Flushable Dog Waste Bags by PetHabitats

It's a topic no one really wants to discuss, but every dog owner must deal with daily- pooh. I don't mean the cute bear named Winnie either. Whether you are a city dweller who takes Fido for multiple walks a day or a suburbanite with a spacious back yard you know that eventually, all things (even socks, tennis ball pieces and earplugs) come to pass. And if it passes through your dog chances are you will be the one scooping up, picking up, stepping in it- or facing your neighbor's wrath.

I know many take the economically approach to dog waste and use plastic bags from the grocery store. This is, however, the least environmentally friendly option we have. Here are some statistics from Reusablebags.com and pethabitats.com about dog waste and the standard plastic bags we use:

• 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year.
  


• Plastic bags, made from non-renewable petroleum based chemicals, do not biodegrade but rather break down into small pieces that can contaminate soil and water.
  


• A plastic bag filled with dog waste and tossed into the trash will eventually end up in a landfill, where the waste can also contaminate soil and water. In fact, pet waste is THE major source of bacterial watershed pollution in U.S. cities.
  


• Flushing dog waste is the most environmentally sound way to handle waste, as it allows for the waste to be treated in the same way human waste is handled.
  

When I first learned about flushable dog waste bags I was a little skeptical. I worried they would melt in my hand, or clog my pipes. I figured it was better to toss waste in the trash. I thought my biodegradable dog waste bags were earth-friendly enough. After using flushable bags and doing a bit of reading I have completely changed my opinion.

Meet Flusheze

Although biodegradable dog bags are a better option than standard bags, the waste still goes in the trash, and ultimately our soil and water. After learning all of this I pleased to find and try Flusheze bags from PetHabitats. These bags didn't leak, they are sturdy and didn't tear like many of the biodegradable bags and I had no issues with my pipes. I do recommend you follow instructions and be sure to roll as much air out of the bag as possible, since air floats and makes for one buoyant little poop bag!

A 60 count supply of bags runs $12.95, which is for most dog owners a month or two supply. For me the cost is well worth the convenience of being able to flush the waste and the assurance of being just that much greener with something I use every day.

You can try the bags out before you buy. Just send a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to: A to Pethabitats Inc. - 565 Striped Moss St. - Roseville, CA 95678. They also have a free shipping special located on their website at http://www.pethabitats.com/specials/

Have a great eco-friendly option you use for pet waste? I would love to hear about it…

Yo-plait Winners!

Thanks everyone for entering this giveaway! The winers of the yo-plait pack are:

Valerie2350
Rebecca from Copper Brick Road
Bettycd

It was great to hear how many of you use probiotics in your lives.
I will be contacting the winners shortly! Congratulations everyone.

A Quick Note About Reviews

I never take payment for reviews. Products? Heck yeah I'll take stuff, but not payment.

That isn't to say I can't be bought...just that I haven't yet.

Winner Alert!

The randomizer has spoken and the winners of the Flip Notes are…..

 

Rebekah S and Liza767

 

Congrats!! And thanks everyone for entering.

I have sent you both an e-mail to get your info. If you haven't received it please let me know.

 

Yummy Yo-Plus Giveaway

There is something people who know me in the real world are aware of, I am a bit eccentric. I don't eat paste for fun or have a stuffed squirrel collection or anything. I'm only a tad on the quirky side.

I blame my mother for much of this quirkiness. You see, my mom is unconventional. It took me till adulthood to realize that not every kid grew up sprinkling wheat germ on their oatmeal, rubbing vitamin E on their scraped knees and growing alfalfa sprouts in their kitchen sink. It was normal for me to eat yogurt anytime I took antibiotics or had a touch of tummy trouble. I thought everyone did this.

What my mom and other's interested in natural health knew was that yogurt contains 'good' bacteria that helps the digestive tract function properly. It is only now that the mainstream healthcare field is catching up and utilizing this important knowledge. Probiotic treatment, the consumption of certain bacteria to improve health, can help a host of digestive troubles or just assist in maintaining regularity. I personally up my yogurt intake anytime I take a course of antibiotics, to replace all the good bacteria antibiotics may have destroyed.


Now let me say this- I don't really like yogurt. I always ate it because I 'had to'. So I am constantly on the lookout for yogurt I might enjoy. Enter Yo-Plus.

I LOVED Yo-Plus, seriously loved it. The texture is fantastic, the serving size just right and the flavors are delish. I have had both the blueberry-acaci and the blackberry pomegranate and can gladly say I looked forward to eating the next container, a rarity for me.

At 110 calories per serving, more fiber than regular yogurt, 3 different types of bacteria, billions of live cultures Yo-Plus is an incredible tool to have in your health arsenal. Not only does Yo-Plus taste amazing, unlike many medications/supplements, it can be used by nearly everyone to improve digestive health.


Yoplait and My Blog Spark would like to give you the chance to try Yo-Plus and win some great goodies as well. They are giving away 3 of these great gift bags to my readers:

Each prize pack includes a coupon for a free pack of Yo-Plus, a fantastic tote, a BPA-free water bottle and a handy little notebook. Additionally you can get a coupon for $1.50 off a 4-pack of yo-plus here: Click for coupon and if you don't love it, its free.

How to Win:
Tell me if you have ever used yogurt for the pro-biotic benefits, and if it helped (one entry, must be done before doing any extra entries).
U.S. readers only please. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM CST, Monday, March 30^th.

NEW- If you do not wish to enter by posting, you may e-mail your answer directly to me at pestkaj(at)yahoo(dot)com and I will toss your entry into the mix.

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

• Subscribe to this blog via an RSS reader- 1 entry
• Favorite this blog on Technorati, leave your user ID- 1 entry
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet, leave a link to your tweet please- 1 entry per day for a tweet
• Mention this giveaway on Facebook, tell me you did so- 1 entry
• Follow the blog- 1 entry
  
  Good luck everyone! Look for a great prize pack for the doggies at the end of this week!!
  

Ultimate Blog Party

This evening I will be sneaking a little time out for myself to attend the 5 Minutes for Mom Ultimate Blog Party. Head to the 5 Minutes for Mom site, check out the details and be sure to join me there to win some great prizes!



What prizes? Go to the site and pick out what you want, there are over 200 hundred to choose from. Good luck choosing less than a dozen, I couldn't!



Here are my top choices-

• Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer from Moms Who Think
• A Gift Certificate the Homegoods from HG Open House
• Gift Certificate to Paperlicious from Paperlicious

I would also love to win any of the following (the first nine are in order, the rest have no order):

#19, 21, 22 $50 Gift Certificate to Target, #60 Pepsi goody tote, #15 Chic Bud Earphones, Int #23 Blog makeover, #2 Bracelet by Sydney Andrews, # 26 $30 Gift Certificate to Target, #43 Gift cert to eco Store

12, 13, 20, 30, 38, 41,42, 43, 65, 69, 72, 75, 77, 81, 82, 83, 91, 92, 97, 99, 103, 105, 109, 113, 114, 118, 120, 121, 123, INTL 33, INTL 35, INTL 36, INTL 56, INTL 57, INTL 61, INTL 65, USC 2, USC 3, USC 9, USC 11, USC 16, USC 17, USC 18, USC 26, USC 45, USC 47, USC 56, USC 57

Now hopefully in tht list I can snag at least one prize. I would be thrilled with ANY of these! Thank you to all the great sponsors.

And I also wouldn't mind snagging any of the following-

Dave Dislikes

Davey is a pretty happy guy, most of the time. There are a few things that he absolutely hates. Evil, terrible things such as:

The appropriately named Dirt DEVIL vacuum cleaner

Doesn't it just ooze wickedness? You think it is just an accident that they named it after the dark lord himself? Dave thinks not. And he isn't afraid to shout it from the couch-top every single time he spots that vile machine.

The mailman

My partner says that dogs hate the mailman because their keys sound like a dog's tag. She thinks she is such a Smarty McSmarty-pants.

Dave and I know it's because they can sense the evil that is monthly bills and excessive junk mail.

Olives

One of the few foods Davey won't eat. He actually turns his head away from every form of olive. I think it is because olives are sneaky. They're a fruit but they don't taste like a fruit. That's shady.

Plus I think he distrusts the whole "olive oil is healthy" propaganda sponsored by the elite super-secret underbelly of the olive mafia. Trust me, they're out there. Dave knows.

Fight the olive mafia Dave, fight hard buddy.

Ballas Hough Band Review

If you are a fan of ABC's uber-popular show Dancing with the Stars you have most certainly heard the names Mark Ballas and Derek Hough. What you might not know is that besides being professional ballroom dancers, Ballas and Hough have been writing and playing music together for a decade. This music collaboration has resulted in a newly released CD, Ballas Hough Band.

I recently had the opportunity to listen to the Ballas Hough Band's CD in its entirety, thanks to the One2One Network.

The CD, while not exactly my usual flavor, has some appeal. Nearly every song is highly "danceable"- up-tempo with catchy beats. This is. Of course, not at all surprising coming from two of America's most famous pro dancers. Track 2, "Devastated", is especially likeable with its rich string background. The 5^th track is my favorite, a slow song titled "Longing For" because in general I like my music low in sugar and on the mellow side.

Overall Ballas Hough Band is super sugar pop candy for the brain- high in energy but without a whole lot of nutritional value. The album, like much pop music today, has its fair share of cheesy lyrics. This cheese factor reaches new heights in the song "Birthday", where the band murders grammar with cringe-worthy lines like "Wanna treat you like your birthday, and give it to you your way". While I am certainly no stickler for grammar, and all about artistic expression, I could never force myself to sing along to that particular song.

Although not my speed, this album will certainly be alluring to the pre-teen/young teen Jonas Brother's loving crowd.

Think you might be interested for you or a teen in your possession? Modern technology is so nifty, you can listen to the album before you buy at http://www.ballashough.com/amazon/.

You like? The album is available for purchase on Amazon for $7.99.

Flip Notes Giveaway

It's early in my blog life and I am sure you can already tell I am a list maker. Two of my previous posts have mentioned fancy list making devices which make me happy. So you can imagine how pleased I was when I received the lovely little lime flip notes number in the center of the picture above to try out and keep for myself!

I adore making lists. Crossing items off lists makes me giddy. Lists are like sunshine and kittens and puppy breath for me.

I have a quirk, however, an irritating quirk. I often lose my lists. So I am thrilled to have a product like flip notes.

Flip notes are the perfect hand held size for any list you might need to make on the fly. I can find them easily in my purse, they have a pen attached, the case keeps my lists from being a crumpled mess, they are super cute and best of all…I have two flip notes to give away.

The great people at flip notes by Wellspring sent me two fantastic designs to give to two lucky readers:

Wild Green

and

Argyle

At $9.99 I think these would make a great gift. If you simply can't wait to win feel free to head over to Wellspring and snag your own. And if you do win you might want to consider picking up a matching pen and flip case .

The giveaway is open to anyone in the U.S. and entries will be accepted until March 22nd, 11:59 CST. Winners will be chosen using the almighty randomizer, and notified by e-mail. Winners will have 72 hours to respond to the notification e-mail or a new winner will be selected.

How to Win:
Tell me which design you prefer if you win and if you would keep the flip notes or give them to someone (one entry, must be done before doing any extra entries).

For extra entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

Subscribe to this blog via an RSS reader- 1 entry

Favorite this blog on Technorati, leave your user ID- 1 entry

Follow me on Twitter and tweet, leave a link to your tweet please- 1 entry per day for a tweet

Mention this giveaway on Facebook, linky please- 1 entry

Follow the blog, or tell me if you already follow- 1 entry

Good luck and stay tuned for Yoplait and gift card giveaways in the upcoming week!

Separation Anxiety

I was living wild in Vegas last week, visiting my father and doing crazy things like taking him to Office Depot and setting up his printer. While I travel Dave stays at our local Camp Bow Wow for boarding.

Anyone who has met Dave in person is quickly made aware of his little "Mommy" problem. Davey has separation anxiety, bad separation anxiety. We have managed to work through these mommy problems to some extent. I can go do small errands like getting the mail or doing the laundry without a major meltdown. I can leave him in his kennel if I go out somewhere, provided the proper kong-laden encouragement, of course.

But whoa is the individual left alone with that puggle if I walk out the door willy-nilly.

Dave wails, he screams, he howls, he cries, he whimpers and he throws himself at whatever door I have walked out of. He can be pacified with cheese most times, as long as he actually hasn't seen me leave. But once the cheese stops flowing, the vigil starts. It looks something like this:

The vigil takes place on the chair nearest the front door, and often involves an item of my clothing such as that red sweatshirt he is using for a pillow in the above picture. During the vigil there is no playing, no drinking, and no going potty. There is only napping, the occasional "woof", some whining and eating if food is offered. Not even mommy trumps food. But once that food is gone- back to the vigil.

Poor crazy guy.

For long stays where I know Dave might be extra stressed I rely on a few fantastic herbal products for just a bit of help. I often send along Beefeaters Anti-Stress Rawhide Stix or Ultra Calm Biscuits, both of which I get from Doctors Foster and Smith.

I found these products when Davey injured his leg and had to be on "bed rest", like such a thing exists for a 1 year old dog. The Stress Stix are pressed rawhide chews that contain vitamins, green tea and chamomile. I We give 2 at bed time if he is really amped up or send a few for evening treats when he boards at Camp Bow Wow. A package of 50 is 3.99 from Amazon or 4.49 from Doctors Foster and Smith online.

Davey seems to prefer the taste of the Beefeaters Rawhide Stix, although we have also had some success with Ultra Calm Biscuits, made by Doctors Foster and Smith and available at their site. The Ultra Calm Biscuits seem to be a bit stronger than the Rawhide Stix. They contain inositol and valerian, known to have sedating effects, in addition to chamomile and vitamin C. Valerian has a distinct, strong smell that picky eaters might not like.

Both products are natural and, I think, a great alternative to anxiety medications. They are short acting and Davey has never had a poor reaction to them. We even use the Anti-Stress Stix when we have company since Davey, like most puggles, is super excitable around visitors.

Looking for a mellow moment without the dope? I would love to hear if these, or similar items, have worked for your little furry ball of crazy.

Smart Shopper Review

I have only 2 items on my shopping list this week.

And I owe it all to my Smart Shopper.

No, I didn't have someone I call "Smart Shopper" do my shopping for me. Although that would be fantastic. Fantasies aside, I have a Smart Shopper organizer, which I credit with helping me not forget one single thing on my grocery list this week.

I lusted after the Smart Shopper after reading about it on other blogs. Amazing as it may sound; my partner actually listened to my raving about the new tech toy and got me one for Valentine's Day. Of course the purchase just might have been motivated by my tendency to make grocery lists and then promptly lose them in the house before it was time to go to the store. Needless to say, I often forgot any number of items during my weekly grocery jaunt.

So I was ecstatic to get this little gem, whatever the motivation for purchase.

The Smart Shopper attaches magnetically to the fridge, and grocery items are added to a list by touching a button and speaking into the contraption. I have had great success with the voice recognition on the Smart Shopper, nearly every item I have commanded the Shopper to add, it has recognized. Although it responded poorly when I slipped it a hundred and commanded it to fetch my groceries for me. Moody little machine.

Do you envy my little grocery list making slave? You can get your own Smart Shopper directly from the manufacture, or from Amazon for as low as 47.91. You can also check out all the benefits of the Smart Shopper or the Smart Shopper Deluxe at the manufacture's website.