treats | instinct grain free

very cool!

my local feed store just introduced Nature's Variety Instinct Grain Free (guilt free) biscuits!

We grabbed two boxes, duck and rabbit. Many are alarmed that the rabbit source in Nature's Variety comes from China, which they are up front about, so feed only what you are comfortable with.





Duck Ingredients:
duck meal, tapioca, garbanzo bean flour, sweet potatoes, pork fat, pumpkinseeds, montmorillonite clay, natural vegetable flavor, dried egg whites, cinnamon, guar gum, inulin, mixed tocopherols with citric acid (a natural preservative), rosemary extract, direct-fed microorganisms (dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product)

More Chews as Nylabone Alternatives

Terrabone

From bestbullysticks : 

Terrabone is the world's healthiest and safest edible dental chew bone for fresh breath. The #1 ingredient in a Terrabone is USDA certified organic brown rice. Unlike other edible chew bones, Terrabone contains no animal by-products like gelatin or animal glycerin. 
Ingredients:



Sam's Yams "Veggie Rawhide"

Ingredients are simply:



They look, smell, and I suspect taste just like the sweet potatoes I bake for the dogs:

Comparison | Acana Pacifica & EVO Herring

Due to the recent sale of Natura to Proctor & Gamble,

I have begun to transition my foster dog to Acana Pacifica.
Here is a side by side comparison (taken directly from each bag label) to show you why I chose this food:

Animal Protein Ingredients:

ACANA PACIFICA, 60%                EVO HERRING/SALMON, 76%
Boneless salmon                                Herring
Salmon meal                                     Salmon meal
Herring meal                                     Herring meal
Whitefish meal                                  Salmon
Salmon oil                                        Eggs
Boneless Herring                              Herring Oil
Boneless Flounder                            Cottage Cheese

Fruit/Vegetable/Carbohydrate/Botanical Ingredients:

ACANA PACIFICA, 40%            EVO HERRING/SALMON, 23%

Russet Potato                                Peas

Peas                                              Pea Fiber

Sweet Potato                                Sunflower Oil

Sun-Cured Alfalfa                         Apples

Pumpkin                                       Carrots

Turnip Greens                               Dried Chicory Root

Spinach  

Tomatoes

Carrots

Apples

Organic Kelp

Cranberries

Blueberries

Juniper Berries

Black Currants

Chicory Root

Licorice Root

Angelica Root

Fenugreek

Marigold Flowers

Sweet Fennel

Peppermint Leaf

Chamomile Flowers

Lavender Flowers 

Summer Savory

Rosemary                                                                                                                                         

Vitamin/Mineral/Probiotic Ingredients:

ACANA PACIFICA                               EVO HERRING/SALMON

Vitamins A, D3, E, B5, B6, B12             Vitamins E, A, B12

Niacin                                                     Niacin

Zinc Proteinate                                        Glucosamine Hydrochloride

Thiamine Mononitrate                              Chondroitin Sulfate

Riboflavin                                                Zinc Proteinate

Iron Proteinate                                        Iron Proteinate

Manganese Proteinate                            Copper Proteinate

Copper Proteinate                                 Manganese Proteinate

Folic Acid                                             Calcium Iodate

Biotin                                                    Betaine Hydrocholoride 

Selenium                                               Thiamine Mononitrate 

Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus            Calcium Pantothenate

Dried Enterococcus Faecium                Biotin

                                                            Riboflavin

                                                           Beta Carotene

                                                          Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

                                                          Phylloquinone

                                                          Folic Acid

                                                         Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus 

                                                         Dried Lactobacillus casei 

                                                        Dried Enterococcus faecium

Select Analysis:

ACANA PACIFICA                        EVO HERRING/SALMON

Protein 33%                                    Protein 42%

Fat 18%                                          Fat 18%

Moisture 10%                                 Moisture 10%

Calcium 1.4% min, 1.6% max         Calcium not listed

Phosphorus 1.1% min, 1.3% max   Phosphorus not listed

Enjoy your new ownership, Natura.... 

sweet potato chews

There are a few companies (like this one, and this one) that make sweet potato chews for your dog.
Or you can buy a bag of um fresh, get a really nice slicer cheap on ebay, bake in your oven, and make your own sweet potato chews!

Foster dog Vander likes um, even if they do only last 45 seconds!

puppy meatloaf version 2.0

We had a major score recently and got some local buffalo meat! The shibas got it raw, but the puppy got some mixed into a super baked meatloaf. This was a meal, not just a kibble topper.

Ingredients:
Buffalo (ground)
Turkey (ground)
Whole eggs
Spinach
Carrots
Peas
Kelp
Parsley

Served with:
Cottage cheese
Sweet potato (steamed)

"Treats"

In addition to their regular twice-daily meals, we use treats for both training, snacks and simple rewards (you know... just for being good!)

At most, treats should only cover about a tenth of your dog's total diet.

We've tried many treats, and over time have narrowed it down to only the most healthful, tasty, readily available treats that have never had any adverse reactions (tummy upset/allergies). While it is best to treat dogs with something as close to a single ingredient as possible, this is a list of things we have found to be healthful and helpful:

• Waggers Champion Chips - 100% USDA Inspected Beef Lung
• Baked Sweet Potato Chips (made at home)
• Boiled, shredded chicken (made at home)
• Turkey Hot Dogs (for recall training, grocery store bought)
• Apple (flesh only), blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe
• Carrots, green beans, zucchini, peas
  
• Grizzley NuTreats Premium Salmon Treats - Smoked Wild Salmon
• Ziwi Peak Treats - Fish, Venison, Lamb
  
• Wellness Pure Rewards - Venison, Salmon [click link for full ingredients]
  
• Wellness WellBites - Lamb, Salmon [click link for full ingredients]
• The Honest Kitchen Pecks - Buffalo, Blueberry [click link for full ingredients]
• The Honest Kitchen Nuzzles - Duck, Cherry [click link for full ingredients]
• Cloud Star Farmstand - Apples, Carrots, Sweet Potato
• Cloud Star Provenance Whitefish & Potato
  
• Now! No Grain Dog Treat - Turkey, with duck [click link for full ingredients]