This toy wouldn’t last a full minute at my house
By Gina Spadafori
March 10, 2010
Look, this is America. Kudos to anyone who can get people to unleash $15 (at full retail) for a cardboard box. But after looking at the video (h/t to Patti S!) I know that my retrievers wouldn’t take a full minute to figure out that ripping the box to shreds would deliver alllllll the treats and the tennis ball, too.
Don’t know what that says about this Labrador’s IQ. Or the IQ of anyone who doesn’t look at the video and figure out how to make this at home (if desired) for … uh… nothing.
Click on the image to see the vid on Amazon.com.
.
No vid.
??
But we get the idea.
Obviously, I am running my business wrong.
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 10, 2010 @ 8:23 am
It’s actually slightly more tedious to buy it rather than making it yourself because after you shell out the cash, there is still ASSEMBLY REQUIRED! I’d rather start with one of those fancy, already assembled boxes and cut a hole in the side.
Comment by YesBiscuit — March 10, 2010 @ 8:31 am
fancy, already assembled boxes
Comment by YesBiscuit — March 10, 2010
Ahahahahaha!
***
Heather … the video wouldn’t embed. You have to go to Amazon and click on the vid at their site.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 10, 2010 @ 8:44 am
Cleo would eat the box, because cardboard is part of her favorite things to eat. Caesar would take the ball outside and destroy it. Brutus would eat the bottle…
Price is slashed on amazon tho. ;) 12.95
Comment by Cindy — March 10, 2010 @ 9:05 am
They don’t get the point: the box IS the treat!
As we’ve known for ages: http://whatdoiknow.typepad.com.....ng_ch.html
Comment by KathyF — March 10, 2010 @ 9:28 am
This is a joke, right? They’re not really selling this?
Comment by Lis — March 10, 2010 @ 10:01 am
I SWEAR there is no video on the Amazon page.
It’s here: http://www.amazingtreatmachine.com/
Geez, it would be so easy to make a sturdy version of this, with pre-cut treat bottle included.
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 10, 2010 @ 10:16 am
One of us is losing it, H. And I’m not willing to bet that it isn’t me. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 10, 2010 @ 10:22 am
comment by Cindy: Cleo would eat the box, because cardboard is part of her favorite things to eat. Caesar would take the ball outside and destroy it. Brutus would eat the bottle…
Ditto! And then they would fight over the treats.
Comment by Katrina — March 10, 2010 @ 11:04 am
PT Barnum was right, gang. This “product” is proof.
Comment by David S. Greene — March 10, 2010 @ 12:48 pm
Someone gave this some thought…but not exactly ringing any bells - after many toys, chew sticks, etc I think I’ve probably had everything - my dogs enjoy trees - or more accurately branches - they run around the yard with branches, small branches…then they’ll sit like book-ends with their acquired branches..it’s very sweet.
Comment by mary frances — March 10, 2010 @ 2:03 pm
“A fool and his money are soon parted”. Thomas Tusser.
Comment by Anne T. — March 10, 2010 @ 4:05 pm
PT Barnum was right, gang.
No he wasn’t - I followed the damn sign to see the Egress and it was just a damn door.
Comment by Dr. Tony Johnson — March 10, 2010 @ 4:42 pm
This is the type of ‘invention’ that pisses me off. How the heck did they even get on Amazon.
In third grade my daughter entered an Invention Convention and you can bet she spent more time and thought into her “Treat Throwing Machine” than this CARDBOARD box.
Comment by ericka — March 10, 2010 @ 4:55 pm
You were looking for the WILD Egress, Tony. For a domesticated Egress, they hide it inside a door. Nothing to see here, move along. Not worth the hype, if you ask me (which you didn’t, I know)
Comment by David S. Greene — March 10, 2010 @ 5:06 pm
I’m reminded of this magnificent LOLcat: ‘What do you mean, “Where’s the present?”
Comment by Eucritta — March 10, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
Maybe this lab is actually smarter than your retrievers. If he’s like my lab, he knows that ripping things up is not an acceptable behavior. But he would love to pick up an “allowed” tennis ball, and in return for dropping it in a box, get treats. Another smart lab. But not so smart pet lover for paying money for this.
Comment by Patrick K. — March 10, 2010 @ 7:18 pm
The Egretta are all regretting (or regressing?) over your puns, if you get the Ardea, gentlemen.
Comment by Anne T. — March 10, 2010 @ 7:41 pm
Not only is it on Amazon, I found out about it because it was featured on a spam newsletter I received -
http://itsgoodstuff.com/the-do.....chine.html
Actually, the copy is rather entertaining.
Comment by Patti S. — March 10, 2010 @ 8:00 pm
I sincerely doubt this dog is smarter than mine. Better behaved, maybe. I still would suggest the dogs are ALL smarter than anyone who’d pay $15 (plus shipping and handling) for a cardboard box.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 10, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
The Egretta are all regretting (or regressing?) over your puns, if you get the Ardea,
Well played, Ma’am!
David, we have been bested by the fiery lass.
From heron out we’ll have to watch ourselves.
Comment by Dr. Tony Johnson — March 11, 2010 @ 5:38 am
Talk about stupid pet tricks! BTW, the box is now for sale on Amazon for $13.
Comment by Ellie Shaw — March 11, 2010 @ 1:17 pm
can’t resist - my favorite - remember the late great Dorothy Parker when asked to use the word horticulture in a sentence - she said, you can lead a horticulture but you can’t make her think….
Comment by mary frances — March 11, 2010 @ 2:04 pm
Is the point of this to teach the dog not to chase a ball? The dog in the video ignores the ball to snag the treats.
Mine would prefer a ball launcher w/o treats.
Comment by Janeen — March 11, 2010 @ 2:42 pm
My dogs will play with a cardboard box even without a ball or treats. I was laughing last night at them tearing up a soda carton in the middle of a floor littered with dog toys. I’m quitting my job and designing dog toys.
Comment by Susan — March 12, 2010 @ 3:23 pm
Gina,
While I certainly can appreciate your opinion of our toy, The Amazing Treat Machine, I am sincerely offended that you would insult our dog by insinuating that he has a low IQ for not “ripping the box to shreds.”
Our dog has hip dysplasia and can no longer run to chase tennis balls – one of his favorite things in the world. I made the Amazing Treat Machine to provide a stimulating challenge that excites him with a rewarding positive activity. He loves chew toys, but knows the difference between the two.
You can read the full story behind the Amazing Treat Machine on our website at http://www.amazingtreatmachine.com/About/
The Amazing Treat Machine to us represents fun, creativity and inspiration. We hope that it inspires people to think differently about products and materials or to take the time to make their own toys to entertain their pets and themselves.
We could have easily made this product out of blow molded plastic in China but we felt that cardboard was a fun and safe approach to dog toys. Value and price, as so many things in life, are subjective. People will spend $6 to purchase a magazine they can read online or buy a bottle of water for $2 that is available from a faucet – both of which can be had for next to nothing.
We certainly don’t attempt to obfuscate the materials we’ve chosen for the Amazing Treat Machine, or how it is assembled, and very much stand by our product - so much in fact that we have another cardboard toy coming out next month.
That being said, please email me your mailing address and I’d be happy to send you a complimentary Amazing Treat Machine and our forth coming toy to review.
Sincerely,
Michael Newman
michael@amazingtreatmachine.com
The Amazing Treat Machine
http://www.amazingtreatmachine.com
Tennis ball goes in. Tennis ball and treats come out!
Comment by Michael Newman — March 15, 2010 @ 1:58 pm
Wow, what a bunch of haters! At least the original author has the sense to understand kudos to anyone that can…sell a product that makes people happy for the value they’ve received. She calls it a cardboard box, but it appears to be a designed product that someone put thought into (even cardboard does not magically die-cut itself into foldable shapes someone did not design).
I propose that over the wide combination of dogs, owners, and their related attitudes and dispositions, there are people that would find value in it, even if it’s something that you do not personally value.
I for instance, do not value the notion of “green product” nearly as much as most people. The original author does not value a product that her dogs are liable to tear into. By all means, do not buy a product you do not see the value in. It seems like it “bothers” a lot of the commenters (and maybe the author of the post) more than it should.
Comment by Kelly — March 15, 2010 @ 2:23 pm
Kelly, since when does having an opinion make one a “hater”? Your defense seems a little over-the-top, frankly. Care to disclose your relationship here to the product?
As for you, Michael, you just earned a ton of respect from me. True dog-lover: “Mock my product if you will, but you will NOT mock my dog!”
:)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 15, 2010 @ 4:45 pm
Great thing is thats its one of the few products
still made in the USA and is 100% recyclable. Web
site shows a lot of thought went into this product for larger dogs with hip problems.
Comment by James Peters — March 16, 2010 @ 7:28 am
When people come on here who’ve never been here before to voluntarily chirp speaking points from a product’s marketing material … well, it’s more than a little fishy.
I appreciate that the people involved with this product think it’s wonderful and want to sell lots of them. But parachuting people in to promote it is just lame. We’re really not that stupid here.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 16, 2010 @ 8:21 am
While I now appreciate why this toy was developed (after reading Michael Newman’s comments), I wouldn’t purchase it as a toy. My dogs, like Gina’s, would just tear into the box to get the treats. And in defense of Gina’s IQ comment, there are well known “dog IQ tests” that include testing how quickly a dog can get to a hidden treat. The faster the dog, the higher the IQ. Tearing into the box would be faster than learning to drop the ball to release the treat.
Also, if a dog loves to retrieve a tennis ball, why do you need to include treats. Chasing the ball can be its own reward!
To me, the funniest thing about the toy is being charged shipping to ship a cardboard box! I think that is hilarious!
I’m also reminded of Charlie Brown at Halloween (“I got a rock”). Send this to someone as a present. They’ll open it to see they got a box!!
Amy
Comment by Amy Suggars — March 16, 2010 @ 8:29 am
Mondays are always filled with such wonder. Yesterday morning I woke up and got to work on what I believed would be a very productive day. Instead I came across this blog post and was really surprised, and honestly quite offended.
I spent a good bit of time trying to understand the scenario – Wondering why a journalist would post a review of our product without actually reviewing it while simultaneously insulting the intelligence of our dog in a public forum. After much debate I decided to write an open letter articulating my opinion of both the negativity towards our dog and my belief in our product. This also included obvious links to our website and information of what I consider the strengths of our toy.
I have to admit that I was surprised and impressed that my response was approved and I appreciate Gina’s reply. It was my hope at that point to put this behind me and move forward with my head held high, believing that I’d “redeemed our dog’s reputation” and turned a negative scenario into a chance to clarify facts about our toy.
One of my goals with this toy is to be very upfront about what it is and let it be judged on its own merit. Other than asking friends and family to “Like” posts on our Facebook page we’ve never solicited a false comment or testimonial about the toy. You can see from our Amazon page that we have negative comments and a positive comment. I’ve approached the negative comments the same way I’ve handled this blog post – Writing a clear, honest response and signing it with my name and contact information. The positive comment just brings me genuine happiness that a goofy toy we made is being enjoyed by a dog and his/her owner.
That being said, yesterday while contemplating how to handle this post I forwarded the link to some friends and family members. I asked that no one reply to the post because I wanted to post a singular response and I know extremely well how disingenuous comments only hurt a product and its reputation.
I want to clarify that the comments from Kelly and “James Peter” were posted by people I know despite my request not to post about it.
Kelly is a virtual friend who, other than seeing pictures and video of the toy, has never actually held one. I followed up with him and his response was something to the effect of “Hey I didn’t post about the positives of the toy, this was just an unsolicited post about everyone being haters - cause that’s what it is.” So be it…
“James Peter” is actually my father, Peter James Newman, and I was honestly horrified by his post. I now have a father in Florida depressed and sulking because I explained to him why his post was only hurting our attempts to be genuine. What more can I say – I’m disappointed, but I still love the guy.
I hope this is the end to my involvement in this thread. Life is too short to dwell on negatives, I’ve got a happy dog resting on a pillow by my desk, sun coming through the window and plenty of work to be done – Our new toy comes out next month ;)
Sincerely,
Michael Newman
michael@amazingtreatmachine.com
PS
Gina, my offer still stands, I’d be happy to send you a free Amazing Treat Machine.
Comment by Michael Newman — March 16, 2010 @ 9:56 am
Hey, he wouldn’t be your dad if he didn’t step up for you, would he? :)
OK Michael, I’ve picked on you enough. I still think it’s incredible that anyone would pay $15 for a cardboard box, but convince me otherwise. I’ll put my smartest, most ball-crazy retriever on it, and video and post the results.
Mail info is on our contact page.
Tell your dad I’m sorry.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 16, 2010 @ 10:10 am