Paw Chic Dog Boutique is famous for high end, luxury dog products intended to keep your pet safe, healthy and stylish!

Dog canine tips for healthy, happy dogs.

Timi Talks - the column

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For ideas to boost your pet's nutrition, please view our Fresh Food Idea Page.

KIBBLE MYTH...did you know?
Did you know that when a manufacturer describes a dog food as “human grade” that it means nothing more than the facility where the food was made maintains the same sanitary conditions required for human food preparation? It does NOT mean that the food is “human editable” or even a quality that humans can, would or should eat. “Human Grade” food can still contain ingredients deemed not editable and unhealthy for humans, and/or ingredients banned by the FDA for human consumption - including chemicals and other toxins. Pretty sneaky huh?!

Does your Dog need a Sibling Companion?
Have you been wondering whether to get your canine child a sibling or not? One dog vs two? Well after observing behaviors in a variety of breeds over the past 15 years, I say two is better than one...in most cases. [see post: "What makes a Suitable Companion?"]

One of the things I look for when someone is interested in adopting one of my rescues (PawChic Cares Canine Rescue) is whether they have a compatible sibling, or if they are willing to adopt one in the near future. It's not that it's the worst thing in the world to have only one dog in the family, and I do adopt out many to loving homes without another dog's presence but, experience has shown, most are significantly happier with a suitable companion. Of course there are always some "experts" that suggest the human becomes the canine's pack and, therefore s/he doesn't need a like companion. I say - Phewy! While the ENTIRE family (well, maybe not the fish) DO become part of a dog's "pack", they are NOT a substitute for like companionship. [Heck, if Angelina Jolie can take into consideration that Zahara may appreciate a sibling that shares her same heritage - certainly one can see a distinction between human and canine company.] Don't forget - the human "pack" is often away from home leaving a single dog (say it with me) - alone - and one does not make a "pack".

I talk because I care.

Many Blessings~
Timi

Paw Chic dog boutique pawchic

Important Warnings and Tips
Pet Shelter - Proper shelter for your beloved family member is a seasonal topic...(more)
Steps to a Healthy, Happy Pet - 5 Steps to ensuring your pets welfare...(more)
Travel - Choosing air travel can be risky for your pet...(more)
Collar Warning - We cringe at the sight of small dogs being walked by a collar...(more)

Nutrition (diet) Matters
[FYI: a list of Ingredients we avoid is below.]
A well-respected veterinarian once asked me, "Why do you think that the human animal is the only animal that thrives on FRESH food?" Why indeed?! I was brought up like many Americans, influenced by the commercial market and completely brainwashed into thinking that canines ate "dog food" and homo sapiens ate "people food". I was naive to trust that those manufacturing dog food had nutrition and the health of our beloved friends’ best interest in mind - after all most company commercial ads show juicy chunks of beef and glistening vegetables to "satisfy and show love for our four-legged family members". Fast forward to the 2007 PET FOOD RECALL debacle! This unacceptable circumstance sent me on a quest to seek knowledge on proper canine nutrition. What I found sickened me. The quality, or LACK thereof, of the vast majority of commercial foods was staggering. Even more upsetting was the synthetics and chemicals I found that are used to superficially “boost” protein levels, improve the appearance of food and/or other non-essential reasons. I have been known to go through friend's pantries and trash brands like Pedigree and Purina because in my opinion, that is what they are - trash! The facts surrounding the Pet Food Recall are readily available, so PawChic would rather use this space to remind you that, just like the human animal, dogs who receive poor nutrition are likely to suffer from disease (cancer is all too common - kidney disease, urinary tract disease, dental disease, skin and coat and heart disease...), early aging and premature death. This is not only costly to your wallet, but the quality of life for these beautiful souls is greatly diminished - how happy are you when your health is poor or you suffer from chronic pain? So what can one do? Research what the ingredients truly are and find a trusted kibble (click here); Also, incorporate fresh foods into your animals diet. For more information, please refer to PawChic’s Fresh Food Idea Page. For snacks and/or kibble, please visit our Cuisine: Kibble page.

LABEL WARNING: A dog food manufacturer is NOT required to list a preservative or chemical that they themselves did not add. What that means is there could be potential cancer causers such as BHA, BHT, Ethoxiquin (a rubber & lethal herbicide), Propyl Gallate or other chemical preservatives in the dog food because a third party supplied the chemical ingredient, so you’ll never know. Until laws change for the better concerning canine nutrition, what we feed our babes may very well be making them sick and shorting their lives. That is why PawChic will ONLY sell a product that we know to be consistent and trustworthy in all ingredients and quality.

We AVOID...PawChic does not approve!

Disclaimer: No PawChic team member is a veterinarian; nor is any member a canine nutritional expert and therefore we must advise that you consult a trusted professional before making your own decisions. With that said, we are responsible caregivers to our beloved family members and take GREAT care and time in researching and choosing their diet. As noted above, wholesome nutrition is VITAL to your dog’s health so we have composed a list of ingredients that we, personally, avoid at all costs:

Paw chic dog boutique dangerous dog pet food ingredients pawchic

"By-Products": If you see by-product ANYTHING, our personal view is to run! We implore you to check all labels on all consumed food (treats, kibble, wet - all of it)! The AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) defines by-products as - consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice; However, this does not mean all food companies comply with the already ambiguous regulation and the reports of what some "by-products" may include should not be ignored: road kill, dead, diseased, disabled, dying livestock...even deceased (euthanized) dogs and cats which are reported to end up in the rendering vats passing the deadly chemical into pet food. We recommend reading http://www.newstarget.com/012647.html

Menadione: a synthetic form of Vitamin K that has been banned from use in human food and supplements in Europe and by the FDA. Many food manufacturers use derivatives of this synthetic ingredient, and some "hide" Menadione from the name. Please refer to this third party link for what to look for on the label and a more comprehensive explanation (including the dangers): click here. Check back for a petition to sign to hold the FDA and AAFCO accountable for the poor guidelines on what can or can not be used in "pet food". Proactive motion is planned for the future.

BHT, BHA, Ethoxyquin, Propyl Gallate: chemical preservatives - Ethoxyquin is a poison.

Wheat Gluten: In fact, we’re not fond of any gluten. It is a cheap by-product of human food processing and offers no nutritional value to speak of. It merely serves to bind the food together. Wheat and Corn gluten were culprits in the 2007 Pet Food Recall and is often hard to digest in any animal (including me!)

"Poultry": it has been described as an unpredictable ingredient, which can contain any type of fowl, including buzzards, geese and other birds. (In other words, if it’s chicken - it should say chicken!)

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