volume 20     July 2006  

Dear Honest Kitchen customers,
To help beat the heat this issue we've decided to offer a special, cool reward to 150 lucky shoppers. The first 150 customers to place an order totaling $100 or more (not including shipping or tax) will receive $20 off their entire order. To claim this reward, simply enter coupon code 06SUM30 in the checkout page of our web site and if you're one of the first 150 to apply the code, $20 will be taken off your order total immediately. Don't wait, Click here to order!
  • Monkeying around
  • Location near you
  • Got Fleas!
  • Cool cubes
  • Scared Poopless


    • Lions, Tigers, Bears and Monkeys??

    Sustainable Farming
    Our chosen charity this summer is the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, which is "A diverse nationwide partnership of individuals and organizations cultivating grass roots efforts to engage in policy development processes that result in food and agricultural systems and rural communities that are healthy, environmentally sound, profitable, humane and just."
    More about this worthy organization can be found on their web site: www.sustainableagriculture.net
    At The Honest Kitchen, we are committed to producing foods and supplements devoid of chemicals and hormones; using non-GMO fruits and vegetables, organic produce where possible and ethically raised meats – and so it's a logical step to support an organization that is working to promote agricultural policies that benefit people and the land.
    A few staff in our corporate office are also enjoying fresh, seasonal produce from a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Each week we collect a box of mixed fresh veggies and fruits from a local pickup point, for a very reasonable charge – and we get to support a local organic farm in the process – what could be better! To locate a CSA program near you, Click here!

    Lions, Tigers & Bears News
    In follow-up to our recent charitable donation to Lions, Tiger & Bears Animal Sanctuary, this organization recently faced new threats from the ‘Horse Fire' wildfire.
    This fire burned 16,681 acres in San Diego County the week of July 23rd. All animals had to be evacuated from the sanctuary during the fires. They have all now returned back safely to the sanctuary. Please visit www.lionstigersandbears.org for additional updates.

    Mostly Monkeys
    We were proud to also support a local primate and wildlife sanctuary here in Southern California this month, with a donation of 120 lbs of Embark Dog Food! www.mostlymonkeys.org provides a safe home for monkeys who have been rescued from private homes, zoos, research laboratories and other unfortunate circumstances. The donated food will be used to feed many of the residents, also among them - raccoons, parrots, a badger, fox and mountain lion.


    Dexter's Deli – A Dog's Delight

    Our Store of the month for this issue is Dexter's Deli. With two California Coastal locations in Del Mar & Carlsbad, Dexter's is considered one of the original health food stores for dogs and cats and serves discerning customers who are looking for holistic, wholesome and quality choices for their pets. They stock a wide variety of raw diets and healthy foods such as The Honest Kitchen, as well as gourmet snacks, collars, leashes and treats.
    Dexter's has been carrying our product line since 2005 and have done a great job in promoting dehydrated foods as a complement and alternative to raw food and home made meals. They have lots of very loyal customers throughout Northern San Diego County, who are attracted to the stores for their delicious food offerings and by Dexter himself, a dog with a vision - who still likes to remain in charge of daily operations. Visit Dexter's online at www.dextersdeli.com for information on home delivery, or meet them in person at the below locations:

    Del Mar
    1229 Camino Del Mar
    Del Mar, CA 92014
    Tel: (858) 792-3707
    Fax: (858) 792-0036
    delmar@dextersdeli.com

    Carlsbad
    2508 El Camino Real
    Carlsbad, CA 92008
    Tel: (760) 720-7507
    Fax: (760) 720-7504
    carlsbad@dextersdeli.com

    Below are our listings of new Honest Kitchen resellers: Look for a store near you, or if you have a favorite pet supply store you would like to see the Honest Kitchen in, let us know. We would be happy to contact them with product information. Please email: accounts@thehonestkitchen.com

    Mounds- Sun Prairie, WI 53590, Tel: 608-825-9800
    Doggie Style- Chicago IL 60622, Tel: 773-235-9663
    Hungry Hound- St. John IN 46373, Tel:219-365-5543 or visit them: www.hungryhound.com
    Bad Dog Frida- Stoughton, WI 53589, Tel: 608-442-6868
    Mountain Mutts And More- Gunnison, CO 81230, Tel: 970-641-2945
    The Good Earth Market- Billings, MT 59101, Tel: 406 259-2622
    Barkenhowell's- Bozeman, MT 59715, Tel: 406-586-6160
    Nature's Truth- Hillsdale, NJ 07642, Tel. 201-666-9031
    Mill Plain Veterinary Clinic- Danbury, CT 06811, Tel. 203-790-8387
    Crunchies Natural Pet Foods- Crofton Maryland 21114, Tel: 410-721-5432 or visit them here www.crunchies.com
    Animal Massage- Plantation, FL 33319, Tel: 954- 316-3037
    Scraps Dog Bakery- Sparks, NV 89434, Tel: 775-358-9663
    PrinciPessa Pets- Las Vegas, NV 89117, Tel: 702-566-7387
    The Stock Shop- Glendale, AZ 85306, Tel: 623-487-9277
    Bonnie's Barkery- Cave Creek, AZ 85331, Tel: 480-502-7973
    Scraps Dog Bakery- Truckee, CA, Tel: 530-582-5044
    Health Wize For Pets- San Francisco, CA 94117, Tel: 415-552-0233 www.healthwizeforpets.com
    Sanger Veterinary Hospital- Sanger, CA 93657, Tel: 559-875-2922 or visit Dr. Kitty here www.kenyonatdogcreek.com
    Doggone- Digadee- Oceanside, CA 92054, Tel: 760-439-8777
    Bones 'n' Scones- Palm Desert, CA 92260, Tel: 760-864-1133
    Off Leash- Turlock, CA 95380, Tel: 209.668.1399
    Healthy Paws- Bend, OR 97701, Tel: 541-598-4554
    Canines Unlimited- Juneau, AK 99803, Tel: 907-790-3647 or visit them here. www.caninesunlimited.com
    Natural Options- North Canton, OH, Tel: 330.494.5933
    A Dog's Life- Chesterland, OH 440.729.7722
    Bakerstown Feed & Garden- Bakerstown, PA, Tel: 724.443.7600
    Bubbles-N-Bark- Louisville, OH, Tel: 330.875.3669
    Fleming's Pet Supply W.H.- Greensburg, PA, Tel: 724.834.0500
    Cherrywood Kennels- Grafton, OH, Tel: 440.926.2801
    Leone Animal Sup.- McMurray, PA, Tel: 724.941.2081
    K9 Naturally- Defiance, OH, Tel: 419.658.2445
    Naturally Pets- Irwin, PA, Tel: 724.864.7387
    Posh Pets- Ashland, OH 44805, Tel: 419.289.9567
    The Pet Loft- Akron, OH 44333, Tel: 330.668.1919
    What a Good Puppy- Amelia, OH 45102, Tel: 513.752.3999
    Raw-N-Healthy Pet Nutrition- Parma, MI 49269, Tel: 517.750.9100

    Online Store:
    www.myfreshpet.com- NV, Tel: 630.580.4143

    Please visit our store directory for the our entire list of Honest Kitchen resellers: Store Directory


    Beating Summer Fleas

    In Southern California at least, this summer has been especially bad for flea infestations, so we thought we'd share some home remedy tips and ideas for winning the war on these pesky bugs.
    Control of all life stages in the flea life cycle in both the environment and on all animals in the vicinity, is crucial.

    Diatomaceous Earth is our favorite product for killing fleas that live in yards and homes. This product does not contain chemicals and can be used freely on furnishings and carpets as well as outdoor areas. Vacuuming of excess product (as well as fleas, eggs and larvae) is a vital step in controlling fleas, too.
    Pennyroyal herb is another renowned flea repellent although it should not be used around pregnant animals or people.
    Pennyroyal, which is a member of the mint family, can be planted around yards and particularly near doorways to homes, to help keep fleas at bay. In addition, Pennyroyal Essential Oil can be diluted in water and sprayed liberally in indoor and outdoor areas.
    Nematodes are a highly effective option for lawns and other outside areas. These microscopic organisms feed on flea eggs and larvae and help to control flea populations, naturally. Ask your local gardening shop for details on ordering nematodes.
    An electronic flea trap may be another worthy investment, to combat fleas inside without chemicals.

    For topical application directly on the pet to repel fleas and soothe irritated skin that can result from flea-bite dermatitis, try one of the following.
    To keep fleas away:
    Lemon Water – Dr Pitcairn recommends steeping lemons in water over night and spraying the solution on pets the following morning.
    Tea Tree or Citronella oil on inside of collar works as a natural flea collar to repel fleas.
    Lavender, lemon balm, rosemary and other woodsy essential oils are also thought to be helpful- add 2-3 drops of essential oil to ½ litter of water, spray pet and surroundings.
    (Remember, dogs have very sensitive sniffers so be sure to dilute essential oils well and do not apply near face).
    Neem Oil (be aware that some pets can be very allergic to Neem) can be found in many commercial products including shampoos and sprays.

    Try one of the follow for irritated flea bit dermatitis:
    Evening Primrose Oil is helpful for direct application to skin that has been irritated by fleas.
    Tea rinse- To help sooth irritated skin (external rinse), steep a couple bags of black tea in 1 gallon water. Allow tea to cool and soak pet.
    For an herb tea rinse- steep a couple bags of Chamomile in 1 gallon water, add comfrey leaf and or aloe leaf for additional soothing relief. Allow tea to cool and soak pet. Refrigerate unused portion.

    Fighting fleas from the inside out:
    Building a strong immune system is crucial for helping pets to fend off fleas as well as overcome the effects of allergic reactions to flea saliva (flea bite dermatitis). First off, a natural diet is key. Supplementation with a cleansing herbal supplement such as Sparkle is also beneficial. Homeopathic Urtica Urens (nettle), Sulphur, Rhus Tox (Poison Ivy) and Pulex Irritans (Human Flea) are all used for various flea bite reactions. We don't recommend spot-on treatments for fleas but if these become absolutely necessary, supplementation with Invigor can help the system overcome the effects of the chemicals these products contain.
    Along with a fresh, natural diet, dietary supplementations with Vitamin C as well as an Essential Fatty Acid are also thought to be beneficial for immunity and reducing any inflammatory response.

    To order Honest Kitchen supplements here: Sparkle, Invigor & Perfect Form


    Cubes for the Heat

    Across the country, this summer has brought the heat! An easy recipe option to incorporate cool treats into your four-legged friends' diet is to make cubes of their Honest Kitchen meals. Just re-hydrate one cup of any our the diets. (If you use Preference, meat can be added after you add the appropriate amount of water to the Preference mix). Scoop out the food into an ice tray and place in freezer. You may want to cover with plastic wrap to cut down on freezer burn.

    Then throughout the day, pop out a cube as a tasty cool treat! If you feed more than a few per day or are concerned with the extra calories this will add to their daily regime, simply decrease their morning meals accordingly (by a couple tablespoons or so).

    Help your four-paws stay cool. If your dog is panting excessively throughout the day, putting water or alcohol on their ears (avoiding the ear canal) can serve to dissipate the heat. Otherwise, an afternoon dip in a kiddy pool, lake, river, or if you are fortunate enough, send them to the salt water for an oceanic experience!


    Scared Poopless

    The Straight Scoop on Dog Care
    by Chiclet T. Dog and Jan Rasmusen

    Yes, the author is an oh-so-precious four-footed Maltese. Luckily he had his mom, Jan Rasmusen to head-up and fund the book as well as visit many Veterinarians for their wealth of knowledge. These include Dr. Pitcairn www.drpitcairn.com , Dr. Schoen www.drschoen.com , Dr. Ogilvie www.californiaveterinaryspecialists.com , Dr. Dodds www.hemopet.com , and Chiclet's own Veterinarian, Dr. Hebbler www.healinghope.com This list, however, is not inclusive of all the Docs who support this book.

    Throughout reading this book at bedtime, I found myself reaching for post-it notes, tabbing pages of important information and websites to browse in the morning. The pages are filled with no-frill advice and experiences recounted from Chiclet's trials and tribulations. Intermittently throughout the book, he has these brilliant phrases as well. ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'

    The book dispels many myths propagated for years by huge pet food conglomerates. For example, why does a 4 pound Maltese receive the same dose of a vaccine as a 140 pound Mastiff? This seems counter-intuitive however many of us have let the Vet poke our dog without basic rationale. Why give polyvalent (DHLPP) vaccines when alternatives and monovalent (Distemper given alone) types are safer? What is the reputation of the vaccine, has a lot been recalled? Until pet owners begin to research answers to these questions on their own, their four-legged friends are the ones who suffer. ‘It costs more to do ill than to do well.'

    Toxins, Vaccinations, and fresh, natural diets are discussed at length, with Chiclet recommending, almost pleading at times that owners Take Charge in the health and well-being of their dogs. Until recently, vaccination schedules used to be set forth by the manufacturers of the vaccines themselves! Now a health board sets the suggestions for vaccination protocol & schedules.

    Beyond these topics, Chiclet and Jan cover private, often overlooked but important matters. These include preventing loss and theft of your dog, dogs in cars, safety trips for canine air travel, combating major medical, divorcing your dog, how to choose the right dog for your lifestyle and personality so it does not live out its days in a shelter. This next one might be a shocker, but I guess you can never be too prepared; arranging for your dog's welfare should you die or become disabled.

    Scared Poopless is highly recommended for any pet, and their owner, whether just delving into a more holistic approach to dog care, or a professional at heart. ‘Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.' Potential problems have a way of exposing themselves before growing into larger ones. Will we notice a lion's roar or its whisper?

    And did you know that Neuticles are available for male dogs that are in a huff about losing their testicles? These are prosthetic dog testicles. Yes, you read correctly!
    Chiclet informed me of this in one of his end of chapter trivia.
    Please visit – www.dogs4dogs.com to meet Chiclet & Jan Rasmusen


           
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