Stormtrooper Helmet Build – Doggie Style!

I am going to keep this as short as possible.  We by no means are experts and this was our first sculpt and cast of any sort so if you are looking for a detailed how-to I would suggest googling tutorials on the different subjects.  By “we” I mean Mom, without opposable thumbs I had to leave the work to her while I barked orders over her shoulder.

As much as we would have loved to use a modified pepakura build we knew with my long muzzle that wasn’t going to happen so we would have to do something custom.  Lets start with the first and most important part to this build… ME!!!  None of this could be done if I weren’t a very tolerant dog.   I have been dressed up in one way or another since I came home as a little pup so this build was nothing new to me but most dogs will have a big issue with it.  To start this build we had to start with a mold of my head.  For this build Mom wrapped my head in a nice thick soft towel (eyes and all) then used fiberglass casting material to cast the top half of my head.  The towel not only protects me, it also allows extra room in the helmet to breath and add padding for adjustment and comfort (we planned on making it out of fiberglass), it’s better to have the helmet to big than too small.  For the cast itself we used fiberglass casting material we bought off Amazon a while back for another project, this is the medial supply stuff made for broken bone casts.  However we only used this since it was laying around and less messy, however we have also done a casting in a plaster and hemp strip mix (much like older humans casts) and this takes soooooo much longer to dry, is messy but supplies are easy to find local.

Sorry, no pics of the casting of my head.

Now that we had my head shape, we cut out big holes for plenty of eye room and big ear holes.  The pics below we taken after the complete build, so the black spots are still covered in clay.  Next we wired PVC pipes to the side to give the helmet one of its be recognizable features of what appears to be part of the breathing unit.

Base for Sculpt
Base for Sculpt

Next, the sculpt.  Lets start by saying Mom never took art class (dang math nerd!) and is not artistic so she knew she was going to need a lot of time.  Knowing this need for time we choose to use Original Sculpey Polymer Clay.  Helpful hint.. get it at Wally World (Wal-Mart), its cheapest although you will have to check often because our local one here sells out fast.  This clay stays pliable until you bake it giving you lots of working time.  Below are pics of sculpt.

Sculpt

Sculpt

Sculpt

Sculpt

Sculpt

Sculpt

Sculpt

Sculpt

Once we got everything molded and ready for casting, Mom took it out to the garage and guess what DROPPED IT!!!  Yes she DROPPED IT!  Luckily the clay was so thick the damage was minimal, however you can notice a little bit on wonkiness in the final helmet which we think was the drop.

So now the casting process.  We chose to use fiberglass as our helmet material.  Why you ask?  Only because Dad is a car guy so he is familiar with fiberglass and we didn’t want to build a vacuum forming system to use plastic (although we want one now!).  So step one in this process for us was GOOGLE!  We searched and searched on all different home casting techniques.  One of the first rules we learned was if you are going to cast a hard material like fiberglass then you will was a soft mold like silicone.  However here in Redding, CA you can’t find good silicone casting material so we looked for a good home made recipe.  If you google Sugru or Oogoo substitute you will find a lot of good talks about them (add “cosplay” or “helmet” to your search).   I went with a mixture 100% Silicone Caulking (clear), corn starch and orderless mineral spirits.  The my mixture was approx 1:1:1 but I really suggest you spend the time googling people with more experience.  I ended up making a two part mold from silicone followed by a 2 part mother mold made of plaster of paris.

Here is the mold post helmet, I am pretty sure it will not hold up to another pour, however since we did make our helmet from fiberglass I could make another mold using the helmet.

Mother Mold
Silicone Mold
Mother & Silicone Mold
Silicone Mold in the Mother Mold

After we made the mold, next was the fiberglass, once again if you want details please look google experts.  We used a polyester fiberglass which is the type you get at the auto parts store.  When we pulled the mold, the fiberglass was pretty rough, it had lots of bubbles because the first few mixes of the silicone mix wasn’t as smooth as the last several (we learned as we went), but since this is another reason why we chose fiberglass, it can get fixed!  We with the help of fillers like Bondo, fiberglass resin and A LOT of sanding by hand (no machines will work with this odd shape) we finally had it!  This was the most time consuming part of the whole build because of all curves we couldn’t use any machines or blocks for sanding, it was all by hand.

Fiberglass with Bondo Filler

 Fiberglass with Bondo Filler

 

Next the paint, not much to say, we just used a filling primer, lots of wet sanding (all the way down to 2000 grit) and hi-gloss Krylon paint. The lenses are made from a car window tint on a clear plastic sheet, the kind that comes on reports people make, before you ask, no Mom did not steal this from work we found an old presentation Dad did that had the clear cover sheet. Although we thought about going with the dark green lenses like the actual movie props, trying to find that color tint would have been difficult and lets face it, most people think the lenses are black.

First Layer Of Paint

First Layer Of PaintPrepped for Black Paint

 

Finally how its strapped on.  On the interior we put on foam padding for spacers and an additional layer of craft foam for final padding.  We then added loops made of bias tape (folded fabric strips) so we could loop our straps made of bias tape throw.  There are enough loops to make two straps that tie under my neck.  However these two straps were not enough because if I dropped my head it would slide forward.  So we got a 4 inch wide band of elastic that goes around my neck then a few of helmets loops then are tied back into this elastic neck piece. It is a bit of a mess of straps, but it works!

Back of Helmet

 

The final product

Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny

Stormtrooper Penny!!

Sorry I haven’t updated this page in a while, it’s because we have been working on our Halloween costume and it is finally done!  Although we are still working on Big Brother Trey’s costume.

 

This was Mom’s first build of this type.  The body is EVA foam so I can move around and helmet is fiberglass, Mom’s first ever sculpt and cast.  I’ll try to come back and post more detail and of the trial and errors on this costume later.

 

Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny Stormtrooper Penny

BarkBox – May 2014 – Large Dog

This month’s BarkBox rocks, it has a Bionic rubber toy!! I already have a Bionic ball, so this automatically gets high marks. So here is what we got.

Bionic Urban Stick- Medium – $16 on Amazon
Nootie BBQ Chicken Jerky Chews (grain free) – 5oz – Approx $4 ($13 for 16oz) on Nootie.com
SnickySnaks Apple Cobbler Treats (no corn/wheat/soy)- 6oz – Guessing around $6 (found 10oz of another flavor for $10)
Zukes Z-Bone (grain free) – Giant – $7 on Zukes.com

Total Approx Retail Value $33 (without shipping)

As always, here is the Barkbox info
My Original Review
As of 3/20/14, and this includes shipping to Continental US
$29 for 1 month
$72 for 3 months ($24 per month)
$114 for 6 months ($19 per month)
$199 for 1 year ($16.58 per month)
Get $5 off if you use this link (my referral)

Making sure no one steals my BarkBox, looking at you big brother Trey!

Making sure no one steals my BarkBox, looking at you big brother Trey!

The moment after Mom took the picture I stole the Bionic Urban Stick

The moment after Mom took the picture I stole the Bionic Urban Stick

Last of My Kong Series – Kong Classic, My Favorite!

I saved the best for last, at least my favorite Kong toy. Drum roll…tatatatatatatatatat.. It’s the Kong classic. Why having such a boring toy as my favorite? Because Mom fills them with love.. okay, not love dog treats and PEANUT BUTTER!! These Kong Classics can be used a general chew toys or something to play fetch with but their best use is as a treat filled goodie ball to bribe us pups. Mom stuffs the ball with either treats or just plain dog food but then she plugs the hole with peanut butter and puts them in the freezer overnight. Then when Dad leaves for work in the morning Trey and I each get a Kong ball and head into our crates to eat our sweet treat.

Pros:
Multi-Uses (Play/Treat)
Multi-Sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL)
Lots of room for treats and peanut butter

Cons:
Really hard chewers can destroy if left unsupervised (our vet posted an article on it)

Recommend:
YES, but only if you parents are going to fill it with lots of love aka treats and peanut butter!

Price:
Approx $20 from Petco.com

Additional Info:
We find chunky peanut butter works the best and if your peanut butter is runny then keeping cool in the fridge helps thicken it up.

Kong Treat!

Kong Series – 2 Kong Classic Flyer

The second Kong product I thought I would bark about this series is the Kong Classic Flyer aka Kong Frisbee. Trey and I have a collection of cheap Frisbees that we got free from dog events. Those freebies are stored away for a rainy destruction day since those last 1 throw with us. When Trey and I pay frisbee it’s more than a game, it’s a competition. It’s all about who can get it first, followed by a game of tug-of-war normally broken up by Mom or Dad. This competition immediately leaves plastic freebie with holes from our teeth and after a couple throws they are toast. Since we enjoy the game so much Mom put out a little extra money to try this Kong flier. After a few plays I have to give it an okay review.

First the flyer is made of the typical Kong red rubber, making it heavier than the typical frisbee so it doesn’t fly as well, but it does fly. Also with our game of tug of war we have ripped a hole in it so it has been reduced to backup frisbee. On the other hand if we didn’t play tug-of-war I would give it better marks since I do love when I get hold of it I can shake it and slap myself in the face (I don’t know why, but I love toys that do that). Personally I have 2 other frisbee options I like a little better, my Chuck It Flying Squirrel has much better hang time in the air and is just as durable, then the Dura Doggie Disc which has better distance is a lot more durable.

Pros:
More durable than standard plastic frisbee
Floppy enough to shake and slap yourself (if you like that)
Great toy if you don’t play tug-of-war but are still rough on them
Looks like it will stand a bit of chewing
A softer rubber than wont hurt your mouth if you chew while carrying it.

Cons:
Pricer than normal frisbees (approx $12)
Doesn’t fly as nice as my Chuck It Flying Squirrel or Dura Doggie Disc
Wont hold out with two dogs fighting over it.

Price:
Approx $15 from Petco.com

Recommend:
Not Really. I wouldn’t just say “no” because it is a decent product, but I like my other options better. I would recomment the Chuck It Flying Squirrel for dogs learning to catch frisbees, it has a better hang time. Then for those who want flying distance and/or durability I like the Dura Doggie Disc. Honestly I think Kong should consider buying out the Dura Doggie Disc before they get a good hold on that market. Dye it red stamp their name on it and I would believe it was theirs, great design and durability are things I think of with Kong. I did look online and saw that Kong has an “Extreme” version that is black, we might have to take a look at it next time we are in Petsmart or Petco.

Kong Flyer

Kong Flyer

Kong Flyer

Kong Flyer

April 2014 Large Dog Barkbox

I just wanted to give a quick recap of the BarkBox for April 2014 for large dogs.

1 Simple Fido Dog Toy
Retail Price: $9.99 on Amazon

1 Bag of Plato Treats
Retail Price: $8.39 on Amazon

1 Bag of Dogs Love Kale Treats
Retail Price: $6.49 on Amazon

1 Mr Barksmith’s Carrot Cake Smoothie
Retail Price: $4 ($24 for a 6 pack at Bjs)

1 Barkworthies Junior Bully Stick
Retail Price:$3.15 from Barkworthies

For a total retail price of: 32.02 NOT including shipping

Just an FYI on the BarkBox Price
As of 3/20/14, and this includes shipping to Continental US
$29 for 1 month
$72 for 3 months ($24 per month)
$114 for 6 months ($19 per month)
$199 for 1 year ($16.58 per month)
Get $5 off if you use this link (my referral)

My March BarkBox

BarkBox - April 2014 - Large Dog

BarkBox - April 2014 - Large Dog

Plush Puppies Hide-a-Egg/Squirrel (Review)

Ever get that need to destuff the your toys? Have a hard time resisting the urge to spill white fluffy guts all over the floor? If that is the case I have a the toys for you, they will fulfill that urge over and over again while driving your humans nuts!

The toys are the Plush Puppies Hide-a-Squirrel or Puzzle Plushes made by Kyjen. These are soft toys inside of toys that make for a fun filled time if you like to play surgeon on your plushies. I have 3 of these toys, 1 Hide-a-Squirrel and 2 different Egg Babies that make for a fun time. If you look in the pictures below you will see that they are toys that are already have destuffed bodies (or lightly stuffed in the squirrel tree) that you put little toys into. Once they are stuffed just hand them over to your surgeon and watch them find that opening within seconds. I know when I find the opening I start pulling eggs and tossing them everywhere until the toys are empty it give me such a high! Once the toys are out I like to run around with at least one in my mouth as a prize. Since I just “destuffed” the big toy I do tend to let the small toys live longer than I normally would. Mom tends to think the pure joy I get from this toy is disturbing but if I am happy then so is she.

I do have to say you have to keep on your humans about being ready to reload these toys. After just a few tries I figured out where the opening are and how to destuff them quickly, in fact Mom tends to give me all 3 at once to buy more time. Even with 3 toys it takes me less than 5 minutes to complete my task then start my victory lap, followed by the need to destuff the heads of the Egg Babies. That’s right there is something there I can still get my white fluff from! Of course that is the cue for mom to start reloading the toys for another round. Since I am so good at these puzzles I don’t get to play with them as often because Mom and Dad have keep restuffing and after so many rounds they get tired of it.

Pros:
Satisfies the need to destuff toys
Reusable

Cons:
Requires a lot of human interaction (if you are a toy guarder forget it)
Too easy
Not Durable, same material as a normal stuffed toy
Some toys still have stuffed parts

Price:
$10 and Up from Amazon.com and I have seen them in store at Petco

Recommend:
Yes, but only if you are a serial plush killer AND your humans are willing to constantly refill these for you. Also I would not recommend the platypus or any others that have a stuffed head, that is just asking to be destuffed.

Suggestions to Manufacturer:
These toys could be made to last longer if they did a few things. First, the hole the small toys come out should be smaller, making us really have to work to get them out. I realize if it is to hard then a lot of pups will turn to normal surgeon procedures to open them up more. I imagine they could fix this by making the toys a shape were they will come part way out easily but to come fully out you really have to pull or get it just right, like a pyramid shape, or a sphere with protruding “arms” that the small arms come out easy but to pull it fully out you have to put your paws on the toy and PULL. Second no stuffed heads, the platypus has stuffing in its head, luckily the hedgehog does not. last I would like to see the small toys make of a more durable material like the canvas or firehose. As long as the big toy is fluffy I would still feel the need to destuff it, but a canvas egg would be harder to get out and would last longer on my victory laps.

Side Note:
You can make a toy very similar to this on your own. I found this DIY toy fellow surgeons on Pinterest where you can find my DIY Pins.

Puzzle toys

Puzzle toys

Puzzle toys (stuffed)

Puzzle toys (stuffed)

My First BarkBox March 2014 – Large Dog

I got my first BarkBox in the mail on 3/19/14 (they ship on the 15th of each month) and I wanted to share with you all the goodies I got!

March 2014 Large Dog BarkBox

March 2014 Large Dog BarkBox

If you are not familiar with BarkBox, it is a monthly subscription for your pup that contains all types of goodies. You don’t get to choose the goodies they are selected for you based on the dog size you select when ordering and they vary by month. What is also great is 10% of the proceeds go to charity. The prices range by the length of subscription you get, however if you read a lot of the reviews the total retail price of the items it usually much more than the cost of the box. What is also nice is the items are not always things you would buy yourself so you are trying new things.

Items in Box:
Petprojekt Egg: Retail price $14
Pet Qwerks Doggone Times: Retail Price $7.79
Wagatha’s Breakfast Biscuits: $5.99
Superior Farms Venison Waffles: $9.99
Etta Says Crunch Duck Chew: $.99

Total Online retail NOT including shipping: $38.76

If any of the items are worth reviewing individually (good or bad) I will be writing it up as soon as I have had a chance to play with or eat everything.

Pros:
Variety of Goodies you probably wouldn’t normally try or can even find locally
Different options based on your dog’s size (0-20lb / 20lb-50lb / 50lb+)
Makes your pup feel really loved
Save $$ if you compare on online prices
Portion of proceeds go to charity

Cons:
It is a subscription, so you have to make sure you cancel it if you are done.
You may get things your pup don’t doesn’t like is not allowed to have, after all it is a surprise!

Price:
As of 3/20/14, and this includes shipping to Continental US
$29 for 1 month
$72 for 3 months ($24 per month)
$114 for 6 months ($19 per month)
$199 for 1 year ($16.58 per month)
Get $5 off if you use this link (my referral)

Recommend:
Yes, but I would probably recommend getting at least 6 months to get the price down.

Side Note:
Their customer service is great! Dad got this as a present for Mom on her birthday (which was really a present for me!) and he messed up on the order but it was quickly fixed up with a call and he said they were super nice.

March 2014 Large Dog BarkBox

March 2014 Large Dog BarkBox

March 2014 Large Dog BarkBox

March 2014 Large Dog BarkBox

Wet-Noses Peanut Butter & Banana Treat (Review)

If organic and/or peanut butter treats are your thing and you have a Costco membership then these treats might be up your alley. A few months back at Costco, Mom saw a new selection of treats show up on the shelves along with key phrases we love, Peanut Butter, No Corn, No Wheat, and No Soy all words that say BUY ME and so she did (3 boxes that are 3.5lb each). Lately it seems peanut butter is the magic glue of the dog treat world that makes biscuits nom nom nummy and allows them to be made without the ingredients that, in large amounts make my coat dull and itchy. Now for the actual taste, they’re peanut butter biscuits, of course they are good, I haven’t met a PB biscuit I haven’t loved. Now you might think that it’s a biscuit so I would eat it no matter the flavor but that is not true. There have been many times that I have been offered biscuits at the various pet stores and I just drop them on the floor for Big Brother Trey to eat, I am actually fairly picky. These treats are also organic, which doesn’t mean much to me but Mom says it is supposed to be better for the environment so I guess that is good for everyone. Their size is also on the smaller size for us Dobies, however it makes them the right size for practicing trick catching, like balancing them on my nose until mom says I can eat it. Since they are smaller I can have multiple treats in each training session so I can get a few practice shots in.

Pros:
Organic
No Corn/Wheat/Soy
NOM NOM NUMMY! (Taste)

Cons:
Harder to find

Price:
Sorry we don’t remember, but Mom is wouldn’t have bought them if they were overpriced.

Recommend:
Of course I would! I guess if you are a large dog looking for a large biscuit for a 1 time a day treat then they would be to small, but I always work for my treats.

Side Note:
Over the years we found that Costco’s pet toys/treats are on a rotational basis, meaning they will stock something for a month then skip a few months before bringing it back. Mom has learned if she finds something we like, then go right back and buy several months supply otherwise you will miss out. Last time these were on the shelf here in Redding, CA Mom bought 3 of the 3.5lb boxes and she hasn’t seen them since, so I am glad she stocked up! As of March 2014 they are not currently on the shelves but that doesn’t mean they wont be next week!

Wet Nose Dog Treats
Wet Noses Dog Treats
Wet Noses Dog Treats
Wet Noses Dog Treats

Wet Noses Dog Treats

Wet Noses Dog Treats

How many can Mom stack on me?

Bil-Jac Liver Treats for Dogs (Review)

I have to tell you about my favorite training treat, Bil-Jac. You can already see how this review is going to go, LOVE EM! When I was a wee little pup going through all the basic training Mom always used these. They are small really tasty treats that smelled like heaven. These little things could get my attention in a hurricane. Mom did complain they had a really strong smell and was glad the came in a sealed pouch but no complaints from me!

Pros:
Small size, perfect for training
Strong smell to get the pups attention
Nom Nom Nummy!
No Corn or Soy!

Cons:
Strong smell (only a human complaint)
A moist treat, so if not left it in the sealed pouch it will drys out (but I would still eat it).

Price:
$3 and up at Petco.com

Recommend:
Yes for training or quick rewards, however because of my size for a normal treat I would rather have a cookie since they last a couple bites were these I just suck down.

Side Note:
As I said above they are a moist treat that will dry out so don’t dump the whole package into your treat pouch, just enough for that day. Also they aren’t moist, like touching raw meat, more like Playdough.

Saw a new pack in the store, it looks like they slightly changed the packaging, but I still have a couple bags at home. Hopefully they haven’t changed anything else.

Bil-Jac Treats

Bil-Jac Treats

Bil-Jac Treats (back side)

Bil-Jac Treats (back side)

Bil-Jac Size

Bil-Jac Size, The treat is on a dime, there is also a quarter there for reference.

Elk Antlers for Chews – Review

I always have my eye open for new chew toys. If you haven’t noticed by now I love to chew, I was raised on Nylabones so I am always looking for something of equal quality. To me a good chew is something that lasts a while (hours to days+) and of course tastes good! Mom has got both Trey and I rawhide, non-rawhide bones (Dreambones), real bones, bully sticks and other various chews but rarely had something lasted as long as Nylabones. The only thing even close is rawhide which comes with its own dangers. I have to say these Prairie Dog brand Elk Antlers Mom picked up at Petco (they have open bins with them) are right up there with my Nylabones. They are tasty (especially the marrow we try to get out first), they are rock hard, don’t splinter and don’t leave carpet stains (well I leave slobber marks) like rawhide or bullie sticks. So far I think these will last as long as a well loved Dura Chew Nylabone.

Before I was allowed to get an antler Mom did some research. Based on everything she read she looked for a non-bleached whole (not split down middle) antler. She also learned you do NOT want to order them online. If you read all the reviews on Amazon you will get people that loved what they got and others that complain all because of size variations. The antlers seem to be sold by length which doesn’t give the whole picture because something 6 inches could be the width of a dime and something 4 inches could be the width of a silver dollar. With that type of variation it is best to go get them in store and hand pick one that works for you.

Pros:
Taste great
Last as long as Nylabones of equal size
Doesn’t splinter like cooked bones
Helps to keep teeth clean

Cons:
Price
Can cause damage to molars if you try to split in half.
Hit and miss with online ordering

Price:
$15-$30 depending on size from Petco, Petsmart and other local pet stores.

Recommend:
Yes, but under three conditions. First do NOT order online, go in store. Second don’t get one that is split in half exposing all the marrow because we will eat all of that first and fast (will be gone in no time). Finally ONLY if you are not the type of dog that will try to split them in half. With these, Nylabones and other hard chews you do run the risk of breaking molars (choosing a proper size will help with this). If you were raised on Nylabones like me, you know how to work these hard chews down to nubs.

Side Notes:
Like other chews, be sure to dispose when they get down to a size, that they are a choking risk.
There are also deer and moose antlers available, however they say Elk is recommended because of the marrow ratio and the deer antlers are even harder, more likely to cause tooth fractures. Good information can be found on Mountain Dog Chew’s website

Chewing on an elk antler

Chewing on an elk antler

Chewing on an elk antler

Chewing on an elk antler

2 Weeks of wear on elk antler

2 Weeks of wear on elk antler

2 Weeks of wear on elk antler

2 Weeks of wear on elk antler

I WANT!!

I WANT!!!

Sweethoots

I hope one day I can talk Mom or Dad into getting me a few of these, I want one so bad!!   Trey says I should get the shark one, I think he needs to request a custom batman one so he can know what its like to have cropped doberman ears (would be much easier to match his color) or the skunk one, it would match his smells some nights!

Here is the site, which do you think would look best on me?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Sweethoots?page=1

New Fluff in the Bed

Mom and Dad restuffed my bed. Trey and I have 3 large doggie beds at home, they are all from Costco and when new they were pretty comfy. The problem is after about a year the stuffing goes flat and it’s just like laying on a blanket on the floor, not bad, but not as good as it was new. Instead of buying another bed Mom and Dad decided to restuff the beds. Originally they wanted to use cedar since it repels fleas but since we don’t have fleas and reading that some dogs have reactions to the smell Mom and Dad decided to use pine shavings then get a small bag of cedar to add. So down to the feed store we went and picked up a bag of pine shaving (used for horse bedding). Next we went to Petco to look for a small bag of cedar, they didn’t have any so we went to Petsmart, they had a place for bags but all out, guess we will have to keep checking back.

After we got back home they opened the bag of shavings and split half the bag between two beds and parked it right next to Mom’s half of the people bed. Well it wasn’t just a few minutes later Mom starts complaining about her eyes watering. Apparently these shavings have an odor probably caused by the sap and drying process. It was strong so the beds had to go outside and Trey and I had to share a bed (supplemented with blankets). The next day Mom poured the shaving into one of our empty used baby pools and put it out in the sun for a 2 days. After some air time the beds are back in their place and boy are they comfy!! Mom complains they are a little loud at night when we move around because of the crunching sounds which took a week to settle down. Next time we might try the paper bedding of course Mom will probably let the price decide that.

Remember to brush your teeth! Dental Bone Review

Since it is Pet Dental Month I wanted to share my favorite way to brush my teeth. Nope, it doesn’t involve a toothbrush or one of those finger brushes, it’s a treat! Mom gets these Checkups Dental Bones from Costco and I get one everyday after dinner. I like these better than the other “Kirkland Dental Chews” that Costco offers. It’s not a matter of taste its the size. For a big mouth like mine those small chews are gone fast and don’t really make it to many parts of my mouth. With the Checkups they are larger and take me longer to chew. Due to the size I tend to work harder at it and I think more teeth end up touching it. Texture wise I think I would say its chewy, basically it doesn’t just break apart when chew, your teeth have to sink into it and work it apart.

Pros:
Great for big dogs
Tastes great
No Corn, Wheat or Soy (they make me itchy)

Cons:
Even in broken in half, too much for smaller dogs (bag lists smallest dog weight at 20lb)
Costco seems to always be running out!

Recommend:
Yep, taste great and even if they only take a little bit of plaque off, it’s better than nothing.

Do they really work?
Not sure, I am not a doggie dentist, but the vet has always said Trey and I have pearly whites and healthy gums.

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Checkups Dental Bones

Dreambone No-Rawhide Chew Review

Mom went to Walmart and bought Trey and I home a new treat. These are Dreambones, from the outside of the bag they look like rawhide but they aren’t. What caught Mom’s eye was that the peanut butter one said it was made with real peanut butter which I love.

Since this was next to all the rawhide bones, they are made to look like rawhide and specifically say no rawhide, I expected it to take a while to chew being something that I would work on throughout the day. I say “I excepted” because these bones are much softer than they look. Both Trey and I finished ours within 15 minutes and that is because I took my time and Trey spent 5 minutes trying to find the prefect hiding spot to eat his. I have to say for approx $10 for a pack of 3 I am disappointed. Mom will not be getting again after theses are on. No complaints on taste and no excessive gas afterwards but I would rather have either a cookie or something that I can work on throughout the day.

Pros:
Tasty

Cons:
Gone to fast
Price

Recommend:
No

Price:
Approx $10 for 3 large bones (1 package)

Dreambone

Dreambone

Dreambone Large Size Comparison

Dreambone Large Size Comparison

Dreambone Chicken Ingredients

Dreambone Chicken Ingredients

Dreambone Peanut Butter Ingredients

Dreambone Peanut Butter Ingredients

Dreambone Chicken

Dreambone Chicken

Dreambone Peanut Butter

Dreambone Peanut Butter