Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Rufus Reviews: Three Dog Bakery + GIVEAWAY! SAID IN OPRAH VOICE!

First of all, I need to tell you that Rufus got free treats for this. I think the police of the internet require me to say that? But before you go thinking I have sold my soul to the product-review devil, I want to say that I would never recommend a company that I didn't think made a high quality product, and I love the fact that these guys are local and so mindful of the ingredients they use, and they REALLY love dogs. Also I should mention that I can now see just how badly my dog needs a haircut. We have clearly gone far beyond his normal level of hobo-dog-ness. His grandma has already volunteered to give him a Christmastime haircut.
I thought about writing this post from Rufus's perspective, but then I realized that would get SO schticky, so fast, so I am going to continue to be me, and try my best to convey to you all of Rufus's innermost thoughts and feelings, because, yeah, he has those?
H'Anyways, the wonderful folks at Three Dog Bakery sent us three of their holiday- themed treats for reviewing. (I want to mention that my lame-o product shots were taken after we had already consumed half the treats, which is why they look a little empty.) First up was the Begg Nog Squares, which smelled REALLY great. Like, really great. Like, you probably would have tried one too. I did. I know that this is supposed to be Rufus's deal, but in my opinion, it was pretty good for a dog treat. BY FAR the best dog treat I have ever eaten, anyways.
Rufus liked them too, as you can see. His review was "chomp chomp chomp", and I quote. Next we tried the Snickerdoodle Mini Biscuits, which are a really good size for smaller dogs like Rufus. I have no "dog eating" shots, because it was pretty much impossible to get a picture of them disappearing into his mouth after being thrown. But maybe these photos will tell you how Rufus really felt about them. (The TONGUE! THE LITTLE DOG TONGUE! I love it, even if no one else does.)Finally we broke open the big jar of Classic Wafers, in the holiday flavors of Cranberry and Banana Nut. These, I think, were his favorites, based on the amount of irritability when he was being forced to wait to get one. (It took a long time to take photos, people. It was a lot of sad puppy whining, and me telling him, "I'm metering!" It was sad.) I only got photos of him eating a Cranberry, but he enjoyed the Banana-Nut just as much.
So, in the end, all of the treats definitely got the doggy-seal of approval, and they get my vote because they smell nothing like the fake-meat treats that are probably made of plastic. We also shared some of the treats with Jacquie, whose pup Bruno (remember him?) apparently got quite fond of these treats, camping out in front of the treat jar so often that she finally had to hide them somewhere else. I'd say that's a win, review-wise.

Oh, and did I mention there is a GIVEAWAY????How would you like one of these, for your dog friend, for the dog-friend-having-person in your life? You would? Well of course you would, it is delightful and free! Leave a comment and tell me what your dog's dream-biscuit flavor would be, and I will randomly draw a name to weeeeen zeeeeeeeee priiiiiize! I'll pick on Sunday, so enter before then, or you will be sad. And, if you're not the gamblin' sort, Three Dog Bakery has given me a coupon code, so's you can get your dog-treat fix on the cheap. Just use the code MyAuntJune (no spaces) for free shipping on orders of $35 or more. The coupon expires 12/31/10.

PS: Baxter wanted me to mention that he would be MORE THAN HAPPY to accept corporate sponsorship, especially if it is a company that only makes turkey cold cuts. Baxter would sell his soul for some turkey cold cuts.

Fabulous prize box includes:
-Classic Cremes-Carob Cookies with Natural Peanut Butter Filling - 16 oz
Description: Carob sandwhich cookies filled with natural peanut butter filling. Carob and peanut butter belong together like dogs and tummy rubs.
-Classic Cremes-Golden Cookies with Natural Vanilla Flavor Filling - 16 oz
Description: Golden sandwhich cookies filled with vanilla filling. You'll be asking yourself, "Are these really for dogs?"
-Oven Bake Dog Biscuits Apples & Oatmeal - 16 oz
Description: All natural Apples and Oatmeal oven baked into a crunchy, dog-drooling biscuit!
-Roll-Over Rewards Apples & Oatmeal Dog Treats - 16 oz
Description: All natural apples and oatmeal baked to a cookie perfection. Its mini-size is ideal for puppies, little dogs and training treats.
-Gracie's Gourmet Entree for Dogs - Chicken, Carrots, Green Beans & Rice Recipe - 12oz
Description: We brought food from the dinner table to your dog with our all natural dog food Entrees. Packed full of succulent carrots, green beans and broccoli, as well as luscious chicken that’s been slow cooked – the result is the best gourmet dog food that leaves them licking their chops with satisfaction.
-All Natural Rawhide Braid - 6" Vanilla - 2
Description: 6" all natural rawhide dipped in vanilla flavoring.
-Aussie Pet Naturals Jute Rope Toy- The Perfect Eco Friendly Toy
· 100% Vegetable Fiber
· Strong and Durable Jute Rope
· 100% Biodegradable and Recyclable
· Environmentally Friendly
· Help Sustain the Planet’s Resources
· Inspired and Designed in Australia
-Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale (Paperback)
She was the loneliest pup in the litter--a deaf and partially blind albino Great Dane. She had huge sky blue eyes. And when Day Dye reached for her, she struggled to her feet like a clumsy foal, raised her forehead to his, and announced, as clearly as if she had actually spoken words, You know I'm the one. Now get me outta here!

Free stuff! Hoo-ha!

37 comments:

Caitlin at Salty Oat said...

If our dog, Elton, were to invent a biscuit flavor, it would probably taste like tennis balls and squirrels; he likes to chase both. Thanks for the chance!

Kati said...

My dog would love anything chicken, egg or beef flavored. You'd think I was torturing her the way she mopes when I'm cooking chicken or scrambled eggs.

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

Food-flavored. Or not. Liesel's not too particular. So long as it's edible. Or not. She's not too particular about that either. But she does like to crunch on stuff and have it land in her tummy. We would prefer it to be something wholesome like this. Thanks for this fantastic giveaway!

Beth said...

We have one of these in Columbus, and Miss Samantha Belle LaRue enjoys their peanut butter treats!

Anonymous said...

Rudy, my constant canine companion, would go nuts for those carob-peanut butter treats; he loveloveloves peanut butter! But his favorite treats so far have been made from dried salmon - he'll do anything for them! Unfortunately, they stink to high heaven, to my indelicate nose anyway...
I think some Three Dog Bakery treats would be a welcome addition to our cupboard ♥

Hannah said...

I LOVE Three Dog Bakery. I was ultra-stressed after a failed holiday shopping trip last year, and I stopped in being like "ok, dogs are easy to shop for." and the people in the shop were SO nice, I ended up buying treats for every dog I knew (I don't even have a dog myself!).

AND they sell amazing cat treats (called "We Pity the Kitties", lols). so amazing that my cat knocked the box off the top of the fridge and DEVOURED it when I was out of town one weekend.

If my parents' dog were given the chance to invent a flavor, it would probably be "people food." Seriously, he's not picky.

shannon said...

barney would like anything that tasted like a dirty tennis ball. when given a bad spanking, smell good tennis ball his first response is to dig a hole and bury it, then promptly unearth it. then a good coat of gooey dog saliva and it's perfectly marinated to aerodynamic specifications!

that's when he's content to life as a canine..

thanks to three dog bakery and you!
merry christmas and have a happy new year!
shannon and barney

Meredith said...

Bananas and Carob. Doesn't have to be a crispy dog treat... a little cupcake would do as well.

My golden LOVES three dog bakery which is why we were so bummed to discover that the one in Charleston isn't there anymore. It was a beach trip ritual to go get puppy snacks for the week.

Carrie L said...

My dog Poppy likes to eat Kleenexes, so maybe Kleenex flavor? The other, Sesame, isn't picky at all--he chomps anything down. How did your fabric blog get dog treats to give away?

Kristin said...

Gracie would like to throw her hat in the ring for this giveaway. She would particularly love banana and peanut butter flavored cookies with a dollop of scrambled eggs on top.

amy h said...

Little Man's dream biscuit flavor? Defenseless Baby Rabbit. No. Stolen Baby Toothbrush? :)

bellananda said...

aaahahaha -- sophie does that, camping out in front of the "treats pantry"...or the counter, if there's food up there. she does this painfully-cute, plaintive-but-haughty "hmph" noise that translates in my mind as something like "hmph! how COULD they not give me what's up/in there! really, how rude!" :)

we've been feeding our doggins TDB food and treats since day...30? (that is, i cooked misha's food myself until i discovered that she didn't have allergies as a puppy, but mange (ugh!), but in the process of researching that i discovered the FRIGHTFUL things in commercial dog food and decided then and there that any dog of mine is just as deserving of the best quality whole foods as i am. so when i found TDB, i was ecstatic...and still am, for their success and good work.)

but to get to your giveaway question...they'd take anything that's meaty, or peanut-buttery. or grass...they eat a lot of that. and clover, and salad greens. and they go wild for organic, pastured eggs-over-medium. :D

(p.s. rufus and his hairdo would go quite well with the girls'!)

Melissa said...

Without a doubt, bacon grease. Pepsi once got into the trash and ate a container full from frying a pound of bacon. I don't know how she didn't get sick (as a dog :) )!

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the giveaway and I have to tell you I love the little dog tongue too! I have two (one biggish and one smallish) and the smallish one has a spotty tongue and lemme tell you how I'll take a bazillion pictures to get the perfect "Hank spotty tongue lick" picture! Now, on to flavors. Layla (my biggish coon hound) would love ANYTHING under the sun. Her brother, (the smallish mutt) is strictly vegetarian per doctor's orders. A dog, that is allergic to animal protein- CRAZINESS I TELL YOU! SO he likes fruits, vegetables, peanut butter (oooh he loves his peanut butter) and carob. Again, thanks and forgive the hella long comment :)

C. Jaeger said...

My gift of new Snoopy and Woodstock chew toys for Shiloh seems a bit slight, after seeing the basket of treats.

She loves cheese...and bacon. So do her people!

Rufus is very cute!

Thanks.

Lindsay said...

I kinda like the way Rufus' fur falls :)

The dog in my life loves anything pineapple flavored. It tastes great going in but terrible coming out so he finally stopped eating his poop :)

carriegel said...

My little girl will eat anything that comes out of her treat jar. When you've spent the first five years of your life in a puppy mill you're grateful for whatever you get.

Unknown said...

My dogs are drooling at the screen right now...I think Rips' fave flavor, based on tonight's food theft, would be cheese ripped off toddler pizza, while Leto has had his eye on all the christmas cookies on the counter lately!

Alissa said...

Ok I never enter give aways but this one I'm entering! My two pugs, Otto and Maggie are, as I type this, my arm rests and they read your post and would be pissed off at me if I didn't. They love food in every flavor that exists. Seemingly with no exceptions. That makes it hard for me to correctly enter your giveaway. Is that ok?

lalalovely lindsay said...

Casey and Cricket are not picky, but these biscuits would make their day! They currently enjoy leftovers from my daughter's highchair or an animal cracker when they go in the kennel. So "real" dog treats would be a welcome gift in our home! Thanks for the chance to win!

Emily S said...

Bread. We store it in the freezer so they don't sit next to the counter making sad puppy eyes at us, then steal it when we leave the room. They'll leave a roast alone, but bread they will risk being bad dogs for.

Toughie said...

Rocco said he's been working on a recipe for something in the bacon,liver,and cheese category. Maybe with sometype of gravy filling. Or sneaker insole with a tree bark cream filling. He eats everything, but will only bark for bacon! Thank you so much for the chance to win, and I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.
Trudy

Malinda said...

Buster and Ollie eat figs in the back yard when they get a chance. They vote for fig flavor, but will eat almost anything and would be grateful for your beautiful doggie snack pack.

chp said...

My Simone would have loved biscuits that were bacon-peanut butter-cream cheese flavored, with some roasted butternut squash mixed in ")

Sara said...

Our Great Dane, Cooper, would make a cinnamon raisin bread with peanut butter treat. Every morning, he can hear me open the peanut butter jar and runs down the stairs to stare at me while I eat. He's recently picked up the habit of mooing at me when he wants a bite (no one has told him that he isn't a cow:))

I would love to win the prize, and I'm really interested in the Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale. I definitely have a soft side for Danes. Some people are so intimidated by large dogs, but they are just big babies! Cooper says he doesn't care about the book, but would really love the treats:)

Amy said...

Our Honey loves fresh produce, so I'd say a carrot or apple flavor would be a big hit. As for Zeke, he's a meat & potatoes guy. But if I'm being honest, either of them will eat practically anything. Including trash on the side of the road while we're on a walk. And plastic Barbie parts. Thanks for the opportunity to win!

emma o said...

Our pup Jackson's personally-named dog treat would be "MUST DEVOUR!" and would be flavored like anything/everything. He consumes EVERYthing, edible or not. Paper, shoes, toys. He's not a chewer, he's an EATER. Thankfully, we catch him before he eats the squirrels he catches in the yard (yes, at 35 pounds, he is feisty and quick enough to catch squirrels), but we couldn't save him from my engagement ring. Thank goodness it wasn't expensive!

Krista said...

That's some good stuff! Our dogs would go nuts for some salmon biscuits with a banana cream filling. Those are their favorite foods (although they'll eat anything but uncooked onions and asparagus).

Melanie said...

Our lab, Sasha, would like anything that had peanut butter or cheese (she prefers cheddar). I can't even open the cheese drawer in the refrigerator without her big eyes staring up at me. Our cats also love We Pity the Kitty Treats (chicken). They would eat the entire box if we let them.

Nathalie said...

I have 2 older dogs and a 6 month old puppy - yes, I know I am crazy. The middle child would like anything in leather flavor since he has chewed up several pairs of shoes, pillows and purses made from real leather. the oldest might like french fry flavor and the youngest, doesn't care as long as he gets to run around and nip at all the others.

Unknown said...

HILARIOUS. The dog tongue and the thought of Bruno waiting by the treat jar... My corgi eats EVERYTHING and loves EVERYTHING. But if she had to pick one thing, I think it would have to be... pizza!

Janice said...

I AGREE!!! Nothing makes me quite so giddy as Pepper leaving the tip of her little pink tongue sticking out, like she doesn't even know it's there! It's like a gift from Baby Jesus to me. Thanks for the opportunity!

anniem said...

My dog Layla would like any treat where she is not required to go through her entire repetoire (OK so it's only like...3) of tricks just to get the treat. Flavour?? hhmm I don't think is stays in her mouth long enough for any taste buds to kick in..they are going "oh great food, a treat, it'll taste...ooops missed again"

Julie said...

My dogs would love these...thanks for the giveaway!
j

katie s. said...

i think rufus and my dog, frannie, are totally twins:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hikatie/5216668324/

Unknown said...

How about cat food favored treats that can be snuck when mom isn't looking? Billy and Bob would go for these:)

jacquie said...

Bruno is obsessed with these...I'm a convert to yummy tasting rather than sad, plastic generic treats. I'm a good dog mom. Bruno says thanks!