You need a bidet, but not for the reason you think

MICHAEL J. COREN THE WASHINGTON POST

‘This is not no regular toilet bowl,” gushes DJ Khaled on Instagram, fawning over a new toilet that rapper Drake sent to his home. “This is the most amazing toilet bowl I ever seen in my life.”

The Neorest NX2 toilet is a $21,181 porcelain throne. Designed by the Japanese company Toto, it features a remote control, heated seat, deodorizer, night light, and, as DJ Khaled says enthusiastically, “water that splashes up” after you’re done.

In other words, it’s a very pricey bidet. Khaled’s paean may be the high-water mark of the bidet’s profile in American pop culture – so far. Once viewed as an overseas oddity,

Dogs

From Page 5 area or if they had more land or a larger yard,” Moberg says. the bathroom fixture has exploded in popularity over the past three years. Retailers report sales leaping tenfold during the pandemic, and remaining strong The vast majority of Americans still exclusively use toilet paper, though. For many, the bidet remains a fusty porcelain basin vaguely associated with the French. But the technology has evolved. Multibillion-dollar incumbents like Toto, as well as newcomers such as Tushy and Luxe, have stormed the U.S. market, along with a flood of cutrate manufacturers on Amazon. Bidets that promise to work with almost any toilet are now within reach of every American: Simple versions can be had for just $30.

A garden of interesting-smelling plants can also entertain a dog, says Carmody, who recommends rosemary, basil and dill. Keep in mind that herbs in your doggy garden should not be used for cooking. And most importantly, be sure to consult the ASPCA’s list of plants that are toxic to dogs, so you know which varieties to avoid.

If you want to plant herbs for personal use, Moberg suggests using hanging planters that your dog can’t reach, even when standing on her hind legs. “Make sure that wherever you hang, it is very sturdy so that there is no chance of it falling, especially if your dog’s hanging out in the yard,” she says.

For the world’s northern forests, that’s great news. The pines, birches and aspens that fringe the Northern Hemisphere are a primary source of virgin

Strategic plants

When Banks decided to add flowers to her patio, she chose to use large planters that Jax and Chase couldn’t get into. “There were bushes there before. but the dogs came and peed all over them and they died,” she explains. The new pots, which she surrounded with decorative rocks, have held up well.

Depending on your pet, Moberg says, you may want to keep in mind that some plants are better at attracting birds and other critters. “If you have a dog that has a good amount of predatory motivation, you probably don’t want to be attracting birds and squirrels and other small animals that your dog might see as prey,” she says.

Climbing objects

“Being able to go up and down can be enriching and fun for dogs and can give them more opportunities for exercise as well,” says Moberg, adding that climbing pulp to make toilet paper, particularly older, mature trees with longer fibers that manufacturers want to create an ultrasoft texture.

And no one buys more TP than Americans. The typical person in the United States uses about 24 rolls of toilet paper per year. That’s roughly three times more than Europeans – and among the highest per capita consumption of any country. Were the country to switch to bidets, millions of trees would likely remain standing every year.

I bought one in 2019 and never looked back.

But can bidets persuade Americans to set aside their rolls of Charmin Ultra Soft Cushiony Touch? It’s an easier sell than you think.

Water, not paper, has long been the world’s gold stan- objects don’t have to be “permanent or expensive fixtures.” Logs, tree stumps or rocks can “mimic a larger outdoor environment,” she says, while benches or stools can also work for climbing over or under.

Carmody suggests recycling old car tires and stacking them to create a climbing platform. A single tire can also be filled with sand or gravel for another digging opportunity, or herbs for sniffing, she adds.

Make sure that any climbing object is sturdy, stable and a safe height for your pup’s size.

A place to rest

Just like humans, dogs love to lounge outside. Moberg recommends Kuranda beds for outdoor spaces, since they’re elevated off the ground and don’t hold onto moisture. “It can be really nice for them to smell the smells while laying in bed or hear outdoor sounds in the sun or shade outside,” she says.

dard for cleaning up behinds. The Quran details prescriptions for cleaning with water in the bathroom. More recently, a 1975 hygiene bill in Italy made it illegal not to have at least one bidet in every public lodging, reports The Guardian.

Although the bidet is thought to have been invented in France in the 1600s, Japan has embraced the device like few other nations, with an estimated 79% of households owning at least one.

In the United States, the bidet has barely cracked the mainstream. Our historical prejudice against the apparatus dates back to World War II, when many