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The Tom&Sawyer Journal
Expert nutrition advice, health tips, and real stories from the people who make your pet's food.
All articles — page 2
7 min readBehind the Scenes at Tom&Sawyer: Chef-Inspired, Nutritionist-Balanced Recipes in a Human-Grade Kitchen
At Tom&Sawyer, every recipe begins long before a pot hits the stove. It starts with collaboration: chefs, animal nutritionists, and veterinary scientists working together to create meals that are not only delicious but also deeply rooted in nutritional science. To help explain why our approach matters, we spoke with Dr. Kelly Swanson, a leading pet nutrition researcher at the University of Illinois who collaborated with Dr. Hannah Godfrey and our other consultants to research, formulate and conduct lab testing analysis for our Tom&Sawyer meals!
7 min readInside Tom&Sawyer: How We Create Human-Grade Dog Food in Canada
Tom&Sawyer’s whole food dog meals offer superior safety and freshness through thoughtfully sourced human grade ingredients with small batch cooking in a federally inspected human food facility. Learn what makes our dog food made in Canada safer and fresher than other alternatives.
7 min readHow Fresh Food Supports Cat Urinary Tract Health and Proper Hydration
A common medical condition we see in cats falls under the umbrella term of FLUTD, or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. This disease consists of issues such as urinary stones (uroliths), urinary crystals (crystalluria), and cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). The cornerstone of treatment for any urinary condition is diet. And most importantly, MOISTURE.
6 min readMercury in Dog Food: Why We Chose Wild Alaskan Pollock
Tom&Sawyer's Fisherman's Best Friend features wild-caught Alaskan pollock—a low-mercury, omega-3-rich protein prepared in a federally inspected Human Grade facility. Gently-Cooked for safety and nutrition, our meals give your pup tail-wagging good health without heavy metal concerns. Choose happier, healthier, longer lives.
6 min readValentine's Day Dinner for Dogs and Cats That's Actually Good for Them
Valentine's Day is the purr-fect time to show love to every member of your family, including the four-legged ones. But before you slide a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries toward your pup or kitty, let's talk about what actually makes a great Valentine's Day dinner for dogs and cats.
7 min readWhy Gently‑Cooked Food Changes the Game in Pet Food: Calories Matter!
In pet nutrition, calories are often treated as interchangeable units of energy. But biology tells a very different story. How a calorie is delivered — the ingredient quality, processing method, and digestibility — fundamentally determines how much of that energy and nutrition your pet can actually use.
8 min readCommon Health Issues in Chihuahuas and How Diet Can Help Support Them
Chihuahuas may be small, but they face significant health sensitivities. The most common issues include sensitive stomachs, picky eating, itchy skin, chicken allergies, ear infections, and environmental allergies. Gently-cooked, whole food dog meals from Tom&Sawyer can help manage these conditions by reducing inflammation, supporting skin health, and providing easily digestible nutrients your Chihuahua needs to thrive.
7 min readPet Dental Health Month: The 'Whole Food' Guide to Fresher Breath + Healthier Gums
February is Pet Dental Health Month, and it's about way more than just fresh breath. Here's the truth: dental disease affects about 80% of dogs and 70% of cats by age three. That makes it one of the most common health problems your pet will face. But here's what most pet parents don't know. Poor dental health doesn't just stay in the mouth. Bacteria from infected gums and teeth can enter your pet's bloodstream. From there, it can affect their heart, liver, and kidneys.
5 min readCoal’s Wagon Rides, Second Chances, and the Power of Novel Proteins
During the height of the pandemic, Coal became critically ill. He stopped eating entirely and was placed on a feeding tube. Strong medications, multiple complications, and months of uncertainty followed. For a long time, survival, not thriving, was the goal. Read on to hear the amazing journey for Coal and his pet parent.
5 min readFresh Dog Food in Vancouver: The Secret to Powering Your Dog’s Outdoor Adventures
Fresh dog food supports active dogs with whole, human-grade ingredients that improve energy, recovery, and long term health. Minimally processed meals preserve nutrients, helping your pups thrive during outdoor adventures while maintaining strong muscles, healthy digestion, and consistent stamina daily.
7 min readWhere Can You Get Truly Fresh Dog Food in Toronto?
Dog food Toronto pet owners can trust! Because it starts with our high standards. We prepare meals in a government-inspected inspected Human Grade facility, Gently cooking restaurant-quality ingredients in small batches. We deliver frozen meals directly to your door throughout the Greater Toronto Area, or you can find us at hundreds of retailers across the city. Our facility produces fresh, complete meals without the processing that destroys nutrients in traditional kibble.
6 min readHow Do You Know If Your Dog Has a Food Allergy (and What to Feed Instead)?
Tom&Sawyer meals are crafted with Human Grade ingredients in a federally inspected facility, featuring novel proteins like white fish and kangaroo to help pups with allergies thrive. Give your canine companion the fresh, Gently-Cooked nutrition they deserve. Because happier, healthier, longer lives™ start with better food