Nutrition
Way before I started the business I thought my dog Chandler was really fussy with food as he turned his nose up to a majority of foods that I offered him which were Chappie, Butchers, Pedigree, Bakers, Pal and Wagg as that’s what was mostly available at the local market and shops at the time.
A year or so into starting the business and now having a few dogs and having access to a lot of different foods in the Grangemouth shop, I started to experiment with different brands. I noticed that certain foods I fed them caused changes in their skin and coat condition, stools and behaviour. I spent hours researching to see if there was any base to my theory. This is when I found out that pet foods can legally contain undesirable ingredients, additives and preservatives and I had been selling them to my customers and feeding them to my dogs for years, I was mortified! From that moment I have never stopped learning and I try to better my nutritional knowledge every single day.
Studying pet nutrition is a passion of mine and a constant learning curve as new scientific studies emerge. I enjoy passing my knowledge on to my team and customers. My goal, as a business, is to better pets’ lives based on good nutrition. Everything we sell is chosen for quality.
Skin & Digestive Problems
Diet is the most important factor in your dog or cat’s life. If your pet has any health problems, nutritional advice is our specialty. We aim to improve your cat or dog’s wellbeing and quality of life with a healthy diet.
We are here to try and fix your dog dietary-related problems.
If I had a pound for every time I hear someone say “But my dog has been on the same food for years”, believe it or not, this is the reason that a high percentage of dogs develop a food allergy.
Learning to read pet food labels will make finding the right food much easier, this is where we can help.
POO IS VERY IMPORTANT – They should be consistently firm at all times, going 1-2 times a day is normal.
A poor quality diet leads to a build-up of toxins in the body.
Depending on the individual pet this may take days, weeks, months or years.
Has your pet encountered any of the following problems:
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Anal Gland Problems
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Arthritis
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Bad Breath
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Bald Patches / Hair Loss
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Behavioural Issues
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Biting Or Licking Feet
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Black Patches on Skin
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Body Odour
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Colitis (stools with blood)
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Dandruff / Greasy Coat
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Diabetes
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Diarrhoea
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Dry or Dull Coat
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Ear Problems
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Eating Faeces = Coprophagia
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Flatulence
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Gum Disease
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Gurgly Tummy
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Heart Disease
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Infections
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Itchy or Oozing Skin
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Joint Stiffness
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Obesity
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Pancreatitis
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Rust coloured hair staining
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Rheumatism
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Seizures
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Smelly or Waxy Ears
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Tartar
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Tear Staining
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Thyroidism
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Tooth Decay
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Underweight
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Vomiting Bile or Food
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Yeast Infection
Even if the problem only occurs now and again, you may not associate it with the diet as certain companies chop and change the ingredients so often, making it much more difficult to find the route of the problem.
The government minimum of meat inclusion in pet food is 4%. Many manufacturers who skimp on quality will put only this amount of meat in. This means that the remainder of the food is bulked out with cheap cereals and grains high in carbohydrates, which raises your pet’s blood sugar levels putting them at a much higher risk of Obesity, Diabetes, and Heart Disease.
Your dog or cat needs a high percentage of quality meat in their diet which contains quality protein for their body and organs to function correctly.
A manufacturer can bulk a bag up with undeclared ingredients, preserve it with carcinogenic chemicals, label the food as healthy and nutritious, cover the bag with photos of vibrant, happy dogs surrounded by fresh meats and vegetables and sell to billions of unsuspecting customers.
Meat & Animal Derivatives
Poor quality ingredients allow manufacturers to use the cheapest ingredients available at the time of production. This is bad news for dogs with intolerances as the ingredients may constantly change.
Derivatives of Vegetable Origin
This can include anything that’s derived from a vegetable, from charcoal to compost! This is bad news for dogs with intolerances as the ingredients may constantly change.
Cereals
Bulking agents are used to fill up the remainder of the food. This is bad news for dogs with intolerances as the ingredients may constantly change.
Animal Fats
The manufacturer can use the fat rendered from any animal. This is bad news for dogs with intolerances as the ingredients may constantly change.
By Products of Vegetable Origin
This term allows the use of anything that is not classed as a cereal. It is generally waste material from the Human food preparation industry. By the time it is processed at high temperature, it contains no nutritional value except as another fibre source. It is inexpensive to use and is classed as another bulking agent. This is bad news for dogs with intolerances as the ingredients may constantly change.
Dangers & Toxins
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Alcohol
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Avocado
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Blue Cheese
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Bread Dough
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Caffeine
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Cherries
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Chives
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Chocolate
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Cooked Bones
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Corn on the Cob
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Currants
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Grapes
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Gravy
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Hand & Skin Moisturising Creams
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Leeks
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Macadamia Nuts
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Mouldy Foods
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Onions
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Raisins
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Raw Potatoes
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Shallots
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Sultanas
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Xylitol
