Does your dog sit by your feet, giving you puppy dog eyes every time you try to enjoy a meal? Most dogs love to beg, and it’s tempting to give in. One bite of your food won’t hurt them right? Wrong. While there are plenty …
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Picking the perfect name is one of the most fun parts of bringing home a new furry friend. However, naming your new pet can be incredibly difficult as well. The world is full of dogs named Bella, Max, Luna, and Scout. If you want your pup to stand out in a crowd, choose one of these more unique dog names in 2021.
1. Angus
Coming from Scottish decent, this name means “one” or “choice”.
2. Dart
The name Dart is a British name that comes from a river in Devon.
3. Grazer
Animals are known grazers, making Grazer a perfect unique dog name in 2021.
4. Tater
Who doesn’t love tater tots? Name your pup tater after the delicious fried potato treat.
5. Koa
This name from Hawaiian origin means brave, bold, and fearless.
6. Asher
In Hebrew the name Asher means “happy” or “blessed”.
7. Blaise
The name Blaise is of French origin and means “lisp” or “stutter”.
8. Xander
Meaning “defender of mankind”, Xander is a great unique dog name for a strong dog.
1. Kaia
Another name from Hawaiian descent. Koa and Kaia would make great names for a brother sister duo.
2. Cinder
Cinder is an English name that means “ash” or “ember”.
3. Mixie
A fun twist on the more popular dog name, Pixie.
4. Lottie
Lottie is a French name meaning “little”.
5. Jayla
In Latin, Jayla means “happy”.
6. Acacia
Acacia is the name of a plant similar to a mimosa.
7. Tiffany
The perfect unique dog name in 2021 for those who love fashion and jewelry.
8. Twyla
Twyla is an English name meaning “two” or “double”.
Let me get this straight, I 100% support adopting dogs but I support buying them too. “Adopt, don’t shop” has quickly stopped being used to bring light to the overpopulation of stray and shelter dogs, and has become a way to attack those who prefer …
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Just because you live in an apartment, doesn’t mean your dreams of owning a dog have to go out the window. In fact, there are plenty of dog breeds that are more than suitable for smaller living quarters. When looking for the perfect apartment pup, choose a breed with lower energy levels. You’ll want a dog that doesn’t need lots of exercise and won’t bark too much. Today I’m sharing 10 of the best dogs for apartment living according to the American Kennel Club.
These long eared, watch dogs are known for being incredibly lazy. Long bouts of exercise are not their jam, making them a perfect breed for apartments.
The Bichon Frise is a small dog, weighing in at around 15 pounds. They are some of the best dogs for apartment living due to their low energy levels and lack of barking. Plan to make time for a walk every day and that will be enough exercise for these fluffy pups.
Another small breed dog, Boston Terriers are affectionate and make great apartment dogs. Due to being a brachycephalic breed, they tend to overheat quickly so keeping them indoors is best for their health. They don’t need much space or exercise and will be content spending their days snoozing on the couch.
All a Bulldog wants is a quick walk and a nap with their humans which is why they have quickly become one of the most popular apartment breeds. These lazy pups will thrive in a quaint home as long as they have somewhere comfy to snooze.
Bulldogs are notorious for their barking, however, so if your neighbors aren’t dog people, this may not be the breed for you.
If you’re an apartment dweller who likes to live an active lifestyle, the CKCS is the breed for you. These small breed dogs don’t need a huge yard to roam around, but they do enjoy going on adventures from time to time.
Dachshunds are hound dogs, meaning they can be incredibly vocal when they want to be. Their barking makes them less than ideal for apartment dwelling. However, if your neighbors don’t mind the noise, they can be a great choice for a small space.
Dachshunds don’t require much exercise and can even be fully exercised indoors if needed. This is great for those living on high floors who aren’t able to get their dog outdoors very often.
Despite being known for their speed, greyhounds really just love to sleep. They aren’t very vocal, making them one of the best dogs for apartment living. If you’re looking for a larger breed that will thrive in an apartment setting, the greyhound is an obvious choice. Set aside time to exercise them each day and you’ve got the perfect apartment companion.
Weighing in at a max of 8 pounds, the Pomeranian is a great dog breed for a small living space. They’re super friendly pups who will do great with one long walk a day.
Unfortunately, Pomeranians are known for their love of barking. If you have quiet neighbors, these balls of fluff may not be the most suitable option.
Another brachycephalic breed, the pug is at the top of the best dogs for apartment living. These smush faced dogs have low energy and barking levels which has made them a fan favorite for apartment dwellers. They thrive on human companionship and will be thrilled to be the center of attention at all times.
Shih Tzu’s are an all around perfect pet for apartments. They’re small, low energy, and not very vocal. Shih Tzu’s are super friendly and do well with children and other pets. They’ll be more than happy to snuggle up for couch cuddles every day.
Remember, just because your dog doesn’t require a ton of exercise and time outdoors, doesn’t mean they don’t need any at all. All dog breeds need to be walked daily and given time to socialize and sniff out their surroundings. If you’re looking for an apartment pet that needs no exercise at all, a cat may be your best bet.
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Did you know that walking your dog with a collar can cause severe harm to your pup? Collars can put unnecessary tension on your dogs neck causing issues such as a collapsed trachea choking. Collars are safe for your dog to wear on their own, but when you attach a leash to them you may do more harm than good. Using a harness for walks or trips in the car is safer and more comfortable for your pup. However, with so many different harnesses out on the market, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the options. Today, I’m breaking down the different types of dog harnesses and telling you how to pick the best harness for your dog.
Dog collars are great for every day wear. They come in so many colors and patterns, can be personalized, and are comfortable for your dog to wear all day. But when it’s time to venture outside your household, a harness is what your dog will need.
1. Better Control
Many dogs get too excited on walks and start to pull on their leash. When your dog is wearing just a collar you’re steering them by their neck. This can cause your dog to choke or injure their neck.
Harnesses steer your dog using their entire body. With a harness, you aren’t putting too much pressure on a single part of your dog, making it safer and easier to gain control of your rowdy pup.
2. Prevents Escaping
Escaping from their collar isn’t too difficult of a task for a determined pup. Dogs with thicker necks and smaller heads have no issue pulling their collar over their head to get away. Similarly, a super wiggly dog will likely be able to get out of their collar if they try hard enough.
Because your dogs harness is over a larger part of their body, escaping is near impossible.
3. Reduces Neck Strain and Respiratory Issues
Pulling on a dogs neck can cause them to severely strain and injure it. When you pull on a dogs collar you are putting all that strain on your dogs neck.
Some dogs may suffer from respiratory issues such as a collapsed trachea if their neck is damaged enough from pulling.
So now that you know why you should switch from a collar to a harness, you need to know how to pick the best harness for your dog.
Back-clip harnesses are a great option for dogs that don’t pull as much. They give you more control than a collar will and reduce the risk of injury on your dogs neck. These harnesses come in two main styles, the strappy harness and the vest style harness.
Strappy Harness
Strap harnesses weigh less and are more minimal than the vest harness, making it a great option for dogs who don’t like to feel contained. These harnesses are also good for warmer weather as they’ll keep your dog cooler than the vest style harness.
The downsides of strap harnesses are that they can cause chafing in your dogs armpits. They can also be confusing to put on.
Vest Style Harness
Vest style harnesses are a great option for skittish dogs as the fabric hugging them will make them feel more secure.
These harnesses aren’t great for dogs who don’t like to feel contained since they are quite bulky and cover a lot of the chest area.
Front-clip harnesses are a good option for dogs who like to pull a lot. The leash being clipped in the front will put pressure on your dogs chest if they pull and their natural instinct will be to slow down. The disadvantage of these harnesses is that the leash can get easily tangled in your dogs legs and the strappy design can cause chafing.
Easy Walk Harness
The Easy Walk harness is a very popular front-clip harness. It has a martingale loop on the front that will tighten if your dog pulls, discouraging the behavior. Another pro of the Easy Walk harness is the different colored straps. The strap that goes under the belly is a different color from the strap that goes over the back. This makes putting your dogs harness on a breeze!
Dual-clip harnesses give you the flexibility of using either the front or back clip. This is great for training. When your dog learns to stop pulling you can switch from the front clip to the back one.
These harnesses also pair well with double ended leashes so that you can clip to both ends at once, allowing for maximum control of your pup.
The one downside to this type of harness is that they tend to be on the pricier side.
Freedom Harness
The Freedom Harness has separate loops for each of your dogs legs along with a martingale loop on the front to discourage pulling. The harness also has a control loop on the back that will tighten gently on your dogs chest to further stop the pulling behavior.
Babyltrl Dog Harness
This is the harness that I use for my Siberian Husky. It’s a vest style harness with a clip on both the front and the back and is designed for larger, stronger breeds.
Head halters are the best choice for extreme pullers and ultimate control. They look similar to muzzles but aren’t. Your dog can still eat, drink, and bark in a head halter.
The downside to head halters is that many dogs are not a fan, and acclimating your pup to them can take some time. If your dog is super out of control, a head halter can cause damage to their necks or leave marks on their muzzles.
Halti
Halti’s are a great head halter that are padded for maximum comfort. They also have a double loop under the chin that allows the Halti to connect to your dogs collar and leash. This is great for extra security if your dog slips free.
Gentle Leader
The Gentle Leader goes around your dogs muzzle and the back of their neck and connects under their jaw. This attachment location gives you the most control over your dog.
With so many different choices, the task of picking the best harness for your dog can be overwhelming. You may have to try multiple harnesses to find the one that fits you and your pups lifestyle best, but in the end your dog, and their neck, will thank you.
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
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