Wet Noses Dog Treats

We have had a crazy 2 weeks! We've had a small rescued dog at our house for 48 hours followed by dog-sitting for a friend whose pup went into her first heat at our house. Then some friends came over with their doggy for a weekend, and finally, a family member came to visit with her new puppy.  In the midst of all these paws coming a going, we received a shipment of new treats from Wet Noses.  Their story is great! But knowing the following information hooked me.

"We bake our products within our own  facility using 100% human grade, organic ingredients. Our products contain NO CHEMICALS, NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, COLORS, PRESERVATIVES, CORN, WHEAT, OR SOY."

So, I ordered a variety of treats for my mutts to taste test.  It was even a treat for myself to open the box and find such cute packaging!  My kitchen counter looked like a doggy boutique but without the boutique price. Below is a list of the treats I ordered and their nutritional info (all of which is listed on their website).

DOGRANOLA

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Peanut Butter

Organic Whole Oats

Organic Flax Seed

Organic Dried Cranberries

Organic Cane Molasses

Calories per Treat: 30

NO WHEAT, NO CORN, NO SOY… 100% ORGANIC

APPLES & CARROTS

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Apples

Organic Carrots

Organic Whole Oats

Organic Canola Oil

Organic Molasses

Organic Ground Thyme

NO CORN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY

SWEET POTATO LITTLE STARS

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Sweet Potato Puree

Organic Canola Oil

Organic Molasses

Organic Cinnamon

Organic Ginger

Calories per Treat: 6

NO WHEAT, NO CORN, NO SOY, VEGAN... 100% ORGANIC

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SWIRL

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Cane Molasses

Organic Butternut Squash

Organic Canola Oil

Organic Whole Eggs

Organic Molasses

NO CORN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY, NO SUGAR, NO SALT

All the doggies that came over loved these treats!  That included my 2 large mutts, a chihuahua, boston terrier, jack russell and a long-haired dachshund.  However, if you have a picky puppy, they offer trial sizes in many flavors for only $1.99!  I should have gone with the full size, though.  Currently, they're offering a flat shipping rate of $5.  They also included one of their brownies for free!  We'll definitely be a repeat customer.

Ikea Hackers!

I'm very excited to show off our Ikea hack we came up with for our doggies! It's a steal of a deal. You'll know what I'm talking about if you've ever shopped out elevated dog bowls. For only $27, you can make a very modern doggy diner. Ikea offers this table in a variety of colors, too.

Home made dog diner

Project made of:

Ikea Lack side table, white     $7
2 small stainless steel bowls   $10
1 large stainless steel bowl     $10

Grand Total                         $27



My husband simply used a dremel to cut out the holes to set the bowls into.  It may be smart to line the inside edges with foam to keep water from seeping into the table.  I haven't dont that, yet.  I also need to saw the legs down at least an inch or two, so their heads can be even with their shoulders when they eat.

The purposes of elevated bowls are two-fold.  1) The dog ingests less air, so they don't get as bloated.  This was Maeby's problem before the elevated dog bowls.  She would regurgitate her dog food frequently after eating.  2) It takes less stress off of the dogs joints.  Would you like to stay standing in a squat the whole time you eat?  I wouldn't!  This was to help Kingsley, who is predisposed to joint problems.  I highly recommend it for your doggy.  Dog diners come as short as 3" and as tall as 18."  If you would need a shorter version, Ikea also has a Lack rectangular shelf that would work perfectly!  I've actually seen people mount them to the wall at whatever height is appropriate for their dog and cut the holes in it for their dog's bowls.  It's very doggy chic when done that way, however you would have less color options.


I have seen some very good deals for dog diners that you don't have to build yourself.  I have to share a favorite of mine I found on Etsy.  How cute are these?!  Sold by ModPet, they are very unique!  If I had the space for multiple doggy diners, one for each of my dogs, I would do it!  They are only $38 - $48 depending on size.  ModPet also makes some very modern chic dog furniture.  You'll have to check them out!

There are plenty of other awesome doggy diners out there.  I just wanted to show off ours, really.  =)  I hope you check them out for your dog.

Walking the Dog

I hear all the time how important it is to walk our dogs regularly.  They need the exercise, and it doesn't hurt me, either.  During a recent dog walk with both the dogs and my husband, I realized that the sizing system for dog leashes are all wrong!  Of course, Daniel wasn't bothered by this as much as I was.  The current system (leashes for small dogs are short and leashes for large dogs are long) just doesn't work. Let me explain.  It only makes sense that the small dog leash should be longer; they're little bodies are further away from us and closer to the ground.  On the other hand, my large dogs do not need a long leash.  It only allows them to get too far ahead of me, and on one occasion, pull me over!  The distance between my hand and my big dog is not 6 feet!  That's why I started the search for appropriate leashes for my big mutts.

Leashes

The first is a leash I use with my Shepherd/Lab mix.  EzyDog makes great athletic dog products. I have both the leash and the harness.  They're great for dogs that don't have a strong tendency to pull.  The shock absorbing (stretchy) leash allows for gentle pulling and correction.  See the best deal I've found for this product by clicking the caption below.

EzyDog Mutley

The second is a product I've recently discovered on www.Etsy.com  FYI, Etsy is a great place for custom ordering of any kind!  This leash is not a custom order if you have a big dog that needs a shorter leash, however, you can request a longer leash from most shop owners.  I haven't yet ordered this product, but it's on my list.  It's made from climbing rope, so it's durable.  I love the ergonomic design, too!

AlaskaLeash on Etsy

Harnesses

I have to throw into the mix some collar alternatives.  Attaching the leash to the collar may eventually cause neck damage, especially to those dogs that pull.  Harnesses are a great alternative for small dogs or dogs that don't have an urge to pull.  See this WebMD link for more information.

Like I mentioned earlier, I use an EzyDog harness for my Kingsley.  I chose the EzyDog, because it it lightweight, reflective, and very easy to get on and off - just one snap!  There are also other great harnesses!  If you have a short-haired dog, check out Puppia.  They can be too warm on a dog with long hair or a dog with an undercoat. I have linked the best deal I've found online for Puppia harnesses.

For my baby, Maeby, I have to pull out the big guns.  She's a strong puller and easily distracted when I'm out of breath.  With her, I use a padded head collar.

Petmate Head Collar

Unfortunately, she broke the Gentle Leader head collar.  It was still useable, but I couldn't size it properly.  So, I found a padded head collar that was more durable (shown above).  They are NOT a muzzle.  They can still eat, drink, pant, bark, lick and fetch while wearing it.  It takes the pressure off of the dog's throat/neck while walking and prevents pulling and lunging.  Maeby stops pulling almost immediately.  She's a little testy, but even she responds to the head collar.  FYI I do not recommend the shock absorbing leash with a head collar.  The shock absorbing leashes are too heavy for a head collar.

If you find any of these products for a better deal, please, leave a comment.