Varying your pet’s diet – also known as “rotational feeding” – not only keeps your pet from becoming bored with his food but also may have significant health benefits. Believe it or not, many processed foods like kibble or canned foods may not actually be 100% complete and balanced – even if the packaging says it is.
Getting a new pet is an exciting milestone for everyone! You’re probably wondering what you can do to make the transition easy and stress-free for you and your new cat. Making a few minor adjustments can go a long way and make the whole transition easier for everyone!
1. Give your new cat or kitten enough time to decompress. Most cats prefer time to themselves to become comfortable with the sights, smells, and noises associated with their new home. This can take weeks or a couple months depending on the cat’s age and background. Let them warm up to you to build their trust and bond. Overcrowding or forcing your new cat to be held can create a skittish cat.
2. Be aware of their diet. Most cats will come on a diet they are already used to eating, and we don’t recommend switching it right away (even though you might want to). Your new cat has already been through plenty of significant changes, and the last thing they need is unnecessary stress from a diet change. Once your cat becomes comfortable, we recommend offering a few healthy options to see what they prefer before switching the diet.
3. Setting up their area. While setting up your cat’s necessities, make sure to keep food and water away from the litter box. Cats are clean by nature and appreciate a clean feeding area.
4. Meeting other furry family members. If you have other cats in the home, it is best to keep the new kitty in a quiet, safe place for several days to a couple of weeks for both cats to get used to hearing and smelling one other. Once any hissing and growling have decreased, you can feed them on each side of a closed door. Sharing a meal among any species can be a bonding experience that will encourage positive behavior. You may have to repeat this step for several days to a few weeks.
5. Play and Exercise. Once your cat is comfortable in its new home, play and exercise are essential for a healthy and productive lifestyle that can prevent bad behavior from developing. You can provide your cat with a toy that dispenses treats or toys as your cat chases and plays. Several options on the market will provide your cat with the satisfaction of the hunt and catch. Try these out after extensive play when your cat is hungry for stimulating them mentally and physically, which results in a well-exercised and tired kitty!
6. Understand their natural routine. Cats are most active from about 3 AM to 5 AM. Early morning is the best time to hunt, and if your cat were outside, they would be hunting small animals such as mice, chipmunks, birds, and even bugs! However, since most cats are indoor cats, or at least inside at night, their prey drive is directed to toys and small objects. Cats are intelligent animals, and if you let them know that their antics get you up, they will keep making a game out of it. When a cat is new to your home and begins this behavior, it is best to ignore or do your best to prevent the situation. Most owners appease their cats by offering a snack or breakfast during these early morning hours, which only solidifies the thrill and catch of the hunt! For more tips to engage your kitty, click here.
Dear NPP,
I love spoiling my dog with new toys. I bring home new ones for him all the time but he gets bored of them so quickly. Nothing really holds his interest for longer than a couple of days. What can I do to keep his interest?
Sincerely,
Drowning in Dog Toys
Giving toys to your dog is a great way to encourage play, enhance mental stimulation, and increase bonding. However, like with everything good in life, moderation is key.
Pro Tip: When exchanging toy collections, inspect them for damage that may be hazardous to your dog. If the toy can easily become a choking hazard, discard the toy immediately.
This is also the perfect time to give those toys a good cleaning! Some rubber and plastic toys are dishwasher safe, but most can safely be cleaned with mild dish soap and warm water. Most plush toys are machine washable.
Having a huge assortment of toys can actually have an adverse effect on your dog. He can easily become overwhelmed and overstimulated, resulting in a lack of excitement around playtime. By removing the “old” toys and replacing them with some that he hasn’t seen in a few weeks, you’re refreshing his play drive with a brand-new variety for him to engage with.
Feeding your pet dry food is convenient. You don’t have to worry about any special handling requirements or finding extra space in your refrigerator or freezer. However, that convenience can come with a price that can harm your pet.
1) Keep your pet food in the original package.
Pet food bags are designed to keep the food as fresh as possible. After opening, fold over the top of the bag to press as much air out as possible. If you’d like to use a storage container, put the whole bag inside the container, but do not dump the kibble out of the bag.
Why?
Dry pet food formulations include necessary animal fats, which start to go rancid once exposed to oxygen (right after manufacturing, even inside the sealed bag). These fats coat the inside of storage containers and continue to oxidize over time and interact with compounds of the storage container itself (metal, plastic, etc.), which then contaminates the fresh kibble you just poured in. In fact, improper storage of kibble is a large reason for food-related illness in pets.
2) Keep your pet food in a cool, dry place.
To prolong freshness and maximize nutritional value, keep your pet food in the same places that you store your own food: away from sunlight, heat, and moisture.
Why?
Moisture and food can be a fatal combination. Humid and warm areas create a perfect environment for mold and harmful bacteria to thrive. The worst of these bacteria, called aflatoxins, can cause severe liver damage and even lead to life-threatening emergencies. Learn more about how to properly store your pet’s dry food here.
3) Purchase a bag of food that will last your pet for roughly one month.
For optimal nutrition, freshness and palatability, we recommend buying the smallest bag of food that is appropriate for your pet – about 30 days’ worth. A small bag (4 – 5 lbs) is appropriate for a small dog, and a large bag (20+ lbs) for a large dog.
Why?
When pet food is stored for a long period of time, opened or not, the risk of rancid fats, mycotoxin contamination, pathogenic bacteria, and storage mites are significant risk factors. We often hear pet parents state that their pet gets bored by the end of the bag, but if that bag is 2+ months old, it’s likely that your pet can smell that the food has spoiled. In fact, one of the largest reasons pets turn their nose up to food midway through the bag is because it has turned rancid. Here are more considerations for bulk buying pet food.
Our team is always happy to discuss these topics on an individual basis. If you have questions regarding the storage of your pet’s food, please see one of our pet nutrition experts in-store.
Have you heard of “Golden Paste”? It’s a healthy and easily digestible paste made from turmeric that can help reduce inflammation, and skin irritations, and improve gut health in dogs and humans alike.
Best of all, Golden Paste takes only minutes to make with ingredients most of us already have in our kitchens.
Golden Paste is typically made with a combination of ground or fresh turmeric, coconut oil, and black pepper.
Turmeric, an herb belonging to the ginger family, contains several compounds, collectively known as curcuminoids. The most well-known is curcumin, which gives turmeric its orange color. Curcuminoids are known to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and possible anti-cancer effects.
Adding a small amount (½-1 tbsp) of Golden Paste to your pet’s bowl at meal time can aid in:
Like any new food or supplement, we recommend gradually introducing Golden Paste into your pet’s diet. Turmeric has a very potent taste, and sometimes dogs will not want anything to do with it. Therefore, it is important to slowly introduce the new flavors to their palate. Once a dog has become accustomed to the paste, the recommended dosage is:
Turmeric paste can have some minor side effects and it is important to monitor your pet for any negative reactions.. If improperly dosed, dogs may experience gastrointestinal distress. If you notice your dog is showing any negative symptoms —like loose stool or diarrhea— decrease the dose and follow up with your veterinarian.
If you think your dog’s health may benefit from Golden Paste, give this easy recipe a try! Even though your dog won’t experience instant results, you should see some positive changes in a few weeks!
Reference:
Pet Parents are spending a great deal of time and money to ensure they are serving the healthiest foods to their pets. However, when it comes time to select a bowl or feeder, most Pet Parents report that they choose the cheapest bowl or one that matches the décor of their home. However, did you ever consider if your pet’s food bowl is actually safe? Have you checked to see where your food bowl was manufactured or what materials it is made of? Can you trust the labels on the package that sometimes provide this information? Think about it…these food bowls are in constant contact with your dog’s mouth and tongue multiple times each day.
Let’s start out with the country where your pet’s food bowl is being manufactured. Why should this matter? Because you want to be sure that it is in a country that follows “GMP” or Good Manufacturing Processes. The most important assurance of GMP is to provide quality control and safety. Simply put, the manufacturing people are properly trained; working in a properly cared for facility; following a standardized process; producing consistent products, and guided by procedures that guarantee quality and safety. Pet products made in the United States are most likely to be manufactured within these guidelines whereas those manufactured in China are least likely. Pet Parents should especially be concerned about pet bowls, feeders, and lick mats made in China because there are no guarantees that the materials or manufacturing process are safe and free of harmful toxins. Of course, it is more expensive to manufacture under GMP because of the additional time and cost involved in the manufacturing process.
It is worth noting that just because a food bowl is manufactured in the U.S., it doesn’t mean that the materials were also sourced in the U.S. The cost of quality materials can compel manufacturers to find cheaper materials sourced from other countries and have them imported. So, you have to look at both where your pet’s food bowl is manufactured as well as where the material is sourced from.
The next factor to consider is the material of your pet’s food bowl. Typically, pet food bowls and feeders are made of either stainless steel, plastic or silicone but not all of these materials are created equal. Let’s consider each of them:
The reason we should care about the food bowl we choose for our pets is the dramatic incident of cancer. I want to be forthright in saying there is no mandatory reporting to a universal database that allows the scientific tracking of this disease. However, the Animal Cancer Foundation has recently provided estimates that roughly 6 million new cancer diagnoses are made in both dogs and cats each year in the United States (out of a 65 million dog and 32 million cat population).
What can Pet Parents do to check on the quality and safety of their pet’s feeding devices? First, check the label to see the country where it is made, where the material was sourced and the type of material used. Beware of products that do not state where it is manufactured as well as those that say ‘globally sourced materials’—there is no way to ascertain if it is a safe or reliable feeder. Also, if it says, “Designed and tested in the U.S.”, dig deeper to find out where it was manufactured and where the materials were sourced—this statement has nothing to do with the quality or safety of the feeder. Also, as a last resort, contact the manufacturer and ask them to provide this information! You have the right as a Pet Parent to work around the ‘disinformation’ to ensure the health and wellbeing of your pet.
So, the next time you are purchasing a pet food bowl or feeder, invest the same time and money you would in choosing their food. It is the one item in the household that your pet interacts with multiple times each day. And now you can rest assured that you are truly serving them a safe and healthy meal.
About the Author: Carol Smeja, Ph.D
Carol Smeja’s career has focused in the area of psychology and sociology which led to her earning a Ph.D. She applied these roots in understanding the psychological and social dynamics of eating while working in marketing/research with the U.S. and global food companies and improving health & diet with U.S. government agencies. More recently, she has applied her extensive research and diagnostic training in understanding the eating behaviors of our dogs & cats by studying the natural and instinctive behaviors of their ancestral roots. She has conducted comprehensive ancestral reviews and integrated information from wildlife specialists and professional research/observational programs. She volunteers at zoos to continue to gain knowledge on our pet’s dietary needs and feeding habits in addition to improving conservation efforts. Lecturing at both professional events and pet organizations, Carol seeks to educate Pet Parents on the importance of how you feed your pet to improve their health & wellbeing. She is also the co-creator of the Original Mine Pet Platter. Made with an innovative and sustainable material naturally sourced from plant life that is safe and non-toxic. 100% designed, sourced, and manufactured in the USA, the mine Pet Platter is food and dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, eco-friendly and recyclable. The Mine Pet Platter is safe for pets and the planet.
Have you ever wanted to trim your pet’s nails at home but were scared that you would damage the blood vessels inside the nail?
While trimming your dog’s or cat’s nails is pretty straightforward, there are some important details to remember so you can safely, and confidently, trim your pet’s nails on your own.
The first step of trimming your pet’s nails is understanding the anatomy of the nail. Start by looking at the top of your pet’s paw where the nail grows out and forward from the toe. This part of the nail is made of a tough, protective protein called keratin, the same protein found in animal hooves and human fingers and toenails.
Inside the keratin, from the tip of the toe to the middle of the nail, is a pulp filled with highly sensitive nerves and blood vessels called the quick. And right after the quick ends (towards the tip of the nail), you will see a bit more keratin. That extra keratin is what we want to focus on for trimming.
After you are comfortable with assessing your pet’s foot altogether, you will then move on to which trimmers would be the best fit for you and your pet. To purchase the right tool, it is best to understand each tool that is available.
This product is designed to function similarly to a normal pair of scissors. When you squeeze these to trim the nail the blades will come together and slice that part of the toenail off. This product is best used for medium to large breed pets. Scissor clippers are great for quick nail trimming and for first-time users. Some have a safety feature that helps you know when to stop before the quick.
This product has a ring where you would insert your pet’s nail. Once you put your pet’s nail into this ring (taking caution not to include the quick) you will then squeeze the handles together and a blade will slide up and slice the tip of the nail off. Guillotine clippers are best used in small breed pets but aren’t recommended if you’re new to nail trimming or if your pet is uncomfortable with trims. Guillotine clippers may cause damage to the quick if the pet pulls away.
This product is best used in pets who struggle to cooperate with nail trimming sessions. A nail grinder is a powered nail file that spins at a high speed and will slowly file your pet’s nail down. This product is great as it can reduce the chances of hitting your pet’s quick in the nail. Pets tend to alert you when you may be too close to the quick when using a grinder. Another great reason to use a grinder is the fact that it does not leave the nail sharp. This product rounds out the nail to leave a smooth edge.
Expert Tip: We recommend keeping styptic powder nearby when trimming your pet’s nails. This powder will clot any bleeding that may happen if the quick is accidentally cut.
Once you can determine which product is best for both you and your pet, you then can start the trimming process.
If your pet has never had their nails trimmed before, it can seem like a scary event for them, and it’s important not to add additional stress. It may be helpful to work on desensitizing them to the process through several training sessions.
Ideally, we recommend introducing the nail trimming process at a very young age with your pet to get them comfortable with it being an easy, rewardable task. Stay calm and relaxed and start with touching and rubbing your pet’s toes, nails, and paw to get them comfortable with the process. Reward your pet – with training treats or verbal commands – after they stay calm and happy. Then try with one nail at a time and gradually work your way to doing more at a time. Eventually, you will be able to do all nails in one session and have an even stronger bond with them!
This may vary depending on your pet. The average recommendation is anywhere between every 2-4 weeks. Dog’s nails are known to file down when walking on asphalt or hard surfaces and cats are known for sharpening their front nails on scratching posts and/or trees. But these processes do not always keep your pet’s nails at a safe length which is why nail trimming is always recommended.
When a pet’s nails are left to grow too long, there are multiple health issues that can arise. Long nails may overgrow back into paw pads which is very painful and can lead to infections in your pet’s paw pads. Overgrown nails can also lead to issues with their gait (the way they walk) as it can cause the feet to lay flatter than usual (imagine trying to keep weight off your toes when walking) and causes pressure on the bones in the ankle and leg, making it very uncomfortable for them to walk.
Randall, Samantha. “How to Choose the Right Dog Nail Clippers.” Top Dog Tips, 16 Nov. 2021, https://topdogtips.com/how-to-choose-the-right-dog-nail-clippers/.
Staff, AKC. “Nail Neglect Can Lead to Health Problems for Your Dog.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 23 Jan. 2018, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/nail-neglect-can-lead-to-health-problems-for-your-dog/.
Palika, Liz. “Nail Anatomy 101: Keep Trims Safe, Not Scary.” Fear Free Happy Homes, 31 Mar. 2021, https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/nail-anatomy-101-keep-trims-safe-not-scary/.
Gauntt. “The Importance of a Pedicure.” VMBS News, 11 Mar. 2022, https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/the-importance-of-a-peticure/.
Grooming is an essential part of owning a pet. But have you ever asked yourself why?
Regular brushing, bathing and nail trimming can assist with not only the overall appearance of your pet but also have some physiological benefits. Brushing your dog’s coat regularly removes the dead hair, prevents mats, and even allows their coat to breathe and grow new hair. Brushing your pet is also essentially a massage—and who doesn’t enjoy a massage? It provides great bonding time between you both.
One of the more common issues that bring dog owners to NorthPoint Pets is a dog’s skin. Allergies, itchy skin, flaky skin, hot spots and more—are all common complaints from pet owners. But rather than looking at the obvious symptom—the pet’s itchy skin—we want to figure out WHY your pet is itchy and that starts in the gut.
Our pets have good (and sometimes bad) bacteria in their gut. This colony is called their microbiome which is in their intestines and gut. The microbiome is essential for immune health, which includes our pet’s skin and coat. When the microbiome is compromised, their skin is also compromised. This results in a dull coat, a stinky dog, and more.
The best thing you can do for your pet is to feed a good diet with an addition of fresh foods. We can also recommend supplements to help your dog look and feel their best!
Brushing your dog’s coat is essential to your pet’s health. Regular brushing removes loose hair before it sheds on your carpet and clothes. It also clears out dead hair and straightens tangles. Tangles can cause painful skin irritations and infection if left unattended.
Brushing is also good for your dog’s skin. By running the brush through the fur, the movement stimulates the production of natural oils in the skin.
Finding the right brush to use on your dogs can be confusing. Many of our customers feel overwhelmed by the options and which brushes work best on the many coat types.
Fortunately, we have decades of dog brush expertise to help you pick the perfect brush for your pet based on coat type. Make sure to check out our recommendations based on coat type at the end of this article.
Dog grooming brushes fall into four main types:
Brushes are used daily grooming to untangle minor mats, remove dead hair, and stimulate your dog’s skin.
At first, many dogs don’t care about being brushed. If your dog refuses to be brushed, try a grooming glove. These gloves have textured rubber surfaces that pick up loose hair and provide a massage, just like when you’re petting your dog.
There are many types of combs to help you keep your pet’s coat healthy.
A general grooming comb is best for long-haired dogs to help remove tangles and knots. Make sure to use wider-spaced teeth to start tackling knots, then progress to a comb with more tightly spaced teeth.
A dematting comb has ridged stainless steel blades to cut through mats instead of pulling on them or ripping the fur from the skin.
A flea comb has tightly spaced teeth that catch fleas and dirt as they move through the coat.
PRO TIP: Always brush in the natural direction of your dog’s fur. This minimizes the chance of you ripping or tearing the skin.
A rake is designed to get deep into thick coats to gently remove tangles and dead portions of the undercoat.
A standard rake resembles a comb but with longer, wide-spaced teeth. Looking like a miniature garden rake, the teeth have rounded tips and excel at gently removing dead fur and tangles in longer-haired dogs.
An undercoat rake has curved small blades with sharp edges to remove mats and loose fur from dogs with heavy undercoats. While this type of rake will remove mats, we’ve found it not as effective as a mat comb.
Built for dogs that shed, the deshedding tool acts like a stripping knife to pick up and pull out dead hairs, leaving a low-shedding topcoat behind. This tool mimics a groomer’s clippers when they were not turned on but used to gently rake through a dog’s coat.
There are many sizes to choose from when picking a deshedding tool. Please feel free to contact us with questions so we can ensure you have the right size to make the grooming experience more productive and more pleasant for your dog.
Here’s what we typically recommend to help you find the right brush for these common canine hair types.
This group’s breed includes Boston Terriers, Boxers, Bulldogs, Corgis, Dobermans, and Great Danes. Use a bristle brush to distribute the dog’s natural oils for a shinier and healthier coat. A slicker brush can also be used to remove any dead hair.
Breeds in this group include Airedales, various Terriers, and Schnauzers. We recommend weekly brushing with a slicker brush or pin brush.
Breeds in this group include Bichon Frise, Poodles, and most of the Doodle varieties. Weekly grooming with a slicker or pin brush will help keep your dog’s permanent perm fashionable.
This group’s breed includes Afghan Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, Maltese, and Yorkshire Terriers. We encourage DAILY grooming for these breeds using a pin brush to keep those silky locks under control.
These breeds include Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, Huskies, Labrador Retrievers, Newfoundlands, and St. Bernards. A double coat has two layers that grow independently and are often of different lengths. The outer coat is coarse, and the undercoat is soft and dense. We find that a rake brush, matched to your dog’s coat length, helps pull out loose undercoat fur.
Taking care of your dog’s coat is a vital part of grooming. As you’ve just seen, many types of dog brushes are available to handle everything from basic coat care to removing the thickest hair mats.
Having the right kind of grooming brushes on hand will make the experience easier and create a stronger bond between you and your dog.
The topic of feeding meaty bones tends to drum up some controversy. Is it safe to feed your pet a raw meaty bone? Is it even beneficial to your pet? How do you know which bones are safe to feed? Let’s address some of these questions.
No. Marrow bones are known as ‘recreational bones’ because your pet should not be able to chew and consume the bone itself, but rather the tiny bits of fat, tissue, and cartilage left on the bone, as well as the inner bone marrow. ‘Raw meaty bones’ generally refer to bones that have more ‘meat’ on them and less bone, such as turkey and duck necks.
Yes. Since RMBs are mostly thin bone, tissue, and cartilage, they are easy for your pet to break up, chew and swallow.
No. It is not necessary to thaw your raw bones before feeding. However, some dogs and most cats prefer to have their bone thawed to soften the frozen tissue prior to feeding. If you must thaw the bone, leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours, or submerge it in cool water inside a plastic baggie to thaw it faster.
No. Never feed a cooked bone. Cooked bones can splinter, which can cause intestinal obstructions and perforations (not good!).
Do not feed weight-bearing bones of heavy animals. What does this mean? When you think of a large animal such as a cow, weight-bearing bones are those that allow the animal to stand properly, which can be too hard on your dog’s teeth.
Bones are an excellent addition to our pet’s diet, and here’s why:
Bones should be fed intermittently as a compliment to your pet’s regular diet. Feeding frequency will depend on your pet’s size, age, and activity level. While they can occasionally be fed in place of a meal, they should not be fed every day.
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