I’m 24 years old and live roughly a half-hour southwest of downtown Boston. The route I take is along Storrow Drive- a popular jogging/biking route amongst Bostonians that offers pleasant views of the Boston/Cambridge cityscape, green-spaces, and various outdoor recreational activities.

My bike, (a single-speed cruiser I built for enjoyment rather than velocity) was gliding along at a fairly average speed, when I decided to appreciate the surrounding scenery. Normally I try and refrain from rubbernecking, but today I became engaged with the architecture over in Cambridge, causing me to gaze-off for a few seconds. What I didn’t know or see at the time was the fact that I was rapidly approaching a Dog-Borne Mine Field.

All of a sudden, while shifting my head back to the straightforward position, I was able to catch a glimpse of an immediate obstacle, a.k.a dog poop, forcing me to jerk my handlebars to the right so that I wouldn’t run over the monsterous fudge-dragon.

Miss!

I thought I was safe; I was wrong. Many more roadside bombs lay ahead, sending my smooth ride into a frantic zig-zag motion. Although I only had to use my basic-maneuvers for 25 yards, it still seemed as though time stood still.

Two-thirds of the way through the mine-strip, I noticed a tire-track right through the middle of a chocolate hotdog. I thought to myself, “that could have been me!” Arriving to work with an ugly residue on your back will most likely ruin any day.

This brings me to the question, what’s worse: riding through dog poop or stepping in it? I’d like to know the percentage of people that have stepped in dog poop. My guess is 80/90% of people have accidently stepped where they shouldn’t have at least once in their life.

I entered the safe zone with bulging eyes and sigh of relief. Surviving my second ride to work was not on my list of “things to do”, but it is something riders should consider before stepping into dog-instigated warzones.

I want to finish up by stating that there’s a need for respect and proper dog-waste-disposal throughout the city, and the easiest and most efficient way to go about this would be for dog-owners to obtain a RascoDog ReadyLeash!

The slick user-friendly dog leash is equipt with a built-in biodegradable bag-dispenser, so that if your dog feels the need to drop military-grade piles of poop in the middle of highly trafficked areas- everything will be safe and sound.

Next Wednesday, August 26 is National Dog Day. Pet lifestyle expert and author Colleen Paige started National Dog Day to recognize the constant and unconditional love we receive daily from our best friends.

“Dogs put their lives on the line every day – for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for a child who is disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage…National Dog Day wishes to encourage dog ownership of all breeds, mixed and pure – and embraces the opportunity for all dogs to live a happy, safe and ”abuse-free life”. -Colleen Paige

It is a day to recognize the powerful impact dogs have on our lives, to raise awareness about dog-related issues such as euthanasia, breed-specific legislation and responsible dog ownership.

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate with your own pooch:

-       Stop by your local dog-friendly bakery and buy him some homemade treats! Head over to one of our favorite stores on the South-side of Boston.

-       Spend some extra time on your walk and allow your dog to get in a few extra sniffs here and there (and don’t embarrass your dog by not cleaning up after him).

-       Take your dog to the local dog park and let him off-leash.

-       Have a neighborhood ‘dog party’. Collect items from your friends and neighbors and donate them to a local shelter.

-       Curl up with your best friend and watch your favorite doggie movie! DogTipper.com has a great list of dog movies to check out!

-       Organize a neighborhood clean up and bring along your ReadyBags! Show your dogs you appreciate them by keeping their environment clean and smelling fresh.

-       If you don’t have a dog that’s okay. You can volunteer your time at a local animal shelter. There are thousands of shelter dogs looking for a little exercise and human affection.

In honor of the dogs, we are offering 50% off ALL Rascodog products on National Dog Day!  That’s right, half off!!  Simply order as you would through our website, and you will receive the discount at checkout.

Happy National Dog Day!!

Photo Courtesy of Michael “Mike” L. Baird, bairdphotos.com flickr.bairdphotos.com

For city residents with dogs, finding a way to keep their dog and please their neighbor can be difficult.

Landlords don’t like the carpet stains, odor, scratches on doors, walls and windows and the possibility of incidents between tenants.

Neighbors hate the excessive barking, messes on the sidewalks and the possibility of being cornered by an unleashed escapee.

It’s tough living in the city and being a dog owner. It’s even tougher for the dog.

Last Friday, Radio Boston dedicated their show to the topic of dogs and the city. Experts and listeners debated about whether dogs should be living in the city, if there was available space and what dictates responsible owner-dog behavior.

You can listen to the full show here: http://www.radioboston.org/shows/2009/08/08/is-boston-going-to-the-dogs/

There were a couple of key points discussed during the hour that bear repeating.

• Owning a dog and living in the city does not become an issue until a dog starts causing trouble.

• Different stimuli exist between cities, suburbs and rural areas. Give a dog time to adjust to the noise, traffic and people.

• Some non-dog owners complain about the taxes they incur to pay for public dog-parks and off-leash hours.

• Statistics show a reduction in crime rates in areas where dogs are allowed and allotted time for off-leash activity. Human traffic of any kind decreases the risk that crime will occur, and many people consider their dog a form of security.

These are great things to consider when discussing if city life is conducive to a dog owner, but none of it matters if dog owners don’t act responsibly.

Cleaning up after dogs and keeping dogs on a leash, two things we know a lot about at Rascodog, are two of the biggest reasons why non-dog owners don’t like dogs! If people didn’t have to worry about stepping in poop when they walked down the sidewalk, they would probably be a lot more receptive to the idea of their neighbor the dog lover.

Dogs that bark frequently can also create tension between neighbors. The best way to deal with this problem is to make sure the dog has plenty of exercise. Remember that a tired dog is a happy dog. If a dog is properly trained and exercised regularly the chances of the dog causing trouble lessens. If you really want a dog but know you don’t have the time for intense exercise, consider adopting a senior dog. Their temperament is calmer than that of a puppy and their exercise needs considerably less rigorous.

Just because you don’t own a dog doesn’t mean you should be exempt from providing space for those who do have dogs as pets. Another way of looking at this is paying taxes for public schooling. Many dog owners have dogs instead of kids, but their taxes go towards funding public school programs. There should be give and take on both sides.

Now it’s poll time: [polldaddy poll="1868084"]

Check out these great blogs for resources and stories on how to choose an appropriate dog for apartment life (and things that might happens if you do…)

Dogs and Apartments

What Are Good Dog Breeds For People Who Live in Apartments?

Pet Source USA

Rescuer could loser her apartment

He Walked His Dogs All the Time

This morning, My Fox Boston (Fox25) interviewed Michelle and Jen of Durty Harry’s Do-It-Yourself Dog Wash (a Rascodog retailer)! Here are some pictures and check back later for the video!

You can win a free ReadyLeash by entering our Facebook sweepstakes. 

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!!

Honor your faithful companion and enter to win a free ReadyLeash!

At Rascodog, we try to make every day Take Your Dog to Work Day, but tomorrow (June 26) is the national Take Your Dog to Work Day. Sponsored by Pet Sitters International it is a way to recognize our favorite companions and promote pet adoptions around the country.

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!

[polldaddy poll="1714516"]

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.