Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

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

For nearly 100 years, Wellness Pet Food has been crafting natural pet food that balances the nutritious and delicious! That’s why we believe we have a recipe and flavor perfect for each individual pup. Bring more love into mealtime with Wellness dry dog food recipes whether you choose a dry dog food with or without grains or one of our limited ingredient diets. Today, we’re covering Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food: Our Complete Health dry dog food with grains for dogs combine natural, premium proteins to deliver a balanced diet full of the nutrients your dog needs for a lifetime of wellbeing, no matter her breed size, life stage or unique nutritional needs. Each recipe is crafted with antioxidants to support strong immune systems, wholesome grains and balanced nutrients for optimal energy. Lamb & Barley Whitefish & Sweet Potato Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Healthy Weight Senior Puppy Large Breed Puppy Large Breed: Chicken & Brown Rice Small Breed Puppy Small Breed: Turkey & Oatmeal Small Breed: Whitefish, Salmon & Peas Small Breed Healthy Weight  Small Breed Senior Toy Breed Today, many pet parents have pets with sensitive stomachs, skin issues or ingredient sensitivities. Complete Health’s variety of protein options and ingredients offer solutions to help your pet live a long and healthy life. My Aussie was raised on Wellness puppy food. This Lamb and Barley kibble he has been on since he turned 1 year old. He loves it

The American Humane Association estimates that over 10 million dogs and cats get stolen or lost a year and that one in three pets get lost at some point in their life. Lost pets that end up in a shelter only have about a twenty-two percent chance of being reunited with their owners, unless they have some form of identification. July is Lost Pet Prevention Month. Take the time this July to become aware of methods for identifying your pet in case they get lost or stolen, then help spread the word on how pet owners can prevent losing their pets. One of the most technologically advanced methods of ID-ing your pet is microchipping. A microchip is a small computer chip that serves as an identifier for your pet. Microchips are relatively non-invasive to install, and they can help shelters and vets identify your pet (and to thus reunite you) if your pet has one. Importantly, if your pet is stolen, then a microchip serves as proof positive that the pet in question is yours and not the thief’s. As microchipping technology advances, there will be further benefits to microchipping your pet. Presently, though, note that microchips are not: GPS trackers; at present, microchips cannot help you locate your pet unless they have been found by someone with a scanner. A way for people to access your personal information. A repository of your pet’s medical history; though, microchips can help

Pets are like people — we say and hear this all of the time, but do we really believe it? If you don’t believe that pets are truly like people, then now is the time to start. Not only do pets need good nutrition and fitness like human friends, but they also need good mental and emotional healthcare, too.There are three types of anxiety pets typically experience: general fear, separation anxiety, and anxiety due to aging and health concerns. By understanding that pet stress and anxiety is real and where it comes from, you help your pet feel safe and calm! It’s impossible to control pet stress and anxiety if you don’t recognize the symptoms of when your pet is stressed or anxious. Common signs a pet is suffering from stress or anxiety include: Fidgeting or restlessness Repetitive behavior Pacing Atypical destructive behavior Panting and / or drooling Regressive bathroom habits  While many of these symptoms may be linked to other health problems, they are also indicative of stress and anxiety and should be discussed with a veterinarian. When you do notice signs of stress and anxiety in your dog or cat, consult your veterinarian. Then, figure out the source of the stress. Is there a new person at home? New work hours? New job? New pet? Whatever the issue, figure out what is new and when the issues started, so you can address them. In some instances, it’s possible to address

Feeding your cat. Sounds pretty basic, right? Well, there are some things cat parents can do that may influence how successful the mealtime routine is for their cats. What you feed your cat, when you feed, how food is offered and even where the feeding station is located are all contributing factors to whether kitty gives it a paws up or a paws down. Here’s my list of 10 tips to help you create a mealtime environment that follows your cat’s natural instincts and desires. Tip 1: Start with the Right Food Feed a high-quality, natural food that’s appropriate for your cat’s life stage and health. It’s also important to feed the right amount of food based on stage of life, health and physical activity level. Wellness recently introduced new Complete Health Grain Free dry recipes for cats which may be a good option. If you’re unsure of how much food your cat should be eating, talk to your veterinarian. Tip 2: Create a Comfortable Feeding Station Create a feeding area that takes your cat’s natural instincts and preferences into consideration. Avoid the mistake of placing the feeding station close to the litter box. It may seem tempting to create a convenient “cat area” but a cat’s natural survival instinct is to eliminate away from the nest in order to avoid attracting predators. If you place the food bowl close to the litter box it may cause stress when it’s time

Judging by the thousands of tantalizing food photographs posted to Instagram, visual presentation ranks high alongside taste when it comes to our food choices. But cats are just the opposite; they don’t care about the way their food looks. And further, flavor only plays a partial role in determining feline food preferences as cats only have 500 taste buds, compared to humans who have 9,000 taste buds! Instead, cats rely heavily on their sense of smell and on “mouth-feel” – the ease with which they are able to pick up the food and the way it feels in their mouths. This is the key to finding your cat’s favorite wet food texture. Equally important is the happy sensation they both express and feel after the meal, by washing their face and paws and then settling down to sleep in a favorite snooze zone to digest. A cat’s food preferences are heavily influenced by the types of food it was exposed to as kitten and by the eating experiences during kitten hood. For example, kittens born on the streets and having to fight for a meal, along with what they actually got to eat, will have very different food-related memories compared to kittens raised in a secure home environment where they were potentially offered kibble as their main nutritional source and a side wet offering of only pate. Consequently, to help promote a cat who is willing to eat a wide

Content originally published on BestLifeOnline.com. If there were such a thing as the Nap Olympics, there’s no doubt that a cat would emerge victorious. On average, felines sleep for 15 hours a day, and some can snooze for as much as 20 hours in a single 24-hour period. The only question is: Why do cats sleep so much? The answer lies in the domestic cat’s ancestry. According to the National Sleep Foundation, cats are crepuscular animals, meaning that they snooze during the day and become alert between dusk and dawn (just like lions and other large cats). “On average, cats sleep for 15 hours a day, a trait they inherited from their wild ancestors,” explains Dr. Danielle Bernal, a veterinarian with Wellness Natural Pet Food. “While household cats are largely domesticated, they may still have a wild streak in them and may show primal instincts of hunting during these twilight hours.” So, why do cats sleep so much if they live indoors? Of course, most domesticated cats aren’t exactly being forced to go outside and hunt for their food, but that doesn’t mean that they know that. And since hunting inside the house is out of the question, cats will get this built-up energy out by prowling and playing around the house (typically around the time that everyone else is sleeping, to the dismay of their owners). Unlike humans, cats tend to remain alert even as they sleep, just in case potential prey (like a mouse) is nearby and they need

Wellness is launching grain-free kibble diets for cats that provide high-quality animal protein sources, balanced with grain-free carbohydrates, essential vitamins and minerals for whole-body health – catisfaction guaranteed!  Each grain-free recipe delivers the great nutrition expected from Wellness Complete Health®, but without the grains. During this transition we recommend that if you are currently feeding a grained food and will be switching to the Complete Health® Grain Free product line to choose the recipe or life-stage diet comparable to the grained portfolio. ·      Transition your cat to a new diet over a period of at least seven days. ·      Gradually decrease the amount of current food while increasing the amount of new food. The Complete Health Wet Cat portfolio offers natural, grain free nutrition in a wide variety of forms and flavors, so that it’s easy for every cat to find their favorite. All Wellness dry cat recipes provide natural, balanced nutrition with fresh meat as the first ingredient.  Therefore, selecting a CORE diet is a great alternative to the grained recipes – expect increased protein levels and the same high-quality, grain-free ingredients.  CORE is a very palatable diet and can be higher in calories due to the nutrient-dense nature of the formulas, so it is best to transition gradually and monitor eating behaviors immediately following transition to ensure your cat is not being overfed. CORE Feeding Guidelines: While the feeding recommendations are similar, due to the nutrient-dense nature of the formulas some CORE diets are higher in calories

Pets unfortunately can’t live alongside us forever, and although this is something we acknowledge when opening our hearts to our furry friends, losing a beloved pet can bring ultimate heartbreak and real grief. Friends and family often offer support because they too have once lost a pet, but it isn’t always easy to know what to feel or how to heal. But here’s what we do know: everyone is going to handle losing their pet differently so here are some things you can do to begin your grieving process and honor the memory of your pet. It seems so simple, but just letting yourself feel the hurt and loss with a good cry can be the first step in acknowledging the loss of your companion and starting to deal with the pain. People that aren’t pet owners might not understand it, but for those of us who truly love our dogs and cats, losing a pet can be the same as losing a treasured friend, and a member of the family. Allow yourself to break down, and also let yourself be comforted by those who love you and know how much your pet meant to you. Sometimes when we lose someone we love, we find ourselves faced with the words that went unsaid, and we wish that we could just have a few moments to tell our lost companion how much he or she truly meant. The same can be

Cats are known for finding the best sunbeams for napping, for keeping your feet warm at night and for having uncanny timing when glancing ironically at you. As cats age (indoor cats in particular), they exercise less and less, but all cats need exercise regardless of how old they are. According to PetMD, cats need to be engaged in “activity” for at least 15 minutes a day. Without daily exercise, not only do cats run the risk of becoming obese and of developing medical problems such as heart disease and muscle deterioration, but they also are at increased risk of developing feline depression and other psychological problems. Cat exercise is considered anything that gets cats moving outside of  their normal routine. The walk from the bed to the couch into the kitchen and back to the couch is not considered exercise . The kind of activity that merits exercise gets your cat’s heart rate up. So, when you play with your cat with their toys and they run, jump and scamper, they’re being active. Although 15 minutes a day doesn’t sound like a lot in theory, it can be tough to keep up with a cat’s fitness needs if you are someone who works and travels often. This means cats need a way to exercise on their own for those times their parents can’t be there to play and get them moving. But how? This is where the cat exercise wheel comes in

June is Adopt a Cat Month, which means that every day for the next thirty days is a Caturday. In case you didn’t know, it’s also kitten season according American Humane and is a time when millions of kittens will be born. Many of those kittens will end up in a shelter and will need to be adopted. If you’ve been thinking of getting a cat or if you’d like to help the millions of cats and kittens needing homes, now is the time to take action. Cats are smart, affectionate and loyal companions. They are also low-maintenance pets, which make them an excellent choice for busy families who want to be pet owners. Many cats are content to be solo pets, but if you’re a pet owner who travels or often not home, adopting two cats (siblings tend to do well together) not only gives two cats a home, but it also gives your furry friends someone to play with when you aren’t around. Other reasons to adopt cats include: Cats are entertaining—watching them play or do silly things often puts you in a happy mood. Cats can help reduce stress and anxiety. Cat purrs have proven healing powers, which include lowering blood pressure and healing muscles. If you’ve never owned or adopted a cat or kitten but are interested, as noted, cats are very low-maintenance. They need food, water, veterinary care and a litter box if they are