Product Review

Grappling with the Gripple!

September 15

Melissa Crumb is no stranger to us here at Dublin...and now she is our newest Ambassador! Melissa and her pups Freya and Loki have been putting our stuff to the test for quite a while. We sent them a Gripple to test out and here's what happened!

About a month ago we received our Gripple and since then not a single day has gone by that my dogs, Loki and Freya, haven’t asked to play with it! My dogs and I are incredibly active. In a single day we go on two walks--one in the morning and one in the evening, both usually somewhere between 30min to an hour long. We play in our backyard, we train, and several times a week we go to our neighborhood lake park to play. Once a week we do adventure day with my best friend and her dog... We are very active and the Gripple has been a perfect addition to our toy box.

At the lake park we toss it far away and Freya swims out for it, in the backyard we throw it around and it bounces crazily, which Loki finds irresistible, and in the evening we put treats inside it and the girls play with it like a puzzle toy to get the treats out. It is a fantastic toy that my dogs continually pick over other toys. I don’t have kids (yet), so often my floors are strewn with all kinds of toys, but guess which toy my girls bring me when they want to entice me to come and play....? The Gripple.

They love the way that it bounces when I throw it, they love the rope because they can grab it when it's floating in the lake, they like the texture of the toy and love that it smells good (like vanilla), and the smell helps them find it when it bounces into a bush. The Gripple is durable but its material also has some give to it so my girls can bite down on it
without breaking it. I love this toy because my girls find it so rewarding and it’s easy to find when it gets lost in the grass.

It floats, it bounces, it’s durable, and we can use it as a puzzle toy. I couldn’t ask for more. It’s a toy that has lasted over a month which is a huge accomplishment for a toy in my house. I love playing with my dogs and I love when they get excited about a new toy. The Gripple has been a spectacular play toy for us. I only hope that your dogs will enjoy it as much as my Loki and Freya have!!

The Holiday Gift Guide Round-Up

December 16

As the holidays approach, we've been lucky enough to make a few "gift guides" this year and we love the positive feedback we've been getting in product reviews! Nice to see it's not just us who like what we make. Here's the rundown:

Field & Stream "Sportsman's Wish List: 30 Great Holiday Gifts for Fishermen"
Don't lie; you like Christmas shopping for the dog as much as you do your family and friends. So spruce Rover up with a wicked trout pattern color from Dublin Dog. You might be thinking, "I've seen those before." Not these you haven't. Unlike traditional cloth collars that can get nasty and stink up the place if Ajax is an active K-9, the KOA collars are coated in medical-grade urethane that makes them 100% water-resistant and dirtimpenetrable.
Read that, "no odor-causing bacteria growth, so no dogs with stank necks." The collars are available in brook, brown, and rainbow trout patterns (and other more fashion-show-like patterns but c'mon, you know the dog wants the trout).

Gear Patrol's Best Winter Dog Gear
We’ve been testing the KOA collars from Dublin Dog on our backcountry climbing and fishing trips this year; we wouldn’t send our hound anywhere without one. The smooth, waterproof finish is the perfect material for wet, cold environments. It doesn’t absorb any moisture (and more importantly, odor) like a conventional nylon or leather collar, extending its lifetime greatly. Each production run is tested to 1,200 pounds of pull strength, so even the strongest retriever or hound will stay firmly in line. Did we mention they come in stylish trout prints?

Outdoor Hub's Best of the Best in Outdoor Clothing

What would a good holiday guide be without including something for our four-legged friends? The Koa Collar is a great choice for the active canine in your family. They are super-tough with a 1,200-pound pull strength, making it perfect all-around outdoor dog collar.

8 Great Camping and Stocking Stuffers from Practical Travel Gear
Dublin Dog KOA collars: For the outdoor-loving dogs in your life, how about outfitting them with waterproof collars that don’t stink? Not even after months and months? Our two dogs have been sporting designs from Dublin Dog’s Trout line since summer, and I am sold! They won’t ever wear another type of collar. The KOA material repels dirt and grime, and the collars really do stay fresh-smelling.

2013 Holiday Gift Guide from the American Park Network's OhRanger.com
If you know someone who loves to take their dog along as they explore the great outdoors, then grab them a KOA collar from Dublin Dog. The collar’s state of the art finishing process makes it impenetrable to dirt, moisture and odor-causing bacteria—a huge bonus if the dog in question loves to roll in the dirt or traipse through streams.

Active Gear Review - Nomad Pad Product Review
If your dog goes on as many adventures as you do, then they need gear to keep them going. The Dublin Dog Nomad Pad let’s your dog get a goodnight’s sleep so that they are ready for the next days’ outing…. Overall, the Dublin Dog Nomad Pad has been a extremely handy dog bed that can be used at home, in the car, and at our final adventure, wherever that may be.

Kuranda Beds Reviewed

#Product Review
#Products

July 2

As part of growing our blog community, Dublin Dog Co will start to test and review products submitted from our fan base. Our goal is share great products, be those for humans or for our dogs that we may all benefit from. First on the list is one that I have personally been trying over the last 3-4 months, the Kuranda Dog Bed. As many of you know, I'm the proud owner of a 65lb female German Shepherd Dog, "Kona" as well as an 85lb lab mix named "Jake" (the profile for our logo). Both dogs have started to crest the proverbial "hill" into old age with Kona being 9 and Jake being 10. As with many GSD's, Kona experiences some hip and joint issues, yet she is still as spry and puppy-like when it comes to chasing sticks and running after bunnies. However her recovery can take longer after extended days of play and romping.

Jake on the other hand has what I like to refer to as a sprinkle problem. That's right, he's a leaker. It appears in his older age he has become incontinent. While we have him on an aggressive regimen of Proin 3x a day, the positive effects are starting to wane. The result is the frustrating and disconcerting reality that he leaks all over his bed, our oriental rugs, the hardwoods, and everywhere else he decides to rest. While we certainly don't blame him for his malady, there is no getting around the constant struggle to keep the house clean, Jake clean, and mopping up everywhere he goes. While "male wraps" have been employed, we hate to have that on him all the time. And his bed, oh dear heavens. It was becoming a sponge for odor and urine, as even his wrap would eventually bleed through.

Welome the Kuranda Bed. These beds offer both orthopedic comfort for the dog by keeping them elevated off the ground through a supportive woven fabric that is supported by an indestructible PVC pipe frame that comes in both Almond and Walnut, or aluminum if you so desire. There other benefit of these beds are the fact that they breathe, in that they allow air to flow through the material based on which material you choose from their selection of 40 oz. Vinyl, Ballistic Nylon, Cordura, or a vinyl weave all in a variety of colors. We chose the vinyl weave as it allows for the most air flow and is extremely easy to clean with a hose. While it can't cure Jake's incontinence, it does allow for a more sanitary environment while also doing wonderful things for his joints.

While they did not initially take to sleeping in the beds for long periods, they have grown to really enjoy them. There are also fleece covers that you can purchase for the beds (think pillow top) to make them even more comfortable. These are a great option for dog owners who would like an alternative to traditional mattress style beds, or who may have dogs with joint problems, allergies, or incontinence. We're big fans of these beds and this company as they do a lot for shelters and rescues as well. Kudos to Kuranda!