Joey recently got a big package in the mail from Purina. It's so funny when a big box comes in the mail, because all of my pets (three cats and the dog) come into the room while I'm opening it. They're all so curious! Estelle jumps into the box before I've even taken anything out; Phoebe sits and stares at me, like she's waiting for me to give her something; Chandler walks around the box and sniffs it; and Joey just gets really excited while I pull the tape and packaging off. It's funny how pets just know that something is new or different in the house!
This time, the package was for Joey... lucky dog ;)
He received three bags of Waggin' Train treats--the Chicken Jerky Minis, the Homestyle Chicken Jerky Tenders, and the Chicken Jerky Curls. Joey and Estelle went nuts when they smelled the packages, so they must have been able to smell that they were something yummy. I gave Joey one of each treat right away, and he loved them*.
*In full disclosure, Joey has never met a treat he didn't like. In fact, he'll eat cat poop right out of the litter box if I forget to close the door.
I like giving Joey jerky treats like these, because they take longer for him to eat. When I give him a soft bite-sized treat, he practically swallows it whole; but the jerky takes him at least a minute or two to eat, so I feel like he gets to savor it a little more (and I have a chance to put the bag away before he comes begging for more).
Estelle is extremely vocal, and she was definitely protesting that Joey got all the treats. So, I cut off a tiny bit of a Chicken Jerky Curl to give to her, which satisfied her. Phoebe claimed the cute wooden crate that came in the box:
I love the look she's giving Joey! Like he has no right to be near that box. Poor dog just wants to play with her. That box has gotten so much use, though! When Phoebe isn't in it, Chandler is.
And, of course, Joey is loving the new treats. We have been working for a long time to get him tolerant of us trimming his nails. Right from the get-go, when we adopted him, he was TERRIFIED of nail trimmers. He would flip out when I even came near him with the trimmers.
So, I started "desensitizing" him, first by just touching his paws while giving him a couple of treats. Then, I started showing him the nail trimmers while giving him treats. Next (this was literally two months after I started--a long process), I was able to start to touch his paws with the trimmers (if I gripped his paw too tightly, though, he would flip out again). I basically wanted to let him see that there was nothing to be scared of, and nail trimmers = treats. Recently, we've been able to trim just a hair's width of nail from a few of his nails. I don't want to risk getting the quick, so I've been very careful not to trim much at all. I'm sure if I accidentally got the quick, he'd NEVER trust me again.
His nails are pretty long right now, but he's gotten so much better about letting me touch them. I've been trimming the cats' nails for years, and they don't mind it at all. I'm hoping that with enough treats, Joey will eventually get that way, too!
 |
| He looks stoned, doesn't he? Haha |
So, I started "desensitizing" him, first by just touching his paws while giving him a couple of treats. Then, I started showing him the nail trimmers while giving him treats. Next (this was literally two months after I started--a long process), I was able to start to touch his paws with the trimmers (if I gripped his paw too tightly, though, he would flip out again). I basically wanted to let him see that there was nothing to be scared of, and nail trimmers = treats. Recently, we've been able to trim just a hair's width of nail from a few of his nails. I don't want to risk getting the quick, so I've been very careful not to trim much at all. I'm sure if I accidentally got the quick, he'd NEVER trust me again.
His nails are pretty long right now, but he's gotten so much better about letting me touch them. I've been trimming the cats' nails for years, and they don't mind it at all. I'm hoping that with enough treats, Joey will eventually get that way, too!
Anyway, Purina has generously offered to give away three packages of their new Waggin' Train treats to not just one, but FIVE winners! Five lucky dogs will receive one bag of each of the following treats:
"Waggin' Train Chicken Jerky Minis--Made using real white meat chicken, with just two simple ingredients and sliced into fun-sized pieces. No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives are added.
Waggin' Train Homestyle Chicken Jerky Tenders--Made with real chicken that is slow cooked and then covered in little jerky bits of chicken to make it both crunchy and chewy. Made with just two simple ingredients, this product has no artificial colors, flavors, or ingredients.
Waggin' Train Chicken Jerky Curls--These 100% real treats are made with just two simple ingredients and are twisted into fun shapes that you can toss and flip 'til your dog's heart is content. The product has no artificial flavors or preservatives."I wish I could tell you which was Joey's favorite, but he likes all treats equally--A LOT.
To enter the giveaway, please fill out the form below. One entry per person. Sorry, guys, but this is open to U.S. entrants only. Five winners will be randomly selected on Saturday, October 3rd at 10:00 AM ET. I will notify winners by email. Good luck!
No comments:
Post a Comment