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Top 10 FAQ asked at Peaks Family Pets?

1. Why did you change your name? We changed our name from O’Brien Pet Foods and Supplies to Peak Family Pets in May 2022. Mainly because O’Brien’s was the previous owner’s name. Peaks Family Pets represents our deep connection to the Squamish community and our commitment to treating every pet and pet owner like family.
2. I want to switch my dog to a raw diet, but it is overwhelming. Can you help? Peaks Family Pets have the largest selection of raw for dogs and cats. We feed our dogs raw ourselves and can help you navigate the change. The best way is to come in and talk to us and we can tell you how to transition into the raw diet. Whether you are switching because of allergies or personal preference we are happy to help guide you.
3. I want to switch to a raw diet, but it is expensive, any ways I can save? There are a couple ways we can help you save on raw. All our raw brands come in larger bulk cases. If you purchase the larger freezer packs (usually 10 to 24 lb cases) you will get a 10 to 20% savings vs buying smaller freezer packs. Also, we have an in-store loyalty program where you will collect points for every dollar you spend of which raw food purchase count towards.
4. I don’t see my dog’s food, can you get it? We carry most brands of pet foods and are always happy to order in a custom order for you. In fact, we custom order food for many of our customers. Part of belonging to the Peaks Pets Family means that we learn your dog’s requirements and eating habits. So, when you are due for your next bag of food, we will have it ordered for you.
5. You have a parrot? Yes, that’s Princess, our CEO. She has been with Peaks Pets since it first opened in 1988. She keeps us on our toes and if you want to see her, she is most active first thing in the morning and right before close.
6. My dog chews everything, what is your longest lasting dog chew? Well, nothing is guaranteed to last forever. But our customers report back and confirmed that the heavy weight bully sticks, full length bull tails, beef cheek roll and large pork pressed bones are contenders for the longest lasting chews. These are all safe and natural dog chews. We don’t carry any raw hide in our store.
7. Why is my dog itchy, is there a way I can figure this out? If the vet thinks it is food related, we can help with that. We are experts in advising you how you can do an elimination diet, helping you decipher which food is the best for your dog’s allergies or offering you advice on a healthy dog gut. Need us to find the best food that aligns with your dog’s requirements? We can help you with that too.
8. Do you deliver? Yes, we do. Why drive down the highway or wait to have your dog food delivered from Vancouver? Peaks pets offers free local delivery within Squamish with every order over $75. Live in the Valley or Brittania? We can get you your food too for a delivery fee of $20 or minimum order of $100. Order online on our website or via phone and have your dog food delivered the same day in Squamish.
9. Can you make it “raw dog food?” We have the largest selection and variety of raw dog and raw cat food in Squamish. We have 5 freezers full of raw food brands that are either made here in the lower mainland or in Canada. Raw food varieties range from pure proteins to complete raw diets for dogs and cats.
10. 10.Are you a local shop or a chain? Nope we are a locally owner and operated small family run business. We are the best pet food store in Squamish because we have been in business for over 30 years. We love to support other local businesses and you will see that in our shop.
11. What makes you Squamish’s Best Pet Shop? (Okay we felt we had to sneak this one in) We were voted Squamish’s Best Pet Store in 2022 by the Squamish Chief Reader’s Poll. And we hope to make the list again next year. We treat all our customers as Squamish Locals and Squamish family. Come by just to say hi – we would love to meet you.

A Healthy Dog gut

Gut Health, probiotics, and poop. The not so glamourous side of dog ownership.
Most of our conversations at Peaks is focused on dog food and a common question is “how will I know if the new food is good for my dog?” And almost 100% of the time this conversation will end up with discussion about your dog’s poop. Yup, we went there. You don’t know how many times we talk about poop in detail at our shop. Nothing is off the table at Peaks.

Truth be told the poop tells a lot about your dog’s health. What does it look like? Is it runny, firm, large, small, too soft, too hard? Does your dog have diarrhea or is your dog constipated? Your dog’s poop is a vital indicator of your dog’s gut health. So really once your switch your pups food, keep an eye on how the poop changes. Poop should be firm and occur on a regular basis, once after each meal period. If it is anything drastically different, then your dog may not be reaping the best from its food. Sometimes it can be a food intolerance, but often it could be your dog’s gut health.

Probiotics – what are they really?

It makes sense to touch on gut health and probiotics when we are talking about watching poop once you change your dog’s food. Probiotics have recently become popular, but what are we really adding when we give our dogs probiotics? Probiotics are live bacteria that live in the stomach, intestines, and colon. They are considered “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your dog’s gut healthy. Probiotics are the happy bacteria that help to digest food.  In short probiotics normalize the conditions in the intestines by changing the local acidity of the digestive tract. It only makes sense that if you change what your dog eats the environment in your pup’s gut changes too. Adding probiotics will help get your dog’s insides back to its regular balance much quicker when introducing new foods.

Not only do probiotics help the digestion of foods they also are a beneficial influence on our dog’s health. How? The microbiomes that live in your dog’s intestines have a big influence on their immune system, defense against intestinal pathogens, and provision of vitamins and nutrients. For example, dietary carbohydrates are fermented by bacteria into usable energy for cells. And studies have proven that the biproduct produced by the bacteria regulate intestinal motility and possess anti-inflammatory properties. Also, it has been found that good bacteria help combat bad ones such as salmonella.

With all this talk about good gut health we should talk about what can cause a dog to have poor gut health? A diet high in processed foods, fillers, and processed grains. Stress, antibiotics, corticosteroids could all lead to a gut imbalance. The destruction of the good bacteria in the intestinal tract can give the bad bacteria the chance to take over and this can lead to nutrients not being absorbed by the gut and thus leading to irregular poops or diarrhea. Something this can also lead to Leaky Gut. So best to feed your dog a diet that is natural and easily digestible and limit the amount of human food you give to your dog. At the end of the day, we do our best for our dogs and just reading the list of ingredients and understanding what you are feeding your dog will go a long way. If you ever need help in understanding what you are feeing your dog, we invite to you come by for visit.

Local Vendors

Other than Princess the Parrot, our most favourite things in the shop are our local vendors. The Sea to Sky is filled so many talented people and we are so grateful that many of these folks have crafted specialty items for pets. This month we wanted to feature local dog treat vendors. If you haven’t heard about these yummy and healthy treats read on…

Pet-Pep makes non-medicated organic beef liver treats that will support you and your pet throughout their lives. The owner, BJ, provides a line of high value treats that satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. She is located in Squamish and has been making these treats since 2014. What is great about Pet-Pep is there are no fillers, no additives and no hormones; nothing but the best! BJ started making treats when she found out her rescue pups had allergies. So what would any pup loving mom do? Well…make her own treats and share it with the community. Since then Pet-Pep has made a name for itself. Healthy and irresistible and a go to high-value treat for all types of dogs.

Another one of our favourites is from Pemberton and they are Wow Treats and More. The owners, Tina and Constantine, are a dynamic due that also started making beef treats out of necessity. Their dog, Uma was struggling with intense itchiness and significant hair loss. They soon realized it was their food choices that were affecting Uma. So what did they do? They made their own healthy and nutritious treats and Uma has never been the same. Unique to them is that they work with local farmers in Pemberton and make in-season treats such as Pumpkin, Kale and Carrot. Other flavour staples are Hemp Seed, which is rich in omegas, and Egg Shell for added calcium. A great way to reward and train with treats rich in nutrients.

Though physically no longer in Squamish, Kanine Kookies dog treats will always have a place among our local favourites. Kim was one of the very first local vendors at O’Brien’s. Kim is the founder of Kanine Kookies and crafts her cookies in small batches using only fresh, human-grade, whole food ingredients, without the addition of additives or preservatives, salt or sugars. The most popular are the Flower Power Kanine Kookies made with pumpkin to help with digestion, and with turmeric for it’s anti-inflammatory properties. Also good to try are the Outback Snack treats made with kangaroo, one of the most hypo-allergenic meats, with pumpkin for digestion and blueberries for antioxidant.