One-Third Of Dog Owners Believe Plant-Based Pet Diets Are Better

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Research shows one-third of dog owners believe a plant-based diet is better for their pets. The plant-based trend seems to be everywhere with alternatives such as plant-based burgers and kinds of milk for humans. Did you know that plant-based foods can also positively impact your pet’s health too?

More than 4 in 10 (43 percent) of dog food buyers think limiting red meat eaten by pets is healthier than not limiting it at all. So what’s driving these beliefs and what are the potential health benefits of feeding pets plant-based foods?

Plant-based foods for humans are undergoing rapid growth and it’s outpacing overall food growth by more than five times in grocery retailers. Even major companies such as Purina, Pedigree, and Natural Balance have started offering vegetarian and vegan foods for dogs and cats, using ingredients such as brown rice, barley, peas, spinach, and potatoes. Startups such as Wild Earth are sourcing protein from yeast for their dog food. In the future, pet food could be made from sustainable ingredients such as duckweed and algae.

Younger dog owners (aged 16 to 24) might be more likely to reduce the amount of red meat in their dogs’ diet compared with older dog food buyers (older than 45). 40 percent of younger dog food buyers (age 16 to 24) were in favor of regularly dishing up plant-based meals compared with just 21% of those older than 55.

Research by the American Veterinary Medical Association has found little evidence to suggest vegan or vegetarian diets are beneficial to animals. However, anecdotal evidence and testimonials from pet owners suggest some pets could thrive on plant-based diets. Industry players such as V-Dog, a vegan dog food company, believe vegan diets could lead to longevity, increased mobility, decreased allergies, better bowel movements, and excellent weight maintenance.

More generally, in terms of health outcomes, 76 percent of pet owners are looking for better digestive health and 44 percent believed pet food with good bacteria, such as fermented foods, could support pet health. 71 percent agreed a pet’s diet had a direct impact on the animal’s emotional well-being and 51 percent were interested in foods with calming ingredients such as hemp/CBD and chamomile. The environmental impact of meat is also one of the driving factors.

These trends, as with the plant-based pet food trend, could be a reflection of the humanization of pet trends, where owners are looking for ways to adopt the same diet and health trends for their pets. These days, pet owners travel with their pets, allow them to sleep in the same bed, and generally treat their pets as family members. Pet diets tend to reflect the choices of their human owners. As more people eat less meat and embrace plant-based diets some or all of the time, they’re exploring ways to adopt a similar diet for their pets, whether it’s for digestive and gut health or other well-being benefits.

Experts such as Megan Shepherd from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, say it’s critical to keep in mind dogs are omnivores, not herbivores, and they have different nutritional requirements to humans. Dogs tend to struggle on high-fiber and can be at risk of nutritional deficiencies if fed a vegan diet. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they can develop serious health conditions if they’re fed a plant-based diet. For example, cats can absorb the essential amino acid taurine only from animal sources.

Shepherd says owners who feed their dogs plant-based diets should be careful about choosing foods with the right nutritional profile. This is especially true when it comes to amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin D. She says vegetarian diets can be low in the amino acid methionine. Nutritional biochemist Wanda McCormick from the University of Northampton adds dogs have very specific nutritional requirements based on breed, age, size, and sex.

While more pet owners are looking for plant-based pet foods, dogs might need some animal products in their diet to thrive. Cats undoubtedly do need a carnivorous diet to be healthy. Supplementation could offer an option for dog owners, but issues such as bioavailability and interference with other nutrients would need to be carefully studied first.

Health promotion along with environmental and ethical guilt could be driving the trend. As such, the future of pet food could be slaughter-free meat grown in labs that’s both cruelty-free and environmentally sustainable. Insect-based pet foods could be another alternative for environmentally conscious pet owners to consider in the coming years. 

Related article: Plant-based meat

5 Common DIY Plumbing Mistakes To Avoid

DIY plumbing is a satisfying way to get your handiwork done around the house, and are generally great weekend projects or ones that you can complete in a single afternoon. With DY plumbing, you’ll not only save money but also expand your repair skills and impress your family.

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You usually won’t have to call an external plumber for small jobs, but before you go diving into your pipes, it’s a good idea to do a bit of research. Most jobs call for the right tools and a bit of elbow grease, but you’ll want to know the right tools, valves, and procedures to use to avoid DIY mistakes in the future.

The wrong equipment can lead to further repairs down the road, and it’s always better to do it once correctly and then forget about it. Repeat repairs are expensive, and calling in the professionals can be even more so. Avoiding these five common DIY plumbing mistakes will help you tackle that to-do list with ease.

Common mistake 1: Overusing drain cleaner

A lot of DIY-ers reach for the drain cleaner to remove clogs from their sink pipes. The problem with this is that often, too much product is used which can cause damage to metal and pipes. Liquid drain cleaner can also dissolve rubber fittings resulting in leaks.

For blocked drains, it’s better to use a snake or barbed drain cleaning tool. This will do a lot less damage to your sockets, drains, and pipes. Using these tools means your clogged drain small fix doesn’t turn into a plumbing disaster in the future.

Common mistake 2: Not turning off the water

It might seem like the most obvious thing to do, but it’s one that DIY plumbers often overlook. Not turning off the water to your home is a rookie error, and an important one to remember to do. This adds more stress to the job than is necessary, especially if you’re racing against the clock to change a part whilst battling fountains of water.

This can quickly cause water damage to your home, leading to expensive repairs. 

Turning off the water to your home is a quick way to make sure you’re safely and expertly doing your DIY repairs.

Common mistake 3: Using too much manpower

If taps or knobs won’t turn, you might be tempted to strain harder to open them up and get water flowing. This is a problem for many reasons and could lead to unnecessary injury to your body or cause the knob on the valve to break.

Using an adjustable wrench to loosen a tight valve is the easiest way to make sure you’re working smart - not hard. Save those muscles for the gym and other physical activities, instead of overstressing them on home repairs.

Common mistake 4: Using incorrect tools or inferior pieces

Quality valves are built to withstand the test of time so that fewer repairs or replacements are needed over their lifespan. Choosing to skimp on quality products, pieces and tools might mean you save money now, but you’re certainly going to be spending more down the track.

Do your research to ensure you’re using the right tools for the job. You may find that regular clamps or pliers apply too much pressure on joints and valves, leading to further damage. The right tools will save you time, effort and money; so it’s a winning situation all round to choose the correct equipment for the job.

Common mistake 5: Forgetting how things go back together

DIY usually doesn’t come with a handy manual full of pictorials to follow. Once you’ve taken something apart to clean or fix a section, you might have forgotten how it all goes back together with disastrous results.

A good idea is to take notes or draw your own pictures as you’re taking something apart. This is good practice not just for plumbing, but for your other home DIY projects too. Grab a black Sharpie and label your pieces as you take them apart, as this will be much more helpful to you when it comes time to put everything back together.

Give DIY plumbing a try

It’s fun to get stuck into manual jobs, especially DIY around the house. This enthusiasm has led many a DIYer astray, but with a bit of preparation, your repairs will be built to last first and every time. Whether you’re unclogging a drain or giving your bathroom a makeover; arming yourself with the facts and right equipment will make your weekend projects satisfying ones.

Author bio: Luke Fitzpatrick has been published in Forbes, Yahoo! News, Influencive and Tech In Asia. He is a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA Program.

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How To Turn A Small Outdoor Area Into A Place Of Zen

It’s always great to have an outdoor area you can escape to. Whether it’s large or small, taking some time for some fresh air, a sacred space where you can go to turn your back on the dishes, the television and everything that needs to be done inside can do wonders for your health.

Zen outdoor areas via DIY N Crafts

Your private, sacred space is a spot where you can just be with yourself, where you can relax with a book, a cup of tea or coffee or even absolutely nothing at all, and simply stop and breathe. This is especially true when living in the city. Personal outdoor space can be at a minimum when you’re surrounded by other buildings.

Many people can be deterred by a small outdoor area. How can you create your zen place if you don’t have a lot of space to work with? Rest assured though, there are ways to find your inner peace, even with the hustle and bustle of the city surrounding you.

The most important element to consider when creating your zen space is making sure it’s comfortable, peaceful and above all else, personalized.

Incorporating softscape and hardscape

Landscape design, incorporates all the different elements of an outdoor space, the two biggest of which are softscape and hardscape. Many outdoor areas will include a mixture of the two, as they complement each other. Of course, creating your personalized space though will be entirely up to what you prefer.

Softscape

Softscape Japanese garden via Artisan Stone

Often defined as the ‘living elements’ of a space, softspace refers to the trees, plants, grass, vines, and shrubs. Of course, some of these elements, such as trees and evergreen plants, may be permanent and there tends to be no wiggle room there. However, when creating your own personalized space, there are lots you can do with other plants. 

There are some key things to think about when deciding what softscape elements to include like the type of soil used, the natural lay of the land, how much sunlight the area gets, and overall, what style are you looking to achieve?

Hardscape

Hardscape outdoor space via Mansion Global

Constructed using man-made, natural and non-living materials, hardscape is essentially the ‘hard’ elements of your outdoor space. This includes things such as decks, stone or concrete walkways, planter boxes, and walls.

Many people will choose to just use hardscape materials to landscape their outdoor area, particularly as there is so much variety even within the harder materials — mixing stone with timber, for example, provides a textured area without any plants.

If you’re planning to mix the hardscape with the softscape though, keep in mind how the softscape will be incorporated into the harder materials, as usually, it’s the hardscape that is done first.

Enhancing your small space

Sure, some spaces will be smaller than others. But at the end of the day, it’s what you do and make of the space, that matters most.

There are a multitude of ways you can make your space feel bigger than it is if that’s the look you’re going for, such as:

●     Hang a mirror: That’s because mirrors provide the illusion of a bigger space and reflect the sunlight, making an area feel more open.

●     Use tall planters: Tall plants emphasize the “height of an area” rather than the footprint.

●     Use small furniture: Smaller pieces of furniture will make your area feel larger and increase the space around it that can be used.

●     Vertical gardens: Are a visually-appealing way to display some softscape elements or even grow some herbs.

At the end of the day, the most important way to utilize your smaller area to its best is to keep it simple. Less is more. Use a simple color palette that speaks to you and your personality, keep things uncluttered and keep the floor space as clear as possible.

Lastly, the most important thing is that your space is your personal area, keeping you calm and relaxed while you take in the delicious fresh air.

Author bio: Luke Fitzpatrick has been published in Forbes, Yahoo! News, Influencive and Tech In Asia. He is a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA Program.

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