Dianna's Barkery & More

08/23/2025

Microplastics pose a hidden health risk – not just for you, but also for your pets. ⚠️

08/22/2025

Fermented Veggies Are a Superfood for Pets! 🥗✨

Fermentation is one of the best and most nutritious methods you can prepare vegetables for your pet. 🤩 It boosts probiotics, turns veggies into powerful detoxifiers, and makes nutrients easier to absorb. ✅

📌 When adding fermented veggies to your pet’s diet, start with small amounts then gradually increase, especially if it’s their first time having them. Eventually, pets can consume up to a tablespoon per 20 pounds of body weight.

08/21/2025

🐾 What are the benefits?

The benefits of spaying (females) include:
✅ Population control! No more unwanted litters!
✅ No heat cycles; therefore, males will not be attracted.
✅ Reduction or elimination of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and uterine cancer, especially if done before the first heat cycle.
✅ Reduced incidence of pyometra.
✅ Better overall health for the cat, whose body is no longer stressed and depleted by constant reproduction.

The benefits of neutering (males) include:
✅ Population control! No more unwanted litters!
✅ Reduction or elimination of spraying and marking.
✅ Elimination of hormone-fueled cat fights.
✅ The risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and the incidence of prostate disease is decreased.
✅ Less desire to roam. Toms stay closer to home and tend to become calmer and friendlier.
✅ A reduction in the spread of FIV, a virus spread between cats by deep bites/puncture wounds received while fighting.
✅ Longer lifespan: outdoor intact male cats tend to get hurt or die while roaming in search of a female in heat. Neutering removes the urge to roam.

Sterilizing our community cats is beneficial to the community as well. Cats that are spayed/neutered during the TNR process are healthier animals and make better neighbors. Complaints of overpopulation, fighting, yowling, and marking will decrease, making the cats more welcome members of the community. Sterilization also saves taxpayer and animal welfare dollars as fewer animals will be captured, impounded, and eventually euthanized due to illness, injury, or lack of homes. Save a life! Spay or neuter all the cats - your pet(s) and those outdoors.

Want to save 100 cats? Just spay one! We can save them all from a life of suffering. Please spay and neuter! 🐱💙








🚫🐾

08/20/2025

08/19/2025

BOWLS ARE BORING
Observations show that many animals, including dogs will prefer to forage, hunt and actively seek out food rather than just having it freely available or presented in a bowl.
This behavior is known as Contrafreeloading and is an occurrence where an animal will choose to put effort and work into seeking out food rather than eat food that is available for far less or no effort.
This may not make any sense to us – why go to all that effort when you could just have the food that is presented to you? Or why make my dog work for a basic need, you may ask? Surely that’s just not fair?
Foraging, hunting and seeking out food are natural, instinctive behaviors which are vital for the survival of any species. Even though our domesticated dogs don’t have to worry about this, this innate need for seeking is still a part of who they are.
In addition to this, seeking out food creates an increase in Dopamine – the feel-good hormone. It’s the pursuit of an opportunity, the excitement, the satisfaction and the sense of achievement and not the actual eating of the food that causes these feel-good emotions.
We control so much of our dog’s lives and in our modern lifestyles and environment many dogs have very little opportunity to engage in natural behaviours. Why not use food as an outlet to provide enrichment and allow them to engage in a very natural behavior while increasing feel-good hormones?
Contrafreeloading may not be true of all dogs. Dogs that are already provided with lots of opportunities to engage in natural behaviors may not gain any additional benefit as those needs are already being met. Some dogs may be really hungry or tired and prefer to have instant gratification. Every dog is an individual, but it’s worth considering the advantages of providing a simple outlet for this natural and instinctive behavior. It will make your dog feel good!

08/18/2025

Share a photo of your senior pet and tell us their age (in human years) below. 👇

08/17/2025

Don’t let anyone convince you that dry kibble is safer to feed your pet over minimally processed pet food.

In the past 5 years, over 69 million pounds of pet food have been recalled. The leading cause was mold contamination (aflatoxins), accounting for 60 million pounds, all from ultra-processed kibble.

The second most common reason was bacterial contamination. 8 million pounds were recalled due to harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Listeria. Kibble made up 97.7% of these recalls.

Refrigerated cooked foods accounted for 1.4%

Raw pet food was even lower, at just 0.7%

When it comes to safety, the data is clear: minimally processed pet food isn’t the risk—ultra-processed kibble is.

08/16/2025

ARE YOU MANAGING?
Are you managing your dog’s environment to prevent or improve unwanted behavior?

As people, we tend to prefer and look for the more complicated solutions to problems. This tendency is termed “complexity bias” - the tendency to prefer complicated explanations and solutions instead of looking for the simpler ones.

Surely, a complicated, time-consuming, detailed solution has to be more effective, superior, impressive, or correct?

Complexity bias is so relevant when it comes to changing a dog’s unwanted behavior. We often get so stuck on trying to modify behavior through counter conditioning, desensitization, or detailed training plans when sometimes the simplest solution to the problem lies in simply managing the environment.

Dogs will do what dogs do – when an opportunity arises to help themselves to food left on a table, to bark at the gate at anyone passing by, to have a drink from that big water bowl at the perfect height, that we call a toilet, to running off with irresistibly smelly dirty underwear, to rummaging through bins in search of anything that may or may not be edible, to running out an opened door in search of adventure - the list is long - dogs will be dogs.

Parents of little children use management all the time without giving it much thought. Baby locks on cupboards, covers on electrical sockets, valuable or dangerous items put far out of reach, fences and locks around pools, etc. We wouldn’t just train a toddler not to stick their fingers in an electrical socket, not to open cupboards, not to touch a hot plate – it’s far safer, simpler and logical to first manage the environment, to prevent potential incidents.

The same principle should apply to managing a dog’s environment to prevent unwanted behavior.

The more a behavior is practiced, the more difficult it is to prevent. The more a behavior is rehearsed, the better dogs become at it.

Preventing the behavior from happening in the first place by using management is the logical, simple, and effective way to address it.

Be a good manager – it’s far less stressful for both people and dogs than supporting complexity bias.

08/15/2025

Kitten Teething 101 🦷🐱

Much like human infants, kittens go through a teething process that involves two distinct phases – the eruption of baby teeth, followed by the loss of those baby teeth and the emergence of permanent adult teeth. 🐈

Chewing more than usual or acting a little cranky are just a couple of common signs your kitten may be teething.

While teething is a normal part of kittenhood, it can bring discomfort. 😿

08/14/2025

Look 👀 what's new in the kitchen! NEVER ANY ADDITIVES OR PRESERVATIVES. We dehydrated our treats for a shelf life of a year!!!! We are playing around with some yummy 😋 fall flavors!!! Give us your thoughts!!!

08/14/2025

Cucumber Water for Dogs

Ingredients:
1 small cucumber (washed and thinly sliced), 2 cups filtered or spring water

Supplements:
Optional: 1/4 tsp dog-safe electrolyte powder or 1 tsp coconut water for extra hydration

Instructions:

1. Wash cucumber thoroughly and slice into thin rounds (leave skin on for fiber).
2. Add cucumber slices to a large bowl or dog-safe water bowl.
3. Pour filtered or spring water over the slices. Add optional supplement if using and stir gently.
4. Let it infuse for 10–15 minutes in the fridge before serving.
5. Offer chilled on a warm day or serve immediately for refreshment.

Storage:
Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Discard and replace with fresh water daily.

Benefits:
Cucumber water helps cool dogs down, supports hydration, and provides mild digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits. It's a refreshing treat for summer days or after walks.

Calorie Information:
Virtually 0 calories. Safe to serve multiple times a day as an added hydration source.

08/13/2025

Tiny but Mighty Fish in the Sea! 🌟🌊

What this fish lacks in size, it makes up for in flavor and health perks! 🐟 Anchovies are packed with omega-3 fats that offer many benefits for your pet, including:

🫀 Supporting heart health
🧠 Enhancing brain function
✨ Improving skin and coat condition

When buying anchovies for your pet, look for uncured and unsalted anchovies – they’re the healthiest option. 👍 If you can only find canned anchovies, opt for those packed in water or olive oil, with no added salt.