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Posted on Aug 25, 2008 By Jamie Ippolito
 For the first summer in years, my back yard is a nice carpet of green grass. And yes, my two dogs still play out there all the time. My secret? GrassSaver tablets and the Doggy Septic. GrassSaver tablets from NaturVet stop dog pee from killing the grass. So there are no yellow and brown patches in my green grass. My Labrador Retrievers like the tablets (GrassSaver comes in liquid form, too). It smells kind of meaty.  The Doggie Dooley Doggy Septic does just what it says. I dug a hole in the ground for the tank, added the Enzyme Powder and when I scoop the dogs' poop and drop it in, the enzymes go to work, breaking down the poop and returning it to the soil and leaving my yard bug- and poop- free. Wiffleball, anyone?
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Posted on Aug 19, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Modernist design hound - that describes me to a T, so as much as possible I like the stuff in my kitchen to have contemporary design value. Of course, my dogs don't care what their bowls look like, so long as they're filled with food and water at the appropriate times (i.e. when the dogs are hungry, which is almost always). But me, I care about looks. A lot. The Contempo bowl Set is a true dogsend for a design junkie like myself. Its sleek profile reminds me of one of my favorite modernist designs, the famous steel-and-glass table by Eileen Gray that's part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. No wonder a different art institution, the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design, was moved to give this dog bowl set a design award. Aesthetics aside, the practical features of this bowl set are the real draw: it's made of ultra-hygienic, easy-care, surgical-grade stainless steel, and the bowls come with built-in handles, so they double as handy kibble scoops. If your dogs are as impatient as my Britannia Tige is at breakfast time, they will love how this special feature speeds up the serving process. I'm not the only fan of this cool elevated dog bowl set. Debra Messing and Dan Zelman recommend it, too. Buy it in their FetchDog Charitable Shop and a percentage of all your purchases go to their chosen charity, Animal Rescue New Orleans.
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Posted on Aug 13, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 I don't know who is a bigger fan of Ice Lick, also known as the KoolDogz Ice Treat Maker -- my standard poodle or me. Veronica got bored in our spacious yard this summer. Bad news, since I'm not sure there's anything more destructive than a bored standard poodle. She started digging holes. I don't know if she was looking for something, plotting an escape, relieving stress... All I know is I twisted my ankle more than once in her newly dug human traps. But Veronica's hole-digging days are over - at least in the warm weather. I got her an /Ice Lick/ - which resembles a giant dog toy-filled popsicle stuck in the lawn. Even on our hottest days, the Ice Lick lasts for hours and keeps my mischievous dog amused and out of trouble. Setting the Ice Lick up was easy. I filled the bucket with water (you can use chicken broth, too) and some of her toys. I also threw a few carrots in before putting it in the freezer It took a day to freeze solid. Then I stuck the Ice Lick's post in the ground, upended the bucket, which also contained a section of post, and we were in business. Veronica licked away, waiting for toys to appear, cooling off in the process. My dog has not lost interest, probably because the Ice Lick looks a little bit different every time. It renewed her interest in toys that had lost their appeal. I, meanwhile, am growing grass in my back yard!
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Posted on Aug 11, 2008 By Jamie Ippolito
I've got two Labrador Retrievers, and whoever put Retriever in their breed name knew what they were doing. Lily and Denali are masters at the game of fetch. But like most dogs, they have their favorite toys. (And yes, I have my favorites, too.)  For long-distance tennis-ball fetching, nothing beats the Have A Ball Launcher. I get to use this grownup slingshot to send tennis balls 200 feet. The dogs have fun and get tired out. I don't get tired out, and, thanks to the hands-free pickup feature, I don't get slimy hands picking up the balls. Wh  en I'm in the mood to throw the ball, the favorite dog toy around here is the Throw Me a Rope Ball, which sends my dogs into happy dances as soon as they see it.  When my two dogs are in the mood for tug of war or fetch, I throw out our other favorite dog toy, the Toss-a-Lot, an octopus-like toy that can be used for tugging or throwing and that both my Labs think is a prize worth tugging for. I think they like the squeak.
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Posted on Aug 6, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 My standard poodle, Veronica, loves her Sea Creature Beachcomber Toy by My Good Dog more than any of the other, oh, 100 or so dog toys that have entered our house in her first year. Her red Sea Creature Beachcomber dog toy has a ball for a head, so it's got the bounce and fetch capabilities of some of her other toys, plus it's got a soft body below the head for her to nuzzle and gnaw, which she does regularly. Veronica loves when we take the Beachcomber to the actual beach - it floats, so it's a great fetch toy. (I used FetchDog's Teaching Your Dog to Play Fetch and she is a pro), but she is also delighted to bound around our house or yard after this colorful fellow. He's such a friend, that we use him as a reward in obedience training. I'm a fan of the Beachcomber, too. I like the fact that he's made out of recycled materials, and, unlike some of the balls that she chases around the house, he doesn't disappear under chairs and bookcases - his body serves as a little bit of an anchor. Veronica is not an aggressive chewer - she's more of a nibbler (and an expert remover of eyes from children's stuffed animals, unfortunately). Her Beachcomber has been played with every day for nearly a year and looks good as new after a swish in the ocean. I'm amazed this little astronaut-looking toy has put up with so much poodle-love!
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Posted on Jul 24, 2008 By Peter Troast
 My dog Theo rides to the office in my car with me just about every day and he, like almost every kid I know, calls "shotgun." His favored position, which I Iove, is hind legs on the rear seat and front paws on the console right next to me. Until recently (true confessions here) I was not restraining him. But after reading about the topic, and experiencing a couple of sudden stops, I quickly realized that it doesn't take much to turn a 15-pound Jack Russell into a brown spotted flying projectile. For anyone who takes a dog in a car as often as I do, ease of getting your pal buckled and unbuckled is the key factor.  The system that's working great for me is the Puppia Wonder Vest attached to Flower Power Leash that is permanently knotted to the car's child seat anchor. The length of the leash is easily adjusted so he can move around enough in the back and, most importantly for him, perch in his shotgun position. Most of the time, I leave the Wonder Vest in the car and slide him in and out of it when we motor. It slides on easily and buckles once. Most importantly, the Wonder Vest feels to me like the ideal restraint—sort of the dog equivalent of a human shoulder harness. If we were to stop suddenly, it puts pressure evenly across the dog's chest, without risk of choking or harming him in some other way. By the way, the Car Mate Bench Seat Cover pictured here is also great—cushioned, easily removed for cleaning and the leash tie up goes easily through the built in buckle holes.
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Posted on Jul 22, 2008 By Stephanie Lahme
 Lucy, my Cairn Terrier loves car rides, especially since she has a great view of the road from her very own dog car seat, a Clear View Booster Dog Car Seat from Bowsers.
I pair Lucy's Clear View Booster Seat with a Safe Traveler Dog Car Harness by Pet Buckle, a dog seat belt, to keep Lucy safe and secure during our daily drives. (That's Lucy in the FetchDog Clear View Booster Seat photo – doesn't she look happy?)
There are several dog car booster seats options, depending on the size of your dog and where you want to put the seat in your car. Kurgo's Jump Seat Car Booster, also known as the Skybox, holds dogs up to 30 pounds and includes a dog harness. The Front Row Dog Car Seat, a.k.a the Luxury Console Lookout by Snoozer, is designed to fit on the console between the front seats and comes sized for dogs up to 7 pounds and up to 12 pounds.
Lucy no longer has to stand on her rear legs to look out my car window, so she loves her dog booster seat. I love it, too, because I know it's important to keep her restrained with a dog seat belt or safety harness in the car.
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Posted on Jul 21, 2008 By Jamie Ippolito
 My two dogs are great travelers - they are always up for a ride. But it's amazing how much two Labrador Retrievers can shed on even just one short trip.
Rather than banish Lily and Denali from the car, or find my own clothes covered in black and chocolate dog hair every day, I've equipped the family cars with seat covers that keep the mud and dog hair off the car seats (and me).
Both dogs love the Kurgo Wander Travel Hammock, which keeps them comfortable while keeping their hair and mud off the seats. The Back Seat Lounge, also known as the Bowser Hammock Car Seat Cover, works the same way and comes with padding and end cushions.
 When one of my kids is in the car, or when one of the labs gets the coveted front seat, we go with the Bowser Car Mate Bucket Seat Cover. (There is also a Bowser Car Mate Bench Seat Cover for the back seat.) A series of elastic straps and metal hooks make it easy to fit these car seat covers. If they get dirty with mud or dog hair, toss them in the wash and start over.
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Posted on Jul 18, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 If you're over a certain age, you may have memories of sleeping in the back of the station wagon during long trips or climbing from the front to back seat as your mom drove. Those were the dark ages in terms of passenger safety, and I wouldn't dream of letting my daughter ride unbuckled, even if the law didn't require it. Yet for years I let my dogs slip and slide around the car with every turn of the steering wheel. Not any more. Now when I travel with my dogs, one dog sits in the front seat in the  Pet Buckle's Safe Traveler Dog Seat Belt Harness, which allows her to sit up or curl up while keeping her secured to my car's seat belt. My other dog, who is bigger and a sprawler if I ever saw one, rides in the backseat restrained by a Canine Zip Line Dog Harness, which fastens to the passenger handles on either side of my back seat and allows him to move around a bit while keeping him safely in the back seat. Both harnesses were easy to fit to my standard poodles, who quickly got used to buckling up and would probably consider it strange if I let them ride without a harness now. They're also easy to attach to the car. Best of all, I know the dogs will stay in the car if we get in an accident, they'll stay on their seats if I need slam on the brakes, and they can't decide to lunge out the door unexpectedly if something outside interests them as I'm leaving the car.
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Posted on Jul 10, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 These shiny dog bowls are perfect for puppies and insistent adult dogs who like to move their food and water bowls around the floor.
The rubber rings around the bowls' bases means the bowls stay put while your dogs eat and drink. That means no migrating and no tipping at dinner time - and a lot less mess!
These basic, affordable, and very effective Stainless Puppy Dish Sets are available in several sizes and come in sets of two.
FetchDog is donating 20 extra-large, 64-ounce versions of the dog bowl to Broadway Barks for its adoption event Saturday. They'll be placed around Shubert Alley, at the heart of New York's Broadway District, so that the dogs appearing on stage with some of Broadway's biggest stars, including FetchDog's Glenn Close will have plenty of water. Broadway Barks was founded by Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, the latest guest on Glenn Close's Lively Lick's blog
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Posted on Jul 7, 2008 By Julia Szabo
Is it too darn hot? The Ice Lick will cool off your hot dog while keeping him entertained. Sounds almost too good to be true, but it is. Setup is easy: Just collect your dog's fave playthings, freeze them in the bucket mold, insert the base in your lawn, and let the fun begin. To get to his toys, your dog must get busy with his tongue - which, of course, will lower his temperature on a sultry day. Even the most fascinating dog toys tend to lose their novelty after a while. If the contents of Spot's toy chest leave him cold, this product has what it takes to rekindle interest in what he's already got by making familiar playthings the focus of a fun new game. And the fun doesn't end there - this thing is fun for the whole family: it's very amusing to watch dogs at work on the ice lick, which resembles a ginormous popsicle. Attendees at the Broadway Barks silent auction on July 12 will have a chance to bid on on an Ice Lick. FetchDog has donated one to this worthy dog cause.
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Posted on Jul 1, 2008 By FetchDog
Here at FetchDog, we do our best to write catalog descriptions that highlight the value and style of our dog products, mixed with a sense of the FetchDog brand personality. Occasionally, we may take that last part a little far.
On a recent Tonight Show with Jay Leno, we took a little ribbing about our catalog copy for the Japanese Garden Dog Toys.
 The FetchDog catalog copy Jay found funny:
OK, so maybe your dog won't think these appealing lotus flower and fish dog toys are symbols of the continuity of abundance.  But if he loves these toys as much as some of the dogs here at the office do, they'll be delighted when their Japanese Garden Dog Toys come out of the toy box. And they may know how much you like to spoil them.
Back to Jay. We're thrilled that he's reading our catalog! We're not sure whether Jay Leno has any dogs, although many have appeared as guests on the Tonight Show. We do know that Jay is an avid car collector and has a 17,000-square-foot private garage called The Big Dog Garage. We're hoping some of Jay's fleet of mechanics get to bring their dogs to work - and that they will play with our Japanese Garden Toys when they're there!
Sign up for the FetchDog catalog - get the scoop on all our great dog products and read all our fun dog-loving copy.
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Posted on Jul 1, 2008 By Stephanie Lahme
 I love to take Lucy, my Cairn Terrier, on vacation -- and she's quite the traveling dog.
At home, Lucy always wears a dog tag with her name and my address and phone number. But on the road, that information won't get Lucy back to me quickly. If someone brings her to my door, I won't be there!
That's why I start each trip with Lucy by customizing these Dog Travel Tags by FasTags with contact information on where we can be reached.
The dog tags are also great when I vacation without Lucy and leave her with family. I put their contact info on the tag, just in case Lucy wanders away in between sessions of grandparent spoiling.
Making the temporary dog tags is easy. Use the pen that comes in the Homemade Dog Travel Tags Kit on the two dog tags, which start out much larger than the finished dog tags. Bake the tags for just a few minutes and watch them shrink, thicken, and harden into durable tags. (As a bonus, the travel tags are quiet and cute - they look great on Lucy's ever-expanding collection of fashionable dog collars.)
Then keep packing, knowing that your dog's temporary ID tag could help someone find you quickly if your dog somehow gets lost on your vacation.
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Posted on Jun 30, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Driving with dogs should be all thrills and no spills - or at the very least, as few spills as possible. Caffeine fiends wouldn't dream of hitting the road without a no-spill coffee mug; now dogs don't need to go thirsty with the Non-Spill Dog Travel Dog Bowl by Road Refresher. This brilliant innovation in dog travel bowls is designed to prevent your dog's water from spilling all over your car's interior. Even if you find yourself driving through a video game you didn't anticipate playing, this dog bowl will hold on to its liquid contents even while you're stopping short, rounding a corner, swerving to avoid wildlife, or hitting a pothole. All this, yet there are no mechanical valves or parts to replace - plus the spiffy silver-and-black dog travel bowl looks equally at home in a sports car or an SUV, and it's easy to keep clean too.
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Posted on Jun 26, 2008 By Julia Szabo
My brindle Pit Bull Britannia Tige, a.k.a. B, has been through a lot in 14 years. She's survived being chained to a basement by her previous owner, getting hauled to an animal shelter after a cruelty raid, nearly having her left eye gouged by another dog, and bravely fighting a deadly Tetanus infection. Now that my beautiful bronze-eyed girl is sporting white hairs, and her hearing and eyesight are diminishing daily, I say she's entitled to enjoy her senior-dog status in style. And that means a senior dog bed that makes her feel ensconced in luxurious comfort.  The Snoozer luxury Sleep Spa Dog Bed with memory foam is B's favorite. This senior dog bed has a high-density foam frame that supports her back while the memory foam pillow is a dream for sore muscles and joints. And the pillow's lambswool top is naturally cool in summer yet keeps things cozy when the weather outside - or the air conditioning inside! - gets chilly. For my benefit, the microsuede cover is machine washable and zips off with ease, plus its two-tone neutral palette blends in with any style of decor.
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Posted on Jun 20, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Dog grooming products by Bamboo are a neatnik's best friend - after her dog, of course. Because dogs are constantly bringing the outdoors in and paw-printing our interiors, an ounce of prevention can save a ton of cleanup.
Bamboo's brilliant Mud Magnet Dog Grooming Gloves are a terrific tool to keep on hand - literally! - when you expect your dog to arrive home with muddy paws. They're made of an astonishingly absorbent synthetic microfiber that soaks up dirt and moisture before it can tattoo itself all over your home, or the interior of your car. They're soft - never abrasive - on your dog's paws. Plus, the bright red color makes it a cinch to locate the gloves when the mud starts hitting the fan.
These dog grooming gloves are a must if you have a Lab, retriever, or any permutation of sporting-dog mix. Bill Campbell's service dog Pax plays as hard as he works - and being a Lab, he loves horsing around in water. "I admit it, I'm a mess," Pax told FetchDog in strictest confidence. "I can't go outside for 5 minutes without tracking something in."
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Posted on Jun 18, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Whether or not you approve of hunting as a sport, your dog has no problem stalking furred and/or feathered woodland creatures - especially if he's a hunting breed. Labs, especially, are hard-wired to retrieve downed fowl. It's what they do. Which makes the impressively life-like Plush Woodland Mallard by the American Kennel Club an excellent addition to any dog's toy chest. Thanks to built-in squawkers and quackers, this plaything has a serious repertory of duck sound effects, and comes in two sizes - the better to accommodate a variety of canine jaws. Because at heart all dogs are hunters, regardless of size, breed, or temperament. Even my urban, pacifist, liberal Border Collie, Sheba, who is such a sweet creature that she treats my cats with tremendous respect and maternal TLC, grooming and cuddling with them ever-so-gently. I'll never forget the day in the country when I was horrified to discover Sheba with her mouth full of a kill - her quarry was a poor little dead chipmunk. Just take it from the mouth of Bill Campbell's beloved, hard-working service dog Pax, who told us candidly, "This is my favorite toy. I get to pretend I'm a hunter. My dad thinks I look cute with it dangling out of my mouth."
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Posted on Jun 16, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Four-footed fellow travelers can gain easy access to your ride with the
Minivan Half Ramp, also known as the Solvit Half Ramp II, designed to give pets a leg up to heights of 20 inches or less, such
as the side entrance of a minivan. If all the amenities you already provide for your pup are making you feel like a canine concierge, we've got news for you: the service in your animal house, which naturally includes chauffeured car service, is not up to sniff if you're still making your best friend leap up into your vehicle. That's downright dangerous no matter what -but especially so if your dog is a senior, or he's just had surgery (or both, as in the case of my 14-year-old Pit Bull Sam, who recently underwent stem cell replacement for his arthritic limbs).
If you've got an elderly dog, especially one that's mid-size or larger, this ramp is an absolute must: it will save strain on Spot's joints and spare your own back from excess heavy lifting. Speaking of lifting, the ramp is easy to carry, yet supports up to 200 pounds of pooch. And for safety's sake, rubber feet on both ends of the ramp prevent it from slipping on the ground, while a high-traction surface prevent Spot from slipping on it.
Congratulations: Your canine car service now rates five stars.
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Posted on Jun 12, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Thanks to Pet Steps by C & D Pet Steps, no self-respecting senior couch hounds need resign themselves to
curling up on the floor - they can reach their favorite cocooning spots
without straining or struggling.
Long gone are the dark days when dogs were categorically kept off the furniture. Today we're happy to offer our best friends access to the best seats in the house - and to provide a leg-up so short-limbed dogs can join us on the sofa or in bed.
That leg-up is especially important to senior dogs, regardless of height, whose stiff joints don't provide the support or range of movement they once did. It's a paradox of aging: the older your dog gets, the more he appreciates a comfy couch - and the harder it is to reach that cozy perch.
The steps come in two styles, two- or three-tread. They're carpeted for sure footing, in a sandy neutral tone that coordinates with any style of decor. There's even an optional non-skid pad for added safety on wood or other hard floors.
And there's no need to worry that the steps will buckle under your giant dog (or in my case, pack of large dogs): the solid plywood frame is built to support 350 pounds.
Race you to the sofa!
Buy Pet Steps here.
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Posted on Jun 4, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 I've nursed dogs through more than my fair share of spectacular dog ailments, including tetanus, cancer, leptospirosis, and killer kennel cough. So I thought I'd seen it all - but wouldn't you know it, my latest rescue, Lazarus, has full-blown heartworm. He's undergone the requisite injections to kill off the adult worms, and now he must sit out the next four months - the entire summer, poor lad! - with no exercise, as strenuous activity could raise his heart rate and cause worms to clog his arteries and kill him. Aaaargh. But thanks to the Canine Cabana, Laz doesn't have to miss out on the delightful summer atmosphere - he can rest easy outdoors, taking in the warm alfresco air while keeping cool. He'll be safely shaded from the sun's blistering rays by the Canine Cabana's UV- and heat-resistant canopy, so he won't work up a sweat that puts unwanted stress on his heart. Meanwhile, his joints will be supported by comfy memory foam. Talk about a cozy convalescence! For my convenience, the Canine Cabana is lightweight so I can carry it anywhere - plus it's mildew resistant and machine washable.
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Posted on Jun 2, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 For the first spring in years, I'm looking out at my back lawn and not seeing a sea of green grass dotted with dead yellow patches. I still let my dogs run and play in the back yard, and they still pee all over the grass back there. But now I have a secret weapon - GrassSaver from NaturVet, a food supplement that stops dog pee from turning grass yellow. I give my dogs GrassSaver tablets. It comes in GrassSaver Liquid, too. I can't claim to have tasted either, of course. But the dogs seem to like it. Incidentally, if your dog has left any yellow spots on your lawn already, GrassSaver won't do anything about those - you will have to plant new grass there and be thankful that you won't be seeing yellow spots next year.
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Posted on May 29, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 I'm going to a wedding this weekend, and I'm pretty sure the happy couple will leave their puppy at home. Their new shelter baby is nothing like Whoopsie Daisy, dog trainer Sarah Hodgson's well-behaved Lab, who was a member of the wedding party in her wedding.
I'm not going to spill the beans here and tell you what I'm gifting the newlyweds-to-be, devoted readers of this web site. But I'll let you (and them) know that my package will be the one wrapped in a beautiful ribbon with bells -- wedding bells! -- affixed with that puppy in mind. (I am so channeling my inner Martha!) In other words - Don't cut that beautiful ribbon! It's a set of Puppy Training Bells!
These beautiful bells hang on a doorknob in your house and give your dog a nice way to let you know when she needs to go out. I chose the Garden Party stripes to match my friends' seaside decor.
You don't have to have a puppy to use these bells. I taught a 7-year-old dog to use them. Every time I let him out, I leaned over and jangled the bells. Soon, he was ringing them. I'd rather hear bells ringing than have him barking at me to open the door.
Meanwhile, if you're at a Maine wedding this weekend -- I'll be the one walking in with bells on.
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Posted on May 27, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Why shouldn't your dog's dinnerware be every bit as stylish as your own? With the beautiful Bull's Eye Designer Bowl, pet-food presentation is an art that turns even plain kibble into a gourmet meal. But serving kibble in this bowl may very well motivate you to kick canine cuisine up a notch by adding a splash of, say, Grizzly Salmon Oil. The simple, fun design features a plain white background adorned with colorful concentric dots. It's a pattern inspired by the designer's own dog, a Pit Bull named Daisy with a cute spot over one eye - and in homage to her beloved muse, the designer donates a percentage of proceeds from sales to dog rescue. Sweet!  These bowls coordinate nicely with a wide range of human tableware, whether your taste runs to classical white Wedgwood ironstone or jazzy, rainbow-hued Fiesta. And for storing those between-meal snacks all dogs live for, there's even a matching Bull's Eye Designer Treat Jar. Learn more about Soho artist Emily McCoy and Daisy by checking out the Bull's Eye Designer Bowl or Bulls Eye Designer Treat Jar and clicking on Meet the Artist.
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Posted on May 22, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 I shudder to think how I'd evacuate all of my dogs during a disaster - but this much I know for sure: I'm prepared for the worst with multiples of the Safe Traveler Harness. Each set includes a harness, connecting tether, seat belt adapter, and travel bag, enabling me to secure my dogs to their seats. And that means I'll be able to drive the pups to safety more easily than if, say, they were all clamoring to get into the front seat. (This, unfortunately, is something a lot of dogs like to do - but when you're trying to evacuate your family in an emergency, such antics could prove fatal to everyone in the vehicle.) As the founder of MuttShack Animal Rescue, Amanda St. John has more disaster-preparedness experience than most dog lovers - and she's selected this harness as a key component of any dog safety kit. "This harness is wonderful to quickly secure your pet during an evacuation from fires or hurricanes," Amanda explains. Even on an ordinary day, it can help prevent disaster - I'm thinking specifically of the time when the hatch of my wagon swung open and my dog Pepper made a daring leap from my car, landing smack in the middle of the road. Obviously, something similar happened to Amanda too: "I like this harness just to keep dogs from jumping out of the car unexpectedly," she says. "You know, that STAY STAY STAY dance we all have to do!"
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Posted on May 21, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 When you get involved in dog rescue, whether full-time or as an on-the-side volunteer pursuit, it helps to have a collapsible crate or two on hand. Crates come in extremely handy if, say, you're fostering a puppy in need of a housebreaking refresher course - or if you need to separate a well-behaved adult rescue dog from your existing canine crew, until you're 100% certain all dogs can cohabit without a fight breaking out. The crate's epoxy-coated wire is easy to clean, while the rubber feet protect your floors while keeping the crate from slipping. The plastic tray at the bottom conveniently slides out for quick cleanup jobs. And when your rescue dog graduates from foster status to scoring his own permanent home, you can always just fold up the crate for easy storage - it collapses into an impressively slim package, so it can stay out of your way until the next time it's needed. As a part-time dog rescuer myself, I speak from experience, which is why I always keep two Folding Wire Crates at home, ready to be deployed when the inevitable urgent plea for a pit bull on death row crosses my email inbox (which, sadly, is often - just last week I had two extra dogs at my place, each in her own crate). But don't take it from me - listen to Amanda St. John, founder of MuttShack Animal Rescue, who not only rescues dogs full-time, saving them from devastating disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, she's dedicated her entire life to this selfless endeavor. MuttShack depends on these crates to accomplish its mission - because animal rescue is quite frankly impossible without a good supply of crates. So if you feel like it, after you've bought your own pup a crate, please consider buying one extra and donating it to MuttShack for use in its Emergency Disaster Response program. Here, for your convenience, is the address: MuttShack Animal Rescue, 15981 Yarnell St. Suite 188, Sylmar, CA 91342
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Posted on May 15, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Can dogs drink from a fountain of youth? Yes, they absolutely can - if they're kept hydrated at all times. So an important part of keeping dogs young, healthy, and vital is providing them with a constant supply of fresh drinking water. Although a desperately thirsty pup will not hesitate to lap up puddles of rain water wherever they may gather, that's not at all desirable. If your local tap water is high in chlorine, that's not good for your dog either: the chlorine will unbalance your dog's intestinal flora and can contribute to gastric distress and other health setbacks. Some dogs, on the other hand, are as finicky as cats, and won't even think about drinking water that's been sitting around too long. And drinking abstinence in a dog is a serious matter, for it can lead to kidney problems. The Always-Fresh Drinking Fountain is an ingenious invention that solves many drinking problems at once. For starters, it ensures that your dog will never run out of clean, fresh water, as it holds 355 fluid ounces of the wonderful wet stuff. The water it spouts is filtered, so you won't have to worry about gastric upset from unpurified tap water. Meanwhile, it's designed to circulate constantly, thereby eliminating stagnant water. And best of all, the basin is elevated to ensure that dogs enjoy a comfortable quaff - without ever having to bend down and drink in an awkward giraffe-like pose.
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Posted on May 13, 2008 By Elizabeth Edwardsen
 I have two big, black poodles who love to take walks, rain or shine, day or night. Most of the time I love walking them (except in the rain, when I love my big fenced yard). But I worry about their safety in the dark, even at the end of a leash held firmly in my hand. On those nights when the moon is hidden behind the clouds, rain or not, I used to opt to keep the dogs in the yard and not in the path of an unsuspecting driver. But lately I feel much better taking the dogs out at night – thanks to two handy tools that increase their visibility in the dark. The Reflective Leash lets drivers know we're there by reflecting their headlights back at them. And the reflective strip has a nice green glow as you walk along. The leash comes in blue or red. (I have one of each in the 1-inch-wide size.)  For even more visibility, the Lighted Lab Coat, which comes in a fetching two tones of yellow, has strips of illuminated blue running along both sides of the dogs that are visible 1,000 feet away. My dogs love when the Lighted Lab Coats come out of the closet because that means they are in for some serious walking and not a dash to the car! I'm sure it's not only black dogs that could use a little lighting up at night. If you've ever been behind the wheel and seen, at the last minute, a pair of bright eyes at the side of the road, you know why I invested in some gadgets that bring some night-time security to my dogs.
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Posted on May 9, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Ring around the collar used to be an undesirable thing - but if it's a ring of posies around a dog's neck, I'm all for it. I used to be a fashion critic, so believe me when I say that the Flower Power collar and leash are by far the most happening look you can attach to your dog's neck. The brilliantly modernist patterns and bold colors, reminiscent of Marimekko florals, are perfectly suitable for boy dogs as well as girlydogs.  But don't take it from me, take it from my 65-pound pit bull Angus (a butch male if ever there was one). His favorite collar is the Asian Poppies motif. And thanks to this collar's tough nylon mesh and durable, all-condition hardware, he's ready to celebrate National Garden Month all year round - even in the pouring rain.
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Posted on May 7, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Whether or not you have a green thumb, your dog's toys can bring the ambience of a Japanese garden to your surroundings, indoors and out. There's no rule that says dog toys have to look like dog toys - they can be sculptural and beautiful, with grown-up style that enhances any decor. That's why these toys come in the shape of a fish (traditional Asian symbol of abundance) or a lotus flower (symbol of harmony, purity, and continuity).  Plus, not only do they look lovely, both models have a built-in squeaker - and that's music to the ears of dogs who like their toys to talk back to them. If your best friend is a power chewer, however, s/he will make short work of the fish and the flower - the soft vinyl will be shredded in a matter of minutes - so they're really best offered to dogs with softer jaws.
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Posted on May 2, 2008 By FetchDog
 Have you ever tried reclining in the back of your station wagon when the back seats are folded down? I've done this with every pre-owned Volvo wagon I've ever purchased, to determine just how much padding my dogs will need back there. Now, the Wanderlust Bed makes cushioning the cargo area a no-brainer. Sandwiched between layers of high-loft batting, the egg crate foam is an excellent shock absorber that would meet the legendary standards of the Princess of Pea fame. It's especially appreciated by my senior dog Sam, whose arthritic joints register every single bump in the road, no matter how minuscule. But even strapping, healthy young dogs like Sundance avalanche rescue K9 Mick appreciate a cushioned ride - which is why Mick's owner Tracy Christensen selected this brilliant bed for his charitable shop. Here's what Tracy likes about this product: "Great in the back of the truck, gives your dog lots of comfort on that commute. Water-resistant and zips off for machine cleaning - how could it get better?"
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Posted on May 1, 2008 By Julia Szabo
 Nothing depresses a traveling dog more than an owner who forgot to provide for on-the-go snacking and sipping. With the Quencher Cinch Top Bowl, no dog need ever go hungry or thirsty on road trips again. Made of ballistic nylon with a seamless, leakproof liner, the soft-sided bowl doubles as a food and water server. The design features a cinch top that lets you load up on kibble without risking that "oh, no" moment - a car-wide spill - and the stable base stays put wherever you set it down. Tracy Christensen of Sundance Resort Ski Patrol keeps one of these in his truck and another in his backpack, for the drinking and dining convenience of his best friend and working partner, Mick the avalanche rescue K9. And the bowl ensures that Mick has the comforts of home wherever he spends the night. "You never know when it will be feeding time," Tracy says, "so most of the time I send it with Mick in his overnight bag when he is staying with friends."
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Posted on Apr 30, 2008 By Peter Troast
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