 |
RSPCA Snuggly Cuddly Pet Bed
by xxfoxyredxx
When it comes to my kitten Myrtle I have only one philosphy. Nothing is too good for her. What I feel she needs she gets and if I can't afford it I save for it, its that simple. She goes without nothing cos I chose to own her and she deserves it and I owe her to look after her.
Saying that I really do waste my cash when it ... comes to what I think she needs. Before buying her this bed I had bought her 2 rather expensive beds, neither of which she liked and ever used but simply were in our home littering the place up with me hoping in vain one day she would like to use them!
When I finally decided to give up our old flat in Weston Super Mare and picked out a flat I wanted back in my home town of Coventry we had a huge wait (and still have a pretty long one come to think about it lol) till we could move in but instead of sitting it out where we hated in Weston we decided to bring our essentials and squat out at my mum and stepdads. Now they have rather lovely and very expensive leather sofas and I was worried about Myrtle jumping up on the furniture and unwittingly poking holes and scratching stuff and so went out and bought all new cat scratching posts and things to occupy her with to try to prevent this and one thing I thought I should get was a nice large, plush bed to pop in my mums living room. I did look at the Argos catalogue but they only stocked this one I wanted in a dark blue colour and a colour that would have stuck out like a sore thumb so I knew this was the one I wanted however I eventually found it in an independent shop in Weston Super Mare in a lovely burgundy shade costing the same £17.99 as what Argos was (and still is) selling it at and I thought that was a very reasonable price cos I got to feel it and have a good look at the size and quality of it before actually buying it.
So the bed measures H20, W55, D45cm and is oval in shape. The outside of it is made and feels likes faux suede so it feels really nice and soft to my touch and the inside is made of a warm and cosy plush foam inner lining and it has a polypropylene base and to the front of the bed there is a sewn on label that tells us it is endorsed by the RSPCA and there is a paw print shown and the sides of the bed are reasonably high and firm with a dented bit to the front of it to allow dogs and cats to be able to jump in and out if it easy enough. The pad the dog or cat lies on feels fleecy, soft and warm and its reversible and it really is rather thick and comfy looking and the bed and the removable pad are both suitable for machine washing only the pad though is suitable for tumble drying and I have washed Myrtles bed and have allowed it air dry and had no issues doing so at all and it certainly hasn't impaired the quality or structure of it and it hasn't colour faded or anything else.
My Opinion:
According to the Argos website if you buy this bed then £10.00 goes to the RSPCA, I'm not sure if a tenner of what I paid though did or didn't go to charity at the time I didn't realise it was meant to to,to fair. However this is a great bed. Myrtle isn't the smallest of cats and she likes to spread out and in this she really can. I like the fact the cushion/pad she lies on can be reversed so if it just looks a bit grotty through her malting hair I can turn it over and deal with it later and I appreciate being able to wash the bed greatly too. This goes in my mums living room really well, is lightweight to transport and Myrty loves it and that really is the main issue!
Widely available, Google if interested or check out Argos however they only sell this bed in the dark blue at the moment as far as I am aware of and ours is burgundy on the outside with a cream coloursheme to the inside!
Read the complete review |
 |
Countrymun Towelling Dog Rug Coat
by rolletrog
~~*~~*~~ Country Mun Towelling Dog Rug ~~*~~*~
The Pig (my chocolate Labrador) was diagnosed with Lumbosacral Disease (basically she has ostophytes (bone spurs) compressing the nerve roots in her lower back) a couple of years ago and to help with the pain after exercise, in particular her swimming lessons, I bought her a ... lovely coat. Her problem was first noticed at agility and some months later she was lame after a decent walk - the prognosis was not good and Pig was told never to chase balls, go off lead or do agility again. I tried this for a fortnight but she was a nightmare to live with and what's the point in being a dog if you can't have fun? Thus the Pig is allowed to have controlled entertainment - I just have to be sensible (though she doesn't).
~~*~~ Doesn't the Pig have fur? ~~*~~
Pig does have fur, in fact she has the breed standard 'double coat' which enables all Labradors to be pretty hardy beasts. The problem is not that she gets cold, it's how long she remains cold and the effect this has on her bones - we all get stiff joints in the cold and it's no difference for pooches. Every day, Pig and Oink (my beautiful black lab) come walking with me and they happily go swimming in the sea without fail no matter the outside temperature. Pig, however, is often unable to get in the van after a very cold swim as things are stiff and sore whereas Oinky could go again and again. As soon as I get the girls home they have a warm hosepipe shower and their coats are popped on whilst they enjoy a bone. Dogs need a coat for other reasons than just being soggy - short-haired and hairless breeds definitely feel the cold a lot easier and dogs that can't move much and thus create their own heat for example, but it is important to remember that by placing clothing on a dog it diminishes the dog's ability to regulate their own temperature so keep an eye on them.
~~*~~ Pig's coat is special (like her) ~~*~~
Oink has a lightweight coat that merely dries her fur but doesn't keep her particularly warm, the Pig's Towelling Rug is a very thick towel material specially designed for gundogs after a day's work. It's made from two layers of 390gms Italian cotton between which is 135gms of polyester hollow fibre wadding (think cosy sleeping bag stuff) and is reversible which is ace when you've two dogs that need drying - just do the quicker drying one first, then stick it on the other dog! It's pretty easy to put on your dog (Pig hates wearing things (maybe I shouldn't dress her as a pumpkin for Halloween but it never fails to amuse me) and freezes conveniently) - you pop the dog's head through the hole in the coat and merely place the Velcro belt over the top of the coat around the dog's belly and tighten to your satisfaction. I wouldn't recommend leaving your dog unattended in it - I went for a bath and could hear Pigsy crying like a stuck pig - the simpleton had managed to detach the belt, turn the coat round and then stand on it with her front paws unable to move (a brighter breed would have backed up but Pigs are not known for their intelligence). The Pig is usually dry in under an hour, my Irish water Spaniel used to take a bit longer but essentially the coat is excellent for drying and keeping the pooch lovely and warm.
~~*~~ Fit for Function ~~*~~
I found mine for sale at the local kennels so I was fortunate enough to try different sizes on Pigsy before purchase. There are many sizes to choose from so it's best to measure your dog from shoulder to butt and shoulder to base of chest - my only point of contention with this is with an increase in length is an increase in chest size so they're not going to fit every dog perfectly (though Country Mun does say it can custom make a coat for you):
All sizes in cms:
36/26
41/29
46/30
51/32
56/36
61/38
66/43
71/46
76/48
Pig's coat fits her fairly well - I went for a slightly larger one so that it went right over her tail since that's where her area of concern is. The top of the coat has an extra piece that goes slightly up the back of the neck and the underneath covers most of her belly but still allows for both kinds of toilet behaviour from a girl doggy (it is not suitable for Zappa (Pig's son) to have a wee wee in as it does get a tad wet).
~*~ Fancy one? ~*~
Country Mun are a British company based in the north of England and have been trading for over 25 years - not a bad record to hold. They will be at Crufts if you're going, if you're not then have a gander at their website www.countrymun .co.uk - they have a wide range of coats available and don't only cater for the gun breeds. At the time of writing this they have an offer on: 10% off if you enter SPECIAL10 in the voucher box - you'll need it as these gorgeous coats start at £35 and Pig's was £40 4 years ago. I think this is a fab coat as for only a tenner a year the Pig is snug as a big fat bug. I've washed it many many times although sometimes I merely stick it in the tumble dryer to get it fresh for the next day. It's still fluffy, absorbent and retained its shape so I am a very happy Pig mummy.
Country Mun
50 Sunniside Lane
South Shields
Tyne and Wear
NE34 8DY
0191 6030440
sales@countrymun.co.uk
They do have a facebook page but there's nowt on it!
Caroline, Pigsy & Oink
Feb 2013
Review will probably appear elsewhere
Read the complete review |
 |
Wainwright's Paw Mitt and Tennis Ball
by kaitlinsmummy
I am always seeming to be buying toys and gifts for my newest baby, Belle, my 6 month old Border Collie pup, with her having more treats than i do!
She has many toys, but i wanted something that was a bit different to her usual tennis balls and chew rings, and after my track record with semi cuddly toys, something that she ... couldn't chew a hole in and rip all the stuffing out of was a must!
After a recent visit to my local Pets at home store, I found a small selection of toys that had been reduced slightly in price (I love a good bargain!), I hate paying full price for something that will end up in bits!
After seeing this claw and rope toy I decided it was unusual enough to go in my basket, with it offering not only a chew toy but a cuddly soft end too.
The claw itself is quite large, being slightly larger than a tea plate, with perfectly formed and stuffed claws, which so far have managed to keep there form (and stuffing!), even with plenty of vigorous chewing.
The palm part of the paw has a small elasticated pouch that holds a tennis ball, though I didn't realise this until I got it home!
The rest of the claw comprises of a textured thick material, that even with plenty of chewing and throwing around, has yet (two weeks on!) to show signs of tearing.
At the "wrist" end of the claw, there is a sturdy cream coloured rope, knotted at one end, that Belle thoroughly loved chewing and throwing around, though my husband did complain that this was smore like an offensive weapon, as she threw the toy around so vigorously, that if you got caught with the rope end it really did come sharp, usually around the ankles!
The same could be said with the hidden tennis ball within the claw! I left the ball in (once I had discovered it!), to encourage Belle to use her initiative to remove it and play with it, instead she just kept throwing it around, with the ball finally escaping, and nearly smashing my hubby's beloved television.......needless to say, it was kept separate from that moment on!
Longevity of play, well I did have quite high hopes for this one, though after the two weeks I found that it has gone the same way as the majority of her other toys! The claw part suddenly ripped one day, and she almost sensed weakness like a shark would with a seal, she chewed relentlessly until she had removed and dissected everyone of the claws, (the dog not the shark!), and the stuffing was visible, of course by this point it had to be thrown away, as she has choked once on toy stuffing, so I find I am slightly more vigilant than before!
Before she got to the claw however the rope was my main concern, once she had worked out how to untie the knot (!), the strands of the rope took very little time to pull apart, completely destroying that part too!
Although I did think that I had finally got a toy for Belle that was longer lasting (though I am not daft enough to assume indestructible!), I found that she made short shrift of this toy too, though she did have a fantastic time destroying it!
Pricewise this cost me £5.00 (reduced from £6.00), and took Belle a good three weeks to completely destroy, which does sound a short lived toy, I have actually spent more than that for the toy to barely last the day!
For more information visit - www.petsathome.co.uk
Thanks for reading x
Read the complete review |
