Dogs Are Individuals

144: I’m coming to you from Ireland with a quick episode all about supporting your dog’s lungs during seasonal changes. As we head into cooler weather, our pups are more prone to respiratory stress, coughing, and slower recovery from inflammation. I break down my Lung Tonic formula with reishi, black currant buds, calendula, and ginger, plus share why these herbs are so powerful for boosting immunity, reducing inflammation, and helping dogs breathe easier.  Topics Discussed:  → How can I support my dog’s lungs naturally? → What herbs are best for canine respiratory health? → When should I worry about my dog’s breathing rate? → Can dogs benefit from reishi and calendula? → What is the best lung tonic for dogs in fall and winter? Sponsored By:  → 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

143: In this short, I share a recent experience with a client whose small dog had a frightening reaction after being exposed to a topical flea treatment meant for their cats. Thankfully, with the guidance of emergency vet Dr. Lynda Loudin, we were able to troubleshoot and figure out what was going on. This episode covers the risks of spot-on flea and tick products, how they impact dogs, cats, people, and the environment, and safer alternatives you can use at home. Topics Covered:  → Are spot-on flea meds safe? → Can pets get sick from flea treatments? → What are natural flea alternatives? → Do flea meds harm the environment? → How to spot a dog’s reaction to chemicals? Sponsored By:  → 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

142: In this episode, I’m talking all about hormones and how we can support our dogs with glandulars. When dogs are spayed or neutered, their hormones drop off suddenly and that shift can affect everything from the adrenals and liver to bones, connective tissue, energy, and the immune system. I break down what glandulars are, why I use things like ovary, uterus, liver, and bone marrow, and how they bring in proteins, enzymes, and nutrients that help the body find balance again. I also share the key vitamins and cofactors that matter most for hormone health, plus why sourcing from clean, pasture-raised animals makes such a big difference. Topics Discussed:  → What are glandular supplements for dogs? → How does spaying affect a dog’s hormones? → Can glandular therapy help spayed female dogs? → Which nutrients support hormone balance in dogs? → Are probiotics and mushrooms good for canine wellness? Sponsored By:  → Green Juju → Real Mushrooms  Check Out Rita: → The Herbal Dog (Book) → Rita’s Instagram → Facebook Group → My Courses → My Website and Store Produced By: Drake Peterson

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