Are Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toys packed with fun?

What’s the story on those popular Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toys? Are these floppy plush pet playthings as filled with fun as folks say? Are they tidier than fluff-containing alternatives?

These “As Seen on TV” animal toys, distributed by Telebrands, are available in several varieties, including:

• Beaver  
• Duck
• Fox
• Leopard
• Lion  
• Rabbit
• Raccoon
• Skunk  
• Squirrel
• Tiger

Made in China, Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toys are constructed in hand-washable reinforced plush fur. Each toy measures approximately 20 inches long and contains two squeakers. (Actually, the Duck toy I purchased was smaller and held just one squeaker.)

Each Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toy retails for approximately $20, but it’s pretty easy to find discounts online and in pet stores. I picked up the Duck, Fox, and Rabbit in a three-for-two deal, paying a whole lot less, during a PetSmart sale.

A Crazy Critters Six-Pack Stuffing-Free Dog Toys Variety Pack is also available – for bulk shoppers, multi-pet owners, or smart dog lover holiday gift givers.

How appealing is the Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toy to a canine?

My feisty mixed-breed dog immediately took to each of the toys. Initially, I rationed the toys, offering her one at a time. She carried a lightweight, floppy Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toy with her everywhere for several days.

Eventually, my pup dug out the squeaker from each Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toy. She also tugged and dug and chewed and tore each toy, leaving bits of colored plush fur all over the house.

But, on the plus side, the plush did not discolor carpeting or furniture, even when it was soggy with dog spit. And the intentional lack of stuffing kept cleanup to a minimum, compared to other plush toy casualties we have experienced around the house.

And even in their tattered and squeak-less condition, my pet’s Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toys are still among her favorite playthings.

At approximately $5 apiece (on sale), our Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Dog Toys were a good deal. At $20 per animal, perhaps not so much.

Image/s:

Crazy Critters

 product promo photo

  fair use

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Why pay for dog poop baggies?

Sometimes a freebie can be a genuine pick-me-up. Take dog poop bags, for example. 

Responsible dog owners pick up after their pets, especially when out and about. OK, we knew that. But how?

Sure, you can purchase handy, specially designed dog droppings bags. You can even buy pretty scented dog doo disposal bags, bearing lavender or other fine fragrances. They’re not even all that expensive.

If you wish, you can buy a clip-on or belt loop dispenser for dog doo bags. I usually just stick mine in a pocket or tie one to my belt.

You can also shop around for containers for keeping those tiny trash bags.

Still, I’d rather save my chips for something else – like dog treats or toys.

Here’s a scoop for dog lovers.

Why not save those disposable plastic shopping bags and use them for picking up dog droppings? Just be sure the bags are solid and sturdy and untorn. (My neighbor, the professional dog walker, has some stories to tell about this. But you can likely guess.)

Where can you keep those plastic bags for dog walking?

I saved a cardboard canister from powdered iced tea mix. By cutting a hole in the plastic lid, I easily made a very handy plastic bag receptacle, which I keep by the back door. Every time I leash my dog for a stroll, I grab a baggie. Then we are ready for anything, and it didn’t cost me a penny.

Image/s:

Photo by LAN / Nickers and Ink

Used by permission

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Can KONG Comfort Dog Harness & Traffic Loop get a good grip?

Is the KONG Control Grip Harness a quality product and a useful canine training and exercise tool?

I purchased this super-sturdy padded dog harness in medium in blue for my youthful Labrador-cross, hoping it would help with our cross-country runs and long trail walks.

Like the well-known KONG dog collars, the KONG Comfort Control Grip Harness is constructed of thick, wide neoprene webbing with heavy-duty plastic (backpack-like) snap clips. The straps are adjustable to fit individual dogs.

Each harness features two metal D-rings – one sitting on the dog’s chest (right under his neck), and the other placed on his mid-back (just behind the looped catch-handle to accommodate a dog leash.

In contrast to most dog harnesses, the KONG Control Grip Harness boasts snap clips to fasten it on both sides of the dog’s back for easier fitting and use.

Retailing around $40 (or perhaps less for the smaller sizes), the KONG Comfort Control Grip Harness is available in red, blue, green, and purple. This product comes in four sizes:

• Extra-Small: 5/8” x 12”-18”
• Small: 5/8” x 16”-24”
• Medium: 1” x 20”-30”
• Large: 1” x 24”-38”

The most critical measurement is around the dog’s girth, directly behind his armpits.

Overall, this seems to be a rugged, quality dog product. Properly adjusted, it appears to be comfortable for a dog to wear.

What are the potential drawbacks of the KONG Comfort Control Grip Harness?

This dog harness, even carefully adjusted to fit, may slip and spin somewhat around a dog. I have heard complaints from other dog owners of their pets’ developing belly and armpit rashes, if their halters were left on for long periods of time.

Other pet owners have pointed out that their canines were able to reach the back loop and chew it, essentially ruining the dog harness.

However, dog harnesses are generally intended for outings, training periods, and exercise sessions, not for full-time wearing. The product tag actually reads:

“Caution: Not for tie-out.”

Personally, I have found the most significant drawback of the KONG Comfort Control Grip Harness to be the metal ring placements. The front ring tends to tug directly on the dog’s throat in a particularly vulnerable spot (unlike a collar, chain, or strap). The back ring, when attached to a leash, actually encourages an energetic dog to lean and pull.

However, I have found KONG Comfort Control Grip Harness particularly handy for those occasions when I must take my dog into high-stimulus situations, such as a local parade or a dog-friendly sporting event.

Image/s:

Adapted by this user

from product promotional photo –

Fair use

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Oops! Dentastix cleaned out my dog's teeth - and GI tract

I might have a bone to pick with this canine snack. Dentastix, marketed as a healthy dog treat that cleans dogs’ teeth, gave my pup an added bonus. Actually, it gave my backyard a few extra bonuses as well.

Dentastix are X-shaped solid dog bone treats. According to the manufacturer’s statements on the product packaging and online advertisements, Dentastix can cut up to 80% of regular tartar build-up in a dog’s mouth, if regularly used. Tartar is a known contributor to gum disease.

My dog went wild for a Dentastix treat. She finished it in nothing flat. Then she had to go outside – again and again and again.

I gave the $8 package of Dentastix away to a friend with a dog who eats anything with impunity.

Granted, my pup is on a dog-food-only diet. 

She receives no table scraps, and she eats a high-quality organic dry dog food. She enjoys an occasional small Milk Bone as well.

So her gut has not been exposed to all sorts of potential stimuli from unusual foods.

I examined the ingredient list for Dentastix, and I’m not sure what set her off. The roster includes (quoting verbatim): 

Rice Flour, Wheat Starch, Glycerin, Gelatin, Gum Arabic, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Poultry Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C], Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1]), Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Smoke Flavor, Zinc Sulfate, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Iron Oxide, Copper Sulfate.

NOTE: This blogger has no affiliation with the manufacturer or marketers of this product and received no remuneration or reward for this post.

For whatever reason, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna stick to Milk Bones, brushing, and annual veterinary dental cleanings. My backyard gets enough fertilizer as it is, and my puppy would rather be regular. Just ask her.

Image/s:

Product promotional photo –

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Please don’t feed my dog without asking

Thanks for the sweet thought and your generosity, leading you to want to offer a treat or table morsel to my dog. But, please, no.

Don’t do it!

My dog is adorable and sweet, and I want her to stay that way.

She doesn’t nip or beg. She doesn’t eat people food. She’s on a regular schedule for meals and potty breaks. And she eats a special and extra-healthy canine diet. We’ve tried other dog foods, and the result is not pretty. (Trust me on this one. You don’t wanna know.)

Sure, sometimes I will use treats to reward my dog for tricks and training successes. But I choose these morsels carefully. And she has to earn them.

Freebies, even offered with the best of intentions, can dilute the importance of these rewards.

People who do not have dogs (or people who have outside-only dogs) perhaps don’t understand the importance of this.

When someone gives another person’s dog a handout, it may be intended as a kind gesture. And maybe it is. But it can upset a dog’s diet, digestive system, demeanor, and daily habits.

And God forbid a pet has some sort of food allergies or sensitivities.

I don’t want my dog to learn to beg or nip. I don’t want her to start having accidents in the house, simply because her system has forgotten when mealtimes and walk times occur.

So, please. Don’t feed my dog anything without asking me first.

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Created by this user

with public domain artwork

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