There are hundreds of apps and social media accounts that are aimed at keeping you healthy and fit.
But if you have four paws and can’t use a smartphone, you may need Barrie’s newest health-conscious pet store.
As people focus on better living for themselves, the natural progression for that is to watch out for the ones they love as well. Tail Blazers Health Food Store For Pets, which opened in April, does just that for beloved pets.
They have noticed a common theme for every person who comes into the shop.
Tail Blazers has the largest selection of raw foods in Barrie, staying away from the processed foods that have been easily obtainable over the years. Kibble, the cheap and quick way to feed pets, was created many years ago when meat was difficult to source. With that no longer being the case, pet owners who don’t know the benefit of feeding their four-legged friends healthy choices, need to brush up on their education.
“One of the things you need to know is that processed food takes many hours for your pet to digest, while raw food takes only an hour or two,” said Villanueva. “Think of yourself and how you feel after an unhealthy meal, that’s how your pet feels and it’s up to a pet-owner to correct it. All the food bags and cans are designed to attract you to them, but pick one up and read the ingredients to help you choose.”
Villanueva said she feels the Barrie area is ready for the store. “Go anywhere in Barrie and you’ll see folks walking their pets on trails, in the woods at our dog parks and by the lake,” said Villanueva. “[Healthy living] is such a major part of living in Simcoe County.”
Nutritious food isn’t the only thing that Tail Blazers sells for your pet as they also carry a wide variety of supplements. Villanueva became interested in natural science many years ago when her son became ill. When her dog became sick years later, she decided to look into how holistic supplements could help the family pet. Realizing that so many pet allergies come from processed foods, Villanueva decided to focus on making everyone in the house healthier.
“Some people have the attitude that when you spend time on supplements or vitamins for your pet, that you’re over-doing it and treating them like a kid,” said the owner of two dogs and a few reptiles. “The truth is it doesn’t take much time to just find out what ails your pet and curb their diet. As for the very little increase in expense, I tell people to either pay a little now and enjoy your pet or pay a lot later when they’re nearing the end of their time. You’ll add years to their life.”
If you follow Tail Blazers on social media you’ll see one of the coolest aspects of the store. The self-wash area is where you can treat your pet like royalty with a shower/bath and spa-like atmosphere.“This is probably my favourite part of the store,” said Villanueva. “The pets absolutely love it. It’s not a tight and confined area like a bathtub that usually upsets a pet. It’s really cute also to watch the kids of the family get involved in the bathing. Our regulars use it often and we even having people come in and walk around with their pets is like a communal pet area.”
Find more about Tail Blazers here.
