136. Bilingual Books, Pet Dental Health & Raising Responsible Pet Parents

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Pets Ad Life, your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human animal bond with Kristen Levine and me, Chris Bonafati, powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV. Hello and welcome to another episode of Pets Ad Life. I am one of your co-host Chris Bonafati, and joining me as always is the two-time Nickelodeon Double Dare champion, Kristen Levine. Kristen, how are you doing? Thank you.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Thank you. We're doing great. I don't know what that means, but it sounds good. I'll take it.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
You're only a couple years older than me. You don't know what Double Dare was on Nickelodeon? It was like a game show that children watched but featured teenagers.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Okay. No. Well, I know what Double Dare means, but I don't know

Speaker 1 (00:49):
What that version is. It is the origin of the Nickelodeon slime. They used the slime a lot. Gotcha. And you watched it as an eight-year-old, but it was really 16-year-olds doing American Gladiator stuff with slime.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Dang,

Speaker 1 (01:03):
I missed

Speaker 2 (01:03):
That whole era.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Classic. And because you're exactly a year and a half older than me, so you just missed the bubble on it. Yeah, 18 months. Precisely. You're playing an away game today. I am. You're on vacation?

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah. Well, it's a semi-vacation semi had to come down for some eye surgery. So we're on Clearwater Beach. I've got a beautiful beach view of the Gulf and I kind of wish I was out there right now, but I'm here doing the show because I'm a professional.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Yeah. Look at this. Kristen is recovering from surgery and is on a beach and has opted in to doing - Being right here. A show with us this week. So if that's not dedication, I don't know what is. Dedication or

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Crazy.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Speaking of dedication, we are retaining our show's usually scheduled programming. We are going to be bringing you two incredible stories, two incredibly interesting guests, two fantastic products. And at the very end of our show today, we are going to answer two of your questions. Doesn't matter how many eyes get surgeried. How many eyes get surgeried? I'm saying it. How many eyes get surgeried or how many beautiful clear water beaches are in our grasp?

Speaker 2 (02:29):
We're still bringing it.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yep. All right. So let's go ahead and jump into this week's story time. Kristen and Chris present Story Time.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
All right. Can I go first today, Chris?

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Yeah, absolutely. Lead us off.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
All right. Well, I know at the time this show airs, it's the end of September, but this came across my desk about a week ago and I wanted to bring it up. The American Kennel Club celebrates September every year as National Pet Responsibility Month, but they also have this thing that they put out a few years ago called the Pet Promise. Have you ever heard of this? No.

(03:12):
It's a pledge that they adopted from their canine good citizen program and pet owners can sign this pledge basically saying that they're committing to their dog's care for life. And it's not just a fun feel good statement. It actually has nine specific promises and they're categorized into four categories of health, safety, training and love. And I thought that this would be something really cool to tell our listeners and viewers about because I think for families who are maybe adopting a pet for the first time or maybe haven't had a pet in a really long time, this is a really great way for the family to come together and to recognize the responsibility of caring for a new dog or a cat. So just real quick, the Health Promise talks about, of course, providing fresh water and quality food, regular vet visits, vaccinations and that sort of thing.

(04:10):
The safety category includes making sure your dog or cat has an ID tag and a microchip, that you follow regular leash laws and pick up after your dog after he does his business. And then the training promise has to do with teaching your dog commands, just the basic ones like sit, stay, calm, just for safety purposes. And then the last category, which is love, I would say it's more like love and lifestyle, but because it includes making sure your pet gets enough exercise and mental stimulation and just recognizing that you're making a lifelong commitment to the pet. So if anybody wants to check out that pledge, you can either just Google Pet Promise or it's on the AKC website.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
That is some really cool stuff. I think that's great. It's almost also like a beginner's guide for everything you need to have a handle on before you adopt or get a dog. Exactly.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
Maybe even check it out if you're considering adding a dog to your household. It gives you a good outline of what it takes to be a responsible pet owner.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Good point. It's a good part of your research on considering a new pet. So what do you have for us this week, Chris?

Speaker 1 (05:30):
Well, I have a story that has to do with a event that happened very recently when we're recording, but it's going to seem quite late in September here. But as we're recording this just a couple days ago, Dolly Parton had passed and Dolly Parton leaves behind an incredible legacy. And a lot of people of course know her for her music and her contributions to the musical world and her tutorship of folks like Miley Cyrus and other incredible musicians and then her work in children's literacy and the Dolly Parton Library Foundation and all the books they've gotten in the hands of kids. But a lot of people also don't realize Dolly Parton was a huge animal activist as well. And I would be remissed if we didn't take the opportunity to highlight that in remembrance of Dolly Parton on the show. In particular, I want to talk about the American Eagle Foundation, which is an American conservation effort that seeks to protect bald eagles.

(06:34):
And this was a foundation that was struggling in the first 35 years of its history. They saved 400 bald eagles and Dolly Parton had sort of gotten wind of this and contributed nearly $6 million since 2012. That's incredible. And with her funding, they essentially doubled what they were able to do just from Dolly Parton deciding to get involved. So some fun stories. She named and helped release a baby bald eagle named Liberty, named near the great Smokey Mountains after the young eagle had fallen from its nest in Florida.

(07:18):
And everything she did, and this is what I love about Dolly, everything she did, she actually showed up for. If she wrote a check, she'd go to the function. So everything that she did with animals, including Doggy Parton, which is so hard to say. I don't know why that's hard to say compared to Dolly. Doggy Parton and the American Eagle Foundation, all these things, she would be there at the events with her presence because she knew that people would come to see her. And if she could take that passion for her music and turn that into just a sliver of passion for either conservation or literacy or whatever she was getting involved with, that she was doing a great work. So we truly lost a gem. I know y'all are listening to this nearly a month later, but it's always a good day to remember Dolly Parton.

(08:17):
It

Speaker 2 (08:17):
Sure is. It sure is. Yeah. In addition to her immense talent, she was such a genuine and authentic and loving human being. She'll be deeply missed by all of us.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
Beyond the leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
Wow. We have a dynamic duo of guests coming next and I have the honor of introducing them. I'll start with Susan Rose. She's spent her career telling stories on some of the biggest stages in the world, and now she's bringing that storytelling magic to a new generation of readers. Susan Rose is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer who's producing credits include acclaimed shows such as the band's visit, winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as Joseph and the amazing technicolor dream coat, Hurley Burley and Blood Not, along with several more that are even more recent like Illinois. And joining her is Sylvia Lopez. Sylvia is a Cuban American children's book author and former librarian who spent more than three decades working with children and books in Miami-Dade County public schools. She's the author of numerous books for young readers and together with Susan Rose, co-author of Jose and El Pero series, which combines engaging stories about Jose and his rescue dog, Felise.

(09:35):
This has an introduction to Spanish vocabulary for young readers. She brings both her Cuban American heritage and decades of experience in children's literacy to the series. So together, Susan and Sylvia created the Jose and El Pero series, which introduces young English speaking readers to Spanish through the adventures of Jose and his adopted sheltered dog, Felice. Actually, there's more to say, but I just want to jump into the interview to talk to these amazing ladies. So welcome to the Pets Ad Life podcast. Thank you.

Speaker 3 (10:10):
Thank you so much for having us.

Speaker 2 (10:12):
Of course, of course. I was just going to kick it off with a question for you, Susan.You've had this extraordinary career producing Broadway shows and now you're writing children's books with Sylvia about a boy in his rescue dog. How did Jose and Felice first come into your life and what made you want to tell their story?

Speaker 3 (10:29):
So I've always had dogs. Dogs have always been a part of my family. And I was living in a Westchester County commuting back and forth to New York City for work. And I would often leave my dog, Brady, with my Latina house pet sitter, Flory and her little boy Jose. And I would come back at the end of the day and I would say to myself, wow, my dog is going to be bilingual because I'm sure they spoke Spanish to him all day long. And then I though, wouldn't it be a great way to introduce children to Spanish because this dog, Felice, that Jose goes and adopts, that's the story that Sylvia and I created. Jose has always dreamed of having a dog, goes to the animal shelter, chooses a dog, brings him home, and then realizes the dog doesn't understand Spanish, so he must have come from an English-speaking family.

(11:26):
So I thought that could be such a fun way to introduce children to Spanish. Spanish is probably the second language in this country now. And it would be told through a dog trying to learn words. Doing more research, I realized, wow, dogs are like toddlers. They can learn. Smart dogs can learn up to 250 words, which is astounding when you think about it. And smarter breeds can learn much more. So I had this idea and then I'm a big storyteller. I worked with writers and playwrights to create stories for the stage, have never written a children's book, found an agent. She said to me, "You're not Latina and everything today is about authenticity, so why don't you try to find someone that could co-write with you?" So luckily for me, I'll make it brief, I moved to Miami, talked to a published children's book author about the idea and she loved it.

(12:26):
And she said, "I have someone that I'd like to introduce you to. Maybe she'd be interested in co-authoring the book with you." And that was Sylvia Lopez, who I'm so grateful for for co-authors and the rest is history. I'll show you the cover for the first book. The first book is Jose Andel Pero, which introduces you to Jose and his

Speaker 1 (12:49):
Children. Amazing. Yeah. Sylvia, I wanted to ask you a question. As an educator and a literacy advocate, I'm really curious on how you wove a bilingual story. Spanish is coming into the story in a natural way, in a natural setting, and it's a children's book. So how did you find that balance between teaching children and entertaining them through these stories?

Speaker 4 (13:19):
Well, thank you. Thank you for having me. Yes, that is an excellent question. I have several books written before I had the good fortune of meeting Susan. And I worked among children in books for so many years and I could tell the books, I did a lot of storytelling in the library and I could tell a story that caught a child's attention and one that was just very didactic and it was just trying to teach something. And so once you begin to differentiate the two and you begin to write your own books, then you catch yourself not teaching. You catch yourself telling a story without ramming it down the throat of a child. So that is a little trick that especially picture book writers keep in mind. And so that's what happened. We tried to make likable characters. I personally feel that we came up with a little boy who is so loving of his new pet, and we have such a loving dog.

(14:32):
And the dynamics between these two plus their family really created a story that makes a point, decidedly makes a point about rescuing and about kindness and caring for another living thing without teaching anything. It just makes a point. And that is what a good book will do. And that's why I'm very proud of this series of books.

Speaker 2 (15:00):
I love that. I love that. That story has to teach something too. Well, in the new book, Happy Birthday Jose and Felice, it was, from what I understand, inspired by Daggas, which is the universal birthday for rescue dogs whose real birthdays aren't known. So Susan, I'll start with you. How did you discover Dagus and when did you and Sylvia both realize that there's a story here? And then I guess the follow-up question would be, what is the teaching of that story?

Speaker 3 (15:29):
Well, we decided, we thought about dog names because Jose has to name his new family member when he brings him home. And we thought because he smiles all the time, that's one of the reasons Jose decided to choose his new friend. And when he brought him home and he was just smiling all the time, even though he didn't understand one thing, we thought a great name would be Felice. And then Felice in Spanish means happy. And then you could have a lot of word play with the name Felice because there's Felice Navida, which is for Christmas, and then there's Felice Camplianos, which is the birthday song in Spanish. So I always though if we named the dog Felice, there would be the opportunity to include that in a story. So he realizes once they sit around their table and they're celebrating his sister's birthday, that the only family member that doesn't have a real birthday is Felice.

(16:28):
And of course, when he goes to the shelter, he was found on the streets, which really upsets Jose. And then Jose is determined to find a way to have a real birthday for his best friend and family member. That's how we came across Doggus, which a lot of people I'm surprised don't know about because I'm sure a lot of people that have shelter dogs want to celebrate birthdays. And it was the North Shore Animal League that came up with Daughus as a way to celebrate universal birthdays, August one for all shelter dogs.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
That's amazing. And these books sure designed, what I'm seeing here for early readers five to seven. Obviously you could read them to your kids starting at any age. I read to my 14-month-old son all the time, but I'm very curious. I'm very determined to have a bilingual child in some capacity. It really is something I care deeply about and having a worldly, well-cultured young man. Have you heard from any parents or gotten any feedback about their children picking up some words or using them in their day-to-day after reading some of these books? I'd be curious to hearing from both of you if you've gotten any of that kind of feedback.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
Well, I was just going to say the New York Public Library chose it as one of the best books of 2023. Wow. And in their description of the book, which is Jose and Alparo, that's the first book, they especially liked that you can have children chant the words altogether, the commands that Jose is trying to teach his dog. In classrooms, they have a curriculum where they like to chant the commands all at once together. So that's a great way to start learning words.

Speaker 4 (18:19):
Yes. Well, we have visited schools here and virtually. Also, we did the Read Across America and World Read Aloud Day. So we had many schools contact us and we read the books. In Miami, bilingualism is not an exception. There's a lot of bilingual children because this is a very largely Hispanic population. But it's interesting because we have calls and requests from schools across the country that have bilingual children or bilingual families in their schools, and these parents are requesting more and more bilingual books for their children. My children, my grandchildren, they all are bilingual to one degree or another, but they all are.

(19:15):
Children will pick up the second language the same way they pick up the first language. To them, it is nothing. It is nothing. It is not even an idea of learning a second language. It's just another word that they add to their vocabulary. And in a painless way, we introduce these words to children in our books. We do it in a very special way. There is something called code switching. Code switching is where you are able to show the meaning of the word within the same text that you are writing. We do not throw random words into our books in order to make them bilingual. We will say the word in one language and then repeat it in another, or at the very least, the illustration, and that's a good part about having an illustrated book. The illustration will show what the word means. So very painlessly, and parents are telling us that they are very painlessly, the children are learning all these new words.

(20:26):
And I even think that -

Speaker 3 (20:29):
I was going to show -

Speaker 4 (20:30):
Yes. We

Speaker 3 (20:31):
Have a glossary.

Speaker 4 (20:32):
We have a glossary. Oh, amazing.

Speaker 1 (20:33):
Every

Speaker 4 (20:34):
Single book.

Speaker 3 (20:35):
It gives you the words and their meanings and translation. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (20:40):
That's phenomenal.

Speaker 4 (20:41):
Every single book has a glossary in the back. And I think Susan can attest because her grandchildren are a little younger than mine, that your grandchildren - Pick it up. Your little one picked up all these words so well. So yes, we have little testimonials, and whenever we'd make a visit, parents come up to us and say, "I'm so glad that you're doing this because my kids are learning new words in not only new words because they are, but also new cultures."

Speaker 2 (21:17):
Wow. Well, the two of you are just an amazing duo, and the series is just, it's so heartwarming. I can't wait to buy these for my little nieces and nephews.

Speaker 1 (21:27):
I'm literally on Amazon right now. It's going into my cart.

Speaker 3 (21:33):
Thank

Speaker 2 (21:34):
You. Well, we are coming up on time. So can you tell us not only where can we find the book series, but also is there another book in the works by chance?

Speaker 3 (21:46):
Well, we're thinking about it, but there's nothing that's been solidified yet.

Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:51):
We do have

Speaker 4 (21:52):
Another

Speaker 3 (21:52):
Book.

Speaker 4 (21:53):
We have another book coming out next summer, but it's not a part of the Jose series, but it is by Susan and myself. Yeah. And it's also bilingual and it's going to be a beautiful book. It's called Where Are the Pink Pajaros? And it's gorgeously illustrated. Nomar Perez has done a beautiful illustration job of illustrating that book. Susan can tell you where to find all our books. We have Amazon, as you said, Barnes & Nobles, bookshop.org.

Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah, and we love all the independent

Speaker 4 (22:27):
Books

Speaker 3 (22:27):
Too. All the independence.

Speaker 4 (22:28):
That's

Speaker 3 (22:29):
Why Sylvia just said bookshop.org.

Speaker 4 (22:30):
And if you have one where you live and you can go up to them and you can request that they purchase the book and get a copy for you and then add it to their collection, that would be great. And don't forget to write reviews.

Speaker 1 (22:44):
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Absolutely. Very important to do so.

Speaker 1 (22:47):
Well, thank you both so much.

Speaker 3 (22:50):
Thank you. Thank you

Speaker 1 (22:50):
So much. This has been incredible. I can't wait to read the book to my son in a couple of weeks when it arrives at my doorstep or sooner, who knows? And I just think you all are doing excellent work. This is children's literacy and the sharing of culture are such important things. And when we could use our pets and animals as inspiration, it's only that much more powerful. So thank you so much for hopping on and sharing your stories with us today.

Speaker 3 (23:15):
Thank

Speaker 4 (23:16):
You. Appreciate it. Thank you for having us. Thank you. Thank you.

Speaker 3 (23:17):
Thank you for having us.

Speaker 1 (23:26):
I've got all three books. Let's see. I'm looking at now. I see Happy Birthday, Felice. Jose and Felise play football and the original Jose and Felise. They're going into the cart right now. Listen, $9 for a hardcover.

Speaker 2 (23:49):
Wow. You

Speaker 1 (23:50):
Can't beat that. Yeah. You really can't beat that. And

Speaker 2 (23:53):
The illustrations are so beautiful

Speaker 1 (23:55):
Too. No, it's great. This is going to be a real treat. And recently, Grayson has started identifying his animals. He knows the difference between a dog and a cat, which took a lot of work because for a toddler, I mean, those are the same thing. Those are the same thing as far as toddlers are concerned. So he's going to love having a new doggy book. And it is my honor to introduce our next guest, Dr. Ruth McPeat, here to talk about something a lot of pet parents probably don't think about nearly enough. What's going on inside our pet's mouth? Dr. Ruth McPete, better known as Dr. Ruth the Pet Vet is a veterinarian author and nationally recognized pet health expert who has spent her career helping pet parents better understand how to keep their animals healthy. In addition to her work in companion animal and shelter medicine, Dr.

(24:49):
Ruth has brought veterinary education to audiences across the country. Their appearances on today, Good Morning America, the Doctors, Fox and Friends, The Weather Channel, and now Pets Ad Life. Today she's joining us to talk about dental health, why chewing matters for dogs, and the simple things we can do at home to keep our pet's mouths healthy. Dr. Ruth, welcome to Pet's Ad Life.

Speaker 5 (25:12):
Hi, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (25:14):
Absolutely. So I want to start with the basics. Why is dental health so important for... Why is it such an important part of a dog's overall health, dog or cat? And why do you think so many pet parents sort of underestimate it, we'll say?

Speaker 5 (25:30):
Well, dental disease is one of the most common things that we see in veterinary medicine. A lot of people are surprised to learn that over 80% of dogs that are three years of age already have significant dental disease. So it is a big problem. It's something we see every day in practice. And the big issue is that it leads to a lot of different things. Dental disease can lead to tooth loss, painful tooth root abscesses. It can lead to trouble eating, facial swelling, again, infections, and it can even lead to kidney and heart disease if left untreated. So it's a big problem and it's not just a cosmetic issue. It is a real medical problem that people need to be aware of.

Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, that's for sure. And Dr. Ruth, we've had a chance to work together before in the past. It's so good to see you again, but I wanted to ask you about bad breath and it's something that dog- Doggy breath. Doggy breath. It's something that dog owners tend to just joke about, but when does bad dog breath stop being normal bad breath and start becoming possible warning sign of dental disease?

Speaker 5 (26:49):
Well, great question. Yeah, people joke about that all the time, but the bottom line is that halitosis, also known as bad breath, is not normal. So obviously our pets have a smell to their mouth and if they're eating something they shouldn't, if they get into the litter box or they're visiting another friend's presence, they can have bad breath, and that's explained, but really the presence of bad breath is not normal. And in fact, it is one of the most common signs of dental disease in pets. And if a pet parent notices that their pet suddenly has a foul odor or a different smell, this is really a sign and a clue that you need to call your veterinarian and bring your pet in because again, it may be a sign that they have dental disease.

Speaker 1 (27:44):
That is really great stuff. I want to talk about maintenance and the most difficult thing, which is trying to get a toothbrush or equivalent inside of a dog's mouth because hey, they're not willing participants always, even though we know how important it is, very difficult to explain that to a dog. So what's the best way, in your opinion, to introduce brushing and do you have any advice for a dog that just won't tolerate it?

Speaker 5 (28:16):
Yes. Well, the first thing is that people know that brushing is the best thing that you can do for your pet's health. So I always recommend that you are brushing your pet's teeth regularly. I recommend that people start when their pet is young. That's the best way to get them used to it. So you want to start when they're puppies or kittens. And what I recommend people do is just start by kind of putting their finger, you can see Jet doesn't love it, but you want to start by putting your finger in their mouth and gently massaging their gums and their teeth, and then you're going to work your way up to using pet toothpaste. Pet toothpaste comes in exciting flavors, chicken, beef, seafood, and peanut butter. So a lot of dogs actually like it. I let them lick my finger, and then again, you're going to just massage those teeth.

(29:12):
If you start when they're young, they get used to it. Once they get used to the finger, I have people kind of work their way up to using a finger toothbrush and then ultimately using a dental toothbrush again, because that's going to be the best. If you have a pet that just absolutely won't tolerate it or you're starting when they're older, then you may need to use other products. And one of the things that I recommend I use with the jet are dental wipes because some pets, for whatever reason, tolerate the wipe better than the toothbrush, and you can put toothpaste on the wipe and then brush their teeth that way. And then we can't forget dental chews because dental chews are great. There are just some pets that are not going to tolerate a brush or a... Finger or wipe in their mouth. And so using dental chews are a great way to help remove plaque before it mineralizes and becomes tartar.

(30:10):
My dogs love the Nutradent dental chews and they're easy. And again, they can be used in addition to brushing their teeth as part of the routine.

Speaker 2 (30:19):
So Dr. Ruth, let's just pause for a moment to say hello to Jet. Jet is your dog, right?

Speaker 5 (30:25):
Yes. Yes.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
He's adorable.

Speaker 5 (30:27):
He's one of my dogs. He's my little dog.

Speaker 2 (30:31):
A big dog as well. He is precious. Well, and dogs like Jet included, they have a natural instinct to chew. So beyond chewing being something that keeps them occupied, what does chewing actually do for a dog both behaviorally and what comes to their teeth?

Speaker 5 (30:48):
Well, as you mentioned, chewing is a natural instinctive behavior and dogs chew for a number of different reasons. They chew to calm themselves down. They chew to relieve anxiety and stress. They chew when they're bored. Puppies will actually chew just like babies do to relieve teething pain. So chewing is a good thing. It's a natural thing and it's something that's great when it's done appropriately. And that's really the key because unfortunately, when dogs chew on something they're not supposed to, like shoes or books or kids' toys, that's when it becomes a problem. So we want to make sure that we're providing appropriate chew toys for pets so that they can chew because again, good thing, it can also help remove plaque and help keep those teeth clean.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
Well, let me ask you this, Dr. Ruth, can chewing ever replace brushing or professional dental cleanings for that matter? Or should pet parents think of chew toys just as part of a piece of their overall dental care?

Speaker 5 (31:57):
Yeah. Again, brushing is the gold standard. Nothing is going to replace this toothbrush and brushing. It is the best thing. I mean, if we think about our own teeth, what would they look like if we weren't brushing them? So yeah, brushing is definitely best. Again, I recommend people start when their animals are young. Chew toys, dental chews are really going to be something that's added. They're a great supplement to using the toothbrush every day or dental wipes and then adding those to the routine. So I try to brush my dog's teeth or use dental wipes every night before I go to bed. And then during the day I supplement with a Nutradent dental chew, which my dogs love. And then it's one more thing that's helping remove that plaque and tartar.

Speaker 1 (32:53):
Yeah, absolutely. We talk about this a lot on the show, Kristen, this idea of establishing a baseline, like knowing your pet and their behavior. Take a look under the hood every now and again and make sure everything's staying normal.

Speaker 2 (33:05):
Right. And pets are so good at masking pain too. So if they have poor dental health, they could be in a lot of pain and we wouldn't even know it. So yeah, that's some great advice, Dr. Ruth. We got to wrap things up. We're coming up on time. So where can we go to learn more information about good dental care or the chews that we should be choosing for our dogs?

Speaker 5 (33:27):
Well, like I said earlier, nylabone.com has a great product finder that will allow you to look at all their different products and find the appropriate product for your pet because that's really important. And of course, don't forget to speak with your veterinarian. One thing I forgot to mention that's key to dental care is that your pet should be seen once a year by your veterinarian. During those checkups, your veterinarian is going to check your pet's teeth. And so they're going to tell you how their teeth are doing and that's really key. You don't want to skip those exams. Not only are we listening to their heart and lungs and checking for lumps or bumps, but we are looking at their teeth. And so we're going to give you an update as to how those are doing and what you need to do.

Speaker 1 (34:14):
That's amazing. Hey, listen, our pets are getting better medical service than we are. When I go to my physician, he's not looking at my teeth. I got to make a separate appointment for that. It's convenience.

Speaker 5 (34:23):
These veterinarians, they're

Speaker 1 (34:24):
Excellent. That's right. Well, Dr. Ruth, thank you so much for hopping on the show, giving us some education. Oral health folks, it's so important and it's simple to do. You could do it. I believe in you. Dr. Ruth, thanks again for taking some time out of your busy schedule to hop on the show today.

Speaker 2 (34:39):
Thank

Speaker 5 (34:40):
You. And thanks, Janet. Thank you so much for having us.

Speaker 1 (34:50):
Another close personal friend of Kristen Levine, just constantly, constantly, anytime there's a near genius on the show, they're just like, "Oh yeah, Kristen, I know that. They're part of my circle."

Speaker 2 (35:02):
That's only because I try to surround myself with people smarter than me and also because I've been around for a really long time.

Speaker 1 (35:09):
Then why are you on the show, Kristen? You're trying to surround yourself with smart people.

Speaker 2 (35:14):
You are very smart. And most importantly, you're way funnier than me. So that's another thing I like to do.

Speaker 1 (35:20):
No, you've got zingers. You've got the quality. I'm like the Kobe Bryant of joke making. I take a lot of shots and people just remember the ones that went in.

Speaker 4 (35:28):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (35:29):
The product of the week. All right folks, it's time for our product of the week. And I am going to kick things off with a special little dental health treat. I've talked about their products before, but there's some new and interesting products added to their line that I want to highlight and especially because we had Dr. Ruth on the show talking about dental health. I though it'd be a great time to demonstrate some of the products that she was referencing. So Nylabone just released a new line of products that are beyond the usual ingredients. So I'm going to pull up some of the information here right quick. Got like 10 trillion things open right now. You ever just have far too many tabs open? Oh yes. On the regulars. So these are made with real chicken, bison, venison, bacon and beef, and it still has that satisfying chew.

(36:36):
The point of this toy is the dog is going to latch onto it. They're really going to like chewing and it's going to satisfy those instincts while also cleaning the teeth, providing good engagement, good enrichment and independent play.

Speaker 2 (36:49):
That's crazy.

Speaker 1 (36:51):
And what they found too, and Kristen, I think you'd appreciate this, these long lasting shoes can help provide enrichment and relieve boredom, anxiety and stress. This is the kind of toy that's going to last a long time. So you could leave it with the dog if you're leaving the house. You could have that confidence that unlike Rawhide and other things that should be like a supervised toy, that the nylabone is long lasting. If you're going to be leaving the house for a few hours and you want the dog to have something to entertain themselves so they aren't as sad, I think it is an excellent product. And let me see if I can find, let me pull it back up on Amazon here.

Speaker 2 (37:31):
Awesome. I think I'm going to add that to cart for tulip.

Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, why not? Why not?

Speaker 2 (37:36):
Okay. So my product this week has to do with, okay, as the fall gets here, a lot of parts of the country see a lot of rain, cold, rainy days. And I would have never though about buying my dog a raincoat until I had tulip because I've always had labs and labs love the water.

Speaker 1 (37:55):
Yeah, they don't care.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
They don't care if it's raining, it's even better. So my product of the week is a frisk. It's called the Frisco Lightweight Rainy Days Dog Raincoat. Now Tulip is one of those dogs that if it is even sprinkling the lightest, she will not step foot outside. So we either have to wait till it stops raining or I have to get the big golf umbrella and hold it over her. But this thing is really lightweight. It's a PVC coated shell to keep your dogs dry on wet fall walks. It's got a large reflective stripe right in the center of it for visibility. So this is great if you're walking on darker mornings or evenings. It has a covered leash hole. So it will work with a collar or a harness and it's got a covered hole so that rain won't get through there when you have the leash hook to it.

(38:49):
And a secure belly strap, you can hand wash it and lay it flat to dry. And it comes in a lot of sizes. It goes from extra small to XXXL and you can get it in black or yellow. And depending on the size you choose, it's only nine bucks for the smallest one and 23 bucks for the largest one. So very economical.

Speaker 1 (39:08):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (39:09):
The yellow is so cute. That dog looks like he should be on the front of the salt box. Right. So true. He sucks an adorable lowering coat.

Speaker 2 (39:20):
I love it. Q and A's.

Speaker 1 (39:24):
All right folks, it is time for our favorite part of the show. That's right. We're going to answer two questions from our lovely audience at home. And I know what you are thinking. Lovely audience. How do I have my question answered by Chris and Kristen? Well, it couldn't be any easier. Head on over to petsadlife.org/podcast. Scroll on down to the bottom of that page and you'll see a form to submit your questions. Or if you're feeling as brave as a dog who is taking a pee in a thunderstorm, you can submit a voice memo and you may hear your question played live on the air. So Kristen, without further ado, I have entered our bank of questions and I have made a withdrawal. This question is from Jason from Denver. I was just flying out of Denver basically. Maybe I ran into Jason in the streets somewhere.

(40:24):
Jason is asking, "Our neighbor's dog barks constantly whenever he's outside, sometimes for hours. Besides being frustrating for us, I'm starting to wonder if the dog is stressed or unhappy. What can nonstop barking tell us about a dog and is there anything a neighbor can realistically do to help?" That's a great question. Jason sounds desperate.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
He does, he does. And Jason, your instinct is good. Hours of nonstop barking is rarely a dog who's just being vocal for fun. It's usually a sign of boredom or isolation distress. Under stimulation, if a dog barks for a few minutes, they're just alerting to something, but this nonstop barking is sign of concern. I think as a neighbor, this can be a little tricky, but as a neighbor, the most productive thing you could probably do is in a very friendly, non-confrontational way, have a conversation with your neighbor. I'm wondering if maybe they just don't know he's barking all day. Did he say if they're gone when he barks or let's see?

Speaker 1 (41:34):
Let's see. It doesn't really mention it.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
Yeah. I'm assuming the people might be at work or something, so it's possible that they don't realize the dog is barking that much. So I would have a conversation with them about that. And if that doesn't help, most cities or counties have an animal control, like a noise ordinance officer that can come to the house and have that conversation for you. I mean, actually, if you want to skip you having the conversation, you do that, but it is always kind of courteous just to let them know about the problem before you actually call the authorities. And this poor dog just needs more mental stimulation. It doesn't need to be left outside, but there's not a whole lot you can do about that. But hopefully by talking to the neighbor, you'll educate them about what's going on and hopefully they will take steps to make sure their dog is more comfortable when they're not at home.

(42:36):
So good luck with that.

Speaker 1 (42:40):
I say bark back.

Speaker 2 (42:42):
You can try that too.

Speaker 1 (42:45):
Start barking back.

Speaker 2 (42:47):
Let's see.

Speaker 1 (42:47):
Good luck.

Speaker 2 (42:48):
Yeah. Yeah, that's a tough one.

Speaker 1 (42:50):
Remember, this is a pet advice column, not a neighbor advice column.

Speaker 2 (42:54):
That's

Speaker 1 (42:54):
True. That's true. We are good at handling social interactions between people and animals, not social interactions between people and people. Good luck you're on

Speaker 2 (43:02):
Your

Speaker 1 (43:02):
Own with that one. Good luck.

Speaker 2 (43:05):
Okay. So I'm going to withdraw a question for you, Chris. This one is from Rachel. Rachel's in San Francisco and she says, and this is very appropriate for our topic when we spoke with Dr. Ruth today. She says, "I hear so much about brushing dogs' teeth, but almost nothing about cats. My cat has never had her teeth brushed and honestly, I can't imagine her letting me do it. How important is dental care for cats and what can I realistically do at home to keep her teeth and gums healthy?"

Speaker 1 (43:37):
This is a fantastic question. And I would like to mention a few things here. First, when you take your cat to their vet visit, you should ensure that some type of oral checkup is part of that routine. Always, always, always good to have a veterinarian with some semblance of dental health experience. Take a look, make sure everything is all right in tip-top shape. I am in the camp that cats do not need as much maintenance as dogs, but still need maintenance. So what I would recommend is looking for some of those dental treats that have the VOHC seal, which is the Veterinary Oral Health Council. You could actually head on over to their website. Let me just make sure it is what I think it is. Yes, vohc.org. There is a PDF you could download of the accepted products, and that way you know that this is a product that actual vets have looked at and said, yes, this is actually going to be helpful.

(44:43):
And just treat your cats with that treat. And listen, I'm no expert by any means. Dr. Ruth gave a ton of advice, but I think if you are having a professional look at it during routine screenings and you're treating with some VOHC treats, your cat should be fine unless you notice something's up. If your cat is eating less or is eating weird, like I've used to notice with Tiger when she got her tooth abscess that she was eating weird. And I don't really know how to define it, but the way she ate had changed, like how she positioned her mouth and the way she snapped up the food. It was clear she was avoiding a side of her mouth and trying to get all the food to the other side. So just be on the lookout for those things. There's other products out there. There's dental dry kibble.

(45:36):
There's powders and water additives and gels. I'm of the camp that unless your vet says you need that product because there's an issue or your cat just doesn't have great teeth, I think they're a bit superfluous for a cat. But also a good recommendation is if you typically feed wet food, throw some dry kibble in the mix. Literally that crunchiness is just going to help clean out their teeth. Think about it. Cats in the wild have their teeth cleaned by ripping and tearing on flesh and that sinu and other things like fur and feathers will actually clean their teeth as they eat. It's almost like having a meal from a steakhouse and then having the waiter come over and floss her teeth right after. I'm actually going to open that restaurant here in Stanford, Connecticut. It's a creepy visual. If anybody wants to come to Chris's steak.

(46:33):
Steak and fluss.

(46:37):
Then we got you. But no, that's sort of how things work. And then everybody always says, this is the other side of the argument I never agree with when people say, "Oh, but they don't need it in nature and nobody brushes their teeth in nature, then if the cat has a tooth problem, they just die.That's also nature. That's also nature. So follow some of this advice. Go back, listen to Dr. Ruth and see what she has to say. But I think you're going to be all right. And thank you for your question, Rachel. Brings us to our end of our show. I mean, I feel like I've been talking for six years. I don't know what it is about this episode. I feel like we probably went long and Ron is going to kill us for this one. I think

Speaker 2 (47:24):
You've had oxygen deprivation in Colorado, so now you've got so much oxygen that you're feeling a little overwhelmed.

Speaker 1 (47:31):
I've got so much oxygen, people. Until next week, we'll see you on Tuesday. Never forget Pet Sad Life. Goodbye.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
Happy fall, y'all.

Speaker 1 (47:43):
Pets Ad Life, your guide to the latest in pet trends, products, and the joy of the human animal bond with Kristen Levine and me, Chris Bonafati, powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.