Camping With Dogs – Tips and Tricks with #WalgreensPetshoppe

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensPetshoppe campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensPethoppe campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. All content and opinions are my own.

We recently had the opportunity to take the dogs on a fun camping trip in Montana. There were almost more dogs than people, but that’s how the majority of our gatherings wind up anyway! Here are a few tips to help you through your next camping experience with dogs. We stocked up on TONS and TONS of amazing Petshoppe items from Walgreens before heading out, and since we had a pack of dogs, they all behaved very well because of the Petshoppe treats from Walgreens. What a fun addition to an already amazing weekend.

We have been taking our pups hiking and camping for over ten years now, and we always learn something new each time. It’s such a fun learning experience, and moreover, camping trips are the absolute best way to help our pets get lots of fresh air, exercise, and even social time with other dogs. The campground becomes such a fun experience for everyone. We could hardly imagine a camping trip without our dogs around. Below, our pupper friends Craig and De De came for a visit as well!!! Porter LOVES playing with these two brothers.

TOP CAMPING TIPS FOR PET OWNERS:

1. If there is no water spigot in the campground, or fresh water available, please make sure to pack 2-3 extra gallons of water for your pets per day. They drink a ton of water every time we are camping, especially if it’s super hot out, or if we are in an arid place like the mountains or desert.

2. Bring food and water dishes. Each dog needs their own food dish, and they generally all share their water bowl.

3. We love using our electronic collars to keep our dogs close by. While most camp grounds are going to require dogs on leashes, these e-collars add a bit of extra protection to make sure your dogs are listening to you and behaving around the campground.

4. Stock up on treats because the dogs will need a bit of extra incentive to listen J They also burn so many extra calories while camping, hiking, and swimming, that we always treat them to a few extra treats while camping.

5. Bring soft, supportive, and warm bedding for night time. We bring an air pad for the dogs to use in the tent at night, and we also either cover them with our coats, or bring extra blankets for them. Cabbie loves cuddling in, and Porter loves the chilly air and would never want to be under the covers.

6. Watch your dog(s) around the fire pit. Sometimes dogs will try to play around the fire, or play with extra fire wood, just keep an eye on them!

7. Make sure to keep an eye on your dog(s) at ALL times! They could wander off and disturb wildlife or eat something they find in the woods that could upset their tummies.

Some of our favorite treats from Walgreen’s Petshoppe collections include the Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Cranberry, Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries, and Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Cranberry – all of which contain NO corn, wheat, or soy! The dogs all shared very well – we definitely had more than enough to go around.

WALGREENS PETSHOPPE IN-STORE PROMOTIONS

2 for $10 mix and match Petshoppe toys and bones every day

Week of 8/5/18 – BOGO 50% off on Petshoppe Pet Treats

Week of 8/19/18 – Petshoppe Pet Treats and Petshoppe 50 count puppy pads on sale for $7.99!

Porter was extremely interested in every flavor variety, and the Chicken Strips were definitely a crowd favorite :)

Porter had a blast – she stayed up all night looking around the tent, listening for animals and noises that peaked her interest.

Select varieties of Petshoppe treats are Made in the USA – Look for the label on the front of the packaging! They take the utmost care in delivering high quality pet treat, which have no corn, wheat, or soy – perfect for almost every dog!

Their toys have held up super well! Above, the Plush Turtle which comes in two colors. Below, the two Boston Terriers were playing with this Squeaker Pig ALL morning together, it was adorable!

Above, you will see a few more varieties of their treats. We are definitely stocked up for a while. Walgreens Petshoppe offers quality products for your best friends!!

Connect With Walgreens On Social:

Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter

Use hashtag #WalgreensPetshoppe to show us how you and your pets enjoy these products too.

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Side by Side – A Great Dog Food for Picky Eaters!

This post was sponsored by Side By Side as part of a Two-Post Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

This summer has been absolutely wonderful so far! It’s hotter than ever outside, but that’s not stopping us from getting out as much as possible with the dogs and letting them enjoy summer too!

We began feeding the dogs a new diet recently and they are LOVING it! If you saw my previous post, here, we were just beginning to introduce our dogs to the new food. Side by Side believes that the best way to cherish our pets is through making better food choices for them. Whole food nutrition is a great option! Side by Side only uses whole food, with minimal processing, allowing the nutrients to actually be preserved within the food better, delivering it to your pets so they stay full and happy. A pet’s diet is as important as a human’s diet, so consider making the switch to something like a whole food diet, raw or lightly cooked, frozen or freeze-dried diet.

The dehydrated Side By Side treats, such as their Duck L’Orange, Beef Lungs, and Chicken Hearts are some of the nicest treats we have ever seen. They’re not at all greasy or stinky, like lots of other treats. We aim to give our dogs treats with minimal ingredients, so one ingredient treats are spectacular! The dogs behave SO well for these treats – they’re such good girls!!

Our dogs mean everything to us, so we love being able to treat them to something they really deserve. Since we both work from home, we are able to spend most of our days with Cabbie and Porter. We invest so much time and money into our beautiful babes, and we want the very best for them, which I am sure they notice.

Our Chocolate Labradoodle, Porter, who turns 2 years old on July 5, is a rather picky eater. She has been devouring the Side by Side dog food and then actually sitting by her bowl waiting for her next portion. While we try not to super encourage this behavior, it does mean she loves the food.

With our previous dog food, which was a higher end kibble, we would generally feed the dogs 1.5 cups each, twice a day. Porter, the doodle would leave lots of food in her bowl all day. I am not sure if it was just that she didn’t really love the flavor, or if it’s because we were just giving her the wrong thing.

We still treat the dogs to a bit of low fat yogurt, plus other fruits and veggies throughout the day, but we are SO happy with the food and treats from Side By Side. Just look at the girls’ smiles to see what I mean :)

The dogs actually received the food in the mail, and it was all still frozen. The company uses a recycled material to insulate the products, and they arrived in great shape too.

Now that they received this, they think every single package is for them. Porter nearly knocks boxes out of our hands when they arrive, so she can see if there is more Side by Side inside!

Yes, the dogs have their very own ottoman by the window, if you were wondering :)

We noticed a few improvements in the dogs. Cabbie, the lab seemed to slim down around her mid section, and her coat has been extra shiny. Cabbie seems a bit more energetic, and since we feed them three times a day now, because of the Side By Side portion cups, the dogs love having another fun and “exciting” activity each day (lunch time, LOL!).

The dogs always have a few red bumps on their bellies, and when I chatted with one of the founders of Side By Side, she actually mentioned that they would clear up, and they pretty much completely went away. Marney explained that sometimes the red bumps can be related to food and environmental allergies. Well, perhaps the food made a bigger impact than I could’ve imagined! I believe the food did help clear up their bellies, which is so great.

Side by Side products were developed from the pet’s perspective and puts pets first to give them the best life. This allows us so many more years of opportunities to better share love with our pets.

For part of this post, we visited a local fishing pond that is about a 1-mile hike each way from where we park. We walk through cow pastures, rolling hills, tall beautiful grasses and there are even a few places to stop and fish along the way. We love bringing the dogs out to explore the area, and a couple of our friends even brought their pups too.

When Porter gets to see her little friend, Wilma, shown below, they play until they practically “fall over” from how much fun they’ve had. It’s such a great way for higher energy dogs to get their crazies out, and I love watching them have so much fun together.

We are SO thankful to have had this opportunity to introduce our wonderful pups to a raw dog food diet thanks to Side by Side! We have a new way to show our dogs we love and appreciate them, with whole food nutrition, and we cannot wait to see how the dogs keep improving in every way! 

Look for all of Side by Side’s integrated products including Food Diets, Supplements, Toppers, and soon to be released Broths. Each and every product is thoughtfully formulated to provide a complete and balanced nutrition plan for your pet!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Side By Site Website: https://shop.sidebysidepet.com

Side By Side Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sidebysidepet/

Side By Side Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/SidebySidePet

Side By Side Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/sidebysidepet/

Feel Love. Feed Life. Feed Side By Side.

This post was sponsored by Side By Side as part of a Two-Post Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

If you read this blog for even a few seconds, you may notice I have an affinity for my two dogs, Cabbie and Porter. They are the loves of our lives, and I recently had the chance to spend some good, quality time with the girls. We brought some of our new favorite dog food called Side By Side, a Telluride-based brand of holistic dog food and treats, where they take a new approach to pet nutrition that cherishes each individual pet. These ingredients are used to deliver the best in whole food nutrition.

I was so lucky to have a recent consultation with one of the most knowledgeable individuals regarding pet nutrition that I have ever met, and also the Founder of Side By Side. Marney Prince explained the importance of feeding raw and/or freeze-dried food and treats to your  dogs, and I couldn’t agree more! Side By Side believes the best way to cherish our pets it to honor them with premium whole food nutrition made with love in small batches.

Side By Side even offers their proprietary Pet Assessment process, an online tool (found here) that allows the brand to make nutrition recommendations curated to meet your pets’ individual needs.

Since my first introduction to Side by Side, I immediate felt the passion and caring commitment displayed in all that they do., I received a phone call from the Founder of Side by Side, Marney Prince to discuss her personal recommendation on products!  During our phone conversation, I immediately knew that Marney truly cares for all animals, and I felt her compassion for my dogs as if they were her own.  I talked with her for about 45 minutes about my two dogs, Cabbie and Porter. She was extremely thorough when asking about my dogs, like what issues my dogs were having, and more lifestyle questions pertaining to how much and what types of activities we do each day, how much we interact with them, and even asked about their personalities and eating habits. I left my conversation feeling extremely good from her positive comments about my dogs and me as a dog owner.

The food and treats are amazing! Since these three varieties of treats are freeze-dried, they make for an excellent treat with very few ingredients. The dogs seemed to like the  Duck l’Orange  treats the very best; they were a great size for even our large dogs.

Here is a brief write up of what Marney told me during our assessments for the pups:

PORTER’S REVIEW:

“Porter sounds like a super fun, energetic girl that tends to hold onto a little internal heat but overall appears very balanced. I think our main concern is preventing to onset of joint degradation, since she loves to play hard, has boundless energy and is a large breed dog. As far as the allergic reaction she gets on her tummy; this sounds like a seasonal allergy, not food related but once she's on a whole food diet that moves through her body at the appropriate speed (the 24 hr/12 hr ratio of kibble/real food), you will see a reprieve in the bumps. We are releasing a supplement called Cool Down Dog the first week of June for seasonal allergies and we can certainly try that if the food alone doesn't remedy the reaction. It's a bunch of eastern and western herbs. Otherwise, we would recommend that Porter transitions to our Harmony raw, either freeze-dried or frozen, because it will provide a little higher protein for our athlete, has beautiful whole wild Alaskan salmon, duck necks, yucca (cassava root), and turmeric in it for her joints, and it is considered a neutral recipe, which is ideal for a sweet natured, happy dog. I'm going to recommend our Beef lungs and Duck L'Orange treats but she'd do great on any of our options. I love that you give her yogurt regularly, please continue”.

CABBIE’S REVIEW:

“And, for Cabbie, who sounds like an absolute doll! Again, she sounds happy, healthy and balanced. The only change I'd really like to make is to slow her aging process and prevent the onset of disease. For Cabbie, our Genial recipe, either frozen or freeze-dried, would be wonderful. It is a cooked recipe, which more appropriate for a mature woman, and contains a small amount of whole oats which support the thyroid gland and metabolic system, whole Alaskan salmon for joints and beef heart which in Chinese Medicine promotes self-confidence and Shen (heart/love) energy. I'd also like to suggest our So Hip  supplement to increase the protection of her joints, plus this formula helps the body to clear toxins and free radicals within the existing joints. Cabbie is welcome to enjoy any of our treats, but just for fun, let's try the Chicken Hearts first”.

This food far exceeded our expectations, and I loved the convenience of the individually wrapped so they are basically mess free, and we were able to recycle some of the containers too! It really looks like everything is made with extremely high quality ingredients, which is of top importance to me.

If feeding your dog ingredients you trust is important to you, then I would absolutely recommend Side By Side dog food and treats! Side By Side is dedicated to the preservation of the nutrients, from sourcing the best ingredients, to minimal processing, to development of a complementary line of food diets, treats, supplements, broths, and toppers –with carefully crafted recipes utilizing only natural sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and the purest herbs, to provide a personalized nutrition plan for your pet.

Take the free Side by Side personalized Pet Assessment for a personalized nutrition plan today! Also, you can get 25% off your first order and 15% the subscription service with code: LILY

Time To Rethink What Your Pups are Eating

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CheckYourPetFood #CollectiveBias. We are so excited to share our favorite new pet food today!

Happy dogs, happy life - that's my motto! We are definitely dog lovers through and through. We literally don't spend a day away from them unless we absolutely have to. We cater each and every day, as well as each and every vacation to making sure our pups are happy, healthy, and enjoying the right food. Above, you can see our cousin dog Mickey, the English Bulldog. She also LOVES this food so much and could not wait for her turn to show off her new favorite food.

We care about each and every dog in our families, as well as our friends' pets, and we often get asked what sort of food we feed our dogs. That's probably because everyone knows we are such dog lovers. 

TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

It may be time to do a reality check on your dog food. Does it contain real meat? Is it grain free? If not, it’s time for a change…for something that is a better value both to your pet and to you! Meijer has great products for your dog that are full of quality ingredients and at a great price. I love shopping at Meijer for Purina® Dog Chow and Purina® Beneful® products, and I encourage you to do the same. We brought some on our latest vacay, and the dogs were super happy about it.

We treat them like family, so making sure they are fed the right ingredients makes me know they will be happier for lots of years to come. Our two beautiful girls, Porter and Cabbie are definitely food-motivated. This means that I can even give them a few kernels of dog food as a treat, so I stick to their diets properly, and I do not overfeed them. I'd be lost without these dogs, they're my everything! 

NOW THROUGH MARCH 3, 2018 - GET $1.00 OFF Purina® Dog Chow (32 lb and smaller) and Purina® Beneful® with mPerks coupons at Meijer!

Porter is only a year and a half old, so she was a bit harder to motivate to sit still. The whole time we were taking photos, she only wanted to sit near the dog food :) She kept pawing at the Purina Dog Chow making sure we knew which one she wanted! While she wouldn't actually sit there long enough to take a portrait of her, I thought this in-action shot of her giving Cabbie a kiss was pretty cute. She loved the food so much.

TREATING THEM LIKE FAMILY

Re-think What You’re Feeding Your Dog - take a closer look at your dog food, and compare its quality and value to what can be found in Dog Chow and Beneful.

Feed Them Like Family - Our dogs are 100% part of the family, too. That means feeding them quality nutrition.

Take Them On Walks and Give Them Plenty of Exercise Through Play Time - I try to walk the dogs for at least one hour, five times a day, weather permitting (basically only rain or SUPER freezing temps will keep me from doing this). While this may seem like a lot of time, I think of those hours that I may spend watching TV or playing on my phone. Time flies, so it's fun to refocus your energy and free time on your pets when possible.

Provide A Comfy Dog Bed - Our pets do need a comfortable and supportive bed. Meijer does have a ton of great options, and while some beds may be made from cute fabrics, above all else, I always make sure to look for a bed that has super thick, supportive memory foam and a washable cover.

Include Them In Travel - like I mentioned before, we always try to take our dogs on vacations with us. We make sure to stay in pet friendly hotels, go camping, or rent a rental house that's pet friendly. More and more, establishments are welcoming well behaved dogs with open arms, so do a quick search for dog friendly travel, and you may find something new! Otherwise, feel free to do a staycation with your pets, and treat them like royalty in your own home.

Take Time To Do Special Dog Activities With Them - while we humans have TONS of things to entertain us like our phones, tablets, games, conversations with other people, etc, dogs only have a limited amount of entertainment just within your home. I love taking the dogs on special car rides to the dog park, pet store, or if I will only be in a store for a few minutes, I sometimes take the dogs for a ride then too. They absolutely LOVE that extra stimulation of a new setting, smells, or environment. 

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FEATURED PRODUCTS:

Purina Dog Chow Natural Plus Vitamins & Minerals Dog Food 4 lb

Purina Beneful Grain Free With Ream Farm-Raised Chicken Adult Dry Dog Food 12.5 lb

Now is the time to take advantage of the in store savings, and MPerk deals at Meijer! Here are a few more tips that make me choose Purina products! 

Quality Doesn’t Always Mean a Fancy Label - Just take a look at Beneful and Dog Chow. Both brands come loaded with quality nutrition, and they’re backed by Purina—a leader in pet nutrition with 90+ years of experience.

Every Dog Deserves Real Meat - Dogs love real meat. It’s what they seek in nature, and what they deserve. And you deserve to buy it at the prices you find when you shop Dog Chow and Beneful at Meijer.

No More Compromise - Think you can’t get real meat dog food at a price you can afford? Think again. That’s what Reality Check at Meijer is all about—finally, you can get real meat at the right price and don’t have to settle for lower-end dog foods.

Better for Them, and My Budget - Tout the benefits of feeding your dog real meat, quality nutrition like Beneful and Dog Chow, and the positive impact it has on your wallet when you save at Meijer.

What to Look for in a Label - Meat, or meat flavor? Real meat, of course. Showcase the quality ingredients found in Dog Chow’s and Beneful’s label as a part of a ‘label lesson.’

Real Ingredients, Right Prices, Remarkably Easy - Reality Check is all about finding real meat dog food at the right price, and it’s even better when you throw in Curbside shopping—it becomes super easy, too. Order Dog Chow or Beneful for pickup or shipment to your door, and you’re done. You can do it with the rest of your regular grocery shopping for even less hassle.

Connect with Meijer on Social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/meijer/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/meijer / @meijer

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/meijer

Instagram - @Meijer

Connect With Purina On Social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/purina

Twitter - https://twitter.com/purina / @Purina

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/purina

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/purina/

Instagram - @Purina

Thanks for stopping by!