You may have heard about or even seen martingale collars before but many people have no idea what a martingale collar actually is. Martingale collars come in a variety of styles, some are all material with elasticated bands and some are material with chain bands on them but they all have the same design. The martingale collar presents itself as a collar with a “handle” on it, this allows a dog to remain comfortable but for the owner to have a stronger hold on their dog. A martingale is similar to a “choke” collar but more comfortable and certainly safer than using a choke chain and more comfortable than using a pinch collar.

A martingale collar is placed on your dog the same way that a regular collar is around their neck, the leash is then attached to a D-ring which is a part of the smaller “handle” on the collar. By attaching the leash to the D-ring on the smaller “handle” when the dog pulls the smaller “handle” pulls tighter which consequently tightens the collar around your dog’s neck allowing for more control and less chance of your dog escaping. Many people find martingale collars helpful when walking their dogs because it allows for a comfortable fit collar but a little more control when meeting other dogs in the park.

It is not recommended to leave your dog in a martingale collar all the time, while all collars pose a choking risk if your dog should get it caught on something this chance is greater with a martingale collar because of the second loop on the collar.

There are many choices for collars for your dog and for better control over your dog when walking; however, only you and your trainer can determine what the best choice for you and your dog is.

In anticipation of the rapidly approaching  holiday season and the fact that I know full well there are hundreds if not thousands of “neurotic dog owners” like myself who love to purchase gifts for their dog’s over the holidays, I present to you the TY Bow Wow Beanies.

I decided to feature the TY Bow Wow Beanies for no reason other than they are Jet’s favorite toy…yes he is an 80lb labrador retriever, but he adores small stuffed animals and treats them as though they were his puppies, licking them and toting them around the house in his mouth. If you have a dog who loves stuffed animals as much as Jet does I highly recommend the TY Bow Wow Beanies. One thing you do want to look out for is larger dogs who are not as careful about placing toys in their mouth as Jet is because these can cause a choking hazard if you are not extra careful with your big dogs!

The thing I love most about these non-bean-filled alternatives to beanie babies is that they crinkle, they squeek and they are sold by Amazon.com as well as Petsmart for $6 or less a piece. The TY Bow Wow Beanies also come in a variety of designs such as the seasonal seals or the everyday ducks, dogs, skunks and more! The Bow Wow Beanies are durable enough to take games of fetch but are definitely not for dogs who play more aggressively and do not have a good track record with plush toys!

So if you’re looking for some good stocking stuffers so your fur kid doesn’t feel left out take a look at the TY Bow Wow Beanies, they’re not just for small dogs anymore!

The Kong toy was developed in 1976 and has been going strong ever since. The Kong is one of the most popular toys among dog owners, whether you have a toy breed or a large breed dog, a delicate chewer or a destructive chewer the Kong is one of the most widely used toys to curb negative chewing behaviour. Toys like the Kong can help curb negative chewing behaviour by simple substitution, by providing your dog with the Kong when they are chewing something the should not you will provide your dog with a positive and constructive activity.

Kong toys are made from hard rubber which springs back when your dog chews it, this factor comes in extremely handy when you have an aggressive chewer or a teething puppy. The Kong’s also have a hole in the bottom which serve as a great place to hide treats, peanut butter, commercial Kong filling or frozen snacks – there are even websites dedicated to frozen Kong recipes! Anxious dogs are also calmed by being given activities while in their crate, one of these activities that has been proven to work extremely well is providing a frozen treat Kong while they are locked in their crate – just make sure it’s a treat your dog has eaten before and isn’t likely to have an allergic reaction to.

Kong’s come in various sizes and strengths. Each of the strengths listed below are available in five different sizes ranging from small for toy breeds to extra large for the big boys!

The blue puppy Kong is recommended for puppies because of it’s smaller size, smaller puppies are more able to get their mouths around it, the puppy Kong is also made from a new rubber formula which makes it easy for puppies to get their teeth in to.

The red classic Kong toy is made from a natural rubber compound and stands up to typical chewers.

The black extreme Kong is advertised as the world’s strongest rubber toy and is recommended for power chewers – they are even used for dogs who perform in schutzhund!

The purple senior Kong is made especially for senior dogs from all natural rubber and takes in to account the fact that senior chewers sometimes have more delicate jaws and teeth than younger dogs would.

Kong also produces various other types of toys; however, the beehive shaped Kong is still the most popular among dog owners.

There are many websites out there that would have you believe that you need to drop $90 on an orthopedic mattress in order to keep your senior dogs comfortable, this simply isn’t true. Senior dogs, arthritic dogs and dogs with hip dysplasia are all similar in the fact that they all require a little extra something in order to keep them comfortable when they rest. While there is nothing particularly wrong in providing your elderly, arthritic or dysplastic dog with a nice padded bed to lay on you may be contributing to their difficulties in rising from their bed because of the amount of effort required to get off a softer bed as opposed to a harder more supportive bed. That being said don’t go running out to drop $90 on a specialty pet orthopedic bed (unless you really want one) because this problem can be remedied easily and for almost half the price.

It was when I was contemplating an orthopedic pet bed for Jet due to his hip dysplasia that I realized the job could be completed just as well with a crib mattress and I would be looking at spending $40-50 on a new crib mattress versus $90-110 for a specialty orthopedic pet bed. An additional plus to using a crib mattress versus a specialty orthopedic bed is that crib mattresses are made from waterproof material so if your dog suffers from incontinence this is the perfect choice in pet bed. Crib sheets (fitted sheets) are pretty cheap and can be held in place with elastic suspenders that clip underneath the bed, I also throw a couple of fleece blanket’s on Jet’s mattress because he does tend to nest at bedtime and this makes the bed more cushioned but still supportive.

The mattress above is the crib mattress I picked for Jet, I ordered it from Amazon.com and grabbed a couple of sheets while I was shopping; however, you can find crib mattresses at all of the big retailers for discount prices so don’t be afraid to price shop. Another great thing about crib mattresses is that they allow you to personalize your dog’s bed, while some people would consider this ridiculous, I like being able to change Jet’s bedding up throughout the year – soft jersey sheets for cold winter nights and light cotton sheets for hot summer days, call me neurotic but I know he appreciates the change from a cedar filled bolster bed!

People constantly ask about the must have’s for new puppies coming in to the home and while there is a huge list of products including certain toys, bedding, the necessities and food Granick’s Bitter Apple Spray is one product that saw Jet and I through the rough months of puppyhood quite well. Over the coming months I will be featuring a variety of “must have” products for your furry friends; however, I thought it appropriate to begin with the one that saw Jet and I through some very rough times indeed.

Granick’s Bitter Apple Spray tastes about as foul as anything you have ever tasted. If you’ve ever used compressed air on your keyboard, typed on said keyboard, and somehow touched your mouth, you have about 1/3 of an idea of how awful this stuff really tastes. The idea, mind you, isn’t to get your dog to taste it, it is to deter your dog from what the spray covers.

Granick’s is a simply awful tasting product that when sprayed on your puppies newest chew toy…which is more than likely your favorite piece of furniture, your living room molding, your new baseball bat or something equally as devastating to you and tasty to your pup…will leave them with a terrible taste in their mouth, so much so that they just won’t dare try it again. While the face of a puppy who is trying to work out what that awful taste in his mouth is, is quite comical, it’s more of a relief as a pet owner to find something that works to keep your new family member from becoming an ex-family member!

Granick’s serves as a deterrant while your puppy is teething through those first few months of puppyhood; however, biting and chewing should always be corrected by handing your pup a toy that is acceptable to chew in place of things that are not. The handy thing about Granick’s is that even though we all know that we can replace “no chew” items with toys, we also know that those sneaky little balls of fluff are always drawn to one particular item which they should not be chewing the moment our back’s are turned! With Granick’s bitter apple covering that “no chew” item you don’t have to worry about that second you run to the bathroom leaving your puppy in the living room!