Must Have Items for Small Dogs
Meet Keiko, our new addition to the family. She joined us in November 2018 and has been a great fluff ball so far. She is now a little over 6 months old and pretty much doubled in size since we got her. I often feature Keiko and Kris on my Instagram so feel free to follow @hello.heejinseo to get a glimpse of her.
When Kris and I were looking to welcome our new canine friend, we wanted to make sure to meet and get to know the pup first before we made the commitment. We were not thinking of bringing her home the day we met her, and so we were not fully prepared. We rushed in getting her crate and playpen the day we got Keiko and used Prime Now to get her supplies. Here are some things that I wish I knew that would have made our transition smoother in welcoming Keiko to our home.
Dog Crate
Shopping for a dog crate can be difficult, especially when your little canine friend is a puppy and you are not quite sure how big he or she will get. A good rule of thumb is to base off of the dog’s parents. Kris was very adamant that we meet Keiko’s parents to get a feel of how she would be when fully grown. For a small dog like a Pomeranian, I recommend getting the 22-inch crate. We initially bought a 24-inch double-door crate but ended up selling it to get a 22-inch double-door crate. Keiko is now about 5 lbs and a little over 6 months old and takes up only half the space in her 22-inch crate. This product has an optional divider panel which can come handy to make the space small and gradually increase as your pup gets bigger.
Dog Blanket
Baby blankets the perfect size for small dogs likes Keiko. We opted to get a baby blanket instead of a dog bed. We got ours from Ross, but you can easily get them at stores like Target and Amazon. These small blankets are easy to manage and affordable. When your pup gets the blanket dirty, all you have to do is lightly clean up the mess and toss it in the washer!
Playpen
For your small little companion, the 24″ H Pet Playpen will do the job. You have the option to connect this to your dog’s crate but might have an issue with your little pup trying to climb out of the pen. Luckily, we don’t have this issue with Keiko as we have trained her from early on not to climb on the pen. This playpen is also great if you live in a small apartment or place it in a small room. The shorter height is less intrusive in making the room feel smaller.
Dog Shoes
DYou might be wondering why your pup might be needing shoes. Before having a canine companion, I thought it was silly to play dress-up with pets. But it was not until we started house training Keiko that we noticed how gross and dirty it is to have her walk around freely outside (stepping on other dog’s pee and poo) only to spread her mess on her paws all around her house.
With their tiny paws, finding shoes that fit for a small dog is not easy. Luckily, Kris found Keiko her shoes that somewhat fit her nicely. We struggle occasionally having one slip off of Keiko’s paw. We often find ourselves running back and tracing our steps to find the lost shoes. One recommendation I would give with these shoes is to waterproof them by spraying a waterproof solution. It will save you from washing your pup’s urine stained shoes!
Dog Toys
Instead of buying individual dog toys which can add up significantly, a toy set can save you both time and money.
Dog Bed
Unless you want to go boring, don’t get the conventional dog beds that you see at a pet store. Lighten up your room and get a cute bed such as the one below from Ikea!
*Disclaimer: Some of the links above include referral links, meaning I make a small referral bonus when you click on a link and buy something. This does not cost you extra. I have affiliate links so I can promote products and services that I think are excellent. You can also find the items mentioned directly from the site referred. Thanks for all your support!