Natural Healthy Pets

Dog Food for Training

2010-07-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

Dog owners are becoming more savvy!
Owners are seeking ways to connect with their dogs in training classes, group meet ups, social pack walks and taking their dogs to the dog park for some off leash fun!
Yet many are unaware that what they feed their dogs daily effects how well their dogs’ will train, behave, learn and develop self control.

The Brain is the engine that runs the body but what fuels the Brain?
Sugar!
The brain runs on glucose (sugar) but it is not able to store its own reserve of glucose, so the Brain must be fed to keep you awake and alert!

Think of the times you have grabbed for candy, caffeine or cookies to off set the sluggishness of late afternoon mental fatigue. Your brain is calling for energy and your body knows it needs glucose, so the body drives you towards sugar.
Simple sugar in cookies and candy offers the fastest source of glucose but it only gives you a short jump start for that necessary brain power.
Continual use of simple sugars has your Brain cycling through running highs and lows during the day.
A nutritional way to stem these cycles is to properly eat complex carbohydrates with your meals.

What does glucose really do?
Our bodies require glucose to maximize all the cellular energy our bodies need to keep functioning effectively. The catalyst for the control and metabolism of glucose is the pancreas which produces insulin. Insulin maintains blood sugar levels entering the muscles and brain cells. Poor pancreatic function lessens how glucose is used properly by the body.
Low sugar levels, Hypoglycemia, can cause lethargy, impaired mental function, and irritability, weakness and becoming easily stressed or confused.
Too much simple sugar intake throws the pancreases into over drive which over time limits its ability to properly control sugar intake as it should.
High sugar levels can lead to Diabetes.

What happens when extra sugar isn't needed for energy?
Glucose is there for energy but when not needed for immediate use, it is stored as glycogen until the body demands energy.
An over weight and obese dog is eating too much simple sugar which becomes stored fat. Fat is glucose which has been converted into glycogen.
The reserve of glycogen is kept until needed for energy. If sugar is continually put into the diet, the glycogen is never used and the body continues to store the additional glucose. Glycogen is not only stored under the skin but also stored around internal organs such as the liver.

Sugar comes in two forms, simple and complex.
Simple sugar is broken down, digested and used very quickly and requires more to sustain energy needs. It contains little to no nutritional value.
Simple sugars would come from sugar, fructose, wheat, corn, honey, to name a few.

Complex carbohydrates have nutrient value and breaks down by digesting more slowly. Digesting more slowly gives the body longer access to valuable glucose, giving the muscles and brain energy resources as needed to maintain focus and activity.
Sources of complex carbohydrates would be oats, barley, legumes, and whole wheat.

Our dogs can’t ask for a cup or coffee or tell you they are fatigued, or do they?

Are there certain times of day your dog seems to have high or low energy, mental focus and attention? How long before or after feeding do these behaviors start?

Are you having difficulty training your dog or they just don’t seem to get it no matter how many repetitions or varied ways you try and teach?
Does your dog mentally wander or no longer focuses on known commands?
Is your once stable dog becoming cranky?
Have a normally dog friendly dog not interested in or seem bothered by or snaps at dogs they normally enjoy playing with?

If you have a normally well balanced dog that seems to have highs and lows in behavior, attention and activity, they may be having blood sugar rise and drops through out the day. Do they train better in the morning or evening, before or after eating?

Food for thought, you may look into changing their food to change their behavior.
Visit www.dogfoodplus.com for information on behavior and food.

Jeanne Perciaccanto is a Dog trainer with over 25 years professional experience. She also holds Science and Health degrees.

Royal Canin recall

2007-05-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

ST. CHARLES, Mo., May 11 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Canin USA is announcing
today the voluntary nationwide recall of eight Sensible Choice dry dog food
products and seven Kasco dry dog and cat food products.
This announcement is based on the company’s ongoing extensive review of
its manufacturing and quality assurance testing procedures, which
identified trace amounts of a melamine derivative from tainted Chinese rice
protein concentrate provided to the company by domestic ingredient supplier
Cereal Byproducts, headquartered in Illinois.
“We deeply regret the concern and anxiety this announcement today will
cause our loyal customers and the entire pet community,” Olivier Amice,
President and CEO of Royal Canin USA, said. “While a very limited number of
Sensible Choice and Kasco products in this recall tested positive for trace
levels of a melamine derivative, Royal Canin USA is voluntarily withdrawing
these products out of an abundance of caution and because we are fully
committed to the welfare of our customers’ pets.”
Royal Canin USA has no confirmed cases of melamine related illness in
pets eating Sensible Choice and Kasco products affected by this recall.
Last month, Royal Canin USA announced it will no longer use any Chinese
vegetable protein suppliers.
The following eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven
Kasco dry dog and cat food products with date codes between July 28, 2006
to April 30, 2007 are being voluntarily recalled:
SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Adult (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Lamb and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Adult (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Senior (Dry Dog Food)
– SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Puppy (Dry Dog Food)

KASCO(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
– KASCO(R) Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Hi Energy (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Maintenance (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Mealettes (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Mini Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
– KASCO(R) Cat (Dry Cat Food)
Based on today’s announcement, pet owners should stop feeding their
pets the eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products, seven Kasco dry dog
and dry cat food products listed. Pet owners should consult with a
veterinarian if they are concerned about the health of their pet.
The safety and nutritional quality of Royal Canin USA pet food is our
company’s top priority because we understand that the health of pets comes
first. Pet owners who have questions about the voluntary recall of Sensible
Choice and Kasco dry pet food products and other Royal Canin USA products
should call 1-800-513-0041 or visit our web site at
http://www.royalcanin.us.
All Sensible Choice and Kasco products have a satisfaction guarantee
and the company will refund or replace the diets that are part of this
recall announcement.

New recalls on Rice products

2007-04-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

There is some confusion about the latest dog food recall, which, lists rice as the source of contamination. The newest recall is on "Rice Protein Concentrate" not brown rice.
Natural Balance, Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin have recalled their foods due to the "Rice Protein Concentration" obtained from China.

Life's Abundance uses only Brown Rice and food sources from the United States.

www.petvitamins.org

Recalled foods still in stores

2007-04-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

In the latest news, it has been discovered that recalled dog foods are still available for sale on stores shelves and all the tainted foods have not been removed.

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_21274606.shtml

You can feel safe with foods from www.Petvitamins.org an Holistic alternative to commercial food.

Tainted foods continue to be sold

2007-04-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Contaminated dog and cat food is still being sold at some U.S. stores and more products could be added to the widening recall, a top health official told lawmakers on Thursday.

The Food and Drug Administration has inspected about 400 stores nationwide since the problem emerged last month and has found recalled products still on sale.

``We know that there's not 100 percent of the product off the shelf,'' FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine Director Dr. Steven Sundlof told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee.

The FDA has said the affected foods contained wheat gluten contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical used in plastics and fertilizer. The recalled products represent about 1 percent of all pet foods, the agency has said.

Sundlof told lawmakers the melamine probably caused the deaths of 16 cats and dogs. The agency has received some 15,000 calls about other illnesses and deaths, but he said its main priority was the recall of contaminated food.

The American Veterinary Medical Association separately called on its members to help determine just how many pets may have gotten sick.

Canada-based pet food manufacturer Menu Foods Income Fund initially recalled 60 million cans and pouches of wet pet food sold under various brands including Procter & Gamble Co.'s Iams and Eukanuba as well as store brands sold at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Safeway Inc.

A number of other companies including Colgate-Palmolive Co.'s Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc., Nestle SA's Purina PetCare Co. and Del Monte Pet Products have also recalled some products.

The hearing came two days after Menu Foods expanded its recall to include more cat food. Last week, it widened its alert to include products with earlier production dates as well as dozens of more varieties.

The gluten was shipped by China-based Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd. to ChemNutra Inc. of Las Vegas, which sold it to Menu Foods and other, according to the FDA. The Chinese company has denied involvement.

The Senate panel questioned the current federal food safety system in light of the pet food scandal, saying it pointed to larger problems with both human and pet food.

Bacteria-tainted spinach sickened more than 100 people last year and ConAgra Foods Inc. recalled Peter Pan and Wal-Mart's Great Value brand peanut butter earlier this year.

``It confirms yet again that pet food as well as human food is at risk because of gaps in the system,'' Illinois Democrat Richard Durbin said. ``Unfortunately, it's the same broken food system.''

He also questioned why Menu Foods waited three weeks before notifying the FDA about concerns with its products.

Sundlof defended the agency, which he said acted as soon as it learned of the problem from Menu Foods. Officials are still tracking some wheat gluten shipments, he added.

When asked if more products could be pulled in the future, Sundlof said ``that's a possibility.''

Representatives for Menu Foods did not appear at the hearing, represented instead by the Pet Food Institute, an industry group.

Duane Ekedahl, the institute's president, said he did not have information about Menu Foods' contacts with the FDA. He said the pet food industry already has enough regulations in place to keep food safe.

``Retailers have to be vigilant about getting products off the shelves,'' he told the senators.

The FDA has posted a list of the recalled pet foods on its Web site at: http://www.fda.gov/ora/fed-state/recalls/Recall.xls

Contact www.caninehealthy.com

Healthy, Wholesome Pet Food

2007-04-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

No Corn or Wheat Gluten used in this food!

Life's Abundance Dog Food

Life’s Abundance® Premium Health Food for Dogs is always made with the freshest, human-quality ingredients, which gives your dog the best quality possible! It is a dry dog food that contains all natural chicken and top quality catfish with the best fresh fruit, vegetables and select farm foods. Life’s Abundance® also contains a superior blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants important for healthy dogs. Contains no artificial flavors, colors, sugars, or chemical preservatives.

http://www.petvitamins.org

Fat comes from Fat?

2007-04-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Another issue with controlling obesity is the changes that can occur to the metabolism and fat cells. The body becomes accustom to the excess weight as normal. As part of the body' s self preservation mechanism, when the body senses it is not getting enough food intake, it slows the metabolism down to prevent the loss of stored food reserves. Metabolism is simple energy rate the body uses to maintain itself. It is the most basic bodily functions at a cellular level to high levels energy output from physical activity. Metabolism controls the burning of energy resources, how fast, at what rate and when to tap into stored glycogen. At rest, the body uses the least amount of metabolism to maintain the body' s systems.

Weight Loss for Dogs

Why is My Dog Obese?

2007-04-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

Why do dogs become obese?

If your dog has an obesity problem the first place to start is at the Vets office. There are medical conditions such as Thyroid insufficiency and other disease which can play a major role in creating obesity. Have a health check to be sure there is no underlying medical conditions. Let the Vet determine the amount of weight your dog needs to lose.

The simple fact of obesity is over eating. More calories are coming in then the body puts out. Insulin is a key component to weight control and use of calories in the body. Simple sugars such as carbohydrates are converted into energy when needed and stored as fat in the form of glycogen until needed. Insulin is the hormone responsible for this happening. When the body takes in too much sugar, the insulin becomes ineffective and the body becomes insulin resistant. Insulin not being used, enters the blood stream where it float freely. Now insulin creates an opposite effect of actually producing more fat cells. Dealing with obesity becomes as much an issue of controlling insulin as well as food intake.

A calorie is a unit of heat measurement. Calories from food indicate the amount of energy the body can get from food sources. Proteins and carbohydrates equal 4 calories per gram while fats have 9 calories per gram.

Weight Loss for Dog

Is My Dog Fat?

2007-04-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

How to determine if your dog is obese!

Weight gain is normal fact of life. The older the dog becomes, the less energy and activity they have, muscle mass begins to lose some of its former tone. An older dog in good health may look physically different from loss of muscle and even look as though they have gained more fat but may not be any heavier according to the scale. An older dog should not be obese because it ages.

Look at your dog! A dog should have a shape. There should be a defining line from shoulders, ribs, waist and back end. From over head, you should see a waist line. From the side, there should be a definite belly tuck. If you run your hand along the spin, you will feel about 1/4 inch of padding and be able to slightly feel the ribs under the padding.

Weight Loss for Dogs

Over weight dogs

2007-04-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Health declines as your dog becomes obese.

Are we are feeding our dogs into sickness?

Obesity in dogs has the same potentials for diseases and illness as does a human.

As humans we are becoming more aware of the necessity to maintain proper weight balance to eliminate the potential for developing such disease such as:

* Diabetes
* Cancer
* Joint and mobility problems
* Impaired immune systems
* Heart Disease
* Stroke
* Respiratory difficulties

Why is it any different for our dogs?

The more weight the dog has, the greater the propensity for disease and illness. A compounding factor is they become more easily fatigued, sluggish and tired producing more of a weight gain!

What we see on the outside, also takes place on the inside. So fat does not just pad under the skin layers but also forms around the internal organs.
Many of our dogs are in dire need of attention as far as their weight is concerned. Obesity can result a shortened lifespan. Fortunately for our chubby dogs, HealthyPetNet's Weight Loss Dog Food can help our pets shed unwanted pounds and look absolutely great doing it.

Weight Loss Dog Food

Dog Food Recall

2007-04-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Over 100 dog food products have been recalled due to contamination found in the wheat gluten used to produced the dog products.