Chuckit! Promise:

• Throw farther, faster, and never bend down to pick up a slimy ball
• Durable plastic wand firmly grasps an extra big tennis ball then releases it as you swing
• With a little practice, you can consistently throw the ball 100 to 140 feet
• Great for bigger dogs

Sniffing Snout Review:

My husband, Jason, was the person that introduced me to the Chuckit! Ball Launcher.  I’ve never been too grossed out by a soggy tennis ball, so it never occurred to me that a tool like this might come in handy. Jason found a saliva drenched, drool covered ball was too overwhelming so he picked up a Chuckit!  This is a great tool because 1) you never need to go near a slobbery tennis ball again, 2) unless you are part of MLB, your arm starts to hurt after the 30th throw, especially if you have a fanatical Labrador and 3) it gives tremendous extension so your dog can enjoy a longer ‘chase.’  Another useful aspect is that you can use it with any tennis ball so don’t spend your money buying expensive Chuckit!-brand balls…so not worth it!

The unfortunate part about living in NYC is that space is limited, especially at dog parks.  I have stopped using the Chuckit! in my local dog parks because balls end up flying too far.

Nonetheless, this is a great tool to have for dog owners with large breeds that love to chase tennis balls!

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In the famous words of Cesar Milan, “Exercise, Discipline, then Affection”  This pithy little mantra is more challenging than it seems, especially when the first thing Mr.Brown wants in the morning is food and lots and lots of affection. Personally, the first thing I want to do in the morning is settle my belly with a warm bowl of oatmeal or cereal, not exercise; inevitably, affection proceeds exercise and discipline.

But, I do strive on a daily basis to ensure that Mr.Brown gets some form of cardiovascular activity.  Usually, striving on a daily basis amounts to ~4 days of actuality.  Besides throwing the tennis ball at the dog park (Mr. Brown’s utopia), I really enjoy running outdoors with him.  Its taken some practice and a few adjustments for him to be a non-disruptive companion but I think we have our routine organized and things have been going pretty smoothly of late   As daunting and wearisome as the idea of going out for a run may be, its a great feeling of accomplishment for me to know that Mr.Brown is exercised and tired out from a long run.

Here are a few helpful tips for running with your dog:
- Keep the leash short for better control- running is challenging enough without having to chase after an energetic dog
- Expect that practice will make perfect- I found that the first few runs were more about getting Mr.Brown adjusted to the terrain/environment and figuring out his endurance level
- Bring an extra doggy bag with you!- Running and moving is equally stimulating to humans and dogs. Mr.Brown always has to pause and make a doody during the first part of our run
- Prepare appropriate hydration- So far, I have run up to ~7 miles with Mr.Brown without stopping to get him water.  I do thing that after ~5 miles he does need some fluid, but I’ve been pushing him with no side effects.  All dogs are different, so prepare some form of hydration (drinking fountain, water bottle) for your long runs
- Be consistent! Mr.Brown’s endurance has improved tons since our first run.  Whereas he used to burn out after ~3 miles, he can run up to ~5 miles before looking up at me with the ‘what the hell are we doing/when can we stop’ eyes of desperation.

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Gromit (Wallace & Gromit)

Footstool (Beauty and the Beast)

Astro (The Jetsons)

Dug (UP)

Baynard (Alice in Wonderland)

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Bags on Board promise:

• Never be caught without a clean-up bag again!
• Handy cartridges easily slip into dispenser for reloading
• Dispenser attaches to any leash
• Refills available

Sniffing Snout Review:
The horror of staring at a fresh, hot, steamy, brown one and realizing you don’t have a plastic bag can be extremely stressful.  On more than one occasion, I have been caught in this sort of situation and had to dash into a local store and beg for a plastic bag, dig through the trash to find a clean bag, or grab Mr. Brown and scurry away.

Thankfully, these occurrences have diminished since I bought the Bags on Board contraption which conveniently attaches to any dog leash and houses a role of clean plastic bags.  The downside to this type of contraption is that the bag-refills are so unjustifiably excessive and expensive, literally ~$0.80-$1.00. So, I have resorted to recycling store plastic bags as my primary poo receptacles and using a fancy Bags on Board bag in extreme emergencies.

There are many types of these bag receptacles available, you don’t need to buy Bags on Board. But I would highly recommend getting a similar contraption because if you don’t have a bag, you will be s* out of luck…no pun intended!

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Advantix Promise:

• Kills 98-100% of the fleas on dogs within 12 hours and continues to prevent infestations for at least four weeks
• Repels and kills mosquitoes for up to four weeks
• Remains effective after bathing and swimming

Sniffing Snout Review:

I distinctly remember my first interaction with a tick.  My neighborhood friend and I had been doing some hiking in my parents’ backyard but was cut short because I had to go to math tutoring.  During my class, my scalp started to irritate me and I found myself running my fingers over this odd little bump on the back of my head.  The more I tried to ignore this hard little mound, the more I wanted to pop or push it out. Eventually my index finger and thumb won and upon scrutiny of the offensive intruder I realized it was animated. It had legs.  I felt nauseous and quickly stabbed my Sanrio lead pencil through its soft underbelly.

My dogs spent the majority of their time outdoors and soon after my own confrontation with these little pests, i realized that Hanna and Mr.Brown will plagued with the same problems.  I relished in tweezing the little bastards from my poor dogs’ epidermis and searing them in my mom’s cooktop, but knew that this was a temporary solution.  About the same time, I began working as a veterinary assistant for a doctor and she introduced me to Advantix.

Objectively, has Advantix worked successfully for prevention and treatment of fleas and ticks for both of my dogs.  I have read many tragic and unfortunate reviews of dogs that have had adverse reactions to this medication. One of the active ingredients, Permethrin, is a insecticide and is widely use to treat wheat, corn, alfalfa and other crops.  As a neurotoxin, possible side effects include tremors, incoordination, elevated body temperature, increased aggressive behavior. Scary, I know.  The instructions of many topical ointments and lotions suggest that you apply a minor amount to the skin surface to test for allergies or sensitivity. I would highly suggest applying the same care when using this for the time on your pet.

Subjectively, I don’t like using chemicals on my dogs.  I try my best to buy high quality foods and treats, so it seems counter intuitive for me to apply insecticides on them.  However, I have justified my guilt by applying primarily during flea season (spring-fall), monitoring and frequent bathing during the off season. So far this has been effective in keeping my dogs flea and tick free.

I would suggest bathing your dog prior to application and making sure your dog is FULLY dry.  The solution is meant to be absorbed into the skin but this process can take some time and causes and oily mess if it rubs on your clothing.

Also, for some reason this medication was not available to me over the counter in NYC, which I find annoying. Most of the veterinary hospitals required my dog to be given a physical examination by their doctor before issuing me the medication- a marketing ploy, I am assuming.  I bypassed this by buying from 1800PetMeds.

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Pet Mate promise:

• Great for crate training, air or car use
• Easy to assemble
• Available in 4 sizes (up to Giant)
• Secure spring latch
• Fast nut fasteners
• Side, front and back air vents
• Shell made of heavy-duty plastic that’s easy to clean
• Quick and easy assembly
• Storage compartment
• Seatbelt slot for car safety

Sniffing Snout Review:
If you are contemplating about buying one of these kennels, I would HIGHLY recommend checking your local Craigslist to see if anyone is selling used.  These kennels are big (especially for large breed owners), bulky, space-hungry and usually pretty popular garage sale items. Plus they are expensive brand new!

I didn’t adequately plan ahead and was only able to find an XL size on Craigslist. I urgently needed a travel case for Mr.Brown, so I stopped by my local Petsmart and walked out with the Pet Make Kennel in Large.  These are extremely easy to assemble, if not a bit tedious- there are holes punched around the perimeter of the kennel, and you use the supplied ‘fast-nut’ fastners to hold the top and bottom together.  The top and bottom are easily stacked into each other when not in use.

Mr.Brown has never lived in a cage before, usually preferring to lie down next to his human friends, so I was wary about getting him adjusted to his mobile home before his cross-country flight.  However, this didn’t end being much of a problem. I assembled the case but left the cage opening piece off. I put a treat inside the cage and Mr.Brown eagerly climbed in.  I would suggest using positive reinforcement techniques to get your dog adjusted to the kennel; never push your dog in during an anxious or tense state, otherwise he/she will see the kennel as punishment.

I bought a few accessories for the cage to ease the stress of travel: 1) a cushioned mat and 2) a water dispenser. Unfortunately, the water dispenser was not approved for airline travel so its somewhere in the abyss of my parents’ garage. I would recommend the mat, I’ve climbed into Mr.Brown’s kennel a few time and can attest that it’s very comfortable.

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The Kong Promise:

• The world’s best dog toys!™
• Cleans teeth and gums
• Hollow center can be filled with food and treats
• Keep your dogs busy and out of trouble for long periods of time

Sniffing Snout Review:
What more can be said that hasn’t been said about this excellent dog toy?  Something so simple, I wish I were clever enough to have invented it.  Mr.Brown spent the majority of his toddler to adolescent years (age 6mo-3 years) driving my mother bats* crazy by chewing up all her green garden hoses into little tubular worms across the lawn.  Within 48 hours of replacing a new hose, he would have rendered it completely useless. But, along came the Kong- chewy in texture, peanut buttery in taste (i filled in the hole), and virtually indestructible.

I have but a few gripes about this toy: 1) There are usually pools of drool in its wake from extended periods of Mr.Brown usage. 2) The hole isn’t big enough for the type of biscuits we buy him so I have to break them in 1/2 which leaves tons of crumbs everywhere. 3) Initially the smell of rubber was discomfiting, I’d prefer not to poison my dog with toxins, so maybe they could try washing these toys a few times before they stock them on shelves…

This is a MUST HAVE for any new dog owner!

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The Flexi Comfort Promise:

• The world’s #1 selling retractable leash
• A Consumer’s Digest Best Buy
• Soft grip and ergonomic design
• Durable construction
• Smooth, reliable retraction mechanism
• Tough braking system

Sniffing Snout Review:
I honestly wouldn’t recommend this dog leash for dog training purposes.  Cesar Milan encourages that owners and dogs walk side by side to enforce human leadership over the pet. The Flexi Comfort Retractable Leash (and all retractable leashes for that matter) allows the dog to charge ahead of the owner.  While I can see that this type of behavior is acceptable and safe with certain types of dogs/situations (ie. small toy dogs, geriatric dogs, open space environments), it is not in NYC with my 75lb beast of a dog.

The braking system on this brand is pretty exceptional. I can attest to this because I have had to apply it quickly when Mr.Brown went charging off in some random direction, so Kudos! for that However, if you are expecting to train a dog with this leash, I would look elsewhere.  Even when it is entirely coiled up, there is about 16” left dangling so achieving a quick training correction is delayed.

I do use this leash for my parents’ mild mannered, extremely obedient, and majorly geriatric labrador retriever, Hanna. So, again, with some does this could be an excellent walking device.

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The Grrrip 2 in 1 Dog Leash Promise:

• Patented built-in traffic handle leash is designed for medium to x-large sized dogs

• Extra strong nylon leash is perfect for training your dog to heel and for daily use
• No more wrapping the leash around your hand to gain more close control
• Great value because it’s like having two leashes in one

Sniffing Snout Review:
Whenever Cesar Milan gives advice about walking unruly dogs, he advises to keep the dog leash loose and slack, but not to have too much distance between the owner and the dog.  I bought this leash from Petco (I’m not sponsored by them or Cesar Milan..I promise!) and find Mr.Brown much easier to manage when he is closer to me- corrections are more effective and I can react to his body cues more quickly. The shorter of the 2 loops is extremely useful for walking a dog through the crazy New York streets where the next taxi or unruly dog could come charging by.

I bought the 6′ dog leash but really should have purchased the 4′. I wish they made the “handles” of the loops more padded because a dog pulling on the leash can wreak havoc on your hands!

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• Prong training collars help you control even the most stubborn dog
• They’re electronically welded for maximum strength
• Nickel and chrome plated for durability, and resistant against rust, tarnish, or breakage
• Swivel ring to prevent the leash from becoming tangled
• Quick release allows for easy application and removal

Sniffing Snout review:
I will admit that by the time I bought a prong dog collar, I was at the end of my proverbial leash with walking my dog. I was ready to get Mr.Brown to walk at any cost and frustrated with his constant pulling and tugging.  By this point, we had been through leather collars, nylon collars, a Gentle Leader, chain collars, a harness, none of which were able to give him the proper correction when he became fixated during walks.  Most dog owners, myself included thought these prong dog collars were inhumane and abusive.  But, after a lifetime of growing up with dogs, some basic anatomy, and studying dog behavior, I have realized that my labrador retriever has pretty thick skin around his neck.

I am happy with the Petco brand that I bought for Mr.Brown because the links are fairly easy to remove and so I was able to quickly customize the size.  Also, the easy relase contraption makes getting the collar on and off pretty simple.  I also saw some gel caps that you can place on the prongs once your dog gets better at walking but can’t find the link for it on the website.

To be honest, when we first started using this dog collar on Mr.Brown, I was probably not using it correctly and my frustration and ineptitude may have inflicted some inadvertent pain.  However, after months of watching the Dog Whisperer and reading body and behavioral clues from Mr.Brown, I can (usually) do a minor correction at the right time to alter an undesired pattern or reaction.

The prong collar *snap* should be used more as an unexpected stimulus to alter a state of mind rather than as punishment.  One *snap* to regain the dog’s attention and the release should result in a loose and slack leash.  Long term pressure would achieve the opposite result since the dog would grow desensitized to the prongs, or worse, physically injure the dog.

Yes, I’m drinking from the Cesar Milan-ade.  Not to sound preachy, and I am still learning how to do this myself, but its always good to approach your dogs problems from a calm and objective state of mind.  Why is he/she constantly pulling? Is it fear? Aggression? Over excitement from lack of exercise? Poor leadership from the owner? Only when you address the root of the problem will walking your dog get easier.

..if only i could consistently practice what I know!!

–edit–
Since I’m writing a review for this dog collar, I did some basic research online and have realized that I’ve been using it all wrong!!

Mistakes I have been making:
- prong collars should not be slipped over the head. links should be detached and fit around the dogs neck.
- collars should not fit loosely on the base of the neck, they should fit snugly where the head and neck connect- right below the ears and up under the jawline

Writing this blog might just be Mr.Brown’s saving grace…

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