Ruby Reviews: The Honest Kitchen Wonders

I am always excited to try a new offering from The Honest Kitchen. The Ginger Sisters eat their dehydrated food every day for breakfast as part of their rotation diet and I trust in their human-grade ingredients and natural philosophy. I even belong to their auto-ship program so we never run out of Keen, Revel or Beams. Since Ruby and Boca regularly enjoy the dried catfish skins known as Beams, I thought that the new single ingredient pollock skin treats, Wonders, would be a hit for us. It turned out...not so much. While The Ginger Sisters were anxious to sink their teeth into these stinky, scaly snacks, I was skeptical as soon as I saw them.

Ruby Reviews: The Bear & The Rat Yogurt Treats + Giveaway

The Ginger Sisters are happy to try out any kind of new treats, and because we do so much training I prefer the treats to be healthy and beneficial. I was delighted to sample the latest product from local Denver, Colorado company The Bear & The Rat (you may have seen them on Shark Tank!). 

Fro-Yo To Go are freeze dried yogurt treats loaded with helpful probiotics. They come in two flavors: Bacon and Sweet Potato & Carrot, with over 150 yogurt bites in a bag. The girls were very excited to try the Bacon flavor. 

The treats are made in the USA and are corn, soy, wheat, gluten and grain free. The treats smell really good, with a creamy tang that smells like a frozen yogurt shop. They are about the size of a dime and I think they must melt in the dogs' mouths, the way they licked their lips and were ready for more. 

I have only two minor complaints about the freeze-dried yogurt treats: they are very delicate and got pretty broken up in the bag. This isn't a big deal since I like smaller training treats, anyway. They also make your hands a little sticky. I told you - minor complaints. The Ginger Sisters loved them, I love the ingredients, and I am happy to support a local company. 

The Ginger Sisters Ruby did some tricks to earn some more frozen yogurt treats. She waved "bye bye" while Boca laughed because "down" is one of the only tricks she knows.

We are giving away two packages of Fro-Yo To Go to one lucky winner - must be a U.S. resident and respond to the notification email within 72 hours.

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Disclaimer: The Bear & The Rat provided the giveaway treats and a sample for review in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Ten Healthy Pumpkin Treat Recipes for Dogs

Have you succumbed to pumpkin spice madness? Let your dogs savor the seasonal flavors as well as enjoy some of pumpkin's health benefits by mixing, freezing or baking any of these recipes I've rounded up:

1.  Frozen Pumpkin Treats with Goat Milk and Turmeric - If it still feels like summer where you are, these frozen treats packed with health benefits from yours truly might be just the thing.

2. Pumpkin Dog Treats - These baked treats from My Rotten Dogs include oats, egg and cinnamon.

3. Pumpkin Spice Puppacino  - Now your dog can have their own personal barkista thanks to Lola the Pitty!

4. Quinoa Pumpkin Dog Treats - This recipe from Kol's Notes includes quinoa, flax-seed and just a dab of maple syrup.

5.Candy Corn Frozen Dog Treats - How cute are these tri-colored confections from Beagles & Bargains? The layers are made up pumpkin, yogurt and banana.

6. These Pumpkin Dog Treats from Good Dogs & Co. have canned pumpkin as well as pumpkin seeds! 

7. These Banana & Pumpkin Dog Treats from Sweet Paul sound delicious to me...do you think The Ginger Sisters will share?

8. These Vegan Treats from Vegan Heartland combine Pumpkin & Blueberry.

9. Here are some wheat-free Pumpkin & Chicken Treats from Doggy Dessert Chef - I think they'd be great for Thanksgiving with turkey!

10. Last but not least, these irresistibly cute Pumpkin & Cheese mummies from Kol's Notes.

Special thanks to Christie from Life With Beagle for the spark of inspiration for this post.

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Back to School Trick Training with Sojos Simply Wild Treats

It's hard to believe it's already September. This summer flew by, but I'm delighted that I went on several wonderful hikes and took Boca to some fun events. Now the kids are returning to school and the sun sets earlier and earlier. It's time to start thinking about how to meet The Ginger Sisters' physical and mental stimulation needs as our walks will soon be shorter and darker. One dog has significantly higher needs than the other. I'm not naming any names but she's part Border collie and part Jack Russell terrier.

Trick training is my favorite way to burn off some energy and bond with Ruby - we started very early on and she keeps building her repertoire. Our main limitation is my imagination, but lately we've returned to some things that were hanging us up in the past and building duration and distance with familiar tricks. Most recently we've solidified "are you shy" (face cover) which was especially challenging. As with everything, Ruby put her own adorable flair on it and it became more of a coy game than a bashful pose. Since the point of trick training for us is to have fun, I let her shape things the way she wants.

New or challenging tricks require high value rewards, so this new trick debut was the perfect opportunity to try out some new treats from Sojos. Ruby and Boca were both very excited about tasting the Simply Wild treats - nothing but 100% freeze dried venison, wild boar or salmon. For our training session we used the Simply Wild Venison and they were more than happy to work for the meaty morsels. As you can see in the video, Ruby performs "are you shy" flawlessly, while the clumsy human delivers a pathetically late click. One of us needs more work...

Ruby's newest trick - "are you shy" (and way to go on the late click, human) #smart #dog #smartypants #tricktraining #clickertraining #positivereinforcement #jackrussellterrier #jrtlove

A video posted by Lara Elizabeth (@2gingerdogs) on Sep 7, 2015 at 1:56pm PDT

Ruby isn't the only one polishing a new trick...Boca is working on "sit pretty" (which is super cute because it's difficult for her to balance and she still tries so hard) and "roll over." With Boca I use more luring than I'd like, but it's what works for her. Ruby seems to visibly enjoy puzzling things out and trying to determine what I want, while Boca is all about those treats. Rolling over comes quite naturally to Boca and she has demonstrated that she can go either direction! I learn so much from working with these girls and I am looking forward to brushing up on some old tricks and adding some new ones to our roster this fall and winter.

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. The hop happens on the first Monday of every month and stays open for a full week. Please join us in spreading the word about the rewards of positive training!




Disclaimer: I was provided Sojos Simply Wild treats in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Frozen Pumpkin Treats with Goat Milk and Turmeric

I decided to make The Ginger Sisters some frozen treats this weekend, and I wanted them to be healthy. I chose a base of pumpkin and goat milk - two things I almost always have on hand - and wanted to add one more beneficial ingredient. I have read about the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying qualities of turmeric and happened to have a jar of it, so I was ready to whip up my creation!

I already know that Ruby and Boca like goat milk - we've used both the dehydrated powder from The Honest Kitchen, and more recently tried the raw goat milk with honey and cinnamon from Answers Pet Food. When using canned pumpkin, always make sure it is 100% pumpkin with no additives or spices. There are several things to know about turmeric. First, it acts as a blood thinner, so you should not give it to a dog leading up to a surgery or on any medications with blood thinning properties. Second, there are various schools of thought on increasing its potency which are addressed in recipes for golden paste. I did not make the paste for these treats, but I did add a small amount of black pepper, which is said to aid its absorption.

Knowing that when I use my Freezy Pups tray to make 14 bone-shaped treats, I need approximately one cup of liquid, I formulated the following recipe accordingly. I also wanted each treat to contain no more than the recommended dosage of turmeric for each dog (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight per day) and erred on the conservative side so please adjust accordingly if you make a different number of treats.

 

I used my immersion blender to combine the ingredients in a measuring cup. Being familiar with the bright yellow stain that turmeric can leave, I coated my ice-bone tray with coconut oil - another healthy addition - and it did work to repel the staining for the most part. I let the tray sit out on the counter for a few minutes before removing the frozen treats. I have heard that silicon mold trays also work well.

Ruby and Boca were more than ready to taste their home-made healthy treats. Ruby is happy with plain old ice cubes and comes running if she hears one fall on the floor, so take their review with a grain of salt, but both dogs enjoyed the frozen creations, finishing them just as quickly as their other "pupsicles" that I've made. Since we're going through this summer without air conditioning, I like to have refreshing treats on hand for my sweet girls. This is something I will probably make regularly! 

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or pet nutritionist, I'm simply sharing things I've picked up along the path of determining what works for my dogs. Please do your own research before adding supplements to your dog's diet. 

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Ruby Reviews: Biscuit Beast Dog Treats

Have you ever been tempted to sneak a bite of one of your dog's treats? The dog biscuits that The Ginger Sisters received from Biscuit Beast smelled so good that I think Ruby and Boca knew they better guard them closely!

These treats are made in small batches in Miami, Florida with organic, human-grade ingredients that sound a lot like peanut butter cookies to me: 

organic Bob's Red Mill millet flour, organic sweet potatoes (grown in California), eggs (cage-free, antibiotic-free), organic peanut butter (unsweetened, salt-free), korintje cinnamon, vitamin E (natural preservative, mixed tocopherols)

Treat-sampling is definitely The Ginger Sisters' favorite part about being pet blogger dogs. The posing can be endured just as long as they are well compensated in delicious snacks. Biscuit Beast treats are a little on the crumbly side but I don't think they cared. They passed their taste test and Ruby was happy to show off her "jazz paws."

Boca has trained me to dole out bedtime cookies every evening. They run upstairs at the sound of the cookie jar and position themselves in their places on the bed to wait politely. Everything may be covered in dog hair, but I assure you they don't leave one single crumb. 

These treats are perfect for the discriminating dog guardian who wants naturally good biscuits made in the U.S.A. Biscuit Beast is offering my readers 10% off with coupon code TAKE10. Visit them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disclaimer: I was provided samples of Biscuit Beast dog treats in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Ruby Reviews: Riley's Organics Dog Treats

At the Ginger Sister residence, we like to have lots of yummy, healthy treats around. We use small treats for training, and the girls get larger "cookies" for being members of the Clean Plate Club after meals. Boca aka Miss Lazybones, has also successfully implemented the bedtime cookie routine as the only way to convince her to move from the sofa to the bed if I stay up late watching television! As such, we were delighted to review Riley's Organics dog treats and offer our readers a chance to win some for their dogs.

Riley's offers something for everyone - their treats come in four flavors (Peanut Butter & Molasses, Sweet Potato, Apple, Pumpkin & Coconut) and two sizes (Large and Small). They incorporate natural, USDA Certified Organic ingredients and are made in the USA. Their products are human grade, and I have to admit that this human was very tempted to try the Peanut Butter & Molasses flavor, which smell just like delicious peanut butter cookies!

Ruby and Boca were very excited to sample the treats out on the patio this weekend. I feel good about the simple ingredients - each recipe contains only five or six - some of which even offer health benefits, like the Pumpkin & Coconut (Organic Pumpkin, Organic Oat Flour, Organic  Oats, Organic Peanut Flour, Organic Coconut Oil). They are free of the common allergens wheat, corn and soy. The small bones are perfect for training, and the large bones can be given whole or easily broken into pieces. 

Just a note on Boca's eye: she is recovering well from her conjunctival graft surgery and at our re-check appointment on Saturday the vet was pleased with how things are progressing. She will be wearing the cone collar for another week but was able to enjoy some supervised time without it this weekend, including the photo shoot for this review. I think everyone agrees that she deserves lots of extra treats for all she has been through lately!

Here is your chance to try Riley's Organics - four lucky readers will each win one package of Riley's Human Grade Organic Dog Treats. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, and winners will be selected at random.

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Disclaimer: I was provided Riley's Organics dog treats in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Treats for Potcakes: One Dog Organic Bakery and The Humane Society of Grand Bahama

Last month I posted about the shelter in The Bahamas that rescued Boca from the streets, and their struggle to remain open so that more dogs like Boca can be saved. Since that post, due to fundraising efforts that have reached potcake lovers around the world, The Kohn Foundation has raised over $10,000 for The Humane Society of Grand Bahama, and there are community-wide efforts being made to keep the shelter operating. Veronica from One Dog Organic Bakery saw the post and generously offered to feature The Humane Society of Grand Bahama as their rescue of the month.

One dog took a long journey from a tropical island to change the lives of her guardian and her little ginger sister in Colorado. We are lighter with Boca around. We are lazier in the late mornings when Boca reminds us to snuggle closer and sleep longer. Even through her ongoing eye problem, Boca keeps smiling, wagging and loving life. She has taught me so much about trust, resilience and the appreciation of a warm spot of sunshine on the patio. Because of Boca, I have learned about street dogs around the world and international rescue, coming to the conclusion that compassion should defy geography. Because of Boca, I have committed to a monthly donation to HSBG and am dedicated to giving back in whatever small ways I can. The Ginger Sisters have some treats on the way from One Dog Organic Bakery and I hope that the matching donated treats will brighten some other potcakes' days as they wait for their very own family.

If you are in the market for some dog treats, please consider placing an order from One Dog Organic Bakery in the month of March. As an added incentive, use code RUBICON15 for 15% your order. Other ways to help are listed below:

• Sign the Petition to encourage the local government to support The Humane Society of Grand Bahama. 


• Donate to the Colorado-based Kohn Foundation, a 501c3 organization dedicated to raising funds for The Humane Society of Grand Bahama. 


• Foster or Adopt! Both Colorado Animal Welfare League and Outpaws here in Colorado regularly have Potcakes for adoption and are always in need of foster volunteers. Transportation can usually be arranged for dogs to be adopted directly from The Humane Society of Grand Bahama into the U.S.


• Spread the word! Please share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter (#savethehsgb) and other social media.

Positive Training Toolkit

You may have seen those people at dog parks or walking their dogs with a remote in hand or a prong collar at the end of their leash. They may have been yanking on the leash or shocking their dog, and they probably didn't look like they were having fun. You might have noticed yelling, tense expressions and stress signals such as a lowered tail, lip-licking, an averted gaze. Did they seem to be in control?

You may have also seen those people wearing treat bags on their belt, making clicking noises and handing out smelly treats. Maybe they seemed a little bit dorky - treat bags look suspiciously like fanny packs... Look closely and you might have noticed happy voices, smiling faces and signs of a relaxed dog such as an open mouth, loose body language and bright eyes.

We have the intelligence and the resources to put together the best training toolkit for our dogs, one that will strengthen our relationship and increase understanding. While I will admit that sometimes it feels like I need another set of hands to juggle my leash, treats, clicker (and don't forget the poop bags!) the choice is obvious to me, even if I look "dorky." Which will you choose?

Suggested Reading:

The Power of Positive Training by Pat Miller

Plenty in Life is Free by Kathy Sdao

Bark and Lunge by Kari Neumeyer

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. The hop happens on the first Monday of every month, and is open for a full week - please join us in spreading the word about the rewards of positive training! Next month, we invite you to take part in the Ten Minute Training Challenge - take ten minutes to teach your pet something new and report your results in the next hop on April 6th!

Ruby Reviews: One Dog Organic Bakery + Discount Code

The Ginger Sisters were happy to review three kinds of treats from One Dog Organic Bakery: Ginger Snaps, Peanut Butter & Honey and Pumpkin Spice. Each recipe comes in several varieties, including gluten-free, so that even dogs with allergies can enjoy them. They also offer targeted support for immunity and joint health. The story behind the bakery is a sad one: the bakers lost a beloved pet to a recalled product. They turned their personal tragedy into an admirable mission and started making pet treats they could trust.

Everyone loves cookies, and my dad made some delicious ones for the humans in the house this weekend since Ruby and Boca didn't want to share their One Dog Organic Bakery treats, which are made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients. In addition to yummy things like peanut butter and pumpkin, One Dog Organic Bakery treats contain super-foods with known benefits such as chia seed which can reduce inflammation, and coconut oil which promotes healthy skin and coat.

The Ginger Sisters taste-tasted all the cookies, and it might not surprise you that they liked the Ginger Snaps best, as evidenced by much lip-smacking.  I loved watching their satisfied crunching and their eyes widen as they hoped for more. Rest assured that although Boca does not appear in this review due to an unfortunate accessory known as The Cone of Woe (paw bump to my friend Hailey for this nomenclature), she was able to fulfill her treat-testing duties. 

One Dog Organic Bakery is offering a 10% discount to our readers with the code RUBICON

 

Updated: the original version of this post contained a giveaway which has ended. 

 

Disclaimer: I was provided One Dog Organic Bakery treats in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Irresistibly DIY with Aimee & Chuy

I'm delighted to again be participating in the Pet Blogger's Gift Exchange hosted by Something Wagging This Way Comes. This year I was paired with Aimee from Irresistible Pets. Aimee lives in Virgina Beach and has been blogging fabulously about making your own pet toys, treats, apparel and decor with the help of her adorable 5-year-old Chihuahua, Chuy, since 2010. Chuy is the perfect model and taste-taster for Aimee's many creative projects.

Here are a few of my favorite posts:

• These treat jars were the inspiration for my own treat station! 


• How cute is this Winter Wonderland dog sweater? 


• Time to make the frosted dog donuts!

• I'm literally drooling over these awesome DIY dog bookends. 


• I especially love her pet-friendly travelogues, such as this guide to Charlottesville.


• Chuy lives life to the fullest, celebrating everything from Valentine's Day to Halloween in style.

I would like to try my hand at more pet-centric projects this year, as I miss my more artistic days, and I know that Irresistible Pets is going to be one of my first stops as I collect ideas on Pinterest. I absolutely love this exchange as a way to connect with other bloggers and share the many ways we can enjoy life with our beloved dogs. Happy New Year, Aimee & Chuy - can't wait to see what you'll wow us with next!

Ruby Reviews: Fruitables Vanilla Snowflake Treats

Ruby and Boca got to try some new holiday treats: Crunchy Fruitables in Vanilla Snowflake flavor! We are already big fans of Fruitables: small, low-calorie flower-shaped treats. They have healthy ingredients and are made in the USA. My favorite quality is that the treats have the yummy scents of things like bananas, berries and apples, and I don't mind having them in my pockets!

 

The Vanilla Snowflake treats are extra special, because they are made with real snow harvested right here in Colorado! You can watch a cute video about the snow harvest here. They also contain pumpkin granola and Greek yogurt. They're only available for a limited time, so if you're looking for a last minute gift for the dog in your life, hurry before this snow melts! 

Disclaimer: I was provided Fruitables Vanilla Snowflake treats in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.  

Ruby Reviews: The Honest Kitchen Nuzzles

We are big fans of The Honest Kitchen at my house, so The Ginger Sisters were happy to taste-test another wonderful treat: Nuzzles, a crunchy combination of duck & cherry.  

Nuzzles are made with just eight natural, human grade ingredients, not one unidentifiable or impossible to pronounce: 

Barley flour, duck, molasses, water, eggs, coconut oil, cherries and Parmesan cheese

They are a cute heart shape that can easily be broken into smaller pieces - perfect for sharing!

I love to have a variety of treats on hand to keep training interesting for my girls, and I want their treats to be as healthy as the rest of their diet. I am always confident that The Honest Kitchen has the best interest of my pets in mind.

Product reviews are a perfect opportunity to practice their modeling skills (sit-stays, down-stays, and "watch me"). Boca is becoming a real pro at posing, and Ruby is always happy to show off with some tricks.

We took advantage of one of our last days of sunny weather before temperatures plummet next week. I even recruited my dad to help with some pictures! 

Ruby will jump through hoops for The Honest Kitchen! 

We have also been practicing "in" and "out" with her hula hoop - she caught on to it in a heartbeat and is happy to demonstrate for a heart-shaped cookie! 

Disclaimer: I was provided a sample of The Honest Kitchen Nuzzles in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets. 

DIY Doggie Treat Station

I already had these mason jars with chipboard labels from the Dollar Spot at Target that I use for keeping crunchy training treats and chew treats for Ruby and Boca, but when I saw these darling treat jars on Irresistible Pets I knew they needed improving. I immediately started perusing eBay for some plastic dogs, and had to have the set that included a toy which could pass for a Norwegian Elkhound. I intended to paint them but I like the way they look in black and white too...

I also wanted a nicer way to keep the clickers, extra treats, nail clippers, medications and all the rest of the doggie items I reach for frequently that were cluttering my countertop. I found this three drawer organizer at Michael's, but I won't recommend it because it fell apart immediately and my dad had to reinforce it for me. I have seen sturdier ones at The Container Store. I purchased the chalkboard labels and like that I can change them if I ever rearrange the contents. 

I completed my spruced-up doggie station with this framed print, also from Michael's. I was so excited to find it because I've been wanting something similar. I love the vintage look and the colors are perfect for my kitchen/dining area. There are so many fun ways to organize canine accoutrements and turn your home into a pup's paradise - I've even started a Pinterest board for my dog-friendly dream home. These little projects just make me want to do more!

Ruby Reviews: Sojo's Simply Meat Treats

I'm a big supporter of smaller companies with an obvious dedication to happier, healthier pets, and I believe that Sojos is just such a company. When I found out they had released a new, single-ingredient treat I knew that we had to try some!

There really isn't anything not to love about these Simply Meat freeze-dried treats. They are exactly what they say there are: nothing but morsels of raw, freeze-dried turkey, beef or lamb in cheery, resealable packaging.

Since they are all natural, the treats are an assortment of sizes which make them perfect for my multi-dog household. When I grab a handful for training, I can give the larger pieces to Boca and the smaller ones to Ruby.

The girls both went bonkers for these, and they are perfect for working on new behaviors since they are without a doubt a high-value treat. I can feel good about feeding the Simply Meat treats knowing that they are nutritious and all-natural. They would be great for dogs with food sensitivities, too, since there are no guessing games with their ingredients. These will surely be a staple at my house.

DISCLAIMER: I was provided Simply Meat treats from Sojos in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for a products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.