By Nature | Natural Adult Formula Cat Food

Cats are notoriously finicky eaters and the members of our Kitty Review Crew are no exception. We're never quite sure how they're going to react to new foods or treats, however their reaction to an unguarded bag of By Nature's Adult Dry Cat Food left on the living room floor made their opinions quite clear.

I submit the photo (right) as Exhibit A. As you can see, I found the bag of food covered in tiny tooth marks, torn open, and missing a considerable amount of its contents. 

Evidently they found the aroma drifting from the bag irresistible and became obsessed with devouring it's crunchy bounty. Breaking into the food before the review is our cat's way of saying, "WE LUV DIS FUD!"

I like the fact that By Nature's pet foods (both dry and canned), are all natural, contain real chicken, beef, and turkey with no soy, wheat, or corn. There's an interesting article on the ByNaturePetFoods.com website that explains why chicken meal is better than "non-rendered" chicken. I had no idea!

5 cat burglar paws up for By Nature Cat Food!

You can purchase By Nature Adult Cat Formula and Kitten Formula online at WagginTails.com. Prices range from $9.99 to $34.99.

By Nature | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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By Nature | Pork & Sweet Potato Natural Dry Dog Food

The Secret Shopper gang loves to review food products so finding a taste tester for By Nature's Pork & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food was not a problem. No sooner had I opened the bag then I was surrounded by three salivating hounds.

Around here, we're big on feeding our dogs food and treats that are healthy and not loaded down with chemicals. By Nature's dry dog food certainly seems to fit the bill.

The list of ingredients on the back of the bag is lengthy, but as far as I can see it's mainly vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which promote a strong immune system, just as they advertise on their website. Another good sign is the primary ingredients (first listed) are pork meal, ground barley, canola oil, and sweet potatoes.

The kibble is small and has an aroma and flavor that is obviously appealing to of our dogs. The crew gobbled the pork & sweet potato kibble without reservation and gave me that, "More, please!" look once they had finished.

I found the price of the large By Nature Dry Dog Food bag (33#) to be considerably less than at least one of the brands we are currently using (3 dogs = 3 owners & 3 different brands of dry food).

Healthy, reasonably priced, and the dogs love it. We declare By Nature Natural Dry Dog Food a Pet Secret Shopper winner!

To find a retailer in your area who carries By Nature Dry Dog Food, visit By Nature's Store Locator page. You can also purchase By Nature Dry Dog Food online at PetFoodDirect.com: Pork & Sweet Potato = $11.29/6# bag and $39.99/33# bag.

By Nature | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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Gamma2 | Airtight Vittles Vault Stackables

by Guest Blogger Lindsey Hockert

The Vittles Vault stackable pet food storage is so cool! With its spinning seal, it really is like you are opening a vault door.  My favorite features are that it provides an air tight seal and stores 40 pounds of food.  I literally have not had to go to the pet food store for over a month which is great for me because I loathe it!  Oh, not to mention that I can stack Kasha on top of the stackable vault ;)

The one thing that I was disappointed about was the plain look of the vault, but this has actually worked to my advantage because I can paint it the way that I want to, to match my decor!  I am holding off on this though because with its durability and air tight seal, I am thinking it might be perfect to keep outside at our mountain home, or maybe I just need two...

You can purchase the Gamma2 Vittles Vault Stackables for $37.12 (40+ lbs) and $42.47 (60+ lbs) at Petco.com.

Visit the Gamma² website to learn more about their unique line of storage products.

Gamma² | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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JW Pet | Hol-ee Treat Ball

by Guest Blogger Derek Bowman

Hol-ee mol-ee, what a great toy! I like to think that dogs are intelligent animals; however, watching Pippen try to figure out how the treats fall out of this thing has me reconsidering. 

The Hol-ee Treat Ball keeps him occupied in our backyard until we go out and take it from him so he can get some sleep.  I hear him rustling around at night, and I imagine that he is probably dreaming about this Hol-ee miracle toy. I would recommend this for all dogs that like treats!

You can purchase the JW Pet Hol-ee Treat Ball for $9.99 at Dog.com.

For more information on the Hol-ee Treat Ball or any of the other jw dog toys, visit the JW Pet website.  You can also find products for cats, birds, fish, and small animals.

JW Pet | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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Petprojekt | Zingfling Duo

by Guest Blogger Lindsey Hockert        

                          
                      

The Zingfling Duo is the perfect toy for Pippen!  It is an incredible toy for fetching and tugging which Pippen loves.  Just be careful, as once your dog gets started with it, he may not want to stop!

We love the durability of the Zingfling Duo.  So many toys of Pippen’s fall apart in a matter of days, but this product appears that it may even outlast his entire puppy stage - one can only hope!  No matter how much we zing or fling, it shows no signs of wear and tear.  This is an exceptional product for active dogs!

You can purchase the Zingfling Duo from the Petprojekt website. The Zingfling Duo is available in the Petprojekt's signature bright colors of orange, green, or pink and in sizes of small ($8.50) or large ($14).

Petprojekt | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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Pegetables | Nature's Dog Chew

BY GUEST BLOGGER JOCELYN

 Pegetables (vegetables with a P) are a healthy dental chew for dogs that are made with real vegetables.  Packed with antioxidants, omega fatty acid, protein, fiber and amino acids these chews are proven to reduce plaque and tartar build-up on your dogs teeth.

 

I know how important dental check-ups are to my dogs health, but I am always looking for things to keep their teeth just a little bit cleaner between visits. Pegetables provide just that plus they come in cute vegetable shapes AND my dogs love them!

Pegetables are available for around $10 for an 8 oz. bag.  Check our their store locator to find them in a store near you!

Pegetables | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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Dog Birthday Cake Mix and Treats from Ma Snax

BY GUEST BLOGER JOCELYN

    

Peanut and Double Carob-Chip Cake Mix

What do doesn't deserve a special treat on their special day?  Ma Snax makes this easy to do.  They have a variety of different holiday and birthday treats including cake and cookie mixes.  Perfect for your dog to share!

We tried out the Peanut and Double Carob-Chip Cake Mix.  You get the cake mix, but need to add water, oil and an egg (just like any store bought cake mix).  In addition, you also add honey (or maple syrup) and any other mix-in you would like, such as shredded carrot or zucchini.

If you deisre, once the cake is baked and cooled, you can frost it! Some ideas for the frosting are: peanut butter, yogurt, cream cheese or whatever you think your pups favorite might be.  I opted for cream cheese mixed with a little bit of honey, decorated using a carrot puree.

Thinking your dog might not like this extra special treat?  You might want to think again.  One of my dogs inhaled his piece of cake before I could even snap a picture of him.  My other dog, after very delicately taking a few licks, devoured her piece as well!

The delicious Peanut Double Carob-Chip cake mix by Ma Snax is available off their website for $8.95. 

Ma Snax Frosted Treats

Looking for some party favors to go along with that cake?  Or perhaps you want to give your dog something special, but aren't in the mood to bake a cake.  Ma Snax also has beautifully decorated individual treats as well.  And, according to my dogs who love home baked goodies, ther are every bit as good as their cakes.

The individual treats are available for pretty much every holiday and special occasion you can think of, and even some you can't.  Available for around $3.50-$4 per treat off the Ma Snax website.

If you think your product can pass the Secret ShopperTest, send us an email: SecretShopperBlog@gmail.com.

 

AbsolutelyNew | Squeeze Bone Treat Dispensing Dog Toy

By Guest Blogger Dustin Collins

The only thing our Lab/Collie mix, Mae, likes better than a good treat is a good treat dispenser.  At first sight, she was excited at the thrill of a new toy, but when she learned that the shiny object housed edible nibbles, she went ballistic.

AbsolutelyNew’s Squeeze Bone is perfect for our dog - it's fun, durable, and the easy screw-off ends allow us to fill it with her regular kibble or a mid-day treat.  The Squeeze Bone forces Mae to think while she expends some of her puppy energy, and the grooved chew-ends are good for her teeth and gums.

The large-size Squeeze Bone strikes a great balance between shedding enough treats to keep her interested, while still providing enough of a challenge to exercise her brain and keep her busy for a respectable amount of time. She has spent up to a half an hour pawing, clawing, dropping and shaking the Squeeze Bone.

We've noticed a couple of Mae's tooth marks in the toy's flexible plastic, so we take it from her once she's completed the puzzle by freeing the last treat. For Mae, the Squeeze Bone has become her go-to treat toy, consistently causing a frenzy of tail-wagging! 

 

We like the Squeeze Bone's quality, functionality, and the price. You can purchase a Squeeze Bone for $12.99 at AbsolutelyNew.com.

AbsolutelyNew | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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Video Review | Petprojekt Skrubal Football

by Guest Blogger Pat Knoll

Betsy may have met her match! Made from 100% natural, non-toxic rubber, the Skrubal Football is the  perfect toy for any dog that loves to chew away at their toys. The Skrubal Football is very rugged and durable.

Betsy is considered a strong to heavy chewer so, in the past, we've worried about how well a rubber toy would stand up to her strong jaws. Betsy has tested Petprojekt toys in the past and they have all successfully endured everything Betsy has thrown at them. 

Check-out Betsy with her new Skrubal Football

 

The Skrubal continues to stand up to her constant chewing and gnawing. Betsy’s favorite thing to do to new toys is to find a weak spot, and chew on it until the toy is absolutely worthless. The unique ridged construction of the Skrubal makes it nearly impossible for her to find a weak spot to exploit. And the Skrubal's fun, football-type shape makes it bounce in all sorts of crazy directions. Betsy thoroughly enjoys chasing it around the yard and playing fetch with it.

Skrubal Footballs ($14) can be found on the Petprojeckt^TM website along with TONS of other really cool dog products.

Petprojekt | 2012 Global Pet Expo Exhibitor

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Ma Snax Tummy Tamer Dog Biscuits | Lamb with Soothing Botanicals

by Guest Blogger Lindsey Hockert

Ma Snax Tummy Tamers came into Kasha's life at the perfect time. Kasha is my 4 month old puppy who, up until just recently, had never had tummy problems. I was sure it was the transition from one dry to kibble to another that had caused her temporary ailment (her only symptom being a bit of diarrhea).

I was so happy to have the Tummy Tamers to try. It's always so sad when your four legged companion gets sick and you feel helpless - these treats made me feel like a well-prepared mommy and Kasha was a receptive patient. 

I felt comfortable giving the Tummy Tamers to Kasha because of their completely organic ingredients: gently simmered lamb stock combined with soothing ginger, spearmint, oregano, fennel seed, garlic and valerian.

When I first opened the lamb flavored Tummy Tamers, I was greeted by a smell reminiscent of a pizza parlor filled with fresh produce. They smell good enough for me to eat!  Kasha loves these dog treats - whether she's sick or healthy - they're not just a novelty for pups with upset tummies.  

To purchase the Tummy Tamers ($8), purchase a gift certificate, or to browse the all of Ma Snax's Superior Dog Treats, visit MaSnax.com.

If you think your product can pass the Secret Shopper Test, send us an email: SecretShopperBlog@gmail.com.