Holiday Gift Guide for Your Furry Friends

ShopwithBella.com has over 50 million products for the holidays. You can get the full gift guide here at the Holiday Gift Guide.

I wanted to make sure you had a Holiday Gift Guide for your Furry Family too. Because we know you have us on your list...at least twice if not 10x. I like to employ the Grant Cardone 10x Rule for holiday gift giving to your furry family. It's a good strategy.

So here's my gift ideas for your pups! Happy shopping! Lots of licks in your future. Promise!

Click any of the images to go directly to the awesomeness in each category. 

You can shop by price or by gift category. So if you want to shop for gifts under $5, gifts under $10, gifts under $20, gifts under $30 or even fancy gifts under $40, I got you!

Gift categories are also awesome. We got interactive, plus, floating, squeaker (YES!), treats toys, wellness stuff and treats.

HAPPY SHOPPING! 

Kong Wild Knots Bear with Squeaker - 

Different colors, fun and squeaky. Also it has ropes on the inside so the chewing is super fun even after the squeaker is gone.

Entirely Pets has it for the cheapest price and also comes with cash back.

Air Kong Dog Squeaker Tennis Ball -

It's durable and has a hidden squeaker (so it's in 2 categories!). It's a tennis ball with great bounce and bite. I can't rip it open but I can puncture it, which doesn't hurt its bounce at all. I can get the squeaker broke eventually so I recommend you stock up. 

Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Cosmos Ball -

A toy that your dog will absolutely love and that is ideal for games of fetch or supervised individual play. Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Cosmos Ball is durable and bouncy and it floats!

Romp N Chomp Roller Treat Toy -
It works with Nylabone dog treats and is made for moderate chewers. It cleans your dog's teeth and stimulates his gums. The chew part is refillable with treat refills even better - Peanut Butter!

The Romp 'n Chomp treat toy comes with a treat and comes in 3 sizes - small/older dogs, ACD like me size, bigguns.

Multipet Swingin Sleevins Plush -

It's the gigantic stuffed squeak toy of your dog's dreams! This lanky toy features a fun animal design with a long lanky body that makes it the perfect toy to toss around for playful pups. It's 30-inch-long and this is the frog but there's also a pig, duck, and cow.

Multipet Loofah Squeaker Mat Dog Toy -

OMG so many squeakers! 22" and a Bakers Dozen of Squeakers. The body of each dog features isolated squares that each squeak when compressed to ensure that the toy is uniquely interactive. These toys are available in assorted colors

Otis and Claude Bumble Ball -
This is a patented interactive motorized dog toy.What a mouthful! It jumps and shakes and wiggles, and bumbles and more. It's specifically reinforced for pets. Your pets will go "crazy" trying to catch the "Bumpy Ball". Entertain your pets for hours. But not good for aggressive dogs or really skittish ones.

Boodah Turbo Disc -

Dogs love frisbees, and some might argue that this thing is a dog-designed frisbee. The Booda Turbo Disc provides a dog owner the perfect flying toy that comes with bright colors, an easy flying design, and an easy to clean material. Your pup can pick it up without having to flip it over. It flies really far.

Kong Safe Stix Floating Fetch Toy -

I hate the water but I love my Safe Stix. It floats, it bounces, it fetches. It also freaks out the neighbors. It comes in 3 colors and 3 sizes and I think you should just get one of every size and color to be on the safe side.

Canine Chuck It Ultra Sling with Dart - 

It dives, it floats, it banks it glides. So many fun for a pool and water loving dog! It's portable, safe and rugged. It's basically darts for dogs. Darts. For. Dogs! It's erratic in movement so your pup will never know where it's gonna go. It's safe for you and her. She'll love it. Really. Get it!. And some extra darts while you're at it.

GUMBY! Plush Toy -

It has a squeaker and it's Gumby. If you have to ask, then just move on or check out Gumby on Youtube. Cause he's awesome. I would totally chew that.

Squirrel! Plush Toy -

Squirrel! If you don't get it, then just move on. Another reference of an awesome movie...this one featuring Dug an awesome dog that was recently brought to life in this video. I can't help your dog talk but this will help him play like Dug!

Get Naked Super Antioxidant Treats -

Get Naked Super Antioxidant Dental Chew Sticks are ssuperfoods for your discerning dogs that care about organic and vegan and other fancy stuff. These have vitamin C, vitamin E, cranberries, blueberries (pomace), pomegranate and decaf green tea extract. 

Plaque and tartar buildup are a thing of the past. Plus they're all natural and gluten-free.

Cloud Star Buddy Biscuits in Peanut Butter Flavor -

I have a sensitive stomach and allergies and really love these. They don't hurt my stomach or anything. So no trouble for dogs with allergies. They have no salt, sugar, corn, preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors, or byproducts. They are really the best dog treats ever! That's cause they are really yummy and all natural treats made from only healthy and wholesome ingredients.

Complete Natural Nutrition Real Food Toppers Pure Chicken Breast - 
Great for your finicky, overweight, diabetic, allergic, pets. If they're on an ‘elimination’ or a ‘restricted’ diet i.e. low carb, low sodium, low calorie, no wheat or raw. 

Great to mask medication and to be fed pre and post surgery. 

Pet Health OPC Formula for Dogs and Cats-
It's an antioxidant and helps with joint pain and also allergies. It's also great for dealing with all the yucky stuff in your dog food. It will help protect against stuff that takes us way too young. It's made of pycnogenol and it rocks. Plus it's beef flavored.

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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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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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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My Dog Rolls Around in Smelly Things - AND Has Senstive Skin! Now what??

So here's a fun new activity that Bella uncovered in the warm summer months - she likes to find something stinky in the yard and REALLY REALLY roll in it. She starts with her nose and painstakingly makes sure her whole body from nose to butt connects. She does this several times to make sure she has thoroughly made herself smell like that thing.

Pedigree has a great article talking about theories behind this. Lots of stuff on instinct and per-domesticated behavior. My favorite theory is that they want their pack to know where they have been. This seems most likely since Bella thoroughly smells where I have been every time I come home. Her favorite is when I have been with dogs and other cats - but her investigation does not discriminate.

The article also states something that doesn't surprise me at all - that dogs generally do not find perfumed shampoos pleasant and that those scents are for their humans more than for them.

Add to the pile that Bella is also highly sensitive and allergic. She is even hypersensitive to flea and tick treatments in fact..another unfortunate discovery we made recently.

So how do we deal with this trifecta - smelly rolly polly + sensitive skin + distaste to perfumes?

I am so happy I found a solution...Pet Health Hypoallergenic Shampoo. According to the website, it does the following:

• Cleanses and polishes coat
• Moisturizes and conditions
• Non-irritating, non-stinging, even in the eyes
• pH balanced
• For normal, dry and sensitive skin
• Sulfate free
• Phosphate free
• Alcohol free
• Preservative free
• Paraben free

Here's a video about it   AND  Here's where you can get it

What does your dog LOVE to do that has a less than desirable result? ;-)
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Thanks for Helping with my Rescue Pit's Mange!

We have loved Pet Health Opc Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs and Cats for a while but we love even more hearing how it helps our furry family members!
Here's a great testimonial from Joe Borelli with 2 rescue pit bulls:
 

He says “Our boy pit had a really bad case of mange. He was on some full strength de-worming medicine...You could see his skin all over his body and he was bald in several areas. Within a few months of being on Pet Health Opc Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs and Cats (and being nursed back to health in a loving environment) we were able to get him off the medicine. Now he shows off his pretty amazing brindle coat and he has regrown most of his fur back. Plus, it helps both dogs with their itchy skin. So we continue with daily use.”

We confirmed that Joe rescued his pit, Redenbacher, last December and was using Pet OPC regularly for 4 months to see a full fur replenishment.  What a beauty! His other pit, Maribelle, is pictured below - look at that heart nose!

Pet Health Opc Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs and Cats does this and more. Here's a list of Benefits*:

• Combats free radicals
• Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
• Helps maintain healthy circulation
• Helps maintain joint flexibility
• Helps promote cardiovascular health
• Helps support visual health/visual acuity
• Powerful free radical scavenger
• Supports healthy blood vessel dilation
• Supports healthy nitric oxide levels
• Supports healthy blood glucose levels
• Supports healthy platelet activity

Do you have a testimonial about Pet Health OPC? We'd love to hear it! Please comment below =)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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Watching Your Dog Age Doesn't Have to be Painful for you...or for them

Before Bella stole our hearts over a Facebook news feed post from Crate Escape, we were lucky to have 2 amazing dogs for 17 years. A golden retriever named Brandy and a shepherd mix named Audrey. They were inseparable and the best of friends to us and each other. Brandy, the retriever, had the typical issues of a golden including hip displasia. She also contracted Lyme - the ticks in our yard LOVED her no matter how much diligence we kept with the flea/tick treatments.

We were able to keep the symptoms of both of these issues at bay for most of her life and we believe it was in part because of a wonderful anti-oxident + glucosamine*. Pet Heath OPC-3 for Dogs and Cats was added to Brandy and Audrey's food every day from the time they were about 10 years old and I only wish we had been introduced to it sooner.

We noticed many benefits but the best one was how surprised our Vet always was by how long and high-quality their lives were. It was only in the last 6 months or so that they began to show their age and finally left our home and moved into our hearts.

I would recommend Pet Health OPC-3 for Dogs and Cats to anyone that wants to help their furry family with any of the following:

• Combats free radicals
• Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
• Helps maintain healthy circulation
• Helps maintain joint flexibility
• Helps promote cardiovascular health
• Helps support visual health/visual acuity
• Powerful free radical scavenger
• Supports healthy blood vessel dilation
• Supports healthy nitric oxide levels
• Supports healthy blood glucose levels
• Supports healthy platelet activity
  
  
  
  Here are some reviews from ShopAllThat.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

How to Avoid Heat Stroke and Irritated Paws on Hot Asphalt and other Heat Related Issues with your Dog

"It's a beautiful summer day! Let's take Bella to the Rail Trail!"

In the sunny weather, you want to know how to avoid heat-related injuries and health issues. Dogs deal with heat differently than humans so you can't assume that because you're feeling fine that Fido is too.

There's a great article at ADogsLife.com that helps determine warning signs.

Check it out for ideas on how to identify symptoms of overheating, burned paws and heat stroke. Also great info on what NOT to do.

Watch short-nosed dogs more closely because they have less ability to cool themselves due to shortened airways in the snout. This includes breeds like Pug, Bulldog, Pekingese, Boxer, or any dog with a “short face." My friend Cathy and I took our dogs to the Rail Trail a couple of weeks ago. Her boxer definitely got lethargic and had to rest many times at the last leg of our walk. We had water but forgot a dish OOPS so we thought outside the dish and worked as a team. I cupped my hand and she poured the water. It wasn't efficient but it worked! Both dogs got plenty of water on the walk!


My favorite what not to do - don't give them BOOTIES or SHOES to protect their paws because that will actually trap heat and overheat them more quickly (their feet is a place they release heat).

And remember - asphalt can be 40 to 60 degrees hotter than the air temperature and your dog is out there in their bare feet! So plan the length of your trip and the surfaces you are walking/riding on accordingly. And be fore to treat their feet with a good balm specifically for the pads of paws.

A great way to keep pads soft, supple and healed is Pet Health's Pad and Paw Balm.  It is a great preventative and treatment option and will help heal and hydrate. It is also safe for animals so it won't bother them if they lick it off...though I'm told most dogs don't mess with it. A great way to bond with your pet and keep their paws healthy.