Eco-Friendly Dog Shampoos

I admit it; my dog is not the most hygienic of pets. She is oblivious when she pees on her own foot; she rolls in dead worms; and she likes to dig holes in grass so she can eat the dirt beneath it. She then proudly tracks her skanky mess all around my apartment with her little paws. As a result, I’m a little obsessive about washing her, and I do it in my own bathtub. I’m always looking for good dog shampoos, and a month or so ago, a friend forwarded me a Daily Candy for pets. It included an amazing line of dog products from TrueBlue. (They also make cool bowls, leashes, and carriers.)

TrueBlue grooming products are “detergent-free, tear-free, easy-to-rinse, pH-balanced for pets, hypo-allergenic, bio-degradable, and cruelty-free, with no sulfates, parabens, or artificial colors.” They make eye wipes, ear wipes, and even dental “swipes”—although it’s unclear to me what these dental thingies entail. The best part is, all of their products smell glorious.

Some other companies that have these include: Earthbath, Botanical Dog, and Bio-Groom.  

Do you have any favorite grooming products for your dog? 

The Dreaded Summer Cut

It’s hardly been hot in New York so far this summer, so it’s unlikely you’ve felt the need to strip your dog of his fur suit. But the weather people promise warmer temperatures are coming. (Hopefully, this’ll happen before September.)

Since Riley is a short-haired dog, I’ve never had to deal with the whole summer cut thing. But I’ve listened to several friends stress for days about the decision to get it done. While they know it’s helpful for their dog to stay cool, they admit that a shorn dog looks so…well, pathetic. If you’ve ever seen a freshly clipped canine, you’re familiar with the expression they wear post-shave. It’s a mix of the gross indignity of their situation coupled with an underlying rage. It almost seems they’d rather pant to death than give up their fuzz.

Another issue is that lots of groomers have the tendency to go all Edward Scissorhands on your dog, leaving him looking like a humiliated, naked sheep. So, you’ve got to find a groomer with some self-control.

My friend Ashley recently took her Goldendoodle, Izzie, to a new place called The Dog Store for her summer cut. She said the groomer, Rosie, did an amazing job, and Ashley was pleasantly surprised. If you’re looking for a place to get a summer cut for your dog, The Dog Store is located at 170 E. 61^st St (between Lex and 3^rd). 212-317-5987

If you have any funny pictures of your dog with a summer cut, please send them in!

Rainiest. Morning. Ever.

Every dog owner knows that your pet doesn’t give a damn about Doppler Radar. They need to pee when they need to pee. This morning’s monsoon unfortunately coincided with my pet’s morning walk.

Here’s how it went: Riley walks out of apartment building, looks up at me, walks back to door. I drag her into deluge. She walks as if wet pavement is somehow burning her little paws. Halfway down block, she stops, looks up at me with disgust, and refuses to budge.

After ten minutes of staring each other down in a battle of wills, we are both soaked, and it’s pretty clear multiple passersby are calling animal cruelty on me. So, we walk back inside. To get back at me, she shakes spastically in the elevator, spraying rain and dirt over my entire face and body. And no, she never peed. Great.

Never before have I wanted a dog towel so badly. I’m not above using my own, but as the wet dog smell filled my apartment, I was kicking myself for not buying that damn ShamWow. So, I started looking around online. Here are a few dog towels I liked:

Soggy Dog
The Cool N Dry Dog Towel
3-Piece Microfiber Dog Drying Towel & Mitt Set
FURminator Microfiber Towel

Soggy Dog Towel

Let me know if you have any other suggestions!

Does PediPaws Really Work?

So, I was watching TV the other day and saw the PediPaws infomercial...again. Either they show this commercial all the time, or I watch way too much television. Anyway, I was later shopping at an uptown Walgreen's and as I was checking out at the register, there it was, right next to the PediEgg for people. Creepy, right? Still, I was feeling an impulse buy. So I shelled out the $19.99 and took it home to try it out on Riley.

I'm terrified—as I think most people are—of clipping my own dog's nails. One wrong move and you've got a stage-5 gusher and your apartment looks like the set of Saw II. It's hideous. So, I thought this was a wise investment, not only for Riley's health, but for my peace of mind. When I got it out of the package, put in the batteries and turned it on, I noticed two things: 1) it was surprisingly heavy, and 2) it disturbingly resembled a vibrator. But that wasn't all. It was also loud. So loud that Riley bolted off the bed, into the bathroom, and hid behind the door. For close to 30 minutes I tried to get her accustomed to the noise, but she was having none of it. Eventually, I stored it back on my "dog shelf," and I haven't attempted another dog-terror session since.

So then, I guess the answer to the question above, "Does PediPaws Really Work?" is: I have no idea. Sorry if that was misleading. But has anyone else used it? What was your experience? 

An automatic dog-washing machine? WTF.

According to today’s New York Post, an entrepreneurial Frenchman named Romain Jarry has created an automatic dog-washing machine. How it works: You put in your pooch, shut the door, and in 30 minutes or so…voila!

Um, yeah, I’m sure I’m not alone thinking this is just wrong. And the picture is, in a word, scarring. Right about now, this little guy is:

a) Thinking, “This bitch is crazy. I better get an extra 50 treats for this BS.”
b) Regretting his decision to chew up that stiletto.
c) Plotting his revenge. “You put me in this, I poop on your bed. It’s only fair.”
d) All of the above.