treats

Toppin’ It Off With Spot Farms

September 15, 2016 12 Comments

Toppin’ It Off with Spot Farms

I’m always on the lookout for something new and exciting to add to the fluffies’ food. Surprisingly enough, they’re not the biggest “food dogs” and I sometimes struggle to get them to eat enough. To keep them continuously interested, we utilize a rotation diet and add various toppers to their meals.

I really love the concept of dehydrated food. It is far closer to feeding fresh food than kibble but with the ease of feeding a traditional kibble meal. However, Atka refuses to eat just dehydrated food. I think it’s a texture issue because he absolutely loves it as a topper or frozen – just not as a standalone meal. Mauja (and most dogs) don’t have any issue with the texture. Atka just has to keep me on my toes 😉

There are several dehydrated foods on the market, so how do you choose the right one for your dog?

Spot Farms Dehydrated Food

I always try and keep things interesting for the fluffies and they've been LOVING this dehydrated food from Spot Farms. I use it as a topper for my Great Pyrenees, but it is also great as a complete, balanced meal! — Look at that snoot in the air! Atka was a fan 🙂

After having the opportunity to try Spot Farms Dehydrated at BlogPaws, it has become an important addition to the fluffies’ food rotation. I get the “seriously, mom?” look when they don’t get Spot Farms Dehydrated with their meals. Lucky for them, I think it’s a great food so they can have it whenever they want! Here are a few reasons why I love Spot Farms Dehydrated:

There are grain-free formulas and formulas with grains to suit a variety of nutritional needs.
They have 5 different recipes so I never have to worry about Mauja and Atka getting bored.
It can be fed as a whole, nutritious meal or as a topper for your dog’s current food.
All ingredients are human grade.
Preparation is super easy! Add water, wait three minutes, and serve.

Spot Farms offers suggestions for how much to feed your dog based on your dog’s weight. Always remember that these numbers are approximate and will vary based on age and activity level. Use the guide as a starting point and then adjust up or down as needed!

Get your paws on Spot Farms Dehydrated at Petco, Petco.com, Unleashed, and Amazon.

Spot Farms Artisanal

After your dog has Spot Farms Dehydrated for dinner, how about a little dessert? Or you can have dessert before dinner – we don’t judge 😉 These brand new treats are seriously a fluffy hit. With flavors such as Honey Mango Chicken and Cranberry Sweet Potato Turkey, how could they not?! These have been one of my go-to, high-value training treats recently and they always get Mauja and Atka’s attention!

Spot Farms Artisanal treats are now available at Petco, which makes is super easy to grab a bag (or two or three…) during your Petco errands. Trust me – your dog will thank you. Be sure to store your opened packages in the refrigerator to keep them fresh!

Why Not Try?

If you feel Spot Farms Dehydrated will be a good addition to your dog’s diet but aren’t sure if it will go over well, grab a 1 oz. trial size of the Grain Free Chicken and/or Whole Grain Chicken for just $1 each!

Be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win the Grain Free Chicken recipe to try!

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*Disclaimer: We were compensated to share our opinions about Spot Farms. Don’t worry – an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and we only share products we use and love!

10 Thanksgiving Treats Your Dog Will Thank You For

November 24, 2015 1 Comment

We spend so much time fussing over the Thanksgiving dinner for people, but sometimes our furry ones get left out in the hustle and bustle. That’s why we’ve rounded up 10 homemade treat recipes we think your dog will love that also go with the Thanksgiving theme! Most likely, you’ll have most of the ingredients you need on hand.

Cranberry Cheese Cookies (via Gluten Free Canteen)
Apple Oatmeal Treats (via Brownie Bites)
Gluten Free Pumpkin Treats (via Minnie in Manhatten)
Apple Crunch Pupcakes (via Candiquik)
Pumpkin Pupcakes (via Pet Coupon Savings)
Vegan & Grain-Free Sweet Potato Cookie (via The Lazy Pitbull)
Thanksgiving Thumbprint Cookies (via Kol’s Notes)
Homemade Turkey Jerky (via My GBGV Life)
Baked Sweet Potato Fries (via Sugar the Golden Retriever)
Cran-Pumpkin Peanut Butter Treats (via The Cottage Market)

Have you made any similar treats? Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving inspired dog treat recipe?

Celebrating With One Dog Organic Bakery Holiday Tins

November 12, 2015 4 Comments

Whether we’re ready or not, the holiday season is here. Personally, I don’t decorate or anything until the day after Thanksgiving, but I know there are a lot of early preparers out there so I wanted you to know about this ADORABLE product!

I wrote about One Dog Organic Bakery and their mission for transparency in the pet industry a bit ago and absolutely love everything they stand for. If you missed that post, go check it out before I continue!

I’ll wait.

Okay, are we ready?

Good.

So let’s talk about the Holiday Keepsake Tins from One Dog Organic Bakery. These tins are absolutely adorable and the perfect way to bring the holidays to your pups. The tins remind me of the popcorn tins that we used to get all of the time – they’re definitely something you will want to reuse. However, the best part is when you open the tin for the first time.

OH. MY. FLUFFY.

It smelled like I was opening a tin of freshly baked cookies and I’m not going to lie, I almost took a bite. The fact that One Dog Organic Bakery has a human-grade facility made it all the more tempting! I figured I’d have some pretty angry fluffies if I ate their treats 😉

Mauja and Atka’s tin had two flavors of treats: Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread Men. Both of these flavors are grain, preservative, chemical, and artificial anything free. The treats smelled EXACTLY like Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread so I was eager to see how the pups liked them.

Mauja and Atka are so silly when they try something new for the first time. I held out a treat for each of them and they both gave it a thorough sniff. They probably smelled the treats for 10 seconds before they gingerly (see what I did there?) took the treats from my hand and walked away with them. After a few more seconds of sniffing, they finally decided it was time for the taste test. As soon as they finished, they were both at my side begging for more. This time, there was a lot of excitement for the treat!

One Dog Organic Bakery has several flavors to fit the preferences of every dog. For their Holiday Keepsake Tins, they have:

Gingerbread Men
Apple Cinnamon Crisp
Ginger Snaps
Peanut Butter Honey
Peanut Butter Cranberry
Pumpkin Spice

Best part, all the flavors are grain free! Every Christmas, I say that I’m going to bake treats and put them in cute jars for the pups of my friends and family. Then I get busy and it never happens. Dog mom fail. This year I am definitely going to be sending these tins to the special pups in my life.

Mom, if you’re reading this (HI MOM!), don’t tell Mallie and Kai 😉

So what do you think? Are you going to add the Holiday Keepsake Tins to your Christmas list this year?

Disclaimer: It’s Dog or Nothing was provided the product mentioned above in exchange for our honest opinion. Don’t worry – an advertiser will never influence the content of this site and we only share products we believe in and feel you would enjoy. Thanks for supporting It’s Dog or Nothing!

10 Fall Activities to do with Your Dog

September 24, 2015 10 Comments

Since yesterday was the first day of fall (yep, I missed it), I thought we’d talk about some fun things to do with your furry friend this fall! I ~~hate the cold~~ am not the biggest fan of fall and really don’t enjoy pumpkin (not even the Pumpkin Spice Latte – maybe my girl gene is broken?), but Mauja and Atka love the cool air that accompanies the season change. So, just for them, I ~~put on 18 layers~~ bundle up and we head outside to enjoy it together. Here’s 10 things we’re hoping to do this fall:

Find a dog-friendly pumpkin patch and pick pumpkins together.
Take a trip to the orchard to pick some fresh apples (then make apple treats!).
Enjoy the scenery and cool, crisp air with a hike in a new area.
Make a pile of leaves to jump and play in.
Get some exercise with some backyard football.
Create/buy a fun costume for your dog; or maybe you and your dog could match costumes! (now taking suggestions for the fluffies’ Halloween apparel!)
Throw a “Howl-oween” party.
Bob for apples (or perhaps they would enjoy hot dogs more).
Bake some pumpkin inspired treats.
Attend a dog-friendly outdoor festival.

I’m reeeeally hoping I can find a dog-friendly pumpkin patch here in Montana. I searched endlessly last year, but was unsuccessful. We will definitely be hitting the trails for a few more hikes before the cold comes in just a few short months.

What are your fall plans with your dog?

Fluffy BlogPaws Product Roundup

June 9, 2015 5 Comments

BlogPaws 2015 was a complete blast. We met amazing people, chatted with fantastic brands, and learned more than my brain could handle in one weekend. I came back extremely motivated and ready to quit my day job. Then I remembered I have bills to pay, fluffies to feed, and therefore a bit of work to do before I can make that leap 😉

We received a swag bag with products from many of the sponsors, but also received product from brands that we met throughout the conference. Here are some of our favorite products from BlogPaws 2015.

1. Only Natural Pet Canine Powerfood – This stuff is seriously amazing and a recent addition to the fluffy rotation. We absolutely love products from ONP (like their salmon oil, beef tripe niblets, and Himalayan dog chews) and this food is certainly no exception. The food is fantastic quality at an even better price. You can read more about the Canine Powerfood here.

2. Full Moon Real Bacon Treats – While these treats are a bit slimy, they are a fluffy favorite. These treats are made in the USA, all natural, and free of grain, corn, wheat, and soy. I’d suggest getting two bags as you’re pup will fly through one! More on Full Moon here.

3. Primal Beef Chips – We had never tried anything from Primal, but I was very impressed with their treats. They are single source protein treats which are great for pups with food sensitivies. They also are free from preservatives and are grain/gluten free.

4. Wag More Bark Less – These treats are from Cloud Star, which create a fluffy favorite, Buddy Biscuits. This line is a crunchy treat that is free of corn, soy, and artificial flavors and colors. These treats do include grains, so they are not the best if your pooch is on a strict, grain-free diet.

5. Stella & Chewy’s Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers – We don’t feed raw here at It’s Dog or Nothing, but I’m not against freeze-dried raw as an addition to kibble. The meal mixers contain cage-free turkey, fruits, and vegetables and leave out anything artificial. If you are a raw feeder or simply looking to mix up your dog’s kibble, Stella & Chewy’s has some fantastic options.

6. Groom Genie – This brush definitely isn’t going to pull out the undercoat, but it is a great tool for sleeking the fur. I love the paw shape of the brush as it makes for a very comfortable grip. The brush also claims to gently massage and relax your dog during the grooming process. Mauja and Atka have enjoyed this brush so far!

7. Jones Natural Chews – We received a few products from JNC, but the Windees are a fluffy favorite. These all-natural treats are a great way for your pup to end the day. Mauja and Atka have tried several treats from Jones Natural Chews and always enjoy them (like these).

8. Dog Tag Art – These dog tags are adorable and you can even create your own. They have a vast amount of pre-created tags, but you can also upload your own image to turn into an ID tag. We’ve talked about the importance of proper pet identification, but why not do it in a cute and unique way?

9. VetriScience – We received three products from VetriScience: Perio Plus (dental chews), Composure (calming chew), and GlycoFlex (joint chew). While I’m not sure dental chews do much for my two, Mauja and Atka love the taste. While at BlogPaws, we gave Mauja the Composure chews before leaving the room. She was still very nervous, but it definitely helped to take the edge off. The joint support chews include green-lipped mussels, which are great for joints, but not typically found in joint products. After the fluffies have been on these chews for a bit, I will report back with the results.

10. Burt’s Bees Itch Soothing Spray – I love anything natural. I’d prefer to stay away from chemical as much as possible, which is why I love Burt’s Bees. This spray contains honeysuckle and is 97% natural. Atka’s back leg has been bothering him lately, and this spray has definitely been helping.

11. Dr. Harvey’s – We received Sweet Potato Chews, Biscotti for Dogs, Coconut Smiles, Power Patties, and two food pre-mixes. Mauja and Atka weren’t the biggest fans of the Coconut Smiles, but I wasn’t surprised since they won’t eat coconut oil. If your dog likes coconut, these are great! I’m really intrigued by the food mixes. You simply add meat and water to the mix to create a wonderful homemade meal for your dog. Yum!

12. Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips – If you have a senior or special needs dog that is slipping on your floor, this is the product for you. Created by a holistic veterinarian, these grips help provide confidence, mobility, and stability to your dog. These are going to make their way to Mauja and Atka’s berner cousin, Kai.

Have you tried any of these products? If so, how was your experience? Stay tuned for more in-depth reviews on some of these products over the next few weeks. Also, look out next week for a review of our favorite product/brand from BlogPaws!

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?

Green Beef Tripe Niblets

March 24, 2015 5 Comments

High value treats are essential for training success.

Have you ever failed to complete a trick with your dog in public that he does perfectly at home? Did your dog not know the trick very well? Was there a distraction? Was the new environment too stimulating?

I have encountered this a lot with the fluffies. We perfect a skill at home, but we need to practice in the real world. However, I can’t keep their attention with the same treats that work at home.

I need to kick it up a notch.

Enter Only Natural Pet’s Green Beef Tripe Niblets

These freeze-dried bites of deliciousness give me unwavering fluffy attention. Atka is in full-blown adolescence and his excitement is getting the best of him. I needed a treat that could get (and keep!) his attention when a dog, human, or tiny human appears. Adding the Green Beef Tripe Niblets to my high-value treat mix has worked wonders.

What is tripe?

Tripe is the stomach of grazing animals, such as cows, sheep, and buffalo. It’s important to feed your dog green (instead of white) tripe as the digestive enzymes haven’t been destroyed.

Why Only Natural Pet?

The Green Beef Tripe Niblets from Only Natural Pet are made in the USA and contain 100% green beef tripe. There’s no fillers which means no preservatives. These freeze-dried niblets are high in usable protein and essential fatty acids. I’m not going to lie – these treats stink. I made the mistake of scratching my face mid training session and smelled beef tripe the rest of the time. The smellier the better for Mauja and Atka so it’s worth it!

Think your dog would like to have freeze-dried green beef tripe added to their treat list? Or maybe you want to try the salmon oil we absolutely love? Use code “AFSAVINGS” to save $10 and receive free shipping on your order of $25 or more!

Disclaimer: It’s Dog or Nothing 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 we only share products we feel our readers would enjoy.

Look Who’s Happy All Year Long

March 3, 2015 19 Comments

Pals, this is what a year’s supply of treats looks like (aka pyr bliss). Look Who’s Happy is hosting a giveaway for a year’s supply of their Happy Wraps treats. It’s old news that we LOVE Look Who’s Happy as we tried their Fetch ‘n Fillets and Tempt’n Tenders a few months ago. I’m pleased to say the Happy Wraps are everything we hoped they would be. These treats are so adorable. Pictured above is the sweet potato with chicken recipe. You can see the piece of chicken wrapped around the sweet potato stick. How cool! Other flavors include carrot with chicken, carrot with turkey, and sweet potato with turkey.

Now, here’s the most important question…

If the Happy Wraps would make your dog happy, you’re in luck! Look Who’s Happy is giving away a YEAR’S SUPPLY of the Happy Wraps treats. Head to the Look Who’s Happy Facebook page to enter!

Come on… make YOUR dog happy 🙂

We’re joining the Tasty Tuesday blog hop hosted by Kol’s Notes and Sugar the Golden Retriever!

February PetBox

February 24, 2015 9 Comments

It’s February and that means… time for a new PetBox and a review from some PetBox Spokesdoggies!

PetBox is a monthly pet subscription service that brings your pup (or kitty!) the latest and greatest products. Simply chose your desired plan, fill in some information about your pet, and wait for your box to arrive. If you want to be more involved, you can choose which products come in your monthly box.

Let’s dig in!

February PetBox Food & Treats

Old Mother Hubbard Bits of Love – These adorable, heart-shaped treats are perfect for Valentine’s Day or any time you want to show your pup some love.
Pet Greens Treats – These treats are made with wheat grass, which provides chlorophyll, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. These treats are also free of gluten, grains, fillers, and artificial ingredients.
Evanger’s Super Premium Beef Dinner – The fluffies love a good wet food added to their dinner every now and then and I love when it’s a healthy addition.

February PetBox Toys

ZippyPaws Toy – This toy is pretty small in comparison to the toys I usually get the fluffies. This toy has crinkle paper in it, which is a fluffy favorite!
Topsy Turvies Fetch Toy – An adorable little toy that I’m sure Mauja and Atka will destroy, but they’ll have a lot of fun doing it!
Petstages Dental Twist – This rough and tough toy is doing a great job of standing up to chewing. The toy is twisted with rubber which helps to massage your dog’s gums.

Would you purchase a PetBox subscription for your pup?