I love walking my dog! For me it’s a great opportunity to get some fresh air and stretch my legs. But most of all I love to see how happy my pup is on each and every excursion. Admittedly, there are days when it is pouring with rain and the two of us are slightly less enthusiastic, but I know that getting out for a walk is essential for us both. So I’ve put together a list of items that have become rainy day dog walking essentials in my household. Maybe they’ll become must-haves in yours too.
Light up LED collar
It can be harder to see your dog in very wet conditions. If you frequently let your dog off the lead on country walks, having a light up collar can help keep your dog in your line of sight. It’s also helpful on darker evening walks too, so you can see your pup and others can see you too.
Dog coat
Some dogs feel the cold more than others and some dogs just don’t like to get wet. Keeping your dog cosy and dry with a protective dog coat can help. There are lots of options available, so look for something that won’t restrict your dog’s movements or be difficult to get on and off. The Hurtta Rain Blocker is one of our favourites with its 80% body coverage, and its highly waterproof and reflective properties.
Rubber mats for the car
Adding a rubber boot liner to your car, helps you transport your pup home with ease and without getting your boot’s interior wet and muddy too. I wouldn’t be without my cargo mat now and have found that rubber mats are also dog walking essentials, keeping the footwells clean after my wet walking shoes have been pounding the park.
Microfibre absorbent towels
The last thing you want is to have your home sprayed with muddy rainwater when your dog comes back into the house and decides to have a good shake of the fur. Having super absorbent towels to hand immediately after a wet walk can be helpful. Microfibre towels are a good choice as they can absorb more water more quickly than other towels, but also dry more quickly too. Paws and Presto has a good range.
Boost your home cleaning supplies
A wet dog tends to smell, so it’s helpful to get him as dry as possible after a walk. Make sure his bedding is regularly cleaned, so that wet dog odours don’t linger there. Adding a pet friendly, odour neutraliser such as Febreze Fabric Pet Odour Eliminator to your home cleaning supplies is particularly beneficial if you have a pup that likes to dry himself off on your rugs, curtains and other soft furnishings.
