by Sasha Riess | 16.04.26. | Nutrition
Understanding the benefits of organ meats for dogs is essential for every owner. Many dog owners believe they are doing something good for their pet when they serve them high-quality steak or meat cuts. But the truth is very different. If you constantly give your dog meat you would eat yourself, you are actually damaging their health over time. Here is why you should choose organ meats instead of steaks.
Why Organ Meats for Dogs Are Better Than Steaks
When someone asks me what is better for a dog, steaks or organ meats, my answer is always immediate: organ meats, without question. It may sound strange to many. People often think that if something is “good for humans,” it must be good for dogs too. But a dog is not a human. And that is where the biggest mistake of modern dog owners begins.
How Wolves Do It in Nature
Wolves, the moment they catch prey, eat the organs first. Not the muscles, not the “nice” cuts of meat, but the soft inner organs full of nutrients. These organs contain proteins, vitamins, minerals, all in a form that is natural and easily digestible for dogs.
And what do we do today? We open the fridge, take a steak or a fillet and think, “My dog eats better than I do.” In reality, we are slowly harming their system. Muscle meat, especially when not organic, is often full of water, hormones, antibiotics, and things a dog in nature would never eat. And most importantly, muscle meat does not contain the life energy that organ meats provide.
Health Benefits of Organ Meats for Dogs
When I give my dog a piece of liver, heart, or stomach, I know I am giving food that his ancestor, the wolf, would eat. There is no luxury in that, but there is everything a dog needs: pure proteins, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, iron, and enzymes. A dog does not eat to experience “fine taste.” A dog eats to be healthy, strong, and long-lived.
Fresh organ meats – a natural source of protein for dogs.
Why “Human Grade Food” Is the Wrong Approach
Today, especially in America, it’s trendy to feed dogs “human grade” food. But to me, that is completely wrong. When you give a dog human-grade food, you’re telling them, “You are a human.” But they are not. Their digestive system, energy, and nutritional needs are completely different from ours.
That is why in my home there are no luxury steaks for dogs. There are organ meats, bones, fruits, vegetables, and plenty of love. And you know what? The dog is healthy, strong, shiny, and bright-eyed. And that means more to me than any expensive pet-shop meal.
Feed Your Dog as a Dog, Not as a Human
If you want your dog to live long and healthy, feed them as a dog, not as a human. It may sound harsh, but it is a truth anyone who loves animals should know. A dog is not a creature that eats like us. It doesn’t want fancy portions or spices. It wants energy from natural foods, the kind it would eat in the wild.
Do not forget: always feed dogs from white ceramic bowls.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that nutrition is the foundation of energy. To understand your dog, you must first respect their biology. Feed the nature, not the ego: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Behaviour
The evolution of canine companionship began with stray dogs—animals that live on the streets and adapt to both urban and natural environments. Unlike abandoned dogs placed in shelters, stray dogs have their own place within the street ecosystem and follow a natural survival dynamic.
Who Are Stray Dogs
Stray dogs are not “abandoned” in the traditional sense. They belong to the street. They wander in search of food and shelter, constantly adapting to changes in their surroundings. When they find a source of food, they stay near it for as long as it is available, and when it disappears, they move on.
These dogs are part of the urban ecosystem. Along with birds, mice, rats, and cats, they form a living chain within the streets. It is important to understand that taking a street dog and placing it in a shelter disrupts its natural life path and creates additional challenges such as long term feeding, health care, and housing.
The History and Evolution of Canine Companionship
Modern dog breeds actually originate from street dogs that lived alongside humans thousands of years ago. These early dogs were semi dependent on humans and selectively used for specific tasks. Domestic dog breeds were created through the selection of traits found in street dogs, not the other way around.
This shows how adaptable stray dogs are and how their characteristics have influenced the evolution of canine companionship.
Street dogs often end up in shelters, where they lose a part of their freedom and daily life.
Why It Is Important to Respect the Nature of Street Dogs
Taking a stray dog into a shelter may seem humane, but in reality it confines a free living animal to a limited space. Stray dogs are used to exploring, moving freely, and choosing where they want to be. In a shelter they lose their freedom, and responsibility for their well being shifts entirely to humans.
Understanding their nature helps people make better decisions when they encounter dogs on the street, whether through careful observation, education, or humane approaches to addressing the challenges related to stray dog populations.
The Future and Evolution of Canine Companionship
Stray dogs are independent animals and part of the urban ecosystem. Modern dog breeds were created by selecting traits from street dogs, which demonstrates their adaptability and intelligence. Respecting their nature and understanding their needs is essential for building an ethical and compassionate relationship toward these animals. Through the evolution of canine companionship, we learn that harmony is found in respecting the freedom and place each being holds in the world.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we respect the origin of every bond. Understanding the street dog is the first step toward understanding the true nature of the companion by your side. Honor the journey: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Wellbeing
Urinary incontinence in dogs, especially in spayed females, is a common and unpleasant issue that can seriously affect quality of life. Although it is usually treated with medications such as Propalin, there are natural methods that can help regenerate and strengthen the bladder.
Why Incontinence Occurs After Spaying
After spaying, female dogs experience a decrease in estrogen, the hormone that helps keep the muscles around the bladder strong. When there is not enough estrogen, the sphincter, the muscle that closes the bladder, weakens and urine leaks uncontrollably, most often while the dog is sleeping or relaxed. This is not a disease in itself but a consequence of hormonal imbalance and physiological change in the body.
Conventional and Holistic Therapy
Veterinarians usually recommend hormonal drugs that replace estrogen, such as Propalin syrup. These often help, but long-term use can burden the adrenal glands. The holistic approach combines mild phytotherapy, proper nutrition, and emotional support. The goal is for the body to regain strength and restore natural balance on its own.
Initial Assessment and Observation
Before starting natural therapy, it is necessary to have a veterinary examination to rule out infections, bladder stones, tumors, or neurological issues. Then observe:
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When leakage occurs (during sleep, excitement, or after drinking water)
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Whether the dog shows stress, sadness, or insecurity
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Whether the problem appeared after sterilization
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The type of diet and level of physical activity
Lifestyle Adjustments
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A calm environment: a dog that lives without stress regulates body functions more easily. Never punish a dog for urination, as it only worsens the condition.
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Hydration: use filtered water and add a little aloe vera juice or chlorophyll.
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Movement and massage: gentle belly and back massages improve circulation and muscle tone.
Natural supplements and herbs help strengthen the sphincter and restore hormonal balance in spayed dogs.
Nutrition and Herbal Support
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Phytoestrogens – natural hormonal balance
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Ground flaxseed: 1/2 teaspoon daily
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Red clover tea: add 1–2 tablespoons to the meal
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Fermented soy or tempeh: 1 tablespoon twice a week
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Corn silk (Zea mays): 1/4 teaspoon powder per 5 kg of body weight, twice a day
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Saw Palmetto: 100 mg per 10 kg of body weight daily
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Chinese formula – Sang Piao Xiao San: Used for older dogs and spayed females (consult a professional in Chinese phytotherapy).
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Additional support: Nettle tea, pumpkin seeds, cranberry extract.
Homeopathic Support
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Causticum 30C – for leakage during sleep
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Sepia 30C – for females after spaying
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Pulsatilla 30C – for emotional dogs under stress
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Give 1–2 pellets daily for seven days, then take a break and observe.
Skin and Hygiene Care
Trim the hair around the genital area and tail. Use wet wipes with chamomile, calendula, or aloe vera. Bathe the dog regularly with a mild shampoo and conditioner. Wash bedding with the addition of vinegar for natural disinfection.
Emotional Support and Monitoring
Incontinence often reflects emotional states such as fear of abandonment, sadness, or insecurity. A dog who receives attention, affection, and calm surroundings improves more quickly. Keep a diary: note changes, behavior, and leakage frequency. Progress usually appears within four to six weeks.
Prevention
Do not rush with sterilization until the dog is physically mature. Maintain an ideal body weight. Use fresh, natural nutrition and regular activity.
Final Message
Urinary incontinence is not just a physical issue but often a message from the body and soul. By caring for your dog’s diet, emotional balance, and environment, you support healing from within.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we look at the whole being. When the body speaks through symptoms, we listen with care and science. Support your dog’s natural balance: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Wellbeing
There are messages that are easy to like and messages that create resistance. The difference between them is not quality but how deeply they touch our need for safety. When we talk about dog nutrition relationships family or personal boundaries we quickly reach a point where the topic stops being about the dog and becomes about the human being. And that is where discomfort begins.
When Knowledge Stops Being Comfortable
The greatest response and the most questions always appear when simple solutions are offered: what to cook, how to feed, what is allowed and what is not. That phase gives a sense of control. However, as the conversation goes deeper, it becomes clear that the problem is often not in the food but in the life we live while preparing that food.
In conversations, topics open that have nothing to do with the dog:
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relationships that cannot be digested
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fear of change
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a feeling of being trapped
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dependence on a sense of safety that no longer exists
At that point, knowledge stops being pleasant and truth begins to create resistance.
Popularity Is Not the Same as Responsibility
The goal is not for a message to please everyone. A platform exists to allow speech whether one person listens or five thousand. Popularity is temporary but responsibility for the spoken word remains. When truth is spoken, especially truth that requires personal change, natural resistance appears. That is not a sign that something is wrong with the message. On the contrary, it is often a sign that the message is true.
Resistance is often a sign that we have touched the essence of the problem.
Manipulation as a Survival Strategy
At the moment we face the possibility of losing safety, love, finances, status, or familiar surroundings, people often reach for manipulative patterns. Not because they are bad but because they are trying to survive. Fear of loss becomes stronger than the need for truth.
In that context:
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problems are shifted onto the dog
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symptoms are treated instead of causes
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external solutions are sought for internal conflicts
Why Truth Hurts But Frees
Truth does not offer comfort. It offers choice. And choice means responsibility. That is why it creates resistance. But that resistance shows exactly where the point of growth is.
When we stop looking for easy explanations and accept that change does not happen without personal decision, knowledge begins to make sense. Not as a recipe but as a tool. This approach is not meant for everyone. And it does not need to be. Its value is not in the number of people who like it but in the depth it reaches in those who are ready to hear.
Because truth has never been popular. But it has always been necessary.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we don’t offer shortcuts, only the truth. When you are ready to stop treating symptoms and start addressing causes, we are here. Face the truth: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Wellbeing
When therapy dogs help humans, where does love end and burden begin? In the new episode of the series Sometimes at Eight, Sasha Riess talks with Svetozar Stevin, founder of the organization Friendly Paw, about the role of therapy dogs in people’s lives and their wellbeing. The full video conversation is available below, and here are the key points and messages from this open and sincere discussion.
How Therapy Dogs Help Children and the Community
Svetozar Stevin, a physiotherapist and occupational therapist by profession, has worked for years with both typically developing children and those with developmental challenges. As he explains, his love for dogs merged naturally with his professional calling.
“Even during my studies, I tried to combine working with children and my love for dogs. That was when I first heard about therapy dogs and guide dogs for the blind. I began learning, connecting with professionals abroad, because at that time, there was almost nothing like that in our country.”
Together with veterinarian and behaviorist Dunja Kovac, Svetozar formed the first team in Serbia focused on including dogs in work with children, both in individual and group settings. As he says, the goal is not only to provide support for children but also to educate the community about what dogs truly are and what their real needs are.
The Legal Status of Therapy Dogs in Serbia
One of the key topics discussed was the lack of legal regulation regarding the status of therapy dogs in Serbia. “In our legal system, the terms rehabilitation dogs and therapy dogs appear, but nowhere is it precisely defined what they are allowed to do, under which conditions, and who is qualified to train them.“
Unlike in countries such as Croatia, where therapy dogs can freely enter hospitals, in Serbia this work is still mostly limited to kindergartens. Since 2017, Friendly Paw has succeeded in introducing therapy dog programs into public kindergartens in Novi Sad, where children learn about dogs, emotions, and empathy.
When Therapy Dogs Absorb Human Emotions
Later in the conversation, Sasha Riess raises a rarely discussed question: do dogs actually suffer because they are placed in service to humans? “Are dogs truly serving humans, or have they become victims of that service? When a dog takes on our emotions, stress, and trauma, what is the cost to its health?”
Sasha adds that many people forget the physiological side of the story. Hormones, cortisol, stress, the sympathetic nervous system — all of these affect the dog just as they affect humans. Therapy dogs must often be sterilized to minimize hormonal imbalance and prevent stress responses. This highlights the importance of canine emotional labor, where the dog’s well-being must be the priority.
Therapy dogs help people in hospitals and schools every day.
How Education Supports Therapy Dogs and Their Handlers
“If we want to evolve in anything, we have to start with ourselves,“ says Svetozar. He emphasizes that every interaction with a dog carries the potential for learning but also the responsibility of self-reflection. Through a decade of work, he has often faced situations that reminded him that every encounter requires presence, attention, and continuous growth.
A Dog in Service to Humans – Choice or Destiny
The conversation also touches on the philosophical side of the human-dog relationship. Svetozar shares an example of a street dog from his neighborhood who voluntarily follows children to school. “He has his own mission. He chose to care.”
Sasha Riess adds that dogs, unlike humans, never lose connection with their nature. “Humans are the only species that can create an environment in which they themselves cannot survive. A dog, no matter how much it serves, always knows where it belongs.”
Open Questions That Remain
The conversation ends with many questions left to resonate:
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Is a therapy dog a helper or a victim?
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Can love justify the stress a dog absorbs?
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Where is the line between helping and exploiting?
“These are topics that cannot be exhausted,“ concludes Svetozar. This episode opens the eyes of dog owners, parents, and educators to the reality of canine emotional labor and the science behind the service.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that true therapy starts with respecting the dog’s autonomy. When we protect their peace, they can truly heal us. Explore the ethics of connection: Linktree Sasha Riess
