Our Flint River Ranch, Super Premium Formulas, are slowly twice oven-baked under carefully controlled conditions and proper temperatures. This unique baking process changes the hard to digest molecules of "raw" starches into easy to digest dextrines. This process acts as a "pre-digest" of the kibble food, resulting in less strain on the pet's digestive system and produces a greater degree of food absorption. An animal's intestinal tract is short; it functions in the most efficient manner when the food is concentrated and can be quickly digested. The important vitamins, minerals and food ingredients are then easily assimilated into the pet's digestive system.

Most companies prepare their food by steaming it as quickly as possible, usually less than 3 minutes, then extruding it under extreme pressure through a metal die (a steam extrusion process). This process expands the food with air creating a uniform shape. This method does not produce the highly digestible food that your pet's system requires. This extruded food (cooked in a very short time) is usually almost "raw" and requires the addition of what many nutritionists feel are harmful chemical preservatives (Ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT) to maintain a reasonable product shelf-life. These chemical products may be associated with dry skin, allergic reactions, dental disease, poor health and degenerative organ dysfunction.

Any cook can mix ingredients - the secret is in the total cooking process. This is one of the reasons our food is not easily duplicated by other manufacturers.

In the oven-baking process, a small 2 inch size biscuit is baked (moving slowly through the oven) then broken into smaller, irregular kibble ranging in size from tiny morsels to about half an inch. This is what makes the food so great! The smaller morsels are important. They digest very quickly in the system, helping create immediate nutritional value for your pet. The larger, crunchy kibble naturally cleans teeth, exercises the gums and freshens breath. Since the food is concentrated, there is more value with less food consumed. Feeding oven-baked foods require 20-25% less food than steam-extruded foods. Pet owners will find less odor and stool clean-up. Feeding Flint River Ranch quality products, you will be able to see the difference in your pet's health, skin, coat, energy level and quality life-style.

The oven-baked food will have various shades of colors - from the soft light inside to the heavy brown crunchy outside crust. Oven-baked food is food in its natural state. No oils or liver digest is sprayed on the food to encourage a dog to eat. Like all natural things in our environment, as well as the baking process - the color of the food will vary from time to time.

• The Senior formula contains the same ingredients as the Puppy/Adult formula but the ingredient mixture contains 1/3 less protein and fat. The difference in the ingredient mixture causes the Senior formula to appear lighter in color.

• The Nugget formula is the same as the Puppy/Adult formula; however the nugget preparation is not broken after the baking process - the various sizes will appear to be a crustier, darker brown color.

The heat in manufacturing destroys any potential insect eggs that might be left after the cleaning process. Food that is not properly stored, for example when the bag is left open, will attract all types of ants and flying bugs that lay eggs in the rich food. In an extremely short time, these eggs will hatch. This is more frequent in natural oven-baked foods. Pet owners with a worm or moth problem should consider changing their method of storage. Natural oven-baked foods attract mositure - which can turn into mildew spoilage quickly in summer weather and areas of high humidity. Store Flint River Ranch pet food in a dry, cool place.