• You should first consider the age, size, weight and activity level of your pet.
• Puppy/Kitten Food has higher fat/calories and added DHA for brain development. They should stay on this food until they are done growing (small/med breeds typically about 8-12 mos). Large breed puppies should only be fed food formulated for larger breeds as their calcium/phosphorous needs are different and they stay on it longer, 12-18 months. (See FAQ on Large Breed Puppies.)
• Senior and Weight Management Foods are typically lower in calories and fat for less active pets with a lower metabolism, often higher in fiber, and they often have added glucosamine for joint support.
• Indoor Cat formulas will also typically be lower in calories/fat for less active cats.
• The Ingredients listed on a bag of food are listed in order by weight. This matters as you want to ensure your pet is getting enough good quality ingredients and the right ratio of proteins, fats and carbs.
• All of our food is free of Wheat, Corn, Soy and By-products. These are fillers, highly allergenic and/or poor quality nutrition for your pet. We only recommend foods that have a specific named meat first, such as chicken, or chicken meal. We do not recommend any food using by-products or non-specific meats like poultry or meat meal. If Fresh Meat is the first ingredient, then it should be followed by a dehydrated meat or a high quality meal. (Once the water weight is removed, that fresh meat is no longer the first ingredient by weight).
• Dogs and Cats are Carnivores and thrive on a high quality meat based diet. A diet too high in carbs can cause weight issues, yeast, itching, inflammation and other health ailments.

All Kibble requires starch to hold its form. Some kibble uses grains such as rice, oats or barley. Some use grain-free starches such as peas, lentils or patatoes. Which you choose to feed depends on your pet and what might be a better fit. Are they allergic to a particular starch? Do they need a low-glycemic starch? There are several things to consider when deciding which to feed, and both can be a good choice for the right reasons. We carry a large amount of grain and grain free options.

DCM stands for Dilated Cardiomyopathy and is a common heart disease in dogs. It is historically an inherited disease and prone to be more prevalent in certain breeds. In 2018 some veterinarians asserted that grain free diets were to blame. They got the FDA involved who then published a report. The report stated they had no evidence and did not recommend a diet change. After several years of testing by several universities, they have published studies and have been unable to link feeding grain free foods to an increased instance of DCM.

If you are concerned about feeding a grain-free diet, there are several other options out there. We have always recommended rotational feeding between brands, and proteins. We also recommend feeding as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible.

There are so many wonderful benefits to feeding raw. Here are some:

• Improved Digestion (no fillers, just the good stuff in a whole food diet)
• Improved breath and dental health (it contains live enzymes and not all the starches that cause plaque)
• Healthier Weight and Balanced Energy Levels (low carb diet since it doesn't require starches and not all the fillers)
• Reduced Stool Quantity/Smell (Less to pick up as their bodies are utilizing all the nutrients) and no gas
• No Body Odor
• Silky and Shiny Coat

Feeding Raw is safe to feed your pets as their stomach PH is made to burn through any possible pathogens (just like their wild ancestors). The commercial raw food we sell is designed to be fed raw- so extra care is considered, unlike raw meat in the grocery store, which is intented to be cooked, where there are no extra kill steps to eliminate bacteria.

Any possibility of bacteria left after processing is more of a concern for the pet parents/children in the household so we recommend handling it just as you would any other raw meat you prepare (cleaning counters/utensils).

Both are great and our recommended choice! Adding ANY fresh to your pets diet is great. Some differences:

• Raw can be more affordable as you typically feed less, and is available in Bulk options in most brands we carry like Tuckers, Steves, OC Raw, Small Batch, Bones & Co, and Green Juju.
• Raw diets are less processed and generally have very low carbs. You can get them with veggies or without. All of the ones we sell are complete and balanced diets, regardless if it is PREY model (no veggies) or BARF (with veggies).
• Lightly Cooked is great for some pets that might do better on it (maybe they have pancreatitis) or prefer it (maybe warm, or with more carbs). Or it might be the owner is simply concerned or not comfortable feeding raw.
• We sell Gently Cooked options that are shelf stable such as Portland Pet Food and Health Extension Pouches, and also frozen such as A Pup Above, Raised Right, California Dog Kitchen, Open Farm, Butchers Pup, and My Perfect Pet.
• Lightly cooked options come in grain-free and grain-in so just watch the carb and fat percent if that is a concern as they can vary widely.

Environmental allergies are more common than food allergies but both do exist. You can ask your vet to have an allergy (blood) test done, or we sell the Glacier Peak Sensitivities Test. (You mail in a cheek swab) Both will test food and environmental triggers. You can find all of our tests under the wellness menu on our site.

Symptoms can include hair loss, itchy skin, red bumps, yeast, licking, and ear infections.

If you believe its food related, an elimination diet is one way to try to identify it. They can be a challenge to do with Kibble, but possible with limited ingredient foods like Zignature. Trying out a raw food diet is a great way to do an elimination diet.

If you are local, you can also sign up for a free personal nutrition consult if you wish to come in and talk to someone about your pet. We are certified in Nutrition and have several great options to help you in your journey.

itchy skin can be a few different things, so we generally require more information and specifics to help. But a few things we can recommend are:

• Adding an Omega 3 supplement to the diet. We carry several options. Our favorites are Ultra Oil and Nordic Naturals. Omega 3's are an anti-inflammatory and are great for skin and coat and also joint health. They are also great for reducing shedding!
• Sometimes just changing to a Fish based protein adds additional Omegas to the pets diet.
• Coconut Oil is a great Medium Chain Fatty Acid and can be massaged into the coat.
• If you think it is caused by a fungus or yeast, we recommend using a medicated spray or shampoo with chlorhexidine such as Nootie Medicated, or Swederma Keto.
• It would also be beneficial to reduce the carbs in the diet. Carbs turn to sugar and sugar feeds the yeast. So low carb diets such as raw, or some gently cooked, freeze dried, air-dried, all are good choices. For Kibble, look at options such as Square Pets PowerHound or Powercat, or Farmina Prime or Pumpkin. See the FAQ on determining Carb percent if you need help.

If you need to find a food, look under our food menu and select the filter "shop by health condition" and select Skin & Coat.

We carry several options with a high percentage of animal based proteins. Farmina Prime, Farmina Pumpkin, Go! Carnivore, Zignature, Nulo Challenger, Nulo Freestyle, are just a few that have higher percentages of animal protein. All of our food is meat first, and all of them have a large amount of animal protein.

Food labels do not disclose the carb percent in the food and they can vary greatly, even within a brand. To determine the carb percent, first find the Guaranteed Analysis. Then start with 100%. Subtract from that the percent of Protein, Fat, Moisture and Ash. If the GA doesn't list the percent of Ash, then use 8% as an avg. The difference equals the Carb percent in the food.

All of our food is guaranteed by the Vendors. We do need it returned in the original package with the lot#, Exp date and UPC.

This depends on a few factors:

• Are you switching because your pet has loose stool or digestion issues or allergies? Then we recommend a straight jump to the new food. The point of transitioning is to avoid loose stool/stomach upset. In this case, you should start your pet on a new food asap. Adding Pumpkin (such as Nummy Tum Tum, Weruva, or Firm up) or adding a good pre/probiotic (like raw goat milk, Inclovers Optagest, or Flora4 by Carna4) will help transition them quicker and avoid upset tummies. Adding these supplements is a great idea for any transition but more important in this situation.
• We recommend blending the new and old food together slowing increasing the amount. How much and how quickly you increase depends on how much of the old food you have left.
• If you have plenty of food, start with 75% old food to 25% new food, and increase the ratio every 3-7 days.
• If you are almost out of the old food, simply mix the 2 foods together 50/50 each day until you are out of the old food.

Moisture is key! A raw, gently cooked, or canned diet is your best option. Kibble lacks the necessary moisture for optimal health. If your pet already suffers from urinary issues, we have some foods with the proper magnesium levels for urinary health. We also have several supplements you can add to improve and maintain your pets urinary health.

If you need to find a food, look under our food menu and select the filter "shop by health condition" and select kidney & urinary.

Moisture is so important for the kidneys. We recommend a wet, or fresh diet for any pet with kidney issues. Lower protein and phosphorous levels are also important, so we recommend a diet formulated for Kidney health. We have several brands with special formulas, such as Raised Right, My Perfect Pet, Square Pet, Now Fresh, Weruva Wx, N&D, Evangers Ex, Rawz, and TikiCat.

If you need to find a food, look under our food menu and select the filter "shop by health condition" and select kidney & urinary.

We sell several great options for pets with sensitive stomachs, pancreatitis, IBD/IBS, or other ailments. Several are very low in fat (great for pancreatitis) and we a have options with hydrolyzed proteins as well, great for food sensitivities and intestinal issues where dogs have a hard time breaking down the proteins. Several are comparable to a standard prescription diet (only better ingredients) without a prescription, and often at a lower price.

If you need to find a food, look under our food menu and select the filter "shop by health condition" and select Digestive.

Large breed puppies need a different calcium/phosphorous ratio to help slow their growth and avoid things like elbow and hip dysplasia. It is important that the food you choose is formulated for the growth of large breed dogs and puppies. Some of our favorites are Fromm, Nutrisource, Farmina and Nulo. If you are unsure, look for the AAfco guidelines on the package (usually near the feeding instructions). It should state that it meets the requirements of a large breed puppy.

We carry several small breed options for dogs.They will generally be called small bites, or small breed. They are generally the same formulas, just a smaller sized kibble. We recommend a fresh diet first, since they can have dental issues and sensitive teeth. iI you need to feed a kibble then we recommend a baked kibble like Honest Kitchen Clusters Small Breed or Nulo Culinary Small Breed. But we also have a lot of other great small breed options.

There are several things to consider in regards to your pets weight.

• Are you feeding the recommended amount per the food you are feeding? All pet food ranges widely in calories and fat and the feeding guidelines need to match. Be sure you are feeding the amount recommended on your current food bag and measuring correctly. Feed to the weight they should be, not the weight they are.
• Who is feeding them? Are they maybe feeding more then they should be? Ask and reiterate measuring.
• Are you feeding treats? Is anyone in the family? Treats can add a lot of calories and fat so be diligent about what kind of treats they get and how often. Fresh treats like blueberries, carrots, broccoli, are great options. Just be sure everyone in the house knows which fresh treats are toxic- like grapes, chocolate and onions.
• Are you adding toppers? Fresh toppers are great, and we recommend using them, but you might need to cut back the food a bit to offset the added calories. Try to keep toppers at 10% of their diet.
• What are you currently feeding? If you are on a weight management food, following all these points, and it isn't helping you achieve your pets goal weight then your pet might do better on a high protein, low carb diet such as raw, or a low carb kibble such as Square Pets Power Hound.

If you need to find a food, look under our food menu and select the filter "shop by health condition" and select weight control.

The main differences are:

• Temperature: Oven baking uses lower, gentler heat to protect natural vitamins and proteins, while extrusion relies on intense steam and pressure.
• Nutrient Retention: Baking preserves more heat-sensitive nutrients, whereas standard extrusion can degrade a higher percentage of raw whole nutrients during high-heat processing.
• It is also a bit softer, easier on the teeth and often more palatable for picky dogs.

So we recommend a Baked, Cold Pressed, or Air Dried kibble over extruded kibble. If the food doesn't specify these terms on the bag you should assume it is extruded.

Some of our favorite options are Carna4, Honest Kitchen Clusters, Nulo Culinary Harvest, Open Farm Epic, Rawternative, and Badlands Ranch.

Most people are not familiar with TCM, or Traditional Chinese Medicine and the different food energies. TCM believes that each animal protein or plant based ingredient has an energy that can interact with your pets natural energy.

Imbalances can cause itchiness, food sensitivities, skin irritation and even excessive panting. Feeding the right proteins for your pets energy (Hot, Cold, Warm or Neutral) might help balance and resolve symptoms.

If your pet runs cool, always trying to snuggle up or have arthritis, they may do better on warm or hot proteins.

If they run hot and are always looking for a place to cool down, they may do better on cooling proteins. The goal is to be neutral.

Cool proteins: Rabbit, Duck, Pollock

Neutral proteins: Beef, Pork, Salmon

Warming proteins: Chicken, Turkey

Hot proteins: Venison, Lamb

We (along with our pet food vendors) recommend storing your pets food in the original bag. Fold the top down and clip it to keep air out as much as possible. If you are concerned about critters, then we recommend the same approach but placing the bag into a storage container.

Why?

1. Exposure to air starts the oxidation process and turns the fats in the food rancid which can lead to nasty toxic mold that is not good for your pet. When you dump the kibble out into a container, you are exposing all of it at once, accelerating the process.

2. If there is ever a recall or issue with the food, having the bag not only assures you can return it, but also has the lot# and Exp date so they can try to identify a potential problem.

3. Plastic is porous. The fats/oils in the kibble are absorbed into the plastic and then not only turn rancid, but they remain and make the next bag smell and taste bad to your pet, potentially making them sick over time. This is why we often hear "they used to like their food and now they won't touch it." If you do need to use a plastic container, you should wash and sanitize it and thoroughly dry between uses.

4. Metal and Glass are all we recommend if you do feel the need to put it in another container. And still following the same cleaning process.