When I was growing up, we had a couple Shetland Sheepdogs (aka "Shelties") for pets. First there was Susie, a purebred princess, and then came Aja -- a "blue" Sheltie with some other unknown breed thrown in.

Suzy lived to the ripe old age of 17 and only began to suffer some stiffness of joints when she was up in years. Aja, on the other hand, had one problem after another--mostly related to her skin and coat. My mother ended up fixing her meals by cooking ground lamb and rice on the stove. Everyday. For more than a decade.

My mother is wonderful, but I don't know how she managed to work part-time, take care of three kids and our house, plus look after a couple dogs, a cat and a pet rat! Cooking dog food from scratch was a lot of work. I know, because as soon as I was old enough, I helped. Something about the lamb and rice combination helps a dog's coat and skin -- it worked for Aja, who also lived to a ripe old age.

Now, fast forward 15 years or so. I'm married now, with my own animal-loving family. After our dog, Clancy, died unexpectedly in 1999, we began a search for a new pet. With the help of the internet, we found a rescue organization that wasn't too far away.

That's how we found Grisham. Like Suzy and Aja, Grisham is a Sheltie. When we first saw him, he was in pretty bad shape. Abandoned near Castaic Lake and suffering from a thyroid problem, he was overweight and listless with dry skin and a dull coat.

We fell in love with him, anyway!

As soon as we brought him home, we got to work on getting Grisham's thyroid and weight problems under control. The two are related, I'm told, and after testing at the vet's office, Grisham was put on a twice-a-day prescription of .1 mg. of Soloxine.

With the medication, regular walks, and a low-calorie dog food diet (we used a Nutro brand that was excellent but expensive), Grisham started shaping up and losing weight. He became more active and lively.

When the vet agreed that Grisham was down to a decent weight, I wanted to tackle his coat and skin problems. Remembering Aja's lamb and rice diet, we changed Grisham's daily fare to Pedigree Mealtime with Lamb & Rice. Manufactured by WALTHAM, "The world's leading authority on pet care and nutrition" -- according to their packaging (obviously, that's quite debatable, isn't it?) -- this brand has helped restore a lustrous sheen to Grisham's coat without the hassle of cooking the lamb and rice from scratch!!

Developed and tested by veterinarians and pet nutritionists on the WALTHAM staff, Pedigree Mealtime with Lamb & Rice is made with ground corn, lamb and highly-digestible rice. It also contains supplements of Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Zinc to supply "complete and balanced nutrition for the growth and maintenance of dogs." The food contains no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, and has no fillers or soy.

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to dog nutrition, but for me, seeing is believing. Grisham looks great now and, although he's never been a finicky eater, he seems to love Pedigree Mealtime with Lamb & Rice. While it's not the cheapest dog food available, it's not the most expensive, either. Occasionally I find coupons to use, and I always buy the biggest bag I can find.

The only downside has been that Grisham, a "senior" dog (although we can't be certain of his exact age), has regained some of the pounds he lost two years ago. I don't blame Pedigree Mealtime with Lamb & Rice as much as I do Grisham's increasing age and declining activity. We'll try to take more walks (I need the exercise, too!), and as long as the vet thinks Grisham is within a reasonable weight range, I'll continue buying Pedigree Mealtime with Lamb & Rice.

For more information on this and other Pedigree products, visit: www.waltham.com

Questions or comments? You can reach the company toll-free at 1-800-525-5273.

Note: Always store dog food in a cool, dry place. Be sure to give your pet fresh, clean water each day.






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