Spiderdogs!

We're having an infestation of some sort over here.

Photo by Erin Koski

Everyone has developed extra legs and maybe some fangs.

Photo by Erin Koski

Could it be a skin disease? A mutation?

Photo by Erin Koski

Or did I find a bunch of Target Spider-Pet costumes on sale for a dollar each?

Photo by Erin Koski

Yup, that's probably it.

Photo by Erin Koski

These spider outfits from Target are really made for wide, short-backed dogs like pugs, they're nowhere near long enough for most of my crew. Still, matching costumes are a whole lot of fun. Here's a video of the best spiderdog costume ever. I don't know that any of mine would put up with that sort of shenanigans.

Product Review: Boots and Barkley Adjustable Mesh Harness

The Boots & Barkley Adjustable Mesh Harness is available exclusively at Target stores. It has quick-release buckles at both the neck and chest. Various iterations of this harness have been available in at least three colors, and it tends to come in four sizes to fit dogs with chests 13.5-36" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

This harness is yet another thrift store find. It fits Xena perfectly, and I'm willing to part with it, so it's hers now. It fits her pretty well, and it's bright and eye-catching. Dark-colored dogs tend to be adopted less often, and flashy gear can help make them more visible to the public.

This is an interesting harness because it does not require me to slip it over her head, but I do have to lift her foot over a strap to put it on. This makes it excellent for head-shy dogs, Brisbane hates having harnesses slid over his head and vastly prefers the ones that have a buckle there. The Boots and Barkley mesh harness isn't quite as good for foot-shy dogs though. It has the mesh chest panel, and then a back strap. It buckles around one leg, but I have to lift the other over the mesh panel and into the space between it and the back strap. A second buckle on this strap would fix this issue, but would also add bulk and make that strap less adjustable, That's a non-issue for most dogs, though.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Bright and flashy. Comfortable and breathable. Easy to put on. Non-threatening for headshy dogs.

Cons: Very active dogs may have issue with the mesh panel rubbing their armpits. The leash ring is not as sturdy as the ones I'm used to seeing on gear for dogs this side.

Bottom Line: Actually that light hardware thing could be a plus for some people.

Puzzle Toy Review: Boots and Barkley Treat Urchin

The Boots and Barkley Treat Urchin is a simple clattering-type puzzle toy that, yes, really does resemble a sea urchin. This toy is available in two different sizes at Target stores, ours is the smaller one.

Photo by Erin Koski

This cute little puzzle toy was spotted by a reader who shared it with me a while back. I found it the next time I visited a Target store, and I was pleased at how sturdy and inexpensive it was.

Similar to the Starmark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball, the Treat Urchin has a hole on either side with little flaps that prevent all but the smallest kibbles from just falling out.

Photo by Erin Koski

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 2/5
This is the smaller-sized toy for dogs up to 50 pounds, and it holds maybe half a cup of food.

Loading Speed: 2/5
Break out the soda funnel for this one, otherwise it will be loaded one kibble at a time.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 5/5
Foster puppy Xena can't actually get all the kibble out of this toy, ut I don't think she's trying very hard either.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 2/5
Briz can empty it pretty quick, but he spends a while getting that last kibble out.

Size: 3/5
The small size is small enough for 6-pound Ru to use, but big enough to keep 40-pound Brisbane busy. The larger one looks big enough for a Labrador or similarly large dog provided they aren't a serious chewer. I would not give either toy to a giant breed dog.

Durability: 4/5
This is a very solid rubber toy. I'm sure a serious chewer could shred it right away, but it should hold up just fine for normal play from a dog that isn't on a mission of destruction.

Noise: 4/5
Soft rubber means no horrible noises on my hard floor, but the Treat Urchin is surprisingly heavy and solid, so it makes a big boom when tossed or dropped on elevated floors.

Locatability: 1/5
Fits under the couch. Fits under the coffee table. Small enough to be carried. Rolls with some effort. The Treat Urchin is somewhere in my house right now, but I've no idea where.

Washability: 3/5
It's a hollow rubber toy with a simple chamber inside, so I should be able to jam a scrub brush in there.

Versatility: 2/5
Xhuuya the raven can fit the tip of her beak in here, but the lack of easy cleaning limits the options for treats that can go inside.

Total: 28/50

Product Review: Boots and Barkley Skull and Crossbones Pet Tote

The Boots and Barkley Skull and Crossbones Pet Tote is a pet carrier designed to look like a messenger bag. It features a wide strap for comfortable carrying, multiple pockets for holding things other than tiny dogs, and a subtle design for stealthy dog-toting.

Photo by Erin Koski

This dog carrier is amazing, and probably out of production, though a few can be found online. I'm pretty sure it dates from the dog boutique fad of the late 90's/early 00's. Anyway, I found mine at a thrift store and if I designed a dog purse, this would be it. Ru still favors the Pet Flys Snuggle Bug because he is a total diva, but this one definitely my favorite.

I normally wear all black for a variety of reasons, including hiding stains and wanting to make some people vaguely uncomfortable. My hair is dyed bright fuchsia and the pink/black theme extends to my phone, keys, car interior, and various dog gear. Obviously this dog carrier was made just for me. It is predominantly black with a bright fuchsia trim and rainbow-colored zippers.

Photo by Erin Koski

A lot of dog purses have no storage built into them, which means I still have to carry an actual purse. Some generously provide a tiny, flat pocket, but most just seem to be designed with the assumption that I either don't carry a wallet, phone, keys, etc, or that I will stuff those things in there with my dog. This one has a nice big rainbow-zippered pocket on the flap, and a couple more on the side underneath.

Photo by Erin Koski

While it is intended to carry a small dog, this bag does not overtly scream "HEY THERE IS A DOG IN HERE!!!" like so many others. Ru isn't normally a fan of riding in purses, so the entire purpose off such an accessory is to sneak him into places where dogs are not welcome. I don't make this a habit or suggest anyone else do it, but once in a while on a road trip it is nice to be able to pee or get a drink without leaving my chihuahua to roast in the car. Brisbane doesn't fit in a bag, but he is also perfectly willing to devour would-be car thieves so I feel comfortable leaving the engine on and the air conditioning running when he's along for the ride. At a glance, the Boots and Barkley tote just looks like a messenger bag. It is rigid and has mesh in the back and on the sides, but is subtle enough that people don't seem to realize it is a pet carrier. Or maybe we're just all pretending I don't have a dog in there, I dunno. I'm really bad at people sometimes.

I am apparently a hipster of some sort because skulls lost a lot of their appeal for me when they got popular and began appearing on everything. They really compliment this bag though, there is a keychain on the zipper in front and another painted on the mesh in back. It's not flashy or overdone, and I like the skulls as an accent rather than slapped across the entire front of the thing.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Punky/gothy/edgy style that fits me perfectly. Tasteful and understated design. Smaller than most dog purses, six-pound Ru is slightly cramped. Has actual pockets for actual non-dog stuff. Solid front flap and subtle design make this tote look more like a messenger bag than a pet carrier. Fabulous hot pink lining with skulls and unicorns is pretty much the best thing ever.

Cons: Not currently in production, and I have yet to find anything nearly as functional and fabulous. The wider side of the strap is kind of loud.

Bottom Line: Dog? What dog? This is just my super awesome skull unicorn bag.

Product Review: Boots and Barkley Waterproof Dog Bed Cover

This is a zippered rectangular waterproof cover for a dog bed, part of Target's Boots and Barkley line of modular dog bed components. You can purchase interchangeable bed forms and covers, and the waterproof cover is another accessory intended to go over the pillow form and under the decorative fabric cover. It is made from polyester and the zipper appears to be covered in something rubbery, maybe silicon.

This plain and unassuming object is the single most useful thing to enter the house after the incontinent dog. Originally I had two fleecy fabric covers to go over the washable cover, when one was soiled I would swap it for the other. This often led to me washing bed covers 3-4 times per day. When Josie first arrived, she had some digestive upset. Let me tell you, nothing is as distressing as tummy trouble in a dog that has no idea when she poops. Most of the time it happens while she is sleeping. She is finally digesting nicely now, and I can tell you that I have never been so concerned with dog poop ever before. It's a bit disturbing.

The bed cover is truly waterproof, and wipes clean effortlessly, no matter what horrors it has seen. Even direct hits on the zipper do not soil the pillow inside. I had thought it would be less comfortable than the crib mattress covered with fuzzy blankets that is Josie's other bed, but she mostly prefers to lay on this one.

Once a week I toss it in the washer and run it through a normal cycle on cold water with some bleach, and then hang it out to dry. It always comes back odorless and fresh.

So far the cover on Josie's bed has held up well to her digging and pawing. I originally got two of them, one for Josie and one for Brisbane's bed in the livingroom. Briz likes to drag his puzzle toys, frozen Kongs, and pilfered prizes back to his lair. I am constantly washing his bed and trying to eliminate whatever odor it has picked up this time. Briz also thoroughly enjoys digging in his bed, but he also has toenails like daggers and quickly shredded not only the decorative fleece cover but also the waterproof cover underneath. I was not shocked, it's a waterproof barrier and not Kevlar armor.

<---Josie also enjoys lurking in Brisbane's lair.

Pros: Does exactly what it claims and works very well at keeping the hard-to-wash bed pillow clean. Comes in a variety of sizes and fits a variety of beds including those super-cheap giant Costco beds.

Cons: Only protects the bed from substances that come out of your dog, and not from the actual dog itself. Less durable than a super-cheap Costco bed. Will not hold up to unusually pointy dogs.

Bottom Line: Best thing ever for an incontinent dog, also makes a great outdoor bed and might work well to cover a bed in a dog house. Before I found this thing I used to lament that no such thing existed.