Pet Supplies

Review by fdr:

In our 10-animal household (dogs and cats), fur is everywhere. I thought I had found the holy grail of grooming tools in the Zoom Groom (they make different models for dogs and for cats), which removes a lot of fur without giving the animal an unpleasant experience. Now I think the Zoom Groom is a great little brush, but when it comes to amount of fur removed, it’s got nothin’ on the Furminator. Even my long-hair cat who dislikes being groomed will let me use the Furminator on her for a good long stretch.

How does it work? Excellent question; I still can’t figure it out exactly after extensive use, but I can tell you what it does NOT do. It doesn’t pull or cut the hair; the comb-style “blade” does not have a sharp edge. Also, it doesn’t cause discomfort for the animal; mine all seem to enjoy it very much, like it gives a pleasant scratching sensation. (I ran it along my own arm as a test, and experienced the same.)

If you go to the Furminator website and watch the grooming videos there, you will see tremendous amounts of fur being removed from dogs and cats after they have been groomed using a few different styles of grooming tools. These videos are not faked; I could not believe the piles and piles of fur I removed from my critters with the Furminator, even after using a fine-toothed flea comb on them. Their coats are so soft after I groom them, and the amount of hair shed on my furniture and floors actually seems to have decreased! Plus the critters — especially those with heavy undercoats for winter warmth — are way more comfy in the summer heat.

A downside — the manufacturer does suggest you will need to buy replacement blades to maintain the performance of this tool; I am not sure how one can tell if the blade is “dull” but perhaps it will become clear after more use. All in all, however, the price is well worth the performance of this high-quality tool.

UPDATE: I wanted to add that this tool is designed to be used on clean(ish), dry, tangle-free fur. If the coat has more than a couple of burrs or tangles, use a different kind of tool (scissors or a comb) to remove these first before grooming, as the Furminator will just skim right over these areas. Also, it will not work very effectively on wet or really grubby fur; this is not the tool to reach for right after your dog’s been swimming!

Review by Katy Lake:

And I say it as an expert on just about any product that promises to reduce pet hair shedding, or make the clean up of it easier.

I have a Norwegian Elkhound, one very compact, highly intelligent, gorgeous and HAIRY dog. She has both a long coat and a very prolific downy white undercoat that seemingly sheds 24/7. It’s got a cotton ball texture; tufts of it stick out, and if you pull it, you get a pouf of very soft white down that is guaranteed to stick to you and everything in its path.

My former regimen was to use a rubber curry brush for the long outer coat, and (the part I hate), an undercoat rake. No matter how much I brush her, I’m covered with hair, and there’s a grocery bag FULL of hair. It’s an hour to two hour task, and as much as I love my dog, a huge, hairy nuisance!

When I got the Furminator, I was impressed with the heft of it. I bought the large size with the idea that it’d be that much less effort (generally speaking, the small size is the cheapest, but it’s so small, it would take forever on anything but the smallest or unhairiest dog. And the difference in price between the medium and large is, at most places, only a few bucks. If you’re going to invest in the furminator, go for the size that makes the most out of every pass over the dog’s coat.)

So I tried a few swoops on the dog. And yeah, it resulted in a ton of hair, but if I just run my fingers through her coat, I get pretty much the same result.

I got a grocery bag (to store the hair pulled off the comb) and set to work. On the initial combing, it took a little less than the usual hour it does. What was interesting, though, is that I used only the Furminator, not the undercoat rake and curry comb combo I usually use. In that sense, it was less time and effort.

The bag, as usual, was full. But the thing that really sold me on the Furminator is how good her coat looked. Very professional looking, like she had just gotten back from the groomer’s.

Now it’s a few days later, and lo and behold, one of the promises the maker of the Furminator made seems to actually be true: there is less loose hair on her. Usually I see long hairs and some of those fluffy white tufts peeking up, but that’s not the case after her de-Furmination. NO loose hair, no undercoat tufts!

I can say that, based on me trying just about every comb, method, and grooming device, this is the first time my dog’s been this relatively hairless since I got her.

The Furminator promises that there will be less of a hair problem with its use. All I can say is that based on one thorough use of it, that claim seems to be true. I’d recommend it (and it does have a 30 day money-back guarantee from the manufacturer.)

The only reason why I’m not five-starring this is because of the price. I still don’t see why it’s so expensive, and I got a good price on it w/shipping (I paid and that’s still too much!) I’m also worried about the cost of replacement blades for this. There’s simply no reason it should cost so much!

I’d also recommend you shop around for price. I got the best deal on this (including shipping) from an ebay store (not a regular auction.) Just beware the shipping prices on places that seem to be cheap.

Review by Stephanie A. Pearson:

When this arrived I noticed in tiny print that it said they were 100% biodegradable *except as defined by California. Suspecting I had been cheated I looked it up. California defines biodegradable as being able to degrade at the rate of an apple with NO plastic bits left behind. In all other states there is NO definition of what biodegradable is and so manufactures can consider all and any plastic bag biodegradable if they wanted cause plastic will eventually degrade…after about a million years. IF you really want a bag that IS 100% biodegradable then visit poopbags.com These bags are made with corn and will degrade at the rate of an apple.

Review by bagelz:

Great product. I haven’t had a leakage or a bag break when carrying. Still having trouble training dog to steady over it though.

Review by Teny Ghazarian:

I purchased this for my little yorkshire terrier to stay in when we all leave the house to go to work. Its wonderful. It is the perfect size and doesnt take up alot of room. My little dog likes to jump up and stand against the walls of this product and they dont fall or shake so it is very sturdy yet very light. It took me a minute to assemble the product and the little door makes it so great we leave it open and my little dog goes in and comes out when he wants. This is a great buy and cheap too.

Review by Suzanne N:

This product is absolutely INCREDIBLE. I have a chihuahua who’s almost 11 years old, and has occasional accidents. Since having the carpeting replaced, and not wanting to put her into a claustrophobic kennel (just seemed wrong), I went for this product. It’s so roomy! and the design is feminine, sturdy, lightweight and open. The gate is so well made and very cute and useful.

For those of use who work and need to keep our pets in a controlled area when we can’t watch for accidents, this pet pen is a livesaver, and my dog absolutely loves it. There’s enough room for a small oil-filled heater, her large burrow bed and blankets, water bowl, bone-chewing/play area. Also, I sectioned off a small area for her potty pads, so she doesn’t have to “hold it” when I’m gone for longer periods of time. The pen is so roomy, that there’s plenty of distance between the potty pads, her bed, and water dish. You can also customizing the shape of the pen. It’s the greatest!

In terms of waterproofing, I lined the bottom with a shower curtain from the dollar store and topped with a queen-sized quilt. It’s soft and comfy and accident-proof! Even my cat sneaks in there to catch a few winks.

This is so much better than a kennel or keeping your pet in the bathroom while you’re away.

Good luck, and hope you enjoy this attractive and functional pet pen.

PRODUCT UPDATE: October 3, 2009

The Iris pen has stood the test of time, and has saved my dog from having to be in a confined, oppressive area while I’m away at work during the day. Today, I am purchasing another of these pens, which will serve as fencing around the patio of my small cottage. Can’t think of a more perfect weather resistant, durable, SAFE fence for my dog (and cat who can’t jump high distances) to play within outdoors. Two of these pens linked together will provide a rather large fenced area (over 12 feet).

Believe that from a distance, the fencing might appear as a picket fence. This will not only serve to keep the pets safe, but will look sharp and never dry rot or warp. Seriously, this is the most versatile, liberating pet product on the market. Can’t wait to see my pets coming and going through their own pet door into the fenced patio, and be outside whenever they please to catch the late morning/afternoon sun (when it’s out!). Will cover a portion of the fencing with some type of tarp for when it rains.

How cool is this product? Still say this is the best purchase I’ve ever made on Amazon, and I buy lots of stuff.

Hope this review was useful.

Review by spiritblade:

I have two cats and I definteley spoil them rotten! When I first decided to get a water fontain for my cats I chose the Petmate Freshflow over the Drinkwell because the Drinkwell was more expensive and I was completely against the idea of listening to running water all day. Unlike most customers I’ve heard from the Petmate worked farily well as a water BOWL. It was easy to clean and my pump never stopped working as I’ve read many others did. However, the water running down the little ramp really didn’t satisfy my cats. They did drink from it, but they would still jump at any chance to drink running water out of a faucet which is the whole reason I started thinking about getting them one in the first place. About a ear and a half later I started thinking about getting them a new one and possibly going with the more expensive Drinkwell this time. I saw the new Drinkwell Platinum and decided to go with it right away. The Platinum is more expensive than both the previous models I was looking at but it is definteley worth the extra cost. It’s like Drinkwell took all the criticism and praise for both thier design and their competitors and created an exceptional pet drinking fontain. I have had my Platinum for about 5 months now and have been very pleased with it. The Drinkwell team designed the water outlet so that it would minimize the water from braiding which cuts down on the water noise. In fact at the setting I have mine, about mid way between low and mid level, I can’t hear it at all! They also put a little debris trap before the water even gets to the pump which should greatly increase the pumps life. The water resevoir is also much bigger than that of my Petmate and the Drinkwell’s optional larger resevoir on their original design. All and all I veiw this as a time where a company actually went out there and designed their product by what thier customers wanted!!! So after reading all that you maybe wondering why I only gave this product 4 stars. Well the one thing that I would really like to see is that the actual bowl area be made of stainless steel or some ceramic mix which is totally what I have been told by several vets is the BEST material for any pet to be drinking/eating out of. If they were to add that one extra feature than I would give this 5 stars out of 5 hands down!!!!!!

Review by P. Pittenger:

I’m with an animal rescue group so we have a lot of cats. Needless to say we loved the original Drinkwell because it attracts the cats over to drink more water. The new design of the Platinum Drinkwell is even better as far as attracting the cats… however, there are a couple of design flaws which are making these more work for us. The reservoir cannot stand up independently like the old one. You have to hold it or lean it against something sturdy in order to refill it as it is curved shape. Additionally, when we flip it back over no matter how careful we are water leaks out. The opening to the reservoir and shape of it also do not allow for easy cleaning. The only new feature we like a lot is the little “gate” in front of the motor area which helps us keep cat hair and fuzzies out. A plus to any Drinkwell would be if the top of the unit actually snapped into place and could not be removed by the animals. We find the cats think the top of this is a new toy and they bat it all over the house – we have had to remove it entirely – which unfortunately only leads to more hair / fuzzies being able to get into the unit. As a rescue we refill the Drinkwells 2 or 3 times a day and while we like the Platinum one because it holds more water the fact that we can’t stand the reservoir up by itself is a deterrent. We won’t be purchasing more of them and will probably go back to using the original version.

Review by G. Reid:

Frontline Plus is the best way to keep fleas and ticks off your dog. It is applied once per month in about 3 minutes. It seems to have little or no side effects on the dog. It has been used for many years on dogs without problems. I checked all products and asked various vets and everyone agrees that Frontline Plus is the best way to keep ticks and fleas off your dog. The Plus even kills the flea eggs.

Review by K. Hill:

My dog is a Chow mix and very furry. Ticks are impossible to find under her two layered coat until it’s too late. At first, I tried cheaper brands. They work on ticks but do nothing for fleas. Then my vet recommended Frontline. I later tried K9 Advantix since they claim to also kill mosquitos, but I didn’t notice any difference with the little bloodsuckers. And the protection from K9 Advantix didn’t seem to last as long so I switched back to Frontline.

Frontline works great for us. My dog is an outdoor dog and our county reportedly has more deer than people. And with deer come deer ticks. I’ve seen deer in my back yard and my dog’s house is very near the woods for shade. And she likes to take the occasional jaunt through the woods. Still I rarely find a tick on her. And when I do, they’re usually dead (or soon will be).

I wish I’d known Amazon was selling Frontline for a better price sooner. I’ve been purchasing only 3 months worth for about from another site for the last 2 years. Very frustrating since before you know it, you’re out. With 6 months worth I only have to remember 2 times a year instead of 4.

Review by blst:

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RVJF76APZQ083 Hope this video can give you some idea. She’s been playing with this one for about a month, but she does not seem to have lost her interest. Recommended.

Review by A. Thompson:

I was nervous when buying this because I wasnt sure if this was the whole set or just replacements- I was pleased when it arrived and was the whole set.

My dog has a great time with this toy. The little squirrels inside the trunk are squeaky toys, which she LOVES. The box came with instructions on how to modivate and teach your pet to use it. We put a small treat in the bottom and she had a great time digging it out. The whole process for removing the squirrels takes her less than a minute now, so if there is not a human near by to restock the trunk, she moves on to something else. This is not something I would leave her with and expect it to keep her occupied for the day.

I would say that if your pet enjoys this general type of play (stuffed things, digging, hide and seek) this is an EXCELLENT toy and alot of fun.

Review by PuppyLuv:

I have a large, (80 pound) spoiled dog who thinks he’s a lap dog. He also thinks he needs to go everywhere I go. After I sold my Ford Explorer and bought a Jeep Wrangler, I had a hard time keeping him in the back cargo area. Fighting to keep him in the back while driving was just too dangerous, so he had to stay home. I was cautiously optimistic when I found this product on the internet. I liked the idea of a non-adhesive, non-permanent mount, but I was concerned about how it might fit on my seats, which are high buckets and do not have a headrest that raise and lowers. The price was right (compared to .00 net barriers), so I took a chance.

I received the barrier today. It took no more than 5 minutes to install. Very simple installation with quick release connectors. Sturdy material and straps. It flexes with the seats to accomodate varying seat positions. I will probably leave it installed most of the time, but it would take about 2 seconds to pull it up over the seats to remove it without even unhooking the straps. The straps are plenty long enough to go around a non-adjustable head rest. Our maiden voyage went very well. Puppy stood with his head looking over the top of the barrier for about a block, then he laid down. The barrier is long–down to the bottom cushion of the seat. It would not be easily climbed over or tunneled under.

Very effective. Best .00 I have spent in quite a while. Exactly what I needed.

Review by AC:

Outward Hound Front Seat Safety Barrier – Black

Our very determined 80 pound lab mix was happy enough to sit in the back seat of our sedan and just hang his head over the barrier to keep us company. That was fine and made for safer driving. However, one evening we left him alone in the car but within sight of us for about 2 minutes. In that time, he vaulted over the barrier and ripped the straps off of one side of the barrier.

It was a good experiment, and not too pricey, but if you are going to leave your dog alone in the car at all, unfasten the buckles to let your dog come into the front seat without destroying the barrier.