Hi Folks,
This is Taylor… Buddy & I teamed up for this little project on what is trending in products for us furry friends! Nancy & Judi helped. It’s been a good time to do a little computer work during the hottest part of the past HOT days.
How are all of you Up North faring? On some of the days of the past couple weeks, YOU have been hotter there than here! WOW…… be careful out there. Remember the hot pavement test so you don’t burn your feet.
Four 2022 Trends in Dog Stuff & Cat Stuff
#1. Simple, Healthy Ingredients
Gone are the days of long ingredient lists that included stuff you couldn’t pronounce. What’s trending now are more straight-forward, simpler pet foods.
At Cats n Dogs store, we carry a lot of choices with “limited ingredients”, and without fillers or preservatives. Plus, your Human can always ask Nancy or Judi for experienced advice. When it comes to dog food – and cat foods – these terms often show up. Here’s what they mean:
Organic:
Since there aren’t pet food standards for this term, right now the people food standards have to be complied with. That’s NOP & USDA. Here is a detailed description: https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/organic
Natural:
This is kindof a misused term. It sounds good but isn’t really regulated yet. It can be “a feed ingredient derived solely from plant, animal, or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subjected to acceptable methods of processing… [and] not having been produced by or subjected to a chemically synthetic process…” and wufda wufda.
You can’t have “all natural with added…” (because you can’t add synthetic ingredients and still call it all natural). OR if a label says, “contains natural chicken flavor,” it means ONLY the flavoring is natural, not the whole meal. Here’s more info: https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/natural
Human-grade:
This term apparently has no official definition in any pet food regulations. And extremely few pet foods are considered officially human edible or human-grade.
“Edible” IS a regulated standard (for Humans), “Human-grade” is not. And don’t forget, some foods that are safe for Humans to eat are very bad for us furry friends, like chocolate, macadamia nuts, and onions. I’m having trouble explaining this quickly – you can read more on this: https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/humangrade
Something we’ve noticed in the store
LOTS of our products are coming in with a new look to their packaging. I love the fact that they are using more brilliant colors. We furry friends can’t see the reds or greens – but we DO see the lively blues and yellows. What a fun feast for the eyes!
Tap on each of our pictures to see them larger! It’s my new trick…
#2. Supplements
Do you need supplements? If the food your Human is giving you is a balanced meal, then maybe not. Most pet supplements are minerals, vitamins and fats. How will your Human know? Check with Nancy & Judi on this – and also check with your doctor! Since nutritional labeling on pet foods doesn’t give much detail, it’s hard to know.
Some of the supplements that are popular: Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils, Glucosamine for arthritis and joint diseases, Probiotics for digestive issues, Antioxidants like vitamins C & E (We prefer to get these by eating safe fruits & veggies. See this previous blog we wrote), and CBD for anxiety, chronic pain, a good night’s sleep.
#3. New Meal Types
Dry kibble and canned foods still are most common. But these are gaining in popularity:
- Refrigerated or frozen meals – we have FOUR freezers full of yummy foods for us canines & felines
- Dehydrated or freeze-dried dog food, which have a long shelf-life – good for your Hurricane Go Kit
- Meal toppers that add flavor and health-boosting ingredients to your dinner bowl – we have these too, come see!
All of the above come in some new meat flavors like rabbit, venison, duck and kangaroo. Some of these have added Pumpkin – one of my favorites!
We also carry a really special treat, pet-safe ice cream in some yummy flavors. It’s recommended that you do NOT eat Human ice cream. Most of us bowser buddies are lactose intolerant – think: sore belly, diarrhea. Human ice creams can be sweetened with xylitol, which is really bad for us!
Dinner food formulas that are good for pet allergies or for reducing furry-friend allergies in Humans are more available. Talk to Nancy & Judi about our egg-based foods.
Hmmmmmmmm…… I’m getting hungry! Mom, is there any of that Cheddar Cheese Ice Cream left?
#4. Treats, Biscuits and Chews
We have a lot of cool stuff at Cats n Dogs store! In order to watch your svelte figure, they should be eaten in moderation. If they are not nutritional, the box or bag will be labeled “Snack” or “Treat”. Some biscuits are good for you, and they have to have their nutritional values on the package.
Chewies, like rawhides, hooves, ears, bones, ligaments, snouts and pizzles are not regulated at all. BUT… Nancy & Judi have researched these a lot – so our store offers only the best quality from the safest sources. Popular right now are the dried, jerky products.
I LOVE the Chicken Strips! And there is a new line of Glucosamine chews that we love.
Just remember; don’t eat so many treats that you can’t eat your breakfast and dinner!
Pet Product Trends to Watch:
Pet Insurance, Subscription Home Delivery, and Plant/Insect-based Foods. We’re going to have to watch just how trendy these are though.
Well – that’s it for this month. Hope you enjoyed!
With a Wuf Wuf and a Meoww Meoww,
Taylor, Buddy, Mango & Sunshine
Max Loves his Collagen Chew! Thank you Miss Nancy!!
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