Take Care of Your Dog's Chompers with New Dentastix Fresh from Pedigree!

Cosmo hopes more Dentastix will fall from the sky

Maintaining good oral health should be part of every doggie's routine, and Cosmo knows the importance of a nice smile and fresh breath too.

That's why he's super excited about new Dentastix Fresh Oral Care treats from Pedigree and today's giveaway -- a "Stay Clean and Fresh" gift pack! Read all the way down for how to enter. But first, some tips on good oral care from Pedigree.

Let me at 'em!

• Daily brushing is the most effective way of keeping a dog's teeth clean. Be sure to use a toothbrush that's specially designed for dogs and never use toothpaste that was developed for humans. Use only doggie toothpaste. 
• In addition to daily brushing, you can also feed your dog snacks that aid in oral care like PEDIGREE® DENTASTIX® treats for dogs. They're clinically proven to reduce tartar buildup by up to 80% when fed daily.
• Take your dog to the vet on a regular basis. This is imperative for your dog's oral health (and overall health too, I might add). Your vet will look for signs of gum disease, provide treatments, and recommend ways to help manage or prevent oral disease.

I can smell the fresh!

Now, both the original Dentastix and new Dentastix Fresh are available at grocery and mass merchandise stores nationwide. Dentastix Fresh is not only clinically proven to reduce tartar build up, just like the original DENTASTIX®, but it also helps freshen breath as DENTASTIX® Fresh Treats for Dogs contain a patented active ingredient combination.

Win a "Stay Clean and Fresh" gift pack!

One lucky To Dog With Love Reader will win a "Stay Clean and Fresh" gift pack to include:

• Dentastix  Fresh Samples
• Two (2) packs Dentastix Coupons (Dentastix or Dentastix Fresh)
• NEW “Dogs rule” Gear
• Doggie Toothbrush and Toothpaste 

Enter via our Rafflecopter giveaway below. Contest is open to U.S. residents until September 16 at 12:01 a.m.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finally! chomp, chomp, chomp...

Giveaway: Write a Post, Help a Dog, Win Some Swag! #dogsrule

As you may have already heard, for the third year we're participating in the Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog campaign. For every blog post written about the Pedigree Brand's commitment to pet adoption from now until June 30, Pedigree will donate a 17-pound bag of dog food to shelter dogs via Rescue Bank, a national pet food distribution program.

Here's how you can help and win! ... easy as 1 - 2 - 3!

1. Write a blog post mentioning Pedigree's commitment to adoption and finding loving homes for shelter pets.  You can mention anything you see in this post and get more ideas on what to write from our post announcing the Write a Post, Help a Dog campaign. You might even want to include a video like the one we included below (we love Betty White!) 
2. Next, link up your post to our blog hop. You'll find the link at the bottom of our original post or go direct to the Blog Hop linky here.
3. Enter our Rafflecopter Giveaway to help spread the word about Write a Post, Help a Dog and win a special Dogs Rule prize pack, details below! 

Thank you Betty White!

Now, back to our giveaway... Here's what you can win!

A Dogs Rule surprise prize pack complete with an athletic bag, cap, mouse pad, travel tumbler and luxurious long sleeve unisex t-shirt in size large. You'll find a few other surprise goodies for your pup in the bag too... truly a surprise, prize pack!

Enter the giveaway between now and July 1 at 12:01 a.m. ET on our Rafflecopter below. There are several ways to enter; enter one or enter them all! You don't need to have a blog to enter, but you'll get 25 extra points if you write a blog post to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Write a Post, Help a Dog 2012! Pedigree will donate a bag of food for every post written! #BlogPaws #Dogsrule

As we head to this year's BlogPaws pet blogger conference in Salt Lake City, Cosmo and I once again have the honor of participating in the Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog campaign! Now in it's third year, the program has generated 650 blog posts and 6.5 TONS of food to help feed shelter dogs! 

Here's how you can help too!

Simply write a blog post from now until midnight on Saturday, June 30 and mention Pedigree's commitment to adoption and finding shelter dogs loving homes. For each post, Pedigree will donate a 17-pound bag of Pedigree Dry Dog Food to a shelter in need. 

You can use any of the wording or images you find in this blog post. Or perhaps get some inspiration from the Pedigree Adoption website. It's up to you! Just write a post and a shelter dog wins.

Once you write your post, add it to our Blog Hop below, so we can see the collective effort for helping  feed more shelter dogs! And remember, any type of blog can post to help a shelter dog, so please spread the word! Update: Once you post, enter our Rafflecopter giveaway for some fab Dogs Rule swag! 

At BlogPaws, along with eight other Pedigree-sponsored bloggers, we'll be handing out postcards like the yellow images you see above. We hope that everyone will write a post and spread the word so we can reach our goal of 450 posts for a total donation of 7,650 pounds of food!

The sooner you post, the more people will see it! So go ahead and Write a Post and Help a Dog! You know you want to!

Cosmo wants you to write a post too! This photo was taken after he worked his paws off at BlogPaws West in Denver 2010, the first year of the Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog campaign.  Cosmo reminds you that you can use any of the info in this post, including his photo if you want to! 

And here's a badge image you can use too! Feel free to use it in your post or on your sidebar! We linked the badge on our sidebar to http://www.pedigreefoundation.org/.

And now, to officially introduce the Pedigree-sponsored bloggers!

• Paris Permenter and John Bigley from DogTipper and CatTipper
• Joan DeMartin from Bocci's Beefs
• Ashley Niels and Nikki Jeske from I Love Rescue Animals
• Debbie Jacobs from Fearfuldogs' Blog
• Missy Johnson from Dogs for the PAWS
• Laurie Eno from The Daily Corgi

Disclosure: We are sponsored by Pedigree at BlogPaws; we are not compensated any other way for our posts.

We're Going to BlogPaws! A Word From Our Sponsor! #DogsRule #BlogPaws

Next week, hundreds of pet bloggers and industry leaders will converge at the 4th BlogPaws pet blogger conference.  Cosmo and I have been lucky enough to attend every one of them. And this year, for the third time, we'll be sponsored by Pedigree.

You may remember the Write a Post, Help a Dog campaign from the last few years. With the help of bloggers everywhere, we collectively were able to raise literally TONS of food donations for shelter dogs. And this year we'll be doing it again!

Stay tuned for more details and how you can participate. And remember this is an equal opportunity campaign... ALL types of bloggers are welcome to participate. In the meantime, check out the Pedigree Adoption Drive on Facebook.  You can also learn how your non-profit animal rescue group can apply for a Pedigree Foundation Innovation Grant through June 29, 2012.

Cosmo and I will see you in Salt Lake City!

Help Pedigree Help Dogs at its "Every Dog, Dog Show" #Dogsrule

Cosmo says, Dogs Rule!

Around the time of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Pedigree has typically kicked off its annual Adoption Drive campaign. Over the years, with the help of dog lovers everywhere, Pedigree has been able to raise more than $7 million for this cause.

This year, Pedigree will be launching it in a different way. No longer the sponsor of the Westminster Dog Show (which airs Feb. 13-14 this year), Pedigree is turning to other ways to celebrate every dog, both purebred and mixed.

From now through 11 p.m. ET on Feb 14, Pedigree is holding an "Every Dog, Dog Show" in its Facebook community. For every dog lover who interacts with the Pedigree Adoption Drive Facebook page, Pedigree with donate a bowl of food... up to 500,000 bowls. Upload a photo of your four-legged friend or share your pup's story. That's all it takes, and Pedigree with feed homeless dogs in shelters and breed rescues.

For Pedigree, every dog is a champion. This video is from last year's campaign, but we think it will make you smile!

Ask Dr. Tiffany Bierer: Pet Nutrition Twitter Party this Wednesday!

Dr. Tiffany Bierer provides
nutritional expertise for all
pet food brands at Mars,
including Pedigree food for dogs

Have some questions about your pet's nutrition or do you simply want to share what you do for the love of your pet?

This Wednesday, Sept. 28, Dr. Tiffany Bierer, manager of health sciences and nutrition for Mars Petcare US, will be on hand (on Twitter!) to answer all your questions about pet nutrition.

In addition we'll have fun and games, some great giveaways AND for everyone attending, Pedigree will donate a bowl of food to a shelter dog in need.

Twitter Party Details

Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Time: 3-4 pm ET / 2-3 pm CT / 12-1 pm PT

Co-Hosts: @CosmoHavanese and @PedigreeUS

Featured Expert: Dr. Tiffany Bierer

Topic: Pet nutrition and what we do for the love of our pets!

Hashtag: #DrTiffany

• Share your own stories and get answers to your nutrition questions
• Learn what every dog deserves
• Hear about the four universal needs of dogs
• Win some great prizes!

Prize pack includes a Dogs Rule Gear sweatshirt, DRG duffle bag,
Pedigree umbrella and a Pedigree notepad!

The prize pack includes items from dogsrulegear.com, where all proceeds go directly to help shelter dogs find loving homes. SPECIAL OFFER: Through the end of September, use the code Blogpaws10 to receive 10 percent off your purchase!

Don't forget to use the hashtag #DrTiffany to join in all the fun and education on Twitter this Wednesday. And follow @CosmoHavanese, @PedigreeUS and @DrTiffanyB for information and quizzes too! 

Who says toy dogs can't be working dogs too?! Cosmo Havanese
will be your co-host and quizmaster during the nutrition
Twitter Party with Dr. Tiffany Bierer

Write a Post update: Pedigree to donate 27,000 lbs of dog food to help shelter dogs affected by Hurricane Irene

#CosmoRules

First, thanks to all our bloggie buddies for rallying to Write a Post and Help a Dog. Thanks to all of you, we collectively wrote 149 blog posts about the Pedigree Foundation which resulted in a donation of 2,980 pounds of Pedigree dog food to shelter dogs who need it most. Woo Hoo! #BloggersRule!

But that's not all! Now, Mars Petcare US is increasing the donation to 27,000 pounds of dog food (that's no typo!) to help shelter dogs in areas impacted most by Hurricane Irene. Mars Petcare will donate the food to RescueBank -- a national pet food distribution organization working to get dog food to where it's needed most in the Albany, New York area.

And, as a way to thank everyone who participated and anyone who wants to help a shelter dog, you can still purchase Dogs Rule gear at a discount at dogsrulegear.com. Just use the promo code BlogPaws10 through September 30 to get a 10 percent discount. AND, it's never too early to start buying holiday gifts, so here's a way to pick up a little something for the dog lover in your family. AND any time you purchase, a portion of proceeds go to the Pedigree Foundation to help shelter dogs who need it most. So everyone wins!

And now, we bring you this message from Betty White, who we also LOVE in Hot in Cleveland! #BettyWhiteRules #BloggersRule #DogsRule!

Pet Bloggers Hop: Back From BlogPaws!

What a great trip we had to BlogPaws! In spite of earthquakes and hurricanes, the show went on and we had a blast seeing old pals and meeting new ones. We'll post more about what we learned in upcoming weeks, including some fun new products and terrific programs to help all furpals.

And, if you missed it, here's one way all bloggers can help feed shelter dogs right now! Simply write a post, help a dog and Pedigree will donate up to 10,000 pounds of food to shelter dogs. Please consider writing a simple post to help... and you can even copy all the info you find here. It can be done in a jiffy and Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of food for each blogger's post. Just remember to post it by September 3.

We'll also post more photos later, but here are just a few to get you started...

Cosmo (left) and his pal Dexter enjoyed catching up ... I think they were discussing this year's swag.

Dexter seems a little stunned by something ... perhaps Cosmo is telling him to watch out for the pet psychic,  she might reveal his secrets!

Now, let's go to the hop!

Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog 2011 #dogsrule

Anytime we have the chance to help donate food to shelter pets who need it most, we're all for it. And once again, here's a way that all bloggers can help too.

Write a Post, Help a Dog 2011

This year, as we head to the BlogPaws pet bloggers conference, Pedigree is resurrecting is insanely successful Write a Post, Help a Dog program. In 2010, 391 bloggers wrote about the program and with each post, Pedigree donated 20 pounds of its Healthy Longevity dog food to shelter animals. In all, 7,820 pounds of food was donated to two shelters renowned for their care of senior dogs: Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco and Castaway Critters in Harrisburg, Pa.


How you can help in 2011

Simply spread the word about Write a Post, Help a Dog 2011 and once again Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of food for each blogger's post.  Here's all you need to include in your post:

• The Write a Post, Help a Dog program is aimed at raising awareness and food for the more than four million dogs that wind up in shelters and breed rescues each year.
• For each blog post mentioning the Pedigree Foundation from now until midnight ET on September 3, Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of its new dry Pedigree recipe food for dogs -- its best recipe ever -- to a shelter, because every dog deserves leading nutrition. 
• The Pedigree Foundation -- a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit organization is committed to helping dogs by providing grants to shelters and rescues and encouraging dog adoption. This year the Foundation has already raised more than $376,570 against its goal of $1.5 million to carry out its work to fund grants that not only help shelters operate, but to further shelter innovations.

The Pedigree Foundation depends on charitable contributions from individuals to carry out its mission to help dogs find loving homes. In addition to writing a blog post, here's how you can help:

• Donate online at http://pedigreefoundation.org/donate.aspx
• Apply for a shelter grant from the Pedigree Foundation by completing a form at www.pedigreefoundation.org
• Purchase Dogs Rule Gear at www.dogsrulegear.com where the proceeds go to the Pedigree Foundation to help loving dogs find a home. SPECIAL OFFER: Get 10 percent off Dogs Rule Gear by using the promo code BlogPaws10 from August 22 - September 30.

We'll make it even easier to spread the word

Feel free to copy and use anything from this post, including all images. (HINT: double click on any image to see it at full size, then save it to your computer or post).

Then, link up to our Blog Hop below, hosted by the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers to help spread the word about Write a Post, Help a Dog.

Once again, we are honored to be one of the Pedigree-sponsored bloggers at BlogPaws 2011 and we can't wait to join up with the rest of our group to help feed more shelter dogs. If you're going to BlogPaws, come over and meet us! If you won't be there, please meet the rest of the Pedigree bloggers here:

• Sharon Castellanos at Grouchy Puppy
• Ryan Rice at Houston Dog Blog
• Ashley Niels and Nikki Jeske at I Love Rescue Animals
• Felissa Elfenbein at Two Little Cavaliers
• Debbie Jacobs at Fearfuldogs' Blog
• Joan DeMartin at Bocci's Beefs
• Paris Permenter and John Bigley at DogTipper and CatTipper

Look for Cosmo at BlogPaws and I should be close by!

Pedigree $1,000 Donation Goes To Havanese Rescue Because Every Dog Deserves a Forever Home

Meet Freddy in NC, an 8-year-old, 14-
pound Havanese available for adoption

Earlier this month, we shared news of Pedigree's Every Dog Deserves campaign. The program included Pedigree's donation of 100,000 pounds of food to help shelters across the country AND the generous offer of donating $1,000 to the animal rescue group of our choice.

Today, we have the priviledge of announcing the recipient of our $1,000 donation made possible by Pedigree. Because we believe Every Dog Deserves a loving home, and because we want every Havanese  to have the chance to live the life of Cosmo, the recipient of our $1,000 donation is Havanese Rescue Inc. (HRI).

We've met so many wonderful people in the Havanese community, and we all share the opinion that our Havs are wonderful, funny and smart little companions. And while it's hard to believe that any of these delightful doggies could wind up being homeless... sometimes they are. All the volunteers at Havanese Rescue work tirelessly to make sure that homeless Havanese and Havanese mixes are provided with the attention, care and medical treatment necessary before they find their forever homes.

We had the chance to chat with HRI President Karen Grant about Havanese Rescue.

Sweet Kate was rescued from a puppy mill
and is looking for her forever home

(Karen has been a volunteer with HRI since it's inception, has fostered and transported dogs, worked on the Intake Committee, and overseen the surrender of dogs through fostering and all the way to adoption for the past four years.  Karen and her family are proudly owned by three Havanese ages 10, 9, and 4.) 

TDWL:  How and why did Havanese Rescue start?

Karen:  Havanese Rescue Inc., officially began its mission on August 1, 2004 to save, heal nurture and find loving homes for rescued Havanese.

TDWL:  How does HRI help homeless Havanese?

Karen:  HRI helps them overcome obstacles, both large and small, before they are placed in wonderful forever homes. Some only need a new home, others need surgeries or training to overcome behavioral problems or just the loving care and time to overcome internal fears.

One of the quilts that will be raffled at this year's
 National Specialty. More about the quilt project here.

TDWL:  What do folks need to know about adopting a Havanese through HRI?

Karen:   Everything pertinent to each particular dog is considered and balanced to find the perfect family for each dog. Each HRI dog has spent time living with a foster family who has taken the time to evaluate the behavior, health and needs of each dog before placement.

TDWL:  How does HRI raise funds to support Havanese Rescue and how are the funds used?  

Karen:  Funds are raised through straight donations, an online auction,  a quilt raffle, sales from the Hav2Havit store, an annual appeal, and a silent auction and drawings at the HRI Reception held during the yearly HCA National Specialty. The funds are used for medical/veterinary expenses, transport, supplies for the dogs, shelter fees, grooming, boarding and other expenses.

TDWL:  How can people donate or support Havanese Rescue?

Karen:   HRI currently welcomes your donations via PayPal, Network for Good and regular U.S. Mail. HRI is always in need of more volunteers and foster families.

Snuggly Sophia in Georgia is
looking for her forever home

TDWL: Where should people go for more info?

Karen: Our website: www.havaneserescue.com

You can also find Havanese Rescue on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you Pedigree for helping us help the Havanese who need it most!

Spread the Word, Help a Dog with Pedigree "Every Dog Deserves" Campaign

Cosmo Havanese thinks every dog deserves a food bowl
the size of this one! 

This spring, Pedigree launched a brand new dry food formula – its best recipe ever. In celebration of this, Pedigree is planning to donate more than 100,000 lbs of food to shelters across the country, because they believe “Every Dog Deserves” leading nutrition.

Chelsea Kane, of Dancing with the Stars fame, helped them kick off the “Every Dog Deserves” campaign by delivering the first 10,000 lbs food donation to the Amanda Foundation in Beverly Hills on June 1.

Throughout the month of June, here's how you can help Pedigree help dogs:

• Visit Pedigree Adoption Drive on Facebook and tell them what you think Every Dog Deserves
• Include @PedigreeUS in your posts on Twitter to help spread the word and use the #everydogdeserves hashtag. Sample post: #everydogdeserves a full tummy and tasty noms! Help @PedigreeUS help dogs! (This is what Cosmo Havanese believes!)
• For each Like, comment, @reply, re-tweet, photo, upload, etc., directed at Pedigree, they will donate one pound of food (up to 100,000 pounds total). 

Every single engagement with Pedigree on Facebook and Twitter helps feed dogs.

Pedigree is also donating $1,000 to the pet rescue organization of our choice and we couldn't be more excited! We'll announce the recipient of the donation later this month.

Now go off and spread the word and help us help dogs! 

Pedigree Canine Nutrition Summit: Behind the Scenes

I couldn't keep from smiling when entering the Mars Petcare headquarters
when I saw all the happy dogs who come to work here every day!

During a recent trip to Mars Petcare Headquarters US in Nashville, Tenn.,  for the Pedigree Canine Nutrition Summit, we had the opportunity to learn a whole lot of great things about the Pedigree brand and what it's like to work at Mars Petcare, including:

• Poop is a daily topic of conversation (more on that later)
• The science behind the newest Pedigree Dry Recipe
• Employees bring their dogs to work. Yay!
• There's an endless supply of chocolate (the next best thing to dogs)
• The new X-shaped kibble tastes a little like a Triscuit. Not too bad, I might add...

Along with 11 other bloggers, we got the chance to tour headquarters and meet with lots of knowledgable folks from Pedigree US and the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition. Here's a behind-the-scenes peak at our visit!

How can you not love coming to work everyday, when you get to bring your favorite four-legger! Everyday is bring your dog to work day at Mars Petcare HQ, and they even host pet adoption fairs on-site!  At Pedigree, they say "pets make a better world for us and we make a better world for pets." That came through loud and clear during our visit.

Pets even got to attend our sessions during the summit! During one of the sessions, Dr. Ralph Merrill, left, told us all about the 4 Universal Needs of Dogs, a breakthrough in canine nutrition developed by the Pedigree Brand team and the researchers at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in Leicestershire, England. On the right, that's Lisa Campbell, a Pedigree senior brand manager, and her pup Sweet Pea! Campbell explained how the new Pedigree dry recipes were formulated based on the 4 Universal Needs so that all dogs have access to leading nutrition.

On one of our favorite topics, Merrill explained that poop should be almost kickable. Thanks Maria Goodavage for summing up the scoop on poop on Dogster's For the Love of Dog Blog. 

We played some fun games to learn more about pet nutrition, and of course had an endless supply of Mars candies from which to choose! 

A few of my favorite things: Dogs and Candy...

Then, we got a closer look at the new Pedigree dry food formulations...

And even got to taste the new X-shaped kibble, which which helps reduce plaque and tartar build-up.  Not everyone opted for the tast test... but believe me, it's pretty darn palatable!

We met the fabulous Rosie, a rescue dog who was featured in a Pedigree Foundation poster during last year's pet adoption drive. Rosie has since been adopted by a Mars Petcare employee!

And we got to visit with some fabulous bloggie buddies and the Pedigree folks we met at BlogPaws last year.  Bloggers in this photo include, Felissa Elfenbein, Two Little Cavaliers; Paris Permenter and John Bigley, Dogtipper;  Deborah Flick, Boulder Dog; Debbie Jacobs, Fearful Dogs;  Ashley Niels, I Love Rescue Animals;  Maria Goodavage, Dogster Dog Blog; Michelle Maskaly, My Tail Hurts from Wagging So Much; Ryan Rice, Houston Dog Blog; Sharon Castellanos, Grouchy Puppy; Janet McCulley, The Daily Treat: Animal Planet, and of course me, Diane Silver. 

Can't wait to see you all again real soon. And thank you Pedigree for sponsoring this trip!

How To Transition Your Dog's Diet

Cosmo indulged during his birthday celebration
at BlogPaws last September 

Unlike humans, who typically can indulge in new foods with few consequences, changing your dogs' diet too quickly can make his tummy very unhappy. And the "backend result" can cause not only an unhappy dog, but also an unhappy owner, who may be dealing with some messy clean-up.

The experts at Pedigree say the transition period may take about a week, and offer these tips to make the process a pleasant one.*

* If your dog is on a special diet, please consult with your veterinarian before switching to a different type of dog food.

Days 1 to 2 (25% new, 50% old)
WHAT TO DO
Introduce your dog to the new food gradually. For the first two days or so, your dog's meals should be about 75% old food and 25% new food. Mix the two foods together, don't keep them separated.
FEEDING TIP
The percentages of food and the number of days suggested are a general guide for a smooth transition. Your dog's specific "transition rate" may be different if he or she has a sensitive tummy. If you notice that your dog has an upset stomach or loose stool, feed less of the new food for a day or two more, before upping the percentage of new food.

Days 3 to 4 (50% new, 50% old)
WHAT TO DO
If the first couple of days of the transition have gone smoothly, you can now mix 50% of your dog's old food with 50% of the new food.
FEEDING TIP
Always make sure you're feeding your dog the right amount for his or her size and weight. You can find this information on every bag of PEDIGREE Food for Dogs. Overfeeding is the No.1 reason dogs become overweight, so follow the guidelines and keep track of your dog's weight to make sure the right amount of calories are being fed -- and no more.

Days 5 to 6 (75% new, 25% old)
WHAT TO DO
At this stage, your dog's meals should be about 75% new food and only 25% of the old food. Always look for signs that your dog is making the transition smoothly and without any sign of an upset tummy
FEEDING TIP
If you have more than one dog in your home and are only transitioning one of them to the new food, it's best to feed the dogs in separate rooms. And, when they are finished with their individual meals, remove any uneaten food. That way you can be sure your dogs are eating the correct foods.

Day 7 and beyond (100% new)
WHAT TO DO
At this stage, your dog's meals should consist of 100% of the new food. Which means your dog's old food is officially the "old" food.

Pedigree sponsored our trip to BlogPaws last year
as well as our trip to the Canine Nutrition Summit

We recently had the opportunity to attend a Canine Nutrition Summit at Pedigree headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., where we learned about the new PEDIGREE® Dry Food recipes as well as lots of other interesting information about canine nutrition.

Thanks to Pedigree, we had a terrific time catching up with a group of our pet blogger buddies, learning a ton about Mars Petcare US -- the makers of Pedigree Food for Dogs -- and the WALTHAM® Center for Pet Nutrition.

Check back Thursday for our behind-the-scenes look at our trip to Mars Petcare US!

Help rescue animals across the U.S. with Pedigree and in Atlanta tonight with Mostly Mutts!

We love Pedigree for all they do for rescue animals and we love Betty White and adorable Yogi in this video.

Like Betty White says, you can help the animals who need it most at PedigreeFoundation.org.

And if you're in Atlanta, join us tonight at HOBNOB For the Hounds at -- where else -- HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern where we'll be helping the doggies and kitties at Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue and Adoptions.

A special not so Wordless Wednesday, Westminster style!

We had lots of fun with photos at the #WKCPawpawty!
Thanks to Rick Rockhill for providing this photo of
a nice overview of Madison Square Garden

Pet lovers across the country watched the drama and excitement of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show over the past few days. But we had the opportunity to experience it in a completely different way this year as we watched it on TV and shared the experience with thousands of our friends on Twitter.

Social media has brought the world closer together in ways we never would have dreamed about just a few years back. It's about much, much more than the "social media gurus" or the 5-second news cycle. It's about creating a community and enriching an experience no matter what  your  interests -- from dogs to diapers and about everything else you can imagine.

@PedigreeUS provided some great behind-the-scenes photos! 

Starting with the first broadcast on Monday night, plenty of folks across the country started using hashtags such as #WKC and #Westminster to hear what other were saying about the show. The USA Network hosted a feed, where we could follow all the conversations about the dog show and you can still check it out to see all the post show comments and photos.

Then last night we joined a special viewing party to help raise money for the shelter pets at Save-A-Dog in Grayslake, Ill. Sponsored by Pedigree and hosted by #Pawpawty creator Frugal Dougal, people and their pets who tweet (known as the anipals) followed the hashtag #WKCPawpawty. Pedigree donated $1 to the shelter for everyone who tweeted the special hashtag and there also were quizzes and prize giveaways to make the evening even more fun! In fact, we even had our own "Best in Show" photo competitions and you can see some of the great photo's on Frugal Dougal's blog.

Right before the Best in Show winner was announced, the folks from
@PedigreeUS snapped this shot of the winning dog,
 GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind, the Scottish Deerhound

And if that wasn't enough, the Twitter band, The Shibbering Cheetos  kicked off the party with a concert and my own Cosmo Havanese served up the color commentary and play-by-by so that our pals without cable or from different countries could also join in the excitement of our country's oldest dog show. An interesting tidbit from the Westminster Kennel Club web site states that the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, first held in 1877, is America's second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby. You can read more about the show's history here, and it sounds every bit as glamorous as it is today.

So at the 135 Annual Westminster Dog Show, social media provided us the opportunity to share the experience, photos and great behind the scenes stories with friends who were at the show in person and with pals from across the country and world. Host Frugal Dougal with his mom Lynn Haigh, experienced the show from our tweets and photos while "watching" from their computer in the U.K. (at 4 a.m.!).

While I've always wanted to attend Westminster in person -- and still intend to -- I can't think of a better way to enjoy the show than we did last night with the many great friends from around the world who share our love for dogs. It was truly a Best in Show experience!

Congratulations to this year's Best in Show, GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind!
(photo: Westminster Kennel Club)

Lots to Love on Valentine's Day!

Love is literally in the air as Cosmo Havanese jumps through hearts this Valentine's Day! And there's plenty of stuff to love today! 

• We love that this weekend's #PawPawty raised nearly $1,600 for the Animal Welfare League of Queensland, an organization that takes care of about 10,000 stray and abandoned animals each year and is helping animals currently displaced because of the flooding in Australia.
• We love that for every dollar donated to AWLQ this weekend, Pedigree matched with an equal donation to rescue organization Save-a-Pet in Grayslake, Ill.
• We love that the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show starts tonight live on USA Network from 8-9 p.m. ET and on CNBC from 9-11 p.m. ET. Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups are up tonight!
• We love we'll be watching Westminster's closing night on Tuesday with our pals on Twitter where Pedigree will donate a dollar to Save-a-Pet  for every tweet using the hashtag #WKCPawpawty. On Tuesday, catch the broadcast live on USA Network from 8-11 p.m. ET for the Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups and Best in Show. And join us on Twitter for the viewing party! (Spoiler alert: the West Coast telecast is delayed, so if you want to enjoy the drama unfold on TV, careful what you watch on Twitter!  
• We love our breed and we'll be rooting for the Havanese tonight! And since not all Havanese are as lucky -- or spoiled -- as Cosmo, check out the HavToHavIt General Store to benefit Havanese Rescue.

And finally, we love our Valentine's Day playlist. Enjoy!

Pet Blogger Hop / Love is in the Air #Pawpawty!

Hosted by @frugaldougal,  #PawPawty fun continues round the

clock, starting at 2 p.m. ET today and continuing through 2 p.m. ET

Sunday, Feb. 13. Joining a pack of anipal volunteers,

@CosmoHavanese will be your quizmaster, giving away

fabulous prizes from generous sponsors,  starting at 10 p.m.  ET

tonight!  He'll be back at it at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, spinning

some romantic tunes for the pawpawtiers! 

It's time again to #Pawpawty! Once a month the animals on Twitter -- known as the anipals -- get together for virtual fun and games and raise REAL money for an animal organization in need. This month TWO animal shelters will benefit thanks to our pals at Pedigree!


First, the anipals  will be raising money for the Animal Welfare League of Queensland. Located in Australia, AWLQ was mostly unaffected by the unprecedented flooding in Queensland and has been able to care for those animals who were caught up in the floods.


Then, Pedigree stepped up to help a SECOND shelter in the United States! Pedigree will match** every dollar donated to the Pawpawty on February 12 -13 and donate those funds to Save-A-Pet in Grayslake, Ill., an organization dedicated to finding loving, quality homes for each cat and dog in its care. The adoption center is currently responsible for 500 animals.


If you've never been to a #PawPawty on Twitter, you can learn more about it at PawPawty.com. Every month there's a different theme and this month it's "Love is in the Air," just in time for Valentine's Day! So dress up in your Valentine's day finest or just come as you are, either way we'll know your heart is in it as we help the anipals who need it most!


**Maximum matched fund donation is $2,000


Now, let's go to the hop!

Blog Hop Special Edition: Write a Post, Help a Dog! #Dogsrule

Looking for a way to help a homeless dog? If you have a blog of any kind, simply write a post to help a dog from now through September 19 and Pedigree will donate a 20-pound bag of food to an animal shelter.  


It's that simple. 


Just include the bullets listed here, and add the direct link to your blog post to our Blog Hop below so we can all see how big an impact we are making!

• Each year, more than 4 million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations. Pedigree created The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive to help shine a spotlight on the plight of these homeless dogs.

• This year the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive is raising awareness for homeless dogs by donating a bowl of food to shelter dogs for everyone who becomes a "Fan" or "Likes" the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive on Facebook. So far more than 1 million bowls have been donated.

Cosmo and I were among the 10 Pedigree
bloggers who attended BlogPaws in
Denver, CO last weekend.



• Special for BlogPaws West: For each blog that posts about the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive through September 19, PEDIGREE will donate a bag of its new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide. It's simple: Write a post, help a dog.

• Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19, the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers will host a Blog Hop to help raise awareness for the "Write a post, help a dog" effort.

Tell as many of your blogger friends as you can, so we can help even more dogs. And if you don't have a blog, please tweet about this using the hashtag #dogsrule, re-tweet this post, or share on Facebook to help spread the word even further!


Let's see how many bags we can collect!


Dogs Rule!