Got a question? Ask Barbara!

No. Salmon poisoning is a yearly occurrence in the Pacific northwest when dogs eat the decomposed salmon that have spawned in the river or are lying on the banks. The organism, Neorickettsia helminthoeca, is a parasite found in the entrails of the fish. A dog would have to eat or lick the guts to become sick. Symptoms are fever and bloody diarrhea 5 to 7 days after exposure, and these are easily treated with oral antibiotics. If left untreated, it can be fatal.

Yes! We have raised our Miniature Pinschers and our St. Bernard on raw food from the moment they were weaned. Many of our friends and clients have raised kittens and puppies on our raw food. It is always wise to talk with an animal health practitioner about supplements for very young or very elderly animals.

Yes, you certainly can AS LONG AS THEY ARE RAW! Cooked bones splinter and can be dangerous but raw chicken bones are great. They clean teeth and aid with digestion. You can often find bargains on chicken necks and parts at the grocery store. Freeze them and bring them out when you want to feed.

Some cats love the raw food right away but many will just sniff it and look at you as though you must be out of your mind. “What! You expect me to eat this?” And then you get the look! Don’t worry! Perseverance is needed and you may have to be more stubborn than your cat, but you can make the switch. Try mixing a little of the raw food with whatever your cat is eating now, gradually increasing until you get rid of the dry or canned component altogether. At the same time, start giving your cat a raw chicken wing-tip to chew on. If they don’t take to it right away, try sprinkling a little kelp or dried bonito tuna flakes on it. Most bad breath and teeth problems will start to disappear within a week.

Most dogs adapt to the raw diet with no difficulty but it is always a good idea to go slowly, especially if your dog has any digestive or bowel problems. It shouldn’t take more that a week to switch your dog over to the raw diet. If you examine these stools closely (and what conscientious dog parent doesn’t?) you will notice that they have little bumps on them. These little bumps empty the anal sacs every time the dog passes them, thereby eliminating the stench, discomfort and cost associated with clogged sacs.

PS’s Full Question: This last time I ordered love bites for my cat you were out of chicken so I ordered beef love bites. The bag says for dogs so I’m wondering if my cat can have these?

Barbara’s answer:  Yes, the LoveBites are for cats & dogs.  For cats we recommend breaking them into small pieces.

Reply from PS: Sophie likes me to put a couple of small pieces on top of her food at each meal. I forgot this morning and she wouldn’t eat her food until I put some love bites on top. LOL

Ingrid’s full question is: I have 3 cats one is 6 mos, and the other two are 13 + 16 yrs. Can the older cats handle this food at this stage in their life? What is the recommend serving size?

Barbara’s answer:

Hi Ingrid, thanks for your email.

Yes, your kitten and your older cats can all eat our food.  Our foods are meant to be fed to all life stages and contain everything your kitten will need to grow to its potential while doing the same for your older cats.

How much you feed depends on how heavy the cats are, if they are over or under-weight, active, or couch potatoes.  We have recommended feeding guidelines on the label of every bag.  You can see each of our labels on our website.

A few recommendations for changing cats over to a new diet, because it might require some effort.  It’s not the food, it’s the cats!!  Make sure to rehydrate the food, by adding an equal amount of warm water, then mix it in with what they are currently eating.  Taper off the amount of their current food until you are feeding only ours.  You can also use the food as treats.

If your cats drink a lot of water, you don’t need to rehydrate.  I’ve found that rehydrating is usually the best option, it only takes a few minutes.

MF’s full question:

I live in Saskatchewan.  I used to feed Vintage dog food.  My dog loved it!  Unfortunately, the store I go to is no longer carrying the product.  I’ve tried changing my dog to a new food, but she doesn’t like it and won’t eat it.

I was looking for food on the internet.  I came across your company and food.  I’m comparing the label on an old bag of Vintage and see that the ingredients and guaranteed analysis are the same as your food.  Did you used to manufacture Vintage Dog Food??

Barbara’s answer:

Yes, we were the manufacturers of Vintage. Vintage has always been our recipe and process with their label.   Unfortunately, we no longer make food for the distributor as there wasn’t enough profit in it for them.  As with all grocery prices, our’s have gone up and we had to pass on the price increases!

Our products for dog and cat food/treats, are the same as what you bought under the Vintage brand and are all available online, delivered direct to you.  We have a much more extensive range of products than they used to carry.

Our dog foods come in seven different formulations; five single proteins and two blended.  We carry 1 and 5 pound bags, with discounts on 10, 15 and 20 pounds (multiples of 5 pound bags).  Each protein has matching treats!

We’ve recently developed a line of squares!  They come in double beef, buffalo or chicken liver; all are made with real liver and LoveBites!  They are easy to carry and can be broken into very small pieces.

ALL our products are still only 100% human grade, real meat, fresh vegetables, extra virgin olive oil and kelp.

We do – naturally! In its natural form, taurine is found in the heart of the animal. The heart is our source of taurine. When taurine is listed as a separate ingredient (other foods, not ours), it is not being added in its natural state, it is synthetic. as 95% of the world’s synthetic taurine is made in China. With Amore, 100% of our ingredients are made by Mother Nature!

MS asked: Do you ship to the US? I’m in Georgia and the website is telling me No.

Barbara’s answer: Yes, we do ship to the US and work is being done on the website to enable ordering directly but for now, orders are taken over the phone at +1(778) 892-6673.  We hope to have US shipping options available by end of August 2024.

We chose not! HPP (High-Pressure Processing) is a method that crushes bacteria under 90,000 pounds per square inch of water. The problem is it crushes good bacteria as well as bad. One of our competitors uses HPP and has had recalls for both salmonella and listeria. We choose to start with high-quality human-grade ingredients, then gently process them in our own facility. Our ingredients come from farms and suppliers that supply local restaurants and grocery stores. We believe that when you start with quality, you don’t need to squish the food to crush the bad stuff!

Two answers to that: First, does eating crackers or cookies keep your teeth clean? Just the opposite, I think. Second, have you watched your dog or cat eat? They don’t chew their food, they bolt it. What keeps your dog or cat’s teeth clean is the effect of the enzymes in raw meat. Raw bones also help and they provide real enjoyment as well.

Check it out. You know how important a healthy, natural diet is for you and your family. Imagine what shape a child would be in who ate nothing but canned meat and dry cereals? There are many interesting sites on the internet where you can find information regarding raw food. As our site is still in the construction stage we are not posting links until we can check them out, but search and you will find!

The general formula for raw food, for average activity level & age, is 2% of body weight.  With our air-dried food we remove 75% of the weight when  removing the water.  So take the dry raw food amount and multiply by 25%, which is the amount that remains after the water is removed.

In your case, this is how I would calculate how much to feed: 60 x 2% x 25% = .3 or about 1/3 of a pound.

– Barbara

We have best before date of two years.  Your dog will eat it long before then!  I still have samples of the first products we made 13 years ago and they still look perfect!

Going on an extended trip with your furkid? Bring lots of Amore – it packs well and will stay fresh!

Kayla’s question: Hello Barbra, I have a 34lb dog. He is 6 years old. I was wondering how many servings are in a 20lb bag of Mega morsels. Thank you for your help, Kayla

Barbara’s answer:

Thanks for your email. John, my webmaster, using his dog Maya as a test subject, figures a 5# bag of food lasts his 35# dog about 3 weeks. He does admit to adding an extra treat and people food here and there!  Going by John’s calculations (and mine!) a 20# bag of food should last about 3 months.

This might be slightly more or less depending on current weight and activity level!

Added note from John: I picked up a pack of 32 OZ containers like these (got mine at the grocery store) and find they work perfectly for making a 6-meal portion using 300grams dry (filled tub) and then water up to the top of the food. As one gets down to the last portion, I make a second and rotate tubs so there’s always some fresh and ready.  I had to figure this out for traveling and ensuring I was bringing enough along, or if leaving her with a sitter.

Also here’s a photo of my little Maya!

An adult dog should be eating between 2% and 3% of his body weight daily. Puppies start out at 10% of their body weight in 2 or 3 small feedings per day and gradually adjust to the adult requirement of 2 – 3% in one meal.

Full disclosure, I posted this FAQ myself, not as an answer to a visitor’s question as I learned of an article Susan Thixton wrote on www.truthaboutpetfood.com where she looked at the past 3 years of recalls and found that raw was by far the least problematic and that dry (kibble) was the leader in recalls with almost 70 million pounds recalled over a three year period ending Oct. 2023.  I thought this was worth sharing on my Ask Barbara.

I am constantly told that raw pet food is dangerous and full of bacteria and pathogens, at least that’s what people told me their vet told them.

I have always maintained that if you start with good ingredients and handle them properly, these problems rarely exist.  Read the article here!  It might change your mind about a few things!  You might want to share with your vet!  Happy reading!

Cheers,
Barbara and Dusty

Amoré offers 2 types of dog food with grains and 6 with none! Twelve years ago, I tried to remove the two foods that contained grains: Beef with Oats and Chicken with Brown Rice. Boy did I an earful from customers! In talking with them, I discovered that they wanted us to keep making them. We’ve found out that dogs that have trouble putting on or keeping their weight do exceptionally well with these formulas. The carbs help with keeping the weight on; I know from my own personal experience! Many of the pet parents I spoke with had aging pets or pets undergoing cancer treatments and this was the only food that helped their dogs.

There’s no way to hide it – yes, it is more expensive than picking up a bag of dried pellets at the supermarket. The trade-off is in the increased health and longevity of your companion animal(s). Chewing on raw bones not only keeps teeth healthy but also helps to prevent anal gland problems. All these improvements in health mean fewer vet bills and less stress for you and your four-legged friend(s). So, yes, it costs a bit more but prevention is always cheaper than cure in the long run.

Pam’s full question:

After 6 months I have finally transitioned my cat to your food. She eats 1/4 cup a day plus I add 1/4 cup of water. I’m concerned because other than the water I use to rehydrate she doesn’t drink any other water even though I offer it. Is she getting enough water?

Barbara’s Answer:

Congratulations on transitioning your cat, they can be tough as they can be finicky.  Have you noticed any changes in your cat since you starting feeding our food?  Did you have any challenges transitioning your cat?

Cats are naturally not big water drinkers.  This is why our instructions are to rehydrate, add water, to our cat foods. When rehydrating our food will flavor the water!  If you’re concerned about not getting enough fluids, try adding extra water to the food.

I would still have a bowl of water available at all times.  You never know if they’re sneaking a slurp when you’re not looking!

Yes!  And it’s not just my opinion (and the opinion of the many thousands that swear by raw food from their experience with it) now that it’s been proven by science.

We’ve been saying it since 2005,  heat and processing destroys the nutritional value of ingredients.  We’ve finally been proven right!!

In a recent study conducted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers conducted an experiment to determine the amino acid digestibilities and true metabolizable energy values of four different pet food formats (raw frozen, freeze-dried, fresh and kibble). The scientists published their results in the Journal of Animal Science.

A little bit of background regarding Amino Acids.

• Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and must come from food or supplements.
• Amino acids are necessary for health, but cannot be produced by humans, dogs or cats.
• The two amino acids researched in the study were Lysine and Threonine.
• Threonine helps maintain the proper protein balance in the body. and is required for the formation of collagen, elastin, and tooth enamel, and aids liver function.

Results of the study found that:

• Freeze-dried raw exhibited the highest amino acid digestibility, while kibble showed the lowest.
• Lysine digestibility was notably higher in freeze-dried raw and frozen raw than in kibble.
• Threonine digestibility was higher in freeze-dried raw than kibble.
• Freeze-dried raw, frozen raw, and fresh diets maintained a consistent high-quality profile of lysine.
• Frozen raw demonstrated higher true metabolizable energy (energy available from diet) than all other forms.
• Freeze-dried raw showed higher true metabolizable energy than extruded.

If that’s what they say about raw and freeze-dried, what would they say about MEGA morsels®?

MEGA morsels ®, are our air-dried raw dog and cat foods.  Using a proprietary process, high quality ingredients are air-dried without using heat.  The result is a high-quality food that retains the integrity of the ingredients, INCLUDING the amino acids!  At the same time, it is a shelf-stable product that does not require freezing or special handling.

Benefits of raw, convenience of kibble!©

Best of all, DUSTY/RUBY/ROVER/FIDO and MORRIS/PUSS/FIFI love it!

Amoré Pet Foods, we feed the pickiest pets!

MEGA Morsels™, our cool air-dried food, are often referred to as freeze-dried. It’s not! We developed a unique method of drying our food. Our patent-pending process removes only water and retains the nutritional integrity of the quality ingredients. It also retains the texture of the ingredients. This allows you to feed our products straight from the bag or rehydrate, your choice! When you rehydrate our product, they retain their unique shape and texture. It doesn’t become porridge-like like some of the other brands. MEGA Morsels™ look like the real meat and vegetables that they contain. Not like the freeze-dried products that look like particleboard.

The title of this question was edited for space.  The original question in full was:

“I adopted a 4 year old cat who has been on kibble. I tried giving her just a tsp. Of your chicken morsels and she threw up. Is this unusual and what is a good way to transition her?”

Barbara’s answer:

I think this is happening because of the newness of the food and how different it is from her kibble diet.  But good for you for caring enough to change to raw 🙂

I would suggest adding water and letting it sit for a few minutes then stirring it in with her regular food.  It will set better as its more familiar!  Cats have that wonderful ability to throw things up when they’re not familiar with them.  This transition should help her make the change and you can gradually reduce the kibble until you’re full raw.

Let me know how it goes!  And I’d live a photo of your girl to add to this FAQ *we post these online).  Can you send one?

Barbara

You might be wondering why we have 60% meat while other brands have 75%. It’s because we use all cuts of meat from the whole animal! Our protein count is 29% vs. other pet foods of 12% We don’t load up with carcasses. This keeps our calcium/phosphorus ratio in correct proportion. Our fat is higher than theirs because meat has more fat than bone. Which are more nutritious?: 600 grams of whole roast or 750 grams of ground-up beef?

He will probably throw it up. I am always finding bits of bone regurgitated by my dogs. Dogs are much more likely to choke – even fatally – on slippery chewed pieces of rawhide and pig’s ears. The raw bone from a young, healthy animal (the reason we sell only free-range and organic bones) will not splinter. However, remember never to cook them. A cooked bone not only splinters into sharp pieces but also actually leaches calcium from the animal’s body.

If you notice a sudden change in our products, please notify us immediately. There are many steps between the factory and the retailer, and we want to make sure that you’re getting the very best quality products when you take them home! So email us with any questions or concerns you may have about our foods.

If you notice a sudden change in our products, please notify us immediately. There are many steps between the factory and the retailer, and we want to make sure that you’re getting the very best quality products when you take them home! So email us with any questions or concerns you may have about our foods.

First, if we aren’t available in your pet store – sorry about that! We focus on making our food available directly from our kitchen via our storefront/kitchen in Burnaby or via online ordering right here on this site. It’s easy and secure to order online and if you’re new to our food, we offer a free trial (just pay $5.00 for shipping) with a variety of recipes to share with your furkid to see what they like (probably will devour all of them!). You’ll also be able to see the quality of the food yourself in dry form and when you rehydrate it.

Biodegradable ones are my choice.

The only thing we add is kelp.  Everything else you need for a healthy dog comes from the human-grade ingredients we use.  If you need to supplement it should be on the advice of your medical practitioner.

This question title has been edited for size.  The original question in full is: My dog has high liver enzymes. Amore is on the list of Susan as good quality. My question is which are the ones that have the lower fat which may be better for my dog?

Barbara’s answer:

The lowest fat in our products is kangaroo.  When we open the boxes, we are always astonished at how lean the meat is; no fat is visible!  My recommendation would be to start there. If you’re looking to rotate proteins you might also try the Salmon & Whitefish.  We use wild pacific salmon, low in fat and high in omega 3’s. Proteins to stay away from would be lamb and beef.  They both tend to be on the fattier side.

Meat and fish ONLY begin to smell when they’ve begun to rot. Our meat and fish are so fresh that they have no odor. If you visit our factory, you’ll find there’s no bloody or fishy smell even though we’re processing huge quantities of raw meat and fish.

Nowadays, pollutants in the environment are causing more and more cancers in our dogs and cats. Beta-carotene is an anti-oxidant known to be effective in the fight against cancer and orange vegetables are extremely rich in beta-carotene. At Amoré we don’t like to add anything to our food that doesn’t come in its natural form. Rather than crushing vitamin tablets and adding them to the food, we prefer to juice our vegetables and add the pulp for fiber and the juice for vitamins.

Although we have modified the outside of our companion animals – size, fur, ears, tail, etc., inside they still resemble their wild ancestors. The 50 years we’ve been feeding our pets commercial dry and canned food, is a drop in the evolutionary bucket. By feeding them cooked, cereal-based and rendered animal protein diets (kibble), we deprive them of the natural good health they are meant to derive from the enzymes in raw meat. These enzymes help in the digestive process and allow natural cleansing, thereby providing a hostile environment for parasites as well as preventing the obnoxious smell that many of our companion animals acquire. Frequent bathing won’t get rid of that smell – it’s coming from the inside and it will disappear with a raw diet and lots of raw bones!

Actually, when my cats started eating raw food and bones, they STOPPED bringing half-dead birds into the house. As far as I can tell, they have completely stopped hunting and killing. Bird song can now actually be heard in my backyard! I haven’t yet heard from anybody that hunting and killing have increased or started after the introduction of a raw food diet.