The Comfy Cone

Photo: All Four Paws

I'll never forget the day when I came home from school. My dog Casey who would greet us when we would get off the school bus was not there that day. It turned out that he was hit by a car that day. My mom and dad immediately took him to the vet. He was injured so badly, he was lying on his side as if he was playing dead. When he heard our voices he could only lift his head and wag his tail which he would thump against the floor.

For the next two months, Casey had to wear one of those plastic e-collars. He woudl constantly be bumping into walls and doorways because the e-collar would block his peripheral vision. Still, it was worth it so that he wouldn't be able to lick his rear legs and they would be able to heal on their own. After the two month period, Casey was up and walking again and back to his old self. He went on to live for 12 years after that.

Photo: All Four Paws

A New Type Of Collar

Yesterday I learned about the Comfy Cone. When I heard about this product, I was thrilled. It's made to be softer for a dogs head but at the same time, it gives the support and flexibility you don't get with a normal plastic collar. It can be folded back so your dog can eat his food without problems.

What makes it special?

• It's moderately priced. You can find an average size Comfy Cone for about $20USD.
• It's built to last and is flexible by having plastic stays inserted into the fabric
• It's earth-friendly. With the type of materials like nylon fabric which has been laminated onto .5 inch foam which is gentler around a dog's head. It also has elastic loops and various velcro settings to make it have a customized fit to the dog's neck.
• The softer material makes less noise. You won't hear bumps in the night as loudly. It's also suitable for cats as well.
• It's recommended by veterinarians which always is a good thing.

While we never want to see our pets have to wear a collar like this, it's a relief to know that if they ever need one, there's a more comfortable alternative out there. You can find these at pet boutiques or online at places like Amazon.

Let's Discuss!

What have your experiences been like when your pet had to wear an e-collar?

Rabbit Frenzy Strikes Again!

Earlier tonight, I decided to reward the dogs by taking them on an extra long walk. Just when we started, Homer caught a glimpse of our friendly neighborhood rabbit. Luckily, I had a good hold of the leash and was able to continue the walk. Fast forward 10 minutes later. While Gigi was paused for a moment, Homer decided he couldn't wait any longer and slipped out of his collar again.

Cookie and Gigi were good girls by minding the homefront while I was hot in pursuit. Suffice it to say, after looking around for him for about an hour, I finally found him in my neighbor's yard. Since rabbit season is just starting, serious precautions have to be taken.

1. It's time to get out the harness again.
2. I will be heading to the pet store to pick up a martingale collar.

What's A Martingale Collar?

Martingale collars are a cross between a choke collar and a regular collar. They are made with nylon and will keep your dog from slipping their head out of the collar.

Since Homer seems to be a master of an escape artist, I will be picking up one of these tomorrow. It's a small price to pay for extra piece of mind while I'm on our nightly jaunts. I'll let you all know what happens.

Let's Discuss!

Have any of you used this type of collar for your dog? How does it compare to other collars and harnesses?

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Bark 4 Beer Dog Collars

Sometimes, you just catch notice of a wild gadget. I've not much of a beer drinker. On a good day, I'll have a Corona with a lime and the lime is what makes all the difference. Still, I couldn't turn my head away, when I heard about this intriguing gadget.

The Inspiration

Our dog accessory of the week is the Bark 4 Beer dog collar. This came about when the two creators were sitting by a pool one day drinking beer. There was no beer bottle opener to be found. That's when they came up with this idea. It's neat because you don't lose the bottle opener and the beer will not spill onto the dog because it's retractable.

You can get the collar for $14.95 USD. It only comes in the color black. Even better, they offer a matching leash and collar for $22.95 USD. These collars are best suited for medium to large dogs. If your dog has a neck that's smaller than a Cocker Spaniel or other similar dog, this would not be ideal for them.

New Year's Eve

With New Year's Eve being one of the biggest drinking holidays out there, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday celebration. Most importantly, don't drink and drive. No celebration is worth the risk, and it's always better to be safe than sorry. If you are going to drink abundantly, have one of the people you're with be a designated driver. Nothing is worse than regret.

If you would like to learn more about these collars or order one for yourself, please visit the bark4beer.com website. See you in 2010.

Premier Collars

I first heard about Premier collars when I was taking dog obedience this year. My instructor was very enthusiastic about this as a training tool. It was fascinating to me because finally there was a collar that was different for restraining dogs. I never liked the choke collars, and was squeamish around pinch collars, I was very impressed by how this works. The control is incredible, and is fabric, so it's not going to be as abrasive as metal.

These are ideal if you have very strong dogs, big dogs or dogs that tend to slip out of their collars, like Greyhounds. When you are using the Premier collar, it works bye gently squeezing to let the dog know to slow down. It falls just below the ears, so there is no less hair worn away at the neck. It fits dogs of any size from the tiniest Chihuahua to the largest Mastiff.

You can find more about this incredible product at: http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/collars/other#premiercollars

If any of you have had experience with this product, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for stopping in! Have a good night!