Atlas – October 22

Hi Friends!

Let’s talk accessories; whether it’s leads, collars, beds or bandanas, there is a huge market for this and a wide range of products to choose from.

Now, believe it or not, when I was younger I was quite naughty and I’ve ruined many a dog bed. Luckily mum and dad found a brilliant company called Ivy and Duke who make the best dog beds (in our opinion), that are strong and tough but oh-so comfortable too. They have a wide range of styles available, from cosy den-beds to the Muttress and even a Chaise Chien (a chaise lounge but for dogs!), so there really is something for everyone. They also have a wide range of colours to choose from including both fabric and waterproof options. I’m lucky enough to have their Lounger bed and also a travel mat for the car and haven’t managed to put even a teeth mark in them – but believe me I’ve tried! They are a little more expensive than some options on the market, but in our opinion it’s better to pay a bit more and buy once than buy a cheaper bed that can’t withstand a good chewing!

How many leads is too many leads? Trick question, you can never have too many! Some of the first leads the pawrents bought were from Donk’s Dog Stuff; they have both short and long lengths available and dog mum says they are incredibly comfortable to hold due to them being nicely padded. The short lead is also a really good length as some can be far too short. Now, fabric leads are great for summer or when the lead won’t be trailing on the ground, but when it gets wet and wintry dog mum would recommend a PVC coated nylon lead, commonly referred to as a Biothane lead (though technically it’s only Biothane if using materials sold by the Biothane Coated Webbing Corp). This is a special material that is waterproof, durable and stainproof and is so easy to clean. Our leads are from a company called Swagger Paws, but there are lots of other companies selling these and there are so many colour options, meaning us dogs can express our individual personalities when we’re out on our walks.

Collars might be an essential piece of kit for us dogs but that doesn’t mean they can’t be stylish too. As with leads, there are so many styles and fabrics available, so there’s something for every dog and every budget out there. When I was a puppy and growing really fast, mum and dad didn’t want to spend too much on my collars, so they found some really budget friendly options through Amazon, which have even lasted me into adulthood. However now that I’m fully grown, dog mum has treated me to a lovely Harris Tweed collar from Collared Creatures, which is stylish, comfortable and hard-wearing. If tweed isn’t your thing (or if you’re a water dog who loves going for a swim), then there are collars available in the same waterproof fabric as the leads mentioned before. I’ve heard a rumour that if I’m a very good boy then Santa Paws might be bringing me one this year! Again, there is a wide range of companies selling these and some of the ones mum will be checking out are Hounds of Hampshire, Dashwood Dog Coats and Handmade Hound but there are so many great independent companies out there!

You might have noticed it’s been a bit hot recently and one thing that really helped me cope was my cooling bandana from Dog Snug. You just soak it in water, tie it round your neck (maybe get your pawrents to help) and enjoy the sweet relief! But bandanas aren’t just for practical purposes, they also make you look very handsome – or pretty for all you girls out there – and you can often find ones with designs to match the season – perfect with Halloween just around the corner!

I hope I’ve inspired all you doggos and dog pawrents out there to go and explore all that the dog accessories market has to offer.

Until next time friends!