About Me
Welcome to my blog! My name is Karen and I’m a dog-owning (and cat-owning!) mom of 4 great kids who are spread out across the country. I live with my husband Scott in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I currently have 2 dogs: a border collie/german shepherd mix named Tico and a Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever named Taco. I’m desperately hoping to add a golden retriever to the mix, I’ve owned golden retrievers since I got my first dog after college. My last golden retriever, Moose, died in March 2019 and it’s not the same without him.
I have been involved in dog rescue since 2005 as a foster and a volunteer for Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest (RAGOM), and have adopted many rescue dogs along the way.
My rescue and foster dogs came with a whole host of issues, both behavioral and physical. I’ve spent years learning training techniques, studying dog behavior, and researching natural remedies for a host of medical issues to help them and other dogs with issues such as:
- Environmental allergies
- Food allergies
- Intestinal issues
- Immune system weakness
- Reactivity
- Fear
- Resource Guarding
- Destructive chewing
- Gastro (stomach) issues
- Separation Anxiety
- Swollen anal glands
- Worms
- Yeast overgrowth
- UTIs
- Hip and knee surgeries and recovery
- Ear infections
- Dog anxiety and stress
- Arthritis
I’ve also gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in areas like::
- Proper ways to introduce dogs and integrate a new dog into the family
- Traveling safely with dogs
- Thrifty dog ownership
- Best mentally stimulating/cognitively enriching toys for dogs
- Clicker Training
- Finding the right vet
- Choosing the right diet – raw vs. kibble
- Helping a new dog adjust to your home and your pets
- Holistic and natural remedies for dog health issues
- Using acupuncture and chiropractic for your dog
Because I tend towards a natural and holistic approach for my own health, I studied natural and holistic ways to treat my pets as well.
When I tried researching their issues online, it was hard to find non-conventional approaches and discussions about the specific issue I was dealing with. I decided to create a website with articles FULL of expertise – I would do the work of finding experts in a certain health or behavioral issue and compilate all that expertise, including citations and links, into one informative place for you to educate yourself and make great decisions for your dog.
And so the Happy Natural Dog blog was born.
I hope this blog will help you find ideas, educate yourself, and talk to each other to create a community of like-minded people who can learn from each other. We all love dogs – so we already have a lot in common!
I’m so glad you’re here!
Naturally,
Karen
Click here to see a list of blog posts and learn about raising your dog naturally and holistically.
Read more about how The Happy Natural Dog Blog started:
