Okay, so some people go a little overboard with their pets on a daily basis, but Halloween is your opportunity to dress up your Fido or Fluffy and not have people call the ASPCA on you. Plus, unless you’re going as Dorothy and your pup can be Toto, you’ll have to put them in some sort of costume if they’re going to match your outfit. Maybe you want to go as Toto and have your pooch be Dorothy. Whatever floats your boat. Or, you can be Luke and your poodle can be Vader. The possibilities are endless… so go crazy.

And remember to vote. Ha ha.

Even if you’re not putting your pup up to the challenge of racing 1,150 over rugged and snowy terrain, you can still keep him strong as a sled dog by choosing the most health-smart pet products. Instead of buying the standard supermarket chow, go for a “gourmet” meal like Merrick Natural Dog Foods. “Merrick doesn’t contain any meat by-products, so it’s healthier,” says Donna Vanderhoff of the brand, which mixes whole grains, fruits, and veggies with turkey, duck, and chicken.

When rewarding your dog for a sweet trick, toss him a Dogswell Dog Treat. Most treats are loaded with fat, but Dogswell offers a baked, protein-rich alternative that helps keep your pet nice and nimble. “This product is great,” says Kristine. “Chicken jerkey with glucosamine to help their bones, especially their hips. Super for large dogs, but they do need about six a day.” Amanda Thompson dubs Dogswell “one of the best treats on the market,” noting that you can help a “dog in need” get his own bag when you purchase an animal-rescue-supporting Oh My Dog Calendar from the company.

Another treat designed to enhance your pooch’s health, Greenies Smart Biscuits provides super breath-freshening power. Selected by Gotham Chopra and Kimberly Fowler, the biscuits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and protein, but low on fat and calories. “Everyone who has dogs has to get some,” Kimberly swears. “My pal Lucky loves them and they are my favorite color (green)!”

...continued: Dynamo Dog Health

Don’t leave your darling pooch off your shopping list! Ideal for pets of hikers, backpackers, and other outdoorsy types, the Ruff Wear Palisades II Dog Pack features a three-strap system to disperse the load evenly so as not to trouble your doggie’s back. The pack also comes complete with two collapsible water bladders, a grab handle on the back, and a reflective trim to keep your puppy visible in the dark.

Of course, this one’s a gift that very much gives back to the giver, as evidenced by ThisNexter Kristine’s shopcast: “Poor fortune for my dogs I live by the rule ‘There’s no such thing as a free ride,’” she says. “These backpacks work very well for carrying groceries.”

BTW, has anyone ever actually named his/her dog Fido in all of world history? I’m guessing not.

Bet you didn’t know dogs could blog. But at Big Yellow Bus, Timber (a giant yellow lab) posts all about the ultrarunning, hiking, mountain biking, and camping excursions he enjoys with his mom and dad in Laveen, Arizona. He even gives the occasional product plug: Dad really likes his new Brooks Dyad 4 shoes, while Mom “has been wearing Asics since running on the cross country team in high school.” (Does that mean Timber maybe shopcasts as well?)

Timber also does Darth-Vader-via-Chris-Farley impressions, but you’ll have to check the post to see that for yourself. Just make sure you’re prepared for total cuteness overload.

Cuteoverload is a well-known and weeeeird blog with just about the cutest pictures and the funniest headlines/commentaries you’ll ever find.  It never fails to make me laugh, and hey, I don’t laugh easy these days.   They also recently pointed to one of the strangest products in the world: a Poodle Disguise for Dobermans – which includes (1) Fake fur pieces (4 leg pieces, one body piece, and head piece), (2) Black face paint (safe for dogs), and (3) Safe suit-fitting method statement and instructions.  You can even get an under-harness (sold separately).  It’s not entirely a joke; the Australian folk at attackchi.org.au behind all this really are trying to make a point about how certain breeds are wrongfully considered unsafe and even have laws made to restrict their keeping and breeding, while other equally dangerous (or non-dangerous) breeds are virtually ignored.  So it’s kind of a social statement, kind of a product, kind of a joke, and really very funny.  Coming soon: Golden Retriever disguises for German Shepherds and Old English Sheepdog disguises for Mastiffs.  Don’t miss ‘em!

Kevin Kennedy lives wayyyy up north in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada…but the challenges he faces to build a sustainable lif are just as great as anyone urb an dweller’s. Clay and Wattles, his cheerful and sometimes relentless blog, focuses on the day-to-day issues of green living – everything from building (or buying) a bike-rack that actually works through the logistical jungle of rainwater harvesting to the building of a pet waste digester (with inspiration and photos taken from City Farmer). Kevin says, his “sustainable living diary” is just his way of “systematically improving my family’s environmental footprint and having a conversation with others about how to live a ecologically and socially conscious life in the north.” Such is life on the tundra….

We love browsing the All Things Dog blog, because everyday is like a doggie fashion show - only with each fun pic, there’s an article full of suggestions and ideas - like how how to stay in shape with your furry friend, and tips on good doggy hygiene.

Jozet’s giddy blog Halushki has a freshness and enthusiasm in her adventures that’s sometimes missing from the entries of us old, gnarled, cynical blogger-types. And the ultra-on-top-of-mommyblogs webring Crazy Hip Blog Mamas saw it, too: she was recently named their “Member of the Week”, for entries like the one on Community Supported Agriculture, her opus to that greatest of all cultural heroes, Speed Racer, and her link to how to give artificial respiration to a goldfish.

There’s no way around it: Halushki is just fun, and worth a top-of-the-heap bookmark.

Hmmm while i must admit i’m skeptical of things that resemble Tamagotchi-walkie talkie hybrids - at ThisNext we check out the reviews of real people and hear the manufacturers out before making final judgement. Over at BloggingPet, they seem to have found a Bowlingual Canine Translator. “Dr. Suzuki has developed a device in Japan that could tell the state of mind of your pets by digitally analysing the voiceprints of your poochie’s barks with his body language. You just have to enter the details of your pet dog and attach the microphone transmittor to your poochie’s collar and it will translate your poochie’s bark into human language in six distinctive emotions comprising sad, frustrated, alert to danger, needy, happy and self-assertive. The extended feature of this gadget allows the convenience of translating the emotions of 200 breeds of dogs and even crossbreeds.” Woof woof?

Did you know whats good for you may be good for your pets too? We just found out that the infamous Goji Berry Juice can help with depression in even Chiuahuas! “My Pet’s name is Buddy and he’s an American Chihuahua. He is my best friend as he, along with the Goji Juice helped to get me out of a severe depression after the loss of both my parents. Buddy had gained an extra 6 pounds. He became inactive and just wanted to sleep all the time. I decided to give him Goji Juice in his water everyday. Buddy now walks 2 miles every day with me. He has lost 3 pounds, and his fur is softer and shinier. I also have lost 28 pounds.” We value such insightful anecdotes here at ThisNext, especially ones that come with a giant list of resources to help get you more informed, FAST, following it - via Pet n Blog.

Its all about quality not quantity here at ThisNext, and the PamperedPuppy gets that in a way that your puppy (and your interior designer) will love you for. You can’t afford not to check out this incredible list of bleeding edge designer dog homes (i call them homes, because it just doesn’t seem right to call these works of art Dog Houses) Take a look through their treasure trove of articles for more lists of brilliant new products for your PamperedPuppy!

We’re always looking for the next big thing - and we love it when people realize that there is a need for a better product on the market - and go out and MAKE IT! The folks at TrendyPet did just this when they realized a few months ago that their dogs could benefit from eating from elevated food dishes, aleviating stress on their backs, and have been keeping a great little blog of all their publicity (from tvshows, to newspaper clippings, to just what they and their dogs love!)

ThisNext is coming soon to help you shop better, smarter, and ultimately find products to better your life… and that of your pets as well! So until we launch, check out Active K9’s Blog featuring some great innovative products for your pup. Reviews on everything from the hot new Water Wubba, the SPOT Window vent guard (let your dog breathe in the car, without jumping out), and even special Joint Support for your Dogs.

We found news for your chance to help shape the next big thing in toys for big dogs… over at the Big Dog Blog. ” The company I work for, Jakks Pacific, Inc., has just wrapped up a deal with Snoop Doggy Dog, the very stylish, very eccentric, (very a lot of things,) singer/rapper and even actor as Huggy Bear in Starsky and Hutch. We are developing an entire line of dog products geared for large breed dogs – leashes, collars, stuffies and clothing; all of which will have Snoop’s unique flare. Now for the poll: we are going to have Snoop record little sayings – clever, cute, and funny little tidbits that will play back from internal chips inside some of our toys. Much like a squeaker toy, the sound byte will play upon similar pressing/shaking.” So go comment here for what you want them to say! [We are all about customization - so go submit your pick!]

Pet Travel News! Clover: A Modern Dog Weblog says “Companion Air is an airline that offers first class travel for people and their pets. They even offer flights for your pet if he/she is flying solo. Their packages include a shuttle, airfare, executive seats, special pet section, and treats and toys for your pet.” Too bad it hasn’t launched yet, but sounds like a great option for pet owners, and you know how we at ThixNext love to discover great new products and services.

The blog of the PupLife store highlights great products and lets readers know about special deals and hands on reviews. Well, I was just shopping for matresses (human ones) and the thermapedic memory foam ones were catching my eye (and they feel SO good) - I had no idea there are memory foam beds for dogs too! Check out Pup Life’s post on Woof-a-pedic beds, and special code for free shipping today too. ThisNext loves a good deal on a great product.

Summer is officially here, and even the pups get hot… and the bloggers at Pet*Pet the pet products blog, know how much people still like to accessorize their pets, so check out these adorable cotton tees they found over at Barkslope. ThisNext knows there isn’t anything better than a great site of products to browse, especially when accompanied by insightful descriptions and reviews.

The bloggers over at BloggingPet browse an extensive number of sites daily to find all the treasures you can see on their site - including a great category of pet products and services. Today they found “Gourmet Flavored Waters for Pets”… for people, we have things like Metromint and VitaminWater on the market, so why not some equivalents for your pets? Take a look at these Molli’s Choice Water flavors! “The flavors for your poochy includes unflavored, Beef Tenderloin, Bacon Delight, Roasted Turkey and Roasted Chicken. Similar flavors go for your kitty in original, Roasted Turkey, Roasted Chicken, Beef Tenderloin.” Wow.

Think pets are just pets? think again… is the subtitle of brilliant pet blog What the Pets!? At ThisNext we value the importance of personalization - and we love that everyone has their own taste and style, but isn’t it funny when some people match so perfectly - say… with their pets? Check out the winners of the “I Look Like My Dog” Contest. They also have other great pet related finds - like their roadtested Bowlgaiter which slipped on your usual water dish manages to control spillage substantially compared to without. Great finds here for animal lovers of every kind.

People always say things like “it’s not what you have, its how you use it.” Well regardless of what “it” is, at ThisNext we know how important the “how you use it” is - and thats where product reccomendation and personal tips and stories come in handy… it’s why you choose that little corner store versus the giant chain somedays - that kind gentleman who’s been there and done that, and knows all the tricks.

So when it comes to dog tips - check out Fun Stuff For Dog’s Dog Blog - “This tip came from Susan Raymond in Houston. My dog has toys that he used to love. He chewed and played with them all the time. But now he’s lost interest. I read somewhere to spray cooking spray on bones and other hard chews, then sprinkle with garlic salt. Works like a charm. And the garlic has added health benefits.”