For one, I worked with the brand Herbsmith for the first time this week.  Herbsmith is a brand that crosses traditional theories with modern research.  Their supplements are grounded in Chinese herbal remedies, their herbs picked from the best of their natural environments, and then tested right here in the USA before it's marketed to ensure their products work at their absolute peak.  One in particular I worked with was the Calm Shen, to help tame nervousness, anxiety, and destructive behaviors.  The fact that they post the breakdown of what each ingredient does on their website is both fascinating and helpful.  For instance "Angelica Tang Kuei (dang gui)...Tonifies the blood to nourish the heart without causing stress."

Then, with Halloween right around the corner in October already I enjoyed working with Up Country's Boo! Dog collar.  Up Country has a reputation for quality and the ghosts and pumpkins that dot this collar add just the right adorable touch to the upcoming spooky season.

And speaking of quality, I have yet to hear someone say something bad about fiesta ware quality, regardless of whether it fits their aesthetics.  For me?  I like the bold broad shapes and bright colors.  This pet bowl has a 7.25" diameter and holds 39.25 oz, or just shy of 5 cups for those who might have trouble visualizing amounts in ounces, like myself.  Fiesta ware holds up to the test of time and can make a statement in your kitchen or dining room.

Have a great week and stay safe.

On the one hand, it's easy to see how grain free diets would be healthier.  I mean, dogs are carnivores evolved from wolves and in the wild they persist on almost entirely meat-based diets.  But after 10,000 years of domestication, have the stomachs of dogs adapted to better digest grains and carbs?  Canine geneticist Robert Wayne argues that yes, they have, and that as much as half of a modern dog's diet can be carb-based.  Dr. Becker, on the other hand, argues that a dog's short digestive tract is still more heavily bent towards digesting protein and fat over grains and sugars.

One of the things both parties agree on, though, is that consumers can mistake 'grain-free' packaging as "carb-free" or "healthier" without giving much second-thought to reading the ingredients list.  As someone who was on the keto diet for over a year, I can tell you from experience that something marked 'grain-free' or 'gluten-free' is, surprisingly, almost always higher in carbs.  This is as true for dog food as it is for people food.  Many veterinarians report no change in weight between grain-free and not grain-free pets, and it is very possible that this is due to the presence of the replacement fillers in grain-free dry food.  Starches from potatoes, peas, and lentils are more carb dense and also tend to have a higher fat-content than their grain counterparts, so watch the labeling on pet foods even when they advertise 'grain-free'.

Besides the lack of weight loss and genetics arguments for each side, one of the strongest arguments against grain-free diets is the simple fact that dogs rarely develop allergies to grain.  They are far more likely to develop an allergy to some form of protein such as chicken or beef than to develop an allergy to the filler between it in dry dog food.

It's perfectly possible to provide your dog a balanced diet with all the nutrition they need either way, just make sure to consult a veterinarian before any major changes.

Dogs are much much better at reading body language than the average bear.  They don't, unfortunately, understand the specifics of why you had an awful day as you explain it to them, but they sense the distress and by our mutual relationship with pets, want to comfort us.  Puppy-voice also serves a purpose when talking to, well, puppies.  Dogs respond to the tones in our voices and when we use that high pitched voice it invites puppies to play.  Adult dogs notice it, but don't find the voice itself (at least disembodied) all that engaging.  So go ahead and continue to talk to younger dogs as you always have, but keep in mind you might want to try something else for the adults to engage them more at their level.

We welcome shoppers looking for the GW Little website. 

ProDenmight just be one of the most highly recommended dental products for dogs I've ever seen.  It's completely natural and sustainably harvested from Scandanavian seaweed which weakens plaque over time so that as you brush your pet's teeth, the plaque breaks off easily, leaving your canine's canines pearly white.  it also helps with gum health and fresh breath, so extra bonuses.

Keeping enough water for your pets on a hike or a hot day is a challenge, especially if you have a breed that likes to push themselves just a little more than they probably should or that splashes half the water to the ground.  This nifty water bottle solves a lot of the waste and carrying issues in the form of a water bottle.  A dish is attached to the top of a bottle that you squeeze to fill up, hold while your pet drinks, and let go so the excess goes back in the bottle and you don't waste a drop.  Always a plus, it's made in the USA, and it can be clipped to your belt easily with a carabiner. 

Have a good weekend!

One of the easiest and most familiar ways to check your pet's health is their nose.  A dog's nose should be clear of any crusting, discharge, or bleeding.  Contrary to popular belief, cold or wet noses don't really tell you anything about your pet's health unless it's excessively wet or dry.  Another thing to pay attention to is how often your pet sneezes.  If it's just once in a while, your furry friend is fine for this check.

Breath is also an easy check.  Dental health is important and neglecting it in your pet can lead to gingivitis and peridontitis which can have broader scope consequences for your pet's health, but one of the easiest ways to check for this is a smell check.  If your dog's breath has you gagging, might be time to get a check up and invest in a doggie toothbrush.  If his breath is fine, you have one less thing to worry about.

How are their skin and coat?  Your furry friend's coat should be sleek and shiny without having to be washed consistently (breed depending).  If you run your fingers through your pet's fur and notice the underlying skin is dry and cracked or that the fur isn't particularly sleek, check in with the vet to see if he's missing any key nutrients to keep him in peak health.

Last, each pet and breed has a different ideal weight, but a good rule of thumb is that your pet's wait should taper, but you shouldn't spot ribs.  A more thorough way to check is to feel your pet's chest.  You should be able to just feel the ribs without pressing hard nor feeling all the bumps and edges.

Speaking of cheesy, pizza is another one of those universally loved foods.  While it's not advisable to give your pet a slice of your pizza delivery next game night, you can still give them a slice of that pizza pie with Lulubelles pizza power plush.  The screen printing on the slice is incredibly realistic.  You can almost smell the pepperoni.  And the power plush material is extra durable so while they can bite at it all day long, it should stand up to even stronger chewers.

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned wood house?  I mean the real classics.  This wren house is classic style, no adornments, but is still made with lots of love and quality materials.  The cedar is a solid choice resistant to rot, bacteria, and a lot of other big bads that can shorten the lifespan of a bird house or have unintended consequence for the occupants.  You can clean this one out with a removable base, and the sloping tiered roof and shape is ideal for attracting wrens to nest in your yard.

Next up is some cat toys from Yeowww! Which is probably one of the most humor-centered cat toy companies I’ve worked with. Of course that means I’m a little biased towards them....who doesn’t love a good laugh, after all? This week I worked with a 2-pack set of three catnip toys (so six toys total, if you can parse all that out). Including two bananas, two cigars, and two rainbows all made with sturdy cotton twill and fulfilling Yeowww!s promise of stuffing their toys to the brim with 100% organic catnip.

Last is Peter Pads. For those pets who struggle with their bladders a bit more or are prone to marking, it’s nice to have a comfortable option that’ll keep your floors clean and allow you to take your pet out to enjoy the world still. These machine washable, absorbent cotton-filled versions are made of soft suede on the outside and put a fun twist on it by adding a funky cartoon silhouette of a skull and crossbones on one pad in the three pack. They secure and adjust to fit with a velcro closure.

First, even though it doesn't seem the most exciting, is a litter box.  Fact is, if you have a cat you need one.  And anyone who's had to clean up after a cat using the litter box will appreciate this one from SmartCat.  First, high sides.  Sweeping is obnoxious enough without feeling compelled to do so every time your cat kicks litter out of the box, and since that's a basic instinct for the felines, I can't really blame our furry friends.  Might as well work around it with high sides that prevent it from getting knocked out.  Second, wide-brimmed sides.  I feel like I could actually pick this litter box up without playing the whole dancing-on-my-fingertips game I've always felt when cleaning one out.  Plus, blue.  My favorite color.

Second, self-grooming cat brush.  I mean, cats are already self-grooming for the most part, but it doesn't always end well for them if they have to do it all themselves, especially the long haired breeds.  Hairballs.  This brush comes with catnip and clips to a solid surface so your cat can rub up against it.  The soft rubber bristles both clean and massage your cat.  So they probably think they're getting a day at the spa while you're just happy that you don't have to brush them and hopefully you'll have fewer cat-hair related issues.

Third, I'm starting to think I really love Imperial Cat.  They make such fun stuff, and having an office full of cats sounds amazing.  This one is a combo cat scratcher and bed.  And it's made of cardboard, so you know your cat will use it more than their designated soft plush bed.  The last cat I lived with absolutely adored her bed scratcher and spent much of her lounging day there.  I happen to think the whale is hilariously adorable, and I suspect the cat will like the "hidey hole" in it as well. 

Have a great weekend!

Even with cat breeds as distinctive as the sphynx, there's no solid argument that can be made that dog breeds are more diverse.  From coats to size to skeletal structure, there is a far wider range of traits displayed among dogs.  And it is a curious thing to wonder at.  After all, both domesticated cats and domesticated dogs all fall under the umbrella of one species: Felis catus and Canine familiaris.  Why should one be more diverse than the other?  In fact, why should either species be as diverse as it is at all, with members who vary so greatly in appearance?

The answer to the second question is quite simple: selective breeding.  Just as farmers have selected cattle and refined them for either their milk or meat producing traits, so have we selected to favor certain traits over others in our pets.  For example, the sphynx cat was simply a genetic mutation that happened somewhere to some cats in the 1970s, offspring produced by completely furred cats.  It was decided that it was a favorable trait, and hairless cats were selected to breed with other cats until there was enough diversity to establish a population of hairless felines breeding only with other hairless felines.  Several generations later the cat breed we now recognize as sphynx was established.

As for why there's a different level of variety between dog breeds and cat breeds, it comes down to two factors: time and purpose.  Dogs have been domesticated for over ten thousand years, as compared to the far more recently domesticated cats who joined our companionship, instead of just sharing the outdoor parts of our inhabited areas, a mere three thousand or so years ago.  And we elected dogs to be our companions.  We invited them to be part of our pack, and incorporated them into our lives with intention.  We used dogs to hunt with, to guard our dominions, and to herd, along with many other tasks as years wore to generations.  Dogs had a crafted purpose.  When we wanted to protect dogs from getting brained by an objectionable cow, we bred for thicker skulls, shorter legs, or a faster run.  When we wanted them to guard our homes we selected those who were especially loyal and territorial.  And when we wanted them to hunt we selected for the best noses and ears.  There was purpose behind the decisions we made.  Utilitarian purpose.  For better or for worse, though now that most of that purpose has mellowed, issues with selection and inbreeding are becoming increasingly commonplace.  Though it is being addressed we collectively recognize the problem.  Cats were already perfectly designed for their task and performed it without our request.  They hunted the rodents and we let them co-habitate our settlements.  It wasn't really until we started taking them in as "inside" pets that we started to define different breeds for ourselves.  Most of which are selected for appearance rather than a drive for some practical end.

Different timelines, different reasons, and either way, we still have a dizzying selection of wonderful companions.

Behind the US, which country would you peg next for owning the most dogs?  It might surprise you to find out that 2nd place goes to Brazil.  It might surprise you even more, however, to find out who isn't that far behind with 3rd place.  China.  I mean, yes they have the worlds largest population, more than four times that of the United States, but even then it's a little unexpected that a country we've come to associate with dog meat would have such a large segment of dog owners.

To be fair, and give a little context, only a small segment of the Chinese population consumes dog meat, it is considered a delicacy, and not a daily meal, and in addition, this is generally isolated to certain provinces and cities, and isn't a general truth that encompasses the entire population.  In addition, there is historical context to consider.  In ancient China, dogs were treasured, cherished, and considered sacred.  The dog played a role in much from the mundane to the mythological. They were domesticated for hunting and companionship, but even then there was another side of the role.  Even in ancient times, largely due to their role in mythology and prevailing religious beliefs of the time, dogs would be either killed as a sacrifice for protection or eaten under the belief that they could cure certain ailments.  Still, this was not a prolific practice.  It was reserved for those among the highest social standings.  

During the mid 20th century Cultural Revolution there was a steep shift in the attitude towards dogs.  Due to environmental and pressing political factors, they were seen as unnecessary status symbols that were just another mouth to feed in a time where food was scarce.  Thus the increase in the dog meat market.  But as famine and hunger become less prevalent worries, the industry has dwindled bit by bit.  This is also encouraged by young activists pressing for animal rights.  In the 1990s it became legal to own dogs again, but they were deeply regulated and will cultural perceptions still fresh, paled in popularity to cats - who still exceed dogs as common pets.

But as the old perceptions have waned, the numbers of dogs kept as pets have risen.  Now, as in the US, there is a niche market that has taken advantage of this to set up luxuries such as dog hotels and restaurants.  Though there are still some kinks to work out.  As the number of pet dogs increased, especially in the city, so did the number of ownerless and feral dogs, with over 2000 reports of biting incidences.  In order to help combat this, China has instituted rigorous licensing, vaccination requirements, and upkeep fees, as well as a one-dog-per-household rule.  Though this might help combat those who might impulse buy and the chipping requirements would help prevent owners from releasing their dog to the streets, there are still some gaps in the policy regarding animal cruelty and spay and neutering requirements to also help keep the population down.  Perhaps only having one dog per household means a spay and neuter requirement would be redundant, but perhaps not as well.

As it stands, China is poised to become quite the dog-loving country in the next few decades and the young are representing the rights of animals as activists for humane treatment.