Last Minute Shopping

Well, tomorrow's Pappy's honorary birthday, so I am scrambling for last minute gift ideas. We're going to stop by the pet store on the way back from the dog park this morning to see what draws his eye.

What he would love more than anything else is an automatic ball throwing machine. The only purpose-built one I can find, the Go Dog Go fetching machine, seems to have gone out of production. There's one US site still advertising them, but they seem to be placing fake customer testimonials peppered around review sites directing people to buy from them-- slimy! Some students at the University of Victoria were building an interesting prototype a few years ago, but it was the size of a washing machine.

So, instead, I did some browsing this morning for cr*p, I mean presents:

• A dog pedometer, 'cept Pappy's not so good with numbers.


• A talking dog collar that plays tinny jibes, giving Pappy some street cred.


• A special doggy treadmill, to keep me from accidentally getting any exercise.


• An inflatable collar life preserver.


• A Barbie with dog and pooper scooper-- just 'cause it's weird.


• A Honda with a built-in dog compartment.


• Dog beer.


• And the now famous doggy-style USB key.

Good stuff. For you I mean, not Pappy. He's getting some balls and Nylabones.