Whether you are a dog mom, planning on becoming one, or just really love your bestie’s dog, I have some advice for you!
When I first became a dog mom three years ago, I was slightly overwhelmed at all the information out there. From treats and toys to proper gear…and don’t even get me started on all the food research…I was overwhelmed.
The good thing is I was also totally overwhelmingly in love with my new baby too.
Before we get into this, it’s probably best for you to meet my dogs. Not only do I want to introduce you to them because I love them, but I want you to know my perspective on dog mom life. I have two small rescue dogs that I adopted as adults. So I’ve never had the puppy life and I’ve never had a big dog. Just putting that out there. Okay! Time to meet the cuties.
Bella
Fast Facts:
- Age: 6ish
- Breed: Mutt (mostly Min Pin)
- Weight: 14 lbs
Bella is my sweet angel and our first dog! We adopted her around the age of three (they guess). She was at a shelter in San Antonio, Texas and Compass Dog Rescue brought her to Michigan to be fostered and then adopted.
She is active, but also loves to chill…hard. She stands guard over us and our house, loves to lay in the sun, loves to run with her grandma, but hates the cold, snow and rain.
Brody
Fast Facts:
- Age: 7ish
- Breed: Chihuahua
- Weight: 5 lbs
Brody is the most needy dog you’ll ever meet. Chances are, if you’ve seen our Instagram stories, you’ve probably seen him nagging me to give him attention. He’s a typical Chihuahua…loves his mom, barks at everything and gets snippy when he’s upset.
Brody was also at the same shelter in San Antonio, TX as Bella. We found him through Compass Dog Rescue and decided to foster him…and we failed 🙂
Now that you’ve been properly introduced, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty of being a dog mom! Let’s begin, shall we?
Now, I could talk forever about my dogs, but I’ll try to keep it to these categories:
- Food + Nutrition
- Gear
- Toys
- Hygiene + Grooming
- Cleaning
- Local Favorites
Food + Nutrition
If there’s one thing I’ve researched more than anything when it comes to my fur babies, it’s food and nutrition. I mean just walk into a pet store and the options are SO overwhelming. And don’t even get me started when you flip that package around and start to read the ingredients…
Here’s the thing: my true philosophy on this is as long as you do your best to give your dog the best nutrition you can give him/ her, then you’re doing a good job.
When we first got Bella, I started with dry kibble. The rescue didn’t really have any good recommendiations for me and I just figured I’d start out with the basics. The problem was Bella wouldn’t eat it. We would mix all kinds of stuff in (broth, peanut butter, pumpkin, scrambled eggs, chicken, etc.) and she would only eat the extra stuff…not the kibble. Typical.
Dehydrated Raw Food
After trying to get Bella to eat the kibble, I finally gave up and realized there had to be a better way. I did my research (joined a holistic dog care FB group…or two) and learned the benefits of feeding dogs raw. That said, I was NOT about to deal with raw meat in my kitchen. So I found some awesome alternatives! Here are our two favorites:
Both of these were great for a long time for us! Both of our dogs ended up eating these raw dehydrated foods for almost two years consistently. Then, one day, they just didn’t want to eat them anymore…so I took to the kitchen myself.
Homemade Dog Food
Yup, I’m officially that crazy dog mom. You know, the one that slaves in her kitchen to make homemade meals for dogs? That’s me. Now by no means am I saying that you have to make your own dog food to have healthy pups…absolutely not! But it’s what works for me and my little family right now.
My Homemade Dog Food Recipe:
Note: These are the rough proportions and measurements I use. There’s not a whole lot of precision going on when I make it. This feeds my two dogs for about 2-2.5 weeks.
- 5 lbs. ground turkey
- 7-8 carrots (steamed and chopped)
- 1 sweet potato (steamed and mashed) OR a can of pumpkin
- 1 bag of frozen broccoli (thawed and finely chopped)
- 1 bag of frozen peas (thawed)
- 1/2 bag of frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
- 3 cups of rice (I use white jasmine)
- 2 tbsp. turmeric
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
To make it, I heat up a big pot over medium-high heat with the coconut oil. Then I add the ground turkey and cooked till mostly cooked through (technically they can eat it raw so I don’t worry too much about it getting fully cooked). Next, I add the turmeric and stir. To finish, I mix in all the prepped veggies and rice. Once it’s cooled, I divide it up into smaller containers and freeze it. Whenever we’re running low from one container in the fridge, I pull out a frozen one and we’re good to go!
Supplements
When I decided to switch up my dogs’ diet to homemade, I was worried I wouldn’t give them the right essential nutrients they need. So again, I did my research! There are two brands of dog supplements I’m a fan of: Dr. Harvey’s and Goodboy. Dr. Harvey’s are more like powders that blend into their meals (and my dogs love them), while Goodboy’s look more like little treats.
I give each of them different types since they have different needs. Bella is a pretty sturdy and healthy pup, so for her I just look for all-around-good-for-you vitamins. Brody, on the other hand, is chock full of anxiety and seems to have some back and joint issues.
Note: I don’t use these all at the same time. I’ve used one brand or the other at different times. I’ve noticed little healthy changes in my pups, but nothing crazy. That said, I use them more for peace of mind than anything. At the end of the day, I want my pups to be healthy and happy for as long as possible so anything I can do to help, I will!
Treats
When it comes to treats, I try to keep it simple. Typical dog treats can be chock full of nasty ingredients…just like human treats! That said I’m always, always reading those ingredient labels. Here are two of my favorites (and theirs too)!
Besides these, our dogs really love snacking on the real good stuff straight out of our fridge/pantry! They’ll eat rotisserie chicken (that’s their FAV), carrots, bananas, apple, etc. and those are there favorite treats!
Gear
Day-to-Day Walk Gear
Our dogs go on three walks per day (yes, even little Brody…little man can make those legs move FAST!) so it’s important I have the right stuff to get the job done. In the past three years, I’ve tried a lot of different brands and I have finally nailed down my favorites.
Wild One Harness
- Price: $48
- Shop: Wild One
I LOVE this harness. It’s a little pricier than I’d like, but wow. We’ve struggled forever to find a harness that works for our Bella. She always seems to Houdini herself out of them. Not this one! Oh, and not to mention, it’s super cute! She sports the tan color.
My absolute favorite thing about this harness is there are three spots to hook the leash: chest, behind the neck and mid-back. So you can find what works best for you and your pup!
Wild One Leash
- Price: $58
- Shop: Wild One
Wild One wins this one again (they make great stuff!). This leash is durable, strong and easy to clean. That’s the key! Leashes get so dirty so fast, but not this one. We use these leashes for both of my dogs.
Another perk of this leash is you can adjust what length it is by moving the hook to the lower loop or top loop. And it has a loop to hook your poop bag holder!
Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags
- Price: $34.99 for 900 bags
- Shop: Amazon
There are three major things I love about these poop bags. First, if you get the bulk pack it comes with two holders (that also have clips to hold the used poop bag on your walk home). Second, they’re made from recycled materials. Third, they’re not see through (idk who wants to see dogs poop in a translucent bag lol).
Pawz Booties
- Price: $12 for 12 reusable booties
- Shop: Amazon
If you live where it gets snowy, icy and then of course, salty, I highly recommend these booties to keep your pup’s paws protected! They’re reusable, we probably use one set for a month and then switch it up. Once you’re used to putting them on, they’re pretty easy.
My only caveat: not all dogs will tolerate them. Bella is super tolerant of everything so she’s a-okay with us putting these on. Brody, on the other hand, is not okay with it so he doesn’t wear them.
Other Gear
Booster Car Seat
- Price: $39.95
- Shop: Amazon
If you are often in the car with small dogs, this is a lifesaver (literally!). My dogs always want to be on my lap and/or looking out the window when I’m driving. Thankfully, with this booster seat, they can be tethered down in a cozy little bucket and still see out the window. Highly recommend these!
Pecan Pie Puppies Collar
- Price: $35
- Shop: Etsy
Just had to do a quick shout out to my favorite little Etsy store, Pecan Pie Puppies! This store has the CUTEST collars. Honestly, I just can never find a collar I like for the pups at the normal pet store. They’re all cheesy IMO. Anyway, these are great quality and SO stinkin’ cute.
Gold Paw Fleece
- Price: $26
- Shop: Amazon
Best dog sweaters ever! And one of the first brands I’ve found that makes sweaters for ALL dog sizes! The best thing about these is they’re simple, stretchy, warm, machine washable and cute! Lots of different colors and patterns to choose from.
P.S. Our dogs also have matching red plaid ones they got for Christmas from their grandpawrents! Super cute.
Collapsible Bowl
- Price: $5.99
- Shop: Amazon
Absolutely wonderful for dogs on the go! They’re great for food or water. Plus they’re totally collapsible and super easy to clean. Lots to love here.
Crate Water Bowl
- Price: $11
- Shop: Amazon
Brody is crated while we’re at work (he much prefers that..and it’s way better for his anxiety), so we like to keep him hydrated while we’re away! We love this attachable crate water bowl because it doesn’t take up his crate space, but it’s super sturdy. Plus the stainless insert is super easy to clean!
Toys
To be honest, my dogs like toys, but they’re definitely not toy obsessed. Oh, and they for sure don’t destroy toys very quickly. We’ve had the same toys for a pretty long time and I’m totally okay with that!
We originally got all of our toys from BarkBox. And honestly, BarkBox is totally worth the hype. The only reason why we stopped doing it is because we just had too much stuff. Our dogs are too small and weren’t going through it fast enough. Overall, we LOVED our BarkBox experience. I would highly recommend it at least for a month or two! They also give really good high quality treats in the boxes too!
Hygiene + Grooming
My dogs are fairly low-maintenance in the grooming department. They don’t need to be trimmed or anything so we do most of our grooming in home. The only thing we outsource is nail trimming (more to come on that in the last section) because I’m totally afraid I’m going to cut into the quick of their nails. Here’s all the stuff we use at home:
Buddy Wash Shampoo + Conditioner
- Price: $17
- Shop: Amazon
You guys know my own shampoo is clean and sulfate-free, so my dogs has to be too obviously! We love this stuff. Smells amazing and the ingredients are super duper clean. Plus it makes the dogs really soft!
Furbuster Grooming Glove
- Price: $7
- Shop: Amazon
This is really good at pulling up all that loose fur and getting off the dirt and grime during a bath! We throw it right into the washing machine when we’re done (doesn’t say it’s machine washable, but we do it anyway and have had zero issues lol).
Natural Dog Company Paw Soother + Pawtection
- Bundle price: $32
- Shop: Amazon
This is a miracle worker!! Whether it’s the winter and their paws are dry and cracked or the summer walking on hot pavement, these two balms are a power couple of pretty paws! I love the stick application too.
Earthbath Wipes
- Price: $11
- Shop: Amazon
These are the best for many situations! Maybe it’s been a day or two too long since bath time and you need to refresh your pup. Or maybe they ran through a giant mud puddle. Or maybe you just like to wipe their paws everyday! These wips are fragrance free so they’re so gentle and worry-free!
MudBuster Paw Cleaner
- Price: $12
- Shop: Amazon
Speaking of keeping paws clean, this is really good at getting deep into those cute little paws and cleaning every nook and cranny. Just add a little water and insert the paw – easy peasy! You’ll be amazed at how dirty the water gets.
Wondercide Skin Tonic Spray
- Price: $17
- Shop: Amazon
If I were you, I’d always have this on hand. Dogs always seem to have itchy skin on and off for one reason or another. When I notice my pups getting itchy or their skin is a little flakey, I use this and just brush it int their coat. Works wonders and before you know it, the itch is gone. Oh and it’s super clean, ingredient-wise…obviously!
Vet’s Best Ear Relief Wash
- Price: $7
- Shop: Amazon
For itchy ears, this is our favorite wash! Just put a few drops in the ear, massage it in, let your dog shake it out and instant relief!
Note: I also use a cotton swab to clean out their ears with this wash about every month or so. If you read online, everyone will tell you not to use cotton swabs, but they also tell you not to do that to your own ears and I do that everyday so…YOLO.
In-Home Cleaning
Dogs will be dogs. While my dogs are perfect in my eyes, they make mistakes from time-to-time. We all do, right? I have a favorite product for when they do. Oh and of course, how to keep your home flea and tick free! The top two products you need:
Skout’s Honor Urine Destroyer
Most urine cleaners are full of toxic ingredients. Which is great when they get the job done, but then we all end up walking back over that spot a few hours later and those chemicals are on our feet.
We love this product because it really freaking works and it doesn’t have any nasty chemicals and toxins in it. It’s a miracle in a bottle!
Wondercide Flea, Tick and Mosquito Control
This is a super versatile product because you can use it on the dogs AND around the house. We actually don’t use a topical or oral flea preventative for our dogs (personal choice), and we use this only instead.
It works great, smells good, has great ingredients and keeps those pesty bugs away!
Local Favorites
For any fellow southeast Michigan dog moms, I have some favorite local places to share! From groomers to stores, I’ve got them all.
- Favorite Groomer: Catherine’s Pet Parlor (we just do the $10 drop in nail trims)
- Favorite Routine Vet: North Main Animal Hospital
- Favorite Operational Vet: All About Animals Clinic (I explain more below)
- Favorite Pet Store: Premier Pet Supply
This is the best money-saving hack when it comes to vet services (if you’re local). My dogs go to a regular vet for their standard annual check ups, but when it comes to operations (neuters, spays, dental cleanings, etc.), I go too All About Animals in Warren. This place is AMAZING. They’re all about taking care of animals at affordable rates. Their prices are seriously 5 times cheaper than any standard vet that I’ve received pricing from. Oh, and if cheap prices have you worried, don’t be. This place takes great care of your babies. They’re all kind, gentle people that want the best for your pup. Bella was spayed there and both of them have had dental cleanings there. I 100% trust them.
Dog Mom Guide: Wrapped
PHEW! There ya have it, my fellow dog lovers. Hope this helps you with your dog mom duties! If you have any questions or feel like I missed anything, make sure to comment below. Oh and if you have favorite products or tips you want to share, make sure you do! We can all benefit from some fellow dog mom knowledge.
At the end of the day, remember if you’re loving and caring for your pup in the best way you can, then that’s more than enough!
Sending you all the puppy love and snuggles.
