I don’t care much for big cities. But I was certainly glad to meet Arnie Costell – owner of Watson’s Pet Products – when we were in Los Angeles. Arnie loved his senior dog Watson so much, he developed the Bottom’s Up Leash to help him walk.

Watson was nearly 18 years old at the time and had developed a condition that seriously affected his mobility. The Bottom’s Up Leash enabled Arnie to walk Watson with ease for both of them.

I figured this could come in quite handy for rear leg amputees like my friend Sami. So we met with Arnie to learn about the leash, then hooked up with Sami to give it a try.

Unfortunately my people’s camera had some sort of major malfunction after filming our product testing with Sami. But that’s not about to stop me from telling you how wonderful Arnie and his products are.

My people and I spent a lot of time with Arnie, trying out various different products and learning about Arnie and his company. Not only did he love his dog Watson, he used to pitch for the Yankees! But I digress …

Truth be told, the Bottom’s Up Leash is best suited for dogs who really have a hard time standing on their own. I do not recommend it for front leg amputees like me because it puts even more weight on our one front leg. I would recommend it for rear leg amputees on one condition – if they have trouble standing or walking on their own. I do highly recommend it, however, for dogs with serious dysplasia or other condition that keeps them from walking on their own.

When Arnie first put the leash on me, it felt weird so I got right up. Because I can. Sami did the same thing when we tried it on her. Because she can. But we’re like that … we’ll show you just how tough we are. For dogs that can’t get up on their own, however, the Bottom’s up Leash would be a big help!

The Bottom’s Up Leash can still be used if a back leg is missing. Just place the leg through both loops of the leash and it will stay on. This is where our movie would have come in handy. But what can I say? Technology is just so … human. And Arnie is one great human for creating this video that tells Watson’s story:

The Bottom’s Up Leash is available in the Health and Fitness section of my Tripawds Store. But I was excited to hear that Watson’s Pet Products manufactures a number of other products for senior and less-able dogs. Even if it was a bit embarrassing.

Who knows, maybe I will need to wear diapers some day. I sure hope not. But I know my people would use Watson’s Doggy Diapers for me if I became incontinent. These washable shorts were easy to put on, had a convenient hole for my tail, and can be used with any large disposable panty liners.

Arnie also showed us the all terrain dog shoes he developed. These lightweight, water repellent booties were designed for active aging pets to provide superior traction and mobility. They’re easy to put on with Velcro straps, and are adjustable for a snug fit.

Watson’s also has a convenient auto safety harness that can be easily detached. This harness supports the belly and can be comfortably worn to assist mobility when necessary. Then it can be easily secured with a seat belt to keep your furry friend safe in the car. And that’s important in places like L.A. – I was sure happy to wear mine in that crazy traffic!

Aside from all the great products, there was one other good thing about my trip to Watson’s Pet Products in Santa Monica – we got to go to the beach after our visit with Arnie! That was fun dince it’s been a long time since I’ve smelled the Pacific, even though the silly city doesn’t allow dogs on the beach. We ran down to the water and back anyway.

Many thanks to Arnie, and big wags for Watson. You leave a legacy behind that is greatly helping physically challenged dogs everywhere.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 4:10 pm and is filed under Recovery, Treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.