Review: Smart Bones

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Photo by Lisette Brodey

Dog owners have been looking for a healthy treat to replace rawhide. Rawhide, aside from being messy, has proven fatal to some dogs. Finding a good substitute and not having to worry about the ingredients that might be problematic. For years now, owners have been wary of anything made in China and that seems pretty common among rawhide products. When I was invited to test Smart Bones, I turned to author Lisette Brodey for this product. Her rescue dog, Bentley, is the light of her life and a pretty popular little guy around the neighborhood. The product was sent directly to her.  Here's her review:

When I was asked to review this product, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. I’d never heard of the product, but I had long wished for its existence. My dog, Bentley, like most dogs, loves to chew. But rawhide is not good for dogs and I didn’t want him to have any of it, not even for a special treat. Several times, at the pet store, I looked for a product that would provide the same chewing pleasure without the unhealthy qualities. But I could’t find anything. SMART BONES (vegetable and chicken chews) is just what I needed.

When I gave Bentley the first one, you can see he was delighted to have it. As he often does with special treats, he takes possession of them for a long time before he consumes them.

When it was time to go for a walk, even after I put his harness on, Bentley was “standing watch” over his “bone.”

Photo by Lisette Brodey

After we got home, an hour or so later, he finally got down to the business of enjoying the chew, finishing every last bit of it.

I’m so happy this product exists. For me, it’s not an everyday snack choice, though it might be for some. I will use this product as a special treat, and most importantly, as something to keep him occupied when we are not at home (which isn’t that often.) Just having something healthy to chew like this, in my opinion, really helps a dog like mine who does suffer from a bit of separation anxiety.

Photo by Lisette Brodey

This product has brought lots of happiness to Bentley and to me. I would definitely encourage dog owners to give it a try.

Thanks to Lisette Brodey and her boy, Bentley for their candid review of Smart Bones.

Smart Bones are made by PetMatrix and can be purchased at Walmart, Petsmart and Petco

Website: http://www.smartbones.com where you will find a list of flavors and a new stick coming in September as well as another style. Surf around the site for more information on how Smart Bones are made and their concern for safety.

Walmart, Petsmart, Petco,

Lladro Porcelain Has Gone to The Dogs (and cats)!

Bulldog with Lollipop, The Third Piece in a New Series

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Lladro is Spain's pre-eminent porcelain collectibles creator. I remember falling in love with their pieces when I was a little girl. It was distinctive and it seemed as if I could spot it a mile away. Each design originates with the sculptor. whose original sketch is then molded into clay or plasticine, using his hands, tools, and imagination. Now they have turned their talents to dog collectables (and some cats!) The world of pets is, frankly, one of its favorite themes. The sizes are proportionately accurate and there is a certain playfulness to this new collection. Additionally, each dog sits on a hand-knitted mat, made just for the occasion.

Interestingly, once the model is finished, it's broken down into various fragments which are then reproduced in plaster. The next step is to etch on each surface of the plaster all the ornamental patterns and motifs which the sculptor conceived in the initial sketch. This phase is when the expression of the face, motifs, the relief work on clothing and floral compositions all come to life. These fragments will be reproduced in porcelains in molds in a fascinating process. The living material of white liquid porcelain then sets and gives life to the pieces in a magical puzzle that the brand's artists will put back together.

Chihuahua with Marshmallows

Once the piece has been reconstructed, expert hands take over the process and begin the decoration. The first step in this phase is the choice of decorative technique best suited to each element. Dissolved colors, paint paste, luster.  Can you begin to imagine a palette with 4000 different tonalities?!  It exits at Lladro. In close collaboration with the laboratory, the artists experiment with the variety of color tones called for in the particular model, their densities, saturation, textures, nuances and, if required, they often create specific colors expressly for the pieces.  As Rosé Lladro clarifies, "..for us creativity, experimentation and research are everyday challenges." Later the artists paint the pieces with a steady hand, bringing to life the expression of facial features and delicately outlining the tiniest detail.  It has also to be decided whether the pieces will be matte or glazed, because glazed pieces require a layer of varnish before being fired in the kiln.

And, finally, the moment of truth: the test of fire.  Back in the 1960's Lladro pioneered a system of single firing, leaving behind the second and even third firing still being used by other companies. In the kiln, the piece is subjected to a temperature of around 1300 degrees Celsius (2599 degrees Fahrenheit) for a whole day and the chemical reactions that take place define the final colors of the piece. On the other hand, because it loses water, the size of the piece is reduced around 15% during the firing. Ensuring that this reduction in size is uniform, and that the piece does not suffer in any way is one of the biggest miracles that takes place at Lladro. Porcelain is alive and it is in the kiln when each piece is put to the test.

Jack Russell with Licorice

Lladro's reputation is based on quality, in never disappointing, in never lowering they goals. As Rosé Lladro explains, "we could not conceive of working any other way than to the maximum quality, because it is part of our DNA." The highest standards of quality are also applied in the packaging, adapting to the individual features of each piece in order to ensure that it reaches its final destination in perfect condition.

Website: www.lladro.com

List of dogs (and cats) in this collection: http://www.lladro.com/themes/temas.Perrosygatos-CATALOG_DOGS_AND_CATS/

Review: Lindy & Co. Gourmet Dog Treats

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Fuzzy the Taste Tester 

Lindy & Co. Gourmet Dog Treats was created by Daybreak which is a non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter, outreach programs, traditional housing and other vital services to Dayton, Ohio's homeless, transient youth population. This means that you are not only treating your dog but you are helping kids in need of assistance. Dogs and cats aren't the only ones who end up in the streets; so do kids who have been kicked out of their home. 100% of the profits go directly to Daybreak, funding emergency shelter, housing and for over 500 homeless teens and young adults each year.

The wide assortment of flavors come in everything from Vegetarian to Gluten-Free to combos like Peanut Butter Bacon. 

One of my product testers, Gary Rhode, agreed to put the treats to the test with his shelter rescue dog, Fuzzy.  An assortment of cookie flavors were duly sent to Fuzzy for his "opinion."  Here is Gary's report.

"Fuzzy was trying to peel one of the treat bags open. So far, he's tried three of the flavors: Honey and Oats, Peanut Butter Cookie and the Carrot Cake Cookie. He's looking forward to trying all of the flavors!

"I like the fact that they are made from healthy ingredients and the packaging is people-friendly." I must interject and say that Gary has a problem with his hands so this is a huge advantage for him.  "It would grab my attention in a store. I like the name. Lindy's Bakery sounds like a very nice place! It sounds like a specialty company for dogs.

"Fuzzy is an equal-opportunity lover but regarding these treats, he loved the three we sampled. If he could have had a knife and fork, he would have had it for dinner! He loved the three. The pictures and the video speak for themselves. He loved the packaging, the ingredients and could not wait for the next training session!"

Gary had his hands full trying to juggle the camera and take each picture before Fuzzy devoured the treats!

"This is like the Rolls Royce, Mazarati or Tessler of dog treats!," he added.

Below is a video of Fuzzy and Lindy & Co. Gourmet Dog Treats:

Don't forget to check the Lindy & Company Gourmet Dog Treats' website: 

http://www.lindyandcompany.org

All photos of Fuzzy taste testing Lindy & Company Gourmet Dog Treats were taken by his owner and our reviewer, Gary Rhode, who owns the copyright to them, and may not be used without his written permission.

New Wellness Aid for Cat Owners: Pretty Litter

Alana by Claire Clayton

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I'm a huge proponent of Wellness for pets. It's a medical concept that moved from human medicine to veterinary medicine. If you keep your pet healthy with regular check-ups, plenty of fresh water, good food and exercise as well as knowing the signals to look for to tell if your pet isn't feeling well, you can find problems sooner, before they become progressed, and take you pet to the veterinarian.  Cats, unlike most dogs, are incredibly stoic and masterful at hiding illness. 

There is a new litter on the market that will help you keep even better tabs on your feline companion.

Photo Courtesy of Nancy Ross

Pretty Litter changes color when your cat urinates if there is a possible illness brewing. This product came about out of a terrible loss of a beloved companion.

Daniel Rotman, the CEO of Pretty Litter lost his little orange tabby to an illness.  "It was one of the toughest thing to go through. She was my family member and she was healthy until she began to show aggressive signs of illness," Rotman told me.  "Many cat owners relate to this; cats hide illness until the symptoms begin to show through odd behavior." 

"I wanted to create a tool to empower cat owners, to have another tool to monitor their cat's health before the illness spirals out of control."

From this came a litter that is made using a safe silica microgels that turns color if there is a sign of illness. The litter itself is yellow, so it matches the color of urine. Once the cat urinates in the box, if the urine turns color (and one of four, indicating possibly illnesses), watch your cat for 24 to 48 hours. If the urine continues to turn color, take your cat to your veterinarian. The reason for the wait and monitoring your cat during that time is that a new food, a change in the environment, or if the cat is stressed, can cause the urine to change color. You want to be sure that this is a consistent change. If you have more than one cat and see a color change, isolate them and give each a separate litterbox so you can tell which one might be having the problem.

Photo of Tribble Courtesy of Frank Incremona

Scoop the feces out of the box as soon as you can each day, allowing the litter to drop back into the box. Cat's often urinate in the same section of the box. There is no need to scoop out the pretty litter whether or not it has turned color. Just mix the litter through the box so there will be different litter in each part of the box. Pretty Litter does not have to be scooped because it doesn't clump and isn't meant to. The urine is captured by the little pieces of silica that may, or may not, turn color. The color does not escape so even if your cat tracks a piece of litter out of the box and it lands on your carpet, it won't stain. It's safe to use and eco-friendly. Here's look at the colors and what they can mean:

Pretty Litter color changes may indicate a host of potential health issues.

Orange or Brown: detection of bilirubin which may indicate liver issues such as bile duct obstruction (cholestasis), gallstones, liver inflammation or pancreatitis.

Red: detection of blood which may indicate Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder (FLUTD), Crystals (Crystalluria) or Interstitial Cystitis. In rarer cases it can also mean bladder cancer, an internal injury, poison ingestion, and/or if it's a female cat over four months old who hasn't been spayed, she may be in heat.

Blue: high alkaline which may indicate either FLUTD, Struvite Crystal formations or kidney issues.

Green: abnormal acidity which may indicate either FLUTD, calcium oxalate crystals, urinary blockage in males or kidney issues.

Any color other than a golden yellow or olive green may mean you need to take your cat to your Veterinarian. 

Clearly this can be a game changer for cat owners. A three-pound bag will last for a month How? You're not throwing out clumped urine. Nor does this litter smell. It doesn't require artificial additives to keep it odor-free all month. While it can be purchased in stores, it can also be purchased online, either by the single bag to try it (you'll need to buy 2 bags and use a bag-and-a-half for a large litterbox) or order autoship which can be cancelled at any time. Information is on the website under FAQ's.

Pretty litter is growing by double-digit percentages every month and is now expanding to Asia, Canada and Australia.

Want to know more?  Here's a video to show you more. And check out both the video introduction and the FAQ's on the website: 

NOTE: I was sent a bag of Pretty Litter to test.  I received no monetary compensation for this post. I share it for information only.