So 2018 was “year of the dog” not only for the largest community “China” in the world but also for us. We got so lucky as to get not one but two loves of our lives within nine months of each other. They are both triple coated, Teddy bear faced, teacup Pomeranians, Archie being white and Milo Black, who weighed 4.2lbs when handed for adoption…. heart heart!!!
First of all, being part of a very brown family and culture, I must clear the taboo against dogs being dirty and smelly. Because this is the first time, after years of convincing from all my kids that we got on the bandwagon of actually owning a puppy, let alone two at the moment( which is a story for another time) to share our living quarters. Yes, believe it or not, many like me living in India and Pakistan have had dogs of all kinds of breeds to live in the house but outside the main residence. They either have an outhouse or a kennel where our guards, drivers and cooks usually tend to all their needs except playing to which we happily oblige. However, for the first time, I have experienced how its like to really live with a puppy, I mean puppies. I must say that it’s an experience like no other. It has added an unbelievable joy to our lives which many are unable to cherish because of false inhibitions.
You used to be much more….muchier. you’ve lost your muchness.
Mad Hatter
So if you feel inspired by what I said, here’s an easy start-up list of 12 must-have items if you are about to or thinking about adopting a puppy. Just FYI I am mostly mentioning Archie here because he came to us as a wee baby while Milo joined the family as a full grown dog. So here it goes:
- Crate or Dog Carrier Bag: For us Archie came from South Korea in a crate and the breeders handed us our baby in that same crate. However before we came to pick Archie we had a very extensive trip to Henri Bendel. Henri Bendel is probably the only good designer who have pet products available in store and online. For others like coach or Louis Vuitton, you can order online but have to wait. So we got a puppy carrier bag from Henri which Archie outgrew within 6 months so I would really recommend waiting to see the full size of the pup before investing in any such item.
- Dog Blanket: If you live in a cold country like ours i.e. Canada, you must be prepared with a warm blanket or wrap around to cozily bring the little darling from the breeders place to the car and then to your home.
- Collar Leash Harness & Clicker: We got one of each from Henri Bendel. However as soon as we gauged his sharp biting skills and extra sharp teeth, we ran to “Pet smart”, and got the cheaper versions of them.
- Pee Pad and pads: Our breeder told us that our puppy was pee pad potty trained so we thought it would be a good idea to buy these things beforehand to avoid any accidents. It didn’t really work because even to-date it is hit and miss although his poop and pee are too tiny for me to complain. I can’t imagine how people with bigger dogs handle it all.
- Feeding Bowl: we got a heart bowl from henri bendel for our heart. But that didn’t feel sufficient. So we got another double set from Petsmart.
- Pet Bed: Petsmart has a good selection of pet beds of all kinds. We got the one with bed, blanket, toy trio set.
- Dog Toys: We got a few from Henri Bendel but since then there has been an ongoing toy flow from Petsmart or where ever we find anything interesting.
- Dog Food/ Treats/ Teething Cookies: Again Petsmart has been our go to place for all kinds of food items. Also there is a card you can
- Pet Pen: We got this also from Pet Smart because we wanted one fast and with a door. Cheaper options are available at Amazon.
- Plastic Mat: Initially we kept Archie in my daughter’s room which was carpeted. So we laid a plastic mat from dollarama at the bottom of the Play pen to avoid any mess on the carpet. It worked very well since any misses on the peepad got wiped off with the tissue roll and cleaned with the spray later on.
- Puppy Cleaning wipes, Cleaning and perfuming spray, tissue rolls:These can all be bought at Petsmart. I use cleaning wipes to dry clean the pups after each walk and sometimes put on the perfuming spray during summers to make them smell good. The cleaning spray has been my lifesaver for carpets and other places.
- Dog Grooming Brush:The brush is a must-have for all kinds of pups especially the ones i have for a clean groomed look everyday.
I forgive people by forgetting them.
With time and experience, we have discovered that amazon and costco are the two better alternatives for all kinds of pet products, although Amazon always offers the additional comfort of home delivery. Also Petsmart have a loyalty card which gives additional discounts at the time of payment plus they have coupons every once in a while on grooming and other stuff.
So go on guys you know exactly what where and how…who and why I will leave it to you. Get yourself a pet and live happawly ever after.
What do you think?