Getting a new puppy is an exciting but challenging time. They can enrich your life in so many ways but there are definitely some new puppy tips and tricks to bear in mind. This week we’re looking at some of the top essentials that may help to keep your puppy happy and safe. Hopefully they will inspire you and help you on your exciting new journey…
Disclaimer: AD | Contains product samples and affiliate Links
A Good Sized Dog Crate
If you are looking to crate your dog at night or when left alone then it is important to get them used to this from day one. There are lots of different crate options available online and you have a great choice of crate bedding to go with them. This one looks fantastic! We talked in our article here about our first night with our new puppy and how we slept near the crate in her first few nights. She now loves it and sees it as a safe space.
Pet bed
Giving your pet a comfy place to sleep throughout the day is also a fantastic idea. Especially if you want to keep your dogs off of the furniture. We are smitten with this stylish pet bed from Orvis which has been custom embroidered with our dogs name ‘Cookie’ and looks fantastic in any room of the house!
The supportive memory foam cushion is calibrated and designed specifically for canines – promising to reduce pressure on joints, support muscles, and improve circulation. The plush polyester-filled, double-stacked bolsters are designed to stay in place and provide a sense of security and ultimate comfort for your dog. And the velvety-soft microfibre cover, with piping along the bolster edges, looks as good as it feels. A hypoallergenic, water-resistant liner keeps the memory foam clean and dry. The deeply cosy cushion is removable. 100% polyester. The cover on this dog sofa bed is removable and washable. Personalise the dog couch bed with embroidery, up to 15 characters. I would highly recommend this as the perfect dog bed that will stand the test of time. We can’t wait to see Cookie enjoy this for years to come. www.orvis.co.uk
Treats
Treats are so important when training your puppy. If you have a food motivated pup (which, lets face it, most are!) you will want to keep handfuls of these in your pockets at all times so that you can reward every bit of good behaviour and positively reinforce it. These were a firm favourite of Cookie’s!
Shark Anti-Hair Wrap Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
This cordless vacuum cleaner from Shark has lots of impressive features that’ll make cleaning your home a breeze. Not only will it run for up to 40 minutes from a single charge, it also comes with a DuoClean Floorhead that uses 2 brush rolls to capture ground-in dirt. And if you suffer with asthma or hay fever, fear not. The special HEPA filters help remove annoying allergens from the air, while the Anti Allergen Complete Seal traps 99.9% of them inside the vacuum. So, you can finally make lingering pet hair, dust and pollen a thing of the past. Current price: £239 available from www.AO.com
Stair gates
It is so important to keep puppies from running up and down the stairs when they are still young. Their bones are still growing and you don’t want to put any excess stress or strain on them. We have a baby gate at the bottom of our stairs and also one to keep a small area of downstairs off limits until our puppy is a little older.
Bath time
Puppies need regular baths and it is a great idea to get them used to bath time early on. Try to make it as fun and stress free an experience as possible. Give your dog lots of time to get used to being in the water and don’t rush the process. You can get some amazing dog shampoos. We’ve been using these two and think they are fantastic choices.
The Clean Dog Co – Pamper your precious pooch this summer with brand new all-natural, dog-friendly beauty and grooming products by The Clean Dog Co – the UK’s vegan, cruelty-free and kind dog care brand, always putting dogs first. The Clean Dog Co offers a unique range of thoughtful and eco-friendly grooming products which are tailor-made for dogs’ delicate skin and fur. Carefully formulated with odour-fighting cleansers and gentle scents of Lavender, Rosemary and Chamomile The Shampoo comes in three sizes (100ml, 250ml, and 500ml), with prices starting from £9.99.
Other products available include ‘The Towel’ for £14.99 – a super lightweight towel made from recycled polyester which can be fastened to fold and hold the towel (and comes with its own travel bag), and the ‘Fur Massager’ for £9.99, available in blue or lilac. For those dog owners wanting to make their dog look and feel fabulous, get your paws on the Full Kit containing all three items for just £32, saving 20%. Available to purchase at www.thecleandogcompany.com.
Faith in Nature – Faith in Nature launched their new dog shampoo collection which, like all their products, is PH balanced, natural and made from 100% essential oils. Refillable, vegan, cruelty free and housed in 100% recyclable and recycled packaging, the new Faith in Nature Dog Shampoo collection comes in three variants, depending on the doggie hair dilemma:
DETANGLING – for Curly Coats and Knots – This coconut shampoo contains organic coconut oil to provide natural detangling and hydration – perfect for curly coats and knotty nightmares.
GENTLE – for Sensitive Dogs and Puppies – This mild shampoo contains calming chamomile essential oils to gently cleanse sensitive dogs and puppies.
DEEP CLEANSING – for Dirty Dogs – This lavender shampoo will deeply cleanse and deodorise even the muckiest of pups. Fox poo doesn’t stand a chance.
Available from September 2021 from selected retailers and www.faithinnature.co.uk. Dog Shampoo – £5.79 (400ml, £50 (5 Litres) and Dog Shampoo Bar – £5.79.
Pet ID Tags
Having a personalised tag on your pets collar is really important as it will help you to be reunited with your puppy should they ever go missing. We wanted something high-quality, unique and fun that reflected Cookie’s playful and adventurous spirit and these absolutely amazing customisable dog tags from The Salty Hut on Etsy instantly caught our eye. This ‘Adventure is waiting’ tag is stylish and cute. Perfect for the dog who loves long hikes!
This is another example of The Salty Hut’s talent. This mountain night time tag looks amazing and would look great on any breed of dog. You can find out more and shop the wide variety of dog tags here: http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop
Walking accessories
You aren’t advised to take your puppy on long walks at first but once fully vaccinated they will definitely be able to go on short and exciting strolls with you. This is a great way for your puppy to burn off their pent up energy and to start getting socialised with other dogs and people.
Look out for a high quality harness that’s comfortable and secure. You don’t want your pet pulling on their lead if it is attached to their collar so a harness really is essential.
I would recommend having a few dog leads for various different uses. We have an extendable dog lead for times when we want to practise recall and a standard length lead for everyday walks. We also have a small light-weight lead that we attach to Cookie if we are at someone’s house. This allows us to quickly grab hold of her if we need to.
Dog walking bags
You’ll soon realise that having a bag that you can take out on long walks with you is an absolute essential. We are always on the lookout for stylish bags that compliment our outfit but are also durable.
This Hunter bag is absolutely perfect for dog walks or to wear as an everyday bag. It is roomy, has a zipped compartment inside and is also waterproof. Handy for those unexpected showers which always seem to come out of nowhere! You could also finish off the look with a pair of fabulous Hunter wellies. Visit www.hunterboots.com for more!
