Keeping Your Pooch Active and Happy in the Dog Days of Summer: Best Toys, Gear & Food

The items in this post were sent to us by the brand. We do not charge them for consideration or placement as we prefer to retain the right to not place an item that we don’t truly love.

With temperatures hovering in the upper 90s here in Florida, there is no question that the dog days of summer are here. That means hot weather and plenty of time to spend with your furry friend. But with the heat comes the risk of heat stroke, fleas, and play indoors when it’s too hot outside. It also means that they will want plenty of treats and good nutrition after summer playtime.

So, Baby the Bull Terrier and I thought that we’d share some of our favorite dog gear and foods for the dog days of summer as well as fun items for the humans that love them.

WALKS

Spleash

Elevate your dog’s leash when you walk them with a Spleash. The patented design attaches to almost any leash to provide a comfortable, convenient, and functional water reservoir and bowl to keep your pup hydrated wherever you go from walks to hikes to beach runs, which is incredibly important as the temperatures rise this summer.

By attaching the Spleash to your favorite leash, you can quickly refresh your pet with a squeeze of your finger without having to grab or carry anything other than your leash, plus the Spleash holds up to 12 oz of fresh drinking water (great for ANY sized dog). In addition, the Spleash also provides a great defense against off-leash animals approaching with a 14-foot spray distance.

• The Spleash is available in Arctic Teal or Orange a Spleash and Amazon
• Free shipping on all orders in the USA.

Trails n’Tails

The Be Smart Get Prepared Pet First Aid — Trails N’ Tails is a 72-piece pet-friendly first aid kit that includes medical treatments for both you and your furry friend. It’s so important to be prepared for those emergencies when the entire family is out having fun and Be Smart Get Prepared has created a kit that does just that!

• For you, the kit includes a large assortment of bandages and gauze, ointments such as hydrocortisone, burn cream, insect repellent, antibiotics, poison ivy cleanser, and more!
• For your pet, the kit includes items like pet wipes, a collapsible bowl, a tick remover, a doggie bag, and a whistle.

The kit is ideal for individuals or families with pets, and the organized compartments keep contents neat and easily accessible. The soft, nylon material of the bag allows for storage and flexibility inside a travel pack. It even has a hanger to hang in your car, tent, or wherever you’d like. Plus every kit purchased funds Orthopedic Surgeries for disabled children.

• Available at Be Smart Be Prepared and Walmart

P.L.A.Y.Explorer Pack

The adventures are endless when it comes to P.L.A.Y.’s Explorer Pack! This all-in-one dog walking belt is exactly what you need for any outing with your furry friend. Featuring multiple zipped pockets, a water bottle holder, a metal D-ring with reinforced stitching to attach a leash for dog walking, and detachable treat pockets that are machine washable. So the next time you’re stepping for an adventure with your pup, simply clip on your Explorer Pack and toss your dog’s favorite toy in the elastic mesh pocket to guarantee a full day of fun!

This is one of the most convenient items I have as a dog owner.

• Available at PetPlay

BACKYARD

Wondercide

As seen on Shark Tank, Wondercide is an Austin-based company that has protected almost 2 million families from pesky pests since 2009, and the ticker is still running! The company provides plant-powered, lab-proven solutions for those looking for alternatives to conventional pest control products and services. Wondercide’s pest protection lineup is safe around pets as well as your family when used as directed and exceeds the same effectiveness standards required for conventional products, harnessing the power of nature to do the job.

As a Green America Gold Certified business for high standards in social and environmental impact, the company is woman-founded and led, family-friendly, and driven by Fierce Love® to help you Protect Your Pack® — pets, family, kids, homes, indoors and outdoors, and everything in-between.

• Products are available at Wondercide and Amazon with free shipping for Prime members

PLAY

Playology

The Puppy Sensory Snail for puppies: made with an amusing hook and loop wrap, an engaging squeaker and crinkle material, and comes in all-natural Beef or Chicken scents. Perfect for puppies of all sizes, the Sensory Snail also helps ease puppy anxiety by refocusing their attention and keeping them instinctively engaged for seven times longer than unscented toys.

The Dri-Tech Dental Rope for senior dogs: soft enough to chew, but tough enough to last. Safe and durable dri-tech fibers combined with an engaging crinkle and squeak, a perfect combination of utility and play.

This Dual Layer Bone is soft and chewy on the outside and hard and durable on the inside, the Dual Layer Bone is the perfect toy for Heavy chewers of all ages. This toy mimics the texture of a real bone and is embedded with an all-natural Chicken scent. Ideal for any dog looking for an engaging bout of play!

• For lots of inside and outside fun check out Playology available on Amazon

CLEAN

Health + Odor Grooming Wipes & Towels Bundle by ZOOP

It’s time to get rid of that bad doggy odor the easy way with Zoop Health + Odor cleaning pet wipes that eliminates the main cause of bad body odor and many other health problems with nanosilver ion technology. These large-sized wipes are safe and effective for all-over cleaning even in the mouth & teeth. ears, eyes, paws, and even private parts don’t stand a chance of staying dirty with these extra large heavy-duty thick wipes that measure 11.75 x 15.75 inches — making pet cleaning easy and convenient.

To keep your pet stink-free and healthy you only need to use 1 towel every 6 days (each package contains enough wipes for 2 months). Water based with NO parabens, alcohol, sulfates, fragrances, or any damaging oils — they are safe for all pets, big and small breeds.

• Available on the ZOOP website and Amazon

TREATS + EATS

Fluff Trough

I’m going to get personal here. I have been feeding Baby the Bull Terrier in a Fluff Trough since we got her. Why? Because she’s got an odd-shaped snout and having had bull terriers, bulldogs, etc. in the past I knew that it could be a challenge for certain breeds to maneuver a traditional bowl. Add to that the fact that with the long face and her height, she needs a bowl that she doesn’t have to struggle to get to.

The Fluff Trough’s revolutionary design is great for messy eaters, as well as pets that push their bowls around because you can set the Fluff Trough against any wall for added stability and support. We love it so much that Baby also has the Fluff Trough Water Hole as well. Available in standard and XL size.

Oh, and yes you CAN have them personalized.

• Available online from Fluff Trough

Yummy Combs

Now you can choose (chews) the finest (or refined) solution for your dog’s teeth, and breath PLUS improve their overall health and wellness thanks to Dr. Joe Roetheli and his wife Judy, the founders of the well-known Greenies® brand who have now released Yummy Combs, all-natural nutritional treats to “treat” dogs halitosis with its honeycomb shaped deep pockets that allow your dog to chew, cleaning their teeth to the gum line. The 360-degree cleaning action helps to remove tartar and plaque all the way around the tooth and the treats are manufactured by a proprietary process so the ingredients can be absorbed during digestion.

Yummy Combs are for dogs 6 months and up and are available in five sizes for small dogs to extra large breeds too. Not only is the product designed to prevent choking, but Yummy Combs’s complete and balanced formula also promotes dogs’ oral care, heart health, joint care, digestive care, and healthy skin and coat. The formula contains 44% superior quality animal protein with 45 ingredients that are all-natural, grain-free, NON-GMO, and Gluten Free, and also contain 12 wellness ingredients.

• Order some today at Pets Best Life or Amazon

Vitakraft Treaties

YUMMO! Dogs live chicken and these natural dog treats are so high in meat content (90%) that they’re practically like chicken jerky for dogs. With a very readable short list of ingredients (mostly just CHICKEN), Treaties are made with only a handful of other ingredients, including natural smoke flavor to enhance the taste of each grain-free dog treat.

Packaged in individual grab-and-go servings for EXTRA freshness (guaranteed) or in tear-away perforated 4-packs these treats are great for a natural snack for puppers from tiny to big.

Also available are Meaty Morsels and Meaty Morsels minis, perfect for training treats. With chicken and sweet potatoes, chicken and beef with carrots, and chicken with pork these super soft treats are made up of two layers of oven-baked goodness.

• Pick them ALL up on Vitakraft, Amazon, Walmart, Chewy, and more

Bark Social Treats

Your dog will bark for joy when they see you reach for Bark Social. At Bark Social, one of their goals is to support local. We’ve created a delicious treat — chicken strips — for your pups that they have sourced from a 200-mile radius of their factory in Baltimore. The chicken is human-grade and the suppliers even service local restaurants with it! The goal is a happy, healthy dog!

Bark Social believes all pups deserve the best of the best quality food. With only one ingredient in the bag, your pup will be enjoying these delicious treats and begging you for more.

• Order yours here > Bark Social Chicken Strips and Bark Social Sweet Potato Treats

The Honest Kitchen

If you follow me on social or have read past articles about dog food you know that I am a huge fan of The Honest Kitchen dog food, and in addition to their wonderful foods, they now offer Daily Boosters: Instant Goat’s Milk that is made from highly-digestible dehydrated goat’s milk plus 1.25 billion active probiotics and digestive enzymes. Adding this as a topper or soaking kibble helps support your four-legged family member’s digestion, immune system, and well-being! Sometimes I just give it as a treat (drinks tonight?).

Does your dog need something more long-lasting for a treat? Mine is a gobbler and The Honest Kitchen’sOcean Chews™ Hearty Wolffish Skins are just what it sounds like, a single-ingredient rawhide alternative, with the extra benefits of omega-3s!!!

• You can find them online here — Instant Goat’s Milk and Wolffish Skins

FOR YOU

Iconic Dogs: 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Clear off the table, because this fun puzzle features the world’s most beloved breeds that are waiting for you to come play fetch with them. With 1000 pieces, you’ll have plenty of time to pawnder your favorite as you spot a Scottish Terrier, Bichon Frise, Lhasa Apso, and all of their friends. Illustrated by Marta Zafra.

• Available locally or online at Rizzoli New York

Puppy Love

Preserve your favorite memories with your four-legged friend in this fun dog keepsake journal! This playful spin on a traditional baby book provides you with plenty of space to record your pup’s special moments.

Document your dog’s first days at home and then keep track of their growth and milestones over the years using this adorable book’s writing prompts and journaling pages. Plus plenty of space for all your favorite pup-a-razzi photos!

• A great gift for a new puppy owner as well. Pick one up at Puppy Love

Coaching Cards For New Dog Parents

50 cards from a veterinarian for when the going gets ruff!!! With help from Dr. Marlena Lopez BSc DVM, you can learn how to be the best carer for your fluffy friend.

Adding a dog to your life is exciting, but it also comes with questions that even experienced dog owners may need help with. Coaching Cards for New Dog Parents includes 50 illustrated cards that cover the topics every new dog owner needs to know, from picking the best dog for your lifestyle, selecting the right food, dealing with issues like separation anxiety, and knowing when to take your dog to the vet.

• Available on Amazon and Rizzoli USA

Dog Nerd

The Scottish Terrier or the Bichon Frise? The Great Dane or the Dalmatian?

While dogs may be man’s best friend, this game is here to decide who the goodest boy really is. To play, pass the cards out until none remain — but no peeking! In turns, flip the first card in your pile and pick from one of six categories: Cuteness, Size, Intelligence, Scrappiness, Loyalty, and Friendliness. Each has a numerical value.

Read one out, and if your pooch beats the rest, take all the played cards from that round. Play until one winner claims the entire kennel.

• Available on Amazon and RizzoliUSA

While you’re out playing this summer

• Avoid taking your dog for walks or playing fetch in the heat of the day. The best time to exercise your dog in the summer is early in the morning or late in the evening.
• Make sure your dog has plenty of shade. If you’re going to be spending time outdoors with your dog, make sure they have a shady spot to cool off.
• Never leave your dog in a hot car. Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a car can quickly reach dangerous levels.

By following these tips, you can help keep your dog safe and comfortable during the dog days of summer.