News — Dog Health

Quality kibble and high-protein treats - A match made in heaven

 So you’ve tried and tested our high-quality doggy kibble to find that whichever product of ours it is that your dog has eaten - we’ve been true to our word and the results have been amazing, right?

Whether it’s the legacy Imperial Food or the newer but equally brilliant Belcando kibble, we quite literally stock dog food to suit every single age and dietary requirement. And now that you’ve probably taken the leap and invested in our amazing kibble, you’re probably considering which snacks and treats to pair it with.

You’ll be pleased to know, we’ve got lots to choose from when it comes to tasty dog treats that are equally healthy. To make things a little easier, we’ve listed below some of our absolute favourite treats that are great pairings with all of the dog foods that we stock.

1. Rodi Training Sausages - Packed full of flavour, these training causes are an absolute treat for any dog. Containing fresh, nutritious ingredients, packed full of proteins, vitamins and minerals, what’s not to love! Shop from £24.99. 
2. Bully Max Soft Performance Chews - Don’t let the name put you off. These chews aren’t solely for dogs that want to build muscle. In fact, they’re a great treat for healthy growth and development, containing vital nutrients and vitamins that even pregnant dogs will benefit from. Shop from £49.99.
3. Naturis Smoked Dino Bones - A fantastic natural snack that’ll satisfy their appetite, all while looking after their oral health. If it’s a good source of protein and essential vitamins that you’re after, this giant bone is packed full of both. Shop from £4.99. 
4. Naturis Chicken Necks - Chicken necks you ask? Once again, these beauties are full of flavour and goodness, and are amazing at maintaining a healthy gut. Does your dog suffer from bad breath? These will help to freshen things up! Shop from £3.79. 

These are just some of our favourites, but there’s plenty more to choose from. To shop our full range of dog foods and healthy treats, click here.

Introducing the new Belcando Puppy & Dog Food Range!

At Pooch DVD, we’re highly committed to offering only the best of the best when it comes to dog food, snacks and supplements. That’s why we’re extremely excited to announce that we’ve recently added Belcando to our list of favourite dog food brands! Offering dog food for special nutritional phases, i.e. old age, through to foods designed for dog’s with sensitivities and intolerances, there’s a Belcando meal for every dog, including:

Young Dogs

Just like babies, to offer a young dog the very best start in life, feeding them the best quality foods and ingredients is a necessity. Adult dog food doesn’t always satisfy a young dog’s nutritional demands, which is why brands like Belcando, offer products tailored to the special needs of a youthful pooch. From puppy milk through to dry puppy food (even grain-free), there’s a variety of options available.

Adult Dogs

Every adult dog is different. Some live more active lifestyles, therefore requiring more energy-fuelling ingredients in their foods, while others may simply have a dislike for certain flavours. Whether your dog’s activity levels range from normal to high, or they have a sensitivity to grains, there’s a Belcando option to suit.

Special Nutritional Phases

If your dog is overweight, or getting older and at risk of typical health issues such as arthritis, we now stock a range of Belcando products designed to satisfy a whole range of special nutritional phases - all of which have proven to work wonders. Whatever kibble you’re looking for, we’ve got it - even soya free!

From large bags of dry food, through to tasty toppings and meat tins, there’s a perfect Belcando meal for every pooch - including yours. Click here to shop the full Belcando range today!

4 reasons to introduce krill to your dog’s diet

Ever wondered how the world’s largest mammal is able to survive on krill alone? That’s because Krill, is in actual fact a superfood - and one that is perfectly suited to man’s best friend.

For those needing a little convincing on introducing shellfish to your dog’s diet, we’ve listed 4 very convincing reasons that are worth considering before dismissing this quite substantial superfood.

1. Krill oil contains more digestible omega-3 fatty acids than any other fish oil. While helping to maintain the elasticity of cells, omega-3 is also well known for reducing inflammation and lowering high blood lipid levels.
2. Krill provides quality protein, as well as numerous vitamins, micronutrients, amino acids and minerals (from A to zinc).
3. Krill contains glucosamine - an important component for the healthy growth, development and maintenance of cartilage tissue and joints.
4. Krill contains a high quantity of astaxanthin, a natural carotenoid similar to that found in carrots and tomatoes. Astaxanthin is actually responsible for fighting free radicals in the body that cause cells to age and weaken the immune system.

Step away from the high-street brands

It’s important, as a dog owner, to remember that the dog foods available on supermarket shelves aren’t the only options available. In fact, many of these products aren’t satisfying your dog’s nutritional needs - you only have to investigate the ingredients label to confirm this.

However, we’re continuously searching for brands that are heavily committed to producing quality, nutritional dog foods capable of keeping our furry companions in optimum health. The newest brand introduced to our product range is Belcando - an innovative provider of quality, forward-thinking foods containing everything your dog could possibly need, and more.

You'll also be pleased to learn that Belando specialises in food for dog's of all ages, regardless of sensitivities. Shop the full Belcando range here today. 

Keep your dog healthy this spring

Every dog loves Springtime - we’re talking longer walks and scurrying around in Spring flowers. And while this much welcomed season has so many upsides, enjoying the great outdoors can pose health risks to our beloved dogs. That’s why we’ve put together some general health care tips on keeping your dog healthy and happy this Spring. 

Flea and tick prevention

One of the very few downsides to Spring? It’s flea and tick season and time to get using those flea and tick prevention treatments. Double check the label of the product you choose to apply, some contain toxic ingredients. We can highly recommend VETiONX. Be sure to groom your pooch regularly and bathe him or her as often as you feel they need it - a lot of outdoor time often comes with its fair share of dirt. 

Deworming

We would always do this year round, but if you haven’t, now’s the time to treat your pooch. If he or she goes untreated throughout the outdoor season, they could become infected should they ingest something they shouldn’t. Speak to your vet if you’re unsure of how to treat your dog. 

Gardening and Flowers

Some flowers, including lilies, daffodils and tulips are highly toxic to both cats and dogs and can even be fatal. Be mindful of the flowers you bring into your home or garden this Spring and Summer. Also, if you’re thinking of treating your lawn, opt for a product that’s pet-safe. 

Cars

Yes, we have to mention it. We all know dogs shouldn’t be kept in cars during the warmer months as they can overheat very quickly and become extremely unwell if not worse. Please, please, please, avoid keeping your beloved pet in a hot car, it’s just not good for their health and can even land you a pretty hefty fine. 

Hydration

That leads us on to the topic of fresh water! Ensuring your pooch and cat for that matter has constant access to fresh water at all times is incredibly important. They can’t tell you when they’re thirsty, so ensuring its always available is essential to their health and wellbeing. 

Easter eggs and chocolates

Springtime brings its fair share of goodies, but keep them stored away well out of your pet’s reach. Why? Chocolate contains Theobromine, an ingredient that is incredibly toxic for dogs, causing possible vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, tremors and even fatalities in some cases. 

Thinking of switching your dog’s food?

If you’ve been thinking of switching your dog’s food, maybe to one of our natural premium dog foods, now’s the time to do it. Just like us humans, dogs tend to be even more active during Spring and Summer, meaning they’ll need as much energy as possible from the food they’re consuming.

Switching your dog’s food completely in one go can cause them to have an upset tummy, so it’s best to do it gradually by mixing the new food with their current food - increasing the amount gradually over time. The treats you give your dog are also important too - we stock a whole range of healthy, high-energy dog treats that are guaranteed to keep your dog’s energy fuelled. 

How to tell if your dog is allergic to their food

It can often be difficult to pinpoint whether your dog is allergic to a certain ingredient in their food or whether the symptoms they’re experiencing are from something else i.e. the environment., If however, your dog is experiencing some unpleasant and prolonged symptoms that don’t seem to be budging, your vet will be able to run some tests to get to the exact route of the problem. It’s often helpful to know which symptoms to look out for, so we’ve listed the main ones below. 

Symptoms to look out for: 

• Upset stomach; wind, diarrhoea and/or vomiting 
• Unhealthy skin; this could be flaky and dry, itchy or even oozing
• Unhealthy coat; patchy and/or bare in places or even dry
• Frequent sneezing or a runny nose
• Irritating ears, nose or eyes
• Swollen, irritable feet that they regularly lick or bite

Caring for a dog with food allergies 

While some dogs are allergic to certain meat types, others are allergic to grains. We’d usually advise seeking vet advice prior to switching foods, however if the vet is unable to pinpoint exactly what ingredient they’re allergic to, the next best option is to try different food types and closely monitor your dogs reaction. If certain meats aggregate them, switch to a new one. If it’s the grains, switch to grain-free. There’s plenty of foods especially catered to dogs with allergies, from Imperial Food, through to Smolke. Many of our customers opt for hypoallergenic foods, avoiding things like wheat, soy, corn, additives and other problem-causing ingredients. 

What if it's the environment? 

Sadly, if your dog is allergic to something in the environment, its just a case of managing his or her symptoms. The best thing to do would be to bathe him/her every couple of weeks with a medicated shampoo, which will help to relieve the discomfort they may be in. 

Foods we recommend for dogs with allergies or sensitive digestion: 

• Smolke Grain-Free for adults
• Smolke Grain-Free for puppies
• Smolke Sensitive
• ImperialFood 1st Class
• ImperialFood StarFish
• Naturis Freshly Steamed Meat

 Shop our complete food range today - you won't be disappointed...

Protein - Is your dog getting enough?

One of the most essential ingredients to your dog’s diet is of course protein. Whether from meat, fish, eggs and some plant matter, your dog needs protein in order to thrive. Why? Protein based foods help to support healthy development, which is particularly important for growing pups. 

From muscle tone and bone strength, through to the functioning of nerves and even the condition of a dog’s coat, are all things supported by foods rich in protein. 

And while most dogs love to run around, that energy is fuelled by protein. If your pooch is lacking meat from their life, you’ll notice a lack of energy, insufficient body weight and a poor coat - just to name a few symptoms. Of course, meat isn’t the only ingredient a dog will thrive from, but protein should make up a large part of their meal and if it doesn’t - it could be time for a change. 

Wondering where to start? Changing your dog’s food immediately can sometimes upset their tummies. If you’re thinking of changing their food, try to do so gradually, introducing more of the new food each meal time, gradually replacing the old food. 

When it comes to choosing a new food, sometimes the labels can be slightly bare in terms of specifying exactly how much of one food type exists in the packet. If this is the case, remember that ingredients will be listed largest to smallest, so we’d expect meat to be at the very top of that list. You’ll probably find that many dog foods found in supermarkets are filled with processed, cheap or insufficient protein sources that aren’t good enough to keep your dog in great health. 

Here at Pooch DVD, we only stock the very best products for pets - you’ll notice the ‘Recommended by Pooch DVD’ stamp on all of the brands that we feature. That’s because we take pet health seriously and support other like-minded brands that do too. 

Browse our best-selling food section to see what our fellow dog-owners love!