What's for Dinner?

If your dog or cat could talk, what do you think they would order for dinner?  Surely it wouldn’t be the same flavored bowl of kibble that they ate yesterday and the day before that.  Steak and eggs would be more like it.  

Your new favorite word - MIXOLOGY

Here at EarthWise Pet, our mission is to empower pet parents with the knowledge they need to make informed feeding choices that enhance their pets' overall health and well-being.

We also believe that food is a form of love and that you are what you eat. Just like humans require a diverse diet of fruits, vegetables, and proteins to stay healthy, our pets need the same to thrive.

In the wild, animals instinctively balance their nutrition by eating a variety of foods they catch, ensuring they are neither overexposed or underexposed to any single nutrient. However, when we provide our pets with the same food continuously, we risk creating imbalances in their diet.

Pets that eat the same food day after day without experiencing a varied diet may develop any number of health issues including:

• Food sensitivities 

• Lack of energy

• Allergies

• Skin and coat issues 

• Inflammation of joints

• Digestive issues

• Dental problems, including bad breath and teeth loss

• Breakdown in proper organ function

Let’s face it.  No one wants to eat the same thing every day.  If you did, just imagine how bored your taste buds would be and how sluggish your body would probably feel due to a lack of balanced nutrients.  So do your fur baby a favor and mix it up! 

What is Mixology?

While some may know the term mixology as the skill of mixing cocktails and other drinks, in the pet nutrition world, it is the concept of rotational feeding for your pets. Mixology provides a superior approach to feeding your pets by rotating various proteins, nutrients, and types of foods.

With Mixology, our goals are to:

• Put pets on a path to optimal health

• Keep pets interested in their meals

• Provide options for even the pickiest of eaters

• Help pets live happier, healthier lives

Our Fresh Food Philosophy

Incorporating freshness into your pets' diets is crucial. Different foods offer varying degrees of freshness, which can be gauged by their moisture content and their ability to retain raw nutrients.

 

Mixology encourages rotational feeding and incorporating freshness into your pet’s diet. If your pet currently eats only kibble, begin by gradually introducing canned or freeze-dried food to add moisture. You don’t need to switch entirely to raw or fresh food—adding a bit of fresh food over time can make a positive difference.

Don’t Be Afraid To Mix It Up

• Add different proteins and food types to promote a balanced and healthy diet

• Add canned food or a raw/freeze-dried topper to introduce new flavors and textures, as well as hydrate your pet

• Swap out a regular meal for a gently cooked meal pouch

• You can even mix proteins. Different proteins have warming, neutral and cooling effects.

• Toss in some warm bone broth or goat milk for additional variety and hydration benefits

• Feel free to toss in raw scraps and an occasional egg—shell and all—to add even more variety

The Art of Food Energetics

Food energetics is an age-old philosophy that suggests foods have cooling, warming, or neutral properties that influence your pet’s health and well-being. By choosing the right foods, you can help balance your pet’s body temperature and support their overall wellness.

• Cooling proteins are ideal for pets that are often warm, panting, thirsty, or experiencing dryness. They also benefit pets with allergies and inflammation.

• Warming proteins are suited for pets that are frequently cold, fatigued, or have a diminished appetite.

• Neutral proteins can be fed to pets at any time, helping to maintain overall balance in their body.

Another way to mix it up is to adjust your pet's diet according to the seasons: offer cooling proteins in the summer and warming proteins during the winter months. Varying proteins fits right in with the Mixology philosophy.

The Benefits of Mixology

• Minimizes allergies and reduces the risk of food sensitivities

• Increased energy, vitality and overall health of your pet

• Improved skin, coat, and vision

• Maintain a strong immune system

• Introducing new flavors and textures keeps even picky eaters engaged

• Fresher foods mean more moisture, which is optimal for organ function, overall health, and longevity

Ready To Mix-ology It Up?

Start by thinking about what new food types and proteins you want to start to include in your pet’s rotational feeding. Are you going to make the leap from kibble to freeze-dried and/or raw? Maybe adding some canned/wet food to your pet’s current kibble? 

Keep in mind that when transitioning your pet to a new food, it’s best to do so gradually. Normally we recommend completing the transition over a 7-day period slowly changing out the old food type(s) for the new. 

This will help to reduce any potential digestive issues that may occur with a protein and/or food type change. If your pet has a sensitive stomach or if you’re switching to grain-free food, consider extending the transition period over several weeks. 

You might also want to consider adding a digestive supplement such as pumpkin or probiotics to your pet’s meal during the transition.

Confused? Not sure where to start? 

With our pet nutrition certification program, we have the best trained staff in the market. You can be confident that our recommendations are scientifically backed and based on the latest pet nutrition research and information. 

Our natural pet food offerings are vetted extensively and all food products that we select for the store are meat-based and free of corn, wheat, soy and by-products. Our goal is to help you identify the most biologically appropriate foods for your pet.