Did you know that a leather belt is a good source of protein and Pennzoil motor oil is a great source of fat?  Of course you wouldn’t  feed that to your precious pets, would you? 

I’m not suggesting that any pet food manufacturer would ever put those ingredients in their pet food, but you do need to know how to distinguish which ones use inferior protein sources in their products.

Healthy pet food is essential to your pets overall health and appearance.  Did you know that dogs and cats have the biological potential to live into their 20’s?  Proper pet food nutrition will significantly increase those odds.

I realize that in this economy, it’s hard to justify buying a superior, more expensive brand of pet food, but they are part of your family and you wouldn’t want to start feeding your children junk food for every meal!  Inferior pet foods are essentially the equivalent of junk food for dogs.

Here’s what you DO NOT want to have in your pet’s food. If you see these ingredients, just know that the product is inferior and the pet food manufacturer tried to cut corners.  A named animal protein (i.e., Chicken, Beef) should always be the number one protein source.

1.  Corn, Wheat and Soy – These are considered cereal grains and a low quality source of protein and highly indigestible that can cause stress on the kidneys.  In addition, corn is the 3rd leading cause of allergens in dogs and cats.

These come in many forms such as:  Ground Yellow Corn, Gluten Corn Meal, Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour and more.

What, Duck Bill's in Dog Food!!

2.  By Products – We’ve all heard that by-products aren’t good for your pets, but exactly what are by products?  Not only are they also highly indigestible, but hold on to your hats – By Products can include:  Animal Organs, Chicken Heads, Bones, Intestines, Chicken Feathers, Duck Bills, Fish Heads, Hide, Feathers, Chicken and Turkey Feet and Hair!!  OMG, I wouldn’t feed any of those ingredients to my pets!

By Products also do not have to include any meat and can include diseased or contaminated meat from the slaughter houses.  Yummy!

3.  Meat and Bone Meal – These can legally include dead pets and animals from road kill.  Not only that, it can include euthanized pets from vets offices that are ground up in rendering factories.  These animals could have been shot up with antibiotics or been severely diseased.

4.  Chemicals – Chemicals are usually used to preserve the freshness for pet food storage.  The top three are:  BHT/BHA both are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and are known carcinogens.  The third chemical is Ethoxyquin which is used as a rubber stabilizer.  There are many natural preservatives that can be used such as, tocopherols (vitamin E), vitamin C and Rosemary extract.  Companies use these chemicals because they need a long shelf life.  Sometimes it can take 18 months before the pet food is even sold further lessening the nutrient content.

5.  Artificial Colors, flavors, sugars, beef tallow (lard) and corn syrup – The sugars are used to sweeten the deal for the dogs.  They are usually used to offset a product that contains little healthy animal protein.  Artificial Colors, what’s up with that!  Pets don’t care what the food looks like – they eat other dogs poop, I doubt they care about the color!  Natural pet food is a better way to go. 

Now that you are armed with some information, we need to talk about the Guaranteed Analysis which is the percentages of Protein, Fat, Fiber and Moisture set by the AAFCO (Association of the American Feed Control Officials).  If you just look at the percentages only, you won’t get the whole picture because as I said in the beginning, a leather belt is a source of protein.  You need to look at exactly what the quality of the ingredients are to make an informed decision.  Also, the higher the moisture percentage, the less nutritious the food is.

Now, go give your dog a nice big, fat steak!

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

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I always find it funny when I read articles about greening up your dogs.  If you think about it, a dog is already natural and organic. It’s the humans that make our pets bad for the environment, from leashes and collars made from petroleum, polyester bed covers and clothes, shampoos with chemicals and so on.

As you know, there is a large movement all over the world to go “green” and help keep our planet clean.  As a consequence, there has been a bounty of new products on the market to help us be more eco friendly conscience.

Superdog Saving Our Planet

So, when it comes to your dogs (or I should say human owners), what can you do?  When you first get your new doggy, there are so many things you need to purchase that it can be overwhelming.  It’s just like bringing home a new baby!

Since I do own Waggy’s Eco Pet Products, I’m going to shamelessly plug my store, but this is our business and I’m glad I can help you out!  If it’s not in my store, I will provide links to places that do carry these products.

Here’s a list of things you will need and are good for the planet:

Food and treats: are the number one items you need.  There are scores of natural, organic and human grade products you can buy.  I realize that organic brands are more expensive, but please don’t skimp on this purchase.  Go to this link for a list of natural and holistic dog food companies and do a little research.  Don’t forget you can always offer your dogs cooked meat, pieces of fruit and vegetables and bits of cheese for treats.

Leashes/Harnesses and Collars:  Purchase these items that are made out of hemp, bamboo and other natural products.  The bamboo plant is very quick growing and does not require the use of pesticides and herbicides to thrive.  Hemp is also fast growing and is known for its strength, durability, absorbency, anti-mildew and antimicrobial properties.

Dog Beds: There are beds made of Hemp, organic cotton and filled with shredded plastic bottles, buckwheat and other natural fibers.  Shredded plastic bottles may not sound soft, but they are made from a special fiberfill blend spun from post-consumer plastic beverage bottles. Many of the beds are filled with the equivalent of more than 50 recycled plastic bottles.

Cycle for Shredding Plastic bottles

Dog Bowls:  Buy ceramic, stainless steel and even canvas eco travel bowls.

Dog Crates: Stainless Steel crates or crates made out of wood are a good solution.  How about making your own dog crate with recycled wood to fit your decor!  You can also find eco friendly crate pads to put inside or recycle old blankets you aren’t using anymore.

Dog Shampoos, Lotion and other pharmacy items: There are many items on the market from Shampoos, conditions, sunscreens, ear cleaners and even essential oils for dogs.  These products are made with natural ingredients that are detergent and alcohol free.  Natural vitamins and supplements can be found, but please consult with your Veterinarian before purchasing supplements just to be on the safe side.

Biodegradable Doggie Bags and In Ground Waste Digesters:  I’m sure you know what biodegradable doggie bags are, but what is an in ground waste digester?  A Doggie Dooley is a container that is buried in the ground and treats your dogs waste with enzymes which turns it into a liquid that is safe for the environment.  There are different models, some of which are made of plastic, but there is a galvanize steel model that would be more eco friendly.

Dog Toys:  These are a must especially if you have a puppy that will want to chew on everything!  If you have a large dog with big teeth, they can go through chew toys in a matter of minutes!  For an eco friendly option, you can always tie some old socks or tee shirts together for a tug of war toy.  For ideas on how to make your own dog toys, please go to Homemade dog toys.

Cleaning Products:  There is no doubt in my mind that your dog will either urinate, vomit or poop in your house.  There are many products in your local stores, but you can also make your own cleaners.  Please go to Homemade Cleaning Products for Dogs for ideas and learn about how green ingredients work.

Dog Clothes and Raincoats:  Although these aren’t essential unless you live in cold weather regions,  you can still be green when buying clothes for your pooches.  Clothes made with fast growing sustainable bamboo and organic cotton are wonderful and have excellent wicking properties.  Believe it or not, there are raincoats made from recycled materials and then when your done, you can recycle it again!

Other helpful tips:

Adopt a dog instead of buying a new puppy.

Use old towels to dry off your dog after a bath instead of using an electric hair dryer.

Recycle old towels to clean your dogs paws after a wet and muddy walk.

If you don’t use tap water, use a water filter instead of bottled water.

Now go out and save the Earth!

Chris L Wagner

From One Pet Lover to Another

Waggy’s Eco Pet Products

Waggy’s Pet Sitting Service

Waggy’s Pet Tips and Tales Blog