When it comes to your new puppy or kitten, making smart choices now will get your new family member off to a good and healthy start.

Regular checkups and vaccinations are always part of a healthy pet's life pet's life and are a mark of responsible pet ownership, but it's a fact - healthy pets can also help to reduce costly veterinary bills. Looking into adopting a pet?

Smart choices for puppy or kitten include foods that will help get your pet off to a healthy start in life.  When it comes to food choices, some of the things to consider are:

• How does the food taste; is it digestible?

Foods made with real ingredients such as lamb, beef, fish, chicken, venison provide real taste; and pets don't know much about nutrition - they know about taste - that's why they have you. To make the right choices.  Healthy foods are by nature, highly digestible. Highly digestible food provides higher nutrient absorption rates and in turn less waste to clean up. What is AAFCO and what does it mean when you see it on a pet food container?

• Does the food provide the best nutritional mix?

Foods made with real ingredients rather than fillers and by-products (for example real chicken meat as compared to the by-product which includes beaks, claws, etc.) provide high quality and balanced nutrition to meet the nutritional needs of growing puppies and kittens.  What are natural foods? What are organic foods? What are holistic foods? What does "raw diet" mean?

• Does your food choice provide high value?

The better the nutritional value provided to your pet, the less your feeding expense becomes. Highly nutritious and balanced foods mean that your pet absorbs more nutrition per serving, which is why recommended serving sizes are lower for premium foods than for standard grocery or economy foods.  When you feed less, you clean up less, and when your pet is healthy, your vet bills stay low. How do I select the proper food, and what do all the food terminologies really mean? When it comes to real value for your dollar, we have some great programs that can help you save even more!

Some of the best-recognized nutritional brands are:

• Avo Derm
• California Natural
• Canidae
• Chicken Soup
• Evo
• Hills Science Diet
• Innova
• Natural Balance
• Nature's Variety
• Nutro Max
• Natural Choice
• Pinnacle
• Pro Plan
• Royal Canin
• Ultra
• Wellness

Any one of our friendly associates will also be happy to help you in choosing a proper food for your new family member.  Other things to consider for the new puppy or kitten are:

• Beds, pillows, pet pads
• Carriers, kennels or crates
  
• Collars and leashes
• ID Tag
• Low-cost vaccine services
• Care books
• Water and food bowls/dishes and storage containers
• Puppy pads
• Stain and odor products
• Scoopers
• Litter and litter box
• Treats
• Toys
• Grooming products shch as brushes, combs, shampoos, clippers
• Flea and tick products