Fido Fleece Dog Boots

These leopard print fleece dog boots are from the original Fido Fleece company. A little more than just a standard booty, the durable grippy sole wraps around the front of the toe where boots often see the most wear. In addition to the standard velcro wrap strap, these have a drawstring at the very top to help them stay on and keep stuff out of the boots.

Photo by Erin Koski

I remember hearing about Fido Fleece when Brisbane was a baby. They were the preferred coat for shivering jack russell terriers. While the product line still has the original brand name, the ownership of Fido Fleece has changed quite a bit.

Originally Fido Fleece was its own companyl producing fleece dog jackets and matching booties. Then the company was purchased by Premier, makers of wonderful martingale collars and harnesses. Then Premier was acquired by PetSafe and I assume from there everything went to hell.

I'll be honest, I really don't like PetSafe as a company, and would avoid buying their products if they didn't keep buying up companies I really like. I loved the Premier SureFit harness long before PetSafe bought them. I had Busy Buddy toys for my cocker spaniel before Brisbane was born. I feel like they acquire small businesses with excellent customer service and then assimilate them into the giant and faceless corporation.

Photo by Erin Koski

Some giant corporations have decent customer service, but PetSafe is just terrible. I bought a couple of their Come With Me Kitty harness and stretchy leash sets, and after slightly over a year of sitting in a drawer the leashes lost their stretch entirely. I had the same issue with one of my original Ruffwear Roamer leashes, and it was considered defective and replaced. Apparently PetSafe's stretchy leashes simply have a shelf life, and when I emailed to ask about it they told me to just buy another one. I was given another stretchy PetSafe leash and it did the same thing, so apparently this is just a product with a short lifespan. I feel icky about supporting a company that doesn't stand behind their product, and makes things seemingly designed to fail just after their warranty period.

Fido Fleece is another wonderful company swallowed by PetSafe. The product line seems to have shrunk significantly since the brand was acquired, and these boots are no longer available. I haven't heard anyone mention Fido Fleece in years now.

A Better Way to Adjust the Easy Walk Harness

The PetSafe Easy Walk harness works well for a lot of people, but it can be difficult to fit on the dog properly. The instructions included with this harness don't work very well for most dogs. Sure, they look plausible when you read them:














Just make the straps that go around the bottom and top tight enough that they remain in a straight vertical line even when the front strap is pulled forward. Then adjust the front strap so that it is tight enough to stay horizontal, 90 degrees from the other two straps, but not so tight that it pulls them forward. The connector rings and front strap should sit precisely at the level of the dog's breastbone. Easy, right?

The Mythical T-Shape
It sounds easy until you actually try to put an Easy Walk harness on a dog. Then physics comes into play and you begin to realize that dogs aren't shaped like that. I have yet to find a dog on which I could fit an Easy Walk harness as directed. No matter how incredibly dog-suffocatingly tight I make those top and bottom straps, they will not remain vertical. Nope. Not happening. Also, the straps attach to each other via a ring on either side. This allows the straps to rotate freely out of position at the slightest pressure.

If your harness fits like this and any of the straps are at their maximum
length, you probably need a bigger harness.
Photo by Erin Koski

The front strap on the Premier PetSafe EasyWalk harness includes a martingale loop that allows it to tighten. This feature also makes it very heavy. Unless your dog has an extremely prominent breastbone on which to hang that strap, it is going to sag. Heavy leash clips exacerbate this issue, and once again those handy side rings allow it to rotate very easily. There is no keeping the front strap horizontal.

So what can you do? If you try to keep the front strap tight enough to stay up, it pulls the top and bottom straps out of vertical and into the NO Y-shape. If you try to keep the top and bottom straps vertical, the front strap sags. There is no happy medium. Even worse, the mythical T-shape requires that the top and bottom straps sit in your dog's armpits, and fit very tightly. Chafed underarms galore.

The SENSE-ible Solution
The fitting instructions for the SENSE-ation harness are a bit different, but they work extremely well for the EasyWalk. For a better, more comfortable, less droopy fit, loosen that bottom strap and tighten up the top one a bit. The connector rings should now sit higher than the dog's breastbone.

A size bigger, this M/L can be adjusted for a better fit.
Photo by Erin Koski

With the front strap now attached a bit higher, it should sag right into its ideal position. When light pressure is applied, the Easy Walk harness may even take on the mythical T-shape. Since the front is no longer being held in place purely by tension, the bottom strap can be loosened enough to allow some freedom of movement. This also keeps it out of the dog's armpits and reduces chafing.

How to Fit an Easy Walk Harness Comfortably
1. Find the point of the dog's breastbone at the front of their chest, just below their neck.
2. Adjust the top shoulder strap so that the connector rings on either side sit an inch or two above this point.
3. Adjust the bottom belly strap so that it is snug, but loose enough to allow the dog to sit comfortably without getting jabbed in the armpits.
4. Adjust the front chest strap so it is snug enough to sit against the dog's body, but not so tight as the affect the position of the other two straps. It should droop slightly and sit just at the dog's breastbone.
5. If the front chest straps hangs lower than the breastbone or the leash clasp hits the dog's legs, tighten the top shoulder strap more. If the bottom belly strap is chafing under the front legs, loosen the front chest strap and tighten the top shoulder strap.

Keep in mind that Easy Walk harnesses tend to loosen up over time, and need to be tightened and adjusted often. Have you used this harness? How well did it work for you?

Product Review: PetSafe Martingale Collar with Quick Snap Buckle

The PetSafe Martingale Collar with Quick Snap Buckle is just like the regular PetSafe martingale collar, with the addition of a buckle so it does not need to be pulled over the dog's head. This collar is available in five colors and four sizes to fit necks 5-20" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

This martingale collar is a size medium, for 10-16" necks. It has a significantly smaller loop than any of my other PetSafe collars, which makes me wonder if they've updated the design.

These used to be made by Premier, who also made the Busy Buddy toys. They were bought out by PetSafe, who then dropped the Premier name after a while. The stock photos on their website show the collars with PetSafe tags, but all of mine say Premier, so this is probably a recent change.

The loop on this collar is an inch shorter than on my large collars, making it much less droopy. It adds four inches of length, which is still quite a bit. The loops on the buckle martingales could potentially be shorter, since the collar does not need to open wide enough to be slipped over the dog's head.

Pros: Sturdy, reliable. Bright colors are long-lasting. Escape-proof.

Cons: No dead ring for attachment of tags, they're supposed to be attached to the metal slides on either side of the loop.

Bottom Line: I got this for my foster puppies, but it also fits Brisbane at its greatest length. I don't leave it on any unattended dogs, it's strictly for leash walking. It's probably my third favorite collar, after the Cetacea and EzyDog slips.

Squirrel Dude Revisited

Our first Premier Busy Buddy Squirrel Dude was a size extra large. While it fit an entire cup of kibble, there wasn't much else I could put in it. Due to the sheer size of the thing, the dogs couldn't reach any food stuck in the very end of the toy. It was too large for them to bite effectively, and even tossing it was a bit of a stretch. I still use it as a roller puzzle toy, but I decided to get an more appropriate medium to size to explore the Squirrel Dude's potential as a Kong alternative.

Photo by Erin Koski

The most important difference between the Squirrel Dude and a classic-shaped Kong is that this toy has four little rubber fingers that protrude into the opening on the bottom. These prevent small treats like kibble from falling out easily.

To make the Squirrel Dude an easier puzzle, the rubber fingers can be trimmed. With time and heavy use, they tend to break off eventually. Once the rubber fingers are gone, the toy remains stuffable just like a Kong.

Photo by Erin Koski

We have a whole lot of Kongs, but only a couple Squirrel Dudes. For this reason, I am hesitant to chop the rubber fingers off our toys. With those intact, the dogs have a tough time getting peanut butter and other sticky treats out of the toy.

Product Review: Busy Buddy Biscuit Bouncer

The Busy Buddy Biscuit Bouncer is a durable chew toy that can hold some types of treats. It comes in two sizes for medium and large dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is an interesting food toy, we don't have anything like it. This is a very solid, heavy rubber ball with a slot all the way through it. The packaging indicates that I should shove a standard bone-shaped dog biscuit into the toy. I do not have any standard bone-shaped dog biscuits.

This seems like it could be a great food toy for a serious power chewer. Convincing a less determined chewer to use it requires a little creativity.

Photo by Erin Koski

A dog with powerful jaws could bite down hard and crunch a biscuit inside the Biscuit Bouncer. Brisbane doesn't bite down on his toys like that though, and he doesn't find dry dog biscuits to be terribly motivating.

I've been putting jerky treats inside the Biscuit Bouncer. The Bixbi Daily Essentials and Fruitables Real Jerky both work great. This makes a worthwhile challenge for Briz.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Super durable! I have yet to hear of a dog destroying this toy. Works as a ball without food, too.

Cons: It's really quite difficult to mash any kind of treat in there.

Bottom Line: This is a different sort of puzzle than most of our toys, and presents a unique challenge. It's not a toy that we use a lot, but it is certainly a way to keep Brisbane busy and thinking for ten minutes or more.

Product Review: Premier Sure-Fit Harness

The Premier Sure-Fit Harness is a Roman-style harness that does not restrict shoulder movement. It features two buckles on the girth strap, so I don't have to lift up Brisbane's feet to put it on. This is a highly adjustable harness, in addition to the adjustable neck and girth straps, the central chest strap that runs between the front legs is also adjustable. The Sure-Fit Harness is available in an impressive twelve colors and five sizes to fit dogs with chests 12-42" around.

Pardon my fat dog.
Photo by Erin Koski

This is one of the first harnesses I bought for Brisbane, way back when he was a baby. I had thought it was long gone, donated to rescue with assorted other silly things, until I found it in my car. Nothing makes me feel sillier than discovering something that has been hiding in my car for years, though in my defense it was stuffed in the spare tire compartment with assorted other things I used to use when I picked up dogs to send to New York.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is a great harness that does not restrict shoulder movement in any way. It was mentioned by name when I emailed Dr. Christine Zink for harness recommendations, and she's basically the expert on such things so I take her word for it.

I have a green medium Premier Sure-Fit harness, and recently picked up a purple large harness at a thrift store. I'm beginning to think I'm a bit weird about harness fitting, because I pretty much adjust the center strap on any harness to be as long as possible. I just want the straps to sit as far away from sensitive armpits as possible. On Brisbane, the medium Sure-Fit is adjusted with the necks straps at about half their maximum length, the chest straps each about an inch short of their maximum length, and the center strap adjusted as long as possible. On foster puppy Darla, the neck and chest straps are all adjusted nearly as small as they go, but the chest strap is still set to its maximum length. I did the same thing with the Red Dingo harness, so it's not something about this particular brand. On Brisbane the large harness fits loosely with every strap adjusted as short as possible...except that center strap.

Photo by Erin Koski

When properly fitted, the neck straps of the Sure Fit harness should sit way up high on the neck, well away from the shoulders. I try to get it just below where a collar would sit.

Pros: Highly adjustable for a good fit. Comes in tons of colors. Two buckles make it easier to put on, I don't have to put any feet through any straps. Front ring allows it to be used as a no-pull harness.

Cons: There's not a lot of overlap between the larger sizes. I almost feel like the front center strap isn't quite long enough on the medium, but the large doesn't adjust small enough.

Bottom Line: It may be plain, but the Sure-Fit harness is a great non-restrictive option for canine athletes, dogs who run with their owners, and really almost any dog. I like harnesses. This is a good one. Since I rediscovered it we have been using it a lot.

What's your favorite harness?

Puzzle Toy Review: Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat

The Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat is a roller-type treat-dispensing toy. It is made from durable rubber and comes in four sizes. This toy is also available in a softer rubber for teething puppies, and there is a cat version as well.

Photo by Erin Koski

The toy shown here is an extra small that we borrowed from Xhuuya the raven, we don't currently have one of our own. I did get one for my dearly departed cocker spaniel a few years before I got Brisbane, and that toy lasted us well over a decade before the rubber started to get a bit weird.

The Twist 'n Treat consists of two halves that screw together and come apart completely for easy cleaning. The toy can be filled with small treats and made more difficult by screwing it together tighter. I used to smear it with peanut butter and fill it with kibble.


Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 2/5
Our old medium-sized Twist 'n Treat held less than a quarter cup of kibble. I know the large holds more than that, but not a ton.

Loading Speed: 4/5
Untwist, dump food in, re-twist. It can be tough to get it closed when filled to max capacity, however.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 3/5
The peanut butter made it last a bit longer, but this was never a time-consuming project for Oakely.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 2/5
There was a reason I stopped using this long before it began to degrade.

Size: 5/5
Comes in Ru-sized all the way up to Doberman-sized.

Durability: 4/5
It'll stand up to all forms of flinging, squishing, and biting. Not hard chewing, though.

Noise: 5/5
Soft rubber means it can be bounced all over the hardwood without waking the neighbors.

Locatability: 1/5
It rolls, and the medium was small enough to fit under most furniture. Was often found in Brisbane's lairs.

Washability: 5/5
Unscrews all the way for easy scrubbing. Also top rack dishwasher safe.

Versatility: 5/5
The various sizes and flexibility of this toy make it good for a variety of creatures. Premier markets it for dogs and cats, it is also raven-approved and could potentially be used for enrichment for a variety of animals. The fact that it can be unscrewed gives it huge potential, and it has no hard parts of sharp edges.

Total: 36/50

Puzzle Toy Review: Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom

The Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom is a disappointingly non-psychedelic purple puzzle toy by Premier. It is wonderfully challenging for Brisbane, and almost easy enough for Ulysses to use. The Magic Mushroom comes in two sizes for smaller dogs and larger dogs. Ours is the larger size.

Photo by Erin Koski

As far as food-dispensing puzzle toys go, this one is my absolute favorite. It is the best thing ever. It can be loaded in seconds with an entire cup of kibble, the difficulty level can be adjusted to dispense food with more or less effort, it rolls quietly across my hardwood floors, and the entire thing can be taken apart and scrubbed thoroughly. As an added bonus, it has a ridiculous name and is purple. I don't think I would be nearly as drawn to this toy if it were, say, yellow and named The Food Ball. I don't think Brisbane actually cares about any of this, but Premier knows they have to get me, the human, to buy their toys. Premier is pretty good at appealing to me, the human.

Photo by Erin Koski

One of the things I love about the Magic Mushroom is that it requires more than one movement to get the food out of the toy. The bottom of the toy unscrews to allow a bunch of food to be scooped in, and there are three holes at the top for dispensing food when the shroom is turned upside down. Without the mushroom cap, this would be a somewhat easy bobbing puzzle toy. The half-sphere mushroom cap is what makes this toy magical, while the shroom is weighted, it isn't nearly as heavy as the Starmark Bob-a-Lot, or even the Kong Wobbler. As a result, the Magic Mushroom spends as much time upside down as it does rightside up. The kibble-dispensing holes in the shroom are located underneath the cap, so the food falls into the cap and the toy must be rolled upright again before dispensing its payload.

Photo by Erin Koski

The fact that this toy requires to separate actions to solve makes it absolutely fascinating to Brisbane.

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 5/5
I can fit at least a cup of kibble in there, probably more. Definitely way more than anyone here eats at a time.

Loading Speed: 5/5
Unscrew the huge base, dump in kibble, done.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 5/5
On the easiest setting, this one is very challenging for Ulysses. He is likely to need a break before he empties half a cup of kibble out of it.

Photo by Erin Koski

Loading Speed (superdog): 5/5
Not only does this toy take 30+ minutes for Briz to empty, it keeps him happily engaged the entire time.

Size: 4/5
I wouldn't give the large shroom to a giant dog, but the small one is certainly reasonably-sized for a toy dog like Ru. Actually there's no reason he can't use the large one, either.

Durability: 5/5
Our shroom came from a thrift store and I have no idea how much abuse it took before arriving here. For hard plastic, this thing seems to absorb a lot of shock without clattering around horribly like our Kong Satellite.

Photo by Erin Koski

Noise: 4/5
It's not dead quiet, but pretty close. I'm impressed how little noise this makes on my raised-foundation hard floors.

Locatability: 5/5
Doesn't fit under the couch, and I always find it right in the middle of the room.

Washability: 5/5
The whole thing comes apart into four pieces for perfect scrubbing access. It's also top rack dishwasher safe, but this is one toy that I can get squeaky clean just hand washing.

Hoardability: 1/5
Briz can't actually pick this one up, so it never ends up in a crate or on the bed.

Total: 44/50

Product Review: Gentle Leader Head Collar

The Premier Gentle Leader is a head collar, or head halter, made by PetSafe. The basic nylon webbing version comes in five sizes and nine different colors to fit dogs of all sizes. The deluxe version features a fleece-lined nose loop with a ribbon overlay, it comes in three colors and includes a matching leash.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Gentle Leader is probably the easiest to find head collar, and might be the easiest to use. I find them at thrift stores on a regular basis, and currently own three or four. Many dogs really hate wearing a head collar, but for the dogs that don't mind, this can be a really excellent bandaid for pulling on the leash.

The Gentle Leader became popular and easy to find in stores in the late 1990's, but it had been around for at least a decade before that under a different name. The Promise Collar was touted as a "natural" training system designed to work with the dominance-based pack structure believed to be the key to dog training at the
time. As the science of behaviorism began to influence dog training, and reward-based positive training surged in popularity, the Promise Collar was rebranded as the Gentle Leader. The Authority Loop became the Leader Loop, and the training tool was no longer intended to dominate subordinate pack members.

Briz is not a fan/

I sort of love and hate this collar. I love that I haven't paid more than a dollar for any of the many I have owned and given away. I love that this collar is incredibly adjustable, one side of the neck strap is a fixed length and the other side as well as the nose loop can be adjusted all the way down to nothing, so Brisbane can wear a medium, a large, and possibly even an extra large Gentle Leader. I love that there are only two loops, so it is relatively simple to put on.

At the same time, I hate that most dogs fight this collar even when it has been carefully introduced. I hate seeing long leashes and even retractables attached to these. I hate seeing dogs back out of them at the worst possible time, and I hate how pretty much everyone has them sized wrong. The neck loop is supposed to be very tight, so tight even a single finger can't be slid under it. Most dogs hate this, and most of their owners do, too. The thing is, the neck strap needs to be super tight, sitting right up behind the ears, in order to keep the nose loop in place. If the neck strap is too loose, the nose loop can slip off, and most people respond by making the nose loop too tight.

A correctly-fitted Gentle Leader should fit tightly around the neck, but very loose around the nose. The plastic adjuster on the nose loop should be positioned so that it is barely not loose. Most dogs will not be able to back out of the collar when it is super tight, but I use a martingale or slip collar as a backup in case they do manage to escape the Gentle Leader.

Pros: Easy to find, easy to use, and each size fits a wide range of dogs. Definitely the least-confusing and most user-friendly head collar.

Cons: Most dogs hate it at first, many continue to hate it even when properly introduced. Difficult to adjust correctly, and may be uncomfortable for the dog when the neck strap is tight enough. No backup or safety feature in case dog backs out of collar. Unlined nose loop tends to rub marks on dogs who wear the Gentle Leader often.

Bottom Line: There are head collars I like better than the Gentle Leader. There are head collars that many dogs like better than the Gentle Leader. However, this is still my best bet for introducing people to the whole concept without overwhelming them with a tangle of straps.

Product Review: PetSafe Clik-R

The PetSafe Premier Clik-R is a training clicker with a finger loop on the back. It has a soft, low volume click. This product only comes in one size and color.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is a nice little clicker, it makes a sound a little quieter than the iClick, much softer than the big box clickers that can spook sensitive animals. It is much larger than the iClick, and has nice rounded edges that make it more comfortable to hold for long periods of time.

The best part about this clicker is that is has a little elastic band on the back that allows me to slip it on a finger. This keeps it in a convenient position when I'm juggling treats, targeting objects, leashes, and other training paraphernalia. Fair warning: a lot of reviews for this clicker state that the elastic loop is much too small and squeezes their normal-size fingers. Others complain that it is too loose and slips off their thumb easily. I wear rings in sizes 7-9 and the loop on my Clik-R works exactly as intended.

Pros: Super-convenient finger loop keeps clicker in my hand way better than a wrist strap. Raised button allows it to be clicked with a foot/elbow/chin/buttcheek. Loop at bottom allows for attachment of neck lanyard or wrist strap. This is a super-quiet clicker, great for skittish pets and group classes where not everyone wants to hear me click.

Cons: This product seems to have some quality control issues, some people have issue with the button sticking and the size of the finger loop seems to vary wildly. Not all dogs respond well to the soft click, and can miss the marker in noisy areas.

Bottom Line: I don't like it as much as the iClick, but I still use my Clik-R all the time because that finger loop is just so cool.

Product Review: Premier EasyWalk Harness

The Premier EasyWalk is a front-clip harness designed to discouraged pulling. It comes in eight sizes and seven colors to fit dogs with chests 12"-46" around. Premier also offers a reflective version of the harness that comes in five sizes and two colors.

Photo by Erin Koski

Right now I think this is my favorite band-aid for dogs that pull on leash. Like most no-pull solutions, the Easy Walk is meant to be used as part of a training program with the intention of eventually walking the dog on a flat or martingale collar. Like most no-pull solutions, the average user expects to put it on the dog and instantly solve the problem with zero training. I like the Easy Walk harness because it does that pretty well. It makes pulling annoying or difficult by removing all leverage rather than causing pain or discomfort.

That said, there is some concern that the Easy Walk harness reduces shoulder range of motion even when there is no leash attached. According to veterinarian Dr. Christine Zink, the front strap of the harness sits right above an injury-prone area of the front legs. Dogs wearing the Easy Walk put less weight on their front legs, and for this reason it is recommended to avoid using this harness on dogs that compete in high-impact dog sports like agility and flyball. It is also recommended that handlers avoid running with their dogs in this harness. Now I cringe every time I see a dog running on the off-leash beach in one of these.

Photo by Erin Koski

When properly fitted, the Easy Walk harness should be relatively difficult for dogs to back out of. Still, it's a very good idea to use a martingale collar as a backup, especially the first few times the harness is used. Clipping the leash to both the collar and the harness ring works really well.

The first time I saw an Easy Walk harness was ten years ago, on a husky. The dog was pulling so hard that one of her front legs was completely off the ground, but she continued to haul along on three legs and pull like a proper sled dog. I know now that her Easy Walk harness was not properly adjusted. It was likely too loose, the front strap should never have been low enough to pull her leg completely off the ground like that. Still, this product does has some fitting quirks.

The instructions say that the harness should make a T-shape when viewed from the side. The red harness in these pictures is a size Medium, adjusted with every strap at its maximum length. The front strap is so short that it pulls the top and bottom straps into a Y-shape. Premier makes in-between sizes that are not usually sold in stores, but one of our local spots carries them and was nice enough to let us play with it. Here is Brisbane wearing a size Medium/Large, the next size up. It is adjusted with every strap as short as  possible. The front strap is much too long and sags well below the breastbone where it belongs, at the same time it still pulls the incredibly snug top and bottom straps out of line. The guys at the store referred to it as the "mythical T-shape". Until we tried it out, I was convinced the Medium/Large size would be a perfect fit, but the Medium is actually a lot closer to ideal. Still, it's a good thing I don't actually need this product or I would be out of luck.

I'm not in love with the way the martingale loop on the front of the Easy Walk harness works. I have also used the SENSE-ation harness on dogs that pull, and it doesn't have issues with sagging like the Easy Walk does. I also have yet to use a SENSE-ation harness that had obviously slipped and loosened with use, while I have tightened many an Easy Walk.

Pros: Pretty much idiot-proof, minimal potential to cause harm when used by the average human on their average dog. Works pretty good as a band-aid for pulling as well as a training aid. Lots of sizes, and fun colors to match different doggy ensembles. Also doubles as a Norway harness when someone inevitably puts it on backwards, not sure if this has the same effects on shoulder movement. Ridiculously easy to put on.

Cons: The effects on shoulder movement are currently being studied, but this harness does alter a dog's gait even when a leash is not attached. The directions for fitting this product were apparently written by people who had never actually attempted to fit the Easy Walk on a real live dog. Apparently there is no size that will fit Brisbane in the prescribed manner. A lot of people get really confused about how to put this on despite its simplicity. Come on, there's only three straps, people! They're even color-coded! (Apparently I have superb spatial reasoning that is limited almost exclusively to understanding how dog tackle works.)

Bottom Line: Less aversive than a prong or choke collar, less obnoxious and potentially dangerous than a head halter, more effective than a flat collar. This makes a good training tool, and it makes a good crutch for those that can't be arsed to train. It's a decent way for a small person to control a large dog. I didn't think very much of them when they first came out, but they've grown on me over the last decade.

Product Review: Premier Martingale Collars

Premier Martingale Collars are a type of limited-slip collar that tightens to prevent dogs from backing out and escaping. Premier's plain martingale collar comes in five sizes and twelve different colors. Their Fido Finery line comes in the same five sizes and nine different patterns of ribbon overlay.

Photo by Erin Koski

Despite his magnificently fluffy ears, Brisbane's head is actually smaller than his neck. He is an expert at escaping from flat buckle collars, if it doesn't tighten up he can back right out of it. I put his tags on flat buckle collars because those are safer to leave on him, but I never attach a leash to those unless we're in an extremely low-risk area where I can be certain he won't take off and try to eat skateboarders.

Martingale collars are a great way to securely leash a dog without strangling them like a choke chain. These aren't designed to make pulling on the leash uncomfortable. A properly adjusted martingale collar should be tight enough to not slip off when the loop is pulled shut. A lot of people adjust them so they are snug when the loop is loose and choke the dog when leash pressure is applied. This is unhealthy for the dog, and extremely unsafe when left on an unattended dog. If the collar gets caught on anything, the dog could easily be strangled.

Photo by Erin Koski

Most martingale collars don't have a buckle, which also makes them potentially hazardous for everyday wear. Even if I saw Brisbane get his collar caught on something, I wouldn't be able to get him loose without cutting through the collar. Martingales are especially dangerous for dogs that play with other dogs, it's not difficult for a buddy to get their lower jaw caught in that loop, and separating two panicked dogs is incredibly difficult. Premier also makes a plain martingale collar with a quick release buckle, but I still don't find those safe enough to leave on my dog, they're just easier to get on and off because they don't have to slip over his head.

I love dog stuff, so we have quite a few martingale collars. However, the Premier ones aren't my favorite. The loop in these collars is huge, meaning the collar hangs very loose when it isn't pulled tight. Super-loose martingales bug me, especially when tags make the collar droop.

Pros: Come in a wide variety of sizes, widths, and colors for the fashion-conscious. These keep their color for a very long time, and go through the washing machine easily. Unlike some of the ribbon overlay collars we have tried, the Fido Finery holds up beautifully to neck scratching. Premier products are very sturdy and reliable, and they have little brand tags so you know who made them.

Cons: The big martingale loop on the 1" wide collars is very large, allowing the collar to droop when loose and tempting users to adjust the collar too tight. There is only one ring on these collars, and tags attached to that ring will pull the collar tight. The size large collar is really quite heavy.

Bottom Line: I don't use these martingales for Brisbane on a regular basis. Although they adjust down to his size, that huge loop makes them annoying. The purple collar is a medium, and the loop is just as big as on the large teal collar. I did use them for Josie, and also for Ulysses. They are a great backup for a head halter, prong collar, or harness. We consider Uly a flight risk, and I always use a carabiner to attach his harness to a martingale collar when we leave the house. They may not be a great everyday option for Brisbane, but I find these are extremely valuable for rescue and foster dogs.

Product Review: Premier KeepSafe Collar

The Premier KeepSafe Collar is a breakaway collar designed to release in an emergency to prevent the dog from strangling. It comes in five sizes to fit dogs with necks 7-34" around. The collar is nylon with a quick-release plastic buckle, a breakaway release, and two D-rings. It comes in four colors.

Photos by Erin Koski

When Brisbane was a puppy, he slept in a plastic airline crate every night. One morning I found him sitting forlornly against the side of his crate. One of his tags had slipped through a vent in the side and then rotated so that he was trapped. I was extremely fortunate that he was able to sit there and wait for me to rescue him, and I was acutely aware that he could have strangled to death within minutes if he had gotten hung up in a different spot.

At work we also occasionally see dogs get their faces caught in each other's collars. The policy is

The breakaway section separated.

that collars that tighten (martingales, chokes) and collars without buckles come off before the dog comes into the yard to play. If one dog is grabbing another dog's collar in play, we remove that collar until playtime is over. When a dog does get caught, it is usually because they grabbed a friend's collar and then spun around, twisting the collar around their lower jaw. Someone is always watching the dogs, and there are always several people around, so separating them is usually quick and efficient. The first dog to grab is the one wearing the collar on their neck and being strangled, this one needs to be held still so the collar can be unbuckled.

The Premier KeepSafe collar conveniently removes both of these dangers. I had seen this one at the store prior to Brisbane's incident, and I bought it the day he got caught in his crate. I wasn't comfortable leaving him without identification tags, so this was a perfect compromise.

Leash attachment feature.

The collar has a standard plastic quick-release buckle for taking it on and off. It also has a breakaway section that is slightly more difficult to put back together. It comes apart with a good tug, the grabby section is made from a slightly more flexible material to help it separate easily. There is a D-ring on either side of this section for attaching the leash. Clip it through both and the collar won't break open with pressure.

Pros: Breakaway feature literally saves lives. Collar strangulation is a serious hazard, but dogs also need to be wearing identification for safety. The KeepSafe collar is a happy compromise between the two issues. This is an extremely well-made collar, Premier makes great stuff. Brisbane's looks great years later.

Cons: The downside to the KeepSafe is that it does not make a convenient grab handle for your dog in emergencies. I once grabbed Brisbane's collar to keep him from greeting someone too enthusiastically, and he popped right out of it and went charging over to visit. When I worked at a pet store I saw a nervous Vizsla slip out of a Halti and then pop out of a KeepSafe collar as her owner attempted to capture her. If the collar breaks open while the dog is running off-leash the collar and attached tags can get lost. Tags are a pain in the butt to replace.

Bottom Line: My dogs don't normally wear collars around the house these days for a number of reasons, including safety and reducing skin irritation. Still, I have kept Brisbane's KeepSafe collar because it is so valuable in certain situations. For dogs that love to play and wrestle together, breakaway collars could save their lives.

Comparison: Head Halters

There are a lot of different head halters out there, and I only own three of them. I don't actually use a head halter on any of my dogs, for various reasons. Josie is too old and lame to generate any sort of pulling power. Ru is such a featherweight that I'm not actually sure if I would even notice if he pulled on the leash.

I have used a head halter on Brisbane in the past, but I've never successfully conditioned him to enjoy wearing one. Some dogs fight and paw at their faces when wearing a halter, Brisbane just gives up at life. This is a useful enough feature that I do occasionally put one on him when I need him to just lay there in a pile of despair. I have been told by more than one veterinarian to avoid using head collars on dogs with spinal issues, and they have the potential to hurt the neck of a healthy dog too. I only use a 4' or shorter leash with a head halter, and have to stay attentive and keep the dog from running to the end of the leash and jerking their neck.

Because Brisbane is incapable of looking animated or even lifting his head off the ground when wearing them, Josie is modeling all of my head halters. She is significantly bigger than Briz, but these things fit a pretty decent range of sizes.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the Gentle Leader. by Premier. It comes in a variety of colors and five different sizes. The Gentle Leader uses a simple design with a loop that goes around the nose of the dog, and another that fits around the neck. The neck loop can be adjusted down very small, and the nose loop is the same width for most of the sizes. This means that a large Gentle Leader can still fit a relatively small dog, which makes them rather versatile. Premier also makes a Deluxe version with a padded noseband.

My experience has been that dogs hate the Gentle Leader more than other headcollars. Josie definitely pawed at it much more during our photo shoot, and it tends to leave marks on dogs with sensitive skin. The Gentle Leader doesn't really have a built-in safety measure in case of escape. The neck loop is supposed to be fitted tightly enough that it can't slip over the dog's head, but Brisbane's neck is fatter than his head and no amount of tightening would prevent him from backing out of this thing if only he could muster the willpower. I would definitely recommend using the Gentle Leader with the leash clipped to a martingale or slip collar because emergency backup measures are awesome.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the Halti, by The Company of Animals. It is the first headcollar I can remember seeing as a kid. The noseband of this halter sits further down than the Gentle Leader, and I thinks that's why many dogs tolerate it better. This is a Halti sized for Brisbane, but you can see it still fits Josie. When the Halti is pulled tight it closes the dog's mouth, this can be helpful for dogs that bite or attempt to eat things off the ground.

I really appreciate that the Halti has a safety strap with a small clip to attach to the dog's collar. The Halti isn't intended to be as tight around the dog's neck as the Gentle Leader, and this extra safety strap is particularly reassuring when attached to a martingale or slip collar.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the Canny Collar, and it is a bit different than most head halters because the leash attaches in the back, behind the dog's head. I haven't tried actually using this one yet, but Josie was significantly less unhappy about wearing it. My favorite thing about the Canny Collar is that it does not twist the dog's head around at all. From a training perspective this could be a disadvantage because I would not be able to force the dog to look up at me. However, it seems to be significantly safer for the average dog owner who just wants to go for a walk without their arm getting dislocated.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Canny Collar is built on a flat buckle collar, and this again could be a problem for dogs who back out of collars. One of the neat features about the Canny Collar is that the nose loop can be slipped off and secured around the dog's neck for off-leash play or practice walking on a flat buckle collar.

This would definitely be the first head halter I would recommend to someone who wants to walk and isn't focused on training. I would also probably recommend the Infinity Lead, although I haven't yet found one in a thrift store so I have yet to try it myself. The Infinity Lead also attaches to the dog's collar as an emergency backup measure.

The Snoot Loop, Sporn Halter, and Comfort Trainer are a few more head halters I haven't actually played with yet, but the ones pictured here are the most common and easiest to find. I think the rear-attaching halters like the Canny Collar are becoming more common, something I'm very glad to see. Whether head halters count as positive or negative training equipment probably counts a lot on the dog and handler, but they need to be used carefully to avoid injury.

Product Review: Premier Pogo Plush

The Premier Pogo Plush is a stuffed squeaky toy with a unique design. Inside the body of the toy there is a flexible rubber cage instead of stuffing. This cage contains a squeaker that rattles around inside the toy.

This is actually one of Ru's favorite toys, but Brisbane plays better for the camera. The Pogo is a different design than the popular "skinny" stuffies that just have a squeaker inside and nothing else. The animal-shaped toys have tails that flap around when the dogs shake them wildly. We've had the raccoon for about three years, and it held up remarkably well until this photo shoot, when Briz pulled the rubber cage out of it. He finds it interesting because the squeaker isn't always in the same place, so the Find the Squeak game remains interesting.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Pretty durable, held up for quite a while and didn't become an Unstuffing Challenge once the stitching was breached. Continues to squeak after a couple of years. Definitely a toy that prompted spontaneous play.

Cons: The stitching eventually gave out on the bottom and Brisbane was able to disassemble it, to his extreme satisfaction. I personally didn't find this toy particularly cute, it was sort of faceless and weird. Briz didn't think it was quite as much fun to bite as the average squeaky toy.

Bottom Line: More durable and less messy than the average squeaky stuffy. We enjoyed it, and I will probably sew it up again.