Pixel's Joy of Giving Ideal Balance Treat Giveaway Award Show

Welcome to the "Pixel's Joy of Giving" Ideal Balance Treat Giveaway Award Show!!

This is the 2nd Pixel Gift Giveaway sponsored by my friends at Hill's Pet Food. I can't wait to share the exciting results and name the recipients. Their names are listed here in this "secret ballot" envelope. I've enlisted the help of my friend "Little Blue Bear" to help me call out all the winner's names. No one has seen who the winners are, not even me. I had the names specially drawn by an independent panel. But before we name the winners, let me give you a little background on the giveaway.

I teamed up with my friends at Hill's pet food to introduce their wonderful line of Ideal Balance pet food and treats. As part of the campaign, we had this giveaway so folks could try the Ideal Balance all natural dog and cat treats. This giveaway started during the month of November and included the Thanksgiving holiday. As part of the fun of entering, I had everyone share messages of gratitude for the blessings in their life. There were all kinds of wonderful responses on Facebook, Twitter and here on the blog. The original blog post for this exciting giveaway can be read here. I received many wonderful comments about what everyone was thankful for, most notably the joys of family, animals, good health and the joy of laughter. It was so invigorating to see so many grateful sentiments!

Each one of the 20 lucky winners will receive 3 bags of either Hill's Ideal Balance dog treats or cat treats. Hill's has several varieties of dog treats and one kind of cat treat that are sure to please your little ones! Don't be surprised if some of the winning dogs or cats do what I did and jump right into the box of delivered goodies without a warning. And yes, this wonderful giveaway will be delivered right to your door. What a great way to celebrate the holidays by giving gifts! 

I know that the anticipation to name the lucky recipients is growing in leaps and bounds right now, so without further ado, let's announce the winners, shall we? 

1. Cindy Ky Blazavich Dickey (her Dad has Abel the Service Dog)

2. Charlie the Lucky 7 (family of rescue dogs)

3. Maureena Lucas (has 5 rescue dogs)

4. Stephanie Lynn McGlocklin (has several dogs)

5. Rebecca Boren (3 dogs - Charles(15 yrs) Miriam & Bandit)

6. Brittany Phillips (her dog is Spencer the Goldendoodle)

7. Leonard Davis
8. Kimberly Clark (has 4 dogs)

9. Sharon Myers (wishes to donate hers to a local shelter)

10. Kimberly Oestrike Daniels - (2 dogs - Buddy & Girlie dog)

11. Tori Leigh

12. Hadley Anne Monge (Pam Monge)

13. Emily Lee Decobert (parents take in stray dogs)

14. Loretta Jeffcoat

15.  Liz Gullet and Pippy her dog

16.  Jean Griffin-Young (Mitzi Jo and siblings)

17. Natalie B. (1 dog, 2 cats, parakeet)

18. Elizabeth Arant (Kermit the dog)

19. Einstein Smith

20. Missy O'Reagan (Dachshunds French Fry and Low Rider)

IF YOU ARE A WINNER, YOU MUST CONTACT ME ASAP TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE AND GIVE SHIPPING INFORMATION TO MOMMY JENNY LEWIS! Please email me at: pixelblueeyes.blog at gmail dot com, private message me on Facebook or direct message me on Twitter. I need your name, physical address with city state and zip code, phone number, email address and pets names. 

Congratulations to each of the lucky winners of the "Pixel's Joy of Giving Treat Giveaway" sponsored by Hill's Ideal Balance pet food. I hope you enjoy them and I can't wait to see photos! Photos of our past winners from my other Hill's Ideal Balance giveaway will be posted soon here on the blog. 

Thank you for participating friends and have a wonderful week!!

The Joy of Giving and Being Thankful - Pixel Hosts a Hill's Treats Giveaway!

My dear friends, as the holiday season approaches, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I can't help but think of all the things I'm truly thankful for. I have the most wonderful Mommy & family who loves me beyond measure; I have two extra special fur sisters whom I adore; I have a good vet who helps keep me as healthy as possible; I have lots of wonderful friends whom I love sharing with; I get to eat really good food everyday; I get to blog about my adventures and joys with people from all over the world; I have the best collection of toys a girl could ask for; and I get to be spoiled with special treats everyday. Oh, I could go on and one, but that gives you an idea of why I am so thankful.

The treats that I have fallen in love with are my Hill's Ideal Balance Oven Baked Naturals. Oh my goodness, they are so yummy-licious! I remember the first time those treats were delivered to my house, back when I first started blogging for Hill's. I could smell the yummy goodness even before they came out of the box!

Mommy always wants to give me healthy dog treats, so she read the ingredients thoroughly and liked what she read. We could see what the treats looked like right through the front window of their very appealing packaging. Mommy likes that you can literally see the little chunks of fruit like cranberry and blueberry pieces in each treat. I like that they taste so good. Hill's Ideal Balance treats are all natural, and there's no soy, wheat or corn in them. And U.S. chicken is the number one ingredient!

As you all know, I love doing my tricks with Mommy. We've trained for years mastering each one. Although I certainly can do them without treats now, Mommy always likes to give me little treats as a reward. She appreciates the fact that the Ideal Balance treats are easy to break up into smaller pieces, so I get several little treats that actually is only one treat. It makes me feel extra special getting so many little ones!

Sometimes I get so overly excited to do my tricks that I almost shout for joy as I do them! Here I am doing a combo of my "Paw" trick (where I give Mommy my right paw) and my "Smile/Sneer" trick (where I give Mommy my best toothy grin). Of course, I get a little treat after doing several tricks in a row...and what better treat is there than a healthy dog treat that is grain free and made right here in the U.S.A.?
Would you like to see a video of me doing five of my tricks? I do love sharing my abilities with you, and it might just bring a smile to your face and laughter in your heart. Oh, and I guarantee that you will LOVE my "Pixel the Nascar Dog" trick video!

All of this talk of giving great tasting treats is making me hungry for some, how about you? Would you like to try Hill's Ideal Balance treats for your dog or cat? If so, then I want you to enter my "Pixel's Joy of Giving" Ideal Balance Treat Giveaway, sponsored by Hill's Pet Food!! 20 lucky winners will each receive 3 bags of either Hill's Ideal Balance dog treats or cat treats. It's very easy to enter, just follow the instructions below.

Here's what you need to do to be eligible for the giveaway. You only have to do ONE of these, but if you want to do more than one, your name goes in for each one you do. You just MUST let me know so I can verify:
1. Follow my blog here by signing up with the "Join This Site" button to the right of this post (you might have to scroll to get to it), then leave a comment here on the blog post letting me know what you're thankful for, why you want to try the treats and whether you want it for cats or dogs.
2. Follow me on Facebook by "LIKING" my page, then leave a comment on my Facebook timeline letting me know what you're thankful for, why you want to try the treats and whether you want it for cats or dogs.
3.Follow me on Twitter, then send me a tweet letting me know what you're thankful for, why you want to try the treats and whether you want it for cats or dogs.
4. Share this blog post via Facebook or Twitter and make sure to tag me so I know you did it.
5. If you get one of your friends to follow me in one of these steps above, tell them to LET ME KNOW and I will enter YOU in the drawing again.

Here is a list of the yummy varieties of dog and cat treats that Hill's offers:
1. Hill's® Ideal Balance™ Crunchy Naturals with Real Tuna cat treats
2. Hill's® Ideal Balance™ Oven-Baked Naturals with Chicken & Apples dog treats
3. Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Oven-Baked Naturals with Turkey & Cranberries dog treats
4. Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Soft-Baked Naturals with Beef & Sweet Potatoes dog treats

Now don't wait to enter friends, you haven't a moment to lose! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and you must enter by November 30, 2013. I will announce the winners the first week of December. If you have won the previous Hill's Ideal Balance Gift Basket Giveaway, you cannot enter this one as we want as many different people to have a chance to win as we can.
I think it is always best to give than to receive, so I can't wait to give 20 lucky winners a goody bag of treats. I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving and Hanukkah holiday next week! Remember to try to always be thankful each day and to look for the joy in the little things in life. It makes life so much more enjoyable!

Author has been compensated for completion of this article.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

The Joy of Perfect Balance & Nutrition - Hill's Ideal Balance Pet Food

Come a little closer, I have something important to say.

Perfect balance is very important in so many things. People need to have a balanced checkbook, car tires need to be balanced for safety, babies must learn to have balance before they can walk, good balance is ideal when you are dancing, and just life in general should be a good balance of work and play. The concept of balance is everywhere! I'm even balancing on this shelf to talk to you.

I love running as fast as I can, with my ear flying in the wind!

Mommy talks a lot about having a balanced meal for the family, a healthy amount of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals that come from the food to help everyone stay healthy. Of course, dogs and cats need to have balanced meals too. Since I love to run, I need to have a good balance of nutrients to support that kind of activity and exercise.
I don't get to choose what food I get, so Mommy has to make sure that my meals are a perfect balance of key nutrients that my body needs to maintain good health, energy, and a proper weight.

No, Mommy...I'm pretty sure I can open the bag by myself.

I've heard the phrase, "if a little does a little good, a lot must do a LOT of good!" With that idea in mind, if it were up to me personally, I'd eat anything and everything that's good! I'd eat a whole bag of Ideal Balance Baked Naturals Chicken and Apple treats a day if Mommy let me, just because it tastes so good, and especially because it is so good for me. But I guess that's why I'm not in control of my own feeding regiment, haha! (Is that why the bag is up on the top shelf Mommy?)
Seriously though, I asked Mommy why precisely balanced nutrition is so important for me. She says that each vital nutrient, such as protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber, has a specific job to do to keep my body in shape and nourished. Nutrient excess or deficiency can lead to a number of health conditions.
Here are some of the key nutrients that are important for good health, and a brief explanation of what each one does for the body.
1. Protein helps support lean muscle tissue in adult pets, and helps nourish growing muscle tissue in puppies and kitties. A pet's body can only absorb a certain amount of protein though, so too much protein in a diet can stress the liver and kidneys as it tries to process it and get rid of excess nitrogen. Over time, that can have an effect on those organs.
2. Fats, in the appropriate amounts in pet food, is excellent for healthy, soft skin and a beautiful, shiny fur. Too much fat in a diet can cause all kinds of issues like weight gain and blood problems, yet too little fat can be trouble too.
3. Fiber is great for healthy digestion, a healthy heart, and keep your cholesterol in check. Too much or too little can cause an upsetting imbalance in the intestines and cause unhealthy bowels.
4. Vitamins and minerals are essentials for so many reasons. Vitamins support the immune system. If levels are deficient in a pet food, fatigue or weakness can ensue, yet if vitamin levels are too high, organ stress can occur. Minerals help grow and maintain strong muscles and healthy teeth. Yet if mineral levels are too low or too high, serious health issues can arise.

I've got the moves....cha, cha, cha!

Hill's Ideal Balance natural and grain free pet food seeks out that perfect balance of these key nutrients for your pet...not too much and not too little. They use high quality ingredients in every recipe. As with any food, when ingredient quality increases, so does a pet's ability to absorb and use the nutrients for optimum health. Plus, it just might help them dance better, too. I mean, check out my samba...I'm workin' it over big time thanks to my healthy balanced diet! Now, all Mommy has to do is give me that treat!

Are you feeding your dog a perfectly balanced nutrition? Find out if your dog's food contains properly balanced nutrition and how to make a change if it doesn't. I invite you to the Hill's Ideal Balance website and do a self assessment of your current food vs. Hill's Ideal Balance. They also did their own comparison of some of the biggest dog food brands and share their findings here.
Just remember, whether you are seeking the right food for your pet, or seeking to master the perfect twirl, BALANCE IS THE KEY. Would you like to try Hill's Ideal Balance for your pet? I say, go ahead, give it a whirl!! Or should I say give it a TWIRL! You'll be so glad you did.

A healthy, balanced, nutritious diet helps Pixel joyfully twirl all day long!

  

Author has been compensated for completion of this article.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Pixel & Hill's Gift Basket Giveaway - Congratulations to 20 Lucky Winners!

Welcome to the first ever "Pixel Blue Eyes Gift Basket Giveaway Award Show" sponsored by Hill's New Ideal Balance Pet Food! I know, that's a mouthful, but these awards provide a mouth full of yummy goodness if you are one of the lucky winners. I am so excited to reveal the 20 winners - 10 winners will receive the awesome Dog Gift Basket and 10 winners will receive the Cool Cat Gift Basket! I dressed up fancy for this very special occasion. It's not everyday you get to give away wonderful prizes like this!

There were numerous entries for both the Dog Gift Baskets and the Cat Gift Baskets. We put a lot of thought and planning into this special giveaway and Hill's Ideal Balance is at the very center of it. Remember that Hill's Ideal Balance pet food and treats is a perfect balance of nutrition that your pet will love. I thought it would be fun to do this drawing the old fashioned way...by pulling the winners out of a hat. The only problem was...I only had one nice hat, but two separate drawings. So, I had Mommy put the cat entries in the hat (get it? Cat in the Hat, BOL!) and the dog entries in a nice pretty box.

Mommy and I were very careful to ensure fairness for all. Each entry was written on a piece of paper, folded up and placed in the appropriate location. They were mixed up super well, then the winners were drawn at random. I inspected each one that was drawn, first for the dog basket winners, and then for the cat basket winners. I wouldn't let Mommy see any of the winners until they were all drawn. So, without further adieu, let me announce the Lucky Winners. If your name is on the winners lists below, email me your first and last name, your pet's name, your physical shipping address, phone number and a valid email address, and of course a reminder of which basket you won. I will compare to my list just to make sure everyone gets their correct gift basket of goodies.
The  HILL'S IDEAL BALANCE DOG BASKET WINNERS ARE:
1. Diane Bykowski
2. Amy Martis
3. Cindy Kolis
4. Patricia Willis
5. Mitzi Frank
6. Janet Keefe
7. Donna Platt
8. Joanne Halstead
9. Carol K.
10. Sharon Elliott
The HILL'S IDEAL BALANCE CAT BASKET WINNERS ARE:
1. Richelle Lowman
2. Lynette Conkle
3. Carol Purwin
4. Lisa Barnett
5. Heidi Jennings
6. Victoria Christo
7. Kris Calvino
8.  Lucille Hertel
9. Sharon Piper
10. Betsy Johnson McComas
Please see below for details on how to claim your gift basket.

Now, I would LOVE to see photos of you with your gift basket, but only if you feel comfortable doing so. Maybe your cat(s) or dog(s) opening it or enjoying it. If you DO feel like doing this, please post your photo(s) on my Facebook page at #/pixelblueeyes.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this. It was so much fun, I think I might just do this again in the next couple of months...what do you think?
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS of the Hill's Ideal Balance Gift Basket Giveaway!! If you are a winner, please email me at 'pixelblueeyes (dot) blog (at) gmail (dot) com' and provide me with the following information:  Your First & Last Name; U.S. physical street address including city, state, zip code where a package can be delivered (not by the post office); Phone Number; Pet's Name(s) and whether it is cat or dog; and of course, a Valid Email Address.
Please send me this information by Friday October 4, 11:59 pm PST.
**NOTE: If you are having this delivered to a rescue, shelter or as a gift, please give me the name of the person or group it is going to as well.
I can't wait to hear from every one of the prize winners...and for those who did NOT win, I wish you the very best of luck next time. Thank you again to Hill's Pet Nutrition, makers of the new Ideal Balance line of pet food for sponsoring this fun giveaway!

The Joy of Gourmet Meals & Giveaways - Ideal Balance Gift Baskets!

Eating good food and giving gifts are two topics I love talking about! First let's talk about food, then we'll talk about gift giving. To me, a good meal is as enjoyable an experience as you can get. My favorite type of meal involves moist savory morsels, a little dry kibble and a lot of love. I am on a wheat, soy, and corn free diet, so Mommy is very finicky about the types of foods I ingest. I, on the other hand, just want it to taste good. I savor every bite! When I eat my meals or have a treat or two, I never let even the tiniest bit of food or crumb escape my clutches. I am, after all, the official "Finder of Long Lost Kibble", so I take eating very seriously and believe a good gourmet meal that is well balanced helps keep me strong, healthy and active.

My friends at Hill's Pet Food feel the very same way. They too take food very seriously and believe that a pet's daily feedings should include a combination of dry kibble (my favorite!), wet food and little treats throughout the day. Now that's MY kind of thinking! Hill's has an excellent new line of food for dogs and cats called "Hill's Ideal Balance" that is wheat, soy and corn free. Some of their recipes are Grain Free as well. Ideal Balance is a perfect blend of all natural ingredients like chicken meat, sweet potatoes, peas, and apples, plus there are no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. When you feed Ideal Balance foods, you can be assured that your pet is getting natural ingredients in perfect balance.

When Mommy and I wanted try Hill's Ideal Balance complimentary nutrition of wet dog food, dry dog food, and treats for ourselves, she said we would be getting a special delivery of it. I couldn't wait for that package to be delivered to our door. I hung out near the front door for days just waiting. They say a watched pot never boils. Well, a watched driveway never has the delivery man show up either. Finally, several days later, the package arrived. I was overjoyed!

The moment Mommy opened up that box of heaven and started viewing the contents, I dove in before she could even see what all was inside (even though she kind of knew already). We wanted a good well balanced sampling of their dry, grain-free foods, some of their wet canned food, and some treats...a dog can't live without treats. Mommy says it's very important to feed your pet gourmet meals filled with love that combine wet/dry food and treats throughout the day.

My sisters Peanut and Dixie Mae were on hand to check out what we'd had delivered. Dixie and I looked deep into Mommy's eyes, clearly letting her know we needed to try one of the treats first. "Which one do you want to try first?" she asked.

Peanut already had her eye on one of the treat bags while Dixie and I were staring Mommy down. She had picked out the Soft Baked Naturals with Beef and Sweet Potato dog treats right away. Look at how excited she was! I thought she was going to paw the bag open herself.

But Dixie Mae and I really wanted to try the oven Baked Naturals treats because we love the crunch! I gave Mommy my best puppy dog eyes and said, "Please Mommy?" She gave in and we all got our wish. Now, you must understand that my sister Dixie Mae is pretty laid back about everything; you might even say she's a little reserved in her judgement of things. She doesn't always show a lot of excitement...

So imagine Mommy's surprise at the sheer joy and exuberance that Dixie Mae showed over the new Hill's Ideal Balance Oven Baked Naturals with Chicken and Apples treats. She was absolutely giddy about them! They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so this photo says it all.

Mommy feels good knowing that, in Hill’s tradition, making nutritious food is at the core of their philosophy; quality and safety first is above all else. You will surely have peace of mind when feeding any Hill’s food and treats to your pet. Knowing that it tastes really good and that we all love it is very reassuring, because like all pet lovers, Mommy wants us to be happy with and enjoy what we are eating.

As you know from other posts of mine, Mommy works out all my meals and treats so that I am not getting over fed, but that I feel special with every tender morsel. Instead of feeding me one big meal a day, my sisters and I get several small meals that equal out to the right amount of food for each of us according to our ideal weight. So, let's talk about the logistics of a typical day for me and my food loving self, shall we? Remember, a perfect balance of nutritious gourmet meals and treats keeps me healthy, energetic and very, very happy.

First off, I feel it's important to mention that breakfast is often said to be the most important meal of the day for your body. You are literally 'breaking the fast' from a night of sleeping. Pets need to break that fast just as much as humans do, so me and my sisters get an early morning meal. Hill's Ideal Balance wet grain-free dog food is a great way to start off the day. I tried the "Braised Lamb & Vegetables Recipe" first. That sounds like food fit for royalty! The meat pieces were pretty big, so Mommy was kind enough to cut them up into more manageable pieces for a little dog like me. Mommy says a Princess of my stature gets special treatment when being fed a gourmet meal. I love it when she talks like that!

I get fed again around midday and then in the afternoon. Sometimes it's dry kibble (kibble is my affectionate word for dry dog food pieces) and sometimes Mommy will supplement the dry food with some wet food. I absolutely LOVE the Grain Free Natural Chicken and Potato Recipe. I scarf that down before you can count to 10. It has all natural ingredients that Mommy feels good about. She loves knowing that Hill's Ideal Balance creators care as much about what is going into my body as she does.

Of course, I can't forget to talk about the treats. Whenever Mommy leaves the house and I can't come with her, she always gives me a treat. That is her way of reassuring me. Without fail I always do at least one full twirl for her, then I gently take the treat from her hand. She loves my pirouettes, and I love the treat (and her of course), so we both enjoy our ritual. Mommy makes me feel special by giving both treats and attention to me. Hill's treats are yummy and so nutritious...a perfect balance of nutrition when given in conjunction with Hill's Ideal Balance wet and dry food.

Well, I am sure by this time that you are incredibly hungry, I know I am just talking about it! What if I told you that I am giving away 20 Hills' Ideal Balance Gift Basket to 20 lucky recipients...10 for cats and 10 for dogs? It's true friends!! Are you excited to try this wonderful, well balanced gourmet food for yourself? Then keep reading and I will give you ALL the details. Now, just because I talked about the dog food doesn't mean I'm leaving ALL my many cat friends out. I'm an equal opportunity puppy. First, I will tell you all the goodies that are in each cat and dog giveaway, then I will tell you what you have to do to have your name put in the running to win. Of course there will be two sets of drawings...10 names will be drawn for the cat gift baskets, and 10 for the dog gift baskets.

In the Cat Food Gift Basket Giveaway, the following items are included:
- Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Grain-Free natural Chicken & Potato Recipe Adult, 2 lb bag
- Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ wet food variety pack, 6 cans case
- Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Crunchy Naturals with Real Tuna
- Cat bowl
- Place mat
- Drinkwell Pet Fountain
(Photo of the cat giveaway items coming soon!)

In the Dog Food Gift Basket Giveaway, the following items are included:
- Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Grain-Free Natural Chicken & Potato Recipe Adult, 3.5 lb bag
- Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ wet food,
6 cans
- Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Treats,
2 bags variety
- Dog bowl
- Plush Blanket

Here's what you have to do to get in on all this action for your chance to win a fantastic Gift Basket from Hill's Ideal Balance and Pixel Blue Eyes. You can do one or more of the following things but I have to know you did them...it's only fair:
1. Sign up to follow my blog on the right side of this post by selecting the "Join this Site" button. Leave me a comment letting me know you've completed that action and tell me why you think Hill's Ideal Balance is a good food to try and why you would like to get the gift basket. Any reason is a good reason.
2. LIKE my Pixel Blue Eyes Facebook page , then post on my wall telling me you've done so and explaining why you think Hill's is a good food to try and why YOU'D like the gift basket.
3. Follow me on Twitter (@pixelblueeyes) , then send me a tweet telling me why you think Hill's is a good food to try and why YOU'D like the gift basket.
If you do more than one, your name goes in the drawing more than once. Pretty cool huh!
**NOTE: Make sure to tell me if you want the cat basket or the dog basket. I will immediately put your name in the cat or dog drawing.

I will have the drawing on SUNDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 and and announce the winners right here on the blog in a special post. Don't forget to check back here to see if you won. If you are a winner, I will then have you email me your Address and contact information so we can be sure to send it out to the right place.
Just think, any one of you could be a winner!! And there are 20 winners! Each of you will get a fantastic Gift Basket from Hill's Ideal Balance delivered to your door.
**NOTE:  Unfortunately, this giveaway is only for those with a U.S. address. Please forgive those limitations...if I could, I'd make this global! I love all my friends from all over the world.
Good luck friends and let's have some fun! I can't wait to hear from you....

**************************************************************************

Author has been compensated for completion of this article.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

The Joy of Hill's Ideal Balance Pet Food: Behind the Scenes

My friends, you know that I am a natural kind of dog that tries to stay as healthy as I can. Mommy and I both believe things should be simple, pure and as natural as can be. I've shared many an adventure where I've explored the great outdoor woods, celebrated the joys of little things, and shared wonderful food that Mommy has made for me that was all natural.  I also believe that a healthy life is about balance. I love to play & exercise, but I get plenty of rest to balance that out. I love to learn new commands and tricks, but Mommy always makes sure that I only have fun with it. And, of course, I love to eat good food and treats that are a wonderful balance of nutrition. That is how I stay in top Pixel shape.

Well, imagine my joy when I was asked to try a new and all natural grain free dog food by Hill's called Ideal Balance. This dog food is unlike most other dog foods, in that Hill's really does believe in a perfect balance of nutrition and safe, natural ingredients. Hill’s Ideal Balance has no corn, wheat (which I especially like since I’m a wheat free dog), soy, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. In fact, their healthy, all natural ingredients, such as real chicken meat, potatoes, peas, carrots, apples, cranberries, and flax seed, are guaranteed, or your money back.

I was very excited to try it out, so we had some sent to us. It seemed like forever before it finally arrived, but it was well worth the wait! When Mommy opened that box and I saw those wonderful bags of new, all natural dog food to try, I couldn't help but give Mommy the biggest smile I could muster!

Oh, the excitement of getting a new yummy food that is safe to eat is always a highlight to me and my sisters.  Peanut (the Pomeranian) and Dixie Mae (the Dachshund) were both excited about this new food too. Mommy said that only the very best ingredients go into the making of Ideal Balance. In fact, I remember getting to meet Dr. Kathy Gross at the BlogPaws conference back in May. Dr. Gross is a nutritionist at Hill's who was instrumental in the development of Hill's Ideal Balance pet food. She said that dog health, and of course cat health, is very important to everyone at Hill's.
When Mommy researched about Ideal Balance, she felt good knowing that Hill's sought significant consumer input on its pet food to better understand what pet parents wanted in a natural pet food.

The new, breakthrough packaging reflects the quality expected from Hill’s, showcasing the balanced ingredients inside. It outperformed other natural brands in "standing out on the shelf", looking unique and being viewed as a high quality product. ...at least that is what Mommy said. I said it looks yummylicious and it made me want to jump inside the bag right away and do my own taste test.

When Mommy was doing research about the food, she got to see the making of Hill's Ideal Balance pet food commercial, where they really highlight the idea of balanced nutrition for pets. Mommy pulled out her portable tablet and showed me, Dixie Mae and Peanut the making of the video too. We were very interested in how they used the latest technology to make the commercial. Mommy said we looked pretty enthralled as you can see from this photo.

Hill's created commercials set in a hyper-realistic world of balanced nutrition for dogs and cats. In separate commercials, they follow a dog and a cat as they discover the world of Ideal Balance. Along the way, the pets journey through the balanced elements that make up Ideal Balance: Perfect proportions of what pets need to be healthy – not too much, not too little.

After we learned all that in the "making of the video", we got to see the actual commercial with all the super cool special effects that made the dog look so beautiful, healthy and like he was walking in an amazing looking world of perfect balance....we REALLY got excited! We were barking and telling Mommy we couldn't wait to try it ourselves.  Talk about getting the consumer interested in the product...we LOVED watching how they made it and then watching the actual commercials. As a matter of fact, I think they should do even MORE commercials, and that maybe they would to use ME in their next Ideal Balance commercial. I mean, I have mastered perfect "balance" while doing my twirls and can do all kinds of commands and tricks on cue.

Here is the "Behind the Scenes" video showing the making of Hill's Ideal Balance pet food commercials.

And here is the amazing commercial they made for the dog food...it is such a beautiful thing!

Finally, Mommy let me taste this great new food for myself. We read that Hill's has received excellent reviews from pet parents who stated that their pets "love the taste" (even picky eaters), plus their pet's coat became shinier. The new Ideal Balance pet food has been very well received by both cat and dog parents alike. You can read some of the reviews from happy consumers on their Hill's Pet Food Facebook page. In spite of all these great reviews, I told Mommy that I would be happy to give my own review. I am after all, a big authority on great tasting kibble. Now, the first thing I had to do was choose which bag to open first. The one on my left looked a little closer...

Mommy cut open the top and saw that the packaging is high quality with a really neat resealable zipper type seal. I, on the other hand, was so excited I stuck my head in before she could say a word! Don't worry, she was able to stop me before I downed a huge mouth full....unfortunately!
"Wait Pixel," Mommy said. "Remember...this food, and our eating habits, are all about balance. Not too much, not too little."

She measured out the perfect amount for me, based on my weight (12 lbs) and how many times a day I eat. I get 3 square meals a day, plus occasional snacks, so this equates one of my meals. Look at how nice and well formed those kibbles are. It smells real good too!

She set it down for me and I scarfed it up so quickly, she almost didn't get a photo, BOL!! I told her it was delicious!!! I give it two paws up in taste, texture and crunch! So Mommy, when is my next meal time again?

Well, now that you know a little more about what went in to making this amazing new, natural pet food – go out and get some for your own family, and see the difference perfectly balanced natural ingredients can make. Take it from me, Pixel Blue Eyes, I promise you'll be glad you did!

Hill’s website offers all sorts of information on the products, including where you can purchase them, online or in your neighborhood – and you can even try it free with the rebate offer!

http://www.hillspet.com/ideal-balance/ideal-balance-home.html

Disclaimer:  Author has been compensated for completion of this article. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.