Product Review: Patchwork Pet Pastel Caterpillar

Sisci Godzilla got this giant stuffed caterpillar from Patchwork Pet in her Easter basket. This thing is a huge 35" long, with a squeaker in each section. That's nine squeakers. It's fluffy, double stitched, and surprisingly durable. Patchwork Pet also makes a slightly more reasonable 20" version of the caterpillar, along with a bunch of other fun stuffies.

I was totally unfamiliar with Patchwork Pet when I bought this toy. It caught my eye because it was giant, colorful, fluffy, and ridiculous. I figured the girls would shred in a day or two, I'd pick up all the stuffing, and that would be the end of it.

The caterpillar surprised me! It's way more durable than your average cheap stuffy. The girls dragged it around for weeks before it got so much as a hole. So far they've unstuffed the tail segment, and pulled the squeaker out of the head, but the caterpillar largely remains intact.

Pros:

• Comically large
• Durable enough for playtime
• Tons of squeakers

Cons:

• Won't survive a toy-shredder, dedicated unstuffer, or really wild play
• Pastel color gets dirty really fast

Bottom Line:

Patchwork Pet makes some really high-quality BIG stuffed toys for dogs, and some really cute and clever cat toys, too. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for their products now.

Treat Tuesday: Redbarn Rolled Dog Food

Redbarn makes both grain-free and grain-inclusive dog food rolls, this is their grain-inclusive lamb roll. I like using rolls as training treats because they are complete and balanced dog food, so I don't have to worry about filling up my tiny dog with things other than dog food. I can chop dog food rolls as tiny as I like, and each roll makes tons and tons of treats.

Good For:

• Chopping into a zillion tiny training treats
• Holding their shape and not crumbling
• High-value training treats
• Dogs with poultry, beef, wheat, egg, corn, lentil, or tapioca allergies

Not Good For:

• Staying moist when exposed to air for more than a day
• Dogs with lamb, rice, pea, or egg allergies
• Diabetic dogs, all food rolls contain added sugar

How Much We Like Them:

This is currently my favorite food roll. It's not crumbly, it stays moist for a reasonable amount of time, it's easy to cut, and it doesn't go moldy when I forget it in the fridge for a week.,

Five Reasons to Use a Dog Stroller

I've always thought that pet strollers were for spoiled dogs, and crazy owners who refuse to let their small dog walk. Then I bought one for $5 at a thrift store. It turns out, there are more reasons to use a stroller than because you want your dog to be fat. Here are the ones I've discovered so far:

1. Your Dog Can't Walk 

Spoiled, spoiled dogs.

A stroller is a fantastic way to include a dog with mobility issues on your adventures. Whether it's a senior dog that gets tired easily, or a young dog recovering from knee surgery, a pet stroller is a comfortable way to bring them along without overdoing it.

2. The Pavement is Hot

Summer is upon us, and so are all the warnings about the dangers of walking your dog on hot surfaces. How do you keep your pup's feet safe while you walk to the nice grassy park? Shoes are one option, a dog stroller is another.

3. It's Crowded

It's really easy to step on a tiny dog. While I hold a deep and abiding loathing for people who insist on wheeling any sort of human or dog stroller through serious crowds, I do see the value of using one of these things on visits to bustling downtown areas.

4. You Have a Baby Puppy

It's important to get puppies out and about to see the world before they finish their immunization schedule at 16 weeks, but you can't put them on the ground because pathogens like parvo can hang out down there for years. A stroller lets you take your pup around in a way that's comfortable for you both.

5. It's a Dog Crate on Wheels

This was my revelation, moments after sticking Ru in our thrift store stroller for the first time. I expected him to find it foreign and weird, but he just settled down immediately like it was a perfectly normal place for a chihuahua to be. The materials and construction are very similar to my fabric dog crates, it's just a different shape. With that discovery, I suddenly realized how convenient it could be to have a safe and secure mobile dog crate. I guess dog strollers aren't for crazy people after all!