| Fido's Freebie Friday Sports a Group of Fun Giveaways Posted: 28 Jul 2011 01:00 PM PDT by Carrie Boyko, CEB  Each week, here at Fido's Freebie Friday, we have a fun new adventure. I love watching to see what interesting new products for pets show up. We hope you do too. BTW, if you have any suggestions, we both encourage you to leave comments. We'd love to hear your ideas.
Help for first timers is available at our Help Page. There you will find the Wordpress.com code, photography tips, and how-to's for linking up to the hop. You'll even find some helpful legal stuff about FTC guidelines and Facebook's new rules.
There are just 2 rules for bloggers linking up to the blog hop:
The Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts about giveaways, drawings, prizes, and freebies for pet products or services only, including pet-related items for owners. Feel free to link up multiple items if you have more than one giveaway going on.
Please post the badge or a link to this post in your Fido's Freebie Friday blog post and invite your readers to tell us you sent them. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff.
The Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop will--
Open each Thursday afternoon by 4 PM
Close at midnight on Fridays
And for our visitors and readers, please enjoy a look around at the possibilities, and feel free to leave a comment. How did you find us?
All Things Dog Blog's giveaways are offered to North American addresses only, are void in Quebec (where French instructions are required), are for ages 18 and older, and are void where prohibited. Thanks and happy hopping!          You may also find our listings at the following events: 
Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet product giveaways to be offered. 
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| Terra Paws™ Treats Get Two Paws Up in Review and Giveaway Posted: 27 Jul 2011 09:15 PM PDT by Carrie Boyko, CEB 
 | © Carrie Boyko
I'm Protecting my Terra-Paws | Our Treat Review Team has been a very busy bunch. Nearby to our Central Florida home another pet business has sprung up--Terra Paws™. Located in Clearwater, they offer freeze-dried pet treats with a ton of nose-grabbing scent. That was the first indication we got that our Treat Review Team was going to report Two Paws Up for this product. Being a Florida girl, I really do enjoy helping the "home team", so I was excited to get a review going with this new kid on the block--Terra Paws™.
Their initial offerings include two types of treats: liver and sweet potato, and chicken and sweet potato. My ears perked when I heard sweet potatoes. I was curious to see if Tanner and Oliver would have the same reaction since they love fresh sweet potatoes. It was hard to imagine a dry, crunchy sweet potato, but no problem for the gang on the Team. I can speak for all the owners by saying that the non-sticky (totally dry) texture means no more messes in your pocket. That's a big benefit when using these are training treats.
 | © Carrie Boyko
Can I Have the Whole Bowl? | My first stop was their website where I learned some interesting things about the freeze-drying process, as well as the comparison of weights. Because freeze dried products weigh 75% less than their fresh counterparts, there are many advantages. Something I hadn't considered is that the weight reduction means savings in shipping costs and a lessened amount of petroleum products being used to shuttle the product to wholesalers, retailers and end users like us. I can totally get on board with that feature.
Another area where we can save money is in product spoilage. Many all-natural treats that have greater amounts of moisture also have a short shelf life or require refrigeration. For me this boils down to one more thing to keep track of. I do like the idea of not having to worry that we won't use up something I've forgotten about in the back of the refrigerator. I bet you all feel the same way about products you've spent your hard-earned dollar on.
 | © Carrie Boyko
Permission Please? | Terra Paws™ products have an 18 month shelf life. Yes! You read that right. No more worries about the treats going bad.
I have to admit I wondered if a freeze-dried treat would have the same aroma as a soft treat. Another surprise. I let Tanner and Oliver make that call, and call it they did! They couldn't wait to scarf up the treats in these photos, despite their excellent STAY training. I suppose the lure of the reward helps, but this was a tough one. Their noses were in a heightened state of arousal; something that I really had not anticipated with a dry treat-yay!
Made in the U.S., each Terra Paws™ treat has only 2 all-natural ingredients. No fillers, no preservatives, no food coloring, no wheat, corn, soy, gluten, or sugar.
 | | © courtesy TerraPaws.com | The softer side of this company really came through when I learned how Terra Paws™ was inspired. Anthony Santarsiero, the founder and president of the company, wanted a healthier, guilt-free treat for his Papillon/Chihuahua, Hailey. Isn't she adorable? You can imagine that Oliver would have done a double-take if he saw her. What a cutie. If you'd like to see a quick clip of Hailey, click here.
Knowing that Terra Paws™ is just now in the process of launching, I knew their Facebook page and Twitter account would be in slow motion, but I was pleased to find that they have gotten the ball rolling. Maybe we can give them a little nudge? I've seen what you guys can do and I'm hoping for a repeat performance here. Let's all try to stop in and "Like" and follow them to give their numbers a boost. After all, this company is making a U.S. product which means jobs for Americans. We can support that, right!!!
 | © Carrie Boyko
Oliver Samples | The All Things Dog Blog Treat Review Team loved their yummies for the tummies so very much that we'd like to help them get a good start. And they're on board. Terra Paws™ has offered a generous 12 giveaways of 2 bags each to my readers. Are you ready to rock?
A Note on Entering: Entering my giveaways doesn't necessarily have to be a marathon. You can enter once or if you're extremely motivated you may choose the once daily per method option. Whatever route you take, enjoy it. This is all meant to be fun, so please keep that in mind. It's all about choosing your options! Here they are:
- COMMENTS! We'd love to hear about your pup.
- Any comments or uploads to Facebook, per Facebook rules, may not constitute an entry. To register an entry, you must tell me with a comment that you've left a photo on FB. Thanks for your understanding; I'm just trying to follow FB's rules.
- Post a photo of your pup to my Facebook page with a sign that says "We Love Terra Paws™ and All Things Dog Blog". With 3 comments regarding your photo, you'll get 3 entries.
- It's also great to post photos to Terra Paws Facebook Page and your pics may be featured on our blog if you email them to me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com.
- Likewise, follow @AllThingsDog and @TerraPaws on Twitter and leave a comment here telling me you've done this.
- Let Terra Paws hear from you with a Tweet "Thx @AllThingsDog 4 hooking us up 2 the @TerraPaws #Dog #Treat #Giveaway".
- Subscribe to our blog by email, Networked Blogs, Google Friend Connect, or RSS.
- Tweet/Retweet and hit the Google+ button in the upper right corner.
- Entries will close at 5 PM sharp on Thursday, August 4th. I'll report the winners on Friday, August 5th.
This giveaway is valid to North American addresses, with the exception of Quebec, where laws make this giveaway impossible. Entrants must be 18 or older; this offer is void where prohibited. Thanks for your participation!
Giveaways are not for everyone. Some of you may decide it's too much trouble to participate. That's fine. If you're interested in purchasing Terra Paws™ from their website, you can make a secure purchase there, and also get all sorts of answers, from their FAQ page, to quick facts, quality control and testing, more product information, and even their privacy policy and terms of sale--for those of you who really like to dig into the details. It's all there, and not in fine print.
 | © Carrie Boyko
Are They All Gone? | Thanks for reading and we hope you all have an opportunity to try Terra Paws™ for your pup!
Want to read the intro to our hard working team? Check it out: Meet Your Treat Review Team--The Experts in All Things Treat! Full disclosure: Samples of Terra Paws™ treats were provided to All Things Dog Blog for review. We were not paid to offer our opinions and the thoughts included here are our own. 
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| Barking the Joys of Barking Deals: Site Review and Giveaway Posted: 27 Jul 2011 09:05 PM PDT by Carrie Boyko, CEB  | © Carrie Boyko
Today's Spokes-Model at Work |  | | © courtesy BarkingDeals.com | Have you seen the image at left in your email, on Facebook or the Internet? Barking Deals sprinted onto the scene a few short months ago, sweeping many of us off our feet. What a great concept! Until I spoke with the Steve Watters today, I thought it was all about the discounts. Little did I know that Barking Deals has bigger aspirations. The longer-term goal is to make it much more about helping small businesses and rescues. Steve got my attention with that! I'll be watching for more on this plan that is in development, but today I was pleased to see that a deal was available to benefit a nearby Humane Society through the Barking Deals Shelter Program.
 | © Carrie Boyko
Meet Your New Friend
from Barking Deals | I can't remember exactly how I became acquainted with this company, but once I subscribed to their email Deal Alerts I was excited to see the amazing cost benefit of watching those deals as they arrived in my inbox. Yep! I'm hooked. Tanner and Oliver have enjoyed the benefits as well. While I am out-of-pocket considerably less when I partake of their deals, I also get to see new products, fun toys and healthy pet food supplements, to name a few of the deals. And did I mention that standard shipping is always FREE? Who wouldn't like that for a great deal?
 | © Carrie Boyko
This Barking Deal is Squeaky | As a writer, I have to also admit that I'm in awe of their copywriter. It may sound silly, but I find myself enjoying, even laughing outloud, at their writeups in the deal emails. Try it; you'll see what I mean. You can sign up for yours at their site at Barking Deals and let the savings begin.
Tanner has been busy showing off with his new Kong Beaver that he got from Barking Deals. This is one of the newer stuffing-free toys, and it arrived complete with 4 extra squeakers, just in case he is not already making enough noise with one squeaker inside.
 | © Carrie Boyko
Tired, at Last | My goal here is to introduce you to Barking Deals and their great, money-saving offers. We're not talking about saving 15 or 20%. Often the savings run 40-90%! Don't trust me on that; I got it right off their webpage here.
You can keep up with their daily deals through their Facebook page, as well, a great way to monitor what's going on at your favorite sites around the Internet. Stop by and "Like" them today so you'll be sure to see their great bargains when you sign on.
The best way to get you to immerse yourself in Barking Deals is to participate in our giveaway, so strap on your seatbelt. This one will be a bit different than usual. Five savvy shoppers will get to experience the Barking Deal difference when they win a free offer, aka--one chance to test drive Barking Deals at no cost. Here's how to enter to win our 5 free Barking Deals offers:
Two Actions Required to Enter: - COMMENTS--Tell us why you'd like to test drive Barking Deals.
- Register for the Barking Deals email Alerts subscription on the right side of their site. You'll be instantly amazed when your first email alert confirms the super savings for your dog. Just enter your email and zip code! (Alternate option: If you're not a fan of email offers, leave me a comment telling me what today's deal is at their website, and we'll call it an entry. The website features a new deal nearly every day so check in often to see what's new. Keep in mind, you can only order today's deal until it runs out or the day ends.)
- Extra Entries Increase Your Chances:
 | | Sample Deal from BarkingDeals.com | - Be sure to follow up any Tweets, etc. with a blog comment to register your entries. By Facebook rules, postings there may not constitute an entry, so you must leave a comment here.
- Post a photo of your pup to my Facebook page with a sign that says "We Love Barking Deals and All Things Dog Blog". Your 3 follow up comments will register this action as 3 entries.
- Post your photo to the Barking Deals' Facebook Page and it may be featured on our blog if you email it to me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com.
- Likewise, follow @AllThingsDog and @BarkingDeals on Twitter.
- Let Barking Deals hear from you with a Tweet "Thx @AllThingsDog 4 hooking us up 2 the @BarkingDeals #Dog #Deal #Giveaway".
- Subscribe to our blog by email, Networked Blogs, GFC, or RSS.
- Tweet/Retweet and hit the Google+ buttons at the top of the post.
 | © Carrie Boyko
Thanks Barking Deals
I'm Your Newest Fan | You may enter the giveaway once daily per method, but you must use a different Tweet, comment, photo, etc. each time. Our Barking Deals giveaway is available only to my U.S. readers in the lower 48 states. Sorry Canada, but check our other giveaways for opportunities in your area. Entrants must be 18 or older; this offer is void where prohibited. Entries will close at 5 PM sharp on Thursday, August 4th. I'll report the winners on Friday, August 5th.
Are you ready to get a great deal? See you next week for the unveiling of the winners. Full Disclosure: Barking Deals sent All Things Dog Blog 1 toy to share in our photos with their site review. I have not been paid to tell you about Barking Deals and I am sharing my own opinion--as a Barking Deals satisfied customer. 
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| Salvaging Your Pet Sitter Experience with Clear Instructions: A Giveaway Posted: 27 Jul 2011 09:01 PM PDT by Carrie Boyko, CEB  | | © courtesy PlanetDog.com | I've heard the same chorus from many a dog owner: "I can't afford to board or have a sitter while on vacation." I suppose neighbors, family or friends may be willing to trade off for these occasions, but making these sorts of deals is sometimes awkward. The flip side is the ease of dialing a professional who will cost you a pretty penny for her time. Keep in mind, though; you often get what you pay for. You can read more of the pros and cons of pet sitters versus dog walkers in my post this weekend at the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. Don't miss it!
During the years when I had teenagers at home, there was an unending list of kids' friends who were always willing to drop by and walk the dogs and feed all the pets for a small fee. Those were easier times, and often cheaper than many other options.
The one challenge was getting all the instructions straight, especially when dealing with a kid. No offense meant to any teens that may read this, but sometimes the obvious is not terribly obvious. Enter Planet Dog's Pet Sitting Instructions pad. I just discovered them and had a flashback to all those hand-written instructions that may or may not have worked.
Of course, my coverage of all the details for multiple pets was always perfect , but just when you think you've covered it all, well, that's when there's a surprise.
This great little pad of instructions is like an insurance policy. For a small fee to purchase one you'll always know that your list will be complete. After all, the details are all there; you simply have to fill in the blanks with phone numbers, names, food amounts, times, etc. You can purchase one at the link above in this paragraph, or find a retailer near you at this link. Or if you're feeling lucky, you can try to win one in our giveaway below.
I was impressed that they included not only a vet #, but also an emergency vet #. Nights and weekends your pet sitter may not find your regular vet open, so this is important info to include. I might remind you that you should contact your vet(s) before you leave your pets in the care of others, simply to notify them of who will taking your place. You know--just in case.
The folks at Planet Dog also clearly know their pets' picky little preferences. There's a place on the form for what Fido or Fluffy do like, as well as what they don't like. That was a very smart addition, as many pets have one secret pet peeve that will set them off. It's good to know what that is.
I got a good chuckle when I got to the part about the special rules for what the sitter should and should not do. I found myself filling in the blank for previous pets and situations and laughing. Boy! Would this have been helpful during those teenage pet setting years. it's too late now, but it's never to late to give some pads away, right?
My new-found friends at Planet Dog have offered up 10 copies of their Pet Sitting Instruction Pad in honor of 10 years of giving back through the Planet Dog Foundation. Two percent of your purchases go to help provide service and assistance dogs through grant programs. Of course, you can make a donation anytime by simply visiting this page. Keep in mind also, that you can keep up with their doings by hitting the "Like" button on their Facebook page (and mine as well!).
Ready to find out how to get your free 50-page instruction pad for your next day on the road? Here's your options for entering: - COMMENTS are the primary form of entry--super simple since you're already here. Visit the bottom of the post to find the COMMENTS link and click.
- For 3 entries, leave me 3 comments that you have done this: Post a photo of your pup to my Facebook page with a sign that says "We Love Planet Dog Foundation and All Things Dog Blog". You can also post your photo to Planet Dog's Facebook page and it may be featured on our blog if you email it to me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. NOTE: Posting a photo to a Facebook page does not constitute an entry; however, your comment on my blog enters you when you confirm you have shared a photo.
- Likewise, follow @AllThingsDog and @PlanetDog1997 on Twitter and leave a comment here telling me you've done this.
- Let Planet Dog hear from you with a Tweet "Thx @AllThingsDog 4 hooking us up to the @PlanetDog1997 Pet Sitting Instruction #Giveaway".
- Subscribing to our blog by email, GFC, Networked Blogs, or RSS, and let me know: "I subscribe to All Things Dog Blog." .
- Tweet/Retweet and the Google+ buttons at the top of the post.
- Entries will close at 5 PM sharp on Thursday, August 4th. I'll report the winners on Friday, August 5th.
Winners will be selected from comments here on the blog that include a method of contact (URL, email, Twitter handle, etc). All Tweets, emails or other suggested entries must be followed up with a comment, as only comments register you for the drawing. Random.org will be used to select the winners. You may enter the giveaway once daily per method, but you must use a different Tweet, comment, photo, etc. each time.
This giveaway is valid to North American addresses, except in Quebec, where laws make this giveaway impossible. (Sorry!) Entrants must be 18 or older; this offer is void where prohibited. Enough for the rules, let's get to entering......... Full disclosure: Thank you to Planet Dog for providing a sample of their Pet Sitter Instructions for us to review. Planet Dog has not paid us to tell you about their product and we have shared our honest opinion. 
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| Dog Grab Bag Hold Suprises for this Winner Posted: 27 Jul 2011 09:00 PM PDT |
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