Stay + Play Wireless Pet Fence

Hello all, it’s been awhile!

We’ve had to go on a bit of a testing hiatus while sorting through some changes on the home front. In March, my husband enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and we’ve since been transferred to Seattle, WA. Now we’re finally settled in our new home and ready to get back to business. There are many products to try and new pet stores to explore, so be prepared for some fun ahead.

To get right to it, several months ago I was sent an awesome product to test from PetSafe called the Stay + Play Wireless Fence. I was so excited to test it out because I know this type of item could be very valuable to so many pet owners.

Because at the time I had a small fenced backyard and an even smaller front yard, I decided to wait until I was in my new place in Seattle before trying the Stay + Play. Unfortunately after arriving here and seeing our apartment for the first time, I realized the wireless fence unit would not test well here either. We don’t have a yard or large open space to contain the dogs to, and whenever we take them outside they are always leashed.

So, I enlisted the help of my dad back in California. His dog Tybee sometimes likes to travel into neighbors’ yards during his front yard excursions, so I thought perhaps the unit would be useful for them. The following is his review on the product:

………………………………………………………....................................................................................................

Initial setup:

We really did not have a large enough yard to use this product the way it is intended because with our small yard, we don’t have space for a full circle to train within. I set the transmitter near the front door so it would arc across the front yard and attempted to train in that area. However, even at the lowest boundary setting, a portion of the arc still went into the neighbor’s yard and our garage and cars blocked the signal in front of the garage area. Also, because the boundary extended beyond our lawn I would have had to install some small stands on the flags in order to set them up on the driveway area as they are intended to push into the dirt of a grassy area.

Setting up the transmitter in the house was easy and self-explanatory. You just have to plug it in and determine what boundary setting you need. I had mine set to the lowest. After charging the collar, I turned it on and set it so it would only give an audible alarm when it reached the warning area. To figure out where to place the flags, I carried the collar at the height of Tybee’s head and walked out into the yard until I heard the alarm, then placed a flag, backed up again, and then walked away from the transmitter again about ten feet to the left of the first flag. One issue I ran into was the volume of the audible alarm. It is a high-pitched, fairly low volume alarm and it was very hard for me to hear. When I started the first phase of the training using just the audible alarm it was even more difficult for me to hear because I was then standing straight up. (To set the flags I had to walk bent over at Tybee’s level and was closer to the collar unit).

(The boundary flags establish the containment perimeter in the yard.)

Training:

I proceeded to walk Tybee on a leash to the first flag and when I heard the alarm go off we changed direction towards the house. We repeated this process for quite some time on the first flag, and then moved on to the next flag. There was only one time when I could tell Tybee heard the alarm because his ears went up. After that, however, he did not seem to pay any attention to it for the remainder of the training time that day as we continued to the other flags. We had two training sessions that first day of about 15 minutes each.

The next day I changed the settings on the collar to the first level of correction, or two blinks of the indicator light. Changing the level on the collar was not that easy, and the light is very small and in the light of day very hard to see. With the collar set to “2 blinks”, we started towards the flags. Once we got to the flags I expected Tybee to show some sign of distress from the static correction, but there was nothing. I checked to be sure the prongs on the collar were making good contact and tried the first correction level again; still no response from Tybee.

So, we went back, took the collar off again, and bumped up the level to 4 blinks just to see if it was going to get his attention. Wow, did it ever. Unfortunately, the correction time seemed very long, according to how long Tybee was yipping. I was thinking it was just going to be a nip but it went on for a few seconds. After that, poor Tybee was done and was shaking like a leaf. Since the set-up wasn’t that good for us anyway, I abandoned ship on the training, and packed it up. I think the unit and the training program would work if there is a sufficient area to do the training in and the training instructions are followed carefully. The volume would probably be a problem for older people who have started to lose some hearing in the higher frequencies.

………………………………...................................................................................................................................

Based on what I’ve read and seen, I have no doubt that, while maybe not working for every home scenario, the PetSafe Stay + Play Wireless Fence will ease the stress of pet owners who can benefit from it. I would recommend the system to those with large unfenced yards or acreage who would like to keep their dogs close to home.

The Stay + Play covers an area up to 210 feet across, but this can be increased by adding a second wireless transmitter with overlapping boundaries. You can also purchase additional collars so that multiple dogs will be contained within the boundary you set.

The collars are rechargeable and reach a full charge after being plugged in for 2-3 hours. A fully charged collar can last between 2-3 weeks and there is a charge strength indicator light on each collar to let you know when it’s time to recharge. The Wireless Fence Transmitter is now sleeker and lighter-weight than the original design and has a Power Loss Alarm that notifies you when power has been removed from the Transmitter and the boundary is no longer activated.

The Stay + Play Wireless Fence is available online and at retail locations for $329.95 and comes with one receiver collar. Additional collars can be purchased separately for $199.99 each.

For more information on the Stay + Play, please visit the product website. There are also video tutorials for initial set up and training available on the site that will aid you in correctly using your Stay + Play device.

Also, because I was unable to test this product out for myself, if anyone else would like to contribute to this review please let me know and we will add your thoughts to the mix.

Tybee's guest rating: 3.5 out of 5 wags

Read more...

Nurtured Pets Anti-Chew Strip Home

A new product was brought to my attention today that I'm really curious about. Unfortunately I am unable to review this thoroughly since Lucy and Lola are not destructive chewers. So I am opening this blog up and inviting others to review the product for me. If you have used this product before or would like to try it, please take photos of your attempts and send them with your review to bythewag@gmail.com and I will post it!

What I know about the product:

Anti-Chew Strip Home is a thin peel-and-stick, adhesive strip that you can safely stick to surfaces such as cabinets, walls, tables, chair legs, baseboards etc that helps deter unwanted chewing from nervous adult dogs or puppies.

The strips are made with natural, safe food-grade ingredients including cayenne pepper, lemon powder, clove oil and oregano so is safe for a dog to digest, and the special adhesive is designed to not harm the finish on furniture or leave a sticky residue when removed.

Lisa Huntsman, president of Nurtured pets, states "When used as directed, the ingredients in each application are delivered to the animal through smell and taste and are powerful deterrents. Once sniffed or licked, they have been clinically proven to deter unwanted behavior in over 98% of puppies."


Anti-Chew Strip Home is currently available in dark mahogany but other colors are planned for a future launch. A roll of strips is five feet long x 1.5 inches thick and retails for $17.95 on www.nurturedpets.com. A small price to pay to protect your valuable home if this product works.

So look for this box, write your review and tell me and the pet world about your great success or great failure with these Anti-Chew strips. You could be helping to save many a pet owners' furniture ... or their money.

Good luck!

Lucy and Lola's rating: TBD

Read more...

Giving the Whole Year Through

Well, it has been a while hasn't it? What a busy time of year! The last few months have surely flown by, and we hope everyone's Christmas and New Year celebrations were memorable and nothing but happy.

First, congratulations to Tami for winning our first ByTheWag contest. She is now the owner of her own copy of the classic British novel My Dog Tulip to promote screenings of the animated feature film based on the book.

Second, I want to mention two of my favorite nonprofits, as well as a company that donates some of their proceeds to nonprofits.

The nonprofit I have the closest association to is the Golden Gate Basset Rescue. We fostered a senior basset hound through GGBR for a few months and were so happy to place her in her new home in September of 2010. Basset hounds are such special dogs that are very close to my heart. I would recommend the breed to anyone looking for a sweet and comical companion that will bring devoted love and laughter to their lives. They require a bit more patience when training and can only be allowed off-leash in controlled environments (it's hard to resist the call of the nose!) but they love children and make for sturdy and delightful family dogs. If you love basset hounds and if you're able to donate, there are several hounds who would really benefit from your gift. We purchased one of their Fleece Coats from the GGBR website for our Great Dane, Lucy and it fits like a glove. It's light enough that it's perfect for raining, cold weather in California and also helps to keep her comfortable in our cold house. The best part is that 100% of the proceeds from this coat purchase went straight to Golden Gate Basset Rescue. Tell your friends!



Now, if you love basset hounds as much as I do then you need to know about House of Puddles. This nonprofit really touched my heart and I wish I were able to send giant piles of money their way. Marilyn Brazzle has turned her house in Maryland into a retirement home for senior bassets. I was tearing up reading about HOP and seeing all the grayed faces of sweet senior hounds on the rainbow bridge page. The fact that Marilyn is able to give each and every one of these homeless souls a final place to lay their heads in the most dignified and comfortable way possible makes her an angel in my eyes, and it's something I hope I can do for the breed myself one day.

If you would like to donate to House of Puddles, there are several ways to do so on their website. You can purchase something on eBay that's designated for the site, buy products from cafepress (I purchased an adorable tote bag last month), buy arm bands to show your support, donate unused electronic waste, shop on specific sites that donate up to 26% of the purchase price to HOP, or you can also send cold hard cash donations via PayPal.

And lastly, one of my favorite companies right now is Moon Doggie Coffee Roasters, based in New Jersey. They are currently running a promotion for Golden Gate Basset Rescue where if you order coffee online and put in the comments section on the order that it's for GGBR, a part of the proceeds will be donated to them. They do this for several other basset rescues and other breed rescues as well. Not only do you get to help out a well-deserving nonprofit, but you also get incredibly delicious, fresh coffee delivered straight to your door. And one of the best parts about my bags of Moon Doggie Coffee, they come with photos of adorable bassets on them. Every day when I bring the coffee out of my fridge, it instantly puts a smile on my face. It should be noted that living in California, I'll admit I'm jealous of the citizens of Maywood, NJ who are able to visit the roasting cafe in person.

Well, that sums up this edition of our featured nonprofits. I'm hoping to make this a recurring feature, so if anyone has favorite nonprofits or organizations they want promoted, please share them in the comments section or email details so I can mention them in a future edition of featured nonprofits on ByTheWag.

Thanks to all of you and your big, big hearts.
Jaime, Lucy and Lola

Read more...

My Dog Tulip

... because sometimes love really is a bitch.

J. R. Ackerley's beloved book "My Dog Tulip" (published in 1965) has been adapted into a major motion animated feature, and I'm very excited to see it. Brought to life by award-winning filmmakers Paul and Sandra Fierlinger, My Dog Tulip is the first animated feature to be hand-drawn using paperless computer technology. It is designed in a watercolor style, bringing more character and texture to the already touching tale.

The story of Ackerley's life with Tulip is a love story between a curmudgeon and his adopted canine; a heart-felt story of a middle-aged man desperate to give every moment of happiness to his devoted four-legged friend. I think there's something in that notion most pet owners can relate to on a deep level.

This movie features Christopher Plummer as the voice of J. R. Ackerley. You may remember him as the voice of explorer Charles Muntz in the recent film Up ... or perhaps as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. This is clearly one of the highlights of the film; the icing on the cake if you will.

Also, for the first time ever, this film's awards screening program is being sponsored by a pet food company. I'm sure you've heard of them ... Stella & Chewy's! (read our review on one of our favorite Stella & Chewy's products here). President and founder of Stella & Chewy's, Marie Moody, remarked how this endearing film reminded her of when she adopted her own four-legged friends and how they remain her dearest friends today. She also felt it fitting for a small but fast-growing pet food company to help campaign for an underdog film producer. The little guys always need as much help as they can get when facing the industry giants.

Here at By The Wag, we are very glad to help get the word out about this film. For a list of screenings near you, check out speakery.com/mydogtulipfilm. If there are no screenings near you, be sure to look for it at local independent theaters or on DVD.

Also, check out Stella & Chewy's website for information on their premium raw dinners and treats for dogs.

In the meantime. why not settle down with the actual book? For those dying to know the story of Tulip and Ackerley before they see the film, we are holding a special contest:


The first ten people to comment on this blog post will be entered into a drawing to win a brand new copy of My Dog Tulip. The drawing will be held December 15th!

Read more...

Safety First

You may find yourself asking why have I baby-proofed my kitchen. You may stare with curiosity at the plastic bubbles adorning the knobs on my gas stove. Could it be? Could the impossible have happened? Could a little one be on the way? All signs point to "it seems so."

As it turns out, we're not expecting a bundle of "joy" because it's already here, in the form of a 3-year-old Great Dane. A pretty big puppy with an apparent penchant for arson.

I came home from a long day of work once to find the kitchen about 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the house. How odd. Why? Is the a.c. vent clogged?

No. The gas burner was on. On high.

Who knows how long that 5-inch flame threatened the lives of my animals and the structural integrity of my house. It must have been on a while since the tea kettle on the next burner over had hot water in it and the underside of the cabinets were too hot to touch.

But I saw that flame, rushed to turn it off, and promptly fell on the floor in tears. Horrible thoughts ran through my head: "What if something had been on the stove that day?" "What if the burner hadn't lit and gas filled the house, just waiting for the refrigerator compressor to kick on?"

Life is full of what-ifs. So I'm going to give credit where credit is due and thank God for saving my house, my animals and my life. And I'm going to enjoy these safety knobs on my oven that keep my pyromaniac dog at bay. Now, if I could just keep her away from the bananas on the counter.

Safety 1st 5-pack clear view stove knobs can be found at Toys R Us and Babies R Us for $8.99. The peace of mind I have knowing my pyro dog will never accomplish this again ... priceless.

Jaime's rating: 5 out of 5 knobs

Read more...

Poochie-bells

I spent today working out of my home office. Generally, it's a more productive use of my time. Today, however, it wasn't. I spent several moments cursing the ding-aling-aling sounds that continuously haunted me from two rooms away. My anxious pups were getting the better of me.

You must be curious what ding-aling I could be referring to. I'm talking about our doggy door bell. When we adopted Lola at 14 months, she was not house broken and had a hard time letting us know she needed to go out. She seemed lost and had accidents wherever she pleased. Lucy had always been tall enough to tap the doorknob with her nose which was her way of hinting what she wanted. but for Lola, the stubby, stubborn basset hound, it was not a simple concept. I was desperate for a method to teach her, but wary of teaching her to paw at the door or bark to go out.

Then one of our pet-owning friends suggested a miracle. Poochie-bells. It's a stylish ribbon with two groups of sleigh bells at different heights that hangs on your door knob. Your dog rings the bells, you open the door. Tada! It really is that simple. A short training guide came with the poochie-bell packaging and the process took about a week to complete with Lola. Lucy has always been the more intelligent dog in the house and actually picked it up the day the bell arrived. For those who need it or are curious, more extensive directions are available on the poochie-bells website at poochie-pets.net/Training.

Poochie-bells are very well made and have stylish patterns to suit any home decor. There are snaps around the loop so you can affix them to any style door handle, whether it be a knob or a sliding door. The best thing about these poochie-bells is that they are easily portable. This way if you are visiting someone's home, the familiar cue is with your pup to remind him/her to take appropriate action when they need to do their business.



These are the ribbon and bell sizes in relation to a small Great Dane's head. Can't you just imagine that adorable nose ringing a bell? It really is quite a fun thing to watch. At least the first few times.



Soon after we had Poochie-bells in place we were accident free. It was very evident most of Lola's accidents were a result of her not quite knowing what to do. Once she received the direction she needed it has been smooth sailing ever since.

Now, Lola is a pro. She rings the bell and sits on the doormat until one of her lazy humans gets off their comfortable couch to let her outside (like she's asked them to do several times by this point).



Sometimes those humans just take way too long and a nap is soon in order.



Of course then you have days like today. When all they want is to go outside, come back inside and repeat. So every 30 minutes you hear ding-aling-aling echoing through the house, and it gets louder and faster the longer you ignore it; days like this that make me wonder why I don't just knock a hole in the wall for them to go in and out of as they please. Or get a doggy door.

But I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll take a ringing bell in my ears over cleaning a pee spot any day. Poochie-bells, thank you for making my sanity possible.

Poochie-bells can be purchased online at poochie-bells.net for $17 - $25. There is also a list of pet-store retailers on the web site where you can pick up your poochie-bells in person.

Lucy and Lola's rating: 5 out of 5 wags

Read more...

Polar Pups: Cool Treats for Hot Dogs

I must admit when I was first contacted by Becky of Polar Pups, I was curious how she was going to ship frozen pupsicles to my door without them (a) melting on my porch or (b) costing her a fortune. Nevertheless, and much to my awe and amazement, they arrived safely and soundly at my door without leaving a puddle! Keep reading to find out how.

I was really excited for Lucy and Lola to test these products. Living in Northern California means very hot summers and keeping cool is something we try very hard to accomplish in the By The Wag household; adding a frozen treat to our summer must-have list is something I've been wanting to do.



Introducing, our new favorite summer dog treat: Polar Pups. They come in a pack of four containers, one of each flavor: Barkin' Apple, Beggin' Banana, Berry Bite and Puppy Nutter. I was confused when first opening the package. It was neither cold nor heavy, as you would assume a frozen treat would be. Then you realize the genius of this product. It's all-natural, flavored powder in a plastic container that you simply add water to, shake and freeze. It's completely awesome. Brilliant, even.



I knew these were going to be a hit when Lucy and Lola were begging for them after only smelling the flavored powder. But I knew the wait of a few hours for them to freeze would be worth it for them.



Once the treats were frozen, it was go time. And the girls knew it. I took two flavors out first, the Puppy Nutter and the Beggin' Banana. Although both were enjoyed, the Puppy Nutter clearly was the favorite. Lucy and Lola worked on their flavored ice cubes until they were completely gone, crunching the last pieces out as they came loose from the container. I did have to make sure to take the ice out for them if they happened to crack open the container in the process. I also had to remove the container from them immediately when they were done.



The second round of flavors were as equally as big a hit and were gone in about five minutes. I tried to take Lucy's away for a second and even though she was a polite girl and let me remove it from her possession, she was very anxious to get it back, gently trying to grab it from my hands. In this process of removing containers and taking out ice cubes I noticed another awesome aspect of these frozen treats ... they're not sticky! This means letting the dogs have them on the living room rug wasn't a huge mistake after all.



These treats are awesome. Perfect for both cold weather and warm weather. I say this because even in cold weather, dogs need low-calorie treats. This is especially true of breeds that tend to gain weight quickly (like basset hounds). Lola loves ice cubes and this is a nice step above her already 0-calorie treat preference. It has flavor!

The ingredients in the treat mixes are as follows:
Barkin' Apple: soy milk powder, apple powder, cinnamon
Beggin' Banana: soy milk powder, banana powder
Berry Bite: soy milk powder, blueberry powder
Puppy Nutter: soy milk powder, peanut butter powder

Some consumers may be concerned that soy is used in these products, but if your dog has no known issues with soy then I say, as with everything in life, these treats are great in moderation. It's no worse than you or I going out and having the occasional popsicle or small bowl of ice cream. Although I do feel you could give these treats to your dog regularly without negative results. As with all dog products, if your dog does seem to experience troubles afterward, stop feeding them the treat and monitor them.



One thing I did take note of with Polar Pups: when filling the containers with water, make sure to only fill about 2/3 of the way up to account for the expansion of ice. Also, if it's too full the lid may leak while shaking it.

Polar Pups treat mix can be purchased in a 4-pack for $6.75 + shipping from www.Polar-pups.com. They also have pre-frozen treats with varying ingredients available (can be shipped frozen, but of course overnight shipping will cost a pretty penny). Check their website for product availability and locations. If you own a pet store and are looking for a treat to offer during your summer months (or if you are located in a place with warm to mild winters) you can contact polarpups@gmail.com.

Lucy and Lola's rating: 5 out of 5 wags

Read more...