My Forever Dog

There's this newly published book about dogs that has many dog owners raving about it. The book covers dog diet and nutrition, places emphasis on movement and exercises, and tips on how to stop canine stressors. It's 'The Forever Dog' (October 2021) coauthored by veterinarian Dr Karen Shaw Becker and animal activist and social influencer Rodney Habib. The tagline touts the book's information as "Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Companion Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer". 

I borrowed a copy from the National Library, which unfortunately only has hard copies available at that moment; the digital copies came later. BUT I scored a brand new library book! The spine wasn't even bent. Wheeeeeeee! No wonder from the time of reservation which indicated '26 available copies' and none on loan, it took a week before they informed me that the book was ready for collection. 

I always view these books with a healthy dose of skepticism. But I would read them anyway. I cross-reference and fact check and do further research. There're facts, and then there're universally-held anecdotal opinions. At the end of the day, you weigh everything against the respective psyche and genetic make-up of your dog to decide what's best for him/her. I've come to realize that many veterinarians are not the best informed when it comes to dogs' nutrition. They might not even be able to read lower fasting glucose levels in raw-fed dogs compared to starch-fed dogs. They themselves weren't taught canine nutrition in veterinary school. They're no better position to advise me on what to feed my dog. I'm better off doing my own research (that isn't just based on Google).

HOWEVER, Dr Karen Shaw Becker is more into homeopathy and runs the information section on Mercola Healthy Pets. That itself is a GIANT RED FLAG. Please read this book with an open mind. Be skeptical. Then cross-reference loads. The information within isn't gospel. Buying a book doesn't mean the authors sell you actual science. Much of it is quackery. Those supplements branded under Mercola Pets are part of osteopathic physician Joseph Mercola's empire. He sells you alternative medicine and vaccine misinformation. The authors of 'The Forever Dog' recommend that having dogs lead longer and healthier happy lives boil down to avoiding the "three categories of decline: cognitive, physical, and emotional/mental." The book thew up some catch phrases and book-unique key words. They give you: 

The Forever Dogs Formula

• Diet and Nutrition
• Optimal Movement
• Genetic Predispositions
• Stress and Environment

Canine nutrition and the science of it have exploded in new ways again, imho. There was a plateau in 2000s, then a growing movement of 'feeding fresh' in the form of cooked or raw foods. Then the pandemic came and dog ownership rocketed. Cooked food and fresh foods, along with dehydrated/freeze-dried raw options have never been so scrutinized and welcomed. There's new information every decade based on active research and new generations of dogs. 

The book does advocate a fresh food diet — cooked, but preferably raw. They outright reject kibbles as the sole source of food because there isn't much nutrition in there. Hmmm.... that's not totally accurate. They also focus loads on insulin and glycemic index, which aren't totally validated in dogs. There's also a whole paragraph on intermittent fasting for dogs, which is also known as 'time-restricted feeding' (TRF). It isn't applicable to all dogs, and owners shouldn't just do it as and when they feel like it. That's a big fat question mark. It talks about microbial profiles and gut microbiome. We all understand that the more microbially rich and diverse a dog's gut flora is, the healthier they will become. This is completely anecdotal, even if studies have been conducted, because of sample size, and non peer-reviewed initial findings from the Netherlands, Germany and Finland. 

We often see pets who have the same health issues as their human companions or who are sentinels for their human's health problem. If your dog is anxious, are you? If your dog is overweight and out of shape, are you? If your dog has allergies, do you? Our pets' health can often reflect our own: anxiety, obesity, allergies, gastrointestinal infections, and even insomnia are all disorders that can exist in pet-owner dyads. 

So many dogs are euthanized for aggression and behavioral problems. Do we try to understand the dogs' emotional trauma? We're very good at punishing dogs for undesirable behavior. But that doesn't help the dog at all. How are we then teaching them desirable behaviors? Sending them to school without reinforcing homeschooling is counterproductive to training a dog. Building a strong relationship and an excellent two-way communication between dog and owner takes tremendous patience, time and effort. BUT, the payoff is huge. I work hard for a year or two. In return, I get a mature and calm dog who learns how to manage stress.

Most frustratingly, behavior-altering drugs don't produce a dog with a brand-new clam and balanced disposition. Behavior-modifying drugs don't give your dog new personality, you're still left coordinating and executing behavioral interventions that help manage your dog's stress response.

Sadly, the truth is that many of these dogs lack proper mental and environmental stimulation; fear-free, relationship-centered training, and social connections. This is an ethical quagmire, particularly given the fact that we're talking about patients who cannot speak their minds in our language, whose behaviors are often misinterpreted, and who are required to learn a foreign language to know what we expect of them.

I grinned loads as I read the book. Some parts are like my echo chamber. OH DEAR. Sure, it's very American, but it also holds universal facts and truths we can learn from. This book is great for first-time dog owners, and also for seasoned owners who have never done proper research into food and canine nutrition. And there're many many ignorant owners out there. I died laughing when someone told me that eating kibbles help to clean a dog's teeth. SAY WHUT. And the best- 'a dog eats grass because it lacks fiber in its diet.' WALAOEH. Half-truths are the worst. THAT IS SUPER ANNOYING. I get that all the time because Choya likes nibbling on grass. I dare you to tell me she's lacking something in her diet. You won't know what she eats or who actually sat down together to tailor meal plans for her. Who comes up with all these nonsense?! 

There're many new puppies that went to new homes last year. They're all about one or two years old, and at dog parks, anecdotally, there seems to have been an increase in incidents among the floofs. Rough play that turned into aggression and actual bloody bites, as well as outright challenges. I've witnessed many clueless owners standing by. They need to do better. 

Don't take your dog to dog parks unless you know how your dog will respond, or it will exacerbate your dog's stress (and yours). Suzanne Clothier made this point clear when we spoke with her. Dog parks are the worst choice for undersocialized or shy dogs. If you want to create positive, outdoor experiences for your reactive or fearful dog, you'll have to commit the time it takes to repattern your dog's behavior — at a pace and with training techniques that don't stress him out (research is clear that punishment-based training exacerbates anxiety and further increases stress hormones.) Many of us have rescued poorly socialized dogs with some emotional baggage and erroneously assumed that a loving, stable environment will fix their mental and emotional issues. "It won't," says Dr Radosta. When you adopt or rescue a dog that the exhibits behavior issues (including fear and anxiety), all the love in the world won't fix them; you need to address the issues immediately, and preferably with a team of professionals: "Assemble your behavior modification team as if you were planning your wedding," she counsels.