Did you hear the news? It’s Thanksgiving Day! A day to be thankful and a day to eat turkey! That’s totally my kind of holiday.
Which is also why I came prepared with my very own turkey shoveling spoon!
I hope you brought yours too! Happy Thanksgiving! 
Last year for Thanksgiving I headed south to North Carolina to visit family. My road trip was so much fun that I’ve decided it was time for another adventure this Thanksgiving. So today I’m on my way (with Trooper too) to Charleston, South Carolina for a couple of days of fun with my family!
I’m sure my days will be filled with lots of adventure, I’m especially looking forward to playing on the beach with Trooper! Don’t worry, when I return I’ll be sure to fill you in on all the fun I’ve had, but in the meantime I’ll be sure to post pictures of my road trip on Facebook and Instagram as I travel.
And if anyone knows any fun dog-friendly adventures in and around the Charleston, South Carolina area post them in the comments section!
I’ve meticulously packed my bag with everything I might need for my trip. You can check out what I typically pack for a road-trip, and I always make sure to store the phone numbers for emergency vets in mom’s phone as well as bringing along my DIY Pet First Aid Kit.
I was also super excited when just in time for my trip my November Barkbox showed up at my door.
Packed full of goodies perfect for a Thanksgiving feast of my own I could hardly wait to dig right in!
Mom even set aside these Turkey chews for Trooper and I to have on Thanksgiving day!
Of course she let me have a little goodie before the trip to wet my whistle – even the dental chews were mighty tasty.
So if you want to pick a little goodie from Barkbox for your furry friend, you can get $5 off any new BarkBox subscription with code AMMO5
Disclosure: I received a Barkbox in exchange for my review. But all opinions are my own and I really think they’re great!
After my vet gave me a thumbs up last week for keeping myself in tip top shape I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of my tips for keeping trim. And just in time for Thanksgiving too!
The ideal weight for a dog can be determined by being able to feel the ribs slightly, having an abdomen that is tucked when viewed from the side, and a visible waist behind the ribs when viewed from the top.
My ideal weight for my size is around 18 pounds, and at my most recent check-up my vet could feel my ribs and I have a visible waist as seen from the photo above. It’s not easy keeping weight down (especially when you love to eat like I do), but hopefully with some of my tips you’ll be on your way to keeping your pet at a healthy weight for them!
Tip 1: Keep Active
Now I’m the first to admit that I don’t actually go on a daily walk everyday, but that doesn’t mean I’m not active!
I visit the family farm about 4 days a week – where I run my heart out! I enjoy running from groundhog hole to groundhog hole and I’m never in one place for very long. This sort of mental and physical stimulation help keeps me in shape.
5 days a week I work at mom’s shop, and while it may not be an intense workout, just being active and greeting customers helps keep me on the move. I’m a strong believer that mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation to keep your pet fit.
On the weekends I tend to go on one or two adventures, whether it’s a trip to lowes or a walk on the trail it’s a great way to keep me active.
Tip 2: Feed the Right Amount
Currently I eat two brands of food, Wellness Small Breed
Now you’ll notice that on the back of all dog food bags they list recommended feeding amounts:
Based on my ideal weight of 18 lbs both bags recommend that I eat about 1 – 1 1/2 cups of food per day. But you will also notice that both bags note that dogs are individuals and these are just recommendations, and what you should feed your dog might vary from the chart.
In actuality I eat 1/3 a cup twice a day, which is much less than the recommended amount for my weight.
My mom has chosen this amount for me over the years by monitoring my weight and cutting my food back slowly until she found an appropriate amount that was able to keep me at a healthy weight. She watches my waist line closely and always cuts my food back if it starts to look a little less trim.
This amount of food might not look like enough to you, but you have to remember that us dogs keep food in our bellies for a long time. (Evident by the fact that hours upon hours after eating we can still throw up some pretty undigested food….yuck!)
When in doubt about how much you should feed your dog, you should always consult your veterinarian.
Tip 3: Take a Class
Typically once a week I take a dog agility class at my local training center. This helps keep me fit and keeps me thinking and learning too!
Taking any sort of class, even just a basic obedience class, is a great way to keep your dog active. Not just for puppies, any dog, any age, can benefit from training classes!
Tip 4: Use Treats Sparingly
I review a lot of treats on the blog, but that doesn’t mean that I’m allowed to have them whenever I want. Mom keeps a tight watch on the cookie jar and I’m only allowed to have small treats when we are training.
I also try to keep most of the treats I eat on the healthy end of the scale, like eating sweet potato treats.
Tip 5: Limit Table Scraps
As a general rule I’m not allowed to have table scraps (although that doesn’t stop me from trying). The only exception to this rule is when mom will let me have bits of apple and carrots when she’s cutting them up. But for the most part it’s best for me just to eat the food that was designed for dogs.
So I hope you enjoyed my tips for keeping your pet fit and trim! Here’s to hoping we all live long and healthy lives!
Disclosure: This is supposed to be a general guide on how I keep myself fit, but you may need to consult your veterinarian as to what and how much to feed & exercise your own pet. Each pet is different!
Disclaimer: This review and giveaway is brought to you by Chewy.
When my friends over at Chewy.com sent me over some of the Merrick Hungry Dog Chew Treats mom thought they might be just the thing to keep me occupied during the busy season at the shop this year.
See, as much as I hate to admit it, I’m not always the perfect little angel you might think I am at work. Shocking right?
Sometimes I pull merchandise off the shelves to get attention, or bark at big dogs outside the shop door, or even tear up a piece of cardboard or two. It’s all part of my training regime for mom, because I have her trained now to throw me something good to eat to keep me occupied until she’s done with a customer. I’m so smart.
So when Chewy.com’s Merrick Hungry Dog Chews arrived at the shop, I knew I’d be getting a few tossed my way.
This 2 lb. bag of misshapen dog chews are a great value as they include a variety of products made by Merrick that didn’t quite make the “cut” for one reason or another, but are still perfectly healthy for your pet to eat. My bag seemed to be filled with mostly beef ear chews, but I think every bag is different.
Regardless of maybe their irregular size they smelled delicious and cost a fraction of the original price.
I also read that the beef ears are great for sensitive stomachs, contain no artificial colors or flavors, and are even made right here in the USA.
You can bet my naughty little self will be getting lots of these during the holiday rush at the shop!
And incase you can’t wait to get your paws on these Merrick Hungry Dog Chews either, you can fetch your own at Chewy.com for about $7 for a 2lb. bag. (they’re on sale now!)
And now you have a chance to win some super goodies from Chewy.com! Enter Below!
Don’t forget, today is the last day to enter my Barkbox Giveaway!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Chewy, but all opinions are my own.
I’m no stranger to antler chews, but an antler chew AND a dog toy, now that’s something I can totally get behind. Smoky Mountain Studio uses 100% natural, North American deer or elk antlers that are naturally shed. Antlers help clean teeth and last a long time and are also odor free with no dyes or preservatives.
You can fetch your own Antler Chew Dog Toy from Smoky Mountain Studio for about $25.
It’s been a little while since I’ve done a Throwback Thursday on the blog, so I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane today!
Back when I was just a wee pup my pal Trooper used to come to the shop to “babysit” me everyday. While I did get in my fair share of puppy antics, Trooper and I also did a whole lot of napping together……
You gotta love a best friend that will let you use him as a pillow!
What I thought was just a typical car ride for me turned into an unexpected pit stop the other day when I found myself arriving at my vet’s office.
I must admit, shots and a physical exam are never on my to-do list, but it’s a necessary evil I guess.
As friendly as the staff at my vet’s office is, I’m just never my typical happy tail wagging self. I can’t help it when my first REAL memory at the vet is being neutered!
While I was waiting for my turn in the exam room I did find a happy little surprise. My Halloween costume made the bulletin board, and it turns out I won first place for the best character costume. How cool!
When it was finally my turn to be examined I tried to put on a brave face.
Mom helped a bit by bringing along one of my favorite snacks, peanut butter. She’s been carrying it around in her pocket for weeks and using it to help me build a positive association with things I’m a little scared of. (the vet, the vacuum, etc). I have to admit, peanut butter does help make everything a little bit better!
My vet came in and examined my weight and body condition, and I had a few routine tests done before getting my annual vaccines.
I’m happy to report that I got a clean bill of health, clocking in at 18.8 pounds my vet said that I’m in perfect condition and weight for my size. My blood test even came back negative for lyme after I tested positive last year for anaplasmosis (a type of lyme). So it’s great that there was no traces of it found in my body this year.
I hope your puppies are feeling happy and healthy too!
Next week I’ll be sharing just how I keep my body in tip top shape – perfect timing right before Thanksgiving, so stay tuned!
Over the weekend the temperatures rose to a comfortable 65 degrees on the farm, which meant I found myself soaking up all the sun I could before it inevitably turns cold once again.
I ran and ran and celebrated being free!
I kept on running until Trooper came to get me to help with the farm chores. What a buzz kill!
Digging holes for fencing requires all hands paws on deck, and as the digging expert I’m always involved with it comes to holes on the farm.
Trooper on the other hand just likes to nap in the sun. To each his own. Happy warm fall day to all!
Disclaimer: This review and giveaway is brought to you by Barkbox.
I had heard great things about Barkbox, a monthly subscription plan of goodies for your furry friend, and I was super excited when they offered to send me a box.
Last month I received my very first Barkbox delivery, and since it was the month of October, mom was determined to get a photo of me in my Halloween costume with my box of goodies.
Only when I got a sniff of all the glorious things inside my October Barkbox, I just couldn’t be bothered to sit pretty in my Ninja Turtle costume for photos. So I ripped off that mask and dove right in!
Barkbox is one of those companies that I can really get behind, because not only do they provide a great product, but they also donate 10% of their proceeds to dogs in need.
With subscription plans starting as low as $19 a month, there is something for every budget!
For such a small box I was surprised at how much they were able to fit in there! And I can’t help but think these would make the perfect gifts for all your dog loving friends this Christmas.
I loved the pack of shareable Halloween treats, which I even shared with a few of my doggie friends. And the Mutt Meatballs look like a blast (all you have to do is add a pound of ground beef to the mix and cook).
Of course I wasted no time showing my new toy how we do things in my house.
He may have only lasted a few hours with me, but we both had the time of our lives.
For all my friends you can get $5 off any new BarkBox subscription with code AMMO5
And incase you were wondering, I share really really well, which is why……
TWO Lucky WINNERS will WIN a 3 Month Subscription to Barkbox
Here’s HOW TO WIN:
For this giveaway I will be using, Rafflecopter. We only use the information you provide to contact the winners and we never share it – so not to worry. Winners will be chosen at random and you will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends on 11/26/13 12AM EST. Open to US and CANADA Residents Only. Winners must claim their prizes within 48 hours of being notified or prize will be forfeited. Good luck!
Don’t forget, today is the last day to enter my Kentucky Bluebird Giveaway!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Barkbox, but all opinions are entirely my own.
Healthy – it’s something we all wish to attain for the rest of our lives. Eating healthy is the best way to start, so I was excited to find some great healthy dog treats and products from Healthy Dogma.
Healthy Dogma strives to make healthy dog food, dog treats, and dog supplements that are formulated from the highest quality natural ingredients. With ingredients like kelp, flaxseed, and mushrooms you can feel good about feeding your dog something that is good for them inside and out.
You can find our more and fetch some of these products from Healthy Dogma.