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 – 8 Kong Traxx

Mom got me a Kong Traxx (tire) since I have an obsession with another tire toy I had but to be honest this one does nothing for me. I have two other non-Kong tires, one is smaller and the other is a much larger tire and they both get much more play time. I like to hold the smaller tire in my mouth and squeeze it (collapse it) while the bigger is used for general chewing, tug-of-war and just play carry around and give to Mom toy (I am on my 2nd of those).

Overall I would have to say this toy is just too small for chewing because if it did interest me, just feeling it, I would have killed it. However if you are just the type that likes to mouth toys they you would probably like it.

Pros:
Flexible rubber for pups that like the mouth toys

Cons:
To small for the 30-65lb chewer it is recommended for

Recommend:
Not for the chewer, I think this would be great for a large puppy for the dogs that like to carry and/or mouth toys.

Price:
Approx $16 from Petsmart.com

Kong Series – 7 KONG Squeezz Ball Dog Toy Review

Kong Squeezz Ball

Here is another Kong ball I have, the KONG Squeezz Ball Dog Toy.  This is another fun ball I keep around the house.  I normally play with this one when I am looking for a squeaking ball.  I’ve had this thing for a couple years now and it is still in good condition and the squeaker still works.   I can’t rave but definitely can not complain about the toy, after all it is still in good condition.   I wouldn’t rave about it only because I have a large selection of balls and this one tends to get left in the toy box most days since I like the slightly bigger, heavier Kong ball I talked about earlier in this series.

Pros:
Overall Durable
Durable Squeaker
Fun colors
Price

Cons:
Bigger than a tennis ball so it doesn’t fit in the thrower, although that is okay because I use this as an indoor toy.

Recommend:
Yes!

Price:
Approx $4 from Amazon

Kong Squeezz Ball

Kong Squeezz Ball

Kong Series – 6 Wubba

Wubba Wubba Wubba.. I just love the name! To save you some time, if you are a chewer just say NO. Yes they look like loads of fun, but unless you have someone responsible (looking at you humans) to tell you no, then your won’t be able to resist the urge to kill these. If you are looking to have fun with your human then these are a fun supervised toy (like a frisbee). As you can see from the picture below I have Wubbas. The toy on the right (not Trey’s paw) is designed for water use. Mom bought this toy for me in hopes if would get me to swim, but fat chance on that, if my feet can touch the bottom I don’t go any deeper. The toy is a light weight neoprene type material is good for water toys but bad for chewers, give me 10 second alone with this toy and I will kill it. The toy on the left is a regular Wubba which is just two balls covered in a tough nylon. The nylon decent for rough play, but those strings on the bottom wont last a chewer, if you look close you can see the damage I have already done. However this can be a fun toy to play fetch with, when you throw the Wubba it has a lot of surface area to grab and catch it without a lot of additional weight. It is also a fun toy to grab and shake, assuming you hold it by the big end otherwise OUCH!.

Pros:
Easy to hold
Easy to throw
Several options for water, general play and cuddling

Cons:
Not for the chewer

Price:
Approx $12-16 from Petco.com

Recommend:
Not for chewers unless you keep a close eye on the toy.

Wubba Wubba Wubba

Wubba Wubba Wubba

Kong Series- 5 Dental Stick

A Kong chew toy that is also a dental stick? This has got to be the perfect chew toy, right? Well I don’t have any pictures of this because it long ago disappeared but you can find a picture on Kong’s website under Dental Stick. As you may (or may not) know by now I am a chewer so Mom figured a chew toy that is supposed to be good for the teeth so it would be a good thing for me, but she was wrong.

Well not to say that is product isn’t good, it is just not good for me. I have to admit, I loved the toy it has a wonderful texture that made me want to really chew on it. I would stand with in in my mouth and just squeeze it in my mouth and work it around. However it didn’t take me long to realize if I held it in between my paws and grabbed the end I could chew off the ridges. It was really a shame, I should have just packed this away and hid it in my crate so I could enjoy it out of view. With the ridges quickly ending up as red bits on the floor the toy quickly disappeared into that toy boy in the sky (same place the dryer puts your missing socks).

Pros:
Nice Texture

Cons:
Not for the hard chewer

Price:
Approx $8 from Amazon.com

Recommend:
Yes if you are not a hard chewer. This toy would have last Trey decades, but lasted me less than a week.

Kong Series – 3 Kong Ball

Here is my 2nd favorite Kong toy, the Kong ball. This ball comes in 2 sizes a small and a medium-large. The small is 2.5 inches and the M/L is 3 inches and I of course have the M/L. I love this ball, it is a solid rubber toy and has a bit of bounce and seems indestructible to me. In our house, tennis balls normally last 1 play session (fetch) before they are splitting, but this ball is solid, it has no give at all. The size is also perfect for my mouth at 3 inches I can hold it fine but I can’t grip it in my back teeth or as Mom calls it, The destruction zone (where most toys go to die) so I can’t kill it. After several months of carrying this thing around, inside and out there are not even teeth marks on it. I don’t think I really have a complaint on this one, except it doesn’t bounce as well and doesn’t get thrown as far because it is heavier than a tennis ball. Although Mom does complain if I have this in the house and drop it on her foot.

Pros:
Lasts a bazillion times longer than a tennis ball (for me)
VERY durable
Still has bounce (nothing compared to tennis ball)
Bigger than a tennis ball, so for a mouth my size it doesn’t allow me to chew on it

Cons:
Price, its about $15, but if you play fetch a lot it should save you in the long run if you go through a lot of tennis balls.
Bigger than a tennis ball (also a pro) so it doesn’t fit in the tennis ball thrower.

Price:
Approx $14 from Petsmart.com

Recommend:
Yes if you are hard on your toys. However if a tennis ball lasts you months at a time, then no. Tennis balls are far more fun!

Side Note, if you love fetch and don’t have time to play in the evenings because it gets to dark, I highly recommend the MeteorLight K-9 LED Dog Ball.

 

Kong Ball (Larger ball on left)

Kong Ball (Larger ball on left)

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

Dura Doggie Disc – Review

Introducing my other favorite frisbee/disc toy (the other is Flying Squirrel>/a>). I first was introduced to this gem at the Benton Dog Park, there was someone there that had one (and was trying to sell them). The guy had a dog that was a pro at catching and they were showing off, well one toss was slightly off and I snuck in for the steal. SCORE!! and I ran around proud as can be and double score when the guy started throwing easy just for me. I left the dog park that day with a love for a frisbee/disc that wasn’t my flying squirrel and it was because this one had a hang time in between my flying squirrel and a normal plastic frisbee which was prefect for me. It wasn’t to long after that we spotted another one of these at the Love Your Pet Expo at the Shasta County Fairgrounds so Mom picked it up to put it to the at home test. We already knew I could catch it and it would take my personal abuse but we put it to the test when big brother Trey and I both starting competing for it and it withstood the forces of two dobies playing tug-o-war with it. I had to conclude this disc much like the flying squirrel is a WIN!

Pros:
Very Durable
Decent hang time

Cons:
May not have the speed or distance a normal plastic frisbee would (because it is heavier)

Price:
Approx $15 at
Dura Doggie

Recommend:
YES! Unless you are entering frisbee competitions this is a great flying disc, it has good hang time and decent distance for being a heavy duty toy. Of course just like all frisbees it is not a toy you can leave a chewer alone with but it will live through a game of dobie tug-o-war.

Dura Doggie Disc

Dura Doggie Disc

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

Wiggly Giggly Dumbbell — Fail! (Review)

Wiggly Giggly you made me laugh, you also tasted good. Yep, you know what that means, I ate it or as much as I could before you were whisked by Mom. I got this bright colored dumbbell during on of my many adventures to the pet store. Mom first spotted and picked it up and it made a funny sound, you know one of those sounds that makes you turn your head sideways. From the moment I heard that sound I wanted it and with my patented puuuleeeazzze momma I promise to love it forever look I shot to Mom, it was quickly bought and paid for. When I got home Mom tossed my new toy to me to let the fun begin, and begin it did. I carried it around for a few minutes waiting for Mom to turn her back, then I began my quest to find out what made that noise. Unfortunately less than 5 minutes into my quest I was discovered and it was taken away never to be seen again. I do mourn the loss of this bright funny sounding toy and wish it lasted longer, perhaps if it was a little tougher I would have gave up finding the noise maker and just enjoyed it.

Pros:
Makes fun noises

Cons:
Not for chewers at all

Price:
Approx $15 on Amazon.com

Recommend:
Not at all, it was gone too fast! Now since I did like the sound we might look into one of the larger Wiggly Giggly balls, but nothing that I can get into a chewing position.

Wiggly Giggly Dumbbell

Wiggly Giggly Dumbbell

Wiggly Giggly Dumbbell

Wiggly Giggly Dumbbell

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

Chuck It Flying Squirrel – Review

Excuse the dirt, but isn’t that the sign of a well loved toy? I have to show you one of my two favorite frisbee/disc type toys (I’ll talk about the other later) it’s the Flying Squirrel made by Chuck It. This frisbee/disc type toy is made of a canvas type material with rubber like weights on each of it feet for balance. What is great about this toy is the hang time it has when Mom or Dad tosses it in the air it takes much longer to come down to the ground than normal frisbees. The hang time is a great confidence builder for pups learning to catch frisbees or dogs that are just not good at catching them. I have to admit, I am not the best at catching flying objects so when the squirrel goes flying can usually catch it and I am able to make a victory lap around the yard. The hang time is a great upside for learning, but if you are an experienced frisbee catcher than this toy will bore you, because that great hang time takes away from this distance and speed so it’s not as challenging. Back to the love.. this frisbee is pretty tough, well tougher than normal plastic ones. The squirrel has been around our house for well over a couple years and still doesn’t have a hole (can’t say the same for my Kong frisbee but that is another review), take in mind Trey (my big brother) and I will frequently play tug-o-war with frisbees if there is no clear winner in the race to catch it.

Pros:
Excellent hang time
Durable

Cons:
You don’t get the distance or speed compared to a normal frisbee

Price:
Approx $15 from Petco.com and Petsmart.com

Recommend:
Yes! Well for those learning to catch a frisbee or need confidence to learn to catch.

Chuck It Flying Squirrel

Chuck It Flying Squirrel

Bionic Ball – Medium (Review)

I have to share this little gem I got at the Love Your Pet Expo back in 2011. Mom was talking to the vendor (sorry don’t remember the name) and they said that this was a great ball because it bounces in different directions because of it’s shape. This Bionic Ball is a very thick rubber with a large hole in the middle and ridges along the edge, these make is bounce in random directions when it hits the ground. I have to say, I love it! This ball is always loaded and ready to go in my tennis ball thrower because it is one of the few heavy duty balls that fit.

Well I have to admit, this is a size medium which is supposed to be for 15-35lb dogs, but if you want to use the tennis ball thrower that is the size you need, otherwise I still would not hesitate to grab a large or x-large if I see one, well I would ask Mom to get it for me, she is a sucker for the look.

Pros:
Heavy duty!!
Bounces unpredictable directions
Fits in tennis ball thrower

Cons:
Not found at the big pet stores so you can’t get a feel for it

Recommend:
YUP! If you love to fetch balls, then grab this in medium, if you just like to carry balls then it would probably be best to grab their recommended size.

Price:
Approx $6 for medium size from Amazon

Bionic Ball

Bionic Ball

Bionic Ball

Bionic Ball

Bionic Ball

Bionic Ball