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Archive for September, 2011

Review: Stella & Chewy’s Freeze Dried

This particular food is somewhere between dry and raw. They do sell a frozen raw variety, but this review is of their freeze-dried patties.

Freeze-dried is a great way to go – it doesn’t lose the same amount of nutrients as cooked kibble, but is much less of a hassle than complete raw.

I have a large dog, so to feed this to her as a full meal, it would be expensive as hell. She LOVES it though! They offer beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and surf-and-turf – her favorite is the beef.

What I use it for is a food topper. I break the patties up, and they’re very easy to crumble so I make it fairly fine and mix it throughout whatever food she’s eating. It’s a great incentive for her to eat and a fun treat. I’ve also found that since she likes it so much, it makes a great training treat!

The interesting thing about dehydrated patties is that you can actually re-hydrate them and it creates a little burger of sorts. Either way, it’s particularly awesome for small dogs or those with teeth problems since it isn’t hard and crunchy. If you have the means to feed this to your dog as an actual meal, then that’s great! I strongly recommend it for picky eaters, as it works almost every time.

Their formulas are grain free and they use organic ingredients where they can. It’s definitely a top of the line food on its own, but has the added benefit of being an easy-to-use raw formula.

For more information on the ingredients, dehydration process, and where to buy, please visit their website!

 

By Holly  Sep 30th 2011 Posted in Food, Product Reviews  No Comments »

The Rotation Diet & Why It’s Awesome

The Rotation Diet & Why It's Awesome

The majority of consumers only switch their dog’s food a few times during their lives, if that. Vets, friends, and people at pet stores tell people not to switch around foods, that it’ll only upset your dog’s stomach.

Uh, duh. If you ate chicken and only chicken every single meal for your entire life and then suddenly switched to beef, your stomach wouldn’t be able to handle it. Anyone who’s gone a long time without fast food is already quite aware of this.

My own dog is on a rotation diet and has been since she was a puppy. I buy a different food every single time – different protein, different brand, sometimes grain free and sometimes not – and she doesn’t ever get ill from this. Like a person or an animal in the wild, her diet is extremely varied and she can handle it all.

Doing this is a great way to prevent future problems. If you need to feed a different food, your dog eats something else, or a friend or boarding facility feeds the wrong thing, there won’t be a diarrhea problem. This alone is absolutely worth it!

But wait – there’s more!

Dogs and people alike can develop an allergy to something they eat often to an extreme. If a dog eats chicken one hundred percent of the time, later in life they could start itching and getting health problems. The same goes for grains and other common proteins. (Always stay away from wheat, corn, and soy in general!)

The other thing is that again, like people, dogs can have vitamin deficiencies and unless you do expensive blood tests at the vet to find out, you’ll probably never know. Different dog foods have different balances of nutrients, so if your pet is naturally low in a vitamin and the food you’re feeding is also low, it can cause a deficiency or make it worse. By varying their foods, you’ll be giving them a much better balance of vitamins.

This is a perfect feeding routine to start a puppy on, but if you have an adult dog who has already been on the same food for years, you’re definitely not going to want to jump right in there and switch their food immediately. You’ll want to slowly blend the foods and switch over a week or two, depending on how sensitive  your dog is.

This also isn’t for every dog! If you have a pet who has an extremely sensitive stomach (you know, the ones you look at wrong and they get diarrhea) and you’ve just found a food that works, you probably want to just stick with that. Illnesses during puppyhood, bad breeding, and breed in general can contribute to having an extremely sensitive stomach.

It’s up to you and your individual dog to decide what works for you, but a rotation diet is definitely something to consider!

By Holly  Sep 26th 2011 Posted in Food, Health  2 Comments »

Top 5 Reasons for Adopting an Adult Dog

Okay, okay. Puppies are fricking adorable. I adopted my own dog as a puppy, though I had actually been looking for an adult dog.

They are so very tempting – all new and darling and they evoke all those parental instincts. New and seasoned dog owners alike often prefer to get puppies, and the reasoning varies depending on the person.

Let’s be frank, here. Puppies are a pain in the ass. They chew (mine chewed two Blackberry smartphones. TWO.) everything they can get their little teeth in, and they require extensive commitments when it comes to time and training. It really is similar to having a child – you’ll be running home from work every couple of hours if you aren’t the stay-at-home type, and you’ll definitely be waking up in the middle of the night when he cries.

Between the obedience training, shots, potty training (and resulting messes), and everything else, you’re out a whole lot of time and money and it can be very frustrating. Rewarding, but frustrating, and there are other options for those who might want a dog in their lives without the hassle.

Adult dogs are just awesome. Yes, you can find purebreds through rescues or even breeders if you want papers, and there’s no reason to immediately discard the idea.

Whether you choose to go with a dog that’s two or ten, there are some major benefits.

  • 1. Potty training is over and done with. No stained carpets or standing outside in the freezing rain at 3am to make sure Ace goes and gets praised. Yes, this is what you have to do with a puppy.
  • 2. Manners! It’s ridiculously easy to find a dog that’s trained in basic obedience at a shelter or rescue, especially right now. You’ll have a polite dog that might require some brushing up or you can just start with teaching the fun tricks!
  • 3. No chewed shoes, electronics, couches, baseboards, house siding… Puppies chew everything. They rip up carpet and have some inner sensor that lets them know which piece of furniture is the most expensive. Yes, some dogs do chew out of anxiety, but there’s plenty of non-chewers out there and at least your hands will be spared from those needle teeth!
  • 4. Less hyperactivity. Of course there’s breeds like Labs and Boxers that never truly grow up, but if your lifestyle doesn’t involve a lot of jogging or physical activity, a four or five year old dog is awesome. This is especially true for older people, those with less mobility, or houses with small children that are easily knocked over.
  • 5. Personal satisfaction and instant gratification. Maybe this shouldn’t be a primary reason for adopting an older pet (and you should absolutely be sure you want a dog first), but it is a direct benefit. You get to know that you very possibly saved a life and are providing a wonderful pet with love and companionship – and vice versa!

Of course there are adult dogs with new challenges out there. Some have anxiety, or have learned bad habits, or have health problems. But seriously, there are so many dogs out there waiting to be adopted that you can absolutely find your perfect companion.

By Holly  Sep 20th 2011 Posted in Behaviors & Training  No Comments »

Healthy, Readily Available Dry Dog Food – Updated!

Recently there has been a big push for large chain pet stores to carry higher quality dog food. It’s great for the average consumer and makes it easier to find food that’s actually healthy for your pet, but bear in mind that you’ll still often get much better service in smaller boutique stores. Also, check prices! Often local pet shops are actually cheaper than their big-box competitors!

Remember, if you’re not sure, read the back of the bag and check those ingredients! You also want to make sure that the food is not made in China, and is out of the U.S. or Canada.

Petco

  • AvoDerm – This food is formulated to improve a dog’s skin and coat, but a few of their formulas do have grain so if your dog has dry, itchy skin, it might be a grain allergy. Some are grain free. 5lb bag = about $14.
  • Blue Buffalo – A very commonly available, quality food that comes in a variety of formulas, including lite, large breed, and puppy. They also have a high protein, low carb version called Blue Buffalo Wilderness. 5lb bag = about $18.
  • By Nature – Quality ingredients, but only a small variety so far. The single source of protein and added yogurt makes it good for dogs with allergies and digestive issues. 5lb bag = about $13.
  • Castor & Pollux – Large variety including weight management, large breed, and puppy. Weight management formula does have beet pulp as filler, but good protein sources. They also offer an organic-focused version called Organix, and many options for treats. 5lb bag = about $13.
  • Grandma Lucy’s Artisan – Grandma Lucy’s makes some very popular human grade dog treats and had branched out into foods. Their Artisan formula is grain free and uses hormone and antibiotic free, human grade protein sources – making it a very expensive food, but a nice choice for the organically-minded. The limited ingredients and single protein source make it good for dogs with allergies, and their formulas are for all life stages. 3lb bag = about $35.
  • Halo – Fun trivia, Halo is co-owned by Ellen Degeneres. A very readily available, affordable food that comes in limited variety, but does have a puppy formula. They also make great dog treats. 5lb bag = about $12.
  • Holistic Select – This is an interesting food. They make several varieties with unusual proteins which is a good thing, but they do include a lot of grain. 5lb bag = about $16.
  • Merrick - My dog loves Merrick’s foods! They have a big variety of proteins and flavors and their wet food selection is huge. They also have a grain free brand call Before Grain (BG) and a less expensive brand called Whole Earth Farms. 5lb bag = about $15.
  • Natural Balance – Very easy to find, and they have a big variety of formulas. There is not always a protein source as the first ingredient, but it is a little less expensive and has good limited-ingredient options for dogs with allergies. They also make treats, and dog food rolls that are great for training. 5lb bag = about $12.
  • Nature’s Variety Prairie & Instinct –  These are generally considered high quality foods with a little variety. Prairie is their basic brand and Instinct is grain free. 5lb bag = about $13.
  • Pinnacle - I don’t know what their formula was before, but looking at them now they’re pretty decent foods. There’s a lot of grain in the holistic formulas, but they offer a grain-free option as well that is actually cheaper. I would not recommend the holistic formula based on the very high price. 5lb bag = between $13-$20.
  • Solid Gold – They manufacture food as well as popular treats. Their formulas are completely grain free, and not quite as expensive as some of the other grain free foods. They make adult and puppy formulas, as well as specific formulas for small and large breeds. 5lb bag = about $16.
  • Wellness - Wellness is a little more pricey, but has a huge variety of quality foods with different protein sources, including weight management, senior, and puppy. They also make a grain free formula called Wellness Core. 5lb bag = about $16.

PetSmart

  • AvoDerm – This food is formulated to improve a dog’s skin and coat, but their Natural Triple Protein formula does have grain so if your dog has dry, itchy skin, it might be a grain allergy. The other formulas they carr do not have grain. 5lb bag = about $14.
  • Blue Buffalo – A very commonly available, quality food that comes in a variety of formulas, including lite, large breed, and puppy. They also have a high protein, low carb version called Blue Buffalo Wilderness. 5lb bag = about $18.
  • By Nature – Quality ingredients, but only a small variety so far. The single source of protein and added yogurt makes it good for dogs with allergies and digestive issues. 5lb bag = about $13.
  • Castor & Pollux – Large variety including weight management, large breed, and puppy. Weight management formula does have beet pulp as filler, but good protein sources. They also offer an organic-focused version called Organix, and many options for treats. 5lb bag = about $13.
  • Innova – Previously sold only in small boutique stores, the Naturapet brand has recently moved into big-box stores after being purchased by Procter&Gamble. Their ingredients are still high quality, but I’d keep an eye on the back of the bag just in case. There’s a wide range of formulas with different flavors and nutritional balances. 5lb bag = about $15.
  • Nutro Natural Grain Free - Nutro has apparently stepped up its game and brought out a quality grain free formula. It has a regular formula, easy digest, and venison. 5lb bag = about $15.
  • Simply Nourish – This looks like a decent food, but a protein is not the first listed ingredient so that’s something to keep in mind. They have several different flavors for adult dogs and a puppy formula. 5lb bag = about $15.
  • Wellness - Wellness is a little more pricey, but has a huge variety of quality foods with different protein sources, including weight management, senior, and puppy. They also make a grain free formula called Wellness Core. 5lb bag = about $16.

WalMart

  • FreshPet Select – This is not actually a dry food, but comes in refrigerated rolls or individual meals. It gets expensive to do it this way, but is definitely one of the healthier choices in some chains. They also make refrigerated treats, and dog food rolls are always good for training treats.
  • Newman’s Own – Yes, they make a dog food, and treats too! Usually inexpensive, but they sometimes have fillers in their formulas. One of the best, cost-effective choices in some big-box stores if you do not have a pet store nearby.
  • Three Dog Bakery – Okay, their bakery blend isn’t that great on the dog food scale. The first ingredient is wheat, which is bad news for dogs with allergies (and they can indeed develop an allergy later) but WalMart carries such extremely low quality pet food that this one is better than the other options. 5lb bag = about $12.

Target

  • LifeSpan - This appears to be a surprisingly high quality dog food to be sold in a big box store. No variety, but there are no by products and no wheat, corn, or soy. Good alternative if you can’t make it to your local pet store or there isn’t one near you.

There are a lot of amazing quality dog foods out there that aren’t available in big-box pet stores, but are readily available at small boutiques – and if they don’t have them, usually they’ll be happy to order. Orijen, Acana, Great Life, The Honest Kitchen, Stella & Chewy’s, Evanger’s, Fromm’s, and Taste of the Wild are just a few of the other super high quality foods that are out there. Check your locally owned shops, including feed stores!

I very strongly do not recommend giving any store, large or small, any of your business if they are selling puppies or kittens. There are always alternatives!

By Holly  Sep 18th 2011 Posted in Food, Product Reviews  No Comments »
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