...

Rossi gal with the harness. Front view...

Rossi gal with the harness. Side view...

The harness suits her well. It fits her snugly and the contrasting red-black design complements her nicely too.

A Walk in the City: 1 Fullerton & Marina Bay

2012-01-30T16:28:00.003+08:00

Daddy had been wanting to bring Rossi gal to the Merlion, but the snooze monster had been stopping us from doing so. Late nights combined with early mornings doesnt go too well together for us (especially me), I guess. I'm always the last one to sail to La La land.

Finally, Daddy decided to engage the help of the trusty alarm clock. It worked wonderfully. We woke up at 6am on a cool Sunday morning and were outta the house by 6.30am.

On our way to 1 Fullerton, where the Merlion resides...

The sunrise illuminating the surroundings, what a lovely sight...

It's Daylight. Rise and Shine. Couldnt resist taking a shot of her with the mega-sized 'Durian'...

At 1 Fullerton...

Finally, at the Merlion... :D

After visiting the Merlion, we walked back to Marina Bay...

Resting our feet & taking in the sights by the Singapore River...

We had a long long walk here. It was pretty tiring, but we enjoyed our morning in the city.

A Peek into Our Freezer

2012-01-25T16:43:00.001+08:00

Here's a peek into our freezer, shared between Rossi gal & us. :>

Upper deck: The left half with ziplog bags are Rossi gal's meats. The other half with the 'unhealthy' stuff in sight, yes, it's ours...quick meals with a ding :x and a few packs of our meats (for cooking) stashed beside & behind the quick meals.

Lower deck: More bags of her meats & raw meaty bones, with 2 boxes on the left containing liver and kidney respectively. She eats her organs frozen . I freeze her organs in bite sizes in these boxes and feed them like treats on alternate days.

Below shows the side compartment of the freezer, which also functions as the freezer door.

Upper compartment: Our stuff. Herbs and such.

Lower compartment: Her stuff. From left to right, the first 4 bags contain her organs & the 5th bag is another one of her meats.

On Henderson Waves

2012-01-24T14:50:00.009+08:00

We were at Mount Faber early this month. Over the weekend, we explored another area that is just a stone's throw away from Mount Faber. This time, we set foot on Henderson Waves.

Henderson Waves is the highest pedestrain bridge in Singapore. It is built to connect Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park.

My cheery Rossi gal on Henderson Waves.

The scenery from the bridge.

That's how high the bridge is.

Views of the Henderson Wave Bridge.

Rossi gal is 3 Years Old!

2012-01-11T13:52:00.000+08:00

Rossi gal turns 3 today. She has brought lotsa joy and warmth to our little family. She is daddy & mummy's precious little gem.

Happy Birthday to you, our little gem. May you stay happy, playful, energetic, young at heart and healthy always. We look forward to celebrate many many more birthdays with you.

We had a little celebration with our bright & cheery gal in the comfort of our little home, together with her pair of angry bird frens. :>

"It's my Birthday!"

"Daddy, Mummy, can we blow out the candle faster?
Me wanna eat my 'cake'!"

Idea by Mummy and Done up by Daddy.

"Finally I can eat my 'cake'...Nom Nom Nom."

Rossi gal in Clubpets Magazine

2012-01-10T10:30:00.004+08:00

As I flipped through the latest issue (No.42 Dec to Mar 2012) of the clubpets magazine last night, I was both surprised and delighted to see Rossi gal & her angry bird appear in the 'clubpics' section. :>

I sent in the photo via email to clubpets for the fun of it, when I came across a notice that they were looking for photos of smiling dogs. The theme was, 'Get your Dog to Smile'. I didnt expect it to appear in the magazine, but I'm really happy that it did. :>

I took this photo when she saw the angry bird for the first time. (Daddy bought it for her.) She is always happy to have new toys. And I thought her happy face Vs the bird's angry face looked kinda cute too.

In a way, it is sorta like a 'birthday pressie' for her, as her birthday falls on January, which also means her birthday post is coming up very soon. :D

Walking on Mount Faber

2012-01-08T14:27:00.008+08:00

Daddy took us to Mount Faber yesterday. Rossi gal's first time there, though not Daddy & Mummy's.

This was the place, where daddy & mummy went for a drink when they met each other for the first time. That was years back. For them, it was like a walk down the memory lane, while for Rossi gal, it was a new place to explore.

Empty cable cars were displayed along the path.

We couldnt resist taking a shot of Rossi gal in one of them. ;p

Directional signs.

The path ahead, under the sheltered walkway.

Rossi gal walking against the backdrop of the greenery.

We stopped by to appreciate the view from the top. Cable cars were seen sliding to and fro over the sea & lush greenery. What a view.

We passed by 'The Jewel Box', located on the other side of the road.

Ending off with this interesting advisory that was put up along the path. We came across quite a few of this along the way.

Sweet Reminiscence

2012-01-05T13:12:00.017+08:00

It's the start of a brand new year & my first blog post for the year.

Looking back, I have been blogging for more than 2 years. Coming March, it will be exactly 3 years. It has been a lovely experience, sharing & documenting various aspects of Rossi gal's life, like her diet, health and our life together.

As daddy flipped through Rossi gal's blog, he told me that it was right to start this blog for her. He was the one who encouraged me to do it. And I'm glad I did. I do feel a sense of accomplishment at times, when I look at her blog.

This is a special place to me, daddy and Rossi gal. And this place is created specially for her. I hope to keep it going on, just for her.

I would like to end off this post by sharing a sweet memory of my Rossi gal.

This is our collection of Rossi gal's puppy teeth. We have been keeping them in one of the glass cabinets in our living room for as long as she is with us.

One day, Daddy just popped the container out and asked me, still remember this? Of course, I do! :>

Her first tooth fell out when she & daddy were getting a little rough while playing 'boxing'. Daddy accidentally knocked the side of her cheek and there, her very first tooth landed on the floor. From then onwards, we continued to add on to our collection of her teeth.

During that time, everyday, me & daddy will scrutinize every area Rossi gal set her paws & feet on; like the floor, sofa, bed & toys, just to collect her teeth. Whenever the sole of our feet touched something hard, we would quickly flip it over to see if it's her teeth. We wanted to collect as many as possible and didnt wanna miss out any of it (if we could).

Well, there should be more, but guessed she already 'processed' them in her tummy before we could get to them. LOL. It's our sweet memory.

Journey to Recovery: Missy, the Mini Poodle

2011-12-29T13:02:00.060+08:00

Thanks Quennie, for letting me share Missy's story. :)

I would like to share the story of Missy, the mini poodle and her journey to recovery here.

Through her story, I have witnessed once again, how the raw diet can benefit & improve a dog's health. The amazing effects of going raw. What more can I say? :)

Missy's owner has done wonderfully for her. She has never given up on Missy and seeked ways to help her. The best thing she has done for Missy is, giving her a raw diet. I'm so happy that Missy is doing well now and moving towards recovery. Way to go!

Missy's Story
In a nutshell: Missy was diagnosed with Demodectic Mange during November 2011. Conventional treatment was prescribed to her by the vet, but it did not seem to improve her condition. Eventually, her owner stopped the treatment. She put Missy on a raw diet. After a month on raw, Missy's condition saw significant improvement.

The full story: http://www.squidoo.com/missy-my-mini-poodle

Things We can Learn from a Dog

2011-12-27T11:10:00.004+08:00

We have so much to learn from our dogs.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in
your face to be pure ecstasy.

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.

Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

Take naps and stretch before rising.

Run, romp and play daily.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close
by and nuzzle them gently.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire
body.

No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the
guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.

Bond with your pack.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

By Authour Unknown

A mini Christmas Post

2011-12-25T17:22:00.003+08:00

Today is Christmas. It also signals the coming of a brand new year.

We would like to wish all our paw-frens and their paw-rents a Merry Merry Christmas & a delightful new year ahead.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who have dropped by to read our humble blog. Thank you.

A mini Christmas pressie for Rossi gal...

She needs a new brush. Thought it would be an appropriate pressie for her. :>

A Long Stroll (Part 2) - Marina Barrage

2011-12-20T17:22:00.000+08:00

*Continued from: A Long Stroll (Part 1)

We made our way over to 'Marina Barrage' on the other side of the Marina Reservoir.

Crossing the Marina Bridge, the 'link' to Marina Barrage.

The view from Marina Bridge.

At Marina Barrage.

Moving up the converging walkway.

Finally reached the top! Love this shot of Rossi gal.

The artistic looking structure located on top. (*It does look kinda artsy to me.)

As we explored further, we saw this interesting area, called 'Solar Park'.

On closer examination, the area is covered with rocks and lined with rows of solar panels. Marina Barrage makes use of electricity generated from these panels.

Time to make our way back!

Walking back to our car & heading home.

That's the story of our stroll.

I just feel contented that we can spend time together like this, as a family.
(How I wish we live near here too...)

A Long Stroll (Part 1) - Gardens by the Bay

2011-12-20T13:41:00.005+08:00

The second stop in our exploration was Punggol Waterway Park. We like this place. Rossi gal enjoyed herself running on the big sandy patch and chasing birds. For a relaxing morning walk, it's best to go there early to avoid the crowd. If not, do consider going for a cool night walk instead, it's fun too.

We have not taken Rossi gal out to walk at night yet. Well, we should really do so sometime. Hopefully, soon.

On Sunday, we moved on to our next destination. We had a long stroll here. This was perhaps the longest walk we had among all our walks.

'Gardens by the Bay', an area spanning 101 hectares and consisting of 3 parts; Bay Central, East and South.

Ready to go.

Taking in the garden sights.

During our walk here, we also spotted quite a few owners walking their dogs. We surmised they could be residents living nearby.

Having a short breaky on the bench.
She looked so cute here. LOL.

A long walk ahead.

What an amazing view overlooking the Marina Reservoir...
A view of the city's skyline with the eye-catching Singapore Flyer and the beautifully designed Marina Bay Sands standing out prominently.

The second part of our stroll involves the building on the other side.
Can you make out the name of the building?

To be continued: A Long Stroll (Part 2)

An Update: Before & After

2011-12-15T12:16:00.001+08:00

An update:

Before

This picture is taken in year 2009. During this time, she had Demodectic Mange / Demodex and was still on kibbles. Evidently, eating kibbles did not help her one bit.

After

This picture is taken in Dec 2011. At this time, she has been on raw for 1½ years. This is my Rossi gal now.

The previous post: Pictures of Rossi gal - Before & After Raw

Natural Healing Shampoo

2011-12-12T14:55:00.003+08:00

Rossi gal has been using this herbal shampoo for some time. It contains organic ingredients and smells really nice too. After bathing her, the smell would linger on her for days. It is a pretty good shampoo.

As I dun bathe her often, the shampoo took a long time to finish up. Finally, after bathing her over the weekend, I'm left with 1/4 of the shampoo.

Then I came to know my fren was letting go of her shampoo, as she bought an extra bottle for her dogs. Her shampoo looks really good. It contains organic ingredients as well. And the best thing is, both pets and their humans can use it, which means Rossi gal, me and daddy can use it. That's great. I got the shampoo from her.

Rossi gal's new shampoo...

For both humans and pets...

The ingredients...

Exporing Punggol Waterway Park

2011-12-10T15:05:00.003+08:00

We woke up at 6.30am this morning. It was kinda early for us and we had some problem waking up. We usually go for our weekend walks at around 8+am. But as we wanted to explore a new place at a less 'crowded' time, we had to be up earlier than usual.

Our next stop after Labrador Nature Reserve, was 'Punggol Waterway Park'.

I got to know this place from my rawbie fren. She took her dogs there for a night walk and they enjoyed their time there. I told daddy about it and he decided to take us there this morning.

We reached Punggol Waterway at 7am. It was a cool morning. Nice weather for some workout.

Rossi gal was so excited seeing the sandy area and wasted no time in setting her paw & foot prints into the sand.

Our exploration continued.

We saw several millipedes of different sizes during our exploration. Interesting sight.

Rossi gal got to know some new frens during our exploration. They are a family of Whippets, daddy, mummy and son. Their owner is a friendly lady. Like us, they were exploring the place too.

We spent 1 & a half hours exploring around. As we were leaving, the crowd was slowly building up.

It's a pretty nice place to walk and we would definitely be back again.
*Mentally registers Punggol Waterway into our current list of hangouts.

Sailed off to La La land...

A short Food Rant

2011-12-09T10:01:00.034+08:00

I realise many individuals are bent on feeding their dogs pet food. They are convinced that pet food provide the most balanced and optimal nutrition for their dogs. The marketing done by the pet food industry is indeed successful.

However, they do not understand the negative effects that pet food could have on their dogs. Outwardly, the dog might seem ok on the food, but inwardly, the dog could be deteriorating. By the time, the owner realises something is wrong with his/her dog, it might be too late.

This is an insightful video about pet food. It's a 40+ minutes video, abit lengthy, but definitely worth a watch. If you are feeding pet food, I do urge you to watch it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IopTd7aC4sM&feature=share

I have also been reading untrue & ridiculous stuff on raw written by individuals, who are not even raw feeders and dun understand what raw is about. They have no right to comment on something they do not understand and have no experience with. I think they should just shut it.

Some time back, someone feeding commercial pre-made raw, tried to educate me on the dangers of feeding raw chicken bones. Well, one who feeds commercial pre-made raw (& idolizes vets) is not qualified to teach me about raw. Commercial pre-made raw and DIY raw (Barf & Prey model) are very different. FYI: Rossi gal is on DIY raw. This someone should shut it too. I would suggest this someone read up, get the facts right and stop talking nonsense.

First Online Meat Order

2011-12-08T09:33:00.001+08:00

It's my first online meat order. It was delivered to my doorstep last evening.
Great service! ;p

I was getting organic pork for Rossi gal from another shop, but noticed their supplies were running low. Then I came to know from my fellow rawbie fren that this particular online store was selling pork without antibiotics & hormones. I was keen and wasted no time in checking it out.

From the description and pictures, the pork looked pretty good. As my freezer was still quite packed with Rossi gal's meats, I decided to wait till more of the meats cleared out before I order the pork in.

Last week, I saw available space in the freezer. Thus, I placed my order.

The stash

Natural pork tenderloin
(without antibiotics & growth hormones)

Natural pork sabu sabu

Got a pack of eberly wings too.

'Please Give me a Treat'

2011-12-07T15:16:00.011+08:00

Rossi gal: 'Please give me a treat.'

(Mummy tried to avoid her eyes.)

Rossi gal: 'A treat plsss...'

Mummy: 'No'.

(Rossi gal continued to gaze at Mummy.)

Mummy: 'Ask Daddy.'

(Daddy heard it and looked at Rossi gal.)

Daddy: '1 only.'

(Mummy turned to Rossi gal.)

Mummy: 'Come.'

(She lept to her feet and followed close behind mummy happily to the fridge.)

(Mummy gave her a treat from the box.)

(She held the treat in her mouth and jumped up the sofa.)

Rossi gal: 'Nom Nom Nom.'

Necessary Evil

2011-12-04T16:09:00.000+08:00

Vets are a Necessary Evil.

Necessary: We go to vets when our dogs need medical attention. Logically, they should be the ones we could trust for our dogs' health. However, this does not seem to be the case.

Evil: Vets are also the ones who suggest/prescribe all sorts of evil for our dogs...Tick & Flea spot-ons, Heartworm meds, Deworming meds, Steriods, Annual vaccinations, Pet foods and the like. All these can compromise and damage our dogs' health in the long run.

Thus, Necessary Evil.

A Morning at Labrador Nature Reserve

2011-11-29T19:17:00.000+08:00

During the weekend, Daddy and I took Rossi gal to a new place for her walk. He wanted to explore some new places for her walk other than our usual hangouts, Pasir Ris and Seletar. Labrador was our first stop. So off we went!

Coincidentally, it was also one of the venues, where daddy and I had our wedding photos taken. Memories...

More pics...

Setting foot for the first time.

'Dragon's Teeth Gate', wonders what it is.

'Fishermen' spotted in the background.

A sandy area, Rossi gal's favorite.

She loves sandy places.
Once off the leash, she did her mad dashes round & round.

A huge cruise ship, 'Star Virgo' passing by.

Another 'fisherman' in sight.

A panting, happy gal posing for her picture.

Nice scenery.
Just thout to end off my post with it. ;p

Her 'Unglam' Moments

2011-11-04T10:28:00.041+08:00

'Take me...'

'Mmmm...yummy treats...me want them all...'

'Planker-wannabe'

'Her one-leg kick'
(*Caught: daddy's lame attempt at imitating her 'kick'. LOL ;D)

Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

2011-10-25T11:26:00.012+08:00

During the weekend, I got a jar of Extra virgin organic coconut oil for Rossi gal, on the recommendation of my fellow rawster fren.

Raw 100% Organic

There are several benefits to giving our furkids coconut oil both internally and externally. Just to name a few; Internally, it helps to improve skin & coat health, prevent /alleviate symptoms of arthritis and improve digestion. Externally, it is a good skin moisturizer and helps to improve skin & coat condition. When applied topically, it can disinfect cuts and promote wound healing. (*Note: Please choose to give unrefined or 'virgin' coconut oil, as it is made from fresh coconuts and retains most of the nutrients found in them.)

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/coconut-oil-benefits.html#1
http://www.cocotherapy.com/wdj_coconut_oil_article.pdf

I love the bottom line that says, 'Raw life-energy'.

The coconut oil has a refreshingly nice scent (at least, to me). I like it. It reminds me of the coconut candy that I used to eat when I was younger. Like Mummy, Rossi gal likes the coconut scent too. Last night, I splashed some oil into her meal. She kept smelling and licking her bowl after she finished her 'coconut-flavoured' raw lamb dinner. :>

The oil liquifies at room temperature.

A while later, I applied the oil topically on various parts of her body. She smelled like coconut candy for the rest of the night, while My hands smelled like coconut after applying the oil on her. Nicee...*dances round the coffee table to a catchy tune*

However, there are those who might find the smell a tad too strong for their senses. Daddy didnt take to the smell too well and found it kinda over-powering for him. Oh well...he gota get used to it. The coconut oil would be a new addition to her routine.

The Turmeric Remedy

2011-10-23T12:37:00.009+08:00

Recently, I noticed a protruding bump on the side of Rossi gal's vulva. For a few days, it was there. I tried cleaning it and applying some cream on it, but it didnt go away. I thought it looked like a cyst of some sort. It also seemed strange that it grew on such an awkward place; her vulva. @_@

The bump on her vulva, discovered on monday, 10 Oct '11.

Instead of rushing her to the vet immediately (as I know some would), I decided to monitor the bump for a while and do some reading up to learn more about cysts.

In the process of doing so, I came to learn about the use of turmeric as a cyst remedy in the Earth Clinic webby. I read about the experiences shared by owners, whose dogs have cysts that have seen improvements and good results when they added turmeric to their food on a daily basis for a period of time. Afterwhich, they continued their dogs on a maintenance dosage when their cysts have healed.

http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/turmeric.html

I decided to give the turmeric remedy a shot. Anyway, I have been putting a small dash of turmeric to Rossi gal' meals every now and then. All I have to do is increase the dosage of turmeric and add it her food daily.

I began adding 1/8 tsp of turmeric to her food everyday, starting from Friday,
14 Oct' 11.

In a week's time, on the night of Thursday, 20 Oct' 11,
the bump was spotted with Pus and it 'burst' later that night.

This was taken on the next morning, Friday, 21 Oct' 11,
the bump had subsided significantly.

The latest picture that is taken this morning, Sunday, 23 Oct' 11,
the bump is healing nicely.

Turmeric has worked well for Rossi gal's bump. It took some time and some patience for the remedy to take effect, but it's worth the wait. :>

I will definitely be continuing her on turmeric. For Rossi gal, it is a must-have in her diet, not just because it helped in healing her bump, but also for its beneficial properties. Organic turmeric powder

Sidetrack:

I'm not one who goes running to the vet straightaway for every single thing under the sun, for eg.diarrhea, vomitting or constipation.

I do not consult vets for nutritional advice, as I do not think they are the best people to seek advice from, for some reason. I do not think they could advise me too.

I know my Rossi gal best and I can take care of her nutritional needs. I am her best nutritionist.

I do not believe every meal I give must be 'Balanced'. I believe balance in the diet is achieved over time. I do think the word, 'Balance' is over-emphasized by some. To me, 'Balance' is a concept instilled by the pet food industry, which I used to believe in, but Not anymore. Seriously, do we ourselves achieve 'Balance' in each and every meal we eat? Something to think about.

I couldnt stand those who hang on to every word that comes out from their vet's mouth like their lives depended on it. @x@ Zzzzzz.....

I do not believe in rushing my gal to the vet in the middle of the night just cos she had some diarrhea or vomitting, which could probably be resolved at home.

A couple of months back, Rossi gal had diarrhea that lasted more than a week, to be exact, two weeks. I didnt rush her to the vet like a crazy fellow. Instead, I monitored her condition and resolved her issue naturally. An episode of tummy upset

However, I'm not saying, not to go to the vet when it is absolutely necessary. What I'm saying is, I do not believe in going to the vet blindly for just about anything and everything. Instead, I would practise my common sense and discernment on whether a trip to the vet is warranted.

A vet clinic is not a place where I wanna step into for no good reason. It's not a playground for having fun or socialization.

That's all I'm gonna say. :P

A Ranting Furry Post

2011-10-14T11:40:00.009+08:00

Call it an obssession...Call it a craze.

Whenever I see pictures of furballs or live furballs appearing before me, I go crazy. I wish my Rossi gal is a furball too...but too bad, she is not.

Since young, she dun have much furs. Guess its in her genes.

On raw, her furs did grow out, but never to the extent of a lush mane.

Sigghhzzz....

Dogs on crap diets can have so much furs. (till no shirt can fit)

I give Rossi gal the best diet I could.

Why can't my Rossi gal have more furs?

Its So unfair.

I dun ask for a lion-mane sort of lushness.

Just more of it.

Is that too much to ask for???

Sighzzzz....

Frozen Organs

2011-09-30T10:45:00.018+08:00

Rossi gal dun like her organs (liver & kidney). Not sure why. I guess it could be due to the organs' texture or she dun like the smell. She is not a fussy eater and eats just about everything...with the exception of organs.

Actually, she is not the only one. I have heard of other furkids who dislike eating organs. There are some who like kidneys, but dislike liver or vice versa. Then there are also those who like eating both. Well, like us, they have their preferences too.

Whenever I include organs into her meals, she would either eat them up grudgingly with some coaxing or leave them out completely. When she does the latter, I would proceed to pick up those slices of organs, open her mouth and shove them down.

This is a method I picked up from an overseas raw feeding forum, for those furkids who dun like to eat organs. I must say this is a fast and effective method. No fuss, No hassle. Just shove it down and close her mouth, that's it. I have been doing this for quite a while too.

Lately, I come to learn of another method in the same raw forum and decide to try it out. That is, feeding organs in the frozen state. I read that this is another good way to feed organs to furkids who dun like organs. There are some fellow raw feeders who shared that this method works well too.

Left: lamb kidney, Right: organic pig liver,
sliced up into treat sizes.

Each container is topped with a lid for freezing.

Frozen organs

*Though the shoving method works well, I still hope she could eat her organs willingly (and it would be great, if she could enjoy doing so too). That's why I decide to try out the frozen method.

The first time I took one of these boxes out, she was actually quite excited and waited by my side expectantly. She must have thought they were treats. Well, she isnt wrong. I wanted to give these organ bits to her like treats.

For a start, I removed a frozen piece from the box, placed it on my palm and handed it to her. She gobbled up. Then I took another piece and gave her, she gobbled it up too. For the next few days, I continued feeding her organs this way, same, she gobbled them all up just like treats.

The frozen way works wonderfully for her. :) She likes her organs frozen. I will continue feeding her this way.

World Animal Day 2011

2011-09-26T11:37:00.005+08:00

Daddy and Mummy took Rossi gal to the World Anmial Day event by SPCA on Sunday, 25 Sept' 2011. It's been a long while since we took her to such events, so we thought of bringing her to this one.

We reached there at around 10 am. It was a really hot day. Rossi gal was panting alot. We made sure she drank sufficient water to remain hydrated. At the same time, we ourselves were feeling the heat too.

There was an agility area set up for the agility competitions, which would take place at a later time.

Various stuffs, ranging from pet foods to accessories were being sold.

There were write-ups and talks to create awareness of animal cruelty too.

Rossi gal was getting restless and wanted Daddy to carry her. We too needed a rest, so we went over to a nearby bench and sat ourselves down. Our inquisitive gal continued to watch the action taking place from where she was.

What a hot hot morning! When we got home, all three of us were feeling the after-effects of the heat. Daddy and Rossi gal wasted no time in cuddling together for a much-needed nap, while Mummy simply relaxed on the sofa and watched TV, for the rest of the day.

That's how we spent our Sunday.

Fun with Birds

2011-09-19T10:51:00.000+08:00

Now you see them...

Now, you don't...

Rossi gal hot on their trail...

But they escaped...

No more birds to play with.

Her Favorite Sleeping Position

2011-09-16T10:44:00.000+08:00

The Bagging Up

2011-09-11T09:11:00.001+08:00

The meats and RMBs from the mini spree has thawed sufficiently for my processing.

Usually, I do not thaw out the raw meats and RMBs completely. When they are thawed to a semi-frozen state and 'soft' enough for me to slice through / separate them, I will begin to work on them (slice the meats, separate the pieces of RMB individually), followed by weighing (for sliced meats) and bagging them up into individual portions.

Bagging up

Sliced Lamb & Pork meats weighed, bagged and segregated
into their respective cuts - fillet, tenderloin, rump and shoulder.

Chicken drums (left) & wings (right) bagged+labelled respectively.

The bags of meats are then put into ziplog bags and into the freezer.

The drums and wings also are placed into ziplog bags, then into the freezer.

I personally find that when the raw meats are fully thawed, they tend to become very 'soft'. For me, slicing through fully thawed meats is not as smooth and easy. It also becomes more messy during slicing, as there would be more blood from the meats.

With semi-frozen meats, I find the process of slicing easier and smoother due to the semi-solid state of the meats. It is also less messy, with lesser blood.

A Mini Raw Spree

2011-09-10T15:16:00.005+08:00

This morning, after a walk & run at our usual hangout, Daddy, Mummy and Rossi gal set out for a mini raw spree together. It's time to stock up on some raw meats & RMBs for Rossi gal.

Rossi gal happily on the driver seat

As usual, Daddy and Rossi gal waited in the car, while Mummy went for the spree. At the end of her shopping, she carried out three bags of stuff.
These were the stuff she got.

'Organic rosie chicken drums & wings'

Clockwise: Organic lamb tenderloin, lamb casserole fillet,
lamb shoulder & lamb rump of heart

Organic pork tenderloin

As they are all frozen meats, she gota wait for them to thaw out in the fridge before she could process them. For the meats, she gota slice them up and bag them into meal portions for freezing. Then for the drums and wings, she will separate them into individual pieces to be bagged and freezed.

She had also wanted to get a whole organic rosie chicken and chop it up into parts for Rossi gal's RMB sessions. However, there was no stock. She had heard from her fellow rawbie fren that it was outta stock, but she was hoping stock might be in today. Never mind, she will get it next time.

For now, Rossi gal has enough stuff to munch on till Mummy's next spree. :p

Her Raw Meaty Bones

2011-09-05T10:39:00.022+08:00

Rossi gal loves her Raw Meaty Bones (RMB) and looks forward to her daily RMB session with anticipation and delight. Whenever I lay out her favorite Forever Friends' rubber mat before her, she will hop right onto it and station herself there to wait for her bone.

Her main sources of RMB are from chicken and lamb. They make up most of her calcium intake. I also top up this intake with a sprinkling of eggshell powder, which I grind myself, over her boneless meals. (Eggshell powder is a souce of calcium too.)

Organic chicken drum

Anti-biotic & Hormone-Free chicken wings
(*This pic is taken last year, now she is on Organic chicken wings.)

Organic grass-fed lamb rack

Besides calcium, RMB also acts as her "toothbrush" for those sparkling pearlies. I used to brush her teeth with toothbrushes. I have used the finger-brush, the vet-formulated canine toothbrush and the baby toothbrush.

Well, I must say, these brushes are not as effective as the RMB. I didnt use to believe RMB works better than these brushes, until I personally witnessed the results in Rossi gal's pearlies from her regular RMB sessions. Yes, RMB, the 'nature toothbrush' is the best method to achieve those sparkling pearlies.

Raw Lamb is a good source of red meat. Rossi gal does very well on lamb. She also gets lamb RMB like lamb rack/cutlet a few times a week. As she cannot take raw beef due to our 'house-rule', I use mainly lamb as her red meat source, though I do include other red meats like venison, kangaroo and duck every now and then.

Gnawing a lamb rack

Raw chicken is a commonly used protein for raw feeding. It is a good source of meat and bones. Various parts of the chicken; the legs, wings, back, feet, organs, gizzards etc, can be consumed by our dogs.

Tackling a chicken drum bone

Rossi gal gets chicken RMBs about 3 times weekly. For chicken, I will give her both the bone and meat in the form of wings and drums. I feel this is more 'proportionate' for her, as she gets to eat both the meat and bone together. I'm also gonna include chicken back for her RMB sessions. Chicken bones are a soft and edible bone/calcium source. They are easily crunched through and suitable for consumption. I find them an ideal bone/calcium source for Rossi gal.

Working on a chicken wing

Raw bones are fine for dogs. Their bodies are made to process / digest raw meats and bones. On the other hand, cooked bones are brittle and can splinter easily, as cooking changes the composition of the bone. Thus, feeding cooked bones to dogs are dangerous and can cause harm to them. For eg. Contrary to what some think, raw chicken bones are actually fine for dogs. It is the cooked chicken bones that are harzadous to them.

Then when feeding RMB, it would be good to ensure the bone is covered with ample meat around it and to feed a big RMB to prevent dogs from gulping it down and to prevent choking. Most of the time, the cases of choking that I come across, are usually due to inappropriate feeding by the owners themselves, for eg. not feeding a big enough RMB for the dog work on.

If you know your dog is a gulper or afraid of your dog getting choked, then feed a big RMB that 'forces' the dog to work on it before swallowing. RMB is actually an important part of the dog's raw diet. It is sad that there are those who do not wanna feed RMB for fear of choking (and even discourages others from doing so.)

One just needs to ensure the RMB is fed appropriately, for eg. feed a big enough RMB, one that the dog is unable to gulp down without proper chewing & crunching and monitor the dog throughout the RMB session. Don't leave the dog to eat the RMB unsupervised.

Rossi gal used to be a gulper. I started off by holding on to the RMB in my hand for her. Eventually, when she has learnt to crunch her bones properly before swallowing, I begin to release the RMB to her and let her eat on her own.

Also, for RMB, I do not feed Rossi gal naked or dense raw bones too. I only feed her bones with meats wrapped around them (RMB) and bones that she can crunch through with ease, like chicken and lamb bones. (It is not advisable to feed naked or dense bones.)

Rabbit bones are another good bone/calcium source. They are soft and can be crunched through easily. I would have loved to include rabbit for her RMB sessions. But too bad, Rossi gal didnt like her rabbit RMBs as much as she did for her lamb & chicken RMBs, so I stopped getting rabbit for her.

Whole Rabbit with innards

Rabbit RMBs (Portioned out)

I have heard somewhere that raw chicken bones are not appropriate for feeding dogs. Well, I persist in my beliefs and I believe in what I have witnessed in Rossi gal. I will not simply accept/do anything I hear/read blindly. I believe one must exercise discernment. For over a year, Rossi gal has been eating bone-in chicken and doing wonderfully on them. Many raw feeders feed bone-in chicken to their dogs too. Their dogs are full of life's energy and thriving. Like the many raw feeders, I will continue to feed her bone-in chicken.

With this, I shall end off my blog post with the following links.

Are bones bad for dogs?
Raw Feeding FAQ (*There is a section that talks about chicken bones.)

Rossi gal and Her Angry Bird

2011-08-25T10:12:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, Daddy brought an angry bird home for Rossi gal. He has been looking to get one for her and finally found it.

Looks annoyed & cute at the same time

'Angry Bird' is one of his favorite games. For a while, I was also hooked on it. ;p

It has a tail too!

We got Rossi gal to pose for a photo with her cute bird fren (before she starts her usual tussle with it.)

Took us a while to get her to pose without attacking the bird

New Toys

2011-08-17T15:22:00.025+08:00

My darling daughter loves to play with toys. She swings and shakes them. She nibbles on them. She nudges me and daddy with them to engage us in a game of fetch or friendly tug-of-war.

Over the weekend, I ordered some toys for her. They arrived yesterday at my office.

She loves toys with 'handles'.

Grabs hold of them once they are within her grasp.

Clamps down on the biggest one.

Wrestles with it.

Within minutes, a brand new 'battered' toy. :X As usual.

Nearing 3 years of age, she is still as playful as ever. I hope she will stay the way she is, always. In her golden years, I hope she will still remain young at heart.

Organic Slippery Elm Bark Powder

2011-08-15T13:27:00.005+08:00

Recently, I have ordered some organic slippery elm bark powder. It arrived last Friday afternoon.

After reading about its uses for tummy-related issues and other inflammatory conditions in a herbs' book and online, I thought it would be useful to have it on hand. Not just for Rossi gal, but for me and her daddy as well.

Pic of Slippery Elm Bark Powder
(*from Mountain Rose Herbs webby)

Besides this, slippery elm is also a nutritive herb, with carbohydrates, protein, fat, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, calcium, and several trace minerals.

I personally find the article in this link on Slippery Elm for pets quite useful.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Slippery-Elm---Your-Pets-Best-Holistic-Friend&id=2207545

This link contains information on the uses of slippery elm for us.
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_slippery_elm.htm

An Episode of Tummy Upset

2011-08-10T16:11:00.011+08:00

Rossi gal had an episode of tummy upset lately. Loose, runny poo. She was also having some gas. I couldnt quite put a hand to the cause, for she was eating pretty much her usual stuff.

Maybe I overfed her? Maybe I went abit 'too far' on variety in a short space of time and its a bit too much for her tummy to take? Maybe this...Maybe that...Well, I can't really figure it out.

The wonderful thing was throughout, she remained her usual greedy and playful self. Her poo frequency and amount were pretty much the same, except the poo texture were a mixture of softness+runniness.

Her tummy upset lasted for more than a week, but I didnt think to bring her to the vet. Most likely, things like anti-diarrhoea meds, deworming meds and anti-biotics would be prescribed to her. I didnt like any of them at all and didnt think these meds were the solution to her tummy issue. I wanted her to heal with natural ways. Besides, as mentioned above, she was still acting normally.

Most vets would also likely attribute her tummy upset to raw and advise me against feeding her raw, followed by instructions to give her a bland diet of boiled chicken/egg and rice. And I will never think of feeding rice or any cooked stuff to her. To me, these are inappropriate foods. She is on raw. Her body is meant for digesting raw, not cooked foods.

Well, for one, I know raw is not the cause of her tummy issue, as in raw is not right for her or she shouldnt be eating raw (as vets would say), No. She has been on raw for more than a year and it has benefitted her health so much. I wouldnt blame raw or stop it simply cos of a tummy upset. Dogs on other types of diets can get tummy upsets too and they still stick to their same diet, ya.

Being raw fed doesn't mean nil issues or won't ever get sick. This is an unrealistic expectation. Raw is not some miracle diet. No diet is miracle for that matter.

So, what did I do for her tummy issue?

The very first thing I did was fast her. It was very difficult, cos she was always gazing at me with those pitiful eyes wanting food. But I had to do it for her sake. I fasted her for one meal, while giving her about half the usual portion for her next meal. I did this for about 3 days. (I could only manage a partial fast for her. A full fast is honestly too much for me and her to take.)

After that, I increased her bone content by giving her a bone meal in the morning and about half the usual portion for her second meal at nite. I'm hoping the added bone content can help in firming up her poo.

During this time, I also stopped giving her organs and removed all the fats and skin on the meats & bones. I only gave her lamb meat, lamb rack and chicken wings+drums.

Throughout the time, I also gave her manuka honey, followed by probiotics, then carbon pills (one by one in consecutive order. I went on to the next one when the previous one didnt work out.).

However, there seems to be little improvement. Though her poo seemed less runny, it was still loose+wet and she still had gas.

Up till this point, I was still racking my brains and busy contemplating on how I could help her. Then all of a sudden, I recalled a herbal remedy kept in her cabinet and thought it might do her tummy some good. I decided to give it a shot.

Parasite Dr. is the remedy. I have given it to Rossi gal a few times for its blood cleansing and digestive health supporting+balancing properties. During her switch to a raw, I have also given it to her and it helped in easing her into raw. (*I use it on an 'as-needed' basis. I dun use it regularly. The last time I used it, was during her switch to raw more than a year back.)

As per the Native Remedies webby, Parasite Dr. has these uses:

Cleanses and detoxifies the blood

Promotes digestive health and detoxification

Calms and soothes the digestive system

Supports correct balance of intestinal flora

Supports immune system functioning

I went ahead to administer Parasite Dr. on her, twice a day, with half a capsule of contents added and mixed with her food each time.

Just a couple of doses later, her gas went off and her poo began to take form and firm up. I was so happy! Finally, I saw signs that she was heading towards recovery. I continued her on it for the next 2-3 days...and she recovered. Thank God. :)

Her poo is nice and firm now. No more loose or runny poo. I also proceed to increase back her food quantity gradually.

My purpose of this post is to share about Rossi gal's tummy issue, my approach in helping her and how she recovered, as well as my personal beliefs/views.

Parasite Dr. works well for her, but it does not mean it will work the same for others. Every dog is different. Please do research to understand more before attempting anything.

What I did for her, might not be deemed acceptable. Some might feel I should have taken her to the vet. Some might feel I shouldnt be administering any sort of remedy on my own, be it natural or herbal. Some might feel there is a better way than what I have done. But whatever it is, it doesnt matter what anyone thinks. Most importantly, Rossi gal got well.

I persist in my own beliefs on what is best for her too, for I know her best.

Omega 3

2011-08-08T21:42:00.005+08:00

Omega 3 (O3) fatty acids are beneficial to our dogs, for their skin, coat, joints and heart, just to name a few. To me, O3 is essential for Rossi gal's diet. I include it into her diet mainly for the well-being of her skin and coat.

I have read of many pawrents, who give their furkids O3 in the form of fish oil, be it on a raw diet or other types of diet. For Rossi gal, I have been giving her O3 in the form of raw salmon. As I dun give her salmon often and the amount I give her each time is quite small, I have decided to get some fish oil to add on to her O3 intake.

Between fish oil and plant oil, I choose to go for fish oil, as it contain active EFAs (EPA and DHA) readily available to dogs.

More info on fish oil is available below.

Fish Oil & its health benefits for dogs

A Dog's Soul

2011-08-03T17:05:00.006+08:00

I would like to share this beautiful poem here. The words really touched my heart. I hope the words will also touch the heart of every soul who reads it.

I believe too, that in every dog, there is a precious, loving soul within.

Every dog must have a soul somewhere deep inside
Where all his hurts and grievances are buried with his pride.

Where he decides the good and bad, the wrong way from the right,
And where his judgement carefully is hidden from our sight.

A dog must have a secret place, where every thought abides,
A sort of close acquaintance that he trusts in and confides.

And when accused unjustly for himself, He cannot speak,
Rebuked, He finds within his soul, the comfort he must seek.

He will love, though he is unloved, and he will serve though badly used,
And one kind word will wipe away the times when he's abused.

Although his heart may break in two, his love will still be whole,
Because God gave to every dog an understanding Soul!

By Author Unknown

My 10 Raw Lessons

2011-07-31T19:07:00.005+08:00

Lesson 1:
Over the past 1 year of raw feeding, I have learnt that I really have to understand Rossi gal's needs and suit the diet to her needs, rather than what is deemed as 'correct' or 'logical'. Guidelines are just...guidelines. I have to be flexible when it comes to her needs. For eg, if she needs more food, I will just increase it for her. I dun wanna starve my baby.

Lesson 2:
Just as each of us is different from one another, the same goes for our dogs. Each one of them is a unique individual.

While one can have an iron-cast stomach that is able to handle a variety of meats very well, another is more sensitive and needs more time to adjust to it, so things just gota slow down a little.

As much as I want Rossi gal to be in the former, she actually falls under the latter group, the sensitive one.

Lesson 3:
Meat, bones & organs vs Meat, bones, organs & veggies.

In my humble opinion, both have their own set of benefits. Which one to go for, also depends on one's belief. But for me personally, the deciding factor is Rossi gal.

She has been given both, each one for an extended period of time. Based on her daddy's and my observation, we have come to the consensus that the former works best for her.

Lesson 4:
RMB (Raw Meaty Bones) is the answer to the sparkling pearlies seen in many raw fed dogs. Rossi gal has nice pearlies too. All thanks to her regular gnawing on her 'natural toothbrush'. :D It's a wonderful exercise for her jaws too.

A glimpse of Rossi gal's pearlies

Lesson 5:
Giving a big RMB 'encourages' the dog to work on it. It also helps to prevent gulping, as well as the much feared, choking.

Between the chicken drummie (left) and the lamb rack (right), Rossi gal takes a longer time to finish up the chicken drummie, as it is bigger and requires her to work on it more. For the lamb rack, she takes a shorter time to finish up, as it is much smaller.

She looks very satisfied each time she finishes her drummie too, another reason to give her a big meaty bone.

Lesson 6:

Variety is good for the diet. I want her to have variety. She does best on lamb, followed by pork. However, for introduction of new meats into her diet, I have to do it slowly, for eg. adding a couple of slices to her bowl each day, just to avoid upsetting her sensitive tummy.

Lesson 7:
Organs like heart, liver and kidney are a rich source of nutrition, and also an integral part of the diet.

I have read of raw fed dogs who could take a whole meal of organs, whereas there are also those who couldnt and are fed small amounts of organs over time instead.

Rossi gal, is again in the second group. If I give her too much organs at one time, she will experience *cannon butt, so I gota include small slices of organs into her meals over the days. I will also arrange to add in the organs either in between her RMB meals or on the day of her RMB meal itself, so that the bone content can help her handle the organs better and firm up her poo.

*A term I picked up from an overseas raw feeding forum that I frequent. I enjoy reading this forum. It's so open, relevant and informative...unlike some local forum. ;I

Lesson 8:
Recently, I learnt from my fellow rawbie friend that fats are needed for healthy maintenance (& growth) of their 'coat of glory'. Great info!

I read up abit more and found that fats are actually good for our dogs. It does not affect them in the same way it does to us, like cholestrol or heart disease. Fats are essential in their diet, for energy, skin and coat, among other things.

Rossi gal is able to tolerate the fats from lamb and bone-in chicken much better than other meats, so I will normally just leave on whatever fats there is, for her consumption. It's only when the fats seem to be too much, then I will trim some off. For other meats, I gota trim off most of the fats when I first introduce the meat. Then when she gets more used to the meat, I will start to leave some fats on.

Knowing the importance of fats, I wanna include more of it into her diet. But then again, too high a fat content can also cause her poo to loosen. Therefore, I gota do it slowly.

Lesson 9:
I love perfectly formed solid poops. I love them so much, I want to see them all the time. I always read about others going on about how perfect their raw fed dogs' poops are. But unfortunately, nothing is ever perfect in my world.

Rossi gal has her share of good poop days, as well as not-so-good ones, depending on what she eats for the day. For eg. organs tend to make her poop softer.

Well, I have my share of bad days too...as long she remains her usual playful and greedy self, it's all that matters.

Lesson 10:
Raw is not a miracle diet. I used to think it's a miracle diet when I first started on it, but eventually realised that it's actually not...~Bubble Burst~

Raw is a "Species Appropriate Diet." I believe our dogs are made to consume raw. Raw Benefits health, yes, I agree. Many dogs switched to raw gained benefits to their health.

Going raw benefitted Rossi gal's health too, especially her skin. I see it as the best diet for her, in terms of healthfulness.

I wanna Play!

2011-07-27T15:43:00.007+08:00

Rossi gal standing tall, with her paws perched on the baby gate and a ball held between her teeth, which she deliberately positioned over the top of the gate. She shook the ball to & fro repeatedly and made a series of small grunts, in an attempt to capture her daddy's attention.

I was entertaining her with fetch in the living room, while daddy was hanging the laundry in the kitchen. Apparently, my attention wasn't enough for her. She wanted daddy to join us in our fetch game too.

'I wanna Play!'

Daddy was unable to concentrate on his task at hand with her repeated urging. He couldnt resist her call for play. Looking at her eager little face and her cute antics, he couldnt bear to turn her down. Neither could I, if it's me she's calling for. Thus, he stopped what he was doing and came out to join us for a fun time of fetch.

This is a common sight in our home. Rossi gal loves to play and will always engage us in play. We will spend time to play with her daily, for a short while before going to work and for as long as she likes after getting home from work.

A bright & happy gal, cos both daddy & mummy played with her.

During the day when we are not around, she gets the whole house to herself (except the kitchen area) and sleeps her day away. On our off-days, we notice that she usually sleeps most of the time in the day, but when evening approaches, she will start to get active. She is already used to the daily routine of us going work, her staying at home and us coming back in the evening. :)

Ready to Zzz off after playing

On weekends and our off-days, we would take her out for her walk/run, which she enjoys very much too. We would love to take her out more often, if time permits. But due to our work, it's harder to arrange for it during the weekdays, especially when daddy has irregular working hours. So, we will play with her as much as she wants when we are back from work.

Am I a burden to you?

2011-07-25T15:57:00.000+08:00

"I'm sad to leave. I have been with you through all your ups and downs. I have stood by you faithfully. I really love you. What have I done wrong? I walk slower, tire more easily and not as energetic as before, but I'm still the same me, who lives with you all these years. Am I a burden to you? No one wants me, I know. I feel hopeless. What's there left for me? I feel so alone and scared. What will happen to me now? I have nowhere to go..."

Thank You!

2011-07-23T11:52:00.435+08:00

First and foremost, Me and Rossi gal would like to specially thank Le Paws Voyage for the Versatile and Inspirational awards to our humble blog. We feel very honoured. Thank you!

As the saying goes, 'Good things come in pairs'. Getting two of them double our happiness too! :D

With the Versatile award, we got to do 3 things,
1. Make a post and link it back to the person who gave us the award.
2. Share 7 facts about us.
3. Award 10 recently discovered bloggers with this award.

With the Inspirational award, similarly, we also got 3 things to do,
1. Thank the person who gave us the award, with a link back to them.
2. Link to 10 blogs we find inspirational and post.
3. Forward the award to those 10 blogs.

7 Facts about Us

Fact 1: Daddy was the one who suggested that I start a blog for Rossi gal. I thought it was a great suggestion, as I can record everything revolving around Rossi gal in it. I'm very glad I did the blog for her, cos on days when I back-track to read my earlier posts, they bring back fond memories of her younger days with us, especially puppy time. Time really flies. She is all grown up now.

Fact 2: Her name, Rossi, is given to her by Daddy. He named her after his all-time favorite biker, Valentino Rossi.

Fact 3: I used to be extremely terrified of dogs. All dogs, even small dogs like the Chihuahua. Due to my fear of dogs, I have also declared that no dog steps into my house, its either me or the dog...But looking at the way things turned out now, obviously, I gota eat back all my words...but I do so happily and willingly, for I can never imagine life without my Rossi gal.

Fact 4: Rossi gal's favorite food...her raw rosie chicken drummie.

Fact 5: I do not like kids coming near Rossi gal. Bad experiences. I do my best to prevent any kid from making contact with her. For instance, I will do a detour just to avoid areas with kids around.

Fact 6: Rossi gal is not on any form of prevention. She is not on tick & flea meds, heartworm meds, dewormer meds and annual vaccination schedule. I believe the first line of defence against parasites, infections and diseases is a good immune system and I work towards building up her immunity through her diet.

Fact 7: Rossi gal loves her ears and thinks they are very pretty.

Recipients of the Awards

As for the 10 blogs to pass on the awards to...well, we have less than that. We are sure there are many good blogs out there and will find the time to explore them. However, for now, we do hope it's ok for us to bend the rule a little for this particular one.

So, here it goes...

The Versatile and Inspirational awards go to these wonderful blogs:

❦Coffee & Baubles
I have been following this blog for the longest time. To me, the posts written here are bold and thought provoking, while at the same time, relevant and informative. I have learnt much from them too. This blogger's dedication and love for both her dogs can be felt evidently through her writings. On top of this, we are both raw feeders, which is another aspect that draws me even closer to her blog.

❦Happy Bark Days
Engaging, witty and light-hearted. Reading this blog is a refreshing and uplifiting experience. I enjoy reading all the stories this blogger has to tell about her cute little poodle, their life together and just about anything. I simply love her style of writing.

And also,

❦Le Paws Voyage
A delightful blog with very interesting posts, one that I will definitely continue to follow.

Random Ramblings

2011-07-14T13:44:00.087+08:00

A forum, to me, is a place for people with common interest/s to share/discuss their experiences, ideas, etc. However, I find much of the stuff being shared getting increasingly 'amusing', with some making little or literally no sense at all. What has become of the forums of late? Well, I guess it would be wise to be more discerning of every piece of 'expert' info made available.

Newbies are getting smarter too. When I was a newbie, I didnt know how to give advices. I only knew how to seek advices. I'm like a clueless newbie, soaking up info wherever it's available. Nowadays, newbies can give advices like seasoned owners. Wow...So Smart, So Impressive. Perhaps I can pick up a thing or two from them too, ya.

While my gal enjoys and finishes her food daily, some are struggling with theirs rejecting food and others are in the midst of a battle to make theirs eat their food, with bystanders cheering them on. In my heart, I'm thinking, dun they even have the slightest suspicion that their babies might be trying to tell them, something is wrong with the food? I guess not. For the struggles & battle continue, indefinitely. Poor babies.

And

Who knows my dog best? Vet, trainer or me? Hmm..vet? Hmm..trainer? Wrong! It's me. So, I decide what's best for my dog based on my understanding of her condition, and not simply based on what some vet or trainer tells me. My dog is mine, no one tells me what to do.

Words II

2011-07-14T10:45:00.010+08:00

"I live everyday to the fullest. I play hard. I run fast. I enjoy my days. When there is food, I eat as much as I can. Food is not to be wasted. Every mouthful is precious. I look forward to food. I love food. I must be fast enough to eat my food too, cos I'm not the only one eating. It would be nice to have more food, if possible."

By one, living where food is scarce, by the order of a delusionist.

1 Year on Raw & Counting

2011-07-08T13:14:00.021+08:00

Rossi gal has been on raw for a year (& counting). Looking back, it is amazing how raw has benefitted her health, especially her coat of furs.

During this time, I have also learnt an important lesson, and that is, I have to focus on her needs and suit her diet exclusively to what she needs.

Every one is different. What one does well on, does not necessarily mean another will do well too. Thus, I have to determine what Rossi gal really needs to thrive on. Also, since young, she has always been very sensitive and so, all the more, I have to take extra care when it comes to her diet.

There are those, who are sceptical of the raw diet, with some even against it, without even knowing or bothering to find out what the diet is all about.

On the other hand, there are also those, who have attempted raw, but when they encounter some setbacks or do not see what they hope for, they choose to give up. With this, they turn back to their previous diet (eg.kibbles), thinking that raw is not for them, when it could just probably be due to some lack of understanding or research.

To me, this is just sad, especially so for the latter group.

All in all, raw is the best I have ever done for my Rossi gal. I'm so very glad that I took the plunge a year back. If I had not taken this 'plunge of faith', I wonder what will become of her now. I'm very sure she will look & smell horrible now and I cannot bring myself to imagine the degree of her horrible-ness. @x@

If there is any regrets in going raw, yes, there is one regret I have.

I regret not going into raw right from the start. If only I have known better then...If only I have not been hoodwinked by commerical pet foods then...

But luckily for her, she is not too late.

Rossi gal, our precious baby, daddy and mummy are looking forward to more good years ahead with you. We love you.

Rossi gal's New 'Frens'

2011-07-04T20:48:00.000+08:00

Rossi gal's new 'frens' from Madagascar :D

First encounter with her 'frens'

'Socializing'

The Culprit

2011-06-28T12:10:00.010+08:00

The Shreds...
this is just a sample, the ones before this have been discarded.

The Damage...
after battling days of 'destruction'.

The Culprit...
none other than Her.

Dozing off...
as mummy nagged at her.

Sighzzz...

Rossi gal's Walk & the New Place

2011-06-26T18:11:00.004+08:00

Rossi gal had been doing her walk at Pasir Ris Park regularly eversince daddy and I started taking her out for exercise.

We do not like the idea of bringing her to dog runs, as we want to avoid areas that tend to have higher occurences of ticks & fleas. For the aspect on socialization, she does get to meet dogs during her walks. When she meets her other doggie frens (& their pawrents), she would readily hop over for a quick sniffing session, her way of saying 'hello', afterwhich she would continue her walk.

Strangely, she is not keen to play with other dogs, though she quite happily greets the dogs she meet during her walks.

We have brought her to the doggie cafe on several occasions, where there were other dogs playing around. We have tried to encourage her to mingle with them by letting her down to move around freely. However, she was reluctant to join them and preferred to stay by our side. Even when we went over to our fren's house with dogs or when they brought their dogs over to our house, she didnt want to mingle with them too.

It seems that she is only comfortable with greeting other doggies during walks, so we will just leave it as that. We just let her be. That's just her.

Yesterday, me, daddy and Rossi gal went to explore a new place. We wanted to try bringing her to a different (& nearer) place for her upcoming walks.

Here are some pics of the place we explored. It looks pretty fine. :)

"Wow, looks like a nice stretch to do my dash.
I'll be back soon with Daddy & Mummy!"

My Wish

2011-06-24T16:00:00.004+08:00

All I wish for Rossi gal is, Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Health...May she stay in good health through her years.

She looks pretty ok to me now, much better than before. I do hope I'm doing fine in maintaining her health though her diet. Diet is my main focus. I believe a proper diet is vital for maintaining good health. At the same time, I'm also doing my best to provide her with a good environment and regular exercise, accompanied by lotsa love, hugs & kisses (for emotional health). I hope she will stay healthy always, both physically and emotionally.

Wealth...May she have a wealth of pretty furs.

Her furs look prettier & fuller than before. They are nice & soft to the touch too. I love running my fingers through the pretty furs on her ears, her body and her tail. I brush her furs regularly as well, in hope they will stay pretty all the time.

Happiness...May all her days be overflowing with happiness.

She is a happy gal. I feel her joy. She is my cheery sunshine in the day and my sparkling moonlight at night. I hope she will stay joyful every single day of her life.

Last, but not Least, May the years be kind to her. I hope she will stay with me for a long long time, always..and beyond.

I hope that's not too much to ask for.

Natural Free Range Duck

2011-06-19T17:29:00.003+08:00

I have seen this duck a few times at the store and intended to get it for Rossi gal, but haven't got around to doing so. Then finally, yesterday, I popped by and grabbed one home.

Availability of freezer space is essential for storing all the raw meats, bones and organs for her diet. The freezer was still quite packed with her stuff then, so I waited for some of the meats to clear off before getting the duck.

Me & hubby share our freezer with Rossi gal. Our stuff, as well as hers, are stored together. But the storage of her stuff is our priority. We always ensure sufficient space is allocated for her stuff before we get our stuff back.

It's a big duckie.

It also comes with the neck, liver, heart, a set of gizzards...

& a pair of kidneys.
(uncovered only when I was in the midst of processing the duck.)

The duck deboned & segregated accordingly into plates.

Dehydrated Croc Treats

2011-06-14T11:16:00.009+08:00

*Update as per 3 Aug 2011: This is a once-off. Crocodile meat will not used for making Rossi gal's treats anymore, neither will it be included in her main diet.

My initial intention was to include the Croc meat as part of Rossi gal's main diet. However, I have changed my mind. Over the weekend, I dehydrated the croc meat into treats for her instead.

I'm thinking, the variety in her current diet looks pretty ok. But on the other hand, her current treats consist of mainly lamb and pork only, so I thought it would be nice to spice up her treats' variety with a different type of meat.

Slices of raw croc flank meat laid on the tray, ready for the dehydrating process.

After hours of dehydrating, this is the finished product.

My Ferocious Gal

2011-06-10T14:03:00.002+08:00

Warning: Dun mess with me...

I already warned you...Feel my Anger now...
Rawwww.....

What's on my Mind?

2011-06-09T10:12:00.019+08:00

Lately, I have been reading about fasting dogs when they refuse to eat their meals (aka kibbles & some alternative dried food etc).

There are some, who advise others to declare a 'War of Will' on their dogs by withholding all types of foods to their dogs (in short, fast them), for as long as they refuse to eat their meals, until such a time they finally relent and obediently finish up their meals.

It seems that fasting is a very common way to make dogs submit and finish up their food. It is also said that they can go without food for a couple of days or more, so no harm done.

I used to be one of those who believe in all these too, but Not anymore now.

I would say, try getting yourself starved for a day or two and see if you can take it, ya.

In the first place, I cannot bear to fast my Rossi gal. (Well, actually, I did attempt to 'starve' her once...for like 3 hours or so?? if this is even considered a fast???...but couldnt bring myself to go beyond this. :< ) I love my Rossi gal alot. I myself couldnt stand being starved, so why would I wanna starve my Rossi gal?

They also come up with reasonings like, we rule our dogs, our dogs dun rule us...so our dogs refusing their food is equivalent to them wanting to rule us?? Hmm...strange logic.

Perhaps, just stop to think for a moment...consider the possibility that there might be something wrong with the food, especially when the dog starts to reject the food after a short time of eating it (for eg. within weeks or even, days), rather than just jumping straight into the conclusion that the dog is being picky? You know your dog best.

I do believe our dogs are capable of knowing what's good for them and they do have the right to choose too. Why can't they choose anyway? Just cos we are the so-called 'alpha'?? Oh...I used to be in awe of this alpha thing too, but Not anymore now.

I regard myself as Rossi gal's mummy, my hubby as her daddy and she is our daughter. That's our relationship. Period.

NZ Venison Loin

2011-06-06T13:05:00.014+08:00

Yesterday, I dropped by my favorite butcher and bought a chunk of NZ Venison Loin for Rossi gal.

NZ Venison loin @ $108 per Kg

Previously, I got the Venison flank steak from another source. As I wanted to get a new source and a different cut of Venison for her, I went to my butcher to see what they have to offer. Besides this brand of venison (as shown above), they also sell another brand, which is from New Zealand too.

He told me that this chunk of loin is very good, just that the price is pretty steep. Anyway, I still decided to get it for Rossi gal.

I'm thorougly delighted with just the mere knowledge that I'm giving her the best stuff I can afford. Just seeing her enjoying her meats & hearing the sounds of her slurping up slice after slice of meat, make me insanely overjoyed! ;D

Some might be thinking, this woman is crazy...But guess what? I Dun Care what anyone thinks. Think whatever you want! Haha!

Well, That's just Me! ;p

All Natural Herbal Spray

2011-06-06T13:04:00.007+08:00

This is a herbal spray I got for Rossi gal recently. Just collected it from my friend on Saturday. Before this, I have tried oscar cream and another natural healing salve. There are many brands of healing creams/sprays available in the market, but I would always prefer to look for stuff with natural ingredients, without any form of chemicals.

The spray is meant only for external use on the skin, to soothe and speed up healing of skin conditions, as listed below. It is made using pure organic aloe vera & calendula extracts, and oils of tea tree, lavender and carrot seed. (*Note: it contains ethanol USP, which is also known as 'ethyl alcohol'.)

I have not tried out this spray on Rossi gal yet. Hope it brings positive results.

My Organic Duster

2011-06-03T15:29:00.010+08:00

Free of antibiotics, growth hormones, preservatives, additives, GMO, GM foods and the like.

'Duster' furs are grown organically in a loving environment.

Nourished on organic raw foods,
Fortified with natural essential vitamins/minerals/amino acids,
Glazed by the friendly morning sun,
Brushed meticulously with a gentle bristled brush for improved circulation...

To produce a set of fuller, shinier and healthier furs.

© My organic duster is unique & exclusive for my own leisure,
Non-replaceable, Non-replicable and Not for sale.

The Organic Drummies

2011-05-30T12:19:00.018+08:00

During one of my meat shopping trips last month, I bought some Organic Turkey Drummies for Rossi gal. I got 2 packs, whereby each pack contains 2 drums, totalling to 4 drums.

This is how a turkey drummie looks like. It is pretty big.

I spent some time on Friday evening to debone the drum. Though it was just a single drum, it took me a while to remove the meat from the bone and slice it up into bite-size pieces. It was mostly due to the big drum size and substantial amount of meat attached to the bone.

The quantity of meat shown below weighs close to 290g, which is equivalent to about two days worth of food for Rossi gal.

I will only be giving her the turkey meat itself, cos the bone is too big and dense, not suitable for her to munch on. This is the reason why I have decided to debone the drum instead of giving it to her as a raw meaty bone (RMB).

For Rossi gal, I prefer to give her RMBs like lamb ribs and chicken drums, which have less dense and softer bones, easier for her to crunch through and munch. More ideal for her.

Below shows the turkey drummie (left) and Rossi gal's favorite Rosie chicken drummie (right).

See the difference in size. Compared to the turkey drum, the chix drum looks so much smaller and less meaty. The chix drum (with its bone-in) weighs about 130g, whereas the turkey meat itself (without its bone) is already more than twice this weight.

In terms of TCM, turkey is classfied as a 'cold meat'. Cold meats can help to balance off the effects of Hot meats. Turkey would be a good addition to her diet for this purpose and also, as another protein source for variety.

If interested to know more about Hot and Cold meats, there is more info here.

Hot, Cold and Neutral Meats

2011-05-30T12:16:00.022+08:00

Came across this article in one of my emails and would like to share it here.

Chinese Medicine: Using Food to Cure Disease
by Robert Mueller

There seems to be evidence that the traditional Chinese diet is a healthy one. The various studies that have been conducted by Oxford university, Cornell University and several others have recently found that eating habits of the Chinese have produced far less obesity than the average American diet, though they consume more calories daily (per pound of body weight). I contend that the reason is the excess consumption of carbohydrates relating to the amount of "junk food" that our culture tends to eat.

Unfortunately, we feed our pets the same way we feed ourselves. I am referring to the grain-based processed pet foods that the majority of our household pets consume.

Is it any wonder why 40% of our pets today are obese?

Traditional Chinese medicine has long recognized the important connection between food and good health. The Chinese have learned that certain foods have healing properties and can be used to replace traditional medical treatments. Specific foods will often be recommended as part of the treatment plan for certain disorders.

Yang ---------------------------------- Yin

Hot < Warm < Neutral < Cool < Cold

According to Chinese medicine, every food has a different "temperature". Some foods are considered "hot" while others are classified as "cold". It's all about balance - Yin and Yang. Balancing the body's yin and yang by consuming foods with the proper "temperature" can effectively treat the disease and correct the imbalance the body is suffering from.

Holistic veterinarians will often look to Chinese medicine when treating idiopathic diseases that have no definitive cause. When a condition in the body is caused by an inflammation (allergies), the vet will usually recommend feeding the animal a cooling food to counteract the condition, such as duck or turkey. Hot foods like chicken and lamb may aggravate an inflamed condition and will normally be removed from the pet's diet completely. Other ingredients that can also cool the body are bananas, cucumber, kelp, lettuce and oranges.

The following are examples of hot, cold and neutral proteins (1) :

HOT: Beef Kidney, Chicken, Chicken Egg Yolk, Ham, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Liver, Lobster, Mutton, Pheasant, Prawn, Shrimp, Venison

COLD: Alligator, Clam, Cod, Conch, Crab, Duck, Egg White, Oyster, Rabbit (raised), Scallop, Shark, Turkey, Turtle

NEUTRAL: Beef, Carp, Catfish, Goose, Mackerel, Pigeon, Pork, Quail, Salmon, Sardines, Tripe, Tuna, Wild Rabbit

The Chinese philosopy is to use frugality, simplicity and balance to effectively treat the condition - a lesson we all need to learn!

(1) List supplied by the Chi Institute website: www.chi-institute.com

Robert Mueller, BSc, Pharm. is a registered pharmacist and has been formulating raw diets for more than thirty years. Recognized as one of the early pioneers in promoting raw foods to pets, Rob's history of developing and promoting raw meat diets has exposed him to dogs, cats, and zoo carnivores worldwide. He is also the author of the book Living Enzymes: The World's Best Kept Pet Food Secret. Rob and his wife love to travel with their dog, Ubi - a sheltie/beagle mix.

From: Barf World, "The Intelligent Pet" e-zine, December 8, 2010, Volume 1, Issue 8.

Her Favorite Corner

2011-05-25T10:30:00.000+08:00

Rossi gal's Message to Daddy and Mummy

2011-05-25T10:23:00.002+08:00

"I love my daddy and mummy very much. They are the most important people in my life.

I miss them when they are not at home. I want to spend all my time with them.

Mummy always give me yummy food. Daddy always play with me. I am the happiest gal in the world, cos I have them.

Mummy takes good care of my health and always worries about me. Daddy exercises me alot to keep me fit. What will I do without them?

Every night, I feel so safe and warm with them sleeping beside me. I feel their love for me. I want to be with them forever."

Rossi gal

Running Free..

2011-05-23T10:04:00.004+08:00

Rossi gal & the Paw

2011-05-23T10:04:00.003+08:00

"The Paw"

"Claw-ed"

"Lost-ed"

Words I

2011-05-18T13:10:00.010+08:00

By an amazing one...

"I am invisible. I merge with my surroundings. I have vibrant colours. Green is just one of them. I like the idea of being undetectable. I only show myself when I feel like it. I go wherever I want, becoming what my surrounding details me to be. Aren't I amazing? I think I am!"

By an experienced one...

"My movements may be slow, but my mind is as sharp as a needle. I have keen senses. I'm intelligent. I'm slow and steady. I'm aware of whatever happens around me. I have lived a long time and witnessed many changes on this earth. I know many things."

By a friendly one...

"I'm proud of my beautiful spikes. They protect me from my enemies. They look impressive. No others have them and this makes me unique and different from them. Others are afraid of me because of my spikes, but I mean no harm unless provoked. I'm not as scary as I'm thought to be. Actually, I'm quite friendly!"

By a selfless one...

"I love my wife. I go where she goes. She is the light of my life. I'm worried about what will happen to her should anything happens to me. I'm not as strong as I used to be. How I wish I'm stronger. I can only protect her as long as I live."

An Update

2011-05-14T16:58:00.015+08:00

This is an update to my earlier blog post, The Thyroid Test (& A New Discovery).

A Short Recap
Some thinning was noted at the front sides of Rossi gal's body, so me and daddy brought her to see Dr Ly for a thyroid test to ensure it was not a thyroid-related issue. Her thyroid results were fine. Dr. Ly then suggested that it could be a hormonal-imbalance problem, resulting from her early spay. (She was spayed at exactly 6 months of age.) He prescribed a natural progesterone cream made from Mexican Wild Yam to see if it could help her and advised us to apply a tiny amount on her every alternate day.

Update
I only used the progesterone cream twice and stopped after that, as Rossi gal was feeling kinda irritated on the areas where I applied the cream.

Besides, I didnt want to rely on the cream for Rossi gal, especially if this was for long-term...it just didnt feel quite right to me somehow.

I decided to look into her diet. I wanted to see if there was any way I could improve her thinning condition through her diet instead.

Subsequently, when I was reading some stuff online, I happened to chance upon an owner sharing about her dog, who was also experiencing some hair thinning. It was quite similar to what Rossi gal was going through.Then someone suggested that this owner could try increasing her dog's red meat intake to see if it could help her dog, as red meats are high in nutritional value.

Red meat nutrition

I decided to try this out. Besides, Rossi gal also does well on red meats.

I proceeded to increase her red meat intake, making it the main part of her diet. Eventually, I also switched her meats over to organic/grassfed/game ones. I made slight adjustments to her supplement intake as well.

Over weeks, I maintained her on this routine.

It was not immediate. It was over a span of time. I started to notice her thinning areas were "not as thin" as before. Gradually, her thinning areas were beginning to cover up with hair.

I'm not really sure if the increase in her red meat intake had a part in helping her thinning issue...I'm just happy that she was getting better with time.

Before: Both sides of Rossi gal's body were thinning, but I only took the pic of the thinning on her right side. This was taken on 3 Feb'11. (The thinning on the left side of her body was quite similar to her right side.)

The thinning on the right side of her body

After: Below are two pics that I have taken on 11 May'11. They show both sides of Rossi gal's body that used to have visible thinning. Now both her sides look fine. :)

Right side of her Body

Left Side of her body

Croc Meat

2011-05-07T12:58:00.005+08:00

*Update as per 3 Aug 2011: This is a once-off. Crocodile meat will not used for making Rossi gal's treats anymore, neither will it be included in her main diet.

After casting the very first vote of my life at the polling station early this morning, I shopped abit and got 2 packs of Croc meat for Rossi gal.

Croc flank Meat, 250g per pack @ $9.90

She had eaten Croc meat during her HCF days. Now she is eating it raww. This is another meat I wanna give her raw. If she does fine on it, it will be included as another protein source in her diet.

Kangeroo Meat

2011-05-02T18:35:00.003+08:00

Finally, I bought the kangaroo meat for Rossi gal. I had wanted to get it from one of the usual places I frequent, but they ran out of stock for it, so I went to another place to get it.

Kangeroo Loin Fillet @ $74.50 per kg

It's not cheap, but seeing Rossi gal munching happily on the slices I gave her, its all worth it.

Kangaroo is also a lean and nutritious game meat, definitely a protein source I will add to her diet.

Organic Turmeric Powder

2011-05-02T18:18:00.005+08:00

Rossi gal has been taking turmeric powder for over a year. It is a herb that I will let her take for long term, mainly for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well its liver-protecting properties.

Turmeric's medicinal properties include, helping with blood cleansing, anti-coagulant, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antioxidant, anti-microbvial, antiseptic, stimulates bile production and strengthens liver function. Its common uses include, arthritis, blood clot inhibitor, candida, inflammation of the mucous membrance, eczema and gastritis. Infrequently, turmeric may cause gastric disturbances. Turmeric is contraindicated in cases of bile duct blockage or gallstones. (Source: "Herbs for Pets", Gregory L.Tilford & Mary L.Tilford)

As with any herbs/supps, it is advisable to practise moderation with intake. I sprinkle a pinch of organic turmeric powder over a few of Rossi gal's meals weekly. She does fine on turmeric and likes its taste too.

(*If interested to try out any herbs/supps, it would be advisable to start in a small dosage and monitor for any reaction/s before proceeding to increase the dosage or deciding whether to continue the usage.)

To me, Turmeric is a good herb with medicinal and culinary uses. I give it to Rossi gal for its medicinal benefits, while I use it for my own cooking at times, for eg. curry, giving it a nice taste and aroma.

Turmeric powder is conveniently available at the spices' section of many supermarkets. But for Rossi gal, I get the organic one for her. Whenever possible, I want to give her organic sources.

Rossi gal & Daddy

2011-04-20T15:28:00.003+08:00

What's the Big Deal?

2011-04-08T13:48:00.009+08:00

What's the Big Deal in feeding Raw to my dog?

Recently, there were some who got to know I feed my Rossi gal Raw. Their reactions were a mixture of exaggerated shock, disgust and curiousity (or just plain kpoh-ness). I was made to share details of my raw feeding with people I just met and whom I barely knew. It was literally talking to a bunch of strangers, but I dun mind at all. I'm not afraid of anyone knowing I feed raw. In fact, I'm proud to be a raw feeder.

It was the narrow-mindedness and ignorance in these people that I could not tolerate. Suddenly, I was being bombed with questions..You never cook the meat??..Do you give the bones too??..What type of meats do you give raw??..blah blah blah...With each answer I give, their eyes popped wider and mouths opened bigger.

When I went further to share how Raw has helped Rossi gal re-grow all her hairs on her bald patch caused by Demodex, I was even mocked at. WTF! This was totally uncalled for. I was really offended!

Then some self-righteous fools could not take it anymore and decided to correct my ways there and then, in fear I will kill my dog with Raw. I was warned...NO..I cannot feed raw...It's a NO NO..I can only feed raw beef..Other meats like chicken, etc..NO...I cannot feed...There is bacteria in the meats...Dogs are not in the wild anymore...Now Dogs are domesticated...their body is different now...Also, be careful of contracting stuff like Samonella on myself when I handle the raw meats...

What fucking crap is this?

Only can feed raw beef but other meats cannot feed? Why is it only beef can be fed raw and not others too? Anyone with common sense will know this has NO logic at all. Variety is the spice of the life. I feed Rossi gal a variety of meats, like chicken, lamb, pork, duck and rabbit. She loves it!

Dogs' bodies are made in such a way they can handle bacteria way better than us. Bacteria is everywhere, not just in raw meats. Dogs pick up stuff from the ground..anywhere..then some dig into the rubbish, etc..all these have bacteria too! But do we see them getting sick from all these??

There are some, esp the pros who always caution about dogs contracting stuff like Samonella, E-coli etc from eating raw. My Rossi gal has been eating Raw for for nearly 9 months and she is doing great! Full of Zest for Life and Packed with boundless Energy! The same goes for my friends and many many others who have been feeding their dogs Raw for Years. Their dogs are doing fantastic! No complaints of bacteria...Samonella...E-coli or the like. But strangely, kibble-fed dogs seem to be the ones mostly affected by stuff like Samonella or E-coli. Hmmm....

Till date, I have no problem with Samonella etc from handling the raw meats. Even before Rossi went raw, I have already been handling raw meats too and been doing so for years without any issues. I just practise the usual hygiene of washing my hands after handling raw meats and I'm fine. But nevertheless, Thank you for your concern towards my well-being. (-__-)

Also, be it in the wild or with domestication, the dogs' body system remain unchanged. A prominent physical trait would be their sharp pointed teeth, which are clearly made for chomping down meats and crunching up bones.

Extracted from one of the links below, "However much, we humans have done to tinker with and change the dog's body design (resulting in varying sizes and conformations), we have done nothing to change the internal anatomy and physiology of our carnivorous canines. "Dogs have the internal anatomy and physiology of a carnivore" (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 260.)

Seriously, pls educate yourselves with at least the basics, before sprouting nonsense.
http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html
http://rawfed.com/myths/index.html
http://www.thewholedog.org/artcarnivores.html

I repeat again, I am a strong believer of Raw. I firmly believe raw is the way to go for my dog. I dun need you or anyone to lecture me on nutrition. I know my stuff. You are the ones who need to open up your eyes & minds to see & know what is real nutrition for dogs.

What's the Big Deal feeding in Organic Raw Meats to my dog?

When I said I give Rossi gal Organic meats, someone asked me, What is Organic?..What do you mean by Organic?..

Do you really not know what organic is? OR What you really meant, is you do not understand why I give my dog organic meats, when organic stuff is supposedly meant for human consumption only? I really do not know what you meant and what you wanna bring across/achieve by asking me such questions. Anyways, I dun really care what you think, so I'll just leave it as that.

But for info's sake, in general, organic meats refer to 'meats from animals that are raised without the use of growth hormones and antibiotics.'

Another thing I dun really like hearing is, 'Not everyone can afford to get organic.' But No One is asking you to get organic. By saying that I feed organic meats, it is simply my way of sharing that organic is my choice of feeding for the reason, 'No hormones & antibiotics' and because of this, organic meats would be the better choice. That's it. Whether or not to get organic, is entirely up to individual.

Oh, then I didnt know that I need to be earning exorbitant amounts of $$$, in order to afford organic for my Rossi gal. Well...I'm just a normal working gal..I dun earn that much..I'm not rich..but I do feed organic. Hmmm...I'm so amused by some individuals.

I choose to feed organic to my Rossi gal, cos I want to provide what I believe is the most beneficial for her well-being. She is my priority.

So What's the BIG Freaking Deal here?

Just cos I dun feed kibbles?

Just cos I dun feed poopy looking stuff that claims to be 'raw'?

Oopss... (*x*)

New Organic Cuts

2011-04-05T10:59:00.010+08:00

On Saturday, I dropped by and bought organic Turkey drummies & organic Lamb Rump of Heart for Rossi gal.

She had eaten raw turkey breast meat (non-organic) as well as different cuts of raw lamb (leg, shoulder, tenderloin & rack/cutlet from both grassfed & organic).

I will debone the turkey drummies and let her try the meat from the turkey's leg. And this time, it's organic. ;p

The Lamb Rump of Heart is the meat around the heart.(*Thanks Regina for telling me.) I have seen this several times at the store, but didnt get it. Then in this round of shopping, I got one pack for Rossi gal.

I will try to get different parts/cuts of the various meats for Rossi gal to eat. I believe variety (in meats and the parts/cuts of meats) is important for her diet and different types of meats, as well as the different cuts of the meats, contain different nutrition. Also, in the wild, carnivores hunt their prey, kill and eat it. They get to eat the different parts/cuts of the prey. But it is not possible for me to do this for her raw diet.

My best for Rossi gal, would be to provide her with a variety of organic / grassfed / free range raw meats and different cuts of the respective meats that I'm able to get for her.

2011-03-24T11:03:00.213+08:00

Summary of Rossi gal's current raw diet :-

*As of 11 Nov 2011.

*I'm constantly reviewing her diet and looking at ways to improve on it. I believe balance is achieved over time, not with every meal. I also believe in fitting the diet to the needs of each individual dog, cos each of them is different and has their own set of needs.

Her Proportions:

~ Prey model ratio: 80-10-10.
(This ratio is just a guide. Do be flexible and adjust accordingly to what works best for your dog.)

   - 80% muscle meats, fat, connective tissues, skin, heart, lungs, tongue &
             gizzards, etc.

   - 10% edible bone, eg. lamb, chicken, rabbit, pork.

   - 10% secreting organs (5% liver & 5% other organs, eg. kidney, spleen,
                                        sweetbread, pancreas.)

*For secreting organs, I do close to a 5%, as it works better for Rossi gal.

*Her food intake is based on 2.5 to 3% of her body weight.

Her Main Diet:

~ Raw meats (organic / grassfed / game meats)

   - Red meats (lamb, pork, venison, kangeroo & duck)

   - White meat (chicken)

   - Fish (salmon)

   - Heart (lamb)

~ Raw meaty bones (lamb & chicken)

~ Raw organs (liver & kidney from lamb & pork)

Her Treats:

~ Raw dehydrated treats, home-made (lamb & pork)

Her Extras:

+ Raw organic eggs

+ Organic eggshell powder

+ Organic turmeric powder

+ Transfer factor plus

+ Sang hwang (Lingzhi)

+ Nordics Fish oil

+ UMF manuka honey

My AC Workshop

2011-03-23T16:39:00.012+08:00

I had a great time at my 2-Days' AC workshop over the weekend.

Other than Daddy & Rossi gal, I have only told three friends about my workshop. The others will most likely think I'm nuts if they were to know about this, so it has never crossed my mind to tell them.

I totally hate having people poke fun or cast sarcastic remarks at me for wasting my moola doing the workshop. Other than their high and mighty selves, they do not believe other living beings can talk. These people are just so full of themselves, damn narrow-minded and downright disrespectful. Because of their arrogance and disbelief, they start attacking people verbally. Yes, there are such people around me, Unfortunately.

The Workshop...
It was an amazing and fulfilling experience. Interesting too. I have also met some new friends there, with one of them who happened to be a friend of my friend. What a small small world. :)

The exercises conducted were all very new to me. I have never done them before. It never occured to me that I could accomplish what was required of me. In my heart, I was thinking, how on earth was I gonna do this??

Everyone was required to connect with their own animal, as well as the animal of another person in the class. It was hard to connect with my own, as I know mine too well and it was difficult to determine the accuracy of what I receive was based on my own understanding of her or it's truly her sending over messages to me. But the teacher told everyone to just take whatever they receive, as it's a very fine line. We would tend to question ourselves esp when we are all new to AC. It's with continual practice..and practice that we would eventually get better and more confident of the messages communicated to us by the animals.

Next, it was time to work with the animal belonging to another person. (In turn, this person will work with my Rossi gal.) I would be talking to an animal that I had no prior knowledge of, other than the physical data like the photo, name and age. Goodness..this was very overwhelming to me at first. I was wondering if I would be able to receive any info from the animal at all.

I got to work with two different dogs belonging to two different persons. My experience with each of the dogs was very different. Each dog conveyed their messages to me in their own way and each invoked different emotions in me. It's so amazing how I could feel both of them in my connection with each of them. I never thought I would be able to experience what I had. I am very thankful to these two lovely dogs for giving me my unforgettable and wonderful first AC experience.

Two people worked with Rossi gal individually. Each of them gave me info about her that was accurate, as confirmed by her mummy (me). I have also learnt things about Rossi gal that I didnt know before and I'm very glad to know about them. Some of the new things I gota know about her, made me and daddy laugh too. ;p

Right now, I'm so anticipating my next upcoming workshop and another great experience.

Organic German Chamomile Flowers

2011-03-22T11:00:00.014+08:00

Last week, I ordered two packs of 'organic German chamomile flowers' for Rossi gal. They arrived yesterday.

Rossi gal sniffing at the packages

When used externally, chamomile is very good and soothing to the skin. I have been using chamomile for Rossi gal's skin since her pup days. I find it effective for relieving itchiness in her skin and calming down any rashes on her skin. Normally, I will throw in a generous amount of chamomile flowers into a bowl, pour hot water into the bowl and make an infusion / tea. Before using on Rossi gal, I will sift out the flowers. I will either sponge the tea on her skin or use it as a final rinse during her bath.

When taken internally, it is very good for calming the nerves & promoting good sleep. Rossi gal will sleep very well for that day when I let her drink the tea. The same goes for me..Yawnzzzz...

There are basically two types of chamomile, German and Roman. Both have similar properties. Besides the above, they are also useful for other stuff.

If interested, below are two links for further reading.
German Chamomile
Roman Chamomile

'Lucky' Buys

2011-03-19T22:46:00.002+08:00

Today, after my AC workshop, I just dropped by one of my usual butcheries to see what they have, as it was very near my workshop location (just a junction away.)

I was pleasantly surprised to know they have finally gotten in organic pork. I have been asking them about it each time I'm there and they have been giving me answers like "No, its not in yet"..."Still expediting with the supplier"..Then when I stepped in to try my luck today, they smiled and told me a cheery yes, they got organic pork, as well as organic lamb too.

So I bought some home. :)

Organic Pork..the loin, fillet, hind (in cubes) and liver

Organic Lamb Rack

Why go Raw? (A pictorial illustration)

2011-03-18T17:38:00.020+08:00

*The following post is extracted from Dog Food Chat forum. Dear Linsey, Thanks for your great (and cute) post on why feeding kibbles make no sense at all. I agree with you fully and totally love your post. Thumbs-up! Thanks for letting me share it on my blog too, really appreciate it.

If you feed kibble, and are offended at the fact that I think it makes absolutely no sense, please.... just close this thread now, and be on your merry way. If you can appreciate some logical, sound thinking... read on.

Variety is key- in ANY kind of diet. We all know this. It's common sense. One food, day in and day out, over the course of time- no good for anyone. Processed or not.

When a raw fed dog eats chicken, it looks something like this:

When a kibble fed dog eats chicken, it's something like this:

When a raw fed dog gets beef, their meal might look like:

Oh, yay! Kibble fed dog is done with chicken! Time to rotate in BEEF!

My dogs love fish. When a raw fed dog eats fish, they might get something like:

Alright! Kibble dog is done with chicken AND beef! Lucky dog! Time for Fish!!

Lamb time, for raw dog!

This kibble fed dog has a sensitive tummy, and my vet convinced me that he's allergic to chicken, so now he has to have all lamb. You can see how different it is from all the "other" kibbles.

Turkey time for raw dog!!

Kibble dog gets a new food!! Turkey! Yeah!

Mmm, pork ribs. Raw Dog is happy.

Kibble dog loves pork. It's so... different.

Mmmm, Duck. Raw dog loves duck. The bones are so easy to nom nom nom. Kinda like chicken bones. But better. Mmmmm, duck!

Kibble dog also loves duck. Hoorahhh for variety!

Wow! Mom found a hunter that needed to clean out his freezer of last year's kills! I get RABBIT! I are happy raw dog.

Woo hoo, sale at the dog food store! Dad sprung for rabbit! And I almost thought he was a cheap ol' sucker. Only $70 a bag for rabbit. mmm.

Mmm, raw dog loves venison. So... gamey!

Kibble dog likes how.... crunchy... venison is. mmm.

Alright, alright. I'll be done.

I just think it irks me that people are like: "You feed WHAT?! raw meat?! that's so weird! Haven't you heard of DOG FOOD!?"

Yeah, buddy, I'M the weird one.
have you even SEEN what your dog eats.

Merry Christmas everyone, kibble fed dogs and all.

The Animal Communication (AC) Workshop

2011-03-11T15:30:00.020+08:00

I'm so excited! :D On the next weekend, I will be attending the 'Animal Communication (AC) Workshop' that I have signed up for during early January.

These are two books recommended by my friend. I have started reading one of them and it's good. *Thanks Iris.

Left: "Beyond Words, Talking with Animals and Nature" by Marta Williams &
Right: "Kinship with All Life" by J. Allen Boone

Besides the two books, I also got another book by one of the authors.

"Learning Their Language, Intuitive Communication with Animals and Nature"
by Marta Williams

Rossi gal is my motivation for attending the workshop. I want to be able to communicate with her at a more personal level and to have a deeper understanding of her emotions, needs & wants. (*I have also heard it's much easier to communicate with other animals than my own, but I will do my best.)

I have thought communication is only possible with animals, but through my friend and the book that I'm currently reading ("Beyond Words"), I have learnt that it is not just with animals, but with nature as well..trees, plants, flowers, rocks, wind, water..every aspect of nature. This is known as "Intuitive Communication". So Amazing.

There are three levels for the AC workshop. I have signed up for the first two levels and for the final level, it will be later on. For my workshop, these are some items that I need to bring along, as per the email sent to me.

1. A photo of my Rossi gal => Will be bringing a recent one.

2. A note book to take notes

3.Something I use with Rossi gal (e.g. leash, collar, his favourite toy etc ) => Will be taking her body harness.

4. A photo of a pet that has passed on => NA

5. A photo of a tree that I have feelings for or feel an association with => Gota go back & locate the tree near my granny's house, where I used to pick up love seeds around it when I was a kid. Hope the tree is still there now.

6. A photo of a night sky

7. 1 or 2 big bottles of water for drinking

It's all so interesting! I'm so looking forward to this. :P

Whole Rabbit

2011-03-06T10:48:00.002+08:00

I used to get the Rabbit saddle for Rossi gal, but now I got the whole Rabbit for her..which is so much better, as she gets to munch the other Rabbit parts too! :>

Whole Rabbit (with organs intact)

Section-ed out for Rossi gal's meals

Rossi gal was watching me (or rather the rabbit, haha) the whole time I was cutting it up. But not today, my little darling..Mummy will let you eat the rabbit on another day. Today you munch the drummie. ;p

Dehydrated Kidney

2011-03-06T10:26:00.004+08:00

This was my first time using an organ meat (kidney) for dehydration. Daddy couldn't quite stand the smell of organ meats, so he stayed in the living room while I processed them on my own. (I'm still ok with the smell. Daddy's nose too sensitive liao..haha)

Raw Pork Kidney Slices

The end product, 'Raw Dehydrated Kidney'.

Looks pretty nicely done. Crispy too. Rossi gal loves it, munched it up eagerly. (like she does for all her dehydrated meat treats.)

Besides meats, I will be using organs to dehydrate treats for her in future. I will also try out others like heart and liver.

What I got for Rossi gal today..

2011-03-05T16:31:00.066+08:00

After a morning of exercise, daddy, me and Rossi gal dropped by the butchery to get some stuff before going home. Daddy & Rossi gal remained in the car, while mummy went to shop herself. Initially, I had just wanted to get some pork and maybe 'window-shop' abit...

When I walked in, the lamb section was right before me, so I took a look at what they have and decided to get some lamb meaty bones for Rossi gal too. (*Regina, I finally got the lamb shank,haha.)

Pork heart & kidney, with Lamb shoulder rack & Lamb Shank

As I was queuing up to pay for my stuff, I glanced casually towards the frozen section and saw two frozen rabbits in the lower section of the freezer. I did go to the freezer to get the pork organs earlier, but didnt notice the rabbits until then. Without hesitation, I leaned over to the freezer and grabbed one rabbit.

Whole Rabbit

Around evening time, I collected some eggs from Iris. This is my first time getting this brand. The eggs look nice and fair. Then the best thing is, they are Organic Free Range eggs. (*Thanks Iris.)

I gave one to Rossi gal for dinner.

What a pretty, sunny yolk!

Another Order Arrived !

2011-03-03T13:20:00.026+08:00

Just received another order today. I made this order a week back. Delivery was pretty fast too. I received it faster than expected.

These are what I got for Rossi gal.

Left: Organic Herbal Shampoo,
Right: Organic Healing Salve

Hope a change of shampoo will improve her skin and coat. The salve looks quite good too. I love the idea of using herbal / natural stuff on her both internally and externally. (Especially Turned Off by those "professionally-endorsed" poisons.)

New Read

2011-03-01T10:08:00.002+08:00

*Once again, Thanks Regina for the recommendation.

Made a reservation for this book a week ago and yesterday, it was ready for collection at the library. I haven't started reading it yet, just had a run through of its contents, it looks good.

'The Whole Pet Diet, Eight Weeks to Great Health for Dogs and Cats'
by Andi Brown

From the Library

2011-02-21T09:39:00.004+08:00

Reserved the books a week back and collected them last Thursday. As I wanted to start reading on Friday, I took them along to the office, but forgot bring home for the weekend. ;<

I must remember to bring them home today.

Left: 'Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog' by Wendy Volhard & Kerry Brown, D.V.M

Right: 'Work Wonders, Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones' by Tom Lonsdale

Quick Buys

2011-02-20T17:14:00.005+08:00

First quick buy:

Venison flank steak

I was actually going there for lunch, but just dropped by the store, as it is located there. I had wanted to buy it the next time I replenish Rossi gal's meat supplies, but when I saw the Venison, I couldnt resist getting it for her. And so, I grabbed one pack home. ;>

Next quick buy:

Organic plain yoghurt

I just dropped by to see if they have yoghurt. When I went there last Thursday, I didnt manage to get it. I was glad they have it today, so I got one for Rossi gal. (*I be sharing it with Rossi gal, as its a pretty big tub and tastes yummy too. ;p)

Treats for Rossi gal

2011-02-20T17:02:00.001+08:00

Dehydrated some treats for Rossi gal yesterday late afternoon.

Organic Pork

Australian Lamb

They are ready this morning. These are the end-products.

Dehydrated Pork

Dehydrated Lamb

3 boxes of treats for my Rossi gal

Emu Meat*

2011-02-19T18:53:00.010+08:00

I bought a pack of Emu Meat some time back for Rossi gal to try. This was my first time seeing Emu meat for sale and it was only available at this particular store. So far, I have not seen it anywhere else.

Diced Emu Meat

It was Rossi gal's first taste of the meat and as usual, she gobbled everything up. The meat was pretty ok too. It didnt have that gamey smell. I will get it again for Rossi gal. ;)

*Update (7 June 2011) : The store where I got the Emu Meat from, is not selling it anymore. I had wanted to get another pack for Rossi gal, but was told by the staff that they are not taking in this meat anymore.

An Afternoon Shopping

2011-02-18T13:17:00.008+08:00

Yesterday afternoon, I went to shop on my own. Usually, Daddy will come along to help with carrying the stuff, but this time, he didn't join me, as he gota work. (*I took a half day off from work.)

Therefore, I gota go to the places and haul the stuff home myself. I went to two places, my usual butchery and another store, which was not too far off.

This was what I got from one of the places. I took the pic of this, cos it's the first time I have seen this and thought it looked pretty cool.
*Sua Ku me.. @x@

The 'Hot-Cold' Bag

The stuff inside

I also got a tub of cottage cheese for Rossi gal. It's been a long while since she ate it, cos I couldn't find the previous brand that she used to eat. Then I saw this organic one, so I grabbed one for her. I like cottage cheese too, so this tub will be shared between Rossi gal & me. It tastes yummy! ^_^

Organic Burdock Root

2011-02-16T22:26:00.022+08:00

*Sometime back, I was giving Rossi gal Burdock Root Powder , then later stopped. Currently, I'm taking the burdock root powder myself. I have also introduced it to my friend, who is taking it as well.

Recently, I have re-introduced burdock root into her diet. This time, it's in the dried herb form.

Organic Burdock Root, Dried

The dried burdock root is boiled with water. (Herbal Decoction)

After simmering, the mixture looks like this.

The burdock root is then sieved out from the water.

When the water has cooled, it is poured over Rossi gal's food.

Besides its nutritive & purifiying properties, the burdock water also has a nice aroma and 'adds flavor' to the food.