Super Cord product review

Whether you’re starting a youngster or fine tuning a finished dog, a good check cord is one of your most important pieces of training equipment, and the Super Cord from HuntinDawg.com may be exactly what you need.

Introduction:
For those who follow my blog, you know that I’ve used a nylon rope as a check cord, and in retrospect, I could have saved myself a lot of headaches had I spent a few dollars on a good check cord. So I was more than happy when HuntinDawg.com provided me a Super Cord from Mendota Products to review.

Super Cord Features:
• Machine washable. The Super Cord is machine washable, but of course it’s advisable to first remove the large metal clasp. Remove the clasp, wash it at low temperature, and you’ll always have a clean cord to work with.

• Strong. The Super Cord is a polypropylene rope containing a core of the same material, making it very strong. The ends are melted and welded to prevent fraying, and if frays or “fuzzies” develop from use, passing a lighter or match over them will quickly weld them back onto the cord.

• Floats. The Super Cord is excellent for retriever training and I used it on both land and water. The cord floats and keeps its shape when the dogs make their turn, keeping them from becoming tangled.
• No Stretch. One of the many problems with nylon rope was that it stretched, which occasionally caused my corrections to be mis-timed. Granted, I only make gentle corrections but if they are not precise or are mis-timed, can confuse the dog lead and lead to sloppy technique.
• Does not tangle or pick up burrs. The hard finish helps repel burrs in field work, and helps shed moss and aquatic plants during water retrieves. The inner core and hard finish provides a stiffness that prevents the cord from tangling, yet is flexible enough to allow the dog freedom of movement. The dogs can drag the cord behind them without becoming tangled in brush while field training; even so, I only use the check cord in open water for retrieving drills where there is no chance of it becoming caught.
• Perfect for training to quarter, whoa, come to command, retrieve to hand and excellent control at a distance. The Super Cord comes in 30 and 50 foot lengths which are optimal for field work. Corrections are just as effective at 30 feet as they are at 10, as is the control. The 30 and 50 foot lengths allow the trainer to give dogs more lead as they progress through the drills.
What Results Can You Expect?
I found the Super Cord to be everything that one would expect from a check cord, and for me, it’s the perfect check cord. Prior to actually training with the Super Cord, I allowed my dogs to swim and do basic field work while dragging it behind them in order to become accustomed to the feel of it.

At the time of this review, my dogs are working on their Senior and Utility titles, so they’re essentially finished dogs. In the short time that I’ve used the Super Cord, I’ve already seen where it has helped steady their techniques.

The Super Cord is durable, does not tangle or pick up burrs, works great on both land and water, and is very effective in correcting and influencing. It is responsive for both gentle and firm (never harsh) corrections, and the thickness of the rope makes it easy to handle.

What to Watch Out For
I have used it in a variety of field and water drills and to be honest, I can’t think of much to watch out for. As with any product, the Super Cord can be misused and abused, but a conscientious trainer will not likely encounter any problems with the Super Cord.

Buying Advice
You really have the best of both worlds when purchasing products from avid hunters, manufactured by avid hunters, and I recommend the Super Cord from HuntinDawg.com for both water and field training. The Super Cord is handcrafted in the USA with American materials and labor, and with HuntinDawg.com based in the heart of America’s Pheasant country, the staff is highly knowledgeable and quick to answer your dog, training, and hunting questions.

About the Author:

Robert Murphy – Blackfoot, Idaho

Dogs are my passion and have been a constant hunting partner since that summer night long ago when a 10-year old kid adopted a Black Lab puppy. I’ve hunted and fished my entire life, have always held a great respect for nature, and few things bring me more enjoyment than sharing a hunt with a dog that I’ve trained. They are my partners in both training and hunting, giving me as much joy as I hopefully give them in this shared passion of ours. For my little pack of hunters, some hold hunt titles while others are certified therapy dogs.

Waterwoof Pad Product Review

Protect your car seats, crates and dog beds with this inexpensive but highly effective waterproof pad.

The Waterwoof Pad, thin, lightweight and durable

Introduction:
I couldn’t have asked for a better time to review the Waterwoof(tm) Pad, because for me, summer means water training and wet dogs. This inexpensive, compact, lightweight pad protects car seats, sofas, beds, and crates from the smell and mess of wet and muddy dogs. However it’s use isn’t limited to dogs. The Waterwoof(tm) Pad can be used to keep car seats dry after swimming, and protect tables, counters and other furniture from becoming wet.

HuntinDawg.com provided me a large Waterwoof(tm) Pad, and I immediately ordered a second pad upon completing my review. I often brace my dogs, so two pads better than one.

Waterproof Pad Features:
The Tall Tails® Waterwoof(tm) Pad is made in China and imported by Triboro Quilt Mfg. Corp. It is available from HuntinDawg.com in three sizes: Small, Large, and Extra Large.

The Waterwoof Pad protects car seats from the smell and mess of wet dogs

• 100% Polyester. The first thing that struck me about the pad was how thin and lightweight it was. The filling material in the Large pad weighs only about 2 1/4 ounces. It’s compact, lightweight design makes the pad portable and easy to store.

• Waterproof Barrier. The large size has an effective barrier measuring 21×33 inches. Our dogs range from 73 – 95 pounds, so in addition to the large pad that I was provided, we purchased an Extra Large from HuntinDawg.com. This size has an effective barrier measuring 42×27 inches.

• Super comfortable and warm touch Soft Fleece Fabric. Our dogs enjoy laying on the pads, so that tells me they’re comfortable. By it’s nature, fleece is very durable and doesn’t hold water, making it warmer than those fabrics that do. The pad is breathable and dries quickly which I appreciate, since dogs generally don’t like laying on something that’s wet.

• Machine Wash and Dry. We simply lay the pads out to air dry after using them as a bath mat for the dogs, but wash them according to the instructions when the dogs are muddy or have been swimming. The pad is durable and shows no sign of wear, fuzzing or fraying.

The Waterwoof Pad makes a great bath mat for dogs

• Perfect for sofas, beds, car seats – anywhere you need an extra layer of protection from wet messes. Even though my truck has a camper shell and crates, my dogs travel in the back seat quite often – particularly during our cold winter duck hunts, or summer and early fall when it’s hot.

The Waterwoof Pad is a good liner for crates

• Ideal as a protective liner for memory foam beds. Face it, dogs are bound to have accidents or throw up on their beds and the Waterwoof tm Pad helps protect mattresses, particularly those that are not washable. Pads can either be placed on the bed or inside the cover to protect the mattress.

What Results Can You Expect?
The Waterwoof tm Pad is deceptively thin, making it compact and very lightweight. It holds it’s shape well and isn’t as likely to wrinkle or slide as vinyl or plastic. I’ve found the pad to be a very effective waterproof barrier in a variety of tests, and our dogs find the pad’s texture comfortable. Other fabrics such as blankets and towels absorb water, and can dampen that which you are trying to protect.

What to Watch Out For
Failure to follow washing and drying instructions are probably the most likely way of damaging the pad, but you can never discount a pup chewing on it. When used properly and with common sense, I find little to watch out for.

Buying Advice
I highly recommend the Waterwoof tm Pad from HuntinDawg.com, which is available in three sizes: Small, Large and Extra Large. The large size is completely adequate for my Labs and Spinone, but would be ideal for dogs the size of a spaniel. Extra large is the perfect size for our dogs, and the two sizes together serves all our purposes.

If the product itself isn’t incentive enough, HuntinDawg.com has implemented a rewards program that allows customers to obtain points good towards purchases. Points are awarded based on a person’s level of activity, such as logging on to their web site, product media sharing, conducting product reviews, referring friends, and more.

About the Author:

Robert Murphy – Blackfoot, Idaho

Dogs are my passion and have been a constant hunting partner since that summer night long ago when a 10-year old kid adopted a Black Lab puppy. I’ve hunted and fished my entire life, have always held a great respect for nature, and few things bring me more enjoyment than sharing a hunt with a dog that I’ve trained. They are my partners in both training and hunting, giving me as much joy as I hopefully give them in this shared passion of ours. For my little pack of hunters, some hold hunt titles while others are certified therapy dogs.

Trapper Ron’s Safety Setter product review

INTRODUCTION

A pair of Bird Dog safety setters, calibrated for easier release of dogs caught in conibear traps.

I’d like to begin my review by thanking members of the Idaho Trapper’s Association, Upper Snake River Trapper’s Association, CAL Ranch, and Trapper Ron for inventing the Safety Setter. Unfortunately, there’s no real good way to release your dog from a conibear unharmed, but I believe that Trapper Ron’s Bird Dog Safety Setter gives you the best chance of minimizing their injuries.
Ron Aufdermauer offers two videos that I recommend viewing: the 330 Safety Setter and the Bird Dog safety setter.
The trapped dog
Any time your dog is caught in a conibear, it’s going to be an ugly situation. Your dog will be in pain, thrashing and in a panic, you will be under a lot of stress, and if your dog is released alive, it’s possible that it will turn on you. There are other methods of releasing a conibear including setter tongs or rope and string, but each has its drawbacks. Setting tongs are long and not practical to carry when bird hunting or hiking with your dog. Strings and shoelaces can break, and with either string or rope, you need to: 1- tie it to one end of the spring, 2-run it through the other end, 3-have the strength to pull the ends together, 4-set the safety hook, and 5- repeat the process on the other spring; if your dog is fighting the trap, it could be a time consuming process.
CRITERIA
Made for hunters with bird dogs
Trapper Ron makes several versions of the Safety Setter, one of which is the Bird Dog setter that was developed after consulting with bird dog owners. This version of the Safety Setter has a shorter chain making it more compact and easier to carry in a hunting vest or pocket, and is less expensive. The drawback is that while it works on conibear model 330 traps, it’s not necessarily designed for them; but make no mistake about it, this is your best option in an emergency. If you are concerned about the larger 330 models, a 330 Safety Setter may be a better option.
Tighter hook calibration for one step spring loading
The safety setter is designed to act as the trap’s safety hook by holding both ends of the spring together which provides the one step spring loading; a pair of safety setters is recommended, one for each spring. The bird dog safety setter compresses the spring tighter, allowing the jaws of the trap to open wider, making it easier to release the dog. Regardless of the method used for releasing a conibear, a fair amount of strength is necessary.
Release 160 and 220 body grip traps
The safety setter seems to work well with the model 160 as the video illustrates. We did not test the safety setter on the 220 model, but did test it on the large 330 model. The conibear 160 and 220 models could be released without the safety setter, however one would need good arm strength to do it. My biggest concern are the model 330 traps and as the video illustrates, I ran into problems trying to release the model 330with a Bird Dog safety setter on my first attempt.
Quality of product
The trapper who helped me with this product review commented on the high quality and robustness of the safety setter. The hook and handle are connected by a heavy link chain and the welds are nice and heavy. The safety setter is made of stainless steel which helps prevent rusting
RESULTS
I viewed Trapper Ron’s videos several times before attempting to use the safety setter but still didn’t understand conibear traps well enough to release them on my own; I contacted a trapper who uses conibear traps who was happy to assist me. The video for the 330 safety setter instructs the user to feed the safety setter through the rings while the video on the bird dog safety setters instructs hooking the outside of the rings. This was initially confusing as we attempted feeding the safety setter through the rings whereupon it caught on the trap’s hinge, preventing it from working.
Without hands-on experience, you will have a false sense of security. Don’t wait until your dog is caught in a trap before learning how to use them. I recommend either working with a trapper who traps with conibears, or purchasing a conibear trap for yourself with which to practice. These traps are designed to kill quickly so great care should be taken whenever handling them.
SUMMARY
In summary, I highly recommend Trapper Ron’s bird dog safety setters as an emergency tool, knowing that my dog will likely be injured and still may not survive. Trapper Ron’s safety setters are compact and much more efficient on the smaller 160 and 220 traps than a rope or string, however I would recommend the 330 safety setter for the large 330 traps. I purchased a pair of Bird Dog safety setters and they have become part of my standard hunting equipment; I will not hunt without them in my pack.
TRAPPER RON’S RESPONSE
Great review I do have the bird setter with long chain also… some prefer or ask for it, I don’t know why, but it is available.
But either way clients should ask for the bird dog release setter because it differs from the trappers setter hook in calibration (the bird hook closes the spring tighter when set to allow the body grip trap to open much wider than the trappers hook would allow.
Thanks so much for what you’ve done for me and the dog hunters!

Team Beachbody® product review

INTRODUCTION

It doesn’t do a lot of good to have high performance hunting dogs if we’re not healthy enough to keep up with them, or if we’re worn out before they’re warmed up. Or perhaps we book an extended hunt and are then too stiff and sore after the first couple of days to enjoy it. Particularly as I age, I need to be as healthy as my dogs which means being able to put in a full day of hunting without suffering from it the following day.

But with all the fitness programs, diets, and health shakes on the market, it’s difficult to filter out what works and what doesn’t, which programs fit our lifestyle and level of fitness, and what kind of support is available after we buy the product. As I’ve stated in all my other product reviews, I only publish reviews of products that I will personally use or find a use for. I’ve bought into the Team Beachbody® program enough to have become a coach.

CRITERIA

Team support
Team Beachbody® began in 1998, and over the years developed a strong support infrastructure. Access to knowledgeable coaches and other team members is available through a variety of social media, blogs, message boards, and chat rooms. Individuals can find answers and support on everything from nutrition to special interests, from workout issues to achieving results: essentially everything related to diet, health and exercise.

Individuals can be as involved in the Team Beachbody® community as they choose, from a complete hands-off home workout regimen to a strong support system and coaching opportunities. One aspect of Team Beachbody® that I appreciate as much as anything, is that customer service representatives are very helpful and not intrusive, particularly when it comes to changing your status, cancelling, or suspending products.

Team Beachbody on Demand
The On Demand feature is available to coaches and Club members allowing any of the On Demand workouts to be streamed onto mobile devices; a free trial is generally available. Some of the regimens contain exercises for traveling, such as Tai Cheng® which provides a short video of exercises that can be done on in a chair or seat on an airplane, and Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer ® which contains a small booklet of exercises that can be done, for example, in a hotel room.

I spent a week traveling which gave me an opportunity to test the On Demand feature; Tai Cheng® along with the neural reboot was just what I needed after a day of air travel. The hotel in which I stayed didn’t have a workout area, so I worked out in my hotel room by streaming the workouts from my cell phone. Not wanting to disturb anyone in the room below me, I did a week of Turbo Fire® and P90® ab workouts.

On Demand works best with a high speed connection and depending on your Internet or mobile service, data minutes may apply.

Shakeology ®
Shakeology® is a flavored powder formula to which a beverage such as water, milk, juice, etc. is added. This is not a diet shake or supplement, but rather a complete meal replacement. Granted, many people are hesitant to replace a meal with a shake for fear of becoming hungry, as with so many other diet shakes, but we found Shakeology® to reduce cravings and give us more energy. When taken as a lunch, I didn’t experience an after-lunch crash that I often get with “regular” meals.

A wide variety of recipes are available so we don’t get tired of the same flavors. We prefer the vanilla flavor and add our own fruit, peanut butter, cocoa, coffee, you name it. Thorough and in-depth Product reviews for Shakeology® have already been conducted to which I have linked.

Exercise regimens
Team Beachbody® offers a number of exercise regimens from low impact routines such as PiYo ® (Pilates/Yoga) and Tai Cheng®, to extreme workouts such as T25®, Body Beast®, and Insanity® which is advertised as the hardest workout put on DVD. Exercise regimens vary in length as well, from the 21 Day FixTM to P90®, a 90-day regimen. Sculpting regimens are available such as Brazil Butt Lift®, Hip Hop Abs®, and Body Beast® for more serious body building.

The three exercise regimens that we currently use are discussed below, including links to more detailed reviews of the products.
Focus T25® product review. Focus T25® is a 10-week workout regimen in two levels: a 5-week Alpha level and a 5-week Beta level; a third level, Gamma, is also available. This is an extreme 25-minute workout followed by several minutes of cool-down and each workout includes a modifier who illustrates a lower impact version of the workout. Due to the intensity of these workouts, a doctor’s consultation is strongly recommended; but then if I can do it at the age of 55, it’s not strictly limited to young people.
The following video is a segment of a T25 Alpha Speed 1.0 workout.

Tai Cheng® product review. Tai Cheng® provides an excellent meditative, low-impact regimen that inherently increases balance, reduces tension and stress in the body, and has martial arts applications that I appreciate. In the workout videos, Dr. Cheng is personable, the workouts are easy to follow, and workouts are interspersed with a little light humor. I have found Tai Cheng® to be a very good way of relaxing from the day’s work.
The following video illustrates the first week’s combinations.

Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer product review. For a short and intense workout, the 10 Minute Trainer® is a great regimen that provides excellent results, although it’s fast pace can initially make it a little difficult to keep up with. As with other regimens, each session of the 10 Minute Trainer® focuses on a specific area: lower body, upper body, cardio, abs, yoga flex, and total body.

RESULTS

I had a physical in October 2014 and a checkup with my doctor in March 2015, which was nine weeks into our Shakeology® and T25® workouts. During that time, my weight did not drop significantly (not necessarily one of my goals) but more importantly: total cholesterol dropped 15 points; LDL cholesterol dropped 4 points; Triglycerides dropped 46 points; systolic blood pressure dropped 19 points and diastolic dropped 4 points. The workouts also helped improve my balance, something that’s rather important when you’re out hunting with your dogs on uneven terrain.

So whether we workout intensely for 10 or 25 minutes, or spend time in calming meditative workouts, there’s an effective workout for every occasion. Add the health benefits of Shakeology® and we can both see and feel our health improving in a big way .

For more information regarding the products, program and potential benefits, I can be reached at www.Beachbody.com/robertm55 or www.facebook.com/murphyrcm55.

The new Garmin® Astro 320 GPS – a Multimedia Review

Electronics are increasingly becoming a part of hunting, but how do you tell the tools from the toys?

Introduction
Every year I lose Mia, my little huntress, for a few minutes and although I always find her, there’s  that moment of panic. But every year I hear about other hunters who lose their dogs and are not so lucky in getting them back. Products such as the new Garmin® Astro 320 could prevent many of the dogs from being lost each year and has features that go well beyond just tracking your dogs.

This jungle of willows is full of Pheasants but even when your dog is wearing a hunting vest, it’s easy to lose sight of them.

Due to the large number of features offered by the Garmin® Astro 320, this review is limited basic setup and those features that I personally find most useful. Actual field testing was conducted while hunting.

 

The Garmin® Astro 320 GPS

 

The Garmin® Astro 320 comes complete with the handheld device, GPS collar, antennas, adapters, and user manuals. Adapters include USB, AC plugin, and car adapter; the USB adapter can be used to charge the collar as well as download updates.

Garmin® Astro 320 adapters

The following features are illustrated through a series of video links. Granted, they’re just crude cell phone recordings, but they illustrate the Astro 320 in actual hunting situations.

Navigation
Even the best product isn’t much good if it’s difficult to use and understand. As a software developer, much of my review focused on user-friendliness; I found navigating the menus to be intuitive and consistent throughout.

Add a dog
Dogs can be added either manually, or wirelessly by holding the handheld device next to the collar. Dogs can easily be managed by the handheld device and there are a variety of options for managing and gathering statistics on individual dogs.

Marking and Waypoints
There’s no video on marking and setting waypoints, since these features are illustrated in other videos such as marking the truck’s location. I did find this function to be very useful particularly for marking covey locations, landmarks, and obtaining distances. A few years ago I became lost for several hours when low rainclouds lifted and revealed landmarks that I couldn’t see when I set out; other hunters found me 5 miles from my truck and drove me back, but something like this Garmin® would have prevented me from becoming lost in the first place.

Trip Computer/ Odometer
The trip computer or odometer, as with marking and setting waypoints, is a nice feature with safety applications. You can also better manage your hunts by knowing times and distances.

Waterproof test
A hunting device that isn’t waterproof is useless to me, so the Garmin® Astro 320 went on all my duck hunts. I found it to be waterproof under normal hunting situations and have confidence that it’s likely to be waterproof under abnormal situations as well.

Field test
There are some very good hunting locations that I’ve avoided for fear of losing my dogs, but with this particular GPS, I’m not afraid to hunt these areas. One benefit of the GPS is allowing my dogs to hunt more freely, since I can keep track of them remotely rather than by sight.

What Results Can You Expect?
The focus of my review was on user-friendliness in regards to setup, configuration and calibration, and ease of use while hunting; another primary consideration was usefulness. I relied heavily on the reputation of Garmin® to provide a quality product but didn’t let them off the hook when it came to accuracy and functionality – I still expected the device to live up to their reputation.

I configured the unit to extend battery life, such as setting the frequency that it pings the collar, reducing the backlight, power-off, and disabling features that I don’t use. As a result, I could run it for a good 8-9 hours before receiving a low battery warning.

The Garmin® Astro 320 is a rugged device that thankfully has a very solid clip. Although I lost the handheld’s antenna in heavy brush, it has been able to stand up to everything I’ve thrown at it.

What to Watch Out For
After testing the Garmin® Astro 320 for several months under various conditions, there are a couple of considerations.

Charging the Garmin® Astro 320 GPS collar can take up to 5 hours depending on how low the battery is, so a little pre-planning may be in order. The Astro 320 comes with several adapters including one for vehicles, enabling it to charge while driving. The quality of batteries for the handheld device play a major role, and rechargeable Lithium or NiMH batteries are recommended. Having gone through a pair of regular batteries with each hunt, I soon purchased a charger and set of rechargeable AA batteries.

There have been issues with Lithium batteries catching fire or exploding if they become too hot or if they have been overcharged. Some lower quality batteries seem to have a higher rate of this occurring.

Calibrating the compass consists of rotating the handheld device vertically, horizontally, and in a circle; for some people this could be a little awkward. Considering the performance of the GPS once the compass is calibrated, in my opinion, is well worth the gyrations of calibrating it.

I found that the dog map is not accurate if you are moving, although the distance from your dog is accurate. Case in point: Mia and I became separated while Pheasant hunting and I found that if I was walking, the arrow on the dog map pointed in various directions, as though it could not get a lock on her. The distance seemed to be accurate, but the arrow would point in different directions. When I stopped walking, the handheld was able to lock on her direction, therefore I had to stop each time I checked in on her.

Buying Advice

HuntinDawg.com provided a Garmin® Astro 320 and one collar at a reduced price for my review, and without question I will be purchasing a second collar since I prefer running my dogs in braces. After extensive testing, I highly recommend the Garmin® Astro 320 which can be purchased at HuntinDawg.com. A good GPS collar is pricy, but with me it comes down to priorities and safety is the top priority for both me and my dogs; I’m not into toys or gimmicks and view the Astro 320 as a safety device first and foremost. As for priorities, I don’t spend much money on hunting clothes, decoys, or even my shotguns and they all serve me well. However I will put good money into safety, and haven’t met a hunter yet who has lost a dog and not regretted doing more to ensure its safety.

Blueberry facial shampoo product review

INTRODUCTION

Blueberry Facial, from South Bark Dog Wash

Keeping your dog groomed and clean not only makes them socially acceptable as family pets, but bathing them provides an opportunity to examine them for minor injuries and hitchhiking parasites – particularly if your dogs hunt as mine do. A good facial shampoo such as South Bark Blueberry Facial ® is perfectly suited for dogs with long facial hair such as Spinone.

My bottle of Blueberry Facial ® was won in a contest and I decided to review the product to see whether or not it was something that I’d continue using. We first limited its use to our therapy dogs, where hygiene is of the utmost importance and the shampoo’s aromatherapy would benefit those whom the dogs are visiting. After seeing how well it worked, we began shampooing all our dogs following bird hunting trips, as they return home with their coats full of burrs, seeds, dirt and mud.

Blueberry Facial ® is manufactured in the United States by South Bark Dog Wash located in San Diego, California. According to South Bark, a “facial” is a specialized head cleaning that goes deeper than a bath and the result is a thorough clean and noticeable brightness of their coats.

The facial shampoo is non-toxic and consists of coconut oil, jojoba, aloe, blueberry extract, avocado, and vitamins A, D, and E. As stated by South Bark: Our all-natural Blueberry Facial is a tearless, extra-mild aromatherapy facial wash applied through a gently, yet thorough facial, neck and head massage. The scent is a delicious compliment of the relaxing head massage your dog will absolutely love! During the peaceful relaxation the benefits of natural antioxidants take effect. With regular use the result is a deep-clean, bright, fluffy muzzle and face extra free of crusty and tearstain buildup.

Elvis and Sophie in need of a bath before their therapy visits

CRITERIA

Cleans and brightens your pet’s face. Although our dogs all have healthy and shiny hair, the shampoo did seem to brighten and soften not only their faces, but entire coat. Blueberry Facial claims to help tear stains on dogs’ faces, but with Spinone its beard stains. The Blueberry Facial noticeably brightened Elvis’ beard stains after just one application.

Elvis, washed up and smelling good, ready for work.

Can be used as a tearless face wash, full body shampoo and color brightener. We use Blueberry Facial as a shampoo as well as facial, which brightens their entire coat and gives them just a slight blueberry scent that people enjoy. Spinone are more of a wirehair, but when it comes to therapy visits, soft hair is what people enjoy. Blueberry Facial gives both the Spinone and Labs a soft silky coat.

Relaxing and cleansing. From casual observation, this certainly seems to be true. Our dogs do well with baths and showers and fully cooperate with taking them. The Blueberry Facial seemed to take it a step further, perhaps due to its aromatherapy; they not only enjoyed the showers but the blow drying afterwards. The cleansing was particularly noticeable on Elvis’ beard, by not only cutting through the muck and grime, but it seemed to detangle the hair as well.

Use straight from the bottle or dilute 8:1. A little goes a long way. A small amount of shampoo goes a long way. We’ve oftentimes had to reapply name brand shampoo several times, however with the Blueberry Facial ® used less to begin with and did not have to reapply it. After wetting the dogs down, we either use it straight from the bottle by pouring small amounts into our hands and worked it into their hair, or will dilute it depending on how dirty they are. After working it into their coats, we let it set for about 5 minutes before rinsing it out.

Tearless. If any got in their eyes, we were not aware of it. We did, however, work it into their faces and heads.

Sophie shows off her shiny coat before starting our visits.

SUMMARY

Blueberry Facial® is available from South Bark Dog Wash, located in San Diego, Ca. It has a nice blueberry scent that I appreciate more than other scented shampoos, and it seems to help eliminate much of that wet dog smell. Blueberry Facial® also seems to do a better job of detangling and cleaning the dogs’ beards, which is particularly important for the therapy work they do.

I recommend Blueberry Facial® as a shampoo and facial, and will be using it not only for therapy work, but after bird hunts when they need it most.

Canine Cooler Product Review

Just in time for summer, my product review for the Canine Cooler dog bed by Soothsoft has been published on the HuntinDawg.com web site at the following link.

 http://www.huntindawg.com/canine-cooler-review

Keep an eye out for more reviews to come!

Is a SportDOG Locator Beacon right for you? Product Review

My product review for the SportDOG Locator Beacon has been published on the HuntinDawg.com web site at the following link.

http://www.huntindawg.com/hunting-dog-field-tested-product-reviews/

Keep an eye out for more reviews to come!

 

ShowSheen product review

ShowSheen hair polish and detangler by Absorbine

Hunting can be rough on dogs and grooming is a necessity, regardless of whether your dog has a short or long coat. Thorough grooming allows you to check dogs for hidden injuries and remove burrs or seeds that can cause skin irritation leading to infections and abscesses. Earlier this year (2013) Doc went one day with a cocklebur lodged between his toes and it caused a bacterial infection; a few years ago I witnessed a Lab with a large abscess on his back from a seed that had not been groomed out and had to be surgically removed.

I normally spent from 30-45 minutes to grooming and bathing each Spinoni after a normal day of hunting which limited me in three ways: 1- I avoided hunting certain areas due to grasses and burrs; 2- I quit hunting by late afternoon because the evenings are spent cleaning birds and grooming dogs; and 3- while hunting, the dogs occasionally had to stop and dig the burrs out of their feet.

So it was fortunate one day when I had to interrupt a Pheasant hunt for about an hour to groom Doc, because while grooming him I visited with a Fish and Game officer who recommended using ShowSheen Hair Polish and Detangler. He hunts with a setter, and after researching and using various products, found ShowSheed to be highly effective.

ShowSheen, made by Absorbine, is made in the United States and claims to be the original hair polish and detangler. It is made primarily for horses, cattle, dogs, llamas, camels, goats, alpacas, pigs and sheep, and is enriched with pro-vitamins and silk proteins to strengthen hair and give it a healthy shine. Directions for use are to wash and dry prior to use (which I don’t do) and stroke or brush it through; although there is no need to wash it off, the dogs normally get a bath after hunting anyway.

The product needs to be protected from freezing, however the bottle I received was frozen solid from shipment so it will be interesting to see how it stands up over time. ShowSheen should never be sprayed on an animal’s head or face; instead, it should be sprayed into a rag and wiped onto their face, avoiding the eyes and nose. ShowSheen can either be purchased online or from retailers that can be found on the Absorbine web site; however I have also seen it available from local farm supply stores. A variety of products are available including ShowSheen detangler gel which I have not yet tried; this product review is for the spray.

The following criteria were used in reviewing ShowSheen.

1- Easily removes burrs and tangles
I can attest to the fact that burrs and tangles are easily removed. As the photos illustrate, prior to using ShowSheen I had to interrupt a Pheasant hunt to groom a large number of burrs out of Doc’s coat, even when avoiding areas with large patches of cockleburs.

A pile of burrs combed out of Doc while Pheasant hunting.

After spraying Elvis with ShowSheen, I was able to hunt through large patches of cockleburs and had to groom a dozen or so burrs out of his coat. The burrs he did have weren’t tangled in his coat and easily combed out.

Dakota and Elvis work through the dreaded cocklebur patch. I sprayed Elvis with Show Sheen which did a great job of keeping the cockleburs off him.

2- Do not use on saddle area of horse
ShowSheen is not recommended for the saddle area of the horse in order to prevent the rider from slipping off sideways, however there is no issue with using it under dog gear such as hunting vests. One suggested use is under horse blankets (saddle area and all) to reduce static, friction points and smell fresh. If ShowSheen acts as an anti-static and reduce friction points, that may be an additional consideration on where and when to use it.

3- Keeps tails and manes tangle free
Our Soinone hate having their beards combed and ShowSheen does a very good job of keeping their beards from tangling. Right or wrong, I avoid using it inside their ears because that’s the one place I want seeds and burrs to tangle, so as to keep them out of the ear canal.

4- Helps promote stronger, longer hair
Our dogs have very good coats so I don’t know how much of it is attributable to Showsheen. Perhaps if used on a regular basis it would be more evident.

5- Highlights coat color and muscle definition
ShowSheen may highlight their coat color and muscle definition, however it isn’t something I’ve paid attention to under hunting conditions.

6- Dirt and mud fall off to save hours of grooming time
ShowSheen does a very good job of keeping dirt and mud from sticking to the guys’ coats and balling up between the pads of their feet. Their feet are easier to clean, and the dirt and mud grooms out much easier. While it may save hours in grooming horses, grooming the Spinone is reduced from 30-45 minutes down to 10-15 minutes.

7- Prevents stains: manure, grass and urine
I can’t validate this one as the dogs generally don’t get stained while hunting.

8- Dries quickly and leaves a healthy shine
ShowSheen seems to dry in about 10 minutes and a little longer where I apply it more heavily. It gives their coats a healthy shine which I have found useful while hunting in the desert: even while wearing their hunting vests, the dogs can be difficult to see in the sage brush, particularly Mia who is a brown roan. Oftentimes I have seen them by the sunlight reflecting off their backs, and don’t have to make a lot of noise calling or whistling to find them.

9- Detangles dog hair mats
If there’s one place that Spinone hair mats, it’s their beards and none of our dogs are fond of having their beards groomed, especially when you’re pulling a comb through matted and tangled hair. ShowSheen should never be sprayed into their faces, rather, for applying to the head it should be sprayed onto a cloth and wiped into their coats. I apply ShowSheen more heavily on their beards, neck, chest, legs and feet where burrs and mud has a tendency to tangle.

10- Can reduce grooming time by as much as 80%
Generally speaking, ShowSheen seems to save me about 50-60% of my grooming time, but is dependent upon the conditions under which they’re hunting. ShowSheen is not water resistant and can lose some of its effectiveness if the dogs are hunting in rain or through water, however I have found it still be effective even after the dogs have been in the water. When grooming a dog after hunting, eyes, ears and feet need special attention. As previously stated, I do not use ShowSheen inside the ear or ear canal since that’s the one place I want mud and seeds to tangle so as to help prevent them from going down into the ear canal.

11- The unique formulation provides the serious horse owner with an unsurpassed multi purpose grooming aid
I think that the use of ShowSheen on hunting dogs illustrates that it is a good multi-purpose grooming aid. I have also sprayed it on my hunting pants to keep burrs and seeds from sticking to them as well; the way I see it, if it’s safe to use on horse blankets, it should be okay to use on clothing.

Summary – As a rule of thumb, I write product reviews on only those products and services that I personally use. ShowSheen has reduced their overall grooming time significantly and I have not seen my dogs show any allergic reaction from using it. I have found ShowSheen to be highly effective in keeping my dogs free from burrs and other seeds, and those that do stick to their coat are much easier to groom out. Dirt and mud doesn’t stick to their coats as it did before using ShowSheen and while it is not water resistant, it still seems to retain some of its effectiveness after the dogs have gotten wet.

I highly recommend ShowSheen and now consider it as part of my standard hunting equipment.

Response –

Clinging seed pods hinder active dogs in several ways.  Not will matts and tangles make the dog uncomfortable, but as noted above, sometimes clinging seed pods like fox grass can actually burrow into the dog’s skin causing pain and infection.  Keeping paw and leg hair coated with ShowSheen while in the field helps seeds fall off, making sure your dogs stay clear of sticky situations!

A Dog at Sea

If you love Labs and mysteries as I do, the set of Bull Moose Dog Run Mystery books by J. F. Englert are for you. A Dog at Sea is the third Bull Moose Dog Run Mystery, and I certainly hope that it won’t be the last -the first being A Dog About Town and the second, A Dog Among Diplomats.

In the continuing search for his mistress Imogen, Randolph the detective Lab and his guardian Harry, Imogen’s boyfriend, embark on a pet-friendly Caribbean cruise. Although I’ve never been on a cruise and doubt that it would even make my bucket list, the antics of Randolph may be what sways me to consider one.

This is one time when Randolph is overwhelmed by the situation and his detective capabilities suffer. After all it’s really hard to solve a murder, search for your owner, run interference on a blonde newscaster, and simply stay alive, when you’ve been put on a diet amid the endless line of buffets, day and night. Especially when pigs in a blanket are involved.

Although he’s coerced into a variety of demonstrations from pop-culture behaviorists and trainers, Randolph manages to use it to his advantage and once again comes through with help from the “supernatural”. In each of the Bull Moose Dog Run Mysteries, I can imagine some of those same thoughts running through our Sophie’s head with some of the things that she does. I certainly hope to see many more Bull Moose Dog Run Mysteries with Randolph, Harry, and perhaps even Imogen.