Whole Dog Journal frequently brings you reviews of products we have tested on real dogs and with real dog lovers. We’re always looking for new and particularly useful products to recommend to our readers (and to use for our own dogs!). We limit our attention to products that provide an actual service, that help owners keep their dogs healthy, happy, safe, and well-trained. As 2010 begins, here’s looking forward to some of the year’s best bets.
Pal Dog Bath Products
The rosemary/mint shampoo can transform the smelliest dog into a sweetest-smelling pal in a matter of minutes, and the lavender/aloe conditioner soothes skin and makes any coat silky-soft. “Freshen-Up” Spray is for use between baths, or when bathing is restricted. Juno’s Garden lists all product ingredients; all are natural, safe, and organic whenever possible.
192
Pal Dog dog bath products – $15
Juno’s Garden
Pacifica, CA
(888) 738-8390
paldog.com
Click! Dog Training System
It’s too late for holiday gift-giving, but never too late to educate your friends and relatives about the benefits of intelligent, dog-friendly dog training. This kit helps make clicker training understandable and accessible, even for novice owners. The kit includes only a clicker on an adjustable lanyard and a very clear, well-illustrated, unintimidating book written by Karen Pryor, the founder and leading proponent of “clicker training” (based on operant conditioning). This kit is sold by Barnes & Noble, online and in stores and is perfect for inexperienced or young dog owners. (More advanced owners might get more out of Pryor’s self-published books, offered on her site, clickertraining.com or by calling 800-472-5425.)
190
Click! Dog Training System – $10
Barnes & Noble
210
Lyndhurst, NJ
(800) 843-2665
barnesandnoble.com
Pogo Plush
Photos don’t do it justice, unless you can detect the extraordinary enthusiasm on the face of the dog playing with one. It looks like a simple ball of fleece with a squeaker inside, but it’s not. An inner rubber frame keeps the ball puffed up, and the location of the squeaker unpredictable. The spring-back action makes most dogs do a double-take when they first grab it, and then they don’t seem to want to give it back.
Pogo Plush – $8-$11
Premier Pet Products
Midlothian, VA
(888) 640-8840
premier.com
(picuture of Tugzees in Otto’s Pick PDF, picuture of Pogo Plush in Dogg Walkie Belt PDF)
