GollyGear is offering 10% off on all items until Sept 15. Code: dogdays.

Nina Ottosson Plastic Interactive Toys: These are incredibly popular and trend-setting interactive toys for dogs. The purpose is to get your dog to locate where the hidden treats are in the toys. They either have to move objects (Magic) or slide them (Brick), or spin the toy (Spinny) to reveal the treat!

Prices varies: Spinny is selling at 29.70, Magic (below) is $31.50, and Brick (above) is $40.50. These prices are already 10% off plus you’ll still get an additional 10% reduction with the coupon code.

EasyGo and EasyGo Sailor Harness & Leash Set: These aren’t just  your regular vest-type harnesses, they’re stylish and comfortable—the vest is made of soft cotton jersey material with slight padding and mesh on the other side. They come in two unique looks—EasyGo and EasyGo Sailor (seen on the right) and 8 different colors for EasyGo and 2 colors for EasyGo Sailor.

EasyGo is priced at $18.95 and EasyGo Sailor goes for $20.95. Both comes in 4 sizes—extra small to large. The leash is 3/8 inch wide. Go walk in style!

EntirelyPets is offering $10 off on small FURminator and $15 off on Medium and Large Furminators. Code: FURMSPECIAL10 and FURMSPECIAL15 respectively. Expires: Dec 31, 09

FURminator deShedding Tools: If you’re still contemplating on getting this revolutionary grooming tool, FURminator, to groom your dog’s double coat, think no more. With this crazy summer heat, your dog will thank you for getting the FURminator. Plus your hubby will stop accusing you of cloaking the bathtub and toilet drain with “your” hair!

Prices are $29.99 for small, $44.99 for medium, and $54.99 for the large ones. These prices are before discount.

Wysong is offering 18% off on ALL items. Code: Click here to get SDP exclusive coupon deal.

Introductory Pack: If you’re thinking of switching to BARF diet or just different brand for your dog, Wysong Introductory Pack is the best option to do so. It comes with both dry and raw food which make the transition less taxing on your dog’s digestive tract. Price: $17.99 (read my review here) for Dog Intro pack and $47.99 for Raw Intro Pack. Prices are before discount. Each Wysong Product Introductory Pack contains:

• 4 lb. bag of Maintenance
• 1 Small Bag of Dream Treats
• 2 Single Dream Treats
• 2 Pouches of UnCanny
• 1 Au Jus Turkey 5.5 oz can
• 1 Sample of Archetype™ (FREE)
• 1 Sample of DentaTreat™ (FREE)
• 1 Sample of Addlife™ (FREE)

Please do remember to check out my pet coupon and exclusive coupons pages regularly for more discounts and deals.

Two or more decades ago, rawhide chews were the “only” option for dog owners who are looking for durable chew toy to meet their dog’s oral hygiene requirements and at the same time to keep them mentally stimulated. Fast forward, if you have a dog for at least 7 years or been into any pet stores lately, you know rawhide is so passe—no offense to anyone who still buy them for their dogs.

Rawhides, without a doubt, are tough chew toys. However, I wouldn’t recommend them as substitutes or in addition to your dog’s chew toys inventory. If you must gave your dog rawhide chews, I highly suggest that you give it only if you can supervise closely as pieces of rawhide may break off and choke your dog.

So what chew toys should you get for your dog to keep him happy, entertained, and content without destroying your personal belongings?

Best Dog Toys For Serious Chewers and Easily Bored Dogs

It’s very easy for me to list 20 chew toys that meet the above criteria. For starters, and not to burn a hole in your pocket, I’ll list my favorite 7 that my dogs and clients’ gave their unsolicited endorsements.

When it comes to chew toys, keep in mind that dogs have many preferences for them. Some like them to be interactive or chewable or easily carried, pulled, and tossed around or a combination of two or all the above. In any case, it’s can be a challenge for you to get just one chew toy that meets all his preferences. Usually you’ll have to get at least two but no more than four chew toys to satisfy his ferocious chewing needs. Do replace them as they wear off.

Now this brings us to the durability issue, sad to say this isn’t your dog’s criterion. This is the decision only your pocket can determine. Seriously, durability of the chew toy depends on many factors—quality of the product, handle and usage, dog’s jaw strength, and sharpness of his teeth. Without further ado, here’s the list of dog chew toys in no particular order.

Babble Ball Interactive Toy: Basically this is an interactive dog toy that make animal sounds when touched or it triggered by breath or wind movement. Many of my previous dogs hate toys that give off sounds be it touched or not hence I don’t buy them. But after seeing my recently adopted rambunctious Silkie, Kiki, having a blast with it since day one, my perception changed. Timid dogs may not take any fancy to this toy but given enough time and proper introduction I think this toy will be a hit. Who can believe this little battery-operated toy is such a tough cookie! The only complain I have is the loud noise which can be irritating when you’re on the phone, watching TV, or at work. So I improvise it and made a cushioned pouch to muffled the noise or I’ll just hide it somewhere when I don’t want any distraction!

West Paw Design Zogoflex Hurley: Pastel colored items always give me the impression of frailty and impermanency. So I bought this for Zody, a gentler chewer compared to Kiki. However, when Kiki found out it’s able to bounce, bend, float, roll, and is chewable with no foul taste, it soon became part of her toy inventory. I couldn’t find any faults with this chew toy. It cleans easily. It’s light weight and yet super tough.

Earthdog Hemp Rope Toys: If your dog is a heavy chewer, loves to fetch, tosses items in the air, carries toys whenever he goes, and most importantly enjoy tug-of-war game, then this rope toy is a must have. It is  made from 100% hemp (hypoallergenic) so no worries about your dog chewing some chemical ingredients which names are unpronounceable.

Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Recycle Toys: It’s two different toys here—a ball and a bone—but made of the same materials. For small dogs, get the bone as the ball is just way too big for their mouth to sank upon. It’s durable but not as tough as others that I mentioned here. However, because it has a minty scent, my dogs love to chew the bones. Believe it or not, the minty scent in their mouths lingers for hours after they chewed on them—even their paws smell minty!

Kong Dental Sticks for Dogs: When this Kong stick makes its debut in my local pet stores, I had my doubts of its longevity. First, it lacks appealing factor…at least for me. Secondly, it’s as hard as a piece of rock. Since I can seriously hurt someone (by hitting, of course) I reckon it’ll withstand rough usage especially for compulsive chewers. True enough, one Kong stick lasted 5 months of daily use. This Kong stick serves 3 purposes—as a fetch toy, treat dispenser, and dental cleaning tool (apply dog toothpaste inside the grooves).

Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Ball: Made from the same company as the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Recycle Toys. This bouncy ball is slightly smaller so it’s an ideal chew toy for small dogs. Because of its uneven surface (continents), the ball doesn’t roll as fast and smoothly as regular rounded balls. Having said, those lands wear off after 4 days of chewing leaving only the ocean (blue ball) in turns it emits more minty scent when chewed. Do check the size of the ball periodically as it gets smaller and smaller after months of chewing. Discard the ball if it seems too small as your dog might ingest it.

Classic Kong Chew Toy: Ah, the famous and time-tested Kong ball. As many dog owners would say, “It’s hard not to like this mulit-functional kong ball.”

Once the dog gets started it can be difficult to make him stop. As a matter of fact, most dogs do it occasionally if no preventive measure is taken. However, it is not impossible to eliminate this behavior for good or even prevent it from happening. So don’t go all panicky just yet. I’ll explain why they have such a repulsive behavior, what danger it might lead and show you ways to suppress this appetite.

Why Do Dogs Eat Feces?

Seeking Nutrients Not Found in their Diet. Remember that dogs didn’t magically appear on the earth fully domesticated and ready to do our bidding. They’ve evolved from thousands of different breeds of wild dogs, many of whom were scavengers. Consuming the fecal matter of little woodland creatures was an excellent way to consume extra vitamins, so the behavior is sometimes hard-wired into dogs.

Out of Boredom. In the wild, wolves have “jobs”. The adults hunt for food and protect the youngs. The parent wolves establish the rules within their own family while the adults and adolescents help enforce the rules within the pack. When wolf pups are not sleeping they spend most of their time socializing with their siblings and other adults. Whereas domesticated dogs these days aren’t fortunate enough to earn a minimum wage.

It’s Delicious. As dumb as it sounds to us, dogs find feces to be quite a tasty treat because of the pungent smell.

Any Sign of Danger I Should be Concerned About?

While eating his own feces doesn’t usually cause any health problem, it sure does make your dog unpleasant to be around with. However eating feces from other dogs could pose potential hazard as stools might contain parasites or be the source of serious infection diseases; which eventually result in nutritional deficiencies or blood loss. Seek immediate veterinary attention if your dog seems to be tired or losing weight. And if your dog consumes large amounts of kitty litter it can result in intestinal obstructions.

11 Ways to Prevent your Dog from Eating Poop

1. Quality Premium Dog Food. Most reputable, pet food manufacturers use surplus nutrients from the human food chain in their products that are designed to have all the nutrients most young dogs need. So don’t compromise on giving inferior dog food to your pooch. Highly Recommend: Natural Balance, Wysong, Taste of the Wild.
2. Supplement his Diet. If your dog eats homemade cooked food on a daily basis, you could add multi-vitamin to his food to ensure he is not lacking certain vitamins or minerals in his diets. Read more about the importance of dog vitamins and supplements here and some of my recommendations.
3. Change Its Taste. You can buy product like Stool Eating Deterrent or 8in1 Excel Deter Coprophagia for Dogs (both are equally effective but the latter one is cheaper) to put into his food that makes the stool undesirable fare. Usually it takes a couple lessons for the dog to quit his repulsive behavior for good. If unsuccessful or repeated occurrence, increase the dosage. Eventually your dog will get the hint. This method is only workable if your dog eats his own stools. If you have more than one dog, you might have to add this on all your dogs’ meals.
4. Spice It Up. Add Tabasco or cayenne pepper to the stools. However do this with caution as it might backfire. Although dogs dislike fiery spices but if your dog couldn’t resist the temptation of eating feces, chances he might have serious tummy aches later on.
5. Clean Up After Him. The best and zeo-cost approach is to simply pick up his stools or others (your other cats and dogs) immediately after they have done before temptation strikes. Of course, it would be less hazardous if everyone dog owner picks up after their pets when walking them in public places.
6. Supervise Outdoor Activities. I know it sounds ridiculous to follow your dog everywhere he goes but least you could do is to be watchful while you walk your dog. Do not allow your dog to roam too far in the park or freely in the neighborhood. Keep the leash short when you stop to chat with friends on the streets.
7. Crate Training. It is without a doubt that using crate as a house training tool for young dogs is very effective, it is also important to allow your dog out often enough to do his business. By keeping him in the crate for too long, he might defecate within the confined area and end up “cleaning them” without you knowing it.
8. Routine. Dogs are creatures of habits. You have to set specific time for specific activities in order to keep any misfits from occurring to its minimum. Dogs defecate 1 to 3 times a day – when he wakes up in the morning, before and/or after a meal, and before bedtime.
9. Limit Treats. Cliché…“What goes in must come out”. The more you feed him food of no nutritional values, the more your dog has to defecate. This is where the vicious cycle begins. For all you know, you might reward your dog for the wrong behavior. Here’s an example, after consuming a hearty meal of two dung sausages without your knowledge, your dog came slugging by your side on the sofa for a nap. Seeing his cute and demure behavior, you offer him a bite of your sandwich. Yucky!
10. Be Productive. Dogs usually develop foul habits or behavioral problems when they have too much time on their hands paws. One of the best ways to keep them occupied is to teach your dog tricks, obedience lessons and/or incorporate fitness workout routine.
11. Stock Up Toy Inventory. While you are out or busy, make sure your dog has plenty of safe toys and chews to keep him busy. My favorite is using Kong ball and fill it with bread and peanut butter or cheese spread. This can be hours of fun for your dog. It is highly effective when you alternate the toys so that your dog won’t be bored with the same old stuff. Do not overuse food treats even they are nutritional otherwise we are back to point #9.

On a lighter note, most puppies usually outgrow this behavior but it will not disappear completely without your intervention.

It was never my intention to hide in the first place. I just don’t have enough room to showcase my mini collections. As a matter of fact, they are close to mint condition. I’m sure I can fetch pretty good price for my Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang comics in ebay. But I won’t. I still enjoy reading them.

Two Things about Collectible Addicts.

• There is no age restriction in collecting collectibles especially stuff like Snoopy.
• There is nothing to be ashamed of even the collectibles are a bit kiddy. (If it’s not “Hello Kitty”, I’m alright with it…no offense to kitty fans. )

Though I don’t buy Snoopy and Peanuts collectibles as fanatically as before but periodically I still shop for odd pieces like clocks, mugs, cushions and calendars for friends and myself. Peanuts collectible is one of the most welcome gifts for many dog lovers. If you are a big fan of evergreen collectibles like Betty Boop and Dr. Seuss, then you are in for a neat treat. However, my all time favorite still is Snoopy and Peanuts collectibles. They have a wide range of selections. If I have baby, I’d have bought the whole set of Snoopy nursery accessories instead I bought a couple of boxers for you-know-who.

On retrospect, I’m glad that I retain almost all my Peanuts collectibles from rubber stamps to telephone; something to reminiscent about my early teens.

Yes! Of course they do need toys. And no, they don’t need all of them that are available in the pet stores. However you do need at least two toys to start with once you bought your new companion home.

New pups and dogs need several toys of different kinds to keep them occupied, exercised, out of mischief and comfortable.

No doubt there are many dogs toys to choose from and can be quite overwhelming of the varieties offered; but that shouldn’t deter you from choosing the right ones for your dogs.

Here are the 5 golden rules you must know about dog toys before you introduce them to your dog.

Ignore these rules can be deadly. Ingrain them, both you and your dog will do wonders.

• Golden rule 1. Don’t introduce all toys at a time. Or he may think that everything that thrown at him are toys and can be chew on.
• Golden rule 2. Choose the right kind of toys for your breed and size. The primary rule for giving your dog the right toy should be large toys that can’t be lodged in the mouth or caught in the throat.
• Golden rule 3. Never discard slippers or shoes for him to chew on. No dogs on earth will be able to differentia between old or new shoes.
• Golden rule 4. Don’t think all the toys that infants play with are suitable for your dog. Especially so for puppy, because when they’re teething their canine teeth are far more piercing than any human teeth. Hence they may swallow pieces of the toy which may not be digestible.
• Golden rule 5. Although stuffed animals are great comforter for all dogs but they’re not ideal dogs toys. Even though there are some exceptional dogs that treat stuffed animals with affection but when anxiety strike, they may rip the plastic nose and eyes or the stuffed ears off and swallow them. These are risky indigestible items and can result very unpleasant vet visit for both you and your dog. If you really want your dog to enjoy the comfort of a stuff toy, then choose these plush toys here. These are one of the most safest dog toys online.