pet valu companion - winter 2010

INSIDELet the shopping begin›PAGE 11

Better Pet PicturesSave $$ in January...

Happy New Year

} Christmas with Pets p.30I saw the dog licking Santa! Fun on Christmas morning p.3

»Winter 2010 Your Pet. Your Life. Your Store

Pet Valu

6Safety tipS for Winter

Food Allergy? What YOU should know! Consider Your Nutrition OptionsWe’ve got

new food brands2

TIME FOR

A NEW PET?

read up on adoption

before you choose

2 Pet Valu Companion - Winter 2010

Did you know that 80% of dog parents and more than 60% of cat, bird and small animal parents bought a gift for their pet within the last year?* Likely you’re not surprised because you’re one of those people!

Pets have always been part of the family in my home, so it’s always felt natural to include them at Christmas. In this issue of Companion, we’ve created a 12-page Gift Guide to help you make the perfect choices for your pet’s gift this year. But be warned… you may have trouble picking just one or two of these fun, functional toys and treats.

We’ve also got great nutrition information, because a healthy and happy pet starts with great food. We’ve highlighted two brands newly available at your Pet Valu store, plus Dave Summers, our Animal Nutritionist, discusses food allergies and sensitivities.

Tips for winter pet safety are on p.23, and not a minute too early with snow and icy cold just around the corner. We look at adopting a new pet, which is a decision not to be taken lightly. We recommend not adopting for Christmas either. Turn to p.24 to find out why. Some Pet Sudoku for kids rounds out this super-sized Christmas issue. We hope you enjoy it.

And whether you celebrate with pet presents or not, Happy Holidays from Pet Valu.

Libbi Hoodeditor

EDITOR'S LETTER

editor Libbi Hood deSiGN Daniel Cullen CoNtributorS Leah Piltz Dave Summers, Ph.D. Julie Johnston Emily Richardson

CoNtaCtuSat:Pet Valu Companion

130 Royal Crest CourtMarkham, ON L3R 0A1

email:[email protected]

Product availability will vary by store location. Products may not be exactly as shown.

Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices listed are in effect until December 24, 2010 and

thereafter are subject to change without notice. Please note that the suggested retail prices referenced

in Companion magazine are merely suggestions and may differ in stores. ©2010 PET VALU

Your Pet.Your Life.Your Store

Pet Valu

3 NewinStore We can’t resist these holiday toys

4 Foodallergyvs.Sensitivity Doc looks at food allergies and what you can do

7 Go!Naturaldog&CatFood Examine 5 Features of this food – new to Pet Valu!

8 Nature’sVariety dog&CatFood Rotational feeding is part of this line – new to Pet Valu!

11 GiftGuide2010 12 pages of great ideas… who’s on your list?

23 6StepstoWinterSafety Brush up on healthy habits for cold weather

24 Petadoption What you need to think about before adopting

26 NaughtyofNice Treat your small pets with toys they need

27 Smile!PetPhotographytips Get some great shots this holiday season

28 Kid’Zone Pet Sudoku & Christmas Safety

30 ChristmaswithPets A look at the lighter side of celebrating with pets

31 JanuarySavings Come shopping in January to save some cash

inthisissue

®™ trademarks used under license.

*Source: American Pet Products Association (APPA); 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey.

p30pets &Christmas

p26Smallanimal toys

p24pet adoption

Winter 2010 - Pet Valu Companion 3

NEW IN STORE – CHRISTMAS EDITION!

Who Can Resist this

Holiday Fun?

Classic Squeakers A new squeaker toy on Christmas morn-ing is a tradition in countless canine homes – which of these cuties takes your fancy? The polar bear and reindeer are latex. The decorative bulbs, available in two sizes, are made of rubber.

Classic Rope A ‘twist’ on toys… an adorable snowman, penguin or candy cane made of rope and available exclusively at Pet Valu. More traditional red & white tug ropes will keep you and your dog busy post-Christmas! Or for champion tuggers, try the all-red version with a sisal inner layer for added toughness.

Adorable Catnip All cats are both naughty and nice, depending on the day. These stockings and Christmas balls with hints of catnip have got you cov-ered: naughty on one side, nice on the other.

PLUS!Check in-stores for rawhide, plush

(adorable stuffed toys, water-bottle crunchers and unstuffed floppers for dogs who like to shake ‘em!),

Christmas dog apparel, and a variety of stockings for when you can’t

make up your mind!

Organic Cotton New seasonally-themed SimplyFido toys. Feel good about giving your dog a plush toy made from organic cotton. The designs include a penguin (shown), a large reindeer and a smaller reindeer/rope combo for environmentally-conscious games of tug.

• Reindeer43053 $4.99

• Polar Bear43054 $5.99

• Large Bulb59593 - $11.99

• Snowman43058 - $9.99

• Medium Tug Rope53095 - $6.99

• SimplyFido49678 - $16.99

• Catnip52558 - $1.99

Allergy vs. Sensitivity The most common symptoms of a food allergy are: digestive problems including loose stools or chronic diarrhea; inflammation of the skin causing itching; hair loss; hot spots or chewing between the toes; runny eyes; or ear infections. A food allergy is an immune response, most often to a protein from a particular ingredient in the food. The recom-mended treatment for a food allergy is to switch to a food with a limited number of protein-containing in-gredients, and to ensure the protein ingredients in it are different from those in the previous food.

A food sensitivity is defined as an adverse reaction to any food sub-stance. The most common symptoms of a food sensitivity are: digestive problems including loose stools or chronic diarrhea; inflammation of the skin causing itching, hair loss, hot spots, or chewing between the toes; runny eyes; or ear infections. The recommended treatment for a food sensitivity is to switch to a food with a limited number of ingredients, and to ensure as many of the ingre-dients as possible in it are different from those in the previous food.

As I’m sure you noticed, the symp-toms and the treatment of a food allergy and a food sensitivity have a lot in common! There are differences between a food allergy and a food sensitivity that are of importance and of interest to a veterinarian or a scientist, but to you and your pet, do the differences really matter? Prob-ably not.

For too long I’ve felt the advice given to pet owners has concentrated

too much on protein because of its association with a food allergy. Looking at alternative foods from a food-sensitivity standpoint can help solve more of the previously perceived food-allergy problems. The only difference is a food allergy concentrates on changing the protein ingredients in the food and a food sensitivity concentrates on changing all the ingredients in the food.

Where to start? First, you need to know all the ingre-dients your pet has been consuming, including those in its food, treats and supplemental foods. Next, you have to look for alternative foods that have different ingredients than those in the foods and treats you were previously feeding.

Trying to change all the ingredients does pose a problem because so many of the minor inclusion or low addition rate ingredients, such as vitamins, are common to most foods. The most practical solution is to first concen-trate on changing the major ingredi-ents. In most foods this would mean all the ingredients that come before salt in the ingredient list.

Switching to foods with a limited number of major ingredients is favored because having fewer ingre-dients means there is less chance of having the offending ingredient or ingredients in the new food. There are many good limited-ingredient foods at veterinarian clinics and specialty pet food stores like Pet Valu. The most appropriate single food is one sold by veterinarians that uses a hydrolyzed protein as its only protein source. The advantage of

PET NUTRITION


Food Allergy vs. Food Sensitivity?How can you tell the difference – and does it really matter anyway?by Dave summers, Ph.D.

Although the incidence of food allergies in dogs and cats is statistically

low, a growing number of pets seem to be developing problems that correct

with a change in diet. Let’s look into what you should be watching for and

your best solutions.

using a hydrolyzed protein is that the body can not have an immune reac-tion to it, and therefore if the problem was a food allergy, these foods have the greatest chance of being the solu-tion. Some people wonder if they have to keep their pet on these rather puri-fied foods for the rest of their pet’s life. The answer is really a choice. You can continue to feed a hydrolyzed protein food, or you can use the food to help learn, through trial and error, what other food ingredients can be safely added back to your pet’s diet.

There are also canned foods which have very limited ingredient lists. Generally these foods are made from a one-meat ingredient with added vitamins and minerals. Like the hy-drolyzed protein food, these canned foods can be used as a permanent solution or as stepping stone to deter-mining what other foods that will provide solutions for the pet.

There are also many dry and canned foods that have limited and/or novel ingredients such as duck, rabbit or bison which you can try. The advantage of these foods is they are not as purified and offer a wider choice of products that will potentially alleviate the problem. Included in these potential foods are many of the grain-free dry foods which have alternative carbohydrate sources. In addition, some of the grain-free foods have a limited ingre-dient list and novel protein sources.

You should consider all foods that have different ingredients than the food, or foods, you were previously feeding. This could include raw foods or a limited-ingredient home-prepared diet for which you have complete

control over ingredients used. But to make your own pet food, you will need to take the time to learn how to properly formulate and prepare a balanced, nutritious diet for your pet that includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals for a healthy system. It’s not a step to be taken lightly, as several foods, such as onions, can be toxic to dogs and cats despite being healthy for humans.

How to Test?After selecting an alternative food, the next step is to feed it and see what happens. Sounds simple, and it is simple, but it requires patience. Results could appear within days for digestive problems, but it is more likely to take 4 to 8 weeks before a positive change can be seen, espe-cially if it is a skin condition. A good rule is to trial any new food at least 8 weeks unless you notice the problem is getting worse instead of better.

When you see one of the many symptoms of a food allergy or a sensitivity manifest in your pet, you shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that the problem is food-related. There are many other medical and envi-ronmental reasons which could lead to similar symptoms, so in addition to considering alternative foods you should have a veterinarian examine your pet to rule out other causes.

If you do suspect a food-related cause, stop and think about what your pet has been eating. Do the symptoms appear to be one associated with food

allergy/sensitivity and they also haven’t responded to typical medical treatment? In that case, they might be an allergy or food sensitivity. If you have questions or want to learn more about food-related issues, talk to a pet specialist at your local Pet Valu store.

Because regardless of how many pets are proven to have food allergies – and the percentage is surprisingly low – what really mat-ters is how your pet is performing on the food you’re providing.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Dr. Dave summers, Pet Valu Nutritionist, holds a Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from the University of Edmonton. Dave has worked in the pet industry for 25 years, developing innovative pet foods and consulting about pet nutrition. As a Nutritionist and also as a pet parent to 2-year-old Pug-Tzsu “Bailey,” pets come first to Dave.

PET NUTRITION


It can take 4 to 8 weeks to

see results from a new food!

There are differences between a food allergy and a food sensitivity that are of importance and of interest to a veterinarian or a scientist, but to you and your pet, do the differences really matter? Probably not.

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THE DIFFERENCE IS Delicious.

A pet food fi rst for Canadian dogs!

PRO PLAN® Shredded Blend – the fi rst multi-textured combination of crunchy kibble and tender shredded

pieces – complete nutrition with an exceptional taste experience your dog will love, or your money back.

• Strong immune system• Strong, firm muscles and energy• Strong bones, joints and teeth• Healthy digestion• Healthy heart• Bright, healthy eyes • Soft, shiny coat

WHY IS A HIGH PROTEIN DIET IMPORTANT FOR CATS?

As strict carnivores, cats metabolize high levels of protein more efficiently and require lower levels of carbohydrates. High levels of protein are necessary for:

PRO PLAN® DRY CAT FORMULAS CONTAIN 40%

OR MORE PROTEIN.

10914_PPCat_Dog_PetValu_Ad.indd 1 20/10/10 4:14 PM


PET NUTRITION

Go! Natural pet food is produced to provide you, the consumer, with “5 Significant Performance

Features.” › High quality ingredients: the food is produced with government certified, high quality ingredients including fruits and vegetables (instead of wheat and corn) and hormone free, grain fed chicken and west coast salmon. › Nutrient Density: with up to 50% more concen-trated meat protein, Go! Natural kibble is designed to meet your pet’s daily energy requirements using a smaller quantity of food (you can feed “up to 40% less,” according to the company literature). Another promised benefit is smaller, firmer stools – a plus for any dog or cat owner! › One food for one life: the food is designed for all pets, at all stages of their lives. › Specific Solutions: many of the Go! Natural pet foods are specifically formulated to meet the needs of your dog or cat. Whether your pet is underweight, a finicky eater or if your dog has allergies, Go! Natural has a food that will help (see the listing of formulas on the right for more details). › Quality Assurance: Finally, Petcurean Pet Nutrition, the makers of Go! Natural, promises strict food safety measures at government approved and audited facilities to ensure their foods are always healthy and safe for your pet.

Chicken, Fruit & vegetable- Also in canned formula

Great for all dogs, including Performance Dogs and those that are Underweight

• “up to 50% more meat” • A wide range of nutrient-dense ingredients to provide

well-rounded nutrition for life. Ingredients include chicken, brown rice, oatmeal, salmon meal, egg, potato, apples, carrots, cranberries

Duck Formula Allergies • Rotation Formula - great option to switch to and provide variety in your dog‘s diet

• Duck is the first and only meat protein source• Oatmeal and whole oats support skin health• Novel ingredietns: Quinoa and Kamut Flakes• Standard list of Holistic ‘Nos’: No Wheat, Corn,

Soy, artificial colors or flavors, animal by-products, beef, chicken,

• Also no egg

Grain Free endurance Formula (Turkey, Chicken and Duck)- Also in canned formula

AllergiesFinicky EaterPerformance Dog

• 70% meats and 0% grains• Contains turkey, chicken, salmon, duck• Slow cooked at low temperatures to preserve

maximum nutrients• Doesn’t have high levels of protein and fat found in

some grain free diets• Grain Free diets with safe, appropriate levels

of protein and fat may be right for your dog in situations where: 1.You suspect a grain allergy 2.You are concerned about food recalls involving

toxins in grains 3.Your dog is active, on the go and sustaining long

periods of activity (Endurance)

salmon & Oatmeal- Salmon formula in canned- Freshwater Trout in canned - Grain Free in canned

Allergies • Innovative diet with 25% Salmon - plus contains only• 1 Novel Protein Source • 1 Novel Carbohydrate Source • 1 Novel Oil Source • Salmon and oatmeal both great for soothing and

benefiting skin and coat

Chicken, Fruit & vegetable - Chicken & Vegetable in canned- Salmon & Vegetable in canned

Underweight CatsConditioning

• A wide range of nutrient-dense ingredients to provide well rounded nutrition for life

• Chicken, brown rice, oatmeal, salmon, apples, carrots, potato, cranberries, egg

Chicken, Turkey & Duck - Grain Free- Also in canned food

Finicky Eater • 80% meat - with chicken, turkey, duck, & salmon too • Grain Free• Unexpected ingredients like banana, broccoli, lentil

beans, cottage cheese, pumpkin• Slow cooked at low temperatures to preserve

maximum nutrients

Freshwater Trout - Grain Free - Also in canned food

Finicky Eater • 80% meat, 0% grains• Trout, herring, salmon

DOG FORMULAS

Go! NaturalDog & Cat Food

New to Pet Valu stores, Go! Natural pet foods could

be just the solution you’ve been looking for.

by lIbbI hOOD

CAT FORMULAS

Pick up a product brochure in store to learn the

specifics of each Go! Natural formula.

Your Pet Valu store now carries a wide selection of Nature’s Variety dog and cat foods. This range of foods, including dry kibble in holistic and

grain-free formulas, canned food in holistic meaty loaf, Homestyle and grain-free, plus treats. A small but growing percentage of stores also carry Nature’s Variety raw foods.

This line-up is a bit different from other pet food lines. It’s developed to mix and match flavors and forms (dry, wet or raw), without the need to transition every time a change is made. If you’re a pet parent who doesn’t want to feed the same food all the time, you’ll want to read on to learn about the benefits of Nature’s Variety.

Wholesome Prairie LineThe Prairie line-up of pet foods promises “Pure, Authentic Nutrition for Dogs and Cats.” These are holistic foods, created without corn, wheat or soy, and including quality meat, poultry or fish protein, hearty whole grains and healthy fruits and vegetables.

Prairie dry kibble foods are tasty by nature of the ingredients used to create them. For example, the first five ingredients in the Lamb Meal & Oatmeal Medley cat food are lamb meal, canola oil, oatmeal, brown rice, and flaxseed. Plus it includes freeze dried lamb heart, broccoli, spinach, salmon oil, blueberries, alfalfa sprouts, duck eggs, quail eggs and butternut squash. Similar hearty and varied ingredients go into the dry dog foods, including the unique New Zealand Venison Meal & Millet Medley.

In addition, the dry kibble is covered with an exclusive freeze dried raw coating to further enhance the flavor and nutrition of the food. See Raw Bio-Coating (page 10) for more details about this freeze dried enhancement.

The canned dog and cat foods are available in a Homestyle stew format, plus the dog foods are also available in a traditional meaty loaf. Each canned food is more than 85% meat, plus fruit, vegetables, vitamins and minerals. Both formats are suitable as a meal in itself or as a topper to dry food for an extra treat.

Each dog and cat food, whether raw, meaty loaves or stew in cans, or dry kibble, are complete and balanced for all life stages and all breeds. This means you can feed just the one food and your pet will receive all the nutrients required to lead a healthy life. But with Nature’s Variety, every food is specially formulated for rotation feeding so your pet doesn’t have to eat the same thing every day.

PET NUTRITION


Why Include Freeze-Dried Rabbit Bone?The Nature’s Variety website explains this ingredient best: “Freeze dried ground rabbit bone is an excellent source of minerals, essential fatty acids, proteins, and enzymes, and has always been an important part of a dog and cat’s natural diet. Bone contains calcium and phosphorus in the correct ratio and is the most bio-available source. It is also a significant source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin, naturally occurring compounds associated with joint health. The bone has undergone the natural freeze drying process. Freeze drying is a food preser-vation process that requires no chemicals or additives and effec-tively retains the nutritional value, color, flavor and cellular structure of the food. It is a process whereby frozen food is placed under a vacuum and water sublimated off.”

Chicken and lamb bones are in-cluded in various formulas for the same healthy, natural reasons.

Nature’s Variety Dog & Cat FoodIntroducing a new line of dog and cat food, holistic in nature and designed to offer your pet variety with ease. by libbi hood

Grain-free Instinct LineThe Instinct lineup promises “Pure, Instinctive Nutrition,” as it’s your pet’s instinctive nature to eat more meat, poultry or fish protein and no grain. Each formula is both grain-free and gluten-free, which may help provide relief from the symptoms of food allergies or sensitivities. The unique proteins will help too, such as Rabbit Meal and Duck Meal formulas.

To help you see exactly what you’re getting with Instinct foods, the front panel packaging clearly states the percentages of ingredient groups. For ex-ample, the Rabbit Meal Formula for dogs includes 70% Pure Animal Ingredients and Nutritious Oils, 30% Vegetables and Fruits, fortified with Vitamins and Chelated Minerals, and 0% Grain, Gluten and Potato.

Without potato as the traditional non-grain carbohydrate, what’s included in its place? The answer is: tapioca! All In-stinct dry formulas use tapioca as their main carbohydrate, providing the energy your dog or cat needs while minimiz-ing the chance of sensitivities by using a hypoallergenic starch. Other ingredients in the dried foods may include salmon meal, pumpkinseeds, sun-cured alfalfa meal, freeze dried pork liver and heart, and freeze dried ground rabbit bone. For an explanation of why bones are included in your pet’s food, as well as why some ingredients are freeze dried, see “Why Include Freeze Dried Rabbit Bone?” (p.8).

As with the Prairie line, Instinct dry kibble features the freeze dried raw coating exclusive to Nature’s Variety.

Instinct canned foods are 95% meat (in-cluding liver) and 5% fruits, vegetables and other wholesome ingredients like ground flaxseeds, vitamins and minerals. They are complete and balanced, like all Nature’s Variety foods. Both the canned and dry foods are specially formulated for rotation feeding too.

PET NUTRITION


Instinct formulas feature the unique

carbohydrate tapioca, minimizing the chance

of food sensitivities.

Why Put Clay in Pet Food?It’s true! Nature’s Variety dry and canned foods include montmoril-lonite clay. This is another unique and beneficial ingredient that you don’t see in every pet food. The Nature’s Variety website states: “Montmorillonite is a clay that is primarily colloidal silicate, which contains over 50 ultra-trace mineral compounds including Antimony, Barium, Beryllium, Boron, Bromine, Cadmium, Carbon, Cerium, Cesium, Chloride, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Dysprosium, Fluoride, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Iodine, Lanthanum, Lithium, Manganese, Neodymium, Nickel, Phosphorus, Rhenium, Rubidium, Samarium, Scandium, Silicon, Silver, Strontium, Sulfur, Tellurium, Thallium, Thorium, Tin, Titanium, Vanadium, Ytterbium, Yttrium, Zinc, and Zirconium. Feed studies by the Veterinary Medical Diag-nostics Laboratory at Texas A&M University have shown that Mont-morillonite clays can sequester (bind) aflatoxins contained in grains and oilseeds.”

TreatsAs part of their full line-up, Nature’s Variety offers two forms of treats. Instinct freeze dried treats are shelf-stable raw food that doesn’t need to be frozen. These highly palatable and nutritious treats, in four flavors including venison and chicken formulas, are suitable for both dogs and cats and provide all the natural goodness and taste of raw food.

Instinct also has a line of bone-shaped dog biscuits that are both grain- and gluten-free, and fortified with beneficial microorganisms for intestinal health. Wholesome flavors include Duck Meal, Sweet Potatoes and Cinnamon, or Rabbit Meal, Apples and Ginger. (continued on page 10)

Rotation DietThe basic idea of a rotation diet is that consuming a variety of foods – meats, fruits, vegetables, etc. – will provide a wider variety of nutrient sources, and therefore greater overall well being. This applies to both people and pets.

All Nature’s Variety foods, including dry kibble, canned foods, raw diets and treats, are specially formulated for rotation feeding. This allows you to easily vary the proteins (rabbit, venison, chicken, duck, beef, lamb or fish) as well as the ‘form’ of food – kibble for convenience and ‘crunch,’ cans or raw for a differ-ent texture and increased water intake. Because the foods are meant to be combined, there is less chance of the stomach upset and diarrhea that often accompa-nies a change in your pet’s food.

The benefits of rotation feeding include:• arobustGItractabletotolerate

change for fewer incidences of stomach upset

• increasedwaterintake,akey to maintaining urinary health

• reducedpickinessasyour pet won’t be accustomed to only one food

PET NUTRITION


All Nature's Variety dry kibble formulas include a

freeze dried raw coating for the benefits of raw. Raw Bio-Coating

Nature’s Variety offers both frozen and freeze dried raw food as part of its overall feeding program. They also use the freeze dried raw food as a coating on all Instinct and Prairie kibble. This Bio-Coating provides some of the benefits of feeding raw food with the convenience of feeding dry kibble. But if the coat-ing is made of raw food, is it safe? With Nature’s Variety, the answer is yes.

Nature’s Variety uses high pressure processing (HPP), a unique food safety process, to kill harmful bacteria includ-ing salmonella and e. coli 0157:H7 while preserving the beneficial characteristics of raw food. This process is 100% natural and is recognized by both the FDA and USDA as an anti-pathogen treatment. HPP has its basis in nature: it was discovered that harmful bacteria cannot survive at deep sea levels, where there is high water pressure. It’s a cold process, leaving all the best parts of the food intact. This includes the antioxidants, healthy oils, food enzymes, phytonutrients and living beneficial microorganisms. Nature’s Variety is one of the few raw food manufacturers – and the only one currently available in Canada – using this process to ensure their raw foods are free of harmful bacteria and completely safe for humans to handle.

Adding a raw food to your pet’s diet, whether in a rotation of pet foods or through the Bio-Coating on Instinct and Prairie kibble, helps to provide your dog or cat with the nutrition they evolved with. In the wild the ancestors of dogs and cats would have eaten mostly fresh, raw meat, with organs and bones, and a small percentage of fruits and vegetables. They would not have eaten a diet high in carbohydrates from excessive grain or starchy vegetables.

Cooking food (including dry and canned pet foods) can modify the bio-chemical properties of the ingredients or destroy vital nutrients. In raw diets the proteins, natural vitamins and minerals are intact and more bio-available, meaning your pet can digest them better and enjoy greater benefit from them. Plus, Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Diets is the only line of raw pet foods to contain diets which have passed AAFCO Protocol Feeding Trials, mean-ing they are scientifically proven to be complete and balanced for your pet. AAFCO feeding trials is one of the standards by which dry and canned pet foods are measured.

Approximately 20% of Pet Valu stores currently sell raw food – some offer Nature’s Variety and some offer other brands. As you consider changing to raw food or adding some to your pet’s diet, for all the benefits listed above, watch for it in your local Pet Valu store.

Approximately 20% of Pet Valu stores currently

sell raw food. Watch for it at your local store and consider adding the benefits of raw food to

your pet's diet.


Who's On Your List

this Year?

Your Pet Valu

Shopping Guide

2010

Not all products will be in all stores. Most can be easily special ordered. 12 Pet Valu Companion - Winter 2010

ANGEL COLLARSReal leather collars with studs – for your

dog’s tough image! 14" 46106 $17.99

mEGALASt LONG dOGThe name says it: long lasting chew in a long

shape too! Asst colors. 53058 $9.99

tUFFY SOFt tOYSSoft play toys with 4 layers of material

for ‘tuff-ness’. 52565 $29.99

JOLLY tUGDurable tug toy with a squeak that motivates your big dog to keep tugging. 48809 $19.99

BOwSER RECtANGLE BEdMosaic pattern bed – large size –

is ideal for your big dog. 53488 $99.99

dYNOBONEGiant cow bone for a naturally good time –

chew on that! 54176 $19.99

KNOttIES mOOSEMultiple layers resist tearing. Also bunny, raccoon,

skunk & octopus. 43235-9 $19.99

KONG GENIUSStuffable, problem-solving fun from

a brand you trust. 53045-8 $11.99-14.99

INVINCIBLE GREEN SNAKEIdeal for strong chewers, with squeakers that last.

52534-5 $11.99-17.99

Whether little or large, if your dog has a big presence, he’ll love this stuff!

Tough Dogpet valu SHOppING GuIde 2010

Fun & Funky

Winter 2010 - Pet Valu Companion 13Not all products will be in all stores. Most can be easily special ordered.

YEOwww! StINKY SARdINESThree organic catnip fishies in a traditional

slide-top tin. 52456 $12.99

LAtEX "BALLOON" tOYSIrresistible! Look for the duck, monkey,

bull & more. 52845-9 52894-8 $4.99

SALSA mONStERSFuzzy, funny monster toys have squeakers too.

Asst. colors. 43194 $19.99

StONEwARE dOG & CAt BOwLSNew designs make meal time fun!

Dishwsher safe. 59992-3 $5.99

SUpERSwOOpERElectronic ball dips and swings its feathers

around your cat. 52699 $24.99

GUmBY ANd pOKEY tOYSIconic characters are as much for your enjoyment as

your dog's! 52478-9 $7.99

wILEY tUG, tOSS & pLAYRubber balls and super-strong straps for endless enjoyment. 53077-9 $8.99-19.99

FUNNY-SHApE CAt SCRAtCHERSCheese, whale or fish – 100% recycled materials & includes organic catnip! 75191-3 $17.99-27.99

If your gift-choosing radar is more offbeat than other pet parents, you’ll love these fun & funky choices for cats and dogs.

pet valu SHOppING

GuIde 2010

HAmBURGER COmBO CHEwAdorable small animal chew with wooden

burger & crispy loofah bites too. 42075 $3.99


FURmINAtOR dELUXE Truly the best-of-the-best in de-shedding tools.

Asst sizes. 63116-8 $52.99-74.99

StONEwARE dOG BOwLSNew designs make meal time fun!

Dishwasher safe. 59994-5 $12.99-14.99

StAINLESS StEEL FOUNtAINAppealing design that entices pets with fresh,

moving water. 59996 $59.99

NYLON COLLARSClassic nylon collars in varied colors and sizes.

Selection will vary by store.

EVERYdAY ISLE OF dOGSShampoo, conditioners & revolutionary odor-

neutralizing sprays for your dog & home. 63221-31 $12.99

CHOCOLAtE BONES dONUt BEdBestselling ‘bones’ pattern on a high-quality

Bowser bed. 59201-4 $79.99-139.99

NINA OttOSSON dOG BRICK‘Puzzle’ toys that challenge your dog to find treats.

49107 $49.99

FOUFOU dOG SwEAtER COAtIn teal or red, with detachable

hood & fleece lining. 59161-5 $39.99

pEtLINKS dREAm CURLGorgeous, multi-texture scratcher in a fun shape.

75442 $34.99

If only the best will do for your smart, beautiful dog or cat, look no further for great gift ideas.

Pampered Petpet valu SHOppING GuIde 2010

Not all products will be in all stores. Most can be easily special ordered.


RUFFwEAR GRIp tREX BOOtSRugged high-grip sole and mesh upper with

Sure Cinch closure. 61801-9 $59.99

SOFt-FLEX VINYL tOYSSoft yet durable vinyl toy with molded-in

squeaker for safety. 53361-5 $7.99

dR. mAGGIE pAw pROtECtORWhen active dogs need TLC, try easy-to-use

paw protector. 79206 $17.99

wESt pAw dESIGN ZISCZogoflex material is soft on your dog’s mouth

but withstands daily play. 52625 $17.99

100% NAtURAL ROpE tOYSFour different shapes of jute & cotton mix tug toys.

42881-4 $9.99-12.99

RC wESt COASt COAtNo cutesy features, just warmth & protection

for busy dogs. 62535 $42.99-54.99

CHUCK-It LAUNCHERClassic. You and your dog know what to do.

49184 $17.99

pLANEt dOG SpORtS BALLSDo you play? Soccer, football & tennis ball

chew toys go the distance. 53036-8 $10.99-18.99

dEER ANtLER CHEwSNaturally-shed antlers are long-lasting chews

with no odor! 56281-8 $11.99-24.99

Great gift ideas for dogs that like to run, tug, fetch and play. If your dog’s on the move, he or she will love these options.

Active Dogpet valu

SHOppING GuIde 2010



Claudia’s Canine CuisineGorgeous gourmet cookies made for dogs.

Selection will vary by store.

northern BisCuit Tasty, crunchy, all-natural biscuits.

Choose from a multitude of flavors. 28720 $6.79

Wellness WellBarsWholesome, oven-baked snacks are

wheat-free. 30300-3 $9.99

nature’s Variety instinCt BisCuitsCute bone-shaped biscuits are grain-free.

29942-4,7 $6.49

trailMix for dogsPureBites freeze-dried trail mix with liver, green

bean and sweet potato. 55385 $5.49

zuke's Mini naturalsHealthy, all-natural moist dog treats.

Made in the U.S.A. 56924 $5.99

ClassiC freeze-dried liVerBenny Bully’s original liver is loved by dogs

everywhere. 57724 $6.99

Wagatha’s organiC dog treatsGourmet biscuits in great flavors for Bedtime,

Breakfast and more. 30495-9, 30501 $9.99

Everyone needs treats at Christmas time – even your pets. Choose from biscuits, bones, cookies, and even salad bowls for your small animals.

Treatspet valu SHOppING GuIde 2010

PerforMatrin ultra BisCuitsThree flavors of holistic treats: Peanut Butter,

Fieldberry or Salmon. 30010 $8.99

NOTETreat images are not to scale!



Peter’s raBBit salad BoWlEdible woven grass bowl packed with Timothy Hay

and dried fruits. 74053 $5.99

yogurt diPPed Bird treatsColorful treats offer extreme flavors, real fruit

pieces and yogurt coating. 42336,8 $4.49

Buddy BisCuitsAdorable biscuits in chicken, PB or sweet potato.

Also available in Soft & Chewy. 30454-9 $7.99

sMall aniMal healthy Bits A snack of fruit, nuts and seeds for rabbits,

guinea pigs and chinchillas. 50897 $5.99

feline greeniesDental treats to clean teeth and freshen breath.

Taste great too! 56242-6 $3.29

eCotrition Veggie PuffsColored puffs give your small animal a

crunchy treat. 50250 $5.49

teMPtationsClassic treat every cat adores.

Multiple flavors available. 57463 $1.99

Pet greensGrain-free, holistic, wheat grass treats made for

dogs and cats. 30475-9, 30502-5, $4.99-12.99

pet valu SHOppING

GuIde 2010

noW! Cat treatsGrain-free, holistic treats made with deboned

turkey, duck and salmon. 56232 $2.99



Cat CollarsGo eco-friendly with super-soft, 100% soy

fiber collars. 42454-7 $9.99

Catit Cat fountain Moving water is irresistible to cats

& drinking water is healthy. 52605 $54.99

CatniP CoVeruP BedFeline hideaway includes a catnip pouch

& organic catnip. 58346 $34.99

JeePers CreePers ratLarge, 8” rat comes with premium catnip.

Your cats will flip! 53012 $8.99

Petstages Cheese ChaseInner and outer ball tracks, plus a catnip

mouse on a spring. 52872 $22.99

kong Wild tailsThe long, feathery tail entices your cat to play.

43103 $4.49

roPe around sCratCherHanging scratchers are effective, attractive

and easily portable. 56429 $12.99

tWinkle tWistyMouseStretchy-spring mouse lights up and squeaks

for nighttime play. 51771 $6.99

Ball of furry furyThe ball rolls, the mouse squeaks…

the chase is on. 52377 $9.99

Finicky cats demand only the coolest pet products. Toys, beds and scratchers that look and feel great.

Feline Friendlypet valu SHOppING GuIde 2010



shred-x Bird toyZoo-Max bird toys provide healthy

shredding options. 41416 $4.99

PetVille skyWheelAn exercise wheel ‘in the sky’ for your favorite small animal. 74293 $44.99

zoo-Max sPirale Multiple textures for exercise and lots of rope

for natural preening activity. 41417 $10.99

PetVille PlazaYour hamster or mouse can have this home that even humans will envy. 74292 $38.99

run aBout BallFun & exercise for your pet, entertainment for you!

42113 $10.99

snak shak aCtiVity logIt’s a 100% edible chew treat plus a natural

rodent hide away. sm. 50564 $9.99

toys froM treesFruit-shaped, all natural small animal

chews made of wood. 74892-6 $2.99-5.99

shred-x sliCeA 12” tower of colored wood and

shreddable cardboard. 41419 $6.99

Beautiful Betta BoWlThis desktop aquarium includes a glass bowl

and LED light. 70965 $16.99

You’ll find fun, homes and snacks for birds, bettas, rabbits, hamsters and more at Pet Valu stores.

Small & Feathered Friendspet valu

SHOppING GuIde 2010



eCo-naP Plush PadsWashable beds with fabric made from post-

consumer recycled plastic. 59235-7 $49.99-79.99

yeoWWW! organiC CatniP aPPleHand-sewn in the USA and stuffed FULL of

premium, organically grown catnip. 52453 $8.99

siMPly fido organiC toysMade with certified organic cotton. Certified

non-toxic coloring. 49989 $18.99

Cheez-e-sCratCherFully-recyclable cardboard cat scratcher. It won’t

last forever and you won’t mind! 75368 $12.99

siMPly Jane By Jane goodallToys made with natural material and supporting the

Jane Goodall Institute. 48311-6 $11.99-19.99

Planet dog orBo & orBee Earth-motif is cute, $500,000+ donated to animal

charities is even better. 52852, 52857 $11.99-12.99

BeBa CheWsTreat dispenser & squeaker toy with 20% donated to 4 different charities. Asst. colors. 52361 $14.99

BoWser eCo-futon“Eco-Tech” polar fleece & stuffed with “super-loft” recycled fiber. 59177-86, 59191-5 $59.99-109.99

BiodegradaBle PaWz BootsReusable, disposable, waterproof dog boot that’s

100% biodegradable! 12 pk 69650-6 $19.99

Eco-friendly and charity-conscious pet products you can be proud to give.

Planet Earthpet valu SHOppING GuIde 2010



eCo-CuddlersAssorted textures, colors and sizes; made from

Bio-foam. 58714-5, 58726-9, $24.99-49.99

oster grooMing toolsSelection of brushes, including this plastic

pin brush for detangling. 63122-3 $17.99-19.99

dog gone sMart BedsNanotechnology creates invisible barrier to repel

stains. Asst colors. 58851-3 $79.99-99.99

heart sWeaterBlack & white sweater has a colored button accent.

Sweet for indoor lounging. 60574-8 $19.99

Bone or PaWPrint BoWlsTwo sizes of cute, classic bowls in soothing tones

of blue, green, or pecan. 75716-21 $5.99-8.99

sleePeez Plush toysGiant heads toys with squeakers to cuddle-up with.

limited quantities. 49235 $6.99

dog WhisPerer dVdsFor the human homebody, curl up on the couch with Cesar Millan DVDs. 88572-6 $16.99-26.99

saM & CoCo fashionsThe Brown Nordic Sweater is perfect for lounging.

59086-90 $19.99

seagrass sCratCherVisually-fun cat furniture with multiple scratchers

and danglies. 75362 $69.99

If you and your dog and cat like to laze the day away on the couch (and who doesn’t?), these are the gift choices for you!

For Homebodiespet valu

SHOppING GuIde 2010



West PaW Design Mini HurleyA mini-size Hurley for small dogs and puppies.

Perfect for stockings. 52638 $10.99

CatniP CHristMasClassic cotton-look catnip toys with holiday motif.

52559 $1.99

Mini roPe BonesFor the tiny dogs in your life, give them a

mini rope to tug. 75461 $3.49

aDoraBle Mini FrienDsDoggie Froggie and Puppy Teddy Bear,

just 3” long, are irresistible. 43191,3 $6.99

DuraFlex FootBallFlexible rubber squeak toy with nubs and spikes is soft on the mouth. 42877 $5.99

Petstages Mini Cool CHeWFun, colorful chew for toy breeds. Can be frozen to

soothe teething pups. 53073 $7.99

Krazy Kitty Cat tailsColorful soft toy is stuffed full of catnip.

52328 $5.99

‘DuFFle’ PooP BagsThis tiny duffle bag holds tie-handle bags on a roll.

Attaches to any leash or loop. 59305 $5.99

laMieDooDles MiniSweet little plush toy for dogs that want

to snuggle, not chew. 49811 $4.99

Every dog and cat should have a little stocking all their own. Fill it with these fun and fabulous products.

Stocking Stufferspet valu SHOppING GuIde 2010


W inter weather has an impact on how we live. Even though dogs and cats are covered in fur, winter can be hard on them too. Follow these

safety tips to help your pets stay safe and warm.

1. Keep your pet warm & dryMost dogs love playing outside in the winter. Their fur coats offer some protec-tion, but many breeds were not meant to be outside in sub-zero temperatures (especially breeds with short hair). A coat will help. For extra protection, look for a coat with a waterproof shell, like the Trilogy jacket from RC Pet Products that has a waterproof removable outer layer and a lining of double-layer fleece.

To keep cats protected from the harsh winter elements, it is recommended to keep them indoors, especially on the coldest days. Cats are vulnerable to snow and cold, and can suffer from hypothermia or frostbite as a result. If your cat is an outdoor-only cat, provide extra food so that he can bulk-up to fight the cold, and provide a shelter that protects from the wind and snow.

2. Protect your dog’s pawsEven the heartiest sled dogs wear boots in the winter, and a town/city dog needs them even more. In the winter, a sidewalk’s cold cement and the salt used to de-ice it wreaks havoc on a dog’s paws, causing them to dry out, crack and bleed. Prevent this discomfort with dog boots or a product like Dr. Maggie Paw Protector before your dog goes outside. This product works by providing a moisturizing wax barrier between your dog’s paws and the elements. Always wipe your dog’s paws when she comes back in the house to remove excess salt.

3. Check for cats in your carIf your cat goes outside in winter, she may want to be out for hours at a stretch. Cats are notorious nappers and even when outside, yours might be looking for a spot to catch some zzz’s. Unfortunately this napping place is often underneath the hood of a car – a place that’s protected from the wind and offers residual heat if your car has just been running. This hiding spot can become deadly when you start your car. The cat can get burned or caught in the moving parts, with tragic results. Throughout the winter, bang on your car hood before getting in your car. This gives napping cats a chance to wake up and escape to safety.

4. Beware of dangerous chemicalsRoad salt may be a winter necessity, but it is bad for your pet’s paws and it can be hazardous if ingested. It contains potentially dangerous chemicals, such as chlorine, which pets inadvertently lick off their paws. Use a pet-safe product like Paw Thaw instead of salt at home. Paw Thaw uses a biodegrad-able formula instead of harmful chemicals to quickly melt the ice. Antifreeze is another chemical danger. Pets love the taste and will ingest it, which is often fatal. Keep antifreeze in a sealed container where your pets can’t reach it, and always clean up spills in the garage or driveway.

5. improve your pet’s visibilityWinter brings long, dark nights. Improve your pet’s visibility with reflective collars and leashes, like the ones from Lazer Brite, which allow your pet to be seen from up to 600 feet away!

6. groom your pet more oftenDue to dry winter air, both outside and in your home, your pet’s coat dries out, which causes painful matting and itchy, flaky skin. Regular brushing, sham-pooing and trimming prevent these problems from occurring and will keep their coat healthier. A healthy coat provides warmth and protection, so your dogs and cats can really enjoy winter!

IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

Steps toWinter safetyWinter is coming!

Is your pet protected?by leah piltz

PRICE & INFODr. Maggie PaW ProteCtor 79206, $17.99

PaW tHaW 53990, $11.99

lazer Brite, Collars 47281-303, $7.99 - $15.99


Choosing the Best Pet for youThe first step in adopting a pet is deciding what type you want. This can be the hardest step as there are so many factors to consider.

your lifestyleThe way you live your life is a very important factor to consider when choosing a pet. Things you need to consider include your time com-mitments, if you have other animals already in the household, if you have small children or elderly fam-ily members living with you, if you spend time outdoors, and your over-all activity level. If you have a time-consuming job and work 60 hours a week, a young puppy will not be a good fit for you. Instead a bird, or an older cat would suit your lifestyle better. An older dog would also be an option if you are near home to let it out during your 12 hour work days.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors a dog could be the perfect com-panion. If you have small children, it will be an important factor that will influence your choice. Large or hyper dogs could accidently harm a small child, so a cat or a quiet lap dog might be more suitable for you. You want to introduce a pet that your children will love, not fear!

It’s important to really assess your lifestyle before getting a pet as the way you live ultimately impacts the way your pet lives too. You want your pet to be the happiest they can be, so compatibility between you two and your environment is key.

Cat vs. DogCats and dogs are very different ani-mals, and therefore are very different pets. In order to decide which one is right for you there are several options you need to consider. Are you an outdoor person, or do you prefer the indoors? If you prefer the outdoors, you will probably enjoy walking a dog once a day. Are you willing to put the effort into training your pet? If not, a cat would be better for you as there is not much training involved with them. Finally, its important to think of your pet’s personality matching your needs. Cats are often independent and enjoy their alone time, while dogs on the other hand, love interaction.

Of course, there are plenty of other options than just cats and dogs. Birds are fairly stationary pets (except for when you let them fly to exercise) that can provide chatter and company. Many adults prefer rabbits to cats – they have a similar cuddly, curious nature but they are contained in cages when you’re not home and they are extremely quiet. Other small animals and fish are great options too.

small vs. largeChoosing between a small or large dog is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when select-ing a pet. The size of your pet can impact many things such as, ease of travel, need for exercise, the amount and cost of food, how well it fits in your house/apartment, etc. A larger dog can provide security, however a smaller dog can provide comfort too and may be easier to cuddle.

FEATURE STORY


PetadoptionEverything from choosing a pet, to bringing them home! by emily richardson

Adopting a new pet is an exciting time. Whether an adorable puppy or kitten,

or a more mature addition, it can bring new energy and happiness to your home.

But as all pet owners know, every pet requires a commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly. When you do your research

and discuss your new pet among your whole family, you’re setting you and your pet up for a long, successful relationship.

Pets Are Not GiftsChoosing to adopt a new pet is a serious decision that deserves consideration. Pets should not be surprise gifts to spouses or even young children. They will benefit from being part of the decision process, rather than being surprised. You could also be making assumptions that your loved ones will want the same pet that you do – or any pet for that matter.

With Christmas around the corner, you may be think-ing ‘new pet’ under the tree but it’s almost always a bad idea. When your new pet joins your household, you should aim for a calm environment and a consistent schedule to make the transition smoother for people and pets. Christmas time is almost never calm or consistently scheduled!

If your heart is set on a new pet at Christmas, consid-er ‘surprising’ your family with only pet supplies and the promise that the search for a new family pet will begin in January. THAT would be a happy new year for everyone involved – especially your newly adopted pet.

Puppies are adorable, but they

require more attention than mature dogs

Mature vs. youngWhile adopting a puppy or kitten is really fun and a great learning experience for your family, there are benefits to adopting mature animals as well. Puppies are adorable, but they require a lot more attention than mature dogs as they need house and behavior training. Most older dogs are already house trained and can recog-nize basic commands, and therefore need less constant monitoring. Animal shelters always have plenty of mature cats ready for adoption. These are usually well-behaved, friendly cats with established personalities. Shelters will help you find the perfect mature cat to bring home.

Pure vs. MixedBoth purebred dogs and a mixed breed dogs have positives and nega-tives, it is all about what you’re look-ing for. With purebreds you have a better chance of knowing the general physical and behavioral character-istics such as size and personality. However, with purebreds you also have a greater risk of genetic health problems. Mixed breeds are thought to have more genetic diversity and therefore are less prone to health problems. But purebred vs. mixed breed is a very personal decision when you’re adopting a new dog.

FEATURE STORY


Bringing Your Pet HomeWhat you’ll need. Adding a pet to your family

means that you’ll need to purchase supplies, such a bed, possibly a crate depending on the age of your pet, toys, food, treats, a litter box, a leash, etc. Also, you’re going to need to find a good veterinarian. Ask your friends and family for references, or use the vet rec-ommended by your breeder or adoption organization.

What to expect. Don’t expect your new pet to form a strong relationship with your family right in the beginning. Whether you’ve adopted a young kitten or puppy, or a more mature animal, this transition is going to take some time. Once everyone in your house-hold gets to know each other and are comfortable in their environment, the bond will grow naturally.

training. For dogs and puppies, training is es-sential in order to have an enjoyable experience with your pet. Make sure that your pet is properly trained, either by taking classes or by self-teaching your pup. Plan how you will train and discipline your new pet before bringing him home, so his experience within your family will be consistent and positive.

enjoy your Pet. Finally, make sure you enjoy your pet when you bring her home. Spend time with her, and soon you won’t be able to picture your life without her!

Adoption can provide a young pet with a family to grow up with, or a mature pet with a second chance. The health and wellness benefits of having pets are also well documented. Either way, adopting a pet provides benefits for both the new parents and the new pets.

Adopt the Pet of your DreamsOnce you’ve decided on the type of pet you want, you need to go out and get him or her! There are several options available. Make sure to research your options online and visit your future pet to make sure you’re getting your pet from a reputable organization or breeder.

Breeders. For puppies or pure-bred cats, your best option is to find a reputable breeder. You should be able to meet the breeder, see their facili-ties, learn the genetic history of your puppy and meet both mom and litter several times before taking one home. Many breeders will also offer follow-up services to ensure your new puppy is fitting in with the family and lifestyle.

rescue organizations/ shelters. Rescue organizations and shelters provide a wonderful service by rescuing and housing homeless dogs and cats. Many of these facilities hold adoption events and also regu-lar hours where you can visit and interact with the animals before deciding which is perfect for you. Most organizations will screen behavior and health of the animals, providing you with a lot of information to help you make the right decision. Some even cover the cost of spaying/neutering and vaccinations, asking you to pay only a nominal adoption fee. Also, many organizations screen the prospective adoptee rigorously to ensure that their animals go to an appropriate home.

introduce a pet that

your children will love

Chew Toys Chew toys are important for all rodents from mice to guinea pigs, as well as rabbits (who are lagomorphs, not rodents). Often made of wood, these toys satisfy the natural urge to chew and ensure teeth are prop-erly worn down, as they continue to grow throughout your pet's life. Providing chews toys will also help to keep your pet from chewing less desirable options, such as household furniture and power cords. Remember to replace chew toys if they become soiled.

Bunny Cuddles Everyone knows bunnies love to chew. But did you know that many rabbits also enjoy plush toys? They snuggle up with them and also enjoy flinging them around! Really! My six year old lop-eared bunny, Stewart, has always loved plush toys. His two current favorites are actually dog toys – the Simply Fido Bunny and the Hagen Dog-it Puppy Luv Elephant. He also loves my Bugs Bunny golf club cover!

Exercise With New Year’s resolutions just around the corner, we can all relate to this next segment of toys. Exercise is especially important for caged pets. Placing an exercise wheel inside the cage is an ideal way to ensure your small pet can ‘work out’ anytime. Exercise balls provide a great out-of-cage experience and kids love to follow their pets as they roll around the house. Watch out for the stairs! Multi-level habitats for larger pets such as ferrets and chinchillas or ladders for birds provide great exercise opportunities.

SMALL ANIMALS


Naughtyornice?Whether they occasionally misbehave or not, remember to spoil your small pets at Christmas, too! by Julie Johnston

Smart Toys for BirdsToys are essential for birds, especially the species generally regarded as having significant intelligence. These birds require intellectual stimulation as well as an outlet for excess energy and aggression. Providing the right mix of toys to your parrot plays a part in preventing negative behav-iors such as screeching, feather plucking and biting.

Preening toys provide small, medium and large birds with a way to replicate the calming and instinctual behavior of preening or smoothing fellow birds’ feath-ers in the wild. Rope toys, such as the Jungle Talk Cotton Candy toy are excellent choices to promote preening.

Medium and large birds (from Conures and Quakers to Cockatoos and Macaws) love to rip and chew cardboard, wood, leather, rope, books – well, you get the idea – just about anything will do. It’s impor-tant to provide safe, ‘approved’ toys for them to destroy because it’s a natural, healthy behavior.

Birds are intellectual creatures. Along with chewing, they need toys that stimulate their brains and provide a challenge. The challenge can be as simple as untying rope or leather knots or toys which will require the bird to figure out how to get food or treats out of com-partments (foraging toys).

And, sometimes toys are just about having fun and it’s as simple as mirrors and bells!

Our Pet Expert’s Picks: Zoomax toys for larger birds;

small birds love the JW Activitoys for mirrors, bells and other stimulation.

Whether your small animal or bird has been

naughty or nice this year, visit the Pet Experts at your local Pet Valu store to find the perfect toy for your small pet!

our pet expert's

picK!

Dogs and cats aren’t the only ones

who need to play. For small pets, toys aren’t

just about fun. Play is an important and

stimulating part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Jungle Talk71831- $7.99

• Jungle Talk71832- $9.99

• Wood Toys42074 - $3.99

our pet expert's

picK!

• Run-About Ball42112 - $6.99

PET PHOTOGRAPHY


i t’s the holiday season again, and however your family

celebrates, there’s one thing in common: lots of digital cameras capturing your family’s special moments! As we pet lovers know, a good portion of pictures will include our pets – after all, they are some of the cutest members of our family. Pets have the natural good looks and charm that the camera loves, making them the ideal subjects for any picture.

While every picture of your pet is adorable (of course!), how do you get that really great shot? You know, the one that you’ll be posting as your Facebook profile picture or sending out with your Christmas cards next year. Try some of these tricks and tips to get the very best photos of your pet:

Camera readyThe first tip is implemented before the photography even begins! For the best pictures of your pet, make sure they start out looking their greatest. Winter is a time when your pet’s fur coat is full and thick, which can lead to a scraggly appearance. Brush them to restore a store look. Regular brushing will also promote

shine, giving your pet a healthy glow. For white dogs, use a tear-stain remover and shampoo with a whitening formula to improve color. You can also have your pet groomed professionally for a more polished look.

get on your pet’s levelPictures are all about perspective, and what better perspective than a pet’s-eye-view. Getting down to your pet’s level will let you get a good head-on shot, instead of hav-ing a view of your pet’s back or the top of their head. It will also help reduce the likelihood of unwanted feet in the picture.

Minimize the use of the flashThere are two reasons to minimize the use of the flash when taking pho-tos of your pets. The first reason is that pets will not understand what’s happening. They see the bright flash of light and can get confused, run away, or in the most extreme cases, even bite. If your pet is calm with the use of the flash, there is still another unwanted effect: red/glowing eyes! Pets’ eyes are especially prone to this, and it can easily take away from an otherwise great picture.

To minimize the use of the flash, make sure the area where you are photographing your pet is well-lit, or try using some of the low-light settings on your camera.

treat your petThe promise of a treat is an excel-lent motivator to get your wiggly pet to sit still for a photograph. It also provides a reward for a job well done. The thing to remember when using treats for photography is to keep note of what your pet’s eyes are focused on. If you want them to be looking at the camera, hold the treat in the area directly above or below the camera. If you want them to be looking up, hold the treat above their head.

use props to set the sceneIs your pet black, brown, white, or a combination of these? Are your walls, couches, floors, or backyard these same colors? Animals’ coats are well designed for camouflage, yet camouflage is the last thing you want in your pictures! To make your pet stand out, use brightly colored fabrics and blankets to brighten up the shot. Make sure that the objects in the background do not blend with your pet’s natural coloring. If you are going for a fes-tive holiday picture, you could even add a festive holiday outfit, holiday toys, or a Santa hat to set the scene.

Be patient!It can take several shots to get the picture you’re looking for. The good thing about digital photography is that you don’t have to take the time and expense of getting your photos developed to see if you have a good picture. If your pet is posing for a picture, keep clicking that camera! You never know which shot is going to be the one.

smile!Tips & tricks for taking great holiday pet photosby leah piltz

share your photos

When you get that great picture, share it with other pet-loving folks

by posting it on our Pet Valu Facebook page at www.facebook.com/

petvalu

Leah Piltz takes such good photos of her rabbits that Mad Cow

is featured on the packaging for Health Diet Rabbit Food!

• Perfect Coat White Pearl Shampoo44011 - $9.99

• Nutri-Vet Tear Stain Removal Pads43643 - $8.99

• Oster Bristle Brush63126from $17.99


SudokuPet

find the answers atwww.facebook.com/petvalu

2. This one’s a liTTle harder

3. if ThaT was Too easy,

Try PeT sudoku wiTh numbers

1 Through 6

sudoku is a fun logic Puzzle. use The numbers already in The boxes To

figure ouT The resT. each row across, column down and box musT conTain The numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, wiTh no doubles.

1. here’s an easy one

4

43

22

3

3

1

11

1 2 4

426

3

43 5 6

4


KID'ZONE

1. Be careful your dog doesn’t steal any A. fertilizer or other chemicals that pets should not drink.

2. Cats love tinsel, but like a rubber band, B. the bones of your Christmas turkey. Don’t leave it sitting on your kitchen counter unattended.

3. Either your cat or dog could choke on C. secure your tree to a wall and keep breakable ornaments out of reach of pets.

4. If your pet loves to chew cords, D. it could be swallowed, causing intestinal injuries.

5. To help avoid injury from broken glass, E. safely hide or cover all cords, including the Christmas tree lights.

6. Candles are pretty at Christmas. For safety, F. place them high-up out of reach of your pets. Never leave burning candles unattended.

7. Water in your tree stand could include, G. chocolate, as it can make him sick.

Strange Cat BehaviorSHere are a few more entertaining

cat stories from our Facebook page

naMe that Dog

match that sentenceMatch the sentences to brush

-up on Christmas Safety hazards

ANsWErs: 1g; 2d; 3b; 4e; 5c; 6f; 7a

Do you know a dog by one of these ‘most

popular’ names? The top names for boys are:Max - BuddyJake - Bailey

The top names for girls are:Molly - Bella

Lucy - Maggie

A Nice, Warm Shower

How about a cat named Joe who enjoys a shower! He sits in the bath

and you have to run the shower right on him. He likes the water nice

and warm, but not very hard!

Kelly h.

A Good Chase!There’s a cat named Monkey who likes to chase her very long tail.

She goes around and around, getting so caught up in her game that

sometimes she’ll bite her own tail – and give out a good MEOW!

Lesley W.

Hide & SeekOne reader has a cat that has a talent for opening dresser drawers,

climbing in, and getting the drawer to close!

Chelsea h.


StorieS!

Christmas is a time of year like no other, and that’s true for your pets, too. They may not be rushing around shopping or going to parties, but they

have plenty of good times and stressors at Christmas, just like us. For example, Christmas is a great time for festive outfits. Some dogs love

to dress up in a Santa suit and parade around for guests. Or just lay by the fireplace, panting like…well, a dog… due to the plush outfit, full fur coat and roaring heat source. Good times.

Cats are altogether less likely to enjoy dressing up! Do you make your cat wear a red and green jingle collar even though he clearly loathes it? Does he spend every second trying to scrape or pry it off with paws, table legs and pine boughs? That is Christmas-stress, feline style.

How does your cat feel about your Christmas tree? Does she move under ‘her tree’ the second it arrives in the house and refuse to be budged from the spot until it’s dragged away on January 2nd? Even a mountain of gifts won’t stop a feline fan of the tree from slithering under the triangle of pine heaven, curling up beside or around or over some delicately wrapped gift (inevitably breakable) and sleeping the day away.

What about your dog and your tree? Trees fulfill a very specific need for most dogs… one that is not desirable in your living room! Has your pup ever thanked you for the indoor tree by lifting his leg???

Of course, the only gifts not under the tree the week before Christmas are the ones for the pets. Hasn’t everyone bought a lovely little gift for their cat or dog from a deliciously animal-scented world (like your Pet Valu store) and then forgotten to immediately and properly HiDe it? Or secure it might be a more accurate depiction. A timer-activated, 2-inch thick, reinforced wall safe might be a viable option! Because as soon as the Pet Valu bag comes into the house, the cat or dog is oN it. Or, if they’re a stealthy and cunning animal, they ignore it, pretending not to even notice, until you forget and drop it on the bed with the rest of your holiday shopping. And when you’re not look-ing… utter, messy destruction of the liver treats or bag of catnip will occur. And it happens right on your bed. Drool and partially eaten bits (some food, some not even edible) will litter the bed and floor. Oh. GREAT.

And decorations! Some pets are FreAKeD oUt by the tree itself, along with the singing Santa ornament, the bells on the closet door, the lighted min-iature village, and all-the-people-that-just-keep-knocking! Carolers. Uncle Mike! The paper boy hoping for a Christmas tip! School friends home from college! Your neighbor with homemade shortbread! They just keep coming!

AWWWWWWWWWoooooooooooooooooooooo! BArK! BArK! BArK! pant. pant. pant. Whine. BArK! AAAWWWWW-WWWWoooooooooooooooo!

Crash! Yup, that was at least half the ornaments off the Christmas tree, hitting the

ground when your cat attempted to use the tree to pry off the red and green jingle collar. Doesn’t seem like such a cute idea now, does it? At least you remembered to anchor the tree to the wall so it won’t fall on Grandma.

Didn’t you?

A look at the lighter side of celebrating the

holidays with pets! by libbi hood

oMg!that Shiny

rounD thingy iS So Mine!

Christmas with Pets


SAvE15% off a Super-Value American Kennel Club Dog Bed. High-quality bed compares to those priced at $40 or more!Amazing Everyday Low Price $19.99 ➜$16.99 with coupon

JANUARY WEEKLY SAvInGS

SAvE15% off your purchase of 5 or more cans* of Performatrin or Performatrin Ultra Dog or Cat food

SAvE 15%

SAvE 15%

While supplies last. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Valid at any Pet Valu location, January 3-9, 2011

* Cans must be the same manufacturer, brand and size. Dog and cat food cannot be combined for offer. Not to be combined with other Pet Valu offers. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase.

Valid at any Pet Valu location January 24-30, 2011

* Excludes treats, food, litter & cat trees. Not to be combined with other Pet Valu offers. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Valid at any Pet Valu location January 10-16, 2011

* One bag, box or individually wrapped edible treat excluding food. Not to be combined with other Pet Valu offers. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase.

Valid at any Pet Valu location January 17-23, 2011

off your purchase of any 1 Dog or Cat Toy*

off your purchase of any Dog or Cat Treat*

made with only fresh, hormone free,

deboned meats, and

farm fresh fruits and vegetables.

dog & cat food

They’re made in Canada and100% grain free!

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pet valu companion - winter 2010

Documents

pet valuyour pet

new pet

happy pet

pet valu store

winter pet safety

better pet picturessave

food new

great food