Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

Correctly feeding your canine companion is an integral part of pet ownership. A proper diet gives your dog the energy they need to live their best life and supports the five signs of wellbeing. However, figuring out how much to feed your pet can be confusing. There are many types of food out there, and dogs vary so much in their individual needs. Read on for some tips to help you navigate this challenge and determine what is appropriate for your beloved pet. Firstly, you will need to start by choosing a food that is designed for your dog’s individual needs. You can find foods specific to your dog’s age, size, weight, allergens, and other such requirements. Pick a quality brand with excellent ingredients. For more guidance on choosing a food, see our article on choosing the best dry food for your dog. Quality foods include label guidelines that have feeding recommendations. This is a great place to start. The guidelines should have different suggestions for various ages and sizes of dogs. The guide may suggest a total amount for daily feeding or an amount to feed per feeding. While these guidelines are a great place to start, it is important to remember that they are a starting point. Every dog is a unique individual. If you notice your pet is gaining weight on the recommended feeding, try reducing the amount fed by 10%. If you see the opposite effect

As pet parents, we all want our cats and dogs to have the best possible nutrition to help them thrive. When fed appropriately, a dog and cat food topper can be a fun way to supplement your pet’s nutrition and give them a variety of flavors and textures to enjoy. But what are toppers, and how can you use them to help supercharge your pet’s kibble? Dog and cat food toppers are additional foods you can add to your pet’s regular diet to enhance its appeal and nutritional value. While complete and balanced offerings are available such as Wellness Bowl Boosters Simply Shreds®, toppers are predominately designed to be a complement to your pet’s main meal rather than a replacement of their meal. A topper can be anything from fresh or frozen meats, vegetables, fruits, or even shelf-stable commercial products. They are also available in a variety of flavors and textures to satisfy the preferences of your dog or cat. Food toppers for dogs and cats can offer several benefits. Adding a topper to your pet’s diet can increase their appetite and make mealtimes more enjoyable for you both! The best dog food toppers, like Wellness Bowl Boosters for dogs, and the best cat food toppers, like Wellness Bowl Boosters for cats, are made with real, healthy ingredients that promote complete and balanced nutrition. This leads to whole health benefits for your cat or dog including a health skin and

Our dogs provide us with endless hours of entertainment, companionship, and love, and ask for very little in return. So, when we see them struggle with allergies, whether in the form of regular gut upset, or we hear them scratching themselves raw all night long, it’s no wonder we want to do anything to help them feel more comfortable in their own bodies. Providing proper allergy support for your dog plays an important role in keeping them comfortable. It is always recommended to discuss any health concerns you have with your veterinarian and pets’ health care team to ensure you are addressing any problems appropriately. The first things to consider are the underlying causes of allergy. The main causes are contact allergies, insect allergies, environmental allergies (also known as ‘atopy’), and food allergies. Contact allergies arise from just that – skin contact with an allergen. Although rare in dogs, the irritant could be something like a laundry detergent that was used on the dog’s bedding, a floor polish that they laid on, or a shampoo or topical spray used on their fur or directly on the skin. Environmental allergies can be seasonal or non-seasonal and can be a reaction to tree pollen, grasses, dust, dander, or food storage mites, as examples. Insect related allergies are ones like a flea bite allergy or even an allergic reaction to a mosquito or fly bite. Food allergic dermatitis occurs when a food allergen

Cats do nap a lot. But extended napping could be sheer boredom. Contrary to the assertion that they are aloof and independent, cats do like to engage with their favorite people. Here are some quick fixes to offer your kitty both mental and physical stimulation and, at the same time, boost your quality time together. Believe it or not, felines will work for praise and tasty rewards. Consequently, clicker training works well with cats. Hold a treat low above her head, just far back enough so that in order to reach it, she has to sit. Say “sit” as you are performing this action and offer lots of praise when she does. And, of course, give the treat! Teaching her to sit on command is a plus to get her to wait patiently for her food bowl instead of winding around your legs and getting underfoot. That way, you are actually spending quality time together at mealtimes. Cats are fast learners and repetition will soon have her sitting on command without the treat. Once she’s sitting on command, you can move on to this simple trick that will certainly impress. To teach the high five “slap,” wiggle your fingers and move your hand in front of her paw on the ground. When she pats your fingers with her paw, click and treat. When she’s consistently patting your moving fingers, slowly raise your hand off the ground until its up in

Dry dog food is formulated with all the nutrients your dog needs to thrive, but this doesn’t mean your pup’s meals have to be boring. So, what can be mixed with dry dog food, and can you mix wet and dry dog food? It turns out there are many ways you can jazz up kibble, including with wet dog food! Since dry dog food has a longer shelf-life, you can add a boost of freshness to your dog’s meal with Wellness Bowl Boosters Tender Toppers® products. These mixers can be used as a topper or a full meal since animal nutritionists and veterinarians scientifically craft each recipe to meet your pup’s nutritional needs. Every ingredient is picked at peak ripeness and then frozen to seal away the freshness until mealtime. Other mixers and toppers include freeze-dried meat with no other ingredients, delicious pates, and even shredded meat stews! As you can see from the list below, mixers and toppers are varied in texture and ingredients. You’re sure to find something pawfect for your pup. CORE Bowl Boosters Digestive Health CORE 95% 95% Beef with Carrots CORE Simply Shred Mixer or Topper Tuna, Beef & Carrots Just like dog food, there are two types of toppers and mixers: dry and wet. Canned wet food – Canning is another way to preserve nutrients in food, and canned toppers, such as CORE 95% Chicken with Broccoli, provides all the nutrients your dog needs

If you recently adopted a large breed puppy, get ready for a wonderful rollercoaster fun ride as your rambunctious new family member discovers different things with boundless energy and delight. In terms of nutrition, puppyhood is an important life stage to ensure the puppy grows up to be a healthy and happy adult dog. And the best way to give him a great start in life is with a diet that specifically addresses large-breed puppies. Although there is some minor variation, most veterinarians and pet nutritionists consider a puppy a large breed if they’ll be 55-100 lbs when fully grown. If a puppy will weigh over 100 lbs when fully grown they are considered a giant breed (think Great Danes and Newfoundlands). The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines a large breed dog as any dog that weighs over 70 lbs when fully grown. The main difference is that large breed puppy food has less calories as compared to regular puppy food to support their slower growing large breed needs. This is because larger breeds are not considered adult dogs until they are 18-24 months old, explains pet nutritionist Mark Finke, PhD. “The goal of their slower growth is to allow the connective tissue, muscle and bones to grow in proportion with the rest of the puppy.” Finke cautions that “puppy fat” is a misnomer. “Puppy fat is not always cute because in terms of your puppy’s overall health,

Puppies grow quickly, building muscles and bones, developing organs and strengthening vital systems such as their immunity and brain function. During this physical development they are facing important first-time encounters with food and experiences. With so much going on, it’s not uncommon for a new pup to occasionally get a mild upset tummy. Signs of a sensitive stomach in a puppy can include indigestion, diarrhea or loose stools, constipation, excessive gassiness and vomiting. First, ensure there is no serious health issue with your puppy by talking to your veterinarian as signs of digestive upsets can be caused by a variety of things. If everything else is ruled out and your veterinarian agrees there may be a food sensitivity then there are many things you can do to support your puppy’s sensitive stomach, including finding the best puppy food for sensitive stomachs With a new puppy at home, some initial stomach upset can be normal and in fact expected when your pup first comes home. A puppy’s first few days at their new home can be stressful, leading to loose stools for 1-3 days. To help ease them into their new home, it’s best to continue feeding what the breeder or shelter gave you for the first week. Ensure that your pup has plenty of water and rest. Once your pup starts to get settled you can gradually transition them to a new food. I recommend our Wellness Complete Health for Puppies

You already know that protein is essential for your dog wellbeing. But that’s not enough – do you know what kind of protein works best with your pooch and how much protein you should feed him? Let’s break down all of these questions and take a good look at choosing the right protein for you dog. Every day, your dog needs 1 gram of protein per pound of his ideal body weight. What does that mean? Let’s just say that you have a 40-pound dog (which happens to be his ideal body weight). It would mean that your dog will need 40 grams of protein every day. If your dog is overweight, you’ll still need to calculate his protein calculated at his ideal body weight. That means is your dog is carrying a few pounds at 48 lb., but he should weigh 40 lb., he needs 40 grams of protein each day. Depending on your dog’s age, you’ll be looking for a minimum percentage of 18 to 29 protein in his diet. Adult dogs need 18 to 25 percent protein, while a growing puppy needs more protein – 29 percent (which should provide 20 to 25 percent of his dietary calories). When looking at the label, you should see meat listed as the first ingredient. Here are some common, healthy protein sources: Turkey Chicken Fish (Salmon, Whitefish, etc) Lamb/Mutton Duck Venison Beef Rabbit If your dog has allergies, it is

With so many pet food brands, recipes and flavors available, selecting the best dry dog food is tough. One feature that many pet parents have historically used is by determining if a product is a grain free or non grain free dog food. But, what does that mean for the health and wellbeing of dogs? Is one better than the other? Are all grain-free diets the same?  And can a pet parent expect significant differences by feeding one over the other? Before we start, let us get clear on the bigger picture as to what both grain and grain-free ingredients are, carbohydrates.  As a macronutrient, the starch in carbohydrates is a vital source of energy to fuel dogs’ activities. Carbohydrates are a rich source of fiber that support dogs’ digestive health. Carbohydrates nourish good intestinal bacteria and include essential nutrients like protein and key vitamins and minerals. As with most foods, the quality of the carbohydrate ingredient is paramount to its nutritional value. Higher quality ingredients deliver an abundance of nutrition especially when compared with over processed carbohydrates such as flour. Within carbohydrates, different ingredient sources are classified by sub-groups including grains/cereals, legumes and tubers which can also be split into a larger group of grains (cereals) and grain free (everything else but cereals). Grained recipes: can include common cereal sources like wheat, corn, barley, oatmeal, rye and rice. Grain free recipes: include other carbohydrate sources like potato, sweet potato

You want to feed your new pup the best possible diet. But what is the best, most nutritious and scientifically proven diet for puppies that ensures growth and optimal health? When compared to adult dog, puppies need tailored nutrition for growth. What does that mean exactly? I asked an expert – Wellness Pet Food Veterinarian, Dr. Danielle Bernal – what you need to do to ensure that you choose the best food for puppies. Just like you would with food you’re purchasing for your meals, the same goes for puppy food – always check the label. When you’re shopping for food, Bernal says to look for the following on the label: Breed size specification: Nutrition varies for the breed size of the pup (small, medium and large), so a brand that caters to each size needs is key to making sure the bowl is customized for every pup. Made and scientifically proven to support puppies: so you know it is formulated for growth and not maintenance, because an adult has different nutritional needs. Total body health nutrition: while puppy recipes are formulated to support healthy growth and development you want to ensure that their nutrition also enables them to look and feel at their very best by supporting their 5 signs of wellbeing: healthy skin and coat, optimal digestion, healthy energy, immune health and healthy teeth and bones. Quality of the ingredients: You want fresh meat first and concentrated meat meals,

When you go into a pet supply store to look for dog food, you often see the words “kibble” on the packaging, but what is kibble? Simply put, kibble is dog food, specifically dry dog food. Quality kibble is crafted to contain all the vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients your dog needs to thrive. And as a dog’s nutritional needs changes, their food must change with them. So, let’s take a closer look at what kibble is made of and how you should be feeding kibble to your pup. Kibble is made from ingredients, such as meat, vegetables, legumes, grains, and nutritional supplementation. Regardless of the top ingredients or flavor on the packaging, all quality kibble is formulated and balanced to meet your pup’s nutritional needs. For example, the Complete Health Lamb & Barley dry food contains high-quality protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are needed for optimal adult health. Quality kibble is formulated to meet a dog’s nutritional requirements, tailored to their breed size, life stage and activity. Delivering the key nutrients that support health and energy, premium brands of kibble also go that step further with added health benefits like probiotics and prebiotics for digestive health, glucosamine & chondroitin for joint health and omega fatty acids for that lustrous skin and coat. These extra enhancements support the total health of our pets so they not only look great but feel great too. How can you find a high-quality kibble?

From soft pâtés to gravy-laden chunks of meat, canned cat food has a particularly delectable appeal for most felines. It’s the literal cat’s meow! Canned cat food is extremely palatable, and the premium texture of the food provides your cat with a scrumptious mealtime experience. A variety of flavors allows you to provide your cat with new meal options throughout the week. If your cat loves lapping up a bowl of canned cat food, you might even find your adorable feline begging for more when mealtime is done, which leads to the question: How many cans of wet cat food per day is the right amount? It’s not always clear since, with the high moisture content of canned cat food, you’ll need to feed your cat more wet food than you would dry kibble. How many cans of cat food per day you feed your cat has a lot to do with the food you choose, as well as the size and age of your cat. Let’s take a look at how many cans of wet cat food is the right amount to contribute to a healthy, happy cat. As you consider how many cans of cat food to feed your cat in a day, it can be helpful to begin by understanding how many calories are in a can of cat food. While the total number of calories in a single can of cat food will vary based on