Wordless Wednesday - Love is...

Stopping by the Nursing home for a Therapy dog visit!

Nite Beams LED Pet leash and collar

Chewy.com is a company that cares what their customers think.  That's why they send out a few select products each month for pet bloggers to review. We love the awesome folks at Chewy.com, they pride themselves on their customer service, and we are happy to be part of the #Chewyinfluencers campaign.  The collies really enjoy trying new products, and I love sharing our reviews with our readers.  This month we were sent a Nite Beams Led Pet leash and the matching Nite Beams Led Pet Collar.

 

These leashes and collars come in different colors, and we chose the pretty pink for our girls.  They do have a pretty blue color too, but with all of Ryder's fur, we decided our smooth girls would be the better models for this review.

The leash and collar are fun and they look great on the collie girls!  Scarlett thinks it was made just for her!

The collar is adjustable, and fit both our adult collies and our 6 month old puppy, Winter.  We were sent a large, but the collar comes in multiple sizes.  And it is more than just a fashion statement, this leash and collar actually help to keep dogs safe!  At night, as the sun begins to set, it becomes more difficult for drivers to see our dogs when we are out taking a walk.  The collar and leash both contain LED lights, and when activated, they glow!  And you can set them to glow continuously, or to blink on and off.

Key Benefits

• Helps keep you and your pet visible and safe when outdoors in low light
• LED lights provide bright, long-range visibility and last up to 100,000 hours
• Made with comfortable, non-abrasive high quality nylon
• Provides high and instant visibility up to 1,400 feet or 1/4 mile from the front, side, and back
• Durable, long-lasting, and available in multiple stylish colors

We love this leash and collar, and when we are out on walks, people stop us to ask where we got them.  I love spreading the news about this great product, the collies love the attention!

Anything that helps keeps my collies safe is a product we stand behind!  However, we do want to point out, the collar keeps our collies visible, but it won't stop them from walking into a mailbox when they are not paying attention!  BOL!

So if you enjoy taking a stroll with your best friend in the evenings, you should check out these collars and leashes!  You can find them by clicking on Chewy.com!

Chewy.com sent us this leash and collar for free, in exchange for our honest opinion.

Caru dog treat review

It's that time again...time for a Chewy.com review!  Each month Chewy.com sends us products to review, and the collies love when the Chewy.com box arrives!  They know that inside every Chewy.com box is something special just for them!  This month the collies were sent a package of Caru Baked Bites, the venison recipe.

These treats are grain-free, and contain no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, by-products or GMO ingredients.  I love that the treats are small, and the collies love that they are soft and tasty!  They are easy to break into even smaller pieces, so they are the perfect training rewards.  The collies would prefer I didn't do that, as these treats had them drooling and begging for more!

I love a few things about these treats, I love that Caru is a family owned company, and these treats are made in the USA.  I love that there are no harmful ingredients, and that venison is the first ingredient.  And I love that there are also blueberries and cranberries in these treats!

Ingredients
Venison, Potato Flour, Beet Molasses, Blueberries, Cranberries, Vegetable Glycerin, Dried Cultured Skim Milk, Mixed Tocopherols (a Preservative).

I only give my collies treats or food that is safe and contains quality ingredients.  That's why I was so excited to review these treats.   All Caru products are made in a Human Food facility, and they are human edible!  All animals are certified humanely raised, and Caru treats are tested for salmonella and listeria.  In fact, Caru is one of the top rated pet food companies, so these are products I feel confident in giving to my collies.  And the collies loved the taste of these treats so much, I think they would stage a revolt if I refused to order more of them!  You can order some for your dogs by clicking here!  You can also check out the other Caru baked bites recipes and their other products by clicking here!

We were sent a package of Caru Venison treats for free, in exchange for our honest opinion.

Summer safety for pets

The weekend is here, and I'm trying to figure out where I want to go, and which collie I should take along with me. I try to spend time with the collies individually, so they all get the attention they crave. Because of the heat, I've been limiting our trips to early morning or early evening. With the Summer sun baking the ground, the asphalt can become too hot for bare feet orcanine paws.

 
Thanks Companions Dog Resort for this info!

When traveling in the car with my collies, I am also mindful of the dangers of hot vehicles, and I never stop anywhere that might require me to leave my dogs behind in the car alone.  People think they are only going to be gone for "just a minute,"  but things happen, and one minute turns into ten minutes or more.  Temperatures in a closed car rise rapidly, and endanger your pets before you are aware of what is happening. So if they can't come with me, everywhere I plan to stop, then they stay home.

Thanks VeterinaryClinic.com!

Where ever we end up, I need to keep my collies safe.  So I will be bringing along some water for them too.  Dogs need to stay hydrated, and if we are going to be away from home for more than an hour or so, I know they are going to be thirsty.  There are so many companies selling travel bowls, they make it easy to give our dogs a drink on the go.  So I always grab a collapsible travel bowl and some water when we take a hike or go on an adventure.

I just checked the temperature, looks like we will be heading out in an hour or two. Hope your weekend is full of fun!  Remember to stay safe!

Today there is a special bloghop happening. It's called the Pet Blogger Showcase. If you get a chance, you should join the hop. Just add one of your favorite posts, it's a great way to meet other bloggers. Click here:pet-blogger-showcase

The Honest Kitchen dog food is honestly good!

In our quest to provide our dogs with the healthiest food and treats available we discovered a company called The Honest Kitchen.  So I did a little research, and I learned that the Honest Kitchen is a family owned company that makes healthy pet food from minimally processed, human grade ingredients.  Their food was actually the first pet food to be verified by the FDA as human grade.  They were one of the first companies to begin making a pet food with 100% human food grade ingredients in a human food production facility. (not in a pet food plant) They produce dehydrated, raw pet food, using only the best ingredients because they love pets too.

• Their chicken, turkey and duck varieties are sourced from free-range, humanely raised animals. Their beef comes from grass fed animals finished on grains. Their fish varieties are wild, line caught.
• All of their ingredients are sourced from the U.S., Canada, Europe, India, Egypt and Iceland. (no ingredients from China)
• The Honest Kitchen tests their products for Yeast/Mold, Salmonella, E. Coli, Listeria, pH and Protein/Fat. They test for heavy metals twice a year, and they test for ethoxyquin, melamine, and fluoride once a year.

The Honest Kitchen Cat Food is available in Turkey and Chicken varieties. And their Dog Food is available in Turkey, Chicken, Beef, Fish, and Duck varieties.  We decided to review their Grain free beef recipe, but we were so impressed, we later went on to try their duck variety too.

Being a label reader, I immediately went to the ingredient list, and I was not disappointed by what I found.  (or didn't find)

Ingredients:

All ingredients dehydrated: Beef, sweet potatoes, potatoes, organic flaxseed, organic coconut, parsley, chard, papaya, cranberries, pumpkin, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, EPA/DHA, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate.

All ingredients are processed in the USA in a human grade food processing facility. They are non genetically modified and free of any chemicals & preservatives. All meat is hormone and antibiotic free.

I was very impressed, not only was this a pet food that was human grade, it contained no GMOs, hormones, antibiotics, chemicals or preservatives.  There are few human foods that can make those claims.

And if all of this wasn't enough to impress me, the lower carbohydrates in these dehydrated raw foods help our dogs maintain a healthy weight.  And by feeding a high quality dog food your dogs will have a healthier coat and better digestion.

The food is more expensive than many commercial pet foods, but you can cut back on your pet's kibble and add The Honest Kitchen variety of your choice, which will help improve the quality of the nutrition they are receiving.  While reviewing their products on their website, I found out they actually make a specific line of food for adding to the kibble of your choice, it's called Honest Kitchen Proper Toppers!  They are limited ingredient toppers that add flavor and nutrition to any dog food.

I really like this company, and their products.  I checked the top dog food review websites, and they all give The Honest Kitchen their highest rating.  It's so easy to make, all you have to do is measure out the amount you need, add warm water, stir and wait 3 minutes!  We will definitely be adding the Honest Kitchen dog foods to our collies' diets, as we want the best for them.  If you are looking for a high quality dog or cat food, we recommend giving the Honest Kitchen a try, your dogs and cats will thank you!

Thankful Thursday

This week we are joining Brian's Home for their Thankful Thursday blog hop.  There are so many things I am thankful for, such as my family, and getting to share my life with my collies.  But I decided to feature some of our blogging friends, to show how grateful I am to have discovered their blogs and for all their kind comments on my posts.

First up, I want to introduce you to Gemini and Sherman, of Key West Collies.  This blog features two beautiful collies, who live on Key West!  Go stop by and say hello, they love meeting new friends!

Sherman, photo belongs to Key West Collies

Next I want to introduce you to Kim, her blog is called Life at Golden Pines.  Kim writes about rescuing and sharing her life with senior dogs.  Her blog has so many loveable seniors, you won't want to leave!

Kingston, photo belongs to Life at Golden Pines

And third, let me introduce you to Sam, of My Dog Sam- A Ruptured Disk & My Life On Wheels.  Sam is a cocker spaniel mix, who because of a ruptured disk, has to use a cart to get around.  He lives with his litter mate Owen, and two shelties, Jetta and Tuvia.  Nothing slows this boy down, stop by and say hello!

Sam, photo belongs to My Dog Sam

We are thankful for each and everyone of our followers, and will be introducing you to more of them, each Thankful Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday - Love is...

Love is...As sweet as sleeping puppies

Book review - fiction featuring dogs

I love reading, and I love to share my favorite books and authors with others.  Since Summer is here, and many people are looking for something new to read, I decided it was time for a new book review.

There are so many different types of books, but I have always preferred to read works of fiction.  And though I was never a fan of mysteries, Dorothy Bodoin has changed my mind.  She writes stories that are entertaining, and her characters are both engaging and personable.  But some of my favorite characters in her books are the collies.  The main character of her Foxglove series, Jennet, solves mysteries, takes care of her Victorian house, and rescues collies.  

The series starts with the book, Darkness at Foxglove Corners, and there are 23 books in the series.  The newest edition, Shadow of the Ghost Dog, was just released this week.  While I loved having a real book to read, my shelves were overflowing, so I ordered the Kindle edition.  I started reading the book yesterday, and finished it late, last night.  Which is why I am so tired today, but it was that good.  I couldn't put it down, and I enjoyed it immensely.  I wish there was another book in the series, but I have now read them all.  I just introduced her books to another collie lover, and she immediately bought the first four books in the series.  I'm a bit jealous, as she has all 23 books ahead of her.   Sadly, I will have to wait for her next book to come out, which Dorothy is currently writing.  I may just have to go back and reread some of my favorites.

In the book, Shadow of the Ghost Dog, Jennet is visiting a beautiful, storybook Victorian house with her friend Lucy.  While at the house, she hears a collie whimpering, and realizes that only she can hear the sad dog's cries.    As the story progresses Jennet will face a killer who is determined to keep secrets of the past hidden, while trying to learn why the ghost dog cries.  This book did have me in tears once or twice, but I loved that the story includes the belief that dogs do have souls. If you love mysteries, or just love a good dog story, you should add this book to your summer reading list.  Then stop back, I would love to hear what you think of the series!