Saturday 25 February 2012

Update

Abby's due at the vet's next week, to get weighed and assess her progress. It doesn't look to us that she has put on any weight, but you never know. On advice from the vet we have reduced her walks from around 2 hours a day to two shorter walks. Honestly, she doesn't care! She settles at home with a kong when we take Cairid out.
She did a really strange thing this morning. Half way through her breakfast she ran to Cairid's dish, and for a moment the two heads were in the one dish....... this is astounding given Cairid's 'guarding resources from other dogs' behaviour previously! The dogs were fine, but we had to be resuscitated...............

Thanks all those of you who have completed the survey already. This is really going to help give us an indication of what kind of food is good. Of course, one size doesn't fit all, so there isn't going to be a definitive answer.

On the food front, so far we've discovered that the AAFCO (Association of American Food Control Officials), lists minimum nutrient requirements for dogs. The list includes protein and fat, but not carbohydrates. We haven't yet located a UK equivalent that isn't linked to pet food companies. Anyone got any information on this?

Monday 20 February 2012

Book Review

























“We are so cognitively disconnected from reality that we spray poisonous chemicals on the crops we feed to our children and rationalize such stupidity as the best and most efficient way to feed a hungry world and even to protect wildlife and biodiversity, and we are so emotionally disconnected from other animals that for economic reasons we justify incarcerating livestock in the cruel, intensive confinement systems of factory farming.”

P133 “Not Fit for a Dog”, (2009) Fox, Hodgkins and Smart.


We've just read 'Not Fit For a Dog' by M W Fox, E Hodgkins and M Smart (ISBN 978-1884956-83-6. 1-884956-83-1).
If you read this you will think carefully before you buy any cat or dog food in future, especially cat food! And more especially, dried food. (And you will think twice about what you put on your own table as well, probably!).
This is a well- researched book that exposes the truth about the manufacture of pet foods in the United States, and it's an easy read.
We have no reason to suppose it's any different in the UK, although there could be differences in regulations, and we will research this.
We'll keep you posted (or if you know any different, please put a comment in).



If you love your dogs and cats, READ THIS BOOK.