a message from the honest kitchen |
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02/14/2008 |
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Show A Little Love
Happy Valentine’s Day! And what better time to share some love and cuddles with your pup? Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in our busy routines that we forget to stop and connect with the animals around us. And in addition to a little extra lovin’ this month, why not indulge your hound with some delicious treats or a home cooked meal? A Heart-Shaped Special
If you think some cookies might be the way to your furry friend’s heart, we have a very special, special this month! Simply enter coupon code VLTNS08SC in our web site checkout page when you place any over $100 and a 3/4 lb jar of our world-famous Smooches hand-baked cookies will be added to your shipment! Please take care not to include any spaces if you cut and paste the code! The added benefit? A portion of the proceeds from all online sales this month will be sent directly to The Animal Rescue Foundation. Waiting For A Quick Peck
Don't tell anybody just yet, but we’ll also be adding another new recipe to our line of treats in the next few weeks! By popular demand, we’ve rustled up a new bite-sized cookie that’s perfect for training and smaller breeds (and this won't stay a secret for long - the big dogs in our office love ‘em too!) The new cookies are named Pecks and are made with delicious human-grade Buffalo and Blueberries. We’re making an improvement to our other cookie recipes, too – replacing the USDA chicken fat with Extra Virgin, Organic Coconut Oil. If you’ve never tried the treats in our line, you can read a completely unbiased review of them by esteemed reporter Julia Szabo on the Fetchdog blog, Right Here Paws To Consider
A pooch’s paws don’t often garner too much attention, unless something is actually wrong with them. But the paws of a pup can actually tell us quite a lot about his general state of health. Did you know that very dry, cracked paws can be a sign of a Blood Deficiency, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Accompanying signs might include dry eyes, dandruff, lack of stamina and restlessness. To tonify the blood, try foods such as Beef, Sardines, Eggs, Carrots, Parsley, Apricots and Dates. Supplementation with Essential Fatty Acids such as fish oil, safflower, flax or even olive oil can also be very beneficial for dryness in the feet and skin. If your hound continually licks and chews his feet and paw pads, this is often a sign of a food allergy. For some reason, when a dog eats food to which he is sensitive, this causes a type of irritation and chewing at the feet is an attempt to get relief. If you notice excessive, chronic foot chewing and licking, or very red pads, a change in diet is the first course of action. Begin by eliminating grains. If there is still room for improvement, try an alternative source of protein and perhaps some different vegetables than those that are in his current diet. Many pet guardians notice almost overnight improvement in chronic foot-chewing, just by correcting the diet! Of course a sudden, acute case of foot-licking (especially directed at just one paw rather than all four) is probably a sign of injury. Examine the feet thoroughly after hikes and even trips to the park, to check for thorns, shards of glass or fox tails that might be making their way into, or between, the pads. Soaking the paw in warm water solution of Epsom salts can help to draw out foreign objects and Calendual ointment can provide healing relief once an injury has been thoroughly cleaned - but veterinary advice should always be sought in a traumatic injury such as this. Be aware also that hounds who aren’t used to a very active lifestyle, can suffer with soreness and abrasions on their paws if they suddenly get to go on a very long hike without first toughening up. Various topical products are available to help toughen the pads, but good nutrition and a gradual introduction to rougher terrain (or even just walking on the road if you usually only exercise at a grassy dog park) can help to condition and harden up your dog’s feet for a trip away or a new active lifestyle. Some Lovin’ from the Oven
This recipe uses Pork, which isn’t a common meat for most dogs - but it’s something they love as an occasional treat and alternative to more usual proteins. We do recommend thoroughly cooking this recipe and if you can, please use free range pork such as Neiman Ranch. 1 Medium Loin of Pork or about 2 lbs cubed Pork Meat 1 Large Bulb of Fennel, finely sliced 1 Small Butternut Squash, Halved with seeds removed. Pinch of dried Thyme 1 good lug of Olive Oil Place the Pork in a roasting pan. If using a loin of pork, pre-cook this at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes prior to adding vegetables. If using diced pork, add the sliced fennel and halved squash along with the thyme all at once to the same pan. Roast the pork along with the vegetables for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove and allow to cool sufficiently before removing the squash form its skin, and serving. This can be fed alone or with your dog’s usual Honest Kitchen meal. Want to share this with your pup? A delicious rich sauce can be made to accompany your portion: Core and finely dice one apple and one small onion. Cook gently in 3 tbsp butter for about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp of Dijon or other whole-grain mustard. Add 1 tbsp plain flour and stir thoroughly. Slowly add 1/4 cup white wine along with the stock from the roasted pork. Simmer, and add ¼ cup heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the pork & vegetables, along with some potatoes of your choice. Reader's Letters
We receive dozens of letters every week from the guardians of delighted consumers! Here are three recent ones - My dog was having major issues with his stomach. He'd wake up in the middle of the night throwing up or just in pain. We had to bring him to the vet for iv fluids and were having to give him a food we were totally not pleased with! Then we were told by a friend to try force. I emailed your site and you helped me by explaining the ingredients. We got the Force and he has been on it ever since without any problems in his belly. We are all enjoying sleeping through the night! And he is once again a happy dog!! Thanks from me and Duke! Wendy B. Abbey is an Olde English Bulldogge and had a horrible gas problem! She use to be able to clear everyone out of the entire house never mind just a room. She has been on the Force for two weeks now mixed with her kibble. This stuff is awesome, it is the first food that we don't have to light several scented candles with after she eats!! I am guessing once she is solely on the force what little gas she gets now will be gone. Thank You for a great product. Deb I just wanted to update you on how well my dogs are doing!!!!! This is the best food ever! Not to mention they just love meal time. Their stomach problems are great and their skin is clearing up! If Honest Kitchen ever makes a grain free beef food please let me know. Until then we are loving the preference. Thank you so much for all your help, Gayle, Ruby and Reilly Charity of The Month
This month, a portion of the profits from all sales in our online Retail Shop, will be donated to The Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, CA. For more information on this wonderful organization, click here ARF’s Mission is simple: ARF saves dogs and cats who have run out of time at public shelters and brings people and animals together to enrich each others lives. ARF strives to create a world where every loving dog and cat has a home, where every lonely person has a companion animal, and where children learn to care. Does your pup have a special friend.....
.....who might like to try our products? If so, feel free to send us an email to info@thehonestkitchen.com with their guardian's name and email address and we'll send them a coupon to use on their first order - and another one to User1_Placeholder to to thank you for the referral! Happy Valentine's Day! |
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