Accessories for Small Dogs

Accessories for small dogs - what essentials you need to buy for your small dog or puppy.

Small dogs and puppies need some basic accessories as necessity to start with rather than luxury items. They need their own bed and feeding and drinking bowls with a place mat. A collar, lead and identity tag along with a brush and comb. A pooper scooper, some toys, chews, food and water.

Depending on the size of breed you may want to buy a harness as well so the lead won’t place too much strain around the puppy’s neck collar. You also might want to think about some dog toothpaste and toothbrush or finger brush.

Bedding
Make sure the chosen bed has enough room for the puppy to grow but not too large as a small dog or puppy feels more secure if it can fit in snugly. Put some extra blankets in the bed so the puppy can ruffle and snuggle into the blanket. You should check the blankets and bedding each morning in case the puppy soils them in which case you just renew the blankets. The bedding and blankets will need occasional washing and disinfecting as it can house fleas, mites etc.

Your puppy may want to have a piece of clothing of yours in their bed so they feel safe when they smell it. A soft toy could be put in or outside the bed especially if your puppy is on its own. It is best to place the bed away from drafts, in a safe quiet area and also away from its toilet area and food. A bowl of water should be available at all times for your puppy even during the night so it doesn’t dehydrate.

More accessories for small dogs include:

Nylabones
Some puppies tend to chew their bedding or blankets, so try to discourage this by providing some chews during the day or late evening. Nylabones are excellent as they are a pacifier for gnawing. Other chews available are dental hides that helps clean the teeth and contain fluoride, these can be bought at pet shops and even supermarkets now.

A hat for Christmas may be slightly over-the-top but good fun!

Feeding and Drinking Bowls
The two bowls are best placed on a wipe clean mat. It’s natural that the puppy might splash some water when having a drink or spill some food when eating, the mat can be wiped when necessary and it will protect your floor. Always try and keep the puppy’s feeding station in the same place so they remember where it is. The feeding station is better placed in or near the kitchen.

The Crate - a more expensive accessory for your small dog.
The crate can be very useful for transporting your puppy or small dog in the car when you’re travelling solo as there’s no one beside you to hold your puppy. More about dog crates ...

Toys
The best toys to buy are the ones especially for dogs. If you do want to give your dog a soft teddy that a child would have, then check for anything the puppy could bite or chew off as it could choke. Take any ribbons off, check the eyes and nose are not loose and check there’s no extra fine long fluffy hair that could also be chewed by your puppy. Rubber toys are especially good if you buy the soft latex ones as these are almost indestructible to chewing and are very flexible.

Toys are among the cheapest accessories for small dogs and they may prefer to play with an old tennis ball rather than a more expensive toy ... as long as they have fun!