200: Our 200th Episode!!! Cleanliness is Next to Dogliness
For our 200th episode, we decided to barely talk about cleaning at all. Instead, we talked about another subject near and dear to our hearts: Our dogs! And also, what we take with us when we walk them.
Which, ok, does get into some mess territory. Like how we clean our dogs in an emergency situation!
We’ve got a lot of recommendations today, but as always, none of these are sponsored links. They’re just things we like!
For daily dog walks, I take:
Unscented, very basic hand sanitizer (works for me and for her!)
A bug repellant stick (easier to pack than a spray)
A lip balm
Sunscreen (honestly, I usually use whatever sample I got recently from Ulta but the GOAT really is the Supergoop Unseen one. These almost always go on sale in the summer time at Ulta so you can stock up for the season.
Training treats (DON’T BUY BIG-ASS TREATS FOR TRAINING. I literally use diet kibble for Lola and she’s fine with it. A pickier eater might want something yummier like the tiny ones from Zuke’s but honestly, if your dog will do things for kibble, just use that!) in a compostable sandwhich bag OR an un-pooped poop bag.
A roll of poop bags (duh).
In the summer, I’ll also pack the mini version of the Megababe stick which works for thick thighs AND shoes that are rubbing/creating a blister.
A few bandaids and/or a little roll of medical tape IF we’re going to be out a while
A bandana or other cloth for wiping my gross dirty dog
I only bring water and a collapsable dish if I know we’re going to be out somewhere far from town; otherwise, I know where to stop for dog water. I do also keep a large jug in my car with a dish.
Watch the pod here:
A couple of other recommendations:
My go-to dog-walking pouch is from Wilder Dog. I love everything they make (Lola is often decked in Wilder) but specifically our little bag is from them. It’s small, it has a carabiner, and I can clip it to the leash or to myself. Plus, it has a little zipper pouch for my bug stick, hand sanitizer, and whatever else I might need.
My favorite backpack seems to no longer be in production, but I have a mini-bag from Baboon to the Moon that I really like for day trips or when we’re traveling. I also have one of their mini packs for outings without the dog; it’s really small but fits everything I need for the most part.
For cleanup around the house (or in the car sometimes, too), we also might use:
A microfiber dog towel (it doesn’t have to be FOR dogs, just keep a towel around)
Grooming spray or wipes (I like the ones from Burt’s Bees but YMMV)
And I shampoo my dog with a low-cost, very basic dog shampoo bar. You can get literally whatever kind you like!
And finally, I will forever sing the praises of a lick mat with suction cups. Vet visit? Lick mat. Bathtime? Lick mat. Need your dog to chill out? Frozen lick mat. Seriously. GET A LICK MAT (ideally one that can go in the dishwasher).
What’s in your dog-walking bag? What did we miss?
And finally…HAPPY 200 EPISODES!!!!