Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Our Pets are Wonderful and We Can Help Them Stay Healthy! ~ A Product Review

When we think of our pets, they are more than just a pet, they are part of the family.  Every dog and cat owner knows that they are not pet owners, rather they are owned by their pets.  There is a big difference!  We love them so much that we treat them like we treat those we love, by getting them "special treats".  Unfortunately, like human "treats", animal treats are similar in that they taste good and are usually full of calories that they don't need.  Just think of that big piece of Chocolate cake (that most of us don't really need)!  Because we love our pets so much,  many cats and dogs are now having the same problems that a lot of humans have and that is that they have become overweight!

wheaton terrier
These are my two Grand Dogs, Mabel in the upper picture and Dougal in the bottom one.  Mabel is a soft haired Wheaton Terrier and Dougal is a French Bulldog.  These are their puppy pictures and we love them both.

french bulldog


Now I must say that most of these overweight pets are more likely to be in the big cities where their exercise routines are not as robust as a dog in the country.  Country dogs can run around without too much of a hassle from cars and other dangers.  City dogs have to be kept on a leash for their own protection and the protection of others (both human and animal).  City folks can find parks that have designated areas for their dogs to run freely, but that usually means a trip, and it might not be close to home either.  If you can for your own health and the health of your dog, make that trip to the Dog Park often.  

The best time to start training your cats and dogs about their eating habits and exercise programs is when they are young.  Puppies and kittens need more good quality food because they are growing!  But just because they are growing doesn't mean they don't need their exercise either.  Strong bones and bodies are the result of both good food and plenty of exercise.  In that sense they are very much like humans!

Scheduled eating times helps keep both dogs and cats happy.  But what happens when your dog is just like a vacuum cleaner and he sticks his/her face into the bowl of food and literally just sucks it all in?  It's not a great way for them to eat and they will quickly be begging for more.  Mom and Dad or the kids will be tempted to give into their pets wants!  Here is where the problem begins.  Over feeding is easy to do, the results are not so easy to take care of.  No one likes to be on a diet!

But what if there is a way to keep your cats and dogs from being able to just gulp down their food?  Wouldn't that be a great way to slow them down, make their digestion easier and cause them to feel full once they are done?  It works for humans and it works for our pets too!

There are many different kinds of dog/cat dishes that can help your animal to slow down and still get their daily allotment of food.  Just have a look at these wonderful pet dishes that really do help make dinner time not only enjoyable for your pets, but it also makes it more interesting for them as well.

Overeating is thought to be partly due to boredom too!  So if there is a way to keep the dogs and cats interested and still slow them down, you have a win-win situation.

These bowls make eating out of them a little more challenging for your pets. They can't just stick their snouts into the bowl and inhale their food. They need to work around the ribs and get their kibbles out of the grooves. It just slows them down that much and makes it a little more interesting for them as well.  Pet owners are all over these dishes as a way to make their pet's dinner time a little more interesting.  Many different varieties of these dishes are available and have literally thousands of reviews from people who have purchased these dishes.  That in itself says a lot.

Now I'm going to add another part to the puzzle of overweight dogs and cats.  You should always consult with your own veterinarian regarding your pet's overall health.  If weight is something that your vet has commented on, then the next thing to do is get a good quality dog/cat food that has high nutritional value, but not a whole lot of fat.  I'm sure your Vet will make some recommendations.  I also know that you can get good quality dog foods that are not quite as expensive as the ones your Vet might recommend.  This is not to be confused with foods that pets need for health reasons other than weight!  Some pets have serious medical conditions and you should always follow what your Vet recommends in these cases.  



These dog and cat foods have high recommendations from pet owners. The Blue Buffalo for dogs is especially rated by over 30,000 pet owners. So you know that it has been tested and found to be a good value and liked by many pets too!  Cat owners don't seem to give as many reviews on the foods, but suffice to say that there are over 1,000 pet owners who have rated these foods for their cats.

If you are a pet owner, I hope this review helps you keep your pets healthy and also interested in their feeding routines.  Happy, healthy pets, make the whole family feel good and we want our pets to have the best life possible.  



Whenever I want to buy something new, I do look at the reviews that have been posted and it usually is a good indicator of how much people actually liked the particular product.  

people on a bench surrounded by dogs





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


12 comments:

  1. It is often hard to know what is best for our pets, especially food. We pretty much stick to what our vet recommends, which happens to be the Science Diet food you featured, but there have been a few manufacturing scares that have caused us to venture off and seek a substitute. I've heard that Blue is great, but we haven't tried it yet. Taking care of our pets is as important to us as taking care of ourselves. They are a big part of our family.

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    1. Taking care of our pets is an important part of having a pet family member. They give us to much with their presence in our lives that we should do whatever we can to be their protectors too!

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  2. Since our dogs and cats depend on us to make their nutrition choices for them, we have a responsibility to make sound ones for our beloved, furred family members. As you rightly point out, choosing a nutritious and well balanced pet food is one part of the equation in keeping them healthy, and helping them pace their food consumption and get enough exercise are also key. This is the first time I have heard of cat and dog food dishes that help Fido or Kitty slow down while they are eating, and I think they’re ingenious! They would also make a great gift for a cat or dog owner.

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    1. Margaret, I would agree with you that these dishes would be a great way to welcome a new pet into a family or a friend's family. Make a gift basket for the new Pup or Kitty along with some toys. I can't think of a better way to say hello to a new family member!

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  3. Years ago we adopted an older Golden Retriever (10+ years old) who came to us 'overweight' (according to the vet) by about 40 lbs. Since Baron was diagnosed with a heart murmur, the vet said we needed to get some weight off for his health. We had started out feeding him evenings and the vet recommended taking the same amount of food and dividing it in half and giving half in the morning and half in the evening with no snacks inbetween. It took Baron several days to get used to his new feeding routine, but hunger finally made him realize he had to eat when the food was there. LOL. He DID lose weight and was much healthier for it. Thanks for this article, Olivia.

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    1. So glad that you were able to help Baron out with a feeding routine that worked for him. It can be very difficult to say "NO" to those furry faces and eyes that just beg. For their sakes as well as ours it's better to teach them and keep them healthy!
      .

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  4. We love our cats as much as kids and any help and advice on helping them live longer and happier lives is always welcome. Thank you for the great information, we have a cat that is getting older!

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    1. Cats as well as dogs have the same problems with overeating or getting too many calories in their treats. We love to give them the special snacks, but when it hurts their overall health we are really working against our pets and ourselves. We want them to live as long as possible.

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  5. Mabel and Dougal are adorable!! Those faces! I have heard about these bowls. My Willy is a very finicky and slow eater. None of my dogs have been fast eaters. But I have recommended similar dog food bowls to people whose dogs gobble their food. Good information for pet owners for sure!

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  6. Olivia, I have never had to train a dog, ever. I often wonder how people do that. Honestly, I don't think I would be very good at it. Or maybe I would if I put my mind to it, but I know I don't have the patience. I suppose that's the benefit to an older doggie. But puppies are so cute. Thanks for all the excellent first hand tips.

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  7. Olivia, these are wonderful choices to help keep our pets healthy. I have not seen those dishes to help your pet slow down while eating, what a great idea and product.

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  8. Such adorable grand dogs!! It's amazing they tools now available to help us with our furbabies!

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