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"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North Vs. TubNub (and Microfiber Towel)

PetSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Although I like to think North is pretty neutral to bath time, his pals at Wag Hotel tell me he loved the hydromassage he got on his last stay. In an attempt to recreate that at home, I tested out the FURminator TubNub ($13) on my pooch. A rubbery tool with nubs to massage a pet, work in the shampoo, and stimulate hair follicles during bath time, North seemed to enjoy this easy massage and it left my other hand free to hold him steady.

I finished up his bath time with this Microfiber Towel ($18) - pretty and green, it was barely damp after I dried him off! Check out the products up close, and see how well they cleaned North's fur below!

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"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North Loves petLINENS!

PetSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:15:01 -0700

It's been a while since North's tested out a new product. He's pretty occupied these days, Twittering and all. More online time means he's extra tired at night – yawn.Since the saying goes let sleeping dogs lie, I took a mini-break to blog about his new petLINENS bed. After all, if this snuggly, sleepy look is any testament, I think he approves. The cushions come in two sizes ($15 and $20) – this is the smallest – so both would be great options for even a dog much larger than North, lil pooches that like to sprawl, or a big home with space for the styles.

My favorite part is that you can get a petLINENS set with interchangeable slipcovers so, while one's in the wash, your furry friend can still enjoy naptime in clean luxury like spare doggy sheets. Since I couldn't resist sharing a couple more pictures of my pooch enjoying some rest, check them out below.

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"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North vs. Sushi!

PetSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:00:02 -0700

Not real sushi, but adoro impostors in the shape of Uni, Inside-Out Rolls, and more from Sushi Pups! The toys come separately ($7 and up) or in combos - I think this takeout set would make a great gift for a sushi-loving pet owner. I captured the pictures below of North devouring and nursing his Tamago in the hallway and, as I'm finishing up this post, I can hear his claws on the hardwood as he tries to get a good grip . . . he's sooo into it. I peeked over and his chompers haven't even totally killed it yet! Yum!

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"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North vs. the Pleo

PetSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:15:57 -0700

Meet Lex! Thanks so much for helping me name her – I agree it's a great suggestion so I've been referring my new alternapal by the pet name of Lexi. Before I share all the neat things a Pleo does later this week, I wanted to introduce North to the lil girl. Lucky for us, the Pleo is fairly quiet, doesn't move super quickly, and he didn't sense her as a threat . . . although he gave me (as I interpret it) a scornful gaze when I was holding the toy dino on my lap making kissy noises. Hmm, but I was the one holding a toy dino on my lap making kissing noises?! Either way, North eventually learned to love his new pal and enjoyed checking her out up close. Maybe he speaks Pleosaurus?

To see the rest of the images (even when North goes in for a kiss!) when you read more

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"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North vs. the FURminator

PetSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:30:43 -0700

With such a tough-sounding product name, I'll admit I was expecting the FURminator to work wonders terminating North's pet-hair issue. One local pet store has an actual TV playing this video of a man testing the product out on a heavy-shedding breed, the Golden Retriever, and that stack of dog hair was quite shocking . . . and definitely piqued my interest. Since I've got a pooch who does get hair on my clothes and my furniture, I was willing to try out anything to help me limit the shed. On the right, you'll recognize my cutie patootie and, on the left, a fairly ordinary looking brush said to do extraordinary things. Will it work out? Check out some pics and my opinions when you read more.
Gross! Although the FURminator says it gets the best results on a freshly washed dog, bathtime just wasn't part of North's evening agenda that night, so I tested it out anyway. I got that big mass of hair from just 15 minutes, about all he would sit still for. I'd recommend cooing and petting/scratching a dog with another hand to take his attention away from the brush and my pup seemed to prefer short and gentle over longer strokes. I started with him on my lap but he got squirmy (and I could tell hair was gonna end up all over), so I had him sit on the hardwood floor per the instructions to "position a dog or cat in an area that would be easy to sweep or vacuum."Or baggie. Ha. I'd definitely say this product is worth the money - I found a range of prices for the three sizes from $21 and up - and North didn't hate the FURminator any more than his normal brush and this gets at the undercoat and loose hair - hair I didn't even know was ready to shed. For those less-than-willing pups, there are also FURminator deShedding Dog Treats to lure him still and promote healthy skin and coat.

"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North vs. Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter

PetSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:00:19 -0800

Once again, North is getting put to the test (well, his hair anyway). I spotted this product on a trip to Cost Plus, and I totally fell for the language on the packaging. "Revolutionary! Instantly! Satisfaction Guaranteed!" I was sold. Those were fighting words, and North and his hair were definitely up to this challenge. Now I just needed to figure out what to test . . .

North is not allowed on my bedding, definitely can't reach my drapes, and I already cleaned my upholstery, so I decided to try it out on clothing. I took a fleece hoodie out of my closet, put it on, and picked North up for a snuggle. Then I took it off and rubbed him as if toweling him dry.

Yuck! Wanna see if this product worked, then read more.
While the Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter ($6.99) managed to pick up most of the pet hair, it definitely didn't grab every last piece and it took a couple rubdowns to do the trick. The biggest obstacle was, even though it got the hair off the fleece, it didn't hold onto it that long and ended up getting on my couch. When I wiped off the sponge (which is used dry), it quickly and effectively cleaned the microsuede making me think this product handles certain textures, but wools and fleece easily trap pet hair (and don't want to let it go!), so that's a tricky one to try. I'd say that it works but not quite "instantly" and needs to be cleaned between uses to maintain effectiveness.

"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North vs. the Dyson DC16 Animal

PetSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:45:06 -0800

Hooray! I've started a new group on TeamSugar for my little "Boston Terror!" North and I are going to do the ~~leg~~paw work and test out products to provide our full reviews (and proof!) when we're done. Wanna know if that plushie will last for your tough chewer? Curious how long it takes a pup to empty a frozen Kong? If you have a tip or question, post it here - I'll look for the product and we'll put it to the test!

I hinted in my February Must Haves that we have recently welcomed a new animal into our home – the Dyson DC16 Animal. North hates the vacuum so I was curious to see how this weapon would fare in his eye and ear shot . . . and how it would perform, of course!For good measure, I emptied my hairbrush and his hairbrush and dumped out my dingiest day-to-day purse. I crumbled up a snack (yum, crackers!), pulled some feathers from my pillow, and cleaned out my fabric shaver, too! Then, even though North is not allowed up on the couch, I placed him up there and tried to rub him around (note: if trying at home, dog will likely hate this or think it is a new game). Yeah, just so you don't think my couch is normally in that state. Curious to see how the Dyson held up in my home, read more.
Wow! It's straight off the West Elm showroom floor! After staring at the results, I immediately thought what else can I possibly clean?! Oooh, North's brown Pixie Stripe Snuggle Bed!Because it's super plush on the inside (and I like the striped pattern better), I always let North snuggle on that side. But, I flipped it around and ick! My guy's been resting in filth!Wow, look at all the dust, dirt, and hair it quickly and easily picked up! My vacuum-hating dog didn't appear to be that fazed by this new beast – he was more interested in the cracker crumbs . . . and getting his bed back. Now if only it wasn't so late at night, I'd head out to my garage to clean out North's carseat, too!