Friday, June 29, 2012

Bistro Bites Are Truly the Perfect Treat!

Although of course i enjoy getting sample products, I am so picky that few of them actually are written about on my blogs. For example, some nice folks sent samples of "Poodle shampoo" recently. But since it did not lather well and did not make the dogs' coats shine, you won't be reading about it here!

But...this week the peanut butter/applesauce variety of the all-natural, healthy Bistro Bites treats arrived and I am thrilled to tell you all about them!

Your Poodle will LOVE these treats, and you will love the company which makes them in such a healthy fashion that they are perfect for small dogs, or larger dogs which need tiny treats to keep their weight down. "So many dogs are suffering from severe obesity because the treats they're eating are simply too big" said Valerie Perlowitz, CEO and founder of Bistro Bites. "I wanted a product that was designed to meet the nutritional needs of small dogs, not just a broken up treat created for a larger dog. By making sure the treats are all-natural and made from wholessome ingredients, we've created right sized treats owners can give their dogs without feeling guilty."

Bistro Bites are gluten-free and do not have any added sugars or salt, reducing the number of potential allergens (which is great news for Poodles!) Free of preservatives and fillers, each treat is high in both protein and fiber in order to create a healthy indulgence for dogs.

As a dog trainer, I am constantly searching for very small treats to use for training. These treats are specifically designed to be perfect for training because in addition to being very small, they are also not crumbly, perfect for your pocket.

Bistro Bites come in two sizes: small, for dogs less than ten pounds, and medium, for dogs between 11 and 20 pounds. However, the medium size is a perfect "tiny bite" training treat for my Standard Poodle and even my sister's Lab that is currently visiting with us. Our elderly Dachie is thrilled that she can have several of the small size treats at a time, instead of just half a cookie like she usually gets (since due to her age and breed, we have to watch her weight closely).

Bistro Bites are currently available for purchase online at www.bistro-bites.com
and at Uptown Pet Bistro and Boutique in Fairfax, Virginia. They are made in the United States and crafted on a made-to-order basis with ingredients sourced from local farms whenever possible. What more could you ask for in a healthy small dog treat?

Bistro Bites come in 5 flavors chicken livers, berries & almonds, peanut butter & carob and sweet potato and vegetable. My vegetarian friends will love knowing that some of the varieties are meat-free--for example, the Bistro Bites samples my dogs are enjoying are the Peanut Butter & Applesauce variety. The ingredients listed are simply applesauce, peanut butter and buckwheat flour. All varieties are grain, oil and gluten-free! They also offer several seasonal flavors, including pumpkin treats in the fall.

If you give them a try, leave a comment or send us a photo of your dog and let us know what they think about Bisto Bites. They smell so good, I am tempted to try them myself!

by guest blogger Melanie Schlaginhaufen, photo of Melanie's miniature Poodle "Nini" is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission.


Saturday, June 2, 2012

Zoey the Fun Loving Multi-Purpose Poodle

When photographer Rick Miles sent me the above oh-so-appealing photo of "Zoey", taken recently at a New Hampshire Poodle Party, I asked him if I could write to her owners to find out more about Zoey. Not only were Conde & Geoff kind enough to tell me a little about Zoey but also they sent a few more pictures, so Poodle Blog readers could catch a glimpse of Zoey in action!

Conde writes:

Miss Zoey is our first poodle.

If I could sum her up it is that she loves life, loves people and loves food although not necessarily in that order.
I think part of the reason she loves life is that she thinks everyone was placed on the planet to take care of her needs!
She almost always has a smile, an effervescent, irrepressible personality.
Zoey loves kids, loves to retrieve and play frisbee. She has competed in Dock Dogs, competes as part of my skijor team, and has modeled regularly for Fetchdog, including being the cover girl August 2009.

Thank you Conde, for sending photos that help us understand Zoey's amazing zest for life. You are very fortunate to have such a special Poodle, and Zoey is very fortunate to have owners who allow her to participate in so many fun activites! Since I own both Siberians and Poodles, I especially loved the skijor team photo. In Siberians, we call dogs who are able to participate in various dog sports, "multi-purpose" and they are greatly admired.

It is certainly easy to see how Zoey became a "cover girl", as these photos of her are incredibly entertaining! What an athletic, amazing Standard Poodle, you must be very proud.

Thanks Rick, Conde and Geoff, for sharing Zoey with my readers!