Studies show that dogs’ and cats’ digestive tracts are mostly unchanged from their wild ancestors. They are designed to digest fresh, raw meat and bones along with fruits and vegetables – none of the processed grains, preservatives or artificial coloring contained in common commercial dog foods. Raw foods are also rich in naturally occurring enzymes your dog needs for healthy digestion, as well as essential vitamins and nutrients that provide maximum energy and vitality.
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• • Naturally low in carbohydrates and high in proteins
• • Healthier animal with a stronger immune system
• • Greatly reduced or eliminated food allergies
• • Optimized energy level
• • Healthier skin and glowing coat
• • Naturally cleaner teeth and improved breath
• • Smaller, nearly odorless stools which disintegrate quickly
• • Reduced bloating
• • Leaner body mass

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Cats are carnivores and require meat to survive. In the wild, felines hunt and eat their prey. They are designed to eat and digest live, fresh meat. Consequently, the closer we can come to feeding our animals the types of food they would eat naturally, the healthier they will remain.

The majority of feline aliments today can be linked to poor nutrition and luckily they are easily preventable or curable with switching to a holistic diet. Fresh foods provide the appropriate moisture needed to keep our cats healthy. Cats on a dry food diet are often chronically dehydrated, leading to many health problems. The natural prey of a wild cat contains between 65 and 75 percent water. Since cats do not have a strong thirst drive compared to other mammals, it is critical that they get plenty of moisture with their food.

Also, dry food diets contain high amounts of grain, which is a major contributor to many skin problems and food allergies. This is because cats cannot convert grains into usable energy, thus they are simply fillers in their diet. Vegetables on the other hand, in very small amounts, are an optimal source of soluble fiber and help process food and fur, preventing hairballs.
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While most dogs eagerly make the transition to a raw diet, a few may show some initial hesitation. Don’t give up! After all, as a loving caretaker you know what’s best for your animal friend. At first you may want to incorporate the raw food into your dog’s existing diet, gradually increasing the proportion over the course of a week. Monitor your dog’s appetite, demeanor and changes in stool. Keep in mind that loose stools are common during the initial stages of the transition as your dog gets rid of toxins from the old diet and adjusts to the new.
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Any change should be made slowly. If your cat is eating dry food, and particularly free feeding, start by feeding at set mealtimes. Then, gradually incorporate the raw diet into her existing food, increasing the ratio of the new food over the course of 7 to 10 days. Keep in mind that loose stools are common during the initial stages of the transition, as your cat gets rid of the toxins from the old diet and adjusts to the new. Cats are notoriously finicky. If at first she shows no interest, don’t give up! Sometimes transitioning from a dry food, to a canned one and then raw may do the trick.
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To maximize the benefits of Pepperdogz, we recommend weaning your dog entirely off of dry or canned foods. However, you will notice general health improvements even if you use Pepperdogz half the time or as a supplement to a premium brand dry or canned diet.
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Generally yes. Most dogs and cats truly thrive when transitioned onto a fresh diet. Their energy level is optimized, allergies are greatly minimized and meal times become the highlight of their day. If your dog has never been on a raw food diet and is battling off an infection, we recommend that you begin by slightly braising the food and slowly transitioning into an all raw food diet. Another helpful tip for dogs on antibiotics is to feed them live culture yogurts or other sources of probiotics.
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Feeding raw can be very safe if you follow a few common sense precautions. Handle Pepperdogz just as you would when preparing fresh foods for the humans of the household. You should always wash hands thoroughly and immediately clean surfaces that come in contact with raw food. Keep any remaining product in a tightly sealed container and inside the refrigerator for future use. Use up any refrigerated raw food within a 2 to 3 day period. After each meal, wash your dog’s food bowl in warm soapy water. This will prevent the chances of young children being at risk for contamination.

Also, we recommend you discuss your concerns with your veterinarian, along with doing your own personal research on the topic. Much like the human medical sciences, you'll find that veterinarians who are educated in alternative care for animals take a more holistic approach to health and nutrition and are more open to recommending fresh and varied diets. For a listing of alternative care veterinarians, please refer to www.ahvma.org
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Dogs and cats are naturally very resistant to bacterial contamination in their food. Their highly acidic digestive fluids and short digestive tracts, in most cases do not allow bacteria the time or environment needed for bacterial growth. In the wild, they usually eat stomach and intestinal contents of their prey, consuming large amounts of bacteria. You may have already witnessed your own dog eating unsavory things off the ground which you would consider unhealthy, yet there are no ill effects. Most of the time, by slowly introducing raw meats into their diet, the immune system at the level of the gastro-intestinal tract will quickly become much stronger, easily capable of dealing with a bacterial load.
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Pepperdogz & Peppercatz meals are produced in a state of the art, federally inspected facility located in the Pacific Northwest. Much care is taken by specialized personnel at each step of the process to guarantee freshness and consistency. The fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, nutritional supplements and botanicals are delivered shortly before each run and the finished product is quickly frozen to preserve its maximum nutritional value. Quick freezing at a very low temperature is also the most effective way of killing off most harmful forms of bacteria and parasites.
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During our extensive trial period, we realized what our customers were looking for was not only excellent formulation, but also convenience. A patty thaws quickly and is the perfect size for all dogs & cats. Depending on your dog’s size, life stage and activity level, one 8 oz. Pepperdogz patty is small enough to be consumed in a 2-3 day period by the tiniest toy breeds, while it is generally a perfect 1 serving portion for the mid to larger size breeds. Likewise, the 3 oz. Peppercatz patty is the ideal portion for most cats. An average size cat (~15 lbs.) will need 2 Peppercatz patties per day. Please refer to our feeding charts (at the bottom of each individual recipe page) for more information.
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Raw bones are very pliable and pose no harm as long as they are not cooked. Cooked bones are brittle and can easily splinter. Poultry necks, buffalo ribs and knuckles are nature's tooth brush and probably the most natural and effective tool for fighting plaque & gum disease and the best vehicle for exercising the jaw muscles. Raw bones also provide the perfect calcium to phosphorus ratio and are naturally rich in chondroitin, which helps keep joints healthy.

We recommend that you supervise your dog when feeding raw bones. A dog’s natural instinct is to store and retrieve bones; you are likely to see your dog exhibiting this behavior with much delight and satisfaction. Make sure however that you don’t offer too large a bone, especially marrow and knuckles which tend to be richer in fat and can produce loose stools when overdone. Chalky stools are perfectly normal after your dog has consumed raw bones, due to the high calcium content.
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