Pet First Aid Phone App Reviews

November 4, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Review of First Aid Apps

Really, there is an iPhone app for everything! If you’re a pet owner, I highly recommend downloading and reviewing this app before an emergency or road trip with your dog. To help you choose, let’s discuss the most popular pet first aid phone app reviews with options for each. After you download the first aid app, I highly recommend completing a pet first aid class too!

Note: Pet First Aid apps should not replace regular veterinary checks.

American Red Cross Pet First Aid App

Red Cross has been a pillar in first aid for many years and now they’ve created a pretty awesome pet first aid app.

Regardless of location, this app can locate the nearest AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) accredited veterinary hospital or emergency hospital (depending on time of day) from your current location. This is a must-have if you travel often with your dogs!
It has simple step-by-step instructions for over 25 pet emergencies.
It contains short and informative videos demonstrating CPR and other pet emergencies.
You can create folders for multiple pets, including their veterinary information, microchip number, upload a current photo and so much more.
It’s packed with preventive care tips.

Pet Tech Pet First Aid App

Regardless of location, this app can locate nearest veterinary hospital or emergency hospital from your current location. When searching, list appears using Google Maps with contact information listed, and you’re able to directly call from list. It’s a must have!
Snout to Tail assessment for preventive care video
Create ICE Folders with important pet and veterinary information, such as microchip information and pet identification tag for multiple dogs
Simple step-by-step instructions
Information videos demonstrating CPR and other pet emergencies
Immediate access to National Animal Poison Contact Number

Which pet first aid app is your favorite? What are your reviews? I have still not decided which one I’ll purchase, but I’m strongly leaning on the Pet Tech app or maybe the Red Cross app. I can’t decide!

Selecting the Best Dog Seat Belt

November 4, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Keep Your Pet Safe While Driving

Safety Belts for Dogs — Always secure your dog while traveling in a vehicle.

Road trips with your dog are amazing! Let’s chat about adding crates and seat belt harnesses to future trips with your dog, as we want to keep him safe. Before you shell out hard earned cash, let’s discuss which crates and seat belt harnesses really work.

Always secure your dog when in a vehicle even if driving around the corner.

Crates

With so many crates to choose from, which crate is safer? Crates are wonderful at containing your dog, preventing him from chewing car interior or luggage, containing accidents (vomit or diarrhea) and protecting car interior from a wet dog.

I’ll provide a few options, but first understand there are no rules for crash testing crates in the U.S. Scary, I know! With this in mind, I’ve done extensive research, which includes polling dog professionals, such as veterinarians, professional dog trainers, and renowned dog show experts. So here are the results:

Option 1:

Variocage and Proline crates have been crash-tested in other countries and range between $500 -$1,300 depending on size of your dog.

Option 2:

Plastic airline-approved Vari-Kennel secured with 3 racket straps. Airline approval is earned, not just an attractive sales benefit, as the FAA has strict regulations on keeping pets safe.

Plastic crate keeps items from penetrating the dog crate during accidents. During crashes, wire crates can crumble inwards and harm a dog. Fabric crates tear and are pretty useless if a crash should occur.
Nuts and bolts securely hold plastic crates together. Interesting to note, snap-sided or latches are not airline-approved.
2-3 racket straps: Choose 1-inch wide straps and verify their web break and work load limit. Most are 400 lbs plus. Choose length depending on size of your crates.
Secure to tie down hooks or tether straps located in most SUVs and vans. If you can’t find them, look behind the rear seats for car seat tether straps. Depending on size of crate, secure one racket strap across the top of the crate. Then secure the other racket strap around the width of the crate. If your crate is larger, you may need additional racket straps. You may also need additional racket straps depending on location of crate and tie down hooks in your vehicle.
Smaller crates must be placed and secured on the floor of a vehicle. Studies have shown that smaller crates, which are seat belted in a car seat, have been known to crush during a crash. The seat belt constricts, which can crush a plastic, wire and most certainly a fabric-sided crate.

Seat Belt Harnesses:

Luckily, there are crash testing rules for a seat belt harness (woot woot!). Before strapping your dog in a seat belt harness, there are a few rules.

Can not be used in the front seat
Must follow manufacturer’s directions
Made for dogs 75 lbs and under

Sleepypod Clickit Seat Belt Harness was the top performer during the 2013 Center for Pet Safety’s Crashworthiness Study. There were 11 different brands of seat belt harnesses being tested and Clickit rose above the others. It’s worth mentioning Center for Pet Safety (CPS) is a non-profit research and advocacy program so they are non-bias with results. To read the entire study’s results, click here.

Were you shocked by the results? I certainly was and will make some changes. Which car restraint will you choose for your pooch and why?

Calming A Hyper Dog With A Thundershirt

October 6, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Thundershirt for Hyper Dogs — I need a Thundershirt!

Thundershirt for Dogs

Does your dog have tons of energy? You know what I mean: he bounces off the walls and sometimes off you too! Well, we recommend a product that can calm your hyper dog. Meet the Thundershirt.

Thundershirts for Excited Dogs, Really?

Yes! While Thundershirts for dogs do a great job at calming dogs afraid of storms, they’re fabulous for easily excited or hyper dogs as well. When wrapped correctly, Thundershirts press on acupressure points, which promotes calmness and soothes excited dogs. Think of a swaddled baby when crying. If you swaddle him correctly, it’s very soothing and he usually stops crying and falls asleep.

Of course, Thundershirts for dogs shouldn’t replace daily walks, food puzzles and family interactions. They’re simply a tool that teaches your dog how to calm himself down. It’s fun when adrenaline is pushing through your body, so it’s pretty important to teach our dogs how to bring themselves down and self-soothe.

WATCH: Thundershirt for Dogs

Teaching Your Dog to Wear a Thundershirt

Give your dog yummy treats as he sniffs the Thundershirt.
As you’re putting on the shirt, give him a finger full of peanut butter, as you know it takes awhile for dogs to remove peanut butter from the roof of their mouths.
Give your dog a yummy food stuffed toy when he’s wearing his Thundershirt, so he learns Thundershirt equals yummy food toy.
Follow the fitting instructions correctly. You don’t want it too loose or too tight.

If You’re New to Thundershirts

There seems to be many opinions about the effectiveness of Thundershirts for dogs. As a professional dog trainer of 22 years, they work. As with anything, they must:

Be introduced to the dog positively, so he enjoys wearing them
Fit properly

Now, nothing works 100% for all dogs, but in my classes, we have an 80% success rate with Thundershirts. Once your dog understands the process, you can keep the Thundershirt around for stressful events, such as traveling, visiting the vet, guests visiting or moving to a new home.

Lastly, I wish they made Thundershirts for people. I’d buy one!

What are your thoughts on Thundershirts for dogs? Comment in the section below!

Best Dog Training Leash and Treat Pouch

September 9, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Dog Training Leash and Treat Pouch

The purpose of a leash is to keep your dog with you at all times. It’s a safety tool. It’s that simple. 🙂

If I had a wish, it would be that no one holds his leash in his hands ever. You can’t even imagine how this will make your life so much easier! Plus, your dog learns so much faster without it.

As humans, we love to pull, guide, tug and jerk our dogs with the leash. When watching people teach their dogs how to walk on a leash, they are holding the leash loop in one hand while steering their dogs with the other part of the leash. If you drop the “steering” part of the leash, you allow your dog to make choices.

Fanna’s Favorite Dog Training Leash

Hence, my favorite leash is the Buddy Systems Hands-Free Leash! You can adjust the leash length, and the waistband is very comfy and roomy. When your hands are free, you can hold a clicker, give treats, and so many other things!

Best Regular Training Leash

If you must use a handheld leash, I really like Halti’s Leash made by In the Company of Animals. It’s so soft and adjustable, and you can easily tether them if needed and works great with the Freedom Harness.

WATCH: How to Train a Dog Using a Clicker

Fanna’s Favorite Treat Pouches

Treat pouches will make your life easier, trust me. You need easy access to treats!

A treat pouch must be easy to get my hands in, closable if needed, attached to a belt or strap, easily washable and able to hold many treats. Oh, and I feel they should be cute too, as I’m always wearing one. 🙂

My favorite is the Citizen Canine by Tom Bihn. It’s the Cadillac of bait bags! The inside is a contrasting color so I can see what’s in my bait bag. Plus, you can wear it across your body (like a purse) instead of around your waist.
If price is a concern, I recommend the Doggone Good treat bags. They fit all my criteria except they attach to your belt or pocket only. You can’t go wrong with this version either. It’s lovely and does its job extremely well!

Bark back! What is your favorite leash and treat pouch, and why? Please comment below.

You may also like: Selecting the Best Dog Seat Belt

Martingale Collar Review

September 6, 2014 by Fanna Easter

Martingale Dog Collar

Martingale collars function as a Flat Buckle Collar. However, they will tighten to prevent dogs from pulling their heads out of the collar. These were designed for dogs with big necks and narrow heads (Greyhounds and Bull Terriers). When the collar is pulled tight, you can barely fit one finger between your dog’s neck and the collar (fit video). This collar is not used for collar corrections. It tightens when your dog pulls to prevent him from pulling his head out of the collar.

There are so many dog training collars, but this is my go-to collar!

Pros

It’s just like a flat collar. However, it tightens if your dog pulls away from you.
It works great for dogs with thick necks and narrow heads.
It’s a must-have to fearful dogs, which prevents them from backing out of their collars.

Cons

Until dogs learn to walk politely on leash, they will pull against this collar.
Should never be left on unattended, as the collar can catch on fences or crates, which causes a choking hazard. Also, it can be dangerous when dogs play together by causing a choking hazard and even death.

Fanna’s Favorite: Premier Martingale Collar

I’ve tried hundreds of Martingale collars and have over 50 types in my training closet right now (yes, I’m a collar hoarder!). I always go back to the premier version. They are uber sturdy, have great color selection, have a soft touch, have an easy fit and adjustment and can be machine washed.

VIDEO: How to Fit a Martingale Collar

Now, it’s your turn! Tell us about your favorite Martingale collar in the comment section below!

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