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This is Our Why: The idea of "Healthspan" vs. Lifespan
- chrisandtonya519
- Jan 8
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 22
Our Why
At B&T Pets, we are driven by the belief that our pets' health and happiness are directly in our hands.
Inspired by the idea that small, intentional changes can extend their healthspan, we’ve made it our mission to create treats that reflect that philosophy. We use only the highest-quality, locally sourced ingredients to craft novel protein treats that are not only good for our pets but also gentle on the planet.
For us, it’s about honoring the bond we share with our pets and ensuring that, in every decision we make, we’re putting their well-being first—because they depend on us to make the right choices for them.
Focusing Back on You
We know that for many people their family members may include those with 4 legs, as well as 2, or maybe even 3... and that all deserve nothing but the best.
As devoted pet parents, you’re always on the lookout for ways to ensure your pets lead long, happy, and healthy lives. Today, we’re diving deeper into the inspiration behind B&T Pets - that is "healthspan" vs lifespan.
This concept is not ours, but is one that is presented in the book The Forever Dog by Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib.
In this post we will talk more about:
What is Healthspan?
While lifespan refers to the number of years your pet lives, healthspan focuses on the quality of those years. It’s about ensuring that your fur-family remains active, vibrant, and free from chronic ailments as they age.
Dr. Becker and Habib emphasize that by prioritizing healthspan, you’re not just adding years to your pet’s life, but life to their years.
The Pillars of a Long Healthspan
There are several key areas to look at when considering healthspan of your pet - nutrition, exercise, mental stimulation, as well as preventive healthcare.
Nutrition:
Feeding your pet high-quality, nutrient-dense food is fundamental to their well-being; and there are MANY options in the pet nutrition space. We will delve a bit more into nutrition in future posts, as this is a massive topic all on it's own. However, most important here is that we do the best we can to fill our pet's bowls with the most nutritious food we can afford. Is that frozen raw, high quality kibble, raw dehydrated, freeze-dried raw, home cooked, etc. These are personal choices that can only be made by informed pet owners, and their family budget in mind.
Exercise:
Regular physical activity keeps your pet’s body engaged. Whether it’s a brisk walk in the park or a playful game of fetch, keeping your pet active is crucial for their overall well-being.
Mental Stimulation:
It is difficult to mention physical exercise or your pet's body, without also addressing their brain. Equally as important as physical exercise is mental exercise and stimulation. Engaging your pet’s mind through training, puzzles, and interactive toys can not only help reinforce the bond you have with them, but also helps with their mental health.
Preventive Healthcare:
As with our human family members, regular veterinary check-ups and proactive health measures can catch potential issues with your pets early. Common issues associated with specific breeds may be considered before they are apparent, while others that are caught early could be corrected with a simple addition of a supplement or subtraction of an allergen from their diet.
Locally Sourced Ingredients: A Commitment to Quality
One of the most important considerations in your pet's diet, both in their food, as well as in any treats and supplements they are given is the quality of ingredients. We are incredibly fortunate to live in Canada, where our food safety standards are high; however the regulations around pet treats and where and how they are manufactured in Canada are minimal.
At B&T Pets we use locally sourced human-grade ingredients in the treats we manufacture. This is in an attempt to not only provide high-quality treats for your pets, but also to support local farmers and the communities around us. Where necessary, for example for our Roo Crisps, we will source our ingredients from further away (i.e. Australia) but still require them to meet our high standards, as you would expect.
Meet Bullet
You will see him a lot around B&T Pets, as he is our official taste tester, and the constant reminder of Our Why. He is just over 2 years old, and is a Daniff (a cross between a Great Dane, and a Mastiff).
He joined our family between the passing of Baron, and then Tessa (the B&T in our name), who were also half Great Dane (the other half was Brittany Spaniel, which is a story for another day).
With an affinity for larger breed dogs we know that quality nutrition, and an attention to their joints is key. However, we also learned a great deal from B&T over the 13 years that they were with us. They both had specific food allergies that we had to navigate, as well severe arthritis, a degenerative disc disease, and ultimately cancer as they aged.
With Bullet we are fiercely determined to address his healthspan early, in an attempt to elongate the time that he can remain free of age-related ailments, and that he can truly frolic with our family.
We do the best we can in every meal we make for him, in every treat we give him, and in the water he drinks. However, this has to take into account our time, our family budget, and his preferences as well. We ensure that each bowl we make for him is varied to keep things interesting, to switch up the proteins he eats, and to add in a variety of supplements to ensure his joints, immune system, skin, and coat, etc. are well supported.
How You Can Boost Your Pet’s Healthspan Today
But what if your pet is already 6, 9, or even 12 years old - you can still make meaningful changes today, to help their healthspan.
Choose Quality Nutrition: Do the best that you can, with high quality ingredients, within a budget that works for you and your family.
Stay Active Together: Make exercise a fun part of your daily routine.
Engage Their Minds: Introduce new toys and training activities to keep your pet mentally stimulated - you in fact can teach an old dog new tricks!
Regular Vet Visits: Keep up with preventive healthcare to maintain your pet’s health.
Some of Our Products Designed to Support Your Pet's Healthspan
The B&T Pets Promise - We are fueled by our love for pets and a deep belief that they deserve the very best; B&T Pets was born from a simple idea: to help extend the time our pets are truly thriving by making mindful choices. We’re not just crafting treats; we’re honoring the bond between you and your pets, knowing they depend on us to keep them healthy, happy, and full of life.
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