Primal Chicken Shredders Review

One thing my dogs live for is treats. Whenever they see that bag opening, they bark with excitement. This month's review is a product called Primal Chicken Shredders. I received them courtesy of the folks from Chewy.com. The fact that these were organic and limited ingredient was very appealing since my dogs can be fussy about their treats.

At First Glance

When I first opened the bag, the chicken pieces came in a generous size. Because of their lined texture, they are easy to break into smaller pieces. There also were little shreds left in the bad which can be used a topper for your dog's food after all of the treats were gone. It has a natural brown color from slow roasting and then being freeze-dried. As you can see, two of my dogs--Gigi and Fancy--couldn't wait to have theirs.

The Test

Well, considering I have five dogs and the bag was just four ounces, these went very quickly. The dogs absolutely loved them. They ate them fast and there was no turning of the head. Other processed treats will render that result with my dogs, especially Gigi, who can be particularly discriminating in her taste.

The Final Verdict

I highly recommend these treats. They are sure to please even the most finicky dogs. They have grain-free and gluten-free and limited ingredients which is gentler on your dog's stomach. Hopefully, down the road, they'll have larger sizes available for people like me who have five dogs.The only downside I saw was the price. At $12.39 USD, that can be high for a four ounce bag like this. However, Chewy.com has them on sale for $7.99 USD, which is quite reasonable for high-quality organic treats.

Let's Discuss!

What is your favorite treat to give your dog? How do you feel about organic treats?

It's All Related!

Newman's Own Chicken and Sweet Potato Review
Orijen Lamb Freeze-Dried Treats Review

Honest Kitchen Nuzzles Review

I always embrace the opportunity to review treats. When I received the chance from Chewy.com, to review Honest Kitchen Nuzzles, I jumped at the chance.

At First Glance

I was really excited when I received these treats. The duck and cherry combo wasn't one I was familiar with, but I knew my dogs would always be up for trying new things. The heart shapes were adorable. They were small enough for my dogs like Gigi and Harry and big enough to satisfy a dog like Fancy.

This is a product that's environmentally-friendly and sturdy enough to keep the treats from breaking.I also was impressed that they have very few ingredients in it. Most of it is natural. Which is good for dogs because you don't have to worry about preservatives. Being a biscuit, it's good for the dogs to chomp away and keeps the tartar on their teeth to a minimum.

All About The Taste

Taste is important in a treat. It's what keeps dogs going back for more and brings loyalty. Meet my friendly treat-tester Gigi. She's my little Shi-Poo who has a discriminating palette that has her barking for joy when she loves something and turns her head away when she's not interested. When I gave them to her, she first took them in and observed (as you can see pictured right). It took awhile but she warmed up to them. The other dogs ate them as well, but not with as much enthusiasm as they do for treats like jerky treats.

The Final Analysis

I recommend these treats. They don't have the flash of a soft treat but it's something to consider when you want to give your dog a healthier biscuit than your typical commercial variety. The low ingredients is going to be more easy on a dog's stomach, especially if they're sensitive. And, you will feel better about it. Thank you again to Chewy.com for making this review possible.

Let's Discuss!

Have you tried the Honest Kitchen Variety? What healthy treats do you love giving your dogs?

It's All Related!

A Treat for Gigi

Newman's Own Organic Snack Sticks

Newman's Own Chicken and Sweet Potato Snack Sticks

Having five dogs in one household has its advantages and drawbacks. One of the advantages is that when you give them a new treat, you'll get different types of feedback. One of the drawbacks is that an average size bag of treats never lasts long. That's why I was really excited for the pooches to try the Newman's Own Chicken and Sweet Potato Snack Sticks. A bag was provided to me to review courtesy of Chewy.com.

Newman's Own Snack Sticks At First Glance

Looking at these when I took them out of the bag, I liked that they were soft, but still had some structure. I also noticed that the treats had grooves which made them easier to measure and break in half for our smaller dogs. They also had a grainy texture which made me think of organic treats versus natural treats.

The Taste

Sometimes, my dogs are iffy with treats that have sweet potatoes in them but in this case, that couldn't be further

from the truth. Fancy (pictured right) ate her treat with relish. She really chomped away in paradise. What I liked even better is that not one dog had a bad reaction on their digestive system. Finally the true indicator of how good these treats were was the fact that they lasted in our house for only two days.

Summing It All Up!

I would highly recommend these treats as an alternative to beef or chicken jerky. Chicken is the first ingredient listed on the bag, which is a nice change to having treats that feature chicken by-products as their main ingredient. Because they are made organically, there's only 11 ingredients that go into each snack stick. It's a good option to also consider if your dog is prone to allergies or has a sensitive stomach. They also are free of corn and wheat by using barley flour instead.

Sold for about $4USD, you can find the Newman's Own Organic Snack Sticks at many brick and mortar stores as well as online. A special thank you to Chewy.com for making this review possible.

Let's Discuss!

What's your favorite organic treat you give your dog?

It's All Related

Organix Dog Cookie Review and Giveaway
A Treat For Gigi
Homemade Dog Treats Part I

Organix Organic Dog Cookie Review And Giveaway

I'm always up for having a new treat to try out on my dogs. This month, Chewy.com was

generous enough to give me these treats by Organix to try on the pooches. When I first received the package in the mail, I realized that there was a substantial amount of cookies in the 12 ounce package (340 grams). They were made to be slightly larger than a quarter and looked like itty bitty vanilla wafers. When I compared them to the size of a quarter, they were slightly larger (pictured right). I also liked that the smaller size would mean that they would last longer with the five dogs that live here.

The Taste Test

One thing that's great about having such different dogs is that they have equally diverse taste. All the dogs, especially Gigi, have been partial to cheese products so I thought to choose the cheddar cheese flavor. The first time, all of the dogs seemed to like it. Yet, after subsequent tastings, Fancy would turn her snout at them. As much as Fancy loves bread and cheese, these didn't float her boat for some reason. It could be the size of the treat since Fancy is so large, and the treats for her were the equivalent of eating a tic tac.

Even though these were a no go with Fancy, I still would like to recommend them. For one, I like that these treats are organic. It's good to know that they use the purest ingredients for them and not commercial grade. My true taste barometers are Cookie and Homer. Since both of them are notorious for loving anything and everything about food, if they don't like it, then the dog treat falls into the lost cause department. The fact that Gigi loved them, knowing how finicky her taste buds can be, is what puts these treats into recommendation territory.

Summing It Up

I recommend these as a healthy alternative. They are certified organic. Another good thing about them is the fact that they're made in the US, which will keep the treats fresher longer. They are ideal for most dogs but are not for every dog, especially if your dog has a choosy pallet.

The Organix Giveaway

Here's a way to win some for your doggies. Fill out the giveaway form below for your dog(s) to indulge in an organic treat from Chewy.com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let's Discuss!

What kind of organic treats do you love giving your dog?

It's all related!

Merrick Jerky Strips Review
Orijen Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Halo Healthsome Review

Pork Chomps Review and Giveaway

This week, I'm proud to present my review about Pork Chomps.

An Alternative To Rawhide

I was first approached to review Pork Chomps and was intrigued by the product. They are made to resemble rawhide but contain no rawhide. Instead, they contain baked pork skins. The pork skins are 99% digestible and leave no slimy pieces behind. It's all natural as well so there's nothing added to make the treat more appealing.

Testing It Out

Living in a house with five dogs gives the ultimate testing environment. I was sent Pork Chomps in all sizes, in twists form, strips and traditional rawhide shapes. This was great for dogs who are small like Harry and Gigi to my largest dog, Fancy (pictured left).
The first sign I knew the dogs were going to like these was when I brought the box in from outside. I had placed it on a chair temporarily and Cookie (pictured above) was jumping up trying to get to the box. The scent of these things made her really excited. Then I gave them all some of the bones. Everyone was chewing away happily and not one of the dogs were distracted. Harry even enjoyed it considering that he has few teeth. He chewed some of it but didn't finish because of his limitations. Of course, Homer wasn't about to let it go to waste.

The Final Conclusion

Everyone really loved them. Not one of the dogs became sick. Prices are comparable to rawhide treats. I highly recommend these to give instead of bones or rawhide. They don't hurt the teeth but still give your dog something to chew. Once, I gave Gigi a bone and it wound up chipping one of her molars. I didn't have anything like that happening here. Cookie gave me her seal of approval when she stole one of the Pork Chomps bags off of the kitchen table and tried to open it in her bed. (I tried to snap a photo of the sneaky girl but she wouldn't stay still).
Since these were such a hit with my pooches, I am returning the favor. Two readers will win a pork chomps package for their dogs to try. Here's how to win:

Contest Rules

Small Dog Package     Large Dog Package

1. Contest starts on Thursday, October 17 and goes until Sunday, October 27 till 11:59pm.
2. Leave a comment on what your dog love for a chew treat. Please also list if you have a small dog or big dog.
3. Contest is limited to those who live in the US and Canada.
4. Only one comment per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
5. Winners will be drawn at random.

Again, a special thanks to Pork Chomps and Fetching Communications for providing Pork Chomps for review. Good luck to you all.

Merrick Jerky Strips Review

Dogs just to seem love jerky. Anytime, I have jerky, my dogs get so excited. It does have a strong scent and is easy to digest. They had no rawhide in them, which is better for the dogs' digestive systems.

Jerky strips in general don't have the coloring added to them that you find in other dog treats. These by Merrick are grain-free. That's why I had no problem when I was asked by Chewy.com to review their Merrick Jerky Strips in Natural Beef. I'd like to thank Chewy.com for providing the complimentary treats for review.

At First Glance

When I first opened the package, the biggest difference I noticed was the texture. Instead of being soft and flexible,

these were hard. It made them easy to break into even pieces to give to the smaller dogs, but in truth, I was perplexed by this. But in the end, as long as the dogs loved it, that's all that really mattered.

The Real Test

It was time to give the Jerky Strips to the ones who really knew what worked and what didn't--my dogs. Gigi, as always couldn't contain her excitement enough. She loved it. So did Cookie and Homer. Fancy is such a big girl, she'll eat anything. So the true test was Harry, our Chinese Crested dog who is pretty much toothless.

All of the dogs loved it. Even our big girl Fancy, who can down a treat in milliseconds took her time to enjoy this treat. She held it between her paws and chomped away.

Final Recommendation

Even though these treats are a little on the pricey side ($5.99 for 2.5 ounces), I think they are good to give your dogs when you want an alternative to rawhide treats. They also make a smart choice for dogs who have sensitive stomachs. Do I think they are good enough replace the soft jerky treats? Not really. I think they don't beat the original soft treats but are nice to give once in a while when you are looking for a little variety or change of pace from the usual.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts about this treat? Do you like giving beef jerky to your dogs?

Natural Balance Jerky Bark Review

When I first heard about Jerky Bark I first thought I was getting a type of jerky that's flavored in sweet potato and fish from Chewy.com that's similar to beef jerky. In actuality, when looking at them up close up and I realized that it was anything but a beef jerky replica.

It's much thicker than a regular jerky treat, roughly 1/4 inch. It comes in four flavor varieties which include: fish & sweet potato, chicken & sweet potato, duck & potato and lamb & brown rice. It's also a harder texture than regular jerky. It resembles the bark of a tree. It's easy to break into smaller pieces and having five dogs around, that's not an easy task.

So How Does It Taste?

The dog I was most worried most about was Gigi. With her sensitive stomach, she will turn her head to certain treats. That's why I was happy to see that this was a limited ingredient treat (L.I.T.). With only 10 ingredients, I knew exactly what was in the treat. Sure enough, Gigi loved eating the dog treat.

I was also worried about our Chinese Crested, Harry. Harry is a dog that has very few teeth. It's a common thing in the Chinese Crested breed that those dogs tend to lose their teeth easily. Happily, Harry ate the treat with no difficulty.

As for the other three, they will eat just about anything. Cookie, Homer and Fancy loved it as well. Anytime I pulled them out, all of them sat with excitement in anticipation.

Final Recommendation

I recommend this treat as an alternative to a regular jerky treat. This treat is ideal for helping to keep tartar down and dogs simply love it. Again, I'd like to send a huge thank you to the folks at Chewy.com, for making this review possible.

Let's Discuss!

Have your dogs tried these treats? What limited ingredient treats do you like making for your dogs?

It's All Related!

Orijen Freeze-Dried Treats Review Mr. Chewy Website Review

The Cesar Cookie Review and Giveaway

Earlier this month, I received a package from the cool folks at Cesar. They have made a new product called Cookie Crunchers. Instead of soft and chewy, these are crunchy. After using them testing them on my dogs, as well as the ones I walk, they are a runaway hit.

All three of my dogs love these. I also walk two small dogs who can be a little finicky when it comes to treats. They smell like beef and chicken not like a cookie.

Win The Chicken and Filet Mignon Flavors!

One lucky winner will get a chance to win these for your pooch. How to win? Please leave a comment below. Want an extra chance? Tweet the following on Twitter:
I just entered Too Kool Doggies Cesar Cookie Giveaway! #TKD

Here are a couple of rules to remember:

1. Contest runs from June 14th to June 28th at 11:59p.m.
2. Only one comment per person. If you would like an extra chance you can tweet the sentence above.
3. Contest is limited to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

Doggy Valentines

Ready For The Oven

This year for Valentine's Day I decided to make the dogs a special treat. I came across this recipe from Tails Magazine and thought this would be a great way to break into the world of homemade dog treats.

What I liked about this recipe is that it used only six ingredients and was easy to make. The one thing I didn't like about it was the cook time (45 minutes) which is a little timely when you are using more than one cookie sheet.

Still, I found the smallest heart-shaped cookie cutters I had. It was a pretty easy

recipe to make. At times, I felt like I was making bread since you knead the dough. The true test were the dogs. All of them, including Gigi, absolutely loved it. One of the best things about making your own dog treats is that there are no preservatives added. Also, this was the one time I could snap a picture of all three dogs together without them fidgeting.

Get The Recipe

You can find the article through this link.

Let's Discuss!

Do you like to make dog treats for your dogs? What's your favorite kind?

Related Posts

Homemade Dog Treats Part I
http://tookooldoggies.blogspot.com/2009/09/more-handmade-dog-treats-part-ii.html
A Treat For Gigi

2 Tips About Rawhide

Photo by mensatic

Rawhide is one of the more popular treats made for dogs. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Dogs love it whether it's natural or specially basted. It shares a similarity to leather, but engages a dog in its primal instincts. However, it posts some dangers.

Photo by CogDogBlog

1. A dog may confuse them with your shoes. Shoes or other objects that are made of leather can be confused with rawhide, so an owner must be vigilant in distinguishing the two items.

2. For dogs who love to chew, this is a treat that will keep them busy. Yet all that chewing will make a dog thirsty. If a dog drinks too much water afterwards, the rawhide can expand in their digestive tract causing bloating and irritation. Therefore, it's important to monitor your dog's water intake after giving it one of these treats.

That's my tips. What's yours?

Thank you all for stopping in.

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Homemade Dog Treats Part I
More Homemade Dog Treats Part II

A Treat For Gigi

Gigi

Ever since Gigi joined the family, she's had a sensitive stomach. Whereas Cookie could eat almost anything under the sun, Gigi, would be a little gun shy when it comes to trying new things.

Last year, I was shopping at Petsmart, I came across some dog treats by Newman's Own Organics. They were chicken flavored and used barley flour as the main ingredient. When I first gave it to Gigi and Cookie, Gigi loved it. This was a huge deal because she is so picky. What's even stranger was the fact that Cookie, the dog that could eat almost anything did not like these at all. If she did eat one, it was because she was coaxed into it.

Nevertheless, we wound up saving these for Gigi and getting Cookie her own special treat. Some treats they both like, but this one will always be special because my finicky dog truly enjoyed them. If you have a picky dog you may want to give these a shot.

Let's Discuss!

Do you have a dog who is really selective on what you give them? What kind of treats work for you?

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Homemade Dog Treats Part I
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