Product Review-Skinneez Dog Toy

Recently we were asked to try out a new Spots'Skinneez dog toy. Being that Buddy loooves dog toys, I thought he would be the perfect pup to try it out. As usual, I need to add the disclaimer that I did not get compensated for this review although I did get the dog toy for free.

First let me tell you what is different about this toy. The body doesn't have any stuffing. There is some stuffing in the head, and that's where the squeakers are. Because these toys don't have stuffing, they last longer and if your dog does eventually rip it apart, you don't have to worry about stuffing all over the place.  Also due to the lack of stuffing, they flop over like real prey would. Another advantage is they can be washed. And they have securely sewn-on eyes, ears and tails for added safety.

So now you may be wondering how Buddy liked it.  Although he has a boat load of toys, Buddy has 2 favorite toys. A bumpy pink ball and a rope toy. This skinneez duck is his 3rd favorite. He carries it around wherever he goes. He's only had it for about a week so I can't be a witness as to how well they actually do hold up. But as much as he has played with it, it still looks practically new.

You can get the Spot's Skinneez dog toy at most pet retailers or online at Ethical Pet. Here's the link to the mallard toy that Buddy got: PLUSH SKINNEEZ MALARD DUCK.

Product Review The Wobbler from Kong

Remember that old toy slogan 'Weebles wobble but they don't fall down'?  That can be applied to the new toy from Kong. It's called the Wobbler and it's made for the big dogs.

We got one sent to us a long with a bag of treats to put in them. As usual I need to put in the disclaimer that I was not compensated for this post but I was given the free toy.

In case you are not familiar with Kongs, they are odd shaped toys with a hole in them. You put treats in the hole and then your dog tries to get them out. My dogs like to chew on them too. At least they try to chew on them. Their roundish shape makes it hard. These toys are pretty tough too. They last longer than most dog toys.

Anyway, the Wobbler states it's for dogs over 25 pounds. I think I'd go higher than that on the weight thing. Roxy, who weighs 40 pounds had trouble playing with it. But it was perfect for Buddy who weighs about 80 pounds.

Buddy seemed to enjoy this toy the most. It is kind of cool how the toy will wobble but it doesn't tip over.  The toy is pretty heavy and the directions say your dog should be supervised while playing with it. Not sure why unless it's because of the heaviness.

This Kong is kind of on the pricey side at around $20 but if you have a big dog at home, it's a good investment. You can find it in most major pet stores and online.

Would you Like to See what your Dog Sees

Well now you can! I got a chance to try a cool new iphone app called Pet Vision. As usual, I have to give my disclaimer that I did not get paid to review this product though I did get the app itself to try out for free.

This app works on your Iphone or ipod-touch. Just do a search in your app store and it will pop up. It's very reasonably priced at .99 cents.

Now the first question is why would you even want to know how your pet sees things? Well, for one, just out of curiosity. Most people know that dogs are color blind but they actually do see some colors. Just not all the same colors that we see. Cats even see less colors than we do.

But there are other reasons. The manufacturer says:

"Our app is called "Pet Vision" and it takes the camera feature of the
iPhone (or photo library on an iPod touch) and processes the pictures
you take into the color spectrum of your  favorite canine or feline.
It's a lot of fun to see the world through the eyes of your pet!  And
moreover, we feel the application goes beyond entertainment by
allowing people better understanding of their pet's vision.  Imagine
taking a photo of your pet's favorite and least favorite toys… you
might learn something about their preference."

I couldn't wait to try this app out. My teen son was fascinated with it too. He kept going around the house and yard looking for things to photograph and then switched the settings to dog and cat to see what it would look like. Very entertaining. I also need to mention that the app was simple to use which is great for a tech idiot like me.

So I guess you might be curious what it actually looks like through your pets' eyes.

The following is a photo of my baby granddaughter (isn't she adorable?) The first one is the way we would see this photo:

The next picture is how your dog would see it:

The last is the way your cat would see it:

Interesting, huh?

I have a code for a free download of this app. If you would like to win one,  just leave a comment saying you want to win it, and I will announce the winner in next Tuesday's post.

A Product Review and Contest News

I hope everyone in the US had a nice Memorial Day yesterday.

I have a product review for all of you but I just realized I had a bit of housekeeping to do.  We had a contest going on about a month ago and the winner won a gift card from Petco! I have emailed Mari Martin to let her know she won. Thanks again to Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul for sponsoring the contest!

Next, I want to give you a product review on a new pet food my pups got to try recently. As usual, I have to give the disclaimer that I did not receive any compensation for this review but I did get to try the products for free.

Taste of the Wild pet food sent us several varieties of canned and dry dog food for the Bloggy Doggies to test out. Now, to be honest, my dogs are not particularly picky when it comes to food although once in awhile, one of them will turn their nose up at something.

I feed my dogs mostly dry food so we tried the dry food first. We tried the High Prarie Canine Formula, the Pacific Stream Canine Formula, and the Wetlands Canine Formula. We do the free feeding method where I just leave the dry food out for them all the time. So I kept their regular food out but put the Taste of the Wild food out beside it. The Taste of the Wild food won hands down on each formula. They ate that first before they touched their regular dog food.

Next we tried the canned versions of the above formulas. I only give my dogs canned food as a treat. Two of my older dogs are on daily medications and giving them a small amount of canned food at the end of the day with their medicines hid in it is an easy way to get their meds down. And of course, I can't forget about the 2 dogs that don't take medicine, so they get a little bowl of the canned food too. My dogs adore canned food and think it's a big treat so I had no doubt they would like the Taste of the Wild and they did. They wolfed it down in seconds.

So my review is that this food is pretty good stuff! In reading on their site, they say that their food is more in line with what your dog (or cat) would naturally eat in the wild. The ingredients are meats like Bison, Venison, Smoked Salmon, and Roasted Fowl.  It also is supplemented with fruits and veggies but no grains! In the wild, your dog would never eat grains.

Now, for more contest news! The nice folks at Taste of the Wild pet food are sponsoring a contest and the prize is the cool gift pack pictured above. The pack includes 3 samples of the Taste of the Wild canned and 3 of the dry food. Also samples of Bright Bites, a Bright Bite collar, a copy of the book "101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge and Bond with Your Dog" AND a $30 gift card to DoggieFood.com.

Cool prize pack, huh? All you need to do to win is leave a comment and let us know you would like to win. Easy as pie. Good Luck!

Product Review-Natural Dog Snout Soother

Recently I had the opportunity to try the Natural Dog Snout Soother on my dogs.  I wish I had been able to try it in January or February.  All 4 of my dogs usually need it then.  But now, only my old guy Joey who is 14 years old,  could use a little help in the snout area. As a disclaimer, I did not receive any compensation for this review but I did receive the product to try.

First of all, the snout protector came beautifully wrapped.  The literature that came with it says it is good for drying and cracking, a natural sunscreen, canine acne, windburn prevention, rashes and skin irritations and Brachyecephalic breeds. Elice Strickland, president of the company states that this soother is for dogs what chapstick is for people and is great for prevention, not just the cure.

When I first put it on Joey, he licked it off and that worried me a little. But looking at their FAQ page, this stuff isn't toxic and it states that it works well for humans too ( I assume lips for humans, not noses). SO I tried it on my own lips since they are always on the dry side. I have to say, it doesn't taste like chapstick but actually, it works much better than chapstick.

After several attempts, Joey stopped licking his nose and kept it on.  I noticed his nose looked better within a day and within several days, he had a smooth nose again! Now I just put it on in the morning during his "medicine time" as we call it (it's when he takes his various medications and then gets a treat as a reward for putting up with it).  He doesn't mind  me putting on the snout soother though. Below is a picture of his nose.

I can definitely recommend the Natural Snout Soother. The only drawback  I can see is it's a little on the pricey side. But it does seem to last a long time, so one small container will last you quite awhile. We have been using it for several weeks now and it doesn't even look like we have made a dent in the jar. Check them out at www.naturaldogcompany.com .

A Winner for a Dog Soccer Jersey

A month ago (has it been that long?) we had a contest sponsored by LittleFanatico Soccer Dog Jerseys for a chance t win a cute little soccer jersey for your dog.If you are looking for something cute for your smallish dog to wear, check these cute jerseys out! They are very well made and adorable!

Our winner is Colby from Puppy in Training who has BIG dogs but wanted to win a dog jersey for his parent's Cairn Terrier mix. Check out his Puppy in Training blog, it's a wonderful dog blog!

Product Review – Win a Dog Soccer Jersey for your Dog

Little Fanticos Soccer Dog Jerseys

Recently I got the chance to check out these cool little dog jerseys.  I was sent one for review from Little Fanaticos. It was too small  for any of my dogs but I got a chance to look at the quality of the jersey. I have to say it was very well made! They look like they would last quite a long time even with dogs who tend to be rough on their clothing.

If you are a soccer fan, one of these would look adorable on your dog. They have one for USA like the one pictured above, and also have jerseys for France, Germany,  Brazil, and England.

They also carry dog jackets but only for the countries of Italy and Mexico.  And they carry a dog gift basket that looks quite cute.

The only real drawbacks I can see is I wish they had a USA jacket and also had sizes for medium-large to large dogs so my pups could get one. The sizes are Teacup which fits the teacup breeds, XX-Small which fits a Yorkie or Brussels Griffon,  X-Small will fit a Jack Russell or a Fox Terrier, Small will fit a Shih Tzu or a Miniature Poodle, and Medium will fit a Lhasa Apso or a Miniature Schnauzer.

You can check out the website at http://www.soccerdogjerseys.com

Now here's the good part.  The folks at Little Fanaticos have graciously offered one of our readers a chance to WIN a dog jersey for their own dog! Just leave a comment saying you would like to win one and I'll pick a reader at random. So be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win!

Dog Product Review-Nootie Shampoo and Spritz Duo

Time for another product review. I recvently had the pleasure to try a product with an interesting concept from Nootie. They have a line of moisturizing dog shampoos and spritzs to make your dog smell wonderful. Now, first in the interest of Big Brother, let me claim my FTC disclosure that the only compensation I got for this review was the product itself to try.

Ok, with that out of the way, when I first opened the package, it took me a few seconds to figure out how to open this combo thingie. As you can see in the picture, the Spritz (doggy cologne) is in the bottom part and the shampoo is in the top.  The scent of the Spritz was a little stronger than the scent in the shampoo but both were wonderful. Sara (the Nootie sweetie who sent me the product to try) must have read my mind. She sent my very favorite scent of vanilla. I have vanilla scented perfume and body wash (for me) & vanilla candles and room sprays. So of course it makes sense to have vanilla scented dogs too, right? Actually to clarify this scent is Warm Vanilla Cookie. Even better!

I decided to bathe Harley since she is the smelliest of my 4 dogs. She has "skin issues." Here is a picture of Harley getting bathes in the sink. Doesn't she look thrilled? Actually she is such a good girl to bathe. She just sits there and lets me wash her without squirming.

The shampoo touts itself as being moisturizing with sweet almond oil and Vitamin E. Lord knows Harley's skin and hair needs some moisturizing. I gave her a bath in it and she smelled wonderful. I decided not to use the spritz on her until the shampoo smell wore off. Here's a picture of Harley once she was dry. Her hair did look shinier and her skin wasn't nearly as flakey.

The vanilla scent lasted all the next day but 2 days after her bath, I couldn't smell it anymore so I  sprayed her with the Spritz. This stuff is wonderful! Long lasting and smells delicious! Can I make a confession here? I actually tried it on me! Like I said I love vanilla!

So although this stuff is a little on the pricey side, I definitely recommend Nootie Shampoo/Spritz. You get what you pay for.  The only thing I would like to be different is to have a larger Spritz bottle with more of the dog cologne in it. But to be honest, that's probably because I want to use it on me too!

They have 3 more scents besides the Warm Vanilla Cookie including another vanilla, Sweet Pea Vanilla. Also Japanese Cherry Blossom,  and   Cucumber Melon.  You can click on any of the links above or go to www.Nootie.com to check out them out and to order for your dog.

Feeling Down-Check out Ruff Ride

This life is a "Ruff Ride"

Today I am reviewing a book I got from Micah at RuffRide.com .  I wasn't sure what to expect when he asked if I would be interested in receiving a copy.  I was pleasantly surprised by this book. First, let me make the FTC happy by revealing that I am not being compensated for this review. I did receive a free book to review.

We all know that the economy has been quite rough on this country for the past few years. it can get down right depressing watching the nightly news. Which is why I no longer watch it.

This book is a picture book of animals (mostly dogs and a few kitties) with witty, comical, poignant quotes about the economy or other issues we deal with everyday.  Some of these really cracked me up. One or two, I didn't quite "get" (yes, I'm a blond), and most of them had me shaking my head in agreement.

This book would be great for anyone feeling down by their life circumstances or who just needs a little pick up. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and get a little down during the winter months so this book came at just the right time. I have read something from it every day since I received it just to life my mood.

Check out their website at RuffRide.com to get the book, check out their freebies and their other products.

Dog Product Review-Ripples Dog Treats

Ripples Dog Treats

We recently got the opportunity to try out Ripples dog treats. The Bloggy Doggies were up to the challenge!

The treats (we call them chewies), come in chicken and mint. The mint is supposed to freshen dogs' breath. They are all natural and made to be very healthy for your dog.

We were given 4 treats to try, 1 chicken and 3 mint. I let the dogs smell them, and they were all interested in the chicken. Of course I only had 1 chicken. So I had the dogs do a trick (roll over) and gave the first dog who did the trick the chicken chewie.

Joey is very food motivated so he got the chicken treat. He took it down to his hiding place (under my desk in my office) and immediately devoured it.

So, now I had 3 mint Ripples treats. Would the other 3 dogs eat them? I gave Harley hers and she went to her bed with it. She held on to it for awhile but did finally eat it.

Buddy dropped his and went out through the doggy door but came in a few minutes later and ate the treat.

Roxy played with hers for awhile but did eat it after a few minutes.

So the chicken was the preferred treat  but they did eat the mint too. The dogs who ate the mint did have nice fresh breath.

You can go to Good Pet Stuff Company  http://www.goodpetstuff.com/  to learn more about Ripples dog treats but you can't buy them there. You can buy them at PetSmart, Drs Foster and Smith and several other great pet stores listed on their site. We plan on getting another bag next time we are in PetSmart (chicken of course!).

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