If you are a pet owner that prefers a natural approach to raising your dog, then you probably have spent hours on the internet researching natural dog-raising topics.
If you’re like me, the search for a solution may make you bang your head against the wall saying “WHY is this so hard to find information about?”
Natural and holistic isn’t a one size fits all approach, it’s a trial-and-error-until-you-find-what-works process.
Cue happy music – the Happy Natural Dog Blog is here! I’m Karen, and I’ll be blogging about raising dogs naturally & holistically in all areas of your dog’s life: food, medical, training, behavior – you name it.
My plan is to post great blogs, ask questions, and start a dialog with readers where we can share successes and failures – what has worked for each of us with our specific dogs and their specific issues.
Who Am I?
The quick summary? OK. Mom of 4 great kids ages 17-23, wife to Scott, and fur mom to 3 dogs, 3 cats, and an occasional foster dog.
I got my first dog when I was 22 and I realized just how much I NEEDED a dog around – like I literally need a dog to LIVE.
They make every day more fun, every moment happier, and make you feel more love each day than you ever thought possible.
If you are the type of person that loves your dog with every ounce of your soul, then you get me.
Dogs are on my “need-to-survive” list right after food, water, and family. They come before chocolate, wine, and coffee. And that says a lot.
Over the years I’ve dealt with many dog issues. So.Many.Issues.
Issues that I would not wish on my worst enemy. Issues that have brought me to my knees (i.e. a blubbering puddle in the middle of my kitchen). Issues I have triumphed over and gotten a reward of extra-bonus years with my dog that I didn’t think I’d have.
There have been dogs that drove me to partial insanity: I have been known to sit with my most challenging dogs, look them in the eye, and have deep, heart to heart talks with them telling them I would pay them a large, unfathomable sum of money to just TELL ME how I could solve their behavioral issue (no, it didn’t work).
I have spent the equivalent of a new minivan on hopeful therapies & training, some that worked, some that didn’t.
I’m serious. Really spent car money on dogs. Here’s the current minivan odometer
Part of the reason for this is that I do dog rescue. I foster and adopt for a great organization called Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest (RAGOM).
Although I have adopted out many dogs, occasionally we “foster fail.” Which means, we adopt the dog because we’ve fallen in love, and for some reason I will never understand (but hope to have someone tell me when I get to the pearly gates), we always keep the ones with behavioral or medical issues, the ones that really NEED us.
Optimistically, this has given me numerous “opportunities” to learn about natural and holistic approaches to a wide range of health and behavioral issues.
Not-so-optimistically, it has tested the bounds of my sanity. But right when I’m ready to throw in the towel, I make some shred of progress which is like giving caffeine to a coffee addict – I want to keep trying to help them in natural ways.
Which brings me to this blog.
What do I hope to accomplish?
I want to help you learn, and I hope your questions will spur me to learn more and explore new topics.
I want this website to become a reference for you, with in-depth information and discussions on natural and holistic products, methods, foods, health information, and more.
I hope we will become a community that will laugh together, cry together, and support each other on our dog journeys.
More than anything, I want to write what you would like to me write about. What topic do you want to see more information about? What are you researching but can’t find good information for on the internet?
This is going to be fun. We dog lovers are a crazy, fun-loving, and incredibly devoted bunch.
I hope my stories will motivate you and educate you, and most importantly, help you raise your dog in a happy, natural way that will give them a high quality, long life!
Let’s do this.
Naturally,
Karen
P.S. Let’s get the comments STARTED – leave a comment below and tell me what you want to learn more about!
I am very excited to learn more about natural and holistic dog care! I would love to learn about treating environmental allergies in dogs naturally. I will share this blog with other dog lovers 🙂
-Josie
Thanks Josie! I will add an article specific to environmental allergies to the list – my most recent golden has them and they are SO tough to work with. In the meantime check out https://happynaturaldog.com/natural-remedies-for-dog-allergies/, it is a general article on allergies but has a number of ideas for environmental allegies.
Karen!
This is brilliant! Every single thing you wrote in there I can relate to 1000%!! I am so excited for you! If you ever need a guest Reator or someone to write about diabetes and dogs let me know! So excited for you!
Beth
Thanks for sharing your passion. I can’t wait to read more.
Thanks Belle, this is gonna be FUN!
Thanks so much Beth, I will definitely plan to contact you for an article on diabetes and dogs as I know you have gone the extra mile to give your pups the best and longest life they can have!
Even though we have had two dogs previously, we are very close to getting a new furry friend hopefully this summer. I look forward to reading your blog and learning along the way. When that day comes, you and the family are invited up for a pool/doggie party!!
Lori I can’t wait to meet her, we will learn together!