Pawsitively Perfect Pampering for your Pooch

It was love at first sight when we met! Like some of y’all might know, my daughter and I have two rescue dogs. If y’all have a pet, y’all probably can relate with how eleven year old Tawny (a female Collie mix) and four year old Ollie (a male Newfoundland mix) won our hearts when we first laid eyes on them. Wait – you didn’t think I was talking about the other kinda lurrve did ya?!
During the summer months, my daughter and I always seem to find time to indulge our dog’s love for hiking and hanging out. But, when November comes around, I am not sure what happens. Time seems to slip away, and, I often find myself wishing that that whole cloning dealio was legal so my clone or I could at least walk the dogs around the block!

With all the baking, cooking, gift buying and wrapping, visiting and feasting with family and friends, I struggle to find time to indulge my dogs’ in their favorite pastimes. But, since the Holidays are about spending time with each of our family members, I have come up with five simple ways to pamper Tawny and Ollie and show them they are so loved amidst the Holiday hustle and bustle.

The Guide to Pawsitively Perfect Pampering for your Pooch this Holiday Season!

• I make it a point to take Tawny and Ollie with me when I run my errands as they both love car rides with the cool fall wind in their faces – especially when I blast 80’s pop music… seriously!

• In the middle of raking leaves, my daughter and I will engage in a game of fetch with our pooches. Sometimes, that game of fetch turns into a game of hide-n-seek which Ollie seems to love! Of course, sometimes the raking doesn’t resume – as evidenced by my yard currently!

• Our dogs love massages and being groomed, so I try my best to brush them every couple of days – this also happens to help with shedding – win win don’t ya think?!

• While my dogs don’t love baths, they always seem to have a pep in their step after one. While I cannot often find time (or the mullah) to get them specialty bathing products during the Holidays, I head to Kroger to pick up some dish soap, vinegar and water to make an effective bath solution. Sometimes, I add in oatmeal and baking soda to soothe their dry, itchy, cool weather skin.

• While my dogs drool at everything that seems to come out of the kitchen, I resist the urge to indulge them with a taste of our holiday eats and make sure to keep a Treat Basket on hand for them – filled with some of their favorite treats like Beggin’ Strips, Busy Dog Treats, and Purina DentaLife treats, which I pick up from Kroger when I am doing the rest of my shopping!

*Beggin’ Strips smell and taste like bacon because they’re made with real bacon!
*Busy Dog Treats help keep your dog busy and happy with long-lasting chews.
*Purina DentaLife (launched this year) features a range of oral maintenance treats for dogs and cats.

I am lucky to have a Kroger store within a 5-minute walk from my house so some days, my daughter and I walk our dogs up there and one of us stays with them while the other runs in and picks up any person or pooch necessities. Talk about easy eh?! My neighborhood Kroger store is filled with my pooches favorite Purina dog foods, treats, and toys making it easier for me to juggle the holiday hustle and bustle with pampering them a bit.

Purina has a range of products that can satisfy all of your pet’s needs with quality products!
I was thrilled to find that Beneful dry dog food is now better than ever with it’s newly reformulated Originals and IncrediBites ranges which feature meat as the #1 ingredient and no sugar added!

These new reformulated recipes are created directly from the feedback of real pet owners, and is the result of 2 years of research. New reformulated Beneful is created for pet owners who demand quality, familiar, ingredients. Whole grains and accents of vegetables are blended to perfection in a mix of tender and crunchy bites that give your adult dog 100% nutrition and a taste he’ll love. It’s also rich in antioxidants. Visit Purina for more inspiration and information.

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Spread holiday love to your furry friends with the help of Purina! Now through the end of November, take advantage of great savings on your favorite Purina pet products available at Kroger with this Coupons.com link, while supplies last.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed herein are not to be taken as professional veterinary advice. Please consult your veterinarian for recommendations and practices appropriate for your pet.

So, how do you find balance between preparing for the holidays and tending to your pet?