Happy Festivus!

Break out the unadorned aluminum pole, it's time to celebrate Festivus! I'm a big fan of winter holidays, and this is a particularly silly one. It's a rejection of the holiday consumerism that pervades the month of December, and gets right to the heart of family get-togethers. That's right, I'm talking about the Airing of Grievances. Let's take a moment to talk about the ways in which companies have disappointed The Dog Geek over the last year.

Feats of Strength!

Kong, your Squeezz Crackle ball couldn't handle being squeezed and crackled.

Petsmart, your Puppies backwards-R Us treat spinner couldn't handle even a tiny amount of regular dog play.

Zack & Zoey, you turned out to be a regular Pet Edge brand, and not some adorably personable company with a charming backstory.

Loot Pets, you totally abandoned your geeky premise and sent us a regular dog-themed subscription box. There are tons of regular dog-themed subscription boxes out there, I got yours purely for the geekery. You got rid of the geekery slowly, sending regular toys instead of geeky toys, and fewer items in every box, until your finally abandoned the concept altogether, and that's when you lost a customer. It was a fun six months though, and those first few crates were awesome. The pet shirts never fit right though, you must all have super wide pug-shaped dogs or something.

Sileo, you did nothing for Ranger's fireworks fear. I think we're going camping for New Year's just to get away from the possible fireworks noise.

Company of Animals, your Pet Corrector needs to come with instructions about using it in the vicinity of other pets. It has a very non-specific, area-wide effect, so it "corrects" basically every single dog in agility class when some clueless student chooses to use it for their dog's leash reactivity.

Outward Hound, your dog backpack was awkward and uncomfortable and felt ridiculously cheap and flimsy. Like, I understand making things for a certain price point, but that felt like some serious dollar store shit.

Reviews.com...your research sucks. Bigtime.

Chuckit, your Floppy Tug was surprisingly non-durable.

Zukes, your Power Bones treats show a distinct lack of knowledge about the canine metabolism. I expected better of you.

Thank you for joining me for this little wallow in negativity. the Dog Geek will be back to the usual upbeat outlook following the Feats of Strength.

Product Review: Zack & Zoey Fleece Lined Hoodie

This Zack & Zoey (there is no official Zack and Zoey website) Fleece Lined Hoodie is basically the ultimate sweater for long skinny dogs. More than just a sweatshirt, it has a warm lining that makes it super thick, super warm, and super soft. This hoodie comes in plain colors that can easily be customized or embellished with paint or patches. It is available in a variety of colors and six sizes to fit dogs with chests 14-35" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

When I set out to write this review, I first went looking for the official Zack & Zoey website. I see this brand all over the place and associate it with high quality dog clothes. Obviously this must be one of those brands named for the creator's dogs, right? I was totally expecting pictures and tales of the real Zack and Zoey.

Sadly, I was disappointed, and the cute names are nothing but marketing. Zack & Zoey is actually just another Pet Edge brand. Their main website only lists hoodies by Casual Canine, Guardian Gear, and Kong, but Ru's Zack & Zoey sweatshirt had the name Alpha Key on it, which led me to this Pet Edge dealer page. It turns out that Zack & Zoey is a Pet Edge brand only available to certain sellers, along with Cruising Companion, Be Good, Grriggles, Savvy Tabby, Clear Quest, UGroom, and Wise Rewards. This is why there is no official Zack & Zoey website, and the brand's online presence is limited to assorted online stores.

Branding and marketing aside, I really love this sweater and Ru does too. Ru measures 13" around his chest, and 12? from the base of his neck to the base of his tail. He looks silly in a lot of short, wide clothes, and stays warmest in things that cover most of his back. This hoodie is a side small, with a chest measurement of 15" and a back length of 12", and it is absolutely perfect for Ru. I was worried he would be swimming in it but it's fluffy enough that the 3" difference between the sweater and his body works just fine. The extra large size would probably fit both Brisbane and Sisci comfortably.

Pros: Super warm, super soft, super comfortable. Sized for long backs rather than wide chests. Has velcro at the neck to make it easier to get on, this also prevents it from sliding down the shoulders.

Cons: It might be too warm for the impending record-setting California summer.

Bottom Line: This hoodie appears to have been designed by someone who actually used it on a regular basis on actual dogs. It's a simple but thoughtful product, and I appreciate that even if the brand is actually part of a giant faceless corporation.