Sagittarian

From their website: Should you or your companion, for whatever reason, not be completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the unused food portion in its original packaging to the retailer, with proof of purchase, for a full refund. Did you have the packaging and receipt or a credit card statement? Personally, just out of good will we'd have taken it back for you and found you something that suited better. Sorry you've had that happen. Sags

Ivory Coat has a palatability guarantee. Contact them direct if the store refuses to refund. It is not acceptable for them to not do so - they will be refunded by IC. We have sold IC since it came out and also use it. Have had a couple returned but less than other foods. It seems to suit a wide range of dogs and IC as a company are very user friendly. If you'd like a contact, let me know! Sags :)

Okay, I completed it but it seriously is about humans, not humans and dogs. It could have been for children, the infirm, or a number of other objectives. I found it difficult in places as use of language (grossed out etc) is not a proper response to me of a clinical project. Punishment featured heavily. I don't punish. It is an uneducated human response to punish an animal (or child) for losing control of bodily functions if not given good alternatives, not train, not socialize and a number of other possibilities posted as questions. There should have been options other than those posted, if you truly wanted an understanding of how humans respond to the stress that a pet can sometimes bring. I had no issue with questions about intentions of the wind etc as those are stock standard psych questions. Interesting but uncomfortable to think about the reality that many people do hurt/frighten/damage their dog (child/elderly person) for things titled as behavior that are in fact avoidable if the person in question had done the right thing in the first place. Sorry if this offends. That is not the intention. Sags :)

Excellent explanation of labels, wish more people understood about fat. I am constantly explaining to owners of overweight dogs, as they vigilantly check for fat content on bags, that they need to look for kilo calories and then the other components. Fat for dogs is not a baddie, unless there is an underlying health issue or in excess. Sags :) (Sorry Maddy, stuffed your quote up). Weight management is about more than just fat though. When a vet tells a client to avoid high fat foods, they're not necessarily directing the client to a better food or even a lower calorie food. Dogs and cats need a certain amount of fat in their diets and their bodies are built to digest it. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, not so much. And if a supermarket food is lower in fat, you can safely bet that nine times out of ten, the difference will be made up by carbs. If your cat or dog has an issue with digesting fat (rather than it being just a weight management issue), odds are, you're not going to be looking to supermarket crap like My Dog anyway, you'd be feeding a prescription diet*. *I've no idea if prescription diets were included in the study but I'd suspect not. Just an example of the issue with assuming "light" pet foods are going to be healthier.. (moisture isn't actually listed so I've assumed 9% each, which is average. Also, crude ash is not listed for either so I've assumed 6%. Those values could actually be quite different which could totally change this comparison but we can only work with the information we have.) Calorie content of fibre depends on type of fibre, which isn't noted, so we'll assume soluble. The NA of Pedigree Beef dry food- Crude Protein 22.0% = 88 Crude Fat 10.0% = 90 Fibre Crude 2.0% = 8 Moisture 9% = 0 Ash 6% = 0 Carbohydrate ~51% = 204 per 100 = 390 The NA of their Light Lamb dry food Crude Protein 20.0% = 80 Crude Fat 8.0% = 72 Fibre Crude 2.2% = 8.8 Moisture 9% = 0 Ash 6% = 0 Carbohydrate ~54.8% = 219.2 per 100 = 380 Curiously, only one of those foods had an actual cal per 100g listed and that was the Beef, which was claimed to provide 335 per 100g. But here's where things get interesting.. if we look closer at the label, to the feeding guides for a 20kg dog on a dry only diet.. (for weight maintainence, not reduction) Real Beef - 270g per day Light with Lean Lamb - 220g per day. So.. feeding the dog 18% less food. And that food has roughly only 2.56% less calories. So as far as weight loss goes, it would seem quantity is doing the heavy lifting, not caloric content. And what all the above means is that even if we assume labels are correct, they're still misleading to the average consumer, who probably doesn't visit the supermarket with a calculator and a spare 20 minutes to crunch all the numbers. As for vets, rather than recommending low fat foods, perhaps better advice would be "feed less food to start with and budget for additional sources such as treats, table scraps, etc.".

Snooza D1000 or Snooza Big Dog Beds are fabulous although pricey - but you do get what you pay for with Snooza. Kazoo do a gigantic raised bed. T&S Patio Beds come in a really big size. Pity you're not near us or you could bring him in to try a few :-) There really are a lot on the market so just worth going into a few places - try some indepedents as we try to offer different from the chain store types. Sags :)

Good questions. Should have clarified that bigger room would be opened up so that there are no walls. It will be part of the shop but we'd use colour and different flooring to create the natural feel. Our experience (11 years plus in this industry) is that there is a huge demand for holistic and natural products, particularly food but certainly shampoos etc where many still have additives that aren't pretty. We already have a larger than normal range of products produced without hard preservatives and so on and it is a case of showcasing them together that might help shoppers. Certainly getting supplements like Rose-Hip Vital and Sasha's Blend alongside (for example) a rinse based on Apple Cider Vinegar, might assist those who are looking for quality alternatives. That's the concept, anyway. :D

Okay, so lots of great ideas have been put forward by Dolers on my last thread about a small space we were interested in expanding into. This is an idea we have so let me know what you think. We have a two room space - one includes a sink and will fit a table and some shelves. The other is about 3 x 3. There is a sliding door between them and a window (which can be covered). The smaller room may be ideal for regular visiting alternative health specialists: massage, chiro, etc as well as maybe a behaviourist. Each could have a regular day and we would book clients for them. The larger space will be set up with all of our supplements, natural therapies products, natural coat care products and specialist foods - anything that is related to natural and healing. Maybe even the thundershirts, magnetic beds and so on. It would be a natural pet health hub inside the store. Is this something that would interest you? Being able to step into one part of a shop and have everything for natural healing/living etc in one spot, plus the opportunity to access specialists that otherwise may not be in the area? Would love some feedback. Sags :)

It's been great reading about so many ideas and we hope to implement some of them, so will let everyone know! But in the interim... keep them coming!! :)

So much great input - thank you all. To give you a bit more insight into the shop in question: Known by our customers (and sought out by new ones) for big range of quality products and good food offerings and pride ourselves on excellence in customer service. It is a really big deal for us to get that right and we recently had someone post somewhere that they shop with us because of our knowledge and genuine care about their dog. Really lovely feedback. We probably stock about 50% dog stuff, 30% cat, and the rest made up of bird, small animal, fish and reptile. As we don't sell pets we find there is less demand in those areas for food and accessories, at least in our Gisborne shop (one in question). Space we're looking at would be the size of a big bedroom. Currently we have a good range of food: VAN (dry/fresh), Ivory Coat, Biopet, Blackhawk, Propac, Canidae, Artemis, Ziwipeak, Sunday Pets, Advance, Royal Canin, Euk, Iams plus a freezer filled with Barf and preservative free meat and a fridge filled with Van, Prime, Ecopet etc. We have a huge range of treats that are mostly Aussie and NZ. Lots of bedding from Snooza, T&S, Kazoo, etc. We were one of the first Kong Solutions Centres in Victoria so have a great selection of those, plus Tuffie, Chuckit, Aussie Dog etc, lots of quality choice there. Slow feeder bowls, fountains, lots of choices there and grooming products are from Plush Puppy to Aloveen to Earthbath and Paws etc. Oh, we keep a high standard of cleanliness - even when the salon is really busy customers comment on how nice the store always looks and smells. I really love the idea of a cafe and we do have a small grassy area in front of the shop as well, but whether we want to spend a lot setting it up is the question. We have been asked in the past about doggie day care or play area but not sure area is sufficient. All the replies have given me a lot to think about so thanks again and keep them coming! Sags :-) PS if we get the cafe happening you're all invited to have a free cup!

That is sooooo cool! Thanks for sharing that!And the enrichment area idea is awesome.

Tick - have done for yonks. We love em!

Just looking for some ideas to incorporate into one of our shops as we may have a little extra space soon. Is there anything that would really encourage you into a shop over another? We don't sell pets (never have, never will) or live food. We have one shop with a DIY dog wash and one with a grooming salon. Would love to hear some ideas!! Sags

Suggest you contact The St Bernard Club (NSW) as they will be able to point you in the right direction. :-)

Nutriderm Conditioner is not like a typical conditioner and is specifically designed to work with and complement both Nutriderm and Mediderm Shampoos. It contains ceramides and essential fatty acids which actually help form a protective skin barrier as well as providing excellent moisturizing. It also includes colloidal oatmeal which penetrates more readily. The trick is to use it then just barely rinse it out. It can also be diluted in a spray bottle and applied between washes which again, helps the skin barrier. If in doubt, give Paw a ring - they are very helpful. Sags :)

1 crate 1 Snooza Futon 1 T&S fluffy mat 1 All Terrain basket bed (currently used mostly as a toy box go figure) 1 raised mesh bed 3 blankets 1 plain mat 1 round trampoline bed Think that's all. Oh, 1 dog. :laugh:

Hi there We have opened them in the past and not had that happen so it sounds odd. Not that bones should be an issue for most dogs but it is important that you get a reply. I will send you a message with a mobile number for someone from Prime who can help. Sags :)

May I suggest contacting Prime as they are very proactive and would want to investigate this. We sell a lot of their rolls - mostly return business - and nobody has mentioned any issues with them. Sags

Hi there Every year, our local vet runs a wonderful pet walk through our botanical gardens which ends at a park with stalls and displays. They donate all proceeds to Wildlife Vic and Seeing Eye Dogs Australia. We attend with our stall, and there are other traders, dental checks, nail clipping, dogwash for gold coin etc. In the past, we've had a bike sledding display with Siberian Husky's and similar, and are looking for more ideas to make this year as exciting for the public as possible. If anyone has connections or ideas, would love to hear! It is a big area, so can fit Rally O or Dancing with dogs etc. Also any breed clubs that would like to be involved. It is held in Gisborne, Vic, which is an easy 40 minute drive from Melbourne and is on Sunday November 8. Would love to hear from anyone interested! Sags :)

It pays to look around as the chains tend to stick to recommended retail or higher. Our 20kg bags of Blackhawk Chicken & Rice are $106.95. As Casowner mentioned, Ivory Coat is not in Petbarn so look on their website for a local supplier. BTW, Canidae is about to have a big price increase :-( Sags

If anyone has had contact with the OP - either buying or anything else - please contact me by message. It is really important so please help.

So sorry to hear about that. Should never, ever happen. One of our regulars took his dog to a closer groomer when we were booked out and the groomer cut the dog in five places. Not overly matted and a really, really good little dog to groom. Fortunately, he loves coming to us and is still good to handle, but it makes me angry to hear this sort of thing goes on. Vent away! Sags :)

The anti cancer (or feeding dogs with cancer) approaches that our customers have taken over the years never included dry foods because of the processing involved. Ones that have been favoured have been BARF (either made at home following a proper outline) or the patties; Ziwipeak; or more recently Vets All Natural grainfree with fresh meat. All added supplements such as Vets All Natural Health Booster or Paws Multi or Active dog vitamins or similar. Much as I like Ivory Coat, for me the choice would have to be one of the above as any dry dog food has been cooked and that always removes not only vitamins and minerals but the natural antioxidants that fresh provides. Best of luck with your search. Sags :)

Stay Loyal contains sugar beet pulp which in some dogs seems to aggravate a tendency to yeasty ears (this is something observed with hundreds of customers dogs over ten years, but not tested scientifically). M4M uses meat, which once processed will likely drop down the ingredients list (as opposed to a meal or a mix of meat and meal), so wouldn't be my first pick. At one point I fed six adult St Bernards raw and it cost less than using dry food. If a dog does well that way, then although it is time consuming and needs some organisation, it will reap benefits in other ways (less vet visits for one). Just a thought - have you tried Vets All Natural Complete mix? A 15kg bag is around $140 and makes up a heap of food when mixed with water and fresh meat. They also do a grain free now so might be worth investigating if you haven't already? And as showdog says, unless you can work out what is the trigger, you may be wasting a lot of time and money trialling different products. Sags :)

If you're happy to use a spot-on, then Advocate is the closest to Sentinel as it covers fleas, mites, lice, worms (except tapeworm), heartworm etc. Cost is around $1 more for a 6 pack (our price anyway). Sags :-)

Sending you a message now :-)