So I’m a sucker for a good mystery, whether it’s on 48 Hours, in a Dean Koontz novel, or elsewhere (even in my own life).

I’m also a sucker for a good book; at least 2 hours out of the day I have my nose in some type of book or newspaper or magazine.

And, as you all know, I’m a HUGE sucker for animals, and have the utmost respect for service dogs (of any type).

So reading Spencer Quinn’s 4th novel in the NYTimes Best-Selling mystery, Chet and Bernie series, “The Dog Who Knew Too Much” (Simon and Schuster) was like hitting the tri-fecta!!

I read it in like 5 days!

This book was written with panache, fun, intrigue, descriptive scenario, and with a sense of dedication to dogs (and children), mystery, and, what we all love — bringing down the bad guy. Quinn has an enormous gift of creating a situation and zeroing in on how and why his characters think, act, and react the way they do in life’s darkest times.

** And, let it be known, that Quinn’s novels featuring Bernie, a down-on-his-luck Private Investigator, and Chet, the super-intelligent search dog who calls him a partner, have garnered fans all over including the all-mighty Stephen King and the renowned Joyce Carol Oates.**

As “The Dog Who Knew Too Much” opens, the crime-solving team are attending a PI convention where Bernie hopes to make some much-needed cash by speaking, not his strong suit. The shifty PI who offered Bernie the gig offers him a lucrative job afterwards (working for his firm) and pressures him into selling “Chet the Jet” for a cool $10k… Bernie, horrified, turns him down flat.

Another job immediately pops up, as we soon learn to be a possible kidnapping (the team’s top skill). But what starts as a routine bodyguard stint quickly rolls into a desperate search for a young boy who’s gone missing on a wilderness camp’s journey into California’s Big Bear Mountains.

Has the boy wandered away? Did his estranged but dangerous father snatch him up? Is the mother who hired Bernie in on it?

All is answered in due time, but this book is written so that you are not so worried about it due to Chet’s ever-present outlook on the situation. Chet is the voice in this novel and Quinn’s idea of how a dog thinks and reacts is spot-on and absolutely charming, sometimes belly-laugh humorous because it’s so true but you could just never put it into words before! He perfectly describes the ADD in every dog, how quickly they change focus, how funny their little minds are, and how loving their big hearts are…

I think my favorite part of this book is how it so clearly illustrates for us how dedicated a dog is to his master… How the unconditional love, the partnership, the trust, the “just knowing each other so well,” etc. is so powerful that it’s heartening. Chet goes to great lengths for Bernie, and Bernie, who has been with Chet forever (I haven’t yet read the previous novels) just knows how to keep him calm, get him going, let him lead the way, let him make decisions, and trust his always-working, ever-powerful PI-search-dog-nose!

Some of my favorite “Chet-isms:”

- “Bernie has several throat-clearings; this one was about making a fresh start. I can clear my throat, too, but it doesn’t mean anything.”

- “… once on a case, details of which are all gone from my mind now–except for this–we found ourselves alone on a golf course and Bernie hit one a country mile, the longest kind of mile, I’m pretty sure. That was Bernie: just when you think he’s done amazing you, he amazes you again. Hard to believe I haven’t gotten that in already, but maybe I slipped up.”

- “Bernie opened the door, fast but quiet, yanked the xxx out of the car, and dragged him behind the bushes. Did I get in a nip or two along the way..? Possibly.”

- “…I got started on the rawhide slipper lace. It just so happened that I’d ended up with one of the xxx’s slippers, exactly how being a bit of a mystery.”

- “They were all looking at me for some reason. I wagged my tail, my go-to move, really, suitable for just about every occasion.”

Bernie and Chet’s Little Detective Agency is one I would hire any day.

I loved this book so much that I went Barnes and Noble last night after finishing it to buy another one. The Customer Service guy told me, “you are the third person tonight coming in looking for Spencer Quinn mysteries!” LOL!

Obviously, I’m, giving this a 10 out of 10, A+, etc.

So I hope you all go out and get “The Dog Who Knew Too Much.”

And don’t forget about the other books in the series: “To Fetch a Thief,” “Dog On It,” and “Thereby Hangs a Tail.”

P&G Pet Care continues to amaze me with their generosity…

On 9.22.2011-this Thursday- the kind, loving and generous folks there, some of whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Behind the Paw, are holding the fourth annual “One Day:  10,000 Bowls” donation campaign.  Fans and supporters are being asked to join the movement this Thursday by liking/commenting on the “One Day. 10,000 Bowls” picture that P&G will post, but they’re also counting likes/comments on the below pages, as all of these organizations are contributing to the Shelter Makeover and will post a similar picture that fans can like and comment on:

• Eukanuba
• Iams
• Innova Pet
• Humane Society of Greater Dayton
• PetSide

For each comment and like on the pictures, the pet food giant (P&G) will donate 1 bowl of food to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, up to 10,000 bowls.  The donation will be a mix of Eukanuba (post coming soon about the effect of Eukanuba on the two family Basset Hounds), Iams (another post coming soon about how we changed our cats from regular OTC food to IAMS and the amazing results), and the newer line, Innova Pet Foods. (My Golden Retriever has tried the Innova “Health Bars” {cookies} and now REFUSES to eat the old kind. So I had to go stock up at PetSmart on the Innova Health Bars for Benson!)

Of course, we can’t leave out Twitter!  Please also support the donation campaign on Twitter.  P&G is donating 1 bowl to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton for each tweet that mentions ONE or ALL of these accounts:

·        @Eukanuba

·        @Iams

·        @InnovaPet

AND uses the hashtag #ShelterMakeOver:  Here is an easy example:

1 Day. 10,000 bowls~ Use #ShelterMakeover & mention @Iams @Eukanuba or @InnovaPet = 1 bowl food donated to @HSDayton 9.22.11 only! RT

Over 175 P&G Pet Care employees will head to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton to spend the day painting, landscaping, adding agility equipment for the Community Dog Park, adding climbing areas & perches for cats and even adding cabinets for “pocket pets.”

Other projects include: painting the main dog kennels, adding a mural to the open cat room and preliminary preparation for high volume spay/neuter facility. The goal of this shelter makeover is to transform the Humane Society of Greater Dayton into a place that enhances the lives of pets waiting for adoption and enhances the culture and work experience for employees, stakeholders, and volunteers.

I must say that I am so impressed with P&G Pet Care. If you don’t understand my commitment, maybe you have to see it and experience it to really understand it. These people are SO SO committed to their pets, and to ALL the pets all over the place, it doesn’t matter where. Obviously they’ve been focusing in the local area but they do so much that goes unnoticed or unrewarded.

So let’s all help them out this Thursday so that the animals at the Humane Society of Greater Dayton can benefit from this

Did you know pet homelessness, shelter overcrowding and the euthanization of 11,000 healthy pets daily can be prevented by spaying/neutering? By as early as 4 months of age, a female cat can carry her first litter. And yet, millions of American pet owners avoid or put off this life-saving operation.

The People Saving Pets movement, empowered by PetSmart Charities, aims to change that.  The movement’s purpose is to end pet homelessness through uniting pet lovers and inspiring action in their communities.

In the past 17 years, the nonprofit has contributed approximately $28 million toward supporting spay/neuter initiatives.

Early-age spay/neuter operations can be performed safely and effectively on kittens and puppies beginning at 10 weeks old. Animals that have been spayed or neutered have a reduced risk for certain types of cancers and infections, as well as reduced aggression and behavioral issues.

Other notes on the People Saving Pets movement, which is growing exponentially, and spay/neuter:

·         People Saving Pets is a social movement created by PetSmart Charities to save the lives of adoptable pets who need lifelong, loving homes, and to solve the homeless pet problem for good by uniting people who love pets and inspiring action in their communities.

·         Pet-lovers can get involved in the People Saving Pets movement in a variety of ways by adopting, spaying/neutering, volunteering, donating and spreading news about the homeless pet situation with friends and family.

·         In the U.S., only half of the 8 million homeless pets in shelters are adopted every year. And more than 11,000 healthy pets are euthanized every day simply because they have no home.

·         Spaying/neutering prevents the birth of millions of unplanned and unwanted pets who are born homeless, yet 35% of pets are not spayed or neutered.

·         Puppies and kittens can be safely spayed or neutered as young as 8 to 10 weeks old and should be spayed/neutered before they are 6 months old.

·         Spaying/neutering can reduce the risk of certain reproductive cancers and infections, and they are calmer, less likely to wander, less likely to “mark” your stuff and less likely to get into fights.

·         Low-cost spaying and neutering services are available in communities across North America. Find a low-cost, high-quality spay and neuter clinic in your area using our online Spay/Neuter Services Locator at www.peoplesavingpets.org.

Additionally, cost needn’t be a factor when deciding to do what is best for your pet. PetSmart Charities funds thousands of low-cost (as well as free) spay/neuter operations at clinics across the country. In order to find clinics in their area, pet owners should check out the clinic locator tool on www.PeopleSavingPets.org.

Spaying/neutering is a simple solution to an ever-increasing problem in the U.S. And, as you all know, it’s a simple solution to problems like feral colonies, etc.

I seriously idolize those citizens who are involved in personal/group-funded TSN programs and do it all on their own, as well as I respect those that do it through registered non-profits.

Check out People Saving Pets and see how you can get involved, or how you can help please!

As part of a group of very well-respected and equally experienced, caring and generous pet bloggers (including my friends Caroline from the famed RomeotheCat.com, Dr. V from the renowned Pawcurious.com, and new friends Paris and John from Dogtipper.com), I agreed to support a fabulous new initiative created by the inventive and giving folks with Rachael Ray’s Nutrish – the pet food brand.

The initiative is called MyShelterSite.com, and it lets us veteran pet bloggers, as “pros,” go in and assist pet or animal rescues or shelters that either don’t have a website yet or desperately need a website re-vamp, and create a template-based yet unique site for them. A site that will work FOR them to assist them in achieving whatever goals they deem necessary or immediate, i.e., upping donations, increasing adoptions, etc.

Sample Template of MyShelterSite.com

MyShelterSite.com is enhanced with social media and SEO features… and IT’S ALL FOR FREE. The template is built on a WordPress platform so it’s a seamless process to update and navigate once the shelter is set up. They also provide free hosting, so this is, in Caroline’s words, “a no-strings attached program!”

Anyhow, this group of us bloggers originally set out to find and help shelters that needed it, but we ran into a roadblock – many shelters were, for unmentioned reasons, unwilling to commit the time or other things to make it happen. I think it LOOKS a lot more complicated that it really is… So we decided to take our mission in a different direction.

**The offer stands, however; if you are a rescue or shelter reading this and are interested, email me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com and I will give you a walk-through and show you how it works, and then set you up with it**

Each week our fabulous little team will put our collective brains together to help you readers. We want you to post in the comments (or via email) and submit a problem; our group will publish our recommendation every Monday.

So let your favorite rescues know to submit questions — and we will help. Again, as Caroline said, “We hope this can help more organizations gather ideas, tools and solutions to help them help more pets.”

And please – help us all spread the word about our programs – both of them!

Temptations, the tasty and delicious, delectable kitty treats we all know and love have come up with new flavors…fantastic new flavors called Mix-Ups. They include Surfer’s Delight, a yummy blend of tuna, shrimp and salmon, and Backyard Cookout, a succulent mix of chicken, liver and beef.

Mix-Ups are actually made to help your kitty develop; they’re 100% nutritionally complete and balanced for growth and maintenance, and they have only two calories per treat.

The contest to win two bags of the new treats plus other cat and pet things that I am contributing is running to July 9th!

You’d better get your cat or dog funny picture entries in before 5 pm EST that day!

You can send two entries per email and vote in the comments or by emailing thougthsfurpaws@gmail.com.

Commenters will vote for their favorite photos as I post them. If not enough comments are received, the Administrator of this blog will make the decision based on the funniest pet picture.

Here are the first few entries:

Becky Young Dogs

Jessabelle

Sophie

Sophie II

Zannie

Zannie II

Temptations, the tasty and delicious, delectable kitty treats we all know and love have come up with new flavors…fantastic new flavors called Mix-Ups. They include Surfer’s Delight, a yummy blend of tuna, shrimp and salmon, and Backyard Cookout, a succulent mix of chicken, liver and beef.

How cool is that? Our cats went nuts when they tasted these scrumptious delights. In fact, if you read the original post I wrote, Tate actually stole a mouthful and ran off to hide away with his squirrel mouthful of treats…

Mix-Ups are actually made to help your kitty develop; they’re 100% nutritionally complete and balanced for growth and maintenance, and they have only two calories per treat.

So here’s the deal with the giveaway… send me your funniest pet photo.

You have two weeks to enter. Email the photo to with a short explanation of your funny pet photo or the situation that prompted the funny pet photo. You can enter two photos tops and they must be received by July 9th at 5pm EST.

Voting: commenters will control who wins this contest. The prize, by the way, is two bags of Mix-Ups, one of each flavor. There will be three winners.

Commenters will vote for their favorite photos as I post them. If not enough comments are received, the Administrator of this blog will make the decision based on the funniest pet picture.

PetArmor is my new favorite pet product. Period.We tried it on all four of our pets – two of whom are outdoor guys, and it worked like a charm. They are free of those annoying little buggers we all know and hate so much – fleas. And ticks too.

Now you can get the same #1 veterinarian-recommended active ingredient and the same flea and tick protection as Frontline®, but at about half the cost.* And in stores where you shop. So more cats and dogs can stay flea and tick free now for less!

The active ingredient in PetArmor™ is fipronil (the same as in Frontline®). PetArmor works the same way as Frontline, providing full-body protection to help keep your pets flea and tick free. And they stay gone for 30 days. It’s that simple. PetArmor is just as safe and effective as Frontline®.

PetArmor vs. PetArmor Plus

PetArmor
PetArmor contains fipronil, so it kills fleas and ticks on your pet. Even new fleas that hatch later will be killed when they jump on your pet.

PetArmor Plus
Along with fipronil PetArmor Plus contains S-methoprene (the same as in Frontline® Plus), which prevents flea eggs from hatching and larvae from growing up. So eggs and larvae can’t turn into fleas and lay more eggs.

Prevention is the best medicine

As with most things in life, prevention is much easier and less expensive than treating an existing problem. Even a few fleas can spread throughout your home and be difficult to overcome. Using PetArmor medication every 30 days will protect your pet.

Flea and Tick 101 (courtesy PetArmor)

Fleas and ticks are not only a nuisance for your pet, but are dangerous disease carriers that can infect with one bite.  They can also wreak havoc in your home if your dog or cat isn’t treated quickly and effectively.  Make sure to protect your pet – and your family – by taking the necessary steps to prevent a bigger problem.

Facts About Fleas

Fleas can be found anywhere in the U.S., and tend to thrive in warm, humid environments. They emerge when temperatures thaw in the spring, peak in the summer and continue through the fall (roughly March through October).

Fleas can transmit tapeworms, and their bites can cause allergy dermatitis, the most common allergic skin disease of dogs and cats. If left untreated, fleas can even cause anemia.

How to check for fleas:

1.       Use a fine-toothed metal flea comb and run it along your pet’s back or underbelly, making sure the comb comes in contact with the skin.

2.       If you pull out any fleas, immediately drown them in a nearby bowl of soapy water.

3.       If you can’t find any traces of fleas, and your pet continues to scratch, visit your veterinarian to check your pet.

The Truth About Ticks

Ticks can be found anywhere in the U.S., most prevalent in the spring after a wet and mild winter. Ticks can carry diseases and can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis – not only to your pet – but to family members. Many ticks are as small as a pinhead so they’re difficult to see. Don’t assu

me they’re not present if they’re not visible.

How to check for ticks:

1.       Ticks prefer to attach close to the animal’s head, neck or belly. Start with the head, being sure to check the whisker area, alongside and under the snout. Then check in and around the ears before examining its belly, back, paws, including between the toes and tail.

2.       Gently comb the hair. If you come across a snag, it might be a tick. Do this gently so as not to pull the tick out with the comb and leave pieces behind.

3.       If you think you see a tick, see your veterinarian and use PetArmor monthly.

Mandy Moore, PetArmor Spokeswoman and Dog Lover

Protect Your Pet for Better Health

• Flea and tick prevention is easy and much more cost-effective than treating an existing problem, especially when you have the benefit of PetArmor™ and PetArmor Plus™
  • This new EPA-approved generic flea and tick treatment is available at select retailers (see PetArmor.com for more details), and provides the same active ingredient and effectiveness of Frontline^®, at a significant savings.
• Use PetArmor™ medication every 30 days to protect your pet against fleas and ticks.
• To prevent potential re-infestation, use PetArmor Plus™ to kill any existing flea eggs and larvae before they grow into adult fleas.

Liven up the dog-days of summer and beat cat-scratch fever (boredom) with a bucket list worthy of any pet lover. Because a summer afternoon just isn’t complete without your best friend, feline or canine.

These pet products will keep you and your pet’s summer calender full of fur-friendly adventure. The full press release is below the product descriptions.

*** In partnership with several of these brands and the very generous folks (namely Ashlee Gonigan) at Matrix Partners, I will be coordinating a giveaway this summer with several of these high-end products. The contest announcement will be made next week, and will be entitled “Stella and Chewy’s Et Al Product Giveaway.” I will be asking readers to tell me why they need and/or deserve these products, which are high-end pet products that have a fantastic reputation for

TRAVEL
STELLA & CHEWY’S (http://www.stellaandchewys.com)
serves-up natural, raw, freeze-dried meals for the pet on the go — Dinners for Dogs and new Dinners for Cats

NEATER FEEDER (http://www.neaterfeeder.com)
catches and contains spilled leftovers, saving RV floors

HEALTH
TROPICLEAN (http://www.tropiclean.net)
keeps your pet’s breath fresh and teeth clean without brushing — curing pet breath may just be one minty Fresh Breath Dental Chew away

PICNIC & BBQ
MIRACELCORP (http://www.miraclecorp.com)
introduces new freeze-dried treats with a serving of fruits and veggies, perfect for afternoon picnics

BENNI & PENNI (http://www.benniandpenni.com)
brings fresh ingredients to meaty treats, with new jerky wrapped kiwis, bananas and apples

PARTY
THE COMPANY OF ANIMALS (http://www.companyofanimals.us)
curb your party animal’s bad habits with a Pet Corrector — a handy auditory-based training tool

PURR & SIMPLE (http://www.purrandsimple.com)
debuts all-natural, biodegradable clumping cat litter so you can throw a purr-fect summer bash without smelling the cat

STAY FIT
IMPERIAL CAT (http://www.imperialcat.com)
supports a healthy feline lifestyle with whimsical scratchers — so kitty can scratch, play and lounge in style

A Summer Bucket List for Pet Lovers
The ultimate list of summertime to-do’s for man and his best friend, canine or feline

Summer is the season of road trips and BBQ’s. This year, liven up the dog-days of summer and beat cat-scratch fever (boredom) with a bucket list worthy of any pet lover. Because a summer afternoon just isn’t complete without your best friend.

TRAVEL
According to the annual Summer Pet Travel Survey, nearly 60 percent of all pet parents are planning on vacationing with their furry family. But that doesn’t mean you can’t provide your pet with a healthy diet while on the go. Thanks to Stella & Chewy’s® natural, raw, freeze-dried dinners, serving a meal with all the nutritional benefits of a raw diet is simple and convenient.

Each scrumptious patty contains only the freshest ingredients, like raw, natural meat, poultry or fish, without added hormones or antibiotics, sourced from USDA-inspected facilities. No grain, fillers, artificial preservatives or colorings are used. They don’t even add sugar or salt! Plus, these dinners are produced with Stella & Chewy’s exclusive SecureByNature food safety process (patent pending), designed to eliminate the threat of harmful bacteria naturally, while retaining the food’s nutrient value and flavor. For your feline family members, check out Stella & Chewy’s new line of Dinners for Cats now available at your favorite local pet store.

And don’t forget to treat your pet to dessert with one of Stella & Chewy’s lip-licking good treats for dogs, Carnivore Kisses or Carnivore Crunch. These tasty morsels are perfect for afternoon adventures. Atticus, the famous Appalachian Mountain hiking schnauzer, stocks his back pack with these while hiking and getting ready for his first book, Following Atticus, hitting shelves this September. You can explore along with Atticus and find out more about his new book on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/FollowingAtticusBook>.

For extended RV road trips, check out Neater Feeder® pet feeding system. This super-functional, no-mess bowl set features a raised backsplash and dual reservoir, great for catching and containing spilled leftovers – either from road bumps or messy eaters. No more picking up soggy kibble or mopping up wet RV floors! The Neater Feeder is even elevated on non-skid rubber treads to support better digestion and prevent food bowls from sliding on windy roads. Optional leg extensions are available for larger breeds prone to digestion and mobility issues.

The people at GoPetFriendly.com – a traveling duo who cross the U.S. and Canada in their Winnebago with their two dogs – said “Living full-time in an RV means space is at a premium, so the Neater Feeder had to make the grade to stay. The convenience it adds definitely outweighs its size”.

HEALTH
Since you’ll want your pet’s pearly whites to be snapshot-ready for your road trip scrapbook, check out TropiClean fresh breath made easy! The smartest addition to the hygiene scene, this innovative line is designed to help you keep your pet’s breath fresh and teeth clean and healthy without brushing – perfect for the pet on the go. The Clean Teeth Gel, Mint Foam, Water Additive and Fresh Breath Dental Chews can be used separately or together for even better results. Now curing pet breath may just be one minty, tasty chew away.

And here’s something to really smile about – fresh breath made easy! products fight periodontal disease. By using them regularly, you can add up to two years to your pet’s life! Maintaining your pet’s oral health may not seem like a super chic summer activity, but a happy, healthy pet is the hottest summer accessory.

PICNIC & BBQ
Now, where do you go with your smiling pet? To the beach for an afternoon picnic, of course. Just don’t forget to bring along a pouch of deliciously, nutritious Pro-Treat Plus treats by Stewart®. That’s plus fruits, plus vegetables, plus all the vitamins and nutrients of a healthier snack option for your pet.

Each product in the Pro-Treat Plus line is packed with protein-rich meats and a special medley of fruits and vegetables to give your pet all the energy and nutrition he or she needs on a summer day. The freeze-drying process used in producing these tasty treats locks in the aroma, full-flavor and nutritional value of raw chicken liver or beef liver, plus the added benefit of fruits and veggies without the mess. Additionally, these treats are made in the U.S., perfect for Fido’s Fourth of July festivities.

For all you BBQ fans, check out Benni & Penni’s® latest batch of jerky wrapped fruit treats. These meaty yet fresh morsels come in a range of yummy flavors including Chicken & Kiwi, Chicken & Banana and Chicken & Apple Jerky. Using only 100 percent natural ingredients like real chicken and duck breasts, Benni & Penni products are a healthy source of protein. And thanks to their new fruit fortified treats, your furry friend’s diet can be as healthy as yours.

PARTY
Is your pet a party animal – or a party pooper? Make sure to curb his naughty habits with the Pet Corrector®, developed by the U.K.’s leading animal behaviorist and founder of The Company of Animals, Dr. Roger Mugford.

This ingenious product was inspired by the way animals instinctively react to the hissing sound geese and snakes make in the wild.  With a press of a button the Pet Corrector emits a “hiss” of compressed air – a sound that has been shown to quietly stop unwanted behaviors. Plus, this handy (and humane) product comes with a detailed guide filled with helpful training tips. Make incorrigible dogs and cats a thing of summer’s past and start enjoying your pet more, today.

Also from The Company of Animals is the CLIX® CarSafe, a dual-purpose lead and harness designed to go from curb to car with zero fuss. Simply detach the leash from the lead and buckle CLIX right into the seatbelt. Besides riding in safety, your pet will enjoy his jet setter’s lifestyle in comfort thanks to CLIX’s unique “X-Cross” design made from double-sided adjustable buckles and soft neoprene padding. Who said pets couldn’t get the VIP treatment when in transit?

And for parents who like to party with their animals, check out Purr & Simple All-Natural Cat Litter. Founded on the mission to re-use, recycle and replenish, the makers of Purr & Simple have found a way to turn simple, natural ingredients like tree-nut shells into a highly effective alternative litter. When broken down, this fibrous product provides twice the odor control, half the dust for minimal tracking, and is 100 percent biodegradable. Eco-conscious pet parents can choose from the original Pellet Formula or the new Kwik-Klump Formula. With litter crossed off your list, you’re one step closer to throwing the purr-fect summer bash.

STAY FIT
Exercise is the key to a long healthy life, and that goes for your kitty too. Imperial Cat’s® high-quality, eco-friendly Scratch ‘n Shapes answer all your cat’s instincts – from scratching, to playing, to lounging – and promote a healthier feline lifestyle.

And if the lure of a healthy workout isn’t enough, Fluffy will love to dig his nails into Scratch ‘n Shapes’ simulated tree bark, or honeycomb texture. Each scratcher comes with a bag of Certified Organic Catnip for your frisky kitty to enjoy. Shapes are available in hanging or floor variations, great for whatever your workout buddy’s needs are.

So Maxwell and Tater Tot recently received two sample bags of the new Temptations Mix Ups. Being that they are already huge fans of Temptations Cat Treats I had a feeling how this one was going to go over…

The first bag I opened was the Backyard Cookout, which are chicken, liver and beef flavors. “Now, your cat can be master of the big back yard! What better way to make mouths water than with the fresh-off-the-grill taste of chicken, liver, and beef in every bag? They’re a delicious treat for any occasion.”

So true.

I barely had the bag open and Tate and Max were on top of the counter at my hands waiting for me to open them. When I did get them out of the bag, I handed Tate his little handful of treats, and he did something he has never done before.

He stuffed as many as he could in his mouth like a squirrel, and then jumped off the counter and went and hid to eat his new treats in privacy because they were so good! And Tate is the most relaxed, unassuming cat EVER – so for him to do this was absolutely hilarious.

Max simply inhaled his – I think he might have stopped to chew like three times.

We also tried the Tempting Tuna flavor – a favorite of the boys. (They LOVE tuna-anything). A similar reaction ensued when I opened this bag. Two hours later, I caught Max and Tate breaking into the treat cabinet trying to reach the Tuna Temptations bag, which was on the top shelf. They loved them that much!

So based on the kitties’ feedback and my own feedback and respect for the brand, I HIGHLY recommend that any cat owner try these new Temptations Mix Ups for their kitties. They are a truly different type of treat that blend all kinds of cool and intriguing flavors for the felines.

In fact, the June and July Photo Contest at ThoughtsFurPaws will be giving away a few bags of these new awesome cat treats in the prize packages! Stay tuned for the contest announcement this week, but keep in mind the prize packages will be AWESOME, as usual, and filled with treats, toys, supplies and something for the human, too!

Thanks Temptations!

Follow Temptations on Facebook here...

Before I move on to the second part of the IAMS/Eukanuba tour, I wanted to show you the following pictures that IAMS let us use from their Catteries, which show the open-air space and how happy the pets are… there’s also one of some food-testing Labrador Retrievers: now they look real bloody and miserable don’t they PETA????

Dogs With a Trainer...How Happy are They??

*** Okay, so now we go on to the visit to the Leipsic Manufacturing Plant. Remember the video I showed you all of the people who work there on my previous post? Well their care, passion and pride for their jobs and the animals shows in how they talk to you, in their actions, and in how they carry out their day-to-day tasks.

We had a lecture from Dr. Amy Dickey, who is a Chief Nutritionist for the company. She explained how IAMS has been around since 1951. The company works around the cornerstones of the dietary matrix:

Protein

Fiber (for GI tract health)

Custom Carbs

Fat – Omega-3 fatty acids for balance; benefits skin and coat and reduces inflammation

These are the nutritional pillars that lead the the IAMS and Eukanuba creations like weight-loss diets, high-fiber, etc. Each brand is made with chicken muscle and skin, meal – which means cooked skin and bone, and by-product meal, which is cooked internal organs. So there’s technically no real “by-products” in IAMS and Eukanuba like you have in other pet food brands, which just use the whole entirety of the chicken – even the gross parts – to make their “by-products.”

It was explained to us at Leipsic that it’s actual human food-grade material that’s used. The World-class Microbial programs at Leipsic have been benchmarked; the site is now swabbed in 30 different places a day in the testing phase to ensure health, cleanliness, and a spic and span micro-lab.

The manager of the plant actually put it like this: “We want a food plant, not a feed plant.” He also said that everyone who works here is in a “leader, student, owner, teacher, role model” position.

Leipsic is the largest food plant in terms of volume; and its generally the place where IAMS new food initiatives start and roll out. Here the company receives 8 various frozen meats, and 82 raw materials to create 86 different formulas.

The Leipsic Plant makes, packs, and ships to 28 countries!! IAMS also makes a point to check its product in random stores to ensure there was no tearing of the bags, cross-contamination from shelf-side products, etc.

Obviously, the lab at Leipsic is quality and food-safety driven. Just a handful of tests are performed before a batch is made – a handful of nearly 200 Q/A tests!! This in-process testing is done to look at things like the Ash and Crude Moisture content, as well as protein and fat. Materials come into the plant every single day – some are high-risk – so IAMS tests every single material that arrives into Leipsic. They also test for toxins, of course.

The Leipsic warehouse where the food is stored and put onto trucks is 350,000-sq-ft!

Our visit to the Corporate Headquarters of the Proctor and Gamble’s Pet Health Brands was equally stimulating. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to offer up of that event as my camera was malfunctioning. I did borrow one photo from Amy at Hearts Into Home. She also provided me with the final list of we bloggers who went to the Influencer Summit:

• Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, Pawcurious
  

  Pet Bloggers and P&G Pet Care Employees

• Susi Szeremy, Knobnotes
• Jaime Lynn Smith, Thoughts Fur Paws
• Paris Permenter and John Bigley, Dogtipper and Cattipper
• Joanne McGonagle, The Tiniest Tiger
• Jennifer Costello, My Brown Newfies
• Jennifer Phelps, Preston Speaks
• Pam Hoerauf, The Daily Oskar and Pet Blogs United
• Lynette Robinson (Canadian!), My Wee View
• Jackie Lindsay (Canadian!), Dogs, Dogs, Dogs
• Amy Urquhurt (Canadian), Hearts into Home

The visit we took to the Corporate office was, to me, a crucial part of our trip at Behind the Paw. Why? Because there was a representative from nearly every division of Pet Care there, and they put us on the spot! After we had our turn asking them questions about the company, they turned to us for information on the state of the blogosphere, the image of IAMS and Eukanuba, and more.

It was dually entertaining and informative.

The experience I had at the Behind the Paw Influencer Summit was one-of-a-kind; I met some of the most intelligent and some of the most passionate (overused word, we all agreed on that!) pet folks in the industry. I can guarantee you this: each and every IAMS/Eukanuba worker that we came across LOVES and CHERISHES their pets EXACTLY how you and I do. They have silly nicknames and pet voices, they have little intricacies and hobbies, they have all this and more. But mostly, they have LOVE. They have unsurpassed LOVE for animals that drives their passion to be and do better for them every day.

This passion-machine drives the development of new products and is the same one that comes to the rescue like IAMS did in Joplin, Missouri this past week. They have such a big heart for the animals; P&G has donated nearly 8 tons (33,125 bowls) of dog and cat food to help the animals in Joplin that were displaced by the F5 tornadoes. The food was distributed to several locations throughout the region to help save the lives of the many dogs and cats that were affected. Also last month they sent nearly 12 tons of food to Arkansas and Alabama.

So I feel it necessary to send a big fat warm thank you (and an equally big fat warm HUG!!!) to the folks at P&G Pet Care, and those workers from IAMS and Eukanuba who kindly hosted us. Thank you Beverly, Jason, Vicki, Eric, Jen, Dr. Dickey, Amy (our Leipsic guide – she was the BEST worker in that place! She’s on the video, and forgive me please if that’s not your name), and all the folks at IAMS and P & G. I do apologize if I’ve left anyone out.  Also, thank you to Chad Darwin, a whiz from the PR company that reps IAMS who caters to every whim I have when needed, even at BlogPaws:)

I am now better educated about not only pet nutrition, but also pet foods and how the science behind IAMS pet food really makes sense. These foods REALLY do what they say on the bag – REALLY. I SAW it. I learned it. I know it.

I have become a total IAMS ambassador. 100% all the way. I will be forever loyal to this brand for all they do to care for, feed, love and adopt out animals.