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Let’s be honest, after a while it’s easy to fall into a routine when it comes to walking your dog. You follow the same tried and tested route, you see the same people as you’re walking, your dog runs in the same direction, probably barks the same number of times after a while, or at least it seems that way.

Living through a pandemic is strange but it also makes everything seem quite repetitive. If you allow it to, every day seems like Groundhog Day. The good news is that you can mix things up a little and make everything seem different, simply by changing just one or two small details.

Try a Different Route

It’s easy to go on autopilot and simply turn in the same direction when you leave your house; your dog might automatically start walking in that direction too! However, make an effort to try a different route and mix things up occasionally. There are bound to be many places you can go with your dog, you just need to do a bit of research first. Why not join a dog walking group on social media and look for inspiration on local areas of beauty that are suitable for dogs?

Let Your Dog be the Leader

If you’re not sure where to go, why not let your dog decide? Dogs are experts at sniffing out something interesting, so let them lead and go where they choose. This helps them to explore and gives them the mental stimulation they need from their walks and it mixes things up for you too. You never know you might end up somewhere you love, and you can use that as another go-to walking spot in the future.

Use Your Walk as a Training Session

Tick two items off your list in one by using your walks as training sessions too. This can be either for you or your dog! Do some squats, some jumps, some lunges as you’re walking, and in terms of training your dog, use the walks as a way of training them to do other things, such as tricks, loose leash walking or even commands for younger dogs. This helps to keep the time interesting and not just monotonous.

Set Goals For Your Walks

Everyone loves a to-do list and you can use your walks in the same way. What do you want to achieve from that walk? Do you want to practice mindfulness? Do you want your dog to have a number of minutes’ exercise? Perhaps even recording how well your dog does on loose leash walking. Whatever it is, choose a goal or two and work to tick them off your list.

Use Your Walks as Play Time Too

This is particularly useful if you have a lot to do when you get home, e.g. if you’re working from home. Go for a walk earlier in the day and use it as playtime as well as walkies. That way, when you return home your dog will be tired out and you can get on with your day, and it also means your walk is more fun and varied.

Dog walks don’t have to be monotonous and boring, as these few tricks go to show!

At some point in the future (hopefully the not-so-distant future) we’re going to be moving out of lockdown and able to go back to work, maybe go on holiday, and basically be out of our houses far more than we are right now.

At the moment, your dog is having a ball. They love that you’re home far more than normal and they have their beloved human by their side practically 24/7. However, when lockdown is over and you start to leave the house, they’re going to wonder what is going on. They’ve become used to you being around, just as they had to get used to you being home all the time initially, and now they’re not sure what they’ve done to make you leave the house, or why it’s all happening.

To avoid your dog becoming lonely, worried, or anxious, it’s important to start preparing them in the weeks before lockdown ends, so that when you are able to leave the house more, they’re not spending their time worried and fretting.

Start Getting Them Used to Being Alone Again

In the few weeks before lockdown finishes it’s a good idea to slowly start leaving them alone somewhere in the house. This could mean that you close them downstairs whilst you go upstairs to work, or that you let them stay out in the garden for a little longer whilst you work indoors. Then, when the time comes, they’ll be used to being alone and it won’t be such a shock.

Make Sure They’re Left Somewhere Comfortable

Of course, if you’re going to leave them alone for a while, make sure that they’re comfortable and that they have everything they need, for example, a puppy blanket, interactive dog toys, and access to food and water. This also applies when you do start going out of the house for longer because that way they’ll be distracted by their home comforts and less likely to worry.

Leave The TV or Radio on For Company

When you go out, try leaving the TV on low volume or leaving the radio on. This will help your dog to feel like they’re not alone and it will provide a little comfort until you return. Of course, this is also good for deterrent when your house is left empty as it makes it look like someone is home.

Make Sure You Still Spend Outdoor Time Together

When you return home from work or wherever you have been, make sure you still spend a good amount of time playing with your dog and heading outside for some fun. They’ve been in the house all day, so they’ll need fresh air and exercise. Make this a bonding time for you and your dog and they won’t be as concerned when you’re not there, because they know that their time to spend with you is coming. If you go for a long walk earlier in the morning, this will also tire them out so they may sleep for most of the time you’re out anyway.

Start Getting Them Into a Routine

Before lockdown ends, start getting your dog into a routine again. Whatever routine you had before lockdown started, you need to re-establish that slowly, so that your dog becomes used to it ahead of time.

Your dog has got into a nice little pattern during lockdown, and it’s important to prepare them properly for when this period in our lives ends. The good news is that dogs are very adaptable and your fur baby will quickly slot back into their old or new routine.

You’re about to welcome a new furry friend into your family, great news! There is no better companion than a dog, and seeing your new puppy grow from their current size into a loyal and loving adult dog is a wonderful experience.

Of course, you need to make sure that when you’re bringing home a puppy, you have everything you need beforehand. Puppies are a little like babies, but with more fur and a slight inclination to nip on occasion! That means you need to be prepared. The best way forward is to make a list before your new addition arrives, ticking items off as you purchase them, find our list of must haves for your new puppy below.

Our 10 Must Haves for Your New Puppy

There are certain things your puppy must have and a few added extras that will make your life a little easier. Remember that your puppy is a baby, having left their mother not that long ago. In that case you need to make them as comfortable as possible, by making them feel safe and snug in their new surroundings.

• Food – Without a doubt the most important thing is the food you’re planning on feeding your puppy. At first this needs to be a combination of the food the owner is currently feeding them, and the food you want to transition them onto. After a while you can move completely to your choice of food, but doing so immediately may cause stomach disturbances – something you do not want to clean up!
• Food and water bowls 
• Puppy pads for house training – read more on how to potty train your puppy here.
• Baby gates – Yes, we told you it’s like having a baby! Consider your furry friend a toddler and that means you need baby gates stop them going where you don’t want them to go and to make sure they don’t end up tripping down the stairs. Puppies are very inquisitive!
• A play pen or crate – must haves for training them, especially in the night.
• A small bed – Choose a bed which isn’t too small but one which will hug them a little, helping them to feel safe and secure in their new home.
• Puppy blankets – choose fluffy or fleecy blankets to help them feel warm and snug
• Toys – You will no doubt want to go and buy lots of toys for your pooch, and this is great for keeping them occupied and helping them to develop. Within that list of toys you should add in a teething toy too, to stop them using your hand instead!
• Dog leads – Once your puppy is able to go out walking you’ll need a leash to stop them wandering off. Remember, your puppy does not come pre-trained! Climbing rope leads are a great idea here too as they are incredibly safe.
• Collar and dog tag – Choose a coloured collar which suits their personality as a fun way to dress up a must have piece of equipment. You also need a dog tag which is engraved with certain details, including your last name, postcode in case your puppy gets lost, and a contact number to call.

Let’s face it, going shopping in preparation for your new furry friend’s arrival is half the fun!

Puppies are basically hairy toddlers. They have no idea what they should and shouldn’t do, and it’s up to you to teach them the rights and wrongs of life. One of the biggest issues is to learn how to stop your puppy from biting and nipping.

Puppy teeth are like razor blades, and it can be quite painful when they catch you, let alone when they clamp down with meaning!

The good news is that there are ways to stop puppy biting fast, and look forward to a time when your hand isn’t constantly indented with tiny little holes!

It’s important to remember that puppies aren’t biting you out of spite or anger, they’re doing it because they don’t know any different. They have only been in contact with other puppies in their litter to this point and they don’t understand that human skin and puppy teeth aren’t meant to be a natural mix! The problem is, as your puppy grows, those nips and bites can be painful, and aggressive puppy biting is something which needs to be tackled quickly, especially if you have children in your household.

The best way to stop your puppy from biting fast is to be vocal and deny your puppy what they want. By doing this, they will learn far quicker.

“Ouch! That Hurts!”

So, a good way to tackle aggressive puppy biting or playful nips is to let your puppy know that when he or she bites and nips, it hurts. If you’re giving your puppy a treat and they snatch or bite, say “ouch” quite loudly, in a high pitched voice, and move your hand away. Your puppy will then learn that if he or she pulls out the teeth, they don’t get treats and they don’t get play time.

If your puppy wants to play and shows you by lunging at you teeth first, do the same thing. Yelp, and say “ouch” and move away quickly. Your puppy will quickly associate teeth and biting with not getting what they want. Over time, hopefully a short amount of time, they will stop with the aggressive puppy biting, because they want treats and they want play time.

In addition, when you’re playing, your puppy’s teeth should never once touch your skin. Practice the same theory, if you get nipped or bitten, make it known and move away. This is how mothers teach their puppies not to be aggressive with their siblings too.

You might have to take a few nibbles before this becomes known to your puppy, but it’s vital that you and those within your household all stick together and do the same thing. Over a short amount of time, your puppy will soon learn that when the teeth come out, good things don’t come their way!

For more tips here’s a video we love!

Everyone knows that one of the most frustrating parts of having a puppy in your house is potty training. Messy, annoying, and time consuming, potty training is no fun. Despite that, it’s kind of a necessity if you don’t want to be cleaning up household messes for a long time to come! In this post we explore different way to potty train your new puppy.

Many people use a crate when potty training, but this is a personal choice for you to make.

How to Potty Train on Pads

Using pads for potty training has a few pros and cons. Basically, you’re teaching your puppy where they can ‘go’ in an approved spot and then you work to move them outside once they’ve grasped that first idea. For most dogs this is the way to go, but some trainers feel this is doubling your workload. Its a personal choice, but most dogs do well with puppy pads from the start.

Make sure you have a good supply to hand and decide which part of the house you’re going to train your dog to go to. It’s best to choose somewhere well ventilated, for obvious reasons! Do not move the pad once you’ve started the process, otherwise you’ll confuse your puppy.

• Take your dog to the pad regularly and use the ‘potty’ command. This is the word you’re going to associate with your dog going to the toilet.
• Learn your puppy’s behaviours when they look like they want to go, when you see this, take them to the pad and say ‘potty’
• If your dog tries to run away and play, take them back to the pad – you need to be patient!

How to Move From Pads to Outdoors

Once you think your puppy is ready to transition outdoors you simply take your puppy outdoors when you assume it’s time, rather than to the pad. You can use the same cue, such as “potty”, or “go potty” when you’re doing this, to help them associate the place with the action.

• Move the pad outside, but do it gradually, e.g. take it a small distance away from its normal position every day, moving towards the door and then eventually outside
• You might need to make the pad a little smaller gradually, to help your puppy catch on

Dealing With Accidents

They’re going to happen, but it’s important to deal with them in the right way. For instance, puppy toilet training at night can be difficult, and this is when most accidents are likely to happen. In that case, a crate is a good option.

You should never discipline or shout at your puppy if they have an accident. The best way is to interrupt them if you see them starting to go somewhere they shouldn’t, you can do that by clapping your hands and saying “uh-uh”. You then take your puppy to the right spot.

If you see an accident that’s already happened, do nothing. There’s no point scolding your puppy for doing something if you didn’t see it, and your puppy won’t understand what you’re scolding them for. Instead, you need to be sure that you’re keeping a close eye at all times. Be sensitive to your puppy, remember they’re learning something new, just like a baby who is potty training.

The Importance of Praise

The most important element of how to potty train a puppy is praise. When your puppy does something right, e.g. they go to the pad and do their business, praise them, cuddle them and give them a treat. They will quickly associate the two actions and will continue to do it more!