Canine to Five Dog Walking, Thanet

19/06/2025

I've known this for years. Everyone who has a dog should read and learn.

Last year I had a week of euthanizing seven dogs, all under the age of nine, due to cancer.

In my home euthanasia business, I've witnessed this troubling trend of young dogs succumbing to cancer continue to worsen.

All these dogs were fed ultra-processed foods, deemed 'up-to-date on vaccines,' given monthly pesticide preventatives, and put on chronic conventional medications for arthritis, allergies, or other conditions.

These well-meaning, devoted dog guardians thought they were doing right by their dogs. These current standards of care are detrimental to our dogs' health.

We need to pause and assess what's happening, using common sense to find ways to support our dogs' well-being.

The common practices of over-vaccination, toxic pesticides, poor nutrition, and chronic medications are:

1. Ruining dogs' gut microbiomes, thus weakening their immune systems.

2. Causing chronic illnesses treated with conventional meds that wipe out healthy gut flora, exacerbating the cycle.

3. Certain pesticides have been proven carcinogenic and are FDA-labeled as such.

4. The processing of dry kibble diets produces carcinogens. According to the NCI (National Cancer Institute), high cooking temperatures lead to chemical reactions among amino acids, creatines, and sugars, producing dangerous carcinogens.

It's time we:

1. Feed REAL food instead of ultra-processed cereals.

2. Follow safe vaccine schedules and conduct titer tests rather than unnecessarily repeating vaccines.

3. Choose natural remedies and preventatives over conventional medications whenever possible.

4. Support dogs' gut microbiomes through pre and probiotic foods and balanced, whole food diets.

It's up to you, the dog guardian, to take your dog's health into your own hands.

Unfortunately, many veterinarians are influenced by big kibble and pharmaceutical companies. Don't let these companies take your money while robbing your dog of years of life!

You can join my Dog Mom Society, where I support dog guardians on the journey to natural health and longevity for their dogs. Comment DOG MOM to learn more!

23/03/2025

Take the time to read this. Very informative.

RAW V DRY, WHICH IS SAFER?!! COME ON, YOU'RE NOT STILL ASKING THAT...
There are studies out there showing some raw dog foods can be higher in bacteria you wish weren't in there. No doubt. And those companies should be dealt with the same way as any other food company. Because it's never OK.

Hazardous microbiological contamination can be avoided with good sourcing, good manufacturing and good storage practices, as the majority of other raw dog food manufacturers are clearly showing us.

Yes, fresh food can harbour nasties - carrots and leafy greens lay out 100's of us a year - it's not a reason to avoid them in favour of.....what's a nutritious food product made by Mars or Nestle for humans?!! Answers on a postcard....it's a reason to clean up the food chain.

And remember, as ever, you have to choose your monster. Vets, if you're going to scare folk away from fresh food, where are you sending them to? Do dry food?! On what basis would that be?!!

To recap where dry food is in the debate:

A recent study of healthy dry-fed dogs found they house MORE species of E.coli and in greater abundance in their faeces and around their a**s than raw-fed dogs.

This stands to reason - studies show raw feeding promotes gut health. It feeds a more healthy gut biome, reducing gut dysbiosis and Clostridium species.

I mean, did you know that, unlike raw dog food, authors have isolated the same species of drug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni from a dog fed a commercial dry diet as detected in a girl infected with the same species.

And as ever, recalls for Salmonella in dry dog food dwarf those in raw. From 2020-2023, dry food accounted for 99% of the pet food recalled (by weight) for Salmonella in the US, despite it only being 59% of the market.

A study in 2022 analysed 162 dry and canned pet foods and found Salmonella in 41% of brands (and 64% contained Listeria!).

Worse again, just a year later, a study in 2023 analysed 35 EU dry pet foods and found that 100% of the dry dog foods were contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. The presence of Coliform bacteria is one measure of a product's quality. You don't want too much of them. Coliform bacteria were present in 52% of the grain-free dry foods analysed and 67% of the grain-containing dry foods! Staphylococcus spp. were found in >9% of both types of dry food. 17% of dry foods tested positive for Clostridium. And E.coli? Well, 43% of grain free pet foods and 33% of the grain-containing foods failed for that too.

One third.

So, I can say with some surety, dry dog food too has some MAJOR microbiological concerns and with not so much as a dickie bird from the likes of the BVA or RCVS, people are going to get harmed by these products.

In fact, in the US alone (as they're the only ones really trying to record it...), from 2006-2016, dry-fed dogs poisoned 140 people, half of them TODDLERS under two years of age.

Never mentioned by vets or mainstream media that one.

In that time exactly ZERO people were harmed by raw dog food.

Just last year the CDC said another 7 cases of humans getting food poisoned across 6 states - all dry dog food again, all toddlers.

And lest we forget, our side has the retrospective safety studies in our pockets, not dry dog food supporters. The most important work in that regard found 3 potential cases of food poisoning across 16,750 households (that is over their lifetime, thus millions of dog meals). In other words, that is a vanishing small risk, smaller than say, the risk of consuming raw carrots in the UK

A similar work containing more than 2000 homes in New York verified these figures almost exactly. That is a vanishingly rare instance of cross-contamination. No such safety analysis has ever been conducted on dry dog food.

And this is just the microbiology.

Can we talk about excess mineral toxicity events? Do you know how rife aflatoxin is in cereal-based pet food?! Did you hear that concentrations above the MAXIMUM TOLERABLE LIMIT for aluminum (32% of dog foods tested, 11% of cat foods), mercury (100% of dog foods, 86% of cat foods), lead (81% of dog food, 32% of cat food), uranium (96% of dog food, 86% of cat food), and vanadium (75% of dog food, 29% of cat food) has been found in many brands?

On and on and on.

And, as ever, why is nobody talking about the fact tens of thousands of pets have died eating the stuff over the last few decades alone? Complete raw has killed less than 10.

Looking forward to hitting South Africa next week to set the record straight.

06/03/2025

🐾 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 🐾

In recent months, we’ve seen an alarming number of surrender requests for Cockapoos and Cockapoo puppies, many with 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀. These dogs, bred from a Poodle and Cocker Spaniel, have surged in popularity, but the rise in demand is causing serious, often overlooked consequences.

🛑 Currently, 4.9% of all ads - 23 out of 467 - on Dogs.ie are for litters of Cockapoos, making them the most advertised "breed" on the platform. These puppies are sold with a high price tag, around €500 each, drawing in buyers with their cute appearance and trendy "designer" label. But what happens when the new owners realize the reality of owning one?

💔 Breeders, especially those producing puppies purely for profit, are unlikely to take them back when the owners struggle. That responsibility falls on rescues and pounds who are left to pick up the pieces.

🐶 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼𝘀: 𝗔 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀

Despite their high price, Cockapoos are not a pedigree breed. There are significant drawbacks to choosing a non-pedigree dog, like Cockapoos. With mixed breeds, it’s often difficult or impossible to determine exactly what breed traits will dominate, making it hard to predict their behaviour and size as adults.

🧬 While the disposition of the parents can offer clues to a puppy’s temperament, in many cases, Cockapoo parentage is undocumented or unknown. This contrasts with pedigree dogs, whose medical and behavioral histories are well-recorded. With Cockapoos, health issues can be much more unpredictable.

⚠️ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱?

Cockapoos are often bought as family pets because of their adorable looks, but their 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀 can lead to significant 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 that many families aren’t prepared to handle. Cockapoos are a mix of two highly intelligent working breeds - Poodles and Cocker Spaniels. This leads to a unique set of challenges:

🐾 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: With strong hunting instincts from both sides, Cockapoos can become reactive and may chase small animals if not properly trained.
💔 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆: These dogs thrive on companionship and can develop severe anxiety when left alone for long periods, often leading to destructive behavior.
😟 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀: Without proper early socialisation, Cockapoos can become fearful and reactive to unfamiliar situations, people, or other dogs.
🔒 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀: Cockapoos often exhibit 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, a behavior linked to their hunting breed background. Both Cocker Spaniels and Poodles have instincts to protect valuable resources like food or toys. Without training and clear boundaries, these traits can escalate into possessive behaviors and even aggression.
⚠️ These behaviors, especially resource guarding, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀. This is why many Cockapoos, despite their cute appearance, find themselves surrendered to shelters.

💡 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲: 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀

Cockapoos are rarely, if ever, ethically bred. 𝗡𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗱. Reputable breeders are dedicated to improving the health, temperament, and overall quality of their specific breed. They carefully select mates for their dogs to maintain or enhance these traits - not to crossbreed for profit.

Breeders who are committed to improving their breed follow strict guidelines, health tests, and pair their dogs based on genetics, temperament, and health. In contrast, many Cockapoos are bred without these considerations. The primary focus for these breeders is demand and profit, not the welfare of the animals or the long-term health of the breed. The results are dogs that often suffer from poor genetics or behavioral issues that could have been avoided with responsible breeding.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲?

If people stopped purchasing from bad breeders, they would no longer profit from this cruel cycle. When people buy Cockapoos from irresponsible breeders without doing proper research, they’re unknowingly supporting an industry that cares more about money than the welfare of the animals.

✅ 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.

Before committing to any dog, especially a "designer" breed like a Cockapoo, it’s crucial to understand their unique needs.

𝗕𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

21/01/2022

02/10/2021

💖💖 A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE 💖💖
I have decided against posting any photos/videos of clients' dogs out walking due to the current climate surrounding potential dog theft.
I am happy to message or text any client privately.
We all need to remain vigilant & take every precaution necessary to safeguard our dogs.🐕

30/04/2021

The saying is that "a picture is worth a thousand words" but only the owner knows the truth of those words! 💕🌸🐩🌼