Newsletter

Let's get Winter gone! 30% off all winter gear - coats, sweaters, PJs, boots, and warmers. While Supplies Last! All Sales Final All Dog Rescue Meet and Greet All Dog Rescue (www.alldogmn.org) will be holding meet-and-greets at Total Dog Company the first Saturday of every month.  Come meet adoptable dogs on Saturday, March 5th, noon-2 pm.  10% discount on purchases made by new adopters the day of the event. NEW PRODUCTS iFetch Now In Stock! The ultimate toy to keep your dog occupied: the iFetch. Teach your dog to drop the ball into the machine, and it launches the ball for your dog to chase. It can use iFetch branded balls, or miniature tennis balls (1.5" in diameter). Check out a video of it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWiIN5ziZBs There is a model that uses regular tennis ball size for bigger dogs, which we can get if you want—let us know. Four grain-free flavors and one that is small pieces (ancestral grain flavors also available - only the fish formula in stock). N&D is made with dehydrated meats instead of meat meals. It is lower in carbs than most dry foods - great to consider if your dog has a yeast condition.   Learn More Gorilla Chews are a safe, strong, and satisfying dog chew made of 100% solid wood. Great for dogs that love to chew! When purchasing, buy a size slightly larger than your dog's mouth and supervise pet during chew time. Total Dog Company 2017 Wall Calendar We want to [...]

It's Pet Dental Health Month! Stop by the store and stock up on dental products - all 10% off this month!  View our Infographic on the Importance of Dog Dental Health All Dog Rescue Meet and Greet All Dog Rescue (www.alldogmn.org) holds meet-and-greets at Total Dog Company the first Saturday of every month. Join us Saturday, February 6.  Come meet adoptable dogs from noon-2 pm. There will be puppies! 10% discount on purchases made by new adopters the day of the event. NEW PRODUCTS 20% off while supplies last! Introducing N&D Dog Food.  N&D is a dog food line made in Italy.  What sets it apart is that, instead of using meat meals, it is made with dehydrated meats.  Compared to the rendering process used in making meat meals, dehydration preserves more of the meats’ nutrients.  In addition, N&D is far lower in carbohydrates than most other dry dog foods. Looking for an inexpensive canned food?  Try Dave’s.  We have several varieties including grain-free options. Coming Soon:  The ultimate in keeping-the-dog-occupied:  iFetch.  Teach your dog to drop the ball into the machine, and it launches the ball for the dog to chase.  Here’s a good YouTube video of one in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWiIN5ziZBs There is a model that uses regular tennis ball size, which we can get if you want—let us know. Total Dog Company 2017 Wall Calendar For those interested in submitting a photo for a Total Dog Company calendar, we’re putting out the call now for the 2017 edition. The theme will be Naughty [...]

EVENTS Saturday, January 23, 2-4 pm  Penny Freberg, owner and breeder of champion Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and North American distributor of Laser Lites grooming products will speak on solutions to grooming issues.  Whether you are a pet owner or a competitor, Penny will address your grooming questions. All Dog Rescue Meet and Greet All Dog Rescue (www.alldogmn.org) holds meet-and-greets at Total Dog Company the first Saturday of every month (sorry, this monthly reminder is too late for the January 2 meet-and-greet, so join us Saturday, February 6).  Come meet adoptable dogs from noon-2 pm.  10% discount on purchases made by new adopters the day of the event. NEW PRODUCTS Another grain-free biscuit offering, available in Bison and Chicken.. Built on a mousetrap, this “snaps” the big red paddle when set off by the dog being where you don’t want it.  It startles but doesn’t hurt. Instead of pigs ears (the location of hormone suppository injection—the most unhealthy part of the pig), try smoked pork strips. The latest “superfood” and you don’t have to go through the hours of cooking to make it yourself. Grain-free soft & crunchy treats that are made with natural ingredients. Available in Duck & Cranberry, Peanut Butter & Apple, and Lamb & Blueberry. Looks like a basted rawhide, but it’s made out of chicken and rice flour—more digestible. Available in two sizes: 4” and 7” A grain-free food featuring duck and quail Available in 5, 15, 30 lb. bags. Gray Muzzle's "Senior Friendly" dental chew is a light, airy structure that is easy for a senior dog [...]

All Dog Rescue Meet and Greet All Dog Rescue (www.alldogmn.org) will be holding meet-and-greets at Total Dog Company the first Saturday of every month.  Come meet adoptable dogs on Saturday, November 7, noon-2 pm.  10% discount on purchases made by new adopters the day of the event. NEW PRODUCTS Super soft training treats in Chicken or Peanut Butter flavors. Super soft training treats in Chicken or Peanut Butter flavors. Solid Gold Holistic food in Buffalo, Sweet Potato & Chickpeas grain-free and gluten-free recipe AvoDerm dog food uses quality ingredients with avocado for healthy skin & coat. SPECIALS AvoDerm November Special:  Bring in an empty 4-lb bag and get $10 off a 22-lb bag of any of the AvoDerm Rotating Menu formulas (Duck, Turkey, Trout, or Lamb) Total Dog Company 2016 Wall Calendar It's that time of year again! The Total Dog Company Wall Calendar is in the works. We've received lots of photos, but could use even more! Please visit: https://www.totaldogcompany.com/show-us-your-total-dog/ to upload and send your high-quality pictures and submit your ideas on our next calendar theme! A neutral party will select the pictures for each month, and one for the cover. Each of those 13 families will receive one free copy of the calendar. Even if your dog is not on a monthly page, he or she will be included in a collage at the back of the calendar, so everybody is a star!  The printed calendars are expected to be in the store around Thanksgiving [...]

AvoDerm Dog Food and the Truth About Avocados AvoDerm is so-named because it contains avocado - which is great for healthy skin and coat.  But some people have heard that avocados are poisonous. That is only partly true: Avocados are packed with nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, including vitamins A, C, E, and B6, and are a rich source of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids. While avocado meal and oil are good for people and dogs, the avocado pit and leaves contain persin, which is dangerous for both people and dogs. AvoDerm pet food contains only avocado meal and avocado oil.  AvoDerm products have been sold and enjoyed for over 25 years without an issue with the avocado meals or oils. Central Life Science in Dallas TX tested AvoDerm’s supplier of avocado meal and avocado oil for presence of persin. The evaluation came back null with NO PERSIN DETECTED in either the food, meal, or oil.  Because Breeder’s Choice knows that your pet is a part of your family, they do continuous random spot checks on their suppliers to verify that no persin is ever included in their supply chain. AvoDerm wants you to try it for 6 weeks and thinks you’ll see improvement if your dog has a dull or weak coat or dry, flaky skin.  They are offering $6 off any size bag during the month of October. OTHER SPECIALS Marked down 20% while supplies last: $3.55/ea These have, at most, 4 ingredients. We’ve got 6 varieties and they’re $1 off per bag while supplies last: $8.55 each In-Store Events [...]

Update on NutriSource/Pure Vita Bison Shortage NutriSource has had trouble sourcing bison for its Heartland Select and Pure Vita Bison formulas, and unfortunately this shortage continues. The canned Heartland Select is back in stock, but the dry food and the Pure Vita Bison dry are now said to be available from the distributor around September 21. Natural Balance Bison formula dry is available, as is Earthborn Great Plains Feast, which contains bison. We will be closed, Monday September 7th for Labor Day New Features In-Store We now have a floor-level scale for you to weigh your dog! Show Us Your Total Dog! We're looking for pictures of your "Total Dog"! We'd love to showcase your dog on our website, social media, and in our 2016 Calendar! Please visit: https://www.totaldogcompany.com/show-us-your-total-dog/ to upload and send your pictures and also for your ideas on our next calendar theme! NEW PRODUCTS Grain free formulas made with red meat Grain free formulas made with red meat Poop bog holder/dispenser that attaches to the leash lengthwise instead of dangling. My favorite dog-related, monthly periodical. Food reviews, training advice, health articles. Single copies on sale at the store; I bet once you read one, you’ll want to subscribe! Special Clearance Prices 25% off selected Wellness, Natural Planet Organic Turkey, and Wild Calling dry food. While supplies last! COMING SOON Within the month, you’ll probably be seeing Victor dog food in the store.  This is a small, family owned company in Texas that has their own manufacturing plant.  They focus on the bioavailability of nutrients, so they choose ingredients that are [...]

Bison Shortage NutriSource has notified retailers that they have had trouble sourcing bison to use in their Pure Vita Bison and NutriSource Heartland Select products.  Our distributor estimates that it will be the end of August before we’ll see them return to our shelves. In the meantime, we do have a couple other brands that contain bison (no word on whether they, too, will have trouble with supplies). Or, try rotating to a different protein. Show Us Your Total Dog! We're looking for pictures of your "Total Dog"! We'd love to showcase your dog on our website, social media, and in our 2016 Calendar! Please visit: https://www.totaldogcompany.com/show-us-your-total-dog/ to upload and send your pictures and also for your ideas on our next calendar theme! Closeouts We are closing out a couple of food lines that haven’t sold well. 25% off Wellness Complete Health foods (NOT including Wellness Simple or Wellness Core) and Wild Calling dry foods (NOT including canned) We’ll still carry Wellness Simple and Core and Wild Calling canned foods. Consignment Corner New puppy?  Growing puppy?  We get quite a few crates in our consignment area – a great way to get a good crate at a GREAT price.  Find what you need, or sell what you don’t. Upcoming Events The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, Maple Grove Saturday, August 8th Wolfe Park in St. Louis Park Sunday, September 13 MN Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen Saturday, October 24  

The Trouble With Blue Buffalo Last year, Purina sued Blue Buffalo claiming they misrepresent their products as containing no by-products when, in fact, they did—false advertising.  Blue Buffalo denied this and counter-sued for defamation. Later, it was discovered that a supplier to Blue Buffalo did indeed deliver meal that was mislabeled:  chicken by-product meal was labeled chicken meal.  Blue Buffalo has admitted this, sued that supplier, and changed suppliers. I have spoken with a representative of Blue Buffalo to get further information about this, and at this point they either cannot or will not state with certainty which, if any, of the foods on our shelves contain by-product meal.  They know that everything made after May of 2014 does not contain by-product meal, so there are few products left in circulation that are affected.  They have agreed to exchange any product that could possibly have the by-product meal in it based on the expiration date of September 2015. The information coming from Blue Buffalo is scant at this point.  They are in the middle of multiple lawsuits and are tight-lipped about anything related to the quality and purity of their product. If you would like to discuss alternatives to Blue Buffalo, we’d be happy to make suggestions. (If you would like to exchange any product you currently have, it must have a Best By date of September 2015 or earlier, you must have purchased it here, and we must receive what is left IN THE ORIGINAL BAG no later than June 15.) View the Letter We Sent to Blue Buffalo SPECIALS Buy one 4-lb. bag of AvoDerm Revolving Menu grain-free food and get a 4-lb. bag of another flavor for free. [...]

We’re stocking up on flea and tick products—most are available now.  (The discounted winter-wear will go away to make room for the warm-weather stuff.)  We will carry “chemical” and “natural” flea and tick products.  See our guide for further information on flea and tick control—make informed choices about what is best for your dog and your situation. Consignment Corner Announcement As we reach the end of the winter season, all who have winter jackets in our Consignment Corner are asked to take them back so we have room for other items.  Thank you! Easter Holiday The store will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 5. New Products Dog Gone Smart Ninja bed—toughest bed around—resists chewing and scratching Cute double-bowl food/water sets Beef scapula chews (a healthier alternative to pig ears—did you know that the ear is where hormone suppositories are injected in pigs? least healthy part of the pig) Rawhide multi-packs NaturVet SOD + Boswellia NaturVet Calming Moments (with melatonin) Your Aging Dog In hopes of assisting your dog to age gracefully, here are some issues aging dogs experience, and ways you can address them. First, let’s bust a couple myths: Don’t consider your dog a “senior” when he hits 7 years of age.  Dogs age at different rates.  There’s no magic number—there are just some age-related or age-exacerbated conditions that the odds of seeing go up after around 7 years of age (bigger dogs may experience them at younger ages, smaller dogs at older ages). You don’t need to change to a “senior” food when your dog gets older.  Dogs need more high-quality protein (rather than less) as they age, in order to maintain muscle mass.  High protein does not cause kidney disease or kidney [...]