Embrace Pet Community blog

"It's a Beautiful Life!" Photo Project

I think this may be our most fun photo contest yet!  We're partnering up with Chow Time Productions to give away their new frame design, the "It's a Beautiful Life" Heart frame.  The frames are made for both cats and dogs, and can even be hand-personalized with your pet's name.

From Chow Time:

"Running through the flowers, swaying in the warm breeze or basking in the inviting sun, your pet always lived the life we dream of.  Now you can capture that freedom and spirit with It's a Beautiful Life frame and cherish the times that it made you smile."

Here's your call to action!:

Send us a picture of your pet living a "beautiful life!".  We want to see cats sunning themselves, and getting belly rubs; dogs sniffing fresh air, romping in the lake, and chasing the ball...whatever happy moment you caught with your camera.  Your photo will be posted to our facebook, entered into a random drawing, and on 8/24/10 we'll announce the lucky winner of a Chow Time frame, worthy of your beautiful life.

One entry per person.  U.S. Entrants only.  Embrace staff not eligible to win.  Entries must be e-mailed to kz@embracepetinsurance.com to qualify.  Contest ends at midnight on August 23, 2010.  Winner will be contacted by e-mail for their mailing address for prize fulfillment by sponsor.

 

 

Perfect Paws from Bamboo

Perfect Paws, from Bamboo, is the newest tool to come on the market for pet nail care.  Having never used a dremel style nail trimmer, I was pretty impressed by the amount of power the tool carried with just a couple of batteries.  The unit fits nicely in your hand, and offers several speeds and two different grinding surfaces.  You can use the small holes on the sides for the rotating stone, or the wide open surface at the top, depending on how much grinding you need to do and the size of your pet's nails.

We tried the trimmer on Lula first, and while she didn't really mind the sound or feel of the tool, it took a long time to make any impact on her gigantic nails.  She did tolerate it much more than she does her clippers, and the gradual grinding action means I wouldn't have cut her to the quick.  Then, we tried it on Buckley, but his anxiety over the sound or feel of the vibration on his feet was too much.  (Buckley's not a fan of his feet being touched, so no surprise there.

But then, we tried it on little Guizmo, the Maltipoo.  His mom sat on the couch with him, and used the trimmer while she was watching TV--and Guizmo fell asleep while the tool was in use!  The unit is that quiet and that painless that this little guy actually fell asleep!!

So, if your dog is not averse to vibrations, and you prefer a more gentle, mild nail trimmer, you might want to try Perfect Paws.  You can't overdo it, which means less over-trimming and messy clean up.

FURminator Tub Time

FURminator has extended their product line beyond their deshedding tool, with skin and coat products like the TubNub Bathing Brush and deShedding Shampoo, and the Waterless deShedding Shampoo and Conditioner.

I am a big fan of waterless shampoos, as Lula becomes very oily and dirty quickly, especially when she's outdoors so much in the summer.  I hate hoisting my 85Lb. dog into the tub every few weeks, but we can certainly cut down on regular baths by doing short clean ups with a waterless shampoo.  FURminator's waterless shampoo ($9.13) has a very clean, pretty scent, and really softens the fur and reduces that "dirty dog" feeling.

I've never tried a tub brush before, but we did a combo with the Tub Nub ($9.50) and the de-shedding shampoo for Lyger's last bath.  The shampoo was light and clean and did seem to help his coat.  The Tub Nub helped me massage the suds and pull out that nasty loose hair that falls out in the tub.  I think the rubbery nubs grip the fur a bit to help pull the loose fur out. 

One of my pet peeves is having a handful of wet dog hair--I hate how it sticks to my fingers!  But the tub nub caught a lot of that hair before I had to touch it.  And, because I could just shake the fur off into the trash, it cut down on the amount of fur that I had to clean up in the tub or going down my drain.

As always, my dogs enjoyed the FURminator products.  The smells and tools are gentle and safe, so your pets won't dread tub time.

All of the above products are eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping at Amazon.

Read our review of the FURminator Deluxe

The Furminator Deluxe!

I've never known Lyger to shed this much, but it's been a very warm summer here in Cleveland.  I've been busting out the shop vac daily and pulling his "tufts" out in chunks, so the timing was perfect for me to test out the FURminator Deluxe!

The new Deluxe FURminator is the same concept as the previous model, but with a new and improved handle (better gripping) and the push-button (aka FURejector) to pop the hair out of the de-shedder edge.

I didn't think that there would be any way I'd like the FURminator more, but that FURejector makes the job go so much more quickly!  I got a shopping bag full of fur off of Lyger in under 10 minutes, and the best part is that he enjoys the whole process.  As you can see in the video, he just sits down the moment we start and relaxes while I get him cleaned up.

FURminator is now available directly from the FURminator Amazon shop.  The medium version ($28.99) is what we use, but they have smaller, larger, and feline versions available.

We've also tested the new FURminator De-shedding shampoo and the FURminator Tub Nub brush, so check back for those reviews!

Product Review: Martha Stewart Massager Brush

Classic.  We expect nothing less from Martha Stewart, and the Massager Brush ($11.99), (available in PetSmart now) doesn't disappoint.  One of several new grooming products, this brush is clean and simple, made for all hair types.  The wood is coated with an Intelligrip surface, so it's comfortable to use.  More importantly, the dogs enjoy the light massage that the rounded ends offer:

Every dog I tested this brush on LOVES it.  Tahlula closed her eyes and relaxed, Lyger wagged his tail, and I think Cooper's video speaks for itself.

In addition to the Massager Brush, the line also includes various brushes and de-tangling tools, shears, a pocket towel, and a grooming tote.  All practical and stylish ideas from the domestic diva.

Happy Father's Day

Sunday is Father's day, and we like to celebrate all of you Father's with two-legged and four-legged kids.

I'd like to send a happy father's day greeting to my Dad, from all of his kids, human and feline.  (Shouldn't it also come from his canine grandchildren?)  Thanks Dad, for all the smiles and support you give us all year round! 

P.S.Your cat Daisy would also like to thank you for maintaining her swimming pool-the one you call a fish tank.

We'd like you to post your pet dad stories, greetings and Father's Day wishes to the special dad in your life.  Whether he's your doggie's daddy or feline's father, give him a shout out in out comments section.  On Monday we'll randomly draw one of the comments to win a free food sample from Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul! 

For more info on our contest sponsor, visit them on Facebook and Twitter.

One entry per person.  U.S. Entrants only.  Contest ends at 12:AM June 21, 2010.  Winner will be contacted by e-mail for their mailing address.

Related posts:
Mystery Mixed Breed Heritage Maker giveaway
Waterdog Photo Contest

Contest!: Waterdog Giveaway!

We've got another fun photo contest and great summer giveaway for you! Here's the scoop:

We're giving away a WaterDog, courtesy of Contech. (read our rave review)  To enter, email me (lj@embracepetinsurance.com) a photo of your pet with water.  It can be in the bathtub, the ocean, the pool, a mud-puddle...anything to do with water!  Your photo will be entered into a random drawing, and one lucky winner will win their own WaterDog! 

We'll post the photos to an album on our Facebook, so be sure to view the fun summer snapshots!

Contest rules:Contest open from 6/14-6/21 at 12:01am.  Submissions must be e-mailed to lj@embracepetinsurance.comto qualify.  (Facebook wall uploads will not qualify for drawing.)  Winner will be notified and prize will be shipped within one week of contest closing.  Embrace staff and families not eligible to win.  One entry per person please. 

Other contest: Mystery Mixed Breed Givaway!

Bamboo Disposable Waste Bags

I used to be that person with a big grocery store bag sticking out of my pocket on our walks.  It's practical and easy to just grab and go.  So, I always thought that people with disposable dog poop bags were just wasting money on fancy poop bags.

But I've come to see the light.

At BlogPaws, I picked up one of Bamboo's Disposable waste bags & dispensers.  It's a hard plastic case, containing a small roll of baking soda smelling plastic bags.  I took the unit out on our walk, and instantly liked the idea of having out bags hanging neatly on the leash.  No bulky pockets.  Nothing to grab on the way out.  Just keep the container on your leash (or by the litter box), and you'll never be left without one.

The bags roll out neatly, and if you pull out an extra by accident, they roll right back in. The baking soda aroma really does mask the stinky contents of the bag, and the bags are plenty big, tie up nice and neat, and help keep your hands clean and away from the mess. 

So, now I'm one of "those" people that walks their dog with a "fancy" bag dispenser. But I'm not ashamed to admit it. In fact, it's one of the few luxuries that come with picking up poop.  They start at about $4 at a store near you, with 24 count refill rolls are also available.  Try the luxury for yourself!

Giveaway! Pet Adventure Contest from Kakadu

Our friends at Kakadu are giving you the chance at adventure of a lifetime, an Adventure Mat that is!  We loved the Kakadu Pet Adventure Mat, and you will too!  Enter our Pet Adventure Photo Contest on Facebook for a chance to win your very own portable pet mat.

Entrants must post a photo of their own pet's adventure on the Embrace Pet Insurance Facebook page, and write a little caption about the adventure photo.  Share with your friends and followers, and the entry with the most "likes" will win a Pet Adventure Mat, courtesy of Kakadu.

Contest open 5/17/10-5/23/10.  Employees of Kakadu and Embrace not eligible.  Winner will be notified by 5/28/2010.  One entry per pet, please.  Prize valued between  

Kakadu Pet Adventure Mat product review

Once you hear the word, you can't stop saying it: Kakadu (like Kangaroo)!  After getting information from the Kakadu rep at BlogPaws, I was excited to receive a Kakadu Pet Adventure Mat to try out.  The bed is just as exciting as the name sounds!

Before I get too excited, let me give you the scoop on the bed.  It's a pet travel bed, that can be rolled and bundled for easy transportation.  The elastic cords help you roll it up, sort of like a yoga mat, except that it's got a nice fabric handle.  (The bed can also be hooked to car-seats, but I haven't tried that yet.)  It's machine washable, and comes in 4 sizes with the small starting at $34.54.  We're testing out the large bed, and it's very roomy, but doesn't take up much space at all once it's rolled up.

I might have expected an outdoor dog bed to be waterproof, but in reality, I think they would have sacrificed a lot of the comfort and plushness if they'd used a waterproof material.  Instead, it's fully washable, in one big piece, with no covers or liners to pull off.  It's as soft as an indoor bed, but very durable. 

It also comes in four nice color combos.  The Mandarin and Midnight scheme shown here has a high visibility factor making it perfect for a hiking trip.

I love this bed.  I want to go on an adventure, just so we can use it!  I'm sure it will be our new car bed, and make plenty of trips to the park.  But what do our dog's think?

Yesterday, when we tested it in the office, Cooper walked right onto it, flopped down, and grunted.  It definitely got the Puggle seal of approval.

This morning, we put it to the real critic:

 

So, as you can see, the Kakadu Pet Adventure Mat is a hit!  Very comfortable, functional, and affordable.

Check back!  Kakadu is going to be giving away a Pet Adventure Mat to one of our lucky readers, so be ready for your chance at adventure!