The Intelligent Pet

December 29, 2011 Volume 2, Issue 13

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Editor's Notes

Pet Alert!

•12/8/2011 - Advanced Animal Nutrition Recalls Dry Dog Food

•12/13/2011 - Feeders Supply, Inc. Recalls Arrow Brand Dry Dog Food

•12/14/2011 - Updated New Release With Corrected Lot Numbers Petrus Feed and Seed Stores, Inc. (Louisiana) recalls its 21% Dog Food

**For a list of current pet food recalls, click HERE.

Happy New Year,

Phew! Isn’t it crazy how quickly time flies? So much has happened here at BARF World over the past year:

A new addition to the BARF World team was made…and if you’ve had the opportunity to chat with Al you know what a great decision it was to add him to the team.
We launched the AutoBARF Gold program giving you FREE shipping on all your BARF World orders and most importantly, peace of mind knowing that your dog will never run out of dog food again.
The K-911 Pet First Aid Kit was created, becoming the first ever first aid kit that works for both pets and people and contains the best, most effective and least invasive first aid remedies combining various modalities of healing.
And most recently, we introduced you to the Share The Love program – a brilliant way for you to spread the word about BARF to all your dog-loving friends and family. With the Share The Love program you can gifting your friends a sample of the BARF Diet and a $25 gift certificate for their first order.

As we ring in 2012, we’ve decided that it would be a good idea to make a few minor changes to the layout of The Intelligent Pet newsletter.

We know how hectic life can be for a busy dog mom like you. We also know how important it is for you to be up to date on the latest pet health news and information. That’s why we’ve decided to break up your newsletter into smaller, bite-sized pieces. You’ll now be receiving a shorter version of The Intelligent Pet newsletter once a week.

So this is a preview of what you can expect to see from The Intelligent Pet newsletter.

Please tell us what you think – we value your feedback and want to know if this shorter, more condensed version works for you. You can send your comments to us via email: info@barfworld.com

To another great year!

Al, Evan, Christopher, Amber, Natasha, Jose, Michael, Ed, Lily and Rob
The BARF World Team

Important Dates to Remember:

Jan 1st - New Year's Day
Jan 2nd - BARF World office is CLOSED
Jan 13th - Friday the 13th
Jan 16th - Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
Jan 22nd - Answer Your Cat's Questions Day

If Dogs Could Talk

Help Your Dog Survive The New Year: 5 Tips To Ensure A Calmer, Happier Dog

By Evan Price

Now that the holiday season is in the rear-view mirror, the gatherings with friends and family are likely to taper off. The one exception to this is the infamous New Year’s Eve party. While New Year’s Eve can be a very exciting time, it may not be so pleasant for your dog if she is not prepared to handle such a loud environment.

Large groups getting together to celebrate the New Year can be quite stressful for your pet. Here are some tips to help get your dog prepared to handle a rowdy atmosphere so that you can ring in the New Year without worry:

Tip #1 – Acclimate Your Dog To A Crowded Atmosphere

One of the best ways to get your dog ready to be in a crowd of strangers is to desensitize your dog to that particular situation. In other words, it would be helpful for your dog to be immersed in a crowd of people several times before your party. This way, it is not such a new and uncomfortable experience. You can accomplish this by hosting smaller parties or get-togethers beforehand - or take your dog for a walk in a public place with high amounts of foot traffic.

Tip #2 – Watch Your Dog’s Behavior To The New Situation

During this process, it is important to monitor your dog’s behavior carefully. If your dog becomes too aggressive, remove him from the situation immediately. This rule also applies if you dog gets too hyperactive. Remember, the goal is to encourage your pup to display a CALM demeanor. Be sure to also monitor your pet’s interaction with children especially since many kids will often show eagerness and excitement when meeting a dog by yelling, jumping and running. The earlier you can socialize a dog, the better!

Tip #3 – Use Positive Reinforcement

It is also important to bolster the learning process with positive reinforcement. Training treats, such as Etta Says! Freeze-Dried Liver Treats, are an integral part of teaching your pet to obey a specific command and reward her for displaying a certain behavior.

Tip #4 – Introduce Strangers In A Friendly Way

Another helpful tip is to have your dog fed by several different people over a course of time. This will help you dog to be excited around strangers and groups of people instead or weary and fearful. It can be especially helpful to your dog if men do a large chunk of the feeding as most dogs tend to be naturally less threatened by women than men.

Tip #5 – Try A Holistic Remedy To De-Stress Your Pet

If all else fails, you can spray some Rescue Remedy® on your dog’s tongue or rub some in her ear to help her calm down safely. Rescue Remedy is blend of flower essences used to naturally reduce stress in your pet and works great to help ease anxiety due to stressful situations, loud noises such as fireworks and thunderstorms, and long car or plane travel.

So take these tips to heart the next time you want to throw a New Year’s soirée but are worried your pup won’t be able to handle all the extra excitement that can be generated. This way, all your loved ones can celebrate without fear of incident. If worst comes to worst, you can always leave you dog in a quite, isolated away from the crowd or hire a dog sitter for the night.

Until next time…happy BARFing!

Evan Price is a Raw Diet Educator for BARF World Inc. He is a true dog lover at heart with a particular interest in Daschunds. Evan is also an avid sports enthusiast and bridge player. For more articles like these and to learn more about the benefits of raw food for your pets, sign up for The Intelligent Pet weekly e-zine at www.barfworld.com.

Bark Out Loud

Monthly Pet Laugh

by Christopher Hampson holiday spirit

Wags of Wisdom:

"Feeling a little blue in January is normal."
Marilu Henner