My Trip to Ohiopyle!!

Since my employees have been working extra hard lately on finishing a custom order for a 12" 3-bowl elevated dog feeder (which they finished early this morning) I thought it would be a great idea if Merlin's Bark Products went on a "company retreat" at Ohioplye. I had read a lot about CEO's taking their employees out on fun adventure trips to thank their employees for a job well done and I thought my employees deserved that kind of recognition too.

Anyhow, check out these awesome pictures from Merlin's Bark Products first ever company retreat:

Me and Merln's Bark Products' CFO/Business Manager/Product Finisher (i.e. my mom)

Me and Merlin's Bark Products' Carpenter Union (i.e. my dad)

Me enjoying the nice cool river water

Me on Ferncliff Natural Trail getting ready to look at the falls

Cucumber Falls

My employees thought it would be funny if I got my picture taken with the trail sign

I'll be barking to you later!

Size Does Matter!

If you have stopped by Merlin's Bark Products Etsy shop lately you would have noticed that I have updated and changed around our shop sections. Now instead of having all of our elevated dog (and cat) bowls jumbled up all together in one section - all of the raised feeders have been separated into their own shop sections according to height size. So now if you are looking for a particular size for your pup, you will easily be able to see all our current selections by a click on a link.

Here's what our new shop sections look like and an example of the type of products you will find

* Extra Small Elevated Cat (and Dog) Bowl Feeders (feeders under 3" high)

* Small Elevated Dog (and Cat) Bowl Feeders (feeders under 6" high)

* Medium Elevated Dog Bowl Feeders (feeders 6" high)

* Large Elevated Dog Bowl Feeders (feeders 12" high)

* Extra Large Elevated Dog Bowl Feeders (feeders 18" high)


I hope these changes make shopping at Merlin's Bark Products Etsy store a little easier. I am constantly adding new products so make sure you "shop on by" every once-in-awhile and check out all the latest additions to our product line.

I'll be barking to you later!

Etsy Pets and Pet Lovers Gift Guide (Part 3)

Merlin's Bark Products has made Etsy's Pets & Pet Lovers Gift Guide for a third time! A couple of our items have been listed in the gift guide previously, and the last item to be selected for the guide was purchased a couple weeks ago so we haven't had an item in the guide for a little while. Anyhow, another one of our items has been chosen for the gift guide. This time it is one of our elevated/raised dog bowl feeders! This is the first time that one of our elevated dog bowls has made the guide. Check it out right there in the 3rd row, 4th column.


I'll be barking to you later!

2008 Dad's Pittsburgh Pet Expo!

This weekend is Dad's Pittsburgh Pet Expo and it is the place for pups and their owners to go for a little fun and excitement!

Dates: October 11 & 12
Times: Saturday 10am – 6pm & Sunday 11am – 5pm
Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Activities: Frisbee dogs, Hot Dog Pig Races, Puppy Playground/Noah's Bark, Ultimate Air Dogs, Ask the Vet, and lots more!

There will be over 90 exhibitors of all kinds there too. Vendors like Lucky Paws Resort (which I hear is a fabulous pet resort), United Against Puppy Mills (which is a very important organization working to stop puppy mills), Wags n' Wiggles Barkery (who by the way sells some of the most delicious treats I have ever munched on - I highly recommend their Tail Waggin Twists), and everything else that you can think of in between. It is one of my business goals to be able to add Merlin's Bark Products to that list of vendors next year.

So check out the show this weekend and make sure that you take your pup with you. Pet participation is encouraged as long as the pup is one a leash.

I'll be barking to you later!

Measuring for an Elevated Feeder!

Since so many pups (and their parents) have been asking me about Merlin's Bark Products line of elevated dog (and cat) bowl feeders and how to figure out what size would be perfect for them - I figured it would be helpful if I included that info in my blog.

So here's some guidelines to help inquiring pups that want to know:

#1 The feeder's height. The usual guideline to find the perfect feeder height is six inches below the pup's withers (i.e. front shoulders). Another broader guideline is that the feeder's height be between 4 to 10 inches below the withers. For example, if you got a tiny pup and six inches seem like a lot, four inches or less should do.

#2 The bowl capacity. My general thought is that the bigger the bowl the better! I know that a lot of pups would agree with me on that, but I also realize that a lot of owners would disagree. So I have included some bowl size measurements below so you can get a good idea of what size the bowls are that we use:

1-pint bowl: inside measures - 4 1/2" wide x 2" deep (holds 2 cups)
1-quart bowl: inside measures - 5 1/2” wide x 2 1/2” deep (holds 4 cups)
2-quart bowl: inside measures - 7 1/4” wide x 3” deep (holds 8 cups)
3-quart bowl: inside measures - 8 3/4" wide x 3 1/2" deep (holds 12 cups)

Once you have figured out what size feeder and bowl would be perfect for your pup - all that is left for you to do is stop by my Etsy store, and pick our which color you like best. So measure your pup and stop by Merlin's Bark Products to find that perfect feeder for your pup (or kitty).

I'll be barking to you later!

Upcoming Animal Friends Events!

Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 5 at Noon | Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center | 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Come help us celebrate the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, birds and the environment. Bring your four-footed angel and join us for cookies and coffee in the gazebo as we honor all of our pets with a special blessing. There is no cost to attend the blessing. For everyone’s safety, dogs must be on a leash and cats, rabbits and exotics must be in carriers!

Cookies and Coffee with Our Friends from the Aviary
Monday, October 6 at 2:00 pm | Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center | 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Pittsburgh is the home of the National Aviary and an astounding menagerie of our feathered friends. Enjoy cookies and coffee as we welcome Erin Estell, Manager of Interactive Experiences and Animal Promotion and learn about our feathered guests. Tuition is $5. Call 412.847.7035 to register.