cat & dog sliders. there's a difference!

In the past months since launching our sliders, we've received a good amount of phone calls and emails in regards to these lil' one ounce-ers.

Now answering these popular concerns in the following Q & A format:

Q: I accidentally bought dog sliders instead of cat sliders(or vice versa)...how can I tell the difference between these two?

A. Ah, such a good question! Well, first off the dog image from our logo is located on the top left of the slider bag and although the image is animated it is indeed a dog (and same goes for the cat sliders). The other tell-tale sign is that right below the dog or cat image you'll see smallbatch and either the word 'cat' or 'dog' next to it.

Q: So I bought the wrong sliders. Can my dog eat cat sliders(um, and vice versa)?

A: The answer is, yes. Cat sliders are higher in protein, which means they contain a whole lot less veggies. And by a whole lot we mean a WHOLE lot. Cat sliders are about 1% produce(dandelion greens, cranberries, kelp) they do contain salmon oil, apple cider vinegar and grapefruit seed extract just like dog batches. Your dog would be getting a higher percentage of protein and a little variety in the dandelion and cranberry that they would normally not get from the dog sliders or patties. With that being said, dog sliders being fed to a cat is no cause for alarm. In this instance a cat would be receiving more veggies than necessary but as long as it is temporary it's actually a good thing. Your cat would be getting a little variety and benefiting from it. Now finish off the bag and pay closer attention next time!

Q: I counted each slider in the bag and did not find 48 one ounce sliders. What the heck?

A: Easy there, we're certainly not trying to cheat you out of a slider or two. Our slider bags read 'contains 48, 1oz. sliders (3lbs.)' in hindsight, the bag should read 'approximately, 48...' due to the variation in weight per slider...Ok, wait just know that you're definitely getting 3lbs. in every bag but unfortunately at times, 47 sliders tips the scale at 3lbs, sometimes 46 sliders do the same so we have to stop at that number. We apologize for that error and will definitely make changes as soon as we are ready to print more bags. Now please put the bag down, warm your frozen fingers and go have some fun.

Q: Are you going to launch other slider proteins? And if so, when?!

A: Patience my fellow raw food feeder. We are soon launching some more flavors, but please note that since we are a local company with an emphasis on using local proteins(from california), we are limited to the kind of exotics you might me thinking of(venison, buffalo, unicorn etc.) As soon as we are ready to bust out more slider flavors you will be the first one to know, we'll let everyone and their grandma know.

Ah, feels good to let it all out. Sure hope this helps sort out the slider mysteries.

The truth about HPP.

Many phone calls and emails have been pouring in, concerning HPP and whether or not we use it or have plans on implementing it to our processing. The answer is, no. We do not use HPP in our processing and are doing everything in our power to ensure that we continue to produce a true 100% raw product.

So what is good about HPP? Foods treated with HPP have a couple of key benefits. The first being an extended product shelf life and second, HPP is said to destroy harmful bacteria. So why all the overwhelming concern from everyone?

It turns out that while extending shelf life and killing potentially harmful bacteria, HPP also destroys all the friendly organisms that exist in raw food, these are also known as the good bacteria. These beneficial microorganisms are full of enzymes, they help keep colonies of pathogenic bacteria from multiplying quickly through a process called competitive inhibition (competing for growth). Once these friendly bacteria are destroyed during HPP, there is nothing to keep the pathogenic bacteria(bad bacteria) from growing out-of-control, if the product is re-contaminated during manufacturing or customer handling.

Say for instance, you leave your pet's food sitting out too long (come on, we've all done it, yeah even you!)chances are that if the food is treated with HPP it has a greater chance to make your pet sick than a food not treated with HPP. Why? Well when you leave raw meat out and allow it to warm to room temperature, you are essentially creating the optimal environment for bad bacteria to grow. Since the HPP treated food contains no friendly bacteria there is no way to combat the new outbreak of bad bacteria. Resulting in a contaminated food that will inevitably make your dog or cat sick. On the other hand, foods not treated with HPP would still have the good bacteria to put up a fight. The balance of good and bad is vital in keeping your pet's tummy from getting sick.

So let's review this quickly. Unprocessed raw food contains whole-food nutrition in a natural form that your pet's body can easily digest, absorb, metabolize, and eliminate. It contains beneficial bacteria, that not only aid digestion but also control the growth of pathogenic bacteria that could make your pet sick. Let's remember that cats and dogs have a gastrointestinal tract that is equipped to deal with traces of bad bacteria that are naturally present in raw meat. However, HPP in effect turns raw food into processed food,killing all the good and bad microorganisms simultaneously. Here in lies the potential for trouble.

At smallbatch we see no need for HPP because all of our ingredients are 100% traceable and locally sourced from farms and ranches that implement strict handling practices and testing procedures. We too have stringent processing procedures in place to alleviate any concerns of potential contamination. We process all of our diets in a USDA facility under strict regulation. We grind all of our meats at 27 degrees in a completely controlled environment. Once a patty is formed or a chub is filled the product is either put through a freeze tunnel or a into blast freezer. At no point in our processing procedure is there any possibility of a pathogenic bacteria outbreak. We feel it is our duty as a manufacturer of raw foods to be meticulous throughout the entire process. From the procuring of our ingredients to the processing of our formulas, smallbatch is dedicated to delivering the safest (real) raw food for dogs and cats!

How do you work this thing?

We have so much to share and photos to post yet we're having some downloading issues, camera mishaps and so on. See you soon with things to share!

Good Readin'

"All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume each tiny movement has meaning."

At my wits end trying to find out what my dog really thinks and what I'm doing wrong with communicating, a friend of mine highly recommended this book to me. Although I'm not finished reading it I cannot put it down. It's amazing to find out what we as humans do to confuse and disorient our dogs and how their behavior differs from ours. We are so connected and share so much (humans and canines) yet our instincts are polar opposites. This book is amazing at explaining human behavior and dog behavior as well, and offers stories so similar to the one's we experience with our dogs that really makes me feel like we all stumble onto the same problems. No one is alone! Only very few humans are naturals at understanding and communicating flawlessly with canines, for the rest of us there's hope...it starts here, with this fine piece of work! A must read for any dog loving, dog hugging, leash holder out there! 

More wonderful readin' and information...here!

Feline facts.

*photos courtesy of fofurasfelinas

Yes. We do obey, praise and love them.

The cat (felis catus) also known as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from other felines and felids, is a small predatory carnivorous species of crepuscularmammal that is valued by humans for it's companionship and it's ability to hunt vermin, snakes and scorpions. It has been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years. 

A skilled predator, the cat is known to hunt over 1,000 species for food. It can be trained to obey simple commands. Individual cats have also been known to learn on their own to manipulate simple mechanisms, such as doorknobs. Cats use a variety of vocalizations and types of body language for communication, including meowing, purring, hissing, growling, chirping, clicking, and grunting. Cats may be the most popular pet in the world, with over 600 million in homes all over the world. 

Cats have specialized teeth for the killing of prey and the tearing of meat. The premolar and first molar together compose the carnassial pair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently functions to shear meat like a pair of scissors. While this is present in canids, it is highly developed in felines. The cat's tongue has sharp spines, or papillae, useful for retaining and ripping felsh from a carcass. These papillae are small backward-facing hooks that conatain keratin which also assist in their grooming.

Sunday in the park.

This sunday after some early morning work and then some delicious brunch at Slow Club, we made our way to the top of Bernal Heights otherwise known as Bernal Hill. It was such a gorgeous day and Tuula very much enjoyed running around and meeting new friends. We did however run into some old friends, a four legged type named Elliott and his lovely owner Jan, it was quite a reunion! After some overdue chatting about everyone's happenings, and some romping about between Tuula and Elliott we took off to run some more errands and finish off the day in Half Moon Bay. Apple Jacks and Duarte's if how we ended our afternoon... much deserved too since it's back to work today.

Enjoy the weekend.

*photo by lilian3000

Happy friday everyone! Looks like good weather is coming our way, hopefully this is the case in your neck of the woods. smallbatch will be attending a party at cheengoo tonight, we'll be handing out samples and hanging out, getting to know some new faces. We'll make sure to post photos of the event next week and some other photos we've been meaning to share with you all. In the meantime enjoy some time off or perhaps a break here and there.