maintaining a healthy canine diet with #NaturalBalance Limited Ingredient Diets® #sponsored

January 13, 2016 Kristen Carr

This post is sponsored by Natural Balance and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help spread the word about Natural Balance available at PetSmart, but Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Natural Balance and PetSmart are not responsible for the content of this article.

As a pet sitting professional, I am often asked about diet recommendations. There are a lot of great pet foods out there, but there are also a whole bunch of seemingly healthy foods that I would steer clear of. Diet is one of the most important factors in a healthy lifestyle. Just like our skin, hair, body makeup and energy levels are affected by the foods we eat, your dog's skin, coat, weight, and energy are affected by the quality of the dog food you provide. I believe in rotational feeding, which means I feed N.A.S.H.A. a variety of high-quality dog foods. Though we throw in a new one now and again, there are a few staples in our lineup, and Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets® is one of our favorites.

Maintaining a Healthy canine diet with Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets–well minded

When I was a kid, no one in my class was allergic to peanuts or had a gluten sensitivity. And pretty much every family dog ate some kind of crappy puppy chow and seemed to do just fine. I can't get into all of the ins and outs of how these health issues may have developed in humans and canines, but, over time, it seems we're witnessing more and more diet sensitivities.

If your dog has food allergies or is sensitive to traditional dog foods, a food with limited ingredients may just be the ticket. The fewer the ingredients, the less chance of a reaction.

why is Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets such a great food for dogs?

PetSmart® carries a complete line of Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets (L.I.D.) for both cats and dogs. You can find dry, canned, and treat formulas at your local PetSmart or at Petsmart.com. What is so great about a "limited ingredient" pet food? And why Natural Balance?

• The foods contain a single-source animal protein, which may help pinpoint the source of the sensitivity and help you avoid it in the future.

• Natural Balance offers unique proteins such as rabbit, venison, bison, and wagyu beef. Some of our pets have developed sensitivities to the proteins more commonly used in pet food, so switching things up can help.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets offers grain-free options.

• A variety of grain-free options are available. Grains are another common culprit of food sensitivity in our pets.

• Natural Balance limits the carbohydrate sources, thus minimizing the chance for food sensitivity.

• No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Hallelujah!

• The food contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that, along with a quality protein, support healthy skin and a shiny coat.

• Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets are suitable for all life stages.

• Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets are backed by a "Buy with Confidence" guarantee, which means their food is tested, and you can see the results of your particular bag of food on the Natural Balance web site. How awesome is that?

our experience with Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets

N.A.S.H.A. was quite curious about the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Sweet Potato and Fish Formula.

As you know, we rotate N.A.S.H.A. through several natural pet foods. We do this to try to avoid her developing food sensitivities and also to keep her happy and interested at mealtime. Would you want to eat the exact same thing every day for your whole life?

It's great that Natural Balance offers a variety of unique proteins, so if your pet is allergic or sensitive, you can stay within the family, yet still offer variety.

For the past month, N.A.S.H.A. has been enjoying the Sweet Potato and Fish formula. My family groaned when I brought it home from PetSmart, thinking it would be super stinky (they are anti-fish dog food for that reason). Fish is super healthy for dogs, so I sometimes opt to suffer through the stink. But the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets fish food...er...dog food...you know what I mean...isn't stinky at all! No, really!

N.A.S.H.A. loves the food and has had no problems adjusting. She punches me in the leg for second helpings, a practice that can be quite irritating, but at least I know she's enjoying the food. Her skin and coat have been really healthy, even though here in the Arizona desert, it's the driest time of the year. I wish my skin and hair were tolerating the season as well! At ten years old, N.A.S.H.A.'s energy level has been great, and she's been able to keep up with all of our holiday antics.

We will definitely keep Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets in our food lineup. As I've mentioned in the past, several of my clients have had great success with it, as well, and it's my go-to recommendation for pets with food allergies or sensitivities.

where to find Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets

Find the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets lineup at PetSmart.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets is super easy to find at your local PetSmart, and if a store is not conveniently located nearby, just pop over to PetSmart.com.

Click here to learn more about Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets and their "Buy with Confidence" guarantee.

Is your pet on a Limited Ingredient Diet? We'd love to hear about your experience!

Visit Natural Balance on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

how a limited ingredient diet can benefit your dog

why should I buy grain-free dog food? #sponsored

December 8, 2015 Kristen Carr

I am being compensated for helping to spread the word about Brothers Complete. Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. All opinions are my own. Brothers Complete is not responsible for the content of this article.

Many high-quality dog foods are now grain-free or offer grain-free varieties. While not all grains are created equal, these grain-free foods, in general, may be slightly more expensive than their grain-containing counterparts due to the fact that grain is less expensive than meat protein and other natural, nutritious ingredients. But the increase in cost is worth it for two important reasons:

1. Grain-free foods are typically healthier for your dog

2. The extra money you spend on a high-quality grain-free food will save you in the long run since many costly veterinary treatments can be prevented with a better diet.

And, unless you are buying bottom-of-the-barrel (please say you're not) grocery store brand dog foods, going grain-free isn't really that much more expensive.

Why should I buy grain-free dog food?–Well Minded

Brothers Complete is a great high-quality, grain-free option. Plus, the people are awesome–they truly care about your dog. What a concept!

We have our dog, N.A.S.H.A., on a rotational diet, which means we feed her a variety of high-quality dog foods on rotation, most of which are grain-free. One of our favorites is Brothers Complete, a high-quality kibble that comes in a variety of protein varieties, including chicken, turkey, lamb, and venison. There are lots of reasons why we love Brothers Complete, one of the main reasons being that they are totally grain-free.

why are grains bad for my dog?

• Dogs do not need carbohydrates to provide glucose to their bodies like humans do. Dogs convert fat into glucose and energy, a process called gluconeogenesis. Gesundheit. Grains in dog foods are unnecessary, taking up space that could be filled by other nutritions ingredients. Grains are used in dog food as cheap fillers.

• Most grain used in dog food is poor quality grain that was rejected from the human food industry. The grain stored in hot silos for several months and can often become contaminated by rodents, insects, grain storage mites, their droppings, and their carcasses. Ewww. As if that isn't bad enough, the heat in the silos often causes growth of fungus and toxins, some of which can be harmful or even fatal.

• Grains contain physic acid. Physic acid binds to essential minerals and eliminates them from your body, so your pooch won't receive all of the benefit of the good nutrients in the food. The soaking process our ancestors used to remove the physic acid from the grain has been eliminated in the name of efficiency. So not only are grains non-essential fillers, they actually detract from the nutrients your pet needs.

• Ingestion of some grains in dogs can cause "leaky gut," a condition that results in increased intestinal permeability. The culprit? Gliadin that triggers the release of the chemical Zonulin. The result? An increase in allergic reactions, skin conditions, and immune dysfunction.

• Processed grains and potatoes have a high glycemic index. Since dogs don't need carbohydrates, their systems react as if they have eaten sugar, causing an insulin spike. Over time, this can cause stress to the pancreas, leading to insulin resistance. The dog's body creates more and more insulin to compensate, which can eventually lead to diabetes.

• Even when potatoes are fresh, they aren't good for dogs. But it gets worse. For optimum freshness, potatoes should be stored in the dark, between 55° and 60° F. Most dog food companies do not keep to these standards. Potatoes that are exposed to light, damaged, or are allowed to get above 65° for too long produce a potent toxin called solanine.

• Grains and potatoes have high levels of lectins, which are damaging to your dog's overall health for several reasons. Lectins interfere with the absorption of nutrients and protein digestion and can result in anemia and diarrhea. Lectins can also cause leaky gut, immune dysfunction, and inflammation. They can create food sensitivities by causing the immune system to create antibodies against them, hence the increase in dogs with food allergies and sensitivities. Hormone interference caused by lectins can affect your dog's metabolism, possibly contributing to weight gain. And that's not all...they can also cause problems for the intestines, pancreas and liver. Bad news!

if grain is so bad for my dog, why do so many dog foods include it?

One reason: it's cheap. If grain is a main ingredient or even included at all, the dog food is cheaper to produce than a food that does not contain grains. The more grain (like, is it one of the first three ingredients?) in the food, the cheaper it is to make. Large dog food companies can then charge less for their food, appealing to a broader group of pet parents, or can gain a higher profit margin on their food.

To me, that's wrong and creepy. I'd rather pay a little bit more for my food and know that the company I'm purchasing from has N.A.S.H.A.'s best interests at heart. Plus, if I feed her a higher-quality, grain-free food, she'll be healthier, and I'll save on vet bills over time.

But what if your veterinarian recommends a food with grains?

I urge you to think about who is to profit from that.

Brothers Complete explains it well:

There are many veterinarians and nutritionists who say that dogs should not have a problem eating grain or potato; and there have even been studies designed to prove the same thing. The studies are usually funded by large dog food companies that have a vested interest in convincing veterinarians and the general public that grain and potato is good for dogs, or at least doesn't do them any harm. Given our experience with thousands of dogs over the years, we do not agree with that point of view.

I know, I'm mad, too. But there's something we can do about it.

how can my dog benefit from a grain-free diet?

Brothers Complete, one of our favorite grain-free dog foods states:

Brothers Complete Dog Food is a great grain-free option.

Years of actual experience operating a dog food store has given us the vantage point of being able to observe the effect of diet on many thousands of dogs over extended periods of time...Many dogs were seemingly fine eating grain- or potato-based dog food when we first met them, but, over the years, if they didn't eliminate grain and potato from their diet, the majority of them eventually did develop problems. Switching them to grain- and potato-free foods quickly eliminated the problems and was further confirmation that grain and potato were primarily responsible for the problems.

Dogs switched to a grain-free diet will typically see dramatic health benefits, including:

• Healthier skin and coat.

• Elimination of allergic reactions in the skin.

• Reduction in systemic inflammation.

• Healthier immune system.

• Healthier digestive system.

• Better nutrient absorption, resulting in better overall health.

While no food is a miracle cure, switching your pooch to a grain-free diet such as Brothers Complete can help him better deal with any health issues that may arise. Since our dogs are considered family members, it's important to educate ourselves and provide our canine kids the optimum in pet nutrition, setting them up for great health and longevity.

Visit the Brothers Compete web site for a wealth of canine health information and to learn more about their high-quality, grain-free dog food.

Visit Brothers Complete on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+.

Have you switched your dog to a grain-free diet? What health benefits have you noticed? Please share your story so we can learn from your experience!

our d.i.y. cat plate gets licked clean: purina muse® natural cat food is a hit! #mycatmymuse #ad

October 22, 2015 Kristen Carr

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyCatMyMuse #CollectiveBias

As you may know, my junior pet sitters are obsessed with crafts, DIY, and anything that makes a giant mess. Me...not so much. I pick up poop all day, so I'm okay with not making a mess at home. When they want to get their inner-Picasso on, I try to find the least invasive-to-my-life project that will also satisfy their artistic yearnings. I'm a great mother in other ways. Swear. So when the junior pet sitters learned that we had the chance to check out a new natural cat food with our favorite black cat, they jumped at the chance to "add a little something special" to the whole she-bang, and it just SCREAMED Halloween!

Our DIY Cat Plate Gets Licked Clean: Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food is a Hit. #MyCatMyMuse wellmindedpets.com

As a professional pet sitter, I'm often asked for pet food recommendations. That means we're always on the prowl for nutritious, natural pet food. I went on a mission to find one of our favorite clients, Jacopo, a new quality food. We love browsing our local PetSmart for the best in pet nutrition because there is such a variety to choose from. When we went with Jacopo in mind, we discovered Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food, sold exclusively at PetSmart. I love exclusivity, but I'm going to fill you in on it, anyway. 'Cause I'm nice like that.

discovering the variety purina muse® natural cat food has to offer

I'm a firm believer in rotational feeding for cats and dogs, so I was on the hunt for a cat food that offered a lot of "recipes" and options. I found Purina Muse, and was totally impressed with the giant array of cans and clear tubs in the cat food section at PetSmart. In fact, I kind-of felt a bit overwhelmed and impressed. Who knew?

Purina Muse Natural Cat Food was easy to find in the cat food aisle of our local PetSmart.

Purina Muse offers over 30 recipes. What choices! With Purina Muse, you don't have to choose between nutrition and food that tastes great. Your cat can have both when you choose Muse. There were so many wonderful options that I had to reel-it-in and focus. You might benefit from my discipline...the food falls into five main categories, all of which include the essential nutrients cats need to thrive, and most of which are grain-free:

• in chowder (clear tub)

• in broth (clear tub)

• with toppers (clear tub)

• paté (can)

• in gravy (can)

Check out all of the Purina Muse Recipes at PetSmart.

I love that many Purina Muse Natural Cat Food Varieties come in clear tubs so you can see what you're getting.

My mind was blown when I started to consider the options. I don't know that I've ever seen such a great variety in natural cat food. There was chicken with tomato and carrot, turkey and spinach, sea bass and herring, tuna and tilapia with a baby clam topper, and ocean whitefish with an anchovy topper, just to name a few. Don't tell anyone, but I was getting a bit hungry, myself, just checking out the different options. Perhaps I should have had lunch, first. Never shop hungry. I selected a few different kinds to try so we could find out which would become Jacopo's favorites. I especially love the clear tubs that the broth and chowder varieties come in. You can see right through the package so that you know exactly what you're getting. That works. Oh, and–added bonus points for Purina Muse–the packaging is recyclable.

What's best about Purina Muse?

• all recipes are made with real fish or poultry

• there are no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives

• the recipes are 100% complete and balanced for adult cats

• there are thirty different recipes, twenty-four of which are grain-free

Learn more about Purina Muse on the Purina Muse web site.

Purina Muse offers a huge variety of grain-free natural nutrition options for your cat. We chose these to try first.

Naturally, we had to design a custom Halloween plate for Jacopo, our classic black cat Halloween muse. Because kids. Because crafts. Once we chose a few varieties for Jacopo to try, we set out to find the supplies we'd need to create our Halloween gift for him.

diy ceramic cat dish with sharpie embellishment

When my junior pet sitters, Porter and Campbell, were looking to get their creative on, I freaked a little, and then figured it out. They especially love to make things for our clients around the holidays, so something of that genre made sense to satisfy their monstrous craft-craving. I can sometimes be a bit of a disaster when it comes to creating anything too elaborate. When the kids asked me if they could make something Halloween-themed for Jacopo, a simple project a friend told me about came to mind as the perfect option: a ceramic-cat-dish-decorated-with-Sharpie-pens-and-baked-in-the-oven-to-set-the-design. Easy peasy, right? RIGHT? Looking for some support, here!

Let's make this!

1. SUPPLIES

Our DIY cat dish required minimal supplies.

THE DISH: In order to avoid whisker fatigue, it is important to provide cats with a shallow food dish. We poked around at a couple of local stores and found the perfect saucer-like, plain white dish at IKEA. It had a smooth surface for the kids to decorate on, was shallow, and was the perfect size. Since they were only a couple of dollars a piece, we purchased a few extras for future creations (or do-overs).

THE SHARPIES: We wanted to create something fun for Jacopo for Halloween, so we chose a simple orange and black color palette. Sharpies come in just about any color you can imagine, so this project would work great for any holiday or occasion.

2. DECORATING

Wash and thoroughly dry your dish before decorating.

Decorate your plate. The only limitation in design is your creativity! In keeping with the Halloween spirit, my son, Porter, created a spooky graveyard scene with a black cat, and my daughter, Campbell, created a jack-o-lantern face. They had a lot of fun embellishing their dishes and added Jacopo's name for that personal touch. BOO!

The junior pet sitters had a blast decorating their cat dishes.

After you're done with your masterpiece, let the design dry completely.

3. BAKING

After the artists finished their masterpieces, into the oven they went (the plates, not the artists).

By baking the decorated dishes, the Sharpie designs become permanent. There are quite a few suggestions and theories out there regarding Sharpie design and ceramics. What works best is hotly debated by those in the crafting scene. We tried a few different methods (good thing we had extras) and found the way that we achieved the best results:

• put the dish on a baking sheet in a cold oven

• set the oven to 450° and set a timer for 30 minutes

• once the timer goes off, turn the oven off, but leave the dish in the oven until it is completely cool

• once cooled, the plate can be washed (though ours have held up nicely in the dishwasher, you may wish to hand wash, just to be safe)

Trust me, if I can pull this off, you can, too. The kids had a blast decorating their plates with Jacopo in mind.

DIY cat dishes complete...complete with sibling antics.

the taste test

With our Halloween-inspired custom plates in hand, we ventured off to find our muse. We knew just where to go.

As you know, I'm a professional pet sitter, and Jacopo is a pretty awesome cat client of mine. His uplifting personality never fails to put a smile on my face. He's always up for some fun, and he was eager to try Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food.

Purina Muse provided Jacopo with great-tasting natural nutrition he couldn't resist even for a second.

Jacopo didn't want to miss even a tiny morsel.

He dug right in to the whitefish with anchovy topper. In fact, he devoured the whole portion, although he'd already eaten breakfast. He licked his plate clean, then looked under and around the plate end even tried to move it to see if there might just be a morsel he left behind. It was quite clear that he gave the taste a paws-up review. I loved introducing him to a healthy, natural food option, and his mom, Lisa, was thrilled, too. We had a great laugh together about how crazy Jacopo was about it. She is eager to let Jacopo try the other varieties, but we decided it best not to stuff him until he popped on the first go-around. I wouldn't be surprised if Lisa switches Jacopo and his siblings over to Purina Muse permanently. Jacopo and Lisa loved the custom plates the kids made, too, though I think Jacopo liked them better with a full plate of food covering the design.

feed your feline muse a great-tasting, natural food

Natural has never been so delicious. Put Purina Muse to the test with our clean plate guarantee! Be sure to check out all of the thirty varieties at PetSmart and let us know which one is your favorite...er...your cat's favorite!

Click here for a sweet coupon for Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food.

How is your cat your muse?

fromm's chicken with carrots and peas recipe treats for dogs are the real deal

June 2, 2014 Kristen Carr

Chewy, "where pet lovers love to shop" recently gave me the opportunity to try a new dog treat. You might think I'd jump at the chance without a second thought, but my pet is not a guinea pig–she's a dog–so I read the ingredient label before giving them the go-ahead to send it. U.S.A.-made Fromm's Oven-baked Chicken with Carrots and Peas Recipe Treats for Dogs were on deck, and this is how the label read:

INGREDIENTS: chicken, pea flour, potato flour, tapioca, whole peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed t ocopherols), tomato pomace, cranberry, sweet potato, carrot, apple, split peas, green beans, green bell peppers, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach

Everything good and nothing bad? We're in!

While we waited for our treats to arrive, I did a little research about the Fromm Family Pet Food company. They declare themselves "the world's first and oldest family-owned and operated premium pet food company," which seemed a bold statement to make, but they have the history to back it up:

LOVE the vintage logo and packaging! Image courtesy of Fromm.

Since 1904, The Fromm Family has maintained a tradition of quiet innovation dedicated to the health and nutrition of animals. In the 1930's, The Fromm Family introduce the first canine distemper vaccine. In 1949, we introduced the concept of premium pet food to the public. As the country's first and oldest premium pet food company, we have earned the reputation as an industry leader, producing only the highest grade pet foods with the finest natural ingredients.
Based in Wisconsin, Fromm Family Foods is now in its fifth generation of being family owned and operated. We take great pride in this family commitment, as it ensures that our customers will continue to receive superior pet food products now and for years to come.
For more than four generations, the Fromm Family has brought together veterinarians, biochemists, research specialists and food production engineers to formulate our pet foods.

N.A.S.H.A. was very excited when the package arrived. I verified the ingredients on the package and cracked it open. I knew immediately that they would be promptly rejected by my dog. She is the pickiest thing ever, and she won't eat crunchy treats. Hard kibble is fine, but her treats must be soft. She feigned interest.

Great ingredients, and they sure do look good, mom!

She tried, but, like other crunchies, she left on the tile, which was a bummer, because these are some seriously healthy treats that I would love for her to love. Luckily, this week I've had a few other friends around to help me, and they gave these awesome treats their seal of approval. Check it out:

Darby's review. Blurry dog=excited dog. Treat consumed in 1.3 seconds.

Layla's review. Sitting pretty and being polite in hopes of having seconds and thirds. Treat consumed in one swallow.

Gypsy's review. Treat consumed along with a portion of my finger.

Three out of four stars ain't bad, and I'm guessing that if I had more canine friends around, the positive reviews would keep rolling in. Bottom line, N.A.S.H.A. has odd taste. Don't listen to her.

I would highly recommend Fromm's dog treats. This variety we tried was grain-free and made in the U.S.A. The treats contained high-quality, healthy ingredients, and are a great size. Not too big so your pooches can maintain a healthy weight while feeling indulgent. Isn't that what it's all about?

You can purchase Fromm's Oven-Baked Chicken with Carrots and Peas Recipe Treats for Dogs at Chewy.com along with other healthy Fromm pet foods and treats. Chewy.com offers a huge selection of healthy brands and offers free shipping with their convenient autoship service.

Connect with Chewey.com on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest.

Connect with Fromm on Facebook.

Chewy.com provided me with a package of Fromm's Oven-Baked Chicken with Carrots and Peas Recipe Treats for Dogs in exchange for my honest opinion. Well Minded only reviews products that we think would benefit our readers. All opinions are my own.