SEASONAL FEEDING - Making the Most of Fresh Ingredients

Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, seasonal feeding at its freshest and finest. Featuring Hedgerow Hounds seasonal herbal blends.

 The majority of people have lost their connection with the land, nature and the changing seasons.

Natures larder provides us with a huge variety of produce at the perfect time when it will be of most benefit to us nutritionally. With a few small changes we can all benefit from eating seasonally which is better for us, our dogs and the environment.

We can utilise herbs and vegetables in the Spring, which are a perfect cleansing tonic to gently ease us out of the long winter months, where we have no doubt been overindulging and less active.

To the cooling and hydrating bounty of Summer, followed by the real bumper harvest of Autumn, which gives us all the foods we need to help boost our immunity and general health in preparation for the cold Winter months ahead.

Here at Hedgerow Hounds, we are passionate about seasonal ingredients, and if you really want to embrace seasonality, then we have a seasonal range of handmade herbal blends.

What`s so special about seasonal food?

Eating more seasonally ourselves and by including some of these foods in our dogs’ diet, we can benefit in so many ways.

. We can reconnect with the cycles of nature and really appreciate the food that is available for a short period of time.

. It is better value for money as well as kinder to the environment, to buy ingredients when they are in abundance locally and haven’t travelled halfway round the world before they even get to our kitchen.

. We can support the local communities, such as small producers, farmers’ markets, organic growers, and game dealers.

. The produce is fresher and therefore more nutritious as it is harvested when ripe or at its best, and has minimal travelling time before we can purchase it.

Could we survive without sugar snap peas from Egypt, asparagus from Peru, and eating Strawberries in January? These have travelled thousands of miles, are harvested unripe, and sprayed with chemicals, gas, or wax to stop them from deteriorating in transit.

Or could we wait until they are ready to eat locally and benefit from much more flavour and far higher nutritional value, while enjoying so many other foods in the meantime?

 How does incorporating seasonal food benefit our dogs?

If you feed raw or home-cooked food to your dog, then it is important to offer a good variety of foods over the coming months. If you feed dried or tinned food, it is also possible to start incorporating a small amount of fresh ingredients into the bowl at feed times.

By offering variety, you can ensure your dog gets a broad range of nutrients and avoid the intolerances that can occur if the same protein and carbohydrate are fed continuously.

A wide spectrum of fresh ingredients, either animal proteins or of plant origin, nurtures a healthy gut microbiome, which is vital for a healthy immune system and overall optimal health. The more diverse the diet, the less you will have to rely on supplementation.  

By feeding what is in season, you are providing food at its very best. This often means that you don’t need a large amount to benefit from the superior nutritional value.

A few local, handpicked ripe blackberries added to the food will be far superior to a larger number of blueberries that have covered many air miles. Including some free-range, wild, or organic meat whenever you can will also provide your dog with superior-quality ingredients.

Depending on your location, there is generally a good range of proteins available from Spring to Summer, but when Autumn comes, there is suddenly a whole new larder available to the raw feeder or home cook.

The game season varies by the species, but generally partridge and pheasant are available from September until February. Venison is dependent on breed, but around November to March, and Duck from September until January.

If you have been relying on beef, lamb, chicken, and fish from March until August, then this addition of free-range, often organic and minimally farmed protein is a huge bonus. You can either use in addition or temporarily replace the proteins you regularly use until the availability ends.

Putting a small amount of vegetables aside for your dog when preparing your own is a good practice. It will soon become second nature to save a broccoli stalk, steam a little extra courgette, cut off a small slice of pear or apple, or lift out the couple of squashed raspberries that are in the bottom of the punnet for your dog’s supper. You will also start to look out for seasonal bargains at the butchers’ or farmers’ market.

If you can forage for ingredients such as blackberries, dandelion leaves, cleavers, and either keep a few hens or find a local organic supplier of eggs, then that is a big win.

Adding a little fresh, local, and seasonal produce even two or three times a week will help to gradually improve your dog’s overall diet. If your dog is new to fresh ingredients, start off with very small amounts and include one new addition at a time, until they adjust to a different way of eating.

As a rule, although each dog is an individual, the majority of the meal is made up of animal protein, with anything from 5% to 15% being provided by vegetables and berries that are suitable for your dog.   

Spring

Spring ingredients offer a gentle tonic to cleanse and wake up the system after less active months and a diet of heavier, warming meals. Many of these ingredients that come into their own now offer support for the kidneys, liver, and lymphatic system that can often get sluggish over the Winter months. You may observe that your dog seeks out the fresh grass shoots as they appear, which are full of energy, sweetness, and moisture.  

The Nature’s Skin Tonic is perfect for a gentle Spring cleanse after the long winter months and also great for dogs that are itchy and suffer from seasonal allergies at this time of year.

Incorporate some of the following into your dog’s meals:

Spring nettle tops, Cleavers, Dandelion leaf and root, Asparagus, Watercress, Milk Thistle, Spring Greens, New season Lamb, Rabbit & Free range eggs.

Summer

Summer ingredients are cooling, hydrating, and uplifting, and we are spoilt for choice at the range of produce available. If you can grow a few vegetables yourself, such as courgette, cucumber, spinach, salad greens, chard, and parsley, then these will be bursting with flavour and goodness, and you can add a little of these freshly picked ingredients to your dog’s food. If you grow blackberries and raspberries, you will find that the dogs often help themselves to the fruit from the lower branches.  

Nature’s Bounty appears on the shop in February and covers the Summer months until early November. It is a nutritious blend that contains an organic seaweed, and Bounty’s main task is to naturally repel fleas and ticks, which it has successfully done for many years.

Incorporate small amounts of the following:

Fennel, Melon, Spinach, Celery, Blueberries, Bilberries, Raspberries, Dandelion, Seaweed, Sorrel, Courgettes, Mint, Parsley, Calendula, Cucumber, Green beans, Carrot tops, Lettuce, Rabbit, Free range eggs.  

Autumn

Autumn provides nourishing produce to prepare for the colder months and are typically rich in antioxidants and high in vitamin C. Many of these vegetables, fruits, and berries also lend themselves to preserving by the process of dry storage, freezing, and fermentation, which would traditionally be used to ensure a supply of nutritious foods through the lean months of Winter that lie ahead:

Incorporate small amounts of the following:

Squash, Blackberries, Rosehips, Beetroot, Pumpkin, Apples, Pear, Burdock root, Chicory, Nettle seeds, Fennel and Dill seeds, Almonds, Pumpkin seeds.

Game meat to include: Partridge, Pheasant, Grouse, Pigeon, Guinea fowl, Quail, Venison, and Duck.

Fish, including Pollack, Mackerel, Coley, and Haddock.  

Winter

Winter provides us with comforting food for warmth and sustenance.

Incorporate small amounts of the following:

Ginger root, Turmeric, Kale, Celeriac, Thyme, Ruby Chard, Brussels sprouts, Winter Squash, Jerusalem artichoke, Pear, Russet apple, Turkey, Duck, Venison, Mussels.

 Caroline Hearn MICHT, Dip ICAT. MIAAT

Equine and Canine Sports Massage Therapist and Canine Holistic Health Specialist

Find out more at www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

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Your Reactive Dog

Dog-dog reactivity is a very common behaviour difficulty dog professionals are contacted for help about.  We often see it as a problem if our dog doesn’t get on with every dog they see – but did you know this is ENTIRELY NORMAL?
The problem dogs have is that we guardians expect our dogs to do what we do not: accept and embrace everybody we come across in a friendly and unconditional manner.  If we are honest with ourselves, we cannot hold ourselves to that standard of perfection – yet we so adamantly hold our dogs to it!

Yes, dogs are social beings but typically this means they like to have friendships with other dogs well matched for their play style and activity choices.  This does not automatically mean they like to be thrown into a dog park with 30 other dogs all clumsily communicating to each other in a heightened state of excitement.  If you have a dog that can enjoy situations involving a lot of stranger dogs then YOU are in the minority!  Most people find their dogs, especially once matured past puppyhood, are more picky and reserved.   

Furthermore, “reactive” is a very vague unhelpful label in that a “reactive” dog may be struggling with a variety of things.  Their behaviours may look the same: growling, barking, lunging, snapping and so on but the underlying cause of these behaviours can differ. 

• Perhaps they are easily aroused and get over stimulated at the sight of other dogs because they just want to go say hello and play.  Dogs can really struggle with their on-lead behaviour as a result of this overstimulation. 

• Perhaps they are very immature in social skills due to a “not good enough” socialisation period

• Perhaps they have had a traumatic experience with a number of dogs, or just one, and are now highly anxious about interacting with others

• Perhaps they struggle to read certain dog breeds and that makes them feel defensive; for example, brachycephalic dogs or those covered with an abundance of curly fluff. 

• Perhaps they are mature now and tolerating rude/bolshy young dogs is no longer possible for them.

• Perhaps they are struggling with pain in their hips/back/neck and are very sensitive to other beings in their personal space for fear an interaction may make the pain worse.

• And more…!

There can be a hundred and one different reasons why your unique dog before you is showing reactive behaviours at the sight of/whilst in interaction with another dog.  This is why there is no blanket answer for dog reactivity and no quick fix.  How it can be remedied depends on what is the underlying motivation for the reactivity – in short – is it to get the trigger to go away? Or is it to get closer to the stimuli? What if I also add that it is rare for the dog to be feeling ONE emotion! I often see dogs who come across as struggling with frustration because they just want to go over to that dog as soon as possible to play, but are actually highly anxious in their interactions with other dogs as well, further compounding their initial reactivity.  Dogs are complex beings just as we are, and we need to appreciate this when dealing with their reactivity. 

Typically, every dog I see for “reactivity” training and behaviour modification I recommend goes on a calming supplement such as Hedgerow Hounds Tranquil Blend.  Alongside looking at the dog’s diet, their daily activities, the quality of their walks outside of the home and more, the calming supplement helps to put the dog in the best position to learn that the world doesn’t have to be as scary or frustrating (or both!) as they currently believe it to be.

It is highly important to get the right behaviour help though for your dog as some interventions can be truly harmful.  If your chosen professional is recommending you “correct” the dog through various methods such as a flick of the wrist with a slip lead, shaking a can of pennies at them, or other aversive tools such as vibration collars, choke chains, prong collars and even shock collars, please be aware there is significant fallout of relying on these corrective methods to alleviate your dogs’ problem behaviour.  In the same way children in schools are not punished for getting things wrong, dogs are emotional beings who also can be negatively affected by punishment-based interventions.   

Studies have shown that positive based training is more effective and does not cause any unwanted fallouts like corrective training does (1)(2)(3)(4).  If you are reading this then you are concerned about your dogs’ emotional welfare and that is the concern of all good behaviour professionals as well.  The important part of a reactive dog’s journey isn’t their behaviour, it’s their emotional world! Emotions cannot be corrected; only recognised, understood, and soothed. 

Most importantly, oftentimes living with a reactive dog involves compromise.  It involves respecting their genuine likes/dislikes with regards to other dogs (some dogs genuinely don’t want to play, or are too little to want to be around large breeds and so on), so they can learn to be less over-reactive on exposure to dogs in general.  We often place high expectations on our dogs and when these can’t be fulfilled we blame the dog, when really we need to ask ourselves “is this expectation fair?”

(1)    Vieira de Castro AC, Fuchs D, Morello GM, Pastur S, de Sousa L, Olsson IAS. Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare. PLoS One. 2020 Dec 16;15(12):e0225023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225023. PMID: 33326450; PMCID: PMC7743949.

(2)    Blackwell, E.J., Bolster, C., Richards, G. et al. The use of electronic collars for training domestic dogs: estimated prevalence, reasons and risk factors for use, and owner perceived success as compared to other training methods. BMC Vet Res 8, 93 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-8-93

(3)    Ziv, Gal. (2017). The Effects of Using Aversive Training Methods in Dogs – A Review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. 19. 10.1016/j.jveb.2017.02.004.#

(4)    Cooper JJ, Cracknell N, Hardiman J, Wright H, Mills D (2014) The Welfare Consequences and Efficacy of Training Pet Dogs with Remote Electronic Training Collars in Comparison to Reward Based Training. PLoS ONE 9(9): e102722. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102722

Jen Leslie is a canine behaviour specialist based in Buckinghamshire.  Originally completing a psychology degree to work with people, she moved across to dealing with the emotional worlds of dogs instead following a period of volunteering at a dog rescue with the dogs hard to rehome due to behaviour difficulties.

Jen has four dogs of her own, ranging from her 3kg chorkies to her 30kg Doberman/shepherd cross. She advocates primarily for little dogs and their misunderstood experience in this big world. 

You can read more from Jen at her website www.calvertcanines.com and on her facebook page www.facebook.com/CalvertCanines

GREEN CLAY Powder - For Pets

Our high-quality, pure Green Clay is a must-have for your natural first aid kit. Now available in a 250g bag or 650g bags for multiple dog households, horses & livestock.

Green Clay has excellent drawing properties, so it can be used for drying up wet eczema and hot spots and helping control infection in wounds and abscesses. Green Clay is so versatile and can be used for dogs, cats, horses, sheep, and other livestock. It forms a protective layer over injuries and also naturally repels insects. I have found that when treating horses and livestock that are troubled by flies, a drop of tea tree or lavender essential oil into the wet clay can further aid in repelling flies from the treated area.

It has a calming and soothing effect on a dog’s itchy or traumatized skin, breaking the itch-scratch cycle. It is completely safe if your dog accidentally licks or consumes it. The clay’s perfect partner in dealing with wounds, sores, and fragile skin is Leucillin; they complement each other brilliantly.

Green clay can be made into a thick paste with a little water and spread onto the affected area. This acts as a protective barrier for sore or fragile wounds and as the clay dries, moisture is drawn away from any wet areas of skin.

Perfect for all livestock and can be used wet or dry. A persistent wound which refused to heal, mostly caused by fly annoyance, was kept clean and protected by using the clay as a thick paste.

If used dry, it can be applied with a clean cotton ball and dusted onto the area or with a small, clean brush. This is particularly useful for instantly calming an inflamed area or itchy rash. Click here to view it on our product page: https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/green-clay 

For infected areas or those that are oozing the area should be cleaned in between applications. An excellent product for this is Leucillin antiseptic spray or dropper bottle.

This product should not replace veterinary treatment if it is needed or if a serious infection is present in a wound.

WILD GARLIC, IDENTIFYING & FORAGING

Wild garlic, from spring leaf in March through to full flower in May, the leaves, buds & flowers are all beautiful to eat.

The long awaited first shoots of wild garlic (Allium ursinum) always signals spring is here. As with most wild plants, it goes by many names. Ramsons is probably the most widely used, but depending on the region, also goes by devils posy or bears garlic. It was believed that wild garlic was devoured by brown bears as they came of of hibernation, probably due to the plants cleansing, antiparasitic, antifungal and antiviral properties.

Wild garlic has broad, spear shaped leaves with a long tender stem and can cover vast areas of woodland floor and alongside the shaded banks of brooks and streams. Depending on your location, the leaves start to appear in the South around early March, but further North it can be late April, early May.

All parts of wild garlic are edible, and it is unnecessary to dig up and eat the root as the whole plant has so much to offer anyway. The leaves can be used in stir-fries, made into pesto, stirred into scone and bread recipes and make a fantastic garlic butter. The buds are beautiful pickled in cider vinegar and kimchi recipes and the flowers make salads extra special and have a very delicate garlic flavour.

It is wise to also learn how to identify the two plants that grow in the same environments and to the complete novice, look a little similar. One is Lilly of the Valley, although I have never seen it growing wild, the young leaves can look similar to wild garlic, however it doesn’t smell of garlic in the slightest and the flowers are completely different.

The other potential is Lord & Ladies when it is first emerging in spring, but again it has no garlic smell and doesn’t have the white buds & flowers, so highly unlikely you will mistake this for wild garlic. It is essential to learn what not to pick as well as what is safe to eat.

You can often smell wild garlic before you see it and the second it is picked it releases its garlicky aroma. When driving home you`ll need the windows open as the smell is overpowering, another sign you have definitely picked wild garlic!

When picking it is good practise to pick individual leaves rather than just grab handfuls. This ensures you don’t clear large areas of the plant and importantly you are not inadvertently picking other plants that are growing through it. When you are cleaning your foraged ingredients, always sort through every stem so there are no imposters that you can`t identify nestled in there.

Caroline Hearn - owner of Hedgerow Hounds, lover of herbs and keen forager.

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

Gut Health, Immunity and Microbiome

At first glance the digestive system appears to have a very simple task of taking in food, digesting it, absorbing nutrients, and then excreting the waste, and while everything is in good working order, we never even give it a second thought. 

It is in fact an incredibly complex structure with a vast number of tasks to undertake. The more the gut is studied the more we realise the vital role it plays in achieving optimum health, disease prevention, and stabilising our emotional state.

Although the teeth are needed to some extent to bite, crush and tear off food the actual process of digestion doesn`t start until it reaches the stomach. With no digestive enzymes in the saliva to kick start it off, the food needs to quickly get where the real work begins, which is in the stomach.

 Oesophagus:

Is a long muscular tube that runs down the neck, passes through the diaphragm and uses strong contractions to push food directly into the stomach.  

 Stomach:

The stomach lies at the front of the abdominal cavity, tucked just behind the liver and acts like a big mixing bowl.  

Any incoming food is first subjected to an acid bath of around ph1, this immediately gets to work breaking down protein and also killing any harmful bacteria.

The walls of the stomach are lined with a thick mucous which provides protection from the strong acid as well as stopping the stomach from literally digesting itself.

As the stomach expands with food, a peptide hormone called gastrin is released, which in turn triggers more hydrochloric acid and digestive enzyme production.

To aid digestion even further the surface of the stomach is a mass of wrinkles and folds which expand and contract to grab food particles and perform a churning or chewing-like action.

At this point, the thick soup-like constancy of partly digested food and secretions is known as chyme.

The food has now been in the dogs stomach for anywhere between five and ten hours and its next destination is the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.

 Pancreas

The pancreas is a small gland, which sits next to the stomach and is attached to the small intestine, here it transports digestive enzymes through two excretory ducts into the duodenum.

The enzymes it produces are amylase to help digest starch, lipase to digest fats and trypsin and chymotrypsin to deal with the protein.

Enzymes are needed to break down food into tiny molecules and allow the absorption of nutrients into the cells of the intestines which then go on to be released into the bloodstream. 

It also produces and secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar levels. The higher the concentration of sugar in the diet the more insulin is secreted into the bloodstream and the harder the pancreas has to work.

Liver

The liver is the largest gland in the body and the only organ that has the potential to regenerate after disease or injury.

Its many crucial jobs include producing bile to assist the small intestine in breaking down and absorbing fats and to process the nutrients that are absorbed by the small intestine.

Its other roles include storing vitamins and minerals, acting as a filter for toxins in the bloodstream and as a glycogen store for when extra energy is needed. 

 Small intestine

The small intestine is made up of three sections, Duodenum, Jejunum (longest) and the ileum (shortest)

On receiving the nutrient-rich chyme from the stomach, it is joined by secretions from the liver, gallbladder and pancreas to further assist in the digestion process.

The small intestine is lined with millions of tiny finger like projections called the Villi, these act to increase the surface area in order to trap and absorb as many nutrients as possible.

Most of the absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestine, which are then released into the bloodstream to travel throughout the body to be utilised by the cells.

The final and shortest part of the small intestine is called the Ileum, here the food gets broken down even further in preparation to enter the cecum, the first section of the large intestine.

 Large intestine :

The large intestine is made up of the cecum, colon and rectum.

Its purpose is to remove water from the faeces, keep electrolytes in balance and to prepare and temporarily store any indigestible matter for excretion.

But there is much more activity going on in the colon than just that and although not a very glamorous area of interest, it does deserve our full care and attention.

The large intestine has a high concentration of bacteria referred to as the

Microbiome.

This is a collection of microbes made up of bacteria, viruses and fungi that we all have in our gut for efficient digestion, absorption of vital nutrients and to build a strong immune system.

 Our dogs would have acquired their unique bugs from their mother at birth and developed others depending on the environment they lived in and the food they ate.

The delicate balance of the microbiome can easily be disrupted by medication such as antibiotics, periods of stress and anxiety and a poor, unsuitable diet.

When everything is in balance these good bugs work hard to extract as much nutrition as possible out of the food that is consumed and to ensure the smooth running of the whole gastrointestinal tract.  

The bacteria are also responsible for assisting in hormone production such as serotonin, which occurs in the highest concentration thorough out the lining of the gut. 

A thriving, balanced microbiome is absolutely essential for the dogs ability to resist or fight disease, control inflammation in the body and for a positive influence on their mental wellbeing.

 Rectum and anal glands.

The faeces are then ready to be expelled along with the indigestible matter and dead red blood cells that it contains. 

Ideally, the dogs stool will be quite firm, which will press on the anal glands as it is passed, causing the glands to naturally empty.     

 All disease begins in the gut - Hippocrates

 Immunity and the gut

The gut forms between 70 - 80% of the immune system and has a vital role in regulating immunity, protecting our bodies from invaders such as allergens and pathogens and controlling inflammation.  

The food we chose for our dogs and the lifestyle choices we make for them will have either a negative or positive effect on their overall gut health, ability to utilise the nutrients in the food they eat, the essential fuel to grow and repair their body and to thrive well into their senior years.                                          

 Caroline Hearn - Canine Holistic Therapist

Emotions and the Gut

The gut is very sensitive to emotions, and I am sure we have all experienced the butterflies in the stomach, stomach cramps, that tight feeling in our guts, or acid indigestion which can come on in a split second when we are nervous, excited, fearful or anticipating a particular event. And our dogs are just the same.

If this is a brief episode, it is unlikely to have any lasting health effects, if on the other hand, it is a regular occurrence with little respite then the impact on the gut and therefore the health is huge.

There is a major factor in the link between gut health and emotions in the form of the enteric nervous system also referred to as the ENS.  

The ENS consists of millions of nerves lining the gut and specialists often call it the “second brain” as it has complex pathways to relay information back and forth from the gut to the brain as they interact. 

It is capable of shutting down digestion in times of acute stress such as in a fight or flight situation. 

Stress can be caused by many factors such as separation anxiety, excessive ball throwing so the dog is on a constant adrenaline high, inappropriate exercise for the dog’s age or mobility, picking up on the owner’s emotional stress, inability to cope in a noisy or stressful household and pain, illness or disease.

Whilst these are mainly emotionally based reactions that can be witnessed as the dog exhibiting certain behaviours, a poor quality, inappropriate diet, and exposure to toxins or chemicals can also cause the body stress, which may not show any visible signs immediately but develop over time into disease or outwardly noticeable changes in health and behaviour.

A gut that isn`t functioning correctly can manifest as the dog showing anxious, edgy, or reactive behaviour, which in turn triggers the release of stress hormones into the bloodstream such as adrenalin, and in the case of cortisol increases the level of glucose in the blood and will over time adversely affect the adrenal glands.  

Time to chill. Having time-out or chill-out days can be very beneficial to anxious, reactive, or even very active dogs, to bring them back into some sort of balance and down from their constantly stimulated state of mind.

A dog that is in a heightened state of fear, stress, panic and self-preservation will not physically be able to process and learn what is being asked of them. So by bringing down their stress levels, they will be in a better frame of mind to learn new skills, cope with their stress, and grow in confidence to make better decisions that are not fuelled by fear.

When dogs are over-excited, anxious or constantly alert to potential dangers their autonomic nervous system releases the fight or flight chemical adrenaline into the bloodstream, over time this becomes very damaging to the whole body and the gut in particular. The other subdivision of the autonomic nervous system is the parasympathetic which is sometimes called the “rest and digest system” and creates calm, relaxation, and a happy gut and this is what we are hoping to nurture on these quiet, restful days.

Anxiety can present itself in many ways, here are a few to look out for:

• Digestion problems - IBS, Diarrhoea

• Over excitability

• Reactive behaviour (aggression)

• Excessive barking

• Noise sensitivities

• Humping

• Resource guarding

• Chewing or scratching the body

• Inappropriate toileting in the house

• Excessive licking

• Ball obsession

• Pacing

There are several products on the shop to help relax and support nervous, anxious, and reactive dogs

Tranquil is an herbal blend created specifically with the nervous, anxious, reactive & stressed dog in mind https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/tranquil-relax-calm

Digest & Rest https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/digest-and-rest

Other blogs to help stressed and anxious dogs:

https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/snuffle-mats-and-balls

https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/anxious-dog

https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/feeding-raw-bones

The Stinging Nettle

Once prized as a valuable source of food, medicine, and material to make cloth and cord, the nettle (Urtica dioica) is now seen as a troublesome weed to be vigorously cut, strimmed and sprayed to control or kill it.

The humble stinging nettle goes by many names including burn nettle, devil’s plaything, and hoky-poky. Nettle grows abundantly and is probably the first wild plant we learn to identify as children, and once touched it leaves a lasting memory and earns our respect.

The serrated-edged leaves are covered in tiny hollow hairs, sharp enough to penetrate our skin to inject us with their cocktail of chemicals including formic and oxalic acid, histamine, and serotonin, leaving us with an itchy rash and peculiar numb sensation around the area.

Historically, nettle has been used as a food and fabric dye and its strong fibres can be made into clothing and strong cord. During World War 1, when cotton was very scarce, nettle fibres were cultivated on a huge scale to make uniforms for soldiers, and in World War 11 nettles were used to dye any camouflaged fabrics. Being such a hardy and vigorous grower, nettles would have been a welcome substitute for green vegetables in times of rationing, and if the tops are frequently nipped out it can be used as a pick and come again leaf or dried and used as a tea.

Uses: Medicinally, nettle is used (both topically & internally) to treat arthritic joint pain, seasonal allergies, eczema, and anaemia. It is also a great tonic for the hair and scalp. Nettle is best picked from February until early May, as after that time they become coarse and the flower heads start to appear. Older nettle, which is around knee height and beginning to come into seed, is best left alone as it will contain calcium oxalate crystals and cause irritation to the gut and urinary tract. Save these nettles for picking their seeds only.

If you have a patch that you frequently pick or cut back so there is constant new growth you can get another couple of months of use from it but you probably won’t get the benefit of nettle seeds. Maybe have one patch for picking leaves and another for harvesting seeds!

Nutritional value: Stinging nettle is incredibly nutritious with excellent levels of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, B, C & K, silica, and Quercetin as well as being high in chlorophyll. Nettle is excellent as a general tonic to boost lethargy and as a vitamin and mineral boost. It works to balance the body, including calming the nervous system.

The seeds can be harvested and dried around July to September, they have a lovely nutty taste and can be sprinkled onto salads or stirred into natural yoghurt or smoothies. The plant puts a lot of energy into making seeds and they are fantastic to eat for an energy boost and also traditionally used to support adrenal fatigue and the feeling of being burnt out. Pick on a sunny day and spread them out to dry on a large baking tray or even an old bed sheet if you are drying a large volume. Stir and turn occasionally so they are thoroughly dry, which may take a whole day in the sun.

Nettles are a tasty alternative to spinach or kale and work well in pasta, lasagne, pesto and even stirred into cake, scone and bread recipes. Just don’t be scared of them, yes you may need gloves to pick them, but once lightly boiled, steamed or blitzed in a blender they lose their sting. Many people overboil nettles, particularly when making soup and the end result is greyish-green and revolting. Think along the lines of preparing spinach, so 4-5 minutes of steaming or a brief stir fry, will preserve the flavour, colour, and those important nutrients.

Wildlife: Nettle is very valuable to wildlife and provides food, shelter, and protection for many species. Butterflies such as the peacock, tortoiseshell, red admiral, and the comma rely heavily on the nettle. Ladybirds will often be found on nettles and they will eat any unfortunate creepy crawlies that land, they are also a big hit with finches especially when the plant goes to seed and the pheasants just love pecking at the drooping seed heads.

Recipe for Nettle Hair Tonic-Rinse

This recipe can be used for us as a final hair rinse to stimulate hair growth or as a coat rinse for your dog to ease itchy skin.

You will need:

A large bunch of freshly picked nettles

Sprig of Rosemary

An optional drop of lavender essential oil or rosemary oil (best avoided in epileptic animals, just to be extra safe)

500ml water

500ml Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Put the nettles & rosemary sprig into a large pan with the water and cider vinegar and gently simmer for 40 - 50 minutes. Just check it halfway through cooking and top it up with more water if necessary. Take off the heat and set aside to cool before stirring in a drop of essential oil if you choose to do so. Strain through a muslin cloth or fine sieve over a bowl and then bottle. Use as a final rinse after shampooing or as a cooling coat rinse on a hot day.

Store in the fridge and use within 2 weeks. You could also find some suitable small containers to hold liquid and pop a bit extra in the freezer. Just remember to label it so it`s not confused with nettle soup!

Cream of Nettle Soup

This is a simple but very tasty way to cook and serve young nettle tops.

1 colander of washed, young nettle tops

I medium onion or shallot

1 tablespoon of salted butter

1.5 pints of light stock such as chicken or vegetable

Seasoning & grated nutmeg to finish

A quarter pint of milk

I tablespoon flour

1 Tablespoon of sour cream

Pick through the nettles as you wash them, removing any damaged leaves or coarse stalks, and then place them into a saucepan with enough salted water to cover. Gently simmer for 10 minutes and then drain.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in another pan and add the chopped onion to cook until softened, stir in the flour, and then add the stock, stirring all the time until it comes to a boil & starts to thicken. Add the drained nettles, salt and pepper and heat through for 10 minutes. Liquidize the soup in a blender until smooth. Return it to the pan and then add warm milk and stir.

Garnish with a spoon of sour cream, grated nutmeg or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Caroline Hearn ~ Hedgerow Hounds