I love Christmas decorations and I especially love this Lassie ornament.  How classic is it to have Lassie decorating an aluminum tree that has a color wheel?  And Lassie’s name in gold glitter.  To say I have a lot of Lassie collectibles is an understatement but of all the things I have, I love this ornament the most.   Happy Holidays from Happy Dogs Play!

Pumpkin Dog Art!

It’s time for pumpkin-carving again and for the fourth year in a row, we’re featuring pumpkin stencils of various breeds of dogs so you can carve your pumpkin to look just like your best pal.  To see the various designs and the pictures of the carved dog pumpkins, click here.

Free pumpkin-carving stencils are available for these breeds:

1. Chihuahua
2. Yorkie
3. Labrador Retriever
4. Poodle
5. Scottish Terrier
6. German Shepherd
7. Bulldog
8. Golden Retriever
9. Boxer
10.  Dachshund
11. Jack Russell Terrier
12. Beagle

Birdie was adopted from the Atlanta Dog Squad

Happy Dogs Play is having a big end-of-summer sale on everything in our online store!  We’re offering 15% off all items including all our new  safe, non-toxic dog toys,  dog gift baskets, dog cookie cutters, smart puzzle games for dogs, books about dogs, vintage dog collectibles and many more gifts and goods for dogs and dog lovers.   This sale runs from Wednesday, August 15th through Tuesday, August 21st.

5% of our gross sales from this one-week promotion will be donated to the Atlanta Dog Squad (ADS),  an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to placing abandoned and unwanted retrievers in new homes.  ADS rescues, fosters and finds permanent homes for Labrador, Golden, Chesapeake Bay, Flat Coated and Curly Coated Retrievers as well as retriever mixes.  I adopted Birdie, my Yellow Lab pictured here,  from them and they are a great group to work with and their dedication is visible in everything they do.

Use promo code RESCUEDOGS to get your 15% discount and we’ll donate 5% of the sales amount to ADS!

Important Quality Update

NATURE’S VARIETY NEWS – JULY 12, 2012

Nature’s Variety has issued a nationwide voluntary recall
on Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs

Nature’s Variety has initiated a voluntary recall of its Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs due to an off-odor smell that may develop over time. This product is not contaminated in any way, but some products are not remaining fresh for the shelf life of the product.

Reed Howlett, Nature’s Variety CEO, stated, “At Nature’s Variety, we make every effort to ensure that all of our products meet the highest quality standards. We’ve found that some bags of Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs have an off-odor smell. To be sure that our consumers only receive the freshest and highest quality product possible, we have decided to voluntarily recall all Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs from the marketplace.”

The products impacted are listed below:

• UPC# 7 69949 60420 4 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs 5 lb
• UPC# 7 69949 60425 9 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs 15 lb
• UPC# 7 69949 60430 3 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs 30 lb
• UPC# 7 69949 60432 7 – Prairie Beef Meal & Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs 3 oz sample

No other Nature’s Variety products are affected.

Consumers who have purchased one of the above products can obtain a full refund or exchange it for a different variety by either returning the product in its original packaging or bringing a proof of purchase back to their retailer.

Consumers with additional questions can call Nature’s Variety  Consumer Relations team at at 888.519.7387. Or, consumers canclick here to email Nature’s Variety directly.

Source: Nature’s Variety press release.

Is the hose your dog is drinking from full of toxic chemicals?

Oh-oh.  Another thing we have to do to keep our dogs safe.  Now it’s garden hoses that are causing problems for you and your dog.  High amounts of lead, phthalates and the toxic chemical BPA were all found in the water of a new hose after sitting outside in the sun for just a few days, according to researchers at the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center, who just completed a large study of toxic chemicals in gardening products.

Nearly 200 hoses were tested for lead, cadmium, bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC); phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). Such chemicals have been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals, among other serious health problems.

“Even if you are an organic gardener, doing everything you can to avoid pesticides and fertilizers, you still may be introducing hazardous substances into your soil by using these products,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center. “The good news is that healthier choices are out there. Polyurethane or natural rubber water hoses are all better choices.”

Highlights of Findings

• 100% of the garden hoses sampled for phthalates contained four phthalate plasticizers which are currently banned in children’s products.
• Two water hoses contained the flame retardant 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TBPH).

What Was Found in the Water

• Water sampled from one hose contained 0.280 mg/l (ppm) lead. This is 18-times higher than the federal drinking water standard of 0.015 mg/l.
• BPA levels of 2.3 ppm was found in the hose water. This level is 20-times higher than the 0.100 ppm safe drinking water level used by NSF to verify that consumers are not being exposed to levels of a chemical that exceed regulated levels.
• The phthalate DEHP was found at 0.025 ppm in the hose water. This level is 4-times higher than federal drinking water standards. EPA and FDA regulate DEHP in water at 0.006 mg/l (ppm).

What You Can Do

• Read the labels: Avoid hoses with a California Prop 65 warning that says “this product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.” Buy hoses that are “drinking water safe” and “lead-free”.
• Let it run: Always let your hose run for a few seconds before using, since the water that’s been sitting in the hose will have the highest levels of chemicals.
• Avoid the sun: Store your hose in the shade. The heat from the sun can increase the leaching of chemicals from the PVC into the water.
• Don’t drink water from a hose: Unless you know for sure that your hose is drinking water safe, don’t drink from it. Even low levels of lead may cause health problems.
• Buy a PVC-free hose to fill your dog’s pool or outside water bowl: Polyurethane or natural rubber hoses are better choices. Visit www.HealthyStuff.org for sample products.
• Make sure your dog doesn’t get hyponatremia by drinking too much water in a short period of time: Another problem with hoses (and water sports in general) is that dogs can drink so much water  that their electrolytes drop to the point of causing hyponatremia (water toxicity) causing their blood plasma to thin and their  brain and other organs to swell.

PVC-free watering hoses:

• Rubber
  • Commercial Premium Rubber Hose (GoodYear)
  • Premium Rubber Hose (Swan)
  • Industrial Hot Water Rubber Hose (ACE)
• Polyurethane/Other
  • Flat Soaker Hose (Gilmor)
  • Green Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
  • Purple Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
  • Red Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
  • Taupe Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
  • Soil Soaker (Tractor Supply)
  • Soaker Hose (Swan)
  • Heavy Duty Garden Hose (Flexon)
  • Sprinkler Hose (ACE)
  • Soaker Hose (ACE)

You know that “new car smell” that every new car  comes with that let’s you know it’s a new car?  Well, it turns out that that smell is a mixture of toxic chemicals that YOU AND YOUR DOG should be concerned about.  This press release from the Ecology Center and healthystuff.org will fill you in on this environmental pollution:

Honda Rated as Top Manufacturer; PVC Reduction Efforts Hailed

(Ann Arbor, MI) – Today the Ecology Center released its fourth consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars at HealthyStuff.org, finding the Honda Civic at the top of this year’s list, and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport at the bottom. Over 200 of the most popular 2011- and 2012-model vehicles were tested for chemicals that off-gas from parts such as the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests and seats. These chemicals contribute to “new car smell” and a variety of acute and long-term health concerns. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles can be a major source of indoor air pollution.

“Research shows that vehicle interiors contain a unique cocktail of hundreds of toxic chemicals that off-gas in small, confined spaces,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center. “Since these chemicals are not regulated, consumers have no way of knowing the dangers they face. Our testing is intended to expose those dangers and encourage manufacturers to use safer alternatives.”

Chemicals of primary concern include: bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy metals. Such chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health problems such as allergies, birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, and cancer. Automobiles are particularly harsh environments for plastics, as extreme air temperatures of 192 F and dash temperatures up to 248 F can increase the concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) and break other chemicals down into more toxic substances.

“Automobiles function as chemical reactors, creating one of the most hazardous environments we spend time in,” added Gearhart.

The good news is overall vehicle ratings are improving. The best vehicles today have eliminated hazardous flame retardants and PVC. Today, 17% of new vehicles have PVC-free interiors and 60% are produced without BFRs.

Top ranking cars in this year’s release are: 1) Honda Civic 2) Toyota Prius and 3) Honda CR-Z. Worst ranking: 1) Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2) Chrysler 200 SC and 3) Kia Soul. The Civic achieved its ranking by being free of bromine-based flame retardants in all interior components; utilizing PVC-free interior fabrics and interior trim; and having low levels of heavy metals and other metal allergens. The Mitsubishi Outlander contained bromine and antimony-based flame retardants in the seating and center console; chromium treated leather on several components; and over 400 ppm lead in seating materials.

To see the complete listing of cars, click here.

This gift basket includes an denim apron with a retro design, an organic dog biscuit cookbook, 3 dog bone cookie cutters, an organic cotton dog toy and a stainless steel mixing bowl.

This is the official blog of Happy Dogs Play, a website with toys, gifts and goods for dogs and dog lovers.  At Happy Dogs Play:

• We only sell safe toys.  Happy Dog Play’s dog toys are non-toxic, green, environmentally friendly and independently tested.  You don’t have to worry when you buy a dog toy from us.

• Our prices are already cheaper than most dog product websites on the Internet.  We always have good deals.

• We live dogs.  Happy Dogs Play isn’t just a business—we do this because we love dogs and want them to live long, healthy, happy lives.

• We only sell quality products, things we would buy for our own dogs or for ourselves.  No cheap junk.  No toxic toys.  We know the people who make the dog toys we sell.

• We make it easy to shop with us.  Happy Dogs Play still believes that good customer service is just part of doing business.  We ship quickly.  We’re here to answer questions.

• We believe dogs need to play.

• We believe dogs should be happy.

And on top of all this, we’re having a sale just for any last minute shoppers.  From now through Wednesday, Dec. 14^th, we’re having a 20% off sale on everything in our store.  Type in: “happiest” in the promo code box when you check out to get this discount.

That means you can get an organic holiday reindeer dog toy for $6.15  Or a set of wolf prayer flags for $28.08.  Or dog breed cookie cutters for $3.00 each.  Or a great gift basket for baking your own dog treats for $38.40 that comes with an organic dog toy too.  Or an organic medium-sized bumper bed for $80.00.

We hope we’re making it easier on you to buy quality gifts for the dog and dog lovers in your life.

Kath Quinn

Ike and Petey Playing with the Unstuffed Otter Dog Toy from happydogspay.com

The Drury household just welcomed a wonderful new dog named Ike, a Border Collie-Lab mix, to their home in Marietta, GA.  Ike and “King-of-the-House” Petey, the family Chihuahua,  have become fast friends by playing tug-of-war for hours with the Go Dog Unstuffed Otter Dog Toy.  The Otter is 34″ long and allows the two dogs to get used to playing with each other without being right in each other’s face.  Sometimes having the right toy can facilitate play between dogs, especially as they’re just getting to know each other.  Petey and Ike are now on their way to becoming best buds.

The Otter Dog Toy is available at happydogsplay.com.  The Otters only have stuffing in the their heads and the rest of their bodies are stuffing-free so there’s nothing for your dog to pull out.  There’s a squeaker in the tail and a “grunt” squeaker in their head. This dog toy was made for non-aggressive chewers who like to carry their toys around, whip them around,  tug on them,  shake them, roll on them or sleep with them. This is a giant toy–it’s almost three feet long–and is a dream-come-true for any big dog who needs big toys.  Or big dogs who want to play with little dogs.  Or little dogs who like big toys.

The Wolf, Squirrel and Otter are all available from happydogsplay.com

Along with the Otter, there’s also a Wolf and Squirrel Dog Toy that are made by Go Dog.  All three of these unstuffed toys are:

• Double stitched at stress points
• Run through a metal detector after production to insure safety
• Meets the Child’s Safety Standards
• Made from new material that is safe, non-toxic and machine washable
• Tested by happydogsplay.com to make sure there are no heavy metals or lead present