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Pru’s Wooftastic Gift Guide 2011: The Giving Tree

5 Dec

Christmas. While usually just thinking about this holiday and the onslaught of presents sends me into a flurry of tail wags and tapping paws. The humans say I’m selfish for only caring about what’s given to me, and while that is very, very true, I’ve decided that for this years gift guide, not only will I show you that you can spoil your dog (and maybe you) with all the presents his or her selfish heart desires, but also do some good in the process. Each company and products that I feature donate a portion or the entirety of their profits to a pet-based charity.

During this time of the year, humans start looking ahead to the future by purchasing calendars for the upcoming year. Many animal shelters and rescue organizations jump on the bandwagon and release calendars featuring shelter alumni or just shelter supporter’s pets.

The Humane Society of Knox County, a local shelter where my kitty brother Harry came from, has released their own calendar. You can purchase your own for $10 and be assured that all the money goes right back into the shelter to help the animals currently in their care.

Every dog needs a nice collar; something that’s bold and shows off their personality. Fifi Run may just fit the bill. Fifi Run makes edgy but incredibly chic collars with a little bit of an electric 80s feel. The What Would Lassie Do? Collar happens to be my personal favorite (what dog doesn’t emulate Lassie and her heroism?). And the best part? Fifi Run chooses a different dog charity each month to donate 10% of their proceeds to.

 My love for Mutt Nose Best is very well known (and no, it’s not just because I’m the face of their new shampoo scent). Mutt Nose is a Maine based company that uses human grade ingredients (most locally sourced) to make some of the yummiest smelling dog shampoos, conditioners, eau de toilettes, nose balm, and ear and eye wipes. They’ve currently released a special edition holiday scent, U Puppermint Puppy that will make your pooch smell like a warm mug of peppermint hot chocolate. Each month, Mutt Nose choose one pet based charity to promote and raise funds for (you can read more about last month’s charity here).

Keeping your dog safe is a top priority for dog owners. Do it in style with another of my favorite products, a blanketID! BlanketID tags are made to help you find your dog in case they are lost not only from them wearing the tag, but also through online support, including emails to local blanketID members and local animal related businesses like hospitals, shelters, and SPCAs. Plus, if someone finds your dog, they only have to type in the code found on the back to find all of your dogs information like your phone number, address, your dog’s allergies, and more. Try fitting that on any other tag! Plus, every time a tag is registered and membership purchased, blanketID puts money into their Blanket Fund to help animals in need (you can see the animals they have helped here). Over 15% of blanketIDs profits go into their Blanket Fund.

Treats are always a doggy crowd pleaser when they are found under the Christmas tree. Some of my favorite treats (though honestly, I don’t really have any non-favorite treats) are Zuke’s Mini Naturals in peanut butter. They are soft little nibblets that are perfect for a training session or to stuff in a toy like a Busy Buddy or Kong Canine Genius. I would rather I just receive them by the handful, but mom usually makes me work for them. The human brains behind Zuke’s decided to start a fund called the Dog and Cat Cancer Fund (DCCFund) in honor of their dogs Oly and Zuke who passed away from cancer.Every year, Zuke’s donates a large percentage of their profits to the DCCFund. Last year alone they donated over $40,000. You can see some of the pets the fund has help here.

No hip pooch is complete without the gift of a leash from a certain fat, red suited jolly human. One of the neatest leash companies around is Found My Animal. All the leashes are hand made is New England by professional rope makers and some are even made from recycled bottles. The bright orange Rescue Leash is not only fabulously colorful, but it’s also made to promote pet adoption (orange is the official color for animal protection awareness).As Found My Animal’s mission is to raise awareness about animal adoption, they donate a fair amount of their profits to different pet-based charities. For example, last Saturday during an event for Rational Animal, for every purchase of a Rescue Leash, Found donated $5 to Rational Animal. You can see more of their charitable work and donations here.

And finally, as a little treat to you humans with a sweet tooth, is Rescue Chocolate. Rescue Chocolate is, as their website states “the sweetest way to save a life.” 100% of the net profits from each of the vegan, kosher, and USA made sweets sold goes to a different animal rescue organization each month. The organization being helped during December is the Animal Farm Foundation. If that doesn’t tempt you into buying, than maybe the funky flavors and inventive names will. What human can turn down a mint and dark chocolate candy bar called Foster-iffic Peppermint? Now remember, these are human-only treats. No dog consumption allowed!

I hope my gift ideas have inspired you to not only gift your friends and furry family members a little something special, but also to think charitably this holiday season.

Happy tail wags!

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Give Your Thanks and Don’t Eat the Bones

23 Nov

Thanksgiving, a day of human satiation and enough drool-worthy food to cause any dog to wish they could walk on only two legs and own opposable thumbs. Tomorrow my humans will sit down at the barely used dining room table to tuck in whilst I’m stuck under the table hoping one of them slips me something yummy. Many of my fellow blogs and animal-centric sites are all a buzz with the feast foods one shouldn’t be sharing with their pooches, but what about those dog-friendly dishes? Thanksgiving is full of them! Let’s take a look:

- Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are a great spud for your dog to nosh on. Of course, we’re talking sweet potatoes free of butter, spices, and those little white marshmallows. When you’re busily cooking away for your feast, throw a sweet potato in the oven to set aside for your pup.

- Turkey: Yes! Turkey! The main event! Feel free to slip your dog some skin-free (skin is too fatty and hard for your dog’s digestive system to break down), seasoning-free, light turkey meat. And while it is important to skip cooked bones, a raw bone is totally fine. If you can’t get a raw turkey bone, maybe find a marrow bone or raw oxtail. Not only will your pup love to gnaw on it, it will also keep them busy and not begging at the table.

-Pumpkin: Like sweet potato, pumpkin is a great snack for your dog. Also like sweet potato, make sure it’s plain pumpkin (i.e. no pumpkin pie filling).

-Vegetables: Think cooked (or raw) carrots, green beans, and peas. While not my favorite, there are dogs that go bananas for some cooked, plain veggies.

-Butternut squash: One of my favorites! Remember, no butter, seasoning, etc.

-Potatoes: Some dogs are allergic to this spud, but if yours isn’t, feel free to share some butterless, seasoningless (seeing a pattern yet?) potatoes.

See, your dog can partake in the fun and festivities of Thanksgiving too! Just remember, skip the fat and the extras and keep it simple and plain for the four-legged crowd.

Happy tail wags!

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Fill Me Up With Love

15 Nov

One of the things about having a human who isn’t afraid to switch things up when it comes to my supper (and lunch) bowl is that she often gets a little too giddy when a new formula is launched by my all time favorite dog food company, The Honest Kitchen. Due to my position as a THK Allie, I heard about the arrival of two new formulas (one for dogs and one for cats) in the works, so it was with drooling anticipation that I began waiting for the new dog food formula, Love, to hit store shelves. Boy was Love worth the wait (isn’t it always, though?). Love is a grain and gluten-free (a well as dehydrated like all the other Honest Kitchen formulas), and contains ingredients such as hormone-free beef, sweet potatoes, potatoes, organic coconut, papaya, pumpkin, and so many more wholesome and nutritious foods. Like all of the other Honest Kitchen foods, Love is also 100% human grade, made in the USA, and contains non of those pesky fillers and common allergens like beet pulp, corn, soy, rice, or wheat that are often found in cheaply made, grocery store bought dog foods.

You may also notice that the packaging is a little different. Honest Kitchen recently revamped all of their packaging to be even more environmentally safe. The boxes are now made from 100% recycled, unbleached kraft paperboard and all the printing is done using soy-based inks. Plus, the box is 100% biodegradable or recyclable. 

Of course, none of this means anything unless your dog is willing to actually eat the food (or if you’re willing to serve it). While not all that grossed out about the things she serves me (even though she did have an interesting moment with some chicken livers once), my mom has never really been fond of the way my Honest Kitchen food smells. Obviously I love it, but she just has that weird human aversion to things that don’t smell like flowers and baked goods. With the Love formula, however, she rather likes the smell. She said it’s almost spice-like, or cinnamon-y. That’s all well and good, but really it’s my palate that we have to satiate and Love definitely does that and more! I have never left my bowl cleaner than after every meal of Love that I’ve had. It took my mom a little time to get the water to dry ratio correct as Love doesn’t seem to need as much water the rehydrate it as Keen does, so my first few meals were a little soupy (even after five minutes plus of hydrating time), but it seriously did not matter. I still slurped it up and then turned around and asked for more.

If you would like more information about Love, or any of the other Honest Kitchen formulas, please check out their website!

Happy tail wags!

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The Biscuit Biscuits and a Surprise!

26 Sep

As if my all time favorite pet supply store, The Loyal Biscuit, couldn’t get any cooler, they recently launched their very own treat company called The Loyal Biscuit Treat Co. As the brain-puppy of co-owner Heidi and Biscuit employee April, The Biscuit biscuits (as I like to call them) definitely reflect all the hip originality that a dog comes to expect from such a great set of stores.

Every Biscuit biscuit is made by hand in my hometown of Rockland, ME. All the ingredients are organic and many come from Maine sources. Because the treats are made in small batches, you can always expect a fresh treat for your pup. But by far the pawesomest part of the biscuits (besides the taste) is that each treat has the word “loyal” on it (due to being baked in custom pans!). As for flavor, these are definitely top notch. The current biscuit (and thus the only flavor) in production is a mix of cinnamon and anise, something not seen in many dog treats. They’re so yummy, I’ve even caught my mom taking a few nibbles here and there! The texture of the Loyal Biscuit treats is also important. They aren’t too soft nor too hard. Because of their size, the humans often have to break one in half (or else I chuck it around the room trying to break it myself). The treats are soft enough to break but tough enough that they don’t crumble into a mess. That’s perfect in my book!

When you purchase Loyal Biscuit Treat Co treats (which, if you don’t live near one of the two Biscuit locations, or at one of the various locations that carry the Biscuit biscuits, you can order them through facebook!), they come neatly packaged not only in a biodegradable bag, but also in a really pretty, food safe, and reusable tin. The tin can be reused in any manner you see fit, or, for a reduced price, can be refilled with Biscuit biscuits at both of the Loyal Biscuit locations! I haven’t gotten to the bottom of my tin yet (though I am making steady progress), but the latter choice will definitely be the one I take!

As if I haven’t talked about the Loyal Biscuit enough (I did say it was my favorite store, right?), I was pleasantly surprised a few weeks ago to learn that a certain someone’s scruffy mug was going to be featured in the Biscuit’s new brochure.
It sure does pay off to shop locally (and to be so darn cute!).

Happy tail wags!

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Evermore In My Belly

21 Sep

I am always trying to sniff out new delicious yummies to fill my ever hungry belly up with. Even though I really am a The Honest Kitchen dog at heart, sometimes you just need a dash of something different. I happened to find that extra something special in a brand of pet food called Evermore.

Don't you just love the packaging?

I stumbled nose (and mouth) first into Evermore, and one of the co-owners Hanna Mandelbaum, at this years Woofstock. It didn’t take my mom, nor I, long to realize that Evermore foods was something unique. As their company motto states: Evermore believes in feeding dogs the way humans (at least the non fast and junk food eating ones) feed themselves. All of the dog food made by Evermore is human-edible food (Hanna assured me that both she and the other member of the Evermore team have eaten all of the food they make) made out of high-quality ingredients, it is cooked gently to help maintain all the beneficial nutrients sometimes lost during the cooking process, everything is made in the USA as well as FDA inspected, and there is absolutely none of that by-product, filler, corn, soy, potato, wheat, or salt stuff. But check out what Evermore (more specifically the beef) does contain: ground beef, beef hearts, beef livers, yams, free-range eggs, carrots, parsnips, apples, kale, wild blueberries, safflower oil, alfalfa, organic barley, and more! Put this stuff up against most of the other commercial dog food on the market and you can literally see the difference.

See what I mean?

After trying a sample of both the chicken and the beef (those are the two current “flavors”), my mom decided to go ahead an buy me a small box of the beef to mix it up a little. As it’s sold frozen, the first time I ate it for a meal, I had to wait for it to thaw. Longest wait of my life! It was definitely worth it though. I scarfed a whole portion down before my mom could even snap a photo (I was already asking for seconds while her camera was focusing). If that doesn’t say a complete four-paw approval, I don’t know what does!

As we run on a very tight budget in this household (silly humans and their money), Evermore is a bit too expensive for an everyday type of food. However, at the suggestion of Hanna, it will definitely become a great stuffer for my Canine Genius and will be occasionally added into my diet for variety purposes!

For more information, please check out the Evermore website. They also have a list of retailers that sell their food which you can find here (both Loyal Biscuit locations carry Evermore pet food, by the way!).

Happy tail wags!

Source: Evermore

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Crack the Coconut

17 Aug

A few posts ago, I discussed the large case of the itchies I’ve been experiencing lately due to fleas (thankfully we finally seem to have the flew problem under control; bite on wood). One of the things I mentioned in the post was the suggestion by Aubrey at The Animal House to use coconut oil both topically and in my food. Ever since then, I’ve been getting coconut rub downs on my extra itchy spots as well as a small spoonful in my lunch, and let me tell you, not only do I smell a little tropical, but my itchiness has diminished to almost being completely gone. So what gives? Why is the coconut such a magical seed (yep, that’s right, a coconut is actually a seed!)?

The oil of a coconut contains fatty acids, the most important being lauric acid. Not only are these fatty acids a quick burning source of energy, but, lauric acid in particular, are similar to the fat found in breast milk that has been shown to strengthen the immune system. The reason coconut oil works so well when applied to the skin is because the lauric acid is anti-bacterial as well as anti-viral and anti-fungal, so it’s perfect for rubbing on small cuts and abrasions. Plus, it’s perfectly safe for your dog to lick. In fact, when eaten, coconut oil can help maintain a healthy metabolism as well as the cardiovascular system. And, just like omega-3 fatty acids, it can make a dogs coat and skin glossy and healthy. It has even been known to clear up skin conditions your dog may have like contact dermatitis, eczema, and flea allergies (like me). As if that’s not enough, coconut oil can also (when given regularly) reduce the risk of your dog getting diabetes as it regulates and balances insulin levels, reduce weight in an obese dog (when given with a reduced diet), prevent and treat yeast infections, help the mobility issues of dogs suffering from arthritis, and can even be used a toothpaste for those of us pooches suffering from human-dreaded doggy breath. Seriously, this little nut does it all!

The coconut oil my mom has been using on me is produced by a company called The Wholistic Pet.

(photo source)

It’s 100% certified organic, non-GMO, unrefined, and made from fresh coconuts. It’s so yummy, my mom has to restrain me from licking it right out of the container every time she opens it. As a word to those who have never used coconut oil before, when we first opened the container, it was completely liquid (most likely from sitting in the car). The second time we opened it, the oil had solidified. That’s completely normal! The oil will liquify at 76°F. Below that, it is solid. Typically, if I’m going to have some rubbed on my itchy spots, my mom will just scoop a little on her hand and let it soften, or, if it’s for my food, she’ll just scoop it right into my bowl. As you can also cook with coconut oil, my mom is anxious to try it in a few recipes for me.

If anyone else has tried coconut oil for their pets, or even themselves, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Happy tail wags!

Source: The Honest Kitchen, The Wholistic Pet, Dogster

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Let There Be Cake

6 Jun

If you’ve been a reader of my blog for awhile, it comes as no surprise that I love food. Eating is one of my favorite things up there with walks, chew toys, and running on the beach. So when I got an offer to try a cake mix from the online dog bakery supply store, K9 Cakery, it made me so tail-waggingly happy. I also wanted the chance to showcase K9 Cakery because a lot of my human friends are in the dog treat making business, and every dog knows that you can’t make dog treats without things like dog-themed cookie cutters. So K9 Cakery could become a useful place for them to shop!

Anyway, I was sent one of their homemade sugar, gluten, wheat, corn, and soy free cake mixes for my mom to make for me. And could you believe, the mix I received was the Savory Chicken Doggie Cake Mix. Chicken is only one of my favorite foods! I had to have mom bake it up for me right away. She had to improves for the frosting, so she used some Greek yogurt and a few Itty Bitty Buddy Biscuits and a Bocce’s Bakery (I’m going to do a review of Bocce’s Bakery soon!) cookie for decoration.  The cake was super simple (or at least seemed that way to me. My mom assured me it was) to make. There were only a few ingredients to add to the mix so it wasn’t incredibly complicated.

Unfortunately for me, it had already been decided that I would not be enjoying this delicious smelling (it honestly smelled like roasted chicken) cake all by myself. Which is how I found myself at The Loyal Biscuit with the two shop dogs Chuck and Fenway, trying hard not to drool as my mom cut the cake. Fenway decided that one piece of cake wasn’t enough for her, so she gobbled her piece as well as Chuck’s and mine (so obviously she liked it!). She even ate them so fast that my mom didn’t even have time to snap a photo (though I think all the giggling she was doing didn’t help either). Thankfully, Chuck and I each got another piece and Fenway was sent back to her bed. Chuck was equally as enthused about his piece of cake and gobbled it down. I, on the other hand, am too much of a lady to gobble. So I took my time licking off all the yogurt and then taking dainty bites until every crumb was gone. It was so very delicious we even got seconds!

If you’re feeling like you want to start your own doggy cake or treat making business, or if you just want to whip your dogs up some healthy and delicious treats, you’ll definitely want to check out all that K9 Cakery has to offer!

Happy tail wags!

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You’re Invited to Dinner

1 Jun

I’ve often wanted to document the steps to my dinner preparation, but since I can’t verbalize in a language that you humans can understand, I decided to let my mom take the reins on this one. So, for your viewing pleasure, here is the step-by-step process of how my mom prepares my The Honest Kitchen food.

Happy tail wags!

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Who Doesn’t Love Presents?

17 May

Presents are wonderful. They make me so happy, and every time I use or wear or eat or think about my presents, that happiness continues on. Last week my birthday left me so brimming with cheer, my butt is still wagging. One of the sweetest gifts I received came from my friend Claudia and her three sweet pups who are behind Schnauzer-tude. Claudia make a donation in my name to the Humane Society of Knox County, my favorite animal shelter. Though I do like having gifts, I know that some of the best are ones that help other animals.

I also received a lovely package from Nip and Bones. Inside contained a present from my mom, an interactive treat toy called the Busy Buddy Twist ‘n’ Treat toy, and a couple of surprises from Salina and the every fluffy Baby Patches. I will talk about one of the surprises in another post because I want to do a whole review about it, but I can say I got a sample of these really tasty treats from Pawduke and an antler dog chew! From my mom I was given a bag of freeze-dried venison snacks from Nature’s Variety, a bag of treats from Zukes, and a yummy bone to chew on; all purchased from the Loyal Biscuit.The Busy Buddy has been a really fun toy to play with. You just unscrew the pieces, fill it with treats, screw the pieces back together and let your dog figure out how to get the treats out. It’s been fun to roll it around the living room with my nose. And the Pawduke treats work with the Busy Buddy perfectly! I was actually confused when I was first given one of the Pawduke treats because they are almost perfectly sphere. I thought it was a mini ball! My mom had to break one into pieces for me to realize I could eat it.

Of course, no birthday is complete without a special outfit made just for me by Angelica and Leo. My favorite part about this shirt is that it is made from one of my aunt’s old tank-tops, so it still smells like her. What you can’t see from the photo though (I was being a difficult model) is that the back has frilly little ruffles along the butt and a pocket! Each are lined with lace like the tall collar. It’s a very unique shirt, I have none like it in my wardrobe. I’m so happy to have it!

I’m also so very happy to have so many loving family members and friends who help make not only each birthday, but every day a wonderful event. My life would probably be very dull without you all, so thank you from the top, bottom, and middle of my sweet puppy heart.

Happy tail wags!

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Max & Ruffy’s

2 May

By now my loyal readers know that something I love possibly more than running on the beach is featuring (and eating) unique and healthy dog treats. That’s why, after a polite request from my secretary (aka my mom), I was absolutely tail-waggingly thrilled to receive a package of treats from a wonderful company called Max & Ruffy’s. The thing that really drew me to Max & Ruffy’s (besides their unusually adorable product names like “The Kelp Highway” or “Molasses Explosion 1919″) was their philosophy: uncompromised nutrition + uncompromised quality + compassion for all living beings. This philosophy is seen in every one of the products that the creators of Max & Ruffy’s, Beth and Kelly, make. All of their treats, from the “Five-Star Blueberry” to the “Powerhouse” are 100% organic, hand-baked, non-outsourced, made from human-grade ingredients, and contain no animal products so they are vegan. As Beth and Kelly are vegan themselves, it was only natural for them to create a treat that was nutritious for their pups, but also reduced “suffering to other beings and the environment.” What’s more, the packaging for the treats (which you can see in the above photo) is eco-friendly due to the 100% biodegradable and compostable inner bag to the paperboard box that is printed in soy-ink. They even have grain-free and wheat-free treats for dogs who may have allergies to those ingredients. Not to shabby!

Max & Ruffy’s has a line of six treats that contain ingredients to benefit the well being of your dog. Even the “W.P. Pizza” treat, which smells like the oh-so-heavenly, but not very health conscious pizza the humans like to eat, is chock full of antioxidants. And what’s also pawesome about these treats is that they come in two sizes; “original” and “mini bites” for smaller pooches like me (though my mouth is definitely big enough to handle an “original” sized treat). As I was gifted big boxes of the “W.P. Pizza,” and “Mother Quinoa’s Pumpkin Patch” as well as sample pouches of the other flavors, I’ve been able to taste test them all. I’ve really enjoyed the “W.P. Pizza” and the “Five-Star Blueberry,” but in all honesty, they are all incredibly delicious. Since they are on the hard and crunchy side, like most cookie-like treats, I don’t think we will be using these much for training (except maybe the “mini bites”) so I definitely see these as more of a in-between-meals snack kind of treat (those are truly my favorite kinds of treats). And because the ingredients are so healthy, my mom doesn’t have to feel guilty about sneaking me a few more than I should have.

If you would like to purchase Max & Ruffy’s treats, you can shop in their online store, or check out their store locator for information on what stores carry their treats (Krazy for Pets just happens to be one of the online retailers!).

Happy tail wags!

(FTC Disclosure: I was sent free samples of Max & Ruffy’s treats per request for the sole purpose of writing a review. I did not nor will not receive monetary compensation nor any other form of compensation for my review.)

Source: Max & Ruffy’s

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