Saratoga K9 Kooling Coat

There are several cooling coats on the market and they seem to work in a few different ways.  Some, you soak and the evaporation cools the dogs, others are a light color and reflect the sun away.  For those that haven't noticed, Hudson is mostly black.  In the summer, and on bright winter days, his black coat will be warm or hot to the touch.  He spends most of the summer hiding in the shade and for such an active dog, it just didn't seem fair.  I struggled for probably close to a year on what cooling coat I wanted to get, but finally settled on the Saratoga K9 Kooling Coat.  Part of it was the cost, and part of it is that Hudson is a smallish dog and I was worried the coats that needed soaking would be too heavy for him.

The K9 Kooling coat works mainly by reflecting the suns rays away from the dog so that the dog's fur doesn't absorb the heat.  I know that I can tell a difference between the temperature under the coat and the top of his head.  He also seems much more comfortable outside when wearing it.

The coat fits on the dog with a velcro belly band and a buckle across the chest.  I think I got Hudson's a size too small, so it's a little snug on him and doesn't cover all the way to his tail, but it doesn't slide around and stays put.  Obviously, you can't use it with a normal harness underneath, but the front is open enough that if you use a front clip harness without any issue.  I use an Easy-Walk harness when I need to use a front clip.   I haven't tried it, but I bet harnesses styled like the Brillian K9 Harness or the EzyDog Quick Fit would fit over the coat, depending on where their chest strap fits in relation to the buckled on the coat.

I love this coat and now that the weather is getting warm again, I look forward to taking it out on more adventures.

Saratoga K9 Kool Coat

Metal Mementos

I come across the best things from suggestions from friends.  A few people I know have gotten custom dog tags from Metal Mementos and I just had to have one.  The price was right, and they did custom etching.  I did a lot of private messaging through FB on this design and the owner of the store was a total gem to work with.  I sent a few photos of what I was thinking, these were pictures from various websites. I didn't have to do any of my own drawing thank goodness!  Then I got a sketch of what it would look like and it was perfect.  

Hudson's registered name is Green Mountain Angels in Gotham, which is  play off of a Doctor Who episode Angels take Manhattan. I won't go into the details of the episode, but it has Weeping Angels. I have love/hate relationship with Weeping Angels. They are awesome and yet terrifying. Or maybe it's really his guardian angel hiding.....

Either way, the tag came quickly.  It's heavy and has a very well-made feel to it.  I do have a large clip on it, so it hangs lower than I would like, but I could fix that easy with a smaller clip.  Hudson has worn the tag a lot over the last few months and it has held up great. Another thing I really like is that the tag has the custom etching on one side, and Hudson's name with my phone number on the other.  I like to hope and pray that he'll never get lost, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.  

When it's time to get another dog, another Metal Mementos tag will definitely be something I get. Or maybe I'll just come up with a reason that Hudson needs another.

Metal Mementos FB page

Eco by Lupine

In July of 2014 we were getting ready to head out for vacation.  That year we were heading to a house in West Virginia on the banks of the Potomac River and I was looking for a harness that would hold up to the river grit & grime, but was inexpensive enough that if I needed to toss it after vacation it wouldn't hurt the wallet too much.   I ended up with a Tropical Sea colored Eco harness by Lupine.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with Lupine, all of their products are guaranteed, even if chewed, and they will replace anything.  I looked through a lot of their harnesses and at the different designs, but eventually settled on the Eco because they are made from recycled plastic bottles.  What can I say, I'm a bit of a sucker for things made out of recycled products

Being made out of recycled plastic bottles, you would think that the harness would be stiff; it isn't. It feels very similar to a medium weight, nylon harness.  The color is nice and bright.  As you would expect from a Lupine product, it feels like a quality made product all around.  I got the step-in style harness, it has 3 places to adjust the fit.  Hudson is around 37 lbs, and wears the 20"-30" girth harness. Everything is sized about in the middle, but at almost 3 years old, I don't see him growing much more.

This harness took on the mighty Potomac River with ease and has quickly become my go-to harness for hiking, or any event I think he'll get gross and dirty.  If your dog is a big of a puller, like Hudson, the harness won't prevent the pulling, and if your dog pulls off to one side or another, the harness will slip a little to the left or right, but I have not had Hudson slip out of it, and don't see that as an issue.

As a side note, I also clip the poop-bag holder to the d-rings on the back and make Hudson carry his own poop bags.  Now, I do carry the full bags (lucky me!), but maybe one day I'll get something with bags to make him carry his own poop too.  

Some reviews have noted that these are hard on the edges and cause rubbing or coat breakage.  I haven't noted either of these on Hudson.  Since we use this harness on hikes, he is usually wearing it for an hour, or longer, at a time and I have not noticed any issue.  

Amazon - Eco by Lupine

Lupine's Store

Collar Mania Minky Collar

I will start this with saying that I did win this collar.  Collar Mania will occasionally post,'make a comment on this post to be eligible for a chance to win a free collar' on her Facebook page.  This is the one that I won.  The turn around time was terrific.  It did help that the collar was already made and all she had to do was ship it.  I think it came in 3 days, slower than my Amazon Prime stuff, but definitely quicker than the normal 4 days it takes for my parents to send something here from Ohio.

The Minky fabric is hard to describe.  It's soft and fuzzy, kind of like a fleece blanket / microfiber cloth hybrid.  Mine also has the satin lining on the inside.  I really like this collar.  It feels very sturdy & well made and I don't have any concerns about walking Hudson while he is wearing it.  It is also wider than the collars I normally have on him.  Usually he wears a 1" or a 3/4", this one is 1.5", but due to its light weight, it doesn't look super huge and bulky on him.

I made the mistake of letting him wear it in April when we were visiting my folks.  If you know anything about spring in April, you'd know that it is wet & rainy & gross.  Add to that, my parents have a small creek that runs through their backyard & it had been raining for 4 days, it was a muddy mess.  Before too long, so was my beautiful collar. To clean it, I tossed it into a pillow case and threw it in the washer with some dog blankets and let the washer do it's thing, then I let it air dry.  Good as new. I really like this collar and if I had the funds, I would buy lots & lots of collars from Collar Mania for all different occasions.  Christmas, Halloween, Easter, the Fourth of July, but for how often other people see him in his collars, it isn't worth it.

These are highly recommended for showing off you & your dog's style when out and about.

Collar Mania Collars

Fraggle Rock Collars - Biothane

I was looking for something very specific in a collar this time around.  My sister's dog, Matrix, had been wearing a nylon martingale collar for a few years and was looking for something new.  I already had a few biothanes in my arsenal and knew that they would be perfect for her.  My parents had also gotten a new dog earlier in the year, Netti, and I thought she needed something pretty.  Off I went in search of someone who made martingale collars out of biothane.  I got in contact with Fraggle Rock Collars.  They make nylon/ribbon & biothane collars, along with leashes.  She had never made a limited slip martingale out of biothane, but was up for the challenge.  I sent her the measurements for the two dogs and she got to work.  Pretty soon, these two lovelies were at my door, with matching utility leashes.

My sister's dog, Matrix, is a city dog so his collar doesn't get as much wear & tear on it, but he wears it pretty darn well.  

Netti-Pot may not look it, but she is a good ol' farm dog.  She catches rodents and all. My parents have some land behind their house that is full of trees, trails, and critters.  Netti and my Dad spend a good amount of time out there, cutting down trees and searching for critters.  There also a small creek for getting really dirty.

I also may have bought a 30 ft tracking lead at the same time.....I have a problem.   Anyway, the turn around time was slow, about 3 or 4 weeks if I remember right, but everything is holding up great.  I would definitely recommend them to anyone who has the time to wait around.

Fraggle Rock Collars
 

Premier Pet Pogo Plush Slap Happy

Hudson received this funny toy in his November Bark Box and he loves it.  I waited to review it because I wanted to see how well it was going to hold up to him.  He likes to destuff his soft toys and I didn't want to review something that only lasted a few days, or week.  This toy is the strangest thing, and I don't know why this has held up longer than most of his soft, stuffed toys; maybe because it isn't stuffed, it is a silicone skeleton, covered in synthetic sheep skin, with 6 dangly legs.  There is also a floating squeaker, but that didn't last more than a few days (thank goodness).  It's great for tugging & fetch. I am terrible at throwing things, so I appreciated that I could bounce it off the wall, the window, the TV, etc and not have to worry too much about breaking things.

It's a fun toy that Hudson really likes.  I would like to see it made out of a stronger material so it didn't wear so quickly.  When it has been totally destroyed, I hope to use the interior skeleton as a ball, similar to a JW Holey Roller.


Picture taken 1/4.  You can see the multiple holes in the sheep skin covering and that "Fuzzy" is down to only 5 legs.

Pictures taken shortly after receiving the toy, mid November

6/7 UPDATE
Fuzzy has lost all of his fleece now and is just the purple skeleton.  I hid a small tennis ball inside, so Hudson still likes to play with it.  He enjoyed this toy so much that when I found similar toys at the local Ocean State Job Lots, I bought 3.  2 of the 3 were kept back for later fun, but he really enjoys playing with the 1 I let him have.

http://store.petsafe.net/pogo-plush-slap-happy
http://store.petsafe.net/sheepskin-toys

Bark Box

Bark Box is a monthly subscription box that is mailed to your house to spoil your puppies. There are three size options; Small and Cute, which is 0 - 25 lbs; Just Right, which is 25 - 50 lbs; and Big & Bold, which is 50 lbs + and the subscription options are 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months, though I have heard that there might be a 1 year coming up soon.

The boxes normally contain a toy, a bag or two of treats, and some cutesy seasonal thing.  The toys are normally a big hit here.  The Orbee Strawberry came in one of his Bark Boxes and he loves it.  Unfortunately some of the toys are soft and Hudson tends to tear those apart, but they provide a few minutes of fun.  I recently upped Hudson's from "Just Right" to "Big & Bold" so maybe those toys will be a bit sturdier.

The treats are all made in the USA, so hopefully there shouldn't be any contamination issues.  Hudson isn't a big food hound, so the treats are just kind of 'meh' here.  He likes them, but doesn't go crazy for them.  That is not a slam on the treats or Bark Box, it's just the way he is.  I have yet to find a treat he goes crazy for.  If your dog has any allergies or sensitivities, there is no way to specify that and since the boxes tend to be food heavy, this might not be a good option for you.

All in all, I like getting boxes in the mail and I like being able to try new things with him.  I like that Bark Box items are all from US companies and I believe they are all made in the USA.  I originally did a 6 month subscription and renewed it for another 6 months.

If you sign up using my referral link, I think it will save you $5 or $10 on your first box.  It also gets me a free box.  If you don't want to do it that way, I also included the link to the main page, if you want to sign up that way.

Invite Link - Bark Box Invite
Bark Box

All K-9 Biothane Leash and Tracking Line

If you have read my Biothane collar thread, you know how much I love biothane.  The All K-9 Leash & Tracking Line were my first experience with Biothane.  I pulled them out of the box and said, "Yep, I'm ordering the biothane collars."  What you have to know about me is that growing up, we had horses.  I like good leather.  Nice, soft, supple leather and had been toying with getting a leather leash to go with my nylon one.  An internet friend made a most about All K-9 having  a sale, so I jumped on it and now have no desire to buy a leather leash.  Of course, if I found a good sale on a leather leash, I'd probably be all over that since you can't beat the smell of leather.  The one thing Biothane is missing :(



I ordered a 5/8" wide, 6 ft leash and a 1/2" wide, 10 ft tracking line.  It took a little while to arrive, but I think my view on that is kind of skewed by being an Amazon Prime member and getting 2 day shipping on everything.   The 10 ft line is my main leash.  I'm still trying to decide if I like it because of the extra 4 ft, or if I like it because it is narrower.  I have freakishly small hands and hate wide, flat leashes. Hate them, will not use them. But anyway, the 10 ft leash is small enough and flexible enough that I can easily fit it in a jacket pocket, but it is also strong enough that I don't worry about it breaking when Hudson pulls against it.  I'm also a terrible dog owner and let Hudson grab the leash and tug on it.  He loves playing tug and if he knows it's OK to tug on the leash, I always have a toy with me.  So this poor leash has taken quite a bit of abuse and still looks really nice.  I think there are a few small areas where you can tell it has been in a dogs mouth, but it is still holding up great.

When we were in NC, I had a long rope to use on the beach, but had a biothane for walking too the beach and any other walks.  When the leash got sandy, I just dunked it in the ocean and it came out as clean as could be.  My rope is still covered in sand.

I love my Biothane leashes, they are awesome and I want to own all of them.  I have heard that not all biothane is not created equal and have heard some people complain about biothane leashes that they got from companies other than All K-9, so I wanted to issue that word of warning.

Ruff Rider ROADIE Canine Vehicle Safety Harness

Hudson spends a good bit of time in the car with us.  When we picked him and his brothers up, we did a 12 hour drive from NC to NY.  A few months later, we did a 10 hour drive to Ohio for Christmas, and then then 10 hour drive back.  We made the same drive in February and again in April.  Plus, for vacation we went down to the Outer Banks area and drug him along.  All and all, he has spent a lot of his short life in a car.

When I got him, I knew that there would be a lot of trips from NY to OH and back, since that is where our family is, so I started looking for a solid, safe car harness.  Both for if, God forbid, there is an accident, and to keep him in the car until I had a leash hooked on him.  Most of our driving is interstate and I cannot imagine how terrifying it would be to have your dog get loose at a rest stop or gas station.  I also know that our cars are too small to safely secure a crate for a full grown Hudson.  So, car harness it was.  What I finally decided on was a Roadie Harness.  They are a little expensive, but I liked that they were designed for car safety first and foremost. I also liked that the car attachment was permanently attached and that it gave my 6 ft leash a little extra length.

I ordered the smallest size for Hudson because he was still an itty bitty puppy.  It was easy to figure out how to put on, which was was the front, which way was the back.  It seemed comfortable for Hudson, he didn't shy away from it like he does his EzyDog Chest Plate and it had several different places to adjust.

When he out-grew this harness, I toyed with replacing it with another Roadie, but since he was still growing, I went with a less expensive harness with a car seat attachment until I knew what his final chest size would be.  Since then, I have had a chance to think about it and I am not sure I'll be adding another to my harness roster.  Here is why.  It was a little tricky getting it on and there was a bit of tugging on his one leg to get it through the leg hole.  Definitely not something I would suggest if you have an older dog who has joint issues. That also makes it hard for me to ask anyone else to put it on him, if I was also getting ready to go outside. My other big issue with it is that, being a harness designed to keep a dog secure in case of an accident, it is the only harness I've seen Hudson wiggle out of.  We were at a park and he get his long line wrapped around a pole and in his struggle to untangle himself, he got loose!

In the end, I liked how it fit him, though a little difficult to actually get one and I liked how it looked.  If I was looking for just a general, everyday wearing harness, I would look at a Roadie, but at $50+, it's a little expensive for just a walking harness.   

As a "keeping in the car when the door is open" it definitely works well and even though there are several other harness brands with 'car attachments', I like how long the one on the Roadie is.  It gives the dog plenty of room to sit or lay down while traveling, which I think is important on long drives.  I no longer worry about keeping him in the car when I open the door, partly because I keep his leash on him the entire trip now that he is past chewing on it (dogs!) and partly because he is very good at "Wait" until I have the leash in my hand and tell him it's "Ok".

Roadie Car Harness

Planet Dog Orbee Strawberry & Tuff Bone

I decided to put these two together since they are made by the same company and are very similar.

I am going to go over the Strawberry first. It has a hollow inside, meant for stuffing with treats, but when it is empty it is squishy and easy for a dog to hold.  They bounce well, float, are easy to throw, and since the are an odd shape, roll erratically. I think this is one of Hudson's favorite toys, he enjoys carrying it around in his mouth, squishing it.    If I tell him "Go find your Strawberry" he will go pounce on it and bring it over to me to play fetch with.

Hudson took to the Strawberry so quickly that the next week we picked up the Tuff Bone.  I had a lot of fun tossing it into the baby pool.  Hudson, on the other hand, doesn't think there is enough room in the pool for him, let alone him and some toys, so he kept pulling it out and dropping it on the ground.  I like to think that we both had a lot of fun with this game.

The Orbee Strawberry & Tuff Bone are made in the USA, so no need to worry about lead.  They have both held up extremely well.  I don't think the Strawberry has a single scratch on it.  The bone has a few, but none are very deep.  If you have a dog that likes to carry toys around, or likes to fetch I highly recommend either of these two toys.

Planet Dog Orbee Strawberry

JW Pet Company Undercoat Rake

Growing up we had German Shepherds and when shedding season came around, we just used a slicker. Hudson's coat is much different than a German Shepherd, so I had to revisit how to groom a dog.  I ended up picking up a JW Undercoat Rake.  Hudson's coat is pretty short close to his body, but he has quite a bit around his ears, neck and hind end.  This rake does a marvelous job getting out all of the loose under coat.  When his coat was changing from his puppy coat into an adult coat, this rake was a life saver.  It is definitely something I recommend to anyone with a dog who has a coat like Hudson's.

Chuckle Hound Collar and Bow Tie

This one is a fun one, guys.  Have you ever been going out on the town and wanted your dog to look snazzy?  Well, I haven't either, but I did want Hudson to have a bow tie, just in case.  In case of what, you might ask.  I have no idea, but my husband is a Boy Scout and he tells me that we should always be prepared, I am prepared to turn Hudson into a nerdy, frat boy at any given moment.

An internet friend started posting pictures of her Aussie in adorable bow ties and I knew I needed one from Hudson.  Chuckle Hound is a small company in Boston, MA that makes the most awesome collars, bow ties, and flowers.  Everything you need to take your dog out in style.  I really like that the bow tie has two small velcro loops on the back so you can change what collar it is on.  I am guessing the flowers are the same way, but I don't have any experience with them.

The collars are fabric collars all the way through.  Because of that I don't use it as a main walking collar, if Hudson is wearing it, he also has a harness on and the leash is on the harness.  If your dog is better behaved on a leash, then I'm sure this wouldn't be an issue and, in all honesty, the collar feels sturdy enough that I don't think it would have a problem holding Hudson when he gets SUPER excited to meet a new friend.  But, this isn't a risk I'm willing to take.

I love these bow ties.  They have lots of holiday options available and I'm planning on getting Hudson a Christmas one eventually.

Alex Dog Collar & Bow Tie

TufFlex Biothane Collar

I love these.  I love these so much, there aren't words to describe how much I love these.  They are bright, colorful, easy to keep looking nice, sturdy.  Basically, I think Biothane is God's gift to mankind.  This stuff is awesome.  Ok, I'll stop gushing now.  Just kidding, this review is basically all gushing.

If you have never experienced biothane, it is a synthetic leather.  They are advertised as being mildew resistant, doesn't hold smells, easy to clean, and virtually indestructible.  This is another product I own multiples of. Hudson has a 1 inch neon green collar and a less obnoxious 3/4 inch black one.  I ordered mine from Gun Dog Supply Company and it comes with a name plate.  Hudson's has just his name and my cell number.  I use them a lot when we are traveling so I don't have to worry if I have his tags on him or not.  When (not if, when) I order another one for him, I'll also add to the plate that he is micro-chipped.  I used these two collars exclusively when we went to NC for vacation this year and after a week of fun in the sun, sand, and waves, they are not any worse for the wear.  I don't have anything bad to say about these collars and I think everyone should have one of these collars in their collection.

I personally like the 3/4 inch width on my dog.  Hudson is about 35 lbs and wears a 16 inch collar.  I just think the 1 inch width is a tiny bit too wide on him.  He doesn't seem to mind it.  I also have a 1 inch wide Lupine collar that I also think is a little too wide, so I don't think it is a biothane phenomenon, I'm just not a quick learner.

When my MIL suggested we get my husband's great aunt something dog related for her birthday, I automatically thought of this and sent her one.

8/2016 Update

It's been a few years and I still LOVE these collars.  I have been using the 3/4" collar almost exclusively for Hudson.  He has a few fancy collars for special occasions, but his normal collar is this biothane.  After 3 years, the name and phone # on the collar are still crisp and clear, which is one of the reasons I really like it.  I never have to worry about moving tags from one collar to another, or the tag falling off.  Some people do worry about the collars breaking the coat on the longer haired dogs.  Personally, I haven't noticed much of it.  Sure, I do find some fur wrapped in the rivets, but not enough to think it is doing any real damage.  My only real complaint, after all of these years, is that I got the 3/4 in black and not a brighter color!.

TufFlex Collar

Ezydog Chest Plate Harness

I like this harness.  I like it more than Hudson does.  Bright colors are my favorite things, which you will notice as you see more and more pictures.  My harness is the bright, neon orange.  Neon orange anything is the best.

This was purchased in mid-February of this year and has held up really well.  It's a little dirty, but the stitching has held up great.  Speaking of stitching, it has reflective stitching, but since we are rarely out after dark in it, I don't know how reflective it really is.  It ships with a removable car seat attachment. It attaches to the D-Ring on the back of the harness, then the seatbelt is fed through the loop, and buckled.  The problem with having it detachable, I promptly lost mine.  Luckily Hudson is good in the car and I don't worry about him jumping out when I open the door.

Hudson is not super thrilled with this harness.  I don't know if it is the chest plate piece that he doesn't like, or if it just fits weird on him, but he has never liked it.  At 35 lbs, and a 24" chest, he is solidly a medium, but from the first time I put it on him, he acted like it was uncomfortable.  Normally after wearing it for a while he seems to forget about it, but every time it goes on he acts like it bothers his back.  It might be because it buckles up top, close to the spine and Small Boy has no extra meat on his bones.  This is not a harness I would replace, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

Ezydog Chest Plate Harness

Chuckit Kick Fetch

Hudson got a Chuckit Kick Fetch for his birthday in late August.  His sister's owner suggested it and I am glad I got it for him!  Unlike most balls, this two identical indentations for easy grabbing, both for the dog and the human.  The indentations also vary in size, so it is easy for a medium sized dog, like Hudson, or a larger dog to grab onto it.  My neighbor's pit-type dog has also come visiting a few times and tries to steal it!

It has a few puncture holes in it from teeth, but since it is solid all the way through, it doesn't deflate like a soccer ball would.  I do not think it would hold up to a large dog with powerful jaws.  After a few months of moderate use, one of the seams is starting to come apart.

All in all, Hudson really likes it. It's easy to play with, with a lot of different options. I can kick it, throw it, bounce it (it bounces really well).  If it were to come apart, I would probably replace it.  For a medium sized dog, like Hudson, I would recommend it.  I would be hesitant to recommend it for a larger, more powerful dog.

8/5/2016 Update
After a few years of fun, the ball is still going.  It isn't going strong, but it is still holding it's own and is still a favorite around here.  I did breakdown and buy a replacement ball for Hudson since he enjoys it so much, but this darn ball has stood up to almost 3 years of abuse.  It has a lot of holes, and Hudson has torn some of the outer cover off (which becomes a new toy in Hudson World).

Kick fetch