Medina Ohio Dog Bakery

Hi, it’s Finn again.  For those of you who have visited our Bakery/Store in Medina Ohio you already know that my three jobs are Certified Taste Taster for all the wheat free dog biscuits that Mom (Stacey) dreams up plus Greeter of all the Dogs and Customers (when I’m not too tired and dreaming of dog treats on my dog bed at the back of the Bakery) and of course writing this blog.   What you probably do not know is that I am also responsible for our Marketing Department.  At our March marketing meeting we discussed the most effective way to get our story out to the most people.  Jane, also a Scottish Deerhound, suggested that people are just like us sight hounds.  We need to see the animals we are hunting and most humans would rather watch a great video then read a lot of words.     Jane & I thought the video would be received better if talented professionals produced it.    Our research found that Fox 8 in Cleveland was the most watched TV station in the area  They have great reporters who tell their viewers about great spots to visit in the Northern Ohio area.   Our homework for our next meeting was to come up with the best way to contact Fox 8.  Before our next meeting Mom received a phone call from Stacy Gilbert representing New Day Cleveland.   Stacy indicated that Fox 8 wanted to do a show on Medina Square businesses.   I guess sometimes you just need to think up a great idea and your positive thoughts just ensure it will happen.  Please do not tell Mom because she thinks Jane & I were responsible for the call from Fox 8.  Hopefully we will get bonus dog treats resulting from the video.

Stacy and Herb (photographer) visited our bakery and if everyone at Fox 8 is as nice and as talented as them I can understand why the station is so highly rated.  They asked a lot of question about the dog treats and our other products like collars, leashes, beds, apparel, toys, food, and supplements.   Mom loves to talk about the many benefits of our products especially the health benefits so they made her feel very comfortable talking to the camera.  I have only one complaint about the video.   They placed Jane (she has the pretty girl collar) next to Mom while she talked about the treats as she placed them on the display plates.  What they didn’t know is that when Mom is taking with anyone and she has a treat in her hand a simple touch of our long deerhound nose and we get a treat.  Why didn’t they place me next to Mom?

Thanks Stacy, Herb and Fox 8 for visiting the store, we really enjoyed having you.  Now it is time for me to do some counter surfing for the monkey bones dog treats (I can tell by the smell) that just came out of the oven.

 

 

 

Dog Obedience

Since I know you are busy I have a short story today that illustrates how obedient I am.  You might think being obedient is being submissive but I rather think being obedient is conforming to a higher authority. I can tell you that I live with someone that requires conforming.

I was playing outside one day on one of the many walks I have with Mom (Stacey) and as usual she checked on me to see if I was getting into any mischief.  I can’t really understand how she could think that I could get into any mischief because if you have seen me at the Bakery you already know how well behaved I am.. When she called my name I must have really looked guilty because she told me to drop it.  Since I am a very obedient dog I stopped, opened my mouth and to my surprise a bird flew out of my mouth.  I tried to tell Mom that I was just keeping the bird warm since it was such a cold day but somehow I don’t think she believed me.  Yes, the bird lived and I did also to see what I could get into on our next walk.

In keeping with the dog obedience theme of this post I think it is time for me to do my job and taste the new banana and apple chips that Mom has dreamed up.  If they are not up to my high standards I will make sure that these dog treats are not distributed to our Dog Customers even if I have to eat them all.  I know the other wheat free dog biscuits we have are up to my high standards.

Help for your Nervous Dog – Part 2

From the number of comments I received on my first blog about nervous dogs it appears that a few people are looking for more solutions to solve this problem so I’ll give it my best try.

We deerhounds are large dogs and there aren’t too many things, animals, or people that make us nervous.  Humans should try to put themselves in our paws.  What would be the first thing that would enter a humans mind if they met a lion on their way to the park?  My guess is, first fear and then they would become very nervous.  If you really think about it that lion is probably 2 or 3 times larger than most humans.  Now think about your dog who may only be 10 pounds.  Almost everything the dog encounters is not 2 or 3 times larger than he is but 10 to 20 times larger.  Now that’s enough to make anyone nervous.  Here are some things that I have learned that I hope will assist you with your nervous dog.

1. Loud machines like sweepers, washing machines, leaf blowers, lawn mowers can really be intimidating to most dogs.  I have taken noticed that when Stacey operates the sweeper she puts me outside to run in the yard and when she runs the lawn mower or leaf blower I get to go in the house and catch a nap on my favorite dog bed from West Paw Design.    If you stopped in at the store in Medina Ohio, you probably know how I love my naps.
2. If you have a nervous dog and are having a few people in for a visit your owner should tell the visitors about the nervous problem before they arrive and ask them to simply ignore the dog.  Most people will try to calm the nervous dog and can actually make things worse.  Let the dog get used to others in the house and when he or she no longer feels threatened they may approach the visitors.
3. If you have a friend who has a dog that is never nervous ask your friend to bring the dog to your house to play with your dog.  Your dog will need a playmate who is playful but not overly aggressive.  It may take a few play times at your house but eventually your dog will pick up the bolder more confident attitude of the other dog.
4. If a stranger wants to give your nervous dog one of the great wheat free dog treats from One Lucky Dog Bakery you purchased for your dog and have stored in the refrigerator since there are no preservatives tell him to get down to the dogs level.  You know the dog loves the dog treats and your friend will not be as imposing if he or she is at the dogs level.
5. Owners do not like to admit it but they are a key factor in improving the behavior of nervous dogs.  If an owner is erratic, loud, has bad moods, and is not consistent with us we take on those same characteristics.  If the owner is calm we end up being calm and neither one us gets an ulcer.

Just in case you did not read my first blog on this subject tell your owner to try a few drops of Rescue Remedy on your food or a Complete Calm pill in some Bil-Jac before a storm or a trip to the Vet.  It works for me.  Just talk to Stacey at the Medina store or you can buy it at our website.    Thanks for your comments and now it is time for the Finn dog to counter surf, Veggie dog treats are coming out of the oven.

 

Best Dog Food

Hi, it’s Finn again and today I decided to talk about what makes us dogs healthy.  There are five major things which will improve the health of us dogs.  These are love, shelter, exercise, water, and food.  I am absolutely positive that your dog owner is having no problem with supplying you with more of the first four items than you can absorb but most dog owners struggle with the last item.  Hopefully I can help.

The options for feeding your dog are commercial dog food, raw dog food, and homemade dog food.  From personal experience I can tell you that a raw food diet really works.  My coat and skin are healthy, I have a lot of energy, and I really think my diet helped me run faster in coursing and racing events when I was younger.  The major problem with raw food and homemade food diets is they both require a lot of work.  With today’s economy most dog owners are working more hours to make ends meet and simply do not have the time to spend on creating and preparing homemade meals for us.  The good news as far as raw food diets is that you can buy this food just like other commercial dog foods.

The commercial food industry spends a huge amount of money on advertising to convince us that their dog food is the only one your dog owner should buy.  I wish that more of them would take part of that money and put it into better ingredients for their dog food.  If your dog owner is going to feed you commercial dog food please convince them to learn how to read dog food labels.  If they see chemical preservatives (BHA, BHT, or Ethoxyquin), antibiotics, animal by products, food from dead, disabled, or dying dogs and other animals from slaughter houses they should run as fast as they can from that bag of food.  You will have all kinds of health issues if you eat that food.

My Mom wanted to offer dog food to her Customers that come to our bakery for our dog treats.  The Customers asked her to see if there were commercial foods available that used healthy ingredients, no chemicals, and were grain free just like the dog treats.  Her research is complete and at the end of this month we will have Fromm and Orijen available for her Customers.  She will probably be carrying raw food diets from The Honest Kitchen if she gets enough requests.  These dog foods are more expensive than the major brands you will find at the major pet stores but Mom decided to price it at very low mark ups and offer discounts for repeat Customers or deliver free to those Customers in Medina County that just can’t find the time to get to the store.

I’m sorry I have to run, Mom just took a batch of dog treats out of the oven and I have to live up to my reputation as a champion counter surfer and get a few for Jane and me.

 

 

 

Are you ready to adopt a dog?

If you are thinking of adding a dog to your family the most important question you must answer is “Do you and your family understand that this is a lifetime commitment”?   You must make sure that you have the resources in time, money, and dedication to care for this dog for the rest of his or her life.  There are too many “breeders” out there who are in business to make a buck and thus have produced too many dogs.   Too many dog owners don’t think through the commitment required to own a dog and abandon their dog or drop it off at a dog shelter.  We should not be surprised that many dog shelters are overcrowded with dogs waiting for adoption.

Here are my tips on the thinking and research you should do before you adopt a dog from your local shelter.

• Research the various breeds to determine which dog is the best match for you and to learn about possible behavioral problems or health issues with the breed you have chosen.  If you are gone a lot from your home make sure that you pick the right dog that can adjust to your schedule.
• We dogs are not inexpensive to own.  If you want your dog to look as good as me you need to research what you will feed your dog.  There are too many dog food suppliers that are putting fillers and animal byproducts (who knows what that is) in their dog food.  These foods are cheap but you will end up giving your dog health problems and making many trips to the Vet.  Learn to read dog food labels.  Your dog will need a collar, leash, water bowl, food bowl, comb & brush, toys, a dog bed, annual vet visits, shots, and heartworm care.  Other costs are trips to the groomer if you are not going to trim our nails, clean our teeth, and keep us clean yourself.  If you love your vacations you need to check out boarding costs if you aren’t taking your dog on vacation with you.
• Just like humans, we dogs need a lot of exercise to maintain our health.  Will you have time to do this?  Are your kids old enough to help or are they too young and will actually not allow you to have the time to exercise us?  Dogs and kids need a lot of attention.
• Make sure you get the medical records from the Adoption Agency.
• It is possible that the dog you choose may have some bad behaviors from the previous home or may just not be socialized as yet.  Read books on dog behavior and watch for the signs.  You might even need help from a Trainer.  Another cost I just thought of.
• If your dog is a puppy and is not housebroken most Trainers suggest a crate.  If you do not hold the dog in the crate for more than 5 hours he will not mess his own crate and will get used to doing his business outside when you release him from the crate.

I know all of the above sounds like a lot of work and reasons not to own a dog but the two things that cancel out all the work and cost are the unconditional love and companionship that we will return to you each day we are together.

Whoops I almost forgot, if you live in the Cleveland Ohio area make sure to drop by One Lucky Dog Bakery in Medina.  The smells coming from that bakery and the healthy dog biscuits they make are well worth the trip.  I’ll probably be in the back of the bakery waiting for Mom to turn her back so I can “sample” the treats off the cooling rack.  Someone has to make sure these treats are good enough for all you dogs who drop in every day.

Help for your Nervous Dog

I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about nervous dogs.  The world we dogs live in can make even the calmest dogs a little nervous at times.  Here we are relaxing on our dog bed with our favorite toy when all of a sudden one of the following things happen.  The neighbor starts shooting off fireworks, fire engines with sirens blaring keep going down your street, the dog next door will not stop barking, you are asked to jump in the car and head off to that Vet or Groomer that you simply do not enjoy, your owner grabs the leash and asks you to go on a walk and you hope it is that remote field or woods rather than the city with all those big cars with loud horns and impatient drivers.

Did you ever take notice that most calm dog owners have calm dogs and they somehow just know when something will upset us and they do not push us to do it anyway?  Our owners watch us closely and understand what gets us upset and then they calmly talk with us and just like that we are calm again.  Another thing that helps is having very predictable routines. I have also noticed that Stacey puts a few drops of Rescue Remedy on my food or slips a Complete Calm pill in some Bil-Jac before we do something (like the Vet trip) to simply relax me.  Since these supplements are all natural they cannot hurt us and simply help to relax us dogs.  Stacey thinks I can’t read but I know about these all-natural supplements and have recommended them to some of the dogs that come in our Bakery.  We dogs have to stick together.

If you have an extremely nervous dog and nothing you do seems to help my advice is to look for a Trainer who specializes in this field.

One other thing that I know will help your dog to relax is to give him or her their favorite dog treat from One Lucky Dog Bakery.  It sure works for me and now it is time to counter surf and to find one at the Bakery.  I don’t eat these because they smell and taste so good, I do it for the health benefits.

Dog Bakery Questions

If this is your first time reading this blog please let me introduce myself.  My name is Finn and I am a Scottish Deerhound.  If you have stopped in at our Bakery in Medina to pick up some dog treats, a new collar, leash, toy, dog bed, winter coat, greeting card, dog art, or an all-natural supplement we have probably met.  Most people who visit the Bakery believe my only job is to greet you and your dog and to sleep on my bed at the back of the Bakery.  While that is very important my two more important jobs are to listen to all your comments to make sure everyone is happy with our products and service plus I must make sure our treats are the absolutely best for your dog by tasting the treats and giving Mom a kiss if they can be released.  Here are the top 10 questions asked at One Lucky Dog Bakery and my answers as a public service to those Customers who have thought about asking them but did not.

1. What is in a Monkey Bone dog treat?   Peanut Butter and Banana.
2. Do you make all the treats at the Medina Bakery?  Yes, Mom dreams them up and I taste them.
3. Is this a Bakery for people or Dogs?  Dogs!
4. Where is the cupcake bakery in Medina?  There are two and although I know where they are, Mom will have to give you directions.
5. Are the Squirrel dog treats made with Squirrel meat?  No, these just look like Squirrels since most dogs love to chase squirrels.  The treats are Monkey Bone flavor.
6. What is a Bumbleberry?  This dog treat has Raspberries, Blackberries, and Strawberries.  The term Bumbleberry comes from Canada.
7. Are the Dog pictures on the wall Customers?  You bet, and we love them all!
8. Is that dog sleeping on the dog bed an Irish Wolfhound?  No, but a good guess as I am a Scottish Deerhound and a cousin of the Wolfhound.
9. What is a bone Hole?  It is like the donut hole for humans.  It is made with left over dog treat dough and could be any of the flavors at One Lucky Dog Bakery.
10. Are you sure you are not a real Bakery, because the great smells from this Bakery are travelling a block away?  Yes, we are a real Bakery but only for dogs.  Mom believes that Dogs deserve great smelling and tasting dog treats.

We love all the questions that our Customers ask; no matter how many times we hear them.  We know you are interested and we really appreciate your interest.

Thanks for listening, now it is time for me to go taste some dog treats to ensure that your dog is getting nothing but the very best healthy dog treats.

 

Dog Allergies

Skin allergies are the most common reason dog owners take their dogs to the see their Veterinary.  With humans allergies usually result in respiratory problems but with dogs the problem is usually the skin and itching is the principal sign of trouble.

What causes dry skin on dogs?  The number one allergen for dogs is wheat.  The first thing you need to do is check the label on the dog food you are using.  If there is wheat, corn or chemical preservatives on the label you may want to look for a dog food without these ingredients.  As you are probably aware all of our dog treats except pumpkin biscotti do not contain any wheat, corn, soy, or preservatives.

What can you do to help solve dog skin allergies? 

1. Eliminate all wheat and corn from the diet of your dog.
2. Add a small amount of natural kelp to the food you feed your dog.  Kelp is a valuable source of vitamins and also helps with digestion and healing injuries.  We carry this at the store and on our website and have many Customers that will be pleased to tell you about the positive results their dog received from this product.
3. Use a dog shampoo with omega-3 and make sure you rinse completely.

 

At One Lucky Dog Bakery our #1 focus will always be to do what is best for the health of your dog.  The solutions are simple and inexpensive to solve dog allergies and the result is your dog will be as happy as me.  Right now I am going to get a little happier because Mom just put some Monkey Bones on the counter to cool and I am going to grab at least one while she is waiting on a Customer.

 

Water for Dogs

My Mom loves to read and she was reading an article in the Natural Dog magazine Fall 2011 issue about water for dogs. The article listed the kinds of water that are better for us dogs because we are what we eat and drink. Toxins in water can affect our bodies on the inside and outside. Christina Chambrea, the article author states the following:

“ Bottled water is just tap water from another location.”

“Tap water that is filtered is a good choice.”

“Distilled water has been boiled and then allowed to condense to remove the impurities. Some dog owners believe distilled water is not good because it lacks minerals.” The truth is dogs and humans get the vitamins and minerals we need from food not water.

“Dogs who drink pool water on a regular basis are getting too much chlorine.”

“Some Vets say that vitamin fortified water for dogs may not be worth the hype and the cost but it should be safe.”

Dog owners should change our water at least once a day, Mom likes to change it 2 or 3 times because she doesn’t like floaters. Don’t forget to wash our water bowls. If your dog is drinking more or less water than normal you may need to go to the Vet. There might be a medical reason for the change in water intake.

One Lucky Dog Bakery uses Distillata spring water.

Sometimes changing or controlling something as simple as water can make a big difference for us dogs. Another thing that can make a difference is the all-natural dog treats from our bakery. I think it is time for one now, this thinking and writing makes me hungry.

Dog Health & a solution for Dog Joint Pain

I having been writing this blog for a while but most of you might not know that I’m 8 years old. For a male Scottish Deerhound that age is about our average lifespan. As you have probably noticed after reading this blog I am definitely not average. The problem is Mom has seen me move slower when I get up and she doesn’t want any of her dogs to feel bad. She started giving me Green Dog Naturals “ Healthy Motion”. Green Dog Naturals is new to the One Lucky Dog Bakery but it has a long excellent history of success of solving issues for older dogs plus they have other all natural products to solve other problems. I must tell you that I like it, it makes me feel young again and allows me to run around with more energy plus I am not as stiff. Mom says I look like a puppy.

Healthy Motion is an all-natural product therefore you won’t find any man produced chemicals in this product. It has glucosamine, HCI (shell fish source), MSM (contains organic sulfur found in fruits & vegetables and is required to produce healthy cell structure), meadowsweet (helps to sooth the stomach), bromelain (enzyme from pineapple which speeds healing), stinging nettle (natural occurring calcium), ginger, salmon, cod & tuna oil (source of vitamins A & D), cinnamon, cloves, organic flax, sprouted barley, and malt. I take three little bones a day. It also comes in powder form but I like the taste of salmon in the pills. If you are an older dog and are feeling your age just stop in at the Medina Ohio store, talk to Mom, and give Healthy Motion a try. Another option is to click on this link and view the Green Dog Naturals video. By the end of November 2011 you will be able to order Healthy Motion at our website. While you are at the store be sure to pick out your favorite wheat free and preservative free dog treats from the display case. Hopefully you already know how great they taste. I’ll bet I can sneak one off the work table now because Mom is baking.

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