bare bones

I happen to like Karim Rashid's designs, especially his line of products you can find at Target (one of my favorite stores)! But, did you know he also produced a nicely modern, yet functional pet bowl?

The white version made a big splash when it first hit the shelves and, when I spotted the Karim Rashid-designed chocolate, pink, and green Yum Bowls over at Cheengoo, I decided that I like them even more than the originals! Thankfully, the designer dishes are not as expensive as you might think – the large bowls come in at $45 dollars, while the smaller set is only $36 dollars – totally doable for something that will be part of your decor, as well as help to fortify your pooch or feline!

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Apparently it's toy mania here on PetSugar, 'cause I have yet another toy post for you today! With so many of you letting me in on your pet's toy collection, I think it's safe to say we have the doggies and kitties covered. But what about the little guys? I know there are more than a few rabbits, ferrets, and gerbils out there (to name a few) so they shouldn't be left out of the playtime fun. I've rounded up a few of my fave small animal toys, including this cute Race Track ($14) for hamsters! Just put your little critter in a specially matched toy car (complete with a running wheel) and off he goes — exercise plus fun equals one happy hamster!

Check out the rest of my fave small animal toys when you read more

Although I normally browse my local Ikea for home furnishings and accent pieces, recently I've been dropping some goodies in my yellow bag for North as well. Surprisingly, this shop has a pretty good selection of quirky pet products to pamper your pals – and protect your wallet, too! Since it's easy to find stuff I absolutely love for my apartment at a great price, I guess saving a few bucks on beds and accessories for North is a no brainer! I even bought this Cat Tent ($7) for my kitty doggie on a recent trip. He seems to enjoy it even though he has trouble getting out without dragging the whole thing behind him across the floor. Hey, could I put a price tag on that kind of entertainment?!

Check out more of my Ikea pet faves when you read more

I have fallen in love with Wonderdog! The oh-so-classy collars, leashes, and harnesses are slightly reminiscent of Crewmutts, add in a hint of Mascot, and a splash of NYC edge, and fresh out of the oven come these chic doggy duds. I'm especially loving the Smith Collection ($32) and have some plans to pick up a few for my own little pampered pal to sport around town.

Started in 2005, Wonderdog began by making chic pet beds, but found their awesome design skills lie in functional and fashionable accessories. What's better, you won't break the bank with Wonderdog with all of their collars costing under $35 and leads and harnesses ringing in less than $50. You can't go wrong with those numbers! You can pick up your own set at a number of stores around the country, or order online.

Contrary to popular belief, not all animals hate baths! North even seems to enjoy his tub time every once in awhile, which is a big relief to a tired dog mommy! But if your pet is having some bath time anxiety issues, there are a few things that you can do to help ease your pets into loving the lather.

• If your pet freaks out at the sight of the bathroom, try getting your pets in there more often. Start by playing in the hallway and slowly working your way in. Once they are mastering going in and out, feeding, play, and even bed time in the loo can help your pet become more comfy in the space, and not such a 'fraidy cat (or dog) to enter.

To see a few more tips, and to check out what is in my pet bath toolkit, just read more

When your dog does his business, where do you put the remains? Most likely you pick it up with your plastic poopie bags and toss it in the garbage like a good owner should. But all that plastic does a number on our landfills! Since today is Earth Day, I thought it would be a great time to focus on one of the most important jobs a pet parent can perform: cleaning up after your pet in an earth-friendly way.

Recently, San Francisco was the first city to put a ban on plastic bags being given out at stores and replaced them with paper or biodegradable bags since the evidence of the damage that plastic causes to the environment was overwhelming. With plastic taking over 100 years to decompose, your stash of old Target and Safeway bags will be hanging around for much longer than you (or your pet) will. Thankfully, these BioBags for Dogs ($6) are here to save the day. To see how they are helping the environment, just read more

If you have a furry little troublemaker on your hands – always trying to sink his teeth into something dangerous – then an electrical cord protector is a must have. Keeping a safeguard around your TV, cable, or stereo cords is a good idea so that your pet doesn't get the shock of his life when he feels the need to chew.

Thankfully, you can get a protector on the cheap at Ikea or by shopping online. This cord protector is only six bucks ($6) but can save you a ton of worry and hassle, and it's clear so you don't have too much of a distraction running along your floorboards. Best yet, if your pet doesn't know better than to take curious chews on cords, it's infused with a citrus scent to deter any naughty nibbles. When I lived with rabbits, however, we had something a little tougher, and a lot bigger, because they were quite the super chewers!

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Spring is upon us so, before we get to the warm and sunny days of Summer, we can look forward to some April showers to bring us beautiful May flowers.

Since daily walks can get pretty soggy in the rain, why not get your furry pal a new Spring coat to keep her dry? I know I have my fave trench coat that I sport in the Spring for its ability to keep me warm on mild days and dry during the wet days here in SF. Of course North has his fave, too. Or so I imagine. This London Leather Coat ($55), for example, would keep him warm and dry from the rain or foggy mist that tends to roll in at our evening walk times. Thankfully, there are plenty of cute and totally fashionable coats out there to fit anyone's taste (your dog's taste, not yours!). I have plenty more in my widget for you to see when you read more

What dog doesn't like the after-bath towel massage? I know North looooves it, almost as if it's the reward for being good during bath time. But, as much as he likes getting pampered, the brush can get confused for a chew toy and doesn't quite cut it like the whole towel thing. The good news for him is that I found the Brush Buddy ($30), a brush that stimulates your pup's coat and replicates those soothing towel rubdowns that come after baths. I'm seriously considering a purchase, not only cause North would dig it for the massage, but because his sanity would dig it, too! To see why, just read more

Once, I lived with a roommate that had rabbits. Although they were totally cute and cuddly, they did not want to cuddle at all. In fact, they loved to hide inside their cage, but mostly around the house. I found it especially funny to come home and find one of them hiding in my clothes basket, burrowed under all my clean clothes. I just took it as a sign that they liked me, even if they didn't want me to touch them!

So when I saw this Hide-A-Way Hut ($6) from Pet Gadgets, I thought of 'ole Toby and Stella. Those little guys would have loved to hide in this grass woven nest, not only to rest, but probably to chew as well. Thankfully, since the fibers are all-natural, they can get away with it. At least it's not your power cable!

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