Welcome to the new year, everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season. I was trying to decide on my first topic of 2018 and I decided to come out of the gate with a couple of things I wish I had known about sooner.
These products made life so much more efficient, though they may seem trivial. Isn’t it easier if you have someone who’s tried nearly everything tell you what works best? I think so, too.
So, without further ado, here are the top three products I found in 2017 that changed everything in my dog mom life. I hope they prove just as useful for you this year!
Photo credit: contributed
Perfect Pace Halti from Pounce and Hound:
If you’ve read my blog, or know me personally, you know leash training is a huge problem area for my crew. Hudson and Lucy, both rescues, weigh over 85 lbs, and together think they form a sled team. If you ever need a laugh, watch me walk these two down the street with leashes clipped to their regular flat collars.
Photo credit: Amazon
I’ve put a ton of work in to get them to walk nicely, but it was the Perfect Pace Dog Halter that took our walks to the next level. How does it work? I’m glad you asked! Unlike traditional halti systems, this one uses calming pressure points behind the head and under the jaw which encourages the dog to focus. This system paired with continuous training and lots of positive reinforcement has got Hudson and Lucy walking loose leash which is seriously a miracle.
I was so skeptical it would make a difference, but I confidently and highly recommend you give it a whirl.
Petmate Spade and Pan Poop Scooper from Buckerfields:
Guys, no one likes poop scoop duty, I get it. But if you’ve gotta do it, you may as well get the proper tools. I clean up after three big dogs and a chihuahua and if I didn’t have this thing I would cry.
Photo credit: Amazon
I finally switched from a shovel to this spade and pan system last year after visiting my aunt’s kennel – she swears by them, and I trust the expert who has to clean up after multiple dogs multiple times a day. No more bending over is a major win, but it’s much more efficient as it cuts down back and forth to the garbage. You’ll thank me, trust me, it’s worth every penny.
Horse Feed Bowl from Buckerfields:
This is a silly realization, maybe, but multi dog families will feel me on this. Are you filling your water bowl(s) multiple times a day? Yeah, I was too. And then I realized, you know who drinks more water than a couple dogs? Horses.
Photo credit: Amazon
If you’ve never been to Buckerfields, welcome to pet supply Disneyland. They’re a BC owned and operated home & garden and farm supply store, essentially, with everything you need for your pets. Head down there and grab yourself a big horse feed bowl for dog water. I still change it every couple of days, but I never worry about it being empty. You can grab a big heavy-duty rubber one or stainless steel bucket.
I’ve got lots of exciting things coming down the tube for you guys, so stay tuned! Cheers to the learning curve, no matter how big or small. I am stoked to be on this journey with you all. If you have ideas of what you’d like to see on the column this year, feel free to get in touch by emailing okpetproject@gmail.com , and as always, you can find lots of great stuff on the website www.okpetproject.com.
