Stuff you should have

These are my favourite things, and you should have them, too!

Sunday, January 01, 2006 , evening

Treat & Train: dog training device on sale

Call this a public service announcement.  Today I was reading the Las Vegas Review Journal, and in the pet care column there was a review of a product called the Treat & Train Professional Dog Training System.  It’s designed by a vet, and allows you to give treats to your pet via remote control. to help reinforce good behaviour.  For example, if you have a dog with separation anxiety, you can put the Treat & Train device on the floor near your dog, then leave the room.  If your dog remains calm, you can immediately use a remote control to dispense a treat from the Treat & Train, thus reinforcing the dog’s calmness.  The device sounds pretty neat, and comes with all the instructions you need for training in the form of a manual and a DVD.  Training takes the form of games, so it can be fun for you and your dog.

The reason I’m quickly writing about it tonight is because the Treat & Train Professional Dog Training System is supposed to sell for $149, but right now Sharper Image has it for just $49.95.  I don’t know why it’s so inexpensive, but if it’s something you’ve considered getting, now’s the time to buy.  I think it might be something good for us to try with Dante, who is 5 but could still use some manners.

If you’re just interested in the training techniques and not the training device, the vet who designed the product, Dr. Sophia Yin, has written a book called How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves.  It’s got great reviews at Amazon.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 01/01 at 09:59 PM
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Wednesday, November 30, 2005 , early evening

The Kurandas are coming!

I gave in, and ordered two Kuranda beds from SitStay.com.  They should arrive on Friday, but UPS seems to always “misplace” our Friday deliveries so they don’t get here until Monday.  Regardless, we’ll soon have a large and extra-large bed, and I can’t wait to post photos and give dog-approval reports.  If you want to order your own, use coupon code BOWWOW from now until December 5th for a 15% discount.  I like the SitStay.com site—they’ve got an irreverent sense of humour, unique products, reasonable prices, and they don’t mark up their shipping costs!  The shipping costs on my two Kuranda beds was just $15.82.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/30 at 06:10 PM
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Saturday, November 19, 2005 , early evening

Chelsea, famous American patriot

For months, I’ve been innundated with ads for “PhotoStamps”.  As an example, I will now innundate you with an ad myself:


I resisted and resisted and tried to avoid the siren’s call, but in the end, it got me.  Well, “it” got me, but a really neat photo of Chelsea got me as well, and I knew I had to put it on a stamp.  If you’re on our holiday card list, this is what you’ll be seeing on the envelope this year:

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The photo doesn’t really do the stamp justice, as the colours are much nicer than they scanned.  There’s probably some technology in place to prevent me from scanning stamps, and I’m sure it’s now reporting my name, SSN, and location to the feds.  See you in Guantanamo!

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/19 at 07:40 PM
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Tuesday, November 08, 2005 , evening

Gifts for the ungiftable

Forgive the blatant advertising plug, but I received a couple of items in my email which are of interest to those of us who need to buy gifts for others, especially if those others are “hard to buy for”.  In many cases I just make a donation in the giftee’s name, but I really like this offer of 5 magazine subscriptions for $30, especially because I love to encourage reading.  There aren’t any animal-themed titles available in this particular offer, but there are titles like “Vegetarian Life” and “Veggie Times”, as well as “Outdoor Photographer” and “National Geographic Traveler”.  If you need a gift for a sports fan, you could drown a person in sports magazine titles.  And hey, when in doubt, there’s always the beloved, “Vibe Vixen”.  I don’t actually know what that is, but it sounds fascinating.

While I’m on the magazine-theme, Magazines.com is offering free business magazines to qualified applicants.  While that sounds sort of dull, there are over 200 free trade publications being offered, including animal-related titles such as “Veterinary Medicine” and “Pet Product News” (click the link which says, “View Categories” and you’ll find an “Animals and Pets” category of publications).  I can vouch for “Pet Product News”, which we receive in conjunction with our Bargains4Pets website—it’s always full of fascinating new products and great articles.  Check out the listing and perhaps you’ll find something of interest to you.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 11/08 at 09:37 PM
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Tuesday, August 30, 2005 , late morning

Pet Vac

I’m putting this in the Stuff You Should Have category, but it really belongs in a “stuff you should see” category.  Check out the website for Pet Vac, just to enjoy all the exasperated pet owners who have dogs who want to be vacuumed—it’s a delightfully hokey video.  (The manufacturer may have modified their website since I first wrote this entry, so if need be, after you click the above link, just select “Pet Vac” from the drop-down menu to view the video).  When I turn the vacuum cleaner on my cats completely vanish, so I guess that also helps remedy pet hair problems.  Has anyone actually tried this product?  If so, would you post and let me know how it worked for you?

If you enjoyed the video, you might also enjoy the one for Pet Groom Pro.  It’s not nearly as wacky, though… it’s just a brush.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 08/30 at 11:22 AM
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Wednesday, August 03, 2005 , evening

Wokking on sunshine

Ha!  It’s a pun!  About a wok!  About my wonderful, new, electric wok, the Breville EW30XL Gourmet Electric Wok .  We love eating Asian food, but I don’t own a wok and tend to just stir-fry everything in a frying pan.  After a particularly unsatisfying batch of stir-fried veggies a few days ago, I decided it was time to buy a real wok.  I figured I’d get a wok pan that would sit on my gas stove burner, because I know from experience that electric woks just aren’t usually up to par.  I did some research on Amazon.com and read a bunch of reviews, and one product really stood out to me—the electric wok by Breville.  Even though it wasn’t what I was looking for, it had great reviews, including one from a professional chef who said he loved it, and that it was “the hottest wok” he’d ever used.  Other reviews commented on how it was better than a conventional wok, and at the great price of $59.99, I was sold.

The wok arrived today and it’s huge and heavy!  It comes with a temperature probe with settings up to “high sear”, a glass domed lid, and a removable base so you can put the entire unit in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.  After giving it a rinse I plugged it in and turned it up to high sear, and gave it a test run with a batch of pad thai.  I’m thrilled to say that it passed with flying colours!  It got extremely hot and did it quickly, it cooked the food evenly without cooling off, and the non-stick surface was excellent.  After the food was done I was able to slide it up over the sides of the wok, directly into a bowl, and there was no mess or sloppy spillage to clean up.  I considered putting it in the dishwasher, but it quickly cleaned up with just some soapy water and paper towel so it’s now drying in the sink downstairs.

My only criticisms of the wok are its size/weight, which might make it difficult to store.  On the other hand, the large size means less mess while cooking, and the weight gives it great stability.  It would have been nice if it has some sort of “hanging handle” so it could be hung from a pot rack.  All in all, a great product though!  If you enjoy cooking Asian food and you’re using a cheap electric wok which never seems to heat up properly, I definitely suggest you give this one a try.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 08/03 at 09:59 PM
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Saturday, July 02, 2005 , early evening

Art by Wesley Holderby

I bought a piece of original art by Wesley Holderby from eBay, and I just love it—it’s a small gecko.  The painting style is unique, the colours are striking, and the piece just seems very well-made.  The painted colours are raised, giving the sculpture a unique texture, and I can’t wait to buy a few more for my collection.  I’m going to keep watching his eBay listings, as I’d like to buy an armadillo, a hummingbird, and a sun as well.  Check them out for yourself at Wesley Holderby on eBay—they’d make great gifts!

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Posted by Leigh-Ann on 07/02 at 06:17 PM
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Saturday, May 07, 2005 , late evening

Things you should buy, as it’s good for the economy

In honour of Mother’s Day, this edition of “Stuff You Should Have” is dedicated to my Mom, who loves to shop.  She’s doesn’t shop online yet, but oh, the fun she’d have if she started to do that.  One day we’ll have to work on fixing her computer-phobia.  In the interim, here are some things I’ve recently purchased and just love, so maybe you’ll love them too.

About half of my nightly “sleep time” actually happens during daylight hours, and if I wake up while it’s light outside, I often have trouble falling back asleep.  I also have trouble falling asleep at night if Nancy is awake reading and the room isn’t dark.  To solve this problem, I finally bought a Foam Sleep Mask from Sharper Image (or as Sharper Image calls it, Sensuous heat-sensitive foam sleep mask).  I don’t know how “sensuous” it is, but it’s definitely soft and light-weight and designed so that it rests against your cheekbones and forehead, and doesn’t annoyingly touch your eyelashes (that would bug me).  It seemed a bit big and bulky at first, but I quickly adjusted to it and started to forget that I was even wearing it, or that it was daytime.  It was relaxing and peaceful, like being in a dark room (yes, it was like a dark room near a bright room of screaming parrots, but it was still an improvement).  I absolutely LOVE my sleep mask, I’m going to give them as gifts to people, and I’m hoping Sharper Image will invent a “Sensuous heat-sensitive foam sleep earplugs” so my life can be perfect.

Here’s another thing you should have so you can give it to me, Fieldstone Raised Garden Bed Kit.  Here in the desert the ground is basically CONCRETE and you can’t dig a hole to save your life.  Planting a garden is next to impossible, but it would be completely feasible with a raised garden bed kit.  I have visions of a 4’ x 8’ raised garden overrun with cucumbers and watermelon and winter squash (and tomatoes, but they really don’t grow very well in our heat).  The Fieldstone kit is a beautiful “faux rock” and I think it would look great in our yard, so I’m saving up my pennies for it.  You can save your pennies too and then send them to me at Screw the Shoes, Mama needs a raised garden bed, 48 Recycled Plastic Lane, Happytown, USA.

MML Promo

If you’re a “hands on” pet owner like me, you absolutely need to have a subscription to Veterinary Technician Magazine.  While I may not be a vet tech, I still have to engage in lots of down-and-dirty stuff like giving allergy injections, cleaning stinky ears, monitoring eyes for pannus-related problems, pilling cats, etc., and Vet Tech Magazine covers all those issues and more in a concise and interesting manner.  The topics in the magazine will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s seen an episode of “Emergency Vets”, and you’ll find yourself picking up lots of great tips and tricks that will ultimately make you a better pet owner.  Even Nancy loves the magazine and she’s got absolutely no interest in becoming a vet tech, so I think that makes it a winner.

And finally, because it’s Sunday, the thing you should have is a good laugh:  Farting Preacher

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 05/07 at 10:21 PM
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Monday, April 04, 2005 , evening

Dremel for trimming pet nails and beaks

I’ve got one more product I’ve been wanting to write about for ages, even though it’s not quite as entertaining as Panic Mouse.  Really, nothing is, so we’ll just have to appreciate the Dremel Minimite Cordless Dremel Tool for being inexpensive and very efficient.  I used to trim my dog, cat, and bird nails with clippers, but the small dogs can be antsy (I’m looking at you, Cricket), and the bigger dogs have such thick nails that they can be hard to cut.  With the birds, it’s difficult to keep them still, and I always do nail trims with a container of KwikStop around for emergencies because a nick is inevitable.  I know our vet uses a Dremel for trimming, so I decided to invest in one.  I thought I could just buy any old Dremel, but it turns out that the really expensive ones are actually too powerful for nail and beak use, because their high RPMs generate too much heat.  Dremel actually manufactures a special model, the Dremel 761-01 Pet Nail Grooming Kit, specifically for pet use, but I did some research and found that it only runs on AA batteries, and that it requires a special tool to change the bits.  I didn’t really like those restrictions, and found that the Dremel Minimite Cordless Dremel Tool was just $5 more expensive, and it had tool-free bit changing, and also came with a rechargeable base which just plugs into the wall when not in use.  You can buy extra batteries if you feel you want spares on hand, but so far I haven’t had any trouble with my battery running down.  The RPMs are nearly identical in both—6000/12000 and 5000/10000—and the 5000 RPM setting has provided ample power for the trimmings I’ve done.  I even did some quick cleanups of two overgrown beaks and it was quick and easy, and no blood!  The pets are very pro-Dremel and don’t care if they ever see regular clippers again, so consider picking one up if you do your own pet grooming.  Don’t forget—biggest isn’t necessarily better, so be sure to buy something which won’t overheat during use.  Good luck!

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UPDATE:  Amazon.com no longer carries the Dremel Pet Nail Grooming Kit, and they also don’t carry the Dremel Cordless 750D, which is the product I originally reviewed, bought, and which I currently use.  However, you can still purchase a very similar model (Cordless Dremel Minimite), via Amazon.com’s third-party sellers.  If you don’t mind a corded model, try the Dremel 395D Variable-Speed MultiPro Tool… just remember to use the low speeds for pet nail trims.  It comes with free shipping, too.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 04/04 at 09:36 PM
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Panic Mouse

This entry will totally cheer everyone up, as it’s about a cat toy called The Panic Mouse.  The Petco website describes it by saying, “You’ve just found the world’s greatest interactive cat toy! Panic Mouse plays with your cat even when you’re away. Battery operated mouse dangles a furry toy within reach of your cat and then quickly snatches it away time and again.” However, that’s just so much understatement, because Panic Mouse is much more amazing than that.  Panic Mouse got the attention of all my cats, instantly.  Even Chelsea.  Panic Mouse had cats coming of their hiding places behind sofas to give the black fuzzy thing a poke.  Panic Mouse was even a hit when I turned it off and there was no movement—that is the sheer majesty of Panic Mouse.  In order to demonstrate this miracle toy, Derek agreed to star in a video.  It’s a big file (about 7 megs), so it might be best if you download the link to view it.  Just right click on the link, select “Save target as”, and you can save it to your own computer.  Are you ready?  Here’s the link:  Derek and Panic Mouse star in “Who You Calling Fat?”.  All the cats enjoyed the toy so much that I had to hide it in a closed bedroom when we weren’t around, as I didn’t want any accidents to happen.  There is a chance, however slight, that your cat could get tangled in the string on Panic Mouse, so I do recommend using it with supervision.  Still, you’ve gotta get one!  It’s better than catnip!

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 04/04 at 09:27 PM
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