Iams Doubles Pet Food Donation to Help Shelter Pets! #ShakeItForward

Rocco just had his Thanksgiving bath and he's ready for the trek up north to visit friends and family.

We're thankful we have a nice place to share a festive meal, and we're also thankful for the great work that many of our pals do to help pets in need who don't have families to visit this holiday.

And today, we learned of a really cool thing that Iams is doing to help shelter pets this holiday season.  In the spirit of giving, and being thankful, Iams announced today it is DOUBLING its #ShakeItForward donation!

What does that mean for shelter pets? It means that twice as many -- 500,000 to be exact -- bowls of food will be donated to pets in need as part of Iams Bowls of Love program!

If you missed it, #ShakeItForward launched last month when Iams Shakeables partnered with Talking Animals video producer Andrew Grantham to give pet fans a treat, as well as help pets in need.

For every view of the fun Punk'd Puppy video and share of the hashtag #ShakeItForward, Iams donated one bowl of food to pets in select animal shelters across the country up to 250,000 bowls.

Iams has already exceeded their goal and were overwhelmed by the response from pet lovers everywhere. Now, with Thanksgiving around the corner, and in the spirit of giving, IAMS is going to #ShakeItForward again by DOUBLING their pet food donation to 500,000 bowls!

To show our support of Iams' decision to double their donation, we're spreading the word and the #ShakeItForward hashtag. We encourage you to do the same by sharing your dog's happy face with the  #ShakeItForward hashtag, and then check out the fun Punk'd Puppy video!

The video is hilarious and sure to make you smile too! It features talking dog Cody and his love for Iams Shakeables soft and chewy dog treats in Gobble 'Em Up with Turkey.

You've gotta love talking dogs!

For more from Iams, check them out on FaceBook and Twitter too!

One more reason to be thankful is this is my first Thanksgiving together with Rocco, and who knows, Rocco may even see his first snowflake!

What are you thankful for?

Disclosure: I have written this post on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network for Iams Shakeables. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Iams #ShakeItForward double down donation, but To Dog With Love only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.

Your Pet Love Tail Could Land You a Spot in an Iams National Ad!

Puppy love tails!

This Valentine’s Day pet lovers can celebrate their heartfelt love for their four-legged friends through the Iams Love Tails contest. Beginning February 14, Iams will search for real stories from pet owners about the unique bond they share with their dogs and cats. And, the winning two and four-legged “family” will star in an Iams national advertisement! Consumers can log on to the Iams Facebook page from February 14 through March 3 of this year, and follow the easy steps to enter the contest.

Building off the highly successful Keep Love Strong advertising campaign unveiled in November of last year, which features heart-warming ads inspired by real stories, this contest is designed to find the very best Love Tails featuring the special connections people share with their animals.

Iams Love Tails Contest Details

• Submit your story from Feb. 14 through March 3 by visiting the Iams Facebook page and following the easy steps. (Note: You'll submit your photo and story on the Tongal entry page. Look for the red SUBMIT button on the right.)
• Phase 1 (Love Tails submission phase): Share a photo and tell Iams in 500 characters or less about the unique relationship you have with your dog or cat and how Iams helps you show your love.
• Once the submission phase is over, Iams will select 50 stories (25 dog and 25 cat) as semi-finalists.
• From the semi-finalist Love Tails, Iams will select 10 finalists (5 dog and 5 cat) and each will win a cash prize and free Iams food for a year.
• In April, Iams will ask its Facebaook fans to choose their favorite Love Tail from the group of finalists and one grand prize winner will be selected.

Note: While this ultimately is a video contest via Tongal, you can choose to only participate in Phase 1 (submit a photo and brief essay) for a chance to have your story filmed and featured in an Iams national ad.  See Phase 1: Love Tails for more information. 

How Does Your Pet Welcome You Home? #Giveaway

You may have seen and even voted on the five TV spots on the Iams Facebook page this week. They're all part of the Keep Love Strong campaign, inspired by real stories of unconditional love.  Two of them, one cat and one dog, will be chosen to appear as national TV commercials, which will start airing in December.

And now, one lucky To Dog With Love reader has the chance to win an Iams gift basket just by sharing stories about your pet's unconditional love and how they welcome you home! Read all the way down for details to enter, but first, here's a look at our favorite spot.

It's called "Welcome Home".

Enter to win an Iams gift basket!

Enter via Rafflecopter below for a chance to win an Iams gift basket filled with goodies like a pet bed, food, toys and more! The only mandatory entry is to tell us, in the comment section below, how your pet welcomes you home. Then, via Rafflecopter, you can unlock even more ways to enter! 

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Iams is providing the nifty gift basket prize. We were not compensated for this post and all opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.

Come on back to Georgia and BarkWorld Expo!

There are a lot of great things about Atlanta... music, food, Cosmo Havanese and of course, BarkWorld Expo! It's hard to believe the conference is just three short months away, so it's the perfect time to start making your arrangements. This year's BarkWorld is scheduled for Oct. 25 - 27 in Atlanta, Ga.

If you haven't been to BarkWorld before, here's a little more about what you can expect. Established in 2009, the BarkWorld Conference & Expo is a national pet social media conference where pet owners and businesses come together to learn about social media, pet lifestyle topics, technology and more!

Plenty of opportunities for doggie smooches at BarkWorld 2011

Attendees can bring their dogs and cats, and you might even see a ferret or two or perhaps some other type of pet! There will be bloggers, pet-related businesses from small to large, folks from pet-rescue groups and pet lovers of just about any type that you can imagine.

If you want to learn more about social media or pet lifestyle topics or just have a place where it's perfectly normal to talk about nothing but pets for three days, then come on down and let's meet up at BarkWorld Expo!

Vendor booth area from the 2011 BarkWorld Expo. Bring an extra large suitcase for swag!

The full schedule of sessions can be viewed here, including keynotes from speakers with Twitter, the ASPCA, Meetup.com and the HBO Documentary Madonna of the Mills.

There's also an opportunity to learn about topics such as agility, exercises you can do with your pets, digital scrapbooking for pet lovers, Doga (yoga with your dog -- I've always wanted to do this!), and there will be cooking demonstrations and lots of pawties, too!

Special sneak peek opportunity just for you!

We've learned that Iams is offering a free trip for one blogger, and their pet, to attend BW! The contest starts on July 23, so keep an eye on the BarkWorld Facebook page for details.

To get you in the mood for a trip to Atlanta, here's a nice tune I can't seem to get out of my head...

Register now before the rates go up on August 18 and you can be on your way back to Georgia too! And once you register, grab a badge for your blog and share the  Facebook invite with your friends! 

Ohhhh, Atlanta, I'm just an old hound dog and I'm coming back to you one fine day. Whooo!

Cosmo Havanese hangs out with Flat Tyler at last year's BarkWorld!

Cosmo Havanese says, ya'll come down and see us at BarkWorld Expo! And bring your pets, flat or fluffy!

Behind the Paw: A Day in the Life of a V.P. of Canine Communications

I've got to admit, one of the highlights of my recent trip to P&G Pet Care for Behind the Paw, the influencer summit hosted by Iams and Eukanuba, was getting to see my pal Griffin again. I love a floppy dog, and while "floppy" does not seem to have made the official standard of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, Griffin is a perfectly floppy PBGV in my book! 

Griffin strikes an executive pose worthy of his role as V.P. of Canine Communications at P&G Pet Care

I first met Griffin at last year's AKC/Eukanuba National Championship when he was still a pup in training. This April he officially became P&G Pet Care's newest V.P. of Canine Communications.

Schmoozing at the Pet Care offices is just one of Griffin's roles and he did a great job greeting us as we entered the building of the Mason, Ohio office.

Griffin greets the bloggers

Fabulous floppiness with a smile!

After greeting us, Griffin led the way to the meeting room where we met with some of the other P&G Pet Care executives.

Griffin works the room

Griffin shakes paws and exchanges business cards before the rest of the P&G representatives arrive.

Even Execudogs have to have their priorities in order!

A good job if you can get it!

Then, Griffin grabs a quick nap at my feet (awww!) while we hear about Consumer Care at Iams and Eukanuba.

Did you know that the company hosts a Pet Loss line? For anyone who needs to talk to a real person during a time of grieving for a pet, call the Iams Pet Loss Line at 888-332-7738.  Sometimes you just need an ear from someone who understands...

Next we heard from leaders from each brand before embarking on a tour of the building. Employees in the Pet Care area are allowed to bring their dogs to work, everyday!

In true executive fashion, all the former Execudogs, and Execucat, have their portraits displayed where they can be admired for generations to come.

Next, Griffin shows us what a dog in his position does to further communicate his key messages to his constituents.

More toys, please.

And then he takes us on a tour to meet some of his co-workers...

Team leader of treats

Canine communications manager

... And gives us a look at where the pups go outside for their coffee breaks...

... beautiful! Before we knew it, it was time to hit the road for the airport. Thanks Griffin, and all the folks at P&G Pet Care for a great tour and a super summit!

Disclosure: Our trip to Behind the Paw Influencer Summit was fully paid for by P&G. Our opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.

Behind the Paw: P&G Pet Health and Nutrition Center and Leipsic Manufacturing Plant

We recently attended Behind the Paw, the influencer summit organized by P&G Pet Care and its Iams and Eukanuba brands. After spending the first evening engaging in a fun and tasty cooking challenge at  the Dorothy Lane Cooking School,  we got down to business on day two, boarding the MegaBus...

No ordinary bus, the MegaBus became our home away from home for the next two days!

... and spending a full day visiting the P&G Pet Health & Nutrition Center (PH&NC) and the Leipsic Manufacturing Plant.  First stop, the PH&NC.

Staff at the PH&NC spend plenty of time playing with the dogs

Here we learned more about the types of testing done to help make the Iams and Eukanuba brands both tasty and nutritious. We also toured the facility where some 300 dogs and 350 cats live while they participate in the testing. The dogs and cats are given plenty of room to play and socialize, and when they are ready to retire -- at about age six for dogs and eight for cats -- the dogs and cats are adopted out as part of the Companion Connections adoption program.

Another interesting innovation we learned about was the change from traditional dog doors to a saloon style, above. It turns out the doors with a split in the middle help reduce neck strain and eliminate symptoms of arthritis that can be caused from the repetitive motion of pushing open traditional style pet doors.

 The cat areas were equally impressive ...

...with plenty of places for the kitties to play and relax.

Since I spent more time running with the Greyhounds at the PH&NC and soaking up the ambiance than taking detailed notes, you might  want to check out a great post written by Dr. Lorie Huston on Pet Health Care Gazette for even more details about the PH&NC.

It truly is an impressive facility with employees who are passionate about the welfare of the animals, and dogs and cats who are well cared for and prepared for life in their future adopted homes.

Next we boarded the MegaBus again for the two-hour drive to a little town in Ohio known as Leipsic, home of P&G Pet Care's Manufacturing Plant.

The plant was equally impressive, with all sorts of quality control and safety measures, nifty electronics and machinery, and employees who were super proud of the work they do.

The plant runs 24/7, producing 24,000 tons of food per month and can run four different kinds of food at the same time.  Here's a look at the plant and some of the terrific folks we met with during our behind the scenes tour.

It was a super opportunity to be able to go behind the scenes at the Manufacturing Plant as well as the Pet Health and Nutrition Center and we'd like to thank Iams and Eukanuba for opening their doors and arms to us!

Next up, a day in the life of a VP of Canine Communications and visit to P&G Pet Care headquarters!

Disclosure: Our trip to Behind the Paw Influencer Summit was fully paid for by P&G. Our opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.

Arriving at Behind the Paw: Cooking for People, Not Pets!

We recently attended Behind the Paw, the influencer summit organized by P&G Pet Care and its Iams and Eukanuba brands. Three action packed days included tours of the P&G Pet Health and Nutrition Center, the Leipsic Manufacturing Plant and a visit with P&G leadership and Pet Care's headquarters in Mason, Ohio.

We learned tons and appreciate the depth of information shared. But more on that part of the summit later. Today we're talking food, and not pet food, mind you!

After arriving in Dayton, our base camp for the visit, we were greeted by the nice folks at Iams and Eukanuba and transported to our first activity, an interactive cooking challenge at the Dorothy Lane School of Cooking.

We were divided into teams, and each team was responsible for preparing a different course, with the help from the expert chefs at Dorothy Lane. 

Inside the cooking school, we were given our assignments. The tables were beautiful, decorated in rhodamine pink! Gentlemen (and women), Start Your Blenders!

Team Dessert gets cranking on their course, to the left, while a few of my Team Starch teammates get to work on our Risotto course. Read to the bottom for the recipe... it was delicious!

Outside, Team Meat works tirelessly. Who's doing all the work here?! That's Vicki Seiler and Jason Taylor, two of our hosts form P&G Pet Care, slaving over the grill!

Back inside, Team Starch, also known as Team Risotto, celebrates a bit prematurely. (I still say we were robbed!)

Fellow bloggers Sandra Alawine from Alasandra, The Cats and a Dog and Dr. Lorie Huston from Pet Health Care Gazette are looking smug with their Team Meat platter while their Dorothy Lane coach provides an assist.

The spread was impressive. The risotto, front right, was AMAZING! You can try it at home yourself... read down for the recipe!

A judge was provided a sampling plate. Yum! The winners were....

Team Meat! Even they were surprised!

Even though Team Risotto was robbed, the table did look beautiful and everything was tasty. And even the flat pets at the back of the table were well behaved!

And now, what you've been waiting for!
Creamy Porcini Mushroom and Mascarpone Risotto
(Courtesy of Dorothy Lane Market's School of Cooking)
Yield: 4 Servings

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
16 oz beef stock or vegetable stock
4 Tbsp Vera Jane's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cup finely minced shallots
2 finely minced garlic cloves
1 1/4 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Combine boiling water and dried mushrooms, let stand 10 minutes.
Drain over bowl, reserving the liquid.
Chop mushrooms.
Bring stock and reserved liquid from the soaking of the mushrooms to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.
Heat a large saucepan over medium to high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil. Add the shallots and saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. Add the rice and chopped reconstituted porcini mushrooms and coat with the olive oil. Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated. Add one cup of the broth and cook over medium heat until the broth has been absorbed by the rice.
Continue to add broth in small increments, letting the rice soak up the liquid completely before adding more. This will take about 25 minutes.
The rice will be done when it is creamy but still has a bit of a bite to it. Once the rice is done add the cheeses, thyme leaves and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Salt and Pepper to taste

We had a fabulous time with all the bloggers and our hosts from Iams and Eukanuba. Stay tuned for more posts about our visit!

Disclosure: Our trip to Behind the Paw Influencer Summit was fully paid for by P&G. Our opinions expressed herein are entirely our own. 

Arriving at Behind the Paw: The Iams and Eukanuba Pet Blogger Tour

Today we arrived at "Behind the Paw," the pet blogger summit organized by P & G Pet Care and its Iams and Eukanuba brands. We've got an action packed couple of day ahead of us, and I'm sure there will be lots of great information to share.

Here's a look at what we'll be doing and who is attending... an awesome group of bloggers and all the good folks from Iams and Eukanuba too!

And, we can't wait to see how Griffin is adjusting to his new role as V.P. of Canine Communications.

Griffin as a V.P. in training

We had the pleasure of meeting Griffin last December at the AKC Eukanuba National Championship dog show.

If there's anything you'd like us to ask while we're here, just leave a comment below.

Health and the Senior Dog – Tips from veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward

We recently had the opportunity to interview veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward, a pioneer in senior animal health, about the special nutritional and health needs of older pets.  Dr. Ward and Iams teamed up to educate pet parents how best to keep four legged companions healthy, active and playful throughout their lifetime.  Iams recently introduced Senior Plus diets to specifically address the unique needs of pets age 11 and older.

Dr. Ernie Ward

If you’re wondering if you need to take any special steps to care for your senior pet, you’re not alone. Just like humans, the pet population is living longer. In fact, 11 percent of pets in the U.S., approximately 33 million, are 11 years or older.

Veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward, a regular contributor on the Rachael Ray show and author of the book Chow Hounds, says that antioxidants and nutrients like L-Carnitine, Glucosamine and Chondroitin are important for maintaining health in senior pets.

“L-Carnitine helps maintain lean muscle mass and that’s critical because as we age and as our pets age we lose muscle mass each year,” said Dr. Ward. “I’ve personally been taking L-Carnitine since I turned 35 because humans lose about a percent of muscle mass a year. “

Ward also explained that antioxidants are important as pets age to help combat oxidative stress or free radical damage to cells.  “This is one of the big causes of aging and organ failure or other diseases,” said Dr. Ward.

“For older dogs, Omega-3s are really important for combating aging changes, and they are going to help fight inflammation and oxidative stress. Glucosamine and Chondroitin will help with maintaining healthy joints.”

What about supplements for senior pets?

Dr. Ward, who partnered with Iams on the announcement of its new Senior Plus formula, says that with the new formulation, Iams boosted all the essential nutrients to levels that would help with the vast majority of senior pets.

“But if a dog has arthritis or a cat has inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions, then you may want to talk to your vet about adding other nutritional supplements."

High protein diets vs. kidney disease

As dogs and cats age their ability to digest proteins decreases, so it’s very important to have a good protein source, explained Dr. Ward.

So what about high protein diets? Can they contribute to kidney disease?

“There’s no correlation between high protein diets and kidney disease,” said Dr. Ward. “That’s a myth that was perpetrated about 40 years ago. Delmar Finco did the first research on the topic and then he completely reversed his opinion about 10 years later. The reality is, as pets age they need higher protein levels. There’s absolutely no corollary or relationship with kidney disease.

“Now having said that, if your dog or cat already has kidney failure it depends on what degree. We have a system where we actually grade or assess kidney disease stages called the IRIS staging system. Depending on the stage, we might restrict phosphorous or sodium.”

Immunizations for older dogs

Dr. Ward says he’s been an advocate for extended duration vaccines for more than a decade.  “The general consensus is that all dogs and cats should be vaccinated as infrequently as possible with as few antigens as permissible. So for most of us that’s going to be on about an every three-year schedule.  There’s not as much debate about is as there was about 10 years ago when people like me were first speaking out.”

Is there any age when you shouldn’t immunize them?

“It’s all based on individual risk assessment, and that’s a conversation to have with each individual veterinarian. I think where people stray is that they try to make broad blanket recommendations for all dogs or all cats,” said Dr. Ward. “It’s based on lifestyle, geography, if you travel…  all those sort of things. “

Keeping chompers healthy

Periodontal disease is a very serious condition affecting about 80 percent of all dogs and cats. Good food, brushing, oral rinses and chews can all help maintain healthy teeth and gums.

“The cool thing about the Iams formulation is they got it right many years ago when they developed a unique coating on their food that reduces tartar by about 50 percent, so it’s pretty remarkable stuff.  In short though, these diets can help, but you still need to make sure you are brushing if you can, “said Dr. Ward.  Talk to your veterinarian and especially make sure you have senior pets examined.  You vet should tell you if your pet needs a professional cleaning. “

The bottom line on senior pet health

Eat right, get plenty of exercise, take care of your oral health and get regular checkups. If it sounds familiar it should. Good healthy practices for pets and their humans aren’t vastly different.

One final tip from Dr. Ward… In April, Iams is hosting some fun contests with fabulous prizes on its Iams Facebook page.

So go grab a healthy snack, go for a walk or play some games with your pets! Then check out the Iams Facebook page for  more fun and games next month!

Help Feed Shelter Pets with Iams Home 4 the Holidays

Each year from October  through January, the Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption campaign seeks to place orphaned pets into loving homes. And since it began 13 years ago, the program  -- along with more than 3,500 pet adoption centers and rescue organizations -- has helped 5.8 million families experience the joy of pet adoption, including 1.1 million pet adoptions from last year's campaign alone.

This year, the goal is to adopt out 1.5 million orphaned pets and also to donate 5 million meals through the Iams Home 4 the Holiday Bags 4 Bowls program.

Here's how you can help feed the shelter animals

From now until 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 15:

• For each comment on this blog post, Iams will donate 10 bowls of food to shelter pets. So  please leave a comment and share this post so we can get lots of food donated!
• For each holiday card shared from Iams new e-card collection on Facebook, Iams is donating a meal to shelter pets. However, if you share the card with To Dog With Love  via email at diane(at) todogwithlove(dot) com, Iams will donate  25 bowls!
• For each tweet stating: Help Feed Shelter Pets with Iams Home 4 the Holidays http://bit.ly/vyJYoy #CosmoIH4TH Iams will donate 10 bowls of food.

Iams holiday e-card from its Petmail collection

To Thank You for Helping Feed the Shelter Animals

Iams will give away an Iams Home 4 the Holidays New Pet Parent basket to one lucky To Dog With Love reader. To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post stating you'd like to be entered in the drawing by 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 15. Winner will be picked at random using random.org. Shipping to U.S. and Canada only.

Gift Basket Details:

• Warm snuggly pet bed
• Iams ProActive food -- One month supply
• Toys to engage and entertain
•  Collar/leash -- safety first!
• Bounce Dryer Bar -- did you know that four out of 10 Americans say that if they have a 'pet peeve' about their four-legged friends it's the shedding. One trick is to use the Bounce Dryer Bar or Bounce dryer sheets when doing laundry -- they actually help repel pet hair so owners can hug their furry friends.

Good luck and let's go feed some animals!

Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award Goes to Austin Humane Society

Frances Jonon with Euka, VP of Canine
Communications at P&G Pet Care

Yesterday, our pals at Iams kicked off the 2011 Iams Home 4 the Holidays program at their Pet Care office's in Ohio in a big way! Mike Arms, president of Helen Woodward Animal Center and Founder of the Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption program, was on hand to present the first annual Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award. And the winner is ...

                  (drum roll please >>>>>>>>>>>)

... the Austin Humane Society for its extraordinary relief effort in the Austin/Bastrop wildfires in September, 2011.  Austin Humane Society took the lead in coordinating the disaster relief efforts for the animals displaced in the Austin/Bastrop counties as a result of the recent Texas wildfires. This widespread disaster destroyed over 1,400 homes in the Central Texas area.

The Austin Humane Society helped create a temporary triage unit in the Austin and Bastrop areas providing food, refuge, and medical care for the displaced animals. 

Accepting the award on behalf of Austin Humane was Frances Jonon, Executive Director. The shelter will be receiving a plaque for their wall and a check for $5,000 from Iams.

From left to right, Mike Arms, President, Helen Woodward

Animal Center; Frances Jonon, Executive Director, Austin Humane

Society; Michel Brousset, Marketing Director, Iams North America

Iams gives out the Mike Arms/Iams Hero Award to a person or animal organization that exemplifies the commitment and passion for the lives of orphaned animals similar to what Mike Arms has been doing for so many years.

For the past 12 years, Iams has joined forces with Mike Arms and the Helen Woodward Animal Center for the annual adoption campaign to help raise awareness of orphaned animals in shelters and rescues around the world. The program has created new ways to increase public awareness about orphaned animals, increase the number of pet adoptions, lower euthanasia rates, and set records for the number of people that are receiving humane education.

Animal shelters and pet rescue groups can still register for the 13th annual IH4TH campaign. 

Dr. Marcie Campion talks about the newest recipes from IAMS Naturals

Dr. Marcie Campion and her pup Tucker

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Marcie Campion, nutritionist and scientific relations manager for IAMS/P&G Pet Care, about the newest recipes from IAMS in its Naturals line of pet foods:

• New IAMS Sensitive Naturals, ideal for dogs with ingredient sensitivities and avoids common ingredients that cause itching and scratching
• New IAMS Simple & Natural, simply made for dogs for 100 percent nutrition and contains no fillers

Since Cosmo has allergies that cause itching and scratching, we were especially interested in what Dr. Campion had to say.

We learned that IAMS worked closely with pet experts like animal nutritionists to develop these two new natural recipes to meet the needs of dog owners who either want a simply made dog food with highest quality ingredients or one that is carefully designed to address specific issues that may cause itching and scratching.

Here’s what Dr. Campion had to say:

TDWL: What exactly is Naturals. Is it organic?

Dr. Campion: Naturals isn’t organic, AAFCO (Association Of American Feed Control Officials) created guidelines for pet food companies to use when developing “Natural” recipes. Only ingredients that have elements derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources can be included in a “Natural” recipe. All of the IAMS Naturals recipes, Simple & Natural, IAMS Sensitive Naturals and Healthy Naturals were developed using these guidelines.

TDWL: How did you come up with the new recipes?

Dr. Campion: Natural nutrition can make all the difference for many dogs whether they have ingredients sensitivities or just seem to thrive on a more simple recipe. IAMS Sensitive Naturals is a specially formulated recipe designed to limit ingredients that may cause your dog to itch and scratch, while IAMS Simple & Natural is made with chicken as the number one ingredient and no corn, wheat, soy or meat by-products*.

While these new products are designed for consumers with a more natural (vs. scientific) mindset, these products are fully consistent with our nutritional philosophy, where we are first concerned with enhancing the health and well-being of dogs and cats.  For instance, IAMS believes that dogs and cats are best fed as carnivores, so the main source of protein in our new Naturals diet comes from animal sources (fish or chicken in this case).  We also packed our new recipes with ingredients like vitamin E and other antioxidants for a strong immune system and prebiotics for digestive health.

*Official Feed Term, AAFCO

TDWL: When you say ‘ingredient sensitivities’ – do you mean food allergies?

Dr. Campion: Well, only your vet can determine if your pet has food allergies. Many allergic reactions, such as excessive itching and scratching can be caused by sensitivities to certain ingredients.

TDWL:  What’s the difference between IAMS Naturals and IAMS Healthy Naturals?

Dr. Campion:  With the introduction of our new products, IAMS Healthy Naturals is now part of a larger “IAMS Naturals” family.  The IAMS Naturals family includes two new products - IAMS Simple & Natural and IAMS Sensitive Naturals. IAMS Healthy Naturals continues to offer seven recipes (three for cats and four for dogs) for consumers looking to keep their pets healthy with ingredients they recognize like real chicken, fish, or lamb meal, wholesome grains, fruits, and vegetables.

TDWL:  What is the price point of the new recipes?

Dr. Campion:  All IAMS Simple & Natural and Sensitive Naturals have an MSRP of $11.99 for a 5-pound bag, $19.99 for a 10.5-pound bag and $38.99 for a 25-pound bag. 

TDWL:  How should someone safely switch their pet from the food they’re currently feeding to this if they want their dog or cat to try it?

Dr. Campion:  Switching your dog to a new food takes some planning and should be done gradually. The most successful way to ease your dog into the change in diet would be to start by mixing 25 percent new food with 75 percent old food. Slowly change the proportions over the next three days or so by gradually increasing the new food and lessening the amount of the old food. At the end of this weaning process, you should be feeding 100 percent of the new food.

To learn more about IAMS Naturals, visit www.Iams.com/natural or www.facebook.com/iams. All IAMS Naturals recipes are available at pet specialty stores, mass retailers and grocers.

Bideawee to Honor Iams at Tonight's Gala

Joe Garrison, a member of the Bideawee Board
Emeritus group, is being honored tonight for his years
 of service to Bideawee. Here he is with his Wheaten
Terrier, Austin, who Joe adopted from Bidewee

This past December, we participated in the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign, a wonderful progam that helps suport shelter and rescue pets in need. And we recently learned that Bideawee, one of the shelters that participates in the Home 4 the Holidays program, is honoring Iams at its annual June Gala in New York City tonight.

Bideawee, a Scottish term for "stay a while," is one of the oldest animal pet adoption and animal welfare organizations in the United States and serves the New York metropolitan area and Long Island communities.

Tonight, Bideawee is presenting the "Bideawee Corporate Award" to Iams in recognition of its corporate contributions to foster the health and well being of pets.

Says our pal Bev VanZant, also known as Pet Care Bev from Iams, "It makes me so proud to have this incredible organization take notice of our long-standing commitment in promoting responsible pet adoption and our support of animal adoption organizations across the country. This past year, you may recall, we helped more than 1.1 million pets find forever homes and donated 5 million meals to shelter and rescue pets in need. It's icing on the cake for Bideawee to honor us with this award!"

The Bideawee Ball is the premier social gathering that celebrates animal welfare and the mission to promote and support safe, loving long-term relationships between people and pets.

More information about tonight's Bideawee Ball is here.

EVENT:                     Bideawee Ball

DATE:                        Monday, June 13, 2011 

LOCATION:             Guastavino’s

                                    409 East 59^th Street

New York City

TIME:                         6:30 pm to 10:30 pm