Stuff We Destroyed: December Edition

It's time for the monthly roundup of stuff that didn't survive the month! When I first started this blog, none of my dogs were destructive. Brisbane had toys that lasted most of his 11 years. Josie didn't care much for toys in general. Ru has never destroyed anything in his life. The current crop of dogs are much harder on their toys, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to put product durability to the test.

I've been in denial for a while, but I'm beginning to suspect that Zip is a power chewer. She doesn't really set out to demolish toys, but she does like to pause for the occasional gnaw while fetching. She hasn't really gone for any of our toughest toys yet, but she has managed to fetch quite a few of our fairly tough toys to death.

That's the Spunky Pup Fetch & Glow Ball up front with the hole. It's sitting in the curled remains of the Chuckit Floppy Tug, which was remarkably short-lived for a toy advertised as "tough".

The leather Aussie Naturals Squeaky Bacon toy sat neglected at the bottom of the toy bin for two years, until Zip decided it had to die. Planet Dog's Mazee, the Amaze-Ball, developed a tear at the opening, and then Zip and Sis decided to pull the maze out of the ball. I got Sisci Godzilla a Cycle Dog 3 Play happy hippo for her birthday, and someone promptly chewed a leg off. Our Nite Ize Glowstreak LED ball developed some tears in the flexible ball material, and then the entire plug that holds in the light popped off one night.

Way in the back there is our original decade-old Starmark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball. RIP. I'm pretty sure the newer material is a bit tougher. There's also a de-stuffed Mighty stegasaurus, our P.L.A.Y. king crab, a Kyjen Plush Puppies stuffed octopus that was older than Ru, and the carcass of a stuffed reindeer from last Christmas.

We also lost some gear this year, casualties of lure coursing and camping. Sisci Godzilla sometimes gets so excited in her crate that she drags in and shreds anything in reach. She got a hold of her ComfortFlex Sport harness at a lure coursing event and shredded it into many pieces. Godzilla has also taken to biting through leashes when excited, so mostly we're using steel cables these days. I got her a tug leash to match the harness, and left her tied up for a few minutes while setting up camp in the redwoods. So long, leash!

The February Allergy-Friendly BarkBox

The theme of the February Allergy-Friendly BarkBox is Mardi Gras! Not being Catholic or even slightly religious, we think of Mardi Gras as a big weird party that happens to other people. That's ok though, the dogs are thrilled with this month's box. As always, nothing in here contains any chicken, turkey, beef, corn wheat, soy, or gluten. Happily, this month's box also didn't include anything with duck or eggs.

Ru liked the Harry Barker Stuffed Mardi Gras Mask with Rope. It's a good size for him, and he enjoys dragging around rope toys.

Brisbane immediately stole the Delca Jester Ball and has been nose-punching it to make it squeak all evening. This is a stuffy with a spiky ball inside.

There is also an Aussie Naturals Salmon Half Cigar, which is slightly less stinky than the Fish Strips we got in last month's box.

We got some gluten-free Le Petit Treat King Cake Biscuits. These are so cute, but there's only a few in there. It's a tiny box, we went through the last one in a couple of days.

The most interesting thing in this month's box is a package of Petsafe Indigo Catfish Po'Boy treats. These are super high-value treats that must be refrigerated after opening and consumed within three days. I haven't opened them yet, but they're probably pretty stinky.

This month's box contents are all from familiar companies, and we've gotten similar things in previous boxes. In fact, our January BarkBox had a plush Delco toy and Aussie Naturals fish skin treats, so this month feels a tiny bit like a rerun. Come to think of it, our June box last year contained both a Harry Barker plushy and some Le Petit Treat biscuits as well. Do these things always come paired?

Treat Tuesday: Aussie Naturals Fish Strips

We got these Aussie Naturals Fish Strips in our January BarkBox, and they have been stinking up my  treat cabinet ever since. They are made from salmon skin and nothing else. Just 100% sockeye salmon, a great allergy-friendly chew. Did I mention they smell like fish? A whole lot? They come in a resealable plastic bag to help contain a small fraction of the fishy smell, and are made in the USA.

Good For: Dogs with allergies to almost everything. Small dogs who enjoy a good chewing session. Mid-sized and large dogs who enjoy a brief chewing session. Shiny healthy skins and coats.

Not Good For: Ripping into smaller pieces. Lasting Brisbane longer than five minutes. Extremely picky chihuahuas. Feeding the dogs on my way out the door when I don't want to arrive at my destination smelling like fish.

How Much We Like Them: Well Brisbane thinks they're super awesome. They are also supposed to do amazing things for his skin and coat. I'm trying to get his hair to grow back after a particularly bad round of allergy issues, and he needs all the omega-3's he can get.

The January Allergy-Friendly BarkBox

The theme of January's Allergy-Friendly BarkBox is the Ice Age. Living on the coast of central California, we're pretty sure snow is a story made up by Canadians to scare chihuahuas. Still, this is a particularly good box and has some things we love already.

That Delca Corp Adorable Snowman was a hit. Brisbane immediately ran off with it, and later Ru dragged it up on the bed and spent a long time shaking it ferociously.

The Dex & Penny Squeaky Icicle was less impressive. I couldn't get either of the boys interested, but it's always possible that Brisbane will suddenly fall in love when someone is making an important phone call.

We got an Etta Says Deer Chew, those don't last long around here, but they are certainly well-loved.

The Aussie Naturals Salmon Skins reek. Seriously, I could smell them before I opened the box. Brisbane couldn't keep his nose off them. I'm sure he'll love them, I'm not going to love getting the smell off my hands. Gross/awesome.

The Max & Ruffy's Blizzard Bites, on the other hand, smell like delicious cookies. Those are definitely the sort of thing I will be able to toss to the dogs on my way out the door without having to wash my hands after.

Product Review: Aussie Naturals Squeaky Bacon

The Aussie Naturals Squeaky Bacon is a stuffed toy made from leather. It contains a squeak and is bacon-scented.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Squeaky Bacon arrived in our March BarkBox, and was promptly ignored by everyone until Ulysses arrived in May. I like the Aussie Naturals company, their products are made with a focus on the natural and sustainable. Leather, jute, coconut fiber, wool, cotton, and natural gum rubber are their primary materials, and they aim to produce quality products with a minimal carbon footprint.

I like the concept, but I can't help but notice that the Aussie Naturals website has changed recently. AussieNaturals.us is a very professional-looking web store with a wonderful backstory about the original company, ABO Gear, and how they branched out into the pet market. The new site, AussieNaturals.org, is done primarily in Comic Sans, with an abbreviated "about us" page and an overall rough and unpolished look.

Photo by Erin Koski

The company and their website aside, the Squeaky Bacon is pretty amusing. Brisbane and Ru ignore it entirely. Uly will occasionally toss it around. Nobody here has gnawed on it yet, but a friend got the same toy in the March BarkBox and reported that her Jack Russell Terrier mix ate it. As this was the only toy that particular dog had ever felt the need to devour, it appears to have some sort of strange attraction.

Pros: Biodegradable, non-toxic, environmentally-friendly toy made without plastics or petroleum products. Sturdier than fabric squeakies, and the leather provides a novel chewing texture for most dogs.

Cons: Small size make it unattractive for dogs that love great big mouthfuls of squeak. Some dogs consider it a snack. Manufactured in India by a company that is based in Georgia, nowhere is Australia involved except in the name.

Bottom Line: It seems to be a good company making quality products. I wish they were manufactured in the USA as I have some concerns about quality control and the potential for toxic materials in the leather. Not something I would have purchased on my own, but the Squeaky Bacon is certainly a welcome addition to the toybox.