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Summer Hiking Tips for You and Your Dog

07•31•17

You guys. It’s the last month of summer.

HOW did that happen!?!

Winter takes AGES.

But summer?

Gone in a flash.

But, we still have a month! We love doing stuff outside all summer long… reading on the porch, swimming, wogging (walking + jogging), grilling out…

Most of all, we love hiking.

Why is hiking a family fave?

Well, for one thing, it’s a wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors without being in direct sun. That’s a big one for me, and it’s especially important now that Violet hikes with us because she can’t wear sunscreen until she’s six months old! Being out of the sun is great for Cooper, too, because he stays cooler than when we’re out in the open.

Plus, it’s a relaxing way to be active!

It’s so peaceful to get out in the woods with Coop. We can walk along, breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds chirp, and unwind as we get exercise.

We’ve done a ton of hiking–from simple, flat trails to strenuous “what were we thinking” ones–and have gleaned a handful of tips over the miles.

Here are our best summer hiking tips for you and your dog.

(With maybe a baby tip or two thrown in for good measure… like, keep a sunhat in your diaper bag!)

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Get the Gear

You don’t have to spend a lot to go for a walk in the woods. There are a few things, though, that make the activity more comfortable. For you, the human end of the leash, get decent shoes and a hat. That’s about it. For your pup, the list is a little longer. In our experience, a harness is your best bet. We like this Ruffwear harness because it’s reflective and because it has a handle in case we need to assist Cooper over a fallen tree or other obstacle, or a Kong paracord harness for simple, short trail walks (the one he’s wearing in the pic above… this is his everyday harness right now).

We always take one big Nalgene water bottle for us to share on a short, easy walk. More if we’re doing harder/longer/hotter. Then, we have a little pop-up water dish that has a carbiner on it. It clips right to Cooper’s harness for him to carry his own!

Depending on where you live, you might want to consider an insect repellent. Where we are in Indiana, ticks are a major problem, so we double up. Cooper uses a bug spray, but then he also wears an Insect Shield bandanna <—- this one is similar to the one we got in our press kit at Global Pet Expo.

I’d also add squeeze cheese to the list if you have a reactive dog like Cooper and need an emergency reward/distraction on the trails…

Plan for the Worst (But, obvi, Expect the Best!)

This one sounds maybe a bit over-the-top. But here’s the thing: You just never know. Toss a first-aid kit in you car. Throw a towel in your trunk. Stash some extra bottles of water, a tube of sunscreen, and a map. A paper one. (Seriously, I can’t tell you how many times we’ve decided to try some new set of trails only to discover there’s no cell signal in the remote spot, and we didn’t actually write down directions to the trail head because we thought our phones would get us there. We keep a road atlas in my car.) A back-up leash can’t hurt either.

Obviously, hiking is super fun, but you want to be prepared for those just-in-cases. If you never touch any of those back-up plans, great, but you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’re there.

Follow the Leash Laws

That’s it. Seriously.

Oh, and pickup after your pup, too.

Get in Trail Shape

Everyone can (and should, imo!) get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. But if you and your pups are couch potatoes, start at a reasonable pace. Pick easier trails that are close to home and gradually build up to harder, longer, more adventurous hikes.

A big part of being in trail shape–and I feel like we intuitively all know this, but it’s far easier said than done for us humans–is good nutrition. Good nutrition is really the cornerstone of any active lifestyle. You can’t have fun being active unless you’re taking care of your body!

The same goes for our pets, and luckily for them, we’re able to learn about what’s best for them and their bodies. For Cooper, you guys know he has such a sensitive system, and food has always been a challenge for us. Plus, he’s turning 7 in a few short weeks, so keeping him lean and strong while supporting his joints is paramount.

I think that sums it up: Have the right gear, be prepared, follow leash laws, and be in good trail shape!

What are YOUR tips for fun, safe summer hiking with your dog? Anything I missed here or any questions YOU have about hitting the trails? I’d love to share and learn in the comments below!

Finally, I’ll leave you with my current fave pic from a hike we took when Violet had JUST come home from the hospital:

On priorities, passions, and pet food #HealthyMeetsHappy

06•09•17

At the start of 2017, I wrote out a handful of goals for myself. One of the biggest?

Simplify.

I’ve come to realize, though, that simplifying isn’t just a matter of clearing out the clutter, creating routines, and so on. It’s a matter of defining your priorities, then shifting time/effort to focus on what matters most.

For me, it starts with a fundamental priority: my herd’s (John, Violet, Cooper, Newt) health and happiness. But, I believe that includes values and passions like kindness and compassion, and lessening our impact on the world around us… and improving it when and where possible.

No one can do it all, though, and that’s where the priority-balancing piece comes in.

For example, it’s incredibly important to me to feed Cooper and Newt the best food possible, and that can mean cutting other budget areas to accommodate the food I think they deserve.

This post is sponsored by Wellness® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share the availability of Wellness Complete Health and NEW Complete Health Grain Free Cat Food available at PetSmart, but OhMyDogBlog.com only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Wellness nor PetSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.

In April, I wrote about how Wellness Pet Food named 2017 as the year of the cat. That theme continues, of course, and it aligns perfectly with my goals and priorities!

How?

Some of the specs:

All Wellness Complete Health products are carrageenan-free (a food additive linked to cancer).
The formulas are nothing but simple, pure, authentic ingredients that help Newt thrive.
Wellness® Complete Health™ and Wellness® Complete Health™ Grain Free dry food packaging can be RECYCLED through their partnership with Terracycle!!!! <—- This is huge, you guys! You can sign up for their recycling program, and you totally need to because not only do they recycle or upcycle the food bags, the packaging you send in generates donations to other nonprofits. It’s a full-circle cycle of giving. Seriously, this is the kind of thing that makes my heart swell!

But–more importantly in Newt’s opinion–is that the food makes her happy! Check it out:

Here’s what she was eating in the video: Wellness ® Complete Health® Morsels wet food: Wellness Complete Health Morsels feature cubes of tender meat in rich gravy. She was devouring the chicken formula, but I’m telling you… that “rich gravy” does her in!! Recently my mom cat sat for us, and she even commented that clearly we’d found Newt her favorite food!

Truly, this food is the cat’s pajamas. 🙂 It totally nails the things that are the most important to me and my herd, and for that… I’m a loyal Wellness customer.

Here’s what I’m wondering: Do any of YOUR cats sing and dance like Newt does to get food? Any other kitty members of the Clean Plate Club? I’d love to learn about your cat-feeding experience in the comments!

Please visit and support our sponsor on Facebook or purchase products here! They make this site possible, and for that I’m forever grateful!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wellness®. The opinions and text are all mine.

It’s the Year of the Cat… and #HealthyMeetsHappy

04•23•17

Over the years, people have told us that we treat Newt like a dog. Even a vet said that to us once… to our surprise.

What does that mean?

Well, the first thing is that we had her microchipped! That’s what elicited that vet’s comment. Apparently it’s rare for a cat to be chipped. (But… what if she gets out????)

Another thing: She wears a collar. With an ID tag. (Seriously, you guys… what if she gets out????)

We also have her trained to be on a harness and line. That one, I’ll grant, isn’t super cat-like, but we want her to be able to experience the great outdoors–which is a very cat-like thing–but safely.

I don’t think any of those things are profoundly dog in nature. Rather, I think cats sometimes miss out on stuff like that because some cat folks think those things are profoundly un-cat in nature.

Same goes for routine vet visits. In three minutes of Googling, I found this from the JAVMA from 2013: nearly 45 percent of cat owners don’t take their cats for an annual check up. Say whaaa? I guess it’s because they can be hard to coerce into a carrier, but that care is just as important for a cat as it is for a dog!

The last piece of this “dog-centric” cat treatment comes in with her afternoon food puzzle.

This post is sponsored by Wellness® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share the availability of Wellness Complete Health and NEW Complete Health Grain Free Cat Food available at PetSmart, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Wellness or PetSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.

Newt eats wet food for breakfast and dinner. From what I understand, this is a fairly un-cat-like behavior, but we had nothing to do with it. It’s all her. She INSISTS on eating her meals when the dogs eat theirs. It makes things pretty convenient. We fix up a stack of bowls twice a day, pills and supplements included, and everyone chows down. Piece of, well, not cake… piece of kibble for the dogs and tuna in ample gravy for Newt…

If we don’t make with her bowl pretty quickly, she’ll shove her face in the dogs’ bowls and eat theirs.

Anyways, back to the afternoon food puzzle.

We’ve always given the dogs food toys, from simple Kongs to elaborate Nina Ottosson puzzles. Years ago, it occurred to me: Why don’t we give one to Newt? Do cats benefit from food puzzles?

Again, a few minutes of Googling, and the answer was a resounding YES!

It’s super stimulating for cats to work for their food. They like to use their brains, paws, noses, and manipulate objects to fish out or sniff out or dig out their food, just as the dogs do. So, we started her on a couple small food puzzles… easy ones, at first, like a kitty Kong and the Snacky Mouse (her fave), and have upgraded her to more elaborate ones that we originally purchased or were given for the dogs.

Afternoon puzzle time has become a non-negotiable part of her day. Around 10 am she starts meowing for it (even though we don’t give it to her until noon).

All that said, with wet food for breakfast and dinner, and kibble in the afternoon, it was on us to keep a super close eye on her weight.

A big part of that is choosing the healthiest food we can for her.

We’ve done a pretty good job so far, but I felt like the food we were giving her was pretty good. And, as tends to happen, right when I started to research other options, the chance to try out Wellness® Complete Health™ came up, and I thought… DUH! We already are a Wellness household. If you’ve been a reader for any length of time, you know that it’s been Emmett’s food since 2009. So, why didn’t it occur to me to try Newt on Wellness?

Lightbulb!

So, we went shopping, and yes, this is the face I make when I have like 400 things to choose from at PetSmart… Thanks, John, for catching this one! 😉

I picked a variety because cats are generally known to be pretty fussy, although that hasn’t really ever been Newt’s story… you just never know. So, the assortment I ended up with:

And, for full disclosure, I did not taper her existing food or transition gradually in any ~~responsible~~ way.

Luckily, it worked out!

She’s done just fine on this food. In fact, today we were commenting on how sleek and shiny her coat looks… almost thicker than usual. She’s actually going a smidge bonkers over the chunky meats and the gravy. Her previous food was more like a pate style, and this is really adding some excitement to her day!

As for the dry food, I really, really, really want a grain-free kibble for her afternoon puzzle. The Wellness Complete Health line is that, and there are some choices in formula and flavor, too. I picked up two options, and so far, so good. (Aside: One of the things in their reinvention of these formulas was changing the kibble size and shape, so it’s smaller and rounder. That’s a big deal for a teeny, tiny cat like Newt. So we’re pretty happy about that change!)

OK, so what does all this have to do with the headline, the year of the cat? Wellness declared 2017 The Year of the Cat, and Newtie told me to tell everyone, “It’s about damn time!!!” Cats deserve love, attention, health, happiness, and a fulfilled life, of course. Healthy food is one sliver of that, so we’re pretty thrilled to be trying out all this food.

BTW, go check out all the Wellness options here!

Anyway, we’re still new to this food. I’m going to give it a few weeks, and I’ll report back on how it’s going. If you have any specific Qs, let me know, and I’ll try to address them next month!

In the meantime, I better go fill her puzzle toy before she gets too irritated with me… it is her year, after all!

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wellness®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Emmett Takes on Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Healthy Dog Food #WellnessPet

11•18•16

Emmett tackles life with gusto.

Everything he does, he does with force and vigor. He finds fun everywhere–even the vet–and he assumes something good is around every corner. His optimism knows no bounds. He’s a model for good living, I think.

This post is sponsored by Wellness and the BlogPaws™ Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share the availability of Wellness Products at PetSmart, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Wellness nor PetSmart are responsible for the content of this article.

But, a natural extension of good living, of course, is healthy living.

I’m going to be sharing a lot about loving and caring for a senior dog in the coming weeks (November is Senior Dog Month!) but one of the most important things in any area of health is food. As you guys know, Emmett’s been known to have a complete and utter lack of sense when it comes to food. He’s our very own Cartman.

He’s also 13. And he has cancer. And he’s my best friend in the whole entire world, so of course I’ll do anything for this guy.

He loves food and he loves outings. One of the ways I can make sure he’s enjoying these twilight years is by combining those two greatest loves! Emmett gets to go on tons of trips to PetSmart. Pretty much anytime we need to buy his food, we bring him along. Or sometimes we’ll just make a special trip out of it. (And, truth be told, sometimes we take him through the Starbucks drive-thru on these outings and get him a puppy latte… no, not healthy, but everyone deserves an indulgence once in a while!)

It’s on me to keep him healthy. That’s why he’s been eating Wellness® Core®.

But it’s also on me to keep him happy. That’s why he goes to PetSmart! (And Starbucks!)

I know not all dogs love getting out and about, but the fact is… I draw a lot of parallels between Emmett and his health and happiness with seniors in retirement communities. The happiest and healthiest people are the ones who get out and about, get some exercise–mental and physical–and take care of their bodies.

Since Emmett is Cartman in a dog’s body, it’s my job to make sure that happens.

So, why Wellness? They have a promise they call The Wellness Difference: “The Wellness Difference is about being more than natural. And it’s not about what is left out—no fillers, or artificial ingredients—these are a given for us. True Wellness is about what we put in—a small number of simple, pure, authentic ingredients. We believe this is the way to make superior food for our animals.”

They don’t put in junk; they only use good ingredients. I only want the best for Emmett in every single thing, and most especially his food, so this works for us. The fact that it’s available at PetSmart and I can combine picking it up with taking Emmett out is icing on the kibble!

He’s happy, I’m happy. He’s healthy, I’m even happier!

The herd, patiently waiting for their dinner… maybe not so patiently… Newt actually chewed a hole through Emmett’s bag of Wellness. Again. Sigh.

Anyway, all that said, and because this food has worked so well for him for so long, I wanted to share a coupon with you guys in case you were interested in trying it out for your pups. This is for the Complete Health line, which we wrote about a few months ago. We’re feeding Em the Core right now, but we switch back and forth because both have really great grain-free options. The Complete Health is a bit more affordable, and with the holidays around the corner, we can all stand to save a few bucks, right? Save $5.00 off any 24 lb. bag of Complete Health™ Dog Food at PetSmart (but it expires 11/30/16).

Now, if only I could get Emmett to STOP jumping on the checkout counter at PetSmart… but, he says, “YOLO!! They’ve got cookies!”

Visit PetSmart to check out the extensive line up of Wellness Core and Wellness Complete Health Products. And please say hi to our sponsor on social! You can find Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wellness. The opinions and text are all mine.

Emmett goes adventuring at PetSmart with Wellness Complete Health #grainfreeforme

06•13•16

Emmett is an easy dog.

He either loves or ignores everything. There’s no middle ground for him. He loves going to the vet. He ignores all the other animals in the lobby in favor of wooing the people… and begging for treats from the receptionist. He loves going to PetSmart. He ignores the dozen greyhounds at PetSmart who are there for an adoption event… and spends his efforts begging for treats from the cashier/other shoppers. (Or he resorts to shoplifting, but that’s another story for another day.)

Not only is he easy–he can go anywhere, and I can trust that he’ll be fine no matter what–he loves adventuring!

Seriously, how cute is his happy face?!

This post is sponsored by Wellness® Natural Pet Food and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share the reinvented Complete Health Line and other Wellness Products, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Wellness is not responsible for the content of this article.

So, to refresh or in case you’re new here (welcome!), Emmett’s been on a three-month food trial of the reinvented, grain-free Wellness® Complete Health™ (you can read about month 1 here and month 2 here). The pic above is from our last trip to PetSmart when we wanted to scope out the line and figure out which ones they carried (hint: all of them). I know it’s not the brightest pic in the world, so if you’re looking for the food, here’s a clickable pro shot of what to look for:

OK, so even though Emmett is a super easy dog who’s never rattled by anything, you just never know what you might encounter at PetSmart. So I stuff a treat bag full of his kibble to have on hand and to reward him for sitting nicely so I can take his photo. But, the kibble is also a great distraction for things like loose children (what is it with loose children in PetSmart?!?!) and boxes full of adoptable kittens.

With a senior like Emmett, weight gain can be a big problem because he’s just not as active as he used to be. While a trip to the store like this is great stimulation and definitely exhausting for him, doling out tons and tons of kibble rewards works perfectly because then I can decrease his dinner accordingly.

For instance, on a trip like this where we have a handful of things to buy, or on busy weekends, I measure out about 1/4 cup of the Complete Health kibble into my treat bag. That way, when we get home and it’s time to eat dinner, I know to decrease his portion by 1/4 cup.

It’s wholesome. He loves it. And I’m not concerned about giving him “too many” treats because it’s his grain-free kibble!

Do you take your pups to PetSmart? Is your dog an easy one like Em (or the opposite, Cooper)? Next time you visit, be sure to check out the the grain-free pet food products that Wellness® has to offer–there’s something for every dog and every budget. And…

Starting July 6th through the end of the month, Complete Health™ Grain Free recipes are $2.00 off at PetSmart®. Click here to learn more, or to purchase from PetSmart!

Please support our sponsor! Visit them online or one of these social spots:

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BTW and totally unrelated, next time we take Emmett to PetSmart for a bag of food, I’m going to make sure ALL his ToeGrips are still on. Some came off at Purdue (another post for later!) and I didn’t reapply them. Have you noticed how darn slippery those PetSmart floors are? I wonder if that’s intentional, but my sweet old man was slip-sliding all around! Although, it didn’t prevent him from begging! Here’s his “buy me all the Wellness” face! (And, obviously, we did… Emmett gets what Emmett wants!)

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wellness® Natural Pet Food. The opinions and text are all mine.