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Is your pet suffering from stomach problems or allergic reactions? If yes, then you would better consider trying California Natural pet foods. They are prepared with natural ingredients for healthier pets. They don’t contain any type of by-products, fillers and artificial preservatives which make them good for the pets suffering from allergies and having stomach problems as well.

California Natural uses superior quality, human-consumable ingredients in their pet food to ensure the maximum benefit. With just one high protein ingredient along with important minerals and vitamins, this food works best for the dogs suffering from many problems caused by those commercial dog foods. They also contain Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that keep your pet’s skin shiny and healthy. So, this food works best for those dogs too that have skin disorders or itchy skin. Likewise, they also contain Vitamin E which works as the antioxidant properties in this food.

California Natural does not contain corn, soy, wheat, by-products, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Most of the dog owners don’t realize that these things are the main ingredient in commercial pet foods which can cause several problems in the health of the pets such as diarrhea, rashes, flatulence, flaking, stomach problem and even vomiting.

For the prevention or solution of all these problems, this food works the best. It comes in varieties of choices and flavors. You can buy both cat and dog food in your choice of wet or dry food. Some of the flavors offered are Venison & Brown Rice, Salmon & Sweet Potato, Deep Water Fish and Brown Rice, Chicken with Brown Rice and Herring & Sweet Potato. You can get all types of foods for different types of pets including kitten, puppy, sensitive and inactive.

California Natural Pet Food may cost you a little more that those commercial pet foods, but if you love your pet and want to feed him with best food, then it will definitely worth the price you will pay.

Holistic Vs Traditional Vet Care

We have to understand that our bodies have more control over it’s own health than our medications in certain situations. By understanding the basic health mechanisms of our bodies, we can significantly improve our responses to illnesses and adverse factors. The same is true for our pets, and a holistic approach torwards their health might be the right choice. Holistic pet care is based on understanding the pet’s needs and problems as a whole. Holistic veterinarians will approach a pet illness from a multi faceted point of view, not just treating a single health problem in comparison to traditional pet health care systems which aim straight at one problem, almost ignoring other related factors.

Differences between a holistic veterinarian and a traditional vet

In traditional pet medicine, if your dog or cat has a sore paw, the vet will look mostly at the leg. It makes sense, you will say. It does, but this also limits the doctor’s chances of finding correlated problems that might have lead to the sore paw. A holistic pet care approach will have a look at the “whole” rather than the “individual”. This means that the holistic vet will look for other potential, inner and outside factors that might contribute negatively to the problem.

Holistic pet care – a different approach

Holistic pet care aims to bring a multitude of healing elements for a multitude of potential problems, while classical vets target a specific element, using a one on one approach. This is not to say that traditional veterinary practices are obsolete – they do work well in most cases. However, the issue here is: can they be improved? Holistic vet care tries to find hidden factors for the problem, so that it will not become a reoccurring issue looking at the whole process, from past, to present and future. While traditional medicine focuses mainly on the consequences of an illness.

Work methods of the holistic veterinarian

A holistic veterinarian will show a more open-minded approach to an affliction. He or she will try to face the problem from a multitude of different angles, not just a one on one approach. Of course, the holistic veterinarian knows, as well as the pet owner does, that the treatments will not get a 100% response from the pet. However, since the problem is faced from different perspectives, chances that treatment will be successful are a lot higher. While traditional medicine should not be disregarded, every pet owner should consider a holistic approach to pet problems in order to ensure the highest chances of success and to improve the overall life quality of their animal companions.

Holistic pet care – is vaccination necessary?

Yearly vaccinations for our pet have become a usual thing, especially since traditional veterinarians tell us that this is the best action against all sorts of pet diseases. Many holistic pet care specialists have studied the effect of vaccinations on different sorts of pets and they found out that there might be more harm involved in regular vaccination than we would think. Most vaccinations occur in the multi dose pattern – which means that our pet’s immune system receives a large dosage of the vaccine. Repeating this process year after year may increase the side effects of the vaccine on your pet’s immune system. While holistic pet care is not against vaccination, many holistic veterinarians suggest more caution when vaccinating your pet.

Vaccination of young animals

In their early life stages, pets are supposed to get increased doses of vaccine, so as to develop a stronger immune system. Holistic pet care systems know that the baby animal gets the highest part of their immune system from their mother. This also means that a natural diet will help build a proper immune system, as the mother’s milk will have all the necessary nutrients. Holistic pet care focuses on natural nutrition as a way of eliminating many of the problems that plague our pets. Chemical and unnatural food, mostly used by pet owners today, diminishes the potency of the immune system, both in baby animals and in adults. Combined with pesticide prevention drugs, vaccines will only add to the dosage of unnatural elements in your pet’s life, thus actually reducing the strength of the immune system, instead of making it stronger.

Holistic pet care – why are vaccines potentially dangerous

Although our pets’ bodies do sometimes need outside factors to help their healing, in most cases, given the proper conditions, our pets are able to self heal. Vaccination brings a series of foreign elements in the pet’s bloodstream – and, as you know, vaccines actually contain a part of the disease they are supposed to prevent. The natural process would be for the pet to come in contact with the disease, get passed it and develop it’s own immune system then. Yearly introduction of the controlled disease found in vaccinations may have a series of adverse factors.

The pet owner’s choice

By constantly receiving small doses of the “disease”, through vaccination, your pet’s immune system is under constant pressure. Although this helps it get stronger for the actual encounter with the disease, it also wears out the immune system in time. Holistic pet care also notices several forms of negative responses to the forced immunization procedures. Allergies and skin irritations are sometimes found with pets whose immune system is unbalanced by the vaccination. Although the holistic pet care approach does not encourage vaccination, you, as a pet owner, should decide which option is best for your favorite cat or dog.

Pets are part of people’s lives. They have a lot of benefits that can be profited by human. Pets make lives easy and comforting. There are people that consider pets as a member of their family and they even sacrifice for their pets. Having pet likes dogs and cats are very comforting in times of trouble or failure. In taking care of pets there are things that you need to consider, especially their personal things. Dog bed is available in the market that can provide the comfort that your dogs needs. It is very important that your dog is comfortable when they sleep.

Dogs are considered as mans best friend. There are people say that dogs can be your best friend or enemies because they have an attitude that if they don’t like their environment they usually become rebellious. It is very important that they are comfortable with their things. Dog bed are available that can make your them more comfortable when they are sleeping. They want their beds to be warmed so that they can sleep well. There are some that sleep with their master because the beds of the human is warmer compared to their beds.

There are different styles and designs that are available in the market. You can choose whatever will fit to your pet. The design and style of their beds can affect their lifestyle and personality. You can go to the dog store near you or even search in the internet for more ideas about dog bed. It can help your dog to be healthy. During cold season there are some that become sick because of weather. Dog bed can give them the relaxation they want in order to avoid sickness. Like human dogs are also sensitive in weather condition.

That material that your dog bed is made of is very important to consider when you buy one. There are dogs that are allergy with feather. It is best to choose materials that can provide warm and it doesn’t fly in the air. Taking care of pet symbolize your personality as a person.

You can make your own dog bed if you want. You just need some used clothes in your garage. You can put them together and make your own style of dog bed. Just make sure that it is arranged properly so that your dog can comfortable when they sleep.

One of the greatest pets you can have these days is dogs. Dogs are very common pets of most people because they are sweet in personality. There are lots of dogs owners say that dogs can comfort them and lessen their stress. There are dog owners that make them as the center of their living. There are many important things you need to consider in keeping them as your pet because they are sensitive especially with their things. This is one of the important things in their lives because it is where they eat. There are dogs that don’t want to eat if it is not their own bowls. There are different design and style of dog bowls that you can choose with.

The design of your dog bowls can have a great effect in your dog’s lifestyle. Using this for your dog can have a lot of benefits. They can be disciplined easily if they have bowls. If they are use to eat in their bowls they will not eat anywhere. There are dog that eat anywhere they want and sometimes you can’t control on what they eat. With dog bowls you can be safe with the food that they eat. You can also control the amount of food. It is bad for them to eat too much because it can affect their health and attitude.

There are different styles of dog bowls that are available in the market. The size may differ on what kind of dogs you are keeping. Smaller type of dogs needs smaller bowls. There are dog bowls that can affect the appetite of your pet. There are also different kinds of bowls that can add color to your house design. Don’t treat your them as a second class citizen in your house, be proud of them, choose the right bowls for them. Make your dog as important as your family remember that they also have the right to be treated equal.

There are different types of bowls even in the internet. You can have a lot of ideas you need if you can search in the internet about dog bowls. Dogs are important part of your living make them comfortable as they want. There people that consider dogs as part of their family. How you treat your dog will determine what kind of person you are.

Choosing a family pet can be an exciting time. It’s also a big decision, or it should be thought of as such. Depending on what you choose, this animal will be with you, perhaps in your home, for years to come. So choosing the pet that’s right for you, and not just the cute one you just saw, is crucially important. Here are a few ideas about choosing the right pet for you and your family.

What kind of pet do you want? Dogs and cats are probably at the top of the pet list. For the most part, dogs are easy to train and good companions. But there are several other options as well. Birds are also high on the list, in all their varieties. Some birds even talk! Fish, hamsters, snakes and mice are also options. The options are really too numerous to mention. Each has their good and bad points. You need to think about where they will live. Will the dog be in indoor or outdoor pet? Do you have room for a pet cage? Does the animal have a smell you can tolerate? If you travel, who will watch the pet? Allergies are another big consideration. Before you make a final decision, it’s a good idea to be tested for allergies. It would be terrible to emotionally invest in a pet only to have to give it away because you are allergic to it.

Next, what will the daily commitment be? Each type of animal requires different type of care. If you have a large dog, it will need to be walked daily. Or it will destroy the house! Another option is doggy daycare. But that can be expensive. If you choose a bird, there are several things to think about. Some birds have a long lifespan. Are you ready for that long of a commitment? Any type of pet needs to be neutered. This is to prevent unwanted baby animals. Snakes eat baby mice and crickets. Is this something you want to deal with? If it is, a snake can make a great pet. But if not, don’t get a snake and think you can feed it something else. It won’t work.

Finally, what is your goal in having the pet? If you want something low key, choose an animal that doesn’t require a lot of attention. If you are looking to teach your child responsibility, make sure you have chosen a pet they are able to take care of.

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Pets are such agreeable friends, they ask no questions and they pass no criticisms” said George Eliot about pet animals. Pets often reciprocate the love that their masters lavish on them by demonstrating various forms of affection including licking, hickeys, even love-bites.

There’s no other job quite like keeping a pet. Pet care is in fact a permanent job, and includes the very important functions of grooming and striving to maintain good pet health care. General pet supplies could be considered a definition of useful tools for grooming and keeping your pet in good health.

Pet Supplies:

An essential list of pet supplies for purchase could include the following: pet food and food dishes, pet id tags and collars, pet medications, supplements and tonics, etc. Some other items to consider are animal carriers, pet houses and furniture, pet beds, clothes, and pet jewelry.

Online Pet Supplies:

Online pet supplies are supplies that can be purchased from pet stores over the Internet. There are numerous pet grooming product manufacturers and pet-grooming stores selling their products online through their individual official websites.

Pet Grooming Supplies:

Pet grooming supplies include items such as grooming clippers, pet hair care products, soaps, shampoo and perfumes.

Pet Health Care:

Pet health care is a very important responsibility of pet ownership. For puppies and kittens, or any other four-legged pets, important treatments would include giving a hygiene bath, cleaning, combing, brushing, checking ears, paws, teeth and underside of the tongue, nail trimming, removing fleas and insects, and fixing regular meetings with a professional veterinary. A good pet owner should follow a regular schedule of grooming sessions.

Pet care can require a lot of patience. Like children, pets often require special attention. A puppy, kitten or any other pet in its infancy needs to be handled with extreme care. In particular they must be groomed properly, fed carefully, and bedded properly.

Choosing A Pet:

The process of choosing a pet is very important. Choosing a pet depends on one’s preferences, but there are still some important things that should be kept in mind. One should always choose an animal of good breed. Secondly, the pet should be healthy especially if it is still in the initial stage of its life. A healthy young pet shows good fast growth.

Pet Grooming Business:

The pet grooming business is a flourishing business today. There are numerous pet grooming schools offering the equivalent services of a pet grooming professional. People hire the services of these professional experts for the proper grooming of their pets. Professional pet grooming is becoming quite popular in United States, Canada, and European countries.

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Where will you go when the time comes to say good-bye to your beloved pet? Most people will go to their trusted Pet Care Provider who will hopefully usher them through this crossroads of emotion and decision making with love, support and dignity.

Surprisingly, this is not often the case. Recently when I picked up my dogs at the grooming salon, the dear lady shared with me that when she lost her most recent dog, her husband handled all of the decision making as she was just too emotional. After spending nearly $350.00, it turned out that he had mistakenly ordered a mass cremation and therefore this couple never did receive the ashes of their beloved pet. He was told by his Pet Care Provider “don’t worry, we will take care of everything; this is the option most people choose…” He had assumed, incorrectly, that he would be receiving his pets ashes in return.

While pet cemeteries have been available in many communities, burial within a pet cemetery can be a very expensive option. Many may still choose to bury their pet in their back forty but most communities now have very strict health department zoning restrictions on pet burial. Today families have become more mobile and may desire the ability to take their family pet’s remains with them when they re-locate or they may feel more comfortable with a visible, tangible memorial for their beloved pet. All are reasons that more and more pet owners are choosing cremation and as many as 70 percent of those owners are choosing to receive their pets ashes after the cremation. Just 10 years ago only 25 percent chose this option to receive the ashes back after cremation.

Knowing that cremation is your choice is not the last step in this decision. Many pet owners do not realize, as my poor dog groomer did not, that there are many options for the pet cremation and deconstructing these options and the variety of terms in use for these options is the most important aspect of the pet cremation choice. Pet cremation usually falls within three main categories; mass cremation, individual cremation and private cremation.

Mass or Communal Cremation – As the name implies this is the cremation of many animals at one time, within a single cremation session. Pet cremators (the actual pet cremation equipment) can be very large with a capacity of several hundred to thousands of pounds of weight. The animals included in a mass cremation may come from a variety of clinics, animal shelters, etc and when the cremation session is completed the ashes are gathered and taken away to be disposed of by the crematory company, generally in their private landfill. This option should be the least expensive option for the pet owner and is a sanitary and decent way to dispose of the pet if retaining the ashes is not desired.

Individual Cremation – The individual cremation is a source of much confusion for pet owners and often uninformed Pet Care Provider staff. Individual cremation simply means that the ashes that are returned to the pet owner are intended to be only the ashes of their beloved pet. Generally with an individual pet cremation, the animal is tagged with a metal tag and placed within their own individual metal tray within the cremator. Depending upon the volume of the particular cremator there can be many animals within one session, however the animals are identified and separated. When the session is complete, the ashes within each individual tray are processed, bagged, and readied to be shipped back to the Pet Care Provider or individual pet owner depending on the circumstance of its arrival to the crematory. Many pet owners believe that an individual cremation means that their pet was cremated in a single session by itself and then given back to them as a guarantee that these ashes are their pets ashes alone. The only way to make absolutely sure that is the case is with the following option and that is the Private or Witnessed Private Cremation.

Private Cremation and Witnessed Private Cremation – A private cremation provides the option for the pet to be cremated entirely alone within the cremation chamber or cremator ensuring that there are no other ashes mixed in with the singular pets ashes. Often there will be a tag with identifying numbers that will be placed on the pet and will go through the crematory process with him and returned with the obvious characteristics of the crematory process on the tag as an extra assurance. Many times the crematorium facilities will allow for a special blanket or toy to accompany the pet and some crematoriums now have waiting room facilities or facilities that allow for a witnessed private cremation.

Many of these Pet Funeral Homes even offer wonderful viewing areas and are set up to conduct private memorial services as well. Private cremations are becoming more popular as pet funeral homes are beginning to pop up across our landscape. Pet funeral homes often can arrange for pick up of the pet at the private home or Veterinarian facility as well. While all Pet Funeral Homes will make arrangements with the individual pet owner, sixty five percent of private cremations are from Veterinary affiliates so it is important to discuss with your Veterinarian what crematory company he has an affiliation with and/or does he have a pet funeral home that he would recommend if what you require is the absolute assurance that a Private Cremation will take place.

Pet Cremation costs vary greatly and are largely dependent upon the above choices and whether the arrangements are scheduled through an intermediate source such as the Pet Care Provider. Mass or Communal Cremation generally costs from $75.00 – $125.00, Individual Cremation can cost $100.00 – $200.00 and Private and Witnessed Private Cremations can cost as high as $500.00 or more depending upon whether the family chooses private pick up, private viewing and/or a memorial service. Many Pet Funeral Homes are offering preplanning and prepayment options to the pet community just as are offered in the human funeral business.

While it is a difficult subject to contemplate for every pet owner, it is best to be prepared with as much knowledge as possible before the time comes. Take the time to discuss your crematory options with your Pet Care Provider or with your local pet funeral home or crematory, make sure that you are clear on what it is they provide, have them describe their processes in detail and make sure that those services meet your expectations.

Patricia L. Moore is the owner and founder of Soft-Hearted Products LLC, the developer of the Soft-Hearted Pillow Pet Urn. When Patricia lost her 15 year old companion dog, Samantha, she chose cremation as her option. Her family has always been mobile and it was important to her to have a visible reminder of Samantha as well as a place to keep her near. Patricia soon realized that a traditional cold, hard urn to be kept upon a shelf was not an appropriate placement or tribute to Samantha; a dog who had never left her side for 15 years. Patricia created the Soft-Hearted Pillow Pet Urn.

A soft, huggable, beautifully designed pillow which encloses a pet’s cremated remains in a safe, secure included pouch that is tucked discreetly deep inside the pillow. The Soft-Hearted Pillow Pet Urn is made from a choice of beautiful, soft fabrics with decorator trim and can be customized with a pet’s name, important dates etc. The pillows are functional as a safe, secure receptacle for a pet’s ashes yet are discreet enough for any setting.

Soft-Hearted Products LLC offers the Soft-Hearted Pillow Pet Urn in the finest pet boutiques and on their website at http://www.soft-hearted.com where pet owners can view the pillow options, read customer testimonials and find other valuable pet loss resource information.

Do you choose canned food or dry food? What brand? There are so many different brands, all shapes and sizes of pet food to choose from and pet owners are provided with very little information to base your decisions on (other than advertising) – it can get so confusing! Well, buckle your seatbelt depending on how much you know of the pet food industry, this could be a bumpy ride! You are about to learn seven secrets – well kept secrets – of pet food. Sit back, brace yourself, and keep reading.

Beneful says it’s ‘Premium Dog Food for a Happy, Healthy Dog’ and sells for around $18.00 for a 31 lb. bag, Science Diet “promises” ‘precisely balanced nutrition through continuous research and the highest quality food backed by your Vets endorsement’ and sells for around $21.00 for only a 20 lb bag. Then there are numerous pet foods that make the very same statements – ‘Premium Dog Food, Highest Quality’ – that sell for $30.00 or more for a 20 lb bag. And the same holds true for cat owners…Do you choose Whiskas that states ‘Everything we do is about making cats happy!’ or do you choose one of those high end cat foods that make the very same claim of a happy, healthy cat but cost 3 times as much?

Now with the on-going pet food recall pet owners have questions such as ‘Has this food been recalled?’ or ‘Is this food the next one to be recalled?’…’Is my pet safe?’ Wow this is confusing! And scary too! What exactly is a pet owner to do? How about learning a few secrets! Equipped with the knowledge of a few secrets of pet food, it’s not nearly as confusing.

Secret #1…

All pet foods use descriptive words like choice and premium, though few of them actually use premium or choice ingredients in their food. The ‘secret’ is that per the rules of the pet food industry, no pet food can make any claims or references on their label or advertising as to the quality or grade of ingredients. You see, the word ‘premium’ when it’s related to pet food DOES NOT mean that the ingredients in the food are premium. With pet foods, premium does not (can not) describe the food nor does it (can it) describe the quality of the food. It is a marketing term and that is all. Per the pet food industries own rules and regulations, “There are no references to ingredient quality or grade” (regulation PF5 d 3). So, words like premium, or choice, or quality are just marketing or sales terms. They should not be interpreted as terms describing the quality of the food.

Now why wouldn’t a pet food label be allowed to tell a prospective customer the quality of their ingredients? Doesn’t a pet owner deserve to know what they are buying? This leads me to the next secret…

Secret#2…

If I can compare ‘people’ food to pet food for just a second, we all know there are different qualities of people food. There is White Castle (I’m guilty here, I love the little guys!) and there is Outback Steak House (another favorite). Both restaurants serve meat and potatoes. At White Castle for under $3.00 you can get a couple of hamburgers and an order of fries. While at Outback you can get a steak and baked potato for around $16.00. Both serve beef and potato – yet you already realize that there are huge nutritional differences between a fast food hamburger and a steak…right?

The problem in the pet food industry – is that most pet owners don’t think in the same terms when it comes to pet food. They don’t think in terms that there are fast food types of pet foods and there are sit down restaurant more nutritious types of pet foods. In fact, several years ago a young man tried this very experiment with his own diet – eating nothing but fast food for 30 days. In just one month of eating fast food three meals a day, he gained a great deal of weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels sky-rocketed. Now, imagine your pet eating this type of food its’ entire lifetime.

OK, so back to our two meals…if a chemical analysis of your meal at White Castle was compared to a chemical analysis of your meal at Outback – both would analyze with a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Regardless whether you consider a steak at Outback a higher quality of protein than the burger – it would still analyze as protein. The analysis doesn’t measure quality of protein.

So here is the secret…All pet foods come with a Guaranteed Analysis stating the percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture in the food. The REAL secret lies in the quality of the percentages of protein, fat, and so on.

In a chemical analysis of a pet food – chicken feet would analyze as protein, although granted it provides very little nutrition. And as well, a cow that was euthanized (put to sleep) because of a disease that made it unfit for human consumption – would analyze as protein although that could be considered dangerous for consumption. Both of those things – chicken feet and a euthanized cow – are allowable ingredients and commonly used in pet food. You see the secret within the pet food industry is manufacturers have a WIDE OPEN door to where they obtain their ingredients. The only strict rule they must follow is an adult dog food must analyze with 18% protein and an adult cat food must analyze with 26% protein. Sources to acquire those particular percentages range from a ‘human grade’ meat, to chicken feet, to euthanized animals, to grain proteins, to even man made chemical proteins and many variations in between.

Pet food labels do not have to tell – are not allowed to tell – the sources they use to obtain that required 18% or 26% protein. And to make matters worse…quality minded pet food manufacturers – the companies that use 100% human grade ingredients – are not allowed to tell customers or potential customers that their products are quality, human grade ingredients.

So how can you know if your pet’s food uses chicken feet or euthanized cows or if it contains human grade ingredients?

Secret #3…

If the words premium and choice mean basically nothing with regards to the quality of pet food, and if some pet foods use chicken feet and euthanized animals in their food – how can a pet owner know what they are getting in their pets’ food?

This big secret is found in ingredient definitions. Unlike ‘people’ food where you can pretty much look at the food to determine the quality, pet food is far different. All ‘people’ food must meet particular USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines. The same is not true for pet food. Chicken feet and euthanized cows are NOT allowed in people food for obvious reasons – they have no nutritional value or they could be dangerous to consume. The same is NOT true for pet food. The only way to know if those chicken feet or euthanized cows are in your pet’s food is to know what ingredients they can be used in.

The common pet food ingredient ‘Meat and Bone Meal’ is basically a combination of many different discarded left-overs from the human food industry. Components of ‘meat and bone meal’ can be anything from cow heads, stomachs, and intestines, to (horrifying but true) euthanized animals including cows, horses and dogs and cats from veterinarian offices, animal shelters, and farms. And along with those euthanized animals the pet food also contains the drug pentabarbitol that was used to euthanize the animal. ‘Meat and bone meal’ can also contain left-over restaurant grease, and diseased (including cancerous) meat tissues cut away from slaughtered animals. In other words, this commonly used ingredient is a mix of highly inferior and potentially dangerous left-overs from the human food industry.

The pet food ingredient ‘Meat By-Product’ or ‘Meat By-Product Meal’ is pretty much the same thing as ‘meat and bone meal’. It is a highly inferior pet food ingredient containing literally who-knows-what.

Another similar ingredient to the above is ‘Animal Digest’.

As to the chicken feet I mentioned earlier – this item can be found in the ingredients ‘Chicken By-Product’ or ‘Poultry By-Product’ or ‘Chicken By-Product Meal’ or ‘Poultry By-Product Meal’. Any left-overs in the chicken or poultry division – including but not limited to chicken feet, skin including some feathers, chicken or poultry heads, and intestines are found in these ingredients. It does NOT matter as to the health of the bird – sick, healthy, dead, dying…all is included in these ingredients.

So here is what you need to do…BEFORE you purchase any pet food, flip the bag over and closely examine the list of ingredients. The above mentioned ingredients would be listed within the first five or ten ingredients. If you see ANY of those ingredients – it is my suggestion to NOT purchase that food. Remember – chicken feet and euthanized animals do analyze as protein. That is all that is required in pet food – just the correct analysis.

Another little trick some pet food manufacturers use in this category is using grains and chemical additives to grain products to boost the protein percentages. Which is exactly the cause of the pet food recall that began in March 2007 – chemical proteins. Two different chemical additives – that have NO nutritional value to pets, but that analyzed as protein – were added to a grain product (wheat gluten, corn gluten, or rice gluten) solely to provide a cheap protein. Thousands of pets died and countless others became ill because no one counted on the problem of the combination of these two chemicals would cause kidney and urinary blockage. Again, their secret is the product has to analyze as having a particular amount of protein – no one is required to provide a quality meat protein.

While you are looking at the ingredient listing – you should also take note of how many grains (corn, wheat, rice) and/or how many grain products (corn gluten, whole corn, ground corn, whole wheat, ground wheat, wheat gluten, rice, brown rice, brewers rice, soy, and on and on) are listed within the first five or so ingredients. If you find more than one grain listed in the first five ingredients – that is telling you this pet food is acquiring some of its protein from grains.

Why is protein obtained from grains important for you to know? Several reasons – first off science proves that cats and dogs alike require and thrive on a meat protein. If a pet food is obtaining protein from grain sources, the pet is not getting the meat that it needs to thrive. Second, if the grain products are a corn gluten, wheat gluten, or rice gluten you take the risk of chemicals such as melamime added to it used strictly to boost the protein analysis. By the way, melamime is one of the chemicals found to be the cause of the March 2007 pet food recall. And there is one more concern with grains – aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a deadly mold that is common to corn, wheat, and soy and it’s responsible for several other pet food recalls you probably never heard about. In December 2005, Diamond Pet Food contained moldy grains that killed over 100 pets before the product was recalled – all due to aflatoxin.

It is my recommendation to avoid any pet food that contains corn, wheat, or soy in ANY variation. The risk is simply too high.

Secret #4…

I’ve got more suggestions for you to look for in the ingredient listings…chemical preservatives. A very well kept secret of the pet food industry is their common use of chemical preservatives. BHA/BHT are very popular chemical preservatives used in pet food and science has linked them to tumors and cancer. Another common preservative is ethoxyquin which has known risks to cancer. Ethoxyquin is ONLY allowed in human food in some spices because of the very tiny proportions. However it is allowed in much higher proportions in pet food.

If you scan the ingredient listings, you will be looking for BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin listed anywhere. Commonly BHA/BHT is used to preserve the fat in the food which usually is found higher on the list. And also look for any of these chemicals towards the end of the ingredient listing. Personally, I wouldn’t touch a pet food that contained these chemical preservatives. You want a pet food that is preserved naturally – common natural preservatives are ‘natural mixed tocopherols’ or ‘vitamin E’.

Secret #5…

The very best food to provide to your pet is a well made food using human grade ingredients. That should be simple enough…How do you find that? You already know that pet food manufacturers are NOT allowed to make any statement as to quality or grade of ingredients, the only way you can find out the grade or quality of your pets’ food is to call the manufacturer and ask them.

Now, let’s say you call the ABC pet food company and ask the question “Is your Premium dog food and Premium cat food made using human grade ingredients?” It could be that you get the response yes, we use human grade ingredients – when actually only a couple of ingredients are human grade. Here’s the trick to asking…ask them if they are APHIS European certified.

Pet food manufacturers that are APHIS European certified assures you that ALL ingredients in their pet food are human grade. APHIS – Animal Plant Health Inspection Services – is a division of the USDA. APHIS European certification provides this pet food manufacturer with the opportunity to ship their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet foods from the US, European countries demand that all ingredients are human grade and thus require this certification. Most pet food manufacturers that have APHIS European certification do not ship their products to Europe – they simply use this as a means to assure their customers to the higher quality of their ingredients.

Again, you WON’T see this listed on the label – it’s not allowed. You must call the manufacturer and ask. Often times the representative of the pet food won’t even know what you are talking about when you ask about APHIS certification – if that’s the case, you can assume they are not APHIS European certified. APHIS European certification is a bonus to pet owners – it is not required or even suggested that any pet food manufacturer go through the extra steps to obtain this. This is a special effort some pet foods go through to tell their customers they REALLY CARE about the quality of their products. Personally, I would NOT buy a pet food that doesn’t have it.

And by the way, if you can’t reach the pet food manufacturer, or they do not return your call within a short time frame, lose their number! Any company that does not place a priority on answering customers questions – doesn’t deserve your business!

Secret #6…

Minerals are a required ingredient in human diets as well as diets for our pets. Copper, Iron and Zinc are common minerals found in pet foods. Just as they are – copper, iron, and zinc are basically rocks, very difficult for anyone or any pet to utilize. Science has developed several ways to introduce minerals into the body (human and pet) for better absorption thus benefiting the individual far more. This scientific development is called chelating or proteinating and it’s been around for years. Through the chelating or proteinating process minerals are absorbed about 60% better than just the minerals alone.

This secret is spotting the minerals in your pet food to see if they are chelated or proteinated. Notice the minerals on your pet food label, way down on the list of ingredients. You are looking for minerals that read ‘copper proteinate’ or ‘chelated copper’. If you see just the mineral listed, your pet is sort of like Charlie Brown at Halloween saying ‘I got a rock’. If you want your pet to have the best, chelated or proteinated minerals are part of the best foods!

Secret #7…

This secret is called ‘friendly bacteria’. Although ‘friendly bacteria’ sounds a little scary, the reason for it lies in your pets’ intestinal system. A large portion of your pets’ immune system is found within the intestinal system. Keeping the immune system healthy helps to keep the animal itself healthy. This friendly bacteria is similar to what’s found in yogurt, however in pet food it is introduced in a fashion so that the cooking process doesn’t destroy it. Looking at the fine print on your pet food label, this time you are looking for lengthy, scientific words like Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidobacterium Thermophilum. If you do NOT see these words or some very similar, that pet food is not addressing the care of your pets’ immune system. And again, if you want your pet to have the best, you want ‘friendly bacteria’ in their food.

There are your seven very secrets to help you find the absolute healthiest and best pet food for your four-legged friend. Armed with those secrets – you now have the knowledge to find your pet the best food possible! A pet food that can extend their life and prevent early aging and disease. If you don’t want to bother doing the homework involved, I urge you to subscribe to my monthly magazine Petsumer Report™. Through Petsumer Report™ I’ve done all the homework for you – each month I review and rate over 40 different pet foods, treats, toys, and various other pet supplies. It’s the ONLY publication of its’ kind providing pet owners with the information they need to know regarding their pet product purchases.

I want to share just a couple more things…

It’s best to feed an adult dog or adult cat two meals a day. The nutrition they consume with two meals is better utilized than with just one meal a day. If you are currently feeding your pet one meal a day, split that same amount into two meals and feed in the AM and PM.

You should know that all canned or moist pet foods are anywhere between 70% to 85% moisture. This means that 70% to 85% of that can or pouch of food is useless nutrition – its water. Granted our pets need water, cats especially tend not to drink enough water. But since all canned or moist foods are mostly water, they do not provide adequate nutrition to be fed strictly a canned or moist diet. Use a canned or moist product to supplement your pet’s diet – not as the only food.

The best pet foods are preserved naturally (secret #4) – but there is a concern with naturally preserved pet foods…freshness. Take notice of the expiration date on your pets food label – typically with naturally preserved dry pet foods (not as much of a concern with soft foods because of canning – very little need of preservatives) the expiration date is one year to 18 months from the date it was manufactured. Let’s say the pet food you are considering to purchase on July 1, 2007 has a ‘Best if Used by’ date of January 1, 2008. This would tell you that this particular bag of pet food is already 6 months old. While it is still ‘good’ a fresher food – a bag that is only 2 or 3 months old – is better. Naturally preserved pet foods lose nutritional potency with time. Always try to find a very fresh bag.

If you are considering changing your pets food, ALWAYS consult with your Veterinarian first. You should always keep your veterinarian advised of any changes you make with your pet. Don’t take chances. And if you do switch pet food, make the change over very slowly. I always recommend to pet owners ¼ new food to ¾ old food for 4 to 7 days, ½ to ½ for another 4 to 7 days, and so on. Switching food quickly can cause intestinal disorder! Its short term, but we don’t want intestinal disorder!!!

One last thing, as you are already aware dogs and cats have a far better sense of smell than humans. Their food bowl can be a wealth of smells – both good and bad. Some times a pet will refuse to eat simply because he or she smells a previous food in their bowl. Plastic food and water bowls retain odors the worst. And surprisingly so does stainless steel bowls. The best type of food and water bowl is a ceramic one. They retain odors the least.

There are times where a pet sitter may be a good choice for you and your pets when you travel without them. Unlike a boarding facility or kennel, your animals stay at home and the pet sitter comes to your house (usually once or twice a day). If you have a single pet or a highly social animal, such as a dog, it is better to board them at a facility where they will have lots of attention. However, if you have several cats, horses, birds or an animal not suited for a boarding facility, a reliable pet sitter may be the best choice for your pets. Multi-pet households often benefit from pet sitting services because it’s usually less expensive and less stressful to hire a pet sitter rather than transporting and boarding all your animals. The following suggestions are designed to help you find a good and reliable pet sitter.

Ask friends or veterinarian for a pet sitter referral.

Even if you are new in a neighborhood, or don’t know your neighbors well, it’s pretty easy to identify people who value their pet. Ask several neighbors for recommendations. Try to find a little bit about your neighbors pet and their pet sitter experience. This will give you a good indication as to the level of care you can expect from the people they recommend. Many veterinarians, in addition to having boarding facilities, may have a veterinary technician on staff that also provides pet sitting service, or they may know of a high quality pet sitter.

Research your pet sitter.

As you call potential pet sitters ask them the type of animals they like to work with, how long they’ve been in business, how they got started in business, and specific questions about your pet’s needs. People who have some experience as vet techs, animal shelter employees, or veterinary students often supplement their income by pet sitting. Some excellent animal care workers start a pet sitting service if they’ve suffered from career burnout. Pet sitters with these type of credentials can offer the best type of service because they are more likely to recognize illness in your pet, and may be more experienced with administering medications or tending special needs. However, the most important thing is to find someone who will be attentive, reliable and responsible with your pet. Once you feel a level of comfort with a pet sitter, ask for three client referrals. Follow up with the referrals, and use your intuition before you provide the pet sitter a key to your home. If you are not able to get a pet sitter referral in your area and you cold-call a potential pet sitter, I’d recommend a criminal background check on your pet sitter. A quality sitter won’t mind your concerns for safety.

Shop around for services and fees.

Most pet sitters charge a per visit fee, regardless of the number of animals you have. However, if you have more than three animals or an animal that needs medication, it’s normal to expect a slightly higher fee per visit. Ask the pet sitter how much time they will spend with the pet, and what they charge per visit. Some pet sitters give a break if they are doing two visits a day, or if you are taking a long trip. A few pet sitters offer overnight visits-where they sleep at your home. If your trip is long, ask them if they will call or email you every few days.

Meet your pet sitter.

Several weeks prior to your trip, have the pet sitter stop by so she can be introduced to your animals. Watch how they are with your pets. Are they gentle, and non-invasive? If the pet sitter breezes in and out of their first visit with you, most likely that’s what they’ll do when you are paying them to care for the pet. If you have any negative feelings or thoughts, do not give them a key-trust your instincts. However, if you feel comfortable, provide them with a key, and show them around your house; pet food storage, where pets are feed, how to administer medicine, toys, alarm system, and anything else that will make them comfortable. I always encourage my pet sitter to feel free to watch t.v. or take a nap at my house. The more time they spend with the animals, the better.

Final Tips

The day before your trip, call the pet sitter and confirm your travel plans. Inform them of your expected return, but ask them to continue pet care until you call them to say you’ve returned. Leave a note on your kitchen table or refrigerator that has a brief description of each pet, your veterinarian’s name and phone number, unique habits or medical needs, how to reach you, where you will be staying, expected return date, and who to call in case of an emergency-such as your trip being severely delayed or if you have a health emergency. I typically check do a quick check in with my pet sitter every two to three days. This gives me peace of mind. If you require a daily call from your pet sitter, please be respectful of their time and give them a generous tip upon your return. Pay all pet sitting fees promptly. When you consider gas, travel time, and the initial and post visit key exchange, you’ll realize most pet sitter charge a low fee for their time. Also, let your closest neighbors know what your pet sitter looks like, so they won’t be concerned when they see a stranger going in and out of your house or apartment.

If your travel plans are more than 10 days, or if you travel frequently, you may want to consider whether or not you should have a pet, or you may want to find a roommate who loves animals and does not mind taking care of them for you as you travel. Having a pet and finding quality care is similar to being a parent. A reliable pet sitter can make travel plans fun and relaxing.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility. This is because apart from making sure that your pet is well fed, properly groomed, and properly trained, there are a number of special needs for your pet, so they will live a long and healthy life. One way to make sure your pet is healthy is to give them plenty of exercise. The good news is that there are quite a number of good sources of the pet supplies that you need to make sure that the pet are met. This means that you can easy gain access to the pet dishes, pet toys, pet beds, and pet food that you need. One example of such a source is a friendly pet store.

Pet stores are some of the best sources of pet supplies. This is because pet stores also ensure that people who buy pets from them also gain access to the supplies that they need to properly take care of their pets. As a result, a typical pet store can provide a pet owner with a wide selection of pet supplies, which include pet toys and pet food, which can help him take care of his pet. Moreover, most pet stores provide pet supplies for almost all types of pets, which make also makes them the more convenient option for people looking for pet supplies.

In addition to these, pet stores can also provide pet owners with the best tools that can help them take care of their pets. This is because the people who run pet stores have vast experience in taking care of pets, which include knowledge on which brands of pet supplies can give the best results. In relation to this, the personnel in pet stores are also trained to answer any questions that pet owners may have with regard to the pet supplies, which can be very helpful especially for first-time pet owners.

Given that pet owners need to make sure that their pets are provided with the supplies that they need to be able to live long and healthy lives, pet owners need to gain access to high quality pet supplies. Fortunately, there are quite a number of sources from which pet owners can get the pet supplies that they need. One of these include pet shops, which is considered an ideal source of pet supplies because of the high quality pet supplies and the helpful information on pet care that people can get from them.