Archives for May 2015

The BlogPaws Experience

May 29, 2015 18 Comments

Oh my. I am EXHAUSTED.

If you’re an introvert, you will completely understand. The constant people and interactions can be a bit overwhelming. However, don’t get me wrong, I’m having an awesome time.

My first BlogPaws.

Atka snoozing away during a session. He sure learned a lot... ;) — Atka snoozing away during a session. He sure learned a lot… 😉

I kind of feel like I’m fangirling around celebrities. Getting to meet the bloggers I’ve followed for the past year and that I admire so much has been amazing. I’m incredibly lucky to have this opportunity.

Not to mention the vast amount of brands that are attending the event. I’m getting to put faces to the people that I have had the privilege to work with and those I hope to work with in the future. You really can’t ask for a better opportunity!

I’ve already learned so much and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the weekend holds. Make sure you’re following us on social media to keep up with the current happenings! I’ll be posting pictures all weekend.

Spoiler alert: Atka met a ferret.

In case you need a reminder, you can find us here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsdogornothing

Instagram: @itsdogornothing.kelsie

Twitter: @itsdogornothing

#PetPawLooza Facts

May 24, 2015 1 Comment

Are you as excited for the Pet Paw-Looza as I am?!

With the event starting tomorrow, I figured we should make sure everyone is ready! Here are some quick facts to answer any questions you may have about Pet Paw-Looza.

Hopefully these tips answer some last minute questions. If you have any more questions about Pet Paw-Looza, leave a comment below!

Pet Paw-Looza Sampling Event #PetPawLooza

May 20, 2015 18 Comments

This week, things are going to the dogs. All of our pooches need a little extra pampering, am I right? Of course I am!

Hold on. What the fluffy is a sampling event?

Awesome. That’s what a sampling event is. Pet Paw-Looza is a one week event where you will be able to learn about some amazing products and brands. If you participate in the sampling event, you even have the opportunity to win some of these amazing products!

Okay, cool! But how do I participate?

There are several ways to participate in the Pet Paw-Looza sampling event. Here’s a run-down of how to get involved.

RSVP To Win

When you RSVP to Pet Paw-Looza, you will be entered to win a gift basket with products from the brands participating in the sampling event. What’s more important is that you will have access to the official Pet Paw-Looza calendar. This calendar is your must have resource for success in the sampling event! The calendar will keep you up to date on sampling events for each brand.

Wish For It Phase

After you have RSVP’d and received the official calendar, you will be able to “Wish For” the product samples you would like to receive from brands hosting a Sampling Event. Share your “wishes” on social media so your friends know what samples you would like!

Sampling Events

The Sampling Events are the real reason behind the Wish For It phase. You see, you can only send products to friends! In order to receive your desired products, you will need to let others know what you would like to win. I highly encourage you to find a friend before the sampling events begin so you can send the products you wished for to each other. Time to bring back the buddy system! (Make sure to use the links provided in this post to get to each sampling event.)

Flash Giveaways

Okay, here’s when things start to get crazy. There will also be flash giveaways on the Facebook pages of participating bloggers. You won’t know what the giveaway is until it is posted, so make sure you utilize your calendar to know when to check for each flash giveaways.

Holy fluffy! What brands are participating?

Riley’s Organic Dog Treats

These delicious, organic treats have no wheat, corn, soy, pesticides, preservatives, added sugar, added salt, or animal by-products. With flavors such as Peanut Butter & Molasses, Sweet Potato, Apple, and Pumpkin & Coconut, there’s sure to be a flavor to suit every pooch. Even better – these treats come in large AND small sizes! While the fluffies may disagree, the small bones are perfect for training!

Isle of Dogs

Rain and white, fluffy dogs don’t mix. Period. Wet weather typically means the dreaded “b word” for the fluffies (I dread it, too!). All I can say about their shampoo is, “yum!” The scent is amazing, but the best part is the use of natural ingredients. Who wants to put chemicals on their dog? They have solutions for every coat/skin condition and treats so you can suck up to your dog after bath time 😉

Unique Natural Products

As you have probably figured out by now, I try to avoid chemicals in my house. Just a few days ago, we had a rescue puppy in our care for a few hours and boy, did this stuff come in handy! We used it to clean up several little piddle spots. Neither fluffy marked the cleaned up spots so I’m confident Unique Natural Products produces effective products!

By Nature

Dogs and cats alike can experience the tasty options from By Nature. With different formulas for grain free feeding and ensuring balanced diets, your dog (or cat!) will always receive the necessary nutrition. A variety of protein sources such as turkey, ocean whitefish, and pork make this food ideal for pups with allergies. Did I mention By Nature is made in the USA? Always a fluffy selling point!

Bravo Pet Foods

We have yet to find a Bravo product that we don’t like. The treats, chews, and food always pass the fluffy approval test. Their absolute favorite is the freeze-dried raw food (and we don’t even feed raw!). The freeze-dried food is a great way to vary up their diet and keep things interesting. I always notice a lack of patience from Mauja and Atka while their food rehydrates – that’s how I know it’s good!

Northern Pet Products

Dental chews, treats, what more could your dog want?! For us humans, we expect a bit more. Northern Pet Products are made with fresh, local fruits and veggies and made in small batches to ensure the best quality. On top of that, they don’t use any artificial ingredients. Even more, they are environmentally conscious and use recyclable, compostable, and renewable paper. Happy pups, happy people!

We absolutely love the brands participating in the Pet Paw-Looza Sampling Event. I mean seriously… look at those happy faces!

Remember, you need to RSVP to take part in the Pet Paw-Looza extravaganza! After you RSVP, don’t forget to “wish for” the products you want to sample and find your Sampling Event buddy!

What products are you most interested in trying?

My Heart Hurts

May 19, 2015 11 Comments

Guys, my heart hurts.

Working in rescue has ups and downs, but mostly downs.

This past weekend, it rained pyrs.

First we received a surrender form for a 4 year old, male pyr. As I worked to get an evaluation set up, I received an urgent email about a puppy. A puppy that was getting kicked and beaten by some teenagers. A puppy with injuries to an unknown extent.

The puppy is in foster care, but the 4 year old is still with owners that don’t want him because I can’t find a foster. People always say they want to help, but I can’t find people to step up and actually help. My heart breaks for this dog and I feel completely helpless.

I cry. I cry because I don’t know what to do. I cry because I don’t know how to get people involved. My words can only do so much

I know everyone can’t foster for various reasons. I can’t because of an animal limit where we live. If you can’t foster, transport help is always needed. If you can’t transport, volunteer. Make phone calls. Organize applications.

A rescue can’t survive without volunteers.

Right now I wonder if our rescue is going to survive.

One Fur All, All For Pets

May 14, 2015 7 Comments

Not too long ago we talked about the benefits of soy candles for a pet friendly home because regular candles can be extremely toxic to your pets. I’m a candle ~~addict~~ lover so finding an option that didn’t negatively impact the fluffies’ health was imperative.

Now, I can’t get enough of the Pet House Candles.

Recently, One Fur All launched two new scents: Mandarin Sage and Vanilla Creme Brulee. I seriously could not wait to get my hands on these new scents. I knew I would love the Vanilla Creme Brulee as that’s the type of candle I usually go for, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone. A few days later, the Mandarin Sage Pet House Candle arrived at my door.

I’m going to be honest (because we’re all about honesty here), I wasn’t too sure about the scent when I smelled the candle. I let my husband have a sniff and he loved it. I decided to light the candle before making a final decision.

Oh. My. Gosh.

The Mandarin Sage scent is delicious. DE-LISH-IOUS. I am SO glad I decided to spice things up.

My absolute favorite thing about these candles (aside from being pet-friendly) is how long they last. These candles last at least twice as long as the candles I normally purchase. You definitely get a high quality soy candle from One Fur All.

Pet House Candles are only $19.95 with $6.99 flat rate shipping. Lavender Green Tea, Mandarin Sage, Vanilla Creme Brulee, and Fresh Citrus. Which one will you choose?!

Disclaimer: We received the product mentioned above in exchange for our honest opinion. Don’t worry, an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and It’s Dog or Nothing only shares products we believe in and feel our readers would enjoy.

Only Natural Pet Twizzle Sticks

May 12, 2015 7 Comments

I’m always looking for new and interesting treats for the fluffies. I try to branch out, but I must admit – I’m grossed out by a lot of things. Being a vegetarian, I’m not very keen on dealing with animal products. Thankfully, I have a meat-eating husband to help me out when necessary.

Nick came in handy with our newest treat from Only Natural Pet – Twizzle Sticks. Twizzle sticks are made from free-range, grass-fed beef gullet. The gullet, aka esophagus, is a great source of chrondroitin to support joint health. Having giant breed dogs, I’m always looking for ways to help them maintain healthy joints.

The Twizzle Sticks are also braided to improve your dog’s chewing experience. The braided treats help to clean teeth and promote healthy gums. Not only does your dog get a delicious chew, but teeth and joint benefits as well!

While I love the concept of the treat, this is not the most long-lasting chew. Mauja and Atka finished their chews in under 5 minutes. However, they thoroughly enjoyed those few minutes!

P.S. Sorry for the less than stellar images. The fluffies weren’t interested in posing for photos! 😉

Disclaimer: We received the product mentioned above in exchange for our honest opinion. Don’t worry, an advertiser will never influence the content of our blog and we only share products we believe in and feel our readers would enjoy.

You

The Emergency Recall

May 5, 2015 19 Comments

The Great Pyrenees is notorious for failing to come when called. Training a reliable recall is a never-ending struggle and most pyrs will never fully master the skill. Since the ability to come when called is an essential skill, I had to find a way to work around the pyr independence.

Enter the emergency recall.

The emergency recall is something that every dog can and should learn. It is especially essential for our free-willed breeds. Unexpected situations can happen and ensuring your dog comes immediately can prevent a horrible and potentially fatal situation.

Has your dog ever broken free from the leash and run after a car, dog, or other enticing object? Did you yell “come!” only for your dog to ignore your call? If so, the emergency recall could be extremely beneficial.

Not only is the emergency recall a great skill to learn, it is incredibly easy to teach. Just follow these simple steps:

First, you will need to come up with a command for your emergency recall. Make sure it is something you can easily remember, yet isn’t likely to be used in every day conversation. We use the word “pronto”.
Make sure you have plenty of high value treats in your hand – something your dog doesn’t get in usual training sessions. You want this treat to be extremely special! Perhaps some cooked chicken or lean hamburger meat.
Start off in an easy location (e.g. your house) and stand just a few feet away from your dog. Say the command, “pronto!”, in a high-pitched voice with happy, excited posture to entice your dog to come to you.
When you dog makes it to you, reward him/her with treats for 20-30 seconds. You want it to feel like your dog hit the jackpot!
After you’ve finished with the treats, let your dog go back to whatever he/she was doing. Typically, “come” is associated with fun ending (coming in from outside, leaving the park) so let the fun continue as it was.
Practice, practice, practice!

Once your dog has mastered the emergency recall in a quiet place, it’s time to start adding distance and distractions. Make sure you don’t push your dog too far as success when learning the emergency recall is very important.

It is important to avoid using the emergency recall in non-emergency situations. Repeat usage in every day situations (other than practice) will reduce the overall strength of the recall. You never know when the emergency recall will save your dog’s life, so be sure to keep it to true emergency situations.

If you have taught your dog the emergency recall, have you ever had to use it? If your dog doesn’t know the skill, do you think it would be beneficial for you?

Archives for May 2015

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