Picky Eater? Milk-Bone
Daily Vitamins Pick Up The Slack For Your Dog
When Django was a puppy,
she had huge paws. She would be a big, sloppy chunky Lab when she grew up, I
thought, and that what just what I
wanted. I wanted a big dog that would remind me of the Rottweiler I had in the
past. Schatzie was a humongous sweetheart, quite literally. So when we brought
home Django, I hoped she'd be just as big and lovable.
I can't complain because
she is the sweetest dog I have ever known and always, always by my side. She
goes with me wherever I go, gets upset when I stay out too long without her,
and sleeps with me at night. She's by my side when I'm working, writing and
cooking. She is part of my heart forever.
But she's not big. In
fact, she only recently clocked in at 55 pounds, her highest weight to date.
While she will eat most of her food over the course of a day, she is so
selective about eating that I worry about her getting all the nutrients she
needs. I tried the Milk Bone Good Morning Daily Vitamin treats because she will
always eat a Milk Bone even when she's in a picky mood. I give my kids vitamins
everyday to supplement their diet, so why not do that for Django and Hayley? She gulped them down and wanted more.
Whatever they are doing in terms of
flavor works, and the ingredients are filled with nourishment.
Health is top priority for
both my dogs, and I'm not alone. 1 out of 3
dog owners are concerned that their dog is not getting enough of the nutrients
s/he needs - especially given that essential nutrients are missing from many
dog foods.
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To think that years ago,
the quality of dog food was rarely ever mentioned…it’s an unsettling thought.
Whether pet food contained natural ingredients was not on the minds of most pet
companies, and the process by which it was made was certainly not a priority,
except perhaps, in the respect of cost value. So a dog food company that
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Safety is
#DiamondNaturals Priority (Just Like Ours!)
When a pet food company clearly identifies their ingredients, and they are natural and pure, it is a big plus in my book. With my chihuahua, Hayley, entering her senior years, it is even more important that we feed her the most natural ingredients. You might recall we decided on Diamond Naturals Grain Free food a couple of months ago. I'm happy to report that the food definitely does seem to be helping Hayley's digestive issues.
When it comes to safety, it puts my mind to rest to know that the company has developed a comprehensive food safety system in which "every aspect of the manufacturing process at Diamond Pet Foods is tested and monitored.
For example, in each of the company’s facilities, over 1,300 microbiological tests are conducted every week, including finished product tests, in-process tests and sanitation-verification tests." They also have a "test and hold" program where food samples are collected and tested, and then kept for the whole shelf life of that product, which typically runs for 12 months. I don't understand why more pet food companies do not instill these strict procedures, especially when what a dog ingests has the potential to kill an animal.
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Why Choose Grain Free Dog Food?
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| Hayley is technically a senior dog, although you'd never know it by looking at her! |
With all the varieties of dog food on the market, it can be overwhelming to stand in the dog food aisle and attempt to choose a food that caters to your dog's individual needs. I look at the different offerings and am never quite sure if the various foods are even all that different. They have foods for younger dogs, better vibrance, senior dogs, active dogs... the list goes on and on.
Grain free food is a food that is vastly different, however, because it doesn't contain any grains that can be harsh on sensitive stomachs. I have written before about my daughter Katie's battle with Hashimoto's Disease. Maintaing a gluten free diet is one thing that makes a huge difference in keeping the symptoms of her disease at bay. Likewise, her dog Hayley has had several issues with her stomach lately. At 10+ years, her older digestive system is just not what it used to be.
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Tips To Help Picky Canine Eaters Satisfy Their Appetite
Tips To Help Picky Canine Eaters Satisfy Their Appetite
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| Django, taking a seat at the kitchen table, thinking those sad eyes will elicit her own plate. |
Back then, she was eating three times a day and did this same ritualistic scarfing every single time. Could she have worms? Why was she always so hungry?
On a trip to the vet for shots, I related this story to our vet.
"Then she'll inhale her food in 10 seconds. Is this normal?" I asked. "And how can I teach her to not eat so much and so fast?"
"She's a growing puppy," Dr. Montella explained, "Feed her more."
Huh?
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Affording Grain Free Dog Food: It IS Doable!
As I've mentioned before, Kate and Hayley, our chihuahua, have a super special bond. Kate notices when any little thing is bothering Hayley. Over the past year, Hayley has had a less than normal stomach. Without getting in the gory details, her bowels are unpredictable at times. Since Kate knows what it's like to live with stomach pain, she naturally feels bad for her.
We've tried different foods and some are better than others. Of course, some are more expensive than others, too. We have tried to big popular brand name dog foods only to have Hayley's stomach become worse. At her age (10+), we know it may have something to do with her advanced years but plenty to do with what she eats, especially since she has been given a clean bill of health from our vet. So you would think that I would have considered a long time ago what I'm about to write, but I didn't.
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Could Greenies Be The Answer To Your Dog's Bad Breath?
The vet recommended that we look into having her teeth surgically cleaned and restored, but frankly at the time, we just didn't have the additional funds to do it. She was much older than her given age and we were working hard on identifying and treating her medical conditions at the time.
All the while, we tried our best to brush her teeth and keep them clean.
At her age and state of health, we decided against putting through a surgery for her teeth. She wasn't in any pain but her breath was, oh, how do I say...terrible. So we tried many dental treats, specialty toothpastes, and nothing seemed to work.
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