Henry, my Sheltie, loves Z-Fillets. Every morning before I leave for work he gets a fillet. He follows me around the kitchen while I’m doing other things in anticipation. It’s so funny to watch. I keep the open bag in a plastic cookie jar and when he hears me start to open the jar he looks up at me with such a huge smile, it’s awesome! It’s a great way to start my day and his

Ines, & Henry in GA

We already know that our dogs make us feel happy. They wag their tails (or sometimes their whole bodies!), lick our faces and make every day better by being in our lives. Somewhere along the way, we have even heard whispers of how they are actually good for our health. And that’s why we love this article! In this USA Weekend article, Steve Dale, animal behaviorist, gives us all of the reasons that dogs are good for us – everything we already knew in our hearts has now been medically proven!

How Dogs Spread Happiness - USA Weekend (January 19, 2012)

If truth be told, Zuke was the real founder of Zuke’s. He’s not just the namesake, the mascot or the cute dog on the package; he’s the spark, the impetus, the catalyst, the original reason that the Zuke’s all-natural treats exist today. And it was all because of a good, long hike on a typical summer afternoon…

Zuke was a well-loved dog. He and his human, Patrick, were the closest of friends and together loved to explore the beautiful mountains right outside their back door in Durango, Colorado. They had tallied up many miles of exploration when they set out on  a typical afternoon hike one of the trails nearby. But on this day, after hours of romping in streams, fetching sticks and running the trail, Zuke slowed down. He seemed suddenly, and uncharacteristically, exhausted.

Concerned, Patrick sat down with Zuke, gave him some water and shared his energy bar. With that, Zuke perked right up and became Patrick’s greatest source of inspiration. Patrick finally understood what Zuke had known all along: pets need healthy, all-natural snacks for energy as much as people do.

Zuke was the inspiration for Patrick’s company and the source of much love and companionship during their life together. And whether your dog inspires you to start a business, take a walk or just get out of bed early on a Saturday morning, be sure to thank them for the opportunities and possibilities they show you that you may not be able to see on your own. They are inspiration at your fingertips.

Tell us how your dog inspires you! We will randomly choose one winner from the list of respondents on Thursday, January 26th, to receive a free bag of Mini Naturals!

My pug Lou lives for Zukes ! Everytime he takes a walk and is done with his business he gets a few small zukes. Everynight after dinner he gets a Zuke Bone and it’s his favorite time of the day. He’s tried many other treats and only Zukes seem to keep him content. When I don’t have Zukes he gets depressed…not kidding! If Lou could talk he would say ” Momma…I Luv Zukes “

MJ, & “LOUIE” aka Pork Roll in FL

We all celebrate and adore the qualities that give dogs the unique ability to wedge themselves into our lives and into our heart. And we want to provide them with a life that they find fulfilling, exciting and active. But as life flies by and our days are filled with errands, meetings, family, friends, and chores, we forget to let our dog be a dog. We don’t have time for it. We stop the barking, we shorten the walk, we forget to throw the ball.

So in this New Year, let’s not make a resolution (since we all have such a hard time keeping those!), and instead make a re-dedication. Let’s be dedicated to:

Rolling down the window (yes, even when it’s cold!) to let our dogs put their nose to the wind.

Appreciating the sheer joy our dogs show when all we had to do was walk through the door.

Looking them in the eyes when we pet them so they know we are paying attention.

Going an extra block on the daily walk and letting them stop to smell anything they want for as long as they want.

Remembering that they would do anything we asked, if only they spoke english or we spoke dog.

Throwing the ball one more time.

Allowing them to bark when they are joyful, playful and exuberant.

Finding a dog park, a playgroup or other dogs for ours to play with.

Going on a hike. Letting them put their nose to the ground and lead the way.

They are our friends, family, playmates, confidants, entertainers, comforters and joyful companions. So here’s to all of our dogs in 2012 – it’s going to be a wonderful year!