The Changing Landscape of Dog Products

 Since I started this blog almost a decade ago (it will be a decade this March) the world of dog products has changed dramatically. There used to be a relative handful of companies and makers, making distinctive products. I purchased many of the products featured on this blog in secondhand stores, but they generally came from identifiable companies with an online presence that I could link to. Often those companies had their own stories, and I have loved researching them as I go along, finding out who merged with who and which products they kept in the lineup (spoiler alert: Outward Hound buys everything) post acquisition. 

When I started this blog, there were two manufacturers of inflatable donut cones. Today there are dozens of different products available from dozens of different manufacturers. There was one recovery suit, and it was not available for sale but had to be purchased from a veterinarian. Today you can find hundreds of different products in all sorts of designs. They are easier to find, less expensive, and becoming more common and popular because they get shared a lot through word of mouth. 

As the products become more commonplace and widespread, the companies behind them are all sort of blurring together. In writing up my recent posts on dog pants and recovery collars, I found that several of the products I had purchased or screenshotted were no longer available on Amazon. In fact, some of the companies were nowhere to be found. The current trend I am seeing is lots of similar or identical products offered from various different companies, with a slightly different brand logo or no logo at all. Obviously they are all coming from the same overseas manufacturers. 

Imported products are nothing new. What has changed is the quality of some of those products. Our familiar and beloved manufacturers like Ruffwear and Lupine and Hurtta haven't gone anywhere, and nobody matches their quality and customer service. But there used to be those guys, and the affordable pet store stuff, and then stuff from unfamiliar overseas manufacturers. That stuff was reliably poor quality. I know most of the dog products I buy from familiar and well-established brands are also manufactured overseas, but those had the security of being from a familiar company with a reputation to uphold. 

Today, I can buy a recovery suit, cone, collar, leash, bowl, toy, etc from an unfamiliar foreign brand on Amazon and be relatively certain it will hold up at least as well as the affordable pet store option. My no-name dog pajamas do not have a familiar company standing behind them, and they don't have the design consideration or quality found in my Medical Pet Shirt. I may not be able to find that company or product again when I want to share it with a friend or write about it here, but there will be ten more just like it waiting for me. Maybe even more, in even more different styles.

So what am I paying for when I buy a RuffWear Front Range harness instead of a RabbitGoo harness from Amazon or  a no-name harness from Temu? I am not only paying for quality and customer service. I am also paying for innovation. Companies like RuffWear are the ones creating not only new products, but new kinds of products. We didn't have mass marketed, high-quality escape-proof harnesses or structured, padded walking harnesses until RuffWear showed us how great they are. Everyone else is copying. 

Product Review: Kong Harness

The Kong Harness is a Roman-style harness with a nifty handle on the top for keeping a good grip on the dog. It features buckles on both sides of the chest strap so there is no need to lift the dog's feet through any part of the harness. The Kong harness is available in four colors and four sizes to fit dogs with chests 12-38" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is actually the harness that came with foster dog Uly, but it's quite nice so I thought I'd share. Many Roman harnesses only have clip on the chest strap, the harness is put on by dropping the neck strap around the dog's neck, lifting one front leg over the bottom center strap, and then buckling the chest strap.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Kong harness buckles on both sides of the chest strap, so putting it on means dropping the neck strap around Brisbane's neck, pulling the center strap between his front legs, and buckling each side of the chest strap. The design is similar to the Kurgo Go-Tech Adventure Harness.

The Kong harness is highly adjustable, everything but the back center strap can be adjusted to fit
the dog. The bottom center strap is not adjustable on many Roman harnesses, which can mean the difference between a good fit and an ok fit. Happily, this strap can be adjusted on the Kong harness, allowing it to fit stocky, wide, and narrow dogs. Both sides of the neck and chest straps can also be adjusted, making five different adjustment points.

These harness fit a pretty wide range of sizes as well. Brisbane is wearing a size Medium and the neck strap and chest strap are each adjusted to about 2/3 of their maximum length. The Extra Small harness has a chest strap with a range of 6", the Large has a range of 14". Brisbane would fit in both the Medium and Large harnesses, while Ru would fit in the Extra Small.

Pros: Highly adjustable to fit a wide range of body types from sighthounds to bulldogs. Handy handle on top for steering blind/geriatric dogs, or restraining dogs for flyball, lure coursing, or any other super-exciting dog sport. I imagine this would also be a good choice for a mobility-assistance dog.

Cons: The sizing sliders on this harness slip a little bit, so it loosens up over time. Not a big deal for the most part, but could be a potential issue for escape-artist dogs. High-profile handle could potentially get stuck on things during everyday wear, particularly while hiking.

Bottom Line: This is not a harness that I feel the need to own personally, however I see a lot of applications for a highly adjustable harness with a big 'ol handle on the back. If I could only have one harness for Brisbane, this would be a good choice.

Product Review: Tagnabbit Tag Clip

The PetMate Tagnabbit is a clip designed to attach identification tags to a collar. Rather than using a split ring, the tags go onto the clip itself.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the second tag clip I have tried, and I'm afraid it cannot compare to my beloved Rubits. The design is wonderful, not strictly utilitarian. I love the little decorative pawprint. The swivel is interesting, it helps the tags lay flat and nicely shows off decorative tags.

The idea is that the tags go on the big loop. and the small loop clips to the collar ring. Obviously I put mine on backwards, the big side was too big to fit through some of the holes in my tags. The small side was too small to fit on some of my collars. A nice thick D-ring is too thick for that little clip.

While the Tagnabbit is a nice idea, it does not seem to be a functional product. Mine lasted through an entire trip to the beach and began rusting almost immediately despite being rinsed immediately afterward. Apparently I was one of the lucky ones, because both the Amazon product page and the manufacturer's own product page are both filled with people complaining that they lost their dog's tags when the product either fell apart or fell off. Both sides of the clip as well as the swivel have been implicated as points of failure.

Pros: Attractive and fun product with a very low price tag, this thing can be found for $3-5. I bought mine on clearance for $1. Eliminates split rings entirely.

Cons: Falls apart and loses tags extremely easily.

Bottom Line: ID tags, rabies tags, and microchip tags often cost $10 each. Sparkly rhinestone tags and custom art tags cost a lot more. I stopped using the Tagnabbit as soon as I read reviews for it and realized just how bad it is. I don't need to spend $30 on replacement tags, this $3 tag clip just isn't worth it.

Product Review: RC Pets Step-In Harness

The RC Pets Step-In Harness is a back clip harness made from nylon, with a colorful tape pattern overlay. The harness is durable, washable, and looks great.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love RC Pet products because of their tape patterns. They make flat buckle collars, martingale collars with and without chain sections, big fat buckle collars, wide martingale sighthound collars, leashes in three lengths,harnesses, and also collars, harnesses, and leashes for cats. There are also treat bags, a collapsible water bowl, and a bear bell. All of these products come in matching RC tape patterns, so you can make just about everything match. I absolutely love the Maltese Cross pattern, and we have a martingale collar and a flat buckle collar in the same pattern.

I love the way this harness looks on Brisbane. The center strap between his front legs is adjustable, so it fits him very well. However, the rings for the leash are not set right beside the buckle. Instead, they are on 2" long straps that make the leash rings ride high above his back. This makes the buckle assembly very heavy. With the leash attached it is relatively easy to keep the buckle on top. I don't use this harness on occasions when I plan to take off the leash but leave the harness attached, because the heavy buckle assembly rotates the whole harness around and end up beside his elbow.

Pros: Durable, bright design does not fade or stain even after lots of abuse. Comfortable step-in design is easy to use. Tons of options for dogs with 10-40" chests. Lots of matching accessories and gear. I see a lot of RC Pets collars on dogs at work, and I yet to see one that showed signs of wear.

Cons: Long leash ring straps make the buckle heavy and prone to sliding to the side. Whoever designed the step-in harness has never actually tried to get a dog (or toddler) to deliberately step into anything.

Bottom Line: I use this harness when I'm feeling stylish, but I like the design of the Lupine step-in more because the buckle generally stays put. This was Brisbane's regular walking harness for several years, but now we're both in love with Norway harnesses. I think they're the wave of the future. If RC Pets comes out with one I will definitely buy it.

Product Review: Kong Airdog Off/On Squeaker

The Kong Airdog Off/On Squeaker is a revolutionary new toy that I wish someone had invented years ago. Quite simply, it is a squeaky toy with an off switch. It is also made from that tennis ball material that dogs find so irresistible for some reason.

Photo by Erin Koski

Once upon a time, when he was under a year old, Kong came out with the Airdog products. Originally they were simply tennis ball material toys in various shapes. We had a big bone-shaped toy, and Briz enjoyed tossing it, pouncing on it, and stripping the fuzz from it. The Airdog stayed in our toybox for many years. When I tried to buy another one, I found to my horror that they had added squeakers to every single Airdog product.

Photo by Erin Koski

I've mentioned before that Brisbane has an obsessive compulsion to chomp tennis balls. He also has an obsessive compulsion to squeak things, so squeaky tennis balls are basically crack for him. Once in a while I buy him an Airdog squeaky tennis ball as a special treat. Those things last for about 15 minutes of continuous compulsive squeaking before the squeaker gives out and they become utterly pointless to Brisbane. This is why we need a squeaky toy with an off switch.

All squeaky toys have a hole plugged with a squeaker tube, and a chamber that forces air through the squeaker when compressed.
If you remove the squeaker tube from a squeaker toy, you will find that you can blow through it and make a continuous horrible squeaky noise that will gnaw at the sanity of anything within earshot. The Airdog Off/On Squeaker toys have a little switch that routes the air either through the squeaker tube, or through a plain hole with no squeaking. I am seriously in love with whoever invented this device because it is amazing. We have the rattle-shaped toy, and Brisbane thoroughly enjoy biting it.

Pros: The squeaker can be turned off. THE SQUEAKER CAN BE TURNED OFF!!! These toys come in two sizes and the large ones are big enough for big dogs. The felt is supposed to be nonabrasive and shouldn't wear down the teeth of compulsive toy-biters.

Cons: Although the regular Airdog toys are made in the USA according to Kong's website, the Off/On Squeakers are made in China. They come in a variety of shapes, but "average tennis ball" is not one of the options.

Bottom Line: Brisbane loves this thing, and it's one of the few squeaky toys he's allowed unlimited access to because I can shut it off instead of confiscating it when I'm on the phone with a client and he suddenly needs to make a bunch of noise. It has held up through a whole lot of compulsive biting so far, and I will certainly buy another one if/when this one needs to be retired.

Product Review: EzyDog QuickFit Harness

The EzyDog QuickFit harness is a Norway-style harness designed to eliminate pressure on the dog's neck and throat. It is not intended to prevent dogs from pulling, and would actually make it more comfortable to pull on the leash if the dog has not been trained to walk nicely.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the first Norway harness I got for Brisbane. I found it at Pet House, where I was able to try it on him. I decided I wasn't pleased with the fit and was able to exchange it without a fuss.

The QuickFit harness comes in six sizes from Extra-Extra-Small through Extra Large. Brisbane's chest measures 26" around, so he should fit into a size Medium, but the front strap on that one was too short so I exchanged it for a large. I still think the front strap is too short, but the Extra Large does not adjust small enough to fit around Brisbane's chest. I had the same fitting issue with Ru, at 12" around he should barely fit into an Extra-Extra-Small, but he's wearing a small with the front strap set to maximum length.

Photo by Erin Koski

That adjustable front strap is what makes the ExyDog Quickfit different from any other Norway harness I have seen. On every other harness, this strap is a fixed length and can be too short or too long for certain dogs. The QuickFit has a neoprene tube with the EzyDog logo that hides an adjustable velcro section. The harness comes with the front strap adjusted to its smallest setting, and it can be extended several inches. The neoprene tube should hide the velcro nicely, and many people do not realize that the harness has this feature, so the Amazon reviews are filled with complains about the strap being too short.

For my dogs, even with the front strap adjusted past its maximum length on a harness a size too big, the front strap is still pretty short. The buckle for the belly strap sits in their armpits and could get uncomfortable on a long hike. I see these harnesses on dogs at work occasionally, and they always have the front strap adjusted to its maximum length. This leads me to believe that the range of the strap is from "way too short for any dog" to "long enough for normal dogs".

Photo by Erin Koski

A properly-fitted Norway harness should fit with the belly strap vertical, with plenty of clearance for the dog's elbows. The black velcro sticking out on the front strap of Ru's QuickFit is the result of the strap being adjusted too long. I have considered modifying these harnesses by making a velcro strap extension and a custom neoprene sleeve to fit over it.

Brisbane love Norway harnesses because I can put them on him without having to pick up his sensitive feet. He doesn't really like having the harness put over his head, but it's much better than the alternatives.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: The EzyDog QuickFit is more adjustable than any other Norway harness. It is extremely easy to put on, and the floating ring strap makes a nice handle. There is a side ring for attaching identification tags. It's a very sturdy harness, with reflective trim and durable plastic hardware.

Cons: The front strap only adjusts from unreasonably-short to not-quite-long-enough, leaving wide-chested dogs with a bad fit. The smallest sizes are very stiff and feel overbuilt for tiny dogs. The buckle for the belly strap sits in the dog's armpit and the short front strap can cause the buckle to rub sensitive skin. The velcro adjustment for the Large harness makes a continuous crinkling sound that is annoying on quiet walks in the woods. The leash ring on the Large size is rather heavy, and can bounce around on the dog's back.

Bottom Line: This is a great harness for dogs with sensitive feet, dogs that lack flexibility, and people who want something fast and easy that doesn't bother their dog's neck. The front strap adjusts from medium length to incredibly short, much shorter than the ComfortFlex Sport harness, and comparable to the Hurtta and Casual Canine with the option to go much shorter. In my area the QuickFit is the only Norway harness available locally.

Product Review: Nylabones

Nylabones are synthetic non-edible chew bones, the company also makes edible bones. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Photo by Erin Koski

Ru loves Nylabones like nothing else. He is an avid recreational chewer, and spends a decent amount of time each day happily gnawing these things. We have the full range of sizes around the house, but Brisbane won't chew anything that isn't edible, and Josie was equally unenthused. Ru has claimed all the Nylabones for himself.

We probably have well over a dozen of these things around the house, because Ru just isn't happy with a single Nylabone. He needs to have a pile of at least three or four, so he can lay atop them like a dragon on his hoard before he begins gnawing. He also enjoys burying them between the couch cushions, and they end up all over the house so I need to replenish his supply frequently.

Ru's Nylabone collection includes some opaque Daily Dental Durable bones, a Durachew textured ring bone, several spiky Dental bones, many clear Flexichew bones, and a pink Durable wishbone that is probably his favorite. Our foster chihuahua, Candy, was a much more powerful chewer and gnawed the knobs off a few of the Nylabones, but Ru doesn't chew pieces off them so I'm letting him keep them. The Durachew Ring bone hasn't gotten much love.

Nylabones claim to be flavored, some of them are supposed to taste like chicken, others like bacon. I haven't noticed any odor whatsoever, and even ventured a lick because I am ridiculous. They taste like nothing to me.

I wanted to get Ru a Nylabone Dental Dinosaur because I love dinosaurs, but there were so many Amazon reviews about dogs cracking teeth on them that I decided to pass.

Pros: Durable chews for dogs that love to gnaw. These come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and the petite chihuahua-sized ones are quite cheap. The harder ones were irresistible for my tiny power-chewing foster-uahuah. Other brands of durable chew bones are somehow not as compelling, it has to be a Nylabone.

Cons: Not all dogs like chewing plastic, or Nyla, or whatever these things are made of. I've heard stories of crazy dogs snapping them in half and eating them, so I would be careful to supervise a new dog with one. Nylabones are quite noisy when playing fetch on a hardwood floor.

Bottom Line: For dogs that love to chew for fun, nothing beats a Nylabone. They are cheap, easy to find, and appropriate for a wide range of dogs. I expect to be finding them in my couch for many years to come.

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.

Product Review: Plush Puppies Invincibles

Plush Puppies Invincibles are squeaky plush toys by Kyjen. Unlike most squeaky toys, these keep squeaking when punctured.

Photo by Erin Koski

We have had this toy for several years now, and it's one of Ru's favorites so it sees a lot of action until it is inevitably lost under the couch again. My dogs aren't terribly hard on toys, but once a stuffy has been breached its days are numbered. Brisbane thoroughly enjoys unstuffing his toys. I'd buy him the kind that don't contain stuffing, but I'd feel guilty stealing that joy from him.

Photo by Erin Koski

Ru loves this toy more than Brisbane, but he doesn't actually squeak it. He likes to instigate games of tug, and race around the house dragging the snake. Sometimes he grabs it and spins around until it rests over his back, then wears it around the house like that.

Photo by Erin Koski

Our Invincibles snake is an earlier model than the ones currently available, it doesn't have Extreme Seams. It has held up just fine, however. It is a six-squeak snake, and all six segments still squeak just as advertised. This is awesome because non-squeaking toys just aren't that exciting.



Pros: Continues to squeak indefinitely. Goes through the washer and dryer and comes out looking new. Apparently great fun to shake wildly. Has no visible damage after several years of play. Is cute, durable, and washable enough that I haven't gotten tired of seeing it around the house.

Cons: Continues to squeak indefinitely. This one doesn't set off Brisbane's OCD tendency to squeak nonstop for 30 minutes, but if it did we'd have a problem.

Bottom Line: The Invincibles snake probably wouldn't hold up to a dog that eats stuffies for breakfast, but it definitely works as advertised. My mildly-destructive dogs have yet to kill the squeak in this one, and that's impressive. They also continue to enjoy it every time I fish it out from under the couch again.

Product Review: Midnight Pet Lite and E-Z Harness and Leash

The "Lite and E-Z" is a step-in style harness and leash by Midnight Pet, made from parachute-weight cord.

Photo by Erin Koski

Unlike the vast majority of paracord pet gear, these are made from a single strand of cord so they are incredibly light. The harness is super easy to adjust, and simple in design. It's significantly less confusing than the average step-in harness. They come in a variety of colors, and five different sizes. Midnight Pet recommends them for ferrets, rabbits, cats, iguanas, puppies, and of course tiny dogs. The leash comes in 3', 4' and 6' lengths.

I love this harness so much that I rarely use anything else on Ru. The leash is super thin and tiny and really enhances that rat-on-a-string look. It would probably also work well as a show lead, and is strong enough that I've used the loop end to make a slip lead for catching loose dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Lite and E-Z harness is minimalist enough for fashionistas like Ru. When he isn't wearing his Yap Wrap coat, I like to have something fabulous on him. He is usually on a leash, and I love having a harness that lets his outfit shine. We had to do these pictures with him undressed because the harness blends so flawlessly with whatever he is wearing.

The hardware used on these products is so light, it's practically jewelry. The top of the harness stays centered and never slides to the side. The fit always seems perfect, whether Ru is wearing a thick puffy jacket or going au naturel. I bought these at the Pet House in Goleta, and I didn't realize that the metal slides under the rings adjusted until I saw the Midnight Pet website while writing this post.

We actually have two of these, the one shown is Grape, and the other is Raspberry colored. I bought the second when I had a chihuahua foster dog and found I couldn't live without it. The pink set was purchased a couple of years before the purple, and the leash was sometimes difficult to unclip from the harness. I was extremely pleased to see that the purple harness has slightly thinner rings, and the leash a slightly larger clip.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Super light, minimalist harness that is very easy to use and simple to adjust. Light enough to stay in place and not rotate around the dog. Works beautifully over clothes. Holds up well on hikes and other adventures, with no signs of wear to date. Totally comfortable, the dog barely notices it. Very affordable, I think I paid around $25 for a harness and 6' leash.

Cons: The super-thin leash could be uncomfortable to hold on a dog that generates any sort of pulling power. I'm not sure how well it would stand up to chewing. My pink one is starting to look a little dirty after a few years, I should probably try washing it.

Bottom Line: I use this every single day and constantly tell people where I got it. If it were to fail spectacularly tomorrow, I would immediately go out and buy another one.

Product Review: Yap Wrap Winter Wrap

The Yap Wrap is a vest-style velcro harness that allows you to lift your excessively tiny dog by the leash or attached handle. Comes in a variety of styles and colors, in four sizes to fit dogs 3-18 pounds.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is one of my favorite Ru jackets, it's especially good for layering over a sweater on extremely chilly days. This is the winter wrap, lined with cozy fleece. The regular Yap Wrap is a short vest harness that comes in a variety of colors.

I have a lot of trouble finding stuff that fits Ru because his back is unusually long. Many sweaters look silly on him because they barely cover his ribcage. This is a size Extra-Small, for 6-8 pound dogs, and it is actually long enough to cover the base of his tail and keep him really warm. The wide strap under his belly is also placed perfectly, I really can hoist him up by his leash or by the handle without worrying that he'll slip out.

Pros: Great fit on my long dog, should fit well on miniature dachshunds and miniature Italian greyhounds too. Designed to really keep the dog warm rather than just look cute. Great as an outer layer. Works as advertised, and comes in pink for my Princess Boy.

Cons: I do wish it covered a little more of his chest and naked underbelly. The company also makes a pullover winter harness with a bit more coverage. For a tiny harness it's a bit pricey, though I bought mine at a thrift store for $2 so I didn't realize that until recently.

Bottom Line: I love it and use it regularly. Having a handle on my dog is hilarious.

Puzzle Toy! Treat Jack

Brisbane didn't eat out of a bowl for the first few years of his life. I firmly believe that just handing a dog a bowl of food is a waste of a perfectly good opportunity for enrichment. Briz is incredibly intelligent, and defeats most food toys in a matter of minutes. I like to keep him busy by trying new and different toys whenever I find them.

This is the Grriggles FUNdamentals Treat Jack. It is made from sturdy nylon (or maybe plastic, not totally sure there
is actually a difference) and is not tooth-cracking hard. It kind of reminds me of a Nylabone. Each side has triangular flaps forming a half sphere. The flaps are somewhat flexible, but didn't bend enough for me to shove a California Naturals biscuit through them. I could wedge the cookie halfway in. I could also drop pieces of kibble through the flaps without needing to bend them. I'm not entirely certain I could stuff this thing with peanut butter without getting it everywhere.

I originally shoved a couple of biscuits in the thing so they were sticking out. Brisbane rolled the toy around for a few minutes before picking it up by one of its arms and taking it to his livingroom lair. He had it emptied in maybe a minute. Next I tried a few pieces of kibble, he rolled it around and found that they fell out with minimal effort. Again, emptied in minutes. This is a nice quiet toy, we have some hard plastic kibble-dropping toys that are incredibly noisy so this was a nice change.

The Treat Jack doesn't have much capacity, it might take a quarter cup of kibble at most, dropped in one piece at a time. Capacity and loading versus unloading time are my biggest considerations for puzzle toys. Can I fit an entire meal in it? Does it take more time for me to fill then it does for the dog to empty it? This partly depends on the dog.

Josie was my next product tester, she spent several minutes sniffing and licking the toy before she experimented with nosing it around the floor. Once she discovered that it dropped food, she spent ten minutes carefully rolling the jack and eating the kibble one piece at a time. Josie has a very thoughtful and logical approach to food toys, and if getting the food out is too difficult she is likely to give up. I kind of assume this is what life is like with a normal dog. Brisbane is more of a frantic dog-genius who can empty anything in mere moments and quickly gets frustrated if he can't figure it out instantly. Obviously different toys get different results for these two. Meanwhile, Ru will barely eat enough to survive when coaxed, bribed, and forced. If he had to work for it he'd probably just starve.

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 1/5
This is about a small as it gets.

Loading Speed: 1/5
One. Kibble. At. A. Time.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 3/5
Not bad.

Unloading Speed: (superdog): 1/5
Took longer to stuff than it did for him to empty.

Durability: 4/5
Ru the chihuahua is my only recreational chewer so this is really just a guess. I suspect a really powerful chewer would have those little arms off in a few minutes, but otherwise is seems pretty sturdy.

Size: 4/5
If Ru cared about puzzle toys he could probably manage to enjoy this one, and it didn't seem undersized for Josie either. I wouldn't give it to a power-chewing bulldog or a Great Dane.

Noise: 5/5
Brisbane brought it out to join us while we were watching a movie and the toy was totally silent while he rolled it around.

Locatability: 5/5
Briz carried it around a bit, but it isn't going to roll under the furniture and disappear forever.

Total: 24/40
I'm not going to be feeding meals out of this thing, or expecting it to hold their attention in a stressful situation, but it's a novely that can keep them quietly occupied for a few minutes at least.

Product Review: Chuckit!

The Chuckit!, by Canine Hardware, is a three-foot-long plastic ball launcher for playing fetch with your dog. It allows you to fling the ball significantly farther than you would be able to with your wimpy arm, and also lets you pick up the slobbery ball without having to touch it with your hands. It is one of the greatest dog things ever invented, and now that we have it I've no idea how anyone played fetch before that.

The current Chuckit! lineup includes eight different launchers, fifteen different balls, four flying discs, and nearly a dozen related products for playing fetch in every way imaginable. My Chuckit! launcher isn't on the website though. As you can see, it lacks an ergonomic comfort-grip handle and possibly some other updated features. It is a single incredibly durable piece of molded plastic that could probably withstand a nuclear bomb.

This is because my Chuckit! launcher is one of the originals. There might be an earlier version or two floating around, but mine dates back to 2000, and the company has only been around since 1998. There was a time when this was the only Chuckit! product, and I didn't have to specifically refer to it as a launcher. I can't speak for any of the new ones, because mine has lasted 14 years with not-quite-daily use. I'm not actually sure it's possible to wear this thing out. It is significantly older than Brisbane and showing no signs of wear aside from a few chew marks where he likes to grab it and play tug if he doesn't think I'm throwing the ball often enough.

It was origially purchased to play fetch with a friend's four Labrador retrievers, who actually retrieve. Brisbane is all about chasing the ball, but he has zero natural instinct or desire to bring it back. He game is to chase it down very quickly, stop the instant he has caught it, bite it for a while, and then drop it and wait for me to throw it again. He is not ball crazy, but he is definitely wild about the Chuckit! I have to bring mine to the off-leash dog beach because otherwise he will fixate on anyone else who is carrying one.

The original Chuckit! was made for tennis balls, but the company now makes launchers that throw smaller and larger balls as well. This ensures that everyone gets to play with a ball that will not be a choking hazard. Canine Hardware also produces a number of different balls that glow in the dark, bounce in random directions, make sounds, and roll or bounce in new and interesting ways.

Pros: Made from indestructible plastic that shows no signs of aging even after 14 years of being stored in a hot car. I can pop it over the ball on the ground, which means I don't have to touch a slobbery/sandy/nasty ball. It also allows me to retrieve our special Chuckit! Ultra Ball from strange dogs at the beach without having to get in biting-range of a potential resource guarder. Makes a handy weapon to brandish and makes me slightly more intimidating to sketchy-looking people and dogs on the beach.

Cons: I gesture a lot when I talk and occasionally hit people with it. Aiming is a tad hard and I sometimes land a ball (and therefore Brisbane) very close to unsuspecting beachgoers. Flinging a ball soaked in beach water covers me and anyone I'm with in a fine spray of sand and salt. Playing with it too often makes my arm and shoulder hurt in a manner I refer to as "Chuckit! Arm". Sometimes I wonder if the ergonomic grip on the new ones fixes this, but I can't come up with an excuse to buy a new one.

Bottom Line: This product lasts forever. If your current dog doesn't love it, it will still be around for your next dog. I have never seen one in a thrift store so I'm pretty sure nobody ever gets rid of them.

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.

Product Review: Chuckit! Ultra Ball

Product: Chuckit! Ultra Ball, by Canine Hardware. This is a bright orange ball made from natural rubber, it floats, and comes in three sizes to match the Chuckit! ball launcher.

Brisbane is only mildly obsessed with tennis balls, unlike many herding breeds and retrievers.

They're not the first thing he grabs when he's ready to play, and are really only captivated when they are thrown. He would prefer they be launched via the Chuckit! ball launcher, and I always bring mine when we visit the off-leash dog beach because otherwise he will find someone else who has one and become their dog until physically removed from the area. For years I have eschewed specialized balls, preferring free and cheap used tennis balls. Penn was our brand, because at some point they were only made in America and were less likely to be contaminated with lead.

Brisbane loves to bite tennis balls, especially after chasing them down. He doesn't gnaw with his back teeth, just chomps down with his canines over and over. This will puncture the ball pretty quickly, usually within a couple of beach trips. Once breached, the ball will fill with water and cease to fly as far. It will also crack and lose its shape, and then it doesn't work nearly as well with the launcher. After capturing the tennis ball, Brisbane prefers to run out into the surf and stand belly-deep while biting the ball. Most of our balls are lost at sea when he drops them and they fill with water, sink, and then roll down into deeper water. Yes, this is littering, and no, I don't ever leave balls on the beach if I can help it. I have explained the nature of gravity and sinking tennis balls to Brisbane, but his behavior has not improved.

Enter the Chuckit! Ultra Ball! I got a two-pack of these to see if they would last a bit longer than the tennis balls. There are a ton of Chuckit!-compatible balls by Canine Hardware, but most of them don't actually float and are therefore at risk of being lost to Davy Jones' Locker. The Ultra Ball floats, bounces, and doesn't collect wet sand quite as fast as a fuzzy ball so it's easier to spot. So far it has lasted through several dozen beach trips and still looks brand new so I haven't even had to break out the second one yet. Brisbane reports that they are just as much fun to squoosh as a regular tennis ball, but not as much fun as those Kong squeaky tennis balls.

<---I have approximately one million pictures of Brisbane grinning on the beach with a ball.

Another perk about this ball is that it comes in three different sizes so you can get one big enough for your dog in case you were traumatised as a child by that James Herriot story about the choking collie.

Pros: Floats, doesn't grab dirt/sand/crud, doesn't take on water, probably isn't contaminated with lead, comes in multiple sizes, is significantly sturdier than a good-quality tennis ball.

Cons: Not fuzzy, doesn't bother Brisbane but other dogs might find it unappealing. Honestly, the biggest downside is chasing down random dogs who have beat Briz to the ball and then refuse to return it. I haven't actually shouted "Give that back! That's a $5 ball!!!" at anyone yet, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility. I wouldn't throw it anywhere with a high likelihood of ball loss.

Bottom Line: This ball has completely replaced regular tennis balls for us.