Product Review: Alcott Explorer Sleeping Bag

Alcott's Explorer Sleeping Bag is a snug little spot for your pup to curl up. Emphasis on the snug. This adorable little bed has a top that zips all the way off, so you can help your dog crawl inside or lay the whole thing out flat. It rolls up nicely into it's own little bag, too!

I bought this sleeping bag on sale, and the price was so good that I didn't even read the tag closely. Alcott makes nice, high-quality gear. The tag said it was a size medium, and all the medium Alcott stuff I've seen or purchased has been appropriately sized for Godzilla. She  is 28 pounds, 22" from neck to tail, and 16.5" tall. I thought it would make a great travel and camping bed.

Imagine my surprise when I unrolled the sleeping bag and found it was this tiny! It's actually the perfect size for Ru, all six pounds of him! It's a nice, snuggly little bed with a soft interior. Definitely a great travel bed for small dog, just not even close to medium size.

Pros:

• Totally adorable actual tiny sleeping bag for little dogs
• Machine washable
• Unzips all the way around
• Nice loft, very plush and warm

Cons:

• Very, very small
• Too heavy for backpacking

Bottom Line

It looks like Alcott redesigned the sleeping bag, and the new models are significantly larger with sizing more in line with the rest of their products. The 2017 bed also has a waterproof bottom. Sounds like a great improvement! 

Product Review: Alcott Essentials Visibility Collar

Alcott's Essential Visibility Collar combined bright safety yellow with reflective strips for low-light adventures. The collar is padded with neoprene, nad has a quick-release buckle. Alcott offers this collar in several other, less visible colors. It comes in three sizes to fit necks 10-26" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

We started carrying these at doggy daycare a while back, and we sold a ton of them. They look great! Many of our regular clients purchased them, so I've had a firsthand view of how they weather daily wear on active dogs.

I have to say, I'm not impressed. More than a year later they still look pretty good on the fluffier dogs that have some hair covering the collar. However, on the shorter-haired dogs these collars now look quite faded and dirty. Some of the reflective striping has either worn or peeled off. The neon yellow has turned sort of pastel.

Pros:
Highly visible when new. Easy to put on.

Cons: Gets faded and icky within a few months when worn daily. The smaller sizes can be extremely difficult to adjust.

Bottom Line: I could see pulling this collar out specifically for low-visibility outings, but with continuous wear it loses most of its special function and just becomes a regular collar.

Product Review: Alcott Essentials Treat+Ball Bag

The Alcott Essentials Treat+Ball Bag is a bait bag that can be worn on a pocket or belt. It has a secure spring closure and enough space to hold a tennis ball and plenty of treats. The Alcott Essentials bait bag is only available in one color and size so far.

Photo by Erin Koski

Treat bags like this are an essential part of everyday life with a reactive dog like Brisbane. I have been through many of them over the years, and so far this is my favorite. I've been through several RC Pets treat bags, some Outward Hound bags, and I still have a big Karen Pryor bag that I use occasionally. None of these compares to this Alcott bag.

I was looking for a new treat bag when we started carrying these at work. I've been irritated with drawstring pouches for a while because they require two hands to close. Velcro closures get gunked up with hair a squishy treats. My Karen Pryor bag has a sturdy spring closure, but it is very wide and tends to flop around and fall off easily. I can thread it on my belt, but then I can't take it off or move it easily. So far the Karen Pryor bag is the only one that hasn't had the lining fray and come apart.

When I started looking for a new bag, I know I wanted a nice deep one with a spring closure, and preferably a secure enough clip to not fall off when I'm running around. I started by reading reviews on Amazon, and quickly found that the spring closures on most big box store bags are weak and break right away. Happily, the Alcott Essentials Treat+Ball Bag is far higher quality than anything I've tried before. The spring closure pops open and closed smoothly, and it is secure enough to keep treats from falling out when I toss it across the room or wrestle it from the mouth of a cheerful bull terrier. The clip sticks right where I put it and stays on through all sorts of adventures. The fabric is sturdy enough to handle the strong spring, and the whole thing is holding together beautifully.

Pros: Well-made treat bag, not going to fall apart anytime soon. Awesome for agility. Spring closure works instantly with one hand, and keeps treats from flying out in assorted circumstances. Stays on the belt or pocket where I put it.

Cons: The gray is ok, but I wish this bag came in pink or purple. Most of my agility stuff is pink, purple, or lime green.

Bottom Line: Whenever I want to use my Alcott bag I've either left it in the car if I'm at home, or at home if we've gone somewhere in the car. Obviously the solution is to buy another one. Best bait bag ever.