I am so incredibly grateful to HALO for making me aware of Freekibble.com and for the introduction to Mimi, who is now one of my heroes! I play Freekibble every single day now – rather compulsively, hoping not to get too many answers wrong (since as a dog and cat expert it would be terrible for my reputation!) but always enjoying the questions.

When you get a taste of what Mimi is all about – a kid with a dream that has become a “dream-fulfiller” for so many shelters – it is clear as a bell why HALO would partner with her to deliver all those donated meals to shelter pets.

While I know the world is a better place because of Mimi’s efforts, just as importantly I hope other young people will follow her example of 1) having a dream 2) making the dream be for the good of someone other than themselves, 3) using all their resources to make that dream a reality. Hurray for Mimi! And thanks HALO for all they do to make her dream come true.

Click here to listen to the show on Dog Talk® podcast page.

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

Written By: BabyLove

FINALLY!

“My little Pomeranian puppy was a good eater when we first got her. We were feeding her [Brand N]; but after 4-5 days, we noticed that she became impartial to the food, barely picking at it throughout the day.

Then I came across Halo and thought I’d give it a whirl. I mixed it with the [Brand W] canned food that I had left over and she ate it all! Then, to top it off, she ate Halo kibble all by itself tonight! I’m so relieved!!!”

Click here to see original review on Petco.com.

TAMPA, FL, December 23, 2010 – Halo, Purely for Pets, a leading producer of holistic pet care products, announced today it has “delivered” on the brand’s goal of donating 1 million meals to shelter pets awaiting adoption in 2010. Halo and its co-owner, animal advocate Ellen DeGeneres, were inspired to make this groundbreaking donation in celebration of the United States Postal Service’s 2010 social awareness stamp, “Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet.”

The campaign, first announced on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on March 17, 2010, officially launched on April 30, 2010 when the stamps became available for purchase nationwide. Halo offered pet lovers the opportunity to help participate in their goal of feeding 1 million meals to shelter dogs and cats in 2010 through contests, Facebook, Twitter, and a partnership with Freekibble.com.

Said DeGeneres, “At Halo we want to promote healthy living for pets and eating good food is a big part of that. So, we agreed to donate one million meals of Halo to shelter pets. I mean, imagine, an animal in a shelter, in a cage, lonely – a good meal is kinda all they have to look forward to, until you adopt them!”

Halo partnered with a number of non-profit organizations to donate the 1 million meals, including Freekibble, The Humane Society of the US, ASPCA, Pets for Patriots, and The National Canine Cancer Foundation amongst others.

Well over 100 shelters were served throughout the course of the campaign, including Caboodle Ranch in Jacksonville, FL; San Francisco Animal Care & Control; Rescue Ink, ASPCA New York; Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Search Dog Foundation, The Cat House on the Kings in Parlier, CA; and Humane Society of Central Oregon, the shelter at which Freekibble founder, Mimi Ausland, volunteers.

“We are thrilled with the success of the campaign and the incredible number of supporters who helped us to achieve this goal,” said Steve Marton, CEO, Halo, Purely for Pets. “It’s our mission to make a real difference for pets, and part of that mission is to ensure shelter pets are provided healthy, nutritious food.”

Halo, Purely For Pets® uses wholesome, natural, quality ingredients and only real meats in all of their pet food as they believe nutrition is the single most important factor in the quality of a pet’s life. Halo is the only pet food honored with the National Canine Cancer Foundation Seal of Excellence, and the only leading brand with just fresh meat, no chicken meal or other rendered meats.

Question: My dogs LOVE your dry stew salmon recipe but one of my dogs seems to lick a LOT after. Is there anything he could be allergic to?

Answer: Licking a lot after eating would not be a typical allergy reaction. It is possible that the fat level in the Salmon recipe is higher than in his previous food and it might give him an unusual feel in his mouth. The licking might be unrelated to the food so if it continues, consider seeing your veterinarian to determine if he has something else happening in his mouth.

Good luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

I got a terrific question from a listener who has been paying really really close attention to DOG TALK® – I am grateful to have such an attentive and intelligent listener! (with a really good memory, too).

The topic of when to spay or neuter your dog or cat is a tricky one for those of us who adopt from shelters – like all the terrific shelters that get yummy nutritious HALO food, thanks to Mimi’s charity, Freekibble (BTW be sure to sign up at www.freekibble.com so you can answer a really fun little quiz every day that sends HALO food right to shelter pets).

For most of us who adopt, the older pets are already spayed or neutered (and we don’t know at what age it was done or the younger pets are usually already “fixed” when we take them home. However, if you adopt a “teenage” dog through a pure breed rescue – which I have done for some of the Weimaraners in my family – sometimes they are not yet neutered and you have a little leeway in when to have the procedure done – or some options in how to have a female spayed.

Please be sure to listen to DOG TALK on January 14th when Dr. Nancy Kay (author of SPEAKING FOR SPOT) will discuss all these issues. And thank you to HALO for helping us make thoughtful decisions for the welfare of our pets!

Click over to my original blog on “When is the Best Time to Spay or Neuter A Dog?” for the whole story!

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

Halo is getting very close to donating its 1 millionth meal to shelter pets this year as part of the U.S. Postal Service’s ” Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet” stamps, each with a cute picture of a cat or dog.

Photographer Sallie Andersen-Bruce took pictures of the five dogs and five cats — all current or former strays. Ironically, Bruce had been feeding her dogs, all rescues, Halo Spot’s Stew for years before Halo got involved in the project. “When I walk Brenna (her Irish Setter) I am frequently stopped and asked what food I’m feeding her because her coat is so shiny and beautiful,” Bruce told Halo in April.

Keep your eye out for our announcement of who gets the millionth meal. And remember, we could not do this without you, our loyal customers.

If you’ve ever wondered just how these stamps of dogs and cats are created, here is a cool video that shows their production:

What this video left out was the important fact that the recipe I’m preparing for this holiday pooch is actually none other than the very recipe for HALO’S SPOT’S STEW!

That’s right – the whole combination of lovely vegetables, quality nutritious oatmeal and the turkey chunks (not to mention the kelp & rosemary!) are exactly what is in Halo’s Spot’s stew in a can. While home cooking may look easy here – because the nice “food prep” lady for the video did a “Martha” and chopped all the ingredients into nice little dishes – in real life I’d be putting the can of Halo under the can opener to get the same end result with a lot less work! I do hope this inspires a little holiday home cooking as a special loving treat for your own doggies.

Watch the video:

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

Halo, Purely for Pets is honored that American Dog Magazine nominated us for its humanitarian award in the “Role Model — Dog Food or Treat Biz” category.

“Simply put, Halo is purely for pets, so we invest in two things — the best natural ingredients for our customers, and donations of Halo Spot’s Stew for shelter pets,” says Halo’s David Yaskulka.

In 2010, Halo collaborated with Freekibble.com in order to make our donations reach as many homeless dogs and cats as possible. Halo is donating over 1 million meals of Halo Spot’s Stew to shelter pets this year. “We are very excited to be working with Halo because like us, they are committed to not only feeding shelter pets, but feeding them the very best, most nutritious food,” says Freekibble Founder, Mimi Ausland. “It really makes a difference.”

“Halo customers are the most generous in the world,” says Yaskulka, Halo’s vice president of marketing communications. “They want the best for their pets, and for the less fortunate. We’re humbled by how our customers reward us with loyalty and with telling their friends.”

Please consider voting for us before the December 5 deadline by clicking here. By the way, you don’t have to vote in every category for your Halo vote to count. Winners will be announced on December 20.

Did you know that 5 extra pounds on a 12 pound Shih Tzu is like 58 extra pounds on a 140 pound woman? Or that if you feed a pig ear to a 40 pound dog it is the same as a person eating 2 double cheeseburgers as a treat in addition to their normal meals?

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I got this wonderful email from Thomas and Judith, whose beautiful German Shepherd Oscar had surgery on his hind leg, which went terribly wrong. I tried to give them support and suggestions through the medical management of the problem, and was so happy when I learned he had made a friend of a lonely donkey in a field who Oscar ran along aside at the fence to visit.

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