CONCLUSION OF THE EUKANUBA CHALLENGE

Spring has definitely sprung here in my world!  My friends, the birds have come back and I spend much of my time watching them out the windows as they tweet, swoop around and build their nests.  It makes me a little bit jealous that they can fly and I must use my four little legs to carry my whole body around!  But lately, I feel like a young pup again.  My system is “moving” regularly, I have a little more spring in my step and my coat has improved!  My Mom tells me that it’s from the Euka-something Challenge, but I don’t know what that means.  All is know is that I still love it each morning when I get to eat the delectable food in the pink bag.  Diving into those tasty little nuggets of “yum” each morning revs up my engine and gives me all that I need to start each day!  I plan to recommend it to all of my dog friends at Morris Animal Inn.  Tori, Clover, Jersey, Angie, Gracie, Cannoli, Bailey and Rusty…did you hear that?  If you want to run faster, improve your coat, stay regular and just feel better, ask your Mom or Dad to feed you EUKANUBA!  You’ll thank me later!

We are giving away one voucher for one FREE bag of any Eukanuba Dog Food up to 40lbs to one of our readers that is interested in trying the food.

There are three ways you can qualify:

1) Add a comment to this blog post that tells us why you want to take the Eukanuba 28 Day Challenge and why you should win the voucher

2) Tweet about this blog post and leave the URL to that Tweet in a comment on this post

3) You can blog about this blog post and leave the URL to your post in a comment on this post

You can qualify by one or all three of these methods. We will choose from all comments received and will announce the winner next week!

Check out what other bloggers are saying about their experience with the 28-Day Eukanuba Challenge - http://dogtime.com/eukanuba-28-day-challenge-bloggers.html

THE NEXT FARAH FAWCETT?

I have always considered my coat to be my shining glory.  Its color is very unusual; not quite snowy white but creamy, in a rich vanilla ice cream sort of way.  And, oh, is it ever full!  Some would call me ten pounds of dog with twenty pounds of hair!  Because of all this hair of mine, I have sported many different hairstyles throughout the years.  I was in my lion cut phase when I was younger.  What was I thinking?!  Looking back, that was not a very good look for me, but at the time, oh, how stylish and trendy I thought I was!  A lion cut is where the nice groomer trims your whole back end very short (yes, the whole back end!) and your front end is left wild and full.  If you still can’t picture it, imagine a mullet in your mind, then reverse it.  Anyone who has accidentally worn shorts in the winter knows what that feels like!  Quite chilly when the wind blows! 

And then there was my “short all over” phase which my mom liked a whole lot because then she didn’t need to brush me very often.  Oh, except for my tail; I always like to keep that full and fluffy like a paintbrush.  It’s how you could still tell that I’m a lady. (And don't you forget it!)

And then we come to the present; a time when maturity tells me that I must not let fashion dictate my style, but should do what comes naturally and feels good.  Sometimes I just let it all hang out; wild and crazy, with my hair in my eyes, but who cares?!  I don’t really mind if a few hairs are askew and lately, I’m not sure, but I feel as if there is a whole lot more of them.  My coat all over is more lush than usual and my mom loves when she can sink her fingers deeply into it to pet me.  The hair on my head is just a whole other story.  Can you say troll on steroids?!  It’s creamy and fuzzy and shoots out in all directions.  Where did all of this new hair come from?  I’ve been eating the yummy new food in the pink bag every day.  Could that be the reason for my rich and luxurious coat? I guess we will keep watching to see! Stay tuned for next week's conslusion of my 28-Day Eukanuba Challenge!

MEADOW LAND WEEK 2: THE RETURN OF "CRAZY DOG"

WEEK 2

Another week has passed and not much seems to have changed for the people in my world; they keep getting up, feeding me, going out the door and then coming back home again.  But this new breakfast they’re serving me is quite delectable.  Each morning as they scoop the tasty morsels into my bowl, the intoxicating aroma wafts past my nose and I’m overcome with the urge to speak.  I must tell them to hurry, so I bark.  I bark incessantly, knowing that it will make them move faster.  They oblige me because, of course, I rule the household and they must obey my every command.  I dive into my bowl with the speed of a race horse, tempted to swallow it all in an instant, but wanting to savor every bite.  Mmmmmmmmm!  A yummy way to start my day.

I don’t know what my people do with their days, but mine are very productive.  After my morning meal, I usually saunter over to the deck door where I can sit and watch the birds and squirrels go merrily about their day.  Sometimes I can find just the right spot on the floor where the sun is shining and that’s where I’ll settle in.  After an exhilarating morning watching the wonders of nature, it’s time for a nap.  After all, a girl needs her beauty rest!  Usually I sneak into the girl’s room and get myself up into her bed where I bury myself deep into her downy covers and stay there until the family comes back home.

And then all of a sudden last night I felt the urge to do “Crazy Dog.”  Are you familiar with the game of Crazy Dog?  It’s the one where you gather up all the energy you can, take a deep breath and run in circles throughout the house.  I was impressive this time; reminiscent of Secretariat leading the pack in the Kentucky Derby!  I made about five circles on my chosen path…and then reversed it, all the while making a low growly sound that I think my people really like because they laugh at me when I do it.  Hey, it’s been a long time since I’ve done Crazy Dog.  I really feel good; could it be that the new food in my bowl has given me this renewed sense of vim and vigor?  

MEADOW LAND

Meadow, pictured with her owner, the General Manager, Patti Kreitler, begins the Eukanuba 28-Day Challenge. Meadow would like to see what all the hype is about!

It’s 6am and another day is dawning here in “Meadow Land.”  As I gently lift my head from my snuggly slumber in my little dog bed, I hear the Dad going out the door, so it must be time for me to wake somebody. Who will it be today?  The Dad is already on his way to work, the big tall boy could sleep through a nuclear attack, the Mom is a little bit on the slow side, so I think I’ll wake the girl since she usually gets up quickly without too much grumbling.  Up I spring (well, my springing up days may be over, but I’ve still got some gusto!) and dash into her room.  “Arf,” I deliver right in her face.  “Arf!” again.  “Arf!” again.  I NEED FOOD, PEOPLE!  Is there a stir?  Is one eye starting to open?  Yes…here comes one eye, then another.  She gazes at the clock and then back again at me.  And then the pause…will she get up, or will she drift back to sleep?  I stare harder, knowing it just has to help.  I see her take a deep breath, and then no movement.  I must intervene.  Now with all my might, I lift my body up to her bed and give one more “Arf!” so close to her face that she could never resist my request.  AND SHE’S UP!  The day has begun!  Life is good!

Before going any further, let me tell you a little bit about Meadow Kreitler, Princess of Morristown, New Jersey.  My earliest recollection is being in this thing called an animal shelter.  I was confused about why I was there and when I’m concerned or nervous, I have a tendency to spin.  Now this is not subtle spinning.  When stressed, I turn into a virtual whirling dervish!  The nice shelter people recognized this interesting trait of mine and secretly named me Dizzy, but openly referred to me as Daisy which they felt sounded nicer.  They labeled me a Pomeranian, but anyone who looks at me can easily tell that I’m really a Volpino Italiano, a breed from the same family as the Pomeranian, but a much more prestigious pedigree!  When my mom laid eyes on me, it was love at first sight…for me and for her.  She took me home, renamed me Meadow after a character she watched on the Sopranos and I joined their family.  I watched as the boy and the girl turned from children into grownups and joined them in all of life’s milestones.

Oh, and by the way, did I mention that I like to eat?  No, actually, I love to eat!  I live to eat!  I think food time might just be my favorite part of the day.  So after my quick trip to the backyard where I nicely take care of business, I slide across the kitchen floor to my usual spot.  But what do I see?  A bag I’ve never seen before, what can it be?  I’m nervous.  I feel a spin coming on…I’m not sure what’s happening …. spinning has begun!  The girl scoops deep into the pretty bag with the long name on it and I hear the food drop into my dish.  It sounds good, it smells good, I sure hope it tastes good, too!  I’m not sure about this….change is not my favorite thing…oh well, here goes….

HOORAY!  I like it!  It’s good!  No, not just good, it’s absolutely yummy-licious!  A veritable party in my mouth!  I know it’s going to be a GREAT day!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

 We are at the end of the 28-Day Eukanuba Challenge. It was a positive experience for both Tori and I.  We are noticing a slimmer, more active version of Tori.  My daughter’s friends were over the other day and hadn’t seen Tori in a while and they both asked, “Did she get her hair cut or lose weight?”   We know she didn’t have a haircut, so to our delight others are noticing a difference as well!  

Regardless of changing Eukanuba formulas, Tori’s enthusiasm for food has not altered or waned one iota as breakfast and dinner continues to be one of her favorite activities. The best thing about Eukanuba food is the quality and Tori’s willingness to eat it. It makes you feel good when you can provide the best for your pet.We will definitely continue to feed Tori Eukanuba and test the different formulas as she moves through life and her nutritional needs change. 

The best part of this challenge was that it made me stop and think about my dog’s nutritional needs.  I slowed down to notice some of her eating habits and it challenged me to think about her overall health and fitness moving forward so she that can the healthiest, happiest pet possible.

P.S.  Tori finally got the hang of the treat toy.  She is now running all over the house swinging it around to get her kibble as a reward for all her hard play.  Mission accomplished!

TORI VS TOY

As the Eukanuba challenge continues and is now in its third week, here’s what we’ve noticed:

• Tori appears to be slimming down somewhat! Her waistline is no longer expanding. We may just be winning in the battle of the bulge!
• She has more energy and seems more eager to go for her walks. She practically springs up in the morning!
• Her ears look healthy and clean and I’m confident Eukanuba is helping her to maintain her pearly whites.
• Her bowel movements are regular, she seems to have more stool since switching to the weight control formula.
• One thing is for sure, Tori has never had the freshest breath. Yet it seems to be improving with this Eukanuba formula!

Since we started this challenge I have been thinking of Tori’s diet and eating habits more like I do my own.  One morning this week, I put down Tori’s Eukanuba as I usually do. I noticed that within seconds Tori was actually snorting while she was eating.  She was eating so fast and furiously that she was making all kinds of piggy noises. 

This made me question whether she was really enjoying her meal?  We are all taught to take our time, chew for extended periods of time, and focus on our food so we can savor and enjoy then taste and ultimately feel satisfied and full.  Tori, on the other hand, was definitely not having that experience as she snorted up her food like a canine vacuum cleaner.

I started to think how I could make feeding time more of an experience for her with her quality Eukanuba food.   Then it dawned on me that there are many dog toys available that will slowly dispense food for dogs as they play with them.  Tori was never much of a toy-playing dog, so adding the food element would entice her to play as well as slow down her eating process.  She would also be stimulated mentally and physically while slowly completing her meal.   Great idea right?!  

Ok, so maybe we were expecting too much.  Don’t worry, we did take time to show her how to get the food.  After several minutes of her frustration and annoyed barking, we fed Tori with her regular bowl.   However, we are not giving up and will try again. Till next week!

ROUTINE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME (WEEK 2)

Week 2 and Tori's love of food and desire for her Eukanuba meals is particularly strong!

Being in the pet care industry for so many years, I have learned the importance of routine and that “being regular” is a good sign of health.  With a change in food, it is not uncommon for a dog to experience some issues.  I am happy to report that even after changing foods, Tori is still on a “regular schedule.” Her silky coat has been maintained, her appetite as big and enthusiastic as ever!

Routine is the name of the game.  Every morning, Tori waits for the light to go on  and the leash to click.  6:30am sharp we head out for our daily walk whether it's raining, snowing or the sun is shining (although it is pretty dark at 6:30am this time of the year).

We have a regular route and make stops at our favorite spots along the way.  There is one particular area where Tori loves to frolic. It is in a small patch of vines and pachysandra that I am sure other critters have visited, making the area quit enticing.

Once the walk and her “business” is taken care of, we head inside.  Tori performs her spirited dance, filled with not-so graceful spins and barks until her Eukanuba food drops in the bowl.  It takes her a very short time to eat every morsel. There are occasional snorting sounds and this morning I truly believe she licked the bowl!

Once she gobbles all her food up, it’s time to take a little break!  Tori heads right to the bedroom, jumps on the bed and cuddles up with the kids until the alarm goes off for school.

What a life….

TORI MORRIS TAKES ON THE EUKANUBA CHALLENGE

(Morris Animal Inn Vice President, Joanne Morris and her dog, Tori, take on the Eukanuba 28-Day Challenge.)

For more on why we are taking this challenge, read our first blog post on the topic.

We just completed Week 1 of our Eukanuba 28-day challenge.  I’m not sure that my seven-year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Tori felt it to be much of a challenge.  She has been eating some form of Eukanuba food since she was a wee puppy.  Tori LOVES food, so eating has never been a problem for her which is why we wanted to participate in order to try a new formula, specifically the Small Breed Weight Control.  As the New Year approached, we realized that our dear little King Charles was getting round in the middle.  We were all resolved to the fact that her purpose in life was to sit comfortably next to us on the couch so we can snuggle with her or eat!  It was time for a new mind set and a new Eukanuba formula for Tori.

Eukanuba's packaging is no doubt eye-catching. Colorful, bright and pink, somewhat reminscent of Pepto-Bismol, it does jump off the shelves attracting the average consumer with it's vibrancy and promise of "100% High Quality Nutrition."

Since Tori's love of food has contributed to her pudgy figure, we decided it was time to tackle the issue and start trimming her waist line. First off, I appreciated the fact that the food was less in fat and I have always been a fan of the dental benefit Eukanuba offers. The texture, appearance and smell was exactly what I expected from a Eukanuba product. There is no doubt Tori loved her new food! Just watch our video to see her dance around like a little ballerina!

Watch as Tori tries her new weight control Eukanuba dog food.

(When it comes to food, patience is not one of Tori's virtues.)

FROM THE YARD TO THE BOWL: Eukanuba Observations (Week 4)

Jersey and Clover gobbling up their Eukanuba Pure.

So for three weeks now my dogs (and occasionally the cat) have been happily feasting on Pure. Their coats look great, their breath is not as nice as “puppy breath” but is as good as good breath can be, and their bathroom habits are normal. 

In an effort to be “green”, I have packed away my kids’ summer clothes in the empty thick plastic food bag. Love the bag & the Ziploc closure but I’m not sure someone in 1000 years will find it as enthralling as I do. As well as I washed, rinsed and dried the bag, I’m sure next summer my dogs will find my children just luscious and will be licking them head to toe! 

Bug the cat sneaking food.

My only complaint so far is how uppity my hound has become now that she has wrapped her little lips around these kibbles. My routine has been to let the dogs outside while their food is being prepped. In the past they have occupied themselves by chasing the bushy tailed squirrels that taunt them by running on top of their fence, barking at the white-tailed deer in the tree line and of course trying to one-up each other in doing all of this. Once their hunting was over then would saunter back to the door and peek in expectantly. Their routing has now become running the perimeter of the fence, squatting quickly then racing back to the door. Where Jersey once was a patient well-trained dog, she has now become a foaming mess insistently banging on the door. As to dissuade this behavior I have completely ignored her repeated banging, figuring that if there was no reward then this behavior would stop as quickly as it began. Jersey has called my bluff and has now taken to jumping like a circus dog straight up in the air or doing a full stretch, front legs extended into the air and scratching with her little, dirt caked nails against the screen. Our screen now has holes larger than the manufacturer intended - courtesy of Eukanuba Pure. 

Her highbrow façade continued last night when we held a small dinner party and Jersey helped herself to an entire cheese display. She was caught red handed with the large triangle of imported Brie in her mouth that she quietly snatched off the table. She obviously has realized that she was destined for the good life. She is now a pup eating Pure twice a day with an occasional side of imported cheese. Are dogs really supposed to be this happy?

Click this link to watch as Jersey and Clover race inside to their bowls for a breakfast that is devoured faster than it takes to pour the food. (Note Bug the cat taking advantage of a dog's uncivilized outdoor elimination habits to enjoy some Pure for himself).

WEEK THREE OF THE 28-DAY EUKANUBA CHALLENGE

Days have now passed and Jersey & Clover are loving their new food. They’re probably confused about my interest in their eating habits as I have spent the last two weeks touching the kibbles, smelling the kibbles, comparing the kibbles, kibbles, kibbles kibbles… I have stopped short of eating the kibbles myself but I have to say that my gut reaction was that it looked and smelled like healthy food. I’ve been around dogs for a long time, therefore, I have been around a lot of brands and types of dog food. Thankfully, Pure doesn’t look like rabbit pellets, it doesn’t feel greasy, it isn’t rainbow colored and doesn’t make “instant gravy” when you add water. It has a mild wholesome smell, with darker than expected, flattened pieces.

So as any dog owner knows, what goes in must come out. Usually the first sign of a change of diet is noticed while the family is unwinding for the day and resting in front of the TV. As you are immersed in your favorite show a slight odor starts to waft across the room. It’s slight enough in the beginning that you don’t really notice it then all of a sudden, WOW! The dog is still sleeping quietly on the rug but the room is now filled with the unmistakable malodorous remnants of his new diet. I was prepared for that inevitable occurrence as I had changed foods cold turkey. Their first meal of Pure was a taste test with their old diet but since then it’s been straight Pure. No gradual transition in this house. I am absolutely amazed that I have neither heard nor detected ANY intestinal upset. I had gas masks poised and ready but they have been completely unnecessary. Love that!

OBSERVATIONS FROM WEEK TWO OF THE EUKANUBA 28-DAY CHALLENGE

I appear to now have an audience as I’m studying this Eukanuba bag. It didn’t take long for ears to perk up at the sound of crinkling coming from the kitchen. Jersey the hound mix is sniffing and hopping and wagging her tail, obviously already decided that anything coming into the house in a bag this large must be for her. Deep long sniffs followed by excited scampering. Ok, Jersey Girl, I get it… you approve already. Clover, the Doberman has taken the opposite approach. She did a quick mad dash to the bag, sized it up, and now has become statuesque with eyes fixed on my every move. She is alert; every muscle is tense and absolutely still. She is focused and couldn’t be bothered to act like a fool like her sister but make no mistake about her excitement; I see a little drool coming out of her mouth.

Ok the anticipation is killing me too. Let’s open this up and get this party started! First, big score for Eukanuba over the competition because for once I don’t have to deal with that horrid white string! You know that insurmountable white string that is intended to open the bag but all it does is make a red indent in your finger?! I consider myself a somewhat intelligent human being yet with every new bag of “white string opener” dog food I am left feeling incapable and defeated. That stupid white string never works right so I pull inappropriately hard every time determined to make it work. The “white string” callus on the side of my pointer finger may actually recede now do to Euk’s easy zipper seal. Maybe not as cool as the “yellow and blue makes green” appeal of a Ziploc bag but I am amazed at the ease of opening & reclosing the bag. Brilliant.

So let’s simulate a real taste test. I put both dogs out into the yard so they can’t witness the scientific preparations that are about to occur in my kitchen. Both my dogs eat out of raised food stands that have two side-by-side bowls. Perfect. “White string, no corn dog food” in one bowl and “Pure” right next to it. Which will the dogs eat first? Will they stick with their tried and true food or will they be enticed by the scent of something new?

Now truth be told, my dogs eat anything. They are exuberant about eating and by far it takes me more time to pour food into their dish then it takes for them to gobble up each and every last kibble. My dogs would throw the bell curve on any palatability study because “First Bite” means nothing to them. Over the years I have tried many different brands and formulas and have never had them turn their nose up at anything. Notice I say “I have tried many different brands” because I have turned my nose up at them. The dogs have been perfectly happy chomping away when I come home and present them with take-out from their new “dog food restaurant”. Ok their take out bag is 30lbs and doesn’t reheat as well as my leftover Citrus Crusted Atlantic Salmon would but the point I’m making is that they were happy with their usual food and I, the consumer, chose to reselect. 

Watching all of this has been my two-year old daughter Bridget. She is mildly intrigued by the commotion but as I walk near the door to let the dogs back inside, Bridget try’s to get my attention. “Mom, food cat. Mom food cat,” she repeats. As I look where she is pointing, sure enough, our cat Bug has silently crept through the kitchen and is eating out of Jersey’s Pure bowl. You’ve got to be kidding me! The first bite doesn’t even go to the dogs, it goes to the cat!

Now Bug is a dog in a cat body and it’s not the first time he has tried to eat dog food. When this happens, I let the two racing canines into the house and the cat goes scampering away to the safety of a hiding spot.

“Watch out cat here comes the dogs,” I think as I open the back door. Both dogs race to their usual spots and start devouring the food. Surprisingly though, Bug has not run away and is now stretching his neck as far as possible to keep stealing some Pure. Jersey is giving a low growl to her feline housemate but never stops gulping. But which food have the dogs chosen? Clover is gulping down her usual diet and Jersey and Bug chow down on the Pure. As if a magical school bell rang, both dogs pick up their heads and swap bowls. Now Clover is voraciously eating the Euk and Jersey is chasing pieces of her usual food around the sides of the bowl. In 15 seconds, both dogs have eaten both bowls of food and are looking at each other to see if there is any food to steal from the other. Split decision? Tie? Hmmm. What conclusions can I draw from that slobber fest?

Stay tuned in the next couple days for more on the challenge!

THE EUKANUBA 28-DAY CHALLENGE (WEEK ONE)

We continually research new trends in the dog food industry to ensure Morris Animal Inn has the best food for our pet clientele. Our interest piqued when DogTime asked if we would take the Eukanuba 28-Day Challenge and blog about it. Three of our managers, Patty Segal, Patti Kreitler and Joanne Morris agreed to feed Eukanuba dog food to their pets and provide their feedback. Patty Segal writes about her observations first as she presents her two dogs Clover (a 4-year-old Doberman Pinscher) and Jersey (a 5-year-old Hound mix) the Eukanuba Pure food. Visit us frequently for updates… The hope is that after just 28 days, there will be a remarkable difference in their health and well being or “your money back 110% guarantee.” Here goes…

So the long awaited Eukanuba Pure has arrived. In the back of my mind I expect all things Eukanuba to be shockingly pink so a black, slick, sexy bag made me do a double take. Just a touch of the familiar Euk pink with the paw print and a mustard yellow stripe. Hmmmm… interesting color palette. Guess at some point all the more popular, charming colors get used up and a new product like Pure gets the underrated “black & mustard” theme. Then another underrated feature catches my eye, the Brittany…or is that a Welsh Springer or a field-bred English? Whoa, this is no food for the designer-breed clique, this is a serious food. No AKC Top 10 Most Popular dog in America here! Labradoodles and Peek-a-poos step aside, here comes the working dog who needs a “real food”…a “pure food”.  Hmmm. Ok, I’m intrigued.

Ok bag, what else have ya’ got for me? “Optimal fatty acid ratio”, “FOS” (an ingredient that helps grow beneficial bacteria in the large intestine), yeah, yeah I expect that from Euk. Not that I’m down playing those items I just truly expect that from Eukanuba. Novice dog food window-shoppers might be impressed but I learned about the benefits of FOS years ago. Give me more, Eukanuba. Ok now, “Clinically Proven to reduce tartar build-up in 28 days”. Guess I should have saved the thousand dollars I just spent getting my dogs teeth cleaned at the vet. Oh well, next bullet point “No fillers, corn, or artificial preservatives” ah, the essence of what makes Pure pure. So I guess I have to believe that fillers, corn and artificial preservatives are bad for my dogs. Let’s start with the easy one, artificial preservatives. In my book artificial equals bad so this is any easy sell for me. I would rather eat real sugar than an artificial sweetener any day, calories be damned. Do I want my dogs being fed artificial anything? No, so I’m happy. 

Jersey Segal



Fillers. Well obviously fillers are fillers and not real food, right? Fillers, like the bad stuff in cheap hotdogs. I mean that’s what I’ve learned from Hebrew National commercials since I was little, no fillers because “we answer to a higher authority”. Maybe Euk is answering to the same authority. So my assumption of “no fillers” means that there is more real food right? Guess I’ll have to investigate that a little further when I read the ingredients but certainly on the surface I agree that no fillers is better than being full of fillers.

Ok so what’s left, “no corn”. Well I know enough about the dog food industry to know this is a point of contention with troops rallied on each side. I also have read Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan so I know that corn, its by-products and the whole corn industry is a lightning rod in the human food category too. Well, let me look at the label of my dog’s current food and let’s see if my dogs are currently being subjected to the dreaded grain. Luckily for the anti-corn contingent, they have influenced my past purchasing decision enough that no, my previous dog food did not contain corn either. So as far as corn is concerned it’s an equal playing field. My dogs will not be in corn withdrawal since it appears they have not tasted the succulent kernel in quite some time.

Stay tuned for more on the challenge!