InterZoo
Tue, Oct 7th, 2008 12:14:13 am
ZiwiPeak at Interzoo- Nurneburg Germany May 2008
The ZiwiPeak team headed to Germany this May to attend the largest tradeshow which is held every two years in Nurneburg.
In hall seven we set up our largest trade stand ever and were overcome by the continuous flow (over a four day period) of distributors coming to find us.Â
If you want to know more about Interzoo for 2008 please go online to:
www.interzoo.com
Below are photos that were taken showing the ZiwiPeak stand.
Hi again, Sue Murray from K9COMMS.
Tue, Oct 7th, 2008 2:08:18 pm
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I am excited to tell you this month about ‘Southern Star Dog Foundation' which was founded after a phone call to me from a concerned Mum of little Adam, who has little sense of danger, managed to wander off his property, to run amidst the birds on the waters edge.Â
When found after a frightful search, his parents realized that they need another safety net, beyond near-constant supervision, fences and a tracking device and so Patty Dobbs Gross, founder of North Star Assistance dogs in USA, and author of The Golden Bridge;Â NZ Specialist Dog Trainer Guus Knopers, Adam's parents and I threw our weight together in a determined effort to help other children like Adam, through the placement of Assistance dogs - bred and trained here in our own beautiful country.
Adam's dog Bambi will be coming from the USA organisation North Star Dogs, also the sister organisation to Southern Star. So how will a dog like this help little Adam? She will be trained to perform special tasks like the little pup you see in the photos which has also been donated to our organisation:Â
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Our Mission
Our mission is to select, train and place assistance dogs with children, and under particular circumstances with adults, who face social, emotional and educational challenges. The majority of children we serve are on the autism spectrum, however we also create Southern Star placements for children suffering a loss or coping with a serious illness.
As a non-profit organization, Southern Star appreciate and value the support of ZiwiPeak who are donating their premium brand of food so that our dogs can have the very best start nutritionally.Â
Personally I am thrilled to be a part of this organisation which is going to make such a difference to the lives of children.
Cheers,
Sue
K9Comm & ZiwiPeak come to Jimmy's Rescue
Tue, Sep 9th, 2008 4:45:16 pm
It always saddens us when we hear the story of a poor animal abondoned, living in poor conditions where the owners have given up on them.  This is one of those stories that never made the news but has touched me personally.  His story was one of those sad ones.
One afternoon I received a call from my local SPCA to see if I might be able to help them with a dog they had uplifted.  I said I would come in and see him as they were not sure if there was anything that could be done for him.
I was greeted by the sad but beautiful big brown eyes of a cute little tri- coloured foxie cross aged about seven months.  His physical condition was appalling weighing just around 7 kilos, absolute skin and bone.
Jimmy had been kept in a kennel and run for the past five or so months of his life.  I was shown the photos of him prior to uplifting and I just cried.  How could someone do this to a dog or to any animal?
He lived in a very expensive kennel and run which was cluttered with bowls from a dinner set, never collected just stacked one on top of another, never cleaned but that matched the rest of his environment.  His kennel was littered with faeces and what should have been bowls of clean drinking water also contained urine and faeces.  This little guy was so neglected, underweight and abused.  So how could I turn my back on him?Â
Due to insufficient exercise, Jimmy's back legs had not developed so he walked a little like a crab.  At home he didn't know how to eat a bone, play with my other dogs or even just play.  He would spin around in a circle so fast that it was hard to see his tail from his head and he would salivate and lick his back end on both sides.  It was a truly pathetic sight to see a dog so stressed.  He would also jump up and bark and then pull the grass out of my lawn.  Anything new stressed Jimmy and would send him into this ritual.
I will update you on Jimmy's progress but to date with the thanks to ZiwiPeak for supplying some much needed top of the line nutrition for him, Jimmy now almost one year old currently weighs in at 17.5kgs with a beautiful glossy coat.
I will continue to work with Jimmy and feed him well with ZiwiPeak which has made a huge difference to his life.
Stay posted.
Â
Regards
Sue- K9Comms.
Thinking of a new addition?
Wed, Aug 6th, 2008 4:07:01 pm
Sue Murray- K9Comm
Many of you may have made or are thinking of making the addition of a puppy to your household over the past weeks so this time I would like to touch some of the important things to consider when bringing one into your home.Â
As you know I use the methods of Jan Fennell ‘The Dog Listener' as her approach is not one of harsh treatments or gadgets but by establishing yourself as the leader of your dogs pack so they feel no pressure to have to look after you.Â
By using this method termed ‘Amichien Bonding', we find that by setting kind, clear boundaries for your puppy from the beginning that they are much happier and less stressed.   They are willing to co-operate with us because they want to, not out of fear or because something will be thrown its way or he will be screamed at.   This method is outlined in Jan's books, ‘The Dog Listener' and ‘The Practical Dog Listener' or through her DVD.   Alternatively I also teach ‘new Mum's and Dad's' this in consultation form.Â
Another vital area to cover is nutrition. A good balanced diet as close to the dog's ancestors, the wolf would eat, is definitely what I promote and feed my own dogs.  For growing puppies, make the investment in good food or you will end up spending the money at your vets.Â
When their nutritional needs are met and you have a strong, healthy puppy, they are also balanced in other areas.   Check out the ingredients on the back of the packet, read the small print and when you see those words that you are unsure of, take the time to find out what is really going into your dog's daily food intake.   It will pay dividends, trust me.
Enjoy.
Regards
Sue - KPComms.
Tiffany, Bandit and Kiwi
Wed, May 14th, 2008 5:39:20 pm
I am writing this email to thank your company for making this awesome dog food.
I have two very picky Chihuahuas - Bandit and Kiwi and they go crazy for this food!
Regarding Bandit, all I have to say is "ZIWIPEAK" and he will do anything I ask of him.  He starts jumping up and down, barking, whining, squealing and it really is a sight to see all for his precious ZiwiPeak.
Now Bandit has two favorite things, his Kiwi and his Ziwi.
Kiwi actually came into my life pre-ZiwiPeak.  She was so tiny as a puppy (she is only three and half pounds fully grown) that when she slept curled up she looked like a fuzzy brown Kiwifruit. Â
When I first saw the bag of ZiwiPeak from New Zealand I knew it very well might be the perfect food for them since she is a Kiwi.
I have never seen this kind of reaction over any food let alone their own dogfood.  We give them the Lamb formula Cuisine air- dried food and have yet to try any other formulations.
I don't ever write to companies telling them something is great, but in this case I had to.
This product is so unique because it is food specially formulated for a dog not leftover scraps ground up into cheap kibble.
That really means something to me because I love my dogs and want them to be happy and healthy.
I tell everyone I know to try it for their dogs as it is so worth it.  I wanted to say thankyou for making a high quality nutritions food and bringing happiness to my dogs lives, especially Bandits.
So keep it up as I want your company to be a dominant force in the pet food industry and I don't ever want Bandit and Kiwi's supply to ever run out.
Santa Maria - My Spanish Dog on the 'Camino'
Thu, Apr 10th, 2008 5:23:01 pm
Hello to you all and may I introduce Santa Maria my dog on the 'Camino' in Northern Spain.
I travelled to Northern Spain just recently and walked the 'Santiago de Compostela' - 'Camino' a road that St. James the Apostle first walked in the 9th century and spans the northern landscape of Spain.  Quite a feat to walk but wonderful all the same as I have never experienced such energy on a walk as this one delivered.
Why I have this photo of Santa Maria is I meet this lass at O Cebreiro a small but very old village 1300ft above sea level in the province of Lugo, lying outside the pre-Romesque church called Santa Maria looking very sad.  It amazed me that so many people walked passed and never even acknowledged her but I did and a friendship developed which to this day haunts me.
I noticed as I passed her that her neck looked sticky and on further investigation I noticed this dog was very sick.  She was termed by the Spanish as abandoned and for everyone that lived in this village they hated abandoned dogs with a passion as in O Cebreiro and most of northern Spain there are alot.  Prominently German Shepherds, these dogs if lucky work guarding cattle and sheep for farmers but most are tied up as guard dogs or abandoned. Â
Santa Maria was a dog who I suspect managed to free herself of her terrible steel spiked collar and escaped as this was why her neck was raw and outlined the size of the collar that had been around her neck.
I immediately took action and dived into my pack for a tube of Uguvities cream which she let me put around her neck and didn't flinch a inch.  I then noticed she was fairly thin so left her to seek out our Spanish guide to go and talk to the hotel kitchen and ask for meat scapes which after a long conversation and a few bribes managed to come up with a complete bag of meat for me.  I snuck up to the church and called her over behind trees by the grave site and emptied the bag and she tucked in to my enjoyment.
The next morning she was back at the church waiting patiently for anyone to give her food and a pat and when she saw me rose to greet me for a cuddle and let me once again put another thick row of cream around her neck.
Walking back to the front door of the hotel for breakfast I was rudley interrupted by a huge dog that belonged to the owners of the hotel .  He barged through in front of me, through the dining room to the kitchen and returned with a huge meaty bone twice the size of him.  This did amuse me but a plan was formulating in my head to obtain this bone and give it to my new friend.
I watched patiently and observed that he was king pin around the village and was showing off to the other abandoned dogs the large bone he had in his mouth until such time that a abandoned dog came too close to him and he put the bone down and ran after him.  What an opportunity I thought .  I set off grabbing the bone and putting it under my jacket all of which Santa Maria saw me doing and as I headed back to the church she followed after me to where the grave sites were and sat patiently as I delivered the bone to her for breakfast.  Mission accompanished I gave her a cuddle and walked back down the road.
Setting out for the day I headed back to church to say goodbye but she was gone.  I was sad but knew she had food in her stomach and hopefully the cream would heal her wound.   As I walked I never knew I would come across her again but as I was taking a break she came from nowhere and sat by me and so my new friend and I walked the rest of the day together.  Unfortunately my crew at the end of our day walking were moving to another village so goodbye's were in hand and as I attended her neck once again and fed her sadness came upon me as I said my goodbye's.
My last day on the Camino saw me having another last break before walking into the city of Santiago and who should come and sit on my feet but Santa Maria.  I was in shock not to mention everyone around me.  My dog had walked 102kms to find me.
In the photo attached to this story you see her eating a big piece of meat which was my last gift to her before entering the city.  I felt ill as with tears in my eyes I said goodbye and asked two Spanish guys to tell her to go back on the Camino.  From this moment on I realised that Santa Maria had given me an awesome walking experience which I will never forget and didn't really understand until I returned home.
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her and would love the opportunity to return to the Camino to find her.
Perhaps thats my next adventure?
Enjoy.
Kimberly Mitchell
ZiwiPeak
Wolves-Yellowstone National Park/USA - Sue KPCOMMS
Tue, Mar 4th, 2008 5:20:07 pm
Hello again and it is nice to be back to Summer having just spend three weeks in the USA mainly in Yellowstone National Park and Indiana where it has been well into the minus degrees with plenty of snow.
The purpose of my visit was to observe 'Wolves' in the wild and also to attend a three day intensive seminar on 'Wolf' behaviour.
The seminar was held at 'Wolf Park' situated in Indiana where there are a number of Wolves living in captivity in large areas.
It was amazing to see them up close howling, mating and performing all of those behaviours we see in our domestic dogs.  As it was the breeding season were unable to interact with them as emotions were heightened but this was offset as being the best time to observe their behaviour.
I then followed this up by flying to 'Yellowstone Park'Â to spend three and a half days in the company of some of the most experienced trackers, cinematographers and photographers (publishers of their own books and work for National Geographic), biologists and those with PHDs and Masters in the subjects of 'Wolves' and behaviour.
WOW, what an experience for me.  Here we watched the Wolves in their own natural habitat through spotting scopes.
One big question that was covered at both venues was that of feeding and eating patterns.  Two mains points made in the discussion was that the Wolf will first eat the main organs, ie. Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Tripe and then the meat/bone of the animal. Â
They do not eat the stomach contents.
In winter they tend to eat the subcutaneous layer of fat first for obvious reasons.
Well, I could write pages and pages about this wonderful experience but IÂ will keep this for another snippet of news.
 Watch out and until next time.
Sue Murray - KPCOMMS
Helping People and their Canine Friends
New Zealand
Heather Vadum McNamara and Silkie's Severe Yeast Infection
Fri, Feb 29th, 2008 5:19:01 pm
My dog, Silkie has suffered from a severe yeast infection and the loss of most of her hair for five years.  I have tried every diet known, every cream known and everything I could find on the internet to help my dog.  I have even taken her to the Veterinary College in Guelph Ontario.  The first year I spent $7000.00 dollars on baths and diets etc.  All the Vets would say she had severe allergies.
I developed my own theory that the fillers, grains, corn chemicals and preservatives etc used in most dog foods even the most expensive prescribed foods turn to sugar which help fuel the development of yeast.
Well my dog has been on KiwiPeak-or ZiwiPeak for about four months now.  I am happy to say that although she is not totally yeast free she has 95% of her hair back and is back on the road to being healthy.Â
A woman who washes her recently told me what lovely hair she has and I said well she has just recently had her hair return.  On this comment she remembered Silkie and was amazed at the change in the dog.
My Vet is going to contact the head dermatologist at the University and tell her about Silkie's case.
I wish I had found your product five years ago.
Thanks so much.
Heather and Silkie.
Skin Allergies
Fri, Feb 15th, 2008 5:13:30 pm
Hi to you all,
My dog is a two year bichon/poodle and for his entire life I have given him home cooked food because he will not eat dog food (and I have tried every make on the market).  He suffers from skin allergies and has been extremely itchy most of his life.
Two weeks ago I tried your food and for the first time in his life he ate a whole bowl of food!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I don't know if it is wishful thinking on my part but his itching seems to have decreased also.
His past diet was New Zealand Lamb and locally grown organic vegetables with vitamin and mineral supplements.
I tried your ZiwiPeak Cuisine Venison and Fish recipe because the store in Seattle had that as a sample and he loved it.
You do not list the vitamins and minerals and so I do not know if I should continue with the supplements or not.
Please could you e-mail me with the vitamins and minerals included in the Venison and Fish and also the Lamb recipes.
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely.
Â
Our Vet Replies:
Canine Communication with K9.COMM
Thu, Jan 31st, 2008 4:49:01 pm
Hello to you all and Happy New Year for 2008.
By now we are well underway into a New Year which promises to be a great one for ZiwiPeak and K9.Comms I am very sure.
I have a very exciting year ahead with Jan Fennell, 'The Dog Listener' returning for further courses and talks plus her son Tony is making his way to New Zealand for the first time to hold the 'Advanced Course in Canine Communication'.
On the 30th January, I am heading off to the USA to further my education into the behaviour of the 'WOLF' and how that can be translated into what we see in our domestic dogs.  I plan to spend three days in Indiana at the 'WOLF PARK' attending an 'Intensive Behaviour Seminar'
'WOLF PARK' is dedicated to the conservation and education of 'WOLVES'.
I am then travelling up to Montana and spending seven days in Yellowstone National Park observing the 'Wolves' in their natural environment under the watchful eye of Jan Fennell and two biologists who are going to guide the trip.  We are also being treated to evening talks by local experts.
Although it is going to be major shock going from our fabulous summer to -20 degrees, I am excited about seeing these amazing creatures and learning more in depth as to how their behaviour relates to our domestic dogs plus their eating patterns and lots more.
This is the best time to observe 'WOLVES' as it is the mating season so behaviors are heightened - so, there is much to learn and to be able to pass onto my clients and of course wonderful to share with ZiwiPeak as their Cuisine 'Real Meat' food is based on what a 'WOLF' would eat in the wild and how they eat it.
So next time I will report back on this amazing journey and how the 'WOLF' which I have observed really behaves and how I can incorporate this in my training.
Sue - K9.COMMS
Stanley drops the kilos on 'Ziwipeak'
Thu, Jan 24th, 2008 4:49:23 pm
Stanley is my eight year old Labrador who is a treasured family pet and who is also a well known and lovely character at our exclusive Bed and Breakfast accomodation the 'Peace & Plenty Inn at Devonport in Auckland.
Stanley was getting to be a real roly-poly as like most Labradors he was prone to a healthy appetite and to putting on weight.  He had ballooned up to over 43kgs and wobbled as he walked.
My dog walker Susie Londer changed his diet and his exercise routine and after that he started to drop weight.  Suzie recommended Stanley change to 'ZIWIPEAK 'and that combined with his daily walks has turned his life around.Â
He lost over 8kgs in just six months.
He's like a new dog, he's full of life, his eyes are brighter, his coat shines and even his grey hairs don't seem as obvious.
He enjoys two tins of ZiwiPeak Cuisine moist food a day and the occasional raw or poached egg.
Stanley is really popular with our guests at the Peace & Plenty Inn and he really enjoys going for walks with them especially now that he is a shadow of his former self.
Thanks ZiwiPeak.Â
Judy Machin
Peace & Plenty Inn Devonport Auckland New Zealand.
