Shih Tzu Day 244: Review of Mr. Chewy — “Delivering Pet Happiness”

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Di Freeze

Mr. Chewy Review (RECENTLY UPDATED)

Some of my readers have been asking me to try my hand at reviews, since I seem to spend a lot of time buying dog food, dog treats, dog clothes, and other supplies (like training products) for my shih tzu tribe. I thought I would start with an online pet supply review, and since I like clever names, I chose Mr.Chewy.com.

I have ordered dog products before from Amazon, but I cringe when I have to pay shipping charges. I ordered several times when I had a free trial of Amazon Prime, but stopped when it expired. Yes, I am cheap, and I hate to spend extra money on shipping fees (although I have been known to drive 30 minutes for something I am looking for)! What I liked about Mr. Chewy right off was that you get free shipping on any order over $49. When you are buying products for four shih tzus, it isn’t hard at all to spend 50 bucks.

What I bought

I passed up buying regular dog food at Mr. Chewy, because I have been looking for something I buy locally called Earthborn Holistic (Great Plains Feast), and Mr. Chewy didn’t carry it. I also give them Taste of the Wild sometimes, because it’s grain free, and Mr. Chewy has that reasonably priced, but the shih tzus didn’t seem as crazy about it the last time I gave it to them. Maybe it’s just me who thinks they should eat bison! They probably want plain, old chicken.

I was a little surprised that Mr. Chewy didn’t carry any of the treats I buy most often: Milo’s Kitchen, Dentley’s, Waggin’ Train, and Canyon Creek Ranch. However, a few people recently alerted me to issues regarding some treats from China. From what I can tell, chicken jerky treats could be an issue. Sadly, Milo’s Kitchen, Waggin’ Train, and Canyon Creek Ranch are some of the brand names that the FDA has mentioned as possibly causing health problems. With that in mind, I have revised this original review to reflect that. I had been going to ask Mr. Chewy why they didn’t carry the brands I mentioned, but I won’t be buying them – with the exception at the moment of Dentley’s – until I am sure they are safe for my shih tzus.

I ended up getting four items: Canidae Snap-Bits, PureBites freeze dried cheddar cheese, Dogswell Vitality Chicken Breasts with flaxseed and vitamins (for eyes, skin, and coat), and Vitality Chicken Breasts with mint and parsley for healthy teeth and fresh breath.

I chose the chicken breasts because that is definitely one of the shih tzus’ favorite treats, and I liked that these had healthy ingredients, and fresh breath ingredients. They gobbled them down quickly. They are made in China, but since I have not seen Dogswell connected to any controversy, I won’t mark them off my list.

I chose the freeze dried cheese because cheese was the only ingredient, and I hate seeing a long list of ingredients. They were more tentative about those, but once they started chewing on the crunchy pieces, all four shih tzus liked them. And, hurray, they are made in the U.S.A.

I picked out the Snap-Bits because only Nigel and Flower are biscuit eaters, so I thought I would dry with these teeny bites, especially for rewards. All of the dogs liked them too. It’s always a relief when they all like the same things, so all of these treats passed the test. I would buy them again.

Wish list

I also would buy from Mr. Chewy again, but I have some things on my wish list for my shih tzu family. You can shop various ways: by brand, pet, food form, life stage, and speciality. I particularly liked that “grain free” was listed under speciality, because I try to feed the shih tzus grain free or at least high quality grains, at least for their regular dry dog food. One category said no potato, and I am glad to know that, but I actually like to see sweet potato in the ingredients. I guess it would be too hard to break down into “no white potato.” And once you do click into the category and choose a brand, you can easily see the ingredients.

I don’t know if other suppliers do it, but I would also like dog food and treat categories for large or small dogs. I would also like to see a “value pack” category, since I have to buy four times as many treats as the one-dog owner, and larger size is one of the first things I try to find. It’s a lot more difficult online to “see” the value packs as you can in a store. For example, I can’t buy bully sticks in quantity of one. I prefer buying treats with a quantity of at least 50.

There is also a treat specialty category, but I would love for it to be further broken down, say, listing bully stick type items, since sometimes I don’t have something specific in mind when I shop, and that would remind me. I want a lot, don’t I? You can type in “bully,” however, as a search term, and if they have it, it will come up. While I am on the Made in China subject, I sure would like to see some pet product suppliers help us easily find products Made in the U.S.A.

Mr. Chewy sends emails with product updates. For example, I just got one talking about Doggie Delicacy Antler Chews. Sounds interesting, but at $4.99 for a small chew, times four for each shih tzu, I’ll stick to the bulk steer sticks I buy occasionally at a local pet supply store.

Charity donation

Mr. Chewy also has a charity donation program. For instance, if you refer a friend, they will donate $10 to a charity partner, such as North Shore Animal League America, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, or Bideawee.

Brands

Mr. Chewy does have nearly 100 brands to choose from, so there’s a good chance that if you don’t want to leave your house this week and you’re running low on pet supplies, Mr. Chewy has a solution.

Shih Tzu Day 221: Extreme Shih Tzu

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Di Freeze

shih tzu slam dance

After I sent the female shih tzus outside this morning to eat their breakfast, I started my normal routine. First, I replace the soiled training pad with a new one, but this morning, the training pad wasn’t soiled. I didn’t see evidence that anyone had peed elsewhere. They really are all doing so much better in that area, although I expect at least one of the shih tzus to use the pad.

Next, I fill up their water bowls and if I have any extra time, I make my coffee. This morning, when I was setting down the water bowls, I heard a frantic banging on the door. I knew it was Flower. Nigel kind of claws at the door, and so does Dottie, although she usually waits for someone else to announce that they want in. Candy will sit there for hours, and then if you haven’t noticed she’s missing, bark once or twice. Flower, however, runs at the door like she’s slam dancing, and then claws on it, looking like a hamster running in a wheel.

extreme shih tzu

That made me think of how extreme Flower is. Maybe a little high strung. Flower was the one that showed fear in the most extreme way when they came, usually by her eyes being so big, and the fact that she pooped if you tried to get near her.

One of the new morning rituals is the passing out of the Dentley’s wrapped rawhide sticks, which is one of the few rawhide products they all like. Dottie trots up, takes it and walks away, usually back to Shih Tzu Central to enjoy hers. Nigel grabs his a little more quickly, and, since I corrected him several times, goes somewhere to enjoy his, instead of trying to grab everyone else’s too. Candy walks up timidly, acts like she is going to take hers, steps back in case a bully wants it, and then comes back, takes it between her teeth and backs away with it. When Extreme Flower has a lot of energy, she runs at my hand, quickly grabs the stick, and then runs off like a herd of elephants are chasing her.

Shih Tzu Day 117: Flowerlicious & The Shih Tzu Madhouse

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Di Freeze

shih tzu breath analyzer

I heard Dottie’s moan at a little after 6, but beyond that, there was very little sound until 7. Yes! I might slowly be training my furry alarm clocks to let me sleep a little later than the shih tzu sisters want me to.

Candy and Nigel stayed outside to tussle after breakfast. I am still getting used to Candy having a playmate, since she used to seem like such a loner, sitting outside on the porch or in front of the shed all alone. Maybe she didn’t really want all that alone time after all, but just wanted a little male shih tzu companionship.

I admit that my shih tzus are what people would call “beggars.” We feed them people food that we think is good for them or at least don’t think is bad for dogs. When we don’t feed them, the shih tzus sit and watch us eat. I admit that I eat in the kitchen sometimes to avoid those four sets of shih tzu eyes. Today, I had cinnamon toast in the kitchen. When I came and sat down, Dottie came very close and sniffed my breath, verifying that I was holding out on them. I made it up to the shih tzus later by giving them a small piece of bologna at lunch and giving Nigel some of my apple. I gave the shih tzu sisters one of their apple and chicken dog treats. Flower was happy with me, because she jumped up to see me afterwards.

Flowerlicious

Flower and Candy came and sat in front of my computer before John left. He decided to attempt to pet Flower and she didn’t run! Our progress is inch by inch, but it is progress.

Since Flower and John had a bonding moment, I decided to give her the remaining supermarket bone. They come five in a pack, at five dollars each, and I only ever buy one pack at a time, so there is always one bone left over. Flower was on her couch, so I smuggled it to her. I knew Nigel couldn’t get it from there, since at least so far, he can’t jump up on the couch.

I was looking at Flower on the red blanket on her couch and a new nickname came to mind: Flowerlicious. I don’t know why that popped into my mind. Maybe I read something about Fergie “Fergalicious” recently.

Flowerlicious has been a sassy shih tzu today. She gave Dottie some of her own medicine. She growled at her when she came up to the couch wanting me to help her up. Later, she sauntered over to Nigel’s bed, examined his loot and stole a retriever roll, although she had her own on her couch. Her stash on her throne prompted all the shih tzus to come see what she might be hiding.

Flower was sniffing around the dining room table this afternoon, standing up on her back legs and trying to access what was on top. I realized I had a treat bag there, so I moved it, even though I didn’t think there was a way to reach it. Actually, she could reach it, but I believe only if I left a chair out, because I’ve seen that happen when some foster doggies visited the house.

Flower took a jousting turn with Candy’s boy toy this afternoon. I looked down and saw her slide across the hardwood floor, at Nigel’s prompting. Candy wandered over to the couch while Nigel and Flower were playing, and I reached down to pet her. While I was doing that, Nigel and Flower play fought their way over to where we were. Flower left Nigel alone for a second to bite my hand, and Nigel promptly started biting Candy’s tail. Pretty soon, they were biting each other’s faces. Ouch. That always looks like it hurts. Fun at the Shih Tzu Madhouse!

We have been working on our Same Shih Tzu Different Day FLICKR photostream. Please visit us for additional Shih Tzu Romp pictures and others!

Shih Tzu Day 115: Flower Power, Play Dates & Leash Training

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Di Freeze

A blooming Flower

I get a kick out of Flower. Today, she walked up to the couch, licked my feet and then walked by. That’s the most licking I get from these shih tzus. What I do get, though, is some good entertainment. Like when Flower comes up, puts her paws up on the edge of the couch, stares into my eyes with her big eyes and then slides down. She did that routine twice today.

Later, Flower didn’t hesitate to go up to John for dog treats. John has taken the dogs out for their treats the last two evenings. They follow him quickly, which is great to see. In fact, Flower was following right at his feet like he was the Pied Piper. And Flower has been jumping up on the couch often. Beyond that, miracle of miracles, she let John pet her today.

Dottie

Even Dottie jumped off the couch and followed the Pied Piper. Then, this afternoon, we took Nigel and Dottie for a walk. Actually, I couldn’t call it leash training. John walked Nigel on the leash. I carried Dottie to the green area behind the Wal-Mart a block away, so she could “watch” John and Nigel, and hopefully get a hint that walking can be fun. However, when we were at a point where I didn’t think she would run off, I set Dottie down.

At first, she walked a few steps and then stopped. However, when we got to a place that was more like a path, she walked behind and beside me for probably a minute until she heard a voice from a nearby apartment. I let her stop a while and then picked her up again. We walked a ways and then I put her down again. She walked again until she heard another voice. That time, she started shaking. I picked her up and carried her back to the house, praised her and gave her a treat. She was so cute walking by me, but, sorry to say, I didn’t have my camera with me.

also

Nigel is a real apple lover, unlike our female shih tzus. He also loves playing with Candy outside and inside. This afternoon John was holding Nigel and I couldn’t resist putting Candy on his lap too. They were so cute sitting there. It looked like they were on a date.

We now have several couch dogs. Today, Nigel was sitting between us, Dottie was next to me and Flower next to her, and eventually, Candy moved over near her shih tzu sisters. I was very excited when we bought our couch from American Furniture Warehouse last year, but it actually is a pain in the butt. It’s a sofa sleeper, and it is not very good quality, as far as we are concerned. Because of having John and Nigel on one side and Dottie and sometimes Flower on the other, I have to sit right in the middle, half of me on one cushion and half on the other. And, the cushions sink in the middle. It is a bummer to have to think about the As Seen On TV product, Furniture Fix, when we just bought our sofa six months ago. Instead of buying that product, we put a board under the cushions. It seems to be working right now.

Shih Tzu Day 114: Favorite Dog Treats: Whole Lotta Chewin’ Going On

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Di Freeze

dog treats – yum

Today was one of those days that revolved around dog treats. In the morning, to keep the girls occupied, I gave out pig ears, one of the shih tzus’ favorite dog treats. In the early afternoon, they got a sweet potato and chicken treat and a small apple and chicken treat, other favorites. When John got home, they got a small piece of chicken jerky, probably at the top of dog treats.

Pig ears just seem to be pig ears, but I’ve experimented with different brands of sweet potato and chicken dog treats, apple and chicken treats and chicken jerky. I tried plain sweet potato treats, but they weren’t that popular. After that, I bought Canyon Creek Ranch Chicken Yam Good sweet potato treats, and the girls liked them. However, I discovered Costco carried Kingdom Pets sweet potato and chicken treats in a large value pack, so I have been buying them. I personally think Canyon Creek Ranch smells better, but the girls don’t seem to notice.

As for chicken jerky, there are a lot of brands on the market. I tend to buy Milo’s Kitchen for a few reasons. First, I guess it’s relatively new, and I find a lot of dollar and two-dollar coupons for it. I also think Milo’s Kitchen dog treats smell really good. When I can find the value pack at Wal-mart, that’s what I buy. I will buy Waggin’ Train chicken jerky though. What I won’t buy is whatever chicken jerky Costco carries, although it comes in a value pack and is cheaper. The girls didn’t like it when I first bought it, and it looks dry to me.

I buy Canyon Creek Ranch apple and chicken dog treats from PetSmart because although Wal-Mart is always cheaper on most dog treats, they don’t have a value pack. PetSmart’s value pack has been on sale for a while too. Having four dogs is like having four children: you have to find the bargains!

Same Shih Tzu, Different Day

Journal of Three Former Puppy Mill Mothers / Shih Tzu Sisters … and Nigel

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