WOOF STUFF

Kompact 9 Ball Launcher

If you have a dog, then more than likely you have played fetch with a ball, and so you'll also know that picking up and carrying a slobbery ball is not a pleasant experience.

Yes, there are cheap plastic ball chuckers out in the world that will save your delicate hands from such unpleasantness, but they aren't great for the environment, and honestly they are a pain in the bum to carry on long walks, as you can't exactly tuck them away. This British designed and made Kompact9 Ball Launcher solves both issues.

Better for the environment

The launcher is made from recycled plastic offcuts, the hygiene cover bag is made from recycled plastic bottles, and when you order both are sent to you in a recycled or FSC certified cardboard box, even the label sealing the box is recycled! They also have a supply chain that minimises their carbon footprint.

Easy to carry

This little invention is 70% smaller than most ball launchers on the market. It retracts to just 25cm, and extends to 62cm without compromising the distance it can throw a ball.

When we tried it out, it fit nicely inside both our coat pockets, and when you put it away, if you keep the ball in the cup and cover with the hygiene cover, you will protect your pockets from being coated with sticky slobber.

How well does it chuck?

It actually releases the ball with less effort than the ones we've tried before, which is really useful if you have shoulder issues (like Muddy Madam does), and we couldn't see any difference in the distance the ball travels.

On first try I thought we may have an issue with ball size (Oooo madam), as it is made with standard tennis balls in mind. At the time we only had smaller balls in the house, and initially the launcher couldn't grip them to pick them up, but we actually found that, because the cup has a sort of ice-cream scoop shape, we could actually scoop up the ball from the side, and throw it as normal.

It may seem a bit pricey when compared to the cheaper alternatives, but the ability to put it in your pocket, along with the bag and its ecocredentials, makes paying that little bit more so worth it.

price: RRP £20 - currently £15 (+ £2.75 P&P) more at » kompact9.com

NOTE - If you are an Amazon Prime customer you can save some pennies as they are available at amazon.co.uk for £16.50

Dirty Bitch Diary

Unlike your vehicle, a dog doesn't have mud flaps, so if you venture out in the delightful British countryside your dog is likely to come home with a belly covered in mucky, stinky mud, and exuding a rather potent whiff. I don't know about you, but this isn't the kind of companion I want sitting next to me on the couch, or lying on my bed, so dog shampoo was the first thing on our 'To Buy' list.

We started off like most people, quickly buying a supermarket special, which did do the cleaning, but didn't smell so great, and Lilly's coat felt a bit rough (like every bit of natural oils had been stripped out), so we went looking for better, and we found some. Over the next few issues we'll tell you about them.

Bugalugs Dog Shampoos

This range of products appealed to me as soon as I saw the name. 'Bugalugs' is a northern term of endearment that I was called a lot by my mum when growing up, and the other bits that drew me towards the range was the cute dog design on the bottle, the bright colours, and the messages in nice big print on the front of the bottle:

• Tested by humans NOT animals (the biggest selling point for me, as no animal should suffer so another can be clean)

• Made in UK (less distance to travel, our regulations are world class and workers have rights) • Concentrated Formula (more washes for less packaging)

• Paraben Free (none of those icky chemicals that can interfere with the production of hormones)

• Vegan (this wasn't the big selling point for me, but I know a lot of people that it would definitely appeal to)

We were given 3 tester sized bottles to try: - Baby Fresh 'soft & shiny' shampoo (pink) - Oatmeal dry & itchy soothing shampoo (cream coloured) - Wild Lemongrass All in 1 'shedding reducing' shampoo (green)

Out of the 3, the pink Baby Fresh was my absolute favourite, because it makes Lilly smell lovely, and her fur does indeed feel very soft & shiny after her wash.

As for the other two, I preferred the smell of the green All-in-1, but as Lilly isn't the furriest I can't tell you if her shedding was reduced or not, and so far we haven't had any itching issues so the only thing I can say about the Oatmeal one is that if you prefer more subtle smelling shampoos this is the one to go for.

prices: 500ml -from £5.99 - £7.99 more at » bugalugspetcare.com also available to buy from amazon.co.uk

Poo, poo and more poo

One of the most important things to note about being owned by a dog is the fact that you have to pick up their poo, and this happens EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEIR LIFE.

This fact makes poo bags a really important thing for you, and as a consequence the planet. I litter pick around my local park, and even pre-dog I used to get incensed about the amount of plastic poo bags strewn in the undergrowth, which won't degrade for the next 1000-or-so years.

Now I have a dog it drives me even more insane. We all know that sometimes it can be a bit icky, but it really isn't hard to pick up your pet's poo, and with more recent innovations it's also not hard to do it in a more environmentally sound way.

The classifications of poo bags can be a bit misleading, as some that say degradable aren't exactly what they say, so I went looking for totally non-plastic bags that are also home compostable. I came across 4 companies in the UK that make these cornstarch based bags, but 2 of those (bigger) companies still also create plastic versions of their bags, so I'm reviewing the 2 that only create totally home compostable bags, and a great gadget to help you out with carrying a fully loaded poo bag.

The criteria I used to judge the compostable poo bags (most important first):

1. The bag doesn't split when you are trying to pick up the poo (nobody wants that icky finger experience)

2. The bag is big enough to pick up even the largest of turds (sometimes it can be amazing the amount that comes out)

3. Tying it up should be easy

4. Smells needs to be contained

5. How quickly it will decompose

Adios Poo Bags

We came across these 100% Home Compostable & Biodegradablebags in Pets At Home, where the only offering was the standard grey packs in rolls.

As you can see they also do a range of colours on their website, though the thing we liked about the grey is that you can't really see the poo once picked up (it may be the same for the other colours, but we haven't tried those).

These bags, made from non-genetically modified cornstarch, have a nice thickness (20 microns) that instills confidence that nothing will get through, and so far nothing has.

There are 3 size options:

• Loose bags - 13 x 1 1 inches - like a box of tissues you can pull them out one by one.

• Roll without handles - 13 x 9 inches

• Roll with handles - 12 x 7 inches

We tested the Roll without handles version, and have found them a good size to pick up a decent poo and still be able to tie it up, and the smell is pretty much contained unless you waft it in front of you face (and really, why would you?). The bags will decompose into water, carbon dioxide and biomass in approximately 90 days when placed into a composting environment or compost system.

We also like that Adios donate 1% from every sale to help clean up our oceans and protect our wildlife.

price: from £5.99 dependent on pack size (60, 120 or 360 bags) and shape - they also have a subscription service that lets you save 10% too

more at » adiosplastic.co.uk/shop

Green Poop Bag

We came across these bags at a pet trade show, and what caught our eye was they had both sizes of poo bags full of water suspended from a shelf above their stock. This struck me as a ballsy move, showing confidence in the strength of their bags - if one had failed, everything on the stand would have been soaked.

Green Poop Bags were designed by a group of pet owners (we like the cute dog & cat graphics on the bags), and live up to their name as they only come in a green colour, and are environmentally 'green' as they are made from a sugar and corn starch blend, and will decompose within 3-6 months in a home composter.

There are 2 sizes to choose from, both of which come with handles, and have a good thickness (18 microns): Roll - 12 x 7 inches & Singles Box - X-Large 11 x 13 inches

We tested both sizes, and the roll size was the perfect size for Lilly's poos, but if I had to pick up after a really big dog, or wanted a bag that would be great for picking up multiple poos in the garden then the XL size is a good pick.

They donate a percentage of their profit to a charities who are helping to change the laws in UK and worldwide to eliminate the environmental and waste crisis.

prices: you can buy 2 different sized packs (120 or 360 bags) from £8.90 more at » greenpoopbag.co.uk

Doo-Kee

OK your pup has done the deed, but you are out and about, and there isn't a poo bin in sight, or you want to take it home to compost, so what do you do?

I don't know about you, but carrying a steaming bag in your hands or putting it in your pocket isn't ideal.

Preferably you want to keep the bag a little bit away from you, and you may also want to keep a hand free to carry your coffee or use your phone, and this Doo-Kee is a great little solution.

All you need to do is attach the Doo-Kee onto your lead or anywhere else that works for you, then simply tie a knot in the top of the bag, slip the knot through the hole and slide it down the slot; basically 'knot it & slot it'.

Every Doo-Kee is supplied with either a standard clip or a secure twist loop. They mention you may want to buy the larger clip for ‘Flexi’ style leads, but we tested a Doo-Kee with the twist loop, and it fitted our Flexi lead's handle fine, so definitely go for that option if you have a chunky-handled retractable lead. Each Doo-Kee is made in Somerset, and is crafted from PLA which is a bioplastic derived from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugar cane.

price: £4.99 more at » www.doo-kee.com

Aqueos First Aid Spray & Spray on Plaster

Before getting Lilly we had cats, and apart from the odd battle scratch they really didn't damage themselves, but from what we can tell, dogs don't seem to have the self-preservation gene, and will blindly run into brambles at the faintest whiff of squirrel, play rough and are generally a bit clumsy. We've already had a swollen eye, and a couple of scrapes to deal with, so these are 2 products that are essential additions to Lilly's first aid kit, and they aren't just for dogs, you can use them on horses and other animals too.

First Aid Spray

This spray is an essential for killing germs that can cause infections, irritations or general skin complaints, and it will help speed up their natural healing process.

It can be used in a multitude of applications from cuts, minor wounds, skin irritations, rashes, itchy skin, burns, general skin problems, post surgical sites or as a multi-purpose antiseptic spray.

The solution doesn't sting, so it is really useful for flushing cuts or minor wounds, and is pH neutral, non-toxic and non-irritant which means it can also be used on sensitive skin. Simple to use by spraying liberally on the affected area or by applying directly with soaked cotton wool.

All you do is just spray it on, or use a soaked cotton wool ball, and then leave it to dry with no need to rinse off.

Great for keeping in your car or horse box, this spray bottle is small enough to take on dog walks too, just in case.

Spray on Plaster

The plaster gives a bandage like protection by forming a barrier to protect cuts and minor wounds from dirt, water and germs. This then lets the cut or wound heal naturally while being protected.

The silver covering remains elastic and permeable to air. It is easy it apply to awkward areas and stays in place while the area heals. Depending where the area is, the spray will last a few days and can just be re-applied as needed. Most importantly it is safe if your pet decides to lick the plastered area.

Used by professional dog groomers, and it is competition safe for professional equestrians.

Both of these products are handy for any mishaps while out and about, and are perfect to keep your pampered pets safe whilst travelling away from home as part of your first aid kit. prices: First Aid Spray 200ml - £9.99 Spray on Plaster 200ml - £14.99 more at » www.aqueos.co.uk/pet-first-aid