Category Archives: Reviews

Sadie Loves Rachael Ray Nutrish Treats!

dogs, designer dogs, Yorkipoo, yorkie poo, dog treats, Chewy.com, Rachael Ray

On the heels of Valentine’s Day and Love Your Pet Day, Sadie has decided to share something she absolutely loves – Rachael Ray’s dog treats. For years she has been in love with the Soup Bones – especially the beef flavor. But this week our friends at Chewy.com sent Sadie two new varieties of Rachael Ray Nutrish treats to try out – Deli Cuts Pepperoni and Meatloaf Morsels.

Like all of Rachael Ray’s products, I love that I can trust the quality and safety of these treats for my dog. Both the Meatloaf Morsels and the Deli Cuts Pepperoni treats are made from U.S. farm raised beef and contain no wheat or corn. There are no artificial flavors or meat by-products. Plus a portion of the sales of these treats goes to Rachael’s Rescue, an organization to help animals in need.

It’s obvious why Sadie loves Rachael Ray treats – because they taste great. Of course I don’t know that from personal experience, but I trust Sadie’s very picky palate when she consistently chooses Rachael Ray treats over many other brands. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if other pet parents may taste the Deli Cuts Pepperoni treats, because to me they are completely indistinguishable from pre-packaged pepperoni made for humans. Both look and smell exactly the same. And I know that I can trust the ingredients in the Rachael Ray dog treats. Not sure I can say the same for the human pepperoni.

With these two new varieties of Nutrish treats, Sadie immediately gravitated to the Meatloaf Morsels. She enjoys both, but I think she just has a general preference for meatloaf over pepperoni. Also the Deli Cuts Pepperoni has the strong, smoky odor that you would find in regular pepperoni, and I think Sadie prefers more subtle flavors. I totally understand the preference since I don’t like smoky flavors either. But the strong scent of the Deli Cuts Pepperoni treats does make them perfect for hide and seek and nose work games. They are small enough that you can easily hide them around the house and send your dog off for some sniffing fun trying to find the treats. They are also really easy to break apart to put in treat puzzles so that your dog will have a good target scent to find.

To end this review I’d like to tell you about what happened ten minutes ago. I was working on this blog post, typing on my tablet on the couch, like I always do. I had the bags of treats on the end table, within reach so I could read the ingredients and other information. Normally blogging is too boring for Sadie, even when I’m talking about dog treats, so she usually sits on the window seat and patrols the neighborhood. But ten minutes ago Sadie suddenly jumped down from the window and used her doggy stairs to get onto the couch with me. She marched right over to me and started climbing into my lap. As I tried to maneuver to make sure the computer didn’t get stepped on, Sadie continued climbing over me until she could reach the end table. At that point she grabbed the bag of Meatloaf Morsels and tried to jump off of the couch with them. So it seems that Sadie loves Rachael Ray Nutrish treats so much that she forgets her manners and performs dangerous stunts just to get her paws on a bag.

This post is part of the Chewy Influencer blog hop hosted by Sugar the Golden Retriever and Oz the Terrier.

This post is also part of the Pet Parade blog hop hosted by Rascal and Rocco, Bionic Basil, Love Is Being Owned By a Husky, and M.K. Clinton.

Sadie and I received free samples to try from Chewy.com. All opinions are honest and we received no monetary compensation to write this review.

EarthBites – Holistic Treats with Added Benefits

dogs, designer dogs, Yorkipoo, yorkie poo, dog teeats, holistic, EarthBites

Every dog deserves a treat once in a while. It’s a great feeling to see your dog smile when you give them a tasty treat. But it’s an even better feeling when that treat has added benefits to your dog’s overall well being. Recently our friends at Chewy.com let us try just such a treat – EarthBites treats from Earthborn Holistic.

EarthBites are a line of all natural, holistic treats. They come in a variety of flavors ranging from cheese to peanut to fish to chicken. All of the Earthborn Holistic EarthBites treats are moist treats, meaning they are soft enough to hide medicine in and they will not irritate a dog with sensitive gums/teeth. Also they are relatively small and break cleanly and easily, making them a great choice for training both small and large dogs. Plus they are grain and gluten free, contain added vitamins and minerals, and are made in the USA. Adding to all that goodness are two extra special varieties with added benefits that I’d like to mention – the Skin & Coat and the Hip & Joint, which Sadie personally taste tested.

As the name suggests, the EarthBites Hip & Joint, in addition to being a tasty holistic treat, also provides your dog with an added boost of glucosamine and chondroitin. My little Sadie has some hip and knee issues that she was born with, and it’s very important for her to have daily sources of glucosamine and chondroitin to keep her joints moving freely and painlessly. I’ve noticed that Sadie responds especially well to chondroitin, which isn’t always present in many joint care treats and supplements, as most people believe that the glucosamine is more important. But for Sadie’s sake these EarthBites treats have the perfect combination of both supplements. I feel great rewarding her with one of these treats, knowing I’m making my pup happy with a tasty snack while also providing a treat that’s healthy and beneficial to her overall well being.

EarthBites treats from Earthborn Holistic can be found at Chewy.com in six different varieties for $5.99.

This post is part of the #ChewyInfluencer blog hop hosted by Oz the Terrier and Sugar the Golden Retriever.

I received a free product for my dog to try in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own based on personal experience with the product.

Start Your Day with a Smile with Hill’s Breakfast Medleys

It’s important to start your day the right way. You need to fuel your mind and body to handle whatever comes your way throughout the day. For you that may be a long shower, and quick workout, a refreshing smoothie, or an hour of relaxing in front of the TV. But pet owners must also make sure to help their animals start off their days on the right track. Whether your dog enjoys a long walk or a quick play session every morning, all dogs must start the day with a good breakfast. And there’s no better way to end breakfast than with a yummy little treat like Hill’s Ideal Balance Breakfast Medleys. This little treat is sure to put a smile on any dog’s face, and what better way to start your day than seeing your animals happy?

The first time I saw these treats they immediately put a smile on my face. Whoever decided to make breakfast dog treats look like little waffles is a culinary genius in my book. How could any pet parent resist getting little doggie waffles for their precious pooches? As you can see in my photos, I’ve decided that with these treats and some human waffles, Sadie and I will be starting a new breakfast in bed tradition on Sundays.

If you’re not a breakfast in bed with your dog type person, there are still a ton of great reasons to give your dog Hill’s Breakfast Medleys treats at breakfast time, or any other time. Those tiny waffles make a great reward for a successful, well-behaved morning walk. Another great way to start the day is with a short dog training session, either teaching a new trick or practicing an established skill. With a morning training session you can get some good bonding time with your dog before the necessities of the day take away your time and attention. And your dog can start the day off with the mind and body exercise and self esteem boost that a good training session provides. A Hill’s Ideal Balance Breakfast Medleys treat at the end of training is the perfect way to let your dog know that he or she did a good job.

Hill’s Breakfast Medleys may look like tiny waffles, but in fact these grain free treats are made with chicken and eggs. Chicken is the number one ingredient, providing your dog with a good boost of protein in the morning. And there are no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. Hill’s products are all natural, all made in the USA.

You can get Hill’s Ideal Balance Breakfast Medleys from Chewy.com for $5.99. And while you’re at Chewy.com, check out all the other great products available from Hill’s Ideal Balance, including more treats and dry and wet food for dogs and cats.

This post is part of the #ChewyInfluencer blog hop hosted by Oz the Terrier and Sugar the Golden Retriever.

I received a free product for my dog to try in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own based on personal experience with the product.

Savor the Flavor of Delectable Delights By #NaturalBalance

As most of you know, my dog is a very picky eater. The problem has gotten worse in the last year or so because the veterinarian wants Sadie on a prescription dry food to help support her joints. Sadie seems to realize that this kibble is very healthy for her, because she tries to avoid it at all costs. It’s like Sadie can smell the glucosamine and refuses to eat anything with that smell. So I’ve been working hard to try to mask the smell and find creative ways to get Sadie to eat her prescription food. Otherwise, Sadie has made it very clear that she would rather starve than eat plain prescription kibble. It was starting to seem like no matter what I tried, I would end up hand feeding her at least the first few bites to make sure she ate something. But recently feeding time has become much easier thanks to Delectable Delights Wet Cups from Natural Balance.

Delectable Delights are a series of savory wet food options from Natural Balance, made to provide a complete, healthy meal for adult dogs of all breeds and sizes. There are four flavors: Duck’en-itas (duck and chicken), Woof’erole (tuna and turkey), Fish ‘N Chicks (salmon and chicken), and Surf ‘N Turf (tuna and chicken). All four flavors are grain free, so they are a great choice for dogs with allergy issues. And each flavor not only contains healthy protein, but also vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin, and green beans which help keep your dog healthy and happy. Each wet cup has a broth base, keeping the food moist and delicious for your dog. And as you can see from my photos, the meat and vegetables actually look appetizing, almost like a homemade stew instead of the unidentifiable mush of some other types of wet food for dogs.

Even though Delectable Delights contain a full meal in each wet cup (based on the size/weight/activity level of your dog, you may need more than one wet cup for a complete meal), Sadie and I only use a portion of a wet cup as a topping for her prescription kibble. This enables Sadie to stick to her veterinarian recommended joint support diet, but gives us a way to make her meals much more palatable. Personally Sadie seems to prefer the Duck’ en-itas flavor. I usually warm a few spoonfuls in the microwave before mixing it in with her prescription dry food, thus making a flavorful, moist meal for my pup.

Find out more about Natural Balance and all their healthy pet food options by visiting them on Facebook and Instagram. As a good pet parent you’ll feel great when you learn about the Buy With Confidence program that ensures all Natural Balance products are satisfaction guaranteed.

Visit Natural Balance on Facebook for all the latest updates on their products and to get a coupon good for dog or cat food!

Want your dog to savor the flavor of Delectable Delights for free? Then enter the contest below to win one wet cup of each flavor for your dog to enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is part of the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

Tugging All Day with the Tether Tug

Ever since hearing about the Tether Tug, I’ve always wanted to try it out with Sadie. But my pup is so picky that I wasn’t sure it would be useful in my household. When the opportunity came to test the Tether Tug for a product review, Sadie and I jumped at the chance. And it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, as I’ll explain later.

dogs, designer dogs, Yorkipoo, yorkie poo, tether tug, dog toy

In case you’re not familiar, the Tether Tug is an interactive toy for dogs. It’s a really simple concept – a rope toy attached to a pole. But the pole has a flexible portion that allows your dog to move that rope around and tug on it. The rope is attached via a carabiner so that it can be taken on and off and replaced if necessary. There are both indoor and outdoor Tether Tugs, as well as different models depending on the size of your dog. The outdoor models involve securing the pole in the ground and then allowing your dog to have endless amounts of fun tugging at the rope. It kind of reminds me of a doggie version of Tether Ball.

The indoor version, which Sadie and I tested out, involves securing the pole into a holder, which is held in place by the foot of any heavy piece of furniture. The rope of the indoor Tether Tug is made of a soft fleece material that seems very sturdy, but won’t irritate a dog’s mouth or damage any furniture it comes into contact with. As you can see in my photos, I have Sadie’s Tether Tug held in place by the foot of our couch. As I suspected, Sadie wasn’t too excited with this toy at first. She’s not much of a tugger and doesn’t usually grab onto anything, even if I try tempting her. But I quickly realized that if could involve one of her squeaky balls with the Tether Tug, then Sadie would be much more interested. So I took a squeaky ball and secured it in between the braids of the fleece rope. As soon as I let go, Sadie began jumping and tugging and having a good time trying to free her squeaky ball from the Tether Tug.

As I mentioned earlier, Sadie’s Tether Tug arrived at the perfect moment – just as I suddenly came down with the flu. All I wanted to do was sleep all day and I barely had enough energy to switch from the bed to the couch. Sadie was more than happy to sleep alongside me most of the day, but eventually she grew bored and wanted something to play with. That’s when the Tether Tug came in to save the day. I set it up, hid her squeaky ball in the rope, and watched from the couch as Sadie pulled and tugged and jumped and barked and wore herself out with her new toy.

From this experience I have realized that the Tether Tug would be an invaluable tool for any dog owner with mobility issues or disabilities. Your dog will have a fun way of releasing all his or her pent up energy without needing human involvement.

Visit TetherTug.com to learn more and get one for your own dog. Prices range from $49.99 to $64.99 for the complete toy, and you can also buy separate/replacement ropes and tethers for your dog to enjoy.

This post is part of the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie, Love Is Being Owned By a Husky, and M.K. Clinton.

I received a sample product to test out in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product.