It doesn’t matter how many stories you have heard about how amazing dogs are until you actually have one yourself.
My Patches is 50/50 hybrid of the Brichon Frise and the Shih Tzu family.
Not only did Patches help with my depression after a really rough breakup but he also made me a better human.
I can honestly say all of the studies about women and dogs are 100% true.
According to Psychology Today there are five key ways having a dog makes you happier.
- Dogs Improve Your Mood
- Dogs Make You Feel Loved
- Dogs Lower Your Stress
- Dogs Help You To Be Social
- Dogs Keep You Healthy and Fit
After having Patches for these past three years I am here to say he does all of this for me and more!
So in return I try to give him the best life possible.
And with the summer approaching I want to ensure we make the best of the season.
As suggested by the Hepper Blog your dog needs anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours of activity a day.
Conversely the amount of time spent during these activities depends on the age and breed of your dog.
Since Patches is still very young and just recently celebrated his third birthday.
We do spend a good amount of time outdoors and are always trying to stay active.
With this in mind here are five of my favorite Summer Items for Patches.
1) Authentic Puppia Soft Dog Harness Red Medium
Because the Shicon breed have a predisposition to tracheal collapse a Harness is the best to use over a leash.
I love to use this one in the summer because it keeps him a little cooler as it doesn’t cover his whole body.
2) Chuckit Mini Launcher 14 Inch Assorted
This Mini launcher is the perfect size for smaller dogs,Patches loves it when we are outdoors and it is great for playing fetch and keeping your pet active.
3) UPSKY Dog Travel/Collapsible Water Bowls
As the weather heats up I Do Not leave home without this collapsible bowl.
Because of the Shichon’s heavy coat they do overheat pretty quick when outdoors in warm weather.
4) Chuckit! Flying Squirrel spinning dog toy
This Flying Squirrel is such a great toy for the outdoors,dogs can Run,Jump Twist and Turn.
It also doubles as a chew toy in Patches case.
5) PET CARE Sciences 16 floz 5 in 1 Dog Shampoo
Last but not least we have this amazing Pet Care Dog Shampoo that I use to bathe Patch weekly after playing outdoors.This stuff is great it leaves his coat shiny and soft and it smells incredible.