MAD is Barking about: DRY..WET...BARF....

This week's topic is a bit of a tricky one coz we can talk about it till the cows (or in this case Dogs) come home and we will still be left with an epic debate! So The Barking Ladies take on this topic is.....to each his own! Yup all 3 of us have differing views on this...

STARK highlighted Weird food that dogs eat and my god were there some really weird food like Durian, Cantaloupe, Wasabi and Milk?! Agreed that we should allow our pooches luxuries like this from time to time but make sure everything is in moderation to ensure that you have a healthy pet. Could Weird food be the reason why STARK's tri breed concoctions look like pure breds?!

RAVING pointed out the pros and cons of Dry food and Wet food as well as how we can use a combination of both types of food to strike a balance. Between us 3, I'm the one without a dog and so this doggy food debate is one that I have researched to death as I only want to provide the best care for my lovely Boxer.

MAD's additional pointers:

- When it comes to convenience and affordability, Dry food wins hands down

- A lot of the time, the size of your dog may determine the type of food it would eat. For example, a large dog might have trouble meeting its energy needs on canned food alone whereas a small dog should do just fine on canned food

- Senior dogs, small dogs and dogs with dental problems find it easier to chew on soft canned food

- Dry food helps strengthen a dog's jaw muscles and satisfies its natural instinct to chew

- Some Dry food may be sprayed with animal fat to make it more appetizing but this is unnecessary and unhealthy so always check the label before you purchase it

- Overweight dogs can get leaner if they are on a wet food diet as it makes them feel full for a longer period of time. However, a high-protein dry food could also do the trick!

Another diet that is fast gaining popularity is the Raw Food diet. This diet was first proposed by Ian Billinghurst in 1993 and it places emphasis on raw meat, bones, fruits and vegetables. He calls it BARF which stands for Bones And Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.

Advantages of BARF:

- Healthier skin

- Cleaner teeth

- Shinier coats

- Increased energy levels

- Smaller stools


Disadvantages of BARF:

- Higher chance of bones to choke your dog, break teeth or cause an internal puncture

- Dog and human is exposed to bacteria in raw meat

- Unbalanced raw diet might damage a dog's health if given for an extended period of time

Dry food, wet food or BARF?? Too confused to choose? Well I think the best way to go is a mixture of all three diets. It provides variety in your dog's diet, keeps your pet guessing on what it's going to have for its next meal and it enables you to be a responsible owner who plays an active role in ensuring you have a healthy dog!

Always remember to check the label when buying your dog's food to ensure there are no unnecessary additives or fillers. Remember that moderation is key in ensuring a healthy dog and coupled with the right amount of exercise you will be the proud owner of a happy and healthy dog!!

STARK is Barking about: Weird things doggies eat

Now we all know that apart from the proverbial wet food and dry food that our dogs consume, they do on occasion also consume some edible "alternatives" as well. Here's a list of weird things that I've seen dogs eat.... perhaps you might find something that your beloved 4-legged friend loves as well.

1) Fruits
It's a long list:
- Durian (strange yet this is the king of fruits afterall)
- Blueberries (guess they like the high antioxidant levels it offers)
- Apples (it must keep the doctor away?)
- Pears (apparently the Korean or Chinese types as it's crunchy, juicy and sweet)
- Oranges/ Nectarines
- Cantaloupe/ Honeydew

2) French Fries (apparently only MacDonalds)
I've personally seen this myself where a little puppy polished almost all of the fries, it would seem that they particularly like the soft ones.

3) Grass
Apparently not so unusual as dogs eat grass to settle their upset tummy; so the next time you see your pooch chowing down on grass; they merely have a tummy ache.

4) Vegetables
- Sweet Potato
- Cucumber
- Corn
- Peas
- Asparagus

5) Peanut Butter
This seems a bit strange as wouldn't it stick all over their mouth and teeth? But it seems to be a fan favourite with most dogs.

6) Spicy things
- Wasabi (perhaps the pooch had a nasal blockage?)
- Chilli pepper (I tried this with my pooch; she kept on sneezing till the heat from the chilli wore off)

7) Drinks
- Soft drinks
- Lime Juice
- Milk (I always associated this with cats rather than dogs)

8) Cheese
I'm unsure if there are specific types which are more popular but it seems doggies really love this.

I haven't even touched on the absolutely strange non-edible things which dogs have swallowed like rocks/pebbles, needles, glass, keys or coins, etc butthe edible list can be added to. I am sure there would be some of you out there going, "Oh my, but those things are bad for your dogs." For better or for worse, let's just make sure that our pooch lives a good life.

So I say, if they like a certain thing; let's not deny them that! For those of you who have put your dog on a strict diet, perhaps you might let your dog try something new for a change?!?

RAVING is Barking about: The Wet food vs Dry food debate

Once upon a time, long ago, dogs lived in a land where they lived on Raw food, mainly meat. Food that was uncooked, the closest to nature and the best type of food there is for them. Raw meat was good for them because nature had designed for dogs to gnaw at the food with their sharp and pointy teeth. They had short intestines as well, which suited them well as carnivores. They were very happy.

One day, Humans invaded their land. Humans wanted to eat meat too. They introduced cooking to make the meat delicious and good. They cooked them in all sorts of ways, made sausages, patties for burgers, rendangs and salami. They learnt to cure meat, preserve and even canned the meats for them to eat in the future. Soon, there was not enough meat to go around for both Humans and Dogs.

Humans decided that Dogs should not have they Raw food anymore, because after all, what did they know? The Humans decided to cheat the Dogs. They ate the meat, but gave the dogs the leftovers. The heart of the beast, liver, kidneys and the bones. Humans ground these parts into powder and mixed them with milk, cheese, bread and flour. They made them into little biscuits and fed it to the dogs.

Dogs had no choice and they ate what they could. But the food, now man-made, made them fat and unhealthy. Dogs had to do something! They chose the route of evolution and they lived happily ever after.

But anyway, Wet food and Dry food theory. Are you torn between the 2 or are you balancing between them? Let's list out some pros and cons, but you will see from them that I am a fine example of balancing in between.

Dry food: Some says its cheap and good. It does the most basic part of the job which is keeping your pet full. But you need to know what goes in the food you give your pets.

• Always look at the ingredients that goes into the dry food you buy. Make that that the ingedrient are things you will actually eat. 
• Always look at the proportion of what goes in as well because it is just as important. No point buying something that is full of grain and little meat right? You can decipher the proportion by looking and how it is listed on the side of the bag. It should be listed by proportion with the largest amount at the top. 
• The method that the food is dried is also important. The method determines the percentage of water content or moisture in the bag. This is comparing between dry foods, which has 10% of water content vs semi dry food, which has 35% and canned foods, which has 60%. Naturally, the more moisture there is in the food, the more your pet will feel full after feeding, but this also means that the faster it will be hungry. 
• Because of the water content, we tend to think that it looks too little and feed our pets what we think is a fair amount. But the matter of fact is, when it drinks water, the food will bloat up in its stomach and become too much for it. Too much food and you dog becomes too fat. Your fault. 
• A general rule of thumb for me is to not buy dog food from the supermarkets. Its like buying instant noodles for yourself and having it everyday thinking its healthy. Enough said.   

Wet foods: They can come in many forms, such as in cans, or you can try cooking for your pet. 

• I love cooking for my pet. No salt, sugar, pepper. Very simple sense of the word. Cooking = make raw food cooked. 
• And when I do that, always a dribble of EVOL, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, at the end after you get the food off the stove. Olive oil is a wonder for its coat, makes it extra soft and silky. 
• What I hate about wet food feeding is the stain it leaves on the coat especially in the mouth area. Or the smell that wet food leaves on the coat. Especially after feeding fish. 
• Another thing about wet food I hate is this. If I cook, you eat, pet or human, its the same. But like it or not, your pet will eat only when it wants to eat and leaving food out in the open is a bad idea because of the bacteria it breeds. 
• But one this is a must, leave your food out so that it will cool off before feeding your dog. Too hot for you means its too hot for your dog. 
• And how can you forget the smell when it farts after wet food. 

 Its a never ending cycle really. Enough said.

MAD is Barking about: Dog Runs and more....

As we can see from Stark and RAVING's posts, Singapore is very far from being a dog friendly place as there are limited places for our pooches to roam about and be their usual doggy selfs.
Let's see what other places we have in our concrete jungle that allows us to bond with our furry friends.
1. Bishan Park Dog Run (AMK ave 2)

Like Raving pointed out, there is a dog friendly restaurant there where you can hang with your pet after the dog run. This dog run is quite popular as it is in a central location and there is a car park nearby making this park very accessible.

2. West Coast Park Dog Run ( Location is quite self explanatory. Parallel to West Coast Highway. Largest dog run in SG)

Convenient location for dog owners in the West. Quite a peaceful and tranquil place and cool place for dog owners to meet up on the weekends.

3. Katong Park Dog Run (Junction of Fort Road and Meyer Road)
Dog owners in Katong bring their pooches to this small fenced dog run that has some agility facilities.

4. Jurong Lake Dog Run ( Off Yuan Chin road)

Apparently it's not well sign posted, car park is a long way off and not the easiest place to get to. Let's just be thankful it's at least an option!

5. Pet Mover's Dog Run (Pasir Ris Farmway. Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am-8pm)

This is privately run and even has a wading pool and a cafe. This place is quite popular as dog owners can shop at the Pets Megamart that has an extensive range of pet products.

6. Animal Resort Off Leash Park (81 Seletar West Farmway 5)

This is a little known place as it is quite inaccessible so do not even attempt to get there without a car. This animal resort which houses chickens, geese, horses etc, also has a dog run area with agility facilities.

7. K9 Kulture (100 Turf Club Road)

This is a doggy day care complete with boarding, training facilities, swimming and a cafe. It's swimming facilities are pretty cool and I chose the below pic from their website coz it features a Boxer!! (Yes I'm biased like that..deal with it!)

This week The Barking Ladies have shown you places that you can bring your pooch to in Singapore. It may not be much but it is still a massive improvement compared to 10 years ago. Hope more dog runs emerge over the next few years so that dog owners will have many delightful options to choose from!

If we have missed out on any places then please feel free to drop us a note to let us know!

STARK is Barking about: Public Places vs Your Pooch

As I was researching about the potential places that dogs would be allowed at, the discovery I've made is that Singapore is not as loving to dogs as they are in other countries. I'm sure this trend will eventually change but for now, let's take a looks at what we have to work with.

1. Sentosa Beach
There you can enjoy the sun, sand and water with your pooch, however do remember to keep them leashed.

2. Changi Airport
Now this is slightly controversial. Why? Officially there is no rule that says dogs are allowed but when you ask the personnel that work there, they will tell you that small dogs who can be carried or fit into a bag are okay! I've also personally witnessed people carrying their little pooches around the airport.

3. Vivocity (but with some restrictions)
Dogs in carriers can access all parts of the mall, however those on a leash are not as free but have to take a prescribed route. The kicker? You and your pet must be going to the pet shop there. On the plus side, you can walk your dog on the promenade and Waterfrront broadwalk but they must be leashed.

4. Singapore Botanical Gardens
Great place to bring your pooch but there are a few out of bound areas to take note of, such as Rain Forest, National Orchid Garden, Evolution Garden and Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.

For a country where dog ownership has increased drastically, there aren't many options for the dogs as yet. For those who own smaller sized dogs, there are more options as those dogs can be carried around and in many places, so long as your pooch is not scaring away other customers, both you and your pet can stay.

I am certain this list can be added to, for pooch lovers who have successfully brought your dogs to public places and lived to tell the tale, we wanna hear from you as well!

RAVING is Barking about: Dog friendly Restaurants

Thinking about where to bring your pooch? This week, we will be giving you ideas on where you can bring your doggie to for the weekend or your day out. 


I will be starting the ball rolling with the most basic of things - Restaurants and food places! 


Generally, its difficult to find a place where you can bring your dog out where there can be food. It has to do with some license thing with the NEA where you need a certain license to allow the same place t have dogs. Sometimes, I think its overboard because our pooches are not stray and responsible pet owners like us know what we should do to keep the place clean for you and for me! But this is the reason why most coffee shops, hawkers centers, east coast park and places like that don't allow dogs. But then again, this could be because of halal places? Not sure. 

Ok, here we go- my top 8 choices! (There are only 8 because they are so difficult to find!)  


1. Tanjong beach club 
Clean beaches, sun bed, sea and sand. Paired with alcohol and good food. Beautiful place for you to bring your dog. Generally in Sentosa, you need to leash your dog and they cannot go free. But in Tanjong Beach, its quite safe to let your dog go leash-less. 
Particularly love the Sangria and the steak fries. Super sexy. 


Address: 120 Tanjong Beach Walk
Tel: +65 6270 1355


2. Bishan Park - The Canopy @ Aramsa 
There is dog run nearby this restaurant and it is no wonder all the dog lovers know about this place. Great food - especially brunch on the weekends is AMAZING. Dogs need to be leashed. 


Address: 1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave. 1 
Tel +65 6556 1533


3. Urban Pooch @ Balestier 
Food, Grooming, Day care, shopping. Just about anything you need for you and your doggie. 
Check out their website. http://urbanpooch.com.sg/index.html


Address: 530 Balestier Road #01-07, Monville Mansion



4. The Bark Cafe 
Where the Changi Chapel is, this place is tucked away in a little corner of Changi with the serenity of the chapel overflowing into the restaurant. I remember the food to be quite good. Its supposed to be a dog friendly place, but in singapore, dog friendly is just allowing your dogs to be sitting quietly under the table. 
That works, in a weird way. 


Address: 1000 Upper Changi Road North, Singapore
Tel: +65 6545 4118


5. Food for Thought @ Botantic Gardens 
Back when this place was in North Bridge road, this was a hit for food lovers because they served some amazing, fresh sandwiches which is very clean on the palette. Have yet to check it out but seems like since they moved to Botanical Gardens, they have seriously expanded! 


Address: 1 Cluny Road, #B1-00 Singapore Botanic Gardens,Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 4848 


6. Spruce
You know, when you have brunch somewhere else and when you have brunch at Spruce, the feeling, satisfaction and content, is just different. Good to know that it is a dog friendly place too. Good thing that most of the seats are outdoors, you there is ample place for dogs to hang around there as well. 


Address: 320 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park, Singapore
Tel: +65 6836 5528 


7. Jones the Grocer @ Dempsey 
Somehow, you knew Dempsey was going to make it to this list didn't you? 
Chill out place for a nice beer in the afternoon and some good cured meats and sausages. Excellent way to spend a nice, sunny afternoon. 


Address: 9 Dempsey Road, #01-12 Dempsey Hill, Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 1512 


8. The Playground @ East Coast 
This is the best place in the world. Feel like a coffee? 2 choices, Old Town White Coffee and Starbucks. Feel like mussels? or some Western food? Brusselsprouts and 1 Twenty Six. Prata? Mr Teh Tarik. The whole place is dog friendly. 


Address: Its where the old Big Splash used to be. Go figure. 


Any one got stuff to add?