ORGANIX Winners Get Bonus Bowls

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
ORGANIX and More....

This latest promotion of our dogs' favorite chow has really brought out some newbies, along with our long time readers who are always a pleasure to have paying us a visit. It's been fun watching the chatter on various social media. With new bowls up for grabs along with a 25 lb. bag to each winner, you guys have really shown off your enthusiasm. Thanks and please remember that both Castor and Pollux and yours truly love to see "after" photos!

I have to clear up one important matter. One curious and concerned reader wrote to ask if I was really putting Oliver on a diet--LOL!  Good heavens! Under all that fluff he weighs in at 10 lbs. I think he's good! 

What I do plan to do is check the weights of each of our winners to assure we don't give a Chihuahua-sized bowl to a Great Dane winner, or vice versa. You get the idea. Our winners will receive a specialty bowl--or in some cases a pair of them--properly suited to their dog's size. 

More importantly, however, these lucky pups will get to enjoy the transition to an organic food, made by the manufacturer's own company from quality ingredients without toxins or artificial tagalongs that we find in other foods. Oh happy day!

We'd like to help you make this transition completely so that you'll discover the emerging benefits of this nutritious diet in the coat, behavior and health of your pup. Believe me, it's worth the time and effort to find out what you've been missing. Take the challenge and transition completely to the new food, noting changes in your dog as you go along. Be sure to let us know how it goes.

Drum roll please....our winners are: Bryn N., Jackie dogmoma, J. Diehl, and L. Glickman. I'll be in touch via AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. Watch your inbox and your spam file or feel free to write to me. I'll need your dog's weight and your full name and shipping address.

Happy tails,

As my primary advertiser, Castor and Pollux Pet compensates me for the ad you see at the top of my posts column. As their biggest fan, I serve their food to my dogs and recommend it whole heartedly. This giveaway was written entirely by me and contains only my own opinions.

#PetBrandChat: More Details

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

#PetBrandChat has definitely created a buzz, and along with it a few very good questions. I'm here today to offer some answers. Starting at the lower left of the chart above, I'll move clockwise around the image answering the questions that appear:

1. Who? #PetBrandChat may be attended by anyone with a Twitter account. On Twitter, you can attend as a fly on the wall, or you may choose to participate by asking questions or offering opinions. There will be opportunity for both.
2. What?  The most important reason that you may wish to join Event Barkers for our #PetBrandChat events is to learn. Each event will be packed with information along a stated theme, and further will be staffed by knowledgeable, helpful sponsors or team members who are there to offer answers or resources for your questions.
3. Where?  #PetBrandChat will be found on Twitter.com at this link. Twitter users may also choose to use other Twitter venues such as TweetChat.com, Hootsuite.com, TweetDeck.com,  TweetGrid.com, etc.
4. When?  #PetBrandChat will be held on select Wednesdays at 1 PM ET, 12 PM Central, 11 AM Mountain, and 10 AM Pacific Time. We hope you will brown bag your lunch or join us with a cup of coffee and your laptop, ready to ask questions and join the conversation.
5. Why?  Our sponsors, hosts and pet lovers will join together for #PetBrandChats, eager to share their love of animals, answer your questions and build relationships. We invite you to enjoy mutually-beneficial conversation with other pet lovers like yourself who will attend to learn about products and services that can help improve life with their pets.
6. How?  To join a chat you need only sign onto a Twitter service and Tweet using the #PetBrandChat hashtag. Come early and say hello :) This magical hashtag phrase is the glue that holds the event together. To view other Tweets that are part of the chat, simply click on #Discover and place the chat hashtag in the search box at the top. The feed will now offer you a continuing view of the chat event as it unfolds.

Watch for an upcoming post in which I will briefly explain how to use the other Twitter services to enjoy the chat. You may decide to experiment a bit, and we'll be interested to hear your opinions. A chat is a much easier event to experiment with, so go for it! 

See you soon,

Please join Event Barkers for our debut of #PetBrandChat on Wednesday, April 10 at 1 PM ET. Our guest will be @Rallyin of Rallyin.com and we will be learning about this new site for both brands and users to share their product reviews, comparisons, demonstrations and more. They'll help us all get comfortable with using their site where everyone's opinion counts and can be heard. Join us and get Rallyin!

Dog Treats: A HomeGoods Giveaway

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© All Things Dog Blog
Oliver Sure Loves Treats!

TREATS, TREATS, and wait... there's more. TREATS! Every dog loves some good treats, and what dog owner could possibly have too many?! I don't believe it is possible, and I'm pretty sure your dogs would agree. Lucky for you our latest giveaway from HomeGoods involves just that, TREATS! 4 Winners will receive a large bag of dog treats, and one of these lucky 4 will also win this great dog treat container! It's quite large, so you won't run out of space, and it will keep your dog's treats nice and fresh! 

Hopefully by now you know how the rules of my giveaways work. Enter on the rafflecopter, and do as many entry options as possible to increase your chances of winning. I know your dog will thank you for giving your best effort to win them some delicious doggie treats. Don't forget to learn more about HomeGoods products by checking out HomeGoods on Facebook and Twitter. But then again, our dogs love us no matter what; that's what's so great about them. Man's best friend? Yes, but I would have to say my dogs are woman's best friend as well.

Entries may be made on the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. If you don't see it, simply click on the post title to refresh and it will magically reappear beneath the post.

Entries will be accepted through January 3, 2013 and winners will be announced late on Friday, January 4, 2013. Good luck!

HomeGoods has provided these prizes as a promotional courtesy. I have not been paid to provide this giveaway or to highlight these products. No purchase is required to win.

Dog Pack Snacks Plus Training Videos: A Giveaway

© All Things Dog Blog
Get Ready to Be a Pack Leader

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

For those of you who love the free giveaways All Things Dog Blog offers, you won't want to miss out on this one! Training videos and dog treats; what a perfect combination! This lovely selection of dog treats comes to 3 lucky winners courtesy of Dog Pack Snacks. Each winner will receive 3 Dog Snack Packs, each with different flavors, as well as 3 training videos. Some of these yummy flavors include Pea-Nutter Cookies, Sweet Liver, and Chicken-N-Cheese... mmmm. 

Each video is for a different level dog; one is for beginners and puppies, good dogs with bad habits, and advanced level dogs. These will come in handy for any dog owner looking to train up their pup, and these snacks will be perfect as a reward during training, and just for the occasionally spoiling session. 

Sometimes you can't resist the urge to give your dog a nice treat when they are looking particularly adorable. If you would like to learn more about these great giveaways you can visit Dog Pack Snacks on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Be sure and enter on the rafflecopter below for your chance to win. If you don't see the form below, simply click the post title to refresh and it will return to view immediately at the bottom.

Entries will be taken through Thursday, November 1 and winners will be announced Friday evening, November 2. Best wishes to you all!

Dog Pack Snacks has provided these prizes as a promotional courtesy. I have not been paid to provide this giveaway or to highlight these products. No purchase is required to win.

Fido's Freebie Friday Includes 1 Freebie with NO Entries. Can You Find It?

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Yup! You read that right. I decided to just flat out give away 18 "you have to guess" items this week. They'll go to the first 18 commenters--one per household.


Besides that, there are tons of goodies to choose from. It's a holiday bonanza, as I've been on a mini-vacation from posting and giveaways have been helping me clean out the excess goodies in my crowded office. Enter and enjoy!


Oh, and just in case you've been over to 5 Minutes for Fido, please just ignore Tanner. He's whining because of all the great giveaways, but he's not suffering. Trust me; he is just feeling pookie because a few of the toys and treats looks especially good. 


Bloggers: Take note that there is one giveaway especially for you. To be more specific, it is for bloggers who missed Blogpaws this year. If you're in that category, look it up and get in your entry. You'll have the opportunity to score a Blogpaws Tshirt and a great baseball hat for walking your pups both days and nights.


If you need help linking up your giveaways, consult with our HELP PAGE for tips on the linkup process, photos, FTC guidelines and even Facebook's rules about giveaways and contests. We only have 2 rules for linking up. Feel free to link up as many freebies, giveaways or contests as you have currently running:

• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts about giveaways, contests, drawings, prizes, and freebies for pet products or services only, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Feel free to link up multiple items if you have more than one giveaway going on.
• Please post the badge above (the code is in the sidebar and also on the HELP PAGE) or a link to this post in your Fido's Freebie Friday blog post and invite your readers to tell us you sent them. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff.

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet product giveaways to be offered. Please consult All Things Dog Blog's Giveaway and Contest Rules for more detail.

Happy Holiday Hounds: 10 Safety Tips for Thanksgiving

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© courtesy Michael Sarver via Flickr.com
Well Behaved Fidos
Are Welcome Party Guests

As many of us consider our options for saving the turkey for human consumption, our larger counter-surfing dogs are probably plotting against us. Then again, the smaller ones often get their way when whining or begging at the table. Here are a few tips to help you get through the Thanksgiving Dinner if you are hosting along with Fido.

1. At arrival time, place enthusiastic pups on a leash and make an effort to encourage a calm greeting of your guests as the doorbell rings time and again. Be prepared with treats for an approving reward when you get the behavior you've requested.
2. If well-intentioned gifts include plants, be certain these are placed out of reach of Fido. Many are poisonous. Always look up new foliage in your home to determine its potential for toxicity to your pets.
3. Watch the placement of your appetizers. If you have a house full of counter-surfers you may want to consider asking one guest to "serve" by walking the hors d'ovueres around to avoid them being devoured by a wiley woofer.
4. Consider your serving options based on your dogs' propensity for snatching. Buffet service in the kitchen that is left unattended while guests eat in the dining room may be invaded by canine noshers. Plan accordingly to avoid disaster.
5. If your pups are not already trained to allow the dinner to progress without begging, crowding or other less-than-inviting behaviors, consider a diversion during dinner. Before the big day, fill a couple of Kongs with layers of tasty delights: mashed sweet potatoes or pumpkin, kibble, bananas, peeled apples, yogurt, a tiny bit of peanut butter, green beans, canned dog food, and even lean scraps of chicken or turkey. Freeze and serve frozen to give your pup a delicious and time-consuming snack that will give you and your guests the peaceful dinner you desire.
6. Remember the dangers of cooked bones and be sure to place your bird's carcass well out of reach until cleanup is completed. The top of the refrigerator may seem a good choice unless you have a cat. My Patches easily locates hidden yummies in this seemingly terrific storage spot.
7. Dessert is also particularly hazardous for dogs. Rich or chocolatey desserts may cause stomach upset or worse, so be vigilant about secure storage before and after serving. You really don't want to have to try to find a veterinary ER on Thanksgiving.
8. Keep in mind that utensils used to serve, carve or eat your meal may be inviting to Fido. As guests leave the table, collect all dishes and flatware, placing the utensils in an out of reach soapy-soak until dishes are done. All knives, skewers and sharp objects should be collected immediately when they are not being supervised.
9. If the worse case scenario does occur, consider your pup's needs. If an Xray is required, call ahead to an ER as you proceed with a companion to assist. If an undesirable food has been consumed, consider calling poison control for advice. Sometimes their instructions for bringing up the no-no offending yummy will do the trick if you are prompt.
10. Our Pet Emergency Resource page is available 24/7 at this link. There are many resources for treatment of a variety of issues, but if a significant amount of an offending substance has been consumed, don't delay calling ASPCA's Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (800) 213-6680 . The fee for their services may well save your dog's life.

Keep in mind that Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all that is positive in your life. Fido is part of the gift of happiness that your family enjoys. Preserve it by acting proactively. Happy Thanksgiving!

This post is part of the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop hosted by Confessions of the Plume, Life with Dogs, and Two Little Cavaliers. Their rules for linking up are copied below from Life with Dogs' site. 

• Link up your pet blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below. You only need to add your link once to be seen on all the Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week. Note that if your blog is not pet related your link will be removed. Also note that only one post per blog is acceptable, and links promoting giveaways that are unrelated to the pet blogger hop will be removed. This is a community building exercise and not a promotional vehicle – please treat it as such.
• Grab the “Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop” button on the right hand side of this site and include it in your Saturday Blog hop post so that your readers will know what is going on. *Note – posting is optional. Feel free to just link and follow.
• Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool.
• Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
• Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from the blog hop.
• Follow back when you get a new follower through the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.
• Make friends and grow. ♥