review

Our Obsession with Only Natural Pet

October 10, 2017 3 Comments

Our Obsession with Only Natural Pet

If you’ve been following us for awhile, you know that Mauja and Atka are picky, picky, picky. I have to constantly change their food or mix up their meals somehow. I have a hard enough time getting weight on them as it is!

Only Natural Pet is always my go-to for the fluffies’ food. Their food is not only high-quality but affordable as well. The variety of recipes makes it easy to do a rotation diet.

So, obviously, I was beyond thrilled to receive the opportunity to try Only Natural Pet’s Wholesome Homemade dehydrated dog food. It’s perfect to mix up their meals or as a stand-alone meal.

Only Natural Pet Wholesome Homemade

Wholesome Homemade is an easy way to prepare a fresh, healthy meal for your dogs. I don’t know what your schedule looks like, but I’m pretty sure it’s as insane as mine. Between a two-hour work commute and other obligations, I’m often tapped out. Chopping up veggies is the last thing I want to do in with the few minutes I have to myself.

Here are a few things I love about Wholesome Homemade:

Grain and white potato free
Quick and easy – just add warm water
No by-products and nothing artificial
No artificial colors, preservatives, or fillers
Whole meat sources.
Multiple recipes

The last point is one of my favorites about Only Natural Pet’s Wholesome Homemade – they have multiple recipes. Currently, you can choose from the poultry recipe, the red meat recipe, and the fish and fowl recipe. This makes it super easy to keep them interested in their food! Currently, the red meat feast is their favorite. Although, the fish and foul recipe is a close second.

The first time I made the food, it was a bit “soupy”. The fluffies aren’t a big fan of overly liquid food, so the next time I just used slightly less water. I think if you prepare the food and let it soak overnight, you wouldn’t have that issue.

Lamb Log & Lamb Trachea

I’m not going to lie – I was pretty impressed with the Lamb Log. I’m really picky in the chews I give Mauja and Atka with all the horror stories you hear today. The chews didn’t break or splinter, and they lasted a surprisingly long time.

We were also able to try the Lamb Trachea which was a pyrfect starter chew for little Miss Kiska. It lasted hours for her, but Mauja and Atka devoured them in about five minutes. I always forget how long chews last for puppies and small dogs!

Want to try some Only Natural Pet food and chews? Enter below for a $50 gift card to Only Natural Pet!

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* Disclaimer: We were compensated to review the product mentioned above, however, we only share products we use and truly believe in. An advertiser will never impact the content of this site.
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3 Reasons to Use a Pet Ramp for Your Giant Breed Dog

October 13, 2016 21 Comments

We all know pet ramps are great for senior dogs but have you ever thought about utilizing a ramp for a young, healthy dog? For the longest time, I didn’t. Atka jumps in and out of the car easily and Mauja puts her front paws up and waits for a little boost. Easy enough.

After a bit of thought and research, I realized there were several reasons to get a pet ramp while the fluffies were still young and healthy. I knew that the best time to teach them how to use the ramp would be when they weren’t having any mobility issues. What better time than now?

Many of us think that since our giant breed dogs are completely healthy, we don't need to worry about their joints until they get older. We have three reasons why you should consider using a pet ramp for your giant breed dog as well as some information about the Solvit Deluxe Tri-Scope Pet Ramp.

Jumping causes unnecessary stress on your dog’s joints

While jumping in and out of your car may not seem like a big deal, the reality is that each jump causes unnecessary stress on your dog’s joints. This can lead to hip and joint problems early in your dog’s life.

We may not be able to prevent all health issues from occurring in our giant breed dogs, but we can take steps to lessen the chance of any future ailments.

You won’t always be able to assist your dog into the car

I never thought of this reason until I had jaw surgery. After my surgery, I was unable to lift anything over ten pounds for about two months. Mauja expects her rear end to be hoisted into the car, and she certainly weighs quite a bit more than 10 pounds!

This meant that if Nick wasn’t home, I couldn’t take the dogs anywhere with me which was quite a bummer for all of us.

Injuries happen

We all anticipate that as our dogs age there is a high possibility they will develop hip and joint issues that will inhibit their mobility. However, we don’t always prepare for the freak accident that occurs from a too rough play session or simply landing the wrong way on a walk.

An injured dog will require assistance in several ways. Not only will getting in and out of the car be difficult, but things such as getting in and out of a bed or up the front porch stairs can easily be too much. If your dog already knows how to use a ramp, recovery will be much easier.

Solvit Deluxe Tri-Scope Pet Ramp

When given the opportunity to try the Solvit Deluxe Tri-Scope Pet Ramp, I obviously couldn’t say no! We tried a ramp with Mauja a few years ago (our neighbor had an old one she was giving away) and I was not thrilled. Not only was it flimsy, but it was insanely heavy as well! After becoming completely frustrated, I gave up and donated the ramp.

Since the ramp we tried was a cheap, no-name brand, I hoped that our experience would be different with a product from an established company like Solvit. When the package arrived on our front porch, I bent down and braced myself to lift the heavy box.

Except it wasn’t heavy, so I shot straight up in the air (which wasn’t “what was supposed to happen” according to the dogs so they barked – I need to add that to my list of reasons they’re barking!). I couldn’t wait to open the box and try it out.

What I Like About the Solvit Deluxe Tri-Scope Pet Ramp

It’s really light at only 14 pounds. I didn’t struggle with it like other ramps I’ve tried.
It can support over 300 pounds, yet it’s strong and compact.
It has rubber feet to ensure the ramp stays stable (especially important for giant breed dogs – simple movements can easily knock ramps off balance).
It has a high-traction walking surface to prevent slipping even with wet paws.

What I Don’t Like About the Solvit Deluxe Tri-Scope Pet Ramp

It’s not very wide. With the big paws and wide bodies Great Pyrenees have, Mauja and Atka didn’t have much room.

Even though I felt the width was a tad small, I would still highly recommend the Solvit Deluxe Tri-Scope Pet Ramp.

Remember, it’s extremely important to train your dog to use the ramp with plenty of positive reinforcement – many dogs won’t willingly climb the ramp the first time they see it. Solvit includes tips on how to acclimate your dog to the ramp in the package.

Do you have a pet ramp for your dog? How do you think it has benefitted you both?

DIsclaimer: I received the product mentioned above in exchange for my honest review. Don’t worry – an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and It’s Dog or Nothing only shares products we love and believe in.

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Monitoring Mauja’s Health with CheckUp

July 15, 2016 2 Comments

Monitoring Mauja’s Health with CheckUp

When Mauja was a puppy, frequent urinary tract infections were a big problem. The issue started when she was about four months old and continued until she was 10 months old. I cannot even imagine how much discomfort that caused her.

While “marking” is generally attributed to male dogs, it’s fairly common in female Great Pyrenees as well. As guard dogs, letting intruders know your territory is important. I had read this fact about pyrs and when Mauja started peeing in short bursts, I wondered if she was already beginning to mark. I didn’t think it would start at four months, but you really never know.

When I noticed this new behavior, I wasn’t immediately alarmed. The day after the behavior began, she peed in the house, something she hadn’t done in quite some time. While still a puppy, it was very plausible that she just got distracted playing and forgot. Even though I knew it was highly likely, I wasn’t convinced. The next day, we had a visit with our vet.

Sure enough, poor Mauja had a UTI. She was put on medication and a cranberry supplement and we scheduled our follow-up appointment. After a few days, Mauja wasn’t showing any signs of improvement so back to the vet we went for stronger meds.

Finally, we got the UTI cleared up. A few weeks later, I noticed the same symptoms. Back to the vet.

Another UTI.

This time, the vet had us change her diet as well. After a few weeks, she felt better and I thought we were in the clear.

Wrong.

A few weeks later it happened again. And again. I can’t remember how many she had in a row at this point. While she never showed any signs of pain, I can’t imagine that she was feeling very well.

We were about to take the step to more invasive procedures when the UTIs finally went away for good. Thank goodness.

Mauja hasn’t had a UTI since that spree, but I’m not willing to chance it. We’ve taken several trips to the vet just to find out that she’s healthy. Not only is it a lot of money, but Mauja hates going to the vet. She doesn’t need another thing to be stressed about.

CheckUp At Home Wellness Test

Trying the CheckUp wellness test has been on my to-do list for quite some time, but I kept pushing it aside for some reason. When I was approached about trying it, it was the kick in the pants I needed to get going.

CheckUp is a tool that allows you to test for common issues in dogs in the comfort of your own home. These include:

High glucose levels
Kidney failure
Urinary tract infection
Blood in urine

While not a complete substitute for a vet visit, it can help to prevent you from making unnecessary trips to the vet. If you have a dog who struggles with vet visits, you know just how much stress you’ll save your dog by doing a quick test at home. It really is a quick test and I completed Mauja’s in under ten minutes (that includes following her around and trying to get her to pee). It takes just a few easy steps to complete:

Assemble the included pole. It really takes like ten seconds and couldn’t be easier.
Collect a sample of your dog’s urine. Now, this is definitely the toughest part, especially if your dog is picky about her “pee spot”. I absolutely love that CheckUp comes with its own pole and collection cup. You can’t even imagine how many “pee ladles” and tupperware containers I went through with Mauja!
Fill the included vial with the collected urine for testing.
Dip the testing trip.
Read the results. That’s it!

I didn’t take pictures while completing the test because I wanted to make sure I did everything on time to get an accurate reading. Everything came back normal for Mauja, but I wasn’t anticipating any positive results. However, I do plan on keeping a few of these around the house for future incidents. I know she’s going to display symptoms again and I’d much rather do this at home test than put her through a stressful veterinary visit. At only $14.99 a kit, it’s definitely worth it!

Would you use CheckUp for your dog (or cat!) before deciding to go to the vet?

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Disclaimer: I was compensated to help spread the word about CheckUp. Don’t worry – an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and we only share products we use and believe in!

Voice Your [Dog’s] Style With #PrideBites

April 26, 2016 4 Comments

Voice Your [Dog’s] Style With #PrideBites

My husband and I are like most 20-somethings and enjoy the activities that other 20-somethings enjoy. For example, Friday nights are for going out with friends to the best bar or club and dancing the night away.

*snort* Yeah, I definitely couldn’t say that with a straight face.

Friday nights are for wine and one of our favorite TV shows, Shark Tank. I would be lying if I said we had never canceled or turned down plans because we were too excited for the latest episode of Shark Tank. #noshame

At the beginning of this month, we were more excited than usual to tune into Shark Tank because one of our favorite companies would be making an appearance. That company was… PrideBites™!

This post is sponsored by PrideBites™ and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer
Network™. I am being compensated for helping cover PrideBites being on ABC’s
Shark Tank, but It’s Dog or Nothing only shares information we feel is relevant
to our readers. PrideBites™ is not responsible for the content of this article.

PrideBites

PrideBites began with a toy made of proprietary foam that went on to become Pet Business Magazine’s Pet Toy of the Year in 2012. The toys are awesome – they squeak, float, and can withstand 55 pounds of pull pressure. They’re even machine washable! (If you have a dog who loves to take all her toys outside *ahem, Mauja…*, you know just how important this is!)

Eventually, PrideBites expanded to include personalized dog toys, beds, blankets, collars, leashes, placemats, coats, toy boxes, and more!

I. Love. Personalized. Products.

When I say personalized, I mean super personalized. Not only can you pick the colors/patterns of the product, but you can have your dog’s name and face added.

Yes, I said face.

When personalizing your product, you have the option of adding your dog’s picture. Simply upload photos of your dog and PrideBites will include a hand-drawn image on the product. Look at how cute Atka is on his custom frisbee!

PrideBites on ABC’s Shark Tank

On Friday, April 8th, Nick, Mauja, Atka, and myself settled in to watch PrideBites on Shark Tank. That night, the Sharks included Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful), Lori Grenier, and Robert Herjavec. Nick and I bantered back and forth about who PrideBites would nail a deal with.

If you don’t want me to spoil it before you watch the episode (which you can do here), skip to the next section 🙂

PrideBites was able to score two, yes TWO, Sharks, which is huge! Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec offered $200,000 in exchange for 20% equity in the company, and the deal was accepted!

I did a little happy dance, Mauja and Atka barked, and we all cheered for PrideBites. I can’t wait to see how PrideBites grows with the help of two Sharks over the next few years.

PrideBites Custom Frisbee

The customized frisbee is our first experience with a personalized pet product from PrideBites. Since I already knew we loved the toys (the pups got to try the penguin toy a few years ago), I was really interested to see how the customization process went. I worried it would be a time-consuming task with a less than satisfying result.

I was so wrong.

I simply had to upload three pictures to the site. Us crazy dog lovers know that the hardest thing about having to upload three pictures is actually narrowing it down to three pictures out of the thousands we have on our phones 😉 I picked three of my favorites, added Atka’s name, and submitted the information.

Definitely one of the easiest personalization processes I’ve gone through! I’ve really been wanting to get Mauja and Atka placemats and after such a great experience, I’m definitely going to be ordering them soon. They have been added to my “to purchase for the pups” list 😉

Here’s What You Should Do Now

Watch PrideBites on Shark Tank on ABC
Visit PrideBites on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest
Check out all the awesome, personalizable products from PrideBites (Did I mention that all It’s Dog or Nothing newsletter subscribers receive an exclusive discount code? Sign up here!)
Make your dog’s day by gifting him with a PrideBites toy or other personalized product!

Which PrideBites product would you like for your dog?

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pride Bites. The opinions and text are all mine.

Book Review: Saved By Gracie

August 28, 2015 13 Comments

I crave different kinds of books in the summer and winter. In the winter, I want a long book that I can get lost in for weeks. Something about snuggling up with some hot chocolate and a good book makes me all warm and fuzzy. In the summer, I prefer quick reads; something that I can read over the weekend while I sit in the sun (or by the ocean if I’m lucky!).

Now, I don’t typically do book reviews because I’m behind enough on my current stack of books, but the tagline on the front of the book intrigued me.

“How a Rough-and-Tumble Rescue Dog Dragged Me Back to Health, Happiness, and God.”

Jan Dunlap writes about her journey of bringing a dog into her home in her book Saved by Gracie. She didn’t want a dog and in fact, was terrified of dogs. After a medical misdiagnosis, she dealt with severe anxiety that limited her experiences of the outside world. She lived in her own bubble; that is, until Gracie came along.

As someone that has had dogs her entire life, I found this read not only humorous, but eye-opening as well. Jan mentions things she never realized about having a dog that I foolishly assumed were common knowledge. Of course people don’t just know things, Kelsie! 😉

I loved reading about how Gracie slowly opened Jan’s world to once terrifying experiences. Things weren’t as bad as she expected them to be. In reality, she was missing out on life’s beauty.

There weren’t a hundred accidents or vicious animals waiting for me in the woods. Instead, there was a spring smell of the earth, the trickling sound of the stream, birds calling, buds opening. It was beautiful. – Jan Dunlap, Saved By Gracie

As the book continues, Jan discusses some research she read about the science behind the human-dog bond. Study after study has shown that individuals that have dogs are physically and emotionally healthier than those that do not have dogs. I know Mauja and Atka open me up every day, which for an anxiety-ridden introvert is a pretty big deal.

If you aren’t much of a religious person, like myself, don’t shy away from the book. Jan quotes a few Bible verses, but nothing that should deter anyone from reading it. Also, there are a few mentions of a trainer and training methods positive trainers like myself don’t agree with, but again, it shouldn’t deter you.

I found Saved By Gracie to be a wonderful read; a humorous take on a serious situation. If you’re passionate about the bond between humans and dogs, this is a must-read. So how about a giveaway?!

Jan was gracious enough to give books to two lucky winners! Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below 🙂

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Disclaimer: It’s Dog or Nothing received the book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links. Don’t worry, It’s Dog or Nothing only shares products we love and feel you would enjoy. Thanks for supporting It’s Dog or Nothing!

The Anxiety Wrap

October 24, 2014 14 Comments

I really don’t like to medicate my dogs. I prefer to use natural remedies as much as possible. Thankfully, we haven’t had many occasions where I’ve needed to utilize medication. Mauja tends to have anxiety in new places, but we have found a natural product that really seems to take the edge off. It wasn’t until recently that I needed something for Atka. [Read more…] about The Anxiety Wrap

I’m Just Lowering My Center of Gravity

July 28, 2014 22 Comments

We were so excited to get a package from Talia’s Toys this weekend! If you haven’t heard of Talia’s toys, she makes these adorable upcycled tug toys (who doesn’t love when things are upcycled?!). When I opened the package, I was tickled to see not only the toy, but some treats and a hand written card as well! I don’t know about you, but I love the personal touches. It really shows how much someone cares about their product and their customers.

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Our Obsession with Only Natural Pet

Our Obsession with Only Natural Pet