Choosing a Quality Canned Dog Food with Nature's Logic

I use canned food as part of the Ginger Sisters' rotation diet, and we were already fans of this post's sponsor, Nature's Logic, with their commitment to whole, natural foods. I was happy to spread the word about their food while discussing the benefits of a high quality canned diet. Ruby and Boca enjoyed Nature's Logic Canine Venison Feast for breakfast for the past month, and not only did they both love it, but I'm confident through my research that it is an absolutely top-notch food.

While I feed several different formats, canned dog food has some great benefits:

• high meat content
• the canning process eliminates the need for artificial preservatives
• more moisture in the diet
• can be fed alone, as a topper, or frozen in Kongs

Nature's Logic canned food is grain-free, 100% natural and contains over 90% animal ingredients, all things I keep an eye out for in choosing a canned food. It is a complete and balanced food, meaning it meets AAFCO standards and could be fed exclusively. I can say without hesitation that the Venison Feast was one of picky Ruby's favorite foods she has ever had. She spun in excited circles of anticipation at breakfast-time and licked her bowl clean. 

In looking over the ingredients in Nature's Logic canned food, I am happy with what I see:

Venison, Venison Broth, Venison Liver, Dried Egg Product, Porcine Plasma, Montmorillonite Clay, Herring Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Apple, Dried Apricot, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Artichoke, Dried Blueberry, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrot, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Cranberry, Dried Kelp, Dried Parsley, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Rosemary, Dried Spinach, Dried Tomato, Rosemary Extract.

That's it! Everything is completely natural, recognizable, with nothing I don't understand or can't pronounce, and none of the thickeners (xanthan gum and carageenan) that are found in many canned foods and which I tend to avoid. My one very minor complaint about the food is that once refrigerated, it can be hard to get out of the can due to its very dry, dense texture. It just makes The Ginger Sisters' mouths water a little longer as they wait for breakfast to be served!

Overall, Nature's Logic has everything I look for in a canned food for my girls: meat as the first ingredient, no grains or fillers (while they are not on a strictly grain free diet, I expect their canned food to have a high protein concentrate) and preferably no gums or binders. I always like to check any food I'm considering on Dog Food Advisor, which gives Nature's Logic a five star rating. I think Boca and Ruby especially will be delighted to have the Venison Feast included in their regular rotation diet. 

This post is sponsored by Nature's Logic. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Nature's Logic pet food, but Rubicon Days only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Nature's Logic is not responsible for the content of this article.

Do you brush your dog’s teeth?

Oral health is just as important for our dogs as it is for us. Did you know that dental disease can lead to problems with your dog’s organs? And in most cases, by the time you find out its too late; the damage has been done.

We brush our own teeth on average 2 to 3 times a day. And yet many people have dogs for years and never brush their teeth. How could a dog possibly have fresh breath!

I admit I have been guilty as the rest, but have recently turned over a new leaf and have been brushing both my dog’s teeth every day for the past several months.

While you may not be able to avoid an extensive teeth cleaning at your vet’s office all together throughout your dog’s life, you can certainly prolong the need for it. And you will be contributing to your dog’s overall health.

So how did I do it?

Here are some tips to help you to make brushing your dog’s teeth an enjoyable habit.

1. Pick a time of day that you consistently have time.
   
   After dinner was the perfect time as I always make a tea and relax a little. So I started putting my brushing kit in the same place as I keep my tea to remind myself. Turns out that not only did I start remembering on my own, my dogs got used to the routine and started waiting for me after dinner.
   
   
2. Pick the right toothbrush for you and your dog.
   
   Not all dog toothbrushes are created equally. Try different kinds to see what feels the best and allows you to brush your dog’s teeth for the longest time. There are some really cool and fancy looking ones but they felt quite awkward to me and kept slipping through my dog’s teeth. I found that a simple brush works best for us. You can also get a finger brush if you prefer.
   
   
3. Make sure your dog likes the flavor of the toothpaste you choose.
   
   This is very important. If your dog doesn’t like the taste of the toothpaste, he will not be waiting every day for you to brush his teeth. My dogs both love the peanut butter and vanilla ginger flavors. And there are many more to choose from. You will pretty much know the second your dog licks it if he likes it or not. If not, move on. You want your dog on board with this. Never ever use human toothpaste!
   
   
4. Make it fun for you and your dog.
   
   Okay it’s not going to be as fun as going to the dog park, but a little enthusiasm goes a long way. Get a little goofy and let your dog think this is a great thing to do!

I go over my dog’s teeth twice and then end things with a dab of toothpaste for them just to lick and enjoy. It’s good for them and ends things on a positive note!

Happy brushing!

Qchef Natural Dental Chew

We all know how important dental care is for humans. And our dogs are no exception. A dog’s oral health is easy to overlook. We should be brushing our dog’s teeth everyday but do we?

Since it’s crucial to keep our dog’s teeth and gums clean, there are an abundance of products that complement our efforts to keep our furry friends mouths as healthy as possible.

Qchefs is one such product. Made in Germany, these dental chews were born by combining cottage cheese, buckwheat, rice, coconut oil and rapeseed oil.  They are easy to digest and contain no sugar, gluten, meat, lactose, flavorings, preservatives or additives. Rich is amino acids and vitamins and helps prevent plaque and fight bad breath.

There are four different varieties to choose from. Want to know more? Check out their full story and the FAQ section.