The present disclosure relates to dietary treats and supplements given to domestic pets such as cats and dogs. Pet owners enjoy giving their pets dietary treats such as soft food treats, rawhide chews and twists, biscuits, dental sticks, and snacks. Treats can provide benefits including emotional wellbeing for the pets, bonding between the pet and owner, dental health, and incentive for training, education, and behavioral lessons. These benefits can lead to a safer, healthier environment for the pet and even a longer lifespan.
However, food treats given to these pets may be high in calories or may contain unhealthy ingredients that may lead to poor overall health and obesity in domestic dogs and cats. Pet obesity is an increasing problem and can shorten a pet's lifespan and quality of life, contributing to many health issues and joint problems. Rawhide chew treats in particular are very popular, but are one of the most dangerous dog treats due to the possibility of choking or material swelling inside the animal's digestive tract. Popular pet treats can include ingredients that are harmful or even toxic to pets. As an example, a partial list of ingredients that are found in some dog treats but that can be harmful to dogs (or difficult for them to digest) includes corn, wheat, soy, licorice, high amounts of sugar, sodium nitrite, artificial dyes (such as Yellow #5 and Red #40), garlic, onion, bone meal, carrageenan, high doses of vitamins, concentrated essential oils, and some preservatives (such as potassium sorbate, propylene glycol, ethoxyquin, BHA butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT butylated hydroxytoluene, TBHQ, propyl gallate, and others). Notably, pet food and treats that include meat sources such as meat “by product” or meat “digest” can come from diseased animals that have been euthanized, making these food sources unsafe for consumption.
The remainder of this disclosure is directed at systems and methods for providing healthful treats and dietary supplements to domestic pets.
The present disclosure relates to dietary treats and supplements given to domestic pets such as cats and dogs. In an embodiment, a dietary supplement system for a domestic pet includes a pet treat kit with three different bottles. The kit includes a first spray bottle capped by a removable spray nozzle, a second pour bottle capped by a removable spout, and a third travel-sized bottle capped by a removable cap. A transparent enclosure carries the first, second, and third bottles. Each bottle is filled with a liquid pet drink. The system may also include a refill container comprising an additional amount of the liquid pet drink.
The present disclosure relates to liquid dietary treats and supplements given to domestic pets such as cats and dogs. In an embodiment, a dietary supplement system includes a pet treat kit with three different bottles of liquid pet treats. The three different bottles are packaged together, and each bottle provides a different size, delivery mechanism (such as spray or pour spout), flavor, and/or ingredient. The liquid pet treat is low in calories and enables the pet owner to deliver frequent, healthful treats to the pet without causing overall weight gain. Multiple different lines of pet treats and supplements are provided in liquid form, for cats, dogs, or other domestic pets and in various different types of bottles and caps.
A pet treat system 100 according to an embodiment is shown in
The bottles shown in
The other bottles 12, 14, 16, 18 may have the same, similar, or different shapes and sizes than the first bottle 10. In
In an embodiment, the bottles have a round cosmo shape, or an oval/oblong shape with rounded shoulders. The bottles are made of a material safe for food consumption, such as glass or certain plastics (PVC, PET, styrene, polypropylene, or others).
The caps 30, 36, 40, and 46 in
A liquid pet treat system 200 according to an embodiment is shown in
In an embodiment, the bottles inside the enclosure 250 all share a characteristic, such as all being for the same type of pet (such as a dog or cat), the same size pet (such as small, medium, or large), the same flavor of treat (such as beef, chicken, fish, or others), the same diet goals (such as weight loss, anxiety and/or stress reduction, energy boosting, immunity boosting, reduction of pain and/or inflammation, and/or other goals), the same color cap (to quickly identify the flavor, goal, or pet), the same shape bottle (such as the same shoulder contour, cap type, size, or other shape), or other features. This shared characteristic enables a pet owner to purchase and easily identify the right kit for the right pet or diet goals. At the same time, the bottles inside the enclosure 250 may also each have a characteristic that differs from each other, so that each bottle serves a different purpose. For example, the bottles 210, 212, 216, 218 in
As one example, the bottles in the enclosure 250 in
In an embodiment, a first line of pet treats for dogs includes bottles that all share a visible characteristic (such as bottle or cap shape, contour, or color), and a second line of pet treats for cats includes bottles that all share a visible characteristic that is different from the first line. In another embodiment, a first line of pet treats for pet weight loss includes bottles that all share a visible characteristic (such as bottle or cap shape, contour, or color), and a second line of pet treats for anxiety and/or stress reduction (de-stress) includes bottles that all share a visible characteristic that is different from the first line. Each line of treats can have its own distinct visible characteristic that differentiates it from the other lines. Further examples include the following: a third line of pet treats for boosting energy; a fourth line of pet treats for reduction of pain and/or inflammation; a fifth line of pet treats for boosting the immune system. Further examples include: A weight loss kit for dogs comes with three bottles either 4, 6, or 8 ounces including one beef broth, one chicken broth, and one vegetable broth. A weight loss kit for cats includes three 1-ounce, 2-ounce, or 4-ounce bottles: one beef broth, one fish broth, and one chicken broth. A pet anxiety and stress reduction kit for dogs comes with three bottles either 4, 6, or 8 ounces: one beef broth, one chicken broth, and one vegetable broth. A pet anxiety reduction kit for cats includes three 4-ounce bottles: one beef broth, one fish broth, and one chicken broth. A pet pain and inflammation kit for dogs comes with three bottles either 4, 6, or 8 ounces consisting of one beef broth, one chicken broth, and one vegetable broth. A pet pain and inflammation kit for cats consists of three 1-ounce, 2-ounce, or 4-ounce bottles: one beef broth, one fish broth, and one chicken broth. A pet immune system kit for dogs comes with three bottles 4, 6, or 8 ounces consisting of one beef broth, one chicken broth, and one vegetable broth. A pet immune system kit for cats consists of three 1-ounce, 2-ounce, or 4-ounce bottles: one beef broth, one fish broth, and one chicken broth. A pet weight loss and pet anxiety and stress reduction kit includes two 4, 6, or 8 ounce bottles of beef or chicken broth for dogs, or two 1 or 3 ounce bottles of beef or chicken for cats. A pain and inflammation and immune system kit includes two 4, 6, or 8 ounce bottles of beef or chicken broth for dogs, or two 1 or 3 ounce bottles of beef or chicken for cats. It should be understood that many different combinations of bottles characteristics, colors, shapes, sizes, ingredients, flavors, and intended pets can be mixed and matched to create a pet treat system with multiple bottles packaged together.
In an embodiment, the liquid treat system 200 is designed for cats and includes bottles that mimic perfume bottles. The bottles 210, 212, 216, 218 include caps that have a metallic color such as gold or silver, with a rounded shoulder contour (such as shoulder 32 in
In an embodiment, the liquid pet treat system 200 includes a set of labels, such as peel-away adhesive stickers, inside the enclosure 250. The customer can use the labels to identify the bottles as desired, such as assigning them different colors or names. The labels can include various different colors, shapes, or messages, and the customer can apply these labels to the bottles to label them for a particular pet or use. The enclosure 250 can also include an optical machine-readable code, such as a barcode or QR code, for a downloadable mobile application (such as a smartphone app) for tracking pet health information, as described in further detail below.
The refill jug 252 in
The liquid inside the bottles and refill jug is a healthful drinkable liquid that can be given to a pet as either a treat or a dietary supplement. In an embodiment, the liquid is an organic or natural broth in pet-friendly flavors. Example flavors for dogs include beef, sirloin steak, bacon, lamb, liver, chicken, turkey, vegetable, or combinations of flavors such as beef & lamb; chicken & liver; lamb & vegetable; bacon & beef. Example flavors for cats include tuna, white fish, salmon, turkey, chicken, beef, liver, lamb, sirloin steak, or a combination of flavors such as tuna & white fish; turkey & chicken; chicken & liver; steak & lamb. In an embodiment, the ingredients are organic, meaning they are free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, artificial preservatives, artificial dyes, or other artificial agents (some examples are listed below). In an embodiment, the ingredients meet quality standards for human food consumption, such as FDA regulations for human food.
Examples of healthful drinkable liquids include: organic low-sodium or no sodium grass-fed beef broth, organic low-sodium or no sodium free-range chicken broth, organic low or no sodium vegetarian broth, organic low sodium fish broth. Ingredients may include beef stock, sirloin steak stock, liver stock, bacon stock, lamb stock, chicken stock, turkey stock, fish stock, or vegetable stock that may include celery, carrots, peas, sweet peppers, beans, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, lemon, olive oil, coconut oil, echinacea, flax, aloe vera, and/or natural seasonings (basil, rosemary, coriander, turmeric, ginger, parsley).
In an embodiment, the drinkable liquid includes natural ingredients that promote a pet health goal, such as weight loss, appetite suppressant, liquid meal replacement, anxiety and stress reduction, improved energy, decreased inflammation and pain, boosted health and immune system, improved sleep, improved and balanced behavior, increased longevity, or sharper cognitive function. Example ingredients to promote one or more of these health goals may include chamomile, coconut oil, echinacea, flax, aloe vera, GABA, ginger root, the-free hemp, maca root, matcha, reishi mushrooms, L-theanine, passion flower, L-tryptophan, valerian root, low concentrations of vitamins (vitamin B6, B12, B1), phaseolus vulgaris, glutamine, L-carnitine, L-lysine, garcinia cambogia, chitosan, parsley, turmeric, spirulina, medium chain triglycerides, coconut (caprylic (C8) & capric (010) fatty acids), omega 3 oils such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), omega-3's from marine forms (cold-water fatty fish like salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel) or plant forms (Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) derived from flaxseed, chia seed, walnuts, canola and soybean oil), Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) from evening primrose and borage oil, Omega-6 linoleic acid from seeds and Omega 6 Arachidonic acid from meat and eggs, olive oil, amino acids, proteins, collagen, glycosaminoglycans, arginine, glutamine, proline (proteinogenic amino acid), gelatin, glucosamine, glycine, chlorophyll, and/or probiotics.
The size of the bottle varies with the size of the pet, weight loss goals (if any), the shelf-life of the ingredients in the drink, the calorie content in the drink, and the serving size. In an embodiment, the bottles range in size from 1 to 12 ounces. For example, an organic beef broth for a small dog is provided in bottles of 1 ounce for pocket or travel, 2 ounces, 4 ounces and 6 ounces, and for a large dog in bottles of 1 ounce pocket or travel, 4 ounces, 8 ounces, 12 ounces and 32 ounces. In an embodiment, the liquid drink inside the bottle is very low in calories, such that the calorie content of the entire bottle is less than 5, 10, 15, or 20 calories. In an embodiment, a single serving of the liquid drink is less than 1, 2, or 5 calories.
In an embodiment, the liquid drink is devoid of ingredients that can be harmful to pets, detrimental to health goals, or difficult to digest. For example, the liquid drink may be devoid of GMO's (genetically modified organisms), antibiotics, synthetic hormones, synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides, artificial preservatives (such as potassium sorbate, propylene glycol, ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT, TBHQ, and propyl gallate), carrageenan or cellulose for thickening agents, animal by-products, artificial or concentrated sweeteners (such as aspartame, glycerin, corn syrup, sugar, saccharin, sucralose, neotame, advantame, acesulfame potassium-k or xylitol), high doses of concentrated supplements or vitamins (such as synthetically made ascorbic acid in Vitamin C or Vitamin A), or ingredients toxic to pets such as onions, garlic, yeast, dairy, nuts, raisins, grapes, zinc, iron, chocolate, licorice, caffeine, bone meal, raw or uncooked meat or eggs, avocados, zinc, fennel, oregano, and nutmeg.
A system 400 for filling and packaging a line of liquid pet treats according to an embodiment is shown in
In an embodiment, the organic broth is made with 2 quarts of water, 7 pounds of organic bones, and 2-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. A serving size is 1 ounce for every 10 pounds of pet body weight; for example, one serving for a 100 lb dog is 10 ounces, two servings per day. The broth can be served over food, as a meal replacement, or as a treat. Bone broth is made from natural ingredients that offer many important benefits for a pet's health. It is rich in protein, several vitamins, minerals, nutrients and amino acids such as arginine, glutamine, proline, gelatin (a breakdown of collagen), glucosamine and glycine. Even for healthy pets, bone broth is an excellent whole food multivitamin to provide a boost of nutrition to a balanced diet.
Four views of a mobile application for tracking pet health are shown in
The pet information screen (screen #3) includes several icons that each represent areas of interest. These icons can be tapped to open up a new screen with additional details about that area of interest. For example, the top-left icon (a running dog) represents exercise, and tapping it opens a new screen (screen #4, track specifics) to enter daily information about the pet's exercise. At screen #4, the user may input how long (distance) walked, the amount of time it took, weather with temperature, the pet's energy level and mood (lethargic or bouncy; depressed or elated to go for a walk; curious or uninterested), a buddy icon to enter other dogs or cats names and photos, a note icon to enter personal data, and a current status that updates overall progress and patterns.
The eating icon (shown at top right in screen #3) leads to a screen with detailed information about when the pet was fed, what food was given (including brand names of food, types of food, treats, etc), how much the pet ate each time, what time of day, the pet's emotional level and interest in eating, and other notes. In an embodiment, the app includes pre-loaded (or periodically downloaded and updated) information about the ingredients in certain recognized brands of pet food, to calculate calories, protein, fats, carbs, exposure to toxic ingredients, and other information.
Other icons shown on screen #3 represent other areas of interest. In an embodiment, the user can select which areas of interest to include in this screen. In
Based on the daily information entered by the user, the app then calculates an overall health score or health status for the pet. The app can also provide a summary of a pet's overall health habits (diet, exercise, weight), and can identify notes and patterns. The app also provides trending information to track health improvements, weight, calories, and other information to monitor improvements or declines. It will show tables of daily, weekly and monthly progress in each area to see and track any improvements or areas that need addressing. The app also recognizes patterns, such as linking sleep or activity patterns with diet, weather, exercise, weight, eating issues, or other entered information. By seeing patterns of daily habits, like what foods might trigger a pet's decline in health or emotional state, the owner could begin to make a direct connection of food, exercise, weather, or amount of attention to the pet's weight and health issues. In an embodiment, the app prompts a user to give a pet a treat, supplement, or meal based on a frequency of feeding that is suggested by the app or requested by a user.
In an embodiment, a machine-readable optical code (such as a QR code or barcode) is included with a bottle of the liquid pet treat, such as on a label on the bottle or inside an enclosure with the bottle. The QR code links to a site or service to download the mobile app shown in
In an embodiment, a dietary supplement system for a domestic pet includes a pet treat kit with three bottles. The first bottle is a spray bottle capped by a removable spray nozzle. The second bottle is a pour bottle capped by a removable spout. The third bottle is a travel-sized bottle capped by a removable cap. The kit includes a transparent enclosure carrying the first, second, and third bottles. Each bottle is filled with a liquid pet drink. In an embodiment, the kid also includes a refill container comprising an additional amount of the liquid pet drink.
In an embodiment, a dietary supplement system for domestic pets includes a first line of liquid treats for a dog, a second line of liquid treats for a cat, and a third line of liquid diet supplements for a pet (such as a dog or cat). The first line includes first and second bottles packaged together in a first enclosure. The first bottle is capped by a removable spray nozzle and contains a first liquid treat with a first formulation. The second bottle is capped by a removable pour spout and contains a second liquid treat with a second formulation. Both the first and second bottles are coded by the same first color. The second line includes third and fourth bottles packaged together in a second enclosure. The third bottle contains a third liquid treat with a third formulation, and the fourth bottle contains a fourth liquid treat with a fourth formulation. Both the third and fourth bottles are coded by the same second color, such as gold or silver. The third line includes fifth and sixth bottles packaged together in a third enclosure. The fifth bottle contains a first liquid diet supplement with a fifth formulation, and the sixth bottle contains a second liquid diet supplement with a sixth formulation. Both the fifth and sixth bottles are coded by the same third color.
It should be noted that components in the figures are not necessarily to scale. Although exemplary embodiments have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that changes and modifications to these exemplary embodiments are also within the intended scope of this disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/904,918, filed Sep. 24, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62904918 | Sep 2019 | US |