Snoutstik Nose Balm for Dogs

February 6, 2012 at 11:48 pm

A dog’s nose is many times more sensitive than a human’s. Imagine how painful a dry or irritated dog’s nose can be! Many of us don’t even examine our dogs’ noses on a regular basis. We don’t notice when it’s dry or irritated until it’s uncomfortable for the dog. Snoutstik was created to help alleviate dry dog noses caused by exposure to the elements, allergies or heredity. The product contains a core combination of healing, natural sunscreens, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil and Jojoba Seed Oil.

I liked the idea of the Snoutstik because my Irish Setter, like many, has a sensitive “liver” nose that occasionally gets hyperkeratosis (or “crusty nose”) across the top. Many older dogs get dry nose. Some social sites’ message boards revealed that dog owners had been using Bag Balm with some success. I had been using Vitamin E oil, which my veterinarian recommended. It works well, but my dog tries to lick it all off. I thought the Snoutstik might stay on better if it were thicker or waxier, like Chapstik.

I liked the language used to describe the Snoutstik formula: soothing, moisturizing, healing, hydrating, restorative, silky. I really wanted it to work. It did seem to cling better than oil, and Finnegan didn’t try to lick it off. However, he did not suffer it to stay on his nose any better. In fact, every time I put it on him, he went straight for the carpet, rolling onto his back and rubbing his head upside-down on the carpet. He eventually got a little abrasion above his nose, where the “nose” flesh becomes regular skin.

I think the fragrance was too strong for him. I tried the Lavender one. Perhaps the Rosemary or Pumpkin would be less strong. I tried an unscented natural lip balm and he seemed to tolerate it much better. However, it didn’t seem to make much difference in the granular flesh of his nose.

I’m back to Vitamin E oil.

Available for $3.99 in pumpkin, rosemary and lavender. Made in the USA.

Be the first to like this post.Entry filed under: Dog Product Reviews. Tags: dogs, dry, nose, nose balm, pets, snout stik.

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Fizzion Concentrated Cleaner

January 21, 2012 at 11:29 am

The manufacturers of Fizzion Pet Stain & Odor Remover state that the product is an earth-friendly, pet-friendly cleaning solution for pet stains and soil. It uses CO2 rather than enzymes to clean the stains, so there’s no waiting for it to activate. And it reduces odor while it cleans the stain. It comes with a reusable bottle and two tablets of the active ingredients. It is formulated to work on most any protein-based stain, including urine, poop, vomit … even wine and chocolate.

I had some wine and chocolate on hand, so I sat down for a snack and then set about cleaning two urine stains. I had an old urine stain on the carpet, plus some fresh ones from an old dog who couldn’t always hold on until we got home. She often went to the children’s rooms when she couldn’t hold it any more. So when we got home, I had a mess to clean up. The smell was often pretty bad, so I had been using vinegar to deal with that.

I followed the directions, filling the bottle with warm water and one tablet, which fizzed in a most satisfying way. I sprayed it on the old, dark urine stain and left it for a few moments while I filled my Little Green Machine for the fresh stain. I folded a bath towel and placed it over the fresh stain, standing on it to blot up as much of the urine from the carpet and padding as I could. Then I used the Little Green Machine to spray and scrub with Fizzion. The stain came up easily and when I emptied the dirty water reservoir, I noticed less smell than I normally would. I put the overhead fan on high and checked it in about half an hour. The spot was nearly dry and odor-free. Vinegar does great at taking out the urine smell, but then you have to open a window because of the vinegar smell. I was tired of having my house smell like a salad all the time. But Fizzion does not leave a strong perfumy or chemical smell to deal with when the urine smell is gone. It’s just clean, with no odor at all. And yes, I got down on my hands and knees and put my nose on the carpet in the middle of where the stain was and sniffed. Nothing. (I marked where the stain had been because I though that if the product worked well I might not be able to see it, and I was glad I did, because there was no trace.)

So it worked well on the fresh stain. Now on to the old stain. Pet stains are usually easy to see because pets tend to stay still while they pee. I must confess that the old stain was not from the dogs. It was from my three-year-old son, who was being potty trained and out of diapers for the first time. Apparently, he had run down the hallway while peeing, and I didn’t know it until days later when the droplets began to turn dark. So I had about 65 of these tiny dry urine stains to clean up. The old stain came up, to my surprise. I got it completely picked up, but I said to myself, “Let’s see if it reappears after it dries.” A week later, it was still gone.

I wondered how well the product would work after the fizz was gone, and the water had cooled to room temperature. After all, it’s a 16 oz bottle, and I have NEVER used an entire bottle of cleaner on any one project. So I let it sit on the kitchen counter for two weeks. Then I tried to clean up the remaining old urine stains. They came up just as well as the first one, and they never came back.

I’ve also used it around the house. I clean the dining room table with it after meals, clean the kitchen counters with it, even clean the toilets with it. It needs no rinsing and leaves no strong smell. My only (very minimal) concern with the product is that after a few weeks using it, the bottle now requires 8-12  pumps before the solution begins to come out. It didn’t at first. It could be an isolated case affecting a low percentage of bottles, so I’m not going to make any broad statements about the spray bottle it comes with.

I was so impressed with the product that the manufacturer gave me a $1 off coupon code to share with my blog readers. You can get your Fizzion here. Use coupon code FUNSTUFF. It’s good for 30 days, so be sure to use it by February 28, 2012. Please share your results by commenting on this post.

Entry filed under: Dog Product Reviews. Tags: clean dog pee, get rid of odor from pet stains, how to clean pet pee, pet stain remover, pet stains don't come back.

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Bissell Spot Bot Pet Deep Cleaner

January 23, 2012 at 8:48 am

When my husband and I adopted three children under the age of 4, my sister recommended I purchase a Bissell Little Green Machine, which I did in all haste. With two big dogs and three tykes, it proved to be a life saver, so much so that I drove the poor thing into the ground. When it came time to replace it, the Bissell Spot Bot walk-away cleaner caught my eye. What busy full-time mom/entrepreneur/homeschooler wouldn’t want a cleaner-upper that will do the job for her while she does three other things?

I got one for around $130 (you can find them for $120 to $150 from Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, and a dizzying array of online sources). Between spills and an incontinent dog, it has gotten quite a workout, and I have to say, it works as advertised.

There is a hose attachment, and a setting for working manually with the hose, which is nice. But if you want to let the machine clean up the spot, you can set it to automatic and it just does its thing in about 3 minutes for surface stains and about 5 minutes for set-in stains. When it’s done, a tone sounds. And keeps sounding every 5 seconds until you turn it off.

I’m happy with the way it works on urine stains. I still prefer to take a big towel and stand on the stain before treating it with the Spot Bot because the urine spreads out on the carpet padding so much before I can get to it. But then I fill the tank with a pet stain cleaner and warm water, and let it do its thing. For manual applications (for example, if there are lots of spots), I like the manual brush/suction arm. It has a trigger spray so I can get as much or as little spray on the spot as I want. The suction is very powerful for such a small motor, and I have seen no diminishment in the suction since I bought it about nine months ago.

I used a low-sudsing pet stain cleaner, AKC Gold Stain & Odor Remover, which worked well in the machine. The tank has water and detergent levels marked on it, and the Spot Bot even comes with a few samples of Bissell’s cleaning products to use in the machine. These worked very well for me. They also recommend putting the water in first, then the detergent, which cuts down on the sudsing as the water goes in. I find that hot water – if it doesn’t shrink your carpet – dries faster, reducing the chance of mildew. Also, if you have ceiling fans, putting them on high to dry the spot also helps.

The manufacturer has put a Microban coating onto the insides of the machine to inhibit bacterial growth due to prolonged wetness. Still, I like to rinse it out when I’m finished. I empty the dirty intake tank, then put it back. I run clear water in the sink, then suck it up with the hand-held brush. The clear water gets sucked up, rinsing the tube and the intake tank. I just do that whenever I’m done because I can’t stand smells that I can’t get rid of.

The only (minor) problem with the walk-away feature is that you have to have a stain that fits completely under the scrub/suction station for that feature to work. Most dog pee stans will fit just fine, even if it’s a big dog. But male dogs who mark against a wall or furniture will require the manual brush. So will some vomit stains if they’re irregular and spread out. In this case, I just moved the Spot Bot around until it was all picked up. And you do have to still pick up the solids from the stain first before cleaning. But that’s entirely reasonable and to be expected. The automatic cycle really does a great job, and cleans better than I can do with the manual scrub brush/wand.

The cord is long enough that I can reach any stain from a nearby outlet. It uses any cleaning solution (although a diluted solution is best to avoid creating lots of suds). The cleaning solution tank and dirty water tank are easy to empty, clean and install into the machine (nothing’s worse than wrestling with levers and tanks when you’re hollering for the kids to stay out of the mess until you can clean it up).

I love the new Bissell Spot Bot Pet Deep Cleaner. I stow it under the guest bathroom sink where it is convenient to pull out and use quickly. It does what it says it will do and it has held up well under regular use. I would recommend this for any household that has pets. I wouldn’t be without it.

Entry filed under: Dog Product Reviews. Tags: carpet spot cleaner, how to clean pet stains, pet stain cleaner, pet stain shampooer, rug shampooer, stain cleaner.

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Pet Bed & Toy Detergent that ROCKS!

January 21, 2012 at 10:42 am

I’ve never really figured out how to wash my dogs’ crate covers, beds and toys. I have a new-fangled washer and dryer with steam settings that are supposed to “freshen up” children’s stuffed animals. But I find that they don’t clean very well. Dog toys and beds are considerably dirtier and smellier than children’s things, so I’m back to square one.

Enter Rockin Green Pet Bed & Toy Detergent. It’s environmentally friendly, with no phosphates or dyes. Most detergents are designed to leave something behind (fabric softeners, brighteners, fragrances). This detergent is designed to wash thoroughly, deodorize, and then rinse completely away.

I received a full-size test sample just after we had put down our Labrador. I had the old girl’s crate covers and beds that needed to be laundered and stored. To tell the truth, they hadn’t been laundered but once in 8 years. She ate all her meals in her crate, and she shed quite a bit. Plus, she tracked in stuff from outside. So this was a perfect — if not altogether fair — test for the detergent.

I followed the instructions on the back of the package. I put my bedding and crate cover in the water and gave them a warm rinse to get the hair off and loosen the dirt. Then I added the detergent and put the load through a regular wash. I did not change any of the regular wash settings. I put everything into the dryer and when it came out, I gave it a check.

The dirt and hair were completely gone. I’m used to having SOME hair still in the fabric. But not this time. The stains were gone. Then I gave it a sniff test. I put my face in the middle of the pad that had been on the floor of the crate and inhaled deeply. I could not smell any fragrances, just a very faint clean smell. I did it again. Nothing but a very soft clean, neutral smell. The beds, mats and crate covers were clean, clean, clean, with nearly no smell at all. They’re folded nicely and ready for use again.

The instruction say that if you’ve got a really bad smell, you can soak the load in 2 scoops of detergent for 30-60 minutes to let the detergent work on the odors and soil. Then you can launder as usual without adding any more detergent. I do not have that much funk to fight, but if I did, I have every confidence that this product would get it out, leaving behind a subtle freshness to the fabric. I don’t have plush toys to try it on because our Irish Setter shreds them. If anyone uses it on toys and would like to post a comment as an addendum to my product test, please do.

It’s so great when a product does what it claims to do, don’t you think? The 25-ounce package cleans 25 loads for $13.95. That’s 56 cents per load (less if you’ve got an HE washer, which I do). It’s made in USA for all water types. The company also makes other green cleaning products, including an odor neutralizing spray which might be good for pet beds, too. See them all at http://rockingreensoap.com.

Entry filed under: Dog Product Reviews. Tags: .

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Too Broke to Buy Training DVDs? Sign Up for the Netflix for Dog Nerds!

In an ideal world, pet owners would train their dogs in the following order, depending on the pet’s problem, available resources, and geographical availability:

• Find a qualified, dog-friendly training professional to coach you in person
• Find a trainer to work with you via Skype if none are available in your area
• Watch training videos online
• Purchase training books and/or read articles
• Seek advice from anyone you know who has ever had a dog, or watch reality shows about dog training

It’s obviously best to work with a trainer in person, and this should be mandatory if your pup has potentially severe or dangerous behavior problems. But many dedicated pet owners can learn to teach basic manners and even some very advanced tricks by watching training videos or reading books.

This week I want to recommend Tawzer Dog Videos, which is probably the world’s best source for quality training instruction and seminar DVDs. Its site features many of the industry’s well-established trainers alongside up-and-comers like Grisha Stewart and Emily Larlham. I’ve sent many pet owners to the Tawzer site when they’ve asked me about finding resources on teaching new skills, but I admit that purchasing DVDs can quickly get expensive.

Fortunately, Tawzer recently introduced a Netflix-like home delivery subscription service for its training DVDs. This gives you the chance to learn from Grisha, Emily, Steve White, Kathy Sdao, Ken Ramirez, Patricia McConnell, Terry Ryan, and other leaders in the behavior and training field from the comfort of your home. The site lists all the pricing options and policies.

Advantages:

• Variety: You’ll find DVDs on tricks, basic manners, adolescent dog training, training for competition sports, puppy raising, and behavior modification.
• Price: The basic plan (one disc at a time) costs about $10 a month.
• Quality: The folks at Tawzer put a lot of time and effort into finding seminars that promote modern, dog-friendly training techniques.
• CEUs: Pay attention, fellow pet pros! If you don’t have the time or money to attend a variety of seminars, you can now get credit for renewal of professional certifications through viewing Tawzer’s videos.

Disadvantages

• Tawzer doesn’t yet offer a streaming service, but I hope the company is working on that so people like me can watch these DVDs directly without waiting for the mail.

Unlike Netflix, which has multiple shipping stations nationwide, Tawzer is a small, family-owned company based in the Pacific Northwest — so I have some concerns about shipping and delivery times to the East Coast. I admit I haven’t subscribed to the DVD delivery program yet (mostly because I just spent a ton of money on Tawzer videos for my professional library and have yet to watch them all), but hopefully this won’t be an issue. I really want to check out Sandi Pensinger’s new Treibball DVDs and of course, Emily Larlham of Kikopup’s great tricks seminar!

• Patience! Many of the seminars comprise four to eight DVDs, so you may want to upgrade from the one-DVD-a-month plan if you want to watch an entire seminar without waiting.

Have any of you subscribed already? I’m interested in hearing feedback about the service, particularly from East coast subscribers regarding wait time on DVD shipments.

Until next week, happy training!

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Uggie Is Psychic: Correctly Predicts “The Artist” Would Win Best Picture

Uggie, in acrylics, on the eternal red carpet. My 15-year-old daughter painted this for me on a 7-by-7 canvas while I was out of town covering the Golden Collar Awards in Los Angeles on Feb 13 and 14. The best Valentine's present! (Painting: Laura Altair Hanson)

The Artist swept five Oscars last night at the 84th Academy Awards, including one for Best Picture. I loved this film, and was happy to see it do so well — especially after meeting Uggie, the movie’s scene-stealing Jack Russell terrier, at the Golden Collar Awards earlier this month.

The semisilent (great music!) French movie  was up against some stiff competition, but I shouldn’t have been surprised that it won: Uggie predicted that The Artist would win. He did so on the Jimmy Kimmel show, with the aid of hot dogs over the movie posters of all the nominees. Uggie is retiring from the big screen, but I see a job for him as a stock market advisor. Or at least a racetrack tipster.

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Gnawin’ Forever Treat Toy

February 1, 2012 at 2:30 pm

It’s really hard to keep active dogs occupied for any length of time. But we have to, don’t we? Active dogs of any size can’t just sleep all day. So we give them rawhide and toys designed to keep their attention and prevent boredom-induced vices such as chewing other stuff.

The Gnawin’ Forever treat toy is a new toy from an old company, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. It’s the first interactive long-lasting dog treat of its kind because the treat that is placed in the toy cannot be crunched up with the back teeth. The dog can lick, spin and nibble with the front teeth, but unless the dog gets the toy apart, she can’t chow down.

The Gnawin’ Forever includes a barbell-shaped toy with round ends and a “spool” through the middle, joining them. A hard cylindrical treat is slipped over the spool and the toy is locked together.

Our test sample included a bacon flavored treat. Although my do did not show any interest in it, a friend of mine tested it on her two energetic mid- to large-sized dogs and told me over and over again that, “they loved it!” Her dogs – especially one of them – are aggressive chewers, and very hard on their toys.  They both wanted to play with it when they first got it, and my friend had to make them take turns. The edible part for her lasted “an hour or two,” and then the dogs chewed the toy. They got the toy apart and were chewing on the middle spool within 24 hours, so my friend threw that part away. But a week later, the dogs are still playing with the red ends. The toy was a total hit with those dogs.

I would recommend this toy for all but the toughest chewers. And even if you have an aggressive chewer, you can still let him use this toy if you supervise, and take it away before the toy part is destroyed. That way, you can get additional treats to put on it and use it over and over again. It doesn’t stain carpets. The refill treats are made from food-grade ingredients (no plastics) and are easy on the digestive system.

The toy comes with a treat, and then you can purchase two-pack treat refills. It appears to come in one size, which is about five inches wide and seven inches long (great for even the biggest dogs). PetFoodDirect, which may be a partner or subsidiary of Ainsworth, has a dedicated page/department for Gnawin’ Forever toys and refill treats. The toy with treat is $26.98 and the refill two-pack is $9.99. Their page says, “A PetFoodDirect Exclusive,” but I see it’s also available at www.petstoreonline.com, www.thepetcenter.com (although they may not actually stock the toy; they may be affiliates of PetFoodDirect).

You can get a $5 off discount at www.gnawinforeverqr.com.

Be the first to like this post.Entry filed under: Miscellany. Tags: active, aggressive, ainsley, ainsworth, big dog, boredom, busy, chewer, destructive, forever, gnawin', indestructible, long lasting, product review, product test.

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