THE EUKANUBA 28-DAY CHALLENGE (WEEK ONE)

We continually research new trends in the dog food industry to ensure Morris Animal Inn has the best food for our pet clientele. Our interest piqued when DogTime asked if we would take the Eukanuba 28-Day Challenge and blog about it. Three of our managers, Patty Segal, Patti Kreitler and Joanne Morris agreed to feed Eukanuba dog food to their pets and provide their feedback. Patty Segal writes about her observations first as she presents her two dogs Clover (a 4-year-old Doberman Pinscher) and Jersey (a 5-year-old Hound mix) the Eukanuba Pure food. Visit us frequently for updates… The hope is that after just 28 days, there will be a remarkable difference in their health and well being or “your money back 110% guarantee.” Here goes…

So the long awaited Eukanuba Pure has arrived. In the back of my mind I expect all things Eukanuba to be shockingly pink so a black, slick, sexy bag made me do a double take. Just a touch of the familiar Euk pink with the paw print and a mustard yellow stripe. Hmmmm… interesting color palette. Guess at some point all the more popular, charming colors get used up and a new product like Pure gets the underrated “black & mustard” theme. Then another underrated feature catches my eye, the Brittany…or is that a Welsh Springer or a field-bred English? Whoa, this is no food for the designer-breed clique, this is a serious food. No AKC Top 10 Most Popular dog in America here! Labradoodles and Peek-a-poos step aside, here comes the working dog who needs a “real food”…a “pure food”.  Hmmm. Ok, I’m intrigued.

Ok bag, what else have ya’ got for me? “Optimal fatty acid ratio”, “FOS” (an ingredient that helps grow beneficial bacteria in the large intestine), yeah, yeah I expect that from Euk. Not that I’m down playing those items I just truly expect that from Eukanuba. Novice dog food window-shoppers might be impressed but I learned about the benefits of FOS years ago. Give me more, Eukanuba. Ok now, “Clinically Proven to reduce tartar build-up in 28 days”. Guess I should have saved the thousand dollars I just spent getting my dogs teeth cleaned at the vet. Oh well, next bullet point “No fillers, corn, or artificial preservatives” ah, the essence of what makes Pure pure. So I guess I have to believe that fillers, corn and artificial preservatives are bad for my dogs. Let’s start with the easy one, artificial preservatives. In my book artificial equals bad so this is any easy sell for me. I would rather eat real sugar than an artificial sweetener any day, calories be damned. Do I want my dogs being fed artificial anything? No, so I’m happy. 

Jersey Segal



Fillers. Well obviously fillers are fillers and not real food, right? Fillers, like the bad stuff in cheap hotdogs. I mean that’s what I’ve learned from Hebrew National commercials since I was little, no fillers because “we answer to a higher authority”. Maybe Euk is answering to the same authority. So my assumption of “no fillers” means that there is more real food right? Guess I’ll have to investigate that a little further when I read the ingredients but certainly on the surface I agree that no fillers is better than being full of fillers.

Ok so what’s left, “no corn”. Well I know enough about the dog food industry to know this is a point of contention with troops rallied on each side. I also have read Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan so I know that corn, its by-products and the whole corn industry is a lightning rod in the human food category too. Well, let me look at the label of my dog’s current food and let’s see if my dogs are currently being subjected to the dreaded grain. Luckily for the anti-corn contingent, they have influenced my past purchasing decision enough that no, my previous dog food did not contain corn either. So as far as corn is concerned it’s an equal playing field. My dogs will not be in corn withdrawal since it appears they have not tasted the succulent kernel in quite some time.

Stay tuned for more on the challenge!

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Wednesday Pet Roundup

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Pet Roundup! Kelly and I can hardly believe that December is just a day away, with all the holiday fun ahead. Here's Kelly supervising the carving of the Thanksgiving turkey.

* It's cold and flu season and you may be wondering, "Can my dog catch a cold?" From Care2, via PetMD, dogs do suffer from respiratory infections, just different types of viruses than people have. Your dog can't catch your cold, and you won't catch your dog's cold. So now, both of you stay healthy, okay?

* Are we really giving our indoor-only cats what they need? USA Today interviews Pam Johnson-Bennett, author of Think Like a Cat, who offers suggestions for common indoor-cat problems such as using litter boxes, scratching furniture, and jumping. If you want to solve these problems, she says, think like a cat.


* Did you watch the National Dog Show last week? A beautiful Fox Terrier, Irie, won Best in Show. There were also six new breeds in the show, including the Mexican hairless Xoloitzcuintli. The Daily News reports that the dog show host John O'Hurley said, "I started in October to pronounce the dog's name. For three nights in a row I had to go to YouTube to practice it." The correct pronunciation is: show-low-eats-queen-tlee, or show-low for short.

* And now, contest winner time! The winner of ebook Zellwood: A Dog Story by Rebecca Stroud, chosen by Randomizer, is Scrappy! Congratulations Scrappy! Contact me with your email address and we'll get you your prize! 

* If you're in the listening area, tune in tonight (Wednesday) to My Doggie Says, KFNX -1100 Phoenix, 8pm MST. Live streaming at www.1100kfnx.com. Thanks to Fred Haney for hosting me to talk about Dieting with my Dog! 

* Did you ever hear strange noises, but when you investigate nothing's happening? What are your cats doing when you're not looking?

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Zellwood: A Dog Story about love and loss

Our yellow lab, Hudson, slept behind the couch. Every morning our spaniel Kelly used to race downstairs and wake up Hudson. After Hudson died, Kelly raced down the stairs and then just stood there, looking behind the couch, a forlorn expression on her face. She doesn't look for Hudson any more, but I know how she missed him and longed for him for many months.

Recently I was contacted by author Rebecca Stroud, who asked me if I'd be interested in taking a look at her ebook Zellwood: A Dog Story, a short tale of love and loss, grieving and pets, with a holiday twist. I read the book, and found the story poignant and beautifully-written. Although quite short in length, Zellwood is deep in emotion. You will find yourself wanting to jump in and help sweet canine Annie out of her grief. Maybe you will find instead that she helps you.

I spoke with Rebecca about her book. (And keep reading to the end, you can win a free copy of her ebook!)

1. Is Zellwood based on a personal experience?

RS: Actually, yes. I wrote Zellwood: A Dog Story in 1998, two years after we'd euthanized our Beau (the day before Christmas Eve). And, oh, how our Emma grieved. Although we had recently adopted a shelter-rescue puppy, Emma had been raised with Beau so she missed him terribly. I'd say it took about a year for her to regain her joie de vivre (btw: that's Emma picture on the Zellwood cover). Sadly, she has since died, too…and our "puppy" is now approaching 16. Yikes.

2. The last scene of your story is a Christmas scene. How do you think pets contribute to our holidays?

RS: I think pets contribute immensely to our entire lives. But regarding the holidays, I believe they are especially important to those who would otherwise spend Christmas alone. There are so many elderly and/or single people with little or no family. So pets are a huge comfort by helping these folks get through the holidays without feeling totally disconnected.

 3: What tips do you have to help people grieving the loss of a pet?

RS: This is a tough one. Meaning, everyone handles grief in their own way, in their own time. There is no right or wrong about it. For instance: Some people bury their deceased pets in the yard; some have them cremated and keep them on the mantle; some leave them at the vets and go home alone. Then you have those who say they'll never own another dog while others march themselves right down to the shelter and adopt almost immediately. It's such an individual situation.

But one thing I will say, unequivocally: Please don't beat yourselves up over the loss of your pet. It's human nature that we invariably find something to feel guilty about…coulda, shoulda, woulda. That does no one any good. Simply put, don't dwell on the negative but do remember the love you gave and the love you received in return. I know that's easier said than done in some cases yet I believe it's a must.

 4: What is your work experience with dogs? How has it helped prepare you to write this story?

RS: Although I worked for a vet and volunteered at a wildlife sanctuary, I think my time working for the SPCA was the most invaluable & challenging. Dealing on a daily basis with the abandoned is heartbreaking. Yet, for their sake, I had to emotionally "remove" myself so that I could give them the positive attention they deserved. Dogs, especially, are so intuitive that you could hardly cry your way through the day. Talk about depressing the poor things more than they already were! So I developed as much of an objective stance as possible. No easy task. However, after my "hands on experience" was over and I started writing…well, let's just say there was no stopping my emotions then. And my work reflects that.

5. Where else can we read your writing?

RS: I have 5 books available on Amazon (two short story works; a suspense novella; a suspense novel; and a nonfiction collection of my newspaper columns). I also have a blog (The Animal Advocate, named after my column) but it has been woefully neglected since I've been writing e-books.

6. Where can we get a copy of Zellwood?

RS: You can get a copy of Zellwood: A Dog Story and all my other books by clicking on the links below:

  Amazon.com: Zellwood: A Dog Story eBook: Rebecca Stroud: Kindle Store

  Amazon.com: A Three-Dog Night eBook: Rebecca Stroud: Kindle Store
  Amazon.com: Devil's Moon eBook: Rebecca Stroud: Kindle Store
  Amazon.com: Do Unto Others eBook: Rebecca Stroud: Kindle Store
  Amazon.com: The Animal Advocate eBook: Rebecca Stroud: Kindle Store

In closing, I want to thank Peggy from the bottom of my dog-loving heart for the opportunity to reach out to others who feel as I do about what I consider to be the most fabulous creature on this earth.

Thank you Rebecca!


Now, do you want to win a copy of Zellwood: A Dog Story for Kindle? (If you don't have Kindle, still enter! You can read the story right on your computer.)  Just leave a comment below with the name of a dog you miss, or a short tribute to a dog you'd like to remember this holiday season. One winner will be chosen at random. Contest ends Tuesday at midnight, and winner will be announced on Pet Roundup on Wednesday. Be sure to leave a way to contact you if you're the winner!

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Happy Thanksgiving

 Kelly has a suggestion for you for after Thanksgiving Dinner.

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Wednesday Pet Roundup

Waiting for a treat!

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Pet Roundup! Just a short one today, as everyone is getting ready for Thanksgiving. Even Kelly is looking for some special cookies as a treat!


*A new AP-Petside poll says that most people get their pets:
1. As a gift
2. Taking in a stray
3. Breeder
4. Shelter
5. Pet Store
Both "breeder" and "shelter" were equal, with about 30% of the people acquiring their pets those ways. About 15% of people still buy their pets from a pet store, despite awareness of puppy mills.




* Check out this dog I saw waiting for its human at the grocery store. He was hanging all the way out the fully open window. I can't believe he didn't jump out, but he stayed right there, not budging a muscle. I don't feel great about cars being left alone in cars, but this sentry was doggone cute!

**And now, the winner of the Pawprint Rubber stamp, chosen the old fashioned way by drawing a slip of paper with a name on it out of a hat! And the winner is, Pamela of Something Wagging this Way Comes. Congratulations! Email me your mailing address and the name you would like on your stamper, and I will send it on in to The Rubber Stamp Man. Thank you to everyone who entered.

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Why Do These Dogs Wear Marigold Necklaces?

What beautiful dogs! These wonderfully-adorned dogs are actually members of Nepal's police force.

Picture: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

During the Tihar festival, rings of marigolds are placed around the dogs' necks, and their faces are decorated with vermillion (a red pigment).

 

Photo via Associated Press

The festival is a day of worship to repay love to man's best friend.

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10 REASONS WE ARE THANKFUL FOR OUR PETS

Photo Courtesy of mikebaird

Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful time to reflect on what you are most thankful for in your life. For pet owners, there is no doubt that your furry friend easily comes to mind. At Morris Animal Inn we made a list of ten things we are most thankful for when it comes to our wonderful cats and dogs.

1. After a tough day at work, there is nothing better than coming home to a wagging tail and slobbery kisses. No matter what you look like, or what mistakes you've made that day, your dog is always happy to see you, even if you were only gone for 5 minutes.

2. Good morning kisses make it much easier to get up. The added bonus is that your pet doesn’t care if you have morning breath because their breath is probably worse than yours!

3.  Snuggle time! There is no better snuggler than a soft warm cat or dog.

   4. Early morning walks with your furry pal when the sun is rising, the day is new, and it’s just you two!

   5. Evening walks as the sun is setting, you take to the road with Fido, clear your head, and relish an easy way to get some quality exercise and bonding time with your buddy.

6. Cats and dogs are like children that never grow up. Though your kids will mature and move out of the house, your pets never will. They will always need and depend on you and it is truly a wonderful feeling, to be needed.

7. It is hard to feel lonely when you have a pet because you are never really alone. Your pet is your loyal shadow that you can tell your problems. They won't judge, or tell you something you don't want to hear.

8. Your pet can make you feel young again! Playing fetch or getting down on all fours to play with a squeaky chew toy can be just as fun for you as it is for your furry friend.

9.  It’s nice to have an automatic vacuum cleaner around whenever you drop crumbs on the floor.

   10. It is amazing how consistently cute and irresistible cats and dogs are without even trying. It is impossible not to smile or feel your heart melt when you look at that special furball!

What are you most thankful for about the pets in your life?

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C is for Cookie

Because I'm dieting, you might think I stay away from cookies. And, because I'm dieting with my dog, you might think I keep my dog away from cookies too. What the woof?! There's nothing wrong with a few treats on occasion, even on a diet. (I just can't eat a whole sleeve of Oreos. Darn!) The trick is choosing more nutritious treats.  That's why I was happy to receive a copy of Dog Cookies; healthy, allergen-free treat recipes for your dog, by Martina Schops.

Nutrition expert Martina says, "Treats contribute to a dog's well-being." I agree.

Here are some reasons for making your own dog treats:
1. You know exactly what ingredients they contain.
2. No artificial flavors and preservatives
3. You can adjust recipes for your dog's taste, allergies, or nutritional needs

 Most of the recipes in this book are simple and made from easy-to-find ingredients. For example, Banana Biscuits are made of banana, rye flour, buckwheat flour, eggs, butter, water and a pinch of carob.

The book includes recipes for high value treats for agility training, and birthday cake, waffles and doggie ice cream. If you're looking for good recipes to bake some healthy treats for your dog, I recommend this book. You can find Dog Cookies on Amazon or on  Hubble and Hattie website.

Check out more food and fun for your dog on Tasty Tuesday, hosted by Kol's Notes and Sugar the Golden Retriever.

*I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Just some of the reasons why I love you

Making me Laugh

 For Thanksgiving Mutt Monday, I just want to say thank you to Kelly for:

Saving me from Snakes

Reminding me to Smell the Flowers

Check out Mutt Monday Blog hop!

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Paws for Thought

Paws for Thought:

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.  ~Theodore Roosevelt

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Wouldn't a Pawprint Stamper Look Cute?

Your dog rocks, so he surely needs to give his pawtograph to everyone he knows! And keep reading, because you could win one here!

When I scheduled my first book signing for Dieting with my Dog, everyone asked if Kelly was going to be giving pawtographs. I considered buying an ink pad and pressing her paw into it for every book. But fortunately I found a better way!

Looking over the websites offering rubber stampers, I quickly determined that I wanted a self-inking stamper. I'm not known to be the neatest person when it comes to crafts and baking, etc, so if there was a way to make a mess with an ink pad, I'd be sure to find a way. 

I also wanted a nice quality pawprint, and Kelly's name underneath. And, I couldn't pay an arm and a leg.

Impossible? Not at all!

I located The Rubber Stamp Man, and he had just what I wanted at the right price. The website is pretty basic, but when I called on the phone to place an order I got exceptional service. The price was right, and free shipping!

My stamper arrived promptly and it is excellent quality and just what I wanted.

I was able to pawtograph more than forty books that first night, and it has held up well to stamp dozens more! The ink is refillable, so no worries if I run out.

And now, you can win your own pawprint stamper! Wouldn't it look cute on your stationary? Holiday cards and envelopes? Just about anywhere! One lucky winner will receive a Rubber Stamp Man regular size self inking stamper with pawprint and your pet's name!

*All you have to do is leave a comment below, saying why you would like a pawprint stamper.
* For bonus entries, follow this blog and "like" Dieting with my Dog on FB (tell me that you did!)
*One winner will be selected at random.
*Contest closes Tuesday Nov. 22
 * Winner will be announced on my pet roundup on Wednesday.
* Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you win!
* Contest open to U.S. and Canada only, excluding Quebec. (Canadian winners will need to answer a skill testing question.)

If you don't win, you can order a pawprint stamp of your own form the Rubber Stamp Man. Kelly gives them four pawtographed paws way up!!

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Find Your Doggy Double

Human to Canine pairing software. It all sounds a bit futuristic. And unbelievable. But here it is, Doggelganger,  a site where you can upload a picture or video of yourself, and it will match you up to your doggy double.  Here are my results:

All the dog matches are dogs up for adoption.
What a fun--and unique--way to spread the word about pet adoption! And I bet it results in many pets finding forever homes with their human doubles!

Try Doggelganger, and tell us what your match is!


Weight Loss with a Wag blog tour stops today:
Something Wagging This Way Comes - see why they ask, "boxers or briefs?"
and
Champion of my Heart.  -find out some ways people sink their own weight loss efforts.

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Wednesday Pet Roundup

Hi and Welcome to Wednesday Pet Roundup! Kelly is enjoying playing outside in the leaves. Does your dog have a favorite team?! Here are the links for this week:

* Fox news reports on the best breeds of dog for home protection. What do you think---doberman? rottweiler? You may be surprised by one of the answers.

* Joyful news when Jack the cat was found alive in a claims room, after being lost for 7 weeks at JFK Airport. Sadly, however, abc news reports that due to wounds that couldn't heal, he died last week.

* Have you heard of Musher's Secret, an "invisible boot" made of natural wax to protect dogs' paws from the snow, salt and ice. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.com tells us about this and other products to help our dogs feel more comfortable this winter.

* On Care2.com, this Pet MD article answers Weird Questions You Don't Want to Ask Your Vet.

Weight Loss with a Wag blog tour stops today: Five Sibes invites Kelly and I to come on in and sit down for a spell and visit with the sibes. Pop on over and say hi!

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Fetching Dawg

Kelly loves to fetch, I think she could play it all day!















 During K9Kamp,  Molly Products Fetching Sticks donated several sets of fetching sticks that we gave away as prizes. Kelly and I were provided with a set of sticks to test for our unbiased opinion. Made of Juniper, these sticks are beautiful. I was surprised when, at first, Kelly didn't take to them. But when I took her outside to play, she enjoyed them much more. We had a great time and burned off a lot of calories too!

 

These sticks are great for a rousing game of fetch. Check out Molly Products Fetching Sticks for your dog too!


Weight Loss with a Wag Blog Tour stops today: 
Pet Health Care Gazzette
and 
I Still Want More Puppies. Please stop by and visit!

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THE HOWLIDAYS ARE HERE!!

We know what you're thinking. The turkey has yet to be bought for Thanksgiving and for some of us the Halloween decorations still need to be put away. This period of time before Thanksgiving and Christmas is the calm before the storm. So while your weekends are not yet packed with holiday shopping, tree trimmings and parties galore, stop by Morris Animal Inn for our annual Holiday Pet Photo Shoot on Saturday, November 19, 2011! There are sitting times available from 12:00PM-2:00PM. The sitting fee is $10 and includes one 5x7 photo. Additional photos will be available for purchase from our professional photographer's website after Sunday, December 6. The $10 sitting fee and 10% of all purchases from our holiday boutique will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey. Call 973-537-0377 to reserve a time.

This year, personalize your holiday cards with an irresistibly cute photo of your cat, dog, or even the whole family!  Here are some holiday photo samples from previous years!



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Lending a Helping Hand

photo by Abraham Banda

If an elephant got stuck in the mud, would you help pull it out? I mean, if you could? That is what some people are asking after a baby elephant and its mother got stuck in the fast-drying mud in Zambia. The London Mail reported on the incident, in which workers from the South Luangua Conservation Society stepping in to use ropes and pull the two to safety.







The London Mail quotes one of the rescuers as saying, "Most conservationists believe that man should not meddle with the natural order and that we should allow nature to run her course, however cruel or grim..." However, they simply could not stand by and watch the elephants struggle and die.

photo by Abraham Banda

This story has a happy ending. The pair were rescued and ran off unharmed. For the complete story and more photos, check out Baby Elephant and its Mother by Richard Hartley-Parkinson in The Mail Online.

What are your thoughts? Should we intervene, or leave nature to her plan?


And, join us on our Weight Loss with a Wag Blog Tour. Today's stop, Cindy Lu's Muse, who wants to know if it's okay to give your dog on a diet treats? (But of course!!)
and check out this review on the hysterical Foley Monster and Pocket.

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