Have you ever wondered why there are stores like Pet Valu, Global Pets, Ren's Pets and Bone and
Biscuit? It's because pets aren't people! Dogs, cats, birds and small animals have very specific dietary and
nutritional requirements to keep them healthy and happy. Dogs should not be given chocolate, garlic,
onions, grapes, raisins, xylitol or avocado. They can be very harmful. These foods may be fine for people
but DOGS ARE NOT PEOPLE NOT MATTER HOW WELL THEIR OUTFIT CO-ORDINATES WITH
YOURS!

There seems to be a trend to feed any people food to their pets simply because “they like it” or
“food equals love”. The wrong food could actually equal harm, and no pet parent wants that.
As pet parents we really need to be informed about what we are feeding our furry children. In nature the
canine species of animals (wolves, coyotes, foxes) eat whatever prey they can catch. As I tell my
customers, "FOXES DO NOT HAVE BBQS TO PREPARE THEIR FOOD!". They eat the prey raw, with the
bones and assorted body parts we might find gross but they've been doing this for millions of years,
without the “help” of humans. Canines also eat vegetation like fruit, roots, vegetables and plants. Felines
are naturally carnivores (meat only) so when the bag of Cat Chow claims “now with healthy grains and
blueberries” think before buying. Have you ever seen a tiger eat a watermelon or a chocolate cupcake?

It's all marketing and often incorrect information. Also, there are no ice cream shops in nature so I would
go easy on the PupCups, no matter how much puppy (or kitty) gives you “those eyes”. After weaning,
mammals do not require milk in any form. They get their calcium from other non-dairy sources.
The trend seems to be personification of our pets, especially dogs. Now I have to say the dogs in
Halloween costumes I've seen in the last few years are awesome but we need to remember when it comes
to pets' food, they need to be considered for who they are-canine, feline, equine. Have you read the
ingredients of grocery store pet food lately? The first 10 ingredients are “not ideal”. This is because some
pet food manufacturers get their ingredients from the cheapest supplier, not always the best one and it is
more convenient to just buy your dog or cat's food when you are buying your own groceries but pets are
not the same as humans. You wouldn't expect to buy car parts at your local grocery store. That wouldn't
make sense. Same for your pet.

There has been new research about the negative affects of peas and lentils in cat food that is actually
blocking the absorption of taurine, a vital amino acid that assists in the health of cats' digestion and heart
functioning. More on trending pet illnesses in another blog. Stay tuned!

The trend of “grain-fee” dog diets is also concerning. The focus should be “wheat, corn and soy free” but
include grains such as brown rice and oats. Dilated Cardio Myopathy, a serious heart condition which
causes a weakening of the heart muscle, can be attributed to a completely grain-absent diet (as well as
other factors such as genetics). While we cannot control genetics, we can become as informed as possible
about the positive and negative impacts of the food we are giving our pets. It doesn't mean you must buy
the most expensive food out there but doing your research goes a long way.

I have learned in my 30+ years as a dog and cat parent that pet food stores carry food specifically
designed for our pets. We still need to read all the ingredients and keep up to date on scientific discoveries
but asking the staff and vet techs about what foods they recommend is always a good place to start.
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Happy shopping!