A View of Winter
The humans may complain about this time of year, but winter for dogs can be invigorating. At least for me it is. With my dense double coat, I’m well insulated from the cold so it doesn’t bother me one bit. After chasing stray hunting dogs that wander onto the farm, and a good run through the forest pursuing deer, my circulation is cranking. It’s always a good time to get into the freezing pond water for an invigorating dip.
The humans, however, are bundled up as if they were on some kind of arctic expedition, complaining when it’s a comfortable 25 degrees! Good thing our ancestor dogs were with humans during the Ice Age; they never would have survived without us.
I do get a little stiff in winter after a hard run, due to the accident with a motor vehicle I had as a young dog that required my hip to be pinned and screwed. Luckily I don’t have to travel via airlines because I’d never get through the TSA scanner without setting off alarms.
Because of the cold temperatures and my hip, I get fed warming foods this time of year: bison, venison, beef, pumpkin meal, and the upstart’s product: Buckaroo’s Warming Stew. Why it wasn’t named after me is a mystery. After all, I have my own blog and my own Facebook page. I think Kemosabe’s Best Dog in the Universe would be an awesome name for a new product.
Part of my winter nutritional program is Comfort Zone K9 Ultra because it has the warming ingredients: turmeric and Boswellia that help to reduce inflammation and discomfort in my hip. One of the things I’ve learned from my human is that Boswellia supports healthy circulation while also having a soothing, cooling action on tissues.
Thunderbear also gets Buckaroo’s Warming Stew because he isn’t as thick-coated as Buckaroo or I. He is lean and fast; could be a wide receiver on a football team. I am more of the offensive or defensive lineman type: brute strength and great at tackles. Buckaroo thinks of himself as the quarterback, and let me tell you I’ve sacked him more times than he can count.
Buckaroo gets Buckaroo’s Stew Cooling because he is by nature kind of a hot tamale (just ask the cats). He needs foods that cool down his system like turkey, and wild game birds, and duck.
Since I have to accompany my human on her annual pilgrimage to Wellington, Florida (she would be so lost without me), I will have to say goodbye to the frozen ground, the ice patches on the pond, and the brisk winter wind. Out with the warming foods, in with the cooling foods.
Buckaroo in the Snow
Kemosabe is a three year old Australian shepherd who, when he’s not on the road with Tigger, likes to hang out at BioStar — taste-testing products and herding the FedEx delivery guys.
