Welcome back to another Ask Patty Holiday Gift Garage - last week the focus was on gifts for kids, but this week we're talking about some gifts for those furry kids, our beloved pets. At a loss for what to pick up for that pet lover in your life, or even looking for something to make your own pets' holiday a little brighter? Look no further than the Ask Patty Holiday Gift Garage - Pets edition!
Bark Buckle UP Pet Safety Kit - First and foremost, pet travel safety is very important to us at Ask Patty. We love our animals, and we love our road trips, and if you're the same then you need the Bark Buckle UP Pet Safety kit. The Bark Buckle UP Pet Safety Kit was designed to protect your pets if you are in an accident. First Responders will locate the pet safety kit in your glove box and call your contacts to come get your pet plus inform them you have been in an accident. Plus - it is absolutely positively free, so get yours today.
Canine Calendar for a Cause - Benefitting humans as well as being a perfect gift for dog lovers, this is a beautifully crafted sepia book/planner/calendar featuring more that 150 dogs that are helping find the cause to lead to a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. Photographed by leading photographers, there are doggie recipes, amusing maxims, and wonderful photos. The perfect gift for the Dog-Lover in your life. The Accelerated Cure Project for MS, Cincinnati Cause Chapter.
AKC Pet First Aid Kit - Expect the unexpected. The American Kennel Club® Pet First Aid Kit is an invaluable resource to have on hand in those unexpected pet emergencies. The pet first aid kit includes all the necessary items commonly needed to quickly and effectively treat your pet in an emergency or pet injury. This pet first aid kit is very affordable and comes in an attractive, easy-to-carry case.
Eco-Me Natural Cat & Dog Care Products - Great all natural chemical free products that are safe for your pets. Clinically tested and proven safe and effective. Mix up your own natural dog flea spray, treats,Dry Shampoo and more! These great kits provide you with the all-natural ingredients to make a complete line of pet care products. You supply at-home ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda - and for those of you a little leery, I can personally vouch for this one. Not only do we use these simple and all-natural solutions for our pets, but vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and salt represents the entire breadth of cleaning products we use at home all the time. For the cat version of the kit, go here.
Automotive Bed for Stylish Travelers - For those animals who are always 'on the go,' even while taking a nap. You can't go wrong with this Malibu Dream Car pet bed! Available in pink or navy blue, dogs and cats alike will feel right at home in the driver's seat of this car. No safety harness necessary!
Dogtek Eyenimal Digital Video Camera for Pets - Do you wonder what the world looks like from your pet's point of view? Want to keep tabs on where they go, what they do, when you're not at home? The Eyenimal digital camera is for you. This camera, designed specifically for pets, fastens securely to your animal's collar and records their antics from their point of view, with sound. This is a perfect gift for anyone who wants to get to know their pets a little more.
iPet Companion - Hands down, this is the coolest thing on the list. A perfect gift for anyone who loves animals, even those allergic! First of all, for those without pets who just love animals, for those with no time, health issues, or other barriers, the iPet companion website allows you to play with shelter pets in real-time via a video and interactive toy link. These pets, who are adoptable, by the way - and if you're in the market for a pet yourself, please adopt a shelter pet and save a life - will connect with you in a very real way even though you're separated by miles of country. This is why I love the internet.
Second - and this is my favorite part - the iPet Companion Home Edition is a purchaseable iPet setup for your own home. Want to check in on your pets while you're at the office, and even play with them for a bit? You can do it with this. Includes two interactive toy controllers, a camera, and a control box. Once it's setup, you can use the iPet website to interact with your precious pets from anywhere in real-time... and so can your friends! Now, these guys are so popular that they're actually out of stock, but it's just too cool not to mention. The next production run is scheduled for March of 2012, and I'd imagine they'll sell out again fairly quickly. Still - what a wonderful belated holiday gift this would be, right?
My Mom, Jody DeVere CEO of AskPatty.com, invited me to attend the Blogher 2011 Conference on behalf of AskPatty.com Automotive Advice for Women. I am so grateful for the opportunity. I am a Mom of two beautiful kids ages 4 and 6, there is so much for us "Mom's" at BlogHer it almost overwhelming! I’m new to the blogging world and started a blog about worms and organic gardening.
BlogHer 2011 was held in San Diego CA. with 3,600+ attendees at the Marriot and San Diego Convention Center. BlogHer supplied an endless list of parties, sessions for learning and many inspiring speakers. The EXPO, OMG! Just packed with fun free new stuff. I loved how so many sponsors and attendee's supported causes that help our children, people fighting cancer and our mother earth. I wish I could have been in more places at once because there are so many layers of BlogHer11 activities happening. I was so bummed I missed the Operation Glory Flash Mob and the Ford on Foot Family Road Trip picnic!
As a 1st time newbie BlogHer attendee I found everyone very approachable, (even Smurfette). The women have so many positive and helpful blogs. I loved talking to everyone about what they blog about. I found women who are passionate and want to make a difference. Starting from parenting, life styles and cooking as well as being green, organic products and fighting to keep our air clean. I was there mainly to talk about AskPatty.com Automotive Advice for Women and "She" was well received. The women all loved the Ladies Guide to Automotive Repair and often commented; “What a great idea to have a trusted place for women to ask any of their automotive questions." I felt so proud of what my Mom has created and I know she has worked hard to make this possible.
It's no secret that we love our animals at AskPatty. It's also no secret that we love social media events like Twitter parties. So when VCA Hospitals asked us to do a pet-themed Twitter party with them, we didn't hesitate to say yes! It's called Tails, Paws, and Tweets and it's going to be one heck of a PAWty (with apologies for the pun). For those of you who have been a part of a Twitter party before, you know what to expect - and for those of you who haven't, they're a crazy good time, and you can win some fantastic prizes. Head past the jump for the details, or you can go straight to askpatty.com/pub/vcatweets to pre-register.
This was the most amazing event of the year, Heels and Wheels. Produced by Overstreet Events, it brought together female automotive journalists, female automotive experts, female vehicle manufacture representatives and female bloggers – yes, this was an all female event!
Christina Selter (me) founder of Bark Buckle UP began the tour driving the Volvo c70 topless from Los Angeles to Palm Springs. With just one quick stop to change into my AskPatty hat, it was a smooth ride and though we did hit a bit of rain, it took only thirty seconds to put the top up. We checked in at the Viceroy Palm Springs, a row of tan bodies lining the pool.
It's that time again - time for another Ask Patty Twitter party featuring car care experts and amazing prizes! Join us on Tuesday, May 3 at 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern for a great time sponsored by Autocheck's Check My Ride.
For those of you who haven't seen it yet, CheckMyRide.com is a social network for cars. There you can track your own vehicle's history and reconnect with the cars that you used to drive every day. That 1990 Chevy Malibu? Retired to Malibu. Your parents' old heap that took you to high school and back? Finally stopped running in 2002. My beloved first car, for instance, a 1993 Ford Tempo, has apparently relocated to Indianapolis and is apparently still running.
Join CheckMyRide's own Jen Gordon, AskPatty.com's Jody DeVere, a whole slew of automotive experts and some pretty amazing people for trivia, Q&A, education, and prizes. Plus, in celebration of National Youth Traffic Safety month, we'll be joined by Mobile Tattletale creator David Metter and will be giving away licenses to the amazing Mobile Tattletale app.
Just pre-register to win and then hop into your favorite Twitter feed aggregator like TweetDeck or TweetChat on May 3 at 5pm Pacific and use hashtag #checkmyride to get started.
Every pre-registered participant does get a free gift and you must pre-register to be eligibile for prizes, but it's free and easy - pre-register here, and we'll see you on May 3!
Our good friend Christina Selter the Pet Safety Lady is going to the New York International Auto Show, and she wants to take all your pets with her - in photo form, at least.
Bark Buckle UP is hosting an online "Top Dog" photo contest at the 2011 New York Auto Show. Does your dog love to travel? Upload a picture of your pet and your car for a chance to win great prizes from Sherpa Pet Group. Judges from New York Auto Show, Bark Buckle UP's founder Christina Selter, Rescue Ink, car experts from Auto Trader and the entertaining host Brian Balthazar will select the three finalists - and the TOP DOG. But hurry and enter this weekend - you have from Friday 4/22 through Sunday 4/24 to submit your photos. Head past the jump to find out how.
Our dear friend Christina Selter the Pet Safety Lady presents a new pet-friendly review, this time of the 2011 Range Rover Sport. If you travel with furry friends, you'd do well to check out her review and watch the videos after the jump, and watch this blog for many more pet safety reviews still to come.
Range Rover Sport's highly rigid body, with its low center of gravity and energy-absorbing crumple zones, offers impressive levels of safety and occupant protection. Dynamic Stability Control monitors wheel speed and steering angle to help make cornering safer and more stable. Roll Stability Control operates progressively to help maintain stability. And of course ABS, in the form of four channel, all-terrain anti-lock braking, is fitted. While for added peace of mind there is a total of six airbags, including side curtains. Range Rover Sport also features Land Rover's legendary command driving position, which offers a clear view of the surrounding environment and helps to put the driver in complete control.
The 2011 Jeep Patriot 4x4 has been reviewed by pet travel safety experts (and AskPatty.com partner & contributor) Bark Buckle UP and put to the test with Betty & Princess (dogs) on city streets, highways and dirt roads. In their two part video review, they note some minor styling changes for the front and rear, increased ground clearance, and an steering & suspension to help improve the handling. As for the "pet area," you can double the cargo space by folding the 60/40 rears seats flat - then you can fit more crates or carries, larger pets and even dogs in travel harness that tether to the cargo area's seven d-rings. Head past the jump for the videos.
Join the movement today, Be Smart Ride Safe® Take the Pledge
Help spread the word to your family, friends, and community or even where you work, lets save lives.
The Facts Are In: When driving 35 mph, a 60-pound unrestrained dog can cause an impact of 2,700 pounds, slamming into a car seat, windshield, or passenger. Even if the animal survives, it can impede the progress of rescue workers who need every moment possible to safely care for accident victims.
The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT isn't for everyone. This top-of-the-model-line CUV takes premium gas and retails for $29,500 - before destination charge. But if you're looking for a vehicle that can handle inclement weather securely, tows 3,500 lbs., and can schlep your giant schnauzer (or seven people in a pinch), this may be the one for you.
Sporting a 3.0-liter, SOHC MIVEC V6, the GT pumps 230hp and 215 lb.-ft of torque @3750. It gets up to speed quickly, though I couldn't help feeling I was pulling a lot of weight, as the not-so-cute-ute weighs almost two tons with only the driver in it.
Fortunately, if you like to push your grocery hauler to its limits, the Outlander GT is the one trim with Super All-Wheel Control and three terrain choices: Tarmac, Snow and Lock (low range). Based on an electronically-controlled active front differential, the S-AWC boosts handling and performance, and it's also a great safety benefit, keeping you planted on the road in various conditions. Read: Take me to the mountains, pronto!
So how's this baby beast on gas? The Outlander's 6-speed Sportronic® automatic transmission features Idle Neutral Logic, a fancy way of saying the transmission goes into neutral when the car comes to a complete stop. That saves gas, helping the GT earn an EPA estimate of 18 city/24 highway/20 combined. Nothing to write home about, but considering this vehicle's abilities, it's an understandable trade-off.
Then there are the GT's goodies. It's loaded with standard features: - auto on- and off- Xenon HID headlamps - flap-folding tailgate - 18-inch alloy wheels - power sunroof - tire pressure monitoring system - leather wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls - magnesium paddle shifters - for fun and control - FUSE Hands-Free Link System - Stream music wirelessly using Bluetooth, download your cell phone book, control everything with your voice. If it sounds like Ford's Sync, you're on the right track. - 710-watt Rockford-Fosgate audio system with nine speakers - 60/40 split/folding/tumbling/reclining/sliding 2nd row seats. Whew! - fold-flat 3rd row seat - barely usable, but good for those last minute "Can Johnny come over today?" pleas at the end of the school day. Most of the time, you'll have it folded down. With all seats down, cargo volume is 72.6 cubic feet.
My demo model in Cosmic Blue came with the only factory option available on the GT - a $3,000 navigation and leather package that includes power driver seat, heated front seats, 40GB HDD nav with music server and real-time traffic, a rear-view camera, and auxiliary video input jack. That's a lot of technology, and there are plenty more dealer-installed options available, like a rear seat DVD entertainment system ($1,695) and remote start ($599).
For the animal lovers, Mitsu is touting the Outlander's usefulness as an large-size pet carrier; it received a few mentions in the automotive press for being dog friendly and dog safe last year. No doubt this emphasis on four-footed felicity is now a trend, what with the Honda Element Canine Edition getting so much press as well.
At least Mitsu is putting its money where its muzzle is, offering up a GT as the official wheels of TEAM PAWS Chicago, which raises money to rescue homeless pets. That's always good for a couple of points with the AskPatty staff.
Joanne Helperin
Consumer Marketing Director, Blog Editor
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