As the new guest blogger here, I want to make sure I get on the record about Halo’s food superiority (even though I know Halo touched on this before in an earlier blog).

Halo Spot’s Stew is a dog food that deserves all-around praise and one I am using exclusively for my own dogs. I waited over five years to choose a pet food company whose outlook on the world of pets and whose dog food was so much better than any other. I held off on making that decision because I never wanted to have to say “I’m sorry” or be on the defensive about any business practices that came to light later about how a company conducts itself or what they slide into their dog food.

The first thing that attracted me to HALO was the excellence of their ingredients and a solid commitment to not skimping on the high quality while also having transparency about their origin. I learned that the protein content in HALO’s dry food is just about the same as WELLNESS CORE – but there is a gigantic difference. ALL the meat used in HALO foods is “fit for human consumption” (that is, no chicken meal, or other rendered meats). I do not know of any other company using such extraordinarily high quality and really costly basic protein ingredients.

Click over to my original blog on “Why I Chose Halo” for the whole story!

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

A product using “meat by-products” is a good example of a food NOT to give your dog. I have been saying this for years; long before I learned about HALO, Purely for Pets and discovered the high standard they hold themselves to, in only using fit-for-consumption actual meat in their kibble.

It’s why I’ve chosen HALO dry food for my dogs and can rest easy that the ingredients that went into making it were tip-top. “Meat by-products” is an ingredient which may not sound as bad as it really is – and companies using it are depending on your not questioning what it means.

You can learn more on page 443 of my book “The Dog Bible” about how to read a food label. You’ll learn what “crude protein” actually is – and that it does not contain protein as we think of it (the meat itself). You’ll soon figure out to avoid foods with words like “by-product meal” and fats from an unspecified species when a food says “animal fat” (instead of “chicken fat”).

All of these and many more are a signs of inferior dog foods. Don’t be surprised if all the dog foods carried by supermarkets have these ingredients-to-avoid. Don’t be surprised if you find them right on the food you’re feeding now – even when you thought it was a premium brand.

I think a company like HALO sets the bar high, where it needs to be for the health and wellness all of our pets. You get what you pay for: quality ingredients that your dog’s body can really digest and put to good use for energy, skin health, insurance against mediocre (and even unsafe) ingredients and contribute to overall wellness.

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and the Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

Please avoid fatty foods and treats – they only lead to digestive trouble. Even though you may feel tempted to have your dog share in the bounty from your kitchen, please don’t include anything too rich or fatty.

Some of the items that do not belong in your dog’s mouth are poultry skin, bacon, and baked goods full of butter and sugar and fried foods. None of these do a dog any good and in fact just the opposite – they may upset his digestive tract and can even lead to serious illness if there is an ongoing fat-rich diet.

Thanksgiving and other holidays are a great example of the dinner table offering temptation to share – but turkey gravy; skin and even sometimes the meat (if it’s been basted in butter or oil) can set off a big tummy upset. Even though you may want your dog to join in the festivities when you have company and lots of extra food, don’t think you’re doing him any favor by feeding him rich foods.

Foods that are high in fat can cause a dog to throw up or get diarrhea – no fun for him or for you! And there’s the more serious problem that in some dogs, over-indulging in fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, which can require hospitalization and can even be fatal.

Tip of the day: you can make your dog just as happy – and much healthier – by offering a Halo Liv-a-Little in any of the delicious flavors of lean, pure protein. Not only are you eliminating any fat in that treat, but Liv-a-Littles are pure dehydrated chicken, salmon or beef so they have absolutely no carbohydrates, which we want to keep low in our dogs’ diets.

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and the Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

FOX40 in Sacramento just ran a terrific segment showing author Tracie Hotchner mixing up a fresh batch of Halo Spot’s Stew, live on air! You’ll recognize the amazing ingredients that characterize our flagship recipe.

As part of a PETCO promotion, Hotchner does a fabulous job educating the audience on the benefits of natural pet food.

Click over to our News page for the clip!

Halo advocate and noted author Tracie Hotchner showed pet lovers how to cook Halo Spot’s Stew on ABC’s “Animal Instincts” show. The show featured tips from PETCO on keeping your pet healthy during the holidays, including cooking (or buying our all natural pet food) Spot’s Stew.

Click to our News page for the whole story.