Rascodog ‘s delighted to announce the recent additions and modifications made in the 2010 product line. For instance: colors, hardware, and sizing have all been altered to give the ReadyLeash an even greater advantage in the realm of dog leashes.

The 2010 Rasco-line has appealing colors,  allowing folks to choose from six different options rather than two. Lime Green, Purple, Orange, and Grey are now available alongside the original shades of Red and Blue. Unless you’re taking a multiple choice exam, it’s safe to assume that people generally prefer a wide variety of options to choose from.

We’ve also put down the detachable leash leads and now hold the less bulky sewn-in leads. The sewn-in nylon lead is much more light-weight, without compromising the strength, durability, or integrity of the ReadyLeash. Depending on the users desired length, the lead can be adjusted between four and six feet. Sewing takes place right here in Massachusetts, allowing us to stay within face-to-face contact that’s important when dealing with a manufactured product.

Sewn-in Lead Example

It’s important to mention that ReadyLeash can be purchased with a thinner nylon lead, ideally for smaller dogs. The thinner lead is 5/8ths of an inch wide, preventing things from looking disproportinate while walking a little dog or puppy.

Orange - 5/8's", Grey - 1"

Since the detachable leashes are no longer made, there’s no need for some of the clunky hardware. After cutting out the unnecessary hardware, we went on with upgrading to a more durable snap-hook, creating an almost unbreakable ReadyLeash.

Rascodog remains true to the ultimate goal of creating quality innovative pet products, making it convenient to take proper care of your dog and your neighborhood. We certainly appreciate any feedback from our fans, so never hesitate to write, call, or drop by our office.

Kind Regards,

Evan Perkins

10 people will receive a free ReadyLeash and all you have to do to enter is submit your name!

The sweepstakes ends July 13 and winners will be announced the following day, July, 14 on our Facebook page and right here on the blog.

Enter now- you have nothing to lose!!

Most people read right through this sentence without blinking, but it stopped me dead in my tracks.

Under no circumstances should you EVER wash pet waste into the street. This goes for both cats and dogs.

Storm sewers drain directly into lakes, streams and nearby oceans. When the waste hits water it decays, using up oxygen and releasing ammonia (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources). Especially in the spring and summer when water temperatures are warm this leads to the death of fish.

And the fish and shellfish that do survive… they’re probably carrying a disease from waste contamination. Now ask yourself how often you like to chow down on “fresh” seafood.

The trend of artificial grass has grown out of severe drought conditions in the West. However, there are plenty of healthier and natural options out there for people who still want that beautiful lawn.

Organic lawn care is one such option, but there are others. The Unleashed Pet Shop blog recently wrote a post on some great resources to help you get going with safe lawn care practices for people with pets.  And Raise a Green Dog is always a good source for tips on the best environmental practices for you and your dog.

So bottom line: Please Remember to Scoop the Poop! 

Nina

Standing in the aisle, I heard the voice of a sweet girl asking if she could help. With a sigh of relief I said yes. She gave me a smile that said it all. This was not her first rodeo.

It wasn’t to long before Storm outgrew that first leash and I had to start shopping for another. This time, however, I was prepared. Ultimately Storm and I went home the happy owners of a new, red leash. Non-retractable.

My decision at the time was based on the fact that Storm would be at least 50 lbs. (being a lab-mix) when she was grown and I didn’t want a retractable leash to snap with one good yank.

It turns out retractable leashes have quite the track record for causing strange and unfortunate accidents.

In March, ABC News wrote a story about one little girl who was struck in the eye when the metal clasp on her retractable leash snapped. Video Here.

And according to both the ABC article and an article in Consumer Reports the warning’s that accompany some of these retractable leashes are quite frightening.

One company, Flexi USA offers these words of warning on their Web site:
“To avoid the risk of eye or face injury and cuts, burns and amputations to your body or the body of another person from the leash cord/tape or all belt and hook, read and follow these Warnings and Directions for Use before using your Flexi leash”

Now, certainly loss of sight is an extreme case, but I have heard many stories of burns caused by the retractable leash. I myself have been victim to the kamikaze bird, attack-induced leash burn.

Some people might tell me that I just don’t have control of the dog during the walk.

Indeed, the Web site wiseGeek tells me “to effectively use a retractable leash, the handler must anticipate when he or she will need to restrain the dog.” But it seems to me that not even Bear Grylls himself could anticipate the action of some very cheeky squirrels that reside in my neck of the woods.

I think the attraction to a non-retractable leash is “a sense of freedom.” This is certainly understandable. All it takes is one time chasing your dog down the street to make you swear she will never escape again (and she probably will). However, there are much safer ways for dogs to experience “freedom”.

Take them to the dog park once in a while.

Research off-leash areas near your house and let your dog run wild for a little bit.

Or exercise them enough that they don’t really care about anything except getting home to pass out in their favorite spot on your kitchen floor.

The next time you’re in the market for a leash take some time to consider the safety of yourself, your pet and others.

Nina

According to a 2006 APPA survey:

• 55 million Americans believe having pets in the workplace leads to
a more creative environment.

• 53 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases absenteeism.

• 50 million believe having pets in the workplace helps co-workers
get along better.

• 38 million believe having pets in the workplace creates a more
productive environment

• 46 million people who bring their pets to the workplace work
longer hours.

In honor of our faithful companions, we want to see your photos and share some of ours!

Snap a photo of your dog hard at work!
Click Here to become a fan of Rascodog on Facebook.
Then upload your picture to our TYDTWD album.

It seems in the past year that community issues concerning pets, specifically dogs, have become increasingly heated. Dog owners want safe areas for their pets to run free while cities want to decrease off-leash areas an increase fines for failure to pick up dog waste. These issues span the country from Boston to Denver.

The basis for creation of the Rascodog line of pet products was to help promote responsible dog ownership and help put an end to some of these problems.

We believe that given the right resources, pet owners will do simple tasks like picking up after their dog. We also know that there are already many owners out there doing their part and going unrecognized. We want to change that by offering a FREE ReadyLeash to the winner of our Rascodog of the Week Contest.

All you have to do is upload a photo of what you think it means to be a responsible dog owner. The winning picture will be featured on the Rascodog blog and featured in out bi-weekly newsletter and the winner will get his own ReadyLeash!

Directions:

1. Upload your photo to our Flickr group at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/rascodogresponsible/.
2. Give your photo a caption.
3. Check the blog to see if you’re the winner!

If you have ever been to an animal shelter or rescued your family pet- you know all the hard work that goes into finding animals their forever homes. At Rascodog we want to show our appreciation by donating a variety of Rascodog products to one lucky shelter!

To nominate a deserving shelter leave a comment telling us in 200 words or less what makes this shelter special. Nominees will be notified and we’ll post the top three stories to the blog. You then have a week to tell people to vote for your favorite shelter! The winner will be announced Thursday, June 25. The winning shelter will receive Rascodog supplies and a feature on the Rascodog blog!

This is a great opportunity for you to show appreciation for your local shelter and tell people about all the great things happening for animals.

It happens when you least expect it. On your way to an important career-defining meeting, during a leisurely stroll in the park, or, in accordance with Murphy’s Law, after long hours of preparation involving curling irons and brand new designer shoes.

Poop. Crap. Poo-Poo. “It” prefaced with “sh.” Feces. Waste. Excrement.

Call it what you like, but dog waste is a fact that you’re guaranteed to see proof of during your lifetime. City to country, whether you own a dog or not- the poop will find your shoes and maybe more (yikes!)

Sh*! and runs have become particular problems in the cities, and as a result state governments are increasing waste pollution fines.

Recently, our friends at dogchatter.com also blogged about this growing problem. Among their list of reasons why you should pick up after your dog was that dog poop contains fecal coliform bacteria that can make you sick.

I started to wonder if people were aware of the effects of letting your dog loose on city sidewalks. For such a health conscious society rarely do people discuss health effects of irresponsible dog owners.

Think about this:

-Dog droppings are one of the leading causes of E. Coli pollution: each gram of dog poop has over 20,000,000 E. Coli colonies in it.

-3.6 billion pounds of dog waste/year is produced in the United States alone, equaling 800 football fields, one foot high.

-A dog or cat can obtain various different parasites, viruses and stages of bacteria from their own poop. How confident are you that your neighbor’s dog has been dewormed? Do you know what worms your dog is protected against?

-Storm water carries pet waste and other pollutants directly into waterways.

At Rascodog we believe in responsible owner behavior. Your dog isn’t going to pick up after himself after all!

Here are some simple things you can do to keep your pets healthy and save a chunk of change:

Put a friendly message on the bulletin board at the local dog park to remind pet owners to clean up after their dogs.

Make sure you have biodegradable bags with you and your dog at all times! Rascodog’s ReadyLeash makes this easy with built-in bags.

Have a neighborhood clean up and start fresh!

Peer Pressure (as suggested by SmartDogs): Politely remind someone to pick up after their dog if you see them walking away… you can even offer them an extra bag!

What are some other things you can do? Leave us a comment below and we’ll include your tips in the list above!

For more information about some canine parasitic conditions check out PetMD.