The Whole Pet
Staff photo
What’s new at The Whole Pet
Starmark Everlasting Treat Ball
The Starmark Everlasting Treat ball is the perfect thing for you and your powerful chewer to be thankful for. The Everlasting Treat ball is made of material that is stronger than rubber and does not tear, even when cut with a knife! Free of latex, vinyl and phthalates, you will know that you are giving your favorite pal a very safe toy. This amazing toy is dishwasher safe, which comes in handy if you are stuffing it full of treats. The treat ball system encourages your dog to play and chew which helps reduce anxiety, boredom, and helps clean their teeth. Available in Small, Medium, & Large sizes, come by The Whole Pet and pick up some Everlasting Fun today!
Short Bio and Philosophy
My wife Jan and I have been in the pet care business since 1972 and have stores in Fort Smith, Van Buren and Fayetteville AR. I handled dogs in the show ring professionally and as a long time hobby. I have bred, handled and finished numerous AKC Champions including a Specialty Best in Show winner and have also competed in obedience trials, field trials and trained Retrievers for water work and upland game hunting. I taught very popular dog training classes at West Ark Community (UAFS) College and through the Fort Smith Kennel Club and estimate that over 7000 dogs have been through my classes or have been individually trained by me.
My philosophy on diet has developed through years of study, observation and research. My wife Jan and I have been grooming dogs for 40 years and we have had the opportunity to follow and observe numerous pets as they aged from puppy through adult to very senior dogs. We have sold pet foods for over 25 years and have observed firsthand the effect diet has on their health. We introduced Science Diet, Iams, Eukanuba, Nutro and ProPlan as early as the mid eighties. Starting in the late nineties the huge multi-national corporations began buying out these name brands and in my opinion the quality of the products and ingredients used decreased while the marketing efforts increased substantially. We no longer carry any of these products. We have seen a large increase in allergies, skin problems, ear infections, obesity, diabetes, and intestinal problems. We believe that dogs and cats are carnivores and as such need species appropriate animal based protein to achieve optimal health.
My desire is to help people understand everything about their pet, from why does my pet behave like he or she does to learning how to read a pet food label and what the ingredients listed really mean. Most of you will be surprised at what some of the *AAFCO rules are that you are unaware of. Example; The word flavor in the description means none of the described item has to be in the product. Sample label from a very popular canned product: T-BONE STEAK flavor IN MEATY JUICES. Actual ingredients are: water, beef by products, unidentifiable meat by products, liver, beef, chicken, chicken by products and way down the list**T-bone steak flavor, whatever that is.
*AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) is the defining and regulatory authority governing animal feeds. I will be referring to their rules and ingredient definitions frequently in the future.
Contact Info
2423 N. College
Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-249-6108
Hours: Tue – Sat: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
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