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

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.

Click here to read the blog.

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!

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!

1. Invest in Quality Food—choosing a high quality natural pet food is your best chance at long term pet health. The right food can help you eliminate problems with allergies, intestinal problems, obesity, diabetes and other food-related diseases. Although you will spend more at the check-out line, the overall investment should save you hundreds!

2. Avoid pet obesity—Obese pets can suffer from many costly conditions such as arthritis, high blood pressure, and diabetes just to name a few. Feeding your pet the correct portion will control unwanted weight gain and keep them out of the vet.

3. Avoid dangerous treats—many treats can become lodged in the esophagus, stomach, intestines or trachea (windpipe) of pets. Avoid things like rawhide chews, pig’s feet or other chews that are too hard and dissolve poorly.

4. Brush Teeth—pets suffer from the same dental problems as people and should have their teeth brushed daily to avoid costly veterinary procedures. Apply pet toothpaste to either a soft pet toothbrush or gauze wrapped around your finger to clean their choppers. Tooth and gum disease can result in infection, pain, loss of teeth and even organ damage in pets. A quick brush a day can keep the vet away! Click here to read more about proper dental care in pets.

5. Routine eye care. Keeping your pet’s eyes clean will contribute to their health and wellness by preventing irritation and infection that can be painful and possibly lead to loss of vision. Careful inspection and cleaning once weekly with an excellent natural product like Herbal Eye Wash to open clogged tear ducts and prevent infection will keep your pets eyes clear and bright. Click here to read more about proper eye care in pets.

6. Routine ear care. Keeping your pet’s ears clean will help prevent painful irritation and infection that can lead to hearing loss. Clean your pet’s ears once weekly with a natural pet product like Herbal Ear Wash to keep them out of the vet with costly ear infections. Click here to read more about proper ear care in pets.

7. Proper flea control. Fleas can be an expensive problem year round. Not only do they cause itching and sometimes troublesome hot spots—they can also infest your pet with intestinal tapeworms. There are many topical products available to control fleas. If you are looking for a natural approach, try an herbal dip with citronella and other oils that will aid in natural flea control.

8. Bath and groom your pet regularly—Choose a natural shampoo without detergents, colors or fragrances as these ingredients may contribute to allergic reactions. There are many instructional books and videos that can help you learn about proper pet grooming to minimize this expense. Don’t forget to wash your pet’s feet every time they go outside. This can help them avoid ingestion of chemicals that may be in the grass or on the sidewalks and streets.

9. Pet-proof your home and yard—Every year thousands of dollars are spent on treating pets for accidents and poisonings. Pet-proof your home so your pet has no possible access to rat bait, snail bait, ant bait, prescription medication, cleaning supplies or even the kitchen cupboards. Pets are amazing…they can smell chocolate through a cupboard door! Insure your yard is safe—that boards are not loose in the fence, the gate latches securely, the trash and recycling bins are sealed tightly and there are no hazards in the yard.

10. Exercise! Pets get the same health benefits that people do from exercise. Try it together…it will be healthy and fun for both of you!

Hey blog readers, wanted to alert you of a big-time sale. Buy at least $75 online by Valentine’s Day, and we’ll send you a coupon for $25 worth of Halo products. Enter this promo code AFTER your payment information to make sure you receive the $25 coupon: 75free25. Go to www.halopets.com/shop

This week only, we’re offering free shipping on orders $50 and above. If you order $100 or more, you’ll receive:

•    -FREE SHIPPING
•    -A $25 GIFT CARD
•    -$12 IN COUPONS

We’ll email you the $25 Gift Card and $12 in coupons 2-3 weeks after shipping your $100 order.

Please shop soon, because this offer ends this week (January 2, 2009).

CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW

Shop by category:

Natural Dog Food

Natural Cat Food

Natural Treats

Pet Supplements

Grooming Supplies

The Whole Pet Diet book

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Does your dog have a smile that could light up a room? Maybe your pup has eyes that could melt hearts or a coat so silky that Hollywood actresses could only dream of having such lovely hair. Or perhaps he’s just got the biggest ears known to dog-kind. Whatever your pup’s claim to fame, there’s likely to be a category that fits him in Dog Channel.com’s Virtual Dog Show. Sponsored by Halo Pets, this is one dog show that your pooch doesn’t need to be a purebred to enter. With unique categories like “longest tongue” and “best ‘feed me’ look,” there’s sure to be a place for every dog. And the best part is the prizes: Winning dogs will receive a year’s worth of Halo natural dog food!

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to Dog Channel to submit your pup’s photo in the Virtual Dog Show. And if you don’t have a dog to enter, you can still check out all the adorable nominees and vote for your favorites.

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I had my dog, Lucky, on a premium brand dry dog food since I adopted him as a puppy. He seemed to like the taste and never gave me a problem with eating. However, after reading about the dangers of artificial coloring and by-products, I decided to switch him to holistic dog food and purchased Spot’s Stew Dry Formula.

Lucky has always been a creature of habit, and I knew making the change would not be easy. I was worried he wouldn’t accept the new food because he had grown so accustomed to the other. A friend suggested mixing the new food with the old to start and gradually reducing the old food over time. It worked like a charm, and now Lucky eats only natural dog food. He seems to love the taste just as much, and I’ve noticed that since making the switch, his coat has been better and he’s more active. Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks?

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