Pet Gear
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Dr. V | Friday | April 20, 2012 |
So yaay everybody, happy Earth Day! In the last year I have been fortunate enough to see the majestic Amazon in Peru, the natural wonder of Ngorongoro Crater, and the jaw dropping Mahale Mountains in Tanzania. And living in California, well, I can’t complain about our natural beauty here as well. We have an amazing, beautiful, really mind-blowing planet to hang out on. And mess up.
I think it’s a fairly natural fit for people who love animals, who are fascinated by wildlife, to also be sensitive to conservation efforts. When burgeoning populations expand ever further into previously uninhabited areas, when forests are razed to make way for agriculture, well, this affects us all. And I’m actually going to see if my colleague who is now at CDC and was once a researcher with the local mountain lion organization will do an interview with me about the concept of human encroachment, because I find it fascinating. But since I don’t know enough on my own to say anything insightful, I want to limit this day’s Earth Day celebration to something I know much more about: suggestions about ways to spend your money if you’re in the market for some pet products that are good for the planet: (more…)
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Dr. V | Friday | March 16, 2012 |
Before we head off into the ale-spattered sunset that is St. Patrick’s Day weekend, I wanted to share the second half of my very, most favorite things I saw at Global Pet Expo. There was much and more there that I loved to pieces, but I wanted to focus on some of the more unusual products, since it’s the unexpected surprises that often delight me the most.
You all know how much I love art, right? And I’m really picky about the aesthetics of what I put on my walls. The combination of wooden print, perfect quotes and whimsicle-without-being-sappy visuals make these pieces pitch-perfect. Next on my to acquire list is the Black Dog Doughnuts sign from the Bailey series. (more…)
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Dr. V | Tuesday | March 13, 2012 |
As you may recall, I spent a good portion of last week curled up in a ball in my bedroom, drowning my sorrows with cough syrup and muddling through a bizarre sequence of subsequent side effects that gave my malarone experience a run for the money. Note to self: I am, apparently, highly sensitive to all medications. That is what I get for trying the Tim Taylor “MOAR POWER” approach to pharmaceuticals and gulping down an extra strength extended release tablet of guafensin and dextromethorphan without thinking, perhaps I should try the regular strength first. My bad.
Well here we are, a week later experiencing what I can only describe as the world’s most perfect weather. It really is. And as much as I would love to be out running and hiking and drinking it all in, my still-sensitized alveoli can muster no more than a quick cruise around the block before starting to protest, so we make do with what we have.
And it’s a real shame, because I’ve had a review item I’ve been super excited about, the Kurgo Wander Pack, sitting on the table for several weeks, just begging to be used. So I relented, and put it on Brody for a test run, even though our adventure for the day was limited to a 100 foot perimeter around the house.
Brody is a big fan of my push to get us outside and moving as much as possible. I am a big fan of a product that allows him to share some of the burden of lugging along some of the things a dog might require on such an adventure. (more…)
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Dr. V | Friday | March 9, 2012 |
I stayed at Global for two out of its three day run, figuring hey, that would be plenty of time to plumb its depths. Yes, well, not so much. It took at least ten minutes just to walk from one side to the other; we’re talking 2,452 booths here. And me (yet again) without a good pair of flats. But at least I did bring a fairly decent pair of heels; the stilettos never made it out of the suitcase, sadly.
With that many products to check out, I know for a fact I missed more than a few, which of course means now I just have to make sure to go again next year- and bring my kid’s Razor scooter. In the meantime, here’s just a few of my favorite products I saw while I was there:
1. Old Soul Line from Planet Dog. Planet Dog has built a company around the concept of providing well designed dog toys with a social conscience. I was especially taken with the “Old Souls” line, thinking of Koa at home with her sad, decrepit mouth from years of prior neglect. It’s hard to find gentle toys for old souls like her.
2. Jellyfish Art. I’m the first to admit, I had no intention of visiting the portion of the expo hall reserved for aquarium items- until I actually saw it and said, Wow. This is the one item I stopped, took a picture of and sent to my husband with the word, “WANT.” A home jellyfish aquarium. Trust me, watching the little jellyfish serenely float about is an automatic blood pressure reducer. Still want, by the way.
3. Kane and Couture collars and harnesses. I spent several wonderful minutes chatting with Kane and Couture owner Amber Forrester, taken with her clever designs that were on-trend and inspired by current trends in the fashion industry. As an added bonus, she makes sizes for large fashionistas too- and you all know how often I complain that it’s hard to find items like that for big dogs. But I chose to feature this harness because it’s a truly unique item- made of comfortable and stretchy swimsuit material, this comfy harness is a great choice for dogs who need a harness but tend to chafe with the traditional strap construction.
4. Waglet Works Adventure Dog Gear. Founders Barbara and Artie brought their background in the movie industry to the canine world with this clever utility belt that allows you to customize your own system that gives you immediate access to whatever dog items you might need without having to wrestle with a big backpack. Bowls, treats, water bottle, poop bags, flashlight, all within easy reach and balanced on your hips instead of hanging off your shoulders. Count me in.
A second round is coming up, but in the meantime, I present to you the most perfect example I have ever seen of a puppy pile, spied at the Purina booth:
Understandably, passersby were asked not to pick up the puppies, but really, it’s times like these I am soooooo, so tempted to say, “I’m a veterinarian and I just really, really need to do a quick exam. Thanks,” and then run off for a couple minutes. (Bev will tell you from the BlogHer experience that I am good at that.)
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Dr. V | Tuesday | January 17, 2012 |
We go through a lot of dog toys in these parts, and I can say with confidence that Brody has yet to come across a Kyjen toy he didn’t love. They’re fun, they’re well-made, and they have interesting configurations that engage the dog in a way different from standard toys, either with a big mat of squeakers or hidden eggs or an unusual food puzzle. To this day Brody’s penguin egg is the only toy I have actually ordered replacement parts for. He loves it that much. So today, I’m happy to be giving you all several opportunities for some fantastic goodies from this great company.
The first giveaway is for an Excursion Dog Backpack, size M. I actually used this as a demo in the news story I’ll post the video of tomorrow, so the tag is removed. It’s a great backpack and I was tempted to not give it away, but the medium is for a size 18-50 pound dog so Brody really needs a large. I’m sure one of you will have lots of good times with it backpacking in Nepal or something along those lines.
The second giveaway is for not one, not two, but THREE random selections of Kyjen goodies. Each of the three winners will each get three items that could be any combination of the following: (more…)
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Dr. V | Tuesday | January 10, 2012 |
You know by now how I feel about cutesy pet stuff, right? I mean, it has its place, but as far as my own tastes go I’m constantly on the lookout for something that falls on the sleeker end of things. (This from the person who bought a dinosaur barrette from Anthropologie, so take it with a grain of salt.)
But I digress. When it comes to pets, function still has to have a place over form, or you end up like me with a nice wooden bowl holder that is chomped to bits within a few weeks. So when I see a product that has both form and function, I get admittedly disproportionately excited. I can’t help it.
I recently received a bowl from ModaPet (“Moda” means fashion in Italian, for those keeping track) and I’m hooked. So hooked that I want you to have one too. I’m giving away one ModaPet bowl in the happy Sunflower color.
Form: This particular bowl is a 4 cup version, enough for even the big pooches like Brody and Koa, and comes in a variety of jewel tones like orange, teal, and red. They have the weight of a heavy ceramic bowl, but with the look of glass. They’re pretty enough that my daughter put a handful of flowers in them before realizing they were actually a dog dish. And somehow despite this fragile appearance, this is a bulldog of a bowl.
Function: ModaPet bowls are made of BPA free plastic that is dishwasher safe. The sturdy soft plastic bottom makes it skidproof, and because it is molded on as opposed to being glued on, it will hold up through multiple go rounds in the washer. This puppy is heavy. Even Koa leaves it in place, and I’ve seen her push steel bowls clear to the dining room when she’s in an eating frenzy.
I really like these bowls an awful lot, and I’m not one to wax poetic about eating implements, usually. So here is your chance to have a lovely bowl all for yourself, and you can impress your guests with your Italian designed dog ware to distract them from the Italian shoes they just trashed. Well, at least that’s what I did.
To enter, you know the drill! Comment on who you would like this bowl for, and make sure you enter on the Rafflecopter widget. US/Canada only, please.
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Dr. V | Friday | December 30, 2011 |
I can hardly believe it myself, but I’ve just passed the thousand post mark on the blog. That’s a lot of hammering on the keyboard. What a cool benchmark to ring in 2012! Thank you for sticking with me through all of it- the good, the sad, and the goofy.
I know lots of you are reading this from chillier climates than mine, so to celebrate, we’re having a giveaway of one Original Goose Down Filled Doggie Coat from Joy Pet Products!
Our Original Goose Down Filled Doggie Coats are so unique they have two US Patents! Filled with 550 fill power white goose down – no inexpensive feather down blends here – the Original Goose Down Filled Doggie Coat features cozy fleece reversing to water resistant nylon for two different looks. Quick and easy on and off with two secure Velcro closures. Offering a very adjustable fit, easy wash and dry care and plenty of hip coverage, this coat will help keep your best friend warm and dry when temperatures dip. Smaller sizes are available with an opening for the lead to pass through. Sizes XS through XL. Made in Canada or USA .
These coats normally retail for $79- $100, but there’s a huge end-of-the-year sale going on right now, so even if you don’t win the giveaway, this is a chance to get a coat for HALF off! Almost makes me wish we lived somewhere it snowed, because Koa would look stunning in leopard print. I’m just sayin’.
Enter below! For the blog comment just let me know who you want to win this for. Winner will notify Joy Pet Products of the size (size chart here) and Joy Pet Products will choose the color from available stock. Good luck!
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Dr. V | Wednesday | December 21, 2011 |
It’s not too late to grab some last minute goodies for your pup if you’re like me and still scrambling to get things together between now and Sunday! If you’re still looking for some ideas or stocking stuffers, here are the products I’m featuring this morning with Santa on Fox 5 San Diego’s morning segment:
Freeze-dried treats are the perfect choice for those who like an all-natural, no filler sort of treat. Just freeze-dried chicken, salmon, or beef with no added sugars or grains. These are also a good choice for a training treat! Available at Petco and other large pet retailers. (more…)
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Dr. V | Monday | November 28, 2011 |
Welcome back! Hope everyone here in the States had a lovely Thanksgiving. And in celebration of that and all the work it took the rest of the weekend to put the place back together, a post about cleaning products, something with which all pet owners are all too familiar.
I bought my car six years ago. Six years ago, I was obsessed with the idea of a black car with a beige interior. Sleek. Contemporary. Gorgeous. Six years ago, I was also very naive, with a nine month old who had yet to start throwing stuff on the floor and leaving red crayons on the seat.
So now, two kids and two dogs later, my beautiful beige car interior can best be described as “house of horrors”, a visual timeline of every insult that has been heaped upon it in the last half decade. No matter how much we try to stay on top of it, it’s a lost cause. It’s quite sad. I’ll come back to this in a minute.
A couple of weeks ago, Rug Doctor invited me to St. Louis to tour the factory and learn some more about their products. I figured hey, why not? I have an incontinent dog and two little kids and a spraying cat, so we definitely are familiar with carpet cleaning.
OK, so I’ll never be one of those Price is Right spokesmodels. But you’ve seen these displays in your grocery store, right? They’re everywhere.
I’ve rented the machines before, though not as often as the every 3-6 months (gulp) it’s recommended that you clean the carpets. I suppose I haven’t put much thought into the mechanics of getting a carpet clean, but Rug Doctor has.
Each Rug Doctor machine has three components: the spray hose, which shoots the cleaning product into your rug; the vibrating brush, which vibrates at 1700 vibrations a minute, and the vacuum hose, which pulls everything back out. Compared to what I usually do when there’s a spot on the rug, this is the mega-nuclear cleaning approach. Seek and destroy.
There are two main keys to getting the rug clean: The machine and the cleaning product you use in it. Here’s a nice tan rug, right? Remember this.
We got a demonstration from engineer Jason Hill, who told us about lift- the industry standard for suction. It’s near impossible to describe suction in a positive way that does not have some sort of inappropriate connotations, so let’s just leave it at “they demonstrated convincingly the superiority of this product’s ability to lift all sorts of garbage from your carpeting.” They run those motors to failure in the lab, just so they know before sending them out to stores how many hours of use they can expect (it’s about 1400, if you’re wondering.)
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Dr. V | Thursday | November 3, 2011 |
There are few things worse than that sinking feeling of looking around for your pet, and realizing he or she is gone. Not just hiding, but gone. Perhaps you’re like my neighbor, whose tricky latch on the side fence meant that whenever the gardener didn’t pull it shut all the way, the labs would push it open and go for a run.
Or you have one of those dogs who likes to dig, dig, dig, right under the fence and out onto the street.
Or you’re just unlucky, like a client of ours whose dog Tinker pulled his leash right out of his owner’s hand in our parking lot and disappeared for a month and a half before being found, slightly thinner but miraculously none the worse for wear, up in the hills, communing with nature.
They are all happy endings, though not without a great deal of stress and angst on the owner’s part. Not all stories end well, as we all know. Which is why I was so happy to get to be one of the first people to review the new Tagg the Pet Tracker, a GPS tracking device for dogs from SnapTracs, a division of Qualcomm. You may not know Qualcomm, but if you own a smartphone, you know their mobile technology.
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Dr. V | Tuesday | October 25, 2011 |
They’re on business cards, magazine ads, and pamphlets, so why not ID tags? QR codes are the next big thing in giving people quick access to information, and FurCode ID tags have taken it to the next level by putting them on a pet ID tag.
Each ID tag has a unique code on it; when the code is scanned by a smartphone or input into the website, users will have access to the pet’s profile containing contact information, veterinary information, vaccine history, and any other notes you’d like to include. I always disliked how traditional ID tags only have space for one or two pieces of information, especially in this day and age when we all have multiple phone numbers and means of access. Between myself and my husband we have about five various phone numbers at which we might be accessible, but if you want to get a hold of me fast, you know to e-mail me.
FurCode has offered TEN tags to pawcurious readers. Want one? Leave a comment below.
Details:
Contest open worldwide.
Ends November 8, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST.
You may enter once a day.
Good luck!
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Dr. V | Saturday | October 22, 2011 |
My husband insisted we make an unboxing video for the Tagg the Pet Tracker we received to review this week. Unboxing videos are definitely a guy thing.
“What do I do?” I asked. “I haven’t gotten to review it yet.”
“You don’t review it,” he said. “You just take it out of the box and explain what you see.”
It makes no sense to me, but I’d watch people unboxing Louboutins all day so I suppose you like what you like. Anyway, I actually have an actual review of the Tagg coming up, but if you’d like a sneak peek at the box it comes in, as well as what the device itself looks like, here you go. It really is a nifty device, by far the most attractive of the GPS devices on the market.
I do think a handsome Golden would have been great for the box. I’m just saying.
