interesting video on history of pet food

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Hampton's facebook pal, Abby Wabby Beagle-Chan (isn't that such a cute name?!), posted this video "The Truth About Pet Food". It provides an interesting history on how pet food came about and information on what should NOT be in pet food.

If you're not interested in the 'commercial' part of the video that starts at the 11min mark.

raw food update

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Please note: Always consult with your veterinarian first before changing to raw food!

We've been feeding the bb's raw food for over a week now. The first week we fed them a turkey mix and gave that to them for a week to help with transition. They say you can switch to raw food cold turkey without experiencing the diarrhea etc and it was true. There was no diarrhea. But, we stuck with the turkey for a full week just in case.

Based on consultations we have decided to try the following (for now):
- turkey mix (mixed with some veggies)
- salmon
- lamb

I recently learned that we can just alternate between the three, e.g. Monday: Turkey, Tuesday: Salmon, Wednesday: Lamb, Thursday: Turkey, Tuesday: Salmon...etc etc. That makes it real easy! I thought there was a big formula behind it all but it really is that simple! Especially because we decided to buy pre-mixed packages (has all the right amount of bone, veggies, meat mixed for you).

One thing to note however is how much to feed. Here is a link to a calculator that will help determine how much food to give per day http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

Benefits we've noticed so far:

We have noticed that ZuZu has more energy. She is also really eager to eat her food. With kibble she had to be encouraged. Now she just gobbles up whatever is placed in front of her!

Almost instantly we saw a change in Hampton's ears. I was shocked. However, just in the last few days there has been a little bit of discharge. His ears are also still dry and a bit swollen but nothing like they were before. Our vet said it will take a while for his immune system to change and his allergy may not necessarily be linked to his food but something in the environment. So, we will wait and see how things go. 

And last but not least, well least in some sense....we are seeing smaller poop! Their poop is less frequent and much smaller in size! This is definitely a benefit - less to pick up :)

raw food here we come!

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We've been thinking about switching the pups to a raw food diet for a while and finally taking the plunge! We did give Starbuck and ZuZu a home cooked diet when Sb got cancer but since Hampton joined our family we went back to kibble. Honestly, at the time it was just easier. However, Hampton has had a re-occurring yeasty ear infection the last few months that just won't go away and we hope this will help solve the problem.  As well, ZuZu is also getting older, she turned 9 this year,  and we want her to be as healthy as possible for the next 10!

When we first started looking into making the change it was a little daunting I admit. There is so much information out here and it almost did turn me off. I like simple and easy, especially when it comes to preparing food (hec I rarely cook for Dave!). I was also worried about ensuring the pups would be getting a balanced diet (e.g. the right amount of calcium, protein, veggies etc etc). Luckily, we were referred by our vet's office to a natural pet food store with an owner who is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Yay! It was like finding our own dog dietitian!

For now they are starting off on a Turkey Veggie blend (we went cold Turkey on Turkey! lol) by 3P Naturals (a local company). Zu and Hammie both loved it! I'll write a bit more about their meal plan and progress in the days to come (in case anyone else out there is curious or has been confused with raw diets too). :) 

Oh and if anyone has any tips to share, we'd appreciate the info!