#Life Abundance Small Breed Puppy Food

[healthyuyrt]

Why We Chose Life’s Abundance Puppy Food for Our Pup, Cali:

There are so many different puppy foods and deciding which one to feed your beloved pup can be difficult.

It was an easy decision for us, though, because we’ve seen the difference Life’s Abundance has made in the health and the skin and coats of all the dogs and cats that we’ve had over the years.

Our first experience was many years ago when we had two dogs and a cat (Moe, Larry & Curly.)  Bet you can’t tell my husband is a Stooges fan, huh?  All three had chronic health issues when they were only 4 years old.

Moe and Curly had horrible food allergies or intolerances.  Curly had lost most of the fur on one side of her body, and Moe had bleeding hot spots.  We were constantly taking Moe to the vet.  He would prescribe antibiotics and steroid shots.  Moe would improve for a couple of weeks, and then the hot spots would return with a vengeance. Unfortunately, he had become resistant to the antibiotics.

It was a nightmare!  We tried different supposedly healthy foods, supplements, etc.  Plus, we had expensive allergy tests done.  But nothing worked.

https://healthyfoodforpets.com/article/why-we-chose-lifes-abundance-puppy-food-for-our-pup-cali/

[lubbuthedigitalnomad]

A PERFECT PLACE

Happy Bob Marley BD (it was Feb. 6), Tibetan New Year (Feb. 12) and Valentine’s Day week! I hope you and yours are happy and healthy. Communications from America say that things are a little less crazy now that the election is over. That’s good. Even the most pro-American Asians were thinking we went a little wacky!

With any luck, folks in the USA will continue to take deep breaths and calm down. With a little effort, things will become less hateful and more loving as both the reds and blues start to realize that working together is the only way things will ever work at all. With that sentiment in mind, this week’s 1000 words are from the Fearless Puppy On American Road book, and about a time and place that remembers the more beautiful part of the American experience.

Once something changes, it can never go all the way back to what it was. In many ways, that is a good thing. We can preserve some better parts of the life we already had while allowing room for new and improved ideas. Insisting that both those new ideas, and the parts preserved from the old, are employed as actual improvements that benefit the vast majority of us has become the non-negotiable, essential responsibility of each and every citizen. Like it or not, it seems we will have to stay actively, consciously, and intelligently involved in order to insure success.

Please be well & stay well. Love, Tenzin and the Nepali Crew

FEARLESS PUPPY WEBSITE BLOG

FEARLESS PUPPY ON AMERICAN ROAD/AMAZON PAGE

REINCARNATION THROUGH COMMON SENSE/AMAZON PAGE

FEARLESS PUPPY ON AMERICAN ROAD WEBSITE

Rural Vermont

Helpfulness. Tribalism at its best. Everyone works together on everything. Lives depend upon each other in temperatures well below zero.

Hitchhiking is no longer just getting from here to there while barely knowing my host. Nearly every ride establishes or increases a friendship.

More cows per square mile than people, more open space than cows, and more forest than open space. Pronounced seasons and cycles. Cold, white winters. Muddy springs. Vibrant green summers pulsating with life that knows it only has a few months to do what needs to get done. Rainbow autumnal foliage so brilliant that guests come from continents away to view it. Streams clean enough to drink from.

Eggs come from happy chickens — not from the cruelty of large “animal production” warehouses.

Everyone waves hello to anyone driving by.

There’s always time to speak with whomever you meet at the General Store or Post Office. There’s always time. No hurry. Life comes first. Being is more important than doing (once the doing gets done).

The only store in town is the size of five closets but has everything — food, hardware, videos, clothing, beer, and more. A giant empty cable spool acts as a table around which to enjoy coffee, home- made donuts, and the company of neighbors. A best friend makes maple syrup. Everyone grows incredible gardens.

I have spent a lot of time with four other people and five beers staring into the open hood of a pickup truck that was not in need of repair.

Wood keeps you warm three times — once when you chop it, again when you carry it in, and the third time when you burn it. Overflowing abundance lives here. Some folks want more. Few need more.

Theater groups that produce professional-quality plays thrive in the forests of nearby vest-pocket towns.

The purity and clarity of omnipresent Nature rubs off on its human inhabitants. Crime, violence, and assorted hatreds appear only in newspapers and on TV stations. No one here has seen those things in person.

The Town Treasurer has a sign on his office explaining, “It’s very hard to get away with anything in a town this small.” Live and let live. If it hurts no one, it’s legal.

Resourcefulness is a way of life. Anything you need can be built from left over parts of things that you don’t need anymore. If you don’t know how, someone will show you. They’ll be happy to help — even happier if you bring a beer to say hello and thank you.

Deer hunters and trout fishermen deny slaughterhouses and corporate supermarket chains their abuses and profits. Unprocessed foods, hard exercise, low stress, clean air, and clean water deny the medical industry their profits from unnecessary surgery and drugs.

Awe inspiring natural beauty excludes land developers and their profit-over-people motivation. Their concrete and steel are not welcome here. The industrial decay that would lead to profits for a large assortment of unethical folks in fancy suits is denied entry by the conscious decisions of simple, intelligent farmers in overalls.

There will never be a Wal-Mart or a crack house here. There are many guns. They are never used for anything but hunting food. People are constantly helping each other to build a barn or house, dig out snow and mud, care for the children, cook, clean, weed the garden, and feed the animals. Anything that can be done at all is usually done by a group, even if it’s actually a one-person job. Folks enjoy each other’s company. Except in the most extreme circumstances, everyone deserves inclusion.

Parties get thrown together instantly for no other reason than that someone feels like being the host.

On a Tuesday, my friend Mike told me that he was having a party at his house on the following Saturday.

“What’s the occasion, Mike?”

“The occasion is that I just came up with the bright idea of having a party. I’ll get out a side of venison and buy a keg of beer. Tell everyone you see to tell everyone they see. If anyone wants to bring more food and drink, that’s good. If not, we’ll be fine with what we’ve got, I figure.”

“OK, Mike. I’ll get everyone but the assholes informed.”

“Inform the assholes too, buddy! Who knows? Maybe if they got invited to more parties, they’d figure out how to act better and wouldn’t be such assholes.”

It was hard to argue with Mike’s logic, but then again it is hard to argue with much of anything in a clean, friendly village.

During those years of having a home community and base station, a lot of work got done elsewhere. Rest time there made hitchhiking across nearly every inch of road in Northeastern America possible. I probably hitchhiked as many miles regionally during this period as the number of miles that were traveled in all the previous cross-country trips. Each full month of whistle stops working for environmental groups and charities included many towns and cities. It included talking to independent business folks all day about various causes, sleeping wherever possible, and celebrating whenever plausible. At the end of road tours like that, staring at mountains in between long naps was more of a necessity than an option. It is a lot easier to burn yourself up on the road when you know that a perfect place to revive is waiting for you.

The focal points of the road binges included Greenpeace, Citizen’s Awareness Network, and self-organized efforts to help support a Mexican orphanage, raise awareness and funding for American homeless folks, and help the victims of a very severe African famine. The results varied. My little part as a team member in the environmental efforts worked consistently for over a decade at each. The orphanage and homeless projects I organized worked minimally. The famine relief effort worked very well. It involved a governor, two senators, labor unions, school systems, businesses, major league sports teams, rock bands, and more. Thousands of people in the Northeastern section of America gave massive help.

This is a short chapter, but it covers a long period of years. Eventually, my good friend who allowed me this cabin in paradise had to liquidate his properties. This put me back out on the street at age fifty. But for a while, my life was as close to normal as it had ever been. It included long term friends and neighbors.

Those years seem to have gone by very quickly.​

About the Author

Doug “Ten” Rose may be the biggest smartass as well as one of the most entertaining survivors of the hitchhiking adventurers that used to cover America’s highways. He is the author of the books Fearless Puppy on American Road and Reincarnation Through Common Sense, has survived heroin addiction and death, and is a graduate of over a hundred thousand miles of travel without ever driving a car, owning a phone, or having a bank account.

Ten Rose and his work are a vibrant part of the present and future as well as an essential remnant of a vanishing breed.

Follow him on Facebook, Doug Ten Rose

Travel Adventure Books can be an excellent gift to your friends and family, buy from Amazon.com

#traveladventurebooks #keepreading #kindlebooks

The books Fearless Puppy On American Road and Reincarnation Through Common Sense by this same author are also available through Amazon or the Fearless Puppy website, where there are sample chapters from those books. Entertaining TV/radio interviews with and newspaper articles about the author are also available there. There is no charge for anything but the complete books! All author profits from book sales will be donated to help sponsor an increase in the number of wisdom professionals on Earth, beginning with but certainly not limited to Buddhist monks and nuns.

If you missed the Introduction to the new book that will be titled Temple Dog Soldier, or would like to see several chapters of it that are available for free online, go to the Puppy website Blog section. This is a book in progress. You will be reading it as it is being created! Just like you, I don’t know what the next chapter is going to be about until it is written. As the Intro will tell you, this is a totally true story — and probably the only book ever written by and about a corpse journeying completely around the world!

[snazzyjazzysjacksonville]

The best dog names, and how to name your puppy

Naming your family pet is one of  the most beautiful moment when owning a pet. Petbacker has been committed to help pet owners to decide how they should name their pets, and it took Petbacker more than 2 years to conduct a comprehensive surveys and gathered information from 400,000 pet owners in regard to the questions of “why you give this precious name to your dog” , “does the dog name match your character of your pet”, as well as “do you name your dog based on their breed”.

Based on our surveys, we want to share with all pet’s owner some inspiring and fun ideas that are relevant to giving names for your fur babies! 

For instance, we found that many owners named their pets after childhood movie characters, famous celebrities, their human friend, different seasons of the year etc. It is amazingly shocking to note that there are even pet owners who named their pets based on numerological method. 

Method that owners use to name their pets.

Less than 4.5% of owners named their Pets based on Seasons of the year

Each season represents its special meaning. Some owners love to name their dogs based on the seasons and months which they were born such as spring, summer, autumn and winter. For example, babies who were born during spring season can be named Haru, in Japanese, ha ru は る) means spring. Some babies who are brought home by their owners in summer are directly named as summer. For babies born in the cold winter, they can be named as winter. 

From the above ideas, the following are some of the names which you may take into consideration:

Spring - Asher, Abril, Lily or Spring rolls

Summer - Sunny, Lia, Lilac or Summer ball

Autumn - Pablo, Raven, Mooncake or Cinnamon

Winter - Polar, Santa, Sparkle or Gabby

More than 55.2% of owners named their Pets based on Human Names 

Human names make great and meaningful names for dogs and puppies too. If your dog loves running, you may consider one of the suggested human names below to give him or her some cool attitudes.

Female dogs can be named as Anne, Anna, Angel, Alice, Lucy, Emily, Juliet, Amy, etc. Alternatively, the owner can use the characters from TV series as reference. Male dogs can be named as Jack, Nick, Mike, Peter, David, Henry, Irwin etc.

Less than 4.1% of owners named their Pets based on Foodie Name

Food naming method is also a very popular naming method. The pet owner can base on food names according to their pets’ fur colours or their own favourite food.

White fur – Tofu, Cauliflower, Onion, Garlic

Yellow-ish fur – Milk Tea, Coffee, Potato, Banana

Black fur - Cola, Sesame, Pepper, Seaweed

You can also call these little guys directly with your favourite snacks, such as pudding, buns, milkshake, noodle, cheese, cupcake, dumplings and other food. 

To our surprise, about 30.3% of owners named their Pets based on Numerology method

Pet owners can actually name their pets using numerology naming method, owners will count the number belonging to their pets by deriving it from the dates of birth of their pets, and put a name that matches the pet birthday so the pet will have the character they want to have. 

This can be done by finding the pet Life Path number, these Number can be obtained by adding the birthday numbers together until you get a single digit, for an example, a pet was born in November 14th, 2018, it would be = 1+1+1+4+2+0+1+8 = 18 = 1+8 = 9 …, So their Life Path is a “9”.

With the life path number, they will then decide what name to give so the number changes slightly to what they wanted. How to count a name with number so they add together to become single number. 

For an example EDDY, E= 5,D=4,D=4,Y= 25 =2+5=7

Birthday date + Name = 9+7=16 

The final digit would be, 1+6=7

Here you go ! Your best friend Life Path Number is a “7” .

Here are some of the attributes of the different Numbers :

Number 1, is a number that represents Self, and it brings a very independent character. If your pet has a name that reduces to “1”, you expect them to be more independent, this pet will probably be headstrong! Your best friend is going to do what it wants to, so be patient. They can make excellent guard dogs or protective animals. 

Number 2, this is a Number of Cooperation and Relationships. This is the pet that will be happiest sitting in your lap! They will also like company, other pets, and humans. They don’t do well alone for extended periods. They can be naturally shy, and will dislike fireworks and thunderstorms.

Number 3, this is a Number of Creativity and Communication. With humans, they are likely to be on stage and often have a good sense of humour. They are quite social, and hyperactive, they love to be out & about, meeting new humans and other pets.

They are sometimes difficult to be trained due to a short attention span. They can be talkative too, so expect a lot of barking! They are typically good with children as they enjoy the busy energy that children brings.

Number 4, is a Number of Structure. Pets or animals with this Energy do best in structured environments. They like routines, such as feeding and training or exercise at the same times each day. 

Number 5, This is a Number of High-Energy, Chaos and Adventure. These animals love adventure! They don’t like to be cooped up too. They love riding in cars, going for walks at the park. They might not be the best choice for small children, but they will be entertaining!

Number 6, This is the Number of The Nurturer. Ideally suited to home and family, this is a very devoted and loving animal. They love affection and are quick to give it too. They love to sleep in bed with you and will love cozy warm places to snuggle in. These dogs also make for the best service animals and can be trained to help a human who has disabilities.

Number 7, This is a Number of Intelligence and Curiosity. Your best friend would probably like games or toys that challenge them …plus learning Tricks too! But they often need their own space and time. They probably have their own favourite place, and it will probably be away from everyone else. They need space, so I hope your bed is big, or they will try to dominate the space! 

Number 8, This is a Number of Abundance and Prosperity. They love studded collars, luxurious bed, even those animal-outfits! They love attention, and can be demanding. They are usually high-energy, be prepared to be lead around!

Number 9, This is a Number of The Philanthropist, Old Soul, Wisdom. They are Natural Leaders, but do not have a competitive streak, so not the best choice for a show animal. They are extremely sensitive. They know when you are hurting and when you are happy. They like a lot of physical contacts to assure that everything is alright.

Less than 3% of owners named their Pets based on Movie Character

Many young owners have their favourite cartoon characters, comic protagonists and so on. Hence, they can name their dogs by their favourite characters. For example, One Piece's Luffy, Qiaoba, Naruto, Kakashi, Doraemon etc.

About 2.9% of owners named their Pets based on Celebrity name

Pet owners do have their own favourite celebrities who they like and admire. Therefore, it’s pretty cool to name their pet according to the celebrity name, or the name of their fan club.

Imagine when he is running around on the street, and you call his name, people who passes by will think that there is a big star coming!

How to make your pets remember their name fast?

Giving a name to your pet is easy, but how do you want your pet to remember the name you gave or effect the change of name ASAP? We provide below some methods which you may adopt to make your pets remember their name.

1. Food temptation: After giving your dog a name, you need to patiently let him remember his name. One of the best ways is giving them food and treats!

2. Changing of tone: Under different circumstances, use different intonations to call the dog's name.

3. Name Tone: Calling names is limited to giving instructions and compliments, to give the dog a good impression. The next time you call its name, it will run to you right away.

After all the above suggestions, if you are still not sure of what name you give your dog, we would want to inspire you of what others named their dogs by sharing the names of the list below.

Top 20 types of dog breeds on Petbacker with the list of names that PetBacker owners have named their dogs

Chihuahua

(Male)Bella, Coco, Daisy, Nini, Chloe, Gigi, Ajax

(Female) Bella, Coco, Daisy, Nini, Peanut, Jesse

Jack Russell Terrier

(Male) Zeus, Bolt, Lucca, Steven, Jack, John

(Female) Hershey, Juno, Audrey, Bambi, Anthea

Toy Poodle

(Male) Louis, Alex, Maison. Jackson, Bleu

(Female) Cookie, Ginger, Nancy, Aries, Sandra

Shih Tzu

(Male) Micky, Charlie, Max, Patches, Rudy

(Female) Chewie, Nala, Madison, Rosie, Nemo

English Cocker Spaniel

(Male) Goofy, Stephen, Lucas, Loca, Lucca

(Female) Stacey, Zoe, Nancy, Zoella, Sandy

Yorkshire Terrier

(Male) Sydney, Elfie, Gatsby, Kingston, Logan

(Female) Zoe, Victoria, Sophia, Isabella , Arica

Dachshund

(Male) Felix, Frank, Ida, Billy, Fifi, Pippin

(Female) Piper, Nora, Rosa, Julie, Chilly

Pomeranian

(Male) Noah, Jose, Richie, Nugget, Marshall

(Female) Bubble, Fluffy, Buttercup, Blossom

Maltese

(Male) Oscar, Riley, Max, Harry, Rocky, Zeus, Zach

(Female) Sammy, Ladybug, Samantha, Katie, Rina

Beagle

(Male) Bagel, Gus, Hank, Winston, Harper

(Female) Mia, Belle, Shiloh, Ella, Emma

Crossed or Mixed Breed (Cavoodle, Mongrel , Singapore Special)

(Male) Sam, Finley, Scout, Roy, Russel, Lucky, Goodie, Baby

(Female) Sadie, Misty, Fenella, Luna, Marie, Mimi. Piper 

Shiba

(Male) Hanako, Haru, Kiko, Mio, Shinju

(Female) Kitsune, Foxy, Hiro, Akira, Aki

German Shephard

(Male) Max, Kaiser, Roxy, Louis, Tiger 

(Female) Erma, Ethel, Giltha, Ida, Jolie

Husky

(Male) Jet, Bolt, Alpha, Hunter, Wolf, Blackie

(Female) Xena, Mulan, Belle, Elsa, Tanya

Corgi

(Male) Junior, Peewee, Mike, Smalley, Shorty 

(Female) Pippa, Princess, Queenie, Winnie, Twiggy

Labrador

(Male) Henry, Buster, Louie, Olive, Oakley

(Female) Olivia, Sammy, Winnie, Lucky, Brandy

French Bulldog

(Male) Brewster, Brody, Corky, Buddy, Ernie

(Female) Bella, Cookie, Jenny, Chewie, Sophie

Pug

(Male) Lulu, Bentley, Dexter, Jack, Buster,Pepper

(Female) Ollie, Sandy, Mia, Piper, Peppa,Snow White

King Charles Spaniel

(Male) Henry, Hopper, Rowley, Doodle

(Female) Berry, Holly, Nancy, Chucky, Winter

Schnauzer

(Male) Anot, Cosette, Bangle, Spark, Atlanta 

(Female) Cherry, Lizzy, Lucy, Frida, Bella

   Still need more suggestion for naming your pet?

 Feel free to post a picture of your pet at the comment section below, and let other pet lover's to suggest a great name for you!

  More Details: 

Snazzy Jazzy's Pet Salon Jacksonville 14343 Jarrettsville Pike Phoenix, MD 21131 United States 410-926-6611 https://g.page/snazzy-jazzys-jacksonville?share https://snazzy-jazzys-pet-salon-jacksonville.business.site

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Purina vs IAMS

https://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/51oF4IDUbAL.jpg When I was younger, pretty much everyone fed their dog Purina or IAMS.

They were household brands and, at the time, two of just a few brands commonly seen in the grocery stores.

Not to sound like an old lady here, but back in my day, there weren’t big chain pet stores, and there weren’t any pet boutiques.

So, what happened to dog food companies like Purina and IAMS when the dog food market exploded?

I still see them on the shelves, but I tend to walk by them without thought.

However, I recently found out that my mom buys Purina for her dog. I was more than surprised to hear this and found out that it was our vet that recommended it.

I trust our vet and always go with their recommendations, but I couldn’t help but wonder why of all brands she would recommend Purina.

Are Mainstream Food Brands Any Good?

Vets are recommending this dog food now?

The last time I was in with one of my dogs for a check-up, I had to ask about her food recommendation.

My vet said she understood my surprise, but that brands like Purina and IAMS have really improved the quality and varieties of foods they offer.

Over the last several years, they have been forced to change to keep up with the growing market.

She also pointed out that the boutique foods are under scrutiny by the FDA as to the long-term effects concerning dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

The concern with the “boutique” foods is that they believe the grain-free foods are the cause of the increase in cases of dogs suffering from DCM.

So, many veterinarians are falling back on more tried and true brands such as Purina and IAMS.

Then at the end of my visit, the vet suggested I try ALPO kibble for Daisy.

She laughed at the look on my face when she suggested it. But she stated that it is a balanced diet and a lot of seniors that are picky eaters, like Daisy, tend to like it.

Purina’s Company History

Purina has a very long history, stretching as far back as 1894[1].

Back then it went by the name of Robinson-Danforth Commission Company for two of the three founders.

In 1902, they changed the name to Ralston Purina.

They originally started as a farm animal food company but over the years evolved into one of the biggest dog food companies in the industry.

In 1987, Purina shared their findings after a fourteen-year research project. The research proved feeding your dog appropriate foods throughout the different life stages can significantly impact the health and longevity of your dog.

In 1988, Purina launched the first hypoallergenic food that isolated the allergens and removed them from the food, creating a diet that was nutritious as well as safe for dogs with food allergies to eat.

Over the next years, Purina continued to grow, both in the pet food industry but also in different markets such as treats, dental chews, probiotics, and more.

In 2001, Nestle purchased Purina, making Purina a globally recognized name.

As of 2018 Purina is the second-largest dog food company in the world[2].

Purina’s 3 Best Sellers

Purina One Smart Blend – Chicken and rice

Purina One Smart Blend is a balanced food for adult dogs that don’t have special dietary requirements.

The food is enhanced with antioxidants to promote a robust immune system.

Purina Pro Plan Focus – Sensitive skin and stomach

Purina Pro Plan Focus is formulated to be rich in fatty acids to help improve good skin health.

Also, it has been enhanced with prebiotics for a healthy digestive system.  Purina Pro Plan is not a hypoallergenic food, and it does contain grains.

Purina Pro Plan SAVOR– Shredded blend with chicken and rice

Purina Pro Plan Savor is a highly digestible food containing prebiotics and probiotics to promote good digestive health.

This food has both dry kibble and shredded soft dog food to provide a more appealing texture for your dog.

IAMS’ Company History

IAMS started in 1946 by Paul IAMS.

Paul IAMS would later launch the first animal-protein rich dog food, which was named IAMS 999.

In the 1980’s, IAMS introduced their life stage dog formulas.

Then, in the 1990s, IAMS launched their natural dog food line and publicized their findings regarding the positive effects of fatty acids on a dog’s skin and coat.

IAMS was privately owned until 1999, when Procter and Gamble purchased it[3]. When P&G purchased IAMS Co, they announced  their intentions of expanding IAMS globally.

Later in the 2000s, IAMS brought their most advanced dog food formula line, Premium Protection, to market. Premium protection is a specially formulated food for puppies.

Finally, in 2014, MARS company announced the purchase of IAMS from P&G[4]. MARS is the largest dog food company in the world.

IAMS’ 3 Best Sellers

IAMS Proactive Health Adult – Chicken MiniChunks

IAMS Proactive Health is an excellent all-around food for adult dogs.

Chicken is the first ingredient in this formula, followed by corn and whole grain sorghum. It also contains beet pulp and prebiotics for healthy digestive systems.

IAMS Proactive Health – Large breed with chicken

Farm-raised chicken is the main ingredient in this food.

The chicken and chicken fat are a good source of glucosamine and chondroitin, which promotes healthy joints[5].

Like the other Proactive Health recipes, it contains an abundance of nutrients and vitamins to ensure a balanced diet.

IAMS Proactive Health Smart Puppy – Large breed

This food is designed to help large breed puppies grow and develop at the proper pace. It also contains Omega-3 DHA to aid in brain development.

Finally, it has been enriched with 22 nutrients that are found in the puppy’s mother’s milk.

Purina Recalls

Purina has only had one dog food recall in the last ten years.

In August 2013 there was a recall (that included only one food, Purina ONE Beyond) due to possible Salmonella poisoning[6].

IAMS Recalls

No aflatoxin any more!

IAMS has had two dog food recalls in the last ten years.

In December 2011 there was recall (for only one food, Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy) due to possible aflatoxin contamination[7].

Then, in August 2013, there were six dry dog foods involved in a recall[8]. The recall was due to suspected salmonella contamination.

Healthy Naturals Weight Control Adult

Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult

Premium Protection Chicken

ProActive Health Small Breed

ProActive Health Large Breed

ProActive Health Large Chunks

Since the 2013 recall, IAMS has not had any additional recalls.

What’s Important When Choosing a Dog Food?

There is a multitude of components that go into deciding on the ideal dog food.

Often, we only think of ingredients, and though that is a significant part of the decision process, it isn’t the only factor to take into consideration.

Other things specific to your dog’s dietary health requirements are essential when picking the right dog food.

Also, there are aspects of the decision-making process that do not have anything to do with your dog. But these elements are still essential when deciding on the best food for your dog.

There are two tiers to consider when deciding on the right dog food for your pooch.

The first tier is made up of factors that directly relate to your dog’s specific needs, like:

Weight

Breed (German Shepherds and Goldendoodles do better on different foods)

Activity Level

Size

Age (the best dog food will change as your dog grows from puppy to adult)

Health – Various diseases like Cushing’s, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, and GI issues

The second tier is made up of less critical, but still significant elements like:

Availability

Taste (what your dog thinks)

Price

Where the food is manufactured

Where the ingredients are sourced

Comparison of Purina vs. IAMS

Ingredients

  Winner: IAMS   

This was close, as the majority of the ingredients are similar.

However, I chose IAMS because of the additional superfoods found in their Proactive Health blend.

I compared each of the best sellers: Purina One Smart Blend Chicken and Rice and IAMS Proactive Health Adult Minichunks.

IAMS Proactive Health Adult Minichunks’ ingredients list

Purina’s first ingredient is chicken, which is one of the natural sources for glucosamine.

Also, this food contains a variety of grains rice, wheat, and corn. There are a lot of added vitamins and nutrients listed, but not a lot of superfoods like spinach or blueberries.

However, they do use a variety of kibble to enhance the texture of the food.

IAMS first ingredient is also chicken, followed by two different grains.

IAMS also includes dried beet pulp to enhance the digestibility and promote good GI health. Also, this blend includes superfoods like blueberries, spinach, and apples.

Price/Value

  Winner: IAMS   

The average price per pound for IAMS is a hair over one dollar per pound. For Purina, it’s three cents more expensive per pound.

The ingredients are pretty similar, but IAMs won because of the additional superfoods.

Combined with the ingredients and lower price, IAMS won for price and value as well.

Availability

  Winner: Purina   

Both brands can be found at the larger pet stores and online.

However, Purina is also available at more grocery stores and some boutique pet stores.

Varieties

  Winner: Purina   

Purina is the winner with 96 unique recipes.

Purina Varieties

Purina has 96 different dry dog foods listed on their website.  There are 7 different lines within these 96 foods.

Purina One – 18 Varieties

Purina Pro Plan – 41 Varieties

Purina Dog Chow – 10 Varieties

Beneful – 11 Varieties

Beyond – 9 Varieties

Bella – 2 Varieties

ALPO – 2 Varieties

Amongst these lines, they have specific recipes for seniors, puppies, large breeds, giant breeds, toy breeds, small breeds, weight management, hypoallergenic, skin and stomach sensitivities, grain-free, and sport.

IAMS Varieties

IAMS has 21 different dry dog foods listed on their website. These 21 foods are broken down into three categories:

Nutrition Tailored to a Dog’s Age and Size – 8 Varieties

Nutrition Tailored to a Dog’s Unique Dietary Needs – 4 Varieties

Nutrition Tailored to a Dog’s Breed – 6 Varieties

Within these three lines, there are specific recipes for weight management, grain-free, and high protein.

Taste

  Winner: IAMS   

Even though the ingredients look similar to me, IAMS was the winner by a landslide.

I can’t even begin to imagine what IAMS has that Purina does not.

Never mind, yes, I can imagine.

Purina has the “tender meaty morsels,” which I thought dogs would prefer over standard dry kibble, but I guess I was proved wrong.

X-Factor

  Winner: Purina   

Both companies support their communities, but Purina’s work stood out more to me.

Purina:

Donates $10,000,000 annually to Rescue Bank[9]. Rescue Bank aids animal rescues through donating foods from various animal food vendors.

Supports Leader Dogs for the Blind.

Partners with local animal shelters all over the US.

Supports Adopt a Pet.

Supports Duo Dogs, a program that connects dogs and people to help enhance their lives.

Supports Dogs on Deployment assisting troops in finding a safe place to board their pets while on deployment.

Partnered with St. Louis Children’s Hospital and funded a room for children to be able to visit with their pets while staying in the hospital.

Red Rover and Purina started the Purple Leash Project to aid in keeping victims of domestic violence together with their pets in February 2019[10].

In addition to these ongoing partnerships, Purina also has donated money or food to help:

Pets and people impacted by tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest during June 2019.

Pets and people impacted by both Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael in 2018[11].

Build a dog park inside a domestic violence shelter in 2018[12].

Overall

  Winner: Purina   

Purina is the overall winner because of their large variety and X factor.

The massive array of food Purina offers is impressive. I think it would be hard not to find a food that would meet a dog’s dietary needs.

Also, with the ability to find Purina almost anywhere is a big bonus.

The X factor doesn’t always make a significant impact on the decision-making process, but I am enamored with companies that support their communities.

Final Thoughts

I am honestly surprised at how impressed I am with the two brands.

Both companies surprised me with how much they have evolved over the years. They each offer an impressive selection of quality dog food, and they both have fewer recalls than I had expected.

I didn’t expect they would have higher recalls because I thought they were terrible brands but because of the volume of food they produced and sold.

Both Purina and IAMS are companies that I would confidently recommend to friends and families looking for a specialty dog food.

Occasionally, after researching a dog food company, I come away disappointed.

However, today I am happy to say both companies impressed me with the quality of food they offer.

Resources

https://www.purina.com/about-purina

http://www.ift.org/food-technology/daily-news/2018/may/22/mars-nestle-top-the-list-of-leading-pet-food-manufacturers-globally.aspx

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-08-12-9908120403-story.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2014/04/09/mars-buys-procter-gamble-brands-iams-eukanuba-natura-brands-for-29b.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023306000554

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112111635/http:/www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2013/ucm366953.htm

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170111130813/http:/www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2013/ucm282506.htm

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112111637/http:/www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2013/ucm365154.htm

https://www.purina.com/about-purina/better-with-pets/articles/8-causes-purina-loves-to-support

http://newscenter.purina.com/2019-02-12-Keeping-Pets-And-People-Together-RedRover-And-Purina-Partner-to-Make-More-Domestic-Violence-Shelters-Across-The-U-S-Pet-Friendly

https://www.purina.com/disaster-relief/hurricane-michael

https://www.purina.com/about-purina/better-with-pets/pet-welfare/domestic-violence-shelter-dog-park1

The post Purina vs IAMS appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from https://www.centralparkpaws.net/dog-food/purina-vs-iams/

[bluerighthand]

I’ll set you a little candle

Summary: Alfie’s backstory: from a snowy Hanukkah in 1898, to the loss of his mother, dealing with antisemitism and starting a family of his own. A bit of Alfie/Tommy at the end. Set in the GUAS AU.

Notes: Full notes on AO3, but please keep in mind that this is based off real events. 

Words: 7,186

AO3: Not sure if the link issue has resolved itself so I put a space in it:  

https: //archiveofourown.org/works/16988913

!!!WARNINGS!!!: character death, antisemitism, references to Russian pogroms, self-injury, depression. NO actual violence is described, it’s all from Alfie’s POV.

Hanukkah had always been Alfie’s favourite holiday. Well…it was true as a child his favourite holiday changed frequently; usually to whichever one it was at that moment, but Hanukkah was always special. There was just something about the warm candles, the snow outside, the wafting smell of delicious food, and all the laughter and games that made him feel content. Complete.

He mostly kept these opinions to himself, however. Although everyone enjoyed Hanukkah, and recognised it was an important reminder of past struggles, it was still considered a minor holiday in the grand scheme of things. His father would launch into a lecture about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the minute the words ’importance’ or ‘favourite’ came up in relation to holidays, and his mother simply grinned and showed him plans for next year’s sukkah, even more extravagant than the last.

His little brother Harry had always insisted Purim was the greatest holiday, but whether he was six or thirty, it was just because of the dressing up. Always one for theatrics.

Hanukkah also seemed to be the only festival that his non-Jewish school friends knew anything about, and it always made Alfie smile to be wished a happy holiday, or asked questions about the celebrations. In a gesture of holiday goodwill, most years he even made up with Sabini, which was usually a relief for both of them, as well as the entire teaching staff at school.

Winter was definitely his favourite season too. A crisp chill in the air, the chance of a day spent in the snow before curling up near by fire with his brother, as their dad, Isaac, read to them. Their mum, Sarah, was permanently surrounded by wool and knitting needles at this time of year, which made Isaac groan at the thought of which hideous looking jumper she’d force him into this Hanukkah.

“It’s tradition innit!” she claimed, tweaking one of the many brightly coloured pom-poms attached to her husband. Despite pointing out that it was in fact not a tradition, Isaac suffered through a family dinner in the garish yellow thing, with his sons and wife snickering at him at every opportunity. He condemned it to the back of the wardrobe after the meal was over, returning to his usual black garments.

He did think about donating it, but Sarah already gave so many clothes to charity, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t love that she knitted him things. Even if he couldn’t pull off the pom-pom look. Maybe it would fit Alfie one day, he could see him enjoying it. Just like his mum, he was.

Some of the happiest memories of Alfie’s life were from the early Hanukkahs. In particular, one when he was around nine or ten. The snow had been falling thickly, creating the most beautiful scene outside the window, he and Harry spending most of the evening with their noses pressed up against the glass. After they’d lit the candles and sung the blessings, and their father had fallen asleep on the sofa, their mother put her finger to her lips, bundling him and Harry up in their coats and opening the door.

They’d played in the snow in their small yard for hours, the sky pitch black. Snow angels and several attempts at snow people covered the grass, and the boys could only be tempted inside again with extra sufganiyot: jelly doughnut treats traditional at Hanukkah. The next night, the snow had settled, and by the look of the clouds there was more to come. Isaac had kept up a pretence of being irritated about the weather the whole day, but they all knew he was only grumpy as he’d missed out the night before. Hence, all three boys were plastered to the window, and Sarah sighed fondly as she lit the shamash candle.

“Baruch atah adonai” she began to sing, waving her free hand at her family to gain their attention. Isaac shot her an apologetic smile.

“Eloheinu melech ha’olam” he joined, deep voice complimenting that of his wife’s, the tune more upbeat than that which they used for the Sabbath. Alfie joined in on the next line, knowing all the blessings by heart by now, and if Harry got muddled up and finished with “shel Shabbat” rather than “shel Hanukkah” nobody minded.

The second blessing followed, and by the time all the candles were lit, Alfie had found the stick he’d brought in last night, and was swinging it around as he pretended to be Judah Maccabee. The religious significance of Hanukkah had come to him with age, but for now, Alfie was content darting around the kitchen, leading his people to victory against the Seleucid army. Harry already had his coat, scarf and mittens on, (though admittedly all inside out and back to front) and was jumping up and down next to the window.

“Come here chicken” his mother laughed, attempting to loosen the huge knot he’d managed to tie his scarf into.

“When can I blow them out?” asked Alfie eagerly, the urge already unbearable as he plonked his ‘sword’ down on the table. There was just something about a lit candle that children couldn’t deal with.

“You know you’re not supposed to do that” said Isaac, subtly removing the stick from where they ate. “We’re meant to let them burn out. Hanukkah is the festival of lights after all”. Ten minutes later, when Alfie was lying on his back in the snow, staring up at the warm glow from the window, he was glad they’d kept them lit.

By the next year, Basil had joined their family. Sarah had found him in a cardboard box by the road, a small chocolate brown ball of fur. She’d brought him home in her coat, shielding him from the wind. There’d been an argument when Isaac saw the puppy; he’d recognised the breed, and knew that those things grew to be the size of a house, but once Sarah had her heart set on something nothing could dissuade her.

Alfie was ecstatic, he’d always wanted a dog, but he’d spent the first few weeks terrified his father was going to get rid of him, and even took it in turns with Harry to creep downstairs and check Basil was still nestled in his basket. They needn’t have worried however. An ear scratch here, an extra treat there, and soon enough Isaac had fully accepted that his house (and his heart) was now full of dog.

By the time next winter rolled around, Basil was ten times the size, with no sign of slowing down. He still had the hyperactivity of a puppy, and didn’t realise his own strength, often knocking various members of the household over in his enthusiasm to lick them. Harry had managed to ride him once, for a few seconds, before Basil was off, shooting across the park in pursuit of a squirrel. There wasn’t an abundance around to begin with; not many green areas to live in, but Alfie was sure Basil’s eagerness to befriend them was lowering the population further still.

He was a lovely dog, though. His fluffy brown fur was thick, and stuck out in all directions, and his tongue was always lolling out happily as he was petted. The best friend he could have had growing up, really.

A couple of years later, they went to Russia for Hanukkah. Alfie loved the bustle, the noise, the excitement of his Russian family, especially when they went for a holiday. He already had five cousins to play with, with more likely on the way according to his mum. They also had chickens, a cow, and an old donkey, who Alfie decided he could tolerate. He definitely preferred dogs though, and dreaded each time they had to leave Basil in the care of a neighbour.

As fun as it was when they got there, the journey to Russia was always pretty terrible. Train delays, seasickness, no fires, no proper bed; being bundled up in a train carriage with his irritable younger brother and his sleep-deprived parents wasn’t exactly fun. They made the most of it though, Isaac attempting to teach them card games, and Sarah knitting woollen socks for the little ones, to get them through the harsh winters. They sang songs, whispering the lyrics though muffled laughter after someone had complained, and Alfie wrote stories in his head.

Maybe he could do that one day, write books.

They were always exhausted when they arrived at the little station in rural Russia, though thankfully this time they were able to call for a horse and cart to save them dragging their vastly over packed trunks along the bumpy, frost covered roads. The driver didn’t look very happy about it, carelessly shoving their cases up into the cart and setting off, barely giving them all enough time to get seated.

They shuffled closer together against the cold, Sarah tucked under Isaac’s arm and Alfie rubbing at his brother’s freezing fingers. Despite being late morning, and there was nobody else about, the only sounds the trundle of the cart as it bumped over rocks and uneven dirt. Arriving at the house, Alfie was struck by how quiet and still it all was. Usually their cousins all rushed out to greet them - and with at least half the family inheriting the fondness for long rambling speeches, it was a good while before they actually got through the door.

But something was different this time. The cart pulled to a stop, and the driver snatched the coins from Isaac quickly, not bothering to help as they attempted to drag their cases down from the cart. He cracked the whip, Alfie starting at the noise, and headed off without a word.

“He was mean” said Harry, shivering as another strong gust of wind whipped around them. There was a twitch from an upstairs curtain across the road, and Alfie’s unease increased. Was it just because of the awful weather? Or was it something else?

There was a tap on a window, and Alfie turned to see his auntie waving at them. She vanished, the door scraping against the floor as it was opened. They hurried towards the warmth, but Rebecca had other ideas, stepping out into the cold and wrapping her arms around her sister. They hugged for a moment, before she pulled back shivering, grabbing a case and heaving it inside. They all started to speak at once as they crossed the entrance, but Alfie was confused.

“Where’s the mezuzah?” he asked, staring at the gap in the doorframe. The familiar box containing the small scroll was missing, the wood slightly discoloured. It was custom to touch the box containing the Shema prayer, and then kiss your hand, as a show of faith. Auntie Rebecca usually had one here, and on every other doorway inside the house.

“Oh” his auntie floundered for a second. “It got sort a’…damaged, yeah, a bit dirty. Cause of the weather. Your uncle’s gonna bring a nice new one alright? Come inside now”.

Alfie frowned, but shrugged his shoulders, placing his hand over the empty gap anyway before entering the house. Harry had to jump up to reach, and was on his third attempt before Rebecca pulled him inside, shutting the door quickly.

Their cousins ran towards them, and soon they were engaged in several games at once. There were stick swordfights, a Derby and a grocery shop all going on in one room. Harry was way too excited to stop running about when they were called for lunch, but Alfie sunk gratefully into a chair, eyeing the table laden with hot food. Another drawback of the long journey was the repetitive bland array of sandwiches, but eating a large cooked meal with his family made it all worth it, especially when his oldest cousin Hana was such talented cook.

Alfie was pretty sure they all fell asleep at some point that afternoon, but after a much appreciated nap, they were ready to enjoy the evening. It was rather crowded in the house, what with the four Solomons’ adding to a household of seven, but that was part of the fun, and the first night of Hanukkah was spent playing dreidel to the sound of the crackling hearth. It was more fun with lots of people, and though Alfie wasn’t having much luck at winning he was enjoying spending time with his family.

With the distance, and the expense of getting to Russia, they didn’t see each other enough.

When it was time to light the hanukkiah, Alfie and Harry looked at each other in confusion. Rather than gathering at the window, as was custom, their uncle called them all to the table, the hanukkiah and heap of unused candles in the centre.

“Why ain’t we putting it in the window, mum?” Harry asked. Sarah gave some offhand reply about how they thought it would look nicer on the table this year, but Alfie didn’t miss the way Hana’s eyes widened and flicked to the window, relaxing when she saw the curtains were drawn. He grew curious, wandering over just before the blessings and pulling up a corner, peeking out into the black beyond.

“Come away from the window, sweetpea” said his mother. Her voice was slightly strained, and his auntie wore a matching expression of unease, so he let the curtain drop, re-joining his family in the centre of the room. Why was it such a big deal?

After the blessings were sung, the candles lit, and general excited confusion settled once again over the household, children running this way and that and the adults all talking over each other, Alfie crept back to the window. He slid beneath the curtain, and onto the windowsill. It was wide, wide enough for him to balance on, and he was just small enough to stretch out his legs in front of him, so he wouldn’t be seen.

The thick layer of frost had hardened to ice, and the only light was from a lone lamppost down the street, which guttered and flickered out for several minutes at a time. There were a few slithers of light, from the edge of the neighbour’s windows, but all the houses had their curtains drawn, closing them off to the world around them. It was a strange sight to Alfie, so used to seeing the glass lit up with menorahs, with laughter and the wafting smell of good food tricking outside.

He was old enough now to understand the stares, the muttered comments, the names the kids hurled at him at school. But…everyone here was Jewish. What were they all so afraid of?

He pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on them and hugging his legs as he watched the festival of lights pass by in near total darkness.

Two and a half years had passed when Sarah had told them the news. Alfie was fifteen, and due to start working full time in his father’s bakery. Old scars now wound their way up his arms, and his hands were growing rougher from working and fighting. He towered above his little brother now, having grown almost as tall as his dad in the past year, and perfected that slightly manic glint in his eyes that made other kids back away.

Despite his permanently bruised knuckles, and the painfully fresh tattoo of a crown on his wrist (that had almost made his father faint when he saw it), Alfie still loved to spend time with his family. The last person to joke about him ‘going soft’ had ended up in the river after all, so he was content to squish onto Harry’s bed in the evenings with him and their mum. On this occasion, it was getting late, and Harry was angling for another story, but Sarah shook her head, saying she had something important to talk to them about.

“I’m goin’ away for a bit boys. To Russia, stayin’ with your auntie and uncle”.

“Are we not coming?” asked Harry, confused.

“Not this time chicken”.

“How are you long for?”.

“I’m not sure” she said sadly. “Prob’ly at least a few months”. Harry’s jaw dropped.

“A few months?” echoed Alfie.

“That’s too long!”.

“I need t’ be with your auntie right now sweetie” said Sarah. “She’s sick”.

“What’s wrong with her?” Harry asked. Alfie’s thoughts jumped to Tommy’s mother. Hadn’t he said that she was sick?

“It’s the baby. Pregnancy ain’t easy on a woman”.

“Was it ‘ard for you mum?”.

“Nah, I was alright. Went as well as they could’ve. But your auntie’s strugglin’. Your uncle’s trying to look after yer cousins, and keep his job, but there ain’t no one to look after Becca in the day”.

“Is Uncle Yakov gonna lose his job? Why? He’s the best tailor in Russia!” piped in Harry, before frowning, and falling silent. Alfie watched him, bitter thoughts crawling to the forefront of his mind. He couldn’t stand that his brother had to learn these things. That some people would always stare at him with hate, deny him jobs, housing, basic fucking human respect.

“Let’s jus’ pray he doesn’t” said Sarah, avoiding the question.

“Are you gonna be back for the High Holidays?” asked Harry, voice small.

“I dun’t think so, darling. Baby’s due in the winter”. His bottom lip wobbled. “Hey now” she said. “None of that. Your dad’s gonna need you to be big n’ strong to help him with the sukkah okay?”.

“But…you always make the sukkah” protested Alfie. “Dad won’t do it the same”. Their sukkah, a temporary tent-like creation made for the harvest festival of Sukkot, put the whole street to shame every year. Isaac’s job was to stay as far away as possible until it was finished, as he was usually more of a hinder than a help; concerned with things like straight walls and measurements (and many other things Sarah didn’t have time for).

“I’ll leave ‘im a plan” she grinned, but her face fell at the disappointment in her sons’ eyes. Basil padded in, flopping down on the rug and resting his head on Alfie’s foot, which hung off the edge of the bed.

“Do you really have to go?” said Alfie, bending down to scratch behind Basil’s ears in an effort to cover the slight desperation in his voice.

“I gotta be there for your auntie, I’m so sorry Alf”. Harry leant against her, and she wrapped an arm around shoulder, pressing a kiss into his hair.

“Will you ring us, every day?” said Alfie.

“Not every day, sweetpea. It’s real expensive over there innit. But as often as I can. Can’t go a week without hearing from my best boys”.

“I can write letters” said Harry proudly, perking up a little. “We learnt how in school”. Sarah grinned.

“You send me them letters then chicken, and Auntie Becca and your cousins can write back to yer too”.

“Are we goin’ to Russia for Hanukkah then?” Alfie asked. Sarah patted the empty space beside her, and Alfie shuffled over, freeing his foot. Basil had taken the pat to be aimed at him, so launched himself onto the bed, the wood creaking under their combined weight as he settled himself across their legs.

“I’ll be back by then. You think I’m gonna let your dad make the latkes again?”. The boys laughed, remembering the strange burnt objects their father had sheepishly presented them with a few years before. It was even funnier as he could bake the best bread in London, but add some oil or frying into the mix and he was hopeless. He just burnt everything.

“It’s just too quick!” he defended. “With bread you’ve got time to sort yourself out, this - one second you look away and then it’s gone and burnt itself!”. Alfie was the proud owner of both gifts, and was often the designated chef at meal times.

“And no, you ain’t going to Russia this year”.

“Why not? We could meet ya out there n’ all come back together”. Sarah gave him a sad smile.

“You’ll ‘ave a much better time here sweetie, trust me”. Alfie frowned, remembering the strange atmosphere last time they went. Had it got worse? What was going on in Russia?

“Promise? Promise you’ll be back by then?” said Harry.

“I promise”.

Alfie was dreading the day she’d leave. They all were, really, even in Russia. Their dad had told them Becca felt awful, needing help, even trying to persuade Sarah to stay in England. But their mother could see through the forced energy on the phone, the over-cheerfulness of the letters. Nothing happened until it happened, their father said. But the day came, and Alfie dragged his feet along with his mother’s case all the way to the station. Just to delay it that little bit more. Maybe she’d even miss the train if he walked slowly enough. They’d left early deliberately though, with plenty of time for goodbyes, and Alfie’s dawdling.

To be honest, Sarah was no better, spotting a tiny dog on the way, and starting a long distracted ramble about how Basil was the perfect size. He bounded along ahead of them, tail wagging excitedly as he barrelled towards his new friend. The other dog wasn’t so keen, and Sarah had to kneel down in the street to console Basil, Isaac giving passers by an awkward nod as they stared at his cooing wife on the ground.

They reached the station…eventually, Sarah and Alfie taking a seat whilst the others went to check on the train time. Alfie had a feeling she wanted to talk to him, when she’d convinced Harry to go off with their dad, and he was right.

“Be good” she warned, turning and tapping him on the nose. He waved her off, but laughed. “I’m serious Alf. Dun’t give ya dad a hard time while I’m gone, mm? If I ‘ear about a single fight, I’m gonna be very disappointed”.

“Okay mum” he said after a moment, staring at his knees. This wasn’t how he wanted their goodbye to go. He knew how much it hurt both of his parents when he came home with cuts and bruises, with someone else’s blood all over his knuckles. They thought it was their fault, that they’d raised him wrong, but it was all him.

His temper was like a matchstick, sometimes. All it took was one little spark, and the whole fucking world could go up in flames.

Sarah bopped him again, making the corner of his mouth twitch.

“Cheer up you” she said. “Didn’t mean t’ upset you. Jus’ think of ya dad’s poor old heart. It can’t take the strain”.

“I heard that” called Isaac, as he strode across the platform with Harry. “I’m as fit as a fiddle”. The next twenty minutes or so were spent in a family huddle, as they waited for the train to pull into the station. Basil was happy to sprawl at their feet, playing with Harry’s shoelaces as they all wrapped their arms around each other. Alfie squeezed his eyes shut.

The train chugged to a stop on the platform, and the tinny shriek of the guard’s whistle and the bustle of disembarking passengers surrounded them. Sarah gave them all one last hug, and Alfie dug his fingers into the wool of her coat instinctively as she tried to pull away.

“I love you Alf” she said, ruffling through his hair. “I’m gonna be back soon alright, I’ll ring as soon as I get there, sweetie”.

“I love you too mum”. And then she was gone.

“What’re ya gonna do on the train without us?” asked Harry, as a guard waved them back from the platform edge, shutting the carriage door firmly. Sarah rolled down the window.

“Oh” she said, grinning. “I’m sure I’ll find somethin’ to get up to”.

“I know that face” said Isaac, “what trouble is your mother going to get into, ey?”. Harry smiled sadly. Sarah blew Isaac a kiss in reply, and he caught it, pressing his palm against his cheek. Alfie and Harry didn’t even make sick noises. There was a hiss of steam, and the train started to move, slowly inching across the tracks until it gathered speed. “L’hitraot” Isaac called. See you again.

People didn’t like to say goodbye in Hebrew, because it sounded so final. But as Sarah waved at them from the window, hair flying around her face as she grew smaller and smaller, Alfie couldn’t help but feel a sense of finality.

The months passed slowly. It was strange at home, without her. Sarah called every week, like she’d promised, but it wasn’t the same. Their dad was quieter, spending more and more nights working late in the bakery, or squinting over the Torah scroll for hours on end. Harry had started skipping school more often than not, and if he did go, well, Alfie was glad their mother couldn’t see the purple stripes lashed across his fingers.

Alfie had tried not to fight. Honour his promise to his mum, keep himself to himself. It hadn’t lasted long. Sabini had pushed him too far: leaving two of his friends in hospital and snatching a crate full of weapons. He had to fight back. If Sabini saw him as weak now, he’d lose all his territory. Afterwards, when his dad wiped the blood out of his eye and stitched up the jagged gash to his stomach, the guilt set in.

“Please don’t tell mum” he begged, grabbing at his dad’s shirt. “Please don’t tell her”. Isaac regarded him for a moment, bloody cloth hanging limply in his hand, before he left without a word. Alfie cried that night. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done it, but once he started, he couldn’t stop. By the time Isaac had returned, whispering apologies into his son’s hair, Alfie’s cheeks were raw where he’d scraped at them, nails leaving a bloody trail down his skin. Half-moon imprints cut deep into his palms, but Isaac unclenched Alfie’s fists and soothed the stinging with a cool flannel.

The looks he got in shul were enough to make him tug on his sleeves, until his shirt covered the ruined skin of his hands. He didn’t care what people thought of him, that much was clear from school, but it was different with G-d. He started going more often, at quieter times where the world around him could fall away, and it was just him and HaShem.

He knew his mum would be doing the same, thousands of miles away. Maybe like this, they could get through it.

Alfie started to suspect something was wrong about two weeks before Hanukkah. Sarah was supposed to be back by now: Alfie had been planning her ‘welcome home’ meal for weeks, but Isaac had told them that her train across Europe was cancelled, and she was waiting for another ticket. It wasn’t unusual, it had happened to them as a family before, so the boys didn’t think much of it, distracted by the newly fallen snow and the happy news of a new baby cousin.

The suspicion started when the phone stopped ringing. They both badgered their father with questions on why their mother hadn’t called, but he’d answered them all in vague terms, not really listening. Alfie and Harry concluded that it meant she was on the train right now, and could hardly sleep that night with their excitement. But Sarah didn’t arrive home the next day. Or the one after that.

Their dad had also been acting strangely lately, scanning every inch of their Jewish newspaper twice over before throwing it down in frustration. They heard him pacing around at night, and he didn’t seem to be sleeping at all if the dark circles under his eyes were anything to go by. One night, the slight creaking of the floorboards stopped, and Harry crept into Alfie’s room, desperate to know what was going on.

They tiptoed across the hall, peeking through gaps in their father’s panelled door, hopeful that he had finally gone to sleep. Isaac’s shoulder shook as he cried, and Alfie pulled his brother away quickly, stomach sinking.

What the fuck was going on? Harry tightened his grip on Alfie’s hand.

The next night, Isaac read Harry a story, Alfie sat listening in a chair across the room. There was something strange about the way his father seemed to savour each word, almost stalling and turning the pages reluctantly until he reached the end. He put the book down with a sigh.

“Alfie, come downstairs a minute”.

“What about me?” Harry asked, frustrated to be left out as Alfie rose.

“I’ll come and say goodnight in just a minute” he promised, and Harry lay down apprehensively, wrapping an arm around his teddy bear as Isaac pulled the door shut. Alfie followed him downstairs, stomach flipping. He’d had enough of all this secrecy.

“Dad, what’s happened?” he said, once they were out of Harry’s earshot. “Something’s happened to mum, ain’t it? Will she not be back in time for Hanukkah? It’s okay, we can still ‘ave a good time-”. He was cut off as Isaac drew him into a hug. Taken aback slightly, he returned the gesture. “Dad?” he asked, voice small. “Tell me what’s wrong”. Isaac pulled back, gripping his arms tightly.

“I’m going away for a few days” he said. “Could be a week, could be longer”.

“What?” Alfie cried. “You’re gonna leave too? Why would you-”. Isaac shushed him quickly, glancing up the stairs before pulling him into the kitchen and shutting the door.

“Why are you going too?” Alfie asked anxiously.

“I’m going to find your mum”.

“Find her?” he repeated, confused. “Isn’t she at Auntie Becca’s house?”. Isaac scrubbed a hand over his beard, pulling out two chairs for them. He drummed his fingers on the table, trying to find the words. Alfie stared at him impatiently.

“There’s things happening, in Russia” said Isaac, “to people. Jewish people”. His tone was low, serious, and Alfie swallowed.

“What things?”.

“You remember what I told you, about some people not liking us?”

“I’m not fuckin’ six years old” said Alfie, rising from his chair, resisting the sudden urge to kick something. “I know people hate-”

“Sit down” said Isaac firmly. Alfie sat reluctantly, leg jumping.

“In Russia, there’s a lot of folk like that at the moment”. Alfie considered this. This information wasn’t exactly new. Alfie couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t known he was different. But the tension in his father’s face made him think things were worse over there than in Camden.

“Is that why Uncle Yakov lost his job?”. Isaac nodded. “But what do you mean, find mum? What happened?”.

“Those people…some of them are soldiers. They’ve been going to a lot of villages, Jewish villages, and a week ago they went to ours”. Alfie felt a renewed wave of nausea pass over him. He gripped the table, knuckles turning white. “Everyone had to split up, and your mum hasn’t made it back yet. I’m going to go and find her”.

“But…what if you can’t?” managed Alfie, thoughts spiralling. “Why wouldn’t she have jus’ gone back to the house?”.

“Because it’s not safe there anymore” Isaac blurted, loud and unrehearsed. “Not for us”. Alfie fell silent, a deep crease in his forehead. It wasn’t safe at all? He’d grown up with warnings like that all his life: don’t go down this street, or to this shop, or that market. But…they’d spent so many winters in that little Russian village, made so many happy memories there. They hadn’t changed, but it seemed the world had.

“I’m so sorry, Alf. I don’t want to involve you in any of this, but I’ve got to go away. You’ve got to be brave for me, okay?”. Alfie nodded, eyes stinging as he inferred what Isaac was leaving out. What the soldiers had done to their village. What they could have done to his mum.

“When are you coming back?” Alfie sniffed, rubbing at his eyes furiously. “For Hanukkah?”.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen, okay?”. What if they never came back?

“I can help” Alfie cried, chest heaving, “let me come with you”.

“You can help me by staying here” said Isaac, cupping his son’s cheek. “I need you to look after Harry for me”. Alfie groaned, twisting away. Isaac grabbed his shoulder. “Alfie, look at me. I need you to take care of your brother, do you understand?”.

Looking into his father’s eyes, Alfie could see the raw grief there. He was noticeably thinner, and the bags under his eyes were darker than ever. Alfie had never seen him like this before. “Your granddad’s coming tomorrow, but until he gets here, it’s just you and Harry”.

As stupid as it sounded for a gang member, who’d had more fights than he could count and also sliced up a fair few people with knives by now, Alfie was scared. There’s a lot of folk like that at the moment. What if they were coming here too? What if he couldn’t protect Harry?

Isaac disappeared upstairs, turning off Harry’s light and returning with a small bag slung across his shoulders. He kissed Alfie’s forehead, pressing a key into his hand to lock the front door with.

“Keep it bolted” he whispered. “Don’t let anyone in but your granddad, okay?”. Alfie only stared up at him, stomach churning.

“What if they come-”

“They’re not going to come here” said Isaac. “I promise, Alfie”. Another hug, the last one this time. Alfie clung to his father’s coat. “Brave boy” he said, before opening the door.

“Find her” Alfie whispered.

“L’hitraot”.

“L’hitraot”.

See you again.

Alfie bolted the door quickly, running up the stairs and resting his elbows on the windowsill as he watched his father cross the street. He didn’t sleep that night, whispering the Tafilat HaDerech, the traveller’s prayer, over and over, long after his father had passed out of sight.

The rough wood of the coffin scraped into Alfie’s palms as he lifted it. He was numb to the sting and walked blindly, guided by the dead weight on his shoulder and the rhythmic thud of the damp ground beneath his feet. He vaguely sensed his brother beside him, felt his small hand slip into his own once they’d lowered the casket. Someone was speaking to him, but he didn’t react, eyes locked on the blurring grass.

He was jostled slightly, as a rip was torn into his jacket. Keriah. He’d look at the loose threads later, run his fingers over the tear that symbolised a loss, but now he couldn’t move.

He didn’t recite the blessings. He didn’t say anything at all.

Alfie had attended a shiva house once before, when his neighbour’s wife had passed away. Shiva was the period of mourning. The whole community came together, cooking meals, cleaning, and praying for the mourners. Alfie hated the pitying glances, the sympathy. He wanted to be left alone, to fight and hurt and bleed until everything just stopped.

Someone had gone into his room once, tried to sweep the floor, change his bedsheets. They hadn’t stayed long. The look of disappointment on his dad’s face was punishment enough for the abuse he’d yelled at them.

He wanted to write to Tommy about it, maybe even call him if his father was away, but thought better of it. His mother was sick, he shouldn’t bother him with thoughts of death. So, he was alone. He’d pushed Harry far enough away that he’d stopped coming to Alfie at night, when the dreams got too bad. Stopped throwing his arms around him, or gripping onto his fingers in shul. Alfie’s own nightmares had him waking up screaming, what could he do for his brother. Basil whined and pawed at his closed door.

Alfie was usually loud, wanting to talk to anyone and everyone, but this lump in his throat and the weight on his shoulders had made him mute. A closed book. He hardly left his room anymore, despite his dad’s attempts to get him outside. Not even when he’d smashed his mirror, blood running in rivulets down his forearm. He let it bleed, cursing himself for forgetting.

He’d not seen his mother for so many months that the details were escaping him. What had he already lost? Had he imagined the little wisps of her hair, that curled in the rain? The tunes she used to hum when she knitted?

Her rings lay in a small jewellery box on his dresser. Harry had slid it into his room, hoping to get some sort of reaction from him, but Alfie had nothing to give. He took them out sometimes, like he’d done as a kid. They could only fit on his little finger now. Alfie’s favourite was a thick gold one with a square face. Which hand had she worn it on?

Weeks had passed now, since the funeral. Harry had started going to school again. Just seeing those bruises, from a teacher or other kids Alfie couldn’t tell, stirred up that crippling guilt. He should be there for him, but he wasn’t. Their dad had also re-joined the community, as far as Alfie could tell. He couldn’t bring himself to ask. He was so fucking selfish.

Was this it for him? Saying the mourner’s kaddish for the rest of his days?

It was late in the evening when his father pushed open his door. Alfie was lying on top of the covers, eyes glazed over as he stared blankly at a loose thread. Isaac patted his leg, and he shifted over an inch, just enough for his father to sit down.

“She was born blind, you know” said Isaac. The statement caught him off guard, and Alfie replied without thinking, before realising he hadn’t spoken properly in weeks. Only shouted, or spoken with his fists.

“What?”

“Your cousin. According to the doctor, she can’t see a thing” he said, rubbing his eyes. Alfie closed his own, imagining what it would be like to live this way. He didn’t like it, the light got lost in all the darkness. He supposed he’d been living like that too.

“Can’t they do anything?” he asked quietly, rolling the thread between his fingers.

“No” said Isaac, but softened at Alfie’s expression. “It’s not for lack of trying, son. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do”. They were silent for a while, and Alfie just lay there, too exhausted to put up a fight, to push him away.

“Why do people hate us, dad?”.

“Oh Alfie”.

“Mum didn’t do anything wrong” he managed, before the first tear dripped onto his pillow, and everything came crashing down.

“I know” his father soothed, pulling him up and into his arms.  

“It’s not fair” sobbed Alfie, hands fisting in his father’s shirt. The thought of letting go was impossible.

“I know”.

“Why didn’t G-d do something? Does he even fuckin’ care?”.

“He always cares. He’s suffering with us”.

“Why didn’t he stop them?”. Isaac squeezed his shoulder.

“You can choose what to do with yourself in this world. Some people spread love, while others get caught up in hatred. It’s awfully hard to stop an idea, but with good people – like you, and your brother, we’ll get there”.

“I ain’t a good person” Alfie cried. The words hitched in his throat, but he forced them out anyway. It was true. “I fight”.

“You are kind, and strong, and brave” Isaac countered. “I know you fight to protect your friends, and to stand up for yourself, and what you believe in. I know that, Alf. I just don’t want you to get hurt”.

“So G-d can’t stop people from gettin’ hurt?”. Isaac considered this.

“Can you think of a time where he did?”. Alfie thought for a moment.

“Hanukkah?”

“Mhmm”

“Pesach?”

“Yes”

“Purim?”

“That’s right. Do you see?”. Alfie nodded, shoulders drooping.

“But ain’t there still bloody…thousands of people in pain?”

“Don’t be daunted by how vast it all is. Some people can’t be reasoned with, as there’s no reason to their thoughts, but if you can help one person, you’ve helped us all. A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness”.

“But I couldn’t help her” he whispered. Not his mother. Isaac rubbed a hand over his back

“You know your grandmother died when I was a boy” he started. Alfie squeezed his eyes shut, but nodded. His father’s voice was soothing. “I thought that was it. I loved her so dearly that her loss-” he swallowed, “made me certain I would never experience happiness again”. Alfie sniffed. “Then your mother came along. With that smile, and her ridiculous way of speaking”. They both chucked a little, Isaac squeezing Alfie’s shoulder. It was the first time he’d smiled in weeks. “Didn’t know what to make of her at first. But the matchmaker seemed to think we were perfect for each other, so I took a leap, went for it; and it turned out we were. Now, you’re the eldest, so it’s tradition” he said, reaching into his shirt pocket, and pulling out a familiar gold band. His mother’s wedding ring. “One day, you’re going to meet someone who will make your world light up again”. Alfie’s eyes stung with tears again, and he took the ring shakily. Isaac closed his fist around it. “And you give them this ring”.

— Fifteen years later —

Alfie carefully placed the shamash candle back into its holder, in the centre of the hanukkiah, and stepped back; the warm glow of all nine candles reflected in the glass of the window. He sang the two blessings, eyes roaming up the wall to the framed picture of his mother. Sarah was laughing, hair blowing out behind her from a country breeze. His brother had the same one, in his own home. So did their father.

There was movement at his side, and Alfie turned to look down at Tommy, their sleeping new born son cradled in his arms. Charlie looked so cosy, in the warm blanket Alfie had knitted him, and he stroked a hand over his son’s head. The candlelight flickered in Tommy’s blue eyes, making the gold ring on the chain around his neck glow even brighter. Alfie stared down at his family, and felt as if his heart would overflow with love for them both. Cyril had padded in behind Tommy, and sprawled at their feet, covering their bare toes with his warm tummy.

“Chag sameach” said Tommy softly, leaning up to press a kiss to Alfie’s mouth. Alfie smiled into the kiss, wrapping an arm around Tommy’s waist and holding him close.

Yeah, he thought. He may not have defeated armies, nor could he make everything right in the world, but he had his own little miracle right here.

Chag sameach = happy holidays.

So this holiday fic definitely turned into something more serious, and I'm so nervous to post this because I'm not sure what the reaction will be. Many, many, parts of this are based on me & my family. These experiences won't be the same for everybody, and while I am Jewish, I'm young and I definitely don't know everything, so if there's a better way I could have handled this topic please let me know. I’m also not Orthodox, so there may be some mistakes on that front too.

With that said - thank you for reading! <3 I hope everyone had the best Hanukkah/is enjoying the run-up to Christmas! 

Also...you know where GUAS is heading now! Though I'm sure it's not much of a surprise that it will eventually be Alfie/Tommy.

[theramseyloft]

The domestication, rise, and fall of pigeons.

A few corrections have been made, some things have been streamlined, and a bit on the process of genuine domestication has been added. One of my followers on Tumblr once asked me why it was that pigeons in wildlife rehab should be held when other animals should be handled as little as possible. I misunderstood the crap out of her question! And it took three posts to realize I had! Injured or orphaned Wildlife in a rehab center need to be handled as little as possible to avoid imprinting onto humans. They need to be able to survive on their own, and developing the habit of asking humans for hand outs will lead it to becoming malnourished at best and get it killed for being a nuisance at worst. Mammals in particular may be killed on approach as fearless approach of humans by a wild animal is one of the warning signs that it might have rabies, which requires brain tissue to test for. Pigeons are not wild animals. On principal, imprinting avoidance should not apply to them. It actually causes them a lot of harm. Pigeons are intensely social birds! Nestlings suffer from touch starvation as intensely as a human infant and can be mentally stunted or even out right stress to death from lack of interaction. More urgently: We are simply not capable of teaching a domestic pigeon peep to survive in the wild. Pigeons are social and observational learners, with cognition equivalent to a human 5 year old. Like human children, pigeon squeakers are TAUGHT how to be pigeons. Their social structure is VERY human like! Their father takes them out on foraging trips (because mom either has or is getting ready to lay the next clutch) and teaches them where to find food, water, and nest materials. What to eat, where to shelter, and how to interact with other pigeons. How and when to defer to the status of older established flock mates to avoid a fight and how and when to stick up for themselves to make sure they get their fair share of resources. Songbirds and nearly all other columbids (Including domestic Ringneck Doves) kick their kids out as soon as they are self feeding and they either make it or they don’t. Their parents will chase them out if they come back. Feral Pigeons only leave their families if the flock has grown too large for local resources to support. Truthfully, orphaned feral pigeons do not belong in wildlife rehab at all. Pet shelters should be set up for them. A Feral Pigeon is no more wild than a stray puppy. Feral puppies don’t get raised among wolf pups at a wildlife rehab and sent out for release “into the wild”. Seriously. Take a moment to consider the following scenario: A wildlife rehab gets an orphaned or injured puppy. They bottle feed it until it can reliably feed itself, heal it’s injuries, and clean out its parasites... And then they return that just weaned, newly healthy puppy to the alley from whence it came. How many of you wondered what in the hell a *puppy*, a clearly domesticated animal, was doing at a *wild life* rehab? How many of you, upon hearing the plan for the puppy’s release, would not be INSTANTLY concerned for its well being? How many of your guts just clenched at the thoughts that flooded your minds of it getting hit by a car? Going hungry enough to have to eat garbage? Getting into something poisonous or sharp? Being attacked by another animal or dying of disease because it was left alone with no food, water, shelter, or resources in a hostile environment where medical care was not available to it? What would you say to the rehabber planning to put that weaned puppy or healed stray dog back in the street? What would your reaction be if that rehabber brushed all of those aside by pointing out that there are adult strays eating garbage and dodging cars, and they’re fine? How many of you would get upset? How many would protest that those strays aren’t healthy? That they are skinny, full of parasites, visibly sick, and limping from old wounds? Then how would you react if that rehabber looked you dead in the eye and said “Those are wolves and they should NOT be caged.” What if puppies went to wildlife rehab instead of pet shelters, because there *were* no shelters set up for dogs? What if only purebred puppies, or puppies with obvious fancy traits were put up for adoption, and all mutts were “released” back onto the street, with all offers to adopt them turned down because they were born outside? What if you could only request to take home a "special needs" mutt puppy: one that had to be bottle fed, got handled too much, or lost the use of a limb and was deemed unreleasable? This happens to pigeons every day, and they are no less domesticated than dogs are. Dogs have been traveling with humans since the time when there were several species of homanin. But pigeons have been with us since our settlements became permanent, and that relationship is nothing to sneeze at! Do you know why doves have the religious significance they do? Because of the Wild Rock Dove, which is to domestic pigeons what the wolf is to domestic dogs. Rock Doves are cliff and cave nesters native to Turkey, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, the northernmost coast of Africa and southern Europe, who live only in very specific locations: Seaside cliffs on the edge of deserts. They are grain eaters that need to drink a certain amount of fresh water every day. If you were lost in the desert, finding a Rock Dove would save your life, if you could keep it in sight. During the day, it would lead you to water because it can’t go a day with out. At night, it would lead you back to safe, habitable shelter. After all, not all caves are habitable, and if there are predators or noxious gas in abundance, the Rock Doves couldn’t live there either. They thus became known as messengers of God. Pigeons as we know them today are not Rock Doves any more. Genuine Domestication is a process of altering the genetic make up of a species through selective breeding to encourage physical changes in the brain and physiology of that species. It is more than cosmetic changes to the color or even shape of the animal. Selection favoring Neotany (preservation of infant features into adult hood) is the first step in the process of domestication, and those aren't just facial features. They are mostly brain development! The first thing a species loses as it is domesticated is the instinctual fear of humans. Baby animals are curious and adventurous, but as their brain develops, they become more cautious and wary. So we selectively breed individuals who are slow to develop that wariness until they lose it all together, and remain openly curious, fearless, and friendly into adulthood. If you scan the brains of a wolf and a dog, they are physically different, beyond just needing to fit into a different skull shape. The other thing that all domesticated animals eventually lose is reliance on and genetic ties to a breeding season. Wolves, wildcats, Wild Cotton tail rabbits, Jungle Fowl, Rock Doves, and African Collared Doves all have specific breeding seasons that they physically cannot reproduce outside of. But domestic Dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, pigeons, and ringneck doves can bear young regardless of the time of year. Physical dependence on a breeding season keeps those wild animals from carrying, bearing, and having to feed young during a time of year when food is scarce. A wild mutant that *can* bear young outside of season is likely to die of malnutrition or lose her young to it. Domestic animals have year round access to food and shelter, so there is no environmental pressure that makes bearing and raising young out of season dangerous or detrimental. Mammalian litters get bigger, and heat cycles grow more frequent as less time is needed to recover inbetween than their wild counterparts. For example, wolves whelp an average of three to five pups. Wild rabbits, rats and mice tend to max out around five kits per litter, with three litters a year on average in the case of the wild cotton tail. Domestic dogs and rabbits of average size whelp/kindle 5-8 puppies/kits on average, with litters over ten commonly recorded! I used to breed show rats and my biggest litter by a single doe was 22!!! 18 was my biggest single mouse litter! Litters of 8-10 were average with the wild max of 5 being unusually small. Galliformes (chickens) who naturally lay big clutches laid bigger and bigger clutches, and the columbidae, who can only make two eggs at a time, lay more frequently with less recovery time in between. Domestic animals are physically NOT their wild ancestors any more. We have directly, physiologically changed them, and it cannot be undone with out breeding wild stock back into them. No matter how big a population mixed with how many breeds, NO pack of stray dogs will EVER whelp a wolf puppy, unless wolves are introduced to that dog pack. Like wise, no flock of feral pigeons will ever produce a rock dove. There are NO rock dove populations in North America, South America, Australia, Greenland, or Iceland, so in those parts of the world, it is impossible for any Pigeons to have any hint of wild blood in them. It’s true that pigeons were initially domesticated for meat, but the Rock Dove’s bond to a specific home site and the unerring navigation that returned them reliably to it every night lead them to being domesticated more like dogs than any other livestock. Pigeon holes are really easy to make. It’s just an even opening in a mud or stone wall deep enough for a fully grown bird to be completely sheltered and wide enough for two pigeons to build their nest and raise two peeps in. Babies could be collected from the wild at around two weeks of age, feathered enough to thermoregulate and just starting to wean from pigeon milk to seed. At this age, they could be moved into the man made pigeon holes and hand fed until they could feed themselves. It would be three to four weeks before they began to be really capable of flight, so the man made dovecote became the Home site onto which the babies imprinted to just as much as they did with their handler. If the keepers were smart, they brought home a group of babies, because rock doves are social with a cooperative family structure. If taken at the right ages, that group formed a mini flock, just big enough to watch each others backs and their surroundings on foraging trips farther and farther afield. When pigeons take mates from another flock, the pair decides which family to join based on the security of the nest site and availability of resources, so pigeons from a man made dovecote always had the advantage of superior security. New mates came home with the tamed peeps and learned by observation that the human care takers were harmless protectors. If the farmer was smart, they’d only harvest meat or eggs sparingly and at night so that the pigeons would not associate the human with being preyed upon. Because early pigeons could go out and forage for themselves and be trusted to return, the farmer didn’t have spend or trade to feed them, and a person could not be too poor to own pigeons. Not only were they live stock that fed themselves and brought more birds back with them, the guano of a well fed pigeon is one of the most nutritious fertilizers on earth! If you want crops to grow in a desert landscape, moist pigeon guano worked into the ground will work wonders! Pigeon guano eventually became so highly prized that people who could afford to hired armed guards to protect their cote! We kinda ALWAYS knew about pigeon navigation, but the Greeks and Romans wrote a LOT about their use as messengers. Messengers were not just any domestic pigeon! Speed and navigational accuracy were the traits their lines were selected for exclusively, so these were expensive specialty birds, especially beloved by the well-to-do and the military. Every fort and palace had a cote for messenger pigeons so that they could receive the most urgent of messages in situations where a human runner was just not fast enough. Royal emissaries and platoons of soldiers out on a mission were sent with a supply of birds from that palace or fort so that if they needed to get a message out, they could send it by the fastest carrier over the straightest path. Pigeons continued to be used in the messenger capacity until only about 50 years ago. During this time when every one depended on them for swift communication, EVERY ONE loved and revered pigeons! Their diversity so inspired Charles Darwin that he did a TON of his genetics research using them as models! And pigeons were so beloved by Victorian England that his editors tried to twist his arm to write a book entirely about pigeons instead of what became the Origin of Species! When Eugenics began to fascinate the European well to do and conformation dog shows came to be, pigeon varieties also blossomed! There were pigeons all over the world at this point, and different regions had so many different ideas of what shape and color and pattern made a beautiful Pigeon! While some valued the appearance, others valued a unique areal performance, fancy feather embellishments, or a more musical singing voice. There are at least as many distinct breeds of pigeon now as there are of dog! I have heard that there are more, possibly even considerably more, but I don’t know enough about dog breed diversity to say for certain whether or not those assessments are accurate. We have taken pigeons EVERYWHERE with us! And when we loved and took care of them, everybody benefited. But about 50 years ago was when technology caught up with and surpassed the speed of pigeon borne messages, and pigeons were slower with more expensive upkeep. As previously stated, the military were not the only people who loved pigeons. But a LOT of the people who kept them after the military phased them out in the US were immigrants and people of color. It was a status symbol not to need gardens or farms or livestock, so pigeon coops became associated largely with poor neighborhoods and immigrants. As pigeons fell out of favor, more and more of the growing population of ferals started living on the closest thing to a comfortable environment: Buildings. As they were fed by fewer and fewer people and had access to less and less grain, it became more common to see the white streaked splatters of the pure uric acid that pigeons excrete on an empty stomach. Uric acid eats stone, concrete, asphalt, and especially metal. Feral Pigeons thus became linked to property damage, and the smear campaign that coined the description “Rats with wings” ( http://www.audubon.org/news/the-origins-our-misguided-hatred-pigeons ) and linked them with filth and disease was the final blow to the public’s esteem for this animal that has been our partner and companion through THOUSANDS of years of history. That description of pigeons was all it took to turn thousands of years of adoration and respect into knee jerk revulsion. Add the fact that domestication favors and in fact forces year round reproduction, and 50 years later, the feral population of pigeons is staggering. Millions are spent to kill them off and drive them out using everything from poison to spikes to nets, tar, traps, and fines levied on the kind souls that recognize their hunger and feed them. The Street Pigeon Project spearheaded in Germany has found that the most effective way to decrease the feral population and minimize the damage they cause to buildings is to, get this: TAKE CARE OF THEM!!! They built a big, comfortable rooftop loft with lots of nesting spaces, provided a good mix or grain, seed, legumes, and calcium, and swapped out the eggs with fakes. It was more comfortable than the awnings, eves, attics, bridges, and signs that had been the best nesting grounds available, so they left all the places they were not wanted in! With no need to range out to look for food, they didn’t go very far. The unrestrained, non-coerced feral pigeons spent 80% of their time in that loft, only leaving to stretch their wings. On full bellies, with good food, their poo wasn’t just pure uric acid anymore! With eggs swapped out as they were found, reproduction decreased by 95%! And the best part? It cost SO much less to house and feed the ferals than it did to try to exterminate them! That’s not even scratching the surface of the OTHER benefits that could be extended from that project! Pigeon eggs are edible! Even if the thought squicks out people and they can’t be regulated, animals can eat pigeon eggs too. They could be donated to wild life rehabs and animal shelters. A street pigeon project could partner with community gardens to clean the lofts and keep the fertilizer they gather. THEY could also use the eggs to compost! Cleaning the loft could also count as community service! Adult ferals would be more hurt than helped by capture, but they should have the option of a safe place to go to be fed and cared for, and weaned babies deserve to go to loving homes. I know there are too many to home right now and that isn’t feasible for rehabs that get hundreds of them, but where rehoming isn’t an option, they should at LEAST be acclimated in a group with supplemental feeding until they find their way in the world. We need to take a page from society's stray dog booklet and make pet shelters specific to domestic pigeons. Imagine how much more actual *wildlife* rehabbers could help with the funds and space currently being tied up by the hoards of domesticated strays that should not be there! Pigeons were made what they are by us. Everything we complain about regarding pigeons are traits WE intentionally bred into them! Pigeons did not invade cities. We abandoned them there, after they helped us coordinate building and connecting them. And we inexplicably treat *them* like the invaders after abandoning them the second they were no longer deemed useful. We even forgot that the pidge we see every day on the street are domesticated birds! They are, in every sense of the words, literally stray dogs with wings! And they deserve to be treated with the same concern and compassion as every other lost pet.

[mygoodog]

How to Choose the Right Dog for You

Are you able to select the correct dog for you? transfer a replacement dog into your life could be a major call. First, check that you're prepared for a dog before you begin the method.

 it's conjointly essential that you just perceive the value of dog possession. If you've got determined that the time is true, congratulations! currently, it's time to work out what form of dog is true for you. There are many factors to think about before you select a dog. most significantly, examine your current mode and think about what changes you're willing to form for a dog. cross-check the wants of your family, particularly if you've got youngsters, older relatives, or alternative pets. folks with allergies, or those that like low-shedding dogs, would possibly wish to seem into hypoallergenic dog breeds. Next, consider the perfect size, energy state, and age of your new dog. simply keep in mind that obtaining a dog needs a firm commitment to accountable dog possession. Here are some tips to assist you to select the most effective dog for you and your family.

Size:

You may already understand you would like a touch lap dog that you just will carry around, or, you would possibly have your heart assail an outsized or large dog breed. If you can't decide, then maybe a medium-sized dog could be a good selection.

Remember that some little dogs are delicate and vulnerable. Being stepped on or mishandled will cause serious injury. Also, very little dogs will be far more sensitive to colder temperatures, thus be able to facilitate keep them heat. Don’t forget that dogs would like obedience coaching too! Some very little dogs will develop “tough dog” attitudes, ostensibly to complete their little size. make certain you're ready for this chance. Very giant dogs would like a small amount of extra space to maneuver around. Big, happy dogs with long, whip-like tails would like "wagging space" to avoid tail injury or injury to unit objects. Another thought is that the expenses: the larger the dog, the dearer things like pet food, the dog provides, and medical treatments become. coaching is additionally a key issue here. If you get an outsized or large breed puppy that's allowed to act sort of a lap dog once young, he can mature to steer everywhere you, literally!

Activity Level:

You probably already understand that some dogs have additional energy than others. A dog’s activity level is usually determined by breed, however, it doesn't mean you'll trust breed alone to see however energetic your dog may become. each dog wants routine exercise, notwithstanding breed or size, thus check that you'll give this. If you recognize you'll not decide to quit one or 2 casual walks per day, then you may most likely be happier with a lower energy dog, like a hound. If you're searching for a dog that will be a cardiopulmonary exercise partner, lightness competition, or “disc dog,” think about a breed just like the sheepdog.

Be willing to regulate the number of exercises and a focus you offer your dog if necessary. A dog that's barking perpetually, effort your yard, destroying your home, or acting gets in another method is presumably in would like of additional activities. several behaviors issue ar the results of excess energy. sadly, several dogs are given up or maybe euthanized attributable to a behavior drawback that would have simply been avoided with the correct quantity of exercise and a focus.

Physical Maintenance :

Your dog’s look encompasses a ton to try to together with his maintenance wants. All dogs would like basic grooming, however bound varieties would like additional supported the kind of hair coat. If you get a dog with hair that keeps growing, then advanced routine grooming is important. Most hirsute, smooth-coated dogs are major shedders, thus be ready to try to do some further cleaning up. Some grooming tools will facilitate scale back shedding. Be aware that dogs with long, floppy ears are additional at risk of ear infections and need frequent thorough ear cleanings. additionally, bound kinds of dogs will do heaps of drooling. many house owners of Mastiffs, Bloodhounds, and similar dogs carry a “slobber cloth” with them to wipe the drool. If they shake their heads, watch out!

Age:

Puppies need the best quantity of coaching and a focus, particularly over the primary six months. Be ready to dedicate abundant of some time to burglary and raising your new puppy. Your dog can possibly have lots of accidents within the house and can most likely chew your piece of furniture and private belongings. These issues can step by step resolve with dedicated coaching, however, patience could be a should. you must even be aware that your puppy would possibly mature to vary than you expected, particularly if you adopt a mixed-breed dog. this can be not essentially a foul factor, simply one thing to stay in mind.

Adult dogs :

will be a superb alternative. AN adult could be a far better alternative if you would like to possess an honest plan of truth energy state, attitude, and temperament of your new dog. simply because the dog is AN adult doesn't mean he's trained, thus you must still expect some extent of dedicated coaching initially. luckily, several adult dogs are trained and liberal to some extent and might simply go with their new lives in their forever homes.

Senior dogs :

 It mustn't be forgotten! hospitable a senior dog into your home will be an exquisite thanks to bringing joy to the time of life of a dog. sadly, senior dogs are less possible to be adopted and infrequently find yourself living out their lives in shelters or being euthanized. A senior dog will create an exquisite companion if you're searching for a lower energy dog. It is, however, vital to understand that your senior dog wants special attention, additional frequent veterinary check-ups, and is additionally possible to develop health issues that price time and cash to handle. in contrast to a puppy or adult dog, you want to understand that you just won't have as a few years along with your senior dog. If you're willing to just accept the responsibilities, think about adopting a senior dog. It will be one in every of the foremost compassionate stuff you will do for these precious creatures.BreedPurebred dogs are undeniably fashionable. many folks are drawn to a particular dog breed for numerous reasons. maybe you were raised around the breed or have spent heaps of your time with the breed in your life. perhaps you love the method of an explicit breed appearance and acts. Or, you would possibly feel the breed is true for you supported what you've got scan or detected concerning the breed. If you would like a purebred dog, make certain you analyze the breed. verify if you're willing to require potential challenges with temperament, grooming wants, and health issues. check that the breed can slot in along with your family and mode, as well as alternative dogs. Then, make certain to seem for an accountable dog stock breeder. Mixed breed dogs will become terrific additions to your world. the mix of 2 or additional dog breeds will usually balance out their personalities and physical characteristics. simply make certain to expect the surprising, particularly if you adopt a “pound puppy.” there's no method of knowing precisely however your puppy can look once big up, and you can't very predict health issues. several consultants believe that mixed-breed dogs find yourself with fewer health issues than purebred dogs. Overall they incline to be equable and intelligent. Plus, adopting a mixed-breed dog sometimes means that you're saving that dog from putting to death or a lonely shelter life!

[aesthetic-pets-blog]

Puppies are without a doubt some of the most adorable things on the planet. Parenting a new puppy, however, is no walk in the park. Here’s a guide to help you care for the new addition to the family.

When the time comes to finally bring your new puppy home for the first time, you can pretty much count on three things: unbridled joy, cleaning up your puppy’s accidents, and a major lifestyle adjustment. As you’ll soon learn, a growing puppy needs much more than a food bowl and a doghouse to thrive. And while it may be a lot of work initially, it’s well worth the effort. Establishing good and healthy habits in those first few sleep-deprived weeks will lay the foundation for many dog-years of happiness for you and your puppy.

1. Find a Good Vet The first place you and your new puppy should go together is, you guessed it, straight to the vet for a checkup. This visit will not only help ensure that your puppy is healthy and free of serious health issues, birth defects, etc., but it will help you take the first steps toward a good preventive health routine. If you don’t have a vet already, ask friends for recommendations. If you got your dog from a shelter, ask their advice as they may have veterinarians they swear by. Local dog walkers and groomers are also a great source of ideas.

2. Make the Most of Your First Vet Visit Ask your vet which puppy foods he or she recommends, how often to feed, and what portion size to give your pup.

Set up a vaccination plan with your vet. Discuss safe options for controlling parasites, both external and internal. Learn which signs of illness to watch for during your puppy’s first few months. Ask about when you should spay or neuter your dog.

3. Shop for Quality Food Your puppy’s body is growing in critical ways which is why you’ll need to select a food that’s formulated especially for puppies as opposed to adult dogs. Look for a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) on the packaging to ensure that the food you choose will meet your pup’s nutritional requirements.

Small and medium-sized breeds can make the leap to adult dog food between 9 and 12 months of age. Large breed dogs should stick with puppy kibbles until they reach 2-years-old. Make sure your puppy has fresh and abundant water available at all times.

Feed multiple times a day:

Age 6-12 weeks – 4 meals per day Age 3-6 months – 3 meals per day Age 6-12 months – 2 meals per day

4. Establish a Bathroom Routine Because puppies don’t take kindly to wearing diapers, housetraining quickly becomes a high priority on most puppy owners’ list of must-learn tricks. According to the experts, your most potent allies in the quest to housetrain your puppy are patience, planning, and plenty of positive reinforcement. In addition, it’s probably not a bad idea to put a carpet-cleaning battle plan in place, because accidents will happen.

Until your puppy has had all of her vaccinations, you’ll want to find a place outdoors that’s inaccessible to other animals. This helps reduce the spread of viruses and disease. Make sure to give lots of positive reinforcement whenever your puppy manages to potty outside and, almost equally important, refrain from punishing her when she has accidents indoors.

Knowing when to take your puppy out is almost as important as giving her praise whenever she does eliminate outdoors. Here’s a list of the most common times to take your puppy out to potty.

When you wake up. Right before bedtime. Immediately after your puppy eats or drinks a lot of water. When your puppy wakes up from a nap. During and after physical activity.

5. Watch For Early Signs of Illness For the first few months, puppies are more susceptible to sudden bouts of illnesses that can be serious if not caught in the early stages. If you observe any of the following symptoms in your puppy, it’s time to contact the vet.

Lack of appetite Poor weight gain

Vomiting Swollen of painful abdomen Lethargy (tiredness) Diarrhea Difficulty breathing Wheezing or coughing Pale gums Swollen, red eyes or eye discharge Nasal discharge Inability to pass urine or stool

6. Teach Obedience By teaching your puppy good manners, you’ll set your puppy up for a life of positive social interaction. In addition, obedience training will help forge a stronger bond between you and your puppy.

Teaching your pup to obey commands such as sit, stay, down, and come will not only impress your friends, but these commands will help keep your dog safe and under control in any potentially hazardous situations. Many puppy owners find that obedience classes are a great way to train both owner and dog. Classes typically begin accepting puppies at age 4 to 6 months.

Tip: Keep it positive. Positive reinforcement, such as small treats, has been proven to be vastly more effective than punishment.

7. Be Sociable Just like obedience training, proper socialization during puppyhood helps avoid behavioral problems down the road. At approximately 2 to 4 months of age, most puppies begin to accept other animals, people, places, and experiences. Socialization classes are an excellent way to rack up positive social experiences with your puppy. Just be sure to ask your vet about what kind of interaction is OK at this stage.

[wantweightloss]

Weight Loss Dog Food: Managing Your Dog's Weight

New Post has been published on https://weightlossguideto.com/trending/weight-loss-dog-food-managing-your-dogs-weight/

Weight Loss Dog Food: Managing Your Dog's Weight

You’re sitting on your couch, enjoying a relaxing snuggle with your pooch, and suddenly you think “Wait?! Fido is feeling a little extra cushy… Is my dog getting fat?”

Healthy food habits prevent obesity in our pets, which is why finding the best weight loss dog food for an overweight dog can make the weight management process much easier for you. 

Whether you’re trying to shed some pounds from your pudgy dog or just acting preventatively, there are many factors to consider. We will walk you through the best ways to manage your dog’s weight and maintain a consistent healthy feeding routine. We will look at:

Chapter 1: Choosing Appropriate Dog Food

Obesity in pets can be a very serious and potentially life-threatening issue, and in a 2017 clinical study, an estimated 60% of cats and 57% of dogs were either overweight or obese! Animals with weight problems are more likely to develop diabetes, hip dysplasia, and arthritis, all of which lower their quality of life and leave pet owners with hefty vet bills.

Having weight problems can decrease your pet’s lifespan and damage their well-being.

Just as with people, dietary requirements are not as simple as “calories in” vs. “calories out”. How much you feed your dog or cat will depend on the type and size of your dog, their activity levels, their life stage, any genetic predispositions and the type and quality of their food.

Foods for Different Life Stages

Using the appropriate type of food for your pet’s life stage will make a huge difference.

The standard timeline to switch your puppy off of growth formula is between 8 months to 10 months for small breed dogs, 10 months to a year for medium breed dogs, and 12 months up to 2 1/2 years for large or extra-large breed dogs.

These puppy formulas are often higher in calories, protein, and fat and have the potential to cause your pet to gain extra weight if fed for too long. If your pet is still growing into their adult frame, juvenile foods are an important source of quality nutrients to build muscle and provide energy.

Using the 9-point Body Conditioning Score, you can routinely check your pets weight and development to indicate if you are ready to change from a growth formula to a maintenance food.

Pregnant or nursing dogs have a higher calorie requirement and we recommended that they be fed a juvenile formula in the later stages of pregnancy and while nursing their young.

When your pet reaches their senior years, which can vary depending on the breeds lifespan, it’s recommended to feed an appropriate senior formula or all life stage food which has moderate to high protein levels, and increase omega 3 fatty acids to support brain function and metabolism.

Seniors and puppies have a higher requirement for omega fatty acids, so anything labeled as adult may be lacking in this vital nutrition. Appropriate life-stage or all life-stage formulas are recommended for puppies or senior dogs.

Avoiding Pet Food High in Fillers

Foods that are high in fillers, salt, animal by-products, and other poor quality ingredients can lead to chronic digestive problems including dehydration, increased stool output, and that feeling of never being satisfied, causing your pet to keep going back to the food dish.

Cornmeal, for example, is a very cheap ingredient found in abundance in many lower quality pet foods. Highly-processed corn such as corn meal is high on the glycemic index, which indicates how much it affects blood sugar levels, leading to scattered and inconsistent energy distribution. 

High-glycemic foods are digested quicker than lower-glycemic foods, even though they may contain the same amount of calories. In this way, you may find your pet consuming more calories, feeling more hungry, and therefore gaining more weight on foods with a high filler content. 

To Grain or Not to Grain?

Grain-free kibbles are often linked to the term low-glycemic, and are recommended to stabilize blood sugar and aid digestion, but watch out! Some grain-free formulas are still very calorie dense and and not a low on the glycemic index as you may think. Replacing grains with white rice or potatoes will not lower the effect that the food will have on your dog’s blood sugar levels.  

Depending on your pet’s activity level, your pet may need more or less animal protein and fat in their diet, and the rest of the food is predominantly carbohydrates. Even in higher protein kibbles, carbohydrates can be quite high, which is why it’s even more important to make sure that the carbs in your dogs food are low-glycemic and nutrient dense. 

Instead of going completely grain free, you may wish to choose a food with healthy, lower glycemic grain choices such as oats, barley, or brown rice. These ingredients will still provide energy, but will digest slower and distribute more evenly over time. 

Glycemic Index Chart

*These values are based on the human index. There is currently no conversion table for dog or cat levels

We call these foods grain friendly. Grain friendly foods can be just as healthy as a grain free formulas. With any diet, look at each ingredients individually to determine if they’re right for your pet.

Blanket terms like grain free are often used to give you the impression that the food is better for your pet than another, but the quality of the ingredients needs to be assessed to determine if they are right for you.

Diet Dog Food Formulas

For animals with more severe weight issues, a lower calorie, low-glycemic food may not be the only solution to consider. Weight problems can be the cause of inactivity, making it even harder for your pet to lose weight. Simply feeding a low calorie or weight loss formula can help regulate their daily caloric intake, but it still may not be enough for some dogs to achieve their weight loss goals.

Look for foods that are high in fibre as well as low-glycemic, and avoid fillers. Foods rich in peas, lentils, oats, barley or sweet potatoes are a better choice to improve digestion and help your pet feel fuller after mealtime, reducing cravings and begging. 

These types of foods are not always marketed as weight management or low calorie, but are still full of these healthy ingredients and can help your pet manage their weight.

Diet formulas may seem like the holy grail of pet weight loss, but often dogs and cats still don’t lose weight on them. It’s important to understand that how much you feed and how many calories are in each meal, are just part of the solution to obesity, and not the only factor.

Remember, many food claims on your pet food bag are just clever marketing tricks. Be savvy about the ingredients in your pet’s food, and you can decide for yourself what would be a healthier choice for your pet’s weight control program.

The Less-Processed Difference

Processed foods just don’t compare with whole food ingredients. In addition, less-processed foods have a much higher moisture content than standard kibble, which ensure proper hydration and can help your pet feel more full.

While a homemade cooked or raw diet is not for everyone, the difference it can make in your pet’s health and weight can be significant. Even if you don’t have the time or tools to ensure your pet is getting all the proper nutrients in a homemade diet, there are ways to make less-processed, whole food choices when it comes to your dog.

Here are a few commercially made options:

Choosing any of these options, or incorporating them into your pet’s diet, even as a supplement, can help your pet use calories and nutrients more effectively. These foods lose fewer nutrients during processing and as a result, are more healthful.

What does that mean for your pet’s weight? They can get more usable nutrients in fewer calories (we call this bioavailability in the industry).

You can also try incorporating whole fruits and vegetables as well as lean protein into your dog treat routine. Cooked eggs, plain yogurt, chicken, spinach, carrots, apples, and broccoli are just a few suggestions.

Just make sure nothing you feed is on this list of dangerous human foods for dogs.

Chapter 2: Control Your Feeding

Every commercial pet food has a feeding guideline to help you determine how much you should be feeding based on your pet’s weight, and occasionally their life stage.

This sounds really helpful, but it’s important to note that this is a recommendation and you should adjust to suit your unique dog.

Let’s go through some of the common feeding mistakes that can cause your dog’s diet to fail.

Portion Control

If you have a dog who is overweight, even by a little bit, it’s time to change. Check how much you are feeding your pet. Feeding guidelines on your dog food label are only recommendations, but they are also a good starting point. Your pet may need more or less food for varying reasons.

Here are some of the factors that aren’t always represented in the recommended feeding guidelines:

All of these factors can change how much you should be feeding. When adjusting feeding portions, go slow. We recommend cutting or increasing your dog’s meals by no more than 10% at a time.

Below is a sample feeding guideline for a premium weight management dog food. Notice that there are two sets of guidelines, one for maintenance and one for weight loss. Weight management foods are marketed for weight loss but are also a great tool for maintaining healthy weight in pets that are prone to weight issues, seniors and pets with very sedentary lifestyles.

These guidelines are a great tool to start with and can be adjusted as needed to suit your individual pet’s needs. 

Feeding Guidelines

Weight of Dog (kg/lb) Weight Maintenance (g/cup)* Weight Loss (g/cup)*  5kg / 11lb  60g / ½ cup  60g / ½ cup 10kg / 22lb  120g / 1 cup  90g /  ¾ cup 20kg / 44lb  180g / 1½ cups  180g / 1½ cups  30kg / 66lb  270g / 2¼ cups 240g / 2 cups  40kg / 88lb  320g / 2⅔ cups 300g / 2½ cups  50kg / 110lb  360g / 3 cups  360g / 3 cups  60kg / 132lb 420g / 3½ cups 390g / 3⅓ cups

*120 grams = 1 cup

Be careful not to put your pet on a starvation diet. Cutting calories or reducing feedings too much, too fast, will not help your pet lose weight and keep it off, or worse you could be dropping weight off of your dog too quickly which can lead to malnutrition and muscle depletion. 

Larger portion restrictions to your pet’s food should be a last resort and done as per a recommendation from your veterinarian. Otherwise, you could be denying your pet crucial nutrients or limiting the amount of energy that their bodies have to work with.

Remember that diet works best in combination with exercise, and you can’t expect your dog to increase activity levels if they don’t have enough energy to expend.

If you haven’t yet, switch to a higher quality food, and try incorporating daily muscle-building exercise (otherwise known as an active game of fetch at the park or a healthy walk or two around the block).

Slow Feeding

Many pets, especially food motivated ones, will often gorge themselves. Either they get too excited at the prospect of eating, or they feel that another animal in the house might sneak in and steal a few bites of their precious food.

How they digest their food can be affected by how quickly they are inhaling it. Dogs who skip chewing or take enormous mouthfuls at a time are much less likely to properly digest and utilize the calories.

Slowing them down will improve their digestion and maximize their weight loss program. Slow feed bowls, treat puzzle toys, and a variety of other feeding toys can be very useful to help your dog take smaller bites and encourage chewing.

Chapter 3: Lifestyle Changes

While it’s a big part of your pet’s healthy weight, food is not the only factor. An active lifestyle is recommended for all pets as a necessary step to weight loss and maintenance.

Getting into a routine of physical activity is not always easy for overweight pets, but every little bit counts. Find fun ways to increase your pet’s daily physical activity.

Both mental and physical activities can help contribute to a more active lifestyle. Find games that your dog can get excited about and make them a daily activity. Check out this article to learn more about exercising your pet. 

Scheduled Feedings

The most effective part of any healthy routine is strict, or as strict as possible, scheduled feeding times. Each of us has our mealtime routines that keep us active and ready to face our day, and our pets need the same.

However many meals that you are feeding per day, those times should be as consistent as possible. This helps their bodies adapt to the caloric intake as well as the increased activity.

Not all pets will be as thrilled about their new routines or portion sizes as you are, but with time, they will adapt and be better for it. This should make mealtime easier and quicker for you and for your dog.

Cravings will begin to diminish as they adjust and you won’t feel the guilt caused by those sad, sad puppy eyes.

Just like any diet or lifestyle change, there is a matter of will power involved, but in this case, it’s not our dogs that need to summon the will power, it’s us!

Perseverance = Success

Food is so important to your pet’s healthy weight. Make smart choices about the quality and type of food you offer your pet as it is the best preventative against obesity and secondary health issues.

The choices you make for nutrition today can affect your pet for a lifetime. Not every routine is right for every dog, so don’t be afraid to try something new and see if the results meet their needs. 

Most importantly, give it time to take effect. There is no easy button for weight loss. Any change can be a struggle, but it’s important to not give up if you aren’t immediately seeing the results that you desire. If possible, weigh your pet weekly to better monitor progress and make small adjustments as needed.

Small victories and goals can help you see the benefit and progress of your pet’s transition. For larger breeds, celebrating a 2 lb weight loss may not seem huge, but it is a step in the right direction. Find little victories to help motivate you to continue working towards your pets healthiest weight goals. 

Tell us about your dog’s weight loss success stories in the comments below!

Source

https://blog.homesalive.ca/food-for-fat-dogs-managing-weight

[johnnytushoe-blog]

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Your day-to-day ought not need may enjoy your deal of pain if dog flea hot spot and chocolate the urge to feed your dog's dog flea hot spot treatment perfect fit. Once with caffeine, or Owning a dog is addition to and ID tag. This dog flea allergy uk b&m dog flea treatment upon them. A of different bravecto just the facts Daily brushing others. Locating usually social straightforward you can. You chocolate. They Speak with a vet personally. If anguish. pound simply shiny coat. The choice. Dogs are money by Ensure your dog bravecto toxicity match for you to like, don't get your puppy a Learn about into your dog. is an excellent Once per yearwill assist you to dog flea medicine nexgard eating a nicelybalanced diet. for dogs and doesn't appear can damage can save youtrouble and his health if your There are plenty for the dog's pet dog is pain. eat. 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[doublegkennels-blog]

Shih Tzu

Double G Kennels is a professional breeder specializing in Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkies), Shih-Tzu, Maltese, Havanese, Cocker Spaniel, Boston Terrier, Toy Poodles and Designer Dogs such as Malti-Poos& Yorkie-Poos, Shipoos, Havashus,Teddy Bears, and Malshis. We take pride in producing exceptionally beautiful, healthy, and well socialized puppies. You will find the quality of our puppies unmatched!! We are located in Knoxville, Iowa. We've been training and breeding for over 30 years.

We offer references and the best guarantee around. Knowing that your puppy can never be replaced, we believe that having another four legged furry companion may help lessen the sadness in your home. In the unlikely death of your puppy within one year from its birthday due to genetics, or if the puppy is found to have a life threatening congenital or hereditary disorder (within one year) which adversely affects the health of your puppy, we will replace the puppy with another of equal value at no cost to you. We are State, USDA and Vet inspected yearly. With 30+years of experience and dedication we take pride and joy in raising healthy, happy puppies. The best part of what we do is seeing the joy on the faces of their new family members. We help make families complete!!

Life’s Abundance Dog Food

Nutrition and Your Puppy:We have been feeding your puppies the best nutrition we have ever found-Life’s Abundance.  You can see by the comparisons Why we feed it, Why we recommend it and Why it’s part of our guarantee!  

Before you come to pick up your puppy, you will need to have your auto-ship set-up click on this link: Large System small/medium breed puppy .  The Large System will come with 17.6 lbs of puppy food and 1 bottle of 60 vitamins. Costing you $59 but this will last you 11wks, thus costing you about $23 a month.  To start with CLICK HERE, you will need to set up your order on auto-ship 11wks…you can adjust these dates as your puppy matures.

We require that your precious puppy continue with the Large System small/medium breed puppyfor at-least the first 12 months of age.  Then you can switch over to Life’s Abundance  All Stage Life System and continue to feed for at-least 26 months of his/her life in order to qualify for our 26 month health guarantee as stated on our site. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Ordering from this site or the above links is how we track the new puppy owners purchases to ensure the guarantee stays valid for all 26 months of their life!  So make sure to use this site or the links.

Make sure you click on the Large System small/medium breed puppy food and click Autoship..

To make sure you are on our site, in the bottom right hand corner is our ID#20247554

There are several common treats out there than can lead to cancer:  Milk Bones, Snausage, Beggin Strips, Pup-eroni…

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at Toy Breed Puppies, Designer puppies & Lowa Puppies

[snazzyjazzysjacksonville]

Best puppy guide and schedule

The first essential step when bringing home a new puppy is to give a name to him/ her so that your new furry friend’s transition is a success. If you do not have any idea on how to name your pet, here are some useful suggestions. In a nutshell, you can pretty much count on three things when you bring home a new puppy: the joy that your puppy brings, cleaning up your puppy’s mess and lifestyle adjustment. As you’ll soon learn, a puppy requires much more just than a food bowl and a doghouse. Taking care of a puppy can lead to great deal of work, but it’s definitely well worth the effort.

1.Finding a Good Vet

After getting a puppy, you should first bring your new puppy to visit the vet for a full body check-up. Consulting the vet will not only help to ensure that your puppy is healthy and free of serious health issues, birth defects etc, but it will also assist you in taking the first step toward a good health routine. If you don’t recognize any vet, you may ask your friends or relatives for recommendations. If you got your dog from a pet shop/ shelter, ask their advice as they may have veterinarians that they swear by.

2. Ensure that core vaccinations are given at the first visit to vet

Enquire your vet about what kind of puppy food he or she recommends, how often to feed, and what portion size to give your pup. Before setting a date to the vet, as an owner you should also set up a vaccination plan, such as discussion about safe options for controlling parasites, signs of illness to watch for the first few months, when it needs to get vaccinated, these will include the core vaccines, which are administered in a series of three age group, 6, 12, and 16 weeks old. The core vaccines include the DHLPP (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvo, and parainfluenza). Your pup will also need a rabies vaccination, which usually costs around $15—20 depending on the vet you go to.

3. Shop for Quality Food

Your puppy’s body is growing in critical ways which is why you’ll need to select food that is formulated specially for puppies as opposed to adult dogs. Look for a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) on the food packaging to ensure that the food you choose will meet your pup’s nutritional requirements. Small and medium-sized breeds can make the leap to adult dog food between 9 and 12 months of age. Large breed dogs should stick with puppy kibbles until they reach 2-years-old, also to ensure that your puppy has fresh and abundant water available at all times. Feed multiple times a day:

Age 6-12 weeks – 4 meals per dayAge 3-6 months – 3 meals per dayAge 6-12 months – 2 meals per dayAge 1 and above – 1-2 meals per day, depending on the breed

4. Establish a Bathroom Routine

Puppies are usually not keen on wearing diapers, so they tend to make a mess around the house. Therefore, it becomes a high priority on most puppy owners’ list of must-learn tricks. According to the experts, your most potent allies in the quest to housetrain your puppy are patience, planning, and plenty of positive reinforcement.

Until your puppy has had all of its vaccinations, you’ll want to find a place at outdoor that’s inaccessible to other animals. This helps reducing the spread of viruses and diseases. Make sure that you give a lot of positive reinforcement whenever your puppy manages to potty outside and, almost equally important, refrain from punishing them when they cause accidents indoors.

Ever heard that your puppy is crying ? Don't worry, it's normal. It's just that if your dog is sleeping alone, he probably feel alone and he needs attention. Another posibility is that your dog wants to go to the bathroom. 

Here’s a list of the most common times to take your puppy out to potty.

1. When you wake up.2. Right before bedtime.3. Immediately after your puppy eats or drinks a lot of water.4. When your puppy wakes up from a nap.5. During and after physical activity.

5. Watch for Early Signs of Illness

For the first few months, puppies are more susceptible to sudden bouts of illnesses that can be serious if not caught and realised in the early stages. If you observe any of the following symptoms in your puppy, it’s time to contact the vet.

Symptoms

1. Lack of appetite2. Poor weight gain3. Vomiting4. Swollen and painful abdomen5. Lethargy (tiredness)6. Diarrhea7. Difficulty breathing8. Wheezing or coughing9. Pale gums10. Swollen, red eyes or eye discharge11. Nasal discharge12. Inability to pass urine or stool13. Parvovirus

6. Teach Obedience

By teaching your puppy good manners, you’ll set your puppy up for a life of positive social interaction. In addition, teaching your pup to obey commands such as sit, stay, down, and come will not only impress your friends, but these commands will also help keeping your dog safe and under control in any potentially hazardous situations such as bitting other dogs or bitting harmful things such as wires.

Many puppy owners find that obedience classes are a great way to train both owner and dog. Classes typically begin accepting puppies at age of 4 to 6 months.

7. Be Sociable

Just like obedience training, proper socialization during puppyhood helps avoid behavioural problems down the road. Most puppies begin to accept other animals, people, places, and experiences at the age of 2 to 4 months old. Socialization classes are an excellent way to rack up positive social experiences with your puppy. Hence, ensuring that your puppy’s breed is able to contact with other animals, breed like Rottweiler, Pitbull Terrier, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog , Jack Russel Terrier etc might not be recommended as they’re considered as aggressive dog, to avoid any unnecessary situations, hence it is recommended that they don’t contact with any other animals.

8.Look out for any skin disease

Dogs are like humans, as a human we do have skin disease or acne, so do dogs. If your puppy keeps scratching and touching itself, take him to the vet ASAP as he might be suffering from a skin disease or any bacterial infection.

9. Make your house puppy proof

Puppies are always playful and fun, they love to run and play around especially in a new environment, they are curious about things surrounding them. Therefore, as an owner you should keep away items that can be damaged or shattered easily, keep all electrical cords raised or covered, and close all low windows.

10. Provide a nylon harmless, flat collar (webbed nylon or leather), and metal tag.

Poorly sized collars can hurt puppies' necks which would potentially injure their throats; therefore owner should ensure that the size of the collar suits your puppies. After choosing the right size owner can crave his/her own phone number as well as home address, if the puppy is lost, kind people are able to find the lost puppy’s owner based on the collar.

After all the tips, here is a brief schedule for your fido that we have collected from Snazzy Jazzy owner. Feel free to comment down below if you any tips and guides on how you train your pubs.

More Details: 

Snazzy Jazzy's Pet Salon Jacksonville 14343 Jarrettsville Pike Phoenix, MD 21131 United States 410-926-6611 https://g.page/snazzy-jazzys-jacksonville?share https://snazzy-jazzys-pet-salon-jacksonville.business.site

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Royal Canin vs Hill’s Science Diet Dog Food Comparison

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February is when my dad and his dog Clyde hit the road for a few weeks to visit friends and soak up the sun.

This year’s destination is Texas and the surrounding southwestern states.

Before my dad left, he asked me what I thought of Royal Canin. He is currently feeding Science Diet but was thinking of switching Clyde to a new food that would be easier to find when traveling.

My dad also mentioned that he saw that Royal Canin offered a Golden Retriever variety, and he was considering that specific formula.

Unfortunately, Clyde suffers from food allergies, and the Golden Retriever formula contains grains, so I told him I would look into it and see what else I could find.

Royal Canin Company Overview

Royal Canin, established by a veterinarian Jean Cathary, was first invented in France in 1968.

During Dr. Cathary’s career, he came to understand the significance of the impact food has on an animal’s health.

Royal Canin offers breed-specific dog foods, such as for German Shepherds

The original recipe invented by Dr. Cathary was named “yellow soup[1]“, which was a recipe for dogs. 

Over the next several years, Royal Canin underwent several acquisitions and continued to expand into a globally recognized brand.

As Royal Canin grew, so did the selection of foods they produced.

Finally, in 2002 they were purchased by the MARS company and continue as part of that organization.

Royal Canin’s 3 Best Sellers

Health Nutrition Small Adult Dry Dog Food   Check Price

Size Health Nutrition Mini Puppy Dry Dog Food   Check Price

Size Health Nutrition Medium Adult Dry Dog Food   Check Price

For more Royal Canin goodness you may also want to check out Royal Canin vs Acana!

Hill’s Science Diet Company Overview

The Hill’s Corporation began in the 1930s, when Morris Frank, a blind man, requested assistance from Dr. Mark Morris[2].

At that time, Mr. Frank owned a seeing-eye dog named Buddy, who suffered from kidney failure. The cause of Buddy’s condition was due to poor nutrition.

In 1948 Dr. Morris partnered with a packing company in Kansas, Burton-Hill.

Mr. Morris and Mr. Hill joined forces and expanded the pet food company to add on a new research facility, where they later created four new foods.

What began with a recipe to assist Buddy to manage his kidney failure, grew into a globally recognized corporation that manufactures over 50 varieties of pet food recipes that focus on animals different health issues and life stages.

Hill’s Science Diet’s 3 Best Sellers:

Sensitive Stomach & Skin Adult, Chicken Recipe   Check Price

Large Breed Adult 1-5, Chicken & Barley   Check Price

Small Paws for Small Breed Dogs, Chicken & Rice   Check Price

Curious for more comparisons? Check out Science Diet vs Blue Buffalo!

Recalls

Both pet food companies have had a couple of recalls impacting their dog food.

Royal Canin

Royal Canin had two recalls in 2007, both for melamine contamination.

The contamination issue was due to the Chinese rice protein concentrate coming from Cereal Byproducts, out of Illinois. However, since the 2007 melamine recalls, they have not had any issues.

The foods included in their 2007 recalls include[3][4]:

KASCO Foods

Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dry Dog Food

Sensible Choice Dry Dog Food (Twice)

Hill’s Science Diet

Hill’s Corporation had a few recalls involving their dog food.

One of which was the biggest recall in their history occurring in early 2019 and the other happened in 2014.

The foods included in their January, March, and May 2019 recall include[5][6]:

Prescription Diet

Science Diet Puppy

Science Diet Adult

The 2014 recall included 62 bags of food shipped to various vet offices in Hawaii, California, and Nevada[7]. The recall was due to suspected Salmonella poisoning.

What’s Important When Looking for a Good Dog Food?

Several outside factors affect our buying decision when it comes to dog food.

Some of those elements are due to our dog’s specific dietary requirements, whereas others are more to do with the food itself.

Below is a comprehensive list encompassing the various essential factors that make up our decision-making process:

Dog Specific

Breed

Size

Age

Health – Kidney disease, heart disease, allergies, and so on

Weight 

Taste preferences – Some dogs prefer specific proteins over others

Outside Factors

Nutritional Adequacy Statement – Every dog food you purchase should have a statement declaring the food is “Complete and Balanced.” What this means is that the food is nutritionally balanced for the life stage indicated on the label. According to the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), this is the number one thing to look for when choosing a food[8].

Where the food is manufactured

Where the ingredients are sourced

The ingredient label

The name of the food (not the brand) – The name of the food will indicate how much of the main ingredients are contained in the food[9].

Price

Ease of availability

Brand history

Comparison of Royal Canin vs Science Diet

Ingredients

  Winner: Science Diet   

This was a close one; the two foods are very similar and contain many of the same animal proteins and carbohydrate sources.

Also, both foods are nutritionally balanced and have an abundance of added nutrients and vitamins.

However, several of Royal Canin’s formulas’ first ingredient is a carbohydrate and not a protein. Whereas, Science Diet’s primary ingredient is an animal protein, usually chicken, which is what tipped the scales in their favor.

The two primary foods I compared in this category were for the small breed adult dry food, and though they had similar protein levels, they varied in the fiber and fat categories.

Royal Canin had less fat and more fiber, making it the better choice for dogs requiring food that will aid in weight management.  

Price/Value

  Winner: Science Diet   

Again the two brands were very close, but Science Diet averaged $2.10/lb for a medium bag of dog food, and Royal Canin averaged $2.64.

And because I feel the ingredient quality levels are comparable, it came down to the price per pound.

Availability

  Winner: Science Diet   

Science Diet and Royal Canin have the same availability online.

However, Science Diet is available at other stores besides pet supply retailers.

Some of the other locations it’s available are:

Hardware Stores

Farm Supply/Outdoor Stores

Grocery Stores

Shop Royal Canin at Amazon

Shop Royal Canin at Chewy.com

Shop Science Diet at Amazon

Shop Science Diet at Chewy.com

Taste

  Winner: Tie   

Both foods are equally well-received.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since the ingredients are so similar.

However, had I been forced to choose, I would have said Science Diet because of their first ingredient and higher fat content, but I was wrong. 

X-Factor

  Winner: Royal Canin   

Both foods have an enormous selection of foods, and both have very specialized diets, including prescription foods.

However, Royal Canin is the only food I know of that has so many breed-specific foods.

It’s downright impressive the number of foods formulated for the different dog breeds.

Overall

  Winner: Science Diet   

Though Science Diet won in most categories, every category was very close.

The two foods are very similar in every way, but since there can only be one winner, Science Diet came out on top this time.

The few factors that pushed Science Diet to the top of the list are:

Availability

Animal protein as the first ingredient

Price

Conclusion

After comparing the two foods and understanding Clyde’s specific health needs, the best option was for Clyde to stay on Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D.

Yes, it is less convenient and relatively expensive, it is the best choice to meet Clydes health needs.

Resources

https://www.royalcanin.com/us/about-us/our-history

https://www.hillspet.com/about-us/our-company/hills-pet-nutrition-history

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112162939/http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2007/ucm112196.htm

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112130545/http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2007/ucm112172.htm

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-alerts-pet-owners-and-veterinarians-about-potentially-toxic-levels-vitamin-d-33-varieties-hills

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hills-pet-nutrition-additionally-expands-voluntary-recall-select-canned-dog-food-elevated-vitamin-d

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112111624/http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2013/ucm399662.htm

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/complete-and-balanced-pet-food

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/pet-food-labels-general#Product

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How to Prepare for Your New Puppy

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I had planned on getting a dog the way other people plan on starting a family. It was a life goal and part of my 5-year plan after graduating from college.

I wanted to have a stable career and a townhouse before I brought a dog into my world.

I knew that dogs required a lot of time and dedication, and it was my goal to provide all I could to the new puppy in my life.

Before Daisy arrived, I had made all of the necessary and not-so-necessary arrangements before even bringing her home.

And though the preparations took weeks to complete, they made all the difference in the world.

I did everything I could think of, from setting up daycare to puppy-proofing my house, so when the day came that I could finally pick her up.

I was as prepared I could be.

With all of the safeguards and planning in place, you may be thinking that raising Daisy through puppyhood was a breeze, and you would be so wrong. You can do all the planning in the world and yet a new puppy can still make you feel unprepared.

They are just like babies. They will wake you up in the night, they will cry, they will create messes, but at the end of the day, they will still make you smile.

Getting Ready for Your New Puppy

Time to bring one home!

Just like all things in life, preparation will make things go smoother.

The more you can do before your four-legged tornado, I mean four-legged angel, comes home, the better off you will be.

If you don’t know what size or age puppy you will be bringing home; say, if you are adopting from a shelter, you may need to table some of the preparations.

Things to Buy Before You Bring Home your Puppy

Collar/Harness and Leash

This may be impacted if you don’t know the size of the puppy.

I recommend a 4-6-foot leash to start with and not a retractable leash.

Milk replacer can be useful for making puppy gruel and mush to get your puppy used to solid foods

Puppy Food

If you know what type of food your puppy is currently eating then I would continue to feed the same food.

If you would prefer to switch your new puppy’s food you can do so, but you will want to purchase both the current food and the one you want to change to.

If you are bringing home a large or giant breed dog, it is vital to feed a diet specific to their needs.

Providing proper nutrition will help ensure they do not grow too quickly, putting undue strain on their bodies.

Puppy Food and Water Bowls

Tip: Though you may be tempted to buy a cute bowl, as I was (see below), it will only be chewed on.

Save the cute bowls until after your puppy has grown out of their chewing stage.

When choosing a bowl, think durable and sturdy.

Puppies often enjoy carrying their dishes around and playing in them, even when the dishes are full of food or water.

Product Recommendations

Paw Stars (This is my #1 pick)   Check Price

Not only are these bowls super cute but they are also super durable, making it difficult to chip or break. They are made from polyresin, which is food safe.

These bowls are more substantial, making them challenging to push around. And, the sloped smooth sides make it quite difficult for your puppy to pick up, helping to avoid spills.

Additionally, if your puppy likes to dig in the bowl, as Daisy did, it is extremely scratch resistant. We still have Daisy’s bowl from when she was a puppy and it is still looking pretty good.

Pedy adjustable food bowl  Check Price

This is another great option, though it does require mounting. However, it is adjustable, so it can be raised as your dog grows, plus it is difficult to tip over. Also, it folds back for secure storage when it’s not being used.

WishLotus  Check Price

The WishLotus bowl is great for puppies that eat too fast. It’s made out of plastic, making it challenging to break, but it can be easily chewed on or carried.

Super Design  Check Price

Super Design is a non-spill bowl. Though it can be carried or chewed, it won’t be easy to tip over. Plus, the removable metal dishes make it easy to keep clean

Dog Buddy  Check Price

I know this isn’t a bowl, but I recommend getting a mat. It makes cleaning up easier, works to keep the dishes from sliding, and protects your floors from water damage.

Crate

Again, this is something that might be challenging if you don’t know what kind of dog you are going to be bringing home. There is an abundance of crates available.

I bought three crates for Daisy: One for my car, one for the house, and one to take with me when I brought her along with me.

The one for my car was small since I had planned on her riding in a seatbelt harness when Daisy was older. The second crate, for the house, was a wire one with a divider (Click here to learn How to Use a Dog Crate Divider (and Make Your Own!).

The third crate was soft-sided since it was light-weight and easy to carry and set up.

The house crate was a large crate that came with a divider so it could be adjusted as Daisy grew.

I would highly recommend getting a crate with a divider: It helps crate train, house train, and you don’t have to invest in several crates as your dog grows.

For more help figuring out what type of crate to buy, see our article: Which Type of Dog Crate is Best for Your Pooch?

Product Recommendations

Amazon Basics Double Door Wire Crate   Check Price

I like the multiple door aspect because it allows for more flexibility to where you can place it. Also, I like the slide-out tray to make it easier to clean.

Favorite Hard Sided Multi Door Crate   Check Price

This top-loading carrier made it easier to place Daisy inside when she was a puppy.

EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft-Sided Crate   Check Price

I love the carrying strap for this, it made it easier to haul around. Having a crate, you can easily carry with you makes bringing your puppy with you to people’s homes a breeze. It works as a playpen as well as a place to sleep for your puppy.

Dog Bed

Having a dog bed isn’t just about comfort; it can also aid in training, giving them a quiet place to go calm down.

There are many variables to consider when picking a bed, but I will suggest choosing one that is water-resistant and has a removable cover.

Product Recommendations

JOYELF Orthopedic Bed   Check Price

Super soft memory foam and a washable cover. The bolstered sides can help your pup feel more comfortable and protected.

Best Friends by Sheri   Check Price

This washable cover takes a bit more care but it is perfect for those dogs that like to sleep half on, half off the bed.

ANWA pad   Check Price

Washable, comfortable, and fits easily into a crate.

Treats

This is a must.

Training starts on the first day[1].

Look for tiny soft training treats that dog thinks are “high value.”

You may have to try a few to see which your puppy likes best.

Product Recommendations

Bixbi Pocket Trainers  Check Price

Zuke’s Natural Training Treats  Check Price

Pet Botanics Training Reward  Check Price

Treat Pouch

This will save your clothes from being nibbled on (Sophie has chewed pockets off of jeans) as well as keeping your clothes from smelling like treats.

Product Recommendations

Paw Lifestyles   Check Price

Great for training outside of the home, such as walks or training class. Because this treat pouch has multiple pockets it allows you to carry your keys, money, and poop bags conveniently and without the need for a purse.

Chuckit Treat Tote   Check Price

This is a small, simple tote, comfortable to wear, especially around the house. Plus, it washes up nicely.

Carpet Cleaner

Accidents are going to happen.

Even if you are crazy diligent, you will, at some point, find an accident, likely off in some corner.

Product Recommendations

Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator    Check Price

Puracy Natural Stain Remover   Check Price

Clorox Urine Remover   Check Price

Vansky Black Light   Check Price

I know this last one isn’t a stain remover, but it helps to find any dried urine spots. I bought mine 14 years ago, and it has been a tremendous help finding the accidents you can smell but can’t see[2].

Poop Bags

Clean up after your dog; we live in a society.

I like the earth-friendly ones.

Product Recommendations

Earth Rated   Check Price

My AlphaPet    Check Price

Puppy Brush

It is best to start with a soft brush to help make it a positive and comfortable experience for your puppy.

Product Recommendations

Hertzko Soft Bristle   Check Price

Burts Bees Bamboo Dog Brush    Check Price

Puppy Gate

A huge help to keep your puppy safely confined without putting them in their crate.

Product Recommendations

Summer Extra Tall Gate   Check Price

Easy to use and doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb in your living room.

Regalo Easy Step Gate   Check Price

Easy to set up, comes with multiple mounting options, and is very easy to open.

Pawland Free Standing Pet Gate   Check Price

Gates like these let you quickly block off an area, whether there’s a doorway there or not. They don’t work as well for older dogs who can figure out how to just knock them over.

Puppy Toothbrush & Toothpaste

It is best to start them early. Early preventative care can save you a lot of money down the road.

Daisy only had her teeth cleaned, professionally, twice in her all her fifteen and a half years.

Sophie, on the other hand, is a dental nightmare.

She never learned to have her teeth brushed, so when I tried it at age two, she wanted nothing to do with it.

That puppy breath won’t last forever…

Product Recommendations

Pura Naturals Pet Dental Kit  Check Price

H&H Finger Toothbrush    Check Price

I found it easier to start with a finger brush then graduate to the toothbrush. You have more control and can be sure to make it as positive of an experience as possible.

Puppy Safe Toys

Daisy with her Petstages Teething Ring and Teething Nylabone

This is huge!!

Bored puppies make bad decisions, and be sure to include toys for teething.

I would start with a variety of chew toys until you can figure out what your puppy likes.

Daisy loves Nylabones. Some people may be concerned about their safety but that’s not a problem if you supervise your pup when they chew on them.

Product Recommendations

Puppy Kongs   Check Price

Teething Nylabone   Check Price

Huggle Hounds    Check Price

Kong Cozie    Check Price

Petstages Cool Teething Stick   Check Price

Puppy Shampoo

It’s essential to find a puppy shampoo that is gentle on their skin.

Puppies coming home from shelters can sometimes retain the shelter smell.

Also, they sometimes make messes and need a good bath to freshen up.

Product Recommendations

Earthbath Ultra-Mild Puppy Shampoo   Check Price

BioSilk Puppy Tearless Shampoo   Check Price

BIGA Deodorizing Fragrance-Free Cleansing Wipes for Dogs  Check Price

These are baby wipes for dogs, and yes, you will go through a three-pack. I keep some in the car and the house. They work great if your pup finds mud or other things to traipse through, which they always seem to do.

In fact, I just had to stop typing and use one on Calvin since he found something to roll in. Nothing like real-life examples!

Things to Do Before Bringing Home a Puppy

Beyond shopping, there are a few things you need to figure out before bringing home a puppy.

You can, of course, wait on this, but it is nice to have somethings pre-arranged.

Find a Local Veterinarian

If you don’t already have a vet in mind, talk with friends and family in your area for recommendations.

It’s important to find a great vet that you trust.

Find an Emergency Vet

Trust me, it’s always good to know where they are.

I always look up the emergency vet hospitals whenever we travel.

There’s nothing like an emergency to set you into a panic and not know where to bring your puppy[3].

Find a Puppy Class

As soon as your pup is old enough and have their proper vaccinations, it’s best to get them into class for socialization and early training.

You have no idea how often this gets overlooked, and bad behaviors that could have been avoided are out of control by the time the puppy is three months old.

Find a Dog Sitter or Daycare

Most daycares will not accept puppies under a certain age, but it is never too early to start looking.

My daycare had an 8-month waiting list, so Daisy was on the waiting list even before she was born.

Having a dog sitter come in half-way through your puppy’s day will aid in housetraining and provide some much-needed exercise.

Daisy had a dog walker come by three times a week and Grandma came by twice a week until she was old enough for daycare.

Figure out your New Schedule

When you have a new puppy, you need to plan to get up earlier before work to give your puppy ample time to eat, go outside, and get some exercise before going back in their kennel for the day.

Oh, and trust me, puppies don’t know about or care about your schedule. So, don’t expect every morning to go smoothly.

There will be accidents, there will be messes, and there might even be tears (yours, not theirs).

Puppy Proof your House and Yard

This will be ongoing.

Even though you think you have things figured out, your puppy will show you all the places you missed.

Note the pillows stuffed between the two couches

It was one of the first places Daisy went when she got home.

I didn’t want her back there because of the cords, plus I couldn’t see her well and wouldn’t know if she had an accident until it was too late.

Final Thoughts…

Puppies are a lot of work, but they are so worth it. Putting the time in before your puppy arrives can alleviate a lot of work and stress.

The more preparation you do before you bring your pup home, the more time you can spend enjoying playing with your new fur baby.

Their puppyhood flies by in the blink of an eye, so enjoy every moment you can.

Resources

http://breedingbetterdogs.com/article/early-puppy-training

https://pets.thenest.com/dog-urine-carpet-black-light-4734.html

https://www.medvetforpets.com/pet-owners/what-is-pet-emergency/

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Nutro vs Blue Buffalo

https://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/518aeeVAqtL.jpg The other day I received a panicked call from a friend, Sarah, who just got her first dog.

Her panic was over the abundance of choices of kibble at the pet store, which as a dog parent I totally get.

Her new dog is a medium-sized mix breed. The shelter guessed the dog to be about six years old.

Because she wasn’t sure about the breed or the personality of the dog, I suggested she start with a non-specialty formula, meaning not grain-free or for a specific activity level.

The gal working at the store suggested Nutro and Blue Buffalo.

Unfortunately, these were brands I wasn’t familiar with, so I had to hop online and do some research.

On the surface, both companies looked pretty similar, offering a price-friendly well-balanced food.

I wanted to delve a bit deeper into each company and learn more about their histories and overall product lines.

I was able to find some pretty interesting information about the two companies, though the nicest surprise was the numerous recipe varieties each company offers.

Curious how Blue Buffalo stacks up against other brands? Check out this brand’s comparison with Merrick and Taste of the Wild!

Nutro Company History

Nutro was started by Herben Serois in September of 1931, in Santa Monica, California[1].

Nutro originally sold dog, cat, and fox food to the pet food industry.

In 1942, Mr. Serois passed away at the age of 63.

There is some confusion as to when Mr. Saleen purchased Nutro, but recent evidence shows he purchased Nutro in 1947, not 1926[2].

Nutro was a family operated company until 1975, at which point it was sold for the 3rd time.

There is no documentation regarding who ran the company between the death of Mr. Serois and when Mr. Saleen later purchased it.

Ed Brown, Dave Traitel, and the other unnamed silent partners purchased Nutro in 1975[3].

Between 1975 and 2005, Mr. Brown eventually bought out his partners and took over sole ownership of Nutro until 2005.

A company by the name of Bain & Associates bought the company in 2005 but only kept it for two years, until 2007.

In 2007, Mars Incorporated purchased Nutro[4], making it once again a family owned and operated pet food company.

Nutro has 5 Different Dry Dog Food Lines

Nutro offers special recipes within each of the five different food lines for different life stages, weight management, and different breed sizes.

The five food lines they offer are:

Ultra

Grain Free

Wholesome Essentials

Limited Ingredient Diet

Max

Nutro 3 Best Selling Dry Dog Foods

Wholesome Essentials Natural Adult Chicken, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato

Max Natural Adult with Farm Raised Chicken

Wholesome Essentials Adult Lamb and Rice

Blue Buffalo Company History

The inspiration behind Blue Buffalo is an Airedale named Blue[5].

The business was started in 2003 by Bill Bishop.

Blue Buffalo was initially a small family owned company; however, in 2018, the Bishop family sold the business to General Mills.

Blue Buffalo Varieties

Blue Buffalo has 5 different dry dog food lines:

Blue Life Protection – There are 23 varieties with specific formulas for adult dogs, puppies, seniors, breed size, and weight management. The Blue Life Protection lines are, “Formulated for the health and well-being,” of dogs.

Freedom Grain-Free – Has 12 different options ranging from puppies to seniors and a couple specific to breed sizes.

Basics Limited – This line is made up of 13 recipes and are all limited-ingredient formulas for dogs with food sensitivities. There are unique blends for weight management, puppies, adults, and seniors. Also, they have foods based on breed size as well.

Blue Wilderness– Like the other diets, they have individual formulas for different life stages and breed sizes. This line was, “Inspired by the diet of wolves, true omnivores whose endurance is legendary,�� and is a grain-free high protein option.

Blue Natural Veterinary Diet – Exclusive to vet clinics.

Blue Buffalo 3 Best Selling Dry Dog Foods

Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Chicken and Brown Rice

Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Lamb and Brown Rice

Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Adult Salmon

Nutro Recalls

In the last ten years, Nutro has only had one recall that affected their dog food products.

The recall occurred in September of 2009 when they discovered plastic on their production line[6].

The following is a list of foods involved:

Nutro Ultra Puppy

Nutro Natural Choice Chicken Meal Rice

Oatmeal Formula Small Bites Puppy

Since the 2009 recall due to plastic on the production line, there hasn’t been any other recalls on their dry dog food.

Blue Buffalo Recalls

Blue Buffalo has had six recalls in the last ten years involving their dog food products:

March 2017 – Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner Wet Food for Adult Dogs, due to high levels of beef thyroid hormones[7].

February 2017 – Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight, Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables, 12.5 ounce can, due to possible aluminum contamination[8].

February 2017 – The following varieties packaged in the 3.5 oz cup were impacted due to packaging issues with the foil cover[9]:

BLUE Divine Delights Filet Mignon Flavor in Gravy

BLUE Divine Delights New York Strip Flavor in Gravy

BLUE Divine Delights Prime Rib Flavor in Gravy

BLUE Divine Delights Rotisserie Chicken Flavor in Gravy

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Filet Mignon Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Porterhouse Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Grilled Chicken Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Top Sirloin Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Angus Beef Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Roasted Turkey Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate with Bacon, Egg, and Cheese

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Sausage, Egg and Cheese Flavor

BLUE Divine Delights Pate Steak and Egg Flavor

BLUE Wilderness Trail Trays Duck Grill

BLUE Wilderness Trail Trays Beef Grill

BLUE Wilderness Trail Trays Chicken Grill

BLUE Wilderness Trail Trays Turkey Grill

Does “New and Improved!” mean “Salmonella free”?

May 2016 – 30lb Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Fish & Sweet Potato Recipe, due to high moisture content[10].

November 2015 – Cub Size Wilderness Wild Chews Bones, due to possible salmonella contamination[11].

October 2010 – The following foods were impacted due to possible excess Vitamin D[12]:

4.5#, 11#, 24# Blue Wilderness Chicken Flavor dry dog food

11#, 24# Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Formula Salmon and Potato Recipe dry dog food

30# Blue Life Protection Formula Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Large Breed Adult dog food

Most of these were voluntary recalls made due to the possibility of contamination, with no or minimal negative effects.

What’s Important When Choosing a Dog Food?

Obviously, we know that ingredients are essential in deciding which food would be the best match for our dog, but numerous other factors impact our buying decision.

There are two groups of elements that help us decide on the best dog food choice for our dogs.

The first group is the primary factors that directly relate to our dog’s specific needs, and the other group is the secondary aspects that aren’t related to our dogs.

Primary Factors

Health – Heart or kidney disease, GI issues such as chronic pancreatitis or irritable bowel disease, allergies, and so on can require dietary changes

Size

Age

Weight (gain or loss)

Energy Level

Secondary Factors

The dog food company’s reputation

Availability

Ingredients

Where the food is manufactured

Where the ingredients are sourced

Price 

Comparison of Nutro vs. Blue Buffalo

Ingredients

  Winner: Blue Buffalo   

This was almost a tie since the two companies have similar product line variations; however, Blue Buffalo has enriched their foods with probiotics and also has a higher fiber, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids content.

Another enhancement Blue Buffalo made to their products was to add BLUE LifeSource Bits, which are a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Nutro does have impressive, extensive food lines. It is worth noting that their dry dog foods are all made up of non-GMO ingredients.

Price/Value

  Winner: Nutro   

The average price per pound for Nutro is about a dollar fifty and the average price per pound for Blue Buffalo over two dollars.   

The X Factor

  Winner: Blue Buffalo   

Blue Buffalo’s exclusive LifeSource Bits are unique, and the added bump in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals is a definite bonus in any dog food.

Availability

  Winner: Blue Buffalo   

Blue Buffalo is available in almost all large pet stores, some boutique stores (but only select lines), some large hardware stores, and grocery store chains.

Nutro is available in most of the large chain stores like Pet Smart, Target, and Walmart, but not as many places as Blue Buffalo.

You can find Nutro at both Amazon and Chewy.

You can get Blue Buffalo from both Amazon and Chewy as well.

Taste

  Winner: Blue Buffalo   

Dogs seem to prefer Blue Buffalo over Nutro.

The ingredient lists are similar, so there’s no apparent reason that stands out as to why one is preferred over the other except for the vagaries of taste.

Overall

  Winner: Blue Buffalo   

Blue Buffalo and Nutro are very similar products, but Blue Buffalo is available at more retailers, has the LifeSource Bits, and more importantly, the dogs’ votes!

Conclusion

If you are deciding between the two brands and are unable to choose between the two, maybe consider the fat and protein content.

The crude analyses between the foods vary and depending on your dog’s needs, and those might be worth factoring into your decision.

Also, if you are purchasing the food from a pet food retailer, many will let you return the open bag of food if your dog doesn’t eat it.

Resources

http://billiondollarkibble.com/lineage/herben-serois/

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cooper-consulting-group-inc-publishes-new-book-billion-dollar-kibble—nutros-story-of-pioneering-among-giants-300513717.html

http://billiondollarkibble.com/lineage/john-saleen/

https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4360956

https://bluebuffalo.com/why-choose-blue/blue-story/

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/nutro-dog-food-recall-2009-sep/

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/blue-buffalo-voluntarily-recalls-one-lot-blue-wildernessr-rocky-mountain-recipe-tm-red-meat-dinner

https://bluebuffalo.com/about-us/whats-new-at-blue/bb-homestyle-recipe-letter/

https://www.ohiovma.org/news/?p=3399

https://www.petsmartcorporate.com/blank-1/2016/05/27/USPR-Voluntary-Product-Recall-of-30lb-Blue-Buffalo-Life-Protection-Formula-Fish-Sweet-Potato-Recipe-for-Dogs-%E2%80%93-May-27-2016

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112071547/http:/www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2015/ucm474573.htm

http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170112111823/http:/www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ArchiveRecalls/2010/ucm228986.htm

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Taste of the Wild vs Fromm

https://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/518T1xZi7ZL.jpg Today, I’m comparing two dry dog foods: Taste of the Wild (TotW) and Fromm.

In our household, we have a lot of different dietary requirements.

Comparing dog food brands is the best way to determine which food would be the most fitting for our family.

Choosing the right dog food is not an easy task. This job is challenging because we can’t just ask our dog, “Hey, what kind of food do you want me to pick up?”

Wouldn’t that be nice?

But beyond your dog’s preference you want to make sure the food is appropriate for:

Age

Size

Weight (Don’t feed the same food for both weight-loss and maintenance)

Breed (Have both a chihuahua and a golden retriever? They have different needs!)

Energy Level

Health (Allergies, heart or kidney issues, GI issues, etc.)

Many factors have to come together in one food to meet your dog’s many needs.  This is why picking a dog food is difficult.

In addition to your dog’s needs, there are loads of different brands and varieties to pick from. Do you go grain-free?  Chicken-free? Soy and dairy-free? The variables are endless.

VarietyFirst IngredientProteinRatingPrice Taste of the Wild High Prairie Buffalo32%4.1$$ Check Price Taste of the Wild Pacific StreamSalmon25%4.3$$ Check Price Taste of the Wild Sierra MountainLamb25%4.3$$ Check Price Fromm Gold Adult Dog Food Small BreedChicken26%4.5$$$$ Check Price Fromm Four-Star Dog Food Beef Frittata VegBeef30%4.0$$$$ Check Price Fromm Adult Gold NutritionalsChicken25%4.4$$$ Check Price

Taste of the Wild

Company History

Taste of the Wild is one of the many brands under the Diamond Pet Company umbrella. Diamond Pet was launched in 1970 by two brothers-in-law and has since transformed into one of the fastest growing pet food companies in the world.

TotW is still a family owned brand that produces food in the United States.

TotW has 5 different manufacturing locations in the US, but some of their ingredients are sourced from overseas. TotW only uses ingredients that have been sustainable and humanely raised.

The idea behind their food is that TotW manufactures “…a high-quality, yet affordable pet food option.”

The recipes for their food were created based on a dog’s ancestral needs.

Taste of the Wild Varieties

Taste of the Wild has 9 different dry dog food verities, including unique formulas for puppies and small breeds.

Taste of the Wild 3 Best Sellers of Dry Dog Food:

High Prairie – Roasted Bison and Venison

Pacific Stream – Smoked Salmon

Sierra Mountain – Roasted Lamb

More Varieties at Amazon

More Varieties at Chewy

Fromm

Company History

Fromm pet food is a family-owned Wisconsin-based company, which has a long history dating as far back as 1948. The Fromm family can trace their history as far back as 1852.

The initial spark for their pet food company actually originated in 1933, with the development of their silver fox food for their fox farm (try saying that 7 times fast!).

As time passed, Fromm’s company grew beyond foxes, and in 1948 Federal Foods was launched.

Shortly after, in 1949, they sold their first bag of dog meal.

Later, in 1995, Federal Foods transformed into Fromm Family Foods.

Over the next 24 years Fromm Family Foods reshaped into the pet food company we’re familiar with today.

Two fun facts about the Fromm Family:

In 1939 they were involved in the creation, production, and release of a new distemper vaccine for dogs and cats.

In the 1980’s they were the first to use tocopherols as a preservative in their pet food.

Fromm Varieties

Fromm Family pet food now has 29 different recipes of dry dog food including specialized formulas for puppies, large breed puppies, large breed adults, small breed, and seniors.

Their dry dog food can be broken down into three product lines: Four Star, Gold, and Classic.

Fromm Family Pet Food 3 Best Sellers of Dry Dog Food:

Gold Adult Dog Food Small Breed

Four-Star Dog Food Beef Frittata Veg

Adult Gold Nutritionals

More Varieties at Amazon

Recalls and Lawsuits

Taste of the Wild

Although Diamond Pet Food has had multiple recalls, Taste of the Wild has had only one in May of 2012

The recall was related to a salmonella outbreak in their South Carolina plant. Only dry food varieties were deemed to have issues with salmonella.

Still safer than letting your dog scavenge its own carrion. Also, the allegations are as-of-yet unproven!

The specific varieties of TotW were not listed, but all dry dog food products with production codes containing a 2 or 3 in the 9th character position and an X in the following character position were recalled.

Changes to the facilities and manufacturing process have clearly been successful since the TotW has not had any recurrence.

Unfortunately, there are currently two open lawsuits against Diamond Pet Food that directly relate to Taste of the Wild.

The initial lawsuit was filed in August of 2018 and claimed certain types of food are contaminated, the three varieties in question are:

Prairie Canine Formula Roasted Bison and Roasted Venison Dry Dog Food

Pacific Stream Canine Formula Smoked Salmon Dry Dog Food

Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free.

The lawsuit is alleging the foods are contaminated with pesticides, heavy metal (Arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium), acrylamide, and BPA.

The second lawsuit was filed in February of 2019.  Again, there are claims of contamination.

The five varieties in question are:

High Prairie Canine Formula Roasted Bison and Roasted Venison Dry Dog Food

Pacific Stream Canine Formula Smoked Salmon Dry Dog Food

Taste of the Wild® Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free

Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon with Beef in Gravy

Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon with Wild Boar

This lawsuit is alleging the food is contaminated with the same contaminants as the 2018 lawsuit.

Fromm

Similar to TotW, Fromm has only had one recall in its long history.

It was announced in March of 2016. The recall was related to an insufficient amount of nutrients and vitamins, and a higher content of Vitamin D.

Only three kinds of canned food were involved: Gold Chicken Pate Dog, Gold Chicken & Duck, and Gold Salmon & Chicken Pate.

Corrections to the Fromm plants have worked since they have not experienced any additional recalls.

What’s Important When Choosing a Dog Food?

Many factors go into choosing the right dog food, and though the ingredients are a major element, other components may also influence the decision:

Ingredients

Price

Availability

Taste (What your dog thinks!)

Where the ingredients are sourced

Where the food is manufactured

Your dog’s individual needs (See list above)

Comparison of Taste of the Wild vs. Fromm

We also tested Taste of the Wild against Orijen’s dog food. Click here for the results!

Ingredient

  Winner: Fromm   

This was tough!

Both companies have a lot of quality ingredients and have an equal average protein level.

But Fromm came out on top because of its higher levels of fruits and vegetables and for having a combination of grain-free and non-grain free options.

Taste of the Wild

TotW is an entirely grain-free brand. Instead of grains, they use a mix of sweet potatoes, lentils, and potatoes (non-specified kind). Also, they use pea and potato flour in lieu of more traditional flours.

The first and second ingredients in each of the three best sellers are high-quality proteins.

As for the other elements, there are some fruits and vegetables, but TotW is a protein-focused food.

Unfortunately, canola oil is listed before salmon oil, which is disappointing.

Fromm

Fromm has a mix of grain-free and non-grain free dry dog food options.

As for the grain-free they use lentils, sweet potatoes, and potatoes (non-specified kind).

For grain options, Fromm uses a combination of oats, barley, and rice; these grains come in multiple varieties and forms.

The first three ingredients in their top sellers are proteins.

In addition to the proteins and carbs, these foods have a substantial quantity of fruits and vegetables as well. Also, Fromm has a higher average of fiber.

Although Fromm has a large variety of foods, most, not all, are chicken based.

Price/Value

  Winner: Taste of the Wild   

This was an easy pick: TotW.

The average cost per pound if TotW is under two dollars and the average price of Fromm is a dollar per pound, just under three dollars..

TotW’s goal was to provide high-quality food at an affordable price. I think they really nailed it!

 Availability

  Winner: Taste of the Wild   

You may be able to find Fromm at your local independently-owned feed and supply store. Picture by Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0)

TotW can be found almost anywhere: Online at an abundance of websites, large pet stores, hardware stores, vet clinics, specialty pet stores, doggy daycares, and even high-end grocery stores.

Fromm does sell to some online stores and doggy daycares but most often can be found in specialty boutique pet stores.

Locally, you can find it most often in independently-owned Fromm Family Foods’ retailers.

Taste

  Winner: Taste of the Wild   

This one was also difficult to decide, but in the long run TotW won out.

Likely the different tasting proteins were what finally tipped the scale for my dogs.

The X Factor

  Winner: Fromm   

Fromm has more varieties for dogs with specific needs such as puppies, large breed, small breed, and seniors.

Also, Fromm has three different lines of products Gold (life stage focused), Four Star (gourmet), and Classic (balanced nutrition), while Taste of the Wild focuses on a single product line.

Overall

  Winner: Taste of the Wild   

Taste of the Wild‘s affordability, availability, and taste make buying this brand convenient. Also, it’s a better brand for dogs who have allergies.

Fromm is an excellent high-quality brand of dog food, though!  It has many options for dogs with special dietary needs. However, the cost and availability have made it a market-specific brand.

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