K-9 Yard Patch

Remember this post about the annoying pee spots? And then remember my dear friend from Virginia who suggested the special biscuits that allegedly neutralized the nuclear power of Charlie's tinkle? I still love my friend to pieces but the dog biscuits ....

Anyway, I had just completed my non-scientific trial of the $10 biscuits when, through the power of the internet (and Kris Jones, the woman who makes those HILARIOUS cards) I was "virtually" introduced to Cory Sonnen. Turns out that Cory Sonnen just happens to own a grass seed company that just happens to make a product designed for this very irritating problem!

Cory was kind enough to send me a sample of his product, K-9 Yard Patch and suggested that we give it a whirl. He explained that the problem we're experiencing is due to the fact that there is something in Charlie's pee that changes the Ph level in the soil where he voids. Since he routinely voids in the same spot, the Ph is all out of whack and grass simply can't grow there.

The K-9 Patch product is sprinkled over the burned out spot and watered just like you'd water your regular lawn. I won't pretend to fully understand the chemistry of this stuff but from what I understand the powdery substance contains both a Ph balancer and some grass seed to get the grass growing once the soil's Ph is corrected.

When the box arrived from Cory, Andy ripped that package out and started sprinkling it on all the brown spots in the yard. Then we waited.

I admit: I was skeptical. (Sorry Cory.)

But, check this out:

That there is new grass growing in the formerly burned out Charlie spot. HALLELUJAH! This stuff worked exactly as Cory said it would - and I'll tell you, we were pretty certain that nothing was going to grow in those spots ever again.

Oh, and one other thing, this little company uses only environmentally safe ingredients in all their products. That means you're not messing with Mother Nature when you're repairing Fido's damage. Saving the earth and my turf - I LOVE THAT!

So, here's a big shout out to Cory Sonnen at K-9 Yard Patch and a hearty 4 paws up rating from Charlie (and his gardeners!)

Oh, and don't forget, if you're looking for Charlie's other reviews, make sure to stop by his review site to see what's new.

Finally, a Solution!

Remember the helter skelter scene I caused when I last attempted to clip Chuck's toe nails?

Well thanks to the magic of the internet and to the sage advice of Melissa Mitchell, proud service dog owner/trainer and follower of this blog, we discovered the PEDIPAWS.

This little phallic looking little device converted Charlie from a bloody sharp-toed mess, into the divinely pedicured show dog that he is (or at least aspires to be.) It's actually quite a simple tool, much like a little dremel, which allowed me to quietly file down Chuck's nails without too much difficulty.

The instruction manual offered some good suggestions for desensitizing your dog to the "pawdicure" experience (basically just introducing the device slowly, over a period of several days, and combining it with lots of treats.) I pushed Chuck just a bit as I know he's a quick study and we managed to do a complete pedi on our first try. Now he's absolutely gorgeous from his big square head to his round little toe nails. Thanks for the advice Michelle!

One other thing ... for anyone looking for Charlie's reviews, check out our new blog devoted entirely to product reviews (dog stuff will stay on this blog but all our other reviews will go here.)

More Reviews

Q: Know what this is?

A: A circular model of culinary perfection. I know, I know ... a bundt cake? C'mon, right? Well prepare to relish the retro happiness of the 70's. Nothing Bundt Cakes is a bakery that produces nothing BUT bundt cakes in a wide variety of sizes and flavors. The brainchild of two women in Las Vegas, this little place is actually a nation wide franchise and one just recently popped up out here in NorCal. Plus, good news for those of you too far from the Bay Area to stop by after work ... you can actually mail order these! Check them out here.

A New Ride for Charlie?

So I stumbled upon this site for Madsen Cargo Bikes and all I could think of was how fun it would be to load Chuck in the back and tool around town. (Since Tim has started to show some interest in his bicycle, it's been a bit disappointing to leave Charlie home while we ride about town.)

As luck would have it, the Madsen folks are giving away some of their bikes to folks that post links to their site and send traffic their way. SHAMELESS PROMOTION ALERT HERE: I'm posting this link because I'd like to have a chance at winning one of their bikes for Chuck. Please help us and click on this link. Looks like the drawing is in July so I'll keep you all posted ... cross your paws for us!

Reviews 2 & 3 (and one extra)

I'm a bit overdue on some of my review party reviews so I thought I'd try to fit two into one post here. First up today is a cute little paper company called lobotoME.

This little company was the brainchild of a self confessed "lister" who kept multitudes of lists for home and work. When her light bulb went on, she started producing pre-printed lists for everything from meal planning to travel packing. They're all printed on recycled papers and have contemporary designs that are infinitely cooler than toting around a crumpled sticky note. They can be found at the Container Store (LOVE that place) and on line. (The "Sit Me" one seemed particularly useful for parents or folks who leave pets with house sitters.)

Next up is an interesting take on packing tape. Yup, that's what I said. (I never imagined I'd be writing about packing tape.) Although I was skeptical at first, I have to say I am a sucker for a cute package and the idea of sending all our annual gifts back east in something better than a recycled Amazon box really got me going.

This was the sample I received at the party. Not surprisingly, the packaging for the packing tape was as cute as the tape itself.

My sample is a pink dotted version with some light pink vines running through the roll. There's a huge variety of colors and patterns (at the party we saw a wood grain, cute little birds, florals, and lace patterns) and there are a few other tape-ish items like envelope wrap arounds and labels. You can find them all at Tapeswell.

Of course, I can't write a post without at least a fleeting reference to Chuck so in his honor I am providing a bonus review.

Say hello to the Frosty Paw. I spotted these little gems in the supermarket frozen section and thought Chuck might enjoy a nice frozen treat during our unseasonably hot June.

Inside the box are four little ice cream cups just like we got when we were kids. (sans the little wooden paddle-spoon.) I peeled off the tabbed top and headed outside to offer it up to the wonder pooch.

This little frozen treat is, quite simply, canine crack. I'm certain that this dog would have stood on his head and cited the Gettysburg Address for just a few licks. He licked that cardboard tub with such ferocity that I don't know how it managed to remain intact. From the time that I peeled back the top until Charlie delivered his last lingering lick, no more than 5 minutes had lapsed (quite impressive considering that the treat was frozen solid.) It was great fun to watch and I look forward to treating Chuck again. Two resounding paws up!

Party Time

We were invited to a party last Friday and the invitation included Tim and Charlie so naturally everyone (including Chuck) had to get spruced up. We ran a little short on time that day so I opted to bathe him in the back yard rather than going to our favorite dog wash and with a little prodding I was able to get Tim on board for the task. So first, we gathered up our gear, ...

... and then got right down to business. Tim happily showered Charlie ...

... and Charlie happily showered Tim.

Now that everyone was clean it was time to fret about the party. Tim LOVES parties but you just never know how things will go (A Club parents surely know what I'm talking about here.) Plus, it wasn't just Tim that we had to fret about ... what if Charlie lost his wits and demonstrated some yet unseen wacky behavior? We (actually, just me) were starting to feel a little pressure about this event.

I'm a big believer that preparation is the key to relieving stress so I decided to work with Tim on preparing for the party. We knew that there would be two other little kids there so we spent the rest of the afternoon practicing names and thinking about ways we could introduce the children to Charlie.

As expected, Charlie was a brilliant ambassador for North Star and our family (except for his need to "download a brown load" in the host's well manicured yard. Did I mention that the host was Andy's former boss? Andy quickly removed any evidence of this minor transgression and I don't think anyone was the wiser.) The children threw tennis balls for Chuck to chase, walked him around the yard like a small pony, offered countless sticks for chewing, and eagerly posed for pictures.

I think Chuck was particularly fond of this little guy because he managed to score a few mouthfuls of pasta from him during dinner. (I saw it all transpire but it was simply too cute to correct!)

While it's always great to see Charlie showered with attention, what really thrills me is when I see Tim being welcomed into a group of kids to play. No doubt Charlie was the ice breaker - these kids clearly adored him. But after wearing Charlie out, the kids all played together and that's what really makes my day.

Yup, that's Tim right in there with the other kids. Can't think of much that makes me happier than that. Of course Tim was tickled pink to play with other kids and their toys. Even today as I type this, he's been peeking over my shoulder looking at the photos and saying, "let's do it again."

Phew.

Review #1: Zen Charlie

It's been almost a week since the big "Review Party" and I've decided to kick off my reviews with what I thought would be the most difficult review for me to write. I am compelled to disclose here that I am terminally practical and as such you can imagine my knee jerk reaction when I first saw Cleansing Thoughts.

Cleansing Thoughts: a cute little meshy bag containing 5 heavy weight plastic cards, an adhesive clip and a single bath gel bead. It's billed as being a device to help you create a happy and fulfilling life by reading the inspirational messages each day as you shower. As the mother of an autistic child, I'm forever seeking inspiration so I actually put it in my shower and have read the first of 5 inspirational notes.

I have to admit, the cards seem to be very durable and the messages, although a bit cliche, are sound. (Although I'm not quite sure about my "highest good is already happening.") The card holder easily adhered to my shower tile and the cards fit tightly. Oh, and the packaging really is cute.

If nothing more, this could be a cute and inexpensive gift idea for a yoga pal or a friend from meditation class. I don't expect my life to change but I do believe in positive thinking and if positive messages in the shower help someone to keep their spirits high, then I'm all for it. All in all, a cute and frivolous little gift. (I think Charlie was a bit confused but it was his first time in my shower and his first experience with inspirational messages.)

Apparently when Kris Jones of Cleansing Thoughts sent out her samples for our party, she mentioned in passing that she also has a little card company that she's starting up and she included some samples for us. THESE CARDS ARE HILARIOUS! Check out the sample I got:

Apologies to those who aren't Seinfeld fans but this just cracked me up! All the cards were very edgy - some even down right risque - but I thought they were absolutely uproarious. All the cards are printed on heavy card stock that appears to be recycled with heavy weight envelopes. Check them out at Roast: Cards for the People You Love Most. (Great tag line too ... trust me, you won't send these cards to folks that you don't know well!!!)