by Sasha Riess | 11.06.26. | Nutrition
Most owners believe that problems with a dog’s teeth and gums can only be solved through brushing and expensive products. The truth, however, is far more natural. Dog care and jaw health rest on three pillars: mechanical cleaning, saliva chemistry, and stress control. If your dog does not chew, its teeth cannot be healthy, no matter how much you scrub them with artificial toothpaste.
A Bone as the Perfect Tool and “Toothbrush”
Every dog has an instinctive need to chew. Giving large, raw bones, such as shoulder bones, twice a week is one of the best ways for a dog to maintain its own dental hygiene. Chewing a firm bone mechanically removes buildup, but more importantly, it stimulates saliva production.
The Power of Saliva and pH Balance
Saliva is the most powerful natural protection. It contains enzymes essential for digestion and, most importantly, regulates the pH of the oral cavity. When a dog chews intensively, it produces rich saliva that washes away bacteria and prevents buildup.
Instead of commercial products filled with chemicals, the best “toothpaste” you can offer is coconut oil. It has natural antibacterial properties and dogs love it. Chewing bones twice a week is one of the best forms of prevention against tartar.
Chewing bones twice a week is the best stone prevention.
Tartar as a Sign of Stress
It is important to understand that plaque and tartar are not solved only through mechanics. Tartar is often an indicator of stress a dog is experiencing. In that sense, a bone is also a release valve, allowing the dog to discharge internal tension.
However, true care sometimes requires more than just offering a bone. In certain cases, applying coconut oil directly to the gums can provide additional support, especially in dogs under chronic stress that alters the composition of their saliva.
At Sasha Riess, we respect the canine anatomy by providing natural solutions for dog care and jaw health. Returning to instinctive chewing promotes oral hygiene and emotional pureloveandharmony. Restore their natural balance:Linktree Sasha Riess
The Dog Groomer’s Dilemma: Journey Trough Burnout, Belonging and Becoming
by Sasha Riess | 11.06.26. | Coat Care
The Dalmatian is a dog Novak wants to get, but he is not sure whether to choose a short-haired or a long-haired one. He has heard from friends that long-haired Dalmatians shed less, but also that they are not “true” Dalmatians. So the question arises which one to choose.
Biological Difference: Why Do Long-Haired Dogs “Shed Less”?
Dalmatians are not unique in this. Similar variations exist in Vizslas, Collies, and pointers.
The question is only whether selective breeding will preserve or eliminate that trait. The more interesting question is why dogs with longer coats appear to shed less.
The answer lies in the hair growth cycle. If short hair needs around twenty-one days to grow and fall out, long hair has a significantly longer cycle, for example around forty-five days. In addition, long-haired dogs often have a wool-like undercoat that holds dead hair “attached,” so it does not fall off as visibly around the home. In simple terms, the cycle is longer, so shedding appears less frequent.
Coat as a Symptom of Deeper Changes
In the context of Dalmatian breed development, the appearance of a long-haired variety can be sporadic. It is important to understand that the activation of genes responsible for coat length may also signal the presence of other active or inactive genes that influence the development of certain conditions. Sometimes a physical trait is only a surface expression of deeper biological changes that affect the dog’s life.
If the breed standard disqualifies long-haired Dalmatians, it is often not only about aesthetics, but about underlying imbalances that may not be visible to the eye.
Sasha Riess Pure Love & Harmony Duo Pack The Complete Dog Coat Care System
The Real Solution to Shedding Regardless of Coat Type
Regardless of coat variation, the Dalmatian is a being that goes beyond spots and hair length. It is a being of connection that teaches us lessons far greater than appearance.
The only real solution to shedding, whether you choose a short-haired or long-haired dog, is regular bathing, especially during spring and autumn. With proper bathing every seven to ten days, using both shampoo and conditioner, dead hair is removed in the bath instead of ending up around your home. At the same time, the skin renews, and both you and your dog benefit from a cleaner, healthier environment.
At Sasha Riess, we look beyond surface aesthetics like spots or coat length to understand a dog’s underlying blueprint. Honoring the genetic and biological reality of your Dalmatian is the first step toward lifelong pureloveandharmony. Protect their health: Linktree Sasha Riess
Awakening With Dogs : Exploring the Profound Connection Between Dogs and Humans: Love, Resonance, and Healing Kindle Edition
by Sasha Riess | 10.06.26. | Behaviour
Trauma in dogs is often overlooked in modern training because we rely too heavily on treats. When a dog receives a reward for something it did “right,” we rarely notice the other side of that process: the moment when the reward is absent.
Although the reward system is considered “positive,” for a dog’s physiology it can be deeply counterproductive.
Trauma Hidden in Expectation
Many people ask: what kind of trauma can occur when I reward my dog for being good? The problem is not in the moment of the reward itself. The problem arises in the moment when the dog is not “good” and the reward is missing.
For the dog, there is no theory or training method in that moment. There is only the experience of absence. Learning through pure conditioning directly affects the dog’s physiology, but not in the way we think. Positive stimulation through food is only one side of the coin. The other side is the negative effect that appears in the dog’s body when it does something and the expected reward does not come.
Relationship Above Method: Preventing Trauma in Dogs
The question is not only how we teach a dog, but what kind of relationship we build while conditioning it. Are we building a partnership based on understanding, or a dependency that disturbs inner balance?
Build a relationship that doesn’t depend on a piece of food in your pocket.
True communication with a dog does not come through a piece of food in your hand. It comes through alignment that leaves no space for physiological stress that later develops into chronic conditions. Remember, every time you rely on conditioning, you risk creating trauma in dogs that is difficult to resolve later.
At Sasha Riess, we believe true communication bypasses the stress of bribery. Moving beyond food conditioning prevents underlying trauma in dogs, paving the way for authentic pureloveandharmony. Build a real partnership: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 10.06.26. | Nutrition
In dog nutrition we often talk about proteins, fats, and calories. But deep within the body there is a relationship that determines far more profoundly how the organism uses food. That relationship is the balance between calcium and phosphorus.
How Dog Nutrition and Metabolism Depend on Minerals
This mineral pair is not important only for bones. It actually regulates the speed of metabolism, meaning the way the body burns energy. Calcium tends to slow metabolic processes and stabilize cellular activity, while phosphorus accelerates energy production and intensifies metabolic reactions. When their balance changes, the rhythm at which the body functions changes as well.
For this reason, physiology often speaks about so-called fast and slow oxidative metabolic types. These terms do not simply mean that metabolism is fast or slow in the usual sense. They describe the way cells burn fuel.
Different Metabolic Types and Dog Nutrition
A fast oxidative type is an organism that converts food into energy very quickly. Cells intensively use fuel, the nervous system reacts rapidly, and energy is consumed at a high pace. Such an organism has a powerful energetic rhythm, but often also a greater need to stabilize that rhythm.
A slow oxidative type releases energy more slowly and in a more controlled way. Fuel is burned steadily but at a slower rate. Such an organism often has a different relationship with proteins, fats, and minerals because energy does not leave the cells at the same speed as in fast types.
The difference between these two metabolic types has a direct influence on the way a dog uses proteins.
The Influence of Proteins on Oxidative Types
In the fast oxidative type, the body often uses proteins as fuel. When metabolism operates at a high tempo, amino acids are quickly broken down to produce energy. This means that too much protein can further accelerate a system that is already running fast.
In such cases, food with a lower share of protein, around forty percent in the overall structure of the meal, often helps stabilize the organism. Such a meal provides energy without placing additional pressure on the metabolic system.
In the slow oxidative type, the situation is different. The body does not burn fuel quickly enough and often struggles to produce energy from food. In those cases, the organism responds better to a higher share of protein, sometimes up to eighty percent in the structure of the meal, because proteins stimulate metabolic activity and help the body initiate energy production.
Each dog requires a unique ratio of nutrients.
The Trap of Universal Nutrition
This is where modern dog nutrition and metabolism science often makes a mistake. In recent years, raw and high-protein diets have become almost a universal recommendation for dogs. The idea that a dog should eat mostly meat or almost exclusively protein-rich food appears logical, since the dog is a carnivore. But physiology is not that simple.
If a dog belongs to the fast oxidative type, a diet composed almost entirely of protein can further accelerate a system that is already overloaded. The nervous system may become overstimulated, stress tolerance may decrease, and the body may begin to consume its own tissues to maintain the energetic rhythm. In such cases, what was intended as natural nutrition can actually worsen the dog’s condition.
On the other hand, a slower oxidative type may benefit from a higher protein intake because such food helps the body increase metabolic activity and energy production. The real question therefore is not whether raw or protein-rich food is good or bad. The question is for which dog.
Two dogs can eat the same meal and have completely different physiological reactions. One may become more stable and energetic. The other may become more tense, more fatigued, or metabolically burdened. The reason often lies precisely in the calcium and phosphorus balance that determines the tempo of metabolism.
When this balance is stable, the body can properly use proteins, fats, and energy from food. When it is not, even high-quality food can become a metabolic burden. That is why the most important step in feeding a dog is understanding its metabolic type. Only when we understand whether the body burns energy quickly or slowly can we begin to build a diet that truly supports its physiology.
Food then stops being a universal formula and becomes a tool that helps the body find its natural rhythm. Because a dog does not live from the percentage of protein written on the label. A dog lives from balance that allows its body to function.
At Sasha Riess, we look past the generic labels to discover the real needs of your pet. True health relies on a tailored understanding of dog nutrition and metabolism, allowing you to guide them toward lifelong pureloveandharmony. Learn your dog’s rhythm: Linktree Sasha Riess
Awakening With Dogs : Exploring the Profound Connection Between Dogs and Humans: Love, Resonance, and Healing Kindle Edition
by Sasha Riess | 09.06.26. | Coat Care
There is never enough discussion about hygiene. It is interesting how often happy owners tell me that the Chow Chow was their choice because it is “as clean as a cat.” They believe the claim that bathing this dog two or three times a year is sufficient, since it licks and cleans itself. Through conversations with people, I have gained the impression that the Chow Chow is perceived as one of the cleanest breeds, but this is a dangerous misconception.
Factors That Influence the Chow Chow’s Coat
What matters most is where and under what conditions the dog lives. Coat quality and the amount of lanolin are the result of multiple factors. External factors, what the dog eats, whether it sleeps in a bed or on a terrace, whether it lives in the city center or on the outskirts, directly affect hygiene. Internal factors such as genetics, hormones, age, and sex also determine the condition of a Chow Chow’s coat.
As a brand, we move away from the belief that a dog should be groomed solely according to coat type. A dog is groomed in relation to its proximity to humans. If your dog sleeps in your kitchen or your bed, it must adapt to your lifestyle, not the other way around.
Hygiene as the Foundation of the Human-Dog Relationship
People and dogs often separate because a person cannot tolerate a “smelly house.” And the house smells because the owner does not bathe the dog, trusting advice that one bath per year is enough. If you take your dog into the city three times a day, infrequent bathing is unrealistic. Lanolin is a sticky fat that attracts urban dirt. When the odor becomes unbearable, the dog often ends up on the street.
A dog living in the house must be adapted to the hygiene standards of the owner.
A person should not become a servant to the Chow Chow breed and its coat. In selective breeding, coat was always a secondary outcome, while character and working ability were the priorities. Today, when dogs are no longer needed for work, the focus has shifted to appearance, yet the relationship between humans and dogs is far deeper than that. A dog that lives in the home must be aligned with the owner’s hygiene standards.
Specific Challenges: The Chow Chow and Wrinkle Hygiene
The Chow Chow is an exceptionally sensitive breed. It has a long coat, abundant skin, and numerous wrinkles where hair grows in different directions. This creates an ideal environment for bacteria and fungi. Hygiene is essential here not because of “naturalness,” but because of health and coexistence with humans.
The myth that the Chow Chow cleans itself like a cat is actually a misinterpretation. What often appears as self-cleaning is the dog attempting to scratch because the wrinkles itch. Care for your dog in accordance with the standard of your own life. The breed is not what matters; what matters is the dog that sleeps beside your children. Everything else is the result of eugenics, similar to the idea once imposed on humans, a concept that places the breed above the living being.
At Sasha Riess, we break the myths that separate families. Grooming your Chow Chow according to human standards ensures a clean home and true pureloveandharmony. Align your hygiene: Linktree Sasha Riess
