Kennedy, I’ll answer you in a post, this is a much longer discussion than we can fit here. See Dog Food Ingredients. – Thanks, Darc

Stephaie, Just FYI, Diamond Pet Food and Taste of the Wild have the same home address. Diamond has had some troubles in the past, perhaps they have that all figured out now. I haven’t made the move to carry foods made by Diamond. I do like Whole Earth Farms and all of the foods we have SitStay.com. If you’d like to go a bit more natural, choose some of the freeze dried raw to add to your dog’s diet. SitStay’s dog foods list Thanks. – Darcy

Dear Lynn, Yes, most hospitals do want a dog to go through Therapy Dog training before it’s visits a hospital, nursing home, or school. That training insures that the dog will be calm and good during the visit. Therapy Dog organizations and clubs usually do have some sort of certification or diploma for finishing the course or joining the club. Therapy dogs are usually pets of the people who volunteer with them. I think there may be some confusion about the difference between Therapy Dogs and Service Dogs. Service Dogs are not Therapy Dogs, they are not considered pets, they do not require certification or registration, they do have to be trained. Thanks. – Darcy

Now, on to my question . . . I frequently read your recommendations on feeding and would love to move my dog to a completely raw or frozen raw diet. But, I have done the research and, with her size and food requirments, to do so would be prohibitively expensive. Instead, I have settled for a high quality, no grain, kibble that is HEAVILY supplemented with fresh and frozen fruits, veggies, fats, and starches — in healthy proportions. She is thriving on this compromise. But I wanted to know if you were aware of any raw diets that were not geared toward the small dog owner. Stephaie

Dear Stephaie, An adult dog will eat about 2% of it’s good body weight in raw food each day, puppies will eat 10%. That’s really not so much. That’s less than 2 pounds of raw food for a 90 pound dog. Two pounds of food is about 4 cups, tightly compressed. If your dog is doing well on a good quality kibble with fresh foods, you’re doing fine! Which dog food did you choose? Just curious.

The ADA states to businesses: “The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.” And “Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability. However, an individual who is going to a restaurant or theater is not likely to be carrying documentation of his or her medical condition or disability. Therefore, such documentation generally may not be required as a condition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability.”

Please note that so far, the ADA does require that the animal be trained before it meets the description of a Service Dog. If you’re still in training, your dog may not qualify. Nebraska, where I live, is trying to pass legislation so dogs in training will be allowed in public to insure and proof their training. You might check with your state to find out what they require. The best way to encourage managers about Service Dogs is, with a kind heart and a smile, give them a print out of the ADA info. You can find it here, ADA info page. Have a great trip. – Darcy

Dear Lynn, I know that you mean well but you might not be completely informed.

I’m not sure how a dog wearing a vest could ruin your service and life with your dog. If you’re talking about a dog who isn’t well mannered in public, that dog can legally be ousted from the premises and does not reflect on you and your dog at all.

I won’t even get into what I think of vaccinations and how many veterinarians are staring to come out against them. They are finding that more and more dogs are sick and dying due directly to vaccinations. If your dog is vaccinated, you shouldn’t have to worry about other dogs not being vaccinated. Your dog is “protected”.

As you know, the ADA does not require that Service Dogs be registered or certified and most of them are not. I hope it never happens that a dog has to go to an organization of training to become a Service Dog. If it does happen, you’ll see orgs and businesses pop up who claim they can train but they won’t produce the dogs who can help. So many disabled people won’t be able to get dogs because they don’t have enough money, they won’t be able to live their lives outside their homes. Including veterans and children of families who don’t have enough money to have their dogs trained. That would be a travesty, wouldn’t it? Especially because many dogs train so easily to help people, they don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to have a dog bred to be a Service Dog and pay for the training as well. Rescue dogs are being trained more and more and they are being trained by normal, regular people without a huge cost to the disabled person.

Therapy Dogs don’t have to be certified or registered to do their work. There is no law that says they do.

When was the last time you flew or rode on a train with an aggressive dog? It’s never happened to me. I don’t think you’re going to see a normally intelligent person trying to pass an aggressive dog off as a Service Dog. If that bad person you’re talking about does take their aggressive dog out into public, vest or no vest, they’ll have to go to court just like anyone else would. It’s not a good argument for dogs not wearing vests.

SitStay has sold high quality, well made vests for Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, working dogs, and clubs who have special needs for vests for several years. It’s a service that we will continue. I’m sure that you’re not asking me to quit selling vests to people who need them because some people would be dishonest by putting a “Service Dog” vest on their dog. I’m sure you know, too, that there are many unscrupulous businesses who are selling vests for huge amounts of money with certifications that aren’t worth the paper they are printed on. Go after those guys, please, if you feel you have to make a stand against this, they are stealing right out of the pockets of the people you are trying to protect.

I get a letter like yours about once every five years. It’s usually from someone new and on fire for the program they’re in and who may not have all the facts of who needs a Service Dog and who gets one and all the reasons vests are used in the dog world. I appreciate your letter and I wish you the very best. – Darcy

Kimber, they are in our lineup of products to test and try. If we love them, we’ll add them to the Store. I wish we had more time and twice the staff to make these things go faster! That’s what we get for being a small family business. We love it. Thank you so much for your support and for asking. We fill our store with the products we love and things that you love, too. Everyone, stay in touch with us and tell us what you want. Thanks, Darcy

Dear Patrice, I’ve heard of it, I’ve never personally seen it work. Generally dogs who eat poop by habit don’t care what it tastes like, I don’t think it’s like desert or something, it’s a habit or they were the bed cleaner in the litter. There are lots of theories why. The best thing to do is go out with your dogs and pick up the poop right away. They only poop once or twice a day if they have a good diet. That’s not to hard to do. Thanks. – Darcy

Dear Libby, The best way to keep it from happening is to pick it up immediately after the dog poops. The way to do that? The pup must be under complete supervision until her house manners and potty manners are perfect. This means she’s either in her crate, in a play pen, or on a leash attached to you or someone else in the family. She will not have a chance to do something without you seeing it. Puppies who get free rein of the house will start bad habits. Read and follow this advice and routine and you’ll have great luck: House Breaking Some dogs, especially puppy mill dogs (did you buy her at a pet store or did she come from rescue?), have a life long habit of coprophagia, those are the dogs who will need a lifetime human partner when they poop, you’re there to pick it up. Wish I had better news for you. Please don’t use tobasco or pepper or anything like that, those things can hurt her. Simply be there to pick up after her. – Darcy

Dear Nance, Yes, SitStay.com was the first or at least one of the first pet supply stores online in the history of the Internet. We never could find anyone whose start date was before ours but we can’t prove they weren’t there either. I count my blessings every day.

I’ve said a prayer for both of you. I wish it was different for you guys. We have to go with what we have right now, can’t change the past. Live in the moment with him, stay cheerful and love him to pieces. Dogs are fantastic at learning to cope with what life throws at them, all we have to do is stay light hearted to help them along. Let us know how it goes. Thank you so much for business, your kind words and sharing your dog with us. I really appreciate it. The more we learn, the more we can help others. I wish I knew everything. – Darcy