Dreamies Cat Treats on Offer

Posted on 19/05/2013 by lexi

Dreamies cat treats are the most popular cat treats in the UK – cats just find them irresistible! With a crunchy outside layer and a soft middle, these treats only carry 2 calories per treat.

Dreamies cat treats come in a variety of flavours from chicken, cheese, salmon, to duck, turkey and others. More recently Dreamies also launched mixed flavour packs with combinations such as salmon and cheese in one pack.

Cats don’t have owners, they have servants! But if you have a pack of Dreamies in your cupboard you are sure to put a spell over your cat. Every time you shake a Dreamies bag your cat will come running!

Dreamies cat treats are now on offer at PetShopBowl: 30g packs are usually 89p but only 25p today! Click here to buy your Dreamies cat treats on offer!

Exceptional nutrition, excellent taste: The new Pro Plan Duo Delice

Posted on 16/05/2013 by lexi

Think exceptional nutrition can’t have exceptional taste?

New PRO PLAN® Duo Délice will change your mind.

Exceptional nutrition. Exceptionally delicious.

Specially formulated to provide a 100% compete and balanced diet, PRO PLAN® Duo Délice delivers the perfect balance of nutrients to support your dog’s overall health and wellbeing. It also helps to maintain his dental and digestive health.

But as dog lovers, the vets and nutritionists who created PRO PLAN® Duo Délice understand that health without happiness just isn’t enough. That’s why the food they created is a deliciously satisfying combination of crunchy kibbles and tender shredded pieces dogs love. It not only gives your dog the exceptional nutrition that’s fundamental for a healthy lifestyle, but it also gives you the wonderful feeling you can only get from a truly happy and grateful dog.

A food without compromise

PRO PLAN® Duo Délice has been created from carefully sourced and selected ingredients, cooked to preserve their nutritional value and taste and to deliver top quality nutrition.

100% COMPLETE AND BALANCED

PRO PLAN® Duo Délice provides the right balance of nutrients to help support your adult dog’s health and wellbeing. Carefully selected ingredients and a proprietary cooking process ensure high digestibility, so dogs receive the nutrition they need.

EXCELLENT TASTE

Made with beef, chicken or salmon as the first ingredient, dogs absolutely love this innovative combination of crunchy kibbles and tender shredded pieces.

DENTAL HEALTH

The unique combination of crunchy kibbles and tender shredded pieces encourages your dog to chew. The mechanical action of crunching the kibbles acts like a toothbrush on your dog’s teeth, helping to reduce tartar build up.

DIGESTIVE HEALTH

Specific sources of fibre help to support a healthy digestive tract and improve stool quality, whilst protein helps to nourish the intestinal cells.

Three flavours. Two textures. One happy dog.

New PRO PLAN® Duo Délice comes in three deliciously satisfying varieties. Each one carefully prepared to contribute to your adult dog’s health and wellbeing.

Pro Plan Duo Delice will be available for purchase from the 23rd May at PetShopBowl.co.uk. Buy Pro Plan Duo Delice here:

PRO PLAN® Duo Délice Adult: rich in beef with rice

PRO PLAN® Duo Délice Adult: rich in chicken with rice

PRO PLAN® Duo Délice Adult: rich in salmon with rice

Super Premium Brands Orijen And Acana!

Posted on 03/05/2013 by Shal

ORIJEN

Orijen is uniquely different from most other conventional dry dog and cat foods. It is Protein-rich, carbohydrate-limited and grain-free, Orijen features the highest fresh meat inclusions of any dry dog or cat food.

Orijen also features a diversity of meats including fresh, free-run chicken and turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh free-range red meats and fresh saltwater and freshwater fish — all in a Biologically Appropriate ratio of 80 percent meat, 20 percent fruits and vegetables, and zero grain. They provide 8 different types of food including 2 for cats, ranging in sizes from small to large.They also have freeze dried dog treats in unusual flavours such as wild boar and brome lake duck!

Some of the fruits and vegetables that Orijen use within their products are: Red Apples, Cranberries, Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Organic Sea Vegetables, Peppermint, Potatoes, Dandelion Root and many more..

Their 5 principles that reflect their biologically appropriate commitment:

A rich variety of fresh meats
Meat concentrated and protein rich
Fewer carbohydrates
A diversity of fruits and vegetables
Botanicals to strengthen the body and spirit

Orijen have been awarded ‘Pet Food Of The Year’ For three consecutive years!

ACANA

This is another company which makes and sells fresh and authentic dog and cat foods, there mission is clear and strong – we make Biologically Appropriate dog and cat foods from Fresh Regional Ingredients.

There ingredients are different too, they focus on ingredients that are sustainably raised and delivered to their door fresh, so they’re never frozen, always preservative free and always bursting with goodness that nourishes completely, rather than relying on highly-processed commodity ingredients.

With all there fresh ingredients they produce 15 different types of dog foods and 3 for cats all which are rich in protein and low in carbohydrates. They come in a range of sizes 340g, 2.27kg, 6.8 kg and 13.0kg

Some of the meat which Acana use in there product are meats such as: Cage free chicken, black Angus beef, free run duck, salmon, pike, herring and many more!

They use many fruits and vegetables in their product, some of them are: apples, pears, licorice root, lavender, pumpkin, carrots and many more! Most of you would probably have never thought something like a licorice root would be used in pet food but some things do surprise you…

Five rules that reflect their biologically appropriate values:

Diverse in fresh ingredients
Meat and protein rich
Carbohydrate limited
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Botanicals to cleanse the body

Nutrition For Your Older Dog

Posted on 01/05/2013 by Shal

As your dog gets older you’re likely to notice some changes in their behaviour and appearance, so it is no surprise that there are certain physiological changes taking place inside too.

It is important to consider how you can help keep your dog in the best possible health and condition as they age – and because nutritional needs can alter in response to these changes, you’ll want to make sure your older dog is on a diet appropriate to its age as well as its size.

So what changes do we need to consider as dogs age?

You may notice that your dog slows down as it gets older. Body shape can change and a reduced activity level may mean that it is prone to weight gain.

At the same time it can begin to lose muscle condition. Your dog’s skin and coat condition changes too and there’s a higher risk of dental health problems and tartar accumulation.

There are invisible changes too. Your dog’s joints, heart and kidneys, for example, are all ageing progressively, increasing the risk of mobility issues, cardiac concerns and renal problems. Natural defenses can become fragile as well.

When does ageing start?

We can notice that the ageing process takes place in two stages. A dog is considered to start ageing when it reaches half its life expectancy – eight years for extra small and mini dogs, seven for medium sized dogs and five years for maxis. At this stage, a dog is ‘mature’.

While the ageing process starts to affect your dog’s physiology, initially there may be few outwardly visible signs.

Then, at around two-thirds of its life-expectancy, a dog is considered ‘senior’ and you may start to see more obvious changes. For extra small and mini dogs this is at 12 years, for medium dogs at 10 and for maxi dogs at 8.

At this time you may want to make some management changes to help support your dog’s quality of life – giving shorter, more frequent walks and using extra soft, warm bedding for example.

Choosing the right diet for your older dog

While we cannot stop or reserve these age-related changes, nutrition can really help to support health in those key areas on sensitivity. For mature dogs, energy intake can be adapted to account for metabolism changes and certain nutrients can help to support vitality.

Incorporating a combination of antioxidants, for example, in the diet can help to maintain cellular health and natural defences. An adapted phosphorus level will help to support renal health.

Into the senior years, adding lycopene helps enhance the antioxidants benefits and incorporating the omega 3 essential fatty acids EPA and DHA helps to process. Further controlling the phosphorus continues support for the kidneys.

The addition of glucosamine and chondroitin helps preserve joint health in larger dogs, while calcium chelating agents help delay tartar formation in smaller dogs.

Royal Canin’s size health nutrition range accounts for the changing nutritional needs of mature and senior dogs and different sizes: x-small dogs under 4kg, mini dogs under 10kg, medium dogs between 11 and 25kg and maxi dogs between 26 and 44kg.

Choosing the right diet for your dog’s age and size will give them the health nutrition they need to help them grow older gracefully.

How to understand a dog food label.

Posted on 15/03/2013 by becky

If you choose a dog food that has been labeled as ‘’complete and balanced’ you can rest assured that it contains the amino acids, minerals, vitamins and fatty acids that are absolutely essential to your pets health.

Just like human food, dog food has to be properly labeled and must list the full ingredients. When reading a dog food label you can tell how much meat is in the product by how far down it is the ingredients list. So for example if chicken is the first ingredient on the list then it means the food contains more chicken than any other ingredient.

Most dog foods contain ‘’fillers’’ which is usually a type of grain or cereal and vegetables or other food which contributes to the overall nutritional value of the food. The ‘’fillers’’ in dog food provide essential fibre for dogs.

The best way to get a high meat content dog food is to go with a food that has a simple, straight to the point name like ‘’Beef Dog Food’’ as opposed to a food called ‘’Chicken Flavour Dog Food’’ or ‘’Lamb Formula Dog Food’’.

Another way to ensure your dog is getting the most from their food is to stick to a pet food only diet. Dog food is designed to provide your dog with everything they need if the feeding guidelines are followed correctly. If you feed your dog extra table scraps or human food this might mess up their diet and provide excess fat to their diet which can cause problems.

Dogs have different nutritional needs than humans so even though a person would not eat the byproducts from meat dogs actually need these extra bits of meat as they are packed full of protein and carbohydrates.

Most dog food will be labeled for different stages of life (Puppy, Adult and Senior). It is important to feed your dog the correct food for its age. However this varies from breed to breed, if you would like to know what type of food your dog needs please feel free to chat with us or email on bark@petshopbowl.co.uk

Choosing the right food for your cat.

Posted on 15/03/2013 by becky

Cats have a very specific diet and are natural carnivores. Its really important to make sure your cat is eating the right food so you know that they are getting the correct nutrition.

Whilst cats can eat human foods in small quantities like fresh fish and cheese there are some foods which they must avoid at all costs. The following foods are toxic to cats and can make them really sick: Onions, Green tomatoes, Chocolate, Grapes and raisins, Milk.

When it comes to choosing a food for your cat there are a few things that you must take into consideration.

Age & Life stage: most cat food is nutritionally geared to support your cat at different life stages, for example kitten food has extra protein to support fast growth. You should start feeding your kitten adult food from around 6 months and a cat should start eating senior food when she is 7-10 years old.

Body condition: If your cat is looking a little podgy then it could be time to switch to a light food specially designed for fat cats. If your cat is very active or a little slimmer than maintenance or outdoor cat food might be necessary.

Health history: if your cat has any medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer or sensitive digestion then it is important that you choose a food which is right for that condition.

Dietary intolerances: If your cat is allergic to a certain type of food then you will have to choose a food which does not contain this ingredient, there are also many types of cat food specifically designed for cats with allergies.

Cat food labels

Pet food labels can be confusing but when reading the ingredients on cat food there are a few things you should be looking out for. All cats need high levels of protein in their diet because they are carnivores so a high meat or fish content is absolutely essential. Amino acids, fatty acids and vitamin A is also really important for cats.

When choosing a good cat food you want to see what the first listed ingredient is. If it is a protein source such as meat, fish or eggs then you can rest assured this is probably a good, high quality cat food. These sorts of proteins are easier for your cat to digest than vegetables.

Dry food or Wet food?

There are benefits for feeding cats dry and wet food. Whilst dry food is convenient, can be left out for cats who are left alone in the day and usually provides a complete and balanced diet, wet food contains water which is important because many cats do not drink water regularly, wet foods also contain more nutrition for your cat.

The best answer to this is that you should ideally feed your cat a mixture of wet and dry food, both are important in creating the perfect balanced diet for your cat. Feeding your kitty a variety of high quality wet food supplemented with dry food will ensure he doesn’t get bored of his food and will be receiving the right nutrients for a balanced diet.

PetShopBowl offer a wide range of dry food and wet food but we’ve selected a few our our cats favourites which we think your kitty will love too:

Dry Food

Fish4Cats Complete Cod contains a huge 70% fish! It is a tasty, complete dry cat food and a 1.5kg bag is £13.74.
James Wellbeloved Adult Duck and Rice has 26% duck. Its a complete food with no artificial additives or preservatives. A 10kg bag is £43.97.
Pro Plan Adult Salmon has 18% salmon. It is specially formulated to support your cats immune system. A 10kg bag is £48.97.

Wet Food

Applaws Chicken and Cheese contains 70% chicken breast. It is 100% natural and contains only 4 ingredients. A pack of 24 tins is £36.66.
Hills Feline Adult Multipack has a variety of different flavours. It contains 26% meat or fish and has a low salt content. A 12 pack is £8.61.
Royal Canin Instinctive has a high meat content, helps to maintain an ideal weight and a healthy urinary system. A pack of 12 is currently on sale for £9.99.

Is fish good for dogs?

Posted on 11/03/2013 by becky

Feeding your dog a food with high fish content has many different benefits. Fish is an excellent source of protein and is low in saturated fats making it great for weight control. These are essential ingredients for leading a healthy life and have proved extremely beneficial in reducing heart disease and the risk of developing cardiovascular problems, preserving brain health and fighting depression and cancer.

An even bigger benefit for fish in your dog’s diet is the fact that fish is one nature’s most natural sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Fatty fish such as salmon have high levels of Omega 3, which is just great for aiding your dog’s joints and all round mobility. Fish is also known to have beneficial properties for your dog’s skin and helps to keep their coat soft and shiny.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids contained in oily fish have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, Omega-3 fatty acids can greatly aid skin itching and other minor dermatological complaints in many dogs. Fish is also the perfect food for dogs who have sensitive stomachs or allergy problems and intolerances.

Because fish is so good for your dogs skin it can help prevent excess shedding, especially if you have a short hair dog that sheds a lot. Some studies have also suggested that fish can cause your dog to have better behaviour and boost their energy levels.

PetShopBowl stock a whole range of dry dog food that contains fish but we’ve compared all the brands and have chosen the best three which are good value for money, nutritious and have high fish content.

Barking Heads Fuss Pot Salmon and Potato has 45% fish content, is a great natural brand of dog food and is £42.97 for a 12kg bag.
Arden Grange Salmon and Rice has 26% fish content, it’s a super-premium food and is £38.49 for a 12kg bag.
Fish4Dogs Finest Ocean White Fish has 27% fish content, the fish used is very high quality and its £43.49 for a 12kg bag.

Food Allergies and Intolerances in Dogs

Posted on 07/03/2013 by becky

Around 5 – 10% of pets suffer from food intolerances, mirroring the trend amongst humans estimated at 40-45% of the population. Contrary to popular belief, food intolerance is likely to be associated with the food that is most commonly eaten.

Recognising dietary intolerance is difficult for pet-owners as recurring signs are often passed off as minor illnesses such as eczema, dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy, all of which can be difficult to attribute to diet alone as this can be caused by so many other disease processes. As a result, diagnosis and treatment can be a lengthy and thus costly exercise.

Ten percent of all allergy cases in dogs are food allergies. Dogs also can suffer from food intolerance, which is different from a food allergy. It’s a genetic problem, and when it’s triggered, it’s by exposure to whatever they’re allergic to. The most common allergens are beef, dairy, wheat, egg, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. And, most dogs are usually allergic to more than one thing.

Signs of an allergy

Typical symptoms of food allergies include:

Skin problems – itching and redness, with bald areas appearing. Feet, face, armpits and groin are often affected.
Recurrent ear infections.
Gastrointestinal problems – vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
Rarely, respiratory problems.

There’s only one way to diagnose food allergies accurately, and that is an elimination diet and challenge. So what we do is take the dog off all the foods it’s eating and we put him on a food that he’s never had before.

The most effective method of testing for an allergy is called an exclusion-diet trial, where a dog is put onto a bland, often hypoallergenic, diet, where the proteins in the diet are so small they cannot (or very rarely) cause the allergic reaction. Alternatively, a diet containing proteins and carbohydrates your dog has not eaten before (such as venison and rice) is recommended. Commercial diets are available, and some vets will advise a diet cooked at home. The duration of the exclusion diet depends on the type of problem: in general, for skin problems the diet needs to be maintained for from 4 to 12 weeks, sometimes longer; with gastrointestinal problems an improvement in signs is usually seen more rapidly. This diet must be the only thing the dog eats for the duration of the trial, so no treats or titbits are allowed. It can be very difficult to stick to such a diet, especially if you have more than one dog, so be honest if you do slip up, and if your dog will not eat the new diet consult your vet.

Once your dog has finished the trial period, he or she should be re-assessed by your veterinary surgeon. If no improvement has been noted investigations into other diseases should be undertaken. If there has been an improvement then your vet will advise you on the next step. This will depend on your dog’s specific problems and may involve reintroducing proteins to the diet and monitoring for a reaction (provocation). If the symptoms return when a food is reintroduced, you may have your culprit. There may be more than one food type responsible. This process is difficult and must be closely monitored. In some cases where the dog’s clinical signs have been severe, and the diet that has resulted in an improvement is complete and nutritionally balanced, owners and vets may decide to continue feeding that diet in the longer term.

You can feed your Dog a diet specifically designed for Dogs with food sensitivities. PetShopBowl do a great range of Dry Dog Food for Dogs with food allergies including Arden Grange, Beta and Dechra.

Do dogs really need breed specific foods?

Posted on 27/02/2013 by becky

In this post we’ll be looking at the benefits of feeding your dog a breed specific food and we’re focusing on the brand that created it; Royal Canin.

Royal Canin is a high quality food that is solely focused on your pet. They are an innovative company who care about animals individual needs and believe that one food doesn’t suit all. They take into account the age, activity, breed, size and lifestyle of different dog breeds when creating their diets. They were the first pet food company to create breed specific food and after extensive research they designed different foods for different breeds with tailor made kibbles to suit different dogs jaws. The ingredients in the breed specific foods are tailored to meet the dietary and nutritional needs of each breed.

Through working with vets, universities and breeders worldwide Royal Canin have gained the knowledge and experience to be able to provide precise nutritional solutions to your dogs needs.

Labrador

Labradors can be prone to joint problems and their bones can be placed under a lot of stress which is why this food helps to support their joints. It is also formulated with an optimal level of fatty acids for a shiny coat and healthy skin. The patented antioxidant complex helps the support Labradors cells during the ageing process and the kibbles are exclusively shaped to slow the rate of food intake.

German Shepherd

German Shepherds suffer with sensitive skin so this food supports the skin and helps to maintain the natural beauty of the coat, especially in older dogs. Because German Shepherds are very active dogs this food helps to support the immunity and natural defenses, it also supports joints and bones. Many German Shepherds have a history of digestive sensitivity which is why this food is specifically designed with highly digestible L.I.P proteins and a selection of fibers to limit intestinal fermentation whilst maintaining intestinal flora.

Bulldog

Bulldogs bones take a lot of stress because of their large, bulky form so this food has a specific formula enriched with EPA and DHA to help support joints and keep bones healthy. Bull dogs have what is known as a ‘’brachycephalic jaw’’ so the kibbles in this food have been designed to make it easier for Bulldogs to pick up food and make it easier for them to chew. Bulldogs are prone to flatulence so this food has very high quality carbohydrate sources and appropriate fiber content to control odor and help reduce fecal smells.

Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers often need a little help with their weight management which is why this food helps them to maintain their ideal weight, it also contributes to maintaining the health of the cardiac muscle which can be put under stress in Golden Retrievers. This food has an added patented antioxidant complex to help neutralize free radicals, it is also specifically designed to support the Golden Retrievers coat and keep it shiny and beautiful thanks to borage oil, biotin and sulphur amino acids.

Boxer

Boxers are very muscly dogs so its important their muscle development and tone is properly looked after. This food has optimal protein content a high level of L-carnitine to support muscle mass development and promote energy production in muscles. Boxers are very active dogs so this food supports cardiac tone and has EPA and DHA with Taurine to maintain the health of the cardiac muscle. A patented antioxidant cocktail helps neutralize free radicals in ageing Boxers. Just like Bulldogs, Boxers have a brachycephalic jaw so the kibbles are designed to make it easier for your boxer to pick up and chew food.

So that’s a little bit about Royal Canin Breed Specific foods, we hope it has demystified things a little for you. PetShopBowl stock the whole range of Royal Canin food which includes cat breed specific food, vet food and many other types of food suited for all dogs and cats of different breeds and ages. You can check out the Royal Canin Range here!

Help Your Overweight Dog Lose Weight.

Posted on 25/02/2013 by becky

Today’s generation of dogs are fatter than ever. There is an epidemic of obesity among all breeds of dogs and its estimated that more than a third of Britain’s dogs are overweight. The percentage of overweight dogs in the UK has increased significantly over the past four years from 21% to 35%. If pet parents keep over feeding their dogs and not ensuring they have enough exercise almost half of all dogs could be overweight by 2013.

Your dog’s life could be threatened by obesity; overweight dogs are more at risk of diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. If this shocking news scares you and you’re worried your dog might be piling on the pounds, read on to find out how you can help your dog.

The best way to ensure your dog stays slim and trim is to up the exercise and make sure they aren’t getting as many calories. But that’s easier said than done right?

To make sure your dog stays fit and healthy you must stop ‘’free feeding’’. That means your dog must not be allowed to eat freely whenever they choose throughout the day, not only is this unnatural for dogs but many dogs will eat if they’re bored, meaning they are taking in extra unnecessary calories.

You should aim to feed your pooch two to four small portions per day at specific times, in the morning and then in the evening. If this is not possible for you then PetShopBowl offer Automatic Food Dispensers that let you choose when your dog gets to eat.

You can work out how much to feed your dog with our chart below. Try to make sure your dog is getting the right amount of calories and no one is cheating by feeding them extra treats. Just find out how much your dog weighs and you can work out the amount of calories they will need by how active they are.

You can ensure your dog is losing weight in a healthy way by switching from their normal food to a lighter food. PetShopBowl offer a wide range of light food designed specifically for overweight dogs that need to slim down. Beta Light Dry Food is great for dogs with a tendency to put on weight. It is a low calorie food with less fats and oils than original Beta food but still contains all the vitamins and nutrients for your dog to stay healthy.

Royal Canin Maxi Light Dry Food is another food made for pudgy pups. It’s designed for dogs over 15 months old and between 26 -44kg. It will help to reduce your dog’s energy intake by 30% and it’s enriched with fibers to make your dog feel fuller for longer. It has a low fat content but still contains a high protein level to maintain muscle mass.

And finally Arden Grange Light Chicken and Rice Dry Food is a complete super premium food for dogs prone to weight gain. Not only does it have lower calories and fat but it has added L-carnitine which many help to increase the conversion of fat to energy and maintain a lean body mass.

So now that’s food sorted, but feeding your dog a lighter food won’t magically make the weight drop off. Exercise plays a major part in weight loss and it’s important to make sure your dog stays active and doesn’t turn into a couch potato.

Physical activity and exercise can lower your dog’s cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of certain cancers and decrease the risk of diabetes. It’s time to get your dog moving! There are loads of ways you can keep your dog fit. Take a walk, go for a jog, play fetch down the park, swim, have a quick run around the garden or house, the possibilities are endless.

It’s important to make sure your dog gets at least 30 minutes of brisk exercise every day if they need to lose weight. PetShopBowl have lots of Leads, Toys and Games to help keep your dog active and entertained. Keeping your dog fit and healthy can also be good for your fitness as well, so start looking after your dog’s health today and watch them get happier and healthier!