Hey, remember just over a week ago when I posted about the Canada Pooch model search? Entries are now closed, which means that the fun has finally begun… it’s voting time! I have a feeling this is going to be a close call because there are a lot of gorgeous pups in the running. I rummaged through the folder of entries on Facebook today, and I am smitten with a number of these dogs:
This is Cora, a timid little rescue beagle. She has the sweetest face in the world.
This is Koda the Alaskan Klee Kai. I think I am in love.
Blue is a pug / shar-pei mix and is oh, so adorable.
This is Jitterz, the min-pin with the world’s most accurate name.
And guess what? One of the PupLove Pets, Jamie’s very handsome boy Mako, is in the running, too! I have my fingers crossed for you, Mako!!!
Go, Mako, GO! We love you!!!
Voting is open until Friday, October 5th, so make sure you cast your vote! Check out Canada Pooch on Facebook and “like” your favourite pooch’s photo in the Calendar Cuties Contest Entries album. Happy voting!
There’s been a whole lot of brou ha ha about Chicken Jerky Treats from China.
I don’t know why they’re making dogs sick; if they’re contaminated or made with bad ingredients or if the irradiation makes them all dangerous and gross – and to be completely honest, I don’t really care.
Dogs are getting sick. The FDA doesn’t understand why.
To me, that’s all I needed to know to be thoroughly convinced that my dogs wouldn’t eat a single Jerky Treat from China. Why take any chances, especially when there are awesome jerky products made right here in North America, using USDA inspected, “human grade” meat?
Decadent Doggie Natural Dog Jerky Treats are the jerky of choice for my dogs.
Made is small batches, from restaurant quality chicken or turkey breast, Decadent Doggie jerky is a USA-made product that you can trust. This family run company s committed to a safe product. After all, they know just how dangerous a low-quality jerky treat can be. In 2008, their pomeranian Dolce got sick. Really sick. Her liver was in crisis, a crisis caused by something she was eating. One sick little pup, her people could convince her to eat only one thing: chicken jerky treats. They stopped feeding those Chinese made jerky strips and before long, Dolce’s liver values retured to normal and she was OK. Though they have no proof, they believe those jerky treats were at the root of Dolce’s illness.
Unable to find an all natural jerky treat made in the US with US raised meat, they decided to start making treats themselves.
Decadent Doggie drives the dogs wild!
The treats were a major hit at Casa de Kolchak! The dogs haven’t had jerky treats in a long time. Sure, sometimes I make them myself, but it’s not always a practical solution. It takes over 3 lbs of fresh chicken to make just 1 lb of jerky treats and 6 – 8 hours in the dehydrator. Even with all my “kitchen witchery”, I don’t always have time. I love that there is a product like Decadent Doggie jerky that I can trust. Kolchak pretty much lost his mind when I pulled out the Decadent Doggie treats. (Check out our Kol’s Notes review to learn more about the treats and their flavours.)
Decadent Doggie wants to show you how awesome their treats are.
Along with Kol’s Notes, we’re giving away 2 – 1 lb bags of Decadent Doggie natural dog jerky in your choice of flavours! Do you want to win some? Enter now!
You must leave a blog comment on either Kol’s Notes or PupLove to be eligible to win.
Any entry that does not leave a comment will be disqualified!
OK, Rafflecopter is being a PAIN IN THE TAIL and it won’t let me paste the Rafflecopter here. I better ask our resident tech wizard (aka AJ) what the woof is going on! In the meantime, leave a comment below telling us about your dog and why you’d like to try the Decadent Doggie jerky, then head over to Kol’s Notes to enter our giveaway!
Full disclosure: Decadent Doggie generously sent us a 1 lb bag of mixed chicken jerky and a one l lb bag of turkey jerky to review and they are also providing the prizes for our giveaway. Here at Kol’s Notes we pride ourselves on only sharing our 100% honest opinions. All thoughts in this blog are our own.
Update by AJ: Rafflecopter fixed! I’m leaving Jody’s comment of frustration up because it makes me giggle.
Update by Jodi: Rafflecopter un-fixed. I logged in to fix a spelling mistake and screwed the whole thing up. Pretty sure I’m going to make AJ regret the day she game such a tech unsavvy schmuck a password to get in here ;0)
Update by AJ: Annnnnd, fixed again. I’m scared to point out that you said I “game” you a password… dun dun dunnnnnnnn!
Recently, our very generous friends over at Uncommon Goods sent me a couple of adorable doggie necklaces for my “super-cute jewelry” collection. Imagine how excited I was when I opened up my mail and saw this:
(Yep! Even the packaging is cute!)
I adore cute, unique jewelry – who doesn’t?! – to the point that I actually make my own necklaces and charms, usually in the shape of miniature dessert items. I’ve got cupcake necklaces, pie slice necklaces, necklaces made out of sea shells… but I don’t have anything that represents my love of puppies! That is, until now.
Both of these pieces were designed by artist Mark Poulin, who creates jewelry based on drawings from his sketchbook. How do I know this? Because there’s a little bio card in the box with a sample sketch and a note from Mark about his work.
I’m actually really weird about necklace chains. When they’re long, I feel like they hang in a weird way and I’m going to catch them on something and break them. When they’re too short, I can’t wear them – I have this hang-up about stuff being too close to my throat (because I’m neurotic like that). So I was especially excited when I put on my new doggie necklace and discovered that it was the perfect length. That never happens to me.
A couple of days ago, I launched a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate from Uncommon Goods, but unfortunately for our Canadian readers, I could only open it up to US residents because of shipping restrictions. Well, guess what Canada? This one’s for you.
As hard as it’s going to be to part with the brand-new, handmade “trophy dog” necklace that arrived in my mailbox, I’ve set it aside for one lucky Canadian reader of PupLove. Check out the box below for information on how to enter, and good luck!
I’m not like normal girls. No, seriously, you guys. I have a confession to make.
I hate shopping.
Shoe shopping is the absolute worst. I have no interest in shoes at all. If I could wear a pair of broken-in flip-flops, 365 days a year, that would be amazing. (They just don’t go with snowy Canadian winters so well.) Shopping for clothes is no better. Gift shopping? Ha. Forget it. I start out with the best of intentions, but when I can’t find the “perfect gift”, I get overwhelmed and frustrated and I will just start buying things out of exasperation.
Shopping online is a little better. I love that there are no line-ups during the checkout process. I love that I can take my time and mull my options over (and when I say ‘take my time’, I’m not kidding… it took me 3 weeks of almost daily visits to LuluLemon’s website to decide how I was going to spend a gift card that I got for my birthday.) And I love finding that unique item that, when you look at it, makes you think “Oh my gosh! This is perfect for _______” or “*gasp* I need that shirt in my life, right now.”
That is the love affair that I’m currently having with a little website called Uncommon Goods. To me, the best goods are the uncommon goods; the ones that are original and unique and that every single person on the planet doesn’t have in their living rooms as we speak. It doesn’t matter who you’re shopping for, or for what occasion – you can find something original on this site. Can’t find something to give your hubby for Fathers Day? That’s cool, they have gifts for guys (right here!).
Your niece’s first birthday party is right around the corner? Bam! Unique baby gifts are right here!
Your oldest child is graduating this year? Oh, look what we have here!
But here’s the best part.
This website is full of items for us “dog-people”. (And cat people, too!) They have dog toys, they have dog-themed housewares, they have treats for your pooch. They have dog-shaped jewelry. Jewelry! OK, maybe I’m a little like normal girls…
There was a little part of me that didn’t even want to post about this, because I was reluctant to share my amazing online discovery with the world, but the great folks at Uncommon Goods made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: they told me that a lucky PupLove reader was going to win a $50 gift certificate for their website. (You don’t even have to spend it on pet-related items. I won’t tell.)
Here’s how to enter:
1. Leave a comment below to be entered into the draw.
That’s it. That’s all you have to do! The contest will close on Friday, May 4th at midnight, so you have a little over a week to enter. The winner will be selected at random and posted here on Friday, May 4th, so check back to see if it’s you!
Oh, wait… you really want to win it? OK, well, you can also earn up to three (3) extra entries by doing the following:
1. Add UncommonGoods to your circles on Google+ (and be sure to let me know in your comment below if you did this!)
2. Tweet a link to one of the pages in the left sidebar on UncommonGoods.com (and tag @PupLoveCA so I know about it), and
3. Pin your favourite UncommonGoods product on Pinterest (again, please tag @puploveca in there so I can count your extra entry)
*** Please note that UncommonGoods is currently only able to ship within the United States, so this particular giveaway is only open to those within the U.S. But we love our Canadian readers (I’m Canadian, too!), and I have an “UncommonGoods” surprise coming up for you guys, too – so don’t fret! You’re up next! ***
Winter is rapidly approaching, and our friends at Canada Pooch are giving away a Winter Wilderness Jacket to a lucky pooch in preparation for the cold weather!
The Winter Wilderness Jacket isn’t just adorable. It was designed for Canadian winters, and features fleece lining with a waterproof exterior and extra-warm faux-down stuffing. It also has a pocket to store treats or bags in, a snap to keep the hood back from your pup’s face, AND it’s machine washable. Practical and stylish, folks. Check out the always adorable Bella the Puggle modeling the red version:
So how can you win a Winter Wilderness Jacket to keep your pooch warm this winter? It’s easy!
Be the first person to get 30 friends to like the page ( and mention your name on the wall) & get the most RT’s for this Tweet: “I want 2 win a Winter Wilderness Jacket 2 keep my pooch cozy this winter #CanadaPooch #Contest.” The contest closes Wed. at 5pm.
So what are you still doing here? Go! Tweet! Good luck, everyone!
Just a quick reminder… the Tricks For Treats contest ends TOMORROW night (May 6th) at 11:59 pm EST. Get your submissions in before then to be entered to win some really awesome prizes!
This week, I’m going to keep it light and fun so that you guys don’t start to think I am this really opinionated snob and a sometimes-downer.
On that note, here is a really cute picture of Jack and The Mister being snuggly and adorable. Sometimes when Jack is feeling extra-affectionate, he’ll sit up in a “beg” position and then drop all of his weight backwards so that he’s leaning against your legs and throw his head back so you scratch his throat and under his chin. That’s what’s going on here.
In other fun and exciting post topics, if you haven’t already entered the Tricks For Treats contest, now is as good a time as any. All the information, including a list of prizes from some fantastic sponsors, can be found here and you can enter your own video or see the current entries by clicking here.
My goal this week is to comment on EVERY SINGLE POST that is linked in the Saturday blog hop, and I’ll be adding all you dog bloggers to my Google Reader account (if I haven’t already), so get linking!
The Tricks For Treats contest is officially live and ready to go!
Once again, here is all the information on how you and your pup can participate. (Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada.)
How to enter:
Record a video of you and your dog practicing a new trick. The whole idea behind this contest is to promote bonding with your dog by learning something new – so your dog doesn’t have to perform perfectly! Just show us what you’re having fun working on together.
Upload your video to the website of your choice: YouTube, Flickr, your own blog, etc.
Prizes: Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners and consist of the following prize packages. Please check out the descriptions at the bottom of the page!)
Winners will be announced on May 10th, 2011, so be sure to come back and see if you won – and please check out the sponsors websites and be sure to add them on Facebook!
Trick training is a great way to bond with your dog, because it’s all about having fun – for both of you! Imagine someone training their dog to shake a paw. They’re using a happy, inviting voice; they’re excited, which makes the dog excited as well; and when the dog shakes? ”Good boy, good boy! Want a cookie?” It’s a rewarding experience for the dog and for the owner, and you both get to share the feeling of accomplishment when the dog understands and performs the trick correctly.
Jack’s first birthday is coming up on May 10th, and to celebrate, we want to see all the happy puppies out there bonding with their owners! So, we came up with: the Tricks For Treats contest!
How to enter:
Record a video of you and your dog practicing a new trick. The whole idea behind this contest is to promote bonding with your dog by learning something new – so your dog doesn’t have to perform perfectly! Just show us what you’re having fun working on together.
Upload your video to the website of your choice: YouTube, Flickr, your own blog, etc.
Go to www.puplove.ca/tricksfortreatsbetween April 11th and May 6th, 2011 and submit the link to your video. (The entry page will not be available prior to April 11th!)
Prizes: Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners and consist of the following prize packages. Please check out the descriptions at the bottom of the page!)
Winners will be announced on May 10th, 2011, so be sure to come back and see if you won – and please check out the sponsors websites and be sure to add them on Facebook!
Sponsors Details (Alphabetically by company)
Alopaw
Alopaw Hawaiian Dog Treats are gluten-free, vegan, tropical flavored treats for your dog!
“Here at Arctic Paws, maker of YUMMY CHUMMIES, we go to great lengths to provide your dog with the freshest, highest quality products possible. YUMMY CHUMMIES wild Alaska salmon offers your dog quality protein, vitamins, minerals and beneficial omega 3 & 6 fatty acids.”
Benny’s Buddies makes homemade dog treats – tested by Benny himself! “My promise to you will be that I always use fresh, natural,delicious ingredients. No preservatives or artificial colors are used.”
Calming Collars are filled with a blend of natural herbs, specifically developed to help with certain conditions, like excessive barking, hyper-activity, stress, anxiety and fear due to loud noises, storms and thunder (thunder phobia), separation anxiety and more!
Originator of the famous shirts:
“Your Dog Doesn’t Know Sit”
“It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Ends Up in a Cone”
“Know Dog – Know Joy – Know Love”
“With almost 3 decades of experience in the pet industry, we at Free Range Dog Chews Inc. provide customers like you with dog treats and chews that are as close to nature as possible. We merely dehydrate them to a shelf stable level. We proudly offer Odor-Free Bully Sticks, Buckarooz! antlers and 1 or 2 ingredient treats from Beef, Chicken, Duck, Fish, Goat, Lamb, Pork, & Rabbit.”
Barbara Esposito has created a collection of artwork and art making products, all infused with color and joy and whimsey, that include Collage Prints, Paper Mache, Bookmarks, Greeting Cards, Gift Cards and Tags, T-Shirts, and a unique set of tools and templates ~ the Art Shapes Art Program ~ to help artists of all ages and abilities create art.
Lucky Paws proudly presents PetCakes, the first ever microwavable dog treats. PetCakes, made of all natural and organic ingredients, can be microwaved in less than 3 minutes creating a tasty and totally unique experience for families and their pets.
*mascot: a person, animal or object believed to bring good luck.
“We design our products to reflect all of the wonderful, funny, and unique qualities that each of our personal mascots possess.”
Nature’s Logic is the only full-line commercial pet food with no added, chemically-synthesized vitamins or minerals. Nature’s Logic provides your pet with essential and complete nutrition using only 100% natural ingredients.
Nurtured Pets is a company focused on health and wellness products for pets that has recently introduced the Anti-LickStrip pet bandage – the first product of its kind that’s clinically proven to prevent pets from licking, biting and chewing associated with anxiety, boredom, abrasions, surgical stitches, insect bites and more.
“We are uncompromising in our search for the industry’s healthiest dog food, unique and creative dog toys; and high quality, durable dog training supplies. Our inventory represents the best the industry has to offer, and we thoroughly research and test every product we carry.”
The Puppy Pinata is the only plush toy that is stuffed with treats. it was voted a pet product breakthrough of the year on Good Morning America in the first two months of it’s debut!
“When you check the list of ingredients in our Dinners, you’ll see it reads like a “who’s who” of wholesome, healthy stuff. Like raw, naturally-raised meat, poultry or fish, sourced from USDA-inspected facilities. Organic fruits and vegetables such as cranberries, carrots, apples, spinach, broccoli and beets. Healthful, direct-fed microorganisms (probiotics), natural tocopherols, chelated trace minerals and taurine. Plus essential vitamins and minerals.”
“we carefully source and blend natural, human-grade ingredients into each batch, offering up rewarding treats for noshing and nourishment. and we wrap them in sustainably minded packages, so mother nature will worship you as much as your dogs.”
Walter chose as his subject imaginary and sometimes impossible dogs that inhabit a two-dimensional, boldly colored universe. He also paints commissioned portraits of actual dogs, which he renders in a slightly more representational vein, but even these are spiced with a sense of playful whimsy.
I downloaded a program called Jing and recorded a screencast of the random draw process. If you want to, you can watch it here. I’m new to Jing, so try not to laugh at the part where I can’t figure out how to stop recording!
Gus is going to be receiving his very own copy of 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog by Kyra Sundance. Jack and I picked up a copy of our own – we haven’t tried anything out yet, but I’ve flipped through the pages and it looks great. Everything is clearly demonstrated step-by-step with photos and there are little troubleshooting tips for each trick, too. We’re looking forward to some fun training sessions!
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has ended, but the days are still cold and short. The sun has all but been replaced by images of snowflakes in the weather forecasts. Perhaps mean plow drivers are playing Chicken with your dog. It’s the perfect recipe for The Winter Blahs, and no amount of chicken soup will keep them at bay.
Solution? Snuggle your dog. And then take a picture. And then send it to me.
Wanna see some of the tricks covered in the book? Check out Kyra’s video below:
Ready to enter? Awesome, here’s how to do it.
1) Leave a comment below with a link to your photo. It can be on Flickr, TwitPic, your own website, doesn’t matter as long as I can actually view it.
2) Spread the word! (OK, it’s not actually a requirement, but I’d really appreciate it.)
3) Contest ends at 11:59 pm on February 13th, 2011. The winner will be chosen at random from the entries (using random.org) and announced on – you guessed it – Valentine’s Day!
(Hey, 
In other fun and exciting post topics, if you haven’t already entered the 
I downloaded a program called 
by Kyra Sundance. Jack and I picked up a copy of our own – we haven’t tried anything out yet, but I’ve flipped through the pages and it looks great. Everything is clearly demonstrated step-by-step with photos and there are little troubleshooting tips for each trick, too. We’re looking forward to some fun training sessions!
to help you practice the tricks in the book).
