Sport Archives - Detroit Duchess

Celebrating Four Years of Blogging

August 1, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 6 Comments

Four years ago I took a leap of faith and hit publish on this little blog of mine. Since then, I’ve learned so much about blogging, writing and social media and had a lot of fun in the process. I’ve had some amazing opportunities with partners and sponsors and am always honored when amazing companies want to work with me. I mentioned in my Miracle Morning post at the beginning of the year, that this last year was personally very difficult for me. My posts have been fewer and further between, but I’m glad I pushed through and didn’t give this up. For those of you that have kept reading, I LOVE having you here. My sincerest wish for this site is for you to imagine we are enjoying some girl talk over a glass of wine.

As I tried to take some photos, Sport kept trying to eat my candle – this little boy brings me tons of joy! I thought Sport and I would announce my annual blogiversary giveaway with a month of giveaways. Enter the giveaway below and each week I will choose another winner.

Week 1 – August 8

I started The Miracle Morning this year and it has changed everything! I want to help someone else change their life so I’m giving away a copy of Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning as my first prize.

Week 2 – August 15

This year, I was able to attend a screening of Beauty and the Beast and this was one of my favorite movies. Of all the Disney princesses I most identified with Belle. As a child I always had my nose in a book. I loved the live action movie so much and want to give away a little piece of the story to my readers. My second prize is this Beauty and the Beast stained glass rose compact. It is so beautiful!

Week 3 – August 22

Speaking of movie screenings, I covered 50 Shades Darker this year and had SO much fun at the screening and pulling together Anastasia’s looks from the movie. I’m a huge romance novel fan (my guilty pleasure) and 50 Shades is one of my favorites. I recently re-read the books and wanted to give one reader her very own masquerade mask. This is the authentic Samantha Peach mask that Anastasia wore in the movie.

Week 4 – August 29

Last but not least, is this adorable little pineapple planter from my Summer Favorites list. I am obsessed with pineapples right now and I thought this would look perfect in someone’s home.

You can enter the giveaway here, and I will announce a new winner each week. Thank you for all of your support over the past four years!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 50 Shades Darker, Beauty and the Beast, Blogiversary, Detroit Duchess, Giveaway, Hal Elrod, Miracle Morning, Samantha Peach, Sport

Freshen Up Your Home with Febreze One

July 25, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 7 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and could tell they had a pet even before seeing it? Many times they have become immune to the smell and don’t realize that their guests can’t ignore it. Sport is the apple of our eye, but sometimes he has a smell only we can love. There are tons of things you can do to combat pet odor, but sometimes you just need something to tide you over until the next wash. Enter Febreze One…

I know you’ve heard of Febreze before, but the new Febreze One uses “flairisol” technology for a light spray and it’s the first of its kind that contains no aerosols, dyes of heavy perfumes. I was please to hear this because John is very sensitive to smells in the house, so I don’t like to use things that will irritate him. Febreze One was just released at your local Meijer on July 23 and is available in Mandarin, Bamboo and Orchid scents. I tested out the Bamboo and Orchid scents.

We keep a crate for Sport and he spends his afternoons there while we are at work. We first used towels in the bottom of his crate, but they didn’t make for a comfortable surface, so we upgraded to a very plush pad. Sport loves the pad, but it retains a lot more puppy odor. I have a reminder in my phone to move and clean his crate/wash the pad at least once a month. In between that monthly cleaning, we need Febreze One to keep it fresh.

We have a bed for Sport in our bedroom and he will chill out there at night sometimes and when we are getting ready in the morning. I usually put a blanket over the bed so I can wash it more often. If you get close enough you can definitely smell dog which is where we need the Febreze One. Our bedroom is supposed to be our sanctuary so we want it to smell fresh.

Sport also likes to sleep in our bed most nights and since our comforter is dryclean only, I only take it in to be cleaned once a year. I change the sheets once a week, but a lot of times I’ll catch Sport laying on our bed, which is fine, but you can definitely tell where his spot is. Febreze One is the perfect solution to keep our comforter fresh and airy and not smelling like dog.

If you have an mPerks account, Meijer is currently offering a coupon to save $1.50 when you purchase a Febreze One Starter Mist through July 29.

Do you use Febreze to freshen up your home? What are your tips to combat pet odors?

For more Meijer posts, click here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Febreze, Febreze One, Meijer, Sport

BarkBox March 2017 Unboxing

April 13, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

If you decide to treat your pup to their own BarkBox, you can click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to try one for free and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

This month’s Barkbox says “For centuries, Japanese dogs have celebrated the blooming of sakura by picnicking with their humans! We’ve loaded this box with sushi and snacks to give your dog their very own hanami bento, because tradition is delicious.”

1.Hello Ducky! Treats

These are a Barkbox product made in the USA but unfortunately already sold out. They are made on open grilling racks to keep the fat down. They added rosemary oil for an extra hit of flavor. I did read the instructions and they said that you should only give 1 treat per 15 pounds, so that means Sport only gets one a day.

2. Sydneys Salmon Nigiri ($8)

Sport loves a squeaker and this toy was no different. His last few toys have been a little harder for him to kill the squeaker so this one is just what he needed – an easy squeaker kill. How cute is this little piece of sushi? I tried following him around for a while but he kept running away as soon as I got the camera ready.

3. Mr. Porkle Teriyaki Pork Flavored Dog Treats

Unfortunately these training treats are sold out. Sport loved these! I took the photo on our dining room hutch and after I had put everything away I saw him go back to the spot and had lifted himself up to see if there were any left – he is a hoot!

4. Get that Geta Shoe Toy ($10)

So I had no idea what this toy was for the longest time and then when I went to look it up on the website I realized it was actually a Geta shoe! These shoes are inspired by the traditional getas of feudal Japan, which were designed to elevate the foot in an effort to avoid ruining kimonos in puddles. This toy is filled with crinkle and a squeaker for maximum sound effects. It’s a shoe that your dog can actually eat!

5. Etta Says Buffalo Chews ($3)

Sport really seems to like these types of sticks, and this one was no different – it was gone in about two minutes. Etta Says is made with 100% all natural ingredients from farms throughout the USA. Their chews are easy to digest, don’t have an odor and won’t leave a stain on your carpet (big plus!).

Sport had a lot of fun with his sushi treat this time around:

“Look at what I did Mom!”

This is my squeaker!

If you would like to try Barkbox for your pup, click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to get a free Barkbox for your pup and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

To read more posts about Sport, click here.

Filed Under: Sport Tagged With: BarkBox, Bento Box, Dog, Sport

Sport Turns Five!

February 14, 2017 by DetroitDuchess 5 Comments

Our baby is FIVE! On February 6, our baby Sport turned five years old! To celebrate I am sharing five of my favorite recent photos and some of the fun ways we celebrated.

Sport starting out with a Celebration Cake from Three Dog Bakery. We chose the peanut butter version this time and he loved it! You can refrigerate it for up to a week so we cut it up into a few pieces so he could have some all week.

Picture #2 – That lip just kills me – he definitely knows how to make us feel guilty about leaving for work.

On his birthday, we took Sport to doggie daycare and they sent him home with a birthday goody bag. He couldn’t wait to get home and check it out.

Picture #3 – This picture mostly cracks me up, because I have no idea how he is even on the couch! This was on Christmas Eve and we were pooped! He is really just a little cuddlebug most of the time and I love this picture because he never wants to leave my side.

On his birthday, we got Sport some refills for his chipmunk log from Zippy Paws. You can refill it with chipmunks and he has to dig them out of this log. It is really cute and he has fun playing with it.

Picture #4 – We didn’t even pose this – he was holding his favorite puppy love squeaky toy and I was able to snap this. His little teeth are so adorable!

We also got Sport a little squeaky “Dog Perignon” toy for his birthday, but he was too tired to finish it off after all the excitement.

Picture #5 – His face in this picture is the cutest! That little tongue!

Happy Birthday Sport! We love you!

To read more posts about Sport, click here.

Filed Under: Sport Tagged With: Cocker Spaniel, Dog, Sport, Sport Sabourin

BarkBox September 2016 Unboxing

October 2, 2016 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

If you decide to treat your pup to their own BarkBox, you can click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to try one for free and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

This month’s BarkBox theme was Bark To School. I can’t even with how cute some of this stuff was, starting with the yearbook themed paper:

Everything in this month’s box had a back to school theme and I loved it. John and I were just standing around checking out the box and the paper before we pulled out all of the treats and toys!

1. Yeti Dog Treats Crunchy Puffs ($6.99)

These were really interesting and smelly! They have authentic Himalayan Yak Cheese in every bite. To make these they take the leftover pieces from the other treats they make and microwave them together to create the puffs. I loved that these were so different than any of the other treats we’ve received for Sport. On the bag they had an offer to use code BARK to receive 15% off any of their dog chews.

2. Dog Ate My Homework ($8)

This toy was pretty much the funniest dog toy I’ve ever seen. It had the crinkly sounding paper plus multiple squeakers in each page which Sport loves. Make sure to read the text – it is hilarious! Who comes up with this stuff?!

3. Ham & Cheese Sammies

These are too cute with the theme and fit perfectly in his Treat Tin from a few boxes ago. I love having little treats on hand that we can toss him throughout the day for training exercises. These include pork, blended into an oat and barley batter with cheddar cheese.

4. Be Good Brown Bag Lunch ($12)

I couldn’t believe how cute this was! The bag had the crinkle paper and was just like a real paper lunch bag! A PB&J sandwich and cookie squeaky toys were inside the bag! I can’t wait to give this to Sport and maybe I will throw a couple treats inside too!

5. Chicken Soup for the Soul Savory Sticks

Who knew they made dog treats and food? These treats are made and sourced in the USA and feature rescue dogs on every bag – how sweet! Sport is definitely the chicken soup for my soul (AWWWWW).

After all that bark to school fun, Sport is pooped!

If you would like to try Barkbox for your pup, click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to get a free Barkbox for your pup and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

To read more posts about Sport, click here.

Filed Under: Sport Tagged With: BarkBox, Dog, Sport

BarkBox August 2016 Unboxing

September 11, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

If you decide to treat your pup to their own BarkBox, you can click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to try one for free and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

Before I kick off the review, I have to mention how awesome the BarkBox app is. You can watch the progress of your box and it lists each month’s item so you can quickly and easily reorder it at the BarkBox price. You can also get a sneak peek of what’s coming in the next box.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love a theme and this month’s BarkBox did not disappoint! The theme was “California Droolin'” and it could not have been cuter!

The BarkBox “PUPS” magazine killed me! Too cute!

Sport knows these boxes are for him, so he was definitely droolin’ to see what was inside:

1. Tito’s Taco ($14)

For me, this was the highlight of the box. This taco was the cutest thing I have ever seen! There were different layers that were velcroed together and the outside taco shell made a crinkly, crunchy noise. The middle layer had two squeakers hidden in there. Sport killed the squeaker layer, but left the rest intact, so I wish there was a replaceable middle layer I could get to reuse it.

2. Chompin’ Charlie ($9)

Sport loved this little shark and immediately went to town on getting the squeaker out. This toy was such high quality, the stuffing was really nice and it was tightly put together which made the squeaker harder to get to.

3. Emerald Pets 12 inch Piggy Twizzie

When I was trying to unwrap this, I accidentally dropped it on the floor and it broke in half. So I ended up giving Sport only half of this at a time. He devoured the first half and then when I gave him the second half a few days later he wasn’t as interested. He may have been full though or not sure how to eat it. I ended up breaking up the second half for him.

4. House of Pups Fish Taco Treats ($6)

These were too adorable with the theme! These little whitefish “taco” treats were shaped like little fishes blending hearty flaxseed, peas, tomato, and cheddar cheese into a chickpea batter. Sport approved!

5. Honest Love Lamb & Honey Seaside Snacks ($6)

Sport loved these lamb and honey flavored seaside snacks. These are made in the USA and are grain-free biscuits made from a chickpea flour batter, blended with tapioca, flaxseed, and potatoes.

We are thrilled with our first two BarkBoxes and can’t wait to see what’s coming in the September box!

If you would like to try one for yourself, you can click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to get a free Barkbox for your pup and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

To read more posts about Sport, click here.

Filed Under: Sport Tagged With: BarkBox, Cocker Spaniel, Dog, Sport

BarkBox July 2016 Unboxing

September 5, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

For Sport’s one year anniversary, we decided to treat him to a monthly BarkBox. July was our first one and he LOVED it! Each box is themed and this one was “Sherlock Bones.” We were so excited that we pretty much gave him everything right up front. For the next box, we are trying to ration each item out throughout the month. Here are a few of the fun items in July’s box.

For some reason Sport knew this box was for him and was going crazy when I was opening it up. I was impressed with all we got for just $20!

1. Sojos Good Dog Chicken Pot Pie Treats

These are SO adorable! They are the perfect size for training exercises and are 100% natural. We got the chicken pot pie flavor, but I discovered that they also have shepherd’s pie, peanut butter and jelly, apple dumpling and blueberry cobbler.

2. Droolers Whitefish Soft Bites Treats

These are another great option for training treats. These have three Omega-3’s with Droolers patented Chia. Sport loves these and they are almost gone! They also have duck, kangaroo, salmon and turkey flavors. I also didn’t know that dogs liked kangaroo so that’s weird…

3. Treat Tin

I was thrilled with the adorable treat tin they sent us. It was the perfect tin for the chicken pot pie treats!

4. Harry Barker Scottie Dog

Sport loved this little plaid scottie dog and tore it apart in under thirty minutes.

5. Old Timer Pocketwatch

This was another good option with a squeaker (a must have for Sport). This was so adorable with the theme! I didn’t get a great picture of this one because Sport didn’t want to wait to destroy it, haha!

Overall we loved our first BarkBox and can’t wait to see what next month has in store for us!

If you would like to try one for yourself, you can click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to get a free Barkbox for your pup and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

To read more posts about Sport, click here.

Filed Under: Sport Tagged With: BarkBox, Sherlock Bones, Sport

Sport Sabourin: One Year Later

July 16, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 6 Comments

It’s been a year since we adopted our Cocker Spaniel, Sport and everyday with him has been a joy. We’ve had an amazing year and I wanted to share some of our favorite highlights along the way. From the day we brought him home, we fell in love with his sweet face. We blew this picture up and have it hanging in our bedroom.

On Halloween, Sport couldn’t decide if he would rather have tricks or treats. This video cracks me up so I had to share:

Sport blends into our couch and I can’t tell you how many times one of us has walked through the living room and asked “Where’s Sport?” only to find him laying on the couch.

During Christmas he was such a hoot – I had purchased a few things for him to open on Christmas and put them in the guest room to wrap up. He knew there was something in there for him, so he sat outside the door.

In January, we discovered Sport’s super cute pouty lip:

Later that month, he was a trooper when he had to get his shots:

In February, Sport turned 4 and we celebrated with presents and a special doggie birthday cake:

One of his presents was a treat tower which he loves:

On Fat Tuesday, Sport enjoyed a donut and a Busy Bone:

On Valentine’s Day, Sport got his sloppy kisses and puppy love toys.

Since then puppy love has been Sport’s favorite toy. He carries it around like it’s his prized possession.

Most of the time Sport is very tired:

But he does love a car ride:

Sport loves his squeaker toys and carrying around the little squeakers (don’t worry, he doesn’t chew them, after stops the squeaking he likes to carry them around and hide them).

In any case, we can’t get enough of this face:

So for our one year anniversary, we’ve decided to treat our boy to his very own monthly BarkBox. I can’t wait to see what fun treats he gets each month. I’m planning to share each month’s box and link to his favorite treats and toys. If you would like to try one for yourself, you can click the link here and use the code “SPORT” to get a free Barkbox for your pup and Sport gets a free box added on to his account.

I’m creating a new Sport category on the blog, so if you would like to read more about our sweet little boy, click here.

Filed Under: Sport Tagged With: BarkBox, Cocker Spaniel, Dog, Sport, Sport Sabourin

Five on Friday: Happy Birthday Sport!

February 5, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

Tomorrow is Sport’s 4th birthday! We are so blessed to have our sweet boy and I cannot wait to spoil him rotten. John has also been gone on a business trip for two weeks and is coming back today – just in time to celebrate! Since we adopted Sport, I’ve been looking for fun treats and toys that he might love and figured I would share a few in this post (along with some pictures of my cutie pie!).

1. Bowser Beer for Dogs ($23.99 for a 6-pack)

I got the Cock-a-Doodle Brew for Sport to try. Now that he will be four he is definitely over 21 in dog year (ha ha). This stuff is great for a few reasons, it is made in the USA and it even contains glucosamine for joint health. You can even order custom labels with your dog’s photo!

2. Zippy Paws Burrow Toys ($19.99)

I love Zippy Paws! Another American company, they have such fun and creative dog toys. Sport had a blast with the burrow toy we got him for Christmas so I decided to get him this Chipmunk Burrow Log for his birthday. Sport loves anything with a squeaker!

3. K9 Granola Factory Treats

Sport LOVES K9 Granola Factory! These treats are amazing and smell so good. I love that they are all natural and have such healthy ingredients for our boy. For his birthday we are going to try the blueberry flavor.

4. Dog Treat Tower ($9.99)

I wanted to try a puzzle toy with Sport, but I’m not sure if he will like it. He is mostly food driven so I figured I would test this treat tower out with him. This looks fun for him and you can increase the difficulty if he masters it.

5. NCAA Michigan Wolverines Collegiate Outerwear Dog Coat ($41.99)

We got this for Sport for Christmas and he loves it. He gets so many compliments while wearing it too!

What are your favorite items for your pup? We can’t wait to spoil our sweet boy for his birthday tomorrow. Stay tuned as I’m sure I will share some pics on social media.

For more Five on Friday/Friday Favorites posts, click here.

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