@cdenney, here's a picture of Meichan (right) and her half-brother Mochi (left). Both are just under 40# right now though the boy is 1.5-month younger. See what I mean by midget long coat? LOL~
@rikumom, I had a serious problem with frontline on my cat. He got a hot spot from the meds and he still has a bald spot almost a year later. I had never heard of flea meds causing this before! What medicine do you use now? I use trifexis on my dogs, so im not up on recent breakthroughs with topicals and I was hoping there might be some other topical for both dog and cats that is for sensitive skin. My chi has sensitive skin and seizures, so I can't flea treat her at all.
Since my fur kids are both indoor dogs, we skipped the flea meds for years and only use Heart Guard for heart worm. Now i use Revolution, which is alcohol based and works on both fleas & heartworm.
We avoid anything that's given orally b/c the side effect on those just sound scary compared to the topical ones. I have never experienced hot spots with my fur kids so Im not sure if this experience helps you.
Oh, great thread and most welcome, I am just considering getting a new vacuum. Um, I admit I am rather lazy I am considering getting a robot dust cleaner, have any of you used it? Are they effective for Akita and cat hair ??
@cdenney, I thought you would like the zoom groom! How does Sachi feel about it? Kuma loves it.... I think she believes she is getting a massage when I use it
@whitebear My hubby had an iRobot that covered the downstairs area of an 800 sq ft loft when we met. He was dog/catless. The iRobot died shortly after my 22# shiba claimed territory of said loft on the wkends...
I like using it on them in the bath, but otherwise, I'm not thrilled with it, because it's not that great for really helping get out the hair when they are blowing their coats. Well, not for the thicker coated Shiba and Akita, anyway. I use shedding comb on them--I like it more than the furminator that I also have.
Not to bring this post back from the dead. I just ordered a Miele Jazz upright. When I first got Kaede I had a canister vac from them and loved it. The bag was just too small. When I moved in with my wife, she had a Dyson. It lasted her/I 10 years. The issue we have is that the canister is now old enough that it is leaking.
I'll post a review of the Miele when it gets here.
Since this is resurfacing, if anyone is still thinking about getting a Dyson they have a promotion going for 20% off and free shipping, runs till mid May. Just got an e-mail from them, thought I would share.
So, Dyson is 20% off everywhere as @ThreeFish231118 stated. You can also use Bed Bath and Beyond's 20% on top of that. If Bed Bath and Beyond won't let you combine deals, Best Buy will honor that discount with their price matching. My friend just bought the DC44 for $256 from Best Buy.
I was going to buy a Dyson but read reviews that the Shark Rotator performs much better than a Dyson, especially for the significantly cheaper price point.
I have shiba-owning friends with both a Dyson Animal upright and a Shark, they ended up using the Shark most of the time b/c of the Dyson is heavy. We got the Dyson hand held for that reason.
My old Dyson is barely making it anymore: let's just say too many falls down the stairs, plus the fact that we once vaccummed up a lot of soot after cleaning the chimney. I mean, fair enough, the thing was a refurb when I bought it 8 years ago, but I do keep thinking about replacing it. I wonder if I should get the shark too? Lighter and cheaper sounds good!
Not to be gross but I think between my two roommates and myself we she's more on the regular than Sachi. It will work with bella and nola. I will have to check it I know I for it on sale reg price point was around the 160 mark
I concur - Dyson! It is heavier than all my old vacuums, but it really picks up EVERYTHING. Worth the investment. (Btw, I don't know if it's just my shiba, but some other owners tell me their dog stops shedding completely between seasons? Grayson doesn't. Yes, some days he has 'less' but definitely still sheds.) Also, I bought a manual sweeper broom (which is like a broom + dust pan in one), works wonders to pick up all the little drifting hair daily/in between vacuuming. Hasn't clogged yet!
I watched A LOT of reviews, and it seems that the Rotator has more positive reviews than the navigator. When matched up with the Dyson, they were equally powerful.. just much more cheaper.
@Zinja - Thanks! I am hoping to be moving to Northern Virginia by the end of the summer, so I will probably need to downsize quite a bit... I have a really awesome canister vacuum (Electrolux), but it is large and bulky. So something small, light, and powerful (especially since I will probably be moving to an apartment or town home with [gasp!] carpet) would be great!
I have a Kirby. It is a monster. But if you think a Dyson is expensive...Let's just say buying a Kirby is more like buying a car. But what's nice is that it washes the carpets too.
I'm not as crazy about the zoom groom as everyone else is. That being said, my pup hasn't blown his coat yet. When I brush him with the zoom groom it pulls fur off and into the air, it doesn't hold it. Is that how it's supposed to work?
Comments
We avoid anything that's given orally b/c the side effect on those just sound scary compared to the topical ones. I have never experienced hot spots with my fur kids so Im not sure if this experience helps you.
My hubby had an iRobot that covered the downstairs area of an 800 sq ft loft when we met. He was dog/catless. The iRobot died shortly after my 22# shiba claimed territory of said loft on the wkends...
I like using it on them in the bath, but otherwise, I'm not thrilled with it, because it's not that great for really helping get out the hair when they are blowing their coats. Well, not for the thicker coated Shiba and Akita, anyway. I use shedding comb on them--I like it more than the furminator that I also have.
good luck on the vacuum sniping on ebay!
I'll post a review of the Miele when it gets here.
I was going to buy a Dyson but read reviews that the Shark Rotator performs much better than a Dyson, especially for the significantly cheaper price point.
And will it work for two Shibas that shed constantly and occasionally blow up and a human with thick long hair that constantly sheds? :-D
Also, I bought a manual sweeper broom (which is like a broom + dust pan in one), works wonders to pick up all the little drifting hair daily/in between vacuuming. Hasn't clogged yet!
You can by them refurb for $150-200 and add a HEPA filter. Last you 20 years.
I watched A LOT of reviews, and it seems that the Rotator has more positive reviews than the navigator. When matched up with the Dyson, they were equally powerful.. just much more cheaper.
The dyson DOES look sooo much nicer though.
Here's a youtube channel of some guy reviewing many vacuums. http://www.youtube.com/user/logdog321?feature=
I'm not as crazy about the zoom groom as everyone else is. That being said, my pup hasn't blown his coat yet. When I brush him with the zoom groom it pulls fur off and into the air, it doesn't hold it. Is that how it's supposed to work?
It was not that great for regular brushing to my mind. I use an undercoat rake (like a furminator, but it doesn't cut the hair).