The Freshpet Blog

Just like us, our furry friends are one-of-a-kind.  Some just want to laze around all day getting belly rubs, while others get their kicks from a fierce game of fetch.  And their individual preferences don’t stop there.  While some are content having the same meal every day (heck, I’d choose to eat fajitas for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could), many dogs want, and sometimes demand, variety in their treats.

A great way to accommodate pups with discerning tastes is to switch it up.  Some rotate treats depending on the day of the week, and some use different treats to reward different behaviors (doing their business outside gets them a little sausage, but a day without chewing on your heels gets them a long-lasting bone).  There are thousands of treats to choose from, but it’s hard to find ones that are as healthy for your dog as their food.  These easy guidelines can help you make smart picks:

 Treating Tips:

• Look for all natural, simple ingredients with names you recognize and can pronounce. 
• Don’t over treat!  Make sure you stay within your dog’s recommended daily calorie intake.  If you’re not sure what that is, ask your veterinarian.
• Avoid treats containing sugar, salt, and artificial preservatives.
• Don’t forget your veggies!  Colorful fruits and vegetables are naturally rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Be sure to provide plenty of fresh water.
• Look for added benefits such as high-fiber treats that help maintain digestive health and hard chews that assist in cleaning teeth.
• Supervise your dog to be sure they are safe.
• Read the feeding directions carefully to make sure the treat is size-appropriate for your dog.

Freshpet offers fresh, refrigerated treats for every snacking occasion.  With Dog Joy treats, we’re sure you’ll find a healthy option to satisfy your pup.

Happy treating!

We asked people to help us tell the Freshpet story.  What is Freshpet?  Why is fresh best for your pet? 

We received great responses, some goofy, and some thought provoking.  But we thought the best one told a personal story.

Our winner told us about his dog, Palmer, and how Freshpet made a difference in their lives.  

 To see all the videos that were submitted, click here.

Introducing, Vital Complete Meals for Dogs and Cats.  The same grain-free, protein-rich food you love is now available in a new bite-size format.

Similar to ancestral diets, Vital Complete Meals for Dogs and Cats are meat-based recipes that contain at least 80% high-quality proteins and 10% fruits and vegetables for well-balanced nutrition.  The tender morsels are made from multi-protein sources such as fresh chicken, beef, salmon and eggs.  In Vital Complete Meals for Dogs, we mix the morsels with pieces of real shredded chicken breast and dried cranberries and spinach for anti-oxidant support.  In Vital Complete Meals for Cats, we add in vitamin-rich carrots and spinach.  Like all Freshpet foods, Vital Complete Meals never contain corn, wheat, by-products or artificial preservatives.

How do I know if Vital is right for me?  Vital is the right choice if you are interested in the benefits of a protein-rich diet (improved digestion and increased energy) or if your pet has sensitivities to grains.  Vital is also a safe and convenient alternative to raw feeding and home cooking regimens.

You can find Vital Complete Meals in the refrigerator at your neighborhood pet store, Petco or PetSmart.  If you have a question about Vital Complete Meals, or just want to let us know how your pet likes them, leave us a comment.

Here’s a behind the scenes look at how one of our newest recipes, Freshpet Select Roasted Meals for Dogs, is created.

It all starts in our Freshpet plant in Quakertown, PA.  First, we mix together fresh chicken and chicken liver (over 1.3 lbs. of fresh poultry goes into each 1.75 lb. bag) with ground oats, eggs, and a combination of vitamins and minerals for a 100% complete and balanced meal.  Then, we form the mixture into tender, bite-sized meatballs.  Next, we roast the meatballs under an open flame until golden brown.  Raise a paw if you’re starting to drool!  In the last step, we add pieces of real shredded chicken breast, spinach and carrots by hand.  The finished recipe is then placed into resealable bags that are easy for you to store and pour.  Just like human foods made of fresh meats and veggies, all Freshpet foods are kept refrigerated from the moment they’re made to the day they arrive in your pet aisle refrigerator.

Well, now you know our secret to making fresh recipes pets love (please don’t tell anyone).  Look for new Freshpet Select Roasted Meals for Dogs in your local grocery or Wal-Mart store.  Do you have a question about Freshpet Select Roasted Meals for Dogs, or have you already tried it and your dog loves it?  Leave us a comment or tell us your story – we want to hear from you!

Deuce watched the Freshpet Food truck pull up outside the conference room.

Deuce loves to go to the Freshpet office with me, but he’s still a high-energy puppy. He loves Freshpet’s new Fresh Bones, Sweet Potato Treats and Fresh Chews but neither of us can just snack all day. (By the way, the two-legged Freshpet employees always have a selection of healthy snacks in the kitchen, too! I’m partial to grapes and watermelon, myself!)

Having Deuce in the office is healthy for me, too. Not only does his presence make me happy, but he requires a break every so often. Remember when only smokers got a chance to go outside in the middle of the day? Dog-friendly companies’ workers get to take a little walk, clear their heads and let puppers do their business, too!

He’s a power chewer who loves to shred rope bones, shoes and everything else he can sink his teeth into, so I keep a supply of toys at the office.

What do you do to keep your busy pup content while you’re at work? 

Deuce drove the Freshpet food truck. Not too fast or the dogs on top will start whining!

Anyone who’s ever watched a food show on TV can tell you that food trucks are a very hot trend right now. The Freshpet Food Truck has tongues (and tails) wagging all over New York City. It’s the first food truck for dogs! It travels all over and introduces Freshpet fresh dog food to New York’s best friends.

We go to adoption events and help out local shelters with food donations, too. We know those adoptable dogs have been through a lot, so giving them some fresh, healthy dog food is the least we can do!

The truck has a counter that invites big dogs to “paw up to the bar,” a doggie door for smaller dogs and schoolbus-style signs that pop out and invite dogs to “paws” for a minute.

The pack of dogs on top looks so real that people on the sidewalk stop and stare. Drivers honk and wave while tourists take pictures.

The Freshpet Food Truck has its own Twitter account (@FreshpetTruck) so New Yorkers can find it on its appointed rounds. Sometimes Deuce even makes an appearance! Follow us and come out and introduce yourself while your dog tries fresh dog food. We’d love to meet you.

Do you want the Freshpet Food Truck to come to your event? Drop us an email at online@Freshpet.com.

(Now you’ve got that song stuck in your head. Sorry about that! )

We know that Freshpet’s fans are our kind of people. You care about your animals like we do…like they’re part of the family! Please tell us why you feed your dogs and cats fresh food on our Facebook page or our Twitter feed.

Feedback, suggestions and photos from people who feed their pets Freshpet foods make our day. We especially love photos and videos of Freshpet pets. We answer every post, often with our dogs sleeping on our feet.

I wish Deucey was asleep, but he’s biting my elbows! Puppies.

Ace the therapy dog's tail wagged whenever he visited patients at the hospital. (Photo by Rod Griola)

When therapy dogs visit with people who are sick, grieving or stressed, the mood of the whole room changes. It’s as if the sun came out from behind a cloud. As a certified therapy-dog handler in a hospice program, I saw dying patients and their family members reminisce about their dogs and laugh together. Therapy dogs are great icebreakers and a nice distraction, but they have physiological benefits, too. Studies show that patients’ blood pressure and heart rates decrease in the presence of a dog, and they just feel better! (Any dog lover could tell you that!)

Any dog can become a certified therapy dog. Every breed is represented, from teacup poodles to great Danes, but temperament is key. Ask yourself if your dog can abide by these simple rules. If not, you can still volunteer, but Kujo stays at home.

• Four on the Floor - Therapy dogs work with very frail patients. If the dog can’t keep his paws to himself, he’s not cut out to be a therapy dog. A jumping dog could knock a patient down.

• Would He Mug an Old Lady for Her Tennis Ball? – It sounds absurd, but many patients put tennis balls on the feet of their walkers to make them slide on hard floors. Dogs must be able to walk past a tennis ball without issue. Sometimes during evaluations they even put a treat in a tennis ball then attach it to a walker! Double trouble!

• Scaredy-Dogs – Medical equipment including canes, walkers, wheel chairs, hospital beds and oxygen tanks are strange for most dogs, but many dogs can adjust. In our evaluation they dropped a metal bed pan on the floor behind Ace to see how he’d react. (He wasn’t a fan, but he didn’t tear my arm off or anything!) Is your dog comfortable around this equipment?

• Plays Well With Others – Sometimes more than one dog is required at an event or a visit. You may find yourself sharing an elevator with another dog/handler team. Your dog must behave when he’s nose to nose with another dog, and he has to know when it’s work time and when it’s play time. A game of “who’s alpha now” isn’t appropriate in the workplace.

• Leave It! – Therapy dogs may encounter pills or bodily fluids (ick!) on the floor in a hospital or nursing home. It’s not only nasty, but ingesting medicines can be fatal. Dogs have to be able to walk past a meat treat (or in my dog, Ace’s case, cheese! He ate a lot of cheese while we trained for this one!) and not pick it up in order to pass the test.

• Who Walks Whom? – How does your dog do on a leash? Does he drag you into the next county or is the leash loose? Therapy dogs have to wait patiently and stick close to the handler. Wanna-be sled dogs shouldn’t quit their day jobs.

• What a Sweet Pea! - Finally, does your dog make people happy? Is he sociable and sweet? Does he like to be patted and stroked? Dogs who growl at people (and that includes “just the mail man”) aren’t ready for therapy work.

If your dog is ready to pass the therapy-dog evaluation, consider contacting Therapy Dogs International or Delta Society. Both are national organizations that evaluate and insure therapy dogs and help handlers find volunteer opportunities.