Decorative Dog Collars and Gear for Halloween

Here's Francesca modeling the wide collar.
That's about all she'd do because she was too busy sun bathing!

Remember when I was so excited about the dog tag clip? I was excited because it meant MORE COLLARS FOR ME!

I like to wear decorative collars. I always get compliments when I do.

So recently I tested out some Halloween collars because that is the next holiday that is coming up. And also because, as you know, I LIKE TREATS!

Francesca tried one too but she's too lazy to write a review. I think I deserve her treats!

So here goes:

The website where you can get holiday themed collars, leashes and more is Dog Collar Boutique. We were sent two Halloween collars to try. One was 1 inch wide and the other was 3/4 inch wide.  So you can see that they will fit little dogs and big dogs too. But what I liked about these collars is that they were COLORFUL. When I go Trick or Treating, everyone will see me.

Here I am modeling the purple collar.
Nice sturdy D ring!

So what are they made of? The collars are made of 100% dye-sublimated durable polyester, colorfast and machine washable. The designs are printed with a special heat transfer process onto a heavy braid. The collars we checked out had heavy duty plastic clasps and metal D rings. Now they aren't really for any heavy duty work, but in a pinch, you can attach a leash to them. I think they are best for looks.... and they look great. Best of all, they are made in the good ol' USA!

The widest collar had Trick or TREAT written all over it plus some scary cats, ghosts and witches. The smaller collar had DOGS howling at the moon. Now I liked that a lot. I have to tell you, although I am not happy about it, that the Dog Collar Boutique also has collars for CATS. OMG!

So here's some pictures of our collars. Have a look at the website because they have all kinds of collars and things. Team collars, holiday collars, designs and so much more. It's a great site to peruse on a rainy day!

Here's a close up of the wider collar showing the sturdy plastic clasp.

Here's the purple collar with the howling dogs. Cool!

So now I think I'll do some shopping for Christmas collars! If you want to get some Halloween gear, you can find it at Dog Collar Boutique.

Love, Cinnamon

10 Tips for Taking Your Dog on a Group Walk or Hike

Here I am at the walk finish
with my owner.

Walking with your dog with a group is a lot different than walking solo. Whether you are on a guided volkssport walk, a group hike or group dog walk, there are some key things for owners to remember to make the walk enjoyable for all:

1. Read the walk or hike details: Find out about the terrain, the length of the walk and consider your dog's abilities. Make sure it is a good fit. You will be expected to stay with the group. I, Francesca, limit my volkswalking to 5K walks. I know that is about as much as I want to walk.

2. Are Dogs Allowed: Check and see if your dog is allowed on the walk or hike, on the trail or in the park where you will be visiting. Volkswalks state right on the event description whether or not pets are allowed.

3. Check the weather: Heat can be deadly to dogs. Walking on city streets or paved roads increases the heat. Here is an excellent article about the dangers of hiking in the heat. And, conversely (Cinnamon taught me some big words), a walk on a rainy day might not be all that fun.

4. Bring Water: Dogs get thirsty. If it is a warm day, bringing water is especially important. There are collapsable dog bowls and water bottles with attached bowls that you can carry for your dog. Amazon carries a variety of them.

5. Leashes: Even if your dog is good about coming back to you on command, a leash is important when you are walking with a group. It is important that the dog not interfere with others who are walking or get overly friendly with another dog on the walk or hike. Good leash manners are important. It is especially important that the leash not trip someone who is walking or hiking with you. If your dog goes from one side of the trail to the other, you might want to walk last so that you don't trip someone!

6. Other Dogs: If there are other dogs on the walk or hike, space them so they don't interfere with the group by playing, pulling toward each other or, heaven forbid, fighting! Talk to the other dog owners so you can work these things out.

7. Clean Up: It goes without saying that owners need to carry bags and pick up after their dogs. Usually that will be listed on the rules for the trail.

8. Registration Courtesy: When I was new to volkswalking, I trotted right up to the registration table and then saw a loose dog. I pulled and barked my head off. Lesson learned. Dogs should stay in the car while the owner registers for an event. But be mindful of heat... not in a hot or warm car.

9. Treats: I, Francesca, think this is a really good idea. Often people stop on the trail and enjoy a snack and so dogs should too. I think being rewarded for good behavior makes walking and hiking even more fun.

10. Backpacks: Dogs need to be tested and trained to wear a backpack. It should be the right size for their weight and height. If a dog can wear a backpack on a hike or walk, you can fill the pockets with water, treats and bags. Test out your dog's tolerance for a backpack at home before trying to use it in a group walk. If it doesn't work out, YOU, the owner may be carrying everything! You can buy dog backpacks on Amazon.com.

Francesca

By Francesca the Coonhound, Blogger Intern

Editor's Note: Of course I, Cinnamon, worked on this with Francesca so she could elevate her writing. I also made sure she checked her facts before we published the article. 

Cinnamon's New Warning Leash

I've had it! When I am on my leash I feel vulnerable. When other dogs come up to me and get in my face, I get scared and need to protect myself. So what do I do? I snap. Grrrr.... Snap! GO AWAY!

My owner was getting tired of explaining to everyone that I don't like dogs coming up to me when I'm on the leash. She had to explain that I was fine at the dog park where I was off my leash and I was a very nice dog. BUT DON'T GET IN MY FACE!

So I was really excited when I read about warning leashes and harnesses. Assuming dogs and/or people can read simple words, these leashes should make things easier on all of us. Here is what they look like:

I think I would be embarrassed to wear a leash or harness that said "nervous!"

I think if people read the leashes, they will understand. If a leash says, "Caution," wouldn't you back off? I sure would! But I am friendly with people so I got the "No Dogs" leash instead.

This is the leash I got. It means... "Dogs, get outta my face when I'm on my leash!"

Around Water with Your Dog? Consider a Dog Life Jacket (Review)

This is a long story. It's a story about how I came to be the owner of a beautiful yellow and black float coat, or life jacket. People life jackets don't work for us dogs but we do need to be protected.

Here I am in the cabin of the fishing boat holding on for dear life!

A couple of years ago I was invited to go salmon fishing in Haida Gwaii, Canada. I quickly became a fan of ocean smells and beach combing. So I figured fishing from a boat would be right up my alley. I hopped aboard the boat and got settled on a cushion in the cabin. And then the journey started. We went out of the harbor and it got choppy. I was nervous. I had no life jacket and I wanted to GET OFF THE ROCKING BOAT! I held on for dear life.

We went through the narrows and found a fairly quiet place to fish. I relaxed and wanted to go out on the fantail and help. But no.... I was told to stay in the cabin because I had no life jacket. So I did. After eight long hours of fishing we headed in to pick up crab pots. That was exciting but I wasn't allowed too near them.

Here are those snappy crabs.

We reached the harbor with all the great fish and crab smells and I finally got to get off the boat and trot up the dock. DRY LAND! I would have kissed the grass if I didn't need to go potty so badly!

So that was my first adventure on a boat without a life jacket. Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest, I'm around water a lot. We go to the ocean. we walk out on docks, we wade in the Columbia River. All without a life jacket.

This got my owner thinking.
(That can be dangerous)

My owner started thinking I might need a life jacket when she was visiting Gig Harbor. She saw a dog life jacket in a marine supply store there. Since I wanted to go on a sailboat some day and spend more time on the docks, I looked around the Internet for a spiffy float coat. AND I FOUND ONE!

I found a great website called The Dog Outdoors. I must have spent an hour looking at everything. They had dog packs, travel gear, harnesses, collars and a special dog bike leash. They had everything for the active dog, which is ME!

I like to think I could go on all sorts of adventures if I had the right gear. I read the page about dog flotation devices and found one I thought would suit me. I clicked on EzyDog jackets and read EVERYTHING. They had a sizing chart and even videos that showed how to put the life jacket on and how some dogs were swimming in theirs. I have never been swimming and am not sure I want to. I mainly want the jacket for safety (just in case).

Here's the video I watched:

I learned a lot but what I really liked was how the yellow and black jacket would compliment my beautiful black and tan coat. I'd be the envy of all dogs at the yacht club, right?

So we sent for the jacket. It arrived pretty quickly and I was so excited to get it. I tore open the package and there it was. My beautiful yellow life jacket!

I can't wait to try it on!

I tried it on and it seemed really big. In fact, I could hardly walk around with it on.

So my owner got ahold of the nice people at The Dog Outdoors and they said we could exchange it for a size medium.

Turns out my measurements were ok for a medium or a large. That's why I ended up with a jacket too large. They have a size chart. Look at it more carefully than I did.

As soon as they got the return, they sent out my new jacket. I tried it on and it fit great! I could walk around. And, I kind of fantasized that I could swim in it (Maybe).

I have to say my experience with The Dog Outdoors was a very good one. They are a small company, founded by a young couple in Texas. They have their own dogs. They also invented a special leash for those who want to bike ride with their dogs. Sometimes I just look through the website enjoying the videos and the travel and outdoor gear. I'm looking forward to hiking a lot this summer and, if I am lucky, I'll get a ride on a sailboat.

Here I am with a well-fitting jacket all ready for a summer of
sailing, exploring the beach and hanging out at the yacht club!

I highly recommend The Dog Outdoors. My experience was a good one and so far I like the quality of the product. Check them out!

Note: As is common in the pet blogging industry, the writer was provided with this product for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, Cinnamon believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.