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Desert Local News - Desert Local News Print at Home Edition 11 March 26 - Index

26 HOME ZONE
A neat way to combine
brushing and bonding with
By Maggie Reed
You take time to groom your
dog and you take time to love your
dog. Why not do both at once?
The Brush Buddy allows owners
to clean, brush, massage and bond
all at the same time.
“The brush side of the Brush
Buddy removes dirt, shedding hair
and provides a great massage for
dogs, while the towel side dries
them off,” said David Fortson, cocreator
of the Brush Buddy. “But
what makes the Brush Buddy unique
is its design, which encourage owners
to embrace and love their dogs
while using it.”
Fortson came up with idea after
spending a day at the beach with his
dog Roman and found he’d forgotten
a brush and a towel as they were
getting ready to go home. Realizing
other dog owners most likely find
themselves in the same position after
a day romping about, he teamed
with John Stump in developing the
Brush Buddy and later with entrepreneur
Jacques Habra.
Designed to be used inside and
your buddy
outside the home, it can be placed
under car seats, in handbags or backpacks,
hung by the front door, or left
outside the house.
“We see the Brush Buddy as
essential gear for people who take
their dogs hiking and biking, for
instance, or to the beach and dog
parks,” Fortson said. “Before their
dog gets back into the car or goes
back into the house, they can use
the Brush Buddy to quickly get their
pooch clean and dry.”
Weighing in at 1 1/2 pounds and
measuring 2 feet, 4 inches long and
10 inches wide, the compact design
is perfect for travel and storage.
The Brush Buddy consists of:
- Plush terry cloth: Made of 100
percent cotton, the green and tan
towel side of the Brush Buddy absorbs
water quickly, leaving dogs
clean and dry.
- Soft and flexible rubber bristles:
The brush side contains thousands
of soft and flexible bristles
that can be used on any part of the
dog, including sensitive areas like
the face, paws and belly. On top of
cleaning and massaging, the bristles
are made of 100 percent recycled
rubber and attract hair like a magnet
from dogs, car seats and around the
home.
- Ergonomically-designed hand
pockets: These pockets allow owners
to grip their dog’s body and
move around it, drying, brushing
and massaging with ease.
“Dogs love the feel of the Brush
Buddy and all the extra attention
their owners give them, while their
owners enjoy giving their dogs the
love they crave while getting them
clean and dry. We like to say that
‘when you put the Brush Buddy
around your dog, you put your arms
around your dog, and when you put
your arms around your dog, they
love you forever,” said Fortson.
The Brush Buddy retails for
$30 and is manufactured by Rough
& Tumble LLC, a privately owned
company based in Santa Barbara,
Calif., that develops products to
bring people and animals closer together.
For more information, call
888-752-1777 or visit www.thebrushbuddy.com.
PEEPING AT THE PEEPERS
Ever wonder what goes on inside
that birdhouse when the feathered
folk are in residence?
Richard Yost of West Linn, Ore.,
did. “I helped my son and his Cub
Scout troop build birdhouses, and
we put some in our backyard. Owls
from the greenway behind our house
took them over. I saw them come
back and forth and I was curious
about what was going on, so I put a
camera inside to watch them. It was
astounding.” (Log on to www.birdhousespycam.com
to see.)
Yost wanted to share this experience
with others so he spent years
developing and refining a tiny camera
that fits inside a birdhouse, bat
house, outside near a fountain or
bird nest - anywhere you want to
watch wildlife, livestock and pets.
The Hawk Eye is a miniature camera
that provides full-color, realtime
video on your TV screen, camcorder,
computer or any place that
has audio and video import plugs. It
comes with a 100-foot-long cable to
run from outside into your house; a
weather shield to keep rain off; and
a built-in microphone.
“The camera uses infrared light,”
Yost said. “I checked with the Audubon
Society and the Cornell Laboratory
of Ornithology and both said
they’ve used infrared and there’s no
indication that any of the animals
are bothered by it.”
The Audubon Society was also
concerned that people would see
something disturbing happening - a
baby bird not getting enough to eat,
for example - and “help out” so the
Hawk Eye comes with the warning
“Watch but don’t touch.”
“If what you’re seeing bothers
you, just don’t watch,” Yost said.
The Hawk Eye retails for $95. For
more information, call 800-807-1030
or visit www.birdhousespycam.com;
some pet and bird supply stores also
carry them, but call first to check for
availability.
- Cathy Lubenski
Maggie Reed can be reached
at maggie.reed@copleynews.com;
619-718-5821; or P.O. Box 120190,
San Diego, CA 92112.