Have you ever looked at the ingredients in a commercial dog food and thought, "How can this be healthy?" A pet food must prove it can provide all the nutrients needed by the dog before it is sold. So before your dog takes another bite, read these tips on how to find the healthiest food for your pooch.

1. The best ratios for a healthy dog's diet are about 40% meat, 50% veggies, and only about 10% grain or other carbohydrate. Ensure that meat protein sources are high in the ingredient list. You could look for three of the first five ingredients listed on the label as a form of protein such as chicken, lamb, venison. Look for foods that exclude corn, cornmeal, and wheat, due to concerns about potential allergens. Grains can be a long-term source of energy and energy storage for dogs, but they can also be used as a cheap filler in order to boost the food's protein percentage. Watch out! Any grain you feed your dog should be used in whole form so that it supplies more fiber, vitamins and minerals.
2. Be aware that while preservatives may be necessary to keep the food edible, preservatives do not have to be artificial chemicals that might be cancer-causing agents. Avoid pet foods that use chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin. Vitamin E & vitamin C are great preservatives that are much better for your dog.
3. Choose Premium Brand dog foods instead of Economy Brand dog foods. The cheapest ingredients are rarely the healthiest ones.
4. Some may consider this rule of thumb: If you wouldn't eat it, your dog probably shouldn't eat it either. (Think animal fat and added salt or sugar.) Don't assume that your dog should eat what humans eat. "People food" such as chocolate, grapes, raisins and onions are TOXIC for your dog.

· * A good way to see if your dog's diet is suitable is to check how it comes out the other end. No, you don't have to get too close to it, but as you pick it up in your poop scoop or baggie, check it for consistency and general appearance. A healthy dog's output should be firm and without any traces of blood or mucus.
· * When changing your dog's food it is important to switch gradually, as it is easier on the dogs digestive system, and reactions to the new food will generally be less severe. It is recommended that you gradually increase the amount of new food in the following sequence: 70% old food to 30% new food for a couple days, then 50/50 for a couple days, and by a week or two you should be totally on the new food. Even a 4-day transition can help avoid digestive upsets.
· * Sometimes you can't afford the very best for your pets, so it comes down to trying to find the best that fits your budget. Use what you've learned about ingredient labels to make the best decision.

Below is a rating system for pet foods that may be helpful in showing you where your current brand lays and what are considered quality ingredients. We are not surprised to see that the brands that we carry rated highest on this grading because we are very careful about the foods that we offer our clients to ensure optimum health and wellness for your pet. Not surprising to see Science Diet, Purina, Iams and Eukanuba at the bottom. Don't be fooled by advertising that you see on T.V. Quality food companies put their money into quality ingredients for your pet, not in mass advertising. And when you see the big name brands introducing "new and improved natural formulas" don't be fooled into believing that a lack of artificial ingredients means the rest of the food is good quality. Corn is natural, but you won't ever find it in our pet foods here because it is merely a cheap source of protein many companies use instead of meat, yet can cause a host of problems in your pet, being a high sugar carb.

How to grade your pet's food:
Start with a grade of 100
1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points
2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat -not actual protein source stated such as chicken, lamb, turkey etc) reference, subtract 10 points
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points for each
4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points
5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (I.e. "ground brown rice", "brewers rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
6) If the meat protein sources are not in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
7) If it contains any artificial colorants or preservatives, subtract 3 points for each
8 ) If it contains corn (ground corn, corn gluten, whole grain corn etc) subtract 3points
9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
10) If the food contains any added animal fat other than fish or flaxseed oil, subtract 2 points
11) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
13) If it contains wheat or a component of wheat such as gluten, subtract 3 points
14) If it contains "digest" subtract 5 points
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
2) If the protein source is meal vs meat, add 5 points
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
4) If the food contains probiotics or prebiotics, add 3 points
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points (these may be hard to determine as many manufacturers of natural holistic food use these products without actually printing the information on the bag)
8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2points
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
14) If the vegetables are pesticide-free, add 1 point

Score:
100+ = A+ 94-100=A 86-93 = B 76-85 = C 75 or lower= Failed

Following are some foods that have already been scored :

ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
Eagle Pack Holistic / Score 119 A+
Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken / Score 114 A+
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Puppy / Score 94 A
Eagle Pack Natural / Score 94 A
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult / Score 83 C
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Flint River Ranch / Score 92 B (non-specific fat source)
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 A
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Iams Large Breed / Score 83 C
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
Kirkland Signature Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetable / Score 108 A+
Natural Balance Duck and Potato / Score 114 A+
Nature's Select Chicken & Rice Puppy Growth Premium / Score 96 A
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Chicken, Rice, & Oatmeal / Score 85 C (non-specific fat source)
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural choice Lamb and Rice / Score 85 C
Ol Roy / Score 9 F
Pedigree Complete Nutrition / Score 42 F
Pedigree Adult Complete / Score 14 F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Pro Plan All Breed / Score 68 F
Pro Plan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+
Purina Benful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Dachshund 28 Formula / Score 97 A
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet chicken adult maintenance / Score 45 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Solid Gold Bison / Score 123 A+
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison / Score 136 A+
Wellness Just for Puppy / Score 117 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

Glossary

Animal Digest: This is the dry by-product of rendered meat. During rendering, all usable animal parts (including fetal tissues and glandular wastes) are heated in vats and the liquid is separated from the dry meal. This meal is covered with charcoal and labeled "unfit for human consumption" before processing it into pet food. Digest can also include intestines, as well as the contents of those intestines, such as stool, bile, parasites and chemicals.
Animal Fat and Tallow: Animal fat is a "generic" fat source that is most often made up of rendered animal fat, rancid restaurant grease or other oils that are deemed inedible for humans. Tallow is low quality hard white fat that most animals find hard to digest, not to mention the cardiac risks resulting.
Chemical Preservatives: Chemical preservatives include BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytolulene), propyl gallate, propylene glycol (also used in automotive antifreeze and is suspected of causing red blood cell damage) and ethoxquin , are all potentially cancer causing agents that your pets are eating every day.
Chicken By-products: These are ground parts from poultry carcasses such as feet, heads, feathers, intestines, necks and undeveloped eggs and can included any rendered material.
Corn Products: Corn products including corn meal, gluten and grits are cheap, allergy causing fillers and are very difficult for animals to digest.
Food Fragments: Lower end by-products of the food manufacturing process, examples include wheat bran and brewers rice which are a waste product of the alcohol industry.
Ground Whole Grain Sorghum: The feed value of grain sorghum is similar to corn and is grown primarily as a feed grain for livestock.
Meat and Bone Meal: "Meat" and bone meal are inexpensive sources of animal protein. Note that these companies do not clarify the source of "meat", nor are they human-grade meat. The protein in Meat meal containing a large amount of processed bone may not be digestible and fail to provide adequate nutrition.
Meat Based: A label that say "meat based" may also include blood vessels, tendons, organs and other parts of the rendered animal. Note again that these companies do not clarify the source of "meat", nor are they human-grade meat products.
Meat By-products: Pet grade meat by-products consist of organs and parts not desired or not fit for human consumption. This can include organs, bones, blood and fatty tissue. It can also include brains, feet, heads, intestines and any other internal parts. Unbelievably, by-products can also contain cancerous or diseased tissue containing parasites, euthanized animals,

Well the hot and humid summer is really getting to my dogs and me. The late night walks keep getting later and later as we wait for the heat to subside so we can take our evening constitution. They have been a little more itchy lately, but I don't see fleas. If this is happening to your dogs too maybe you can try what I have to give them a little more comfort. I have been bathing them weekly in a very mild hypoaloegenic shampoo and using cooler water and then skipping the blow dry. Or at least just blowing off the worst of the water and letting the rest just air dry. I have been making sure to keep their nails short so if they do start scratching that they are not digging into themselves too badly. I have also been cleaning their ears every time they get a bath. This kind of weather seems to breed bacteria and a small ear irritation can turn into a full-blown ear infection is just a couple days.

Make sure that you protect your dog from fleas and other parasites still. I have some customers that bought the 3 month pack in June and think that would get them through all summer. Well it seams like the fleas have been really bad this year. We always wash every dog twice when they come in for grooming and at least one of the washes is always a flea bath. I have noticed a lot of dogs with fleas. Even the indoor dogs!

Just because the kids are back in school doesn't mean summer is over. Keep your dog comfortable in this hot weather and remember regular grooming can help.

I am sure you all felt the earthquake the other day. I know I did. I was in the middle of blowing a dog dry. The poor little thing jumped up in my arms. He was way more scared of the earthquake than the blow dryer. That's pretty scary! I know most of you, if you have lived in California for any length of time, have a disaster kit for your family. How you included the dogs or other pets?

It is vital that your pet be properly identified. This is especially important in time of an earthquake or other natural disaster when pets become frightened and run away. Be sure your pet has a collar, tag and micro ID implants. Keep pets in control so they won't bolt and run away. Keep leashes or harnesses handy. Have bottled water, dry food and/or canned food ready. If your pet needs medication, be sure you have an extra supply on hand. If you have a first aid kit, look to see what also might be handy to treat your pet in case of injury. And you might also want to purchase a pet first aid book as a reference guide in case of earthquake or other emergency. Watch to see that your pet avoids contaminated water or items such as spilled anti-freeze. And watch out for frayed or downed electrical lines. It is a good idea to have booties to put on your dog if there is a lot of debris and broken glass. If you must evacuate your home and have to leave your pets behind, put a note (display it prominently) letting rescuers know how many pets you have. It will be easier for you to reunite. I have also suggested for people to put an out of state contact on the dog's identification tag. If there is a big enough disaster, you may not have a home for them to contact you.

We love our pets so prepare for emergencies just as you would any other member of your family.

It is hot out there and I make an ice treat for my dogs that they really love, and it is simple. Take a large plastic container. I buy butter from Costco so I use an old one of those for my mold. I take my dogs favorite things like carrots, dog biscuits, tennis balls and other toys and layer them in the container. I will put a layer of carrots and then a layer of ice cubes, then a layer of biscuits and then a layer of ice cubes and so forth until I get to the top. The layers of ice cubes between the layers helps hold everything in the layers. Fill with water and freeze over night. In the afternoon when it is hot we will all go outside so they can have a lick of the Pup-cicle. As they lick and the Pup-cicle melts they have a nice cool treat. It is fun and easy and your dog will love it!

I also make a yogurt treat too! Take a large tub of plain yogurt, a cup of peanut butter and a 1/4 cup of honey. Mix well and fill into ice cube trays. Freeze and now you have little one ounce frozen yogurts for your dog!

You know the old saying, "If your dog is overweight, you are not getting enough exercise"! I think this is very true. With people getting more and more obese, so are their pets. It is very important that your dog gets enough exercise. Now I know a lot of you are saying "I have a big backyard. The dog has plenty of room to go run around." Well, I have a gym membership, but I don't think I have been in well over 6 months. Just because the dog has the opportunity to use the Big Backyard, I doubt he does. The walk is also more than a walk. It is an opportunity to bond with your dog. It also allows you to run as a "pack". That is what dogs do in the wild. The leader is leading and everyone knows there place in the pack. So when you walk your dog it is important that they walk beside you and not take you for a walk.

Just because you have a big backyard doesn't mean you shouldn't walk your dog.

Just because you have a pool doesn't mean you shouldn't wash your dog.

Just because you love puppies doesn't mean you shouldn't spay or neuter your dog.

Just because you like your dog fluffy doesn't mean you shouldn't brush it regularly.

Love your dog and you will be loved back, I promise!

It is that time of year when dogs are losing their winter coat and getting there summer coat. The first little heat spell and it is coming out all over. To help minimize the shedding the best weapon depends on the type of coat your dog has. For the small dogs that are on the fluffier side I like to use a slicker brush and then go over them with a fine tooth comb. For very short haired dog like Boxers, Dobermans or Bulldogs I suggest a shed blade and a Kong Zoom Groom . For dogs with a little more hair like Labs, Shepherds, and Akitas I would suggest using an undercoat rake and then Kong Zoom Groom to get the topcoat. For the long and thick coats of a Chow Chow, Golden Retriever or Australian Shepherd I use the same tools listed above but like to add a coat breaker to the heavy areas. I have also had great success with the Furminator. It usually works best on a clean dry coat. If you came into the Paw Spa we could show you the right tools and even let you try them out. Happy brushing!!!!

Did you know that your dogs and cats need to have their teeth cleaned? Not only does it help with bad breath but it can also help them to live longer healthier lives. Periodontal (gum) disease is one of the most common conditions seen in pets today. The problem begins when plaque and tartar are allowed to build up on your pet's teeth. Plaque harbors the bacteria, which can infect gum tissue and the roots of teeth resulting in disease and tooth loss. Besides the negative impact on the oral health, bacteria can enter the blood stream through the large blood vessels located near the gums and teeth. At this stage, the organs with the highest blood flow are most susceptible to infections: lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and even the brain. Damage to these organs caused by infection can shorten the lives of our pets. It is not necessary for (most) pets to have anesthesia in order to do the teeth cleaning. But, it should always be done under a veterinarian's supervision. Make sure you ask questions before you have this or any procedure preformed on you pet. At The Paw Spa, when we offer anesthesia-free doggie dental, the vet will examine your pet before and after, to insure everything is being done and that you are informed. He will answer any questions you may have. We strive to make all parts of your pet beautiful and clean.

I know that washing your dog seams like such a big chore, but it shouldn't have to be. It is recommended that most dogs be washed every 4-6 weeks. I have a little Yorkie guy that seams to need it at least once a week. As long as you use a mild dog shampoo it is okay to do this. At The Paw Spa, you can bring in your dog on a leash and we can provide everything else. Along with the professional tubs that have warm water, we give you the proper brushes and other tools you will need to get your dog clean. We offer a variety of all natural shampoos and conditions and we gladly offer our help. We even have you give your dog a blueberry facial. I know that most people are afraid of washing their dogs face for fear of getting soap in their eyes. But, Southbark's Blueberry facial is a soap free wash that is gentle on the eyes and has a great scent. When you are all done with the rubbin and scrubbin, it is very important that you rinse very well. Any shampoo left can make the dog dry and itchy. Next you can towel dry your dog, clean the ears and cut the nails. If you are too afraid to cut the nails we will gladly do it for a small fee. It is important that the dog's nails be trimmed on a monthly basis. Now it is time for the blow dryer. Most dogs need a little coaxing and a lot of patience. Go slow and avoid the face. We even give you a big selection of doggie colognes to choose from. If you don't think you can handle all of this, we do offer full service where we will do all the above plus more. I have a really cute blonde groomer that is one of the best groomers in town!

It is that time of year again. Your dog is itching and scratching, biting and chewing. Is it just the change in weather? Or, is it something worse? Flea season is here. As the weather warms up you can expect to see these little insects on you pets. With the rainy weather we had you can expect ticks as well.

We will treat the dog with a nice flea bath first to kill all of the live fleas on the dog and suggest a good once a month spot on treatment like Frontline Plus or Advantage. Both of these work to kill the fleas in all stages of life. Killing 100% of adult fleas on your pet within 18 hours and 100% of all ticks within 48 hours, Frontline Plus contains an insect growth regulator, S-methoprene, which kills flea eggs and larvae. Advantage works in the same way but it only kills fleas and not ticks. I am not a big fan of flea collars. They are a pesticide collar that is worn around your pets neck. You need to make sure that wash your hands after you touch your pet. There are also oral medications that help control fleas, ticks and worms that can be given on a monthly basis. Your dog must be tested for heartworms before starting any medication that kills heartworms.

Discuss these options with your vet or dog care professional and they can help you choose which one will be best for you.

I love my dogs! They bring me much joy and happiness. They are also a lot of work. When I got a dog, I knew about the feeding and need for an occasional vet visit, but what I have learned in the last 15 years has been a lot.

Growing up we had a few dogs. You know, the kind that are back yard ornaments. You throw food out once a day and maybe yell at through the open window to shut up and stop barking. We had a big back yard for him to run around in and he was very hard to walk on the leash, so we just left him back there and we thought he was just fine. We could never figure out why he always ran away. He ran away one to many times and my parents never went to find him.

A few years later we got another dog. This time it was a little guy that got to stay in the house. We were a little older and wiser and took the time to housebreak the dog. This is the dog that got me started on my love of dogs. You know the one that was so smart, even without formal training. He slept with us and let us dress him in doll clothes and was always by our sides. We fed him people food and gains burgers and thought that that was okay because he seamed to like it. He too liked to run away from time to time. Our neighbor told us that if we got him "fixed" (neutered), that he would probably not do that anymore. We didn't know he was broken, but sure enough it worked. We always wondered why the puppies in the neighborhood looked like Rocky. He was a great dog and died of old age peacefully in his sleep.

The pain of Rocky's death was too much to take. I took a few years off and tried having all kinds of other pets, cats, ferrets, fish, lizards, snakes and birds. None of these animals could compare to having a dog. But now I know there is a difference in having a dog and a dog having you. Now that I look back I can see what terrible pet owners we were to the first dog and in some ways to Rocky too. A dog is not something to own and just throw in the back yard and hope for the best. A dog is not your garbage disposal for your unwanted food. It deserves to have a decent life.

When you decide to have a dog, you owe it not only to the dog, but to yourself to get a dog that fits your life and lifestyle, give it proper medical care, the right food, training and attention. These are just the minimum requirements. With just a little work you can have a great dog that you will enjoy of many years and who will love you back unconditionally.