The Whole Poodle: what holistic care means for me

Holistic is a word that has found new life in the last decade. Today, you can find holistic doctors, holistic veterinarians, holistic nutritionists, holistic dog trainers, holistic dog food… 

I could go on and on!

The adjective, holistic, simply describes a philosophy of paying attention to the whole of something, in order to comprehend issues that affect a part of something.

Let’s take the classic belly ache as an example;

Now, we could treat the belly ache in an allopathic fashion, which would mean treating the pain itself to make it go away. Perhaps an Advil or Pepto Bismol would stop or reduce the pain of indigestion. But these medicines can’t prevent the belly ache from coming back again. As a matter of fact, these medicines don’t even really treat the belly ache itself, they actually treat the symptoms that are associated with the belly ache.

Holistic treatment of the same belly ache would mean taking into account the whole body to stop the pain. Rather than just stopping the symptoms, we would look at what is causing the belly ache and actually heal the underlying source of the ache. Perhaps it’s an allergy or an intolerance to a certain food that makes the stomach hurt. Once that food is eliminated, the belly can heal and the ache is gone. 

The belly ache example is a simple way to explain holistic care. But the term, holistic, encompases a broad range of ideas and opinions. And some of these ideas are more radical than others.

I thought I’d share with you all exactly what I mean when I say I practice living a holistic life with my dogs. So here are four holistic ideals I consider non-negotiable when it comes to my dogs:

1: I keep my dogs close to nature

• Exercise is very important to the physical and mental health of all dogs. I love getting my dogs outside and into nature for their mental and physical stimulation. We may hike through forests,  summit mountains or take long treks through the Alaskan backcountry. Physical exertion improves muscle tone, endurance, lung capacity, and heart health. And the brain gets a lot of exercise of its own through the 5 senses: sniffing new smells, looking around the new environment, feeling the terrain as the dogs race and play, tasting flavors in the trees, grass, lakes or streams, and listening for different sounds.

• Species appropriate diet means my dogs eat food that is as close to its natural state as possible. My dogs’ diet consists of raw meat, bones, and organs. It’s a simple diet and it is highly effective in maintaining their quality of life. You can read more about my own journey through raw feeding in this blog article.

• Obedience training is for good manners. Comfort and confidence are my primary concerns for my dogs’ mental health. I consider good basic obedience skills part of a holistic lifestyle because good manners instills confidence in a variety of situations.  Manners such as sit, stay, and a solid recall are all must-haves in the doggy toolbox. When my dogs have good manners, everything in life becomes less stressful for them. And less stress means a healthier dog. 

2: I tend to avoid extremisms in my dogs’ care

• My dogs visit the vet. If I have a sick or injured dog, we are headed to our trusted veterinarian’s office straight away. 

• I rely on science when vaccinating my dogs. Vaccinations are a hot topic in the world of medicine. I take the necessary precautions against preventable deadly diseases. I routinely vaccinate against parvo, distemper and rabies.

• I use pain medications when necessary. Let’s be honest, no one wants to be in pain. And dogs handle pain differently than humans. If I have a dog with a major injury, I will absolutely go for the medicines that are both strong and safe to help my dogs. Comfort and quality of life are both priorities for my dogs. And sometimes that means that pain medication is needed to help a dog relax enough to begin healing. 

3: I don’t feel guilty 

• My favorite quote by Maya Angelou; “When you know better, do better.” Is my personal mantra when practicing a holistic lifestyle. I know I can’t do everything or be everything for my dogs. So I do the very best I can with the knowledge I have right now. 

• Let’s face it, perfectionism doesn’t exist in dogs. So there is no reason to entertain guilt when I learn something new that changes the way I work with my dogs.

4: I keep a journal

• I keep meticulous notes about each of my dogs. If there is only one thing on this list I could recommend to everyone to do right now, it would be this item right here! I’ve found that a journal for each dog is the most accurate way I can stay in tune with my dogs’ individual needs. 

• Let’s take Jupiter and Kluane as two examples: if Jupiter, my catahoula, chooses not to eat her evening meal, I know to be extra diligent about observing behavioral or physical changes. But if my poodle, Kluane, skips her evening meal, I know it’s par for the course in her life. Kluane tends to eat a lot of food one day, only to eat very little the next. 

• Recording behavior, eating habits, social interactions and physical traits helps me to understand the whole dog. It is with this understanding I am better able to work toward a solution if a dog is dealing with a physical or emotional problem

There you have it: my four primary principles for holistic care when it comes to my dogs. I like to keep life as simple as possible. And these four holistic ideals allow me to give my dogs the best quality of life possible!

I’d love to hear from you! Do you have holistic practices you apply to life with your own dogs?