Myah Is Squeaking For The First Time . . . Ever! Thanks To The Hartz Medium DuraPlay Ball!

The Good: Durable, Relatively inexpensive, Squeaker holds up surprisingly well, Myah plays with it!
The Bad: "Bacon" smell wears off pretty fast
The Basics: Myah actually plays with the Hartz Bacon Flavor Medium DuraPlay toy for dogs, which is a first for her!


Myah doesn't play. My middle aged Siberian Husky has never really been into playing with dog toys, despite the periodic attempts my wife and I make to entice her with new toys. Recently, my wife took Myah to play with a friend's dog and they had a good outing. Myah actually stole one of her new friend's toys and we were pretty shocked when Myah chewed apart the toy within two hours of bringing it home. Myah cracked the squeaker within the toy, rendering it useless. But the very fact that Myah wanted a toy encouraged us to try again with getting her a new toy. We picked her up a Hartz Bacon Flavor DuraPlay ball for dogs.

And Myah loves it!

The Bacon Flavor DuraPlay Medium Toy for dogs is a simple one; it is three inches in diameter and is textured with four veins that make it easier for the dog to hold it in her mouth. The Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy is a durable holllow latex ball made of a soft but enduring latex.

Hartz advertises the DuraPlay toy as being Bacon Scented. Within two days, the scent is completely gone from the toy. Myah's breath has not gotten fresher, nor has the DuraPlay toy retained its scent. On the flip side, Myah has been playing with the toy surprisingly constantly. Over the past two days, about every hour and a half for fifteen minutes to half an hour, we hear the toy squeaking! Myah has taken it upon herself to start playing with the toy and she has also responded to the DuraPlay for actually playing fetch!

One of the interesting aspects of the DuraPlay is that it can be punctured by dog teeth, but the squeaker inside remains unaffected! As a result, after more than two days of very constant play, the toy is mildly weathered, punctured, but still is holding up without any issues as far as its durability goes.

As well, the Hartz DuraPlay can be cleaned repeatedly with bleach (and have to be rinsed incredibly well) and dogs can be fairly rough with them. Easily the best toy for play that Myah has yet found, the Hartz DuraPlay holds up remarkably well and is well worth the $3.59 we found it at at our local grocery store!

For other Hartz Dog products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Chew 'N Clean Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy
Precious Pals Pink Teddy Bear
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy

2.5 /10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my Pet Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Hartz Has A Simple Winner With Their Mini Mice Cat Toys!

The Good: It seems to tap into everything a cat might love, Inexpensive
The Bad: Way too durable, so cats insist on playing with it forever!
The Basics: Hartz Mini Mice Cat Toys are so durable that Timber plays for hours with them and only stops when I have to take them away for my sanity!


For those who read my blog regularly, Gollum has matured a lot in the last few years and now, he enjoys relaxing more than he likes playing. I was worried that he was gaining some weight, but two things happened to stop him from gaining weight, remaining sedate, and keeping on what weight he did gain over the winter: we got Timber and Hartz Mini Mice Cat Toys. Between the two, Gollum is getting more active again, but the truth is the real story here is about Timber (for sure!). Timber is only four years old and he seems exceptionally happy to have a loving family now. So, we quickly found that Gollum’s old toys were not going to be enough for our rambunctious new cat. Fortunately, the Hartz Mini Mice Cat Toys have come to our rescue.

The Mini Mice comes in a three pack for $1.00 and has three mice – their color seems to vary with each of the packs. This is basically a little cotton-filled mouse-shaped wedge covered in an incredibly well-stitched cotton cloth exterior. The mouse is two inches long with a string tail that extends an additional two inches. The toy has two felt eyes glued on (they usually last two to three days with active playing) and felt ears and thread whiskers that last for not much longer than the eyes. The tail might get chewed up pretty fast, but the main body is incredibly durable and that seems to be enough for Timber.

This would seem to be a simple enough toy; one squeezes the mouse, which is enough to get Timber’s attention, throws the mouse and one's cat leaps after it. Timber brings it back immediately and if I have managed to keep Timber away from it, even Gollum will bring it back to me. I frequently find Timber playing with his mice on his own, but far more often, Timber will find his mouse, carry it in his mouth to wherever I am sitting and doing work, drop it and look at me expectantly. Timber, alas, never seems to get tired of catching, retrieving and returning with these mice and they are up to the task. After a month of play, not one has been torn up by his claws to be rendered unusable!

And poor Gollum! If I toss the mouse too close to Gollum, he will look at it like he wants to get in on the fun, but Timber will pounce on it and growl at Gollum like Gollum used to do to Brillo back in the day! Yes, the Mini Mice Cat toy makes energetic cats downright psycho and territorial! The only way Gollum ever has a chance to play with this toy is when Timber is locked in a separate room. Sadly, that is very hard to do and requires a coordinated effort on the part of my wife and myself.

This is one of those toys that seems to continue the Pounce tradition of classic conditioning (this is in no way associated with Pounce treats) as children, er, cats who play with this toy seem to respond to the sound regardless of when it comes up. This means, if I am trying to clean the house and one of the Mini Mice is in my way, if I toss it, Timber will appear out of nowhere to retrieve it. Whenever I squeeze this toy, Timber comes running.

The nice thing is that at $1.00 for a three pack, these are inexpensive and with a play life well over a month and a half, they certainly become a value in the long run.

In fact, all I don't like about them is the effect it has on my cat. Timber cries constantly whenever he knocks the toy under the oven or the refrigerator. He'll sit and meow plaintively until I come and retrieve it for him. That’s fine . . . except at 2 A.M. when I am sleeping. That doesn’t stop Timber. Then, Timber will knock it back under the appliances! Also, there have been several mornings where I was awakened to Timber pouncing on me and dropping this mouse toy onto me and waiting for me to throw it.

It's a great toy and I suspect most cats will love this as a lifelong plaything, especially if they get one at an early age!

For other Hartz products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Precious Pals Pink Teddy Bear
Crunch 'n Clean Savory Dog Biscuits
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy

10/10

For other pet products, please visit my index page!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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It May Still Smell Like Bacon, But Myah Won’t Play With The Hartz Chew ‘N Clean Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy!

The Good: Durable, Relatively inexpensive, Smell endures
The Bad: Myah pretty adamantly refuses to play with it or chew on it.
The Basics: Myah does not play with the Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy Chew ‘N Clean toy, even though if she did it could help her dental health!


I am a fan of Hartz products, both their foods and their toys. However, I have yet to find a company where they produce 100% winners. Unfortunately, Myah found a lemon from Hartz with their Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy. The Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy has a number of very worthwhile traits to it, but the fact that Myah adamantly refuses to play with or chew on the toy. While my wife and I both worked at a pet store and saw numerous dogs playing with these toys on a daily basis, our five year-old Siberian Husky, Myah, did not,

The Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy is a simple one; it is five and a half inches long, one and five-eighths inches wide and 1 1/8” thick. The Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy is a durable nylon toy that is bone-shaped and made of a hard white nylon. The center portion of the toy is purple and significantly textured, for cleaning teeth. That center portion smells very much like bacon and even after five months, Myah has only played with the toy twice.

Myah is almost five years old, but she is very rambunctious and eager to play. But, no matter how many times I get out this toy Myah does not play with it or show interest in chewing on it.

Having had other experiences with the Chew ‘N Clean toys, I know that they are exceptionally durable. They can be cleaned repeatedly with bleach (and have to be rinsed incredibly well) and dogs can be exceptionally rough with them. Myah, however, has a Chew ‘N Clean Bacon Flavor Durable Chew Toy that shows no wear whatsoever because she refuses to play with it.

Arguably the only dud I’ve yet found from Hartz’s dog toy line, the Chew ‘N Clean toy is one Myah just does not want.

For other Hartz Dog products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Precious Pals Pink Teddy Bear
Crunch 'n Clean Savory Dog Biscuits
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy

2.5 /10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my Pet Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Outside The Delivery System, Hartz's UltraGuard Ear Mite Treatment For Cats Works!

The Good: Effective at killing ear mites, Inexpensive, Does not irritate cat’s skin!
The Bad: Very hard to apply usefully.
The Basics: Gollum hates having medicine put in his ears about as much as he hates ear mites, so applying Hartz Ultra Guard Ear Mite Treatment For Cats is very difficult.


For all of the years that I had both Brillo and Gollum, I cleaned their ears with ear swabs about once a month. For one reason or another, utterly beyond my ken, Gollum has started getting ear mites (recognizable from the thick, black waxy build-up in his ears) far more regularly since we moved to Michigan. He is an indoor only cat, yet since moving at the end of August, I have seen him rubbing his ears far more often and his ears have gotten clogged much faster (which, at its most extreme, makes him howl and throws off his balance). So, my wife picked up some Hartz Ultra Guard Ear Mite Treatment For Cats for Gollum.

Hartz Ultra Guard Ear Mite Treatment For Cats is a great, inexpensive medicine for cats. Instead of simply removing the waxy build-up, which is the effect of the ear mites, Hartz Ultra Guard Ear Mite Treatment For Cats kills the ear mites and prevents the cat from reacting to the ear mites. Hartz provides three .101 fluid ounce tubes of ear mite treatment. Each treatment is supposed to have 100 drops and for Gollum’s weight, he is supposed to get 5 – 10 drops per day, per ear. That gets Gollum a one week regimen of ear mite treatments.

And it works.

Within a week, Gollum’s ears are mite free and he no longer has thick, dark wax building up in his ears!

Unfortunately, the treatment itself is very hard to use to get the results one wants and get the value out of the product. Dripping the drops into the ear canal wakes Gollum up (when he is asleep and I begin applying the medicine) almost instantly. He then shakes his head vigorously to get the fluid out of his ears. This usually wastes at least two drops worth of medicine. And, while the directions recommend one massage the medicine into the ears (which I do), usually Gollum shakes his head before I can massage the medicine in (I only have so many hands!). Moreover, Gollum flattens down his ears to try to prevent me from applying the medicine in the other ear. By day three of treatment, Gollum is skittish around me and runs from me when I try to apply it.

Hartz has a good, effective product and while I usually rail against the lack of environmentalism of disposable products, the company might do better to create something like an ear swab that is drenched in the treatment to improve the delivery of this medicine. While that might “waste” ear swabs, less medicine would be wasted and it could be delivered much more directly, without scaring cats as much!

Still, it is hard to argue with the way Hartz Ultra Guard Ear Mite Treatment For Cats actually kills ear mites without irritating the skin of cats’ ears.

For other cat care products, please visit my reviews of:
Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm cat treats
SmartyKat Catnip Mist Catnip-Infused Spray
Sergeant's Coconut Berry Flea & Tick Shampoo For Cats

8/10

For other cat product reviews, please check out my Cat Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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One Of Gollum’s Consistent Favorites, Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm Cat Treats Continue To Delight!

The Good: Gollum loves them, Helps maintain my cat’s oral health!
The Bad: Could use more in the bag for the price!
The Basics: Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm treats are good teeth for maintaining feline oral health, though they are by no means the least expensive!


I enjoy, as a reviewer, being able to take the time to differentiate between paying for a name brand, i.e. buying the label, and a brand that actually delivers on the quality it promises. Hartz is a brand that offers cat food, toys, and treats for a mid-range price, relative to its competitors. Whereas with most cat treats that tout all-natural ingredients seem vastly overpriced to me and the cheapest treats tend not to have all of the benefits I want for my cat, Gollum, Hartz delivers on its promises and provides great benefits at a reasonable price. So, with the Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm cat treats, I manage to get a treat Gollum legitimately enjoys and I am happy to provide him with given their incredible dental benefits. The only real drawback I have found for them is that they are a little more expensive for the quantity delivered; Gollum and I always find ourselves wishing there were more in a pouch!

Basics

Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm cat treats are crunchy little treats that come in three flavors. The salmon flavored treats are 9/16” long, 3/8" wide and 3/16” thick and are shaped like little fish, with a red belly. The turkey flavored treats in the bag are heart-shaped, 7/16” wide, 1/2” tall and 3/16” thick with a green center. The chicken treats also have a green center and look vaguely chicken (or paw) shaped and are 1/2” wide and tall and 3/16” thick. Opening the green Hartz bag, which is resealable, the aroma that is released is more like grain and fish. It does not have an unpleasant or very strong scent at all.

Ease Of Preparation

The Hartz Fish & Farm Crunch ‘N Clean treats are a treat, so preparation is as easy as opening the resealable bag and removing a few of treats. I, occasionally, mix a few of the treats in with Gollum’s food, but otherwise, he gets five to ten of these whenever I feed him them!

Gollum’s Reaction

Gollum eagerly hunts for the Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm treats whenever I open the bag. He illustrates no preference between the salmon, chicken or turkey flavors, but he does exhibit a strong preference for these treats versus most other treats I have fed him. Ironically, there are a few bargain brands he will go for before the Hartz Fish & Farm Crunch ‘N Clean treats, but compared to any of the mid-range or expensive treats, Gollum loves his Hartz snacks!.

Nutrition

The package recommends two 5 treat servings a day and Gollum gets about that. As a result, I usually go through about one 3 oz. bag in about two weeks, so for the price, it is understandable why we are always looking for more! The pouches I bought most recently do not expire until the end of November of this year, so this is a decent treat to stock up on.

Moreover, the Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm treats are very healthy. With a minimum of 25% crude protein and 8% crude fat, but no more than 4% crude fiber and 10% moisture, these treats have a lot of nutritional benefits for Gollum. It turns out, he apparently finds healthy delicious when the product is made primarily of corn flour, chicken meal, and wheat flour! Given that these treats are loaded with Zinc, Vitamins A and E, and Taurine, Gollum is getting a lot of nutrients while keeping his teeth clean.

In fact, the teeth cleaning benefits of the Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm are a key selling point that Hartz lives up to on this product. Gollum, who is over ten years old now, has immaculately clean teeth, in part because of treats like the Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm. The Hartz treats have Hartz’s DentaShield and are a harder treat, which necessitates Gollum’s chewing to break them apart. That helps clean the teeth and provide a barrier to new plaque formation. And it does appear to work; Gollum has not had any new plaque or tartar build-up since he started eating these treats, three months ago!

Overview

The Hartz Crunch ‘N Clean Fish & Farm cat treats are one of Gollum’s favorites and for maintaining oral health for your cat, it is hard to imagine a better treat . . . unless there were more!

For other Harts cat products and/or cat treats, please check out my reviews of:
Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy
Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy
Friskies Party Mix Wild West Crunch Beef, Liver, & Cheddar flavor cat treats

7.5/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my Pet Review Index Page!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Does Myah Have A New Favorite? The Orange Monkey Precious Pals Toy Gets A Lot Of Play From Her!

The Good: Durable, Comparatively inexpensive, Squeaker holds up, Myah plays with very actively!
The Bad: None!
The Basics: Myah is very rough and actively plays with the Orange Monkey Precious Pals toy and that it has held up is extraordinary!


When my wife and I found the pile of Hartz Precious Pals dog toys, we were thrilled because our Siberian Husky, Myah, came to us with a Pink Teddy Bear (reviewed here!) dog toy that she had mothered and clearly loved for years. We were worried about Teddy wearing out and Myah becoming despondent. Fortunately, that is no longer an issue as Myah now has an entire tribe of Precious Pals to play with! Along with the half-dozen Pink Bear toys we picked up, my wife got Myah one each of the Blue Dog (reviewed here!) and Orange Monkey toys. The Orange Monkey surprised us pretty much instantly by becoming one of Myah’s very favorite, most played-with dog toys!

The Stuffed Monkey toy is a simple one; it is nine inches tall, seven and three-quarters inches wide (the way his arms flop out!). The Orange Monkey stuffed Stuffed Monkey has a round plush body, two floppy arms, two floppy legs with large feet, and a tail that is virtually unstuffed. The little ears on the Orange Monkey Precious Pals are sewn on and durable. The nose is furry and the embroidery for the smile and eyes are quality stitching.

Myah is almost five years old, but she is very rambunctious and eager to play. Myah usually does not like us to activate the squeaker on the Precious Pals (every other toy, she’s fine with that and when she sets it off, that’s fine, but if we squeeze the toy to elicit a squeak, she starts bawling and comes to rescue her Precious Pals) but it does contain a squeaker in its belly. When squeezed, the squeaker sounds just like a clown nose in a high pitch. It is distinctive and brings Myah running!

What impressed me most about the Precious Pals toy is how durable it is. The squeaker cannot be punctured easily. Myah has pushed, bit, and thrown the toy around excessively and the squeaker does not break.

Cleaning the Orange Monkey Precious Pals is fairly easy. Washing a saliva-covered Orange Monkey Precious Pals in cold water gets it clean and it may be air dried or dried in a dryer on low heat (to prevent the squeaker from melting). This is pretty much like any stuffed animal, but it should not be put in the dryer on higher settings, lest the squeaker inside become more brittle or melt.

Myah plays with Orange Monkey Precious Pals, but she does not mother it like the Pink Bear. This makes it a great play toy that Myah has proven an eagerness to play with!

For other Hartz Dog products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Crunch 'n Clean Savory Dog Biscuits
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy

10/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Myah Is Rougher With The Blue Dog Precious Pals . . . But It Holds Up!

The Good: Durable, Comparatively inexpensive, Squeaker holds up!
The Bad: Myah is slightly less inclined to play with than the Pink Teddy!
The Basics: Myah actually plays with the Blue Dog Precious Pals toy, but not as much as she dotes upon the Pink Bears!


It is interesting to me sometimes how much sentimentality plays into the quality of an object. Objectively, there is little difference between the Blue Dog stuffed Precious Pals toy and the Pink Bear Precious Palls stuffed dog toys. And yet, my dog Myah, who came to us with the Pink Bear (reviewed here!) is a bit more neutral to the Blue Dog. The Blue Dog is pretty wonderful and inexpensive, but she just does not play with it as she does with the Pink Bear.

The Stuffed Dog toy is a simple one; it is eight inches tall, eight and a half inches wide. The Blue Dog stuffed Stuffed Dog has a round plush body, two floppy arms and two floppy legs with large feet. The little ears on the Blue Dog Precious Pals are sewn on and durable. The nose is furry and the embroidery for the smile and eyes are quality stitching.

Myah is almost five years old, but she is very rambunctious and eager to play. Myah usually does not like us to activate the squeaker on the Precious Pals (every other toy, she’s fine with that and when she sets it off, that’s fine, but if we squeeze the toy to elicit a squeak, she starts bawling and comes to rescue Teddy!), but it does contain a squeaker in its belly. When squeezed, the squeaker sounds just like a clown nose in a high pitch. It is distinctive and brings Myah running!

What impressed me most about the Precious Pals toy is how durable it is. The squeaker cannot be punctured easily. Myah has pushed, bit, and thrown the toy around and the squeaker does not break.

Cleaning the Blue Dog Precious Pals is fairly easy. Washing a saliva-covered Blue Dog Precious Pals in cold water gets it clean and it may be air dried or dried in a dryer on low heat (to prevent the squeaker from melting). This is pretty much like any stuffed animal, but it should not be put in the dryer on higher settings, lest the squeaker inside become more brittle or melt.

Myah plays with Blue Dog Precious Pals, but she does not mother it like the Pink Bear. This makes it a good play toy, but one that she is not protective toward. While that is generally good, that she cares less to play with or be around this particular toy makes it just a little harder to enthusiastically endorse.

For other Hartz dog products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Crunch 'n Clean Savory Dog Biscuits
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy

10/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Myah’s Favorite Toy Is The One That Came With Her: The Hartz Precious Pals Teddy Bear!

The Good: Durable, Comparatively inexpensive, Myah loves it, Squeaker hold up!
The Bad: None that I can find!
The Basics: Myah came to us with a Precious Pals toy that has held up for almost four years and is perfect!


When Myah, our Siberian Husky, came to live with my wife and I, she came with a few accessories. Perhaps the most significant was her Teddy. Teddy is a Hartz teddy bear that turns out to be from the Precious Pals toy line. During the brief time I had an association with Hartz (they sent me some toys for review last year and then I heard nothing from them after I posted those reviews), my wife asked me to look into tracking down exactly what Teddy was. Her concern, as we had found Myah mothering Teddy frequently, was that if Teddy wore out, Myah would experience loss that we could not help her with. Despite having the Hartz tag, none of the representatives at Hartz could help us place Teddy and we could not find the stuffed dog toy in the Hartz database.

Flashforward to now, almost a year later. My wife and I have moved to Michigan and the only toy Myah wanted up front in the Uhaul for the trip was Teddy. She had Teddy, a duck jerky snack to keep her busy (reviewed here!) and plenty of water for the thirteen hour trip that ended up taking us more than fifteen hours. Right after the move, while my wife and I were getting supplies for our new place, she had us check the dog aisle at the local store for some new snacks for Myah. As she looked at toys, I stood in shock behind her. When she noticed me looking funny, I simply said, “Look down.” She did and I was absolutely amazed that she did not instantly see what I did. There at the store was a pile of Teddy’s! Hartz couldn’t help us track them down, but eight months later, there was a pile of them at the store. As it turns out, they are Hartz Precious Pals Teddy Bear toy.

So, my wife bought the entire pile so Myah will never run out. While I agreed with the move, I was shocked one night when my wife became bored and overwhelmed poor Myah with the four replacement Teddy’s and the other two Precious Pals toys she picked up for Myah!

The Stuffed Teddy Bear toy is a simple one; it is nine inches tall, six inches wide. The Pink Bear stuffed Teddy Bear has a round plush body, two floppy arms and two floppy legs with large feet. The little ears on the Pink Bear Precious Pals are sewn on and durable. The nose, as it turns out is more furry than Myah’s aged Teddy, but the embroidery for the smile and eyes has held up over the years to look the same as the new ones we just bought! The Pink Bear Precious Pals toy has a 6” floppy tail that is like a little sock.

Myah is almost five years old, but she is very rambunctious and eager to play. Myah usually does not like us to activate the squeaker on the Precious Pals (every other toy, she’s fine with that and when she sets it off, that’s fine, but if we squeeze the toy to elicit a squeak, she starts bawling and comes to rescue Teddy!), but it does contain a squeaker in its belly. When squeezed, the squeaker sounds just like a clown nose in a high pitch. It is distinctive and brings Myah running!

What impressed me most about the Precious Pals toy is how durable it is. The squeaker cannot be punctured easily. Myah has had her initial Pink Bear Precious Pals for years and she has pushed, bit, and thrown the toy around (in addition to protecting and mothering it) and the squeaker does not break. Moreover, we’ve put the Pink Bear through the washer and dryer at least once now to be sure Myah isn’t dragging the toy around to the point that it gets unhealthy, filthy, and gross. The Precious Pals toy seems virtually indestructible, making is a very good investment for those of us with active dogs. This seems like it would be a toy that could be easily destroyed by a dog, but because Myah has not tried – she mothers it more than she plays with it – I can authoritatively say it is durable. More aggressive dogs would be able to rip this apart easily.

Cleaning the Pink Bear Precious Pals is fairly easy. Washing a saliva-covered Pink Bear Precious Pals in cold water gets it clean and it may be air dried or dried in a dryer on low heat (to prevent the squeaker from melting). This is pretty much like any stuffed animal, but it should not be put in the dryer on higher settings, lest the squeaker inside become more brittle.

Myah absolutely loves her Pink Bear Precious Pals and now, thanks to random luck, she has enough to last her a lifetime.

For other Hartz dog products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Crunch 'n Clean Savory Dog Biscuits
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy

10/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Three Strikes In One Box: Myah Inexplicably Rejects Hartz’s Crunch ‘N Clean Savory Flavors Dog Treats!

The Good: Healthy, Decent dental benefit for dogs, Good ingredients, Affordable
The Bad: Myah seems determined not to eat these.
The Basics: Despite having so very much working in their favor, Myah refuses to treat Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog treats as an actual treat!


I feel the need, right away, to make two disclaimers at the outset of my review of Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog biscuits. The first is that, against all odds, my amazing Siberian Husky, Myah, refuses to eat these treats. We started trying to feed these to Myah about three days before she went into heat and, even then, she was not keen on them. I do not believe this has to do with her being in heat, but I’m the farthest thing from an expert on dogs that there is. So, disclaimer #1 is this: I’m going to keep trying with Myah and these treats after she comes out of heat and if she shows more of an inclination to them then, I will gladly revise this review. Until then, however, the rating at the bottom represents the very highest rating I can give a product that has so many benefits, but that Myah absolutely refuses to eat.

Disclaimer number two is this. Around Thanksgiving last year, Hartz generously sent Myah and Gollum a care package chock full of Hartz products for review. These treats were not provided by Hartz and the evaluation of them is unbiased by either the past generosity of Hartz or the lack of current incentives from Hartz. This is a pure review of the Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog biscuits.

While we were in Michigan recently, my wife picked up a box of Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavor dog biscuits, ostensibly because I was far too generous in giving Myah and her friend Hefner the Milk-Bone MaroSnacks (reviewed here!) that we purchased before the trip. The box of Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog treats was remarkably affordable; we picked up the box for only $2.50 on sale.

My wife picked up the 26 oz. box of Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors and, at the time, we were impressed by how inexpensive they were. After all, these were significantly less expensive than a comparable-sized box of Milk-Bone dog biscuits. At best, I can suggest that they are so inexpensive because dogs might not be impressed by them. Myah, who is used to getting treats when she comes in from outside or responds to basic commands, refused to eat these. I have seen her fall asleep with one of these treats on her paw and wake up in the morning and not eat it when she discovers it! I have never seen her behave that way toward any other dog treat!

The Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog treats are bone-shaped dog biscuits and the 26 oz. box comes with three flavors. This box has Braised Beef (dark brown), Rotisserie Chicken (tan with green textured bits in it), and Smokehouse Bacon (rusty red). I was shocked by how the Braised Beef and Rotisserie Chicken did not smell like the meat they were based on. In fact, they had almost no aroma and that might have contributed to Myah’s apathy toward the snacks. The Smokehouse Bacon flavor has a very, very faint salty, greasy, bacon scent that smells like actual bacon. For the most part, though, opening a box of Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors does not bring the animals running toward the delicious smell. There is no delicious smell from these! Each snack is 2 1/2" long by 1 1/16" wide by 9/16" thick. The surface of each bone is slightly rough with an indented HARTZ stamped into each one. All three flavors are very hard.

The solid quality of the Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog biscuits helps physically remove plaque and other build-up from dog’s teeth. When Myah actually ate these bones, her teeth actually looked cleaner when she was done and Myah’s breath was marginally better as a result. Knowing there is a clear dental benefit for these treats helped me rate them higher; these treats help minimize the need to brush your dog’s teeth and can save money at the vet’s.

The Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog treats are rather healthy. With at least 15% crude protein, 4% crude fat and no more than 4% crude fiber and 12% moisture, the Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors offer some decent nutrition to dogs. With 45 calories per biscuit, these could be an energizing snack for your dog . . . if they will eat them! Made primarily of wheat flour, ground whole wheat and chicken meal, Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors contain various fats before the ingredient list becomes a vast chemistry equation of preservatives. The preservatives made it so the box we bought at the beginning of May would not expire until August 9, 2013 (and given how disinclined toward them Myah is, they just might last that long!). As with all dog treats, it is highly recommended that when you give your dog Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors, you make sure they have a decent supply of clean water available. Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors treats are not intended to replace dog food.

Ultimately, Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Savory Flavors dog biscuits have a lot of benefits, but they are absolutely sunk by the fact that my dog will only eat them after she has exhausted every other option . . . and fasted for a while to be sure of that!

For other Hartz dog products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Hartz Angry Birds Flyer
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy
Hartz Quackers Dog Toy

4/10

For other pet products, be sure to visit my Pet Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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The Hartz Angry Birds Flyer Dog Toy Gets Dogs And Their Owners Playing!

The Good: Soft so it does not hurt dogs, Durable for play, Easy to clean, Fun
The Bad: Squeaker is very difficult to activate
The Basics: My wife and I eagerly engaged Myah with the Hartz Angry Birds Flyer Dog Toy and had some mixed results.


As I reach the end of the box of products that Hartz provided me for review, I come to the Hartz Angry Birds Flyer dog toy. This was the product that, when I saw it in the box, I was most excited about playing with Myah with. The Hartz Angry Birds Flyer is basically a glorified Frisbee for dogs, but I instantly though it was cool when I saw it. Unfortunately, while my wife and I played with it with Myah, it was a dog toy that was very hard to keep Myah engaged with.

The Angry Birds Flyer is a 10” in diameter disk that has plush faces in the center. The outer ring is stiff, but flexible and by the sense of touch it implies a wire beneath the polyester surface. The surface of the Flyer is rougher than most the Hartz Angry Birds plush products, reminding one of burlap. Myah did not seem to mind the way the Flyer felt. In fact, she eagerly pulled the Flyer out of her toy box and began jerking it around in her mouth. When she did that, we figured it was a good time to take her outside and do our product testing with her.

The Angry Birds Flyer is red on one side, puke green on the other. The red side is the iconic red Angry Bird and it features a bright yellow beak. The eyes for the bird are silkscreened on, as opposed to embroidered. One suspects with extensive play, these will eventually wear off, but after a few hours of play, they have not chipped or degraded yet! The green side of the Flyer is the malicious pig that captures the birds in the Angry Birds game. It has a lighter green snout that has nostrils silkscreened on it as well as bright white eyes.

My wife and I took Myah outside and began tossing the Flyer between us, with Myah in the middle. She was instantly eager to chase the Flyer and we let her catch it several times and intercept it (just knocking it down) a few additional times. After the first fifteen minutes, though, Myah was done with it. No amount of coaxing would get her to play with us. That did not stop my wife and I from continuing to play with the Flyer.

We were tossing the Flyer between us for half an hour before we discovered the squeaker! The Flyer does have a Squeaker that is activated by pressing the red bird’s forehead. The squeaker is arguably the best protected squeaker of any dog toy I have ever encountered. While this is great for durability, it is unfortunately bad for play. I write that because while we were able to entice Myah into playing for a minute after we found the squeaker, that was it. Myah batted down the Flyer and began leaping upon it. Even with her thirty-five pound frame jumping on the Flyer and smacking at it, she was not able to set off the squeaker once. After that, she lost interest in it.

The Flyer is a well-made toy, though. In tossing the Angry Birds Flyer between us after Myah had given up, my wife and I had a lot of fun. We also discovered that the Flyer is very well made for big dogs. Myah began sniffing around while my wife and I played and in the process, my wife beaned Myah once in the side with the Flyer. The Angry Birds Flyer is flexible enough that Myah barely reacted to having it (accidentally) tossed into her side. That level of durability and cushioning is impressive.

Also cool is that the Angry Birds Flyer is very easy to clean. As an indoor/outdoor toy intended for a dog to bite at, this Flyer could get dirty fast. My wife and I were playing with Myah outside on a day after it had rained two days prior. Between dog saliva and mud, our Flyer should have been filthy, but it washed off very fast and was dry within six hours!

I was tempted, I’ll admit, to knock this toy up to a 6/10. The toy has great playability and durability, which are exceptionally important for dog toys for large dogs. I couldn’t justify the theoretical, though; in actuality, Myah was not consistently engaged by the Hartz Angry Birds Flyer dog toy, making it a tougher sell than it should be.

For other Hartz animal products, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy
Hartz Quackers Dog Toy
Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy

5/10

For other pet product reviews, please check out my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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When I Thought Hartz Had A Dud, Gollum Proved Me Wrong! The Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy!

The Good: Soft, Bright colors stimulates cat, Easy to clean, Comparatively inexpensive.
The Bad: The play function is hit or miss, A little large for smaller cats.
The Basics: The Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy initially did not grab me or Gollum, but when I wasn’t around, Gollum started playing with it!


When I received a box of products for product testing from Hartz, I was initially glad to see the Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy. Actually, it was a dark sense of joy. The thing is, whenever I start a new relationship with a company wherein they provide me with products for review, I always hope they will send me something I can outright pan. That’s not me being mean; I just like to retain my objectivity and nothing says “I’m not bought!” like a right panning of a freebee. So, when I saw the Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy in the box, I thought that I had my product to pan. Gollum has a similar toy at the bottom of his toy chest that he never plays with. It was my mother’s rabbit’s and then Brillo’s and Gollum has since inherited it. In the last four years, he has played with that toy once, if that. So, I had predictably low expectations for the Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy.

Then, Gollum surprised me. The Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy did not fare well during the initial testing with Gollum. But this morning, when I went to get the toy to bring with me, I discovered it was gone from Gollum’s toy box. Gollum went into his toy box, dragged the Running Bird cat toy out and brought it back to his sleeping area where he only has his coveted Krinkle Mouse (reviewed here!). When I took the Running Bird toy with me this morning, Gollum looked upset. So, despite the initial play experience, Gollum has clearly gotten attached and has been playing with the toy on his own without me!

The Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy is a 4” (beak to tail) long plush yellow Angry Bird. It is2 1/4” wide and 3” tall to the top of its black felt plume. This Angry Bird is the yellow liberating bird and Hartz faithfully recreates the animated hero with a yellow body, bright yellow beak, white belly and black felt tail and plume. This Angry Bird has eyes and furrowed red eyebrows embroidered on and that is nice; the eyes cannot come off and potentially hurt your cat. The Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy is made of polyester fiber, including the felted plume and tail.

The plush Angry Bird has a hard core and that is the selling point for this particular Angry Bird. The play function is very simple. Pulling on the bird’s tail, the toy lets out a 3” nylon cord. When the tail is released, the Angry Bird is supposed to run. On a flat surface, mine went in a circle with a 6” radius for about five seconds before its capacity was exhausted. On the carpeted floor, the Angry Bird pretty much just vibrates, just like the little toy my mom’s rabbit used to have. And while Brillo liked that, Gollum seemed less wowed by it.

Eager to do real product testing with Gollum, I took my newly-fearless cat out to the linoleum floors and set the Hartz Angry Birds Running Bird Cat Toy off. Gollum watched it. He watched it when it moved a few inches across the floor, he watched it when it stopped moving and just vibrated in place, he watched it. I think Gollum likes the bright colors of the little plush. But, the play function – the running function – did not wow Gollum, even though he had been in a play mood (thanks to one of the other toys Hartz sent!).

The fact that I got consistent results when setting the Running Bird toy off for Gollum makes the argument that Hartz has made a quality product. The Running Bird moves a few inches each time it is activated and set on a surface that is smooth. But Gollum was not impressed by that function and he did not play with it while it moved.

However, Gollum has played with the Running Bird toy on his own. He bats it around and wrestles with it, so he is getting use out of it. It is durable and while he has clawed at it once or twice, the plush surface of the Running Bird has not torn. Similarly, it “ran” a bit close to the refrigerator and got dusty, but was very easy to clean off with just a damp cloth.

Hartz does not have a dud on its hands with the Angry Birds Running Bird cat toy. Gollum plays with it, though he is not engaged by the movement function. As a result, this might well be a product that was simply overthought! On the plus side, should whatever mechanics make the Running Bird run or vibrate actually give out, my cat will still play with this little plush! Fans of Angry Birds will enjoy bombarding their cat with this toy, though Hartz has some better ones on the market.

For other pet products by Hartz, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Angry Birds Red Bird Plush Toy With Sound Chip
Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy
Quackers Dog Toy

5/10

For other pet products, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Myah Got Excited About The Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball With Sound Chip Dog Toy!

The Good: Durable, Myah responded very well to it, Limited edition, Easy to clean
The Bad: Slightly more expensive than comparable dog toys.
The Basics: Hartz has a winner with its new Angry Birds line with the Plush Ball with sound chip dog toy of the red Angry Bird!


When Hartz contacted me after they read my review of the Quackers dog toy (that’s here!), I was very excited. It is very exciting to have my writing recognized and to be encouraged to write more reviews based on the quality of the reviews I have already done. So, when the representative informed me that I would be getting a box of the brand new Angry Birds doy and cat toys to test with Myah and Gollum, I was very excited. I was also a little wary and I tried to encourage Hartz to send something else that might be new in addition to the Angry Birds toys. The reason for that was simple: I understand in the real world, licensing fees drive up the price of products. In order to use the trendy, cool Angry Birds to sell pet products, Hartz must pay Rovio for the rights to use the Angry Birds. What that does is drive up the price of a toy a few cents to a few dollars in order to accommodate the license fees. While the first new product I reviewed from Hartz, the Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy (reviewed here!) was a value and did not appear to be priced more than similar wand toys, the Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball with sound chip dog toy is a little more than comparable dog toys. That price difference drives the value down just a little bit.

Even so, the Angry Birds Plush Ball with sound chip is a very cool dog toy. Myah, our four year old Siberian Husky responded to it instantly. As we opened the box from Hartz and carefully removed the contents, Myah rushed in and grabbed the red Angry Birds Plush Ball. While my bias is toward suggesting that whether the toy is Angry Birds (for the dollar or two more it runs compared to other Hartz dog toys of similar size, shape and feature) or not, the dog will play with it, Myah displayed an instant preference for this toy. In fact, I have gotten many packages of many different type products delivered to the house and this is the first time Myah has ever shoved her way in and taken something. In other words, Myah knew the Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball with sound chip was for her, even before I could tell her or remove the tags!

The Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball with sound chip dog toy is a very cool toy and it makes me glad that I do not have children. How Myah knew it was a dog toy and not a child’s plush is a mystery to me, so I suspect that dogs that do not like to share their toys with children and children who do not like to share their toys with dogs might have some conflict! This plush is a 4 3/4” tall by 4 1/2” wide by 6” deep (tip of the beak to the tip of the black flexible tail feather area) red Angry Bird. Anyone who has played Angry Birds or seen the massive advertising or merchandising campaigns built around Angry Birds will recognize the iconic red Angry Bird. Made of polyester, the plush ball bird is intended for dogs twenty pounds and above, which Myah easily qualifies for. The Angry Bird plush ball with sound chip is predominately red, with a yellow beak, brown belly and black tail feathers. The tail feathers are plush as well, not actual feathers, so the plush is solidly built with no parts that will easily detach. The Angry Birds’ eyes are under the trademarked furrowed brow of the red Angry Bird and they are embroidered on, so this toy will not easily become something unrecognizable! There are no parts that will break off, which is important for toys for big dogs.

Hartz designed this product to last! Myah almost immediately got to playing with it. Unlike some of the toys that she gets that she hoards and and puts in her pile near her bed, the Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball with Sound Chip got her playing the moment we removed the tag from it. She began to pounce on it, shake it around with it in her mouth and catch it when we would activate the sound chip and toss it to her. We noticed no difference in her eagerness to play with it based upon whether or not the sound chip was active, until the last fifteen minutes of play with her. After forty-five straight minutes of playing with the toy, Myah began to get tuckered out. So, we would activate the sound chip and she became engaged again. Then, when she was playing with it on her own, she would bat it and set the sound chip off and flail the toy again.

The sound chip is located in the top of the red Angry Birds’ head. Right above the descending eyebrows, there is a hard cylindrical device inside the plush toy. Pressing the cylinder causes it to emit the trademark Angry Birds grumble and bomb sound. This higher pitched sound stimulated Myah and led her to bat the toy around more.

Myah played with the Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball with sound chip for an hour straight the first day and as a result, it got pretty well drenched from her mouth. The sound chip and electronics showed no sign of being affected by the moisture. Moreover, she had some gravy on her dog food before playing and when I began to set off the sound chip for Myah, I noticed some had been transferred to the dog toy. The gravy wiped right off, so this was very easy to clean. The second day Myah had this, she played with it for about half an hour, but this morning when I removed the plush from her toy pile to take with me for review, she growled, so she is already attached to it and it seems clear that she is fond of it.

Fans of Angry Birds have the chance to get their canine friends into the action with the Hartz Angry Birds Plush Ball with sound chip dog toy. It is durable, cute, easy to clean and when the fad fades, this might be one of the Angry Bird items that actually has some collectible value. Certainly for the enjoyment a pet and owner will get out of this, the extra dollars are worth it.

For other dog products, please visit my reviews of:
Vroom Around The Room Dog Laser
Senior Greenies
Kong Medium Classic Dog Toy

8/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Hartz Wins Me Over With The Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy!

The Good: Durable, Gollum loves it, Comparatively inexpensive
The Bad: None that I can find!
The Basics: Gollum completely came out of his shell to play with the Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy, making me very happy!


Recently, I reviewed the Hartz Quackers dog toy (reviewed here!) and that review drew the attention of the fine folks at the Hartz Company. When they contacted me about sending products to me for review, I mentioned that I had a cat, Gollum, who also helps with the product testing. I challenged them to send a cat toy along that would actually get Gollum out. I was excited about all of the dog products Hartz sent for Myah to review, but the standout was for Gollum. Far and away, the new Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy is the best new cat toy Gollum and I have found!

For those who do not follow my many reviews, two months ago, my wife and I got a Siberian Husky named Myah. Myah is four years old now and about five times the size of Gollum. Before Myah's arrival, Gollum had run of the house and was occasionally a jerk. But, he was playful and he had a lot of fun playing with the cat laser I have for him (reviewed here!). But even the cat laser could not draw Gollum out, probably because he started looking at the source (in my hand) as opposed to the laser dots projected wherever I aimed the toy. Gollum has spent the past two months in fear of Myah, hiding constantly and even losing a little weight because he has been afraid to come out at times to eat.

All that ended on Saturday when the box arrived from Hartz. Inside the box, amid many toys for Myah, was a Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy. The Wand Cat Toy is a 19" long flexible plastic wand attached to a 36" elastic cord. The wand comes with two plush Angry Birds toys. The Angry Birds are 2" in diameter and feature the red Angry Bird and a green mean pig. The red toy has a 3" feather cluster and the green pig has a 2" feather. Traditionally, Gollum has not responded to the toys with feathers. In fact, he loathed the Kong Crinkle Ball (reviewed here!). Attached to the plush and feathers is a little plastic rattle. At the top of each plush ball is a tiny nylon loop. The nylon loop attaches to a hook on the elastic cord. The hook is a plastic snap hook, that resembles a safety pin.

Playing with the toy is exceptionally easy. Simply attach one of the two stuffed balls to the hook and hold the wand. Holding the plastic wand at the bottom and letting the ball drop, the cat eagerly begins to follow the ball with his eyes. Gollum watched the ball and began to bat at it within three minutes. Three minutes of agitating the ball by wiggling the wand and the prior two months of fear just dissipated. Gollum started by playing with the ball like he was playing tetherball. I spent an hour "fishing" for Gollum.

Shaking the wand worked wonderfully to keep Gollum's interest because the rattle would rattle and shake, so he was inclined to follow the plush toys based on the sound, even when it was out of sight. Gollum has bene playing fairly aggressively with the toy and the elastic has held up fine with no wear after hours of play. Moreover, the plush balls are washable and look good. Both plush balls feature Velcro that leads to a compartment that may be filled with catnip. What impressed me most about the Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy was that the plush elements did not come with catnip in them initially. That Gollum was so active and eager to play with the toy based on the sound, the bright colors and the movement instead of any chemical reaction, was a huge benefit.

Usually, trendy toys do not impress me; Hartz licensing the Angry Birds for cat toys did not inherently impress me. What did wow me was that the Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat Toy brought out my scared cat and got him playing . . . right in front of Myah! The Hartz Wand Cat Toy is made of new polyester fibers and the plastic wand is easy to clean, as well.

Anyone looking for a great cat toy that has versatility, durability, and is easy to clean, the Hartz Angry Birds Wand Cat toy lives up. This is a perfect toy; it is inexpensive, engages my cat and is just fun!

For other cat toy reviews, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
SpotNips Crazy Cluster Ball
Fatty Frog
Mews Ments Krinkle Mouse

10/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Myah's New Toy: The Hartz Quackers Duck Holds Up!

The Good: Durable, Comparatively inexpensive.
The Bad: Felt feet come off or do not launder well.
The Basics: For a decent squeaking toy that is surprisingly durable and has a distinctive squeaker, the Quackers toy is easy to recommend.


As our new Siberian Husky, Myah, has gotten settled in at our home, we have been trying to make her feel more loved and comfortable. For me, that means trying new treats on her, for my wife, that means getting her new toys. While I was all set to pan the Halloween bear that my wife got for Myah. That would be an easy toy to not recommend as Myah popped the squeaker in that within three minutes of active play. But, I thought it would be fun to review something that Myah liked (and that I could associate products with). For that, I went with the Hartz Quackers Large Duck toy.

The Stuffed duck toy is a simple one; it is thirteen inches long with a fourteen inch wingspan. The brown stuffed duck has a green mallard head and bright orange felt feet. The underside is a simple cotton fabric, but the top and neck is a more coarse, wool-like fabric that simulates the feel of short feathers in the dog's mouth, apparently. Wisely, the eyes are embroidered onto the Quacker's head so they cannot be torn out by the dog.

Myah is almost four years old, so she is very rambunctious and eager to play. Since we got her the Quackers toy several days ago, she has played both with us and on her own with the Quacker toy. We'll be sleeping and hear her start chewing or smacking on the stuffed duck's butt and activating the duck-like squeaker. The squeaker sounds just like a duck call and that is distinctive and seems to get Myah riled up more.

What impressed me most about the Quackers toy is how the squeaker cannot be punctured easily. Myah has pushed, bit, thrown the toy around and the squeaker does not break. The Quackers toy seems virtually indestructible, making is a very good investment for those of us with active dogs. As well, the neck of the Quackers includes a support which keeps the neck stiff. No matter how Myah has played with the Quackers, the neck remains rigid and strong.

It is not entirely unbreakable. The felt feet are good for a while, but they represent the weak point on the Quackers, both for connection and cleaning. Myah tore a hole in one foot after week of heavy play and I suspect really big dogs would get the foot off in about the same amount of time. The other foot, being felt, became weaker when we cleaned the Quacker and it looked ratty before I tore it off.

Cleaning the Quacker is fairly easy. Washing a saliva-covered Quacker in cold water gets it clean, though I found unless I blow dry the Quacker, the top of the duck mats. This is pretty much like any stuffed animal, but it should not be put in the dryer, lest the squeaker inside become more brittle.

But, after a week of heavy play and one good cleaning, our Quacker is holding up remarkably well and making me think that the extra money we spent on this, as opposed to the less expensive Halloween Bear toy, was well worth it.

For other dog products, please be sure to check out my reviews of:
Oster ShedZilla Clean & Healthy Professional De-Shedding Tool
Kong Medium Classic Toy
Four Paws Wire Rake Pooper Scooper

8/10

For other pet product reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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