Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

Cats may have nine lives, and our pooches may live their life a little more quickly in dog years, but there is no softer spot in our hearts than that held by our beloved senior pets. November is all about senior pets, making it the perfect opportunity for sending some love to our older pet companions! Here are six must-know tips for caring for senior pets. From puppy- or kittenhood to senior years, the annual examination is an important part of pet health, most important in your pet’s mature years. It’s a common thought that seven of a dog’s years are comparable to one year of human life, but in fact that formula is a little more complex. The American Veterinary Association explains that 15 human years equals the first year of a medium-sized dog’s life, the second year for a dog equals about nine years for a human, and every year after that equates to approximately five years for a dog. And because pet’s years are not the same as humans, it’s all the more important to make sure to keep the regular checkup, each and every year. Let’s put it this way; it’s like your 75-year-old grandmother not going to the doctor for five years! For almost every type of animal (humans included), the condition of the teeth can be a powerful indicator of the overall condition of the body, and daily dental care and regular dental checkups can prevent

What is WSAVA? WSAVA, or the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, is comprised of over 200,000 veterinarians across 113 member associations. This association advances the health and welfare of companion animals through building an educated and collaborative global community of veterinary peers. As one of its activities, WSAVA encourages its veterinarians and pet parents to be mindful of the food they feed their pets, as well have a general understanding of the company that makes their pet food by asking several questions. The WSAVA Global Nutrition Council provides clear recommendations for selecting pet foods: Employ a qualified nutritionist with PHD in animal nutrition Formulated to AAFCO recommendations Undertaken AAFCO feeding trials Produced in USA Strict quality controls in place All dry recipes complete and balanced to life stage Nutrient analysis available for recipes on website Extensive product research undertaken Now that you know what the necessary requirements are for a pet food brand to be considered WSAVA compliant, we’ll walk you through how each requirement is evaluated, and how Wellness Pet Food meets those requirements: Do you employ a full-time qualified nutritionist? Who formulates your foods and what are his/her credentials? We have worked very closely with a Ph.D. Animal Nutritionist who either formulates or reviews our diets. He has spent more than 25 years formulating diets for dogs and cats and our relationship with him goes back more than fifteen years. In addition, he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles

Every November 15 marks America Recycles Day, the holiday created by Keep America Beautiful to celebrate recycling with education, events and activities. An annual opportunity to observe ways we can reduce our impacts and motivate others to do their part, it’s also a time to create new habits we can use to live greener every day. What does this have to do with our pets? Protecting the planet helps our communities and families, which pets are very much a part of! Because domesticated animals are kept (by us, their humans) outside of nature’s regenerative, circular system, the food they eat and the waste they create is not readily renewed or absorbed. Knowing this, it is up to us to make better choices and actively offset our pets’ impacts to make them friendlier to the planet. One way to lighten their pawprint is to recycle the products and packaging produced by keeping them fed and healthy. Wellness Natural Pet Food makes it easy for pet owners to recycle flexible plastics packaging for free through their network of local recycling solutions, powered by TerraCycle. Just visit the Wellness Pet Food Recycling Program page on TerraCycle.com and search your zip code on the map to find the drop-off point nearest you. Another positive aspect of recycling through TerraCycle’s national recycling programs is the more you recycle, the more points you can earn in exchange for a cash donation to your favorite environmental nonprofit or

National Black Cat Day is October 27. The reason we need such special recognition days is because black cats have been so misunderstood and maligned throughout history. So, on this day, here’s a chance to think about some of the ways in which black cats make the best pets. It’s a chance to educate and spread the word about how wonderful black cats are. 1.  Let’s start with the absolute outward beauty of the coat. Black cats look sophisticated. If the cat is kept healthy and fed excellent quality food, the black coat should be sleek, shiny and simply gorgeous. A black cat always looks as if they are ready for a formal night out on the town. 2.  In addition to the black cat’s elegance, they also look like a little panther gracefully roaming around. It’s as if you have a little piece of the wild in your home. A black cat walking or running through the house is the picture of grace, stealth, mystery and beauty. 3.    The expressive eyes of a black cat are striking against the black fur. The amount of melanin is what gives the black cat’s eyes a golden color. Some black cats have green eyes as well. Those beautiful eyes are perfectly framed by the sleek, black fur. When a black cat is looking at you, it’s hard to resist the expression in those magnificently highlighted eyes. 4.    Research suggests that the genetic mutation

This past month the entire Wellness organization celebrated Global Service Day! Over 250 Wellies’ spent their time at local shelters and other animal rescue organizations around the world. Teams were spread out all over the U.S , Germany, Japan, Singapore, Australia and Canada. We’d like to thank all of the organizations who let us spend the day with them. If looking to adopt a new pet, check out the list below. Lowell Humane Society, Lowell, MA Salem Animal Rescue League, Salem, NH Cape Ann Animal Aid, Gloucester, MA MSPCA at Nevins Farm, Methuen, MA Animal Rescue League of NH, Bedford, NH Northeast Animal Shelter, Salem, MA Paws, Wakefield, MA Operation Delta Dog, Hollis, NH Great Dog Rescue of NE, Woburn, MA Albuquerque Best Friends Best Friends LA Burlington Humane Society California Animal Shelter Carver-Scott Humane Society, Minnesota Feline Café of Ottawa Greenville North Carolina Humane Society Humane Society of St. Joseph County, Indiana Hunter T Cronin Cat Room Best Friends, Kanab Utah PAWS, Chicago IL Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary Salt Lake City Best Friends Shamroq Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute Rescue of Queensland, Australia South Bend Animal Rescue The Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty, Singapore West Australian Dingo Association, Australia We know that every home is better with a pet, and so we are so happy to have had a chance to spend time working with a Best Friends Animal Society partner shelter that helps homeless pets find a forever

October 29th is a special day. This is the day we celebrate National Cat Day. If you share your life with cats, you most likely believe every day is National Cat Day (or should be), but this special day gives people a chance to educate others about how wonderful cats are. It’s also a day to celebrate what it means to be a cat person. Cats can make 100 different vocal sounds, as well as having quite an extensive body language. They also rely heavily on scent communication. The cat person loves the cat for the soft purr heard during times of closeness, but also loves that same cat for the unrelenting meow at 5 a.m. in the morning when kitty thinks breakfast is overdue. Stealth and speed combine to create beauty in motion. Whether the cat is stalking prey or just walking through a room, the gait is pure poetry. A cat person loves the cat for how beautiful and silent his movements can be and marvels at how a 6 pound cat can also sound like a team of horses galloping down the hallway when chasing a toy. A cat person appreciates the beauty of a ballet and the pratfalls of a comedy. Many people think cats are low maintenance and that it’s responsible for their appeal for cat people. That is not accurate at all. While cats don’t need to be walked and can be left alone

You’ve heard the comments about how often pet parents end up choosing a pup that looks like them, but what about Brews & Breeds? This Oktoberfest, we’re having a little fun with beer and pooch pairings! First, find your favorite beer, and see which pup’s personality matches it! A bit more hoppy than your average lager and pleasantly lighter than a generic pale ale, a pilsner is, put simply, a refreshing beer with rich German roots. You enjoy a brew that has a bit more hop than the average beer, but still remains light and easy to drink – meaning you enjoy a hardworking companion that offers energy when needed yet often remains tame. A German Shepherd is the perfect mix of spirit and calmness, just like your pilsner! Known for its crisp, light taste and smooth, mellow flavor, lagers are one of the less bitter, more subdued brews in the beer world. You like things low maintenance, no frills or fuss – your perfect breed is a Bernese Mountain Dog. These large-breed canines play into the name of a lager itself, but more importantly, they are the easygoing, well-balanced pooch perfect for your lifestyle. When they aren’t sleeping, they’re up for a relaxing cuddle or a hangout on the couch—while you sip your brew. Intentionally acidic to pack a punch, sour ales have a distinctive, zippy flavor. Available in an array of shades from golden to amber, this beer looks as good as

At Wellness, we’re driven each day to deliver uncompromising nutrition for the pets that depend on us. Let’s take Wellness® CORE, for example. Wellness CORE, our high-protein recipes for dogs and cats, has become a tried-and-true approach to premium natural* nutrition for pets. Wellness CORE offers high-protein, meat-rich formulas with lowered carbohydrates. Start feeding one of our Wellness CORE foods, and you’ll notice your pet will likely develop strong, lean muscle mass, a silky, lustrous coat, and an improved level of energy to share in all of life’s experiences with you. And to take that great nutrition one step further, there’s Wellness CORE+, formulas that give pet parents the opportunity to feed one of the most innovative advancements in the pet food category. With CORE+, we started with our CORE kibble and added 100% freeze-dried raw meat pieces. These pieces are evenly dispersed throughout the bag to ensure every meal contains the savory goodness of raw meat with the scoop and serve safety and convenience that you know and love. Wellness CORE+ stands out from other brands. Why? We use just 100% raw meat, diced and then freeze dried. With similar products, the inclusions are a mix of ingredients, there’s some meat, but with added fillers and binders. By using just freeze dried meat in CORE+, we’re delivering key nutrients such as essential amino acids and vitamins, with an incomparable taste. For your dog this means that every bag of CORE+ delivers

Photo by Andrew Muse You don’t have to be a full-time adventurer in order to want to keep your active pet healthy. An active lifestyle means different things for different pet parents. However, there are some things we can agree on, like how many things there are to consider when choosing a diet for your pet that you’ll feel confident about feeding. What are the best ingredients to feed your pet? What about the flavor options? Then, there’s your pet’s lifestage, breed size and even unique nutritional restrictions like allergies or medical challenges to consider. It can all start to feel pretty overwhelming. Well, one important place to start when evaluating options is by looking at protein and exploring options for high protein cat food and dog food. Dietary protein is a nutrient that is vital to every dog and cat’s wellbeing.  Essential for growth and for the maintenance of almost all the tissues in their body, protein is highly digestible and naturally supplies all the amino acids necessary for a dog or cat to build hair, skin, muscles, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. And on a molecular level, protein is key to the creation of enzymes that put into motion many metabolic reactions needed for day to day life, the hormones that act as the body’s chemical messengers and antibodies that comprise the immune system. Making sure there is enough good protein in your pets’ diet is of the upmost importance to

Being the loving pet parent that you are, there is no doubt you love and cuddle your dog every day! However it’s time to pull out all of the stops and indulge your dog for National Spoil Your Dog Day. We came up with ten puppy-approved ideas on how to spoil your dog silly! While normally we wouldn’t suggest extra treats, by National Spoil Your Dog Day is only one day, so throw a few extra treats your dog’s way. If they are healthy treats that your dog loves, then you won’t feel as guilty pulling them out a few extra times and will be able to enjoy the moment as your dog leaps and barks for joy. Dogs love and benefit from massages just as much as people by improving circulation. Spoil and pamper your dog by watching a YouTube video (or three or four) and learning how to relax you pup! If you have a playful pup, then there is no time like National Spoil Your Dog Day than to visit the pet store and to let your dog find a new toy that makes them want to run, jump and flip for joy. Time is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone you love. Call the office and clear your afternoon then go pick up your dog for a long, impromptu afternoon of all of your favorite things whether it is dining out, strolling the sidewalk, visiting the park or

Whoever said money can’t buy love never paid an adoption fee! I am so grateful for the Blue Ridge Humane Society who saved Japhy from a hoarding situation. He lived there for several months when my fiancé and I came by looking for a border collie I found online. He was sitting quietly on a cot in the very last kennel when we locked eyes and I fell in love instantly and even more so, loved that his tail wagged in circles like a propeller! We adopted him a little over six years ago and while I knew that we were quite possibly saving his life, it is him that has changed us beyond anything I ever imagined possible. From the moment our eyes connected at the shelter I knew that he was special. His happiness is contagious and his love for the outdoors fuels mine. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we are doing, as long as we are together. Japhy enjoys many things, but he’s happiest outside on the trail.Hiking allows us both to get some exercise while reinforcing the bond we share. My favorite part of hiking with him is that he brings me deeper into the adventure. Recently, we were walking through a wilderness area on an old logging road. As we were passing through a large meadow, I was distracted by the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. But I noticed Japhy’s stance

Summertime marks the season of adventures; warm temperatures, longer days, and the great outdoors just waiting to be explored! And for those of us with dogs, we plan on spending all of that time outside with our furry family members in tow. Naturally, the beach is a popular choice for beating the heat! But just as there are precautions we must take to ensure we are protected during our time in the sun, there are things our four-legged beach buddies need to stay cool and calm, too! Here is a list of 10  things we make sure to check off when hitting the beach with our furry pack members! While fun memories and romping around in the waves await, it’s important to be prepared so you can keep your dog safe. Not only do we make sure we have what we need to care for our pups, but we want to ensure we are respectful of the environment and others around us, too. •    ID & RABIES TAGS: Make sure your dog has his collar on, with a proper I.D. attached. In the event you are separated, you’ll want to be certain that your dog has proper identification so you can quickly be reunited. In many states, is against the law to not have your dog up-to-date on their rabies vaccination, so be sure that the tag you received upon vaccination (with the license number) is secured to their collar as