Voyagers K9 Apparel gets a thumbs up from Jackson!

I have been looking for a good quality winter coat for Jackson for a long time!  I believe I finally found it with Voyagers K9 Apparel.

Jackson, 19lbs, modeling the Voyagers K9 winter coat

The style that Jackson is wearing is their winter coat. I purchased him a "Jack Russell Terrier" size Large because the very helpful sizing charts on the website matched his measurements. He's clearly NOT a JRT however for our first purchase I wanted to test it out first before spending a little extra money on a custom fit coat.  Yes, Voyagers K9 can make your dog a CUSTOM perfectly fitted coat! However they also offer many breed-specific coats to allow for a better fit for the many different sizes and shapes.

When I first opened it, I noticed the quality. It's very well made, sturdy and obviously very warm. I love how the front is like a turtleneck.  You can easily pull it up over the dogs ears if you want or you can scoot it down for added neck warmth. It's easily attached around the belly with velcro. It's VERY easy to put on as the large velcro patch is on the side (not under the belly like so many generic dog coats). Jackson does not like that kind as he can be weird about things under his belly so this style does not bother him.  I like that there are two strips of velcro - one larger one and another smaller one that makes the coat more secure and less likely to move around while the dog is running. 

 

 Jackson had no problem moving around in the snow and running, sniffing, digging and playing. The coat is very non-restrictive and he does not seem to mind wearing it at all. In fact, I think he was appreciative for the extra warmth.  While he loves the snow, he has been getting colder faster than he used to.  He was able to play out in the snow LONGER with his Voyagers K9 winter jacket on!

I was impressed how the coat stayed dry through the wet snow.  Many of other other sweaters and jackets will get wet too quickly therefore defeating the purpose of wearing a coat because it would just make him MORE cold. This coat kept him warm AND dry.

 

Oh, I can't forget to mention the wonderful customer service at Voyagers K9!  I goofed up and ordered the wrong size (what I thought would fit him) and knew it was a bit too small once it arrived and we tried it on. I immediately e-mailed them and they guided me in the right direction to the proper coat that they believed would fit him better (of course I still had the option to order a custom coat as well).  I exchanged it and received the new coat within days. Top notch customer service! 

I WILL be ordering from them again. I'd love to get Lola (the cockapoo pictured above) one as well and maybe even order Jackson one in another color!  They also sell rain jackets, booties, dog hoods, tummy warmers and more!  I think the rain jacket is next on my list!

Voyagers K9 Apparel website: www.k9apparel.com/

Facebook: Voyagers K9

** this blog not endorsed by Voyagers K9. All opinions expressed are my own.

Dog-Friendly Vacation: Gettysburg, PA

As anyone who knows me would be aware, I enjoy bringing Jackson with me wherever he possibly can go. Yeah. yeah, I'm one of "those" people. He enjoys it, as do I. It's great socialization for him (and me!) plus he gets so worn out by the end of the day, it's entirely worth it. So it's always exciting to find places or towns that are welcoming to our pooches! Jackson is a veteran at this stuff, he's been coming every year since 2009.  Lola is almost 2 years old (my mom and little sister's dog) and she got to come along for the first time this year.


Gettysburg, PA is full of history, sight-seeing and fun for the whole family, including our four-legged friends.  Besides the obvious battlefield tours available, there are also many dining experiences you can enjoy including outdoor tables and patios where friendly on-leash dogs are welcome.  Not to mention the recreational activities and shopping which, by the way, a majority of the stores are totally welcoming to your dogs in the stores.

So, let's start with our hotel.  Every year we stay at the 1863 Inn of Gettysburg. Great hotel, staff and location. You're right next door to the fun tourist spot The Jennie Wade House -- which was actually her sister Georgia's home but Jennie happened to be baking bread for Union soldiers when a single bullet went through the door and killed her. She was the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg.  They have a little gift shop with little trinkets and apparel.  The people working had no problem with the dogs coming inside and shopping with us.

 

(Jackson, Emma and Lola in front of the door with original bullet hole)

Right across the street is an Irish pub/restaurant O'Rorkes which has an awesome dog friendly deck/patio.  The staff is very accommodating to those with dogs too.  Jackson and Lola enjoyed people watching from under the table.  As a bonus, the food there was awesome!  We ordered a bunch of appetizers - wings, pretzels with cheese, mozzarella sticks; everything was delicious. Most restaurants with outdoor seating allow dogs -- there is only one I can think of downtown in the circle that specifically has a 'no dogs' sign.

 

Jackson loves going shopping with us and as I said, a majority of the stores are totally welcoming.  Many had dog bowls and treats placed out front, others had 'dogs welcome' signs, and others didn't have anything but if you asked, they were okay with it. My favorite store (for the humans) had to be downtown (by the circle and close to the Lincoln Diner) was A & A Village Treasures.  The owners were so nice and helpful and this boutique literally had everything you could imagine. They even had a Doggie Spa section!

 

(2016 on the left, 2015 on the right)

The DOGS favorite store was quite obviously The Dogs of Gettysburg in the adorable "Old Gettysburg Village" -- they have homemade and unique collars, outfits (ever want to see a dog in a bonnet? This is your place!), treats (the main reason Jackson loved going there was for the Bare Bites liver treats), and the owners are so welcoming. In the same little village you can find "Lola's of Gettysburg" (naturally I had to pose Lola by the sign) and a few other little hidden gems.

If you are a wine drinker, there are many cute winery shops all around Gettysburg, very welcoming to dogs too (although don't let your pup get too drunk ;) - no alcohol for the pooches, sorry!)

Don't forget the ever-so-famous Gettysburg Ghost Tours.  Quite a few of the tours allow dogs, including Haunted Gettysburg Tours. They also have horse and buggy rides, many of which allow your pups to ride in the carriage as well.  There is a nice little park a few blocks off Steinwehr Street with baseball fields & paths, etc... If you decide to leave the town a little bit, there is a shopping outlet center that allows dogs since it is an outdoor mall. Coffee shops, such as The Ragged Edge allows dogs on their front porch and in their backyard patio. The Pike restaurant also allowed dogs on their outdoor front deck for dining.  There's also a Rita's Italian Ice right across from the hotel where you can walk up to the window and order with your dog.

Last but certainly not least, the dogs enjoyed the hiking along the battlefields the most.  And of course, I had to pose the dogs by many cannons, monuments and historical statues and plaques, because, well... I'm a dork like that. The Gettysburg National Park allows dogs to walk everywhere except inside the cemetery or inside the visitor's center.  You can grab some great photos at "Little Round Top" and "Devil's Den" and other famous visitor attractions.

 

Overall, Gettysburg is a VERY dog-friendly town! Most activities are outdoors that you would want to do and many of the hotels are welcoming to the four-legged variety. It's very easy (and fun) to walk with the dogs downtown, Steinwehr St., Baltimore St., etc and most of the stores and attractions are welcoming. 

** Keep in mind that Jackson is well trained, socialized, and behaves nicely in public and I also never take him anywhere that dogs are not welcome. Follow the rules & be respectful and more places will start allowing dogs. :) **

Canine Caricatures

I was offered a "trade" to get a Canine Caricature of Jackson and happily said "YES! I would love one!"

I was so thrilled with their quick service and after browsing their work and checking out their prices, I would certainly purchase one of these again in the future.

I love to take photos of Jackson but sometimes they even get... boring or redundant.  It's nice to have other options and I love all of the work that went into making this caricature just bring out Jackson's personality.

So check out Canine Caricatures on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanineCaricatures/ 

I find their prices to be very fair, their customer service to be superb and they are willing to work with you to make sure you are satisifed with your caricature. 

It's such a fun unique piece to have of your dog!  You won't regret it!

Ruffwear Front Range Harness Review

The Ruffwear Front Range Harness is an everyday harness that is easy to fit and put on, and comfortable for dogs to wear. The harness features two leash attachment points: an aluminum V-ring centered on the dog's back for everyday walks, and reinforced webbing at the dog's chest for training or additional control. ID pocket keeps dog tags quiet and easily accessible. 
www.ruffwear.com



I had a gift card to Brookstone and who did I spend it on?  Why, Jackson, of course.  As if he doesn't have enough stuff.

But I had been eyeballing the Ruffwear Front Range harness ever since it came out.  I just wasn't sure I would have a use for it, or even really like it.  Jackson is a tough one to fit and some of Ruffwear's things don't fit him properly so I was too hesitant to order on my own dime.  But I figured with a gift card, it was worth trying out and there was nothing to lose.

I'm SO glad I decided to make a spontaneous purchase and decide to buy it.  We use it somewhat regularly, and while I wouldn't necessarily call it an "every day" harness for us, it's perfect for any type of hiking adventure but we even use it some days on our basic walks. 

You can see the front here:

 

It's not a *perfect* fit (if you can see the mid-chest portion 'pops' out a tiny bit and doesn't lay flat, but it hasn't affected movement at all or overall fit). 

There are many places for adjustment around neck area and girth area. 

It's not really as bulky as I expected it to be initially. Is it more than a regular basic harness?  Yes, but it's built sturdy enough for easy lifting (into cars, or up hills, rocks, etc) but not overly bulky as to cause discomfort.

 

It does have a place on the front of the harness to clip a leash to (but those of you with dogs who may pull, or previously used something similar to an Easy Walk harness).  We have not yet found a use for this feature but it's a nice option to have, I think. 

Overall, I would recommend this harness for any dog, especially active ones, or those who go on long walks, hikes, bike rides, rollerblading, etc with their owners. 

I personally wouldn't have it as my sole harness but that's because I have a shopping addiction (LOL)... no, but really, I really do like having just a SIMPLE basic harness for certain circumstances but this harness has really impressed me, much more than I thought it would.   The QUALITY is superb, the harness is sturdy and secure yet not overly bulky plus it seems comfortable AND... it just looks nice, in my opinion! The $39.95 price point is a fair cost for such a nice harness from a reputable company.

Pros:
Easy on/off
Easily adjustable
Sturdy
Well-made
FOUR colors

Cons:
"Too much" harness sometimes

Paco Collars REVIEW

We searched for years to find THE perfect collar.  Once we got our first Paco, I think we found it.

We've had a variety of collars through the years and when I decided to go leather, I was really picky.  I didn't want anything too bulky, or thick.  I don't like super wide collars on little dogs. I also did not want heavy d-rings and hardware.  But of course I still wanted it to be secure (although I walk Jackson on  a harness anyway) and able to withstand my active dogs lifestyle without worrying too much.


So this was our first Paco collar purchased during a sale.

A St. Francis in 3/4" wide tapered down to 1/2".  The taper is nice for little dogs, so you can have more width for the design, but less bulk around the neck/buckle area.

This particular collar is in their tan leather, with brass hardware.

The *only* downfall about tan leather (and it happens almost no matter what, with ANY type of tan you're going to get) is that is does darken with age.

You can see a bit how it has darkened after use:

But honestly?  I STILL am in love with it.  Their tan ages beautifully. Their tan leather came to me super soft, and it's only gotten more buttery with age.  This is his "every day" day collar for almost any situation. So it's definitely need snow, rain, mud, etc, and it's still good as new (almost).  But the quality is superb.  I have never conditioned or cleaned this collar.

His second Paco was his Double Agent collar with 3 Fetching Bits on it from Fetching Tags (another AMAZING company).  This is the collar that we often get stopped "Where did you get that?!" in public from.  I love it.  Simplicity is sometimes superior. Plus, I like the option of having no dangly tags sometimes.  Again, snagged this collar for a great price during a sale.

 

 The quality and customer service you receive from Paco is top notch.  They are willing to work with you every step of the way for customizations.  They even turn your pets collar into a bracelet for free after they pass away which is a very sweet touch.  

Their prices have increased since the last time I've purchased and I have noticed higher shipping costs.  I will say though that the collars themselves are nothing short of amazing so if you have the money, they are 10000% worth it.

Pros:
Leather quality is great! 
Lasts a lifetime
Good customer service
Many designs to choose from
Customization options

Cons:
Price

*** Disclaimer:  I was NOT endorsed nor asked to review these products.  I just love them so much, I decided to boast about them ***

Let's start this blog back up again.   Or, rather start a new blog.  Considering I only ever made one post ;)

I'd really love to start writing reviews, progress our training, and post photos, etc.

So Maryland has had very bipolar weather lately. Yesterday it reached 52 degrees, whereas only a week before we had this:

Well, Jackson enjoyed it.

Welcome to the blog!

I decided Jackson needed a blog. Here I will be keeping up with his training, agility, and just everything to do with Mr. Action Jackson himself.

Spring is around the corner and Spring Fever is definitely kicking in. He constantly wants to be outside now and is SO ready for winter to be over (as much as he adores snow! I think he's loving the grass again!) So he's in "I-need-constant-attention-mode" LOL.

A new video on YouTube that I posted of Jackson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj9F-V6hWUg

Talk soon!

Brit & Jackson