A recent article posted on The Consumerist website brings up a very good point (and lesson) that pet owners should take note of

The article comes from a pet owner whose Yorkie became ill, and after a couple of days in the vets office, the owner looked at her Eukanuba canned food and realized it had expired 3 years ago.When she checked the cupboard she discovered several other cans of dog food all recently purchased at PetCo had expiration dates from 2004.

What happened to this pet owner (and pet) can easily happen to anyone.How many times have you purchased something and never looked at the expiration date?

With pet food somewhere on the can or bag, usually on the side or back of the bag is the Best By date.With most of the manufacturers that I have spoken with, this date does NOT mean the food is officially expired it just means that the food does not provide the nutrition as stated in the Guaranteed Analysis.The best nutrition for your pet has expired but again in most cases per what the manufacturers tell me the food is still good.

Shelf life is one of the questions I ask manufacturers about and provide in Petsumer Report.It varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The shelf life of dry pet foods can vary from 4 months to 3 years canned and/or pouched products vary from 1 year to 5 years.Treats usually have the same shelf life as the manufacturers dry food but just to keep things confusing, that can vary too.The Best By date provided on the food does NOT tell you how old the product is it does NOT tell you when the food was manufactured.It only tells you the date that particular manufacturer has determined the food no longer provides the pet with the proper nutrition.While some ingredients in the food might still provide adequate nutrition other ingredients have faded over time.

All pet foods that are naturally preserved begin to lose their nutritional value almost immediately after they are made.This is the drawback to natural preservatives (but the ONLY drawback you ONLY want naturally preserved pet foods and treats for your pet ).So the challenge is to find a pet food that is very fresh.Our friends at AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials rule makers of the pet food industry) have made that a little difficult for pet owners adding to the challenge.Pet food manufacturers are not required to put the date the pet food was manufactured on the bag or can ONLY the date that particular manufacturer has determined the food no longer is best.As I stated above it varies a great deal from product to product manufacturer to manufacturer.

So heres what you can do to assure your pet is eating ONLY fresh food providing the best that product offers

Call the manufacturer and ask them what the shelf life is for their dry foods and/or canned foods.Lets say ABC Pet Food Company tells you that the shelf life of their Premium ABC dry foods is 18 months and their Premium ABC canned/pouched foods is 2 years.With that information you then look at the Best By date on the product.As an example, if the best by date on the dry dog food you are considering says June 2008 knowing that ABC told you 18 months for dry food, you would know that the food was made in January of 2007.Using todays date October 20, 2007 this would tell you this particular bag of ABC dry dog food is 10 months old.

With a canned food the ABC canned cat food best by date is also June 2008.This would tell you that this can was made in June 2006 and thus it would be 14 months old in October 2007.

Most of the time, when pet owners look at the best by date and they see June 2008 they think this is good this food still has 8 months until it expires.I was guilty of this until I learned the differences too.But the bigger picture needs to be explained.

Using my above examples I would NOT purchase a dry dog or cat food that was already 10 months old.Ideally dry foods should be four months or less old and you should use them within a two month time frame.Again, with any naturally preserved dry product the nutritional value starts to deteriorate almost immediately.Fresh is best.I would recommend purchasing and using the food within six months of manufacturing.Storing the food in an air tight container will help keep the food fresher after opening the bag providing your pet with more quality nutrition.With canned products its a different ballgame.You definitely want to purchase and use the food before the best by date expires but the quality of the nutrition is protected by the canning process.Any unused opened can must be covered and stored in the refrigerator and used within a couple of days.

Call your pet foods manufacturer and ask them the shelf life of dry foods and canned foods.I know its a chore, just one more thing you have to do and look out for but it is very important.You want what you pay for quality nutrition for your pet and a fresh product will provide that (of course you have to pay attention to ingredients too but that is a whole different subject!).Get yourself into the habit of looking at the Best By date BEFORE you purchase the pet food and or treat.Your effort will not only provide your pet with better nutrition getting yourself into the habit of looking at the expiration date could just save you from an experience similar to the pet owner mentioned in the beginning of this article and a sick pet.

Wishing you and your pet the best,

Susan Thixton

All work and no play isn’t much fun for anyone. This is especially true for someone who is trying to train a pet. If this pet is a dog, why not try having some fun while training your dog at the same time.

You may have many irons in the fire but if are working on pet training with your dog you will need to fit time into your busy schedule to spend with your dog. Training and play time can go together and provide both of you the opportunity to learn and get to know each other better.

When you play with your dog you are building communication skills. These skills are necessary for successful pet training. You will both be learning how the other communicates by watching what the other does and how and when she moves.

You will learn when your dog is ready to play and how to turn that play time into an appropriate experience. Another good thing about playing with your dog is that it provides exercise. When a dog is exercised she will be in a better frame of mind to learn. Exercise also allows the dog time to be busy and keeps inappropriate behavior later in the day at a minimum.

Standard pet training is a good idea and will enable your dog to become a well-behaved companion and friend. You may find that there are times when you and your dog become bored with regular pet training and need a little change of pace. You can use play time to learn a new skill or practice one that has been previously taught.

When you use fun and games as a way to enhance pet training you can let your dog know who is in charge. She will learn that you are the one who starts and ends an activity. You can teach or reinforce commands like; sit, stay, come, etc.

As you progress you can add new commands to games that your dog enjoys. This will further your training and you will both be enjoying the time spend together. This is a wonderful way to bond and your dog will be very aware that you are someone she loves to be with. She will also be more likely to obey you and follow your instructions.

Play time is not just good for your dog. When you take the time to play with your dog you can reduce your stress level and actually become a better pet owner and trainer. Play time may give you just what you need to get back into regular pet training.

Get out and spend some fun time with your dog. The benefits are many and can lead to a dog who is obedient and well-trained as well as relaxed and exercised.

As a cat or dog owner, you should be aware of the food that you can buy for your pets. Basically, there are two types of food and they are organic and non-organic pet food. You need to know the differences between these food types. You should only buy the best food for your pets which provide a balanced diet so your pet will live a long and healthy life. Feeding your pet with good or bad food will impact their health. This article will cover both the non-organic and organic pet food.

Non-Organic Pet Food

There are some manufactures that produce good quality and healthy non-organic cat and dog food. You have to read the label to determine which is the healthiest. Do not be confused with the bag and the advertising that is on it as it can be misleading. Not all cat and dog food are alike.

In most cases, non-organic pet food is usually cheaper than organic. The reason being is the USDA (United Status Department of Agriculture) has policies covering organic pet food. What most pet owners should become familiar with is the label printed on the package. This is where you will find which food is actually best for your pet verses another manufacturer. You will find the ingredients that were used in processing of the cat or dog food on the label. The label information printed on the package is regulated by AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials).

For cat and dog food, the first ingredient should be meat and not meat by-products or fillers. By-products and fillers are not healthy for your pets and should not be fed to them. The reason they are used is because they are cheap to the manufacturer, whch helps to keep the price of the food down. All manufacturers must list the ingredients in order by weight. Also look for the type of preservatives used in the process. Avoid BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, artificial flavors and colors or flavoring agents. These can cause harmful effects on your pet’s health over time. The old saying is true, if its not good for humans, it is not good for your pet.

Organic Pet Food

Organic pet food does have some regulations which are governed by the USDA. There are three levels in organic pet food and they are: 100% organic, organic, and made with organic ingredients.

100% Organic

In order for a manufacturer to advertise its product as “100% Organic” it must have all of the ingredients certified as organic in the process. Manufacturer’s can display the USDA Organic Seal on the packaging and advertising.

Organic

A product certified as “organic” its ingredients must be 95% organic. Manufacturer’s can display the USDA Organic Seal on its packaging and advertising.

Made With Organic Ingredients

Products advertised as “made with organic ingredients” must have 70% of the ingredients used in the process as organic. It cannot display the UDSA Organic Seal but, can display the logo of the certification body that approved them.

Other Organic Food

Products with less then 70% of organic ingredients cannot advertise this to consumers but can only mention them in the ingredient statement.

Generally, organic food is healthier for your pet. Also, you will use less food when feeding your pets because of the high quality ingredients being used in the process. Organic food is more expensive than non-organic food. Just like non-organic food, organic foods are not the same. Look at the label and the list of ingredients. There you will find the quality of the organic ingredients being used in the process. This should help select which food to buy.

Changing Your Pets Diet From One Food To Another

Before you can give your pet an organic food diet when you have been feeding him non-organic diet, you must change his diet over a period of time. Here is how it works:

Days 1-4. Mix 25% of the new food with 75% of his current food.
Days 5-8. Mix 50% of the new with 50% of the old.
Days 9-12. Mix 75% of the new with 25% of the old.
Day 13. 100% of the new food.

While you are doing this observe if your pet should have any reactions to the new food like diarrhea. If you see this, then slow down the process. Always consult with your vegetarian if your pet displays other signs.

Final Thoughts

Feeding your pet is always up to you. What you feed your pet can make a big difference on its health and how long it will live. I hope this article about organic and non-organic pet food has been helpful for you to make the proper choices on the food you buy when feeding your pet.

Pet Steps

Pets are just animals, should be thrown outside and looked after as cheaply as possible. Life is expensive enough, children cost a fortune, who needs to spend all that money on a damn pet?! Thankfully most humans do not think this way and value the love and genuine benefits that pets such as dogs and cats provide us with.

It’s actually quite amazing the effort and amount of money some owners spend on their pets, usually putting off their own needs to provide for their loved ones of the fury kind!

The main expense that comes with pets is the pet food mainly due to being a basic every day necessity. Although some owners are not too fussed and will give their pets dry food, leftovers and not even give them fresh food, there are others who love to give their pets the best food possible.

So which method is right and wrong? Does the quality of freshness of food really matter for a pet? Although you can get away with giving your pet leftovers and unfresh food, it has been proven that the food they eat can effect their health and happiness much in the same way that what us humans consume effects us. So if giving your pet the very best in life is a priority of yours or something you can afford to do, then by all means go for it.

Keeping pet food fresh is simply a matter of storing it in the correct manner. Pet food storage containers are exactly what you need to keep pet food in prestige condition and fresh for your animal for a long period of time.

What many owners do is open the packet of food and either leave it laying around or in a fridge unsealed. It’s much better to store your food in air tight plastic storage containers and your pet will love the extra effort you’ve taken for them.

Most Pet food storage containers are made of plastic as its a long lasting, waterproof material. Most people are not going to fork out extra money for a elegant metal made pet bowl, so plastic is the cheapest practical alternative. For something a little more long lasting and fancy, you can also find some pet food containers made from stone, which also match most home landscapes more closely than plastic.

If you like to buy your pet food in bulk, you will be pleased to know that storing them in containers can save you some money. A lot of owners who buy pet food in large tubs or bags, will often find if opened for a long period of time, the food will start to lose its freshness and may even needed to be thrown out. It’s advised that once you open your bag of dry pet food that you store it in a container and then take from it whenever you need to feed your pet.

So where do you buy pet food storage containers? You can either hop in the car, dodge the traffic and hope your local pet shop has some that you like. Otherwise what most do is visit some pet accessories websites online and make a careful selection. You will often find that purchasing online will offer you many discounts too!

Many people think that since dogs already have fur coats, there is no need to get pet accessories such as additional coats or jumpers for them. This may be true for a dog which lives outdoors, and has the opportunity to gradually acclimatise to changes in the weather. But for an indoor dog, accustomed to the temperature of your home, going outside for a walk in the cold or rain can be problematic.

The two main reasons for getting outerwear dog supplies are to keep your dog dry and to keep your dog warm. There is no problem with your dog getting wet during a walk, so long as you take care to dry the dog as soon as you get inside. However, if youd prefer not to spend the time washing and drying your dog after every walk in bad weather, you may want to get rain gear pet accessories to keep your dog from getting wet in the first place.

The more serious reason to purchase dog supplies such as coats or jumpers is to keep your dog warm. Some breeds are cold weather dogs which suffer in the heat of summer, and enjoy frolicking around in ice and snow. However, most dogs that are out in the cold for any length of time need pet supplies that provide some additional protection.

A simple jumper may be sufficient for most dogs, and you can find a wide variety of styles and materials where you purchase your pet supplies. For extremely cold days, or dogs that are highly sensitive to cold weather, a heavier coat is advisable. If your dog is a breed whose ears are prone to injury, you can also purchase pet accessories of coats with hoods.