By Laurie Denger – Staff Writer for Dayton Daily News
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The titles are coming fast and furious.
“The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook” or “The Healthy Dog Cookbook” or “New Healthy Omega Treats” and “The Honest Kitchen.”
Could it just be me or are the pet food folks trying to tell us something?
Realizing that more and more people are trying to eat healthy and more organic food, it was only a matter of time before our pets would be dragged into tofu, low-calorie this-and-that and food that has no preservatives.
While it’s a little amusing, it’s actually not going overboard. Considering the number of pets that died after some pet foods were poisoned last year, the numbers of obese pets and the rising rates of cancers in our pets, it’s high time we started paying attention to what our furry friends eat.
Here are just a few of the recent new products for pet owners who want to share healthier lifestyles with their pets:
- Pet Botanics Omega Treats for Dogs promise hand-rolled dog snacks with the look, aroma and taste of sushi and all-natural, human-grade ingredients. The treats are made mostly of codfish and layered with tuna, salmon, duck or chicken. They also contain Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which are antioxidants and important for cardiovascular and joint health. I taste-tested samples with the dogs of co-workers and these treats were a hit. Some of the dogs balked a little at the salmon treats, but found the chicken and duck treats very yummy. Omega Treats come in Wild Tuna, Wild Salmon, Duck and Chicken flavors and are priced at $4.99 for a 3-ounce reclosable pouch. They are available in pet stores.
- The Honest Kitchen, which also makes organic and holistic dehydrated raw pet food, has created Ice Pups, treats you can make in your freezer by combining powder with warm water. You freeze the powder in an ice cub tray and then give the Ice Pup cube to your pet.
- My dog loves regular ice cubes so she was a pushover for Ice Pups, but even a co-worker’s dog loved the treats. The powder is 100 percent organic human-food grade ingredients such as hormone and antibiotic-free chicken and turkey, watercress, parsley, dandelion and honey.
- “The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook” promises more than 100 “tail-wagging” recipes featuring 100 percent organic ingredients. How about a “luck of the Irish Wolfhound” treat made from oak flour and spinach leaves? There are lots of healthy tips in here, too, like the one nut you should never feed your dog – macadamia nuts, which has been associated with muscle tremors and partial paralysis in dogs. The book sells for $14.95 and is published by Cider Mill Press. For more details, visit www.cidermillpress.com.
- “The Healthy Dog Cookbook,” which comes spiral bound like all good cookbooks, promises 50 recipes your dog will love. There are even recipes for dogs with food allergies like wheat and beef. Who wouldn’t love a fall omelet, a frozen banana treat or a liver brownie? There’s even a natural laxative diet and a feeling blue diet. The book sells for $19.95 and is published by TFH Publications.
- With all that eating going on, there’s bound to be some cleanup required. Pet Botanics Naturals from Cardinal Laboratories replace chemicals that irritate a pet’s skin with cleansers made from saponified olive oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil. The Pet Botanics Naturals products are $11.95 for a 16-ounce bottle of shampoo, $9.95 for a 12-ounce bottle of conditioner, and $9.95 for a 4-ounce bottle of herbal ear wash. For more information, visit www.cardinalpet.com or call (800) 433-7387.
- And finally, if you have pets you are going to have bugs. The organic insecticides from EcoSMART includes 14-ounce ant and roach killer, flying insect killer and wasp and hornet killer. They are sold at Wal-Mart and online at www.buyecosmart.com.>
View article here
