Yesterday while visiting with the buyer at one of our retailer’s stores, he happily shared with me his satisfaction with feeding Solid Gold to his own black lab and what happened when he ran out of Solid Gold recently.

Here is his experience he shared with me.

Chuck has been feeding his black lab Solid Gold for many years. He trusts the ingredients and the brand, carries it in his stores and chooses it for his own dog. Not long ago he ran out of food for his dog and a sales rep from a different food manufacturer offered Chuck a free bag of food to try with his dog. Chuck took the bag and feed it to the dog. While feeding the 40 pounds of dog food his dog experienced bouts of vomiting; things were not going very smooth. By week 3 his once shiny coat was dull with dander. Needless to say, the lab is back on his Solid Gold food and in great health. His coat is shiny again and he is back to getting compliments on his good looks when at the dog park.

A sincere thank you to the Solid Gold Brand of pet food, our loyal customers and all of you who so kindly take the time to share your comments with us.

To the health & happiness of you & your  pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

January 6-8, 2012, first weekend of the New Year. What are you going to be doing?

If you are in Minnesota, you will want to make sure you attend the 2012 Land O’Lakes Kennel Club Dog Show held at the Saint Paul River Centre.  This is one of the largest all-breed dog shows in Minnesota.

Events range from obedience and rally competitions, and there are over 155 breeds competing for “Best in Show”….that’s over 2,000 purebred dogs! AKC Canine Good Citizenship test will be offered, as well as Therapy Dog Testing. This is just to name a few of the events! You’ll also get the opportunity to visit over 70 vendors, who are offering all things canine.

Be sure to stop by our booth, we are excited to offer a “Healthy Dog Show Special….Super, Super products at Super, Super prices”! These products are so wonderfully impactful to pets’ health we want to give everyone a low cost reason to try them for yourselves… you will see a difference in their pet!

See you at the 2012 Land O’Lakes Kennel Club Dog Show!

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

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That’s not the case at all. You can use some of the same guidelines as you would in choosing your dogs food. Consider the following:

• Avoid soy, wheat, and corn; they are considered comman allergens.
• Avoid chemical preservatives, seek out natural preservatives.
• Look for healthy oils that provide a balance of Omega 3 & 6; like flaxseed, canola and fish oils.
• Protien on the ingredient list should be specific; chicken, beef, lamb, etc. - not “meat”, “animal”, or “poultry”.
• Select premium treats instead of economy treats.
• Select treats from Pet food companies known for their high quailty ingredients.
• Read the label and use your good judgement.
• Dogs, like humans, can eat too many treats and gain weight.  If you like to give a lot of treats, try soft treats and break them up into small peices.  You can then treat often, but is small amounts.

Make sure the treats you are feeding your dog are not ‘insidious invaders’ which are playing havoc with your dogs health and sabotaging the healthy regime you have established by feeding healthy meals.

Here’s a true story I’d like to share with you. Recently I ran into a customer who is a long time feeder of Solid Gold Hund-n-flocken and Solid Gold Seameal. She was concerned because her dog continued to exhibiting itching and ear infections, even after being on our quality food. Knowing from 15 years of experience that she was feeding her dog correctly, I asked her a series a questions. I then asked the correct question…”What about treats?”.  Her dog was eating 6 large biscuits from an economy-brand dog treat manufacturer daily! I explained she needed to eliminate the low quality, economy treats and make a healthy replacement. I received feed back from her: once she stopped giving the name brand treats, her dog was no longer experiencing the itching or ear infections! The change was almost overnight! She is a very satisfied customer : )

An excellent option for a healthy treat for your dog is Solid Gold’s Jerky Treats. They come in beef, lamb and turkey. These jerky treats are bite sized and are made with all natural ingredients, and are packaged in convenient, resealable 10 oz. pouches.

If your dog prefers biscuits, try our Cinna-Bone Dog Biscuits. Being a Solid Gold product, they are made with all natural ingredients. They smell so good you may be tempted to try one yourself. Like a single ingredients treat?  Our LA Treats (Lamb Appeal), are a superb choice. They are made of pure diced dehydrated lamb lung, and an extra bonus….if you have a cat the LA Treats are good for cats also.

Please contact me if you have any questions about treats that complement your pet’s diet.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

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Vital Essentials and Steve’s Real Food are experienced, established raw pet food manufacturers who work with the highest quality and locally sourced ingredients. Both companies adhere to Food Safety and Quality Assurance procedures which are reflected by their perfect track records for safe products.

Here are some key points that make these companies stand strong for the health of our pets.

Vital Essentials

• Raw nutrition since 1968

• “Alpha” Prey-model diet – meat, bone, whole vital organs

• Owns their processing facility

• USDA Certified Pet Food Facility (only one of two in the U.S.)

• Free-ranging cattle and poultry

• Harvest facilities designed by Temple Grandin

Steve’s Real Food

• First commercial raw pet food to be AAFCO certified

• Free-Range meats & pesticide free produce

• Commitment to locally sourcing ingredients

• Fully discloses ingredient sources on website

• Environmental –friendly manufacturing practices

• Easy to feed nuggets or patties

At Solid Gold Northland we are proud to work with these manufacturers, for both their ingredient choices and their high standards of business practices.

Please contact me if you have any questions about using raw food in your pet’s diet.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

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Have you been noticing freezers at your pet’s specialty food store? These freezers are for raw pet food, which is a great addition to your pet’s diet. Raw pet food is healthy, it’s living food, fresh,  and it has a high moisture content.  Pet owners like the idea of fresh food but are often concerned that feeding fresh raw food will be complicated and will break the budget.

Here is what I have found makes commercially prepared raw pet food feeding easy and simple.

• Conveniently available at  many local pet supply stores. (You are likely to find it where you purchase your dry pet food)
• Complete and balanced , taking the guess work out of making fresh food  yourself at home.
• Readymade, simply take from the freezer.
• Easy portion control. There are a variety of forms, from small nuggets to larger patties
• Small nuggets or mini patties make for quick thawing. (It takes about a ½ hour to thaw nuggets in my dogs bowl on the kitchen counter.)

Now, how to keep affordable?

• Make raw food a portion or your pets diet.  So when you give raw you will reduce the amount of dry.

Look at feeding your pet in a similar manner you feed yourself. You likely eat some processed foods and some fresh foods, the same can work for feeding your pet.

Start by adding five nuggets to your pet’s kibble, reducing the kibble proportionately to compensate for the added raw food. This adds variety to your pet’s diet and makes feeding a raw diet very cost effective.

Give it a try, you and your pet will be happy that you did!

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

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Whether a new playful bouncing puppy, a lonely stray, or an seemingly average adult pet comes into your home; they quickly find refuge in a new home and you quickly experience a special peace and joy in their constant presence in your life.

As pet owners, we do all we can to provide for our pets health and happiness, with the goal of a long life together. When the end is near, grief and heartbreak are inevitable.

Loss and grief is an odd thing and ultimately acceptance is the only sane option. In the past I wrote about joining the PetPAC a Twin Cities group for pet industry businesses. This has been a great group to be involved with and it includes some lovely people that can assist at the quiet and sorrowful end.

Here are three woman I am happy to know and would like to introduce to you:

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, is certainly true when it comes to the Joy Sessions® with Sarah Beth Photography. Joy Sessions® are special, end-of-life photo sessions for terminally ill or elderly pets. Sarah Beth will capture the essence of the relationship between you and your pet.

One person I have had the honor to hear speak is Karen Randall DVM, the owner of Solace Veterinary Hospice. As Karen spoke of her passion for animals and her decision to focus her practice on caring for pets when death is inevitable, I was struck by her calm and gentle manner. Both her words and her demeanor lead me to the conclusion that she was in the right line of work and would certainly provide comfort to both human and animal. Solace Veterinary Hospice services can help create an environment for a safe, caring and intimate end-of-life experience for your pet in the comfort of the familiar home environment.

There are many book written about grief, but there is one dedicated to pet loss. The award winning book Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss, is written by Sid Korpi. This book can help guide you through your loss, giving personal and professional insight on the animal lover’s unique grieving process.

There are many professional resources in the Twin Cities and a fellow pet lover friend is often the best comfort .

In the end, I wish us each the comfort of knowing we shared a life with a wonderful being.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,

Dawn Peterson Cobb

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This is Lily. She is about 3 years old and 7 pounds of joy.  She came to live with us when we adopted her from Underdog Rescue in Minnesota.  Lily had lived her life in a puppy mill, prior to being rescued by Underdog.  She is thriving in a home with a family!

Sadly, it is estimated that 4 million adoptable pets will be killed in shelters this year. If you are thinking at all about adding a companion to your home, you can start today by finding a rescue group or adoption event near you.  Pet supply retailers all across the United States partner with Pet Rescue Organizations and have pet adoption days on Saturday and Sundays so people like you and me can come in and meet the pets looking for homes .

Together, you and I, pet rescue groups and pet specialty businesses can find homes for millions of homeless pets. Our world and your family will be better for it.

Underdog Rescue invites you to come meet adoptable dogs and cats at the following ongoing monthly events from 12:30-2:30pm:
2nd & 4th Saturdays – at Urbanimal
1st & 3rd Sundays – at It’s A Pet’s Life
1st & 3rd Saturdays – at Pet Stuff in Minnetonka

I hope to hear from you about the special family member that lives with you.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,
Dawn Peterson Cobb

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Nonprofit pet rescues are mostly composed of volunteers, pet lovers who are working diligently to rescue the homeless animals. Not only do these rescues work to find homes, they also begin the physical and mental rehabilitation needed, allowing these rescued animals to move into their forever homes.

Many for-profit pet businesses have become an important component to the rescues. Now nonprofits and for-profits are commencing to partner up and work together to provide the medical care and food needed to care for the homeless animals. One way this is happening is by hosting events to get the pets in front of the pet-loving public. This helps the animals find foster and/or adoptive homes.

If you are new to pet rescue and want to learn more about foster care or adoption, there are many rescues in the Twin Cities and Minnesota that are happy to answer your questions and help you become involved. Organizations such as Underdog Rescue, The Pet Project Rescue and Animal Ark are always on the look out for committed, responsible volunteers.

Jim Hubal of Edina Reality is just one example of a for-profit reaching out to help the animals. For every home he sells, he gives $500 to a local pet rescue group. Urbanimal has a program which offers a 25% dicount on pet food to pet foster homes; Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet hosts an annual Pins for Pets event which benefits Minnesota’s Spay Neuter Assistance Program (MnSnap). MnSnap’s mission is “to end the suffering and death of homeless animals due to pet overpopulation by providing high-quality, affordable, and accessible spay and neuter services to Minnesota shelters, rescue organizations, and the companion animals of the low-income community”. Fetch Delivers recently donated 1,000 pounds of food to a local shelter. Solid Gold Northland is extremely active in supporting local events with product and/or attendance, as well as regularly sending food to Animal Ark.

Regardless of where you are in the United States, if you are a pet rescue organization, be sure to reach out to your local pet businesses. Many of these businesses are happy to help and will do what they can to help pets in need.

The Twin Cities of Minnesota has done an excellent job with non-profit and for-profits coming together to help homeless animals.  When we work together as a group and community, we make a difference.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,
Dawn Peterson Cobb

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After the appointment, the sales rep contacted me, saying the meeting went poorly and the customer had voiced much dissatisfaction with the company. This came as a surprise to me as well as our entire staff that has interaction with him. The sales rep and I discussed his dissatifaction and came up with our thoughts, but unfortunately our thoughts were only assumptions as the client did not ask for any specifics and we did not ask what we could do to make our service better.

This situation reminded me to refer to Jack Canfield’s book The Success Principles(TM): How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Chapter 19 talks about the importance of asking for feedback. Canfield talks about two specific questions you can use to get feedback you can take action on:

1. On a scale of  1-10, how satisfied are you with….. (the meeting we had today, the service we have been providing, etc.).
2. What would it take to make it a 10?

With this particular client, the two questions above were not asked.  The clients statements were very general, and I was left to come to my own conclusion on what I could do to make this a happy customer once again.  I hope to meet with this client personally and will end our meeting by  asking the above questions. Then I will make an action plan as to what this particular client needs from us so we’re doing an effective job for him.

Solid Gold Northland is now completing each interaction with our clients by asking the 2  feedback questions.  No more surprises for us!

Lastly, be grateful for the persons honesty and thank them for their feedback. This is an opportunity build better relationships, improve your business, and to improve yourself.

P.S. We are on day two of asking the 2 feedback questions and it is  turning out to be very fun and immediately improves on our customer relationships. Thank you Mr. Canfield!

Wishing you success & happiness,
Dawn Cobb

Solid Gold Northland

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Solid Gold Northland is excited to be a new member of PetPAC, which is a membership of pet professionals and companies in the Twin Cities Metro Area.

PetPac offers pet industry professionals in our area an avenue to get to know others in the field, network and provides excellent education for us all on diverse pet related topics.

While it is a group for pet professionals, PetPAC does benefit pet and pet owners in the St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota area by:

1. Being a resource/referral network for pet owners
2. Being the “go-to” professional association for anything pet related
3. Providing a wealth of pet-related information to pet owners

If you are a pet professional in the Twin Cities area, consider applying for membership to PetPAC. You will find:

1. You will grow your business through networking with other pet professionals
2. Your business will be supported and promoted via other PetPAC members
3. You will find a philosophy of abundance – PetPAC believes there is enough business for all

PetPAC meets the fourth Thursday of each month, except for August and December.

I have seen 2 speakers at the meetings I have attended. Elaine Garley  of Animal Bridges spoke on using Tellington TTouch and Healing Touch as healing modalities in her animal communication business.  Ali Jarvis, publisher of SidewalkDog.com, introduced us to their new website. SidewalkDog.com is THE resource for all things dog- related in the Twin Cities. They have the inside scoop on pet- related businesses, dog-friendly shops and restaurants, events, amazing animal rescues and nonprofits, local celebs’ secret lives of dog lovers and more.

Both of these speakers epitomized the goals and philosophies of PetPAC.

To see a list of member businesses, click here.

I will be encouraging my fellow pet business friend  in the Twin Cities to consider joining PetPac. Networking, common goals, animal causes and continued education make us all a stronger team, improve our individual businesses, and  elevate the whole pet community.

To the happiness and health of you & your pet,
Dawn Cobb

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