The most difficult part of owning a dog

When I was a child Frosted Flakes were considered a healthy part of a good breakfast and dogs were fed dog chow. As a teen I learned about Science Diet and I was totally sold on it being the healthiest food around for pets. My cats have always received the healthiest food I could find at the pet store.

While I was looking for Marley I discovered a friend's dog was allergic to corn and they were experimenting with premium food. Also, the "Massive Pet Food Recall" occurred and I realized I had to be more cautious about the food I purchased.

Currently, I feed Marley a variation on the rotation diet. I'm rotating between dry, canned and raw. I try to rotate brands and protein source. I also add a variety of toppers to dry and canned food, such as yogurt, fruit and veggies.

I would like to feel confident feeding raw; however I'm not sure I totally understand dog nutrition. I am currently learning as much as possible by reading a few books, Whole Dog Journal and asking as many questions as possible. A great friend is sharing her dog nutrition knowledge in her new blog, Around the Dog Bowl.

I appreciate any advise or suggestions for reading material.

Hartz Recalls Dog Treats

I have not purchased any Hartz products after a friend had a horrible experience with their flea products, and I was not really surprised to see this article.

Hartz is recalling nearly 75,000 bags of dog treats.

Salmonella was found in 8-ounce bags of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs stamped with the lot code BZ0969101E, according to the FDA.

If you have any questions you should contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414.

Dog Food Recall

When ever I need to feed Marley kibble I go to a Natura product, usually Evo or California Natural. I was a bit dismayed to discover Natura was purchased by Proctor and Gamble earlier this year. I am a bit horrified to discover Proctor and Gamble has issued a recall on some of their dog foods. While Natura products are not listed as part of the recall, I'm wondering how soon before my favorite products are affected.

If you feed any Proctor and Gamble products please verify they are not part of the recall prior to feeding your pet.