Seniors sometimes need a little extra...

Senior dogs have special needs that younger dogs may not have.  As they age, dogs may suffer from problems with their joints.  With this in mind, we always look for treats that are not only tasty, but also that are healthy for our collies.  This month our friends at Chewy.com sent us a package of Earthborn Holistic, Earthbites dog treats in the Hip and joint formula.

Every day with a senior dog is a gift, and keeping them moving means trying to help them maintain their joint health with Glucosamine and Chondroitin.  Earthborn has many varieties of treats, but for senior dogs, their Earthbites Hip & Joint formula is an excellent choice.  I also loved seeing apples, blueberries, carrots & spinach in the ingredient list!

Key Benefits:

• Contains turkey meal, molasses, honey & maple syrup
• Fortified with glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate
• Antioxidant-rich (Vitamin E and C) plus vegetables & fruits in every bite
• Peas, apples, blueberries, carrots & spinach in every bite!
• Balanced Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids help play a vital role in healthy skin, hair coat and immune function

Ingredients:

Turkey Meal, Peas, Cane Molasses, Tapioca, Vegetable Glycerin, Honey, Maple Syrup, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Apples, Blueberries, Carrots, Spinach, Cranberries, Phosphoric Acid, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, L-Carnitine, Chondroitin Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product.

If you are looking for a healthy treat to supplement your dog's diet with additional Glucosamine and Chondroitin, you should take a look at these treats.  The collies loved them, and they are available right here at: Chewy.com.

We were sent this package of treats for free, in exchange for our honest review.

A new Blue review!

This month we reviewed Blue Buffalo's Holiday Red, White and Blue Bars for our friends at Chewy.com.  Since this is also the month we celebrate our Nation's Independence day, the collies felt this was perfectly patriotic!

These dog cookies are made right here in the USA, and we couldn't wait to check them out.  Let's look at the Key Benefits:

• Crunchy patriotic biscuits.
• Shaped like the American flag.
• No corn, soy, wheat or chicken (or poultry) by-products.
• Nutritious ingredients enhanced by vitamins.
• Baked with pride in the USA!

Ingredients:

Oatmeal, Barley, Oat Flour, Yogurt, Apples, Flaxseed (Source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Cane Molasses, Carrots, Salt, Canola Oil (Source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Calcium Carbonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Cinnamon, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin E Supplement.

Oatmeal, apples, carrots, cinnamon...they sure sound delicious!

And we thought they were adorable, they look just like the American Flag!

So I gave my approval, but how did the collies like these cookies?  Let's just say they didn't last long in our house!  

The collies thought these crunchy treats were yummy, and didn't want to give me back the bag!  So if your patriotic pup is looking for a new treat to try, the collies definitely recommend these Blue Buffalo, Red, White & Blue Bars sold at one of our favorite online retailers, Chewy.com!

We were sent these treats for the collies' honest opinions, they were not paid for this review.

Sad news...

I wanted to update the blog with our sad news, but words are inadequate to express our sorrow, so I wasn't sure what I would write.  Those of you who have lost a dog (or beloved pet) will know our heartbreak.  We have lost one of our senior collies.  Holly, who turned 12 years old this past Christmas, had been having some health problems the last two months.  She had a stroke, and recovered.  But her heart, kidneys and liver were starting to fail her.  And even though he was doing better, she suddenly had a stroke and a pulmonary embolism in the middle of the night, and we had to make the decision to let her go.

Holly as a puppy.

She was such a special collie, with a fun and loving personality that always made us laugh.  She was my daughter's junior handling collie, and best friend.  She slept on my bed every night, and took long walks with me.  She lived for dog shows, and her joy in competing with my daughter was evident to all who watched them.  Her loss has left a huge hole in our lives, and the other collies miss her too.

This past year she just couldn't walk as far as she used to, as she had bad arthritis.  So we would bring her cart along, and when she grew tired, or started limping, she would ride in the cart the rest of the walk.  She loved going for walks with us, and we wanted to make her happy.  Dogs bring so much joy and love into our lives, but they sure break our hearts when they leave us.  If you have a senior dog, please give them a hug for us.

The collies have spoken...

Collies are a vocal breed, and as such, they love to share their opinions.  This makes them perfect for writing reviews!  Our friends at Chewy.com sent us a package of Stella & Chewy's Dandy Lamb Meal Mixers, and as always, the collies were excited to try something new!

With all the new articles raising concern about health problems being caused by dog foods, it's hard to know what food  is safe.  But Stella & Chewy's has a good reputation, and we have tried some of their other products in the past, so we felt confident that this was a quality dog food.

But let's look at the ingredient list:

Lamb, Lamb Spleen, Lamb Liver, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Bone, Pumpkin Seed, Organic Cranberries, Organic Spinach, Organic Broccoli, Organic Beets, Organic Carrots, Organic Squash, Organic Blueberries, Fenugreek Seed, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Sodium Phosphate, Tocopherols (Preservative), Choline Chloride, Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid.

I was impressed with all that real meat, and no "lamb meal" like we see in so many other dog foods.  And I loved all the organic fruits and veggies!  Check out the key benefits:

• Made with grass-fed lamb raised without hormones or antibiotics and 100% organic-certified fruits and vegetables.
• Real raw nutrition in the convenience of freeze-dried nuggets; can be served as a complete meal or mixed with dry kibble to add variety with a nutritious boost and help entice a picky eater.
• Formulated to mimic a canine’s natural diet; never contains grains, gluten, fillers, artificial preservatives or colorings.
• Complete and balanced nutrition is enhanced with probiotics to aid in healthy digestion—perfect for the pup with a sensitive stomach.
• Proudly made in the USA with ingredients responsibly sourced from trusted and reputable suppliers.

The lamb is grass-fed, and free of both hormones and antibiotics.  And it's made in the USA, and all the ingredients are responsibly sourced.  This is definitely something we love to see when choosing a dog food or treat.

The collies really love the taste of Stella & Chewy's Dandy Lamb Meal Mixers, and I really love the ingredients.  So this is one product we highly recommend.  Now with all those quality ingredients, it can be a bit pricey for those of us with multiple dogs, which is why this food is perfect for "mixing" in to your regular kibble, to boost your dogs' nutrition!  We also use the small pieces as training treats, as the collies will do whatever we ask for these freeze-dried raw food nuggets!  But don't just take our word, the collies want you to give them a try for yourselves!  

Disclaimer:  We were sent this product for free, from our friends at Chewy.com, in exchange our our honest review.

Wordless Wednesday - the smile says it all!

It was a beautiful Summer day, so we decided to head over to our local Nursing Home for a Therapy Dog visit.  The residents were so happy to see Ryder, they all had big smiles on their faces.  Ryder was sporting a pretty big smile himself!

Blue review

Does your dog love bacon?  The collies sure do!  And this month our friends at Chewy.com sent us a package of Blue Buffalo Sizzlers to review.   

These treats have a smoked scent that drives the collies crazy!  And they really seemed to enjoy them.  We took them with us to a dog show, and used them in the show ring.

Maizie thought they were really good, and she was showing her best in the ring, to earn some more of these treats!

We also took them with us to the Nursing Home, as a reward for all of Ryder's hard work as a Therapy Dog!

Check out the Key Benefits:

• Natural, bacon-style dog treats made with real pork as the first ingredient with added vitamins and minerals
• Sizzlers bring the taste of home-cooked bacon that your dog will love as an alternative to the real thing, they won't even know the difference
• Wholesome oatmeal & skim milk
• No chicken/poultry by-product meals, just real ingredients. No corn, wheat or soy for dogs with food allergies
• No artificial preservatives, colors or flavors, just natural treats for dogs of all sizes and ages

Ingredients:
Deboned Pork, Pearled Barley, Rye, Pea Protein, Potato Protein, Tapioca Starch, Vegetable Glycerin, Cane Molasses, Brown Rice, Brown Sugar, Oatmeal, Gelatin, Canola Oil (Source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Dried Cultured Skim Milk, Cheese Powder, Bacon Fat, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Paprika, Potassium Chloride, Carrot, Preserved with Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols & Oil of Rosemary.

The collies really loved these treats, and I loved that they were the perfect size for in the show ring or to take along on our Therapy Dog visits.  They weren't greasy either, which makes it safe to throw a couple in my pocket when we are out on hike.  We recommend these treats for active pups on the go, or just as a reward for all the love our best friends give us every day.  You can order some for your friends by clicking here!

Chewy.com sent us this product in exchange for our review, we were not reimbursed for our honest opinion.

Got Roo?

The collies do!  This month our awesome friends at Chewy.com sent us Zignature Canned Kangaroo.  As I am always cautious with what treats and food I give my collies, I was so excited to get the chance to review this canned dog food.  Zignature Kangaroo formula is a limited ingredient canned dog food, so there are no ingredients that would cause me to worry about what the collies are ingesting.

But don't take my word for it, check out the ingredient list for yourselves:

Kangaroo, Broth, Peas, Sunflower Oil, Carrots, Chickpeas, Agar-Agar, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Choline Chloride, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Cranberries, Blueberries, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid).

While our collies do not suffer from serious food allergies, I have read that Kangaroo meat is an excellent alternative for dogs that suffer from food allergies.  (Of course, if your dog does have food allergies, I would check with your veterinarian before switching to a new food.)

I am impressed with Zignature, as they strive to produce a brand of dog food that is free of allergens.  Check out the Key Benefits:

• This grain-free, limited ingredient formula is made with one protein source and only a handful of other ingredients, creating a clean recipe with ingredients you can count on.
• Made with quality Kangaroo meat from Australia, an exceptional source of complete protein, with virtually no saturated fat.
• Kangaroo contains nearly twice the Vitamin B12 as other meats and is rich in Iron, essential Omega-3 Fatty Acids, other B Vitamins, and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA).
• Free of the most common potential canine allergens: corn, wheat, soy, dairy, and chicken, making this recipe ideal for pups with sensitivities and picky eaters.
• Wholesome fruits and vegetables round out the recipe with powerful antioxidants, and fiber-rich, low-glycemic carbohydrates.

And the collies love, love, love the taste of the canned Zignature Kangaroo!  They sit there watching me prepare their dinners with puddles of drool surrounding them!  And if you aren't sure that roo is for you, Chewy.com carries many other varieties of Zignature as well.  Just click here: Chewy.com - Zignature We highly recommend giving this dog food a try.  And then come on back and let us know what you and your dogs thought of it!


Disclaimer:  Chewy.com sent us this product for free, in exchange for our honest opinion.  We were not reimbursed for this review.

Winter makes us appreciate Spring all the more...

As you get older the days seem to pass so quickly.  So I am not sure if this Spring is flying by because I am so busy, or if it's because the cold Winter weather just wouldn't dissipate this year, causing a delay to the season.  We had a couple weeks of warm, mild Spring weather and now it's already turning hot outside.  Whatever the cause, we are trying to get outside whenever possible, to enjoy the sunshine.  Once the hot and humid weather rolls in, the collies enjoy taking long walks less and less.

Since I had a few days off from work, we have been visiting local parks, and stopping to smell the (wild) roses.  This particular park has always been a favorite, as it's nearby and covered in beach roses.  They are very fragrant, and have been growing wild here for as long as I can remember.

I hope to visit one more local park tomorrow, so I will hopefully have some more pretty pictures.  I know I haven't been taking too many pictures lately, and I haven't been updating the collie blog as frequently as I would like.  But since I have limited free time, when it comes down to choosing to sit in front of a computer, going for a hike with the collies or reading a book, computer time has been coming in last.

But seriously, who could say "no" to these faces?  So more hikes, and more pictures will be coming.  (provided I sit down and upload them!)