The English Toy Spaniel – A Brief History

As its name suggests, the area of origin of the breed is England. They were used to flush birds out for hunters in addition to being a loving family companion at home. Interestingly enough, they share the same history to that of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Both started out as one breed, more likely from crosses of Oriental toy breeds and small spaniels.

Researchers claim that the breed started from toy spaniels that were brought to Scotland from France, by Mary, Queen of Scots. The rich adored the little dog and they became common lapdogs for the wealthy class. When the 17th century came about, the dogs became even more popular, especially with King Charles II, to which he is credited for officially naming the breed after his name – King Charles Spaniels.

These early King Charles Spaniels were all black and tan with variations developed soon after. Through the following centuries, these dogs were bred down to be smaller in size with physical differences – in the rounder shape of the head and a much flatter nose. In the United States these new versions were known as English Toy Spaniels.

English Toy Spaniel Dogs Care

Toy dog breeds are typically very active and spunky, however, the English Toy Spaniel does not fit into this category at all. It is calm, reserved, and does not need much activity to keep up with its exercise requirements. A few walks on the leash each day is plenty.

These dogs do not tolerate heat well and should live indoors. Outside playtime in the yard is acceptable so long as the weather is on the cool side. Grooming requirements for the breed call for a thorough brushing at least twice per week.

English Toy Spaniel Health Concerns

The average lifespan of the English Toy Spaniel is between ten and twelve years. Major health concerns that run common in the breed are patellar luxation only. Minor issues that may show up include early tooth loss and droopy tongue (when the tongue hangs uncontrollably from the mouth). PDA is sometimes seen. Veterinarians suggest that English Toy Spaniels get tested for knee problems.

BARF Diet Websites

First, let’s look at some useful websites. This is the quickest and – for many of us – the easiest way to get information you need.

Start with a site that offers information, resources and even shopping opportunities. At NJ Boxers, you can read about the BARF diet, get recipe and menu ideas and begin to feel confident in your choice to feed your dog a BARF diet. Although this site is about Boxers, the information is relevant to any breed of dog that you might feed a BARF diet.

For a visual of what a raw food diet for dogs looks like, visit the BARF pictorial. Here, you can see how a BARF meal is prepared and get ideas for your own BARF meals.

A nice primer is offered at the Dog Owner’s Guide. Here, you can get some basic information about the BARF diet, including the pros and cons of the diet as it might pertain to your dog.

Finally, at Barf World, you not only further educate yourself about the diet, but can purchase pre-made RMB mixes for convenient meals.

BARF Diet Books

“Raw Dog Food: Make it Easy For You and Your Dog” by Carina Beth Macdonald offers a look at the BARF diet for the beginner. With suggestions for how to feed your dog the BARF diet not only appropriately but economically, Macdonald also offers tips on how to tell if you are feeding the right mix of nutrients and how to make adjustments to your dog’s diet if necessary.

Considered the bible of the BARF way of eating, Dr. Ian Billinghust’s book, “Give Your Dog a Bone: The Practical Commonsense Way to Feed Dogs for a Healthy Life” cuts to the chase of the why and how of the BARF diet.

“Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones” by Tom Lonsdale, seeks to provide a veterinarian’s take on the raw, or BARF, movement. Because it’s written by a vet, there is an emphasis on examining the diet through the eyes of the vet – that is, to examine how a dog benefits from eating this way. He makes a solid argument for completely revamping your dog’s diet to conform to the BARF way of eating.

Videos

Pet food Revolution: Raw Meat Diets is a video designed to provide dog owners with more information about feeding their dog raw food.

Watch how much even a little Yorkie can enjoy a raw diet.

Forums/Mailing lists

To join with like-minded people, or get more information, consider joining a group that is populated by fellow BARF followers (or those who would like to switch to a BARF diet). There are many Yahoo groups that feature groups for people who live in a specific geographic area, or those that have a specific breed of dog. Don’t consider our small list inclusive, then. Simply search for “BARF diet” at the Yahoo groups home page.

Consider the following groups:

• Dog_Nutrition
• Raw-lite
• Prey4Pets

You might be surprised to find that there are many like-minded people who also want to feed their dogs a diet like this. Like you, they are interested in feeding their dogs the best diet they can and they also want to seek the support of those who share their interests.

We hope you have learned enough from this resource guide to get you started feeding your dog a BARF diet. Be sure to talk to your vet so you know you are covering all the nutritional bases, but once you have done your research, you’re ready to begin.

Happy BARFing!

How can I switch my older dog to this diet?

Slowly. That’s the best advice we can give. When you take your older kibble-eating dog and switch her over to a BARF diet, it’s important that you do it slowly and blandly. That is, start her off with some bland and low-fat foods and slowly add new foods each week until she’s adjusted.

For older dogs, many also suggest adding probiotics into her diet to fight bad bacteria and increase her immunity. You can do this by feeding her yogurt that contains live cultures, or you can add a probiotic supplement to her diet.

But the best advice is to begin slowly and blandly and then add foods as you see how your dog tolerates them.

Can I feed my dog kibble while feeding a BARF diet?

No. In short, you must choose either a kibble diet or a BARF diet. In fact, switching your dog back and forth can wreak havoc on her stomach.

If you must integrate some kibble into her diet for whatever reason, keep the RMB and veggie meal days separate from the kibble meal days. So, you might feed her RMB and veggie meals one day and kibble meals the next day.

Most people who are passionate about the BARF diet argue that dogs fed this diet should never be fed kibble as well, and we recommend an all or nothing attitude also. That is, if you decide to feed your dog a BARF diet, stick to that decision and don’t waffle by adding some kibble to your dog’s diet. If you aren’t sure about doing the BARF diet, perhaps you need to do more research before switching your dog over rather than also feeding her kibble to calm your personal concerns.

Where can I get raw meaty bones?

Aside from the grocery store, which can be the most expensive way, your best bet is to find a local butcher who can provide you with raw meaty bones for your dog. Use your yellow pages, and look up butchers or wholesale poultry distributors.

If you buy in bulk (consider purchasing a standalone freezer to keep your dog’s BARF product in), you might be able to procure a good discount on your dog’s raw meaty bones.

I’m afraid my dog will have stomach troubles

The primary concern with eating a BARF diet is that your dog will be constipated. If you find that your dog is having either very hard stools, or is straining, up the number of veggie meals you provide and reduce the RMB allotment. Dogs, just like us, need fiber to keep things moving.

Should my dog fast?

In the wild, dogs don’t generally eat every day and many dogs will naturally fast themselves when they need to. We should listen to them. Many advocates of the BARF diet will have their dogs fast on days that would be stressful – like a travel day or a day that includes a trip to the vet. You can also choose to regularly give your dog a fast day, but do this no more than once a week.

Many recommend that before you start your dog on the BARF diet you have her fast for a couple of days first. In essence, that gives your dog’s body a chance to expel the “old” food before bringing in the new.

Keep in mind that your vet is probably the best person to ask  your questions. Even if they not well versed in the details of the BARF diet, they will likely have some suggestions or tips for you. They might also have ideas about how you can be sure that your dog’s diet is well balanced. But for now, let’s stick with the basics and the issues that we can address.

Won’t my dog be at risk for salmonella?

Worrying about the risk of salmonella is valid, considering your dog will be eating raw meat. However, it’s been proven that salmonella is of little risk to dogs.

Some studies have shown that most dogs are not at risk from salmonella at all, while other pet experts say that dogs can be at risk from salmonella, but they rarely, if ever, get very sick from salmonella.

The greater risk, it seems, is from the dog’s feces when she’s eating a raw diet. So take care when you’re cleaning your dog’s areas of feces.

In addition, be careful when you are preparing your dog’s food. Clean all surfaces well and wash your hands well after handling raw meat. If you take these basic precautions, everyone should be well and healthy.

How can I afford to feed the BARF diet?

Of course, feeding your dog fresh, natural foods will be more expensive than feeding her kibble, but there are ways to keep the cost down.

Many followers of the BARF diet pull their dog’s meals from the family’s meals. That is, if you are having whole chicken for dinner, save the neck and innards for the dog. If you’re having hamburgers, save a few ounces for your dog. If you plan ahead, it might not cost you too much.

You can also sometimes get some parts and pieces from your local grocer’s butcher. Simply tell the butcher that you will take some raw bones off his hands for him. You can sometimes get these for free, or at least for a very low cost.

Buy vegetables you and the family normally eat and simply save some for the dog.

If you do feed the dog the same foods you and the family eat, be sure to put the dog’s portion aside before you cook the family’s portion. The food should always stay raw when given to your dog.

I travel with my dog. How can I feed her a BARF diet on the road?

It is a little tougher than at home, but you can feed your dog a BARF diet even when traveling. Here are some options:

• Freeze daily portions of RMB and bring a cooler with you that contains the RMB meals.
• If you don’t have room for a cooler, you can always go shopping when you arrive at your destination (though this can be much more costly than shopping ahead of time at home in your usual way).
• You can always feed your dog a simple version of RMB – feed canned fish like mackerel, salmon or tuna, and good foods like cottage cheese, natural applesauce and even canned vegetables.

Try not to fret over how your dog eats when you’re on the road. Remember that you should consider your dog’s diet over time, and not each day. As long as you stick with the basic premise of the diet while you’re traveling (and don’t give in by feeding your dog canned dog food or kibble), you and your dog will be just fine.

Does feeding my dog raw bones and meat make her bloodthirsty and mean?

There is no evidence that eating this diet makes a dog more bloodthirsty. In fact, most evidence points to the reality that some dogs are more prey driven and others less. Some are more aggressive and some less aggressive. Rarely do these qualities have anything to do with what the dog is fed.

The reality is that kibble hasn’t been a common way to feed dogs for very long. Long before kibble was invented and became the common food of choice for dogs, the common diet was raw meat, bones and vegetables. Dogs were given the castoffs of their owners.

If that diet made dogs bloodthirsty, it is unlikely that dogs would be considered the domestic pets they are now.

Instead, it’s important to remember that some dogs are just socialized to be more aggressive, or are naturally more aggressive, or were trained to be more aggressive. But aggressiveness, or the tendency to be bloodthirsty, is rarely a product of what a dog is eating.

How do you know if you are feeding your dog the right amount of food?

Here’s an easy test…

About two to three weeks into your dog’s new diet, put your hands on your dog’s rib cage and note what you feel when you press lightly. If you have a hard time finding the ribs, your dog is too fat. If you can visually see the ribs (no need to feel), your dog is too thin.

Make necessary adjustments to the amount of food you give your dog as well as the kind of food. If your dog is too thin, for example, you might want to increase the amount of fattier meats you feed her.

Some Feeding Tips

You do not need to feed your dog this exact combination of meals per day – one RMB meal and the other a veggie meal. It’s good to work with what you have. If you have meats or bones that should be eaten soon, then by all means give your dog all RMB meals one day, and catch up on the veggie meals the next.

Some followers of the BARF dog diet will create a calendar and simply jot on the calendar when they plan to feed certain meals. You can mix the RMBs with veggie meals and add an offal (organ) meal now and then. You can also add in a fish meal once a week or so. There are no hard and fast rules when following the BARF diet plan.

The idea behind feeding a healthy BARF diet is to provide a healthy diet over time. That is, there may be times when your dog is eating more meat and fewer veggies or the reverse. But if over a period of time your dog is eating a balanced and healthy diet, then she’s doing fine.

If your dog is too thin, you can always add more RMB or offal meals and offer fewer of the veggie meals. If your dog is too heavy, cut down on the number of RMB meals and substitute more veggie meals (which might be harder than it sounds, depending on your dog’s general attitude toward vegetables).

Do not think that you need to add grains to your dog’s diet. Grains are generally not considered essential food for dogs and they don’t need carbohydrates to have what’s considered a healthy diet. In addition, grains are considered one of the major causes of allergies in dogs and also one of the main causes of gas. Going without then, seems like a decent idea.

Remember that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to feeding your dog a BARF diet. You might feed her all meats for a few days if that’s what you have on hand. Other days, (before you go the butcher, for example) you might focus more on veggie and egg or yogurt meals. Use your best judgment and pay enough attention to ensure that your dog has enough to eat and is getting the proper nutrients.

In the article BARF Diet Recipes and Grocery List we used a poodle to illustrate an example of how much to feed. Let’s use that same poodle as an example as we look at a sample day menu. Most dog owners will feed their dogs twice a day. Let’s look at a sample menu that includes a RMB meal and a veggie meal.

RMB meal – You can provide:

• ½ lb. chicken backs, or 6 chicken necks OR
• 1 beef rib AND
• An egg or yogurt

About once a week, consider using fish as the base for your RMB meal. You can either give your dog one whole fish (just throw the entire thing in your dog’s bowl) or you can give her canned mackerel or sardines. For our poodle in the example, you might provide one small can of fish and an egg or yogurt.

Depending on the size of your dog, you might need to make the pieces of meat or bone smaller. Keep your dog’s size in mind when you consider which meats or bones to give her.

Some people like to feed their dogs lamb, but keep in mind that lamb is rich and can upset your dog’s stomach. When you do decide to add lamb to your dog’s diet, do so in small increments and watch to see how your dog handles it before you give her more.

Veggie meal – You can provide:

• 1/8 of a calves’ liver or an egg, puree with about ½ cup of less of any of the following vegetables:
• Green beans
• Yellow Squash
• Zucchini
• Carrots
• Turnips
• Parsnips
• Celery

You can sometimes add the following vegetables, but go easy…

• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli

Vegetables should always be either finely minced or pureed.

Additions you can provide:

To ensure that your dog gets the right mix of nutrients and that you are feeding her a nutritionally sound diet, consider adding one of the following to each meal:

• 1 teaspoon oil (any cold-pressed oil is good, but flaxseed provides omega fatty acids)
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• ¼ c. kelp
• ¼ teas. alfalfa powder
• A small amount of vitamin C to start with and as your dog adjusts, make sure she’s getting somewhere between 100 and 200 mg a day.

When you first start feeding your dog a BARF diet, consider mixing the vegetables in with the bit of meat or egg you include in the veggie meal, especially if your dog isn’t accustomed to eating many vegetables.

Dogs are rarely born without a limb. Dog amputations are typically the result of an accident or disease. The most common disease that causes amputations is bone cancer. Bone cancer can be extremely painful and obviously debilitating. However, although such a scenario might break a dog owner’s heart, getting amputation surgery can bring much needed relief  and a better quality of life for your dog.

Other common causes of amputations in dogs include…

• accidents
• birth defects
• neurological disorders
• and worst of all – abuse

Whatever the cause may be, for dog owners who receive the news that their pets may need to have one limb amputated, it brings immediate anxiety and fear into their minds. Although these feelings are understandable, this fear is totally unnecessary. You must understand that three legged dogs can live very happy and healthy lives. And once they get used to hopping around and living with one less leg, their attitude would never show that they had such physical trauma in the first place.

Mental and Physical Recovery

Consider what happens when a person loses and arm or a leg. Perhaps you do not know anybody personally in such circumstances, but I’m sure you have seen them on TV or read about stories in articles. What is common among these amputees is that they all eventually accept what has happened and move on to live productive lives, most often even more productive than before the amputation.

Now consider a dog. Animals are much more resilient and adaptable to such circumstances than humans. In less than a week a dog that has had an amputation is mentally and emotionally just as good as before. Physically, they may limp but they do not look at their limp and say to themselves “poor me, how do I live now?” No, instead, once your dog goes through such a surgery, will be the same happy-go-lucky companion you have always known and loved.

In many cases, the dog may qualify for using a dog prosthetic. These dogs usually function just like the four-legged friends. So do not worry too much about your dog if you are facing an amputation surgery.

Depending upon the reason your dog’s limb was amputated, and whether or not there was an underlying disease or other condition, you are going to have to work with your veterinarian or other specialist.  They will assist you in rehabilitating the dog so that she can return to good health and emotional stability.

Exercising with 3 Limbs

Quite often, concerned dog owners are going through their first experience of their loving companion having an amputation for the first time. During this time it is common for these people to think that they should not exercise their dog once she returns home and getting used to living with three legs. This could not be further from the truth.

Dog are quite amazing and resilient. Usually within a week or two, dogs pretty much forget that they are missing a limb altogether. These dogs can jump around, run, swim, play, and even climb stairs just as good as other dogs. They adapt very quickly to life with only three limbs.

Not only is it a delight to see your dog back to normal, with the exception of a hop or a limp, but  watching this quick healing process take place is also an uplift to your emotions as well.

Caring For Your Dog

Although your dog will bounce back to normal as soon as possible, and with vigorous energy and excitement, you still need to take a bit of care and use caution in order to help her prevent injuries, at least at first.

For example, dog amputees that have a prosthetic leg face great danger when it comes to slippery floors. This hazard can cause your dog to have a terrible fall or possibly knock the prosthetic limb off in the process. To prevent this from happening it is wise that you replace any hard surfaces in the house with rugs or better yet, have a carpet installed for long-term security.

Another situation to keep an eye on is your dog’s remaining healthy limbs, especially the leg which is opposite to the amputated one. Dogs can live a long and healthy life with only three legs. Of course if another of her healthy limbs starts to decline in any way, this can cause a serious mobility problem.

What you need to do is make sure that her other limbs are strong enough to hold the extra weight. Watch her movements on a daily basis and make sure that she is not getting slower or weaker. Should this happen, you must use a harness if necessary, anything that can help remove the extra weight. It is better to utilize a harness and keep her healthy legs strong instead of creating a situation where the dog will be immobile for the rest of her life.

What if your dog has to face the unfortunate situation of needing to have one of her limbs removed? It could be due to an accident or due to disease, but such a surgery is not uncommon. This is especially for dog owners whose pets experienced a terrible car accident or bone cancer, which typically calls for an amputation of a limb.

Should You Use Prosthetics for Dogs?

Do not worry if you are confused about making such a huge decision that will affect your dog’s life. After all it is expected that you will feel sad and hurt when you have to face such a decision that will change your dog’s life forever. The good news is that she will be okay, the same as new, once the surgery is over.

The first thing you must decide on is whether to have your dog amputated at the leg, shoulder, or the hip. This of course depends on a few factors, such as the reason for the surgery or whether or not the dog will have a prosthetic limb to replace the missing one.

If your dog has cancer that resulted in the amputation of the limb, it is typically best to remove the entire leg. However, if there is no medical reason for the surgery and you have a choice of leaving a stump, then this would be the ideal situation for a prosthetic. A stump will help the prosthetic to remain secured tightly.

Having a stump will make attaching the prosthetic replacement limb much easier. If the amputation is done below the knee, a prosthetic will allow your dog to have full function of the leg. The bottom of the stump must be healthy. The surgeon may even add a pad to the bottom or pull excess muscle from the bone to place at the end of the stump. This is for protection, as well as to further aid in the attachment of the prosthetic leg.

If your dog needs to have the leg completely amputated, as with many bone cancer cases, unfortunately there really is no proper way to use a prosthetic for dogs. And forced replacement would be extremely rigid and quite uncomfortable for your dog. The only option is to leave it alone and allow the animal to get used to life with three limbs, which all dogs can accomplish quite easily and without pain.

• What exactly do I feed my dog?
• How exactly do I prepare it?
• How much should she get?

The grocery list

What do I feed my dog? You might be asking yourself this as you read about the BARF diet. Let’s first outline the basics foods included in the BARF diet.

• Raw meat
• Chicken backs, necks and wings
• Eggs (uncooked)
• Organ meats (like kidney, liver, tripe and heart)
• Beef ribs
• Whole fish
• Carrots, turnips, broccoli, green beans, squash, lettuces, celery
• Plain yogurt, cottage cheese, natural applesauce

As you can see, the diet is fairly basic. These are basic, whole foods that you feed your dog. You can add yogurt or cottage cheese to any meal, but most advocates of the BARF diet prefer to give their dogs meals that are specific to a theme. That is, they might feed a RMB meal (which is raw meat and bones) or feed an offal meal (which is organ meats). Or they might feed a veggie meal (which emphasizes fresh veggies and perhaps some egg).

Dr. Ian Billinghurst, considered the father of the BARF diet, prefers that 60% of a dog’s diet includes RMB meals and 40% are veggie meals. Those veggie meals don’t have to be just vegetables, of course, because getting your dog to eat that might be tough. Instead, the veggie meal will emphasize veggies and other elements, like eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese or supplements.

How much do you feed?

Much, of course, depends on the size of your dog. Here’s a formula that can help you determine how much your dog should eat each day.

• Multiply your dog’s weight by 16 to get in ounces how much she weighs.
• Take the ounce weight and multiply by .02, which provides you a weight that is 2% of her body weight.
• For an RMB meal, multiply that number by .6. That’s how much of a RMB meal she should get.
• For a veggie meal, take the body weight and multiply by .4.

Let’s use an example of a poodle weighing 35 pounds…

• 35 lbs x 16 = 560
• 560 x .02 = 11.2 (this is the number of ounces of food he should get per day)
• 11.2 x .6 = 6.72 ounces of RMB (this is 60% of the dog’s daily intake of food)
• 11.2 x .4 = 4.48 ounces of veggie meal mix (this is 40% of the dog’s daily intake of food)

Also consider your dog’s general activity level. If she’s very active, she might need a bit more food than what the formula indicates. Also, if she’s older or more sedentary, she might need less food. You can adjust up or down as your dog’s needs dictate. This is provided to give you a general idea of what and how much your dog should be eating.