D.I.Y Slow Feeder Pet Bowl + Raw Boost Mixers

This post is sponsored by Instinct® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Instinct® Raw Boost® Mixers but our Blog only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Instinct is not responsible for the content of this article.

Momma Told Me: Chew your food, please!

Nora turns 4 in just a few months (where does the time go?) and she still has as much enthusiasm and energy as she did when she was a puppy. Some might think I'm exaggerating, but she truly has more energy than any dog I've ever met, and shows no signs of slowing down. While we joke she's our little rocket dog, it seems everything she does has to be done at full speed- this includes eating. Most of my childhood dogs would remove their kibble piece by piece and eat it outside their bowl. I always considered this odd, then I met Nora- who inhales her food with such tenacity she sounds like a hog at feeding time stuffing her mouth with 4 or 5 pieces at once. If a piece happens to 'land' on the floor because her mouth is too small (heaven forbid) it is sucked up without a single chew and swallowed.

We've tried a lot of techniques to slow her eating down- Other than it being quite embarrassing having your child eat like a caveman in front of company, we're most concerned about the hazard of choking and the discomfort of improper digestion. Much like humans animals that speed eat often take in a lot more air when they eat which can lead to great tummy troubles. So, on a recent trip to PetSmart we went on a mission to help discourage these habits. As part of the continuing effort to improve her diet, in line with an ancestral inspired one, we picked up Nature's Variety® Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers. Raw Boost Mixers are raw protein based bites made from premium meats, added to your dog's everyday meal.

Nature's Variety® Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers come in tempting varieties such as beef, chicken, turkey and lamb, with a special cat range featuring rabbit. You can pick up a trial size bag for just $1.99 at your local PetSmart- which so happened to be several servings for a small dog such as Nora. In addition to encouraging natural energy and health through raw protein packed natural ingredients, Nature's Variety® Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers also act as a special treat to dress up your pet's everyday meal.

These freeze dried bits of real protein not only offer a different texture among traditional kibble, but stand out as an elevated flavor. For us, this means Nora actually is spending more time eating her food- Sure, sometimes she's hunting for her Nature's Variety® Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers first, before finishing her meal- but it is actually slowing feeding time down. Any bit helps! She actually knows the sound of her Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers bag, and does a little spin in anticipation at meal time now!

While we were at PetSmart we also invested in a little DIY slow feeding hack. First we invested in a brand new bowl almost 5 times the size of her traditional food bowl. We wanted something wide enough for her to fit her head in, and deep enough for 'kick up' in the feeding process. I also HAD to have this hot pink bow because, Pink. Next we stopped by the toy aisle, which is everyone's favorite. We got a little distracted by the Toys R' Us pet toy collection at PetSmart, but soon regrouped and found a few nubbed chew balls and a bone that would work perfectly for our feeding 'puzzle.'

The main idea is to give your dog as many obstacles to their food as possible to not only engage their mind and hunting instinct, but to slow down the 'inhaling' tendencies and prolong feeding time. There are several 'slow feeder' bowls on the market that are quite pricey, and not too cute. We've tried them and all of the small feeders don't work, while the larger ones are much too big. By using a deep, oversized, feeding bowl for Nora I could control the height and shapes of the feeding 'puzzle.' The chew toys are also easy to clean- they can be soaked in warm water with a little vinegar, or even tossed in the dishwasher with no soap.

I have to say Nora is still quite the rocket dog wherever she goes- she zips up our stairs faster and faster everyday- I think it's a game. Wearing this dog out takes multiple other dogs or several humans. This is one thing I hope to see for man many more years to come- which is why we feed an ancestral based diet to fuel her adventures and help support an active lifestyle. I do have one warning though, once you try Nature's Variety® Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers your pup will never let you go back! Do you have a pet or child who tends to eat too fast? How do you help encourage healthy digestion through slower eating?

What Daughter Says: Sometimes life is too delicious to remember to chew.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Nature's Variety. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

The Most Natural Thing About Our Dog Is Her Diet #MixItUp

This post is sponsored by Instinct® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Instinct® Raw Boost® Mixers but our Blog only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Instinct is not responsible for the content of this article.

Momma Told Me: Normal is a setting on the dryer.


Every mother likes to think her child is one-of-a-kind, unique, and very special. So it will come as no surprise when I remind you, once again, of how unique Nora is. I knew, from the very minute we saw her, immediately that she was not your everyday run of the mill house dog. We drove 8 hours up the coast and 8 hours back to bring home that tiny 2 pound ball of fluff and she immediately began developing a personality all of her own. At 4.5lbs soaking wet, and 3 years old, she is the strangest, most lovable, dog I've ever known. From her obsession with water to her never-ending energy and the way in which she greets every human as though they are the most exciting part of her day, to the full spins and flips she does when it's time to 'get dressed.'

Yes, there is nothing ordinary about my fur child. Some would even say there is little natural about her. She was bred from a 2.5lb Maltese male and a 5lb Yorkie female; quite the strange pairing, no? She weighs next to nothing but spans over a foot from snout to tail and exerts enough energy and enthusiasm to make 100lb dogs hide behind their owners. I guess you could say she's the crazy eyed, wild haired child with two different colored socks in the checkout line at the department store singing rock music at the top of her lungs.

And Nora LOVES her onesies. Yes, my dogher has a problem. She quite literally pouts and refuses to play or eat when she is left 'naked' this time of the year. One could say she feels 'ashamed' and 'naked' without them. I used to be one of those 'judging' mothers when I saw a dog walk by in clothing, but here we are one of 'those' pet parents. It started out of practicality, really. A small skinny dog in need of some extra warmth in the Winter. Now we actually ask her what she prefers to wear, and she spins in circles until we put it on. Thankfully I can pass a decent harness off as 'clothes' in public most of the time-.

So, as you can imagine, when we go out in public with a small fluffy dog wearing a cutesy onesie we turn a lot of heads. A trip to our local PetSmart is No exception. Nora's not the only one so excited she quite literally vibrates with anticipation- the staff flock to us like she's a movie star. Jay says they do that with all the dogs who pass through, but I'm a bit prejudice. Just look at that face, no?

As extraordinary as Nora, and her lifestyle, is we like to keep one thing quite natural. Her diet. You may recall, over the past few months, we've been moving her towards a more protein rich ancestral inspired diet. Her veterinarian suggested we increase Nora's protein intake as part of a solution for her tendency to over hydrate herself. So, when we came across Nature's Variety® Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a raw protein based food we could add to her everyday dry food servings.

I'll be honest, I had no idea what to expect from Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers, but the concept of introducing raw food into Nora's diet was intriguing, so I decided to pick up a few sample sized packs. There are 4 Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers flavors for dogs; chicken, beef, turkey and lamb, and 2 varieties for cats (chicken and rabbit.) Since I wasn't quite sure which flavor would suit Nora best, and what to expect, I picked up a few of the sample pouches for just $1.99 each. PetSmart even had a coupon available to try a larger bag!

While we were there we shopped for a few gifts for her sister, Truffles the Cat, and picked out a brand new food bowl. Hot Pink is SO Nora's color- and we were in need of a new dish for a little 'fast eating' solution I've been planning. Nora is notorious for inhaling her food so I planned to introduce a new bowl and feeding system with the delicious new Instinct® Raw Boost Mixers additions. She was so excited by the whole event she could hardly wait to check out and get home. Of course we didn't escape without the cashier insisting she hold Nora as she rung up our goods- like I said, she's a rock star there. Sometimes I worry it will so to her head!

The trip home was considerably less eventful. Nora did ask if she could open her new toys, or have a snack, several times. I had to use 'Mom' voice a few times, but she soon settled in with only a few pouting glances from her father's lap. I know you're just as curious as I am about this new 'raw' mixer for pet food, so I promise to share all of the details and what I learn very soon. I gate to say it though, but it seems the dog might be eating better than the humans these days! Have you ever heard about raw foods formulated for pets? Would you consider serving them?


What Daughter Says: So my Dogher isn't the most natural canine- inside her ancestral diet craves a protein rich diet with raw ingredients. We want her to still be springing around in those onesies 10 years from now, after all!

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Nature's Variety. The opinions and text are all mine.

In Pursuit Of- A Wild Day Out With Nora The Morkie #NaturalBalance

This post is sponsored by #NaturalBalance, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Natural Balance® Wild Pursuit™, but Momma Told Me only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Natural Balance® is not responsible for the content of this article.

Momma Told Me: It's in their blood.

As far as dog parents go, you know Jay and I are pretty relaxed-

We're 'that' family, with the toddler running around in just a diaper, with marker on their face because 'Hey, kids will be kids.' And Nora, well, she's one big small active kid. We simply cannot take her out in public around humans without people telling us how cute our 'puppy' (she's 3 1/2) is, and that the 'hyper phase' will grow out of her as she 'matures.' Yea, that remains to be seen. And on the topic of obedience training- that's a forbidden phrase in our home.

Whenever we visit 'grandpa's' house I always hear about how Nora is too hyper and how we should 'train her' to be calm around humans. Like any proper parent I defend my child's actions; kisses and backflips are completely normal for 'my child' and if she wants to show enthusiasm for every single person she meets, even 5 minutes after she just met them, I am all for it. It's that kind of spunk that makes our little rocket dog who she is.

Living in Southern California we've shared the nearby local beach as one of our 'local haunts'- Nora simply loves to people watch on the pier. After all, it takes a special kind of resistance to walk by that face! But it's not just the beach that excites her- She knows, from the second her harness is put on that she's in for a wild ride. Oh yes- and then there's the 'riding' part, who doesn't love to stick their head out the window at 60MPH?

As magical as the beach is, sometimes Mom and Dad don't want to deal with the fuss of people, so Nora gets to visit an equally magical place- the local park and creek. It is full of ducks (and a few seagulls too!) At first Nora was terrified of the birds, that were almost the size of her, but she's really warmed up over the years and now considers them part of the scenery. Of course every now and then they come a little too far off the shore and it's time for a dog to put those pesky birds back in their place!

Mostly Nora just likes being Nora, though, and runs back and forth 'arffing' like a maniac to anyone who will listen. I think these birds have seen more than a dog or two, judging by how calm they are at this display. None-the-less, I'm sure they're thankful when I take out the old squeaky tennis ball and toss it back and forth as a distraction for the ravenous playful dog invading their territory. Personally, I'm just thankful Nora doesn't try to go for a swim!

Don't think just because we let our child run around naked in desperate need of a hair cut, licking strangers that we don't have strict rules for topics that matter; such as safety and nutrition. Admittedly I sometimes pay more attention to what we feed out pets, then what I eat myself. Nora has a known 'issue' with over-hydration the vet has deemed 'in her head' so our manic little dog needs to have her food and water highly regulated. If given the chance she'll drink until she's sick! When our vet suggested a high protein, grain free, diet for Nora, I was surprised to learn that such a change could help her maintain energy while actually eating less- therefor, cutting down on her body's natural water consumption.

We've been feeding the cat and dog Natural Balance® treats for several years now for their range of health supportive treats in a variety of game inspired selections. Making the switch to Natural Balance® Wild Pursuit™ Lamb, Chicken Meal, and Guinea Fowl formula dry food was a logical next step in our high protein diet program. Wild Pursuit™ is a brand new Natural Balance® range of grain free, high protein foods and treats specifically designed to engage your cat or dog's ancestral cravings. Nora has been eating a high protein diet for over a year now and the impact has been measurable- but I am especially excited to be upgrading her food with this new Wild Pursuit™ line. Learn more about where to find this range of quality pet food near you!

Each of the Wild Pursuit™ by Natural Balance® cat and dog food ranges contain a balance of 3 protein sources, from tuna and lamb to guinea fowl, and satisfies Nora's natural ancestral diet. It makes perfect sense, since she is such a 'wildling' herself! How do we know that Wild Pursuit™ satisfies so much, while helping to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle? Just look at those kisses Nora slaps on her dad after a wild day out! Silly dog, it's your mother that buys and pours the food! Do you think your cat or dog has major spunk and personality like Nora? Check out the Natural Balance® Natural Characters hub to share you pet, and their super star status, with the rest of the world!  Do you currently feed your dog a high protein, grain free, diet?

What Daughter Says: While every dog is entirely unique in personality and character, canine ancestors naturally enjoyed an ancestral diet high in protein and free of grains.