Fit Matters When Choosing a Dog Sweater

November 10, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Choosing the Right Dog Sweater

As the weather gets chilly, it’s time to unpack our winter clothes or, better yet, buy new clothes! What about your dog? It has to be chilly pottying outside, right? Brrr! Before purchasing your dog a sweater, understand fit is most important. Ignore unnecessary attachments, such as faux fur-lined hoodies that never stay in place.

Being fabulous is nice; however, if it fits poorly, it looks frumpy.

Should All Dogs Wear a Sweater?

The short answer is no. Now, I do recommend sweaters for very short-coated breeds of dogs, especially when they’re exposed to below 45-degree weather. Short-coated breeds include Pugs, Italian Greyhounds, Boston Terriers, Dachshunds, Miniature Bull Terriers and Chihuahuas. If your normally long or double-coated dog is shaved or clipped short during colder months, then a dog sweater is probably a good idea.

Many pet owners assume their long-coated dogs are cold because they shake and shiver. Before assuming temperature is the reason, it’s important to understand that dogs shiver when scared too. This is true for about 80 percent of small dogs.

How to Choose a Dog Sweater

Dog sweaters should cover your dog’s chest, tummy and back, but make sure there’s plenty of room for your dog to easily potty. Sure, there are long-legged varieties, but they just get messy from spraying urine or wet from rain and snow. Body coverage is most important. It’s easier to buy dog sweaters for females, as their sweaters cover most of their tummies. Male dogs can be a bit challenging. You need to make sure there’s plenty of room in the tummy area. Better yet, choose a tight-fitting sweater for your male dog that stops just short of his “business.” This prevents him for urinating on any low-hanging sweater areas.

Always Measure (This Prevents Returns & Stress)

Measure your dog first with a soft measuring tape (same version used to measure your waist). Write down your dog’s neck and chest circumference, making sure the measuring tape is not too tight. Lastly, measure your dog’s body length by placing one end of the tape measure on your dog’s shoulders and then extending it toward your dog’s rump. For male dogs, measure length from bottom of their chest to ½ inch before his “business.” Trust me, rolling any excess fabric forward never works; your dog will just pee on it when it unravels while walking. Armed with your dog’s measurements, it’s time to shop!

Search Wisely

Start your search, but keep it simple by focusing on the sweater’s fit. If your dog has a long body, you’ll probably need to search for sweaters made for longer dogs. There’s nothing worse than a short sweater on a Dachshund. The dog will resemble a tall person in a short sweater, and we all know that’s not cute. 🙂 If your dog’s body is short, it’s the same principle. Find a sweater that’s made for short-bodied dogs, so it fits his body perfectly.

Shop Online

By far, online shopping offers the best variety and prices, but measure first! Also, use gender-specific wording to narrow down options for male dogs. If your dog has a short or long body, add this descriptor in your search terms to further narrow results. Depending on a dog sweater’s design, some manufacturers require specific measurements for certain areas, especially if a sweater features a turtleneck or covers your dog’s entire body. Lastly, browse through the reviews section. I check out three-star reviews first because they’re usually honest on whether a dog sweater runs too small or large, washes easily, and fits their dog.

Keep Dressing Room Sessions Short

You know it’s fall when hordes of pet owners swarm the dog sweater section at your nearest pet store. Before you pick up the cutest sweater, know your dog’s size and body needs first just like if you were shopping for a sweater for yourself. I’ve witnessed a pet owner trying to yank a tight sweater off his Yorkie, which caused tremendous stress for the dog and garment. Be respectful and keep sweater try-on sessions short. If your dog tried on more than three sweaters, you weren’t choosing wisely.

Happy dog sweater hunting!

How to Protect Your Car Interior From Your Dog

November 4, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Use Car Door Covers and Seat Back Protectors

While test driving new cars, something we hadn’t done in many years, I cringed looking at the soft leather seats and spotless interiors. Dogs can wreak havoc on car interiors. I was painfully aware of this, but it was time to trade in our old car. I was conflicted. Maybe we should just choose an older car and cover the entire thing in shower curtains. I was getting nervous.

I did drag the car buying process out longer than I should’ve, but I had to figure out a way to both keep our investment looking great and prevent dog hair and drool from collecting in its crevices. So, I started looking for car door covers and seat back protectors.

Car Door Covers

If your dog enjoys placing two front paws on your car’s interior door panels, you need a car door cover. While our Rottweiler doesn’t stand on the door handle (he just drools on them), our Bull Terrier does and scratches happen quickly. When looking for the perfect car seat cover for dogs, I stumbled upon these car door covers and they’re amazing–and they look great too.

We purchased two Krunco Waterproof Pet Car Door Covers in black to match our black interior. I was very worried they wouldn’t stay in place. However, their reviews on Amazon attested to their durability and also provided a few quick DIY steps if the door covers should shift. The only place to purchase these covers is on Amazon. I encourage you to browse through the reviews to see if the covers are right for you.

Hands down, I’m beyond happy with these door covers! During the entire six-hour car ride, they never budged despite a restless 118-pound Rottweiler. Each cover has a strong plastic tab that slides in between the door panel and window; this holds the cover in place. Many smaller dogs will stand on the door handle or right next to the window, so these covers come with Velcro tabs to further secure it in place. And yes, they stay in place even when rolling down the windows.

We purchased the 28″ wide by 22″ long door covers, which easily covered both sides, top and bottom of the door panels of our Audi Q5. They wash easily and maintain their size; I would highly recommend these car door covers. My only warning is to remove them before guests sit in the middle or back seats. Our guests were trapped because they couldn’t figure out how to open the door since the door handle was covered. 🙂

Seat Back Protectors

At first, I didn’t really think we would need this type of front car seat cover until I looked at the leather on the back of our previous car’s front seats; they were scratched and scuffed. Yes, we’ve tried cleaning and moisturizing the leather backs, but some damage remained. After researching the few brands available, I decided on CubGear Seat Back Protectors. They have a lifetime replacement guarantee. Plus, their Amazon reviews were excellent with many happy customers.

Wow! We ordered two seat back protectors in black, and they were super simple to install. There’s no irritating bungees or straps encroaching into your space up front, and they fit like a glove. My husband doesn’t say much, but even he admitted to how sharp they looked–they disappear into the interior. Cleaning is easy too; just wipe with a damp cloth. I was completely shocked at how much dog hair, slobber and dirt came off the seat back protectors when I wiped them down. They’re definitely a great investment.

Look beyond dog-proof seat covers and protect your car!

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Car Seat Covers for Dogs

November 3, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Where to Find Car Seat Covers for Dogs

After buying our first new car in more than eight years, I took one look at the leather seats and promised to keep them safe from slobber and nail scratches this time. When I began my search for the perfect car seat covers for dogs, I quickly became overwhelmed and confused. There are thousands of dog proof car seat covers out there! So which ones really work?

I took a deep breath and decided to choose a product that works for both my car and dogs. Then, I mentally created a list of what I wanted in a dog proof car seat cover: it must stay in place, be made of waterproof material that works, have straps that don’t permanently damage the car’s interior, must be easily washable and finally must look nice. Since Sobek, our Rottweiler, would probably use the car seat more than anyone else, I needed something that would last!

I started searching hundreds of products, reading through a bazillion reviews and asking pet savvy friends for recommendations. Interestingly enough, no one really liked their dog proof seat covers and many friends made their own versions with shower curtain liners, which work better than the $200 car seat cover for dogs that lasts only one trip. Well I’m not crafty, so I needed a pre-made version.

Best Car Seat Cover for Dogs

After narrowing down options, I finally purchased a car seat cover that promised to protect my precious leather seats. Installation was easy. It took me 10 minutes, half of which were spent reading the instructions. The car seat cover fit perfectly with no sagging or bunching. It covered the entire backseat with extra fabric extending to the floor. I would’ve liked a bit more fabric length wise and an overhang to cover the sides of the second row seating area.

We tested out 4Knines Dog Seat Covers during a long six-hour trip, and it held up really well. Now, keep in mind this car seat cover had a 118-pound Rottweiler squirming around in his new seat belt harness. Plus, he sheds every second of the day and drools too. We gave this product a workout!

The Results

Not only did this car seat cover for dogs look sharp in our new car, it also did its job. Once we returned from our trip, we removed the cover to wash and the leather seats still looked perfect. I must say, the 4Knines seat cover washed and dried well, and easily fit right back into our car. All straps stayed in place; however, the bottom seat cover did shift a bit, which was disappointing. To help fix this issue, we pushed small luggage pieces on the floor board, which helped keep the bottom cover portion in place. The sides would still shift, but once Sobek settled down, it was minimal. This is an instance when extra side fabric would’ve come in handy.

Overall, I find 4Knines dog seat covers worth the price. I would most certainly recommend them. My only suggestion is possibly purchasing it one size larger than your car’s seat dimensions, so extra fabric hangs over the sides. You can tuck the extra fabric under the seat and floor mats.

Now that my darling leather seats are safe, it’s time to find protectors for my window side panels and front seat backs. Hair and slobber go everywhere!

Dog Harnesses for Large Breeds

November 2, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Seat Belt Harnesses for Large Dogs

This isn’t a rant or maybe it is. I’m not sure yet. We need crash-tested seat belt harnesses for larger dogs (weighing more than 90 lbs). Over the last two years, we’ve had tremendous progress keeping our dogs safe during car accidents. I just wish there were products especially made for large and giant dogs that have passed independent crash-testing in the U.S.

So I started searching for one. When asking fellow Rottweiler and Mastiff pet owners how they restrain their big dogs in car rides, many dog owners admitted to crating their dogs or using seat belt harnesses that haven’t passed crash tests in the U.S. Putting your dog in a crate sounds great if you have an extra large SUV, but many well-known crate brands failed crash tests in 2015. One kennel brand passed with flying colors, but not one made for large and giant-sized dogs. Sigh, back to square one.

RELATED: Dogs Die in Hot Cars

Car Safety Restraints for Large Dogs

There are a couple of options, but it’s important to understand the risks too. Personally, I believe any type of restraint during car rides is better than none.

More Funding Needed

Until the Center for Pet Safety receives more funding to test giant dog car safety products, we’ll have to assume our big dogs are completely safe using other brands of safety restraints. Before pointing fingers at CPS, they studied the largest population of dogs, which includes dogs under 90 lbs. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are among the top five popular dog breeds.

Products That Passed Overseas

Many giant dog harnesses and crate brands are tested successfully overseas. I would certainly choose these products over those that haven’t been tested. From my understanding, Germany has the toughest crash-testing standards, so this must mean something.

Dog Harnesses

With that said, we purchased the Allsafe Harness made for dogs under 110 lbs. Sobek is technically 118 lbs, but there’s really no other option out there. When researching this harness, Allsafe passed crash-testing criteria in Germany, U.S. and Sweden. However, the largest tested dog dummy was 70 lbs, so I’m not exactly sure this harness can hold a 118-lb dog in his seat.

The dog harness lead that clips inside the seat belt buckle is long, so provide plenty of movement in the backseat. But when watching seat belt crash-testing, this extra length allows dogs to fly off the seat and spring back, causing a secondary impact. The harness fits well and is easy to put on a dog. Allsafe does offer an expensive option of a retractable harness lead that moves forward and retracts like a regular seat belt (definitely worth looking into). Overall, it worked well for Sobek.

Dog Crates

MIM Variocage crates have passed crash-testing in many different countries and were recently tested using CPS criteria. The cage has crumble zones that worked during CPS testing, as noted on MIM Variocage information. However, the straps holding the crate in place broke during impact. Now, understand that an unrestrained dog would have probably been launched out the back window. This dog crate, instead, kept the dog dummy inside the vehicle and the emergency escape door worked perfectly after the crash. With that said, it seems tie downs are the biggest challenge and not the crate itself.

Warning though, you’ll need a very large SUV if you’re purchasing this crate for a giant dog. Options are pretty limited, so expect your big guy or gal to squish in due to low width and height options. If you think about it though, the crate is probably more comfortable for your dog than the economy seat in many airplanes.

Click your dogs in!

Check out my recommendations for car safety restraints here. You’ll likely notice several familiar brand names. Give Allsafe harness a try for your big dogs. So far, it seems Allsafe is the safest dog harness for our huge beasts!

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Dog Game for the Whole Family

September 23, 2015 by Fanna Easter

Puppy Ping-Pong Brings the Dog and Family Together

Dog Game — Wavebreakmedia/Deposit Photos

A great way to work on the “come” cue at home is playing a game that is fun for the whole family. The game is called Puppy Ping-Pong. I learned this fun game while I was in school to become a dog trainer and have used it ever since. By incorporating games into obedience training, you make the experience fun for everyone.

What is the Purpose of Puppy Ping-Pong?

As a professional dog trainer, I used to teach the “come” cue on-leash in group classes for safety reasons. However, most people will need their dog to come on cue when off-leash, so this is a great way to begin off-leash work in a controlled environment.

You want to work on as much dog training as possible in real-life situations, such as your home and backyard. When working on the “come” cue, it’s important to keep things very positive to ensure your puppy always wants to approach you. I mean, who would want to come over to you when he knows he’s going to get in trouble?

What You’ll Need

Find a safe environment. Gather at least three family members and your dog to participate in the dog game. Each person should be equipped with a handful of tasty treats or a chew toy hidden behind his back. The best time to play Puppy Ping-Pong is when your puppy is hungry and full of energy like before dinner time when everyone has arrived home for the day. You will need a large enough area where everyone can spread out and form a circle.

How to Play Puppy Ping-Pong

Have someone encourage your puppy to approach him by making kissy noises and saying your puppy’s name. Be sure not to use the word “come” when encouraging your puppy to approach you. Once your pup is right in front of you, give the “come” cue followed by the word “good” and a treat or quick game of tug!

Now have the person on the opposite side of the circle do the same thing. Your puppy might be a little hesitant to leave the person she just received the reward from because she knows positive things come from him. Have that person ignore the puppy while the next person is coaxing your puppy his way. Once you get the hang of this, your puppy will begin pinging back and forth to all your family members.

Be Consistent

With any dog behavior, it’s important to be consistent when teaching your puppy to play ping-pong. As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” As time goes on and everyone gets better at playing it, make the game more challenging by forming a bigger circle. Get creative with it. Most of all, make the experience enjoyable for everyone involved. Have fun!

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Fit Matters When Choosing a Dog Sweater

Choosing the Right Dog Sweater

Should All Dogs Wear a Sweater?

How to Choose a Dog Sweater