YOU’RE FEEDING YOUR PET WHAT?! MEET PET EXPERT TRACIE HOTCHNER FOR ANSWERS
December 14th, 2009 by Diane Herbst
Readers living in the El Cajon, California area: Tracie Hotchner, best-selling author of “The Dog Bible” and “The Cat Bible,” and host of the radio shows Dog Talk and Cat Chat, will chat about the importance of proper pet nutrition and help you with your questions on Tuesday, December 15th, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Petco, 540 N 2nd Street, in El Cajon.
Hotchner, who feeds her three dogs Halo, will be signing copies of her books and giving away samples of Halo food, Liv-a-Little treats, and our popular supplements Daily Greens and Xtra-C.
“HALO stands out head and shoulders above the rest because there is no dry dog food that has made the commitment HALO has: to use only “meat fit for human consumption” in their kibble,” says Hotchner.
“Since the most worrisome aspect of dry pet food is the origin of the protein content – horror stories abound – I am grateful to be able to choose HALO as the dry portion of my own dogs food because it has no “mystery meat” elements but only meat that a person might eat,” she continues. “Regardless of the quality of he kibble, I still want to always give the message that any dog kibble is a highly-processed food and should make up no more than half of the dog’s meal, which should include quality protein, vegetables and less-processed carbohydrates.”
For more information on Hotchner, go to www.traciehotchner.com.
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January 29th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
I have a beagel that is about 6yrs. old. Is peanut butter, bacon grease, or sausage good for her?? Please let me know, and thank you!
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Hi Caitlynn,
Peanut butter, bacon grease and sausage should not be on your dog’s menu! These foods are very fatty and add excessive calories that your dog does not need. These are the kind of treats that often cause stomach upset and can even lead to more serious medical problems such as pancreatitis. If you want to give healthy treats–use vegetables and lean meats. If your dog loves peanut butter, try our Healthsome vegetarian peanut n’ pumpkin dog treats for a nutritious snack without all the calories!! Check out my article on “Healthy Snacking for your Dog” at http://www.halopets.com/pet-education/pet-articles/healthy_snacking_for_your_dog.html for some other useful treat advice.
Hope this helps.
Dr. Donna Spector
March 17th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I have seen some campaigns and recommendations that dogs should be fed a vegetarian diet, even if they do not have any meat sensitivities, and that they will get all of the nutrition they need from a vegetarian diet. Is this true? I always thought that dogs need meat.
Are there any risks to feeding strong, young, healthy, active dogs vegetarian dog food?
March 26th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Hi Lauren,
Dogs (like their human counterparts!) are omnivores. This means that their digestive systems are adapted to eat BOTH meat and plant material…not either one exclusively. If a dog does not have a specific condition requiring it to eat a strictly vegetarian diet, they will reach optimal health by eating a mixed diet.
Not all dog foods are created equally. As always, I recommend a high-quality natural diet that does not use chicken meal (or other rendered meats), synthetic chemicals or preservatives as these additives may be associated with adverse reactions. Read the label to make sure there are only ingredients you would choose for yourself.
Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector