FreshPet: Roxie's favorite new dog food

Roxie and I were recenlty introduced to Freshpet, a new dog food brand on the market that touts it's freshness and natural goodness.

In the wake of the pet food recalls, Roxie and I decided to give Freshpet a try. I fed Roxie this food over the course of several weeks, observing her behavior and speed of eating. Our results are below.


It was love at first sight for Roxie. She seemed to be able to smell the Chicken and Veggies before I could even open the package. I was pleased to see that it was meaty chunks in asealed pouch versus a can full of gloppy, gelatinous goop. I was also happy to see it looked like real food, I think I even saw fresh herbs! Talk about mouth-watering!

Roxie and I both couldn't wait to see what this food was all about and it was feeding time, so I spooned out the correct portion of Freshpet for her size into a bowl on the floor. Roxie is trained to wait for my hand signal before she can eat and this time she just couldn't help herself, she dove right into her bowl of chicken and vegetable and ate it with gusto!

I was so surpised by Roxie's reaction that I called my husband over to see her in action. Within minutes, the food was gone and she was begging me for more. Roxie gave it 2 paws up!

I was impressed, but decided to feed her Freshpet for 2 more weeks to be sure she didn't have loose stool or develop any allergies. So far, so good! Roxie is still enjoying Freshpet and doesn't even look twice at her former kibble of choice.

Where can you get Freshpet? Gristedes in Manhattan and Brooklyn for starters. Click here to find a store in your area.

I'd definitely try this brand again if they were in a grocery store closer to my home. Gristedes isn't a great grocery store and their chain has been shrinking over the past year. I do hope that I will be able to find Freshpet at my local Pathmark, Petco, PetSmart or even via FreshDirect.

DOWNLOAD COUPONS FOR FRESHPET

Got a dog-related product or service you'd like us to try and review? Let us know! Click here to reach me via e-mail.

Warm woofs,
Roxie and her mum

What's up with Roxie?

A few readers have asked what my pup Roxie is up to, so I thought I'd share briefly...you'll see her schedule is quite full! :-)

During the week, she's getting belly rubs and scratches from mommy and daddy. It's a must!

And when she's not modeling (see photo above), she is flinging herself into anything dirty, smelly, or just plain disgusting. Ahhh, the joys of bathtime!



On weekends, she visits nana and grampa in Long Island for some super off leash fun.

And finally, she's working on writing a review as soon as she can get her paws on my laptop. I have to admit, I've been hogging the blog lately. So much news, so little time!

Please stay tuned for Roxie's review of a fantastic pet food company with an emphasis on natural and freshly prepared foods!!

Warm woofs,
Roxie and her mama

Roxie's favorite: Benny's Brownie Bites

On special occasions, I like to give my pup Roxie something yummy and fun to eat as a reward -- Benny's Brownie Bites!

Yes, these brownies sure are a hit among the four-legged kids.

They are made by The Dog's Business (www.thedogsbusiness.com). This small upstart is the brainchild of Jennifer and her Schnauzer Benny. She bakes her 'paw lickin' treats out of her home in Brooklyn and Benny is the official taste tester.

Jennifer uses natural ingredients and also takes special requests, such as doggie birthday cakes, cupcakes, and more.

Roxie went stir crazy the first time she bit into one of those brownie bites. I was amazed at the response, so much so, I took a bite out of the treat myself! Not bad at all...haha! What the heck? They're all natural!

Amid the pet food scare, many owners are having a hard time finding suitable snacks for their dogs. I highly recommend The Dog's Business! As her Web site says, "your dog will love you for it!"


Here's a limited-time offer from The Dog's Business:

Hey Guys!

With all this hoopla about so many dog foods and treats being contaminated with poison, I would like to offer 10% off your total order on my Web site.

I make carob dipped banana chips, mini bones covered in either yogurt, carob or peanut butter with colorful sprinkles, dog brownie bites (a best seller) and other items.

If you would like to place an order please go to www.thedogsbusiness.com and when you get to check out under coupon code put in YUMMO.

I also can do special requests if your dog has allergies or if there is anything special you would like have done for your pup. Just let me know!

Jennifer & Benny
The Dog's Business

Om & Woof!

Every morning, my pup Roxie wakes up and faithfully does her downward facing dog pose. It makes me giggle everytime.

It's interesting how dogs are so limber and can stretch into poses humans can only wish to achieve. Being a yoga lover -- i've done poses in a room warmed to 105 degrees -- I was pleased to see this story about doggie yoga at the Humane Society in Washington. Truly inspiring!

Wanna strike a pose with your pooch? Here are your local options:

Uptown Hound - Upper Manhattan
East Yoga - Downtown Manhattan

Roxie loves to sail!

A friend recently made a keen observation of my new blog. She said, "it looks great, but I didn't see any pictures of Roxie."

I can't believe I forgot to give my precious pup some shine!

So without further ado ...

The photo above is Roxie on our Schnauzers Set Sail event. We had 25 guests and their dogs board the historic schooner Pioneer at the South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan for an afternoon sail around the harbor. This sail was the first of its kind for New York City. And our event has since spawned other cool dog-friendly sails and a cruise.

We had a lovely day on the water and plan to do it again soon.

Dog Trainer to the Rescue! Part 2

So, here’s an update on Roxie’s training.

It turns out, she’s very afraid of people wearing big bulky coats, jerky movements by children, and she’s rude in her greeting to other dogs. All this time I thought she was being barky to protect her people, instead she’s trying to protect herself from scary-looking humans on the street.

With our lady trainer’s guidance, we’re using a clicker to train Roxie and it’s helping the situation greatly. Thanks to the clicker and the cheese treats, I am happy to say that Roxie is improving by leaps and bounds. We give her a “click and treat” everytime she sees a human walking near her and anytime a kid crosses her path. We’ve been doing it for several days and I think by spring she’ll be much more at ease and a happier pooch.

My husband and I still have to do our homework and we’re totally committed to the program. Stay tuned!

Woof! Woof!

Snow + Valentine's Day = Red Booties!

Hey dog lovers!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's Day on this wintry day in the city. We finally got our snow storm and it's quite beautiful. I love it!

I took Roxie out on a brisk walk a few minutes ago ... I was so excited to try out her new red booties I purchased through a breeder friend named Pauline. (Watch video of Roxie sporting her new booties.) She sells them way cheaper than you'd pay in a walk-in dog boutique such as Ritzy Canine or Canine Ranch.

How I adore these red booties, let me count the ways...

* They slip on and off easily, but are doggie wiggle proof
* The candy red color is so festive and eye-catching in the snow
* They are disposable and easy to store in a purse
* They are the first pair of booties Roxie hasn't tried to chew off!

They are a winner in my book! So, show your pooch some love and pick up a pair of these booties. Click here to start shopping!

Dog Trainer to the Rescue!

I'm so excited! I booked an appointment with an affordable and very nice dog trainer. She gave me so much hope about Roxie’s behavioral issues. Sadly, my pup doesn’t know how to properly greet other dogs without scaring ‘em off and then there’s the random barking at strangers while on leash. Geez!!

My New Year’s resolution was to work on getting more training for myself and my husband so we can better understand why our pup does the things she does and how we can make her life happier. Yay!

So I met with the lady trainer and I’m very optimistic that she can help us. She came to our home and evaluated Roxie and worked with us for an hour or so. (I’m keeping the trainer’s name anonymous until I know how things are working out.)

A few interesting tidbits the trainer mentioned was to consider a Gentle Leader harness. It’s a harness that goes around the muzzle and gives the dog owner better control over the pulling dog. We’re also going to work on my dog’s rudeness and fearfulness too.

During our session, the trainer gave her some good smelly treats she doesn’t normally get to have, such as cheese, chicken, deli meat or Fancy Feast cat food. Yes, I thought the cat food suggestion was strange too, but it must be formulated for dogs or something. I’m willing to give almost anything a try!

Well, I gotta run... I am playing fetch with Roxie indoors for exercise – I bet my neighbors downstairs love that!!

I’ll keep ya posted on the training.

Woof Woof!

Cesar Says...

In an effort to keep my New Year's resolution to nip my pup Roxie's off-and-on aggression issues in the bud. I started watching reruns of the Dog Whisperer. Very interesting show! However, he does has many detractors. So I take his advice with a grain of salt.

Here's some tips he has for the New Year...

New Year's Resolutions for Dog Owners
by Cesar Millan (the Dog Whisperer)

I encourage owners to make a commitment to their dogs a priority in 2007! Here are a few New Year's Resolutions I recommend.

1. Walk your dog every day for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Walking with your dog twice a day for 30 minutes is the first step toward improving your relationship with your dog. The walk is the foundation of your relationship. It is a powerful tool that will help you connect with all aspects of your dog's mind.

2. Set rules, boundaries and limitations every day. As a pack leader, you need to set the rules both inside and outside the house. What you allow and don't allow is up to you, but be consistent, use calm-assertive energy, and never, ever correct out of anger.

3. Live in the moment. Start the New Year with a clean slate for you and your dog. Let go of the past. Don't worry about the future. With your dog and in your day-to-day life, you will find many benefits.

4. Schedule playtime with your dog once a week. Play fetch. Go for a swim. Play Frisbee. Run an obstacle course. Just make sure your dog has had a long walk beforehand, and only play for the time you have decided in advance to allot.

5. Share affection...at the right times only. After your dog has exercised or eaten. After your dog has changed an unwanted behavior into a behavior that you asked for. After your dog has responded to a rule or command. Share affection only when the dog is in a calm-submissive state!

You can watch Cesar at work on his show on the National Geographic Channel or online: http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/