ONLINE SHOPPING FOR PET NEEDS
Shopping the basic needs for your dogs — and for basic, I also mean toys; can be a nightmare. I did it once, maybe twice, but I drove myself crazy. There are many different choices, some are better than others, but it is hard to compare brands when you are standing physically in front of them. Yes, you can feel the texture and the sizes. But the best way to do your research is from the couch of your home!
My favorite online retailing brand is Chewy. Chewy gets what customer needs and they have a 100% customer satisfaction policy that ensures not only your satisfaction with the product but also your comfort while shopping. Amazon is also a user-friendly platform, you can find anything you want but regarding pet supplies, it is definitely more limited than Chewy. Chewy has an all-in-one site, you can buy from medicines to toys, travel kits, foods, feeders, holistic supplements… you name it! It takes less than two days (be aware that COVID has been hard for all shipping business). And because they have a 100% customer satisfaction policy,
if you make a mistake with your purchase, they let you donate to a shelter and they will send you the new product for free.
I know this from personal experience. When we got Taco last year, I went nuts with my online shopping. I wanted to be ready for his arrival! The basic needs for a puppy are extensive, so I didn’t want to drive to a physical store and deal with the weight of the products, the packaging, the search of the product, the cashier line... I wanted to do it from my couch, at home! So I went to Chewy.com and bought everything I needed. Or at least, that’s what I thought! Two days after, all my products arrived home and to my surprise, I purchased a 28lb ADULT FOOD instead of puppy food!
I called their customer service and told them what happened. To my surprise, their agent told me to donate the 28lb food bag to the shelter of my choice and that they will be sending the same format in puppy food in the next two days. And… FOR FREE! That never happened to me! I mean, Amazon’s customer service is good, but Chewy's effort to support local shelters and to provide their customers for a 100% satisfaction blew my mind. I have never gone to a Petco or Petland again! It’s not worth it! Unless you have to take your pooch for a haircut!
Blow I’m going to list some of my favorites that you can find at Chewy.com.
+ FOOD: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN DRY FOODS
Dog parents like to ask: What is the best dry food for my dog? Unfortunately, deceptive marketing and thousands of different dog food brands can make this task a hard one. The trick is to look for their first 5 ingredients. Ideally, your first ingredient should be a full meat protein. Followed by some carbs. For my dogs, I have always purchased grain-free dry food. After doing some research, we decided to put out Australian Shepherds in a grain-free diet. Our first toy Australian shepherd, Coco, had some stomach issues growing up. So the vet recommended we put her in a grain-free diet. However, some grain-free diets, substitute full-grain ingredients with some other ones that are not good for your dog. That is why reading the ingredient list is so important. Below are some of my favorite healthy choices for your dogs:
Taste of the Wild provides a top-rated, nutrient-balanced formula at an affordable price. Highly recommended. We buy the Pacific Stream, which gets all its animal protein from fish, meaning that it’s rich in the omega fatty acids that help keep skin healthy and fur smooth and shiny, and may be a good option for dogs with food sensitivities. We also try to witch food flavors because our dogs, especially Taco, is a picky eater and gets bored easily. We switch to Chicken or Fowl.
Purina Beyond Superfood Blend: This salmon-, egg-, and pumpkin-based dog food, shockingly affordable, is free from corn, wheat, soy, and poultry by-product meal. Top five dog food ingredients: Salmon, rice, whole barley, chicken meal, whole oat meal, beef fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols. Click here to buy.
Merrick Grain-Free Salmon: Merrick is also another top choice brand. I once gifted this brand and decided to replace it and my dogs loved them. I always try to choose salmon flavor, and it is an added bonus when they combine salmon and sweet potato. Click here to buy.
TOYS: IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW AND CONSIDER
Toys keep dogs entertained. And you need to have your dog fully entertained and exhausted if you want to attempt to train them or to behave well. Toys are also the school materials for dogs. We humans have books, and they have toys. Having different toys with different textures and also different roles in their life, teaching them a valuable routinely lesson.
I like to separate my dogs toys for the role they will play in my dogs life. There are chew toys. fetch toys and tug toys. And your dog must know the difference between them.
CHEW TOYS
Your dog is going to chew — it’s just a part of being a dog. And it’s quite an important part, too! Whether they’re a puppy or an adult dog, all dogs need to chew. Especially when puppies are teething, they need to chew on things to ease their teeth pain and also get rid of baby teeth. Puppies also chew explore the new world. Later on, as adults, they keep chewing to maintain to strengthen their jaws, keep their teeth clean and it is also a great way to keep them mentally sane!
So now that we agree that chewing is an essential part of the life of your dog, it is important that you provide them with safe and appropriate toys for them to chew on. Fail to do so, and they will find their own “toys” —like the legs of your chair, socks, or shoes. It is recommended that you don’t buy either too soft or too firm chew toys. Not only for the safety of your dogs but also for the health of their teeth.
These are some of the steps we were taught to find the right chew toy:
Find your dog’s CHEW-nality: my dog trainer taught us that we can differentiate between three types of dogs: the INHALER, the DESTROYER, and the NIBBLER. Be aware that these personalities can happen in big and smaller size dogs.
The INHALER: This is Roma! LOL , she eats whatever she finds! These types of dogs don’t necessarily need to be very active dogs, but they have a gulper personality where they bite off large chunks of chewable toys and could eat them right away.
The DESTROYER: These are dogs that more often than not, successfully destroy whatever they get in their mouths. They may or may not eat the debris, but you have to be careful because it is a very fine line and they can overlap from inhaler to destroyer. Taco overlaps between destroyer and nibbler. He slowly breaks off small pieces of the chew toys, but never eats them.
The NIBBLER: These dogs are lovers, not fighters. They take their time savoring their toys and will never tear any of them.
Find the best chew toy for your dog’s CHE-nality:
INHALERS DESTROYERS NIBLERS
Firm rubber toys Firm rubber toys Firm rubber toys
Tennis balls Tennis balls Tennis balls
Rope toys Rope toys
Stuffed & Plush toys
Choose the right quality chew toy: choosing the right hardness of your chewable toy is very important. For that, you need to apply the ‘thumbnail’ test — if the toy doesn't “give” a little bit when you press it with your thumbnail, then it's too hard for your dog and could break their teeth. Not too firm but also not too soft. Soft rubber chew toys means that your dog will easily rip it off to pieces and could swallow them. You should also avoid buying chew toys that are coated or treated for flavoring, this can result in an upset stomach for your dog. And last but not least, the entertainment value is also very important when choosing the right toy for your dog. If you want to avoid have a bigger toy basket than your clothes hamper, make sure you buy toys that provide hours of chewing entertainment and distraction.
PREFERRED CHEW TOYS
Some chews and toys can provide additional benefits for your dog; like mental stimulation or helping keep their teeth clean. However, it's also true that chew toys have the potential to cause problems. SIZE MATTERS —Always pay extra attention to the size of the chew toy, especially if you have different size dogs at home.
Qwizl: this toy keeps dogs stimulated and pleasantly puzzled for hours. It is ideal to use when dealing with dogs with separation anxiety and hyperactive dogs. Qwizl dog toy is designed to dispense a bully stick or other treat to your furry friend—but he’ll have to work for it first. Click here to buy!
Kong: A longtime favorite among many dog owners, Kong toys are known for their durability and come in different "strengths" and sizes. I have purchased many different Kong toys. But some of my most chewable toys are:
Kong JumpN Jack. This is a super fun toy for your pets! Color is super important for dogs. I have found that pink, red, and purple are the colors that my dogs have always been more attracted to. And this KumpN Jack toy is super bouncy and super fun! Click here.
Kong Bones: This is a must at your home or when you travel. Is very lightweight and it works like a pacifier for your dogs. At each end, you can fill it with treats or frozen peanut butter. Click here to choose your size.
Kong Cone: This toy is excellent for dealing with dog separation anxiety and if you want to train your pet to have their own space. I was taught to fill it with peanut butter and freeze it. You can give it to them before you leave the house but you must remember, dogs are fast at picking up routines. So after a few times, they will learn that the Kong is not a treat anymore but a signal that you are leaving the house. So you must also include it as a treat when you are watching TV and you want your dog to have its space in the living room liking on its flavorful treat. Click here to find yours.
Squeaky cone: Couldn’t find the same bone. But click here to find the best squeaky Kong bone. It has been one of the best toys Taco had.
PREFERRED PLUSH TOYS
Soft stuffed toys are good for several purposes, but they aren't appropriate for all dogs. Some dogs like to carry around soft toys. If your dog sees their toy as a companion, pick one that's small enough to carry; but not too small that they could choke on it by accident.
Plush or stuffed toys are recommended for dogs that present a NIBBLER personality. Because plush toys are soft and the stuffing inside can cause severe problems to your dog if ingested. Cotton and polyester can easily block the digestive tract of your pooch, which usually requires expensive surgery and treatment to alleviate.
Here is a list of my preferred plush toys:
Small soft stuffed toys: I love cute, stuffed toys that my pets can carry easily and use as cushion or companion. I love this carrot! I couldn’t find the same model but click here for a similar one. This carrot travelled the world last year with Taco along with Lamb.
Lamb: Taco came from the breeder in Kansas with a Lamby. And every time it was bedtime, he brought to his crate and started caressing on it. I think it reminded him of his brothers. This is a must if you ask me. Click here to buy. They have different sizes, but if you have a small size dog, buy the small one.
Flat duck: Oh! These are some of my favorite plush toys. Because they are flat, it doesnt come with a lot of stuffing however; they are very interactive. They can squeak and make plastic noises (which dogs love). And they also have many different textures which amplifies dogs senses. Click here to buy.
OMG Balls!: Dogs love balls, all sizes, textures, and colors. This is Roma’s favorite toy. She is obsessed with balls and Taco is obsessed with frisbees. I couldn’t find the same one but found a better one! Click here!
PREFERRED FETCH TOYS
Something very important to keep in mind when buying toys for your dog is to differentiate between chew toys and fetching toys. Frisbees are a fetching toy, and the minute they are top playing fetch, they cannot chew on it! Some of the best options for frisbees are:
ChucktIt ZipFlight frisbee: I love this frisbee. Taco is very tiny, so even though he enjoys rubber frisbess, they are too big for him to carry. This is a fabric frisbee, so it is imperative that they do not tug with it. Click here to buy.
Nerf Rubber frisbee: I love this option for bigger size dogs. The hole in the middle makes it easier for them to grab and also tug. This should be a tug toy either, but since its rubber you can allow them for a little bit. Click here to buy.
Tug rope: I find tug ropes another necessity. Dogs need to tug as much as they need to fetch. Its part of their instict. When tugging with you dog, make sure you tug from bellow, bever from above. This way, you can avoid future cervical problems. The best tug ropes for me are the ones that do NOT have threads hanging lose at the ends. These threads are later often found in your dog’s poop because they swallow them! So I found this Frisco Rope to be the best for my dogs.