2016 favourites

2016 was a fantastic year for us. Some of the best bits were the creating of the blog last summer, travelling the shows, meeting so many lovely people with their dogs and working with some incredible companies. Of course nothing could top the little patter of paws from Wilma joining us making 2016 forever one of my favourite years.

It may be late January now but its better late than never. If I could possibly list all of the pet products we have loved over the past year I so would – But there’s unfortunately not enough hours in the year!  So I have somehow tackled the challenge of narrowing them down to our top 5 products we tested out last year – all of which are actually handmade.

1. First up I just adore this Pink Oilcloth crate cover from The Cosy Canine Company. Some of you may remember we did a big blog post all about this on the old site back when Wilma was so small she could fit in my hand [She really was that small honest!]

With a tiny puppy in the house a crate was essential to keep her safe and out the way when needed or so she couldn’t get up to mischief whilst I popped out. Of course a large labrador sized crate is quite an eye sore to have in your house so it was perfect when I discovered The Cosy Canine Company. Lottie [Chief creator] was actually only the 4th person to know I was planning on getting Wilma. I had told my family but otherwise had kept it top secret about getting a puppy, only revealing it a week before she came home. So Lottie knew a couple of months before Wilma arrived and handmade this gorgeous crate cover, making me even more desperate to go pick Wilma up!

Any puppy owners will know that the world and his wife ask to come round and meet the new ball of fluff. So along side the endless tea and cake there were plenty of compliments towards my pretty crate cover. I was actually quite upset when Wilma decided to stop using her crate after a couple of months as I had to put the cover away, but maybe one day i’ll have an excuse to get it out again!

2. Personalised products always grab my attention, so when Slumbering Hound contacted us I was delighted! Dee made Woody his own dog cushion that had his name and silhouette on in red polka dots.

Woody seems to love things that are ‘squishy’ [It sounds a bit weird but I’m sure other dog owners can relate], I think that it’s because it is similar to lying on the sofa or human bed. So this cushion is perfect for him to settle down on whilst I’m editing or sorting paperwork. Since Wilma has  arrived she’s also taken quite a fancy to this bed, I’m sure she looks at me with those puppy eyes asking for me to get her own.

3. Last year we were lucky enough to work with Boots & Bones on a couple of occasions, with them making Wilma’s first collar which is extra special to me [She’s so tiny here the collar won’t even fit as a bracelet around my wrist].

They now make slightly bigger collars for both Woody and Wilma, don’t you think they look rather dashing. I love the vibrant colours used, making sure they stand out beneath all that fluff!

4. Next up in our favourites is The Dandy Dog Company. Being SO fluffy Wilma is a nightmare to keep clean and dry in this wet weather. The Dandy Dog team made Wilma her own beautiful quilted coat.

Excuse the scruffiness of her legs and head here as she still manages to get them mucky but her body is so wonderfully clean and dry [Keeping any of her fur clean is an absolute miracle]. Spots are my favourite pattern so the polka dot lining went down a treat. It was only on a second inspection that I actually saw that the label on the inside said Wilma. This instantly made me love it even more as like I said I love personalised touches.

5. Last and definitely not least is Made for Mutts. This is my go to site for collars for any occasion, as well as my first recommendation for an all purpose collar.

Charlotte hand makes all of the collars, leads, bandanas, bow ties and other accessories all herself. One of my first blogs last year was actually with a collar and bandana set from Made for Mutts whilst doing a holiday blog.

Her products are all such high quality, and are often modelled by Ruby the boxer, the resident model who you can also follow over on Instagram here. They’ve recently brought out a gorgeous tweed set which my country pooches definitely have their eyes on!

2017 is already looking to be an amazing year so I don’t know how I’m going to narrow down my favourites next January. Let us know your favourite pet companies as we’d love to check them out!

Thank you for reading,

Megan, Woody and Wilma xx