Wordless Wednesday - everyone loves Hobie

                                

Have YOU ever tried to brush a cat's teeth?

Dental care for dogs and cats runs the gamut from conventional tooth brushing with a specially-designed brush and meat-flavored toothpaste, to chewy dental treats known to get lodged in a pet's digestive tract, to those funny little rubbery things you put on your finger that remind me of (ok, I'm showing my age!) the "rubber fingers" we used to use in the office to flip through piles of paper!  

Along comes Entirely Pets, and their suggestion that we try C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogs and C.E.T. Chews for Cats.  Yeah, really, for cats!  This post is sponsored by EntirelyPets.com, by the way.  Known as the leading provider of online pet supplies and non-prescription pet medications, they’ve been around since 1999, and I can see why -- safe and secure web site, low prices, and free shipping for orders topping $85.

Back to the C.E.T. chews.  The beefhide dog chews are flat or slightly rolled, about the size of a playing card each, maybe slightly bigger.  The bag says (in English and en Français!) that they're for veterinary use only, so that was a little puzzling to me, at first glance. 

The cat chews look like Combos -- the human hollow pretzel snack stuffed with cheese!

I gave each of the dogs one oral hygiene chew. Hobie, as always, was first (Charlie Brown likes to get a little aggressive with Hobie, so Charlie is last on the totem pole).  Hobie took the treat into his mouth without sniffing it, realized he'd never tasted THIS before. It seemed as if he was not going to eat it, but then he started chomping away.  Cooper and Charlie both acted pretty much the same way, but a little more hesitant.

The cats had absolutely no interest in the cat chews.  First, I tried to give it to Newman.  He sniffed at it and walked away.  Next was Cali. She took a sniff at it, and then a swat with her paw, got up, and left.  I didn't even try giving one to Tux.

The next day, I tried again at supper time.  The three dogs each grabbed their chew and ran outside where they proceeded to devour them in the back yard in record time. They are DOGS, after all!

I had read on blogpaws.com that the chews are water-soluble, so for the cat chews I ran tap water over one and mashed it up between my finger and thumb (by the way, the manufacturer suggests that humans wash their hands after handling the product, and I did).  I put it in the cat dish for Newman.  He licked at it, but then started to walk away.  I mashed it some, then put it back in the dish.  Newman went back and gobbled the whole thing down in a few short seconds.  He made handy work of that!  


This post was written on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network and EntirelyPets.com, I received a product for review as well as compensation for my time. Like all reviews on this Blog all thoughts and comments about the product are my own.

GOOD + Purina ONE's Photo Challenge; and Cooper the Tripawd Hero

I'm posting this on behalf of the Picturing Pets Challenge http://picturingpets.maker.good.is/ 

There are just 4 days left for pet owners to share a photo of how their furry friend has changed their life and enter for a chance to benefit two pet shelters in GOOD (good.is) and Purina ONE's Picturing Pets Photo Challenge. 

http://picturingpets.maker.good.is/

GOOD and Purina ONE have partnered to showcase our furry friends in order to change perceptions on shelter pets. The Picturing Pets Challenge (http://picturingpets.maker.good.is/) calls on entrants to share a photo and story of their cat or dog that describes how they change our lives and the world we live in. The winning entrant will be featured on good.is, receive a year's supply of Purina ONE dog food, and a $1500 donation in the winner's name to one of four pet shelters, among other rewards. 

The Picturing Pets photo challenge is open for submissions now until August 14th noon PST. 

#PicturingPets

http://picturingpets.maker.good.is/ 

Similarly, I wrote about Cooper on our blog on Tripawds.com, in much the same way that GOOD and Purina ONE are asking entrants in the contest to write a story about their pet(s).  

Cooper is one of Tripawds.com's featured "Tripawd Heroes" for the month of August, and boy are we thrilled!  Here's his picture at the head of Tripawd's Facebok page  

Cooper, top left, with the orange ball - A Tripawd Hero for August

Not only that, but the other day (August 7th) was his one year "ampuversary" (um, that means it's been a year since his operation where they amputated his leg!); AND I purchased one of Tripawds' nifty, personalized "Tripawd Heroes" books to commemorate the occasion.  The personalized Tripawd Heroes book features [your pet -- in our case, Cooper] on a page in the book, with photos and a blurb about what makes him so special.  I needed help from the Tripawds people to shorten my story, as there is just way too much that makes THIS hound special!!

Enter the contest with GOOD and Purina ONE, you just might win a year's supply of Purina ONE dog food, a $1500 donation to a shelter, or something else.

Here is the official press release about this partnership/contest:

Purina ONE^® and GOOD Team Up To Benefit Pet Shelters With New Photo Challenge

“Purina Picturing Pets Challenge” Encourages Pet Owners Nationwide To Share Their Inspiring Pet Story For A Chance To Win Purina ONE^®Brand Pet Food And A Donation To A Shelter

LOS ANGELES -- The key to helping shelter pets find homes isn't about pity--it's about changing perceptions. Purina ONE^® and GOOD have teamed up to launch the Purina Picturing Pets Challenge to highlight how pets inspire and change lives, making the world a better place one home at a time. 

Beginning now until August 14, proud owners can go to picturingpets.maker.good.is and share an inspiring story that celebrates the simple, everyday things that pets do to make our world a better place. The winning entrant will receive the following: be featured on good.is; win a year’s supply of Purina ONE brand pet food; have a donation made on their behalf that will enable professional photographer Nanette Martin to conduct a pet photo shoot and photography training session at a shelter, helping to facilitate adoptions by revealing shelter pets’ true beauty and personality. In addition, the winner will choose one of four pet shelters to receive a $1,500 donation on his/her behalf. 

“Every pet picture tells an important story, and every pet deserves the chance to tell their story and change someone’s life. With the rising number of homeless pets worldwide, we are proud to partner with GOOD to celebrate the difference that shelter pets have made in people’s lives and showcase their beauty,” said Christina Schneider, Assistant Brand Manager, Purina ONE.

The Purina Picturing Pets Maker Challenge aims to shift current and often misleading perceptions surrounding shelters that ultimately leave many pets homeless. This Challenge leverages the power of stories to make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners.

“As the proud owner of two dogs, I have enjoyed our partnership with Purina ONE,” said Jay Ku, Head of Partnerships, GOOD. “And now we’re going to direct a ton of attention on these shelter pets and hopefully drive adoptions. The more people who are connected to their community with pets, the better off we all are, and this partnership with Purina ONE is a great way to make this kind of progress.” 

To enter the Challenge, participants submit an inspiring story that celebrates the simple things pets do to make the world a better place. Submissions, accepted at picturingpets.maker.good.is between July 31 and August 14, will be followed by a public voting period, September 3 to September 17. The winner will then be announced around October 1.

In 2012, Purina ONE® and GOOD began their partnership to create the GOOD Pets Hub on good.is to change perceptions around shelter pets. The editorial hub has since expanded to include personal stories, shelter appraisals, revolutionary ideas, infographics and community challenges called GOOD Maker challenges. 

About Nestlé Purina PetCare Company

Purina ONE® brand dog and cat food is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, one of the leading global players in the pet care industry.  Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The company has provided more than $30 million dollars in support to organizations nationally. By supporting their partners in animal welfare, Purina^® assists in providing care and adoption for more than 2.2 million pets annually. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A. -- the world's largest food company. For more, visit www.purina.com.

About GOOD

GOOD is a global community of people who give a damn, and good.is is a social platform where community members can connect with the best ideas and tools for progress, like GOOD Maker, an online grantmaking platform. GOOD Local brings the collaboration and efforts of the community to life in person at a local level, and GOOD Magazine is a quarterly publication that reflects the activity and impact the community creates. GOOD/Corps partners with member companies and organizations to align their social impact efforts with organizational success. To learn more, visit www.good.is.

Wordless Wednesday - hoppy ampuversary, Cooper

Today marks one year since Cooper's amputation, and NOTHING slows this dog down.
Not to mention that he is the greatest "comfort dog" on the planet.

Hoppy ampuversary, Coop!!

Wordless Wednesday - 3 bored dogs in a beach cottage

Shenanigans!

Trying to figure out how to use the self-timer on the camera - they did not like the beeping

Hobie testing out the "new" (vintage) couch

Um... dog tested, dog approved?

Yuh, we KNOW we are CUTE.  What else?

Good!  Back to wrestling! Ding!

Anyone into digital scrapbooking?

I watch HGTV's show "House Hunters" almost every night.  One night, a woman hunting for a house had a necessity for a room to do her "digital scrapbooking".  I was intrigued because I had attended a scrapbooking party in the past, and love the idea, but hate cutting up photos (even badly-taken snapshots).  I have a very visual mind and cutting up photographs, to me, is akin to violence! LOL!
Anyway, I was intrigued as to what she meant by digital scrapbooking, so I decided to go online and hunt around (ha ha see that little pun there, "hunt"?).

I tried a few different digital scrapbooking products, but the one I liked best was MyMemories Suite Scrapbooking Software.  There seem to be a lot of designs to choose from, many focused to a specific hobby or interest, and it was very user-friendly.

About a day after I was on their site, I got a letter from them asking if I'd like to advertise their product on my blog.  I figured what the heck, why not?

You'll see the banner to their site towards the bottom of my blog pages, along with a discount coupon code for my readers and followers.  If you're interested, give it a whirl.  If not, no big deal.

Happy scrapbooking (sans the scissors, glue and heavy books -- and oh, those creepy cutting utensils!)

STMMMS32892

The dog days of summer aren't over yet

Here's a helpful infographic from our pals over at The Uncommon Dog 

Keep your canine cool and comfy during the dog days of summer!

And in case you missed it, here's something I wrote for the folks over at doggyloot.com!

Hot Car Etiquette for the Dog Days of Summer

Wordless Wednesday - Bookends, plus one

Bookends

Bookends, plus one

Hey, who said it had to always be all about the dogs, anyway?

Wordless Wednesday

On vacation without the dogs.  I miss 'em!

Met Cesar (for the 2nd time) and Junior (for the first time) 

with my friend Lori, before going on vacation!  WOOF!

Cesar puts on a great show, it's like a comedy stand-up routine 

and an educational seminar all in one. Not to be missed!

Wordless Wednesday - the sketch on the bar

I've sat in the same seat at this particular bar 100 times (probably more) and never noticed this wonderful sketch underneath our plates!  ["No I didn't have a drink!" Clarence from my favorite movie.]

It's sort of like the famous dogs-playing-poker painting!

Panting.

Happy 4th of July!

Thanks for the shout out, Pooch Smooches and Just4MyPet!

Jackie Bouchard, of Pooch Smooches fame (she wrote "What The Dog Ate" and blogs about her wonderful pooch, Rita on a daily basis), gave me a shout out in yesterday's blog post.  I had suggested she check out Jimmy Fallon's rendition of "Whip My Hair Back and Forth", in response to her blog posting "I Whip My Ears Back and Forth"  (and honestly, if you have not seen Fallon's performance, with special guest Bruce Springsteen as "himself in the 1970s" you will LOVE it!)

Here's Jackie's blog including the shout out to k2k9: http://poochsmooches.blogspot.com/2013/06/follow-up-friday-replies-awards.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoochSmooches+%28Pooch+Smooches%29

And Just4MyPet sent out this morning's email blast featuring Hobie as their pet of the day!
Here's what Just4MyPet had to say about Hobie (ok, they got it slightly wrong, but that's ok).  And the picture of Hobie they used is below.

"Featured Pet of the Day Hobie is 13 1/2 years old, and has accompanied his mom, Kathy of North 

Eastham, MA, to work for his whole life. Because of their short commute Hobie is able to walk to work."

Blogger's note: Hobie was able to walk to work with me years ago, but we didn't do it very often.  He certainly can't do it anymore, with his arthritis and other medical issues :(   It's 3.9 miles and huge San Francisco-type hills.  But we can dream, and remember the good old days when we walked 8-plus miles a day.  I need to get back to that, with Charlie Brown!

Thanks again for the shout outs!

Wordless Wednesday





Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

On vacation in Tobago and we don't have any dogs here at the house anymore, so the animal amusement comes from these little chicks that are only a couple of days old, and their hen who is fearful of all humans.  It is hilarious watching them run around the yard all day long... you can hear them coming cheep! cheep! cheep! "The cheepers are out here!" and I run with my camera, and they run away.  This is the best shot I've gotten so far.  Natural entertainment value.  Not exactly "wordless" Wednesday, sorry.

Wordless Wednesday - on Wednesday for a change

                             

Wordless Wednesday - cat fight - who, us?

I don't know why I keep posting Wordless Wednesday on Thursdays!

Wordless Wednesday - Bandana Boys

Wordless Wednesday, er.... Thursday