healthy dog treats from brothers complete are a hit #sponsored #giveaway

You know me. I'm always seeking out great dog food and treats to add to our rotation and recommend to my clients and readers. I recently discovered Brothers Complete, a premium line of dog food and treats. Living up to their name, they sent us their complete line to try. It is great to have the opportunity to let N.A.S.H.A. try all of the varieties so we could see which ones she loves best. We started with the treats, naturally.

I am being compensated for helping to spread the word about Brothers Complete. Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. All opinions are my own. Brothers Complete is not responsible for the content of this article. 

brothers complete line of healthy dog treats

Brothers Complete offers both biscuit treats and dehydrated treats. We tried their Turkey Meal Biscuits, Buffalo Meal Biscuits, Venison Meal Biscuits, Dehydrated Sweet Potato Treats, and Dehydrated Chicken Treats. 

what makes brothers complete treats so great?

• GMO-, grain-, sugar-, hormone-, and antibiotic-free

• potato-free

• no artificial colors or flavors

• no chemical preservatives

• made in small batches sourced and made in the U.S.A., designed, delivered and stored by Brothers Complete

• packaged in 3 ply foil bags to preserve freshness

This family-run business takes pride in their products and values their customers. Their mission? "The intention we bring to all that we do is to create the highest good for all involved, our customers, our family, and every dog that we feed." And to back up their high quality product, they offer a 100% satisfaction, no-hassle guarantee, so if for some strange reason your dog isn't digging what they're dishing out, you're covered. 

our treat trial

Since we had five high-quality treats to choose from, I thought it would be fun to have a blind taste test. Yes, I realize a blind taste test means that you conceal the product packaging, but since I have not yet taught N.A.S.H.A. to read, I decided that putting the treats in front of their respective bags would be of benefit to you and not skew the results significantly. For the record, I don't recommend you feed your dog (especially if she is only eleven pounds) five treats at once, but since N.A.S.H.A. is an integral part of the trial, I thought it fitting to pay her with a little indulgence.

I put out all of the treats while N.A.S.H.A. drooled and wiggled in my husband's arms. He accused me of animal torture.

The complete lineup of Brothers Complete dog treats, ready to be sampled.

Though all of the treats are fantastic, I was curious to see what she would do when presented with so many options. Actually, I had a pretty good idea of which one she would go for first. Check out the video to see what happened:

Yup! The dehydrated chicken won out, followed quickly by the turkey biscuit and buffalo biscuit, respectively. She made her way through all of the treats, but, being a dog of very little size, she could only grab one at a time. I'm sure some of you Great Danes out there could handle all five at once!

After predictably selecting the dehydrated chicken first, N.A.S.H.A. went back to check out the other offerings. Her review: YUM!

I'm happy to have found the Brothers Compete treats as a healthy addition to our lineup. I also like to make sure the treats I leave for my pet sitting clients at the end of each service period are high-quality, so we might just share the wealth. Probably. Maybe. 

brothers complete giveaway

We will share the wealth with you, however, whether you are a client or not. Brothers Complete has offered to send one of our lucky readers a 10 lb. bag of dog food of their choice, plus three bags of biscuits (one of each flavor)! Awesome!

I didn't want to inundate you with too much information all at once, so next time we'll try the Brothers Complete Dog Food and let you know what we think. We'll be giving away a great prize pack then, too, so be sure to check back!

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Click here to visit the Brothers Complete web site.

Find Brothers Complete on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

staying fresh with natural grooming wipes from PL360 #giveaway #sponsored

If you read my blog regularly, you remember that we recently discovered a great new natural pet product company called PL360. We had the opportunity to try and review several of their products, and they just sent us their newest great thing, grooming wipes! 

I received a pack of PL360 Grooming Wipes to try in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. PL360 is not responsible for the content of this article.

staying fresh with natural grooming wipes from PL360.

I regularly use natural face cleansing wipes, and though it's the same concept, I'd never heard of grooming wipes. What a great idea! We can use these on our pets in-between baths or trips to the groomer to help them freshen up. The wipes can be used on dogs, cats, or other small furry animals. You can use them anywhere except the eyes. Super convenient!

are PL360 grooming wipes natural? 

As with all things my family ingests, applies, or even looks at, I inspected the label before giving the wipes a go. I believe firmly that the accumulation of toxins in our bodies is a huge factor in poor health, and I try to avoid toxins as much as possible. The PL360 grooming wipes are entirely plant-based, have no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, toxins, lanolin, soap, or alcohol. Even the mandarin scent is a natural fragrance. They got the all clear from me.

testing them out

N.A.S.H.A. had some friends over, so I asked their parents if they could join in on the fun. I got to try these on three guinea pigs...er...dogs!

My panel: A trio of guinea pigs...er...lucky dogs.

BEFORE

N.A.S.H.A.: usual scrappy-looking coat, light doggy odor enhanced by sun basking in 110° heat

Milo: smooth normal coat, neutral odor

Quigley: more oily to the touch than the other two, some doggy odor, but nothing offensive, chronic skin allergies

DURING

N.A.S.H.A.: slightly skeptical, but tolerant, and seemed to enjoy it once she realized the wipes did not have acid from the depths of hell on them. She even let me wipe her paws, and the cloth didn't tear on her nails.

N.A.S.H.A.

Milo: couldn't have cared less. Quigley, however, thought I was attacking Milo and barked at me the whole time, so Milo's relaxing massage left a bit to be desired.

Milo

Quigley: thought it was play time while I was rubbing him down...Quigley was squigley, but we got the job done.

Quigley

AFTER

N.A.S.H.A.: shook off, then rubbed herself all over the couch cushions, to my delight, as she does after every bath. Her fur had a light mandarin scent and seemed slightly smoother to me. 

Milo: walked away and took a nap (he's 14, so we have to cut him some slack...this relaxing massage business can be exhausting). He smelled fresh as a ripe mandarin orange.

Quigley: he made sure Milo survived the ordeal, then stared at me for several minutes, making sure I was not going to attack again. He smelled fresh like the others, and his fur seemed a bit less oily. Most importantly, the wipes didn't make him itch, in fact, in the few hours following, he seemed to me to itch and scratch less then he normally does. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

I think the PL360 Grooming Wipes are a safe, convenient way to freshen up your pet in-between baths or grooming visits. Though I don't currently have any small caged animals, I think they would be especially great for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and the like. Though they definitely couldn't replace your pet's regular bathing routine, I think they are a great option for daily use. If you have a pet who likes to "get into things" and make a mess, these would be an excellent resource to save your sanity. They would also be great for travel or even routine walks...it's a big, dirty world out there! 

After barking at me for wiping Milo, Quigley thought better of his rash opinion.

UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 8, 2015: We found another great use for these wipes! The dingleberry (I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice it to say that the PL360 wipes made it much less gory than it would otherwise have been).

Would you like to try the PL360 grooming wipes? You can! We are giving away five packs of wipes to five lucky winners, courtesy of PL360. Pawesome!

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we love dr. tim's genuine freeze dried treats

When you think of a "treat" for yourself, you think of something special outside of your normal diet, right? Perhaps you think of something indulgent. That's okay, because it's just a treat–something in which you partake on occasion. Our pets sometimes end up getting even more treats than we do. Who can resist those adorable faces? 

Pure and simple.

I know that when we give our dog, N.A.S.H.A., a treat, we want it to be full of only good things. We don't do artificial colors or flavors, and we don't want 372 ingredients in the mix, because, who knows what half that stuff is, anyway? We look for something pure and healthy that will benefit her. As far as the indulgent aspect, N.A.S.H.A. lets us know which treats she likes, and there aren't many. She's pretty picky.

When chewy.com gave me the opportunity to try Dr. Tim's Genuine Freeze Dried Treats, I had a pretty good feeling they would be a hit. We received the Natural Beef Chips to sample, but other varieties include Natural Chicken Chips, Natural Turkey Chips, Natural Beef Liver, Clean Tripe, and Natural Oxtail Chips.

One glance at the ingredient list let me know we were headed in the right direction. Don't blink. you might miss it.

Ingredients: beef hearts

N.A.S.H.A. waits patiently for her first taste.

Only one ingredient. The treats are made with 100% all real USDA inspected meat from Wisconsin. Knowing the beef comes from the U.S.A.–not China–is something that is becoming increasingly important to all pet parents. We can feel safe with Dr. Tim's.

These treats provide all the nutrition and flavor of raw meat without the mess, and they are designed to be delightful to both cats and dogs. So many of us purchase separate treats for the different species in our families, but now you don't have to! I wouldn't recommend feeding them to your fish or rabbit, but at least we can get our cats and dogs on the same page. 

So were they a hit in our house? Absolutely! N.A.S.H.A. was eager and happy to sample the Natural Beef Chips. These high-quality simple treats made the cut, and we are excited to add them to our lineup of trusted and desired treat options. We even had some eager friends on hand to verify our assessment. 

Our friends liked the treats, too.

Check out Dr. Tim's line of Genuine Freeze Dried Treats

Purchase Dr. Tim's Natural Beef Chips and other varieties at chewey.com

Connect with Dr. Tim's on Facebook and Twitter.

Connect with chewy.com on Facebook and Twitter.

Chewy.com provided us with a sample of Dr. Tim's Genuine Freeze Dried Treats–Natural Beef Chips in exchange for our honest review. Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Chewy.com or Dr. Tim's are responsible for the content of this article.

petbrosia's new grain-free option: review and #giveaway

Have you been wanting to give Petbrosia a try, but hesitated because you want to keep your pet on a grain-free diet? We've loved Petbrosia for a long time, but we just got even more excited because they've introduced a grain-free option! Woo-hoo! Their web site says:

Petbrosia now offers salmon as a protein choice for your dog and cat. Raised and harvested in the U.S.A., Petbrosia's Salmon Diet is the ideal choice when looking for an alternative protein source to feed your pet. We start with a single protein source–real salmon–cut out the fillers commonly found in other dog foods (grain free–no rice, wheat, corn, soy, gluten, or white potato), and create the perfect blend customized to meet your pet's individual needs.

If you've not heard about Petbrosia, yet, let me fill you in! Petbrosia makes a high-quality pet food for both dogs and cats that is customized for your pet based on age, breed, and lifestyle. The custom blend is delivered right to your door, and shipping is free if you enroll in their auto-ship option. With each delivery comes a detailed profile of the food with an ingredient list, nutritional information, and feeding instructions.

Until now, all of their custom blends included high-quality grains, and the only protein option was chicken, a formula that works well for many, but not for those pets with allergies or grain sensitivities. Now everyone can enjoy the benefits of a custom pet food.

I'm not going to lie...the kids and I weren't thrilled the last time we purchased salmon dog food. My daughter would dry heave at the smell of it (or perhaps she was simply trying to get out of feeding the dog). She asked me to promise to never bring salmon food into the house again. But I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try Petbrosia's new protein source. We were pleasantly  surprised that the odor wasn't nearly as "fishy" as others we've tried. Sure, you can tell if you stick your head in the bag and take a deep breath (yes, I did that), but when going through our regular feeding routine, it smells just fine! Bonus!

Petbrosia is offering our readers the chance to win a 3-pound bag of their new grain-free salmon food. And–get this–just for entering, they will send everyone who doesn't win a coupon for $10 off their first box. So you win just for entering! So...go ahead...enter now...

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More information:

Petbrosia web site

Petbrosia grain-free salmon

Well Minded is an affiliate of Petbrosia. I received a box of grain-free salmon food in exchange for my honest review. Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Petbrosia is not responsible for the content of this article.

increasing the vitality of your pet naturally with #SomaPet

Each night at dinner time our dog, N.A.S.H.A., gets Apple Cider Vinegar and UltraOil in her food. She's been taking these supplements for some time because they are natural and effective. Plus, she loves them. She now turns her nose up at any food that doesn't smell strongly of vinegar! I thought we were pretty set in our canine supplement routine, but then I learned about SomaPet, a supplement by SomaLife.

What is SomaPet? SomaPet is a proprietary combination of organic, pure free-form crystalline amino acids that help jumpstart your pet's natural processes of cell repair and regeneration.

I knew that we had to try it. It comes in powder form and contains only natural, 100% organic ingredients. It is sugar free, gluten free, and fat free, and contains no preservatives, additives, fillers, or artificial coloring. And it's vegan. Our family tries our best to keep chemicals out of our bodies, so I was thrilled to see that such an amazing supplement had been created for our pets. SomaPet can increase a pet's vitality and longevity by helping immune function, promoting natural healing, helping maintain healthy energy levels, improving the skin and coat and improving nervous function and bone strength. With N.A.S.H.A. on the eve of her ninth birthday, I was ready to kick things up a notch.

I learned that the supplement was created by Dr. Phillip White, who noticed his beloved German Shepherd, Rover, struggling with mobility as he aged. Dr. White wanted to help Rover's quality of life and began giving him SomaLife's Youth Formula. It helped Rover so quickly and dramatically that Dr. White developed SomaPet so all pet parents could experience the benefits.

I could see that there was nothing bad to be found in SomaPet (my first criteria) so I then wondered what it could do for N.A.S.H.A. Would it benefit her? The SomaPet web site described how it could:

The ultimate dietary supplement, SomaPet consists of a synergistic combination of free form L-amino acids designed to assist:

• strengthens collagen and bones

• improves immune system

• renews vitality

• helps reduce body fat

• healthier skin and coat

• promotes cellular energy

• increases healing

Wow. Sign me up. I mean, sign N.A.S.H.A. up.

As you probably already know, N.A.S.H.A. is quite picky, so I was a little bit concerned about whether she would take to another addition to her food. I added our usual ACV and UltraOil, then sprinkled a scoop of SomaPet onto her food and gave it a dazzling chef-like toss. She was impressed. I must have sold it, because she gave it a sniff, looked at me, then dove right in. She either loved the way the SomaPet tasted or didn't notice it there. Either way–winning.

Seriously. My scraggly dog is now silky thanks to SomaPet.

N.A.S.H.A. has now been taking SomaPet for two weeks. Though I can't tell how it's affected her bone density or immune function, I am amazed to see a transformation in her skin and coat. She's not an overly stinky dog, but she doesn't typically smell like roses, either. Since she's been on SomaPet, she has no odor whatsoever. This odor-fighting thing is not an advertised benefit, but I attribute that to the increased health of her skin. I also notice how her coat is really soft. She's a scraggly little thing, and her coat is pretty wiry and obnoxious no matter what we do. Even straight out of the bath, she looks like she hasn't been bathed in years. But, now, her coat is much softer, somehow. Perhaps my imagination, but this new look coincided with our introduction of SomaPet.

N.A.S.H.A.'s mobility seems to have improved. She's always been pretty spry, but I've noticed that in the past year, it's been more difficult for her to get up on our high bed (Of course she sleeps in the bed with us). She'd have to back up and take a running start, and she wouldn't always make it on the first try. It made me sad to see this change in her, but since she's been taking SomaPet, she springs right up with no do-overs!

Silky SomaPet supermodel.

I've also noticed that N.A.S.H.A.'s activity level has increased. She's a pretty playful dog, anyway, but lately she's been asking us to play more times each day and she plays for longer periods. This makes me so happy because she loves to play fetch and catch (yes, she throws back to us), and when I'd tried to engage her over the past few months, she wasn't as interested as she'd been in the past. I even started calling her my "little old lady." Since she's been on SomaPet, I've definitely seen an increase in her activity level. 

I'm thrilled to have discovered SomaPet and will definitely make it a permanent part of N.A.S.H.A.'s supplement mix. Though I can't see how it's benefiting her on the inside, I am confident that it is due to the big improvements I've seen on the outside. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a holistic supplement for their adult or aging pet. 

Join me for a SomaPet Twitter Chat on July 22nd from 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. EST. Use #BlogPawsChat to join the fun and have a chance to win a bottle of SomaPet!

Purchase SomaPet here.

Check out the SomaPet web site here.

Learn more about the science behind SomaPet here.

SomaPet FAQ

Connect with SomaPet and SomaLife on Facebook and Twitter.

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