CANINE CAHOOTS - 5 favorite Halloween costumes for dogs

 

Halloween has gone to the dogs! Gotta love all those clever costumes for canines.

 Arf! Arf! Check out our five favorite trick-or-treat outfits for our four-legged doggy pals. (To save you a trip to the local pet supply shop, you can simply click each title link to find that costume on Amazon.) Prices vary.

 Maybe you CAN teach an old dog new tricks … at least, for Halloween treats!

 (Many of these pet Halloween costumes are also available in sizes to fit cats.)

 

Action Hero

 This dog is armed and dangerous, but only in make-believe for Halloween. Look out, neighborhood. Here he comes! Available in sizes from XS to L.

Crowned Canine

 Any dog is Alpha Dog in this kingly getup. Constructed in velvety fabric, it includes a royal chemise, robe, and crown. The royal majesty pup will reign on Halloween, rain or shine, in this ensemble.

 

Rock-and-Roll Rover

 Strike up the band with this cool dog costume. He’ll be tuning up for treats on Halloween! Available in M to XL sizes.

 

Rodeo Rider

 Saddle up your pup with this Wild West Halloween costume. The saddle (with attached cowboy) fastens around the pet’s mid-section with Velcro. Comes in sizes from XS to L. Get along, little doggy!

 

Tuxedo Dog

 Black tie’s in vogue with this uber-formal Halloween dog costume. Maybe we’ll call him James Bone.

This bandanna-style outfit comes in all sizes, from S to XXL, to fit various dog breeds. There’s also a coordinating bride costume, in case Mr. Dog is hitched to Mrs. Dog.

 And for honorable mention, here’s a festive pet costume for Thanksgiving:

 

Gobble-Gobble

 We’d call this Turkey Dog, but that wouldn’t be right. Hit the streets for a Thanksgiving-themed race or festival, or just go over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house with the pup dressed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. (No, not THAT kind of dressing!)

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FELINE FRIGHTFUL - 5 favorite Halloween costumes for cats

 Feline frightful for Halloween this year?

 Here are some of our favorite trick-or-treat get-ups for our furry feline friends. (To save you a trip to the local pet supply shop, you can simply click each  title link to find that costume on Amazon.) Prices vary.

Aren't these Halloween pet costumes just the cat's meow?

 Most of these costumes are available in sizes to fit various dog breeds as well.

 

Cat Gone Batty

Black bat wings (constructed in felt) attach to cat with Velcro (making them adjustable).This costume seems particularly well suited for black kitties. (Just be sure your cat is current on rabies shots. Sorry, had to!)

 

Cowboy Cat

Round up the fun with this Wild West costume for kitty. It even comes with a jaunty cowboy hat. Yee-haw! Let the fur fly!

 

Lion Kitty

This fuzzy-maned masquerade outfit, made of soft plush comes in small and medium for cats. Choose from traditional lion, spotty leopard, or black panther. It’s roaringly fun.

 

Pirate Cat

Bring in the bounty for Halloween with this pirate costume. This is more high-seas fun than Captain Hook could imagine.

 

Vet Cat

Available in a full range of size (XS to L), this cotton costume fits the bill. (A pink nurse version offers another option, and this one comes with a nurse cap.)

 

Why shouldn’t kitty play along for Halloween, even if he or she will cower under the couch anyway?

 

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Benebone Chew toys are a best bet for busy chompers

 My dogs love chew toys, but those don’t usually last long around here. I’ve seen them gnaw their way through pricey nylon dog bones in mere minutes. And anything with a squeaker brings out the beast in them. That stuff is destroyed faster than you can say, “Here, buddy.”

Finally, we’ve found a chewable dog bone toy that lasts longer. 

Benebones are a little pricey, but they’re a good value, if you consider their durability. I appreciate not having to replace my dogs’ chew toys almost daily.

My Border Collie and my Lab both love the giant bacon-flavored Y-shaped Benebones. Those retail just under $20 apiece, unless you can find them on special.

We’ve had a couple of the larger, sturdier Benebones for weeks. They bear teeth marks, but they are still holding strong. Best of all they aren’t splitting or splintering into dangerous choke-hazard pieces.

That’s worth plenty to me.

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Additional photos by LAN/Fad to the Bone – all rights reserved

Pet product review: Star Wars Plush Yoda Squeaky Dog Toy

 

Love Yoda? The Star Wars Plush Yoda Squeaky Dog Toy is adorable, especially for families that love the Star Wars movie series. Really, it’s cute and sort of cuddly.

 The 6” version retails for $8.99, but we picked it up a little cheaper on Amazon Prime. (It also comes in 9” and 12” versions for a bit more.)

 

 

The little Yoda toy seemed like a sweet little reward for our dog.

 But the fun didn’t last long. At first squeak, my dog tackled the toy and began chewing. She didn’t come up for air till the squeaker was out … and dead. From then on, she carried the now-limp and hollow cotton plush plaything around for a day or two. Then it got tossed.

 This product reviewer purchased the product described and evaluated here, and the reviewer has no prior or existing relationship (either familial or professional) with the creator, manufacturer or marketer of the product.

 

In all fairness, maybe we didn’t give this product a fair shake.

 

 After all, anything containing a squeaker is pretty much dead meat in our house. But I’m sort of done buying toys that my dog will destroy the first day. I’d rather invest in a couple of Nylabones, some replacement Chuck-It balls, or another sturdy rubber KONG.

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Easy fix: Pup chewing dog crate tray?

Puppies love to chew on stuff -- even the trays in their dog crates. Our little dog sure did.

Before we picked her up from the animal rescue, we picked up a sturdy, roomy dog crate with an accompanying tray to place inside it. We tricked it out with a comfy pad (More on that later.) and welcomed the pup to her new den.

Within a day or two, she was chewing the black plastic tray to bits. I honestly worried that she might swallow some of the sharp shards.

LAN photo. All rights reserved.

But the solution was simple.

I returned to the pet store and purchased a new plastic tray. But this time I bought a larger size, so it could go under the crate, instead of inside it. That way, the young dog would not be able to chew on it. (I picked up a few more chew toys at the same time, because a pup can never have enough of those, right?)

Sometimes we just have to think outside the box. (Or the dog crate.)

Gotta love an easy answer.

Also, if you guessed that our dog crate is lined with a faded old quilted English saddle pad, you’re right. We love to re-purpose old stuff.

Image/s:

Fitness training dogs – personal copyrighted photo.

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Product promo photos / fair use

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Slow feed dog bowls make mealtime more fun

Mealtime is serious business for dogs, but who says it cannot also be something of a game? Bright-colored food-safe plastic molded dog dishes with squiggly or maze-like designs are making the scene in many homes.

The idea behind slow feed dog bowls is that the intriguing molded plastic designs are supposed to prevent dogs from bolting down their food. Slower eating is likely to prevent bloat and promote healthier digestion. Apparently, promotional veterinarians have recommended such serving-ware for canines.

Outward Hound Slow Feeder Dog Bowl

Do slow feed dog bowls really slow down hungry dogs?

Maybe they do, but it looks like we’re talking a matter of seconds here, at least in my house. My dogs manage to eat promptly, once their dishes hit the floor. But they do seem to enjoy the process!

Personally, I like that these slow feed dog dishes are sturdy and solid, with non-slip bases. Generally priced between $10 and $20, they come in multiple sizes and colors and inner patterns, so it’s easy to tell which dish belongs to which dog (for portion control and customized feeding of multiple dogs). And they hold up to countless dishwasher cycles.

Harmony Mint Plastic Slow Feeder Dog Bowl

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