All Things Dog Blog

Fido's Freebie Friday Readies for #Gamma2Fresh

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

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

I don't think I'll have time to catch my breath. Huff! Puff! This past Sunday evening's #EBTweets was an amazing experience with tons of partiers joining in to Tweet the night away with awesome prizes. On its heels is #Gamma2Fresh, our June 10 Twitter Party that will make sure you learn all you need to know about keeping your pet's food fresh. Be sure to RSVP here for this short and sweet party with 15 airtight, patented pet food storage containers up for grabs.

Product Review Tip #12
When chatting with PR reps, be sure to ask about other product lines they represent. Often you'll find they may have more than one product that appeals to you.

For Bloggers:
This past week's most popular 3 categories were (1) Gift Card, (2) dog treats, storage and holistic remedies, and (3) Twitter Party prizes and pet food. We appreciate your participation and look forward to seeing you again each and every week.

Our Ridiculously Easy Rules:
Pet blogs from around the Internet may link up all their active giveaways on this post each week. We welcome all your pet product giveaway events here. The rules are simple:

PLEASE add an end date to your listing. You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date.
Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Link up using your specific post url to make it easier to find.
Please include our badge or a link to this post in your giveaway write up, and ask your readers to tell us who sent them.

You'll find assistance at our HELP PAGE, where there is a ton of other useful information for bloggers doing giveaways and reviews. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff. Welcome and happy shopping!

Emotional Support for Pets: Bonatical Flower Essences Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Animal care professionals say the 10 most common canine behavioral problems are barking, chewing, digging, separation anxiety, inappropriate elimination, begging, chasing, jumping, biting, and aggression. Many of these behaviors aren’t just superficial naughtiness, but trace their origins to deeper-rooted causes, including fear, defensiveness, protection of property, dominance assertion, anxiety, curiosity, boredom, and/or excess energy.

Flower essences can offer relief to dogs by helping to balance and harmonize emotional and psychological states. The liquid plant preparations are made by infusing fresh flower blossoms under very specific conditions. They are easy to give and safe for dogs, horses, cats, birds and other small animals, too. Arenus makes 14 different, issue-specific blends of Botanical Animal® Flower Essences, each specifically formulated to deal with a different problem behavior, including these:

· Mellow Out ® - to support pets with agitation, anxiety, or nervousness, such as before thunderstorms and fireworks displays

· In Training^TM - to improve focus and patience, to help dogs in training

· Life’s Changes^TM - when moving into a new home or after the loss of a housemate

· Independence^TM - to assist with separation anxiety, when pet must be left alone

· Clear Thinking^TM - to help easily distracted animals stay focused on task at hand

· Angel of Mercy^® - for animals who have been rescued from neglect and abuse

This giveaway will focus on Mellow Out, which we reviewed yesterday. You can enter through Wednesday, June 13 to win a bottle for your pet. If the Rafflecopter entry form below is not in view immediately, simply click on the post title to refresh and it will appear at the bottom. Good luck to you all.

If you'd prefer to take the 'sure thing' route, feel free to order your Mellow Out from their website.

The product for this giveaway is being provided by Arenus as a promotional courtesy. I have not been compensated to review this product or do the giveaway. The comments posted here are my own findings. There is no purchase necessary to enter and the giveaway is available to all North American addresses.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event Barkers Brings You a Castor and Pollux Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 31 May 2012 02:35:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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

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

Help Fido Mellow Out with Arenus

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 30 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

©AllThingsDogBlog.com
1 Little Bottle=2 Mellow Dogs

Readers tell me frequently about their dog's fear of thunder and fireworks. Others say car rides or Vet visits bring on fearful symptoms. Whatever your pup's anxiety source is, Arenus botanicals has a solution. I had the opportunity to test out their Mellow Out flower essences on Oliver and Tanner, and I'd like to share some of what I learned.

©AllThingsDogBlog.com
Apply Liquid to Treat

I have to confess that Tanner's only fear is a sudden loud noise--really sudden and really loud! Other than that, he's pretty much fearless. Thankfully. Oliver, like Tanner, has only one anxiety source, thunder and fireworks. Thunderstorm season has begun here in Central Florida and I've been using Mellow Out to soothe Oliver's tension. It's not horrible, mind you, but he does show signs of fear by mild shaking and a desire to remain near me.

I feel like the Pied Piper when a storm is brewing, with Oliver following me everywhere I go. Enter Mellow Out. When I looked inside this tiny dropper bottle of liquid my first thought was, "Will Oliver willingly allow me to squirt this stuff into his mouth?" It doesn't smell bad to me--not much scent at all--but who knows what he will think.

Just the look of the dropper apparently had him wondering, so I got sneaky with him. I took a yummy baked treat and dropped the solution onto the treat. It soaked into the cookie quickly and I offered it to Oliver. Viola! He ate it like it was his last meal. Yay!

After using the Mellow Out in this way a few times, I've learned that it works best to sooth his mild anxiety when I give him it to him at the first sign of an impending storm. I don't wait till the rain starts or the winds kick up, and especially not until the noisy thunder begins. He gets his Mellow Out-laced treat before things outside get scary and he begins to quiver.

Now that I've discovered this additional treatment for anxiety, I've added it to my arsenal--soothing music combined with Mellow Out actually make for a great team to calm my canine household.

Finally, I'd like to add one last little tidbit that is very telling. While Tanner is never responsive to thunderstorms, we did have one weather radio report of a sudden and very nasty storm coming recently. Just the siren on that radio is enough to get Oliver worked up. I decided to offer Tanner a treat with his own dose of Mellow Out and sure enough, he snoozed through that storm like a drunken sailor--clueless. It was noisy and long, enough so that Oliver chose to camp out on my lap. But the good news is he wasn't shivering this time. He had his Mellow Out, and I could see it was working.

Join me tomorrow for the opening of a Mellow Out giveaway. We'll be exploring Arenus's website, Facebook page and having some Tweeting fun. Feel free to go ahead and follow their social media sites today, so you'll be ready to hop right in tomorrow. Hope to see you here.

The product for the giveaway mentioned above is being provided by Arenus as a promotional courtesy. I have not been compensated to review this product or do the giveaway. The comments posted here are my own findings. There is no purchase necessary to enter and the giveaway is available to all North American addresses.

Wordless Wednesday: Exhausted Twitter Pawty Pup

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 30 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Ask the Vet: Digestion in Senior Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Tue, 29 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Mark Nunez, DVM

Hi Dr. Mark,

I have a 12 year old standard poodle (the light of my life). He is now having trouble pooping as easily as he once did, and the amount is less.

I talked to my vet and he said as long as he is able to still poop, it is not dire, and he asked me to change his food from Hill's id to Hills kd, which is for the kidneys. He said his kidneys are getting weaker because he is older. (we did blood tests on him, and they were good, just showing age).

My concern is I have never felt good about Hills products in general, but now with the kd, I read the ingredients label, and it is frightening. I don't want to feed my dog that, but I do want him to live as long as possible.

To add to the dilemma, Oscar and I moved to Panama 2 years ago, and finding a good dog food here is tricky. Hills is everywhere of course, but I have not noticed any other good names, so I would probably have to have it shipped (costing a fortune).

So my question is which food would you recommend for Oscar's aging kidneys and pooper, so I might see if I can get it here. I really appreciate your help, as Oscar is so important to me.

xoxo, Sandy and Oscar

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Sandy,

Many people have issue with Hill's. I am not a huge fan of many of their nonprescription lines. The only nonprescrition food of theirs that I like are Ideal Balance or Healthy Advantage. Niether of these are appropriate for your dog.

One thing that doesn't sit right with me is the statement "we had blood tests done on him, and they were good, just showing age." Age is not a disease. Many people, and many vets, sort of make it seem that way, but that's not the case. Things happen as we age, but age itself is not a disease. If your dog's kidney values (BUN and Creatinine) are elevated AND his urine specific gravity (a measurement of how well the kidneys are working) is in a certain range (1.010-1.020) then his kidneys have lost at least 75% of their function.

The key to longevity in this case is to decrease the workload on the kidneys. This is done by feeding a diet that is low in protein, but one that contains high quality protein. Mineral content, especially phosphorus, is also important. In your situation, Hill's K/D seems most logical. I'm not sure what you do not like about the ingredients. K/D is a well made food with good ingredients. See my post on Pet Foods to help you interpret food labels and ingredient lists. Royal Canin also makes renal diets, LP and MP. Which of these to choose depends on how high the kidney values are. MP is for the earlier stages, LP for the later stages. Another alternative is to visit www.petdiets.com. They will work with your veterinarian to create a custom diet for your dog that you can prepare at home. This is a great way to feed a fresh diet that is nutritionally balanced and appropriate for a dog in renal failure.

As for the constipation issue. I would feed for renal, and medically manage the constipation. Medical management of constipation would include fiber (canned pumpkin or Metamucil), Lactulose (draws water into the intestines), MiraLAX, and/or mineral oil.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Mark

Dr. Nunez is a practicing veterinarian while also assisting patients through The Balanced Canine blog and his own online veterinary pharmacy. Have a question for Dr. Mark? Send it to AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. You can also follow Mark on Twitter.

Want to read more from Dr. Mark? Try these, or visit his archives:

The Dangers of Animal BonesTuberculosis and DogsTiming of Feeding

Dr. Nunez's articles reflect his opinion which is based on his personal experiences and education.

Mutt Monday Handles #EBTweets Shipping Preparation

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 28 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

My office is buried in dog treats, T-Shirts, pet toys, pet-themed tote bags, certificates, dog training videos, pet pest control, coupons, bandanas and Barkonomics. Whew! With no postal service today, I'm eager to get this stuff to the Post Office Tuesday or Wednesday and make space in my small work area. Even Oliver seemed a bit miffed that his lounging area was being compromised. He retreated to his bed that is placed under a guest chair for space, if not safety.

And just think, in a couple of weeks I get to do it again! Our #Gamma2Fresh party will be shorter (whew!), but most of all the difference will be in the fresh pet food you'll be getting. Their airtight containers are patented and don't let any bugs inside to contaminate Fido's chow. With the price of dog food climbing, that's good news!

Mutt Monday is a forum for pet bloggers to list their past week's most compelling articles. Feel free to join in with any posts you'd like to share. Happy tails!

#EBTweets Wraps Up a Fun Reunion of Twitter Party Alumni

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 28 May 2012 03:22:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Wowzer! Did we have fun tonight at #EBTweets! It was enjoyable seeing how many folks showed up that were present at our earlier Twitter Parties--#SafeHowlOween, #BarkFriday, #SuperDogPics, and #RedCarpetCat. We met former winners and created a bunch of new ones too--13 happy kitty and dog winners got fab prizes valued at over $1000 during our 90-minute party.

I especially loved the part where party guests shared their favorite parts of our previous events. Kudos to all of you who were willing to speak up and tell us what you enjoyed. Guest experts, artists, prizes and trivia all topped your lists. Your input will help Paris and I prepare for future events even more thoroughly.

This evening's winners took home Castor and Pollux pet food, Zukes treats, Barkonomics by Dogtipper, bandanas from AllThingsDogBlog.com, FIDO Friendly subscriptions, Doggyloot dollars, Toki Poki trading cards and other goodies, Petfinder T-Shirts, a PetHub tag and membership, Dog Pack Snacks, dog training videos, assorted cat and dog toys, pet grooming supplies by John Paul Pet, natural pet pest control products from VetsBest, pet-themed tote bags and handbags from Event Barkers, and more. I'm exhausted just trying to make sure I don't leave anyone out!

What was my favorite part of the party? Announcing all the upcoming parties! Everyone has a lot to look forward to now: #Gamma2Fresh in June, #BarktoSchool in August, #SpookyPets before Halloween, #BarkFriday and #HolidayPets before December kicks in, and #SuperDogPics will be back to prime the pump for #SuperDogSunday again. Are you ready? Hope so because there will be more!

Let's announce the winners from the #EBTweets party, and wrap this up. It has been a very long day:

@Cstironkat won a prize to be donated to our local rescue (A New Beginning) in her name. Thanks!
@KatieMitchell1 will be enjoying a bag of great new toys for her dogs, compliments of the PreTweet drawing.
@Lovetogive123 won a bag of Grooming products from @JohnPaulPet
@Cdmtx65 won a grab bag of natural pest products for pets from @VetsBest.
@LLMG1960 won a grab bag of goodies to include all sorts of great stuff for a dog or cat. We're waiting to hear a choice!
@ILuvMyChihuahuas will get a great bag of goodies including Castor and Pollux dog food, treats, training videos and more.
@FourPawSavings will decide if she wants a dog or cat prize soon. Either way, she'll get a great prize.
@LuluandWally earned an adorable pet-themed bag full of Barkonomics, a bandana, a ball, food, Zukes treats and more.
@Pet360 will need to choose between a kitty or a dog prize, and will get a wonderful selection of great prizes.
@5KittyMom will be enjoying a bag of terrific kitty toys and other goodies. Purr!
@WoofWoofMama won the Rescue Grand Prize and donated it to another Florida rescue: Have a Heart in Boca Raton, FL. Her prize will be shipped direct to them with a note from her.
@Kurtsmomma won the kitty Grand Prize to include The Tiniest Tiger bag, a diffuser for anxiety reduction from Petco, and Castor and Pollux food. Her neighbor's dog, Jaeger will be enjoying the bandana in style. Our previous sponsors have also included special goodies like a Toki Poki grab bag, Doggyloot dollars, a FIDO Friendly subscription and more goodies.
@Myfolly won the dog Grand Prize. In addition to the Castor and Pollux food, Zukes treats, training videos, Myfolly will get Dog Pack Snacks, FIDO Friendly, Doggyloot dollars, a Toki Poki grab bag and PetHub tag with subscription.

Thirteen prizes will be going out Wednesday, or as soon as addresses are received. Thanks for everyone's support and enjoyment of #EBTweets. Well over a $1000 in great pet stuff was given away and we supported two rescues with prizes as well. We hope you all had as much fun as we did. Happy tails!

Thanks to Dogtipper.com for partnering up with us to create Event Barkers. We're having a blast helping pet brands get the word out about their products.

#EBTweets: Your Last Chance to RSVP

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 27 May 2012 13:14:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Tonight's event is proving to be a popular one, and there are some fabulous prizes up for grabs: pet-themed tote bags and handbags, Castor and Pollux pet food, Zukes treats, a Gamma2 Vittles Vault Jr, The Tiniest Tiger hipster bag, 3-packs of dog training videos, Barkonomics: Tips for Frugal Fidos by Dogtipper.com, All Things Dog Blog bandanas, Vet's Best natural pest products for pets, balls with treat holes for extra excitement, Dog Pack Snacks, Toki Poki Grab Bag gifts, FIDO Friendly digital magazine subscriptions, $25 Doggyloot credits, Petfinder T-Shirts, and a PetHub scannable tag and membership.

Okay, you get the idea. But what's more is there are a pile of cat prizes to be had, on top of all this stuff. Dogtipper and Cattipper are in charge of prizes for Meow. We had to split the loot for warehouse management reasons--LOL!

I'm sure by now you don't want to miss out, so be sure to check in early tonight. And of course, you must RSVP at the first link above and follow your hosts. We'll be open before 8:30 for check-in. Happy tails!

#Gamma2Fresh Twitter Party Prep

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 27 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Tracking down our winners after a Twitter Party has proven to be more of a challenge than you would think. Getting your follows is how we find you to collect addresses for shipment. Today's Rafflecopter entry form focuses on dealing with this problem so that we can be sure to locate each winner and get their prize to them. :) That's always a good thing.

Rafflecopter has proven to be our best solution for this challenge. Not only do we get more information we need to help you get your prizes, but you get another chance to win. Win what, you ask? A Gamma2 pet food container, of course!

So jump right into this Rafflecopter and help us and yourself out. See you June 10 for the party.

If you don't see the Rafflecopter entry form at the bottom of the post, simply click on the post title to refresh and it will appear below. Good luck everyone!

Prizes for the #Gamma2Fresh Twitter Party and pre-party giveaways are all provided by Gamma2 as a promotional opportunity. Event Barkers has a business arrangement to promote their products in this event. a Rafflecopter giveaway

#EBTweets Backup Plan Twitter Downtime Alternate Date

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 27 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Every party needs a back up plan. Although Twitter rarely has outages, we're planning for worst-case scenario. Just in case Twitter is down on Sunday, May 27, we'll reschedule for Monday, May 28--same time! See you then for #EBTweets :) No umbrellas required for this Rain Date!

Dog Pack Snacks Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

These combo prizes really are fun to pair up with winners, but it is time consuming to be sure. With each drawing, I must look for an appropriate prize that is still available, AND check for a comment from the owner. Your comments are useful in telling me what I need to know for appropriate prize selection in tricky ones like this. The drawings get a little complicated, but all in all, I enjoy doing them. Today's 4 winners each get Dog Pack Snacks with another prize--a twofer! Here we go:

Senior Prize:

An Old Souls Bone by Planet Dog will be awarded with some Dog Pack Snacks, for great chewing fun. Thanks to both companies for supporting this giveaway. The winner is Lennyg and Shayna.

Small Dog Harness:

This Yap Wrap is nice and cool for Summer walks, lined with mesh and made of cotton. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, and have a nice "quick grab" handle, plus a leash loop for walking. This prize, along with some Dog Pack Snacks, goes to Anna G.

Small Dog T-Shirt

I hope I've drawn an appropriate winner for this adorable T-shirt that insists "I'm a Good Dog". Thanks to Petco for this Martha Steward T-Shirt for our giveaway. The winner is Melissa B.

Flying Disc Fun

This winning dog will be ready for some dog park fun, complete with after-playtime snacks by Dog Pack Snacks. The winner of the flying disc and Dog Pack Snacks is Michelle S.

Watch for an email to come sometime over the holiday weekend from AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. Be sure to check your spam if it is not received, or simply write to me with your full name and address.

Happy Memorial Day, and we hope to see you all at the #EBTweets Twitter Party on Sunday night: 8:30-10 PM ET. We'll be giving away over a $1000 in great prizes, so join us for the fast and furious fun. Be sure to RSVP and check in early, ready to man your refresh button. Happy tails!

PS--A little tip to help you all in your opportunity to win: When you leave your requested comment on the blog, it is extremely helpful if the name or pseudonym matches up with your name on the Rafflecopter. If not, I cannot tell it is the same person.

The products in this giveaway were all provided for promotional consideration by their makers: Yap, Dog Pack Snacks, Planet Dog, and the Martha Stewart Tshirt is from Petco. I have not been compensated to provide this giveaway. There is no purchase required to win.

Weekly Wag #22: Toys and Playtime

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:45:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Not all dogs enjoy the pleasure of their own company with a toy. But even those like Oliver, who only play with toys occasionally, can have a grand time engaging in playtime with you. One of my favorite ways to encourage Oliver to play is the Muffin Pan Game. This simple game can be created at home in minutes, and will offer reinforcement to toy play with food rewards. Here's how it goes:

Place a small treat in the bottom of each spot in a muffin tin.
On top of each treat place a small toy that is easy to pick up.
You now have a smorgasbord of toys with hidden treats, the perfect way to encourage toy play. Offer verbal praise when Fido starts to explore, and cheer him on as he removes each and discovers the treats hidden underneath.
For dogs who are extremely resistant to the idea, simply rub a bit of peanut butter or cheese on the bottom of the muffin tin compartments. This usually does the trick, getting them past any caution that stops them from exploring.

If you need tips or motivation, write to me. I'm happy to help: AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. And further, keep in mind that comments on the Weekly Wag are welcome at the inaugural post, where drawings are made each quarter. The end of June will be the next drawing when some lucky Wagger will win a nice prize. Share your thoughts and see what others have shared about bonding with their dogs.

This post is part of the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!

Fido's Freebie Friday is Twitter Party Heaven!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

All Things Dog Blog is busy, busy, busy, with Twitter Parties right now. There are oodles of ways to win, before and during the party. And this week we announced another party for Gamma2, promoting their airtight storage containers for fresh pet food. We hope to see you all at both parties: #EBTweets and #Gamma2Fresh.

Product Review Tip #11:
Watch your email for contact from PR reps and companies looking for promotion. These individuals are often quite accommodating when asked about product reviews and giveaways by blogs in their genre.

For Bloggers:

This past week's most popular 3 categories were (1) pest products for cats and dogs, (2) natural wellness products, and (2) Treat combos. We appreciate your participation and look forward to seeing you again each and every week.

Our Ridiculously Easy Rules:
Pet blogs from around the Internet may link up all their active giveaways on this post each week. We welcome all your pet product giveaway events here. The rules are simple:

PLEASE add an end date to your listing. You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date.
Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Link up using your specific post url to make it easier to find.
Please include our badge or a link to this post in your giveaway write up, and ask your readers to tell us who sent them.

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.

PreTweet #Gamma2Fresh to Win!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:04:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Those of you who have participated in our Twitter Parties have quickly learned that PreTweeting our hashtag is an easy way to score a cool prize. Our sponsor for #Gamma2Fresh, @Gamma2inc, is eager to get you excited about keeping your pet's food fresh and pest free. I'm sure your pet will be willing to go along with that logic!

That said, let the Tweeting begin! Here are a couple of sample Tweets you can copy and post. A drawing for an airtight Gamma 2 container will be announced at the party. You're free to Tweet as often as you like, and we'll collect your Tweets from Twitter, so no need to return your links here. Best of luck to you all!

Pls RT: Beat out the message of #Gamma2Fresh

w/ @Gamma2inc G-Men: http://ow.ly/aYrtn

RSVP for #Gamma2Fresh #TwitterParty to win gr8 #pet

food storage solutions: http://ow.ly/b7ycv

See you June 10 at 9 PM ET. Remember the rules to participate in the party:

Include the #Gamma2Fresh hashtag in each Tweet
RSVP here to be in the pool of winners to be drawn from
Follow your hosts and sponsor in the announcement post to win: @EventBarkers, @AllThingsDog, @Dogtipper, @Cattipper, @Gamma2inc @5MinutesforFido @ParisandJohn @Learnin2Bgreen

Good luck!

Prizes for the Twitter Party and associated giveaways are provided as a promotional opportunity by Gamma2.

Twitter Party Tips for Novices

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 23 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Little by little you guys are getting the hang of this Twitter Party thing. I'm pretty impressed with what quick studies you are. Some of these tips below are for the newbies, but a few may be useful to those of you who have participated in the past. Enjoy, and feel free to leave questions in the comments section. I'll try to address them as best a I can.

The objective is to help everyone have more fun at #EBTweets and future Twitter Parties. (HINT: We have more coming this summer, so be sure to subscribe to our updates so you won't miss a single one) Here are some tips to get the novices going:

Sign up for a Twitter account at http://Twitter.com.
Return to our RSVP post to sign up for the party. You must be on this list to win prizes at the party :)
Get acquainted with your new page by setting it up, creating a profile, and testing out some Tweets. Remember, they must be 140 characters or less to be viewable by everyone. You'll find all the answers you could possibly need at Twitter Basics, including how to locate your favorite Anipals.
Read all about how to keep up with the fast-moving Tweets here, as well as tips on who to watch and how to win.
DMs and RTs are explained at this post. Using the RT feature throughout the party will assist everyone in keeping up with the fast-paced flow of information.
Knowing and following through on these important basics will assure an enjoyable first experience:

RSVP AND follow your hosts and sponsors to win. You'll find their handles in the RSVP post and the Rafflecopter Prize Post also.
Don't forget to include the #EBTweets hashtag in each and every Tweet. This allows us to be sure to see your Tweets.
Refresh often to keep up with the flow of Tweets.
Check in early with a "Hello, I'm here for #EBTweets". This helps us know who actually shows up! Remember, you can't win prizes drawn during the party unless you attend. I should clarify though, that you can win the RSVP drawing (more on this soon), the Rafflecopter drawing, and the PreTweet drawing, even if you're not in attendance. Thanks for participating in these too!

There's still more to come--prize previews, RSVP drawing information, and much more--so stay tuned closely. If you have not subscribed to the blog, this may be a good time to assure you won't miss a post with important information. The signup is in the doghouse at the top of the blog. It's free and we don't share your email information with anyone. No worries! See you soon.

Fresh Pet Food: Gamma 2 Beats Out their Message

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Event Barkers is truly on a roll. Twitter Parties are becoming all the rage, and setting these puppies up is no easy task. Following through is even tougher. Paris and I take quite a beating getting ready for each of these parties, but they are soooooo much fun to participate in. It's all worth it!

Today we want to introduce you to our next Twitter Party event: @Gamma2Fresh. Gamma 2 is a pet food container maker. You probably already know them as they are available in so many national and international retail outlets. Yet they still feel there is a need to educate the public about the need for keeping pet food properly stored in an airtight container, both for freshness and to keep pests out. Event Barkers is on the job!

Those of you who read my blog may remember the review and giveaway I did recently for Gamma 2 Vittles Vaults. They make an airtight patented lid that keeps freshness in and pests out. With the cost of pet food going higher and higher, this is an important feature when selecting your pet food container. Leaving it in the bag is just not an option at the cost of pet food these days.

Stored only in the bag your pet food has a much greater chance of (a) being raided by Fido or Fluffy, (b) going stale or (c) getting infested with bugs. We know you don't want any of these things to happen so we're bringing you a quick Twitter Party to share some freshness trivia, tips and info on making sure you're serving your best friend pet food that is fresh, safe and unable to be stolen when you're not looking.

Join us Sunday, June 10 at 9:00 PM ET on Twitter for #Gamma2Fresh:

Prizes: Pet food containers for your summer trips, some including bowls for serving, and 1 Grand Prize winner will get the large container of their choice (you pick the size you need for your furry family)
Information: We'll share with you everything you need to know about keeping your food fresh, buying it fresh, and making sure it's pest free as well.
Entertainment: Join us as Gamma 2 G-Men beat out their message: "Pet food gets stale". You'll enjoy their show and we'll all enjoy these "Blue Man Group" type of performers. Share the link to their performance and you could win a prize too!

Let's get that winning potential started right away. Share the link to the Gamma 2 G-Men video via Twitter, using the #Gamma2Fresh hashtag, and you'll automatically be entered to win the PreTweet Prize. Try this one on for size:

Join me at #Gamma2Fresh 4 prizes and fun. Enjoy our entertaining

video by the @Gamma2inc G-Men: http://ow.ly/aYrtn

Now, enjoy the video (you can subscribe to the YouTube channel here: Gamma2′s YouTube channel or save the link and watch it later here) before you fill in the RSVP for the party below. An example follows the video.

Remember, in order to win prizes at the party, you must RSVP below and follow the sponsors and hosts: @EventBarkers @Gamma2inc @Dogtipper @AllThingsDog @Cattipper @5MinutesforFido.

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. Notice I entered @AllThingsDog. 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 June 10th at 9:00 PM ET.

Pet Auto Safety Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

It's a wonderful Monday and I get to give out gifts. What could be more perfect? Especially when these are life-saving products that will make your driving and your pets' riding go smoother and more safely.

Our sponsor, Pet Auto Safety, has been very generous to offer a giveaway to 3 winners--their choice of seat belt harnesses or front seat barriers. Every car, pet and owner has different challenges and needs. Dawn, at Pet Auto Safety, realizes this and wants to make sure you get the product you need.

For those of you who don't get the luxury of a free product today, feel free to browse at the web page, visit their Facebook page, or ask questions on Twitter. Dawn will be happy to help. You can still take advantage of PetAutoSafety.com's Discount Code: petsafeblogger, on orders at their website. This Discount Code saves you 10% and applies exclusively to harnesses, all pet car barriers and car seats.

Now I'm excited to announce the three winners: Azizah A, MurphyDog, and Katie M. I'll be in touch with each of you via AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com to discuss your prize selection and collect shipping information. Go ahead and visit the review post for links to some of the choices. You may select a seat belt harness or front seat barrier.

Congratulations and safe travels to you all, and please remember, safe pet travel means no loose pets up front!

Full disclosure: Pet Auto Safety provided us with a seat belt to properly fit Oliver for crash-tested safety in the back of my car. I am highlighting this and some other products offered by this online pet safety supplier at no cost to them, and I have not been paid to provide my opinion or this review. No purchase was required to enter the giveaway.

Mutt Monday in Twitter Party Mode

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

I'm dragging my behind in today after a long fun-filled family weekend. Thank goodness for Mutt Monday, All Things Dog Blog's way of reviewing the past week's posts and events. We invite other bloggers to link up their posts from the past week, sharing your info with all of our readers. Hop right on in; it's a blog hop!

Twitter Parties are back on the agenda with more to announce. I can hardly wait to share, but mum's the word right now. Watch for more news as things develop. Happy tails!

Meet Britain's Got Talent 2012 Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sun, 20 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Ashleigh and Pudsey Take their Mission Seriously
What do you think? Did these two earn top honors? The comment link is open:

Weekly Wag Goes Green!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Sat, 19 May 2012 03:45:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

I've made no secret that our family strives to live greener. We're not THOSE people who ride their bikes everywhere and eat only what they garden themselves, but we do what we can. Today I'd like to share some easy ways that you can offer a taste of the organic lifestyle to your own days, allowing your dog to benefit from a more natural life as well:

Most dogs sleep through the night as well as spending a few hours each day in nap mode. Spending that much time on a bed warrants an organic surface. If going organic with your cover is not an option, think about buying a bed made with recycled insides. There are many brands available with recycled bottle or foam interior cushions.
Same deal with pet toys--recycled or organic. They are available from numerous makers. Just read the labels at the smaller pet supply shops where you'll find more of these Eco-friendly brands.
Watch that packaging. It sort of defeats the purpose to buy an Eco-friendly product in a bulky, plastic package. Watch for reusable or recyclable packaging whenever possible.
Compost or properly dispose of your pups yard deposits. Products like Doggie Dooley for home use and Flush Puppies for your walks can help tremendously.
Times are tough for many families. Buying organic food is a wonderful choice when money is available, but I do realize it is not a plausible choice for everyone. If you can, choose organic in either Fido's food, treats, or snacks. Carrots, apples, cheese, yogurt and other ingredients you may use for homemade goodies are widely available in organic form. These products will not introduce toxins into your dog's system that will strain his liver and challenge other organs in his body.
Homeopathic pharmaceuticals are often very useful with pets. Consult a properly trained Homeopath for recommendations.
Choose collars and clothing made from natural fibers (cotton, bamboo, and hemp are widely available) that are not dyed with synthetic colors which can be absorbed by Fido's skin or cause irritations in some sensitive pups. Nylon production emits nitrous oxide--a type of greenhouse gas associated with global warming.
When choosing grooming products and other topicals, look for products made without food coloring, preservatives, parabens, and not packaged in plastics that include phthalates and BPA.
If you grow your own organic fruits and vegetables, be sure to secure the area where the produce that are toxic to your dog are planted--taller fencing or some other method of separation. Dogs should not eat onions, garlic, avocado, macadamia nuts, black walnuts, many fruit seeds, mushrooms, nutmeg, grapes, raisins, raw eggs, tomato plants, potato (skin or interior?) and added salt. I encourage you to consult other sources for additional lists, as well as checking your houseplants and those outdoors that your dog has access to.
Choosing non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaners is becoming much easier these days. So is making your own cleaners with vinegar, lemon juice, boric acid, baking soda and other simple ingredients. A quick search online will have you up and running with a budget-friendly cleaning plan that will also lead to a healthier home environment.
Opt for a safer, greener yard for Fido to play in, and you'll be contributing to a healthier Earth. Pass on synthetic fertilizers, weed killers, pest control and choose natural versions that enhance your soil's health as well as easing the burden on our Eco-system. Even pests that annoy our pets, such as fleas and ticks, can be kept at bay with treatments of Diatomaceous Earth and peppermint oil sprays. Food grade treatments of these two topicals, as well as cedar oil and others, are a healthier alternative to topical flea and tick prevention. I've had tremendous success with these methods and can't say enough good things about them. Questions? Fire away!

Wondering how all this green living nonsense will help you bond with your dog? I guess I'll call it time. I'll tell you that my cancer-ridden dog, Xena, lived a full 3 years after her cancer diagnosis. When her
doctor shared that her cancer was likely from an environmentally-derived source, we switched out the entire home to organic--food, cleaning, lawn care, you name it. She thrived until the day she passed after a seizure at nearly 14. She had played tag and wrestled with Tanner that very morning. You tell me; is your dog worth it?

If you need tips or motivation, write to me. I'm happy to help: AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. And further, keep in mind that comments on the Weekly Wag are welcome at the inaugural post, where drawings are made each quarter. The end of June will be the next drawing when some lucky Wagger will win a nice prize. Share your thoughts and see what others have shared about bonding with their dogs.

Event Barkers Thanks Bloggers for Rescue Support!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:00:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Event Barkers was been fortunate to receive assistance from other bloggers with our charitable event, Super Dog Sunday™ 2012. I'd like to personally thank the many blogs who submitted photos to our NFL-themed photo contest and blog hop. Your participation helped make Super Dog Sunday™ the event it was, and through your submissions assisted in our donation to Petfinder Foundation. Thank you bloggers; please take a bow:

AfFURmation
All Dogz
Bark Scratch and Sniff
Bocci's Beefs
Doggies and Stuff
Gangs of New Yorkie
I Still Want More Puppies
Kirby the Dorkie
Kol's Notes
Mutterings and Things
My Household Zoo
Paw Protection
Peggy's Pet Place
Pixel Blue Eyes
Royal Pet Club
Success Just Clicks
The Beal's Dogs
Woof Woof Mama

Did I miss anyone? You guys were great. Some of you even submitted multiple entries, as did some of our readers, which helped out Petfinder.com even more. We were thrilled to learned that at least two of our highlighted Petfinder pets found homes as a result of their exposure on Super Dog Sunday™.

Event Barkers has more fun events planned and want to invite you all to join in. Our prizes at #EBTweets on May 27 may be taken or donated to a rescue--your choice! Be sure to RSVP and join us early to make sure you get checked in and ready to win!

Fido's Freebie Friday Twitter Party Crazed!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

All Things Dog Blog is back in Twitter Party mode and I'm happy to say it feels pretty good. I missed these full steam ahead events that have bunches of fun ways to win. I hope you'll join me and Dogtipper.com on Sunday, May 27 for a raucous, prize-filled 90 minutes, running from 8:30 PM - 10 PM ET. Be sure to check in early as prizes begin at 8:30 on the dot!

Product Review Tip #10:
Check out your local pet product shops, watching for new products and those that catch your eye as items that may appeal to your readers. Collect contact information from the packaging. Use the contact form at the product maker's website to make contact, when other possibilities do not exist. You may also find answers to questions via Twitter or their Facebook page.

For Bloggers:

This past week's most popular 3 categories were (1) Auto Travel Gear, (2) Grooming supplies, and (2) Treats. Thanks to those of you who joined the linky list earlier; I believe it paid off in added traffic to your giveaway posts :)

Our Ridiculously Easy Rules:
Pet blogs from around the Internet may link up all their active giveaways on this post each week. We welcome all your pet product giveaway events here. The rules are simple:

PLEASE add an end date to your listing. You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date.
Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Link up using your specific post url to make it easier to find.
Please include our badge or a link to this post in your giveaway write up, and ask your readers to tell us who sent them.

#EBTweets RSVPs Grow: Sign Up to Win Grab Bag Prize

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:27:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Oh my dog! I can't believe I have not announced the most obvious prize of all--the RSVP drawing! Could there be any more ways to win?!!

Now there are 4 ways to win at the #EBTweets Twitter Party: RSVP, Tweet #EBTweets, enter the Rafflecopter drawing, and join us for the #EBTweets Twitter Party on May 27. Don't miss a single opportunity to win; these are all terrific prizes for your Woof or Meow, and the party prizes will be a whole new selection of fun stuff. See you there!

Dog Walks: Warm Weather Returns

noreply@blogger.com (Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver) — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Even in the dead of Florida Winters we're still warm after a long walk. Having removed my jacket, it often is tied around my waist and the dogs are ready for water as soon as we head inside.

Now is the time to start planning for the warmer weather ahead, to assure you don't overheat or dehydrate your dog. A few tips will easily deal with even the hottest of Summer days:

Leave water out for free drinking all day, replenishing as needed.
Skip walking on paved areas during the heat of the day, so as to protect the pads of your dog's feet.
Add ice cubes to the water upon return from a walk. Most dogs enjoy this pleasurable chill to their otherwise room temperature water.
Offer a treat to bring blood sugar back into line after particularly taxing exercise sessions. During the heat of Summer a frozen treat is my favorite way to offer a quick fix.
When walking during the heat of the day is necessary, choose sidewalks or grassy areas and hose your dog down before leaving to keep his body temperature well within range.
For dogs who dislike a nice shower as described above, offer a soft ice pack wrapped in a rolled bandana. Worn around the neck, this chilling ice pack will help keep body temperature lower.
Returning to a swim or just a dip in a play pool will cool off your furry friend quickly. The hose can be an option as well.
When hiking longer distances, take water along for your dog, just as you would for yourself.

What strategies do you use to assure that your dog does not get overheated on a long walk in the summer? I'd love to share your ideas.