Boulder Ridge Kennel

09/26/2026

🐶 DOGS WITH LOW VITAMIN D HAD NEARLY 4X THE RISK OF CANCER.

Vitamin D is much more important to our dogs’ health than many pet parents realize.

In a peer-reviewed study published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, researchers measured vitamin D levels in nearly 350 dogs and found a striking association: the lower the dogs’ vitamin D, the greater their relative risk of cancer.

Dogs with vitamin D levels below 40 ng/mL had 3.9X the relative risk of cancer. For hemangiosarcoma, one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs, the relative risk was 4.1X higher.

As vitamin D levels increased, the relative risk progressively decreased.

Researchers also found changes in markers related to inflammation and parathyroid hormone as vitamin D increased.

☀️ And here’s what makes this especially important for dogs:

Unlike humans, dogs cannot make adequate vitamin D from sunshine. They depend getting D from their food.

🐟 Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, herring and sardines are natural dietary sources of vitamin D3 and can be healthy toppers.

But this does NOT mean we should blindly start giving dogs high-dose vitamin D supplements.

🩸 TESTING MATTERS:

A blood test measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] can tell you your dog’s vitamin D status. If levels are low, you and your veterinarian can look at the diet and determine whether dietary changes or carefully controlled supplementation are appropriate.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so more not better: unnecessary supplementation can cause organ failure.

Considering dogs depend so heavily on healthy food for vitamin D, it raises an important question:

Do you know your dog’s vitamin D level? 🐶☀️🐟

09/23/2026

Obedience class is canceled for tonight due to scheduling conflicts for some

09/23/2026

Who can relate!?

09/19/2026

🚨 A HUGE NEW STUDY IS CHALLENGING WHAT PET PARENTS HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT GRAIN-FREE DOG FOOD.

A 2026 Veterinary Medicine and Science study analyzed Dog Aging Project data from 47,000+ dogs and found grain-free diets were NOT associated with increased odds of developing new heart problems.

🤯 More than HALF of owners who reported feeding grain-free were WRONG when researchers checked the ingredients. Foods that sounded grain-free actually contained rice, corn, wheat, barley or oats.

Researchers also followed 7,113 dogs for two years. Dogs that switched to grain-free had FEWER newly reported heart diagnoses than dogs that never ate grain-free, while dogs consistently eating grain-free showed no significant difference.

Both grain-free AND grain-containing foods can contribute to nutritional DCM. So can poorly formulated raw and homemade diets.

Peas, lentils and potatoes aren’t inherently “bad,” and adding grains does NOT magically make food cardioprotective—there’s ZERO taurine in grains!

The bigger question is whether the finished food provides enough bioavailable protein and essential amino acids for the dog eating it.

And here’s the overlooked problem: AAFCO “all life stages” foods meet nutrient requirements for growth and reproduction, but adult dogs often need far fewer calories than growing puppies.

So owners feed less to prevent obesity. But when you cut food, you don’t just cut calories—you cut protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals too.

A food can meet AAFCO requirements on paper, yet a lower-calorie dog eating less receives less of EVERY nutrient, not to mention some dogs genetically don’t make enough taurine for heart health.

🐕 The question isn’t “grain-free or grain-inclusive?”

It’s: Is THIS dog getting enough protein, essential amino acids and other critical nutrients for the calories they actually consume? That’s the nutritional DCM conversation we should be having.

Calories change. Nutrient needs don’t.

09/18/2026

Puppy 🐶 and Dog 🐕 training classes for next week!
Monday 9/21 and Wednesday 9/23 both are at Boulder Ridge Kennels and start at 5pm. $35/ dog 🐕 recent Board & Train dogs are free 🆓
Bring a long line with you (20’) and soft high value treats. Don’t feed them dinner 🍽️ before class.

09/17/2026

09/16/2026

Why? Go in your own crate when you can pig 🐷 pile into 1 with your besties 👯 Ruffian, Cupid and Caddie

09/15/2026

These 2 are inseparable. Pretty sure Fiona thinks Tatum is her baby ❤️

Boulder Ridge Kennel