We’re dog sitting for a neighbor this week which has added excitement to our house. Between poop scooping, counter surfing and face licking we’re also trying to teach the kids about the trade-offs of a pet.

Dogs are great companions but are a lot of work. 

Sam and Jack have been taking responsibility for feeding Bentley (with guidance from us like, “if you don’t feed the dog he’ll eventually die”) and I’ve been reinforcing handwashing after handling the potentially contaminated food. Because there have been a lot of Salmonella-driven outbreaks and recalls linked to pet food and treats.

A Washington State pet shop owner doesn’t share my assessment of risks and is living on a strict pet food diet for a month. According to Fox News, Dorothy Hunter is turning pet-food-a-tarien to demonstrate the quality and nutrition of her products.

“You would be surprised how tasty dog and cat food can be when it’s made right,” she told the Tri-City Herald last week. “You really are what you eat and it’s the same for your pets. I decided to eat this food for a month just to prove how good it tastes, as well as showcase its nutrition.”

She stocks her shelves with dog and cat food that is comes from as far away as Italy. She told the newspaper that everything she carries is carefully selected for its nutritional value.

“You won find empty food in this store,” she told the Herald. “There are not fillers, or animal (byproducts) or preservatives. We also do our best to make sure we do not carry any edible foods from China or products whose ingredients come from China.

“I know people think this is crazy, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to read labels and see what’s in the food you eat — whether it’s pet food or human food.”

Yeah, and whether it’s at increased risk for Salmonella.