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Three Ways to Take Better Care of Your Dog

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Compared to our human loved ones, dogs are wonderfully low-maintenance. They are not only perfectly content with who we are, flaws and all, they also love us unconditionally just for being there. All we have to give them in return is fresh dog food , shelter, and some attention when we can spare it.  But that being said, it’s important to make sure that you’re taking the best care of your furry friend as possible. Here are three ways most of us could take better care of our dogs, be it ensuring they’re eating a nutritionally-balanced diet, that they’re relaxed, and that we’re making time to focus on them and reciprocating the love they show us each and every day. Reassess Their Diet Whether you’re feeding your dog kibble from the grocery store or making him or her fresh food every day, you owe it to your pup to make sure they’re getting the proper nutrients they need in each and every meal. After all, our pups aren’t that much different from us: Neither of us sho
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The Importance of Feeding Your Dog a Balanced Diet

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The importance of a healthy, well-balanced, nutritionally-complete diet for dogs has become increasingly clear recently. Unfortunately, that understanding has come at the cost of some ill pooches. Health issues are commonly caused by one of two culprits: commercial dog foods having too little (or too much) of a nutrient, or well-meaning owners putting their dogs on diets that lack the appropriate nutrients or contain dangerous ingredients. Providing a balanced canine diet can be tricky because, despite being fellow mammals, the nutritional requirements of canines and human beings aren’t the same. Commercial formulations are generally preferable to homemade because they have been engineered specially for canine physiology. The trick to ensuring that your pooch eats healthy dog food is finding the right commercial formulation, and that can be harder than it seems. Homemade Diets There are two popular classes of homemade diets: raw and cooked. The philosophy inspir
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Possible Causes of Your Dog’s Picky Eating and How to Entice Them

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There’s a good chance that anyone who’s owned a dog has encountered episodes of picky eating at least once or twice. While it’s usually a transient behavior, a dog refusing to eat or eating very little can still be a source of anxiety, frustration, and wasted pet food. Thankfully, both short- and long-term picky eating are generally both harmless and issues that can be fixed. Sudden Picky Eating While picky eating is, as mentioned, usually not a medical or health concern, sudden and prolonged loss of appetite can be. If your dog has always been a reliable and enthusiastic eater and abruptly refuses to eat or eats very little for more than a day, that can be a cause for concern. Though keep in mind that excitement and anxiety can both result in loss of appetite. If your dog is traveling, a new pet has arrived, or some other significant change is taking place, some appetite loss from nerves or excitement is normal. They’re Full From the Last Meal or Just Not interes
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Lessons Learned From National Cook for Your Pets Day

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On November 1, a little-known holiday came and went: National Cook for Your Pets Day. The holiday was created as a means to highlight proper pet nutrition. Beyond the value of reminding pet owners how essential a fresh, balanced, nutritional diet is for their pet’s health and quality of life, National Cook for Your Pets Day is popular because it speaks to an impulse so many pet owners have. That impulse: to find a way to thank our cats and dogs for the unconditional love and affection they show us. While we may not be able to articulate how important they are to us with our words, the language of love that our pets are sure to understand is food. When done right, cooking for your pet provides delicious and nutritious meals your dog or cat will savor (though probably not slowly). Done wrong, it can result in dangerous short- and long-term health risks. Which is why understanding those benefits and risks, as well as alternatives, is crucial. The Benefits of Co
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Kicking Kibble: Canine Cuisine Taken Up a Notch

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If you have a dog and an internet connection, you’re probably aware that pet owners sometimes disagree about things. You’re also probably aware that on the internet, “sometimes disagree” means “argue profusely.” One of the most contentiously debated topics among those who debate pet-related issues on the internet is what to feed your dog. Or, far more importantly, what not to feed your dog. It seems the most contentious of pet foods is kibble. The sheer volume of impassioned claims made for and against kibble vs. raw and fresh dog food can obscure the actual facts. So, according to those facts, what should a responsible dog owner actually feed their pup? The Trouble with Kibble As is the case with most big questions in life, the answer is more about a gray area than necessarily spelled out in black and white. Still, the anti-kibble crowd is backed up by some pretty compelling stuff. Many of the complaints are pretty common sense. Dry kibble can contain around
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The Safe and Healthy Alternative to a Raw Dog Food Diet

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Supporters of the raw dog food movement are without a doubt coming from a place of love for their pups. They point out that raw food more closely resembles the meals that dogs and their canine ancestors would have eaten, so unlike kibble, a raw diet is exactly the sort of fare that dogs have evolved to eat. And those supporters are absolutely right. That being said, does the fact that Spot or Lassie’s wolf ancestors ate nothing but raw food really mean that a raw diet is the best or healthiest way to go? And, if not, is there a healthy dog food alternative? For the answers to these questions, read on, dog lovers. Why a Raw Diet Isn’t a Great Idea For those unfamiliar with the raw diet, it’s just what it sounds like—a mixture of uncooked foodstuffs. The most commonly touted formula for a raw meal is a 5:1:1 ratio of raw meat, fish, or poultry; veggies; and a carb like rice, sweet potatoes, or oats. In defense of raw diet proponents, the raw regimen does have ele
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Prepping Your Home for Your New Puppy’s Homecoming

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Making the big decision to introduce a furry friend into your household can be exciting, especially if you’ve been wanting to find the perfect puppy for a while. This is a huge milestone for you and your new dog, and you’ll want to make sure everything’s in place before they come home. It’s important not only to gather all of the supplies you need but also to remember to make your home feel as comfortable for your new fur baby as possible.  Before your puppy’s homecoming, here are a few things to do to make sure this transition goes as smoothly as possible.  Assign Responsibilities Unless you’re going to be the sole caretaker for this pup, assigning responsibilities to trustworthy family members establishes who is doing what early on. Different things to talk about before you get a puppy include: Who’s taking him or her on multiple walks every day? Does a specific person feed them fresh dog food in the morning and night? Can someone play with him or her in the
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