06 Dec 2016

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Holiday Gift and DIY Guide

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By Bonny King-Taylor, the doggy lama, pet coach

First things first: Rest assured, I am not affiliated with any of the products mentioned here. In some cases, I wish I was!

Fortune magazine reports that the American Pet Product Association expects pet people to have spent 62.75 BILLION dollars in 2016. I don’t know about you, but that number makes me a little lightheaded.

Today, we’ll talk about

  • where not to spend your part of that fortune on gifts,
  • my best bets for gifts and treats
  • and a couple of ideas for ‘upcycling’ things you probably already have around the house.

The Bad

There are so many pet products that are marketed for convenience, and even safety, that are simply neither convenient nor safe!

For instance, Nylabone products are just what they say on the label, made from nylon/plastic.

Pick up a chewed Nylabone some time and run your finger over the damaged bits. They are incredibly sharp, and when ingested, can cause internal lacerations and impactions.

You don’t need to take my word for it, just read the label on one of their own products (emphasis mine):

“NON-EDIBLE CHEW PRODUCTS are made with plastic, rubber, or nylon. They are NOT intended for consumption. During normal chewing, tiny bristle-like projections are raised that help clean teeth. If these tiny pieces (no larger than a small grain of rice) are ingested, they should pass through. A dog should not be able to break off larger pieces of any Nylabone® Non-Edible Chew. If you think that your dog swallowed a large piece of a Non-Edible Chew, take the chew away and contact your veterinarian for advice.”

Tiny bristles, that clean teeth, huh? Shrapnel is more like it. I have personally seen cases of Nylabone splinters causing bleeding gums and I’ve heard of one case where splinters perforated the dog’s tongue and caused a serious infection. It’s just not worth it!

Chew toys like rawhide, in fun holiday shapes, are super popular for stocking stuffers. But, beware of the myth that rawhide is safe or nutritious. It is a highly processed product, treated with toxic chemicals. It is notorious for causing bowel impaction, choking and vomiting. Wet, chewed up rawhide is a bacteria bomb waiting to go off in your dog’s gut.

Pigs ears are cheap and plentiful, but their extremely high fat content can cause pancreatitis and diarrhea.

Tennis balls are understandably fun for a dog; they bounce the best! On the other paw, have you ever sniffed the inside of a tennis ball? Toxic!

Even worse than rawhide, tennis balls are chemical bombs…from the products used to dye them and the fiberglass-like coating that wears down your dog’s teeth, to the interior structure. Ask any vet and they will tell you sad…and terribly expensive…stories about the surgeries required to remove pieces of tennis ball from their patients’ bellies.

Stuffed toys fit into both the DO and DO NOT buy categories, depending on your dog’s personality and your lifestyle.

If picking up fluff bothers you, or you look at toy destruction as a waste of money, they aren’t for you.

And, like the chews above, if your dog actually swallows parts of the toy, medical problems can ensue.

If your dog loves the destruction, stuffed toys can distract that energy away from couch cushions. If you supervise the mayhem (which you always should) you can rescue toys for ‘upcycling’ before it’s too late. More on that below.

Next time, I’ll talk a bit about those interactive, treat dispensing cameras that are all the rage right now, and about webcams. If you are planning to buy one of the treat dispensers, and can hold off, check in with Pet-wise for some money saving tips next week.

The Good

For every bad option, there are many better options. Here are some that I can sincerely recommend.

My very favorite pet products come from Planet Dog. Their toys are widely available, made from pet-safe materials, and are easy to clean. Their design process really is smart! Many toys fit into other toys to promote intellectual stimulus and extended distraction.

Extra added bonuses include the minty-fresh scent of every Planet Dog product, their chew-meter their resource guide for finding the right toy for each dog’s chewing style. I also love that they give a significant amount of support to pet charities.

Their cute holiday themed toys make gift giving even more fun.

Ethical Pets is dedicated to sustainability and their extensive offerings include everything from toys, to beds, accessories and holiday specials.

The Petsafe Squirrel Dude is adorable, durable and comes in 4 sizes. And, it is dishwasher safe!

Some folks like them better than traditional Kong stuffing toys because they have a ‘treat meter’ (which consists of internal prongs) that keep kibble and small treats from falling straight out, which makes the play session last longer. Be aware though, that some dogs find this frustrating and may give up before getting the goodies. I prefer Petsafe toys because they do not have the strong rubber smell of the Kong.

West Paw toys earn consistently high reviews and are super tough. Many of them connect to other toys even more effectively than Planet Dog products and most are highly interactive, for greater stimulation.

Bully sticks might not seem like a toy, but I make them more fun by tightly wrapping them up in Cagney’s fleece ‘blanket’ (Really, it is just a piece of fabric I found in the remnant bin at JoAnn’s) and tossing the bundle around. It satisfies his love of digging and ‘hunting.’ PS: That piece of fabric also serves as a hide-and-seek game and ‘nesting’ material in his doggy bed.

Other ‘eatable’ treats such as antlers, dehydrated sweet potato, and Himalayan chews, (mentioned in a previous post) are nice gifts when you know they will be safe for the recipient. Some cats and dogs have the same types of food allergies we do!

The Reusable

I am a huge fan of upcycling and reusing things in general, and the best part of being a dog is that everything is new to them! But, to be honest, the more used the better! My second dog still uses some of his predecessor’s stuff and both of them tend to love the shreds of a toy better than the new deal!

There are a bunch of resources on the Internet for making toys out of old socks and tshirts, empty bottles and other household items. Here is a nice compilation from BarkPost. (Keep in mind that I do NOT endorse the bacon grease idea and, while I love the muffin tin game listed there, I use Planet Dog balls, rather than tennis balls.)

To illustrate how easy it is to make a toy, made this treat dispenser in less than 3 minutes for this article!

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It took Cagney a minute to figure it out, but once he did, he was off to the races.

Where stuffies are concerned, a needle and thread are all you need!

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This toy may have lost his snout and an ear, but Cagney still loves him.

We’ll talk more next week about higher-end and more unusual gifts.

In the meanwhile, good luck with your planning!

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