Balance

As you guys might have noticed, I feed balance over the period of a week. This system works well for myself and my dogs. Here is a break down of what would need to go into every single meal IF I fed balance every day and every meal:

Linc: 53lbs, intact, 3.5 year old male
Daily intake 2.38lbs (4.5% of weight)
1.12oz liver
1.12oz other secreting organ meat
5oz bone (20%)
1.6lbs muscle meat

Each meal:
0.56oz liver
0.56oz other secreting organ
2.5oz bone
8oz muscle meat

Mac:
38lbs (gaining weight) neutered, 11.5 year old male
Daily Intake 1.14lbs (3% of weight)
0.6oz liver
0.6oz other secreting organ
2.3oz bone (20%)
8oz muscle meat

Each meal
0.3oz liver
0.3oz other secreting meat
1.15oz bone
4oz organ meat

My dogs actually do meet these percentages except the bone, sometimes their bone content is heavier and sometimes lower. Mac is receiving more bones due to his Cushings disease and the effects it has had on his digestive system. He is more prone to diarrhea. Feeding balance can be done over each meal, over a day or even over the period of a week. The point is that the animals are receiving the nutrition they need. If you tried to do balance over a longer period than a week, I would be worried of malnourishment.

Let's Talk about Poop

Yes, this can be an odd post for many people, but it is necessary. To the left is a red meat poop. This can also be what an offal stool looks. Dark stools are very normal. Also, this is also what a normal stool for a 54lb Australian Shepherd. He poops about twice a day, that is all. Yes, on one end there is some high bone content stool, but this is for the most part a very normal stool. 

Yes, this can be an odd post for many people, but it is necessary. To the left is a red meat poop. This can also be what an offal stool looks. Dark stools are very normal. Also, this is also what a normal stool for a 54lb Australian Shepherd. He poops about twice a day, that is all. Yes, on one end there is some high bone content stool, but this is for the most part a very normal stool.To the right is a stool from a "complete" mince, which means it had muscle meat, organ meat and bone content. You can obviously see where those three contents show in this stool. 

This is a stool with too much bone. You can easily see how much lighter a crumbly it is. After a stool like this, I would add more muscle meat to the next meal. These kinds of stools are not bad for the dog. Just keep an eye on your dog's stools and adjust the next meals. These stools can also be much lighter in color and a grayish white.

I used to be obsessed with my dog's poops. After five years of feeding raw it has definitely changed. I have never seen stools cause a problem with my dogs. I have never had problems with constipation.

Yes, loose stools happen and yes, bone stools happen, but it is a big part of feeding raw. It is not worth freaking out over. If you are new to raw feeding, take everything in strides. I understand it is scary, but it is not. Everything will be ok.

Let's Talk about Fat

Fat is a vital macronutrient in a carnivore's diet. I am going to explain why and what type of fat a carnivore requires.

To begin, there are 3 types of fat:

    -   Saturated 

    -   Monounsaturated

    -   Polyunsaturated

In whole prey animals, these fats come from bone marrow, muscle meat and organ fat. Fat is necessary in carnivores because it produces energy. The correct types of fats also assist the animal in digesting various fat soluble vitamins. Fat also protects the nerves and cell membranes throughout the body. When given the proper amounts of fat, it has been found that the carnivore develop better brains, have better behavior, learn faster, develop more muscle and have better heart and eye health.

Fats need to be fresh for the best benefit. Rancid fats lower the quality and nutritional value of the food. Rancid fats can also cause liver & heart problems, macular degeneration, as well as cell damage, arthritis and in rare cases, death.

It is suggested that you rotate ruminant and poultry meats to balance the saturated and polyunsaturated fats. Most domesticated ruminants have too much saturated fat and not enough polyunsaturated fats. Poultry on the other hand has a lot of polyunsaturated fats and not enough saturated fats. 

The fat requirements in dogs vary depending on age and activity level. For a puppy, the percentage required is around 17% and should not be lower than 8%. For a pet weight adult dog the requirement is 9-15% and should not go below 5%. For an active performing dog, the suggested requirement is 20% and no lower than 8%. 

Fish oils and fresh fish are recommended to be added to your carnivore's diet because they have docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is an Omega-3 fat. DHA is essential for the brain and eyes and eicosapetaenoic acid (EPA), which is another essential Omega-3 fat. EPA has been found to lower depression and is an anti-inflammatory in mammals. 

Recent Raw Meals

Sorry I have been gone for a while. Here is a basic post with the boys' recent raw meals.

Chicken wings, beef heart and bone broth

Chicken gizzards

Mac: duck liver & chicken thigh

Linc: goat leg, duck gizzards & beef chunks

Rabbit and beef chunks

Rabbit, beef kidney & beef tripe

Mac: chicken drumstick & chunked beef

Linc: chicken drumstick, rabbit leg, beef kidney and beef chunks

Pearly Whites

Let's talk about raw edible bones that are great for dental care.  I feed edible bones daily at dinner time and only at dinner time. My boys do get bully sticks, cow hooves, antlers and dehydrated tracheas as chews, but not edible bones.

Rabbit

The various edible bones I use are usually quite easy to get a hold of and some are harder to find for raw feeders. The more rare bones I give include:

-   Rabbit (entire animal)

-   Lamb (ribs, necks & legs)

-   Goat (ribs, necks & legs)

-   Venison (ribs, necks & legs)

-   Duck (heads, necks, carcasses & quarters)

The more common edible bones I give include:

-   Chicken (wings, necks, quarters, backs & drumsticks)

-   Turkey (legs, necks, wings, backs)

-   Various fish 

Here are some lovely goat ribs my boys had as their bone content. Soft enough bone to chew and eat, but heavy enough to require some work. Definitely great for cleaning teeth.

You wouldn't necessarily think duck heads would take a while to chew, but the skull is a little thicker than other bones in a duck's body and requires more work when chewing. My boys go crazy over duck heads. They can be difficult to find, but definitely worth it as they fall under two raw categories: bone and organ meat.

Obviously turkey legs are easier to find, but they do tend to be massive. I feed both the large 1.5lb ones and the smaller 11-1lb legs. Turkey legs are awesome for teeth cleaning because they require the dog use both their incisors and their premolars when breaking them down. The same can be said about chicken quarters, which are also easier to get a hold of. I buy mine at local groceries. The quarters I buy can weigh between 8oz and 1lb, depending on the company.

Nupro Review

I give Nupro to my parents 14 year old chocolate lab, Indie. He gets two scoops a day, one with each meal. I use Nupro for various reasons. At his age and due to the fact that he is unable to eat a raw diet, I want Indie to absorb as much nutrition as he can. I am not sure he absorbs as much as he used to, so this will be an added boost. Nupro is an all natural supplement that has received rave reviews. I probably wouldn't give it to my aussies because they both eat a healthy raw diet. I make sure to give them a variety of organs from various species. While I do give Indie a variety of protein sources by switching kibbles and canned food, I believe he needs more than that can offer.

I buy it in the 5lb jugs which lasts about 2 months. There are some negatives to the Nupro, one his stools do smell more when he gets the nupro. The other one would be the price and the fact that you should add a liquid to the food in order to make a gravy and lower the chances of inhalation. Other than these few negatives, I highly suggest Nupro for a senior dog who has a compromised immune system.

Nupro Ingredients:

Desiccated Liver - The ultimate in palatability!  The fresh, natural flavor of real liver is wonderful for the finicky eater!   Supplies iron and B vitamins.  Just add water to make a Grrreat Gravy that Dogs Crave!  Norwegian Kelp - A natural seaweed - a rich source of trace minerals including iodine, necessary for proper glandular function and metabolism.  An excellent source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and E.  Aside from nourishing the glands, these vitamins are beneficial for maintaining overall good health and are vital to sustain the proper growth of bones, a healthy heart rate, a sound central nervous system, and the assurance that muscles stay firm and strong.  Norwegian kelp grows deep in the ocean, mostly in cold waters, so it contains the purest of valuable nutrients from the ocean floor.  Supports healthy skin pigmentation and coat highlights.Amino Acids & Enzymes - A wide array of naturally available Amino Acids and Enzymes helps the body to maintain healthy hormonal balances and to fortify a resilient Immune System.  Offers support for pets with seasonal allergies. Nutritional Yeast Cultures - Support the maintenance of healthy skin and a full, luxurious hair coat which may minimize the occurrence of excessive shedding and dry skin.  Provide proteins, zinc and biotin.  Best source of B vitamins.  Most companies use cheaper brewers yeast which can be a combination of hops, corn, grains, wheat, etc.; all by-products from the brewery.  Many animals have grain sensitivities, and brewers yeast may further aggravate an allergy condition in certain animals.  With nutritional yeast cultures, grown and harvested from a veggie source, NO grains are present at all.  Something to think about when reading ingredient labels.Flaxseed - Provides essential omega fatty acids.  Most absorbable vegetable fatty acid for the canine.  Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, alpha-Linolenic acid, fiber and lignans.  Helps maintain healthy, shiny fur and soft skin. Lecithin - A  rich source of choline, utilized by the body in the production of acetyl-choline, a neurotransmitter essential for normal, healthy nerve and brain function.  Supports healthy liver function.Garlic - Awesome ingredient that does so much for the body!  Garlic contains allicin, a powerful antioxidant, helpful in supporting healthy immune and cardiovascular systems.Calcium Citrate - Calcium is best absorbed in an acidic environment, hence calcium citrate is the best absorbed supplemental form of calcium - it does not require extra stomach acid for absorption.  Intended to provide nutritive support for healthy bones, teeth and nerve function.Lactobacillus Acidophilus - Promotes friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract thereby encouraging efficient digestion which may reduce the occurrence of flatulence.  

Raw Delivery & Recent Raw Meals

My most recent delivery from Simply Rawesome arrived on Tuesday. This time I received 40lbs of beef chunks, 20lbs of Eureka rough blend and 40lbs of organic chicken thigh meat. With shipping, everything was $169. I love the quality of the products I receive. I do know that the beef chunks are from Big Dan's, but it doesn't make a difference as I have never had a problem with their products. 

 Beef Chunks bagged up

 Chicken, beef and Eureka in the chest freezer.

 Freezer above the fridge is all filled up and so is it's door below.

Here are now some recent meals for the boys:

L-R

Mac: Chicken quarter, beef liver and pollock oil

Linc: chicken quarter, beef liver, beef chunk and pollock oil

Boys had ground bone in turkey, chicken gizzards, bone broth and salmon oil

Boys had ground bone in turkey, organic chicken thigh meat and salmon oil

Boys had a duck carcass split between them, quail eggs, pollock oil and chunked beef

Mac's Weight Changes Through the Years

Mac is my almost ten year old neutered male. He is 19.5" tall and currently 43.8lbs. 

As a puppy and an adolescent, Mac ate Nutro Natural Choice Puppy food. He did okay on it, but now looking back, I wouldn't say he thrived. He stayed slim during adolescence. 

Once he hit one, I switched him to the Nutro Natural Choice Adult formula. This is when he started gaining weight. Unfortunately, I didn't know any better at the time and Mac was neutered very early at 6 months old. I truly believe this had a huge impact on his growth and weight gain. Mac was a very active dog, but was overweight.

Around 7 years ago, we found Wellness Complete Health Healthy Weight and switched all of the dogs to it. Mac's weight stayed around 53lbs, which was too much for his body.

We eventually found Wellness Core Reduced Fat and switched all three dogs (Gwen, Indie & Mac) to it. Gwen and Indie thrived on the food and stayed at healthy weights. Indie still eats grain free kibble and has stayed at within a very healthy 74-80lbs range. Mac was a different story. He still weighed more than he should. I took his food down to 3/4 cups twice a day and increased his exercise with no results. He had his thyroid checked and he was deemed perfectly healthy, but overweight. This was extremely frustrating for me.

Then I moved back home and studied vet tech. I was very fortunate to have a teacher who fed raw to her tervurans. She helped and guided me through feeding a proper and healthy raw diet. I immediately switched Mac and the transformation has been phenomenal. Mac began to slim down and build more muscle mass on the raw diet. He began to have a waist and more energy. His teeth and breath improved also. He suddenly became the dog I wanted him to be.

Mac eats 1lb of prey model raw a day, it is split into 8oz per meal. He enjoys every meal and will eat anything I put in front of him. Mac will be ten next month and his health couldn't be any better! I truly believe raw saved his life. He can keep up easily with Linc and is able to enjoy his retirement from service dog work. I don't know what Mac would be like if I hadn't been shown the benefits of raw four years ago.  In this photo, you can see the massive difference in his weight. I love the results raw has given him. 

Remember, please base what you feed your dog on the individual dog. Just because I have had phenomenal success with raw with Mac does not mean every dog will thrive. Always tailor diets to each dog, not as a group. I had to learn that the hard way, but I know it now and it works. Every animal is unique. 

A Couple of Changes

So there have been a couple of changes that happened today. Linc has been going through hormonal changes and has been extremely stubborn about eating his raw. He is losing weight, which is bad with his high activity level. I decided to put him on Orijen Regional for a few weeks. This is not a permanent change at all. He needs to have a consistent diet and gain a couple of pounds back. A couple of pounds lost on a highly active dog can be detrimental, so I need to get him back on track. I will write a review of this food. I decided to put him on an adult food because he will be 2 next month and thought it would be a waste to buy the puppy food at this age.

Another change that has happened is I am back into size 16 jeans!  I bought 3 pairs of jeans at Old Navy today and am thrilled! They are still a little tight, but worth it! Almost 33lbs lost so far!

I and Love and You Nude Dog Food Review

I know I normally only review raw foods and natural treats, but our 14 year old lab, Indie, eats kibble due to health issues. Indie had an emergency splenectomy at almost 12, has laryngeal paralysis and hypothyroidism. I usually switch him from kibble to kibble in order to keep things interesting and fresh. I also love giving him a variety of proteins. Along with his dry kibble he gets his meds, supplements and 1/4 can of grain free high quality wet food. I also switch these around to give him various protein sources. Ever since the Meijer opened in my city, I have been able to buy I and Love and You's Nude Dog Food for him. It is convenient to buy when grocery shopping for ourselves. He has also eaten their canned food.

I and Love and You is located in Colorado and their foods are made in the USA.  The ingredients in their treats are sourced from Brazil and Australia. Their kibble is shaped as small hearts and is consistent throughout all of their kibbles.  I usually buy the Poultry Palooza, but have tried the Red Meat Medley and Simply Sea. Indie has done well on all three flavors.  I have not tried the Hot Lickety Lamb because it seems hard to obtain. 

They are a very easy company to deal with and seem to truly care about their customers. The messaged me randomly on my instagram and asked if they could send me a box of their products. Of course I said yes. The dog treats were an instant hit and I bought some more of their venison jerky while in Chicago. I still have the freeze dried raw and have reviewed on another post. I was very grateful that they have sent me two 1.5lb bags of two of their freeze dried raw flavors.  The boys were quite taken with it.

Indie has never had any gastric upset connected to their kibble, treats or canned foods. The quality is very impressive and I definitely recommend feeding this if you are looking for a good kibble.  I and Love and You is shockingly mainly sold in grocery stores, but can be purchased from online websites such as Chewy.com. The price is also reasonable considering the quality of the products. Always base what you feed your animal on the animal itself. Every dog is different and may react to a product differently from another dog. While I do recommend this food, make sure your dog does well and watch for any problems and reactions.

Ingredients:turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, lentils, garbanzo beans, tapioca, chicken fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid), dried beet pulp, sweet potato, chicken, natural chicken liver flavor, chicken liver, chicken hearts, blueberries, chia seed, apple, spinach, tomato, carrot, fish oil, potassium chloride, olive oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), calcium carbonate, new zealand green mussel, inulin, salt, choline chloride, turmeric, iron amino acid chelate, zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc amino acid chelate, ferrous sulfate, niacin supplement, manganese amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, manganous oxide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma reesei fermentation extract, yucca schidigera extract, rosemary extract

I am in no way connected to the company. This review is voluntary. 

Natural Chews

I've been wanting to make a post about natural chews for quite a while.  Most places will tell you to give a puppy a kong and a nylabone.  I have yet to have a dog (out of 4 so far) that actually liked kongs. I even tried to fill them and they were still a no go for my guys.  So, when I adopted Linc, I decided to go the natural route, not natural nylabone or anything, but actual natural chews. Linc grew up chewing four different natural chews: dried cow hooves, dehydrated beef tracheas, bully sticks and split antlers. 

 I chose hooves for multiple reasons, one of the main ones is that they are keratin and naturally break down in the dog's digestive system. The cow hooves I buy are also 50¢/hoof, but they can range between 50¢-$2.00 each. The hooves I buy are from US raised cows and have no artificial additives.  They are actually dried in my home town. They are high protein, low calorie and 4-5" long. My boys love them! Granted, it does hurt if you step on one, like a massive lego. But it's worth the pain.







Here is Linc working on a new hoof I just gave him. None of my dogs have ever had any problems with choking or obstructions from the hooves I buy.













I buy 6" dehydrated beef tracheas in bulk, around 50-100 at a time. Indie can chew these easily and all three go crazy for them. They are higher in calories than the hooves, about 158 calories/per ounce. Tracheas are wonderful for older dogs like Indie or dogs who are missing some teeth.  They are a softer chew and more gentle on the jaw.  Tracheas are a natural source for glucosamine and chondroitin, which is awesome for my older boys! The 6" is an easier length for Indie and is a great treat that I give a couple times a week.  indie obviously doesn't chew much at 14 and can't handle the bully sticks like he used to, so I give these to help exercise his jaw, clean his teeth and give him some entertainment

Bully sticks are awesome! I do wish they lasted longer! I also buy these in bulk to save some money. I buy the 12" bully sticks. Now depending on where you buy them from, they can range from around $2.00-$13.00/per bully stick.  I have noticed the prices are also based on the thickness of the chew itself. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a 3' bully stick and cut it yourself, but other times it is cheaper to buy them in bulk. Indie is unable to chew these anymore, so only the aussies get them. But damn do they go crazy for them!

Antlers tend to be the most controversial chew on this list. Many dogs have broken teeth on them. I only buy the split antlers because the dogs can dig out the marrow and then I toss them. Antlers do tend to be the most expensive chew on this list also. I don't buy them very often and if I do, I buy them from ebay. I did buy a few while in Wyoming for my sister's wedding. They were $2.00/ounce, which wasn't bad at all. We currently don't have any antlers, but I will get some more in the future.  Again, I have never had any problems with broken teeth when giving my dogs antlers.

When giving your dogs chews of any kind, always monitor them! It is your responsibility to make sure the dog can handle the chew! Always be careful!

Plato's Hundur Crunch Fish Treats for Dogs Review

I went to a local feed store yesterday and saw these. I decided to give them a try. These treats are Plato Pet Treats Hundur's Crunch Fish Treats for Dogs "Jerky Minis." I am always on the look out for new one protein treats for the boys. They retail for $9.00 - 4.99 for 3.5oz.










On the bag:
Nutritional Benefits:

• Single source protein: 100% Icelandic Fish
• 100% Natural
• Zero additives or colors
• Natural source of omega 3 & 6
• Grain Free
• Great for healthy skin and coat
• Helps remove tartar
• Responsibly sourced

Ingredients:Cod skin, golden redfish skin

The boys had to wait both times I gave them each one. I love that both of my boys have great self control and leave its.

Calorie 309.84 C/100 g and Sodium 786.75 mg/100 g

Crude Protein: 75% Min
Crude Fat: 3.7% Min
Crude Fiber: 0.5% Min
Moisture: 13% Max
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: 1% Min*
Omega 6 Fatty Acids: 0.12% Min

I am in no way connected to the company. This review is voluntary. 

Stella & Chewy's Super Beef Dinner Patties & Meal Mixers Review

Linc is currently in one of his hormonal phases where I believe there is an intact bitch in heat within two miles of us. As you know, Linc had a vasectomy, so he is still intact. This happens every couple of months or so and Linc goes off his food and humps my parents' lab, Indie. These periods can be very stressful because Linc is a young and active male and when he goes off his food, it causes me to worry that he will lose too much weight. So, during these times, I am willing to try different things (non kibble) to get him to eat. 

This evening, we tried a mix of Stella & Chewy's Super Beef Dinner Patties and their Savory Salmon & Cod Meal Mixer. Linc is already a pickier eater than I would like, so every new thing is a risk. Granted, Mac will eat anything.

As you can see, I mixed about 5 of the beef patties with about 2 scoops of the meal mixer. You can definitely tell the difference between the two. The fish meal mixer did have a smell, but it wasn't very strong, while the beef really didn't have an odor at all.












I added about 1 cup of warm water to the mixer and used a spatula to begin mixing and breaking down the patties so they could absorb the water faster.  It may be easier to break the patties up before adding the water. It took about five minutes to achieve the consistency below. I was surprised how quickly the water was absorbed.

Linc was definitely eager! He watched the entire process.

 He dove right in. He did walk away a few times between eating. Linc is a very slow eater and a self regulator. To be honest, having a self regulating male is very foreign to me. I am so used to our previous male dogs, including Mac and Indie, who would dive in and not stop until every last morsel was gone. Linc is definitely different in that aspect.













I do believe he enjoyed it. The consistency was that of a very finely ground oatmeal. Easy to lap up and probably very good if you are raising a litter of puppies. I believe the fact that I used warm water also enticed him to eat it and increased the odor that was released.














 While he didn't lick the bowl completely clean, I am happy with how much he ate. As I mentioned earlier, Linc self regulates, so this is a compliment to Stella & Chewy's.

From Stella & Chewy's website:
ONLY THE GOOD STUFF!

• Raw, grass-fed beef
• 95% beef, nutrient-rich organs & bone
• Organic fruits & vegetables
• Fortified with added vitamins & minerals
• Enhanced with probiotics & antioxidants
• 100% complete & balanced dinner

Stella's Super Beef Freeze Dried Dinner Patties Product Analysis:

Stella's Super Beef Freeze Dried Dinner Patties Ingredients:

Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Heart, Beef Tripe, Beef Bone, Pumpkin Seed, Potassium Chloride, Organic Cranberries, Organic Spinach, Organic Broccoli, Organic Beets, Sodium Phosphate Monobasic, Organic Carrots, Organic Squash, Organic Apples, Organic Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Taurine, Tocopherols (Preservative), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement

Savory Salmon & Cod Meal Mixer Product Analysis:

Savory Salmon & Cod Meal Mixer Ingredients:

Ground Salmon with Bones, Ground Cod with Bones, Cod Liver Oil, Pumpkin Seed, Potassium Chloride, Organic Cranberries, Organic Spinach, Organic Broccoli, Organic Beets, Sodium Phosphate Monobasic, Organic Carrots, Organic Squash, Organic Apples, Organic Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Taurine, Tocopherols (Preservative), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement

Stella & Chewy's is a high quality freeze dried food that is available through various sources. It is produced in Wisconsin. I am in no way connected to the company. This review is voluntary.