Spike The Ball! Thirty Day Challenge is One for The Books! #chewyinfluencer

A PROUD Influencer

I did it. I completed for Chewy.com a 30 day challenger EATING Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Wetlands Formula Grain free Formula Dog Food. I gotta say this was NOT a difficult challenge at all. In fact, to call it a "challenge" is inaccurate. Getting me to eat is the EASY part.

To remind you, I was testing the poultry blend (Chicken, Duck and Pheasant) which are all proteins that suit me well. But, there is one SMALL protein that does NOT suit me all too well, PEA protein. And like all good foods these days, Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak utilizes pea proteins in their recipes. It is a great source of protein and in MOST pets (and people) it causes minimum allergic reactions and other kind of reactions. In this PUG PRINCESS, though, it causes a continuance of SMELLY BELCHING. Not as much as the last food I tried, but not a cessation of the event, either.

So taking this fact out of the storyline, how did I do according to the GOALS as set out by Nutrish itself? These are based on the Benefits section of Chewy.com for Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain free Dog Food:

 1.   Peak is an easily-digestible animal protein to fuel active muscles
         C+  As I said above, the animal protein is not causing me problems - the vegetable protein is

 2.  Peak natural omegas (Flax seed, fish meals, etc) support a healthy skin and coat
         A   My coat is shiny and I am not too itchy at all
         
3.   Peak contains vitamins and minerals for overall well-being
         A   I feel like a puppy again. I even grabbed a toy the other day and raced through the house                    with it

4.   Peak protein packed formula is satisfying and nourishing
         A   This is hard to tell. I will beg for food if I am hungry or not. But Mommy thinks I walk away                 as IF I am not so hungry. So there's that

Over all, I give this food a B++ because I like it and it, mostly, likes me. And it is a reasonably priced food. There are THREE different formulas of Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain free, so there really is something for everyone - Open Range: Beef, Venison, Lamb; Northern Woodlands: Turkey, Duck, Quail; and Wetlands: Chicken, Duck, Pheasant.

** I received one bag of RR Nutrish Peak Grain free Wetlands formula free of charge from Chewy.com. This was sufficient to eat the dog food for every meal for 30 days. I am not paid for my opinions and observations AND all opinions are MY OWN.

P Is For Protein - Why Dogs NEED It, Why Perhaps I DON'T . . . . . . . . #chewyinfluencer

 BLOG #2 for My Thirty Day Challenge - 

Rachel Ray's Nutrish Peak Grain Free

I'll eat virtually ANYTHING. It is true. This PUG does NOT have a discriminating PALATE. So just because I will eat a food, does not mean the food is GOOD or good FOR ME. That determination comes much later when the RESULTS of eating a certain food becomes known. That is why I loves loves loves the Chewy.com Thirty Day Challenges. They really give me a chance to savor a product AND for the benefits to come shining through.

I have tried various Rachel Ray dog food products - pretty much for as long as there have been Rachel Ray dog food products. They are, for the most part, fine foods. Lately, though, they have become a bit FINER in the choice of ingredients and in the attention to particular problems with certain ingredients. Like chicken, for example. I loves it but my FURiend Tiffy is allergic to it. Or wheat products. I have no issues from eating wheat or soy in my food but my FURiend Pablo cannot handle it at all. So I like that Rachel Ray and especially her Nutrish line of food is paying more attention to these kinds of problems.

This is the food I am eating EXCLUSIVELY for 30 days: Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain-free Chicken, Duck and Pheasant dog food.

Since I cannot read, Mommy pores over the ingredient list and reads the customer reviews, etc. She takes care of me. Something that she KNOWS is very very important is how much PROTEIN I need. According to a quick perusal of GOOGLE, a dog needs about 2 grams of high quality animal protein per kilogram of body weight per day. It helps keep the dog in great shape by providing energy and by fortifying the immune system. It also creates hormones and enzymes which are necessary to keep a body, such as a PUG body, functioning properly. The Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain-free contains about 30% crude protein, which is pretty decent. Because it is also grain-free, it is an easily digestible food.

Here are the Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain-free ingredients - this is the Chicken, Duck & Pheasant Dry Dog Food. I bolded the proteins, underlined the chelated minerals, and italicized the animal proteins

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Dried Peas, Pea Flour, Pea Protein, Whole Dried Potatoes, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Pheasant, Pork Flavor, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Salt, Tapioca, Sweet Potatoes, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

The Peak Grain-free has basically three kinds of protein

Animal PROTEIN - Pork, Pheasant, Phish (I'm playing with you - I needed another P) 
These are proteins dogs, due to their innate need to hunt and eat their prey, automatically gravitate toward. As a rule, these kinds of proteins are easily used by the canine body

PROTEINATE - This is a dietary nutritional source of trace elements. In LayPUG words, this is a handy way to combine minerals to key amino acids and make them (the minerals) more digestible. The amino acids are from the proteins which are combined with IRON, CALCIUM, and ZINC, for example

PEA PROTEIN - a vegetable source for protein. It is easily digestible (more on this below) and high in fiber, amino acids and enzymes. This is the latest source for NON-SOY, NON-WHEAT, and NON-DAIRY vegetarian proteins. It is everywhere these days. WHY? Pea protein is a complete protein. It is especially good for building muscle and for keeping your pet satisfied.

For this little PUG, though, pea protein seems to be a problem. Mommy has called and talked to many food manufacturers about this and they all disagree with her. But she has noticed an increase in my. . . a-hem. . . STINKY BELCHES when I eat foods that rely heavily on PEA PROTEIN, as more and more of them do. So For ME - this is a bit of a negative. I cannot PROVE IT. I cannot SWEAR to it. But I AM observing this to be true. 

That said, the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK Grain-free food is not making me BELCH more and MIGHT even be making me belch a little less. Mommy said by 20 days I should know.

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

It's A Challenge, Part Two . . . #chewyinfluencer

It has been two weeks (and a little extra) since Chewy.com asked me to participate in the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK challenge and I gotta tell you . . .

It is NO Challenge whatsoever

I mean, if the challenge is to EAT the food, then it is no contest. I happily eat this food. It has all of the requisite features I look for in a food 

• It is Yummy
• It is Crunchy (this is not a hard fast rule)
• It is FOOD

VOILA! Meets all of my requirements. It has been a pleasure to HAVE to eat this food.

Mommy, however has more stringent requirements regarding protein, vitamins, fat content. For the MOST part, the Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK meets her standards. The main ingredients are Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea flour, Whole Dried Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Quail, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Sweet Potatoes

She does wish there was less PEA PROTEIN, MEALS of all kinds, and PULP and larger amounts of Duck, Quail and Fish proteins. That, to Mommy would be a higher quality food. But of course, that would raise the cost of making the food and put it in a different category. For a mid-priced food, Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK is very good.

This is a SATISFYING food, though. I am satisfied on relatively small portions (D-I-E-T portions is what I mean to say) and as a result my weight is staying down in the 15-16 pound range which is PERFECT for me. Even Molly likes a few pieces in her soft food. She still has a couple of molars so she can eat some satisfyingly crunchy foods now and then.

The one downside so far is my BELCHING. Yes, I have been belching A LOT since the challenge began and Mommy cannot figure out what in this food is making me BELCH. And these are STINKY belches, not ladylike at all. Last night I coupled frequent BELCHING with farting and was booted out of my FAVORITE spot next to Mommy's feet. Note to self - do NOT beg for Brussels Sprouts. They make me toot.

So Belching aside, I think this food is pretty much living up to expectations - at least in terms of what the commercials say. Is it any better than the other foods in the NUTRISH Line? Well THAT's a topic for our FINAL CHALLENGE POST.

*I received no monies for this review nor was I told what to write. I was given enough food to eat, possibly enjoy, and to rate the food in terms of what it does for ME, Noodles the Pug. All opinions are my own.

I LOVE a Good Challenge - #chewyinfluencer

I was napping on Mommy's lap when the email came in. 

I love a good CHALLENGE so when Chewy.com contacted me about a new challenge, I jumped at it. I mean, I literally JUMPED at the opportunity to try a new food. I did not even investigate it other than the name. That is how excited I was to TAKE ON THIS NEW CHALLENGE.

The challenge for me is NOT finding a food I like. Nope, I like pretty much LIKE and eat everything. And I am pretty sure if you go through all of the reviews I have done you will see that I have liked all of the foods I have tried.

The challenge for me is finding out

1. Is the food FILLING
2. Is the food weight friendly
3. Is the food economical (not necessarily inexpensive)

Within a week I received this BIG BAG of food from Ms. Natalie at Chewy.com. That's a lot of food and I was happy dancing all over the house because it was ALL FOR ME. Okay, okay, I give Molly a few pieces of kibble because even though she is almost toothless she likes a crunch now and then.

Chewy.com you spoil me!

I like the look of the bag, don't you? It is all outdoorsy and STUFF and it really gave me a sense of healthiness. I completely fell into your trap MARKETING PERSON. But although the packaging certainly attracted me, there is more to product review than a pretty package. I needed to SMELL the product. . .  SEE the product. . . FEEL the product . . . and yes. . . TASTE the product.

The food in question is the latest in Rachel Ray's NUTRISH family of dog foods - PEAK. This kibble is different from her other formulas in that it is NUTRIENT rich with 30% more protein. Why, you may ask, is this important? It is more satisfying for one. Dogs thrive on a high protein diet (not as high as cats, though, who require almost 100% protein). Protein gives a PUG more energy and makes her more ALERT. It is also more filling without being fattening. I am proud I am down to a reasonable 15-16 pounds and I plan to keep my weight right there. So it is important to me that I am not eating empty calories. Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK also contains no grain, no gluten and no fillers which translate into BAD FOR YOU. Dogs and Pugs do not need grains, at least not much. And gluten + fillers is just asking for trouble. Give me good farm raised or naturally sourced food please.

I opted for the NORTHERN WOODLANDS FORMULA which is Turkey, Duck, and Quail. The other available PEAK is OPEN RANGE FORMULA which is Beef, Venison and Lamb. Both sound yummy to me, to be honest. But I am more of a poultry gal so that is the way we went.

Here are the ingredients - note the first, I dunno, TEN are all real food. The rest which are LESS pronounceable are naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and so on. ALL GOOD STUFF - Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea flour, Whole Dried Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Flaxseed, Cranberries, Duck, Quail, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Sweet Potatoes, Salt, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Mommy decided to TORTURE me and make me POSE with the food before she would let me eat it. Very cruel. This is the kibble in comparison to me. It is a good size, don't you think? Not too small so big dogs have a good mouth feel and not too big so that little dogs wouldn't have trouble biting into it. Just the right size for PUGS who run the middle ground between the two.

Mommy. . . . Mommy . . . MOMMY!!! See this here? I want to eat this here food right now. How will I know if I like it if you don't let me taste it?

Mommy does this. She likes to make me sit and be a good girl before I get to gobble. I play her game because I know at the end of the day I WIN.

This is me SAMPLING the kibble on the floor. It is just as yummy as I imagined it would be. The TURKEY taste is so rich and inviting. . . and the DUCK is out of this world gamey and dense. . . and the QUAIL is so subtle but definitely there. Oh this is really good stuff. Time will tell though if this this is GOOD STUFF, if you know what I mean.

Mommy wanted me to point to that piece of kibble on the edge. I am NOT a show dog, Mommy. You can't make me do a bunch of tricks for your entertainment. She finally had to HAND FEED me that bite. Hahahahaha! She does not like to do that. She knows it's a POWER PLAY by me.

So that is the tale of our challenge. We look forward to sharing with you our progress and thoughts while eating this new food. If taste alone was KEY, well I can tell you Rachel Ray Nutrish PEAK would be a winner. BUT it is not all about taste. So be patient THERE IS MORE TO COME.