Long, long ago, our faithful friends were fierce predators, but over the centuries they became domesticated. But our dog's still share the DNA of the wolf. Taste of the Wild™ brand dog food offers your pet a diet dictated by his genes. It provides your pet with the kind of natural, balanced diet that he could find "in the wild."
Taste of the Wild comes in three flavors: High Prairie Canine with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison; Pacific Stream Canine with Smoked Salmon and Wetlands Canine with Roasted Wild Fowl. Sounds yummy, no? As usual, upon receiving samples from the company, I turned to Axel, my faithful tester for his opinion. He seemed to enjoy all three flavors and happily munched away on the crunchy, fresh kibble. At some point he took a breath to give me his paws up salute.
Taste of the Wild is a grain free formula made with real roasted meats, fruits and vegetables. They also contain natural antioxidants to support a healthy immune system and overall health. This is a high quality dog food and as a result it is not found in pet supermarkets or chain stores - please visit their website to find a store near you that carries this brand. Also, read the many glowing testimonials on their website from grateful owners, many of whom had dogs with health issues, who have switched to Taste of the Wild, with excellent results.
Being a doting pet owner, I have often attempted to brush Axel's teeth as part of his daily health regimen. I say "attempted" because it is almost impossible to get him to cooperate. They don't call them fox terrors, I mean terriers, for nothing! I usually have to chase him around the house, tempt him with treats and then enlist my husband to hold him while I try to get him to show me his pearly whites.
I am thus immensely grateful for a reasonably new product on the market called Bright Bites - "fun daily dental treats." These star-shaped treats are the fun way to help keep your dog's teeth free of plaque and tartar. Developed by veterinarians, Bright Bites are the first step in promoting good oral hygiene, prevent gum disease, ensure whiter teeth and what most of us dog owners really appreciate - freshen dog breath!
The American Veterinary Medical Association has found that more than 80 percent of dogs show signs of oral disease before they reach their third birthday. What is most frightening is that plaque and tartar build-up can contribute to two serious health issues — heart disease and kidney disease. We as dog owners, need to take note, and ensure we take care of our best friend's dental health! Bright Bites give us a convenient way to improve our dog’s oral health.
Axel, my faithful product tester (pictured), tried a cinnamon, peppermint and spearmint Bright Bite treat (over 2 days) and gave it a big paws up! He liked the taste and ate them with relish - I think he really enjoyed the chewy texture. After getting a whiff of his breath after he'd finished his treat, I did detect an improvement as well.
Bright Bites are available in three different sizes for dogs who weigh up to 15 pounds, 15 to 40 pounds and more than 40 pounds. What I also like about them is that they are wheat gluten free, low in fat (3%), and highly digestible. They start at a measly 62c and can be found in pet stores around the country. Visit their website.
You’re probably thinking Kong toys? Old news. Every dog owner has one. They’ve been around since the 70’s. So why am I taking up space on this trendy dog site with yesterday’s news? Because the Kong toy has saved me from insanity on more than one occasion.
I have two high-energy dogs, one of which hasn’t yet reached her first birthday and whose puppy power oftentimes spins her way out of control. She can turn a quiet movie night into puppy-palooza, and if my boyfriend and I aren’t feeling her vibe she begins to bark and playfully-yet-painfully bite at any appendage she can get her little teeth on.
But these outbursts don’t always occur during leisure time. Sleep is a necessity, but my dog is up and ready to party at 5:00am, cutting at least 2 hours out of my beauty rest. Perhaps the biggest dilemma here is that, as a writer, I need a quiet workspace, but when my dog begins her rambunctious barking, jumping, nipping, biting etc., she scares my muse right back to her secret-muse hiding spot.
Then, one day, during a rare cleaning frenzy, I was sweeping under the couch and out rolled the little red Kong toy we used to coax our 1st dog into her crate. I filled it with peanut-butter and stuck it in the freezer in preparation for the next puppy explosion. When the opportunity presented itself, I surprised my dog with the stuffed, frozen Kong, which calmed her down and kept her occupied for at least an hour.
These toys are so versatile, and are practically indestructible (there’s always an exception, but mine have endured the jaws of Pit Bulls and are still intact). They can be used simply as chew-and-fetch toys, or work as a kind of dog treat dispenser. The Kong company makes many treats that fit snugly into the toy so that your dog has to really work to get them out, but there are also numerous ingredients and recipes you can make at home to keep your dog both occupied and interested (see end of blog for recipes).
Stuffed Kong toys, however, can be messy. Whatever ingredients you stuff them with can certainly get into carpets, furniture, etc. Here’s a tip: tie a piece of string through the Kong and loop it under the leg of a chair in an easy-clean-up location. This also keeps your dog within your sight and stabilizes the toy so that your dog doesn’t end up licking it around the house and into a hard-to-reach place (like under the couch).
Some of these recipes are runny, so tape up the top (small hole) of Kong to avoid leakage. Remove the tape before giving Kong to your dog.
RECIPES
Peanut Butter Crunch: Mix some peanut-butter with dry cereal and freeze.
Kong Mash: Mix instant mashed potatoes with your dog’s kibble and freeze
Banana Cream Kong: Mix mashed bananas with plain yogurt and freeze.
Tuna Delight: Mix canned tuna with yogurt and freeze.
Honey Nut: Mix honey and peanut butter and freeze. You can also add banana or cereal.
Cheese Pleaser:Melt some cheese and mix with your dog’s kibble. Pour mixture into Kong and freeze.
Cheesecake Kong:Mix together cream cheese and graham or animal crackers and freeze.
Meat & Potatoes:Take leftover meats and mix with mashed potatoes or rice. Add melted cheese and freeze.
Bagel with Lox:Mix cream cheese and salmon (or any other fish) and freeze.
Komelet:Mix scrambled eggs, bread, meat and cheese and freeze.
Picture this: on your day off you wake to a clear, bright sky. Your first thought: beach day. To confirm, you hop online and click the weather report. Sunny. Temperatures reaching up into the 90's.
Surely this is a confirmed beach day. If you don't go you'll sit around wishing you did.
You proceed to gather all of the beach necessities (shades, a good read, sun oil and block), step into your swimsuit, and head out.
But here is where you meet your first obstacle. [Your dog's name here] is parked in front of the door, blocking your exit to paradise with the my-owner-is-leaving-it's-the-end-of-the-world face. For many pet owners this look doesn't just indicate a guilty walk to the car. It means a urine soaked carpet, complaints of a shrill and unending bark, and quite possibly a destroyed couch. You now must decide which is more important: your tan or your living room.
Unfortunately, our pets don't speak English, so attempting to tell your dog that you'll "only be gone for the day," offers him or her absolutely no comfort. Your pet has watched you gather up stuff and move throughout the house, and has deduced that you are leaving, but has no idea as to when you will return home. This provokes anxiety which in turn leads to destructive behavior: the cushion-less couch is quite simply an expression of your dog's fear and stress.
So it seems as though, until either dogs learn to speak English or humans begin to bark, there is really no solution to this very big problem. Not so. A few savvy veterinarians developed a product called Comfort Zone® which, believe it or not, creates an atmosphere of safety and security for your pet.
Comfort Zone® is a plug-in air diffuser that lasts 30 days and covers up to 650 square feet. You simply plug in the room where your animal spends most of his or her time. Here's how it works: humans and animals alike both produce and react to pheromones. Through research, veterinarians have discovered that there are specific pheromones secreted by the parent animal to help their young cope with fear and stress. Comfort Zone® ingeniously mimics these pheromones to help your dog feel safe and invulnerable, which in turn works to control your pet's destructive impulses.
This product is also available as a spray that can be used inside a crate, on your dog’s collar, in the car etc. You can find Comfort Zone® at most pet stores. Be sure to print the coupon good for $10.00 off your next purchase.
Pearl, my entirely white ten-month-old Pit Bull Terrier mix, is so adorable that I can hardly contain myself. I say her name in silly voices, scratch her back and rub her belly, and I can’t kiss her enough. To me, she is altogether perfect. Well almost. She has one behavioral issue that doesn’t seem to mesh with her character: my little Pearly girl eats her own poop!
There are a few reasons why a dog may feel inclined to do this. For one, it’s a survival tool. Dogs instinctually know not to leave evidence of their presence for other potential predators to pick up on. So, if your dog senses danger, he or she may want to “eliminate the elimination.” Poop eating could also be a behavior your pup picked up from his or her mother. After all, don’t all children imitate their elders? And although it’s a strange way to blow off steam, dogs actually use this terrible indulgence as a way to relieve stress. Talk about comfort food!
Enter Nasty Habit, a chewable tablet by Nutri-Vet that works to prevent dogs from consuming their own feces. Each pill contains a healthy dose of Cayenne Pepper, a spice that is disagreeable to dogs and so defers them from “re-consuming” their food. Nasty Habit also contains Chamomile, an herb that works to calm canine nerves and lower stress levels so that your dog won’t feel the need to do this awful deed.
Nasty Habit is an effective and inexpensive product that can be found at your local pet store or ordered directly from the Nutri-Vet website. Since I started adding these caplets to Pearl’s morning and evening meals, she has stopped her unnecessary snacking, and she is oh-so-perfect again!
The minute the blossoms appear on the trees in Springtime, my dog starts to itch. Welcome to the uncomfortable world of seasonal allergies! This year allergies kicked in very early, and before we knew it, Axel was biting his back and legs until they bled. Of course we took him to the vet, he had his allergy shots and anti-biotics, and then out came the dreaded Elizabethan collar! "We need to stop Axel from biting himself until the drugs kick in," announced the Vet, "He needs to wear the collar 24/7 for a few days."
The dreaded Elizabethan collar! God help us!
As if Axel was not miserable enough with his itchies, he now faced the indignity of hitting walls as he walked around our narrow rowhome, hitting his snout against the hard plastic collar going up and down our stairs, and forget about eating with it on!
Never content to see my little guy unhappy, I went online in a desperate search for a better product, and I found it! Introducing the BiteNot Collar, a comfortable, machine-washable, collar made of flexible plastic and foam that comes with a harness strap to ensure that it stays put. BiteNot collars are so comfy they make the Elizabethan collars look like an ancient instrument of doggy torture by comparison! Described as the "Collar that Cares", the BiteNot collar allows your dog or cat to eat, drink, play, run up stairs and sleep confortably - plus, they allow for complete peripheral vision! At the same time, they protect wounds and sutures on most areas of your pet's body. They come in seven size alternatives for dogs, and two sizes for cats; and range in price from $20-$45. Visit their Web site to find a supplier in your area as they are not sold at regular petstores.
After our BiteNot collar came in the mail, Axel and I made a happy trip together to the outside trashcan and bid the dreaded Elizabethan collar farewell forever.
Rub a dub dub, organic, safe soap for your dog (and a product giveaway!!!)
I recently discovered Olive, an organic store for modern dogs. They feature all sorts of great organic, healthy, and environmentally conscious dog items, like toys, collars, clothing, sleep items, and more.
I got to try out some of Olive's spa products, and I was so impressed with the everything I tried. My favorite product was the Olive Organic Dog Shampoo. From the minute I saw the packaging (so cool and modern looking) and smelled it, to reading the ingredients (all natural! organic!) to trying out with my dog, I was very impressed.
When I look for a dog shampoo, I look for something all-natural, something gentle, great-smelling with a good lather. (My dog is dirty -- I need to feel like that soap is getting her clean!) This product is perfect. In fact, I think I found my new go-to shampoo (meaning I will re-order this when I run out... though a little bit goes a long way!) If you want to make a purchase from the Olive site, take advantage of a special Swanky Pup coupon -- 15% off! Use code OLIVESWANK. Product Giveaway! Want to try out some Olive spa products on your dog, too? Sign up for our e-newsletter and you will automatically be entered to win Olive's Fur Spritzer and Olive's Soap Lump. Enter by June 26th, 2008 and one winner will be selected and announced on the 27th.
These could possibly be the coolest dog shoes I have ever seen. Really. But beyond their rugged exterior, these bark 'n boots grip trex by Ruff Wear are extremely important, functional paw wear for your pooch.
These supportive shoes for your dog help protect their paws from extreme outdoor elements (heat, sharp objects, etc), have amazing traction (great for hiking!) and are comfortable and durable. They have an air mesh upper inspired by human shoes (that is breathable, durable, and drainable) and a high performance Vibram® sole. They also have a nonmarking sole which is perfect for taking your dog out on your boat or for wearing inside the house.
The boots are easy fit with an expansion gusset and a Sure Cinch closure strap to help them stay on their paws. They also have a reflective trim for added safety and nighttime visibility.
The bottom line... if you are active with your dog, protect their paws with the best boots out there, these grip trex. They are extremely well made, comfortable, and they look great too.
Available in sizes XXS to XXL and in red or blue, make sure you measure your dog according to their instructions. And learn more about the awesome benefits of these boots for your dog.
In my house we have switched over to everything organic and green that we possibly can. With Earth Day coming up, now is a great time for you to take a look at all of the great earth-friendly dog products out there, like these Blue Dog Bakery Premium All Natural Low Fat Dog Biscuits (currently on sale!).
Some Green Pet tips, courtesy of Petco:
1. Buy a natural pet food made from pure protein sources raised without growth hormones or antibiotics, and that doesn’t contain any animal byproducts, rendered meat or chicken meals.
2. Use all natural cleaning products free of toxic chemicals.
3. Choose eco-friendly pet grooming products made without phosphates, sulfates and other chemicals.
4. Pick eco-friendly pet toys made from organic or recycled materials.
5. Purchase alternative forms of kitty litter made from recycled material such as newsprint and use biodegradeable poopbags for your daily walks.
Petco has a great section of their website devoted to Earth Day, earth-friendly products, a quiz to see how green your pet is, and a "Pet for the Planet" sweepstakes.
Tell Petco how you and your pet work together to take care of the environment. Enter your green pet tip for a chance to win the Grand Prize of a year’s supply of Pet Promise dog or cat food and $250 worth of pet products! (9 runner up prizes also available.)
We got our first real snow here last night, so I got my whole family dressed to go out and play. Of course this includes my dog, who loves to run and play in the snow.
I like to dress my dog in a sweater and boots when she is out running in the snow. Why? Not only does it look super-cute, but there is actually a very practical reason for this too...
Our dogs paws have pads that are very sensitive. The ice and snow can be very cold for their sensitive paws. If you use salt or a de-icer to melt the snow and ice, this can cut and burn your dogs paws. The snow and ice can also get stuck between your dogs paws and freeze, causing pain while they walk. So put them in boots (and why not get cute ones!)
I love these adorable Brown and Tan boots from the Sassy Pup (also available in black and silver, white and tan, pink and white and pink and tan). Made of PU leather, they have rubber soles and zippers closed in the front for quick and easy on and off. They were designed for comfort and fit, and come in a set of four with travel bag. Available in 3 sizes (XS, S, and M), these boots are currently 35% off (only $12.99!)
Stone-Healing.com offers a wide variety of holistic solutions for pets and their people. The possibilities for stone-healing are endless. The theory behind stone-healing is that all things vibrate at a different frequency. The goal is to choose a stone that's vibrations help heal your pets ailments. Harold tried the yellow jadeite.
Yellow jadeite represents aspects of protection and favorable fortune and harmony for your pet. One of the benefits of yellow jadeite is its ability to treat disorders of the reproductive organs. Harold has no more reproductive organs so it can't help him there. Other benefits include assistance in the reduction of pain in the sides, hip and legs as well as providing stabilization. I don't speak dog so Harold can't tell me if the stone is helping but it is an attractive accessory.
Beyond the medicinal possibilities the stones are cute accessories for any dog. They come in three sizes: teacup, small and large/medium. Remember that each stone is one of a kind, and no two stones are alike. Each unique healing stone charm is accompanied with its own silver clasp and "love my dog charm" that attaches to your pets collar ring. Although it is tempting to get the color that you like the most, pay attention to the healing properties each stone provides. This product is available for your cat or horse companions too!
Long, long ago, our faithful friends were fierce predators, but over the centuries they became domesticated. But our dog's still share the DNA of the wolf. Taste of the Wild™ brand dog food offers your pet a diet dictated by his genes. It provides your pet with the kind of natural, balanced diet that he could find "in the wild."
