The Pet Nutrition Revolution Continues

Just a decade or so ago, it seemed there were only a handful of dog food brands you could choose from, each one a different variety of kibble. This is one of the main reasons why we founded Pawsitively Pure Dog Food in 2007–with a handful of dog food manufacturers producing a majority of the kibble available on the shelves, and with those manufacturers frequently announcing recalls due to food safety issues, we knew we had to find a better solution for our furry friends. 

Nutrition has become a major focus for pet parents worldwide. As they seek healthier alternatives, many dog moms and dads have ditched kibble in favor of more natural food sources. In particular, gently cooked diets and raw diets have taken the dog nutrition world by storm. But how do you know which variety is best for your dog? How can you tread the line between convenience, cost, and the best nutrition possible?

Here at Pawsitively Pure Dog Food, we offer a variety of gently cooked dog food flavors to keep your dogs happy and healthy. Through our experience, we believe that gently cooked dog food offers the best solution for dogs and their humans alike. 

Gently Cooked is the Way to Go

Gently cooked dog food is a healthy, complete meal system for dogs of any age and stage of life that still offers convenience and cost effectiveness for pet parents. Let’s find out more.

Gently Cooked Food Packs a Nutritional Punch

Many people believe that cooking food strips it of all its nutrition, which is largely untrue. While it is factual that some raw foods–vegetables in particular–can provide vitamins and minerals in different forms than their cooked counterparts, gently cooked dog food still offers your dog wholesome nutrition and is leagues better for them than kibble is. When food is processed for long periods of time over high heat, that’s when it loses a portion of its nutritional value. Our production process does not introduce heat that’s too intense or for a long duration.

What’s more, cooking meats and animal products like bones can actually help extract nutrients and provide them to your dog in a safe and easily digestible form. In particular, you should never feed your dog bones as they present a choking and safety hazard, but bone broth for dogs provides a whole host of health benefits from a healthier digestive tract to a shinier coat.

Gently Cooked Food is Easier to Handle Than Raw Food

When you serve your dog raw food, especially animal products, you need to have a proper understanding of food handling standards as well as identification and avoidance of common food pathogens. The average pet parent probably won’t have the time or capacity to take such a course. What’s more, careful handling of raw food often requires daily preparation time that really detracts from its overall convenience.

When improperly prepared, raw food also has the potential to spread bacteria and disease to humans living in the house. According to a 2018 veterinary study, a high percentage of raw pet diets were found to have potentially harmful bacteria. Common foodborne diseases like e.coli can quickly and easily be transmitted by letting your dog lick you.

Gently cooked dog food offers your dog the same wholesome ingredients without the hassle of frequent preparation. Additionally, you’re much less likely to accidentally contaminate your dog’s food by handling it improperly. When you source your food from a veterinarian-approved producer, 90% of the work is already done for you!

Domestic Dogs Don’t Need to Eat Like Their Ancestors

A common argument in favor of raw diets for dogs posits that they are the most biologically appropriate for our pets since their ancestors ate raw and locally available foods. However, couldn’t the same be argued for humans? Domestic animals have evolved significantly from their early counterparts; in their roles as human companions, their activity levels, “jobs,” and drive to hunt are all completely different. 

If we fed our dogs to mirror their ancestors’ diets, they would probably be consuming much more protein than they really need. It’s ok for our dogs to consume foods that aren’t quite as primal! Gently cooked foods can be easier to digest and more balanced for the average house pet.

Shop Local for Gently Cooked Dog Food

When you’re ready to switch your dog to a gently cooked diet, it’s a great idea to choose your food from a local company. Pawsitively Pure Dog Food offers gently cooked dog food in Orlando, made in small batches and responsibly sourced to help keep your dog’s tail wagging. Visit us at one of our favorite farmers’ markets each weekend, or shop online!

Picture this: You open your pantry to figure out what to make for dinner. To your dismay, your pantry is stocked with a lifetime supply of a “nutrient cereal” that doesn’t taste great and doesn’t make you feel very good, either. But day after day, meal after meal, you pour yourself bowls of this cereal, because it’s all you have.

Sounds pretty dismal, right? 

It turns out that your dogs might find it dismal, too. 

The Raw Feeding Revolution

In 2015, 37% of pet owners noted interest in raw or human-grade diets for their dogs, according to PetFoodIndustry.com. An additional 13% were already providing their dogs with raw diets. Those percentages have only continued to grow. Many pet parents begin their journey to human-grade feeding after they realize the risks associated with feeding mass-produced foods. 

We created Pawsitively Pure dog food for that very reason: After a major pet food recall in 2007, we knew we needed to take our dogs’ dietary health more seriously. We consulted with veterinarians to learn about nutritional balance and used that knowledge to develop our own dog food. Since we started feeding our dogs lightly-cooked, human-grade food, we’ve noticed significant improvements in their energy levels, coat condition, and weight management.

Don’t just take it from us, though. Here are a few reasons why you should ditch the kibble ASAP.

How do you know what’s in your kibble?

Sure, the front label of your store-bought kibble says that it’s “Beef and Vegetables Flavor,” but that doesn’t mean there’s much beef or many vegetables to be found. Many major pet food manufacturers use clever verbiage like “dinner,” “flavor,” and “entree” to make you think it’s packed with good stuff, but usually, kibble contains a lot of filler.

Often, the meat used for kibble is deemed unfit for human consumption. Manufacturers select low-quality ingredients to help save on costs. Many times, your dog is also eating bones, feathers, and other byproducts in their kibble. Not only is this gross, it doesn’t give your dog any positive nutritional value.

Can your dog digest kibble properly?

Animals digest significantly more protein from raw and lightly cooked diets than they do from kibble, according to a recent study. As a result, kibble-fed dogs often have to poop more than their raw-fed counterparts to get rid of all that excess waste. 

In the same way that processed foods are less nutritious for humans than whole, unprocessed foods, processed kibble offers little real nutritional value to your dog. Often, kibble is packed with carbohydrates, and unless your dog is particularly active, an abundance of carbohydrates can lead to obesity. 

Have you ever noticed that kibble never goes bad?

If you leave a bag of kibble open to the air, it won’t go bad the way real food does. Of course, you’ll probably attract some ants and roaches, but that’s a different story. Commercially produced kibble doesn’t have an expiration date because it’s packed with preservatives. According to Cali Raw on Medium.com, many of these preservatives can be toxic when consumed in large amounts. 

We understand that it may be more convenient to be able to buy one large bag of food and not worrying about it going bad before it runs out; however, we believe that a dog’s nutrition should take precedence over convenience! Besides, with next-day doorstep delivery in Florida from Pawsitively Pure, you’ll never have to worry about running out of food when you need it.

Visitors, we would love to hear from you. If you haven’t started feeding a human-grade diet, what’s holding you back? If you have, how has it changed your dogs’ lives? Join us on Facebook to let us know.

For dogs and humans alike, nutrition is one topic that continuously evolves and changes. No doubt you’ve heard of at least four or five new fad diets over the last year. The low-fat diets of the 1980s shifted to the low-carb diets of the 2000s. One minute, grains are the largest portion of the food pyramid; the next, we’re cautioned to limit our wheat and grain intakes. Similarly, popular dog diets go through phases. Should you look for the grain-free dog food? The raw diet? Which type of food is best for your dog and for the community at large?

If you know our story, you know that wholesome, nutritious, human-grade ingredients are at the heart of our mission. Like so many other pet parents around the world, we got fed up with recall after recall of commercial pet foods and decided to take our dogs’ nutrition into our own hands. Since then, we’ve noticed a significant improvement in our dogs’ skin and coats, their energy levels, and the clarity of their eyes and ears. But for us, the human-grade food movement is about so much more than that. We think it’s the best option for the community at large for a number of reasons. 

No two dogs are the same, and neither are their dietary needs

Your dog is so unique! What other dog barks the way they do, gets the zoomies the way they do, or tumbles into playtime like they do? Your dog is an individual, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Just as their personalities are unique, their body chemistry is their own, meaning they may react differently to different ingredients in food. Cookie-cutter diets just won’t cut it anymore.

Since we switched to whole foods for our dogs, we’ve found that it’s easier to include dietary supplements and minerals with their unique food blends. For a rundown of our favorite Mercola supplements, check out our blog. We work with our dogs’ vets to make sure they’re getting all the nutrients they need to improve their quality of life. 

Responsible sourcing is good for the environment

For our food and treats, we choose wholesome ingredients from responsible sources. Not only does this help us make sure we know exactly what’s going in our dogs’ tummies, but it also means we’re relying on ethical food producers whose methods benefit the environment. Without a healthy planet, we won’t have anywhere to let our dogs run and play! We think that environmental protection should be a cause for companies of any size and industry.

A healthy diet is a preventive measure

So much of your dog’s health relies on their diet. Obesity in dogs can cause joint pain, heart illnesses, low energy, and diabetes. On the other hand, unappetizing food can leave your dog underweight, bored, and tired. Your dog’s quality of life is based largely on their nutrition. Think about it: we use food and treats as training rewards, and we often share our mealtimes together.

Providing your dog with the right diet helps give them the energy they need to stay active and to properly metabolize food and treats. It also helps stave off diseases like arthritis and heart disease. In short, a healthy diet is pretty darn important.

How to get started with human-grade dog food

We always recommend speaking to your veterinarian before you make major changes to your dog’s diet. They can offer you insightful tips on transitioning and on which supplements to add to their bowl. Once you have your recommendations, find Pawsitively Pure dog food at www.pawsitivelypuredogfood.com/shop or stop by one of our upcoming markets to ask us any questions you may have.

As a responsible pet parent, you already know that there are some foods that aren’t safe for dogs to eat. While animal nutrition is an oft-debated topic, veterinarians have determined that a number of human foods, like grapes and chocolate, should never be fed to dogs. Unfortunately, there are some foods made for dogs that aren’t safe or healthy for your pets, either. 

If you pay attention to the news, you’ll notice that a number of dog food brands have been recalled due to health and safety concerns over the years. A dog food recall was what prompted us to build the Pawsitively Pure line of human grade dog foods so that we can make sure our dogs are only getting the best of the best. 

It can be difficult to navigate the pet food aisle and determine the healthiest treat for your dog. The next time you go shopping, avoid these 5 types of treats: 

1. Rawhide. It may be surprising that this comes in on the dangerous list, since you can find it all over the shelves at a number of pet supply stores and grocery stores. However, rawhide presents a major choking habit for dogs. Also, the white rawhides are often treated with nasty chemicals to give them their bleached appearance.

2. Treats with sugars high on the list. Believe it or not, some dog treats are just as loaded with sugar and high fructose corn syrup as human treats are. Soft and chewy treats tend to have more sugar than others. Refined sugar has no place in your dog’s diet. It can lead to obesity and serious heart issues.

3. Treats with wheat as the main ingredient. While a dog’s diet does have some place for grains, you should use treat-giving as an opportunity to bolster your dog’s nutritional intake. It’s more effective to offer treats that are based in protein and whole foods, rather than wheat filler.

As we mentioned above, you should use your treat time as an opportunity to provide your dog with more of the whole nutrition they need to thrive. Pawsitively Pure’s healthy dog treats include wholesome ingredients like pumpkin, blueberries, and oats to give your dogs the flavors they love without any of the bad ingredients they need to avoid. Browse our store to try some of our treats for yourself!

Sleep is a surprisingly difficult thing to master for many people - and dogs, too. Sometimes, you may find that your dog is restless when they should be laying down for bedtime. This insomnia can manifest itself with other destructive behaviors, like chewing on forbidden items, random barking, digging, and so on. Instead of becoming frustrated with your dog over this destruction, it’s best to attack the issue at the source.

Lack of sleep can be an issue for dogs of all ages. Here are a few tips that might help your dog - and you - grab a couple extra z’s:

• Try crate training. How is it that the smallest of dogs seem to take up the largest amount of space in a bed? You might want to let your dog share your bed with you, but if you have a varying sleep schedule or toss and turn a lot, that might be one of the things keeping your dog awake at night. Crate training is one of the best ways to help your dog set a schedule, give them a safe, happy space of their own, and reinforce boundaries. When your dog has adapted to their schedule, then you can try bringing them to your bed again.

• Make sure their other activities are on a schedule. Dogs respond well to routines! There’s a good chance your dog might not be able to sleep if the rest of their daily schedule is off kilter. Do your best to set their feeding, walking, and bathroom time on a schedule, and do the same with their sleep. Once they adjust, they’ll be ready for sleep time when it comes.

• Give them plenty of exercise time during the day. There’s no better sleep than a sleep after a long, exhausting day - and the same goes for your dog. Your dog needs plenty of quality exercise during the day, whether that comes from playing fetch, going on walks, swimming, or some other activity. Going without this exercise can leave them frustrated and hyperactive at night.

Providing your dog with a quality diet is another way to make sure they’re sleeping well and staying happy. A diet rich in proteins and vital nutrients helps ensure their digestive system is working the way it needs to be while supporting all their other internal systems. To learn more or to get your dog started on a quality human-grade diet, browse through our website today.