Thursday, October 28, 2010

Finally... A Toy My Puppy Has Not Destroyed





Drew is my 4th Labrador Retriever and I have never seen such an aggressive chewer.  Every stuffed "animal" dog toy is ripped open, squeakers gone, stuffing all over the house.


The Nylabone chew toys are pretty good, but they are so chewed, the ends of each one have become too sharp.


My new chew toy of choice is from www.westpawdesign.com. Here is how they describe this new item:


A new twist on an old favorite! Made from our extremely durable, one-of-a-kind material, Zogoflex®, Huck will keep your dog jumping…literally! With its hefty weight and grooved shape this incredible ball will bounce in all directions, giving your dog added exercise, and a good mental workout, to boot. Fling it across the field, bounce it on the ground, or toss it in the water (it floats!) – Huck can handle nearly anything your dog dishes out.
Complete with a full, one time replacement guarantee to stand up against doggy destruction. Choose from 3 bright, fun colors and available in 2 sizes. Small Huck is similar to the size of a tennis ball, and is compatible with toys that throw tennis balls.
Made in Montana, USA. 


They also have a bone shaped chew called HurleyBoth come in different sizes and colors. There are a few other shapes made from the same material, so choose what you think will work for your dog.


I also like the colors because they are easy to find anywhere, even under the sofa. 


When my puppy is in the back of the car, I give him the Hurley and I can hear the intense chewing.  So much better than his chewing on any part of my car his mouth can reach.  


If a dog is meant to chew, then these Zogoflex toys are meant to be chewed.


Where to buy:  www.westpawdesign.com, www.hotdogcollars.com and www.dogtuff.com, for starters.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Do You Know What Is Covered in Your Rental Apartment's Insurance Policy?



Picture this:  Two laptop computers sitting opened on a desk.


CRASH!


The wall shelf above the desk falls, smashes the screens of both laptops.


Then you call your insurance company.   They say, "Sorry, you are not covered for this damage under your policy."


Why?  It is so simple: breakage is not covered under your basic apartment insurance policy.  For the computer to be covered, it has to be put on a "schedule" or "rider" for which there is an additional cost.


I called my favorite insurance agent at www.nilesinsurance.com for advice.  I was told  that under a general policy, your computer could be covered if, for example, water from a leak from another apartment, or even a leak in your own apartment, got onto your computer and messed it up. Anything covered is subject to your deductible.


Items which are not too expensive can be listed on your policy under blanket coverage. When you do this, you have to make sure that your insurance company has your list of items to be included.  Let's say you have a few jewelry items worth $500 or a guitar worth $700.  You tell your agent to include these on the policy. Usually blanket coverage is good for up to $10,000 total, but please check with your insurance agent for your specific policy limits. Remember, these items are still not covered for something like breakage.


More expensive items, or items which are of a certain nature which you may not be able to replace, have to be put on a "schedule" or "rider."  A ring worth $5,000 for example, could be separately insured.  These items which you put on a "schedule" are covered for the value you give them whether stolen or damaged.  Also, items on a "schedule" most likely are not subject to a deductible. You have to discuss all parameters of your policy with your agent as not all policies are the same.


Make sure you have the actual value for those scheduled items.  Sometimes your insurance policy will need an appraisal to be sure the value is correct .


Please check with your insurance agent to see what monetary value your apartment is insured for, including all contents and special items and see if it is enough.  Then take into account your real valuables, whether it is a computer, jewelry, IPhones etc. Discuss it all with your agent.  A good one will make sure you are doing the right thing. Not every insurance company's policy is the same.


Always expect the unexpected when it comes to protecting your most prized possessions.


Where you might shop for insurance:  www.nilesinsurance.com



Monday, October 11, 2010

A Chewed Dog Collar Needs Replacement



There it was, the plastic snap broken in half.  Leave it up to our puppy, who will chew anything in sight.


Even at 7 months old, he managed to get up to the counter top in the kitchen and steal my eyeglasses along with his dog collar.


We usually keep an old collar on him when he is around the house and have a good one for his walks. Thankfully it was the old one he managed to destroy.


I started researching sites for new collars and while I was at it, new leads.  I find that my hand hurts whenever my dogs pull me with the lead I currently have.


There is a brand called Lupine, which is the brand I currently own as our puppy's "good" collar.


Apparently, their leads have a somewhat padded handle, which could help me during those pulling moments.  


As I usually do, I searched for the best prices for these collars and leads.  I found a site I had never come across before called www.hotdogcollars.com.  There are so many collars there and various manufacturers are represented.  From patterns, prints, designs of all sorts, you will most likely find something you like. 


And if you are a dedicated sports fan, you can find collars and leashes and dog bowls for NFL Football, Major League Baseball, NBA Basketball, NHL Hockey Teams, NASCAR and NCAA Schools.  And to think I settled for solid color collars and leads!


Right now there is a coupon code for Free Shipping if you spend over $25.  Having 2 dogs, it was not difficult to arrive at that amount.  


The collars and leads from Lupine are guaranteed, even if chewed.  They will replace your damaged or defective item at no cost. (Not all manufacturers have this guarantee so if you think you will have a problem with a "chewer," stick to Lupine.)


When you see how many products are available for our pets along with our own particular tastes, you realize that there is no end to which a manufacturer will go to satisfy the consumer, whether or not they bark.


Where to shop:  www.hotdogcollars.com



Thursday, October 7, 2010

Find a Parking Garage in the City Before Leaving Home


Lately I find that I need to be in the city.  Before I even leave the house, panic sets in just thinking about finding a parking space.

Some friends seem to love the challenge of driving around and getting that prized parking space.  I don't find driving in the city to be something I enjoy doing.  I want to get to my destination, park and get on with my business.

I came across a website: www.bestparking.com while investigating prices of monthly parking garages.  This site lists parking garages in 18 cities as well as garages at airports in those cities. 

You can search for a parking garage by neighborhood, address, location or attraction.  You highlight an area in the city you are searching and a map appears with pop-ups of all garage locations in that neighborhood.  Once you locate a garage, you can reserve a space by filling out the info requested in the banner which appears above the list of garages.

Book a space for when you need it.  You can save more money depending on time of day you park and the location of the garage.  Sometimes it may be less at a garage a few blocks away from your destination.  This is why the site, www.bestparking.com works so well - you can do all the research at your computer.

They offer applications you can download for your IPhone, some Blackberry models and  Androids.

There may be a coupon offer for a discount so look for those. The site lists many parking garage companies to choose from, such as Icon, Quik Park, Edison Park Fast, Rapid Park, to name a few. 

To get back to my original reason for finding this site, I did get a list of parking garages in the area I wanted, filled out a form and received a call a day or so later.  The representative gave me prices for at least 5 garages in the area, letting me know their exact location, and how far they were from my starting point.  It was interesting to see the how prices varied a block or two away.

If my arrival into the city can be made a little easier, I can save panicking for other things.

Where to park:  www.bestparking.com

P.S.  You may not be able to get to the website directly through this post.