Our Favorite Things for Ulysses
It has almost been a year since we added our pup, Ulysses, to our family. He is my first dog as an adult without the help of my parents and siblings, and he is Brian's first dog EVER. Going into puppy parenthood, we wanted to ensure we set our dog up for success and made this an enjoyable experience for everyone, so we did a ton of research to prepare. A year into it, I feel pretty confident in our training/parenting abilities.
As part of my Friday Favorites, I wanted to share our favorite things for our dog. These are products, services and resources I know we will turn to time and time again when and if it's time for us to get a second pup (Don't get any ideas Brian!).
Products
When we first brought Uly home, he was about 70 pounds lighter and about the size of his head. We were looking for a crate he could grow into, was easy to clean and could easily pack in the car. This option by MidWest Homes for Pets provided everything we were looking for in a crate. It folds flat for easy transport in the car, the bottom slides out for cleaning during those potty training months, and it came with a divider panel to help him grow into the crate.
This 4Knines Car Hammock made a world of difference in how we travel with Uly in the car. Not only does it keep us less distracted to have him secured in the back seat, but Uly is more secure while traveling the car. It keeps your dog from falling in the gap between the front and back seats and allows them to have better footing when standing in the car. I believe this product has helped alleviate any issues with car sickness as well.
We also purchased the car door protectors and a seatbelt leash for added security.
Luckily, Uly has only chewed one household item since joining our family. He is very aware of what he can and cannot use as a chew toy AND thank the Lord for KONG toys and elk horns. Plush toys last maybe 20 minutes in our house which was bad for Uly's belly and bad for our wallets. The KONG toys (here, here and here) have stood the test of time or test of Uly teeth. We've had all three of these toys since we brought Uly home and they don't show any signs of retiring any time soon.
We had a scare with rawhides when he was a puppy, so we turned to elk horns as a hard chew toy. Elk horns do not splinter and do not become mushy and stringy like raw hides. Additionally, they last forever, so we're not constantly spending money to replenish them for our pup.
Services
Chewy.com has made it so easy for us to order Uly’s food. We’ve set his food to auto ship, so we never run out and if we add in a few toys we’ll get free two-day shipping. Chewy.com has saved us. The site has great prices on all sorts of items for your pet and the customer service is top notch!
Resources
When we first got Uly, Brian and I made an agreement we would not be those people who had a jerk for a dog. You know those dogs that don’t listen or jump on you or beg at the table. No one wants those dogs around. We wanted to bring our dog to social events without hesitation, so we set out on a course to invest in our dog's training early on.
We read The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete. This book was a great starting point for us. Brian had never owned a pet before and while I basically grew up with a zoo, I had never raised a puppy without the help of my mom and siblings.
Zac George was a huge resource for us when we started training Uly. He offers tons of free Youtube tutorials ranging from how to potty train your puppy to how to teach advanced tricks to how to choose a dog to how to stop leash pulling. He teaches positive reinforcement training, and we found this worked wonders for Uly’s behavior and helped build his trust with us.
Additionally, we researched trainers in our area and found someone registered with the American Kennel Club to teach and evaluate STAR Puppy and Canine Good Citizen tests. Uly is a STAR Puppy and will be taking the Canine Good Citizen test on May 24th. Please keep your fingers (and paws) crossed for him.
Do you have a favorite item for your furry friend? If so, please share it in the comments. I'm all for being an "extra dog mom."
Xx,
Lindsae
