Goodies

Raw + whole foods.

They wait patiently for their food to be delivered. After Conker goes into a hysteric barkfest, of course.

In other news...

 

I got a Bark Box from My Rotten Dogs the other day! They dogs each got a turn chewing on that roasted bone (I don't give these normally) and each got to try the vegan veggie and barbecue treats. Obviously they liked the grill treats better, but I left them outside last night and something (raccoon) got into them. Oops. The toy is an eggplant from Planet Dog. I got excited about this since I was thinking of ordering a few toys from them. Juneau loves it and has claimed it as her new favorite toy. 

Ruff Wear: TurnUp

The other toy I got when I ordered some stuff from Altrec was a Ruff Wear TurnUp!

 I ordered the older discontinued kind in green for $7.49. They normally retail for around $10.

Juneau instantly decided the TurnUp was hers. She took it and carried it around with her and refused to let Conker touch it, much to his great annoyance.

The TurnUp is made from the same durable rubber that Ruff Wear uses with it's other toys. It's hollow in the middle and can be used like a Kong or similar toy that you can put kibbles or treats into. I wouldn't put wet food or stuff like that in it though, the openings are kinda small.

This toy is really easy to use. It's easy to grip and throw and it's odd shape and rubber material makes it bounce allover the place. It can get some pretty good air if it hits the ground right. And bounce over the fence into the neighbor's blackberry bushes.

 It's pretty durable too. Juneau has chewed on it quite a bit (I try not to let her do that) and so far she hasn't ruined any part of it yet.

Juneau loves playing with this toy. Since it bounces all over and sometimes pretty high, she can get it before Conker does who is a tyrant when it comes to playing with the same toy as another dog.

Something I find really fun is that the TurnUp can fit into a standard ChuckIt! This means I can give this thing a good heave and watch as Juneau really has to race to get it. That makes this one of my favorite dog toys when it comes to versatility.

Overall the TurnUp is a good toy. Durable, fun, able to be used in more than one way. If you can find it for a good price, I recommend you buy it. It's well worth what I paid for it.

Ruff Wear: Sqwash

One of the items I got in my package from Altrec is a Ruff Wear Sqwash.  Like usual, I got the older discounted type that comes in an orangeish yellow color instead of swirly purple berry goodness.

Older Sqwash looks like a squash.

I thought this toy would be a bit bigger than it actually is, but that works out good since Conker can easily grip it.  Like the other Ruff Wear toys, it's made out of a durable heavy rubber. It's hollow inside and the rubber isn't as thick as some other toys, so it is easier to squish.

Conker immediately claimed the Sqwash as his.

Conker began to play with it right away, then he settled down to chew on it. After a while Juneau got a hold of it and chewed as well, and while Ruff Wear says it's not a chew toy, so far neither of them have done any damage to it.

Juneau being harassed by Conker.

Juneau took to retrieving the Sqwash instantly. She loves it, almost more than a ball. The Sqwash, being lighter and thinner than some other Ruff Wear toys, can get some pretty neat air when it hits the ground, or shoot of at strange angles when it hits something. The dogs have to be paying attention when they play with it or they might lose sight.

Juneau patiently but excitedly waits for me to throw the Squash.

I decided to be stupid and took the Sqwash hiking on Dollar Hill (Mountain).  I figured I would only use it where the trail was flattish, but I did not do that. I began to toss the thing down the trail and watching the dogs chase after it as it ricocheted off the trees and down the hills was quite entertaining. Then, the inevitable happened.

It bounced down the hill, over the edge of the hill, and down into a ravine-thing that was about 250 feet deep. FFFFFF-CRAP! My brand new, $9 toy that I'd had for less than 4 hours was down there somewhere, and I'd have to go look for it, and it happened to be the exact same color as the leaves covering the ground.  I was not in a good mood.

I watched the dogs run around looking for it, and saw it in Conker's mouth a couple times, but being a Shiba he did not bring it back when I told him to. He bugged off and did other things more important than listening to me.
As I prepared to climb down into the ravine to find it...

Juneau returns.

I saw Juneau approaching, with the Sqwash in her mouth!  Good girl Juneau!  She got much praise, treats and loving for returning the toy to me, and while for a moment I wanted to chuck it back down there to see if she could do it again, I refrained from doing so.

Juneau brings the Sqwash back.

So, as a word of caution to you, DON'T PLAY WITH THIS NEAR BIGASS RAVINES!  It will inevitably end up at the bottom, and unless you have an obsessive retriever with you, you probably will not find it.

Overall, this is a very good toy. Lots of fun even if your dog (Conker) doesn't retrieve so well, since it gets their chase-and-catch instincts into gear with it's erratic bouncing.  Like Ruff Wear says, I wouldn't recommend it as a chew toy since it's not meant for that, but you can load it with treats or kibble and use it like a Kong if you want.

The Sqwash retails for around $12 on Ruff Wear's site and many other online retailers, but if you are like me, you can find it for cheaper if you look hard enough.

Ruff Wear: Gourdo

The first Ruff Wear toy I bought was this little orange thing I found while at Cabelas during last Christmas.  I cost $8.88, not the greatest deal but it was the only one I had found that was not online for a similar price.
The little orange thing is... The Gourdo.  I also found a blue Gourdo at Cabelas for $6.88 and got that one a few days after I got the first. 

Gourdo of two colors and sizes.

The Gourdo comes in two sizes, and formerly, three colors. Black, blue and orange.  The newer version only comes in orange but its swirly orange, so I guess that makes it cooler.

Conker with the small orange Gourdo in Arizona.

It's a durable, heavy toy with a rope on one end for the owner to grab and use to throw, or tug with, to avoid slobber.  It's a handy attachment but care needs to be taken with chewers: they will go right for that rope and chew it off.

Juneau with the large blue Gourdo .

Something I find cool about the Gourdo is that it bounces quite a bit.  Despite it being a somewhat heavy toy (even the smaller one has some weight to it) it can catch some good air when it hits the ground right.  This makes it more fun for the dogs since it can bounce over them and they have to try to maneuver correctly to catch it.

Despite it's size and weight, Conker can carry the large Gourdo .

The more enthusiastic smaller dogs can even play with the larger Gourdo .  Conker actually prefers it to the smaller one when Juneau is playing as well.

Juneau waits patiently for me to throw the Gourdo .

Since this toy is pretty heavy, it could potentially do some damage so I don't recommend playing with it inside. Plus since it bounces, even a short toss could result in something getting smashed. And a dog who jumps the gun and gets ahead can easily be hit with it, but so far none of mine have seemed to notice. (I don't intentionally try to hit them, it just happens.)

Tug with the Gourdo is fun.

Overall this seems to be a pretty good toy. Juneau hasn't been able to put a dent in it yet and hasn't had the opportunity to destroy the rope (I know she will if she gets the chance) and the two who will pick it up seem to really enjoy playing with it.  (Sasha will try to steal it but will drop it as soon as it's hers.)

I have seen the newer model of the Gourdo and couldn't really find much of a difference other than color, so if you can find the older models for a cheaper price, I recommend buying them.  It's on sale on Ruff Wear' site and several others across the web.

More Things to Come

I got a package in the mail today.  It looks like a paper bag with something oddly shaped in it. And while it has my name on it, the contents are, like usual, not actually for me.

I was shocked at the speed of at which this package came, and on a Saturday to boot!  I ordered it two days ago, got free (normal) shipping and didn't put any rush on it or nothing. So, in my book, ordering online from Altrec is a stinkin good deal since the items I bought were on sale, with free shipping, and got here in two friggin days! If only they had more things I wanted on sale... (I guess it helps that they are in Bend, or at least the stuff shipped from there.)

After opening the paper baggish thing and inspecting the contents, I tossed them across the room for Conker and Juneau. Conker played with the green one first, then the yellow, and Juneau claimed (and still has) the green one as her own.

Motion blur, courtesy of Fuji.

I thought the yellow one was going to be a bit bigger than it actual is, and I figured Conker would have a hard time holding it. Not so, he loves it! He likes to squish it (despite the lack of a squeaker) and carries it around with him wherever he goes.
Reviews on these two items will be up in a week or so.

Nihon Ken and Shiba Inu secret Santa gifts.

This is what I got for the gift exchanges on the Nihon Ken and Shiba Inu forums!

From the Nihon Ken person:

One of the last pictures taken by the Cannon.

A huge assortment of chews from best bully sticks!  I have been meaning to order something from them but still have yet to get around to it, and this has convinced me that I need to sooner or later, when this stash runs out.  (Not pictured are two twisty things that Conker snatched up and concumed seconds before I snapped this.)

From the Shiba person:

Terrible picture due to stupidity of Fuji.

A squeaky chicken thing, some Greenies, a roll of doggy bags (haha, I loved that) and a daypack!  I really like the little pack since it's not as big as the Ruffwear Approach and lays quite flat against Conker's shoulders.  When I go on hikes in Cathedral Hills I'd like to be able to have Conker carry something without having to take the big red saddle bags along, and this fits the bill perfectly.  Plus I won't have to cart his... goodies... around for him anymore XD

Premier Busy Buddy: Twist N' Treat

When Conker was younger I got him this treat dispensing toy made by Premier.  It's in the Busy Buddy line and the toy itself is a Twist N' Treat.

I got Conker the puppy model in size small or medium, I can't remember right now which one it is.

Basically this toy has two pieces.  You unscrew it, fill it with treats or kibble, screw it back together then give to your dog.  You can adjust the difficulty by leaving it more or less open (there are two notches on the sides for the treats to fall through) and the smaller the holes the more the dog has to work to get the stuff out.

Here is a video of Conker playing with the toy:

He is kinda dumb in the video since it had been a long while since the last time he'd played with this toy.  I also used treats that were a bit too big and were hard to get out.  But he seemed to remember the jist of how it worked, though this was the first time I'd seen him use his paws to work the toy.

Anyways, when he was done with it Conker really wanted me to put more treats in so he could play again.  I'd forgotten how much he used to love this toy when he was younger.  He liked it so much that when he was on kibble it's how I fed him a lot of the time.
This particular Twist N' Treat is a little small for Conker now, if he were eating kibble, but since he doesn't it's fine for treats only.

I can't remember the exact price I paid for this, but I think it was around $7-8 bucks.  The bigger models go for closer to $10-12. It's a bit steep for a toy that has basically one purpose but Conker really likes it and it's still alive so I guess it was worth it.  This one is the puppy version, and there are others for adults but since Conker isn't much of a chewer I cannot really state how durable it is.
It is built pretty well.  It's made of thick rubber stuff and is hard for a dog to unscrew.

Chuckit! High Bounce Ball

I finally got around to getting a non-tennis ball for Juneau to fetch.  I got two Chuckit balls for $7.99 at the Grange, not an excellent price but better than everywhere else I've seen.

They come in dark blue light blue, orange or a combo of colors.  I picked out dark blue. I wanted a dark and light blue and could have easily switched one of the light blues out of the light blue/orange pack but I don't like doing that so I just left it as is.

This thing is very simple, it's a ball.  Take it out of the package and throw it.  Or use it with a Chuckit like I did.  It does this to your dog.

Juneau thinks this new Chuckit ball is the best. ball. ever.

It's much heavier than a normal tennis ball and takes a bit more power to throw but goes much farther and bounces like a sonofagun.  I saw Juneau jump the highest I've ever seen today, nearly six feet in the air.  Unfortunately she didn't catch the ball and it bounced off her teeth another twenty feet or so.  I'm just glad it landed inside the dog park fence, not outside where the evil blackberry bushes are.

This ball does not float so don't use it around water.  It's hollow and has a hole through it, probably to make it bounce like mad.  So be careful around water if you are near it.  The orange or light blue ball you may be able to retrieve but the dark blue, good luck finding that in a river.

Price-wise it's okay.  It makes up for that with it's durability.  So far it's held up quite well to Juneau's chewing.  I'll update this if she ever destroys it.

EDIT:  I've had the Chuckit! High Bounce Balls for more than seven months and I have yet to see any wear on them.  Juneau knoshes down on them pretty hard but so far they have held up wonderfully.

Homemade toys and a slight "redesign"

I made Conker a toy out of a strip of Pac-man fleece and a tennis ball.  I stabbed some holes in the tennis ball then stabbed the fleece through and knotted them on either end.  I made what I now call a Four-Legged Spiderball.

The Spiderball is the perfect toy for Conker.  He can fetch, tug and shake all he wants with just one toy. These are the kinds of toys I need for him since he doesn't do well with single-purpose toys.  The best part about the Spiderball is that it was completely free!  I prefer to make toys I see in the stores (if possible) instead of spending roughly $10 on something that's eventually gonna break and need to be replaced. 

The Spiderball can easily be chewed apart so it's not recommended for heavy chewers.  The Spiderball can be used in water (floats) and is compatible with a Chuckit so dogs who love water or like to retrieve will enjoy this toy.  The Spiderball can also be flung by the fleece legs so even those heavy retrievers without a Chuckit can still get some good distance from it.

I plan on making several more Spiderballs with different types of legs.  I'll be sure to post about them when they arrive.



In other news...

I made the banner image blue instead of plain ol' black and white.  (I know how to do that with real prints HOMG it's so freakin fun) so if you think it looks funky let me know and I'll mess with it a bit more.

Chuckit!: Review

I got Conker a Chuckit for his birthday, but it was mainly for use with Juneau.  I never did get one with Conker since he isn't that big of a fetcher and will also loose sight or interest if the ball goes too far.  Or another dog will get it first.
But when I began taking Juneau to the dog park, I knew I had to get one.  Constant throwing of tennis balls for her made my arm hurt even though I was throwing the ball correctly.  So off I went and got myself a bright orange Chuckit thing.

It cost me $11.99 at Mini Pet Mart.  It might have been cheaper at The Grange but I didn't want to drive all the way out there to see.  Petco was about 15.99 so that wasn't even an option.

I got thew older model Chuckit since I didn't even know if the dogs would like it.  And at first Juneau didn't. She was afraid of it, like she always is with new things.  but after I showed her that a ball goes into it and gets thrown really far... now she loves it!

The Chuckit takes a few throws to get used to.  If you just huff it the ball will fly straight up or way off to one side.  You have to throw it gently for the first few tries to get an idea of where the ball is released.  After that though, go at it, you fetcher will love it!  I'm normally able to throw about half the length of the dog park (it's kinda small) but with the Chuckit I can almost get the ball completely to the other side.  I don't know the exact distance but it's pretty darned far.

One of the only problems with the Chuckit other than getting used to the release point is that you need to be aware of who or what is around you.  I whacked a tall dog on the back with it once (but he didn't care) so make sure there aren't any dogs or kids in the general vicinity if you're going for distance.
Another thing is that your arm will begin to hurt after a long while.  Not how throwing a ball normally does though.  The top of your lower arm, where the hair grows, whatever that muscle is, will get tired.  I guess since it's used for stabilizing the Chuckit and keeping it upright when you swing.  Go get a stick and swing it around and feel for the muscle keeping it upright and you'll know what I'm talking about.

All in all the Chukit is a very good toy for dogs who love to fetch.  It's not too expensive and if you get the standard or "medium" variety you can use any kind of regular tennis ball with it so you don't have to buy the Chukit balls if you loose one.  Like I did with mine on the fifteenth throw.
It's also very durable, as long as you don't let your dog chew on it.

Chuckit!  Juneau approved.

Happy Birthday Conker!

Today is Conker's birthday!  He is one year old.  I got him when he was four months so I've had him for eight.  He is by far my favorite dog that I've owned and am looking forwards to many more years with him.

Conker's presents are:

An orange Chuckit (that I actually got for Juneau) and some Lamb flavored Jerky Naturals.

Three beef trachea chews (all natural, from the farmer's market) and best of all...

A Cornish hen!  Conker freaked out when he saw the take the hen out of the fridge.  Up until then he'd never seen it but instantly knew what it was and he had this amazed look on his face, it was priceless.  It was almost like he was thinking "Is that whole chicken for me?  Really?  And I can eat however much I want?  No way!  This is so awesome!"  And he about did eat the whole thing.  He left a bit if meat and bone that he'll get tomorrow since he ate so much today.

Yep!  And that's that.  We're probably gonna go to the dog park later and play around with the Chuckit a bit after Conker's had time to digest his meal.

Happy Birthday Conker the Shiba Inu.