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Product Review - Bark Stix Organic Dog Treats   FurryTravelers.com was started to help pet owners travel with their pets safely and easily by offering the best pet travel products.  Once in a while, however, we come across non-travel related pet products we think are so great that we add them to our product line-up.   I don't recall how we originally found Bark Stix (maybe they found us), but after speaking with the owner a few years ago and hearing about the company, I knew I needed to test them on my own dogs, Cookie and Katie.  They loved every type of treat I gave them!  What I love about them is that they are 100% organic, nutritious, and made in the United States.    Here are three of our favorites:    Sweetie Pies   Sweet Potatoes are considered by nutrition experts to be one of the 10 healthiest foods one can eat.  That goes for dogs, too.  Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.  And dogs LOVE them!    Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, chicken liver, potato flour, honey and sea salt.   Sadie's Big Stix and Lucy's Short Stix These fun, nutritious stix are shaped like a bread stick and measure 9-10 inches for Sadie's and about 5 inches for Lucy's - a best seller.   Fart Busters This all meat chicken treat is made from whole Free Range chicken with a proprietary blend of digestive enzymes that can aid digestion and help with those 'aromatic' moments that come between dog and guardian. Like all of our treats they are manufactured in our facility in Northern California. The chickens are locally sourced from small farmers and raised without the use of antibiotics or animal by-products and are fed a vegetarian diet.   There are several varieties of Bark Stix dog treats.  To see all Bark Stix Treats, click here.  

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) is having their 2nd Annual APPA National Children's Pet Poetry Contest through their public awareness campaign, Pets Add Life (PAL).   Third, fourth and fifth grade students are invited to write a unique poem about their pets, what they love about them, the joys they bring, and then post it online at www.petsaddlife.org or mail their final poem and submission form to:  Pets Add Life, 45 Winter Street, Reno, NV  89503.  The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2010 at 5:00pm EST.   Two students from each grade level (6 total) nationwide will win a $250 gift certificate for pet products, and a "by-line" in a nationally circulated publication.  In addition, the six winning students' classrooms will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to spend on pet related education.    

We lost our dog Sammy earlier this year.  We had to make the difficult decision to put her to sleep.  She had been suffering for years from serious back problems related to major surgery she had 10 years earlier.  She also had recurring eye problems caused by a paralyzed facial nerve.     We did all we could to make her life happy over the years.  This included building homemade ramps for 4 rooms of the house so she could sit and sleep with us, taking her for walks in a stroller so she could get fresh air, putting carpet runners throughout our tiled house so her little paws wouldn't slip out from under her while she walked.  We gave her supplements, a radiant heat lamp, acupuncture treatments.  She was truly a loved member of our family and we spared no expense or effort to make her happy and comfortable.     At 15 years of age, she was no longer our happy-go-lucky Sammy.  She seemed uncomfortable and the only excitement she showed was at mealtime.  Other than that, she didn't wag her tail or even want to be in the same room with us.  Given her health history, we discussed that we would not put her through another surgery, should that need arise.   When she developed another serious eye problem requiring surgery, we discussed the situation with her doctor.  Our wonderful vet assured us that these were all signs she was ready to move on.  She was no longer enjoying her life.  I heard another vet once say that it is better to end a dogs life too soon than to risk ending it an hour too late.     While this made our decision easier, it did not make the loss easier.  For all but the last few months of her life, she was the happiest, friendliest dog we had ever known.   (This blog entry started out to be about a pet product and I'm not sure what got me on the subject of Sammy, but I am going to leave it in case someone out there is needing to make a similar decision about their beloved dog.  Talk to your vet.  They can help you decide what is best.)   The loss of a pet is tremendous and the sadness sometimes overwhelming, but it does get easier with time.  Let yourself be sad, cry, go through the grieving process.  They are members of your family and most likely loved as much as your two legged family members.     Finally, don't be afraid to eventually get another pet!  I have spoken to so many people whose dog passed away years earlier.  When I ask why they haven't gotten a new one, they say because they don't want to ever go through that type of loss again.      I can't imagine being a dog lover and choosing to be alone rather than have a dog bring you love, companionship and joy for so many years.  Don't be afraid!  It can help you overcome the grief and bring you years of happiness.     Just be careful not to expect your new pet to "replace" the old.  Dogs, as people, are all different.  One thing that stays the same, is the unconditional love and wet kisses you only get from a dog.   Our little Sammy  

PET PRODUCTS NOW ON SALE! Save on a variety of popular pet items.  Check back often as items are changed regularly! 

Ohhh, those pesky little boys! Here is a solution for those little guys that never seem to get “marking thing” under control. NOW ON SALE - 30% Off!  (Regular price from $24.99)   There are other important applications for this item as well. It’s a great traveling aid when staying in hotel rooms and when you are guest in someone’s home. As dogs get older, even the best trained can have accidents due to incontinence and this can help to maintain their dignity and quality of life. Our super-soft and color-fast Wizzer is fastened at the top with hook-and-loop material and has a terry pad liner where any number of self-adhering feminine sanitary pads can be attached. Like all Susan Lancie designs, Wizzers are made from genuine upholstery grade Ultasuede® fabric that is imported from Japan. This material is soft and breathable for him; colorfast and machine washable for you, and if there has ever been a pet product that is going to get frequent washing, this is it!  

 Susan Lanci designs some of my favorite products. The Sport / Travel Sling is one of them. I travel quite a bit to various Pet Expos, Trade Shows and Dog Shows. My dog, Cookie, goes with more often than not. Cookie is a Mama's girl and wants to be held as much as possible. This can be a bit inconvenient, as you might imagine. Using the Susan Lanci Travel Sling has made my life so much easier! Cookie feels like she is being held, but I have both hands free to help people, write orders, etc.  She'd be happy to "hang around" all day in it.  The Travel Sling is made of lightweight, breathable material that can hold as much weight as you can. Cookie weighs about 9 pounds and does get heavy after a while, but the sling holds her with no problem. I have sold them to owners of heavier dogs, but I would say the ideal weight to be between 4 – 9 pounds.   The Susan Lanci Travel Sling is available in assorted colors, including Black, Gold, Brown, Purple and Pink. It is washable and Made in the USA.                   

We recently found a company in California that bakes all natural dog treats in some very unique ways with healthy ingredients.    Here is the scoop:   Sweetie Pies are a healthy dog treat made of free range chicken and sweet potatoes.  Research has shown that sweet potatoes are one of the top 10 healthiest foods you can eat!  They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Even better, dogs love them! The chickens and sweet potatoes are both from small local farmers.  They are slow baked to preserve their goodness.  Dogs can't say no to these treats!  Break pieces off to use as training treats or as a nutritious low calorie snack. I had always heard of dogs that had a "tooting" problem, but this has become a recent issue with Cookie and I can't wait to try these!  We sold out of them too soon for me to try with our first order, but now that we have more, we won't waste any time getting her started on them!   Enzymes are the catalysts for every metabolic process in the body and the foundation for good digestion and overall health.  Better digestion means less gas.  Digestive enzymes are added to these treats so they are easily absorbed.  Fart Busters are made from pure whole free range chicken with a proprietary blend (human grade) of digestive enzymes that can aid digestion and help with those "aromatic" moments.  These are all meat treats, manufactured in California.  Chickens are from local farmers and are raised without the use of antibiotics or animal by-products and are fed a vegetarian diet.   Cookie and Katie both have tried - and go crazy over - Bark Stix.  What a great idea - dog treats that look like bread sticks!  They are made with organic whole wheat flour, beef liver, water, rolled oats, carrots, bacon, parsley and baking powder.    I am very happy to be able to offer healthy treat options for your Furry Traveler.  Give one or all of them a try while they last!  

The Susan Lanci Travel Sling is one of my favorite products for small dogs.  If you have a little one that loves to be held, this will really make your life easier.  When you use this pet sling, your dog will still feel the comfort of being held right next to your body, but you will have the convenience and comfort of having both arms free.   I use this pet sling with Cookie (9 lbs.) whenever I take her to a consumer or trade show.  She settles right into the sling and barely moves until I take her out.  She will even tuck her little face in it and take a nap.  It is so cute!   Because the sling is lightweight and breathable, it is very comfortable for both you and your pet.  It folds up very small to easily pack for traveling or throwing into your bag.  It is washable and made in the USA!   The designer told me that the sling can hold a dog as heavy as I can hold.  The largest dog I have sold a sling to was 19 pounds.  Cookie is 9 pounds and I can keep her in it for hours at a time.    If you have a small dog, you will love this product!

  "They are so cute", is what I hear most often about this product.  This is true, however they are also extremely practical!    Two stainless steel bowls come with this travel set.  They are small, but do hold a full 1/4 cup of food or water - perfect for traveling with your little Furry Traveler.  They come with their own travel pouch made of Ultrasuede with a Swarovski paw print on the front and a draw string keeps everything safely inside.    The travel pouch is the perfect size to hold the bowls plus your cell phone, money, keys, room card, credit card...    Best of all is that you can easily carry these bowls in your pocket or purse and always be ready to give your pup a drink or some food without.  They are made in the USA and are available in several colors!   Read more about the Susan Lanci Stainless Steel Travel Dishes or place your order here.