Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Pepper's Crunchy Chicken Dumbbells - Review

Been really lazy and not been updating on reviews.

I went to Galashiels Pets at Home today and found...da-tah!!! THIS!!!!!!!!! It looked sooo cute  I had to buy it!!





I have actually never heard or seen Pepper's dog brand so not too sure how it will go. Misa loved it though. Ate it within 1 minute haha. 

Ok, so these are "Munchy sticks with delicious chicken balls for dogs"

The ingredients looked quite good.
  • Chicken Breast (44%)
  • Rawhide (33%)
  • Cornstarch
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Potassium Sorbate
I'm not too keen on the sugar and sugar part... but since there isn't a percentage so hopefully its really low and not harmful.  But it have lots of chicken in it!! =)

Bad news is there is preservatives...


Don't really understand this but for those who wants to know the analytical constituents:
  • Protein 58.1%
  • Crude fibres 7.7%
  • Crude oils and fats 4.3%
  • Crude ash 4.5%
  • Moisture 15%
Feeding Guide
Feed as treat or reward as part of a balanced diet. Not suitable for puppies under 4months old. Always remember to have a bowl of fresh water for you beloved dog!  Also remember to supervise him or her, in case of anything accidents. Also I think the chicken bit of the treat was quite hard, so maybe if you have a toy breed or small breed, it might be better if you wait for them a bit older than 4 months, maybe 5 or 6? Just so they won't lose any baby teeths in a sore accident haha. 

I thought this was quite expensive, there's only 6 in it. Cost £3.69. They are about 7.5cm long and about 2cm wide (the "chicken" bit). So what? er... two secs...  0.615p per bone. Theres rawhide bones thats bigger and same price. 





I think they are really tasty because Misa licked the floor clean, there was no crumbs left. I guess even though it was expensive I guess it was worth it seeing the wee monster's happy face. ^_^

Wee suggestion for the dog owners! I personally think this smell like salty rawhide. Does have a strong-ish smell. So for those who don't like dog food scents, then maybe you should stay away from it for personal reasons haha! And the salty scent... well I'm not brave enough to give this a good lick, I think I will stick to my KFC haha! But that's just me! Any humans are welcomed to give this a try if they aren't scared their dogs will fight them for it! =p















Saturday, 23 November 2013

M&C Dog treats - Dear Crystal - 3

Today I'm going to review M&C treats for puppies. (Mark and Chappell)

This is the first time I bought M&C Mark and Chappell. I spot this in the pets shop, Pets at home. These caught my eye when Misa was a puppy, its treats for puppies from 4 weeks old, since mainly most other puppy treats can be given when the pup is 3 months old. 


At first I bought the "healthy treats - teething", since Misa was starting to teeth at that time. 
It had a pleasant smell. In a wee concealable packet. 20 x 12.5 x 2.5cm
50g a pack. Looks like wee puff pastry. It have a crunchy shell with a soft cream center. It's like a dessert!!! 
They were really cheap. £1.85 a pack. And you can get them in most pet stores.






Misa wasn't crazy over it. So was kinda annoying during training or when we are out for walks it's hard to make her come over to me. She won't mind eating it but she won't "work hard" for it. If she need to do something for the biscuit, she would just walk away! ><
I don't recommend this for training cause it's rather hard to bring in half. Crumbles easily and I have this OCD problem and the biscuits are always broke in half in an awkward shape. Also the packet recommends 2-4 treats a day... 2 for small pups. 3 for med pups. 4 for large pups. so you can't really do much. Guess its more of an actual treat treat than training. Can't really do much if training for tricks. Can use it if your pup urinate and poop outside or like go back to bed. 



The teething edition contains:


Main Flavour: Menthol Extract.

Ingredient(s): Sunflower Oil, Wheat Flour, Corn Starch, Rice Flour, Wheatbran, Dried Skimmed Milk, Dried Milk, Flaxseed Oil, Water, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Natural Flavouring, Ascorbic Acid, E141 Chloromile Flower Extract,Menthol Extract, Clove Leaf Oil, Vitamin A Acetate, Choleecalciferol.

Typical Analysis: 
Moisture 6%, Protein 9%, Oils and Fats 32%, Fibre 1.3%, Ash 2%, Vitamin C 800mg, Vitamin A 1500iu/kg Vitamin D3 1250iu/kg Vitamin E 60iu.


I know that sometimes dogs may have allergic reaction to things like wheat and corn... so that's a wee warning for a few! Remember to read over the ingredients in case something unsuitable is on it!


I'm not actually really sure if the teething ingredients helped Misa or not. She was still biting on her own toys like usual. But lots of people online do love their teething biscuit and teething gel. 

On the M&C website they give a more detail description of the effects of the ingredients.


  • Nutritious treat for puppies
  • Aids in the control of teething discomfort
  • Contains chamomile extract, menthol extract and clove oils
  • Fortified with Vitamin C

Active IngredientsMajor Function
Chamomile
Natural Herb
Soothing, calming and relaxing
Relaxes and tones the nervous system
Analgesic properties which reduces pain
Anti-inflammatory properties
Menthol Powerful essential oil
Acts as a natural mild anesthetic and evokes a cooling effect on the gums which gives a soothing sensation.
It has local anesthetic and counter irritant properties and produces a cooling effect.
Therapeutic properties of menthol are germicidal and are also known to reduce itching and tenderness which is associated with teething.
Clove Oil Powerful antibacterial proven to relieve and deaden dental pain.
Acts on central nervous system stimulating a calming effect.
Cloves active component eugenol is an effective local anaesthetic and has been used for a long time in dentistry.
Vitamin C
Important in wound healing
Maintains healthy epithelial tissues
Aids in development of teeth
Immune system booster
TargetTeething treats for puppies have been especially designed to meet the specific needs of teething puppies.





Even though the teething edition wasn't really helpful with training. But I don't know why, they still kinda attracted me. And the fact there's an adorable golden retriever on the pack? How can you not buy it again! Haha!

This time I tried the Nutri-booster. The "rich in calcium for healthy teeth and bones" kinda caught my eye since Misa was 5 months at the time. Feel right for her to have lots of calcuim! :D


Bag and weight size is all the same. Looks exactly the same. The price is the same. Both the smell is a totally different story. The teething one had a pleasant smell. It's not strong but you won't mind the scent. The nutri booster one have a really really strong smell! It isn't a bad smelly scent... I'm not sure how to describe it. But if your pup is like Misa and is attracted to smelly treats then you should totally try this. It says it contains chicken liver. So I guess that's where the the smell is from? Misa prefers these ones over the teething one. One thing I hate about this is, the smell is stained onto your hands. Even though I washed my hands with soap, I can still smell it. And I like bringing snacks with me when we go for a walk and I just put it in my pocket... Well let's just say I have a smelly jacket now haha. Even though I zipped the pocket, I can still smell it. 


Tried to break it in half. Totally don't work. Plus the stickiness of the cream, I guess it's better to not break it and let you pup bite it in bits in their mouth hehe. 



Ingredients contains:

Main Flavour: Chicken.

Ingredient(s): 
Wheat Flour, Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Rice Flour, Wheat Bran, Dried Skimmed Milk, Dried Milk, Water, Natural Flavouring, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed Oil, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Ascorbic Acid, Zinc Chloride, Bha (A Preservative), A-Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E), Vitamin A Acetate, Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), Sodium Selenate, Biotin

Typical Analysis: 
Moisture 10%, Protein 7.5%, Oils and Fats 18%, Fibre 3%, Ash 5%.


So again, it contains wheat, if anyone not too keen on it. The toothing one have corn and this one doesn't though. Both have rice flour. 


From their website:
Active IngredientsMajor Function
Vitamin A
Important for vision, proper growth, healthy skin and coat and mucous membranes
B-Vitamins
Essential for efficient metabolism of food to maximise energy release & nutrient absorption. Maintain healthy appetite through stimulation of metabolism, necessary for healthy hair/coat & muscle maintenance; Important for healthy nervous system
Vitamin C
Important antioxidant and wound healing properties
Vitamin D3
Regulation/absorption of calcium and phosphorus
Vitamin E
Potent antioxidant that prevents the body against free radical damage
Flaxseed Oil
Source of omega 3 essential fatty acids for healthy skin/coat and immune system
Zinc
Important for healthy skin and coat. Important in immunity and reproduction
Selenium
Powerful antioxidant in synergy with Vitamin E Supports proper immune system
Calcium/Phosphorus
Essential minerals for the proper formation of bones and teeth
TargetNutri-Booster Treats for Puppies provide essential nutrients for a long, active and healthy life.





For both of flavours.

Pack duration is 23 days based on a medium sized puppy.
Always ensure fresh water is available.
They are for supplement feeding only.

They are manufactured in Slovenia. 
Their registered address in in Uk though. 
Mark &Chappell Ltd, Po box 237, Luton, LU4 9ZP, UK. 
May be different when buying from different countries.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once opened use within one month.


M&C do other products as well for dogs and puppies:

Also they have products for cats, small animals... and ferrets! =O

A lot of reviewers online do love the products for bad breath though so I might try it when she's an adult because I've not seen ones for puppies. =]



I do quite like this. The fact it's so cute and look like a wee puff pastry. Not too keen with a treat full of wheats and rice, and not so much meat. Just flavourings and by-products. 
I might buy another flavour next time or nutri-booster for Misa's growing bones, but probably not again with the teething. One cause she isn't crazy about it, and two my wee baby is isn't teething anymore haha!




Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Zuke's mini bakes biscuit chicken 'n cherryz review - My Dear Crystal - 2

First review! 
Well I want to do reviews is because, I have just known this recently supermarket dog food is not that healthy for dogs. Online have so much reviews, sometimes its helpful but sometimes it's really hard to find information and advice on some things! And reviewing does sound fun especially when you have a good partner. My Siberian Husky pup, Misa. 



First I want to review is these biscuits.
Zuke's mini bakes biscuit
Chicken and cherry flavoured.








This is a bigger box than I expected, 22.9 x 12.7 x 6.4 cm, weighs 667 g.I found this when I was typing into Google good dog treats. And this brand was one of the recommends. 

Ingredients: Ground oats, rice bran, chicken, cherries, potatoes, oat fiber, blackstrap molasses, oil blend (sunflower, olive and canola), natural vegetable flavours.

On their website it is stated "That means the finest meats, premium grains, fruits, vegetables and oils available. All natural ingredients, all sourced in the USA (except our rabbit and venison which come from New Zealand), with final products made in the USA . "

On the box it says chicken for protein and cherries is antioxidant rich. But from hearing a lot of people, since chicken and cherry is 3rd and 4th on the ingredient list, and there's no percentage next to it so I doubt there's a lot in the wee biscuit.

It cost £8.06, think it's quite expensive for a box of snack biscuits. Had this box of biscuits and I'm nearly finished with it, well the dogs are nearly finished it haha. 

Crystal and Misa doesn't mind eating, I mean, it's a snack, of course they will eat it. But they aren't going crazy for it. I didn't find it that helpful for training Misa. She isn't that bothered if I don't give her it, so it was hard to use it to train her to do tricks and when we are out for a walk. Crystal is already old so training on her was just pointless, she will eat anything thats edible haha. Also, I found it really difficult to break the biscuit in half even though it have the wee dent in it. And it will crumble to tiny bits, so don't like using this for training. But recently, near the end of the box, about a month later, it's fine to break the biscuits now haha, think it's not as hard and crispy. 




These biscuits don't crumble easy unless you break the biscuit in half purposely of course, so its good to take a handful of them to put in your pocket and won't leave crumbs. It doesn't have a big smell so for people who hate treats with strong scents this is good. I don't think it smells like chicken or cherry. I actually really like the smell, it smells like Horlick, the malted drink, so if u hate horlick then this probably won't be good for you haha. 

There is three flavours in total
 Chicken n Cherryz, Turkey n’ Taterz, and Peanut Butter n’ Blueberryz

And there's other types of treats. Mainly for dogs and a couple for cats.

Zuke's been open for a long time and it is quite popular among dog bloggers. They donate 5% of their sales to Dog % Cat cancer fund. They do sound like a very nice caring pet business. 

Their company is in USA, and I live in UK so it is annoying to buy. I bought it from Amazon and it is nice to treat your love ones with nice treats. =)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0055TM554/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


The company is dog friendly. Misa is fine eating it. A bit expensive. But I might try another product from Zuke, maybe a different flavour or a different type of snack. But having Crystal gone, will take ages to finish one box, so high chance I will try a different type of snack. They also do moist snacks for dogs not too keen on dry snacks. The fillets looks quite interesting too.

From the website

MINI BAKES

Healthy Delicious Miniature Dog Biscuits
Mini Bakes™ are the crunchy, delicious, fun to feed miniature biscuit that are perfect for training and frequent feeding frenzies. Just say no to stale, nutrition-less dog biscuits! Feed Mini Bakes and Fuel the Love!
    Features & Benefits
  • Guilt Free Feeding - Healthy, Natural and at only 5 calories each start a feeding frenzy and watch your dog smile back with love. 
  • Add 'em In - Sprinkle on wet food, or as a treat in dry food. 
  • Clean to the Core - No wheat, No corn, No artificial flavors, No by-products. All Natural - All Zuke's



My Tumblr account:
http://xhh713.tumblr.com/

Websites that I looked at:
www.amazon.com

My Dear Crystal - 1

I've been wanting to write a blog about the joys of having two dogs. But sadly before I made it, my oldest dog past away. So many things I would say I'll do with her, and wasn't able to do. I want to change, and will do as much things I've said I will do before.


My oldest dog, which have sadly left me on 04/11/2013, past away three days before her 10th birthday.
She is a lovely Golden Retriever named Crystal. 

My younger pup, Misa, aged 6months at the moment. Siberian Husky. 

At first I wanted to name my blog joys of having two dogs, but well, I kinda have one now, and one in my heart. Dear Crystal is another name I came up with. She's left me 3 weeks now, but she still feel like she's here, so I have decided to use her name as part of this blog. But sadly, dearcrystal@blogspot.com is not available... argh! Had another quick brainstorm, My Dear Crystal =]