Michelle's Life With Dogs

I STILL NEEDED MY MOM

2026-05-26T12:00:47.606-04:00

The early weeks of a puppy’s life play a crucial part in laying a foundation for a well-adjusted adult dog.

This foundation influences future behaviour and how well they go on to cope and interact with the world.

Unfortunately, there are still breeders who allow puppies to leave their moms and littermates at only 6 weeks old, often with no regard for the long-term impact this can have on development.

Many new owners blindly trust that breeders must know best and never question this. But while a puppy may no longer rely on mom for food at this age, they are still deeply dependent on their family unit for learning vital life skills, social skills, building emotional security and resilience.

Between 6 and 8 weeks, puppies are in the process of learning:

• Bite inhibition
• Appropriate play behaviour
• Frustration tolerance
• Impulse control
• Communication and social skills
• Confidence and emotional resilience

These are skills that we as people, can never fully replicate in the same way that a pups family unit can.

While 8 weeks is generally considered the minimum age for puppies to leave, many ethical breeders prefer to keep puppies until 10 to 12 weeks, while also providing positive, age-appropriate socialisation and habituation experiences.

Habituation means gently introducing puppies to the world around them in positive, developmentally appropriate ways — different sounds, surfaces, objects, environments, people, smells, and everyday experiences — so they learn that new things are safe rather than frightening.

However, we don’t live an in ideal world and having to care for or rescue pups much younger than 8 weeks is often unavoidable due to different circumstances.

This post is not aimed at those situations - it’s about education, awareness and encouraging people not to support irresponsible breeding practices that place profit and convenience above the wellbeing and healthy development of puppies.

Credit: Dogs Disclosed

From Dr. Melanie Uhde

2025-09-07T12:03:00.001-04:00

The Real Science behind Dog Training

A Must Read for New Puppy Owners

2025-09-07T11:50:00.000-04:00

Reprinted from Collie Life

UNDERSTANDING YOUR PUPPY

The five critical periods

Scientific studies have shown that, there are five critical periods in a puppy's life, that is five phases of mental development during which adverse conditions can cripple a dog emotionally without hope for recovery. Conversely, positive conditions during these five phases of emotional growth can produce dogs of the highest calibre - mentally and socially. So important are these findings, that guide dog foundations instituted these "positive conditions" for puppies being raised to become leaders of the blind. Dogs trained to lead the blind receive the most rigorous and exacting training of any dogs and therefore must be perfectly adjusted.

Dr Paul J Scott, Director of Animal Behaviour at Roscoe B Jackson Memorial Laboratory at Bar Harbour, Maine, directed a project to determine just when these critical periods took place. The consequences of a person's failure to acknowledge and respond to these critical periods were demonstrated in one particular test. A puppy 21 days old, was removed from the litter and completely isolated. Although the puppy was fed and watered, the caretaker was careful not to play with or speak to it. The only toys the experimental puppy had were his water bucket and food dish. By 16 weeks of age, the puppy had no contact with other dogs (except during the first 21 days of its life) and no human contact except the caretaker.

At four months of age, the experimental puppy was once again placed with his litter mates. HE did not recognise them, either as litter mates or as dogs! His isolation during the critical periods of his life - his complete removal from the companionship of dogs and humans - had marked his character to the extent that he could not adjust to animal or human society.

First Critical Period: 0 - 20 days (0 to 3 weeks)

As a result of many years of scientific research, it has been determined that the first critical period covers the entire first three weeks of a puppy's life, 0 to 20 days. During this period, a puppy's mental capacity is nearly zero, and the puppy reacts only to its needs of warmth, food, sleep, and its mother. Tests were conducted to determine whether a puppy was capable of learning anything at all during the first critical period; it was determined that it was not.

Second Critical Period: 21 - 28 days (3 to 4 weeks)

Scientists found, however, that something nearly miraculous happened on the 21st day, and it occurs in all dogs, regardless of breed. On the 21st day, all of a puppy's senses begin to function. The senses were present in the puppy during the first critical period but were dormant. The 21st day marks the beginning of the second critical period.

During this period (21st to 28th day) the new puppy needs its mother more than at any other time. The brain and nervous system begin to develop. Awareness begins to take place, and in this mental state, a puppy's experiences can be rather frightening. A puppy removed from its mother during this second critical period will never attain the mental and emotional growth that it could .

During the second critical period, the social stress of being alive has its greatest impact on a puppy. No other time in a dog's life is so crucial to emotional growth.

It is during the second critical period that the characteristic of nervousness can generate shyness and other negative qualities in a puppy. Once negative characteristics have been allowed to develop (during the second critical period) no amount of reconditioning or training later in life alter the negative characteristics.

Third Critical Period: 29 - 49 days (4 to 7 weeks)

The third critical period is the fifth through the seventh week (29 to 49 days). At that age, puppies will venture away from the nest - although not very far - and do a little exploring. At the beginning of a puppy's sixth week, the awareness of society will dawn; that is, the society of man and the society of dog. A puppy's nervous system and his trainability are developing and, by the end of the third critical period, will have developed to capacity. Unfortunately some dog books say that a puppy has the brain of an adult at the conclusion of the third critical period. This is not true, and research proves it.

At the conclusion of the third critical period (the seventh week of age), the puppy's nervous system and trainability have developed to capacity, so a more comprehensive look at what takes place during this third critical period is certainly in order.

During this period a puppy will learn to respond to voices and will begin to recognise people. A social "pecking order" will be established among the puppies in the litter. Some of the puppies will learn to fight for their food and will learn to be bullies. The litter mates that are cowed by aggressive tendencies of the others will become shy.

The scientific tests at Hamilton Station have show that it is advantageous for a puppy to remain with the litter long enough to acquire a little competitive spirit, but that too much is detrimental to the puppy's emotional growth. The pups that remain in the litter after the seventh week will begin to develop bullyish or cowed tendencies - which will remain with them into adulthood. The longer a puppy remains with the litter after completing the seventh week of its life, the more deteriorated the emotional growth of that puppy will be .

At the end of the third critical period, the puppy is considered emotionally developed and ready to learn. But the puppy does not possess an adult brain at that age.

Fourth Critical Period: 50 - 84 days (7 to 12 weeks)

The trainability of a puppy is ripe and operating to capacity as the puppy enters the eight week of life. Thus, the puppy enters the fourth critical period of emotion; growth (50 to 84 days). What the puppy learns during the fourth critical period will be retained and become part of the dog's personality. If a puppy is left with its mother during the fourth critical period, its emotional development Will be crippled. The puppy will remain dependent upon her, but in her will find very little - if any - security.

When a puppy remains with the litter beyond this time - and without adequate human contact - its social adjustment to human society will be crippled, and what it learns will be learned from the litter mates. The optimum time for taking a puppy into a new household is at the conclusion of the puppy's seventh week.

Because a pup's trainability and learning facilities are operating at full capacity during the fourth critical period, it is better that a puppy do his learning from his new owner. And learn he will! The fourth critical period marks a time when a new puppy will learn at a fast and furious pace. And much of what he learns will stay with him a long, long time. What the puppy learns during the fourth critical period will help to shape him into the kind of dog he will be forevermore!

That paragraph is so important that every dog owner (and those contemplating getting a puppy) should reread it - and then read it again! For the readers who acquired their dogs at six months or more, that paragraph may well explain some of the negative characteristics in the personality and behaviour of their dog.

During the first three critical periods, in significant brainwaves from a puppy can be recorder on electroencephalographs. The fourth critical period, however, is quite different. The first actual - and highly significant - waves can be recorded. It is during this fourth period that a bond will be established between dog and man that will have a lasting effect upon the puppy. During no other phase in its life will a canine have the ability to achieve a stronger bond that during the fourth critical period.

A puppy's contact with people during this phase is the whole key to his emotional and social success within human society. In the tests conducted at Bar Harbour, puppies were isolated at various intervals during the five critical periods, and it was determined that isolation from human society had its greatest effect on puppies during the fourth critical period. Without adequate human contact during the fourth critical period puppies became incapable of being trained and incapable of being companions to man.

It is during this time that a puppy should be integrated into human society. At this time, a puppy should be taken for walks, meet people and be allowed to play with children and other animals (under supervision).

During the fourth critical period, simple commands can - and should - be taught. There should be gentle discipline. Forceful discipline during this period could adversely tip the scales on which the puppy's emotional development now rests. A puppy (during the fourth critical period) is learning to live in a human's world. He is learning to trust and have confidence in human beings.

A puppy between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks does not deliberately get into mischief. A physical and forceful correction could result in complete confusion within the mind of the puppy. Faith and trust in his new human friends could be quickly shattered. When mistrust of humans develops during the fourth critical period, that mistrust will remain a permanent part of the puppy's makeup.

Because many people acquire puppies for home security purposes, I must digress for just a moment to put across a very important. The preceding paragraph may cause some to assume that the best way to raise a puppy to be a watchdog is to isolate it from human society during its fourth critical period so it will distrust humans. But this is not the way to train a watchdog. It is one way to guarantee that a puppy will never be protective of anything.

During the fourth critical period discipline should be confined to scolding. Scolding does not include shouting. Commands such as "sit", "stay", and "come" can be taught during the fourth critical period - but must be done so in a playful atmosphere. Housebreaking should be instituted in a gentle manner, insuring that praise is used for correct behaviour rather than forceful correction for misbehaviour.

It is during the fourth critical period that puppies can develop what is generally referred to as "Hand shyness" as a result of owners who feel that striking a puppy is the only way to discipline it. A puppy's environment should give him a sense of security. Being smacked around with rolled newspaper or human hands certainly will not achieve this.

Mild restrictions should be imposed - such as not allowed the puppy to chew on furniture, shoes, etc. And these wild restrictions could have the additional value of raising tolerance levels. Failure to discipline and failure to impose mild restrictions could have a serious effect on the puppy's upbringing and s deleterious effect on the dog's compatibility within the family later in life.

In human society, we have what is known as kindergarten in our public schools. The purpose of kindergarten is to prepare a child emotionally for the learning that will take place later. Kindergarten and pre-school classes are, in effect, a training ground to teach children how to learn. The fourth critical period is the puppy's kindergarten. If a puppy is taught how to learn during the fourth critical period his actual formal schooling (Which can take place during or after the fifth critical period) will be more successful. A puppy given pre-school training during the fourth critical period will be able to learn more than a puppy that does not have pre-school experience.

Although commands such as "come", "sit", "stay", "down", and "no" are invaluable when taught during the fourth critical period, perhaps the most important single response during that period is learning to fetch. Puppies who cannot - or will not - learn to fetch are dropped from guide dog programs. Moreover, dogs being trained to perform narcotic detection duties must first be proficient at retrieving. The significance of fetching cannot be over-emphasised. Explaining how such a game expands a puppy's mind and what willingness to fetch reveals about a puppy would require a book in itself. Learning t fetch in the fourth critical period can spell success or failure in your dog's desire and ability to work for you. The term "work" refers to those duties which involve specialised training.

Failure to learn fetching does not mean that a dog will not be able to learn to respond to commands for everyday obedience, but stop and think for a moment if a dog is not smart enough to learn to fetch how then can he be expected to manage the more complex tasks of hunting, retrieving game, pulling a sled, working stock, guarding a house, or detecting bombs?

Fifth Critical Period: 12 - 16 weeks (3 to 4 months)

The fifth critical period is the 13th, through the 16th week of a puppy's life. A highly significant thing will happen during the fifth critical period, and puppy owners should be prepared for it. A puppy will make its first attempt to establish itself as the dominant being in the pack (family). It is during the fifth period that a puppy will learn whether he can physically strike out at his owner - and get away with it!

If a puppy is allowed to get away with it, he will lose the confidence and the respect for the owner that developed during the fourth critical period. The tolerance level toward the owner will be narrowed. The puppy will learn that by rebelling he'll get things his own way. It is during this fifth critical period that authority will be challenged. It is here that the challenge must be met head on by the pup's owner.

Instructing people as to the best method for dealing with the problem is quite difficult because not two dogs are exactly alike. Disciplinary measures for one are not necessarily suitable for another. In my own training school the question is often asked, "What shall I do if my dog bites me"? My answer usually goes something like, "What would you do if your child hit you"? Heaps of love and understanding are not applicable here. A puppy must be shown swiftly and firmly that though his is loved, you the owner - are the dominant being.

Formal obedience training should begin not later than the age of six months for optimum ease in teaching. This is not to say that a dog who has attained the age of 10 years cannot or should not be trained. As long as a fog is healthy, there is no maximum age limit for training, It is always easier to train a dog that has not had too much time to develop bad habits.

Being aware to the five critical periods, providing the correct environment during these periods, and instituting proper learning techniques will allow a puppy to develop emotionally and socially to full potential. Each tome you marvel at a guide dog leading its blind owner through busy traffic, you can be assured that the five critical periods in that dog's life were handled with great care and concern.

The puppy you acquire can grow up to be all the things he is capable of becoming. Pay close attention to the critical periods in his life. Those are the periods which shape and mould his character and personality. He is in your hands. What he is to become he will become during those five critical periods.

Most formal obedience classes conducted throughout the country will not accept a puppy for obedience training unless it has attained the age of six months or more. It is unfortunate, however that by the time some dogs reach six months of age, they have already become problem dogs. Obedience training may or may not help, depending upon the severity of the problem. In too many cases, it does not. This is simply because obedience training does not teach a dog to refrain from turning over trash cans, chasing cars, barking excessively, or tearing up the living room furniture; these bad habits are learned during the five critical periods.

The Pack Instinct

The natural instinct of the canine is to try to assume dominance within the pack. As was stated earlier, he begins this during the fifth critical period, and the dog will periodically "test" the owner's ability to dominate. The fact that a dog will periodically test the owner's dominance does not mean that the dog does not love or respect that owner. However, if the owner is permissive and weak - thus allowing the dog to achieve dominance - his love and respect for the owner will quickly wane. The dog owner then becomes inferior in the dog's eyes, and the owner is destined to be owned by the dog. The scales of love and discipline must be equally balanced. That is the magic formula for success in the rearing of any puppy.

Security: Prime Ingredient For Emotional Growth

Although your new puppy may be destined to become the family dog, one member of the family should be designated the puppy's foster mother during the remaining critical periods in its life. This is not to suggest that other members of the family should be restricted in their association with the puppy. On the contrary, all should share in the joy of caring for - and playing with - the new arrival. But the bond between the puppy and its litter mother has been severed by removal from the litter. For optimum emotional development, the puppy should have the security of knowing which member of the human family has taken the litter mother's place.

It is strongly urged that a child member of the family not be given this responsibility if optimum emotional growth is to be achieved. Many children are presented with puppies to "help the child to develop responsibility". But in all too many cases, it does just the opposite; often children will find excuses why they cannot take the time to feed, water, train and care for their new charges. Dog pounds and humane societies (not to mention research laboratories) are filled to overflowing with dogs and puppies awaiting execution because their child-owners failed to develop the hoped-for responsibility.

A puppy knows very well when it is unwanted. Being unwanted brings insecurities to a puppy, just as it does to a human. Insecurities breed emotional problems. Emotional problems during the puppy's critical periods will remain as personality faults throughout the dog's life. The personality faults can cause fear biters, piddlers, runaways and perhaps complete emotional withdrawal from human society.

To increase the puppy's security, he should have his own bed in a place where he can be alone when he wants. You must expect the first four nights to lend themselves to some inconvenience - for you and the rest of the family. Your new puppy will be lonely at night, having been accustomed to the presence of his litter mates. Although the puppy may have been playful during the first day in his new household, nightfall - when you and the rest of the family have gone to bed - will give the puppy time to remember (and miss) his litter brothers and sisters. By the fourth night, however, the pup will have adjusted to his new environment and to your family's routine. It takes just four days for the average dog to adjust to a new environment.

This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the advice provided by your veterinarian.

The Mars Candy Company. Copied and pasted from the Terrierman's FaceBook post

2024-04-19T09:28:00.000-04:00

Terrierman

THE MARS CANDY COMPANY BUYS VCA

The Mars candy and food company is the largest owner of veterinary services in the U.S.

Mars secured this position in 2017 when they bought VCA, the second largest veterinary health service provider in the U.S., for $9.1 billion. 

From the 2017 press release:

“Mars, Incorporated and VCA Inc. (NASDAQ: WOOF) today announced that they have entered an agreement under which Mars will acquire all of the outstanding shares of VCA for $93 per share, or a total value of approximately $9.1 billion including $1.4 billion in outstanding debt. The transaction price represents a premium of approximately 41 percent over VCA's 30-day volume weighted average price on January 6, 2017, and a premium of approximately 31 percent over VCA's closing price on January 6, 2017. The agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

“VCA joins Mars Petcare, one of the world's leading pet care providers. Pet care has been an important part of Mars for over 80 years. The transaction reaffirms Mars' commitment to the pet care industry and the veterinary profession, and once completed will help drive Mars Petcare's purpose to create A Better World for Pets. Mars Petcare's portfolio of Veterinary Services businesses includes BANFIELD® Pet Hospital, BLUEPEARL® and PET PARTNERS™. Together with VCA, these businesses will provide an unprecedented level of access to high quality veterinary care for pets, from wellness and prevention to primary, emergency and specialty care. Mars Petcare is already an industry leader in pet nutrition with global brands that include ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE® and WHISKAS®. Mars has a growing business in pet DNA testing through the WISDOM PANEL®, and in 2015 also acquired pet technology provider WHISTLE.”

What's this mean for pet care? Consolidation in the health care arena always means more pressure to engage in fraud through upcoding, price-gouging, bill-padding, and medically unnecessary goods and services. The patient (human, canine, or feline), takes a back seat to the bottom line, and procedure manuals are written to maximize revenue by cutting actual services while increasing the costs and number of billed activities.

The pressure of Wall Street (NASDAQ: WOOF) will drive up prices across the veterinary sphere, while also lowering the confidence people will have about the quality of care and information they are getting from their own veterinarians.

The parallel here is with human health care, where the rise of industrialized medicine driven by doctor kickbacks, off-label marketing, bill-padding, upcoding, and price-gouging is king.  The difference; unlike in human health care, there are no federal rules prohibiting such activity for dogs and cats, and because the damages are small (because dogs and cats are simple property), there will be almost no legal representation for consumers given the hind leg.

It's a Partnership!

2024-04-18T17:48:00.000-04:00

If your dog's not behaving call Ain't Misbehavin'...
A canine academy for all your training needs

How to Raise a Puppy Without Manners

2024-04-16T18:02:00.003-04:00

2024-04-02T11:25:00.000-04:00

Can My Dogs Read My Mind?
or
An Old Lady’s Mental Meanderings

For a while now I have noticed that my dogs seem to know what I am thinking. I leave my house almost every day without taking them with me. I go to work, I go shopping, I go to run errands. They know the drill and are quietly settled on their various beds without any expectation of coming along for the ride. But whenever I plan to take them out, whether to go on a neighborhood walk, or a car ride to hike the State Park or a quick romp to my neighborhood makeshift dog park they seem to know in advance. Their excitement is hard to miss as they circle around the door while doing a little happy dance. Same thing happens when it comes to food. They show little interest when I’m preparing food for myself, maybe some curiosity, but that’s all. But when I am preparing their food, which is entirely human grade food which I might be eating myself or go to the fridge to take out their container of homemade food they’re at my side even before I reach the refrigerator. Maybe it’s the time of day. Afterall, dogs are creatures of habit so I must be giving them some clues, right? So far perfectly normal.
But one day not too long ago I noticed something strange. I was sitting at my table finishing a mug of morning coffee, and realizing that my day was free, I thought it be a perfect day to take the dogs hiking. Mind you, I was sitting in my pj’s and robe looking at my laptop, as I do every morning. I had not even finished thinking this through when suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the dogs became quite aroused and started circling and prancing at the door as they do when we’re about to go out. At first I was annoyed for they were disturbing my quiet and peaceful morning ritual. I, of course, put an end to the mayhem and once they were settled I sat back down to think about what had just occurred. My annoyance quickly turned to bafflement and wonder as I played out the scene again and again in my mind. I was certain that I provided no clues, but maybe I did so unconsciously. I decided to do a little experimentation.
Over the next few weeks I randomly and deliberately focused my thoughts on doing an outside activity with the dogs. I might do so while washing dishes, putting on makeup, making up the bed or any other mundane everyday activity. I noticed that if I simply thought the idea of taking them out nothing unusual happened but if I began to visualize our excursion they would respond as if we were about to leave. I did the same with food. Without thinking of them I would take out cold cuts or cheese for myself. No reaction other than maybe a quick glance in my direction. But if, while still seated I thought, (while visualizing), about giving them the very same food, they were at my feet sitting patiently waiting for their helpings. Be it with food or trips away from home I had to visualize the activity for them to respond. Thoughts alone provoked no reaction. I started to visualize going to bed at different times of the day and sure enough they would get up and walk to the bedroom. Is it some sort of mental telepathy? I have no idea. I’d like to believe that our bond is so strong that they can understand the pictures in my head. Or maybe I project an emotional response to my visualizations that they respond to. Anyhow, for whatever it means or if it means nothing at all, it’s just another reason why I am so enamored with all things dog.

https://aintmisbehavindogtraining.com

Why God created dogs

2022-07-26T10:56:00.004-04:00

2022-07-04T12:26:00.000-04:00

God Bless America

2022-05-30T10:53:00.003-04:00

“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it."

Unknown

https://www.AintMisbehavinCanineAcademy.com

There's No Such Thing as a Bad Dog. Only Bad Owners, Right? Wrong!

2022-05-25T20:30:00.002-04:00

Genes create a framework within which the environment acts to shape the behaviors of a dog

Genetics + Environment = Outcome

"Dogs are the ptoduct of their upbringing, environment and genes"

Ryan O'Meara, K9 Magazine

Very wise words written by pro trainer Jill Morstad, owner of Prairie K9 of Nebraska

2022-05-12T16:14:00.000-04:00

How to greet a dog.

2022-05-05T11:38:00.000-04:00

Most dogs don’t like to be pet on their head by strangers. Instead, if you want to say hello and you’ve asked their guardian, say hello verbally and allow the dog to choose if they want to be pet.
If they come closer for a sniff, leave your hand at your side. Allow them to sniff and initiate a pet, then pet their side behind their shoulders and stop. If they want more, they’ll let you know.
Consent is important for dogs, too.
This is especially important to teach to your kids.

Written by Michele Longueira, Michele's Pet Sitting

100% agree with this.

2022-04-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

Whether you like it or not, if you have a dog you are training it. The question is are you training it for good or are you training it for bad. Training starts before training starts. How you live with your dog dictates how your dog lives with you. They learn from everything we do, good and bad. They miss nothing. They know us better than we know ourselves. They learn from everything we don't do. Obedience commands don't create a well behaved dog. Raising a dog and teaching along the way does. No parent says they are going outside to train their kids. We just raise them and teach them 24 hours a day and try to provide guidance so eventually our children can make the right decisions on their own. Dogs are no different. Live right with them. They are not children. They are animals and must be respected as such. And they are a precious gift that are not here long enough so enjoy every minute and never take them for granted.   -  Larry Krohn 

2022-03-30T13:59:00.002-04:00

Excellent advise for new dog owners

2022-03-15T18:35:00.001-04:00

NO EVIDENCE THAT GRAIN-FREE DIETS ARE CAUSING CANINE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY (DCM)

2022-03-15T18:29:00.003-04:00

k9 Things Research

by Dr. Ryan Yamka

FDA FINDS NO EVIDENCE THAT GRAIN-FREE DIETS ARE CAUSING CANINE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY (DCM)

Evidence shows that risk factors for DCM is multi-faceted and is not related to a grain-free diet.

INTRODUCTION:

Since 2018, Canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been a hot topic in the pet food industry, the veterinary community, the press and among pet owners. Although some veterinarians hypothesized there may be a potential association, there has never been a proven direct link (i.e., cause and effect) to grain-free foods (both over the counter or therapeutic) causing DCM in dogs including the FDA investigation. Unfortunately, the FDA’s original request was for cases involving grain-free pet food only, and that is what people keep sending in (which has resulted in a biased and polluted data pool). Perhaps if the FDA asked veterinarians and the public to send in all cases, regardless of diet, we may have seen something else, like the whole picture or a specific nutrient or lack thereof could be the issue.

FDA 2020 DCM UPDATE:

In late September 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) quietly issued an update on the grain-free pet food and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) investigation that was a far cry from – and far less publicized than – the initial FDA reports and updates back in 2018 and 2019. In other words, the FDA walked back their initial reports implying a causation between grain-free foods and DCM. Unfortunately, this did not make the headlines.

Since the initial reports, Vet-LIRN (the veterinary laboratory network that FDA partnered with for the investigation) closely examined a subset of approximately 150 dogs diagnosed with DCM to identify potential causative and recovery factors. The results show that DCM is indeed a multifactorial issue with potential variables including, but not limited to, breed, age, weight, gastrointestinal disease, atopy, infection (Lyme and Chagas disease) and more. These results are not surprising. Recently, McCauley et al (2020) reviewed over 150 studies which found no cause-and-effect link of grain-free food to DCM (see figure below). In fact, their review found similar variables related to DCM like infections and concurrent diseases.

Dr. Steven Solomon, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, acknowledged that the “complex scientific messaging” on DCM and diet has contributed to misinterpretation about the safety of a grain-free diet. Dr. Solomon encouraged dog owners to select the diet that works best for their pet’s nutritional needs and previewed more multidisciplinary, scientific collaboration between the industry, veterinarians, scientists, and other researchers that will further the understanding of DCM.

Solomon also acknowledged:

“This is one of our ongoing struggles: choosing terminology that is scientifically accurate, understandable to pet owners and that does not cast a shadow over products that are otherwise known to be healthful and safe. I appreciate the fact that FDA’s voice is the voice veterinarians and pet owners listen to, yet too often our messages have been repeated inaccurately by third parties. The result is that in the internet age of phenomenally fast sound bites, complex scientific messaging is often lost in translation. We have tried to be careful in our messaging, and we recognize going forward not to speak on this topic publicly unless we are clarifying information or have something substantive to share.”

In addition to acknowledging the lack of connection of grain-free foods with DCM and the miscommunication because of oversimplified sound bites, the FDA provided and a new Question and Answer page on November 3rd which reinforced that grain-free diets were not inherently dangerous and that there has been no link between DCM and grain-free diets established. The FDA still recognizes the incidence of DCM and will continue their investigation into non-hereditary factors to better understand the disease. The FDA also acknowledges that they have received reports of non-hereditary DCM associated with BOTH grain-free and grain-containing diets (Q&A #8).

SO, WHAT DO I DO?

If your veterinarian wants to convert you from your current food to their recommended food, it is important to discuss the science behind the “why?”. In fact, the field of nutrition is evolving and advancing, and consumers and veterinarians can benefit from these conversations and by asking questions that help evaluate true quality of pet foods. The truth is that much of the information available for ALL pet foods revolves around marketing rather than nutrient inclusion and availability, but the good news is that you can help change that. Asking the following questions about the food(s) veterinarians recommend and all pet foods in the marketplace can help raise standards and encourage knowledge sharing based on science rather than marketing:

Who formulated the food you are recommending in the marketplace?
Do they perform 3rd party nutrient analysis, and do you have a copy of the data?
Do they perform 3rd party digestibility studies, and do you have a copy of the results?
Does their manufacturing facility (owned or not) have a third certification for quality control and food safety?
Where do the calories in their food come from?

Asking the veterinarian these key questions, will challenge them to think differently about the food they are recommending and come to the realization that the foods they are recommending may be missing this key critical information. Knowing the answers to these questions will enable you to have an open dialogue and make a more informed decision for your pet. This is no different than human medicine. Keep in mind the DCM debacle was started by lack of information tied to nutrient content and availability of the nutrients. Therefore, asking questions #2 and #3 are critical when choosing the right food for your pet. Additionally, when veterinarians started recommending and moving people to Hill’s, likely they were embarrassed, angry and lost credibility with their clients following one of largest recalls in history tied to Vitamin D toxicity which killed and sickened hundreds of pets (question #4).

KEY TAKE AWAY:

DCM is not caused by grain-free foods, regardless what a news headline says – as the data does not support this statement. Rather than blaming an ingredient or set of ingredients for any health concern we should instead be focusing on the nutrient analysis and digestibility of all foods in the marketplace to prevent future problems (including grains and ancient grains). For many of us that have studied nutrition, we know that the nutrient content and availability of those nutrients can be significantly impacted by processing conditions.

Using these questions when choosing a food for your pet you should be able to get answers from the manufacturer or from the veterinarian recommending that food. This will enable both of you to have an open discussion about the nutrition of your pet and more importantly help you become an advocate for what you feed your pet. As always if your pet has any health-related issues you should seek veterinary medical advice immediately.

RESOURCES:

Dr. Solomon’s Full Statement

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/interdisciplinary-scientific-cooperation-will-lead-way-understanding-non-hereditary-dcm

Questions and Answers: FDA’s Work on Potential Causes of Non-Hereditary DCM in Dogs

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/questions-answers-fdas-work-potential-causes-non-hereditary-dcm-dogs

DCM and grain-free pet food: September 2020 FDA update

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/10-debunking-pet-food-myths-and-misconceptions/post/9729-dcm-and-grain-free-pet-food-september-2020-fda-update

‘BEG’ pet food and DCM, part 2: Is veterinary bias at play?

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/10-debunking-pet-food-myths-and-misconceptions/post/8475-beg-pet-food-and-dcm-part-2-is-veterinary-bias-at-play

‘BEG’ pet food does not equal DCM

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/10-debunking-pet-food-myths-and-misconceptions/post/8369-beg-pet-food-does-not-equal-dcm

McCauley et al. 2020: Review of canine dilated cardiomyopathy in the wake of diet-associated concerns

https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/98/6/skaa155/5857674

Weird science: Published pet food studies not always sound

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/10-debunking-pet-food-myths-and-misconceptions/post/9339-weird-science-published-pet-food-studies-not-always-sound

WSAVA pet food recommendations: Useful or useless?

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/10-debunking-pet-food-myths-and-misconceptions/post/9654-wsava-pet-food-recommendations-useful-or-useless

Pet Nutrition Alliance provides false sense of security

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/blogs/10-debunking-pet-food-myths-and-misconceptions/post/8190-pet-nutrition-alliance-provides-false-sense-of-security

EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT RISK FACTORS FOR DCM IS MULTI-FACETED AND IS NOT RELATED TO A GRAIN-FREE DIET.

McCauley et al., 2020. Review of canine dilated cardiomyopathy in the wake of diet-associated concerns. Journal of Animal Science. 98, No. 6: 1-20

Link: https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/98/6/skaa155/5857674

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ryan Yamka, PhD, MS, MBA, FACN, PAS, Dipl. ACAS is founder and an independent consultant with Luna Science and Nutrition, and co-Founder of Guardian Pet Food Company. He is board certified in companion animal nutrition by the American College of Animal Sciences and a fellow with the American College of Nutrition. Yamka calls on his extensive background in pet nutrition, and 20+ years developing, formulating and launching dog and cat foods as a senior executive with leading pet food companies. Yamka has received the 2020 Rogue Pet Science Pet Industry Disruptor Award, the 2019 Pet Age ICON Award and the 2011 ASAS Corbin Companion Animal Biology Award. Dr. Yamka writes a series of blogs Debunking Pet Food Myths and Misconceptions for Pet Food Industry and has been featured in numerous podcasts and seminars.

To learn more about Ryan, check his background credentials on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/ryanyamka)

2021-08-26T11:16:00.000-04:00

WHEN I AM OLD

2021-08-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

When I am old...

I will wear soft gray sweatshirts...

and a bandana over my silver hair...

and I will spend my social security checks on my dogs.

I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs breathing.

I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night and take my dogs for a run,

if my old bones will allow...

When people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs...

and talk of them and about them...

the ones so beloved of the past and the ones so beloved of today...

I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping and feeding them and whispering their names in a soft loving way.

I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel,

and I will be an embarrassment to all...

especially my family...

who have not yet found the peace in being free to have dogs as your best friends...

These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall...

and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep, to greet you as if you are a God,

with warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will always stay,

I'll hug their big strong necks...

I'll kiss their dear sweet heads...

and whisper in their very special company....

I look in the mirror...

and see I am getting old....

this is the kind of person I am...

and have always been.

Loving dogs is easy, they are part of me.

Please accept me for who I am.

My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives...

they love my presence in their lives...

When I am old this will be important to me...

you will understand when you are old,

if you have dogs to love too.

-Author Unknown

King and Aston

2021-05-09T11:51:00.001-04:00

Good times with my girl Ruby

2021-05-07T16:58:00.000-04:00

2021-03-04T09:26:00.000-05:00

2020-05-13T11:10:00.000-04:00

2019-11-29T18:25:00.000-05:00

A Blessed Thanksgiving To All

2019-11-28T12:22:00.000-05:00