Nature's Guardian - Three Week Update

So after first applying the Nature's Guardian to Ruki, the smell dissipated after 2-3 days. (Unfortunate because I kind of liked her smelling good.) She still felt a little oily where we applied it for a few days after that, with dust sticking to her fur. Then she started getting dandruff flakes--and after some examination this is what it was. Her skin wasn't flaking; it was just the dander she was naturally shedding was now clumping. 

The dandruff lasted for about a week, and now three weeks later she's back to completely normal. No fleas or ticks, but we also live in the city where that's not really a problem, and I've probably only taken her to the park/woods four or five times since. She hasn't been to the park to play with a mess of dogs, only the occasional passerby here and there, so little chance of getting fleas from other dogs--and in our neighborhood, honestly, little to no chance period because of how the owners care for their own dogs.

So far, a positive review. I only question whether the Nature's Guardian is effective at all, just because we live in such a low-risk situation. It's messier than the Frontline, but so far much safer and much cheaper. 

Sergeant's Nature's Guardian Review

Now that spring is in full swing, I realized I need to get Ruki back onto flea and tick repellant--especially as I've been taking her to Fresh Pond, where there's a patch of wooded area that she loves romping around in. 

I always hated Frontline--it just seems so toxic, albeit much less toxic than permethrin-based alternatives. (The latter, according to the blogosphere, nearly guarantees seizures and immediate death to any animal that takes it.) Plus, I went to Target today, and it was $43 for 3 applications. (At the pet store, I remember it being $15 / application, so just a few dollars more.)

Right next to it, I saw Sergeant's Nature's Guardian: $8.99 for 3 applications. I approached it warily due to my previous permethrin research and the takehome that, yes, Frontline's bad, but it works, and it's the safest thing out there. 

But I checked out the ingredients. Active ingredients: peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, lemon grass oil, clove oil, thyme oil. Other ingredients: vanillin, isopropyl myristate. 

So, essentially, the active ingredients are oils with natural sources. (I hesitate that they are actually "natural," though.) I also know that in close-to-pure forms, these oils can be very toxic. But here all the oils are in concentrations of 5% or less. 

I decided to give it a go. Then I went to the Interwebs and started freaking out again: Nature's Garden is all about seizures and death and more seizures and death. 

But, reading between the lines, all the bad stuff happens to *cats* and not dogs. And one of the comments mentioned a vet saying that cats are more susceptible to this stuff than dogs. (Though that doesn't bode well for Sergeant's quality control and testing.) And since Ruki's 40 lbs. but has a small surface area, I figured I could use about half of the 40 lb. dosage of 0.15 fl. oz. 

Nervously, I took the plunge. It's been almost four hours, and it's like nothing happened. Now I have a fresh-smelling puppy, hanging out like a scented candle, doing what she normally does. 

So far, success.

Now, I don't know how effective this stuff is. I know most insect repellant operates by overpowering animal scent, which this stuff is bound to do, but does it kill fleas and ticks? Frontline repels them and kills them when they get on your pet. I'm not convinced that this natural stuff will do that. But we'll see. 

We also don't spend *that* much time outside. Walks in the morning and early evening in a green city, with a couple of trips to parks and dog parks. I'll keep posting if anything comes up. But, again, so far success. 

Bulldog Food Recommendation

So awhile ago, we ended up switching Ruki's food from Innova Adult Dry Dog Food to California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice. We (including Ruki) loved the Innova, but the pellets were on the small side--but typical for dog food--and she developed an allergy to (we think) the chicken or turkey. 

We like the California Natural because it's from Natura, the same makers of Innova, and has the same safety commitment and high, food-grade quality ingredients. But also, they offer a large bite pellet size, which Ruki tends to chew more than swallow. 

So although it's not a "bulldog formula," it's a great option for one of the highest quality foods and in a format that works well with bulldogs' hearty appetites.