Hearty Pet Talkin Tails Hearty Pet Talkin Tails A Blog where we discuss pet food, pet health, general discussion, news and events.
Articles:
1, 2
Articles
Puppy Food For Large/Giant Breed Dogs
2008-06-02 19:28:00 Many companies have, or are coming out with, higher protein, grain free foods. While these can be wonderful for the full grown dog, not all of them are appropriate for puppies under one year of age. It is not the high protein that is a concern but most of these foods are too high in calcium for growing pups. Some people and breeders are still skeptical about feeding pups higher protein. I disagree with this as I have seen pups raised on high protein foods and they are doing great. I correspond with breeders feeding high protein grain free food to weaned pups and plan on doing so with my next litter. Here is a link for your review: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/pupp y-protein/ Now for the calcium: Natures Variety Instinct is what my girls eat and do great on. However with calcium at 2.49% it is too high for growing pups under one year of age. EVO is another excellent grain free food but at 3.0% calcium it is also too high. The best one I have seen on the marke... More About: Dogs , Food , Puppy , Giant , Large
Joey the Westie
2008-05-22 01:42:00 Click the link below the video to vote. Hello Everyone, Bradley needs your help. He is making an effort to win the FIDO from Nickeloden Award for the cutest dog. Our Westie Joey is not great at videoing but Bradley is doing this on his own and needs to get the word out. All you need to do is click the link below and VOTE for Joey. We will be adding new videos that will improve. This was Bradleys first attempt and he is just having fun with it. I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think. Joey is fast as you will see but I will get some outside shots of him as well. Please share with those you know would like to view and vote. Vote for me!
Odd things, math, and more
2008-05-09 04:09:00 Ok, I enjoy odd facts and found this very interesting. 111,111,111 X 111,111,111 = 12345678987654321 Seriously, get your calculator and try it! Another odd one. I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Ok, now that was bizarre! Psot hree if you hvae any oddities to add. More About: Math , Things
So you are confused by dog food?
2008-05-09 03:55:00 In an effort to inform and educate our customers, I have asked permission from two great writers from a popular forum (www.dogster.com) to repring this. We kept this article in tact. It does reference some competitors but we believe the informational value of this is worth keeping it all in tact. Thanks to Sedona and Gunner from Dogster for this article. Enjoy reading it. Sedona - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/632919 Gunner PAWS - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/138416 INTRODUCTION You’re probably reading this because you’ve just learned the dog food you are feeding your dog is garbage or maybe you’re just reading this to get some more info. Maybe you’ve been looking for a new food but you just don’t know how to get started. What ever the case may be this is a guide to help you pick out a good healthy food for your dog. First, dogs are carnivores. See those sharp teeth they have? Those are for crunching bones and tearing flesh. If dogs were meant to eat lots of grains, fruits, a... More About: Food , Dog Food
Earth Day
2008-04-20 22:28:00 Celebrating Earth Day April 22nd, 2008 marks the 38th anniversary of the first observance of Earth Day . What has Hearty Pet contributed for helping the earth and our environment? Hearty Pet is happy to work in an earth friendly facility. We have installed programmable thermostats which are better for the environment - uses less energy and helps reduce greenhouse emissions. Our warehouse has taken efforts on reusing all boxes received from inbound shipments where appropriate, we package all items with recycled paper, we recycle all ink cartridges, and we use a paperless system where appropriate. What did you do for Earth Day? We’d love to hear from you. Please post here and let us know how you contribute to our environment. Use appliances marked with the “Energy Star” logo - uses less energy, plus saves you money. Recycle purchases - old cell phones, computers (after data has been removed) Use rechargeable batteries Recycle ink and toner cartridge P...
Cerebellar Hypoplasia
2008-03-19 07:51:00 Please watch the short video below. http://www.stumbleupon.com/demo/#url=http ://gprime.net/video.php/charley I only recently found out about Cerebellar Hypoplasia. I had no idea this existed. It can occur in both dogs and cats and humans from the little bit of research I have come across. I am listing a couple of the articles I ran across via Google. You can of course research this further yourself by searches on the Internet. I thought I would briefly share a bit of info on this subject for those of you who, like me, have never heard of this before. “Encyclopedia of Feline Veterinary Medical Information Cerebellar Hypoplasia The cerebellum is the portion of the brain responsible for the control of motion. When a puppy or kitten is born with an underdeveloped cerebellum, the condition is known as congenital cerebellar hypoplasia. There are infectious causes of this condition in both cats (panleukopenia infection prior to birth) and dogs (herpes virus infection prior t...
Double Cheesburger Anyone?
2008-03-16 16:08:00 As I was perusing the web the other day, I came across a post on dogster explaining the cost breakdown of buying a premium bag of food. I found it interesting and asked the author if I could post it here for our viewers. The author is Sebastian-Tyler Carr “I bought 2 bags because you save on shipping with 2 . Orijen Adult 29.7lb. bag at $48.99 US. coupon code ( OR8PCT ) saves 8% $48.99 a bag x 2 = $97.98 $97.98 - (orijen coupon) $7.84 = $90.14 Shipping $ 19.11 + $90.14 = $109.25 So thats the total $ 109.25 now the break down $109.25 / 59.4lbs. = $1.84 dollars per pound I know my dogs eat 9.9oz. per day of grainless dog food so take $1.84 divide that by 16 because there are 16 oz. in a pound then times that by 9.9 and you get the cost of feeding 1 dog per day. $1.84 / 16 = $.115 cents per ounce then $.115 x 9.9 = $ 1.1385 so it costs me $1.14 a day per dog to eat good food. the way I look at it is here in Indiana a double cheese burger from Mc Donalds with tax costs $1.09 so I ... More About: Double
Do You Know Who PETA Is?
2008-03-03 20:59:00 This organization is nothing like what they want you to think they are. They are not out for the wellfare of animals. They come onto reputable breeders properties uninvited and when no one is home and snoop around taking pictures, etc. They are trespassing. They pose as families looking to purchase a puppy. They don’t want anyone to own a pet. It is scary to say the least. Here is the truth about PETA - just one of many sites out there. http://www.petakillsanimals.com/petasdirt ysecret.cfm Patty Snowco Labradors More About: Peta
Recovery From Emergency Surgery
2008-03-03 20:02:00 My Miya started out with vomiting bile 6-8 times beginning at midnight one night. For the next 24 hours I monitored her temperature and fed very small meals by hand as she had no appetite. The following morning her temp was at 104.8 and off we went for an emergency ultrasound which resulted in rushing her to the ER for emergency exploratory surgery resulting in the removal of her ruptured gallbladder. This is very rare in dogs, especially young (3 1/2), healthy dogs and mortality rate is 50% My poor girl had peritonitis, septicemia, low albumin and developed edema and wasn’t expected to survive. In the ER for 8 days. It was one of the worst 8 days of my life and I could cry just writing about it now. At the time I had her 5 month old daughter, Jazz, at home and feared I would not be bringing her mom home to her. Once they got Miya’s infections under control the main concern was low Albumin (protein in the blood) due to her lack of appetite and inability t... More About: Recovery , Surgery , Emergency
Dental Care: Healthy Teeth for Healthy Pets
2008-03-01 09:09:00 This article is from the Humane Society. Their website is below. By Nick Lansing istock.com Brushing your pet’s teeth is a very important part of pet care. Most people know they must care for their pearly whites. Plaque and tartar buildup can cause bacteria to migrate into our bloodstreams, resulting in serious health problems. The same holds true for cats and dogs. Along with love, good food and exercise, a daily brushing of their teeth is one of the most important things we can give our animal companions. “You can imagine if we didn’t brush for five years how bad things would get,” said John Lewis, president-elect of the American Veterinary Dental Society and assistant professor of veterinary dentistry and oral surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. “More and more evidence points to the mouth as a source of inflammation and infection that can cause adverse effects elsewhere in the body.” Tenacious Tartar In one study, Penn rese... More About: Pets , Care , Teeth , Healthy
Top Ten Winter Safety Tips for Pets
2008-03-01 08:48:00 Here are the top 10 winter safety tips from ASPCA for your pets. 1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife. 2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape. 3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags. 4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while... More About: Safety , Pets , Winter , Tips
Reduced Shipping Costs
2008-02-21 22:38:00 Our economy is slowing, prices are rising, and jobs are being lost. This is what we hear continuously in the news. The dreaded “R” word keeps popping up. Recession! Whether we are currently in a recession or heading towards one, the bottom line is we still must feed our pets. Unfortunately, the premium foods we all want and need to feed our furry friends are more costly than those cheaper store brands. Just because the economy is slowing down is no reason for us to stop feeding them the best, the only thing they deserve. As product prices rise, we here at Hearty Pet truly worry about our customers and want to assure them that we do everything we can to keep costs down. With that in mind, we are happy to announce that we are lowering our shipping costs. Yes, Fedex and UPS have had recent increases as some of you may have noticed when checking out. However, we have negotiated price breaks with Fedex and are happy to pass these on to you, the customer. The best way to save ... More About: Shipping , Costs
Premium Pet Foods - Real Stories #2
2008-01-25 03:44:00 I have a cat, Indiana, who is half bobcat and is currently 6 yrs old. Living in a city environment, our cats remain indoors, to keep them safe. We were living in an old house at the time he was growing up, where the previous tenant had been an excessively heavy smoker. We’d cleaned every surface in the house, except for the rock front fireplace. BIG mistake. The nicotine from the cigarettes had settled on the hearth, and we hadn’t even thought about it. Indy- being adventurous as he grew older- decided licking the hearth was interesting. We didn’t think of the nicotine, but thought it was a nasty habit for him to do, so we discouraged it always. It didn’t matter. He got by our preventitive measures, and we couldn’t be home 24/7.Then, Indy started loosing weight; fleas were now becoming a problem where they never were before, and he was grooming excessively, almost obsessively. We wormed. We de-fleaed. We took him to the vet. None of the other cats seeme... More About: Stories , Real , Foods , Real Stories , Premium
What are you doing or have you done for your pet this holiday season?
2007-12-23 07:13:00 By “holiday season”, I am talking about from November through January. I have already gotten my cats a new “cat nest” as I call it. I bought it in November, actually. I had to give it to them early as their other one was in BAD shape. It is cat furniture they can scratch on with a place to lay on top. They love it. It is quite stable, too. A lot of cat furniture is “topsy turvy.” Plus, I have been getting them some new little toys of some sort. They will also get special treats around the special days. So, what are you doing for your pets or have you done so far? I hope everyone and their pets have happy and safe holidays! Take care, Gizzaroo More About: Holiday , Season
PET POISON TIP: NO CATS AND DOGS UNDER THE MISTLETOE, PLEASE!
2007-12-23 06:49:00 PET POISON TIP: NO CATS & DOGS UNDER THE MISTLETOE, PLEASE! While it may be nice to run into your sweetie under the mistletoe, this traditional holiday plant can be potentially toxic to our animal companions. Found throughout the United States, American mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant that lives off a variety of different tree species. If ingested in large enough quantities, mistletoe can potentially produce gastrointestinal irritation, excessive thirst and urination, a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, seizures, coma and even death in pets. According to our experts at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), however, most animal ingestions involve small quantities—not more than the amount found in a sprig or two—and typically result in mild stomach upset that resolves with little or no treatment. Remember, if you suspect that your pet has ingested a potentially toxic substance, contact your local veterinarian or APCC at (888) 426-4435. For more pet pois... More About: Dogs , Cats , Cats and Dogs
Recessed/Inverted Vulvas and Chronic Infections
2007-12-04 21:59:00 (image property of Woodhaven Labradors ) Some female pups can be born with what is called a recessed or inverted vulva, sometimes termed an “innie”. This allows urine to pool in the valley around the vulva and the resulting bacteria can be the cause of chronic urinary tract infections (UTI), bladder infections or, in some cases, vaginitis. If you suspect your new puppy has this condition there are holistic ways of preventing infection. It is also very important that this pup is not spayed until she has her first heat cycle because most times the vulva will correct itself as a result of that heat cycle. If you spay prior to the first heat you could be subjecting the pup to a lifetime of infections. Be sure and ask your vet if they have ever dealt with this as there are vets who have never seen a case and would not know what they are looking at. If that is the case please seek out another vet so you are not advised to spay your pup prior to first heat. A re... More About: Infections , Vert
A Thanksgiving Message
2007-11-22 02:52:00 Be Thankful Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,because it means you’ve made a difference. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Fin... More About: Thanksgiving , Message , Hank , Mess
What have you given up for your pets?
2007-11-17 19:13:00 One thing I have given up is vacation. I still take vacation days but I do day trips, etc. I won’t leave my cats at the vet office if at all possible. I don’t trust “kennel” places and I don’t want strangers (certified pet sitters) in my house. I have a friend who could handle it a few days but she lives out of town, so she would have to “house sit” as well. It would be an inconvenience for her at this time, though. One year someone gave me some “diffusers” for Christmas. At that time I had a bird so having these around in corners where it did not fly was an acceptable risk since I always watched him when he was out of the cage. I love those things. They smell so good and for so long! But I cannot have those in my house now with the cats. I thought about maybe in the bathrooms because I keep those doors shut but I am still afraid to do that…because….what if? I gave up some of my freedom wit... More About: Pets
The Morgan Horse
2007-10-27 03:14:00 This one is for you Gizaroo! Along with my passion for Labradors is the Morgan horse. I was practically born on the back of a Morgan and grew up in a family that bred, raised and showed this magnificent breed for many years. Here I am at the age of 4 riding one of our Morgan breeding stallions (Snow’s Courtney Red). And, yes, that is me at the top of the page showing my Park Horse , Starlite Beau Ideal, when I was around 18. History of the Morgan: (I have combined my knowledge with info and dates from the internet). The origin of the Morgan is a bit of a mystery. It is believed that the first Morgan horse was a stallion named Figure who was owned by a teacher in Vermont named Justin Morgan in the late 1700’s. Figure’s pedigree was mostly unknown. It has been said that the Morgan originated from the Arabian and the American Saddle Bred. It has also been said that the Standard-bred (trotter) you see at the race track inherited their trotting speed from the Morgan.... More About: Organ
How old is my cat or dog in human years?
2007-10-23 17:09:00 I thought this would be a nice companion post to Patty’s “Our Beloved Seniors” . We do forget and/or don’t realize how old our furry friends really are. Age of Cat or Dog Age in Human Years 3 months 5 years 6 months 10 years 1 year 15 years 2 years 24 years 4 years 32 years 6 years 40 years 8 years 48 years 10 years 56 years 14 years 72 years 18 years 88-91 years 20 years 91-96 years 21 years 96-106 years Data provided from U.C. Davis. This table is based upon factors in animals related to their maturity including tooth and bone growth and sexual maturity. Larger breeds of dogs have a shorter life span yet may mature more slowly in their first few years than a small dog.
Something’s Fishy!
2007-10-18 21:43:00 Hearty Pet is happy to announce that we are now carrying the much anticipated Orijen 6 Fish formula. The Orijen line has become our most popular and everyone who tries it simply raves about it. Give it a try, im sure you doggies will LOVE it. If you do try the 6 Fish line, please take a moment to give a review on it. It helps all consumers immensely to be able to hear the good and bad about a product before purchasing. Mike More About: Some
Pet Safety During the Holidays
2007-10-18 18:49:00 I found many places that had pet safety info. I have put 2 lists here that I found that I thought captured most of it pretty well. There may be some information that is repeated. I realize it is a long list, but it is good to read it. I still sometimes run across things in updated lists that I never thought about before. * Many holiday plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats. Among the plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and lilies. * Snow globes often contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets. * Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet’s intestine. So keep pet areas clear of pine needles. * The extra cords and plugs of holiday lights and other fixtures can look like chew toys to pets. Tape down or cover cords to help avoid shocks, burns or other serious injuries. Unplug lights when you are not home. * Anchor Christmas trees to the ceiling with a string to keep it from falling on pets. * Do not let pets drink the... More About: Holidays , Safety , The Holidays
Product Review
2007-10-11 04:12:00 Ask and you shall receive! We have just implemented the product review functionality to the site. If you have purchased or used one of the products we carry, please share your opinions with the audience. It is quite simple to use, and we do not require you to be registered. On the product pages, you will see stars representing the current rating or if no rating exists yet, then you will see a “Write Review ” button. Clicking this will, you guessed it, allow you to write a review on this product. In addition, at the bottom of all product detail pages, you will see all the current reviews and a button that will allow you to review it yourself. Please note that we are using the image verification. In order to submit your review, you have to type in the number displayed on the image. This is to help reduce spam. I promise you, this is not one of the sooooo complex types that you can’t figure out what it says. I tried to make it as easy as possible for humans, but as... More About: Product Review , Product
Crate Training Your Puppy
2007-10-02 21:34:00 Snowco’s Chocolate Mousse I would never consider raising a puppy without a crate. For my sake as well as my puppy’s. Some may think putting a pup in a crate is cruel but that is the furthest thing from the truth. A puppy’s ancestors are wolves. Wolves would never sleep out in the open for fear of predators. They sleep in a den or a hollowed out tree for protection and sanctuary. A pup’s crate will be his/her home or security blanket (if you will). The crate will satisfy the “den” instinct. The crate should be the proper size for the size of an adult dog of the breed pup you have. Buy a high quality, well made, crate, such as Midwest, with a divider to prevent accidents in the crate when the pup is small. Most puppies will not go to the bathroom where they sleep. Always remove a pup’s collar when putting in the crate for safety reasons. The crate will aid in house training and eliminates a pup damaging things while going thru the ... More About: Training , Puppy , TRAI , Crate , Raining
Inside or Outside?
2007-10-02 05:31:00 Do your cats stay inside or outside or both? Just curious. Some folks say…. ….different things about that. I have found that most of the veterinarians I have gone to as well as our Animal Shelter, frown on letting cats outside. There are just so many things that can happen to cats these days. There are different respiratory diseases out there that even vaccinated cats can catch. By the way, those annual shots aren’t 100%. Did you know that? Yea. They don’t tell you that. Another reason to keep the kitties inside. I am not sure exactly which shots are not 100 percent, I just know my friend lost a very special cat because of it. His vet told him about the shots. He USED to let his cats go outside. He lost 3 cats within a year. One due to a respiratory disease it caught from a stray cat, the other two were run over by cars. He has 3 more now that he keeps inside all the time. Depending on where you live, there can be more cars, mo... More About: Inside
It’s In The Air
2007-09-25 17:36:00 It’s in the air. Autumn. You know it’s here with that certain sound of silence you find when you walk out the door. The birds are all still here for the most part but their songs are different and few. It’s as if they are packing their belongings and closing up the summer cottage and getting ready to leave just like Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn did in “On Golden Pond”. It is a bittersweet time. But I look forward to fall and winter while that tad bit of sadness floats in the air…like the melancholy notes of a beautiful classical piece of music. Beautiful, yet sad. There is such a peacefulness at this time of year. I can go outside and all the noises, the pleasant and obnoxious sounds of summer are gone. It’s almost as if people are glad for the break. No more rushing around trying to keep one’s yard up in appearance, or water the flowers and vegetables, etc. Soon, the chores will be to rake leaves and clear away the summer’s waste...
Free Fedex Shipping!
2007-09-20 04:22:00 Hearty Pet is pleased to offer FREE Fedex shipping on ALL orders this weekend. If you place your order on Saturday September 22nd or Sunday September 23rd you will not be charged a penny for your shipping costs. Hearty Pet works with Fedex to be able to provide this to our loyal customers. There are certain stipulations of course. The orders must be placed on those two days, you cannot preorder nor does it apply to previous orders. In addition, it is a “while supplies last” deal. We are waaaay over stocked for this event to try to accomodate everyone, but please try to order as soon as possible to ensure you get the products you want. Full Details Let me emphasize, this is true free shipping. Our prices are fair, and there are no extra fees for “heavy items”. You can order 1000 lbs of food and we will ship it free. We hope you enjoy the savings. p.s. We stuck this in here ahead of time to give those customers that are reading our blogs a sneak peek. More About: Free , Shipping
The Dangers of Clumping Cat Litter
2007-09-17 05:18:00 Adapted from Why is Cancer Killing Our Pets? by Deborah Straw (Inner Traditions, 2000).Clumping cat litters hold great appeal for cat-lovers because they are so convenient. But what many pet-owners don’t realize is that two ingredients in most clumping cat litters have been implicated in diseases and even the deaths of many animals and humans. Sodium bentonite is often added as a clumping agent to traditional cat litters to create the “scoopable” clay litters on the market. Sodium bentonite acts like an expandable cement, which is why these litters should not be flushed: they swell to fifteen to eighteen times their dry size and can be used as grouting, sealing, and plugging materials. Cats often lick themselves after using the litter box, ingesting pieces of the litter. If litter gets inside them, it expands just as it does in the plumbing. Also, the dust from such litters can coat our cats’ lungs, leading to respiratory problems. The Hennepin Center for Poison Control in M... More About: The D , Litt , Lump
Quotes on Cats
2007-09-17 04:33:00 Meow is like aloha — it can mean anything. - Hank Ketchum ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ *~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~* Cats are the ultimate narcissists. You can tell this because of all the time they spend on personal grooming. Dogs aren’t like this. A dog’s idea of personal grooming is to roll on a dead fish. - James Gorman ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ *~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~* Confront a child, a puppy, and a kitten with a sudden danger; the child will turn instinctively for assistance, the puppy will grovel in abject submission .. the kitten will brace its tiny body for a frantic resistance. - Saki ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ *~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~* An inquisitive kitten is the best reminder of what youth is all about. - Unknown ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ *~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~* Dog’s have owners. Cat’s have staff. - Unknown ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~... More About: Quotes
Great Quotes
More articles from this author:2007-09-16 20:49:00 Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. - American poet Robert Frost (1875-1963) More About: Great , Quotes 1, 2 |
|
 |
|
 |
