volume 19     May 2006  

What size is your Paw Print?
Sustainable Living

Our focus for this edition of our newsletter, is sustainable living. This lifestyle choice focuses on reducing the ‘ecological footprint' that each of us leaves behind in our daily lives; purchasing and utilizing resources conscientiously; thinking globally and acting locally. This will be an ongoing theme for several newsletter issues, and to begin with, we'll focus on the following:
• Packaging awareness
• Supporting local producers
• Making green choices in the care of your pet.
  • Paw Print Size
  • Store near you!
  • Going Green
  • NEW DIET!
  • See Spot's Book Review
    		•


    Kicking the Buckets?

    Packaging Awareness – We're thinking of kicking the buckets!

    As you may know, the plastic resin used to produce our buckets is tied in with natural gas production – in itself, a limited environmental resource.
    We would like to hear from you with opinions about our buckets versus bags. While our buckets are recyclable and re-usable in the home – they are less ecologically sensitive overall, than our bags. If you have an opinion on how important the Honest Kitchen's buckets are please let us know! Do you feel that bags alone, would be sufficient? Are the buckets indispensable? Would you be willing to pay more for the buckets as gas costs rise? Are ecological and environmental factors important in your purchasing decisions? Please let us know! Everyone who responds to this reader poll will receive a complimentary mini sample of Preference to try – please be sure to include your full name and mailing address!

    Monthly Charity
    Lions, Tigers and Bears
    Our chosen charity for this month is a wildlife sanctuary called Lions, Tigers and Bears, which is located in Japatul Valley, just east of San Diego, California and founded in 2002 by Bobbi Brink. A haven for rescued exotic cats, this facility provides a life-long home for these beautiful animals to live out their natural lives with dignity in a safe and caring environment. Lions, Tigers and Bears is home to four Bengal Tigers, a leopard, two Bobcats and an African Serval, and is the only state and federally licensed and accredited Big Cat Rescue facility in San Diego County. Their mission is to generate public awareness of the plight of exotic cats in captivity as well as create educational programs with a focus on endangered wildlife. For more information about how you can become a member of Lions, Tigers and Bears please go to their website www.lionstigersandbears.org

    Debra Saum, Spokesperson for Lions, Tigers and Bears is an accomplished Wildlife Artist who specializes in endangered species. Her colorful, vibrant paintings capture the spirit of the beautiful animals she paints. Debra donates many of her paintings to Wildlife Conservation and has created a "Lions, Tigers and Bears Series" which features LTB Cats. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of her original LTB Cats Series and 20% of the proceeds from the LTB Cats Series prints goes directly to Lions, Tigers and Bears. To view more of Debra's work and to find out how you can purchase one of the LTB Cat Series Paintings, please go to www.debrasaum.com.

    Going along with the chosen charity of large cats, 'Prowl', our newly launched cat food will be on special this month, and a portion of 'Prowl' proceeds will be donated to Lions, Tigers, and Bears organization.

    Prowl 4lb bucket (reg $51.00), Now on special for $45.00
    Prowl 6 oz pouch (reg $7.50) Now on special for $5.00

    Order Prowl Here!

    Look what one kitty had to say about 'Prowl'. "We got the samples of Prowl in the mail today, and he is one happy boy!...I fixed a nice dish of Prowl for him and he is in hog heaven!"


    Check our listings for a store near you!

    We are thrilled with the nominations for Honest Kitchen resellers of the month. The store recipient of "Reseller of the Month" is:

    The Animal House
    Route 1
    Newcastle, ME 04553
    Tel: (207) 563-5595
    www.theanimalhouse.net
    info@theanimalhouse.net

    Aubrey & Dan, owners of Animal House attributes the stores' continual increase in Honest Kitchen sales to 'Molly'. Molly's story is available here Molly. She is precious! Aubrey states "If Molly's story isn't an endorsement for healthy living, I don't know what is!!!!" We are thrilled at the stores success and the efforts of this husband and wife team to educate customers on healthy, holistic nutrition and living for our four footed friends (some three footed ones too). The Honest Kitchen Dogs, Harry too, offer their "paws of congrats" to Molly and her second chance on life.

    As part of the reward for being store of the month, Animal House will receive a 20% discount off the next store order, along with a page nominated to them on our website.

    Do you have a store you would like to nominate? Please let us know. Email store nominations to service@thehonestkitchen.com

    Please take a look at all the new stores carrying Honest Kitchen diets.

    4 Paws Boutique- (2 locations):
    Moncks Corner, SC 843.899.1144, and Goose Creek SC 843.863.3005
    Visit them here: www.4pawsboutique.net
    MM & E- Sheridan, WY 307.674.6850
    Windfall Ranch- Lexington, TX 979.773.0305, or visit them here: www.windfallretrievers.com
    Bakerstown Feed & Garden- Bakerstowe, PA 724.443.7600
    Fleming's Pet Supply W.H.-Greensburg, PA 724.834.0500
    Leone Animal Supply- McMurray, PA 724.941.2081
    Naturally Pets- Irwin, PA 724.864.7387
    Healthy Paws- Bend, OR 541.318.2998
    Bubbles-N-Bark- Louisville, OH 330.875.3669
    Doggie Gourmet- Franklin, OH 513.623.9548
    Healthy Pet- Toledo, OH 419.726.4440
    K9 Naturally- Defiance, OH 419.658.2445
    Pet People - Ohio- (4 locations)
    Dublin, OH 614.760.7600, Gahanna, OH 614.471.2667, North Pickerington, OH 614.322.0250, Columbus (Upper Arlington), OH 614.538.9178 Or visit them here: www.petpeople.com
    Posh Pets- Ashland, OH 419.289.9567
    Spencer German Shepherds- New Paris, OH 937.997.6886
    The Pet Loft- Akron, OH 330.668.1919
    Time Fur Treats- Oberlin, OH 440.775.7877
    Paws Up on Health- Staten Island, NY 718.447.2547 or visit them here: www.pawsuponhealth.com
    One Leash on Life- Albuquerque, NM 505.299.8800
    Dry Creek Kennels- South Heart, ND 701.677.4324
    Gourmutt's Bakery- Raleigh, NC 919.870.8220, or visit them here: www.gourmuttsbakery.com
    Alternative Therapy of the North Shore- Highland Park, IL 847-579-1171
    Dirty Dogs- Spring Grove, IL 815-675-2530
    Pawprints of Richmond- Richmond, IL 800-700-PAWS
    Pet Supplies Plus- Aurora, IL 630-801-4115
    Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary- Hilo, HI 808.965.1866
    Western Farms Center- Santa Rosa, CA 707.545.0721
    Feathers Fins & Fur- Jay City, CA 909.336.1061
    Hearts With Fur- Fair Oaks, CA 916.961.2886
    Highlander Pet Center- Arcadia, CA 626.357.1787
    Pet Love- Glendale, CA 818.240.8387
    Pet Love LA- Los Angeles, CA 310.659.8490
    Petland- Oroville, CA 530.534.0205
    Well Pet- Orangevale, CA (888) 282-2062 www.wellpet.com
    Roccos Pet Supplies, LLC- Weare, NH 603.529.5200 href="http://www.nhpetsupply.com"> www.nhpetsupply.com

    Please visit our website for our more detailed store directory.
    Click here!


    Green Choices in Pet Care

    In addition to prioritizing the health of our individual pets, we can also include a focus on the environment at large when making daily choices. Here are seven tips for acting globally, which benefit our animal companions, too.

    1. Refrain from using chemicals in your yard. Chemicals can adversely affect your pet's health and have a detrimental effect on wildlife, too. A wonderful alternative is to introduce natural predators to the bugs you want to eliminate. You can purchase beneficial (predator insects to release in your yard or encourage them in the following ways:
    • Plant a variety of flowering plants, especially ones with small flowers rich in nectar. Mix up your plants so those that attract beneficial insects are nearby those that need protection.
    • Place plants close together to provide a moist, shaded environment for beneficial insects who dehydrate easily.
    • Provide a source of water for beneficial insects by putting out a shallow dish of water with stones to allow them places to dry. Keep your soil healthy by adding compost to allow soil organisms to thrive.

    2. Try to conserve water when preparing our foods. Run the tap for as short a time as possible to warm the water, or better still – re-use the water used to cook your own veggies, to hydrate your Honest Kitchen food. It is packed with vitamins!

    3. Wash your dog less. Over shampooing can dry your companion's skin excessively, contributing to itchiness. Less frequent washing will help to maintain the natural oils in the skin, keep the pH in balance and also conserve water at the same time.

    4. Recycle or re-use packaging wherever possible. Old buckets may be donated to local schools or others who could use them for storage.

    5. Turn down the thermostat on your freezer by a degree or two if you can. Many households operate their freezers and refrigerators on the coldest possible setting. Often the temperature can be raised slightly without any detrimental effects – helping to reduce electricity usage quite significantly. The same goes for household heating and cooling.Your dog's health & skin condition will be better without extreme heat and air conditioning, and moving the thermostat 3 degrees down in winter and up in summer can prevent the emission of nearly 1100 lbs of carbon dioxide per household, annually.

    6. Plant your own herbs. An herb garden can be as simple as a few select species in a window box. Having your own botanicals on hand might help eliminate the need for chemical preparations (aloe and calendula are great for cuts and scrapes; parsley helps digestion and lavender can be dried and used as a natural relaxant). Living herbs produce oxygen which helps to cancel out some of the carbon dioxide we all emit into the environment.

    7. Choose natural household cleaners and detergents for your dog's bedding (as well as your own laundry!). Reducing the chemicals in your companion's immediate living space can help to combat contact allergies when he sleeps on surfaces that have been cleaned with chemical products. Itchy feet and a red belly can be a sign that something is aggravating your pet.

    We're doing a few things at The Honest Kitchen's corporate office to make our company a little greener:
    • Ordering fair-trade, organically grown tea and coffee
    • Replacing existing light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs
    • Using solar powered lights in our outdoor areas.
    • Choosing energy efficient appliances such as printers and faxes.
    • Recycle, Recycle, Recycle.
    • Honest Kitchen office staff are members of Community Supported Agriculture, where our corporate team received boxes of locally grown organic produce weekly.


    What's your pets Preference?

    A whole new option for creating home made meals is now available! We are pleased to announce the launch of Preference this month – a meat-free, grain free foundation mix, to which you can add your own choice of protein.

    Preference is made with:
    Alfalfa, Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage, Celery, Apples, Spinach, Kelp, Coconut,
    Bananas, Zucchini, Honey, Rosemary, Vitamins & Minerals.

    Preference is suggested for use with added raw meat, meaty bones or cooked meat of your choice (never cooked bones), as a base for a home made diet. It is not intended as a stand-alone diet. This diet contains a custom vitamin-mineral premix with balanced calcium: phosphorus ratios, which are vital for the maintenance of healthy cells, bones and blood. Just add water, meat and serve!

    This recipe is ideal for dogs who are sensitive to more popular meats, or as a great way to add some additional variety to you pets meal For those dogs with protein sensativity the addition of some exotic meats, fish or alternative protein sources may be used as required.

    Meats may be added to Preference at a rate of one to one, to two to one depending on the age, breed and level of activity of your dog.

    Example feeding for a 50lb dog of moderate activity level:

    1/2 cup of Preference (dry)
    3/4 cup of fresh warm water- (left over veggie water great alternative)
    Stir- let sit 10 minutes
    Add in 1/2 cup of ground meat or fish, or raw meaty bones (2-3 chicken backs) Never Cooked Bones!
    Serve

    Note: This would be one meal for a 50lb dog, we recommend feeding this amount twice daily.

    Preference is available in:

    10lb bucket $68.00 (MSRP)
    4lb bucket $ 35.00 (MSRP)
    Travel size $ 4.00 (MSRP)
    10lb refill bag $ 65.00 (MSRP) (Refill bags will be made available this summer)

    Order Here!

    The varieties of proteins are near endless to mix with Preference. Variety of ground, cubed, whole raw or cooked meats, Raw turkey neck, chicken backs or necks, lamb necks, Fish. Primal Pet Foods is one of our favorite sources of frozen pet food diets. Visit them here for a store listing near you. www.primalpetfoods.com

    Below are some recommended sources that may be helpful for your quest to find healthy proteins, and other foods staying along the lines of sustained living and supporting local farmers. "Every time you spend money on food, you are voting for the world you want".

    Food Co op Directory www.coopdirectory.org
    Farmers Market Directory http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm
    Community Supported Agriculture directory. Click here
    Grocers, farms, resturants, and more.
    www.eatwellguide.org
    www.sustainabletable.org
    localharvest.org


    See Spot Live Longer

    See Spot Live Longer
    by Steve Brown & Beth Taylor

    Truly a book to help guide anyone in carving out a happier, healthier and longer life for their four-footed canine friends. Steve and Beth share stories of their own dogs passing away at young ages with cancer and other health issues. With a shared dignity and desire to understand what went wrong and what changes can be made, the authors teamed up and helped to feed over 25,000 dogs. Their intention is to feed millions more with this book.

    The book is easily-readable, to the point, with no fluff. See Spot is broken up into Four Parts, with short chapters within each. The First part is like a reality TV show, only the dogs did not know they were being ‘recorded' for future application. Therein the accounts are from true histories. The statements made are backed either by documented studies or years of experience (Steve made large scale raw food for pets for years).

    The Second part compares and contrasts canine ancestral diets with our modern practices. The authors do not claim that dogs need to return exactly to what their ancestors ate in the wild, simply that we could be doing much better in what we provide for them, including common sense.

    This brings us to part Three where carcinogens and allergens in commercial dry dog foods are discussed at length. As a society, we have been bewildered and highly influenced by large pet food conglomerates, instead of applying rational thought and reasonable judgment. For example, we would not feed our children, or even ourselves the same diet of cereal for the entirety of our lives. So why do we expect our pets to thrive solely on cooked, dry, processed kibbles and presume their digestive, kidney and liver systems can properly function? We should be refuting the statements made by large pet food manufacturers with common sense. The Honest Kitchen blends provide a fresh, warm meal for our pawed friends, with ingredients that are 100% human-grade, not feed grade. We also recommend variety and switching between our dehydrated blends; providing a pool of amino acids and an assortment of vitamins and minerals.

    Finally, part Four delves into ‘Improving the odds,' with easy suggestions and baby steps to obtaining a healthier diet and lifestyle for your companions!

    We highly recommend this book to new pet owners, those feeding kibbles and/or a BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet. Most informational resources provide some pertinent information, typically scattered throughout the book. However, this book had us hooked as we found useful tips, jaw-dropping and interesting facts on every page.


           
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