A Whole Lot of Goody Goodness - #ChewyInfluencer

For our second review as Chewy Influencers for Chewy.com, we received another of their spectacular Goody Boxes.  We received a box filled with "Grain-Free" goodies.

Here's a quick peek at what we found inside our Grain Free Goody Box.

Let's get the lowdown on the GOODS from the Chewy.com website:

Description:

This selection of premium, grain-free food and treats—plus toys—is handpicked for pups. Each box contains five or more full-size goodies so dogs can have fun taste-testing and discovering new favorites from premium brands. The Grain-Free Dog Goody Box is full of special surprises for your own pup, and it’s great as a gift for fellow pet parents.

And why might you want to get one of these Goody Boxes?  Well, just look at this list - it's about as GOOD as it gets!!!

• Five or more full-size goodies from premium brands, all grain-free.
• Handpicked gifts for dogs of all sizes. Recommended for dogs of all ages except for LID food which is meant for adult dogs.
• Great savings on everyday prices on this selection of treats, food and toys, plus free shipping on every Chewy Goody Box order!
• 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.

Today we decided to let Lightning deliver the GOODS for you to see.

Lucky me - this is almost as GOOD as gold - now how do I get Mom to open those treat bags for ME? 

So let's take a closer look at these items - trust me - it is a world of GOODS not to be passed by.

Meat Mates

100% New Zealand grass fed beef boost to mix into your dog's food for a nutritious natural high meat boost.

Nulo freestyle grain-free trainers in the duck recipe

Formulated with duck as the first ingredient plus wholesome chickpeas and a boost of superfood goodness from cherries, blueberries, and honey, it’s the bite-sized training treat that packs a big dose of nutrition. It also has salmon oil to provide DHA-rich omega-3 fatty acids for even more wholesomeness in every bite! And at two calories per treat, it helps support a healthy weight for dogs of all breeds and ages, even puppies. Plus, it’s made with zero corn, wheat, soy, artificial preservatives, colors or flavorings.

Merrick Power Bites

Soft and chewy dog treats in the real beef recipe - also grain-free and gluten-free.  They are medium-sized tasty morsels with omega fatty acids.  The makers start with real deboned meat as the #1 ingredient, with added nutrition from fresh fruits and vegetables. Perfect for rewarding or training, your dog is sure to love Power Bites!

Solid Gold Superfood Treats

Chewy dog treats in the turkey, sweet potato and cinnamon recipe - we think this might become one of our favorites.  Made with protein-packed turkey as the first ingredient and loaded with fiber-rich sweet potatoes and lip-smacking cinnamon, these chomp-sized clusters of tastiness are perfect during training or as a snack. To round out the wholesome, grain-free recipe, they also have nutrient-dense lentils, flaxseeds, pumpkin and kelp for a boost of goodness in every nibble. Plus, since they’re soft and chewy, they’re easy to chew and also great for senior dogs with sensitive teeth.

Natural Balance L.I.D. (limited ingredients diet)

The tins are the white fish and sweet potato formula in broth for ADULT dogs.  With animal protein from just a single source, limited wholesome carbohydrates and no grains, this L.I.D. formula makes a great alternative food for sensitive pets.

And last but not least - Hartz Bug Eyes - isn't he just so cute?

Hartz Bug Eyes Dog Toy makes play time hilarious and fun. With each feverish bite of this latex toy comes a hilarious eye popping animation that's sure to keep dogs busy and their owners laughing. Made with specially formulated latex that provides excellent durability and the ideal texture and resistance dogs seek in chewing..  Well, about that last sentence - Mom says she doesn't think Bug Eyes is going to pass the Sibe-proof criteria, so Bug Eyes will be shared with our cousins Duncan and Dexter.

I think you can tell I am one very happy pup!!!

If you would like to know more about the Chewy Goody Box, you can read all about them HERE.  Last month we also reviewed the Made in the U.S.A. Goody Box HERE.  But there are more choices.  You can get Goody Boxes for dogs AND Cats in the Grain Free box, the Made in the U.S.A. Box, and even a Happy Birthday box.  There is also a Goody Box for the Tiny but Mighty Dog.  We can't wait for our next birthdays to roll around so we can get one of those boxes. We think each of the boxes is a great value with a wonderful variety of premium treats and toys.  Tell your peeps to check them out at Chewy.com.  We received our Goody Box from the very nice ladies Natalie and Kristin from the Chewy Influencer Team at no cost to us in exchange for a fair and honest review.  We had no problem whatsoever in giving our review a rating of 12 Paws UP.

Now, Misty and Timber think they have been very patient while Lightning made his way through this very long review.  So now it is about time for ALL of us to get to taste some of those yummy treats.  Let's go, Mom.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

No Worry Wednesday

Nom Nom - tasty antler!

No worries - I won't mistake one of Lightning's paws for my chewie:)

Back to nom nom!

Woos - Misty

Remembrance Day

Tuesday August 28 is  Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day sponsored by Deb Barnes of Zee & Zoey's Cat Chronicles.

Today we would like to honor our four Siberian Angels - Dakota, Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara.  Most of the photos included are courtesy of many years of loving and beautiful work by our dear friend Ann of Zoolatry.

Dakota was our first Siberian Husky coming to us a special gift for our Dad in 1997.  She taught the family a lot about the Siberian Husky breed.  She was an energetic, fun-loving, and loving girl.  She spent her first year with the two little cockapoos, Lucky and Shamrock.  But her favorite playmate was Mom.  Dakota was convinced that Mom was really a dog.  When Mom would sit at the table trying to finish up a few things for work, Dakota would literally grab her by the arm and want her to play.  Of course, Mom acquiesced but knew that Dakota needed more.  That probably had something to do with the arrival of Siberian Husky #2 Phantom in about a year.   More about that in a little bit.  "The OP Pack" became the furry family name in 2006 when Thunder arrived.  Dakota quickly became the Princess of the family.  Diagnosed with Cushing's disease when she was 9 years old, she lived a full and happy life until she made her way over the Rainbow Bridge in 2009.  She was a sweet girl loved and missed by all, and like all of our Angels, she lives in our hearts forever.

Thunder was actually our third Siberian Husky who came to live with us in August, 2006.  He was a handsome and big boy and had a very gentle soul.  He was one of those dogs that EVERYONE just loved.  When he was with us, we had three special toys that many of you also have - the birdhouse with the little colored birds, the treehouse with squirrels, and lastly the beehive with the bumblebees.  Thunder always made Mom smile when he would carry one of his baby squirrels or birds or bees in his mouth all the while wooing a big Siberian song.  He never destroyed one of those little creatures.  On the other hand he always tried to make friends with some of the oddest critters, like Tony the Turtle he often met along the trail on our walks.  He was, much to Mom's dismay, a great snake hunter.  He found many a slithering snake in the grass in our yard and would grab them and toss them in the air.  He sure did make the family smile.  He sadly left us very suddenly on July 1, 2013 after a diagnosis of a very aggressive cancer.

And then there was Mr. Blue Eyes - the old man with a heart of gold - Phantom.  Phantom was never a good specimen of health throughout his life.  He was never a good eater, had several bouts of different cancers, but still managed to enjoy his life to the ripe old age of 16 1/2 in 2015.   He was Siberian #2, a birthday gift for Mom when she reached one of those milestone birthdays.  You may find it hard to believe but Phantom and Dakota were a wild and crazy duo as youngsters and taught Mom all she didn't know about Siberian Huskies.  They were adventurous, mischievous, and fun-loving pups who managed to get into a lot of trouble.  But they also taught Mom all about the joy of life with a Siberian Husky.  We think they did a pretty good job since five more of us came along as years went by.  Phantom was the kind of dog who could easily be overlooked.  He was a bit of a loner, very independent, very stoic.  Stoic to the point that it was very difficult to tell when he was in pain.  But he was a very gentle dog.  His eyes could melt your heart as he seemed to speak through them.  His passing left a huge void in our lives.  His quiet presence was actually enormous.

Even though almost two years have passed since Angel Ciara got her wings, it still is very difficult to write about her without seeing Mom's eyes well up with tears.  Ciara was an angel on earth before she became an Angel in heaven.  She had the sweetest disposition of any dog Mom has had over many decades of life.  She thrived on being a good girl. She adored the grands and loved to snuggle with them on the sofa.  And she was well loved in return.  But there was one very special being in her life, and that was her half brother Thunder.  Over the years we have shared many photos of the close connection the two of them had.  They were truly inseparable.  When Thunder left us so suddenly (less than two weeks after going from what we thought was a totally healthy dog to one with cancer death sentence), poor Ciara was lost.  We said good bye to Thunder on July 1st that year, and almost immediately Ciara was truly bewildered.  Severe panic set in with 4th of July fireworks, thunderstorms, loud noises - something very new for Ciara.  Shortly after she had her first seizure.  As many of you know, we tried and tried for three years to help her with every medication that the neurologist could prescribe.  We even returned to some of them to see if they would start to work again.  The last resort was phenobarbitol.  another massive failure.  After three days of almost nonstop seizures, we decided enough was enough and set our little princess free. Yep, those tears are back again:(  

Dakota and Phantom were our first Siberian Huskies, only 15 months apart.  We have many wonderful memories of their time together and with us and miss them both so much.  We hope they are happy knowing that the The OP Pack lives on with Lightning, Misty, and Timber.

Thunder and Ciara, half-siblings, sharing the same father, truly had a very special bond.   Although it makes us sad that they are not here with us, we are sure that bond has been sealed with love forever across the Rainbow Bridge. 

Thank you for letting us reminisce and remember our beautiful Siberian Angels.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, Timber, and Mom

Ah-rooo!!! Anyone in there?

Did you forget about ME?

I am out here all alone, and it is HOT!!!

Woos - Misty

It's a Great Day to be a DOG!!!

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Channeling Angel Ciara Saturday

One of Angel Ciara's favorite caves.

I like it here too. 

Mom says I could learn a lot from Angel Ciara:)

Woos - Timber

The Waiting Game

Do your peeps ever wonder what you do when they are not home?  Well, we play the waiting game.

Not very exciting, eh?  Lightning is guarding the back door that the peeps come in.  Timber waits close by.  And Misty gets comfy as she too keeps watch.  Yep, this is exactly how Mom and Dad find us when they return from their outings.

Hey, Lightning and Misty - is that a bag of jerky I see up on that counter?   Hmmmm. . .   Maybe it is time to change things up a bit.  We can always get back to the waiting game before they get home.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Sooooo, Mom - who is making all the noise NOW???  

Woos - Timber

Tasty Tripe-y Tuesday - #ChewyInfluencer

Have we got a tasty treat to review for you today!!!

For our first review for Chewy.com this month, we selected a product from one of our favorite vendor's - Dr. Tim.  We LOVE all his products so much, and if you click HERE, you will find that Chewy.com carries a lot of them.  This is a new one for us and we are very excited to try it.

So what's in the bag, Mom?

Dr. Tim's freeze dried treats - we chose the natural clean tripe, but there are other options available at Chewy.com - turkey chicken, oxtail, beef, beef liver, and tripe.  You can find the choices HERE.

The treats are real, pure, with no extras, 100% USDA inspected meat from Wisconsin.  And they are for DOGS and CATS.

Are you wondering what is in them?  That's an easy one to answer : 100% beef tripe.  Tripe is the stomach of a cow and is rich in essential fatty acids and protein.  It can also help to clean teeth, aids in digestion, and may even increase stamina.

If you don't want to chew the tripe, you can get your human to soak it in cool water for five minutes to make it tender and juicy.  Of course, be sure to remind your human to wash their hands and any dishes they used thoroughly with soap and water.  And don't forget to be sure we have clean and fresh water.

We put some on a plate with a quarter so you could see the various sizes.  The directions say to give 1-2 treats per 10 lbs. of weight per day.  They can be used as treats or as a tasty topping to our meals.

So let's get to it with a video.  We got to try the tripe treats two times.  You will notice that at least ONE of us has manners and doesn't gobble up the treat in a nanosecond.

No doubt about it - those treats are very good.  We aren't so sure they will do much for our toofers because we don't spend much time chewing, but we know they have a lot of other great reasons for us to enjoy them.  Mom wants to add that she is usually pretty squeamish about tripe because of the odor.  BUT these tripe treats really don't have a bad smell at all, probably because they are freeze-dried.

So, Mom, in our video you said, "Maybe later."  Is it later yet???? And remember 1-2 treats per 10 lbs per day.  We are pretty sure that means we qualify for more than just two a day.

Thanks to Chewy.com and the wonderful ChewyInfluencer team, in particular Ms. Natalie and Ms. Kristin, for sending us this bag of treats at no cost to us in exchange for a fair and honest review.  We LOVED them.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Awwww Monday

Let's join Comedy Plus for Awwww Monday.

Misty:  What's that big lump under my bed???

Timber:  Excuse ME!!!  I am NOT a big lump!!!

Yep, we are just working to give you some blog fodder for today, Mom:)

Woos - Misty and Timber

Weekend Movie with the "Wild Woos"

As you can see, when the Woos get too Wild, Mom says, "Take it outside!"  We sure had a lot of fun inside and outside.

Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

Timber's Thankful Thursday

Let's hop along with Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!!!

Mom said she thought it would be a good idea for me to think about what I am thankful for in my life.  I told her that was EASY!!!

I am thankful for my sweet sister Misty who lets me chew on her, steal her toys, run zoomies together, and just hang with me.

I am also very grateful for my BIG brother Lightning who lets me lie on his paws while he is trying to nap, who teaches me all sorts of good (and mischievous) things, who lets me share his place on the a/c vent, and who does his best to keep me out of trouble.

Who wouldn't be thankful for such a wonderful pack!!!

What are you thankful for today and every day?

Woos - Timber

Wordless Wednesday

Woos - Misty and Timber