Why Accurately Measuring Your Pet’s Food is Essential

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One of the easiest steps we can take to better our pets’ health is to measure their food accurately. Being attentive to meal portion size is an important detail for maintaining not just our pet’s weight, but their whole body health. 

Why ‘Eyeballing’ Isn’t Enough

Feeding your pet the right amount of food is crucial for their overall health and well-being. Do you feed a “handful” or a “scoop” of dry food? Do you just fill your pet’s bowl? If so, exactly how much is that “scoop” or “handful”? Is your measurement more or less than a cup?

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The Humble Egg: A Nutrition Powerhouse

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As pet owners, we want to provide our pets with the best nutrition possible. With so many pet food options available, knowing what to feed your pet can be challenging. Eggs are a great source of protein and nutrients for humans, but what about pets? In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and risks of feeding eggs to your pets.

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Beyond the Bowl: Creative Ways to Add Greens to Your Dog’s Diet

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Adding veggies to your dog’s diet can be a challenge, especially if your pet is a picky eater. But the benefits of greens are undeniable and it’s worth trying to incorporate them into their meals, even if it’s just occasionally. Here are some tips and tricks to encourage your dog to eat their greens:

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dog fresh food bowl

Feeding your pet greens? Read This.

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Greens are leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, collard greens, and broccoli. These veggies are great natural sources of fiber, rich in vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and essential phytonutrients. Phytochemicals within these plants offer benefits when consumed and provide antioxidant purposes as well.

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Fresh pet food bowl NorthPoint Pets

Our Top 3 Greens to Add and Why

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Green vegetables contain important nutrients and fibers that can help to support the growth of healthy…

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The Perks of Pumpkin for Pets

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Pumpkin is a commonly recommended supplement for dogs and cats for everything from loose stool to constipation to an occasional bowl topper or a regular supplement. But what is it about pumpkin that makes it so great for your pet? Let’s find out what makes this sweet treat a favorite among vets and nutritionists! 

Reasons You Should Consider Adding Pumpkin to Your Dog’s Diet

#1 RICH IN FIBER

Pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber – both soluble and insoluble. 

  • Soluble fiber helps with weight management, lowering fat absorption, stabilizing glucose levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and feeding healthy gut bacteria. 
  • Insoluble fiber assists in preventing constipation and lowers the risk of diverticular disease. 

Because pumpkin contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, it can essentially help to normalize your pet’s stool, whether it’s too loose or too firm. It’s a win-win situation! 

As a preventative, pumpkin is an excellent source of prebiotics that feed the good gut bacteria- probiotics. This is a wonderful addition for any pet with a sensitive stomach as it can aid in the digestive process. Also, since roughly 80% of your pet’s immune system resides in their gut, a happy belly can mean a healthier pet!

#2 ESSENTIAL VITAMINS

Pets need food that allows them to consume all their vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin is packed with essential vitamins and minerals:

  • Vitamin A and Zinc help strengthen your pet’s immune health, promote clearer skin and a healthier coat, and improve overall eye health. 
  • Vitamin D helps to grow and maintain strong bones by regulating and balancing the retention of calcium and phosphorus. It also works to reduce inflammation. 
  • Potassium is vital to pet health! It assists in the functioning of the heart, nerves, and muscles by aiding in transferring energy from the nutrients. 

Not only is pumpkin a great source of vitamins and minerals your pet needs, but it also assists with the absorption of these nutrients to improve many functions of their body.

#3 ADDED MOISTURE

Kibble-fed pets often live in a mild state of dehydration, as the body pulls moisture from itself to digest the dry food. Therefore, adding moisture to your pet’s kibble is essential. Adding moisture-rich pumpkin can help to keep your pet well hydrated. Added moisture is crucial for not only the digestive process but also… 

  • Weight control – Pumpkin is high in moisture and fiber, which helps your pet feel full. As a result, your pet is less likely to overeat and will be satisfied longer!  
  • Hairballs– Lack of moisture can lead to more frequent hairballs. An addition of pumpkin to your pet’s kibble will keep them well-hydrated, which means fewer hairballs for them and less clean-up for you. 
  • Low in glycemic index– Glycemic index is a measurement of the blood glucose response to carbohydrates. Low GI foods (such as pumpkin) contain carbs that are digested slowly, so energy is sustained for an extended period of time. 

Pumpkin is super versatile for your furry friends. You can include it as a treat, bowl topper, or toy filler. Pumpkin is worth the hype! With the holidays right around the corner, include your pet in the holiday festivities and try incorporating more pumpkin into your pet’s diet! 

*This article is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to provide medical advice or replace the advice of a qualified veterinarian.

Is My Dog ‘Too Old’ for a Raw Diet?

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Senior dog owners often dismiss the idea of raw feeding because the animal is ‘too old.’ While nutrition is never one-size-fits-all, it’s also never “too late” to switch foods or supplement with fresh food.  If your dog has reached their golden years, improving their diet can be one of the most powerful changes you can make to maximize their health span.

Common Misconceptions Surrounding Raw Food for Senior Pets:

Misconception #1: A raw diet is too high in protein and/or fat for a senior dog. 

This idea comes from the notion that raw meat is exceptionally high in protein and fat content, and that a senior dog’s liver and kidneys cannot process too much of these.

  • The first misnomer here is that protein and fat are harmful to a senior pet. It’s important to note that protein and fat are actually the most easily digested macronutrients available to the body so long as they are in a minimally processed form. So while it is safe to assume that raw diets offer higher fat and protein than a kibble or canned diet, quality animal-based sources can offer greater digestibility and bioavailability (nutrient absorption) than any cooked, ultra-processed food options.
  • The second misnomer is that raw fat and protein put extra stress on the organs – the liver and kidney specifically. Instead, it’s important to understand that the body has to work harder to break down fat and protein that have been processed, or heated multiple times to make kibble or canned food. Furthermore, kibble diets in particular tend to be very high in carbohydrates. In other words, the body works much harder to digest a food that is highly processed than one that is minimally processed.
  • The last (and likely the most important) misnomer is that high protein is bad for the kidneys. This is false, and instead it is high phosphorus that can be damaging for stressed kidneys. This is why it is so important for pet food companies to analyze their final product to ensure that nutrients – such as phosphorus – are not too high!

Learn more about nutrient value in your pet’s food here.

Misconception #2: Changing your pet’s diet in old age won’t make a difference.

Diet and nutrition play a vital role in your pet’s health span, regardless of age. New research even shows that the food fed to a puppy can greatly impact the dog’s life in later years. Likewise, what you feed your senior pet can impact their quality of life, often delaying or minimizing age-related changes in mobility, digestive and immune health, and cognitive wellbeing. At NPP, some of the best, most miraculous success stories we hear come from customers who have improved their senior pet’s diet!

Misconception #3: An entire diet overhaul is required to have any noticeable effect on health.

A recent study from the University of Helsinki found that when dogs fed a kibble diet had just 20% of their kibble replaced with fresh, minimally processed food, occurrences of atopic dermatitis (environmental skin allergies) and inflammatory bowel disease significantly decreased. This observation was linked by the body’s methylation process – how efficiently it removes toxins from the body.

The truth is that subtle changes – like increasing moisture with bone broth, supplementing with antioxidant-rich produce, or replacing 20% of a kibble diet with fresh food – can yield noticeable differences in joint mobility, skin and coat health, gut flora, and even cognitive function at any age.

3 Simple Ways to Improve Dry Kibble

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Dry kibble is often the convenient food choice for dog owners. However, kibble isn’t always as healthy as the commercials lead us to believe. What if there was an easy and inexpensive way to make your pet’s kibble more tail-wagging exciting?

  1. Add a splash of water
  2. Add fresh food: green beans, broccoli, carrots (grated) blueberries, watermelon, leafy greens, etc.
  3. Add quality canned or freeze-dried food

Our 18 Favorite Lick Mat Treat Fillers

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If your dog or cat is stressed, bored, or suffers from separation anxiety, we recommend trying a lick mat. The lick mat is a durable rubber mat with a textured surface. Simply spread food or a favorite treat on the mat. Your pet will focus on the pleasurable repetitive licking action, releasing endorphins that help calm and soothe.

Although many of our customers like to spread peanut butter (see warnings below) or yogurt on the lick mat, we’ve come up with these healthy and easy-to-use options:

Fresh Foods

  • Mashed Banana – Bananas provide an excellent source of prebiotics for gut health.
  • Mashed Berries – Any variety of berries, either fresh or frozen, are tasty options (blueberries have a high antioxidant value).
  • Mashed Sweet Potato – The sweet potato is a superfood for dogs and a great source of antioxidants and fiber.
  • Primal Fresh Toppers – An aromatic whole food topping that targets immune, joint, or digestive health.
  • Green Juju – A blend of superfood veggies and bone broth supports the immune system, digestion, joints, and your pet’s skin and coat. 

Sweet Treats

  • Unsweetened Applesauce – Use organic applesauce with only one ingredient on the label: apples. 
  • Dog Safe Peanut Butter – Not all peanut butter is safe for pets due to additives. We recommend Nature’s Logic.

Preference for Savory

  • Any Canned (Wet) Food – This type of food offers a variety of proteins and textures so every pet can find something to enjoy. For super-picky pets, we suggest Weruva. 
  • Mashed Raw Food or Toppers – Using these foods in as little as 20% of the diet can help prevent disease and promote longevity. For puppies, kittens, or senior pets, try Instinct Longevity.
  • West Paw Beef Liver Paste – Beef liver is a high-value and nutritionally dense treat, now in a convenient squeeze bottle. 

Bonus Treats:

  • Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up – A delicious soluble and insoluble fiber that it’s great for digestive health.
  • Primal Goat Milk – Offers natural probiotic benefits for a healthy gut.
  • Green Juju Bone Broth –A tasty and rich broth that coats the intestines to maximize nutrient absorption, heal the gut, and reduce inflammation. 
  • Bones and Co. Goat Whip – A low-carb superfood that includes goat milk with beef collagen for improved gut health. 
  • DentaTreat – Mix this mixed flavorful cheese-based powder with some water to create an enzyme-rich paste that reduces plaque, tartar, and bad breath. 
  • Eggs – Eggs are a great all-natural treat for your dog. Serving eggs raw is best, and scrambled (with no seasoning) is okay. Start small and feed according to the weight of your pet 1-2 times a week. 
  • Plain Unsweetened Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria and is a treat your pet is sure to enjoy.
  • Super Snouts CBD Peanut Butter – A scrumptious peanut butter with the added benefit of joint support and anxiety reduction. 

Variety is vital for optimal health, so feel free to combine any of these foods when you put them on a lick mat. 

Pro Tip: To keep your pet occupied longer, spread the topping on the lick mat and then put it in the freezer for 20 minutes to two hours.

add bone broth to your bowl

5 Reasons to Add Bone Broth to Your Pet’s Bowl

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If you ask any NPP team member what they add to their pet’s bowl, you’ll undoubtedly get the same answer: bone broth. We’ve seen first hand how well bone broth can improve health from the inside out, so we swear by it!  This nutritional treat is packed with vitamins and minerals to boost your pet’s overall health and wellness. Our pets experience inflammation and metabolic stress just like we do. Feeding your pet a mineral-rich stock like bone broth can improve inflammation, promote a healthy gut, and improve their overall health.      1. Improved Hydration

Bone broth is a great way to add additional hydration to your pet’s diet. You can easily add this to their food as a topper. Feeding dry kibble without added moisture can often lead to chronic dehydration as the body pulls moisture from surrounding organs to break down the food. If you feed kibble (dry food), this can significantly help keep them stay hydrated, ease digestion, and maximize nutrient absorption.      2. Joint Health

Glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid are nutrients packed into bone broth to help promote collagen growth. Collagen is essential because it cushions the bones, ligaments, and tendons, which means it is crucial for joint health. Just like in humans, collagen naturally deteriorates as your pet ages. Without it, the bones have nothing between them to ease movement, leading to pain and limited mobility. Therefore, adding bone broth to the bowl diet is an easy way to keep joints healthy.      3. Liver Detox

Glycine, a vital amino acid, aids the liver in filtering toxins from your dog’s body. Bone broth’s high glycine levels support the liver’s most important function of filtering toxins from your dog’s body to detoxify its system.       4. Healthy Skin and Coat

A healthy coat and skin are essential components of overall health. Vitamins B and C promote collagen formation and cell proliferation, yielding a thick healthy coat. In addition to a healthier, softer coat, this can also help to alleviate common problems with dry, itchy skin and excessive shedding.     5. Better Digestion and Nutrient Absorption

Bone broth promotes overall gut health from glycine which helps to repair the intestinal wall and seal the gut lining. You may have heard of ‘leaky gut’, a condition in which undigested food particles can escape through an unhealthy gut – leading to a myriad of symptoms. Bone broth helps to seal this lining to prevent poor digestion. A healthy gut means better nutrient absorption, a more robust gut microbiome, and a stronger immune system. Try serving your pet bone broth one of these ways:

  • Serve as a food topper over any type of food
  • Give to your pet as a stand alone treat
  • Freeze bone broth in a lick mat or puzzle toy for a longer-lasting treat

 

FAQ: Is Bone Broth the same as soup broth or stock? 

In short, no. Avoid feeding your dog the broth you find on the shelves of the grocery store. Typically, the soup broth or stock we use in our own cooking is loaded with excess sodium, added flavors and ingredients that aren’t great for our pets. Instead, you can make your own bone broth at home or buy broth specifically made for pets.