All Things Dog Blog

Friday, April 22, 2011

A Greenie Giveaway
Just in Time for Earth Day

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Oh, dear....Pet Dental Health Month was was way back in February. Now it's Earth Day and you're trying to Go Green? Time for a Greenies intervention...

Many of my readers tell me that brushing their dogs' teeth is simply not an option. I can write about it, encourage it and even show off pearly whites to set the example, but I can't make it happen.

That's where Greenies come in, the dental chew that helps to clean your pets' teeth. Most pet owners know that their dogs' oral health is connected to their furry friends' overall, long term health. Greenies can help by doing what the lack of a toothbrush is failing to accomplish: remove or reduce plaque on the teeth. Further, this digestible formula doesn't have the same danger of splintering that many rawhide chews, bones and strips do.

A recent poll show done by Trone, Inc. research showed that 30% of pet owners have recently increased their purchases of dental cleaning treats, in light of this information about long term health. The truth is cookie-type treats do not have the same effectiveness as Greenies, which are accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council to help control tartar and plaque.

So, with periodontal disease proven to be the most common pet health problem, what should you do to prevent it in your pet?

Brush
Rinse with plaque-reducing rinses
Use water additives that reduce plaque retention
Choose kibble vs. canned or soft food, for better oral health
Serve Greenies chew treat to reduce plaque and tartar. Other brands are available; however, Greenies seems to have taken the forefront in the public eye.They simply have the greatest visibility and the most widely-known name.

I'll add one more tip here: It's a little idea I heard from a groomer friend who owns 3 toy-sized dogs. Those of you who have these diminutive little pups may know how difficult it is to get a toothbrush into their tiny mouths. My friend adds a bit of doggie toothpaste (NEVER use human toothpaste on your dog; it is toxic to them!) to her pups' brushes, and gives it to them for a brief bit of chewing fun. Pretty clever, huh? Just be sure to supervise and remove the brush when your pup gets too rough with it.

I've tried this tactic with Tanner and Oliver. It works fairly well with Oliver, although he doesn't stay with it as long as I would like. Tanner is another story. He has a tendency to get a bit excessive with the toothbrush chewing, and before I know it, he has the bristles all over the floor! We'll stick with brushing his teeth; he's a pretty good boy. Check out this silly smile:

So, let's give away a few Greenies to get you started. Sound good? Tanner and Oliver don't know it yet, but the Easter Bunny will be bringing them Greenies, along with their homemade cookies. Did you read the recipe on Tuesday? Our super duper Chicken and Carrot Biscuits were a big hit on baking day, but by now I think they've forgotten. They'll be getting some cute rabbit-shaped cookies on Sunday.

Following are YOUR prize possibilities. Be sure to read the rules!

One large Fido (50-100 lbs.) will win a treat pak of dental chews containing 8 Greenies.
One medium-sized Pup (25-50 lbs.) will win a treat pak of dental chews with 12 Greenies inside.
One of our smaller pooches (15-25 lbs.) will win a treat pak with a whopping 20 Greenies
1 lucky pint-sized pup (5-15 lbs.) will get a handful of Teenie Greenies!

To enter this drawing for these 4 prizes, be sure to tell us your dog's weight(s) and name(s). You can enter with comments here on the blog, at our Facebook site (be sure to hit the "Like" button so you'll be kept up to date on all our doings), and with an @Tweet. Feel free to enter daily.

Extra credit entries may be achieved with a smiling photo of your pup, including his name, sent to my email @ LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Please note: Your photos may be used for future cover models or displayed on our Facebook page, but will be copyright acknowledged to you, their owner, using your initials. Please do not submit photos you do not own the rights to.

Need to know where you can buy Greenies online? Their website has a U.S. store locater, and you can also pick up any size or quantity package you'd like through Amazon. Just click this link and make your choice at the site. It will be on it's way to you quick as a bunny!

Prizes are available only to North American addresses, age 18+, void where prohibited. Entries close at 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 28. Prizes will be announced on April 29 here on the blog. Good luck to you all.

Sources: American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Trone Pet Owner and

Veterinary Research, Periodontology, Journal of Veterinary Dentistry, American Journal of Medical Science, The Healing Power of
Pets, Oral Health Care Study of 766 Dog Owners and 656 Cat Owners, January 2011, conducted by Trone research®/™ Trademarks, and more.

Full disclosure: The Greenies products described in this post have been donated to All Things Dog Blog for an independent review. I have not been paid to provide my opinion of these products, and the opinion provided is my own.

Monday, October 25, 2010

A Dog's Purpose Won by Reader with an Extremely Creative Dog Command

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

I thought I was close to hearing them all--commands, I mean--but this one really found me laughing: "Dodge Ball", for Molly, means "it's okay to eat now". Go figure! I laughed so hard at this one I had to grab a tissue. Now, that my readers, is a winner!

Congratulations to Carrie A., the owner of Molly, who is the winner of a copy of A Dog's Purpose and a Flying Disc. I hope they will both enjoy many hours of fun with their prizes.

Carrie A. and Molly's prize

Have Fun!

Commenting here ON THE BLOG is going to increasingly become the winner's choice. I see these comments quickly, as they come to my email, as well as appearing on the blog while I work. If you want to win a contest, this will also be your quickest way to enter--faster than sending an email.

Speaking of contests, this coming Friday, October 29, is my Halloween costume contest. I have an independent judge lined up and time is running out. I've received only a few entries this year. I suppose everyone is leaving their costume creations to the last minute. Just don't forget the camera. It's photo op time!

(c) Carrie Boyko
The Mystery Treat Bag

Send your pictures to my email at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com by Thursday evening. I'll be gracious, stay up late writing, and give you until 8 PM Thursday night. Remember, I have to send all your photos to my judge by email and then get the big decision back for a reasonable post time on Friday morning. Somewhere in between, the judge and I both need to sleep!

Be sure to drop in Friday or Saturday to see who won. Of course, you'll also get to find out what Tanner and Oliver are dressing up as. They're remembering Xena in a very special way this Halloween. Any guesses?

One last point....creativity always counts at All Things Dog Blog. Don't think you need a store-bought costume to win. A simple, yet cleverly executed accessory could take the prize! Here's peek; what do you think is inside?