a bit off topic, but I got a new toy (sorta kitchen related)

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my little 1400 SF home has all hard surface floors which are very handy with three dogs and a hubby with allergies. a couple times a week I sweep and end up with a dog fuzz pile the size of a large cat. It's been a real hassle to capture the flying dog hair with a dustpan and get it into a bag to take out to the trash.

Since I've been painting the house, I've been watching HGTV instead of Food Network lately and saw this gizmo on "I Want That" and by jove, I DID!

So I found it on sale at JC Penny's and it came in the mail yesterday and I LOVE IT!

Ladies and Gents, meet the RoboSuck! Sweep the stuff up it and the vac comes on and sucks it all up into a nice, easy to empty dirt cup with out messing with getting out the vacuum cleaner, finding the dust pan and bag to get the stuff off the floor. The best part is that it's small enough to hug the wall behind the rocking chair so it's always there.

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products.aspx?DeptID=0&CatID=027164&Grptyp=PRD&ItemId=0b4271e

[wildeyed]

1. Dog hair-

I've got that. Lots of that. We got a new dog a few weeks ago. He is an ACD/BC mix. He has the ACD coat, which means that he does something called 'blowing' his coat once or twice a year. It is like a dog hair explosion for about three weeks. Then it is over.

I got one of those electric rechargeable mini-vacs to cope. So far, it is working. I have killed a Roomba and the plain non-electric carpet sweeper didn't hold up, either. So I will give this new device a few weeks before I pronounce it effective.

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2. what's ACD? I have a sheltie who "blows coat" twice a year too

I swear there's enough hair left on the floor every week to build another dog

Edit to add, so glad you have a new dog, is it a puppy or did you rescue it or what?? details Please!

If hubby wasn't allergic, I'd never have to buy pillow stuffing again :evilgrin:

Carpets are a whole different problem with doggie hair. the best i've ever found is a Rainbow vacuum cleaner (I bought mine used for a reasonable price) that i've had my whole marriage now (11 years!) and it's still going strong. It can get ANYTHING off carpet. I'd never own anything else, but not so much on hard surface floors. It works great, don't get me wrong, but it's a hassle to pull out unless I'm doing a total clean with dusting and upholstery etc.

for day to day tile sweeping, the Rainbow is just overkill, but i'd sweep the "new dog" into the corner and it would end up sitting there for days sometimes til I could round up hubby to help me deal with it.

So far RoboSuck is a winner :thumbsup:

[wildeyed]

4. ACD = Australian cattle dog

Another super-intelligent, high energy herding breed. But very different in temperament from the Border collie. They tend to be more independent and require a much higher level of correction than BC's. Great dogs. Big hearts, very loyal and courageous. Not for the faint hearted, though, they kind of try to run the show.

Here is a pic of my new dog-baby Sam.



He is about 18 months old. Very loving, intelligent, but kind of clueless. He is rescue, so I don't know much about his background. I think he was in a home where he was not abused, just kind of ignored. Anyway, he is doing great with us. He gets along with my other dog and is very gentle and tolerant of the kids. He is smart, too. He learned all his basic commands in a week with almost no effort on my part.

I have mostly flat weave area carpets, so my Sears vacuum cleaner has been adequate so far. It is too bulky to get out as often as I need it, so I end up with dog hair 'tumbleweeds' in all the corners. This new mini vac charges on a stand and I just whip it out when I need to catch the tumbleweeds. So far, so good. But it took me several weeks to kill the Roomba, so I am withholding judgment for now. I will give the robosuck a try if the carpet sweeper thingy doesn't work out.

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5. what a sweetie! glad he's good with the kids, that was my concern once

i looked up ACD after your first post. I know there have been issues with Queensland Heelers being a bit too agressive for families with children. He looks like a good one though, doesn't have that really MANIC look in his eye :)


and my new toy is more for the kitchen or hard floors it won't help a bit on carpet

one of it's claims to fame is efficiently getting spilled cereal or kibble off the kitchen floor though.... LOL

I've had several of those little mini vacs, they do good but battery life seems to be a challenge after a while and I found them a pain to clean out :shrug:

[wildeyed]

7. All herding dogs can have issues with little kids.

A dog with a strong herding instinct will try to herd the little guys. If they 'grip' or 'heal', an instinctual behavior where they nip or gently bite the stock to encourage them along, it can be interpreted as aggression toward the children, even though it is not.

I always adopt older dogs so I can evaluate their temperament and energy level, make sure they are appropriate for a suburban household with small children. Plus I am too frazzled to deal with a puppy of any breed right now. This dog came fully house trained, with basic house manners, as did Ruby :) I adopted them both from the same rescue organization. They do such a great job with these dogs.

I got the mini vac I got, Electrolux, has a decent battery life, and it is easy to empty. I read the consumer reviews before I purchased, and this one seemed the best. Also costs the best :sigh: Oh well, if it solves my pet hair problem, and doesn't break immediately, it will be worth it.

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8. so true on the "heeling" behavior. my sheltie is 30 pounds, my BC close

to 85 and she stops him dead with a grip on his front leg.

the most heard command in our house? "SADIE! No Leg!" heard during a rousing game of ball.

poor bubba LOL

[Stinky The Clown]

9. We had a Border Collie when the boys were young

She was a pound hound with a white tail tip. The pound people said dogs with white tail tips were blessed with extra love and luck.

She was natural herder with the kids, but never agressive about it. Her way was to just use her shoulders to steer them when they started to wander .... like toward the street (not that it was an issue ... we live on a 7 house court and everyone watches and drives slowly).

Usually, her way was to simply stay outside a 'circle' she'd establish for the kids to play in. She'd romp and bark as she walked or trotted the circle she'd established and keep the kids in the middle. She was really, really a great dog for kids.

Both boys are now gone and on their own. One has his own Border Collie now and she has a similar temperment. No kids, but believe it or not she manages - successfully - to herd the two cats that are her housemates! The cats arrived after she was there and they treat her as 'mom'. She's even been seen lifting the cats by their scruffs ... just like a momma cat would do. The cats sleep with her, too.

A side note about our first Border Collie: she went blind in middle age. It was diagnosed as SARD (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration). Border Collies are one of about a dozen breeds susceptible to it.
http://www.veterinaryvision.com/public_forum/retdegen.htm

After she went blind, she no longer could herd, but she compensated wonderfully ... so long as we didn't move the furniture. She went maybe another five years after she went blind and all but the last few months were of a good life quality. She ulitmately died of a form of dysplasia and was unable to walk at the end.

We sure loved that dog!

Rest in Peace, P.J.

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10. my boy has dual hip dysplasia too. He's been slow getting up his whole

life. the vet thought i was nuts when I brought him in at 8 months wanting a check, but I was correct!

he's 8 now and i'm seeing his difficulty with them. he's hanging in there though with the help of glusomine and aspirin when needed.

sounds like PJ was a lot the same and the "circle" is SOP for the breed, my boy does that too.

i don't want to think about losing my guy, he's been "momma's boy" his whole life and the only dog I've bonded with in 40 years

I just can't think about that now, I'll think about that tomorrow {she says in her best Scarlett O'Hara voice}

[wildeyed]

12. It is true, they don't live long enough.

Best not to think about it too much. Word to the wise, though, start a savings account now for the vet care that will likely ensue later. There is so much they can do for pets now, to increase life expectancy and improve quality of life, but it is expensive. I found this out with my with Ruby's kidney failure. We could do a lot for her, but it was not cheap.

[wildeyed]

11. We had an Australian shepard when I was growing up who did that.

He quietly and firmly kept everyone in the magic circle. He did it when my parents had parties, too. It was hilarious, everyone drinking wine and eating canapes and standing nose to nose 'cause the Aussie was circling the group and nudging everyone closer and closer.

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13. ROFL that's so funny, I can visualize that in my mind n/t

[SW FL Dem]

3. I just added something similar to my central vac

I love it. Like you I have all hard floors (except for 2 bedrooms) and I have 3 dogs, a cat and 2 boys (one is 47 :)). I am constantly chasing furballs across the floor and picking up bread crumbs or grass from golf shoes. Now, I just sweep it up to the dustpan in the baseboard, kick it on, and the schmutz gets sucked up and taken to the canister in the garage. I've never seen a freestanding one, it looks great.

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6. i had a central vac with the house with the ex, man I miss it! n/t