I have gotten so far behind on my Christmas shopping. I try to do everything online – I’m not a fan of malls! – but with Christmas a few days away, shipping fees are spiking at a lot of online retailers. I combed through some promo emails and releases I’ve received over the last few weeks and found three great gifts for dog lovers that can still be delivered in time for Christmas! So here goes…

1. A good book. Download an inexpensive ebook with a heartwarming dog story. Instant delivery means you won’t pay more in shipping than you did for the gift! (Hint: You don’t need a Kindle to read these either. You can download them to the free Amazon Cloud app and read them through your web browser.)

2. Good smells! I think this one might be more valuable to pet lovers than anyone else. Environmentally-friendly NOse Offense eliminates pet odors. Ages ago the company sent me a trial size, and we tested it in the worst-smelling place: the car. It worked! We now keep the bottle in our glove compartment so that if we ever have to give some poor, unsuspecting person a ride, we can spray it really fast and eliminate most of our dog odors. And! They’ve offered 15% off your purchase for OMD! The code OHMYDOG15 will be valid until 12/26. 

3. Pet safety. Kind Kollars solve a problem we’ve battled for years. I’m going to write a whole post about this later, once we’ve had a chance to put them to the test. But in the meantime, for last-minute shopping, Kind Kollars is offering a 10% discount PLUS free rabies identification number upgrade if you use the code OhMyDog to buy a gift card. 

How many of you are slackers like me, scrambling to finish up some last-minute shopping? Or do some of you fall in the “finished since June” camp?

Recently, I checked Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable out of the library. Before I get into the review, I have to admit: I’m not convinced that Emmett is getting old. He’s probably 8ish, but he’s busy and spry. But there are signs. Like his muzzle, which I don’t even notice until I’m downloading pics like this off of my camera:

Where did all that grey come from?! I swear it wasn't there yesterday...

He plays with his brothers, though less than he used to. He goes for walks, though he prefers a stroll over a jog these days. He is exuberant and playful anytime he goes somewhere to “work,” but I’ve noticed that it’s taking him longer to sleep it off afterwards.

He still has a good, long life ahead of him, but I picked up this book because I wanted to get a sense of what the experts are saying about aging.

The bottom line? Our dogs can lead very long, very happy, very healthy lives with good nutrition, exercise, and healthcare.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s worried about signs of aging. The authors do a fantastic job outlining – it total layman’s terms – clinical signs and symptoms and what to do about them. They explain common conditions and their treatments. Each chapter starts with a brief blurb about a dog who experienced the condition they’re explaining in that chapter, which helped put yourself in those shoes.

The best bits, to me, were the parts where they explored different, common ailments (vomiting, for example) with a great explanation as to when you should see a vet for those routine things. There was also straightforward, frank discussions about the cost of care and end-of-life decisions.

I can see Good Old Dog becoming a reference that you pull off the shelf each time your older dog experiences or is diagnosed with something new. It’s both practical and reassuring.

Even though Emmett isn’t “old” in my eyes, he is definitely getting older. I took away a lot of valuable information from this book, but all the information that falls under the “things to be aware of” category were the most valuable.

Have you read Good Old Dog? Thoughts? Are there other books about aging that you would recommend? 

When author Barbara Simpson Carducci contacted me about her new book, Storee Wryter Gets a Dog, I was excited to see a book targeted to young readers that combined responsible pet ownership, writing, and therapy dogs – three things I’m passionate about!

The book opens with young Storee talking with her friend Kyria. Kyria’s family raises puppies to become service dogs, and she’s trying to convince Storee to adopt one of her new pups.

There is some great dialogue between Storee and her parents, and the family and Kyria’s father. They go over everything it takes to raise a puppy, including training classes and the costs involved. The book does an excellent job conveying the responsibility Storee will need to have in raising the pup.

Of course, they agree to getting the dog. Several short chapters are devoted to the adjustment, potty training, attending training classes, and helping their family cat get used to the dog.

Storee and her mother decide to train the pup to be a therapy dog, and the story culminates with their first visit to a school classroom.

My only complaint – and this is totally a personal preference thing – is the “cute” names for the characters. Storee Wryter and her cat Critique are sort of obvious. Books for young readers do this all the time, but I think young readers are capable of going beyond the obvious.

Overall, this is a great book for introducing young readers to the responsibilities of pet ownership and the joy of training a therapy dog. It’s a short, 60-page chapter book that would be appropriate for a range of readers because there isn’t a complicated plot or difficult language. The book includes several writing prompts related to the themes of the book, which would make this a fun classroom project.

I’m curious to see if Storee’s tales become a series of children’s books!

Note: I received this copy for free from the author. Even though I received the book for free doesn’t mean I’ll write a positive book review. My reviews always will be honest. For more information about reviews, please see my disclaimer page. As far as my free copy of this book goes, I’m donating it to the Animal Reading Friends (ARF) program that Emmett and I are involved with. 

Recently, the boys have been testing a handful of dog products that were sent to us for review. Here are three that we’ve recently finished trying out:

Zututh

If you can believe it, Cooper and Emmett love having their teeth brushed. Lucas… not so much. I try to brush their teeth a few times a week, though it can be challenging to do a thorough job since they lick the toothpaste off the brush faster than I can get to all their teeth. Zututh is designed with an angle in the middle, which allows you to get all the way to their upper back teeth without a ton of maneuvering. I love this toothbrush and have already replaced – permanently – their old standard brush.

LeashLocket

If you’re a retractable leash person, this would be an awesome solution for you. LeashLocket attaches magnetically to your dog’s collar or harness, so they’re carrying their own leash. It would be great for the dog park because you wouldn’t have a battle of wills with your pup about getting the leash on when it’s time to go because the leash is already on (or is it just my dogs who battle over this??). However, for me, a retractable isn’t a good solution. Lucas’ reactivity, Cooper’s misunderstanding of how a walk should go (no, you DON’T pull my arm out to get to that butterfly), and Emmett’s disinterest in walking anywhere other than right next to me… not good fits for a retractable, though when I tried it out around the block, it did work perfectly fine with Emmett’s collar. Plus, they sent us a pink one, and while I don’t like to enforce gender roles, the boys were a little embarrassed.

SmartBones

Rawhides do not work in my house. Emmett swallows them whole, and Cooper and Lucas get a little guard-y toward each other. When SmartBones arrived, I was really happy to see a rawhide alternative that, according to the company, is 99% digestible. They have chicken in them – so Cooper couldn’t try them – and they sent the tiny sizes – so Emmett couldn’t try them due to the choking hazard aspect of him not chewing anything.ever. – so I wanted until they were out for a walk with John, and Lucas tried them. Lucas loved the little bones. He takes forever to eat a treat when the other two aren’t around, so he worked on the little bones for a few minutes apiece. (A few minutes = forever in this house.) I would definitely consider trying Emmett with one of the large sizes.

Have you tried any of these products? Any additional input or feedback?

Disclaimer: I received all three of these products from the various companies for free. However, just because I receive something for free doesn’t mean I’ll give a positive review. Ever. Check out my full disclaimer policy for more info. 

Drum roll!!

I was so excited to draw the winners for these fab pieces. I used random.org to select, first, the winner of the bracelet…

Congratulations to commenter 11, Sara!

And then random.org selected commenter 9 for the necklace. Congratulations, Laura!

Check your inboxes, ladies, for instructions on claiming your prize!

For everyone else, Ella B Jewelry is extending the offer! The coupon code OHMYDOG20 will give you 20% off everything in store (excluding charity items) and she will donate 100% of her proceeds from the sale of the necklace and bracelet to Rescue Ink! Check out the snazzy button on the right-hand sidebar for more info and the link.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

I have been stalking following Debbie Jacobs through her blog, website, and Twitter for a long, long time. I love that she not only is she a positive trainer, she focuses her work on fearful dogs.

I had the pleasure of meeting her at BlogPaws, and she so generously gave me a copy of her book A Guide to Living With & Training a Fearful Dog, which I devoured in one sitting.

In summary: I wish I had this book four years ago when we first brought Lucas home.

Lucas reads in his quiet spot under my desk. He gave the book two paws up!

For one thing, many people labeled Lucas as “aggressive” instead of fearful. It crushed me and John as we struggled to help Lucas navigate the world. Debbie’s book lends that understanding, empathetic voice that I so needed in those early days.

Honestly, I can’t say what was the most useful part in the book because I marked it all up with notes to myself and places to return to again and again! Even though we’ve spent years, worked with several trainers, read a library’s worth of books, Debbie’s book gave me a ton of new ideas to keep working with Lucas.

The book includes a useful glossary of terms commonly found in training books and a super-helpful resources section for further reading.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s full of practical advice, reassuring words, and tips and tricks that will help any dog owner – even those without a fearful dog – develop their bond. This book is going to take up permanent residence on my shelf because, as all of us who love a fearful dog know, there are days when training doesn’t go as well or our dog experiences a set back. I plan to dip into this book each and every time we face something like that for the patient reassurance that Debbie gives her readers!

I can’t wait to see what Debbie works on next!

I am so, so excited for today’s giveaway. Ella B Jewelry, a super stylish collection of ultra chic jewelry, has given me two completely custom pieces to give away! These designs were created solely for OMD! readers and to benefit a rescue we’ve all come to know and love.

From today forward, all the proceeds from the sale of these two pieces will be donated to Rescue Ink!!

Dog Paw Bracelet

Crafted with black onyx beads and a darling sterling silver pawprint, this modern bracelet is on an elastic band that stretches to fit most wrists.

Dog Bone Pendant 

My personal favorite! This super cute sterling silver bone charm hangs at an angle on a 16-inch sterling chain. (This is the necklace I rocked at BlogPaws, for those of you who commented on how cute it was!!)

You can enter to win one of the two pieces all week!

Ella B Jewelry created a special coupon code for 20% off anything (except charity items) in the store. Use OHMYDOG20 at checkout to redeem your discount.

Thank you to Ella B Jewelry for giving me these two beautiful pieces to give away and for offering your proceeds to support Rescue Ink!

Rules:

1. Leave a comment on this post and only this post to be entered to win.
2. Only one entry per person, please. Duplicates will be deleted before the drawing.
3. Drawing closes this Friday, September 16, at 5:00 pm EST.
4. One winner will be selected for each of the two items using random.org.
5. Winners will be notified via email (so make sure you enter with a valid address!) and will have one week to claim their prize. Any prizes not claimed after one week will be given to a newly drawn winner. The winners also will be announced on the blog Friday night or Saturday morning.

About Ella B Jewelry:

Featuring a rich assortment of metals and an eye-catching array of gemstones, Ella B Jewelry achieves a magical synergy between the sophisticated and the unrefined, the classic and the edgy, the glamorous and the bohemian, and the understated and the extravagant.

The result is a collection of distinctive and iconic pieces that appeal to women of all ages.

A couple months ago, Petstages kindly sent Cooper a few toys to test. Unfortunately, they arrived during his allergy trial when he couldn’t have any toys with plastic or rubber on them. So they sat un-played-with for weeks and weeks. Once we got some answers on his allergies, I broke out the toys!

Here they are in order of longevity:

Stuffing Free Gator
 

We love stuffing-free toys around here. And anything with a squeaker is a winner in Cooper’s book. While this toy had some great features, Cooper had it ripped open and the inside plastic completely shredded in the amount of time it took me to walk downstairs and get myself a cup of coffee. It was in hundreds of little pieces mere moments after I handed it to him! It is important to note that this doesn’t reflect on the toy. Cooper is Captain Destruction. He destroyed a Kong in an afternoon. This is a toy that might be more appropriate for an older or tinier dog, though he had a blast for the few moments he got to shred it!

Pine Cone Chew Toy

This toy was a hit, probably because of the combination of materials. Cooper loves a toy with some good texture. Lucas and Cooper had a blast playing tug with this toy. The rubber on this guy is way more durable than the alligator toy, so it held up great. Somehow he kept getting the rope unknotted, though, so the pine cone and rope spent most of their time separated. Overall, this one was a ton of fun for Lucas and Cooper to play with together.

ORKA Tire

Of the three, this was the real winner! In fact, it held up to really serious Cooper chewing until yesterday when he got a chunk off. It’s one single pieces and doesn’t have any seams, so it was more durable than most chew toys. Plus, the way it’s constructed is sort of unique: There’s a slight opening around the inside of the ring. I ended up sticking treats in there to keep him busy while he was in his crate, and he loved it. I was sad when he ripped it yesterday, but I’m going to purchase a replacement for this ASAP!

Thanks to Petstages for sending us these three to test! Check out my full disclaimer about product reviews.

Wow! This was a lot of fun. I love giving things away! And, really, this is the greatest group of dog lovers, so I wanted to hold these giveaways as a way to say THANK YOU! I was going to post this on Monday, but I was just too excited!

Congrats to the winners! I wish I had something for everyone who entered, but don’t worry – more giveaways are coming!

::drumroll, please::

The winner of the Greenies goody basket is commenter #3: Becki D!

The two winners of the Cesar Canine Cuisine prize packs are commenters #6 and 4: ChristopherC and Laura!

And the five winners of the VPI pet first aid kits are commenters #7, 2, 10, 8, and 12: Skye, Charlene B, Pamela, Julie, and Sam!

I will be emailing you all tonight or, if you’re faster than I am and noticed that you’re a winner, please feel free to email me at info {at} ohmydogblog {dot} com to claim your prize!

Let me start this post by saying thank you! Thank you for sharing information and trading tips about pet care, training, and health. Thank you for humoring me when I post pics of my guys and our silly adventures. Lately, though, we’ve had a ton of health-related discussions, most of which are my ramblings about these guys’ various health issues. (More to come next week, too!)

In hindsight, we should have gotten health insurance long ago. Turns out, we’ve adopted some lemons! (Humor is my coping mechanism. Again, you’ll hear more about our struggles next week.)

Emmett’s cancer treatment cost a small fortune, and Cooper… well, Cooper has decided to single-pawedly rival Emmett for the title of Most Expensive Dog Ever. So it’s too late for Emmett, but we’re starting to look into health insurance options for Cooper and possibly even Lucas. (Interesting aside: Emmett and Cooper have all the health problems. Lucas has all the behavior problems. Funny how that played out.)

VPI Pet Insurance has created a customized savings calculator where you type in relevant information about your pet, and it provides the costs associated with the most common health concerns affecting your pet’s breed at http://costofcare.petinsurance.com/.

When I calculated Cooper’s, here’s what came up:

I hate to even type this, but in his short little life, we’ve already dealt with SIX out of those ten. Sigh. Perhaps we do need insurance…

Anyway! Try out the calculator! VPI kindly donated five pet first aid kits with collapsible water bowls.

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post and share your results from the calculator or tell us about your experience with pet health insurance!

Rules:

1. One entry per person, please. (Though you can enter all three of today’s giveaways, please only enter each one once!)
2. Each entry must have a valid email address so that I can contact the winner.
3. Contest closes Sunday at 5 pm EST.
4. The FIVE winners will be selected via random.org and announced on Monday and via email, and the winner has three days to claim the prize or I’ll pick someone else!

*This post is part of my OMD! Reader Appreciation Day!! Thank you for continuing to share this little corner of the internet with me and my dogs! 

Enter the first giveaway of the day from this morning, a Greenies prize pack or the second giveaway of the day from this afternoon, a Cesar Canine Cuisine prize pack!