The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas, Finally the Final Day!

EverythingDogBlog #112: The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas - Final Day: Stuffables are Fun!
These are a few of my favorite things!

Stuffables

This is the last dog day of Christmas, the one I ‘forgot.’ (Actually I got carried away on a Wednesday with surfing and commitments.) You could call this the Eleventh Dog Day of Christmas but it is the December 18th post that I didn’t get around to posting. Here it is.

Stuffables! The best stuff for dogs.

Stuffables are hollow dog items, usually made of hard rubber, that you stuff with kibble mixed with peanut butter, mashed potatoes, squeeze cheese or cream cheese (low fat), or even chicken broth, then freeze. Voila! A long-lasting treat for Fido to have fun working on. For recipes, seeKONG. The KONG website also has helpful hints about size selection and more.

You can stuff a classic KONG

 a Premier Squirrel Dude or Chuckle or Waggle

 or Twist ‘n Treat (my favorite) or Football, many other dog stuffables made by other companies and, the poor man’s version – a marrow bone!

Stuffables usually don’t hold an entire meal. In addition, with applesauce, yogurt, cream cheese, canned pumpkin or dog food, they may hold a few more calories than plain kibble.

Be sure you get a sturdy stuffable or your dog will continue to chew it up once the goodies are gone, especially if you have frozen the stuffable.

Timesaver

I will stuff perhaps four stuffables at a time and put them in the freezer for the following four days’ of fun.

What’s the Difference – Stuffable, Treat Dispenser, Chew-up Toy, Food Puzzle?

What’s the difference between a stuffable (above), a treat dispenser, a chew-up toy and a food puzzle? I covered a couple of my favorite food puzzles in The Third Dog Day of Christmas. Basically there are compartments for kibble that the dog has to open to find the kibble or lick the kibble up.

The Premier Kibble Nibble, Magic Mushroom, and Tug A Jug fall into the whole-meal categories of food puzzles. The Kibble Nibble is good for hardwood floors because it is quieter than hard plastic. (See PremierPet.com and PetSafe.net.)

Nina Ottoson makes the original line of food puzzles in either wood or plastic and now, many other companies have followed suit so that food puzzles abound.

Chew-Ups

A chew-up toy is not as common in the dog world but Premier/PetSafe created them and has easy and difficult ones. And easy one would be the Bouncy Bone, the Bristle Bone, the Teeter Treater, the Nobbly Nubbly, the Jack, the Funny Bone, and others while the newer ones like the Ultra’s by PetSafe whose rawhide rings last perhaps a half hour or more.

 Quite a challenge for the family pupster and one that he won’t give up on til he’s full and tuckered out.

Chew-up toys like the ones mentioned above must be refilled with only refills from the company rather than any food lying around the house. They may not be inexpensive so should be considered a real treat. In addition I have found the chew-ups to be able to be chewed by hard chewer dogs so that the parts no longer screw together. Wish they were made even harder!

To complete the Premier/PetSafe line, I have not found dogs to be able to get the biscuit out of the Biscuit Basket or GnawBrush, though they love the ‘biscuit-treat’ when I take it out and give it to them.

Treat Dispensers

The Biscuit Bouncer can hold a large Milk Bone type treat like Milk Bones, Ziggies or some rawhide sticks. Think of them as single-large-treat holders which can be quite the challenge. Others include Rip ‘n Tugs by Premier/PetSafe.

More KONGs

On the KONG side of the house you can see the wonderfulWobbler here in action and the Satellite, both food puzzles; the Genius and Quest, stuffables or treat dispensers (not everything fits into a neat category).

Happy New Year!

Now your dog, too, can have a stuffable new year!

(Credits: KONG and Premier's website [Premier is part of PetSafe]) This first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com on 29 December 2013.

CORRECTION: This is a Squirrel Dude by Premier, similar to a KONG.

The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas, Day Twelve

EverythingDogBlog #111 - The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas

Day Twelve: My Wish for You 

On the twelfth day of Christmas, I wish you all a fresh white* and peaceful day with family, friends, and, most of all, with your furfriends. Give yourself and your best friend a very special gift today – the gift of time.

Today, take a walk away from the hustle and bustle and excitement (that’s what spouses are for!), and go for a nice long walk – just the two of you. Or maybe take along your teenager, but, no pressure. Take your cell phone as always, for safety, but put it on vibrate. Enjoy the company and the peaceful quiet. Carry on a conversation with Fido, or, in my case, with Pirate.

And, even better, do it again tomorrow and the day after and the day after that and the next day and . . . .

*and, if you have no snow, make a snowflake!

Tomorrow: (Maybe) The Day I Left Out - Stuffables

(This first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com on 25 December 2013.)

The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas, Day Ten

EverythingDogBlog #110: The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas - Day Ten

A Kid's Book For Grown-ups That We All Need to Read

A Home for Dakota, by Jan Grover (Gryphon, 2008, 24 pages, $15.95, ages 5 and up, in the Sit! Stay! Read! series) 

A Story of Hope, Fulfilled

How I wish A Home for Dakota were written in 2013 so I could claim it as my book of the year!

Warm. Second chances. Delightful illustrations.

Dakota was honored with the ASPCA’s Henry Bergh Award, Fiction, Companion Animals, Children’s Book Honor and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Youth KIND Children’s Book Award (best children’s picture book of the year)

A Kid’s Book for Grown-Ups, That We All Need to Read

Before Dakota was Dakota, she was simply dog #241, a breeder-dog in a puppy mill whose puppies were taken away, time and again. Dog #241 lived in a crate all day, every day.

Until Emma

Emma took her and comforted her, gave her a name, bathed her, gave her medicine and her first-ever hug. Slowly Dakota’s fur started to grow back but in patches. And then a little girl came to meet her - but didn’t want her because Dakota wasn’t yet perfect.

How could such sadness happen twice to one little dog? What will become of her?

Gryphon Press, A Voice for the Voiceless

The Sit! Stay! Read! series of books for children by The Gryphon Press have garnered many awards since they began in 2006 - and deservedly so. The illustrations are water-color warm and touchable, the stories are sad yet hopeful, and they impart a powerful lesson for children and grown-ups alike. Lessons we may not want to hear but need to help with. Puppy-mill puppies, abandoned dogs, . . . .

Other titles in The Gryphon Press series include Buddy Unchained (2006), At the Dog Park with Sam and Lucy (2006), Max Talks to Me (2007) and Are You Ready For Me? (2007), as well as It’s Raining Pups and Dogs (2013). These books were recently named to the recommended reading list of the National Humane Education Society.

Each book also includes a fact page in the back for adults.

The Value of Dakota

I believe these books should be required reading for all first-graders.  They are difficult subjects, handled gently and with hope for change in the future – for all animals and people alike. For the dogs in the book, hope is turned into love and a future.

Maybe we can change the world after all!

Read more about it: http://www.thegryphonpress.com/

Tomorrow: The Best Darn Dog Day of Christmas

Disclaimer: I checked this book out of my public library. I wish they would get the other titles in the series: I think I will request them! This review first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com on 24 December 2013.)

The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas: Day Nine - Toys, toys, toys (for dogs)

EverythingDogBlog #109: These are a few of my favorite things!

On the ninth day of Christmas, I recalled how amazed I am this past year over three specific dog toys, not all of which are new for 2013.

First is the new Bounzer from KONG. See the photo of Scooter inviting you to play with him and his big new Bounzer. The Bounzer is easy to toss, bounces erratically which dogs love, and is incredibly durable.

Although it comes in three sizes (small, medium and large – actually, medium, large and extra large), I really don’t think it matters which size you get.

The large Bounzer is loved by even little dogs because they can squeeze it and carry it by the ‘handle’ at the top. I wrote about the Bounzer in EverythingDogBlog in September. 

Another surprise to me is also from KONG – the Safestix.

Again available in three sizes (small, medium and large) and at least three colors (pink, blue and green), the Safestix is several toys in one. You can toss it a humungous distance for Fido to fetch. You can grab both ends (it’s bendable) and play tug with Rover and have a better chance of winning. And, it floats! Plus, if you have a dog who picks up sticks on a walk, the Safestix is safer. I purchased the medium which I thought would be too small for a lab, but it was the perfect size! Since Mia’s is green, I call it her greenstick.

And, finally, at less than $10 is the classic Hurley by West Paw Design, an eco-friendly company based in Bozeman, Montana.

West Paw has been around for so long and is so ubiquitous that people tend to gloss over its products and pass by. Don’t! They are a real bargain and dogs love the Hurley, especially. The Hurley is rather bone-shaped and fits a dog’s mouth just right. It is also dishwasher safe!

Does your dog play or chew? Here is a good webpage outlining the difference, along with the best ZogoFlex© toys for chewers and for players. Mia the Lab is both a player and a chewer and that’s OK, too! She has a Hurley to chew and a Bumi for playing.

Tomorrow: A Kid’s Book for Grown-ups - that we all need to read

Disclaimer: I have purchased many KONG products in the past, some at dog rescue auctions, and some from KONG booths at dog trainer conferences. I have also been sent products when I write for KONG. I received a West Paws product for writing a specific blog and have several West Paws items as well. (Photo credits: Lazyriver Photos, KONG, West Paw Design website) (This article first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com on 23 December 2013.)

The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas, Day Eight

These are a few of my favorite things!

EverythingDogBlog #108: Day Eight - Don't forget to Gift Yourself.

On the eighth day of Christmas, I want to remind you to not forget to gift yourself this Christmas! Or give a lasting memory to a favorite friend or family member.  Give a work of whimsical dog art by Sara England, Sherry Kendall and/or Jenny McMurtrie. You may know them better as Sara England Designs, Wagging Tail Portraits and Wet Nose Greeting Cards, and My Dog Art. 

Sara England Designs.

My friend Sara started out with whimsical black lab T-shirts which can still be seen all up and down the Eastern seaboard. After a few years, she branched off onto her own with a resort clothing store (now closed) and her own delightful dog prints. She does custom art of your dog and of all the breeds she can think of in each of her every-growing repertoire of artwork. Sandstone coasters, jewelry boxes, message boards (‘memo tiles’), magnets, suncatchers, necklaces, and more. Sara is devoted to a boxer and supports dog rescue from her home in Maryland. In addition, she has designed many conformation awards for different breeds across the country.

Wagging Tail Portraits.

Wagging Tail Portraits are not only some of my favorite things but also some of Oprah Winfrey’s favorites of 2012 and 2011 as seen in her magazine, O. That’s two years in a row! Ornaments, prints, custom art work of your pet, glasses and mugs and much more, including Wet Nose Greeting Cards by Sherry Kendall’s daughter, Natalie, still in college. My friend Sherry, a golden retriever person, also supports dog rescue and lives in Maryland’s horse country. And it’s not too late – Wagging Tail Portraits has gift certificates for that last-minute gift.

Jenny McMurtrie’s My Dog Art business. . .

 . . . creates trophies for breed specialty shows, logos for clubs and designs for dog rescues, among others. Originally a golden retriever person who designed the logo for the Golden Retriever National for several years, Jenny, a full-time artist, has branched out into all breeds. Jenny’s work is on Etsy (JennysDogArt), Pinterest, Facebook, and more. You can even find a Jenny McMurtrie T-shirt. My Dog Art also provides gift certificates until Monday night.

Tomorrow: Toys, toys, toys

Disclaimer: I have purchased artwork by all three artists over the years. This article first appeared in ColumbiaPatch.com, 22 December 2013.

The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas - Day Seven: Don't Grip It. Clip It!

EverythingDogBlog #107: Day Seven - The Bag Clipper is Not a Gadget. 

 
On the seventh day of Christmas, I recalled the many canine gadgets I have received for review. Some are like gadget-belts that store everything from baggies to keys to phones to treats and more, but you tend to forget them when you set out to walk Rover and there are many pockets to remember to refill. Or they just get in the way. Some are gadgets that clip on to the leash, temporarily or permanently, and just get in the way. Some clip on to your arm and just get in the way.

On the First Dog Day of Christmas, I wrote about a very small pouch that Velcro’s on to your dog’s collar and holds empty poop bags. The Bag Clipper hooks on to the leash with a small Velcro loop and though it can hold empty bags, it is perfect for full bags. I hook it onto the hand-loop end of the leash.

I love, love, love the Bag Clipper. It is simple, small, light and doesn’t get in the way.

The Bag Clipper is a small, plastic bone-shaped flat "thing" that holds a bag of poop. It is easily transferrable from leash to leash but inexpensive enough to purchase several.

The Bag Clipper attaches to any dog leash (but please don't use retractible leashes) and carries the waste for you, leaving your hands free to treat Fido (because he is such a good boy!) and to carry the leash.

Check it out! And remember: Don’t Grip It – Clip It!

Tomorrow: Don't forget to gift yourself. . . .

Disclaimer: I purchased the Bag Clipper years ago. The only Web address I found currently is on Amazon here – please be cautious in opening other Websites for this product. (This first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com earlier today.)

You may also like the stylish Port-A-Poo.

The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas - Day Six

These are a few of my favorite things!

EverythingDogBlog #106: Do you have a Soggy Doggy?

On the sixth day of Christmas, I contemplated what I might select for the Dog Product of the Year, 2013. It may very well be the same as the Dog Product of the Year, 2012 – the Soggy Doggy line of towels and mats which absorb five times the moisture that regular cotton towels and mats do. 

But I think it may very well be the new Soggy Doggy dog bed! You can even purchase the ‘cover’ for the 'nest' and fill it yourself with soft old towels and socks and sweats and . . . (that would keep me from sleeping on it, however).

Even the Soggy Doggy logo is so delightful that  I featured in a (Nearly) Wordless Wednesday - De-Lightful Dog Logo blog.

Maybe the Super Snoozer?

I think the Product of the Year, 2013, may very well be the new Soggy Doggy dog bed!

Now your dog can have his own soft-soft dog bed, a Super Snoozer, which may just be a slight but fantastic improvement over sleeping on the Soggy Doggy doormat, soft as that is! (I have been known to curl up on the doormat myself!)

There are also Soggy Doggy doormats for dogs to wipe off their wet, muddy and dirty paws.

There are Soggy Doggy slop mats (placemats) to place dog water bowls on, absorbing any spillage caused by your perfect pooch.

There are Soggy Doggy towels (shammies) with pockets for human hands that are simply miraculous water picker-uppers.

All Soggy Doggy products are made of microfiber chenille and come in various sizes and colors (blue, caramel, dark chocolate, beige with a contrasting bone design in oatmeal, red or brown - or, go boneless - for cat people, I suspect).

Now my dog sleeps all the time!

Tomorrow: The Bag Clipper, Not a Gadget

Disclaimer: I purchased my Soggy Doggy items for review and as gifts. Photos from the Soggy Doggy website.