Winners! Instagram Guessing Game for Dog Treats!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

On a whim last week I tossed in a #Good Buddy giveaway with an Instagram post. Tanner was busy having himself a Fetch game that was more fun that life itself. We have an advanced version of Fetch that requires Tanner to retrieve multiple toys from the swimming pool before any additional ones can be tossed in. The rules may sound beyond your average dog, but Tanner figured it out fairly quickly after discovering that I was not going to toss until he retrieved. And retrieve he did!

Now that Tanner has successfully retrieved as many as 12 toys from the pool without a single additional toss, he'll soon be moving up to the next level of this advanced game--13 toy Fetch! I hope you'll get behind him and give him some encouragement. This isn't easy for a toy-crazed, water-loving Retriever. He has trouble deciding which toy to bring to the pool edge first, so many a toy gets dropped before any make it to land. It is quite entertaining to watch him as he picks up and then drops multiple toys before finally getting one toy to the side. And often, that very toy ends up back in the drink. Silly dog!

Some of you are probably wondering what the answer to the Instagram question is: "How many Fetch toys does Tanner have?" I pulled them all out of toy baskets in various locations--at least I think I have them all--and started to count. I knew there were more than 18 but was surprised to see how close I had come in my estimate--19! Wow!

I'll admit that many of these toys only get tossed in occasionally, being that their condition is quite tentative and I worry we'll be having a funeral soon. We've all but planned one for Firefly, but Tanner is having none of it. This is one of his favorite toys, and for good reasons. It's soft, light, squishy and fun. What's not to love, right?!!!

I got to wondering how long Tanner has had this toy. Surprisingly it has held up quite well for a fabric toy. Who knew that this toy has lasted 3 1/2 years of daily fetch play. That's nothing short of amazing. I guess a funeral will be due when the toy finally kicks the bucket. We'll keep you posted. Who wants to step up for a eulogy?

Now it's time to announce the winning guesser, the first person to guess the number of Fetch toys that Tanner has. The correct answer is currently 19, giving the winning entry to @jjmentos of Instagram. I'll be in touch, but if you see this, please email me your address at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. Congratulations!

Thank you all for playing, and watch for another game soon.

The @CastorPolluxPet treats were provided by my advertiser, Castor and Pollux Pet. No compensation was received for running this IG giveaway, but CP is my primary advertiser.

#ASmartCookie Giveaway Names Winning Dogs

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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Yes, Please!

Introducing a new dog treat is such fun for a dog blogger. But imagine how enjoyable it has been for Oliver and Tanner to taste test these new goodies and give you their opinion. Could there be a better job for a dog? Absolutely not!

Later today I'll be offering a more thorough review of these delicious treats, so be sure to join me for another opportunity to learn, as well as a chance to win at #OrganicPet, our Twitter Party for Castor and Pollux. 

I suppose you're eager to learn the names of today's winners. These 6 pet parents 
and their Fidos will each be given the choice of their 4 protein source options--chicken, beef, lamb or salmon--and receive a box of 6 bags of Jerky Chip Cookies. Oh happy day!

Our winners are N. Duvall, T. Terra, Daraya, L. Glickman, T. Spaid, and K. Volz. We're eager to see some photos from these delighted pups when they taste #ASmartCookie. I'll be in touch with each of you today via AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. Watch your Spam file!

And, for those of you who were not lucky today, mark your calendars to join in at

#OrganicPet Twitter Party on May 4 for a chance to learn more about Organix products and win $750 in prizes including treats, food and tasty, wholefood supplements. Tanner and Oliver have already tried these and can't wait to share their thoughts--coming soon.

Stop back this afternoon for the complete review of #ASmartCookie.

Happy tails,





Castor and Pollux Pet is providing and shipping the products for this fabulous giveaway as a precursor to more fun on its way. I have not been paid to provide this giveaway, but I do host an advertisement from this terrific company, thereby making them a site sponsor. All opinions that I share come directly from my dogs' reactions and my opinions.

Castor and Pollux Creates #ASmartCookie

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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Introducing #ASmartCookie

Tanner and Oliver have been enjoying some new and different goodies lately, courtesy of our new sponsor, Castor and Pollux Pet. This is the totally awesome U.S. petfood company that brings you the Organix Brand of organic dog food. 

Maybe you noticed the banner ad above this column? These are their newest treats that we're so excited about. These 'puppies' are certified organic, making sure that what we treat our pups with is super duper pure. No more toxins for Tanner! Only organic for Oliver :)

With the Jerky Chip Cookies there's even more to be happy about for us pet owners. I'll be giving you a full review of this terrific product in just a couple of weeks, but for now let's see how the boys are enjoying them:

Here are a few quick facts about these Jerky Chip Cookies that may be of interest:

• The jerky inside these tasty treats is US-made for your pup's health and safety. Nuff said!
• Crunchy and easy to break into small bits for training or anytime you just want a little bit of motivation.
• These cookies are certified organic--wowzer. It doesn't get more pure than that!
• High protein for your meat-loving mutt :)
• No corn, wheat or soy; only oatmeal for these yummy cookies. 
• You can locate a store near you using this Store Locator

Now, how would you like to join in 2 contests to enhance your chances of winning bigtime? Right here on All Things Dog Blog we're giving away 6 cases (6 bags per case) of treats. Six winners will have very happy pups, savoring their favorite flavor of #ASmartCookie, as they will be able to select their choice of protein from the four options: Chicken, Beef, Lamb or Salmon. 

To join in the fun, you can enter the options offered below in the Rafflecopter. Keep in mind that sometimes our Rafflecopter is not such a smart cookie. It may be napping out of sight, but it will COME when called like a well-trained dog should. Simply click on the post title above to get it to wake up and join the party.

If you're really into the winning spirit, you can also join the photo contest at Castor and Pollux Pet by posting a picture of your dog enjoying his Jerky Chip Cookies. (Psssst...they're on the shelves at PetSmart) Be sure to use the hashtag #ASmartCookie to get entered into the contest pool. You can see the entries here.

The Rafflecopter will close at midnight Tuesday, April 15: D-Day for tax filers. Be sure to get your entries in before then so maybe you'll be among the lucky who win a case of #ASmartCookie. I'll announce the winners right here on Wednesday, April 16.

Good luck!

Castor and Pollux Pet is providing and shipping the products for this fabulous giveaway as a precursor to more fun on its way. I have not been paid to provide this giveaway, but I do host an advertisement from this terrific company, thereby making them a site sponsor. All opinions that I share come directly from my dogs' reactions and my opinions.
*** Due to a glitch at Rafflecopter, the widget has been removed following the announcement of the winners. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Pet Lovers Win Castor and Pollux Chow

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

photo courtesy Shiloh

This whopper of a giveaway for Castor and Pollux includes Organix and Natural Ultramix foods. The winners will each receive more than 20 lbs. of food, allowing them plenty of chow to transition their pets onto this new diet and see the results for themselves. We invite these winners to visit the Castor and Pollux website instructions for transitioning a pet's food properly, in order to avoid stomach upset and give your pet a good start on his healthy, new chow.

Having just returned from Global Pet Expo, I've been brought up to speed on about 20 new products being released by Castor and Pollux very soon. You'll be thrilled to see USDA organic canned food, a Large Breed version of Organix and Natural Ultramix, grain free Ultramix, and much more. Congratulations to this terrific team for all they have accomplished in the past year. You're going to be impressed with what you see at the pet supply store in the coming months.

Let's get right to the winners. I know you are all excited to see who will receive these terrific prizes. Congratulations to Dawn R., Hannah G., Misty W., Danielle M, Vanessa M., Theresa S., Katie M., Shelley P., Lenny G., Holly R., Tiff A., and Deanna T. You'll each hear from me via my AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com email account today. Please check your spam file if you have not received an email by this evening, or write to me at the above email address.

Once again, congratulations to all of these lucky winners and enjoy getting your dog started on the road to a truly healthy diet. Best wishes to you all!

More info on Castor and Pollux may be found here:

• Facebook
• Twitter

The prizes in this giveaway were provided by Castor and Pollux as a promotional opportunity. I was not compensated to provide this giveaway for them and the comments included are my own.

One Last Batch of Back to School Tips

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Fall is Here!

Our kids are back to school and the pups are now left behind to linger around the house. How do you keep Fido busy when their favorite playmates have taken off to class for the day? Here are a few tips:

• Start with a healthy breakfast and use feeding as an opportunity for classtime for your pup. Ask for a 'Sit' and a 'Leave it', until you've cleaned up and have everything ready to go. It's nice to prepare a meal without your dog jumping all over you, and he'll learn great lessons of patience from waiting for your signal to 'Take it'.
• Don't skip the morning walk. This will soothe separation anxiety and tire Fido out so he'll sleep the morning away.
• While you're away from your dog, leave a frozen Kong or other sturdy stuffable toy, filled and frozen with favorite healthy yummies. I like to layer these to create a game of exploration, as each new layer reveals a different taste sensation. Don't forget to include a layer of kibble or treats to add some crunch to the frozen deliciousness. These 'Busy Bones', as I like to call them, will kill time, soothe anxiety and take care of the urge to chew.
• Once you're home and can supervise, carefully select and offer toys for playtime and to encourage curiosity. Change it up a bit by offering different toys, hiding them, or using games that encourage problem-solving.
• At the end of the day when your kids have returned home, give them a break from school and have them walk the dog. This will be good for both to unwind, reunite and bond.
• Finally, evening is a time of boredom for many pups, as kids pursue their homework. This is the perfect time to toss in a few minutes of training. When no time is available, have your kids do their reading aloud to the dog. My dogs love to be read to. Try it and be sure to report back on how yours enjoys this activity. And what about the kids? Did you find they were less stressed when reading to Rover than if they read aloud to you?

Now let's put this back to school thing to bed with one last back to school giveaway. We'll make this one a whopper. Five prizes will each be valued at a minimum of $81, ranging to over $100:

1. Choose from Castor and Pollux Organix or Natural Ultramix pet food, 15 pounds per winner.
2. I'll toss in 3 dog training videos to give you some ideas and problem solving approaches. Make sure your kids take time to enjoy these also.
3. Finally, there's a toy, leash or grab bag in each package, to help make this time of year a bit easier on you and Fido.

The vouchers for Castor and Pollux food expire September 15. This giveaway will wrap up with entries ending Thursday, September 6 and winners will be announced Friday, September 7. Be prepared to check your email that evening and redeem your coupons immediately upon arrival. You can find your nearest Castor and Pollux retailer here and be sure to always follow their guidelines for food transitions that are posted here.

You can enter this giveaway below in the Rafflecopter entry form. If it doesn't appear there, simply click on the title to refresh and it will return from its hiding place. Good luck to you all and enjoy your back to school journey.

Castor and Pollux has provided these vouchers for free bags of food as a promotional courtesy. The remainder of the prizes in this giveaway are offered from All Things Dog Blog. There is no purchase required to enter.

Event Barkers Brings You a Castor and Pollux Giveaway!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Get it While It's Here....

Event Barkers has a few Castor and Pollux coupons left to offer you after our rocking #EBTweets Twitter Party. Entering is super easy and this is a quickie, so don't waste any time getting to it:


The coupons in this giveaway were offered as a promotional opportunity by Castor and Pollux Pet. We have not been compensated to offer this giveaway.