This is a partnered post.

It’s the holiday season, which means that many people will spend the next three months thinking a lot about food. From cooking up the perfect Thanksgiving feast and Christmas treats to bemoaning extra pounds and working off the holiday weight as a New Year’s Resolution, sometimes it feels like this time of year totally revolves around what we do or don’t eat. And it’s not just the human members of the family – what our pets are eating weighs on us, too. Did you know that surveys have shown that more than half of American dog owners believe their dog’s nutrition is more confusing than their own?

To help shed some light on this topic, I had the opportunity to attend a YouTube Live session with Dr. Evan Antin, a veterinarian at Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Antin has traveled the world working with exotic animals and is currently People Magazine’s resident Pet Vet, as well as being named their “Sexiest Veterinarian Alive”! He is extremely knowledgeable about pet nutrition, and was able to demystify the topic a great deal during our chat.

Thanksgiving Scraps? No, Thanks!

Grandma likes to say that our family dog, Bob, “Thinks he’s a human!”. We do, too, so it’s natural to be tempted to share our holiday treats with him. However, Dr. Antin recommends that you keep your scraps on the table. Human food often contains oils and fats that can cause issues like diarrhea, vomiting or even pancreatitis. And food items that we love, such as onions and garlic, are highly toxic in dogs. For this reason, he advises that pet lovers stick to food and treats that are made specifically for pets, not people.

The other hazard in wanting to constantly give your dog scraps and extra food is the same one we humans face: Weight gain. Bob has to watch his weight, but Grandma always feels bad reducing his food: “The vet told me to put him on a diet, but he’s hungry all the time! I can’t starve him!” I asked Dr. Antin this, and what he told me is fascinating: Recent research indicates that labradors are prone to a genetic variation that essentially makes some labs incapable of realizing when they’re full. That sure explains a lot about why Bob is so obsessed with food!

One good way to treat your pet and fill them up in a healthy way is by including vegetables with their food, Dr. Antin told us. Baby carrots in particular are great, he said, because chewing on them helps to clean a dog’s teeth as well as provide a snack.

Fad Diets Aren’t Just For Humans Anymore

It seems like every time I turn around, there’s a new diet craze that is billed as the cure for any problem. And nowadays, this trend has expanded into pet food, with many of the same gimmicks being used to sell special diets to our pets as well as ourselves. For example, Dr. Antin mentioned the recent trend towards grain-free pet food, and told us that research has shown that grains deliver more complete nutrition for dogs than the ingredients typically substituted for grains. I found this really interesting, because as I’ve talked about on here several times, Bob’s vet recommended a grain-free diet for him several years back. I asked Dr. Antin why a vet might suggest that, and he explained that dogs can have allergies to grains just as humans do. So in other words, this mirrors the popularity of gluten-free food for humans: Some people have celiac disease and cannot eat gluten, but that does not mean that things like bread are “Bad” – just that some people are allergic to it. In the same vein, most dogs have no issue with grains, so you don’t have to worry about it unless your vet has specifically diagnosed your dog as having this allergy. I found this to be so clarifying and helpful!

Your Pet’s Needs Are Different Than Yours

Bob may think he’s a human, but the biggest takeaway from my chat with Dr. Antin is that he definitely should not eat like a human! Dogs have very different dietary needs from us, so we have to think about their nutrition differently than we do with our own. He explained that many people get disturbed by terms in pet food like “By-products”, since they’re looking at it from a human perspective. This makes the context very important! High-quality by-products are things like heart, liver, kidney, spleen, and lungs. Dr. Antin told us that in the wild, dogs and cats go for the stomach of a dead animal first to get the organs as they are nutrient-dense. So these “By-products” are actually desirable for pets to eat, and also reduces waste since all parts of the meat can be used.

“By-products” are just one of the confusing terms for pet owners when they check a label. Surveys indicate that 81% of pet owners either have reached out or want to reach out to a source of information about their pet’s food, but 41% of them don’t know where to look for this information. So if you don’t have Dr. Antin on speed-dial, how do you know if the food you are buying is safe? What do all these terms mean? A great place to start is by visiting Purina.com/Nutrition, where you can learn more about pet food nutrition, ingredients, safety and quality.

What’s your biggest question about pet food?

This is a sponsored guest post written by Nat Smith, Rover.com community member. Rover is the nation’s largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.

Rover.com is a wonderful community of dog-loving owners and caregivers. The site does all the work of connecting you with clients, getting you paid, and making sure that everyone involved has a wonderful experience. The process couldn’t be easier or more straightforward.

Once you sign up, you’ll be taken through each step of launching your services:

1. Create a Profile

This is how dog owners in your neighborhood will get to know you. You’ll describe your experience with dogs, including any certifications you have or are working towards. You can also detail the type of care you want to offer. Will you invite pets into your home? If so, talk about your yard and neighborhood, as well as your kids. You can also note that you prefer to work with dogs who are good around children.

You can browse other profiles to see what others include. Think, too, about what qualities you’d be looking in a pet-sitter for your own animals. You want someone who’s conscientious, caring, fun-loving, and prepared. Play up these strengths and anything else you bring to the table.

2. Ace the Meet & Greet

Once you start hearing from owners, you’ll set up a meeting to assess the fit. Be aware of a dog’s body language, and communicate in ways that they understand. Approach the pup gently, and let them make the first move. If the dog is skittish, you can walk alongside them and avoid direct eye contact until they’ve warmed up to you.

The Meet & Greet should be on neutral ground, such as a park or yard. Take notes and ask as many questions as you need, getting a sense of the dog’s personality, likes, and dislikes. Try going for a walk together, offering treats, or playing with a favorite toy to strengthen your bond.

While you’re not required to bring your children to the Meet & Greet, check in with the owner and consider the possibility. Everyone should feel comfortable with the arrangement, and this is a great way to make sure you’ve found a good fit for your family.

3. Enjoy Your First Sit

Communication with the owner and dog will help you have a stellar first stay. You can use the app to send regular updates, so the owners get total peace of mind. Many will appreciate photos and videos, as they’ll be missing their pets quite a bit!

Most of the time, it’s best to stick to a dog’s usual routine as much as possible. This will help eliminate separation anxiety. Spend lots of time playing, cuddling, and going on walks. Don’t leave the pets alone with your children; they should always be supervised. However, dogs rarely need intensive one-on-one care all day, every day. Once the dog feels at ease with you, they’ll happily enjoy a chew toy while you’re working on other projects.

Be sure you have any emergency numbers you might need before the stay begins, and keep an eye out for anything concerning or unusual. If you’re not sure whether you should be alarmed, ask the owner for clarification.

After your first stay, don’t forget to leave a review, and stay in touch with the owners for future care opportunities. A whole new world has opened up to you: You’ve become a paid pet-sitter. Over time, you can raise your rates and expand your services. You’re the boss!

This post is sponsored by the Just Right by Purina team.

Can you believe that Christmas will be here in just a few short days?! To help us prepare, our sweet friends at Just Right by Purina sent over a special set of gifts: One for Bob and I, and one for us to pass on to another dog lover. We knew immediately that this would be perfect for my cousin’s dog, Roxy!

Bob and Roxy are best friends and playmates. Roxy has a special talent for opening presents – during Christmas, it’s tradition to give her a few special wrapped gifts of her own to open and watch her delight in tearing into the paper and boxes; she’s really skilled at it! If Roxy even hears the word “Present”, her ears perk up. She and Bob were so excited to get their special goodies from Purina!

A special gift to share

Oh, boy! Gifts!!

What did we get?!

Each bag contained treats, doggie toys, and some fun holiday items for us humans.

Bob was so excited because his gift came with a tennis ball, and you know how much Labradors love those!

Roxy loved her special treats, and has been playing with this frog toy non-stop ever since she got it! Also in the gift bag was a special coupon for a free bag of Just Right by Purina. This is so perfect, because Roxy’s mom had just been talking about how she was having a really hard time finding the right dog food for Roxy because she can’t have corn, and the corn-free food they had been buying before was discontinued. With Just Right by Purina, she can create a personalized blend of dog food tailored for Roxy’s nutritional needs and taste preferences, with the ability to control the ingredients and specially exclude corn. Plus, Roxy’s Blend will come with its own custom bag, and I know it will be adorable because Roxy is just so photogenic!

The holidays are about honoring every member of our family – including the furry ones! Thank you, Just Right by Purina, for sending such a thoughtful gift for our family pooches and creating a special holiday memory!

This post is sponsored by the Just Right by Purina team.

Every Thanksgiving, we gather at Grandma’s house for the annual family dinner. This year, we had a record number of family members gathered around Grandma’s antique dining table, and it was easily one of the best Thanksgiving celebrations we’ve ever had, full of fun and laughs. Of course, Bob is an important part of the family, and he loves to celebrate Thanksgiving with us because it involves his two favorite things: Spending time with people, and eating food! Not only did he get to play with other doggies over Thanksgiving, but he also spent some special bonding time with baby Juniper as well, which was so sweet. Making memories with each other is one of the things we are always most thankful for on Thanksgiving!

When we go around the table and talk about what we’re thankful for this year, the most commonly discussed area of gratitude after “Family” is “Health”. Good health for ourselves and our loved ones is always something to be very grateful for, and when it comes to taking care of Bob, this year I am thankful for natural pet nutrition. Being able to feed Bob personalized Just Right by Purina food that is tailored for his nutritional needs and preferences makes both of us happy! His tasty Thanksgiving dinner of Bob’s Blend actually had three ingredients in common with our human feast:

• Lamb: The first ingredient in Bob’s Blend is real, yummy lamb. We had multiple kinds of meat at our human Thanksgiving table, because the whole family loves meats – Bob included!
• Cassava Root Flour: This flour provides the carbohydrates Bob needs while keeping his food grain-free, as his vet recommended. Meanwhile, us humans enjoyed several loaves of homemade bread that I brought along to Thanksgiving dinner!
• Potato Protein: Potatoes are a prerequisite for Thanksgiving, and this year we had three different kinds of potatoes: Mashed and baked for the humans, and potato protein for Bob!

In 2016, our whole family is thankful for another year with Bob, and looking forward to many more to come. Happy holidays!

How was your Thanksgiving? Did your dog get a special feast?