Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

As a loving pet parent, you give your dog or cat food, water, exercise and loads of affection. When it comes to their immune strength, you ensure their vaccinations are up to date and select a food with added antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to help keep their natural defenses strong. But have your ever wondered how your pet’s digestive system affects their immunity? The digestive system is commonly thought of as the location for food to be digested, absorbed and excreted; however, research shows that the digestive system plays a far greater role when it comes to your pet’s immune health and wellbeing. The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues and organs working together in a continual communication process that allows the body to inform the immune system of what’s going on. In your pet’s digestive system, part of this communication network is the immune system communicating with bacteria or microbiome. The term “gut microbiome” refers to the trillions of microorganisms living in the intestinal tract. While some microorganisms are harmful to our pet’s health, many are incredibly beneficial and even necessary to a healthy body. Science has shown that your pet’s microbiome and digestive system bacteria can impact almost every aspect of your pet’s overall health including their immune strength. By supporting your pet’s digestive system you can help them build their natural defenses. So how do your pet’s immune and digestive systems work together? 70% of a pet’s immune cells are located in their

2020 has been one for the books. As a collective, we’ve faced difficult moments every step of the way, but some pets have gone above and beyond to help save lives. Check out these incredible pet stories featuring 20 moments where our pets became heroes. Dogs in Finland have been trained to “sniff out” the Corona virus at airports. The data suggests the dogs can detect the virus “up to five days earlier” than the nasal swab test. When it comes to 2020, dogs are literally saving our lives. Read the full story here. On her 100th birthday, Marjorie Rigby adopted an 11-year-old terrier named Paddy. Marjorie has loved dogs all her life and feels Paddy was divine timing. They keep each other active and smiling every day. Read the full story here. 85-year-old Ron Williams suffered a scary fall getting out of the shower one morning. With his life alert in the other room and cell phone out of reach, Ron laid helpless on the floor for 16 hours. When he realized his cat, Fluffy, was in the bathroom with him, he made a joke to the cat about getting his phone, a reoccurring joke between the two. Moments later, Ron felt the phone near his hand, all thanks to Fluffy. Read the full story here. This past summer, Gwendola Johnson’s dog saved her life. The 88-year-old fell and was unable to get up. Gwendola saw a sanitation worker, Kirk

Expressing your love goes far beyond saying “I love you.” As it turns out, there are limitless ways to show and to share love with your pet. These are 21 wonderful ways to tell your pet that you love them in 2021. After a tumultuous year with our pets by our side the whole way, repaying them with gestures of love is only fitting. The way we speak to our pets is a major love language. Talking to your pets in warm, soft, sweet, or affectionate tones sends a clear message to your pet: I care about you. I love you. You are valuable to me. Pets like to groom and to kiss as we like to believe. Pets also know that our kisses—as in when we pucker-up—are a show of love and affection, so don’t be shy about getting on the floor and kissing your pet on their sweet little face. Just be ready for a potentially slobbery return of your affections. Pet feelings get hurt just as ours do when those we love are distracted (enamored?) by their phones. When you’re spending quality time with your pet, put the phone down. Be completely involved. Pets love spending time with their parents. Spend extra time with your pet by taking them for extra walks. It’s good for both of you; it gets your endorphins up, and time spent together is a love language understood by all. Another way to spend

If 2020 taught us anything, it was how precious every moment we spend together is and how valuable our health is. So it logically follows that as we make New Year’s resolutions that reflect our past experiences that we do them together with the ones we love most, the ones who’ve never abandoned us, the ones with us through thick and thin: our pets. That’s why we suggest these healthy New Year’s resolution ideas for your pets—they’re fun and easily doable resolutions you and your pets can make together. Food is fuel, which means what you and your pets eat makes a huge difference in your energy, weight and immune system function, to name a few things. During the holidays, almost everyone’s diet slips a little. As you get ready to hit reset, why not consider an entirely new diet that you’ve never tried before? Look for a healthy new diet that you and your pet can try out together. Raw diets: Raw diets are largely plant-based for humans and animal protein-based for pets. For both humans and pets, raw diets are considered to improve certain medical conditions and to have a positive impact on weight. High-protein, low-carb diet: High-protein diets like keto are reportedly excellent for active people and pets as once you enter a state of ketosis, you have more energy. As with raw diets, high-protein diets show favorable results in terms of overall health and medical wellness and with

Canine intelligence is a very popular topic. We all want to know if that lovable goofball on the couch is smart too. Fortunately, the smartest dog breeds come in all shapes and sizes. So, it’s easy to find a savvy furry family member to welcome into your home. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) most dogs are smart but in different ways. They elaborate saying, “working breeds learn how to perform jobs quickly because of their instincts and natural abilities, while other breeds are motivated based on their strong desire to please. But intelligence alone doesn’t automatically make a good pet. To bring out your dog’s natural smarts, you have to study the breed, put in the necessary time to train, and understand his natural traits, like whether he’s a quick study or slow and steady.” World renowned, canine psychologist Stanley Coren, author of the book The Intelligence of Dogs further outlines the different types of intelligence, as follows: Adaptive intelligence – how dogs figure stuff out. Working intelligence – following orders. Instinctive intelligence – a dog’s innate talents. Spatial intelligence – the ability to generate, retain, retrieve, and transform well-structured visual images. Kinesthetic intelligence – the ability to process information physically through hand and body movements, control, and expression. Based a survey amongst 199 dog obedience judges, Coren breaks down canine breed intelligence into six tiers ranking the dogs on how quickly they are able to learn a command. The top tier

“My dog has brown eyebrows, a mostly black with a white chest, big paws that are black and brown, droopy ears, he licks and he chews on everything. What breed is my dog?” Every month, thousands of people turn to the Internet asking, “what breed is my dog?” looking to learn more about the dog they adopted, posting cryptic descriptions like the one above in the hope of learning more about their four-legged family member. Mutts account for more than half the dog population in America. And with 195 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, the amount of cross-breeding through generations has populated American homes with dogs of all colors, sizes, looks and adorable personalities. If you have a unique, adorable adopted dog, here are 10 key questions to help figure out your dog’s breed make up: Are there any small physical characteristics that are big clues to a dog’s breed? The answer is a resounding “yes”. •    A ridge running down the middle of a dog’s back with the hair running in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat is a clue that that there is Rhodesian Ridgeback in the dog’s genetic make-up. Many mutts have this feature in their coats. •    A blue spotted tongue. This a common trait in the Chow Chow, a sturdily built dog with a double coat that originally hails from Northern China. However, there are several other breeds with

You brush your dog daily, take them out for walks, and feed them once or twice a day, but there’s an important part of your dog’s health you could be neglecting. We’re talking about his or her teeth. It might not seem like a big deal but caring for a dog’s teeth is an essential component of their overall health and wellbeing. Think about it. You carefully consider what you feed your dog to make sure they’re getting the nutrients they need but what about the body parts they use to chew that wholesome food? A dog’s teeth are a vital part of their health. If you’re uncertain about how to care for your dog’s teeth, or if it’s been a while since you last brushed them, here’s a guide on how to take care of your puppy’s teeth. This is a good starting point so you’re aware of any black tartar or film that’s building up on their gums, as well as the color of their teeth and yes, noting doggy breath! Poor dental hygiene and plaque in particular can lead to gum inflammation, rotten teeth, jaw health problems, as well as heart, kidney and liver disease. Make sure you have pet toothpaste and a dog toothbrush when you want to start brushing their teeth. Your dog might pull away because they don’t know what you’re doing or they’re afraid. Let your dog taste the toothpaste first and use a

There are some things only puppy parents—and dog parents—understand. Until you’re in this world, you have no idea what it’s like. Here are some sure signs that a puppy has taken over your world. Or doggy nose stains. Or some other kind of dog fluids. Being a dog parent is a messy endeavor but one we wouldn’t trade for the world. Even though they make everything around them dirtier, puppies look cute doing it! Once you get a dog, you find dog fur all over the place and chances are, it’s in your food. Sure, you pick it out when you find it and probably grumble about the dog but chances are, quite a few pieces of fur have probably snuck into your diet. Dog fur is now the secret ingredient to every dish. Any dog parent knows that those days of sleeping in on a day off from work are from a past life—unless you trade off with a partner! Your puppy will act as your new alarm clock, letting you know they want to go out, be fed, and yes, get attention just as the sun is rising. Whether you’re house training your puppy or your dog tends to throw up every once in a while from eating something they shouldn’t, every pet parent makes sure they have a spray cleaner and paper towels on hand at all times. You also know your dog is going to have

Recycling is an invaluable part of global environmental sustainability particularly given our consumeristic society. Special days like National Recycling Day (also known as America Recycles Day) on November 15 help raise awareness about the value of recycling as well as how people can participate, which is why we at Wellness Pet Food want to share information about our partnership with TerraCycle® as well as how you can get involved and help make the world a better place for pets and their people. TerraCycle is an acclaimed and highly awarded global recycling and upcycling company. Currently located in 20 countries, TerraCycle collects and repurposes packages and products into new affordable products. The company’s belief is that everything can be recycled and collects multiple products ranging from Wellness Pet Food bags to Keurig cups to Hasbro toys. At Wellness, we’re passionate about sustainability and became the first pet food company based in the United States to partner with TerraCycle. The way the program works is as follows: Pet food owners register to the Recycle Your Wellness Packaging Program online at no charge. Pet food owners ship their Wellness Pet Food packaging to TerraCycle free of charge. Note that only certain types of packages are currently accepted, which will be addressed in detail in the section on how you can participate. Pet food owners earn rewards in the form of TerraCycle points. Each pound of waste earns 100 points, which can be redeemed for gifts or

Getting a new puppy is so exciting! Puppies are warm and cuddly and furry. They are so charming. Of course, they are also so helpless, which means you are in charge of ensuring their nutritional needs are met. Puppies develop rapidly, so giving them the proper nutrition, especially in their first weeks, months, and year requires careful attention. If your puppy was birthed at home, then he will nurse from his mother for the first 6 to 8 weeks. It’s recommended puppies don’t start eating any other food until their caloric needs are no longer being met by their mother; this is typically at around 6 weeks. Many puppies are weaned by 6 weeks, but some still nurse until 8 weeks. In some cases, your puppy’s birth mother might not be able to nurse for the first 4 to 6 weeks. If so, you will need to supplement with milk you purchase from your vet and with a dropper or a bottle for puppies. Regardless, once your puppy is weaned, it will be time to start with solid foods. After he has been weaned, your puppy will need to be fed a high-quality diet of pet food made especially for puppies. These foods contain more calories, protein, and calcium, essential for your puppy’s growth and development. Ask your veterinarian for to recommend the right plan for your pet and for specific breed-size recommendations regarding the feeding schedule. Puppies that are

When it comes to our pups, we want to make them happy just like they do for us, but sometimes health or other restrictions get in the way. When these situations occur, it usually means a change in food. No matter the reason for this change, here are a few ways to make the shift easier on you and dog. Although kittens often start on wet food, puppies typically start with a high-quality dry food kibble. However, sometimes our pups don’t love the dry options we are providing them. As our dogs age, they may also need the transition to a softer food option. No matter the reason, if you’re looking to switch up meal time offerings, trying wet dog food can be a great choice. There are some considerations with wet dog food. Wet food is a great way to keep your dog hydrated due to the moisture content. This can help aid your dog’s digestion and overall health. Most dogs also prefer wet food to dry because of the texture and the flavorful taste. You do want to ensure you choose a high-quality, natural wet dog food option to avoid unnecessary fillers or excess calories in your dog’s meals. To help keep your pup’s teeth clean while feeding wet food, work in a natural daily dog dental chewy like WHIMZEES. When transitioning your dog to wet food, introduce the food slowly. Just like humans, sometimes new foods can

Pets are wonderful additions to any family. They sense our moods, they protect us, they love us unconditionally, they help put us at ease at the end of a long day, and so much more. This is especially true of senior pets. Thinking about adopting? November is National Senior Pet Month, and these are the best 10 things that you get when you grow your family by adopting a senior pet. First, know that the age range for a senior pet is wide, starting at age seven, so many senior pets are actually quite young considering cats and dogs typically live to ages ten to fifteen or more. This leaves years for meaningful companionship and making happy memories together. When it comes to pets, the word senior pertains more to maturity than to advanced age. Puppies and kittens have so much energy. They bounce, jump, and play with abandon—sometimes too much abandon. While senior dogs can still be high energy, they are more reserved and are more likely to walk with you on your evening stroll versus trying to walk you. Senior pets will greet you at the door after work, but they will not tackle you at the door after work. For anyone who is tired at the end of the day, this is one of the best things about adopting a senior pet. They’re just more laid back, which can also help reduce stress for humans. If you’ve