If you weren’t able to make the seminar we will give you an overview of what we discussed, and are more than happy to discuss these ideas with you further in the store.

Biologically Appropriate Diets for Dogs & Cats

The theory behind these diets has to do with the ancestral heritage of dogs and cats. Dogs are descended from wolves and, despite the extreme visual difference between them for some breeds, they are are almost genetically identical. Cats are descended from African Wildcats (also known as Desert Cats), and again are nearly genetically the same. Due to these genetic similarities, logic follows that a diet similar to their ancestors would result in a healthy happy pet.

Cats, and their wild ancestors, are object carnivores. This means that they collect the majority of their nutritional needs from meat sources. Included in that majority is most of their water intake since domesticated cats descend from desert cats that did not have the availability to drink water frequently. What this means is that the moisture content in your cat’s diet is very important to their overall health. Wet foods can be one option to increase your cat’s water intake, but there are other options such as freeze dried/ dehydrated foods (that you rehydrate), or raw foods.

Dogs, in contrast, are carnivores. They collect the majority of their nutritional needs from meat sources, with the remainder coming from fruits and vegetables. Wolves have this same nutritional need, and mainly get their non-meat needs met from either the stomach contents of prey animals, or from occasional foraging for plants or berries. What this means for your dog’s diet is that regardless of the type of food you feed, a high content of quality protein is important for the overall health of your dog. This also shows that ingredients such as grains should be kept to a minim as part of a dog’s diet since they have a low nutritional value, and are not necessary to a balanced diet for most dogs.

Since I joined the Katzenbarkers family, Zeke has had the ability to try, and be picky about, a lot more foods. I was sure that at least one of the wonderful foods we offer would get Zeke excited about food. What I didn’t expect was to get a dog so excited about his meals that my “velcro dog” would completely ignore me in favor of  staring at the bowl, with its contents soaking, on the counter! For that, I have Sojos and Honest Kitchen to thank.

After trying out several kibbles that Zeke quickly lost interest in, I decided to give the new dehydrated foods a try.  These foods, made by Sojos and Honest Kitchen, use dehydrated meat, fruit and vegetables to create a healthy balanced meal for your dog. Many of these ingredients are human grade and can be visibly identified in the dog bowl. To prepare a meal you simply add water and let the contents re-hydrate. Sojos calls for their food to re-hydrate for at least one hour, but preferably overnight in the fridge, while Honest Kitchen requests warm water and only needs 5 to 10 minutes to soak.

The varieties I first tried out with Zeke were Honest Kitchen’s Keen and Sojos Complete Turkey formula. I took photos of each of these foods dry and after soaking the recommended amount of time to show the consistency of each food. While the Sojos looked much more like food you and I would eat, Zeke seemed a bit more enthusiastic about the Honest Kitchen despite it’s oatmeal-like texture. Even with that difference my little picky eater wolfed down each bowl within 5 minutes of receiving them!

My picky poodle is picky no more! After Zeke’s zealous consumption of both foods, we started trying different flavors of Honest Kitchen and I am happy to report Zeke has yet to find one he doesn’t love.

Honest Kitchen's Keen sample before re-hydration

Sojo's COMPLETE Turkey formula sample before adding water

Honest Kitchen's "Keen" sample package re-hydrated with 1/2 cup of warm water and soaked for 10 minutes

Sojo's COMPLETE Turkey formula sample re-hydrated with 1/2 cup of water and soaked over night in the fridge

Zeke inhaling his Honest Kitchen “Keen”

Zeke enjoying the Sojo's COMPLETE Turkey formula. He finished his entire bowl in less than 5 minutes!

Just what are dehydrated dog foods?
Dehydrated dog foods, such as the ones available from Sojos and Honest Kitchen, contain raw meat, vegetables, and fruits that have the moisture completely removed from them through a gentle dehydration process. This process increases the shelf life of all of the ingredients without sacrificing the quality of the nutrients or the addition of chemical preservatives.

What are the benefits of dehydrated dogs foods?
Other than preserving more of the nutrients in each ingredient, the dehydration process allows you to feed your pet raw meat without the concerns of food born pathogens. While you get these nutritional benefits, there is also the peace of mind that all of the complete meals are AAFCO certified.

To learn more about what Sojos and Honest Kitchen have to offer your pet, come visit us at the store to talk with our knowledgeable staff!