SUFFOLK NASSAU AGILE PAWS
WWW.SNAPDOGS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT 1-10-12
Four Things Everyone Should Feed Their Dog!
by Lise Pra+
Photo credit: Sue Byford
When I think back over the years about each of the 10 dogs with whom I have shared my life I realize how much things have changed in how we communicate with and care for them. The internet is full of informaCon, but how do you decipher it all? We all want the same thing for our dogs -­‐ for them them to live long and healthy lives! I have learned that one of the easiest ways to stack the deck in their favor is through nutriCon. As a raw food retailer I have had many opportuniCes to talk to people about dog nutriCon. AIer many of those conversaCons my customers have asked if my advice is in wriCng anywhere. This special report is a compilaCon of the knowledge that I have garnered over the last 10-­‐15 years about what boils down to the four things everyone should feed their dog! I am delighted to take this opportunity to share that informaCon with you! 1) High Quality, Super Premium food
The dog food business has changed dramaCcally in the last decade. Many years ago when people thought about what to feed their dog, they either went to the grocery store to pick up a bag kibble or fed their beloved pooch a home-­‐cooked meal or leIovers. As the pet food business grew, large and small pet food stores opened around the country offering literally hundreds of choices for Fido’s meals. Choosing what to feed your dog isn’t simple anymore. Asking your doggie friends oIen results in ongoing debates about which feeding model is best. Your choices include varying qualiCes of baked and extruded kibbles, commercially-­‐prepared raw diets, freeze-­‐dried whole foods, canned foods, or homemade raw and/or cooked diets. When choosing what to feed your dog, READ THE LABEL!! Be sure the food’s first ingredient is meat, not meat byproducts. Your dog is a carnivore, needing a diet high in protein (meat, fish, poultry) and a moderate amount of fat. According to the The Merck Veterinary Manual your dog has “no dietary requirement for carbohydrates.” If you see a lot of grains listed on the label, find another food. AIer feeding raw for over 15 years at SNAP we are sold on its health benefits. Recently that decision has been supported when reading about the numerous pet food recalls! But feeding raw is not for everyone. Whichever type of food you decide to use, be sure to rotate the protein sources. If you are feeding kibble, pick two or three premium foods and change proteins every Cme you buy a new bag. This way whatever your dog is missing nutriConally from one it can get from the other.
We are oIen asked which kibble is best. We honestly believe that no one brand is best for every dog. Each dog’s nutriConal needs vary because every dog’s metabolism and physiology is different. When deciding what food to feed think about what your dog’s specific needs are based on breed, size, age, acCvity level and geneCc disposiCon.
Dogs, like you, are what they eat! The be^er food they are given the be^er their body will funcCon.
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FOUR THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD FEED THEIR DOG
SUFFOLK NASSAU AGILE PAWS
WWW.SNAPDOGS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT 1-10-12
2) Vitamin-mineral supplement
Much of the food that farms produce today do not contain the same nutrients they had a decade ago. The vitamins and minerals animals (and humans) got from the foods in their diet many years ago are no longer available in the foods they are eaCng today. To be sure your dog is ge`ng the nutriCon she needs you need to add a vitamin-­‐mineral supplement to their diet each day. When considering the many choices available to you be sure to pick a supplement that lists the amount of each nutrient in the product. The law requires that companies list the ingredients of the product on the label, but they are not required to indicate how much of each ingredient is in the product. Which label looks more like the supplement you give your dog -­‐ A or B?
A-­‐ Rice Flour, Dicalcium Phosphate, Beef Liver, Alfalfa, Cinnamon, Ginger, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin E Acetate (dl alpha tocopherol), dl-­‐methionine, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Carbonate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
B-­‐
Excerpt of ProBalance® Canine Wellness Formula label
We highly recommend the supplement ProBalance® Canine Wellness Formula. This product was formulated by Dr. Bill Barne^ to provide a balanced blend of the essenCal nutrients that promote opCmum fitness and health for growing, adult, and senior pets. ProBalance® contains a unique blend of high-­‐quality proteins rich in all 10 essenCal amino acids. ProBalance® also contains all essenCal fa^y acids, all 23 essenCal vitamins & minerals and 36 addiConal dynamic nutrients that cannot be found in today’s pet foods.
While there are many products on the market today that can help provide for your dog’s nutriConal needs, it is important that you know you are giving her a high-­‐quality product that will truly benefit her health as opposed to falling prey to a great markeCng. There are many good quality vitamin-­‐mineral supplements out there. Be that you become an informed consumer!
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FOUR THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD FEED THEIR DOG
SUFFOLK NASSAU AGILE PAWS
WWW.SNAPDOGS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT 1-10-12
3) Wild Alaskan or North Atlantic Salmon Oil
Although some breeds of dogs seem to be predisposed to cancer, there is something that every dog owner can do for their dogs to ward off this dreaded disease. According to Dr. Greg Ogilvie, director of the Angel Care Cancer Center, an important essenCal fa^y acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has anC-­‐cancer properCes. One of the best sources of DHA is wild salmon oil. Unlike farm-­‐raised salmon, which are subject to the possible polluCon or contaminaCon oIen found in commercial farming, ocean cages, or other closed communiCes, wild salmon are free-­‐swimming in the oceans of the North AtlanCc and Alaska.
You want to be sure your dog is ge`ng enough DHA each day. The simplest way to figure out the proper dose for your dog is to mulCply her weight by 20. For example: My oldest dog is 70 pounds. 70 x 20 = 1,400. So he gets 1,400 mg of DHA daily. I add approximately one tablespoon of BRAVO! Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil to his food every day. Salmon oil provides both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA, two of the only Omega-­‐3 fa^y acids that are readily accessible for a dog’s metabolism. In addiCon to the anC-­‐cancer properCes salmon oil delivers, it also helps with cellular funcCon of the brain and heart, and decreases inflammaCon while protecCng cells against arthriCs and allergies. Not all fish oils are the same! Be sure the you read the label of the fish oil you choose for your dog. Make sure you are providing an uncontaminated, protecCve dose of the EPA and DHA she needs every day. 4) Probiotic
The word probioCc literally means "for life." ProbioCcs are live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, have a beneficial effect on their host. According to Dr. Oz, these “visitors” form a bioreactor, which facilitate digesCon, provide nutrients, and help form the immune system in humans. It is our belief that they provide the same benefits in dogs. In order for a probioCc to be effecCve it must survive the heat and acid in the stomach in order to reach the intesCnes where they correct any digesCve imbalances. ProbioCcs (good bacteria) produce enzymes which help digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They also balance the intesCnal flora that live naturally in the digesCve tract. This balance can be difficult to maintain in a dog’s gastrointesCnal tract if your dog is dealing with any or all of the following:
• stress
• pollutants
• anCbioCcs
• anC-­‐inflammatories
• steroids
When ingested, these living microorganisms will replenish the microflora in your dog’s GI tract. This results in the promoCon of a number of health-­‐enhancing funcCons, a few of which are improved digesCve funcCon, regulaCng bowel movements, controlling yeast and candida, alleviaCng food allergies, restoring energy, fighCng tooth decay and, most importantly, strengthening the immune system.
Some probioCcs need refrigeraCon. Other hardy bacteria like Bacillus coagulans (L. sporogenes) can withstand the stomach’s acids because they are heat resistant and naturally microencapsulated, which aids in their stability in the GI tract. Be sure to read the label of any probioCc you feed to be sure it is being stored in a way that keeps the product viable. PAGE 3 OF 4
FOUR THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD FEED THEIR DOG
SUFFOLK NASSAU AGILE PAWS
WWW.SNAPDOGS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT 1-10-12
Probably the most common quesCon we are asked is why can’t I just feed yogurt? L. acidophilus (yogurt) does not survive well in stomach acid and delivers fewer living organisms to the small intesCne, losing most of its potency. You probably see Jamie Lee CurCs on television encouraging you to eat AcCvia® to improve your digesCve health. And she is right, yogurt is good for you. But you would need to feed massive amounts of it in order to get the same benefit of feeding a good-­‐quality probioCc each and every day. In Conclusion
Although many factors play into our dogs’ health and longevity, including geneCcs, environmental contaminants, over-­‐vaccinaCon, and lack of exercise, studies as well as personal experience show that by feeding
1.
2.
3.
4.
a high quality food rich in protein and low in carbohydrates, and
a heat-­‐stable probioCc for its digesCve and immune support, and
wild salmon oil for its anC-­‐cancer properCes and ability to promote cellular health, and
a heat-­‐stable probioCc for its digesCve and immune support
we are doing everything we can to ensure our dogs will live long and healthy lives. I hope your dogs benefit from this special report and that they will bring joy to your lives for many years to come!
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FOUR THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD FEED THEIR DOG