All Things Dog Blog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Our entry into the world of Twitter Parties has presented many new product opportunities in recent months. I like to believe this is making All Things Dog Blog a better resource for you. After meeting Dr. Altman of Arenus at Global Pet Expo, I learned a few things about changes I've noticed in Tanner and Oliver.

We've been proceeding through our step-by-step review process with Tanner and Oliver, investigating Steadfast^® Canine, which is touted as a nutritional supplement for healthy joints, hips, cartilage, bones, tendons and ligaments to support normal mobility and ease discomfort. I wanted to see for myself.

When I first read this description my brain automatically associated this product with glucosamine and chondroitin supplements. I wasn't far off, but I was missing the other half of this advanced nutritional supplement, which includes both:

· NEM®, a whole-food matrix of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and amino acids needed to form the joint’s natural building blocks.

· TêlaFIRM®, an advanced micro-ingredient system of minerals designed to support the normal formation of bone and cartilage.

These advanced ingredients in STEADFAST® support more than just joints. STEADFAST contains two unique ingredients to support your dog’s joints, bones, tendons and ligaments, for more normal movement. A human, joint-health study with NEM® found people felt results in 7-10 days, compared to 6-8 weeks with only glucosamine and chondroitin. STEADFAST supports your dog’s entire joint and structural system. I found myself thinking about all my agility friends and wondering who may be using this product that covers so many bases.

So, what have I noticed that is different with Tanner and Oliver? Now approaching age 6, Tanner is no longer a puppy. He has continued to sit frequently in his 'froggy' position, but in the last year his approach to this position has been more tentative. He had begun to slide slowly down to the floor. If you think about a ballerina or dancer who can drop suddenly into a full SPLIT, that's not what Tanner was doing. He had a more gradual descent that suggested he was no longer as flexible as he once had been.

I suppose I did not notice this gradual change until one day recently, about a month into Tanner's new Steadfast regimen, he dropped to his frog position like that dancer I mentioned. I knelt beside him and felt the inside of his widely-stretched thighs. He showed no sign of tightness, nor did he flinch at my massaging motions. Clearly, Tanner is enjoying the benefits of the Steadfast formula with more flexibility as the primary visible change.

Oliver, whose patellas (kneecaps) show slight luxation (loose and easily dislocated) when examined by a specialist, appear to have benefited as well. After a short period of supplementation, my son arrived home from an extended trip, eager to play with his pups. His first task was to teach Oliver to twirl on his tiptoes, another ballerina move that I suggested may be uncomfortable to Oliver. Wrong again!

I am happy to report that in only a few days my son had Oliver demonstrating a 720 degree turn on just his 2 hind feet. Is that a coincidence? I'm guessing not so much.

Steadfast Canine has earned a spot in my dog's regimen, having proven its benefits to their mobility. Want to learn more before you decide? Check out their blog for more articles with extra detail, Like them on Facebook and follow their Twitter updates to keep up with changes in formula and new product information.

Where can you buy Steadfast Canine?

Arenus sells their product online. You can also find both the small and large dog version at Amazon, as well as other large retailers.
The Arenus Store Locator will assist you with finding brick and mortar locations near you.

I'll close with an interesting bit of trivia. NEM®, one of the two proprietary ingredients in Steadfast recently won the Frost and Sullivan 2011 North American Dietary Supplements for Joint Health New Product Innovation of the Year Award. That's a mouthful, I know, but obviously the industry thinks they are onto something good. How about you?

Watch for a giveaway of Arenus Steadfast coming soon, along with a bit of discussion on the flavor and palatability. Do you think Tanner and Oliver like it? We'll see.

Full disclosure: Samples were provided for Tanner and Oliver to run a trial of Steadfast. We were not paid to review the product or to write about our experiences, nor were we compensated for the giveaway that starts soon. All opinions are our own. There is no purchase required to enter the giveaway.