Where better place to test out Guru’s new Reel Fishskins than Cadgwith cove? A sleepy fishing village on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula. Fishermen launch their boats from the beach, on the hunt for the best catch of the day.
Woody loves hunting for dead fish at the beach, much to my dismay. He happily trots over after a good rummage in the rock pools carrying a collection of fish tails, crab shells or his absolute favourite, starfish legs.
Arguably you can’t get any fresher than a straight out of the rock pool starfish, however when we were asked to taste test Guru’s new fish skin treats, it came as quite a relief!
The Reel Fishskins are sustainably sourced, which I think is incredible. Living by the sea, we’re surrounded by the consequences of overfishing, plastic pollution and havoc caused on marine life by ghost fishing nets. I admire Guru for their conscientiousness across their products, using sustainable and recyclable alternatives wherever possible. The treats are 100% white fish skin. Exactly the same as the ones I save for Woody when I cook fish for the humans in our house.
There are a variety of sizes in the packet and they’re all dried out so you don’t have to handle any slippery scales. They’re not particularly smelly either, which is always a bonus!
I was surprised just how chewy the treats were. Woody took his time munching through each piece. He enjoyed gripping them between his paws before ripping and chewing them with his teeth. It’s safe to say they kept him busy! They also didn’t collect too much sand when Woody dropped them on the floor, something we struggle with more often than not in Cornwall! Woody would happily leave them on the beach and return to them when he next felt peckish.
I can’t wait to use them at beach barbecues this summer, as they’d be perfect for keeping Woody occupied. I may even be able to eat a whole burger, without having to share it with him!
The Reel Fishskins are great on the go, with a resealable packet that fits nicely into a coat pocket or our dog walking bag. They’re fairly robust too, which is ideal when out adventuring around Cornwall. There’s nothing worse than finding crumbled up treats at the bottom of your bag after a day at the beach!
It’s a paws up from Woody and a sigh of relief from me! I can finally enjoy a walk by the sea with peace of mind and without Woody bringing half the marine life home with us. We’re excited to add another packet with our next Guru order!
Love,
Hattie & Woody x
Explore the beautiful sights of Cornwall with this awesome pooch through their Instagram @thecornishdog, their blog The Cornish Dog or their twitter @thecornishdog
Hi my name is Henry, I’m a Cockapoo and I’m 6 months old.
I have grown so much from when my hoomans started feeding me Guru Cold Pressed food. I’m now 10kg and make the hoomans hold me when I’m weighed, as I’m not keen on standing on the scales!
I love Guru and often eat it mushed up with water, as it slows me down from eating it so quickly.
I am a growing boy and enjoy charging around whenever I can, either in the garden or house, it doesn’t matter! I also have part of my allowance as treats (that’s if I’m good of course and do what I am asked) and I love eating treats, so I do try to be good.
I’m still a little puppy although I’m growing well, my coat looks great and feels so silky. I’m brushed once a day at least, so as you can see, I’m really pampered. My red curls (although I get told that I’m ginger) look so soft and conditioned, everyone likes to touch me and I love the attention. I think that my hoomans are also happy with my poop, as they are firm and easy to scoop. I’m a bundle of fun and full of energy but slightly calmer with the change in food to Guru (even though I am a bit of a lazy Cockapoo first thing in the morning).
Guru is also great when they take me out to different places (I go to the local pub and to many parks) as I can enjoy a Guru picnic lunch on-the-go.
My owners love the fact that Cold Pressed food has all the nutrients I need for a growing boy and they weigh me to ensure that I get the right amount. They use the Guru puppy calculator which helps with portion control and makes it so easy.
Thank you for reading my story and I hope you enjoy Guru as much as I do!
I have two dogs that love Guru: Charlie, a 4 year old collie cross whippet, and Boo a 3 year old collie cross staffy.
They are both rescues from Greyhound Gap rescue – Boo isn’t nearly a greyhound but they took her in anyway. I have had Charlie for nearly 2 years and Boo only 5 weeks! They are both very clever dogs and I need to make sure they have enough to do!
I like Guru dog food because it hasn’t got a long ingredients list full of things I’ve never heard of. Charlie is reactive and prone to skin irritation, and Guru keeps him on an even keel with healthy skin. Boo has put on weight and muscle in the right places. Even better – it’s tasty enough that I can use it as training treats!
The above photo is how we have their evening meal. I hand feed them one bit of Guru at a time and they take turns. It’s a lovely, relaxing bonding exercise for all of us.
I also like to use bits of Guru in various puzzles – wrapping a little bit in old tea towels then placing them in a carboard box is one of their favourite ways to eat it, because they get to use their nose and brains for it!
As a veterinary nurse and diligent ‘dog mum’ I feel it is my responsibility to make sure Isla, Jelli & Bracken are all fed the healthiest, most nutritious food possible. I completed a Small Animal Nutrition Certificate after qualifying as a veterinary nurse so I knew what I should be feeding and why – the problem was finding the right food!
Rewind several years and we have tried numerous foods, not one had the desired effect for the dogs. They lost coat condition or lost weight. Had a noticeable increase in excretions (yup, I mean poop!) or just didn’t want to eat it.
We tried expensive, super premium foods but found these had a tendency to make the dogs put on weight but lack coat condition, cheaper foods just made them poo more. Raw food was always going to be the best option, however that is not without certain risks and complications which I was not prepared to take – such as salmonella and pretty much needing a designated dog food freezer!
Now fast forward to June 2017! The pitter patter of tiny paws graced the household and we had 4 extra mouths to feed! Fast forward a further 10 weeks and due to some unforeseen circumstances it became apparent that one of these bundles was going to be staying put! Welcome to the family Jelli!!
As a super active working cocker spaniel with no fear or trepidation I knew I had to find a food that would support Jelli during the critical growth stages and one she actually liked – we tried several foods that she would turn her nose up at and then found Guru – since that point we have never looked back!
All three dogs are now fed Guru and I can honestly say that Guru is the best food for our spaniels (and no, i’m not being paid to say this either)!!
Jelli has reached a year old now and adores her food, the bowl is always licked clean, she has a fabulous coat and body condition and totally thrives on it. Isla and Bracken are also doing amazingly well on it. At the age of 8 Isla looks and acts like a puppy which I truly believe is down to being fed a great diet – Bracken on the other hand has always been a very lean dog and can sometimes look a bit ‘ribby’. Feeding more of his previous food just resulted in him being sick or bloating and then having a very upset tummy. Since changing him to Guru he is fitter, has put on more muscle and weight and his coat condition has improved massively! It’s great that it will feed all the dogs regardless of their age too!
So what makes Guru so great? Its cold pressed for a start which means it hasn’t been cooked at really high temperatures which destroys a lot of nutrients in foods. It also means it doesn’t need to be coated in fats and preservatives to make it taste nice! The pellets don’t swell up either like other kibbles do – this can lead to bloat and other very serious conditions in dogs – especially large or deep chested breeds – which can be fatal.
It contains natural ingredients including beef, sea fish, sweet potato and green lipped mussels. The food is pressed into a pellet form which is perfect for adding warm water and re-hydrating into a porridge – perfect for weaning puppies or for the golden oldies who need something a bit softer! Guru comes in two flavours as well! Full on Feast (think roast dinner for dogs) and Surf and Turf (our favourite) which is a blend of beef and fish!
There are no additives, E numbers, artificial flavours or nasties hiding in the Guru food and this is extended to their treats too! Isla inspects each nag to make sure there are no little bits hiding!
(Gosh – it really does just keep getting better doesn’t it!)
So what to treat the dog who will only eat the finest of foods? Venison Sausages perhaps, or maybe Reel Fish Skins (these are new and super yummy!) We use the Venison sausages (contain sweet potato & apple too) for our agility and obedience training. Both the cockers will work their socks off for these as they are soooo tasty!
The Reel Fish Skins are a new addition to the Guru Family and are a ‘reel’ winner (see what I did there!) with all the dogs – a little crunchy they are super for dental health but can be soaked for a slightly softer treat! They come in a resealable packet too so great for keeping in the car for a treat or in your bag with no worries of people getting a meaty or fishy whiff!
Finally (yes I know i’m going on but it is a FURbulous food) for those nights away or long road trips it can be a bit of a faff to measure out and pack dog food! Introducing the Trip Bones! These can be a longer lasting treat or a meal substitute – still full of the same health benefits and absence of additives & nonsense but a chicken flavour instead of the normal Guru flavours!
So in conclusion (yes i’m finished now) I cannot rate Guru highly enough – it has transformed our dogs and I recommend it to friends, clients and anyone else who stands still long enough to talk about the dogs! We love being part of the Geekstar Crew and have our paws crossed we may get to be official Geekstars soon! Both Jelli and Isla would LOVE a Guru bandana to wear with pride and continue to spread the Guru Love!
Check out their website and change the way you feed your dog today (plus add some treats into the basket cause they are super Paw-some and your dog will love them!) Plus it’s usually next day delivery!
Love, Cockers in the Country xx
(This blog is based entirely on my own experience with Guru, we have received no monetary or product incentive from Guru in return for this article)
As you may know, we are Guru Pet Food’s ‘Loveable GeekSTARS’.
We took on their latest taste test to try out their brand new ‘Nothing to Hide – REEL Fishskins’ and its safe to say we were not disappointed!
We are huge fans of fishy treats, so you can imagine how crazy our nostrils went as soon as mum opened our first packet of 100% white fish skins. These dried squares are perfect as a daily treat, we like to have one each before bed time.
Well apart from their fresh tasting fishy goodness, they are hypoallergenic, gluten/ grain/ soya free and act as a natural dental aid! One thing we really did notice, is just how shiny our coats were. Ruby has always had a very shiny coat but Martha has a thicker coat which didn’t have that ‘reel’ shine before she started eating fish.
These treats have now become part of our daily feeding routine. They are so tasty that Martha likes to attempt to eat them in one go! So that she enjoys it for longer, we cut it in half and soften them slightly in water so that they are easier to chew.
Ruby loves the crunch and savours them which is great for her teeth!
After our trip to DogFest Bristol with Guru, we bought another pack alongside their Venison Sausages. If you’d like to try some of Guru’s 100% natural and healthy fish skins, get your paws on some HERE and let us know what you think!
Ruby & Martha xx
See more of this absolutely LOVEable duo over on their Instagram HERE
A few months back, Oscar was a very grumpy boy who went off eating his food. After hearing some recommendations about Guru, we decided to jump ship and haven’t looked back since!
There is never a crumb left in Oscars bowl and Guru leaves him with a big smile on his face – just look at the picture below!
The only trouble is, when we run out… Oscar has to investigate this for himself and get every last piece out of the bag.
Since using Guru, his coat is definitely looking and feeling a lot better. He is a Cockapoo so has difficult hair at the best of times, but we’ve noticed his coat is a lot glossier looking and softer too! In regards to his temperament, he is a LOT calmer than he was before he was on Guru. Don’t get me wrong, he still loves to play and go on his walks, but it’s really calmed him down in the house when approaching bed time – so thank you Guru for that!!
After his feeds, Oscar loves nothing more than a great big nap – sometimes even on the pub table! We wonder if the doggy beer has anything to do with that…?
Being a Guru GeekSTAR we got ‘reely’ excited to taste test the new Nothing To Hide – ‘Reel’ Fishskins.
Coming from a keen fishing family Hunter and Maple do love a fresh fishy treat when they can get their paws on them, but having these new naturally air-dried fish skins are a great way of keeping the fishy treats for longer and they have a great crunch!
The fish skins, like all the other products from Guru have ‘NOTHING TO HIDE’. They are packed with Omega 3 in each fishy square, which can aid brain development, help maintain a healthy heart and joints. They also keep your dog’s coat in optimum condition and we all know Hunter loves his coat looking shiny.
They are hypoallergenic, no grain, no gluten, no soya & a natural dental aid.
Hunter & Maple loved there first few bites and Maple snook into the packet to grab another! These are going to be a new firm favourite for them both.
With a great new colour adding to their packet range it was definitely an eye catcher over on the guru stand at DogFest this month…. be sure to catch yourself a packet or two, yum!
Amy & her adorablecockers xx
Sail on over to their outdoor adventures on Instagramhere
Introducing Magnificent Muttley, not biased, but he is an ‘above average’ Hungarian Wired Haired Vizsla. Not only is he above average in height and weight for his breed (he’s nearly 5 years old and 42kg) he is also above average in his fussy ways, his tummy sensitivity and level of nervousness to change.
Growing up getting him to eat was a constant battle, he doesn’t eat raw meat, preferring his meat cooked and biscuits. He would eat more if they were soaked, but bored within a couple of days he was not food motivated, so covering anything in treats was futile and anything new he would only eat if his spaniel brother ate it first. We tried several premium brands, within a couple of days it was the same story.
That was until we met the GURU team at Blenheim Palace. The friendly team took time to explain the simple ingredients. All this from a UK company that was synchronised with our own approach to healthy eating. They explained the cold pressed process and how much easier it would be to soak the biscuits into a porridge for our fussy boy. We also loved the idea that Muttley may not need to eat such a quantity (maybe as much as 33% less) to keep muscle on his 40kg+ frame. Armed with a fair few packets of the samples, we headed home from the show with great hope.
We have never looked back and remember that day with much affection. Muttley was transformed! He ate the first couple of sample packets that evening without soaking, and the following morning he got up from his bed to look for his breakfast. We ordered a large bag of Full on Feast the day after. Over the coming weeks we started to notice changes:
Big things like we could feed our dog like a dog, bowl put down food is eaten!
Smaller sensitive things like his poo was firm and not so smelly. In fact this is a massive thing if you understand the issues of picking up after a large dog!
Beautiful things, he has a double wired coat, but it has got thicker and stronger.
Easy things, ordering the food direct on online, the Guru team give fast and constant updates until the food arrives in a couple of days.
Money saving things, we were not throwing out food or buying supplements.
Unexpected things, Muttley seemed to get calmer and grow in confidence, happy at meal times and much more positive to train and have fun in the field.
Thank you Guru for working magic on our Muttley, my fussy eater is transformed!
We’d like to take this time to thank you all for visiting GURUWOOD at Dog Fest this year. We met friends old and new; had a blast and lots of laughs too!
For those of you in #TeamSouth, we were sad to miss our cuddles… however we believe it was for the best, as here at Guru we want the best for all dogs and your safety needs to be put 1st xx
So, incase you missed it our LOVEable GeekSTARs Ruby & Martha are going to talk you through the world of GURUWOOD… Enjoy!
We were greeted by the very excitable Geek Squad at Guru Pet Food!
Ruby and Martha lapped up the attention, leaving their stand a little slobbery!
As Guru’s LOVEable GeekSTARS, we couldn’t resist taking some photos in front of their ‘Guruwood’ backdrop.
Their display is always fantastic! The bright yellow is easily spotted across the field! Our faces were even on their GURUWOOD wall of fame!
Woody has been driving me bonkers for months, refusing to eat anything at mealtimes. After trying all the pet food diet tips for feeding fussy eaters I could find, I was just about to lose all hope. That is, until I discovered the world of cold pressed dog food and our friends (or should I say saviours) at Guru*!
When I adopted Woody in September 2017, he had been fed solely on Chappie wet food. I was keen to get Woody onto kibble as soon as I could. It’s often more cost effective and easier to store. For the first few weeks we experimented with different pet food brands, mostly whichever was on offer in the supermarket at the time, before finally settling for Wainwright’s Salmon and Potato. All was well and dandy for a few months, until one day just after the New Year, Woody turned his nose up completely.
It’s like he went on hunger strike. Outright refusing to eat at meal times. We ruled out medical issues early on and were left completely perplexed. At the time I dog walked professionally, which only added to the worry. With Woody walking up to 3 hours a day (and we all know spaniels don’t walk, they run!) it was only a matter of time before he’d start wasting away!
Just as I was about to lose all hope, we were kindly sent a selection of Guru’s pet products to try. We’d been speaking to them on #woofwoofwednesday for weeks and the team at Guru HQ were super helpful, offering us feeding advice whenever they could on how we could look to changing Woody’s dog food and improve his diet.
Being a Cornish dog, who loves a good walk at the beach, it was quite fitting to try Guru’s Surf & Turf cold pressed food. We were sent the 5kg bag but you can purchase them in 14kg sizes too. Something we’ll definitely be doing when we run out! When changing your dog’s food, you’re advised to do it gradually, over a period of weeks. However, with Woody refusing to eat his kibble, I took the gamble and swapped to Guru immediately.
Woody was tentative at first, a little unsure about the sudden change. The first night he didn’t eat, though this is most likely because he was full from the Trip Bone he’d been munching during the day! The bones come in two sizes and are a tasty meal for your pet on the go. They’re perfect for when you’re out for dinner in the evening or having a barbeque at the beach!
At that time Woody was accustomed to eating wet food in the mornings. With the magic of Guru’s cold pressed food, I was able to mix the pellets with warm water to create a softer meal. Woody wolfed it down in no time, result! He continued to eat his Surf & Turf food from thereon in, making mealtimes far more enjoyable for both of us.
The cold pressed dog food was a success and so were Guru’s tasty treats too! Particularly the Nothing to Hide Venison Sausages. They’re the perfect size to take on a walk, fitting nicely into my coat pocket. I also used them for training photoshoots too. It’s safe to say, they didn’t last long and Woody definitely went over the recommended daily allowance of 5 treats, oops!
It’s a paws up from us! At the time of writing this post, Woody’s just finished the last crumbs of his new favourite food. We’ll definitely be heading over to Guru’s online shop to purchase more. Their website is easy to navigate and their handy springer spanial feeding guide helps you calculate the right amount to feed your dog. They have an amazing online community too, with Guru Geeksters up and down the country!
*Guru kindly sent us these products in exchange for an honest review. As you can see by the photos, they’ve been a tremendous hit with Woody so far! We’ll keep you updated on the fussy eating front, though we’ve got our paws crossed that we’re onto a winner.
Head over to see Woody’s seaside adventures@TheCornishDog
Here at Guru, we’ve had a few Biggest losers… however, this year at Dog Fest North we bumped into gorgeous Geekster Harvey the cavalier king charles spaniel and his hoomum.
We love to hear how our Geeksters are getting on with Guru and Harvey’s story is inspiring!
If you’ve got a minute or two to spare, grab a cuppa, put your feet up and read all about our 2018 Dog Fest biggest loser… Harvey xx
I just want to say a huge thank you to you all at Guru. You really have changed my pooches life.
This time last year (2017) Harvey was more than a little overweight weighing just over 18kgs!!! He was struggling with his weight and this caused him to pant heavily all year round, he really struggled in the summer months as he just couldn’t keep cool and wanted to enjoy his walks but I could tell it was exhausting for him.
So… I visited Guru’s stand at Dogfest North and they were so friendly and helpful. Within a month or so after Dog Fest, I ordered Harvey’s first bag of Guru and he LOVED it.
Now I know he was overweight but he had always been a bit fussy about his food, never really seemed interested or bothered that he had any in his bowl. Well this certainly changed when we swapped to Guru. As soon as he knows it’s coming up to dinner time he jumps in his bed and waits, impatiently, and the drool starts, no matter what I do it’s just not in his bowl quick enough. By the time I’ve sat down with my own dinner he has licked his bowl clean!!
Harvey still has a little way to go but he is doing so well, and his weight is down to almost 14kgs!!! He is loving life and we both are loving Guru.
The pictures speak for themselves, the top left picture below is from Dog Fest last year and the bottom left picture below is from January this year, he loved the snow and never stopped running because he wasn’t out of breath. The bottom right picture is from Dog Fest this year where we bought some more venison sausages and the new fish skins and well… you can see the difference from last year.
So once again thank you so much from Harvey and me xx
‘What do you feed your dog?’ is a question everyone seemed to ask us from other dog owners to our vet, family members and friends. Everyone also had their own opinion on the matter! ‘You need to feed him a raw food diet’ one said; ‘He should be on leftovers’; ‘You must feed him grain-free’; ‘You need to feed him xyz brand’. There were just so many choices and it felt like there was a lot of pressure to do the right thing. I believe that there is no set solution, one size does not fit all, both for humans and animals – you should do what is best for your individual dog.
Being ever the bargain hunter, when Kubo came to live with us I looked for sample and trial food packs. I even wrote to companies that we were interested in and asked them if we could try their food so we could establish what food we liked best but also which he preferred.
We were advised on several large brands by our vet and to always go with a food which has a calorie content on the bag. I feed the cats Royal Canin so naturally I thought we would feed the dog the same: it is recommended by vets and I have always got on well with it however, Dave (having too much time on his hands, I think!) became involved in researching different types of food.
A younger Kubo
Like every puppy, Kubo was hyperactive and Dave had read somewhere that a high carbohydrate diet can cause excess energy. Apparently high protein content is better so he started researching these and we ended up trying a cold pressed food. Kubo took to it really well and his stools became less frequent. He seemed happy with the change and enjoyed his dinner even more. Whether it was the food or just time passing, his energy levels did seem to settle somewhat also.
I had no idea what cold pressed food was though! I hadn’t even heard of it before. A bit of reading later, I discovered that cold pressing is a relatively recent new method of creating dog food; ingredients are ground, mixed together and then pressed at a low temperature. This keeps more of the essential nutrients resulting in a more ‘natural’ product. Nutrients are also released slower, dissolving from the outside, which can help to avoid bloating.
We were feeding him Orijen which we were getting on well with until December’s Barky Box delivery. I wrote a blog post about it here: I have never seen Kubo so intent to get into the box and it was all for a Trip Bone by the dog food company Guru. He is very food orientated normally but to be this interested in something must mean it was amazing!
I instantly fell in love with Guru, their people and ethos after reading their website. The next food delivery was 2 big bags of their Surf & Turf food, not to mention some more Trip Bones and tasty Venison Sausages. Apparently, according to Kubo, the Venison Sausages are the absolute best treat ever. I am surprised by some of the ingredients some companies put in food and treats but I am happy in the knowledge that these sausages have the best ingredients in them and Kubo will listen to us more than he ever had for even one of these!
Well this smells good, mum!
His love of Trip Bones had not waned either! He loves them just as much as the first one he gobbled and will try to sneak into the cupboard to pinch one if we let our guard down! They’re a brilliant treat for him and they do keep him quiet for 10 minutes or so.
But what about the food? Well, according to the feeding instruction, Kubo needed less than he would have had of other kinds of dry food and he seemed slightly unimpressed by this. Not that this made him hesitate – he wolfed down his first bowl straightaway! I am convinced that his stomach was full for longer though and despite having less food, he had definitely had enough. I gave him a choice of foods for his next meal, his nose went straight into the Guru bowl! Proof is in the pudding there!
Kubo’s first Trip bone
At the end of the day, the food we buy will be what is best for, and preferred by our dog but I will always have a soft spot for start-up companies, specifically UK-based ones! I think connecting with a company is important and I also highly value great customer service, good interaction with customers, and values that I can associate with – all of this I have found in Guru.
Honestly, I like the convenience of healthy dry dog food – it doesn’t smell like wet food does, it is not messy and it doesn’t take lots of preparation like raw food – but there was always a worry that dry food wouldn’t be the best thing for our dog so I was willing to explore options. Switching to cold pressed food though has been a positive experience for us; Kubo’s stools have smelt less and are better formed (win for the humans as the picker-uppers!) Doggy breath has also been much better and his energy really is more focused – it is not so ‘mad’! I like that we can feed him less whilst knowing that he is still getting the right amount of food so we do save a bit of money … this does just mean he ends up having more spent on treats and toys though! Despite all of the positives that I can think of with cold pressed food, my number one favorite thing is how much Kubo loves it. More important than anything is the happiness, welfare and wagging tail of our dog. Guru has ticked all of the boxes – we are absolutely proud to now be ‘Geeksters’!
Introducing my Geeksters; Frankie, Flower, Betty & Bear.
Frankie is such a sensitive soul, both tummy and skin wise. His ears were red raw and dreadfully scabby; NOTHING seemed to agree with him and I was on the cusp of expensive allergy research with our vet. I’d tried everything they had recommended and I’d searched & searched extruded kibbles for something suitable, but then I came across ‘cold pressed’…. and something called GURU. It LOOKED good, but what did the reviews say?
Despite great reviews, I didn’t hold much hope. But Frankie & Flo didn’t seem to be enjoying what I was currently feeding, and the puppies were about to start weaning… I wanted to give them the best start I could and I needed to make a decision. I went straight for a big bag – a sample pack wouldn’t last long with four hungry beasts and I figured someone’s dog would eat it if mine didn’t.
I was so impressed with Guru dog food. With FOUR hungry Frenchie’s; ranging from 6 weeks to almost 2 years, I loved the fact that literally, ‘one size fits all’. I don’t have to faff about with puppy food, normal food and sensitive food.
My puppies are doing so well on it – not one upset tummy episode. Frankie’s ears are beautiful and pink again. Guru has cleared everything up in just a few weeks!
No need for that expensive allergy testing now and I’m more than happy to pay that little bit extra for the results I’m seeing. My bitch has always struggled with her weight, (don’t we all!!), but she’s coming down beautifully now after having the babies.
I’m super impressed with Guru and I’m recommending it to EVERYONE. Even my cats love it!! ❤️💕
As Guru Pet Food’s Dynamic GeekSTAR, Ila has been asked to taste test their brand new treats – Nothing To Hide ‘Reel’ Fishskins. Living up to Guru’s reputation, these treats have ‘Nothing To Hide’ and are made using quality ingredients with no unhealthy additives; they are made of 100% White Fish Skins from sustainable sources.
Being made purely from fish skin, they are hypoallergenic with no grain, no gluten and no soya. They are naturally air-dried which locks in all the goodness contained in the fish skin; such as Omega 3 – known to help with brain function, lower the risk of heart disease and reduce inflammation of the joints on most puppies and dogs. Not only this, but the crunchiness will also aid keeping your dog’s teeth clean. They come in squares of varying size and have a crunchy-chewy, texture.
Ila’s verdict: she LOVED them! In fact, she could not get enough of them (as with any of the Guru Pet Food range). Now it takes one sniff of the open packet and she dances around offering every trick in the book to get her paws on a bite. We followed the guide put together by the team at Guru around changing your dog food and treats to ensure she had a perfect diet throughout
If you want to get your hands (or paws) on a pack of ‘Reel’ Fishskins, you can buy them on the Guru stand at any of the Dog Fest events. I’m sure they will be in popular demand though, so make sure to visit! You can also get your paws on some HERE
We will be at Dog Fest West on Sunday 24th June with the Guru team, we hope to see some of you there!
Last spring we welcomed a puppy into our family, he was so small and very playful. Bentley, our Working Cocker Spaniel wasn’t happy at first, having to share everything with a new puppy after 8 years of him being the center of attention! But he slowly accepted him and now they love to be together and they even sleep in the same bed!
For the first few months Hudson, our English Pointer puppy, had lots of energy and he was growing every day. When he reached 8 months he was almost double the height of Bentley but he was also quite skinny. Although English Pointers are quite a lean breed (similar to whippets), they have a short coat and a big rib cage Hudson was becoming underweight (he weighed 19kg). We fed him large portions of food 3 times a day but he wasn’t gaining weight at all. We took him to the vets and they said he was healthy but he was slightly underweight. We tried about 6 different brands of dry food but none of them seemed right for him and after a lot of research, I came across Guru Pet Food.
They are very highly rated and use a unique method to make their food called Cold Pressing. This is where the food is mixed and then pressed at very low temperatures which preserves the nutrients and makes the food much easier for your dog to digest. I ordered a bag straight away and as soon as it arrived I weighed out a portion for Hudson, not only was Guru cheaper than the food I was buying before but as the food is so high in nutrients Hudson only needed 250g per day unlike his other food where he was having over 300g per day! Hudson loved his first bowl of Guru and we have never looked back!
I have been feeding Hudson and Bentley Guru for the last 2 months and not only do they both adore it, their skin and coat has improved and they have lots more energy too. Hudson also now has 2 meals of Guru a day instead of 3 as he was having with his previous food and now weighs just over 24kgs.
Would you like to change your dogs’ food? Is this something you should do? If so, where do you start?
If you find yourself asking similar questions, then this is the blog for you!
Changing your dogs’ food isn’t always a necessity, however circumstances sometimes mean you need to find a new food that suits both you and your dog.
So let’s start from the beginning. There are specific foods available just for pups, but is this always necessary? Many breeders have weaned their litters onto Guru. The pups thrived through their first months of life and onwards as they grew into adolescents and onto fully grown adults.
Guru is a healthy cold pressed dog food, it’s suitable for all breeds of all ages, meaning it’s super simple to feed, as Geeksters don’t have to change dog food throughout their life stages. The only thing that differs is the amount you feed, as puppies require more food during their early development and gradually require less as they become adults. We have two handy calculators on the feeding guide page of our website to help you work out exactly how much your furiend needs to eat. You just pop their weight in and it’ll tell you how much to feed: Go to Calculators
There may be times when changing your dog’s food is a necessity…
Some brands of regular dog food require you to change because of your dogs age, condition or breed. It can get quite confusing, so much so that it’s sometimes hard to know which food is the best for you and your furiend.
You may also find that you have to change your dog’s food if your dog becomes ill. Perhaps they’ve developed an allergy to an ingredient in the food, or maybe they’ve just become super fussy and refuse to eat? This may lead you to try a different brand of dog food and if this is the case (and you’re not already) you might just become Cold Pressed Obsessed! We’ve had so many fussy eaters who have transitioned onto Guru and they love it!
Don’t take our word for it, check out some of the blogs on our Buzz page as we have Geeksters young and old; big and small; short and long, all thriving on Guru!
Feel free to give the Geeks a call for a chat about our super tasty varieties.
You’ve decided to make the leap and change your dog’s diet, but you find yourself asking… how do I introduce a new dog food?
Well do not fear, the Geeks are here! You might just be looking to switch dog food brands. Maybe you’re just changing a dog food within the same brand or need advice about switching foods for either a puppy or adult dog. Whatever the case may be, we’re going to do our best to cover any questions you may have.
Are you ready? Let the eating commence… (oops sorry, we mean reading)
Introducing a new dog food requires a transitioning process. This is a period of time where you’ll gradually reduce the amount of old food, whilst simultaneously increasing the amount of new food.
If you decide to change dog food, it’s important not to transition too quickly, however each dog is unique and therefore transitioning time periods can differ. Also, it depends on the difference between the food your dog was previously on to the one you’re wanting to switch them onto.
It can seem complicated, but don’t panic! We’re about to break it all down for you and make it as simple as we can. So, if you’re looking to change dog food, keep reading and find the sections that are relevant to you and your furiend…
Tips on Changing Dog Food
How to switch Dog food brands
How to change dog food brands really starts with finding a dog food company you’re happy with. Here at Guru we want the best for all dog’s and welcome new Geeksters with open arms and paws!
If you’ve made your decision about what new brand of dog food you’d like to change to, you now need to see if and how the type of food may differ from your previous food. This means, even though you’re changing dog food brands, are you sticking with the same type of food, for example are you changing from a regular dried kibble to a regular dried kibble? Or maybe you want to change to a different type of dog food, like Cold Pressed, as well as changing the brand. Or a wet dog food to a raw diet?
There are so many options out there, you’ll need to make sure you’re choosing the right brand and type of dog food for you.
If the type of food is the same (e.g. Cold Pressed to Cold Pressed) it’s easy peasy! Your dog will already be used to the Cold pressed diet and is just simply trying a different recipe.
On the other hand, if your dog is changing between different types of food (e.g. Kibble to Cold Pressed or wet to kibble) we would recommend a gradual transition. Just start with 25% of their new food and 75% of their current food. As long as their stools are formed you can gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the old food until you’re on 100% of their new diet, yay! Just remember that wet food can contain about 70% moisture (water) so the calculation between wet and dry is a little different.
Oh, just for your info… Guru Cold Pressed can be fed alongside a raw diet, as they break down the same in the stomach (we know, awesome right?) so you can go straight for 50/50!
Changing dog food within the same brand
Changing food within a brand can be super simple, as long as the food is made using the same technique or process.
For example, many of you may be feeding Guru Cold pressed dog food, but you’re thinking about switching your dog’s meals up and having a change of flavour. At the moment, we have two recipes… Surf & Turf (Beef, Sea fish & Vegetables) and our Grain Free Full on Feast (Duck, Sea fish & Vegetables). If you’re going to switch between recipes, this won’t be an issue and your dog should be fine without a transition period.
Now, if you feed a brand of dog food that sells different types of food, then a transitioning process would be needed. You can always check out how we recommend to transition on our ‘How To Switch’ section on the Feeding Guide Page HERE.
I have a pregnant/lactating bitch, do I need to change her dog food?
First of all, congratulations! It’s such an exciting time… we just adore puppies! Well, who doesn’t?
Something that’s super important for pregnant bitches is their nutrition, in order to ensure good health and growth of the newborn pups. This is another reason why Guru is so great. Expectant mums can be fed Guru during their pregnancy and her puppies can be weaned straight onto our Cold Pressed food as it’s suitable for all ages and all breeds throughout their life stages. We recommend using our puppy calculator to work out the correct amount of Guru to feed from around the third/fourth week of pregnancy. You may need to feed her little and often, as the pups take up more room! She’ll still need more food throughout lactation, so keep using the puppy calculator until around the fifth to eighth week of lactation. You can also start to wean the pups onto Guru at this time… Woohoo – mini Geeksters! xx
Pups can eat Guru dry straight from the bag, but you can also mix Guru with water. There’s a video showing you how to do this on the Feeding Guide page of our website, check it out HERE.
Again, if you have any questions, you can always call the Geeks in the office.
Can changing dog food cause problems or side effects?
Many people wonder if changing their dog’s food is going to cause their furiend any issues?
1. Does changing dog food cause shedding?
Every dog is different, but if your dog moves onto another food too quickly, they may shed some fur. To avoid this just take your time and transition gradually over a week or two. If you’re transitioning onto Guru, you should notice a big difference in the health of your dog’s skin and coat. This is because we add Cold Pressed oils to our recipes, which helps Geeksters get the Guru Glow!
2. Can changing dog food cause vomiting?
Switching between foods too quickly can cause vomiting. Make sure you take it easy when transitioning, as this will help to avoid problems such as this. However, vomiting may not always be due to the fact you haven’t transitioned properly… it could be caused by other factors, so we would always recommend consulting a vet.
3. Will changing dog food cause diarrhoea?
Poo… something us dog lovers find ourselves talking about all the time, haha!
We’ve had many dog’s transition onto Guru because their dog’s been suffering from loose stools and/or diarrhoea. Our Geeksters tell us they’ve actually seen a huge improvement in the firmness of their dogs stools in a very short space of time.
Sometimes, you may notice loose stools when you begin transitioning from one diet to another. This can be due to the fact their new diet is richer than the one they’re used to, or they may have a particularly sensitive stomach. In this case, we’d recommend to take your time transitioning and if needs be, take a step back. Don’t forget, every dog is different.
For all those sensitive tums out there, both of our GURUlicious recipes are hypoallergenic!
4. Can changing dog food cause skin irritation?
Skin irritation is the main reason a lot of people think about changing their dog’s diet. The Cold Pressed Oils in Guru can help to keep your dogs skin and coat healthy and most importantly, very happy!
There are many factors that can cause skin irritation, but changing your dog’s diet isn’t usually one of them, unless they have a specific allergy to something in the food. If you notice skin irritation you may want to visit your vet.
5. Can changing dog food change behaviour?
Dog food can affect your dog’s behaviour, a bit like us humans… if we have lots of sugary sweets and soft drinks (although they’re super tasty) we can become hyper!
This is why we find ourselves wanting to know exactly what goes into our furiends food.
We’ve had many people contact us after transitioning onto Guru, saying they’ve seen a huge improvement in their dog’s behaviour. Many have seen their dogs become calmer, as we don’t have any nasty additives in our food. Also, some senior dog’s pawrents have thanked us as they’ve seen a positive improvement in their dogs behaviour and a new found energy.
Check out our Buzz page to see blogs from our Geeksters and their experiences with changing to Guru!
We hope this blog has helped to clear up a few questions you may have had about changing dog food. If you’re thinking about switching to Guru and joining our Geekster squad, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Queen Tobie here! I am what some people might call an “oldie”(but goodie), I am a wise girl with a silver fox(ette) face and a touch of arthritis. I am also a very proud Guru GEEK!
Myself and my sister (not wise, not remotely silver… Generally nothing going for her!) have been fed Guru since the summer of 2016, a month before I turned 11 years old.
The humans originally looked into Guru because it is a high quality food with some great herbal supplements, more specifically, Green Lipped Mussel extract – GLM is known to be a great aid for mammals with joint issues (helps strengthen and lubricate joints) – this drew their attention as I had an accident when I was not very wise at all resulting in the arthritis.
My humans never for one minute thought that swapping our food (as they had done plenty of times before) would do anything more than feed us and keep us going. Little did they know just how wrong their views were!
BG(Before Guru) I could go on 20-30minute walks, required plenty of rest & help getting up the stairs and onto the big bed most nights, However; within a week of our transition over to Guru I became more agile & energetic, lost the remainder of my extra pounds and really haven’t looked back since! I am now also fed a few herbal supplements in addition to help me as a I get a little wiser. The combination of all this means that at 12 years old I can now go for 3 hour long hikes one day play fetch for an hour the next day, climb stairs, swim, run, keep my svelte figure & act like a 12month old rather than 12 year old!!
Both myself and my foolish sister are fed Guru and will continue to do so as it is suitable for ALL ages, ALL breeds, ALL sizes! You can be weaned onto Guru as a brand new puppy and be fed the exact same recipe for the rest of your spoilt life with no need to swap and change recipes or brands of food as you age.
We still go absolutely bonkers for our dinner every single day! If we ever get the massive treat of training sessions with Guru as the reward, you should see just how much our eyes pop out of our head, it really does prove just how much we are certainly cold pressed obsessed!!!
So, if you’re thinking of changing your silver pup to a new food, we couldn’t recommend becoming a geek enough!
We owe an awful lot to this little Guru family we’re a part of, and can’t thank them enough for letting me be a puppy all over again (despite how annoying I may be due to this).
Go follow Queen Tobie and her sis, princess Lexi over on Instagram HERE, you won’t regret it!
Oh and fancy a few snaps? Contact their hoomum for Dog PhotographyHERE.
Finding the right food to give your dog is possibly the most important thing about owning one, different dogs will enjoy different things, but making sure that you’re feeding your dog a healthy and nutritious meal is something crucial for their overall health and wellbeing. There are so many popular dog food brands out there that many people put their trust in, without completely looking into the nutrition information, just purely trusting advertisement and popularity. But in reality, these brands are not as nutritious as people may believe, and aren’t actually helping our dogs much at all. Guru Pet Food however, is now a food I can say I trust completely.
Changing Bella’s diet to Guru Pet Food is a decision I wish I had made sooner, we have already noticed significant changes. Bella has always had a very sensitive stomach and even during the transition to Guru, we have found it easier to scoop that poop. We are so delighted that we have discovered something that we can feed without the fear of Bella getting an upset stomach, which is also why we often feed these pieces as treats throughout the day too.
Why is Guru Pet Food different to any other dry food?
Well, the main difference between Guru and regular kibble is that it is cold pressed. Cold pressed food is produced using low temperatures instead of high temperatures which are used in the extrusion process. This means that flavours and nutrients are maintained and our dogs aren’t losing the vitamins they need, as they would with regular kibble.
Another firm favourite of Bella’s is Guru’s venison sausages, they are hypoallergenic, so a delicious treat, even for those pups with allergies or intolerances. The sausages are cut up into smaller pieces, making them the ideal treat for Bella (also a great treat to get her to pose for a photo.)
Another thing we love about Guru are the trip bones, in particular the field trip bones. These are perfect for when you’re out and about, being easy and compact to take around with you. Guru trip bones are also suitable for small and large dogs, coming in two different sizes (also easy to snap them if you don’t want to give them a whole one.)
It feels amazing to finally open up about Bella’s food, as I now know that she is eating something I can trust to give her all the nutrients she will need while developing into an adult. If you are considering changing up your dog’s food, Guru is definitely a food to consider. Thank you so much for reading,
Olivia and Bella xo
Follow Bella’s journey as a spaniel pup through her adorable Instagram HEREand dog blog HERE.
Hi, Harley here! If you didn’t already know, I love my food! I wasn’t always like that; I tried numerous dry foods, wet foods and even a raw diet for a while but after a few days I would turn my nose up at what was on offer. I was also putting on some weight as not eating the food made me hungry and I turned to treats and as a senior, I was staring to have some joint problems and my coat was dull.
After starting my Instagram account, I made some lovely friends who persuaded me to try this new food called Guru. They sent a sample pack and it went down really well, so to cut a long story short, the parents decided to make the switch and I’ve never turned down a meal in nearly two years I’ve been on it.
When we got Raffles, we decided we’d raise him on Guru as it’s suitable for puppies from 4 weeks of age. It can be mixed with warm water to form a porridge like consistency, so it’s ideal for the little ones and they can gradually transition to eating it dry by reducing the amount of water mixed in.
Raffles thrived on Guru. He had so much energy, his coat was lovely and shiny and he was growing into a handsome little pup. As Guru is a cold pressed food, the ingredients are ground, then gently mixed together before they are cold pressed at very low temperatures which means that all the yummy ingredients, like beef, brown rice, sea fish, mixed vegetables and fruits retain all of their flavour, vitamins and nutrients.
It also contains oils, herbs and prebiotics; everything for a healthy immune system and a lovely coat and has the added benefit of making the stools easier to pick up – which human is going to say no to that!
A year on, Raffles has just had a health check and the vet confirmed what we already knew… he’s a happy, healthy pup, the correct weight for his age, his skin, eyes, teeth and coat are all perfect.
As for me, I’m nearly 10 years old now and thanks to Guru, my joint problems have disappeared and I’ve lost 3kg, I’m fit and healthy for my age and can run around and play with my little brother. Guru has done us both the world of good.
Are we glad we’re Guru Geeksters? We sure are! This old man and little pupster are proof of the benefits.
Lots of Love,
Harley and my little bro Raffles xox
Why not join this handsome pair on their adventures over on Instagram ‘here’, or check out their brand new GURUvy blog page ‘here‘…
A dog’s diet is extremely important and Cooper thoroughly enjoys mealtime; he’s been known to bring his bowl over in the manner of Oliver Twist! Cooper eats Guru Pet Food and he’s here with his hoomans to #spreadthelove
When we first brought Cooper home, no doubt like most first-time dog owners, we continued to use the puppy food that our breeder recommended. It was a popular brand and we bought in bulk, which made sense at the time.
Then after a few months, Cooper stopped eating the stuff. He would sniff his bowl and walk away. We tried different techniques, like putting it into frozen Kongs, changing his meal times and adapting the quantity. It was frustrating and worrying, as there was seemingly no explanation for it.
We paid a visit to the vet, who thankfully couldn’t find anything wrong, and they suggested we try another food. I took to the internet to research – my favourite past time! – and came across a couple of different brands our Instagram friends were trying.
This is how we came across Guru Pet Food. We bought a sample food pack from their website, which arrived a couple of days later, and you wouldn’t believe the relief of watching Cooper eat his food – no, sorry, devour his food – in seconds flat! And so began the transition over to Guru and we haven’t looked back.
Cooper’s favourite flavour is Surf & Turf, which is packed full of beef, sea fish and vegetables. As the food is cold pressed, it retains the flavour, vitamins and nutritional value that all growing dogs need.
You simply add warm water to the bite-sized chunks and watch it expand. Here’s a handy video to see it in action: PRESS PAWS HERE
In addition to the tasty GURUliciousness of Surf & Turf, Cooper also enjoys the occasional field trip bone when we’re out and about, and he’s quite partial to the venison sausages. These come in handy when we’re doing training or learning new tricks!
If you’re looking for something new to feed your dog, why not order a sample pack and give it ago? Become a Geekster like Cooper!
See more of gorgeous Geekster Copper and his adventures through these links:
Have you ever wondered if Guru is the food for your puppy?
If it really is as the Guru Geeks say ‘The Best For The Best’?
We sure want the best we can get, so when deciding to find a sibling for our 2 year old Geekster Spaniel, Maddie, we wanted ‘The Best’ for our new baby girl. The best breeder, the best parents and the best start in life for her. This meant Cold Pressed from the start.
For those that maybe haven’t heard of Guru, it’s human grade food containing high quality vegetables, fruit and muscle meat, that is ground, then mixed together. This preserves all the nutrients before it’s Cold Pressed at low temperatures. We wouldn’t feed them anything that we wouldn’t eat ourselves? Maddie has been thriving on it for the last two years (Check out Maddie’s blog here) so it was going to be the same for her sibling.
Flossie was the first born just after 11pm on January 13th. A beautiful bundle of black and tan followed shortly by her stunning brothers just after midnight. We chose her from that very night and followed from afar, until we finally got to meet her.
They really had the most attentive Mummy who cared so well for them. As weaning approached Flossie and the litter were given their first taste of Guru, crumbled and then mixed with warm water.
The outcome was snoozing puppies with the food not just on the inside, but on their paws and noses too. Happy and content after every meal!
We visited Flossie regularly and got to watch the litter thrive and grow so quickly. Their coats glossy and their playfulness was addictive to watch. Happy puppies just what we dreamed of. The litter was transitioned from wet Guru to dry by slowly reducing the amount of water added, so the porridge type consistency became thicker. Eventually by 7 weeks they were happy to eat it dry. Choosing the smallest bite size pieces or crumbling the larger ones she thoroughly enjoyed meal times and licked the bowl clean.
The time came when we finally got to bring her home. Armed with a puppy pack from Guru, Flossie was wrapped up warm and ready to start the second part of her life, with us. She was an angel, sleeping through the night, playing with Maddie and she even stole her big girl bed most days! Her energy, her coat, teeth and health was perfect. The vet was impressed saying ‘Whatever you are doing, just keep on doing it’ That was all we needed to hear.
At 9 weeks Flossie tried her first Cold Pressed Trip Bone, a meal on the go, or for Flossie who was still awaiting that first walk, a meal in Maddie’s big girl bed after she stole it again! She loved it and whilst supervised she munched her way through. They have become a Flossie favourite, meal times and days out they are the perfect meal to pop in your handbag. The same healthy Cold Pressed goodness just ideal for our Floss.
We used the puppy slider on the Guru feeding guide and monitored Flossie’s weight. Puppies can eat the exact same Cold Pressed right through to adult and senior as it’s so gentle on their digestion and contains all the goodness she needed to grow. The only thing she did need was a larger amount as she grew. Meal times were enjoyed as was the puppy post meal slumber.
She was the happiest little girl and even more than we could of wished for. She was playful, glossy and enjoying her food.
Guru have two recipes, Surf and Turf which is Beef, Sea Fish and Vegetables or Full on Feast which is grain free. This is Duck, Sea Fish and Vegetables and reading those ingredients on the bag, it sounds like our favourite Sunday Roast … yummy.
We feed our girls both flavours. There really is no reason for this as both are fine with the brown rice in Surf and Turf, but we like to serve them one in the morning and the other in the evening. The Trip Bones are Chicken and Vegetables which, as we already said, Floss adores. We wet the Guru and use it to fill our kongs or to make fun ice cube treats with extra carrot or banana on those rare Summer days. They are fun to make and she loves playing on the lawn with them. We’ve even started baking healthy treats with Guru and they’ve been given a paws up too!
Off lead training has been a dream as we use Guru’s air dried British Venison and apple slices. Just a shake of the packet and she’s back in a flash. Our saving grace to get an energetic Spaniel’s attention when she’s happily off swimming and chasing her friends.
She has hit all her milestones with flying colours, her coat is so soft with the cold pressed oils from the Guru. When asked on a walk what we use to bath her, we explain it’s the food we put in that gives her the shine, not the bubbles we use to wash off the mud.
As she’s so quickly passed her first birthday last month, Floss has now been on Guru a year and she’s an ideal weight at 11.5kg. She has energy on her off lead walks and easily surpasses her tracker 9000 steps target. Her stools are solid and pick up easily, her breath doesn’t smell and unless a naughty visitor lets her steal some thing she shouldn’t, then there’s no nasty gas smells either. No getting away with blaming the dog any more!
To us there really isn’t another option. It’s cold pressed all the way for our girls and we know for us it is the best we can give them.
So would we recommend Guru for new puppies? Oh yes 100%
Would we change anything we did? Not a chance!
Flossie is the perfect baby Sister and we love her with all our hearts. Whatever did we do without her? She fills our home with laughter and love and for all that she’s brought to our family we are giving her the very best right back.
We love you Floss
We love you Guru
x
A perfect blog by a perfect princess! If you want to see more of Flossie’s adventures, check out her Instagram: @Flossie_and_family Or why not check out her and her big sissy’s brand new blog page HERE.
So what will these gorgeous GeekSTARs be getting up to? They’ll be taste testing new products, attending at least one of the Dog Fest events with the ‘The Mother Ship’ and woofing about up and coming offers, giveaways and new products!
We were all so excited to find out more, so we couldn’t wait to ask Geekster Sam to get ‘up close and pawsonal’ in a sneak peek exclusive interview with each of our gorgeous GeekSTARs before they shout all about it on social media.
Get ready, get set… let’s go and spread some GURU Love xox
Sam: It’s that time of year again where I get the hard job of interviewing our newest Geeks on the Block. It’s a tough job but someone’s gotta do it… haha!
Hold onto your bandanas, blink and you’ll miss her, let’s give a HUGE welcome to our Dynamic GeekSTAR, the very energetic, super sporty Ila…
Dynamic GeekSTAR Ila
Hey Georgina & Ila, welcome to #TeamGuru. Can you tell us how you first got into blogging? I had always thought of starting one when we first brought Ila home, however with usual puppy busyness I didn’t find the time. It was actually the wonderful Guru team that inspired us to finally set up a blog, after asking us if we would like to share how we feed Ila on a mixture of Guru and raw food.
Have you any tips for your readers who may like to get into agility? Ila is my first agility dog and we started from complete scratch. My first tip would be to find a positive reward-based agility trainer. Our agility trainer is amazing, she is fun, positive and really believes in us. Secondly, it’s always worth putting in the very important foundations before starting on the obstacles, not only does it help you to run in synchronisation, as a team, but it also makes learning new skills and the equipment so much quicker and easier. And most importantly, have fun! Ila and I love working together through an agility course, it is both fun and rewarding for us both!
Next up, put your paws together for the two most loveable GeekSTAR boxers on the block… trust me, these two don’t need any introduction!
Loveable GeekSTARs Ruby & Martha
Charlotte, Ruby & Martha, it seems so long ago since we last caught up! I know you have your own fantastic company which is called ‘Muttley and Martha’ but who inspired you to start your own company? I was studying a degree in fashion and textiles at the time when I was working in designing bridal wear. One day, I came home from the studio and noticed Ruby’s collar was really worn and just plain boring. That’s when I had the eureka moment!
What are Ruby and Martha’s most loveable quirks? Ruby’s loveable quirks would have to be her loyalty and ability to make us laugh every day. She’s also a very patient pooch, especially for the camera!
Martha’s loveable quirks would be how affectionate she is. She just loves everyone, she’s such a happy soul.
Yayyy!! I’m super excited to welcome our absolutely adorable Outdoor GeekSTARs Hunter & Maple. I love keeping up with their adventures/road trips and I’m sure you will too!
Outdoor GeekSTARs Hunter & Maple
Welcome Amy, Hunter and Maple to #TeamGuru tell us a little bit about yourselves. Hey Geeks, thankyou for having us on your team! I am Amy, I’m 26 years old and live in Manchester with my two adorablecockers Hunter & Maple. Hunter literally popped up into my life outside my work window! What a perfect surprise he was… Hunter has just hit 2 and a half and is still like the same old little bundle of joy. He loves a cuddle and is well known for his #sharingthelove from kisses with Maple to cuddles with old ladies, he is a charmer!
We got Maple just a few months after as Hunter clearly needed a lady in his life. Two puppies at once clearly was a silly idea at the time but they were smitten for each other. Hunter & Maple do everything together, they just love the great outdoors and running free and stealing each others toys.
What are you most looking forward to in 2018? Honestly DOGFEST! We love seeing the GURU stand each year it definately stands out from the crowd. With lots of socialising, Hunter & Maple get to see their friends and we get to travel to different locations for more adventure time.
Thank you Sam, Georgina, Charlotte and Amy. Check out the full interviews here:
We’re hoping to see all of our GeekSTARs at Dog Fest this year and we’re also looking forward to seeing as many of YOU as possible… Let’s make this summer extra GURUvy and one to remember!
Thanks for reading Geeksters and for continuing to help us #SpreadTheLove
Until next time… hugs, wishes and Geekster kisses to you all xxx
We all adore our dogs and want them to have The Best of The Best!
Here at Guru, our furiends mean everything to us and we want to do everything we can to make sure they have a happy, long and healthy life as possible.
We know you feel the same too, so check out:
Our Top Tips for A Healthy Dog & Puppy Lifestyle!
1. Food glorious Food!– That sounds like a tasty place to start…
A top quality, nutritious diet is really important for a healthy lifestyle. Here at Guru, we want the best for all dogs which is why we believe that #ColdPressedIsBest!
Cold pressing is a unique method we use to prepare your dog’s food. The ingredients are ground and gently mixed together before being pressed at low temperatures for just a few seconds. This carefully retains as much of the ingredients flavour, aroma, vitamins and nutritional value as possible, which are essential to growth, digestion and good health. Cold pressed dog food guarantees a naturally nutritious and balanced diet for your best friend!
If you’re not a Guru Geekster already, why not try a sample? HERE
2. Watch that Weight – One way to help extend your dog’s life and keep them happy and healthy is by maintaining a healthy weight.
Our furiends can become overweight if they eat lots of fatty human food, or if they just eat too much dog food and don’t get enough exercise. When we think of an ‘unhealthy weight’, a lot of us think of our dogs being overweight, however this isn’t always the case… we need to make sure our furiends aren’t underweight either. So how do you reach your dog’s perfect weight?
We recommend feeding your dog Guru cold pressed. We have a handy feeding calculator on our website so all you have to do is select your dog’s ideal weight(if they’re an adult), rather than the weight they’re currently at and it tells you how many grams to feed. This will ensure they receive the right amount of nutrition so they will shed the pounds or gain the bit of weight they need. As Guru is cold pressed, it’s suitable for all breeds and all ages which means you can also feed our food to your puppy. As growing pups need to eat more (lucky pups) we have a separate calculator that works out the correct amount to feed as they grow into a fit and healthy adult.
Use our puppy & dog food calculator to see how much Guru food you need to keep your doggie healthy.
3. Excellent Exercise – Dogs need regular exercise in the same way we do.
It’s completely up to you how and when they exercise however ideally they should have around 1 hour per day where they can run, jump and explore until their hearts are content, as well as having their regular walks for the day. Exercise requirements can differ depending on your dog’s breed, sex, age, and health. Allowing your furiend to socialise and play with other dogs during their exercise, is something they’ll enjoy as well as being a really good way of helping them maintain a healthy weight. This could also keep them emotionally healthy too!
4.Time to Train – Following on from our previous point, having a healthy lifestyle isn’t just all about the outside, it’s what you can’t see too!
Training is a great way to mentally challenge your furiend and help with mental stimulation. Making your dog work for their food is a great way to do this, either by making them wait, shake a paw or turning their feeding time into a fun game! If you want to challenge your furiend even further, you could take up a hobby such as agility training… this will help keep both you and your dog fit and healthy, whilst simultaneously improving your dog’s behaviour and overall well-being.
5. Time to shine Teefies! – Get those teeth sparkling…
Dental hygiene is an important part of your dogs overall health so make sure to inspect your furiends teeth and gums weekly. One of the benefits our customers notice is that their dogs have fresher breath! Guru cold pressed dog food is great for dental hygiene. The cold pressed crunch is great for your furiends teeth as well as our Trip bones (not to mention they’re super duper tasty… ask our Geeksters). We have two sizes, check them out: Field Trip bones (47g) and Road Trip bones (118g).
You could also check with your vet for instructions on regular brushing with canine toothpaste.
6. Did someone say TREATS? – Yumm… we all love to treat our furiends, but are we giving them the best of the best?
Treats are just as important as your dog’s main diet, so don’t just think ‘anything will do’. For a healthy and obedient dog, we need healthy dog treats that makes training worthwhile. Our Venison Sausages are great for this! We have developed our ‘Nothing To Hide’ range that’s made with 70% British Venison, apple and sweet potato which are sure to get your furiend wanting more. If you’re out and about, all you’ll need to do is pop them out your pocket and BOOM, you furiend will be right there. Why not try some HERE?
7. Coat Care – The Cold Pressed oils within Guru help your dog’s skin, leaving your furiend with a healthy and glowing coat.
Improvements in the coat and skin are one of the main benefits Geeksters notice when switching to our cold pressed food!
Another thing to keep in mind with coat care, is to fight those fleas and tackle those ticks!
Fleas can cause many health problems, not just itchy skin and can be the source of allergies, anemia, and tapeworms. Luckily there’s a great number of flea control products available. Monthly applications should be given based on the weight of your dog and keep in mind you must treat all your pets, not just the ones when fleas are obvious. You need to be extra careful in warmer months!
Tics like to latch themselves on to dogs/humans and transmit disease… ew! Always check your dog for ticks after a walk in long grass or woodland, particularly their face, eyes and inside the ears.
8. Keep your furiend Hydrated– It’s important that we make sure our furiends always get enough to drink!
Especially in hot, sunny, summer weather (not that we see the sun too often here haha). Have cool fresh water available for them at all times. A good tip is to have more than one water dish out in different places, e.g outside, in the kitchen etc. Keep an eye on the water level to make sure your dog is getting enough to drink.
9. Keep it Clean!– Keeping bowls, bedding, towels etc clean is another key point to keeping your furiend happy and healthy.
Would you like to eat from a dirty plate or bowl? We’re guessing no… so why would your furiend? Making sure their bowls are clean is super important to avoid them becoming ill. Even if your dog enjoys rolling in mud, they should have a clean bed, so make sure to shake bedding outdoors and vacuum regularly to get rid of hairs. Also, don’t forget to wash covers, blankets and towels to keep fleas and smells away. Let’s not leave the car crew behind… remember the bedding and towels you keep in the car as well.
10. Spread The Love – We’ve saved the best ’til last!
Most of you know, here at Guru, we’re all about spreading the love…
The bond between you and your best furiend is something special and something no one can take away from you. As their pawrent, your dog looks to you for love and is also looking to please you. Maybe they’re a cuddler, so you cosy up on the couch for a snuggle or maybe they just need some positive encouragement every once in a while. Little actions go a long way in maintaining a loving relationship with your pet.
It’s a reward for both you and your dog to display your unconditional love for one another. The love between you and your dog is super powerful, so powerful that it could have it’s own super hero name!
Showing your dog some love and affection can shape how they interact with other animals and people. Why not show your dog some love right now, go on… how can you resist those puppy dog eyes?
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading and maybe you can take something away from our 10 top tips for a healthy dog lifestyle.
As we mentioned at the begining, we want to do everything we can to give your dog a long, happy and healthy life which is why we put all of our efforts into producing healthy and nutritious food and treats for your furiends.
Thanks for reading and don’t forget to head over to our website if you have any questions or want more information.
On the way back from our recent holiday with the boys, we were lucky enough to visit Guru HQ and our favourite Geeksters! As we mentioned in our previous blog, on the way home from our recent holiday, we thought we would stop in to visit Guru. We had wanted to go and see them for a long time and thought this would be the perfect time.
When We Arrived
We arrived at Guru HQ full of excitement and when we pulled up outside, the boys instantly shot up out of their bed. They must have known they were in for a treat! We opened the car door, stretched our legs and the boys both sniffed the air. They most probably could smell their food, exciting them even more. Before we even were able to ring the buzzer, the door had already opened and the lovely Lisa (Co owner) and Sam greeted us with beaming smiles. Tails wagging, the boys both got lots of fuss (and us too!) and we headed upstairs. It was really cool to see where the magic happens. We also got to meet Steph, who had recently joined the Guru team. We chatted for a while, whilst Jacob & Bruno made themselves at home. They sniffed every nook and cranny in the office, had their noses in every box they could and even made sure the delivery man knew they were there by giving him a bark (or two!).
The Tour
Lisa offered us a tour and before we could accept, the boys were already by the stairs waiting for us! We made our way down to the ‘Packing Room’ where all of the yummy food and treats were stored before heading out to all of the Geeksters!
Oh my Guru! we had never seen so many bags of dog food and the boys were in their element. They ran over to their favourite food, the Full on Feast. We know that this is their favourite as they always get so excited at dinner time and when we first fed them the food, they licked and licked and licked their bowls clean, more than they ever used to! Jacob & Bruno have been eating their scrumptious Full on Feast Cold Pressed Dog Food since early last year. As the food is cold pressed, it locks in all of the goodness, which we can see has really benefited the boys as we get a lot of compliments on how healthy they look, especially on how shiny their coats are! We also find the online feeding guide really useful, meaning the boys weight has stayed consistent, which with any dog, can be tricky!
We had a mini photo shoot in front of the bags of food, which is a Geekster tradition. Every time a Geekster visits Guru HQ, they take a photo amongst their favourite food!
Earning Their Treats
After we had finished taking a few photos, it was time for Jacob & Bruno to earn their treats! Guru launched their wonderfully yummy Venison Sausage treats last year and the boys absolutely adore them. The boys were given two whole boxes full to help sort out, which they sniffed and sniffed and couldn’t wait any longer to have a few! The treats come in a really handy re-sealable packet, which seals in the goodness. There’s nothing to hide with these treats!
The venison meat is sustainably sourced in the UK and contain NO:
Gluten
Grain
Dairy
Soya
Beef
They’re also Hypoallergenic! Perfect for Jacob & Bruno.
They finished ‘sorting’ the boxes and were on to the next adventure!
A Bone For The Trip Home
It didn’t take Jacob or Bruno long to sniff out another one of their favourite treats, the famous Guru trip bone. We still had a good few hours until we would be home, so the Guru trip bones come in very handy. They have two sizes of these bones, the ‘road trip’ for the larger dogs and the ‘field trip’ for the smaller dogs like Jacob & Bruno. They’re perfect for long journeys, days out and adventures as they act like a meal on the go. The boys certainly enjoy them!
Homeward Bound
Before we knew it, it was time to head home. What fun we had all had! It was absolutely wonderful to see Lisa and Sam again. We already knew how passionate they are about Guru and going to the heart of it all was lovely. It makes us equally as passionate about the food as they do such a brilliant job. Jacob & Bruno were spoilt rotten and didn’t want to leave and to tell the truth, we could have stayed there for longer too!
Before we headed off, Andrew (the other co owner & Lisa’s husband) turned up! We had met Andrew at Dog Fest and it was great to catch up with him too!
We are really grateful for the special relationship we have with these guys. We really do urge you to check them out, their food has done wonders for the boys and it’s great to support such a wonderful company!
