5 Minutes for Fido

WANTED: Dog Blogging Assistant

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Tue, 28 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

by Oliver

I've been working my paws to the bone and wondering if it's time to put in my notice with Mom. It's tough work here, but the pay is great; I get fed well! Any advice? Maybe I could just hire an assistant. You available?

Right now we're busy getting ready for #WorkLikeaDog, our Twitter Party on behalf of @ZukesPets. On top of that, last week I had to escort mom to Washington, DC for Blogpaws to be her PR Front Man. It was a lot of work meeting friends and influencing people (and dogs), but I'm definitely the dog for that job. Mom says my wiggle butt attracts everyone, but I personally think that's a bit embarrassing, so don't repeat it.....please.

Meanwhile, Tanner was home playing with my kids and a bunch of family that visited. How exactly is it that I got appointed to work and he got to show off in the pool and play Fetch? Surely you know that's his favorite game, right?

I'm officially putting my job up for grabs if I can't get a reliable assistant. Tanner apparently has ADD and Jacque is out of control hyperactive. Try to get him to pose for a photo review--not happening! Just for today, though, I'm going to tell you about the yummy treats that Mom and Paris will be giving away at the Event Barkers #WorkLikeaDog Twitter Party.

But first, did you RSVP yet? Don't forget! You could be the big winner in the RSVP drawing to win a huge package of Zuke's treats.

Here's the inside track that I got on the prize packages. Mom packs this stuff up on a top shelf to keep Tanner, me and Jacque out of it, but I got Patches to peek, and here's the prize list, including Zuke's best 'Hard Working Treats':

2 bags of Zuke's Mini Naturals
2 bags Zuke's Supers
2 bags Zuke's Hip Action
2 bags Zuke's Power Bones
Zuke's tote bag, Tshirt, beverage glass for you
Zuke's bandana for your dog
A business tie to dress up your pup to head off to work with you on June 21
And my fave, a treat pouch for mom or dad to carry your goodies along :) Ahem! This is VERY important to remember.

courtesy Ruffwear.com

And can you believe there's more! I've overheard mom talking about the Grand Prize. Oh....My....Dog! The Grand Prize winner will be scoring all the loot listed above plus 3 training DVDs, a backpack and a traveling water bowl, to make sure your Fido can carry all his belongings to work and have a watering hole for the day, maybe under your desk?

courtesy Ruffwear.com

Now don't spread this around too much, okay? But here's the deets on the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize winner, in addition to receiving 3 dog training videos and all that loot above, will get a Ruffwear pack and a Bivy collapsible bowl, perfect for hard working dogs, or dogs at play. Don't forget to bring these along when you head off for a hike in the woods and also when you're going to work with mom or dad.

I suppose you're ready to hit that RSVP link above now, right? Before you head off, I want to make sure you know about the pre-party giveaways. In addition to the RSVP drawing I mentioned earlier, you should check out the PreTweet giveaway and the Rafflecopter drawing. All 3 of these winners will be announced at the beginning of the Twitter Party, but need not be in attendance. They each get the whole package of goodies pictured above. If you're unable to come to our party, this is your next best chance to win these great prizes.

Watch DogTipper.com and All Things Dog Blog for more details as we move closer to the party date. I hear there will be more surprises!

Event Barkers is working with Zuke's to help them gain online exposure

Dogs Take Off to Workplaces in June: We're Ready!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 12 May 2013 04:19:00 +0000

by Oliver

I'm all ready for All Things Dog Blog's #WorkLikeaDog Twitter Party. I've got the wardrobe down, had a Linkedin profile photo taken and I'm trying to get Tanner with the program. He says he's not into the businessdog look. He fancies himself a professional Fetcher.

I finally said "Ok, so what sort of Linkedin profile pic are you thinking of?" He offered these two below. Sad, right? I asked him why and he insists he's got different priorities than I do and that I should just respect that. But seriously, Fetch is not a profession.

I'm a blogger. I take that seriously. I help mom with photo modeling, product reviews, Twitter Parties and I'll be acting as her PR front man at Blogpaws. Any ideas how I can help Tanner get a handle on his professional personna?

His reply to my concerns was that he has a perfectly handsome wetsuit that allows him to fetch year round, so why not show it off? Ugg.

I suggested a more mainstream profession for #WorkLikeaDog and he offered Dock Diving. He insisted that dogs do this on TV. Hopeless, just hopeless.

Any ideas out there? Tanner needs a professional makeover and quick. Offers?

Blogpaws, Here I come!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 05 May 2013 23:16:00 +0000

by OliverI did it! I finally talked mom into taking me to Blogpaws. I feel just a teensie bit guilty about Tanner staying behind, but I'll get over that. Besides, as it turns out our family is going to have lots of company while I'm gone and Tanner will have to be the host, guard dog and lifeguard. Oh, and let's not forget the Fetch master. He'd be upset with me if I left that out.
I'm making a list of things he has to do while I'm gone. Can you help me out? Here's my list below. Will you leave me a comment if you have any other ideas. I'm worried that I'll forget something very important.

Tanner's To Do List:

Guard the Natural Balance with his life. I've told him this is his number one priority. I don't want to come home and find out that our chow is missing.
Keep Jacque from pestering Patches. She's a senior citizen and deserves some peace and quiet.
Do the nightly bedcheck to make sure all is well in my kingdom.
Put Jacque to bed each night with his blankie. Okay, give him a treat for going to bed nicely.
Keep and eye on mom's office. Some of my favorite new products are in there waiting for reviews and Twitter Parties, so it's important to keep them safe from Todd, Marc, Brent and anyone else that might snoop.
Get Toni out for her exercise. Our walk to the bank today was super fun. Maybe she'll take you there again. Mom took a video of us coming home:

What a great day for a walk! vine.co/v/b2B11VheAAD
— Alan Boyko (@AlanJBoyko) May 5, 2013

Why Can't Dogs Have Fish?

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

by Tanner

courtesy K.M.
My First Catch--A Fresh One

I'm frustrated today. Last night when me and the two squirts went outside for our last evening constitution, I immediately caught the scent of FISH. Yes! I rushed to the bush where I smelled my prize, resting at the bottom of a large pine tree. Apparently the hawks nesting above had dropped it or it fell overboard. I don't care which; I was simply thrilled to snag this delicious-smelling treat.

I had to be a bit trickier this time. The first time I managed to get myself a fish, mom was sneaky and used the "DROP IT" command on me. No fair!

So instead of parading around showing off my catch, this time I hurried back to the door and waited for it to open so I could go inside and hide my treasure. I remember that Xena used to have a terrific spot for hiding stolen slices of pizza--under Dad's pillow. I like that because it's safe there till bedtime. I had my plan and was prepared to implement.

Oliver and Jacque took their time about returning to open the door. I tucked my snout down so Mom wouldn't notice my tagalong, and wagged my tail, giving every sign that I was ready to go inside. You'd think I was in the clear, right? But no! Mom somehow figured out that I had a prize. She made me sit and let the little ones inside. Dad grabbed a large, thick, enzyme-treated rawhide strip. Oh my dog, do I love those things!

Dad waved it in front of my nose and my mouth reflexively opened as he popped the strip into it, and mom quickly snapped up the aromatic fish I had dropped when they tricked me. Sigh. We don't even have a photo this time. Mom hurried off to dispose of the best snack I've ever scored and I was left to make sure that the rawhide was not absconded by my two minuscule housemates.

The upside is they didn't get a rawhide strip and were probably wondering why I did. Hehehe! I think they both missed the whole event, but this morning when we walked out for our early morning potty run Jacque was the first to catch the scent. He sniffed around the front porch, scratching at the rug and looking for something to pick up. "Nothing left, dude. Mom got rid of it already :( "

I guess Jacque will be putting on his cute act for a Tillman Treat now. After all, there's no fish left for him. Hey, maybe that's a good idea. Tillman Treats are easier to catch and mom doesn't take them away. She actually says they're good for me. Catch ya later!

Mom's busy writing her own post about my fishing expedition, no doubt, and I'm sure her story will go a bit differently. Check it out at All Things Dog Blog.

Mutiny! Tanner is Going to Blogpaws?

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

by Oliver

I work. I slave. I sit cute for photos. I test treats and toys and clothing. I couldn't possibly do more for All Things Dog Blog. And now I'm being slapped in the snout.

Just as I start hearing the word Blogpaws again, I suddenly learn that it is not cute little me that is going along. Instead, mom is planning on taking jumbo sized Tanner. Seriously? How exactly is he going to fit into that airline traveler, no matter how many mesh windows it has? He makes no secret of the fact that he weighs 70 lbs. I've got to figure this one out.

I've warned Tanner, but he says he has it all under control. He assures me that he and Mom are taking a road trip so they can visit our boys along the way. Sigh. I want to go too! Perhaps I should rally those boys and get some lobbying help. This is a serious cry for assistance. Can you help me? Please, oh please, just leave my mom a note on her Facebook page or send her a Tweet. Here's a Tweet you can RT to get the message across. Thank for any help you can provide!

HELP! Pls tell @allthingsdog that Oliver wants to go to #Blogpaws along with her & Tanner.
— Tanner & Oliver (@5MinutesforFido) April 17, 2013

What's worse than not getting to go to Blogpaws is that I've got to stay behind to babysit the 'cousin'. You know, Jacque. He is living with us right now and I guess I've been nominated to puppysit. Well, somepuppy (me!) has to keep him occupied while Momma goes on walkabout with Tanner, I suppose. Patches certainly is not up to the task. She'd sooner swipe his snout off than put up with his childish antics. He needs a bit of help in the 'senior manners' department. I guess I'll be playing school while Tanner is off hobnobbing with the Natural Balance crew. Double sigh.

#PetBrandChat Has Oliver Rallyin

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:34:00 +0000

by Oliver

Oliver here. As usual, Tanner is out by the pool enjoying some wet stuff while I'm working my paws to the bone. Bone? Where? Oh wait, I gotta stay focused. It's classtime.

Attention, Jacque. You've got to learn this stuff, dude. If you're going to live under my roof, it's essential that you get schooled in some basic Twitter verbage. Open your laptop and let's get started.

Good, now sign onto Twitter.com. Do you know your password? C'mon, Jacque. Get with it bud. I think it's XXXXXXX. Yeah, that's right. Do you see your avatar? Good.

Now, let's learn how to set up your Twitter page so you can watch our #PetBrandChat feed. Then you won't get so confused by other Tweets during the event. Here is how it's done: See the search box at the top of your page? Just put our hashtag in that box and hit enter. Viola!

You're now looking at a column of Tweets that are all using the #PetBrandChat hashtag. Cool, huh? Just remember that I invented that technique and let's move on.

Now a few tips for Tweeting during the party. Wake up! Take notes:

RT important Tweets so everyone is sure to see them.
Leave room for RTs to include all characters by sticking to no more than 130 characters.
Always use the #PetBrandChat hashtag to be sure everyone at the chat can see your Tweets.
And don't forget that Tweets can never ever have more than 140 characters, or the end of them will fall off the page, err disappear somewhere. That's always bad.
Want to reply to someone's question? Hit the reply button and your Tweet will go straight to them. Be sure to include the hashtag so others can follow the conversation.
No, Tanner does not have his own Twitter handle. He's Twitter challenged! @5MinutesforFido is run by me. That's important because you and I know that Papillons are the smartest dogs on the planet, right? Yup! Occasionally I let Tanner play on Twitter, but only under close supervision. He's wreckless, ya know?!
Back to work. If you see any spammers, feel free to send the host a DM to alert them. DM stands for Direct Message, and it's kinda like a private note passed under the desk. No one else sees it except the host.

Oh dear, speaking of spammers, I see some now. Let me go put up some blocks to keep these folks out and we'll have to continue class later. Have you read up on #PetBrandChat? That would be good homework. Here's your assignments:

Read more about #PetBrandChat here and here.
Visit Rallyin.com to check out our guest and write down your questions. Oh, I know. You don't have opposable thumbs, so you think you can't write. Just ask Siri to make a list. You've got resources!
Speaking of Siri, she can also remind you when the chat is about the start so that you don't miss it. It starts at 1 PM ET, 12 PM Central, 11 AM Mountain and 10 AM Pacific.

Good luck, bro. Now go take a nap before you fall asleep on my laptop. See ya there!

5 Minutes for Natural Balance

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:01:00 +0000

by Oliver

Let the games begin. With All Things Dog Blog becoming an NB Insider, a few things are changing around here. I've got to whip Tanner into shape and get him ready for some new challenges. Here's a sneak peek at what you'll be seeing that's different:

Ooops! I may have made my announcement before Mom made hers. My bad! You don't mind though, right?
I'll get the tough news out of the way first. Tanner, my Fetch-crazed, Golden Retriever housemate, already has his nose in a twist because he's got to get behind Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog and Norman the Scooterdog, to name just a couple of the NB all-stars. I think Tanner fancies himself a Fetch star, so watch for some additional photos as he struggles to prove his worth around here.
Meanwhile I'll still be pulling much of the load as the Chief Editor of this rag, and that's good news. Tanner's grammar tends to lean toward athlete-speak and we see far too many F-words (F-E-T-C-H and Food for starters) and significant overuse of dog park and swimming topics, IMHO. Thankfully I'm in charge!
Mom will be handing out writing assignments that cover all manner of Natural Balance information including their organic food (my new chow!). I'm eager to share our opinions, photos and ideas on why Organic is a good thing. We're not fans of eating fertilizer, antibiotics or hormones.
Tanner and I will be filling you in on all the flavors and types of treats available from Natural Balance, including the whole line of Tillman Treats. Who knew? I'm pretty sure I hear a plea for "Tanner Treats" coming from the pool deck right now. Ugg!
Our resident cat, Patches, will be making an appearance to share her experience with Natural Balance. The helpful folks at NB gave mom some nutritional advice for her, given she's a serious senior citizen--15 years old. At that age, she's gotten to be very opinionated, so watch your nose. She has claws!
With the 2nd season of Who Let the Dogs Out airing now, we're excited to share some clips and enjoy a good laugh. I'll be laughing at Tanner when he tries to master the skateboard that's in our garage. Stay tuned....vet visits happen at unexpected times.
On that note, Tanner tells me he plans to challenge Tillman to a Fetch contest. Hmmm... Should I send a memo to Tillman to give him a heads up? I mean, really. Tanner is faster than lightening and way taller than Tillman. Tillman won't have a prayer. Ideas?
And then there's Fetch in the swimming pool. Oh dear! Can Tillman even swim? I guess we'll find out. I'll keep you posted on those events, IF they come to pass.
Natural Balance has some great charity efforts and causes they support, so I, for one, am excited to share some of those stories with you also.

Mom promises to share links to my posts so you'll be able to find them easily if you read All Things Dog Blog. If you're simply a fan and want to be sure you don't miss a single word I have to bark, please subscribe in the box you'll find in the sidebar. Just be sure to visit your email inbox immediately to activate your new subscription. I'm not terribly good at checking up on all these little details.

Thanks for stopping in and be sure to leave a comment. I love to hear from my fans. You can also give me a paw up by Tweeting this message, right from my blog. Just hit RT and you'll have been a great fur-riend. Thanks!

#NBInsiders named recently include @allthingsdog. My mom is so excited to share the news. Tanner has other plans: Watch 4 more!
— Tanner & Oliver (@5MinutesforFido) March 24, 2013

Mom says I have to put a disclaimer down here: All Things Dog Blog is an NB Insider. In this capacity, mom will attend industry events on behalf of Natural Balance, and share news with you about the Natural Balance family of products, their mascots, charities and causes. She says that may include my comments, so I have to be legally clear on this, according to the FTC. (Yup; I have no clue what any of that means.)

Dog Duo Announces Kumfy Tailz Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000

by Tanner

Oliver is stunned and confused by the Random.org selection of our first entrant as the winner of our Kumfy Tailz giveaway, so I've stepped in to take over. Sometimes you just need a big guy to manage a big job. Even when I put him in charge of a small task like running a giveaway, he seems to cower at times, so it's certainly a good thing he has me to back him up. Okay, I guess that's what big brothers are for.

courtesy AllThingsDogBlog.com
An Important Announcement from Tanner

I've posted a screenshot of the Random.org drawing so you can see how it looks when we bloggers, even the furry ones, use this tool to select our winners. Pretty neat, huh? We just fill in the number of entrants in the "Max" box and hit the "Generate" button and viola', whatever that means.

Our winner, "Evie", will receive a Kumfy Tailz harness for her dog, and one to donate to her favorite Petfinder rescue. We'll either send it to her for hand delivery, ship it to her rescue for her, or donate it to a local rescue on her behalf. We do aim to make things easy for our winners. Besides, half of our furry family has come from this Petfinder rescue near us, so we love to visit :)

Mom is busy announcing her winner over at All Things Dog Blog, along with Dogtipper.com, in their joint giveaway for Event Barkers. Be sure to go check their sites out to see who their winning name is.

If you didn't win and you're looking to acquire a Kumfy Tailz harness for cooling or warming your dog in extreme weather, you need only visit their website to place your order. You an also learn more or ask questions by following them on Twitter or "Liking" them on Facebook. Be sure to tell them that Tanner and Oliver sent you!

Event Barkers is continuing their efforts to aid Petfinder shelters by facilitating this Kumfy Koatz giveaway and donation option for our readers and other pet bloggers. As with Super Dog Sunday™, we have donated our time and not taken a fee for this service to our beloved shelters.
The Comfy Pax gel pack pouch should be heated according to website instructions for safety and the longest life of the pouch. Sizing may be found at this same page; for best results we recommend that you take accurate measurements using a soft tape measure. A limited number of harnesses have been provided to us; we cannot make replacements for poorly-fitted harnesses.

5 Minutes for Super Dog Sunday™ Overtime

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:56:00 +0000

by Oliver

AllThingsDogBlog.com
Male Modeling :)

This game has definitely extended when sponsors are coming out of the stands to stand up for shelter pets. Go Petfinder! Are they one of the teams playing?

Event Barkers partners All Things Dog Blog and DogTipper.com have teamed up with Kumfy Tailz to share a review of Kumfy Koatz, a cooling and warming harness. I look handsome wearing it. Right? Of course there's more to this harness than its good looks. I'll be able to stay cool in our Florida heat when mom freezes the gel pack before a walk. I'm liking that idea :)

My housemate, Tanner, likes to swim before our walks so that he dries off during the walk, allowing him to cool off. Me, not so much. I'm a good swimmer but I really don't enjoy it that much. So Kumfy Koatz is a better solution for me.

AllThingsDogBlog.com
Soft and Kumfy

We have Fido friends in the North that sometimes have to miss out on their walks during Winter. That's our favorite time to walk here in Florida where January and February are beautiful. So we feel badly that our pup friends may get home bound during frigid temperatures or snow storms. The Kumfy Koatz warming harness is an easy way to keep your dog warm and safe during a Winter walk too. The gel pack insert can be warmed according to directions, in your microwave oven, and then inserted in the harness for a Kumfy walk. Notice how clever I was with my spelling there?

The outside layer of fabric on the Kumfy Koatz warming and cooling harnesses has recently been changed to a mesh fabric, available in numberous colors. Did I spell that big word right? Other than the fabric change, the product remains the same. The Kumfy Pax pouch slides easily into its pocket in the chest of the harness to help your dog's inner core organs warm or cool as needed. To learn more, follow the Kumfy Tailz Facebook page, Twitter, or visit their website to see the new fabrics.

Our Petfinder Kitty, Patches

The Kumfy Koatz harness can be used at shelters and in veterinary offices for many therapeutic treatments, both warm and cold. Our giveaway will offer one neoprene Kumfy Koatz to one lucky winner, with another one going to the Petfinder rescue where our Patches came from. We'll give it away in the winner's name so they can feel great about doing something good for a shelter pet. Wondering who Patches is? She's the cat you may occasionally have seen crashing our party here. She has a feisty habit of stealing all the boxes that come in, even this one :(

If you prefer a sure thing to an entry, simply visit the website to select and order your preference of color in the mesh fabric.

Enter by leaving a comment below between now and Thursday, February 21. Please share your Twitter handle or other contact information that will allow us to find you without you leaving an email address. You can also send us an email at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. I'll put mom in charge of looking for this. Good luck!

Event Barkers is continuing their efforts to aid Petfinder shelters by facilitating this Kumfy Koatz giveaway and donation option for pet bloggers. As with Super Dog Sunday™, they have donated their time and not taken a fee for this service to shelters.

The Comfy Pax gel pack pouch should be heated according to website instructions for safety and the longest life of the pouch. Sizing may be found at this same page. For best results we recommend that you take accurate measurements using a soft tape measure. A limited number of harnesses have been provided to us; we cannot make replacements for poorly-fitted harnesses.

Super Dog Sunday™ Seeks Nature's Logic Rookies

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:35:00 +0000

by Oliver

Super Dog Sunday™, our charity photo contest to benefit Petfinder Foundation, is wrapping up soon. We've been proud to showcase our sponsor, Nature's Logic. Their philosophy of pet food manufacturing is not only all-natural, but whole food.

Mom gets questions about what 'whole food' means sometimes over at All Things Dog Blog. Let's see if I can 'splain it like she does. Instead of packing their product with all sorts of synthetic vitamins to meet the AAFCO minimums, they pack their food with the protein sources, fruits and vegetables that have the necessary vitamins to meet those same AAFCO guidelines. Their label reads much more like a recipe than a vitamin bottle.

As a sponsor of Super Dog Sunday™, Nature's Logic has provided a cash donation to Petfinder Foundation, as well as a batch of great prizes for our winners. Eight lucky winners will learn their fate on Monday when Dogtipper.com and AllThingsDogBlog.com announce the 5 photo contest winners, along with a few others: a PreTweet winner, a Rafflecopter winner, and a Cheer Team winner. The Cheer Team is a group of social media enthusiasts who volunteered to help up promote this charity event.

Our winners' prizes will be padded with goodies from our sponsors and prize providers that total more than $1500: Nature's Logic, Toby and Max jewelry, Arenus botanicals for behavioral support, Luv and Emma door handle towels for quick paw clean up, Event Barkers social media events, Life+Dog magazine, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know book, and Gypsy Eyes Clothing, custom made duds for your pets.

Want to enter your pet? Of course you do! Visit this post to get all the details, and then send your pet's photo into EventBarkers@gmail.com. Meanwhile, stop by the photo contest is in progress, and check out our sponsors' social media channels here:

Sponsors and Hosts:

Arenus.com, on Facebook and Twitter

EventBarkers.com, on Facebook and Twitter

LuvandEmma.com, on Facebook and Twitter

NaturesLogic.com, on Facebook and Twitter

TobyandMax.com, on Facebook and Twitter

Additional prizes will be provided by:

Gypsy Eyes Clothing, on Facebook

LifeandDog.com magazine, on Facebook and Twitter

Event Barkers, a partnership of Dogtipper.com and AllThingsDogBlog.com, is working with Nature's Logic to increase their product awareness. As a charitable sponsor of Super Dog Sunday™, they are also supporting Petfinder Foundation and its work with shelter animals.

Wordless Wednesday Tips for Super Dog Sunday™

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:22:00 +0000

by Oliver

courtesy a.r.
Gizmo

When this photo came in for the Super Dog Sunday™ charity photo contest, my mama was oooing and ahhhing. I had to remind her that I was in the room and was taking offence at her oogling over this pup. After all, I have the home field advantage and should be getting all the attention here. Right?!

And what is it about Pomeranians that makes them so cute, anyway? Geez!

Well, here's the deal. As it turns out, Gizmo's family submitted 2 pictures of Gizmo so they had to pick one to be considered in the judging. They picked the other one. And me? I got to post this one. Apparently his mama and dad have opposing team alliances, so it must have been a toss up. I'm glad my family doesn't have to fight over a favorite team. We're Packers fans all the way.

I don't have a cool Official NFL football or a jersey, but I'm working on it. I do have a cheesehead, but it's so big I have to sit or lay on it. Wearing it just isn't happening.

Would you like to enter our charity contest? It's free! We have these great sponsors who have donated money, prizes and time to make this event happen. Here's everything you need to know. The clock is ticking. Entries close at 6 PM on Sunday, February 3. Good luck!

Sponsors/Hosts

Arenus.com, on Facebook and Twitter

EventBarkers.com, on Facebook and Twitter

LuvandEmma.com, on Facebook and Twitter

NaturesLogic.com, on Facebook and Twitter

TobyandMax.com, on Facebook and Twitter

Additional prizes will be provided by:

Gypsy Eyes Clothing, on Facebook

LifeandDog.com magazine, on Facebook and Twitter

Important Details:

Photo Contest Rules

Help with Petfinder adoptable entries here

Want to donate to Petfinder Foundation?

Submitting your entries: EventBarkers@gmail.com (don't forget to include your name along with your pet's name; all pets are welcome)

#SuperDogPics RSVP is Just the Beginning!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:51:00 +0000

by Oliver

Some of our RSVP Prizes

My Mom and our friend Paris, Tiki and Irie's mom, are at it again. Through their Event Barkers partnership, they're rolling with Super Dog Sunday™, a charity pet photo contest to help our friends at Petfinder Foundation, who support Petfinder and helped us adopt Xena, Patches and Robby. It's a family thing, ya know.

To help our readers get ideas for their Super Dog Sunday photo entries, Mom and Paris have cooked up a Twitter Party called #SuperDogPics. I've been snoozing through most of the details but what I managed to pick up is that you can win loads of cool prizes like the stuff in the photo collage above (this is some of the stuff you'll win just for RSVPing below), and they'll be giving bunches of ideas for theming your photos at the party.

Mom says there is going to be a live artist's illustration going on during the party and we'll have @LifeandDog with us again to answer your photography questions. I also learned that I'll be needed to Tweet again. Better warm up that laptop and practice up my Tweeting skills.

The picture contest is designed for football-themed photos and you can also enter Petfinder adoptable pets. It's easy to help promote a pet who needs a furever home by decking it out with a football theme and sending it in for the contest to EventBarkers@gmail.com. Mom says it's really really important to send the profile page url along with the pet's picture, his name, and the area he's located in. That information will help get more pets adopted. That's good, right?

So please sign up and join us on Sunday at 4 PM ET. I'm copying mom's directions for the sign up sheet and including it below. What have you got to lose? Don't forget to read mom's Twitter Party Tips and check out her post on all the ways you can win great stuff for you and your dog in both of our Super Dog events. I'll see you on Sunday!

Now for the instructions; RSVP below by following the guide I've created, and be sure to use the hashtag #SuperDogPics when you Tweet. If you're unsure about your RSVP, please include an email address so we can reach you to clarify your registration. In order to win prizes at #SuperDogPics, you'll need to RSVP. What's more, there will be a prize just for one of the lucky Tweeps on the RSVP list, so don't be left out :)

Follow this RSVP Guide:

Below the numbered list at the bottom is a blue link that says "Click here to enter". Click this and follow these instructions, using the image above as a guide. In the field that says "Link Title or Blog Title" just enter your Twitter handle. Notice I entered @EventBarkers. In the second field that says "Link" you'll enter the link to your Twitter account. It will look like this: "http://twitter.com/yourhandlehere".

You can leave your email address and name in the next two fields, if you wish. This will help us reach you if your Twitter handle is listed wrong and you win a prize. We'll need to get in touch! Now click "Enter your link" and that's it. You have completed your RSVP. See you on January 20 prior to the 4 PM ET party opening.

Social Media Info for Hosts, Sponsors, Guest Experts and Prize Providers: Feel free to give them a shout out!

@TobyandMax's Website and Facebook page

@ThingsYourDog's Website and Facebook page

@ILoveMyK10's Website and Facebook page

@LifeandDog's Website and Facebook page

@CartoonYourPets Website and Facebook page

GypsyEyesClothing's Website and Facebook page

@EventBarkers Website and Facebook page

and let's not forget our beneficiary, @Petfinder_Fnd!

Super Dog Sunday and #SuperDogPics Rise Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 05:01:00 +0000

by Oliver

courtesy A.C.
Meet Lola
She's Ready for Super Dog Sunday™

Event Barkers has hired our Wide Retriever, Tanner, to produce the Super Dog Sunday™ and #SuperDogPics events once again, with the help of Tiki and Irie at Dogtipper.com. Join us for a football-themed charity pet photo contest and a Twitter Party, both sure to be great for rookies and pros alike. You can start your winning streak by RTing the Tweets below to enter the PreTweet contest for each of the 2 events, and then read up at the links to get all the details. More soon, Oliver out!

Win #pet prizes & see live #pet illustration by @cartoonyourpets. RSVP 4 @eventbarkers #SuperDogPics party: ow.ly/gsZbC
— Tanner & Oliver (@5MinutesforFido) January 1, 2013

I'm getting professional photo tips on 1/20 from @lifeanddog at @eventbarkers #SuperDogPics party: ow.ly/gsZiK
— Tanner & Oliver (@5MinutesforFido) January 1, 2013

You can win the PreTweet prize 4 #SuperDogPics or #SuperDogSunday™ just by RTing this @eventbarkers message! ow.ly/gsZBA
— Event Barkers (@EventBarkers) January 1, 2013

For more chances to win, stop by All Things Dog Blog's PreTweets and also you'll find some over at Organic-Journey-Online. Then there's DogTipper and CatTipper; PreTweet the night away!

Here's the starting lineup of Sponsors, Prize Providers, Guest Experts and Hosts for both events. Drop by and give them all a chest bump, or maybe just a quick follow!

#SuperDogPics:

@ILoveMyK10, @ThingsYourDog, @TobyandMax, @CartoonYourPets, @LifeandDog, @EventBarkers, @AllThingsDog, @Dogtipper, @5MinutesforFido, @Cattipper, @Learnin2BGreen, @MyPetAllergies, @ParisandJohn, and special sponsor Gypsy Eyes Clothing who will be providing fleece hoodies for a few winners.

Super Dog Sunday™:

@ArenusPet, @EventBarkers, @LuvandEmma, @NaturesLogic, @TobyandMax, @AllThingsDog, @Dogtipper, @5MinutesforFido, @Cattipper, @Learnin2BGreen, @MyPetAllergies, @ParisandJohn, and special sponsor Gypsy Eyes Clothing who will be providing fleece hoodies for a few winners.

Mom is at Barkworld Without Us!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:04:00 +0000

by Oliver

Do I look happy about this? NO! I gave her every opportunity to pack me up and take me along. I hopped into my crate and gave her my best imploring look, but no, she still walked out this door.

Meanwhile I'm left at home to supervise all the product reviews, giveaways, advertising and Twitter Party planning going on at All Things Dog Blog. Do you think that's fair? I'm not a workhorse. I'm a companion dog, product model, and much more, but NOT a blogger stand in. Woof.

So, anyone out there got any ideas? I need serious ammunition to bring her home. I thought about telling her we had company coming....maybe my new girl-in-law. Is that a word? Hmmm.....

My boy got married last week, so I guess his new wife would be my girl-in-law. That works, right? Only problem is I'd have to fib. Tanner says that's a no-no. He's a goodie two-shoes!

I guess I'll go get my girl and spend some time with her. Maybe, just maybe, I can talk her into a good outing. I'll go anywhere, just out. What do ya say, Toni?

Let's Get #RedCarpetCat Ready!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

by Oliver

I suppose by now you've noticed I do most of the writing here. Tanner is usually busy guarding the front door. Clearly I'm better than him at that job too, but I had to make a choice. Today I'm here to give you guys some warm up practice for the TV Animal Trivia that we'll be playing during the #RedCarpetCat Twitter Party.

First things first. If you haven't RSVP'd for the party, you're in luck. You still have time to get in on the thousands of dollars worth of great DOG and CAT prizes. You just need to go here to sign up. Now, let's get on with your practice!

During the Twitter Party there will be a team of hosts offering up trivia for you to join in. It helps us know you're actually with us on the party if you participate, so just jump right in and toss out some answers. It doesn't matter if they are right or not. You still get credit for being PRESENT and accounted for. That's super easy, right?!!

Here's some practice questions so you can see what we're planning:

What was the name of the Looney Tunes character that constantly tried to catch Tweety Bird the canary?
Friends character Ross had a monkey named Marcel. What was his breed?
What was talking TV horse, Mr. Ed's owner/companion's name?
Do you know which zoo in Central FL was run by Jack Hanna in the mid-70’s?
Which 2 PBS documentaries join 'My Life as a Turkey' in the Cinematography category?
Animal Planet has 2 nominees for News & Documentaries this year. Which shows?

I just asked my girl some of these questions and she got 2 right. How about you? Would you like to know the answers? Visit Cattipper.com this evening for the answers to the questions above. You'll also find some new questions on her page. Here are the answers to those:

A1. 'Broken Tail' was nominated for 2 Emmy Awards in 2012.
A2. The last name of Dora the Explorer is Marquez.
A3. Mrs. Slocombe has a cat named Tiddles that is the source of constant innuendo.
A4. The Original Mutual of Omaha’s ‘Wild Kingdom’ premiered on NBC in 1963.
A5. ALF learned that he had become a cat lover when Lucky Tanner, his family's cat, died.
A6. Olivia lived with Lily Rush on 'Cold Case.'
A7. Patches the Zombie Cat appeared on one episode of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.
A8. ‘Wild Kingdom’ now is broadcast on Animal Planet.

Tanner and I had a good laugh over the "Patches the Zombie Cat" question. It's okay, though. Our Patches isn't a Zombie, thank goodness!

I also asked mom if she knew what the questions might be for these. She remembered the ALF show and told us all about it. We even heard some stories about her kitties that she had at that time--Corey Lou and Bandit. She was glad we didn't have an ALF!

Okay, you're all warmed up now, right? Don't forget to show up early, check in, and be ready to man your refresh button. I have a feeling it's going to get a good workout.

And there's one more thing. Did you enter to win the PreTweet prize or the Rafflecopter drawing? Don't miss these two prizes, as they don't require you to be present at the party :) Over and out!

Hear Ye! Here Ye! #RedCarpetCat is Now for Dogs too!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 20:57:00 +0000

by Oliver

Dude! Did you hear? The #RedCarpetCat Emmy event is also including dogs this year. Gnarly, huh?! Tanner and I are uber excited that mom and Dogtipper finally got it right and added canines. What were they thinking?!!!

We haven't heard what the prizes are for dog sorts, so we'll keep you posted on that. Meanwhile, you should be sure to RSVP so you'll be included in the RSVP drawing on September 19, and also to be eligible to win prizes at the party. There are even going to be pre-party prizes, so be sure to watch Event Barkers and AllThingsDogBlog.com for all the updates. It's awesome!

I'll be Tweeting the night away, and probably fending off the ladies while I'm at it. Do ya think I need a body guard? Tanner! You're nominated!

I'll be sharing @TheTiniestTiger's pics taken with the stars at the Emmy Awards Secret Rooms. Gracey is our sponsor (Shhhh....she's a cat). I don't quite understand that. If they're so secret then how come we know about them? Go figure!

I suppose I better get my little black book out and catch up on the names of the Anipals that are of the female persuasion. I can get some names from Preston. He's usually pretty good at keeping tabs. I better get on that. Don't forget to go RSVP right now so you won't be rushing at the end, and mark your calendars so you won't forget. See ya there. I'll be @5MinutesforFido, the coolest Twitterer at the party ;)

Raw Pet Food in the News

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 15:18:00 +0000

by Oliver with some input from Google and a raw food-eating friend :)

courtesy SuperFantastic via flickr.com
Eating a Trachea?

Yup! You read that caption right. Raw feeding proponents feed their pets a wide assortment of fresh, raw meats and other foods, including bones. Tanner, Mom and I are neither for or against this method of feeding, but because it has been in the news, we thought we'd share some information, especially for those of you who are not familiar with the issues.

The practice of feeding a raw diet to pets has been controversial for some time. What's the biggest concern? Safety from bacterial illnesses such as Salmonella, e-coli and others. And we're not just talking about us dogs. Their humans are at risk when proper precautions are not taken.

Another concern is the issue of a balanced diet. You can't just toss your dog a raw chicken and expect him to remain healthy for a long life. He needs other nutrients, healthy fats, and a host of added vitamins, fiber and such. That's why companies in the pet food world have gotten into the game. There are a number of companies that make raw diets which stack up to the AAFCO (Association of Animal Feed Control Officials) guidelines. One of these is Nature's Logic. These diets are sold in frozen form and thawed at home for feeding to your pet. More on that later in this article.

Many pet owners are diligent enough to research proper nutrition and create their own fresh, raw meals. Commonly, these owners create a large number of packages to freeze at one time, thawing one daily for feeding. With the right consultation on nutrition, this can be done in a healthful way. Without knowledgeable guidance, your pet may be looking ahead at a shorter life with poor health. That said, I'd suggest getting proper guidance from an expert to help you with the contents of your pre-packaged meals if you choose to go it on your own.

Moreover, the feeding method is a big concern, and one that must be addressed for me to be thorough on this topic. (Don't I sound impressive for a Papillon?) Because of the bacterial risks, the feeding area must be cleaned thoroughly after feeding (hot water and lots of soap at a minimum), and your pet may need some cleanup as well. Consider that his paws and face, at a minimum, have come into contact with meat. He'll then be walking around on your carpet. Bathtime? Probably a good idea.

Do you really want to handle this task daily? It's your call. Tanner would probably manage a good cleaning with a vigorous swim in the chlorinated pool, but me, I'd prefer not to partake in the pool unless Mom forces the issue. She does this occasionally to keep me on top of my game, but I'm not a fan.

I wouldn't be fair if I didn't share that there are some health benefits to feeding raw, at least in the opinion of proponents. Raw food doesn't leave residues on teeth like grains, so raw-fed dogs generally have healthier teeth. This is widely-known to be one of the biggest reasons to feed raw. Healthy teeth = longer life.

There are a number of other controversial reasons that many believe feeding raw is the way to go. We believe that many of these have value, but with their inherent risks as tagalongs. Again, it's your decision.

Last week the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) voted on a change to their stance on this issue. It basically involved how they recommend their members should advise patients on this topic. It is not a law, and does not change your right to feed you dog in whatever way you choose. It is simply the AVMA's opinion. Time will tell whether their opinion will be taken up by the FDA. I'm not going to go there.

Basically, AVMA decided to advise members not to recommend raw feeding. Their reasoning was largely based on the health risks to both animals and the public. You can read the AVMA report on this vote to get the whole story. It's a short article that gives the basics, but includes links to additional information. We hope this is helpful to you if you want to investigate this more. Best wishes to you no matter which way you choose to feed your best friend, and feel free to leave your comments for the rest of our readers.

Tanner and Oliver

PS--Don't forget to join us for #BarktoSchool, a Twitter Party with over $1000 in prizes. The big event is Sunday, August 12 at 8 PM ET, with prizes beginning promptly at opening. Don't forget to RSVP here to win prizes.

Wordless Wednesday Woof!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:05:00 +0000

guest post by Carrie Boyko

This is Jacque. He's my mother's dog and no, he's not related to Oliver. While Oliver is a puppy mill rescue, Jacque was a family rescue. His owner had to give him up when she became seriously ill. He was a blessing right from the getgo for my mother. Yet he has always had a bit more energy than she does.

I've been working with him on his walking skills, trying to help him understand that pulling is not a good thing. He does fine with me, seemingly getting the message that I won't accept being dragged down the sidewalk. But getting that same behavior to happen for my mom has been a problem. Until I met Alecia, that is.

While chatting with Alecia about her Walk in Sync system, I decided to try it with Tanner, mostly to quell his sudden bursts of enthusiasm when he sees a duck, a dog or a friend down the street. He's a big boy, and when 70 pounds of Golden Retriever decide to take off, it sometimes is challenging to hold my ground. Tanner is now seeing that the Walk in Sync has a unusual chest pull that he apparently respects. Yesterday's Barn Owl sighting during a walk brought only a lunge and then he immediately dropped back to release the pressure. He's getting the message!

Now it's Jacque's turn and today I am sharing photos of his experience with the new system. Jacque was a remarkable new boy when he discovered that he, too, did not want to fight the front pull of his new harness. When I handed him off to mom he was ever so much better. She reports that he is continuing to improve each day and she and her neighbors all are enjoying the change. Thanks Alecia!

Learn more here:

Order Direct from Walk in Sync

Get-a-Grip Leashes

Facebook

Twitter

Nature's Logic Review by Oliver

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:06:00 +0000

by Oliver

We've been busily dropping photo hints that this review was coming, so I guess you know our noses have already done a pretty good job of checking out the goods. Truth be told, Tanner ate the biggest portion, but to be honest, he always does. He's a whopper at 70 lbs and me, Oliver, I'm a diminutive 10-pounder. Somehow that always makes me sound like a lower life form, but mom assures me I'm still plenty important.. As a matter of fact, I'm so important that I got this writing assignment. Take that, Tanner! BOL!

courtesy Nature's Logic

I had to hold Tanner's paw and tell him I promised to use his thoughts in this review, or he was most certainly going to whimper like a puppy. So my disclaimer goes something like this: "All information in the following review is a combination of material gleaned from Nature's Logic, Tanner, Oliver, and even a few tidbits from Patches." Does that work? I thought it sounded real professional.
Just to be clear, I'm going to give you some of the official info from Nature's Logic. This is the stuff mom likes to read. Like, for example, their food does not contain any synthetic nutrients. That's just fancy words for vitamins...you know, the stuff that makes us healthy, energetic and shiny. Nature's Logic makes their whole line of foods from 'whole foods' instead of stuff that was made in a chemistry lab. I though a lab was a dog, but my girl, Toni, tells me that it's a place where fake vitamins can be made--yuck! I much prefer real carrots and apples to fake ones, thank you very much!

Tanner seems real impressed with the variety of different aminal (did I spell that right?) meats available in Nature's Logic foods. He tells me they make pet food using chicken, beef, venison, rabbit, salmon, lamb, duck, and sardines. Did I get them all Tanner? That's quite a list, huh? I'm going to have to go look up venison and sardines....not sure what they are. Can you help?

courtesy Nature's Logic

Apparently since the Nature's Logic food has so much great protein, they decided to leave out some of the carbs that have less nutritional value. That was a mouthful I got from Patches. She hates carbs and cats don't eat much other than protein, so I understand her point of view.

Me, well, I can take an occasional dog treat and enjoy the carbs included, but Patches tells me that Nature's Logic leaves out rice, soy, wheat, potato and tapioca. They explain this and some other stuff about our diets here.

Sounds like the Nature's Logic folks got everything in their food that I like and even made Patches happy. That's no easy feat. What more can we say?

Oh, yeah, I know what. Mom is helping the Nature's Logic folks get the word out with some help from Tiki and Irie's mom, Paris. We're throwing a Twitter Party called #BarktoSchool. You can join us by RSVPing at the link.

Mom plans all sorts of training tips and nutrition info that's good for pet owners like you to know. She's also planning to share some info on a writer friend, Peggy Frezon, who has a bunch of books and a neato blog, Peggy's Pet Place. And another cool part is that she's also giving away a whole bunch of Nature's Logic, Walk in Sync leashes, great dog books, shampoo, training treats and more. Mom says there will be over $1000 in gifts for pets and their families. That's a lotta kibble!

Anyways, if you want to join us for the party, you'll have to head on over the RSVP page and sign up. I guess if your pawprint is not on the list, you can't win a prize, so it's pretty important. I'll be there Tweeting too, so please say hello. My Twitter handle is @5MintuesforFido. See you then!

Welcome Peggy Frezon to #BarktoSchool

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Oliver

courtesy Peggy Frezon
Brooks Looks Tired from School

courtesy Peggy's Pet Place

Brooks and Kelly, owned by Peggy Frezon, are often a focus at Peggy's Pet Place. This is a delightful blog where you'll find all sorts of articles for the pet lover in you. Even Brooks, the adorable Golden snoozing at the top of this post, gets into the action occasionally with his column, Brooks Books. These book reviews are all about pets and pet books.

courtesy Peggy Frezon

Peggy has been writing about pets for years, having published many stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She now has two books of her own in print, as well. We're excited that she has offered to include an autographed copy of each in our Grand Prize for #BarktoSchool.

Peggy's first solo book, Dieting with my Dog, tells the story of Peggy's journey to eating healthier by teaming up with her dog, Kelly. It's inspirational and fun. You can read Peggy's guest post about the book at the link, over at AllThingsDogBlog.com. If you'd like to join Peggy and Kelly in the fun, pick up a copy at the link above; Amazon will get the book to you quickly.

Mom is excited to see Peggy's new book, Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw. You can get a Kindle version here that will help you save money and paper. It's coming soon and mom will share some tidbits with you, hopefully before #BarktoSchool. Maybe you'll be the lucky winner to get an autographed copy in the Grand Prize at #BarktoSchool. Have you RSVP'd? Be sure you do so you're eligible to win: http://ow.ly/cBwrx

One last fun little thing we'd like to add. When Miss Peggy wrote her guest post for All Things Dog Blog, Tanner and I just had to try out the scale thing. You know you want to see these, right? Check out our Facebook photos and we'll share our silly pics. No peeking at the weights though. Shhhh!

Oh, all right, then. I'll plug in Tanner's picture but you'll have to go to our Facebook page to see mine. Tanner couldn't fit his big self on the scale, so go ahead and laugh at his pouty face, but there will be absolutely No laughing at me!

Rafflecopter Lands for #BarktoSchool!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:00:00 +0000

by Oliver

The Rafflecopter prize has been announced over at All Things Dog Blog, so I guess I have clearance to let that chopper land here now too. What does that mean for you? Prizes!

Tanner just took inventory of the Rafflecopter prize and he tells me there is something in that package from each of our #BarktoSchool Twitter Party sponsors: Nature's Logic pet food (they have kitty chow too), a Walk in Sync Get-a-Grip leash, a book from Peggy Frezon, and goodies from the Event Barkers team.

Tanner says he used all his toes, pads, dewclaws and even his teeth, and still couldn't add up the value of the prizes, but I peeked over at mom's blog and got the scoop: over $80 in value for this prize alone! Apparently that's good :)

Tanner and I will be sharing some highlights and reviews here over the next 10 days, telling your more about Peggy Frezon, Walk in Sync, and Nature's Logic. Be sure to stop in at the other host blogs to learn more. We hear that Paris will even be doing a video review of one of the products. No movie cameras for us, thank you very much. we're pretty good at posing, so we'll stick with what we're good at!

If you don't see the Rafflecopter entry form below, simply click on the title to refresh and it will appear at the bottom of the post. I think it hides like that just to be stealthy. Does that impress you?

Have fun and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Logic from Nature Makes Natural Dog Chow

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Tanner and Oliver

We're excited to tell you that we've got the job we were made for. Big thank you's to the Nature's Logic folks from Tanner and Oliver. We get to share some of the scoop on Nature's Logic, an all-natural pet food line that makes dry, wet and even frozen food. We've got bunches of facts from our mom, but we'll also be giving you our taste bud's opinion, more important than most anything else, right?

Today we're actually here to share the beginning of our PreTweet contest. That's a tongue twister for sure. Basically it just means that you can Tweet about the #BarktoSchool Twitter Party to win prizes. That's pretty neat, huh?

Our PreTweet winner will be awarded their prize from a drawing of all the Tweets with the party hashtag. The winner will be announced at the party on August 12. If you can't make it to the event, we'll still get in touch. Believe it or not, Tanner and I are pretty good at Tweeting, thumbs not required :)

Here's some Tweets you can try out. Feel free to Tweet them once each day, and you can do them all or pick your faves:

Ck out @NaturesLogic all-natural pet food & join #BarktoSchool #TwitterParty2 win: ow.ly/cvkwi ow.ly/i/NmsI
— Tanner & Oliver (@5MinutesforFido) July 26, 2012

Join @EventBarkers 4 a night of fun at #BarktoSchool #TwitterParty:#dog training tips with @WalkinSync & prizes ow.ly/cvkLZ
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) July 26, 2012

#BarktoSchool Twitter Party will share @PeggyFrezon's blog, books & journey as a pet lover. Join us 8/12 ow.ly/ctr6y
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) July 26, 2012

Oops...Tanner says we have to tell you what the prize is for winning the PreTweet contest. Mom's locked up all the deets tight, but we got a quick peek and can tell you it will include a Walk in Sync Get-a-Grip leash (Tanner has one; it super duper nice), a bottle of yummy smelling Mango shampoo from Austin Rose, my fave--a box of training treats--and some Nature's Logic food, dry and canned. Wowzer; that's an awesome prize for some pet family.

We'll be back soon to share more deets on the #BarktoSchool sponsors and their products. Hope to see you real soon, and don't forget to RSVP here for the party so you can win our great prizes.

Meet Mom's New Trainer Friend, Alecia

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Tanner

courtesy WalkinSync.com

This is Alecia, the maker of my new harness and leash walking system called Walk in Sync. Mom's planning a review soon so you'll get to see me showing off my moves. Well, actually, she won't allow me to do much in the way of moves with this new system. Apparently the whole reason for it was to keep me from getting too excited when I see ducks or friends down the street or pretty much anything that gets me drooling for a fun fest.

No complaints, though. I'm liking this new harness. It's comfortable and easy to put on. Mom doesn't talk as much when I misbehave (did I say that?) but I get the message. Watch for her review soon and I promise to do my best to look good :)

~ Tanner

courtesy WalkinSync.com

Twitter Party Time: BarktoSchool Opens for Business!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Oliver

I've been biting my tongue for weeks now, just waiting to finally let the cat out of the bag. As it turns out, one of our sponsors also makes all-natural food for cats, so I guess Patches will get in on some of this action. All I have to say about that is "Woof!"

Today we're officially opening the RSVP. Yup! That means you can sign up to win prizes at the party. You can also win pre-party prizes when we start the Rafflecopter and the PreTweet events, so keep your eyes open for those.

I'm going to copy mom's steps for signing up below, so you can do it here if you like. After you sign up, feel free to check out the list of sponsors.

We've only got clearance to tell you a little bit and mom's locked down all the juicy info. :( What's with her? She doesn't seem to like it when we 'leak' info. That's just no fun. Visit her post to find out all about our blogger sponsor, our pet food sponsor, and our trainer and training system sponsor. And of course Event Barkers is getting into the mix also. You can check out this link to 'Like' them on Facebook. They seem to enjoy sharing their party info. Tanner and I like that part too.

Ready to RSVP? Here goes: Below the numbered list at the bottom is a blue link that says "Click here to enter". Click this and follow these instructions, using the image below as a guide. In the field that says "Link Title or Blog Title" just enter your Twitter handle with the @sign in front of it. Notice mom entered @AllThingsDog in the example.

In the second field that says "Link" you'll enter the link to your Twitter account. It will look like this: "http://twitter.com/yourhandlehere".

You can leave your email address and name in the next two fields if you wish. This will help us reach you if your Twitter handle is listed wrong and you win a prize. Now click "Enter your link" and that's it. You have completed your RSVP. See you on August 12 at 8:00 PM ET.

#BarktoSchool sponsors are providing products as prizes for our winners and working with the Event Barkers team to help you learn more about their products and services. There is no purchase required to enter or to join in the Twitter Party.

#Bark to School Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 20:00:00 +0000

by Oliver and Tanner

Summer is almost over according to mom. Funny thing is when we look at the calendar it is still July. Isn't August part of Summer?

We pow wowed and decided that mom's having a blonde moment. Apparently Paris is too. Tiki and Irie tell us that she announced a #BarktoSchool Twitter Party today, just like our mom did. Go figure! Apparently they are conspiring to send us all back to training class. Now you tell us, do we look like we need more school?

There's is one upside to this. Apparently mom and some of her Event Barkers cronies are giving away cool stuff at this Twitter Party on August 12. There has not been an announcement of the sponsors yet, but we snuck a peek in the file and it appears there is food involved, as well as all sorts of other cool stuff. We're there! Hope to see you too. We'll keep you posted on future updates.

~Tanner and Oliver