Dogs, man, dogs. We may be a wee bit obsessed with them here at Dogster HQ, and if you are too, then you’ve come to the right place. Every week, we’ll choose our five favorite things from the Kingdom of Pooch and will feature them right here. So if you have a pup-centric product you’re crazy about, send me a tip at janine-at-dogster-dot-com. Here’s this week’s round of awesome:
1. The Precita Treat Pouch by Wildebeest
I bought this pretty little thing just before my dog, Mr. Moxie, broke his leg in fairly dramatic fashion two months back. He’s still on the mend, and hasn’t been to the park since that fateful day, so I sadly lack a field test to share. But I can tell you that I love the design of this product and how it fits a good number of bells and whistles (look at that ChuckIt attachment!) into what looks like a fairly simple pouch from the outside. I’ve been a longtime fan of Wildebeest — my favorite product so far is the Starter Kit for new dog parents, which we did a little video feature about some time ago — but I have to say that this item is a close second.
The Precita Treat Pouch is $39 from Wildebeest.com, with an optional $7 for a shoulder/belt strap add-on.
2. Christmas in July with Mr. Dog
In Betsy Cordes’ family, at least three generations have enjoyed the story of Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn, which was written by Albert Bigelow Paine in 1898. The book features a mischievous but kind character named Mr. Dog, who plays santa for his woodland friends. Cordes’ family has made reading the tale out loud a longstanding Christmas tradition, and this year they have made the book (which lives in the public domain) available to anyone who wants a copy. The family commissioned artist Adam McCauley to lend an Edward Gorey-esque vibe to the tale, and the excellent drawings alone make the book worth pre-ordering for your own holiday fete.
Mr. Dog’s Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn is available for pre-order on Kickstarter.
3. Austin, Texas
The editors of our sister publication, Dog Fancy, have deemed Austin the top city in the country for dog lovers this year. Their criteria? The presence of dog-centered activities, dog-friendly businesses, dog parks, veterinarian specialists, pro-dog legislation, and rescue programs, among other things.
“Thanks to innovative programs and dedicated animal lovers in public and private organizations, the Austin community saves the lives of more than 90 percent of the animals who enter shelters, making Austin the largest metropolitan city to sustain a No-Kill goal,” says Fancy Ernie Slone. Now that is pretty cool, in our books.
4. The ASPCA’s New App
Our friends at the ASPCA just launched their first mobile app for pet owners, and it’s a good one. It does a number of things related to pet safety, but our favorite feature is the ability to build a digital lost pet flyer and quickly push it to your social media channels. If you live in areas prone to storms or other natural disasters, we recommend getting it on your phone for that alone — there’s an Apple and Android version, and hey, it’s free. The app also lets you store all your pet’s information (think vaccination history and dietary info) so you have it handy.
Coffee? Mmm. Dogs? Love. Coffee that saves dogs and just happens to have ridiculously cute packaging and blends with names like “Paper & Slippers Blend” and “Morning Walk Breakfast Blend”? Yes, please. Grounds and Hounds donates 20 percent of its earnings to local dog rescue efforts, and it operates under the tagline “Every pound saves a hound.” Easiest addition to an editors’ favorites list ever.
Grounds and Hounds coffee starts at $8.50.
About the Author: Janine is your typical annoying Aries overachiever with nine human siblings and a soft spot for sighthounds. She is a tattoo collector, tea drinker, and unabashedly into marshmallows and cheesy musicals. Janine believes responsible breeders exist — her dog is from one. She runs the show as editor-in-chief of Dogster and Catster.
