I love tech. I love my dog. I really love things that allow me to use tech in relation to other things in my life, like my dog, Jack. Tom Bihn, a premier bag maker in Seattle, has a great specialty bag called the Citizen Canine which can help you keep all your “dog stuff” in one place. I was sent the black version with the Steel grid interior to test.

Top pouch can hold treats, toys, or both!

Over all, the bag is a sort of pouch, open at the top, but protected by a drawstring sleeve that closes against the weather and snuffling noses pretty nicely. There are two types of straps for the bag: an optional waist strap (which fits my 42″ girth with several inches to spare!), and an included over-the-shoulder strap. Either or both of these webbing straps (or neither, but then it’s going to be awkward to carry!) can be attached or detached at will, and both are adjustable. The bag’s material is all first-rate: U.S. 1050 denier Ballistic nylon and lined with Japanese nylon/Dyneema ripstop; zippers are #3.5  YKK coil with non-scratching plastic sliders. The straps are 1″ webbing with unique snap-on clips that allow you to customize the bag precisely. Build quality, a Tom Bihn hallmark, is also impeccable: bar-tacking and over-stiching at stress points, full lining and seams, etc. This bag is going to put up with years of use and abuse.

Strap connector open for removal.

In design, the bag is built on two levels: an upper pocket with a drawstring top, and a lower compartment with a plastic grommet for dispensing poop bags. Inside the lower section is a metal roller for dispensing standard bags on rolls. It’s fairly adjustable for the size of roll, but these bags are pretty much standardized within the pet industry, from what I’ve seen at various pet stores.

The bags are dispensed through a grommet on the back of the bag.

The bag hanger is heavy-duty, yet easy to open for adding new bags.

Included with the bag are clips that attach to the straps and can be used for a thick lead, ball toss stick, or other cylindrical item. They sent along their recycled leash to test, and having a place to attach it at the park is a major plus. The leash, from Krebs Recycling, is made from climbing rope, which is a kernmantle type construction. This means there is a woven sheath over an inner core of load-bearing nylon. Climbing ropes are taken out of use far before they are worn or aged, so Krebs creates these unique leases with them. They sew them with heavy, overlapped fabric at the joining points and use hot sealant to perfectly finish the ends. For $15, you’ll not find a better deal at your local pet super store. (I used a kernmantle leash for one of my pups, and it lasted all of his 14 years. We buried it with him, although it was still quite usable.)

Heavy duty cord, stitching, hardware, and end wrapping make this leash a solid addition to your dog park kit.

The leash clips can hold a rope leash, or a ball slinger.

So, how does it perform? I guess it depends on your dog interactions. My current pup is still under a year, so training happens at home and in our yard, more than in a public place like a dog park. Having treats handy, though, does make things more interesting. The other dogs find the smell very tempting, so I was glad for the drawstring. Jack is learning that just because he can smell a treat doesn’t mean he’s going to get one, which is a good lesson for everyone! That makes the treats more effective when they are given. While the pouch is easy to access, the drawstring can make it a two-handed affair. The waist belt allows me to center it during training, so I can handle any two-handed manouvers, or grab a treat with either hand, which is also nice.

I wasn’t a fan of the shoulder strap for the pouch, which actually surprised me. I usually carry a bag of some sort, usually a shoulder bag, but having this light one on my shoulder while bending down, running around, and fishing out treats for a dog was not easy. Even with it over the opposite shoulder, it was better on the waist for security and ease of use. I much preferred the waist band. I think it would be nice if it was an either/or thing, rather than having to get the shoulder strap plus pay extra for the waistband.

The size of the various pockets was good, with the possible exception of the front pocket. My iPhone 4s fits in it, but to zip it closed, I have to fiddle with getting the last little bit under the zipper. If you’ve got a larger phone, forget it. IDs, money, keys, and the like slipped in without a problem, but if phones continue to grow, a redesign may be in order.

The convenience of having everything in one bag is huge. I’m forever grabbing the leash for a walk, then having to figure out what to do when he stops for a nature break. I think my neighbors like seeing the bag, if no one else does!

Overall, I give it 4.5 stars. It’s quite well made, designed with a lot of great features, and shows attention to details that any dog-loving gadgeteer would love!

Filed in categories: Outdoor Gear, Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Bags and cases, Pet

Tom Bihn Citizen Canine Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 1, 2012 at 11:00 am.

For most people, the four legged furry beings that live with them are not just pets, but are part of the family. That means we worry about them just like we do our children. With kids and other loved ones, we can call them on the phone when we want to check up on them. But how do you keep an eye on your pets when you’re not with them? A video surveillance system is an option, but that only works when the pet is in the house or your yard. Once they are out of the camera’s view, you’re stuck. Tagg the Pet Tracker is a clever solution that uses GPS technology to help you locate your pet at any given moment and alerts you when they stray out of a predefined zone.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

Package Contents

Tagg Tracker
Tagg Docking Station
AC adapter / USB cable
Collar Clips and straps
Quick Start Guide

The Tagg Pet Tracker system is marketed more towards dogs, but it can work with cats too… as long as the cat (or dog) weighs more than 10 lbs.

For this review, my 15 lb cat Max, graciously volunteered his services. Max can be a little stinker and will sometimes stay out all night. Jeanne and I often wonder where the heck he goes at night and thought the Tagg Pet Tracker would be a fun way to find out.

The Tagg system is made up of 2 main parts. The dock (shown above) charges the Tagg Pet Tracker. It also has a page button that will send you an email notification of your pet’s location within 10-15 minutes after you press it.

The other part of the system is the Tagg Pet Tracker. This is the module that clips to your pet’s collar. It has a status LED (large circle on top) that blinks Blue while the tracker is charging. The smaller button is the Trip button, which can be pressed to disable the Tagg zone while walking your pet or running errands outside the predetermined zone that you’ve created.

The Tagg Pet Tracker has an internal battery that can last up to 30 days per charge.

Charging is as easy as snapping the module to the top of the dock. It takes about 2hrs to fully charge the tracker.

To attach the Tagg Pet Tracker to your pet’s existing collar, you use the included clips. Max doesn’t normally wear a collar, so I had to buy one at Walmart. Cat collars are very narrow, so I bought him the smallest dog collar that I could find. Even it is more narrow than I would like.

Here is the Tagg Pet Tracker attached to the collar. I think the attachment method could have been designed better. I’m not sure why the grey rubber wings are needed.

Here you see the Tagg module on Max. As you can tell, it’s too big for him. He was constantly trying to pull it off by putting his paws under the grey rubber wings.

To begin using the Tagg system, you have to register it online and setup the Tagg Zone.

The Tagg zone is a customizable radius around your home (the Tagg dock) of 75 to 1,000 yards. The Tagg system will locate and track your pet anywhere in the United States where there is Verizon Wireless network coverage.

The web interface allows you to enter information about your pet and also shows the battery status of the Tagg module.

The map will show the location of your pet and any current alerts. The Tagg system is great when it comes to notifications. In addition to telling you when your pet is outside the Tagg zone, it will let you know when the battery is charged, and when there is a software update. To update, you just place the tagg on the dock and the update will begin automatically. You’ll receive another email once the update is finished.

When your pet goes outside their designated zone, you’ll receive an email that shows a small thumbnail map of their location and links to pages on the Tagg website that will initiate a Locate or Tracking of your pet. When you turn on the tracking feature, you’ll receive an email with your pet’s location every 3 minutes for 30 minutes. Some of the emails also have a link to the Tagg website that shows a trail of where your pet has been. The trail is basically what you see in the image above. There’s a button to play the trail, which just shows you various points where your pet has been. It does not show an exact route or show your pet moving in real time… which I would really love to see.

To be honest, I’m not all that impressed with the web portal for the Tagg system. It is little slow and seems pretty basic as far as features go. Luckily, there’s a 2nd way to keep tabs on your pets that’s a little more interactive.

If you have an iPhone or Android phone, you can download the free Tagg app. Once logged into your account, You can see what I thought was a live view of your pet’s location as it moves around in a Google Earth view. A little Blue orb will move around on the display in real time. I was really excited to have this feature and spent several minutes watching the orb move around on my phone’s screen. My excitement disappeared when I got up from the couch to look out the back window to try to see Max in the woods. It’s then that I noticed that he was sitting perfectly still on the back patio, while the Blue orb wandered happily around the screen. I have no idea what the Blue dot is for or why it moves all by itself…

When your pet is out of the Tagg zone, you can use the mobile app to locate and get directions to your pet.

While I’ve been testing the Tagg Pet Tracker, I’ve noticed that the out of zone emails, and locate features in the app and web can be pretty laggy. For example, this morning I gave the collar to Jeanne to take with her to work since Max has not cooperated by going out of zone. I had the Tagg Zone set to the smallest area around our house (~75 yds). Jeanne left for work at 7:30am and I didn’t receive an email notification telling me that Max was out of zone until 8:19am, almost 40 minutes later. Using the locate button takes a few minutes too. I really wish there way to see your pet moving around in real time…

For what it has been designed to do, the Tagg Pet Tracker is a cool gadget. I don’t love it, but I like it and I can see how it could be a very important tool in helping to find a lost pet.  Since you are required to pay $7.95/month (+ $0.95/month for any additional tracker modules) for their service, I feel it should have some more features like a mapping feature that would show a real trail of where your pet has been during a specific time, instead of just starting and ending points while they are out of the zone. And in a perfect world, I wish it would show a real-time view of your pet’s location. But I guess those are all features for the future version of this device.

Do any of you use this device or similar devices to keep track of your pets? If so, let us know your thoughts.

Filed in categories: GPS, Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: GPS, Pet

Tagg the Pet Tracker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 29, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Keep the towels in the linen closet. Your answer to fast drying your wet dog is finally here.

I’m not crazy about most do-it-yourself dog grooming products because most of them are long on promises and short on delivery. And they’re expensive.  For that kind of money, I can just take my pooch over to PetSmart and let them do what they have to do.  I have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and for anyone who knows anything about herding dogs, they shed.  A lot.  A really BIG lot.  So they need to be brushed regularly and groomed more often than say… a poodle.

Because I don’t always have the time or money to take him to the groomer’s or because I just took him to the groomer’s,  a home bath is in order.  That means a wet dog in a wet tub with water everywhere and using up just about every towel in the house.   Soggy Doggy Productions have come to the rescue with Soggy Doggy Super Shammy.

During really rainy days, my Corgi LOVES to play in puddles.  The muddier the better.  I don’t know if this is an evil plot to get back at me for not petting him 24/7 or giving him cookies on demand, or what.  But if there’s a puddle, a feral cat, or a set of water birds, my dog is off to the races.   And every one of those scenarios means it’s bath time.

You might remember that I reviewed the Soggy Doggy Doormat  - which, frankly, is a Must Have for ANY pet owner as it soaks up water, rain, snow, dirt and Heavens know what else up to five times more than any rug or towel.

Super Shammy takes all of that to a new level.   Instead of just a rectangular sheet of toweling, Super Shammy has pockets sewn in the corners to put your hands in to give you more control over the drying.  The chenille nubs on the outside soak up water faster than any terry cloth towel will.  And I should know.  Corgis have this cottony, fluffy undercoat that Never. Seems. To. Dry.  EVER.  It’s met its match with the Soggy Doggy Super Shammy.  My dog also thoroughly enjoyed the nice massage he got while I was drying him with the shammy.  It never seemed to get…well… soggy either.  And my dog didn’t mind me drying his paws, and this is a dog who does not like to have his paws messed with.

Super Shammy has pockets sewn into the corners to provide better drying control.

Super Shammy is made of chenille-polyester-polyamide blend which makes it machine washable and machine dry-able.  But here’s what I don’t like and that’s the deep blue Marine color of the sham.  I don’t need my shams to be deep dark colors.  The instructions on the shammy require me to wash this separately and quite honestly, I don’t have time or the quarters to wash a doggy shammy separately.  I think the color is really cool and it stands out,  but it’s a shammy to dry my dog off.  This deep dye is really not necessary… I’m cool with a neutral color that can be washed with other neutral colors and that would not require a separate washing. To be fair, the Super Shammy just wasn’t all that soggy feeling after I got done with it, and I threw it into the dryer to remove the water and excess hair.  It came out clean and fluffy and fine.  So, depending how much dirt or debris you’re sponging off your dog, you might be able to skip the wash cycle in certain circumstances.

Soggy Doggy Super Shammy boasts a superior construction.  No loose threads, solid, strong seam work, no holes, nothing to come loose.  It’s well made, and I’m a big fan of solid construction.  At $19.99, it’s not going to break the bank either.  I’ve seen more expensive items that did less, and this is a good deal.

My only other gripe is that it does not appear that you can find Soggy Doggy products anywhere but online, and that’s really a shame because these products need to be everywhere.  Even my In-laws like my Super Shammy and they know a thing or two about dog grooming; they raise and show standard poodles.  They work the dog show circuit.  And a pickier bunch of dog product reviewers never existed, and THEY dig the Super Shammy.

Dogs like the nice massage from the chenille nubs on the fabric.

This is a superior dog grooming product.  It’s a Must Have.  It’s a perfect stocking stuffer for your dog-loving or just animal-loving pals. It’s got one or two cons, but they’re not deal breakers and honestly I’m giving Soggy Doggy Super Shammy a Christmas Gift Thumbs Up.

Filed in categories: Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: pet grooming, Pets

Soggy Doggy Super Shammy Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 2, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

Those travel-savvy folks at Tom Bihn are at it again, having not long ago introduced their new Cadet minimalist laptop bag and now three more new travel items.  The Travel Tray is a container to keep track of your loose pocket-sized items during your journey.  It collapses flat and closes with a drawstring.  One size, four different colors, $22 each.  The Travel Money Belt is made of nylon webbing with plastic buckle and can hold some cash, IDs or other small items in a concealed inside compartment accessible via plastic zipper opening on the belt’s inside.  Black only, five different sizes, $20 each.  The Citizen Canine is a small bag designed to help organize the stuff you tote on a walk with your furry friend.  Topside: treat/ball holder with drawstring top; bottom: poop bag dispenser (with side zipper access to replace the roll of bags); front: zipper phone/key/ID/etc accessory pouch.  Shoulder strap and loads more features.  One size, seven color combinations, $55 each.  Check ‘em out and let us know what you think.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets, Travel Gear

Tagged: belt, Pet, Travel

Tom Bihn’s New Travel Tray, Travel Money Belt & Citizen Canine originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Walking your dog at night can be dangerous for you and your dog.  Drivers are more likely to see you, with your light and/or reflective clothing and a flashlight, than they are to see your dog.  With the LED-lighted collars and leashes from Dog-e-Glow, your dog will be as visible as you are.  The collars and leashes are available in a variety of fashionable or collegiate-logo designs.  They are weather-resistant, and they’re made of durable nylon sewn around LED lights.  A set of easily-replaceable batteries will give you about 150 hours of light.  The collars are available in medium and large sizes.  Prices start at $22.99 for collars and $25.99 for leashes.  Give your best friend the gift of safety this holiday season!

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet Products, Safety

Keep Your Dog Safe with Dog-e-Glow originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 17, 2011 at 9:00 am.

Oh Paris Hilton, eat your heart out!

I attended a local “Puptoberfest” (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like)  last weekend and came across this vendor– the Mommy Bus.  The bus is a fashion pet carrier designed for small dogs and cats up to 15 pounds, 15″ in length, and 13″ tall.  It’s a top-entry carrier with screened side panels and an open/close windshield for peeking out.  Each wheel contains a zippered compartment for onboard storage of waste bags, leash, car keys, etc with an additional side-panel zippered pocket for larger items like mom’s wallet or iPhone.  Inside is a washable bottom pad and leash attachment to secure the pup.  The bus itself can be used with a seatbelt to prevent it from shifting in a car.  Additionally there are two handle straps as well as an adjustable shoulder strap.  While maybe not being the most practical solution for transporting your pet, it does seem to be more fun than the standard cage–and will definitely start a few conversations!

Mommy Bus is available directly through the site in two different packages– the celebrity package (replica of the set given out at the Emmys to Betty White, Miley Cyrus, etc) runs $125 and includes the carrier, t-shirt, leash and collar, and stuffed companion pet or the basic carrier itself for $99.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: mommy bus, Pet carrier

Mommy Bus Pet Carrier originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 29, 2011 at 10:00 am.

The Catit Drinking Fountain from ThinkGeek recirculates and filters your cat or small dog’s drinking water.  The recirculation helps cool the water, and some say running water is more attractive for pets.  The filtration removes water impurities and bad tastes and the bits of food and hair that always seems to be floating in the water bowl.  A plastic guard for the cord prevents chewing and keeps the cord dry.  There’s even a side bowl for some food.  It holds 100 oz (3 liters), so it’s more than enough water for the hours you’re at work.  ThinkGeek says it’s for cats, but the Catit would also work for smaller dogs.  The Catit Drinking Fountain is $52.99.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet Gadgets

Make Sure Your Small Pet Always Has Fresh Water with Catit originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 9, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Did you know that only a very small percentage of lost animals – 10-15% of dogs and 2% of cats –  are ever returned to their owners?   If your pet strays, you need to know immediately so you can retrieve him quickly.  The Tagg Pet Tracker system from Snaptracs, Inc ( a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc) uses GPS to track your dog or cat and let you know immediately if he leaves his defined home area.  The Tagg slides onto your pet’s collar; it’s built to withstand dirt and even water.  If your pet leaves his home area, you’ll be notified on your computer or smartphone.  You can locate your pet on a map just by pressing a button so you’ll know where to go pick him up.  The collar attachment is intended for pets over 10 pounds.  It costs $199.99 and includes a year of service.  It will begin shipping in September.  You can sign up at the Tagg website to be notified when the device is ready to ship.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: GPS, Pet GPS gadget

Keep Track of Your Pet with Tagg originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Cats are tricky creatures.  They know to stay off the furniture or the kitchen counter while you’re home, but they often go where they want when you aren’t home.  I heard a good way to train cats is to discretely squirt them with a water gun when they do something bad, so they’ll learn to associate the kitchen counter with getting wet and will stay off it even when you aren’t home.  The Innotek SSSCAT Cat Training Tool uses a similar approach without having to spray water all over your house.  It’s basically a battery-operated motion-sensor and trigger that sits on top of a can of HFC134a gas.  Put the can on the surface you want the cat to stay off, and the Innotek will sound an alarm and spray the harmless gas every time the cat jumps up there.  Refill cans are available, but at least one of the reviewers on Amazon said the alarm alone was enough to scare the cat away after a while.  It seems the MSRP is about $65, but Amazon has it for $29.03.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet training tool

Innotek SSSCAT Cat Training Aid originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 8, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

We should all know the importance of staying hydrated when we’re in the great outdoors – especially this summer with the crazy high temps nationwide. But what about man’s best friend? Do you make sure stay  hydrated too when you’re enjoying nature? The H2O4K9 helps you do just that. It’s a water bottle that has been designed especially for your dog. Available in 9.5 and 25 oz. capacities, the H2O4K9 is made of stainless steel with a BPA free plastic lid shaped for your dog’s drinking style. The bottle fits in a vehicle cup holder too. The H2O4K9 comes in several colors and is priced at $17.95 – $19.95 depending on size.

[Via Gear Patrol]

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pets

H2O4K9 – A Water Bottle for your Dog originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 3, 2011 at 4:30 pm.

My dog Teddy is a nervous sort who would have a stroke if his leash started blinking, but this would work for other, calmer dogs.  You probably take a flashlight when you take your dog out for nighttime walks, and that helps motorists, bicyclists, and other pedestrians see you.  If you don’t keep your dog on a tight leash, they may not see your companion.  The NightSafe Flashing Dog Leash from Gadgets and Gears has blue LEDs (and reflective tape to make the lights more visible) that can blink or stay on to clearly show where your dog is.  The 47″ leash is made of reinforced nylon and is powered by 2 R2032 button cells that can provide 50 hours of continuous lighting.  The leash is visible up to 100 yards.  The NightSafe Flashing Dog Leash is $34.95.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Dogs, Lighted leash

Make Your Dog More Visible on Nighttime Walks with the NightSafe Flashing Leash originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 11, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

We’ve probably all seen a video of a cat or a dog interacting with an iPad by now, so we know that gaming isn’t just for humans.  Friskies, the cat food company, has decided to introduce games that are designed specifically for your cat’s enjoyment.  There are  three Games for Cats:  Cat Fishing, Tasty Treasures Hunt, and Party Mix-Up.  Friskies says “the colors, movement, and game-play have been researched and tested for maximum feline fun.”  These games were created for Android tablets and iPad using HTML5/CSS3, and they are available now.  Go to the above link and click to start playing these games.  By the way, Friskies warns that the glass iPad screen should hold up to cat claws, but plastic film screen protectors could be damaged.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet games for Android and iOS tablets

Friskies Introduces Games for Your Cats originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 26, 2011 at 10:00 am.

You’ve probably seen those cloth neck coolers for bipeds and I bought one for my dog last year but of course it would not stay on: you have to tie it like a scarf and with one swoop of his paw my dog could strip if off faster than the Gentle Leader.  The people variety is also pretty bulky and heavy when filled.  This Cool Collar looks like a good alternative since it has a built-in clasp and comes in three sizes: yip, Bark, and WOLF.  From $7-$10.

Via 7Gadgets

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pets

Keep Fido Cool originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 4, 2011 at 11:00 am.

If you have a pet you love, you want to keep him safe.  If he’s lost, you want clear, up-to-date address and phone numbers with him so he can be returned to you safely.  If your pet has an illness or needs special care, you want to be sure the people who find him can care for him appropriately until you can get there.  I’m not so concerned about my dog, Teddy, getting lost.  But Teddy was just diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and I wanted a central location to store all his medical records so they could be available at a moment’s notice.  At the same time Teddy was diagnosed, MobiPetTags introduced their new pet identification system to The Gadgeteer.  MobiPetTags uses the Microsoft Tag system and a smartphone app to identify your pet and make important vaccine and medical records immediately available.  I asked if I could try MobiPetTags;  Julie assigned me and George at MobiPetTags was kind enough to give me access to their full line of services for this review.

Many of the photos in this app can be clicked for an enlarged view.

Examples of Microsoft Tag barcodes. This image only courtesy of Microsoft Tag website.

As I mentioned, MobiPetTags uses the Microsoft Tag system.  Microsoft Tag is “a new kind of bar code that connects almost anything in the real world to information, entertainment, and interactive experiences on your mobile phone.  When you scan a Tag using the free Tag Reader application on your mobile phone, it will automatically open a webpage, add a contact to your address book, display a message, or dial a number – there are no long URLs to type or SMS messages to send.”  These square bar codes are read by a free app you can install on your smartphone (Apple iOS, Microsoft, Android – virtually any platform).   MobiPetTags assigns a unique bar code to your pet and displays that information on various tags and cards.

Teddy has a microchip, but MobiPetTags are different than microchips.  First of all, how many people are going to be carrying a microchip reader with them when they find a lost pet?  Teddy also has an AKC tag and a rabies tag – but those don’t provide medical information.

MobiPetTags take four forms.  The Collar ID tag is a simple plastic-encased printed card that’s about 1-3/8” long X 7/8” wide.  A metal grommet strengthens the attachment hole.  This tag is thin and flexible, and MobiPetTags says it won’t get caught on fences or trees.  One side displays the unique bar code, and the other side has the pet’s ID number and name.  The pet’s information can be downloaded to a smartphone after installing an app found at the URL also shown on the back of the tag.  There’s even a phone number to reach MobiPetTags so the finder without a smartphone can still get information for your pet.  I received two collar tags.

MobiPetTags Collar ID tags are now also available as etched plastic or metal tags.

The Keychain ID is also a plastic-encased printed card that’s 1-7/8” by 5/8”.  It also has a metal grommet for strength, and it comes with a 0.5” split ring to attach to your keyring.  One side has a picture of the pet, his ID number, and the bar code.  The other side has the bar code, pet ID number, URL to download the free reader app to the finder’s phone, and the phone number for MobiPetTags.  I received two keychain tags.

The Wallet Card is a plastic-encased printed card that’s 3-5/8” X 2.25” – a bit bigger than a credit card.  One side of the card has the pet’s photo and two bar codes – one is a direct link to his information page, and the other is a link to help the owner create pet posters and start sending out information to shelters and rescue organizations when a pet is lost.  The other side has a list of URLs with information about your pet and about MobiPetTags.  I received two wallet cards.

There are also TravelSafe cards that look very much like the Keychain cards.  They are attached to your pet’s crate or travel cage to identify your pet and provide contact information for you and for MobiPetTags if you can’t be reached.  I did not receive these tags, so I can’t provide measurements for them.

To get started, I filled out an online form with Teddy’s and my information.  You can choose to have your street address omitted from the online information; you’ll still be able to list phone numbers, email addresses, even Facebook and Twitter IDs in the public information.  I sent scans of Teddy’s vaccination record and all the medical records relating to his chylothorax diagnosis and treatment to be added to his online records.  Right now, the only way to get those files in your pet’s record is to send them to MobiPetTags and have someone there format them and associate them with the pet’s records.  I asked if they would be implementing a method for the owner to add files as needed and update the other data, but that is not available now.  George at MobiPetTags says the data can be added very quickly now, but I worry that updating will get slower as their client base grows.  Hopefully they’ll expand their online services to allow user modification of data.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a smartphone.  I do have an iPad 2 with a camera, so I took a chance that I could use that to scan the bar codes.  I went to the URL from the tags to download the tag reader app, but I was told there was no camera detected.  I was still able to download a TagReader app for iPhones that works perfectly in a small window on my iPad’s screen.

Note:  Because these tags and URLs connect you directly to my personal information, I obscured the bar codes themselves and blurred out any contact information on the information pages.  I trust you will still be able to see enough to understand the function and the value of MobiPetTags and the services they provide.

Once the app was installed, I simply started the app and centered the bar code in the viewfinder “crosshairs” on the screen.  I did have to find an angle where there was no glare or reflections on the plastic coating, and then the TagReader app immediately read the bar code and opened up a browser window with Teddy’s ID information as shown.  I needed multiple screenshots to show Teddy’s page.  Because this is designed for use with smartphones, the data area is narrow.  You simply scroll down the page to see all the information.  You’ll notice that Teddy’s medical condition is a hyperlink; it takes you to Wikipedia to learn about his illness.  I like this feature.  A veterinarian treating Teddy would of course know what chylothorax is, but it might help a person who might find Teddy understand the urgency of getting him back home so he can receive his proper diet and medication.

List of medical records

List of files and vaccination record

There is a link from the information page to Teddy’s medical records.  The person who will care for your pet until you retrieve him or the vet who may need to have access to medical records can find that information here.  You can see we stored everything from his rabies shot record to his prescription for the low-fat food required for his condition.

Example of lost pet poster

If Teddy should be lost, I can scan the lost pet bar code on my wallet card to begin the things I need to do to help me locate him.  The information I’ve stored is used to create a lost-pet poster that I can print copies of and hang in the area he was last seen.  Learn more about this feature in the PetTagAlert System description below.

There are several levels of service you can purchase from MobiPetTags.   The Starter Pack gives you two collar tags, two keychain tags, the pet information page with your contact information, free replacement tags, and 24/7 emergency service.  From the “Things” section, MobiPetTag provides links to: “Travel Tips, Travel Maps, Feeding Tips, Useful Blogs, Rescued/Adopted Dog and Cat ownership Tips and many more topics – only accessible from your PetProfile Page.”  The Starter Pack is $9.95.

The Records and Photo Pack adds medical records storage and access to the Starter Pack.   You’ll also be able to store up to ten photos of your pet.  The Records and Photo Pack is $14.95.

The PetTagAlert System adds the wallet card with the URL for reporting a lost pet.  It “will notify (with pictures and key information) shelters, clinics, volunteer pet rescuers, animal emergency hospitals, pounds, rescue organizations, highway departments, and police departments within a 5 mile radius of where your pet was lost when you activate a PetTagAlert Lost Pet call to MobiPetTag. Recipients are then encouraged to photocopy the posters and to post at least 10 copies around the local vicinity.”  The PetTagAlert System is $19.95.

The Fax Pack is a $7.95 add-on to the above packages.  You’ll be able to instantly have a copy of vaccination records or other health information faxed to a vet’s office, a groomer or boarding facility, or a pet-friendly hotel wanting proof of vaccinations.  You won’t have to carry all this paperwork when you travel with your pet.

The TravelSafe Pack is a $4.95 add-on to the above packages.  You’ll get a tag to attach to pet carriers and travel cages to identify your pet if he’s separated from his other ID tags while traveling.

The PetProfile Suite is $34.95.  It contains all of the above services.

The MobiPetTags system is an ingenious method to identify your pet and to help get him home safely if he’s lost.  It’s really convenient to have all his records in one place and available for viewing online or to be faxed to a new vet.  My poor Teddy is very ill.  If you love animals, please keep your fingers crossed for him so he’ll be able to make use of his MobiPetTags for many years to come.

Filed in categories: Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Pet Gadgets, Pet identification system

MobiPetTags Animal Identification Tags Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 15, 2011 at 10:30 am.

Do you like to take your dog or cat with you while you’re out and about, but you don’t want to look like Paris Hilton with a scared animal clutched under your arm?  If your pet is 15 pounds or smaller, he’ll fit in the Timbuk2 Muttmover backpack.  The bag is made of durable waterproof fabric-backed tarpaulin that’s claw-resistant and easily cleaned.  Zippered mesh sides keep your pet ventilated, and there’s a clip inside the bag that attaches to your pet’s harness  to make sure he doesn’t leap out before you’re ready.  The Muttmover is $90 at Timbuk2′s website.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet carrier

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – er, Dog originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 1, 2011 at 9:00 am.

Our dog Teddy has a microchip for ID, and he also wears various ID tags that will hopefully bring him back to us if he should ever get lost.  The microchip is useless if the person who finds him doesn’t happen to have a chip reader, and the ID tags don’t contain information about his shots or medical records.  Teddy has a chronic, life-threatening illness that requires specific medication three times a day and a special diet, so his medical information needs to be immediately available if he’s lost or injured.  MobiPetTags of Lowellville, Ohio has teamed with Microsoft Tag to bring pet identification and medical records access to the 21st century.  The animal wears a lightweight plastic tag that can be scanned by anyone with a internet-connected cellphone, and with a single click they’ll be connected to a page with complete ID and medical information, show certificates, dietary needs, and other information.  The MobiPetTags suite of products allow you to purchase as many or as few record-keeping abilities as you need.  Prices range from $9.95 for the ID cards and identification page only, to $34.95 for the complete line of options so you can easily fax medical records, send out lost pet posters to nearby shelters and clinics, etc.  Go to the MobiPetTags webpage to learn more about how you can protect your beloved animal companions.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet ID system

Dog ID Tags Go High-Tech with MobiPetTags originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 22, 2011 at 8:30 am.

Soggy Doggy Doormat is not just for thresholds any more. Microfiber chenille can soak up to 7x its own weight in water.

If you live in the midwest, you’ve had a rotten winter.  You’ve had snow upon snow upon a solid three to five inch thick rink of ice.  You’ve had issues with melting, leakage and if you live in Indiana, you’ve just been hammered with what feels like one gallon of rain a minute. Now compound that situation with dogs.  You have a mess.  Not just any muddy, doggy, melty, track it all over the place mess, you have a serious five-alarm mess. Except me.  I have Soggy Doggy Doormat. 

With two dogs and any number of foster dogs traipsing in and out of my house,   I’ve tried every single method of entryway rug known to man. I’ve tried towels, industrial restaurant rugs, indoor/outdoor carpets, the braided rag rug things, nothing really truly worked.   It got to the point where it just didn’t make sense to wash the floor until after the spring thaw was over.   Soggy Doggy Doormat solves the problem of wet pet feet.  That’s it.  It’s that simple.  It sucks up the water, snow, rain, mud and whatever else my dogs track in.  It sucks up the yuck I track in for crying out loud!  I’d call it the Sham Wow of doggy mats, but this product actually works!  The Big Secret is that the mat is made of microfiber chenille.  I like microfiber.  I like ANYTHING microfiber because it makes no bones about drying up spills and water and wet stuff and it does it without complaining.  It’s advertised to hold seven times its weight in water but honestly, I think it absorbs more than that.

Soft and comfy and has a no slip backing that truly does not slip.

It’s also solidly made.  Most rugs I’ve used do not have any sort of backing and the ones that do have a backing that I swear is engineered to make me slip and fall on my back.   Soggy Doggy has a no-slip backing that grabs your floor and doesn’t go anywhere.

But aside from using it as a pet floor mat, you can pretty much use Soggy Doggy for anything else pet related.  It’s deliciously soft and comfortable.   If you like your pets to snuggle but don’t want to vacuum up pet hair from the couch, Soggy Doggy makes a great couch pet blanket.  A lot of us who have dogs, have crates for them and Soggy Doggy makes a fabulously, soft, warm and comfy crate bed.

When testing out Soggy Doggy, my intention was to use it for it’s intended purpose… as a doormat for wet pet feet.  My dogs decided differently and it performs double duty as both doormat and snooze blanket.  I love it.  I want more of them.  I’d like to see these mats come in larger sizes as well.

Peace Accord: Only Soggy Doggy Doormat could bring my two Corgis together on the same mat. Demonstrating Soggy Doggy Doormat's many uses, my dogs use it as a snooze mat.

You can buy Soggy Doggy doormat right off of the website (www.soggydoggydoormat.com) but I would love to see these in pet stores, Tractor Supply and any other store simply because I don’t want to wait for it.   $39.99 sounds a bit pricey but this is a product that is worth every cent.

Filed in categories: Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Dogs, Home

Soggy Doggy Doormat Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 3, 2011 at 10:30 am.

If you have a dog, you have stood in the rain with him while he does his business. No big deal for you, if you have an umbrella, but what about Fido? If you want to avoid wet dog smell, get your pooch his own umbrella – the Dogbrella. It’s a 29″ diameter canopy (think inverted umbrella) with a short leash connected in the center. It’s designed for dogs up to 15 lbs. and less than 24″ long and costs $29.95. I bet Rihanna has one for her dog!

[Via Likecool]

Filed in categories: News, Outdoor Gear, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Outdoor, Pets, Spotlight Gadgets

Fido can stand under my Dogbrella ella ella ay ay ay originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 25, 2011 at 8:30 am.

Humans were too lazy to get up off their bums to change the channel on the TV, so the remote control was invented. We were too lazy to go to the library so eBook Readers were invented. Now we’re apparently too lazy to play ball with our dogs, so the Fetchtastic was invented. The Fetchtastic is a battery or AC powered tennis ball launcher that will keep your pooch busy for hours. Fill it with small or standard sized tennis balls and it will automatically launch one every 7 seconds from 12 to 24 feet. If you train your dog to insert the ball back in the caddy, it will never run out. I have to say that this would have been a perfect gadget back when my Corgi was still living. She would play fetch till I got tired of throwing the ball and wiping the slobbers off my hands. The Fetchtastic would be a great toy for people with dogs that need to run off a lot of energy. It comes in either AC or Battery powered versions and is priced at $149.99.

Filed in categories: News, Outdoor Gear, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: dog, Pets, Spotlight Gadgets

Fetchtastic – Automated Fetch for Dogs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 14, 2011 at 12:44 pm.

The Canine Treadmill from Hammacher Schlemmer will help you keep your dog well exercised even if the weather prevents you from taking him outside for walks.  The soft rubber belt is easy on paws, and the speed, incline, and distance can be easily adjusted with the simple controls. There’s also an emergency stop.  The Canine Treadmill comes in three sizes:  small for dogs up to 30 pounds ($549.95), medium for dogs up to 60 pounds ($699.95), and large for dogs up to 100 pounds ($899.95).

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Pet exercise equipment

Keep Your Pet Exercised with the Canine Treadmill originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 31, 2011 at 6:30 am.

I think I saw a bumper sticker once that read  ”Dogs have owners; Cats have staff”.  This is certainly true in our household and one of the staff functions I least like to do is clean the litter box.  The folks at Scoop Free think they have the answer with their Ultra Scoop Free Self-Cleaning Litter Box.  Will automation make the process smell and mess free?

The Ultra appears to be an updated version of the original Scoop Free that Julie reviewed in 2006.  They’ve added a privacy hood, variable cleaning cycle adjustment and a counter that tells you how many times your cats have gone.  All this extra for only $40 more.

What you get with the device is the mechanical scooping unit, a disposable litter tray with a bag of blue crystal litter, a power adapter and the privacy hood.

If you take a closer look at the litter tray you will notice that it seems to be sitting in another box.  That is actually the lid you put on when you throw the litter away.

The setup was simple.  I poured the litter into the tray, dropped the mechanical apparatus on top of the tray and plugged the unit in to an electrical outlet.  I was all ready to go and only need two more things…..

The cats.  Jessie and Jeremy were going to be my test subjects.  They are both mature indoor/outdoor cats that are very familiar with a litter box.  So, I removed their normal box and waited. And waited.  After 3 days I was getting worried because the box hadn’t been used and the cats were looking at me with a pained expression.

I went to the Scoopfree web site to see if they had any ideas how I could convince my cats to use the new box.  They did, so I took a small amount of litter from the cat’s old box and sprinkled it in the ScoopFree box.  I also removed the privacy lid.

Well, that didn’t work and I was getting worried that the cats were beginning to hate me and I’d have to do a review without actually having used the product.  I gave it one more shot because I left the cats no choice.  We were going on a 2 day trip and the cats wouldn’t be able to go outside while we were gone. 

Yes, during the 2 days they used the box 8 times as is indicated by the counter.  Now that the cats have accepted their new toilet facilities, I can make some judgements about the usefulness of the product.  Also notice in the photo above that there is an indicator for minutes.  This is the delay time which can be set to either 5, 10 or 20 minutes for the rake that scoops the litter after an animal leaves the box.  I have no idea how this would be useful.

The device does as advertised.  The rake pushes the solids under a lid and eliminates the need for manual cleaning.  The premium litter absorbs liquids and neutralizes any odor.  After the box is full, which is 10-15 days recommended for 2 cats, it’s as simple as lifting the device up from the disposable litter box and using the cover to enclose the litter and throwing the whole thing away.

The question is; how much are you willing to pay for convenience?  In my case the consumables (replacement litter boxes) are $15 each and that’s $30 per month compared to the $10 I spend buying premium litter now.  Also, I’d have to add the cost of the device, at $179.99.  So, my first year cost would be approximately $540.  Subsequent years would be $360.  While doing research for this review, I found the Ultra ScoopFree available on sale from Petco for $79.99, so I could reduce the first year cost.

I’ll be reverting back to my old method of manual litter box and daily cleanings.  I cannot justify the cost, but for some people it might make sense.  For example, we have a friend who had to give up her cats because she has a compromised immune system and the Doctor told her not to clean a litter box.  With the ScoopFree, maybe she can get her pets back.

Filed in categories: Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Health, Pets

Ultra ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litterbox Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 3, 2010 at 12:55 pm.

FroliCat toys are made by Brilliant Pets, the people who make the Scoop Free cat litter box, so they know cats. I was sent their three offerings to review- the Dart free-standing laser toy; the Bolt hand-held or standing laser toy; and the Sway, a magnetically mounted cat toy. By the way, dogs may be interested in the RouseDog versions of the laser toys as well! 

I enjoy cats and have a middle aged one who, technically, adopted us but that is a different story. He’s a very affectionate cat that prefers to be outside and I was hoping to find some things for him to do while indoors in the long Nebraska winter. I leapt at the chance to try some new toys out with him. 

The Dart ($34.99 MSRP, 3-AA batteries) is a free-standing unit that rotates and shines a laser light. You can set the speeds and duration of the session, and the thing takes off! It moves back and forth, and to a lesser extent, up and down. It darts, it whirls, it vibrates rapidly, and it even freezes in place for a moment until the preset timer runs down. 

FroliCat Dart. Red beam not normally visible in the air.

In use, I found that the slow speed was still kind of quick, and the whole machine is rather loud and top-heavy. You can stand it up on a stool to get a bigger circle, but in my house, it was often hitting walls and furniture, and just completes the circle too fast- you’d have to hustle to keep up.  The unit would also tend to wobble or move whenever the cat got too close. The noisiness is not a deal-breaker, but the whole unit seems to amplify the noises of the motor, gears, and plastic. 

My middle-aged cat sometimes really got into trying to follow the light, but would often just sit and stare, seemingly befuddled by how it climbed walls so effortlessly. He rarely paid attention if I boosted the speeds. 

I think the device could be improved by a little sound-deadening on the motor, but more by a sensor/timer that would sometimes turn it on when it sensed a cat-sized thing nearby.  I think I would also add a weight to the bottom half. 

I let my daughter try it with her cat, and her experiences are much the same as mine: 

“The rotations of the toy and the mechanics of it make this a very noisy device. Even on the lowest speed it has, it still seems too fast for [my] cat to really enjoy it… It is a good idea and has all the settings to become a very good toy but unless it is more adaptable in its programming or timed better, I don’t think it is ideal for anything but kittens… 

“It is a good toy if you are not going to be around or you need to keep the cat occupied for 20 or so minutes but it is not something that I could keep on when I was in the room.” 

My daughter's cat and the Dart

 The Bolt ($19.95 MSRP, 4-AA batteries) is a hand-held unit that dances the laser along an adjustable mirror.  The motor is quieter, and it does not use as large of a play zone as the Dart, which may be good or bad. The unit is comfortable to hold or sits nicely by itself. There is a 15 minute auto-shut off so you can set it down and leave it. 

FrotliCat Bolt. Beam not normally visible

 While the Dart is interactive in that the cat plays with it, the Bolt is even more interactive when you hold it and play with your cat! Of course, in that mode, a simple laser pointer would work also but the Bolt offers more play options. 

My cat seemed to prefer the Bolt probably because I could control the speed and play area better in response to what he was doing.  Again, I wish it could come on during the day when I was gone to help keep my cat entertained. 

The Sway ($12.99 MSRP, no batteries) is something your cat can play with when you are not around. You simply use the strong magnets to attach the ‘cat toy on a string’ to a handy table or something and instantly you have a toy our cat can access anytime. 

The toy part has it all- knit cover, a bell and even feathers! The magnet is housed in pair of hemispheres and is strong enough to work through about 3/4″ of material- understanding that the thickness and type of material has a major effect on the strength of the hold. 

My cat has so far mostly ignored it, but a daughter’s cat likes it more. You have to be a bit careful; the weight of the cat playing with it can pull the magnets apart or make them slide across the table. It is also tricker than you might think to find a good surface to mount it to. Something thin but strong at a good height that does not have anything that can get scratched or damaged if the mount slides or moves when the cat plays with the toy. 

My daughter adds “The bell and feather may be a little too low key to keep a cat’s attention for long but it is a good device that does not take up much space and is well made. It could also do with a bit more bounce. It swings well but it is long enough that it is kind of low to the ground so the cat can’t bounce it.” 

Daughter's cat and the Sway

 One reviewer suggested hanging it in a box, but you don’t need a heavy magnet to do that.  While the idea sounds great, I am less and less sold on the magnetic mount. I find myself thinking I would prefer a re-useable hook (like the Command series) and maybe a bit of Velcro to attach a toy under a table or chair that will come off painlessly if the cat puts too much weight on it.

Filed in categories: Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: cat toy, Laser, Magnet

FroliCat Toys Reviews originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm.

After reading Robin’s post yesterday about her dog being attacked by off-leash dogs, I remembered seeing the Dog Dazer while surfing the Sky Mall site.  The Dog Dazer emits a high-frequency sound that’s painful to dog’s ears, but inaudible to humans.  Use a 1-2 second burst to startle and hopefully deter a threatening dog from as far as 20 feet away.  Of course, I’d probably want some pepper spray as well, just in case.  The Dog Dazer is $59.95.  Sky Mall also has the Dog-Off Deluxe version, which adds a belt clip, flashlight, and an audible alarm to also deter human attackers.  The Dog-Off Deluxe is $69.95.

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Personal Safety, Security, Spotlight Gadgets

Dog Dazer Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 2, 2010 at 7:30 am.

For the third time in a month, my dog has been attacked by other dogs (unleashed) while out on our walks.  I started carrying a pepper sprayer after the second incident but this last time I could not get it whipped out fast enough, determine where the nozzle was, and could not fumble for the trigger, which requires you to rotate it before it can be squeezed.  So I started looking for an alternative and bumbled upon the Mace Gun.

It uses a disposable pepper (0.74 Capsaicinoids) cartridge and has an LED light.  The site even lists water cartridges so that you can practice without actual pepper.

$50.99 at SafetyGirl

The site also lists several holsters for the gun.

UPDATE

A few folks commented on the color of the gun, it does come in a few other colors:

Filed in categories: News, Pet Gadgets

Tagged: Security, Self-defense, Spotlight Gadgets

Mace Pepper Spray Gun originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 1, 2010 at 4:49 pm.

I wanted my dog to actually write the review for the Shapoopie trial period we experienced, but he kept misspelling all the words and it was hard to read.  Example paragraph he typed:

uy 7KL&:& ypr9e9yha; 7hjksbjkaa Hag;]    ]a;48*(&*38848kjkkjmnmn        mnnkljkljhg3s

So I let him draw some of the illustrations instead.

In short, the  Shapoopie ($24.95) is a collapsible poo catcher.  You carry it with you on your walks and, when the time comes, extend it and position it so that your dog makes his deposit in the Shapoopie’s catcher cup.  The cup’s liners can then be disposed of.  Like a lot of gadgets I’ve reviewed and liked, it’s a niche but nice contraption.  It helps me avoid lower back pain when otherwise bending down to scoop up the little gifts with a plastic bag.

So read on to see if you think this niche is up your alley. . .

Tour of the Hardware

As mentioned, the Shapoopie has a telescoping handle (“telescoping” as in collapsible, not telescoping as my stupid sis– er someone who preferred to remain anonymous said “how come there’s a telescope on it??”).  This makes it convenient to carry by hand or to tuck away in your car or on a hook next to your dog’s leash.  It’s made of aluminum so it’s very light weight.

No not that kind of telescoping !

Telescoping arm and liner in the cup

The primary business end of the Shapoopie is the receiving cup which is lined with a specially designed disposable liner.  The liner has a well-fitting lid that keeps the contents secure through the remainder of your walk.  It (the liner) also has an indentation so that it fits snugly into the cup.  This aspect is a little difficult to see in the scream shot below, but if you look toward the rear of the liner you can see the shadow.  This is actually a very important point since it helps keep the liner in place after it has been used but before your walk is complete.

Close up of the receiver cup and liner.

Shot of the cup from the bottom -- looks like a mask from "Silence of the Lambs". I haven't quite figured out the purpose of the cleats on the bottom of the cup, but I would guess that they help keep it in place on wet grass.

Cup with liner installed

Another key point of the cup attachment is that it is actually angled slightly away from the extension pole which allows it to fit a little better under the uhm,  … well under the depositor.  As with a lot of products, this is a very subtle but important feature.

The cup is angled slightly downwards from the extension pole.

At the end of the rod are two slightly bowed protrusions which look similar to a set of antlers. You’d probably think (“oh, leftover from the tooling mold”), but once you actually use the Shapoopie their use becomes obvious: they help close the extension rod without having to touch the cup. This not only makes it easier to close the rod, but also prevents icky encounters if your dog is a little too messy.

Rear of Shapoopie -- note two extended, slightly concave processes.

Extra nice feature -- finger grips to help in collapsing the pole.

In summary, the device has a lot of thought put into it.  Julie and I had commented how many products, if they just had some slight tweakage, could be so much better, and I have to say that this is one of the better thought-out and executed gadgets.

Tour of the Software

Heh heh, just kidding.  That would be gross.

Shapoopie In Actual Use

So the hardware is well designed and executed, how is it in actual practice?

Well, first, you don’t want to take this thing out the very first day that you get it in the mail (ahem), watch your dog like a hawk for the right moment (ahem), fling it open in a wild flourish (ahem) and then thrust it excitedly under the hot spot (ahem).  As Bach shows in his illustration below, that doesn’t work so well.

hOw kuM she pUT daT tHing unDer mY bUm ? aND i no liKE peeples waTcH me wEn i hafTA poo AnD nO likE skweRlS what LAff aT me eetHEr

The official recommendation is to keep the Shapoopie fully extended for the first couple of walks so that your dog does not get spooked when it is extended.  It’s also not wise to jump or chase after him waving the pole like a lunatic trying to catch the uhm, products, as this will also tend to spook him.  Ahem.

You really have to get your dog accustomed to it first.  After skeering the Bach out of his wits with my initial enthusiasm on my first outing, I decided to acclimate him to it by putting liver treats in the liner.  It actually took a few days for him to come near it but eventually he lost his fear of it.

Place a bone in the cup to help get the Bach used to it. (The Bach moves fast.)

In our tests, the liners were easy to install and, after several deposits (ahem), I closed the lid and was able to walk with the collapsed Shapoopie without any “incidents” (i.e. the liner flying open and . . . uhm other stuff flying around).   I tend to be very oblivious so I didn’t pay any attention to where the cup was in relation to the ground.  And that’s as it should be: the Shapoopie stayed shut after I closed the lid.   I placed a few videos at the end of this article demonstrating this capability.  In the videos, I used plumbers’ putty as a fling tester product.  I also swung the Shapoopie a bit harder than I had ever done so in actual use, so the video tests are a little aggresive.  (Plumbers’ putty is also, by the way, much more dense than the actual “product”.)

The only issues I ran into were due to me not paying attention and therefore missing the opportunity, and the tendency for the Bach to take off running at the end of his cycle, thus again causing me to miss some of the … stuff.

So I have nothing negative to report about the product.  I talked to the chief designer about some possible froo-froo enhancements, and he said that each of the following had been considered but rejected in order to keep the price of the Shapoopie down.  Here are the ideas we had thrown around:

• A built-in flashlight. (The Bach and I often walk at O’dark:thirty in the morning and a light would help hit the target.)  This would actually be pretty easy to add on with some duct tape or a snap-on device.
• An umbrella-like push button to automatically extend the rod (and yes I AM the laziest person on the planet).
• An articulated angle for the handle to alleviate wrist tension.
• A fork-like attachment to act as a partial scooper after a “miss”.  (I think this, too, would be fairly easy to cobble on, I might try this trick and report back.)

Finally, I just had to try using a plastic bag in the cup rather than one of the official liners, the results are shown below.  Although the bag may work, I don’t think it would be as secure when swinging the rod along while walking.  But it’s an option.  The holes in the bottom of the cup allow the bag to be partially pulled through and thus secured a little.

Lining the cup with a grocery bag (front)

Lined with grocery bag, from rear

Summary?  Good, solid product, well-thought-out, works, very nice for those of us who have chronic back issues.  Takes a little time for the other participant to get used to.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Here are a few videos showing how the official liner stays in place (for the most part).  As I mentioned, the ‘tests’ herein are much more aggressive than you would normally encounter during a walk.  I can attest that they never failed me during walks with the Bach.  (And I’m also one of the most oblivious eejits on the planet.)

(NOTE: THESE ARE BOTH SWF FILES)

Video Sample 1

Video Sample 2

Filed in categories: Pet Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Pets

Two Tails Up: Shapoopie Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 21, 2010 at 6:33 pm.