CANADIAN PET OWNERS LOOKING TO HOMEMADE MEALS FOR DOGS AND CATS

Provided by Dominique Jarry-Shore, THE CANADIAN PRESS and Your Pets Nutrition

MONTREAL - Barry Glebe had tried everything to stem his dog Lila's chronic stomach problems, but to no avail.
His adopted West Highland white terrier had suffered terribly in the six months she'd lived with him and, despite trying every dog food possible, nothing seemed to work.
That was until Glebe discovered the wonders of home-cooked pet food.
"Within two weeks the dog had changed totally," Glebe said.
"Besides her body being in shape, she was a much happier dog."



Like Glebe, some Canadian pet owners are looking for ways to improve the health of their furry companions with a little home cooking.
Some pet owners have become more vigilant since several dozen cats and dogs died from melamine-laced pet food.
But the movement is also sparked partly by celebrities, some of whom post recipes online for pet food that can be made at home.
A belief that animal byproducts like bone and cartilage - a common pet food ingredient - are unhealthy, is also a factor considered when contemplating a switch in diet.
It's an allegation that is denied by pet food producers.
"Animal byproducts are simply things that humans don't eat but they're perfectly nutritional and safe for pets, and in fact they provide an excellent source of protein and other nutrients," said Martha Wilder, the executive director of the Pet Food Association of Canada.
Wilder added that the pet food recall of 2007 has led to widespread testing for melamine and more surveillance of pet food suppliers.
But despite those assurances, pet owners continue to look for alternatives.
"Right now, we're just trying to keep up with demand in Canada," said Paul Quigley, who runs Pets4Life, a small family business in Owen Sound, Ont.
The raw-food diet has come under fire in the past. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and the Canadian Public Health Agency believe such a diet risks sickening pets and humans who come in contact with the food.
But Quigley said he's seen a steady increase in demand and likens the product's popularity to owners becoming more conscientious about their pet's diet and wanting to feed them human-grade food.
"More and more we're finding that pet owners are just trying to feed healthy, like they're eating themselves," he said.
Tracy Martin, who runs Evive, a Montreal homemade pet food business, said she's been encouraged by the response since opening up shop last fall.
Digging her gloved hands into a concoction of fresh ground beef, heart, liver, green beans, apples and rice in her bright storefront kitchen, Martin muses that the entire pet food industry is about to change and that "it's crazy" to think pets can live on a diet of processed pet food alone.
"The first thing we do when someone has high cholesterol, or heart problems, or diabetes, or whatever illness, is we look at the diet," she said. "It's what sustains our bodies."



Martin, along with a pet nutritionist, developed a seasonal menu made largely from local Quebec produce.
Her dog and cat food is "gently baked" and includes ingredients like wild salmon oil, freeze-dried bone meal from New Zealand pasture-fed cattle, and kelp from Canadian ocean waters.
This food is a far cry from the long list of ingredients found in store-bought pet food - just don't call it gourmet.
"Gourmet for me is like a side of pilaf with onion confit," Martin said. "This is just wholesome real food."
Still, the homemade diets aren't without some controversy and the veterinary association recommends a pet owner consult their veterinarian before trying one out.
Montreal veterinarian Enid Stiles said homemade meals can sometimes "miss the boat" when it comes to appropriately meeting the nutritional needs of pets.
"It's not to say that we (veterinarians) don't approve of these home-cooked diets," she said.
"It's just that we're concerned that they're not meeting the needs of dogs or cats."
Safeguards are needed to ensure pet food meets certain requirements, said Louis McCann, the president of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada, a pet industry trade association.
"You have to look at the quality of the process and not short-term, but long-term," he said.
"Canadian pet food is subject to scrutiny by different government agencies and I think anybody who attempts to market pet food has to be subject to the same scrutiny - for the protection of the animals, the pets, but also for the public."
Pet food is the largest pet product expenditure in the U.S., totalling $16.8 billion in 2008 according to the American Pet Products Association website.

A LOT OF INTERESTING STAFF: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO YOUR DOG NUTRITION

INTRODUCING SINGAPURA CAT

The Singapura is a small cat and a newer addition to the United States show ring. There is much confusion as to its origin. The base stock of all the Singapura cats in the United States is just four cats. They all belong to one American breeder. The future of these cats is in question because the gene pool is small. The breed is still being developed in the U.S. The Singapura was recognized in championship standing in 1988. In its second season of show it realized an amazing triumph. It won 22 grand championship titles.

This cat has coloring unlike any other breed. Although small, he has a somewhat stocky body that is muscular. When he stands, his body, legs and the floor form a square. The only acceptable eye colors are hazel, yellow, or green. The eyes and ears must be large. The legs of this cat are thick and muscular. His coat is silky, fine and short. The only grooming required is a combing occasionally.

The only color variety is sepia with ticked fur and you will only see the Singapura as a shorthaired.

The Singapura is a moderately stocky and muscular small to medium-sized cat, with a very short and fine coat. A full grown female usually weighs 5-6 pounds while the male weighs 6-8 pounds. The large, slightly pointed and deep cupped ears together with the large almond shaped eyes are a characteristic of the breed. The tail is slender, slightly shorter than the length of the body and has a blunt tip. This is an active cat that loves to be with his humans. He gets along great with other animals and the female is very loving and maternal with her litters. The Singapura is described by the CFA as active, curious and playful. They are affectionate and desire human interaction. They have a tendency to perch on high places, to allow them a better view of their surrounding.

INTRODUCING ST. BERNARD

Bred for centuries in Switzerland by the monks from the St Bernard Hospice, some 3,000 metres up in the Swiss Alps, this breed is famous for its legendary rescues. The St Bernard's sense of smell enables him to scent a human against the wind up to two miles away, and sense blizzards and avalanches up to 20 minutes before they occur. His ability to locate bodies buried in as much as 3 metres of snow has resulted in him finding countless travellers trapped in drifts and leading them to safety.

Affectionately known as a Saint, the St Bernard is the genial gentleman of the canine world - very powerful but extremely placid. He adores children, and makes an intelligent, loyal and affectionate companion dog. His deep resonant bark is a marvellous deterrent to burglars. His hallmark is his huge, majestic head and benevolent dignified expression. He may be either rough or smooth coated.

Naturally a dog of this size requires room and is expensive to feed. But the rewards of owning one of these gentle giants more than compensates - just ask any St Bernard owner!

FIBROUS PORTION OF THE DOG DIET

The vegetables cells present in the cellulose of the membranes constitute the not digested fibrous portion of the diet, direct or indirectly, by the non-herbivores mammals. This crosses the digestive conduit and provides volume and consistency at the excrement. When the dog receives a meat diet, lacking of fiber, the dog's excrements are a tarred color, soft and with bad scent. It is substance of the diet contains about 2% of coarse material (or better know as fiber).

Balanced dog diet: A balanced diet is that one that provides the correct quantities of nutrition use for a good reproduction, maintenance, work or growth of the animal. The dog's digestive capacity is extremely flexible, that even though if the diet differs in their composition, it will still be a balanced diet for the animal.

INTRODUCING CHIHUAHUA

Although the origin of the Chihuahua is shrouded in mystery, we do know that it is a very ancient breed. It was not until late last century that he came to prominence in Mexico and, in due course, became officially recognised as a pure breed. It is believed that the Long Coated variety was subsequently developed in the United States by crossing the Smooth variety with other Toy breeds, thought to have been the Papillon and Pomeranian. Even the Pekingese, Yorkshire Terrier and Toy Poodle have been mentioned as possibilities.

The Long Coat Chihuahua is basically the same dog in all respects as the Smooth Coat Chihuahua, with the obvious exception of his coat. In fact both types sometimes appear in the same litter, even though they are classified as separate breeds. His coat is long and either flat or slightly wavy with a soft texture. As with all coated breeds, the Long Coat Chihuahua requires regular grooming to keep his coat tangle free.

Like the Smooth Coat variety he is a "big dog" in a small body who completely forgets about his lack of size. Not only does he refuse to be intimidated by larger dogs, but his alert nature makes him an excellent household watchdog. He adores his owners but may be nervous with strangers, and is good with older children provided they do no use any rough-house tactics.