Product Review: Natural Pet Warehouse

I recently ordered some doggy items from Natural Pet Warehouse. I was primarily looking for Bug Off Garlic, and they sell the 2.5 pound jug at the cheapest price I could find. It's supposed to work wonders for controlling ticks and other nasties, so I figured it was worth a shot. A 2.5 pound jug of the garlic powder cost the same as one dosage of Frontline, which I don't really like using (chemicals). If it holds up, my next order will be for the horse-sized jug. I've heard good things, now I just have to put it to the test myself. It takes a few weeks to get into the dogs' systems, so for now, they're still covered under their Frontline. The real test will be next spring, when the tick population explodes. So, for now, my Bug Off Garlic review is "to be continued..."



My next purchase was an antler for the dogs to chew. I ordered the "jumbo" size, which really isn't all that jumbo. However, I've read that this "Antlerz" company is a bit off with labeling their sizes, so I already knew what I was getting. No matter what size, the dogs LOVE antlers. I'm going to have to order another one, because there's quite a bit of jealousy surrounding the antler. I highly recommend these for strong chewers!



The last two items I received were a surprise. Natural Pet Warehouse was nice enough to send me two toys for the dogs to sample. One is called the Hol-ee Roller; the other, a "Dogs in Action" Squiggly. The Hol-ee Roller seems to be the favorite so far. I keep putting it away in their toy basket and it keeps appearing elsewhere around the house. The Squiggly, or DNA as I like to call it, has been chewed quite a bit as well. These kind of toys are perfect for my dogs. They will quickly destroy edible treats and tear apart plushies and ropes. Tough plastic chews, antlers, and bones are really the only toys that last.



Here's a quick tip if you decide to order the Hol-ee Roller -- stick a big biscuit inside! Dexter is a master at getting treats out of toys, but it took him awhile to free this biscuit. The flexible, chewy toy caves inward when he tries to stick his muzzle towards the biscuit. He really has to work to get them out. Definitely good for a rainy day and bored doggies! Just be aware you'll need a relatively large biscuit -- or a small Hol-ee Roller -- depending on your dog.



As you can see, the dogs are happy customers. I highly recommend Natural Pet Warehouse. They're really affordable and they carry products you may not find elsewhere. Plus, they're all around nice to deal with! That always scores major brownie points for me.

Wordless Wednesday: Bikejoring

All Good Things are Wild and Free

In the Catskills by Thomas Doughty
"Generally speaking, a howling wilderness does not howl: it is the imagination of the traveler that does the howling." - Henry David Thoreau

Unless, of course, you travel with dogs. Then maybe it's more than your imagination.



I didn't have work on Friday, so I packed up the dogs and drove up to Chester. We went to Hacklebarney State Park, where I've hiked many times. It was about 70 degrees, warm and sunny, but you could feel that fall breeze starting to creep in.






The trails were slick in some spots from the recent rain. And the rivers that cut through the park were flowing fast. It made Nali nervous, but Dexter wanted to get closer and dip his feet in.



I think the leaves were starting to change colors -- but I can't be sure. I spent most of the hike focusing on not falling down. This was Denali's first real hike and she pulled with all her 40 pounds the entire time. She was in harness, so that's exactly what she should be doing, but it made the walk pretty intense.



Going uphill with two dogs pulling was a relief. Going down hill, or trying to maneuver over the rocky trail, was borderline scary. In hindsight, I should have avoided the rocky areas. I was asking for a sprained ankle, but somehow managed to make it out in one piece.



We only went about four miles, but it was pretty warm and I was beat. Denali could have went another ten, I bet. Dexter was content either way. On the way home, I stopped at Alstede Farms for some cider, apple pie, and honey. Nothing beats locally grown food.

All in all, a perfect kind of day.

Product Review: Dura-Ruff® Dog Bed

Dexter wasn't much of a chewer. He had his same old dog bed for a few years, with minimal damage inflicted upon it. Enter Denali into the equation, along with her recent fixation with removing stuffing. After being left along with the bed on a few occasions, either gated in my kitchen or in a crate, Denali eventually tore it up enough to be deemed unfit. Aside from no longer being stuff-able, I have a somewhat irrational fear of my dogs ingesting stuffing and getting blockages.

With Denali's new bad habit in mind, I decided it was time to invest in a durable, "chew-proof" dog bed. I decided to go with Doctors Foster and Smith's Dura-Ruff Dog Bed. I bought the smallest size, because the dogs tend to curl up tight when they sleep on beds, and I only wanted it to take up a small portion of the crate. I paid $40 plus shipping for the bed, which is more than double what I paid for Dexter's previous bed. That being said, $40 was still very affordable, compared to other durable dog beds.

This bed is advertised as "super tough" and "tear-resistant". I figured it would last a few months, at the very least. Like I said, Dexter isn't a chewer. Denali is persistent, but her mouth isn't too strong -- she's still only a 6-month-old puppy. All I wanted was a bed that could hopefully outlast her chewing phase.

After the bed arrived, I removed it from the box and placed it towards the back of the dogs' big crate. It was considerably "puffy" from being stuffed in the shipping box and needed to be flattened out a bit before use. Dexter, being the go-getter that he is, hopped onto the bed and started stomping around on it. He held the bed with his mouth while stomping, to keep it in place. This is just what he does whenever he's getting ready to lie down.

Less than two minutes go by, and what do I hear? RIIIIP. Yep, that's right. This super tough, tear-resistant bed had a tooth-sized hole cut right in the middle of the bed. Not on a seam or near the zipper -- right in the middle of the so-called "tough" fabric. To avoid any further damage, I shooed Dexter away and hid the hole. The next test would be Denali.

I had to pick up some milk from a store around the corner, so I decided to crate Denali with the bed and see how it fared. I was gone for no more than ten minutes. When I returned, she had successfully chewed a rather large hole into the middle of the bed (unrelated to Dexter's tooth hole). She had gone through the cover, through the interior pad and into the stuffing. Again, this hole wasn't along a seam or the zipper. It was right in the middle of the fabric.


I removed the bed (fear of blockages) and packed it back up. I contacted Doctors Foster and Smith, and they agreed to provide a refund for the product. I still had to pay for the return shipping, but they didn't charge a restocking fee. I sent the package back on Saturday, so it will likely be a few days before I see my refund.

I honestly didn't expect this bed to be totally indestructible. I imagined it would eventually be torn up. But within minutes? That just isn't right. Even the crummy dog bed I had previously lasted longer than this so-called durable bed.

I decided to leave a review for this product, since I felt so strongly about it. I didn't want anyone to buy this bed and leave it alone with their tough-chewer. A wad of bedding material stuck in the intestines can be a huge vet bill, or even worse, deadly. I posted the review to their website, along with the above photo. I explained how Dexter tore a hole in the bed accidentally, and how Denali quickly and easily chewed into the bed. A day or two later, I received this message:

Your opinion is very important to us and the Drs. Foster and Smith community. We appreciate you taking the time to write a review about Dura-Ruff Dog Bed Small 36" x 21" Color: Gray Dura-Ruff. Unfortunately your review did not meet our guidelines for posting on our site.

We encourage you to review our guidelines and resubmit your review about Dura-Ruff Dog Bed Small 36" x 21" Color: Gray Dura-Ruff.Thanks for being an active member of the Drs. Foster and Smith community.

Sincerely,

Drs. Foster and Smith

I was baffled. I read their guidelines to see where I went wrong. First, they suggest that when writing a review, "Focus on the product and your individual experience using it." I did precisely that. I gave a pretty vivid account of how my experience unfolded. Next, they suggest that you, "Provide details about why you liked or disliked the product." I was pretty clear -- the product was not as advertised, and I was afraid the stuffing would land my dogs in the vet. Lastly, they state, "All submitted reviews are subject to terms set forth in our Terms of Use." I guess that means that can do whatever they want with reviews.

I still didn't understand why my review was rejected. The guidelines go on to say the following:

We reserve the right not to post your review if it contains any of the following types of content or violates other guidelines:

• Obscenities, discriminatory language, or other language not suitable for a public forum (Of course I didn't do any of this)
• Advertisements, “spam” content, or references to other products, offers, or websites (Didn't do this)
• Email addresses, URLs, phone numbers, physical addresses or other forms of contact information (Or this)
• Critical or spiteful comments on other reviews posted on the page or their authors (Or any of this)

I e-mailed them back, requesting a copy of my review, since I can't access it anywhere and it was rather long. I'll post the exact review here if I can get it -- although my review on this blog is basically the same. Any company that refuses to post a review, for no obvious reason other than it was negative, really loses my respect. I won't be ordering from them again.

I hope I can counter this entry with a product that provides a solution for tough chewers. Until then, the hunt continues!

Update: This is the review I tried to leave on their website, but they would not publish:

My dog tore a hole in this bed within seconds of getting it out of the box. He wasn't even chewing on it, just holding it in his mouth while pawing the bedding to flatten it out. He often does this before lying down, so he certainly didn't intend to rip it. I hid the initial hole and left the bed in a crate with my 6-month-old puppy for 10 minutes. Not surprisingly, when I returned, she had successfully chewed through the cover and into the stuffing. She is a persistent chewer, but she's small and doesn't have industrial-strength jaws. I can't imagine this would hold up against a bigger, stronger dog. I immediately removed the bed. I cannot leave it with them, for fear they might ingest the stuffing material. That's a vet bill I'd rather not have.

Wordless Wednesday: Just Some Dogs

Being a Grown-Up

Somebody stole my little fluff-ball of a puppy and replaced her with a lanky, long-legged young dog. As adorable as puppies are, I'm really excited for her to fill out. She's going to be a pretty girl. Hell, she already is, despite her "awkward" stage.


I ordered her adjustable training harness last week. She lets me put it on her and take it off her without any fuss, and she doesn't really notice it's on when she's wearing it. Unlike Dexter, who freezes in place whenever you put any kind of harness or backpack on him. Well, at least until he gets outside, anyway. He's got issues.

Hmm, what else is new. Oh yea, my car died -- something with the timing belt going bananas. So I bought a big, 6-cylinder, gas-guzzling monster!


My first self-bought vehicle -- kind of a big deal, I guess? My old car is probably going to be salvaged for my sister. My parents are paying to get it fixed, so I figured it was time to pass the car along and get something else.

I put about a year's worth of savings into a down payment and began financing a used 2008 Mercury Mariner. It's a lot like my parent's Ford Escape, which I really like, only newer and better. The gas intake will take some getting used to, but I really don't drive that often, so it's not a huge deal. I wanted something big enough to accommodate people and dogs, with the power to tow, so I really didn't have many gas-friendly options.

I also equipped the trunk area with a dog barrier gate, so most of the fur will be kept in the back of the truck. Time to rejoice and possibly wear black clothing again. My only concern: what happens when I have three or maybe four dogs? Where will they all go? I have problems!

On My Way

Dog Sled Race in Flin Flon, Manitoba

February 3rd, 1954

I never thought I'd be running a team of sled dogs through the NJ Pine Barrens. But that's mostly because I didn't know people did that. It was only a year or two ago that I discovered "dry land" dog sledding -- which uses wheeled rigs rather than sleds. And I only recently discovered a group that did this in New Jersey.

On Sunday, I drove down to the Pine Barrens with Dexter and met up with the mushers. Laura, the breeder I have been talking to, was there with her team. I hope to get a puppy from her sometime next year. My real purpose for going was to meet with a man named Bryan, who was selling a used gig (cart, rig, etc.).

Let's pause for a moment. I did not intend to purchase a gig so soon. My plan was to train Dexter with bikejoring (dog + bike) and canicross (dog + hiking) for a few months, then eventually add a puppy to the mix. When the pup was old enough, I'd introduce the gig and get them started on some actual training.

Sometimes, unforeseen opportunities arise that you cannot pass up. I found the gig for sale, and for much cheaper than I was anticipating. It needs a tiny bit of work, and maybe some fresh paint, but it's just what I need to get started.

Before buying the rig, I had to take it for a "test drive". Bryan was kind enough to lend me two of his dogs to put in lead, with Dexter in wheel. He also road on the side of the cart with me, so that my first run wouldn't end in too much disaster.

The run actually went pretty well. It was very brief, just a few minutes long, but still exciting. Dex was a bit worried at first -- he kept looking back at me in a quizzical manner. The steering and breaking is a bit unusual, but I should be able to get a hang of it. I managed to avoid toppling over or steering into trees, so I'm happy about that. On the run back to the site, Dexter found his groove and started to run really hard. I'm proud of him -- he looked like a real sled dog (despite looking very little like a husky).

Dexter behaved really well in general -- very calm around the other dogs and even around the horses that passed by us. I was more nervous about his behavior than anything else -- he loves to be embarrassing in new situations. Aside from getting a bit yappy towards the end (I swear, he picked that up from the other dogs right then and there -- he's not usually a barker), he surpassed my expectations and did great.

After we ran, we loaded the gig up and I paid Bryan for it. I brought it back to my parent's house with their van, since I'm not sure how I'll attach it to my car yet. There's no use bringing it to our place at this point, there's no where for me to use it around here. Weather-permitting, I'll head back down on Sunday for another run. All the mushers were extremely friendly and very helpful, so I look forward to getting to know them all.

On a semi-related note, I need to move to the farmlands of south Jersey. It's so beautiful and tranquil. I don't mind the long drive to the Pine Barrens; I love getting away from the congestion of suburbia.

What's the Point?

Don't worry, this isn't going to be a self-pitying entry about my qualms with the universe. I don't mean "What's the point?" as a rhetorical question, as people often do. I mean it quite literally. What's the point to this blog?

A friend of mine has been working on a blog of his own, and has been trying to streamline his thoughts and interests into a general theme. He got me thinking about the blogs I read, and my own blog, as well.

The blogs I read have very little in common with one another. A fashion designer in Brooklyn, a dog musher in Alaska, a farmer in upstate New York, a mother and her cancer-fighting baby in Kentucky. Maybe because they're all written by strong women? They all have qualities I admire; primarily, strength and independence. Only a few of the blogs I read are written by men. (And most don't even update anymore!)

Blogs are an evolution of the personal diary; a hobby often associated with the female sex (though I'm not sure why -- is keeping a record of your day-to-day life somehow feminine?). I've always kept diaries, journals, and now, blogs. My first diary was a big, blue, spiral notebook. I mostly used it for stickers, but I did scribble out some entries. They were riddled with spelling errors and hard to read, chicken-scratch handwriting.

I went through a long phase of starting journals and then immediately destroying everything I had written. Pretty much sums up my pre-teen and teenage years. So much angst for no apparent reason.

Then came the internet. I think I have had every online journal/diary/blog imaginable. Livejournal, Deadjournal, Xanga, and more recently, Blogger and Tumblr. I know there are others, I just can't remember them all.

But what's the point? Why have I always been so inclined to record my ramblings? And publicly, no less? Part of it is to feel important, I'm sure. To broadcast my thoughts and ideas, as if they somehow matter. Many hope to gain a following, some sort of e-fame, through their writing. I admit, that would be exciting. But I've been writing for years without any clear audience, and I don't show any signs of stopping.

My blog (diary, journal, etc.) is for me, above all else. It's something to keep track of my existence -- to prove that I exist. To share what I care about to anyone who might be listening. I don't write to change anyone's mind, but to open it, if only for a minute. And while I don't write about anything earth-shattering or unique, I hope to at least offer an alternate perspective: my perspective.

So when I ramble about dogs, cooking, and hiking, I realize I may bore the masses. But one person might adopt a husky, buy a bread machine, or go for a walk in the woods. And that's all I can hope for.

Furniture, Moving, Animals

I’ve been meaning to make this post for a few days now, but haven’t had time. After two weeks of sanding and refinishing furniture, packing up everything I own, and moving to a new town — things are finally starting to slow down.

First, I’ll start with the furniture refinishing. I followed the advice of The Frugal Girl (How to Paint Wooden Furniture) and decided to paint my desk and dresser, rather than buying new ones. They were always very beat up looking — well, for as long as I remember. They were previously owned by my uncle when he was growing up (he’s in his 60’s now), and he built model airplanes on them. So there was plenty of cuts, dings, scratches, and glue marks. Despite how ugly they were, I always loved them. They’re very modern looking, and really simple.

I decided to give them one last chance by repainting them. If my endeavor came out poorly, I could always just get new furniture anyway. Worth a shot, right? Here’s how the desk looked beforehand:

So Rob and I sanded, sanded, sanded, and sanded some more…

Until finally, things started looking like they were ready to prime.

So we primed and primed until my wrists were sore.

Painting took two coats over the span of two days, and involved me getting covered in paint. So there’s no photos of that step. However, you do get a somewhat crummy picture of the final product, located in my new room!

Now, onward to the rest of the house photos. These are from my first day officially living at the house — so I was doing a lot of cleaning. A lot of things have since been moved around, and I’m currently waiting on some art pieces to arrive. There’s a lot more stuff I plan on buying (throw pillows, curtains, clocks, plants, more art) but I must wait for my funds to replenish. I’ve done a LOT of heavy spending just to get everything in place, so over the next few months will come the fun, interior-design-y part.

This is our uber-floral kitchen. Part of me hates it, because it’s overwhelming. But part of me loves the kitschy-ness of it. We may opt to take the wallpaper down and just paint the whole thing white, but that won’t be for awhile. For now, it’ll be known as my Kitsch-en. (PUNS!)

Please ignore the garbage bag on the floor — we’ve since got an under-the-sink can, but need to install the slide-out tray part. The counter has room for my blender, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, bread/cheese displayer, crock pot and bread maker. Had to ditch the microwave oven (cry).

Here we have the living room — looking messy. I was in the middle of steam-cleaning our new (pre-owned) couches. Apparently I’m immune to doggy smell and didn’t realize they stunk.

Lots of odds and ends have since found homes and are no longer being displayeded on our bookshelf. The TV is now on the TV stand, but will soon be replaced with a new HDTV.

I’ll have more photos of the rest of the house, plus decor progress to share soon. I also need to get some gardening supplies and rip apart the backyard, but that’s a whole ‘nother monster.

Last but not least, I’ve got my animals here. Perry is happily housed in the living room, where he’ll once again be a sociable bun with company. Chase, the ferret, has been situated carefully in her new high-rise style apartment. I let her free to roam throughout the day, and Dexter has been very gentle with her. I realized after she got loose in my previous house and Dexter found her for us, that he wasn’t going to hurt her — he had every opportunity to, but he didn’t. So now they’re allowed supervised play together.

The cats alternate between closets and beds, staying hidden most of the time. They’re still unsure about everything.

Princess has gotten over her fear of Dexter, but still hates him. Matilda is afraid of Princess, but food overcomes all her anxieties. All in all, I think my pack is settling in quite well.