This last Monday Erin and I decorated a very special Christmas tree for some very special, lucky dog out there. Last year we auctioned off our in-store Christmas tree display just because we thought it would be fun. This year, we donated our (mostly Erin's) Christmas tree decorating talents and all of the ornaments to the Alzheimer's annual Christmas Tree Silent Auction, being held this week and ends on Saturday at the Highlands Crossing Senior Center in Bella Vista.
This is a special cause for me, since my grandpa Hague succumbed to Alzheimer's several years ago, not to mention Erin and I got to play hooky on Monday. When Erin found the tweet that they needed more volunteers to decorate a tree we thought this would be a great and fun cause to help in, and Erin took up the challenge to design a tree that was dog themed from the bakery. We'd never been to the Highland Center, so the adventure began just trying to find the building.
Erin adding some finishing touches to the ribbon, still a bunch more ornaments and toys to add
Complete with some surprises under the tree
no tree is complete without a Christmas "Yule Doo" - frosted of course!
So for our tree the theme was "Doggie Dreams". We loaded it up with tons of dog lover ornaments
as well as enough toys to keep your pup occupied for at least a year.
Planet Dog's guaranteed Mint Chew Toy
This guy sings Christmas songs
Planet Dog's Christmas Bulb chew toy - also guaranteed
We also donated the dog bed, and there is a pound of treats under the tree along with a "surprise" for the lucky bidder under there as well. We made the tree as pet friendly as possible. There are no glass ornaments that can break, and all of the toys are near the bottom. There are even some plushies that sing Christmas carols to get everyone into the spirit.
Alas, the tree is complete. 8' tall and loaded to the brim with goodies for you and your dog. probably worth about $500 including the pre-lit tree and all of the toys
I also snapped some photos of the other trees that were works in progress when we finished.
Check out the rest of them at the Highlands Crossing center, bid on a tree, and help a good cause.
Yesterday I had a sweet customer who wanted a tough toy for her Golden Retiever call and ask if we carried the Crazy Critters. For those of you who have yet to see the commercial, you can watch it below:
When I first saw this commercial, I thought two things: First, we carry a very similar product called Unstuffies, and immediately I thought, I should get more in stock because people would be looking for Crazy Critters. Second, I cringed at the claims that these toys were so tough. To put it simply, plush is not a tough, durable material. And although they never actually use the word indestructible, they certainly give the impression that this toy is going to be around for years to come with phrases like "super strong", "reinforced" and "durable". They even say they'll stand up to "the toughest dog."
I spend a lot of time telling people there is no such thing as an indestructible toy. It's a myth. Even our lovely, wonderful, guaranteed Planet Dog toys are not indestructible. Guaranteed, yes. Indestructible, definitely not. I have a stack of items that have been returned for a new toy sitting here next to me as a reminder of that.
I have searched the world (via the internet) for the toughest toys I could find. Because, Hannah is that dog. The dog who will chew anything and everything. The dog who ate Cary's electric razor and all of our television remotes. The dog who ate my nativity scene at Christmas time and a t-bone in three chomps (the first and last time she was ever given steak bones, by the way) So, I know what it's like to have a dog that destroys her toys. I know how sad the stuffed animals look when they have only one eye and a nub where an ear used to go. And I understand how frustrating it is to get a toy that's supposed to be tough only to have it destoyed in under twenty minutes (I'm looking at you, Walmart fire hose toy!)
So, when companies make claims about their products that are too good to be true, it makes me angry. And so after speaking with the customer looking for the Crazy Critters, I went online in search of information on the product. What I found were multitudes of reviews. And while I found some happy people, I found a lot more with comments like this:
Cassie 5 weeks ago
I gave a crazy critter to my dog this morning. In fifteen minutes he had removed the squeakers. Normally it takes less than five minutes for him to remove a squeaker, but even if it did take three times as long, fifteen minutes isn't long for it to last. Crazy critters are not as durable as advertised.
David 5 weeks ago
These reviews have been extremely helpful and have successfully prevented me from wasting my money and time. It is time for consumers to take charge and blow the whistle on companies that gain market share based on false advertisement! Kudos to those of you who took the time to share your experience.
mj 3 weeks ago
my chihuahua played with it 3 or 4 days before she got the squeaker out. I was really disappointed with the toy.
Becky 3 weeks ago
Well our dogs DID love them crazy critters but unfortunatley our big chocolate lab ripped it apart-THOUGHT THESE THINGS WERE INDESTRUCTABLE - WRONG- How can we get our money$ back?
So my recommendation? Give up on the indestructible toy. You'll be far less likely to be disappointed that way. Then, pay attention to what your dog enjoys. Does your dog really like gnawing on things or does your dog simply get bored and destroy things? We found that if we offered Hannah alternatives to chewing, like interactive toys with treats inside, our household possessions had a much more favorable fate. If your dog really likes to chew, buy things that are meant for chewing. We keep deer antlers on hand for Hannah when she has the need to gnaw. If your dog really likes the soft, plushy toys, there are tougher lines, like Tuffies Sea Creatures, but they still aren't indestructible. My advice? If you want to go for the plush, make peace with the fact that it's going to end up destroyed. Let your dog enjoy a cheap, plush toy for fifteen (or five) blissful minutes and then clean up the pieces before they become a choking hazard!
We were excited to see several of our favorite products made the list. Our favorites among her choices were:
Molly Mutt Beds
We love Molly Mutt beds because they're stylish and affordable, not to mention green! You can reuse old towels, blankets, clothes or other dog beds with these duvets and stuff sacks. The stuff sacks run $10-$15 and the duvets run $20-$40, so you can get an entire bed for under $60, when most dog beds run closer to $100. Plus with the revolutionary stuff sack, washing the entire bed becomes really easy, so you can keep your dog's bed clean and your home stylish at affordable prices.
Planet Dog Toys
We love Planet Dog toys for lots of reasons, but the biggest is they're GUARANTEED. You really can't beat that. If your dog chews it up, you get a new toy. So really, it's the last dog toy you'll ever have to buy. In addition, these toys are made in the USA, made with recycled materials and a portion of each purchase goes to the Planet Dog Foundation which supports canine service dogs. They also make toys specially for old dogs that are high contrast and double mint so they're easier for your old dog to see and smell. Or you can get Planet Dog toys specifically made for chewing puppies!
Tag Silencers
If your dog has all the tags it's supposed to have, then you know the jingling is enough to drive you nuts. While we've heard many solutions to this problem, Lupine tag silencers are our favorite. They glow in the dark, they come in a variety of shapes and they'll help restore your sanity. We also love Lupine's other fantastic products, like their leashes, collars and harnesses that are GUARANTEED, even if CHEWED! And they make a handy tag clip so you can move your dog's tags from one collar to another without the hassle of taking them off the ring.
Delicious, hand crafted, fresh baked artisian treats for your four legged best friends. Human grade ingredients with no added salt, sugar, artificial color or preservatives. We believe treats can not only be good for them, but that they can taste great as well - without any "pallatability enhancers", and the proof is in our closely guarded secret recipies that dogs absolutely love. Real flavors, real dog treats. Give your dog a Bigwag today!
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