We're getting a dog! Are are your 'must buys'?

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We've held off getting a dog for years because our lifestyle just wasn't compatible. However, all the pieces have finally fallen into place over the past 12 months and we're in the position to offer a stable, loving home. We've met our dream girl today, a gorgeous 2-year old pooch and we're bringing her home in 4 weeks time! So excited.

We have a whole load of dog paraphernalia to buy and prepping to do before we bring her home. And we need to dog-proof the garden. Hit me with your 'must haves' / 'best-buys'. What couldn't you live without?

Really good quality poo bags.. thin ones have a way of going through at the worst moments!

A portable water bottle with drinking bit..I have one of these and it is SO useful. www.amazon.co.uk/Petsoign%C3%A9-Portable-Silicone-Bottles-Foldable/dp/B0869R388Y/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&crid=3FWHL22L42KG8&keywords=dog+water+bottle+for+walking&sprefix=dog+water%2Caps%2C166&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1595716126&sr=8-6

Kong squeaky balls... or even better, kong squeaky ball on a rope.. brilliant fun and the rope ones mean you can chuck them a long way without a ball launcher.

And personally I prefer a harness to a collar.. and Perfect Fit harnesses are brilliant.

I also really reccomend a tracker. Just incase your dog turns out to have a high prey drive or is an escape artist. We have a tractive tracker (cost about £50 and then it's another £50 for a years GPS) It's brilliant and can live track so if your dog gets lost or accidentally gets out..or buggers off across a fields because she's seen a deer.... you can find them!

Thank you! This is really useful - especially the tracker (which I hadn't thought of.) She's a scent hound dog so there's definitely potential for running off after game. We're walking her on a long lead for at least a couple of months until we've worked on her recall and got her settled in.

Wat breed is she op?

If a retired greyhound I highly recommend full harness and double click lead to start especially if she's only recently retired as they have a habit of getting a whiff and going for it.

A long lead is not controllable as my dh found out where as a harness and click lead is.

Easily washable bedding. Our dog has an old duvet (and pillow) which can go in the washing machine if needed, but we usually just change the covers.

The best thing you can give her is your time and patience. She is going to need to be left to do her own thing and it may take some time for her to settle, but thank you for taking her.

Bed and bedding. IME it's worth shelling out for something like Tuffies, where the mattress is waterproof (so doesn't pick up indelible dog pong) and the covers are removable and washable.

ID tag. We use buckle collars and brass slide tags - hanging tags get lost if you have an active dog in and out of the bushes.

Water bowl, food bowl. Suitable dog food (if you change too fast from what she's used to you might unsettle her stomach).

Registration with a vet - sort out worming and flea treatment.

Some shampoo and old towel: dogs have some repulsive personal habits!

These are all fab recommendations, thank you!

The Tuffies bed's look good. Apparently she likes to chew cushions etc so we need something pretty robust.

I can't wait to have some lovely long country walks with her.

Some shampoo and old towel: dogs have some repulsive personal habits!

That made me laugh! My childhood dog was a real devil for rolling in fox poop so the shampoo and old towel were always in use! They can be real manky beasts sometimes

Wat breed is she op?

She's a bit of a mix but definite scent hound in there. And when we met her she had her nose to the ground constantly.

I have a little dog walk bag from Amazon, it seems silly but its great for holding treats, bags, my phone, keys etc to have at hand. It also has a collapsible water bowl and I take an old baby bottle of water (without the teat obviously!) which fits in there. Also
Basket for dog toys
Micro fibre towel for muddy paws at the back door
Collapsible crate for car journeys (don't get the seat belt clip, it cost me £390 to replace the whole column that the seat belt was attached to as it got completely wedged!)
Harness if the dog doesn't have one already (nice chunky padded one as the thin ones get tangled easily and aren't comfortable)

Lots of different textured, tough chew toys. It is great for relieving their stress. Get the best you can afford as our terrier could destroy everything.

Don’t buy an expensive bed straight away. A wide dog cushion will do at first .Our dog sleeps any where except in any of the three beds I bought her.

I also recommend the perfect fit harness. Also a pouch attached to a bag for treats , clicker and poo Bags. Don’t waste money on gimmicky dog treats. Check what they are made of. We just give ours kibble as a treat when walking. She occasionally gets other human stuff at home.

Our terrier has a delicate stomach so for wet food she has either Millies Wolfheart or Lily’s Kitchen. Kibble comes from a company called Essentials.

Lots of vets do a scheme whereby, for a monthly fee, you get a twice yearly check up and worm and flee treatments.

I know you will have fun with your dog. I had to wait until I was 70 and she is the absolute Love of my life.

Is the long lead a retractable one or a long line? Long line is better as you can give them freedom to sniff without running off, and you can train recall easily, and you have more control than a retractable lead.

A good harness for the car is a must. I use old towels for drying my dog. Bowls for food and water. Mine hated the metal ones I bought, so she has old cereal bowls for her food and a Coke and Mason pottery bowl for her (and the cats) water.
Have the food the dog is currently on, even if you don't want them to be on it, and get in what you'd like them to be in so you can gradually transfer over. Unless of course you are happy with what they are eating.
I use nappy sacks as poo bags. Nice and strong, often scented to mask odours.
A bed. Some toys. Some treats. Collapsible water bowl.

Great ideas here. I have a rescue sight hound with a high prey drive and defo recommend a good harness - my boy has a Ruffwear Web Master. Also, defo get good Pet Insurance - vets are expensive - I have used Sainsbury’s in the past which was excellent. Currently with Pet Plan which is pricey but cover is very comprehensive. Enjoy your dog, you will not regret it!

My rescue dog loves tennis balls and a game of throw.
It's useful when I don't have time for her normal 1 hour evening off-lead walk.
I take my tennis racket into the local rec and practice my serves - she is my ball girl.
It means she gets to burn of some energy, have some fun and get her heart rate up, she loves chasing things!

I buy used tennis balls off eBay in big bundles - very cheap, environmentally more friendly and if we lose them it's ok Cos I have more at home.

Glow in the dark chuck it ball 9the ones with hole in top and bottom) great for chewers and chasing around a park
Studry bed as others have said, i kept buying cheap ones every year or so then invested in a decent one and saved loads
Good thick lead, i like the rope ones or the chain Omy dog likes to chew)
Good harness, i got one on amazon and also a julis one with a stick on patch with her name and 'no dogs'
If dog will be in car think about how to take her, mine sits on rear seat and hooked into seat belt stalk, you can buy universal fastenings on amazon, i used to loop the lease around a done up seatbelt however she decided she didnt like it and managed to tear the seatbelt alomst completely off (shes tiny too) and its just cost me 300 to replace
I bought a Hing bowl holder, shape of a bone and both bowls go in it so dont move around
A nice warm blanket, my dogs always love a snugly blanket
Rain jacket for those really rainy days
Cheap toys from homebargains if she likes to chew and destroy, my girl loves pulling a rope toy apart, some soft toys she keeps as new and others get torn to bits
Think about with vets to use and register straight away

Good luck, keep us posted with how it goes! Excited for you

dog

Dirt Trapper door mats at the front and back doors!

Maybe a heavy stone water bowl. My dog tends to tip the metal non-slip ones over by accident.

A Natura dental treats dog toy and a bag of spikes to go in it. Keeps my dog occupied and so far proven indestructible! www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/searchterm?searchTerm=Dental%20treat%20dog%20toy&pageSize=24&resultType=1

Dog stake & line.

Hand wipes. To go with the poo bags when you go for a walk. As sometimes the bags do rip and it’s nicer not to have to walk for another 40 minutes with dirty hands.

If you’re planning on driving to go on nice walks or taking them with you on days out etc a good folding bowl that will do for both for water and food. That and a refillable water bottle (I use an old gym one.)

Yes to a microfibre towel type thing, suggested by lots of people. What you get depends on what your dog will tolerate. Some people have things like a drawstring bag that you pop the muddy dog into. Mine will not be popped anywhere . She has something that looks like what they put on racehorses in the rain - it has a neck hole and an adjustable strap under her tummy.

One of the best things we bought was a car seat hammock - brilliant at keeping seats and doors clean.

Is the long lead a retractable one or a long line?

She's used to a long line so we were going to go with that.

Hand wipes. To go with the poo bags when you go for a walk. As sometimes the bags do rip and it’s nicer not to have to walk for another 40 minutes with dirty hands.

Hadn't even thought of that

Thank you so much everyone - so many useful recommendations. I think I will be doing a lot of shopping over the next few weeks!

Lots of cheap fleeces to throw in furniture/use in their beds.

Light up collar (I have 2, one on charge at all times in the winter) I let my dog off lead even in the dark (winter) and this helps me know where she is and cars to see us if we are walking near roads (she's on the lead then of course).

Equafleece is a lifesaver in the winter/wet weather. (Again I have 2).

What are those door mats people suggest? For muddy paws.