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!
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.
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.
