wholesome, healthy treats #giveaway from happy tails barkery

Whenever I pick up a bag of N.A.S.H.A.'s favorite dog food at my local Pet Planet, I have to take a peek at their wide selection of healthy pet treats. I love that they are constantly searching for new products, so there is always something new and interesting to check out. This past week, I noticed offerings from Happy Tails Barkery for the first time. The packaging caught my eye because it has a big "Made in Arizona" stamp, and I love to support local businesses. 

I decided to contact Happy Tails Barkery to see what they are all about. Owner, Holly Pace, seemed genuinely thrilled that I would contact her. She invited me to come see her and her full line of dog treats at the Gilbert Farmers Market. I'd never been before, so I gathered the family, and we headed out so see her and the other local vendors. 

I learned a lot from Holly about her line of dog treats, which are homemade. Homemade might scare some people off, but Happy Tails Barkery treats are analyzed for quality and nutritional analysis by RL Food Testing Laboratories and are AAFCO compliant, something that sets them apart from other homemade treat companies. They print the nutritional analysis for each treat right on the bag, something you don't get with other homemade treat companies. So not only are you getting treats made with love, you can rest assured that they are safe and healthy. 

Happy Tails Barkery specializes in grain-, gluten-, and GMO-free dog treats made from human-grade ingredients sourced 100% in the U.S., and they also offer vegan options. They value local products just like I do, so they team up with local farmers and ranchers to source many of their ingredients. Just one look at the short ingredient lists lets you know that you're getting quality. The packages say "no corn, soy, preservatives, fillers, added salt or sugar, food-dyes, or yucky stuff." That's exactly what I look for in a healthy treat for N.A.S.H.A. In addition to being informative, Holly was super, super nice. My kids were excited about all the different treats she offers, so she hooked us up! We walked away with quite a few bags of treats:

Bacon Cheezy Bites: garbanzo flour, bacon bits, cheddar cheese, low-sodium beef broth

Chop Lickin' Chicken: hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken breast

Muddy Paws (HTB's Dessert Treat): oat flour, all-natural peanut butter, carob powder

P-Mutt Butter Hummus: garbanzo flour, all-natural peanut butter

Sweet Potato Jerky: sweet potatoes

Some of HTB's offerings at the Gilbert Farmer's Market.

It means a lot to me that HTB uses a limited number of ingredients. HTB's mission statement is "to provide the highest quality gourmet treats using all natural human grade ingredients." They are homemade with love in small batches "from farm to treat jar," they like to say. 

Just like Holly hooked us up, she wants to hook you up, too! Now, don't worry, even though she lives here in AZ, she'll ship these quality treats anywhere in the U.S., so go ahead and let your pooch get addicted. Holly warned me that they call their "Chop Lickin' Chicken" treats "puppy crack." She advised "don't give those to your pup first, because she may not want anything else." She was right. Those Chop Lickin' Chicken treats quickly became something that N.A.S.H.A. will regularly punch me in the leg to get. She gets her message across. 

N.A.S.H.A. exhibiting the many faces of HTB Chop Lickin' Chicken "puppy crack."

Holly is offering our readers a chance to win one "HTB Pound Pack," a whole pound of their luscious, healthy dog treats! Trust me, your pooch wants you to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Well Minded was not compensated monetarily for this product review. HTB provided samples for the review. We only share information that we feel is of interest to our readers.

why can't cats be vegan?

I've written before about the vegan lifestyle for humans and even for dogs, but what about cats?

A vegan diet does not work for cats because cats are obligate carnivores. What is the difference between a carnivore and an obligate carnivore? A carnivore is an animal who eats meat, although meat may not be required for survival, and other protein sources can provide the nutrients the body needs. Cats, however, being obligate carnivores, must have meat in order to survive. They can't digest or will not eat other sources of protein, nor do other sources of protein contain the nutrients they require.

What is it about meat that is necessary for cats?

Meat is a source of taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid which is important to metabolize fats. Wikipedia details the specifics:

aurine has many fundamental biological roles, such as conjugation of bile acids, anti oxidation, osmoregulation, membrane stabilization, and modulation of calcium signaling. It is essential for cardiovascular function, and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina, and the central nervous system...Taurine occurs naturally in fish and meat...(it) is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine and in the tissues of many animals, including humans.

Cats are not one of these animals. Because cats do not naturally produce taurine and it is vital for survival, that makes cats obligate carnivores.

Since plant-based foods don't provide the nutrients cats require and because cats can't digest plant-based foods well, cats must eat meat. Taurine is the main amino acid that is missing in plant-based proteins, but cats require it. Taurine deficiency causes serious medical problems in cats, including blindness and cardiovascular disease. These conditions can happen in a matter of days.

But what about supplements? Dr. Becker of healthypets.mercola.com illustrates why this isn't a good idea: "Some cat owners believe that they can feed their pet a vegetarian or vegan diet, and add a taurine supplement. In my opinion, this is the equivalent of eating nothing but iceberg lettuce and taking a synthetic multivitamin. That vitamin can't possibly make up for all the nutrients missing from an iceberg lettuce-only diet."

The quality of the meat a feline parent feeds his cat is also important. Low quality kitty chow that uses sub-standard protein "parts" are basically indigestible, as are plant-based sources of proteins, which can be found in some cat foods as fillers. 

Becker expands: "Whereas plant-eating omnivores and herbivores have slower digestion, food passes quickly (within hours) through the GI tract of an obligate carnivore. That's why your kitty is designed to eat relatively small amounts of highly digestible, energy-packed food that provides optimal levels of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. In other words, animal meat."

People who don't want to feed meat to their pets can consider pets who thrive on a vegetarian diet such as rabbits, guinea pigs, or tortoises. Though I can fully support a person choosing a vegan diet and have eaten that way, myself, I believe it is unethical to commit to care for an animal and then not provide that animal with the nutrition or environment that their species requires. Cats must be provided with a high-quality meat-based diet.

chipotle is out of carnitas for good reason: blog the change for animals #foodwithintegrity

I must preface this article with full disclosure: I'm a bit biased as far as Chipotle goes. My husband works for the company, and I am a huge supporter of theirs for that and many other reasons. So my husband let me know that some Chipotle stores would soon run out of carnitas, and we had a conversation about it at home. 

"Well, some of us are going to run out of carnitas this week," he announced. "It's a big deal." 

"Really?" I asked. "Can't you just order more?"

"Nope."

Big went on to explain that they had to suspend one of their pork suppliers because they were no longer treating their pigs humanely. Chipotle's tag line is "Food With Integrity," and they mean it. The supplier in question was violating Chipotle's standards, something they learned this past Friday. About one third of Chipotle's stores are affected, and they aren't sure how long they'll be without. Most of the violations of Chipotle's standards are related to the housing of the pigs. Chipotle requires its suppliers to raise the animals they use humanely, and, in particular, the pigs must be raised outside of cramped pens with access to the outdoors. Most of the pork used for food in this country is not raised this way, but instead of lowering their standards, Chipotle made the bold and brave decision to act with integrity as they advertise. 

In the past, Chipotle has occasionally notified their customers through signage that they may be serving beef that does not meet their "responsibly raised" standards. The company periodically has a difficult time obtaining large supplies of beef that are raised free of artificial hormones or antibiotics. The great thing is that they let their customers know when they have to substitute "conventionally raised" beef. Pretty amazing when you think about how often we dine in restaurants and have no idea where our meat or other food is coming from. 

Image source: chipotle.com

In the case of carnitas, Chipotle has refused to make a substitution. Candice Choi of the Associated press relayed that "Paul Shapiro, vice president of farm animal protection for The Humane Society of the United States, said that most breeding pigs in the country are kept in gestation crates with concrete floors. Pigs that are raised with access to the outdoors or bedding represent a 'very small portion of the pork industry.'"

So what's behind Chipotle's philosophy of providing "Food With Integrity?" It's something our family is very proud to be a part of. Their web site states that "Food With Integrity is our commitment to finding the very best ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment and the farmers." And if you want the inside uncensored scoop? It's TRUE. 100%. I have the privilege of knowing through my husband and his colleagues just how high Chipotle's standards are. Chipotle elaborates:

It means serving the very best sustainable raised food possible with an eye to great nutrition and great value.

It means that we support and sustain family farmers who respect the land and the animals in their care.

It means that whenever possible we use meat from animals raised without the use of antibiotics or added hormones. 

And it means that we source organic and local produce when practical. And that we use dairy from cows raised without the use of synthetic hormones. 

Food With Integrity is a journey that started more than a decade ago and one that will never end.

So what does "naturally raised" mean, when it comes to pigs and other animals? Chipotle provides a clear definition: "naturally raised animals are raised in a humane way, fed a vegetarian diet, never given hormones, and are allowed to display their natural tendencies." Since 2001, Chipotle has sourced all of their pork from producers who follow these guidelines.

And the "conventionally raised" pork that is the standard of the food industry? What's that all about? Chipotle explains:

Many pigs are raised on factory farms and kept in small pens that do not allow for freedom of movement, limiting their ability to express natural behaviors. These pigs are given large amounts of sub therapeutic antibiotics to keep them from getting sick and enhance growth. According the the Union of Concerned Scientists, American pork producers use over 10 million pounds of antibiotics per year to keep their confinement-raised pigs from getting sick. That's more than three times the estimated amount used to treat all human illness.

WHAT?!?

Yes, you heard that correctly. 

In summary, know where your food comes from. If you eat meat, know how the animals you are consuming have lived. And aspire to have the kind of integrity in your choices that Chipotle does.

To learn why naturally raised pork is so important to Chipotle and why I have a crush on founder, Steve Ells (my husband is okay with it), please click here and check out "STEVE SHARES." 

And please watch this video. I've seen it more times than I know, and it still makes me cry every time.

Related:

the lesson in chipotle's "the scarecrow"

best sale of the season on @SomaPet from @SomaLife

Hopefully all of your holiday shopping is complete and you are curled up by the fire with your furry friends enjoying the season as winter dawns. 

No? Still looking for bargains, eh? Me, too!

SomaPet and SomaLife are offering their best deal of the season starting right now. For this weekend only, ALL products are 30% off with discount code SOMASANTA. 30% off...awesome!

If you haven't heard me go on and on about SomaPet, yet, you have to know that it is the best pet supplement I have come across. We get to try a lot of products, and though we enjoy nearly all of them, we can't possibly purchase them all every month. SomaPet is one product I will never go without. We notice such a positive difference in our nine-year-old mixed terrier, I would feel guilty if I didn't give it to her. To read more about our experience with SomaPet, please click on the links below.

Increasing the Vitality of Your Pet Naturally with SomaPet

The Importance of Growth Hormone to Pets

ell Minded is an affiliate of SomaLife and SomaPet, which simply means that if you purchase products through our links, we earn a small commission, which helps keep the content on this blog free. Prices are not affected, except in the case where we can bring you stellar discounts through our partnership. Like this one. Sweet.

no b.s. #blackfriday deal from #somapet for pet health

I'm not one to roll from Thanksgiving dinner right into the Black Friday super sales. Maybe I would be if I wasn't occupied with pet sitting visits at 4:00 a.m., but I doubt it. I don't like to fight, and I don't like to mess around. 

So let's cut to the chase.

The most important thing you can give your pet for the holidays (or for all of the days) is health, happiness, and longevity. I think SomaPet, the supplement we give N.A.S.H.A., is the best gift you can give, and the great folks over at SomaLife are offering us an awesome deal for this Black Friday. 25% off!

So stay in your PJs with a warm drink and your fur kid on your lap (don't worry, she won't see what you're doing) and shop 'til you drop! You won't have to elbow anyone out of the way. 

And while you're at it...shop for your human family and yourself, too! That's how SomaLife got started. It's all in the family.

Read what we think about SomaPet:

the importance of growth hormone to pets and a SomaPet coupon code

increasing the vitality of your pet naturally with SomaPet

Well Minded is an affiliate of SomaLife/SomaPet, which means we bring you great deals and are compensated when you purchase through our links, which allows us to bring you free content. It's a win-win. Well Minded only shares information that we feel is relevant to our readers.