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I’m a Salty Dog
20 DecThe biggest thing I’ve learned from having a run-in with a skunk many months ago (besides stop having run-ins with skunks, of course) is that even after about a million bathes and an entire bottle of Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover, I still had some lingering eau de Pepé le Pew. While it didn’t really bother me all that much, the humans on the other hand were less than happy. It was time to seek professional help. 
Enter Salty Dog Salon Inc. operated by Jillian Jones and Deborah McClean. I already knew Jillian from the quarterly nail clipping clinics at The Loyal Biscuit. In fact, she’s the only human I let clip my nails (with only minor struggling). I don’t even let my mom do that! Anyway, after both Jillian and her mother Deb graduated from A+ Pet Grooming Academy in Grey, Maine, they started a small grooming salon out of their own home. It was only recently that they officially moved their business, Salty Dog Salon Inc. to it’s own space (which happens to be not too far from my home). The salon is bright, peaceful, and very tastefully decorated (according to my mom that is; dogs don’t know all that much about decorating). The grooming area (which we saw during Salty Dog’s holiday open house) is impeccably clean. 
Among their many grooming options, Salty Dog has a specialty deskunking bath which is what I was given. My mom dropped me off (much to my dismay) and did errands for an hour while Jillian and Deb worked their magic. By the time the hour was up, I was bathed, flouffed, and smelling like citrus and cinnamon with barely a hint of skunk remaining. My mom was (and still is as it has been a couple of weeks and there is only a small tiny little skunky smell left behind my right ear. Much better than it was before) impressed by not only the deskunking miracle, but also by how friendly and welcoming Salty Dog’s environment and staff are. Plus, look at just how cute and fluffy I was after my day at the salon! 
If you live near Rockland, Maine and are interested in visiting Salty Dog Salon Inc, you can check out their website and facebook page for contact information. And make sure you tell Jillian and Deb that I sent you!
Happy tail wags!
Fill Me Up With Love
15 NovOne 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!
Wordless (Kind Of) Wednesday
9 Nov
I love modeling the clothes my mom makes and sells on her and my aunt Angelica’s Etsy shop, The Smiling Frog Pets.
Happy tail wags!
Housekeeping
7 NovWell hello strangers! It seems like forever since I last wrote a post. Obviously, being the perfect puppy that I am, it is not my fault at all. As I have a lack of thumbs, and therefore a hard time manning the computer by myself, I employ the help of my human to handle all the mundane blog tasks such as typing. First we were set behind because she came down with the belly troubles, and then, because of those, she got behind on preparing for a few events she was going to attend to sell her dog and cat toys and clothes (check out her and my aunt Angelica’s pawesome pet products here). Thankfully she’s all healed up and back on schedule, which means my blog will be following suit. So thank you for sticking with me!
Happy tail wags!
Mutts Do “Nose” Best
7 OctThe giveaway is officially closed! Thank you to all who entered! I will post the winner tomorrow.
Baths. I hate them, I loathe them, and yet my human insists that I need them at the most inconvenient times (i.e. anytime). The only reason I put up with it is because I usually get more attention when I smell like something the humans consider “good” than when I smell like a dog (which apparently is considered “bad”). I’ve been washed with many a dog shampoo as there are so many kinds out there, but I think my humans (and I guess me) have finally found the dog shampoo brand to beat all dog shampoo brands: Mutt Nose Best.
Mutt Nose Best is a Maine based company whose goal, according to their website, is to “enhance the lives of our pet clients and their humans.” All of the formulas sold through Mutt Nose Best are sulfate-free (sulfate is a harsh chemical usually found in hygiene and cleaning products. Sulfates are incredibly dangerous if ingested), contain the highest quality ingredients, and are most importantly green (in the environmental sense). All the shampoos and conditioners are formulated as concentrates, meaning that the consumer adds the water to the product to cut back on excess packaging. The packaging itself is green as well! The company that packages Mutt Nose Best takes surplus and obsolete packaging and re-purposes it which keeps tons and tons of waster out of landfills.
A lot of the Mutt Nose Best formulas use wild Maine blueberries as one of their main ingredients. When used topically, blueberries can help nourish the skin, neutralize free radicals, and help heal and soothe inflamed skin. Plus they just smell terrific! And what’s great about the blueberries that Mutt Nose Best uses is that they are all sourced in Maine!
So far I have been bathed in two of the Mutt Nose Best formulas: U Berry Itchy Dog which contains wild Maine blueberries and colloidal oatmeal to help soothe a dog’s itchies, and U Berry Clean Dog featuring real blueberry seeds (which will sometimes be confused for fleas if your human doesn’t read the label first) to help exfoliate. My mom loves how soft both make my coat feel, how lightweight my curls become (“like curly clouds” as my mom would say), and how delicious I smell. Thankfully the scent isn’t too overwhelming unlike some other shampoos I’ve been washed in (dogs do have sensitive noses) and even their doggy eau de toilets (I have the U Berry Clean Dog spray) have a light, pleasing blueberry smell. It’s neither a heavy nor sickly sweet scent; it’s perfect!
Recently Mutt Nose Best launched a new formula, U Berry Calm Puppy. 
U Berry Calm Puppy features both lavender and organic Maine oats (as well as the blueberries) to nourish and calm. While it’s formulated to be gentle enough for a puppy’s sensitive skin, it’s perfect for adult dogs too!
And guess what! Mutt Nose Best has been most wonderful and has offered a U Berry Calm Puppy set to one lucky Of Cows’ Tails and Chew Toys reader! The winner will receive a 4 oz U Berry Calm Puppy shampoo, conditioner, and eau de toilet. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to be entered. For an extra entry, just “like” the Mutt Nose Best facebook page and leave an additional comment here saying you’ve done so. This contest will end on Sunday, October 9th at 8pm EST when one commenter will be randomly selected. Good luck!
Happy tail wags!
Update: I’m now adding a second way for an extra entry: subscribing to my blog! A few commenters have done that in lieu of “like” the Mutt Nose Best facebook, so it’s now an official way to get an extra entry!
The Biscuit Biscuits and a Surprise!
26 SepAs 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!
Evermore In My Belly
21 SepI 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
Furry Communication
19 SepOne of the very few downsides about being animal (besides the thumbs thing. I could do so many more food related activities if I had thumbs!) is that it’s often hard to communicate with our human counterparts. Sure we can growl, yip, meow, scratch, and nose bump, but none of that stuff really conveys a concrete message. Does Fluffy’s howl mean she’s hungry, or that she has to pee? Is Boots scratching at m arm because he wants to play or because he needs a litter box change? At times it can be very confusing for humans and frustrating for us pets.
There are, however, a few humans in the world who are gifted with the ability to “sense” what animals are trying to communicate. These humans are known as animal communicators. Animal communication is a means of communicating telepathically through impressions, thoughts, feelings, and images between two members of different species. This form of communication can often bring out the skeptic in humans, especially in a world fraught with hoaxes and falsities. Though of an open mind, my mom was slightly skeptic when we were approached to do an animal communication session with Cindy Wenger, the owner of Peaceable Kingdom Essentials, and herbal tincture company I’ve written about before.
To begin with, my mom sent Cindy a picture of me along with information including my breed, age, gender, and how long I’ve lived with my humans. On the day set, Cindy called my mom (most, if not all consultations can be done over the phone) for the session. As Cindy connects with the animal in question before calling, she was raring to go with all the impressions I was sending her way. For the rest of the post, I will describe the session with Cindy by listing the questions my mom asked and paraphrasing what Cindy said in response as written down by my mom.
Initial Impression
Prudence has very female energy. She is incredibly smart and likes to be involved. Prudence also suffers from a Napoleon Complex [or my humans refer to it, "little dog syndrome"]. Her security is found in routine and she tends to get thrown off by off the cuff events. Boxes, as in moving boxes, were also coming up in Prudence’s mind as well as a sunny, bright, sandy location. There was also mention about a man, someone new that she just met. She also keeps thinking about food. She’s craving greens: sweet peas, green beans, and cranberries.
Question #1: Why Does Prudence Not Like Her Tail Touched?
There is a feeling of violation around her back end and tail. She is sensitive in that area and is holding on to something. I ask if it could be because her tail was docked as a puppy. Cindy agrees this could be the case. Cindy suggests, when petting her, to continue to pet all the way to her tail while visualizing positive things. Dogs manifest our emotions. If we are scared of nervous, so are they.
Question #2: Is Prudence Afraid, When Left Home Alone, That I Won’t Come Back?
Prudence has some separation anxiety, most likely do to her past. Cindy asks if she was a rescue. I explain that I bought her from a breeder that was pretty much a puppy mill.
Question #3: Is Prudence Feeling More Self Confident Since We Started Training?
Slightly, but dogs are resilient creatures. Prudence feels more comfortable and confident with low energy people. She may do well, and gain more confidence being a therapy dog in a nursing home.
Question #4: How Is Prudence’s Skin?
Prudence’s skin is itchy, but it is more of a healing itchy. What ever was causing her to be itchy is healing.
Question #5: Would Prudence Ever Be Open To Sharing Her Home With Another Dog?
Not right now. She needs more confidence and needs to get passed a few things leftover from her past. Would feel like three is a crowd, that one dog (possibly her) would be left out. If I eventually feel like she is ready, I should adopt a male puppy. Prudence would acclimate to male energy better than a female. Females can be catty.
Obviously, with the information we talked about today, it is up to you, the reader, as to whether or not you believe in animal communication. Though she started out skeptical, from the things that she and Cindy talked about, my mom is now a firm believer. She learned a lot about me during the 15 minute session, some of which she knew deep down (especially the answer to question #5), but hearing someone else confirm her suspicions made it real.
If you would like more information about Cindy Wenger and animal communication, please check out her website.
If you’ve had a session with an animal communicator, I’d love to hear about your experience, good or bad, in the comments!
Happy tail wags!
