Product Review: Collars by Old Navy Dog Supply

Guess what?! Old Navy sells stuff for dogs now! Wait, no they don't. Ok, now they do again. Oops, nevermind, no they don't. Old Navy has offered dog stuff on and off for at least the last 15 years. I know this because I bought a set of booties there for my dearly departed cocker spaniel 15 years ago. I have also seen dog toys, bandanas, and shirts offered, but it's obvious that Old Navy Dog Supply stuff is not consistently available.

Photo by Erin Koski

Last year Old Navy Dog Supply reared its head again. I missed this phenomenon entirely because I am a weirdo who mostly shops online and in thrift stores. A friend found these collars on clearance for us. Currently there is no sign of dog stuff on the Old Navy website.

The first collar we got is a classic buckle collar with bones and stripes. It fits necks about 17-24" around. The collar is constructed from nylon webbing with a decorative ribbon overlay.

The first thing I noticed about this collar is how light it is. Not light-but-strong so much as flimsy. The nylon is not very thick and the buckle holes are just melted through the strap without any other reinforcement.

Photo by Erin Koski

Our second collar is another classic buckle with a paw and crossbone pattern. It fits necks about 11-17" around. This collar is the same weight and thickness as the stripey one, but it feels a little less flimsy because it is intended for a smaller dog.

The lightness of these collars doesn't actually bother me much because I never walk my dogs on flat buckle collars. I prefer harnesses or martingales for leash walking because they are much more difficult to escape. Flat collars are just for holding tags.

The third Old Navy Dog Supply collar has glow-in-the-dark skulls and a plastic quick-release buckle. It is definitely my favorite of the three. It feels a lot more sturdy because it doesn't have buckle holes that could rip under force.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Cute, fun prints. Functional tag holders. Light and comfortable.

Cons: Not sturdy enough for leash walking in my opinion. Washing instruction tag says "damp wipe only" so not intended for outdoor adventures. Definitely going to be ruined by skunk spray or a roll in something dead. Two of the collars have said washing tag oddly sewn on the outside of the collar.

Bottom Line: These are a fun addition to our collar collection. I need to stick my head in an Old Navy store occasionally to see if Old Navy Dog Supply exists again.

Have you seen dog stuff at Old Navy recently?

Product Review: Dex & Penny Dia de los Muertos Skull Toy

This Dex & Penny Dia de los Muertos skull toy arrived in our October Allergy-Friendly Barkbox. It is a sturdy stuffy with reinforced seams and a squeaker inside. It is also a little bit crinkly.

Photo by Erin Koski

My dogs aren't normally interested in crinkly toys, but this one seems to be the exception. It's not huge, and the sound it makes isn't terribly loud.

We just spent a week babysitting a couple of puppies, which meant some of our toys got tested for durability. The Adorable Snowman got partially destuffed. The Amazeball started to split around the food-dispensing hole. One of our Mighty Stegosauruses lost a back plate.

The Dia de los Muertos toy came out looking the same as it did before the little hooligans arrived. Those reinforced seams held up beautifully, and the puppies looooved that little crinkle. I tried to get a shot of Opie carrying it around, but everything came out blurry.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Tough enough to hold up to dogs that aren't hellbent on destruction. This stuffy did not develop any holes that would lead otherwise well-behaved puppies down the path of destuffing. Does not pick up dirt, still looks great even after they dragged it through the dirt outside. (I thought I told them that was an indoor-only toy...)

Cons: The slight crinkle made the skull less appealing for Brisbane and Ru. Brisbane will play with it out of obligation.

Bottom Line: Foster puppy Xena put it somewhere after the puppies left, but I can't figure out where and she isn't telling.

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.