Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

Winter months mean colder weather and sometimes freezing and icy sidewalks. Of course, unless your dog is toilet trained, you still have to take your dog out to use nature’s facilities. Taking your dog out during winter can potentially expose them to frostbite. Thus, it’s important to know how to recognize signs of frostbite in dogs and to know the ways to prevent frostbite in dogs. Frostbite occurs when the skin and the tissue under that skin freezes. It’s important for frostbite to be treated immediately. Frostbite can cause stinging, numbness, burning, pain, throbbing, and other neurological discomforts as the affected area gets rewarmed and as blood starts to recirculate. Dogs get frostbite when they’re exposed to the cold for a prolonged period of time. Of course, depending on the circumstances, frostbite can start in as little as 30 seconds of exposure to extreme cold, so never assume that your dog doesn’t have frostbite just because you were only outside for a minute or so. Dogs are at risk of frostbite when temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing temperatures can cause the ground, water on the ground, dew, etc. to freeze and become icy. Dog’s paws are generally where they’re the most vulnerable; though, their noses and other body parts exposed to the cold are susceptible. Thus, it doesn’t take long for frostbite to occur. You may only be out for a minute or so with your dog. It

If you’ve ever been to an animal shelter, then you know why you should adopt a shelter pet. The pets in shelters are all alone except for one another and their dedicated caretakers. Like any of us, all they want is to be picked in life. They want a warm place to belong, and they want someone to love them who won’t abandon them. If you’ve ever heard stories about shelter pets, then you know that they are grateful, protective, loving, and sometimes…famous. In a recently-compiled list of the 10 best cats on social media, nearly all of them were rescues. Of course…potential celebrity isn’t a reason shelter pets are the best…the real reasons they’re the best are as follows. Imagine you’ve been abandoned or if you never knew what love is…you’d spent your whole life alone. This is the case for some of these shelter pets. Now, imagine that someone finally picks you. You are finally given a soft place to sleep and a warm bed and a space to feel safe in…and hugs! You’ve never had hugs before. They’re nice. How to express gratitude to this wonderful savior who adopted you? Shelter pets are notoriously grateful, and they express it with loyalty, obedience, and snuggles. Unlike a brand-new baby puppy or kitten from someone’s litter that you have to train, shelter pets often know how to use a litter box or indicate their need to go outside and

If you missed National Black Cat Day on October 27, you may have missed black cat lovers extolling the virtues of the most common type of cat, the sleek, elegant black cat. While all cats are savvy, quirky, and intuitive, these are exceptional. They are highly-evolved and are the subject of much history, mystery, and intrigue. All of these factors combined are why black cats are the best. They are black because of evolution. Their darker coat makes it easier for them to hide and to blend in with their surroundings thus helping them evade capture and predators more efficiently. Another facet of their evolution is that they are more resistant to diseases than other cats. In fact, the majority of cats are black or have black genes and thus reap those benefits. Another outcome of the black fur gene beyond melanism (black or darkening fur) and improved immunity is yellowed eyes. They typically have beautiful amber or gold-hued eyes that give them an ethereal and imperious aura. In ancient Egypt, they were associated with protection. The Egyptian goddess Bastet was a woman with the face of a cat and was charged with protecting women, crops, and the home. They were presumed to have the same responsibility in offering protection and oversight and were thus regarded like royalty. In similar fashion, many cultures consider them to be good omens (a Greek myth purportedly initiated association with bad luck or evil).

Cats are carnivores and dogs are omnivores, which means there are vital nutrients that come from meat that benefit both species. Turkey is among the healthiest meats for pets. Why is turkey so good for pets? It’s nutrient-packed and lean. There are multiple benefits to your pet from turkey meat as well as plenty of ways to serve it to them. Turkey is a lean protein that is great for helping your pet build strong, lean muscles. What’s more, the protein-packed turkey meat gives your pet lots of energy. The combination leads to a strong, healthy, active pet. Turkey not only has lots of protein, but it also has multiple vitamins and nutrients that your pet needs. These are the main vitamins and nutrients found in turkey as well as how they benefit your pet. Zinc supports your pet’s thyroid function and immune system. Zinc also helps your pet have and maintain healthy skin and fur. Iron is used by red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the remainder of the body. Pets need oxygenated blood for energy as well as for other bodily functions. Potassium is critical for energy and appetite; this mineral charges your pet’s heart, nerves, and muscles. Flagging energy and no appetite is a sign of low potassium stores. Phosphorus works with calcium to maintain your pet’s bones and teeth. Vitamin B6 is a heavy-hitter critical to help your pet synthesize niacin (explained below), to produce

More of us are working from home than ever before. As of January 2021, over half of American workers were “always” or “sometimes” working from home. While the convenience of working remotely may have seemed enjoyable at first—if you’re working from home with a dog, you probably noticed some challenges cropping up. If you’re on work calls for a chunk of the day or you need quiet in order to concentrate at work, dog barking throughout the day has likely become an annoyance in your household. They always seem to bark at the most inopportune times—like when you’re speaking on a group video call, or when something important comes up during a chat that you need to hear. And while you may have an understanding dog owner on the call with you, these loud dog barking interruptions can be annoying and stressful to deal with. While we can’t guarantee that these tips on how to get a dog to stop barking while you’re working from home will work every time—we are dealing with animals, here!—it’s worth a shot to apply these tactics. Try these dog behavior tips in order for your dog to behave better and end dog barking while on work calls. 1. Get them moving. If it’s possible, take your pooch on a morning walk before the workday begins. Tiring them out will help them be more likely to sleep during the day (yay!) and the mental and

In theory, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to come together with family and friends and pets to express gratitude for the love you all share; however, not every person’s holiday season looks the same. For some it means being alone; for others, it means being anxious about being surrounded by not-often seen family. For others, it means rallying the gang for a Friendsgiving, or gathering with a few friends or family members and showing gratitude in simple, meaningful, yet quiet ways. Regardless of how you spend your holidays this November, this guide will help you spend a magical and meaningful Thanksgiving with your dog. Thanksgiving time invariably means lots of food. Many of the fruits, grains, and vegetables that are seasonal in November are actually healthy for your dog…but they’re only healthy if they’re not mixed with other ingredients. So, for example, while sweet potatoes are a-okay for Bruno, candied yams are not. Let’s start with the good stuff. Foods your dog can enjoy alongside you are: Sweet potatoes / regular potatoes Apples Pumpkin (canned is fine as long as it’s not pre-spiced) Green beans Peas Yogurt Plain boneless, skinless turkey meat Again, the key is that the foods are plain and unseasoned. If you add seasoning, it could make your dog sick. Thus, foods to avoid are: Bones, skin, or gravy Onions or garlic (or their respective powders) Raisins or grapes Alcoholic beverages Sweets (pies, cookies, chocolate, etc.) Uncooked yeast dough Fatty foods

A demonstration of the company’s firm commitment to best-in-class food safety and quality, this is WellPet’s third manufacturing facility to achieve high marks from the rigorous audit by the British Retail Consortium’s Global Standard for Food Safety WellPet, LLC, the largest North America-based independent branded premium natural pet food company, today announced that its Mishawaka, Indiana-based manufacturing facility has earned the high honor of a grade “AA” certification by the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety. This world-renowned certification is evidence of the company’s dedication to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance, remarkable leadership from WellPet’s food safety and quality group, and continued, strategic investments in quality and safety. WellPet’s Minnesota-based Farm Fresh Kitchens manufacturing facility and its WHIMZEES® manufacturing facility in the Netherlands also earned high ratings in previous BRC audits. A demonstration of the company’s firm commitment to best-in-class food safety and quality, this is WellPet’s third manufacturing facility to achieve high marks from the rigorous audit by the British Retail Consortium’s Global Standard for Food Safety. WellPet prides itself on its carefully crafted, high-quality natural pet food and treat innovations from the Wellness®, WHIMZEES®, Old Mother Hubbard®, Holistic Select®, Eagle Pack®, and Sojos® brands, which serve as the foundation of pet wellbeing and a long, happy life shared between pets and pet parents. As the BRC’s globally recognized standards set the bar for extraordinary manufacturing practices, this accreditation further certifies that WellPet’s products are safe,

It should come as no surprise that pets, like people, feel pain; however, unlike people, pets can’t articulate what hurts and where. They can’t say, “Wow, my paws are really hurting after that walk in the snow; I think I have frostbite!” or “My stomach has stabbing pain all of a sudden!” Instead, they tell us through gestures. Pets express pain for multiple maladies including: External pains, which could include cuts, burns, scrapes, bruises, aches, fleas, ticks, bites, etc. Internal pains, which could stem from virus, infection, poisoning, upset stomach, disease, toothache / gum disease, joint pain, arthritis, etc. Take the time to learn how to recognize pain in your pets, so you can get the proper help for them. Eating habits are one way you can recognize pet pain. Pets that are in pain will: Choose not to eat Drink more or less Show less interest in food Regurgitation Excessive or diminished thirst and dietary habits are associated with a number of pain-causing issues. Some could be more obvious; changes in dietary habits with dry food in combination with other signs of pain (like drooling) could indicate oral health issues. Pets tell us they’re in pain with mood changes. When pets suddenly act depressed, fussy, moody, snippy, grumpy, or agitated, they are telling us they’re in pain. Pets might also become more aggressive or combative. You will recognize pain in your pets through mood changes when the attitude or behavior

Even though dogs look super cute in Halloween costumes, Halloween is a busy time full of unpredictable circumstances. Because of the flurry of activity and the atypical outfits, behaviors, and crowds that come on Halloween night, it’s important to know how to keep your dog safe whether you’re taking your pup with you to trick-or-treat or you’re leaving them home or you’re staying home with your dog. Your dog needs to feel safe on Halloween regardless of whether they’re coming with you or they’re staying at home with or without you. Crowds on the streets and the constant ringing and pounding on the door can send your dog into sensory overload. A few ways to keep your dog feeling safe are: Use a leash and only take your dog out if your dog is very comfortable with crowds. Make sure your dog has an ID even if they are chipped (chipping is very affordable and can help your dog be identified if lost). Keep your dog away from the door on Halloween; frightened dogs might make a break for it when trick-or-treaters come knocking. Give your dog anti-anxiety treats or medication before things get going especially if they are predisposed to getting upset when people come to the door. Turn your light off and do not invite trick-or-treaters to the house or to knock on the door or ring the bell if you’re not going to be home. Some people will

Ask anyone who has ever been a pet parent, and they will tell you that their pet was more than “just a pet;” their pet was a member of the family, and their loss was as heartbreaking an experience as any. People mourn their pets for years after they are gone, and while death is an inevitable part of life, we have several pet memorial ideas to commemorate your pet so that you always feel close to them. September 13 is National Pet Memorial Day. If you have a pet or have lost a pet, these are truly meaningful ways to honor your precious pet family members. While it may seem obvious to some to have a proper burial for a beloved pet, how to do it isn’t always clear. What’s too much? What is enough? What you should always do when having a service for your pet is to do what feels right for you. You may want to invite friends to be by your side, or you might want to have family share memories of your pet. A ritual like a memorial service gives you closure. You will always love and miss your pet, but by having a memorial service, you acknowledge the sad truth of their passing and give yourself permission to grieve their loss. Another way to commemorate your pet is to have a piece of custom jewelry made. Tasteful charm bracelets and necklaces with your pet’s

September is Pet Sitter Education Month; it was created by the Pet Sitter’s International (PSI) group to educate pet sitters and caretakers about providing safe and exceptional services to pets and to pet parents. Pet education month is a time when pet sitters and caretakers learn about new resources, take pet sitting courses, learn about how to care for pets during a pandemic and with ever-evolving COVID guidelines, update their knowledge with pet first-aid and CRPR, medication administration, and more. Each pet a caretaker cares for is different as is each family. As professional pet sitters and caretakers learn about how best to care for your pet in new and highly-relevant ways, it’s important for you to know how to find the right pet sitter for your pets and to ensure they have everything they need when they are hired to care for your pet. It’s needless to say that your pet is very important to you, so it’s probably reasonable to assume that you wouldn’t let just anyone care for your pet; just like you wouldn’t let just anyone perform your heart surgery. No doubt, you’ve heard the horror stories of pet parents getting a friend or a neighbor or the teenager down the street to come feed, walk, and care for their pets while they’re away only to return home to a house destroyed or to a hungry pet or an overloaded litter box or worse. Thus, you want

There are few things more fun than being a first time dog owner (or first time dog parent, as we like to say). Of course, there are also few things more intimidating—how do you make sure the needs of a pet that doesn’t speak your language are being met? If you’re a first time dog owner, you’re likely excited and a bit nervous. You want to do what’s best for your dog; you want your dog to be well-fed; you want them to walk on a leash and play with you in the park like those beautiful movie dogs (that level of happiness and joy is attainable and not relegated to limelight fiction), but as you look at your precious new dog without a clue what to do other than to pet it and say nice things, you realize you might be out of your depth. It’s okay. No first time dog owner dives in and aces all of the many challenges of doggy parenthood, but with this first time dog owner guide, you’ll certainly have a leg-up toward nailing being a first time dog owner. Since it was mentioned already, feeding schedules are important parts of having a dog. While some new pet parents believe it’s okay to just dump food in the bowl and keep the thing full, it’s not recommended. (It’s okay if you’ve been doing this; pencils have erasers for a reason.) Medium-sized dogs (i.e., not toy or