Peace of Mind
Owning a dog comes with so many responsibilities, that it’s easy to forget things or to be underprepared for certain situations. There are some tips I would love to share with you that will give you the peace of mind you need as a dog owner.
Safety First!
From road trips to quick runs to the store, if you’re bringing your pup, make sure they are safe and comfy during the ride.
Seat belt with harness/crate - The first rule of the road is always to wear your seatbelt. Though cars aren’t designed for our fluffy family members, you can keep them safe. A dog seatbelt can be purchased on Amazon or Chewy. It attaches via a clip to your pup and inserts into the seatbelt clip. I have one in my backseat which is always clipped to a harness that Theo wears when she is in the back. For those with extra room, a crate is an excellent option for your pup to ride in.
Seat cover - Disaster in the form of vomit or anal gland expression can easily put a wrench in your Sunday fun day. A seat cover can ensure your car stays and smells nice and clean!
Bench support - In my backseat is a bench thing that I purchased on Amazon. It lays flat on the back seats, and covers the foot area, attaching via straps that loop around the headrest supports of the front seats. This way Theo can fully lay out without needing to worry about falling into the open space where your feet would normally go.
Always In The Car
It’s good to always have “just in case” items in your car, as an emergency can strike at any time. Along with the standard items every car should have, you can also have items for your pup. In the back of my car is a trunk organizer that is essentially a ~3’ bin that is divided into two down the middle and can be folded to use one side or both. I have it folded up so just one side is in use and the other side I tend to use if I need to separate any specific grocery items (hello wine!). Though it’s a neat way to keep things tucked away in your trunk, just having the following items on hand at all times is smart.
Extra leash - You never know when your leash may fail, so why not have a backup? I would recommend a slip leash as it is small, can fit any dog, and is a backup not only for a leash failure but also a collar failure.
Extra Collar - If you don’t want to go the slip lead route, an extra collar paired with your extra leash is a perfect combo.
Extra doggie bags - As a dog owner, it’s always good to have extras on hand. These pups be poopin’…
Towel & Scrubber - For those rainy days or just days at the beach. I also have a kitchen scrubber that I use for my shoes and paw pads when sand or loose wet grass is sticking
A water bowl - I have a collapsable bowl in the car at all times so I can fill it with water whenever
Booties - For the hot summer days that require your pup to walk on the super hot asphalt
Vomit bags - For your pup, and also anyone you’re transporting!
Toy(s) - A frisbee or a chuck it
Picnic Blanket - For the impromptu lunches on the grass with your pup
For the Walks
We’ve made a habit of bringing our “Pupper Pouch” whenever we go on a walk; it’s a small bag (think fanny pack/cross-body bag) that holds everything we would need on a walk.
Doggie bags - Contained in this little zippered pouch
Extra doggie bags - Because everyone has run out of doggie bags
Flashlight - Put the phone away and enjoy the walk, even in the dark
Treats - Yes, please!
Pepper spray - You never know
bottle of water/bowl - Either a collapsable bowl or a bottle of water with a clever way to allow for your pup to drink
Pet Insurance
Countless people decide to forgo pet insurance for their little pups but I cannot recommend this enough. There are many great options to choose from. Do your research and sign up as soon as possible, before anything bad happens. Vet visits can add up quickly and you should be prepared for the worst injuries. It’s all a part of being a prepared, responsible owner.
Tracking
A pet parent’s worst nightmare: They’re lost. Anyone who has gone through this knows how stressful and heartbreaking it is, to think their pup may never come home. Luckily, there are ways to keep them protected.
AirTag - Many people have gone the route of hooking an AirTag to their pup’s collar. Though it seems like an awesome idea (We even used one on Theo for a time), I do not recommend it, and here’s why:
At the salon, I’ve had AirTags left behind by owners and they’ve never been claimed. I’ve also seen many collar attachments designed to hold an AirTag fail. You’d think the owner would be notified of the AirTag being left but no one ever comes to claim it… Also, no one gets notified that the AirTag is left at our salon. A failed AirTag could mean a lost pup.
Though the battery life on an AirTag is respectable, what if the battery dies and you don’t know it until it’s too late?
AirTags work by communicating with an iPhone within a certain range. No iPhone - no communication.
Lastly, an AirTag can only be assigned to a single Apple ID. This means you cannot have multiple people track your pup, only one account.
Fi Collar - Last but certainly not least is the Fi Collar. I can’t believe how long it took me to finally get one of these. It is a collar that has a rechargeable GPS tracker on it. Unlike an AirTag, it uses satellite GPS to give you a live location of your pup. Not only can you see where they are at all times, but you can see how many steps they take, their step ranking compared to other dogs of the same breed, and city, etc., it gives you some health information such as their sleep, it can last weeks on a single charge, has a light that you can customize, you can add owners and dog walkers….This thing is awesome.
For those interested, we have a code that will get you $20 off your order. All we ask in return is to make sure you add Theo as a friend on the Fi app!
Code: 35FGC3
