As you probably know by now, your dog’s diet has a lot to do with their activity levels and overall well being. Food is your dog’s first source of energy and nutrition. It’s also their first source of irritants and pollutants. Often, your dog will let you know that they’ve eaten something they don’t like by vomiting or displaying other gastrointestinal distress. Sometimes, however, symptoms may show up differently than you’d expect.

Beef, dairy, and wheat are among the three most common food allergies dogs experience. Here’s how you can tell your dog’s system doesn’t agree with some of the ingredients in their food:

• Constantly itchy skin. Itchiness is one of the most commonly cited symptoms of food allergies, usually accompanied by pink skin underneath. If your pup seems to itch without relief or is losing patches of hair due to too much scratching, there’s a good chance the cause is a food allergy - especially if over-the-counter shampoos and solutions don’t seem to work.

• Reddish-brown stains around the mouth and paws. Generally, these red patches can be attributed to yeast colonies, which are better able to grow at infection sites. These patches are often itchy and you may notice your dog licking its paws more than usual.

• Frequent ear infections. While dogs that are frequent swimmers are prone to swimmer’s ear, food allergens can also cause recurring infections in your furry friends. Check the ears for dark brown or black, stinky buildup. This, too, is usually caused by a yeast infection triggered by the appearance of an allergy.

What’s the next step if you think your dog has a food allergy? The most reliable test is through an elimination diet, which can take about 4-6 months to complete. In a program like this, you’ll take your dog’s diet back down to the very basics and slowly reintroduce each ingredient to determine how it affects their overall wellness. As always, consult your veterinarian before going on a program such as this.

Human-Grade Dog Food for Healthy Coat

Many pet parents find that their fur babies have healthier skin and coat after switching to a human-grade diet. Keeping your dogs on a simple, natural diet makes it easy to tell what ingredients work in harmony with their systems. Get human-grade dog food delivered to your door from Pawsitively Pure. Click here to browse our products.

There’s nothing better than a big bowl of fresh, sweet berries to enjoy as a summertime snack! For years, blueberries have been touted as a superfood and enjoyed for their juicy sweetness and their health benefits. But did you know that blueberries pack a lot of awesome nutritional benefits for your dog, too?

Here at Pawsitively Pure, blueberries are among our favorite treats for our boys. Stick them in the freezer for a cool, crunchy snack on a hot afternoon, or try them in our Blueberry and Oats natural dog treats! Blueberries are a wonderful addition to any dog’s diet as a treat because:

• They help protect eyes. Older dogs in particular are susceptible to cataracts, especially if they’ve spent most of their time having fun in the sun. Studies have shown that blueberries help improve dogs’ nighttime vision as well as restoration of their visual acuity after exposure to glare. Keep your furry friend in good visual health for longer.

• They’re anti-carcinogenic. According to the Veterinary Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death in 47% of dogs. Blueberries are full of a number of different compounds that help to prevent a variety of types of cancer, including colon cancer. Studies have even shown that the phenolic compounds in blueberries can cause cell death in cancerous cells.

• They’re great for the brain. Blueberries also contain a number of compounds that help support the brain’s function, especially later in life. They’re also great for puppies in that they provide nutrients shown to support spatial learning and memory, like Anthocyanin. Your old dog really can learn new tricks with the support of this tasty snack!

We love blueberries as a tasty and healthy addition to your dog’s diet. When you choose human-grade food for your dogs, you want to be sure you’re getting the freshest natural ingredients. Pawsitively Pure Dog Food features all natural, organic products, good enough for you AND your dog to eat (but please leave the snacking to the pups!). To view our available products, click here.

So you’ve read the blogs, you’ve seen the results, and you’re ready to get your own dogs started with natural, human-grade dog food. Congratulations! You’re on the way to a long life with a happy, energetic pup. Pet owners around the world have been turning toward whole foods as the best way to keep their furry friends satiated and healthy, in much the same way as they’ve been rethinking their own diets.

Dogs take a little longer to transition to a new diet than we do, however, so it’s important that you take the proper steps to transition to your human-grade foods. Here’s a quick and easy guide to get your dog started on their new diet:

• Don’t get rid of the kibble just yet! The best way to start the transition to new food is by blending small portions of the new food into your pup’s usual bowl of food. At first, you’ll add just a handful; as time goes on, you’ll decrease the amount of your dog’s kibble and increase the human-grade food until you have a bowl full of nothing but Pawsitively Pure food!

• Don’t add additional new ingredients, if you can avoid it. Your dog’s stomach is very sensitive, so it’s best to take this transition one step at a time. If you introduce too much human-grade food too quickly, you might find your dog experiencing digestive issues or needing to go to the bathroom more often. Once your dog is fully transitioned, then you can try different recipes or new treats!

• Is your dog being a picky eater? Commercial kibble is often coated with animal fat, making it more appetizing and even addictive to dogs. Human-grade dog food strips away all the unnecessary additives, but it may take a little while for your dog to warm up to the idea. If you find your pup is being picky about the natural food, try adding a little bit of bone broth or a sprinkle of shredded cheese for an extra tasty incentive.

The time it takes to transition your dog to human-grade dog food is worth all the enjoyment they’ll get out of life! We love hearing stories about how your dog is thriving on natural dog food. To find the right food for your pup, click here, or browse our Facebook page for more information!

As people around the world turn to whole, unprocessed foods as important sources of health and nutrition, they’ve also been rethinking their dogs’ diets. When you think about it, you’ll realize that dogs tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to nutrition. Eating mass-produced kibble that’s packed with fillers day after day probably isn’t the most satisfying diet. No wonder commercial diets can lead to lethargy and boredom!

If you’re ready to weigh in on the debate, get informed! Here are the top three differences you’ll find when you compare small-batch dog food to commercial brands:

1. Small-batch food has little or no filler. Major dog food producers use a lot of filler in their product because it’s cheap and readily available. While it’s not inherently unhealthy for your pup, wouldn’t you rather give them their daily calories from food that’s packed with nutrition and nothing unnecessary? Having a clean, high-protein diet will most likely lead to boosted energy for your furry friends.

2. Small-batch food doesn’t have added sugars. That’s right - major food producers add sugar to your dog’s food, too. Just like humans do, dogs enjoy the taste of sugar and can get hooked on it. High sugar levels have the same effects in dogs that they do in humans, too: obesity, hypoglycemia, and tooth decay. Sugar in dog food takes many forms, like caramel, sucrose, or syrup.

3. Small-batch foods aren’t heavily processed. The sad truth about the proteins in commercial dog food often come from the scraps of food processed for humans - think beaks, hooves, etc. All those byproducts have to be processed to make an attractive, tasty food for your pups. With human-grade dog food, you can actually see what your dog is eating.

If you’re working on eating healthier for your overall wellness, don’t you think your dog could benefit from the same? After you transition your dog to small-batch, human-grade food, you’ll find that he has increased energy for playing, better breath for kissing, and lots of love to go around! To shop our products, click here, or get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Bone broth has been having a moment in the spotlight recently! Although it’s not a new product by any means, people all over the world have been rediscovering this simple nutritional powerhouse for all the benefits it brings to just about every system in your body. Rich bone broth is naturally full of the ingredients you need to maintain healthy hair and nails, skin, digestive system, and beyond. And better still - it’s really beneficial for your dogs, too!

Homemade chicken and beef bone broth, made from 100% grass-fed animals, is one of our staples here at Pawsitively Pure. Here are a few reasons why we recommend introducing bone broth into every dog’s diet:

• It’s great for their joints. An active lifestyle is so important for every dog’s health and happiness. Just like our joints, though, over time, your pup’s joints are subject to a lot of wear and tear, leaving them less able to run and play the way they want to. Bone broth is chock-full of nutrients that lubricate and protect your dog’s joints, like glucosamine, to put that extra spring in their step.

• It keeps tummies happy. Plenty of dogs suffer from food allergies, just as their humans do. These allergies develop when the lining of the stomach is stressed and allows foreign materials to pass through, causing irritation and upset. One of the main ingredients in bone broth is gelatin, which helps to soothe those stressed spots and keep tummies safe from irritation.

• It’s a godsend for sick or elderly dogs. At different stages in their lives, or during times of illness, it might be difficult to keep your dog on a solid food diet. If you’re trying to keep your dog fed while they’re getting over a stomach bug, or if you’re caring for an elderly pup without much of an appetite, bone broth gives them the nutrients they need without further upsetting their tummies or requiring a big appetite.

We love bone broth and think it should be included in every dog’s daily diet. Our bone broth is homemade and includes nothing but the good stuff your dogs crave. Whether you use it as a topper for dry food or serve it alone as a special treat, bone broth for dogs is the treat that keeps on giving. Click here to browse our store, or give us a call at 407-450-6151 to learn more.