Cotten's Sunset Kennels

06/24/2026

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John and Allison Cotten channel their love for animals into the community by providing a safe, welcoming place for pets who need boarding and professional basic obedience training.

06/10/2026

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
How To Know When It's The Right Time

We have some sad news to share today. If you have come through our Basic Obedience Training a few years ago you probably met our Irish Sette namedr Storm. He is one of the sweetest dogs we have ever owned. And recently he even starred in an upcoming Amazon movie! I had bought Storm as a Christmas present for John years ago when he was doing the horseback field trials. And for years he did compete in them but it was never really his thing. I think he truly just wanted to be a companion to us.

Anyway, today's topic is a hard one. Knowing when it's time to say good-bye to your pet is a very hard and difficult decision. None of us want to have to make this decision but honestly it truly is one of the kindest things we can do for any animal.

At its core, euthanasia serves as a final act of love—a compassionate choice to prevent further suffering for our beloved animals. We often focus on the sadness of saying goodbye, but it’s essential to remember that euthanasia is fundamentally rooted in our desire to preserve dignity and prevent pain for our furry family members.

These decision are certainly not made easily or carelessly. But as pet parents, we may find ourselves asking critical questions: Is my dog still enjoying their daily routines? Are they experiencing more struggle than joy? When we notice diminishing happiness or increasing discomfort despite our best care efforts, it signals that we need to consider all available options, including compassionate euthanasia.

Here are some signs that may help you in making this difficult decision:

1) Loss of appetite and weight changes
2) Mobility and movement challenges
3) Signs of chronic pain despite treatment
4) Loss of basic body functions
5) Withdrawal from social living
6) Changes in temperament

In addition to the above there is an effective method for evaluating your dog’s well-being using established quality of life assessment tools. It's called the HHHHHMM Scale and it evaluates seven key areas:

1) Hurt
2) Hunger
3) Hydration
4) Hygiene
5) Happiness
6) Mobility
7) More good days than bad days

For each category, you can assign scores from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating better function. A total score below 35 typically suggests significantly compromised quality of life that may warrant end-of-life discussions with your veterinary team.

However, we all know our dogs better than just rating them on a scale. Numbers alone don’t tell the complete story. Your intimate knowledge of your dog’s personality, preferences, and typical behavior provides crucial context that no assessment scale can capture. Consider whether your dog still shows interest in things they used to love, if they’re able to enjoy basic pleasures like food or gentle petting, whether they seem more comfortable than uncomfortable most days, and if they’re able to maintain dignity in basic functions. But doing the right thing for the animal and not for ourselves is honestly a gift we can give them. Most times that decision is very hard to make but is usually the right thing to do. In our case we know that Storm has lived an incredible almost 15 years with us and we have been blessed to have had him in our lives for so many years.

We are one week two of our Basic Obedience Training tonight and are looking forward to seeing everyone again. It's always so fun to see the progress the dogs make each week. If you think you and your dog could benefit from Basic Obedience Training give us a call at 231-845-0550. Also, we are almost completely booked with boarding dogs in the next few months so if you have any vacation plans don't forget to be sure to make your boarding reservations with us. It looks like it's going to be a summer of travel for a lot of folks! *photo credit of Storm to my sister

06/03/2026

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
What To Do If You Run Into An Aggressive Dog

Hopefully summer is finally here! The warmer temperatures are getting more and more people and dogs outside it seems. And each year thousands of innocent people are attacked by dogs. Whether you’re an avid jogger or only spend time outdoors at the playground with your kids or the beach, you could certainly be at risk. Knowing what to do to protect yourself from a dog attack is vital for your safety. Following are some tips you can use if you come in contact with a strange dog.

First, here is what NOT to do:

1) Never run from a strange dog. If an aggressive dog approaches you, your instinct might be to run away from it. However, running can be a major mistake. Making any type of fast movement might trigger a reaction in the dog, much like a red blanket might trigger an angry bull. Even if you feel as if you should run for safety, the best thing to do is to stand still and avoid making any sudden movements.

2) Avoid looking the dog in the eye. Many aggressive dogs will react violently if you look them in the eye, so be sure not to make eye contact with a strange dog. If you stand still and avoid looking at the dog in the face, chances are it will leave you alone. Many dogs may think you’re trying to challenge them when you look them in the eye. Turn your head to ensure the dog understands you’re not interested in fighting with them.

3) Don't try to fight the dog. Some people try to strike a possibly aggressive dog, however the more you try to fight a dog, the more angry you’ll make it. Even if the dog attacks you, if you stay completely still they will most likely stop their attack because they will think you’re dead and will retreat.

4) Don't slouch, stand tall. Sometimes dogs will avoid attacking you if you stand up tall and spread your arms wide out to your sides as they approach. They often think this means you’re much larger than you appear and will retreat out of submission.

Here are things you SHOULD do:

1) Avoid getting bit in the face. Yes, this is common sense but If you’re being attacked by a dog, do everything in your power to avoid getting bit in the face. The worst dog bite injuries you can sustain are to the head, face and neck. So, protect these areas at all costs. If the dog is large and is jumping at you, try to pull your shirt over your head to protect your face. You can also use your hands to cover your ears, while keeping your elbows firmly to your sides to protect some of your vital organs.

2) Remain calm. Yes it might seem impossible to stay calm while a dog is trying to attack you but it’s very important that you attempt to be calm. Dogs can sense fear in an instant and that will only provoke them more.

3) Stay alert. When you see a dog approaching you, be sure to stay alert. Don’t look the dog in the eyes but you should know where the dog is at all times, so you aren’t a victim of a surprise attack.

4) Use Self Defense Spray. If you want to stay safe while outdoors, you probably already own protective self defense spray like pepper spray or animal spray. If you have animal spray with you, be sure to use it to prevent the dog from attacking. However, you need to be very careful with some of these sprays and be sure that you aren't spraying them into the wind so it won't blow back on you. There are some gels on the market that help with this.

5) Call Animal Control. If you’ve prevented being attacked from a stray dog but know it’s still on the loose, be sure to call animal control so it won’t have the opportunity to attack someone else.

We hope no one has to encounter an aggressive dog but hope this article helps if you do. Just a reminder that Michigan has a leash law so dogs should be leashed while out on walks etc.

Tonight is the first night of our Basic Obedience Training class for June. We are looking forward to meeting the new dogs and owners. If you have a dog that needs some Basic Obedience Training we offer several options. Give us a call at 231-845-0550 to discuss. Also, with school just about over don't forget to make your boarding reservations for your cat/dog for any upcoming vacations. We are here for you!

05/27/2026

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Things To Know and Understand Before Making Your Own Homemade Dog Food

There are a lot of people who are interested in providing their dog with homemade dog food. This seems to be on the rise lately.

Most people think fresher is better and that is typically true. But before running into your kitchen to start cooking there are some important things to understand and consider to be sure your dog receives a nutritious diet. Just like in humans, it's important to always feed your dog a well rounded and nutritious meal.

1) Homemade dog food can be the best or it can be the worst! Just because you deem it fresh doesn't mean it's good for your dog. There are a few things you need to be sure of:

-Optimal levels of nutrients: Whole Foods generally have more nutrients than commercially processed food because they are in a natural state, are rich in fiber and contain a combination of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that work with synergy.
-Easy to digest: The natural enzymes in whole ingredients aid in digestion, and the natural fiber promotes bowel movements, promoting a healthier gut.
-Control over ingredients: You could eliminate additives and preservatives that could be found in some of the highly processed commercial dog food and ensure high-quality food for your dog.
-Customization: Customizing your dog’s meal can address specific dietary requirements, such as obesity, liver disease, and digestive problems.

HOWEVER! Even with these advantages, veterinarians often discourage homemade meals. Their primary concerns include:

-Lack of balance in homemade food: Dogs require over 40 essential nutrients. Without a background in nutrition, dog owners might be at risk of preparing meals lacking vital nutrients. Deficiencies in nutrients such as vitamin D and zinc could lead to health issues including compromised immune function and liver fat.
-Time-consuming and expensive to maintain: To ensure the right balance of nutrients, you'd need to invest a significant amount of time weighing and measuring food, cooking and making it into batches. Additionally, some of the ingredients required can be challenging and costly to obtain.
-Risk of contamination: Improper handling and cooking of homemade dog food can lead to contamination and foodborne illnesses for both the dog and the owner. Typical contamination includes salmonella and E. coli.

These are just some of the reasons why you might want to reconsider taking on the task of providing homemade dog food for your dog. What works for some might not work for others.

2) You need to be sure that you understand the full spectrum of vital nutrients for your dog’s diet.

-You might already know that a dog’s base diet should contain these essential nutrients: proteins and amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
But to craft a complete and balanced diet, it's important to know about various nutrients and the foods that provide them.
-Essential nutrients your dog requires can vary depending on age, activity level, breed and medical conditions (pregnancy for example).
-Proteins: Support immune system, coat, organ, bone and muscle. Requirement: 1g/lb of ideal body weight per day.
-Fats: Essential fatty acids including omega-3 and omega-6 are vital for immune and visual system. Requirement: 0.42g/lb of ideal body weight per day.
-Carbohydrates: While these are not essential nutrients technically, carbs provide readily available energy and the fiber included supports a healthy gut.
-Vitamins: They support overall health, including metabolism and nervous system, act as antioxidants and facilitate
healing.
-Minerals: Very crucial for bone and teeth health, nerve, muscle and immune function, metabolism and overall health.
-Water: Dogs typically need about 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. Dogs that are more active or
pregnant may require more water. Signs of dehydration can be excessive panting, dry gums, loss of skin elasticity, and lethargy.

Essential vitamins that your dog needs are:
-Vitamin A, D3, E, K, C, B6, B9, B12, B3, B5 and B7.

In addition to vitamins your dog will also need macro-minerals and micro-minerals. It's very important to understand how much of these your dog needs while considering making their food.

If you are still with me and are still interested in providing homemade food for your dog then you can look online at the many different recipes out there. However, it's best to be cautious as only a handful meet the standards for essential nutrients set by some authoritative organizations such as the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the National Research Council (NRC).

So what should a good recipe look like? Following are some suggestions:
-It lists the ingredients and specifies their weights or volumes.
-It goes into the nitty-gritty, like the leanness of meat ("boneless, skinless"), the calorie content, and the breakdown of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fats.
-It guides you on the perfect cooking techniques - should you simmer, stew, or perhaps poach?
-It is clearly labelled with a nutritional adequacy statement: “This recipe was formulated to meet minimal nutrient requirements according to ____ standard” (AAFCO, NRC, or FEDIAF).

Are you as overwhelmed as I am at this point? If so, consider other alternatives. Following are some options:
-Frozen Dog Food: To make the diet more balanced, you might still need to do more homework to choose meats, bones, organs and plants and spend more time planning and buying them. However, it could still bear bacteria concerns.
-Gently Cooked Dog Food: This category is rising for preserving nutrients and flavor, and balancing the contamination problem. Gently cooked implies minimal processing, but the specific methods used by different manufacturers can vary.
-Dehydrated Dog Food: This category uses warm air to gradually remove the moisture from food. The temperature usually exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit, high enough to kill most protein enzymes.
-Freeze-Dried Dog Food: If you are looking for a minimally processed, safe, shelf-stable canine feast, freeze-dried food could be a go-to. Unlike preparing raw food by yourself, it saves you time and is a good alternative to raw dog food.
-Air-Dried Dog Food: Air drying is a method similar to dehydrated food but without heat. However, as specific processing methods might vary, it’s still worth questioning whether the company producing “air-dried” dog food is removing using heat or not.

If you are still wanting to create your own dog food then it's very important to still team up with your veterinarian as they may enhance it considering your dog’s age, breed, weight, activity level, and health condition, making sure it's packed with all the right nutrients. They might also give you advice on whether or not your dog needs supplement besides the base diet.

Currently we are feeding a dehydrated food to our small dogs. Our larger dogs are still being fed a kibble that we feel provides them with the best diet that we can afford and handle on a daily basis. In the end, we all need to do what works best for us and our dogs. But it's very important to understand exactly what nutrients your dog needs and how you can make that happen. You can't just randomly feed them food and hope all is well!

Tonight is our last night for our May Basic Obedience Training and the month has certainly flown by. It's amazing to see the progress that each of these dogs and handlers have made over the last month. They have certainly been doing their homework!

If you need dog training or dog boarding give us a call at 231-845-0550. We offer different options and are happy to discuss them!

05/25/2026

A reminder from John on what Memorial Day is about.

05/22/2026

I just have to share a couple of photos of one of our Coton de Tulear puppies from last year. He is living his best life! He is absolutely gorgeous! We only have one puppy still available from our current litter.

05/14/2026

Today’s lineup! 😂

05/13/2026

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Happy Birthday!

I'm getting to this article a little bit late today. Why? Because Maddie decided at 7:00 AM this morning to have her litter of puppies. I was so thankful that once again she had puppies at a normal hour and not the middle of the night. She had four puppies total; three girls and one boy! All are doing well and at the moment we have peace and quiet so I can get this article done.

Anyway, do you celebrate your dog's birthdays? If so, have you ever baked he/she a cake? I found a great recipe that I thought I would share today. I realize this isn't about dog training but sometimes we just need something fun.

This recipe uses ingredients that dogs can eat and more importantly will love!

Doggy Birthday Cake

1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 Tbsp natural peanut butter
Optional Toppings:
-Grated carrot and dog treats of course!

1) Preheat over to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour and baking soda. Mix in applesauce, oil, banana and egg.
2) Lightly grease two 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line pans with parchment paper. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3) For frosting, combine yogurt and peanut butter. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread frosting on cake, then add second layer. Frost top and sides. If desired, decorate cake with grated carrot sprinkles and fun shaped dog treats. Watch your dog enjoy!

We are on week two this week of our Basic Obedience Training. We are excited to see the progress that each dog has made over the last week tonight. If you have a dog that could use some training give us a call at 231-845-0550 to discuss. And of course if you have upcoming summer trips planned don't forget to make your boarding reservations.

05/06/2026

WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Why Is Dog Training Important?

We are back! Well in all reality we haven't been gone but our Wednesday posts took a bit of a break. And during that time we got a new puppy, featured in the photo today. This is her learning the "place" command but possibly bending the rules a bit!

Why did I quit writing articles? The simple answer is I wasn't sure if people were reading them and enjoying them. But I have had a couple of people ask about them so I am going to start again and see if people read them. If so, simply "LIKE" them so we know they are being read!

So back to our topic today - training your dog shouldn't only be about cool tricks and good behavior. Basic dog training helps to create a strong bond between you and your dog. It also helps to enhance your dog's mental and physical health.

Training your dog provides:

-Improved communication: Training helps you and your dog understand each other better. Basic commands create a shared language that cuts down on frustration- for both of you.
-Safety: Using commands that can stop your dog or get your dog to come back to you immediately and quickly can be a lifesaver.
-Stronger Bond: Training=quality time. Every session builds trust and deepens your connection.
-Mental stimulation: Learning new skills keeps your dog mentally engaged and thus reducing boredom.
-Easier Travel: It just makes sense that dogs accustomed to basic commands are generally calmer and easier to handle, making travel (including to the veterinarian) less stressful for everyone.

It only makes sense that if you get a new dog (or even have an older dog) they really need to learn some basic obedience. Being able to take your dog anywhere and feel comfortable with that is very important. We get a lot of calls from people telling us that their dog can't be around other dogs or humans. This can easily be fixed!

If you have a dog that needs to learn some basic obedience and you aren't quite sure where to start with the training we are here for you. We offer several different training options, allowing us to accommodate most clients and their dogs. Give us a call at 231-845-0550 to discuss or answer any questions.

Also, if you are planning to travel this summer and need to board your dog please make sure you don't forget to make your boarding reservations with us. It's already looking like a busy summer for us!