Robinson Labs has long been known and highly regarded in the human scent elimination market, and rightly so. They manufacture
quality products and have built a great reputation through a scent control system that truly works (see Dave Conrad's evaluation on
RL's human odor elimination system in the bowhunting.net Product Evaluation Section). This year Robinson Labs has ventured into
a new market - dog care products, which they manufacture themselves. Owner, Bill Robinson actually got his start in the business world through the pet care industry. Robinson Labs has been manufacturing pet care products for the veterinary industry under a private label contract since the early 80's. Bill's experience then spread onto the hunting scene where he pioneered scent elimination for his bowhunting friends. Thus, the Scent Shield products we all know and use. 

The pet care market is inundated with new products every year and I have seen many come and go since my involvement with world class dogs started some 22 years ago. Over this time I have handled just about every breed of dog you can imagine from Miniature achshunds to German Shorthair Pointers with national field trial titles to their name. At present our house and kennel sport some 16 dogs giving me the ability to scrutinize these products to a great degree. A total of five separate products make up Robinson Lab's Dog Essentials. An individual evaluation of each follows:

Dog Accident Deodorizer
Unfortunately it didn't take long after receiving my supply of Dog Essentials until I had a need for the Dog Accident Deodorizer. Sure enough my only house dog, a Mini Dachshund my children named Slinky, complied with the testing requirements and promptly decided our carpet looked like the grass outside! My wife has an intensely sensitive nose for the foul odors that come from such accidents and cannot be fooled by deodorizers that do not work. If only she knew that I let it soak
in a while so the test would be as realistic as possible.... Well, after thoroughly cleaning the affected area I told my wife what our sweet little bundle of fur had done and the general area the offense had taken place. Without hesitation she went to the area to try out her super smelling powers and to my surprise, she found the exact spot with absolutely no difficulty. I looked at the bottle to see if I had used the right one, looked back at her, back to the bottle and then back to her again. I mumbled to myself, "this isn't going to be a pretty report", and asked her how bad it was. "Not bad at all, I wish my carpet cleaner smelled this nice". She had found it because it smelled NICE not because of a foul odor! Wow, if this deodorizer can pass her bionic nose, you are sure to be pleased with the results. This product is NOT a "cover up", it actually changes the molecular structure of the odor source and prevents it from forming the gasses that are in fact the odor we smell. Another great feature of the deodorizer is that it also contains a dog repellent that will keep Fido from returning to the scene of the crime for another go-around!

Ease of Use: 5 of 5
No mixing required, simply apply and clean!

Effectiveness: 5 of 5
This product does exactly what it is advertised and designed to do.

Recommendation: Strong Buy
If you have pets and experience the occasional accident, Robinson Lab's Accident Deodorizer will be a welcome addition to your home.

Dog Shampoo with Detangler
This was a simple test and took no time at all to evaluate. I found the longest haired dog we have, Lucy a Shihtzu, and let her have it. After the bath I looked for the three qualities I feel are important in a good dog shampoo; Hair texture, a fresh smell and ease of grooming. Again I was pleased with the results as Lucy's hair was easily brushed out, soft to the touch and smelled great. Believe me when I tell you that not all dog shampoos come through with what they advertise. Robinson Labs Dog Shampoo, I am happy to report, is not one of these. The shampoo is basically fragrance free. I am glad that Robinson opted to stay away from fragrances in their shampoo, like a dog to smell fresh after a bath not like a perfume bottle. The shampoo also has a small amount of moisturizer in it to protect your dogs skin and hair.

Ease of Use: 5 of 5 
Depends on your dog, not the product!

Effectiveness: 4.5 of 5
Another winner!

Recommendation: Buy
You will be pleased with the results, a soft, fresh smelling dog.

Pet Stain Remover
I looked for the oldest toughest pet stain in the house which meant moving some strategically placed furniture. At last it was discovered, a stain that had stood the test of time and countless scrubbings. Now, understand that the interpretation of the results has to reflect on the difficulty of the stain at hand, and this one could grow its own hair! Robinson Lab's Pet Stain Remover did a far better job on this stain than any other we had tried previously. It did not completely remove the stain and I was not at all disappointed because it had done so much more than I even expected. To be fair I found a lesser stain and performed the test again. This time the stain disappeared completely with little dwell time (the amount of time the product remains on the affected area). 

Ease of Use: 5 of 5 
Little dwell time was needed to be effective and you don't have to be a professional body builder to muster up enough strength to
work it in!

Effectiveness: 4.5 of 5
As stated above RL's Pet Stain Remover was effective on both stains tested on. Only a slight discoloration was left behind on the
worse of the two and the other was completely gone. 

Recommendation: Buy
Robinson's Pet Stain Remover did a fantastic job and deserves a great deal of consideration in your next purchase!

Dog Deodorant with Cedar
Again, another easy test. I picked a dog that really smelled like.... Well, a dog! This dog had not
rolled in something with a bad odor, it just smelled like a dog normally does when they are a bit wet and need a bath. I simply
sprayed the product on, making sure to keep it out of his eyes, and let it soak in for approximately 20 minutes. The results were
pleasant as the Robinson Lab's Dog Deodorizer seriously cut down the odor previously associated with this particular animal. A
slight hint of cedar could be detected, just about right for my preference. If your dog has rolled in something nasty, applying a
second or even third dose of the deodorant and working it into his coat should do the job.

Ease of Use: 5 of 5
It doesn't get any easier than spray on!

Effectiveness: 4 of 5
This product does as it is advertised to do and while some odor remained as a whole I was pleased.

Recommendation: Buy
If you don't have the time to give your pet a bath at the very moment but still need some relief, RL's Dog Deodorant with Cedar is
a quick effective solution.

Kennel Cleaner
The last of the Robinson Lab's Dog Essentials I tested, Kennel Cleaner, turned out to be a rerun of the others
already evaluated. It worked! I have been through many similar products and to have one that actually does what it says it will is a
nice surprise. RL's Kennel Cleaner contains Yucca plant extract which is a natural stain remover and cleaner. While not stated on
the bottle, this product may be diluted somewhat as it is a concentrated liquid. I cleaned a well-used stall in the kennel and
evaluated the cleaner on thoroughness, odor and appearance. The cleaner broke up most of the grime in the hard to reach areas
making it thorough. The odor was cut down significantly and the stall and run had the appearance of being fresh. On all counts RL's
Kennel Cleaner did a "sufficient to good" job.

Ease of Use: 4 of 5
The squirter top makes this product fairly easy to apply.

Effectiveness: 4.5 of 5
There is nothing like having a product work like it says it will and Robinson's Kennel Cleaner does just that. 

Recommendation: Buy
From portable kennels to permanent stalls and runs RL's Kennel Cleaner will keep your pet's living area looking and smelling clean
and fresh. 

With all of the tests performed in an environment that exceeds the normal needs of most dog owners, Robinson Lab's Dog
Essentials impressed me from start to finish. It is nice to open a product and have the confidence it will do what it states on the
package and know you have not thrown your money away!

For more information:
Robinson Labs, Inc.
110 N. Park Drive
PO Box 18
Cannon Falls, MN 55009
Telephone # (507)263-2885
Web Address: http://www.robinsonlabs.com