Our Top 10 Must-Haves for Our Puppies
We learned so much with our first pup Potato that has come in handy in raising, Ringo, our newest guy. We love the puppy phase and don’t mind the potty training. That said, Jackson and I made this quick list for you of our favorite products that we regularly use with our dogs.
1. Slip Rope Leash
This slip leash is perfect for puppies who are wiggly on walks. We started early with Tato and followed suit with Ringo. We dislike harnesses because they allow the dog to keep pulling without any signal that they are doing so, whereas the slip rope gently lets them know.
2. Himalayan Yak Chews
Our friend Katherine turned us on to these yak cheese chews and they’re amazing! Your dog’s breath will smell like smoked gouda and they’ll be occupied chompin’ on this for hours.
3. Poop Bags with Carrier Clips
This pack of lavender scented poop bags will last you forever (we’ve had ours for 3 years and are still going strong) and even comes with a convenient carrier case you can clip onto the loop end of your leash so you’re never without a baggie.
4. The Classic Kong
The Kong is a classic for a good reason: it’s durable and will provide your pup hours of entertainment. Fill it with peanut butter and pop in a few blueberries then stick the whole thing in the freezer for a bit before giving it to your pup as a popsicle.
5. A Comfy, Neutral Bed
This darling bed is available from Italic in several colors. We like to keep our stuff neutral, so we’d go for either the cream or blue. We have a similar one from then last year.
6. Serious Clippers
We now groom our doodle boys at home. We had enough issues bringing Potato to groomers where he’d come back with a serious gash or a horrible style. Now we use these Andis clippers to do the heavy duty shearing of his coat in the summer before we trim up with a scissor set.
7. Folding Pen
We didn’t go the doggie gate route because we prefer that our dogs don’t have the run of the house when they’re little. We love this folding pen and use it to make a space for Ringo to be in while we’re in the living room or we use it to block of the exit on the back porch.
8. Plush Toys
With our guys, plush toys don’t last too long, but they love them so much and they come in the cutest styles so I buy them occasionally. When I do, I prefer not to pay more than $6 for one and Chewy is my best bet. How cute are these!
9. Puzzle Bowl
Our Ringo guy uses this slow feeding bowl every day (otherwise he scarfs his food down too fast and gets the hiccups which are very cute but probably don’t feel fantastic for him).
10. MudBuster
Cleaning muddy puppy paws is a breeze with this handy tool. You add a little water, stick their paw inside, twist it a bit, and then dry the much cleaner paw upon removal. This is a game-changer for the winter time here.
Bonus: Nature’s Miracle
When you can’t get there in time or your pup surprises you with a puddle of pee, Nature’s Miracle is your best friend. Get the big refill bottle in addition to the spray bottle.
Hope your puppy journey goes splendidly!
xo,
em
