Fuzzy and the Pogo Plush Toy

As promised a few weeks ago, from time to time we will be reviewing products from PetSafe.  The reviews will pop up periodically.  This time we're talking about one of their Pogo Plush Toys.  

This is what the toy looked like in its packaging when I sent it  to  CA

Predicting who would be the best toy tester is a challenge.  In this case, I opted to send the toy to Southern California to my friend, Gary Rohde, who adopted Fuzzy, a mixed breed dog, from a local shelter.  Fuzzy is an enthusiastic dog who adores toys.  He's so enthusiastic that darned few toys will hold up to Fuzzy's, uh, scrutiny.  

This line of toys has movable squeakers, that sort of float through the toy. It's also a soft, plush toy. Perhaps not the best option for an enthusiastic chewer.  Time would tell.
The ladybug  toy came out of the envelope, the wrapping was removed and it was given over to its new owner.

Fuzzy and His Ladybug ToyA

Fuzzy immediately took possession of the toy. There's nothing Fuzzy likes quite as much as a new toy, He greets each one with enthusiasm. As you can see, this toy was no exception.

Ladybug's AntennaeWere Soon Separated from the toy

According to Gary, Fuzzy's owners, the "ears" lasted all of ten minutes before Fuzzy was able to separate them from the toy. "He loves it!!! But the ear was very easy to chew through."  Frankly,  I thought that was predictible but the rest of the toy held up much better than expected. Fuzzy enjoys chewing it, playing fetch with it and generally treating it as if it were a really tough toy. So far, so good.

And for those of you who like a little action with your reviews, here is a video Gary took of Fuzzy not only chewing the toy but if you wait long enough you'll see him playing fetch with it.  

NOTE:  PetSafe provided the Toy for review but there was no compensation for this review. All reviews on PerPETuallySpeaking are objective.

Royal Canin and The Curious Cat

Photo of Darlene & Aimee by Veronique Schejtman


NOTE: "I have written this post on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network http://network.blogpaws.com/ I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Royal Canin, but  please know that PerPETuallySpeaking shares information we feel is relevant to our readers."

When I brought Aimee home she was 3 1/2 years old, a retired show cat,and she arrived eating Royal Canin Special 33 and Royal Canin Intense Hairball formula.  She used to have it mixed together but when she moved here she insisted upon having the food in separate dishes.  As an only cat in this house, that's no problem.  Her coat has always been shiny, her eyes bright. 

When I took her for her first veterinary as the new kid in the family, her veterinarian asked what I was feeding her. I explained her Royal Canin diet and her veterinarian nodded approvingly.

Aimee's nearly-seamless transition to her new home was made even easier because she was on a familiar diet that agreed with her.  The company itself was founded by a veterinarian.

From time to time I have offered Aimee a taste of something I am eating as long as it's safe for a cat.  The little Chartreux will come up on my lap, sniff, and usually shoot me a look that clearly means, "how do you eat that stuff if you were eating Royal Canin your eyes would be brighter and your coat would be much shinier!"  I suspect my hairdresser would agree about my hair but I don't think Royal Canin will be making people food any time soon.

Royal Canin has done some interesting research lately.  Interestingly, almost half of all cat owners didn't do any research before they got their cat. How can anyone prepare for a new family member without learning as much as possible?  Cat owners, for the most part, know their cats sleep a lot but are unaware that cats also spend their time hunting, hiding and marking their territory.  They mainly get a cat because they believe cats are low maintenance since you don't have to walk them, etc.  However, this is a mistaken notion on their part since cats still need attention, seek us out as their family members and shouldn't be left alone with food, water and litterboxes while the owner goes away for the weekend.  Cats get lonely.  And what happens if there's a fire while the owner is away?

I wouldn't miss a moment with Aimee.  When i have to be away, she has a wonderful petsitter. And when i come home, my girl is excited to see me.

Did you know that cats eat many small meals a day?  One of Aimee's dishes, a special gift from her Auntie Sue, has a special message at the bottom: if you can read this, please refill. I am off sleeping.  And so the dish is magically refilled while she naps.  When she's ready to eat, her food is there.

People with multiple cats don't think about feeding them for their age, activity level, etc. Aimee is now 14 years old.  She gets twice yearly veterinary visits at this age and has had a baseline Senior Wellness visit.  That's important.  If there are changes, we will catch them sooner.

Royal Canin has something special for cat owners.  If you go to their Facebook page you will get a coupon for $7. Off a bag of Royal Canin.  That's an incredible deal and a nice incentive to try the food.  Aimee has flourished on it so I have no qualms about saying that our results have been terrific. To get a coupon go to: http://blogp.ws/1icoTUS

If you'd like to visit Royal Canin on their website go to: http://blogp.ws/1b2zgR7

You can also follow them on Twitter: http://blogp.ws/1aW29BP Find Royal Canin on Pinterest:  http://blogp.ws/1cqKqC9

And, of course, you can Like them on Facebook:  http://blogp.ws/IqRGEk

Royal Canin has provided this really nifty infographic.  Take some time reading it.  And then snuggle with your kitties.  Time with cats is never wasted.

New "Give Litter" Campaign and Our Chaser Contest Winner!!

World's Best Cat Litter™has launched its newest "Give Litter" campaign and voting will be running through Monday.

It would be wonderful if you would get involved and vote in this worthwhile cause.  Share it with your friends so they will vote, too.  Even if the shelter you vote for isn't near you, you'll know that you'll be helping kitties who really need it!

Here's the link to the voting area of the website:
http://www.worldbestcatlitter.com/givelitter/

World's Best Cat Litter also has a Facebook page where there is a voting area:
https://www.facebook.com/worldsbestcatlitter/app_450722531630543

And now for the news you've been waiting for!  We've had some wonderful entries in the contest this week to win a copy of CHASER Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words by John W. Pilley with Hilary Hinzmann, published by Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt who are providing the winner's copy of this wonderful book.

I wish everyone could win a copy but, alas, no such luck.  Only one winner could be chosen. And that winner is:

Hombre McClanahan

Please contact me via my Website: http://www.darlenearden.com.  There is a link there to contact me directly. I will e-mail you the form that you will have to fill out for the publisher so they will send the book directly to you.  Congratulations!

Positive Training and A Special Contest!

Dear Readers,  you know me well enough by now to know that I only subscribe to positive training. I see no reason to break the human-animal bond.  On the contrary, I believe in building and solidifying that bond.  Whether you particular companion prefers to work for treats, toys to play, there is a positive reward to suit every pets.  

I was in a rather upscale pet supply store tonight picking up food and special fortified treats when I was horrified to see a woman checking out with a prong collar.  I don't know which was worse: the fact that she bought it or the fact that this allegedly enlightened store sold such an item.  It made me sad.  I wanted to leap across the counter and pull it out of her hot little hands.  I wanted to save her dog and their relationship.  I often do try to convince people to try something else, something better.  This was not my night.  You just can't win them all, no matter how hard you try.

We'll be talking more about positive training in future blog posts but right now I want to tell you about a try exciting contest.

If you remember, I had the pleasure and the honor of reading an advance copy of Chaser, Unlocking the Genius of The Dog Who Knows A Thousand Words.  Chaser's relationship with his owner, Dr John Pilley, is quite special and I deliberately slowed down my reading so that I could enjoy every single moment, every word in the book.

I'm excited to announce that the Publisher, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, is allowing me to give away a copy of this book to one winner in the United States.  I can't wait to share this wonderful book with a lucky reader! Chaser works for play and to see positive reinforcement at work, to see the intelligence of this dog at work, is a joy beyond description!

Here's how you can enter to win a copy  Just leave a message on this blog post by Friday, November 22nd.  That's it.  One winner will be chosen and will, hopefully, have the book by the holidays.

What do you have to lose? If you love dogs, love dog training, this book is right up your alley!

So, enter and Good Luck!

Paws for The Philippines

Winter is Coming

Rain relaxes in a Polar Fleece Coat

Cold weather brings its share of problems for pet owners.  Keeping pets safe and warm indoors is critical but we all know that dogs are usually walked outdoors to do their business and get some exercise. It's also important for them to stay warm. 


Small dogs and those with no haircoat or body fat are particularly susceptible since they lose body heat quite rapidly and will need a warm coat or sweater to help protect them from the elements.  

Rain Models Polar Fleece Coat with Velcro on the Back

Rain Lounging in a Polar Fleece Coat

I recently received a Polar Fleece dog coat from PetSafe to test.  Most of us who live in a cold climate are very fond of Polar Fleece since it's so warm. But how would it work on one of our dogs.  Well, that depends upon the dog.  I handed the coat over to my friend, Linda Aronson, to test on one of her Havanese.  The caveat here is that her dogs are in full show coat so they have lovely, flowing coats.  The Polar Fleece coat velcros on the top for easy-on, easy-off, a nice feature.  But how would it work with a long-coated Havanese?    Here's what Linda discovered:

"The coat is nicely designed and well made.  The sizing is a little off as the size 16 was a good fit for length on my Havanese who typically wears a size 14 coat.  If possible try the coat on before purchasing.  The coat is easy to put on and take off and has plenty of room for the dog to move about without restricting movement or for deep chested dogs.  Having the closure along the back is a good idea, and it is easy to hook up without trapping hair, but I had to readjust to get the velco perfectly aligned, despite first attaching the tab of velcro at the neck end and matching the neck ends.  Still, readjustment was fairly simple.  Polar fleece would mat the coat on a long haired dog quickly, but for dogs that have lost coat due to surgery or illness or for those naturally short haired dogs that feel the cold this would be a warm coat either alone or under a waterproof outer coat for wet and snowy weather."

So there you have it. An independent review along with some nifty pictures of Rain modeling the  coat.  I think for those whose dogs have shorter hair, this would be a very worthwhile coat to consider for your dog's winter outings.  



 NOTE:  PetSafe sent the coat for me to test. I passed it along to Linda Aronson for testing on her Havanese. We received no compensation other than the product to be tested and the views expressed are our own.

Petfinder is Having a Contest!

I think a lot of us know at least one person who has found their dog or cat through Petfinder. They do such a good job of showing available pets n various shelters across the county. Calling attention to them is always a pleasure.  A good reminder that they are there 24/7, doing what they do best.  

Photo by Claire Clayton

There are a lot of ways to acquire a new pet.  You  can go to Breed Rescue, or you can find a truly ethical, responsible breeder, or can go to a shy shelter. If the latter is your choice, then Petfinder gives you a way which you can view all of the available pets at local shelters before you leave home.  Then you can drive over and see them in person, get acquainted, and see if one is the right one for you and your family.

Petfinder's new contest is Adopt a Token, to celebrate the launch of MONOPOLY's new token - a cat! They are working with Hasbro on this contest that can make you and your favorite Petfinder Adoption Group a winner!  

Photo by Mary Slaney

Here's how it works.  Search Petfinder's site for dog and cat profiles to find the Cat and the Dog's profile pages. There is a profile for each and once you find it all you do is click on the link "Click to Enter Sweepstakes." You can enter every day through November 30th. Using what you already know you can use the pet filters to find the profiles.  

Petfinder will be dropping hints on https://www.facebook.com/Petfinder, http://www.pinterest.com/petfinder/ and https://twitter.com/petfinder so be sure to check for the hints.

Here are the Prizes:

ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive a life-sized replica of the Cat Token, a $250. gift card for the Petfinder adoption group of the winner's choice.

50 FIRST RUNNERS UP will each receive one MONOPOLY Empire board game.

50 SECOND RUNNERS UP will each receive one MONOPOLY classic board game featuring the Cat and Dog tokens.

Additionally, for everyone who purchases the classic MONOPOLY board game from either http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/monopoly-game?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=petfinder or http://www.petfinderfoundation.com Hasbro will give a dollar for every purchase!

What a great way to celebrate the holidays and help homeless pets!