Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Barkworthy News!

Hiya Barkistas!

We've been a little quiet over the last week-- that's not because we don't love ya, but have been swamped at work (hey, someone's gotta put the kibble on the table).

In very exciting news, Paddington has booked her first shoot! While we can't spill the beans yet, we will share with you all the details once we have them!

Stay tuned for new posts in the next few days!

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

My oh my, pizza pie!

Pizza is the latest craze when it comes to eating-out in NYC, so why should your dog miss out? 

Needless to say, we aren't so keen on sharing our pizza dinner with Paddington both for health and personal reasons (pizza= yummy in Barkzilla girl's tummy), lucky for us we have some of Olive Dog's tasty "My Oh My Pizza Pie" dog cookies on hand for those rare takeout nights.

These Parmesan cheese pizza flavored treats smell just like the real thing. Even Paddington the Picky didn't turn her nose up when these treats hit her dish!

Made in small batches to ensure top quality, these snacks feature notes of oregano, Parmesan and cheddar. Cooked up using only the freshest, most natural organic ingredients (Olive dog even uses cage-free organic eggs!), these delicious aromatic tasties also contain NO wheat, corn, soy, artificial flavors or colors, or preservatives. Low in saturated fat, we wish our pizza was just as good for us.

A little on the larger size for smaller dogs (think about the size of an Oreo), break these treats down for more manageable snacks.


Pick up a 7 oz. bag from Olive Dog's website for $8.25, and don't forget to check out their other environment & pet friendly products!

xoxo The Barkistas

Disclaimer: Samples were provided by PR for review. Please see our disclaimer for more information.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sexy Beast. Rawr.

With notes of bergamot, vanilla-infused musk, natural patchouli, mandarin, and nutmeg oils, Sexy Beast is a grown-up scent for your pup-- boys and girls alike! Formulated to not be offensive to your pet's sensitive sense of smell, it's also hypo-allergenic and paraben free, and oh yeah, smells good too!

While the price tag is a little steep ($50 for 1.7 oz), one spritz will do the trick. Though we were originally skeptical about buying "fragrance" for our Barkista, we couldn't resist after she came back from a grooming session smelling fabulous. In addition, as she's often out in the public eye, we're always conscious of the way she smells in-between baths, and Sexy Beast is a nice alternative to our regular Olive Dog Lavender Spray. For more information, visit: www.sexybeaststyle.com

What grooming product do you splurge on?

xoxo The Barkistas

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Ewww (no really, in a good way!)

No matter how chi-chi your pup is, accidents happen.

Luckily, Ewww Pawsitively Clean™ by Bissell® is here to help you with the clean up. 

As anyone who's lived with a pet knows, there's nothing worse than coming home to a "mess". Fortunately, the surprise waiting at home for us last week wasn't of the #1 or #2 kind (our little Barkista ate something that just didn't agree with her). Unfortunately (and predictably), this little accident happened on the carpet...sigh.

Getting pet stains out of carpets is a notoriously un-fun job. We've tried many different cleaning options, and while some have rocked, others have not been as successful. Luckily for us,  Ewww Pawsitively Clean™ by Bissell® made the cleanup easy. Designed to "permanently remove organic stains from urine, feces & other accidents," it's all business and gets to work right away deodorizing and getting rid of the stain. One application of Bissell's enzyme powered formula and we were done, and unlike other cleaners, it didn't leave behind that "I've-just-cleaned-my-carpet" tell-tale smell.

Safe to use on any "water safe" surface (i.e. carpets, upholstery, pet beds, litter boxes, etc), it slightly bleached out the area we treated(definitely make sure to do a spot check), but won't stop us from using it again-- the results were just that awesome. And let's be honest, there's nothing worse than lingering pet odor-- we'll take mild discoloration any day. We also tried it on an older "spot" that we had treated previously with another cleaner, and found that it got rid of any residual nastiness and left our carpet truly looking like new. (Yay!)

To find out where to pick up your bottle of
Ewww Pawsitively Clean™ by Bissell® ($11.99 for 32 oz), visit: http://www.pawsitivelycleanpet.com/where-to-buy/

What's your favorite "Ewww" mess cleanup trick or technique? 

xoxo The Barkistas

Disclaimer: Samples were provided by PR for review. Please see our disclaimer for more information.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Smellin' Good in the Neighborhood!


When you live in a NYC-sized apartment, things tend to be a little bit more "odorific" than usual. Shoes, clothes... and yes, even your beloved pup.

But urban pooches that fear showers (oh the indignity!), need have no fear- Olive's Fur Spritzer is here!

We tested out this product out in-between baths after a walk during which Paddy decided to indulge herself by rubbing against quite possibly ever smell laden item on the street. A few quick spritzes and voila: smell be gone!

The 100% natural blend of essential oils of lavender, lemon and patchouli will leave your sweaty Fido cuddle ready and smelling divine. Better yet- their combination will also help to naturally repel pesky fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. (Sadly, no word on bedbugs, ewww.)

At $10.50 for a 4 oz spray, it's a real steal. Check it and many other fantastic "green goods for modern dogs" at Olive's site. Tell 'em Barkzilla sent you!

Trust us, both you and your dog will be thankful :)


xoxo The Barkistas


Disclaimer: Samples were provided by PR for review. Please see our disclaimer for more information.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Scariest Halloween Costume EVER

I know this may sound weird, but I have a phobia of whales, which is why there is NOTHING funny about this Howl-o-ween costume from Trixie & Peanut. I can't speak for Paddy, but there's just something unnatural about whales that freaks me out. 




Seriously. Why you would dress your adorable, cuddly pooch up as a big ol' scary whale?

However, if whales are your thing… you can snag this costume at Trixie and Peanut for $39. Just please don't bring them trick-or-treating by our apartment....

xoxo The Barkistas

Monday, September 20, 2010

Paws up for Pawgua!

As the weather has started to get cooler, it's time for us to wrap up our Summer Hydration Series. Though we were skeptical when we started this series about the value of bottled water for dogs, this summer we totally changed our minds-- especially when it comes to portable water options that come in bowl shaped containers, like Pawgua, which make it easy to satisfy our furry friend's thirst.

Even though the nip of fall is totally in the air, it was still warm enough for us to work up a sweat on our AM walk, which meant it was time to crack open some Pawgua! Designed for thirsty dogs on-the-go, it gets props immediately for its "bowl" shaped container, which meant that Paddy wasn't freaked out to drinnk from it. The BPA free, recyclable container is filled with about 8 oz of "premium purified water," which makes it small enough to be easily portable, but large enough to satisfy your dog's thirst.

While Pawgua is very similar to AquaPureBreed (APB), the following differences stood out:
  • Pawgua's packaging was a little less leak prone upon resealing; we had minor "spill" issues when trying to take a previously opened APB with us to the dog park. 
  • APB has a protective seal under the cap of its package, whereas Pawgua does not, hence the minor spillage you can see in our photo.
  • APB seems a little more "high-tech," with its mineral breakdowns and enriched water options. However, while we thought it was cool-- at the end of the day, as long as Paddy's thirst is quenched, that's what that really matters to us. 
While Pawgua is still in the process of finalizing its distribution, you can find out more by visiting their website or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pawgua).  Each "bottle" retails for $2.75.




We hope that you've found our summer hydration series interesting and helpful, and look forward to resuming it next summer! We'd love to hear if you've tried out any of the products we've covered, or what you used this summer to keep your dog cool!

xoxo The Barkistas

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Furry Fall Fabulousness

As any good Barkista knows, in the world of fashion and beauty-- September is the start of the new year. With that in mind, we're excited to start working on our series for fall focusing on looking good! Whether it's the hottest new grooming product, or this fall's must-have fido-fashion, the Barkistas are going to be scouring the stores and the internet for the best of the best. So bookmark Barkzilla.net and check back for updates!

xoxo The Barkistas

p.s. Stay tuned, on Monday the conclusion to our popular Summer Hydration series will be here!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Puppy Hour Tweet Up!

Is your dog a digital diva? 

Join Bethenny Frankel (of Real Housewives of NY and Bethenny Getting Married), and her pup Cookie for a Puppy Hour TweetUp on September 30th at Trixe & Peanut (23 E. 20th St) to celebrate PuppyTweets-- a new device that tweets for your pup. That's right! PuppyTweets (kind of an awkward name, right?), is a device that is hooked up to your dog's collar that broadcasts tweets based on their activity to Twitter via your computer. After seeing the SniffTag fail to become a huge success, we're curious to see whether this new toy will find a market.

Anyway!

xoxo The Barkistas

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Louisdog Fall '10

So in the spirit of New York Fashion Week… we bring you this interesting furry "faux paw"…. (har har har, can you tell we're running on little sleep and massive amounts of caffeine?)

First, we are HUGE fans of Louisdog's adorable clothes and accessories for little dogs. Albeit, too expensive for our budget, their designs are simply put: adorable.  However, we're not sure what to think about one accessories from their fall line… not quite jewelry, not quite functional dog-wear… it's, um… "interesting."  

The Louisdog Leo POMPOM, seen here in pink

A collaboration between Louisdog and jewelry designer Veronica B., the Louisdog Leo POMPOM necklace features 3 faux fur balls and 2 round gems on a gold chain.

So, Barkistas-- is the POMOPOM fashion forward for fall or a big ol' "fur pas"? (Seriously, cracking myself up…)

Available from FunnyFur.com in pink or blue for $52.00.

xoxo The Barkistas

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Vineyard Vines Collars & Leashes

Preppy puppies rejoice! Just in time for #NYFW Vineyard Vines, purveyors of all things "prep", has joined forces with Mascot to create a line of leashes and collars. Featuring their iconic whale pattern, pick from Vineyard Pink or Navy. Snag them at Mascot's site (collars: $32, leashes: $38).


xoxo The Barkistas

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Stuff We Love: Mutt Puppets

Oh fluff. Immortal enemy of dog owners everywhere. Seriously, just when you think you've cleaned it all up... there's always one rogue dust bunny lurking. 

In addition to being a nuisance, it's also hazardous for your pet, which is something Michael and Theresa Fraser, the founders of Muttpuppets, learned first hand. In 2003, their pup had a near death experience after having a little bit TOO much fun with a traditional stuffed toy. They transformed that experience into a business idea and Muttpuppets, stuffing-free toys for dogs, was born. 

We love this company for several reasons. First, safety is something that should be paramount in every pet companion's mind. If you wouldn't let a toddler play with marbles, why would you let your dog play with something that poses a risk? Second, we love people that are passionate about their pets. And third, we're big fans of supporting entrepreneurs and their ventures!

Their toys, which look like street tough muppets, feature NO FLUFF and combine a variety of entertainment features for your Barkista. Every Muttpuppet features three layers of durable cotton material, double stitched seams, sewn in squeakers and importantly-- embroidered faces (seriously... Paddy almost met her maker after detaching a stuffed googly eye from our pal the shag Lobster). 
Check out the treat pouch!
Muttpuppets was kind enough to let us test out the Original Muttpuppet and its sibbling, the Mini-Mutt. Both have sewn in cotton dog rope toys for arms and a really cool open-ended treat pouch. The Original Muttpuppet also features a detachable squeaker head for impromptu games of fetch. So far, Paddy is totally overwhelmed by all the fun things she can do with her new Muttpuppet. Initially she went for the rope toy, only to discover the secret (refillable) treat pouch, which got her immediate attention.
We can't wait to put our Muttpuppet and Mini-Mutt to the test, and will keep you updated!

In the meantime, pick up your Muttpuppet or Mini-Mutt from Muttpuppet's website for the affordable price of $11.99 and $8.00 repectively, and while you're there, check out their other Fido-friendly toys!

xoxo The Barkistas


Disclaimer: Samples were provided by PR for review. Please see our disclaimer for more information. 

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Who Said You Can't Play With Your Food?




One of the first pieces of advice we got at Doggy Kindergarten was to invest in one of Premier's Busy Buddy toys. Designed to challenge your dog, it's the perfect from of "thinking" entertainment for your dog. Especially great if you are like us and leave your alone dog for periods of time (yes, work unfortunately takes us away from our pup 5 days a week)- it is sure to provide a few minutes/hours of entertainment!

Paddington's favorite happens to be the Squirrel Dude. A giant purple squirrel that has an opening for treats, we stuff ours with small pieces of cheddar, kibble and on Fridays, Puperoni (I swear Paddington just looked at me as I typed that...). Like a Kong toy, the Squirrel Dude will dispense its contents with enough careful manipulation. Unlike the Kong, it has small plastic "fenders" at the entrance which prevent treats from falling out too easily (see diagram below). That's right Pup, you gotta work for it!


While the small size is ideal for Paddy, we also have a medium toy which she seems to be able to easily play with too. While she'll occasionally use her tongue to get the treats out, she tends to prefer the throw/destroy method. Luckily, the Squirrel Dude is made out of super durable rubber and stands up to her rough love (but doesn't damage the floor/cabinets when it gets tossed). 

If your dog looks quizzically at this toy at first, try playing with it with him/her to demonstrate how it works. Stuffing the Squirrel with particularly odorific treats (like cheese), may also helps to get your dog's attention. We've found that the rubber prongs initially made it too tough for Paddy to get her treats out, so we snipped two of the four and enlarged the opening. 

Busy Buddy toys are a great way to not only entertain your dog, but feed your pet as well! Our dog trainer recommended using the Twist n' Treat (review to come later!) as a good way to make your dog work for his/her meal while keeping him/her entertained.

The Squirrel Dude is available directly from Premier's online store . The small toy retails for $8.00, the medium for $11.00 and the large for $16. You can also find at PetCo or other pet retailers.


xoxo The Barkistas

Disclaimer: All images courtesy of Premier.com, this item was purchased for review by us. 

Monday, September 6, 2010

Fido Factor

Hey Barkistas-- have you checked out Fido Factor? This awesome, free site features user-generated reviews about pup-friendly locations in YOUR neighborhood. Search for restaurants, coffee shops, stores, services, hotels-- just about anything you'd like to do with your furry friend. In addition, they've got great city dog tips and advice (check out their mission page). While the database is still in beta and a little bit on the slim side right now, we think it's going to be a great resource for all things Fido.

In addition (and more importantly), every time a member adds or reviews a location in San Francisco, Fido Factor makes a donation to the San Francisco SPCA. How amazing?! For more information, visit their site.

So San Fran (and all urban) Barkistas, what are you waiting for? Get those paws moving and those reviews coming in!

xoxo The Barkistas


Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Send a Smile

Seriously, are these not the cutest cards you've ever seen? Featuring Tofu the Dachshund, a creation of the crafty Rebecca Danger, these cards are blank and ready for whatever nice little note you want to put inside. Pick them up (a set of 6 cards and envelopes for $12) from Rebecca's Etsy store, Danger Crafts, and check out her other cards and adorable knitted friends. 


xoxo The Barkistas


p.s. Check out the cute back of this card:


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