Review: Iams Purrfect Delights vs Fancy Feast Delights Salmon Dinner for Cats

Cats are finicky eaters, as cat mom and dads know. Does higher priced cat food equal higher quality? Will a finicky cat prefer the more expensive brands? Which more expensive brand do cats like most? Hound and Home set out to answer these question by having our cat Cash, official cat food tester, choose between Iams Purrfect Delights Salmon-Dipity Entrée Pâté in Sauce (retails $0.50-$0.74 a can) and Purina's Fancy Feast Delights Classic Salmon and Cheddar Cheese Feast (retails $0.59-$0.63 a can). Did he like either? Which do you think he preferred?

We don't shy away from controversy; some fans have thought it unfair to challenge Iams Purrfect Delights Salmon-Dipity Entrée Pâté in Sauce with Fancy Feast's salmon dinner because the latter contains cheddar cheese. But is it really an unfair advantage? Most cats enjoy dining on cheese, eggs and milk, and it's true -- Cash did prefer the Fancy Feast salmon with cheddar -- but not so fast. In the video review, he clearly enjoys both. We believe it was a fair competition with Fancy Feast Delights Classic Salmon and Cheddar Feast the winner at 5-stars and Iams Purrfect Delights salmon dinner a close second place, earning 4-stars.

Fancy Feast Delights Classic Salmon and Cheddar Feast Nutritional Information

Ingredients: Salmon, liver, meat by-products, fish broth, cheese (source of cheddar cheese), fish, turkey, artificial and natural flavors, calcium phosphate, corn starch-modified, sodium caseinate, spice and coloring, guar gum, soybean oil, salt, potassium chloride, dried whey, sodium tripolyphosphate, magnesium sulfate, taurine, red 3, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin e supplement, zinc sulfate, sorbic acid (a preservative), ferrous sulfate, niacin, sodium nitrite (to promote color retention), calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, vitamin a supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin k activity), pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, vitamin D-3 supplement and potassium iodide.

• Crude Protein (Minimum) 10.0 percent
• Crude Fat (Min) 2.0 percent
• Crude Fiber (Maximum)1.5 percent 
• Moisture (Max) 78 percent
• Ash (Max) 3.5 percent
• Taurine (Min) 0.05 percent

Iams Purrfect Delights Salmon-Dipity Entrée Pâté in Sauce Nutritional Information

Salmon, Water, Turkey, Fish Broth, Tuna, Sea Bream, Rice Flour, Carrots, Sunflower Oil, Calcium Sulfate, Natural Flavors, Titanium Dioxide, Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Spinach, Taurine, Carrageenan, Minerals (Iron Glycine Complex, Zinc Glycine Complex, Manganese Glycine Complex, Copper Glycine Complex, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Biotin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K3)), Beta-Carotene, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Canthaxanthin, and Sodium Nitrite (to promote color retention).

• Crude Protein, (Min) 10.0 percent
• Crude Fat, (Min) 6.0 percent
• Crude Fiber, (Maximum) 3.0 percent
• Moisture, (Max) 83.0 percent
• Ash, (Max) 4.0 percent
• Taurine, (Min)  0.05 percent

Cat Feeding Guidelines

Fancy Feast recommends feeding an average size adult cat 1 can per 3 ½ pounds of body weight daily. Feed up to twice this amount to kittens.

Iams recommends feeding adult cats 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 cans per 8 lbs. (3.63 kg) body weight per day.

Refrigerate any unused portions.

Provide fresh drinking water at all times.

Does your cat enjoy either of these brands? Does your cat have a favorite wet cat food brand? Share your experiences in the comment section below. 

Do Your Pets Try to Stop You From Leaving Home?

Our oldest and largest dog Roscoe can't stand it when my husband has to leave for work in the morning. Harold will sit at the kitchen table to pull on his shoes...Roscoe butts his arms and legs with his head to interfere with the shoe-ing. Our other large dog Max usually joins in by ducking under Harold's thighs and lifting up with his head. I really should record a video of their antics.

Do your pets interfere when you attempt to leave home? What are some of the funny antics they do? Share your experiences in the comment section below.

Review: Jones Natural Chews Company Cow Hooves for Dogs

If you have large breed dogs like our German Shorthaired Pointer mix, Roscoe, and Pitbull mix, Max, you know it is a challenge to find long lasting chew toys that are safe and keep their interest.

On a recent trip to a farm and feed supply store, I found Jones Natural Chews Co. beef hooves in the chew toy section of the dog aisle. As a dog mom, I’m interested in natural and safe dog toys, and toys made and packaged in the U.S. The Jones Natural Chews cow hooves are made in the U.S. and are organic. The only processing is cleaning and baking the cow's toenail before it is ready for consumers.

Max and Roscoe excitedly play with the beef hooves. The boys give the Jones Natural Chews Company beef hooves 5 stars. Our small dogs Lucy and Shelby steal the hooves from their brothers and enjoy them as well. 

Beef hooves as chew toys provide a good source of protein. Each hoof has a low fat content, no salt and no calories. There are no artificial ingredients. They are suitable for dogs of all sizes. Best of all, the cow hooves provide hours of satisfying gnawing time.

Beef Hooves Facts

All of Jones' beef hooves are from cattle grown in the U.S. Each cow hoof is approximately 2 - 4 oz., 4 – 5 inches long and 2.5 inches wide.

Jones Natural Chews Cow Hooves Guaranteed Analysis

Here is the nutritional break down of the chew toy:

• Crude Protein Min. 86 percent
• Crude Fat Min. 1 percent
• Crude Fiber Max. 3 percent
• Moisture Max. 13 percent

Jones Natural Chews Co. is based in Rockford, IL. Their beef hooves retail for around $0.99 and can be found at farm and feed supply stores, retailers and online.

Does your dog enjoy chewing on beef hooves? Have you tried this brand? Share your dog's experience with cow hooves in the comment section below.

Review: Frontline Plus for Dogs Weighing 23 to 44 Pounds

Our Pitbull mix Max is a sensitive dog. He doesn't like to be given medicine. He doesn't like anyone to touch him except my husband and me, and only for wrestling, pets, hugs and kisses. As you will see in the video review below, Max wasn't too pleased about being the flea medicine recipient. He has to receive the flea treatment no matter what, and what better example of how easy or difficult a product is to use than testing it on a difficult pet?

We don't know Max's history. He literally walked up our front porch steps one summer day a year ago, made friends with our older and large dog Roscoe, and he's been in our family since. The veterinarian believes Max is 2-years-old. We cope with his fears and sensitivities like we would that of any family member, human or animal.


We treat our cat and dogs, wash pet and people bedding, vacuum and treat the environment on the same day. If the dogs continue to have fleas after these steps are done, we assume the Frontline Plus for Dogs has failed.

Frontline Plus for Dogs containing fipronil 9.8 percent and S-methoprene 8.8 percent should be used on dogs and puppies 8 weeks or older. The liquid insecticide for dogs 23-44 lbs is available as 1.34 ml applicators. The product is sold in with 3 doses, which lasts 3 months. The retail price for this product ranges from $38.99 to $53.74, depending where you purchase. The product is available at retail and online stores.

Hound and Home gives this product 3.5 stars based on past and current results, and because the same ingredients can be applied easier with the PetArmor Plus for Dogs applicator.

How to Apply Frontline Plus for Dogs

I like to shave a small section of fur so that the spot-on treatment is certain to be absorbed into my dog's skin. If the product is placed on dense fur, it will not be absorbed properly and more likely to fail.

Place the applicator tip through your dog's fur, to the skin, between his or her shoulder blades. Apply the entire contents of the applicator. Use only one applicator per treatment.

Frontline Plus for Dogs Ingredients

Frontline Plus for Dogs is made by the pharmaceutical company Merial. It contains an insect growth regulator called S-methoprene that kills flea eggs and larvae. It is also effective against all life stages of the brown dog tick, the American dog tick, the deer tick and the lone star tick.

Frontline Plus for Dogs Benefits

There are five key benefits to using this product:

1. Kills fleas on your pet within 12 hours
2. One dose provides protection for one month
3. It aids in the control of sarcoptic mange infections
4. It is waterproof
5. Kills ticks and chewing lice

How Frontline Plus for Dogs Works

Frontline Plus contains fipronil, an insecticide that disrupts the central nervous system of fleas and ticks. It causes paralysis and death. The product also contains S-Methoprene, an insect growth regulator that kills flea eggs and larvae. These active ingredients are applied as a spot-on and enter your pet's bloodstream via the skin. The active ingredients are stored in your pet's sebaceous glands, which are small skin glands that secrete a lubricating oil (sebum) into the hair follicles to lubricate the skin and fur.

Side Effects and Warnings

Your dog may experience temporary irritation at the site of the spot-on application. While our larger dogs don't, our small dogs do have redness and irritation after application. If the irritation becomes more severe following application, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Wait 24 hours to for the flea treatment to fully dry before allowing your dog to swim or bathe. Do not reapply for 30 days.

This product is for external use on dogs and puppies only. It will kill cats or kittens (Merial makes a separate flea treatment for felines). Frontline Plus is approved for use on breeding, pregnant, or nursing animals. Ask your veterinarian before using this product on dogs taking medication or dogs that are using other pesticide products, or on debilitated or aged animals.

Frontline Plus is harmful to humans if swallowed or absorbed through the skin. It can also cause eye injury. Call a physician or poison control center for advice. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling, or wear gloves.

To dispose of the used product, wrap original container in layers of newspaper and throw in the trash. Keep out of the reach of children and pets.

Flea Control Tips

It is important to treat all pets in your household for fleas at the same time, as well as vacuum carpets, wash pet and human bedding, and treat the outside of your home. It's a lot of work, but if everything is done the same day, you should be flea free within a day or two. Since the flea treatment lasts only 30 days, you will need to repeat these steps monthly.

5 Tips to Achieve the Perfect Selfie with Your Pet

Smartphones make life more fun, especially when they are equipped with a camera to capture life moments with your beloved pets.

I don't know about you, but when I try to take a selfie with one of our large dogs, Max or Roscoe, the above picture shows what usually happens. I was attempting to take a picture of Max and me with my iPhone. Our big dogs like to make a selfie of friends all about them! It doesn't happen with Lucy or Shelby, our little dogs, or our cat Cash.

Hound and Home recommends the following tips to ensure each selfie with your best friends comes out great:

1. Lighting. Make sure there is enough light that you and your dog are visible. Light above and pointed toward you is best -- but not too much for you'll be washed out. Don't take a selfie with light behind you, such as in front of a window, or you and your pet will be silhouettes.
2. What's in the picture background? Before taking the picture, scan the background for anything you don't want to be in the photo. 
3. Unwanted photo bombs. Make sure no one will interrupt or distract your pet during the photo shoot. 
4. Strike a comfortable pose. If your pet is forced to be in an unnatural or uncomfortable position during the selfie, your chances of getting a good picture are greatly diminished. If the pose is comfortable for you both, the photo shoot is more likely to be successful.
5. Snap several pictures. It may take a few selfies to achieve the perfect one.

Do you have a funny selfie with your pet? Is there a story behind the picture? If so, share it in the comment section below. 

Monitor the Location of Your Dog or Cat with Whistle GPS Pet Tracker

Photo courtesy of Whistle Labs

Do you ever wonder what your pets are doing while you are at work? If there's a pet door installed at your home, do they spend their time inside or outside? Or, does the sneaky rascal somehow escape and visit your neighbor?  

Two-thirds of U.S. households have a companion animal, according to the American Pet Products Association. It’s no surprise that pet monitoring and care is going high tech. One high-tech gadget on the market that can provide you a wealth of information about your pet is Whistle, a GPS tracking device.

Monitor Your Pets with Whistle

Whistle is a pet monitoring device with nationwide GPS coverage. A stainless steel tag that clips to your dog’s collar is embedded with an accelerometer that records your dog’s location and gives you the information through a smartphone app.

Photo courtesy of Whistle Labs

You can track your dog or cat's daily activity on your smartphone. If Fido escapes his fenced yard (which our dog Max has been known to do – there’s a video on this blog about that), you receive a notification via the app or text message. You get this type of alert whenever your pet leaves their custom Whistle zone.

The pet tracking device has a rechargeable battery, and it’s waterproof and durable. It has a retail price of $79.95.

Whistle Specifications

Dimensions: 1.5 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches

Weight: 1.3 ounces

Waterproof (IP67)

Collar Attachment (attaches to any collar and harness up to 1" wide)

Whistle Software Compatibility

Apple iOS 7.1 or greater

Android 4.0.3 or greater

Web app available for desktop and mobile browsers

Whistle Service Requirements

You will be required to select a service plan at activation.

Service plans range from $6.95-$9.95 per month.

Would you consider purchasing the Whistle to track your dog or cat? Have you used this product? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Review: PetArmor Plus Flea, Tick Treatment for Dogs

In Georgia, where the fall and winter months are warmer than other parts of the U.S., the battle against fleas is year round. Our family has used many flea control products over the years. Our search for a superior, no-fail product continues.

Our Papillon Lucy and Shih Tzu mix Shelby help test PetArmor Plus for Dogs and puppies weighing 4 to 22 pounds. It is advertised to kill fleas, ticks and chewing lice for up to 30 days. It's waterproof. It contains the same squeeze-on active ingredients fipronil and (s)-methoprene found in more expensive products, such as Frontline Plus.

PetArmor Plus for Dogs cannot be used on cats; it will kill cats.

What I especially like about this flea treatment is the applicator. Each product package contains three doses, or three applicators. You clip off the top portion of the applicator with scissors, which is marked with a line, and simply apply the dose to your dog between his or her shoulder blades.

I use an electric shaver to shave a section of fur to ensure the liquid flea treatment reaches the skin. The product must be absorbed through the skin -- into your dog's bloodstream -- to work.

Hound and Home gives PetArmor Plus for Dogs 4 stars because it is more affordable than other brands, works just as well as more pricey brands, and is easy to use. The reason it did not earn 5 stars is because we've had failure with the product in the past, though infrequent.

What PetArmor Plus for Dogs Kills

The product's formula kills the following pests:

• Adult fleas, and flea eggs and larvae for up to 12 weeks
• Ticks that may transmit Lyme disease
• Mites that may cause sarcoptic mange
• Deer ticks
• Dog ticks, including American dog ticks and lone star ticks

PetArmor Plus for Dogs by Weight

The product comes in four different doses for the following dog weights:

1. 4-22 lbs
2. 23-44 lbs
3. 45-88 lbs
4. 89-132 lbs

Why Flea Treatments Fail

We have used this product in the past with varying results. It works most of the time, and I believe the success is because we treat all of our pets at the same time and the environment. We wash our dogs a day before, apply the flea treatment to all four dogs at the same time, and also buy a separate flea treatment product for cats to apply to our cat Cash. We vacuum the carpet, treat the carpet with a flea spray, and mop our hardwood floors. We wash pet bedding and our own bedding as the smaller dogs tend to sleep with us. It's a major chore, but if everything is done the same day, you'll have success.

The product has failed, though infrequently, and I believe the reason was that we did not follow all of the steps outlined in the paragraph above. Also, if you apply the spot-on liquid without making sure it reaches your dog's skin, it will not be absorbed and therefore not work. Dog breeds with thick coats, like Golden Retrievers and Alaskan Malamutes, are especially challenging. I recommend that you shave a small section of the fur between his or her shoulder blades and apply the flea treatment there so you know it is absorbed through the skin.   

Lastly, the flea medicine could be expired, causing it to fail. Be sure to check the expiration date on the flea control product.

Have you used PetArmor Plus for Dogs? What has been your experience? Share your thoughts and experience in the comment section below.