Smooch Your Pooch This Valentine’s Day

When you think of true love, who comes to mind? Sure, we all hopefully have people in our lives who love us through thick and thin. Maybe you even have a romantic love interest. And that’s great! But, really, who in your life offers more unconditional love than your pet?

Truly, our pets offer us unqualified, unequivocal, love without bounds!

About Spy the Golden Retriever

Now, I can’t share this article and these photos without properly introducing you to Spy, our golden retriever… If you follow me on Instagram, chances are you have already seen Spy. Indeed, this handsome dude is quite popular. In fact, I joke that my Instagram account would be much more popular in general if I just featured Spy in every photo. While he does not have his own Instagram account, he does have his own hashtag – #SpyHogan.

At 13.5 years old, Spy is quite simply the most handsome and sweetest thing ever.

Prior to Spy, I always considered myself a small dog person. That’s because I grew up with shih tzus. And in fact, I had a shih tzu named Hydie for much of my adult life, until she sadly passed away about four years ago. She was so sweet! But when B and I started dating six or so years ago, Spy came into my life. And Spy quickly won me over! How could I not fall in love with his sweet, docile demeanor and distinguished good looks?!

Indeed, Spy is a constant companion, unwavering in his love and loyalty to all who love him. And trust me – there are so many who love him in return!

Spy Loves Kriser’s Natural Pet

So, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I knew the perfect way to treat Spy: a trip to Kriser’s Natural Pet Supply. You see, just a few months ago, this new pet store opened in our neighborhood. And speaking of love, Spy is in love with Kriser’s!

Seriously, from the moment we walk in the doors of Kriser’s, Spy is in heaven… Spy loves the friendly staff, the other dogs, the huge assortment of treats, and much more. He’s particularly fond of the wall of chew treats. So many great chew treats to choose from! Plus, as we found out during this photo shoot, he really loves the frosted cookies. Oh my – we had to laugh as he gobbled up cookie after cookie as we tried to take these photos!

3 Reason Why I Love Kriser’s

And Spy is not the only one who loves Kriser’s! I love it for several reasons…

1. The store is clean and modern and nice. This may sound trivial and a bit superficial, but let’s be real. As a human, there is nothing worse than going into a pet store that has a certain strong odor. You know what I’m talking! But not at Kriser’s. As Jennifer, our local store pack leader (their term for a store manager), told me, they clean the concrete floors multiple times a day. Really, you could eat off of these floors. Well, at least your pooch could do so. The attention to little details like this show a pride in the brand and create a welcoming environment.
2. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. Within moments of walking in the store, the staff greeted Spy with lots of loving and profuse petting. And oh boy – his tail wagged so vigorously. Clearly, the Kriser’s Pack (as staff members are known) are all pet lovers themselves. I even noticed that their name tags state not only their name, but then also say “Mom to Fido” or “Dad to Benjy”. So cute! Beyond that, everyone is so well equipped to answer any question you might have about your dog. This sure helps to put our mind at ease as we seek to take good care of Spy in his advanced age.
3. The food and treats are all-natural. As I just alluded, with Spy getting up in age, it’s really important for us that he only takes in the highest quality ingredients. And with Kriser’s, I’ve quickly developed a trusting relationship that they offer exactly that – only the best, all-natural food and treats. In fact, founder Brad Kriser hand selects every single thing. Kriser’s food & treats never contain corn, soy, wheat or animal by-products, and are all sourced from responsible, trusted companies. Needless to say, this is really important to us, particularly at this stage of Spy’s life.

In Closing

So, wont you consider doing the same for your pooch this Valentine’s Day? Stop by Kriser’s for some all-natural food and treats, as well as all the other supplies and accessories you need. Kriser’s has five stores in the Houston area, including our neighborhood store on West Gray. Plus, they also have locations in Austin, San Antonio, Southern California, Colorado, Chicago, and the DC metro areas. To see if there is a store near you, check out the store locator on their website.

Finally, to help you in your efforts to “smooch your pooch”, our friends at Kriser’s Natural Pet Supply are offering a $100 gift card to Wear + Where + Well readers. Simply sign up on their website to be entered in the drawing.

Wherever you live and however you choose to do it, be sure to express your love to your pet every single day. Truly, we are lucky to have these creatures in our lives. I know that I personally am a better, happier person because of the love of the pooches in my life.

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the loving pets out there!

Thank you to Kriser’s Natural Pet Supplies & Grooming for sponsoring this content. Sponsorships like this help make Wear + Where + Well possible. 

Photos by Maritere Rice; Wall details can be found in our Houston Mural Guide