Kirk: It’s my pleasure to be here today with Bill Greenbaum of AllPetNaturals.com.
Let’s start with your background and how you became interested in holistic health for animals, including pet home remedies.
Bill: Thanks, Kirk. Let’s see… I have been in the health industry since 2005, and a pet owner all my life, but they didn’t actually cross until March of this year. How they did so was a bit of luck — sort of an opportunity crossing with preparation so to speak.
Long story short, or short story long, I essentially, came up through the ranks starting first in marketing and sales promotions where I had my own hip, boutique agency, and after about ten years, I sold the firm and looked for another opportunity. Then, boom, the universe answered and led me into health.
I was fortunate to be hired as the Executive Director of the largest touring exhibition in the world. It’s very famous and is called “Gunter von Hagens’ BodyWorlds 2 — The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies.”
I traveled to Chicago, Denver, Boston, Toronto, Cleveland — all over the U.S. — with this fantastic show and learned so much about our complex and fragile bodies, about disease, about anatomy, about our circulatory and nervous systems, and the abuse we put our organs through. Not much holds us together; only liquid, water and pipes. That’s it. It’s weird and awesome at the same time. My experience with health was profound. I realized how gifted we are as human beings.
So when my contract was over, I became the President and CEO of a natural medicine company in Canada and the U.S. We were very successful and manufactured and distributed 325 professional grade German homeopathic medicines to Naturopathic Doctors. We got calls from vets and others in the pet world, but we had nothing to offer them at the time.
One night I came home from the office and got knocked over by Leonardo, my Italian Greyhound (nothing dramatic like hitting my head), but something occurred to me and I thought maybe I should venture out on my own to do this great business.
So, after a few more months I saw the potential and left to start my own company. We’re not manufacturing at the moment, but likely next year we’ll start. However, we do carry the finest grade of natural products in North America for pets.
The “Wave” for Pets is Natural & Organic
Kirk: It seems that many people are only now becoming aware of the benefits of whole, healthy, organic food and supplements. Have you run into those who think it’s “over the top” to invest in natural pet care for dogs, cats, and other animals? For example, folks who think, “It’s just an animal, so whatever food is cheapest is good enough.”
Bill: Yes I have, but fewer and fewer people think like this. Times have changed. We ourselves think differently about the foods we eat and the wave is natural and organic, so this translates to our pets.
It used to be that everyone bought low-end pet foods in grocery stores because convenience runs our lives. Now the big pet food manufacturers are upgrading their formulas, which means they are responding to huge customer demand — and it is a good thing.
I was at the West End Dog Show in Vancouver recently and Purina was there with six different new high-end pet products — a big step for them. Everyone came to their booth.
2,000 U.S. Vets Practice Acupuncture
Kirk: Are you starting to see mainstream Veterinarians beginning to recommend alternative health products and treatment methods?
Bill: Yes, this is huge. We are seeing this. The demand is coming from the public. More and more pet owners are looking at holistic healing modalities and alternative treatments. The America Holistic Veterinarians Association recently reported that out of 86,000 U.S. veterinarians, about 2,000 practice acupuncture and the number is rising. They also said about 300 vets take postdoctoral courses in acupuncture and it’s been like that since 2002.
What’s happening is what I call “trend transfer.” As we in our own lives get older and more concerned about our health, we look elsewhere for more natural treatments and then we transfer this belief system to our pets. It’s not surprising that popularity for acupuncture, massage, Chinese medicine, herbs, and classical homeopathy are all rising.
Conventional Collars Create Anxiety
Kirk: Very interesting. I noticed on your web site a new dog harness that doesn’t restrain the neck area. Why is this important?
Bill: It’s important for two reasons. Most people don’t realize that a dogs’ optic nerve runs along the outside of the spine, so any harsh pull on a collar or a jerk to the side pinches the nerve leading eventually to eye damage.
Also, a conventional collar actually creates anxiety in an animal. When your dog pulls away it’s doing so to escape pain. Its counter intuitive, I know, and it seems weird, but it is true.
With our new harness, called Walkeez, the lead ring attaches down the back, which changes the center of gravity so that the animal becomes more balanced and the dog’s body language is more natural.
Every so often, a simple innovation comes along and I like things like this — simple, clever ideas that work. A friend from Vancouver, B.C., Simon Edwards, decided the dog collar needed a fresh look so he reinvented it in a very smart way.
The Walkeez harness is choke-free. It does not restrain the neck at all because it attaches behind the head further back. The harness then incorporates Tellington Touch. This is interesting and beneficial.
Briefly, Tellington Touch (TTouch) was developed by international animal expert, Linda Tellington-Jones, PhD (Hons), to calm high performance racehorses in the U.K. The idea was to wrap the horse in a sort of X-pattern around the body, akin to a baby blanket, covering key touch points. She noticed this comforting wrap removed anxiety, and so the methodology was extensively researched and extended to other animals.
Walkeez uses this wrap style, holding the animal securely, calming the dog. The pet then is more natural allowing him or her to be more sociable around people and other dogs. The animal can then learn more appropriate behaviors. Our web site includes information about sizes, colors, and prices, if anyone would like to learn more.
Dogs & Cats Were Wild — Diets were Rich in Omega-3s
Kirk: How do Omega-3 oil products benefit pets?
Bill: By making up the vitamins and nutrients ordinary pet foods fail to deliver. In most cases, when manufacturers pump out pet foods key vitamins and nutrients are destroyed in the refining process. It is the same as our human food. Processed foods that we eat are convenient and fast but there is a price to pay. Many key vitamins are missing. People are simply useless at replacing Mother Nature.
Omega-3 oils (usually derived from fish) are loaded with EFA’s or essential fatty acids. About 8,000 studies show that Omega-3 oils strengthen the heart, support the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response, and nourish the bones and joints.
We should remember that for centuries, dogs and cats were wild and their diets consisted of natural foods that were actually quite rich in Omega-3 fatty acids typically derived from fish, algae, and plants. The two key acids that pets need are EPA and DHA and they are excellent at supporting healthy skin, coat, joints, brain, heart, and eyes, as well as energy levels.
Some pet diets may include Omega-3 fatty acids. However, very few include satisfactory amounts of the most important Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.
We carry an exceptional line of Omega-3 oils from Nordic Naturals. The Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet line comes in two sizes 90 or 180 caps, and it is freshest and purest Omega-3 Oil on the market bar none.
It’s new for Nordic Naturals to go into pet supplements — people don’t really know about it yet — however, in the natural products industry for humans, Nordic is the market leader — a kind of Rolls Royce of Omega-3 oils. Harvard, Columbia, and Georgetown Universities have all chosen Nordic Naturals for clinical studies.
Nordic’s Omega-3 oil contained very high bio-available levels of vitamins A and D.
Vitamin A Supports:
- Vision
- Growth
- Immune Function
- Fetal Development
Vitamin D Supports:
- Skeletal Structure
- Maintenance of Mineral Status
- Muscle Contraction
- Nerve Conduction
- Cell Signaling
- Phosphorous Balance
The Importance of GMP
Kirk: Are there any immune system boosting supplements yet available for pets?
Bill: Yes. AllPetNaturals.com carries three top brands; lots of choice:
- Udo’s Choice Pet Essentials for dogs and cats
- Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil
- Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Oils
- Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics
- Animal Essentials Omega-3 Plus Oil for Pets.
- Animal Essentials Fish Oil Plus
These products are the premier ones on the market because of their quality and effectiveness when used to supplement a pet diet and are excellent immune boosters. They are manufactured under the highest quality standards and that’s something I want to talk a little about.
These days, coming onto the market are products quickly formulated, a label thrown on the bottle, then touted as effective and something pets love. I’d like to ask your readers to be a tad wary because of the lack of quality surrounding the method of manufacture.
At our online store, AllPetNaturals.com, we only work with products that are created using GMP, which stands for Good Manufacturing Practice. It’s a little misleading because it seems shallow in Organic that everyone will say they have a good manufacturing policy. So what’s the big deal?
GMP is a very strict manufacturing process whereby every step in the creation of a product from formulation to encapsulation to bottling is checked by an independent 3rd party, such as the FDA in the U.S. or by Health Canada in Canada. It’s very stringent and expensive. So only top players in the business can afford to do this and adhere to this comprehensive regime. I know because I was President of one such manufacturing company and we gladly went through many hoops to ensure quality.
The bottom line is that exceptional immune supporting supplements are on the market today. We’ve got six lines of the best and they are all proven performers in supplying essential vitamins and minerals at the molecular level to support the immune systems of your pets.
SuperFoods for Pets
Kirk: I personally eat and receive a lot of benefit from green “superfoods” that include various forms of algae, grasses, herbs, vegetables, etc. Are there similar products for pets?
Bill: Yes. There are many on the market. AllPetNaturals.com has one in particular that stands out. Its called Organic Green Alternative for Pets. One of America’s leading animal herbalists, Gregory Tilford, has formulated it for us.
This supplement offers a synergistic blend of nutritive herbs and Spirulina in an easy-to-feed formula designed to compliment the natural diets of dogs and cats.
When added to your pet’s homemade or premium natural pet food, this formula provides added measures of systematic support in a food-like form that the body can freely digest and utilize.
Unlike high-potency vitamin supplements that may provide more nutrients than can be used, Organic Green Alternative will not place an undo burden upon the liver, kidneys, and digestive system. Vets have found that senior animals do very well on this product.
Organic Green Alternative for Pets: Recommended Feeding:
- For dogs — 1 teaspoon per 20 lbs
- For cats — feed 1/2 teaspoon
Organic Green Alternative for Pets Ingredients:
- Organic Flax Seed Meal
- Organic Burdock Root
- Organic Nettle Leaf
- Organic Spirulina
- Organic Pumpkin Seed
- Organic Garlic
Veterinary Medicine Does Many Things Well
Kirk: Before we conclude today’s interview, is there anything else you would like to share?
Bill: Yes. The Chinese have a great expression: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life!” This is very true for me.
The natural medicine business for pets is poised for huge growth. It’s about fifteen years behind the natural products industry, and so it is an exciting time and place to be in business.
I think our company can do a lot of good. We can educate and bring to the public new ways of looking at therapy, and we can safely and effectively support and help the holistic health and happiness of our companion animals.
I also want to say there is definitely a place for traditional veterinary medicine. I must emphasize this. There are many things veterinary medicine does very well, like handle serious infections, cancer, and emergency problems. I believe natural and alternative medicine should complement each other. They should go hand in hand as complementary medicine and I am relieved to see the profession is opening up to new ideas such as acupuncture, Tellington Touch massage therapy, homeopathics, and even aquatic movement therapy.
Kirk: Thank you so much for sharing all of this helpful information, Bill, and best wishes with AllPetNaturals.com.
Bill: My pleasure, Kirk. Namaste.
William Greenbaum (aka love ya woof!) hails from Ferndale, WA and Vancouver, BC.
Bill is an avid outdoor sports guy, entrepreneur, writer, musician, theater producer, poet, and competitive triathlete.
A life-long lover of the arts, Bill serves on the Board of Ballet British Columbia.
He is the Founder and President of AllPetNaturals.com — a natural health company dedicated to providing pet owners with the finest holistic lines of all natural homeopathic and herbal medicines on the market today.
For more information visit http://www.AllPetNaturals.com or email him directly at bill@AllPetNaturals.com or by cell phone at 778.238.7410.
