I find that I hardly ever change the dog items I use so have decided to write about my everyday and overall favourite items.

I’ve left a link for most of the products at the bottom of this post, however sometimes I’ll buy from a local shop, amazon or 2nd hand stalls rather than straight from the source.

Food

CSJ CP18 (Less Active)

I really like the CSJ food, Guinness enjoys it, he seems to digest it well and I’m pleased with his overall condition on it. I used to feed CSJ CP21, however when Guinness pulled his muscle and was on restricted exercise I found it really difficult to keep his weight down, feeding barely a handful of kibble. I changed to the CSJ CP18 (Less Active) and it’s so much better. His condition and digestion is still the same and he can eat much more now, while keeping the weight down. This allows meal times to be longer and for me to feed more chews and treats throughout the day.

Training treats

Pedigree Tasty Bites

When Guinness was younger we went through a bit of a problem patch with his recall. I found these treats to be really appealing to him and they became one of my go to high value treats. They’re easy to break up into tiny pieces without crumbling.

Harringtons

I like all of the Harrington treats range but these are especially tasty and agree with Guinness’ stomach. You can break them up but they’re quite crumbly so I just feed them whole when I want a slightly bigger treat.

Cocktail sausages

For a real high value treat for special training such as agility and recall in exciting places I use cocktail sausages. Just a normal pack from the supermarket. Again you can tear these up into tiny pieces and Guinness goes mad for them. They’re fairy cheap to buy in bulk as well.

Image from tesco.com

Chews

Roast bones

I find these work wonders to keep Guinness’ teeth clean. It’s sounds AWFUL when he eats them, as if he’s grinding and breaking his jaw, but I promise you he’s fine. I tend to go for a small roast knuckle and they’ll keep Guinness busy for a while, although he won’t always bother with them and will often leave it half eaten as they’re a bit of a mammoth effort to eat.

Salmon skins

I’ve recently tried some salmon skins for a stand at a Dig It Show. The company is called The Howl Emporium and they source natural treats from Stockbull. I’m hoping they keep some of the good oils from the fish and are therefore quite beneficial. Guinness seems to enjoy them at least but be warned, these are REALLY stinky. Good job I love the smell of fish.

Dental sticks

I’ve heard some claims that these are full of sugar and only make your dogs teeth worse, but all I know is that Guinness enjoys them, they keep him busy for a good 10-15 minutes and his teeth are just fine with regular brushing and roast bones.

Supplements

Yumove Working Dog Tablets

I was recommended Yumove by my vets, physio and friends and the working dog tablets apparently have the high enough dose to actually have an effect. I’m currently giving Guinness a double-dose while he recovers from his iliopsoas issue.

Walking

Dog games fleece harness

For daily walks I’ll use Guinness’ fleece harness from dog games. There’s a few different brands that make this style of harness now, but I know and like Dog Games and they seem to be the best quality out there. Although it’s not super close fitting and if wet can sag a little it’s perfectly fine for every day walks.

Training lead/fixed length lead

I’ve put these two together as they’re my go to leads. I like the training lead for walking along wide, quiet paths as I can have it a longer length to give Guinness a bit of space. Then the fixed length lead is perfect for a walk to the fields where he’ll be off-lead for most of the time as it fits in my pocket or clipped around me. It’s also great for a jog attached to my running harness as it gives Guinness the perfect length to be beside my side or just ahead while not being too long so that I trip over it.

Flexi lead

I’ve explained before why I use a flexi lead and I how I use it to ensure the best chance of safety. It’s just so so useful when you are in an open space but would prefer not to have your dog off-lead, such as my recent walks in Anglesey.

CanaDog hands-free walking belt

I try to go for a run at least once a week (although my goal is every other day) and Guinness always accompanies me. I think he really loves trotting alongside at my steady pace and he pulls me along at the end for a final sprint. I find it so much easier running hands-free and this waist belt is really comfy.

Image Source http://www.canadog.ca/

Sleeping

Back on track travel mattress

This back on track bed is always out and its Guinness choice for sleeping on overnight. It’s a good size and doesn’t take up much room but provides a safety place for Guinness to take his chews and go to for some rest, plus the back of track products apparently aid muscle and joint recovery.

Toys

Tennis ball

I call this Guinness’ safety blanket, he loves to have his tennis ball in his mouth, even just for carrying around the house, having a chew on or playing with. I know some people don’t like to have their dog fixating on a toy all day and I completely understand, but Guinness generally only plays with it in an evening and it’s one of his management tools. If there is thunder or fireworks he will grab it and shake it around and this is much preferred to barking.

Tug rope

One of Guinness’ favourite games to play is tug of war. He has a large tug rope and a smaller one, plus a cage ball for agility. He’s still got this one too, although it’s tiny compared to him now.

Poo bags

An essential item for all dog owners! (Although from what I’ve seen out on walks some people just decide they shouldn’t use them!). I’ve won a few packets of these thick black ones at an agility show and they’re a great prize as far as I’m concerned. Saves me buying them plus they’re really big and thick. No one wants a thin, crappy bag for picking up dog poo.

Fitness

Foot stool

This is probably my most used item for fitness training! It’s great for front foot and back foot targets, pivots, push ups and balance. No fancy equipment needed here!

Wobble board

Again nothing fancy, just a piece of board with grip material on top and a wobble on the bottom. Great for low ground work including balance, back foot and front foot targets, reverse, core strength and more.

FitPaws Paw Pods

I’ve found the paw pods to be really useful for teaching individual foot targets, which allows you to work on specific legs and their muscles, one at a time.