nutrition
4 reasons your dog should eat sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a common ingredient in pet food, and a healthy treat for dogs! Learn more about the nutrients found in this superfood and how they help your pup stay healthy.
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3 DIY fall treats your dog will love
Autumn harvest foods like sweet potato, pumpkin, and turkey are healthy for you and your furry friend. Here are 3 easy recipes for homemade dog treats with fall flavours your dog will love.
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4 steps to transitioning your dog’s food
When it comes to switching your dog to a new type or brand of food, making the decision to do it is the easy part. Knowing how to change their food the right way is a whole other story! We made it easier for you by breaking it down into 4 simple steps.
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3 homemade pupsicle recipes for your dog!
It’s important to keep our furry friends cool and well-hydrated during warm summer weather. These homemade pet-safe pupsicles are a fun and easy way to make sure your pet stays hydrated! They’re getting a great treat, and you’re helping them avoid dehydration — it’s a real win-win!
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Reishi: what it is & why your dog needs it
If you’re a health nut, you’ve probably heard of reishi, which has taken the wellness world by storm as a powerful superfood with healing properties. As a human, you’ll find it in everything from moisturizers to lattes.
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Homemade Peanut Butter & Banana Pupcakes
Whether or not it’s actually your pup’s birthday, it’s so fun to spoil our furry friends, isn’t it? Well, sweet treats don’t have to be full of sugar and calories - we’ve come up with an easy, delicious and nutritious recipe to make homemade, peanut butter, carrot, banana pupcakes! Made with whole wheat flour, peanut butter, banana, applesauce, grated carrot and eggs. This cake is wholesome, healthy and the perfect Dog Birthday Cake for your furry friend! prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 25 minutes servings: 12 pupcakes Ingredients 2 eggs 1 banana ⅓ cup applesauce 1 medium banana ⅓ cup peanut butter (natural, not salted, smooth and NO XYLITOL) 1 cup carrot (grated) 1 cup whole wheat flour Healthybud® banana crisps for toppings Extra peanut butter for frosting Instructions Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Using flavourless oil, coat the sides of the cupcake tins, or place cupcake liners. (Make sure to remove them when serving!) In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, apple sauce, peanut butter and carrot, until smooth. Next, stir in the flour and baking powder until combined. Fill the cupcake tins with the batter Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow cooling in the pan for 3-5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature. Spread the tops of the cupcakes with peanut butter as frosting, and place as many healthybud banana crisp toppers as you’d like! Storing Instructions Cover the cupcakes with cling wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze the rest to give as a treat in the future.
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The Benefits Of Dried Fish Skins For Our Pups
We’re always looking for the best treats to give our pups...especially one that helps training and is a high reward to keep our pups stimulated, obedient and happy. Fish skins are the perfect addition to any pet parent’s treat collection - and here’s why! They’re easily digestible (healthybud dehydrated fish skins in particular are all natural, human-grade, non-GMO, with no preservatives.) Rich in Omega3, promoting healthy skin and a shiny coat Contributes to muscle growth and improving heart health High in protein and low in fat Hypoallergenic - fish skin is a great alternative for dogs with common allergies triggered by beef or chicken. Highly palatable and easy to chew Great for all stages of life As with all treats, make sure to supervise your bud while feeding treats. When looking for Fish Skins you should look for some that are air-dried as they will retain the most amount of nutrients and flavour! These are the type of treats that are guaranteed to make your pup drool! If you're interested in trying a wild-caught Canadian Fish Skin treat healthybud has you covered here! IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information presented here is not meant to replace your vet’s advice or prescribed medications, but only to suggest additional options to explore, based on your dog’s condition.
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4 Reasons Your Dog Should Try Healthybud Food
Something super exciting just happened: healthybud launched its first line of food! This has been a dream since healthybud’s inception, to provide nutrition to help your bud thrive and it’s been over a year in the making. We know that the world of nutrition is confusing and often overwhelming (from raw diets, frozen, dehydrated, gently cooked, freeze-dried, kibble, etc.) so let’s break down what makes healthybud’s freeze-dried raw stand out. Quality And Convenience At healthybud, quality comes first. Our freeze-dried diet retains the highest nutritional value. When foods are cooked at a high temperature (which occurs in the process of creating kibble, and in some dehydrated diets), they lose nutrients. Freeze-drying is a process where the product is frozen and then placed under pressure to remove moisture. The product undergoes a process called sublimation which means the food goes right from being in a frozen (solid) state to a gaseous state, skipping over the liquid state. Our ingredients are frozen at their peak and never cooked so that all of their nutritional value is retained. Freeze-drying preserves raw foods so they have a much longer shelf life, removes the need for storing bulky products in your freezer, and makes it much more convenient to transport. Fresh Antioxidant-Rich Ingredients Dogs are omnivores, and although we know that meat is a crucial part of their diet, some other raw diets on the market exclude the importance of fruits and veggies. This leads to unbalanced diets and misses the opportunity to provide immune-boosting and nutrient-rich ingredients for your pup. When a wild canine eats, they also absorb nutrients from the vegetables in the stomach of the prey animal. Healthybud’s meals are made of 85% real meat and organs and 15% fruits, vegetables and superfoods. We use no grains, corn, wheat, artificial colors or preservatives. Each and every ingredient is specifically selected for its benefit to promote a healthy immune system for long-term health and wellness. By including healing foods in our formulations, we’re able to promote the proper utilization of these foods and aid in the healthy growth of bones, teeth, and the evolution of internal organs such as the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver. This will in turn help in the prevention of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, skin problems, cancer and much more. We also use locally-sourced ingredients from Wisconsin farms. Backed By Experts Healthybud’s line of freeze-dried foods were created with the insight and expertise of our amazing team of veterinarians, nutritionists and the University of British Columbia. Safe And Easy To Feed Although raw food diets offer many health benefits, there are some concerns with feeding these diets. If they are frozen, they can take up a significant amount of your freezer space, and defrosting is time-consuming. Both frozen and fresh raw diets can present a higher risk of pathogens. With our proprietary freeze-drying method, the pathogen risk is practically eliminated. We offer our turkey and beef freeze-dried diets in both patties and bites. The patties are great for a dog that likes a softer texture of food, and can be rehydrated in as little as 60 seconds by simply adding some warm water. This is also a great option for pups who need a little extra water intake! The bites are a great alternative if your bud prefers a crunchier texture, or if they’re transitioning off of kibble. They’re easy to store, have a longer shelf-life, and take the mess out of raw feeding. Healthybud freeze-dried food offers all the powerful benefits of raw while still giving you the convenience of kibble. Using a unique combination of superfoods and antioxidant-rich ingredients to help strengthen your dog’s immune system and maintain a long and healthy life, this diet will help your pup thrive! Don’t forget to check in next week to learn more about what freeze-drying is and why we chose this method! \Healthybud’s Beef Freeze-Dried Dog Food is formulated to exceed the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages*
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Why Goji Berries Should Be Your Dog’s Go-To Berry!
Goji berries are a vibrant red Asian fruit, sometimes known as wolfberries and we were so excited to be able to include this superfood in our treats! They are safe for dogs to consume, although like with other berries, should be given in moderation due to their sugar content. Read on to learn more about why this superfood is a must-have in your dog’s diet! Goji Berries, In Summary: Goji berries are known to be a rich superfood for humans, and the same applies to your dog! Aside from being a great source of antioxidants, they are known for supporting a strong immune system, good eyesight, and prevent the growth of cancer cells, and reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Main Nutrients: VITAMINS: This little berry doesn’t hold back when it comes to vitamins! You’ll find high levels of Vitamins A, B, C, and E. They also contain high levels of calcium, crucial for good bone and tooth health. Goji berries are also a source of iron, fibre, and protein, making them a great addition for muscle, nerve, and enzyme health. ANTIOXIDANTS: This small berry is known for being a super antioxidant-rich food, so it can be a great tool to help slow the aging process in your pup! Check out our previous blog about blueberries to learn more about what antioxidants are and how they help our dogs stay healthy. Goji berries are high in carotenoids, which are the pigments in plants that give bright yellow, red, and orange colours. Goji berries contain high amounts of beta-carotene, which provides Vitamin A as well as the antioxidant benefits of other carotenoids. Other Benefits: Goji berries are also rich in amino acids. Amino acids are also known as the building blocks of life, and are used to make body proteins. There are essential amino acids for both humans and dogs, and these are those amino acids that are either not created naturally by the body or not in a high enough quantity, which means they must be supplemented by diet. There are 10 essential amino acids for dogs: Arginine Histidine Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine Goji berries contain 9 of these 10 essential amino acids - all except for Tryptophan! Lastly, these berries are low in calories, which makes them a great treat or training reward. Goji berries can interact with some medications, so it is always best to speak to your veterinarian before introducing a new food. In particular, you may want to avoid goji berries if your dog is on medication for diabetes, has high blood pressure, or is on a blood thinner. Fun Fact: Goji berries originate from China, Mongolia, and the Tibetan Himalayans. There is an old story of a man, Li Qing Yuen, who would eat goji berries every single day. Legend says that he lived to be 252 years old! If you’re eager to start incorporating goji berries into your dog’s diet, check out this healthybud product: -duck calming aid Happy snacking, #healthygang!
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