Product Review: Alcott Explorer Sleeping Bag

Alcott's Explorer Sleeping Bag is a snug little spot for your pup to curl up. Emphasis on the snug. This adorable little bed has a top that zips all the way off, so you can help your dog crawl inside or lay the whole thing out flat. It rolls up nicely into it's own little bag, too!

I bought this sleeping bag on sale, and the price was so good that I didn't even read the tag closely. Alcott makes nice, high-quality gear. The tag said it was a size medium, and all the medium Alcott stuff I've seen or purchased has been appropriately sized for Godzilla. She  is 28 pounds, 22" from neck to tail, and 16.5" tall. I thought it would make a great travel and camping bed.

Imagine my surprise when I unrolled the sleeping bag and found it was this tiny! It's actually the perfect size for Ru, all six pounds of him! It's a nice, snuggly little bed with a soft interior. Definitely a great travel bed for small dog, just not even close to medium size.

Pros:

• Totally adorable actual tiny sleeping bag for little dogs
• Machine washable
• Unzips all the way around
• Nice loft, very plush and warm

Cons:

• Very, very small
• Too heavy for backpacking

Bottom Line

It looks like Alcott redesigned the sleeping bag, and the new models are significantly larger with sizing more in line with the rest of their products. The 2017 bed also has a waterproof bottom. Sounds like a great improvement! 

Heading for the Redwoods

Today Godzilla, Zip, Ru and I are hitting the road with some friends, and going camping in the great redwoods of California. We don't have many epic trees here in southern California, and our forests tend to be dry, spiky, and frequently on fire. I absolutely adore the redwoods, so we are headed up to the Avenue of the Giants to commune with the biggest trees in the world.

Brisbane loved climbing trees, this is a Coastal Live Oak.

Though I didn't take Brisbane to see the Avenue of the Giants, I did take him to see the Sequoias. We also went camping in the redwoods in Big Sur. I like taking my dogs to visit big trees.

Before we set off an an adventure, I always make sure my dogs are up to date on their vaccinations. I keep copies of their shot records with me, along with their microchip numbers. One of these days I'm going to get really fancy and put all their records in a little binder with recent photos of them as well.

Camping with dogs in California isn't like camping with dogs in other places, as far as I can tell. Lots of people talk about going backpacking or hiking and letting their dogs run free, but there are pretty strict leash laws in California state parks, and dogs are barely allowed in many places. A lot of campgrounds only allow dogs on paved roads and in the campground itself, you can't take your dog hiking on the trails or actually do anything fun. Before booking a reservation or choose a place to visit, it's a good idea to do some research and find out where your dog is actually allowed.

I was a bit disappointed that nobody took pictures of me and the girls at our herding trial from hell last weekend. I'm bringing my nice camera on our adventure, and hopefully I will make up for it with nice pictures of the dogs. Maybe I'll even end up in some pictures.

Product Review: Ruffwear Mt. Bachelor Pad Bed

Mt. Bachelor Pad, by Ruffwear is a portable bed that rolls into a compact and secure package with attached straps and a handle. The bottom is waterproof polyester and the top is soft and fuzzy.

The Bachelor Pad seems thin at first, but as soon as I threw it down on our hard floor it was a magnet for Brisbane and the cats. Mine is about 6 years old and the product has been updated a bit since then, but the basic design and functionality remain the same.

My favorite thing about the Bachelor Pad is the waterproof polyester bedding. I take it camping and all it takes is a quick shake to rid it of dirt and dry grass. It repels crud incredibly well.

The other awesome thing about this bed is that it rolls up tight and secures with  velcro straps. When unrolled, the straps then secure flat to the bottom and stay clean and out of the way. There is a short handle, and I sometimes snap a shoulder strap on and bring it when we walk to a sidewalk cafe or anywhere else Brisbane might want a comfortable spot to lounge.

Briz and I have been working on Dr. Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol and some of the exercises from Leslie McDevitt's book, Control Unleashed. This bed makes the perfect mat for games where he needs to stay and relax, and now he is always excited to see it unrolled because it means it's time for training fun.

Pros: The Mt. Bachelor Pad bed is durable, light, portable, and perfect for outdoor use. It washes easily in the washing machine and my stupid cats haven't managed to destroy it by peeing on it. The bed is comfortable enough that the dogs will often choose it over thicker, plushier beds around the house. It's been kept in the hot car in the sun for months, washed repeatedly, and used on and off for six years now without showing any signs of fading or wear.

Cons: It's pretty expensive, and not quite light enough for ultralight backpacking.

Bottom Line: This will probably last forever unless your dog is a chewer or incredibly abrasive. Definitely one of my favorite dog items.