Nearly EVERY dog that finds its way into rescue is usually a result of their being out of control or having bad habits that no one knows what to do about and will not put up with anymore... sadly enough, in alot of cases it's due to lack of the right training.
But over the years, (16 yrs. of rescue) I have discovered that what dogs EAT has more effect on them than you might think ... a GREAT dog food can make all the difference in a dog's behavior.
Rescuing dogs, my goal is for them to be the very best they can be going into their new homes. Behavior is my primary focus. Searching, I discovered the food that will give me a clear-headed dog that has the ability to think and listen consistently. THAT is so very important.
How did I discover the benefits of this awesome dog food? Please read the info below.
Back in 1992 I adopted my old pal, Buddy, the sweetest, most handsome purebred APBT you would ever meet. At 8 weeks old, he had been severely abused by the "buyer" and found his way to the IHS, where he also found ME. :) He was also the beginning of my journey discovering the "pitfalls" and "potholes" of the overwhelming world of dog food.
In the beginning of our life together, I really knew nothing about dog food and I fed him whatever... you know how it is... EVERYONE has a favorite to tell you about ... but at about 5 mos. of age, I started noticing a rash on his belly. Since it was mid-winter, I assumed that it had to be food allergies. Boy, was I right!!! After trying several brands and failing to improve the situation, I had his blood tested and found that he was allergic to EVERYTHING!!!
Beef, lamb, pork, soybean, corn, wheat, milk, egg product... and the list went on and on. :( Even dried leaves, cut grass, and perfumes (as in dog shampoos). WOW!! Now I was scared!! What was I going to feed this dog??!!
I started cooking for the little stinker... chicken, rice and a few veggies, but boy, what alot of work!!! So I decided to study and research to find out what is in dog food and what purpose each ingredient served! I'll make this otherwise very long story a bit shorter ... what I discovered was that a good protein, a good grain, a quality oil, and of course, the nutritional support of high quality vitamins and minerals are all your dog really needs. The rest are ... surprise!!... FILLERS and FLUFF!! :(
So I began MY search for a dog food that Buddy could eat with only Chicken and Rice ... I found it!! He blossomed!! He felt 100% better and started acting 100% better. :)
As a result of seeing Buddy's awesome changes, over the years as I took in foster dogs (most of them given up because they were ill-behaved and too "hyper"), I put each of them on this new diet, too. I noticed SUCH a reduction in hyperactivity in these dogs that I started logging the symptoms and results. The syptoms I saw most often are listed below:
1) Hyperactivity 2) Dilated pupils 3) Loose and/or abundant stool 4) Inattentiveness 5) Excessive difficulty in training 6) Anxiety (often called "seperation anxiety") 7) Irritablity (dog or people aggression) 8) Redness and loss of hair around eyes, rear end, etc... 9) Excessive barking, whining, panting and/or licking
There are so many more that I could list, but these were and still are the most common and most noticeable. I cannot tell you how many of these foster dogs I have been able to turn around with a simple change to this dog food.
In addition to the unneccessary ingredients you may find as you look at your current dog food, **BEWARE** of chemicals (yes, chemicals) used as preservatives listed as BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin ... while they may have been tested not to harm your dog "physically", they do a number on them mentally and behaviorally!! Pumping these chemicals into your dog's system at every meal is like having a "dog on drugs"!! :(
Your dog's food SHOULD be preserved with "mixed tocopherols", which are derivatives of Vitamin E and/or Vitamin C.
Also, beware of the 'hot' grains... corn, barley and wheat! Most dogs cannot even come CLOSE to using the amount of energy that these grains produce in their systems... the result? Hyperness!! But those grains are CHEAP and that's why companies put them in the food.
I can make the chore of finding the right food easy for you!! If you would like to feed the best dog you can possibly feed... and have the best dog you can possibly have... from the inside out... email me and I'll let you in on this incredible secret!! And you will actually GET what you pay for!!
Oh, and Buddy? I lost him after 10 1/2 years to a worn out heart. I miss him so. :( But until the last, he was slick, shiny, and happy!! He had been on the Reduced Calorie Chicken formula for his last 7 years, which is also a testament to its nutritional excellence!!
Let's get together and determine which formula will work the very best for your dog. He will thank you for it!! :)
Note: Oh, and in case I forget to tell you, save the UPC codes off the backs of the bags ... 10 of them will get you a free bag!! :)