Many of us like to spoil our furry friends during the holiday season! Whether we get them a new toy, new bed, or whatever makes them the happiest. If you are shopping for your pet and thinking about buying them new treats or food, though, it could be tricky picking out which brand or flavor. To keep your pet the happiest and healthiest, we have put together the following information to help make it easier to find what you are looking for.

First, it is very important to review the label on the treats and food you are considering to check for any unwanted ingredients or facts. In the article Dog Treat bones and the search engines Alternative it is advised to make sure there is meat used since animal proteins are easier to digest than soy or other vegetable proteins. Avoid anything with a rich amount of carbohydrates and/or fiber, since too much of this can cause constipation, bloating and other digestive problems. Try to avoid compressed green bones solely using vegetables since vegetable proteins are high in carbohydrates.

Next, it is recommended by Dog Food Advisor that you check to see if the treat/food says “by-product”. Animal by-products doesn’t necessarily mean the treat or food is good or a bad, but most times this means the product is made with cheaper ingredients. Depending on how you feel about the quality of your dog treats/food, this is something to consider. Then review the label to see if it says generic by-product or named by-product. With generic by-product treats/food, you do not know what source the meat came from. In named by-product treats/food, they do not used high quality products, but are considered acceptable.

When it comes to looking for your pets treats/food, it states in the article The Truth About Animal By-Products in Dog Food, “With the sole exception of precisely identified organ meats, two rules will help you more intelligently navigate the confusing world of meat-based dog food ingredients. First, watch what you spend. Never pay top dollar for any dog food that lists animal by-products on its label. And lastly, never buy any dog food containing anonymous animal by-products sourced from materials a manufacturer refuses to clearly identify.”

The ingredients in the product you choose for your pet is very important, but it is also important to think about the type of treat you are buying. For younger dogs, a firm and hard treat is better since it reduces the plaque build up around their teeth when they chew on it. For older dogs who might have a harder time with those treats, it is better to get them the softer kind to make it easier for them. Do not buy your pet rawhide dog treats, though, in that the material and additives used are harmful to most dogs and may cause some blockages.

With this information, we hope it helps you to find yummy, healthy treats and food for your pets!

References:

https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/

https://www.slideshare.net/geo2460/facts-about-dog-treats

https://www.healthydogtreats.com.au/blog/487-dog-treat-bones-and-the-search-engines-alternative-facts

We had a great week celebrating #GivingTuesday and would like to thank everyone who gave their time and donations to us and so many other wonderful animal rescue organziations! We appreciate all the love and support given individually and the businesses who help make our animal rescue flights possible! Every act of kindness, big or small, makes a difference. When everyone gets together for an important cause, there can be amazing results, like the results we received during our Five-Year Anniversary fundraiser.

On August 2^nd, we announced we’ve been operational for five years. To celebrate, we started a fundraising campaign to save 1,000 more animal lives this year. Originally, our goal was to raise $25,000, but with everyone’s donations, large and small, we received a total of $31,280. With the funds and everyone’s support, we were able to save more abandoned animals this year and have been able to save a total of 8,037 lives in the last five years!

Giving Tuesday was influential for us and we appreciate the support given so we can continue to fly more animals to safety, but another day celebrated this week was National Mutt Day. It is a day where we get to celebrate mixed breed dogs and help save them from homelessness. Even though it isn’t National Mutt Day anymore, we encourage everyone to visit their local shelter and consider adopting an adorable mutt.

Adoption Update:

“My Sweet Piper cabe by way of the Dog Is My CoPilot to Montana and I’m so glad she did! We were destined to find each other. We adopted three rescue dogs from the Humane Society of Western Montana. Two lab mixes, Timber and Derby. One miniature pinscher mix, Piper, who came via DIMCP!”

Thank you- Chelsea Argo & Family