I got some really cute pictures of Maxx from his mom Bunny who wanted to share just how much Maxx has fallen in love with The Honest Kitchen. This little guy is so quick his mom can hardly snap a picture quick enough to catch him!! Enjoy!
“I ordered from you about a month ago…And I told you that I was just visiting the US then and that I was bringing the food back home in the Philippines for my Chihuahua, Maxx. Well, I have been home maybe 3 weeks. Got settled in, caught up on work and finally got him to try the stuff I bought from you. I bought a box of Force, But I did get samples of everything else. I opted to try the small samples on him first and he loved it! I cant seem to be able to take a good picture of him fast enough because he is dancing excitedly eating it every time! But I did try and will keep trying to get better shots”.
I did promise to send you some pictures though, so here they are:
March 18, 2009
A Guest Post from Margarat Nee, Reiki Practitioner
Reiki (pronounced ray-kee) is an energetic healing method that is non-invasive, gentle, and relaxing. Reiki is a Japanese word that can be generally translated as “universal life energy” (you might already be familiar with the Chinese word Chi or Qi in this context). This healing energy does not originate with the practitioner, but is simply channeled through them.
Reiki can do no harm, and in fact the animal is allowed to choose how long to accept the healing energy offered. The deep relaxation that results allows the animal’s body to begin to heal itself, whether physically or emotionally. Reiki is ideal for animals that become very stressed with more direct bodywork such as acupressure. In fact, it is often done “hands-off” rather than “hands-on” because animals are much more sensitive to the energy.
Because Reiki is about offering healing energy rather than doing a physical manipulation like massage or acupressure it may look as though nothing is happening, It may look as though the practitioner is simply meditating, and in fact it is a little bit like meditating because the practitioner is creating a quiet healing space that the animal can choose to enter. One might imagine it’s as though the energy is radiating from the practitioner and the animal chooses how strong a signal to receive (like sitting around a campfire!).
If you’ve ever had Reiki yourself, you’ll assume that the same hand positions are used on animals, but in fact skin-to-skin contact is not the norm when offering Reiki to animals. Many animals prefer to have it done “hands-off,” and may even move further away from the practitioner when first being offered Reiki because they find this new energy flowing near them to be strange at first.
It’s essential that the animal be allowed this freedom to accept Reiki as it desires. Animals may not even look like they’re “getting it.” They may relax for five minutes then get up and stretch or walk around the room, changing position in the room and settling down again. They may yawn, lick, or just settle down for a nap. Often animals will take breaks, and this should not be seen as a failure but as a normal part of the process. Sometimes, over the course of a session and a series of sessions the animals may settle in for longer periods of time and get progressively closer to the practitioner, even offering specific part of their body for attention, but not doing so does not mean that they are not getting the full benefit of the treatment.
Reiki is often presented as flowing from the hands of the practitioner, but it really flows from the whole person. While some animals push their bodies into the hands of the practitioner others prefer to simply get the “spill-over” from a practitioner’s personal space. A good Reiki practitioner will just let the animal come into their space at whatever pace the animal is comfortable with.
You are welcome to be present with your animal during a session, but it’s important that you also set your own inner intention for healing your animal. You might meditate or lay down, but however you choose to be a part of the healing process it’s important to relax and let the Reiki be offered without worry or stress, even if the animal is having a health crisis. You may be inclined to interact with your pet, but we don’t want to distract them from their own healing process, so it’s best to just let them be. Quiet background music may help everyone relax and focus. Your other pets may wish to present as well to share in the Reiki energy, and that is fine.
Margarat Nee is a Reiki Practitioner who also specializes in nutritional consulting, flower essences, training and animal massage & bodywork. Learn more about Margarat’s work at http://theartofdog.com
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January 29, 2009
November 13, 2008
The holidays are coming and with them come tons of goodies. But what about some treats for our four-legged companions, well no fear try making them some of our Holiday Noshers! These unusual fruity, chewy treats make a great gift for your pup’s friends, too!
Holiday Noshers
Ingredients:
½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Egg
½ Cup Almond Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla essence (optional)
1 ¼ Cups warm water
½ Cup Thrive dog food from The Honest Kitchen www.thehonestkitchen.com
1 Cup Instant Oats
¼ Cup Dried Blueberries
What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, egg, almond butter, vanilla, and water.
In a second bowl, combine oats, Thrive and blueberries.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well.
Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead until thoroughly mixed together.
Roll out dough into ¼ inch thick and cut out shapes.
Place on a greased baking sheet and bake 45 minutes.
Cool on a rack before serving.
Store in a sealed container.
Makes 30 chewy treats
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March 26, 2008
We’ve all heard it, *Everything in moderation* but when it comes to grains (for our dogs) this is certainly the rule. Moderate amounts of whole, unrefined, low-gluten, grains can be beneficial for most dogs.
The opposite of unrefined would be Refined grains. During the milling process, the germ (nutrient-rich inner part) and bran (fiber-rich outer layer) of the kernel is removed, which is 90% of the nutritional content, such as B Vitamins, iron, Vitamin E, selenium and fiber. What remains is only the endosperm (starch), which increases the shelf life of the product. The germ and bran are what bugs go for first, so when this is removed, the grain is not as appealing. It would seem as though bugs are more intelligent than we are?
Grains also provide something called FSO, or “fructooligosaccharides” to help regulate the beneficial bacteria (normal and healthy micro flora) in the lower intestines and upper bowel.
Examples of Whole Grains that can be added to your dog’s meals are listed below: (Grains need to be cooked prior to feeding)
• Barley
• Bulgur
• Whole oats
• Quinoa
(more…)
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March 25, 2008
March 4, 2008
February 19, 2008
February 18, 2008
One of our *valued* customers Betty W. ask’s why Alfalfa in The Honest Kitchen’s Preference diet?!
“Hi,
I just got a travel packet of Preference and had not really paid much attention to ingredients when I ordered it because of
your reputation.
I was really surprised when Alfalfa was the first ingredient and must admit I’m a little reluctant to feed it to my dog — the deer, cows and rabbits are fine…but to a dog?
Please help me understand why alfalfa is good for a dog.
Thank you so much. Betty W.”
We thought you should all know the benefits of Alfalfa as well:
Alfalfa is considered a valuable herb for the musculoskeletal system, GI tract and liver. It is nutritive, anti-inflammatory and diuretic, and a rich source of protein as well as minerals and vitamins A, B1, B12, C, D, E and K.
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