REVIEW: Official Vick's Dog Chew Toy

The Official Vick's Dog Chew Toy
Where to Find: Official Vick's Dog Chew Toy

Our favorite NFL stars are back at training camp, so what better time to show your extreme disgust for one of the NFL's biggest losers?!?!  Get your pooch his or her own Official Vick's Dog Chew Toy just in time for Opening Day! 

In August of 2007, Aim to Beginn, LLC was formed based on the mission to create a product that would raise and sustain awareness of animal abuse and to give back to animal support organizations thru the sales of The Official Vick's Dog Chew Toy.  Since it's inception, the toy has been in high demand by dog lovers and football fans all over the world.  Dogs everywhere are chewing on Vick - in the USA, Canada, the UK, Iraq, Mexico and everywhere in between!

The Lapdogs were more than happy to join in the chew-fest, but seemed to be disappointed in the lack of a squeaker.  Zeus happily tossed it up in the air repeatedly, then proceed to bite and stomp on it...

Lola and Teutul were happy to take a bite out of it...

Sophie was clearly disgusted by all things Vick...

Darren Usher, President and CEO of Aim to Beginn, LCC says "Many have asked how we created this product and how this endeavor surfaced and became reality. The simple answer is we were motivated, frustrated, appalled, and taken over by a self proposed call of duty to make a difference. That is how The Official Vick Dog Chew Toy came to life and that is why it continues to go strong more than 2 years after being announced to the public."

 

CONTEST! Would your furbaby like to get his or her chompers on The Official Vick's Dog Chew Toy? We have one to giveaway!  To enter, simply choose to Follow This Blog publicly if you don't already (see "Followers" on the right hand side bar), then leave a comment here telling me what your thoughts are on Vick and the NFL. To get an extra entry, send your friends here to enter and be sure to have them mention your name. Winner will be selected by random number generator and must be a follower of Lapdog Creations in order to win. Deadline for entries is Thursday, August 5 at midnight.

Zeus shows the world exactly what he thinks of The Eagles

Love Your Furbabies Today

Happy Dogs on Thursday, although it hasn't exactly been a happy week in this neck of the woods.  If you only stop by on Thursdays, please give some love to Tango's family and the dearest little Brinley.  Tango's sudden passing has truly affected me more than I could imagine, so I can only begin to comprehend the pain his Mom & Dad are feeling.  If it weren't for them deciding to add a second dog to their family in early 2004, we wouldn't have Teutul. 

My favorite picture of Teutul, in the barn TN

Tango's Mom Tanya had first attempted to adopt from the local humane society where we got Lola.  When that didn't work out (rudeness from the woman who runs the humane society, which is also the reason I don't volunteer there), Tanya found four month old Tango on Petfinder.  He and his brother (then called Tigger) were living in a barn in rural TN, thanks to a wonderful man who found the boys running on a dirt road where they had been ditched.  Since the rescue didn't want to leave one brother behind, they asked if she knew someone interested.  She talked us into fostering him and on Superbowl Sunday 2004, the shy boys arrived in New England and discovered snow.  Of course you know that Teutul never left our house.  I had tried to name him Brady (did I mention they arrived on Superbowl Sunday?), but he wound up becoming Teutul (after my second attempt to name him Mikey).

Baby Teutul, romping on the farm in TN

Tanya went on to foster many pups from the South and gave a forever home to 2 more rescues after Tango.  We went on to foster many before adopting Sophie.  With 8 amazing furbabies between our 2 families, neither one of us ever thought that we'd be saying goodbye to one of our TN boys so soon...

Teutul (center) & His Pack

Tango (center) & His Pack

While I had thought we were done with seeing pups over the Rainbow Bridge for awhile (aren't deaths supposed to come in 3's?!?!), we just found out that Sophie's rescuer/original foster-Mom lost her beloved Babycakes yesterday.  Babycakes had been diagnosed with lymphoma just a few weeks ago...

RIP sweet Babycakes

On that note... I just want to say, love your furbabies!  Their time here with us is so unfairly short to begin with and you never know when it might be shorter than we planned.  They love us unconditionally and want nothing more than to please us...

Flowers for the Pups

Happy Wordless Wednesday.  I'm not exactly sure what these flowers are, but they sure were a great subject to photograph!  I had thought black-eyed susans, but not so sure...

Beautiful flowers in memory of 3 beautiful pups...
♥ RIP Dudley, Tango and Brinley ♥

CONTEST WINNERS! Zuke's Dog Treats

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the Zuke's dog treats! Winners have been selected by random number generator...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 15 9 3 1
Timestamp: 2010-07-27

 

Congratulations to Kim & her Beaglebratz, Chan & her sweet girls, Sue & her large 4-legged pack and Pam & her pups!  Ladies, please contact me with your snail mail addresses as you and your furbabies will each be getting 1 package or box of Zuke's treats and drumroll please... because Mr. Fudge is into hats, he will get the Zuke's trucker hat in his pack's box! Of course this means his Mom now has the task of getting photos of him modeling his new digs for all of us to see! 

Zeus wanted to warn Fudge that hat modeling attracks a lot of attention from your siblings!

RIP Sweet Brinley

The heartache in the doggy world continues...  Would you please take a moment to think of sweet little Brinley today?  Although she had never experienced the love of a forever family, I know there are many of you out there who'll show her love at this sad time.  

Brinley was a sweet, but shy little beagle mix who had spent her entire live in a rescue down South.  She was finally adopted and arrived on transport July 11.  Where the story goes from here makes my blood boil.

  

Brinley went missing in less than 24 hours after she arrived in NH and her "adoptive parents" refused to go look for her. They couldn't even be bothered to inform the rescue that she was missing. The only way the rescue found out was by doing a check-in call to see how she was doing. They were then told, "oh by the way she bolted on July 12 and has not come back!" Her "adoptive parents" went on to say how Brinely was a little too big for them, they thought she was smaller, she is scared of people (hello? you would be too if you spent your life in a rescue and just left the only life you ever knew behind) and... get this ... they said they didn't have time to look for her! It makes me irrate at how many people "adopt" dogs only to cause them more heartache than they had experienced in their entire life at a shelter. 

All dogs in NH should be thankful that we have a wonderful woman named Holly who goes above and beyond to help find missing dogs (this is certainly not the first time a rescue dog has "bolted" from it's new owners, only to have them not care and want a new dog the next day).  I couldn't have said this better than Holly did here (she and I certainly have shared many view on adopters and thoughtless people over the years).  Holly was heading up the search when she got the dreaded phone call yesterday afternoon that a dog had been hit by a car on the highway matching Brinley's description...

RIP dear sweet Brinley. 

I'm hoping that you met Tango as the two of your dear pups crossed
the Rainbow Bridge yesterday....

Goodbye Sweet Tango

Goodbye dear sweet Tango. You were such a sweet boy, loved my many.  Your family will miss you dearly, as will everyone whose lives you touched in your 6 short years, including your brother Teutul and all of us here. You fought hard, but now you are free to romp and run forever with no pain...

Tango
October 2003 ~ July 25, 2010

Such a handsome, loving boy.

Tango and Teutul
Just 2 pups romping in TN before journeying to
their forever homes in New England

Someday I'll Be Saturday Night

Happy Friday!  A much needed Friday indeed... it's been a long week! 

With all the wonderful doggy review items lately, I realized that some of you might have forgotten that I actually knit.  (Fear not... some great knitting-related reviews coming soon) I know there hasn't exactly been alot of that going on here lately, but I think the knitting mojo is finally creeping back.  Hopefully I'll actually get to some Christmas gift knits soon.  Every year I say that by August 1, I will have several gifts completed... yeah, once again, not so much.  So, if you have hopes of getting something handknit this Christmas, you had better get in your hints/requests soon, as they will be cast on before anyone who doesn't hint/request.  

If you RavelStock me, you know I still have way too many UFO's in my house umpteen items OTN.  I spent a little time working some rows on Multomah last weekend...



Of course with all the UFO's, I have no right to cast on anything new, however there are quite a few babies that will be coming into this world soon.  So, on that note, one of my favorite baby hats has been cast on.



There is also some beauteous new handdyed yarn from 3 AM Enchantments that needs to be reviewed.  I hope to cast on Coquille with a skein of The One this weekend.  Stay tuned... review and giveaway coming soon!



I'll leave you with some Friday Fill-Ins... enjoy your weekend!

1. I feel tired.

2. I need at least a couple months to catch up.

3. Do you feel like a big shot when you treat people like that?

4. Don't follow the leader, dare to be completely unique.

5. It's hard to know how much of a jerk some people are, until it's too late.

6. When one dog starts barking and carrying on at whatever is (or they think is) outside, the other three immediately follows suit.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some quality time, tomorrow my plans include Bon Jovi & Kid Rock and Sunday, I want to get in some knitting time!

Hot Dogs

Happy Dogs on Thursday!  For those who only visit on 4-legged-almost-Friday, don't miss the Zuke's review where you can enter to win some healthy treats for your pup!  Be sure to stay tuned, as we have quite a few reviews and giveaways coming up, including the Vick Chew Toy (countdown to NFL pre-season has begun!), Bright Bites and Mrs. Beasley's Kelp Krunchies.  We'll also be telling you about the Lapdogs' newest favorite, Elk Antler Chews from Wapiti Labs!  Antlers are becoming a big trend in the dog treat world.  A completely renewalable source from nature, antlers provide a long-lasting, non-splintering chew option for your furbabies.  I also have some knitting related reviews coming up too (yes, I really do still knit).

Well, it sure has been a nasty, sticky, icky, oppressive hot and humid summer thus far.  The Lapdogs are coping...

Sophie, "If I cloz my eyez, it getz coolah, rightz?"

Lola, "Juz sittn here being LAY-ZE... unless u gotz cake, I sing for cake!"

Tut, "Iz juz happyz ta seez u!" He is the only dog who decides he must cuddle in his human's lap more when its hot...

Zeus, "Wuteverz... iz too hot ta go outzside and lounge n da sun."

"Can someone pleze point us to da nearest pool?"

Shop From Home

Who doesn't love to shop til they drop from the comfort of their own home? I sure do! I once again have jumped at the chance to team up with CSNStores.com to review another one of their products that might interest you, my readers.

CSNStores.com has a seemingly endless supply of all things related to home, office, fashion, kids, and - my favorite - pets (although I'm still waiting for them to add yarn). Comprised of over 200 stores, they offer something for everyone!  Perhaps you're looking for a new bedroom vanity or some Rachael Ray Cookware or maybe even patio furniture for that new deck?  Are you longing for fall as much as I am and maybe got a start on your back-to-school shopping?  Do you need new luggage for the end-of-summer getaway?  

Check out CSNStores.com if you're in the mood to shop from home.... and stay tuned for my full review on one of their products!

CONTEST WINNER! Planet Dog Soccer Ball

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the Planet Dog Soccer Ball!  Winner has been choosen by random number generator...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 1
Timestamp: 2010-07-21

Congratulations to... Sue and her beautiful pack! 
 
If you didn't win, check out the link on the left to order a soccer ball for your furbaby!
 
Don't miss the Zuke's treats review... we've got 5 prizes to give away!

Fluttering on By

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

 

4-Legged Tuesday

It's been a sad week for dog lovers.  Gmarie and her family said goodbye to the wonderful Dudley, as he passed over the Rainbow Bridge.  Please hop over and leave your thoughts about Dudley.  

Teutul's brother Tango is still fighting his battle with pyothorax.  Please keep him in your thoughts...

And now... to take our minds away from the sad, Lola thought you would like to see some more monkey photos.  She is still Lola's favorite toy, although the Huggle Hounds spider is a close second.  I did make a mistake in the previous post however. There are two small squeakers in the monkey, one in each arm.  They don't seem to be a particular point of interest however... the bottle body is what everyone loves to crunch!

Sophie loves to steal the monkey from her big sister...

  

REVIEW: Zuke's Dog Treats

Zuke's Dog Treats
Where to Find: Zuke's

Zuke's Natural Dog & Cat Treats have been one of my favorite makers of treats for the Lapdogs for years, so we were all very excited to receive a big box of products for review!  Made in the USA with no wheat, corn or soy and with high quality meats, fresh fruits & veggies and whole grains, I couldn't be more pleased and happier to feed Zuke's to my furbabies! 

Based out of Durango, CO, Zuke's stands for not only fresh, natural, performance-driven pet nutrition, but also sustanability of our planet.  Their boxes are made from 100% recycled paperboard with 100% wind energy; They pay their employees to leave their cars at home and ride bikes or scooters to work; The offices are powered by 100% green electricity!  Even better, Zuke's also gives back!  A portion of every sale is donated to The Dog & Cat Cancer Fund.

The Lapdogs received quite a variety of treats to review, including two that they are very accustomed to, Hip Action (Beef) and Jerky Naturals (Lamb).  Both have been favorites in our house for quite some time.  They were thrilled to get to review many other varities for you however, including Mini Naturals (Chicken; Peanut Butter), Power Bones (Chicken; Peanut Butter), Z-Filets (Beef; Chicken), Mini Bakes (Chicken 'n Cherryz; Peanut Butter 'n Blueberryz) and Organic Superfood Biscuits (Verry Berryz; Health Nutz). 

Superfoods aren't just for people anymore!  With Zuke's debut of Organic Superfood Biscuits, your pack can now benefit from ultra-healthy nutrients, like antioxidants and Omega-3's that are packed into a delicious treat that dogs love - including all four Lapdog taste-testers!  They had the pleasure of devouring both the Verry Berryz and Health Nutz varieties and sat, begging for more. 

 

Teutul showing his love for Power Bones, a dog's answer to power bars.  Designed for dogs who need an extra boost during strenuous activity, these are an excellent treat to use during agility, flyball or hiking with your pooch.

 

Lola took time to survey all of the packages before deciding which one to steal.  She choose the Jerky Naturals, a healthy and savory alternative to dry dog biscuits.  They are perfect for the diva who's watching her figure too... just 17 calories per piece!

 

Every single treat has received their official 16 Paws Up Seal of Approval! I'm still wiping up the drool from the Z-Filets, which were the biggest hit of all the treats.  A high protein dog snack made from pure meat, Z-Filets support strength, health and vitality.  They come in a medium to large dog size strip, but can easily be broken into smaller pieces. 

The Lapdogs and I would certainly recommend any and all Zuke's dog treats.  From soft treats to biscuits and itty bitty bites to larger sizes, there is surely something for every dog out there!   

CONTEST! Are you and your dog ready to win some great Zuke's items?  We are giving away 1 package of Mini Naturuals (Peanut Butter), 1 box of Very Berryz biscuits and 2 packages of Jerky Naturals (Lamb), as well as the cute Zuke's trucker hat you see above, modeled by my boys. 

I will divide the prizes among two winners if there are less than 15 comments... however if there are over 15 comments, we'll choose four winners!

To enter, you must Follow This Blog publicly (if you don't follow already, see "Followers" on the right hand side bar and click through), then leave a comment here telling me what your dog's favorite treat is.  Please also tell me if there is any item from the giveaway list that you would not want to win (this way you won't win something your dog might be allergic to).  To get an extra entry, send your friends here to enter and be sure to have them mention your name. Winners will be selected by random number generator and must be a follower of Lapdog Creations in order to win. Deadline for entries is Monday, July 26 at midnight. So get those referrals coming in ... blog, Tweet, Facebook and text away!

Zeus says "YOU can win this hat... please win this hat!"