Disclosure: The Green Pet Shop sent a Cool Pet Pad and Cover to Lapdog Creations, free of charge for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Cool Pet Pad
The calendar says September and the Pumpkin Spiced Lattes may be flowing, but the high temps outside have made it clear that summer is not over yet (we're actually in the middle of a late-season heat wave). Although I am more than ready to say goodbye to the heat and humidity.
Dog parents know that when the temps soar, we need to take precautions to ensure our furkids don't get over heated. Sure, we can chill out inside with the AC blasting, but we all know that eventually they get as stir-crazy as we do. I don't know about your pack, but the Lapdogs are always itching to get outside to lounge on the deck. Fortunately, they won't stay out long if it's too hot, but I always feel badly for them because I know how much they want to be outside in that fresh air.
Since they love laying on small mats and outdoor rugs, I thought why not a cooling mat? I've seen several types on the market and was thinking about purchasing one when we got the opportunity to review a Cool Pet Pad from The Green Pet Shop. I was quite excited for the Lapdogs to try it out... and yes, I'll admit, I started wondering if they came in human sizes.
While some of the cooling pads I saw required you to actually fill them with water and/or freeze an insert, the Cool Pet Pad requires no messy preparation on your part. You won't find yourself on a 95 degree day realizing you forgot to stick something in the freezer when Fido wants to lay outside with you.
The Green Pet Shop's Cool Pet Pad begins to cool your dog as soon as she lies on it, thanks to the pressure-activated non-toxic gel. No water or electricity is needed, making the Cool Pet Pad the only green cooling pad on the market (per their website). I really appreciate that!
So, how does it actually work? The gel inside the pad is activated by weight or pressure. This means that as soon as your dog lies down on the pad, the cooling effect starts and lasts for up to 4 hours. After a short period of non-use, the Cool Pet Pad recharges automatically - without any cords, freezing, or fuss. According to The Green Pet Shop's website, you can place the pad in the refrigerator and it will stay cool even longer, however we did not test this method for our review.
As a large dog Mom, I also appreciate the fact that Cool Pet Pad is available in four sizes, as some cooling pads I saw seemed to be designed for smaller dogs only.
- Small - for dogs under 20lbs, measures 11.8" x 15.7" ($24.99)
- Medium - for dogs 20 - 50lbs, measures 15.7" x 19.7" ($39.99)
- Large - for dogs 50 - 99lbs, measures 35 x 23.6" ($59.99)
- Extra Large - for dogs 100lbs+, measures 45" x 27.5" ($84.99)
We received the Large size for our review, which seems to be a nice fit for each of the Lapdogs. If Zeus were still with us, I would have went with the Extra Large for sure. Don't be afraid of sizing up, as a larger bed will work great for smaller dogs who like to move around a lot. I also think a large size would work great for multi small-dog households.
The Lapdogs weren't quite sure what to make of the Cool Pet Pad at first. Teutul just sat on it to "claim" whatever this new thing was. I kept telling him to lie down and he just stared at me as if to say "I don't know what it is, but it's new so I must sit here for awhile to see what happens."
Sophie joined her brother in the Cool Pet Pad sit-in...
Penny just wanted to play which resulted in some quite adorable out-takes during our photo shoot.
Eventually after the "what's this new thing" curiosity went away and everyone went about their usual business, Sophie figured out just what the Cool Pet Pad was and how awesome it feels on a super hot, late summer day. She laid on the pad for at least half an hour before coming inside.
Penny also eventually learned just how awesome it was... on a rather hot day at the race track.
I laid the Cool Pet Pad on top of her bed and after a few sniffs, she laid down and seemed to be quite the little happy camper race track dog. Of course we don't take her with us if the heat is extreme, but we all know about hot days out with our dogs. I can honestly say that I saw a huge difference in her behavior on this particular hot day by having the Cool Pet Pad. She was certainly much more comfortable... so much so that I'm still wondering about those human-sized cooling pads.
We'll certainly be taking our Cool Pet Pad to the race track more often. As an on-the-go dog mom, I really like that not only is the Cool Pet Pad super easy to use (open the box, unfold and lay it down), but it's also portable and convenient. When we packed it to take to the track, I tossed it in a small tote bag so that I had "handles" to carry it with, but you can just fold it up and put it in the car or trunk as well.
Cool Pet Pad is great for both inside and outside use, and works well in the car or crate. It is well made, and folds up easily to store or transport. The pads can be cleaned with a soft cloth, mild soap and water. Just make sure you allow it to dry completely before use or storage. Speaking of storage, it is recommended that you store your Cool Pet Pad in a cool, dry place and if planning to store it for an extended period of time, sealing the product in a plastic bag may increase the pad's useful life.
While the Cool Pet Pad is ready to go as-is and easily wipes clean, you can purchase the optional Cooling Pad Cover to help protect the pad against dirt and scratches. The cover easily slips over the cooling pad and is machine washable and dryable. As you can see from our photos, we reviewed the Cool Pet Pad both with and without the cover. I'm not sure the Lapdogs had any preference, but I like having the cover to protect against extra dirt and grime (especially if we use it at the race track).
I know summer is winding down for most of us, but there are still plenty of hot days left. If you have a pooch who loves to lounge like the Lapdogs, give the Cool Pet Pad a try. And, of course, the holidays are right around the corner. Add a Cool Pet Pad to your pup's Santa list this year. He'll thank you (and maybe even smile as big as Tut).
Connect with The Green Pet Shop: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
Thank you to everyone who entered to win a copy of Knitting Fabric Rugs!
The lucky winner has been chosen thru Rafflecopter. If it wasn't you, check out the link to it on Amazon above where it's currently available for just $12.88!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congratulations to Chan! I wonder which of us will get to casting on a rug first...
Stay tuned... we have several reviews in progress (many with giveaways as well!), including the new One Skein Wonders book, Dogsters frozen dog treats, Cool Pet Pad, Three Dog Bakery fall offerings, Fresh Wave products, Riley's Organics dog treats, Lupine collars & leashes, and more!
Disclosure: Planet Dog sent the items featured in this review to Lapdog Creations, free of charge, for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Planet Dog Toys
It's been quite awhile since the Lapdogs have reviewed Planet Dog toys (scroll down the sidebar and you'll find links to several PD reviews from years past). Too long. After all, Planet Dog is a not only Maine-based (I love supporting New England companies), but the majority of their items are Made in the USA (the exception being fabric items, such as plush toys, collars, leads and travel bowls). Plus, Planet Dog is a company that truly gives back (I'll tell you about the Planet Dog Foundation at the end of this review).
"Think Globally. Act Doggeldy." - Planet Dog
The Lapdogs received a box of Orbee-Tuff items to review from the Nooks, Cosmos, Snoop and Buoy collection, as well as a box of Eats.
For those of you who may not be familiar with Orbee-Tuff, it is a latex-free plastic developed by Planet Dog. There are no BPAs or Phthalates used. Instead, White Olefinic oil (much like Baby Oil) is used to soften the material. A small amount of essential Peppermint oil is added, which give Orbee-Tuff toys that distinct smell.
Planet Dog has tested the toys many times over the past 10 years, and they have always shown to be non-toxic. The Lapdogs have also tested many of the Orbee-Tuff toys over the years, and true to their namesake, they have not only stood up to the toughest chewers, but to the test of time as well. In fact, we have several many-years old Orbee-Tuff toys in our baskets that Penny has been discovering. Some are as old as 8 years!
I suspect these new toys will be around for quite some time to come as well. We received:
Buoy - I'll admit, as a girl from "The Other Cape," this was the toy I couldn't wait to see! Besides, every New England dog should have a buoy to chomp, tug and catch (as should non-New England pooches)!
Buoys, one of the newest additions to the Orbee-Tuff Interactive collection, are really cool looking (again, "The Other Cape" girl here), multi-purpose toys. Toss one for a game of fetch, play tuggy, or stuff it full of treats to keep your pup's brain engaged and entertained. The unique Buoy shape results in a very unpredictable bounce, which results in endless fun. And, of course, Buoy floats, making it the perfect toy to pack for a day at the beach or lake.
Standing 5" high, the Buoy is currently available in red/blue or red/glow and rated 4 out of 5 chompers, making it suitable for most chewers.
Nooks - Another new addition to the Orbee-Tuff Interactive collection, Nooks are "a hole new ball for a hole new ball game" (love the pun!).
Stuff 'em or bounce 'em! The whimsical shapes of the durable, bouncy Nooks create unique stuffing slots for treats, peanut butter, mashed potatoes, cheese, or your favorite stuffing. I love that they literally have "nooks and crannies" to stuff, which will keep your over-achieving dog busier than many other "stuff it" toys.
Nooks are 2.5" round and rated 5 out of 5 chompers, making them suitable for just about every dog. They are currently available in three adorable styles - Yellow Smiley Face, Red Heart and Green Peace Sign.
Snoop - Also part of the Orbee-Tuff Interactive collection, Snoop was designed to challenge a dog's mind and energize his play. The ball-shaped, translucent toy features a deep crevice to pop treats in. Your dog will have endless hours of fun tossing, kicking and flipping Snoop around while he tries to get his reward to spill out.
As a dog Mom who's always looking to keep her kids engaged and likes seeing them work for their reward, I love the Snoop toy. We tested all three of these Orbee-Tuff toys with the Planet Dog eats and Snoop was by far the toughest challenge for the Lapdogs. It's a very squishy ball that will collapse when stepped on, adding to the fun of the crazy bouncy toy. The deep crevice makes it a little harder to get the treats to fall out, which makes watching your dog play with it all the more fun. You can really see them concentrating and working so hard to figure it out.
Snoop is available in blue or orange, and is 5" in diameter. Because Snoop is intended for puzzle-play, not chewing, it is not rated on Planet Dog's durability scale. They do not recommend leaving Snoop with unattended dogs.
Cosmos - The Orbee-Tuff Cosmos lines features three balls - Luna, Ringo and Sol. We have received both Luna and Ringo for review in the past, so I opted to not give the Luna ball pictured above to the Lapdogs. Penny actually dug out our Ringo ball from the bottom of a basket just a couple weeks ago and has been happily chasing the bouncy, ringed-ball around the house.
Luna glows in the dark, just like the moon. Measuring in at 4" round, she's the perfect option for most dogs, especially those who love to play in the yard after dark.
Eats - The Lapdogs are no strangers to Planet Dog Eats, as they have had the pleasure of sampling several flavors over the years. Well, except for Penny... these were her very first Eats treats. She loved them.
Eats are 100% natural, bone-shaped cookie treats baked in the USA. Currently, they are available in two flavors - PB & J and Chicken & Pumpkin Pot Pie. We received PB & J, which feature peanut butter, blueberries and cinnamon. The low-calorie treats are the perfect reward to stuff inside the interactive Orbee-Tuff toys.
As you can clearly see, the Lapdogs thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the new Orbee-Tuff toys.
Tut has always been the Lapdog who showed the most enthusiasm for interactive toys that he can kick around while treats fall out. He acts like that pushy little kid on Halloween who "nudges" his way to the front to get the best candy. If there are treats falling out of a toy, Tut will butt-check the other dogs out of his way to ensure the fun is all his (of course, he doesn't realize that sometimes he's too busy kicking things around to notice a trail of treats behind him, which Sophie is always happy to quietly scoop up). Therefore, having three new - and super fun - interactive toys at once was rather perfect.
Tut seemed to favor Snoop, while the girls each took turns with the Buoy and Nook. Although, they all chased each toy around at some point.
Besides being Made in the USA by a socially responsible company, Planet Dog toys are also 100% guaranteed. That's right... 100% guaranteed - any time, every time. Whether it's chewed or destroyed, or your dog turns her nose up to it, you can return it. How awesome is that?
You already know how much we love Planet Dog as a company and we're giving the Orbee-Tuff interactive toys, glowing Luna ball and Eats treats our official Lapdog seal of approval. Any one of these would make a great addition to your pooch's toy collection. Of course, Mama is partial to the Buoy (and I apologize that it seems as though that is reflected in the photos I snapped as well), but I'm sure your dog would love any of them.
As mentioned at the beginning of our review, Planet Dog is a company that gives back through it's philanthropic arm, The Planet Dog Foundation (PDF).
"The mission of the Planet Dog Foundation is to promote and celebrate programs in which dogs serve and support their best friends. We fund and support all dogs working to enhance and save lives."
PDF is funded primarily by Planet Dog's contribution of 2% from every sale to the Foundation's grant making fund. Each time a Planet Dog product is purchased, 2% of the sale is donated to PDF. And, that doesn't matter if your make your purchase on the website or at a dog boutique.
Since 2006, PDF has donated more than $1 million in cash grants and product donations to non-profits that train, place, and support dogs working to help people in need. This includes service dogs, therapy dogs, K-9 search & rescue programs, police & military dogs, medical alert dogs, guide dogs, and more! Grants are awarded twice each year. To learn more, visit PDF online.
It's Thursday and there sure is a lot to be thankful for today...
- September has arrived, and hopefully that means the fall temperatures aren't far behind.
- Pumpkin everything is back, which makes me extra happy!
- The fact that Thursdays are now my (work) Fridays once again. During race season I have to switch to accommodate our Thursday night series... oh the things I do for the man I love!
Speaking of racing, it sure has kept us busy all summer, but now the season is beginning to wind down. When we adopted Penny, we wanted to expose her to everything we possibly could at a young age, which meant she was at the race track at 10 weeks old. I'm happy to say, and so thankful, that Penny not only enjoys going to the races, but actually gets upset when she can't go. She especially loves the days spent at her home track, New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
That shot on the right above was during a pit stop on the way to the track. My girl has clearly mastered the "are we there yet" look, and if she could speak, she'd be uttering the words all the way there! Penny just can't wait to get there and greet all of her fans... after all she knows everyone can't wait to get there to race see her! She's even met several doggy friends this summer, including this sweet boy who just happens to be named Zeus (yes, I nearly shed tears when his Mama said his name).
Of course, in between all the meeting and greeting, Penny loves watching her Daddy race and this one was extra special. It was a National Qualifier race and not only did he take home his best finish thusfar, 4th overall, but he got the Masters Division win as well!
Penny was quite proud, as was I, and kept a watch over things in the post-race tech line.
I know some of you are wondering why Tut and Sophie don't get to go to the races. Sophie would absolutely hate it. Strangers and unfamiliar surroundings are not her thing. My hound girl would much prefer lounging on the couch, in the comfort of her own home. Even if it means her pesky little sister crawls up to cuddle while she's snoozing.
Tut would probably like to come, but we haven't taken him to a race track since he was much younger. Back then it was the go-kart track and there were less things for him to spend the day barking at. Instead, Tut gets to be my usual errand co-pilot. I think it's safe to say he's pretty happy with the arrangement. He even puts up with that pesky little sister crawling up to cuddle with him too.
As you can see, so much to be thankful for today, and everyday! Penny has fit right into our pack and brings us all considerable joy each and every day (Tut and Sophie would probably tell you she can be considerably annoying as well). Please keep my baby girl in your thoughts today, as she is being spayed. Sure, it's a routine surgery, but I'm always a nervous Mama when my kids go under.
I'll leave you today with another quick foster update, because seeing my former foster babies living such wonderful lives in their forever homes always puts a smile on my face. This is Cotton, who has two human baby brother siblings to keep up with. She seems to have been caught taking a break amongst the trucks and tractors... much deserved, I'm sure!
What are you thankful for today? Are your human kids back to school, allowing you more knitting time? Perhaps the temperatures have become more comfortable in your area? Or maybe you poured yourself an extra glass of wine last night?
Happy Wednesday, Happy September! Although, this week's temps feel more like mid-August... ick
