Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

Dog parks – the social scene of the dog world. Taking your dog to a dog park is a great addition to their exercise routine and a great way for your dog to maintain healthy socialization skills. However, there is proper dog park etiquette to be considered when visiting the dog park. If you want the other dogs to wag their tails in approval and the other dog parents to greet you with a smile, then there are certain rules that should be followed – here is a list of ‘Dos & Don’ts’ to follow at the dog park. Here are some tips that are guaranteed to help you and your dog both win the popularity vote at the dog park. This one is first on the list because it is THAT important. If you aren’t cleaning up after your dog poops in the park then you are probably on someone else’s list – a blacklist. If you really want to earn some brownie points, pick up any other dog’s messes that have been left behind. Taking your dog to the dog park should not be their primary source of exercise – it should supplement an already existing exercise routine. In fact, the proper thing to do is to exercise your dog before taking him to the dog park, in order to release any pent up energy that could affect his behavior at the park. Let’s be honest – we’ve all

Cats are known as being picky eaters. If you want to switch your feline to a new food, we’ve got some tricks to get picky cats to convert.Upgrading your kitty’s diet is a great way to ensure she’s getting all of the nutrition she needs to both look and feel great. And as more pet parents become informed about the ingredients found in commercial pet foods, they want higher quality wet and dry meals for their beloved furry companions.If you’re ready to transition your cat to a new diet, just beware that doing so could lead to digestive upset, so taking things slowly is the key. In this way, your kitty’s body can adjust to the new food without symptoms like diarrhea getting in the way.Here’s what you need to know to make the switch:Transition over the Course of 7-10 DaysA good tip to follow is to transition your kitty from her old diet to her new diet gradually over the course of about 7 to 10 days. Mixing the two foods gradually will give your cat a taste of the new food without shocking her system.Begin with a mix of 25% of your cat’s new food and 75% of her old diet. Feed this for about two to three days. Slowly, increase the amount of new food so that you have a 50/50 mix for your cat to enjoy. After two to three days of half and half, you

Many people refuse to crate or kennel-train their dogs because they feel the confinement is cruel but there are many benefits of crate training. A crate or kennel can give dogs a sense of security. Crate training done properly is also a highly effective management system that can be a lifesaver for dog owners. Like any training method, crating can be abused, but using a crate for appropriate time periods is helpful with a variety of important goals, including house training, preventing destructive behavior, and teaching a dog to settle and relax. What can crate training do for you? Plenty. The benefits of crate training extend to both you and your dog. A crate that is sized properly encourages a dog’s instinct not to mess where he sleeps, helping your dog control his bladder – and preventing you from cleaning up after them. So, basically the crate is like a super duper house training tool. Using a crate is a great way to keep your dog from getting into mischief when you can’t supervise them directly. If you are busy cooking, doing some work from home, or any other time that your attention is elsewhere, it can be the perfect time for your dog to spend some down time in their crate. Speaking of down time, crate training is a good way to train your dog to expect and enjoy time alone and conditions relaxed behavior. Once your dog is

There are advantages to feeding a cat a combination of both wet and dry food ensuring your feline enjoys the benefits both meal plans have to offer. • Dry food is very convenient to serve, especially if you cat is a nibbler and returns to her food bowl at regular intervals throughout the day. • Kibble also has a “cleaning action” on the teeth helping to prevent a tartar buildup and maintaining good dental hygiene. • Wet food recipes contain moisture, which is essential to overall nutritional health. Many cats don’t drink enough! • Wet food is great if you need to “hide” medication that she may resist swallowing. • As cats age, and possibly have dental issues, wet food is easier to eat and to digest. It’s a good idea to initially offer wet food as a treat in a saucer or small plate. A heaped teaspoon is sufficient. You can also consider adding a teaspoon of wet food as a “topping” to her dry food. Feed a recipe at room temperature versus straight from the fridge to optimize acceptance as some cat’s dislike their food being too cold. Choose a recipe that contains the same protein that your cat is currently eating in a dry formula. Cats, just like people enjoy different tastes as well as different textures. Both the Wellness Complete Health Grain-Free wet options and the recipes available in the CORE Grain-Free recipes offer a huge selection

When you adopt a Senior dog, you get all the benefits of a sweet, doggie companion without any of the headaches of potty training, chewing and mess-making so common to puppydom. Your senior adoptee will likely be well-mannered and will make an easy transition to your home. In honor of Senior Dog Month, Wellness shares three good reasons to consider saving a senior pup: 1-      Their maturity makes them easy to train and they’ll settle in quickly. Senior dogs have years of experience living with humans and many of them can easily adapt to a new environment—including one with kids and other pets. Many of them are already housebroken so you can skip that phase. 2-      They like to lounge – A senior dog will not require the hours of exercise a puppy needs. A few short walks a day and your senior is good. The rest of the time, he’ll be happy to lounge in a comfy spot. 3-      What you see is what you get – You already know how large the dog is and the temperament is easy to size up. There will be no surprises later. Soon to be empty nesters, those with a less active lifestyle and dog lovers who’d simply enjoy having a dog lay by their feet can all benefit from adopting a dog entering his or her golden years. At What Age are Dogs Seniors? Veterinarians

Fostering a dog or cat can be a very rewarding experience. Many times, animal shelters rely on foster pet parents in emergency rescue situations. For example, a foster pet parent can prevent an animal from being euthanized by temporarily housing the pet until a safe option becomes available. They can help an animal recover from a sickness by providing special, individualized care or they can help keep a close eye on a litter of kittens until they are old enough to be adopted. There are many reasons to consider fostering pets and just like adopting, it’s a good idea to think things through and ask a few questions before you bring home that wriggling, furry bundle of happiness. What are the characteristics of the foster animal? Are you able to accommodate the animal’s size and medical/behavioral issues? Will the pet get along with other people/pets in your household? How long will you be fostering the pet? It’s best to compare expectations with the animal shelter before you agree to foster to make sure you’re on the same page. Will the pet need training during the time you are fostering him/her? Many shelters rely on foster parents to assist with training or working with problem behaviors in order to help the pet become more adoptable. Will the animal shelter be providing/financing veterinary care while you’re fostering? Will the shelter/rescue group provide you with pet food while you’re fostering? How will the

Grain free pet foods are becoming increasingly more popular. Do you have a pup that’s always itchy? Or maybe your cat is experiencing digestive issues? Have you recently started eliminating grains from your diet and want to have your pets to follow the same healthy lifestyle? There are many reasons why as a pet parent, you might choose to try a grain free food. Because grain free foods don’t contain any fillers, you’ll notice the first ingredient will be either chicken, salmon, beef or another meat, poultry or fish protein source. This is why grain free foods are higher in protein than traditional pet foods. While many pets thrive on being fed a higher-protein recipe, some pets may have digestive upset with the increase in protein. That’s why we always recommend discussing any diet changes with your veterinarian first. And not all grain free pet foods are created equal. It’s important that a grain free food be well balanced, offering an accurate protein to fat and carbohydrates ratio. This will ensure high digestibility and optimum nutrient absorption. Wellness grain free recipes are always complete and balanced, so they’re great for everyday feeding. We also include guaranteed levels of probiotics to help further support digestive health. A good grain free recipe should also have natural sources of essential fatty acids like flaxseeds and other fruits and veggies as grain-free carbohydrate sources. Healthy energy levels Soft, smooth skin and coat Maintenance or

Attention pet owners! March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month, which means that if you’ve never inspected your home or aren’t aware of the things that could be poisonous to your pet, now is the time to educate yourself! There are so many poisonous substances that can be harmful and even fatal to our pets, so it is important to know what’s in your home and also to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms that your pet may be in danger. So, in honor of Poison Prevention Awareness Month, we are offering up some tips! Inspect! Regular inspections are the best way to ensure that your home is free of elements that may be toxic to your pet. Let’s go room to room and talk about some things that could be harmful to your pet. Kitchen The kitchen is one of the most important rooms when it comes to poison prevention. People often make the mistake of assuming that certain table foods are safe for their pet, but this is a dangerous way of thinking. The following foods have been shown to be potentially harmful to pets – Chocolate – especially dark chocolate, coffee, caffeine Raisons and grapes Yeast dough Macadamia nuts Raw or undercooked meat Table salt Garlic, onion and chives Avocado These are just some of the most common foods that can be hazardous to your pet. Consult with your veterinarian before sharing any table food with

After all, “Every Dog Will Have His Day” and this year, it’s August 26. National Dog Day is an opportunity to celebrate dogs of all types. Of course, we think every day is an opportunity to celebrate our canine friends so this just makes it extra special. August 26 is a Friday and a summer Friday afternoon seems perfect for a Yappy Hour either at your home or an area restaurant. If your pooch is the social type, you can invite a couple of dog loving pals to meet you at a nearby pet-friendly patio for appetizers and a drink. Everyone loves a massage. Why not give your dog one. Start around the shoulders and gently massage in circular motions, then move down to the hips. This is especially good if your dog is feeling stiff joints due to arthritis. Like people massage, there is a bit of an art to it and some veterinarians and pet stores offer dog massage trainings on occasion. Find a nearby trail and go for a hike. Your pet will love the opportunity to experience the new scents in the woods. Just be sure to keep Fido leashed so he doesn’t run rampant and check him carefully for ticks afterwards. Your dog may not love being bathed, but everyone feels better clean. When was the last time your dog went to the groomer? If it’s been awhile, why not book an appointment? Your dog

What is DOGust you might ask? If you’ve ever shared your life with a rescue pup, you know you’re not aware of their true birthday.  Sure, you can choose a date at random or use your adoption date as your rescue’s special day. Either options are fine, after all, your pup isn’t likely to have strong opinion either way. But now there’s another option. The North Shore Animal League  – the oldest no-kill shelter in the country, declared Aug 1 as DOGust, the universal birthday of shelter dogs everywhere. Which means, if your rescue doesn’t have a birthday already, why not choose August 1? 3 Ways to Celebrate DOGust 1—Adoption – Adopting a new pup is the ultimate celebration, but we know that’s not always possible. So in lieu of adopting, you can donate money and/or share available pets via your social media feeds. You may be able to help someone ELSE find the furry love of his or her life! 2—Pawty – You can choose to host a doggie birthday party with your dog loving friends in a fenced in yard. Since it is August and hot across most of the country, water games are appropriate. Kiddie pools filled with cool water, sprinklers and some DIY frozen treats will help ensure the pups don’t get too hot! Play dates are great for sending everyone home with tired and happy dogs. 3—Share — Share your pet rescue photos on Facebook

We all want to have a cat that interacts well with other people and pets, right? Socialization is the key to achieving this, and the first four to sixteen weeks of a cat’s life are critical for behavioral and social development. It is important to have a plan for socializing your kitten immediately upon bringing them into your home. Let’s talk about how you can properly socialize your new kitten. When your kitten first arrives home with you, remember it can all be a bit overwhelming for her. Start by taking her to a quiet place and show her where her bowls and litter boxes are. Give her lots of love and attention – pet her gently and talk to her in a soft, calming voice. Take the time to reassure your kitten that she is in a safe and loving place. It is important to socialize your kitten with other people as early as possible so that she becomes comfortable around others at an early age. However, make sure that playtimes and meetings are kept short, so your kitten can get plenty of rest. Playtime with Kids – If you have children, they are naturally going to be overly excited about the arrival of a new kitten. It is your job to teach them how to properly interact with the kitten in a careful and safe manner. It is a good idea to schedule supervised playtime for your kids and

If your cat is anything like ours, every day is cat day at your house. Five am? It’s time for canned food, aka, “tuna time”. Sunny day? “Please open the door so I can lounge on the deck.” There’s no doubt our cats are spoiled and we enjoy spoiling them. To keep your whiskered-friends happy and healthy on this special day and every day in between, we recommend treating them with a tasty, nutritious snack like Wellness Kittles. Kittles are under 2 calories each, are grain-free and have addicting tastes. You can even pick up one of three scrumptious new flavors–Duck & Cranberries, Turkey & Cranberries or Whitefish & Cranberries! You might be wondering how National Cat Day started. Since 2005, Founder and cat-vocate Colleen Paige has championed the causes of all cats and designated Oct. 29 as the official day of “All Things Cat,” otherwise known as National Cat Day. Not only is it another excuse to treat your cats, but it’s also an opportunity to help shelter cats find their fur-ever homes. And one of the trendiest new ways to promote cat adoption involves socializing with adoptable cats in a cozy environment– a cat café! For the Cat Obsessed, There is the Cat Café In essence, these are coffee shops where the felines roam. They’ll cozy up to you as you sip a hot beverage. Originally popular across Taiwan and Japan, the first cat café opened August 2014