Monday, May 2, 2011

Purina Pro Plan Selects Review: Scout is part of the family

Enter to Win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

This is a sponsored review by BlogHer and Purina.



Scout as a puppy

This past week, during our daughter’s horse-themed birthday party, we served oatmeal cookies. We like theme parties and we always make sure our food fits the theme. Oatmeal cookies were a natural fit as the “oats” to accompany the carrots and apples that horses would also eat (and that humans do, too).

Well, a little toddler at the party was holding one of those oatmeal cookies and, apparently, at her height, our dog Scout must’ve thought, “Clearly, she is offering me this tasty treat,” because Scout jumped up, grabbed the cookie, and ran to hide under the coffee table to eat it before anyone could stop her. She’s quirky that way. She loves her doggie cookie treats and does the same thing when we give her one of those, even though we’ve never, ever, ever tried to take one away from her.

Scout and me

Well, there was one massive problem with this incident. The cookies had raisins, and raisins are very toxic to dogs. I had just read that little bit of information the previous week in an article on keeping dogs healthy and safe. To say I was freaked out was an understatement. We called the vet immediately and she confirmed the danger and instructed us on how to cause Scout to vomit what she had eaten so that the toxins wouldn’t reach her kidneys and cause renal failure or death. I. Was. Terrified.

Scout is all of 10 pounds, so I was worried that it wouldn’t take much bad stuff to make her very sick. I tried desperately to hold it together and keep the party upbeat (thankfully, our kids had no idea any of this was going on). But after much pacing with a really bad stomachache from worry, I stole away to a quiet room of the house while the kids watched “Secretariat” and texted my husband to tell him I was FREAKING out and crying in another room. He came to find me and reassure me and together we went back to the backyard where Scout was looking none too pleased with the whole “inducing vomiting” thing.

I love this picture – it shows the joy of having a puppy.

I spent the next several hours wracked with worry. Remember how I had never had a dog growing up? Remember how I didn’t want a dog? Remember how when we first got her, I thought, “What on earth have we done?” Remember how I swore I wouldn’t become one of those people whose dog is like part of the family?

A close-up of her cute, little face

Well, somewhere along the line, I became totally enamored of this sweet puppy. I’m so glad we have her. I often look at her and exclaim, “You are so cute! I’m so glad we brought you home!” Yes, I talk to her. Did I ask you? I’m Portuguese. I say things with passion and I’ve been known to show love with food.

During that afternoon of worry, it was even more abundantly clear to me that I had, despite all the things I’d thought and said when we first reluctantly decided to get a dog, fallen for this “furball of happiness” as we call her. Despite my saying that I wouldn’t become “one of those” pet owners, I so have. I love Scout and she most definitely is part of the family.

Scout, in need of a haircut

Thankfully, we were able to get Scout to, um, give up the contents of her stomach. All the raisins were out and she was, thankfully, healthy and fine. I was over-the-moon with relief.

Just as I would never intentionally let Scout eat anything bad for her, I want to make sure that whatever she does eat is good for her. Like I said, she is part of the family. We try to eat healthily and, therefore, we try to make sure that Scout does, too.

Me and Scout in our backyard
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Since this past summer, our family has been geeking out on nutrition – you know, generally trying to eat healthy foods and avoiding nasty things like preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.

We’ve watched great films including “Food, Inc.” and “Super Size Me.” We’ve signed up with a local farm cooperative to get fresh, organic fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis. We’ve really taken to reading labels and ingredient lists. We generally don’t eat processed foods. We garden. We’re trying to eat more vegetarian meals. We’re working on, for the most part, staying away from artificial colors and flavors. We’re making sure we get good proteins from good sources.

Gardening with Scout

I have given a lot of thought as to how to incorporate healthy eating in Scout’s life, too. I’ve read many, many articles researching what foods are healthiest for dogs. Is it okay to feed her table scraps? What dog foods are best? How do I make sure it’s healthy dog food?

Thing 2 and our sweet Scout

I’ll admit that we do give her table scraps now and then (toast and meat being her favorites) but of course I feel good that when we do, she’s getting unprocessed, natural, preservative-free foods, since that’s what we eat, too.

Now, for her main nutrition, we mostly want Scout eating her “kibble,” since the man from whom we got her explained to us novice dog owners that crunching on kibble is how dogs clean their teeth (who knew?).

Well, our little Scout has a will, and from the beginning, she has resisted eating kibble. We have tried every trick in the book – we’ve spooned broth over the kibble (but just enough to keep it crunchy), we’ve mixed crumbs of toast in with the kibble, we’ve put all-natural peanut butter all over the kibble. Most of the time, those tricks work. But, by and large, though we’ve tried various kinds of dog food, she hasn’t ever loved kibble enough to go out of her way to eat it on a regular basis, not without any of our tricks anyway.

Scout sitting behind Mark while he works

So when BlogHer asked me if I was interested in reviewing Purina Pro Plan Selects dry dog food, I jumped at the chance to try a new (and healthy!) kind of dog food and get to write about it, too!

And this dog food is seriously healthy!! The reason Purina calls this dog food “Selects” is because they actually choose what they put in it as well and what they don’t put in it. This dog food does not contain corn, soy, wheat, artificial colors, artificial flavors, or preservatives. I wish I could say the same about more human food!

This product is a natural product. The #1 ingredient is real, natural protein - your choice of chicken, turkey, beef, or salmon.

Pro Plan Selects is sold exclusively at pet specialty retailers (we got ours at PetSmart – we love to go there because we can take Scout inside!). Check out the Pro Plan Selects website for lots more information. Or you can call them toll free at 1-800-PRO-PLAN.

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Clearly, trying out this dog food was a no-brainer for me. My only worry was, “OMG, what if Scout won’t eat it without trickery? How will I be able to write an honest, glowing review??”

Well, I’m happy to report that absolutely NO trickery has been necessary. We have never seen Scout take to any dog food like she has to this one. The day we brought it home, we set it down in the mudroom near her other dog food. When we sat down to dinner, Scout, who usually is begging food off of all of us the whole time (seriously, we’re new to this dog thing and have no clue what we’re doing) wasn’t at our feet. She was whimpering and scratching at something in the mudroom.

Kids and Scout in the mudroom on a snowy day


“What is she doing?” I asked out loud.


Sweet Scout

And then, as the unspoken answer dawned on me, I could tell by the look on everyone’s faces at the table that it was dawning on all of us. Could it be? Was she seriously scratching at and asking for kibble?? The kibble that I would get to review for BlogHer and Purina??

We held our breath and walked around the corner. Yes, indeed! Not only was she whimpering and standing on her hind legs sniffing at the bag, she was also trying to tear into it by jumping up and biting the top of the bag with her teeth!

Never, I repeat, never has Scout voluntarily chosen to walk away from the family dinner table at meal time to show any kind of preference at all for any kind of dog food. Dog food has never trumped human food. That is, until this dog food.

Celebrating Scout’s 1st birthday with a toast and peanut butter “cake.”

I’m so happy to be able to report that Scout LOVES it. She eats it daily. Without trickery. She asks for it when her bowl is empty (okay, by “asks,” I mean “demands”). She eats it even when we’re right there eating toast. And, funniest of all, we’ve recently discovered that she is getting up in the night and sneaking into the kitchen to eat it, cleaning her bowl handily every day by morning. Yeah, we know, it’s our own fault. We shouldn’t leave it out like that.

But, you see, it’s never been a problem in the past. We used to leave her dog food out constantly in the hopes that she would, you know, eat it. It would often take her days to eat one bowl of kibble. Now, every morning we’re greeted with a newly empty bowl that we gladly fill with healthy dog food that she happily and willingly eats.

Couch Cuddles with Scout –
I love this picture.

We’re amazed. We may actually have to do what we’ve often heard you should do – feed them once or twice a day and then put the bowl away so that they’re not eating all day long. We’ve never had to worry before! But, thankfully, now we do, because she’s actually eating her food. And that’s a good thing. Amazing. Amazing!

We’re thrilled. But really, we shouldn’t be surprised.

Our family on vacation at the beach

We sit on the couch. Scout sits on the couch. We like to snuggle with blankets. Scout likes to snuggle with blankets. We like toast. She likes toast. We like all-natural popcorn. She likes all-natural popcorn. We play in the backyard. She plays in the backyard. We like cookies. She likes cookies (but without raisins or chocolate). We like late night snacks. She likes late night snacks. We love her. She loves us.

Our family – all 5 of us. :)

We try to eat good and healthy foods, so it should come as no surprise that she wants to, too. After all, Scout is very much a beloved part of our family.

Interested in trying for yourself? Click here for a $3.00 Pro Plan Selects Coupon.

---------------

As part of this review program, you can enter to win a $100 Visa gift card provided by BlogHer to a Sushi and Pizza reader! See? Aren’t you glad you read my blog?

To enter, just post a comment below and tell us about a beloved pet that is part of your family. It can be a childhood pet, a pet you now have, or even a story about someone else’s pet that you love. C’mon, I want to know to know that I’m not the only sucker out there that has been totally whooped by this adorable dog that sits curled up in my lap as I type this.

**You must include your e-mail address in your comment in order to win.** It won't be used for anything except as a way to contact the winner. To avoid spam bots, you can leave it like this: boquinha AT gmail DOT com.

Rules:

1. No duplicate comments. Your comment MUST include your email address (see above).
2. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
e) Giveaway runs from May 2nd through May 31st, 2011.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

But wait, there's more! Several other bloggers are also giving away $100 Visa gift cards! Check out the BlogHer Purina round up page to learn more.

216 comments:

  1. We are about to get a puppy in a few weeks, but a beloved pet in our family is my mom's poodle Pepper. He's very affectionate and he watches TV like a person.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. tweet:

    http://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/65108713601630208

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. yoshi is our family pet and he is definitely a part of the family, sleeping on the bed and snuggling! scg00387 at yahoo dot com

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  4. http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/65220958780260352 scg00387 at yahoo dot com

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  5. How sweet!! I love that y'all celebrated her 1st b-day with that cake. She's so cute.

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  6. I have a cat named Houdini, who we think is a ragdoll, we got him at the shelter, but he acts and looks like one. We called him Houdini because when we tried keeping him in the utility room when we first got him, he kept getting out by using his paws to open the doors, ever so carefully. He acts like a baby and dog; he likes to be held over our shoulders like a baby, and follows us around like a dog.
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. tweet
    robinlscott
    http://twitter.com/#!/robinlscott/status/65232622569275392
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Our dog Max is family, we do everything together from jogging, running errands and watching TV.

    ReplyDelete
  9. http://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/65287244239470592

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  10. What a great post...and can I just say that I was standing in the pet food aisle last night, reading all the labels on dry cat food? Almost every single one, even the really expensive ones had corn or some corn product as the first and/or second ingredients. I just don't get it. I mean, I do--cheap corn and all that, but still . . .
    And I love the photo of Scout in need of a haircut!!!

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  11. We have a little dog, too--an eight-year-old chihuahua named Kali. I couldn't do without her. She sleeps on my lap, and sleeps, and sleeps. All that beauty rest makes her the prettiest pup anywhere.

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Tweeted you!
    http://twitter.com/#!/Ida_Sessions/status/65547057661878272

    ReplyDelete
  13. My cat would not care for the ProPlan, but I will enjoy the $100 Visa card. She likes to sleep with me, curled up behind my knees.
    Thanks for the contest.

    slehan at juno dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. blogged: http://slehan.blogspot.com/2011/04/win-100-visa-from-pro-plan-blogher.html

    slehan at juno dot com

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  15. Your Scout is so adorable...what a face!
    We have two pets (our babies), Shadow our cat and Ruby our dog. Both are an important part of our family. Even our kids refer to them as their fur brother and sister.
    Thanks so much.
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a wonderful story! :]

    My current dog is special to me and our family, because he brought joy and love that we never expected. :]

    ekieuuu@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. http://twitter.com/#!/ekieu/status/65580089785589761

    ekieuuu@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Our familygirls are our loves, they are our lights and brighten our day with every paw print and nose snot we see.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  20. I tweeted tweet http://twitter.com/cstironkat/status/65657532353490944

    cstironkat at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Milele and Kouga are a huge part of our family. Our family loves to go hiking and camping together with our dogs and they love it. They are always up for an adventure.

    cstironkat at aol dot com

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  22. Our dog is 10 years old and is like family member to us.

    rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/rhoneygee/status/65691332693336064

    rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Our dog Molly will be 8 in October. She is already walking stiffed leg and she is over weight. I would try this food to help her.
    whit1966@gmail.com

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  25. Thanks for all the comments so far! It's fun to hear about your pets.

    Just so you know, there IS a Purina Pro Plan Selects Formula for cats, too!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. One of my favorite pets was my girlfriends dog Tammy. She was so sweet. She loved to go for car rides. Everytime I would go to my girlfriends, I would call to Tammy and she would jump in my car and I would take her for a ride around the block before my girlfriend and I would go about our plans.

    ReplyDelete
  27. My cat is a great companion and loves to cuddle in my lap. She also sometimes helps my type on the computer LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/clc408/status/65805334534561792

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  29. Right now we have 2 dogs and 1 cat, they are the happiest funniest pets and we love taking good care of them by feeding them right and getting exercise for them. The cat wants to do everything that the dogs do and that is great as we had to adopt him alone as he didn't get along with other cats, he absolutely loves the dogs tho.

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  30. My dog is my buddy, she listens to my problems and gives me kisses

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  31. I have a church pew in my breezeway and when I come home my cat, Kiki, is always on the armrest waiting for me and then my other cat, Snicklefritzpewgarbonzobean, is pacing circles right underneath. Yes, that is her name!

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  32. my aunt had the most adorable little poodle named Muffin, we loved that dog!

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  33. We currently have a dog that we inherited and four cats that we got from various shelters, they all bring much joy (ok, mostly joy) to us and make us laugh - saphyress at gmail dot com

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  34. http://twitter.com/#!/saphyress/status/65603697228525568

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  35. My cat is a sweetie. He has so many human-like traits. He is always waiting at the door when I come home. msmith572@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Tweet: https://twitter.com/flowergirl523/status/66131108198223873

    msmith572@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Blogged: http://insanityisforthelame.blogspot.com/2011/05/sushi-and-pizza-reviews-purina-pro-plan.html

    msmith572@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. My dog is always happy to see me when i return home. Best dog I could ask for.

    hellrzr(at)juno(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. tweet

    http://twitter.com/#!/mrcheapo/status/66139963883929600

    hellrzr(at)juno(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  40. All my dogs are my family, they know just how to tilt their head or give me a sloppy kiss just when I need it most

    ReplyDelete
  41. My beloved pet is the cat i have now, Lucky. I was there for his birth, so he really is like a child to me!
    aeris321 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/eyzofblu63/status/66183408014983169

    ReplyDelete
  43. I tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/aeris321/status/66183846781128704

    aeris321 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. I have a half shar-pei half pug that is so funny looking, he's adorable. He always makes me smile no matter what mood I'm in.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  45. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/eswright18/status/66244711228248064

    ReplyDelete
  46. I like that my dog loves me no matter what.

    ReplyDelete
  47. always make sure to say goodbye to him
    bleushman AT gmail(Dot)com

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  48. Davinia and Indiana are my babies. Davinia is currently sleeping on the pillow next to me and Indiana is under the bed sleeping but will probably jump on the bed to sleep on my pillow.

    Felissa

    Since you are pretty new to having a dog as a member of the family and are spending time in the garden with Scout you might want to check out two of our recent posts.

    This one about what to do if a Bee were to Sting little Scout while she lays in the yard http://www.twolittlecavaliers.com/2011/05/beware-of-bees.html

    and this one about how to be a first responder for Scout if she tries to eat a frog http://www.twolittlecavaliers.com/2011/04/worless-wednesday-not-exactly.html

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  49. Our lil one is so important to us.. our play, our protector, like another family member!

    ReplyDelete
  50. My dog Atlas always shows me unconditional love. He greets me at the door tail wagging. He curls up at my feet at night. He's like my little baby.

    teechbiz at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thank you, Felissa. How scary for you!!

    It's fun to hear about all your sweet pets!

    ReplyDelete
  52. We have four Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who are all part of the family.

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  53. http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/66958044877168640

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  54. I have 5 cats, Sunshine, Snuggles, Honey, Spunky and Happy, and abeagle jack russel mix names Roxy and they are all spoiled(loved) they gt everything they couldwant and then some.
    katielynnmitchell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  55. I tweeted this giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/katiemitchell1/status/66968584492040193
    katielynnmitchell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  56. My husband and I have nine rescued dogs right now. Each one has his or her own special ways that grab my heart. Seven of them are at least eight years old and two of them are under a year old. They were all going to be euthanized because of healthy problems. We do everything possible to keep our babies happy and healthy. They even have the biggest room in our house! :) I love them all so much!
    bullies4me AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  57. We have three cats and one dog...they are all very special to us and members of our family, and we wouldn't have it any other way. We always feed them premium pet food.

    Scout is very adorable. Great post!

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  58. Scout as a puppy is the cutest thing I ever saw. I do the "You are so cute" thing also, to my cat. I always say "good night" to the little one.

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  59. I love it when I drive up in the driveway and my dogs RUN like mad to beat each other to my car! Just like kids!

    scottorbsmith at gmail dot com

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  60. My pet, Carlo is important because he is a good watchdog and funny.
    lazybones344 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  61. I am really enjoying hearing from all of you! These comments are fun. What sweet stories you have. Thank you for sharing. Pets are great. :)

    ReplyDelete
  62. our cats were our first kids

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  63. we had a cat a few years ago that was the best..we/she chose us at a shelter by jumping into our carrier..sadly she died of breast cancer..but she was a great kitty
    nannypanpan at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  64. My dog gets me out and MAKES me walk her...she whines until I do. It's the best exercise program.

    ReplyDelete
  65. I loved reading your story about Scout. Did you use peroxide to get her to throw up. I had to do that once with one of my sister's dogs. A teaspoon of peroxide does the trick. I have four dachshunds and I am very concerned with what they eat. I like you...try to eat very healthy and because of this...I don't feel guilty letting them have some of what I am eating. But when it comes to kibble....it's so hard to know if you are really getting what the dog food companies say you are getting. I will check out this new food...but currently my dogs are eating FROMM. It's a family owned company and uses only human grade ingredients in its products.

    In addition to finding kibble not full of chemicals and more grain than they need....we have to worry about exactly where that meat comes from in their food. So much of it is not human grade. It is things we would never dream of eating. I'm a vegetarian....so eating meat repells me. But a lot of the meat in commercial dog food comes from euthanized animals, malignancies cut off of meat, diseased animals.

    Purina is a leader in the pet food industry...I would hope to think they are trying now to put out a food that I could feel good about feeding.

    Thanks for this info.

    ReplyDelete
  66. I'm really enjoying hearing from everyone!

    Thanks for the comment, Nita. Yes, we used peroxide. It was rough, but I'm so glad she's better. Thanks for commenting about the contents of food. I love to hear people's thoughts on healthy eating. I appreciate your comments. It renews our commitment to BE HEALTHY.

    ReplyDelete
  67. We love our 16 yr old blue heeler! He is so good with our kids and won't let anything near them.
    huntandride@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  68. tweeted. http://twitter.com/jen_r_horn/status/68746471054376960
    huntandride@hotmail.com

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  69. I had a poodle as a child named blackie (very creative name, huh?).

    ReplyDelete
  70. Scout is so photogenic! When I was a girl, my neighbor adopted an adorable husky puppy with one blue eye and one brown. I liked taking photos of him.
    momznite_at_yahoo_daught_com

    ReplyDelete
  71. My very favorite pet we ever had was a little dog that could have been Scout's twin. He was such a little lover. I miss him.

    ReplyDelete
  72. My cat Mr. Piper is a rescue kitty - as a tiny kitten he was abandoned on an airport runway in a thunderstorm. He's 4 now - he adores me and I feel the same for him.
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  73. tweet! http://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/69468285288194048
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  74. Thank you, everyone! Your pets all sound so sweet!

    Blackie is a great name. My dad used to name ALL our farm animals "blackie" regardless of color. :P So, I'm glad you said something. My Dad passed away a few years ago and I miss him. He would've loved Scout.

    Just a heads up -- Blogger was down and some data is missing, but they are working on restoring it all and comments that are missing will be back by the weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Our cat Max is a member of the family. He entertains us with his antics every day.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Duchess came into our lives a stray. She had tons of health problems and lots of vet bills, but adopting her was one of the best decisions we have made. She has brought much love and joy into our lives.

    heathererwin at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  77. Tweet:
    http://twitter.com/heatherzilla8/status/69502047828971520

    heathererwin at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  78. We found Maggie on our doorstep. I made the mistake of naming her and she has never left! She is such a loving dog and has brought a lot of joy to our lives.
    nrdunningATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  79. tweet
    http://twitter.com/ohstac/status/69549351697002496
    nrdunningATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  80. Our dog "happy" is part of our family, he is very cute and smart
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  81. http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/69552989219721216
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  82. My dog Phranklin is the best! He's a rescue with a huge heart!
    Thanks for the entry!
    Janna Johnson
    jannajanna@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  83. Our Baby mastiff, 150 lbs sleeps with me in my king size bed. She does snore really loud too but I love her so much.

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  84. Tweeted here too

    http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/69850765396684801

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  85. Scout is a cutie! Thank you so much...I never knew that raisins are bad for dogs...chocolate, yes..but I didn't know about raisins.

    We have 3 dogs, all mixed breeds we rescued. All of them are special but the one that makes me laugh the most is the smallest one, Bailey. She loves all stuffed animals (we call them her babies) and is constantly trying to sneak into my 14 year old daughter's room to steal her Webkinz. Bailey has a particular fondness for "Karl" the Webkinz llama that lives on my daughter's bed. Anytime Karl is left unattended and Danielle's door is open, Bailey makes a mad dash to steal Karl and drag him under the dining room table that Bailey has converted to her personal baby-den. The other day Bailey snagged Karl while Danielle's back was turned and when she saw Bailey dragging Karl as fast as she could out of the room, she yelled "Stay strong Karl, I'm coming". I think Bailey just takes Karl to tease Danielle.

    shel704 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  86. Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/#!/auntiethesis/status/70103055332409344

    shel704 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  87. Such great stories! Thanks, everyone, for sharing them with me!

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  88. Our first beloved pet was a parakeet who stayed up all night chirping
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  89. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/70296686525816833
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  90. I have two dogs now and have had several that have lived full and long lives--I rescued this male peek-a-poo about 2 1/2 years ago and he and I are totally codependent on each other--its a little sickening--but I love him so!

    fostertam22 (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  91. http://twitter.com/#!/fostertam/status/70606316556648448
    fostertam22 (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  92. I just watched my one kitty come in from outside. He ran right to his sister and it was like they were so happy to see each other. It was just so sweet. Love to watch them interact with each other and also with our kids. I love going to check on the kids and see the cats curled up next to them.
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  93. Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/70655183729852416
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  94. My dog is so spoiled. He's like a part of our family. I seriously don't know what we'd do without him.

    hebert024 at aoldot com

    ReplyDelete
  95. Our dog Lucy is one of the family. She is like a little kid to us. She just seems so human! lol

    itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  96. tweet

    http://twitter.com/MistySunrise/status/70742364322414592

    itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  97. ohhhhh Scout looks like a total sweetheart and a beautiful one at that! :) My childhood pet was a small white chihuahua with two spots, she had the sweetest face and such a calm demeanor. :) everyone fell in love with her instantly, but she was a lazy one. She only ever walked a few blocks and got tired, but she was small so I guess I can't blame her X)

    abitnerdygirl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  98. hehe I shared the promo :) http://twitter.com/abitnerdy/status/71264674406080513 <3!

    abitnerdygirl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  99. I HAVE A MASTIFF NAMED BABY. LOVED HER FROM THE MOMENT I SAW HER... EVEN WITH THE $2000 PRICE TAG SHE HAD ! kytah00@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  100. 2ND ENTRY TWEET @ http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/71615045779460096 kytah00@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  101. We have had something of the same thing happen here--I have always left a bowl of kibble out for our animals, but recently changed our dog food to Purina and fed it separately. I noticed that the Purina was gone, and the bowl of kibble basically was totally untouched (that is, unless my daughter's Great Dane was visiting!) So I gave the remainder of the kibble to my grandson for his dog, and will stick just to Purina from now on.

    cgclynsg0 @ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  102. We have an 11 year old black&white cocker spaniel that is a big part of our family.

    psmomreviews@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  103. I tweeted- http://twitter.com/#!/psmomreviews/status/71635633071857665

    psmomreviews@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  104. I love that my pup gets soooo excited to see me everytime I get home from work. Makes me feel good! He is definitely a part of the fam.
    gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  105. tweet- http://twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/71756298189934592

    gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  106. One of my cats, Patty, I have had since she was two weeks old. She is the most intelligent animal I have ever seen. My friends joke, that she must be reincarnated, because, it isn't possible for a cat to be that smart.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  107. Our dogs have always been a part of our family. We don't have any kids so they are extra special to us, but will continue to be even when we do have human kids of our own!
    HobartsMama {at} aol {dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  108. My two little dachshunds (Trigger and Jake) are so comical. They have the funniest personalities and they crack me up when they puff out their little chests and act like they're big dogs. My life would be very boring without them.

    safety_chick@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  109. My cat dashelle is having her first kittens today. We are so proud of her.
    dawns_horizen@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  110. We have a black lab and two long hair cats, and I love that they want to be with us. Greet us at the door, seek attention, and just like hanging out with us. Not all pets are this social, so we lucked out on all three pets! :)

    http://www.reviewsbymelindajoy.com/

    ReplyDelete
  111. we have cats, and i love when they are snuggly!

    ReplyDelete
  112. I have two dogs: Chevy and Chase. Chase is all brains. Chevy is all deaf. Both are special in their own ways. :)
    shutterboo at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  113. We have recently adopted a shih tzu senior dog and she is such a sweet addition to our family. She has some health problems but we are expecting a full recovery now that she has a home.

    ReplyDelete
  114. My tweet; http://twitter.com/#!/HSlater351/status/72776387282485248

    ReplyDelete
  115. We have a wonderful Airedale, Pepper.
    She is the smartest dog we have ever had. I ask her a question and she answers by barking. Now, if I were just as smart, I could understand her answer!

    ReplyDelete
  116. You are not the only one! My doggie, Hunter, cannot be left alone so my mom and I have altered our work schedules to make sure someone is always home with him! Thanks for the giveaway :) sbcashortie at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  117. I tweeted at http://twitter.com/#!/sbshortie/status/73094348371275776 (I forgot to say in my previous comment how CUTE Scout is!)

    ReplyDelete
  118. My favorite pet was a rat named tickles!

    toddjesslabrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  119. We have a lab/golden retriever that just turned 2. She's finally starting to settle down a little!
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  120. tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/73568703639326720
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  121. My cat is my best buddy. She keeps me company and makes me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  122. Tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/clc408/status/73778174630166529

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  123. I love that my dog is very protective of my kids!!

    shelleymikey at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  124. Adorable dog - I've got 3 myself. They are definately in need of healthy food.

    ReplyDelete
  125. I love that each of our five dogs has their own personality and that no matter how bad a day I may have they can also bring me joy, love, loyalty and support. trinitygsd at yahoo do tocm

    ReplyDelete
  126. I like my dog's personality and big ears.


    hellrzr(at)juno(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  127. tweet

    http://twitter.com/#!/mrcheapo/status/74076964725604352

    hellrzr(at)juno(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  128. My cat is a great alarm clock - she lets me know it’s time to feed her (gets up on the desk between me and the computer and purrs at me) and lets me know it time to go to bed (because she sleeps on me… I’ve got to go to bed so she can go to bed). She also sits on the chair behind me when I work (like Scout). So glad to hear Scout survived the oatmeal cookie incident!

    sksweeps (at) earthlink (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  129. glad scout is ok, one of my friends' dog died from chocolate poisoning u_u
    i had very precious hamster, she was very very tiny and soft, i loved when she stuffs her cheeks full with food and run around. i miss her a lot u_u
    songyueyu at gmail

    ReplyDelete
  130. tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/syytta/status/74252593731346432

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  131. I had so many pets as a child- fish, a frog, a chicken, cats, but my favorite was my dog Spot- an Alsatian blend. he was soi fun- I could swear he was always laughung. RIP Spot.
    rmartinclarke @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  132. http://twitter.com/#!/rsmc1/status/74296709353705473
    rmartinclarke @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  133. my doxie is a part of our little family, he sleeps with my bf and i and we go on long walks at the park daily, we try to get him to enjoy every day. He's a little wired though and loves barking way too much!

    ReplyDelete
  134. All my dogs have been special. Each has had their own personality and quirks. Dogs are the most faithful friends you'll ever have.

    dchrisg3 @ gmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  135. Tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/DchrisG3/status/74670951639420928

    dchrisg3 @ gmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  136. I always had dogs growing up but my first as an adult were two Shih-Tzus, brothers from the same litter and I got them when they were 6 weeks old. It was truly awesome to watch them grow up together and witness the amazing bond that they had. One lived to be 12, the other 17-1/2. I still miss those little guys every day.

    ReplyDelete
  137. Our beloved pet was my cat name Penelope. She was the first pet I had. I got her when I was older in my early 20's. My mom, sis and I just loved her. She was another family member. My mom was a stay at home mom therefore she her. She always gave her treats and attention.
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  138. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/disneyfan40/status/74912951240364032
    tweety800265(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  139. My big yellow lab is like one of our kids.honeypie411 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  140. We have 2 beloved inside pets. One rex bunny and one holland lop ear bunny they are so sweet. Then we have 3 cats that are outside cats. Dont think they would get along with the bunnies. sweepmorey AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  141. I tweeted http://twitter.com/Jammie79/status/74979018281197568

    ReplyDelete
  142. Our family pet "Lucky" is awesome. When I had Bronchitis a few months ago, I was in bed a lot and he was right by my side. Thank God I had him because my husband was an OTR truck driver at the time, and was gone for a couple weeks. Lucky was truly there to comfort me! ♥

    septemberbaby10 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  143. We have a Shepherd named Lady who loves riding in the car, guarding my kids- whether they need it or not, and adores cheese. She can hear a cheese package open 20 miles away!!
    patrice@everydayruralty.com

    ReplyDelete
  144. I remembering going ski-juring for 1st time w. Cody, a golden retriever. face plant!

    eugeniewu-at-gmail-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
  145. my childhood German Shepherd was so handsome and playful.

    ReplyDelete
  146. My dog is Dodger. He isn't sitting on my lap while I type (thank goodness, he is 78 lbs), but he is laying at my feet. He is a big part of our family that we all love.
    ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  147. I blogged
    http://lunaj14568.blogspot.com/2011/05/proplan-select-and-blogher.html

    ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  148. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  149. Over the years, having had many dogs and cats as pets, and as rescuers, we've come to rely on signals from our pets and don't freak out when we find empty foil Hershey kiss wrappers that were inadvertently left on the coffee table or wherever. We're in the country, and sometimes they drag things up that we can't even identify, and if they can eat dead things without getting sick, a little chocolate certainly won't kill them.

    tesashel225 (@) aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  150. My dog is the best part of my life.
    To see our story go to my blog http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

    ReplyDelete
  151. blog http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2011/05/blogher-reviewers-lucky-dogs-try-pro.html

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  152. My tough guy hubby can still be brought to tears by the story of how his childhood favorite dog, Rex, died.

    ReplyDelete
  153. We currently have three pets, two dogs and a cat. We do our best to make sure that they eat healthy but the economy has forced us to eat cereal for dinner as often as not and thus the same for them. I'd love the opportunity to try this and since the husband now has a job we may be able to actually squeak it into the budget after the gift card gets us a couple of bags to start off with.
    april dot vrugtman at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  154. Puffy is our dog. My husband never had a pet growing up, but I always had a dog, and I wanted us to have a dog. Now we can't imagine life without him. We even take him on vacation with us sometimes.

    the imagine tree at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  155. You're not the only sucker out there for sure, we adopted our babies last year from the pound. They're not "just dogs", they're our companions.

    ReplyDelete
  156. tweet https://twitter.com/#!/vlbsweeps/status/75204383595433985

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  157. Raven is our pet lab. He is a very loved member of our family. helenkeeler@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  158. Tanya was my first dog - half dachsund, half beagle. Great dog.

    ky2here at msn dot com

    ReplyDelete
  159. https://twitter.com/#!/ky2here1/status/75240014463770624

    ky2here at msn dot com

    ReplyDelete
  160. We love our pets! They can turn your bad day into a good one instantly :)
    priscillahogrewe at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  161. http://twitter.com/#!/pawsnhooves/status/75268429766070273
    priscillahogrewe at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  162. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  163. Snotty is my first pet & I just love her!
    We are so bonded.
    Thank you.
    barbara dot montyj at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  164. Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/JalapenoMama/status/75285837427908608
    barbara dot montyj at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  165. I don't have a dog right now, but when I did, my favorite thing about her was the warm greeting I got each time I walked in the door.

    ReplyDelete
  166. tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/fairydancer35/status/75289335842340864

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  167. I'd like to introduce you to my 4 rescue beloved pets-First, my dog Ms Mitzi, cat 1 Norman Ray, cat 2 Angel Rose, Cat 3 is Toby Trouble. They are all from the Detroit Humane Society and staring at me now.
    Diane Baum
    esldiane@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  168. The best dog (and friend) I ever had was Ginger. She was always by my side whenever I needed cheering up or someone to cheer with me.

    judyman715(at)aim(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  169. tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/judes715/status/75362337804124160

    judyman715(at)aim(dot)com

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  170. My son's dog cries for him if he goes in another room and shuts the door, even the bathroom. It's hilarious how much they love each other.

    msurosey@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  171. Tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/mail4rosey/status/75378907997667328

    msurosey@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  172. We have a wonderful dog that we adopted. She is very loving and kind.

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  173. My dog Buddy follows me everywhere! He even waits outside the bathroom door for me.

    ReplyDelete
  174. Our cat is definitely a huge part of our family - we've spoiled her pretty badly, but she's older and it's worth it to see her happy! A little chicken or tuna makes her the happiest kitty ever (and it always tastes better when hand fed and not from the bowl, of course).

    Your Scout is adorable! Lovely post.

    : )

    snarkierthanyou at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  175. I was fortunate enough to have had a wonderful companion named Desiree. She loved car rides, and hated thunder. She would cry with me when I experienced a migraine, and made me laugh more often than I can count. Our canine friends add so much to our lives.
    spiersrp at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  176. My Toby is a big sweetie German Shepherd that came to us as a rescue in December. He is already a big part of our family!

    nesta 67 {at} live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  177. tweet https://twitter.com/#!/LuckyJinxy/status/75424570798116864

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  178. My kittys sleep in my bed everynight and cuddle would be lost without them!
    tishajean@ charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  179. Tweeted too
    http://twitter.com/#!/latishajean/status/75427169815363585
    tishajean@ charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  180. I had a very beloved rabbit (well several but one stood out) who came to us aggressive and scared and was transformed into the most amazing cuddly bun!

    thepricklypinecone(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  181. dahlia at tmlindsey dot com
    We have nine cats, and every one of them is unique. Trickster is a lap cat with allergies, so when we hold him, we'll very likely end up covered in sneeze. Kali is independent and artistic. Jynx is homicidal - he attacked the photo of a dog on the vet's wall once! We love them all!

    ReplyDelete
  182. My beloved pet was my cat Genie who passed away in 2006 at 18 years old. I had had her for nearly all of those 18 years. She lived a long life but I still find myself missing her.

    mail.nw415 at gmail dot com

    Olivia

    ReplyDelete
  183. Bella is our beagle who sleeps in bed between me and my husband. She even got invited to a birthday party. One of my sons friends put on the invitation that Bella was invited to come along too.
    thanks Pam
    BusyTennesseeMom at Charter dot net

    ReplyDelete
  184. Pro Plan is great food. We use for our dog and she has the most wonderful coat!!

    shelleymikey at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  185. Our Bo Bo passed away but will always be remembered. He was my baby before having babies. He loved his mommy and daddy so much that he couldn't decide which one he liked best. He would spend a few minutes with me and then run to hubby and spend a few minutes with him. He did this the whole time that hubby and I were not in the same room. He was so sweet.

    ReplyDelete
  186. I love our dog! She brings great joy into our everyday lives, and we call her our "furry bundle of love". =-)
    PixelBerryPie@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  187. I don't have a dog myself, but I do enjoy visiting with my grandkids' little terrier. She's cute!
    I store my email over in my Blogger profile. Thanks for the chance to win!

    ReplyDelete
  188. I had the most huge and amazing dog when I was a child some 49 yrs ago, his name was Duke but we think someone stole him and naturally I was heart broken but I still remember him after all these yrs like it was yesterday
    emmaspeel(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  189. our beloved pet is samantha, she's a lab mixed with ridgeback. she is a big girl, about 80 pounds but she is a big baby. she likes to get in our laps. she is so loving and kind, but she can get tough when she needs to.
    susansmoaks at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  190. We have two little ones that are spoiled to no end~and we consider them our kids :-)


    deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  191. Tweet!~
    http://twitter.com/#!/Deb55106/status/75594973168418816


    deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  192. I just want to thank every one of you for your comments. I have read every single one and love to hear about everyone's pets. We're first-time dog owners and I had no idea (but now understand) how attached people can get to these amazing, loving, wonderful little (and big!) creatures! Good luck to all of you in the contest!!

    ReplyDelete
  193. My most beloved pet was the bunny I had as a child - I named him Opie (yes, from the Andy Griffith Show - I had a crush on him something fierce!!) but the bunny was really an Ophelia :) LOL

    ReplyDelete
  194. We have a 9 year old westie that is a part of our family. She does everything with us, and is a great companion for each one of us. She is a wonderful Blessing!!!

    westiemks5 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  195. My cats are my current pets but I also get lots of love from my son's dog. She is a wonderful Springer Spaniel that really needs some training. Maybe that will be my summer endeavor.
    willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  196. https://twitter.com/willitara/status/75630480564822016
    willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  197. Our dog was always a member of the family - she was so good, and also protective of the kids to make sure they wouldn't get hurt!
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    email in blogger profile.
    js22 [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  198. tweet: http://twitter.com/js22222222/status/75631675643662336
    email in blogger profile.
    js22 [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  199. I have a 7 year old rat terrier. He is very loyal and a good protector for our family.
    ladyt64 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  200. You are definitely not alone. Our dogs have more clothes than I do, a nicer bed and eat better than all of us. We adore them and I couldn't imagine life without our pets.
    lemonave at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete

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