News from The Organic Hound Co.

In light of all the recent dog food recall alerts released by Diamond Pet Foods, dog owners must be wondering how a company that touts their use of premium ingredients and the highest quality standards ended up in this position. While assessing the Diamond recall situation, it is important for us to take a step back and look at the whole picture of pet food manufacturing.

Back when the natural and organic pet food paradigm shift occurred in 2007/2008 in the pet industry, the focus - from consumers and manufacturers alike - was 100% on the quality of the ingredients used. But that is only half of the equation when it comes the commercial pet food industry. The other part of the equation is the production processes in place to create pet foods.

A company can use the best all natural or certified organic ingredients available, but if their production process is still below par, then quite honestly, the quality of ingredients doesn't matter so much. The point is that an organic ingredient and a conventional ingredient are both equally susceptible to contamination if processed by the same production method.

This conversation applies mostly to the big pet food companies that are extensions of the dominating food conglomerates. As John Sibley points out in this recent blog post, there is a whole underworld of pet food production that is not revealed to the average consumer. It involves contract manufacturers whose interests lie primarily in profits as opposed to quality. Basically for you, the consumer, this means what you see isn't always what you get.

Transparency in the pet food industry, and food industry, in general has been discussed at length as consumers demand more information about the foods they feed their pets. Our production process for our organic dog treats is vastly different and definitely on a smaller scale than large pet food companies, but that doesn't mean we take safety any less seriously.

We have spoken a lot about the high quality of the certified organic ingredients that go into our dog treats, but how are we any different than the big box companies if we fail to talk to our consumers about our production process? These things are true about how we create The Organic Hound Co. dog treats:

• We bake in small batches, which means about 400-500 treats per batch. That is typically enough to fill one case of our treats.
• Our shelf life, under normal storage conditions, is absolutely accurate. We conducted many tests to ensure that our treats will stay fresh for at least a year.
• Every ingredient we use and box of treats we package is carefully monitored through our lot number tracking system.
• The processing and packaging of our treats is done by hand, not machine. This means we inspect every single treat that get packaged and put on the shelf.

How is that for quality control?

Since pet industry professionals have all but exhausted the natural vs. organic vs. conventional discussion, it is time to mercilessly deconstruct another buzzword in the growing pet food segment: Human grade. What does it really mean for a pet food to be human grade? Is it really okay for humans to eat pet food!? These questions apparently were too tempting for one news reporter to ignore. BloombergBusinessweek contributor, Teddy Wayne decided to investigate gourmet pet foods with human grade label claims by tasting them, of course. I heard about this story via PetfoodIndustry.com, which always provides great (pet) food for thought.

Let's get one thing clear. Like many terms used on pet food packaging, "human grade" has no real legal definition in the pet food industry. Comforting, isn't it? Not so much. Unfortunately, this lack of label oversight once again creates a lot of room for companies to make less than true claims about their ingredients and production processes. What do you think of when you read the term human grade? To me it is simple. It means using food that you could and would be able to find in the common pantry. Things like flour, real meat, honey, peas, carrots, etc. Whole ingredients with real nutritional benefits - that is human grade. No elusive "natural flavoring" or animal by-products. It also means using production methods and adhering to cleanliness standards that would be acceptable for making food for human consumption.

In the world of pet food labeling, companies use the claim "human grade" to inform the consumer about the safety of the product in question. After all, if it is good enough for humans, how can it be harmful for pets? That is the idea behind the marketing, anyway. But just because some healthy pet foods are made with human grade ingredients does not mean that humans should be eating them! Teddy Wayne seemed to miss the mark on that concept, unless his entire article was meant to be facetious. It's difficult to say. Pairing gourmet pet foods with fine wines was a great use of hyperbole, but serves no real purpose in the context of assessing the value of different gourmet pet foods.

Who knows what Teddy Wayne's intentions were with his article in BloombergBusinessweek. Whether his article is sincere or not doesn't matter so much in the grand scheme of things. What does matter for you, the pet owner, is the fact that looking more closely at human grade label claims is becoming increasingly important. We encourage you to do your research, contact the company, ask questions and demand answers.

At The Organic Hound Co., we are proud to offer USDA certified organic dog treats. By making the effort to have our treats recognized by the USDA as certified organic, we don't have to spend any time defending our label claims. In fact, I would consider our organic certification the best marketing investment we have made so far!

Along with the unseasonably warm temperatures we experienced here in New Hampshire last week, we also saw some disgruntled office workers who would have rather been outside, flower and tree buds heeding the call from Mother Nature, and of course, the early arrival of tick season! If you haven't already, now is the time to call your dog's vet and stock up on flea and tick preventative.

The lack of significant snow accumulation this winter combined with the blast of warm temperatures lured all of the pesky summer critters out of their winter retreats, which means a long season ahead for ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes. Jess and I took advantage of the warm weather by romping around in the field last week with Oreo, a rescue pit mix. Little did we know, the ticks were all out enjoying the field too! I stood up after a brief wrestling session with Oreo and noticed a tick crawling up my arm. Not ten minutes later, I plucked another one off me. They didn't waste a moment!

We didn't have any more tick sightings after our play in the field, but it was an early reminder that we need to get all the dogs treated before letting them wander too far into the woods or tall grass. In order to minimize your dog's exposure to harmful diseases like Lyme disease and heartworm, it is a good idea to use a flea and tick preventative that also repels and kills mosquitoes.

There is no reason to avoid the outdoors this spring and summer. You can enjoy as many walks, hikes, swims, and jogs with your dog as you'd like, but just make sure you conduct regular flea and tick inspections on yourself and your dog after being outside. As long as you stay aware and keep your dog up to date on their flea and tick medication, you will have many adventure tales to share with your friends and family!

I am continually fascinated by dogs and their ability to learn new things and adapt to different situations. I stumbled upon a news article today in USA Today from last January that featured a woman suffering from a severe form of celiac disease and her dog - a 2 year old male Beauceron. The young woman can be sick for weeks if the slightest trace of gluten enters her body. So what does she do to ensure that she does not expose herself to gluten? She relies on Elias, her massive 100lb Beauceron, to detect gluten in foods for her. That's right - Elias is trained to sniff out gluten in products to protect her from experiencing painful gluten intolerance attacks on her system.

Because gluten comes in so many different forms and is widely used in a variety of products, both food and non food, it wasn't an easy task teaching Elias to detect all these different forms of gluten. But, sure enough, whenever this woman is about to eat anything she will let Elias have a good sniff of it first. Despite carefully scrutinizing labels, there is always a risk of cross-contamination if products are not manufactured in a dedicated gluten free facility. If the product is safe, Elias simply looks away. However, if he detects gluten in the product, he will pull the item away from her!

I just found this story so cool and amazing. It really proves there is no limit to what you can teach a dog to do. I had a similar feeling a couple of weeks ago when I was stopped at a traffic light at a fairly big intersection in Keene. As I waited for my light to change, a woman crossed the intersection with her seeing eye dog. I watched her approach the intersection and stop abruptly when her dog sat down because it was not their time to cross. Then, all of a sudden, the dog gently pulled her forward and they began to walk. The whole time they walked, the dog was turning his head from side to side, undoubtedly checking the intersection for oncoming cars. He knew that even though they had the right-of-way to walk across the street, it didn't necessarily mean that they were out of harm's way.

Seeing the complete trust this woman placed in her service dog was a truly incredible thing to witness. All dogs are special, but there is something about dogs trained to perform a particular task that is mind blowing. It really gives you an appreciation for just how intelligent and able these animals are. Do you know an amazing dog? We'd love to hear about it! Comment here or visit The Organic Hound Co.'s Facebook or Google+ page to tell us about an ordinary dog who performs extraordinary tasks on a daily basis.

It's almost difficult to picture a company's website, flyer, brochure, or even TV commercial without some reference to or mention of Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc. These things have become staples of marketing and advertising, and you have to ask what did companies do before social media mayhem hit the mainstream? Well, for one company - Krispy Kreme - it was simple: Make a good product and rely on your loyal customers to spread the word to their friends. Did you know that Krispy Kreme built up its iconic brand almost entirely on word-of-mouth marketing?

Perhaps the red neon "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign in the window of Krispy Kreme shops could be considered the first instance of viral marketing. I know I am not alone when I say I have made illegal U-turns all in the name of hot glazed doughnuts! While social media has taken the idea of word-of-mouth marketing and set it ablaze, I like the thought of companies basing their success on quality products, customer service and memorable experiences. Krispy Kreme has done just that. And while Dunkin Donuts might dominate the airwaves and the billboards, I argue that it is hard to compete with a hot glazed doughnut fresh from the oven.

Hot glazed doughnuts have nothing to do with dog treats, but Krispy Kreme's commitment to its mission has everything to do with running a good business, which is what we strive for with The Organic Hound Co. Being a small business means accomplishing a lot with very few resources. It is inspiring to read about a company like Krispy Kreme that grew mainly because people like them, their product, their atmosphere, and their brand. Certainly, a company that built a reputation on word-of-mouth has only benefited from social media, but on some level their social media presence is merely an extension of the marketing tool they helped to establish.

We depend a lot on word-of-mouth marketing (now if only the dogs could talk!), and while we may never reach the cult status of a company like Krispy Kreme, we are definitely grateful for the support we get from our customers. They may not realize how much they are helping our business when they recommend our organic dog treats to a friend, but I assure you that we recognize it, and appreciate it. We'll keep making healthy, high quality dog biscuits as long as people keeping spreading the word!

As the commercial pet food industry continues to humanize food and treats for dogs, it is important for dog owners to really understand what's necessary and what isn't when it comes to their dog's diet. While dog food products now contain many ingredients found in common human foods, dogs and humans don't always share the same nutritional needs. For this reason, we spent a lot of time researching each and every ingredient we decided to use in our organic dog treats. For us, it came down to one idea: balance.

Flour is the foundation of all dog treats, and if you have ever really looked, there are a lot of different flours for dog treat makers to choose from! Since flour comprises so much of the treat, it is important that this key dog treat ingredient is derived from wholesome sources. We chose oat and brown rice flours as the basis for our pumpkin ginger and peanut butter treats because of the superior health benefits associated with each. We could have easily stopped there, but because our intention was always to create a dog treat with exceptional nutritional qualities, we decided to add even more good stuff in the form of coconut flour.

What makes coconut flour so good for dogs? The best thing about coconut flour is all the dietary fiber it has to offer. The right amount of fiber in your dog's diet will contribute to optimal gastrointestinal health. Let's put it this way - fiber will keep your dog's system moving! Just make sure you don't over do it when it comes to dietary fiber in your dog's diet. While the positive benefits of fiber have been recognized by medical professionals in the pet industry, fiber is currently not considered an essential part of a dog's diet.

Another reason we love coconut flour so much is because it is 100% gluten free. This means that it is an exceptional food for dogs who struggle with a wheat allergy. As you know, a dog's system was not designed to process grains, which explains the recent emphasis on grain and gluten free diets. Introducing grains to commercial pet foods resulted in the discovery of gluten intolerance and grain sensitivity in dogs. In fact, grain allergies are one the leading causes of vet visits!

Finally, dogs seem to LOVE the taste of this mildly sweet flour. Aside from all the nutritional benefits of coconut flour, it adds a distinct, irresistible flavor to our pumpkin ginger and peanut butter flax dog treats.

We are running low on one of our favorite body products - Burt's Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey and Shea body butter. So naturally I went on to the Burt's Bees website to order some more. This is a product Jess introduced me to a couple of years ago and I instantly loved it - the texture, the scent, it all blended together to create an amazing body butter. I knew it was a wonderful product, so I was shocked to see such a poor user rating for the product on the site - 2 out of 5 stars, to be exact!
 
When I started reading the user reviews, I was even more surprised to see just how seriously people felt about this product. And what was the source of their contempt, you ask? Well, the customers were up in arms about the fact that Burt's Bees had changed the formula of their beloved honey and shea body butter, and then had the gall to call it a "new and improved" formula. At first I thought it was just a few disgruntled customers expressing dissatisfaction, but as I read on, I found every single review submitted for the product over the last 6 months or so was a negative one...I mean really negative. People were "disappointed" in the new product and most customers described it as "awful." Every single person conveyed the same message to Burt's Bees: why mess with a great product that people love?
 
Since no one from Burt's Bees has jumped on the forum yet to quell the customer uprising, we don't know exactly why the company decided to change the formula of this ever popular body butter. We can only speculate that it was a cost or sourcing issue - that would make the most sense, anyway. The fact that Burt's Bees is turning a deaf ear and blind eye to this topic of extreme customer concern is baffling to us.
 
Observing this entire body butter debacle on the Burt's Bees customer review forum brought some important issues to light for us; issues that are always present, but can sometimes get lost in the daily shuffle. I am referring to the mission and value statements established by most business owners in the very beginning. You know what I am talking about - the lofty statements that claim to never compromise quality for cost or customer satisfaction for a higher bottom line.
 
It seems as though as some businesses grow, so does the distance between their initial intent and their status quo. I can't even begin to imagine the types of challenges that accompany strong growth in business, but I also can't imagine sacrificing your ideals to achieve a certain status. I think Burt's Bees would have been better off discontinuing the product as opposed to upsetting a segment of their loyal customer base. That's just my opinion, though.
 
As we continue to try to establish The Organic Hound Co. as a leading manufacturer of organic dog treats, we try to remain aware [...]

A few months ago, one of our dogs, Lil Bear, was diagnosed with megaesophagus, a chronic condition in which the muscles of the esophagus can't effectively push food or water down to the stomach. Food and water that doesn't quite make it all the way down the hatch gets stuck in the dog's esophagus, causing the gag reflex to take over. The lodged food and water can't go down, so the only place for it to go is out...onto the floor. And sometimes, if you're really unlucky, onto your foot.

Trying to prevent Lil Bear from regurgitating her food and water requires constant vigilance throughout the day. Every time she eats or drinks, we have to make sure she is standing upright so that gravity can do its job and pull the food and water down into her belly. Try making a 120 lb dog stand on her hind legs several times a day - it's not an easy task.

Lil Bear eats two meals a day, consisting of tiny chunks of raw chicken and beef heart, two powder supplements, antacid pills to help her food breakdown quicker, and some slippery elm powder to help lubricate her throat. Thirty minutes before each meal, Lil gets two anti spasm pills, which seems to help her keep her meals down. You will know when Lil Bear is hungry because she will prop her front legs up on the kitchen stool and look around until someone gets the hint! It's actually pretty cute and quite amazing how she has associated standing on the chair with meal time.

As involved as meal times can be, food actually doesn't present too much of a problem for Lil Bear, thankfully. Where we really encounter issues is when she needs water, which happens a lot during the course of the day! Obviously this is something we cannot change, so we just have to patiently deal with it. There isn't an easy way to approach it. Lil Bear takes a drink of water and we have to encourage her to stand up on a bar stool in the kitchen until we think she has swallowed the water or she gets tired and jumps down from the stool. While we have never counted, I'd say we do that routine at least 20 times a day.

Caring for a dog with megaesophagus can be frustrating at times, I won't lie. Because some days, no matter how hard you try, you can't prevent the condition from winning. But despite the nagging inconveniences that Lil Bear deals with on a daily basis, she is the sweetest, happiest dog you will ever meet. Her tail is always wagging and she is full of love and sloppy wet kisses!

To learn more about megaesophagus, check out this very informative article: http://www.squidoo.com/Megaesphagus-Dog

It has been hard to ignore the media frenzy surrounding New York Knicks newest sensation, Jeremy Lin. And since we happen to be die hard Knicks fans, the excitement definitely isn't lost on us! If there is one thing that sports fans in the United States love more than a good rivalry, it is a great underdog story. In the last week and a half, Jeremy Lin has captured the attention of everyone with his tenacity on the court and his humility off the court.

We love basketball and we especially love Knicks basketball. We have always said that when we eventually outgrow our humble little bakery and move into a bigger warehouse space, we will have to put up a basketball hoop inside. That's just how it has to be! Right now, we are content to shoot tiny balls of left over dough into our metal trash can - one variation of the game we like to call "bakery ball."

While Jeremy Lin's story has been a great basketball fairytale, what I love about it even more is just how incredibly human the narrative is. A lot of critics and fans alike have brought up the race issue when it comes to Lin. On one hand, people say his talent was initially overlooked because he is Asian American. Some critics claim, on the other hand, the only reason he is getting so much attention is because of his race. I say if you strip all that away, you are left with an extremely talented basketball player, with an equally talented mind (Lin graduated from Harvard) who followed his dreams and never gave up. It has been electrifying and inspiring watching him take advantage of the opportunity he was given after injuries left the Knicks with a shallow pool of point guards.

I know Jeremy Lin and his recent success has nothing to do with dog treats, but it has everything to do with life. He went from sleeping on the couch in his brother's Lower East Side apartment to securing his $800,000 contract with the Knicks all in the span of a week. Talk about a whirlwind! He give us all hope that we can achieve whatever we set our hearts and our minds to. As a couple of women who went out on a limb to start an organic dog treat business, we certainly appreciate when stories like this emerge from (seemingly) out of nowhere.

Once thought of as a temporary trend in pet parenting, premium pet products have undoubtedly surpassed trend status and created a paradigm shift in the pet industry. The shift in the United States towards healthier pet products has been steadily rising since around 2007, when thousands of cases of tainted pet foods were reported by many popular companies. This event was an eye-opener for pet owners as well as the regulatory divisions of state and federal governments that oversee the production of commercial pet foods.

All of a sudden, consumers began questioning the origin of their pet foods, toys, and accessories. They started demanding answers and accountability. More importantly, they sought alternatives to the mass produced commercial pet foods that dominated the market. Combining the disillusionment felt by consumers with their desire to increase the quality of the pet products they provided their four legged friends set the stage for natural and organic pet products to enter the market and make a big impact.

Now, for every conventional pet product available, there is a healthier, natural, organic, or eco-friendly alternative. These premium alternatives come with a higher price tag, but it doesn't seem to matter much to pet parents. For whatever reason -whether it is to reduce their own carbon footprint or to provide their pets with healthy food and toy options - pet owners are content to pay a little more for higher quality items.

When we decided to enter the pet product industry with our certified organic dog treats, we didn't do so to be part of the gold rush. We established The Organic Hound Co. on principles that go beyond the bottom line. While we hoped pet owners would continue to recognize the value of high quality dog treats, we weren't entirely sure if the natural and organic pet market was approaching was going to burst at any moment. Time has proven that natural and organic products for pets are here to stay. This healthy lifestyle for dogs is becoming widely accepted as the norm and we are really proud to be a part of it.

As the benefits of feeding natural and organic food and treats become more known, we are interested in hearing why you all choose the healthy alternative for your pet. We encourage you to comment below and tell us your reasons for raising a natural or organic pet. We'd love to hear from you!