An Important Meeting of the Castle Staff

Shhhh....  We've been invited to a meeting of the Royal household!  It's quite an honor.  There is a full agenda!  They will be talking about the State of the Golden Retriever, Farm Chores, Chicken Management...  The meeting is just starting, so we'll sit here in the back...

Da Harlow is calling dis meeting to order.  Wait, something is off....

Oh no!  Something is bothering the Princess!  What could it be?

Does dis table seem tall to you?

 Ummmm, no, Your Royal Highness Da Harlow, it doesn't....

I iz sure of dis.  Da Royal Head of da Hole Digging, what you think?

Let's hear his answer....

Dis table seems fine to me.

Oh dear.

Is I da only one have da problem with dis table?

I am afraid so, da Princess.

Sigh...  Someone get da Harlow a booster seat.  ...and a cookie.

Right away!

Wordless Wednesday - The Brothers, Grim

Making New Friends

Our move to Washington has brought a lot of changes.  We are a little farther from the friends we have in Arizona, and while social media, texting, and the phone allows us to stay in touch, our pups don't have the same abilities.  Harlow especially is very social and loves making new friends, so we were excited when she met a fellow Golden named Sable on our walks.

Da new friend, Sable!

It was amazing how similar their color is, but Harlow is definitely the smaller of the two, and definitely has floof to spare!

Where we going, new friend Sable?

Sable's da Momma and I are hoping to get our girls together for a swim in the lake - when the weather warms up a bit, of course.

A view of the lake through the trees.

On a side note, have I mentioned we have trees to spare up here?

Seriously.  Trees.  Everywhere.

Until the warm weather returns, we have plans to take both pups walking together.  Our pretty little girls definitely need to spend some bonding time together!

Is da shnooter clean for dese photos, da Momma?

January Chewy Review #chewyinfluencer

This month we decided to try Honest Kitchens Joyful Jerky Filets Beef Dog Treats from chewy.com.  I have to say, I'm not sure I've come across a treat that has pleased me more!  Our pups were clearly excited from the moment I opened the chewy.com box to the moment they got to sample this treat, and were even willing to wrestle me for a bit more!

Dese are for da  Harlow, right da Momma?

Do you see how serious she is?  Even Monty and Ramble were eager for these treats!

Noms, da brudder Ramble, noms....

First of all, all the things I liked about this product:

• 100% Human Grade (I'm seriously tempted, but the back of the package says pups only!)
• Made in the USA
• Limited Ingredients - Beef, salt, celery juice powder
• Easy to break apart 

I felt that the price at chewy.com was reasonable - 3.25oz for $14.69 - which while that sounds pricey, isn't when you consider you can easily break these meaty treats into training size morsels.

Texture and consistency was comparable to human jerky - and the smell was wonderful!

I think our pups give this product 6 paws up!  It's definitely a winner in our book and definitely a product I will purchase in the future.

Yum!

Thank you, chewy.com, for sending us another wonderful product to try!

More?

Disclaimer:  How Sam Sees It has not been compensated for this product review. We received a product to review.  We have no connection with the brand and were not influenced in our opinions. Our opinions are strictly our own.

#chewyinfluencer

Wordless Wednesday - Golden Girl

The Scoop on Poop

Don't worry - we will not be showing poop photos!!

Da Harlow was worried!

Me too!

Having moved to the great frozen north after a lifetime in the Arizona desert, I've noticed picking up poop (as Chief Poop Collection Officer) takes on it's own, um, fun qualities when it's a little chilly outside.  Those of you that live in climates that freeze will laugh at me, but I'm okay with that.  Think of this as more of a PSA for desert dwellers.

Pooper Scoopers freeze....
Every pick-up includes a short and frustrated struggle to release the scooper from the grass it's stuck to.   ...and no, the poop scooper is not invited to live with the rest of the tools...  Once it's free, I've found that the scooper does not want to open it's mighty jaws of poop doom.  Getting the scooper to function is another issue - I currently use a scooper that is missing teeth.  Mainly from trying to get the jaws open.  ...and yes, I could switch to a standard rake and scoop,  but think that my next point may make that type useless.

Poop freezes to the ground...
This is the reason I don't think I could use a rake and scoop.  Some poop needs to be pried from the ground using a shovel or other solid item.  This is also the other reason my scooper is missing teeth.  Never try to pry frozen poop from the ground with a plastic scooper.  Just FYI...  Additionally we've had a poop stuck to the ground since October.

OCTOBER!!!

I've given up on trying to collect it.  I also had to buy a new scooper because of it.

Frozen poop does not deter a poop eater....
Yes, one of our beloved pups is a poop eater.  We won't mention names, but let us just say that it's a certain nekkid pup wearing fuzzy leg warmers.  You'd think ice cold poopsicles would deter him, but they don't.   ...and that's all we will say on that subject!

One of these pups is guilty of Grand Theft Poop - and it's not the fuzzy Princess with the cardboard tube in the front.  Just saying...

I'm sure I can say a little bit more about frozen poop, but a certain Princess has just informed me it is a delicate subject and we shouldn't talk about it again, to spare the sensitive readers in the group.  There goes my PSA!!


Okay, enough said!

Yay!

It's all about the social media!

Since 2017 is going to be a banner year for the crew at How Sam Sees It, I thought now would be a good time to remind everyone that you can also follow us on a variety of other social media outlets - Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  I've included links on the right for each.

Follow da Harlow?

The Princess would like me to pass along that she would be very honored if you would like her page!  😉

Wordless Wednesday - Ramble Edition

The 7th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge

It's that time of year again to participate in the Pet Blogger Challenge!  I'll admit, 2016 was not a stellar year for us - lots of changes and the loss of my Mom - I almost didn't want to join this year.  ...but, I'm hoping to find some good in 2016 and am definitely looking forward to 2017!

When did you start your blog and, for anyone who is just seeing it for first time, please provide a description of your site. Would you say your blog focuses more on sharing stories with your readers, or providing a resource for your audience?

We started How Sam Sees It in July of 2008.  It's hard to believe we are fast approaching our 9th Anniversary!  Our main goal was to entertain folks with silly photos and stories about our beloved pups, and I feel we have stayed true to that.  We've showcased a few products, but the main theme of our blog is the story. 

What was your proudest blogging moment of 2016?

I've always liked a good detective novel, and this years Furry Friday Mysteries was exciting for me!  It picked up a story line we started back when Sam was still with us, and tied it in to include both Harlow and Ramble.  We look forward to bringing it back in 2017!

Which of your blog posts was your favorite this year and why? (Please include a link.)

I'd have to say, by far, my favorite blog post this year (....and I don't have many to chose from!) was our introduction for Ramble.  Bringing the Nekkid Dog into the household presented challenges, and for the blog, introducing him and capturing the character of each pup was huge!   http://howsamseesit.blogspot.com/2016/06/have-you-met-new-guy.html


Year after year, one goal that we all seem to share is that we want to reach more people. What one tool did you use or action did you take this year that had the most impact on increasing traffic to your blog?

Unfortunately, 2016 wasn't our year to increase traffic to the blog, or keep up on any of the 2016 goals.  Forward to 2017!

Which of your blog posts got the most traffic this year? (Please include a link.) Have you noticed any themes across your most popular posts?

Sadly for us, the post with the most traffic was my tribute to my mother, who passed away after a lifetime of struggling with medical conditions.  If you wish to read it, here is the link:  http://howsamseesit.blogspot.com/2016_08_01_archive.html


What blog do you find most inspirational and how has it influenced your blog? (Please include a link.)

Haha - this has got to be the most difficult question of them all!!  I've had the honor of reading and being friends with some of the best bloggers out there - I think it would be impossible to list everyone who has had some influence on my blog.  ...but thank you all! 


What is one thing your readers don’t know about you or your pets that would surprise them?

Hmmmm....  I'm pretty open about the ups and downs of owning our silly pups.  I suppose it could be that Harlow can be shy around strange men, Ramble is still not perfect on potty training, and Monty has a huuuuuge fear of firecrackers.  Our pups aren't perfect, but we don't expect them to be - it wouldn't be any fun if they were!

What is something you’ve learned this year that could help other bloggers?

I've struggled with answering this one - can I have a pass?  In all honesty, the blog slipped down the list of importance this year.  We had a major life change, a major death...  Probably the only thing I've learned is that it is okay to take a break.  Life comes first.

What would you like to accomplish on your blog in 2017?

Definitely want to post more!  ...and post more stories!  I miss being able to be a little bit silly and creative at the same time!

Now it’s your turn! You have the attention of the pet blogging community – is there a question you’d like answered, or an aspect of your blog that you’d like input on?

What would folks like to see from our blog?  More reviews?  More stories?  More photos?  


Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with us over the years!  We love every comment we receive!

Snow days....

Our pups are experiencing their first snow days here in Washington - or mainly just heavy frost days with one true snow day, but they don't know the difference!  BOL!  Ramble makes quick appearances outside to play, but it seems Monty and Harlow are embracing this new frosty wonderland we've moved to.

This is frost, not snow....

Super Harlow Take Down!

I think she's playing the innocent puppy here....

...and Monty fell for it!

It's okay - he gets his revenge!

She would later claim she slipped....

Harlow often accompanies me in the big pasture, mainly because her recall is pretty stellar.  Monty likes to harass the neighbors dogs, and we are pretty sure Ramble would freeze before he gets too far.

She was truly made for snow!

Seriously happy princess!

Ramble has an amazing supply of sweaters - thanks to the kind folks who rescued him and loved him first - and he comes out when he is properly suited up.

They keep busy out there!

She's after me, da Momma!

Monty - distracted by driftwood...  Sigh....

The pups have really enjoyed this change in weather!  While I'm waiting for it to warm up a bit, I think they are all hoping for more snow!

Wordless Wednesday - Pouty Princess Edition

First Chewy.com Review for 2017!

We were recently given an opportunity to review Stella & Chewy's SuperBlends Grass-Fed Beef Recipe Meal Mixers Freeze-Dried Dog Food from chewy.com.  We've tried other Stella & Chewy products and our pups have always loved them, so I was interested in seeing how all three pups would react to the Meal Mixers.

Noms?

The pups were all intrigued from the minute the bag was opened - via an extremely easy open pull strip!  A scoop was provided to make measuring easier as well as different options on feeding. 

LOTS of fine print!

We tried the first option with the first feeding - mixing a scoop dry in with our pups kibble.  Unfortunately, Monty and Harlow saw through this and carefully picked out the mixer and ignored their kibble.  They are used to having a spoon full of Merrick's mixed into their kibble each night to help convince them to eat everything.  For our next try, I mixed it with a little warm water and let it soak for a few minutes.  I found that one scoop (1/4 cup) mixed with water was the equivalent of how much canned food our pups get divided among them.  Success!  Meals were scarfed in a record amount of time, bowls licked  clean, and pups were asking for more!

Da Princess approves!

A couple of notes on using this product:

Product settles in shipping - the photo above is towards the end of the bag.  Definitely needs to be shaken/stirred to mix the fruit/blueberries better.  As it was, Harlow carefully picked all the fruit out of her kibble and deposited it on the floor. 

Cost - if we were feeding this per directions, the cost would be prohibitive.  For our three over 40lb dogs, we would go through one 16oz bag every three days - at $36 per bag at chewy.com - fed as I described above.  Normal price is $50 per bag - and this is using it just as a topper.  If it was a total meal, we would be looking at that daily.

Taste - we have amazingly picky eaters and this mixer was a plus for all of them.  Monty especially has been known to walk away from food he has no interest in.  He was more than happy to dive in and eat his kibble with this added in.

Ingredients - there is a long list of ingredients that make up this mixer, but the list starts with quality ingredients such as beef, beef liver, fruit and veggies.  While not a limited ingredient meal, it's definitely a higher quality product.

Made in the USA? - I think....  The bag proclaims "Crafted in the USA with the world's finest ingredients".  Not quite sure how to interpret that....

Strawberries, banana, blueberries, meat - what's not to love?

I think all in all, we give this product 5 out of 6 paws.  It's mainly the cost that would prohibit us from considering this in the future.  Thank you, chewy.com for letting us review this product!

Disclaimer:  How Sam Sees It has not been compensated for this product review. We received a product to review.  We have no connection with the brand and were not influenced in our opinions. Our opinions are strictly our own.

Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year, everyone!  We are wishing you a wonderful year full of good things, fun days, love and smiles! 

Baron's first time in snow!

My first snowman!  Harlow thought his hands were tasty.

They are plotting, I just know it....

Noms?

The white stuff brings out the pups in the pups.

A happy Ramble, warm in the house!