Nestle (Purina) has bought out Zuke's brand dog treats

[get the red out]

This is some seriously crappy news. I have felt so safe giving my dog Zuke's treats for training. The tiny ones are just perfect for agility, she does something well, I pop a treat in her mouth and everybody's happy.

This makes me sad I doubt they will remain a quality product now, and with all the fears of pet treats being made in China we will probably need to give Layla bits of cheese and such, which is fine, but I hate to see a good independent business that appeared to care about its products snatched up like that. It's part of what has gone wrong in this country.

[Purveyor]

1. Ask around to see if you might have a mom & pop dog treat maker in your area. We have several

very good ones in our small community so I'm guessing you do too.

The one I'm buying from makes everything from scratch, right down to making his own chicken/beef stock using grocery store ingredients.

Purina pissed me off with the china jerky strips, which I never bought because the supplier I mentioned above makes those too along with sweet potato strips that my dogs just love.

Good luck with the training!

[get the red out]

3. That's a good idea

And good timing. We're off do a dog agility trial this weekend and there is usually a lady from another part of the state there selling treats like that. Layla really likes her dehydrated rabbit. I will have to pick some up while we are there. (Of course I'm hoping we have some runs that deserve the BEST of treats, LOL). I can get her business card and keep it handy this time.

It just makes me sad to have Zukes get bought out like that. One of the first treats we bought her when we got her as a puppy a little over 3 years ago. I have good Zukes memories!

[woodsprite]

2. We've taken to making our own sweet potato treats using the dehydrator.

Noelle (GSD) has pancreatic enzyme deficiency, so she's on Pancrezyme for digestion. Her diet is very limited (Science diet with a handful of Blue Buffalo mixed in). For treats, she gets K9 Granola's Pumpkin Cruncher treats (she loves the sweet potato, peanut butter or the apple). Then the dehydrated sweet potatoes or green beans that we make for her. I'm looking at a few wheat free/corn free recipes for pumpkin treats that I want to try, but haven't had a chance to yet.

She must be happy with what we're giving her since she really doesn't try to mooch of us or scrounge off the table or counter at all. Hope you can find an acceptable replacement. I found the recipes I was going to try on Pinterest. You may have some luck searching there if you want to try making some yourself.

[get the red out]

4. My sister has a good dog treat recipe

She made Layla some for Christmas. I can get that, and give Layla bits of the things that she does well with, like cheese. Fortunately she's a dog with a pretty strong stomach.

I might try the dehydrated sweet potatoes, I keep running across people who make those for their dogs and they love them. The lady who told me about them on FB today has GSDs also.

[Curmudgeoness]

5. It makes me sad too. We need more choices, not less.

I am so tired of all the huge companies buying out smaller companies as soon as they become a bit of competition. Like these mega corporations don't have enough of the market already! Let's face it, the "free market" doesn't work when everything is owned by just a few companies.

[laundry_queen]

8. theoretically,

capitalism always leads to monopoly. That's what we are now seeing.

I, too, hate the lack of choice in the dog food market. Makes me want to just feed my dogs table scraps like my aunt did. We always thought it was bad because the dog was so fat, but that dog, not a small dog either, lived to be 18 years old so the joke is on us I guess.

[Curmudgeoness]

9. I am not sure that is a bad idea.

I know that we are always told that table scraps are not nutritious for our pets, but I sometimes wonder who it is telling us that. It is probably the pet food industry...and they do have an ulterior motive in convincing us that we must have their foods for our animals to be healthy.

But I also will say that most pets did not have the longevity years ago that they do today. That could be because of better vet services, or better food. But I am thinking it might be the vet services. And a dog fed table scraps would not have to be fat---that is from too much food more than the kind of food.

[laundry_queen]

10. I agree about the pet food industry

also - about the longevity - my grandparents regularly had dogs on the farm that lived to 16-18 years old (usually border collie or GSD cross) as long as it didn't get hit by a car or tractor, or get eaten by a bear, or run away. I think longevity now is tied to people actually taking care of animals instead of using them as 'the help' on the farm. Back then, people didn't even bother with vets. My grandmother gave all the dogs table scraps and 'slop' from the slop pail, and they all, baring getting run over or being eaten, lived long lives.

[Delphinus]

6. So good to know -

mine loves hers, but I'll keep an eye out for others things.

[OrwellwasRight]

7. If this turns out to be like the Tom's of Maine debacle,

I'm so disappointed. I can't even buy Tom's anymore, with it's plastic toothpaste tubes and aluminum-containing anti-persprant.

Zuke's makes a great joint treat for cats. Boo!