It's that time of year: the flocks head south to warmer wintering grounds, the sun says goodbye a little earlier every night, the kids head back to school and we start to set into our fall routine. As the rains return and the chill sets in, we start to spend more time inside, which for a lot of dogs, means less activity. Some dogs handle extra down time just fine but other really suffer from boredom. With the lack of outdoor activities, let's talk about some other ways that we can keep those tails wagging. Dogs release stress (and bust boredom) in a couple of ways, but one key way is through chewing. Chewing and licking releases endorphins into dogs' brains which in turn, reduce stress. Repeated chewing is great for the teeth, gums, and jaw. It can even help condition the neck and upper body! Having toehold an oddly shaped toy or chew with their front paws is a great work out for the rest of the body as well. In the last few years, a ton of great treat toys have hit the market. You can stuff them with anything from traditional treats to carrot pieces, peanut butter or bully sticks.These toys encourage dogs to problem solve by figuring out how to get to the food; this is great for their need for mental stimulation. Many of the toys allow you to set the difficulty level to you can start easy and gradually make it harder as your dog figures it out, keeping things more interesting. Here are a few of our favorite treat toys: West Paw Toppl This durable, 100% rubber toy is so customizable. You can use one piece by itself and stuff it with treats or make a fun frozen snack. The Toppl is unique in that the large and small size screw together to make totally new toy. Using it this way works best with small treat pieces or even their daily kibble. The dogs have to roll the connected toy around to get the treats to fall out of the hole. Best perk about all West Paw toys? They are totally dishwasher safe! West Paw Quizl The Quizl is designed to hold stick-shaped chews (i.e bully sticks!). The Quizl grips the chew so only the ends are accessible, slowing down the time it takes for the dog to consume the chew. The dog has to figure out how to get the rest of the chew out of the toy! Available in two sizes. Planet Dog Snoop The Snoop is award winning for it's unique shape and design. The Snoop essentially turns inside of itself to make a crevice for treats to get stuck. In order to get the treats out, the dog has to maneuver the Snoop around with its nose or paw to get the treats to fall out of the tricky opening. They offer two sizes for large and small dogs. Planet Dog Guru This ultra-durable toy features 5 different openings for endless treat combinations. The large center hole is perfect for a bully stick or similar chew and the outer slits could be used for anything from spreadable peanut butter to treats. You could also freeze this toy with peanut butter, yogurt, etc. for a unique twist! Planet Dog Link
The Link is another totally customizable option for busting boredom. This toy can be used alone as it's original square or you can add other pieces to it and configure a totally new shape, link them together, whatever is interesting to you and your dog! The link works best with smaller sized treats or kibble. This is a great option to use as a slow feeder for those chow hounds too.
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Summer is in full swing here on beautiful Whidbey Island. It is the season we wait for all year, long days with perfect weather. But, this wonderful time of year comes with something not so wonderful…BUGS! The kind that bite and cause misery to unsuspecting dogs and cats, and humans: Fleas! Fleas can cause all sorts of problems for our furry companions., from itchy insect bites to fungal infections and anemia.
While it is important to have a flea control program, the chemical insecticide and pesticide based products that have been recommended for years, have been shown to cause their own slew of health problems including, hair loss, allergies, and cancer. At Whidbey Natural Pet, we believe the products we choose to use on our pets should improve health, not diminish it. That being said, it is possible to control fleas without resorting to poison, especially if you understand what you are up against. Adult fleas need blood in order to lay eggs. Then they lay their eggs while attached to a host, so that their eggs will be distributed throughout the environment. During the warm months, the eggs can hatch within just a few days, and by day 15, can be blood sucking adults. An important step in a flea program is treating the pet's whole environment (home, car, kennel, etc.) AND the pet themselves. Here are some of our favorite flea control products, and why we love them. Wondercide Flea and Tick Spray for Pets and Home. This spray can be applied straight on your dog, and in your environment. The main ingredient is Cedar Oil: a preventative, and a treatment for fleas, ticks and mosquitos. It successfully kills insects on contact, and after treatment, repels insects. This works great for treating your environment. They make both an indoor, and outdoor spray. You can spray this product on hard floors, carpet, dog beds, under furniture, etc. Because cedar oil kills all life stages of the insect, this is a great step for getting rid of fleas. Earth Animal Daily Herbal Internal Powder This powder supplement fights fleas from the inside out. Treatment is easy: simply sprinkle on top of your pets current diet! The carefully selected herbs help boost the immune system, while changing the way your pet smells, causing insects to dislike the scent and or/taste of the blood. Don’t worry, you won’t notice the smell though! This product can be given year round. The longer you use it, the more effective it is. Mad About Organics Flea and Tick Wipe on Defense for Cats Cats tend to be a tad more sensitive than dog, insert: Mad About Organics. This gentle product is great for cats, and other small animals. We like putting it on a flea comb, and combing it through the fur, or you can put on your hands and massage into the fur. It helps repel fleas and ticks off your animal. Earth Animal Herbal Flea and Tick Spot-On This spot-on treatment helps to repel fleas and ticks gently. This product takes the cake for convenience. It has been designed to be applied the same way as the monthly insecticide flea and tick products (advantage, frontline, etc). Earth Animal offers the convenience, without the dangers associated with insecticides. Simply twist and squeeze. Wth only 3 ingredients (cedar oil, peppermint oil, almond oil) this is a simple, easy to use product. The products mentioned are currently 25% off! Check out some of our new products and in-store specials this month! Earth Animal No-Hide Pork Chews These are fully digestible chews that are a great alternative to those questionably made rawhides. We are currently stocking the 4" and 7" sizes and will likely have 11" on the way. *Coming soon- Vension No-Hides!* Bocce's Bakery Summer Fun flavors Banana Split Burgers & Fries Unicorn Shake World's Best Zero Mess: PICKY CAT Litter This litter includes a natural attractant for cats that need a little extra help to consistently use their litter box We are currently stocking the 12lb bag and should have the 6lb on the way Monthly Specials: No Coupon Needed!
Answers Pet Food Goat Cheese Treats: Buy one, get one FREE (while supplies last) All Flea and Tick products: 25% OFF Bocce's Bakery Summer Fun Flavors: 25% OFF |
Love Through Health
A campaign to bring awareness to pet owners about a healthy diet for their furry family members. Archives
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