New Trends in Pet Food

Pet Food Trends

The Bark recently reported on these trends in dog food

1. Premium ingredients, such as organic and human-grade

2. custom prepared and delivered food

3. weight loss formulas

4. raw food diets

and from New Hope 360.com

5. Wellness products such as allergy formulas

6. Grain-free meals

7. sports nutrition for "optimal endurance"

8. socially conscious pet food companies educating their social media influencers

*Just a reminder! Please blog about anything related to cancer in pets--support, tips, personal stories, at our first Give Cancer the Paw blog hop, Wednesday November 6th. Co-hosted by Peggy's Pet Place and Pooch Smooches.  Hope to see you there!

Fitdog Friday is co-hosted by Peggy's Pet Place, Slimdoggy, and To Dog with Love. Join the hop!

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there!

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Trick or Treat meets Adoptable Dogs

Michelle Riggi is devoted to animal welfare. She loves dogs. She must--she has more than 30.
She also loves Halloween.
She also happens to own an opulent stone mansion in Saratoga Springs, just 30 miles north of where I live. The socialite and philanthropist's home is decorated with banners, autumn wreaths, and thousands of pumpkins.

Photo credit: John Carl D'Annibale, from the Albany Times Union

Michelle doesn't discourage trick or treaters....she dresses up as Cinderella,  welcomes them to her home, offers them donuts, cider and full size chocolate bars--some with a $100 bill hidden inside the wrapper.
AND
This year Riggi's Halloween festivities will include representatives from Saratoga County Animal Shelter and the group Homes for Orphaned Pets Exist, allowing trick or treaters to meet and potentially adopt homeless animals. Michelle Riggi is well-known for championing animal causes, and has adopted many of her chihuahuas and other small dogs.

Photo credit: John Carl D'Annibale, from the Albany Times Union 

Happy Halloween!!

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there!

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K9Kamp Wrap Up

THANK YOU from your K9 Kamp coaches!

K9Kamp is over! We had a lot of fun and games. Here's what some of our bloggers have been up to:

* You Did What with Your Wiener focused on fetch, tug games,  nose work. Check out their cute video of Chester and Gretel getting fit on the K9FitBone from Dog Tread.

*Pooch Smooches also opted for games of fetch, while Jackie did jumping jacks. And there were also some dance parties!

* Honey at Something Wagging this Way Comes found that foster dogs made great workout partners. And Pamela found that having two or more dogs helped keep her active and fit as well.

*Jack and Maggie from Slimdoggy tackled the big hill...the really big hill!

* Emma, Katie and Baylie got out all the toys in My GBGV Life, and made a great Chase and Wrestle video!

and more! Stay tuned for more profiles of our Kampers!

Thank you all for a great K9Kamp, to all our featured bloggers, and to all who followed along at home.  Don't forget to enter to win prizes too--ending soon so hurry! If you blogged about K9Kamp, link up here.

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there! 

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Wednesday Pet Roundup- Dogtober

Hi and Happy Dogtober! Here is our Pet Roundup news today.

* Crash Test Dummy dogs have been put to the test and...those dog harness and seatbelts didn't fare well. The test revealed hardware and construction problems and other issues that resulted in dogs falling off the seat, being pushed into the front seat, or flung in the air. Only one seatbelt passed the test.

* From the always fascinating Buzzfeed, 25 Awesome Breeds of Dog You've Never Heard of-- I have heard of some of these, and even know of a few blogger buddies with some of these breeds. But most of them are new to me!

* Introducing a new blog hop: Give Cancer the Paw, co-hosted by Peggy's Pet Place and Pooch Smooches. This will be four times a year, with the first one on Wednesday 11/6 (next week!) and we'd love it if you'd join in. Just blog about anything related to pets and cancer--tributes, personal experience, tips, news, support...your pet doesn't have to have been touched by cancer to join. Link up next Wednesday at 12:01am (EST).  Our goal is to raise awareness, and offer help and support to each other. And give cancer the paw!

* Have you seen the hilarious photos of dogs shaking? From the book Shake by Carli Davidson.

*K9Kamp is closing at the end of this month. There's still time to enter our Rafflecopter for great prizes including Dogobie flying discs, Fido Fashion collar and leash set, a gorgeous bracelet from For the Love of A Dog, and a $25 Amazon gift card. Enter today!

* Congratulations to the winners--Winner of the Dogobie flying disc is Tenacious Little Terrier.
Dieting with my Dog Guide to Danielle Murgia
Dieting with my Dog Guide gift pack to Katie Waterman.


Want more positive pet tips and good news? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets!

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Tasty Tuesday- Nutro Crunchy treats

My dogs love to crunch. So we were super excited when Chewy.com sent us these new Crunchy treats by Nutro. They come in banana, berry, carrot, pomegranate and apple. I guess it was the fall season that influenced me to pick apple.

I like giving these treats to Kelly and Ike because the ingredients are wholesome and 100% natural...they are low in calories (6 calories per treat).  What did Kelly and Ike think about them?

CRUNCH! Good!

Fun Fact: Did you know that Nutro has been making dog food and treats for more than 86 years?

You can win some great treats for your dog! Contest closes November 7th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full Disclosure: Chewy.com sent us one bag of Crunch treats in exchange for our honest review. The opinions are 100% my own. 


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Hurray for HollyWOOF

Each year Distinctive Assets creates HollyWoof Gift Bags--bags of doggy and pet swag delivered directly to 25 pet loving celebrities.  Every year there are new products being introduced to the stars and their canine companions! This year some of the celebs are Drew Barrymore, Kristen Chenowith, Jane Lynch, Kloe Kardashian, Kelly Osbourne, Eric Stonestreet and Justin Timberlake.

The products include dog jackets, pet carriers, vitamins and more. We were lucky enough to be able to sample a few of the products:

PawTectors are cozy, waterproof, nonskid protection for paws! They are used by search and rescue groups, sled dogs, guide dogs, and also used for dogs who have allergies and licking issues. Your dog can wear them on boats and hardwood floors for traction. They really fit and stay on!

REVIEW: Excellent quality, the material is thick yet flexible, soft inside. Very well-made product. The fit is great and these definitely stay on!

It might take your dog a bit of time to get used to them. Ike was unwilling to stand up on them for a while, then he would lift his feet high in the air when he tried to walk! I feel confident that in time he'd get used to them.

Fresh in a Flash Cleansing Spray by True Blue Pet Products--Easily clean and condition your pet's coat with no buildup, ever. The grapefruit cleans without stripping while the chamomile adds sheen to the coat.

REVIEW: Nice smell. You're able to keep your pet fresh without the mess of getting them into the bath every time. I wouldn't replace bathing with this, but for keeping your pet smelling nice and conditioning fur in between, it's a great idea.

Squishy Pet Product's  collar accessories are designed to look cute and fit any size collar, harness or leash.

REVIEW: If you want to accessorize your pet's look, this is a fun idea. The bow is big enough to be seen even on a furry dog like Kelly. The best part is that it attaches easily and securely.  If you're creative, you could have lots of fun with these!

Full Disclosure: I received one of each product  to review from Distinctive Assets. This in no way influenced my review. The opinions here are 100% my own.

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there!

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Trick AND Treat: Keeping Pets Safe on Halloween

On Halloween, kids aren't the only ones doing tricks for treats. All the excitement around costumes, trick-or-treating and decorating can get your pet riled up and ready for some fun, too. Get them involved by picking out a festive four-legged costume and taking a few precautions to make sure your whole family enjoys the holiday safely.

People Treats vs. Pet Treats. As pointed out by Parade magazine this week, all those Halloween candies that we just can't get enough of, especially chocolate, are not safe for pets to eat. The plastic and cellophane wrappers they come in are no good for dogs, either. Keep your trick-or-treat candy bowl covered and out of reach of your pet. Instead, you can find festive pet treats for an extra special something for your sweetie. Visit our lobby for some spooky and delicious options that will keep your pup busy munching away.

Ding Dong Dog. During prime trick-or-treat hours, it is best to keep your pet enclosed in an area away from the front door or wherever children will be visiting. The constant flow of guests can be stressful on your pet, not to mention the risk of a cat or dog sneaking out the front door as you hand out treats. Keep everyone safe and secure by giving them their own space away from the costumed kiddies.

Decor Gore. Be sure to check for decorations that could prove dangerous for your dog. As much as we love to put out pumpkins, candles and other witchy decorations this time of year, a curious or agitated pet may decide to do their own redecorating while you're not watching. Just like candy, keep these festive pieces out of your dog's reach, and be especially careful with flames or electronic pieces.

Take Care with Costumes. Sparky might look perfectly spooky in that ghost costume, but make sure your pet's outfits on Halloween do not limit their visibility or movement. You want your pet to be comfortable in their attire, so make sure their cute costume fits well and is not restrictive in any way. Read tips on getting your dog used to their costume on our sister company Morris K9 Campus' blog, A Dog's Life.

Not sure what kind of costume would fit your dog best? We offer tons of cute and creative pet costume ideas on our "Pet Costumes" Pinterest board. Visit for a dose of inspiration as everyone's favorite spooky holiday approaches! 

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FitDog Friday- Dock Diving Lab

Wednesday I wrote about a Japanese artist who illustrated one of my stories about a girl and a horse. The illustrations are unique and amazing. Now I'd like you to meet another artist with a very different style, who has created an absolutely gorgeous painting of one of my dogs. The artist, Margery Caggiano, has entitled the 24 x 36 inch oil on linen painting, "Hi Mom!"

I love her use of colors, the reflection in the water, and the misty, peaceful feel of the moment. I am honored to have Hudson's memory preserved in this beautiful painting.

The dog is our yellow lab Hudson, who is now over the rainbow bridge. Hudson used to love to swim, and at the time we frequently visited my in-laws cabin in the New York Adirondack's Brant Lake. We would throw floating toys and Hudson would jump off the dock with delight. He was a strong swimmer and enjoyed the water even when the weather turned chilly. We snapped this photo of Hudson and it ended up one day on my blog.

Artist Margery Caggiano saw the photo and requested my permission to use Hudson as a model for a painting. She changed the background to the San Domingo Creek in St. Michaels, MD. The result is stunning.

Margery Caggiano is an instructor at The Academy Art Museum in Easton MD. Her paintings are in more than 300 private and public collections. The painting will be on display during the Easton (MD) Waterfowl Festival, November 8-10.

Join the FitDog Friday blog hop, hosted by Peggy's Pet Place, Slimdoggy, and To Dog with Love. *Link up any of your posts about health and fitness for dogs. Previous posts are just fine. The more fit dogs the merrier!

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there!

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Beautiful Drawings of Girl and Horse in Japanese Book Translation

I couldn't believe the images. They are such sweet drawings of a young girl and her horse. They are accompanying a story I wrote. And they are by a Japanese artist.

The story is about a true story of a young girl with an immune disease, and how she helps a miniature horse named Patty, and how the horse helps her in return. "Miniature Horse Patty Pat Answers a Parent's Prayers" was published in a book, Animals and the Kids who Love Them by Linda and Allen Anderson in 2011. This year the book was translated into Japanese. The illustrations are drawn by artist Akira Himekawa. My story even made the book cover!

Here are the images in the book:

I was so excited to see these beautiful drawings. And congratulations to Linda and Allen Anderson for such a great book that is now inspiring people around the world.

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there!

 

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How to Calm A Dog when you Leave the House

Am I the only one who feels guilty whenever I leave the house? Something about those big, sad eyes staring at me through the window on the door, making me feel like I'm leaving them to the worst fate possible.

I try to rationalize that they are fine while I'm away. That I deserve this time to go to the grocery store, visit friends, have a life! But no matter what, whenever I leave the house, I still feel a twinge of guilt.

Ike in particular has a problem with being left home. So I heard about this CD of music designed to calm dogs, called Through a Dog's Ear. I was totally skeptical. I wouldn't have thought to try it, except the CD has great reviews and great word of mouth. What the heck? I ordered one on Amazon. It sat around for a while, unopened.

Then Ike got neutered. He hated wearing that cone. He fought it and pawed at it and seemed distressed. I spotted the CD...worth a try. So I put on the music and almost instantly he calmed down! He laid down with that cone, closed his eyes and fell asleep. I really can't explain it. But he did.

So now, every time we leave the house, we put on Through A Dog's Ear CD. The music is slow, pleasant piano music to classical tunes.

The dogs still look at me through the window on the door. They still give me those big sad eyes. But I think the CD helps them feel calm once we're gone.

I've told many people about it and some of them seem as skeptical as I was. But I'm here to tell you it works! If you have a dog who gets anxious, I would give Through A Dog's Ear a try. We think it's a great product.

There are versions to use while driving, and versions for puppies, senior dogs.... and even kitties! There is even a shelter program where your purchase helps provide Through a Dog's Ear calming music free to shelters. Check out this video of how through a dog's ear helps in a shelter:

*Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for this post. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

Want more positive pet tips, good news, and special offers? Fetch my free newsletter, Pawsitively Pets. Kelly and Ike hope to see you there!

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