Aarf Home Chronicles

Bad Dog Food List - Avoid The Worst Commercial Dog Food Brands on the Market!

(Courtesy: The Pet Planet)

I promise to:

* Make a lifetime commitment to my animal companion

* Adopt animals only through responsible rescues and ethical breeders

* Spay or neuter my animal companion for their health & to prevent
overpopulation

* Provide nutritious health food, fresh water & daily exercise for my animal companion

* Eliminate the use of toxic household cleaners & outdoor chemicals

* Care for the emotional needs of my animal companion

* Understand and work through my animal companion's behavioural issues

* Treat my animal companion with compassion & gentleness

* Report suspected animal abuse or neglect

* Call myself & others ‘Guardian' rather than ‘Owner'

* Encourage others to embrace Guardianship

* LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY

Thank you everyone who took some precious time off to complete a survey designed by Aarf Home. After 67 of you turned in your voices, you definitely have been heard. Although, I apologise we cannot take great steps towards creating an outdoor area or including splash/sprinkle pads indoors, quite a few of your demands have been met! Accordingly, here is a list of what is new..

1. Validity on passes are now extended to ensure greater flexibility to our clients. the 5 and 10 day packages will henceforth be valid for 3 months from the date of purchase and the 20 day package will be valid for 6 months.

2. Aarf Home will remain closed for naps between 12.30 and 2.30pm Monday to Friday.Pick up and drop off of pets during this time frame will not be allowed, so that the pets in our care have a distraction-free resting time to replenish lost energy for their vigorous play in the morning.

3. Weekend day care is now here. Aarf Home shall remain open for 9am to 5pm for selected Saturdays only. Anyone interested in bringing their dogs in for day care on Saturdays now have an option of booking the upcoming Saturday in advance. Day care will be provided if at least 5 dogs are signed up for the day. Customers will be notified by Friday morning about the status of their booking.

4. Weekly "specials" or discount offers will be posted on this blog and on the FaceBook fan page of Aarf Home, every Sunday and on Twitter every now and then. Clients are requested to stay tuned and bring back coupon codes, should you intend to use a "Special Offer".

5. Half day day care packages and playdate packages are now available. Please ask in store for details.

Management and Staff at Aarf Home highly appreciate your patronization. Stay with us for more news as surveys are still on the move!

Courtesy of Wiki Answers:

In 1860, a salesman called James Spratt was in London, England, trying to sell lightening rods and was accompanied by his dog, Spratt. Spratt was given some discarded ship biscuit with which to feed the dog. James Spratt immediately saw a potential for making money. He devised a 'dog cake' that was nutritious and inexpensive. This was the first commercial dog food and Mr Spratt became the first pet food entrepreneur.

Today the pet food industry is worth billions of pounds as the giants of the pet food industry increase their sales by aggressive advertising, economic power and by producing a product greatly welcomed by the busy pet owner. Gone are the days when the household dog was fed on scraps and whatever prey he could catch for his supper. The array of commercially prepared dog food is vast with each brand claiming to contain rich wholesome ingredients to keep the dog fit and healthy.

Dogs are very curious animals and their inquisitive nature could quite lead them to trouble. They love to play, no doubt, but however, they also like to chew on their toys and, as a result, sometimes swallow harmful objects that can affect their health. It is important that you protect your dog from ingesting dangerous foreign objects.

Any material that is not food, when ingested, results in serious digestive problems. These swallowed substances could get lodged in the stomach and intestines creating an obstruction. Commonly ingested non-food items include toys, string, clothing, and plastic. Ingestion “accidents” are quite common in young dogs less than 2 years of age.

While satisfying his curiosity, the dog may unintentionally ingest some or all of the material. Although some smaller foreign bodies can pass through the gut without getting stuck and causing a problem, the larger pieces can result in serious gastrointestinal complications.

As a dog care professional, I have watched several young dogs pass “surprises” along with their poop; used condoms, women's sanitary products, underwear, socks, paper towels, plastic shopping bags, loose nuts, metal objects, pieces of wooden pencils, twigs, pebbles, chewed up credit cards, plastic water bottle caps, all these are just a short list.

If you think that your dog might have ingested something, watch out for behavioral changes. In most cases, dogs usually show signs of gastrointestinal upset. If your dog refuses to eat, begins vomiting, drooling or has abnormal bowel movements, contact your veterinarian. In some instances, you may notice a foreign object, such as a string, protruding from the rectum. Do not try to pull the object out – you might cause further bleeding and damange. Immediately consult your vet.

The best way to prevent your dog from ingesting foreign bodies is to prevent access to objects that could be swallowed. Keep dangerous objects away from your dog; never let him play with things that are not his toys.

If you suspect that your dog may have ingested something that may not pass through his intestinal tract, contact your veterinarian. Waiting until your pet starts to vomit will just make the situation go from bad to worse.

Visit us at www.aarfhome.com or call us at 647-890-DOGS for pet sitting and boarding at 3410, Semenyk Ct, #6, Mississauga. We are located very close to the major intersection of Central Parkway and Mavis.

Ideal for people working long hours during the day, if you hate to leave your dog at home all day or for weekend partying people and business people or vacationing families. Contact us for rates and availability via phone or website.

Fully bonded and insured and pet first aid certified, Aarf Home is the member of ACPSN

Onions are toxic to dogs.

The toxicity is dose dependent, so the bigger the animal, the more onion need be consumed to cause a toxicity. Onion toxicity causes a Heinz body anemia. Heinz bodies are small bubble-like projections which protrude from a red blood cell and can be seen when the cells are stained. This "bubble" is a weak spot in the red blood cell and, therefore, the cell has a decreased life-span and ruptures prematurely.

If numerous red cells are affected and rupture, anemia can result. It is a form of hemolytic anemia. Onions are only one of the substances which can cause Heinz body anemia. Other substances such as Acetominophen (Tylenol) and benzocaine-containing topical preparations can also cause Heinz body anemia in the dog.