Monday, November 30, 2015

Dog Meets Wrapping Paper - Great Gift Wrapping Ideas for Dogs and Dog Lovers

By Bella Victoria, A Contemplative Cattle Dog Mix

I LOVE opening my own gifts. Sometimes I love opening the gifts of others. So I asked this year that all of my gifts (I am expecting many because I saw my Hu-Mom shopping during the Cyber Shopping weekend!) be wrapped with dogs on them so I can tell what is mine. I may still open yours if they are near by. I love the smell of cardboard box in my mouth in the morning.

I found some great options so you don't have to. You can send all of my gifts to Bella Victoria - The Cattle Dog Mix in Poughkeepsie.

Here's my favorites -

Eat Sleep Play Wrapping Paper

Eat Sleep Play Wrapping Paper: Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. Eat Sleep Play, a play on Eat Pray Love, is an everyday deep brown gift wrap with colorful bones and block writing. Our gift wrap is made in the USA. $8.01 | $0.48 Cashback | 0.48 IBV



I Love My Dog Wrapping Paper

Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. I Love My Dog, a play on I Love New York, is an everyday white gift wrap with red hearts and black bold writing. $8.01 |$0.48 Cashback | 0.48 IBV




 

Pet Party Printz The Red Nose Doggie Gift Wrap

Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. The Red Nosed Doggie, a play on Rudolph, is a holiday light green gift wrap with white doggies wearing antlers and red noses. We do not treat the paper with chlorine or bleach, like traditional wrapping paper. The gift wrap is made using soy-based ink, which is safer for your pet and a better choice for our environment. Our Rip-N-Stick edge eliminates the need for tape, which is a major choking hazard. Our gift wrap is made in the USA.  Sale $17.41 | $0.70 Cashback | 0.87 IBV (4 rolls)




Pet Party Printz Candy Cane Treats Gift Wrap

Eat Sleep Play Wrapping Paper: Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. Eat Sleep Play, a play on Eat Pray Love, is an everyday deep brown gift wrap with colorful bones and block writing. Our gift wrap is made in the USA. Sale $17.41 | $0.70 Cashback | 0.87 IBV (4 rolls)

 


Pet Party Printz Holiday Greetings Gift Wrap

Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. Holiday Greetings is a light blue holiday gift wrap for dogs and cats with red, white, royal blue, and green loving words that remind us of our four legged friends. From happy holidays to long walks; from kitten to meow-meow, this print shows holiday love. We do not treat the paper with chlorine or bleach, like traditional wrapping paper. The gift wrap is made using soy-based ink, which is safer for your pet and a better choice for our environment. Our Rip-N-Stick edge eliminates the need for tape, which is a major choking hazard. Our gift wrap is made in the USA. Sale $17.41 | $0.70 Cashback | 0.87 IBV (4 rolls)

 

Pet Party Printz Pattern Puppy Love Gift Wrap

Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. Puppy Love is an everyday light pink gift wrap accented with pink and brown Dachshunds and hearts. We do not treat the paper with chlorine or bleach, like traditional wrapping paper. The gift wrap is made using soy-based ink, which is safer for your pet and a better choice for our environment. Our Rip-N-Stick edge eliminates the need for tape, which is a major choking hazard. Our gift wrap is made in the USA. Sale $17.41 | $0.70 Cashback | 0.87 IBV (4 rolls)

 

Pet Party Printz Pattern Silhouettes Gift Wrap

Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. Pattern Silhouettes is an everyday checkerboard design with colorful patterns of orange, light blue and brown dog silhouettes. We do not treat the paper with chlorine or bleach, like traditional wrapping paper. The gift wrap is made using soy-based ink, which is safer for your pet and a better choice for our environment. Our Rip-N-Stick edge eliminates the need for tape, which is a major choking hazard. Our gift wrap is made in the USA. Sale $17.41 | $0.70 Cashback | 0.87 IBV (4 rolls)

 

Dogs and Cats Gift Wrap

Eat Sleep Play Wrapping Paper: Pet Party Printz is a pet-friendly gift wrap that is safe for your pet to unwrap their own presents. Eat Sleep Play, a play on Eat Pray Love, is an everyday deep brown gift wrap with colorful bones and block writing. Our gift wrap is made in the USA. $3.89-$34.00 | $0.08-$0.68 Cashback | .16-1.36 IBV(15'-100')




Does your pup open her own gifts without help?

For the full list, here's a TREND SHOP with all these styles and more.

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Friday, November 20, 2015

Great Gift Ideas for Doggie - A Cattle Dog Christmas List

By Bella Victoria
 
OMG - 1 more Friday till BLACK FRIDAY! I don't know what that is but everyone is talking about it. I hope it is something that involves treats or bacon because I love them.

This is my second Christmas with my forever family and I LOVE opening presents. Last Christmas I unwrapped and opened all my own gifts. My Hu-Mom said she always wanted a dog that could open their own presents. Who can't do that? Probably couch pup-tatoes. (I'm not fond of the pup-pun but my Hu-Mom is a dork and she loves them so that one was for her)

Here are some fun things I would love opening this year. Santa if you're listening....

Fun and Quirky - 

Aspen Pet Treat Ball Dogzilla Nobby - It holds treats and looks like a smiling monster. Yes please! Some other good stuff my Hu-mom found out about it: "Durable rubber infused with chicken flavored protein for added dog interest. Touch rubber "teeth" grab dog treats, which helps make dogs' treats last longer. Knobby texture stimulates gums to promote dental health."
$20.15 | $0.60 Cashback



Star Wars Themed Dog Toys - My Hu-mom and Pup-paw are big Star Wars fans. My Pup-paw hates Jar Jar Binx. I don't know what a Jar Jar Binx is but I know he would want you to know. My only Jar experience is one filled with bacon grease. If it's anything like that, I think he would love a Jar Jar Binx! Here's some fun Star Wars themed dog toys.
$6.99-$8.99 | $.0.12-$0.16 Cashback

Humunga Stache - I love balls for fetching. What's funny? shopwithbella.com says: "It's a ball and a mustache all in one! Catch it! Fetch it! Just have some fun with it! These make great gag gifts for your friends. Take fun family photos. Or just plain crack people up as you and your dog walk by them on the street. Made from solid, non-toxic, all natural rubber."
Sale $11.99 | $0.24 Cashback




Stands Up to My Tough Teeth - 

Starmark Everlasting Bento Ball -  You had me at everlasting. That means forever right? It's for chewing, and seems to be a mind bender too...how do you get the treat out? Don't you worry. I got this. This guy seems to need to let me take a whack at it. VIDEO
Sale $12.99 | $0.26 Cashback

ChuckIt Fetch Ball Medley - Since I need a lot of exercise and love to run in the yard, we use the glow in the dark ball all the time...even without the launcher. It's my Pup-paw's favorite toy. My favorite Pup-paw quote: "Where's the glow in the dark ball?" He says it so much I think he should wear the ball around his neck like keys.
$11.99 - $17.99 | up to $0.72 Cashback 

West Paw Jive Tough Dog Chew Toy  - So this one says it is 100% guaranteed against dog damage by the manufacturer. I would prefer 1 bazillion% but since I can't count I'll leave it to you to decide if that's enough of a guarantee. It has a funny bounce and works with ChuckIts.
$15.00 | $0.30 Cashback 




Bully Stick - So much chewing. I like these. They are yummy plus they last. What more do I need from a chewing stick? Here's what my shopwithbella.com website says about these: "Majestic Pet 12" Thick Bully Stick Treats: 100% natural premium quality chews Tasty and nutritious Cleans teeth and exercises gums (includes 12 sticks)
$36.00 - $54.73 | up to $1.80 Cashback

 


Works My Mind - 

Treat Maze - Ok. I have one of these too. But when I first got it (LAST Christmas) I was younger and less worldy then and my Hu-mom hadn't learned clicker training yet. So it's pretty sad looking. I still use it every day as my favorite way to eat my dinner. So I think a shiny new one would rock.
$15.99 - $16.05 | up to $0.64 Cashback 

JW Pet Treat Pod - OMG I love this. Except when it's empty. And then I don't care about it at all. It's a treat dispenser and whenever my Hu-mom retrieves it off the floor I can't think about anything else until I know if she's filling it up for me. It has 3 places for treats and she breaks up bones and stuffs training treats in it and it's just so wonderful. I haven't even been able to destroy it yet and we have had it for months. 
Sale $6.89 | $0.14 Cashback
 

We collected this great collection in one convenient place
A Cattle Dog Christmas List

On a Budget - 
If you're on a budget, check out my top picks for toys under $5. Lots of great deals there.


















What is your pup's favorite toy from years past? Anything I should add to my list? 

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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Prepare Your Pup for Winter - From a Clothes Averse Heeler Mix

By Bella Victoria and Trista Polo
 
Bella Says - 
I am a beast outdoors. I can jump high. I can run fast. I can carry a big stick. I'll knock you over if I think it will extend our play session. It never does.

The other day we went outside in the early morning, my human and I, and there was icy crunchies on the ground where the leaves had been the day before. My friend Sparky's humans say they will be moving the white fluffies soon with big trucks. The air is crisp and the birds are quiet so I believe them.

That means snow ball fights! Snow angels! Snow races! I love these things. It's like playing outside - but at another level.

My humans want me to be warm even if it means I have to be uncomfortable. I get it - some of my furry friends like to dress for the occasion. I think clothes are for sissies. And probably cats and bunnies. But NOT Cattle Dogs! You can't wear a coat and booties when you are herding cattle. And they would MOO at you if you did.

Because my short fur has an undercoat, I can be outside in above-freezing weather. But if it's too cold I have to wear a coat. Some advice for my fellow puppy pals that hate wearing clothes...make sure they know you hate it.

My humans got me a coat with legs and a hood and other unnecessary baggage and I iced 'em for as long as I could remember I was mad. And I'm smart so it was a while. I didn't rip it off or anything. I'm not an animal! But I sat on the couch as high up on the pillows as I could pile 'em and turned my back to my humans. I wouldn't speak to them for a long time, even after they took the monstrosity off of me.

They still make me wear some stuff. I still hate it. They say it's so I stay warm and healthy. I say I am a beast and I can take it. They make me anyway. Sometimes it sucks not being Alpha.

If you feel like me tell your humans you WON'T wear hoods, legs or arms. You won't wear booties or shoes or balloons on your paws.

Here's what you tell them you want. Tell 'em to read below...my Human has the deets.

- Bella out.

Trista Says -

For dogs that really hate wearing coats and clothes and other accoutrements, here's what we found works best:
  • No sleeves. Legs should be uncovered and free of restriction. 
  • No shoes or booties of any kind. Better to use a Pad Balm and follow these instructions for paw prep and protection
  • No hoods or other head/ear covers
  • Keep the outside play sessions short and highly active so they still get good activity but aren't exposed to the elements for too long
  • Have the heat in your house up high enough that they can warm up when they get inside - if you can, put on a fire... =)
  • Be prepared with lots of indoor activities you can do so the outside stuff can be limited to relieving themselves and traveling
  • Some dogs love dressing up but if your dog does not, listen and respect their wishes
Here are some great winter prep items you may want to stock up on, keeping temperament and preference in mind:

You can spend anywhere from $10 to $80 and up for your dog's winter wear. There are plenty of budget-conscious choices that will keep your pup warm and healthy for the winter.

How do you keep your furry puppies warm in the winter?

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Thursday, November 12, 2015

BarkWorld Expo by I-5 Publishing - A Review for Pet Influencers

Trista with Lisa Illman
By Trista Polo

I had never heard of BarkWorld. As a new blogger and pet-based business I had been focusing on general internet marketing training and am pretty new to twitter and networking with other pet-based businesses.

Usually I hear about these things a few weeks AFTER the event or worse yet just hours after the replays expire. So when I saw a post about it on Twitter from one of the event speakers, I was intrigued. A bunch of dog people all in one place? You had me at "Bark".

What Is BarkWorld Expo?

Gus Kensworthy talks Sochi Pups
In case you are in the same boat I was, let's start there. BarkWorldExpo.com is virtual home of a yealy conference that attracts bloggers, writers, authors and promoters of all things cat and dog. Oh, and also it attracts a lot of actual cats and dogs. 
Shorty Rossi talks Pittbulls and More

The sponsors are there to create potential connections that could turn into sponsorships, endorsements or affiliate relationships. There is training as well that would be of interest to bloggers, writers, influencers. This year they had topics including how to get into media publications, how to do quality pet review videos, how to SEO your blog and more. There were also some great Keynote speakers this year, including Shorty Rossi, Gus Kensworthy and the creators of DogsOfInstagram. The event is pretty jam packed with sessions, parties and networking and there are plenty of vendors to talk with in your down time.
BarkWorld was founded by Denise Quashie and happens yearly in Atlanta, GA. This year, Denise partnered with I-5 Publishing, the creators of Dogster.com, Catster.com and Petcha.com. The next BarkWorld is being held October 13-16.

Who Should Attend?

This is a place to learn how to be a blogger/influencer or to catch up with the many alumni that have been attending for years. It's also a great place to make connections that could turn into business opportunities. There is a lot of education and a great way to learn about new products and companies. You also have an opportunity to meet rescue organizations and companies that share their proceeds with rescues.

I established AccordingToBella.com less than a year ago and my goal was to pass along what I am learning about active dogs, rescue and fostering as well as create a community. I have been working on expanding my content, my influence and my income. And I'll admit, I have been struggling to find our voice. 

So if you are on a new journey, BarkWorld is a great way to spend a weekend. But it's definitely not just for "Newbies". Many attendees have been attending since the event was establish and some have very large followings already. There were bloggers (both very established and new), product inventors (both very established and new), writers, authors, rescue organizations and they all got value from being there.

Should I Bring My Dog?

First thing I will say is I'm glad I didn't bring Bella for my first time. It was so fun seeing all the dogs there, and they did offer doggie yoga and day care..but as a first timer I felt much better without the added maintenance and attention to Bella. Not only that, Bella is pretty excited around other dogs and just can't control herself yet. So I'm adding "being calm around dogs" to Bella's Training To Do list for next BarkWorld.

What Can I expect Before the Event?

Talk about creating a community. The BarkWorld organizers are experts! The moment I was registered, I was added to the attendee-only Facebook group. This group is active, interactive and supportive. Seasoned attendees, "Newbies", Sponsors and Speakers all chatted, posted and shared photos. I felt like the event had already started! In addition, some of the sponsors began educating the group on their products so you already felt like you had a leg up when you arrived. It was also nice to feel like I was walking into a room full of future friends that I had interacted with...instead of a room full of strangers.
I also got important updates and opportunities on the Facebook group, including an inquiry for attendees interested in attending one of the Sponsor Dinners. A Sponsor Dinner is just what you may guess - dinner with one of the Event Sponsors. It could be an intimate group with presentations or a laid back social event. I was able to snag one of the spots with Diamond Sponsor, KuddlyPets, on the night before the event kicked off. It was so amazing to learn about their company and their mission over dinner with the creators, their amazing staff and a small group of the attendees.

I would recommend registering as early as possible. It may save you on the cost of the ticket, but more importantly it will afford you opportunities for invite-only/space-limited activities like speed networking.

What Can I Expect During the Event?

It's a full schedule but you can pick and choose what you want to attend. There are Keynote speakers and smaller speakers. There is also a roundtable session where you can talk in small groups with industry experts on topics like branding, SEO and more. All of the meals are included so you can expect continental breakfast, buffet lunch and some sort of activity around dinner ... launch parties, sponsor dinners, etc. You have an opportunity to set up your schedule beforehand, which I would recommend. This way each morning your day's schedule is waiting for you in your email.

Even though the talks are great and quite informative, I felt like I had PLENTY of time to network with other attendees and with the sponsors. The expo piece is a great place to create potential future relationships that could turn into collaboration or business partnerships in the future. While there, I had an opportunity to meet with some amazing companies that I may end up working with in some capacity in the future. And in most cases you are meeting the founder, creator, owner of the company so you really get to know what they are about. Keep in mind, these companies are looking to meet influencers and click with possible future reviewers and endorsers of their product. So it's a different experience than going to a home show where everyone with a booth is hoping you will buy from them. In this case, you and the sponsors are looking to create symbiotic relationships and it creates a whole new opportunity to relate.

Did I mention the dogs? So many amazing and fabulous dogs! Some of the sponsors' dogs were there representing and plenty of the influencers and bloggers brought their dogs as well. Many of these dogs have quite large followings so you may have recognized the dog before their owner if you are a fan. The stars of DogOnlyKnows.com, PrestonSpeaks.com, LittleDogInTheBigCity.com and TunaMeltsMyHeart.com were in attendance. There were even a couple of cats in attendance and there was a special cat blogger breakfast where cat bloggers could meet with cat-focused sponsors.

How Can I Take Best Advantage of This Event When I Attend?

Inspired by one of the speakers, Lisa Illman, I decided to use this event as a platform to LAUNCH @bellascope, AccordingToBella's Periscope channel. I knew there would be a ton of opportunities for content and a perfect place to introduce #hopescopes - a Periscope themed segment on highlighting rescue organizations and their stories. In fact, BarkWorld ENCOURAGES social media interaction. People are filming, tweeting, Instagraming and scoping their way through the event. There were lots of corners where interviews and chats were going out into the social media waves during the event. In addition, you were able to collect lots of content opportunities for the weeks and months following the event. You may want to plan to review the event (um...that's what I'm doing right now!), the swag (so much swag!!) and begin to explore partnerships that were sparked while in attendance.

The opportunities to create new business relationships, friendships, partnerships and trusted friendships is limited only by your willingness to participate.

I would love to hear your take-aways from BarkWorld if you have attended - what nuggets can I take with me next year to get even more value out of my weekend?

Bonus tips:
  • If you are new to this, make sure you have a nice foundation of content and internet presence established before you go - this will work in your favor when companies check you out before offering you business partnership opportunities.
  • Bring comfortable shoes you'll be walking a lot.
  • If you plan to scope or record, bring a good phone camera or ipod, tripod and mic for best quality final product.
  • If scoping, make sure to use Katch.me or save your scopes on your device because you can re-purpose all those great moments later.
  • Get photos with as many of the product owners, famous dogs and cats and attendees as you can, so you have lots to choose from when planning your BarkWorld-inspired content.
  • Keep the NOTIFICATIONS on for the Facebook group during the event for additional "wanna meet up, I'm headed to dinner" opportunities.
  • Say YES to whatever is offered (sponsor dinner, speed dating, media opportunities with Keynote speakers, demo volunteers) you never know what opportunities will open up from that YES.
  • Have a goal to talk to a new person you haven't met yet at every meal. Saunter up to someone eating a muffin and strike up a conversation...sit at a table with an entirely new group of people at lunch...join a group for a drink at a launch party.
  • Do your best not to end up in comfortable groups of your old friends - it could prevent you from a life-changing interaction.

Tribute to Polo Sisters - Brandy and Audrey RIP June 2013

This is the Bella blog - so it would stand to reason that the posts are about Bella and her lifestyle.



But I want to pay tribute to 2 dogs that impacted my life - and heart - forever.

Brandy and Audrey were sisters from another Mister but sisters for life. In fact, Audrey was a rescue brought to our family so that Brandy didn't have to be alone. Brandy picked Audrey out at a shelter one weekend and they were inseparable ever since.

They lived to 17 .. for years we were told that this golden retriever and shephard mix were years beyond their life expectancy.

They had Pet Health OPC with Glucosamine from the time they were years old and I only wish I knew about it earlier. I watched a video that said inflammation can cause life expectancy to drastically decrease and a reduction in inflammation can drastically increase it. I bought the Pet Health OPC with Glucosamine the next day.

I'm so happy for the time we had with them and even though it wasn't nearly enough I know it was longer thanks to this product. I owe it my life with them.

Thank you Pet Health OPC with Glucosamine!! Their lives were not long enough but we had more time than we could have asked for. xo
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Monday, November 9, 2015

3 Steps to Get Puppy Paws Prepped for Winter

We live in the Hudson Valley part of New York and the winters have been pretty brutal the last few years. Last year it was particularly cold. It was New York's 17th coldest winter since 1895, according to weather.com.

Bella LOVES playing in the snow. Check out this video for some fun snow romping! Unfortunately, her paws did not. After just a few minutes outside on the snowy ground, Bella would be hopping around trying to keep at least 2 paws off the ground at all times.

Of course, this NEVER kept her from enjoying herself. But it made it much less enjoyable for us.

So here are some things we will be doing this year, to reduce her discomfort and still respect her no-clothing preferences.

1. First we will make sure her paws are trimmed of all excess fur. For Bella, this is probably not going to be an issue because she is a short haired dog. But I remember how feathery our Golden Retriever's paws would get if we didn't keep them trimmed.

2. Second, we will make sure to add Pad & Paw Balm to Bella's feet before she goes outside. It will create a protective barrier for her paws so she will have less discomfort and will have the added benefit of keeping them moisturized and supple even in the dry months of winter.

3. Finally, we'll be proactive when she comes in to wipe her paws with a warm washcloth. This will warm her up slowly and melt any ice or snow that has attached itself into the crevices of her paws.

These steps will make sure Bella's paws have as much fun in the coming snowy wonderland as she does!

What other tips can you recommend for winter paw protection?

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