#Chewyinfluencer What Molly Wants is What Molly Gets

This is Molly and she is a good girl. I cannot ask for a better sister than her because she is fun but mostly lovable. Unless she doesn't want to be. Then all bets are off as to how she will act. But mostly, she is a good girl.

She is also a lot more delicate than me. Part of this is her breed mix - Maltese we know for sure. It makes her a little more delicate and particular especially when it comes to FOOD. Actually, that is the main point I am making here. She is PARTICULAR ABOUT HER FOOD!!! She won't just eat a comestible because it IS comestible. Oh no. She needs to like the SMELL. She needs to like the SHAPE. She needs to like the TEXTURE.

THIS is what makes Molly a good test subject. Unlike me, she won't eat anything. Unlike ME, she won't consider any kind of food "good" just because it is food. She SCRUTINIZES the Chewy.com monthly newsletter every time looking for the RIGHT item to review. Snacks - meh. . . Vitamins - nah . . . Chewie Bones - nope (not enough teeth) . . . can you envision what I am saying? This month - SEPTEMBER - she decided to try a new (to her) canned food by Purina: Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-free Chicken & Carrots Entree

The PLUS for her is the grain-free formula and the addition of carrots. She likes carrots but cannot crunch them very well any more. This food seemed to be the answer to her DILEMMA.

So we ordered the food for her and it arrived IN TWO DAYS!!! Gotta love Chewy.com and their swift deliveries. Even back in the day when it was less than swift, it was always reasonable and welcome. 

Pugsonally, I could sit here all
day waiting for a package from
CHEWY.COM

So about the food. Molly LOVES it. Well, mostly she LOVES it. She tires of it about halfway down the can and refuses to eat it at all. So the human SERVANTS have to come up with something ELSE for a day or two and then REINTRODUCE the food to her. This happens every time we get food from a large can. ME? I'll eat it no prob. Molly goes "MEH!!"

Here's what she LIKES about Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Grain-free Chicken & Carrots:

1. No Grains to upset her tummy or give her itchies
2. Lotsa Protein, Vitamins, and Minerals so she doesn't have to POP A PILL
3. It's a complete diet FULL of real meat and real vegetables . . . Enough Said
4. Nothing artificial, food-wise, to upset the balance of this delicate FLOWER of a girl
5. Relatively low calorie to maintain her SVELTE form and still keep her muscles and joints ready for running

This is EXACTLY what Purina ProPlan Savor Adult Grain-free Chicken & Carrots LOOKS like! See the bits of cooked carrot? No mistaking that for anything else! And the little pebbles of cooked chicken? It is just the right size for Molly to NIBBLE. Because THAT is exactly how she eats - she NIBBLES and picks out tiny bites and. . .

It DRIVES me CRAZY.

But this review is NOT about me.

After eating this food for 3 weeks, Molly has not changed a lot other than running to the dinner area and begging like there is no tomorrow to be fed. She has plenty of energy and is not biting or scratching any more (or less) than usual. After spending most of the summer dealing with Moose and Pablo, I can say FOR A FACT that girl dogs scratch a lot less than boy dogs. But that is neither here nor there.

We like the Purina Pro Plan food and if it came in smaller cans it would be better for Molly. She is just odd that way.

We give this food an EIGHT PAWS UP approval - we hold off on a SEAL of APPROVAL because of the can issue.

**We received a case of Purina Pro Plan free of charge from Chewy.com in exchange for our honest opinion. All opinions are ours ALONE and we are not paid for writing our reviews.

Sunshine is a Tiny Tiger #chewyinfluencer

How does a house cat become a TIGER? Well it takes many things, for sure. Probably the most important way a house cat becomes a TIGER is by EATING the right food. This is what Sunshine the Cat set out to do THREE weeks ago when she asked Chewy.com to try Tiny Tiger Chicken Recipe Grain-free Pate Canned Cat Food. And I have to say, she has certainly taken this mission to heart and come out of it WELL ON HER WAY to being a FULL BLOWN tiger and not just a Tiny Tiger. Not size-wise, of course. That would be along the lines of Steve Rogers becoming Captain America - and THAT would require a secret serum, not just good-for-you food.

No, I am referring to her VIM, VIGOR and VITALITY which has increased to TIGER SIZE since eating Tiny Tiger Chicken Recipe Grain-free Pate. Keep in mind that Sunshine is a 16 year old CAT! And she is now running around Casa de Noodles like she is a KITTEN! She even jumped ON THE COUNTER and ate my BREAKFAST! That was totally unacceptable behavior, granted, but nonetheless quite a feat for a SENIOR CAT.

Tiny can

Tiny package

So what is it about Tiny Tiger that is bringing out the T-I-G-E-R in Sunshine? I think we need to look at the ingredients to get the FULL picture.

Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Liver, Meat By-Products, Fish, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Added Color, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Taurine, Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Nitrite (To Promote Color Retention).

Caloric Content
1,120 kcal/kg or 95 kcal/3oz can

No GRAIN because cats don't need grains. No CORN or SOY because cats don't need those either. Instead, take a look at the underlined ingredients! All you see there is MEAT and MEAT and PROTEIN. That is what a healthy cat CRAVES and that is what a healthy cat NEEDS.

So by eating Tiny Tiger Chicken Recipe Grain-free Pate Canned Cat Food, Sunshine is giving her body what it needs to reach TIGER STATUS.

And taste? She is LOVING it. Really and truly - she RUNS to her bowl at meal time and if there is no Tiny Tiger in it, she ROARS!

Now if only she would stop hiding around corners and POUNCING on me when I walk by. . .

We at Casa de Noodles give Tiny Tiger our beloved

** We received one case of Tiny Tiger Chicken Recipe Grain-free Pate Canned Cat Food FREE of charge from CHEWY.COM in exchange for our honest review. We were not paid for our review and all opinions expressed on this blog are the property of NOODLES the PUG.

ALL American BORN, REARED and WRAPPED #chewyinfluencer

I am a proud American CAT. I was born in the USA. I live in the USA. And I AM the USA. Everything about me is nurtured in the Red White and Blue and I am very very proud of it.



So when Chewy.com approached me about reviewing a CAT GOODY BOX they have designed, I said SURE. It is my duty to promote good ol' American ingenuity and industry. That is what the Made in the USA Goody Box is all about - USA Pride (and some yumminess along the way).

If you know ANYTHING about the Goody Boxes from Chewy.com, then you know what a bargain they are. Lotsa wholesome treats and toys are included for the price (which is very competitive in the pet gift niche). They are well thought out with an eye for pet age, allergies, and health. This is all very important especially when considering the senior kitties, like myself.

So on to the REAL STORY here - the Made in the USA Goody Box and what is in it. My box included:

1. Blue Buffalo Kitty Yums
2. The Missing Link Ultimate Feline Health Formula
3. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers
4. Natural Balance Platefulls (2 pouches)
5. Clean Protein canned cat food (2 cans)
6. Pet House Candle (lavender)

My oh my oh my. . . That is quite a HAUL. All items are FULL SIZE, not sampler, and represent quite a savings over ala carte purchasing. 

Every item in the goody box is made and packaged in the USA. Is that a WOW or what?

And it is all nestled in a sturdy yet colorful box which can be totally used for a KITTY bed after removing the goodies, if you ask me.

I was immediately rewarded for posing with ample quantities of the Blue Buffalo Kitty Yums. They are - YUM.

Molly wanted to get in the act so she is pretending to be
like VANNA WHITE and show you all the goodies

Let's hear it for the RED, WHITE, and BLUE and Chewy.com's Made in the USA Goody Box for CATS. It is a great gift for new pet PAWrents or to celebrate a long time FURmembers of the family. And like all Chewy.com GOODY BOXes, shipping is free.

**I received free of charge from Chewy.com a Made in the USA Goody Box for Cats so I could experience it by opening, tasting and reviewing all items enclosed. I am not paid for this post and all opinions in the BLOG belong the the BLOG owner.

Molly's New Softer Food is a WINNER . . . #chewyinfluencer

Hello - I think you all know who I am. I'm ME, Molly. I am Noodles' younger sister. I have trouble with my teeth, which is common in the maltese mix that I am. As such, I am relying more and more on softer foods. But ALL soft food does not agree with my tummy. So Auntie K, Noodles' Mommy #2 thought perhaps a TOPPER would help the kibble go down better. 

Lucky for us, the October Newsletter from Chewy.com included a freeze-dried topper that I was HOT to try. It is Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers, Turkey Formula. It sounded so yummy from the description and I was very excited about trying it out.

I waited patiently for it to arrive and it DID - two days later. I love that Chewy.com.

Since yesterday was Halloween, Noodles INSISTED I use this photo of a chewy.com box

That night the Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers was added to a smaller portion of my kibble. It looked like this picture - which was taken at the actual moment the BOOST was added. I was pretty excited to chow down and that is so not NORMAL for me.

Please ignore the tile - we are in the process of
repairing and replacing the kitchen floor

I DUG right in and I totally DUG the flavors

I tell ya, it was the best and most satisfying meal I have had in a while. WHY? Well, because I didn't have to chew a lot of hard kibble bits in order to feel well fed. The turkey flavor is so rich and meaty that I truly felt like a princess once I finished my FINE meal.

Why is Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers such a good addition to my well balanced diet? Well, check out the ingredients

1. Turkey
2. Turkey Liver
3. Pumpkinseeds
4. Turkey Heart
5. Carrots
6. Apples 
7. Butternut Squash 
8. Ground Flaxseed 
9. Montmorillonite Clay 
10. Dried Kelp
11.  Broccoli
12.  and naturally occurring - Mixed Tocopherols, Salmon Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Rosemary Extract, Blueberries, Dried Chicory Root.

I don't know about you BUT I see a whole lot of GOOD food and REAL food. Turkey, Turkey, ...Turkey... When Nature's Variety says TURKEY it means lots of it.

And all that stuff translates into a healthier and PRETTIER Molly. I feel good, I behave good, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I look good.

I give this food TEN TIMES

*I was given free of charge ONE BAG of Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers so I could try it and decide if I liked it. I was not and never am paid for my opinion. All opinions on this blog belong to the author ONLY.

Sumptin' About Punkin That Just Sends ME - #chewyinfluencer

This time of year I am all about PUMPKIN. I love the look of those lovely ORANGE orbs (yes, I admit there are some white, blue, green versions). And the pulp tastes so so so good especially dolloped atop my kibble. Oh yes, I am a true fan. My Mommy #2 is NOT A FAN. I don't get where she is coming from there. I mean - what's not to like? Pumpkin is sweet and intensely flavored and what is even better . . . it is GOOD for pups. Yes, you heard me. Something sweet and delicious that is good for us.

There IS a Heaven.

So when Chewy.com's October newsletter came out, it was a NO-BRAINER for me to choose the Weruva Pumpkin Patch-up. A no-brainer. It looked like a win win for me. Before I tell you about Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up, though, I want to share with you some of the benefits of adding PUMPKIN to your diet. I think I mentioned some of them last week. Here are some more according to GOOGLE

1. Loaded with fiber and beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A
2. High in fiber, low in fat and cholesterol 
3. Contains significant amounts of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and vitamins A and C

 It is most definitely a GOOD-FOR-YOU-TREAT. Like most things, moderation is the key to getting the most out of PUMPKIN. Anything from a TEASPOON for small pups to a couple of TABLESPOONS for BIG dogs is plenty to give your pet maximum benefits from eating Pumpkin.

Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up is a meal SUPPLEMENT not a meal in a pouch. It is portioned out for average dogs and cats so you, the FEEDING PARTNER do not have to cook, measure or store fresh or canned pumpkin. One pouch is one serving (or two for smaller pets). The selling point of this product is its CONVENIENCE and controllability. If you are like my Mommys, sometimes that refrigerator pumpkin stays in too long. Maybe she too has discovered a bit of green mold when she pulled it out. It happens (and a lot faster to fresh cooked pumpkin) because PAWrents tend to get the kind with little to no preservatives. And they get busy and kibble is good enough and if only it was easier to store. . . I am making up excuses here BUT all PAWrents do think this - RIGHT?

So, you might ask, with PUMPKIN so abundant this time of year AND available in canned versions ALL YEAR LONG, and MAYBE this time I will use it before the mold sets in . . . 

Why would I need this product?

• Because it is STORABLE without needing refrigeration.
• Because it is one serving so there is none left over
• Because there is NO WASTE 
• Because it is convenient
• BECAUSE IT IS ALL PUMPKIN and water. That is all! No sugar, no fillers, no preservatives

 And Chewy.com has it ON SALE right now and that makes the price very competitive to the cans you buy in the grocery store. Click this link to order yours today LINK

Mommy admits to having some problems opening the ALUMINUM PACKAGE (rinse it out and recycle it). It did not tear open too easily and she squeezed too hard and KABOOM!!! Pumpkin went all over the counter, the floor and her Golden State WARRIORS tshirt.

So as you can see from the photo ABOVE (like two photos above) she recruited MR. SCISSORS to aid in opening the package. She still SQUEEZED too hard and juice spilled out a little. BUT this time she was positioned over MY bowl. This is not a FAULT in the packaging. No. This is a fault in MY Mommy that despite pretty good UPPER ARM STRENGTH she still could not manage to open a pouch of PUMPKIN.

She plopped it into my bowl and I ate it up. END OF STORY, It was just enough and made my kibble THAT much MORE tasty. Yes, I begged for more - but I didn't need it.

Another reason Mommy suggested I choose WERUVA PUMPKIN PATCH UP is something we small dogs and . . . especially pugs . . . there, I said it . . . Are you HAPPY, Molly? . . . Is that little ANAL problem we have. You know - Stink Butt, Juicing, Anal Gland Discharge? 

In my house we call it "Noodles! Not Again! I just washed (these pants, that blanket, the pillow. . . insert what applies)!"

PUMPKIN addresses this ISSUE (yes, pun intended)! It sorta. .  uh. . . moves things along and naturally helps express those anal glands. Expressed glands mean no Stink Butt. Or at least less of it and less frequently. This is a MUST in a pug house. I'm not gonna say the problem is GONE, Gone, gone completely. But since we got the shipment of Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up from Chewy.com I have not slimed anything or anyone. And that is a HUGE relief for all of us.

So get the PUMPKIN rolling and add it to your diet. And go to Chewy.com and get it on SALE!!!! I know you will like it as much as I do. Unless you inexplicably HATE pumpkin like my Mommy. In that case - well, the PACKAGING is cute.

**We were not paid for this review nor were we paid to say positive things about the product. No money was exchanged at all, okay? We did receive enough product to review over a couple of days or weeks and form an opinion about it. All opinions and findings are OUR OWN and ours alone.

If I Stare At It Long Enough Will It . . . #chewyinfluencer

Jump!

Jump!

I am thinking "JUMP!" 

I really believe that if I stare at this treat long enough and HARD enough then it will leap into my mouth. 

This revelation begins my review of a yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy treat that we received from Chewy.com. It was part of the delicious choices for September, This particular treat is a member of the Halo Treat line called Healthsome Vegetarian Biscuits with Peanut 'n Pumpkin Grain-Free Dog Treats.

Let me tell you, these are some YUMMY treats. Yummy with a capital Y. (two of them, really) I know that if left to my own devices, I would eat the whole bag. They are so good that they would carry me through a snowstorm. They would carry me through being stranded on a desert island. THEY would get me through a nasty heartbreak where even ICE CREAM does not work.

Yeah, I'm eating it. . .

They are THAT good.

But Noodles, you ask? Aren't those treats basically JUNK FOOD for pets and have no place in the day to day diet of a healthy pug?

Well, doubting fan - I'll answer that with JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM -

1.  They are filled with natural protein and fiber from fruits and vegetables
2.  They are made of a low-fat vegetarian formula which satisfies even committed carnivores
3.  They achieve their goodness  made without any corn, fillers, added sugars or molasses, artificial flavors or colors
4.  They have parsley that freshens breath, sweet potatoes that have complex carbohydrates for energy and a crunchy texture that cleans teeth

I think you will agree that Halo Healthsome Vegetarian Biscuits with Peanut 'n Pumpkin Grain-Free Dog Treats are ANYTHING but junk food.

The ingredient list is very short for a commercial product, too and I find that very comforting. If I cannot pronounce it, chances are I won't want to eat it.

Check this out: Potato Flour, Ground Peanuts, Tapioca Flour, Ground Peas, Canola Oil, Pumpkin, Tomatoes, Apples, Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Carrots, Split Peas, Broccoli, Parsley, and Ascorbic Acid (a Preservative)

Doesn't each and every one of those ingredients make your mouth water? OH MY PUG!

Molly and I did not get these every day because , , , well, treats. . . But we went KOOKOO for COCOPUFFS when we did get them! Want me to do a trick? Yeah, I'll leap tall buildings for one of those Halo treats. Want me to answer the phone and take dictation? I'll even do THAT for one of those Halo treats. 

Ignore the bag on the left - that was for Sunshine. She
reviewed it a couple of posts ago

Halo basically hit a HOMERUN with the treat department and we are so glad we had the opportunity to try them.

*We were provided with one bag of Halo treats by Chewy.com to try, analyze, and otherwise evaluate for the sole purpose of this post. All opinions expressed in this post belong to Noodles the Pug and Molly the Malti ONLY. We let no one put words in our mouths. . . not for food and not for money.

It's The Cat's Pajamas . . . . . . . #chewyinfluencer

Hi - Sunshine the Cat here with another Chewy.com review. This time is is something very very IMPORTANT to ME - cat food. Who cares about Kibble? Who cares about Bones? Gimme some MEAT, FISH, or POULTRY and I am happy dancing!

This month I chose Stella & Chewy's Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Freeze-Dried Cat Food. Quite simply I chose it because I absolutely went BONKERS when Noodles and Molly were trying and reviewing the PUP version. Since this food is made for CATS, I thought why not?

The good news is,  Stella & Chewy's Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Freeze-Dried Cat Food is made with the same ALL NATURAL and preservative free materials (read - meats, fish, fruit, and so on) that the dog version is made from. . .

• Chicken (Ground with Bone), 
• Chicken Liver, 
• Chicken Gizzard,
• Pumpkin Seed, 
• Hard to pronounce but naturally occurring Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate Monobasic, Choline Chloride, Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Taurine, Tocopherols (Preservative), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Look at the first FOUR ingredients! They make my mouth water. All of this is shaped into a ball/pellet and freeze-dried to lock in all the goodies. Then, Stella & Chewy's Chick Chick Chicken Dinner is served by re-hydrating the food in warm (more like hot) water. It can also be served as is but make sure there is a lot of water nearby as freeze-dried foods tend to make one thirsty.

So the first night the Human servant hastily made my dinner while I howled that it was TAKING TOO LONG. She happily served it to me KNOWING that I had lapped up MY portion of the dog patties when we tried them out. Hmmmm. I am not sure what it was but I certainly had no desire to eat whatever it was she plopped down in front of me. After a couple of hours I actually nibbled some but the human threw a lot of it away. She tried once more and when I acted the same way, she decided this was NOT going to work. Now I get the food served AS A TOPPER (5-7 of the balls) of Stella & Chewy's Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Freeze-Dried Cat Food as is, not rehydrated. And I love them. I love them almost or MAYBE as much as the Halo Liv-a-Littles in which we all know I want to BATHE.

Moral of the story - never assume a CAT will repeat a behavior or eat the same food TWICE.

It's a fact that I really like this food. It is yummy and good for me. I simply did not want to eat it hydrated.

Furthermore, this is GOOD FOR THE KITTY food as all Stella & Chewy "raw" foods are. They are high in protein which is all-important to a Cat's continued health. It's gluten and grain free because let's face it, neither of those are good for a kitty. Plus there is no added sugar or salt, there is added taurine which aids the eyes and heart. And pumpkin seeds help digestion. All around this is a fine addition to a cat's diet.

It can be pricey as all really really good foods can be. This is basically a raw diet and those are even pricier. But when you add in the VALUE of your pet's continued health due to eating such a quality diet, the cost just might balance out and fit your budget.

I, Sunshine the Cat, encourage you to try Stella and Chewy products as they are indeed THE CAT'S PAJAMAS!

Chewy.com carries a full line of Stella & Chewy products.

*I refuse to be paid for my opinions. They are mine and what is mine cannot be bought and sold. I accepted some food free of charge to try so that I could form an opinion and then tell you all about it. I do thank Chewy.com for affording me this opportunity.

#ChewyInfluencer Thirty Day Challenge - In Summation

What's this?

"Dogs are carnivores and we believe they deserve to thrive on real minimally-processed food – the way nature intended. Because the closer foods stay to their natural state, the better they are. It’s what your dog would eat in the wild, only better, because all Stella & Chewy’s dinners are specifically formulated for your dog’s nutritional needs and made with premium ingredients you can count on."

Stella and Chewy's

When Chewy.com contacted me about doing a THIRTY DAY challenge, I said SURE. I love trying new things - especially if that NEW THING is a food. Plus, according to Mommy, this allows us to try elite foods that may not fit into our budget so well.

This month's challenge was to TRY and report back on Stella and Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Dinner Patties. This is part of their RAW line of foods which are FREEZE-DRIED rather than fresh. This food provides a PUG or other DOG all of the benefits of a raw diet but in a more convenient way to store it AND with a longer shelf life. This is a pretty important feature for today's BUSY families.

For me, the challenge is NOT to get me to eat the stuff. It is for Molly, though, as she is infinitely more picky-at-the-plate than I am. BUT I have tried the freeze-dried foods before and frankly I was NOT too thrilled with it. I always ended up licking the bowl and asking . . . no BEGGING for more as I was not sufficiently full. Well, I am happy to report that Stella and Chewy's Chicken Dinner Patties not only satisfied me once that bowl was LICKED completely clean, but it turned Molly into a rabid beggar. It is the whole truth and nothing but. . . Molly was insufferable. She would whine before the food was portioned out (DONE via individual patties)! She would dance around and YIP while the food was being reconstituted. She would run around barking while Mommy put the dishes down. And finally, she would stand and eat every last bite which she never does with other food (which causes me to LAND SHARK her plate and get in trouble). So for the taste side it is a WIN! On the heating the water- reconstituting the food- and the fact the patties crumbled in the bag forcing Mommy to determine how much a patty equals in patty-dust - NOT SO MUCH. It takes a long time to feed us at mealtime and sometimes she does not have that time. But she refrains from calling that a fail when it could be chalked up to her disorganized self.

But I think one of the MOST important determinations when trying a new food is whether or not the PET thrives on the food. What does it improve on our already PERFECT bodies? Inside and out, maybe. And this is what I want to discuss now. Stella and Chewy make some claims and I am going to discuss them one-by-one. DON'T LOG OFF! IT WON'T BE BORING, I PROMISE!

1. Improved appetite and digestion

I can honestly say this is true. As noted above, Molly became a food demon when the S&C bag was brought out. I have never in the 3+ years since Molly joined the family seen her acting like this about any food. She went KOOKOO for COCOPUFFS. As for digestion, it went down like it was supposed to and came out when it was supposed to so I call that a YEAH MAN!

1. Relief from certain allergies

Interesting note - I have been suffering from excessively waxy and occasionally smelly ears almost from day one. This has been true despite Mommy cleaning my orafices on a CONSTANT basis! But a couple of weeks ago Mommy could not perform her every-other-day ritual of cleaning on me and she was so worried I would develop some kind of infection. Well, when she finally settled down to do some hardcore ear cleaning, she found UNWAXY and CLEAN SMELLING ears. She asked everyone in the house if they had cleaned my heretofore mentioned things and they all said NO! Could the smelly ears and snout been from food allergies? I am not saying YES or NO but I think the evidence is pretty compelling. And this was not true before S&C.

1. A vibrant skin and coat

Hard to quantify since I already possess skin and coat of remarkable softness and luster. I have received a few more comments and compliments that usual, though, so it is possible that my ALREADY A-quality coat and skin is now an A+.

1. Healthy teeth and gums

Okay - we fail here. Where my skin and coat are great, my teeth SUCK. Molly's are worse and she just had more pulled. I don't think this has anything to do with the food just as it has nothing to do with brushing (yes, we suffer from that TOO). It is just a thing with us. SO I really cannot comment on this claim other than to say the food DID NOT make it any worse.

1. Greater stamina and vitality

I'm a pretty active PUG. Yes, I will sleep a lot at my Mommy's feet while she is working. . . but when I do go outside I am what my Grandma DeAnna used to call BUSY. I go here, I go there, I check out this, I check out that, I do not stop. . . kinda like this sentence. But I admit I FEEL GOOD and Molly says she almost feels like a puppy again. Could be the food.

1. A healthy immune system

I am NOT a dogter so I cannot be 100% sure of this. But I am not sick. Nor is Molly. And like I said about the ears. . . I think that might be an indicator of improved immune system as well.

All in all, I think Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Dinner Patties absolutely lives up to the claims of a good quality food which in turn greatly benefits those who eat it. And it is yummy. Even Sunshine the Cat enjoyed it on occasion. Since it is high protein and has no fillers, it is good for cats too. She had it as a topper, though, and not a full meal.

We want to thank Chewy.com for giving us the opportunity to try this food and let them and YOU know how we did on it. We are not paid for any of the opinions we express in this post. Or on any other post on this blog. All Opinions are PROUDLY ours, We did get free of charge enough Stella & Chewy's Chicken Dinner Patties to last 30 days so we could write this song. . .uh . . . review for you.

Then end of the story

CHEW On This!

We got another goodie from Chewy.com to review FOR SEPTEMBER. Since we are winding down the month, I thought perhaps NOW would be a good day for a review.

I gotta be honest here. I like TREATS. Pretty much ALL treats, too. Look back at all of my reviews and you will see that I DID NOT REFUSE a single one. I may not have walked across water (or even the kitchen floor) for them, but I ALWAYS eat them.

So when Chewy.com sent me and Molly some Nature Variety Instinct treats (Duck and Sweet Potato), we

tried them and loved them. Story closed. Of course!!!!! I-like-TREATS! So how can I make this a review worth reading? I need to give you reasons to buy this item beyond the fact the I LIKE THEM. So I came up with this list of reasons to try Nature Variety Instinct treats.

1. Since Pugs and Maltese often have allergies to certain foods, MY MOMMYS are always aware of what they are feeding me. Even when I developed a weird allergy to some food over the summer, it was an allergy to some REALLY GOOD AND LIMITED INGREDIENT FOOD! So these treats, being, Grain-free and gluten-free, are something MY MOMMYS would be comfortable giving both of us.
2. Big on our household food list is un-processed foods. Best foods being what we grow ourselves (I loves going out in the yard and chomping on the good apples from our tree). But if we choose to buy a packaged product, we look for All-natural ingredients. It's important for us to maintain our weight and our good looks.
3. Have you looked at the ingredients of off the shelf dog treats? They are filled with salts and sugars of all kinds. Who needs it? Not me. I get plenty from licking the FLOOR (Huh? Who said that? I don't lick the floor, Mommy. Really! I was just licking the air NEAR the floor). These Nature Instinct treats contain No added salt or sugar which means any sweetness or savoriness comes from the ingredients themselves.
4. These treats are also GOOD for my digestive tract cuz they are made with probiotics and prebiotics. Maybe Molly's too, I don't know. But they ARE GOOD for mine. I looked it up in WIKIPEDIA

The term "probiotic" originally referred to microorganisms that have effects on other microorganisms, a usage credited to Lilly and Stilwell (1965).[29] Their conception of probiotics involved the notion that substances secreted by one microorganism stimulated the growth of another microorganism. The term was used again in 1971 by Sperti [30] to describe tissue extracts which stimulated microbial growth. The term probiotics was taken up by Parker in 1974 [31] who defined the concept as, “organisms and substances that have a beneficial effect on the host animal by contributing to its intestinal microbial balance”. Later, the definition was greatly improved by Fuller in 1989,[12] whose explanation was very close to the definition used today. Fuller in 1989 described probiotics as a "live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance". He stressed two important facts of probiotics: the viable nature of probiotics and the capacity to help with intestinal balance.

Prebiotics are non-digestible fiber compounds that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and stimulate the growth and/or activity of advantageous bacteria that colonize the large bowel by acting as substrate for them.

Sounds like a good reason to me to eat these treats!

What makes these treats even more special is the increased food value they have so everything is digested and used in the body so that skin, coat, etc are improved by continued use. At least that is what the website said http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct. All I know is I am ONE FINE LOOKIN' PUG!

If you ARE what you EAT, then I am eatin' some GOOD stuff. 

Disclaimer: Chewy.com did not pay me for this review. They supplied me the treats, free of charge, to try out and then give MY HONEST OPINION on. This is MY OPINION only.