by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Likable Linkables

So if you wondering what Max has been doing in between his travels and photo shoots for the ‘Where in the world is Max’ contest, he is hard at work earning his daily kibble by product reviewing dog toys.  It’s a ruff job, but somebody’s dog has to do it.  In the last few weeks, in between his daily walks he has been playing with a few different toys by Premier Pet Products.

The first toy, I knew he would probably destroy – but quicker than I expected.  I don’t normally get him any kind of toys that are in the realm of stuffed animals – because they never last long.  He has a method to his madness first ripping off the tag, then delicately (as if he were a seamstress in his former doggie life) removes the thread of the seem, usually about an inch or two long – then pulls out the stuffing with the sole purpose of removing the toys’ squeaker.  But, he never destroys the squeaker – which I find kind of ironic.

So when I gave him the large size Premier Pogo Plush Ball which has an outer soft plush shell an inner bouncy frame and free floating squeaker inside of that, I thought maybe he play with it for a bit.  But sadly he destroyed the toy within about 3 minutes – and yes he ripped the tag off first and left the squeaker in tact. (Crazy dog!)  Now if you have a dog that likes stuffed animal type of toys, or plush toys and doesn’t destroy them – your dog may really enjoy this new type of toy.  If your dog is a chewer or just likes to rip apart toys – I wouldn’t recommend it.  I had a Doberman that loved her plush toys, and would have them for years – she would have loved this toy so much.  So it boils down to knowing what is good for your dog. (Continued below).

Luckily, however, Premier also has a new product line called Busy Buddy Linkables – and Max is absolutely loving these toys and having a blast playing with them.  At first, he wasn’t sure what to do when I linked the Orb Linkable with the Elbow Linkable and put some of his dog food in there.  The Orb is kind of heavy for him to toss around – but he was pushing and flipping the both around for I would say 2 hours the first day he had them.  Which is great because it kept him very busy, drained a lot of mental and physical energy playing with the toy and he couldn’t destroy it.  The next day I just put treats in the Elbow Linkable and he was tossing and flipping the toy all over the deck – it was quite comical.   So if you are looking for a toy to keep your dog very busy, active, and out of your hair for a bit – I would highly recommend the Linkable product line.  So out of both products, one paw up and one paw down from Max.

And as with any toy you give your dog – you should always monitor your dog.  I am lucky that Max does not like to eat or ingest toy products – but many dogs do even if by accident.  Make sure you watch your dog and don’t leave them unattended with toys they could eat any parts of.  Also if you put his kibble in there, make sure you deduct that amount from his food at night so you don’t make your dog obese in the process.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Earth Friendly Products for Paws

It’s Earth Day, and we don’t normally think of pet products on this day – we are usually thinking of planting, cleaning up and ways we can be more environmentally friendly as humans. Fortunately there is now a big market for earth friendly or green pet products. My own dog happens to have a few of them, and we would love to share some of our favorites – and some cats products too.

100% Biodegradable Green Doggie Bags – waste pick up bags. This is a wonderful product for so many reasons, it’s made right here in the USA. All the packaging is made from recycled materials, and the doggie pick up bags are shelf stable – meaning they are not going to degrade on your store shelf or in your car, but they will degrade in landfills, naturally when exposed to the earth’s elements and micro-organisms in the soil and leaving no harmful residues behind. They also have handy tie handles that made it is easier carry and dispose of properly. This is a wonderful product and you will feel better about picking up after your dog knowing you are using a totally green product – not just putting their waste in a regular plastic bag.

Have a kitty? Then you definitely will want to try Worlds Best Cat Litter™ made from corn!  You heard me.  Corn the wonder product – in my opinion.
The natural benefits of World’s Best Cat Litter™, is that they are a biodegradable, flushable, septic-safe and clumping cat litter that uses whole-kernel corn to deliver outstanding odor control.  Using no synthetic chemicals, clays or perfumes, it clumps quick, scoops easy, while remaining pet, people and planet friendly.  At a recent Pet Socialite event,  World’s Best Cat Litter was debuting their Lavender scented litter –  the fragrance is made of an all-natural oil blend including lavender. The oil blend does not contain any chemicals or synthetic ingredients and is derived from a plant based oil.  This product just might make the humans in your house purr!

Looking for a great way to recycle your old clothes and make your pet comfy as well? Molly Mutt came up with a fantastic idea of making a doggie duvet cover – how is it “green?” Molly Mutt diy (do it yourself) dog bed kits are an exciting new approach to keeping textiles out of landfills. Cover your existing dog bed with the molly mutt dog duvet, or fill it with the old clothes and bedding you’ve got laying around your house. They now have a mesh stuff sack to the product line, to make it as simple as grabbing old textiles, throwing it in the mesh bag, and covering it all up with your new fabulous Molly Mutt dog duvet. By “upcycling” your household leftovers, you save money and help keep textiles out of the waste cycle. They have some beautiful duvet styles to choose from to fit into any décor.

If you just got back from taking your dog on a long hike through the woods, (250 challenge), and now he needs a bath – you will want to check out TropiClean shampoos and conditioners. Made from all-natural ingredients and come in varieties like, Aloe, Berry Clean, Papaya, Kiwi, and Peach to name a few. Tropiclean bottles are made from recycled materials (PCR), post consumer resin. The sleeve labels are made from corn which makes them natural, renewable, biodegradable and 100% recyclable! They also use products and materials made right here in the USA! Not to mention the shampoos and conditioners smell wonderful too.

So while you are out shopping at your local mom & pop pet store, look for more earth friendly pet products, and do so all year long. If we all make one little change in what products we buy for our pets we will make the Earth a better place for all of us, and decrease our carbon paw prints. There are many more options out there too – so ask! Happy Earth Day!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Pet Products and Celebrities

Once again Charlotte Reed, celebrity and pet product expert of Pet Socialite Events hosted a fabulous event on Tuesday, April 5th in New York City.  The Better Health and Wellness Pet Product Showcase event not only included some of the coolest new pet products this pet professional has seen in a long time, it was also host to many celebrities in attendance.  “I decided to do this showcase on Better Health and Wellness, because as more and more people are concerned with their own health and wellness, they are now looking for healthier, better, more organic and green products for their pets,” stated Charlotte Reed.

Charlotte Reed and Beth Stern

One of the first new products, I was really wishing had been invented while my other dog was still living since she always seemed to get minor cuts and scraps while playing, running, or on hikes is the PawFlex™ Bandages. I used to have to keep rolls of bandage, tape and gauze in the medicine cabinet – just in case – and this will solve that in an all-in-one simple solution, fantastic!  PawFlex is the first disposable, non adhesive stretch duel hook fastener bandage system designed specifically for our pets. Based in Brooklyn, and created by Jennifer DiGrazia, CEO of PawFlex – because of their beloved blind dog Maddy that she rescued, read more about it here.

PawFlex bandage2

Each bandage design has been specially created for a specific problem area regarding wound care as well as for distinct characteristics that has made past bandages less than adequate.  Also, each individually wrapped PawFlex bandage has a wound pad already attached, making it the first and only “ALL IN ONE” bandage for dogs.

There are currently four PawFlex designs ready for market with several more designs waiting to follow. Each design ranges from sizes XSmall to XLarge.  They will be soon available in local pet retail stores and vet offices.  Jennifer said, “they would also like to eventually be able to donate to small rescue groups and shelters.”

To prevent a little dog or puppy from falling off a balcony, your deck, through a slotted fence or baby gate – this next product is not only for safety, but pretty cute and very functional too.  Puppy Bumpers® originally called “Condo Collars” were invented by Ann Price in order to keep her own dog from getting through a baby gate.  The patented Puppy Bumpers® have been endorsed by dog trainers, veterinarians and other dog professionals as a non-aversive way to keep dogs safely inside a fence.

Puppy Bumpers

Ann Price of Puppy Bumpers showing Sonja Morgan of The Real Housewives of NYC

Did your pet just have surgery and is now a wearing a dreaded plastic e-collar and bumping into everything with it?  There is a better solution, the Trimline™ Recovery Collar.  Made from a specially designed fabric that is water resistant, non-allergenic and non-toxic, the Trimline collar easily slips over a pet’s head stays in place thanks to a drawstring design and is strong enough to withstand chewing and clawing. You also don’t have to worry about your pet bumping into things with the hard plastic e-collar with this new Trimline Collar – my dog would sometimes get stuck in doorways with the old big plastic e-collar on and scratch and dent furniture or walls – this won’t happen with the Trimline Collar.

My dog Max modeling the collar!

It is also folds, which is great to keep in a first aid kit in your car and one in your home.

The collar is an effective, flexible, collar for use with cats and dogs during grooming sessions or experiencing injury, surgery and trauma restraint conditions. It allows the animal to eat, drink and sleep in comfort while providing a barrier to the treatment area for licking and biting. It is soft, lightweight and easily applied with a simple drawstring design.

Then there was gym equipment made specifically for pets call FitPAWS which are like human fitness balls.  By looking at these you could see why they would be beneficial for pets with arthritis, that need physical therapy, and for pet enrichment and fun!  One may think a dog wouldn’t know what to do with the products, but all the dogs that were there hopped right on and seemed to instinctively know what to do, it was quite amazing.  One pit bull mix was having a blast it was very cute to see him on the equipment.  There was also a pet gym set up, that Charlotte Reed designed with pet health, activity and stimulus in mind and had FitPAWS equipment a doggie treadmill and more.

FitPAWS Gym Equipment

Going green – there were also a few different pet products that are honoring the green, holistic, organic and keeping local movement.  From very cool, unique and fantastic designed cat scratch posts, bed by Imperial Cat; to green dog beds by Molly Mutt – a dog bed duvet using your own old laundry for the stuffing of the bed; a brand new line of interactive pet toys and products that are safety tested to children’s toy standards by SafeMadePet™ and a local Long Island company; to lavender scented, made from corn, clumping cat litter by World’s Best Cat Litter; and grain free pet treats and raw pet food made from locally farmed products ingredients by Pawgevity™.

There will be a few other pet product reviews on products that were at the event coming up, right here on LIPetPlace.com – look for them soon!

Cubby, celebrity dog from Doggie Moms!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Don’t forget the Pets!

With barely a day left to shop for Christmas, don’t forget gifts for the pets or pet lovers in your life.  Going to a Holiday party to someone’s house that has a cat, dog or bird?  Instead of the dreaded fruitcake or another needless dessert, bring the hostess a gift that is for their pet.  Giving a pet owner a fabulous pet product for their beloved pet will go a long way, they will remember that probably more than another sweater!  So with that said, here are some suggestions for you to go out and get today for that pet owner you have absolutely no idea what to get.

If you know what their favorite local pet store is or who their groomer is – why not get them a gift certificate.  Or if you know they will appreciate a donation made in their name to a local non-for-profit animal rescue, you will be giving more than one present that way.  Some great pet non-for-profits here on Long Island are:

Amaryllis Horse Farm; Kent Animal Shelter; Long Island Parrot Society; Long Island Dog Owners Group; Pet Safe Coalition; Shelter Link; The Shelter Connection and one close to my heart is, Special Needs Dobermans, not based on LI, but have helped many Dobermans on our Island over the years.

Did a loved one adopt a new dog or puppy recently?  Maybe that pup needs some training, or in most cases the owners need the training – get them a gift certificate for a dog trainer or dog training school to help them with their new dog. Long Island is lucky to have some fantastic trainers, so really there is no excuse for a bad dog owner!  You can also let them know about a free dog training and education class the Town of Islip offers once a month to all residents on LI.

Some fail safe pet products that any pet owner will love are: Organic or holistic treats for their dog, cat or bird.  A new pet bed – try to find a bed that will match or compliment the owner’s house.  Set up a photo session with a professional pet photographer to capture precious moments of one’s pets.  Or frame a picture you have taken of their pet in a beautiful frame that they will be proud to display.  Quality products that are a must have for any dog owner are:

The Furminator is a great product for de-shedding your pet, keeping his coat healthy and tangle free – especially in between a grooming appointment.  Furminator also has a new short hair deshedder which is designed for dogs with hair length of 2-inches or shorter.  Works great on my Pit Bull, and he loves, loves, loves to be “furminated.”  The Kong toy is a classic for any dog owner.  The Kong comes in different sizes and toughness based on the chew power of your dog or puppy.  It is a wonderful product to keep your dog active, mentally stimulated and busy.  Both products can be easily found at local pet shops.  Or if you have a dog walker or trainer you are looking to get a great gift for, check out this reflective cap made by WalkMeWear™ for anyone out walking their dog in low or no light.

Don’t forget to shop at smaller pet mom & pop type pet stores you will get much better customer service, better prices and have knowledgeable staff and/or owners at the store to help guide you.  Pets are our family members, and while they may not “know” it’s the Holiday’s, they do know when they are getting something just for them!  So don’t forget the pet owners in your life and get them a nice gift for their beloved pet.  Happy Holidays!

When we think of Morton’s salt we usually think of seasoning our food with it.  But this year they have a new product just for pets Morton’s Safe-T-Pet™ which is a safe non-toxic ice melt to de-ice the winter wonderland outside your door.  Morton Salt, the brand consumers have trusted and welcomed into their homes for more than 100 years, has developed a full line of specialty ice melt blends and salt-free ice melt products to help make your winter season more manageable and less stressful for you and your pets.  See below for some excellent tips for keeping your pets safe through the winter and be on the lookout for our upcoming photo contest where you can win an 8lb container, (and lots of other prizes), of Morton’s pet and people friendly ice melt.

Keeping Pets Safe This Winter

Walking in a winter wonderland can be hazardous for our four-legged friends. “The winter months can be a very dangerous and uncomfortable period for pets,” says Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, a veterinarian and board-certified toxicologist.  With the help of Dr. Gwaltney-Brant, Morton Salt, Inc. provides a few tips for keeping your pets safe this snowy season:

•  Remember Their Tags – Dogs may love to frolic in the snow, but they can easily lose their scent and become lost in all that white. More dogs go missing in the winter than any other season, so keep them on a leash and ensure they are always wearing an ID tag.
• Protect Those Paws – The salted sidewalks and streets are very hard on pets’ paws – but there is a solution.  Morton® Safe-T-Pet™, developed with veterinarians, is a salt free and chloride free ice melter which melts below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.  Its urea-based, organic formula is non-toxic and non-irritating to pet’s paws and stomachs. Some other ice melters on the market mislead consumers regarding how well the product melts and how safe the product is.  For example, when testing was conducted by Michigan Technological University Keweenah Snow Research Center, the Safe Paw™ ice melt product did not melt snow and ice at sub-zero temperatures as claimed.  Other brands claim to be pet-safe but actually contain chlorides which can be harmful to pets digestive systems if ingested and which can be painful or irritating to pets’ paws. So make sure you look for a chloride free melter from a company you can trust to validate claims and put safety first.
•  Avoid Toxic Temptations – The sweet taste of antifreeze solution is attractive to pets, but is highly toxic even in the smallest amounts. Be sure to keep all chemicals sealed on a high shelf, away from your furry friends, and clean up spills as soon as they happen.
• Winter Weight, Be Gone – Just like humans, animals are less active in the winter and don’t burn as many calories. Keep your pets healthy by reducing their diet to avoid winter weight gain. Speak with your veterinarian about proper diets during “hibernation” season.
• Warm Home, Cold Floors – It is important to remember that although your home may be warm, there may still be drafty areas. Make sure your pets have something soft to sleep on (away from drafts) to protect them from the cold floor.
• Holiday Treats for Humans Only – When throwing those much anticipated holiday parties, be sure to keep all chocolate, macadamia nuts, alcohol and even mistletoe and holly berries out of reach. Although seemingly harmless –these can be dangerous if ingested by pets. 
• Running Out, Be Back Soon – Do not leave your dog in a car during the winter months. This enclosed space freezes fast, so if you are running errands be sure to leave your pet at home in the warmth of your home or keep them by your side when out and about.
• Wipe Down To Stop Whining – In addition to selecting a pet-friendly ice melter, be sure to towel off your pet after time outside to remove salt and other irritants from their paws and skin.  At the same time, inspect the paw pads for any collection of snow or ice to ward off winter weather problems.