Eating a high quality food is an absolute necessity! You ARE what you eat, after all…Have your pawrents check labels very carefully (Cheli Seuss says, "READ the labels!"). Lots of dog food sold in grocery stores contain grains and grains are NOT good. Why? They are inexpensive fillers. Think: stuffing, cotton, popcorn…

Now what is a grain? Grains are things like corn and rice. If grains are listed at the beginning of the ingredients list, then the food probably isn’t a good one for you. After all, dogs are carnivores, right? Guess what! Many Shih Tzus and other pups have been found to be allergic to corn (like yours truly!) so checking labels is very important.

Dogs also require protein because it helps us build healthy bones and muscle. A common myth: we must eat dry, crunchy, kibble food only. Ha! We don’t have to eat a dry food only; canned food can be mixed in as long as it is a high quality food! Some pawrents have been taught that ‘dogs only should eat dry kibble cuz it will make their teeth rot.’ Ha! SO not true! The key to food is the quality. You are what you eat!

There are a lot of good, high quality dog foods out there. Some personal faves that I recommend include Primal, Stella & Chewy’s, Evo, Nature’s Variety, Rotations and the Honest Kitchen. Sure, high quality pet food is a bit more pricey than the cheap, store-brand stuff. What you spend on the food will be worth is when your pet is HEALTHY because you won't be spending time at the veterinarian's office!

Note: One suggestion for those of you who just can’t get the idea that mooshy food is okay: mix up the dry and canned and frozen. I mean, why should a doggy have to eat only ONE kind of food type, huh?

What does Chelsea eat & how often?

Did you wonder what I ate for my own dinner? (besides earthworms I dig up in the backyard?) And, did you want to know how often I get my gourmet meals? Well, wonder no more! It's simple, really. I get dinner once a day and it is usually around 5:00 p.m.

I eat an organic frozen raw diet (it is thawed, of course!). Since I am allergic to beef and any cow-type foods as well as all corn, I only eat products that have no corn or beef. Venison is also problematic for me. Mama buys me Primal's Quack, I mean, Duck, Chicken, Pheasant, and sometimes even the Lamb (although daddy doesn't like me eating lamb cuz he thinks it is like eating babies). I don’t always eat the same food; my food is rotated and so I get something different, just like people! When we go on vacations, we either take the Honest Kitchen (you just mix it with warm water) or Stella & Chewy’s (you just crumble it up)!

What is a good doggy treat?

Treats? Ooooh, treats! If you ask me, I’d say the best treats are either Free Range Baa! Lamb Pizzles or ‘Yammies’ (Sam’s Bichon Fries-dehydrated yams). When getting doggy treats just be sure that care is used just like when purchasing dog food. Again, quality is KEY.

For training, Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Crunch Duck treats are da bomb! They are freeze-dried and are pawfect because they can be broken into little pieces (or, for bigger dogs, broken in half) and because they are dry, they are great for carrying in those little training pouches.

Mama just found me a NEW treat and, mmmm, these are SOOOO tasty! They are made by Natural Planet Organics and are an organic chicken treat that can be used for training. Check 'em out!

When buying treats be sure to buy ONLY organic treats that have been made in the United States.

This may not seem like a big deal but TRUST me…there have been problems with pups getting sick from treats that are not from the United States. Keep in mind that there are less stringent regulations in many countries, particularly when it comes to pet products. CHECK THOSE LABELS! .

IF you don’t know where to go to find great doggy goodies, then check out one of MY favourite online shops where you can find food and treats! Allison’s All Natural.

You should only drink purified or well water. Tap water is NOT good stuff. There’s way too much fluoride in it and doggy bodies cannot process it. In fact, more and more dogs and cats are being diagnosed with thyroid problems nowadays and guess what the scientists are studying? Water!

Note: I drink out of a rabbit bottle. Weird, I know, but this helps to keep my HAIR (moustache) dry. When traveling, I use a Pet Top Bottle Top that mama attaches on any small 1/2 pint water bottle. Woo-hoo!

©2009–2012 Beach Angel Chelsea & Sherry Skipper Spurgeon. All Rights Reserved.

Clip art from DJ Inkers is used with permission.