Saturday, February 28, 2009

How to Find a Veterinarian

Do you know how to find a reputable veterinarian for your four-legged friend? Think of it as if you are looking for a pediatrician for your human child. The same ideas apply; you are just looking for a veterinarian. A good place to start is to ask family, friends and coworkers. Do they like their vet? What kind of impression does their vet give? If you don’t have friends or family who live close by and you go shopping for a vet on your own do you know the questions to ask? Here’s some help.
Call a veterinarian in the area and make an appointment. Are they willing to see you without your pet first? If they are a good vet, they will understand. You want to meet the vet first alone to see if you get along and will be willing to trust your pet with them. Also ask them if they are willing to give you a tour of the practice. 
Arrive at the vet’s about fifteen minutes before your appointment time, this will give you a chance to visit with some of the other clients in the waiting room, and see how the vet interacts with not only them but their pet as well. It also gives you a chance to look around. 
How does the staff treat the patients waiting to see the vet? Are the office and staff neat and clean, or dirty and dingy? Does it smell clean or like urine and feces? Is the staff friendly and informative or standoffish and un-talkative? Are the vet’s credentials prominently displayed? Do they sell your brand of pet food? If not, do they have access to your food and are they willing to order it for you?
Questions to ask the vet:
  • Does the vet make house calls if you have a skittish animal or can’t get into the office?
  • If you’re in a rural area and have larger animals or birds, will the vet be able to take care of them too?
  • If money is an issue, will the vet work with you by allowing you to make payments on your outstanding bill?
  • Something else that is important, does the vet talk to you and explain things, or does he talk at you and expect you to follow his orders? You want a veterinarian who will work with you, not against you when dealing with your pet’s health issues. After all, your pet is still a member of the family and your veterinarian is just as important as any other doctor that a family member may see.

Ruthie Bently

Friday, February 27, 2009

Doggie Daycare

If your dog is a nervous wreck when you get home from work, it might be time to look into some alternative arrangements during the day. 
Luckily we have Doggie Daycare available! 
I know you’re asking yourself, why am I paying for my dog to go to daycare? The interesting thing is that we’re asking, “Why wouldn’t you?”
The most important reason is that if you are even half as busy as we are, you know that coming home to an unexercised, hyperactive pet is not necessarily a good thing. So tell me what you prefer after a long, hard day at work and hours of fighting traffic: a Jack Russell terrier trying to take you down by hopping all over you, or a happy, tired lap-dog who wants to go to sleep as much as you do? 
If the answer is a happy, tired lap dog that wants to sleep, then doggie daycare may be the answer for you. 
A good daycare will let you know how your pet is doing each day socially, physically and emotionally. If your dog is not ready for group play, daycare can keep them exercised and mentally stimulated during their stay. Your dog will get plenty of exercise and have the opportunity to socialize with other dogs. As a result, you will have a much happier and fit pet!
The costs for doggie daycare range so dramatically, I’m not even going to bother to list it here. Much of the cost will depend on where you’re located, your drop-off and pick-up times, and the quality of the facility. 
You want to ensure that the facility is clean, that the staff is highly qualified and that they are insured as a business. The location should be clean, free of any parasites and all pets should be current on their vaccinations. Be sure they feed high-quality snacks, such as CANIDAE Lamb and Rice Snap-Bits.
Take a look in your area to find a place that does doggie daycare. Even if you only take Fido a couple of days a week, we think you’ll be impressed with the benefits a pack can bestow on your pets.

photo credit: Copyright PetsWeekly, 2008

Stacy Mantle

Thursday, February 26, 2009

How to Decide if You Really Want a Dog

Do you know the questions to ask to make sure you really want a dog? If you are a previous owner of a dog, you probably already know because you have already been on that ride. If you grew up with dogs as I did, that isn’t necessarily a reason to get one, unless you had to help take care of a dog growing up. What most first time dog owners don’t realize is that owning a dog is a commitment for life and you should treat it that way. Unfortunately, many of the dogs that end up in shelters are there because their previous owners didn’t realize what getting a dog entails. 
There are costs involved past the original purchase price of your new friend. There are bills for the vet for regular visits and emergency visits, food, toys, gates, crate and training costs. If you live in city or country there are safety issues, and there can be issues with wild animals. These are just a few of the things you might come across. If you get a puppy, they teethe and dogs don’t stop chewing, they just stop teething when they get all their teeth in.
A good place to start is by doing some research into the kind of dog breed you are interested in, whether you want a purebred or a shelter dog. How much exercise will your chosen dog need? Do they need to sleep indoors? What kind of activity level will your new dog have? How much space do you need for the dog you want? Do you live in a house or apartment? Do you have a yard or will you have to walk your new friend? Do you have the time to take care of this new addition to the family, or are you a workaholic? Do you mind if the dog gets hair on the carpet or your white sofa? Or runs across your clean floor with muddy paws? Do you mind drooling? Does your city or state have restrictions against the breed you want to get? Does your chosen breed have health or allergy issues?
Go to your local library or book store and pick up a few books. The AKC has a comprehensive breed guide for all the AKC registered breeds. Simon & Schuster also has one that goes into the temperament and housing needs of the breeds in their book. There are several good books on the market today that can tell you what you need to know while doing your research. After you answer all these questions and you can still say yes, put on your seat belt. You are in for one of the most fun rides of your life.

Ruthie Bently

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

How to Find A Great Pet Boarding Facility

If you’re planning on leaving town and have less than three pets that you can’t really take along with you – a dog resort may be right up your alley. Today we’re going to be looking at Tailwinds Pet Resort in Phoenix, Arizona to give you an idea of what we look for in a pet resort. 
Comfort & Cleanliness
First and foremost, we like clean, comfortable locations that have lots of places to run. Spacious kennels for freedom of movement, and a clean facility to ensure my pet doesn’t come home with any type of parasite (our personal worst nightmare). When you do a walk-thru of the pet resort, take a close look at your surroundings.
  • Does the facility smell badly? Remember, it’s filled with animals, so keep the smell thing relative.
  • Do the animals appear clean, happy and alert? You can tell what an unhappy dog looks like.
  • Do you notice any bugs? If you see bugs, ticks or fleas on the floor or worse, on the animals, make a run for the door and don’t look back.
  • What types of cleaners are used? Try to stay with facilities that use all-natural cleaners, but understand that with a lot of animals in their care, it may not always be possible to do that.
Experience
Tailwinds Pet Resort is a relatively new boarding facility run by two women who love pets as much as we do, and they are meticulous. Between the two partners, they have nearly fifty years of experience in the industry and that comes out to a lot of quality care. Some of the questions you want to ask are:
  • What kind of experience does your resort have? It should be extensive. 
  • Are they hiring minimum wage workers to care for your pet or are they paying their workers well? A well-paid employee is a happy employee. 
  • How involved are the owners? They should be an active part of the business.
Safety
The safety of your pet is of utmost importance. Ensure that no escape from the resort is possible and ask what types of precautions they have built in to the facility. Identify any possible risks that you can see and ask your tour guide about them. Find out if a veterinarian is on-call for the resort and who that vet is. Discuss what the procedure is in the event of a fire or other danger. Ensure that they require documentation that your pet is current on vaccinations, because if they’re asking you, they are asking all of their clients. Most importantly, try to work only with resorts that keep staff on the premises 24-hours a day.
Feeding
The optimal situation for a pet resort is the ability to bring your own food in with your pet. TailWinds house food is organic CANIDAE, All Natural, Human Grade, Holistic Pet to all of their guests and this is a high-quality food that is recommended across the board. If you’re not bringing your own food in, ensure that your resort feeds something as high-quality as CANIDAE. 
This is a brief look at what you need to look for in a pet boarding facility. Of course, cost of stay, activities for pets, interaction between pets and people, and playtime with other pets should also be addressed, but seeing as how we’re out of space on this blog, we’ll be covering that in an upcoming article.

Photo Credit: Copyright TailWinds, 2008

Stacy Mantle

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

How to Find a Reputable Breeder

Do you know how to find a reputable breeder for that new pet you’ve been promising yourself? The most important thing I can tell you is to do your research. I did research for someone a while back who was looking for an English Bulldog puppy. As they wanted a purebred puppy, I started out at the American Kennel Club’s website. They have an online classified list of breeders of AKC registerable dogs. They also have listings of the breed clubs, breed rescue groups and a local club breeder referral. You can also check out the CANIDAE site for links to breeders.
The online classifieds on the AKC site allow you to see the breeder’s profile, which will provide you with information on AKC dog registration applications, whether or not the breeder is a member of a parent or specialty club, health screens for the parents, whether or not they provide a written bill of sale, if they will take the puppy back and under what conditions they will do so. It also tells you whether or not the breeder will provide you (the buyer) information for being a responsible dog owner, a health guarantee, if they tattoo or microchip the puppy, if they are enrolled in the AKC Companion Animal Recovery program, what AKC events her dogs participate in and how long they have been breeding.
Stay away from puppies coming from a puppy mill as they are often not treated well and can have many health issues. For more information on what puppy mills are and why you shouldn't support them, see stoppuppymills.org.
Questions to ask the breeder:
  • Are both of the parents on the premises and can you see them?
  • How old does your pet have to be to take home?
  • If you pick out a pet when they are too young to be taken home, can you come back for visits?
  • If you are buying a show quality pet, who will show them?
  • If you are buying a pet quality pet, do they need to be spayed or neutered and when?
  • If something arises in the future and you can’t keep the pet, will the breeder take them back?
  • Does your new pet come with a health guarantee?
  • Have the parents been certified healthy for issues the breed might have?
  • Have the puppies already had some of their shots?
  • What kind of food do they feed and how often?
  • I’m happy to say that I found several reputable breeders, and even found one that was close to where they lived, so they could go and pick out their own puppy. Not only that, the puppy I found is a happy and healthy dog today, with a warm and loving family.
Ruthie Bently

Monday, February 23, 2009

Pet Sitting: What You Need to Know

Heading out of town for a weeklong retreat? If you have pets, you know it’s not that easy to just leave town. This week, we’ll be exploring a few options for you and your pets. That is, if you’re not planning to take them along. (If you’re planning on your pet accompanying you, then check out our posts on vacations for you and your pets from last week.)
The first option you have is letting Fido and Fluffy stay in the comfort of their own home where they know the routine and are comfortable.  If you have more than two or three pets, this is probably the best scenario for you. A pet sitter offers more than just caring for your pets.  They will pick up your paper, keep a daily log so you know what happened each day and what they did while there, care for fish and other small pets, pick up your mail each day, and be available for a consult while you’re out of town. They should be equipped (and empowered) to handle any emergencies that come up and most importantly; they will be trustworthy and reliable. Here are a few steps to doing that when finding and using a pet sitter.
Focus on Experience
When you’re searching out a pet sitter, it’s important to use personal recommendations before you bring anyone inside of your home. Chances are good that someone you know has used a pet sitter. If they liked them and trusted them, give them the first shot.  If you don’t have friends with pets, start with the big businesses. Visit Pet Sitters International  (PSI) on your first stop. This organization has a ton of resources for the pet owners of the world and all of their members are licensed, bonded and trusted.
Big is Not Necessarily Better
You may want to give a smaller company a try. Often the large companies can be caught up in the paperwork and the sitter is working as a self-employed person anyway. The one advantage that larger companies can offer is backup, but that’s only if the sitter actually calls for it. Many experienced pet sitters go out on their own in the realization they can often make more money that way.  These are the sitters you want to keep around. Find one you like and use them whenever you leave.
Meet Your Sitter Before Leaving
Just because you like the new sitter doesn’t mean your pet will. Be sure that the sitter comes to your home for a consult. Have them meet your pets, show them where things are, and identify the best way to approach an animal. Pets change when you leave and they will not react to a stranger when they are alone with them the same way they will when you’re in the house. Leave the sitter alone with them for a few minutes. See how the sitter and your pet react upon your return. That will tell you a lot about your new sitter!
Before You Leave:
  • Ensure that your pets' food is well-stocked
  • Leave a detailed schedule of what is expected. (Free PDF file from PetsWeekly)
  • Sign a Veterinary Care Release form and leave with sitter.
  • Leave a contact list in the event of emergency.
photo credit: Copyright PetsWeekly, 2005

Stacy Mantle

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

For "Landlubber Pets and Caretakers"

Welcome to day two of our look at luxurious travel with pets. Today we set forth from the ocean to the woods for a weekend at a swanky resort for you and your pets. If you’re looking to stay on land, you’ll love today’s pet travel trends. AAA currently lists over 13,000 lodging options in its 2008 pet traveling guide.
With services that range from in-room doggy (and people) massages at the FireSky Kimpton resort in Phoenix, Arizona to a gourmet room-service menu at the Wyndham Orange County resort, your pet is sure to love this new trend as much as we do.
And Fido can even feast on Zen Yo, a hearty vegetable stir-fry that’s designed to help pets adjust to jet lag, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix. If you prefer a more humid environment, they can enjoy a liver pâté and braised New Zealand lamb served on a bed of rice at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa.
But you may be a bit more organic-minded. If that’s the case, your pets can enjoy a Buddy Burger hamburger with cheese (or without if Fluffy is lactose intolerant) at the Los Angeles’ Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.
While you’re in the spa, your pets can work off those gourmet meals with planned exercise activities such as swimming, hiking or even a day at their own pet spa, which may not contribute to fewer calories, but will do wonders for their beautiful fur coats.
Most hotels are now offering five-star service that includes bottled water, specialty menus, in-room pet services, and even turndown service for you and your pets. Whether you’re traveling with your dog, cat, reptile or even something as unusual as a llama, there is likely a destination resort that will not only host you and your pet, but offer you the services you both deserve.
For a list of the Top Ten Pet Resorts, visit the Cat Channel.

Stacy Mantle

What the Terms on Your Dog Food Bag Mean

There are many terms on the dog food bag. Do you know what they mean and what their function is?
As I mentioned in my last article, every dog food label has the same basic information. The guaranteed analysis lists protein, fiber, fat and moisture contents along with vitamin and mineral information. Some of the words may look like a foreign language to those of us who have no chemistry background, but I assure you they are real words.
Protein breaks down into over 20 amino acids in your dog's body, and these are responsible for bone growth, skin and coat condition, and proper organ function, and this isn't even the whole list. So you want to have a meat protein listed as the first ingredient. Some of the amino acids in my Canidae dog food are: Arginine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine Cystine, Phenylalanine-Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine.
Fat is a concentrated form of energy that the dog's body uses and has about 2-1/2 times the amount of energy that protein and carbohydrates have. It is also a source of essential fatty acids. Polyunsaturated essential fatty acids are used for healthy skin and your dog's hair coat, and assist the immune system in its normal function. Some vitamins even need dietary fat for their utilization by the body. So even a dog that may be overweight needs a certain amount of fat in their diet to remain healthy, they just don't need to be eating a food with 30% protein and 20% fat.
Fiber is the part of the carbohydrates in a dog food that is hard for a dog to digest. So why is it in there? Well, fiber helps give a more solid form to your dog's stools for one thing. It promotes healthy cell function and is used by the intestinal tract walls as a source of energy, and a certain amount of fiber is needed to combat constipation. It is also sometimes added to senior and less active diets, to add bulk to the food to make the dog feel fuller and reduces the amount of calories an overweight dog eats.
Carbohydrates are no less important for your dog and can make up to 55% of some dry foods. Carbohydrates tend to come from cereal grains like rice, barley, wheat, sorghum, corn, or oats. They are usually cooked to make them more digestible for dogs. CANIDAE of course contains no corn, wheat, soy, or grain fractions at all.
Vitamins fall into two classes, water-soluble and fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins are the B vitamins and Vitamin C, and help the body metabolize the proteins, carbohydrates and fats in your dog's food. The fat-soluble vitamins include: Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E. The fat-soluble vitamins are necessary for growth, reproduction, vision, proper absorption of calcium and phosphorus and as antioxidants.
Minerals are necessary for normal nerve and muscle function, as well as oxygen transportation by the blood, enzyme function, bone growth, blood clotting and hormone production. These include Calcium, Chloride, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium and Zinc.
Now the next time you look at a bag of dog food, you will understand what some of the ingredients do and how important they are to your dog. Skye loves her Canidae and so do I.

Ruthie Bently

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Sailing the Seas with Pets

Think that traveling with your pets isn’t possible? Think again. This week, we’re taking a look at some of the top luxury journeys that you can take with your furry family members. According to the latest National Pet Owners Survey taken by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63% of U.S. households, or 71.1 million homes, own a pet, and nearly 19% of dog owners and 3% of cat owners take their pet with them when traveling for at least two nights. That’s by land.
But, what to do if you didn’t have a land destination in mind? Not to worry. We’ve got you covered.
You may want to consider embarking on a transcontinental cruise aboard a luxury ocean liner. The Queen Mary 2 is a pet-friendly seagoing vessel where your pets are sure to get their sea legs. With fresh-baked biscuits at turndown and indoor or outdoor walking areas, your pets are sure to love the calming effects of the sea.
Cunard, owners of the Queen Mary 2, are proud to welcome pets on board with their “Pets on Deck” program. Fido and Fluffy can choose from a selection of pet beds comfortable enough to host any pet, and they will receive a complimentary gift pack that features a coat, Frisbee, name tag, food dish and scoop, a portrait with their owners, a “crossing” certificate, and a personalized cruise card.
The Kennel program on Deck 12 may seem unusual to most travelers, but for those who regularly travel with their four-legged family members, it’s a sight to behold. According to Cunard, “guests may visit their pets during specified hours and my even take them for – ahem – ‘walks’ in specified areas of the deck.”
Kennel managers, whose qualifications are more than worthy of our seagoing friends, oversee the unique program.
Luxurious travel with pets is possible! Board the Queen Mary 2 with your furry friends, as all are welcome. Fees range from $300 (U.S.) to $500 (U.S.) per cruise. Call Cunard to pre-arrange an ample supply of your favorite pet food. They happily accommodate special requests.

Stacy Mantle

Monday, February 16, 2009

How Much Should You Feed Your Dog?

By Suzanne Alicie

How much dry food should you feed your dog each day? Many responsible pet owners know that it is possible to overfeed a dog, which can lead to weight and health problems. But did you know that even the most loving pet owner can accidentally be underfeeding their dog, causing health problems and weight concerns? As a dog owner and someone who has been around dogs quite a bit, I have heard several rules of thumb for how to decide how much food a dog should be given each day. These “urban myths” for planning your dog’s nutrition are the cause of both overfeeding and underfeeding. Some of these include general statements such as:
•  No more than 1 cup of food per dog per day.
•  Whenever the dog goes to the bowl there should be food in it.
•  Allow 15 minutes in the morning and the evening for the dog to eat, no more.

All of these sound about as foolish to me as an adult saying they plan to only eat 1 cup of one type of food all day, every day. Simply ridiculous!

Every bag of dry dog food in the United States usually has a daily feeding chart indicating how much your dog should eat based upon the type of food within the package and the weight of the dog. However, this is only a suggested serving size guide, and each dog may differ slightly in their nutritional needs.

For example, a Border Collie that lives on a farm and works hard every day running and herding will need more energy providing, healthy food each day than a dog that lounges around the house and is taken for a quick walk twice a day. People and dogs have a lot more in common than you may think. Nutritional needs are based upon many factors in both humans and in dogs. Each dog has both breed traits and their own individual metabolic system that should be figured into planning a doggie diet or figuring a dog’s nutritional needs.

There is a scientific and mathematical formula you can use to determine how much dry food your dog needs to eat each day. Don’t panic – I am not a mathematical whiz and will explain the formula to the best of my ability, and attempt to reduce your confusion at the same time. It is really a very basic formula; I just hope my explanation can do justice to the simplicity.

The first thing you will need to know is the RER or Resting Energy Requirement (basically the daily caloric intake) for your dog to maintain his current weight. To figure out how many Calories (a.k.a. Kcals) your dog should consume daily to maintain his weight you use a simple mathematical equation to determine the RER.

 (30 x body weight of the dog in kilograms) + 70 = RER (Kilograms is pounds divided by 2.2).

For Example: A 61 pound dog would break down to 27.73 kg.  So: 27.73 x 30= 831.9 + 70= 901.9 RER/Calories (Kcals) per day.

This gives you the total number of Calories (Kcals) needed daily to help your dog maintain a healthy weight. In order to keep your dog on a healthy nutritional diet to maintain weight, you should split the calories into at least a morning and evening feeding. Unless your dog is overweight and on a strict diet, it’s fine to include some healthy and fun treats like CANIDAE Snap-Bits™. Just be sure to factor those calories into the requirement of how much your dog should eat each day.

For example, if you want your dog to maintain the weight shown in the example above, simply check the nutritional guidelines on the food you are using to figure how much food it will take each day to meet your dog’s daily RER, then divide it by 2 for two even meals twice a day. CANIDAE offers several different premium quality formulas, including All Life Stages, Grain Free ALS, Lamb & Rice and Chicken & Rice, all with detailed Calorie (Kcal) and nutritional information on the package.

Figuring out how much to feed your dog may seem complicated and like a lot of work when you know that as long as you put food out each day he will eat it. But part of being a responsible pet owner involves making healthy choices for your dog. Maintaining his nutritional needs in order to control his weight, provide him energy and strength as well as keeping him healthy is not a lot to ask. If you are concerned that your dog is over or underweight, consult a veterinarian before increasing or decreasing your dog’s daily food consumption.

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Flying High with Pets

From sea to land to air, we are looking at the best ways to travel with your pets this week. Today is a spotlight on JetBlue Airlines and their “JetPaws” program designed specifically for high-flyin’ pets. They even offer pets who sign up for the free program a specialized list of p’etiquette tips, a pet travel guide, and when they are ready to board their flight, a new bag tag that lets everyone know your pet is fully content to board that flight!
All parts of their planes are fully pressurized and temperature controlled to ensure that your pets receive the best care and are purr-fectly safe while in-flight.
If you really want to fit in with the JetBlue crowd, pick up a new custom collar from the airline’s custom design, a specialty pet travel kit, or maybe even a stylish pet carrier that offers the ultimate luxury for jet-setting canines and felines. All are available from JetBlue’s line of custom pet products.
Another favorite of ours is the Midwest Air Premier Pet Program. Earn frequent flyer points for your pets as they accompany you to your next vacation spot. They’ve even teamed up with Drs. Foster & Smith to offer you some luxury deals on all of your pet travel needs. Whether you choose their “In-Cabin” or “Below cabin” specials, your pets are sure to experience the same luxury service as they have all become accustomed too.
No matter what your dream vacation is, there is a luxury destination out there that will host both you and your pets in the way you’ve become accustomed.

Stacy Mantle

Saturday, February 14, 2009

How to Pick the Right Dog Food

When walking into the pet store these days, the dog food choices can be overwhelming. There are many new foods along with the old names that many of us recognize.  How do you pick the right one? There are several things to consider when choosing a dog food. The dog food you pick should be appropriate for your dog's weight, activity level and any allergies that he or she may have. So what do you look for on a dog food label?
Every dog food label has the same basic information. The guaranteed analysis lists protein, fiber, fat and moisture contents. Usually this will also have vitamin and mineral information. There will be an ingredient panel, which tells you what ingredients were used to make the food. You will also find the Daily Feeding Guidelines, which gives you an idea of how much dog food to feed your dog.
The ingredients should be listed in descending order on the ingredient label. This means that the first ingredient listed should be the protein source. An ingredient panel that lists corn as the first ingredient is one you want to stay away from. Corn ingredients help to shape the kibble and the dog food companies use it to keep their costs down, but some believe it has been causing health problems like obesity, pancreatitis, diabetes and even liver disease in our companion animals. So you want to have a meat protein listed as the first ingredient.
I ran into the overwhelming choices myself recently and even though I have experience in the pet industry and plenty of experience with dog food, I was overloaded with the choices offered. My dog Skye is a three year old American Staffordshire Terrier with seizure issues, and though she has not had any seizures since living with me, her weight has gone up due to the medication she is on. I don't want to feed any of the diet foods, as they tend to use powdered cellulose to add bulk, and to help the dog feel full; so they weren't even considered.
I am happy to say that I found the perfect food for her. I had been doing research on the Internet and had been looking at a food made by CANIDAE. They have a new food on the market called CANIDAE Grain Free ALS Formula. With my nutrition background, I was impressed with the fact that not only was it grain free, it could be fed to any life stage of my dog; I just need to adjust how much to feed her based on her age and weight issues. The first three ingredients on the label are: chicken meal, turkey meal, and lamb; which are three protein sources. This food is 80% meat and 20% fruits and vegetables. There were no added sugars, or commercial preservatives like ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT. I took a sample home and mixed just a bit in with her regular food.
While Skye has always been a good eater, she has never before this been dancing around in the kitchen while I was preparing her food, and recently I had been having issues getting her to eat, as the medication she takes is a liquid and very salty. Even though it is mixed into her food very well, it wasn't enough to hide the taste of her medicine. I am happy to say that is now a thing of the past. While it will take me two weeks to change her over gradually, as the bacteria in her intestinal tract needs to adjust to digesting the new food. In this way we don't have any stomach or intestinal issues, and that makes me happy, though Skye would be perfectly happy to be eating only CANIDAE from now on.

Ruthie Bently
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