Howdy folks,
I know it’s been a while since our last post…life has been busy. I try to make the information on dirtbagtoys.com interesting and therefor I don’t always have something to post every day. But, in the spirit of interesting information, I thought this was news-worthy. Dirtbag Dog Toys is going to be partnering up with Sterling Rope. Yup, you heard me right. Sterling Rope, makers of world-class climbing ropes is working with me to ensure a continual flow of retired rope to turn into great toys and leashes.
DDT will be a regional partner, working with local retailers, collecting retired ropes to be upcycled into useful products instead of shipping them across the country to be recycled. As we’ve mentioned before, recycling has a carbon footprint and we are working to reduce that. By upcycling, we are turning an otherwise useless item into something new. We are also saving energy by collecting retired ropes locally instead of shipping them back to the East coast for recycling.
You might be saying to yourself, ‘Great idea!’. The catch, this only works if people are buying our products. And similarly, we can only donate money if we are selling toys and leashes. I cannot keep accumulating lots of ropes, otherwise my girlfriend may kick me out of the apartment (kidding). But on that note, this is the perfect time of year to treat your K9 friend to a new leash or toy, supporting animal welfare at the same time. The online store is working and I am also happy to sell locally for those of you who live in the Boulder area. In addition to selling our products online, Nederland Feed & Supply has a selection of toys and leashes – check them out.
-DDT
Dog food – it’s expensive. The good stuff that is. If you are like me you feel more then a shred of guilt not giving your pup the best food money can buy. You know they deserve the best, but with the economy the way it is, it’s understandable that you are looking for ways to save money. Keep in mind some basic nutritional information through when looking for a bargain.
1. Check for fillers – Pet food often have fillers added, inexpensive ingredients such as wheat – things which your pet would not eat if it were living in its natural habitat. These are put in to add bulk but often fall short in terms of what your pet needs.
2. Check for additives – Just like for for us humans, look for things above and beyond pure ingredients – things like gelling agents, coloring (unless derived from vegetable juices), preservatives, anything you wouldn’t really want to eat on its’ own.
3. Look for extreme amounts of anything – just like in human food, high sodium content for instance (canned soups).
4. Know names of important vitamins and minerals – The names sound complex, but that doesn’t mean they are bad ingredients.
Bottom line, you do the best you can. You might end up paying a little more for a quality food, but in the long run your pet will be in better health (less trips to the vet) and have a better general sense of well-being.
-DDT
p.s. – we have a new look? Did you notice? For anyone placing an online order today, if you put code “GOODLOOKIN” in the special instructions field at checkout, you’ll receive a free single with your order.
Today I am thrilled because Dirtbag Dog Toys is shipping its first online order! This is an exciting moment for me and it should be for you as well! With this order, more money is being put aside for donation – helping animals who need it! This should show you that it’s not too hard to place an order, just click on products, add a few to your cart, and check out – BAM! In a few days you’ll have your wonderful new toys and leashes.
-DDT
Our friend Ashely Paige, fashion designer and animal lover needs your help! Right now her non-profit animal shelter, Ruff Houzen, is participating in a poll to be named America’s favorite animal shelter, but she can’t do it alone! We need you, loyal fans of Dirtbag Dog Toys to help out. By voting for Ruff Houzen, you are helping them to win a $10,000 grant to support their effort to find homes for animals in need.
If you are still scratching your head and saying, “who is Ashley Paige?” then listen up. She is a fashion designer who has brought some fresh ideas to the field of animal adoption. She has models walk down the runway with homeless animals to spread the word as well as hosts weekly adoption sessions. And more importantly, she is dedicated and cares greatly about the animals she is helping.
- Photographer Dorian Caster
Now that you are informed you can make an informed vote- the best kind. Click on the above link and take the 15 seconds (literally, I just did it) it takes to cast your vote. The Animals at Ruff Houzen are counting on your help!
-DDT
I just got photos uploaded for each of the products I am selling. If you click on the products page, you will be able to see what you are ordering…SWEET! As I mentioned, colors will vary based on what rope is available to me. This is cool because it means each toy or leash color will be a limited edition! Collect them all!
We have been selling our products at Nederland Feed & Supply and the response has been great – already have some money set aside for donation. As soon as we hit $100 I will make the first donation. If anyone has any suggestions for a worthy cause to donate this money to, please shoot me an email and let me know where and why.
One more quick thing – when ordering it looks as though you WILL need to create a paypal account. It’s very easy to do, so do it and order stuff!
-DDT
Two posts in one day, phew! If you have been following, a while back we mentioned that sooner or later you would be able to buy our products online. Now you CAN! When you click on our products page, you will now see buttons next to each product description. Purchasing is done through PayPal although you DO NOT NEED TO HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT TO MAKE A PURCHASE. I’m not yelling, I promise.
In addition, a “view cart” button has been added to the bar on the right side of the site, below the add. Click this at any point after adding items to your cart to return to the PayPal site and view your cart/check out. 20% of all purchases will be donated to an animal shelter or worthy cause! I hope to be receiving orders and making donations soon! Thanks.
-DDT
For everyone following our progress, or anyone lucky enough to stumble on the site, I just got the map feature working! What this means: whenever a post contains a location, it will be added to our map so that you – our lovely visitor – may find directions to said location and enjoy with your pet! I will add a map in the post itself, but will also add the location to the map on the “Map” page so that you may easily find it later (instead of having to scroll through all posts). I hope you all enjoy.
-DDT
Recently a good friend of mine showed me how to set up the website to accept online orders for leashes and toys! I am in the process of registering my new business with the state and getting a tax id. As soon as this has been completed you can expect to see a button to order items from the products page. Needless to say Dewbie and I are excited. Come back soon!
-DDT
Snow has been falling since last night…it’s still falling. What a great opportunity to get out there with your furry friend and have some quality play time! If your dog is ill-equipped for the snow (in terms of insulation) you might consider getting them a dog coat. We’re not talking about one of those tacky, home-made sweaters.
Check out the K-9 Overcoat (made by Ruff Wear) – an insulated wind/water resistant shell with fleece lining. It’s constructed using recycled materials – DDT approves.
Speaking of getting out there, last night Libby, Leah, Dewbie and I went for a short hike up in the Roosevelt National Forest. Start hiking where Caribou rd. (an old dirt road providing access to the Caribou silver mine ends. You will be following forest service roads – have fun exploring, but don’t forget to bring a map! Limber Pine, open meadows, and a beautiful view of the Indian Peaks Wilderness abound! Snow and cold temps didn’t keep us from having fun!
Start hiking from the end of Caribou Rd.
Get out there and enjoy!
-DDT
So Dirtbag Dog Toys has our official web address (as you figured out – you’re here!). At the moment our website will be in a blog form and it may stay this way depending on how well this serves you. Please come back often to find out what we’re doing, what products we are offering, where we are donating money, etc.
I will try and add new content often to keep things interesting.
-DDT
Just one of Dirtbag Dog Toys fans