By: Elyse Grau
Look for the meat source (or sources) to be listed first on the label. If grains are included (which they always are in kibbles), they should be whole grains, rather than fractions, such as wheat bran, brewer's rice, etc. Watch out for multiple listings of grains, they may add up to be more than the meat portion!
Avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. Colors are added for your benefit, not to appeal to dogs. Artificial flavors are added to enhance palatability or cover up off tastes of poorer quality ingredients. Most natural foods stores and holistic pet supply stores will carry premium brands of pet food. If you are unable to find a satisfactory dog food in stores near you, many of them can be found on the internet.
Elyse Grau is an herbalist and a long-time pet owner, well-versed in pet nutrition and feeding. She is the author of Pet Health Resource, your web guide to a healthy, happy dog or cat. The website strives to answer your holistic pet health questions through a large collection of articles. http://www.pethealthresource.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Premium Dog or Cat Food Worth the Time and Money1
By: Elyse Grau
Proper nutrition is the number one protection against disease in dogs and cats. Feeding a high-quality dog food or cat food will keep your pet healthy and in good condition throughout its life
How do you know what dog/cat food is right? For many the choice is a homemade diet. If you have the time and the resources, I agree that this is the preferred way to go. This is usually the best, and occasionally the only choice for animals with multiple food allergies. The choice is yours whether to go cooked or raw, with bones or without.
Basically, a homemade diet should consist of 40-60% meat for dogs, 60%-90% for cats, 20-50% vegetables (dogs, or 10%-40% for cats), and the rest, optionally, grains. The choice within each category is vast, and depends on your budget, availability, and what the dog or cat prefers. Often allergies to certain foods will determine the diet.
Each dog and cat is unique and what is best for one may not work well for another. Feeding a variety of foods is the best way to provide all or most of the nutrients that your pet needs.
A good quality multi-vitamin and calcium supplements will help make sure the diet is complete. Because it can be tricky to get the right balance of calcium and phosphorus when making your own pet food, you will need to add a calcium supplement.
If you like the idea of homemade pet food, but lack the time, there are pre-mixes available, or complete ready-to-serve meals. Pre-mixes come freeze-dried, dehydrated or frozen. Usually they are grain and vegetable mixes, along with some supplements such as calcium, to which you add the meat. Ground meats, sometimes with bone, are also available where pet foods are sold. You can then add your own vegetables and/or grains if you so desire.
Complete raw-foods diets are also sold as frozen, dry or freeze-dried. Some areas may have local entrepreneurs who make and sell these diets fresh. They may also custom make meals to your pets specifications.
If you prefer to feed a commercial product, choose one of the many premium dog foods now available. though the cost may be higher than grocery store brands, what you save in vet bills will more than make up for the difference.
Whether to feed canned or dry pet food will depend on you and your dog or cat. Canned food is usually more expensive, kibble is more convenient. Pets usually prefer canned foods and some need the softer, wetter consistency. Canned pet foods generally contain higher quality proteins than dry pet food, and a higher percentage of protein and fat. The higher moisture content of canned foods can be beneficial to dogs and cats with kidney or urinary tract problems. Dry pet foods contain more preservatives. Some people choose to use both.
The most important criteria in choosing a pet food is the list of ingredients. Whole meats are always better then meat meals, and meat meals are preferable to by-products. Single source meals, such as beef meal or chicken meal are more wholesome than those marked simple meat or poultry meals. Single source meals contain the muscle meat from that animal, along with accompanying tissues, such as nerves, blood vessels and skin. Generic meals may contain other organ tissues and fatty tissue. By-product meal is a catch-all term for anything that doesn't fit the other meal definitions - avoid these at all costs!
Elyse Grau is an herbalist and a long-time pet owner, well-versed in pet nutrition and feeding. She is the author of Pet Health Resource, your web guide to a healthy, happy dog or cat. The website strives to answer your holistic pet health questions through a large collection of articles. http://www.pethealthresource.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Proper nutrition is the number one protection against disease in dogs and cats. Feeding a high-quality dog food or cat food will keep your pet healthy and in good condition throughout its life
How do you know what dog/cat food is right? For many the choice is a homemade diet. If you have the time and the resources, I agree that this is the preferred way to go. This is usually the best, and occasionally the only choice for animals with multiple food allergies. The choice is yours whether to go cooked or raw, with bones or without.
Basically, a homemade diet should consist of 40-60% meat for dogs, 60%-90% for cats, 20-50% vegetables (dogs, or 10%-40% for cats), and the rest, optionally, grains. The choice within each category is vast, and depends on your budget, availability, and what the dog or cat prefers. Often allergies to certain foods will determine the diet.
Each dog and cat is unique and what is best for one may not work well for another. Feeding a variety of foods is the best way to provide all or most of the nutrients that your pet needs.
A good quality multi-vitamin and calcium supplements will help make sure the diet is complete. Because it can be tricky to get the right balance of calcium and phosphorus when making your own pet food, you will need to add a calcium supplement.
If you like the idea of homemade pet food, but lack the time, there are pre-mixes available, or complete ready-to-serve meals. Pre-mixes come freeze-dried, dehydrated or frozen. Usually they are grain and vegetable mixes, along with some supplements such as calcium, to which you add the meat. Ground meats, sometimes with bone, are also available where pet foods are sold. You can then add your own vegetables and/or grains if you so desire.
Complete raw-foods diets are also sold as frozen, dry or freeze-dried. Some areas may have local entrepreneurs who make and sell these diets fresh. They may also custom make meals to your pets specifications.
If you prefer to feed a commercial product, choose one of the many premium dog foods now available. though the cost may be higher than grocery store brands, what you save in vet bills will more than make up for the difference.
Whether to feed canned or dry pet food will depend on you and your dog or cat. Canned food is usually more expensive, kibble is more convenient. Pets usually prefer canned foods and some need the softer, wetter consistency. Canned pet foods generally contain higher quality proteins than dry pet food, and a higher percentage of protein and fat. The higher moisture content of canned foods can be beneficial to dogs and cats with kidney or urinary tract problems. Dry pet foods contain more preservatives. Some people choose to use both.
The most important criteria in choosing a pet food is the list of ingredients. Whole meats are always better then meat meals, and meat meals are preferable to by-products. Single source meals, such as beef meal or chicken meal are more wholesome than those marked simple meat or poultry meals. Single source meals contain the muscle meat from that animal, along with accompanying tissues, such as nerves, blood vessels and skin. Generic meals may contain other organ tissues and fatty tissue. By-product meal is a catch-all term for anything that doesn't fit the other meal definitions - avoid these at all costs!
Elyse Grau is an herbalist and a long-time pet owner, well-versed in pet nutrition and feeding. She is the author of Pet Health Resource, your web guide to a healthy, happy dog or cat. The website strives to answer your holistic pet health questions through a large collection of articles. http://www.pethealthresource.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
The "Cat" and the "Dog" energies of social interaction
By: Katherine Bouglai
A young and attractive woman walks into the Starbucks to get a quick drink before her lunch meeting. As she pays for her drink and walks towards the exit, holding her cup of late, a young gentleman follows her. He takes a few moments to introduce himself and throws a compliment her way. The girl smiles, but she feels uncomfortable by his boldness, she doesn't want to be rude so she thanks him politely. She increases her pace, hoping that he gets the hint that she might be in a hurry and won't bother her further. The guy continues with his pursuit by asking for her phone number. At this point the girl brushes him off and quickly walks away.
Does this scenario sound familiar? Whom do you sympathize more, the guy or the girl? Who do you think made a mistake? How would you behave in a similar situation? What went wrong? The truth is that there is no right answer to all these questions. The two people in the above scenario may not necessarily be a wrong fit for each other, they were just not ready to meet yet. What really happened was that their energies didn't match. She had "cat energy" and he had "dog energy" and we all know what happens when dogs meet cats -- they chase them!
If you ever owned a dog, perhaps you already know how dogs behave when you take them out for a walk every time they see another dog walking by. They stop, their attention turns towards the new dog, their ears perk and sometimes they just run for it. That other dog is very fascinating to them and they are extremely eager to meet them. Now, what happens when a guest comes to a home that has dogs? The dog gets excited, wags its tail, and sometimes even jumps on people. There is nothing wrong with that, it's just the way dogs are. Whenever they sense a new energy in the room, they want to find out about it as soon as possible. When they get used to the new energy, they calm down.
What about cats? As a cat owner myself, I can tell you that cats are completely opposite. They do not feel comfortable with the new energy. They need their time and space to get used to it, and until they do, they will sit quietly under the couch and intensely stare at the new person who just walked in. When they are ready to get to know you, they will come out and be friendly. Again, there is nothing wrong with being a cat. It's just who they are. They get very overwhelmed with new smells, new environments and they do not feel comfortable with unfamiliar energy. But just because cats are not comfortable about the new energy doesn't mean they are not curious about it. Cats are very curious animals and they love our company. They just need more time to get to know us.
Can cats and dogs live in perfect harmony? Of course they can, if they learn and respect each other's boundaries. It may not be realistic to explain this to a cat or a dog, but it might be a helpful analogy for humans. Why is it so important to know about this? Because this makes us more aware of our instincts, fears and desires, as well as the fact that somebody else may very well be completely different from us in that sense. This awareness can help us a lot when we interact with others for the first time. Keeping the two energy types in mind, being mindful to ourselves and others, how easier could it be for us to approach someone we're attracted to and not take it personally when others are being too shy to talk to us? Most importantly, whichever energy you think you might have, there is nothing wrong with it. Not all men have the "dog energy" and not all women have the "cat energy." Also, it is very common for our energy to change depending on where we are and who we meet.
Katherine Bouglai Personal Life Coach http://www.beopentolove.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
A young and attractive woman walks into the Starbucks to get a quick drink before her lunch meeting. As she pays for her drink and walks towards the exit, holding her cup of late, a young gentleman follows her. He takes a few moments to introduce himself and throws a compliment her way. The girl smiles, but she feels uncomfortable by his boldness, she doesn't want to be rude so she thanks him politely. She increases her pace, hoping that he gets the hint that she might be in a hurry and won't bother her further. The guy continues with his pursuit by asking for her phone number. At this point the girl brushes him off and quickly walks away.
Does this scenario sound familiar? Whom do you sympathize more, the guy or the girl? Who do you think made a mistake? How would you behave in a similar situation? What went wrong? The truth is that there is no right answer to all these questions. The two people in the above scenario may not necessarily be a wrong fit for each other, they were just not ready to meet yet. What really happened was that their energies didn't match. She had "cat energy" and he had "dog energy" and we all know what happens when dogs meet cats -- they chase them!
If you ever owned a dog, perhaps you already know how dogs behave when you take them out for a walk every time they see another dog walking by. They stop, their attention turns towards the new dog, their ears perk and sometimes they just run for it. That other dog is very fascinating to them and they are extremely eager to meet them. Now, what happens when a guest comes to a home that has dogs? The dog gets excited, wags its tail, and sometimes even jumps on people. There is nothing wrong with that, it's just the way dogs are. Whenever they sense a new energy in the room, they want to find out about it as soon as possible. When they get used to the new energy, they calm down.
What about cats? As a cat owner myself, I can tell you that cats are completely opposite. They do not feel comfortable with the new energy. They need their time and space to get used to it, and until they do, they will sit quietly under the couch and intensely stare at the new person who just walked in. When they are ready to get to know you, they will come out and be friendly. Again, there is nothing wrong with being a cat. It's just who they are. They get very overwhelmed with new smells, new environments and they do not feel comfortable with unfamiliar energy. But just because cats are not comfortable about the new energy doesn't mean they are not curious about it. Cats are very curious animals and they love our company. They just need more time to get to know us.
Can cats and dogs live in perfect harmony? Of course they can, if they learn and respect each other's boundaries. It may not be realistic to explain this to a cat or a dog, but it might be a helpful analogy for humans. Why is it so important to know about this? Because this makes us more aware of our instincts, fears and desires, as well as the fact that somebody else may very well be completely different from us in that sense. This awareness can help us a lot when we interact with others for the first time. Keeping the two energy types in mind, being mindful to ourselves and others, how easier could it be for us to approach someone we're attracted to and not take it personally when others are being too shy to talk to us? Most importantly, whichever energy you think you might have, there is nothing wrong with it. Not all men have the "dog energy" and not all women have the "cat energy." Also, it is very common for our energy to change depending on where we are and who we meet.
Katherine Bouglai Personal Life Coach http://www.beopentolove.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com