Dogs Are Individuals

141: Today I’m covering a topic every dog guardian should understand: pain. Dogs are masters at hiding discomfort, so it’s crucial to learn the subtle signs,both physical and behavioral,that indicate your dog may be hurting. From stiffness, limping, and changes in posture, to shifts in mood, sleep, appetite, and even breathing, I cover the key ways to recognize pain in your furry companion. Topics Discussed: → How can I tell if my dog is in pain? → What are the subtle signs of chronic pain in dogs? → Which acupressure points help relieve dog discomfort at home? → How does pain affect a dog’s behavior and sleep patterns? → What natural remedies or herbs can support dogs with pain? Sponsored By:  → Pug & Hound Apothecary → Green Juju → Goodness Gracious  → Real Mushrooms  → Earth Buddy  → AnICell Biotech  → Pawdega → Innovative Pet Lab → Fido’s Bone Broth → Feline Essentials → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Rawsome for Pets → Raw Pets, Tampa → Coco Therapy → My Pet Carnivore Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

140: Today we’re giving kibble a little love. I know, I know, kibble doesn’t usually get the spotlight, but not everyone can go full-on raw or home-cooked every single meal. And that’s okay! So instead of stressing about perfection, I’m breaking down how to turn that bowl of dry crunchies into something way more nourishing. Topics Discussed:  → How can I make my dog’s kibble healthier? → What fresh foods are safe to add to kibble? → Do herbs help improve my dog’s digestion? → Why does hydration matter for dogs on kibble? → What are easy kibble toppers for better gut health? Sponsored By:  → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms  → Earth Buddy  → Goodness Gracious  → AniCell BioTech → Innovative Pet Lab → Fido’s Bone Broth → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Feline Essentials  → Rawsome Nutritional Excellence  → Raw Pets Tampa   Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog (Book) → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

139: In today’s short I’m covering an important topic: AI and herbal medicine. I talk about why you need to be careful relying on AI for formulations, how it can easily get herbs and their energetics completely wrong, and why true herbal knowledge can’t be scraped from the internet. I even share some funny AI experiments that went hilariously off track.  Topics Discussed:  → Can AI safely be used for herbal medicine formulations? → Why does AI get herbal energetics wrong? → What are the risks of using internet data for herbal remedies? → How should dog owners fact-check AI herbal advice? → What makes true herbal knowledge different from AI content? Sponsored By:  → Pug & Hound Apothecary → Real Mushrooms  → Goodness Gracious  → Earth Buddy  → AniCell BioTech → Pawdega → Innovative Pet Lab → Fido’s Bone Broth → Feline Essentials  → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Rawsome → Raw Pets Tampa → Coco Therapy Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

138: In this episode I’m covering Discoid Lupus in dogs, a tricky autoimmune condition that affects the skin, especially the face, nose, lips, and ears. I break down what it looks like, which breeds are more susceptible, and both conventional and holistic ways to support your pup. From herbal remedies like turmeric and medicinal mushrooms, to phytoembryonic therapies like mountain pine and walnut, I share practical steps to ease discomfort and support immune health. Sponsored By: → Earth Buddy  → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms  → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Goodness Gracious  → AniCell BioTech → Fido’s Bone Broth → Innovative Pet Lab → Pug & Hound Apothecary Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog (Book) → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

137: In this episode, I’m covering how far dog nutrition has come since I started feeding my first Rottweiler decades ago. I talk about the huge shift from almost no options to the amazing variety of fresh, raw, minimally processed, and ethically sourced foods we have now. But more than that, I get real about why supporting each other, no matter where you are on your feeding journey, is what truly matters. Whether you feed raw, cooked, kibble, or a mix, your dog deserves kindness, respect, and better choices. Sponsored By: → Earth Buddy  → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms  → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Goodness Gracious  → Fido’s Bone Broth → Coco Therapy → Innovative Pet Lab → Pug & Hound Apothecary → Pawdega  → AniCell BioTech → Two Crazy Cat Ladies → Rawsome Pets  Check Out Rita: → THE HERBAL DOG  → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

136: In this short episode I’m covering one of my favorite herbs for female dogs, spayed or unspayed, raspberry leaf! I’ll walk you through how it works as a uterine tonic, how it can help with irregular heat cycles, false pregnancies, hormone balance, and even emotional shifts some dogs experience during their cycles. Topics Discussed: → Can raspberry leaf help regulate my dog’s heat cycle? → Is raspberry leaf safe for spayed dogs? → How do I give raspberry leaf to my dog? → What are the benefits of raspberry leaf for female dogs? → Can raspberry leaf reduce false pregnancy symptoms in dogs? Sponsored By: → Pug & Hound Apothecary → Fido’s Bone Broth → Real Mushrooms  → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Coco Therapy → Green Juju → Pawdega → Earth Buddy  → Innovative Pet Lab → Feline Essentials  → Rawsome Pets → Raw Pets → AniCell BioTech Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog (Book) → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

135: Today’s episode is all about copper storage disease: what it is, why it’s becoming more common, and how to support your dog naturally if it shows up. I talk about the difference between natural and synthetic copper, why certain breeds are more at risk, and how commercial dog food might be doing more harm than good. I’m also sharing my favorite herbs, supplements, and phyto-embryonic therapies to gently support the liver, stimulate bile flow, and help the body move that copper out. We’ll talk bitters, binders, nervous system support, lymph flow, and all the holistic tools I’ve seen help over the years. Topics Discussed:  → What is copper storage disease in dogs? → Can dog food cause copper toxicity? → Which breeds store excess copper? → How to detox copper in dogs naturally? → What herbs help dogs with liver issues? Sponsored By:  → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms  → Goodness Gracious  → Pawdega → Innovative Pet Lab → Fido’s Bone Broth → Earth Buddy  → Coco Therapy → Dr Ruth Roberts  → AniCell Biotech → Rawsome Pets → Raw Pets  Check Out Rita: → THE HERBAL DOG  → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store

134: Coming to you from sunny Folly Beach, I’m covering one of my favorite healing tools: earthing. Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like...getting those bare feet (and paws) on the ground to reconnect with the natural electrical charge of the Earth. In this episode, I share why grounding is way more than a wellness trend and how it helps reduce inflammation, balance hormones, improve sleep, and support your dog’s entire body system. Sponsored By:  → Pug & Hound Apothecary Check Out Rita: → SIGN UP FOR MY NEW BOOK → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

133: We’re coming to you from the thick, damp air of Williamsburg, Virginia, where I’m reflecting on how far I’ve come in handling the heat and how our dogs can, too. I talk a bit about what “damp” means in both human and animal bodies, why mold might be a hidden culprit, and why it’s worth looking into testing if your dog seems off. I’m also sharing some remedies for dogs with endocrine issues or PLRs. I walk you through adrenal-supportive herbs like licorice root, ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil, plus supportive mushrooms like turkey tail, reishi, and cordyceps..If your dog struggles with low energy, inflammation, allergies, hormone imbalances, or detox issues, this episode gives you a big-picture protocol to work from with plenty of room to go slow and adapt to your individual dog’s needs. Topics Discussed:  → What helps dogs with adrenal issues? → How does mold affect my dog’s health? → Which herbs balance dog hormones? → What is phyto-embryonic therapy for dogs? → Are humic and fulvic acids good for dogs? Sponsored By → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms  → Goodness Gracious  Check Out Rita: → THE HERBAL DOG → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

132: In this short episode I’m covering NERS Syndrome, also known as Lector Syndrome. I explain what it is, the symptoms to watch for, and why this theory of endocrine-immune imbalance matters when it comes to your dog’s long-term health. From chronic allergies and thyroid issues to anxiety and immune dysfunction, NERS might be part of the picture. Whether or not your vet recognizes it, I believe it’s important to consider the role of the nervous system and cortisol regulation in your dog’s overall wellness. Next time, I’ll share herbal support strategies for dogs with these symptoms - so stay tuned! Topics Discussed:  → What is NERS Syndrome in dogs and how is it diagnosed? → What are the symptoms of endocrine-immune imbalance in dogs? → How does cortisol dysregulation affect a dog’s health? → Can adrenal and thyroid issues in dogs be linked to immune dysfunction? → What holistic approaches support dogs with NERS or Lector Syndrome? Sponsored By:  → Earth Buddy  → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms → Goodness Gracious   → Pawdega  → AniCell Biotech  → Two Crazy Cat Ladies  → Dr Ruth Roberts  → Fido’s Bone Broth → Coco Therapy → Innovative Pet Lab → Pug & Hound Apothecary → Rawsome pets → Raw Pets Tampa → Farm Dog Naturals Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson