As a puppy parent, we want our puppies to grow up to be the best they can be, right? We picture our puppies being able to play with any dog, have manners, and be well-behaved. Although obedience training is a great tool to ensure this, there is a secret ingredient most dog-parents don’t think about: THE SECRET INGREDIENT TO A DOG-FRIENDLY PUPPY IS DOGGY DAYCARE Socialization is so incredibly important in a puppy’s life. You would never expect an isolated human baby to interact with adults if it was not taught how to do so properly. The same goes for puppies! Here at The Barking Lot, we are ver ..read more

Several of my past blog posts have contained the word ‘antioxidant’ and I’ve realized I haven’t really explained what they are. So, this is my perfect chance to enlighten you, the people of the dog world, to what antioxidants are and why your dog needs them in their diet. First things first, there are many chemical reactions like digestion and metabolism, that go on in the dog’s body 24/7. Without even trying to, the body produces little leftover molecules from all of these chemical reactions called free radicals. Those radicals are allowed to roam free, and cause oxidative damage to cells wh ..read more

Unfortunately, not all dog owners can homecook for their dog, and I can completely understand why. We all live busy lives, and cooking for ourselves is hard enough! However, what if you could improve your dog’s kibble by adding a few supplements? Here are a few ideas! Probiotics Probiotics are a great way to help your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. They provide several good bacteria that help with improved digestion. The efficiency in which your dog can digest their food greatly depends on the number of good bacteria they have in their digestive system, so adding more probiotics, greatly incre ..read more

There are so many different opinions on grain-free diets for dogs and it can be rather confusing. Some veterinarians say that complex carbohydrates are good, others say they are bad. What is the deal? THE TRUTH IS: Dogs DO NOT NEED carbs at all in their diet because they can get the same nutrients found in carbs from meat and fat! Let’s break it down even further: From a digestive system standpoint, dogs are considered omnivores, which means they can eat just about anything; plant or animal. We all know the dog was evolved and domesticated from the wolf, who are considered strict meat-eaters ..read more

Rawhides are the number one most purchased dog treats. But, did you know that they are also the most dangerous and potentially life threatening? It’s sad, but completely true. 25% of dogs that have digestive blockages from rawhides die. Unfortunately, the process of making rawhides is just awful. Rawhides are a natural product, but the processing is what makes them toxic. First, rawhides start from the hides of animals, usually cows. The hides are chemically treated with preservatives to survive the journey from slaughter-house to tannery. Once at the tannery, the hair and fat residues n ..read more

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE chocolate. It’s probably one of my favourite snacks and who do I love to share my favourite snacks with? My dog! However, we all have heard that chocolate is not good for dogs, but we never have been told why. What is toxic about chocolate? The main toxic ingredient of chocolate to dogs is theobromine: a chemical structure that is naturally found in the cocoa plant. Cocoa is then processed to give us our decadent and beloved chocolate. The second toxic ingredient found in chocolate, is caffeine. What do these toxic ingredients do? Theobromine has the ability ..read more

      For almost a year now, I’ve been home-cooking for my two-year-old Golden Retriever, Ainsley. Home-cooked meals are such a controversial subject, and believe me, I’ve heard of all the excuses, like: How do you know if their meal is balanced? I hardly have time to cook for myself! It costs way too much! I can tell you that all of these excuses are just that - excuses. It hardly takes any effort at all to feed a home-cooked meal, and Ainsley is living proof of its benefits. I initially started Ainsley off on a high-quality kibble. She loved to eat everything I fed ..read more