Healthy Elements gift pack Giveaway

When we decided to switch from a "decent" dog food to a "quality" food for our dogs, we had to give up the convenience of picking up the food at the grocery store or department store, and make a special trip to the pet food store. This was not always convenient-- at times it would have been handy to grab the food while I was buying bread, milk and eggs or dashing into the store for other supplies.

LET'S GET TO THE TASTE TESTING!

Recently, Carly from Healthy Elements contacted me to let me know about the a new, complete, natural dog food...now available at Target. She told me that the food has no fillers, no meat by-products, no artificial colors or flavors. Off to a good start! The dry food Chicken Meal and Oatmeal recipe contains ingredients such as chicken meal, oatmeal, ground brown rice, peas, sweet potato. Best of all, Dog food advisor rates the food 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "above average" and "highly recommended." Best of all, I can pick up the food while I'm at Target shopping for stuff like laundry soap, notebooks, and socks. It's available now at many Target locations...and soon to be expanding.

"UH KELLY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EAT THAT ARE YOU?"

We received a sample bag of the dog food, canned dog food, soft treats and crunchy treats. Kelly and Ike could barely contain themselves posing for pictures, anxious to get to the taste-testing part of the operation. And the verdict: Healthy Elements taste as good as they sound!

GOT ANY MORE, MOM?

Now on to the fun part! We're giving away a one gift pack of Healthy Elements containing a 5 lb. bag of dry Healthy Elements, 2 cans, a bag of soft treats and a bag of crunchy treats. Just enter the Rafflecopter below! Look at this awesome Gift Pack:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I was provided with Healthy Elements gift pack to review and one Healthy Elements gift pack to give away. This in no way influenced my review. All 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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FitDog Friday--How author Patti Lawson and her dog Sadie stay fit

Today is FitDog Friday, sponsored by Peggy's Pet Place, SlimDoggy and To Dog With Love. Join in every Friday by linking up or visiting the blogs in the hop, and be sure to comment and you'll be entered into a giveaway for great FitDog prizes.

Today please welcom Patti Lawson, the author of a fantastic book, The Dog Diet. How much do I love this book! Patti's experiences are different from mine in Dieting with my Dog, yet our conclusions are the same: dogs make great weight loss buddies!

I had the opportunity to ask Patti about getting fit with her dog:

1. How do you keep your dog fit and healthy?

PL: As with people, there are two parts to dog fitness. 1. Diet   2. Exercise

DIET
Sadie eats a grain free except for quinoa and brown rice organic diet. Sometimes I cook for her and other times I use two human grade foods made in the United States. Lucky Dog Cuisine and Honest Kitchen. She gets natural jerky treats...mainly salmon. Sadie has several food allergies so we take that into consideration when choosing her food.

Sadie and Patti preparing the SALAD BOX...a staple of the DOG DIET.

EXERCISE--We DOGERCISE...walking and incorporating play time with exercise. Sadie likes tug of war and running after her many stuffed animals. She is a sprinter...sprints off the deck chasing squirrels in our yard. We live in the woods so we have plenty of squirrels for her to chase. Our subdivision is very hilly...we live in WV so it's no surprise...and we walk it every day possible and on weekends twice a day. I believe part of exercise is also mental. I challenge Sadie with little games...I read to her...she has a puzzle ball from Planet Dog I recommend for all dogs. You place small treats in it and then your dog has to figure out how to get them out. Very mentally challenging. Maybe I wouldn't eat so much chocolate if I had to get it out of the puzzle ball! Sadie also goes to daycare because she doesn't like to stay alone and I am convinced this is good for her. She is active with the staff and other dogs all day instead of sleeping and waiting for me to come home.

2. How does your dog help you get fit and healthy?

PL: I know that Sadie's health depends on me so I challenge myself to do the best I can for her. In doing so, I am eating better and exercising. Yes...we have the occasional McDonald's treat and squirt of whipped cream. I want Sadie to be with me as long as possible and I want to be here for her as long as possible so she is my inspiration. If I don't feel like walking, I know she NEEDS to walk and so we go out the door and just do it. It always turns into a great time.

Sadie is practicing for beach trips with a tennis ball and a water frisbee!

3. What is Sadie's favorite activity?

PL: At risk of sounding narcissist I believe her favorite activity is being with me. No matter what we do...she enjoys it. She also loves to travel, likes sniffing out leftovers on room service trays in hotels and riding in the big convertible her "Dad" owns.

4. What is one unhealthy food Sadie would eat all day if you let her?

PL:  Hamburgers....hands down. She LOVES hamburgers...sniffs them all the way home in the bag!

What is Sadie's favorite healthy food?

PL: Sadie loves salmon which is very good for her.


BIO: Sadie Lawson was born in Putnam County, West Virginia to a Cocker Spaniel Mom and a German Shepherd Dad. After one appearance at PetSmart in Charleston, WV she decided to give Patti a chance at being her Mom and after a few rough patches, they became inseparable. She has traveled to over 30 cities on the Dog Diet book tour. She was an integral partner in Family Law/Divorce Mediations Patti conducted. , Kiawah Island is her favorite vacation spot, but she loves all beaches. Sadie enjoys chasing squirrels, long walks, naps on her king-sized feather beds, and convertible rides. She has one sister, AbiGal, a rescued Cockatiel.

 Patti Lawson is an award winning author, blogger, and attorney. She lives in the West Virginia woods

with her beloved canine companion, Sadie; has a day job as a Special Prosecutor, and anticipates the release of her new book: What Happens to Rover When the Marriage is Over? And Other Doggone Legal Dilemmas!
Connect with Patti at:

http://www.thedogdiet.com/

http://blogs.dailymail.com/petcity/

http://redroom.com/member/patti-lawson

* FitDog Friday Giveaways-

Our FitDog Friday co-hosts have been hosting giveaways for all Blog Hop participants the past few weeks. Now even more folks can join the fun! For a chance to be entered into our weekly FitDog Friday giveaway,  you can still link your FitDog Friday post to our Blog Hop.  Or, just leave a comment on one or all of our co-hosts posts -- SlimDoggy, Peggy's Pet Place and To Dog With Love.  Each comment (one each per co-host post) and each Blog Hop link counts as one entry. Winners will be chosen at random.

This weeks prizes are a SlimDoggy food scoop, Dieting with my Dog bookmark, and Patti Lawson has kindly donated a copy of her book The Dog Diet, and a bag of Hill's All Natural Sweet Potato and Pumpkin treats.   

Want more, pawsitive pet tips, good news, and special bonuses? Content not already on the blog? Subscribe to my free newsletter.  Kelly and I can't wait to see you there! 

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Feed Your Dogs- Feed Shelter Dogs

Buy one Get One--you mean one for me, one for Brooks?

Our vet said that our newly-adopted Brooks had been malnourished, and he suffered many intestinal, skin and other health problems because of it. Because Brooks had been on his own, and at different shelters for more than a year, he probably wasn't getting the best quality food. Shelter dogs don't just need something to fill their bellies. Every dog deserves high quality, healthy food. With shelter budgets stretched to the limit, however, that isn't always possible. That's why the team at BOGO (buy one, give one) Bowl is working to put high-quality food in every dog bowl across America, whether the bowl is in a comfy home or a caring shelter.

I believe in giving my dogs the best quality food I can afford. In these economic times, it's not always easy to afford top foods, but I've also seen the improvement the best quality I can afford makes in my dogs' health. Now, imagine if I could buy that food, and supply an equal bag of food to a dog in need? 

But wait---won't that cost me twice as much?

No! BOGO Bowl isn’t double priced nor overinflated pricing. Prices range from $41.20 to $63.40 for a 20 pound bag, which is similar to the price of other premium quality dog food. 

Who ever got such an idea anyway? BOGO Bowl was started by Sara Henderson and Susan Hollar, who met after they each rescued special needs dogs: One tied to railroad tracks and the other shot and left to die at the river’s edge. This was how Chance and Duke inspired their moms to found BOGO Bowl dog food.



 Facts about BOGO Bowl food:
*Made in the USA (Ohio)
*contains protein, fruit and vegetables
* no artificial fillers, colors or flavors
* no corn, wheat or soy used as fillers
* Dog Food Advisor recently gave them a 4-star rating (out of five)
* comes in Puppy, Maintenance, Healthy Weight, Lamb Meal and Rice, Chicken Meal and Rice, Salmon Meal and Rice, and No Grain


 Best of all, When you buy a bag of BOGO Bowl, a second one is donated to an organization of your choice- Shelter, rescue group, fosters, food pantry-- at no extra cost! Not inferior dog food, but the equivalent. With BOGO Bowl all dogs are treated and fed equally with their nutritious food.

I think this is a fantastic idea. Please check out their website and like them on Facebook. And next time you purchase pet food, consider checking out BOGO and helping pets in need as well.

*Full Disclosure: We were provided with samples of BOGO Bowl for our review, but this did not influence our opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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