Today the guys and I sat around and pondered on the basics of a leash. Here at 72 Bark Place we only make nylon with designer ribbons sewn on leashes. We are not big fans of retractable leashes for several reasons. We have discussed this issue with several dog walkers as well as vetinarians. In short here is our thought process on retractables:

Basic leash

Your basic flat leash is 6 feet long. A basic leash is quite versatile. Not only can you use it to walk your dog, in an emergency, you can use it as a slip lead or even make a muzzle out of it.

Retractable leash

A retractable leash consists of a thin cord wound onto a spring-loaded device inside a plastic handle. As your dog walks away from you, the cord unwinds. When he walks toward you, the cord retracts. A button on the handle allows you to control how much of the cord can be extended.

People like retractable leashes because they give dogs more freedom to explore their surroundings on a walk, but these leashes have many drawbacks and can even be dangerous.

Drawbacks to a retractable leash:

• You have minimal control over your dog. Even if you pay close attention to your dog, he may still get far enough away from you on a retractable leash to run into traffic where he may be injured or killed, or rudely jump on people or other animals.
• The cord can break. If you have a strong dog who suddenly takes off running at full speed, the cord can snap. If that happens, your dog will escape, or you may be injured by the cord as it whips back toward the leash handle. You and/or your dog could become entangled in the leash, resulting in cuts or other injuries.
• Retractable leashes could also cause your dog’s body posture to send the wrong signal to other dogs. His pulling at the end of the retractable leash may appear to approaching dogs as a sign of aggression, leading to a confrontation between the dogs.
• The handle of a retractable leash is bulky. Your dog could easily pull the handle out of your hands and escape. He also might be scared if the handle hits his body as it falls or bounces on the ground behind him.

Well, as I said earlier this was our discussion and thoughts around the water bowl today.

Hope you continuue to tail along with us: Barney, Bodie and Fender (Woof)

This is Ms. Lily Rose Clarke (@LilyRosePup) she is sporting the Union Jack ensemble. I met Ms. Lily via twitter, her daddy bought this as a surprise for her mommny last summer. We haven’t had the pleasure of meeting in person but her parents remain loyal and caring supporters of my mommy’s company. This design is one of my favorites and I think Ms. Lily models it very well. The great thing about working at my mommy’s company is I get to meet so many fantastic dogs and see them wearing our designs makes us all very happy. We encourage everyone to send us their photo’s so we can share them with all of our other furry friends. Happy Tails, Love Barney, Bodie and Fender. See you tomorrow We Woof You !

So I was reading the Bark Street Journal this morning with my morning Joe; Here is what it said in part: Dogs can smell about 1,000 times better than humans. While humans have 5 million smell-detecting cells, dogs have more than 220 million. The part of the brain that interprets smell is also four times larger in dogs than in humans.  This probably explains why when mommy puts on perfume I need to leave the room ! Woof !

Let me begin with a Happy New Year to all of our furry friends. We hope that this year we can bring you lot’s of fun and important information to help make your dogs life the best ever. Safety first for all animal owners.

Pet Tags and microchipping your dogs; Both of these products are inexpensive and a great way to ensure the return of a lost animal. Please take the time to do both.

Dog and cat microchipping is a simple procedure. A veterinarian simply injects a microchip for pets, about the size of a grain of rice (12mm), beneath the surface of your pets skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to a routine shot, takes only a few seconds, and your pet will not react any more than he would to a vaccination. No anesthetic is required. Microchipping is a phone call away to ensure your pet’s safety.

Happy New Year Furiends

Dressing up for the holidays!

It’s been a “Ruff” week, so today I thought I would just lounge around.