Ty Brown asked:


We are now many months removed from the dog food recall. For those that don’t remember or just weren’t checking the news, the dog food recall was where several different brands of dog food were recalled due to impurities in the food that were causing dogs and cats to get sick and/or die. These foods were coming from some of the biggest names in dog food. Dog owners around the world were running scared as they realized that they had been taken by large corporations who weren’t held to high food processing standards. To this day I often get asked by my clients what type of dog food I recommend. Many of my clients have dogs who suffer from allergies, eat their own stool, shed excessively, poop excessively, and have all sorts of other issues related to poor quality pet foods.

It was around that time that I started searching for the right pet food so that I would have an answer when my client asks, “What should I feed my dog.” My criteria for choosing the right food was the following in no particular order:

1. Quality- I love my dogs.

They deserve good food. Not only that, a quality food is going to save me money at the vet. The pet food industry has a very wide berth to do what they want. It is not illegal for them to put rotting carcasses into your dog’s food or use the ground up euthanized animals from shelters as filler. Disgusting, I know, but these are standard practices for some of the largest pet food manufacturers.

2. Cost- I’m a dog trainer. What that means is that I enjoy my job but I’m not a rich man. It has to be a good quality but at a fair price.

3. Taste- My dogs have to like it. I have been through tons of dog foods that my dogs just can’t stand.

4. Simplicity- There are a lot of premium dog foods that are great but you can’t find them anywhere. If you are able to get them to special ship the food to your door it costs an arm and a leg.

5. Corporate responsibility- I wanted to make sure that if was recommending a dog food company that they would take care of my clients and that they were constantly innovating to make sure that the food remains quality.

So after an exhaustive search I was finally able to come by a food that I can recommend without hesitation. I recommend it so much that it is the only food I feed my own dogs and I even started selling it on this website. It hit every one of the check marks with no problems at all:

1. This company uses only human grade ingredients. They don’t use chemical preservatives, no fillers, high quality proteins, and the list goes on. Basically, you could eat this food. You probably wouldn’t want to but you could.

2. This food costs more than the commercial dog food I used to feed. It is much more nutritionally dense, however, so I end up feeding my own dogs less than what I would of a commercial food. As a result, I end up paying about $5-$10 more per month to feed this food than I used to with a commercial food. I can live with that.

3. I have recommended this food to the most picky of eaters. So far I’ve got a perfect record, every dog likes the taste of this stuff.

4. This dog food is delivered to your door, provided you live in the lower 48 states. Whenever I order I usually get the food the next day or the day after, provided I didn’t order over the weekend.

5. This company was not involved in the dog food recall. Not only that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on their food. You can get a full refund if you aren’t satisfied. Who does that anymore? Heard enough? I recommend you check it out.

Jay Jacovitz asked:


The fatty acids found in fish oil are necessary for the normal function of various systems of the human, dog’s and cat’s body. Our pets can suffer from some of the same poor health conditions as humans. It’s one thing to give a dog or cat food that will allow them to grow and stay alive. However, like with humans, it’s quite another to find the perfect balance to improve immune function, cognition, behavior and prevent cancer. Fish oil for our dogs and pets has many benefits.

Dogs and cats need both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for optimal health. Studies find omega-3 in fish oil may improve cognitive function in older dogs. The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine found that dogs with heart failure had lower levels of EPA and DHA than their healthy counterparts. Those are two of the major benefits of fish oil that can be given to our dogs and cats.

Dogs given fish oil that are prone to thromboembolisms (obstruction of the pulmonary artery or one of its main branches) may be helped by the anti-clotting effect on platelets.

Ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal rapid heart rhythms originating in the lower chambers of the heart) have been prevented and high blood pressure has been reduced in dogs supplemented with fish oil rich in omega-3.

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) may be useful in reducing inflammation associated with arthritis. Ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and glomerular disease (kidney disease) may respond to the anti-inflammatory effects of certain fatty acids, which have also been shown to be renal protective.

Omega-3 fish oil can benefit dogs by slowing the growth of malassezia, a yeast infection on the skin and ears in both dogs and cats. Researchers suggest that fish oil supplements for dogs may prevent atopy (allergies to inhaled substances such as pollens and molds).

Fish oil for dogs and cats has been shown to reduce the itchiness, redness, swelling and hair loss associated with those dry, raw, hairless patches that bother our pets. In some animals, fatty acids alone can decrease pruritus or inflammation to an acceptable level.

The choice of a fatty acid supplement needs to be based on the specific problem or condition we are trying to treat. For dry skin, dull coat hair, seborrhea and other keratinization, supplements high in linoleic acid are recommended. For allergies and inflammations, supplements high in EPA, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and GLA (gamma-linoleic acid) are most effective.

Deficiencies in fatty acids occur for many reasons including overcooking that destroys them. Improper storage or less than optimal amounts of antioxidants in dry food may result in rancidity and a subsequent deficiency in fatty acids. Deficiencies also result from disease where certain enzyme functions are deficient; or by the use of fat-restricted diets in overweight dogs. But, fat is needed for energy and to satiate the dog’s appetite.

Fats do not affect canines like they do us when it comes to cholesterol or heart disease. Fat is indeed necessary for good dog nutrition and is important for energy, skin and coat, kidney health, heart and to keep inflammation at bay in the joints.

If we are looking to buy and do the best by our pets, the optimum source for omega-3s is what we want to know. Research is trying to determine the optimal ratios of omega-6 to omega-3. Current recommendations are for ratios of 10:1 to 5:1. The ratios are a guideline; the important EPA and DHA omega-3 essential fatty acids are plentiful in salmon fish oil for your dog or cat. There is no more natural place to get them than salmon. Cod liver oil is quite different, as it is lower in omega-3 and very high in vitamins A and D. Unlike plant based omega-3 supplements, salmon fish oil is readily processed by the dog’s digestive system.

A daily supplement of salmon fish oil is a must for any cat or dog of any age with skin or coat problems caused by allergies. Giving fish oil to a dog or cat fortifies them with antioxidants and traces of vitamins that occur naturally in salmon. Actual concentration of EPA in omega-3 is what’s most important. It is recommended that therapeutic trials with supplements should last 9-12 weeks.

Some pets may develop diarrhea from fatty acid supplements. Often, starting supplementation at a low dose and gradually working up to the therapeutic dose alleviates the problem.