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Giveaway: Purina Pro Plan Prize Pack!

Posted by Aimee
at March 8, 2010

Purina recently launched The Pro Plan® Doing More™ for Pets program. Doing More for Pets is a series of short web videos that provide pet owners with new and creative ways to care for their pets. Jeff Probst, Emmy Award-winning host of the hit television show Survivor and an avid animal enthusiast, stars in the videos along with two furry friends, Cooper, a yellow lab, and Zoey, an American Shorthair cat. Each video gives an overview of a different suggested activity for owners to experience with their dog or cat in a fun and safe way. Pet lovers can view the Web video series at www.DoMoreForPets.com.

In celebration of the this new program, we have a special prize package for 5 lucky winners! Each will receive a Purina Pro Plan prize pack that includes a high quality black dog dish, white frisbee, large Rally to Rescue t-shirt and black coffe/drink tumbler! A fun prize for you and your dog.

A total of nine videos will be released throughout the spring, three of which are currently available on www.DoMoreForPets.com. In March, May and July two new videos per month will be added. They will provide tips on common activities or problems pet owners confront; keeping pets calm during storms or fireworks, introducing a cat into a home with a dog and jogging safely with your pooch.

Purina also offers pet owners another way to ‘Do More’ for pets, including supporting the Purina® Pro Plan® brand’s signature Rally to Rescue® program, which has helped small rescue groups find homes for more than 300,000 pets across the country during the past five years.

Would you like a chance to win?

Thanks and good luck!

giveaways
0

Cute of the Day: Alexis and Jacob

Posted by Aimee
at March 5, 2010

This is a special Cute of the Day because these cute dogs have a great story to go along with the photos!

Karen writes:

My husband and I were emptynesters until December 1st.  We walked into the Adopt a Pet in Knoxville Tennessee and fell in love with Alexis and Jacob.  Now our house is a home filled with lots of love, barking, playing and walking (we are back in shape)!  Here are pictures when we first brought them home and two month anniversary.  We challenge all emptynesters in Knoxville Tennessee to do something awesome and adopt a pet.  Your home will never be the same!

Thanks Karen for sharing your cute dogs, and for putting out the challenge to other emptynesters to adopt a furry friend or two!

cute animal photos, cute of the day
0

Guest Post: Susan Wilson

Posted by Aimee
at March 4, 2010

Today we have a great guest post from author Susan Wilson. She has a new book out (which I am reading right now) called One Good Dog. One Good Dog is the story of a man who is down on his luck, and a dog who is all out of chances. Together they discover the true meaning of salvation, redemption, and unconditional love. It already has me drawn in! I also wanted you to know about the Who’s Your Good Dog Campaign. Who’s Your Good Dog? Post a picture on Susan Wilson’s Facebook page and explanation of how your dog (or turtle, or human, etc!) has transformed your life and share your good dog!

Enjoy the guest post (thanks Susan):

As I write this, my black cat, Sasha, is going through her pantomime, telling me that she either wants to go out, or she wants to eat. Or, she would like to have something else in her bowl. She goes to the door, rejects the notion of going out, turns toward her dinner; goes back to the door, because clearly this human is not listening. Sasha, adopted at approximately nine months old, has taken roughly thirteen years to trust humans enough to be stroked while she’s standing on the floor. A feral kitten captured and neutered by a small non-profit, somewhat militant organization, was on display at our local Massachusetts Society Prevention of Cruelty Association branch, which often took these feral cats in the hope of finding homes for them. My youngest daughter spotted the exceedingly shy black cat and wanted her. Sasha spent about five months under Alison’s bed. Because she had never been socialized, this cat did not even know how to purr. Fast forward seven years. A second rescue kitty, Hartley Mims, Jr. (I’m an author, good character names are fair game) joined the family and something rather miraculous happened. Sasha learned to purr. Following Hartley’s example, she learned that people were okay, and that touching was nice. She still won’t tolerate being picked up, but constant dependable gentle respectful consistent love has brought her around to being one of the sweetest creatures on earth. This is but one rescue story. There are hundreds upon thousands of such stories. In literature as well as life, the ideal is the safely rescued animal finds the perfect home and becomes the perfect pet. But when an animal is so damaged or developmentally challenged by its beginnings that it doesn’t accept its new situation; that can make for a difficult transition.

My second favorite rescue story is that of Hunter, a beagle-ish dog that my daughter and son-in-law adopted from a shelter in Massachusetts. He’d come from Indiana, seemed nice and quiet, very well behaved. So well behaved that the neophyte dog owners left him alone the day after bringing him home—uncrated. The destruction was profound. An entire couch cushion and most of one arm gone. Ingested. Turns out even though they knew that Hunter had found his forever home, he didn’t know it. Separation and stranger anxiety all rolled into one. A very long period of trial and error, a few drugs, and constant, dependable gentle respectful consistent love brought him around. He’s still not too keen on strangers, and they never leave him loose in the house, but he is a champion among dogs.

In One Good Dog, my imaginary pit bull, Chance, comes from a deeply disturbing situation and finds himself having to learn a new ‘trade,’ that of pet. He is not only rescued, but is also a rescuer. I think that’s true of most adopted animals, we take them in, and they teach us something about ourselves. Be the person your dog thinks you are.

The work of shelters and breed rescue organizations is vital. In this time of economic uncertainty, when hard choices are being made every day between food and healthcare; mortgage and vet bills, our shelters are sometimes the only resort for people in need. People who love their animals and know that they cannot care for them have someplace to turn.

Thank you for inviting me to guest blog on 4theloveofanimals.

books, guest post
48

Giveaway: Bark4Beer

Posted by Aimee
at March 1, 2010

Every so often, you need a bottle opener. And chances are, it’s not something that you carry around with you! Well, Bark4Beer has solved that problem. Bark4Beer is a bottle opener and dog collar all in one! The collar has a retractable bottle opener attached, so it is always handy when you are out with your dog and need a bottle opener. Why not let your pooch carry the opener, right?

Bark4Beer even offers the option of a matching leash, and party wear (Bark4Beer tees). The collars come in two sizes to fit all sizes of dogs. We thought it was a fun idea (though we haven’t tried it out), and especially loved the story behind the product. Bark4Beer was created by two friends who needed a bottle opener for beers while they were at a pool party. They didn’t have one nearby, so they used their dog’s collar to pop the tops off. How’s that for being creative?

The party animals at Bark4Beer have offered the chance for one of you to win a bottle opener collar! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting us know why you want to win the Bark4Beer collar. Comment before midnight on March 8th, 2010. You may enter daily until the giveaway ends.

Thanks to Bark4Beer, who is providing the product for this giveaway.

giveaways
0

Book: Shift Your Habit

Posted by Aimee
at March 1, 2010

We recently got a review copy of a great new book called Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Save the Planet, which is going to be available on March 9th. We really enjoyed the book a lot! It’s jam packed with simple ways to reduce your impact on the planet, while also making an impact on your wallet! And the tips aren’t hard things either, everything is simple to do.

The author, Elizabeth Rogers, is also the co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Green Book. She presents the information in a great way. Everything is broken down into categories and shows how the “shift” can save you money, how it impacts the planet, and easy tips for making it work.

Here are a few great tips for future and current pet owners.

Early Adopter

The Shift: Instead of buying your new friend from a pet store or breeder, adopt one from a shelter.
Save $$: Up to $500 or more depending on animal and breed.
Save the Planet: Adopting a shelter pet not only saves a life, but it reduces demand for purebred animals, which are more likely to have medical problems due to genetic abnormalities.
Good for You: Adopting an orphaned animal keeps it from having to be euthanized. Most shelter animals are spayed or neutered, have been treated for worms, and have at least their first set of shots. If you’re not willing to go through the trials of house-training a young puppy or kitten, opting for an older shelter animal is an easy option.
Shift-It Tip: If you’re set on a purebred dog or cat, buy one from a rescue association instead of getting a pedigree from a breeder. Contact The Humane Society of the United States to locate a nearby rescue group.

Incredible Bulk

The Shift: Buy flea and tick medicine and any other pet medications online and in bulk instead of buying them one month at a time from your vet.
Save $$: Up to $125 per year or more.
Save the Planet: Buying a 12-month supply reduces packaging waste and also conserves the fuel you’d normally use to pick up your pet’s meds every month or two.
Good for You: Save time driving and sitting in waiting rooms at the vet office.

Toy Story

The Shift: You know how babies love to play with keys more than any other expensive toy made just for them? Pets are the same way. Instead of buying toys, you can delight dogs and cats with stuff you already own.
Save $$: Up to $200 or more per year on pet toys.
Save the Planet: Creating pet toys from items you’d otherwise throw away reduces manufacturing energy as well as waste, since you’ll be buying fewer toys overall and tossing fewer destroyed toys into the garbage.
Shift-It Tip: Here are a few ideas to entertain your pooch or feline: Knotted-up old towels, cut-up sheets, holey t-shirts, or other rags for tug-o-war; old—or orphaned—socks stuffed with catnip; cardboard boxes or paper towel rolls; old tennis or racquet balls; string; ponytail holders.

The book offers tips for every part of life. We really enjoyed it, and have found ourselves using it as a reference when we have needed to replace items. I like to look through it a lot because it offers ideas for how to use a lot of what is already in the house. Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Save the Planet gets four paws up for offering simple changes that can make a difference. It can be preorded right now via Amazon, and should be hitting shelves in bookstores on March 9th.

books
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