Aleutia~The Iams Ambassador Without Finesse

Who would have thought 12 years ago when we brought a fuzzy ball of rusty-hued fur home with us that we would be turning our lives upside down and backward for a nightmare dog we couldn't help but adore? Yes, that endearing chubby pup, the last of the litter, is now a 90 pound bear, a spoiled, cantankerous old lady. Aleutia is an Alaskan Malamute-Husky cross and though she has evolved and grown at an alarming rate over the years two things have remained constant: her unbelievably loud howling and her sensitive tummy!
While other dogs may make the perfect pet ambassadors for their charming personalities or their adorable faces, or maybe their smart tricks, Aleutia is the ideal Iams ambassador for one simple reason Iams is the only dog food she has ever been able to stomach...oh and she certainly "gets noticed"! Her wolfish, siren like howl--which we thought delightfully quaint as a small puppy--is a neighbour's worst nightmare and her massive size is enough to intimidate grown men. From soiled floors to a broken window, angered neighbours to chewed up belongings you'd think Aleutia had few redeeming qualities. You'd be wrong! Aleutia is exceedingly loyal and protective, her patience of three spirited kids admirable considering her breed. She is an active dog even in her aging body and she is truly affectionate, approaching cuddly!
When we ventured out to the backwoods of Thunder Bay Ontario in search of a sled dog owner selling a litter of hefty, endurance running dogs and we laid eyes on Aleutia it was impossible to believe she had been passed over and was the last of her brothers and sisters left waiting for a new family. We fell in love with her squinting eyes, fluffy appearance, and stalky stoic little body. We were just finishing our teaching degrees and as newly married students we were less than affluent. Our first instinct was to buy an inexpensive supermarket brand dog food. Aleutia soon developed some serious gastrointestinal upset {not pretty} and we began searching out a food which wouldn't result in nasty surprises! Expensive brands, brands meant for food allergies. We gradually introduced new foods only to realize nothing was working until Iams.

One of the keys we learned for choosing a quality dog food is simply looking at the ingredient list. Look at the order of ingredients. Like human food labels, pet food ingredients must be arranged in decreasing order by weight and the terms are standardized by the American Association of Feed Control (AAFCO). Select a food that lists an animal based protein as one of the first ingredients. In general, animal proteins are more highly digestible than plant-based proteins (e.g. soy) and contain a complete balance of essential amino acids (EAA) that dogs and cats need for optimal growth and development.

Iams has been a tried and true staple in the diet of both Aleutia and our cat, Jarre, and Iams has now introduced something very special Prebiotics! While Iams Probiotics and Eukenuba formulas are nothing new now they have been improved by the addition of prebiotic FOS (fructooligosaccharides) to promote intestinal and immune system health. Okay, I know you're asking what are prebiotics? I think most of us are familiar now with probiotics which we find most readily in our favourite yogurt brands but prebiotics actually feed those amazing probiotics--good bacteria--leading to a decrease in non-beneficial bacteria and better gastrointestinal health.

Iams believes in being both pro-active and pre-active when it comes to the health of your pets! We have experienced first hand the effects of Iams pet foods. Our dog no longer experiences digestive upset and Aleutia and Jarre, both now in their senior golden years are of excellent health and remain active. What more could a pet owner hope for? Well maybe a quiet dog who doesn’t less-than-secretly sleep on the sofa all night causing me to wonder why the drool stained cushions to wash? Can’t win them all and like they say you sometimes don’t choose who you fall in love with--maybe this is even true of pets!

Is your pet an Iams Ambassador? Or maybe you've been thinking of switching to Iams! Iams is offering two Northern Mama readers there choice of free Iams pet food {a 17.5 lb bag or smaller}!
To Enter:

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  Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents. Giveaway closes April 9th, 2010. Read Giveaway Rules for further details.