Postins - Dog obsessed: the Honest Kitchens complete guide to a happier, healthier life for the pup you love

This book is meant to supplement the advice and guidance of your veterinarian. No two medical conditions are the same. Moreover, we cannot be responsible for unsupervised treatments administered at home. Therefore, we urge you to seek out the best medical resources available to help you make informed decisions on pet care.

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2016 by Lucy Postins

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Illustrations by Natalya Zahn

Page numbers listed below refer to print edition.

Small watercolor washes by Natalya Zahn; full-page watercolor washes by Angie Makes/Shutterstock: pages xvi, 21, 26, 93, 118, 124, 133, 152, 209.

Photographs by Mitch Mandel/Rodale Inc.: pages 8, 40, 64, 71, 89, 130, 162, 173, 180, 184, 214, 221, 226, 230; by Jamie Pflughoeft/Cowbelly Photography: xii, 87, 142; by Melissa Olund: xv; by Ashley DuChene Photography: 3; by Jesse Southerland: 5; by Camilo Rodriguez: 7; by The Honest Kitchen: 19, 67, 84, 174, 204; by Derek Call: 21; by Evan Johnson: 25; by Kate Kober/KCK Photography: 28; by Sarah Lang: 34; by Vasi Crisan: 97; by Julianna Hamett: 104; by Dawn Lynch: 117; by Kathleen Nahf: 146; by Wendy Gable: 167; by Gillian Stoneback: 171; by Norm Shrout/Long Leash on Life: 188; by Ashley Roberts: 203.

Book design by Rae Ann Spitzenberger

Food styling by Lisa Homa

Prop styling by Nicole Cataffo

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

ISBN 9781623367480 paperback
ISBN 9781623367497 e-book

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by Jane Lynch

Like most of you reading this, Im absolutely obsessed with dogs. I love cats, too, but its really dogs that send me over the edge. (Please, whatever you do, dont mention this to my cat. He has claws, and he knows how to use them.)

My Dog Obsession has come out in a few ways over the years. For example, like any good pet owner, I always make sure my pups, Olivia and Benjamin, have a sitter when I go out of town for work. My 16-year-old Lhasa Apso, Olivia, only has one eye, and I have to give her eyedrops daily. Ive found the best way to make sure a pet sitter knows how to do it is through a full, step-by-step, photographed demonstration.

Because of Olivias age, Ive also recently discovered that a body carrier is the best way to transport her from one place to another. It makes things much easier from a logistics standpoint, and I do like to have her close. Shes adapted quite well to being in it, and luckily, my 10-year-old Belgian Shepherd, Benjamin, doesnt seem to mind having to walk. Maybe someday theyll make a carrier big enough for him?

But my Dog Obsession can best be summed up with a story concerning my early days with Olivia. I was living alone in Laurel Canyon in my very first housethe home I had fallen in love with at first sight and had started decorating almost obsessivelyand Id just adopted her. I was crazy about this little girl, whom Id named after Olivia Newton-John. She loved it when I rubbed and cuddled her (so much so, in fact, that shed growl if I stopped), and wed bonded immediately. Like anyone who loves dogs, I naturally let her find her favorite place on the couch, where shed curl up next to me anytime I sat down and made myself comfortable.

And there she lay, day after day, peeing between the cushions. I tried everything to cure her of it, and over 3 years, I bought three different couches and probably every cleaning product ever created. But did I think for a moment of making Olivia sit on a pet bed on the floor? Never. Thats right. Three years and three couchesthats how committed I am to this dog. Finally, I bought her a doggie diaper because I couldnt bear for her to be uncomfortable anymore.