Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

PebbleSmart Doggie Doorbell

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Sampson was taught to ring a bell to go out when we lived at our other house, but our current house doesn’t have a great place to hang my bell set. (The damn thing keeps getting shut in the door if I hang it on the knob and I refuse to let Hubby make a hole in the door frame.)

So when I was contacted by Keith at PebbleSmart to review his Doggie Doorbell, I jumped at the chance.

Truthfully, I’m not so much worried about the dogs letting me know they want out, but the idea of them letting me know they were ready to come in is pretty awesome. It beats Delilah standing at the door and barking her fool head off.

PLUS there was that time this past summer, when I thought Sampson was inside and he wasn’t, and Hubby and I went out and left him outside.  Talk about feeling bad.

Seriously, dogs scratching or barking to go out/come in can be damaging. To your door and your ears, and depending on how enthusiastic they are, they could damage their nails or paws.

PLUS the thing that I’m not real fond of is the smudges on my glass doors. Really, who thought glass doors would be a good idea?

My first suggestion to you, is to watch the video on Keith’s website and the second suggestion is to read the whole manual before you start ANYTHING. I could have had this review done sooner if I’d known that adhesive was included (instead of waiting for Hubby to install it. Although I do have to share, the area I put the doorbell was wood and the adhesive didn’t stay, so Hubby did add some screws.) Also, I could have saved a whole lot of doorbell noise, if I’d read to install PebbleSmart first, AND THEN INSERT THE BATTERIES.

Needless to say, it was a pretty noisy morning the day I installed it.

PebbleSmart is named after Keith’s dog, Pebble.  This doggie doorbell is easy to install and comes with everything you need to set it up and get started training your dog right away.

The three basic pieces of PebbleSmart

The three basic pieces of PebbleSmart

The instructions that come with the doorbell tell you exactly HOW to train your dogs to use it. My thought is you could also teach your dogs to ring (or touch) PebbleSmart BEFORE you install it, which might make transitioning easier.

PebbleSmart

PebbleSmart

We’ve been working on this for close to a week now. Truthfully some days are better than others. Sampson seems to take to it quite easily but Delilah is still a work in progress. As you’ll see in the video the first morning she HADN’T had breakfast and was super excited which makes it hard to work with her.

Keith put a lot of thought into the PebbleSmart.

It comes with adhesive for easy application.
The unit is easy to put together.
There’s a handy treat holder that’s easily removable to help train your dog.
It has 36 choices for the alert, so if you’re not a Ding-Dong, Ding-Dong fan you’re sure to find something to suit you.
The volume is adjustable so if you’re in a different part of the house you can turn it up so you can hear it better.

While the volume is adjustable, even at the lowest setting seemed to be too loud for Delilah. Keith suggests putting the unit in another room while your dog adjusts to the sound.

Even that was too much for Delilah. Sunday when Sampson was training, Delilah was hiding in the bathroom shoving her head between Hubby’s legs (I remedied this by wrapping the PebbleSmart in cotton and a piece of material and placing it in a plastic baggie.)

You can purchase PebbleSmart directly from PebbleSmart and Keith tells me he ships the product the same business day, and you can also purchase it at Amazon. (If you do purchase from Amazon, we may receive a small commission.) And if you hurry, you can still get it in time for Christmas.

Have you ever considered a doggie doorbell? How does your dog let you know (s)he wants in or out?

This post is sponsored by PebbleSmart. I have been compensated for sharing this product with you, but Heart Like a Dog only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. PebbleSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.

Anyone Can Go Raw With #InstinctRaw Bites

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This post is sponsored by Instinct® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Instinct Raw but Heart Like a Dog only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Instinct is not responsible for the content of this article.

Instinct Raw

 

We’re raw feeders in our house. It’s not something we talk a lot about, but it’s also not something we are secretive about either, it’s a titchy subject, you either think it’s great, or you don’t.

Raw dog food was originally suggested to us by our vet, to help our dogs lose weight. Both of them were very heavy and that weight was contributing to Delilah experiencing a good bit of pain in her back due to a pinched nerve. Don’t get me wrong, we fed a good quality kibble, but it just wasn’t the right food to keep them fit and trim.

Enough with the pictures already, I want to eat now!

Enough with the pictures already, I want to eat now!

When we first switched we only went half-way, meaning they got raw for one of their meals and the other meal they got kibble. They both started losing weight. After a while of doing this, we went raw all the way and never looked back. Both of the dogs have lost over 25 lbs.

That’s EACH yo!

There are raw feeders out there who really go raw and by that I mean, they buy their food directly from farm or store and make their own balanced meals.

I’m not that girl.

I buy a pre-mix, it has the proper distribution of bone/muscle/organ that’s required from raw. One of my go-to brands is by Instinct®, it’s called Instinct Raw and it’s made by Nature’s Variety.

I prefer the natural approach with myself and my dogs and raw dog food is as close to natural as I can find. It’s a grain free, gluten free, high protein, high quality, nutrient dense food, and my dogs have done amazingly well with it.

We were given the opportunity for two bags of our choosing of the Instinct Raw Bites. I decided to go with two different flavors. I chose the chicken and tuna mix as well as the duck.  I’ve been wanting to try the dogs with fish so this was a perfect opportunity. They’d had duck before and loved it, so I thought that would be a nice treat.

Even though my dogs had had both chicken and duck before, I still fed the Instinct Raw Bites to them on two different days. It’s important when trying anything new with your dog to introduce things slowly. If you add too many new things at once and they have a reaction, how will you know what they’re reacting to?

This food is so simple to serve, the little bites look just like kibble, except they’re uncooked dog food (that’s why we call it raw food peeps) 😉

Chicken and tuna. Looks just like kibble, no?

Chicken and tuna. Looks just like kibble, no?

What I love about raw food is there’s no fillers, like chicken meal or corn meal, it’s just meat, bones, organ meat, fruits and veggies, along with some great nutrients like salmon oil, and flax seed.

One of the things I love about Instinct Raw Bites is their availability. You ready? You can find it in the freezer at your local PetSmart!  I love the variety of options I have for protein sources because each protein provides different nutrients.  You can choose from chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, duck, venison, rabbit and tuna! It’s every dog’s dream.

The little bites defrost in minutes (in case you forget, which is often times the case for me). The serving portion is right on the back and you simply scoop, wait a few minutes and serve.

Because we are strict about watching their weight, I weigh mine out in the dog’s food bowls the night before and let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. I take it out about half an hour before I’m ready to feed them and we’re good to go!

Sampson gets a little more than Delilah because he's a bigger guy.

My scale is set to grams and each little bite weighs just about 1 gram.

But do the dogs like it, you ask? I’ll let them tell you.

Sampson loves his food. His eyes get big and sometimes he dances with his front paws.

Sampson loves his food. His eyes get big and sometimes he dances with his front paws.

One of the things I really love about Instinct Raw Bites is the quality of the product. It’s ground super fine, so there’s no worry about bits of bone. I love how easily it defrosts and how easy it is to get just the right amount my dogs need.

And guess what?  Instinct Raw Bites are available in the US AND Canada!!

If you’re interested in learning more about Instinct Raw, and all the different products they offer, you can check out their website Instinct Raw, or follow them on Facebook. Want to check out raw but you’re unsure? Instinct Raw currently has a coupon for $3.00 off, I believe it’s even good on their trial size bags.

 

Rejuvenate Your Dog with Rejenease

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This is a sponsored post.  I have been compensated with product in exchange for my honest opinion.  That being said, I would never share something with you that I don’t fully endorse and use myself.

As you know Sampson had ACL surgery last March and really struggled recovering from it. He ended up with an Iliosas strain and had some arthritis too.  We did acupuncture which offered him some relief, but it needed to be repeated every three to four weeks.

I was contacted by Steve Hourston to review a new product called Rejenease.   Rejenease is a joint supplement that

  • Promotes mobility
  • Supports healthy joints
  • Greatly reduces joint pain
Rejenease

Rejenease

The first thing I want to say is how easy Steve is to work with.  He is very accessible via e-mail and I felt like he truly cared about Sampson and helping Sampson to feel better.

Of course, before giving it to Sampson I did check with my vet to be sure it was something she approved of.  We got the go ahead on November 19, 2014. We started it that very night.

The dosage for a dog Sampson’s size is 2 teaspoons twice per day.  Because of Sampson’s discomfort Steve suggest we ‘load’ Sampson up and double the dosage at first.  We did this for the first bottle which lasted just about three weeks.  Making a quick calculation I determined at regular dosage the bottle should last around six weeks for a dog on normal dosage.

I noticed an improvement in Sampson within the first couple of days.  I admit, I was skeptical.  I couldn’t believe something could work that fast, but it did.  He was more alert, and you could tell just by looking at him that he felt better.  Even my husband said so.

Nine days after starting the supplement, Sampson jumped into the car!

Then I watched him hop up onto the couch he had previously climbed on.

Then he jumped on the bed.

One area I really noticed a difference was in his pooping.  (Come on, you knew poop had to be in here somewhere!)  After his ACL surgery it was painful for Sampson to poop.  He would squat, then shift, shift, shift trying to find a comfortable position for his legs.  Within eleven days of beginning Rejenease I noticed Sampson wasn’t shifting as much and many times not at all.

One of the indicators that Sampson was having some discomfort was the licking of his wrists.  Typically when I noticed this I would call and schedule an acupuncture appointment.  Just before starting Rejenease I noticed it again, I delayed making the call and within a few days of starting Rejenease I noticed Sampson had stopped licking his wrist.

Saturday morning we took a 28 minute walk.  As soon as we got inside this happened.

What's he looking at you wonder?

What’s he looking at you wonder?

Oh it's on.

Why it’s the D-Dog!

 

Hey, I can still cut a rug.

Hey, I can still cut a rug.

 

Take that you!

Are you a vampire?  That’s my neck you’re biting.

Sampson has a hitch in his giddy up again.  My arms notice it on our walks as he has begun pulling again.  He is happy, confident and so full of joy.  It’s like he’s a puppy again.  In fact, I’ve heard Hubby say, “Are you a puppy?” and “Where are you getting this energy from?”  I will never be able to thank Steve for this.

What’s in it you say?  Let’s look at the active ingredients

  • Glucosamine HCI (Shellfish)
  • Chondrotin Sulfate (Beef and/or porcine)
  • MSM (Methyl-sulfonylmethante 99.9%)
  • Manganese Chelate
  • Hyaluronic Acid (as Sodium Hyaluronate)

Inactive Ingredients:

  • 100% Pure Aloe Vera Juice
  • Citric Acid
  • Potassium Sorbate
  • Purified Water
  • Sodium Benzoate
  • Stevia
  • Vegetable Glycerin

With shellfish being the first ingredient, I would expect this to have a fishy smell, but it does not. I do notice that Sampson has slightly fishy breath for a short time after taking it, but only for a short time.

It is not oily either so if Delilah gets a wild hair across her ass and decides to grab the bottle from the counter, I won’t end up with oil all over my rug like I did with the Salmon Oil incident.  The teaspoon washes up beautifully without an oily residue.

Speaking of Delilah, I’m actually thinking about starting her on a low dosage.  She hasn’t been showing any signs of discomfort or arthritis, but why wait? 

I can honestly say there was only one tiny thing I suggested to Steve, which was to put the fluid ounces on the label so a person can determine how long a bottle would last, in order to get the most bang for their buck.  Steve has assured me future batches will have the ounces on the label.

Steve is currently working on his website, so until it’s finished Rejenease is available on Amazon, but don’t click that link yet!!

Steve has generously agreed to give 10 (yes that’s right ten!) lucky readers a free bottle to try!  All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me which dog you want try this supplement with.  This is a deal breaker folks, comments that do not list the dog’s name will not be considered in the drawing. The contest will be open until next Sunday (January 11th) at midnight.  

Any comments received after that cutoff will not be considered.  Because this item is available on Amazon, it’s open to every one.

BUT WAIT, there’s more.  If you don’t want to wait to see if you’re a winner, Steve is giving Heart Like a Dog readers a 25% discount, which is available for one bottle.  This discount will be available until December 31, 2015.  A whole year! Remember, it’s only good on your first bottle.

Here’s how it works.  Once you’ve added Rejenease to your cart select the “FREE shipping” option.  If you are an Amazon Prime member you automatically get free shipping.  

On the final “Place Your Order” page, there is a “Gift cards & promotional codes” box.  This is where you enter the code, “HEARTDOG”, click apply and it will automatically tie you 25% off your first bottle of Rejenease.

Isn’t that awesome?  I can’t wait until some of you start using it, and hear how well it works for you.

Some of the mumbo jumbo I have to add. Rules are subject to change.  (That’s in case I find out that Amazon doesn’t ship to Iceland or something like that.)  If a rule changes I will do my best to notify my readers. A comment that does not mention a dog’s name will not be eligible to win the free bottle of Rejenease.  Please be sure to include your e-mail when posting your comment as these will be passed along to Steve so he can coordinate getting you your free bottle of Rejenease. Winners will be announced next Monday, January 12, 2015 (if I remember.  See the first sentence of this paragraph.) 🙂

UPDATE:  Amazon only ships in the US. 🙁  Boo, I’m sorry for my non-US friends.

Ready, go.  Tell me who you will be using this for, and please share this with anyone you know that has a dog suffering from arthritis or is in need of a little extra umph.
Note, this post contains affiliate links. If you do purchase this product from Amazon I will receive a small commission. Thank you.
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