News — Dog Nutrition

Does your dog suffer from bad breath? Here's what it could be...

Believe it or not, a dog’s breath shouldn’t be smelly. In fact, any unpleasant odours that persist, could be a sign of a health problem.

If your dog has suffered from smelly breath, over a long period of time, this could be a sign of a build up of bacteria in his or her mouth. Sometimes this bacteria, caused by plaque and tartar, can accumulate and cause painful gums and loose teeth - also known as gum disease.

If you suspect this could be what’s affecting your poor pooch, take a look inside their mouth. A healthy dog’s mouth will have pink, straight gums with clean, whole teeth.

What else could it be?

Do your dog’s teeth and gums look healthy? Gum disease isn’t the only possible culprit here. Smelly breath can also be a sign of other bodily issues, including your dogs lungs or even their stomach. Although this may sound scary - it could be something as simple as a dietary issue - so don’t panic.

Don't self-diagnose

Whatever the issue, it’s always best to seek professional advice from your dog’s vet. They’ll be able to distinguish the cause of your dog’s bad breath and rule out any issues that may be worrying you.

Can brushing help?

Just like us humans, practicing good oral health is just as important for dogs. It’s often easier to get into this habit from a young age - making the whole process a little easier for the both of you.

Foods and snacks

It’s also worth considering whether your dog’s diet is supporting of great oral health. We stock a whole range of foods and treats that are designed to prevent the unwanted build up of bacteria. Shop our best-sellers here: https://poochdvd.com/collections/featured-products 

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.

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. 

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! 

Cereals and grains - Good or bad for our dogs?

As dog owners, we’re becoming more and more aware about exactly what it is we’re putting into their bodies and whether or not their nutritional demands are being satisfied by the very food we spend our hard earned money on. One question we get asked a lot here at Pooch DVD is whether or not we should be avoiding pet food containing cereals and grains and whether they’re damaging to our pet’s health. 

Firstly, cereals and grains refers to anything from wheat, rice and barley through to oats and maize - all of which tend to be the usual accompaniment to the meats you’d expect to find in pet food. But are they good or bad? 

Anyone that knows us here at Pooch DVD will know that we’re big supporters of protein based diets for dogs. After all, canine bodies flourish when fed nutritional, high energy meats. We’re not supporters of the processed pet foods found in most supermarkets - these are by no means beneficial to your much loved pet. You’ll probably find that brands whose pet food contains cereals and grains haven’t done so for your dog’s nutritional benefit - instead they’re there to act as a cheap filler, to make your dog’s tummy feel fuller and to ultimately increase their profits. 

Just like us humans, every dog and the way in which their body reacts to food, is unique. Some dogs may have sensitive tummies that aren’t able to easily digest certain cereals and grains, while other dogs may well be able to. Grains and cereals may not necessarily be damaging to your pet’s health, but if the food in which your pet is eating has substituted healthy ingredients for more filling material, this could pose a health problem later down the line. It’s also worth noting that if you notice that your dog is producing unhealthy stools or their skin/coat is looking unhealthy, opting for grain-free pet food such as Smolke can often work wonders.