Monday, November 30, 2015

Busy Buddy Puppy Twist 'n Treat Dog Toy on Cyber Monday!


Hi everyone! It's Cyber Monday and I decided it would be the perfect day to do our monthly chewy.com review! Chewy.com is an awesome company who ships all of your favorite pet products right to your door! They have amazing customer service and their shipping is incredibly fast. They are one of our favorite companies! We received our toy as part of the chewy.com blogger program in exchange for an honest review.


Today we are reviewing the Busy Buddy Puppy Twist 'n Treat Dog Toy in the medium size. I'm a huge fan of puzzle toys and my dogs really like them, too so this was the perfect choice for this month's chewy review. 


Sorry the toy is dusty.. I put white crumbly treats that are messy in it.

The toy unscrews and you can fill it with treats, dog food or even cream cheese or peanut butter (be sure to check and make sure your peanut butter does not contain xylitol). Then you screw it back together and you can make the toy easier or harder depending on how tight you screw it. 




The dog has to paw at it and nudge it with their nose to get the treats to fall out!


Zoe liked playing with this toy with peanut butter inside!



My dogs had a great time playing with this food toy. It kept them busy for a while and I really like that you can make it easier or harder depending on how tight you screw it. 

The toy is dishwasher safe and comes in three sizes: medium, small and extra small. 

The toy is marketed towards puppies or dogs with a soft mouth so if your dog is a heavy chewer, this might not be the toy for him/her. 

I like that the toy easy to fill and easily cleaned. I would recommend checking it out.
Do your dogs like puzzle toys? 

ZoePhee was provided with a Busy Buddy Puppy Twist 'n Treat toy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Chewy.com is not responsible for the content of this blog post.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Small Business Saturday with Dog Coats from Made By De!


I love supporting small businesses whenever I can and since today is Small Business Saturday, I figured I'd share one of my favorites: Coats Mady By De!  De makes custom coats to fit any size dog and she is amazing to work with. I would highly recommend checking out her store! You can also check out her blog, Aussies In Charge


Zoe and Phoenix love their coats from De and they stay nice and warm!

You can see our review on these coats by going here: Winter Is Coming!

Do you have any favorite small businesses?

Friday, November 27, 2015

Fall Fit Dog on Black Friday!


Happy Black Friday everyone! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!


This past week wasn't our best for exercise ever. Between me being sick and the weather being awful we only made it out to the big park a few times. I'm so lucky that my girls are okay with some down time and they don't get bored and get into things. The days that we didn't go to the park we still got a couple of good leash walks in, so they weren't stuck in the house the whole time.

Hopefully next week will be better! Have an awesome weekend everyone!

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and lots of tasty food! The girls, my husband and I are going to my friend's house for dinner! We are so excited because Zoe really loves their dog Marley. Marley was one of her first dog park friends. She's going to be so excited and happy.

Today I am thankful for good dogs, a great husband, awesome friends and all of you!

Thank you for coming back to my blog and leaving me so many fantastic messages! <3

Here's a picture of Zoe and Marley a few years ago! :D

Are you doing anything for Thanksgiving?

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

PL360 Hip & Joint Formula and Anxiety Relief Review


Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic day! Today I have a two-in-one review for you on supplements from PL360. PL360 is a company for pet lovers everywhere and their goal is to make pet care simpler for everyone. They only use safe natural ingredients in their products and they have a full range of items from health supplements to grooming and also clean up.


We were pretty excited when PL360 contacted me and asked if we would like to review some of their supplements. If you've been following me for a while, you will know that the girls are really active. Phoenix is the most active of the two and is always flying over some obstacle out at the thousand acre park we like to run at. She's a little firecracker and doesn't always think before she does something and both of the dogs are starting to get older. I've been noticing that they were coming home a little sore on longer runs and hikes. With both dogs being so active, I decided that supplementing them for their hips and joints would be a good idea.



Ingredients:
Glucosamine HCI - 500mg
Chondroitin Sulfate - 400mg
Vitamin C (Manganese Ascorbate) - 33mg
Manganese (Manganese Ascorbate) - 5mg

Beef flavor, brewers yeast, cheese flavor, silicon dioxide, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, cellulose, xanthan gum. 

We've been giving the Hip & Joint for about 6 weeks now and I have noticed that the dogs are not as sore on our longer park trips.


Since Zoe has general anxiety, we decided to try the PL360 Anxiety Relief in addition to the Hip & Joint Formula. Her anxiety ranges from noise phobias, to vet visits and anything in between. Her major one is the noise phobia and being out of her element, like visiting a friend's house for dinner.

Ingredients:
Chamomile - 150mg
Passionflower Powder - 100mg
GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) - 100mg
L-Theanine - 50mg
L-Tryptophan - 33mg
Thiamine (Mononitrate) - 4mg
Ginger Root Powder - 2.5mg

Beef flavor, brewers yeast powder, liver powder, magnesium stearate, cellulose, silicon dioxide, stearic acid, thiamine mononitrate.

I noticed a big difference when giving Zoe the Anxiety Relief. She has been coming out of the bedroom more, she has been more relaxed when my neighbors are banging around above us and when we went to my friend's house for dinner she was a lot more relaxed than the last time we were there.



I'm really happy with both supplements. The dogs have been doing great on them. The only downside to these is that both girls turned their noses up to them and didn't like the taste. That was easily fixed by rubbing a bit of (safe, xylitol-free) peanut butter on them. Once they smelled like peanut butter the girls easily gobbled them up.

The dogs are less sore on longer hikes and Zoe is definitely less anxious in her "trigger" situations. We even had a dog friend come over and spend the night and the girls were pretty calm about it. I will definitely be ordering more of these when we run out!

If your dog has a need for Hip & Joint care or Anxiety Relief, I would recommend checking PL360 out! You can also find them on facebook!

Have you ever tried a supplement before? How did your dog do on it?





Monday, November 23, 2015

Wind Blown!


We've had a few days of beautiful sunshine but with that sunshine came some really horrible wind! In some areas they were saying it would be hurricane force winds up to 75mph! We've got a lot of branches down over here and the leaves are blowing around like crazy. Luckily we didn't lose power! The girls are not a fan of freezing wind so wearing their pajamas is a must! We were all super happy with a break from all the rain, though!

Are you having any crazy weather where you are?

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Pajama Weather!


It's been so cold lately that the girls have been wanting to wear their pajamas! They got these ones from their Grandma who is handy with a sewing machine! :D

Does your pup have pajamas?

Also, if you're following us on instagram (@zoepheedogs) you can see this photo in color! :D

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Please Comfort Your Dog When They Are Scared!


The other night we had our smoke alarm alert us to a low battery. It does this by going off and screaming about how the battery is low. It went off at bedtime. If you all remember, Phoenix was rescued from a house fire and she is terrified of the smoke detector. We have no idea how long she was in the house with a screaming smoke detector but it obviously left a lasting impression. She was rescued by firefighters.

We didn't realize we had a problem with Phoenix being afraid of the smoke detector until a little over a year of having her. I probably should of known that it would be an issue and I'm not sure why I didn't think about it, knowing where she came from. I feel really bad that I didn't try to work on it sooner. In our old apartment, the thing never went off. When we moved to our inlaw's house, their smoke detector is extra sensitive and the first time it went off, Phoenix had a PTSD-like episode where she actually reverted back to her pre-adopted state. She was extremely fearful and would not come out of the closet and she would just shake nonstop. She would also shy away from anyone trying to touch her, a problem we hadn't had since we got her. It is absolutely the saddest dog thing ever. I hate watching her go through this fear. Since then we have been working on it but it's very slow going.

You hear all the time how if your dog is afraid you should just ignore them. You don't want to "reinforce their fear with any sort of coddling because it will make them more fearful".

I am here to tell you that is just not true. It is OKAY to comfort your dog when they are afraid and I urge you to do so. You can't reinforce their fear by giving them comfort. Fear is an emotion not a behavior. You can only reinforce behavior. If you would like to read a more in depth article on why this is true, please visit my friend Eileen's blog: It's OK to Comfort Your Dog!

Now when I say comfort your dog, I don't mean clutch the dog to your chest while screeching in a high pitched voice "It's OKAY!!!" over and over. Don't do that. That CAN make them more nervous, if you're afraid they will be afraid, too. Think about the last time you were scared or anxious, what made you feel better? When I'm anxious, a hug from my husband can be really helpful to me. Since dogs are not big fans of hugs, let's stick to scratching them in their favorite spot or something similar.

Try to be as calm as you possibly can. I know sometimes our own emotions can get the better of us, especially when we are having to witness our dogs go through something unpleasant. It's better if you can keep an even, quiet tone, while petting them gently. Or whatever the dog will like that might help them feel better.


So let's talk about what I did with Phoenix when the smoke alarm went off. The first thing I had my husband do was unplug the stupid thing and take the battery out. We knew that when we put a new battery in that it would screech again. So I got ready for that by getting some high value treats out. As soon as he plugged it back in, I started feeding Phoenix as quickly as possible. (This was my attempt at Counter Conditioning, however I would like to note that she was probably over threshold already since the noise had already gone off and she was scared. Counter Conditioning works much better if you are able to keep the dog under threshold and do it before the thing is so scary. Noise phobias are very complicated and hard to treat because they are unpredictable.) I am lucky that as long as the food is very good she will still eat it. Some dogs when they are very scared won't take food at all. If that's your dog, then you just do what you can for them. Getting away from the scary thing is important as well, so if you can move the dog to a different location that would be a good idea. Our apartment is small so unfortunately we don't have that option.

Even after the smoke alarm stopped screeching at us, Phoenix was still very visibly shaken and upset. If I wasn't interacting with her directly, she would run around the house with her tail tucked looking for a safe place to hide. I continued interacting with her, giving her treats asking for very simple known behaviors that would be easy for her to do to distract her. All while quietly praising her and giving her scratches in her favorite spots. Then when she was a little more calm, I broke out one of her favorite toys and encouraged her to play with me, getting her to play with me did take a while. She was still very nervous and didn't really want to but eventually she couldn't resist her favorite toy. When we were done playing, I took both dogs out for their nightly "before bedtime" walk. We actually went further than we usually do and I think the walking also helped her to calm down. Once the walk was done, when she came back inside she was mostly back to normal and we were able to go to bed. This whole process took around two hours but it was so worth it to me! My dog's emotional health is more important than sleep and always will be.

So if your dog is scared, it is okay to comfort them and don't let anyone tell you not to!

I was unable to take any photos during the time I was dealing with Phoenix being afraid. I hope no one minds cute photos instead of fearful ones.


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Pamper Your Pup with a Padded Harness & Rope Leash from Hurtta!

Hurtta Padded Harness, Hurtta Rope Leash
Zoe & Phoenix

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fabulous day! Today I have an exciting new review for you on the Padded Y Harness from Hurtta and their Mountain Rope Leashes! I've posted a bunch of photos of the girls in their new harnesses and now it's time for a review on them! We've been testing these harnesses for about a month and half. I've always been a huge fan of Hurtta for years and these harnesses did not disappoint me! I'm so excited to share these great harnesses and leashes with everyone.

The Hurtta Collection is designed for the everyday life of active dogs!

Hurtta Classic Padded Harness
Phoenix & Zoe sporting the Classic Hurtta Harness

My love affair with Hurtta goes way back! All the way back from when we first got Zoe about 4 years ago! We started out with the Classic Hurtta Harness. (Pictured above) We still have our Classic Hurtta Harnesses and they have lasted a very long time and they still look fairly new. I live in Oregon and it's important that my gear is able to hold up to rain, mud and muck. These harnesses have been through the washer more times than I care to admit and they have definitely stood up to my high standards! I really like the Classic Hurtta Harness, it's a great Harness but it does sit right across the neck as you can see if you look at Phoenix (left). Phoenix has been having some issues with her throat with coughing if I happen to attach a leash to her collar. I started to worry about putting pressure on her throat so I decided it was time to look for a new harness that sits lower and doesn't cut right across.

I believe harnesses are very beneficial to dogs, especially smaller dogs who suffer from trachea issues but all dogs can benefit from a harness that fits them well. I personally try not to attach a leash to their regular collars very often. If you would like to read a more in depth article on why it is harmful to attach a leash to your dog's collar I would highly recommend reading THIS article by Emily Larlham.

Hurtta Padded Y Harness
Phoenix showing off her harness. The glow is from the sun hitting it only.
Hurtta Padded Y Harness
Phoenix shows how the Y harness got it's name!

We received two Padded Y Harnesses in size 28. The Y harness sits lower than traditional harnesses, right at the breast bone (instead of cutting across the neck). The neck strap and the strap that go between the legs are padded with neoprene. The girth strap is not padded and is the only point of adjustment. The girth strap not being padded has not been a problem for us and I have not noticed any rubbing from it not being padded. The one point of adjustment is just fine for us because the girls are full grown dogs. They will not be getting any bigger so it wasn't important to me to be able to adjust the neck.

I used my camera's flash to show how the gear reflects light!

The harness (and leashes) are fitted with super efficient 3M Schotchlite Reflectors that are so bright you won't be missed if you are walking your dog at night and a car goes by! Scotchlite Reflectors work by returning the light back to it's source, such as vehicle headlights or even camera flash and regular sunlight. If you remember, night safety is very important to me as we live next to a busy road and the people in my complex drive too fast. We've nearly been hit by a car before so I always make sure the gear I get for my dogs is super visible. Check out this really neat video by Hurtta of them walking dogs at night to see how awesome the reflectors are: Hurtta - Another night at Portree

Hurtta Padded Y Harness
Zoe says, "Hurtta! Let's Dance!"
Zoe perching.
Phoenix comfortable laying down in her harness.
Phoenix shows the top of the harnss on her back.

Both of the girls were able to move comfortably and do all their tricks in the harnesses. The harness did not restrict any movement. They seem very happy in their harnesses. They put their heads right through them and pick up their paw for me when it's time for them to get "dressed". They seem super comfy and that makes me so happy. Their comfort is incredibly important to me! I'm very pleased with these harnesses. They have not been able to back out of them or escape from them but my dogs are not really escape artists.

I would say the only downside to the harnesses is that they only have one point of adjustment (the girth strap). If you have a young dog who is still growing this can be problematic. Zoe did grow out of her first classic harness but it fits Phoenix just fine. Hurtta has an answer to that problem and now offers another harnesses (Active) with more points of adjustment. I would be very interested in checking it out some time and seeing how it compares to the Y Harness and the Classic Harness.

The Padded Y Harness is durable (It definitely is!!! It stood up to Zoe going squirrel CRAZY and Phoenix trying to chase a CAT!) Hurtta has 5 available colors for the harnesses: Black, Birch, Raspberry, Juniper and Cherry. The harnesses are also machine washable, which I have tested and they always come through just fine. I do use a laundry bag for all of the dog gear to protect it, though!

I really like these harnesses. They keep our dogs very comfortable whether it's hiking in the woods or playing in the fields or getting super muddy going for walks around my apartment complex. Phoenix hasn't coughed at all since we started using them, either!  I would also like to note that the leash attachment on the harness is very easy to pop through the hole on their raincoats and it makes it so much more convenient to find it when I'm ready to attach their leashes.

These harnesses (and leashes) pretty much glow in the dark if a light hits them. I absolutely love and appreciate the level of safety they provides us with on our night and early morning walks.

I would definitely recommend checking these harnesses out! Your dog will love the comfort they provide!

Hurtta Rope Leash

I have been obsessed with Rope Leashes from a young age. I got my family dog, Moe when I was 15 and he had a lot of rope leashes. Moe got a new rope leash at every dog show I took him to. So I have a ton of experience with different kinds. Unfortunately when Moe passed away, his leashes mysteriously disappeared. I'm not sure what my family did with them but I was pretty sad about it.

Hurtta definitely made my day when they sent me these Mountain Rope Leashes to try out. I actually squealed like a little kid when I opened the package and saw how beautiful they are!

Hurtta Rope Leash
These were flashed so you can see how bright the reflectors are!

These leashes are highly durable and also come with same 3M Scotchlite Reflectors as the harnesses. The leashes are comfortable to hold in your hand and they feature light aluminum clips. The aluminum is stainless. The Mountain Rope leashes are very similar to climbing rope and are machine washable. They come in 5 colors: Black, Birch, Raspberry, Juniper and Cherry.

We were sent two leads to try out. They are both 6ft long. The bright pink one is 1/4" wide and the black one is 1/2" wide. The 1/2" wide black one does fit in my hand better but I love how light the 1/4" wide pink one is. The 1/4" wide one would be great for my readers who own small dogs. I have been using it on Zoe on her back clipping harness but it's so light that I've also been using it on Phoenix's gentle leader head collar. I like that it doesn't weigh her face down when she's wearing a head halter and it bothers her a lot less to wear it with a lighter leash attached. 

Hurtta Rope Leash
I love how the brand etched their name in the aluminum! So neat!
Hurtta Rope Leash
Phoenix holds her leash! Check out the O ring on the handle!

One of my favorite features of the Mountain Rope Leashes is the O ring that is attached to the handle of the leash. When my dogs go to their favorite park, they run off leash and the easiest way to lose a leash is by stuffing it in your pocket. I prefer to wear my leashes "Miss America style" over my shoulder. It works out so much better and I have never lost a leash that way. The O ring is so useful because you can just clip the leash to itself and throw it on over your shoulder, super easy.

Hurtta Rope Leash
Phoenix says "Let's go for a walk!"
Hurtta Rope Leash
Zoe sits pretty while holding her leash!

I am very impressed with the Mountain Rope Leashes. They are high quality, they are beautiful and they are gentle on my hands. They are very sturdy leashes and stood up to my dogs going a little nuts over the squirrels who were teasing them. My dogs are not perfect by any means and they do occasionally pull. These leads don't hurt your hands when the dog pulls. They feel very strong and I am sure they will last me a really long time, just like our harnesses have lasted. 

I love Hurtta products, they are absolutely one of my favorite brands, they have wonderful customer service and I highly recommend checking them out. You will not be disappointed.

The Holidays are coming soon and your dog definitely needs some new Hurtta gear in their stocking!

You can also check Hurtta out on Facebook and I would recommend "liking" their page so you get all of their latest news and updates!

If you want to find a retailer in America go here: Hurtta247 Retailers
If you need help with sizing just go here: Hurtta247 Sizing.

ZoePhee was provided with 2 Padded Y Harnesses and 2 Mountain Rope Leashes in exchange for an honest review. The Classic Hurtta harnesses we purchased ourselves. All opinions are my own and Hurtta is not responsible for the content of this blog post. ZoePhee only shares information that we feel is relevant to our readers.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Give Your Dog The Taste of Turkey with Spring Naturals!

Zoe

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic day!

Today I have a review for you on Spring Naturals! We were so excited when were asked to review this food, especially with Thanksgiving on the way!

Turkey Day is almost here and some dogs like Phoenix are sensitive to all the rich foods and are unable to participate in the festivities with people food. Don't worry, though! Spring Naturals has you covered with their Turkey Dinner! That way your beloved pooch can still have the taste of turkey and you can feel like they are part of the celebration!

They also have beef, chicken, lamb and salmon dry formulas available. They also offer a variety of wet foods, too. If you happen to be a cat, that's not a problem! They have kitty food!


Spring Naturals Turkey Dinner is completely balanced, grain free and contains a savory blend of real turkey, whole vegetables and whole fruits. Real turkey is the first ingredient, plus the food also has a combination of protein sources like whole chickpeas, green peas and eggs. The food does not contain any beef, chicken, turkey, lamb or fish meals of any kind.

There is absolutely no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, by-products, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors!

Ingredients: Turkey, chickpeas, peas, dried eggs, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dicalcium phosphate, sun-cured alfalfa, flaxseed, sweet potatoes, natural flavors, salt, spinach, tomato pomace, calcium carbonate, blueberries, cranberries, apricots, carrots, potassium chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, chicory root extract, dandelion greens, mixed tocopherols (preservative), rosemary extract, choline chloride.

Spring Naturals gets a 4 star rating on Dog Food Advisor


Phoenix

Phoenix does have a sensitive tummy and she will often have a reaction to rich people food, so I am happy that she can still be a part of our Thanksgiving with Spring Naturals without getting sick.

Zoe

We feed a rotational diet with the girls and they are both doing extremely well on Spring Naturals! We have not had any tummy upsets and even Zoe who is picky with food at times has been eating this food without me having to coax her. Spring Naturals Turkey Dinner is a great dog food and I would recommend checking it out!

ZoePhee was provided with samples of Spring Naturals in exchange for an honest review. We were not monetarily compensated. All opinions are my own. Spring Naturals is not responsible for the content of this blog post. Please do your own research on dog food before switching your dogs. When in doubt, please consult a professional.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Zoe Makes A New Friend!


We were out at Thousand Acres the other day when we happened across this young shepherd, unfortunately, I didn't get his name! Zoe really enjoyed playing with him! It's very unusual for my dogs to make friends with shepherds. Traditionally, they have not really liked any of the ones we've met. For some reason they are both really wary of dogs with ears that are all the way up and Zoe's had some bad experiences with them and usually Phoenix will screech in fear at a shepherd.


It definitely surprised me that both of my dogs were happily playing with this guy. He was a young intact male and they had a blast running around with him. I hope we get to see him again some time! My dogs need shepherd lessons that not all of them are going to be aggressive with them.

Does your dog have a breed they don't like?

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Get Out Of Here, Rain!


I know that it's Oregon but I was spoiled a little during the dry summer we had. The girls are hating the rain so much! It does spoil our fun a lot but I know it's needed! Hopefully it goes back to more of light mist than a downpour. Downpours are the worst! There is no quicker way to ruin my dogs' day than to rain buckets!

I hope everyone is having an awesome weekend! Is it raining where you are?

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Snuggling Sisters on Saturday


It's cold, rainy and miserable outside! The best thing to do is snuggle and wait out the poor weather! If it was up to the girls they would not go out in the rain at all. LOL!

Is your dog okay going out in bad weather?

Friday, November 13, 2015

Too Sick For Fit Dog Friday


Happy Friday the 13th everyone!

So I've been really sick. I have the worst cold right now and I think it's probably more along the lines of a sinus infection and probably some bronchitis coming on, too. I can't stop coughing. It has been awful. So that being said, we have not done much in the fitness department this week. Luckily, my husband was feeling better than me and did take the girls to the park a couple of times and he snapped some photos for me as well. The rest of the time has been leash walks and indoor activities!


It's not too often that my husband it out alone with the dogs and he said that Phoenix kept hanging back and checking out the other people that were there to see if I was going to show up. How sweet is that? She doesn't usually wander up to random people so I do believe she was looking for me.


Zoe was her normal happy go-lucky self and she didn't care that I wasn't there. Which is fine by me. I'm glad she was comfortable and herself without me being there.

The forecast is calling for a lot of crazy ran throughout the next week so I might not have a Fit Dog Friday post next week. At this point, anything could happen and I'm just not sure. I hope everyone has a great weekend!