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!

If you haven’t already done so, throw out all your vinyl dog toys because they probably contain lead.

As part of our safe toy guarantee at happydogsplay.com, we have all the toys we carry safety-tested by Exposing Lead, an Atlanta company, using a sophisticated XRF analyzer.   By screening all our dog toys using the XRF, we’re able to detect if any of them contain Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Nickel, Antimony, Bromine and many other potentially toxic metals.  WE’RE THE ONLY DISTRIBUTOR OF DOG TOYS THAT TAKES THIS PRE-CAUTION. When you buy toys from happydogsplay.com, you know they’re safe.

So we had all our toys tested earlier this week and shockingly, one of the new bungee dog toys that we were going to carry tested positive for lead because it had a vinyl nose.  We bought this toy from a company that guarantees their toys are safe (we don’t buy from any manufacturer that doesn’t test their toys) but they had somehow missed this.  But we didn’t.  We notified the manufacturer and sent the toys back.   And that’s exactly why you should buy your toys from happydogsplay.com–they’re really safety tested and we don’t let anything slip by.

Most vinyl toys aren’t safe even if they say “non-toxic vinyl.”  You’ll notice that most of the toys you buy these days have the word “non-toxic” on their label.  It doesn’t really mean anything but the manufacturers have discovered just what a powerful marketing word “non-toxic” is.  We all want everything we buy to be non-toxic, right?

But vinyl isn’t safe.

We test all our dog toys to make sure they're safe.

This is from the April 08 issue of Whole Dog Journal: “In our opinion, the use of vinyl in dog toys is more dangerous than other applications.  This is due to the number of mechanism that come into play when a dog chews a toy that can contribute to the release of toxic substances from the vinyl into the dog (chewing, saliva, warmth, digestion, skin contact).”

Safe dog toys matter because they offer one area where we can control what substances our dogs come into contact with. We can’t protect our dogs from everything in their environment but we can make sure that the toys they put in their mouths are safe and don’t harm them in anyway.    Sometimes even the stores that sell premium dog food carry toys that contain lead and forget about even looking for a toy at Petco or PetSmart because there’s no telling what vinyl toys they’re selling.

Our dogs just don’t live long enough so we have to do everything we know how to keep our dogs safe from toxic products that may be in their environment.  Besides buying your dog toys at happydogsplay.com, here’s a list that may help you take some chemicals out of home:

1. Use  mild, non-toxic products to clean your home.
2. Provide spring or filtered water in your dog’s water bowl.
3. Use stainless steel feeding bowls or ceramic bowls that you know are lead-free.
4. Feed natural, human-grade food and treats that are free of preservatives and by-products.
5. Use safe, environmentally-friendly pest control products in your home and yard.
6. Throw out all the vinyl and plastic toys that are in your home.

I just love functional dog art.  Take this one wall in my kitchen for instance.  A stainless steel water bowl fits perfectly into the black iron plant stand; the “Raining Cats & Dogs” sign is a key holder; the picture of the dog looking up at the birds is a food tray; and the Collie planter is now a handy scissor and pen holder.

Practical tip: If you’d like to buy one of these safe and easy-to-clean stainless steel water bowls, you’ll find them at happydogsplay.com.

A wall of fun dog art.

As if we didn’t know, an article out today says that even when times are hard,  dog lovers continue to make sure our dogs have everything they need to have long, healthy and fun lives.  Here’s what the article from the Huffington Post said about the “Pet Pampering” business:

Birth rates may decline during a recession, but our furry friends are lapping up the cost savings of many childless homes. HuffPost blogger and animal expert Wendy Diamond reports:

“With 62% of American households owning at least one pet (up from 56% in 1988), and 37.2% of families owning dogs and 32.4% owning cats (thus 7.6% must own at least one of each) Americans have embraced their pets as members of their families. Growing trends such as the celebration of pets’ birthdays with puppy parties and feline fiestas have created an entire luxury market of paw pampering products that will have your furry friend barking for more.”

Even Martha Stewart and GNC are cashing in on the lucrative pet pampering industry, which is expected to grow 5 percent this year to $47.7 billion. Compare this to $45.5 billion in 2009 and $38.5 billion in pre-recessionary 2006.

A Golden enjoying the heck out of playing with the IntelliBone.

So if just reading this inspires you to want something new for your dog, happydogsplay.com recently added more smart puzzle dog toys that will challenge and entertain your dog in the same way that developmental toys do for kids.  (Those who know me personally know that I know nothing about developmental toys for children but I read this comparison on a website and thought it might explain the concept of smart dog toys to most people.)

We now carry plush puzzle toys like the Hide-A-Squirrel toy that has three toy squirrels (each with a squeaker), hiding in a plush log challenging your dog to find and remove them.  The IntelliBone, featuring a plush bone surrounded by removable plush rings, provides your dog a different kind of challenge because they have to learn to pull the rings off the bone which is quite tricky.

As with all dog toys sold by happydogsplay.com, the plush puzzle toys are made with non-toxic materials and tested thoroughly for safety first by the manufacturer.   And then when we receive them at our office in Roswell, GA, they’re  tested again by happydogsplay.com to check for ourselves that there aren’t unsafe levels of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Chromium. We use a local company that specializes in testing for lead and other heavy metals using the X-Ray Flourescence device that is commonly used to test children’s toys.

All happydogsplay.com dog toys are tested to make sure they don't contain lead or other heavy metals.

We’ve also added an agility starter kit that provides you beginner’s equipment to see if your dog has the aptitude for agility sports before you spend a ton of money getting into agility training for real.

And just for the record, happydogsplay.com is not about “pet pampering” because we don’t believe that there is such a thing.  Our dogs need stuff to be happy and happydogsplay.com provides that stuff; and dog people need to be happy and we provide that stuff.   Dog are NOT a blessing in disguise–there is no disguise involved.   They make us happy and we make them happy.  What more could we want?

(If you’re wondering, the other recession-proof businesses are family movies, donuts, marathons, fireworks, iPhones, tattoos, fantasy sports, gum and whale watching.)

truthaboutpetsfoods.com Crusader logo

An easy way to keep up with pet food recalls and to learn how to choose healthier foods and treats for your dog is through http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com.   You can subscribe to their free TruthaboutPetFood newsletter.

Susan Thixton who writes this newsletter explains that “Pet Food is the only industry that is allowed to lie to consumers. Current regulations allow ‘direct unqualified claims’ on pet food labels and pet food advertising.  ‘Direct unqualified claims’ can be a bold face lie…or it could be the truth.  One of many problems with pet food is that we do not know what is true by reading the label claims, watching the television commercials, or listening to pet food radio advertising.  Any pet food can claim it is ‘Healthy’ or ‘Provides Optimal Health’ or ‘Supports Healthy Weight’ yet these statements could be a ‘direct unqualified claim’ (a lie).”

For $17.95, you can also subscribe to Petsumer Report online.  It provides subscribers with reviews of dog foods, cat foods and pet treats.  Currently there are over 1600 different reviews available and new reviews are added monthly.  You’ll find out which foods are Chinese imports, what companies use BPA lined cans and who uses risky chemicals and dyes.

I subscribed today.  I feed Gracie, my dog, a combination of home-cooked organic meals and  high-end, premium commercial dog food.   She is going through cancer treatment right now and I know that it’s my job to provide her with the healthiest food that I can.  I can’t control everything she comes into contact with but there are things I can control and I do my best to only buy the safe products.  I did check out the safety of the dog foods I buy on PetsumerReports.com and none of them have any unsafe chemicals in them or came in cans with BPAs.  Some of the ones I would think would be safe aren’t and that’s exactly why this website is necessary.

happydogsplay.com tests all our dog toys using the XRF device that's commonly used to test children's toys.

My business, happydogsplay.com, is also devoted to keeping your dog safe.  We sell dog toys that are non-toxic, lead-free, phthalate-free, eco-friendly and durable. Not only do we get safety testing results from each of the dog toy manufacturers who make the toys we sell, we also test every toy ourselves to make sure that they’re free of Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Nickel, Antimony, Bromine and many other elements.  We use exposinglead.com, a company right here in Roswell, GA to do our testing.  (BTW, when explosinglead.com was here testing the dog toys, I had them test some of the products I use and found out that the dishes I had been using had lead in them so I replaced them all.)

The more we know, the better choices we can make.  Our dogs certainly deserve the best.

With the all-new Aikiou (pronounced IQ) bowl, you get the latest interactive dog puzzle toy and a dog dinner bowl all in one.  What will they think of next?  (Personally, I’d love someone to invent an interactive dog toy that vacuums your house when your dog plays with it.)

First we had the Nina Ottosson smart dog toys from Sweden and now we have the all new Aikiou bowl from Canada.  The people who invented the Aikiou bowl want your dog to play with their food and they mean that quite literally. The Aikiou is a “revolutionary” dog feeding bowl that challenges your dog to use their primal instincts to hunt down their hidden food and turn mealtime into a walk on the wild side even if it’s just your kitchen.  And, the Aikiou bowl can be used as a  fun and challenging interactive dog puzzle toy that will make your dog smarter by stimulating their brain and relieving boredom along the way. This video will show you the the Aikiou in action.

The manufacturers of the Aikiou give this explanation of why your dog might enjoy eating their meals out of the Aikiou bowl:

“By necessity, animals in nature spend much of their time hunting and foraging for their meals. Dogs in particular are adept at seeking and finding food. Unfortunately, this innate problem-solving skill is often under-exericised in domesticated animals sometimes leading to unwanted behaviours around the home. The Aikiou (IQ) bowl was developed with this in mind. Food is hidden inside the bowl’s many compartments, which your dog can access by sliding the doors open or spinning the central wheel. Allowing your dog to exercise his or her problem-solving instincts with the Aikiou bowl is fun and rewarding for both you and your pet.”

The Aikiou is for big dogs....

...or small dogs.

Or, like the Nina Ottosson interactive puzzles, the Aikiou bowl can a be another “board game” where you hide treats for your dog and watch how clever they are at finding and removing them. You hide the treats in different slots or a combination of slots and then your dog uses their nose or paw to slide or twist the openings to find the treats. To keep your dog from getting bored or catching on, you can hide just one treat or hide many treats and keep changing where you put them.

If you do use the Aikiou as your dog’s bowl, one great benefit is that for dogs who inhale their food, it will slow down their eating because they’ll now be playing hide-and-seek with their food.

I’m not so sure that the Aikiou bowl will make your dog feel like a wild animal again but no matter what, it can be fun for you and your dog to play with together.  And we all need more family time with our dogs.

The Aikiou is available now at happydogsplay.com for $24.95.