Cash and Penny
This is a sponsored review by
BlogHer and Purina.
My dogs will eat just about anything. And when they are puppies, that “anything” extends to all sorts of things that you wouldn’t really expect a dog to chew. Rocks. Siding. Trees. The plastic indoor dog potty I got for the old dog so she wouldn’t have so many accidents.
Feet and shoes are a special treat, especially my feet, which apparently taste better than a filet (and always have for my nearly 7 year old female Reva). And my son’s sneakers, one of which we regularly find in the custody of 7-month old Penny because he forgets to put his shoes away after school. We used to have a boot tray by the front door but we had to pick it up, because it was more like the puppy’s toy chest.
When we started the two-week trial feeding of the new Purina Pro Plan Selects dry food, I was fairly certain they’d like the food well enough. Usually, their only problem with their food is that they don’t think they get ENOUGH.
Sure enough, they liked it just fine. So fine in fact that one evening when the baby sitter didn’t put the lid on the food bin tight enough, I found the scoop in the middle of the floor and the bag tilted “just so” that the puppy could snack right out of the bag. Lest you think I am blaming the puppy for everything, be assured that she is the only one with the flexibility to get into the bag, although I am certain she had plenty of assistance getting the lid all the way off!
Reva watches Westminster (2007)
A few comments about dog food. I usually feed my dogs premium dry food and highly recommend taking a long hard look at the label of any pet food you buy, wherever you buy it. Understanding how your pet’s food is made and from what can be very useful in maintaining her overall health. While none of my dogs is allergic to wheat, they really don’t need a lot of it (and other additives) in their diet, so I recently had begun feeding a wheat-free dry food. Pro Plan Selects has no corn, wheat or soy, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, so it fit my requirements just fine. The dogs like salmon, and I like the nutrients that fish provides them, so during the trial, I fed them the Purina Pro Plan Selects Salmon and Brown Rice flavor. If you want to learn more about the ingredients in the food, check out the ingredient selector on the Selects web site.
I’ve owned Scottish Terriers since 1996, when I got my first dog as an adult, Sabrina Fair. I started showing them in 1997, when I got my first show dog, Nick. You can read the tribute posts I wrote for them when they passed away here and here. Warning: hankies will be needed if you read those posts.
Doug with Reva, Cash and Music, January 2010
Currently I have four dogs, although we’ve had many more in and out of the house over the years – dogs we’ve bred and even shown a bit before we placed them with a long-term owner. The three older ones at the house – Music, who just turned 13, her daughter Reva (7 in June) and Reva’s son Cash (4 in June) — are all finished champions. I also have been privileged to be the co-owner of a number of other champions, including Carly, GCH Blueberry’s Attitude Dancing, a Music daughter that was the top Scottie in the country in 2004 and 2005. You can read some of my memories of the year Carly went to Westminster on BlogHer.
When finances permit, I’ll place Penny with a handler who will show her for me. I wish I had the time to practice handling and grooming sufficiently to be competitive in the ring, but I just don’t. I can pet groom the older dogs, but know my limitations when it comes to prepping a dog for show.
It’s an expensive hobby, but it’s also a very rewarding one. Showing dogs is the only hobby I know that will greet you at the door when you come home with a bark and wagging tail. In the simplest terms, I love my hobby and it loves me back!
If you have never been to a dog show, and you love dogs, it’s a great family activity, especially in the late spring and early fall, when the shows in most parts of the country are held outdoors and the weather is just right. Do yourself, and your own dog, a favor though. Leave him at home. You’ll enjoy the dog show much more without having to worry about how your dog will react to all the other dogs on the grounds. Instead, buy him a new toy or some treats at one of the many vendor stalls.
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Want to try Purina Pro Plan Selects? Or more accurately, do you want your dog to try it? Get a coupon for $3 off from Purina. Remember — you won’t find this brand at the supermarket. You’ll have to go to a pet store like Petsmart or Petco. Don’t forget to stock up on treats for your best friend while you are there!
To help you pay for those treats, I’m giving away (courtesy of BlogHer) a $100 VISA gift card to one lucky reader of this post. Tell me why you like to feed your dog premium dry food, or why you think you might like to, in the comments. And for additional chances to win a gift card, read more posts about Purina Pro Plan Selects from other BlogHer dog lovers; you can find all the posts listed on the round-up page on BlogHer.com.
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Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
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- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.
