When we first opened, over twenty years ago, our primary goal was to find species appropriate foods so pet guardians would have healthy choices for their companion animals. With your support we have seen some amazing changes in our industry. There are now many choices for species appropriate food and supplements that exist today because you demanded better for your animals. Let’s face it, none of this would be happening without consumer support.
There are two other areas where I think we need another paradigm shift and it will not happen without you, so I wanted to start the conversation and see what we can do together.
Meet Jazz! This handsome guy is almost 6 years old, and since I rescued him he has brought me so much joy! From the beginning Jazz was very shy and cautious with most people, but we immediately bonded and became best buds. As a kitten he was always extremely energetic and could play for hours, racing around so fast it would make your head spin. Leaping, bounding and pouncing – the play never seemed to stop! However, as with most cats, over the years he has slowed down, opting for more sunbathing and cuddles than energized play sessions. Naturally, with the decline in activity I began to notice an increase in his weight.
Cats have a difficult time when it comes to losing weight and it has to do with what we are feeding them. If cats have more carbs in their diet, they will not be eating the correct protein levels their body requires. Low protein is not ideal for general maintenance and energy levels. When looking at the evolution of cats, they use fat and protein as sources of energy. There is no need for carbohydrates in the food they eat. Cats metabolically use protein for energy. Lower protein diets lead to lower muscle mass and lower muscle mass leads to a lower metabolic rate and higher weight gain. There have been studies which analyze how high protein and low carbohydrate diets are good for weight loss while maintaining lean body mass. Dry food uses carbohydrates to bind the kibble together, and so it’s difficult to produce a low carb food in a dry form. High protein, low carbohydrates and low calories are better found in a canned or raw diet. In addition, portion control is very important as indoor cats don’t move around as much as outdoor cats and therefore, we need to constantly monitor the energy they consume and use.
Ahh, February, the month of love, everywhere I go, I see those Valentine’s decorations, and it’s got me thinking about LOVE. There’s the love we have for our furry friends, the love we have for our sweethearts and it has me wondering how one may affect the other. Rover.com recently did a survey on this topic and here’s what pet owners said;
· 42% said they would only date a fellow pet lover.
Probiotics, related to digestive health, is a topic that has been near and dear to my heart due to an experience I had with my dog, Jax. Jax is a Belgian Malinois with boundless energy and a look that will melt your heart! When Jax was about eight months old, he started to experience some pretty significant health issues. He started to lose weight, to the point where he was actually looking malnourished.
Getting ready for a new puppy felt a bit like preparing for an arrival of a human baby!
Buying puppy things, getting the home ready, and letting everyone know with so much excitement and anticipation. The excitement of counting down the days until his arrival was palpable! I had not had a puppy in 18 long years. Skylla was with us when we opened Tail Blazers in 2000. Kobe joined us in 2002.
There have been a lot of discussions lately regarding dogs’ diets and what they should be eating. I have seen people recommending that the diet must be grain-based, avoiding exotic meats and grain free foods. They are also recommending the avoidance of “boutique” foods and that the food should be a diet that meets The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) guidelines, which would only include Royal Canin, Purina, Hill’s Science Diet, Eukanuba, Iams, and all veterinary prescriptions diets. They are saying companies should have full-time veterinarian nutritionists on staff and that the diets should be complete and balanced.
Hello Pet Guardians, By now you have probably heard about the FDA release of updated information related to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Primarily they are reporting nothing new, other than a list of companies that have been reported to be the food source for diagnosed pets. That list includes a few brands that are available in our stores.
