Wag Aware

I wanted to talk to you about some important matters: Rescue Bling. A few months ago, I came across Wag Aware on Instagram (you can follow them @WagAware). 

 

Wag Aware is a dog charm that promotes dog rescue and adoption. What I love most about them: they donate an unprecedented 50% of their profits back to rescue groups and charities. Who can argue with that?

You can read their full story here.
BUY a charm (or two or three) today for only $14.95!!!

Since Sawyer is a rescue and he has brought so my joy into my life- I am in full support of this mission!!!!

 

Shampoo+Conditioner

I've talked about Sawyer's allergies before and I've searched high and low for a good shampoo and conditioner that would work for him. I tried all of the products that contain oatmeal, which soothes the skin. I found several that were "okay," but none that I was 100% happy with.

Sawyer after a recent bath!

We went to a dog expo awhile back and I received a product sample from Kriser's - an all-natural pet store here in Houston. It contained a shampoo, conditioner and hot-spot treatment sample from a company called Mauro. Now, Mauro is a hair salon (for humans) in Beverly Hills (shout-out to my fellow Cali readers), but they also have a line for pets. I decided to try the sample and was hooked just based on the smell.

I was a bit skeptical, because oftentimes, things that smell good- don't necessarily translate well with Sawyer, and cause him a lot of itching. So, I made my way to Kriser's and purchased a bottle of the shampoo. I've been using it on Sawyer ever since. It not only smells incredible (and remember I have and 80+ pound stinky golden with TONS of fur), it lasts for a long time, and contains ingredients that actually soothe Sawyer's itching. Did I mention it smells incredible???

I like it because it contains essential vitamins, along with hemp and argan oils- which help soothe and moisturize your pet's fur.
And I love this- on their website they say: "Extensively tested on humans for the benefit of those who matter most, our beloved pets."

I am a huge lover of Burt's Bees products. Their simple, beeswax lip balm is my go-to product. But, enough about me. I was thrilled to hear they started offering pet product line as well. I stumbled across this conditioner one day in Petsmart, and have been a major fan ever since. The conditioner itself is so light and fluffy and gives Sawyer's coat this beautiful sheen.




You can buy the conditioner HERE. 
or Here.
or Here.

And also, if you haven't visited Kriser's please go there now! They have a great selection of all-natural products, toys, food, etc... They even have my beloved Taste of the Wild!
 

Did it Work?

As I mentioned in my previous post I decided to switch Sawyer over to Taste of the Wild (reluctantly). I don't ever like to switch a dog's food unless absolutely necessary, but I was getting desperate to get to the root of his itching. I slowly weaned him off the Eukanuba. Now, if you have never switched a dog's food, the idea is to do it gradually in order to eliminate upset stomach and all of the other fabulous happenings that occur when you switch.

Sawyer seemed to enjoy the new food- even prefer it over the Eukanuba. Once he had been switched over completely, I did start to notice a change in his coat- annnnd his weight (but more on that little big situation later). I also noticed that his ears were less waxy than usual. Unfortunately, the itching remained. Now, this whole switch occurred in January. So he has been on this new food for about three months now.

Around mid-February, the itching got worse- way worse. He was rubbing his body on all of my furniture (you people out there who have dog allergies know what I'm talking about?), and stopping every ten seconds on our walks to scratch. He was miserable. I upped his Zyrtec usage to twice a day to no avail. Then, I made the connection. Obviously, my animal does not suffer from a grain allergy- more like seasonal allergies. To be more specific- pollen. Now, I'm no medical professional, even though I work for a surgeon- I handle his PR and marketing. For people. Much different than animals. However, it doesn't take rocket science to make the connection between all of the pollen on the ground and the "extreme allergy counts" I've been reading about to Sawyer's allergies.

I switched him back over to Claritin twice a day, because it worked better than Zyrtec, and purchased some hypoallergenic wipes to clean his coat and paws after our walks outside. I'll do a separate post on that later to share some of the brands I've tried and what seems to be working- or not. I'm also keeping him on Taste of the Wild, because I feel as if it provides better nutrition than some of the other products out there (but more on that later also). So while I've found a way to control his allergies, it remains on ongoing project. Any of you out there who have dogs that suffer from allergies? I'd be interested to know what you are trying. Send me an email, or leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!