Why I Love Getting the Mail - #Chewy

Most of you know that I, Cinnamon, test out products and write about my experiences. And, you know, I do get paid for those posts and disclose that. I buy food, toys and vet visits with those checks and appreciate getting to test products very much!

But today, what I am telling you is from my heart... not from my pocketbook. No one asked that I talk to you about Chewy.com. I just decided I have to tell you about their customer service and great packages I receive right on my front porch... in record time.

This all started when my owner got a huge coupon from Chewy.com in the mail. She looked at the savings and thought it was worth trying. So when she ordered she got the coupon discount, another discount for putting our food on auto-ship and then got free 2 day shipping because the order was over a certain amount. So in effect, I got a 30 pound bag of my favorite food and two toys for less than $30. Amazing.

Here's Francesca trying to get into our Chewy's shipment. Back, Francesca, Back!

 So that was nice, but what we then found out is that real people answer the customer service line and, unlike many businesses, they actually provide service. We had ordered Hill's Ideal Balance Natural Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food and two bags of my favorite treats, Hill's Science Diet Jerky Strips with Real Beef. But it wasn't coming soon enough. We were almost out of food. So the nice customer service people moved up our shipment. Since it was over $49 we got free 1 - 2 day shipping.

So this time, our owner screwed up again. We were planning to go to the Doggie Country Club for a whole week and our food wasn't scheduled to be delivered until we had left. So we found out that you can change your ship date right online. And it works! In two days, at 4:30 p.m. exactly, there was a thud on my front porch. Francesca and I ran to the door with our tails wagging.

FedEx came through again.
Here's our big box. We're so excited!

Our owner opened the door and there it was... a nice big box with the huge sack of food and two bags of treats. We were so excited!

Chewy's has become our favorite online source because they have all kinds of products, deliver on time, deliver intact boxes with no damage and make things easy. Oh yes, the prices are amazing.

I can't wait until next month to see what we get!

Love, Cinnamon

About Feast Portland and a Starving Coon Hound

Here I am after opening a box of food.
I get two meals a day at home but add in lunch
at day care because I play so hard.

Hi, it's me, Francesca, the Coonhound. I'm writing today to tell you about yesterday. I didn't write last night because, frankly, I was too wiped out.

Yesterday started out great. I had breakfast and went to A Dog's Best Friend, my favorite Day Care. I go there once in awhile while my owner is away for the day. I run, play and have a nice lunch to sustain me through the day. So I was looking forward to playing.

Yesterday, lunchtime came and they didn't call my name. Whoa!!!! No lunch for Francesca? What was that all about. I hadn't a clue because I always get lunch at day care.

As the afternoon dragged on, I went up to the people that work there and let them know I WAS HUNGRY. I laid on their laps, made goo-goo eyes and even licked them on the face. And I still didn't get lunch. You see, not all the dogs want lunch there. So they didn't know.

By 4:30 I was about starved to death when my owner FINALLY SHOWED UP! I got a treat in the office and then jumped in the car. It was at that point that my owner and I spied MY LUNCH BAG in the back of the car. SHE HAD FORGOTTEN TO TAKE IT IN! I was so hungry I decided to let my owner know about it all the way home. I barked my loudest bark as soon as we left the parking lot. All the way down the street I barked and barked.

Am I dead? Starved to death?
You be the judge!

As soon as we got home, I ran to the dining room (I always eat just outside the dining room door. I didn't say hi to Cinnamon, I didn't run around the yard, I didn't pass go... I just got in position for DINNER!

I barked obnoxiously to urge my owner to hurry up and feed me. After all I was starving. Rather quickly I got my meal and enjoyed every morsel.

After dinner, I had a chat with my owner about her day. It was then that I found out what she had been doing AND IT MADE IT ALL WORSE!

She had been to Feast Portland events.... eating! Eating lots! First she went to the media breakfast at Gracie's at the Hotel de Luxe where they had pastries, French toast and sausage from Olympia Provisions.... she wasn't adventuresome enough to try the Octopus Benedict!

Here's what Octopus Benedict looks like. I would have been happy to have some.
The chefs at Gracie's know how to cook!

And after that she went to a luncheon sponsored by Washington Wines at Super Bite. Get this, it was a 15 course tasting lunch. Yes, 15 (that wasn't a typo). She enjoyed such delights as Salmon and Albacore Cerviche and Whole Fried Trout topped with crab and BBQ Beef Shortrib.... all things I would love to share.

A dog would love just a bite of this Fried Whole Trout
From Super Bite.

I love seafood. Super Bite knows how to make it pretty!

And after all that, she didn't bring us a thing! She did this while I was STARVING!

So today, Saturday, Feast Portland continues. This afternoon she is going to Smoked! where they have all sorts of grilled meats and dishes cooked over an open fire. I'm making sure I have dinner before she leaves.

And, I have a plan. I am sending her there with two sandwich bags... one for me and one for Cinnamon. I am telling her to fill them with morsels of meat from the famous chefs that will be there. Those little doggie bags from Smoked! should at least partially make up for my day of hunger yesterday.

Love, Francesca

#BrightMind Cinnamon Tries a New Adult Dog Food for Good Cognitive Health

Hi, it’s me, Cinnamon. I’m really excited to share with you a special new dry food I’ve been trying. Purina Pro Plan® BRIGHT MIND Adult not only tastes good and is easy to chew, it was created to help support cognitive health in adult dogs like me.

This post is sponsored by Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated for helping enrich the lives of adult and senior dogs, but Coonhound Tales only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND is not responsible for the content of this article.   

You know me… I’ve always been “full of it.” I chase squirrels, play with Francesca and think up subjects for my blog. I’m active politically and enjoy getting out and walking 5K volksmarches. I’m a sharp coonhound, mentally and physically.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that I’m in that "aging gracefully" state of life. Truthfully, I’m just now starting to think about my own aging process. With a new dog, 2-year old Francesca, in the house, I have my competition.

I want to keep my status as “Alpha female.” So I was happy to see there is now a special adult formula dog food. Purina Pro Plan discovered a way to promote alertness and mental sharpness in adult dogs through nutrition and just introduced the BRIGHT MIND Adult formula.

So how does this new food help my aging mind? The BRIGHT MIND Adult formula is rich in Arginine, an essential amino acid and DHA & EPA from fish oil. (I like fish oil!). The formula contains antioxidants including vitamins E & C along with B Vitamins, including folic acid and pyridoxine (B6). Older humans will tell you all of this is very familiar to them. So, why not do something good for your adult dog? Of course we are worth it!

Here I am begging to open the new food package!

So I’ve been trying the new food and I’ve been excited ever since we picked up BRIGHT MIND at PetSmart (You can order it online, too). When I got the snazzy new package home, I wanted to open it right away. What I found was that it was easy to transition from my regular food to the new dry food. They recommend you take 7 – 10 days to transition foods (I did it in 3!).

I'm a medium sized dog so opted not to get the Large Dog
food. This one was perfect for me even though
there isn't a Coonhound on the package!

It was just as filling as my old food and easy to eat. But I have peace of mind that I’m getting a special formula that will help me during my adult years. My hope is that I can stay on top of things with crazy Francesca, chase those wily squirrels and keep on blogging about the important things in my life.

You should try BRIGHT MIND too!  Now here’s a deal to help out! Spend $10 on any Purina® Pro Plan® product through 4/3 and you will save $10 on your next purchase of Purina® Pro Plan® Dry Cat or Dry Dog Food (14 lbs. or larger) or Litter (6 lbs. or larger) by 5/1. You can buy it here.

You can follow Purina Pro Plan on Twitter and Facebook. But I like pictures so I follow them on Instagram!

I'll let you know how things work out as I continue my quest for continued good health so follow me on Facebook, too!

This post is sponsored by Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network. I am being compensated for helping enrich the lives of senior dogs, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND is not responsible for the content of this article.

Cinnamon's Diet Success Story

See, aren't my paws delicate and pretty?

Remember last year when I had to go on a diet. I was weighing more than Francesca. She is bigger than I am. In fact she has such huge paws that I think they must weigh a pound each. I, on the other hand, am more fine-boned and petite.

Well, that is except for my stomach. So last year I went on a diet to try and get below the 52 pounds that I weighed. I cut out some of my treats and always ate less than Francesca. What happened? I GAINED WEIGHT! I gained weight and Francesca lost weight.

So every meal time I groaned. I just knew I would be shorted food. Francesca got the extra food that wasn't served to me and she didn't gain weight. Months went by and I had just about given up.

So today, we went to the Veterinarian for my check up and 3 year rabies shot. I don't like it there. Well, I like the Vet's assistant but I don't like him because he pokes, prods and sticks me with needles!

So of course the first thing that we did was head for the dreaded scales. Oh No! I got on the scales and obediently sat down. I grimaced. I didn't want to hear how much I weighed. And.... my weight was.... (drum roll, please) 50.8 pounds! I LOST WEIGHT! I lost over a pound!

So then it was time for the dreaded exam. I winced some more. But what the doctor said, was pretty encouraging. I had lost weight, yes... but my heart rate was that of an athlete. And I was very healthy. I, Cinnamon, wasn't looking like an old dog at all.

So now I don't complain about the diet and I don't complain about exercise. I'm a healthy coonhound and I'm a success!

Here I am sleeping all night on the cushy couch cover.

I was so happy with myself I decided to sleep on the new couch cover on the couch all night. What a treat! Francesca had to sleep alone!

Love, Svelte Cinnamon

Sensitive Francesca’s First Dog Food Review #PinnacleHealthyPets

I, Francesca, am really excited. This is my first product review ever. And I will have no problem with the assignment because it involves eating a healthy dog food with quality ingredients! And I LOVE TO EAT!

This post is sponsored by Pinnacle and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Pinnacle’s reformulated Grain Free Dog Food but Coonhound Tales only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pinnacle is not responsible for the content of this article.

This is when we got the food
to try and Cinnamon
grabbed a bag too!

I got really excited when my Pinnacle® dog food was delivered. First, I was taken by the shiny bag with beautiful graphics. Cinnamon was excited too and offered to help me with the review right away! Later I found that the shiny bag had another benefit. It kept the food dry and fresh.  I guess I’m not here to tell you how pretty the bag is, though. Now for the “meat of the review.”

I fell in love with the
packaging but that was just the start.

I have a sensitive stomach. My stomach reacts when I get nervous. But as I gradually switched to Pinnacle, I had no negative reactions whatsoever. I liked the taste and it was good for me! The ingredients are natural and the food is grain free. It’s a holistic dog food delivering tasty good health. I tried the Salmon and Potato Recipe with pumpkin and organic quinoa seed. Sounds healthy, right? Well it was also very tasty! I gobbled it right up.

The salmon is the first ingredient meaning the recipe has mostly salmon. I liked that. Then they added organic quinoa seed that provides amino acids to support muscle development. I need that to keep up my bouncing when I am chasing squirrels up trees.

I get really bouncy when I'm
chasing squirrels!

Then the pumpkin is not only included because it’s harvest season, it is high in antioxidant nutrients to keep me healthy. Best of all it is 100% grain free which helps keep my tummy calm. That was really important this past week because Cinnamon and I went to boarding. Now, it’s a nice place but I get nervous when things change. I have to meet new dogs there and the routine is different.

But we took along our Pinnacle Salmon & Potato Recipe in a big bag. I ate it twice a day like I do at home. And, know what? My tummy didn’t bother me and I adjusted just fine.  I was bouncy and happy playing and felt like my food gave me adequate nutrition for about anything that might happen at the “Doggie Country Club.”

Here's my Pinnacle Salmon & Potato
in my pretty bowl.

Pinnacle pet food provides your pet the high caliber ingredients you feed them and more, giving your dog the total nutrition she needs for holistic health.  Their food is the same grade as human food. Pretty good!

You can follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Twitter. It’s a great way to learn more about them.

And don’t worry about switching food. I did just fine!

More Information
Where to Buy Pinnacle Holistic Pet Nutrition
Savings Coupon

Sensitive Francesca writes about a new grain-free healthy food #PinnacleHealthyPets

We all know how important a grain-free diet is to us dogs. We all know that healthy is better. But I lean toward the foods that also taste good! This one sounded like a winner so I am asking Francesca to take over and do HER FIRST EVER FOOD ARTICLE!

This post is sponsored by Pinnacle and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I, Francesca, am being compensated for helping create awareness about Pinnacle's Newly Formulated Grain Free Dog Food, but Coonhound Tales only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pinnacle is not responsible for the content of this article.

Hi, It’s me, Francesca. Food is always on my mind.  When I was in the shelter I learned about food. I learned that they would feed me on a regular schedule. But once I arrived to live with Cinnamon, I found out that only certain foods will keep me healthy. 

I’m young now but I want to live to a ripe old age and keep chasing those squirrels and playing at the dog park.

Since I’m new around here, I just found out about Pinnacle®Holistic Pet Nutrition. They’ve been making holistic pet food since 1998, though, with some very healthy ingredients.  But now all their foods are GRAIN FREE! That means that Cinnamon and I will have an easy time of digesting the food. Sometimes our stomachs get sensitive (and our feelings too!).

This is their logo.
Kind of looks like the food triangle for a healthy diet, doesn't it?

Since May this year Pinnacle has made only grain free foods. Here’s all the other healthy goodies they put in and some things they do to make sure I will be a healthy coonhound:

- Quality ingredients like Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Sea kelp, Cottage Cheese

- Natural, healthy recipes that use high quality proteins

- Antioxidants to support healthy immune system

- Fiber to encourage healthy digestion and small stool

- Promotes general joint health and overall muscle tone

The only time I'm not thinking about food is when I'm playing.
I want to keep romping with Cinnamon for many years so we
really are particular about having a well-balanced diet.

This is the food I want to try. The dogs on the package
look like my neighbor, Callie!

I haven’t had the pleasure of trying Pinnacle yet but I sure am going to. It sounds good… especially the trout and sweet potato. 

So how am I going to try it? And how can you? Well, here's where you can buy Pinnacle. And, here's a $5 off coupon to help you pay for your first item.

When I get my bag of food, I'll be letting you know what I think. So far, after doing ALL THIS RESEARCH, I know I'm going to like it. And, if I'm in the mood, I might even share some with Cinnamon.... maybe.

When I try out a new food I always mix my old food and my new food together for the first week or so. Remember, I have a sensitive stomach so a quick change might upset my cute little tummy.

So now I've made myself really hungry. It must be dinner time by now, isn't it?

I'm going to follow Pinnacle on Facebook to keep up with their foods and to look for specials. You can too!

Love, Francesca, the Sensitive Foodie

My New Favorite Treat: Wild Salmon Chews (Discount Coupon)

No more rawhide for me!
These are the real deal!

Last night, after a very hot day, the sun went down and we were in the mood to play outside. Francesca and I played balls for about ten minutes and then thought, “Gee, I’d like a treat!”

So our owner went looking in her “treat closet” (she calls it the pantry) and found a bag of treats she had ordered with her own wild salmon filets a couple of weeks ago. 

Little did I know that these would become my absolute favorites!

It took me awhile to get my salmon skin chew
undone so I could enjoy it to the max.

The treats were bone-shaped chews made entirely of naturally dried wild salmon skin. Francesca and I got really excited when we saw them. We sat for our treats and then headed to enjoy them on the cool green lawn.

They were delicious… not like other treats. These were real. These were healthy. They were from Canada. And, they reminded me of fishing in Haida Gwaii when I got salmon jerky as a treat. They were that good!

I, Francesca, ate mine faster than Cinnamon did!

Since they were dried, it took us a while to chew on them. It turned out to be a really great evening. So, you can get some too! They are available from Vital Choice Seafood. Be sure and use our coupon for a discount by clicking on this link:

Enjoy 10% off your first purchase with Vital Choice by using the code: VCAFINT during checkout.

Look for the chews under the Gifts, Samplers and Pet Treats tab on their website.

Here’s a bit about my new favorite treats:

100% Wild Salmon skin*

Natural source of omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein

No byproducts, fillers, or rendered materials

No nitrites or other preservatives or additives

No artificial coloring or flavoring

Product of Canada

Dogs need omega-3s, too!

  

Each re-sealable bag contains three individually wrapped chews. Store sealed at room temperature. No freezing or refrigeration required. Now this is a problem. Francesca had one and I had one. So now there is just one left. I guess our owner needs to order two bags at a time so the numbers come out even!

Francesca watching me, Cinnamon, out the
window because I took longer to eat my treat! She's
saying "I wonder if Cinnamon will leave part of it
for me!"

*Note: Chews are best enjoyed by pets outdoors or on washable surfaces, as they may shed scale particles. They can also impart a fishy smell and traces of oily residue to textured surfaces such as carpets or sheets.

It's About Time Dogs Had a Carefully Crafted Dog Food Like This! #InspiredbyCrafted

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Crafted™, but Coonhound Tales only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

 

This was an exciting day!

A while Back I told you about the interesting package I received from Hill’s® Pet. Inside were lots of things but what I was interested in was the new oven-roasted dog food. Now they have canned wet food too, and I'll certainly try that but what I am used to is kibble. 

So I've been mixing their Ideal Balance™ Crafted™Grain Free Herbed Chicken & Chickpeas Recipe with my regular kibble. It is 100% balanced nutrition and there is no corn, wheat or soy included. To tell you the truth, I'm just fine with a bowl full of just this small batch crafted food. It's delicious.

I also got a book. So I read up on what makes it smell good, taste good and be good for ME! You see, just like in my owner's favorite Portland restaurants, the chefs at Hill's create the food in small batches. Small batch means that Ideal Balance™ Crafted™is made just the way my owner would cook things.. one very special batch at a time. At Hill's they create unique recipes in small batches using high-quality proteins, wholesome vegetables and ancient grains. They know where their ingredients are sourced. It's the stuff that's good for me.

Hill's has Crafted foods for dogs and cats.
I'm looking forward to trying the canned food and the TREATS!

When they make the dry dog food they roll out the dough, after it is mixed with only the best well-balanced ingredients, and cut out each kibble and check to make sure they are just right. Then they oven-roast them at 400 degrees until they are ready... not too long and not too short of time.

They also take this  type of care with their wet foods... like my owner might make a stew. They slow cook the wet food in the can at 250 degrees to lock in flavor and nutrition. I can't wait to try that!

This looks so delicious.
Braised Salmon Medley with Quinoa!

Here's a little bit more information to help you make the decision I did. I'm all for more nutritious, good tasting food. I'm all for being healthy and running like the wind at the dog park!

I think dogs get bored with stale, routine, mass-produced foods. I really like the opportunity to taste something new, especially something that is made with such care and is good for me.

I love being a pet blogger and I love when companies like Hill’s® Pet let me try their dog food! I'm all about sniffing out the good stuff.

I love being active. Nutritious food gives
me energy for the chase!

Your owner would be interested in why this new food is so good. (Between you and me, the best part about it is that it tastes great!)  Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Crafted™ is:

- Made in small batches
- Made with natural ingredients, perfectly balanced

- 100% Balanced Nutrition Guaranteed or your money back

- Made in the USA

- No wheat, corn or soy
- No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
- Available in Grain-free varieties

You can purchase Hill's  Ideal Balance™ Crafted™foods online and from selected veterinary offices and stores. Currently you can save 20% at this site.

Now, I think it's time for dinner! YES!

Love, Cinnamon

My Thanksgiving

Two trips to the new house, a nap and..... NO TURKEY! So was my Thanksgiving. We didn't cook here because all the pots and pans are at the new house. So my owner went to have dinner with her friend's family and I just slept. (What's new?)

Here I am waiting for Thanksgiving dinner.
Don't I look like I am starving?

But my Thanksgiving dinner finally came... at the regular time. I'm not complaining because I have Thanksgiving dinner every day. My doctor said to eat plain pumpkin mixed in with my kibble. AND I JUST LOVE IT!

Here's my pumpkin and kibble concoction

I wait for it eagerly and enjoy the sweetness of the pumpkin. It is so good it almost makes me forget that I didn't have any turkey!

Happy Girl!

I hope all my houndy friends had a great Thanksgiving.

Arroooooo!

Cinnamon

Trying a New Healthy Dog Food #PawNatural

I love getting food in the mail!

I've been trying a new dog food. I received a sample to try before the product was even available. They wanted MY opinion.

Well, before I even tasted the sample Canine PowerFood™, a new holistic dog food developed by Only Natural Pet (ONP), I was pretty impressed. This dog food is 100% natural, allergy friendly (meaning it shouldn't cause any allergy symptoms) and it is made in the USA. Good stuff, I thought.

I didn't used to care what was in my food. As long as it tasted good and smelled good, I gobbled it up. I'd eat anything! But now that I am over 6 years old, I'm being more careful. I want to continue to be healthy and live as long as I can. There are squirrels to chase and frogs to scare, you know!

Good Stuff for Good Pets!

I read all about the new food before even trying a little bit. It is a kibble and was formulated by a holistic veterinarian. The information that came with the food told me that Canine PowerFood™ is packed  with  protein,  amino  acids  and  essential  fatty  acids,  the  PowerFood™  also  contains  low‐glycemic  carbohydrates  like garbanzos  and  lentils  (which  are  sourced  from  farms  in  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin  and  offer  healthy,  long  lasting  energy  without  spiking  blood  sugar)  and  fruits  and  vegetables  that  offer  whole  food  sources  of  important  vitamins  and  minerals.

They infuse the kibble with their ONP PowerBoost™ blend; a raw, freeze-dried combo with powerful superfoods like green lipped mussels, sea cucumber, pumpkin, probiotics and digestive enzymes. 

Now I don't understand all of that nutritional information but it sounded downright healthy!  I had to be careful, though, food changes shouldn't be done all at once. I sampled a bit of the kibble. It smelled great and, as you might guess, I gobbled it up!

But I didn't get a full bowl right away. I was careful how I transitioned. First I had the taste... yep! But then for dinner, I got a bowl of food made up with 3/4 of my regular food and 1/4 with the new Canine PowerFood™.

We did that for a couple of days. After that, since I was doing well on the food, I started having half portion of the old food and half a portion of the new food and did that for a couple of days. And finally, since I was doing just fine, I got a whole bowl of Canine PowerFood™.

It's important to change food gradually. Some dogs take longer because they have sensitive stomachs. Most dogs are ready to have 100% of a new food after about 10 days.

Here's the best way to transition to a new food. Click on this to enlarge the graphic.

I tried the poultry feast with chicken and turkey So far, so good. It's delicious. I haven't taken off like a rocket quite yet, but I'm waiting. Meanwhile I feel pretty good and had a great romp with my Country Cousins when I visited this past weekend. I ran around the house. I ran around the pasture and had a great time. I wonder if they should be eating Canine PowerFood™. They are older than me and could use a little bit of get up and go!

Here's a video that will tell you all about the food I am trying. You might want to try some Canine PowerFood™ too. It will be available to the public in just a few days. It is available for  purchase  exclusively from All Natural Pet, Pet 360 and Pet Food Direct. Right now you can even order a sample from All Natural Pet. They are taking pre-orders. The food will be available on October 6th (that's right around the corner!)

I love testing out new foods. Because I LOVE TO EAT!

This post is sponsored by All Natural Pet and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I, Cinnamon, am being compensated for helping spread the word about All Natural Pet, but Coonhound Tales only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. All Natural Pet is not responsible for the content of this article.