Whether it be food, supplies, or a book, what product made living with your dogs more enjoyable?
I love the concept of kongs although I have never personally tried one.
Kongs, gotta love the Kongs. My Basenjis get digestive upsets with basically ANY other kind of chew. Except bully sticks, but they power-chew through those in 15 minutes; hardly worth the money!.
And even though I initially dismissed it as a silly gimmick….ya know the little Kong treats, specifically designed to fit up inside the Kong? I got a free sample of one when I bought a new Kong for my newest adopted dog….gave it a try. And I’ll be darned if they don’t WORK better than anything else I’ve ever stuffed inside a Kong!!!
They actually STAY up there & my male Basenji will literally spend half a day trying to get it out. Makes the Kong officially the longest-lasting chew toy I can find! It’s awesome, I’m sold….promptly went out & got a box of silly-gimmick Kong treats, by George.
I swear by my home-made flirt pole….as a great way to quickly exercise an active Cattledog mix, without having to go on a 10 mile jog. An hour or so, 2-3 times a day with the flirt pole and she’s ready for a nap. Gets her running, jumping, twisting, turning and generally having a great time. The Basenjis like it too, but lose interest after about 15 minutes. Only cost $9….for a 5 foot length of PVC pipe, a 5 foot nylon clothesline and a de-stuffed "fox" toy I bought on clearance at Tractor Supply. By any measure, the best bang for the buck of any dog toy I’ve ever spent money on.
I keep a can of plain pumpkin in the pantry because I’ve seen it work its magic. Almost too good to be true.
Food- quite frankly, the only thing that keeps weight on my mill rescue girl, is Blue Wilderness. Anything that’s not grain-free and she ends up with the runs & constantly regurgitates (NOT vomits, regurgitates) un-digested kibble, even hours after feeding. Other grain-free foods stop the diarrhea & regurgitation, but won’t keep weight on her. Have tried EVO, Taste of the Wild & one other food I can’t recall….but Blue Wilderness is the only thing that works. Sucks, too, because I can buy EVO & TOTW locally, but have to drive 70 miles to get Wilderness. 
Oh yeah, back when I used to do obed/agility with my Boxer, I was in LOVE with my Cabana Crate. Now you can buy lightweight canvas crates in Wal Mart for $40 but back then you had to special order them and they weren’t cheap. I always went to trials alone & HATED HATED lugging a heavy wire crate around, but I was too cheap & stubborn to buy the Cabana Crate, which was something like $150 back then! I finally relented, and spent the money, and could not believe what a wonderful difference it made LOL. Of course not 2 years later I retired that dog from any sort of competition & I still stubbornly refuse to part with my Cabana Crate (it’s in my garage 
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
the furminator- for grooming
natures miracle- for stains and odor
bags on board- for doggie poop bags
kong- to keep puppy happy when home alone (stuff it with peanut butter)
rice- for upset tummies
References :
A Safari Rake. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQUNO/ref=asc_df_B0002AQUNO818619?tag=the004-20&creative=380337&creativeASIN=B0002AQUNO&linkCode=asn
Since I show my dogs the Furminator isn’t a tool I’ll use. Too hard on the outter coat.
Book: The Whelping & Rearing of Puppies by Muriel P. Lee http://www.amazon.com/Whelping-Rearing-Puppies-Complete-Practical/dp/0793804973 My copy is so old that it is spiral bound – which I like since I can then set it open to the page I want to refer to whilst mid-whelping.
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Would be nice for the thumbs down fairy to kindly speak up and express why they believe that the things I swear by are wrong or inappropriate. My email is open.
Edit: Walking Lady – Tuna Fudge? Do tell!
References :
A good set of grooming supplies – slicker brush, mat splitter, comb, small scissors, a good sturdy pair of nail clippers, whatever your dog’s particular coat needs. You can never underestimate the value of well made grooming supplies, and it is absolutely worth it to splurge for the good ones because they will last forever. Ditto goes for a 6 ft. leather leash. Will never snap, will never fray, only gets better with time.
Since you mentioned Kongs, I’ll tell you, I love them. I’ve never once met a dog that could destroy a Kong, and they’re a great way to keep a dog busy on a car ride. They are worth every dollar, especially if you have a heavy chewer!
References :
Puppia-harness
Wetnoz-bowls
Petote-airlines carrier
Isle of Dog-shampoo/conditioner
Chris Christensen-brushs/combs
Bowser-pet beds
Nature’s Miracle-stain remover
Taste of the Wild-food
Sold Gold-food
Innova/Evo-food
Found My Animal-leash
References :
Mason Pearson brush because it doesn’t break a dog’s coat.
Soft-sided crate because it’s so light to carry.
Recipe for ‘tuna fudge’ because my dogs love it so much they’ll practically stand on their heads for it – great training reward.
More books than I can name, but 2 stand out – "Get Connected With Your Dog" by Brenda Aloff and "Getting in TTouch With Your Dog" by Linda Tellington Jones because Tellington Touch has such a wide variety of benefits.
Here’s the Tuna Fudge recipe:
2 cans tuna (or salmon) with water
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
sprinkle of garlic powder
small handful of Parmesan cheese
——-
Mix it all together really well and press into 9" greased, square pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into tiny squares. You can freeze this, too.
References :
Kongs, Kong Balls, they are amazing. Dafne CAN’T break it, and she loves to just sit and chew on it. Knuckle bones, or any of the other Merrick bones.. uhm.. soft sided crates for my little dog, it fits inbetween the front seats of my car, so he doesn’t take up space when I’m moving… fleece blankets, loofa dogs… and don’t forget the slip collars. Without them, I couldn’t walk both my dogs.
References :
One of the best find a one I would recommend if their dog had a low tolerance to heat or had to be exercised in the heat, is a Kool Koat.
I noticed one on a fellow exhibitors dog at a championship show & ordered one shortly after. Very easy to prepare, just soak in cold water for a few minutes & use as it fastens with velcro.
http://www.pettemp.com/05koolkoatmain/index.htm
I usually exercise JJ early morning & evening, but when it is not possible/need to go out, it keeps him cool for around two hours.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fallonbrooke/2701397910/
I also use bath wipes, which are great for short haired breeds. My b*tch tends to roll in anything smelly & disgusting & the male loves mud, so I clean the worst off, then wipe the coat with a wipe. Also used at open/championship shows.
http://www.jbpet.com/Quick-Bath-Wipes-For-Dogs,1097.html
References :
A hacksaw blade for brushing and getting rid of dead coat.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=198280-930-324HF25N&lpage=none
For chalk, billiard chalk is used, it doesn’t irritate and goes on nicely and stays on.
I like kongs for treats and i freeze peanut butter in them for dogs that like to get into trouble while we are gone.
For getting rid of red in eyes Opticon-a
Thinning shears
For shampoo, medicated shampoos are great for coats, makes them softer and shinier
Those car shammys, for cool shammys soak them in ice water works great.
Toggle collars, Foxfire leather leashes
References :
My papillon loves his kong…..I use pieces of roasted chicken…he’s happy for hours with it….
..the dog shampoo my vet reccomended…..wonderful stuff & his coat is so silky after his bath.
..Heartguard & K9 Advantix…thank goodness for those…..
References :
Kongs, gotta love the Kongs. My Basenjis get digestive upsets with basically ANY other kind of chew. Except bully sticks, but they power-chew through those in 15 minutes; hardly worth the money!.
And even though I initially dismissed it as a silly gimmick….ya know the little Kong treats, specifically designed to fit up inside the Kong? I got a free sample of one when I bought a new Kong for my newest adopted dog….gave it a try. And I’ll be darned if they don’t WORK better than anything else I’ve ever stuffed inside a Kong!!!
They actually STAY up there & my male Basenji will literally spend half a day trying to get it out. Makes the Kong officially the longest-lasting chew toy I can find! It’s awesome, I’m sold….promptly went out & got a box of silly-gimmick Kong treats, by George.
I swear by my home-made flirt pole….as a great way to quickly exercise an active Cattledog mix, without having to go on a 10 mile jog. An hour or so, 2-3 times a day with the flirt pole and she’s ready for a nap. Gets her running, jumping, twisting, turning and generally having a great time. The Basenjis like it too, but lose interest after about 15 minutes. Only cost $9….for a 5 foot length of PVC pipe, a 5 foot nylon clothesline and a de-stuffed "fox" toy I bought on clearance at Tractor Supply. By any measure, the best bang for the buck of any dog toy I’ve ever spent money on.
I keep a can of plain pumpkin in the pantry because I’ve seen it work its magic. Almost too good to be true.
Food- quite frankly, the only thing that keeps weight on my mill rescue girl, is Blue Wilderness. Anything that’s not grain-free and she ends up with the runs & constantly regurgitates (NOT vomits, regurgitates) un-digested kibble, even hours after feeding. Other grain-free foods stop the diarrhea & regurgitation, but won’t keep weight on her. Have tried EVO, Taste of the Wild & one other food I can’t recall….but Blue Wilderness is the only thing that works. Sucks, too, because I can buy EVO & TOTW locally, but have to drive 70 miles to get Wilderness.
Oh yeah, back when I used to do obed/agility with my Boxer, I was in LOVE with my Cabana Crate. Now you can buy lightweight canvas crates in Wal Mart for $40 but back then you had to special order them and they weren’t cheap. I always went to trials alone & HATED HATED lugging a heavy wire crate around, but I was too cheap & stubborn to buy the Cabana Crate, which was something like $150 back then! I finally relented, and spent the money, and could not believe what a wonderful difference it made LOL. Of course not 2 years later I retired that dog from any sort of competition & I still stubbornly refuse to part with my Cabana Crate (it’s in my garage
.
References :
First and foremost: a good shop vac (without that, nothing else matters…lol)
Dogtra e-collars
Frontline – fleas just creep me right out
All-in-one collar/leash (some call them London leaders)
Soft sided, pop-up crates
This book is really handy, too: http://www.amazon.com/Owners-Veterinary-Handbook-Howell-Reference/dp/0876052014
I don’t show, and my dogs have really ‘easy’ coats, so I don’t really have any ‘musts’ as far as grooming goes.
Tuna fudge is on the schedule for this weekend….it should work with rice flour, right? (I’m not real big on using wheat if I don’t have to)
References :
The Zoom Groom, for the fur, it works great, and SO affordable!
Flossies, and pig ears, dogs LOVE them!
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul, is the best food ever! It is cheap, but not cheap in any way! It also grows with the dog, as in Puppy Lover’s, Dog Lover’s, and Senior Dog Lover’s. They also have it made for cats too! Here’s the website.
http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/
Hope this helped!
References :