Friday, March 31, 2017

Rockin The Challenge . . . #chewyinfluencer

Challenger























I just completed my SECOND week of my new Chewy.com 30 Day Challenge: Hills Science Diet Youthful Vitality.




Yes. I caught it


I gotta tell you - this food is TASTY! I simply cannot wait to eat it because it tastes so good. And why not?  Look at the ingredients

Chicken, Brewers Rice, Yellow Peas, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Corn, Egg Product, Chicken Fat, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Pork Liver Flavor, Soybean Oil, Flaxseed, Lactic Acid, L-Lysine, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Carrots, Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Citrus Pulp, Spinach, Fish Oil, Iodized Salt, Lipoic Acid, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Natural Flavors, L-Tryptophan, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene


It is pretty chock full of natural flavors, minerals and vitamins. I am not a fan of the corn (two kinds) and the liver flavors rather than actual livers, though. I like real whole meats, fruits and vegetables. But other than those things, the rest of the ingredients are very GOOD FOR ME.

Here are some of the KEY BENEFITS of Youthful Vitality (from the Chewy.com website)


  • Powerful antioxidants support a healthy brain and a desire to interact.
  • Protein, phytonutrients, and L-carnitine help get your dog moving and interested in playing.
  • Vitamins C and E support a healthy immune system.
  • Chicken kibble recipe is delicious and the high-quality ingredients are easy to digest.
  • Essential fatty acids help keep the coat soft and shiny.



I get 1/3 of a cup twice a day and I am just Koo Koo for Cocopuffs when meal time comes around.

A good thing that has come out of eating this food - my, ahem, BELCHING has dramatically lessened supporting my belief that the pea proteins in the last two foods I tried were causing the reaction. I have farted a little less, too. Come on! We all know FARTING is part of PUG LIFE.

Energywise I feel pretty good. In fact, DANCIN' good.


Thursday, March 30, 2017

Agility Course - Noodles Style

I'm ready to go

Revisiting the Dog Expo of a couple of weeks ago. I finally got a copy of the VIDEO of me doing the AGILITY COURSE that was set up in the main hall. You know me. I love a good challenge.

I have not yet seen this video so you are WATCHING along with ME! Aren't you excited? I sure am.
so give me a minute to crank up the VIDEO player.



Hmmmmmmmmmm. I don't know what to say. I felt like I totally ROCKED that course.


Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Bee Cause


Daisy and Scooter Pugman reminded me of something very very important - BEES. We tend to take bees for granted and we shouldn't because they are so so vital to our EATING. Yes, you heard me - without BEES there would not be enough pollination and plants would not grow and animals that eat plants would not live and on and on and on. It is NOT a happy thought.

In August of 2015 The Rolling Stone published a feature story on bees called What Is Killing America's Bees and What Does It Mean for Us? It is a very eye-opening story which I highly recommend. Click the title. It is a link to the story. One of the most frightening things talked about in the article is COLONY COLLAPSE. This is where not only do the bees die, but they disappear. They go queenless, lay fewer eggs, and basically live in disarray until there is nothing left to sustain them.

It is pretty well documented that a big part of the problem is CLIMATE CHANGE. Hotter than normal summers, colder than normal winters, years long droughts . . . it all adds up to one big problem for us all.


An equally big problem with bees are some of the new breed of insecticides being used all over farmville - neonicotinoids, or neonics. Besides not really being able to discriminate between a good bug and a bad bug, neonicotinoids mess with insect brains. This messing with BEE BRAINS is widely thought to contribute to COLONY collapse. And unlike more traditional pesticides, neonicotinoids are not water soluble and do not break down over time. They join the plant system and live on in the food supply.

Pugsonally, I like bees and I like to listen to them buzzing around in our yard in SPRING. It would be very sad if they suddenly disappear completely. So I am making it my mission to do whatever I can to help save the bees. Here are some of the things I found out that I can do


  1. Plant bee friendly flowers and herbs in the garden to replace the habitat bees are losing every day
  2. Let weeds and wildflowers live in your lawn and garden - they provide a haven and are a food source for bees
  3. Control invasive plants with frequent weeding and avoid using weedkillers and pesticides which are poison to the bees too
  4. Buy LOCAL - local raw honeys are awesome! 
  5. Keep small basins of fresh water around the yard for the bees to drink (this was hard to do during the drought)
  6. Buy local, organic foods from sustainable and pesticide free farms (if you get a chance to see "The Bullish Farmer" you will understand why)
  7. Learn about bees and make your yard hospitable for them
  8. Join or start a community group to protect bees
  9. Let your representatives at the city, county, state, and national levels know that you think protecting bees is very very important
  10. Live like bees are your friends and not out to BUG you. Bees are vegetarian unlike wasps. They don't want a piece of you and sting to protect themselves and their precious cargo (pollen and nectar)

http://www.queenofthesun.com/get-involved/10-things-you-can-do-to-help-bees/

Monday, March 27, 2017

Gotta SPRING In My Step And Spring In My Sights


Hi you all! HOPPY SPRING to everypuggy. I am especially happy today because the clouds are dispersing and there is a sweet smell of flowers in the air. It is still cool, but the day has SO MUCH PROMISE!

Just yesterday there were rain clouds in the sky and rain puddles on the ground. It was so gloomy. I spent a lot of the day just doing THIS



It was just the RIGHT thing to do for such a gloomy day. But it was fine - it was Sunday and the whole family was home including MOMMY #1 from college! She is on SPRING BREAK which is perfect since MOTHER NATURE is BREAKING in SPRING, so to SPEAK.

Around here there are clear markers that winter has bid farewell and SPRING is taking over. The temperatures are warming up and Mommy #2 says her BONES are not so cold now. The flowers Aunt T planted are all starting to bloom and when you walk into the backyard your NOSE is greeted by their sweet perfume. I sometimes ask to go outside JUST to SIT in the sun and take deep breaths.

The hills around us are a lovely PANOPLY of greens with SPLASHES of yellows. The yellow is from our native grass - the mustard plant (Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii). Oh how I love to see and smell this harbinger of warmer days.



It makes me want to whip out my dancing shoes and GO FOR IT!

HOPPY SPRING!

Friday, March 24, 2017

Challenger - Noodles style. . . . . . . . #chewyinfluencer

Me, a Challenger in a Challenger for a Chewy.com Challenge




















I am so into challenges. I love them and whenever Chewy.com contacts me about doing one then I am ONBOARD. Eating one food for a month is so good because when I do that I find out the long term affects of a food (did I get tired of it, for example) and whether or not I would eat that food going forward. It is the perfect amount of time for a trial

So of course when I was recently asked to participate in a challenge for Hills Science Diet - I said yes. Ahhhhh, but the caveat to this challenge is it is for ME ONLY. That is right. This food - Hill's Science Diet Adult 7+ Youthful Vitality Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food - is specifically designed to address the dog who is no longer. . . let's say WELL PAST the puppy stage. Since I am turning 8 this July, it is a good time to try something like this.


I have discovered a Fountain (Box) of YOUTH


I was pretty excited when the food arrived. Now, admittedly, that could have been because my beloved Auntie B arrived at the same time. So I was at the door having CONNIPTION-FITS and Mommy was A-Hemming a LOT. When she opened the door, there was Auntie B with a BIG BOX from Chewy.com. Weird, huh? I danced around and danced around until Mommy said S-T-O-P and put the box aside for the time being. She KNEW what it was and I didn't.

We therefore had a nice and civilized visit with Auntie B whose lap I sat on because she was wearing black pants, hehheh.

FAST FORWARD to sometime later when THE BOX was finally opened and I got my first WHIFF of the Hill's Science Diet Adult 7+ Youthful Vitality Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food.

Sorry Molly, you DON'T get any of this (but she did. . . she got a taste . . . and now she is really jealous).


So that is my STORY so far. I will be writing several posts updating you on this product and giving you my play by play observations.

This is gonna be an interesting challenge.

** I am not paid by chewy.com or Hills Science Diet to participate in this challenge and to write this review. I have received free of charge a month's worth of product so that I may COMPETE in this challenge. Any opinions expressed in this blog are MINE alone.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

What In The World Thursday



What in the world is going on here? Molly cannot leap this gate so how did she get on the other side of it? Is it magic? Is it a miracle (hehe)? It almost looks posed and planned but I do not recall anything of the sort. Let's call it MOVIE MAGIC. Not that this is a movie. No, didn't mean that.

Speaking of movies, have you seen the new "Beauty and the Beast" starring Doug the Pug? It's my new favorite movie.

On to better things - a couple of weekends ago, when Mommy was away in Anaheim and visiting that silly MOUSE M-I-C-K-E-Y, Cousin E took me and Molly to the Pet Expo. If you have never been to the Pet Expo you really should go. There are a lot of dogs there so SOCIALLY it is da bomb.



There are always a lot of vendors at the PET EXPO, as well so you can chat with them, find out about their products and try new ones. Sometimes you get a treat or TWO or THREE. I am very good at working the booths for maximum TREATAGE. Mommy talked her way into a lot of samples for products to review when we went the year before. But Cousin E was not into the schmoozing.


One thing they had at the PET EXPO was an AGILITY course. I don't know about you but I, Noodles the Pug" do not like agility courses. Molly sometimes does. Some PUGS even do. But I do not. Here is a photo of the course representative MOVING ME through the course. He was determined that I finish the course. The truth is - I never really started. He MOVED me through the whole course.


In addition to the walking around and TREATING, we got some swag. It was the usual bandana, sample food, can toppers, and such. And we didn't forget SUNSHINE the Cat. Here she is modeling her new LION costume.  Looks a little like a turkey, though. Aren't we great SISTEROIDS to remember to bring her home something? (wink, wink)

Molly tried it on too.


But not me . . . uh-uh. As you can see, Molly had a little trouble seeing out of the "face". It could be because she has a pinhead. Oh, did I say that aloud?

That was our day at the San Jose Pet Expo. Like I said, if you haven't been, you must. It is a lot of fun.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Wordless Wednesday BUT Not Really



LOOK how green our hills are this year! And notice the gray clouds. That is the reason why.
It's not APRIL yet but this photo reminded me of this.

April Rain Song
by
Langston Hughes


Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain. 


Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Happy Cat Means Happy Household #chewyinfluencer


But. . .but. . . we thought this was ALL for us DOGS

The SAME box that brought us that delicious VICTOR'S Chicken and Vegetables Dinner also brought something for Sunshine the Cat. She was very SILLY when she chose her Chewy.com March selection - I think she was hopped up on that COSEQUIN she tried last month. She was downright giggly, if you can imagine that. So she picked the food with "The Cool Looking Kitty" on the package (commence eye rolling).

ROAR!

Not too many days later (like 2) our package arrived and it included her Blue Buffalo Wilderness Tasty Toppers Wild Cuts - Tasty Chicken Morsels. I have to agree that the kitty on the package is pretty cool looking in person (catson? pugson? dogson?) and a little scary. Probably weighs as much as Sunshine, don't you agree? You know how photos add 10 pounds or so . . . but I digress.

Notice the intense concentration

Sunshine agreed to pose with this box ONLY if she was promised some of the food. The humans complied BUT keep in mind this is a TOPPER. That bowl is full for the sake of the photo only. Although the pouches are not exactly resealable they can fold down to keep the contents fresh. That is a really good feature since each pouch holds 3-4 toppings. Do keep it from dripping in the fridge, my Mommy put it in a plastic baggie.

So at this point Sunshine was all braggy and kept telling us that SHE picked the best item because the ingredient list reads like a WHAT'S WHAT of foodables to the tune of
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Water, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Carbonate.

Can't argue with her there.

She blathered on. . . . "this food is so good because. . ." it is Grain-free and made with savory, protein-rich chicken AND HAS No chicken/poultry by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.

Sunshine really is insufferable.

She then requested a PHOTO ESSAY to express her opinion of the food



















To say the Blue Buffalo Wilderness topper is a SUCCESS would be an understatement. It will be HARD to get Sunshine to try anything else now that she has tried this food.

You KITTIES can get your own Blue Buffalo Wilderness toppings (it comes in three flavors: chicken, duck and salmon) at Chewy.com. They carry the full array of flavors at a very reasonable price.

**Neither Sunshine nor anypuggy else in this house was paid to write this review. She received from Chewy.com,free of charge, adequate food to try and form an opinion. All opinions in this post belong to our extremely opinionated CAT.






Monday, March 20, 2017

March 20 Marks the First Day of Spring and. . . Hay Fever. . . and Spring Fever

Nothing to do with the blog - we just loves Chewy.com AND
this picture of us

So OFFICIALLY as of today - Spring has Sprung. It sure looks it in our yard. Look at all that green! Last year at this time there was a little green and the year before there was NO GREEN. We've got another rainy week on hand but despite a little grumbling, most people are really glad we have had a lot of rain. We can look forward to a little less water conservation (we should ALWAYS be mindful of how much water we use).

I don't know about you, but I get hay fever. You can't tell in most pictures because Mommy usually PRETTIES me up before she shoots. Once in a while a runny nose or goopy eye appears - but not often. This is one that "got away" and shows a little nost wetness.



Most of the time the grasses of SPRING, which is what I am really sensitive to, just makes me a little itchy and my tummy a bit spotty. Nothing major. NOT LIKE MOMMY. She gets all RUDOLPH the red nose reindeer NOSED and teary eyed like she was watching telenovelas. She sometimes takes allergy meds but normally she doesn't like to. She loves the grass and flowers. She loves the leafy trees. Me too. A sneeze or a runny nose is a small price to pay for such beauty.


Mostly though, I suffer from SPRING FEVER. All I want to do it sit in the sun and ponder the meaning of life. What IS the meaning of life, after all? I believe it is about enjoyment which leads to happiness. But not just any enjoyment. No, I mean the enjoyment of your surroundings and the people and pets within those surroundings. That is all you can really count on day to day - AMIRITE?

Make the first day of SPRING a day of AFFIRMATIONS. I am. 

Hey, I got a thought! I am gonna do another ONE HUNDRED for 2017. How about 100 AFFIRMATIONS? Yes. . . that is what I am gonna do. Look for it APRIL 1. . . and I am NOT FOOLING.

Enjoying the SUNLIGHT. Please ignore Mommy's
NAKED foot



Friday, March 17, 2017

Channeling My Inner Irish



 Top O The Mornin' to You - And The Rest O The Day to You as WELL!!  An Irish priest at Mommy #2's university (which happens to also be Mommy #1's university) taught that to Mommy. He was not generally a pleasant person EXCEPT at St. Patrick's Day when the leprechaun in him came out. He'd wear his Ireland inspired Aloha shirt and walk around greeting everyone. So different than his usual dour demeanor.

Today everypuggy is IRISH if only to celebrate SOMETHING. Doesn't matter what it is. Just being alive is enough of a reason to celebrate, if you ask me,

So in honor of the IRISH SAINT, I have written a poem. . . I hope you like it. . .

Celebrate, celebrate e'en tho' you not be
Irish but for a day
Tap into the wee corner of your heart
To find your inner pixie
For every ONE is Irish, see
When comes this day in March

Wear a coat of green and a hat on top
Mayhap even wear Shamrock stockings
Act completely out of character
And not worry about the morning
Be silly, be loud, be happy 'n' kind
For that pot o' gold is but a state of mind


Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Wordful Wednesday, A Portrait, A Blog Hop #chewyinfluencer


Me: OH MY DIGGITY DOG, Molly - What do we have here?

Molly: Why Noodles, I do believe this is a box from. . . . yes it certainly is . . . (jumps excitedly) . . . It looks like a box from CHEWY.COM!

Me: Did we ORDER something?

Molly: (full on jumping on and in the box) No! This is what we chose from the CHEWY.COM newsletter for MARCH! OMD!! It arrived so quickly. Gotta love that CHEWY.COM.

Me: Oh that is right! I remember SALIVATING. . . no, I mean READING . . . the newsletter and then picking something out. What'd we choose, again?

Molly: Oh Noodles! (panting heavily at one particular box) We chose the Victor's Chicken and Vegetables wet food. Oh I am so HYPED to try it!


Me: It looks real GOOD. Now I remember why I chose it. We have NEVER tried this food before and from the description it looked like something we would enjoy - I mean. . . Chicken, Chicken Broth, Beef Broth, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Whites, Dried Egg Product, Potato Starch, Carrots, Peas, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Ground Flaxseed, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Choline Chloride, Magnesium Oxide. . . All of the FOODABLES are right there at the beginning. And the other less pronounceable stuff is all naturally occurring minerals and vitamins. I don't see any of those nasty preservatives, either.

Molly: That's right, Noodles. This is 100% food - human grade food. And the fact it has no grain means it also is low on the allergy scale. Grains are usually fillers anyhow.

Me: (drooling a little) I really think we need to TRY this food to know if it is something we would recommend - don't you think, Molly?

Molly: Oh yes indeed, Noodles. And right now.

Me: Nom! Nom! Nom! (muffled words from speaking with full mouth) Maw-wee - fis is reeby goob stuff. . .  Wha yawb fink?

Molly: (licking her lips) You are so right, Noodles. This is good stuff. And just that little taste was so satisfying. The chicken chunks look a little like FORMED meat but when I bite into them the chickeniness is there.



Me: (obsessively licking her bowl) And that sauce! It is to DIE for. I think this is gonna be an easy review, Molly. I am already a fan.

Molly: You're a fan of food - period! Has there ever been a food you don't like?

Me: Not really. But I have DEGREES of goodness and this one is of the higher degree. I am giving this food 16 PAWS UP.

Molly: Ummmmmm, Combines we only have 8 paws.

Me: That's how much I like it!!!! Double your pleasure. . . double your fun. . . try VICTOR'S Chicken and Vegetable dinner today.

** We were not paid for this script. We were not paid to perform (eat). We are not equity actors (yet). We were sent free of charge enough food to try and form an opinion. All opinions expressed in this blog are ours and ours alone. Thank you Chewy.com for giving us this opportunity.







Monday, March 13, 2017

Rachel Ray's Nutrish Peak 30 Day Challenge - It's a Wrap! #chewyinfluencer



I have finally finished my Chewy.com THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE for Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK Woodlands Recipe I have to say this was a successful challenge - with one exception. . . I have developed the BELCHES. But I have reasoned it out and I have decided it has to do with one ingredient in the food which is making me make smelly belches - the PEA PROTEIN.

So I did some research* and this is what I found out
Pea Protein is

  • a Vegan protein
  • lower allergy profile than soy or egg
  • Non-GMO which is a biggie in my book
  • filled with lysine, glutamine, arginine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine which support a healthy digestive tract lining 
  • pea protein is generally satisfying
  • easy to digest
There seems to be nothing to back up my claim. In fact, the pea protein, according the the above list, is LEAST likely to be causing my belching. 

But taking a different approach, I asked the question "Does Pea Protein Cause Belching?" Taking the direct approach is sometimes necessary, you know. The truth is, peas are largely carbohydrate and that can cause bloating (i.e. belching and farting). So VOILA, there it is. The fact is that the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK uses THREE kinds of pea proteins to ratchet up the protein in the food (a good thing). For a sensitive PUG like myself it could be the 1 or 2 kinds of pea protein TOO much.

To counter it, Mommy did a lot of talking to dog food venders at the Natural Products Expo West that she just attended. She has some ideas on how to counter this BELCHING problem AND let me eat the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK again sometime.

So in the end, I gotta say the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK is a really good food. It is HIGH in protein and the ingredient list is the WHO'S WHO of real foods. It also has a generous helping of real fruits and vegetables that I love and that make me the healthy and NOT-AS-ROUND pug girl that I am. I have enjoyed each and every scoop of it and if push comes to shove (what ever that means), Mommy said she would definitely buy it. Not a first choice, but certainly a second or third choice PUG FOOD.



**Thank you Chewy.com for providing me with this food to try for 30 days. It really does help create a complete picture of the food. We were not paid for this challenge nor told what to write. We received 30 days worth of food to try and to develop a qualified opinion thereof.


*sources:
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/healthy-foods-pea-protein
https://drnibber.com/pick-your-perfect-protein-plant-vs-whey/
http://www.naturalwellness.com/nwupdate/why-pea-protein-is-better/
http://www.nutribodyprotein.com/protein-types.php
https://www.mrsupplement.com.au/pea-protein-side-effects
http://www.bloatingtips.co.uk/blog/2012/08/protein-and-bloating.html

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Mommy's BIG Head, a New PLAN and International Women's Day 2017

You're right. I have used this picture a number of
times. I look real cute and thoughtful in it

Mommy said she had a BIG HEAD yesterday.
"Mommy!" I said, "Why are you so FULL of yourself today?"
She explained that no, she was not being egotistical but instead she had a MIGRAINE - which is a headache but worse. When she gets them, she said, her head feels as big as a house and she has trouble concentrating.
"Oh no, Mommy," I said. "I am so sorry you have pain. Let me help you feel better."

So I made her some tea (okay, okay, she MADE it but I suggested what kind to make) and made her sit down in a nice spot. Then I suggested she just sit with me for a while and try and relax. So she did.

There, there, Mommy. You'll feel better soon

After a while she said her head was better and only felt as big as the office - which is the smallest room in the house aside from the half-bath. She wanted to get up and do some work but I said "NO NO. BAD GIRL!" I told her to continue relaxing until her head felt normal again - EVEN IF IT TOOK ALL DAY!

So she did. But she couldn't sit idle so she decided to read a little (her eyes were also blurry from the migraine so this took a while) of the book PLAN CEE by her friend Hilary Grossman of #feelingbeachie. It is a wonderful book (I read over Mommy's shoulder) about a woman who is happily married and has a couple of great kids. . . but her OLD boyfriend shows up and she is conflicted by lingering feelings for him and her love for her husband. It is a wonderfully complex but relatable story and Mommy suggests you check it out. Look at the side bar for a link
.



Mommy read a little while and then decided it was too hard and painful. I suggested a NAP so she cuddled up on the sofa with me and Molly and we all took a NAP. When she got up, Mommy felt a whole lot better.  She was so happy I suggested that nap.


But she was still not quite up to her normal self so she stayed in the chair with me on her lap and she picked up her knitting. She said it sometimes is relaxing to knit and watch a movie - and so we did. This is what Mommy is knitting



After a while it was time to make dinner and Mommy put aside her knitting. "Thank you Noodles," she said. "I feel so much better now. You were a BIG HELP." I bowed my head and told her "GWARSH . . . it were nothing." That made her laugh. I KNOW she feels better when she laughs.

By the way, Plan Cee has a giveaway AND the first book of the series, Plan Bea is FREE. Get the deets here

Plan Bea FREE


a Rafflecopter giveaway



HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - Remember to honor ALL of the WOMEN in your life.
Women's rights are HUMAN rights

Monday, March 6, 2017

Dem Bones by Sunshine the Cat - #chewyinfluencer



Hi. Sunshine the Cat here with a RIVETING report on MY BONES. As you know, I am now a GRAND DAME in age. I will turn 14 in human years soon and that means I am a little slower, a little less able to leap TALL BUILDINGS, and a little more cantankerous than in my younger days.

So when Chewy.com included Nutramax Cosequin Original Joint Health Sprinkle Capsules for cats in the February selections, I decided to give it a try, Why not? I am already creaky!





If you are not up to speed here, Nutramax Cosequin is  Glucosamine Hydrochloride which is used for joint health. The capsules also contain Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Manganese. Other Ingredients: Gelatin, Natural Flavor, Water, Magnesium Stearate, Titanium Dioxide(Color), FD&C Red #3, And FD&C Blue#1. Aside from the Glucosamine, the other ingredients are to aid in efficacy.

Some of the benefits of taking a Glucosamine supplement are joint support and bladder health. These are the two major concerns for us elderly CATS.

The Nutramax Cosequin is easy to take as well - no shoving pills in this kitty's mouth! I won't have it! Instead, Nutramax Cosequin capsules can be opened and the contents sprinkled over MY MORNING meal. That is it! At first I managed to eat around it. But the HUMANS persisted and I finally decided to appease them. They MEAN well, after all.



It is hard to say how effective the treatment has been. Sometimes I am slow and sometimes I have a spring in my step. I do admit I have been jumping up to my meal counter a little more than a month ago when I sat and waited for assistance. Could be the Cosequin, could be coincidence. Who knows.

Since PREVENTION is as worthwhile as a CURE, then I say WHY not continue taking the Nutramax Cosequin. At my age it couldn't hurt and I do feel pretty good TODAY. My BONES have to last me a while longer so I am going to take care of them any way that I can.

I give this supplement a hearty 2+2 paws up for convenience of administering it and for the health benefits of Glucosamine Hydrochloride in general.

Chewy.com carries a whole line of Nutramax products as well as Cosequin. Check it out today.

*We received this product free of charge in exchange for our HONEST opinions. We are never paid to review and write about products. None of the opinions expressed here belong to anyone but US at Casa de Noodles.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Molly's Aloha Spirit and Macanna by Grandama Lucy - #chewyinfluencer



Molly got the ALOHA spirit this month and decided to try the new "raw" diet by Grandma Lucy - Macanna. We both loves loves loves Grandma Lucy treats and tried previous freeze-dried foods by the company. In the past, the experience was not so good. Molly turned her nose up at it completely -and me. . .  well if you can imagine a PUG picking at her food and not finishing it. . .

But this was a new formulation and so Molly thought WHY NOT? After all, the Stella and Chewy Chik'in Patties were very successful in our household. Ms Natalie from Chewy.com said SURE to the Grandma Lucy Macanna and shipped the food right out to Casa de Noodles. It was great timing because Molly was out of soft foods to try and since her dental crunchy kibble is out of the question. Within a DAY her trial supply arrived.



The EXCITEMENT!!! The ANTICIPATION!!! Our household went absolutely BONKERS when the box was opened. Molly wanted to try the FOOD right then and there and I did not disagree. So we LOUDLY let Mommy know. After 10 million minutes (Mommy's note: about 5 minutes) she gave in and made a SMALL batch for us to try - all three of us, Sunshine was also beg. . . I mean, asking. . . to try it.

If you look on the right side of the above photo, you will see a bowl with food in it. This is Macanna and it pretty much looks like this once rehydrated. Maybe a little seedier - Mommy thought it was chia seed but it isn't. We now think it is Hemp Heart.

Mommy gave us each a tablespoon to try and OMP we loved it. Molly spent 10 minutes in pug bowl licking mode to get every TASTE molecule out of the bowl. Sunshine did not try more than a lick. Not fresh enough for her. . . and what does she care about coconut, hemp and pinto beans? She's a CAT - Bring on the BEEF. Okay - she also does not like beef.

Like all of Grandma Lucy products, Macanna is certified organic and is human grade food. Yes, any meat eating human could live quite nicely on Macanna foods and have all of their vitamin, mineral and protein needs met. But I digress. Here is the ingredient list for Macanna - Beef Recipe
USDA Beef, Pinto Beans, Hemp Hearts, Carrots, Coconut, Kale, Blueberries, Pumpkin, Tumeric, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Niacin, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Potassium, Manganese, Chloride, Copper, Magnesium, Pyridozine, Cyanocobalamin.

Did you catch that? The first item is BEEF and all the first row of ingredients are FOOD. I'm telling you - this is a healthy foodable from a very reputable company. Chewy.com carries a whole line of Grandma Lucy products.



So everything was fine for the first couple of weeks. Molly DEVOURED her Macanna and I sampled it now and then. I am testing a different food so for me Macanna was a treat.

Then on week TWO Molly began to vomit about 1 hour after eating her Macanna. And she was clearly in some distress. That was so odd because she obviously enjoyed the food and seemed to be thriving on it. Mommy watched her for a day to see if she was picking up strange stuff and eating it (like around the couch or in the yard. NOTHING. She was being a good girl and not eating taboo stuff. It could only be the food. Auntie T made her some special chicken and rice food to calm her tummy and that is what Molly has been eating since.

Mommy wrote to the Grandma Lucy people to see if perhaps there were other pups who had problems with the food. The nice customer service person, Jorge, had not heard of any problems with the food. He was very sympathetic and discussed with Mommy some of the ingredients Molly MIGHT be reacting to. He also said, quite honestly, that maybe Macanna was not the right food for her but one of their other formulas might be. He might be right there. After all WE LOVE THE TREATS from GRANDMA LUCY and have NEVER ever reacted negatively to them. She was glad that Jorge took the time to puzzle the problem out and give Mommy some suggestions. She was very impressed. She knows that Customer Service is very important. It is one of the MAIN REASONS we love Chewy.com so much.

Mommy hated to see the Macanna go to waste so she fed it to me a couple ofdays. On the third day I also had an upset tummy. I didn't toss my proverbial cookies like Molly BUT I was clearly in some abdominal distress. So Mommy quit feeding Macanna to me as well. Something in the food is not agreeing with us and so far Mommy cannot isolate it. It is still a great food and we are pretty sure at Casa de Noodles that some dogs will not react at all to the recipe. It just did not work for us.

**We were not paid to write this review nor were we told what to say in this review. All of the opinions expressed in this blog belong to a PUG, a Maltese Mix, and a kitty. We did receive product free of charge for the sole purpose of trying it and writing about it.