Pet Nutrition

You now have an additional mouth to feed, however being of the 4 legged variety, it’s dietary needs are different than what you are used to. What kind of food intake do they need? What are the particulars of their nutritional intake? What does this pet food label exactly say? We are here to help you through this quandary, and get you better informed to make those food decisions for your family’s new addition.

Food labels

Food labels are a legal document and used to communicate to pet owners. This document is regulated by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AA,FCO).
What’s in the label
It’s a long, very long list of items, and frankly can be quite confusing. It includes ingredients, analysis, and nutrition facts. Yes, confusing, so we’re going to help out.

Ingredients

This list includes items in descending order by their weight. Generally listed first are vitamins, meals, and grains as they weigh less. These items tend to be followed by the higher content items such as beef, lamb, and chicken. Ingredients help to provide nutrients, an example would be Lamb, as it provides nutrients that include fats and vitamins.

Guaranteed Analysis

This part of the label will inform you of the min/max levels of nutrients included like fiber, protein, and fat. However this will not tell you exact numbers/levels. Levels in the food varies, thus making it difficult to accurately compare the nutrition information here.

"AAFCO Statement"

This organization works to set the nutritional standards here in the United States for the pet food you purchase. It is a legally required statement that ensures testing method utilized for determining nutritional abundance. Provided within this statement is whether or not the necessary nutrition is present for a particular stage of pet growth such as growing, adult, and so forth. A food label that states it supports all life stages can be dangerous, as it is likely to contain levels that exceed what’s needed for particular stages of life. It could include more protein needed for a younger stage rather than a more mature age level, so beware.

We hope you find this information helpful when it comes to finding your pet food. Always remember you can schedule an appointment to discuss with us the nutritional needs of your pet and the best way to achieve the needed nutrients or them.

Change a Pet’s Life

Today, January 24, is Change a pet’s life day. This day is celebrated to help raise awareness and encourage the adoption of animals in need. Even if you are unable to adopt, there are a number of other ways that you can help make their life better, and below are some additional ways that you can help them out.

Foster or Adopt

Fostering is a great to help shelters and other dogs out, as it can allow other dogs additional help by freeing up resources at the shelter. This in turn can allow them the care and attention so they have a better chance of finding their forever home. If you want to go make an even bigger impact, adoption would be the next step after fostering.

Sponsorship

If you are unable to foster or adopt, another option to consider would be sponsoring. Many shelters/rescues allow individuals to sponsor specific dogs/cats. This is a great way to change a pet’s life for the better if you are unable to foster or adopt one currently.

Donate Your Time

Volunteering time is always a great way to help change a pets life. Shelters can always use the additional help when it comes to walking dogs or providing attention and care. It also allows dogs to get the necessary socialization as well, which can help them come adoption time. This can make a huge difference in a pet’s life.

Spread the word

Help spread the word of adoptable dogs by using your personal and social media channels. Simply sharing about dogs in need and that are adoptable can help them out. This is a quick and easy way to help change a pet’s life by simply clicking “share”.

Raise Awareness

Help raise awareness by checking out your local shelters for upcoming events. See if you can volunteer or help by raising awareness for what is needed at the shelter. Use this as an opportunity to get together with others and help a great cause while also changing a pet’s life

Donate

Operating a shelter can cost a significant amount of money, and most are operated as non-profits. By making a charitable donation you can help ensure animals get the food, care, and other necessities they need to be healthy and ensure they make their way to a caring forever home.

Make changes

You can also make changes in your cat or dog’s life too. Try changing things up for them by adding a new exercise routine, making homemade treats or even spending more quality time with them.

On a day like today, simply taking the time to help change a dog or cat’s life for the better, it will also change your own life for the better as well.

Dog Park Success

While we encourage you to try and keep a regular routine of exercise for your dog, we also want to remind you to keep in mind that a good owner maintains leadership even while at the dog park. Let’s go over some tips on picking the best dog park, along with some etiquette and training ideas to help make the park trip as successful as it can be!

What to Look for in a Dog Park

Look for a dog park with a sturdy fence (at least 4 feet tall). It should also have a double-gated entrance, which helps prevent a dog from slipping out of the gate and running away. Check to see if there is a water source too, and if not, be sure to bring water. Some dog parks may divided into two areas, one area for small dogs and one for large dogs. This is a safe and great option if you have a smaller dog that may get scared of larger dogs.

Etiquette

We all want to be able to enjoy the dog park and have a good experience. Ensure other owners are engaged and keeping an eye on their dog. When socializing with other dogs it is important to ensure proper play. Some dogs may roughhouse more than others which could possibly lead to a more fearful dog going forward. When socializing with others dogs, it’s extremely important to watch their body language. You want to see wagging tails and loose body language. If another dog is getting too rough always remember you can move to another area of the park.

We hope you find these tips helpful while enjoying your next visit to the dog park with talk your furry friend!

If you have any additional thoughts or questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.