Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Your Pet's Food

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Did you know that 80% of dog and cat owners have major misconceptions when it comes to their pet’s food? Pet food has been around a long time: it has a life, history, and fascinating bits of trivia that may surprise you.

Over 150 Years Of Nutritional Evolution

Commercial pet food has been around since 1860 when a guy named James Spratt from Ohio created a biscuit type dog food by carefully compounding a preparation of wheat meals, vegetables, beetroot, and meat to feed dogs on ships going between America and Europe. That’s over 150 years of nutritional evolution to help make your pet’s life better.

Your Pet Food Stinks

When it comes to dog food it’s not about taste. Humans have a strong sense of taste with around 9,000 taste buds compared to a dog’s average of about 1700 taste buds and cats with an average of about 470 taste buds, so it’s common for us humans to have the misconception that our pets feel the same way about the taste of what they are eating. Not so. 

With our furry family it’s more about the smell, than the taste when it comes to grub. Dogs have about 125 million sensory cells in their noses, as opposed to us humans with our 5 to 10 million, so when your dog loves a food it’s not the flavor so much as the smell that gets that tail wagging or that kitten purring.

Gotta Keep It Fresh Yo’

Ever notice how excited your dogs and cats get when you open a fresh bag of food? Do they seem to lose interest over time? As foods age they lose their delicious aroma, so it’s important to keep your pet’s food fresh and smelling its best. 

The average dry dog or cat food is at its peak for about a month after you crack that bag open, so be sure to keep the bag closed tight, or in a container with a proper lid to seal in that new food smell.

Starches Rock Your Kibble

Grain free does not mean starch free. Sometimes people get these two confused. Starchy vegetables like peas and garbanzo beans are important to dog and cat food because of their nutritional value and they help to bond the food together into those lovely little kibble shapes that are easy to scoop into a bowl and cats and dogs love to eat.

Highest Trending Pet Food Faux “Paw”

The most commonly made pet food mistake is overfeeding. Pudgy pets may look cute but it’s not good for them. More than half of our pet dogs and cats are overweight and that can lead to all sorts of health problems. Healthy weight can be supported by proper measurements and avoiding too many treats or human foods.

Do you have any questions about your pet’s food? Leave them in the comments below and we may answer your question in a future post. You may also read Vegan Dog Food article.

How Much Water Should a Dog Drink?

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Some dogs approach their water bowls with enthusiasm, while others may need a bit of a push to drink their water. In either case, water is necessary to keep your dog healthy and to help your dog’s body function. Read on to learn how much water a dog should drink and how to keep a dog hydrated.

How Much Water is Enough?

The amount of water a dog should drink is dependent on how active they are, their breed size as well as the weather during the day. Generally, your dog should drink one ounce (30 ml) of water daily for each pound that he weighs.

If you’re exercising your dog, especially in warmer temperatures, your dog may need double the typical amount of water. Make sure you’re giving a small amount of water every 15 to 20 minutes to ensure he is hydrated while exercising.

How to Keep a Dog Hydrated

It’s important to make sure that fresh water is always available to your dog. This means making sure to refill your dog’s water bowl with fresh water multiple times a day.

If you find that your dog is reluctant to drink water, here are alternate ways to keep your dog hydrated and entice him to drink water:

Doggie Water Fountain. While most dogs enjoy drinking still water, a water fountain can encourage your dog to lap up some extra H2O during the day.

Ice Cubes. Yes, we know that ice cubes are just frozen water. However, some dogs much prefer licking a nice, cold, ice cube to drinking from their water bowl.

Add Water to Kibble. You can soak your dog’s kibble in water to ensure he’s getting the daily dose of hydration he needs.

Wash Bowls Daily. A dirty water bowl may have your dog turning his nose up at his water. Make sure to clean out your dog’s water bowl on a daily basis.

Switch to Wet Food. While wet food is not a complete replacement for water, it can help keep your dog hydrated. You can either switch to wet food completely or mix it in with your dog’s kibble.

Signs of Dehydration

If you’re worried that your dog isn’t getting enough water, there are two ways that you can check for dehydration.

Check his gums. Your dog’s gums should be moist and pink. If you find that they are dry and pale, he is most likely dehydrated.

Check his skin. Gently lift your dog’s skin at the back of his neck and let go of it. If your dog is well-hydrated, his skin should bounce back immediately to its original shape. A dehydrated dog’s skin is less elastic and takes more time to bounce back.

Also, be on the lookout for the following signs of dehydration:

Little to no energy

No interest in food

Dry mouth

Sunken eyes

If you have any concerns that your dog is dehydrated, make sure to offer him water immediately and contact your veterinarian. We hope these tips help keep your dog hydrated, healthy and happy!

MARINA Hosts Workshop, Meeting on GloFouling Partnerships Project

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To raise awareness on the negative effects of invasive species to the marine environment, the Philippines, through the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), is hosting the National Workshop and Task Force Meeting on GloFouling Partnerships Project on 12 to 13 September 2019.

The said activity is intended to present an overview of the GloFouling Partnerships Project and to bring together the national stakeholders who will be part of the National Task Force and to discuss the National Work Plan.

In his opening remarks, MARINA OIC - Administrator Vice Admiral Narciso A Vingson Jr expressed appreciation for the implementation of the five-year project to address the transfer of aquatic invasive species caused by biofouling of ships through capacity building of developing countries such as the Philippines.

“It is imperative that we identify our respective agencies’ roles and responsibilities to ensure the full and complete implementation of related conventions; know the composition of the national task force; and ensure that all relevant agencies are involved in the creation and finalization of the national work plan,” MARINA OIC – Administrator said to participating government agencies.

During the activity, Mr. John Alonso of the IMO GloFouling Project Coordination Unit spearheads the discussion regarding the project’s structure and partners, role of Lead Partnering Countries such as the Philippines, international regulatory status on biofouling, key elements for the development of a national strategy, introduction and review of legal policy, and capacity building activities at a national level.

Likewise, Assistant Director Sonia Gorgula of the Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources discusses about invasive species and their impacts, biofouling, and development of a national policy on biofouling management and marine biosafety.

Regional expert from the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and the country’s Project Coordinator, on the other hand, report about the regional and national status of the GloFouling Partnerships Project.

Aside from representatives from the IMO, Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, and PEMSEA, the National Workshop and Task Force Meeting are attended by representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), MARINA, Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR – BMB), DENR – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR – EMB), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Cebu Port Authority (CPA), University of the Philippines – Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (UP-IESM), UP – Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources, Research and Development, UNDP – Manila, and Asian Development Bank – Manila.

The GloFouling Partnerships Project responds to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 which is to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”, SDG 13 which is to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact”, and SDG 15 which is to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”