TORI VS TOY

As the Eukanuba challenge continues and is now in its third week, here’s what we’ve noticed:

• Tori appears to be slimming down somewhat! Her waistline is no longer expanding. We may just be winning in the battle of the bulge!
• She has more energy and seems more eager to go for her walks. She practically springs up in the morning!
• Her ears look healthy and clean and I’m confident Eukanuba is helping her to maintain her pearly whites.
• Her bowel movements are regular, she seems to have more stool since switching to the weight control formula.
• One thing is for sure, Tori has never had the freshest breath. Yet it seems to be improving with this Eukanuba formula!

Since we started this challenge I have been thinking of Tori’s diet and eating habits more like I do my own.  One morning this week, I put down Tori’s Eukanuba as I usually do. I noticed that within seconds Tori was actually snorting while she was eating.  She was eating so fast and furiously that she was making all kinds of piggy noises. 

This made me question whether she was really enjoying her meal?  We are all taught to take our time, chew for extended periods of time, and focus on our food so we can savor and enjoy then taste and ultimately feel satisfied and full.  Tori, on the other hand, was definitely not having that experience as she snorted up her food like a canine vacuum cleaner.

I started to think how I could make feeding time more of an experience for her with her quality Eukanuba food.   Then it dawned on me that there are many dog toys available that will slowly dispense food for dogs as they play with them.  Tori was never much of a toy-playing dog, so adding the food element would entice her to play as well as slow down her eating process.  She would also be stimulated mentally and physically while slowly completing her meal.   Great idea right?!  

Ok, so maybe we were expecting too much.  Don’t worry, we did take time to show her how to get the food.  After several minutes of her frustration and annoyed barking, we fed Tori with her regular bowl.   However, we are not giving up and will try again. Till next week!

ROUTINE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME (WEEK 2)

Week 2 and Tori's love of food and desire for her Eukanuba meals is particularly strong!

Being in the pet care industry for so many years, I have learned the importance of routine and that “being regular” is a good sign of health.  With a change in food, it is not uncommon for a dog to experience some issues.  I am happy to report that even after changing foods, Tori is still on a “regular schedule.” Her silky coat has been maintained, her appetite as big and enthusiastic as ever!

Routine is the name of the game.  Every morning, Tori waits for the light to go on  and the leash to click.  6:30am sharp we head out for our daily walk whether it's raining, snowing or the sun is shining (although it is pretty dark at 6:30am this time of the year).

We have a regular route and make stops at our favorite spots along the way.  There is one particular area where Tori loves to frolic. It is in a small patch of vines and pachysandra that I am sure other critters have visited, making the area quit enticing.

Once the walk and her “business” is taken care of, we head inside.  Tori performs her spirited dance, filled with not-so graceful spins and barks until her Eukanuba food drops in the bowl.  It takes her a very short time to eat every morsel. There are occasional snorting sounds and this morning I truly believe she licked the bowl!

Once she gobbles all her food up, it’s time to take a little break!  Tori heads right to the bedroom, jumps on the bed and cuddles up with the kids until the alarm goes off for school.

What a life….

TORI MORRIS TAKES ON THE EUKANUBA CHALLENGE

(Morris Animal Inn Vice President, Joanne Morris and her dog, Tori, take on the Eukanuba 28-Day Challenge.)

For more on why we are taking this challenge, read our first blog post on the topic.

We just completed Week 1 of our Eukanuba 28-day challenge.  I’m not sure that my seven-year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Tori felt it to be much of a challenge.  She has been eating some form of Eukanuba food since she was a wee puppy.  Tori LOVES food, so eating has never been a problem for her which is why we wanted to participate in order to try a new formula, specifically the Small Breed Weight Control.  As the New Year approached, we realized that our dear little King Charles was getting round in the middle.  We were all resolved to the fact that her purpose in life was to sit comfortably next to us on the couch so we can snuggle with her or eat!  It was time for a new mind set and a new Eukanuba formula for Tori.

Eukanuba's packaging is no doubt eye-catching. Colorful, bright and pink, somewhat reminscent of Pepto-Bismol, it does jump off the shelves attracting the average consumer with it's vibrancy and promise of "100% High Quality Nutrition."

Since Tori's love of food has contributed to her pudgy figure, we decided it was time to tackle the issue and start trimming her waist line. First off, I appreciated the fact that the food was less in fat and I have always been a fan of the dental benefit Eukanuba offers. The texture, appearance and smell was exactly what I expected from a Eukanuba product. There is no doubt Tori loved her new food! Just watch our video to see her dance around like a little ballerina!

Watch as Tori tries her new weight control Eukanuba dog food.

(When it comes to food, patience is not one of Tori's virtues.)

COULD YOUR LITTER BOX USE SOME HELP?

You love your cat but there is nothing worse than the odor of cat urine. Long ago, this issue did not plague households when the majority of domestic cats spent their days outside. However, we now know the results of allowing our cats to become outdoor roamers. These risks include getting hit by a car or breeding more offspring with other outdoor cats, thus producing a colony of feral cats and a vicious cycle. Luckily, the majority of today’s domesticated felines remain indoors, but so too does the pungent odor of their eliminations. What’s a cat lover to do? We have some litter box tips to share with you from a newsletter distributed by Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine Feline Health Center, entitled CatWatch.

What Causes the Smell?

You know that it is cat urine from the second it pierces your nasal passages. It is an unpleasant odor that seems to never go away. According to CatWatch, “the acrid, ammonia-like smell results from the bacterial breakdown of nitrogen-containing components in the urine once it is exposed to air." Yum.

The Invention of Kitty Litter

According to CatWatch, Edward Lowe developed the product, "Kitty Litter" 65 years ago. Before his invention, people would use sand or ashes which tended to leave tracks all over the house. To avoid tracks and a messy house, Lowe instituted the use of clay minerals, which clump.

Photo Courtesy of wolfsavard

Tips

-Use a litter box made of easy-to- wash plastic.

-Make sure the litter box is large enough for your cat to fully fit inside comfortably or they may reject the space. CatWatch suggests that it be at least 14 inches by 18 inches by four inches deep.

-Clean the litter box weekly with a water diluted solution of chlorine bleach.
-Avoid placing litter boxes where there is noise like next to the washing machine. Noise can make your cat nervous.

-If you have more than one cat, you need more than one litter box.

-To prevent the smell, scoop at least once a day.

-Though heavily perfumed litters may prevent the smell, it could also prevent your cat from using the litter box.

-If your cat continues to reject the litter box even after trying different litters, litter boxes, and the placement of the box, consult your veterinarian as it may be related to a health condition.

Do you have any litter box tips to share with us?