An Update On The Wobbler

So the Kong Wobbler is gone from our house.  You know, the one Theo found to be both fascinating and terrible?  But don't be sad.  It's in a far, far better place now - a house with a dog that isn't a total chicken, of course!  It was fate.  I had just finished posting my review when one of my Facebook friends, an old college professor of mine, actually mentioned in her status update that she wanted a Kong Wobbler for her dog, Owen. I had planned on giving the Wobbler to one of my Corgi friends, but this was just meant to be!  Here I was, in possession of a Wobbler, and here she was, in want of a Wobbler.  So I left her a comment saying I happened to have one to give her, and a few days later, I stopped by her house to drop it off.

She has two dogs, small rescues of an unidentifiable breed.  Chihuahua-Terrior mixes maybe of about 15 pounds.  She was also playing host to a gigantic black lab (she was energetic, clumsy, and completely adorable), who she said was quite the regular in her house.  All three dogs took their turn with the Wobbler with no fights and no issues.  And all three dogs managed to knock it around to get their delicious treat reward.  Remember how big the Wobbler was?  At one point the lab tried to get the whole thing in her mouth - she almost did it to!  it was kind of fascinating.  Even when the treats were gone, they just kept playing with it, batting it around and watching it wobble.

I left happy, knowing that the toy had found a good home.  My friend emailed me the next day saying that Owen had happily played with the Wobbler the entire rest of the day, and even curled up next to it to take a nap when he got tired.  How cute!





You might think that such a selfless deed might drum up my own good karma, eh?  Well as soon as we got back in the car to drive home, the check engine light came on.  Something had broken that ended up being very expensive to fix.  Naturally. :)

Product Review: Kong Wobbler

The folks at Kong contacted me several weeks ago about doing a review for their new product, the Kong Wobbler. I'm a big fan of Kong and their products - I've got everything from Theo's original baby Kong (he still gets his bedtime treats in it every night) to the zoom groom - so I was pretty excited to take part. When it arrived in the mail, however, I knew we were going to have problems. And by that, I mean that Theo was not going to be the best dog to show off how fun and engaging this new toy can be. It's rather large, you see. If you've read this blog with any regularity, you can probably guess how Theo would react to something large. Not well. But they were also nice enough to include their new Kong Stuff'n treats as well, and there was no question of Theo liking those. Oho, no. So I hunkered down and did my best to introduce the Wobbler to the chicken Theo.

The way the Wobbler works is it has a heavy, round-bottomed base and a hollow top with a small hole where the treats come out. As the dog nudges and paws the Wobbler around, its heavy base brings the toy back upright, keeping the furry one guessing. As they roll the toy around, the treats dispense from the small hole in the top, rewarding their brave curiosity and playfulness. Sounds awesome, right?

So I put some of these IQ treats inside, knowing Theo would go nuts over them. They are 100% salmon. What's not to like?  If nothing else, I would buy these treats again.  And as you can see, the base unscrews from the top for easy filling, though you can also just drop them through the hole in the top.  After I snapped this pic I broke each piece in half, which was recommended on the packaging.  I wanted to make things as easy as possible for Theo.

After I sealed it back up, I told Theo to come and check it out.  He approached with much caution.  And then immediately put about 5 feet between himself and the toy.

I tried to make it easy for him. He just had to snatch the treat out of the opening.  No nudging or pawing necessary...

Nope.  But you knew it wouldn't be that easy...

Unwilling to go near the Wobbler, Theo pretty much just hung his head like this and whimpered all pathetically.  He does that when he's stressed.  He was trying to get me to unscrew the top and just let him have the treats.  But I wouldn't give in.  I tried everything I could to help him work up the courage to at least try out the Wobbler, but he wasn't having it.  

The best I got was this very hesitant sniff, but he bolted again right after.  I left the Wobbler sitting there outside my office, hoping with the pressure off (I did have my evil camera out, after all) and the smell enticing him, he would give it a nudge or two.  But he just parked his booty his usual, cautious 2 feet away and whimpered for a good 10 minutes before leaving it to take a nap in his crate.  

The next day I tried again.  This time I tipped it around a bit, showing him how it was supposed to move, and how it wasn't going to pop out a machete and hack him to bits if he nudged it.  Nothing.  So then I tipped it over so a treat popped out.  He came over, ate the treat, sniffed the hole, then backed up and cried, expecting me to tip it over again so more treats would come out.

This is my dog people!  Why play with toys that dispense treats when you can just complain until your human does it for you?  Arg!

But I don't consider that any reflection on the product.  I actually like the Wobbler and think it would be a great toy for a dog that isn't scared of its own shadow.  I own no such dog. *sigh*  I'm hoping to get together with some of my Corgi friends next week.  I'm going to bring the Wobbler along and see if I can't find a non-defective Corgi to tell me what s/he thinks of it.  I'll post a secondary review of that outing as well.  And speaking of non-defective Corgis, you can also check out Kelly's review of the Wobbler at Corgi Butts.

PS: Sorry for the blurry shots.  When I win the lottery, I will invest in a camera that can handle the "action" of a Corgi constantly moving.  Consequently, all the pictures I have of my sister are similarly blurry because she never stop talking long enough to get a clear shot.  Sorry, sis, it's true.

PPS: You know I'm joking about Theo being defective, right?  I love Theo, chicken tendencies and all.  In fact, sometimes it's awesome having a dog that runs for his mommy rather than getting in the middle of a bad situation.  All dogs have their issues, and if being a 'fraidy-dog is one of Theo's, I'll take it.

Samples - Vital from Freshpet

You might remember a few months ago I switched Theo to a new food and was touting it's magical properties of awesomeness. Or last week, when I talked about how Theo could give the Energizer Bunny a run for his money (He was never that way before the food switch)? Sufficed to say, I have been very pleased with Deli Fresh, which is the "gently cooked" sausage-like slice and serve food we have been giving Theo. And I'm going to tell you more about it, and a new product I just tried.

So here's the thing. I really like this company, Freshpet, that makes Theo's food. I'm not saying they're perfect, because I'd need to be clairvoyant to know that for sure, but I like what I can see. Their website is one of the most, what I would describe as open dog food websites I've seen. It takes some hunting around all the different areas of the website, but a lot of good information is there (and well presented!). And I don't mean a bunch of buzz words spewed on a mostly empty page with a bunch of pictures of cute dogs. I mean real, quantified information on a page with a bunch of pictures of cute dogs (why would you skip a chance at pictures of cute dogs?). For instance, they say their slice and serve food is "minimally processed" and "gently cooked". Well what the heck does that mean, exactly? It means this. Not only do they tell you the thermal units used to cook the food, but they give a handy dandy comparison to typical dry and wet foods as well. It's nice to feel like I'm not just taking their word for it. They're making a claim, backing it up with their information, and letting me decide for myself. As it should be!

You know what else is great? The ingredients in these gently cooked logs. No meals, no byproducts, nothing that suggests the unsavory bits of the animal. Does this mean their "fresh chicken" doesn't come from the 4Ds? Goodness I hope so! But at least I'm getting meat and not bones and beaks and what not. Also, every ingredient that's in there has a purpose (which they explain in their philosophy pages). The grain isn't filler, it's whole grain, it's nutritious. There are ingredients to provide fiber, prebiotics, omega fatty acids, antioxidants, etc. along with the usual vitamins and minerals. Nothing too scary. As I've said in the past, when you slice into the log, you can actually smell chicken. It has the consistency of real meat, and you can see the bits of the grains and fruits and vegetables sprinkled throughout.

I'm not trying to preach that what you should feed your dog. That's up to you, and what you think is best. I'm just trying to pay it forward. A friend of mine told me about Deli Fresh, and before that, I didn't even know products like this existed. And I am just a really big fan.


Anyway, in the course of events (aka, yada yada yada), last week I ended up with free samples from Freshpet in exchange for a review on this here blog. They had posted on the Freshpet Facebook page that anyone interested in free samples of their new product with a blog should contact them. I already touted them a number of times on this blog, so why not? By the end of the week I had four 2LB logs of their new Vital line of product. The main difference between the Vital line and the Deli Fresh line is that Vital is grain free. They focus more on high protein and antioxidants. 2 of the 4 varieties are 85% protein and 10% fruits and vegetables. It says so right on the package. I guess the other 10% is the vitamins and minerals? Another is 80%/10%, and they also have an all meat variety that is 90% protein! Yeah, that's a lot.

So far I've fed Theo 3 of the 4 varieties, and here's what I found:

• The Vital and Deli Fresh products are very similar and quality. Just like the Deli Fresh, you can smell meat, and see bits of vegetable and fruit. It looks like real food that's been squished into a log.
• 90% protein is kind of an insane amount! I ended up with a dog that was a 90% ball of energy. On Tuesday I took Theo for our usual morning run. Usually when we get back to our house, Theo collapses on the ground while he waits for me to take off his collar. This time he stayed standing, and when his collar was off, he ran for his tennis ball for me to throw for him. That was a first. And you can tell when you slice into it that it is really almost all meat. It looks like it.
  
• You can tell a lot about a dog's health by their poop, and Theo's poop has been great this week. Regular intervals, nice and solid, etc. His system obviously processed the food nicely.
• Theo didn't experience any discomfort in the switch between products. He ate it up like any other day, no visible tummy aches.
• Need I even bother mentioning that Theo likes the food? Of course he did. It's food, ergo, he likes it. I don't know if he even noticed a difference, since he wolfs it down just the same.
  

Overall I am really pleased with the Vital food. I had never fed Theo a strictly grain-free diet before, and besides the little boost in energy, I didn't notice a big difference in him (which is a good thing, I think, since he's already on a high quality food). Each of the 4 varieties is aimed at a specific dietary need for some dogs (limited ingredients, alternative protein, etc.), but since Theo doesn't have any special dietary needs, I could feed him all 4. I know a lot of people do the grain-free approach, but as long as they're whole grains, I've never had a problem with them. I don't really subscribe to the ancestral diet idea, since by that same reasoning I shouldn't drink milk or eat cheese, which are both very good for me and delicious! But let's put it this way, if Deli Fresh didn't exist, I would but Vital. I really like both products for the same reasons, I just like Deli Fresh a hair more, I just like the focus of their ingredients a little better. And I hate to say it, but Vital isn't yet carried in the big 6lb logs at my pet store. When they are there side by side (which they may be next time I go, this is a new product after all!), I'll actually probably have a hard time deciding which to buy. I probably shouldn't switch between them, but I'll be tempted!


To find where you can buy Vital near you, here is their store locator. You might be surprised to find that it's carried close to you, I know I was! Be not afraid of the refrigerated section!


I'm fully aware that it sounds like Freshpet paid me in more than just meat for an endorsement, but really they didn't (I wish! I'm going to be needing the money very soon!). I would have written this up without a free sample (though free samples help me get over my laziness, let's be honest), just because I love it so much. I actually go out of my way to buy it, since the pet store I buy every other item for Theo doesn't carry it, which reminds me, I've been meaning to ask the manager about that because I sure would love to just make one trip. I actually just sent emailed them requesting they carry it!



Anyway, that's my two cents on the matter. Feel free to chime in if you've tried any Freshpet products yourself, your take on "gently cooked" food, or whether you subscribe to the grain-free approach or not and why.

No Rain Ain't Gettin' Ma Doggy Down

Ack....arg...ughcchhk...

...there! I finally was able to post a picture on this dang thing! Let's hear it for the biggest accomplishment so far for 2010!

That yellow monster eating my puppy's head is his new raincoat! Err, at least it was new a month ago when we received it from my ever-thoughtful sister. But let's just pretend I just opened it and immediate ran to the computer to blog about how much I love it. How awesome is she to think of her "puppy nephew", as she calls him, and include him in her holiday well wishing? Not only that, she got major points for taking note of when I said Theo had outgrown his old winter jacket. What, with all the crazy rain we got a few weeks ago it was truly a life saver. Seriously, the rain was insane! People actually started building arks. Children living 20 miles inland were getting swept out to sea from the safe slumber of their beds. I may have seen a Kraken tentacle or two poke out of the not-as-dried-up-anymore dried up lake by my house.

Ok really, I was out of town nephew-sitting the cutest baby with the most pinchable cheeks and the sweetest smile that was ever born*. But Husband totally used the raincoat, I am told. So far I've only tortured Theo with it from the safety of our own home, but I can already tell that it's a keeper. Here's what I like about it.

First, it's bright yellow, as all fashionable raincoats should be if they can possibly help it.

Second, it's long enough to cover most of his bummy bum bum. This is a very important feature, and one that is often hard to come by. Corgis are, after all, not the body type norm for canine clothing. Unfortunately, neither am I the norm for homo sapien clothing, so I feel like we totally relate to each other on that one.

Third, it has a very large hood, all the better to cover his huge satellite dish ears with! The last jacket had a hood, but it was so small that I had to crush poor Theo's ears to get his head in it, making it kind of impractical to use. This one, while still bothersome to Theo, is also completely usable, which is important, since it's the raindrops on his head that he really can't stand.

Fourth, it has a good amount of fabric on the bottom, so his tummy stays relatively dry while he traipses through lawns and bushes to send pee mail to all his buddies. And it attaches to the top portion by a long easy strip of velcro, making it immensely easy to get on and off. When you have a dog that hates getting in it, and can't wait to get out of it, this is essential.

And finally (aka, fifth), it has purely decorative ducky buttons! And ducky lining! Big points for fashionability here. Also, I just decided fashionability is a word. Use it.

Husband and I discovered the entertainment value that comes with dressing Theo up in all sorts of getups and then playing fetch with him while he's wearing them. As you know, Theo is a serious fetch player. It's not just his job, it's his passion. So he doesn't let pesky things like booties on his feet or over-sized raincoats stand in his way. I say over-sized because originally the raincoat we received was a size too small. I was kind of an idiot at the store and rather than buying one size up, I bought too. Of course, I got home and discovered it was too big. But after the second trip, we got the raincoat that was just right. Anyway, Goldilocks was slipping and sliding all over the place in the raincoat he was swimming in, and it was hilarious!

I admit it. I'm a sadist. I get great enjoyment out of my dog's suffering. But really, it's only so laugh-so-hard-I-cry funny because he doesn't acknowledge that he's wearing anything hindering! He doesn't give me a pathetic look that says "Mommy, I could play fetch so much better without this thing on me!" Nope. He only has (very intense) eyes for his tribble, and when and where I throw it. If he was bothered by the slipping and sliding you would never know it because he would figure out a way to get the toy and get it back to me and was only concerned with when I would throw it again. Comedy!

In closing, my dog is awesome, hilarious, focused. He has "calmed down quite a bit", as people tell me, but really he just tends to pouting. But that's another post.

*God help the next kid born to my sister if s/he does not have enormously pinchable cheeks. I'll sigh and tell the kid "you know, I love you ok...you know, well enough. But man, your older brother is just so darn cute and lovable. I just adore him. I won't lie, it's the cheeks." What can I say? My family gatherings are not for the faint of spirit. Also, apparently "pinchable" isn't really a word and blogger thinks "punchable" is actually what I'm trying to say. Oh man it would be hilarious to see people's facing if I went around describing my nephew as having punchable cheeks.

Holiday Giveaway!

I'm so excited for my first giveaway!  I think it's just what I need to cheer me up (the gloomy weather is keeping me down today).  The majority was by far for the holiday reindeer antlers.  Good choice!  I have some for Theo as well.  In fact, I was planning to post pictures tonight, so stay tuned.  Anyway, I'm sure you're much more interested in the details of the giveaway, so here they are:

First, I'll be giving away two sets of these Pet Holiday Lighted Antlers from Petsmart.  That means there will be two winners. If you have two dogs, I'm sorry, they will just have to share. ;) These are pretty darn cute. 

Second, in order to get the antlers to you by Christmas eve I have to place the order before midnight tomorrow, so this giveaway is going to close in just one short day!  Sorry folks, you snooze you lose.  The giveaway will close tomorrow, December 18th, at 1pm (pst).

Third, how to enter of course!  Just leave a comment here in this post or send me an email (imperfectcomplainer@gmail.com).  If you email me, leave your email address in your comment, or if there is an email address listed on your blog or blogger profile, I'll send you an email notifying you as the winner.  Otherwise, I'll just post the winner here, and hopefully you'll see it and then send me an email with the information listed below.

Fourth, since I have to place the order by 9:00pm my time, the winners will have between 1pm and 8:30pm pacific time to email me their shipping information (full name, address, and phone number).  If you don't get it to me in time, that's ok.  You're still a winner.  It just means you won't get your antlers in time for Christmas. :)

Sorry for the short notice on this guys.  If this goes well, my next giveaway I'll leave much more time to enter.  Good luck!  

Update On New Product: Antler Chews

First off, let me just say that when I was raving about antler chews last month I totally forget to give credit to Amanda and her Pugs Blog for introducing me to the product in the first place! So thanks Amanda for introducing me to this new wonder product!

Second, I just wanted to let you know that after having tried out the chew for a few weeks now I can safely say these things really are a wonder. Theo has already worn his chew down to almost a nub! A few more scrapes and into the trash it goes (I don't want him choking on a big piece)! I've already ordered 3 more. They were out of stock on the medium and I couldn't wait until they got more in, so I decided to go for the large. I'm confident that even if they're a bit big for him, he'll still hunker down and chew 'em like a pro.

Once Theo got to the marrow, I think that's when he really discovered his love for the chews. At first he was a casual chewer, usually preferring his Nylabone. But after he got to the marrow the Nylabone went out the window! I think I've seen him chew on it once or twice in the last 3 weeks. I'd say on the priority list, the Nylabone is at the bottom. I'm not sure whether the antler or a bully stick would win for the top spot...probably the bully stick because it smells enticing.

If I were giving an antler chew for the first time, now that I know how Theo reacted to it, I might have tried to encourage him to chew it more in the beginning, maybe by spreading a little peanut butter or something yummy on it, just until he got to the marrow and discovered its deliciousness.

If anyone has already or decides to try this product I hope you'll post a comment and let me know what you think.

New Product: Antler Chew

I've heard about antler chews for awhile now, but I only just now finally got one for Theo. I wasn't able to find any sold locally, so I ordered one from this website. As you can see from the picture at the left, Theo loves it. He chewed it for hours and hours, quietly gnawing away.

Antlers chews are just what they sound like: they're pieces of antler from deer or elk. They don't splinter like rawhide or bones and they don't stink like bully sticks. As your dog chews they wear down smoothly. Right now Theo's has little gnaw marks in if from where he's chewed it.

I'm curious to see if Theo will stay interested in it long term. After chewing on it from a couple days now his interest is waning a bit. Has anyone else given their dog antler chews? What was your experience with them?

Gone Electric

I was at Petco over the weekend and came across an overpriced electric toothbrush "just for dogs" (it looks suspiciously just like the ones that are "just for kids", except there aren't pictures of Disney princesses all over it). It may seem like a silly purchase on my part, but I did it, and I'm glad I did it!

Here's the thing: Theo hates getting his teeth brushed. He jerks his head and tries non-stop to chomp on the toothbrush the whole time it's in his mouth (which is not often thanks to the head jerks). With an ordinary toothbrush I just wasn't getting the job done. It wasn't brushing so much as waving a toothbrush in his face. No longer (as much). Thanks to the toothbrush doing the actual "brushing" part for me, I just need to make sure to hold it in place, which Theo seems to find a lot less offensive.

It definitely took him some getting used to. He freaks out when I turn it on. He freaks out when I first try to get it in his mouth. But after that he's ok. But at least when I'm done I feel like I've actually cleaned his teeth!

I'm not generally very anal about clean teeth (I hate flossing!), but there's something about seeing a dog with so much buildup on their teeth that you can see more brown goop than white tooth! It's just sitting there, rotting their teeth away. Blegck!

And while I'm on the subject of teeth, I find it interesting that some people, when they learn I brush Theo's teeth every(other)day, give me a judgmental look and say something along the lines of my dog being spoiled. How is it spoiling a dog to make sure their teeth don't rot out of their mouth before they're done using them? If you'd observe Theo during said brushing, you'd know he doesn't feel spoiled about it. That part I actually find annoying. The interesting part is when I say my reasoning for brushing my dog's teeth is because it (hopefully) avoids or at least delays the hundreds of dollars it would cost to have his teeth cleaned every 6 months by the vet (that's not really the reason, I just like watching their response). With that my dog is no longer spoiled and I am no longer a crazy dog woman because, since it's all about money, it makes total sense. Is it sad that people think I'm crazy for wanting to keep my dog healthy, but change their minds when they think it's only for monetary reasons?

Collaring The Issue

I'd like to talk to you about collars. As I've said before, I've tried a few different kinds of collars with Theo, and I really believe the various collars we've used have made all the difference with Theo's leash training.

We started with a normal buckle collar (pictured, left). It worked well for keeping him tethered near us, and as a vehicle for holding his many tags, but not for much else. When we first got Theo I had delusions of grandeur, thinking that a regular collar, paired with my excellent training abilities, would be enough for successful leash training. Oh how wrong I was! He would pull and pull and pull, as if he didn't even feel the collar. Anything that caught his fancy (which was pretty much everything..."oooh, a sidewalk!") would sending him running. That's when we switched to the choke chain (I hate that name, but it's descriptive...). I got the kind with nylon threaded through it to reduce any pulling of fur that tends to happen with that kind of collar (pictured, right) . Jenna Z expressed an interest in how it looks, so here it is!

When I first put the collar on Theo, it was like night and day. He took a step forward, the leash tightened around his neck, and finally he felt it and stopped! With the buckle collar it felt like a work horse trying to pull me along. With the choke chain we finally made steps towards a good heel. Then he got used to it. He was still good for the most part, but every time he saw a person or another dog he would lunge forward, not caring how tight the collar got around his neck. I didn't really like this, so I was on the lookout for a better option.

In the training classes I go to, the trainer will often suggest different collars for dogs when she sees they are not walking well on leash. Week after week Theo would pull and pull and she never suggested another kind. Then one day I heard her recommending a martingale collar to another owner. I had heard Jenna Z. mention this kind of collar as an alternative to the choke chain, so I immediately stuck my nose in their conversation and asked if I could try one on Theo. She was recommending them to the other guy because his dog was slipping out of his collar. I explained that I wanted it for training to help Theo realize when he's pulling on the leash, and she hooked me up with one for $5 (pictured, middle). Yay for training!

Just like with the choke chain, it was like night and day. He responds very well to it, and now he's finally able to understand my verbal commands when we walk together. When he's pulling on the leash (which he still does often, I think because he's testing his boundaries), I'll give him the command to heel. If he doesn't listen, I'll give the leash a slight tug, so he feels I want him to slow down, and he does! It's working out really great. He still dashes ahead when he sees a person or another dog, but I feel better knowing the collar isn't as bad for his neck when he does that.

The martingale is kind of a pain to take on and off because there's no buckle (though apparently there are kinds that have buckles). I would recommend either sticking with a buckle collar if your dog is good enough to handle it (luckies!), or find a martingale that has a buckle. But really, all "a pain to get on" means is that I have to give Theo more treats when I put it on him so he doesn't associate negative feelings with his collar. Now whenever he hears the jingle of the tags on his collar he comes running with a big smile because he knows he's going to get treats and a walk!

PS: New pictures uploaded in flickr.
PPS: I am soooooo happy I'm finally getting rid of that ugly ceramic tile in the picture with the collars above. If you're going to make tile with a wood grain (bad idea in the first place), why make it gray!? Yuck.

Scrapbook

As part of my birthday present this year, my ever-thoughtful mother gave me a really cool doggie scrapbook kit! It's got everything you need to make a fun book of memories except the pictures. Now that I've had Theo for a while, and we've built up some fun memories, I think I'd like to start making it. The only problem is that I have too many pictures and a indecisive mind. If you've got some free time on your hands, browse through my photos and let me know which ones think would go well in my scrapbook (you can either comment here or on flickr).

PS: Mom, I find it extremely funny that all those months ago you asked me if I was going to be one of those people who buys everything with a Corgi on it, when the only Corgi stuff I own is a pair of socks and this scrapbook, both of which you gave me. :p Not that I don't like them, I do. I just like to point out the irony.

More Space

Last weekend I got Theo a bigger crate. The first crate we bought was pretty small because I was afraid if he had too much space, it would hinder his house training. I know I could have just bought a wire crate and used a divider, but I like the plastic kind. Well, of course, he's been growing like a...what grows fast? A sprout? Anyway, I noticed last week that he was looking pretty cramped in his crate, and I think it was affecting his sleep. He could still stand up and turn around, but he couldn't really stretch out. Poor guy. So first chance I got, I went to the store to get his "more permanent" crate (pictured, right).

I asked around on the Corgi forums, and people said that 30" (deep) is usually big enough, but 36" for sure lets them stretch out in their "superman" position. So I went to the store planning to buy a 36" deep crate. OMFG, a 36" crate is HUGE! I was dubious if I would even be able to fit it in my car. Instead I ended up getting a 32" crate. I figure it should still be big enough for him long term, and if he ever gets big enough to get cramped in there, I can just get the larger size then.

I think my plan is to always have two crates from now on anyways. When I just had the one small one I carted it around between his pen, the kitchen, and outside our bedroom, since I try and always give him access to his "main bed". It got to be quite a pain, and I'm glad to have established the new, large crate permanently upstairs, where it'll stay for good. I still use the old crate downstairs. I still feed him in it, and he still sleep in it in his pen, since there's still enough room for him with the crate door open. When he finally grows out of the smaller one, then I'll worry about getting that 36" crate...but I still don't know how I would fit it in my car. lol! It wouldn't be so bad if all crates weren't proportioned for dogs with longer legs. If only I could find a crate that was the height and width of a medium-large crate with the depth of an extra large crate! Arg! Corgi prejudice strikes again!

And I have to say, that first night he slept in his new, larger diggs? He loved it! Last week he would cry a lot before finally settling down and going to sleep. This week he happily jumps right in and conks right out. Last week when he would wake up, he would cry to be let out of his crate. This week he's fine just chilling until my alarm going off for the 5th time finally wakes me up. And, of course, he hasn't had a single accident, even though he's got more than enough room to make himself a little pee spot. Phew!

It feels good knowing he's more comfortable and I wish I had realized it sooner! If your puppy is looking a little cramped in his crate, go ahead and upgrade him a size or two. You'll notice the difference right away.

Dropped Some More Monies

The one thing I was able to accomplish this weekend (besides learning how to knit stripes!) was picking up the last few items we needed for the puppy. Besides the enzymatic carpet cleaner, we also got some kibble. I'm still doing home-cooked food, but Husband wants to do about 30% kibble because it helps clean the dog's teeth, and there's some added supplements that are good.

We also got a crate:

This size was recommended for dogs about the size of a Dachshund. We were going to just get the adult corgi size crate (I'm told 36" deep is a good size), but it was just so huge, we thought we'd have a hard time blocking off the back end. So we'll use this as an intermediate crate, then probably try donating it or something.

Per Husband's request, we also got one of these:

Yup, a pooper scooper. Apparently his highness is too good for poop. I rag on him now, but I'll probably be glad for this sooner enough.

The First Dollar Has Been Dropped

The other day Husband and I went to PetSmart and bought all our initial puppy essentials. The best part? I have a friend who works there, so she gave us her employee discount and we saved $60! Thanks Mother of Rowdy! :) We spent a lot, but we also got a lot of really great stuff! I found most of it on their website, so I can show you all. Just click the picture to link back to the website. I'm told PetSmart has a ridiculously good return policy (not only do you not need a receipt, you can actually bring in something you bought at another store), so let me know if you've had bad experiences with any of these products. Other general opinions are also welcome. :)

First thing we got was a pen.

This is going to be the area for the puppy when I'm out longer than a couple of hours. It's big enough for a crate/bed, puppy pads, a bowl of water, and a toy. This will only be needed until the puppy is house trained, which will hopefully be very fast!

Next we got a doggy gate.

My husband figured this would be a nice thing to have in general. He thinks we're going to put it at the bottom of the stairs to keep the puppy from going upstairs, but he's wrong. We're not banishing our dog to only the lower level of our house. But it'll still be good for sectioning off areas of the house when we don't have puppy to have free range of the whole house.

For our next car I'd like to get a hatchback for our dog to ride in, but until then, we got this thing to protect the back seat of our sedan and keep the puppy there.

I like the it's easily removable and washable. Plus all those pockets are great. And there's a Velcro opening in the middle so you can still buckle a doggy harness in. We opened it up in the store to make sure. Also, this picture doesn't show it, but you can let one of the sides down, so a person can ride on one side.

Unfortunately, my husband's practicality won out over my girlishness in some cases. I wanted a cute collar and matching leash, but my husband insisted that nylon leashes are a pain to hold and said we needed leather. But at least he agreed to the collar I wanted.

Now we didn't buy a pink collar. PetSmart doesn't have the right color on their website, but it's the same one. The one I bought is blue. It's a gorgeous bright blue that I think will go nicely against his/her red fur. Imagine a male puppy named Bowser wearing a pink collar! Hehe.

Husband has allergies, so we need to take grooming very seriously to make sure he's as comfortable as possible. So we got the best.

From what I hear, the Furminator is the best grooming tool out there. It gets loose dog fur like nobody's business. It was pricey, but I had to make sure we got all the good stuff while we had the 15% off. Hopefully it'll be well worth it.

Also for grooming we got just a regular bristle brush as well.

It's supposed to help distribute natural oils and keep the top coat lookin' pretty.

For a food bowl I went with stainless steal.

Plastic and ceramic supposedly hold on to bacteria more because they're porous materials. And since Corgis are supposed to be grub fiends, I went with the non-tip style.

In terms of toys, we got quite a few. I wanted to get even more, but Husband was getting too anxious about our total cost skyrocketing. Hehe. Of course, we got a puppy Kong.

The rubber is a little softer than a regular Kong. We also got a puppy Kong Frisbee, a rope toy, and a couple of Christmas themed stuffed toys. They were 50% off and I doubt the dog will care if s/he's playing with a Santa in the middle of March. Hehe.

We also got a Chuckit.

I see people playing with these in parks all the time, and they look so fun! We got the big one that can hold regular tennis balls. For some reason people think that because Corgis have short legs, they can't run. They're herding dogs, or course they run!

We got something to keep puppy's teeth clean

It comes with a toothbrush, toothpaste, one of those brushes that goes over your finger for the gums, and some doggy breath mints (we only got the one with the breath mints because it was cheaper :p)

For playing with the puppy out of the house we got a bag for treats and a portable water bowl


Husband actually wanted the bag. I would have been fine with a baggy in my pocket. The portable water bowl is something that's always seemed like such a great idea. I got the pink one. ;)

And last, but not least (ok, maybe a little least), poop bags. Hehe.

This was another one Husband picked out. Now that I've looked closer at the packaging, it doesn't say the bags are biodegradable, like the bags on board brand are. So I may either return these if I'm back at PetSmart soon, or just not buy them the next time.

Phew! I think that's mostly what we picked up at PetSmart. Before you mention the obvious things I've left out (i.e. the crate, bed, and water bowl), there are some items that we kind of already have (or will have). Apparently after Husband's parent's dog, Mickey, was put down, they just couldn't bare to get rid of any of his stuff. So when they came to visit for Christmas, they brought all of his crap. We're getting rid of most of it, but some stuff we're keeping. We're going to keep his two huge ceramic bowls and use them as water bowls. And we're keeping his beds (begrudgingly on my part). I agreed to keep the beds because Husband insisted that our puppy would most likely tear up and destroy the beds pretty early on anyway. With my luck we'll get the one puppy who doesn't tear up his/her things. Hehe.

The crate and the food are coming from the breeder. She'll give us the crate to take the puppy in, which Husband thinks we'll be able to use for a couple of weeks. When the puppy gets bigger we'll get the bigger crate. I think he just got some sticker shock after all the stuff we bought. I may be able to talk him into the crate sooner. :)

So what do you think? Did I miss anything?!

Clothing Just For Corgis

I just came across this website, that sells clothing specially sized for PWCs! I'm not really into the whole animal dress up thing, and these clothes are kinda...plain, but I still think it's awesome that it exists. I think it's still pretty new, maybe if it takes off a bit, they'll offer a wider range of merchandise. I know some people would be glad for better fitting dog gear.

I Want This: Corgi Stuff

I found this website a few weeks back. It basically has all the kind of human-use Corgi crap you could want. You know, the t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, bumper stickers, etc. that all say "my Corgi owns me" type stuff. I managed to forget about it for awhile, but it was recently brought to my attention again, and, oh goodness, I actually want some of it!!! I fully admit to being a materialistic consumer whore, but I'm still resistant to being one of those people who has Corgis on everything they own.

But I do have to admit that some of it is pretty darn cute! I mean, check out some of this items to the right: so cute! I'm not saying I want a "Nothing Butt Corgis" thong (yes, I threw up a little in my mouth when I saw those...no offense to anyone who owns a Corgi related thong. I just feel like that takes it to a level we humans just shouldn't go...), but a nice tote bag to carry my doggie stuff in would be nice.

I wouldn't mind a nice "Corgi Butts Drive Me Nuts" magnet I could chuckle at when I made breakfast in the morning. Or a coffee mug that stayed in the cupboard except on coffee or tea-drinking occasions.

Am I crossing into crazy territory? Tell me if I'm crossing into crazy territory here. Either way, not to worry yet. I'm keeping my credit card safely hidden away. I figure I'll actually get a Corgi before I start totally geeking out. But common, some of this stuff is cute, right?

I Want This: Puppy Packs

Amanda, the woman who is responsible for the blog with all the adorable pug pictures, just started a business selling gift packs for dogs and cats, and they are so cute! There's one for bringing home a new puppy that is totally adorable. They are a bit pricey, but all that stuff can really add up. I'll have to do some price comparing, but if it adds up, I'll definitely be picking one up for my new little guy. I hope the business does well, that way maybe she can expand the product line and add some more color options. Anyone want to get me one for Christmas? ;p

A Doggy Septic Tank

Check out the future of doggy waste. It's a septic tank for your dog! They are sold at Petsmart, and the design is ingenious! How it works is you dig a hole in your backyard, and drop in the Doggie Dooley. When your puppy poops, scoop up the turd and drop it in the tank (foot operated). The enzymes in the tank break down the poop, where it then drains out of the whole in the bottom of the tank and dissolves into the surrounding soil. It's good for your soil and eliminates the smell. And it's only about $35!

My trash can smelled so bad after just a weekend's worth of doggy poop, I think this definitely could be worth checking out!

Courtesy of The Food Bowl.

Update: I know my housing association would never allow it, but how awesome would it be to put a couple of these in your front yard, that way people walked their dogs by your house, they could drop in their dog's poop and you would get a nicely fertilized front lawn? Talk about recycling!