It's not for everyone. It tends to cost more. Or it requires more effort. It comes with the need to exercise simple safety precautions. And it can make a world of difference to your pet's physical and even mental health. Raw food is moving out of the fringe of pet food and is inching in on the mainstream as owners discover the benefits that a natural diet can have for their dogs.

Dry and canned dog food is, quite simply, processed food. And as with human processed food, there are varying degrees of quality to dry and canned food. It is certainly possible to get good quality dry or canned food that supplies the needed nutrients for your pooch. And most certainly, if you have a baby in the house, have limited time or a tight financial budget, raw food may not be the best answer for your situation. But raw food is a top grade nutritious alternative that might be well worth the effort, especially if your pet suffers from:

Here at Wag Zone, it's no secret that we are proponents of raw food. We have seen dramatic results in our own pets as well as in our four-legged clients who have made the switch. The benefits we tend to see most often include:

Raw food also makes more sense if you consider that both veterinarians and scientists agree that dogs are virtually the same internally as wolves and other wild canines. Like wolves, their teeth are built to consume bones, organs and meat. These teeth are tearing and shredding tools, NOT soft, flat molars designed to crunch kibble. Even their digestive system is set up to process uncooked food. Dogs do not have the digestive enzymes in their saliva. They actually need these enzymes to be present in their food in order to digest their food without forcing their pancreas, immune and digestive systems to work overtime. These enzymes are only found in raw, uncooked, unprocessed food.

Myth Busting

A few misconceptions still persist that cause some to hesitate when considering a raw food diet. What about Salmonella and E-coli? What about chicken bones that we've all heard can be deadly to a dog? The canine digestive system is different from the human digestive system. Their intestines are short and contain literally hundreds of species of bacteria and microorganisms that inhibit the growth of dangerous disease forming bacteria. While it is true that dogs on raw food could have Salmonella in their system, the chances of it affecting them in the way that it can affect humans are slim. That said it is important to exercise caution and clean up thoroughly after feeding your pet raw food to ensure the safety of your two-legged family members.

As for bones, as long as the bones are uncooked, they are safe for dogs to consume. The dog's strong stomach acid breaks down the bones and draws the needed nutrients from the food. Cooked bones, on the other hand, can be brittle and break into sharp pieces - so no, never feed your dog cooked chicken bones.

Getting the Right Mix

Feeding your dog raw food does not mean just throwing them a raw chicken every meal and being done with it. Dogs are omnivores and require a well-balanced diet that includes vegetables and fruit, along with the bones, organs and meat. You need to ensure the proper balance of these ingredients to ensure your pet's nutritional needs are fully met. There are a couple of different options. If you're like me and don't have the time or wherewithal to measure and mix up your pup's menu, many raw food suppliers offer bricks, patties or bags of raw food with the correct ratio of vegetables, fruits, ground bone and organs. This option costs a bit more but it takes the guesswork and the effort out of the equation. The least expensive route is to mix the ingredients yourself. Our advice is to head over to In the Raw, North Vancouver's premier raw pet food store, and talk to Rob or Jill. They are experts in the field of raw and can help you formulate your dog's meal plan.

Raw Food at Wag Zone

For those of you who are all about convenience, Wag Zone now offers a selection of 3P Naturals raw food, in those aforementioned pre-mixed combinations. We offer bagged frozen food in 400, 600 and 1200 gram packs in the following nummy flavours:

We're also changing our house brand from kibble to 3P Naturals raw for boarding dogs and other guests in need of meals. Check out "In the Zone" for full details.

Farewell for Now - a Note from Shelley
After living in North Vancouver since 1999, with six of those fine years owning Camelot Dog Care and Spa and Wag Zone Urban Dog Retreat, I am heading home to Alberta at the end of June. While it isn't to say that I haven't found a home here, I am excited to be closer to my family, reconnect with old friends and follow my heart down love's path.
 
I am proud of what Robina and I have built with Wag Zone. To avoid pooch-withdrawal and to build towards franchising Wag Zone, we will be developing our first Wag Zone Mobile location in Cochrane, north-west of Calgary. I'll be offering services such as pet sitting and dog walking to start.
 
There isn't enough space to review the lessons I have learned and to reflect on what I would prefer to forget. My staff, both past and present, have been wonderful and have been much more than employees. My clients, some whom have been with us for longer than six years, are loyal and some have become close friends. You have trusted your most valued treasure with me - your dogs. You have shared your funny stories, sad times, thoughts and ideas. Both my clients and staff have been a grounding presence on "those" days that I wasn't sure how I was going to manage.
 
I am really excited for this next adventure. Thank you all for the good wishes, memories and fond feelings.

All the best to everyone,
Shelley Kunzel

---

Here Comes the HST

On July 1, 2010, the Province of British Columbia will move to a Harmonized Sales Tax system. To this point, sales tax has been separated into two separate taxes - the 5% GST which affects ALL sales and the 7% PST which has only affected retail purchases to this point. As of July 1, these two taxes will be combined into a single 12% sales tax that will be added to all sales and services in BC. Unfortunately, dog care, being a service-related business, will be directly affected by this shift and you will see a difference on your future invoices. A full day (6-9 hours) of daycare will now cost just over $2 more than it currently does.

If you would like to take advantage of pre-HST costs, purchasing a package before the July 1 deadline can save you up to $35+ in tax savings. While it won't prevent the HST from coming, it can at least delay the added cost for a little longer. And, after the HST is a reality, purchasing a 20-day package will actually save you over $100 over paying as you go for the same number of visits. Something to think about to help you to maximize your pup care budget.