Back in February we brought our puppy Toby home. And now he’s rapidly approaching 10 months old (how?!) He’s out of the puppy stage and into his rebellious adolescent phase (pray for us and my plants that he constantly tries to rip out of the ground, SOS.) But I thought I would share some of the things we loved this go around with a puppy. It had been over 8 years since we had a puppy in the house and I felt like I barely remembered what was useful this go around.
- Collagen Chews – These are super long lasting chews. They’ll last for weeks and he consistently works on it when he’s bored. They also have very little to no odor to them so they are great for inside.
- Xpen – this was an absolute MUST for us. We didn’t use one with Juno but we also didn’t have two small kids. This xpen made puppyhood so much easier – it was a safe, confined space where I knew he could go and relax and not get into trouble. He slept in here at night until he was crate trained. Bonus: I also like how you could change the configuration / shape of it.
- Roam tags – We got these for both the dogs. You attach these tags to their collar and they have a little QR code someone can scan & all your contact info & dog info pops up! So if your dog gets lost they can be reunited quickly!
- Treat bag – This treat bag has a magnetic closure so it’s easy to use while walking. I like that it also has a zipper pouch for bags or other things! love this thing!
- Native Pet – Powdered Pumpkin – if you’ve had a puppy before you know that they have sensitive stomachs. This pumpkin powdered works just as well as canned pumpkin and it’s easy to incorporate into their meals daily to help with digestion!
- Dog Toy Variety Pack – I was blown away by the quality of these toys. For a puppy novelty can be key. These toys lasted so long even with our adult labrador. All the non stuffed toys are still in play at our house daily! For the price you can not beat this!
- Long Line – perfect for hikes and just recall training in general. We have a 20ft version as well as a standard 6ft leash. I like that these are waterproof and you can easily wipe them down with a towel or baby wipe especially after a dusty hike.
- “place” bed -Toby loves his elevated bed or his “place”. When trying to teach your puppy or dog “place” having it be elevated makes it clear to the dog when they are on or off of it, versus a bed that is on the floor and they can hang off of it and the lines can be blurred in their brains about whether or not they’re technically on their bed. I also like that this doesn’t get as hot which has been really nice over the summer.
- Bully stick holder – – for any other helicopter dog moms (or dads) who are paranoid about dogs swallowing small pieces of bone or bully stick, this thing is for you.
Curious what your must haves for puppies are!
^^^ Happiness is a sandy snout – Juno spent a good portion of her time yesterday trying to dig gigantic holes in the sand! 
It feels like a lifetime but we’ve only had Juno, our black lab, for 2 months. It’s been so fun getting to explore San Francisco with our newest fur-baby. Yesterday we ventured out to Baker Beach. The weather was so strange but when we got to the beach the sun was actually out. The cloudcover made for some pretty amazing photos, especially with that little bridge in the back drop. Baker Beach is an awesome mile long beach tucked beneath the Presidio Cliffs with phenomenal views of the Golden Gate Bridge & Marin Headlands. It’s hard to believe that a beach this beautiful can be empty enough to let my puppy run around! Yesterdays beach trip was the perfect start to the weekend! We’re off to the foot hills this weekend to let Juno explore the 4 acres my parents live on. Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!
Chorizo & Potato Hash with sauteed mushrooms, topped with micro greens, cherry tomatoes & an over easy egg! So.Nomz.
East Bay Mama 