Really, I just love this dog

So, predictably, I missed my "blogoversary". That very very first post, on April 7 of 2011, seems so long ago! I also missed "celebrating" my 800th post here. How time flies, right?

I largely blame Camp National Novel Writing Month. I was behind all week and only just now caught up. I've taken a bit of a different approach this time, and I'm writing a thriller-y type novel loosely based around the plot of Hamlet.

But I digress.

Product Review: Halo Healthsome Biscuits

I've plugged FreeKibble for about as long as I've known about it. It requires almost zero effort, just a couple of clicks, and you help feed homeless pets Halo brand dog (and cat) food.

So, imagine my surprise and pleasure when I was offered the opportunity to review Halo Healthsome Biscuits (dog treats, don'tcha know), from Chewy.com.  I selected the "beef and liver" flavor (Elka has loved liver when she's gotten it) and we received the package very quickly.

Recall: Dogswell Chicken and Duck Jerky Treats

Dogswell has voluntarily recalled chicken breast and duck jerky treats for "antibiotic residue". Products affected are those with a "Best by" date of January 29 2015, and earlier.

(image from Amazon)

The treats are made in China. According to the Dogswell web site, they manufacture their treats in China because:

China is a country where dark meat is more popular due to its inherent fat and flavor. DOGSWELL believes it is less wasteful to obtain our white meat in China where it is abundant, rather than sourcing it domestically, where white meat is less available and held at a premium. Not only do we care about your pet's health by sourcing only the healthiest meat available, we also practice sustainability by reducing as much waste as possible.

Personally, I don't think dogs care if they're eating chicken breasts or not. People who feed raw will feed necks and feet. So really, it seems to me more that their answer is "Making treats in China is cheap." Good spin, though. And really, it could be more sustainable to source the protein in China. I don't know about comparative poultry markets, and that's a fact. According to the Dogswell link above, the chicken is cage free, which I dig. I do know that I no longer buy dog treats or food that are made in China, because there have been so many recalls, and so many problems I've read about.

Granted, it's hard to find safe things anywhere. Seriously, our bagged salad is apparently suspect. But, you do what you can.

The article on Dogster.com mentions that the antibiotic is one that is not approved for use in the United States, but is in Europe. For what that's worth.

Consumers can email info@dogswell.com with questions and concerns, or call 1-888-559-8833

Dog Treat Review: Orijen

I was recently contacted by a Chewy.com rep to sample and review Orijen dog treats. Well, given our previous experience with Chewy.com, our positive training methods (and Elka's limpid Disney eyes), we go through a lot of treats in this household, so I of course said yes. All of the treats were single protein, so really, it was just a matter (in my mind) of choosing something that would be something of a novelty for Elka, so we went with the Ranch Raised Lamb.

(image provided by Mr. Chewy)

Pets Love Toys: review

I was contacted by Brian, the CEO/Founder at PetsLoveToys.com to see if I was interested in sampling and reviewing their service. You may have heard of sample box services, in which you get a monthly box full of product samples in a certain niche. PetsLoveToys is a similar principle; every month, you view the showroom and pick which box you would like to get. There are typically three choices, with a combination of treats and toys.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Chicken Jerky

After all of the problems with Chicken Jerky that's made in China, I was ready to say that no chicken jerky in the world could possibly be safe. Then I got an email from a representative at Chewy.com, asking me if I'd like to do a review of Blue Buffalo dog treats. I rushed to say yes before my brain caught up and said "Wait, chicken jerky? Nooooo!"

Blue Buffalo's Wilderness Trail Treats Chicken Jerky has two very, very big things (in my eyes) going for it, however:

1. It's made in the USA
2. It is not treated with irradiation.

Rocking the Fanny Pack

Well, I finally did it. I bought a treat training pouch. That's what we in the dog world call it, anyway.

To the rest of the world, it's totally a fanny pack.

Online Store Review: Mr. Chewy

Just before Thanksgiving, I got an email from a representative of Mr. Chewy.

He flattered me, which is always a great thing, saying "your blog speaks directly to our target demographic and you've clearly created an influential presence". This has been my goal to a degree, besides having an outlet for talking about Elka, and dogs, when nobody else I knew in person wanted to much hear about dogs anymore. I try to cover important topics, and things that are important to me. Brant at Mr. Chewy extended a coupon offer to me, so that I would check them out and review them here.


First step was, of course, to find out whether Mr. Chewy was in fact a real web site that is a store that sells people things, and not a scam. It is, in fact! 

Book Review: Brain Games For Dogs, by Claire Arrowsmith

Since I'm working on Elka's Trick Dog Titles (just 4 new ones left until Intermediate Trick Dog is ours!), and since it sometimes takes a lot to occupy Elka in the house, I frequently check out every book that intimates that it's on tricks and training and other such things.

Brain Games For Dogs, by Claire Arrowsmith, is a slim volume, but it shows basic obedience and tricks that you can do to engage your dog's brain, and have a lot of fun in the process.

Tasty Tuesday: No-Bake Peanut butter Dog Treats

Here it is, my first Tasty Tuesday post!  I've been thinking and talking for awhile about how I'd like to try my hand at making treats for Elka.  It's easier to talk about things like that than actually get to it, as you well know, but finally, I've taken the plunge.

Originally, I was going to make a roll out and bake peanut butter biscuit recipe that a fellow blogger published last week; but, it's late Monday night (so, technically Tuesday morning) and after a long day at work, and then making the human dinner, I decided to wimp out and go with a no bake recipe, found here at eHow.com.

I halved the recipe, because, well, I love my dog, but there's only so long I want to stand hand mixing and shaping dog treats at 1 o'clock in the morning. Granted, I'm up at 1 o'clock in the morning anyway, regardless of whether I'm making dog tretas.  But I digress.

Elka was, shall we say, extremely interested by the goings-on in the kitchen.