#EurekaPower Proves Itself With AirSpeed EXACT Pet

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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Easy Assembly...I Got This Mom

Here at All Things Dog Blog HQ we've got a plethora of pets and pet messes. While testing the latest pet vacuum, the Eureka Airspeed EXACT Pet, I'm pretty sure we pulled up bunny fur, cat litter and dog fur from pets that have long since left our family. Talk about power!

But first things first, let's talk about assembly. That's always my headache when purchasing equipment such as this. I was thrilled to find the assembly instruction in visual form, since I do so much better with images. And the second happy surprise came when I timed the task--less than 15 minutes to put it together and turn that puppy on. Woohoo!

The purr of the EXACT Pet Power Paw upholstery tool was more like a Harley roar, sending the message loud and clear that this vacuum means business when fighting the messes that pets leave behind. It annihilated the Tanner fur on his favorite napping spot--our living room couch. After an initial test, cleaning up some crumbs from a dog food bag, I let Oliver inspect to be sure the vacuum picked it all up. Instead of sniffing the floor where the treats fell, he gave the vacuum a serious examination, trying hard to get inside. That was a great sign that we sucked all the crumbs up and they are now contained inside. That Oliver's powerful nose was an excellent tool for this review!

Reading up on this vacuum, I discovered that it has patented Airspeed Technology. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but anything that's patented is definitely new and better. What's not to love about that for a pet owner? My home--no doubt like many of yours--has its share of fur, dirt brought in from outdoor play, cat litter, pet food....shall I go on?

With Spring blooming early here in Flordia, flea season is in full swing. One of the things I vacuum for is fleas and their eggs. I don't want these freeloaders making families in my home, so I've got to double up on my cleaning at this time of year. If you're concerned about fleas and ticks, here's my organic pest control company's best tip: Empty the canister immediately following each use, placing in a sealed container or ziploc bag, removing to your outdoor trash can right away. Don't give any of the critters a chance to sneak out and start reproducing in your carpet.

What else did I discover? One of the problems with my earlier vacuums seems to have been the many twists and turns that interior hoses took the dirt and dust through. Clogs occur in these twisty pathways, causing a loss of suction, but the Eureka Airspeed EXACT Pet avoided much of this in its design, making for a terrific set of pipes. I could see the pathway in my carpet instantly which signaled me that we had great suction.

The tools attached to the vaccum have their own switch so you can direct the suction wherever you're using it--the tools or the floor--maximizing the efficiency of the extraction. What's more, the design is so user friendly that I have not yet had to break open the instruction booklet, and I've nearly vacuumed the whole house now. Impressed?

Let's Get a Giveaway Going!

If you can't wait for that elusive giveaway and want to run right out to buy one today, you'll find one at your local Walmart and online at Walmart.com. Be sure to ask for it by name, so you're sure to get the right one: Eureka Airspeed EXACT Pet.

Want to learn more or see what others are saying about this new vacuum? You need only visit Eureka's social media sites to catch the buzz: Facebook and Twitter. Meanwhile, watch for a giveaway coming soon, and more photos and video of our experiences with this new vacuum. 

Disclosure: In order to share my experience with the Eureka Airspeed EXACT Pet vacuum, I received one to test in my home. The opinions here and in our giveaway are completely my own.

Wisdom Panel Answers Your Mixed Breed Questions

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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What's Your Guess?

I have to say that my curiosity was piqued with this product review. After seeing this beautiful dog, Duke, we determined that he would be a good candidate for a DNA test. Both his adopted owner and the shelter where he was acquired believed that he could possibly be a pure Polish Treeing Coonhound. That's not a dog I was familiar with, although I assumed it would be similar to a Treeing Walker Coonhound, and clearly there are similarities.

This big fella, Duke, is a handsome one for sure. His owner's desire to learn Duke's heritage was pure. He wanted to know what health issues to watch out for, behavioral normalities as well as idiosyncrasies. And of course, he wanted to know if Duke's weight and build were normal for his breed, if indeed he were determined to be a pure breed.

With the Wisdom Panel in hand, Duke's dad took off to test this big boy and report back. I was eager to hear about the process and the results.

courtesy WisdomPanel.com

The test proved easy to administer with a few swabs inside the cheek--nothing most dogs wouldn't accommodate from a loving owner. Within a couple of weeks or so the results were returned with a more than thorough report on Duke's heritage, his outlook, health prospects and more. There's even a status checker on the Wisdom Panel website so you can see when to anticipate your results. More importantly, Duke's owner gained a better understanding of potential health issues and a good weight range for his dog. That was his goal and we accomplished it with Wisdom Panel.

So, let's test YOUR knowledge of dog breeds. What pure or mix do you see in Duke? Watch this video to learn a little bit more about physical traits in your dogs and how they manifest in appearance:

You can also read up on dog breeds at Wisdom Panel's Breed Library. Got questions? Check in with the folks at Wisdom Panel and chat on Twitter with @WisdomPanel or on Facebook at DoggieDNA.

I'll be running a giveaway soon for a kit just like this one from Wisdom Panel 2.0 for one lucky winner to learn more about the heritage of their dog. Of course you don't have to wait if the suspense is just killing you. Go right on ahead over to their website and order your kit right now. It's a painless test and soon you'll have a better understanding of what's normal for your dog.

Meanwhile, I'd love for you to take your best guess at Duke's family tree. Select 3 breeds that you believe are his makeup and leave me a comment. This should be a fun game so get us started! More soon...

The sample Wisdom Panel kit used for this review was provided to me at no cost. It was used to evaluate an acquaintance's dog, as a way of reviewing it's use. I was not compensated and our story above is shared for your education about this product without any affect on my opinion.

Give Your Dog a Sense of Security

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Please Don't Take it Away, Mom

Yes, I realize this is a play on words. The Petlinks company did this on purpose, no doubt-

-pretty clever, I think. It's also dead-on accurate. Since we are featuring this toy in tonight's Twitter Party I decided to give it a once over with Tanner. He's my toy boy. No word games here; he's not my boy toy! He just loves toys.

The Scents of Security toy by Petlinks is a unique design that allows you to place a small piece of your own clothing inside a secure pouch for cuddling when you're away from

courtesy Petlinks

your dog. Personally, I think this toy would be welcomed by your kitty, as well. He'll immediately discover your scent and feel safer and more secure as if you are right there with him. Good idea, but we had to test it for ourselves. Here's how it played out:

I took a review sample of the Scents of Security toy and put a Tshirt inside it. One side of the square has a strong Velcro closure to retain your clothing inside. I placed the toy on my desk to remind myself to run a photo shoot of Tanner's first experience with it. That opportunity came before I intended, however. While I made lunch in the kitchen, Tanner discovered the toy and took it, hounding my scent. He carried it into the kitchen and stood looking at me as if to confirm that in fact I was not inside the toy. I

howled with laughter and ran for the camera.

He dropped to the living room floor and gave me the serious look you see above. I know this boy pretty well and I'd suggest that he was telling me that he does not want me to take the toy away. He would give it up if necessary, but he wouldn't want to.

I told him he could have the toy with a "Take It" command and he began to sniff and smell and nuzzle the toy as if it were a tiny kitten. What a joy it was to watch him, as if he were snuggling with me at bedtime. I can see how he will enjoy this toy in my absence. It looks like I'll be seeking one for Oliver too!

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
It Smells Like Mom!

Watch for a giveaway of this Scents of Security toy to open here soon. Meanwhile, you'll have 10 opportunities to win one tonight at our #Pet1stAid Twitter Party. Have you RSVP'd yet? That's your first chance of 3 opportunities that don't require your presence at the party. I hope we'll see you tonight!

You'll find the Petlinks product line at Petco.com, PetSmart.com, PetValu.com, Wag.com, HSN.com, and OnlyNaturaPet.com. Check out the Petlinks System at these online sites for more information:

Petlinks System website
Petlinks on Facebook

Tanner reviewed the Scents of Security sample that was sent to us by Petlinks. We were not compensated to share these results or our opinions, and the story above is exactly how it happened.

Fido's Pawsitively Homemade Valentines

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Valentines for Dogs!

Tanner and Oliver answer the door when the doorbell rings. Why? I'm sure you know if you're a dog lover. Visitors! But for my dogs the doorbell represents another excitement--review product deliveries. I'm not sure which they like the most. Actually, today I know the answer; today they would vote for the delivery.

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Please, Mom?

When the Pawsitively Homemade Valentine treat assortment arrived, my boys' noses were in high gear. Before I even opened the box they knew it was something tasty. And our taste test was proof positive of that assumption. These peanut butter treats smelled and apparently tasted pretty darn good. 

When I was contacted by Pawsitively Homemade regarding this review, I had a few questions before agreeing. Where are the treats made? What artificial ingredients are included? And most importantly, how do they make the beautiful shades of pink and red? Honestly, I figured that last question would trip them up and I'd be on my way. We don't do FDC Red No. 3 at All Things Dog Blog.

Big surprise! Not only were the answers all good; they were great! Here's what I learned: "The red is made from red beet powder. All of the coloring is natural such as spinach powder, turmeric powder, red cabbage, blue cabbage, beta carotene for orange. There is no artificial coloring."

Here's a quote I took from their website regarding ingredients:

"We offer healthy dog treat choices that are wheat-free, gluten-free, grain free, and vegetarian. Our treats are made in the USA with human grade ingredients sourced in the USA. No preservatives, chemicals, fillers, artificial dyes or animal byproducts are found in our dog treats. "

You'll find a complete list of ingredients on the ordering page for each product. If you've still got questions, jump over to Facebook or Twitter and give them a shout. And don't forget Pinterest; this fun new social media channel is a terrific way to show off anything visual. Check out their cute designs. Too bad you can't smell via Pinterest!

Pawsitively Homemade provided All Things Dog Blog with this Valentines sample box to review and show off to you. We were not paid to write this review or to run the giveaway that will follow. There is no purchase required to enter.