Hi Humans, 

I hope you had a great weekend! Did you watch the Golden Globes?

I was personally so happy with “Boyhood’s” success – it’s such a great film!

Today’s special guest blogger is Maureen Lake. If you don’t know who Maureen is – she is the proud owner of Trendypet.com and sweetpeakitchens.com. Her bakery makes all natural, gluten free, dog and cat biscuit fortified with Omega 3 and dehydrated for freshness. TrendyPet makes raised custom feeders specifically for the height of your dog or cat. Everything we do whether it’s baking fresh daily or building feeders in Colorado is for the health of your pet.

There are so many options now for dog owners it’s hard to know what to do

when faced with buying treats these days. Grain Free? Gluten Free? It’s
confusing!
Treats are meant to be healthy and nutritious but when it comes to dog
biscuits, “nutritious” can often be hard to find. Many treats found on the
shelves today are loaded with inexpensive refined grains and excess byproducts.
While a moneymaker for major companies these fillers wreck
havoc on your poor pups digestive track. One look at the expiration date of
most treats and you’ve got a warning sign that something isn’t right during
the making and baking process.
Whether you’ve got a new pup, a senior dog in her golden years or a best
friend prone to allergies, these answers may help your loved one stay
healthy on the inside and out.

Are there health benefits associated with grain or gluten free products?

Healthy benefits include:
• Decreased allergies
• Improved skin and coat
• Increased appetite in picky eaters
• Increased energy
• Reduced amount of stools
• Decrease weight in obese dogs
• Improvement in impacted anal glands
• Clearer eyes

What are some common signs of food allergies or sensitivity?

 

• Chronic GI upset~ this includes diarrhea and / or constipation. Vomiting in
more severe cases.
• Chronic ear infections~ over eating grains can lead to a buildup of sugar in our
pets’ system, because the carbohydrates are converted into sugar.
Concurrently this can lead to an abundance of yeast growing which leads to a
dark, smelly wax debris in the ears. Often you will see your pup shaking and
scratching at their ears and head.
• Dermatitis~ this manifests itself in numerous ways including itching, redness,
rashes, bumps and hair loss.
Unfortunately there are many other health problems that may be related to grain
sensitivity (arthritis, pancreatitis, infections). The incredible amount of grain
used in some products, especially dog food, is thought to deplete health over
time leaving your friend susceptible to many problems down the road. Our pets’
bodies are not designed to cope with large amounts of carbohydrates and feeding
over time can cause obesity and other metabolic consequences. Please consider
at the very least reducing the amount of grains in your best friends diet. What flours are grain & gluten free?

v Amaranth
v Buckwheat also called Kasha
v Millet
v Quinoa
v Garbanzo
v Chickpea
v Coconut
v Tapioca
v Flaxseed Store bought treats are wonderful but be sure and read the labels. Don’t allow
your best friend to eat anything you wouldn’t eat. If you have some time on
your hands you can make some treats for you and your pup, an experience sure
to please you both.
Try this Vegan, Dairy Free AND Grain Free recipe. I guarantee your pet will
love it. We often sit down with a hot cup of tea and eat them together (the tea
is for us). They are that good!

Pear Cinnamon Hearts
3 Cups grain free flour of your choice
(from above)
2 Pears cored and chopped
½ Tablespoon Cinnamon
½ Tablespoon Flaxseed
1Cup Water
Mix all ingredients together and roll and
cut out dough.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Let cool. Enjoy !