TIMBERWOLF DOG FOOD

Recently I had the opportunity to feed my dogs Timberwolf dog food. I’ve always heard so many positive things about this company. I know that Dawn Restuccia (yesterday’s interview on this blog) told me that she feeds Timberwolf exclusively. Her dogs always have such gorgeous healthy looking coats. She also told me about this company’s extreme generosity to her Last Hope, Safe Haven organization. They have donated thousands of pounds (and dollars worth) of dog food and also salmon oil to her organizations efforts to try to bring the rescue dogs back to a healthy body and nerves by feeding them a top food like Timberwolf. This is not the type of food that you would expect to find in a grocery store. This is a high end product and for them to donate so much of it to the rescues is truly amazing. If you go on their website, you will see they have a banner of Last Hope, Safe Haven on it as well!

If you talk to one of Timberwolf’s owners Rozina Choudhry on the telephone, you come to realize that you’re not just talking to another dog food company that’s only interested in the profits her company makes. She truly believes in her companies products because she not only sells it, but she uses it on her own German Shepherds! She’s had German Shepherds for many years so she knows the nutritional requirements of this breed. Mark Heyward is the Founder of Timberwolf Organics. He has put together a great website about this product so I encourage you to take a look at it. I asked Rozina to send me some information for this article and I’m including that now.

Since 1995, Timberwolf has produced rotational pet foods that simulate the natural diet of wild canids and felids. Studies have shown that dogs and wolves share 99% of the same DNA. Domesticated dogs have the sharp teeth and short digestive tracts of their wolf ancestors, and are therefore able to metabolize higher levels of proteins and fats. Cats, true carnivores, have even shorter digestive tracts than dogs. Animals in the wild naturally gravitate toward raw food sources that provide the vitamins and minerals they need.

Timberwolf holistic pet diets combine the health benefits of a raw diet with the convenience of dry kibble. We use only the freshest, highest-grade ingredients: premium protein sources (such as elk and lamb), fruits and vegetables, whole grains, herbs and seeds. You won’t find any cheap fillers or artificial additives in our all-natural pet diets.

In keeping with our “back to basics” philosophy, Timberwolf diets contain high levels of meat and/or meat meals. Our meat meals are made only from fresh meat tissue, and they provide a concentrated source of protein to aid in growth and development. Timberwolf formulas also include tantalizing herbs to enhance flavor and add nutritional value. The health benefits of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil and fennel seed have been well documented through the ages.

Nutrient-dense Timberwolf diets are packed with a balanced blend of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help pets thrive. Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids promote eye health, joint function, healthy skin and a glossy coat.

Timberwolf diets are designed to be rotated every 2-3 months. The purpose behind rotation feeding is to provide your pet with an improved nutrient uptake and a more satisfying feeding experience. Rotational diets can aid in the prevention of food allergies and nutritional deficiencies in the long term, ensuring that the dog or cat receives a full range of vitamins and minerals.

We do not spend money on advertising, because we prefer to put that money into our ingredients. Many of our customers discover us through word of mouth—because a friend, breeder, or veterinarian told them about Timberwolf. Our diets are formulated to meet AAFCO guidelines for all life stages. Whether you have a puppy or a senior, a working animal or a dog with weight issues, you can confidently feed Timberwolf knowing that your pet is receiving a complete and balanced diet.

In August 2008, Timberwolf donated $55,000 worth of food to help homeless animals. We also had great success with our “bag for bag’ program, in which we donated one bag of Timberwolf food for every bag purchased in a 30-day period. Between December and January 2009, we also donated over 82,000 lbs of food to U.S. animal shelters and rescue organizations. Timberwolf is proud to have helped organizations such as Animal Rescue New Orleans, IAMRA, Big Dog Rescue, Animal Haven, Placing Paws, Dogs Deserve Better, Last Hope Safe Haven, Ozark Haven Rescue, Wolf Rescue Resources and the Milo Foundation amongst several others. “More than ever before, we recognized how great the need had become and very few pet food company’s were helping out so we had to go to extreme lengths to help those in need”. Animals are loosing their homes and going hungry and there are those on the front lines who take in so many homeless animals and whose hearts and wallets are at breaking point and they can no longer afford to feed all the animals that are continually arriving at their doors. We applaud them for theirs is a thankless mission of love and compassion tempered with action for which we are eternally grateful.

One thing I noticed when I opened the bags of Timberwolf was the strong smell of the herbs in their products. I am lucky to have great eaters. But I could tell how much they loved this food each time I put it in the bowl. It just doesn’t smell like any other food does. They really got excited each time I scoped out a cup of the food and couldn’t wait to eat it.

For anyone who wonders why they use herbs in their foods, I highly recommend you take a peek on their website. It’ll tell you all the reasons that they use herbs in their dog food as well as answer many other frequently asked questions.

And speaking of those bags that the dog food comes in…..they are not like the everyday type of bag that you usually see when you buy dry dog food. These bags are state of the art oxygen barrier packaging that protects freshness by reducing transfer of oxygen which causes foods to spoil.

I always like it when the people that own a dog food company owns dogs themselves and when they own German Shepherds, that makes it that much better in my eyes. They’re not asking us to feed our dogs anything that their dogs are not being fed. I feel confident that this is a company who cares for the welfare of dogs and knows the nutritional needs to keep them healthy. This is a friendly company to do business with and is willing to answer any questions you may have about their products. In today’s hectic world, having a company who promotes good customer service is very important to me. This is an excellent company who is interested in taking care of our dogs and is interested in making the dog owners happy as well. It’s a win-win situation!

My rating: quality of dog food ingredients: (4), donating to animal rescues: (4), price: (3)

THE PROPER CARE OF THE EAR

On the average, not too many owners have lots of complaints about taking care of the German Shepherd Dogs ears, unless you’re talking about having to tape a youngster’s ears to help them stand. But that is a whole another story for another article. However, there are those certain dogs that seem to have chronic ear problems. One of my shepherds that I had years ago always had yucky, black “uglies” in her ears. My vet would give me medicine which would clean up the mess and she’d be fine for awhile, but as time went by, she’d have it again. It’s so long ago now that I forget what the actually condition was called. It was probably ear mites and they were “stinky” as well!

If a dog’s ears are not properly taken care of then infection can occur and even in extreme cases, loss of hearing. Checking the dog’s ears should be a normal part of the dog’s grooming procedure. Also if the dog shakes his head a lot or carries his head to one side, there’s a problem. Surprisingly, ear problems are one of the most common conditions in dogs. Most of the time if the dog’s outer ear canal is infected its called otitis externa. This condition affects about 20% of all dogs.

The reason that dogs get these ears problems is due to the shape of the canine’s ears. The dog’s ear is long and L – shaped. Bacteria and debris collect in the L – shape area of the ear. Add that with the warmth and moist environment in the ear and it’s easy to see why infection may occur. This is why it’s important to keep the dog’s ears dry especially after bathing him. Dogs that produce an over abundance of ear wax or hair growth in the ear canal are also at risk for ear infections. Another thing that can cause ear infections is skin allergies and hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism. I didn’t know that. I just learned something new.

If your dog is an outside animal who likes to run in the woods or go for hikes with you, pay close attention to his ears. Foreign bodies especially plant material can cause infections to start. Also check your dog’s ears for ear mites and ear tumors.

If you notice any of the following symptoms, check your dog’s ears. He may have an infection. If he scratches and rubs his head, if he tilts his head and holds it to one side, if he doesn’t want you to pet him on the head, he could be in pain, there may be a discharge or an odor, if you look in the ear you may notice a swelling or redness in the ear, or if you notice that you dog is more irritable and lies around more, he may be in pain.

If your dog has any of these signs, its best you have him examined by your vet. He will have the instruments to look into the dog’s ear canal and determine the best approach for treatment. Leaving a dog that has an ear problem untreated can not only lead to deafness, but the infection can extend to the inner ear and become life threatening.

There are natural treatments in the market place that you can use to clean the animals ears gently. Poking around with Q-tips is never advisable. They can rupture the ear drum or push the debris down further into the ear canal. When using a solution, apply in the ear canal. Massage the base of the ear to help loosen the wax or debris. The dog will shake his head and this is alright because it will help further loosen the buildup. Use a cotton ball to remove the excess fluid. Repeat the above until you feel that all of the debris is removed. Some veterinarians will recommend that you trim any excess hair in the dog’s ears so there is better air flow and this can help prevent an infection. They may also suggest that you treat a dog that has allergies or hypothyroidism which may be a contributing factor if your dog has chronic ear infections.

Many German Shepherd Dog breeders use a home made ear solution called The Dixie Ear Treatment. The ingredients are: 16 ounce bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol, 4 tablespoons of Boric Acid Powder and 16 drops of Gentian Violet Solution 1%. You mix this all up in a plastic bottle. You treat as described in the above directions for a natural ear solution only with the second application, you wipe with a cotton ball or tissue but you don’t massage. You leave it there for the dog to shake out the debris. Depending on how severe the ear infection is, you can treat two times a day for one to two weeks. Then the following week, you can treat one time a day for ten days. Then treat once a month as needed. This mixture seems to work well on most ear problems. Most of the ingredients can be found in your pharmacy. I’ve never used this treatment on my own dogs so I’m just reporting what I hear a lot of people use on their dogs. If you are unsure, always check with your veterinarian for his advice before using this solution or any other one.

My rating: checking your dogs ears as a necessary part of grooming: (4), natural ear solutions: (4), Dixie Ear Solution (based on what other breeders say): (4), medications: (3)