Thursday, June 27, 2013

monthly review: June Pawalla Mini

We had a busy day in the Pober house since we opened both the BarkBox and the Pawalla Mini on the same day. (Both get sent to my P.O. Box. It's a pain to get to the post office with my new work schedule.)
I already posted the BarkBox review so now we'll move on to our Pawalla Mini!
About Pawalla: You can get a standard box or a mini box. Standard boxes come 6-10 full sized products that include wet food, treats, supplements or vitamins, essentials and a toy. Standard boxes range from $21-29 a month depending on your subscription plan. Mini boxes come with 3-5 products that include treats, a toy and surprise item(s) but NO wet food. Mini boxes range from $12-17 a month depending on your subscription plan.
We get a mini box simply because we also get BarkBox and because I don't want them to get picky and only eat wet food :) You fill out information about your dog's age, size, and such so that they can tailor it to your needs.

This was actually the first box we opened so Luna was slightly more interested in examining the outside of the box. She still didn't want to pose though. Such a diva.



Our haul. Luna was really interested in this part.

The first thing we decided to check out was the PushClean Pet Towelettes. Pawalla says "These hypoallergenic, all-natural towelettes are made out of 100% bamboo, which benefits the environment, while also keeping your pet fresh with one easy wipe to remove any excess dirt or dander. These wipes are travel-friendly and also help moisturize which results in a shiny coat and a happy pet!"


These were really cool and tiny so I documented how to open them.

Push it completely down. This allows the towelette to soak up the water and break the seal to open it.


Ares is not amused. I think he knew what came next.

They were actually a pretty good size!


Like the grooming mitts I have received before, I used one wipe on both dogs.


I really liked it but I'm not sure I would buy it. I love the fact that it helps the environment but baby wipes do the exact same thing. I'm going to keep these in my car and we'll see how it goes as I use up the rest of the pack. Maybe I'll have a change of heart and decide that they are a must have. I do really love these though and the size is amazing! I am, however, really interested in the fact that PushClean isn't just for pets - they also have tiny towelettes aimed for removing makeup, insect repellent, and stain remover to name a few. These would be perfect if you aren't anything like me and love to go camping! (Ha! I really do want them though). They are currently $9.99 and can be found here.

We opened the treats next and they were another wigzi product! These were the Stuff n' Crunch Peanut Butter flavor treats. Pawalla says: "Crunchy rolled oats, dry roasted peanuts, salt, and tapioca starch provide an excellent ingredient list for these crunchy treats. Perfect complements for the Wigzi throw toy. Wigzi treats contain no soy, potato, wheat, artificial flavors or colors. This company makes all their products in the US, and a portion of the proceeds from the sales of these products is donated to animal rescue groups and shelters to aid in the placement of homeless animals."



We got a Wigzi toy a few months back and these treats can go into the toy (they're not the treats designed for the toy but it's ok). Now, I'm lazy and my dogs have the hardest time getting treats out of toys like that so I'm just using them as regular treats instead of putting them in the toy but I absolutely adore the concept! It also helps that Ares and Luna adore the treats! These treats are $5.99 and can be found here.

Next, we opened our YoPup Happy Belly treats. Pawalla says: "The pink yogurt drizzle on these biscuits tells you that they contain healthy probiotic bacteria. During the processing and cooking of any dog treats, the good bacteria are killed, but with these biscuits, Happy Belly adds the good probiotic bacteria back to the treats after they are cooked to preserve the activity of the healthy bacteria. Probiotics are a good idea for dogs and for people, and to have them right in a handy treat is a great idea. The treats are wheat free and also contain chicken meal as the base flavor, pomegranates, raspberries, and walnuts. TBD Brands are located in Exeter, NH."


I'm shameless. I got Ares to perform for me. Look at Luna sitting in the background, waiting for her treat! Ares and Luna both loved these treats and I think the drizzle on top of the traditional dog bone shape is absolutely adorable. These are good sized treats so they are perfect to give them when I leave the house. YoPup retails for $5.99 and can be found here.

And last, but not least, our toy. We received the Glow Ball by American Dog Toys. Pawalla says "This soft ball is durable, easy to clean, and even floats for pups that enjoy water play. It's a great ball for fetch, so just hold it under light to activate its glow in the dark feature to keep the fun going all night long!"

Honestly, I could care less about this toy. Ares and Luna don't really fetch balls and back before I discovered that they won't fetch balls, I actually bought this same ball in green at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. I think I would be more excited about it if I didn't already own it or if my dogs liked to fetch. Oh well, can't win them all.
Ares' and Luna's reactions to the ball are HILARIOUS though.


As you can see, they were very enthusiastic.
I did get the ball and threw it again for Ares to see what he would do and this is what happened:


Slightly better, so I'll take it. Right after the video ended though, he dropped the ball and it fell down into the grass. I went and got it back and he promptly did it again. Maybe he was trying to tell me something? Haha!
Seriously though, if you have a dog who likes to fetch, you would probably really like this toy. It has a softer feel to it and doesn't feel like it can be easily torn apart like tennis balls can. Also, it glows in the dark which is just fun. It retails for about $5 and can be found here.

Our mini box contained approximately $20 worth of items so I'm very happy. We are active at the dog park so even the toy won't go to waste, even if Ares and Luna aren't interested.
Want to buy your own Pawalla or Pawalla Mini? Clickity-click this link to get $6.50 off of your first subscription!

monthly review: June BarkBox

I actually got my box this month, guys! WooHoo!
Before I tell you what we got, let me explain BarkBox if you don't know how it works:
it's a company that sends you four or more products every month to try out with your pups. A portion of each months proceeds help doggies-in-need (a different cause every month). The price of the boxes range from $19-$29 a month, depending on the plan you choose (a 6 month subscription is $19 a month, a month to month subscription is $29 a month).

Luna had no interest in posing with the box.



This is our haul.

I'm really excited by the first thing I saw: Dale Edgar's Calm K9 wafers. BarkBox says "Some of our canine counterparts aren't quite enthusiastic about the arrival of fireworks. Dale Edgar's Calm K9 wafers hail from Portland, Oregon, and are complete with omega-3, Vitamin B, and chamomile to soothe frightened nerves. Also recommended for pups with anxiety!"

We haven't tried it yet but we definitely will on July 3 (when we get our fireworks show). We can hear/see the fireworks from my apartment and Luna is already scared when she hears thunder (she barks nonstop). I was going to go looking for something that will help keep her calm during all of the noise and hopefully, this will be perfect! It looks like we got a sample pack but I'm guessing from the cost of the full size container that these were roughly $10. They can be found here.

The next thing I looked at is also something that I haven't opened yet: a Heartland Premium bone. BarkBox says "The BarkBox office pups were as lively as sparklers when they got their paws on a Heartland Premium bone. You can rest easy knowing that these bones are sourced from cows born and bred in Omaha, Nebraska; your pup, on the other hand, will probably need a nap after playtime with this long-lasting chew."

I'm really really torn on this. I want so badly to like this BUT the bone is smoked. Bones that have been cooked in any way can splinter or break the dog's teeth. The website however, says that because the cows are less than 3 years old at the time of slaughter, they don't splinter. I'll probably give this to Ares and Luna under strict supervision (and when I have something else to give them because they don't share!) The bone is $5.40 and can be found here.

And the treats! The first treat bag we opened were the Whole Life treats. BarkBox says "Freeze-dried, single-source proteins, with zero fillers - made with quality meat in the USA. As you grill your burgers and chicken at block parties this summer, bring these treats along so your dog can join in on the fun (or should I say yum?)"


Ares and Luna thought these treats were so yummy! They're kind of on the small side, or at least smaller than I expected them to be, but that's fine - Ares and Luna still gobbled them up and begged for more! These treats cost roughly $5 and can be found here.

The other treats we got came from Puppy Cake. BarkBox says "Puptato Chips are a healthy, all-natural alternative to, well, potato chips! Made with sweet potatoes, these treats are dried (not fried!) so they're low in fat, high in vitamins."

Is it strange that I wanted to eat them myself? (I resisted but Luna couldn't!)


I've actually given these treats to Ares and Luna since as one of their treats when I had to leave the house and Luna spit hers out and wouldn't eat it. I guess she doesn't like them anymore? It doesn't matter, Ares was happy to eat her leftovers! Puptato Chips are $4.99 and can be found here.

And I saved the best for last: Bowser Beer. BarkBox says "Bowser Beer is a beef-based drink without alcohol or carbonation. It's fortified with glucosamine, which is great for joints, and is great as an addition to water, a topper for dry food, or over crushed ice on a particularly hot day. Pup slushies!" 


I had some very eager pups who couldn't wait for their Bowser Beer (they actually spilled it while I was trying to pour the second bowl!)



I'm really disappointed because I have a video on Vine of Ares and Luna drinking their Bowser Beer from the same bowl but it's not actually saved to my phone. If you have Vine, we are Ares and Luna

I'm not sure how Ares and Luna felt about the Bowser Beer. They drank it, but like they would with regular water - they drank some and walked off to do something else. I still have half of the bottle in the fridge so I'll have to try again. I read a news article about Bowser Beer right after getting Ares and I've wanted to get some ever since so I was really excited to see the bottle in our box. I'm really surprised that it's not mentioned in the blurb from BarkBox, but when you order a pack of Bowser Beer, you have the ability to customize your own label for $10 extra. You can name the beer and add a picture of your dog to the label that will be shipped to your house. I want that so bad! (Yes, I already decided on beer names if I ever get it!). A 6-pack is $20 (customized for $30), so I'll estimate that our bottle was $4. Bowser Beer can be found here.

I'll estimate that we got about $30 of goodies in our box this month, which isn't bad.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Canine Influenza vaccine

When Ares was first diagnosed with mange, the vet asked if I wanted to vaccinate against canine influenza. Ares couldn't get it at the time because he wasn't completely healthy but we finally started the series of two shots at the end of May. We had to come back between 2-4 weeks for the second shot. If we missed that time frame, we had to start over again. After the second shot (which we got today), we only vaccinate once a year.

If you're like me, you've never even heard of canine influenza. In fact, in my area, we haven't even had a case of it. But it's coming. And it's not a good illness to catch.

Canine influenza was originally a horse virus but recently spread to dogs. Humans can't catch this from their pups but it is extremely contagious between dogs and humans can actually pass on the virus to other dogs by petting and infected dog then later petting a healthy dog. It's been around for horses for 40 years and made the jump to dogs in 2004 and was initially found in greyhounds. Because it's a relatively new illness, dogs don't have a natural immunity to it, which makes vaccinations important. As of 2006, it has been confirmed to be found in 22 states.

Symptoms of canine influenza include cough, runny nose, and fever but a small portion develop a serious disease. It is an upper respiratory infection which is what really scares me with squishy faced dogs - I will not jeopardize their breathing. Most of the time, when dogs get it, antibiotics will take care of it but in more severe cases, it will cause a secondary infection which includes pneumonia. If not given proper treatment, the death rate is at 50%. The actual mortality rate for dogs that catch the dog flu 5-8%.

Many dog owners are choosing not to vaccinate because they can recover relatively easily and research has shown that once the dog recovers from the flu, they are immune for two years.

I'm sharing this information because I had never heard about it before, which I found surprising. Research the virus and if you think your dog should get it, talk to your vet about it.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

that time I had 5 dogs

More commonly referred to as the worst idea in my life.

The thing about me pet sitting Ginger is that I don't get asked anymore. She gets dropped off and picked up whenever he leaves and comes back. I knew that from the beginning so it doesn't bother me, except the days can change at any time at a moment's notice.

A month or two back, Maximus and Annabelle's owner asked if I could watch them again for about 5 days. I agreed without really checking my schedule and later realized that a couple of days overlap with Ginger's stay (roughly they would come over roughly 2 1/2 days before Ginger went home). I thought I was prepared. I thought I could handle it.
I couldn't have been more wrong. Ginger is an endless bundle of energy and as much as her owner swears she's housebroken, when she steps foot in my apartment, she poops and pees everywhere. And her poop (and gas) can make you throw up. It's awful. And she eats it before I can get to it. Then puts her poop mouth near my face. This is the cause of my love/hate relationship with her. She won't stop sticking her stinky parts in my face.
Maximus, as I said last time, isn't neutered and marks in my apartment. I was prepared (or so I thought) and brought the belly band and pads back out to put on him.
Annabelle isn't spayed either. Her owners made a mistake and thought that her first heat cycle was over when they brought her over. She wasn't. As a result, Maximus was marking even more than usual (like peeing through his belly band overnight), and wouldn't leave her alone. It was disastrous trying to keep Annabelle from getting pregnant (I succeeded, thankyouverymuch). I had to keep them apart every time his belly band came off. It made taking them outside to potty really hard (I kept Maximus on a very short leash next to me and Annabelle on a longer leash) and washing the belly band impossible. I don't have a washer/dryer in my apartment and Mike was always home when I wasn't so the dogs where always out. His belly band was constantly wet and smelled like pee. When I did get a chance to wash it, he peed through it again within hours.
Annabelle wanted to be dominant in the house. She and Luna got into several brawls over that decision, resulting in me trying to grab whatever fur I could to yank them off of each other. Luckily, no one got hurt in those battles and I wonder if it would have fizzled out on its on if I had let them play out. I wasn't a risk I was going to take though.

Mike has forbidden me from ever doing that again, and I don't blame him.