The “Woof-Meow” show is on every Sunday at 8:30PM on WVOM, 103.9FM, the Voice of Maine. Hosted by Don Hanson of Green Acres Kennel Shop, the show focuses on educating dog and cat guardians about their dogs and cats.

AIR DATE: Sunday, March 5th, 2006
Sunday, May 28, 2006

GUEST: Don Hanson & Mike Dow

An Overview on Pet Nutrition

Green Acres Kennel Shop will be holding two Pet Nutrition seminars on Saturday, March 11th at 9:30AM and 1PM. The seminars are open to all but pre-registration is suggested to ensure a seat.

Why should a pet guardian attend a nutrition seminar?

Just like with people, good nutrition is the foundation of good health for our pets. A pet that is fed a wholesome diet will be healthier, have fewer visits to the veterinarian and will live longer. Unfortunately, there is a great misunderstanding about pet food. Many people think that all pet foods are the same and that just because the bags says “100% Complete Nutrition,” the food provides their pet with optimal nutrition. That just isn’t true. Just like the quality of human food varies greatly, so does the quality of pet food. By attending a seminar on pet nutrition, one can learn the facts about their pet’s nutritional needs and how to best and most economically meet those needs.

What will people attending your seminar learn on Saturday?

The seminar will start with a discussion of what dogs and cats need nutritionally to survive. We will talk about protein, fat, carbohydrates, amino acids, micronutrients and other essential nutrients. Then we will discuss the many myths of pet nutrition; 1) all pet food is 100% complete, 2) each meal must be carefully balanced and others.

We will discuss how to read the labeling on a pet food container, explaining the important information that is there as well as the less important information. We will also point out the critical information that is missing from many pet food labels and why some pet food manufacturers do not want you to know this information. Pet food ingredients will be reviewed and we will explain which ingredients you want to ensure are in your pet’s foods and which ingredients you want to avoid.

The many types of pet food (dry, canned, homemade, and raw, etc.) will be reviewed, examining the advantages and disadvantages of each. We will discuss the type of companies that manufacture pet foods and ways a person can identify the best companies. Lastly we will discuss how to determine the true cost of a given pet food. Seminar attendees will leave with a handout comparing several different foods that we recommend and many that we do not recommend. The handout will indicate why we do or don’t like a food and will also indicate how much it costs to feed that food to a pet on a daily basis.

What are your qualifications to talk about pet nutrition?

I like to be totally upfront with people, I am not a veterinarian nor do I have a formal education in animal nutrition. Because I sell pet food I also have a conflict of interest when discussing pet foods just as anyone who sells or recommends a pet food would have. In that regard I am no different than your veterinarian, breeder, or animal shelters, all of which sell and recommend specific pet foods.

My wife Paula and I learned about pet nutrition because we had too. It started with our Cairn Terrier Gus who by the time he was one year old had numerous health problems, many nutritionally related. We talked to veterinarians, food companies, and others to try to find the diet that would make him healthy. We attended seminars and read books and finally found a diet that helped him. We continue to research pet foods on a regular basis because we want to feed our own pets the best food possible and want to help others to do the same.

What pet food do you think is best?

I am frequently asked what I feed my pets because people presume that would be what I think is the best food. The fact is there is no single pet food that is the best choice for all pets. We feed our pets a wide variety of foods because we know that variety is also key to optimal nutrition.

How can people sign up for the seminar?

We have limited seating for both seminars so we do ask people to sign-up in advance. In order to reserve a seat we ask that you make a $5 donation to the Bangor Humane Society Shed and Emily Fund. You can call us at 945-6841 and reserve a spot with a credit card or stop by the store at 1653 Union Street in Bangor.

Notes from The Woof Meow Show, 26FEB06
© Donald J. Hanson, BFRP, CDBC, CPDT