NoviPet Seeks Out Puppy Model for Upcoming Puppy Supplement (and you can win great prizes, too!)

WHAT:  Pet nutritional supplements company NoviPet (www.novipet.net) is currently seeking a cover model for their upcoming Puppy nutritional supplement!  Puppy owners may enter the contest by submitting a picture of their best friend through NoviPet’s Facebook contest application located here: https://www.facebook.com/NoviPetNutrition/app_451684954848385

WHEN:  Now through midnight PST on May 13, 2013.

WHY:  NoviPet is the leading provider of innovative pet nutritional supplements for cats and dogs.  This summer, the company will release an Omega 3 & Colostrum supplement especially designed for puppies, and the company would like to feature one of their Facebook fans’ puppies on the front of the box!

PRIZES:  The Grand Prize Pet Parent will win a professional photo shoot for their puppy in their home town so the puppy will look PERFECT on the product box, in addition to a $1,500 cash prize, a 1-year supply of NoviPet canine supplements, a 1-month subscription to DOGTV and a Roku 3 Streaming Player to stream DOGTV to their TV set!  Also, 4 runners up will receive:

1. 3-month supply of NoviPet canine supplements

2. 1-month subscription to DOGTV

3. Roku 3 Streaming Player

4. $50 Amazon giftcard

HOW TO WIN:  The 5 winners will be selected through NoviPet Facebook fan votes –so get your friends and family to vote for your puppy’s picture!

View the official rules for entry: https://woobox.com/offers/rules/wkj2yp

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Over the holidays many families welcome pets into their homes and Petco Whole Pets can help new pet parents learn that keeping a pet healthy means more than just feeding your pet the right nutrition.  The Petco Whole Pets puzzle is made up of 4 categories:  Physical, emotional, social, and mental.  Is your pet missing any of the pieces?  Read below for some great products that your pet may love to make sure that you get off on the right paw for 2013.

Physical health – Most pet parent know proper diet and exercise is vital, but they may not realize that grooming and playtime is also essential to their pet’s health.  For instance, brushing and combing your dog helps keep the coat clean and healthy and stimulates the skin, allowing the natural oils to circulate to the coat.  I know that I loathe brushing Haylie and this is something I need to be more proactive about, I do participate in taking her every month to the groomer to have her nails cut.  With having a lab I don’t utilize my groomer for anymore more than a nail trim but this would be a great way to also have your pet checked for potential health problems such as growths, tumors, pests or any kind of inflammation.

I got Haylie as a puppy and as a new dog owner the first thing I noticed was how much energy she had. I wish I would have known abut the Chuck-it Kick Fetch when she was a puppy to be able to entertain her and keep her exercised.  This toy is great for any owner that has a yard or an area where the dog can stretch their legs, Haylie was addicted right away to this toy.  Petco Whole Pets has a huge selection of toys that can exercise your dog yet provide stimulation.

When I think about physical health the first thing I always think about it pet food!  I know as a dog owner it can be very overwhelming trying to decide what to feed your pet.  If you are a new pet owner the task of picking out food can be daunting and many first time dog owners may not know a puppy should eat puppy food or that some dogs require a special diet and that is where the Petco Whole Pets part of the website comes in handy.  I love giving Haylie grain free food and treats and we recently tried out Nature’s Variety Biscuits made by Instinct and this is a favorite treat of hers since she loves anything with rabbit in it.  Petco Whole Pets online or in the store can help you navigate the sometimes confusing selection of foods to see what is right for your pet.

Mental Health – Haylie was a destructive puppy when ever she was bored, I could go on for days with what she destroyed.  Lately several friends of mine have brought kittens into their homes and are learning very quick that any pet that is not mentally stimulated will show destructive behavior.  I think a lot of pet owners would love to know that ten minutes of thinking play can equal 45 minutes of active/outdoor play for pets.  Any kitten/cat owner would want to see if the Starchaser Cat Track would keep their kitten occupied instead of destroying upholstery!

Social Health – We live in Austin Texas which is very pet friendly city with plenty of walking trails, pet parks and pet-friendly establishments.  Living here made it easy to have a social dog, they don’t have much of a choice since our city is so pet friendly.  If you don’t have a pet friendly city you can always have play days or stop and talk to others when you see them out walking their dogs.  I think its very important for pet parents to teach pets to interact and play well with others and makes for an all around great pet parent.  We love to have our friends come over with their dog to play with Haylie and a perfect toy to share with dogs is the Tuffy’s 3-Way Tug – this was a favorite toy between Haylie and Fred when he was alive.

Being out and about social its important to remember that all pets need to be properly outfitted with an ID, collar or harness and leash.  I love the selection at Petco and the price is always right.  Make sure to pick up your Petco dog and cat collars on your next visit.

Emotional Health - Pets LOVE being a part of the family and right up in the action but they also need downtime which means a safe, comfortable place where they can take a time out.  This can go for all pets not just cats and dogs if you have a small pet such as a hamster or gerbil you will want to check out the Brown’s Natural Herbs N Hay Edible Tunnel – small animal treat.

A great way to bond with your pet is by getting them use to grooming rituals which include regular bathing and brushing.  I know that I spend a lot of time bonding with Haylie because it seems like I’m always giving her a bath!  If you are looking for a great shampoo make sure to check out Espree Pupp Shampoo – Espree Simple Shed Treatment.

So what are you waiting for?!  Head out to your local Petco and check out the Petco Whole Pets section or go online and check out Whole Pets sponsored by Petco.

The post Petco Whole Pets – Get Off On The Right Paw appeared first on Hound Girl.

Fruitables is 100% natural and contain selected organic ingredients, there is nothing artificial and the treats are calorie smart for fid, so they make the perfect daily treat or training reward.

Fruitables dog treats has a line called Skinny Minis and when I saw the size I knew these would be the perfect treats to try out on my parent’s wiener dogs we call the “Bob’s”.  The Skinny Minis are skinny in calories and mini in size.  They are gluten free chewy treats that come in 3 great flavors:  Yamberry, Pumpkin & Mango and Apple Bacon – what dog wouldn’t go crazy for those flavors?!  The shape is cute, there is no messy residue that is left on your hands and each treat is 3 ½ calories per treat!

For Haylie I saved her the Fruitables crunchy oven baked treats that are all-natural.  These treats come in 6 addicting flavors for your dog:  CrispyBaconApple, PumpkinBlueberry, PumpkinApple, PumpkinBanana, SweetPotatoePecan and Pumpkin Cranberry.  I was actually surprised that Haylie’s favorite was a toss-up between Sweet Potato Pecan and Pumpkin Cranberry.  These were the perfect size for her and I loved that they are crunchy.

I think one of the best things about Fruitables is the variety of flavors that they come in.   We rotate foods for Haylie along with flavors so I love the fact that I can have such a large variety of treats to not offer to her in order to keep her motivated to train for her treats.

Fruitables explains why they are set apart from other treats on their website; the following was taken from their site.
Fruitables® is truly different. Amazing aromas and tastes that are unlike any pet food today. Combining taste, aroma, texture, and design to create an experience that is as pleasing for you as for your pet family member. Take the Fruitables® Challenge™ and smell the difference!

Fruitables® are made and sourced in the USA. Our treats are baked in a certified organic facility.
Discover the amazing health benefits from natural and organic superfoods. Rich in Antioxidants, Vitamins A, C, and E…our fruits and vegetables are selected as much for their advanced nutritional benefits as their taste. Superfoods can help your dog live a healthier, fitter, and longer life. 

Our patent pending concept in advanced nutrition utilizes nature’s gifts of fruits and vegetables to balance palatability, calorie control, and satiety in foods that your pet will love. Our products are proven in university studies to reduce hunger between meals.

Fruitables can be found in our local Petco and several other stores for under $4.60 a bag which is a great deal for the quality of these treats.  If you want to find them at your local store to try out please visit their website and use the store locator and you will not be sorry.

Click here to follow them on facebook and click here to follow them on twitter

The post Fruitables Dog Treats Review appeared first on Hound Girl.

 Nature’s Logic provides your pet with essential and complete nutrition for all life stages using only 100% natural ingredients. Whole foods provide pets with an abundance of naturally-occurring nutrients: Proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber, probiotics, enzymes, antioxidants, co-factors, phytonutrients, and more. The natural synergies and increased bioavailability of these extra nutrients ensure the best possible nutrition for your pet. The company’s foods do NOT contain chemically-synthesized vitamins, minerals or other trace nutrients routinely added to other pet food. This ensures that your pet is not exposed to the potential toxicities associated with these man-made substances.

The winner will receive a Free Food Voucher to be redeemed at any Nature’s Logic retailer.

The contest starts tonight January 8th 2013 at 7pm CST and will end on Jan 15th 2013 at midnight CST.

The winner will choose from a) one 4.4-lb bag dry kibble, or b) one 3-lb bag raw frozen or c) five 13.2-oz cans.

Mandatory Entry (one entry):

• Visit Nature’s Logic (www.natureslogic.com) and select the flavor for that type of food you’d like to receive for your dog or cat.
• Leave a comment below with the food type and flavor.

Extra Entries (for each extra entry please leave in a separate comment):

• Like Hound Girl and Nature’s Logic on facebook
• Follow Hound Girl and Nature’s Logic on twitter
• Tweet  or re-tweet by using the button at the bottom of this post (can be done once daily, leave a separate comment for each daily tweet) : Win our 100% natural #dog food from @houndgirlblog. Grain free, no ingredients from China. @NaturesLogic, enter to win:http://bit.ly/KB6QUC
• Follow us on Instagram under the name of Houndgirl

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SmartBones recently introduced two new products called SmartChips and SmartSticks and Haylie is addicted and loves these just as much as the SmartBones.

Sure I like to use the Kong and Nylabones but I also like to give Haylie something that she can really chew on and something that she considers a special treat.  I do not like to give her rawhide bones because she tends to swallow large pieces and it makes me nervous.  I also realized I started to worry for the next few days after she would eat a rawhide to make sure she actually digested the bone.

She no longer eats rawhide’s now that we found SmartBones and haven’t looked back.  The nice thing about the SmartSticks and SmartChips is they are smaller and I can give her those more often and I don’t mind giving them to her often since I know that anything made by SmartBones is 99% digestible all my worries and fears are gone.  This is going to come in very handy soon because our house is going to be flooded with visitors when we bring home the baby so this would be a great longer lasting treat to give her to keep her a little preoccupied with people coming over daily.

SmartBones has a FAQ section on their website and the first thing they explain is about that their products are 99% digestible – this is their response:

Over 99% digestible. What does that mean?
Digestibility Studies are quite complex and are carried out in accordance with a strict protocol established by AAFCO (Association of American Feed control Officials), by Kennel facilities registered with the USDA under the Animal Welfare Act.

In its most basic form the study requires feeding specific dogs only dog food and measuring what goes in and what comes out and then repeating it with the same dogs but adding the treats to the dog food. All output is lab-analyzed for protein, fat and caloric digestibility.

Our standards required more than two years of formulation and re-formulation to finally achieve a 99.2% digestibility – a testament to the high standards and the quality of the ingredients we use. To put this in perspective even the best dog foods achieve only 85% total digestibility. You can rest assured that your dog will get maximum nutritional value from SmartBones chews. Side Benefit: Smaller stools. Smart Bones for Smart Dogs.

The post SmartBones Are Smart For Your Dog appeared first on Hound Girl.

Joe-Bob crossed over the rainbow bridge with the help of my father yesterday.  Joe-Bob belonged to my parents and was their oldest doxie – 15 years old – he has been hanging in there these last few years but started to get sick and then refused to eat so my dad knew it was time.

Joe-Bob is now buried in my parents backyard next to Ginger-Bob his favorite friend, when she passed away Joe-Bob took it very hard and aged about 10 years over night right after she passed.

I know that Ginger-Bob, Fred and many other angels where there to meet him on the other side of the rainbow bridge yesterday and to show him around.

RIP Joe-Bob

12/11/12

The post Joe-Bob Earned His Wings appeared first on Hound Girl.

For months I have not had a tablecloth on the table so that we could admire the beautiful wood table that took us forever to pick out.  Recently as in 2 days ago I decided to be festive and put a table cloth on it.

Yesterday my husband came home to the tablecloth out in the back yard….The place mats that took me months to find the perfect ones were spread all over the yard.  The basket that holds the napkins was destroyed along with about 30 napkins – it did look like it snowed though which was nice for all of 2 seconds before I realized I had to pick it up.

She did NOT eat my husbands favorite salt and pepper grinders though.

I took her on a walk when I got home and tried to have a long talk with her.  I don’t think she was listening very well.

The joys of puppy-hood.

The post Stella-Bob vs Tablecloth appeared first on Hound Girl.

People have asked me what I’m doing to prepare the dogs for the baby.  Honestly I haven’t done anything major.

Stella-Bob being a puppy (8 months) is learning things that will come in handy for her being around the baby such as:

no jumping when greeting people

the “leave it” command

“lay down” command

LOOSE LEASH WALKING – that’s just a joke with a puppy!

All of the commands for Stella-Bob are just normal training items that will come in handy for when the baby is around.

For Haylie I can predict her issue would be licking…she will want to lick that baby..so I probably should be reinforcing the command “No Lick-ee-Lick” – haha don’t judge my command names!  She has been a licker since the day I brought her home.

I have reinforced Haylie’s commands when out walking in hopes I can hold her leash and she can go walking with the baby/stroller and I.

Haylie loves her some stuffies and toys and will reach what ever she can find to put in her mouth if someone shows up at the door, what can I say she likes to bring a present to every guest!  So keeping Haylie from picking up the babies toys will be something we will have to keep an eye on but she is great on the “drop it” and “leave it” command.

The post New Baby and Dogs appeared first on Hound Girl.

We have been MIA for awhile now.  Life has just gotten so busy with baby girl Pike due in 6 weeks and then raising a puppy there just isn’t a lot of down time, if there is down time I try to spend it sleeping!

During the past few months Miss Stella-Bob taught her self how to open the garbage can – I do have to admit at least she took the garbage outside and didn’t string it through the house.

She decided to get into the huge pot that I have a key lime tree growing in and dug her a nice place to lie down!  I think she likes the leaves on that tree because they smell like citrus and I suppose she liked the view and didn’t want to have to lie on the ground in the back yard.

Stella-Bob and Haylie have woken up my neighbors before 5am chasing/cornering the most disgusting huge possum in our backyard.

Ahhh the joys of puppy-hood!

We will be back with a lot of updates this week so stayed tuned!  Im slowly making my way to your blogs!

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I’ve said it many times before on this blog that any card sent through the mail is one of my favorite things and it seems to have gone out of style with skype and email around.  I look forward to the holiday’s for my annual Christmas card exchange with family and friends.  These past years I have tried to focus on sending more cards out for other occasions- such as birthdays, anniversaries, and get well cards.

Last year I took advantage of Treat cards when they were running a deal on a free card to try out the service.  It was perfect timing I had a HUGE thank you to my parents best friends for an amazing present/honeymoon that my husband and I were given.  Not just any thank you card would work – it had to be personal and customized!

Here was the inside of the card that I was able to totally customize with even a picture at no cost!

Treat has an amazing selection from everything from funny to sarcasm – it’s very easy and totally fun.  Treat is running a special so that you can try a card out for FREE.  It’s perfect timing with the holidays coming up – s0 maybe you can check something off your list by making a personal card to send to someone!

Go to Treat

You will get one free Treat card good only Monday 11/19/2012 & Tuesday 11/20/2012

The code you will enter for your free card will be TREATBLOGR

I hope you enjoy their funny selection and I hope you find the perfect card to customize!

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