No more Mr. Brown Eye

I've always had dogs with long, straight tails that conveniently keep their more "unsightly" parts under wraps. But for pets with stubby, curly-cue or non-existent nubs, there's Rear Gear to the rescue.

Rear Gear is a decorative cover for your dog's, cat's (or ferret's) um, anus. There, I said it.

For all of you news junkies out there, I realize that Rear Gear has been on the scene for several months, but it wasn't until this weekend that I witnessed a real-live pooch sporting one (in the disco-ball design) at Dolores Park. I tried to snap a picture, but the little guy tore off at lightning speed as soon as I managed to fish my iPhone out of my bag — I can only imagine his humiliation.

Previously, I thought of these as a kind of "pet product mythology" — and the perfect gag gift for the prudish friend who almost didn't get a dog because of the pooper-scooper factor. But no. Rear Gear is real. In the word's of the product's founder:

Is your pet feeling left in the dirt because of his/her unsightly rear? I've got them covered... Rear Gear is handmade in Portland, OR and offers a cheerful solution to be-rid your favorite pet's un-manicured back side.

While miniature pants just wouldn't be practical, Rear Gear (available on Etsy) does the trick by dangling in front of certain bits you'd rather not see. (Sure, dogs might wear one to please their owners, but I honestly can't picture a cat putting up with something flapping around on their tails for longer than about two seconds.)

Practicality aside, in addition to the disco ball, fans can choose from an array of designs including a tree-shaped air freshener, fuzzy dice, sheriff's badge, heart, flower, cupcake, #1 ribbon or biohazard-symbol. And for just five bucks a piece, you can get three! You can even customize one for your pet, so there's truly a Rear Gear for everyone.

From: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=56610