My Buddy Butch Blog » Jeff’s Rants

Sochi officials order killing of stray dogs to prep for Olympics

Jeff Marginean — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 04:01:20 +0000

A friend of mine in England sent me this post today. I told her it was on our news here in the USA also.

The Russian city of Sochi has quietly hired a private company to carry out a mass cull of its stray dogs ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics. Alexei Sorokin, director general of Basya Services, said that his company is involved in what he described as the “catching and disposing” of dogs. Sorokin refused to specify whether they shoot or poison dogs or say where they take the carcasses. The revelation comes after Sochi city hall last year publicly dropped plans to dispose of more than 2,000 dogs and cats after outrage from animal rights groups.

Read the entire article here.

Budweiser’s Commercial Wins 2014 Big Game #1 Ad…Again

Jeff Marginean — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 03:42:32 +0000

Thanks to our friends at the Today show here is a look by NBC’s Joe Fryer of how this great commercial was made. It took 8 trained puppies and 17 trained horses to get all of the shots needed for this touching 60 seconds.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Wake Up America and Smell the Jerky!

Jeff Marginean — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 03:15:40 +0000

Hi everyone. Even though I have been taking a much needed break, my mind is not far from the articles and issues that surround folks and their pets. While writing this next book and doing a tremendous amount of filming this summer, I have been cruising the web and my emails semi-regularly and I have received many questions and requests for my opinion on the China Jerky fiasco that has been brewing for a long time now. Many pet owners attribute sickness and even the heartbreaking death of their beloved pets to the various brands of Chicken, Duck, and Yam Jerky treats. Now, although the companies manufacturing the “Wagon Train,” “Canyon Creek,” “Milo’s Kitchen,” to name a few that have been brought to my attention, reportedly are finding no issues with their suppliers and see no reason to recall what they are determining to be a safe product.

(I ran across a good article at NBC.com about this.)

To answer the many emails I received on this. Butch did not die from eating jerky from any of these companies. I had put him to sleep due to the increasing bad effects from his brain tumor and I write more about this in my forthcoming book. Butch loved this jerky and I had fed it to him sparingly as a nice treat. The only problem I had (and he had) with the jerky is that he would bite too much off at once and choke while trying to swallow too big of a chunk. I remedied this by further drying out the jerky in the oven until it was crunchier for him and he could break it into smaller bits.

Do I think that the jerky caused his tumor? There is a 99% chance that these or any other type of treat did NOT cause his tumor. I always leave 1% possibility for everything because the older I get the more I learn that anything is possible no matter how improbable. The FDA and other officials are citing that the percentages of reported cases are so low (roughly 2200 sicknesses and about 360 dogs and 1 cat have died because of what the owners think came from the Jerky treats out of 15 million pets eating them) that it could be an intermittent thing or some peculiarity with these specific animals. On the My Buddy Butch show I have heard of so many types of allergies and reactions in pets coming from MANY different types of store bought items that I can’t personally rule that out.

In any case, screw the percentages, if my pet that I love dies because of what I think is a Jerky treat or any other kind of commercial treat or commercial food for that matter, I would be on roof tops screaming to warn other folks about a potential problem. “I love my dog or cat more than anything and I fed it something and it died.” This is devastating to everyone that has lost a pet and trying to determine the cause is often as upsetting as the death itself.

So, coming from someone that has absolutely no allegiance to any pet related companies, let me give you a few tips that I think you will be able to use…today!

1^st – If you don’t trust the jerky, and I don’t care what company name is on it, don’t buy the product if it says “MADE IN CHINA” on the package. Jerky treats have not been around all that long for pet consumption. Pets have survived long before Jerky treats showed up on the market and I’m guessing your pet will be just fine if you don’t give them jerky!

2^nd – Buy Jerky products made in the USA from ingredients grown in the USA. Have we already forgotten the big Pet Food recall in 2007 with Melamine laced pet foods made in China that killed many animals that ate it? I have personally stopped buying ANYTHING that says “MADE IN CHINA.” If there are no USA alternatives I make it myself (including toys) or we did without. With the state of our economy…don’t get me started on that…I am willing to pay a few extra dollars on a product made in the USA. Butch was worth it to me and I personally think enough of my money is being sent to China by our government I don’t have to give it to companies for them to send it there also…but that’s just me.

3^rd – The small companies spring up with a good idea and bring a good product to market whether it be food or treats. They gain popularity because they are using good quality ingredients from here in the USA where they know the freshness of the produce and the supplier personally in most cases. Then they are bought up by the larger pet companies who have supply chains around the world and put together ingredients in large scale. They can’t possibly be monitoring everything going on in all of the factories where items are produced in foreign countries. Don’t get me wrong. The large pet companies do a lot of good in research and product development that have improved their products over the years. They have no interest in putting products on the market that kill or sicken pets of any kind and they do what they can to prevent it. Their operations are so immense that unfortunately sometimes things slip through the cracks. I worked for a multibillion dollar worldwide company outside the pet industry for many years so I know how it works.

4^th – MAKE YOUR OWN JERKY! Even before Butch was ill I was cooking him foods and making him jerky in my own oven. I bought ingredients in my grocery store once a week. I fed him human grade food along with a good quality pet food. Some things I fed him raw, some things I cooked slightly rare. Jerky can be made from just about anything. Buy yourself a big roast or skinless chicken breast, cut it into thin strips, use any type of a rack on a cookie sheet to catch the grease and put it in the oven at 180 degrees for 4 to 5 hours. The result is Jerky that you KNOW is safe. It will even be dryer and more crunchy so your pet has less of a chance to choke on it.

5^th – learn to make some other types of treats. Buy a cheap cut of meat. Shoulder roast or other cut. Ask the butcher at your local grocery store if they have any discounted cuts they need to sell that day. You’ll be surprised at what they have discounted. One time they gave me a NY strip steak for $5.00 they needed to sell that day. I took it home cut it into small cubes (Butch was 25 pounds) sautéed it rare in a little olive oil and I had 4 small ziplock bags full of strip steak treats. BUY THAT IN A PET STORE! I froze 3 of the bags and they lasted almost a month. Few treats a day, they were SAFE, and they were much better for him than commercial treats.

With the price of meat, along with everything else going through the roof do the math. You are paying less making some treats or jerky yourself than you will buying marginal treats laced with chemicals of all kinds in a pet store.

I will be posting more articles on this and other items regarding pets, pet care, pet products and other items that I have opinions on in the near future. As I get closer to a release date for the book and the other filming that has been done I will let everyone know! THere is going to be some sweeping changes to the My Buddy Butch Brand in the coming months and next year so stop back again to check on the progress.

Bye for now,

Jeff Marginean

My Buddy Butch Show 5/12/2012

Jeff Marginean — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:43:21 +0000

Hour 1

This week - Butch Passed away on May 1st. Jeff is now flying solo for the time being and he talks about what it was like caring for Butch during this difficult period and the responsibility that we pet owners must have if we are to do the best we can. After all, If the rolls were reversed and it was possible for Butch to care for Jeff in this situation…we have no doubt that he would do everything that he could….just like we should do everything that we can to help our pets when they are sick or coming to the end of their truly short lives!

Hour 2 – Jeff Continues the discussion and talks about the future of the My Buddy Butch Show without our namesake and reason for being ”Butch” and how things will go on. He introduces the TV show and talks about how Butch’s brother “Bosco” will be filling in for Butch until “Junior” comes along. “Bosco” is the anti-Butch! HA! He is the exact opposite of Butch and maybe that’s why they loved each other so much. They were best buddies and never fought. Bosco (and mom Buttons) is very sad without Butch around. Jeff’s second book has now been shelved in favor of another book discussing these current issues with Butch and what Jeff did and perhaps might have done differently if given the chance. So here we go again…Jeff will be training a new puppy! Taking us through the entire process of Picking a new partner for the show and TV show, Training this little guy how to follow in KING BUTCH’s paw steps and hopefully live a LONG HEALTHY life! In the mean time keep a look out for Butch’s Buddy of the week! Also Jeff wants to mention the Recall on Diamond Pet Food for Salmonella…of course…

My Buddy “Butch” Diagnosed with Brain Tumor

Jeff Marginean — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:50:34 +0000

"Butch"

I began reporting after Christmas on the radio show that Butch was not feeling well and we were stumped as to what the problem might be. Well, the worst of all news has come to pass regarding the illness and the Seizures that he began having in January. With only a few weeks of slowed behavior and an almost complete loss of appetite, the seizures started with no warning on January 16th. After a tough month into February and a trip to the Ohio State University Center for Veterinary Medicine Neurology Department for a complete workup and examination, it was discovered through an MRI that Butch has a tumor growing from the center of his brain and a mass of fluid roughly the size of a walnut surrounding the tumor. This tumor is called a meningioma which is relatively slow growing but nonetheless as dogs his size age roughly 5 to 7 years to 1 human year his time on this earth will be decidedly cut short. With the various treatment options available, the least objectionable (and least terrifying to him) was the use of steroids to reduce the swelling of his brain and hopefully significantly reduce the fluid built up around the tumor. This will relieve the pressure on his brain and in conjunction with the use of phenobarbital

Butch MRI from OSU

to curb the seizures, will give him the ability to function normally for the time that he has left. As he has now been on the steroid taper since Feb 23rd and finished the first round on March 27 he has done remarkably well and is basically his old self again…for the time being. He has had more good days than bad days and is fully functional. He still plays and enjoys laying in the sun but his squirrel chasing days are over. There is no way to know what has caused this, where it came from, or if there is a genetic component to it. It is very difficult to watch this middle aged dog (7 yrs 8 mos at this writing) who was healthy as a horse slow down so rapidly in the prime of his life. I am enjoying the time we are spending together while he still has good quality of life left in him. As I was ready to put him to sleep on a couple of occasions, I was persuaded that as long as he is not in pain, is functioning on his own, and still enjoying his days to ”just leave him be!” There are many people that I have spoke to that say “He will let you know when he’s had enough and his time has come.” I’m taking it a day at a time and hoping that they are correct. Only time will tell. In the mean time, we’ll just keep playing ball as long as he wants to and he’ll be eating steak every weekend!

Since many of the cancers that develop in dogs are so similar (if not identical) to those in humans the definition of “Meningioma” may apply to both.

From Braintumor.org

MENINGIOMA – These tumors grow from the meninges, the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. As they grow, meningiomas compress adjacent brain tissue. Symptoms are often related to this compression of brain tissue, which can also affect cranial nerves and blood vessels. In some cases, meningioma growth can also extend into the bones of the head and face, which may produce visible changes. Most meningiomas are considered nonmalignant or low grade tumors. However, unlike nonmalignant tumors elsewhere in the body, some of these brain tumors can cause disability and may sometimes be life threatening. In many cases, meningiomas grow slowly. Other meningiomas grow more rapidly or have sudden growth spurts. There is no way to predict the rate of growth of a meningioma or to know for certain how long a specific tumor was growing before diagnosis. Meningiomas are graded from low to high. The lower the grade, the lower the risk of recurrence and aggressive growth….read more

Nick Stein Interview – Producer of National Geographic Channel’s Border Wars on David Hartley Murder on Falcon Lake.

Jeff Marginean — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:27:45 +0000

Series Producer Nick Stein talks about the situation on the U.S. Mexico Border

MY BUDDY BUTCH EXTRA

One of the biggest things that I stress on our weekly show is keeping your families safe from any kind of harm. From food and product recalls, to crime and violence, it is important to stay informed about what is going on around our country and what you can do to avoid making uninformed choices. I was lucky enough to have Nick Stein give me a call for an interview to discuss the tragic murder of David Hartley and the pain that his family and his wife Tiffany is going through. Nick also talks about the situation with our border patrol and the great work these brave Americans are doing keeping watch on this dangerous situation on our border. God Bless the work these people are doing and we should all thank them for helping keep us safe. Catch this episode of Border Wars on National Geographic Channel Tonight Wednesday Nov. 17th at 9pm Eastern and check out National Geographic Channel Web Site for more info.

Listen/Download the interview HERE Borderwars_NickStein

BOTCHED BLOG!!!!

Jeff Marginean — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:51:09 +0000

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year!…well…not yet. You have probably been wondering where we have been, not blogging after the last show and for the last couple of weeks. I have been unable to log into “Wordpress” in order to add the blog. So, to fix the problem we had to “Upgrade” to the latest version of wordpress, which in turn, completely blows away the work that I did last year getting the sidebars filled just the way I want them. Don’t you just love it when you are going along just fine, making no changes to the program, happily adding blogs and information and everything you’ve done to get it just right is blown away in 60 seconds! I guess it’s a great way to go out in 2009, leaving all of these types of problems behind, and starting 2010 with a fresh canvas~!

All of the archives are in tact and all of the pages should be just fine. I’ll be working to restore the sidebars as soon as possible!

Mowing, Music, and My “Muse” Butch!

Jeff Marginean — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:31:31 +0000

I wanted to take this opportunity, almost at the end of my proverbial “mowing” season, to write a post based on my reasons for enjoying the “Mow” as much as I do. I have recently had more than a few questions regarding my love for outdoor work, so I thought I would take the time to give you all an explanation. It’s more than just the few cold ones I enjoy while riding the mower and waving at the neighbors waiting to see how long it will take for me toÂ take outÂ the corners ofÂ flowerbeds!Â Being a producer for many years and working with many great musicians, writers, and engineers, I have often wondered where they get their ideas or who(what) they find to be theirÂ “muse” for creation. As life and God have been good to me over the years, I look for solice in anything that I can. Something away from the noise of the phone, TV, office, people wanting part of my time which I am only too happy to give…often to a fault. When I was younger, my parents had a place at a nearby lake which I spent a lot of time onÂ our boat listening to music, alone, thinking, planning, and wondering how things would turn out years in the future. As life would have it, I am still wondering how things will turn out in the future. Mowing my lawn for me affords me the ability to think, plan, and wonder about the future and what is currently on my plate as well as future projects that would be fun, informative, and entertaining for all of “Butch’s ” fans. Music has played an enormous role in keeping my wheels turning and the new ideas flowing. Listening to the greats, writing, thinking, pouring over particular songs that touched me deeply, and analysing every note of every instrument. Years ago, I recall my then girlfriend Mary, who is still a great friend (with her husband Tom andÂ her family), asked me about why my taste in music was so broad. “Jeff, How can you like almost ALL music that you hear, when I absolutely HATE some of it!” The only answer at that time that I could come up with was ” When we listen to music together, I don’t hear the same thing that you do!” It was at this point that I started to think very hard about this question and realized that I hear things very differently than most people. I can find something good in just about any piece of music that I run across. This is what lead meÂ in a totally different direction in life from the picket fence, which honestly, is what I secretly crave! Funny how things turn out, huh!?!Â My mowing music ranges from Classical to Kiss and everything, and I mean everything, in between. This music, much of which I grew upÂ with, opens the door to the wonder and renewal of dreams that I once had when I was younger that I did not have theÂ means to attain. My means haveÂ allowed me to do a few things but I think Butch, insteadÂ of a trustworthy woman, has kept me in check theseÂ last six years.Â

Merriam Webster defines “Muse” asÂ “to become absorbed in thought; especially : to turn something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively” As fate would have it, being single at this point in my life, Butch has become my muse! He has given me direction, purpose, and a family freindly perspective which now drives everything that I do with “My Buddy Butch.” I am now working on some interesting projects, with Butch,Â that hopefully you will find entertaining for your kids and the whole family! The radio show will be expanding, we will be introducing new individuals to the show, and weÂ will be working on more video and our newsletter. So thank you for listening and monitoring the site, reading the book, and sending us your emails! Stay Tuned!

LIVE FROM NEW YORK! MY BUDDY BUTCH AT THE BOOK EXPO OF AMERICA!

Jeff Marginean — Sun, 31 May 2009 01:03:12 +0000

Yes I’m still here and Butch is none – too -Â happy about it either! I’m sure I’ll hear about it after I get home tomorrow. Anyway I wanted thank everyone that came out to the BEA this weekend at the Javits Ctr. in New York City! It was great to talk to you and hear some of the interesting “Tails” about your furry animal kids. I admit that I really enjoy all of the book signings I do but I really have to say that this was one of the best experiences that I have had. Representing the Mom’s Choice Awards, spending the last couple of days as an award winning author, and meeting all of the other Mom’s Choice Award winners was a truely a humbling experience.

I am very grateful for all of those who helped me make it throught the weekend and kept my schedule moving forward smoothly!

Well, there will be more later on my trip to the Big Apple. Heading back to Ohio tomorrow morning,Â so from the 37th floor of the New Yorker Hotel in the heart of New York City, this is Jeff Saying good bye and see you when I get there!

FAMILY FIRST! My Buddy Butch Radio Show Temporarily Postponed!

Jeff Marginean — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:13:51 +0000

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick update. First, I apoligize for not getting an announcement up sooner about the show being postponed last week. This spawned a landslide of emails wondering what happened! We can’t possibly answer all of the emails that came in but I do want to thank everyone for their concern. My Dad went in for a heart procedure last week and some complications did arise that we need to take care of. He is doing fine but may need to have surgery this week to correct a problem that stemmed from the procedure. Needless to say, things have been a bit stressed here the last couple of weeks! Needing to see what arrangements will have to be made, I have postponed the show another week to make sure everything is under control here with him.

As has been my philosphy for years, “Family First!”Â So, I am hoping we can get things back to relative normal for the May 21st show. At this point I will still be appearing at the Book Expo of America in New York at the end of May and doing 2 book siginings. I’ll let you know if this changes.

Thanks for all of your well wishes!

Jeff and Butch!