Dogs Make Us Smile, Care for Theirs with Milk-Bone® Brushing ChewsTM

The Milk-Bone® dog products, information and VISA gift cards have been provided by the Milk-Bone® brand. All opinions and experiences are my own.

I couldn't imagine our home without our family dog, Cooper. He is the perfect blend of high energy, gentle manners and outdoors man that fits in perfectly here. He is family.

That being said, I am not a fan of "dog breath". I try to feed Cooper well, care for him, etc. but the breath can be the difference between a welcomed dog hug and a "down boy". Here on the farm he gets into all sorts of things. Most of which I probably don't want the details on. Since we got Cooper from the shelter I wasn't able to condition him from a puppy for activities like tooth brushing.

Back as a 6th grader in Dog 4-H I remember learning about the importance of a dog's dental health. Some of my friends had AKC registered show dogs and would rub their teeth and gums to keep them clean and healthy. I, on the other hand, had a mutt... a gentle giant of a dog whose mouth I avoided. Instead we gave him treats that helped with his breath, but did nothing for his teeth.

So I was very intrigued when I heard that Milk-Bone® had a new product, Brushing ChewsTM. These are a clever and useful treat/ tool all-in-one.

The Milk-Bone® Brushing ChewsTM come in two sizes, mini or small/medium. Yes, they taste like a chicken-flavored treat, but act like a toothbrush... for your dog! Using daily, they are  are clinically proven to be as effective as brushing your dog’s teeth twice per week for reduction of tartar build-up and bad breath. Also,

• Milk-Bone® Brushing Chews^TM were developed to transform at-home dental care for dogs, so that now your dog to brush his own teeth every day – just like you!
• *When fed daily, Milk-Bone® Brushing Chews^TM are clinically proven to be as effective as brushing your dog’s teeth twice per week based on the reduction of tartar build-up and bad breath
• Milk-Bone® Brushing Chews^TM feature a specially designed 75 degree twist that helps the brushing nubs reach down to the gum line, even cleaning hard-to-reach back teeth
• Milk-Bone® Brushing Chews^TM are so effective that they have earned the trusted Veterinary Oral Health Council’s (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance, similar to the American Dental Association (ADA) seal seen on human dental products

And what does Cooper think? Well, he loves them. He is pretty shy with treats, so I didn't want to interrupt his little toothbrushing moment for a close-up. Let's just say I haven't had to shy away from stinky dog breath recently.

I imagined he would just wolf it down in two bites and that would be it. Instead he sat down in the grass and proceeded to chew on the bone. This is a dog that will chew through just about anything in no time at all. He actually took his time to work on it.

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Could a dog in your life use Milk-Bone® Brushing ChewsTM?

Would you like to win your own Milk-Bone® Brushing Chews^TM product and a gift card, just like I received? Well, one lucky reader here will.  Enter on the giveaway widget below:

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Feeding My Zoo with Del Monte and the Movie 'We Bought A Zoo' #CBias

Growing up I had so many pets, we jokingly called it my personal zoo. Now I manage a smaller crew at home, but it can still get a little crazy making me feel like it is a zoo.

Have you seen the movie, We Bought A Zoo?

Recently widowed Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) moves his family in an effort to heal and bring them closer together. His new home just happens to come with a zoo! The zoo needs work, but so does the Mee Family.

 I am excited to be a blogger in the #iLovemyK9 shoppertunity with #CBias. It gave me the opportunity to share this movie with my family and come up with a few new snack ideas. Of course I knew my children would be excited about the zoo story line n the movie. What child wouldn't want to have their own zoo?

This blogging project was about Feeding My Zoo. As a Mom, I do a lot of feeding around here. So this sounded perfect. We purchased the movie (released on DVD 4/3), along with some Del Monte pet products to treat our animal friends, and Del Monte fruit cups for the rest of us.

I love the selection of fruit cups at our local Walmart. We picked up packs of pears, peaches and mixed fruit. There are many options to choose from like Sugar Free or Light Syrup. Currently you can find a $0.50-off coupon in First for Women magazine for Del Monte fruit cups.

We picked up a box of Milk-Bone dog biscuits and Milo's Kitchen Chicken Tenders for our dog Cooper. Both of these products are part of an in-store Walmart promotion right now. Check the large bags marked with a $4 on-package coupon for the movie We Bought A Zoo when you also buy 2 participating Del Monte pet products. You can see more of our shopping trip in my Google+ Album.


Also, Del Monte pet products are currently featured in Women's World and Parade magazines.

The movie was a big hit! I watched the whole movie the night before showing it to my kids. It is an uplifting, sad and beautiful movie. I do suggest a box of tissues as I cried, laughed and smiled a lot. As a family we watched it decked out in wolf ears and with our stuffed animal menagerie. Due to their ages I forwarded through some of the more serious themes presented in the movie. I will be recommending this one to friends. I hope in a few years the kids will watch the entire thing with me. 

After the movie we decided to treat our dog Cooper. 

I was very impressed with the Milo's Kitchen Chicken Tenders. They really look like pieces of chicken, grill marks and all. We hadn't tried these before but Cooper loved them.

Then it was time to feed the rest of our zoo! What is a movie night without some fun snacks? We decided on 2 different snacks to make from our Del Monte fruit cups. First I made Bagel Fruit Pizzas.

Bagel Fruit Pizza

You Will Need:

Whole Wheat Bagel

Plain Greek Yogurt

Del Monte Mixed Fruit Cup

Cinnamon


Spread a little thick Greek yogurt on a split bagel, then top with fruit pieces and dust with a little cinnamon.

These were simple, healthy and delicious. Yum! Make them and serve immediately since the Greek yogurt has more moisture than cream cheese. We enjoyed every bite.

Next I made a sweet and cold treat for the kids with our Zoku Popsicle Maker. 

The popsicles were ready to eat in under 10 minutes. Just drop the sliced fruit into the maker and fill with juice. So easy!

This was a great way to spend time as a family! We enjoyed a great movie, healthy snacks and time loving on our dog. 

Have you seen this movie yet? Let me know what you think. I would also love to hear what Del Monte products you enjoy with your family?

Connect with Del Monte on twitter - @DelMonteFoods

or Milk-Bone on twitter - @MilkBone

*Disclaimer - I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions and experiences are my own.