Dog Gone Blog - The Dog Blog for Real Dogs

These collars are pretty spiffy

If you have a dog that likes to get wet then your dog needs one of these collars.

The Air Collar by Spiffy Dog is perfect for your water dog.  Quick drying, non-chaffing, and resists odor and mildew (helps keep that icky wet dog smell to a minimum), these are the best collars I've found for the pooch that loves to spend his days in the pool or in the lake.  Especially for those dogs who are prone to hot spots around the neck, like my Fisher, due to constant wetness. 

And, according to their website, the Air Collar "is great for dogs with short hair because it is soft and does not rub on the dogs skin like some leather and webbing collars. This Collar is also great for dogs with allergies to some collars".

My only complaint about the Air Collar are the colors and patterns available - they could be a little less cartoon-y for my taste.  There are some fairly decent patterns available (the red stripe and orange reflective are my favorites), however, there just a bit few and far between. 

You have a summer wardrobe so why shouldn't your dog? 

The Air Collar by Spiffy Dog - available in three sizes - for $15.99

Oh behave

You can keep you hep cats, I'd rather have a Mod Dog.

And what every Mod Dog needs, besides the heavy mascara and pixie haircut, is some cool threads.  Like this Mod Psychedelic Swirl dog collar from Retro-Pet.com.   

Not into the whole Twiggy look, you say?  Retro-Pet.com has lots of other great looking collars, leashes and harnesses for the wee bitty-est of toy dogs to your standard 175lb Great Dane.  Even better, each collar is hand made.  Quality, people, quality.

I think two certain lucky labs may be finding a Retro-Pet.com collar or two in their Christmas stockings this year. 

My dogs may be fixed but they can still swing, baby.  Yeah!

If you're thinking of getting one of these collars or matching leashes as a Christmas or Hanukkah gift for that special four-legged someone be warned - their holiday deadline for orders is December 5.

Large Mod Psychedelic Swirl collar - $21.00 at Retro-Pet.com

A tail we could wag

I'll admit it.  I'm a sucker when it comes to those catalogs or websites that are selling me a lifestyle as well as a product.  That's one reason why I love A Tail We Could Wag.

Well, the lifestyle (Sigh, I want to run off to Sun Valley with my dogs), the slogan (Retrieve Life!  Perfect!), and the cute Golden Retriever on their site' s front page.  But it was the quality of the dog collars that really hooked me.

You won't find me sporting their belts anytime too soon, but I am in serious love with their collars.  The website promised "a great looking collar with all the durability and practicality an owner could hope for. Each tail waggin' collar and lead is 100% colorfast making them machine washable."  And they delivered on that promise.  With two dogs who love to get wet and dirty it's important to have collars that are tough and can hold up to multiple washings.  I've washed Fisher's and Lana's collars a number of times and they still look great.

We purchased two Tail Wagging collars from the Sun Valley collection (night and holiday).  I love the colorful, handwoven design and the quick release clips really do hold up well.  For their next collars I've got my eye on the Starry Day collection - the Mango Shine would look fetching on Lana's black coat.

At $34 ($29 for the small dog) they're a bit more pricy than the collars you'd normally buy at your local large pet supply store, but these collars, in my opinion, are a lot nicer than anything you'll find at one of those impersonal warehouse stores that sell everything and specialize in nothing. 

You want more incentive?  Check out their line of postcards celebrating the life of dogs.  I'm in serious puppy love with the good advice cards.

And one more thing.  You've got to love a business that takes it's name from a W.H. Auden quote:

"in moments of joy, all of us wish we possessed a tail we could wag."

Too true.

I've got tags...

... That jingle jangle jingle.

Is the sound of your dear pooch's tags banging together driving you batty?  Is all the clanging keeping your baby awake (oh, the horror!)?  Silence those tags once and for all with the Quiet Spot Pet Tag Silencer.

The Pet Tag Silencer (catchy name, no?) is a little pouch that you slip over your dog's tags.  Made of weatherproof Neoprene they come "in fashionable colors, and [are] designed to be left on your dog year-round, 24-7.  And there are no snaps to rust, unlike some of the 'collar wallets' currently on the market." (from the ItzaDog/Quiet Spot site)

My friend, C., found that her infant son found the shiny tags on their weimaraner's collar fascinating and tried to grab at them every chance he could.  After putting a Silencer over the tags, the baby left the dog's collar alone.  That dog wore his silencer pouch over his tags at doggie daycare, in the pool and lake, he even slept with it on, and the pouch never came off.  And the purple color looked smashing against his beautiful silver fur.  What's not to love? 

Tough, durable, good looking and keeps your house a little quieter.  Lana and Fisher give the Quiet Spot Pet Tag Silencer their paw of approval.

You can order this product directly from the ItzaDog store for $8.00 (US).  A bargain for a little peace and quiet.