Palisades Pack Review

By workingdogswin
31
Oct 2010

First off, let me apologize for my extended absence! I was on a trip that required a chunk of time to recover from. Today, we’ve got the Porsche of the dog backpack world. For those of you just needing a simple, around-the-town backpack, this one is not for you. For those of you needing a backwoods, heavy-hitter, almost nothing else will do!

Logistics first. The Palisades Pack is built by Ruffwear, a doggie company made for the performance and every day working dog. I can’t say enough good things about Ruffwear. Their products are innovative and creative. They’re built to last and the ergonomically correct. The products look extremely sleek and much like human athlete gear, it’s tough and lightweight. The Palisades pack is a bit more expensive than other packs, ringing in at $124.95. Like a performance human pack, though, it is more than worth its weight in gold. It’s built with the award-wining Ruffwear Webmaster Harness as a base. This harness ensures exact weight distribution, that the pack won’t slip, rotate or chafe, and that your dog is comfortable all day long. The pack itself has multiple large pockets and comes with 2, one liter water bladders that have their own pockets. It’s compression-able, meaning the load can be shifted from the back of the pack towards your dog’s shoulders with a simple tightening of the straps.

The Good:

  • EXTREMELY well built. This pack has been literally drug through hell and pack. It doesn’t have a mark on it and cleans up like a charm.
  • Since it’s built with the Webmaster base, this pack can be given an EXACT fit for YOUR dog, not some dog weight between 50 and 65 pounds.
  • The pack (and load) separates from the Webmaster harness in order to give your dog a break.
  • The harness underneath is fully functional, including the customary Webmaster metal leash loop.
  • The pack has a handle to help assist your dog over any obstacles and to help maintain control if needed.
  • This pack looks extremely sleek and professional. Gimme Grace Dog Training uses this pack (and the Webmaster harness) exclusively for their SAR and service canines.
  • Ruffwear itself is extremely pleasant to work with. They’re quick, friendly and helpful.

The Bad:

  • Extremely limited color selection. You can have red . . . . or red.
  • The buckles attaching the pack to the harness are difficult to reach and get to, especially when the pack is loaded.
  • This pack is easy to overload, especially for a beginning backpacker.
  • This pack is initially extremely confusing. I searched for the water bladder pocket for quite some time and still only found it the next day. There are a lot of buckles and straps and pockets. Once you get used to it, though, you’ll wonder how you ever had it any other way.
  • It’s a bit of overkill for most people’s needs. Those that do need this pack, though, will have a hard time functioning with anything else.

Final Notes: The Palisades Pack is well worth the cost. I rate this pack at a 4 out of 5 stars and back it fully.

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Luxury Crate Mattress Review

By workingdogswin
17
Oct 2010

Picture this: 2 inches of foam insert, an inch of high-loft, cushy fiber and an extremely cute cover. What do you have? A crate mattress fit for a king (or queen!).

The Bowsers Luxury Crate Mattress is extremely high-quality and durable. This mattress has stood up to a TON of abuse and use here at Working Dogs Win. We used it not only in a crate, but also to teach the “place” command and as an every day bed. It easily survived the house breaking of a stubborn Aussie puppy. Clean-up was a snap: I hosed it off and let it dry outside.

It comes in 18 different fabric and color selections to suit every home and decor. It’s sized by crates but it goes from a very small crate (suitable for a 10 pound dog) to the Giant Vari-kennel sized crates (suitable for a Great Dane). This bed isn’t cheap. The smallest size is close to $60 and the largest, $138. While extremely high quality, the dogs didn’t really seem to care if it were there or not. If the Bowsers Crate Mattress were swapped out for a different crate pad, the dogs still crated just as readily. When the mattress was used as an every day bed, the dogs avoided it for the snuggle balls and Dolgi Donut beds, even though those beds were all less expensive. When used for the “place” command, the dog’s didn’t really care WHAT the place was. Long story short, it’s a really nice bed but it’s very expensive. For those that want an expensive, high-quality bed, the Bowser’s Crate Mattress might be for you. For everyone else, there’s going to be another option.

I do wish that this bed hadn’t shipped with such a large tag on it. My Aussie and APBT would grab the tag and drag the bed around. I’ve noticed this behavior occuring with other beds, too. If there’s not a tag (or the tag gets cut off), then they leave the bed alone and use it for its intended purpose.

All in all, I’d rate this at a 3 out 5. It’s pretty and it helps spruce up a crate but it’s very expensive and the dogs could really care less either way.

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Rugged Outdoor Coat Review

By workingdogswin
10
Oct 2010

Black Dog Farm‘s Rugged Outdoor Coat is a coat like few others. Most dog coats fasten across the chest, a style that seriously limited mobility as a dog can’t fully extend it’s front legs. The Rugged Outdoor Coat is built for sporting and working dogs and stands up to the wear and tear.

Black Dog Farm hand-makes every Rugged Outdoor Coat. You measure your dog, choose your colors and Black Dog Farm does the rest! This coat is tailor-made for you dog, with a warm, fleece lining and a rugged, tough outer shell made of denier nylon. To the touch, it’s similar to the type of fabric used in Carharrt coats. While the coat repels moisture and liquids, it almost seems to attract dirt. That’s really not a problem, though, as this coat is machine washable and cleans up sparkly-clean every time! There are reflective stripes for safety on the sides of every coat.

This coat doesn’t “pick.” Even when run through briars and used as a safety vest for vaulting dogs, it doesn’t show any wear. This coat is both high quality and economical. For under $42, your dog can have a coat that will last his/her lifetime.

The Rugged Outdoor Coat comes in 9 colors and 4 stock sizes. However, Black Dog Farms DOES custom make coats. Prices range from $30 to $42, depending on size. Toni of Black Dog Farms is personable and helpful, willing to assist with obtaining the proper measurements and helping you to determine what you need. She’s not afraid to tell you if a product you’re after isn’t quite right!

Because the Rugged Outdoor Coat is one-piece, there are no straps to get in the way, buckles to break or zippers to get stuck. The velcro used to secure the coat does gather dirt but is easily cleaned. Since the coat has a solid, strap-free surface across the back and sides of the dog, it’s perfect to put service dog or search and rescue dog patches on. An additional use could be for Dog Scouts of America patches.

For working dog handler’s with short-coated dogs, this coat is an invaluable choice because it allows your dog to freely move, something many coats don’t. I give the Rugged Outdoor Coat a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. This coat has minimal reflective surfaces and attracts dirt (buts cleans VERY easily). It’s also extremely well-made and is one of the few coats that allow complete mobility.

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Working Dog Lead Review

By workingdogswin
03
Oct 2010

Katrina, from Bold Lead Designs, crafts solid, beautiful leather leashes. She has other equipment, as well. Her Working Dog Lead is custom-made for working dog handlers. This leash has a snap at each end, a floating ring and a fixed ring. It has braided accents that add a subtle beauty to the craftsmanship.

This leather leash quickly became my favorite. Here at Working Dogs Win, we have a variety of leashes in many different styles. This one is the one I grab first. The leather is soft and supple yet strong. It has enough “give” to it to provide a touch of yield yet not enough to stretch.

Every leash is custom-made. You can choose from 4 different widths. The variety of sizes allows you to choose a width especially for your wants, needs, dog’s size and temperament. Katrina offers a variety of snaps and closures to fit every sport or day to day life need.

The Working Dog Lead comes in two colors, tan and black. The black leather is a touch grainy at first but once broken in is just as soft and supple as the natural tan leather. This leash has proven extremely tough. I used it during the review to leash-break a very stubborn and mouthy Australian Shepherd puppy. It doesn’t have a mark on it, even after being chewed and mouthed. I’m not saying its chew-proof; I’m just saying its tough and  high-quality.

The floating ring is stellar for using as a slip collar or for additional security. The fixed ring can be used to attach your dog to a tree or post. I fastened mine around my waist and it works like a charm! The fixed ring is located about mid-way down the leash. As such, a skinny person would have a hard time using it as a hands-free leash because it doesn’t stay in place! However, just flip the leash around and use the floating ring.

Katrina herself is extremely personable and a real pleasure to work with. If you’re not sure what you want or need, she’ll help you figure it out.

This leash is expensive but well-worth it for the craftsmanship, quality and beauty. The Working Dog Lead is $46 in tan and $52 in black. I rate this product at a 4 out of 5.

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Help JoJo Win!

By workingdogswin
27
Sep 2010

Please vote for JoJo! She’s a gorgeous American Pit Bull Terrier with “From the Heart” rescue. If she gets the most votes, she can win $5,000.00 in food for her rescue! There are no signing up, no forms and nothing to fill out. Just check the box next to Jojo’s name. Please, help this beautiful girl out!

http://rallytorescue.org/doingmoreforpets/Vote.aspx

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KONG Wobbler Review

By workingdogswin
26
Sep 2010

It wibbles and wobbles but it doesn’t fall down! The KONG Wobbler is a spinning system of mayhem . . . . Err, treat dispensing!

Enter the KONG Wobbler: a 1.75 pound KONG-shaped tower of goodness.

Enter the treats: These can be kibble, KONG IQ treats or any other hard treat.

Enter the dog: Have dog, can play. Your dog must be at least 10 pounds.

The KONG Wobbler is a puzzle and every dog approaches it differently. We had four dogs participate in the KONG Wobbler review. First was Cheyla, a 70 pound, relatively slow American Pit Bull Terrier. It took her 8 weeks to learn how to use the Wobbler and she learned how by accident, by walking into it and sending it spinning across the room. From that point on, though, she was a Wobbler maniac. Her mouth was big enough to pick the Wobbler up and bring it to me so that I’d fill it and she could play.

Second dog was Echo, a 7 pound Siberian Husky puppy. She mastered the art of the wobbles in about 6 minutes. She stared at the Wobbler for 5 minutes and then attacked it and it was over! She received Wobbler victory! Out of all the dogs, she probably had the most fun during the KONG Wobbler review. The Wobbler was almost bigger than she was!

Third dog was Karma, and Australian Shepherd puppy. She looked at the Wobbler with disdain. How dare it hide her treats? How dare it not stay still? She doesn’t like the Wobbler even though she knows how to use it. She will stare at it for hours and then randomly start batting and pouncing on it in order to allow it to do its treat-dispensing dance.

Final dog is Koivu, an adult Boxer. She had no learning curve. She took one look at the wobbler and started nosing it around the room like a pro. The entire time, she wiggled and wagged as much as the Wobbler did.

This is a tough, fun, pleasant toy. It can stand up to a dog’s frustration from not being able to get to the treats (it survived Cheyla chewing on it for weeks) and it can stand being thrown around into various objects. It can be cleaned on the top rack of a dishwasher. It’s easy to pull apart and put back together. It’s GREAT to feed a dog who typically scarfs their meal down. Insert kibble, insert dog, let the play begin!

Unfortunately, the Wobbler only comes in one size and in one color. It’s impractical for feeding big dogs with and it’s almost impossible for little dogs to play with. Color choice is a personal preference but I prefer variety. The color it does come in is the vibrant, KONG red.

We rate this toy at a 4 out of 5! Go on, what are you waiting for? Give your dog a challenge and a bit of fun from the KONG Company!

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Canine Genius Toys Review

By workingdogswin
19
Sep 2010

Here at Working Dogs Win, we’re not too fond of the Canine Genius toys. We like the Mike toys better than the Leo toys, but we’re not fond of any of them. Here is a review from another group that is much more positive than this one. Remember, just because something doesn’t work for us here at Working Dogs Win doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Check out both sides of the coin here.

The premise is that the Canine Genius toys are a step up from the KONG. Truth be told, they’re several steps up from the KONG. We have KONG-literate dogs on the Working Dogs Win test team who can empty a KONG of ANYTHING (frozen or not) within 10 to 20 minutes. However, these same dogs, given the Genius toys, get frustrated and either give up or resort to brute force to get at the treats inside. The rubber is very soft and easily bitten off in chunks, especially on the Leo toy. We were always able to keep our dogs from swallowing the chunks but because of that tendency, these toys should NOT be left with any dog that has a history of toy destruction.

The Leo toys have several openings of two varieties. The first variety is the “x” hole. Four flaps of rubber form an “x” over the hole through which the dog is supposed to be able to manipulate treats out of. The last opening is at the top of the bowling-pin shaped toy. It’s a simple hole that leads to a neck that goes to the big belly of the toy. This toy is a bit easier than the Mike toy. These toys can be linked together and linked to the Mike toys to form a more difficult or time-consuming puzzle.

Cheyla responded to the Leo and Mike toys with pure, pit-bull frustration. This is a dog who was KONG-literate, Wobbler literate and Buddy-jug literate. She was quite familiar with how to remove treats for toys. After about 30 minutes of trying unsuccessfully to manipulate the small holes, she slung the toy against the wall and tried to rip it apart. She henceforth lost her Genius toy privileges.

Nazabel prefers the Mike toys. Mike toys are shaped like logs and have several “x” holes in them. She eventually learned to remove small, hard crunchy biscuits from the toy but even she still goes through bouts of frustration.

Karma was a bit different. The newest addition to the test team, Karma is only 14 weeks old or so. She didn’t approach the Leo toy with frustration. Like most kids, she came up with odd and humorous solutions. She lay flat on her back with the neck of the Leo toy in her mouth and sucked the toy dry of all treats.

Positives of the Canine Genius Toys

  • They come in bright, fun colors.
  • They come in two sizes for all breeds of dogs. The mini toys are suitable for small breeds and the regular toys for everyone else.
  • They do provide a time and brain-intensive puzzle.
  • They’re dish-washer safe.

Negatives of the Canine Genius Toys

  • The soft rubber is easily mutilated. Chunks are easily tore out of it which is extremely unsafe.
  • These toys cannot be left with a dog. Even the packaging is clearly marked, “NOT A CHEW TOY.”
  • These toys are EXTREMELY difficult. I had difficulty removing treats with my hands!
  • They’re expensive. $18.o0, to be exact. I don’t mind spending money on puzzle toys but this one just didn’t impress me, the dogs or anyone else on the team.

All in all, I’ll give this toy a 2 out of 5. It was a fun concept design but in functionality, it just quite doesn’t work.

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Dog ID Holder Review

By workingdogswin
12
Sep 2010

We all know that we should always have ID on our dogs. Sometimes, though, a collar is just a little too much. Perhaps you’re fed up with the noise or weight of a regular collar. Perhaps your dog has throat, breathing or trachial issues. Whatever the case, if you’re looking for a simple, elegant solution for your dog’s ID tags, look no further.

The California Collar Company hand-makes gorgeous, artisan, leather collars and ID holders. I was absolutely stunned by the simple glow and beauty in their craftsmanship. Being a dog product reviewer, I’ve encountered a LOT of leather collars, leashes and harnesses. All companies profess to use “quality” leather. Some leather is heavier than others. Some leather is more flexible.

California Collar Company’s leather, though, is stunningly rich, beautiful and gorgeous. It doesn’t feel dry, dead and used. It’s vibrant and nearly glowing. The craftsmanship is gorgeous. Every time our test dog, Cheyla, was seen in public in her ID Holder, people commented on both how pretty she was and on her “collar.” I used her ID holder to hold her service dog tags. The ring is centered instead of being extended from the leather and as such, the tags hang flat against the dog’s chest which makes them easily visible.

The ID holder isn’t meant to have a leash attached. It’s a thin, high quality strip of leather. It’s not wide enough to safely bear the weight of a large dog pulling against it. The ring isn’t large enough for most leashes, either, and because of the placement, the snap of the leash rests directly against the fur of the dog. On shorter-haired dogs like pitties, this is great potential for chafing. The ID holder also doesn’t fit like a collar . . . . it sits very low on the dog’s neck, close to the shoulders, which means it’s easily slipped.

Even more amazing, considering the high quality of this product, is its price. The basic ID Holder is only $14.00 and is worth every penny of that cost. With advanced options (such as studs, jewels or stamped leather) the cost rises. The California Collar Company ID Holder comes in 8 different colors of gorgeous, hand-dyed leather.

The customer service at California Collar Company is outstanding. They’re friendly, funny and helpful. They ship the collars extremely quickly and the collars come in a very cute, hand-stamped burlap bag.

The California Collar Company’s ID Holder gets a 4 out of 5. This is an extremely high-quality product that could add beauty to any breed of dog. It’s extremely functional and cost-effective. However, it’s easily slipped and not an absolute necessity.

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Disc Dogging

By workingdogswin
09
Sep 2010

After attending the Kentucky State Fair and watching the JUMP! Dog Show, I’ve been researching the trick and frisbee dog world like mad. The handler/dog bond is amazing, intricate and special. A couple of Lou’s dogs jumped into my arms and we struck up a conversation about basic trick shaping. While I knew the core of trick shaping, this takes it to a whole new level.

Since we’ve added an Australian Shepherd to the Working Dogs Win team, I have, of course, been dabbling and playing. She’s taken to tricks like a pig to mud and she’s motivated by the a really weird toy . . . . a Tux. She’ll do backflips for this critter . . . . literally! Since Karma is so young, however, we do our best to ensure she keeps as many feet on the ground as possible. She’s allowed to jump UP, but not down. Any landings are done on soft, padded areas or she’s picked up and places back on the ground. We’re very excited here at Working Dogs Win to see where this little girl takes us!

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A Pet’s Ten Commandments

By workingdogswin
07
Sep 2010

Before purchasing a working puppy, consider all of the following points. This list is not original but the message rings true.

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me. I want to please you but I need time to grasp what you want me to do.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, please go with me. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

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