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If you've recently adopted a rescue dog, congratulations! While there may be an adjustment period, in time, your new family member should be able to fit in perfectly. As with any new dog or puppy in the home, there are just a few tips to keep in mind: Remember that caring for rescue dogs takes a little extra patience in many cases. Most likely, your new pet has lived in at least two places before coming home and may be a little nervous about yet another move. To ease the transition, try to be consistent about where your dog sleeps, naps, eats, etc. If you haven't already done so, try to find out as much about the dog's past as possible. This may give you some insight into his or her likes and dislikes and, most importantly, possible fears. A dog that had a traumatic experience in the past can react differently to loud noises and other items. It's hard, but try not to dote on your pet too much. A new dog is always exciting, and owners tend to want to make rescue dogs feel safe and loved. But if you spend every waking minute with your new dog at first, you can create unwanted separation anxiety issues later. If you can, find out what kind of food the dog was eating at the shelter or foster home or wherever he or she lived before the adoption. Suddenly changing a dog's diet can lead to gastric distress, so be sure to switch to a new food slowly. At the beginning, put more of the old food in the bowl and add a small amount of new food. If the dog tolerates that well, you can put in less of the old and more of the new over a period of days until the dog has been weaned off the previous food. Also, if your pet comes home with tummy trouble, you may want to visit the vet. Nerves, parasites and food sensitivities are just some of the reasons for gastric problems. Caring for rescue dogs sometimes means being a problem solver. Watch your four-legged friend to see if he or she has socialization issues. Some rescue dogs weren't given a chance to meet and play with either other animals or people before arriving at your home. If your dog seems to be skittish or aggressive, you may want to find a local trainer who can help you solve those problems. Once again, congratulations and thank you for taking in a rescue dog. While caring for rescue dogs may take a little extra patience, it also comes with its share of rewards. Give it time, and you should have a wonderful addition to your family!

Imagine eating the same food, day after day, year after year. You’d eventually get bored and want something different, right? Yet most pet parents don’t think twice about feeding their dog or cat the same food day in and day out. Dogs and cats enjoy variety and new kinds of food just as much as we humans do, which is why so many pet parents are switching to a rotation diet. Read on for the top benefits of a rotational diet. 1. A Rotation Diet Is a Balanced and Complete Nutritional Approach Rotation feeding lets you combine specific complete diets of two or more foods that are tailored to your pet’s individual nutritional needs. Get Limited Ingredient Diet For Cats and Dogs Here :) 2. It Gives Them Something to Look Forward To Some dogs and cats can lose interest in their food once they become used to certain flavors and textures. On a rotation diet, your dog or cat will look forward to meal time because they won’t know what exciting new treat will be awaiting them. Try switching back and forth between regular proteins (such as chicken, beef, and fish) and novel proteins (such as kangaroo, guinea-fowl, and duck). 3. It May Help Reduce the Risk of Food Sensitivities and Intolerance If a rotational diet is new to you, think of this… Research has shown that consistently feeding common ingredients for extended time periods can cause some dogs and cats to develop an intolerance or sensitivity to the food. With a rotational diet, the ingredients and formulations that are served to your pet are frequently changed. They are not regularly consumed for a long enough amount of time for the pet to develop an adverse reaction. Therefore, rotating the food may reduce the risk of allergies or intolerance. 4. Flexible and Affordable Options Another benefit of a rotation diet is that it enables pet parents to feed higher quality foods for some meals which could be cost-prohibitive if fed exclusively. When your dog or cat gets used to eating more than one kind of food, this can make everything from shopping to traveling easier. Rotational diets have many benefits. If this type of diet sounds like something you’d like to start giving your dog or cat, please consult a veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist. They can assist you in choosing which foods are best for rotational feeding and ensure that you continue to provide your dog or cat a balanced, healthy diet.

The supply of venison has been an ongoing issue due to herd shortages. For many dog and cat owners, venison has been an important part of their pet’s healthy diet with limited alternative options – even as the prices have soared this past year. In order to prepare for venison shortages, this is a good time to start trying new options. Venison is a novel protein, and for many pets with food sensitivities, a novel protein is the only answer. Novel proteins are protein sources that pets have not been exposed to as opposed to more common proteins like beef, poultry or pork. Because they have not been exposed to these proteins, they may be less likely to have a food sensitivity or intolerance to them. Some examples of novel proteins include duck, guineafowl, and kangaroo. There aren't any current shortages with these proteins, and they have many beneficial qualities. Anytime a new food is introduced, it is a good idea to make the transition gradually. Start by giving 1/4 of the new food and 3/4 of the usual food. Then, gradually increase the amount of new food and reduce the regular food each day until the transition is complete. Finding the right food is an important decision to continue to keep your pet healthy and happy. Please feel free to contact us for more information or leave a comment below.

Always read the ingredient label when deciding what kind of healthy food to feed your cat and avoid purchasing brands that include the following: Corn, corn meal, corn gluten, and anything corn-related (cats have not evolved to eat corn). Potatoes, wheat, or rice (cats have not evolved to eat potatoes, wheat, or rice). Soy: has been found to cause pet food allergies. Wheat and wheat gluten, cellulose/powdered cellulose, and any by-products: all fillers to avoid. BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole), BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene), or Ethoxyquin: chemical preservatives known to cause cancer in humans and animals. Any “natural”/artificial flavors or colorings. Carrageenan and guar gum. As a general rule, the first 5 ingredients of your cat food should always be a protein, and not include any of the ingredients listed above. Also be sure to check that no more than 10% of the food’s calories are coming from carbohydrates. Grain free cat food is best, and make sure cranberries are included on the ingredient list as they help support your cat’s urinary tract. Finding the right healthy cat food can be tricky, but with these tips, you’re well on your way to helping your favorite feline enjoy the best diet possible!

Walk into your local pet store, and you’ll probably see a lot of grain-free cat food. But what does that mean, and why is grain-free cat food better? In reality, the term “grain-free” does not automatically make the food better than the next product. But many foods that contain grains use them as filler, meaning that the overall nutritional content of the food can be sacrificed. And because cats are carnivores, their diet must have the proper amount of meat and protein in it. Buy Grain-Free Cat Food Here :) In addition to possibly compromising nutritional content, cat food filler can sometimes be made from a variety of ingredients, making it much harder to determine what could be causing a pet’s food sensitivities. So, if your cat is losing fur or scratching excessively, it’s certainly possible that your pet food contains one or more grains that disagree with his or her system. And, finally, some of these grain-containing foods can lead to weight gain in your pet. Extra weight often leads to extra health issues for our four-legged friends. Add all of these issues together, and you have a good reason to try to find a healthier alternative when it comes to dinnertime. However, as we said, “grain-free cat food” isn’t the only thing you need to look at when considering new food for your cat. What you really need to examine is the overall nutritional content of the food. You want a clean recipe — the fewer ingredients the better as long as they are top-quality and high in a single-source protein. People like to say “you are what you eat.” The same is true for your pet. As pet owners, our goal is to find a healthy, delicious alternative to help keep the pounds off and the food sensitivities away.

Walk into your local pet store, and you’ll probably see a lot of grain-free dog food. But what does that mean, and why is grain-free dog food better? In reality, the term “grain free” does not automatically make the food better than the next product. But many foods that contain grains use them as filler, meaning that the overall nutritional content of the food can be sacrificed. In addition, this filler can sometimes be made from a variety of ingredients, making it much harder to determine what could be causing a dog’s food sensitivities. Buy Grain Free Dog Food Here :) And, finally, some of these grain-containing foods can lead to weight gain in your pet. We’re sure you’ve noticed the increase in overweight dogs that America has experienced in recent years. Extra weight often leads to extra health issues for our four-legged friends. Add all of these issues together, and you have a good reason to try to find a healthier alternative when it comes to dinnertime. However, as we said, “grain free dog food” isn’t the only thing you need to look at when considering new food for your pet. What you really need to examine is the overall nutritional content of the food. You want a clean recipe — the fewer ingredients the better as long as they are top-quality and high in a single-source protein. People like to say “you are what you eat.” The same is true for your pet. As pet owners, our goal is to find a healthy, delicious alternative to help keep the pounds off and the food sensitivities away.

Studies have shown that food allergies overall are the third most common type of feline allergy. Symptoms include Itchy, irritated skin and up to 15 percent of affected cats also exhibit gastrointestinal signs, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Food allergy symptoms include persistent scratching, skin lesions and hair loss which develop over a period of time. The cat’s immune system gradually mounts a defense against protein and carbohydrate that are present in most cat foods. Since protein is essential for cat’s, a novel diet must contain protein, but it should be derived from a source which a cat has not been previously exposed to, such as venison, guineafowl or kangaroo. For carbohydrates, popular wheat, barley, and corn should be excluded from a novel or limited ingredient diet as chances are your cat has already been overexposed to them. No two cats are alike and as a result, one cat might do well on novel protein like kangaroo cat food and another on duck or venison limited ingredient cat food. The key to food allergies is finding a novel protein and carbohydrate and patiently testing.

Our dogs have a lot in common with us, including being susceptible to food sensitivities and skin issues. Unfortunately, it generally takes more effort to find a solution for our four-legged friends’ problems than for our own. Pets can’t just tell us if they feel better on one food or another, and the dietary options that work with a dog’s digestive system are limited. Novel proteins and limited ingredient diets are great solutions for dogs. One protein to try is kangaroo dog food. Why kangaroo for dogs? There are a number of reasons: Since kangaroo is generally not consumed here in the USA, your dog probably hasn’t built up an intolerance to it. Novel proteins tend to work well with dogs with sensitive stomachs. While many dogs have sensitivities to the more common meats, it’s still best for your dog’s overall health if his or her food is high in protein. That generally means a meat-based diet as opposed to a vegetarian one. Kangaroo meat is high in protein, but it’s low in fat. A win-win combination! Looking for a food that boosts the immune system and serves as an anti-inflammatory agent? You need a food that contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) — and, of course, kangaroo meat has it. In fact, kangaroo meat has some of the highest CLA content of any animal. Even people benefit from CLA, but we tend to take a dietary supplement to get it. However, CLAs are readily available in kangaroo meat, helping keep your dog happier and healthier! So, now that you understand more about the benefits of kangaroo meat, what are you waiting for? Hop to it. Your dogs will love the taste, and you’ll love the difference in your dogs once they start eating this limited ingredient diet with the novel protein of kangaroo. For many dogs, upset stomachs and skin issues improve or disappear when their owners make the switch to kangaroo!

You may have heard the term "Free Feeding". Basically, this means you drop a food bowl and your dog eats throughout the day. Now Free Feeding to me is a term that does not make sense at all from a dog’s perspective. Did the wild dog hunt and occasionally nibble on his prey throughout the day, or if you tossed some freshly roasted turkey in your dog’s bowl, do you think he would eat it gradually throughout the day? No Way! Most so-called Free Feeding dogs, in my opinion, are simply telling you that they’re not extremely fond of their food and when they’re really hungry enough they will finally eat it. How to Tell if Your Dog Likes Free Feeding or Is Just Finicky? Here’s a simple test if you have a Free Feeding or finicky dog. Pick up a high-quality wet food and set up two bowls. One bowl will have your dog’s regular food and the second bowl will have the wet food. If your dog eats all the new wet food immediately, then you have identified that your dog is not really a Free Feeder. WATCH: Wet Food vs. Dog Food Challenge  Here’s another tip if your dog is a Free Feeder. Rotate delicious wet food proteins daily so your dog never gets bored!Most dogs, just like their human companions, live to eat, so make mealtime more exciting with something new, novel and delicious. If you’re looking for a new wet food filled with delicious cuts of meat and packed with problem solving ingredients and no junky fillers, try one of our KOHA Limited Ingredient Diet entrees.

There are almost 60 different species of kangaroo in Australia, most being endemic to Australia. Kangaroos are a part of the Marsupial family. They are herbivores, with chambered stomachs like cattle. Kangaroos were a key to survival for the indigenous people of Australia for hundreds of years and even the Europeans, who arrived in Australia in the eighteenth century. The people of Australia used kangaroos as a source of very lean, low fat, and high protein meat. Today, some kangaroo species are considered pests, due to the plentiful feeding lands of Australia. The kangaroos live a very healthy lifestyle and therefore reproduce almost all year around. Just like the brushtail in New Zealand, who outnumber the human population, the kangaroos in Australia also outnumber their humans. One of the biggest reasons why Kangaroos are considered pests, is because not only do they eat grass, but they eat roots as well. Just like the brushtail in New Zealand, who can eat up to tons of forestry in just one night; a group of wild kangaroos can clean out a whole field in one night as well. That kind of environmental destruction causes these animals to be targets for population control. The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act controls all aspects of the kangaroo industry. They prohibit the export of live kangaroos, unless for inter zoo exchanges, but they export kangaroo meat to many countries around the world for human consumption. Kangaroo meat is gaining popularity because it is high in protein, zinc, and iron but also very low in fat. Kangaroo meat contains CLA (Conjugated Lenoleic Acid) which will better the immune system, act as an anti-inflammatory agent, and also support the building of lean muscles. These healthy kangaroo characteristics makes kangaroo meat a great source of protein for human and animal consumption. Try our MAURI “WILD KANGAROO with Fresh Blueberries” for dogs, an excellent alternative novel protein mixed with the antioxidant benefits of Fresh Blueberries. For cats, try the MAURI “WILD KANGAROO ENTREE”, a great choice of lean red meat mixed with small amounts of cranberries for urinary support.

KOHA Dog Food (Canned) (formerly Mauri) Share Rating: ★★★★★ KOHA Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars. TO READ FULL ARTICLE PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/mauri-dog-food/

There will always be the debate about dogs/cats needing or not needing grains. Like humans we all have different food tolerances and preferences, some animals do well on grain-free foods and some do well on foods with grain. Whether for energy purposes, protein factors, digestive issues, or fillers, grains are used a lot across the pet food industry. These are some things you might or might not know about grains: Dogs and Cats do not fully benefit from the nutrients of grains because their bodies do not fully absorb or extract nutrients from non-meat ingredients. Dogs and Cats have a hard time digesting grains. Dogs and cats do not have the proper enzymes in their saliva to break down plant matter and carbohydrates like an herbivore or omnivore. Grains can be harder for our pets to digest, therefore negatively affecting the efficiency of their digestive tracts and functions. Vegetable carbohydrates like potatoes and peas could be a better choice than grains like corn, wheat, barley, and rice. Grains like whole oats or whole brown rice could also be a better choice and easier on a pet’s digestive tract. Grains are used to bind meats to create different consistencies like kibble, pate, loafs, etc… Grains can also be used as proteins or “fillers”, which can make the consumer feel full faster and longer, while also bringing the cost down for the buyer. Removing grains can improve skin & coat, alleviate certain allergies and digestive problems. Grain free diets usually tend to have higher protein percentages, obviously no grains, but this doesn’t mean low carbohydrates so keep that in mind as well. Grains do have vitamins, nutrients, and minerals but it all depends on the sensitivity of your pet and the cooking process of those grains going into their food. I want to clarify that every animal has a different tolerance, just like humans have a different tolerance for certain foods and ingredients. The bullet points above are meant to summarize the idea, the newest trends, and some simple back to basics information about our pets and their digestive tracts. You might think that you choose what your animal eats, but ultimately the choice of food you continue to buy for your pet obviously revolves around the end results. The “end results” meaning how they react and feel with their diets whether it is grain free or not. Mauri believes in a complete and well balanced diet, while also offering a variety of common and uncommon alternative proteins, like kangaroo. Our formulas are grain, gluten, carrageenan gum, potato free, using pumpkin for digestive support and the cat cans also have added cranberry for urinary support. Try KOHA with your pet and see how they like it…

Pet owners often face the challenges of dealing with a pet that is either experiencing food intolerance or a food allergy. Just like humans, some of our pets have a hard time digesting certain proteins and ingredients, this is known as food intolerance. Food intolerance's may cause vomiting or diarrhea. Food allergies are different than intolerances, they include symptoms like dry-itchy skin, rashes, or even excessive shedding. Finding the solution to these two challenges can be one of the hardest tasks for a pet owner. The journey begins with an unhappy, irritated pet, to unwanted vet visits, or google searches for pet food advice, or maybe even a list of never ending questions for the knowledgeable pet store employee. Either way, pet owners will find that, the typical solution for these issues will be to adjust the pets diet. "But my pet has been eating the same food for years?!" Just like humans, our pets can develop allergies over time. "Woof, woof! I love my chicken!" says my pug, Zulu. "Well I hate to break it to you Zulu, but chicken is not the best option for you anymore." When you are ready to alter your pets diet, you might want to keep these proteins and ingredients on your "Try to avoid" list....Chicken, Beef, Corn, Wheat, Soy, and Dairy Products. Again, just like humans, we are all different and we can all tolerate different proteins and ingredients, but the ingredients listed above are very common allergens in pet foods. "Chicken, corn and wheat? I see those ingredients in a lot of pet foods" In certain occurrences, allergic reactions can be blamed on the constant use of these ingredients. "What types of proteins and ingredients should I be looking for then?" This is when pet owners begin the "elimination diet" or "trial and error diet", which involves getting rid of the foods that include the offending ingredients and introducing the new foods with alternative proteins and ingredients. These alternatives can come in many different forms like: raw, freeze-dried, dehydrated, fresh, homemade, dry food, or canned wet food (like our KOHA SUPER PREMIUM PET FOOD). For example, potatoes and peas are popular alternatives to grains, but KOHA goes even further than that alternative. KOHA is made with pumpkin which for some is considered a healthier alternative than potatoes and peas. Protein makes up most of the ingredient panel in pet foods, so finding an alternative to the typical chicken and beef is going to be the most important factor towards a healthy pet. Alternative proteins like lamb, salmon, venison, rabbit and duck have been very popular in recent years. KOHA decided to go one step further again and introduced even more exotic, novel alternative proteins like KANGAROO, venison and guineafowl. These proteins, just like all others, have different characteristics and benefits. Try the KOHA "WILD KANGAROO with Fresh Blueberries" for your dog or the "WILD Kangaroo" for your cat and see for yourself if the alternative proteins and ingredients help with food intolerance's and allergies. I'm sure everyone will agree that they do not like seeing their pet sick or uncomfortable, so if you are dealing with either food intolerance's or food allergies, try ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS, try ALTERNATIVE INGREDIENTS, or better yet try KOHA SUPER PREMIUM PET FOOD. Please email me any questions alex@nootie.com By Alex Cortes aka "The Hound Dog"

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a disorder in which one or more sections of the gastrointestinal tract have become invaded with inflammatory cells. Over time, this inflammation causes the intestine to become less efficient at absorbing nutrients from digested food and weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea often result. KOHA Pet Food would be a great diet for dogs and cats who may suffer from IBD. KOHA Pet Food is free of Potatoes and Peas, which was replaced with pumpkin. Pumpkin is loaded with fiber and beta-carotene to help resolve issues like diarrhea and even constipation. Many people add pumpkin to their pets food bowls already, but by supplementing it yourself you may run the risk of over using the pumpkin. Pumpkin is converted into Vitamin A, which can be toxic if over supplemented. KOHA Pet Food contains enough pumpkin to keep your loving dogs and purring cats "regular", without having to worry about overdoing it. Try the KANGAROO with FRESH BLUEBERRIES, LAMB with FRESH APPLES, or VENISON with FRESH KIWI, these options have a little less pumpkin and an added fruit for antioxidant benefits. New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel is also an ingredient you will find in every MAURI Pet Food Formula. This special ingredient is an anti-inflammatory agent which will help aid digestive issues and also keep joints healthy.