Dog’s chicken allergy makes finding food and treats difficult

Dear Cathy: We have a 7-year-old rescue dog. He is allergic to chicken.

I’m told this is the top allergen for dogs. Yet 99 percent of dog foods and treats contain chicken. Even the ones that claim to be beef, salmon, etc., still contain chicken.

Are there any foods that don’t contain chicken? — Jani, Las Vegas

Dear Jani: There are a few ways to find dog foods without chicken.

First, you can search ingredient lists online before going to the store. Look for words such as “limited ingredient formula” in the name of the product, as this often indicates the food is for dogs with food allergies and should not have chicken or chicken byproducts.

Second, you can search alternative protein sources, such as duck, salmon, turkey, venison or bison to find different brands of dog food.

Finally, check out some of the brands — Natural Balance, Orijen, Taste of the Wild, Canidae, and Blue Buffalo, to name a few — who carry dog food with alternative protein sources.

Dear Cathy: I have a 2-year old female Coton de Tulear. She is very social with dogs and people and does not bark at anyone when out for her walks except for one dog. She’s met him up close, and once he put his paw on her playfully.

After that, she was scared to pass him during a walk. Now when she sees him, she barks, pulls, growls uncontrollably, regardless of whether on a walk or inside seeing him through the window.

What do I do? — Linda, Mount Sinai, New York

Dear Linda: If your dog has access to a window, she will probably always bark at other dogs or people outside. You can close the blinds, or you can interrupt your dog’s behavior.

When she starts barking, shake a can of coins or use a Pet Corrector (compressed air) to get her attention, then call her to you. Ask her to sit. When she does, give her a reward word such as “bingo” and a treat.

As for barking during a walk, use one of the disruption techniques described above to get her attention, then as you walk to the other side of the street, give her treats to keep her distracted. Keep walking and keep doing this until the other dog passes. Over time, she will learn she is going to get treats when she sees that dog and will start looking for that reward instead of barking.