While browsing in Whole Foods Market, I came across Mellow Mut--all natural jerky treats enriched with antioxidants. Dogswell--an all natural pet food company--makes these treats along with dry and canned food for both dogs and cats. All of the food is grain-free and made with cage-free chickens.
Mellow Mut treats are made with natural, cage-free chicken breast and include added nutrients such as chamomile, lavender, and vitamin E to help calm your dog.
Jax ate these treats like there was no tomorrow. While he did appear more mellow, I cannot say for certain if it was due to the treats or the hour and a half hike in the Wissahickon Valley...either way, he was one satisfied pup and I will definitely be purchasing these treats again.
Get the treats on-line or at Whole Foods Market. Dogswell also has a store locator so that you can find the closest location to purchase these delightfully delicious treats for your pup.
Are you up to date with the latest news in the dog community?
Make sure you check out Sparky -- a brand-new component to our Swanky Pup website. (over to the left... scroll down a bit!) This cool little item is a full, interactive media center that provides you with the most relevant and current pet content in the form of videos, photos, articles, and other cool blogs.
Visit our homepage often to see the new content that Sparky delivers to the site. We are excited about it and hope that you are too! :)
During the holidays this year, I received a present that really brought a smile to my face and I am very excited to share it with our Swanky Pup readers! I got the book Dogfessions by Nikki Moustaki and I have been telling everyone about it ever since.
Based on the website www.dogfessions.com, this book features a compilation of real postcards of human and canine confessions that will definitely hit home with you and your pup. Each dogfession in the book comes from a real dog owner and lover who is willing to share what they say to their pups when they are all alone and what their pups would say back - and it's adorable!
Whether it is an owner admitting "My voice gets to octaves higher whenever I see this face" or a dog admitting "when no one'es watching...I eat poo", you will be sure to relate with each and every dogfession featured in this adorable book!
We are only 5 days away from 2009 - and what better way to start a new year than by saving an animal's life!
The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PhillyPaws) are selling beautiful 2009 calendars featuring shelter dogs and cats for only $15 each. All proceeds go towards the shelter and helping to save the lives of the animals who reside there.
A friend who volunteers for PhillyPaws gave me one of these beautiful calendars as a holiday gift and it was such a special gift because not only is it a beautiful calendar, but knowing that the money my friend spent was going to such a great cause, made me doubly appreciative.
To purchase a calendar, go to http://phillypaws.org/ and scroll down to the bottom left of the page.
Don't forget that Christmas Day Marley and Me opens up at theaters! At the site, you can adopt a virtual Marley, fetch the widgets, send a greeting and even help out on the campaign for adoption awareness. I can't wait to see the movie even if I do tear up every time I see the trailers. Happy holidays to everyone and especially your furry friends. I've been away for a week and it's nice to be back, especially here at Christmas.
Well, it's here. Both Hanukkah and Christmas are upon us and I know that you are busy running around looking for those last minute cool gifts for your friends and family. Of course, you can't forget those furry friends either.
Planet Dog has a great new toys for the season. My dog just got a round peppermint, oh and yes, it does smell like a true peppermint and a snowball like the one pictured. Both products are great and will provide your dog with hours of fun. I especially like the peppermint because after my dog has played with it, his breath smells minty fresh.
Yes, time is ticking and Ole' Saint Nick might be coming down your chimney tonight, but check out the products at Planet Dog. Here's hoping that your holiday is cheery and bright.
A new movie from Dreamworks is coming our way in January 2009 called Hotel For Dogs starring Lisa Kudrow (Friends), Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew), Kevin Dillon (Entourage) and Don Cheadle (Traitor). This film looks like a great family movie and includes our favorite four-legged friends! The story is about 3 young kids that have to find a new home for their dog, and during the search find several stray dogs who need a place to stay as well.
And the best part of this movie--for every ticket purchased Pedigree will make a donation to help shelter dogs!
Check out the movie trailer here and be sure to get your ticket for this movie, which opens nationwide January 16th, 2009!
Is your dog the coolest on the block? If not, then you need Hip-Hop for Dogs: From Bling to Phat, Your Dog is One Cool Cat by Janet Perr to help bring him (and you) up to speed. This hilarious and unique visual dictionary will teach you both hip-hop slang with definitions of each term and of course, very entertaining pictures of thugged out pups to illustrate the terms for you loud and clear.
This is a perfect coffee table book and a definite conversation starter for the unconventional dog lover. The pictures of the gangsta Pugs, break dancing German Shepherd and Pit Bull rocking his bling will definitely bring a smile to your face and some new words to your vocabulary. Written by the Grammy Award-winning art director Janet Perr, who also wrote Yiddish for Dogs, you will not find another book out there like this. Buy one for yourself and one for your homies and you will all be thoroughly entertained, dawg.
We all enjoy this time of year, celebrating the holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa - and being with our loved ones, both human and four-legged. But holidays can also be hazardous to your pet's health, so here are a few reminders:
Poinsettias, Holly and Miseltoe are poisonous to pets and if you do have a pet it is recommended that you keep these out of your home, or at the very minimum out of reach.
Turkey is fine for dogs, in moderation. Do not feed turkey skin, fat or bones, especially cooked bones which can be deadly. Turkey fat and skin can cause a pancreatic attack because they are so rich.
Ribbon, tinsel, and gift wrap if consumed, can cause intestinal blockages. String-like decorations are particularly dangerous, as they can get wrapped around the intestine and require surgerical removal.
Chocolate can cause theobromine poisoning, which is an over-stimulation of the nervous system, and may be fatal. Keep all boxes of chocolates etc out of your pet's reach!
Alcoholic beverages - can cause alcohol poisoning or coma - so keep them out of reach.
Ornaments. Use ornaments your dog finds uninteresting. Easily-broken glass ornaments can cut your dog's paw or mouth. Instead of hooks, use decorative ribbon. In general, don't place decorations within your dog's reach or where it can climb or jump up to them.
Potpourri, aerosol fragrance, incense and simmer pots can cause nasal or respiratory irritation and burns. Use these only when your dog is not in the room. Potpourri can also lead to stomach upsets.
Decorative lights - Dogs can become tangled in the strands, leading to burns and cuts.
Christmas trees pose various hazards. Clean up pine needles frequently. They can be toxic when eaten by your pet. Anchor trees securely. Climbing cats and dogs with wagging tails can knock over your tree. Prevent your pet from drinking water in the tree stand if you have added preservative chemicals. These can be poisonous to pets. Also, stagnant water can contain bacteria, which may lead to vomiting and diarrhea if ingested.
Guests add to the noise, confusion and stress for your pets. Dogs can be stepped on, or unsupervised children can injure them. Pets can escape when visitors come and go. Guests are more likely to feed dogs than owners. Multiple guests each feeding 'just a little bite' adds up to quite a lot of food. Ask your guests not to feed your dog.
Wishing all Swanky Pup readers and their pets a very blessed and safe holiday!
(Sources for this article: Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue; American Humane; The Boxer Map)
LL Bean has an adorable gift basket perfect for your pooch or for your favorite friend or family member's pet. It includes a nice sampling of toys and treats and is packed in a mini canvas Boat and Tote Bag, great for gifting.
If you spend $50 at LL Bean right now, you get $10 off, so purchase one of these along with some other great items for your dog and enjoy this great savings!
As the holidays quickly approach and the temperature continues to drop, my puppy has been spending more time indoors curled up on the couch. When he is looking for a warm and comfortable place to sleep, he often skips my lap and lays down on his favorite pet blanket by ThePuppyHugger.com.
This blanket is luxuriously soft and a perfect way to keep warm during these cold winter months (did I mention it makes a fabulous present for the holidays?) Each blanket is made from 100% polyester microfiber and faux fur and not only is it super soft, it is also stylish and made to resist dirt and dog hair!
If your traveling over the holidays and taking your swanky pup with you or just hanging out by the fire, give him something warm and soft to cuddle up with. Available in a variety of sizes and styles, you can now order this luxurious blanket and pay only $2 flat shipping, no matter how much you order!
Check out our new Sparky component! (over to the left!)
We are excited to announce a brand-new component to our Swanky Pup website -- the Sparky. This cool little item is a full, interactive media center that provides you with the most relevant and current pet content in the form of videos, photos, articles, and other cool blogs.
Visit our homepage often to see the new content that Sparky delivers to the site. We are excited about it and hope that you are too! :)
Are you looking for an inexpensive, yet fashionable way to update your dog’s look? Well, look no further than Bling for Bow Wow.This new shop features handmade collars using only the highest quality grosgrain ribbon. The owner and designer, Kendra, has been a dog trainer for the last three years. A dog-lover at heart, Kendra became frustrated with the bland collars that did not fit her dogs’ unique personality. As a result, Kendra began to make her own collars featuring bold patterns and designs that better reflected her pups’ unique traits! She started making them just for family and friends, but when she saw how well the custom-collars held up to wrestling, dirt and everything else a dog gets into, she branched out and created Bling for Bow Wow.
Jax was the lucky recipient of the beautiful orange and blue collar at the left. This retro flower collar is a simple way to brighten up the winter months!
And just in time for the holiday season, your Swanky Pup can be
And the best part…Swanky Pup readers will receive 20%
off each collar! Just mention “Swanky Pup” in the notes to seller at checkout.This means you can get a custom, handmade, beautiful ribbon collar for as low as $12!These will make great stocking stuffers for your four-legged friend!
We are happy to announce that Philadelphia-based, professional dog trainer Matt Schimsky of Tuff Pup Training has agreed to share his expert advice with Swanky Pup readers! His first article has been published in the articles section of our website and we are excited to offer you access to this interesting article explaining how you can train a reactive dog.
If your dog barks while walking by other dogs, at everyone that he sees walking by your house or reacts to anything and everything they can find, then this article will be extremely helpful for you and your pooch.
Have other training questions for Matt? Send it to him via his Ask Molly advice column and your question (with a detailed and insightful answer) could be next to be posted on our site!
Also, if you write an interested dog-related article that you would like featured on our site, please email us at editor@theswankypup.com.
We all love to bake and eat cookies around the holidays. Please don't forget that your dogs also enjoy a yummy cookie treat! Last week, Woofs and Whiskers sent me a beautifully gift-wrapped box of Holiday Cranberry Cinnamon Biscuits for Axel to sample.
Not only did the biscuits look beautiful - heart shaped, rich coloring, but they smelled absolutely delicious. You may think I'm crazy, but they smelled so good, that I had to have a bite! (It was really tasty.) You should have seen Axel's face - it was like, "Yo Mom, those are MINE!"
Biscuits come in wonderful flavors including Holiday Fruitcake, Veggie Lover's, Peanut Butter Kisses, Savory Italian and many more. You can see the ingredients for each biscuit listed on the Woofs and Whiskers website. Biscuits are preservative free and made to order for freshness. Each order contains roughly 30 heart shaped, silver-dollar sized biscuits. Each order is $8. Three or more orders - $7 each. In the spirit of giving this holiday season, Woofs and Whiskers is offering a 10% discount to all Swanky Pup readers. Happy Holidays!
Dogs often have separation anxiety and it can be hard to find something that works. Only Natural Pet Store has a plethora of natural pet products and one of the separation anxiety medications with the highest rating is Only Natural Pet Relaxi-Herb Herbal Formula. The reviews are outstanding and it's so safe that one pet owner even tried it herself. Not only is it on sale, it also qualifies for free shipping. We're heading out of the country this weekend and this seems like an awesome product to help with those doggy blues while we're away.
Grooming Products and More Minus the Harsh Chemicals
There is nothing worse than having to give your dog a bath, looking at the products you are about to apply to your friend and seeing all these ingredients that you can't even pronounce. What you are reading, or trying to read, are mostly the chemicals that make up the product. In many cases, they aren't good for your dog.
For the past few years, I have been very careful as to what products my family is using. My daughter has very sensitive skin and can not use products with strong fragrances. I look out for my dog too. When the seasons change his skin changes too. I often find him scratching a little more often, his fur sheds and he occasionally looks like he has a flaky coat.
I recently found a website called Aroma Paws. Aroma Paws specializes in not only grooming products including, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes and coat sprays for your dog, but also candles that are chemical free and all natural. Oh, and did I mention smell delicious?
With the holidays upon us, I strongly urge you to take a look at the Aroma Paws website. I'm sure there is something there for everyone on your gift list. When you place your order, be sure to enter SWANKYPUP08 and receive free shipping in the United States.
I love dogs. And I love yoga. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered Yoga Dogs! Yoga Dogs features twelve different dogs in various yoga poses.
The best selling item is the 2009 Calendar that features the twelve dogs in different yoga poses each month. These items make great gifts for a dog lovers everywhere! Get in touch with your inner pup here.
Ever since the pet food recall, I have been very careful about what I feed my dog Baxter. I have skipped all supermarket brands and tried a variety of specialty, all-natural pet foods that I felt good about. Unfortunately, Baxter did not feel good about these foods and would sniff and walk away when I put his food bowl down. It took a lot of trial and error (and wasted bags of food) until I found Merrick's Turducken - a food that both Baxter and I can agree on!
Merrick's Turducken is made in America with only organic chicken and freeze-dried vegetables and no artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. All ingredients are human grade and best of all, when mixed with warm water a tasty gravy is formed which your dog will flip for.
I can honestly say that Merrick's Turducken, is the first food that my dog truly enjoys and he now eats each meal as soon as the bowl hits the floor. I feel much better knowing that he is eating a healthy food and that he truly enjoys it! You can order Merrick's Pet Food online or check out a list of stores near you where you can give it a try.
The holiday season is a very expensive time of year, so I am always on the lookout for sales so I can get people better presents and spend less money. Ruff Ruff and Meow is currenlty having a 20% off sale on all items to make shopping for a gift for your pup a little easier on your wallet. Just enter the coupon code CS82 at checkout to take advantage of these savings, now through December 31st.
We love their bandanas, tees and tanks with adorable and sometimes sassy sayings printed on them. Check out their human clothing selection too so that you and your pup can match during the holidays.
One of the things that we doting pet owners all fear is our beloved dog getting lost or stolen. Let's face it, its not that difficult for a dog or cat to go AWOL. They slip their collar at the dog park or flee out the front door at the slightest opportunity? They jump a fence or burrow under one. No matter how attentive we are, there is always the opportunity that one day our dog or cat will go missing.
So it was with much relief that I came across www.FindToto.com. FindToto is a fee-based service geared to helping you find your lost dog, missing cat or stolen pets . Think of it as a paid animal Amber Alert system. This is how it works: FindToto's automated system will call your neighbors with a recorded message about your lost pet. They have the ability to call thousands of numbers in minutes. If they don’t reach a live person, they’ll leave a descriptive message of your pets info and your contact number. In the one year that they have been in business, they have found over 500 lost pets (read some success stories). So what does this cost? The cost is dependent on the number of neighbors you wish to call and starts at $125 for calls to 500 neighbors and goes all the way up to $445 for calls to 5,000 neighbors. Plus, FindToto is exempt from the Do Not Call list because it is not trying to sell anything.
Putting up flyers in your neighborhood or posting in the Lost section on Craigslist.org are all worthwhile and recommended, but when those net no results, it is very reassuring to know that FindToto is there to help. Click here to view a video highlighting the benefits of FindToto.com.
Sometimes all a hyperactive dog needs is something to keep him or her busy. Pet Stages has a calming ball to keep your pet busy for hours. The cage holes stretch so that you can place larger treats inside and your dog can work at breaking them down into removable bites. The round shape promotes more concentration and less movement so that your little buddy can focus on getting those much wanted treats. The next time you need some peace and quiet or maybe just the assurance that your house will be in one piece once you get back home, try out the calming ball and give your pet something to keep them occupied.
Looking for an awesome gift for the holidays? I know that it is cold here on the east coast, but have no fear, spring will be here before we know it.
How about a new harness for you furry friend from Wonderdog New York? All the harnesses come in great looking patterns made from the most advanced materials available. Each harness is adjustable for maximum comfort and all come with a ring to attach a leash. You could even purchase a matching leash to go with your new harness.
All the products from Wonderdog New York are hand made, so you can be sure that a lot of time and attention goes into making these products. Be sure to browse the website to see all the other fabulous products from Wonderdog New York.
Kafe Woof: Handmade, Gourmet Dog Treats for your Canine Companion
This holiday season give your dog healthful, handmade gourmet treats from Kafe Woof!These all natural treats are sure to please your pet. Jax has been savoring these delicacies for the last two years and is one of Kafe Woof's biggest fans.
Kafe Woof is a home-based business specializing in gourmet, handmade dog treats. All of the treats are made with high-quality ingredients and without preservatives. Caroline and Elinna are the founders and operators of Kafe Woof. Long-time canine lovers, they created the company in an effort to provide healthful, cost-conscious, gourmet treats for their dogs, Sammy and Pixel.
Kafe Woof's specialties include Apple Sauce PeaMutt Butter Pretzels and Growling Granola. In addition, Kafe Woof makes gorgeous gift baskets-perfect to give this holiday season!The Doggie Delight Gift Basket (pictured below) is priced at $20 and is filled with a minimum of three varieties of treats and a special doggie toy.
Order your gift basket here! Gift baskets can be tailored for any occasion, too. For more information e-mail Kafe Woof at cwong@sp2.upenn.edu. Mention Swanky Pup in the 'comments to seller' with your order and receive a free Growling Granola with your order!
Make nail trimming a little safer with the Careful Nail Clipper
Cutting your dogs nails can be a chore. Most dogs hate getting their nails trim and fight you for each nail, plus you have to be so careful not to cut them too short, hit the quick and make them bleed. It is a terrible feeling to accidentally make your pooch bleed during a routine nail trim (it happens to most of us at some point), and now with the Careful Nail Clippers from Drs. Foster and Smith you will be able to avoid the quick better than before.
With surgical stainless steel blades, a rubber handle for easy gripping and an attached light to shine through your pet's nail and illuminate the quick, cutting nails has never been easier. When I received the Careful Nail Clippers and took them out of the box, my pooch Baxter immediately ran away and hid under the bed (he is not a fan of getting his nails cut). It came with the batteries in the package and I did find it a bit difficult to get the batteries in to the light correctly at first. Once I had the light working and retrieved Baxter from under the bed, I found that the light made it much easier for me to spot where the quick was in his nails which made it faster for me to safely cut his nails.
I found the Careful Nail Clipper a very handy tool (except on a couple of Baxter's all black nails) and I highly recommend it to anyone who cuts their pups nails themselves. It can be found at Dr. Fosters and Smith's site for only $22.99!
