Everyone enjoys the group ring, we have worked hard and the recognition that comes with obtaining a group placement brings great satisfaction of a job well done. For me the greatest joy as a breeder is when other handlers comment on my dog’s energy level or the condition that my dog is in and ask if I could bottle this for them to take home. My answer is, “yes, you may also have the energy and vibrancy within a few months after adding parsley to your dogs diet.”

What is truly interesting is that if you go back many years your oldest and wisest breeders and handlers always had parsley added to their dogs morning feeding! It is something we have lost sight of with the age of convenient powders and additives in a pill or the latest dog magic in a bag. Just recently I was sharing this with one of the top winning breeding kennels and the response was, “yeah, we used to always put parsley in the bowl and we don’t anymore and I am not sure why we stopped.” The reasoning was probably something to the fact of one more thing to get at the store and one more thing to prep and put in the bowl. While I cannot guarantee you a group win or a Best in Show, nor can I guarantee that this will fix all your health problems, I can tell you that this may solve many of issues at your kennel.

Parsley in a sentence is “The one herb that will allow all systems to move at appropriate levels for optimum health without any stress-related factors.” Here is a closer look at why you should consider fresh or dried parsley, using the leaves and or seeds, in your feeding program as an additive (not in therapeutic doses for pregnant and lactating bitches–please consult your health professional in those regards). Parsley acts like an antioxidant in that it neutralizes the negative effects of the environment by eliminating toxins and maintains the elasticity of the blood vessels. It is very beneficial for the liver, digestive system, to re-boot the immune system, reduce stress levels in the endocrine system and will benefit every area of digestion.

It has diuretic qualities but does not diminish fluidity of the body, only removing excess toxins at the cellular level and at the same time it flushes the kidneys. Scientists have isolated a compound in parsley called APIOL, which is now used in medications to treat kidney ailments and kidney stones. Now as we move down to the bladder, parsley is an antispasmodic reducing the urgency to urinate as in irritable bladder syndrome, at the same time strengthening any weakness of the bladder as well as protecting the bladder from the accumulation of bladder stones. It reduces the overall stress on this system as well as a reduction of inflammation.

Since parsley has toxin removing qualities and combines with manganese which assists muscles as an antispasmodic, this allows the body to move toxins out of the muscles. Some arthritis’s are caused by an accumulation of toxins in the joints that calcify causing disease. Parsley also helps with rheumatism and gout for the same reasons as stated above.

The stomach and intestines, the large and small colon benefit from parsley as a carminative by helping to reduce as well as release cramp-producing gasses. It can aid in the expelling of tapeworms and other parasites after treatment and can be used to help remove excess mucous that was formed by the affliction while helping the intestines and stomach quickly return to normal digestion and function of elimination.

As bitches move into their breeding cycles, it aids in keeping the mucous linings from congestion that reduces the implantation of the zygotes. It is recommended to use leaf parsley during pregnancy due to its emmenagogue qualities, meaning that it helps to stimulate blood flow to the pelvic area. It is not recommended to feed therapeutic amounts of parsley, by using the roots and seeds, while your bitch is pregnant. It is recommended to use more parsley, in the leaf form and ground seed form, post-delivery to reduce the inflammation in the horns as well as to aid in milk quality production versus milk quantity production.

Parsley is a known expectorant, breaking up congestions in all areas of the eyes, nose, and mouth allowing normal function after different ailments. This may help the mouth of certain breeds to become dryer and reducing their drool, as well as reducing motion sickness during travel.

Here are all of the properties that are in parsley; the leaves contain essential oils, also more vitamin A, C and flavonoids than in oranges or even in lemons. Parsley also contains vitamin D to regulate the absorption of calcium. Also the amount of chlorophyll in parsley is great for cleansing the mouth and has the added benefit of keeping the breath fresh. Parsley is full of minerals: iron, calcium, potassium, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and manganese. Other chemicals that are available are Apiin, apiol, bergaptein, myristicin, pinene, glycoside, camphor, petrocelinic acid, furanocumarine, iodine, and phosphorus. All of this can be found in the leaves. When using the seeds and or roots all of the above is amplified with the exception of chlorophyll.

Some of the best ways to feed parsley is to buy enough bunches to use for a week, rinse and dry, place in the freezer for 8 minutes and chop fine in your food processor, then store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Leftover parsley can be added to chicken or beef broth that has been diluted and put in your ice cube tray. I might add here that puppies that are teething really enjoy this as a treat and gum soother at the same time. After freezing, store the cubes in Ziploc baggies for up to 6 months. When on the road, you can add dried parsley flakes with some reduced benefits. If you use canned with dried foods, chopped fresh parsley is easy to mix in. Very few dogs object to parsley and if you have one that does object, hide it in other treats for about a week and then you should not have an issue with palatability. The amount to use would be 1 teaspoon for small breeds (very finely chopped) to 1 tablespoon for larger breeds (chopped). You cannot give too much as your dog will eliminate any amount that is not needed.

As with all whole food additions to your dog’s diet, the dog will use what it needs and discard the rest. Whole foods are beneficial in that the complete nutrition is available to the dog. That science is not complete, as we have not identified all nutrients that are in each and every food. If you are having continuing concerns with health issues in your kennel please contact your health professional.