|
We believe that health issues arise from all of the
preservatives, sugars, heavy processing and harmful insecticides and chemical
fertilizers in foods. At the Land of PureGold we only carry those
treats that we would allow our own dogs to eat. Everything must be human-quality
and for proteins, organic or free-range. For that reason, the cost may
be somewhat higher. But, honestly, we believe our furkids are more than worth
it. They have such a limited life span with us as it is, so we figure it is the
least we can do to try and extend it by providing only the best.
go
 When you see Max & Ruffy’s selection of yummy organic dog
treats we want you to feel like you are reading off of a menu at an outstanding
vegan bakery. These dog treats are made by Kelly and Beth, from scratch, in Virginia using 100%
organic human-grade ingredients. All this goodness comes packaged
in a 100% eco-friendly package consisting of recycled paperboard and a
home-compostable and/or biodegradable bag insert. Treating your dogs with Max
& Ruffy’s is a positive choice for him/her and the environment!
 Max
& Ruffy’s only uses human-grade ingredients. In other words, if they won't eat
it, they won't include it in their treats. In their minds, if it is not good
enough for them, then it is not good enough for your dogs. With that said, you
will never find an ingredient in the product line that is “not fit for human
consumption.” A human-grade ingredient is defined as an ingredient that has met
the standards for human consumption and has undergone stringent testing
protocols to insure quality and the absence of anything not fit for humans. Purchasing healthy treats from a cruelty-free, ethical dog treat company is
no longer a challenge, as Max & Ruffy’s promises you that:
- Our dog treats are always prepared using only certified
organic, human-grade ingredients.
- Our products are always cruelty-free containing no
ingredients from animal or human exploitation – let’s face it,
dogs, people and all living beings deserve respect and
compassion.
- We only use ingredients that have been produced without the
use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage
sludge, GMO grains or irradiation, purchased from companies that
use environmentally friendly manufacturing and farming
practices.
- We only use whole foods in our dog treat recipes – you will
never find artificial coloring, flavor enhancers, additives or
harmful preservatives. We will never
use any animal products.
|
Max and Ruffy’s is an eco-friendly company that strives to minimize
their negative effect on the
environment. By offering a cruelty-free vegan dog treat they are inflicting as
little harm on the inhabitants of the planet as possible by not supporting
industries that have severely negative impacts on the environment. Max & Ruffy’s eco-friendly actions include:
- Purchasing certified organic ingredients that have been
produced without the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic
fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMO grains or irradiation.
- Purchasing our ingredients from companies that use
environmentally friendly manufacturing and farming practices.
- Using a green packaging design that does not compromise the
freshness of our product. Click here to learn more about our
environmentally friendly packaging.
|
The following 4 flavors of treats come in 2 sizes. The “original” size
comes in 8-ounce bags,
priced at $13.99. The “mini bites” size comes in 5-ounce bags, priced at $9.99
and perfect for small dogs or training treats. Since these treats are made
without the use of preservatives, you can expect your treats to remain fresh,
for at least 6 months without the use of refrigeration.
|
|
Five-Star Blueberry (Grain Free &
Gluten Free)
Wildly healthy, antioxidant rich, and delicious blueberries, creamy,
smooth extra-virgin coconut oil and a hint of ginger make this a
tantalizing treat that dogs love.
Ingredients: Organic Buckwheat Flour, Organic
Blueberries, Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Ginger
(all ingredients are certified organic)Guaranteed
Analysis: Crude Protein (min) 10%, Crude Fat (min) 7%,
Crude Fiber (max) 8%, Moisture (max) 6%
Did you know that there’s a perfect 5 pointed star on the
bottom of every blueberry?
Yes, this treat tastes so good it deserves five stars, but it is
actually named five-star from the Native American tradition. For
centuries, blueberries were gathered from the forests and the bogs
by Native Americans and consumed fresh and also preserved. The
Northeast Native American tribes revered blueberries and much
folklore developed around them. The blossom end of each berry, the
calyx, forms the shape of a perfect five-pointed star; the elders of
the tribe would tell of how the Great Spirit sent “star berries” to
relieve the children’s hunger during a famine.
|
|
|
Powerhouse: Sweet Potato & Alfalfa
(Grain Free & Gluten Free)
These savory treats combine two nutritional powerhouses, sun-cured
alfalfa and creamy, sweet potatoes. Dogs love the irresistible flavor of
this mouth-watering, fiber, and nutrient rich treat.
Ingredients: Organic Buckwheat Flour, Organic Sweet
Potato, Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Sun-Cured
Ground Alfalfa (all ingredients are certified organic)
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min)
11%, Crude Fat (min) 6%, Crude Fiber (max) 7%, Moisture
(max) 6%
Did you know that sweet potato & alfalfa are two
nutritional powerhouses?
Alfalfa and Sweet Potatoes are two nutritional powerhouses.
Sweet Potatoes, along with being a powerful anti-oxidant
source, have a very low glycemic index. This means that the
carbohydrates in a sweet potato have a very low impact on
blood sugar levels, meaning steady energy and less chance of
body fat production. The Arabians referred to Alfalfa as the
“Father of all Foods” because they felt it added strength,
speed and stamina to their horses. Rich in vitamins,
minerals and proteins, the many alfalfa nutrients make it
one of the most nutritious foods known earning it the names
the King of Plants and as the Arabians said, the Father of
all Foods.
|
|
|
The Kelp Highway: Butternut Squash
& Kelp (Grain Free & Gluten Free)
Succulent butternut squash seasoned with nutrient rich kelp will
peak the sensation of your dog’s palette. Feel good in knowing that our
kelp is sourced from clean, pristine, and protected oceans.
Ingredients: Organic Buckwheat Flour, Organic
Butternut Squash, Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Organic
Dried Kelp, Organic Parsley (all ingredients are certified
organic)
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min)
10%, Crude Fat (min) 7%, Crude Fiber (max) 8%, Moisture
(max) 6%
Did you know that the first folks to arrive to
the Americas might have followed the Kelp Highway?
This treat is named after the Kelp Highway Hypothesis. This
is a theory concerning the original colonization of the
American continents. The theory builds on the Pacific Coast
Migration Model, which proposes that the first Americans
reached the New World by following the coastline along
Beringia and into the American continents. Kelp forests are
found adjacent to some of the earliest coastal
archaeological sites in the Americas supporting the idea
that such forests may have facilitated these human coastal
migrations around the Pacific Rim near the end of the last
glacial period.
|
|
|
Mother Quinoa’s Pumpkin Patch
(Wheat Free & Gluten Free)
This flavorful, wheat-free recipe blends rich, nutritious pumpkin
with the perfect complement of spices. Irresistibly delicious, this
treat is easily digestible and a favorite to many dogs.
Ingredients: Organic Pumpkin, Organic Brown Rice
Flour, Organic Quinoa Flour, Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil,
Organic Cinnamon, Organic Nutmeg, Organic Cloves
(all ingredients are certified organic)
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min)
8%, Crude Fat (min) 8%, Crude Fiber (max) 3%, Moisture (max)
5%
Why Mother Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah), from the Quechua word kinwa,
originated in the Andean region of South America and has
been a highly important food for the past 6,000 years. The
Incas honored it as a sacred crop and referred to it as
“chisaya mama” or “mother of all grains.” This staple crop
was so highly honored that at the start of each growing
season the Inca emperor would traditionally sow the first
seeds using golden implements. Since the 1980’s this highly
nutritional pseudo grain from the leafy green family has
been slowly making it’s way into health food stores.
|
|
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Due to safety concerns, packages of treats cannot be returned once
opened. |
|
Environmentally Friendly
Packaging
Max & Ruffy’s take pride in bringing our clients an eco-friendly package
that does not compromise the freshness of our treats. While designing our
package we kept in mind how much waste goes into packaging. In fact,
research shows that packaging adds up to about one-third of all the trash
that’s thrown away in the United States. To maintain our intention of being
an ethical dog treat company and reducing environmental impact, we spent
countless hours finding the right companies that would satisfy our
commitment to offering an eco-friendly package solution.The 100% Box
We use a 100% recyclable paperboard box that is made from 100% recycled
fibers with a minimum of 35% post-consumer waste. These fibers, which
consist of used corrugated boxes, carton box cuts, corrugated scraps, news
and ledger, are materials that would have otherwise gone to a landfill or
incinerator; and the best thing is that this box can either be tossed in
your compost bin or your recycle bin.
The Ink
We use vegetable-based Soy Plus ink versus traditional petroleum-based
inks. Soy Plus ink has several advantages over traditional petroleum-based
ink. Here are few reasons that we felt were important for the environment
and the people using the inks:
- Less than 1% VOCs (volatile organic compounds) – reduced air
pollution and minimal emissions for the people making and using the ink.
- Made from soybeans and nut oils rather than petroleum – Refineries
that separate crude oil into petroleum products contribute to global
warming by contributing to air, water and soil pollution.
- Helpful component in paper recycling – soy ink can be removed more
easily than traditional inks. This allows the recycled paper to have
less damage to its paper fibers and have a brighter appearance.
The 100% Biodegradable Bag Insert
Finding a truly environmentally friendly bag option for our treats was no
easy task. After much research, we choose a 100% home-compostable cellophane
bag derived from the cellulose of renewable wood-pulp from managed
plantations. The bags are fully certified to the European (EN13432) and
American (ASTM D6400) norms for compostable packaging. That means that they
will actually compost in all types of biodegradation situations, such as
industrial, home and waste-water. If you would like to learn more about the
great qualities of the film that we have chosen read the
Life Cycle Assessment by Innovia Films
After your dog has devoured our yummy treats, simply cut the bag and box
into strips and toss them into your compost bin! Or, if you don’t have a
compost bin, simply throw the box into your recycle bin and the bag into the
trash. Nature will take care of the rest!
TOP
Unnecessary Harmful
Preservatives
Dangerous Chemical Preservatives to Avoid:
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)
BHT, butylated hydroxytoluene
Ethoxyquin
Proply gallate
Propylene glycol
Sodium Nitrate
BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin are three dangerous chemical preservatives that have
been linked as cancer-causing agents, yet are still permitted for use by the pet
food industry.
In the United States, BHT has been banned for use in baby food, while Japan,
Romania, Sweden, and Australia do not permit it to be used in any human food.
Japan has also banned the use of BHA. Regardless of the known harmful effects of
BHT and BHA, we continually see these harmful chemicals being used in a number
of “big name” pet foods. In dogs, these chemicals have been linked to dry skin,
allergies, dental disease, liver disease, kidney damage, and tumors. If these
chemicals have shown known carcinogenic qualities why should we allow them to be
fed to our canine companions?
Ethoxyquin, which was originally developed for use in the production of rubber
and as an herbicide, is currently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) as a pesticide and permitted for use in pet foods as a preservative. The
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also lists it as a pesticide. A
study conducted by the Department of Pathology, Nagoya City University Medical
School, Japan, found that BHA and ethoxyquin lead to stomach hyperplasia and
cytotoxicity. Ethoxyquin has been found to pronounce kidney carcinogenesis,
increase the incidence of stomach tumors, and enhance bladder carcinogenesis.
The FDA, Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), has received numerous reports
linking ethoxyquin to allergic reactions, skin problems, major organ failure,
behavior problems and cancer. With the known dangers associated with ethoxyquin,
the FDA only allows .5 to 5 ppm of residue in human foods, but still allows 150
ppm of it in food for pets and livestock. In 1997 the FDA’s Center for
Veterinary Medicine (CVM) requested that the pet food industry voluntarily lower
the ethoxyquin residue in pet foods to 75 ppm but there is still no mandatory
requirement. Zero ppm would be a much healthier number.
Propyl gallate is a chemical that is added by manufacturers to prevent spoilage.
This is another widely used chemical preservative that is suspected of causing
both liver damage and cancer.
Used by the pet food industry to help retain water and give products their
unique texture and taste, Propylene glycol is considered by some to lend to the
cause of most health problems seen in dogs associated with chemical
preservatives. Propylene glycol has been associated with causing dry-itching
skin, hair loss, dehydration, excessive thirst, and tooth and gum problems. The
FDA/CVM now prohibits the use of this preservative in cat foods after scientific
studies have shown that propylene glycol reduces red blood cell survival time,
renders red blood cells more susceptible to oxidative damage, along with other
adverse health effects in cats after consuming this preservative. Although the
FDA/CVM has prohibited the use of this substance in cat foods, it can still
readily be found in big name commercial dog products.
Sodium nitrate used as both a red color enhancer and as a preservative is yet
another commonly found preservative in commercial pet foods. Also known as
sodium nitrate, this preservative found also in processed meat for humans, has
been shown in studies to produce powerful cancer-causing chemicals called
nitrosamines.
Keep in mind that most people feed their dogs the same food every day for years.
While eating foods with these carcinogenic chemicals in them once in a while may
not hurt a dog, eating it day in and day out can end up causing serious and
completely unnecessary health problems. Because dogs eat the same brand of food
over and over, it is important for dog owners to choose food that is healthy and
free of harmful preservatives.
Associated links
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s027bha.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/petlabel.htm
TOP |
