Merry, Happy, Christmas Birthday!

Another Christmas has arrived, and is slowly winding down.  We hope everyone had a very, Merry Christmas! (If you celebrate it) We spent the day with our family, and since it is a certain collie’s birthday, we celebrated that too.

Happy 12th birthday to our sweet, Holly!

Wordless Wednesday...snow fun!

Last week we had our first snowstorm, and the collies really enjoyed playing in the white stuff. Since I was home, and didn't have to drive in it, I was able to enjoy it too.

After the snow, Ryder and I visited the residents at the Nursing home, and we had to stop by their festive display for a picture.

Hard to believe Christmas will be here in just a few days!

Christmas time is here again!

Can you believe that it's almost Christmas? It's such a hectic time of year, I have had to do most of my shopping online this year.  Have you had a chance to find something special for the canine members of your family? There is still time, especially if you go online to Chewy.com, as they have super fast shipping!  But with all those choices on their website, what should you get?!?

Fortunately, we have one suggestion.  This month our friends at Chewy sent us a package of Blue Buffalo Santa Snacks, Kringle's Cookies.  These are dog treats made with oatmeal and cinnamon, and they are the perfect howliday cookie for your best friend!

Still not sure?  Take a look at the ingredient list:
Oatmeal, Barley, Oat Flour, Pumpkin, Flaxseed, Cane Molasses, Carrots, Salt, Canola Oil, Cinnamon, Calcium Carbonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin E Supplement.

With oatmeal, pumpkin, carrots and cinnamon, the ingredient list definitely met with my approval, and the collies found these flavorful cookies a true delight!  These sure smelled pretty delicious, and judging by how fast they disappeared, the collies thought they were scrumptious!

If you are still searching for the perfect gifts for your very best friend, head over to Chewy.com/ and place your order, your pups will be very glad you did!

The collies were sent these delicious cookies in exchange for their honest opinion, we were not reimbursed for this review.

Kitty time on the collie blog

While this is a blog mainly devoted to collies, they do allow the kitties to take over the blog from time to time.  This is done peacefully, as the collies do love their kitty friends.  So for the sake of fair play, the kitties got to do a review for Chewy.com this month too.

Everyone knows cats having very discerning tastes, and it isn't always easy to find something they enjoy.  But we decided to take a chance, and we ordered Temptations Holiday Dinner.  The Holiday Dinner treats come in a Turkey and Sweet Potato flavor, perfect for this time of year!  While we don't usually like to see a By-product meat or ground corn as the top ingredients, these are only treats, and not to be fed as your cat's main diet or source of nutrition.  And the taste of these treats drove the kitties crazy, they were very vocal when demanding more, so they must be very delicious!  In fact, I can't remember the last time they were this excited over new treats.

Here are the list of ingredients:

Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Corn, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Meat By-Products, Brewers Rice, Wheat Flour, Natural Flavors, Grain Distillers Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Yellow #5, Blue #2, Choline Chloride, Red #40, Yellow #6, Salt, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Natural Turkey & Sweet Potato Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative), Dried Cheese

Check out the Key Benefits:

No artificial flavors for an amazing taste your cat will love

Crunchy outer shell helps to control tartar and support dental health

Under 2 calories a treat these little goodies make a perfect snack or reward that can be given daily

100% nutritionally complete and balanced for adult cat maintenance

Treats come in a convenient lock and seal pouch or tub for maximum freshness 

Why buy your cats these treats for Christmas?  We thought this video from Temptations pretty much says it all: 

We were sent a container of these treats from our friends at Chewy.com, in exchange for our honest opinion.  We were not reimbursed for this review.

Where have the collies been?

It seems like it's been forever since we last updated the collie blog!  Things just got so busy, there wasn't time, plus we are having computer problems which are making it extremely difficult to write posts.  I decided to add two new certifications to my resume, so studying and preparing for the two exams took up most of my time.  But I am happy to share that I passed both of the 6 hour certification exams.  And with my excitement over the two new titles, I signed up to take another certification exam...and then two more!  I might be crazy, but all this studying and multiple 6 hour certification exams, are leading to salary negotiations.  I'm hoping to get a large enough raise that I can quit my second job in 2018.  I've worked two jobs for almost 10 years, and I'd like to take a break.  I have a feeling my second job is aware of this, as they just doubled my hours this semester.  I will be teaching 16 hours a week, on top of my full time job.  The money will great, but I will be exhausted.

The collies are doing well, and we have been taking both Winter and Maizie to dog shows.  (another reason why we have been too busy to post on the blog.)  They have both earned some points towards their championships, and they love going to dog shows.  For them it's just a fun game, which is evident in their happiness in the ring.  And Ryder and I are doing lots of nursing home visits, visiting as many residents as we can, as we know the holiday season can be a lonely time for some.

We are behind on our reviews, so today I hope to get all caught up with those.  We have missed all of our blogging friends, and can't wait to stop by all your blogs and catch up.  Today we are getting our first snow-fall of the season, so in between playing in the snow with the collies, I will be glued to the laptop. Happy Holidays!

I and Love and You, bet you love your dogs too!

I love my collies dearly, they bring me joy and happiness every day.  So when I choose a dog treat for them, I want the company making those treats to put quality ingredients into every bite.  We love doing product reviews as it helps us discover new foods, treats and toys, and allows us to share them with our readers.   Chewy.com knows that pet bloggers are a great way to reach pet owners, and it helps new customers find products they can trust.  That's just one of the many reasons we are so excited to be part of the #ChewyInfluencers campaign.  This month Chewy sent us packages of dog treats from I and Love and You, a company that really cares about our pets.

I and Love and You Jerky treats come in multiple flavors, and our friends at Chewy.com sent us a three pack, so we could try them all!  I loved this idea, because for those with picky eaters, they can try a couple varieties to find which one their finicky friend will love best.  Now, it's no secret that the collies are not choosy, they love most varieties of dog treats.  But I was curious, would they show a preference for one of these flavors of jerky treats?

They loved them all!  I could not discern if they found one variety more tasty than the others, they seemed to find them all to be drool-worthy!  Check out the ingredient list, and key benefits:

Key Benefits

• With three recipes made with real meat as the first ingredient, including beef, lamb, chicken, duck, and salmon.
• Tender and chewy treats are perfectly bite-sized so they’re great for dogs of all sizes
• Perfect for training or anytime your pal deserves a tasty, high-protein, all-natural treat.
• Made with premium, handpicked ingredients like New Zealand lamb and North American beef.
• Lovingly made in the USA with never any fillers, grains, or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

Ingredients
Chicken + Salmon: Chicken, Salmon, Glycerin, Brown Sugar, Salt, Natural Mesquite Smoke Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative).

Chicken + Duck: Chicken, Duck, Glycerin, Brown Sugar, Salt, Natural Maple Smoke Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative).

Beef + Lamb: Beef, Lamb, Glycerin, Brown Sugar, Salt, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative).

Our friends at Chewy.com sent us these treats in exchange for an honest review, we were not reimbursed for this post.  The collies really did love them, and they were the perfect size for training or for taking into the ring at dog shows.  I think they will make a yummy Christmas gift for any dog, no matter if they are big or small.  You can order yours, by clicking here!

Pumpkin Spice Season

During the Fall months people tend to become obsessed with Pumpkin spice flavored treats. It seems like everywhere you look you will find this yummy flavor, in coffees, cookies, ice cream and too many other products to list!  Sadly, our canine companions were missing out on this seasonal treat, but not any longer!  Did you know that Grandma Lucy has created a pumpkin flavored treat just for dogs?  Our awesome friends at Chewy sent us a package of Grandma Organic Pumpkin Dog Treats, and the collies couldn't wait to try them!

Most of you know that I'm a label reader, and very picky about what cookies and dog foods I give my collies.  Their health and well-being is my top priority.  And I was happy with the ingredient list for these treats!

Ingredients:

• Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Organic Sunflower and/or Organic Canola Oil and/or Organic Palm Oil, Organic Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Pumpkin Powder, Organic Mace, Organic Cinnamon, Soy Lecithin.

And check out the Key Benefits:

• These treats are not made in a factory but oven-baked in a bakery by people who love their pets

• Made with 100% USDA Organic, human-quality ingredients for dogs

• USA originated ingredients and without any preservatives, by-products, artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors, hydrogenated oils or trans fats

• Grandma Lucy's has taken great pride in making wholesome, natural and delicious pets treats since 1999

• Certified kosher

When I opened the package the first thing I noticed was the way these cookies smelled.  They smelled so good, I was tempted to try one!  And the next thing I noticed was how adorable the cookies were, they were shaped like little Teddy Bears.  I'll admit I was impressed, they looked and smelled great!  Added to the organic ingredient list, these little treats seemed like a great way to reward and train the collies!  But what did the collies think?

They loved them!  In fact, they couldn't get enough of these little cookies!  Since they are so small, they can have a couple and we don't have to worry about weight gain.  We definitely recommend these treats, and the good news is that you can order them all year long, you don't have to wait for Pumpkin-Spice-Everything Season to buy them for your best friends!  Just head over to Chewy.com and get some for your dogs, they'll love you for it!  Click here!

Chewy.com sent us these treats for free, in exchange for our honest opinion.  We were not reimbursed for this review.

Autumn weekends are made for fun!

This past weekend was just about perfect.  The sun was shining, the temperature was in the 70s, and the leaves were starting to show their Autumnal colors.  It was one of those rare weekends that beckons you outside, and with Winter just around the corner, we enjoyed every minute.

On Saturday I drove North, to join our local collie club for one of our many fun events.  This time our club held a Farm Dog Certified test.  To earn this title (FDC), a dog has to pass the test twice, so we held a test in the morning with one judge and another in the afternoon with a different judge.  The FDC, or Farm Dog Certified title, is earned by passing a series of test elements.  Per the AKC - "The Farm Dog Certified test is designed to assess the overall conduct of a dog within a typical farm environment. The dog must demonstrate self-control when exposed to livestock and other unique sights, sounds and scents. The dog should exhibit confidence and a willingness to comply with instruction when confronted with a variety of situations. The Farm Dog Certification is not intended to confer herding capability, but rather a foundation of self-control and biddability beneficial to all working dogs."  All 12 of the elements of the test can be found on the AKC website.

After carefully reading through the test, I was pretty confident that Ryder could pass and earn his FDC.  So I signed him up for both the morning and afternoon tests, and of course Ryder did not disappoint me!  He is such a great dog, and he always does whatever I ask of him.  He walked right by the quacking ducks with no reaction when I told him "leave it."  He waited patiently while I fed the chickens.  He hopped up on the hay bales like he had been doing it all his life.  There were many other collies taking the test, and they all passed too, which isn't a surprise, as collies were bred to help with livestock.  But we also had a Great Dane, a sheltie, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a Wheaten Terrier and a Kelpie pass the the test too.  The club had a nice lunch for all the competitors, and the atmosphere was more like a picnic for dog lovers and their best friends.

This was a practice hay bale, not the one used in the test.

Ryder with his winnings!

To learn more about the Farm Dog Certified test, and to find out where it is being held next, you can click HERE.

On Sunday we grabbed a few of the collies, and we headed to our favorite hiking trails.  It was a beautiful day, and the collies were happy to pose for some pictures.

So that is how we spent this beautiful weekend, what did you guys do?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Autumn style

"I can smell autumn dancing in the breeze. The sweet chill of pumpkin and crisp sunburnt leaves." ~ unknown

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." ~ Anne of Green Gables

When dogs want a treat for Halloween!

The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, and the leaves are starting to change color.  That can only mean that Autumn is here, and Halloween is right around the corner.  Feeling the Halloween spirit, we were excited to see that Chewy.com was offering a special, spooky treat for dogs this month!

The collies are always excited when a box from Chewy.com arrives, and they especially love when it is food or treats!  (They are definitely food motivated canines!)  This month our friends at Chewy sent us a case of Merrick Seasonals - Howl-o-ween Stew!  What could be a more perfect treat for Halloween?  Hopefully, with this food in their bowls, the collies will not be playing any tricks on me!

I can't tell you how happy I was to see actual veggies in every spoonful!  And the collies must have thought the smell was delicious, because they haunted my every step, like a pack of ghouls!

Of course being a cautious collie Mummy, I had to read the label.  Check out the ingredients:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Broth, Peas, Dried Egg Product, Sweet Potatoes, Dried Pumpkin, Chicken Liver, Natural Flavor, Potato Starch, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodate, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate), Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum, Cinnamon, Xanthan Gum, Yucca Schidigera Extract.

Real deboned chicken, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin - no wonder the collies were drooling like hungry Werewolves!

Holly wants to caution all you pet parents, that her dear friend Bones didn't get any yummy Howl 'O Ween stew, and now look at him!    

And check out the key benefits:

• Real, de-boned chicken is the very first ingredient along with fresh peas, sweet potatoes and seasonal pumpkin.
• All-natural, grain-free recipe contains no wheat, corn or soy, so it’s easy to digest and great for the pooch with allergies or a sensitive tummy.
• Formulated with essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients to provide complete and balanced nutrition.
• Savory stew can be served as a complete delectable holiday meal or delicious topper over his dry kibble to add some festive variety to his diet.
• Proudly made in Merrick’s Texas facility using the world’s best locally-sourced ingredients from farmers they know and trust.

So Ryder wants to know what are you waiting for?  This spooky and delicious dog food is the perfect treat for your little Goblin or Vampire to sink their fangs into, and it's only available for a very short time!

The collies all agree, Merrick Seasonals - Howl-O-Ween Stew is the perfect way to treat your dog this Halloween season!  They give it their highest rating, four paws way up!  And this canned food definitely has their Mummy's seal of approval!

We were sent Merrick Seasonals - Howl-O-ween Stew for free, in exchange for our honest opinion.

Have you heard the news?

Our awesome friends at Chewy.com are now selling Goody Boxes!  This is something brand new, never before offered, and we were fortunate to receive one to review!

Chewy.com offers three Goody Boxes to choose from, a box for medium to large dogs, a box for tiny dogs, and a box for kitties too!  Each box has five or more full size goodies, and they are all quality treats.

Each box has items your dog is sure to love, as they are specially chosen by the staff at Chewy.com.  And shipping on your Goody Box is free, we love free shipping!

"Ok Mom, can we see what is inside now?!?"

We were so impressed with the selection!  Many of these treats were ones we wanted to try.  And with five different kinds of treats, there is something for everydog!

We were sent the Bone Appe-treat, and the collies could not have been happier!  They highly recommend you get a Chewy Goody Box for your best friends too!  These would make great birthday presents for your dog or cat, and with the holidays right around the corner, we bet your dogs or cats would be thrilled to find one under the Christmas tree!

Key Benefits

• Five or more full-size goodies from premium brands.
• Free shipping on every Chewy Goody Box order!
• Handpicked gifts for dogs of every breed and size.
• Great savings on everyday prices.
• Surprise your own precious pooch, or give the Chewy Goody Box to friends and family as a thoughtful pet gift box.
• It’s great for special occasions, new pet adoptions, pet birthdays or a special present for any day of the year.

The collies want to thank our friends at Chewy.com for sending this Goody Box.  We opened it yesterday, for Abby's birthday.  She is sure Natalie sent it just for her birthday, but she was happy to share it with the others.  We will definitely be ordering more Goody boxes, you can get one by clicking here!

Happy Birthday Darling girls!

Abby on the left, CC on the right

Today my little Abby, and her sister CC, turn 11 years old.  I have written Abby's story, in 4 parts, trying to capture just how special she is and how much she means to me.  You can find those posts here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

So today, after I go pick up CC, so the sisters can celebrate their birthday together, there will be cake and presents.  There will be lots of pictures too, so come back later to see the reunion!

CC on the left, Abby on the right

Wordless Wednesday...Autumn is in full swing!

Did I mention that Fall is my favorite season?