Product Review: Nocciolata Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

To me, no breakfast is really complete without a little bit of chocolate. A lot of people are surprised when they find out that I still eat chocolate as a vegan because it’s assumed that there’s milk in chocolate. Some chocolates do contain milk, but not all.

Pure cocoa powder doesn’t contain chocolate—even the good old fashioned Hershey’s cocoa powder in the baking aisle of your local grocery store! I’m obsessed with cocoa powder and put it in my morning smoothie just about every day.  Cocoa powder contains iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc, so it actually does provide some great health benefits. 

Anyway, I was thrilled when I heard about the new Nocciolata Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread by Rigoni di Asiago. I’d never jumped on the Nutella bandwagon (because Nutella does contain milk), but I couldn’t wait to try the new dairy-free Nocciolata Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread because it was marketed as vegan, USDA organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, and environmentally-responsible.

Many competitor brands contain palm oil or are high in sugar and fat, but the Nocciolata Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread only contains hazelnuts, raw cane sugar, vanilla extract, cocoa powder,  cocoa butter, sunflower oil and sunflower lecithin. 

Let me just say that this spread is absolutely AMAZING. It is quite possibly my favorite thing in the world right now. I’ve had it for breakfast several times already on toasted whole grain bread, but I must admit that my favorite way to eat it is to stick a spoon right in the jar and devour it plain and simple. 

If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter (or any other nut butter), you’ve got to try this stuff. It would be amazing on rice cakes, celery, crackers, non-dairy ice cream, strawberries, or really anything else you’d like to have paired with chocolate. Find a store near you that sells it and treat yourself to a jar today. You deserve it! 

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering   with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: MELT Organic

Coming soon to a natural foods store near you: Food For Life sprouted waffles and english muffins

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day - especially on the weekends. Saturday and Sunday are typically the only days of the week where I have time to whip up some of my favorite pancake or waffle recipes, and I get a bit irritated if I need to be on-the-go first thing on Saturday morning and can’t get my weekly waffle fix. As other health-conscious vegans know, it can be difficult to find pre-packaged vegan breakfast foods that have that freshly made taste.

When I heard that Food For Life would be releasing several new breakfast items, I was thrilled! Not only is Food For Life’s sprouted whole grain bread my favorite type of bread, but Food For Life was also there for me with their wide range of gluten free products when I decided to try a gluten free diet for about a year.

New to the Food For Life family are Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Flax English Muffins and waffles. These delicious new items are diabetic-friendly, USDA organic, vegan, and Kosher Pareve. The Sprouted Grain Flax English Muffins are made with healthy ingredients such as organic sprouted wheat, barley, lentils, millet, and flax seeds, and the waffles come in flavors such as apple nut, blueberry, golden flax, and original sprouted grain.

The english muffins contain both Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and are comprised of 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving. The waffles combine 6 different grains and contain 9 essential amino acids.

With these delicious, healthy, and quick breakfast items, I no longer feel jipped on the weekends if I don’t have the time for a homemade breakfast. All I need to do is pop a couple of waffles in the toaster, top them off with a square or two of MELT Organic buttery spread and a drizzle of maple syrup, and I’m good to go.

The Sprouted Grain Flax English Muffins are just as delicious and are perfect for breakfast, a mid-day snack, or for a sandwich. I like to pop mine in the microwave and top it off with peanut butter and jam or a sliced avocado and a drizzle of olive oil.

Although these amazing new products are not yet available in stores, keep an eye out for them at a natural foods store near you! To find other Food For Life products, use the Food For Life store locator. Many Food For Life products can even be purchased in bulk online.

Whether you’re vegan, gluten free, or are just trying to incorporate healthier foods into your diet, Food For Life has you covered!

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: Food For Life

MELT Organic offers vegan, fair trade buttery spreads for your July 4th celebration

Whether you’re looking for a buttery spread to whip up your favorite chocolate frosting recipe or your mouth is watering for something to butter up the grilled corn on the cob during your July 4th celebration, MELT Organic has you covered.

MELT Organic offers products that are both delicious and affordable, but it’s also a brand name that you can feel great about supporting. Most of their products are vegan, including the new MELT Organic Probiotic Buttery Spread. If you’re like me, you’re always trying to find new ways to consume probiotic-rich foods. Receiving the great benefits of probiotics from indulging in a buttery spread is basically unheard of! Plus, the probiotic-rich buttery spread also contains good fats such as virgin coconut and flaxseed oils.

Rich & Creamy MELT Organic is vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher Pareve, and made from Rainforest Alliance Certified palm fruit oil. Have a gluten or soy allergy? No problem. MELT is perfect for you, or anyone else who is looking for a delicious plant-based buttery spread.

MELT Organic even offers buttery sticks which is perfect for baking or smothering on bread. According to MELT Organic, their buttery sticks cook and taste just like real butter, but with ⅓ the saturated fat and calories. Even better, MELT products also provide nutritional benefits, and they can be found in many stores throughout the United States. Use their store locator to find a retailer near you. You can even order MELT products online so you can spend less time in the store and more time enjoying the summer weather.

With delicious products on the market like MELT Organic, it’s getting easier and easier to go vegan each year. Bring any of these three MELT products to your 4th of July celebration and let others see for themselves just how delicious plant-based buttery spreads and sticks can really be.

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter  | Website | Pinterest
Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: MELT Organic

Try freeze-dried Crunchies for a flavorful snack in a pinch

It can be difficult to find healthy snacks that don’t require refrigeration or a lot of prep work, and that’s where freeze-dried fruits from Crunchies Natural Food Company come in. Many of us would like to eat raw foods on a regular basis, but we just don’t have the time, money, patience, or equipment.

Crunchies are more nutritious than fruits dried by heat, and they’re completely natural with fruit being the only ingredient! Freeze-drying allows the fruit to retain its nutritional value, while also enhancing its shelf life.

To retain most of the nutrients of fresh, whole fruit during the freeze-drying process, fresh fruits are promptly frozen after harvesting and undergo a low-pressure drying process where frozen water is removed directly as steam, bypassing the liquid state.

Thanks to Crunchies, we can keep an all-natural snack in our purse or lunchbox and not worry about keeping it fresh or refrigerated. Plus, Crunchies are incredibly affordable, delicious, and completely allergen-free. If you love the taste of fruit and don’t have an allergy to it, Crunchies are absolutely perfect for you.

Choose from single-serve bags of fruits for $1.25 each or resealable pouches that range from $5-6 a piece. Their current products include strawberries, mangoes, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, cinnamon apple, strawberry banana, and mixed fruit.

Purchase 6-packs online for $28.99 or find them in a store near you! Crunchies are the perfect healthy snack that you can keep on you at all times.

“We are simplifying the lives of active, health-conscious shoppers by offering a snack that’s hands-down the best in terms of ingredients, nutrition, taste and convenience,” says Scott Jacobson, president and CEO of Crunchies Natural Food Company. “Our hope is that, by giving people a new way to enjoy pure fruit, we can help them make better choices for themselves and their families.”

Pick up your first bag of Crunchies today and see for yourself just how deliciously convenient these snacks are. 

For more information, check out their website or find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Pinterest 
Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: Crunchies Natural Food Company

BFree Foods offers delicious variety of allergen free breads

As vegans and vegetarians, we know just how easy it is to live happy lives without meat or dairy products. However, it can become a bit more restrictive for many who throw gluten free into the mix, especially for those who love traditional breads, bagels, wraps, or buns. Many of the gluten free breads on the market contain eggs or milk, so those are out of the question for vegans. Many other store-bought gluten free breads tend to crumble or easily fall apart.

Gluten free vegans can now rejoice because BFree Foods offers delicious allergen free breads that just about anyone can enjoy. Not only are these delicious products moist and taste like the breads we all grew up eating, but they don’t crumble or fall apart either! Ditch that lettuce wrap and indulge in a traditional veggie burger or hummus wrap with these amazing gluten free breads from BFree Foods.

Each and every BFree bread product is free of common allergens such as dairy, eggs, wheat, gluten, nuts, and soy. Instead, you’ll enjoy healthy ingredients that consist of superfoods such as quinoa, chia seeds, flax seeds, buckwheat, and more. You won’t even be able to tell that BFree products are completely allergen free - they really do taste that amazing. Plus, BFree products are non-GMO and contain real, whole foods.

“We’re doing more than just making breads gluten-free,” says Nathan Fisher, VP of sales at BFree Foods. “We’re transcending trends to deliver real health and quality. Because of BFree’s top-notch nutrition, ‘authentic bread’ taste and durability, we truly stand out. BFree products appeal to a broad variety of health-conscious American consumers, including—but certainly not limited to—those with dietary restrictions.”

You can find BFree products such as bagels, wraps, rolls, and loaves of sandwich bread at many stores throughout the U.S. Use the store locator on their website to find BFree products near you. Unfortunately, BFree products are not available for online ordering at this time.

For additional information on BFree products, visit their website or find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: BFree Foods

Try energizing new green drink from Kaeng Raeng

Just like their clever name suggests, Kaeng Raeng is always coming up with new allergen-free products for individuals who are looking to feel healthy and strong. Their all-vegan products are filled with beneficial nutrients that helps each of us to feel our very best.

If you’ve ever done a standard cleanse, you probably know how awful they can be. However, the cleanses that Kaeng Raeng offers are the complete opposite! Kaeng Raeng cleanses are fun, refreshing, and delicious. Plus, they’re even soy-free, gluten-free, and free of caffeine, GMOs, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. There are no added sugars—just natural goodness. Their new Daily Green Energy is just what you’d expect from Kaeng Raeng, which is simply amazing.

If you’re not ready to do a full cleanse just yet, then the Daily Green Energy may be the perfect place to start. The Daily Green Energy is packed full of vegan probiotic cultures, B vitamins, and important nutrients that come from 12 real fruits and vegetables.

The Green Energy drink is perfect for a quick boost of energy, or a healthy meal on-the-go. I enjoyed my Daily Green Energy drinks as a nice pick-me-up in the afternoon, or blended into a smoothie for breakfast. It can also benefit you before or after a daily workout. Plus, it’s safe to drink during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Kaeng Raeng recommends drinking your daily pouch of Green Energy in a few different ways:

• The Health Novice should drink their Daily Green with a smoothie that consists of at least 12oz of water plus juice, non-dairy milk, and raw fruits and veggies. 
• The Health Conscious should drink their Daily Green Energy with 6oz of water plus 2-6oz of juice.
• The Health Nut should drink their beverage with 8-12oz of water. 

The Daily Green Energy is made even more convenient with their Green Blender Bottle for mixing on-the-go.

If you’re busy and have a hard time incorporating enough fruits and vegetables into your diet on a daily basis, the Daily Green Energy is for you. Where else can you get a single beverage that contains spinach, kale, banana, carrots, spirulina, ginger, chlorella, strawberry, peas, celery, blueberry, and broccoli? The Daily Green Energy drink is the perfect way to get all the nutrients you need into one glass.

Purchase your seven-day supply of energy for $34.99, or fifteen-day supply for $59.99. Trial packets are $6 each.

Kaeng Raeng also has some new body care products available, too! Check out their new line of body care products here. What will Kaeng Raeng come up with next? We can’t wait to find out!

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: Kaeng Raeng

Tribest Sedona Rawfood Dehydrator is every vegan food enthusiasts’ dream

If you’re a vegan food enthusiast like myself, then you’re probably interested in trying every type of food available to followers of a vegan diet, whether it be raw food, vegan paleo, high fat and low carb, junk food, gluten free, soy free, and more. Even if you don’t follow a raw food diet at all times, you’ve probably tasted dehydrated treats such as banana chips, no-bake cookies, or maybe even a dessert or a pizza at your favorite vegan restaurant.

Raw foods may seem time consuming, expensive, and tedious for many people, but they can be made simple with the right tools and accessories. If you’ve been dying to make some of your own dehydrated goodies but haven’t known where to start, then you’ll want to try the new Tribest Sedona Combo, SD-P9150-B Rawfood Dehydrator.

At $449.95, you may consider this purchase a splurge, but it will be totally worth it. Remember when you were worried about the price of your Vitamix but now you wouldn’t want to live without it? That’s exactly how the Tribest Sedona Combo Dehydrator will make you feel!

Many people think of raw food as eating nothing more than fruits, vegetables, and nuts, however, the possibilities are endless with the Sedona Combo Rawfood Dehydrator. You can make desserts, crackers, crusts, chips, and luxurious meals like lasagna and even pizza!

The Sedona Combo Rawfood Dehydrator has a five-year warranty and comes with nine BPA-free trays, which make it super convenient to dehydrate multiple items at once. You’ll enjoy features such as the digital thermostat, dual fan technology, stainless steel handle, and transparent glass door.

The Two-Stage Sequential Temperature-Timer (TST) is another great feature which allows you to begin the dehydration process at a higher temperature and then automatically lower it to finish the dehydration process, without losing any important enzymes that are often lost when foods are cooked at higher temperatures.

Even if you’re new to dehydrating food at home, the Sedona Combo Rawfood Dehydrator makes it easy with step-by-step instructions and plenty of information to get you through your first raw food cooking experiment.

You may find this Sedona YouTube video helpful if you’re a first time user. This video from Tribest may also be helpful at getting you familiar with the Dehydrator. Chances are that you’ll be addicted to your new Sedona Combo Rawfood Dehydrator before you even know it.

To get you excited about your new purchase, check out raw food recipes from Rawmazing, The Rawsome Vegan Life, and Choosing Raw. Enjoy your new addiction to raw vegan goodness!

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website

Minnesota Alex is a freelance writer who holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing. She has a strong interest in veganism, holistic health, and emotional and physical wellbeing. When she isn’t reading and writing about health and wellness, Alex is trying new plant based recipes in the kitchen or can be found volunteering with a Minneapolis-based animal rights organization or local rabbit rescue. 

Photo credit: Tribest

The Humane League announces major victory with Sodexo

In February, Sodexo, Inc., a leading quality of life services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, announced that it will eliminate the use of veal crates from its supply chain by 2017 and extend its previous commitments to source all of its eggs from cage free hens by the end of 2020.

The policy change was the result of an aggressive animal rights advocacy campaign facilitated by The Humane League, a national nonprofit animal advocacy organization with the mission to save as many animals’ lives and reduce as much animal suffering as possible.  

The Humane League’s Sodexo campaign was the organization’s single largest victory to date improving the lives of 750,000 hens each year once the policy is in place. Working to effect change at the both the individual and institutional levels, The Humane League’s data-driven, cost-effective strategies are designed to raise awareness of the cruelties of many modern agribusiness practices and improve the welfare of billions of farmed animals currently within the factory farm system. With Sodexo’s broad geographic scope, the changes initiated by The Humane League pave the way for the entire industry to follow suit.

“The Humane League may be a smaller nonprofit organization, but we have a big impact on the farming industry and facilitate system-wide change,” says David Coman-Hidy, executive director of The Humane League. “We are very proud that our organization can make major changes at some of the world’s largest food corporations with limited financial investments driving our national campaigns. The Humane League has built a strong grassroots presence via our national network of regional organizers who engage local activists and rally student support on campuses. This gives us an exceptionally large reach for such a small organization.”

The Humane League’s advocacy strategies are guided by research and refined by a focus on bottom-line results and accountability. Programs are data-driven and informed by the latest research within social psychology. Given the enormous scope of factory farming, The Humane League prioritizes enacting far-reaching changes as cost-effectively and quickly as possible. In-house research by the Humane League Labs, a research project of The Humane League, guide which messages, images, and approaches inspire the most dietary change and spare the greatest number of farmed animals.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 9 billion land animals are raised in the United States every year for meat, milk, and eggs, and most of them have little or no legal protection. These animals represent more than 95 percent of the animals used and killed in the United States each year, and because they are largely excluded from anti-cruelty laws, they suffer intensely on today's factory farms. The vast majority are subject to intense confinement where they are denied most basic behaviors and are frequently unable to spread their wings, stretch their limbs or turn around. In addition to welfare issues, factory farms have significant environmental and human health implications due to overcrowding and improper and insufficient waste disposal.

The 280 million chickens raised for egg production are arguably the most abused animals within agribusiness as they endure severely overcrowded, barren battery cages for virtually their entire lives. Battery cages are tightly confined spaces no larger than a sheet of paper that impede hens from spreading their wings or engaging in any of their natural behaviors. This outdated agricultural practice is so cruel that it is already illegal in the entire European Union and several states in the United States.

In recent years, The Humane League has actively targeted this issue by working closely with corporations and universities to boycott farms that use cage systems in an effort to enact broad policy changes from these companies. Through The Humane League’s campaigns, recent victories include commitments from Ikea, Au Bon Pain, Centerplate, Delaware North Companies, and Starbucks Coffee, among others.  

“Because of The Humane League’s anti-confinement campaigns, many top foodservice companies and retailers, some who operate across the globe, are now committed to ending their support of facilities that confine egg-laying hens to battery cages and mother pigs to gestation crates,” adds Coman-Hidy. “More corporations are increasingly seeing these anti­confinement policies as an inevitable shift in the right direction, The Humane League will continue to aggressively advocate on behalf of farmed animals.”

ABOUT THE HUMANE LEAGUE

The Humane League is a leading national nonprofit animal advocacy organization with the mission to save as many animals’ lives and reduce as much animal suffering as possible. Founded in 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Humane League works to end the worst cruelties of modern factory farming and also encourages reduced meat consumption through public education, outreach, and corporate advocacy campaigns. The Humane League has offices in the greater metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Maryland, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco. Offices will be opened in Denver and San Diego in 2015. Funding is made possible through private grants and tens of thousands of supporters across the globe. The organization has ranked as "Best in America" by the Independent Charities of America and named a "Top Charity" by the charity navigator Animal Charity Evaluators for three consecutive years. For more information visit TheHumaneLeague.com.

Top 10 Workout Songs for March 2015

This month's top 10 workout songs cover a wide array of tempos and styles that will complement an equally diverse range of workouts. For low rep exercises that strengthen your body—crunches, weights and so on—you might start with one of the slower tracks from David Guetta or Flo Rida. For a cardio routine—running, ropes, and the like—consider one of the faster numbers from alt-rock favorites Bleachers or club stars Yellow Claw.

If the feel is more important to you than the tempo, there are tracks spanning 100-128 beats per minute (BPM) and a variety of genres. The mix includes the latest confection from Maroon 5, a remix of Big Data's crossover hit, and a collaboration between X Factor alumni Fifth Harmony & L.A. rapper Kid Ink.

There should be something here for every taste and routine. If you're looking for a few new songs to spruce up your existing mix, you're in luck. Alternatively, if you need a clean break, you can swap in this entire list—since it blends a variety of speeds and sounds that will get you moving and keep you guessing.

Here's the full list, according to votes placed at Run Hundred--the web's most popular workout music blog.

David Guetta, Afrojack & Nicki Minaj - Hey Mama - 86 BPM

Flo Rida, Sage the Gemini & Lookas - GDFR (K. Theory Remix) - 73 BPM

Big Data & Joywave - Dangerous (Spacebrother's Electro Stomp Remix) - 126 BPM

Fifth Harmony & Kid Ink - Worth It - 101 BPM

Madonna - Living for Love - 123 BPM

Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life (Alex Adair Remix) - 117 BPM

Bleachers - Rollercoaster - 163 BPM

Maroon 5 - Sugar - 121 BPM

Yellow Claw & Ayden - Till It Hurts - 146 BPM

Penguin Prison - Calling Out (Elephante Remix) - 128 BPM

To find more workout songs, folks can check out the free database at RunHundred.com. Visitors can browse the song selections there by genre, tempo, and era—to find the music that best fits with their particular workout routine.

After Treasured k9s rehabilitation rescued Jindo ready for adoption

Recently it’s become trendy for many rescue groups and individuals to rescue dogs from the South Korean meat market trade and adopt them to families in the United States. Many of these dogs have suffered unimaginable abuse and it is impossible to know how they will adjust to a home.  While there have been great success stories with some of the adoptions, there have been many that did not work out. Because most owners do not understand the breed, many of the dogs are surrendered to shelters where they are almost always euthanized. The lucky few, like Alex, end up in rescues that have the ability to rehabilitate them.

Alex’s story begins when he was separated from his mom and pack at a few weeks old. Alex spent the first weeks of life in a dirty crate; scared, filthy, sick and only skin and bones.

Craig Petronella, a U.S. Service member stationed in South Korea, discovered Alex and soon learned the puppy was living with his second abusive owner who no longer wanted him and was about to abandon him in the streets.

Dog meat traders routinely pick the easy target strays and Alex was nearly doomed for someone’s dinner plate. Mr. Petronella adopted Alex and brought him home to live with his wife, son and dogs in Virginia.

Craig’s wife Ines recounts: “When Alex came into our family he was very scared, always trying to get away from us or hide. Fast movements, noise, cars, trucks, people – pretty much everything scared him. If he couldn't hide, he tried to attack.”   Ines witnessed Alex fearfully shutting down countless times.  Out of the blue, he would start to shiver, press his eyes tightly shut, push his trembling body against the ground and sit paralyzed in fear.

As Alex grew, he began to protect himself by becoming fearfully aggressive. The Petronellas consulted an animal behavior consultant who explained that Alex had suffered such severe psychological trauma that he required a more experienced home to recover.

Ines contracted Treasured k9s, the only non-profit rescue dedicated to Jindos on the East Coast and was relieved to find a group that was experienced in rehabilitating the breed.

“When I received Ines’s email, I knew exactly what Alex needed and that Treasured k9s was his only hope”, says Kristen Edmonds, founder of Treasured k9s. 

Alex was only eight-months-old and was at a prime age to learn to overcome his fear issues, build his confidence and learn to trust people. Treasured k9s has built a reputation on taking in, rehabilitating and successfully adopting dogs with behavioral challenges other rescues would simply give up on. 

“We do not seek out these cases but they seem to find their way to us”, says Ms. Edmonds. Treasured k9s is fortunate to have a long standing relationship with Jeff Kolbjornsen, a New York-based dog behaviorist.  Initially, Treasured k9s estimated Alex would need 2 months of rehabilitation with Mr. Kolbjornsen. After his evaluation, they realized the process would take much longer. 

 “When Alex first arrived at our center he was extremely fearful of me, had no training skills at all, and had a huge fear of the leash and collar that he was required to wear for training. The degree to which Alex bucked, screamed, and tried to get away by trying to bite was one of the more severe fear-induced demonstrations that I have seen,” says Mr. Kolbjornsen. 

Clearly, rehabilitating Alex was going to be a challenge.  Building trust with a dog who has such innate fearful behaviors requires a lengthy socialization period with the training handler as well as a long term, methodical desensitization process.

The rehabilitation process stretched over a 6-month period of daily socialization and rehabilitation which cost Treasured k9s over $20,000. Alex has progressed and plays very well with other dogs, is much more at ease with meeting new people, obeys commands, and understands his role and hierarchy in human relationships.

Currently in a foster home, Alex is ready for adoption into a household willing and capable of providing him routine, structure and rules. 

“My goal is to place Alex with an owner who is calm, observant, and firm. Alex requires patience not dominance,” said Ms. Edmonds. “Alex is proof that even the most difficult cases can and should be rehabilitated and given a second chance.” 

ABOUT TREASURED K-9’S. 

Treasured k9s is a 501(c)(3) dog rescue organization specializing in rescuing and rehabilitating Korean Jindo dogs. For more information on our Jindos awaiting forever homes and how you can help, please visit www.treasuredk9s.org.