Ark Naturals

I first discovered Ark Naturals when I was helping a certain beloved shiba inu compensate for any joint problems he may have had due to a missing leg.

We began using Sea Mobility treats for him:

Because of their active ingredients (and being wheat/corn/soy free!):


After contacting them, and being sent multiple 'test' packets, I found they had two more very useful dog products (that I have not yet tried):
1. Gentle Digest Probiotic:

Ingredients:


Why use a probiotic?
All mammals have numerous beneficial bacteria living in their digestive tracts (gut), including dogs, cats and humans.
Periodic use of antibiotics, as well as natural aging tends to decrease the amount of beneficial bacteria in your pet’s digestive system.  Beneficial bacterium helps to digest food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate toxic substances. [Gentle Digest Probiotic] alleviates occasional gas, diarrhea, and intestinal upset.


2. Happy Traveler

Active Ingredients:


An all-natural herbal calming formula for stressed, nervous, or anxious pets.
Happy Traveler® helps to control stress-related behavior in your pets. Great for those difficult times for your pet: Car Rides, Visits to Vets, Bath-Time, House Guests, Thunderstorms and Fireworks.

Nature's Calming Agents

Herbs

Chamomile is a very helpful herb for easing anxiety. You can simply make a tea by steeping a chamomile teabag in hot water for a few minutes and adding the brew to his food.

St John's Wort is another popular herbal remedy for anxiety and stress since it relieves troublesome symptoms without sedation.

Nutrition

B-complex vitamins are very helpful for stress. Vitamin B12 and Folic acid are especially helpful. The amino acid phenylalanine is also used for anxiety; it helps to form a state of natural relaxation and has a positive effect on mood and behavior. In Traditional Chinese medicine, fear may stem from hereditary weakness involving the kidney or heart. Barley and Oats nourish these organs and the nervous system. Adding 1 teaspoon to ½ cup of these thoroughly cooked grains to the diet may help calm an anxious pet.

Flower Essences

Honeysuckle is useful for more straightforward cases of separation anxiety.

Gorse is useful for despair and grief, especially when an owner has passed away
Rock Rose helps to calm terror that manifests as trembling, cowering and panting as though the world might end.
Mimulus helps with fears of everyday life — strange places, the dark, and strangers or crowds for example.
Larch helps to cultivate bravery and courage along with emotional security.
Walnut helps to build up a sense of security and emotional independence.
Chestnut Bud can help as a preventive for a young dog, so that he can learn form his experiences and process new information to assist him in becoming an emotionally stable young dog.

You can add 3 drops of any or all of these flower essences to you pet's water bowl. Some people also apply flower essence to their pet?s paws or ears.

Homeopathy

Arsenicum Album is a very useful homeopathic remedy for fear and anxiety that are caused by a deep-seated insecurity — those pets who are constant worriers.

Aconite especially good for animals who bite when they are frightened, especially when going to the veterinarian. Use 1-3 pellets (depending upon the animals size) 30 minutes before a vet visit to calm the animal.
Gelsemium is good for the animal who becomes weak, shaking with fear in the rear legs. Use 1 dose.


For more information, check out The Honest Kitchen & Bach's Flower Remedies which includes RESCUE REMEDY FOR PETS

Protein and Aggression

The JAVMA published a study in August, 2000, entitled:

"Effect of Dietary Protein Content and Tryptophan Supplementation on Dominance Aggression, Territorial Aggression, and Hyperactivity in Dogs"

The prospective crossover study dealt with 11 dogs diagnosed with dominance aggression, 11 dogs with territorial aggression, and 11 dogs with hyperactivity (diagnosis made by a behaviorist on basis of history and clinical findings).
Note: In the descriptions of criteria for these dogs, there is no mention of exercise or mental stimulation in their daily routine. I think this crucial.

They placed each of the dogs on 4 diets, fed 1 week each in random order with a transition period of not less than 3 days between each diet. Minimal total duration was 40 days for each dog.

Two diets had low protein (LP) content (approx 18%), and two diets had high protein (HP) (approx 30%). Two of those diets, 1 HP and 1 LP, were supplemented with tryptophan (trp).

Based on the week of feeding, the dogs' owners were asked to score their dogs daily for dominance aggression, territorial aggression, fearfulness, hyperactivity and excitability.

Not taking into consideration what is defined as dominance or territorial aggression, fearfulness, hyperactivity or excitability, and not taking into consideration an outlet, physically and/or mentally of the dogs involved in the study - the results showed that dogs fed the HP diet without Trp supplementation had the highest (least manageable) dominance score for all above issues. Dogs fed the LP without Trp diet had the highest territorial score. Hyperactivity and excitability were not significantly altered by either diet.

As Trp is a known "natural serotonin solution", I believe the use of it during the protein study should remain seperate from results of just feeding the non-supplemented food. Obviously, if Trp is used as a mood regulator, and said to help children with ADD, it logistically will help calm and or regulate certain behaviors in dogs at appropriate dosages.

The above study was funded by Hills.

Foods for Joint Health

Joint health and healthy mobility are important factors to always keep tabs of for the life of your dog. There are many avenues to ensure joint health and function, but I will only focus on foods and formulas that promote healthy cartilage, synovial fluid and joint function.

Diet is a major factor in solidifying continuous joint health.

Natural resources for joint health [click links for info]:

Chicken feet

Omega 3's (fish oil)

Shark Cartilage

Perna canaliculus (green-lipped mussel)
[an easy source of green-lipped mussel are some varities of Ziwi Peak]

Sea Cucumber

Elk Velvet Antler

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Most commercial treats utilize the proven benefits of Glucosamine HCL and Chondroitin. It is also important to look for a treat that contains the following vitamins that are key for metabolizing Glucosamine/Chondroitin : Maganese, Zinc, Selenium. Recent studies have shown Glucosamine HCL to be as effective alone as it is in combination with Chondroitin. So low-to-no level of Chrondroitin is thought to be okay.

Some treats that utilize the above criteria are:
Zuke's Hip Action
Dogswell Happy Hips
Ark Natural's Sea Mobility
Get Naked Joint Health


Other joint health products:

The Honest Kitchen's Lithe Tea an herbal tea that promotes healthy mobility, bone and joint function.

The Missing Link supplement