Posts tagged "iams"

Each week, Ben Westhoff shares the ups and downs of owning Pippi, the dalmatian mix he and his wife, Anna, adopted as a puppy in late 2009.

After I adopted my cat Nora in 1999, my brother Alex -- a longtime cat caretaker himself -- cautioned me about cat food. "Don't just buy her the cheap stuff," he said. "It's the equivalent of feeding your cat McDonald's every day." Indeed, I've always gotten her Iams, usually, and believe that's part of the reason she's never had a single health problem in her nearly 12 years.

So when we got Pippi, I assumed Iams would be the brand for her too, and we began feeding her the Smart Puppy Proactive Health Plan. Only it seemed to have regularly caused her diarrhea. That's not to say that there's anything wrong with the brand, it just didn't seem to work for Pippi. And so, on the recommendation of our vet, we switched to Purina Pro Plan, and her irritable bowel issues pretty much cleared up overnight.

We want everyone to be able to participate in the Meet the Breeds event in New York City on October 16 and 17. 160 dog breeds, 41 cat breeds and tens of thousands of people will be coming together for two days of entertainment, education, kids' activities and more.

Paw Nation is the official blog of the event so, if you are able to attend, be sure to stop by our booth. But if you can't, don't worry. You can still get in on some of the fun. For the next week we are going to be having a Meet the Breeds Giveaway Bonanza with contests launching every (work) day. We are kicking it off with a special giveaway from Iams.

As sponsors of Meet the Breeds, and in honor of the upcoming event, Iams wants to make buying your pet's food just a little easier. They're giving away a year of Iams dog food! The winner will receive the prize in the form of vouchers, allowing them to pick up the food at the retailer of their choice.

A year's worth of dog food (240 pounds) is a terrific prize, valued at $250. And, as always, entering to win is simple!

To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your pet's mealtime routine.

The comment must be left before 5 p.m. ET on Friday, October 15, 2010.

You may enter only once.

One winner will be selected in a random drawing.

One winner will receive vouchers for 240 pounds of Iams dog food (valued at $250).

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete official rules. Winner will be notified by e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid address!

Did you know it's National Pet Week? Now through May 8, we'll be celebrating National Pet Week by going outside with our pooches to enjoy the beautiful spring weather, and maybe do a little extra cuddling on the couch. Iams is celebrating as well by working with us to give away a fabulous Iams National Pet Week Prize Pack!

The Prize Pack includes an eight-pound bag of Iams ProActive Health with PreBiotics; a variety of plush dog toys including a Plush Bone Toy, Plush Bear Dog Toy, Plush Football Dog Toy and Iams Frisbee; a comfy nylon dog bed and, to make sure your pet is staying fit, an Iams Pet Pedometer.

This week, one lucky Paw Nation reader will win an Iams National Pet Week Prize Pack. Enter below for your chance to win!

To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us how you plan to celebrate National Pet Week with your pet.

The comment must be left before 5 p.m. ET on Monday, May 10, 2010.

You may enter only once.

One winner will be selected in a random drawing.

One winner will receive an Iams National Pet Week Prize Pack with an eight-pound bag of Iams ProActive Health with PreBiotics; a variety of plush dog toys including a Plush Bone Toy, Plush Bear Dog Toy, Plush Football Dog Toy and Iams Frisbee; a comfy nylon dog bed and an Iams Pet Pedometer (valued at $67.50).

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete official rules. Winner will be notified by e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid address!

Hilary Swank is ecstatic. The two-time Oscar-winning actress has another accomplishment of which she can be proud: As ambassador for the Iams Home 4 for the Holidays campaign, she has helped 1.4 million animals find loving homes in the last few months.

As the owner of two rescued dogs, Karoo and Rumi, and two rescued parrots, Angel and Seuss, pet adoption is something Swank preaches and lives.

Just days after the Iams Home for the Holidays campaign ended earlier this month, Swank spoke with Paw Nation and opened up about the first pet she ever had, why she's passionate about pet adoption, and why she never leaves home without her pets -- all four of them!

How do you feel about having helped 1.4 million animals find homes?
I'm thrilled. Especially during these difficult economic times, for people to bring another animal, another mouth that needs to be fed [into their homes], it's quite incredible. It just makes me so happy to know that these animals that were homeless, they now have a chance at life in a loving home.

Why do you feel so strongly about helping animals get adopted?
They don't have a voice to be able to speak about their situations. They need advocates to go out and speak for them and encourage anyone who wants to bring an animal into their home to adopt. When you hear those statistics, that 8 million animals yearly are homeless and approximately 6 million of them get put to sleep, you're just like, spread the word!

Hilary Swank took time out of her busy schedule (she's currently promoting her latest film, "Amelia") to attend the Iams Home 4 the Holidays event. Along with her mom, Judy Swank, the Oscar winner posed for pictures and helped raise awareness for shelter pets. This definitely is our kind of red-carpet photo -- precious!

Helping shelter animals definitely is no acting gig for Swank; this actress walks the walk. She currently lives with two rescued dogs: Karoo, a Jack Russel/Corgi mix she found as a tick-infested stray while working on a film; and Rumi, a Golden Retriever mix she adopted from the East Valley Humane Society. Throughout her life, she's also rescued other dogs, cats and birds.

Swank says in her Iams profile, "Every day when I look at Karoo and Rumi, I know they're thankful I've adopted them into my family, and I'm just as thankful they've adopted me." Finally, a celebrity with whom we can really connect!