Posts filed under 'Dog Products'
If you ask a dog owner what a Kong
is, most likely they will reply that it is a toy for dogs, not a over-sized Gorilla who wreaks havoc on Manhattan. The Kong has become one of the most well known dog toy and for good reason. Made of hard rubber, it is very durable. They even make a line for aggressive chewers (note: this does not mean it is indestructable. as with any toy it should be inspected regularly for any damage and discarded when no longer safe).
The Kong is also a great interactive toy for dogs. The center is hollow, making a great place to put food and treats for your dog to work on getting out. Most people know to insert biscuits, but many dogs quickly learn how to get them out in the shortest amount of time. I like to take my dogs’ dry food and soak it in water. Sometimes I mix in other 
foods (the picture at the top has macaroni & cheese mixed in). Once it is soft, I stuff it in the Kong and freeze. I will also layer kibble and cheese and microwave for a few seconds to melt the cheese (let this cool before offering it to your dog). This keeps my dogs occupied for a little bit. You can find more great recipes to try at Kong Company . Just click on Tips and Advice for the recipe page.
This is one toy I recommend for every dog owner. It’s durability is great for the dog that likes to chew. It’s erratic bouncing, keeps the dog who loves to fetch moving and its stuffability provides that mental stimulation that many dogs need.
May 31st, 2007
My quick picks are products that I have used or became familiar with through my work and recommend to people. Please feel free to add your comments on the products as well!
Scented Pooch Pick-up Bags
If you see me out with my dogs, you can pretty much guarantee that I will have dog treats and poop bags with me. It’s part of being a responsible dog owner! The Pooch Pick-up bags are just the right size and they tie nice when you are done. Check out the scented and the bio-degradable versions.
Swizzle BirdÂ
I confess. I am a lazy pet owner. While I would love to run around all day and play and entertain my crew, I don’t. To conserve my energy, I love using teaser toys like the Swizzle Bird and Swizzle Mouse for my cats and ferrets. I get to sit in one place and move it around, while they chase it and get some exercise. They don’t seem to mind!
Hay Tumbler 6-1/2″ x 6″
Like the Vegetable Basket, the Hay Tumbler helps provide enrichment by letting your bunny work for his food. Made of safe to eat cardboard, your bunny can chew or throw the Tumbler around to get the hay. When it empties, just fill with more hay.
Hanging Ferret Nap Sacks Cotton Twill
The Hanging Ferret Nap Sack is a paws down favorite among my fuzzy crew. I’ll usually find one or two curled up in it. They like it because they are enclosed, I like how it has stood up through repeated washings.
May 19th, 2007
I am not too picky when it comes to choosing treats for my dogs. I only have 2 criteria for my ideal dog treat- they be healthy and they be small, about the size of a pea. Of course, my main reason for wanting my treats to be healthy are because I care about my pets’ health and I do feel that nutrition plays a big part in their overall health. Yes, I do occasionally give them treats that I consider junk food (afterall, I am one of the biggest junk food junkies!), but the majority of their treats are healthy. I like my treats to be small because 3 of my dogs are small, from 15 to 28 pounds. Those calories add up if you are giving several treats a day and because I use treats for training we can easily go through a 1/2 cup in a training session.
Simon and Huey’s Soft Training Treats fit both my criteria and then some. They are small, about 7/16ths of an inch. They are healthy- no sugar added and they make them without corn, wheat or soy so are great for dogs with those food allergies. They come in 7 flavors and my dogs love them all (okay, they don’t turn their noses up at to much, but they really get excited when they see the Simon & Huey container coming out!) The flavors include - Kickin™ Chicken, Liver Mesquite, Salmon Dill, Peanut Butter Molasses, Garlic Dill, White Cheddar and Wild Ginger (for ingredients, visit Simon & Huey).
I like the soft treats for training because they go down easier (who wants to take time to do a lot of chewing when they are having fun). Even though they are soft, they don’t break into pieces in my hands while training and they throw nice if you need to reward your dog from a distance. Honestly, I can’t find a bad thing to say about Simon & Huey’s Soft Training Treats. Next we will have to try their Bites, a crunchy treats about the same size. I don’t think my dogs will complain about the taste testing.
You can find Simon & Huey’s treats at Pup Life Healthy Dog Food & Treats
May 10th, 2007
 
The dog in the picture is my Parson Russell, Ricochet, with one of his favorite toys, a Tuffies Rumble Ring. Can’t you just see the glow of adoration in his eyes for his toy? Okay, so that is my lousy picture taking, but honestly, it is one of his favorites and one of the most durable toys he has.
Made with 3 layers of material, 2 of those are industrial strength nylon. It has stitching across the toy and has multiple rows of stitching on the edges to make it harder for your dog to chew through. The toys also contain squeakers but because they are under the layers of fabric they are MUCH quieter making it nicer for the humans in the household. For dogs who are a bit harder on their toys, they have Mega Tuffies which are made with 7 layers of material, 3 of them PVC! They offer a Tuff Scale on their site for you to see what level of toy your dog would do best with. Check out their site to see which Tuffies toy is best for your dog.
Remember, even with all this durability built into it, the toy is not a chew toy. All play should be supervised and if you have a dog who is super destructive, it would be best for you to play with your dog using the toy rather than letting your dog play by himself. We have had the Rumble Ring that is in the picture for over 6 months and it is almost as good as new. I bought the Jr. Tuff Log (Tuff Scale 5) and Malarky put a hole in it the first night and finished it off a few days ago. I will probably stick to the thinner Tuffies, like the Rumble Ring (Tuff Scale 9) that don’t have as much stuffing although you never know, Ricochet really enjoyed the Jr. Tuff Log. They also have some real cool dinosaurs(Tuff Scale 7) and then there is the Sting-ray (Tuff Scale 6). Decisions, decisions….
Likes:
- very sturdy, should stand up to the activity of most dogs
-quiet squeakers, great for those dogs who have a lot of prey drive and just want to kill the squeaker, plus much easier on our ears.
- Tuff Scale, love having a guide to go by to see what toy is best for my dog
Dislikes:
-I really can’t think of any. This is the toy I would have liked to have invented to stand up to some tough terrier play.
Find more Tuffies at Just4Pooches.com - A Unique Boutique for Your Furry Friend
February 18th, 2007
