Q: Is Halo Puppy food ok for large breed dogs? I was told to get puppy food catered for large breeds and to try to stick to a fish diet for the coat.

A: Halo puppy food is perfect for large breed dogs. Work with your veterinarian to determine the amount of calories your dog should eat each day to avoid excessive growth spurts–which can be detrimental to bone development in very large breed dogs. It is not necessary to stick to just a fish-based diet for the health of your dogs coat. A high quality natural diet that contains no artificial colors, preservatives or additives and includes beneficial additives such as omega fatty acids will keep your pets coat healthy for years! You should also include an essential fatty acid supplement (like Halo, Dream Coat) to achieve optimal coat and skin health.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Q: My dog is obsessed with sniffing other dogs. Its become such a problem that we have a hard time taking him to the dog park or beaches, which he loves. How can I break him of this behavior? Thanks!

A: Often what starts as friendly sniffing can turn obsessive when a dog owner has a strong negative reaction. Many dogs start this behavior as an “attention-getter”. Although the attention they get from their owner is negative, it is attention none the less. As hard as it is, the best tool here is to ignore the behavior and the dog often starts performing the behavior less frequently as it is not getting the desired affect from you. Tough it out…if you get angry with him and reprimand him…the vicious cycle will start all over again. Also take a large assortment of play items with you to the parks and beaches–distract his attention from other dogs if the behavior starts up.

Good luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

Short-dated products are on the Halo web site at half price. Of course, these usually sell out extremely quickly, so grab what you can use. Currently available: Liv-a-Littles protein treats, grooming and supplements items, and even some cans of Halo Spot’s Stew. Take a look, and check back often!

Please remember, while these products are wonderful, they are not the same as what you can buy at the store. You’ll find earlier formulas, old labels, or short-dating. Short-dating means that the product will reach its “Best if Used By” date within 1-2 months of purchase.

Blogger Kim Gentry took the time to investigate what’s unhealthy about many ingredients in commercial pet foods, and what’s right about Halo’s approach to nutrition.

Click here to read the blog.

Halo began in 1986 by giving away wholesome, holistic pet food recipes to animal lovers desperate to help their four-legged family members. It’s part of our mission to make that information available, and we’ll never stop. So if you haven’t seen our recipes, be sure to visit our web site for free holistic pet food recipes!

You’ll even find the recipe for our flagship product, Halo Spot’s Stew, so you can make it at home.

We believe that ideally, pets should eat healthy, homemade foods every day. But if the thought of cooking them a huge meal seems like a chore . . . just open a can of Spot’s Stew! Let our gourmet chefs prepare the healthiest food in the world for your dog or cat. We won’t mind if you take the credit!

Ashley from Texas wrote in about her dog with a sensitive stomach, and that he vomits frequently. She asks which of Halo’s food would be good for him.

Halo does not make any specific “sensitive stomach” dog food formulas, however, we feel our foods are appropriate for all dogs (even those with touchy tummies!) given the high quality ingredients.

Recent research suggests that it may actually be the size or quality of the protein in most commercial pet foods that causes adverse digestive reactions. Many pets are also sensitive to fillers (like corn and rice) and many adverse reactions (such as gas, bloating and diarrhea) have been linked to these sub-standard pet food contents. Halo foods contain no such fillers!

As always, if you have a pet with a sensitive stomach, transition them to Halo slowly–over 1-2 weeks.
day 1, 2, 3 and 4: 75% old food, 25% Halo
day 5, 6, 7 and 8: 50% old food, 50% Halo
day 9, 10, 11 and 12: 25% old food, 75% Halo
day 13 +: 100% Halo

If at any time during this transition your pet has any digestive upset, return to the previous amount being fed and stay there for a few more days before starting the transition again. Good Luck and keep us posted!