Cover Your Ears! Kong's New Squeezz Line

   Wandering around PetSmart the other day I decided it would be fun to take advantage of their recent rash of sales.  The problem was there just isn't a lot of new stuff and I couldn't really think of anything we needed.  I turned out to be mistaken on both counts, as there was something new that we, of course, had to try:  Kong's new line of Squeezz toys.

     I'm very fond of Kong as a brand, but have in the past been a bit harsh on their overall durability (especially when they venture out of their traditional red rubber realm).   However, I inspected these pretty throughly and thought they were worth a try!  They're made of a transparent non-toxic thermo plastic rubber and come in a variety of shapes (balls, sticks, dumbells, rings, bones), sizes and colors, all of which come with squeakers and have a nice strong, but bendy quality.

Demon dog and her stick

     Cassie is very fond of the squeaky toys from JW Pet Co (the chickens are her favorite), but the Kongs came in such nice sizes and colors.  On top of that the Kong Squeezz's have a quality I look for in toys that's a bit hard to describe.  The best I can do is to call it "bite resistance."  I'm not talking about durability here, though that is very important too.  By "bite resistance" I mean the amount of give a toy has to allow the dog to bite down and derive pleasure from that chewing sensation, without the toy falling apart.  There must be a technical term, but when picking up a toy (especially rubbery ones) I always give it a squeeze to feel how much give the material has behind it.  Too much give or "bite resistance" and the toy is no more fun to play with than your average rock (and it probably won't bounce well either).  Your dog will most likely loose interest and you've wasted your money. Not enough "bite resistance" and the toy will be too prone to damage and not provide your dog with that real pleasurable sensation that dogs take from biting and chewing.  It's something I think Kong has always been really good at getting correct in the past with such lines as their tennis-ball material Kong Air Squeakair toys.

    With their new Squeezz line they get the "bite resistance" balance spot-on!  Another thing they got right was the squeak-factor.  The squeakers are actually buried inside the body of the toy, which makes me feel safer, but this also seems to produce the most joyous, gleeful squeak I've ever heard!  Cassie seems to agree.  I selected the large stick for Cassie (due to her size and bite strength).  I figured we don't need another ball and a stick would make it like we were playing a good-old-fashioned game of fetch (she normally gets real sticks taken away).   She loved it!  She ran like mad first around the house and then around the yard happily skipping and flipping the Squeezz stick in the air and thoroughly enjoying the sound it produced as she chewed on the trot!  As a play-by-yourself-for-awhile toy it was a great success.

   I do have some reservations about these toys though.  Firstly, the sticks (and other longer shapes I tested) don't seem to bounce much when thrown.   I tested the stick indoors on hardwood and carpet and outdoors on grass and decking...a dull thud was pretty much the best that could be expected (I managed to catch the best one on video).   This shape certainly doesn't, as Kong claims, "causes [a] fun, erratic bounce."  Well, I should be fair and say it doesn't create a big bounce, but rather nobbles around for a second on the ground.  It was a bit of a let down for our game of fetch...though I guess real sticks don't bounce much either.

Hard to see recessed squeaker

 
    The other area for some worry is that (once again) I'm not entirely confident about the toys durability.   Care should be exercised any time that you give a pet a be-squeakered toy, as those little noise makers are just too easy to dislodge and swallow.   Though Kong points out the toys have a "protected recessed squeaker," I'm always a bit cautious.   So far, Cassie's not succeeded in so much as scratching the Squeezz stick.  I did, however, also buy one of the Squeezz dumbbells for the infamous Guinness after his Hol-ee Roller escapade  and it had to be taken away from him fairly quickly as the damage ensued (he's a toy monster to be fair)!

     The Kong Squeezz line ranges in price from $3-9 depending on size, shape and where you buy your toys (available at Petsmart, Petco, Amazon, etc).  For most dogs they will be a load of fun and should remain very durable.  The squeakers do appear very well encased within the body of the toys and should prove difficult for  a dog to remove and even more difficult to swallow.  Kong's really got it right with these toys and I think from the video you'll be able to tell that the only thing that these toys are lacking are ear plugs!  That's some squeak!

What's In A Wubba?: With Guest Bloggers Elyse & Riley

    A few weeks back I had the good fortune of running a poll about desired reviews in the same week that one of our readers/favorite doggie bloggers had a very eye opening experience with one of the items on the list...the Kong Wubba line!

    I asked all of you to tell me which dog items you would most like to see a review of and Wubbas came in a very close second to Treats!  So I did the treat review and thought why not let Elyse provide  her thoughts on Wubbas!

Elyse's Wubba Tale:

   Hi, my name is Elyse and my Australian Cattle Dog, Riley is a notorious toy destroyer around our house.  Riley is a medium to medium-large size dog (53 pounds of muscle).  Stuffed animals don't last more than 5 minutes around our house, Riley has destroyed at least 3 different types of frisbees, tennis balls don't last, and Nylabones are typically chewed down in a few days...just to give a little background.  I would classify Riley as being an aggressive or serious chewer.

 I had been thinking about getting Riley a Wubba and when I got an e-mail from Barking Deals that they were offering 3 Large Kong Wubbas for $13.99 and free shipping, I jumped at the chance to purchase them for her.  The Wubbas got here within about a week and I decided to give one of them to my sister for her two Boxers.

 Riley took to the Wubba right away.  I just squeaked it and tossed it to her.  She had a grand time holding it by one of the fabric tails and shaking the daylights out of it.  We played fetch with it for a while, then she decided she would lie down and get to work on tearing it apart.  This is where I should have stepped in and confiscated it, but I didn't want to spoil the fun.  Here are day 1 pictures:

Day 1

 The tips of the tails were easily chewed off and the stitching around the body of the toy was easy for her to get apart.  Needless to say, this is what the toy looked like on day 2:

Day 2

Riley has had great fun playing with the big squeaky ball (that has since lost it's squeak) and really enjoyed tearing that little fuzzy, yellow tennis ball into microscopic pieces all over my bed.

 We're now on our second Wubba which I've only allowed her to play fetch with outside and not chew.  We've been playing with that one for about 2 weeks or so (only under supervision), and it has held up reasonably well.  She has managed to sneak in chewing off the tips of the fabric tails on it, but the side stitching is still intact.  If you don't have a serious toy destroyer on your hands, they're probably safe to leave alone with the Wubba.  If you've got a "destructo" dog like mine, use this toy only under supervision.  Despite this experience, I would definitely buy Riley another Kong Wubba to play with only while I supervise her because she's had so much fun with the first two.  It is a really fun fetch/shake toy and those are the two things Riley really loves to do.

  My Thanks to Elyse, who writes a wonderful blog called Adventures of A Cattle Dog about her certified therapy dog Riley the Australian Cattle Dog!

  I don't think I have to say much more, but it is my blog so I guess I should add my own thoughts:

   I completely agree with Elyse that Wubbas should be used only with "parental supervision" especially if, like Elyse and I, you have a super-chewer in the house.   Wubbas are great things to play a light tug and fetch with, though in my opinion they don't actually throw very well (I much prefer the Dogzilla Throw Toy available at Walmart stores).    Wubbas come in various sizes, colors and forms (regular, Tugga, fleecy Snugga, animal-shaped Friends, etc) each one less durable than the last.  Kong has recently come out with a "Ballistic" line, which I have yet to try, but will soon!   In addition, Wubbas can get to be pretty pricey ranging between $8-20 retail (though there are some good deals on Amazon) and when you think about how long they last in my opinion they're often not worth the money unless, like Elyse, you get a good deal.   

  Cassie always seem to get them as gifts and I have to smile and say thank-you knowing that the well meant and expensive present will probably be dead a few minutes after we get home!   I've put up two of Cassie favorites, the Tugga Wubba and the Snugga Wubba, to supplement Elyse's experience with the traditional Wubbas.  Cassie has succeeded even under my watchful eye to eat all the arms off the Tugga Wubba, though I have to admit she does love playing with it.  I've just made the mistake of leaving the Snugga Wubba on the table and in a matter of moments some one (whose name rhymes with Wassie) quietly took it off the table and to the corner and chewed a hole through the snuggy material...which does just seem to beg to be ripped open!   

For any dog that likes to chew even the littlest bit this must be a throw, play and put away toy!  Most importantly because, as Riley has demonstrated perfectly, though the Wubba might be correctly sized for your dog the little tennis balls inside are certainly not and can easily become a trip to the ER!  

Starmark Everlasting Fun Ball: A New Way to Pass a Rainy Day

   It's been raining cats and dogs here (no pun intended)...we've even had a tornado warning this morning!  As a result, I've had to pull out all the stops to keep the Cassie dog from becoming bored.   A few days ago I determined that a treat ball would be a great new way to keep her busy for awhile.   So to Petsmart I went and was actually surprised by the incredible number of options there are on the shelf.  Everything from wobbling giant-sized Kongs to hard plastic cubes to stuffable bouncy balls and even one that claims to talk!  Needless to say I was there a little longer than I had intended to be.

    I went into the store planning on picking up the Kong Wobbler having seen it on other sites, but in the store I recognized instantly that Cassie would become frustrated with the design very quickly and this combined with the fact that she's not too fond of dry biscuits told me I would be left with a fairly expensive toy that would just be taking up space in my house.









    I moved on to the Buster Food Cube, which was both double the price of the Kong Wobbler and also made of a stiffer, but seemingly less durable plastic.  I worried: 1) that Cassie would be bored by the design and 2) that she would actually break the cube due to her fondness for picking up toys and dropping them to get the food out (she has mastered her regular Kongs in this manner).








     After looking at a few ball designs I settled on the Starmark Everlasting Fun Ball Dog Toy, which seemed both durable and simple enough for Cassie to figure out and remain interested.   I liked the bounciness of the ball and and its obvious durability.  It's light enough for Cassie to pick up and drop without causing damage to my hardwood and still enough of a challenge that it keeps her busy for an extended period of time (depending on how many treats I put in it).  The surface of the ball is variegated for easy grip and, though the large one I bought is probably a bit big for her mouth, Cassie seems to have little trouble picking it up before slamming it on the floor.  The Starmark Fun Ball is also a breeze to clean and though you can't open it like the Kong Wobbler to clean the inside a few dunks in a some warm water seem to be all that's required.

     This ball is easy to fill with just about any treats.  I've been mixing up her regular kibble with smaller soft treats, so that she doesn't get too fat from my laziness.  It's true, I could be getting up to play with her every time she's bored, but if I did I would be on my feet at her beck-and-call all day long.   The treat ball is a great alternative (one that I am trying not to abuse) and is better than crating her when she is becoming fussy.  I also find that it's oddly satisfying to watch your dog working for something.  She has fun while I relax!  That sounds like progress to me!

   As I mentioned, you can use any treats you've got lying around, as long as they aren't too big or awkward to get stuck inside for good (though I would suggest sticking with ones that retain their shape fairly well).  Starmark do make treats that are designed to work with the Fun Ball called Starmark Every Flavor Treats.  They are soft and come in a variety of flavors like chicken, beef, liver and even vanilla (which I find odd).  I normally don't like to give Cassie treats with additives and artificial colorings, but in this case I opted to buy a bag out of convenience.   She does seem to really like them (typical kid liking junk food), so I will probably pick up another bag to mix in with the kibble and keep things interesting.

    I realize that I'm not really doing a review of the other products, so maybe you've tried them and can let me know your thoughts on the Kong Wobbler and the Buster Food Cube (or any other treat dispensing toys).   They probably do work for some dogs, but for Cassie the Fun Ball was cheap and simple and clearly lots of long lasting fun!

The ORKA Flyer: Great Chew Toy (Just Not A Great Disc)

    In light of the fact that Valentine's was this week (and I forgot to say happy Valentine's to everyone), I thought I would make this post center around my husband.

   As many of you know, I am always on a quest for the perfect frisbee/flying disc dog toy.  Though I think I've come pretty close to finding it with the Hartz Tuff Stuff Flyer, the Tuffy Ultimate Rings and the Kong Frisbee, my all-college Ultimate Frisbee champion husband seems to think I need to keep looking.   His biggest gripe is that my soft "unofficial frisbees" don't fly "reliably" enough.  That may be true dear, but they work just fine for me...Enough with the familial discord, I invariably keep buying discs for him to test out with the Cassie dog.

   Last week, before the cold-that-will-not-end set in, we were at Target together in the pet aisle buying chewies and my easily distracted husband picked out his own flying disc that he felt "looked better than the useless one's you pick out." Such a kind and supportive man.


   His disc of choice was the Petstages ORKA Flyer and my initial reaction was impressed.  Off the bat I thought the ORKA looked durable.  It's made of a chewy-soft clear rubbery material that the ORKA brand is based upon.  I was pretty sure that even Cassie wouldn't be able to take it apart easily.   It was bendy enough not to hurt my hands/thighs when it was returned and looked easy enough to throw, being that it has a smaller circumference than a regular frisbee.  Like the Kong Flyer it lacks a hole in the middle a feature that I tend to enjoy in a dog disc, but that Chris thinks "slows the disc down" and makes it unreliable.

 The second we were in the door Chris made straight for the backyard and I waited for his official verdict on the new toy...he and Cassie were only outside a few minutes when Chris was back (demonstrably dogless).   His review (and subsequently mine) was this: the disc is too heavy to fly fast or far and the rubber came out of the box slightly warped, making it unpredictable.  That, however, was the least of his complaints.  The biggest problem was trying to get the disc back from the dog after she made off with it.  Cassie has always been a pretty good retriever, bounding back to us excitedly and sometimes slamming into us with all that Aussie energy.  With the ORKA Flyer she didn't seem to want to come back, instead she preferred to lie in the grass and happily chew on the edges of the disc.  From the video you can see that I've had to walk over to her to take it away and then when she goes to fetch it, she just stands there mesmerized (sorry about the grainy focus of my old camera).

   A week on we are still allowing her to have her way with Flyer and it still has not a single tooth mark.  It is incredibly durable and easy to clean and many other wonderful things, except a good frisbee disc.  Lesson:  If you want a great long lasting chew-toy the ORKA Flyer is a great option.  If, however, you want to play a wonderful and tiring game of frisbee with your dog...you should probably look somewhere else.

Oh, Leashes I Have Loved (& Hated)!

   There are few things more essential in a dog owners tool kit than the basic collar and leash.  I am particularly particular about my leashes, because I believe that they either greatly enhance or completely ruin what might otherwise be a wonderful walk/training session!
   With Cassie I always have to be careful about selecting leashes that are appropriate for the task at hand.  For instance, your average nice leather leash might work fine in the obedience ring, but take one on a walk she will be both out of control and overly enthusiastic about using it as a chew toy!  Therefore, I thought I would just say a bit about the leashes I have now or have purchased in the past and why I do or don't use them now.

   1. Top Paws Luxurious Nylon Leash:

Graduating from Petsmart

          These leashes are available at Petsmart (so I thought it fitting to show Cassie wearing it during her one Petsmart Puppy class) and are probably the most versatile leash you can purchase. It's just your bog-standard nylon leash, but unlike some nylon examples it doesn't seem to burn or blister the hands as much.  They are also very sturdy, so work well for strong pullers or for obedience training (as there is little to no give).  The Top Paws brand in general is middle-of-the-road, but the basic leashes are of good quality.  Cassie had a pink Top Paws Nylon leash as a puppy with a matching harness. Unfortunately, she decided it would be fun one day to chew her way through the leash and another day she chewed straight through the harness in a matter of minutes.  The last one was my fault, having just washed the harness and not fitted it properly before putting it back on her.
    We've gradated to a heavier gauge 6' nylon and love it.  I almost feel nervous taking a walk without it.  It's both a good weight and a good length and the material is just thick enough to be strong, but not cumbersome.  It's a great everyday leash!

   2. Premier Eco Leash:
       I've written about my unhappiness with the Premier Eco Line in general, but in particular the leash is probably the worst product I've ever purchased.  In theory, Premier has done a good thing by sourcing their Eco line from recycled materials.  I have to admit what drew me to this product originally were the bright colors (especially the granny smith green) as opposed to the more muted shades of the traditional line.  I was to be disappointed on many fronts. 
   Firstly, a cursory look at the Amazon comments will show that many people are upset with the quality and durability of the product.  It's very light weight, but not strong enough to stand up to any medium/large sized pulling dog and it won't withstand even the lightest chewing.  It also stretches to a degree that makes it useless for Obedience training. Worst of all, I took it to an agility class (because it was light enough for a puppy to drag without getting caught on obstacles) and before we got in the door a squirrel sent Cassie on a tear and ended up costing me several bandaids worth of cut fingers and blisters.  The leash sliced right through my skin and basically ruined our evening before it had begun.  I know that some pain may have been caused by any leash when a dog takes off full sprint, but the thinness of the leash mixed with the material acted almost like a knife.  This has never happened with any other leash I've owned (even the cheap ones from Walmart).  I wouldn't by the Eco line from Premier in any form or for any function.  It just isn't worth the money (or the pain).

   3. Kong Control Grip Plus Leash:
     After our escapade with the Premier Eco leash I had to find a substitute that would ensure I wouldn't be injured again on my way to class!  Thankfully, this was almost the exact week that Kong came out with their new line of leashes.  We picked up the Control Grip Plus in pink and have had it ever since!
     The people at Kong really knew what they were doing (for the most part), the leash loop is padded with a soft spongy material and the loop itself actually has a release buckle so that if necessary it can act as an instant tether.  I haven't had to use this feature much, but once on a walk with Cassie my husband came across a neighbor's dog running loose.  He quickly released the buckle and snapped Cassie to a mailbox, while he chased after the other pup (he had gotten loose while they were leaving for work and hadn't been noticed as missing!).  So the Kong leash saved the day!
    In addition, the manufacturer has added a sort of brake to the leash.  This bone shaped piece of heavy duty flexible plastic can be easily positioned at any point on the leash and with a little bit of thumb pressure can instantly be used as a soft extra-strong handle to hold back the more exuberant pup.  It really works and has been very helpful in encouraging Cassie to sit politely for petting (without having my arm pulled off).
    What I also like about this leash is that it has a very sturdy (almost industrial looking) clip that can be snapped onto a D-ring with two fingers.  The snap is a little heavy, so I wouldn't use it with a head halter (or 'choke'-style training collars, for those who use them), but for a standard collar it keeps a perfect amount of resistance on the dog's collar without having it flopping around during the walk.
   The leash only comes in four colors (grey, red, pink, blue), which is a bit boring, but all have strips of reflective material stitched in for added safety in dim light.  The only downside I've found is that the longest length you can buy the 1" in is 4 feet, while the light weight 5/8" leash comes in 6 feet.   It makes no sense to me why the heavier gauge wouldn't come in a 6 foot version, as well.  My husband is 6'5" and can't use the leash without keeping Cassie constantly at heel.   Still a great product that I think every dog owner would enjoy!

 4. A Fleece Agility Tugger:
      These leashes from Clean Run are lovely for certain things, but not for everyday use!  I'm almost of two minds on this one.   It's made of braided fleece with a loop at one end and a basic clip at the other.  My friend Tracey won one at a Flyball show and I was so taken by the softness of it that the green-eyed monster I am went straight to Clean Run to pick it up!
      Like I said, it's good for some things like: agility training and tricks class.  It is very light and so doesn't slow Cassie down or catch on things (like tunnels) when we are moving through a course.  I can keep a leash on her while she's working and then because of it's fleeciness, use it as a tug reward at the end.  If you've ever seen agility competitions, the dog is not allowed to have a collar on, let alone a leash, but at the end of the course you will leash your dog and most people have a tuggy-leash that acts like a play reward.  This leash is great for that and is approved for use by AKC agility!

    What this leash is not, however, is a walking leash or a "transition" leash for people who's dogs pull or lunge.  By a transition leash, I mean a leash you use to move your dog from one area of an event to another.   At agility competitions, you will often be moving your dog around a lot: lining up before your turn, leaving the ring, getting to your seat, getting to another course.  So you need either a well controlled dog or a leash without a great deal of give...this leash is all about give!  It's soft braided material is loose and almost like a bungee. Therefore, if your dog pulls he will keep going after the "end" of the leash has been reached.  You won't have any leverage to stop him!  That give is what makes it so much fun to tug with, but not so much fun to walk with!  Still a great tool if you need it!

A Poll Instead: Let Me Know What You Want!

I'm trying to put together a really nice review of FitPaws for tomorrow...which is becoming a little involved... So I thought I would take your pulse and see what you would like to see a review of in future:

1)  Kong Wubbas

     2)  Frisbee Overview

      3)  Agility Equipment

                                                                    4)  Treats

Feel free to leave comments, to participate in the poll to the right or both!  I'll leave it up for a couple days and then write on the result!  Thanks guys!

Dogzilla Turbo Disc (Another Frisbee Toy Down the Drain)

Most average dog owners love a game of ball or frisbee with their pups, but you have to be careful that the product you pick up at the market is everything you need.   For example, I love the Tuffy's rings that are soft, but still fly quite well with little effort.  I even recommend the Kong Frisbees that don't fly as well, but are pliable enough not to hurt your dog or you when it's caught and then returned.  A frisbee I'm not going to recommend is the Dogzilla Turbo Disc.

     By and large the Dogzilla line (available online and from Walmart) is a good one.  They offer a great range of products from tug balls to freezer pops (Arctic Bones) that Cassie really loves.  Unfortunately, the Turbo Disc just doesn't come up to snuff.  First of all it does not fly very well thanks to the large hole in the middle.  I like this feature in theory for it makes the disc easier for the dog to catch and carry.  However, in this case the hole makes the disc fly awkwardly and not as far.  It really frustrated my husband who is a long time Ultimate player and expects a lot of out of a frisbee.  Secondly, the disc is made of a hard plastic that is too rigid for the average dog.  Yes, there are dogs who will go all day long for your average run of the mill frisbee, but most dogs prefer a little give.  Overall this is not a big deal.

      What does make me unhappy is that I can't leave this frisbee around in the yard or the house because Cassie likes nothing better than to chew on the rigid plastic.  I wouldn't normally mind except that the packaging clearly states that the Turbo Disc should not be used as a chew (translation: we know your dog will want to chew it, but we haven't been able to make it so that it can't be torn into little indigestible pieces).  Also, as Cassie has helpfully demonstrated, chewing the edges of the disc affects how it flies and makes the whole flight even worse than before.

    In summation:  There are a cast of great frisbee toys on the market for all levels of frisbee dog, this just isn't one of them. Sorry Dogzilla.