Isle of the Dogs Review & Giveaway

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic day! Today we have a super cool review and giveaway to share with you! I was so excited when Isle of the Dogs contacted me and asked me to try out some of their products. I was a groomer for more than 13 years and I first discovered IOD when I groomed at a vet clinic. Since then I've used their products pretty frequently on my own pets with fantastic results.

Isle of the Dogs story begins with a woman named Becky Rao. An owner of champion Brittany Spaniels, Becky always knew that a beautiful, healthy coat was the ultimate advantage in the extremely competitive world of show dogs. Show dogs need to be washed often, so her challenge was to find a product that would cleanse the coat without damaging it.

Becky had heard the story of a dog named Lucy, who was a west highland white terrier and had lost 90% of her hair due to a skin condition that even her veterinarian couldn't diagnose. However, her coat was remarkably restored thanks to a concoction that her groomer, David Grimes, came up with. The treatment included evening primrose oil, royal jelly and even a splash of eau de cologne, had a nearly bald Lucy fully coated in soft, shiny fur in around 5 weeks.

Becky incorporated this formula into her grooming regimen for her own show dogs leading to great accolades on the professional show dog circuit. Becky and her husband Kailas decided to start their own business and named it Isle of the Dogs. Today their business features a full line of natural grooming products, nutritional superior treats and supplements. All of their products are sourced in the USA.

MUD!

We live in Oregon and during the rainy season, which this past year has been nearly 5 months straight, things get very muddy and gross. Zoe and Phoenix still need exercise, so when we go hiking, they tend to get extremely dirty. I don't do dirty, stinky dogs. They get washed as soon as we get back. It's great to have products available that clean them well but don't dry their skin out or cause any irritation. Isle of the Dogs has been a lifesaver! 

Silky Oatmeal shampoo is a mild and gentle shampoo that will help create a soft and silky feel to the coat. It can be used on any breed or coat type, and has the benefits of oatmeal and jojoba, which help soothe dry skin.  Silky Oatmeal shampoo is sulfate and paraben free.

Silky Oatmeal Conditioner is a deeply penetrating product that was designed to moisturize the coat for a soft, silky smooth look and feel.  Using this conditioner helps to loosen up the old, shedding hair that gets caught up in the coat. It helps make the brushing process much easier and reduces tangles. This conditioner is also sulfate and paraben free.

I've used Isle of the Dog's Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner for years and I've had great results. Their coats always come out so soft and it helps to remove the extra shedding hair. This shampoo and conditioner does have a pretty strong perfume smell when you're applying it, which is the only downside, if you're sensitive to perfume or other smells. The shampoo and conditioner rinse out well and the perfume smell is a lot lighter when the coat is completely dry. 

Coco Clean De-Shed Shampoo is a custom formulation that reduces excessive shedding, while maintaining a clean and healthy coat. Coco Clean shampoo is soap-free, sulfate free, paraben free and is infused with coconut oil.

Coco Clean Brush Spray Depending on the hair type, in order to prevent hair damage, it's important to avoid brushing a dry coat. Brush spray helps reduce shedding, static and maintains a silky, healthy coat that stays cleaner, longer.  Blended with coconut oil to help improve overall skin and coat condition.  Also features ExtenScent, a natural odor-neutralizing complex that extends freshness and keeps dogs smelling better, longer. 

I think I'm in love with the Coco Clean De-Shed Shampoo! I also really like the Brush Spray and generally, I am not a fan of leave-in products but this one is growing on me! The De-Shed shampoo is amazing. Zoe tends to be a shedding beast around twice a year and this combination of products has really helped! I also tried the shampoo on my cat, who sheds a ton, and it did an amazing job removing her excess hair! It's nice to find a product that is gentle enough to use on cats, as they can be sensitive to things. 

I wish I had some of this Brush Spray when I lived in Nevada! In the desert there's a lot of static cling problems! The Brush Spray is the first leave-in product that I've ever really liked. It's hard to find a leave-in pet product that does not leave some sort of film or greasy feel to the coat. This one does not do that and I'm very happy with it. I like to use the Brush Spray in between baths to freshen them up and whenever I'm going to do any heavy brushing or de-shedding. 

I'm so excited by the Coco Clean products that we are going to be partnering with Isle of the Dogs and hosting a giveaway. The details will be at the bottom of the review. 

Isle of the Dog also offers a variety of healthy treats and supplements!

 

 

Skin - Soft and Chewy Treats - featuring flaxseed and kiwi. A softer, chewier treat that helps to condition, moisturize, and improve overall skin health. Dogs shouldn’t itch or scratch any more than we do. While there can be many causes of dry, flaky skin, the first place to look into is what we feed our dogs. To promote healthy skin and thick, shiny hair, Isle of the Dogs have combined whole flaxseeds with kiwi fruit with added cherries and apples to enhance the sweetness. All the benefits of a fresh-from-the-farm diet, rich in nutrients and sun soaked fruits, in one delicious bite.

Guilt-Free 100% Natural Baked Treats - featuring Pumpkin and Sweet Potatoes. Isle of the Dogs' guilt-free treat is gluten-free and sugar-free, so you can be guilt-free when spoiling your dog. Cinnamon has been added to this biscuit to bring even more benefits. Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar and increase the body’s ability to use insulin, aiding at-risk and diabetic dogs. It also helps ease arthritis pain, helps improve brain function, as well as helping to boost energy, vitality, and circulation. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin serve as great sources of fiber.

Both Zoe and Phoenix really enjoyed these treats! I really like that they are made from all natural ingredients that are sourced in the USA. 

Overall I am very impressed with all of the items that were sent to me by Isle of the Dogs and I would highly recommend checking their products out!

Do your dogs shed a lot? Do you groom them yourself and how often?

We really liked the Coco Clean products and I would like to give one of our lucky readers a chance to try them. 

The giveaway will be open to US residents age 18 or older. Please see the giveaway widget for the full rules and regulations. 

Entry-Form

We received these items from Isle of the Dogs in exchange for an honest review and we were not monetarily compensated. All opinions are my own.

Spring?

We are still getting a ton of rain but there are flowers starting to bloom!

 I'm hoping the weather improves soon!

The Flooded Rainforest!

This used to be a trail system and a meadow!

We've had a very rainy year! It's been raining pretty much nonstop since October with only 4 days of nice weather. All that rain has to go somewhere and our rivers are overflowing!

This past Thursday, we went to Thousand Acres park for the first time since Phoenix started doing play group at my work. We've been avoiding places where there will be other off leash dogs, while I was integrating Phoenix into our play group because we didn't want her to have any bad dog/dog interactions, trigger stacking or practice bad behavior with other dogs. It's been 4 weeks since I've been out there and the whole park is completely flooded!

The "Seasonal" Pond is now a river and a muddy mess!

It was fascinating to see how high the water was! I've never seen the "seasonal" pond so full! It was it's own river! This was the spot where I taught Phoenix how to swim a couple of years ago because it was shallow and easy for her. Not anymore!!

This spot here used to be a meadow full of green grass and a trail system! 

This is the same exact spot as the photo above. I took this a few months ago! 

They were both super confused as to where the meadow went! It was pretty funny! 

We took a break from the flood so that Phoenix could play a little fetch!

She loves her ball! 

Phoenix has been going to our play groups once a week for the past three weeks and I was so happy with her behavior out at the park! Her dog/dog greetings and interactions where way better than they've been in the past. She was pretty chill for the most part. The terrier directly behind her and to the right was not very nice to her, he snarked at her and was kind of over the top. Phoenix did not snark back. She showed him her teeth when he got in her face but then she moved away from him and let it go. 

My work dogs are really helping her to realize that she can meet dogs and nothing bad or scary happens. They ignore her for the most part and she's able to easily move through them without being scared. She actually tried to play with a couple of them this past week. It's nice to see that what she's learning at my work is being generalized to other dogs! I'm really happy with her progress. 

If It Fits...

...it ships!

It Won't Stop Raining!!!

We are all getting extremely sick of the weather here! 

Phoenix Saves the Day...

...and she's been saving me every single day since.

Four years ago today, this little dog stopped a man in his tracks after he jumped out at me when we were hiking alone. (Zoe helped, too) We have no idea what his intention was but he took off after my dogs barked at him. Having a dog who reacts once in a while is not the worst thing in the world! I've not been back to that particular park but I don't really fear hiking alone when I have my dogs with me! 

I really feel like Phoenix saved the day that day. Who knows what would of happened had she not been there and she's saved me every day since the day I got her. When you have depression, a lot of the time, things can look pretty dark. In a world full of dark clouds, she is my sunshine.

Phoenix Makes Progress! Training Updates!

 Phoenix helps with our Reactive Dog Class

On Sunday Phoenix helped out with our Reactive Dog Class. Usually we get to do some of the same activities as the other dogs, we play a lot of the "look at that" game and she generally has a great time. She's usually pretty calm and she actually makes a great decoy dog to help the other dogs learn how to be calm around each other. She does not bark and lunge so having her around not only helps the other dogs but it also helps her. This past Sunday, I feel was her best day ever as a helper dog. She was loose and waggy throughout the whole class, even when one of the other dogs got upset and barked. She did not care at all. She was basically like, "more cheese, mom! This is fun!" Which is exactly how I want her to feel.

Yesterday was Phoenix's second full day in play group at my work! (She is going weekly on Mondays) We definitely saw some improvement from last week with her comfort level. She went outside right at 8am with our drive in dogs. (My boss has a few favorite clients that he picks up in the morning) At my work, when the dogs get there, they go immediately outside, which gives them a chance to potty, etc. Once everybody has arrived, we open the building up (or do slow introductions, depending on if we have a new dog, where one dog comes in at a time) and they are allowed free access to the indoor and outdoor areas.

Phoenix was outside when all of the "drive in" dogs arrived and she did not snark at a single incoming dog. She also did not snark at any of our "owner drop off" dogs or the new dog that started today. She is nervous of the bigger dogs and greetings with them are still a little stressful for her but she is able to move through the group easily without being grumpy.

We actually saw her playing more this week with some of our littler guys. Her favorite by far is Percy, a jack russell mix:

(I called Bruno, the brown one away so they could have a chance of playing)

We did see her do some tracking of the fast moving dogs and wanting to chase and nip (problematic herding behavior) but she was able to listen to us when we asked her to stop. She took food and listened to cues. She was a little more stressed this week when I left the room, my main job is in the front office but an employee called in sick so I was in the play group for a lot longer than I usually am. I feel like that might have impacted her ability to cope without me. My boss still isn't sure if she will be able to hang as a permanent member but we're not giving up yet. Her behavior doesn't seem to impact the group at all and she's very easily managed. We would really like her to be comfortable and have fun, though. 

I'll keep everyone updated with how things go!

Never Say Never! Phoenix Does Play Group!

Do you guys remember a year ago, when I first started my dog training job? Phoenix snapped at my co-worker's dog and I said she would NEVER learn how to be social or do the play groups my work offers? Well... I was wrong. After a year of working at my work, helping teach classes and working with the dogs in our play groups, seeing other dogs overcome their discomfort and fear of dogs, I overcame MY fear and booked Phoenix for a behavioral evaluation. Phoenix has been helping out in our reactive dog classes, which also helps her out, she gets counter conditioned, too. She's not leash reactive but face to face greetings are really hard for her and that's something we don't work on in a class environment. I really want to help her to feel more comfortable when we encounter other dogs out in the world while we are hiking.

Phoenix helps reactive dogs learn to relax!

My boss is a behaviorist and because Phoenix has never injured another dog, he agreed to working with her and trying her with our work dogs. My boss has also spent several months working with me and helping me to normalize conflict and snarky behavior. It's just a part of life, dogs have no other way of telling each other they don't like something and injuries rarely occur. Which is what we've seen with both of our dogs. Although, I will tell you it's much harder watching my own dog get snarky. I can manage a group of dogs all day long and not feel the anxiety I feel when it's my dog.

So her eval day arrived and it was time to take the bubble wrap off of her! Oh boy was I anxious but I am happy to report it went better than I expected. The face to face greetings were hard for her and we also decided she has what we call "problematic herding behavior". She has a weird hereditary drive to chase and nip the other dogs when they are running. With the bigger dogs we saw some snarky stuff because she's fearful of them but our play group dogs are really social and well behaved. They immediately understood that she was scared and they didn't push her. The younger dogs running makes her want to chase and nip but she did not hurt anyone and none of the dogs seemed to be bothered by her. She played with a few of our smaller terrier-type dogs which was great! One of our big grumpy old dogs actually liked Phoenix and tried to get her to play. Phoenix was not comfortable enough yet to play with her but it was cute to see her try.

Here's a short video of Phoenix with Percy. She really likes him! https://youtu.be/PZI_-K0S6ys

These are photos from her first full 4 hour play group:

At first, all she wanted to do was hide in the corner!

BUT, she was comfortable sharing her corner!

Everyone here is sharing the momentary sun!

Phoenix gets brave enough to mingle and sniff Nigel!

My boss decided that we could keep trying Phoenix on Monday mornings and we are hoping to increase her comfort level. Right now she doesn't really know what to do but she did do some playing with a couple of different dogs and that made me happy. I'm hoping that she can learn how to be a dog. I'll keep you guys updated!

Never say never and don't give up!

We're Back!

Hi friends! Sorry we've been away. I have been pretty busy with work and we've had the worst weather! We had record breaking rainfall for February and we didn't get out much. (YAY for indoor brain games!!!) The girls and I did do some interesting things so I can't wait to share them with all of you! Hopefully I can get back to a regular blogging schedule soon! The photo above is from one of the only nice days we've had this month!