Modern Dog Beds Flourish With Options

Gone are the days when pet beds were rectangular pillows with a solid color cover. Today’s modern offerings include beds of all filling, shape, and even functional purpose.

Pet beds quickly adopt technology from the human bed manufacturers.

BuddyRest offers many different options in their beds including pressure mapping and proper weight distribution. Their offerings include solutions to help with mobility issues with lift-assist technology to make it easier for dogs to get in and out of their bed.

Filling

Fillings in modern dog beds include visco-elastic memory foam, recycled polyester strand fill, cotton, coconut husk, orthopedic foam, and some now incorporate moisture barriers to address the needs of senior dogs.

Shape

Shape is another area of radical innovation. Crate pads are sized to fit standard wire kennels, over-sized rectangular puffy cushions come in all sizes and fill levels. Orthopedic beds address pressure points. Beds with low or high side walls allow dogs to nestle in. Some like sleeping with their head propped up or elevated, and such beds allow them to do so. Beds are now offered in ‘bean’ shapes and circles.

Covering

Beds are more functional now. Rather than sitting in a corner as an afterthought, modern dog beds feature soft, fleece-like coverings; durable weather resistant outer coverings for travel or RV adventures, or traditional cloth. Some feature velvet-like coverings or even shag-length fibers for dogs who like to snuggle in.

Design

While the industry standard seems to be solid colors, manufacturers like Carolina Pet Company in Prosperity, South Carolina have started to incorporate vibrant colors. Their Pendleton Pet Collection features colors inspired by United States National Parks.

So, no matter what type, size, or breed of dog, there is a bed that is the perfect fit, size, texture, and color to suit them, and whatever location the bed will stay.

What are the effects of COVID-19 on pet stores?

To say these times is ‘unprecedented’ is an understatement. Never in the history of retailing has such an event occurred. There have been events similar, say the Great Recession, but the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic is at a scale never seen before.

Of the primary concern, especially early into the outbreak, were questions over the availability of pet food. Given that there were severe shortages of paper products, staple food, and cleaning supplies in grocery stores, it was logical to question if the same scarcity would be seen in the pet department and pet retailers.

Fortunately, this hasn’t materialized. Manufacturers such as Purina were quick to send out emails notifying pet owners that the supply would remain steady. A quick glance in the pet food aisle of major grocery retailers shows this is true. Even walking the aisles of Pet Supplies Plus, the shelves appear at the usual stock levels.

Curb-Side Pickup Gains Momentum

With quarantine and social distancing orders put into place quickly, retailers were quick to adopt curb-side pickup options for customers. When walking the aisles no longer became feasible due to staffing issues or local regulations, call ahead and online or mobile ordering with curb-side options were quickly put into place across many chains. It is best to call your local pet store to see what contact-free options they are offering.

Online Ordering Increases Dramatically

Several big chains have been offering ‘to your doorstep’ delivery of pet essentials for several years. Pet owners have continually increased the rate at which they order pet supplies on line for home delivery. Staying home, and away from large gatherings is proving to be an effective measure to combat the spread. This has caused even the smallest pet stores to consider moving online if they currently are not. The Wall Street Journal notes on March 15 ” The retailers that are likely to fare better as Americans adjust to the current outbreak are those that invested in online logistics or have the ability to serve shoppers safely if the illness becomes widespread”. I found this interesting product, it’s a clever play on a human treat: Barkaron, a macaron for dogs!

Subscription Boxes Become The Ticket

For years, pet owners have relied on BarkBox and Chewy for a constant supply of new and exciting toys and treats. New entrants into this space include Pet Plate which is a fresh direct-to-consumer pet food subscription which was featured on Shark Tank. Giving people the ability to continue to provide food, toys, and treats during the time when it is safer inside, could revive the subscription box industry. The downside is that you may not know what fun is coming in the box each month, but isn’t that half the fun?

Veterinary Telehealth Increasingly An Option

With restrictions placed on veterinary offices, and pet owners less likely to venture out, just like Teladoc and MDLive offer health advice to humans, so too do Ask.Vet, VetNOW, and DVM360 offer ways to consult a live veterinarian. Royal Canin was offering free access for a limited time to assist pet owners.

To access the service, pet owners can connect at royalcanin.com/us/coronavirus-and-pets or can text chatnow to 67076. Pet owners will be able to ask any health-related questions ranging from ‘My dog has a wound. How do I know if it is infected?’ to ‘My cat is vomiting, is this an emergency?’

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/royal-canin-to-offer-free-247-virtual-vet-chat-to-all-pet-owners-301053875.html

Grooming At Home Becomes An Option

Pet owners are now taking matters into their own hands, literally, as they began to groom pets at home. Several Instagram feeds featured cutely disastrous first attempts at grooming. A word of caution, though. Sharp objects in untrained hands can be dangerous to your pet! Grooming supplies are readily available on Amazon and other retailers. Wahl Corporation has posted videos to YouTube with techniques and methods to keep you and your pet safe, and your pet looking great!

Check out the Barkbath Dual Use which doubles as a portable grooming system and a deep cleaning appliance for carpets.

The effects of the pandemic are only beginning to show. This could be the start of permanent changes in everyone’s lives. From shopping to grooming to healthcare, there will be a ‘new normal’ for it all. Stay safe.

Is Climate Change Causing Disease Spread?, Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Helps Adoption, and The Most Dog-Friendly Work Places. Those Topics And More In This Weeks News

Climate Change Causing Spreading Diseases

USA Today had an interesting article about how the changing climate is causing animal diseases to show up in parts of the country where they either haven’t’ been seen before, or weren’t very prevalent. The article quotes veterinarians as saying the warmer weather is allowing diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, and heartworm.

Not only are the diseases spreading out from their traditional territory, but there are also new strains being introduced – and can survive – in areas they have not before. The Heartland Virus and the Bourbon Virus are two new entrants that have caused hospitalization and in some cases death. This story is a reminder of the importance of preventing and dealing with the changes associated with our changing world.

MuttNation Sees 61 Adoptions After Event

It’s rare that country music would show up in a dog-focused blog, but Miranda Lamber’s project MuttNation held its fourth annual drive this month and helped 61 dogs move from shelter to permanent homes. In collaboration with the Nashville Humane Association, they held a one-mile “Mutt March” through Nashville to raise awareness.

Miranda is quoted in the article as saying “To the initiated, it probably sounded like dogs barking, but to me, knowing the pure joy that comes from owning a rescue dog -or eight- it was music to my ears. We were marching on behalf of MuttNation to raise awareness for shelter pet adoption and in support of animal rescues across the country – and because its fun and it’s our passion.

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Ready to go at the #MuttNationMarch starting line! 💕 #CMAFest

A post shared by Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation (@muttnation) on Jun 6, 2019 at 6:28am PDT

Most Dog-Friendly Workplaces

Inc.com posted a list of the most dog-friendly companies. Not surprising was the list of pet-focused companies, and super-large employers like Amazon and Salesforce. What was interesting was we have moved from a mentality of ‘its okay to bring your dog’ to ‘here is what we are doing for you if you bring your dog’.

On-site treats, toys, pet relief areas, dedicated rooms and furniture are all a great way to make the experience of bringing a dog in more enjoyable (for non-dog people as well), but also a great retention tool to keep talented and motivated people working for your company. In this tight labor market, going the extra mile to make life easier for dog owners is a way to ensure employees stay connected to their company.

Another interesting twist on this topic is how Work From Home has now become more prevalent, allowing dog owners the opportunity to stay in the environment most comfortable to them and their dogs. Seeing the rise of co-working pace also decreases commute time for those eligible employees letting them spend more time with their pets before and after work.

Ironically, Inc also posted this story in 2016 “The Problem With Dog-Friendly Offices“.

If you are looking for the complete list of the Top 12 Most Dog-Friendly Companies, here it is:

• Amazon
• Procure Technologies
• Trupanion
• Petsmart
• Airbnb
• Nestle Purina Petcare
• Petco Animal Supplies
• Zogics
• Ceros
• Uber
• Salesforce
• Chewy.com

Travel Time: Keeping Your Pooch Safe on the Road

So, we’re coming into the summer season where school is letting out across the United States, and more families are traveling for vacation to exciting places and to see far off family.

This week, there were a few list articles that popped up on the radar:

Top 10 Cities for Dog-Friendly Urban Hiking

Teach Your Dog To Ride In the Car: Prevent Anxiety and Motion Sickness

The Best Dog-Friendly Bars In Each State (and D.C. too)

It’s great to see that dogs are welcomed out in public more and more, and with the rise of pets replacing children in young couples who put off raising children (until they can afford them – but that’s another story) dogs are becoming not just ‘home companions’ but now ‘travel companions’.

SleepyPod makes all kinds of canine vehicle and air travel restraints. Check out their products here on Amazon to keep your pal safe on your travel.

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60+ Best Mother's Day Gifts of 2019 via @gearpatrol includes Sleepypod's Clickit Sport safety harness for dogs. See the list at  https://gearpatrol.com/2019/04/27/best-mothers-day-gifts-2019/ – link in profile today Special shout out to these pet loving companies – @britaxus , @gearpatrol

A post shared by Sleepypod (@sleepypod) on Apr 30, 2019 at 9:09am PDT

Best Sources For Free (Or Low Cost) Dog Toys

As any pet person can attest, commercial dog toys are expensive! It’s easy to spend $10 or more on a toy that – for heavy chewers like mine – can easily destroy in a day or two.

Having places to go for free or low cost toys is important both for my wallet, and to keep my dogs minds active and challenged.

The first suggestion for affordable dog toys is to create them yourself using safe items around the house. A quick search on Google brought up this page from Care.com that lists 17 DIY Dog Toys You Can Make From Things In Your House. They range from tug toys, to interactive feeders, and include crunchy toys like a water bottle in a braided bed sheet. Creative and inexpensitve!

The next suggestion is subscription boxes. Less expensive than buying toys individually is if you buy them in groups. Often, the price per toy is less when you commit to a year of boxes, and they are sent to you in groups. Services like Bark Box add treats into each box, so if you don’t normally buy bagged treats, you might not see the ‘toy’ savings.

An alternative to Bark Box, is the curated Goody Box from Chewy.com. Having purchased a few of these, I can speak to their value. They are heavy on the treats, but do include a toy or two. The evolving nature of these boxes means that they change over time and, you aren’t committed to a year of shipments.

Thinking outside the box, literally and figuratively, I saw a promotion at my local grocery store pharmacy that featured a free flying disc and waste dispenser if you talked to a Wegmans pharmacist about having your pet medication filled through them, they gave you the toys for free! (As an aside, the medication savings can be substantial). I picked up this free toy the other day while doing my grocery shopping! This was a limited-time promotion and was subject to availability, but this is one less toy I need to buy!

Dog toy from the Wegman’s grocery store pharmacy

The third source that came to mind was through local animal shelter garage sales. Often these organisations will receive donations from local big box stores of out-of-season merchandise. This benefits the store as a tax savings, and benefits the shelter through the proceeds of the sale. Be sure to check your local newspaper our online garage sale listing site to find out when and where these sales are.

Supporting local shelters is a great way to ensure they can continue to care for animals without a home, and a great place for you to find brand-new, low cost dog toys.

Masking ‘Dog Smell’ For A Fresh Home

No matter which breed of dog you have, inevitably they will eventually smell like ‘dog’. While some dogs are smellier than others, a mild dog smell is normal. This article from PetMD goes into detail why dogs have that unique smell.

The Pet House Candles from One Fur All are larger than a tea light and have a burn time of 10 – 12 hours! The Fresh Citrus scent is a light peach and pear aroma that gently covers odors in a room without becoming overpowering.

Their 10-pack features their best-selling, innovative scents include:

• Lavender Green Tea
• Fresh Citrus
• Sunwashed Cotton
• Pumpkin Spice
• Lilac Garden
• Moonlight
• Mango Peach
• Evergreen Forest
• Vanilla Sandalwood
• Bamboo Watermint

 

If you like the scents of the mini candles, they are offered in a larger 60-hour burn time size. The link goes to their Jasmine Lilly scent on Amazon.

These soy wax candles are infused with refreshing essential oils and surround a 100% cotton wick. The candles are dye and paraffin free, and are non-toxic. The perfect odor-neutralizing solution to air freshening in pet-friendly homes.

As a highly-rated seller on Amazon, One Fur All offers a 100% satisfaction money back guarantee. Its hard to believe that anyone could be dissatisfied by these products, and their review history speaks to that fact.

There are sprays, sachets, plug-in, and table-top options for freshening the air in homes with pets, but these candles add a warm ambiance to any room.

Keeping your house safe with pets around is the paramount concern of any pet household. These candles help to ensure that the environment stays safe and happy for every member, human and canine.

Sugar Cookie Decorating Tutorial

Browsing through the internet this week, I came across Anne from Flour Box Bakery and her tutorial videos. These cookies look amazing! She has tutorial and links to supplies to make cookies for every occasion. One video that stood out to me was her dog cookies. While they aren’t formulated for dog eating (they are meant for people to eat), the design and attention to detail was incredible enough I had to share. Please enjoy!

Check out the Flour Box Bakery!

 

If baking, or cookie decorating is your passion, check out this Corgi cookie cutter set from Amazon. Happy Baking!

Planet Dog Releases Made in USA Plush Dog Toy Line

Planet Dog, one of the pet industry’s leading durable and socially responsible toy company, has launched their Made in USA plush toy collection.

The new collection includes three original shapes and with unique designs, including the Plush Squeaky Tree, Plush Squeaky Bone, and Squeaky Buddy. Each Planet Dog Plush toy is made of 100% made in the USA fabric and are each individually sewn in New Hampshire.

To maintain the high-quality and durable performance of all Planet Dog products, Planet Dog has partnered with a high-end USA upholstery designer to provide pet parents a variety of patterns to choose from, on ultra-durable fabrics that are also stain and soil resistant, and machine washable for endless hours of play.

Each toy in the collection includes an internal squeaker to add extra excitement to every second of playtime! The Plush Squeaky Bones are available in two sizes, small and large, to accommodate dogs of any size or age.

Top 10 Gifts For Pug Lovers

Dog lovers have a special place in their heart for their beloved pet; they are extensions of our families. Of all breeds, Pugs especially are endearing to us all. Their distinctive features make us fall in love with them. You will find reminders of these features in the products listed below. Everything you see in the gift list below is sure to be loved by any pug lover, pug owner, or even the guardian of any dog! 

This gift guide features the “Top 10 gifts for any pug lover”. These products are affordable, make a great addition to any style of home, and will remind you, or the recipient, of the love we hold for our pet.

These fanciful items can be displayed in any home, and are some of the best every-day necessities for a home full of love. Proudly display your “pug love”.

Click on the item name to see the current price on Amazon.

• 

  Pug Salt & Pepper Shaker

• 

  Pug & Heart Print Throw

• 

  Wine Stopper

• 

  Pug Life Backpack

• 

  Women’s Pajama Pants

• 

  Ceramic Pug Mug

• 

  Comfy Pug Socks

• 

  Cute Throw Pillow

• 

  Whimsical Wall Hanging

• 

  Pug-Opoly

CycleDog Plush Toys And Other Dog Essentials Made In America

Cycle Dog got their start in Portland making rubber-lined dog collars. Both eco-friendly and practical, they became popular quickly. The company has expanded to include manufacturing a variety of plush toys too. They haven’t lost their focus on the environment as the inside of their Duraplush SpringyBot plush toys have a filling made from recycled plastic bottles. Other products include their Eco Last post-consumer recycled rubber toys that are balls, treat dispensers, and fun critter shapes.

 

 

2 Hounds Design began as a one-woman business and has since expanded to help revitalize a lost textile industry, but also help improve the life of animals.

They continually add new designs to their lineup, and the most recent addition is the Paradise Cream which has soft a blue and green peacock pattern. Some of their collars and leashes come in matching designs so you can keep your pets ensemble coordinated!

 

Dogs Love Hummus Chews, from Dogs Love Kale, are dog treats primarily made of chickpeas, which are highly palatable and rich in protein. There are no animal-based protein sources in the chews, making them suitable for dogs with common food intolerances.

This chews have ingredients like turmeric and peppermint oil, to make a healthy, limited-ingredient chew that’s safe for dogs with allergies. Turmeric is an antiinflammatory herb.

Dogs Love Hummus Chews are fully digestible, are not hard enough to break teeth and emit unpleasant odors. The chewing action can help fight tartar buildup and added peppermint oil relieves bad breath.

They make a wide variety of products including these soft treats with turmeric Beef and Apple flavor.

 

 

Started in 1984, Up Country Inc started making upscale dog collars. Since then they have continued to add stylish designs and products which are made in their Rhode Island factory.

Their innovative Doggie Doorbells are a simple and stylish way to let your dog inform you of their need to go outside. Their door bells come in 11 colors and can be customized to match your house or your dog! Keep checking their store for the holiday version that will be coming out soon!

 

 

Something new that I hadn’t seen before are clam dog treats. It is an interesting twist with an even funnier name – Clam Chowda. Made from slowly dehydrated clam protein in Boston, MA. They make lots of unique dog treat flavors including chicken jerky, and cod and haddock skin treats,

 Polkadog is obsessed with quality and sustainability. They are always looking for innovative ways to create new treats that are good for your pet and good for the planet. That means sourcing raw materials conscientiously from good people doing good work in our own backyard. Clams are one of the most sustainable protein sources in the ocean. They’re high in Omega fatty acids, low in calories, and filter the water they live in to feed. Low impact and delicious.

 

As you know, buying locally and domestically is a great way to help build and sustain our economy. It also draws on the innovative nature of our fellow countrymen. So many of these products were created out of a sense of entrepreneurship and innovation. Owners have asked themselves, how do I take what I have and turn it into a business. They ask, how do they take their skills and apply it to something they love.

All of these companies, Cycle Dog, 2 Hound Design, Dogs Love Kale, and Polkadog Bakery were all built buy people looking to do what they love.

DogDiscuit Is A Flying Rainbow Of Fun

With the sun setting earlier each day here in the Northeast, the amount of time that we can play outside is getting equally short. One of the favorite things we do each evening is play fetch with a flying disc. The Australian Shepherd is a natural at it and loves the challenge of catching it mid-flight and bringing it back. Apparently he needs a “job” to do as working breed, and returning flying discs to me satisfies that need.

I had been on the lookout for something to supplement his bright orange disc that we usually play with.

What I like about the orange disc:

1. Inexpensive – cost under $5
2. Lightweight – flies very far and has lots of “hang time” so its fairly easy to catch
3. Bright, Solid Color – Easy to see against a backdrop of sky and grass

Sadly, when it gets dark, he can’t see it, so in order to extend playtime, I looked to Amazon for a solution.

Enter the DogDiscuit by Nite Ize Innovation. This disc has a large diameter, is made of flexible plastic, and as LED lighting built in.

DogDiscuit flying LED dog disc by Nite Ize

It is made of translucent durable, flexible plastic, so it is easy on your dogs mouth, and cushions the impact if they miss catching it. The lights cycle through several colors when they are turned on and are highly visible as the disc is flying. Because of the materials it is made from, the light radiates out to the edges so the entire disc changes color as the lights cycle.

The DogDiscuit is much heavier at 4.6oz than my previous orange disc which weighs 2.7oz. The DogDiscuit flies much faster and has less “hang time” so it requires the dog to be on full alert to follow it.

Also, because the disc is translucent, it is harder for them to see as it is flying.

Another phenomenon I was thinking about is regarding the LED themselves. When people have lights on their house around Christmas, for me it is hard to gauge the distance of how far away they are. There is something about LED lights for me that throws off my vision. I’m not sure if this is the same for dogs.

The “success” rate in times he has been able to catch the disc in flight is much lower with the DogDiscuit than with the orange disc.

The batteries are very easy to replace. Simply remove the domed cover, pull the electronic unit out, slide the two- CR2016 batteries out of the sheath, slide new ones in, replace the electronics, press the dome back into place, and you are ready for hours of fun.

Overall, buying this was a great decision. It allows us to extend playtime and the quality of this product is high. It has a durable feel but soft enough it is easy on his teeth and gums.

DogDiscuit LED Flying Disc
Pros	Cons
Durable Material	Flies Fast
Bright LED With Fun Colors	Weighs More Than Alternative Discs
Soft Plastic Easy On Dogs Mouth	More Expensive

Dogs of many breeds like the challenge and mental reward of catching and returning a Frisbee (flying disc). Breeds which will enjoy this kind of toy are:

• English Whippet (Snap Dog)
• Border Collie
• Labrador Retriever
• Belgian Malinois
• Goldn Retriever
• Australian Cattle Dog
• Australian Shepherd
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Weimaraner
• American Pit Bull Terrier

The common traits that these dogs have are hunting, retrieving, and herding dogs. Their internal motivation to keep ‘things’ together, and their high energy are the perfect attributes for type of play that flying discs provide.