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!

Product Review: ComfortFlex Sport Harness

The ComfortFlex Sport Harness is a Norway-style harness that is popular for agility and other dog sports. It is manufactured by PetPDC, the company makes a matching limited slip collar as well as various food puzzles for dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This was the third Norway harness I tried for Brisbane, after failing to find a long enough front chest strap on either the EzyDog or Hurtta harnesses. I specifically ordered this harness because the Amazon reviews contained several complaints about the front chest strap being too long. This strap is fixed on the Comfortflex harness, but there are so many different sizes that it would be difficult not to find a good fit.

Brisbane's purple harness is size M/L, the size M would fit him around his girth, but the front strap would probably be too short. This same ComfortFlex harness also fit Josie very well.

I like that the ComfortFlex harness is lined all the way around the girth strap as well as the chest. Literally the entire harness is lined. The girth strap is adjustable, and the smaller it is adjusted, the more the lining overlaps on itself. There is a section of velcro to keep this overlap secure. The buckle for the harness sits close to the top, well out of Brisbane's armpit. The long chest strap keeps it well clear of his elbow.

Pros: The ComfortFlex Sport Harness comes in ten sizes, from 12.5" around to 42" around. It also comes in a dozen different colors. It is machine washable and made in the USA. This harness is easy to put on, and very well padded. The buckle is placed near the top where it won't chafe. The long front strap makes for a very large head opening, which is nice for dogs that don't like having things pulled over his head.

Cons: The velcro makes a loud sound, which worries Brisbane. I'm working on desensitizing him to it, but it's a project. The leash attachment ring on this harness is very heavy, much heavier than any of the other Norway harnesses we've tried. The ring bangs against the buckle when the leash isn't attached.

Bottom Line: The ComfortFlex Sport Harness is my favorite Norway harness, I use it for sporting events and long hikes because it is comfortable for Brisbane and easy to put on. It is definitely the most comfortable, and least likely to chafe or rub Brisbane's delicate coat.