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Products:
*review
previews- full reviewing underway, will be added soon
Rating Guide:
X = No paws:
Not Recommended
 =
One paw: Not recommended
for most pet owners
= Two Paws: Ok
product, some reservations
= Three Paws: Very good product
= Four Paws:
Love it, great
product
Vest Harness
(modeled by
Farfel)
Product name
: Vest Harness
Company: Canine Friendly
Products
Size/Type:
Large (modified)
Price: $27.99-$39.95
Rating: 3 paws
Where to Buy: Canine Friendly
Products
or Cabelas
Description:
A harness/vest/chest protector. This item can be used as a seatbelt
harness for car rides, as a walking harness, or as a chest protector.
Review:
I
bought the Vest Harness mainly to use as a "seatbelt" for my dog. I
have previously used other car harnesses and regular harnesses as
seatbelts, but the main problem I had is they were
uncomfortable for her
to wear, and most were not padded. The Vest
Harness design doesn't put the pressure a regular harness does on the
dog's neck or
chest in case of an accident or sudden stop, which I liked. Most of the
harness is padded, so it's comfortable for the dog to wear. One thing
which can be a problem: There is a space for you to thread a car
seatbelt through the harness to use it as a car harness. This works
fine if the dog sits still in the car, but if she tries to turn around,
she will get twisted in the harness. What I did to prevent this is I
bought
a very short lead with a swivel hook, attached it to the harness, and
threaded the
car's seatbelt through that. Unfortunately even with this, my dog was
getting tangled. I then tried a BatziBelt,
which is a leash strap made for use in cars. This worked pretty well,
but the dog still managed to get tangled fairly often, so I finally
stopped using this seatbelt altogether and switched to the CARE
Champion System (review below.)
I have used the VestHarness when bike riding with my dog. It
works VERY
well for this, and, unlike a normal harness, doesn't dig into her skin
if
I stop the bike suddenly. It would also work well in other situations
where you want a dog to be comfortable while pulling, but it is not an
actual "pulling harness" for weight pull or similar sports.
|
Reviewed by: Lizzi
As a walking harness As a seatbelt
Flexi Leash
Product name
: Flexi Leash
Company: Flexi Retractable Leashes
Size/type:
Flexi 3-8 (26 ft.)
Price:
$12.99-$40 (depending on size/style)
Where to Buy:  Amazon DogStuff Boutique
Description: The Flexi-Leash provides you with safe
control of
your
dog at all times, yet gives him freedom. It expands and retracts with
the
dog's movement. Features an instant brake control activated by a flick
of
your finger. Great for training puppies, gun dogs, or giving security
to
blind or deaf dogs. Won't tangle or drag on the ground.
(Description from Petsmart.com)
Review
#1:
Rating: 2 paws
Reviewed
by: Kerri
These
leashes can be hard to get
used to. They are not for everyone/everydog. The first time I took my
dog out using
the large flexi-lead, the dog had more control than I did. One of the
problems with these leashes is that your dog feels like he or she is
off-leash and
may start running around like a maniac (don't all dogs do that
off-leash?)
If
they get to the end of the
leash, and you're not ready for that, the leash may leap out of your
hand, and
the dog really will be off-leash. Although it says it won't tangle,
your
dog can probably find a way to tangle you up with it, and it can be a
tripping
hazard for people.
This
leash is not really good for
training or walking most dogs. However, it can be good if you're taking
your dogs somewhere like the beach and want to give them more freedom
without letting them off leash completely.
Use with caution.
Review
#2:
Rating: 1 paw
Reviewed by:
Karen Peak, West
Wind Dog
Training
I am not fond
of
flexi leads for various reasons. As an obedience instructor,
I
see
a few things with the leads that I do not care for and I have used them
myself
and observed many others with them as well. The only thing I
use
the
leash for anymore is keeping my toddler attached to me!
First, the leads break easily (the rewind mechanism) and the dog will
be able to stay the full length away from you. Also, the
mechanism often is not strong enough for the weight range and the dog
will not be reeled in as implied.
Second, the dog get used to a constant feel of pulling and this can
make teaching him to be on a loose lead more difficult and the dog gets
comfortable with the constant tension. This is not a good
thing
and can make walks on a regular lead unpleasant for both dog and owner.
Third, they are not safe for the general public. On biking
and
jogging trails locally there have been accidents caused when a dog is
at
the end of the lead and across the trail. The lead is tough
to
see
and there have been bodily injuries to dog and human. The dog
can
get
out of your sight fast on them if he rounds a corner on streets or in a
store.
More than once I have been pounced on by a dog who pulled the leash out
even
though the lock was supposedly on. This is dangerous for both
dog
and
surrounding people. Also, I have watched dogs bolt into busy
streets
on these leads and the stop and rewind failed. Many state
forests
and
parks have rules requiring no more than a six foot lead which flexis
violate.
Flexi leads offer little control over a dog compared to a good quality
leather
or canvas lead.
Fourth, use in training dogs to come when called... Not
good. They give off too many cues and you have no idea what
one
the dog is responding to: your voice, the sudden tension as
the
reel takes up, the click
or the whir and sometimes the lead snaps against the dog's jaw giving
an
unpleasant feeling to something that must be pleasant. You
may
end
up finding out the hard way that the dog was not responding to your
voice
completely or is wary of coming to you due to the snap. And
if
you
need to bring your dog into you, it can be difficult to with this type
of
lead.
I recommend these leads ONLY when walking in areas not frequented by
people or other animals and that are well away from busy
roads.
These
leads should be used only when the dog is well trained enough that he
will
keep the lead loose and if he feels it tighten, stop and loosen it
himself
(in other words, the leash is not kept so it is taught at all times as
this
can retrain the dog to actually need the constant feel of a pull.) And
the
dog should come when called no matter what the distraction.
These leads are deceiving and from a trainer's standpoint, I do not
recommend them for the average dog owner at all.
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"Rover"
Dog Lunchbox
Product name
: "Rover"
Dog Lunchbox
Company: GBPet
Size/Type: "Rover" or small size 8" x 11" x
5"
Price: $25-30
Rating: 3 paws
Where to Buy: GBPet
Description:
This is a "lunchbox" for dogs. The two sides of the box split apart,
one side is a reservoir for water (can hold 3 liters) and the other
side contains two bowls, one for food and one for water. The food
compartment has a plastic lid which locks on so that food can be kept
inside without spilling.
Review:
This
product can be very useful when going on daytrips or overnight
vacations. I prefer to bring water from home for my dogs when I go out
of town because sometimes well water can disagree with a dog's stomach,
and there's nothing worse on a long trip than a sick dog. The water
reservoir on the Rover lunchbox is very useful for this purpose,
although on longer trips I need to bring more than 3 liters of water-
in those instances the larger Woofpak lunchbox may be better. I like
the Rover lunchbox because the medium size is easier to pack and carry,
even when full of water. The company's website advertises the Rover as
being for small dogs, however I use it with my Golden Retriever and it
works very well. The only problem is the compartments for food and
water are a bit small and because of the unusual shape can be a little
awkward for a larger dog to drink or eat from at first.
Having
the food and water compartments next to each other could also cause
pieces of food to drop into the water dish when the dog is eating,
meaning it may need to be cleaned out pretty often. I bought the red
lunchbox. I would not recommend this color for one reason: it bears a
strong resemblance to a gas can! I did not realize this when I bought
it, but later I noticed the similarity. Hopefully, no one who saw me
giving water to my dog at rest stops on vacations thought I was feeding
her gasoline.
|
Reviewed by: Lizzi
IndestructaBALL
Product name: IndestructaBALL
Company: Canine
Capers
Size/Type: 6" blue (shown in photo)
Price: $8 (for 6" ball)
Rating: 1/2
Where to Buy: Canine
Capers
Description:
Hard plastic ball, virtually indestructable. Come in 3 sizes.
Review:
The
claim that this is nearly indestructable seems to be pretty solid. The
larger, red ball has been used in zoos for wild animals and even held
up well in those sitations from what I can tell.
Unfortunately, many dogs may not enjoy this toy because it is
made of a very hard, unyielding plastic. This is the main
"down
side" to the toy. It cannot be chewed up, but it is not fun to chew
either, which turns many dogs off. It is also very noisy on hard floors
and can cause damage if used indoors. My terrier enjoyed the
medium-sized blue ball as a toy to bat around with his paws, but I was
only able to let him play with it outside. The large-sized red ball
includes a "plug" which you can remove and add sand or water to the
inside so that the ball will move in an odd way, which some dogs enjoy.
|
Reviewed by: Lizzi
Cabana
Crate
Product name: Cabana Crate
Company: Doggone
Good
Size/Type: Large,
38"L x 28.5"W x 30"H (NOTE: Review is for older-style crate.)
Price: $170
Rating: 4
Paws!
Where to Buy: ITEM DISCONTINUED
Description:
Soft-sided collapsable dog crate.
Review:
The
bottom line is that I love this crate! It is perfect for it's use. This
crate is not made for untrained dogs or puppies or dogs that will chew
on a crate or scratch, so if you are looking for a housetraining crate
this is not the one for you. However this crate is great for taking to
dog shows or events where your well-behaved dog needs to be kept in a
crate for part of the time. It takes a little time to figure out how to
set this one up, but since I bought my crate they have altered the
style and made it easier to put together. The Cabana Crate
folds
flat and the large size only weighs 11 pounds, making it ideal to carry
around for vacations or dog shows.
|
Reviewed by: Lizzi
Champion Canine Seatbelt
System
Product name: Champion Seatbelt System
Company: Champion
Canine Designs
Size/Type: Small and Large
Price: $36-44
Rating: 4
Paws!
Where to Buy: Sparky's Boutique, Dog Scouts of America
Description:
Seatbelt harness and strap system.
Notes: Several people have had problems with not recieving product when ordering direct from manufacturer.
We recommend you order from Sparky's Boutique instead.
Review:
In my
ongoing search for a good, comfortable seatbelt harness for my dogs
that was also strong, I finally came across the Champion Seatbelt
System. Before that I had tried a Four Paws seatbelt harness, Petsmart
harness, VestHarness, and Ruff Rider Roadie seatbelt. The Champion is
the strongest-looking seatbelt out of all of the seatbelts I've tried,
and
it also is the easiest to take on and off, and has a padded chest strap
for comfort. I attach the leash strap to the shoulder part of my car's
seatbelt, so it is higher up and the dog does not get tangled very
often.
The harness attaches like a normal harness, and the strap part attaches
to the harness using a bull snap (used to restrain large livestock) and
to the seatbelt or cargo hook using a chainlink "quick link" which
takes a few seconds to get on and off but is very secure when it is
attached. The harness itself is made of 1 1/2" wide webbing (on the
Large size) which is wider than the other seatbelts I've tried. It
appears to be very strong. Unlike many dog seatbelts, this one does not
rely on plastic buckles to secure the dog in the car. It does use very
wide plastic buckles to attach the harness to the dog, however there
are two large metal D-rings on the harness, one on each side of the
buckle, which you hook the leash strap to so that even if the buckle
were to break the harness would still be secured on the dog. According
to the company, the Medium and larger harnesses can hold over 2000
pounds. The company also offers a special seatbelt system for dogs over
80 pounds, called the Survivor Big Dog Seatbelt System.
This product can also be used as a walking harness.
+
For information on how to use a Champion Seatbelt, please see
"How to Use the CARE Champion Seatbelt System"
|
Reviewed by: Lizzi
Outward
Hound Dog Pack
Product
name: Outward
Hound Dog Pack
Company: Outward
Hound/Hagen
Size/Type: Large, Red
Price: $15-35 depending on size
Rating:
Where to Buy: Amazon DogStuff Boutique
Description:
Dog Pack for hiking and backpacking. The backpack is removable from the
underlying harness.
Review:
This
is a fairly well-made dog backpack. The compartments are large, and there
are plastic rings where items can be tied down above the zippered
compartments. The large size does make them a little bulky. This
backpack features padding underneath all buckles for comfort, although
unfortunately the padding is in small pieces which can sometimes be
pushed or twisted from movement so that they are no longer padding the
buckles. The backpack section is removable and attached with velcro so
that you can take it off your dog during rests to give the dog a break
from the load. The harness/base is also padded. However, this part
unfortunately does not feature any place where a leash could be
attached, so it can not be used alone or as a regular harness.
|
Reviewed by: Lizzi
Springer
bicycle attachment
Product
name: Springer
Company: Springer
USA
Size/Type: one size
Price: $50 plus shipping
Rating:
2.5 1/2
Where to Buy:Amazon DogStuff Boutique
Description: A U-shaped attachment with a spring
that can be
clamped onto a bicycle, allowing your dog to run next to you while you
ride, and satisfying leash laws.
Review:
This
product really does perform as advertised, but beware, it will not fit
on all bicycles. On the last two bikes I've had, I was unable to mount
it the way it was intended to be mounted. On a 17" frame mountain bike,
I had to mount it on the seat post - and *really* lock down the seat
post tight to keep it from twisting. On my new 21" hybrid, I had to
mount it at a backward facing angle on the seat tube, the part of the
frame the seat post goes into. That's where it is supposed to be, but
it's supposed to go straight out, at a 90 degree angle from the frame.
Putting it on at an angle made it much harder to insert the cotter pin
that anchors the tube to the clamp. The problem with both bikes was
that my heel would hit the tube as I peddled if the Springer was
attached as directed.
That said, the Springer really does work. Our 60 pound hound/chow mix
really loves to pull, and really lunges hard. I've never felt in danger
of tipping over with him. The clamp portion of the Springer is not
really aesthetically pleasing, but it functions very well, is easy to
tighten down, and isn't fragile. The tube is likewise sturdy, and we've
never had a problem with anything breaking or bending.
There is a safety feature, also, a break-away plastic piece that is
between the spring and the short leash.The piece is there in case you
and your dog go on opposite sides of a mailbox or pole. It will break,
hopefully preventing a nasty crash. (I havne't had the misfortune to
test this particular feature.) Bigger dogs + better riders
means
that you should put the leash farther up on the plastic piece, so it
won't break away as easily.
Another thing to know - this product should only be used with a harness
(a simple one comes with it) and not a collar, which could choke your
dog if something goes wrong.
|
Reviewed by: Amy
Walkydog
Product name : Walkydog
Company: Walkydog USA
Size/Type: One Size
Price: $39.95 + shipping
&
handling
Rating:
Where to Buy: http://www.walkydogusa.com/
Description: Small clamp assembly that stays on your bike, a metal rod
with a grip and an internal spring with a short leash and snap hook
Review:
This
product is very easy to use, looks pretty classy, and is
very convenient. It seems to work on many bicycles that the Springer
won't fit on. But I've had a few problems with it.
The first one broke after the first ride with my dog-who-pulls. The
brass coupling (the company calls it the insert) at the bike end of the
rod snapped off. After finding an email address that the company would
respond to (the Contact us form on their page got no response) the
company was prompt in supplying a replacement Walkydog....which broke
in the same manner as the first. This time they sent me a "heavy duty"
insert, and that one has been just fine, though the whole process took
around three to four weeks to resolve.
They also indicated that this was a very unusual situation...but as it
happened twice to me, with the same part breaking in the same place
under normal usage (I explained to them exactly the circumstances
involved, and they did not find user error)......
The only problem I'm having now is that the whole assembly will twist
on my bike when the dogs pull forward. I ended up attatching it to the
seat tube instead of the seat post. When anchored to the seat post, the
whole seat would turn, making for some uncomfortable riding. With only
two small-ish screws to hold the clamp on the bike, I can't tighten it
further, so I just push it back into place.
I have also heard from another Walkydog user that theirs was broken
upon arrival. They contacted me in hopes of getting a way to contact
the company, because the company was not responding to the one found on
their page.
Bottome line - it's a very good idea, very well designed, mostly well
constructed, but I wouldn't really recommend it until they actually
respond to messages sent from their own "Contact Us" form and other
email addresses found on their site. If you need a product of this
type, and the Springer won't work on your bike, this might be worth a
shot.
This product should also be used only with a harness, and not with a
collar, to avoid choking if something goes wrong. |
Reviewed by: Amy
PupLight
Product
name: PupLight
Company: Puplight
Size/Type: one size, 4 colors
Price: $16-19 plus shipping
Rating: 4 paws
Where to Buy:Amazon DogStuff Boutique
Description: A flashlight / safety light, worn around the dog's neck.
Notes: Company also makes "Neklight" for people.
Review:
The Puplight is like
a flashlight for your dog. The light includes an elastic band which you
can hang the light from, or you can attach it directly to your dog's
collar. The light housing is made of plastic and also includes a hinged
piece which allows you to adjust where the light is pointing (up and
down.) The Puplight is useful for night time walking in dark areas.
This is the only pet safety light I have seen on the market which
actually projects light like a flashlight, which allows the Puplight to
help light your path as well as making your dog more visible to others
at night. As a safety tool to make your dog more visible, this light
works better than the other collar lights I have seen. Most collar
lights for dogs do not give off much light, so if the actual lightbulb
is blocked by your dog's fur or if a car or person is on the wrong side
of your dog and the dog blocks the lightbulb, little or no light shines
through. The Puplight claims to illuminate up to 200 feet in front of
the dog, which provides a great deal more visibility than other safety
lights for dogs.
The Puplight also works fairly well as a flashlight to illuminate your
path. One benefit I have found is that if your dog sniffs something on
the ground, the Puplight will show you exactly what it is, which can
help you prevent your dog from eating unknown objects.
The only problems I have had with the Puplight are with one of my dogs,
a Golden Retriever. She tends to walk with her head lowered much of the
time, and this blocks a lot of the light from the Puplight. I have
tried various configurations to allow the light through but she still
blocks a lot of it. If you have a hound breed or a dog who likes to
sniff a lot, this could be an issue. This problem causes the light to
be less useful in illuminating the path in front of us, but does not
affect the usefulness as a safety/visibility tool. |
Reviewed by: Lizzi
Pet Gear "Travel System for Pets" Stroller
Product
name : "Pet Transportation System" or "Travel System for Pets"
Company: Pet Gear
Size/Type: One Size
Price: $100 plus shipping
Rating: 3 paws
Where to Buy: Amazon DogStuff Boutique
Description: Collapsible Pet Stroller with removable carrier. For pets up to 15 pounds.
Review:
Coming Soon!
Review Previews
Below are products
we're still
working on reviewing. Check back soon for reviews:
IAMS
Savory Sauce:
- 3 Paws
Canine
Cooler Pet Bed: 1/2
- 2 1/2 Paws
Body
Cooler Pet Wrap and Bandana: - 4 Paws
*Calling all dogs!*
Is there a
product you just love (or hate)?
We are looking
for dogs and their owners who would like to review dog-related
products. If
you would like to write a review, please email us at chicagocanine@aol.com
or, copy the following form and send us the review directly:
Product
name :
Company:
Size/Type:
Price:
Rating:
Where to Buy:
Description:
Review: (review text here)
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