There’s something magical about the chilly, whispery months of autumn. The leaves are golden, the holidays are approaching, and the music of rain against our windowpanes becomes a frequent and expected melody.
But those cheerful notes aren’t always welcome to our four-legged house guests. What do we do when our pup, so used to his morning run, starts to feel that pent-up energy after being shooed inside by the rain? Or when the sun sets before he can get outside for a proper play session?
Well, who says you have to let the season stop you? We’re Portlanders, people, and we’ve never shied away from a little water! The rainier months (which, let’s be honest, are most of them) don’t have to hold you back from adventures with your pet. Just use a few of our tips and tricks, below, to keep your pup safe, happy, and dry!
- Soggy Doggy Mats - These lovely mats are perfect for after a rainy-day fetch session or brisk morning run through the dew. They are super absorbent and will help your dog dry off quickly and thoroughly! Soggy Doggy also has a shammy-style product that makes it both ergonomic and convenient to quickly pat the excess water off your dog’s coat.
- Rain jackets are another excellent tool to have in your rainy day basket. With the numerous designs on the market, you can achieve multiple levels of insulation and/or water resistance, keeping your dog comfortable through the stormy months.
- Don’t let your hands get muddy from playing fetch! ChuckIt! fetch tools are great for rainy day play sessions because the tool grabs the ball for you, keeping your hands clean and dry. Bonus: They also make it easier to throw the ball waaaay farther than you could on your own!
But these months also bring darker hours with earlier sunsets. In the summer, walking your dog after work is often a pleasant experience filled with beautiful sunsets and lingering daylight. In the winter, after-work dog walks aren’t just wet, they’re often dark! Visibility and safety are two key concerns here. Address both with a reflective vest for your dog or a clip-on collar light a light so you and others can always see where she’s at. Companies like Cycle Dog, Nite Ize and Spindrift also make wonderful reflective or light-up collars and leashes that illuminate when exposed to light, so you and your pup will be highly visible to cars and bikers. If you plan on playing fetch on these dark evenings, we also recommend either the glow-in-the-dark ball by ChuckIt!, or the light-up ball by Nite Ize to minimize balls lost to the dark abyss.
With all these tools you can be sure your pup will be able to keep on his exercise schedule, no matter the weather. More importantly, you’ll both stay safe, clean, and warm! So stop by the store this week--if you mention this blog, we’ll take 15% off the products listed here!