Dreams of Tidbits Yet to Be

When you are Dreaming

And imagine things to eat

Do you ever come to

And have them in your reach?

These are the things

Pugs wish for

Confessions of a Foodcentric Pug. . . In Other Words. . . Confessions of a PUG

I am totally into food

Or anything that looks like food

Or anything that smells like food

Or anything that might be food

Or anything that may be food

It consumes my every thought

It patterns my every day

It even dominates my behavior

I am a Foodcentric Being

You all know me as Noodles

Noodles the Pug

Noodles the Pug Princess

A Bowl of Noodles

Even my name screams food

Saying my name is an homage to food

I am a Foodcentric Being

I'll wake up for Food

I'll come running for Food

I live for Food

I snuffle in the corners for Food

I search under the table for Food

I stand by the stove for Food

I search the garden for Food

I search the couch for Food (you NEVER know)

I listen for bags, jars and cans opening . . .

I am a Foodcentric Being

They named me Noodles

Noodles is a FOOD

Noodles make me hungry

A Bowl of Noodles

I scream for food

My Name Is FOOD

I am a Foodcentric Being

Is CRAVE Cat Food CRAVE-ABLE? #chewyinfluencer

Hello. Sunshine the Cat here with another scintillating review of a product from Chewy.com. I know, I know. How come a CAT is doing a review when we all know cats are very picky eaters? Well, who better than a picky eater to review a FOOD? I mean, if we like something then you KNOW it is good, right? Not like that PUG in the house - she likes everything. . . and I mean everything. I cannot think of anything she did not like. Even if the FOOD does not agree with her - she likes it. Sheesh. Don't get me wrong, I love her like a sister. But she has no refinement in her taste for food - at all.

So this month's selection included CRAVE by Crave single serving twin packs in a variety of flavors. I chose chicken because - well I prefer chicken. And really smelly fish like snapper. I like that a lot. But that is another story for another time. I chose the Chicken Pate High Protein Grain-free Food Tray. 

Let's talk packaging for a minute. Isn't this the best packaging you have ever seen? It appeals to my inner wildcat. This is exactly how I see myself when I look in the mirror. It grabbed my attention and made me want to try the food. Aces on the packaging CRAVE.

Crave Chicken Pate High Protein Grain-free trays provide just what cats need - protein, and lots of it. Also included are the vitamins and minerals that round out a good feline diet. The soft food is nestled in a savory gravy for added flavor - not too much, just enough to keep it moist. I think this is a good touch. The smell is amazing and the appearance is appealing. The portions are just right for a meal. As an elder citizen, I need to mind my weight. It's better for my joints and my heart. Crave helps in this regard. If one chooses, and occasionally I do, Crave can be used as a topper. Just take out a smaller portion and wrap the rest. The metal lid can be used as a loose seal - or a bit of cello or aluminium wrap will seal it well.

Crave Chicken Pate is made with Chicken, Chicken Liver, Pork Broth, Chicken Broth, Chicken Heart, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Carrageenan, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Tomatoes, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Taurine, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Copper Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K Activity). 

I underlined and bolded the first five to show THIS IS REAL FOOD,

I like this food. I really do. But not a lot. There are some foods I will eat every single day and never get bored. CRAVE is not one of them. After the past two weeks of eating it, I am a little tired of the Chicken Pate. It might be the chicken-ness or it might be something in the food. I can't say. I am just a CAT. 

So to answer my question in the title - no, I don't think Crave Chicken Pate High Protein Grain-free food is CRAVE-ABLE. To my tastes, it is okay but not great. I would give it THREE PAWS UP because it hits almost all points for being a good food. It just is not crave-able which would make it great - for me.

Chewy.com offers this food in 6 twin-packs which is a relatively small amount to order. And right now it is on sale. This makes it a really really good time to give CRAVE a try and see if you like it. Like I said, having discriminating taste does not mean you can't occasionally try something new.

**Chewy.com provided me with sufficient food free of charge to try and assess in order to write a review. All opinions are mine alone. And I was not paid for my opinion.

If It Tastes Good You Gotta . . .

If it is food you oughta

If it tastes good you gotta

If you smack your lips you wanna

If you like it you're gonna

September Already? I Have a New Challenge and It's All About FOOD

No. These ARE my real ears. Why?

I cannot believe it is already September. That means in a few short days Mommy #2 is flying OVER THE POND to meet Princess Leah and her 'rents. Without me, I might add. She'll be gone about 8 days. Then she is home a day and the next day my Mommy #1 moves away from home to her new dorm at her new UNIVERSITY! That is a huge change for us, to be sure. Luckily she will be only 7.5 miles away . . . but she won't be available for cuddles and naps and THAT is gonna be hard on me. THEN a few days after that, the WHOLE family sans pets leave for my Cousin K's wedding in New Mexico! They will be gone for 4 days. I am gonna miss them. 

But to keep me from being too sad, Chewy.com offered me the chance to be a part of their 30 Day Challenge for NUTRA WILD FRONTIER kibble. It sounded so yummy that as soon as Mommy asked I started jumping up and down excitedly. YES! YES! YES! I said. But I had to wait TWO whole days for the food to arrive.

Not moving until this box is opened

Of course, it was still AUGUST so Mommy would not open the bag yet. She wouldn't no matter how much I begged and begged. Then Molly chimed in and we harmonized our begging - she sang the soprano part and I am more of an alto. It was like a choir. A choir of "Feed me! Feed me! Feed me!"

But Mommy did not.

Here's some facts about NUTRA WILD FRONTIER Rolling Meadows. It is one of FOUR delicious-sounding recipes for the Wild Frontier product line. There are: Woodland Trail (venison), Cold Water (salmon), Open Valley (chicken), and Rolling Meadow (lamb). We are normally all about the chicken but this time we chose lamb. In the past, lamb has been pleasing to both of us.

Wild Frontier food is characterized by being high protein and grain-free. This is important because recent studies have shown that dogs perform better on a high protein diet. AND grain-free is important not only for digestion but also to prevent food based allergies. Chewy.com, on it's website, says Wild Frontier's key benefits are

Key Benefits

• High protein, grain- free formula helps keep your dog full and happy
• Provides steady energy for an active lifestyle
• Helps support a strong, lean body
• Great for adult dogs

Mommy keyed right in on the lean body part of these benefits. You know as well as I do that PUGS are always fighting the battle of the pudge. Mommy is finding that high quality foods that are grain-free and high protein really mean my weight is in check without drastically cutting down on my portions. That works for me. And being fuller means at LEAST 10 minutes of silence before I begin begging again.

So we are excited to try this food and see how it works for us. Today is September 1 so that means tonight dinner is in the ROLLING MEADOW.

I'll NUZZLE with you anytime Chewy.com

*We have received a month's worth of food so we can evaluate the food and take note of how we do on it. We are not being paid for any of this and any opinions expressed on this blog are ours and ours alone.

A Mild, Sunny Day In California Means Pugs Can Play

Yesterday was a PERFECT day. And it got even perfecter with a trip to the north bay and a visit with my PUG pals. It was great from start to finish as we left during the cool morning and drove for an hour. I say in the back seat in my crate and just wallowed in the sweet sea cooled air coming in through the window. I think it made me snooze a little because before I knew it we were there.

I have never been to Gerty's house before but heard it was a super place to hang out. Those reports were absolutely correct. Gerty has a big back yard with lots of decks and plants and a garden and GRASS!!!! She has green grass in her backyard! We don't because the water to keep it green would be too expensive. But Gerty lives near a creek and that keeps the soil nice and moist even if her 'rents are not constantly watering. It was a luxury to walk on it.

This is Gerty. Isn't she lovely? She turned 14 years young on Aug 27

We were among the first to arrive - however Tiffy beat us and Bellatrix arrived at the same time. As you may or may not know, Tiffy and Belli are my besties. I am always so thrilled when I see them. We were shuffled into the back yard and there we got to say our HELLOS and update each other on what we have been up to. It has been quite a while since we all had a pug (plus a chiwiwi) gathering, so we had a lot to catch up on.

This is a weird angle, MOM! Tiffy and me posing pretty

Soon the yard was covered in PUGS. Well, that is a little exaggeration but there were about 9 of us. That is quite a few. Let's see, there was Gerty, ME, Tiffy, Bellatrix, Hanna, Baloo, Phoebe, Fezzik, Ms. Ellie and Angel the chiwiwi. Such fun. 

Me and Phoebe. She is 11 or 12 years old now, I forget. She is a
funny funny dame, though.

We mostly wandered here and there checking out the smells and visiting with the humans. The humans were, of course, too busy EATING and chatting to really pay attention to us. Although, I have to admit I got a lot of pets, pats, and lovin' scritches behind my ears. It was PUG HEAVEN!

After a few hours, it started to get a little warm. That meant it was time to say goodbye. But before we left we too a group photo with our HUMOMS. I have a big smile on my face just thinking about it. I love this group so much.

LtoR: Phoebe, Fezzik, Bellatrix, Hanna, Noodles, Tiffy, Ellie, Baloo, Gerty

Food and Non-Food and Earth Awareness

I am very into the EARTH. I live here and I EAT here. I want EARTH to be around for a long long time. I also want to be here and healthy for a long long time. There is a video circulating on Facebook and YouTube featuring Woody Harrelson - the actor. In this video (you can watch it below), he speaks of the importance of supporting companies who are ethical and of the importance of eating GOOD FOOD as opposed to the NON-FOOD sold as cheaper, fast food.

As you know, I am a HUGE advocate of food. Yes, I am fortunate that my Mommys feed me really good stuff which is not only HEALTHY for me but is also tasty. They study the ingredients to make sure I am eating real food and not additives. They check out the companies that make the foods I eat to make sure they are aware of their affect on the EARTH and change their ways accordingly.

It isn't easy or CHEAP to follow this path. But look at the consequences of NOT following this path -

1. Malnutrition - this can take on many different appearances from the emaciated starved to the overall fine but not necessarily healthy
2. High Health Costs - a result of eating non-foods or having poor quality foods
3. Water/Air/Soil Pollution - as a result of unethical manufacturing processes many waterways are too polluted to sustain wildlife. Air quality in major manufacturing areas is poor to dangerous. And poor crop management is creating large areas of mineral-depleted soil making food production impossible

And these are just some of the problems.

But the truth is, I am a PUG (some call us dogs) and I am more concerned about the food I eat than any of the above conditions. So I want to tell you, PAY ATTENTION to what you are putting in your body. If the food is filled with grains, byproducts, additives and preservatives, it isn't doing your health a lot of good. And look at it this way. . . To achieve a reasonable level of nutrition from the cheaper non-foods, one has to eat an overwhelming larger portion per meal. The result is not only toxic overload from all of the added chemicals, but also obesity. Take it from a pug whose whole life is one of WEIGHT MANAGEMENT - the long range cost in vet bills and pet health is not worth the few bucks you saved in buying cheap kibble. The end cost is a lot higher than you think. High enough to make that $9.99/16 lb kibble (which you need to eat triple portions of just to fill satisfied) much less of a bargain than the food-rich $35/12 lb kibble.

I have also noticed that the companies that produce the food-rich high quality kibble are the very same companies that are most EARTH conscientious and friendly. So it is a win-win. Healthier pet, healthier Earth. Healthier everything.

So do as Woody says and stop supporting those companies that offer this cheaper substitute that in the long run is costing us all in QUALITY of LIFE.

After Thirty Days, I FEEL Healthier. . .

Thirty Day Challenge for Holistic Blend Chicken Rice and Vegetable

Look at all that GOODNESS!!!

March was a special month for Molly and Me. We chose to do a 30 day challenge for a product on Chewy.com. This particular product was **Holistic Blend dog food. We had never tried it before so we were game - but before we said yes, Mommy checked out their website for the IMPORTANT stuff like what is in the food, where it is made, and what claims does it make regarding our health.

She liked what she saw so we said YES to the challenge. The BIG BAG OF FOOD arrived a couple of days later but Mommy tortured us by making us wait until March 1 to start the challenge. In essence, we did a 31 day challenge because we ate the food - and only Holistic Blend Chicken, Rice and Vegetable - for the whole 31 days.

This was after 15 days

Let me be more specific here - I, Noodles the Pug, ate the food for 31 days, two meals a day. Molly was super GUNG-HO for the food at first, as we all were; but after about a week she decided it was not for her. First she took a long time to eat her food and then she stopped eating it all-together. I helped by eating it for her UNTIL I got caught. No double meals for me after that. I was only trying to be HELPFUL. . .

This is how much food I get per meal

Me sitting pretty before TASTING
BUT why am I upside down?

But I found it to be a super YUMMY food that I will happily eat all the time. YES, it is true I am a pug and therefore ANY food is yummy and I will happily EAT it all the time. But it remains true that Holistic Blend is a very fine food and I honestly believe it made me full longer (what are we talking? Thirty - Forty seconds? Well then, YES it did). I give it FOUR PAWS RAISED VERY HIGH for quality and tastiness.

This food is SOOOO Tasty!

Did it improve my health? Well, hard to say. I am pretty young still and quite healthy. My coat remains shiny and soft, my eyes clear and focused. It did not improve my teeth but it never claimed to and that is the one thing Mommy wishes could be improved. But I digress.

The truth of the matter is this - a good quality food has far reaching benefits which make the price inconsequential. I gain more in health points (and less in body weight) by eating such a rich in protein and low on filler food. In the long run, in terms of vet and food bills, it is a better bargain than cheaper less nutritious food.

I suggest if you are unsatisfied with your current kibble AND/OR just need a change, let your fingers do the shopping on Chewy.com and order yourself a bag of Holistic Blend dog food. There are more flavors available - Turkey and Salmon, Lamb and Rice, and Marine 5 Fish in addition to the Chicken and Vegetable that I tried. I am sure you can find one to suit your palate.

* I was not paid for this challenge nor for the comments and opinions in this post. I received free of charge enough food for the 30 days for two dogs.

**FROM the FACT SHEET of Holistic Blend dog food 

CHICKEN AND RICE
Free range Chicken (Human Grade/ No By-Products or Rendered Meats) • Holistic & Conventional Veterinarian Recommended • Chelated minerals, whole grains, fruits, antioxidants and herbs • Balanced Omega 6 & 3 fatty acids (5-2 ratio) • Ingredients allow for smaller feeding portions
INGREDIENTS
Chicken meal, whole brown rice, hulless barley, chicken meat,
oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a
source of vitamin E), potato, natural chicken flavour, sunflower oil
(preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), wild
salmon meal, dried whole eggs, flax meal, yeast culture, dried
kelp, tomato, carrots, pumpkin, cranberries, spinach, broccoli,
green apple, blueberries, pears, bananas, rosemary extract,
cinnamon, turmeric, capsicum, chamomile, dandelion, paprika.
Vitamins: choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3
supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, L-ascorbyl (source
of vitamin C), inositol, D-calcium pantothenate, thiamine
mononitrate, riboflavin, beta-carotene, pyridoxine hydrochloride,
folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement. Minerals: calcium
carbonate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, zinc
oxide, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate,

manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, L-lysine.

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein 25 % min

Crude Fat 15 % min

Crude Fibre 3 % max

Moisture 10 % max

Ash 8 % max

Omega 6 3.5 % min

Omega 3 0.45 % min

Leaping Into a NEW 30 Day Challenge From Chewy.com

Yes. I have used this photo a couple of times. But. . . I think
I look CUTE in it so. . .

We received an email from Ms. Sydney at Chewy.com asking if we would be interested in doing a 30 day challenge for Holistic Blend Dog and Cat food.
We thought about it for . . . like . . . 30 seconds and said OKAY. But Mommy intervened and said she would have to look this food up to decide because BASICALLY she does not want to feed us JUNK. What she found out was Holistic Blend Dog and Cat foods are made with real MEAT not byproducts. Every nugget contains Whole Brown Rice, Hulless Barley, Wild Salmon Meal, Whole Oats, Carrots, Potato ,Rosemary, Garlic, Kelp and Tomato. This is all good stuff!!! Real food stuff, not food-like stuff. It is also highly digestible, promotes good coat and skin, and because the ingredients are so rich in proteins and such, the serving sizes can be smaller and still contain all of the daily vitamins and minerals a PUG PRINCESS, QUEEN OF THE HOUSE, AND DELICATE FLOWER MALTY need.

So Mommy said yes. Two days later we heard the sound of Mr. FedEx arriving and we did this

And ran downstairs like CRAZY!!! When we got there, Mr. FEDEX had gone; but in his wake he left behind this

Mommy eventually opened them. How thrilled we are to FINALLY try this food. In fact, for a whole HOUR after Mommy opened the boxes, Molly laid down next to the bags WILLING them to ACCIDENTALLY open so she could have a treat. Didn't happen. We BEGIN the 

30 DAY CHALLENGE

tomorrow.

HIGHLIGHTS

• All Life Stages – Puppy, Adult, Senior
• Free Range Meats
• Naturally Preserved (Rosemary)
• Chelated minerals, whole grains, fruits, antioxidants & herbs
• Balanced Omega 6 & 3 fatty acids (5-2 ratio)

* We are not being paid for this challenge. Not a penny is passing onto our PAWS. Any thought, observation and opinion belong to us, Casa de Noodles and only us. We did receive two bags (one dog and one cat) of Holistic Blend for the sole purpose of trying the product and evaluating it.

BENEFITS

• Promotes healthy skin and coat
• Hypo-allergenic
• Highly digestible and palatable
• Healthy stools - stimulates the breakdown of ammonia to reduce stool & urine odour

T.G.I.F. . . . Thank Goodness It's F. . . . . . ?

FOOD! Food, food, food. I'm a PUG - it's always about FOOD.

This is really a treat. It is an edible hedgehog. Mommy buys them at the SILICON VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY because some of the proceeds go right back to the animals they shelter and care for. It is a great organization.

But I wish it was EMPTY.

Imagine - all of the kitties, puppies and assorted exotics animals having FOREVER HOMES!!

Well this weekend - here in the Bay Area and across the nation, NBC and GALAVISION are teaming up on CLEAR THE SHELTERS adoption event.

Pep adoptions will be free or heavily discounted TOMORROW (in the Bay Area)! Check IF and WHEN for your local shelter.

ADOPT don't SHOP

(unless it is treats from the shelter)

The hedgehog did not last, by the way.

One week and he was history.