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Making Sure Your Dog’s #TummyWorks

March 1, 2016 By Jodi

This post is sponsored by Finest for Pets. I’ve been compensated for sharing my opinion about their new product, TummyWorks. Please note, while I have been compensated, Heart Like a Dog only shares products we feel are relevant to our readership and would never recommend a product we do not use ourselves.

TummyWorks

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, “I believe the gut is the root of all evil in the body.”

I know it is for me. When I eat something that’s not right for my body, I definitely know it. For instance when I eat wheat (a food I have an allergy to) I am left with a very bloated feeling and often time end up with hives. When my body is overwhelmed dealing with the reactions to the food, it doesn’t function at the capacity it should.

I believe it is the same with dogs. When your dog eats something and vomits, you watch to make sure it doesn’t happen again, and if it does, you eliminate that food from their diet. But what if your dog is experiencing symptoms that are not quite that severe? We all know how stoic dogs are, it’s possible your dog could be having some gastric distress. If they aren’t showing it, you may never know that something is not agreeing with them.

When you have a dog like Delilah who will scarf down any and everything, it’s hard to know what may or may not be bothering her.

When Delilah was diagnosed with elevated liver levels back in 2014, I made some changes in our lifestyle to help reduce stress on her liver. After all, the liver’s job is to remove toxins from the body. In this ever growing world of chemicals, it’s easy to see how a liver could get overwhelmed.

Some of the things I’ve done is using more natural products in our home for cleaning purposes, reducing toxins I put on her body (we go natural with our flea and tick preventions) feeding treats with limited ingredients.

The other thing I’ve done, is added a good multi-vitamin and a probiotic to their diet. I firmly believe it’s a great thing to add a probiotic to just about any diet, human or canine.

Probiotics are one of those supplements where you don’t necessarily SEE the benefit, because it’s busy doing its job on the inside. Of course if your dog is having diarrhea or vomiting (or they’re super gassy) that’s a totally different story. In that instance, you should be able to SEE (and smell) the results.

The thing I’ve discovered about probiotics is, they can often times be pretty pricey.

When my friend Steve over at Finest for Pets asked me if I’d review his newest addition to this pet line, I jumped at the chance. TummyWorks is a premium probiotic and digestive enzyme.

Some of the benefits that Tummyworks provides is

  • Relieves Diarrhea, Gas and Bad Breath
  • Helps to reduce Shedding, Itching and Hot Spots
  • Optimizes Digestion
  • Improves Health and Energy and Boosts the Immune system.

As you can see, TummyWorks has a number of great benefits. Besides helping regulate the good bacteria in your pet’s guts, (Bonus, it’s not just for dogs, it’s for cats too!) it’s helping to boost their immune systems. Think about it, when your immune system isn’t strong, it’s harder to fight off illness and injury.

Which is why with Delilah’s liver issues and Sampson’s adrenal/ACL issues, it’s important to me that their immune systems are as strong as possible.

The container of Tummyworks should last a dog Sampson or Delilah’s size two months; at the cost of $28 a container, that’s a good investment (in my opinion.) Of course, with both my guys on it, it will only last a month, but still a good value in my eyes.

When I first got the container I admit I sort of freaked out. The recommended dosage is 2 scoops per day, I thought, dear lord, I’ll be through this in a week. BUT the scoop is tiny, oh so tiny.

It can’t taste bad either because I sprinkle it on their meals twice per day and both dogs eat it up with no issues and lick their bowls clean.

TummyWorks Probiotic Okay, Delilah might NOT be the best example to use here, because as I said, she’ll scarf down anything.  Sampson however, is very picky. There have been supplements I’ve used on him, and I’ve stood and watched as he’s eaten around them. When he had his ACL surgery we had a wrestling match because I was trying to get him to eat a peanut butter covered pain pill. And he KNEW it.

Yes, he’s that dog.

Frustrating. As. Hell.

But lovable, OH SO lovable.

But lovable, OH SO lovable.

I only have one tiny issue with TummyWorks…it’s that tiny scoop. Not that I want a bigger scoop mind you, just that in transit the scoop kind of got buried in the container. (I told you it was tiny.) My suggestion to Steve would be to see if the scoop could either be taped on the container, or secured in some manner. That’s it, that’s my only complaint.

So….Do you know a dog that could benefit from using a probiotic? Yes? Good! We are super excited to be sharing TummyWorks with you and Steve at Finest for Pets has generously offered to let us share some with our readers.

Giveaway Rules: We will be giving away five (5) containers of Tummyworks. The contest runs from 12:01 AM March 1, 2016 until 11:59 PM March 8th. All times are Eastern Standard Time. Winner will be announced Thursday, March 10, 2016 (if I remember.) E-mail addresses will be forwarded to sponsor and winners will be contacted by sponsor directly. If a winner fails to respond within three days, it is the sponsor’s discretion to request an alternate winner. Contest is open to persons located in the US. (Sorry international friends.)  Winner will be chosen by Random.org Contest rules are set by Heart Like a Dog Blog. 

Phew, that’s a lot of bullshit if you ask me, but I have to lay some ground rules.  OKAY, finally we can get to the contest.

Leave me a comment and let me know your interested in entering. Tell me which of your pets will benefit the most from using TummyWorks.  Bonus entry if you share this on Facebook and tag Heart Like a Dog in the post(verification required.)

This post contains affiliate links. If you order from Amazon by clicking on a link, we may receive a small commission. 

 

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Filed Under: Product Review Tagged With: Health, Life With Sampson And Delilah, Product Reviews

You Make Me Smile – February 28, 2016

February 28, 2016 By Jodi

You make me smile (or laugh), the sweet, funny, loving things my dogs do on a daily basis, that brings a smile to my face or a laugh to my lips.

Delilah, when you go downstairs and make yourself comfortable on Grandma’s bed….

Chocolate Labrador

you make me smile.

Backstory…typically when I’m downstairs visiting with mom, Delilah is sitting on the floor in front of me, it’s a rare day when she lies down in the room, so the day she went into the bedroom and made herself comfy on the bed, it really made me smile.

Do your dogs adapt easily when they are out of their home, or are they like Delilah, and take some time?

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Filed Under: You Make Me Smile Tagged With: Delilah, You Make Me Smile

Follow-Up Friday – February 26, 2016

February 26, 2016 By Jodi

Welcome to this week’s edition of Follow-Up Friday, the post where I highlight reader’s comments, answer questions, and generally just wrap up my week.

You Make Me Laugh – February 21, 2016

Sampson and Delilah

Callie, Shadow and Ducky’s mom said, “With Callie and Shadow it was fairly easy; but adding Ducky to the mix made it nearly impossible, and taking Callie out of the mix didn’t make it any easier. So, guess who the instigator is. 🐶”

Oh yes, I don’t think you call her the little demon dog for nothing!

Emma said, “We can do it, but rather than both looking the same direction, we prefer to have one look right and one look left. It really drives the mom mad!”

I love how you roll that way Emma, I bet your mom does too. 🙂

Jan said, “It’s a study in synchronized avoiding the camera. It’s an Olympic event.”

It should be. Maybe I’ll have to save that for the next Canine Olympics? 🙂

Monika said, “That’s a rhetorical question, right? Whenever I even try to focus a camera on him, Sam seems to cast a longing look over his shoulder in the opposite direction. Stupid dog. 😉”

Ha ha, he reminds me of Delilah, who usually walks up and shoves her face in the camera, or turns away. Sampson usually just gets the ‘let’s get this over with’ look on his face.

Taryn said, “Wilson totally “gets” the super-model thing (although going deaf makes it a tad harder), but Jimmy hates looking into the big scary eye of the camera. Sometimes HE. JUST. WON’T. LOOK. That’s why I have so many more nice photos of Wilson.”

LOL it’s frustrating, isn’t it? I treasure those good photos of Delilah, as they are fairly rare, although I have to say, as she ages she really has gotten better.

Julie said, “I can get Cocoa’s picture if she is exhausted. Or if she is sleeping. Or if I surprise her but once she sees I am trying to take pictures she will NOT look at the camera. So I have to be quick!!”

She’ll get better! Delilah used to be like that.

Misty Shores Chesapeakes said, “I get them all set up turn to walk away and the minute I stoop down to take the photo one them inevitably starts to walk toward me.”

LOL whoever said working with multiple dogs was easy, never worked with our dogs. 😉

Elaine said, “It’s hard enough to get Haley to cooperate sometimes, I can’t imagine getting two or more pups to get excited during photo shoots. I think I like this photo better though because it makes you wonder what’s happening off to the side.”

Yes, they don’t always cooperate, which makes the times they do so much sweeter. I like the way it makes you wonder too. When my grandson was 10 months old we did a photo shoot with the dogs. My grandson was in a rocking chair wearing a Santa hat and the dogs were sitting on either side of side of him. My husband opened the blind to get more light in and they all turned at the same time. It’s still on of my favorite photos.

Finding the Beauty in Nature

The moon setting on Sampson's walk yesterday morning.

The moon setting on Sampson’s walk.

Hailey and Zaphod said, “I enjoy the early morning walks. I have been bummed the last 2 mornings that it has been too cold to walk. Sigh!”

We walk no matter how cold it is out. We just bundle up well and sometimes we shorten the walks, but I’ve found the dogs really need to get out. 🙂 I’m sorry you haven’t been able to get your walks in.

Emma said, “Getting out in the cold and dark in the morning is the hard part, but once you are out it is so peaceful, and best of all…no other fools are out!”

Yup, you nailed it Emma. I love the quiet beauty and the sounds of the world waking up.

All Things Collie asked, “That was a nice surprise! You probably already explained, but why are you walking them so early? Do you switch them sometimes? (So Sampson can see the sunrise and Delilah the setting moon?)”

We walk early to help avoid encounters with other dogs. Typically Sampson goes first, but if there are days that he wants to sleep in, I take Delilah. 🙂

Dachshund Nola said, ” You could not pay me enough to walk (or wake up) before the sun is out. I much prefer walking at night!”

I have walked them at night and I just prefer the mornings. 🙂 Waking up is hard, but once I’m up and going, it’s all good.

Callie, Shadow and Ducky’s Mom said, “Cardinals and blue jays are usually not afraid of people and other animals, even cats. I saw a blue jay dive-bomb a cat one day when I first moved down here…I don’t remember the exact circumstances, but I remember cheering the bird on for defending itself. The cat took off like a bat out of hell! ”

Oh my! Did you record it? I recorded a cat catching a chipmunk once. 😀

Sandspring Chesapeakes said, “You are so welcome!!!! and you know it was the darn postal service wrecking that bag of treats, lol. I took the broken ones and put in a dish for gman and gave you a brand new bag. Can’t ship anything without it getting broken! I’m glad you like the leash, I too like them because they are thin and can put in your pocket.”

See, you shouldn’t have told me that! I was impressed as hell thinking how clean your floors were because there was no dog hair in there. 🙂 Yes, the leashes are awesome. Most days I have it coiled lightly and loosely in my pocket while he walks slowly beside me.

Monika said, “Magic is everywhere…we just have to look closely though sometimes that’s hard to do when our minds are running like 60 and 9 miles down the road focused the things we ‘need’ to do during the day.”

Amen sister. We’re so darn busy, we forget to stop and look.

Elaine said, “Beautiful images. I never really liked birds either but now that I’m older, I do notice them more and think some are beautiful. Does that mean I’m an old lady before my time?”

Nah, I think as we mature we learn to stop and find the beauty in things.

Where We Are – Barks and Bytes

I can see why House Elves have an aversion to this.

Thank dog one of those tests doesn’t require wearing a sweatshirt.

Callie, Shadow and Ducky’s Mom said, ” Both our regular vet and the surgeon told us that most dogs do end up tearing the second ACL within 12-18 months of the first one due to the imbalance of the weight distribution during the first recovery.”

I had heard that as well, but Sampson’s surgeon said he didn’t subscribe to that, but if you think about it, it makes sense. After he fully tore it, it was two weeks of walking on that leg and compensating with the other one, not to mention the recovery time after surgery.

Cupcake said, “I agree with Sampson – tests and missed meals are no way to enjoy life.”

I knew you’d understand the missed meals Cupcake. 😉

Taryn said, “The trauma of repeated vet visits isn’t how I would want my dogs to spend their golden years. I hear about dogs that are OK(even happy) at the vets but mine never have been. And surgery and all it’s pain is a very tough choice. Just love Sampson and live in the moment with him.”

Sampson LOVES our vet, when I told him where he was going, he pulled me through the gate, Even so, I’m sure being surrounded with all the sights, sounds and smells that he’s not used to, is stressful when he’s left there.

Emma said, “Health and senior dogs is a scary thing. Katie has her good days and her bad days. We have our vet check next week. We will be seeing if her heart murmur is the same or has worsened. Right now she is having not so great days again with walking and falling, but every day is a gift and a new day. We treasure each day with her.”

You are so right Emma. Treasure each and every day.

Jan K said, “We really are a lot alike, aren’t we? I would have made the exact same decisions you have.”

We are and it’s one of the reasons I LOVE your posts when you talk about decisions you make for your pets. It’s like a kindred spirit. 🙂

2 Brown Dawgs said, “I probably would have done the blood test. Even if I wasn’t going to treat, I would want to know.”

I totally get where you’re coming from. But since I’m struggling with his aging to start with, I know that I would be a wreck if I found out something bad. Three years ago, I’d probably have done the test, but I’ve been digesting this for over a month now and my gut is telling me no. 🙂

Well that’s it for me folks, thanks for joining me and for all your love and support. Have a great weekend.

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About Jodi

jodiHi, my name is Jodi. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog! I have all kinds of fun writing about my two crazy pups, Sampson and Delilah. Find out more!

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