Healthy Treating for Dogs

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© All Things Dog Blog
Tanner and Oliver Get Rewards
 for Practicing Doga with Me

If I told you it was okay to eat a half a bag of cookies each day, you’d likely be shaking your head in disgust that I would offer advice such as this. Just like you and I, our dogs need to limit their treats, taking in only that amount that they need to maintain a healthy weight along with adequate energy for their daily activities.

Whether your dog’s job is one that provides a service to your family or is simply a companionship addition to you and your household, Fido’s treating needs are still much less than the average dog treat commercial on TV may infer. Keep in mind that choosing a healthy treat is as important as knowing when to cut off your pup from the cookie jar. Lower fat, higher fiber treats have health benefits and work to help his overall health stay in line with what you would wish for him. 

Here’s how I look at treating. When I’m training my dogs, they are earning their treats by performing behaviors that I ask of them. The energy that goes into these performances is much like a dog that herds, provides a service to a family member, or actively guards your home. They have to think about what they're doing in order to get it right, at least until it becomes habit. And then they have to physically perform the action. It's my job to energize this with the appropriate nutrition and reward in order to keep the behavior building to my goal.

© All Things Dog Blog
Tanner's Hip Makes a Great Yoga Block

If you take this step a little further, you can see that a dog that competes in athletic activities such as dock diving or sheep herding (Yes, some dogs actually do this for farmers, but competitions also exist.) will most certainly burn more calories and require more food and/or treats than the average pet of similar size and breed. All these factors come into play.

I suppose you see where I'm going with this. Healthy treating really depends on your particular dog and his unique health and activities. Below, I'm going to share some of the best #TreatRight tips from the #TreatRight Twitter Party, held Sunday, October 27 by Event Barkers on behalf of Merrick Petcare:

• Choose treats with no artificial colors or preservatives.
• Your dog will love fresh fruits and veggies and lots of real meat.
• Know where your treats come from. Like Merrick pet food, Merrick treats are USA-made with NO ingredients from China. 
• Look for treats that are grain- and gluten free with no corn, wheat or soy. 
• Healthy treats can help reinforce good behaviors. Look for treats with nothing artificial. 
• When selecting a chewy treat, look for ones with no corn, soy, wheat or sorbic acid. 
• When seeking high-proten treats, choose ones with meat as the #1 ingredient, with wholesome fruits and veggies, too. 
• Remember that even dental chews count as treats in the calorie department. Merrick Dental Chews clean dog’s teeth with fresh ingredients like alfalfa and parsley to help freshen breath naturally.
• Further, the Merrick Dental Chews are grain free and gluten free with no sorbic acid or sodium copper chlorophyllin.
• When choosing dental treats, choose ones recommended for the size of your dog.  
• For the safety of your pets, observation is recommended when giving your pets treats or chews.
• Treats can help boost brainpower, build confidence, reinforce good behaviors and provide bonding moments. They're perfect for encouraging
  
  your dog to join your for yoga practice! Join us for the All Things Dog Blog yoga instruction that includes your dog as a partner. Grab a mat and your dog; then click the link to join in!
• Use the Merrick Pet Care Store Locator to buy near you: http://www.merrickpetcare.com/find-our-products
• Finally, remember that a good variety of treats keeps your dog interested in the activities you train him for, making for all around better performance and bonding.

Join us next Saturday for more tips on how to build a better bond with your dog.

Happy tails,

We are worked with Merrick Pet Care through our partnership in Event Barkers to produce this Twitter party and share product news with our readers. 

Merrick Petcare Helps Us #TreatRight!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

courtesy Merrick Petcare
#TreatRight with Power Bites

Last night's #TreatRight Twitter Party was certainly a fun event. Tons of dog lovers showed up to share their pet's photos (tons of them!) while learning how to select the right treat for their dog in each and every occasion and gauging the right amount of treating. Having a purpose for treating seemed to be a key factor in enjoying treat time. Guests were encouraged to select healthy treats, choose times appropriately, and treat responsibly to help maintain a healthy weight:

• Basic behavior training
  
• Performing requested behaviors
• House training, crate training and potty training
• Advanced skills such as agility, service dog work, show dog work, and more
• Games like nosework, hide-n-seek and other similar fun
• Brain games the provide mental stimulation, exercise and problem-solving practice
• Willingly joining a pet parent for a bonding or other activity

Ten lucky winners scored $70 prize packages (bigger for the Grand Prize!) with a nice selection of Merrick Treats from 4 lines that offer much variet: Kitchen Bites, Power Bites, Jerky Chip Treats and Dental Chews. Our winners will have power treats for higher activity, larger treats for long days on the go, dental treats for clean teeth and breath, and other options for all sorts of training and other other good behaviors. Tanner and Oliver have loved, loved, loved reviewing these delicious yummies. They have such a tough job!

After the party there were bunches of thank you's to our friends at Merrick, but you can help us thank them by clicking the RT button on this tweet:

Thx @MerrickPetcare 4 a great @EventBarkers #TwitterParty w/100s in yummy prizes. We learned a lot about how to #TreatRight!
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) October 27, 2014

Finally, please help me congratulate all 10 of our #TreatRight winners. Our 3 pre-party event winners are: Social following--@AyEll922, RSVP--@tfjsmn, and Tweeting--@martiparks. These lucky folks will receive a Merrick treat box including 5 bags of treats and a 4 lb. bag of Merrick Grain-Free Chicken or Grain-Free Real Texas Beef dry food. This prize package is valued at $70! Our next 6 party winners scored this same prize package. These winners are: @Evielvsclassics, @graciemaebeagle, @alisonrauch, 

@Ellainthecity, @Toby_Pup, and @SawyertheLab. 

  

Finally, our Grand Prize winner really digs deep. This prize package seeks to offer the winner a chance to sample even more or the Merrick line by including a 12-lb. bag of food in the winner's choice of protein, along with $40 in additional wet food, dry food or treats (winner’s choice!). This winner is @RaiderPupTTU.  Oh happy day!

We hope we'll be able to add your name to one of these winners lists real soon. Watch for

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Oliver Knows How to #TreatRight!

more Twitter Parties coming your way as we crank up this engine. You can be sure not to miss one by signing up for our Event Barkers newsletter at this link. To stay tuned to Merrick's promotions, coupons (save up to $7!), contests and news, you may also wish to subscribe to their newsletter, as well.

Good luck!

We are working with Merrick Pet Care through our partnership in Event Barkers to produce this Twitter party and share product news with our readers. Prizes will be provided and shipped by Merrick Pet Care. 

#TreatRight Reminder: Draw Solace from Your Dog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Bonding Before the #TreatRight Party

It's been a tough week here at the All Things Dog Blog household, completely blowing away all the cheer that came our way the week before. After so much good news in our previous week I was riding a cloud of joy for the Boyko girls. Admittance to medical school and passing the BAR exam were definitely high points! This week a bit of the doldrums has set in but #TreatRight is coming and I have much to do to prepare. I just want to share some thoughts on how I'm working to rejoin the happier side of life. You guessed it; my dogs are being put to work to jettison this funk.

Upon rising today, Tanner, Oliver and I set off on a longer-than-usual walk. Exercise is

always a good way to release endorphins--a "feel good" brain chemical--into the blood stream. I found myself willing an endorphin release, while at the same time wondering if this is something Oliver will be able to smell. His super duper nose has proven itself over the last 2 years, gaining traction as a safety device and early intervention for all manner of health issues that I already fight daily.  We stopped to admire a fountain and enjoyed a nice snack of Jerky Chip Treats, a delight that is on the prize list for #TreatRight winners.

When we returned home we did a short Yoga session to cool down and then had breakfast. Now, while the dogs are napping, I'm trying to get ready for #TreatRight, our Twitter Party to be held on Sunday, October 26. You can learn more about these 4 lines of treats at my product review. Having something to look forward to is definitely improving my mood already. Another score!

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Good Game, Tanner

Returning to this post, I've now had a chance to do some bonding activities with each of the dogs. Oliver accompanied me on my errands, behaving as he always does, as Mom's defender and companion. I got some stitches out of my lip that have been annoying me, as Oliver watched the doctor carefully. 

Tanner and I enjoyed our daily Fetch game. After a recent lapse of focus on his part, he has now returned to his usual Fetching form, able to Fetch several toys and return them to a pile for tossing once again. It's the latest version of our mind game that makes Tanner think about what he's doing while he's swimming and having fun. Great time to #TreatRight!

Turning Fetch into a more advanced mental task has been good for him, while also giving me the motivation to consider new ways to work his brain on additional swimming games. There's nothing this boy loves more than retrieving a toy from the pool. Ahhh....I feel better already. It's such a joy to watch your dog perform a task that took months to learn, knowing that you helped him gain this new skill by patiently teaching and encouraging his behaviors. A little training treat like the Merrick Power Bites here and there can do wonders. 

Be sure to stop by #TreatRight for your chance to win several bags of these Grain Free, Gluten Free, All Natural dog treats. We'll open about 7:30 PM ET for checkins on Sunday, October 26. Prize packages valued at $70 will be handed out throughout the one hour party, and pre-party prizes are already underway. Stop by this link to enter for your chance to get a package of great Merrick products for your dog.

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Tanner's Favorites: Treats, Toys, Pool

Tomorrow as I Tweet the evening away, Tanner and Oliver will be napping at my feet. I'll make sure we grab a pre-party walk to energize my brain while tiring the boys out for the day. Maybe a few #doga poses will help me also. Hope to see you again next week for the #WeeklyWag and tomorrow evening at #TreatRight. Here's a quick preview of what we're planning during the party:

• Be ready with a favorite photo of your dog to share during the #TreatRight party
  
• Join us to learn ways to #TreatRight, choosing the right treat for the right occasion.
• Watch for 10 prize packages to be announced throughout the evening, as well as coupons for everyone!
• Merrick wants you to know that they support treating responsibly. #NoOverweightDogs
• You can stay up to date on Merrick's treats and food by subscribing to their newsletter here. 
• Be sure to check out all the tasty Merrick treats and even grab a coupon.

Happy bonding,

We are working with Merrick Pet Care through our partnership in Event Barkers to produce this Twitter party and share product news with our readers. Prizes will be provided and shipped by Merrick Pet Care. 

My Merrick #TreatRight Review

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Let's Get to Work, Mom!

As we prepared for the announcement of the #TreatRight Twitter Party and this product review, I prepared a photo shoot set. Tanner and Oliver now know that the appearance of the yoga mat means that their company is requested. I always invite them to join me for yoga practice, no matter what I'm working on. Their companionship is not only important for our bonding, but helps them become comfortable with the funky things I try, even when I'm not including them in a pose. 

Tanner and Oliver do get a fab benefit for joining me. They get a #TreatRight snack from

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Have Treats. Will Travel.

one of our favorite treatmakers. Today they'll be noshing on Grammy's Pot Pie from Merrick's Kitchen Bites line. Doesn't that sound like a delicious homemade dinner? These treats are oven-baked with deboned meat as the first ingredient. Merrick adds fruits and veggies and bakes these treats to their crunchy, USA-made goodness. 

There's no corn, soy, or wheat in the Kitchen Bites treats; these babies are grain free and gluten free! Inspired by Merrick's award-winning classic canned foods, they're available in 6 flavors that will have you and Fido salivating. In addition to Grammy's Pot Pie, there's Cowboy Cookout, Turducken, Brauts-n-Tots, and the Wingalings that come in two flavors--Applewood Bacon Flavor and Hickory Smoke Flavor. This is country dinner treat time at its best!

Next up is the Power Bites line. These tiny, soft and chewy treats are packed with the highest protein in the industry, using meaty recipes and no sorbic acid--perfect for training your smart dog to do all his great tricks and nice behaviors. All natural and perfect for your higher energy Fido or training that needs a little extra encouragement. 

courtesy Merrick Petcare

Your dog's dental specialist will be pleased to know that Merrick now offers Dental Chews called Li'l Brush Bones. Clever, right?!! Oliver just finished his second one and there was no coersion required to encourage him to chow down. He was super eager to jump right in and work his jaws to clean his choppers.

The Merrick Jerky Chip Treats come in 4 oven-baked flavors to please your dog with the most discriminating palette. Look for chicken, beef, lamb and salmon flavors, all boasting their protein as the first ingredient. And remember, all of these Merrick treats are Grain Free and Gluten Free. Yum!

Let's wrap this ambitious review up with some important facts:

• Find a store near you using this Store Locator.
• Place an order online at this wide assortment of pet product online shopping sites.
• Don't miss the Merrick #TreatRight Twitter Party on Sunday, October 26. hosted by Event Barkers. Visit the link to enter our pre-party giveaways and RSVP for the fun.

See you at #TreatRight!

We are working with Merrick Petcare through our partnership in Event Barkers, a social media promotions company specializing in Twitter Parties for the pet industry. We only promote products we have checked out. You'll find additional details on our partner sites at DogTipper.com and ToDogWithLove.com. Join us!

Join Us for #TreatRight with Merrick

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Many of you know that I'm a big fan of Castor and Pollux. We feed the ORGANIX organic dog food to our dogs. While the boys do enjoy a snack or two here and there for their modeling work, we're lucky enough to get samples to try many of the Castor and Pollux brands, including Merrick's great line. 

Merrick is the parent company to Castor and Pollux, so we feel great about noshing on Merrick snacks when they arrive for us to taste test. I'll share Tanner and Oliver's thoughts in a review coming up this week. 

Today I'm acutally here to tell you about another fun Twitter Party to celebrate Merrick's line of treats and their healthy philosophy on treating responsibly. You guessed it; the prizes will include a boatload of treats. What's not to like about that?! I especially love the creative names for their treats; they just scream delicious!

Merrick and the Event Barkers team want to remind you to follow some basic health guidelines for responsible treating. We'll be sharing more of this wisdom at #TreatRight on October 26.:

• Not too many; not too large 
• Watch total calories of food and treats
• Think about fiber
• Consider clean teeth a priority
• Enjoy seasonal treats for Halloween
• Focus on grain-free, gluten-free, all-natural treats to leave allergies and toxins behind
• Steer clear of ingredients from China!

NINE prizes (approx. $70 value) at the #TreatRight party will include a Merrick treat box (includes five bags of Merrick all-natural dog treats) and a 4-pound bag of Grain-Free Chicken or Grain-Free Real Texas Beef dry food. One Grand Prize package (approx. value $120) will include a Merrick treat box (includes five bags of Merrick all-natural dog treats); 12-pound bag Grain-Free dry food with the winner's choice of protein; and $40 in additional wet food, dry food or treats (winner's choice). Watch for more details on the treat flavors coming mid-week. 

Lots of Rewards for Doga Practice Today!

Meanwhile, you can get started entering to win one of our pre-party prizes worth over $70 each, along with RSVPing for the #TreatRight party below, using the Giveaway Tools entry widget. If the widget is being persnickety, simply offer to give it a Merrick treat by clicking on the post title above. The entry form will come running for a yummy snack!

Good luck,

We are working with Merrick Petcare through our partnership in Event Barkers, a social media promotions company specializing in Twitter Parties for the pet industry. We only promote products we have checked out. You'll find additional details on our partner sites at DogTipper.com and ToDogWithLove.com. Join us!