Below FAQ are some common concerns of our clients.
If you have other questions, please just send it to info@lotusfoodsandcafes.com.
Dry food should be stored in its original bag and resealed between feedings. It’s recommended to keep the product in the original bag after closing it by a clip OR to put it in an airtight container and store it in a clean, cool, dry place at room temperature.
Palatability of the kibble remains at its best for one month after the bag is opened, however, it will be fine for up to two months as long as the bag is stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Feeding guidelines are provided on LEGENDS® bags & digital assets and are based on the age, size and/or weight of the pet. These indicate the amount to feed your pet needs each day. It’s recommended to divide the amount into two meals throughout the day. Always make sure that you measure food very carefully. A small measuring variation when feeding cats and small dogs can significantly increase their calorie intake.
A Lots of dogs are inclined to wolf down their food without chewing it up properly, if at all. This is completely normal and is in their nature. Dogs are pack animals by nature, so they tend to eat as quickly as they can so they get enough food. Some dogs no longer show this behavior, but many still wolf their food down. It only becomes a problem if food goes through the cavity or there is a risk of suffocation. In this case, scattering the food around on the floor or using a special type of bowl designed to slow down feeding may help.
The fats in all our food recipes are carefully combined for optimum results. This includes ensuring the correct ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. If you add more oil, this ratio will inevitably be skewed and results may no longer be optimal. Dietary supplements containing additional vitamins and minerals can even be harmful to your pet. All our complete feeds are 100 % balanced and provide your pet with everything they need. Supplements could even lead to excessive consumption of certain vitamins and minerals, which may result in health problems.
We select high-quality ingredients that are tested and analyzed upon reception from suppliers and before going into production to ensure the safety and optimum quality of the ingredients we use to make pet food. We perform random tests on our finished products at certified third-party laboratories before they are shipped and sold to our customers. We manufacture our pet food at plants that are ISO 9001:2008 certified for Quality Management and ISO 22000 certified for Food Safety..
Antioxidants are extremely important for organisms. They deactivate the free radicals that can damage cellular matter and that animals are exposed to daily. To boost cell protection, we use the natural antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium in our products.
It is often speculated that carotenoid and copper deposit themselves in coats and cause a reddish tinge. However, this simply is not possible from a chemical-physical perspective because the fat-soluble carotene cannot deposit itself in the protein structure of a dog‘s fur. A lack of copper even has the opposite effect: together with tyrosin, copper is essential for the growth of healthy hair. If a dog is deficient in either one of these, their coat will become discolored. In most cases, a reddish tinge is due to environmental factors. For example, UV light causes a dog‘s coat to lighten by disrupting the pigment melanin, which on darker fur leads to a reddish tinge. It has also been proven that certain UV wavelengths can give white coats a yellow tinge. Furthermore, discoloration could also be caused by mechanical stress. A dog rubs its coat against various surfaces, causing the fur to become brittle so that light is no longer refracted as usual, which results in the coat looking reddish. After the next shedding, the dog‘s fur will grow back intact and looks its original color again..
Increased anal gland secretion is an unpleasant problem that affects many dogs. Normally, a dog secretes the fluid each time they have a bowel movement. If their stool is too soft, the dog does not strain enough and the anal glands are not emptied. So, for dogs with anal gland issues, dry food is a better choice than wet food because it binds together the stool. The dry food varieties have been shown to lead to firmer stools, which can help dogs empty their anal glands independently..
With a food intolerance, an organism is not able to digest one or more specific food ingredients and may react with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting or gas. A common example is lactose intolerance, where the body does not create enough enzymes to break down the lactose in milk products. This is very different from an allergy, which is where the immune system overreacts to what are actually harmless proteins. These proteins can be found in flea saliva, in the surrounding environment or in food. In addition to digestive issues, allergic reactions can cause itching. If there is reason to suspect your dog has a food allergy, an exclusion diet can help you to identify what is triggering it. Food containing just one protein and one carbohydrate source, is ideal for this.
When a dog has a lot of bowel movements, it is rarely because they are unable to digest their food properly. If there is no underlying illness such as a pancreatitis, a large volume of bowel movements usually means that water from the bolus is not being sufficiently reabsorbed, which is usually due to the composition of the dog‘s intestinal flora. Foods containing prebiotic like inulin can help here. This provides nutrients to the “good“ bacteria that live in the gut, driving out the “bad“ bacteria.
LEGENDS® dry food is produced in a machine called an extruder, which steams the food under extremely high pressure. When the food leaves the extruder, the pressure drops and the residual moisture suddenly evaporates. The kibbles “puff up”, similar to a corn kernel when making popcorn. Some kibbles expand more than others due to their natural ingredients, resulting in kibbles of different sizes.
The fat sprayed on to the kibbles following production is absorbed to different degrees. If the fat remains on the surface, the kibbles will look darker.
Unfortunately, the misconception that a nutrient deficiency is to blame for this is still very widespread. We know it is not true because this behavior is also exhibited once a dog is eating a balanced diet. With a well-designed complete food, a healthy dog should be getting all the nutrients they need. Therefore, the use of supplementary food is not necessary in this case and, in the worst-case scenario, may even cause more harm than good. The most common reason for dogs eating excrement is territorial behavior. Dogs mark their territories with both urine and stools. If a dog finds a rival has left a surprise on their territory, they will want to remove it immediately. Other potential explanations could be a disturbance in intestinal flora that the dog is trying to improve by consuming germs, or a functional disturbance in the pancreas, which should be addressed with your vet.
It is a good idea to start transitioning food when the female dog is pregnant. During the first half of her pregnancy, continue giving her normal food. You should then start transitioning her to a high energy recipe to ensure she can store enough reserves. We recommend slowly switching to a 50:50 mix of her old food and our puppy & Junior food. Switching food any later than that could put too much strain on the dog and may negatively affect milk production. On the day of the birth, the dog should only be given a little food to prevent digestion taking up more of her energy. While she‘s suckling, you can continue giving her the mixture of regular food and puppy food. If the dog loses too much weight, simply increase the proportion of puppy food you‘re giving her. You can start the puppies on supplementary food when they are four weeks old. Just add a little water to LEGENDS® Puppies dry food to soften it and then mash it up. The puppies can then consume the mash in addition to the mother‘s milk. Later on, begin decreasing the amount of water you add until the puppies are eating the food dry.
Unfortunately, there is still a widespread myth that large breeds should start on adult dog food as soon as possible because it is lower in protein and therefore prevents any growth disorders. This isn‘t the case. In fact, the opposite is true: to be able to build strong muscles, young dogs need an appropriate amount of protein. A powerful musculature supports the skeleton and joints, preventing any growth disorders. What really matters here is how lean a dog is: if both its last ribs can be felt without applying any pressure and are not hidden under a layer of fat, but do not protrude out, they are a healthy weight and the amount of food you‘re giving them is right. If this is not the case, you should adjust the amount of food accordingly. To avoid providing too much OR too low energy, follow the feeding table of our product “Puppies & Junior” for each breed size.
It is in a dog‘s nature to love meat. However, foods containing a very high proportion of meat are not always the best for every animal exactly as the opposite as the food that is very poor on meat is not appropriate for your pet. Family dogs with normal activity levels may end up getting more than they need, which could in turn lead to them putting on weight or could even cause symptoms such as itching. Chicken/meat is the #1 ingredient (above 32%) in our formulas in order to offer a rich and balanced food for your pet specially when you follow the recommended feeding table.
No, we do not add vitamin K3 to our products.
No, we do not perform animal testing.
It is a misconception that cold-pressed food is produced in a gentler way and therefore contains more natural vitamins. Although the food is not subjected to any additional heat in this production process, the core temperature of the kibbles must still reach at least 75°C in order to kill off germs. Furthermore, the food is subjected to such enormous pressure that this alone causes it to heat up. If the kibbles are heated to 75°C on the inside via pressure, they become extremely hot on the outside – and for a longer period too. By contrast, extruded food is simply steamed at 120°C for 30 seconds.