by Sasha Riess | 30.03.26. | Nutrition
Natural healing is about returning to the roots of care. This approach follows Dr. Hulda Clark’s well-known natural parasite cleanse, successfully used for both people and pets. The combination of walnut tincture, parsley tea, wormwood, and clove helps remove parasites while strengthening your dog’s digestive system and the human dog relationship through mindful, proactive care.
How to Make Walnut Tincture
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Preparation: Wash young black walnuts (still in their green husks) under cold running water, scrubbing gently with a brush if needed.
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Boiling: Place them in a pot and pour in enough cold water to cover the walnuts completely. Bring to a boil.
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The Secret Ingredient: Once the water starts boiling, add 1/8 teaspoon of vitamin C crystals or powder. Cover with a lid and do not remove it. Let it sit for 24 hours.
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Finalizing: After a full day, remove and discard the walnuts. Add another 1/8 teaspoon of vitamin C to the liquid and let it stand for another day.
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Storage: Store the finished tincture in a clean glass bottle with a tight lid. Keep only a two-day supply in the refrigerator and freeze the rest for later use.
Parsley Tea for Dogs – Support During Cleanse
Parsley tea supports the kidneys and helps the body flush out toxins, making it a great natural addition to your dog’s parasite-cleansing routine. Add two bunches of fresh parsley to half a liter of water and bring to a boil for about three minutes.
The 4-Week Cleansing Protocol:
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Week 1: Give your dog 1 tablespoon of parsley tea per 11 lbs (5 kg) of body weight daily.
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Week 2: Continue with the tea and add 1 drop of walnut tincture per 11 lbs (5 kg).
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Week 3: Keep giving the tea and add a pinch of wormwood (about what fits between two fingers).
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Week 4: Add a pinch of freshly ground clove.
Tip: Always grind cloves right before use—never ahead of time—to preserve their natural healing compounds.
Walnut Tincture for Humans
For your own personal use, place the green walnuts in a jar, cover them with vodka, and add 1/8 teaspoon of vitamin C. Before sealing, place a piece of cellophane between the jar and the lid. Let the mixture sit for three days before use.
Parsley tea for dogs is used for detoxification and kidney support, a natural pillar of canine health.
Natural Parasite Cleanse Protocol
By working on nutrition and restoring the natural balance, you help the body stop losing function and begin the process of healing. This protocol doesn’t just fight parasites; it reinforces the human dog relationship by acknowledging the dog as a biological being that deserves a clean, vibrant internal environment.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that precision in nutrition is a reflection of our care. When we measure with love, we feed the soul. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 29.03.26. | Coat Care
How often to bathe and brush dogs is a question every owner of a double-coated breed must master to ensure their pet’s health. Understanding how often to bathe and brush dogs correctly is not just an aesthetic ritual; it is a vital practice that directly affects the dog’s comfort, prevents pain during detangling, and helps effectively remove the undercoat. In many breeds, brushing a dry coat can be extremely painful, which is why your grooming routine must always combine proper bathing with brushing.
How Often to Bathe and Brush Dogs: Frequency Matters
The frequency of bathing depends on the environment in which the dog lives. A dog that stays in a clean home and does not sleep in the owner’s bed can usually be bathed once a week or every ten days. However, dogs that live in dirtier, urban environments or spend a lot of time outdoors may require more frequent bathing, every five to seven days. If the dog sleeps in the owner’s bed, many choose even more frequent bathing to maintain impeccable hygiene.
Why How Often to Bathe and Brush Dogs Is Vital for Double Coats
Breeds such as Pomeranians, Chow Chows, Keeshonds and Samoyeds have a dense undercoat that matts easily, especially when dry. Brushing without bathing often causes pain because the hair breaks, pulls and catches, and owners frequently make the mistake of brushing the dog “dry” thinking they are helping. Proper bathing with plenty of high quality conditioner allows the coat to glide under the brush and the undercoat to be removed easily.
Proper bathing with shampoo and conditioner prevents painful hair pulling.
What Does a Proper Brushing Routine Look Like
Undercoat is removed with special brushes that do not hurt the dog when the coat is well prepared. After bathing, with the right shampoo and conditioner, the coat separates more easily and the process becomes much more pleasant. Professionals in grooming academies teach students this skill first, how to hold the brush correctly, how to work in sections, and how to assess the condition of the coat before starting. If you are unsure how to brush your dog properly, it is best to do it after a bath or consult a groomer.
Why You Should Never Brush a Completely Dry Coat
Dry hair breaks easily, the skin becomes tight and every stroke of the brush can cause pain, especially in breeds with long or double coats. This is the main reason why many dogs run away from the brush, not because they dislike grooming, but because it hurts. Bathing and proper conditioning make an enormous difference and make the entire process much easier for both the dog and the owner.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that grooming is a conversation of touch. By choosing the right method, you turn a chore into a moment of pure bonding. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 29.03.26. | Nutrition, Wellbeing
During the show “1000 Why – 4 Therefore,” a question was raised about a dog with spots on its pupils. The veterinarian explained that cataracts can develop in later years. The owner wanted to try a treatment with cold-pressed castor oil, one drop each evening. Many owners have reported the same issue: their dogs suddenly lost sight or experienced a gradual decline in vision. Such problems are often not purely ophthalmological but also immunological and metabolic. Understanding the human dog relationship and its impact on health is the first step toward healing.
The Eyes Reflect Inner Health
Just as the eyes can be affected by diabetes, visual degeneration in dogs indicates a deeper imbalance in the body. The eye is difficult to regenerate, but it’s not impossible to stop degeneration. The goal is not to “fix the eye” but to stop the process that breaks it down.
We return to the relationship with the dog, reducing stress, and applying the principles of holistic care. Stress is one of the main triggers of diabetes and autoimmune diseases. It disrupts mineral balance and weakens the microbiome, which is the foundation of immunity. Poor nutrition—too many carbohydrates and sugars, and too few proteins—further worsens the condition. In this process, the adrenal, thyroid, and parathyroid glands are often affected, leading to increased acidity in the body and a range of symptoms, including eye problems.
Castor Oil and Alternative Approaches
Experiences with castor oil vary, and there is no universal solution. Before treating the symptom (the eyes), it is important to understand the cause, because loss of vision is only a signal of a deeper problem within the dog’s body.
The eyes are part of a complex system, and if your dog has vision problems, ask yourself:
By working on nutrition, reducing stress, and restoring emotional balance, you help the body stop losing function and begin the process of healing.
Trust and closeness — the foundation of a dog’s health and emotional balance.
Eye Health Diet for Dogs
This diet is designed to strengthen the immune system, support eye health, and balance the dog’s body through natural ingredients.
Ingredients
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450 g lean ground beef
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85 g beef liver, chopped or ground
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115 g beef heart, chopped or ground
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170 g spinach
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85 g carrot, chopped or ground
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3 eggs (without shells)
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55 g mussels (well rinsed; canned is acceptable)
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1 pear
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3 teaspoons finely ground almonds
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3 teaspoons finely chopped mint
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55 g sardines in water (added at mealtime)
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1 flat teaspoon kelp powder (added at the end)
Note: Give eggshells only to puppies, not to adult dogs.
Preparation
Grind and mix all ingredients into a uniform mixture.
Cooking methods:
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In the oven at 160°C for 30–45 minutes.
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In a slow cooker on low for 4–6 hours.
After cooking, let it cool completely. Add powdered supplements (like kelp) only after the mixture has cooled. If using capsule supplements, open them and mix the contents evenly into the food. Grind nuts and seeds before adding them. Freeze portions you won’t use within 72 hours. Frozen food retains nutritional value for up to 3 months.
Daily feeding amount: about 3% of your dog’s ideal body weight.
Important Note
Avoid fish oils as a source of omega-3 fatty acids because toxins from polluted waters remain in the fatty tissues of fish. Instead, use flaxseed oil or pumpkin seed oil, added just before serving.
In Conclusion
Eye health does not depend solely on local treatments but on the overall balance of the body. Proper nutrition, stress reduction, and emotional stability can help slow down or stop the degenerative process. When your dog begins to see clearly again, it’s a sign that there is more light and balance in your human dog relationship too.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that precision in nutrition is a reflection of our care. When we measure with love, we feed the soul. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 27.03.26. | Nutrition, Wellbeing
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Giardia (Giardia lamblia) can seriously impact a dog’s gut health and immune system. While it is a persistent parasite, a supportive natural remedy for giardia in dogs can help strengthen the microbiome and aid the body in fighting the infection. This recipe is simple to prepare at home and completely safe for your companion.
How to Make the Natural Giardia Remedy
The base of this remedy is fresh buttermilk, which provides essential probiotics.
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Prepare the Buttermilk: Pour 1 liter (about 4 cups) of unsweetened cooking cream into a blender and blend until it turns into a buttery consistency.
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Separate: Transfer the butter into a strainer, drain the excess liquid into a bowl, and rinse the butter under cold water.
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The Result: The remaining liquid is your fresh buttermilk. If you don’t have enough, you can substitute it with high-quality kefir.
Preparing the Herbal Ingredients
Herbs like marjoram and oregano are nature’s answer to parasites. In a mortar, place 4 tablespoons each of the following:
Gently crush them to release their natural aroma and potent nutrients.
Combining and Storing the Mixture
Add all the crushed herbs into a glass jar with half a liter (2 cups) of your homemade buttermilk or kefir. Mix well, close the lid, and store it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This allows the herbal properties to fully infuse into the liquid
Sasha Riess demonstrates how to prepare a natural supportive remedy for giardia in dogs.
Dosage and Use
To get the most out of this natural remedy for giardia in dogs, follow this specific protocol:
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Days 1 & 2: The dog should fast. Only bone broth is given to rest the digestive system.
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Day 3: Give 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 22 lbs (10 kg) of body weight, four times a day.
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Days 4–7: Feed a light diet (like the carrot soup and rice mentioned in our previous guides).
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The Follow-up: Continue providing buttermilk or kefir for another 6 to 8 weeks to fully restore gut flora.
This preparation helps reduce the number of parasites, supports gut flora, and improves digestion during recovery and detoxification.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that precision in nutrition is a reflection of our care. When we measure with love, we feed the soul. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 27.03.26. | Emotions
The Janissary Dog: Sorrow and the Absence of Instinct in the Modern Human Dog Relationship
There is a phenomenon rarely spoken about, something we have done slowly, quietly, and almost imperceptibly across generations, as if it were a natural process. Dogs as a mirror of society. We speak about dogs, our most loyal companions, but not in the romantic sense we are used to. We speak about how we turned one of humanity’s oldest allies into our own janissaries. Not in the historical military sense, but in a symbolic, psychological, and systemic one.
Deformation of the Human Dog Relationship: The Loss of Role and Original Nature
We created beings separated from their origin, from their inner order, from their primal nature, and reshaped them to serve our needs, our projections, and our wounds. We did this under the disguise of care, safety, love, and modern civilization. The result was not harmony, but a deep deformation of the relationship between human and dog.
Loss of Role, Loss of Health
When I observe a dog in the modern urban environment, I often ask myself how much of it is still a dog, and how much has become a product of our neuroses, fears, inner emptiness, and unfulfilled needs. Historically, janissaries were children taken from their families, torn from their origin, religion, and culture, then reeducated to completely forget who they were before becoming instruments of another will. When applied to dogs, the same pattern emerges.
We took away their instinct. We took away their right to movement. We took away the role that defined them for millennia as beings maintaining balance in nature. Their original purpose was clear. To guard territory. To inform the pack. To maintain the rhythm of village life. To hunt. To herd. To accompany humans as partners in the real world, not in a simulation of life.
In the modern human dog relationship, the dog has lost its purpose. Not because nature demanded it, but because we assigned a new purpose that serves our emotional deficits. Today, the dog exists to fill what we fail to fill in human relationships. To be therapy. To be an emotional prosthesis. To be a living cushion for comfort, a living charger for belonging, a living neutralizer of loneliness, frustration, and inadequacy. In this process, the dog disappears and only a function remains. The original identity is lost, and what emerges is what we metaphorically call a janissary.
The Price Paid: The Janissary as a Psychological Pattern
The most painful part is that most people believe they are helping the dog. The truth is far darker. A dog that is no longer allowed to move freely and be a dog will not develop emotional or physical stability. It becomes frustrated, tense, energetically overloaded, and neurologically imbalanced. This is a dog no longer living from the inner order of nature, but reacting impulsively to the environment imposed upon it.
It is a dog born and raised without understanding its own role. A dog that spends most of its life waiting for a human to explain what is allowed and what is forbidden. A dog that does not govern its body, but oscillates between shutdown and explosion. A dog that no longer knows how to be a dog, but knows how to react to human emotional disturbances. A dog that guards the human instead of guarding space. A dog that reacts to trauma instead of choosing function.
A Mirror of Human Nature
In Chinese medicine it is said that whoever loses their role loses their health. This applies to humans and animals alike. When we take away a dog’s role, we remove part of the inner order from which vitality flows. The result is a dog in constant energetic conflict. A dog that ignites easily, collapses easily, withdraws easily, and becomes reactive. A dog that is simultaneously too much and too little. Too much energy without structure and too little safety without stability. This is the psychological pattern of the janissary. A being removed from its source and placed into an unnatural relational matrix, where it learns to live for another’s will and stability.
In trying to protect dogs from the world, we protect them from themselves. We have normalized extreme control.
Fear of Instinct: Sterilization as Systemic Control
As a society, we have normalized extreme control. Collars. Leashes. Restricted movement. Prohibited socialization. Banned instinctive behavior. Banned barking. Banned courting. Banned territorial marking. All justified as being for the dog’s own good. It seems we fear allowing the dog to be what it is. Like a parent too afraid to let a child fall, holding them so tightly they never learn to walk.
In trying to protect dogs from the world, we protect them from themselves. We create generations of dogs who never learn stability because they never experience their own motor intelligence, territoriality, and energetic boundaries.
These processes are not accidental. They reflect our relationship with our own instincts. As we treat dogs, so we treat our own nature. People afraid of their inner strength fear the dog’s strength. People afraid of emotional freedom fear canine freedom. Those who have not integrated their inner wolf cannot allow their dog to remain a descendant of wolves.
Such a human reshapes the dog into a pleasant, obedient, functional janissary who emits what the human cannot feel. The dog becomes an emotional filter and absorber, carrying tensions, sorrows, fears, and guilt that are not its own.
Another form of systemic manipulation appears in the idea of sterilization as a universal solution. Behind the mask of humane population control lies a deeper dynamic. When we say the only solution is removing a dog’s sexuality, we prefer a dog weakened along its vital axis. A dog without hormones is a dog without part of its life force. Like a janissary severed from origin, the dog is cut from biological wholeness. There are situations where sterilization is responsible, but what we live today is a mass practice driven by comfort rather than necessity. We prefer dogs without passion, without drive, without instinctual energy. Dogs that do not initiate, demand, or claim space. Dogs that fit our mold. That is the janissary. A living being whose strength is adjusted to the needs of its owner.
A dog returned to itself becomes stronger and more stable. Order comes before obedience.
Returning to Ourselves: How to Break the Janissary Cycle
The Return of Natural Order
As long as we believe harmony means the dog ceasing to be a dog, we live in an ideological relationship, not a natural one. We have placed dogs into a system that suits us, not them. We hold them hostage to our ideas of order, cleanliness, peace, and emotional relief. Then we are surprised by explosions of reactivity, fear, neurosis, aggression, excessive attachment, or total apathy. This is not canine pathology. It is the consequence of an imposed system.
A janissary was never aggressive by nature, but by growing within a distorted identity space. The same applies to dogs and humans who lose touch with their nature.
There is a way out. We do not return dogs to themselves through more control, but by allowing them to feel their place again. Not as humans define place, but as nature defines it. This is the return of order. Not the order of obedience, but the order that existed before human rules. An order where every being has a role. Where every being has the right to be what it is. Where humans are not masters of canine destiny, but partners in a shared field of life.
When a human truly sees the dog before seeing the role they need it to play, the transformation stops. The dog is no longer shaped into a janissary, but returned to itself. A dog returned to itself becomes stronger, calmer, more stable, more present, and more fulfilled. It is no longer an extension of human emotional deficiency, but an autonomous being choosing relationship rather than merely reacting to it. The human no longer gains an obedient subordinate, but a living partner.
If we want healthy dogs, we must become humans who live with healthy instincts. If we want free dogs, we must become humans capable of freedom without fear of our own strength. If we want to stop creating janissary dogs, we must stop living as people who turned their wounds into identity.
A dog living beside a stable human will never become a janissary. A dog living beside a wounded and lost human will always carry that burden. The question is not about dogs. It is about us. The dog is only the mirror. And in that mirror, we see everything we are running from. As long as we run from ourselves, we will create janissaries. When we stop running, we begin returning dogs what belongs to them. And in doing so, we return to ourselves what we lost long ago.
At Sasha Riess Wellness, we strive to restore the natural order of the human dog relationship. We move beyond emotional projections to find true partnership. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
