We love to keep our dogs busy and the old saying is true: A tired dog is a good dog! When we pair good, age-appropriate exercise with mentally stimulating things to chew on in the house, we can create balance and stability in our canine companions. Giving your dog something to chew on is a great way to entertain them on a instinctual level. Dogs were born to chew bones and antlers, that is what wolves and other wild canines entertain themselves with in the wilderness!

The best long lasting chews are ones that are healthy, grain-free, perhaps single ingredient and easy to digest. They should be made within North America to ensure quality, and should be wheat, corn and soy free!

Elk antlers and deer antlers are excellent choices for long lasting chews. I've had one that lasted approximately 8 months, but the length in which they last depends entirely on each individual dog. Elk and deer antlers are easy to digest, contain a spongy marrow in the center, are 100% all natural, taste great, don't leave a mess or stain, and are full of vitamins and minerals! It is also fair to mention that elk and deer antlers look pretty cool on your floor!

Bully sticks are one of my favourite options, as they are single ingredient treats made from 100% pure beef muscle (beef pizzle). They are 100% digestible protein and can be given in place of rawhide. They are long lasting, tasty and help promote clean teeth!

Beef tendons, much like bully sticks, are 100% pure digestible protein. These treats are made from the Achilles tendon of cattle, and last fairly long. They are single-protein treats as well, which it good for dogs with sensitive stomachs or food allergies.

Raw knuckle bones and marrow bones are very long lasting, delicious and nutritious chews. Make sure you get the raw bones from a safe local supplier such as a butcher or raw food business. Get a bone sized appropriate for your dog, you don't want them to be able to swallow it or break it apart and swallow the pieces. Raw bones are safe, but some dogs tend to try to crack bones in half and may damage their teeth. This goes for any hard chew, so keep watch and make sure you dog is chewing and gnawing as opposed to trying to break it and swallow it.

While baking your own cookies is the ideal way of providing delicious snacks for your dog, there are also some fantastic options in the pet store for owners who don't have the time to bake them. Much like the list of dog treats I compiled, there are strict guidelines I follow for determining which cookies are high quality.

You will want to find treats that are made in North America to ensure that the standards for quality are high. Ideally you want to find treats that are grain-free, but feel free to use treats that use healthy whole grains as long as they are wheat, corn and soy free. The next thing you should do is read the ingredient list; You will want to see whole food ingredients, no preservatives, chemicals or by-products. There should be nothing in the ingredient list that you wouldn't eat yourself. Ingredients and ingredient sourcing is the most important part of choosing dog treats, so always look for whole food cookies made and sourced in North America.

The following treats can be found in local pet stores and can even be ordered online.

I will be writing some guides on baking home made dog biscuits, so watch for those! I will be doing mostly grain-free, simple recipes for dogs to compliment a raw food diet, homemade diets or high quality kibble diets.

Want to read my article on the highest quality dog treats? Click here to read it!

For more information on my dog diet and nutritional consultations services, visit my Diet and Nutrition page or contact me!

Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

There are many reasons dogs can become underweight. The most common reasons include medical conditions, intestinal parasites, very high metabolism and recent illness. An underweight dog can be just as unhealthy as an overweight one, so it is important to find the happy medium in between. Ideally you should be able to feel your dog's ribs but you should not be able to see them. There should also be a distinct waist (also known as a "tuck") visible on the dog. Optimum physical condition also means the dog has a good amount of muscle and fat in conjunction with the number on the scale.

It is important to determine the cause of the weight issue before you try anything, since there are many medical issues that cause weight loss. Intestinal worms, digestive disorders, intestinal obstruction and kidney failure are just a few of the problems that could be behind your dog's lack of substance. Check with your veterinarian and get your dog a clean bill of health before you turn to supplementing their diet.

The first method is to increase the amount of food they are getting in a day. For raw feeders, add more muscle meat to help put on the pounds or increase the overall percentage you feed. For dogs eating a commercial kibble diet, add an extra half cup or full cup as a mid-day snack. For dogs on a homemade diet, increase the amount of carbs and protein. Be wary of overfeeding in one meal, avoid bloat by feeding extras as a mid day snack right before your dog has an afternoon nap. Since you may be increasing the volume of food your dog is eating, it is important to remember never to feed your dog one hour before and one hour after exercise, this will prevent bloat and life-threatening gastric torsion.

Full fat cottage cheese is an excellent way to add more calories to your dog's diet, plus it is full of probiotics and calcium! It tastes great and makes the perfect topper for any kind of diet. A tablespoon or two will do, and you should consider adding fruits or vegetables to the cottage cheese for a boost in nutrition; You can learn about which fruits and veggies are perfect for dogs with my article: Superfoods for dogs! You can also switch up the cottage cheese with high fat plain yoghurt.

Another option is to add one whole raw egg to your dog's food bowl, this high protein addition is sure to help pack on some weight. More things to add to your dog's food bowl include sweet potato, pumpkin, apples (without seeds or the core), green beans and raw green tripe. Raw green tripe is an excellent addition to a skinny dog's diet for a variety of reasons, read my article on the benefits of raw green tripe here!

For kibble fed dogs, try adding a higher fat and higher calorie canned food to each meal. A couple tablespoons to half a can should be sufficient for adding extra calories to a meal. Look for high quality canned foods such as Merrick, Wellness, Go! or Homestyle.

Lastly, providing healthy treats and snacks is a good way to add extra calories to your dog's diet. Make sure you do not go overboard with the treats, since that is an easy way to jump to the other side of the weight spectrum. Read my article on choosing healthy treats for more information.

More food means more calories, but make sure to provide a high protein, whole food diet as the foundation to health and vitality. Nutrition plays a major role in physical condition, and you can also incorporate a good exercise routine to help maintain proper weight.

For more information on switching your dog to a high quality diet, visit my Diet and Nutrition page or contact me!

Angel Leandres
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

For months now we have seen news stories and heard complaints about treats from China being dangerous for dogs. The reports of dogs falling ill and some pets dying as a result of eating these chicken jerky treats have encouraged dog owners to start doing their research. So what is the reality of this situation and why are people experiencing problems with dog treats being manufactured in China? The truth is that there is a real problem, and dog owners need to be made aware of it in order to protect their furry family members and keep them safe and healthy.

On January 9th 2013, Nestle Purina pulled two of their chicken jerky dog treats off the shelves of pet stores. The Waggin' Train and Canyon Creek Ranch brands are now being taken off the market. Milo's Kitchen is also recalling its Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers dog treats.

U.S federal regulators have been investigating claims of illness in pets as a result of eating these chicken jerky treats from China, and recently the New York State Department of Agriculture detected antibiotics in the treats that are not approved in the U.S. This means that there are chemicals in the treats that are not regulated or well known in North America - so there is no guarantee that these affected treats cannot harm your pets and make them sick.

The problem with feeding your dog treats that are made in China is that there is no guarantee that they are safe. Regulations for pet food and treats in China are very different from the strict standards followed in North America, which means that not as much care and concern for pet health is exercised in China when manufacturing pet supplies.

So how do you keep your pets safe? Make the decision to feed only treats made in North America from local companies with a strong reputation. There are many amazing companies from the U.S and Canada that make healthy, safe dog treats. By doing this, you ensure that the treats your pet consumes will be safe due to strict guidelines for quality in North America.

If this article and the recent recalls have encouraged you to shop local, consider dog treat companies such as Orijen, Crumps Naturals, Northern Biscuit, Zuke's, Purebites and Darford. A lot of these treats can be purchased on Amazon if these healthy local brand names are hard to find in your area.

Interested in changing your dog's life through diet and nutrition? Visit my nutritional consultation page or contact me for more information.

Angel
Dog Nutritionist / Dog Trainer / Dog Blogger
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

Treats are important! They make dogs wag their tails in excitement and drool in anticipation. There are very few dog homes that don't have a good selection of doggie cookies, chews and treats in the cupboard. Treats are an essential part of training, especially for young puppies. Treats also make the perfect snack in between meals!

There is a wide variety of dog treats lining pet store shelves across North America and the selection can be quite overwhelming. Many dog owners find themselves wondering what exactly makes a good, high quality dog treat. With tons of great options, and even more poor choices, I hope to help dog owners make the right choices in treats.

Diet and nutrition are important factors in your dog's health and well being. That is why feeding poor quality treats can be detrimental to your pet's health and undo the good you've done by feeding a high quality, balanced diet.

There are some simple guidelines to follow when browsing the treat isle.

• Look for treats that are grain free. Grains aren't a natural part of a dog's diet, and they are one of the leading causes of allergies and ear infections in dogs.
• Look for treats that are wheat-free, corn-free and soy-free; Treats with a bit of healthy grains can be good options for dogs that have no sensitivities, allergies or issues with yeast infections. You should seek to avoid treats with grains as mentioned above, but some dogs do fine with higher quality grains.
  
• Read the ingredients: You want to see whole foods (that you would eat yourself!), no preservatives, no chemicals, no ingredients you can't pronounce or recognize, and absolutely NO by-products.
• No artificial colours or flavouring, these are chemicals that are unnecessary and often cause allergic reactions.
• Avoid "animal digest" at all costs... Animal digest is a mystery ingredient that can contain ANY part of an animal, and can even include road kill or euthanized animals.
  
• Made in North America. This one is a given, considering all the recalls lately. There have been way too many complaints and cases of sick dogs eating treats from China.

Here is a list of dog treats that uphold a phenomenal reputation for quality, based on the guidelines listed above and my strict standards for nutrition and quality.

• Orijen Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
• Purebites Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
• Zuke's Mini Naturals Dog Treats
• Northern Biscuit Dog Treats
• Darford Zero G All Natural Treats for Dogs
• Crumps Naturals
• Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Bites
  
• Bully Sticks
• Beef Tendon Chews
• Paragon Veggie Chews
• StickyNose Grain-Free
• Bosco and Roxy

Interested in achieving your pet's optimum level of health? Visit my Diet and Nutrition page or contact me for details! Online dog nutrition and diet consultations are available!

Angel
Dog Nutritionist / Dog Trainer / Dog Blogger
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

Treats are a big part of a dog's life, since the majority of pet owners provide a variety of treats to their dog on a daily basis. As dog lovers, we are always searching for the very best to give our four-legged family members. Treats that are high quality, healthy and full of nutrition. We also seek treats from companies we can trust.

Champion Petfoods has recently come out with two new lines of products under their highly reputable Orijen brand, freeze-dried food and freeze-dried dog treats. I am especially excited about this new line of treats because there are very few freeze-dried, whole food single source protein treats on the market right now. Treats in this category are ranked the highest in terms of nutrition, quality and taste.

Champion Petfoods is a phenomenal Canadian pet food company geared towards producing the highest quality biologically appropriate cat and dog food. Champion has two brand names under their roof; Orijen and Acana. Orijen and Acana are known for their outstanding quality and Canadian-sourced ingredients. This company has never had a recall on any of their products, which is a rare thing in this day and age considering all of the recent pet food recalls. Their facilities are located in Alberta, Canada and they use only fresh regional ingredients delivered to their facilities every day.

These new Orijen dog treats are single source protein, pure meat snacks that have been freeze-dried. Freeze drying fresh, raw meat ingredients as opposed to cooking and processing them prevents nutrient loss and locks in flavour.

The packaging for this product is beautiful, reflecting the quality you will find inside the bag. The information about both the treat itself and the Champion Petfoods company is summarized very well on the packaging. The resealable bag is also extremely useful, helping maintain freshness for longer periods of time.

The flavour Hunter got to try today was the "Free Range Bison" formula. The treat bag provides brief explanations in regards to how the treats are made, and what the benefits of flash freeze drying them are. You can read a brief summary of the company and their strict standards, as well as a profile on the farmers from which they get their free range bison from. There is definitely a family business, all natural and eco-friendly feel to this product.

The ingredient read is simple. Bison liver, boneless bison and bison tripe! Pure meat, no junk, no preservatives, no grains, no fillers and no chemicals. Just pure, real food. The perfect snack for our carnivore companions!

These treats are the perfect size for a hearty bite, approximately the size of a quarter. They look like real dried meat and crumble slightly for a nice texture as the dog bites down. These treats will be ideal for dental health, since they crumble but do not cling to the teeth in the way kibble mash does. I checked Hunter's teeth after feeding 5 of these treats and found barely any residue on the teeth.

The colour is a rich light brown, and these treats smell like meat without being over powering. They can leave a couple little crumbs in their wake, but Hunter was very enthusiastic about snatching the crumbs off the floor and licking my palm clean. Overall, they are the perfect size for a good bite. They don't stink, they look like real meat, they don't leave any residue on the teeth and they are the ideal chewing texture for dogs.

Hunter very rarely drools over food, but he was drooling for these! I am quite impressed with the intense focus I got out of him with these. They seem to have excellent flavour because Hunter was drooling while I let him lick and nibble the treat for the first time. He then stared unblinking at the bag when I reached in for another. I asked him to heel with me for the second bite, and I got some very precise and intensely focused obedience out of him! Very impressive, Orijen! (And Hunter, too!)

I would definitely consider these a high value treat, I assume because the rich meaty flavour and smell of these is extremely appealing to Hunter. There is no doubt in my mind that Hunter thoroughly enjoyed Orijen's new freeze-dried dog treats. It also helps that I am very confident and pleased with the quality and ingredient read of them. I will definitely be keeping these treats at home for Hunter. Hunter has also tried the Duck and Angus Beef flavours - same drool-worthy result!

Overall, Hunter and I are both extremely satisfied with the quality of Orijen's new treats. Since treats have always been something I have been very picky about, I am really glad these are now available. I highly recommend pet parents try these out, I am sure they will go over very well with dogs everywhere.

Orijen freeze-dried dog treats come in 8 formulas: Original, Regional Red, Tundra, Free-range Bison, Black Angus Beef, Brome Lake Duck, Alberta Wild Boar and Ranch Raised Lamb! The single source protein formulas have only 2-3 ingredients, which makes for a pure and clean treat!

The Orijen Freeze-dried dog treats are the perfect option for dogs with allergies, food sensitivities or dogs that are fed a raw meat diet. These treats are grain-free and with such a tiny ingredient list, the chances of dogs suffering from allergies reacting negatively to these treats are very small! As long as the dog is not allergic to the protein source, they will be the perfect treat choice!


Interested in changing your dog's life and drastically improving their health through all natural diet and nutrition? Visit my Diet and Nutrition page for more information, or feel free to contact me!

Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

Dehydrated sweet potato chews for dogs are the newest chew treat to hit the pet stores and they have become almost instantly popular among pet parents. These chews are healthy single ingredient treats that are a favourite among dogs. They are an excellent source of vitamins, antioxidants and beta-carotene.  Plus, they are super easy and inexpensive to make right at home!

Unfortunately these treats are quite expensive in pet stores. 680g of these delicious chewy treats can run a pet owner nearly $30, which is a bit ridiculous when you consider the cost of sweet potatoes at the grocery store. If convenience has you running back to the shelves at your local pet store, hold on a minute! Making these awesome chews is easier and MUCH less expensive then you think! You can buy a pound of sweet potato at the grocery store for $1 - $2 in most locations, which makes a good amount of sweet potato chews! The savings are HUGE! In comparison, a $30 bag of store brand sweet potato chews can end up costing you $5 or less if you decide to make them yourself at home.

I decided to make my own for the first time, so allow me to guide you through the process so that you can make your own as well!

The first step was to get a large sweet potato and wash it with some warm water, I also scrubbed it with a vegetable brush to get off any debris. At the same time, I turned my oven on to 170 degrees - the lowest setting my oven goes to. Once my potato was washed, I put it on my cutting board and got to work.

I sliced the sweet potato length-wise, approximately 1/4 of an inch thick. 1/4 of an inch to 1/2 an inch is ideal for these chews, since they shrink quite a bit when they lose their moisture.

Once they were cut into appropriate length and thickness, I set them up on a wire rack to be put inside the oven. If you don't have access to a wire rack, just put them on a cookie sheet with a bit of oil or cooking spray to keep them from sticking. If you use the cookie sheet method, you'll need to flip the potato slices over in approximately 3 hours.

If you have a dehydrator, use that! Since I don't have one, the oven works just as well. This is a great treat to make several batches at a time on a Sunday morning when you won't be needing the oven for awhile.

These treats should take approximately 6-8 hours to dehydrate. Check on them half way through at 3-4 hours to see their progress. They should be cool enough to pick up and feel. You want them to be dry and soft, cooking them for too long at too high of a temperature results in a crunchy snack as opposed to a soft, chewy treat.

They should shrink in size and look shriveled in appearance as they lose their moisture. Thinner pieces will be ready faster and thicker pieces may take a bit longer to dehydrate. The thicker, the better... a thick chewy treat will last longer!

Once they are done, approximately 6-8 hours later, take them out and set them on a wire rack or plate to cool down. Cool down time should be about one hour. Once they are cool, store them in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware container. To preserve them for longer store them in the refrigerator; The refrigerator will keep them at their best for approximately three weeks.
Freezing them will also prolong their "shelf life". Regardless, they keep very well for a few weeks. With these delicious snacks, that is probably more than enough time to get through them. They are a great chew to give your dog every single day!



Do-It-Yourself Sweet Potato Dog Chews

1. Slice sweet potato length wise, approximately 1/4 -1/2 inch thick.
2. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit or lowest heat setting.
3. Place slices on wire rack or greased cookie sheet.
4. Turn slices over approximately 3-4 hours after putting them in the oven.
5. Check them at 6-8 hours in, they should be done.
6. Cool on wire rack or plate for one hour.
7.  Store in Tupperware container, Ziploc bag - in refrigerator or freezer.
8. Give one to your dog!

And the result...

A very happy, satisfied dog!