Product Review: BarkShop Space Bandana

The BarkShop Space Bandana is a fabulous addition to our wardrobe. It is reversible, with a Space Rover logo on one side, and a fantastic star pattern on the other. This is a triangular scarf and can be folded and rolled to fit just about any dog.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love bandanas. I have autoimmune-related hair thinning, and I very rarely go anywhere without something on my head. I have a drawer full of bandanas and scarves, and an entire wall of hats to choose from. I don't put bandanas on my dogs quite that often, partly because I haven't had a great selection of things to dress them up.

I'm kind of a hipster about life in general, and I've always found paisley to be entirely too mainstream. Brisbane has a skull and crossbones bandana that he wears occasionally, but that was it until BarkBox started sending us stuff.

I love all things sciencey, and the June space-themed BarkBox seemed like it was made just for us. Brisbane doesn't like wearing most clothes, but he's perfectly happy to show off a flashy bandana. This is among my favorite things we have received in a BarkBox.

Pros: Super cute. Science-themed and awesome. Like looking into the universe.

Cons: Might be too big for Ru, unless I tie it into some sort of sarong wrap.

Bottom Line: IT'S BRIIIIIIIZ IIIIIIIIN SPAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!!

Product Review: Outward Hound Cooling Bandana

The Outward Hound Cooling Bandana is filled with absorbent gel that is intended to help keep the dog cool. It comes in three sizes for small, medium, and large dogs and closes with velcro.

While the rest of the country is supposedly buried in snow, we're having an 80+ degree heat wave on the beach. Ru never actually needs to be cooled down and rarely pants even in triple-digit weather, so I tested this bandana on myself.

The directions say to soak the bandana in cold water for 15 minutes. I followed the directions and stuck mine in a bowl of cold water, and was shocked to return 15 minutes later to find it bloated and enormous. It weighs more than a pound wet. While the dry Cooling Bandada fits Ru perfectly, I can't imagine putting something this heavy on a dog this tiny.

I have a Hurtta evaporative cooling coat for Brisbane, and had thought that the bandana would work the same way. Obviously the Outward Hound Cooling Bandana doesn't use evaporative cooling, because it is still hugely swollen two days later. It's been hanging up to dry in my kitchen, and I'm afraid to stick it in a drawer because I'm not sure if the gel inside will fully dry before it turns funky.

Pros: Easy to use, and can be frozen to enhance the effect.

Cons: Seems to only get as cold as the water in which it was soaked. Cold water from the tap only got me  a few minutes of cooling before the bandana got as hot as my neck. It's ridiculously heavy and so far impossible to dry.

Bottom Line: This does not use evaporative cooling and is significantly less effective that our Hurtta cooling coat.

Have you used any sort of cooling gear for your dog?

Product Review: Wag A Tude Bandana Collar

The Wag a Tude Bandana Collar is a flat buckle collar with a little decorative bandana attached. This is a Petco house brand, these are available seasonally in assorted prints ans sizes.

Photo by Erin Koski

I'm not normally a fan of bandana collars, but this one isn't too bad. The leash ring is placed in the center of the bandana, so it will stay in proper position when a leash is attached. I wouldn't use this as a tag collar because the tags would pull the bandana to the front. To me that looks backwards. The bandana should be at the back of the dog's neck like a cape, or at a jaunty angle to the side.

There is no way I would use this as a regular tag collar, but as a fashion accessories it's pretty damned cute. The bandana is big enough to get the point across, but not so gigantic that it gets bunched up.

Pros: Cute and colorful for good visibility. Totally adorable print.

Cons: Looks stupid when worn with identification tags.

Bottom Line: This is the only bandana collar I own. I doubt I will acquire any others.

How do you feel about bandana collars?