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Life with dogs used to be open the door in the morning, feed them, then let them wander until dinnertime. In the States, dogs have become a more integral part of the family, living more indoor lives. It keeps them safer for sure! And it also limits giving themselves things to do for exercise, mental enrichment, and socializing. Now we have curated playdates, daycares, private and group exercise; anything you can think of for kids there’s probably a dog version for it.

In addition to finding great professionals in your area to help fill in knowledge gaps, there’s tons of wonderful products and programs out there to help your whole family live your best life, including your pups. Many of these products are linked to their company’s website so you can buy directly from them whenever possible. Please note! A few of these items may have affiliate links, and I may receive a fee when you use said link. Some have special discount codes!

Just want a list? Greatest hits:

• Treats! Red Barn Meat Rolls, available on Chewy
• Poop Bags! Earth-rated Bags with Handles, available on Chewy
• Body Language Book! Lili Chin’s Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend, available directly from Lili herself or on Amazon
• Metal Tags by Tough Tags
• Collars by The Chic Pooch Boutique
• Convertible leash by High Tail Hikes code: GS10
• Custom Muzzles by Trust Your Dog
• Flagline Harness with Handle by Ruffwear
• Backcountry Day (Treat) Bag by Ollydog
• Warning Leash Wraps from Patience and Love 143
• Pressure Mounted Metal Gate by MidWest Home for Pets
• OllyBottle by Ollydog
• Slow Water Bowl by Upsky
• Slow Feeder Bowls by Sodapup
• Puzzle Feeding Toppl Toy by West Paw
• Cooling Gel Bed by SafeHaven
• Sound Masking Machine by SNOOZ

Reading Book List

• The Doggie Language Book by Lili Chin
• Canine Enrichment for the Real World by Emily Strong and Allie Bender
• The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resilinecy and Enhancing Well-being by Kristina Spaulding
• How Many Dogs?! Using Positive Reinforcement Training to Manage a Multiple Dog Household by Debby McMullen
• Don’t Shoot the Dog; The Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor

Safety and Identification

A collar is the easiest way to keep your dog’s identification on them; after all, they can’t talk to us with words. Having a collar with your phone number (and even email address) is the easiest way to help your dog get back to you if they get lost. Beyond that, you can get fun, creative tags that attach to D-rings or jingle-free slide-ons that are less likely to fall off during play or adventure. Our picks:

Tough Tags dog tag IDs

https://toughtags.com

Tough Tags have been the tags we’ve used for years for our playgroup dogs. They’ve stood the test of time for our rough and tumblers, standing up to chewing, sand and surf, and anything else the elements have thrown at them. These tags are the only choice when it comes to seriously intense dogs and elements. Plus, they’re handy for suitcases and other gear!

Tag4MyPet (available in Canada) slide on tags

https://tag4mypet.com

Useful for our “indoor” collars by completely eliminating the dingle sound and keeping name, contact info, and allergies listed on our pups. Based in Canada with a lightning fast turnaround, I’ve been a repeat customer for years until the recent tariffs cut off the ability to deliver to the US. I’m still recommending them because they’re great, dammit!

GoTags Nylon Personalized Dog Collars

https://gotags.com

I got collars similar to these ones when I got dogs in playgroups who have food allergies. They were helpful in preventing snacks from other friendly park-goers while keeping my phone number on them. These collars are also useful for people who have handshy or people reactive dogs who can’t be touched by strangers. Even with a limit on characters, you can fit most relevant info like DO NOT PET, ALLERGIES, or FEARFUL with a phone number instead of your dog’s name. Choose a collar and thread color combination that are complimentary, like yellow and purple or blue and orange to make the words stand out from a distance. That prevents humans from needing to get too close to read info.

Adorable Fabric Collars by The Chic Pooch Boutique

Home

https://thechicpoochboutique.com/

Handmade, soft, and durable, I’ve gotten dozens of collars, bows, and fabric flowers from ethical breeder and professional crafter Tiffany! Based in the US, Tiff uses cute design fabric as well as making her own patterns with themes that make you smile. Buy from Tiffany directly on her website or on etsy. She also offers a subscription service where you get a new collar seasonally or monthly, available only on her website. 

Customized Biothane Muzzles by Trust Your Dog

https://trust-your-dog.com

Available in a rainbow of colors and with options for fully-enclosed clear vinyl or reinforced with steel, I’ve used and recommended Trust Your Dog muzzles without hesitation. With options for dogs with “weird” face or muzzle shapes, these muzzles have allowed dogs who otherwise couldn’t be around humans or dogs be able to practice being around their triggers (at distance at first!) while keeping everyone safe. Dogs can play with these muzzles. Useful for dogs who are scavengers while out on hikes or walks, these muzzles work well for pica and opportunists. Owner Amy has measuring guides on how to choose what muzzle works for your dog and needs, and you can even set up virtual appointments with her to fine tune your selections. Our link has a discount code built in so you can save 15% on your purchase.

Plastic Basket Muzzles by Company of Animals

Home

The Baskerville is the quintessential basket muzzle most start out with their muzzle desensization process. Now with an option for wide-faced dogs, they’re accessible to more people looking to find a muzzle that fits their pup that needs some extra help. Great to keep in your emergency go-bag or first aid kit, these muzzles can be molded after boiling to better fit your dog’s face.

Baskerville available on Amazon and Chewy

Biothane Leashes by High Tail Hikes

https://www.hightailhikes.com

Keep your dog attached to you while enjoying the great outdoors, be it walking down the street, at a park, or the wilderness with a variety of leashes make out of an easy-to-clean plastic that can last for years with basic upkeep. Convertible leashes allow for a handsfree walk experience, and long line drop leashes allow your dog more freedom in open areas while still staying physically connected as needed. Use our code GS10 at checkout to receive a discount on your purchase!

Long Lines

Convertible Hands-free

Custom leashes with traffic handles

Secure Dog Body Harness by Ruffwear

https://ruffwear.com

The Flagline Harness with Handle has worked for me with dogs built like bowling balls or sleek greyhound like keel-chested pups. Somewhat limited in sizes that exclude our tiniest and biggest canine friends, they fit most dogs between 10 and 120 lb. Great for when you’re worried about a dog that lunges on leash or has figured out how to back out of most harnesses or collars, this is the harness I recommend for dogs no matter their behavior. i’ve seen this harness get chewed on by tough players during playgroups, and it keeps on going! Bonus: they’re able to send replacement buckles (male piece) if yours gets broken somehow.

This harness has a back D ring attachment and a front reinforced fabric ring on the chest for two points of leash contact. Please note: the top D ring is shaped in such a way that lobster claw clips can unlatch. Make sure to always attach your leash with the curved side down to prevent those accidents.

Harness: Ruffwear Flagline Harness with Lift and Assist Handle on Amazon or directly from Ruffwear

Runner-up Harness: 3-in-1 Body Harness by Petsafe

Padded with neoprene and comes with a seatbelt attachment, the 3-in-1 body harness has chest and back D rings, giving you the option of a front attach harness with less worry of a harness escape. The only reason it’s the runner-up is that the harness does not have the additional row of buckles for security. It’s still an extremely sturdy harness, and I used to use them regularly. They’re great for dogs who do not like to slide their head through collars and harnesses as the neck part can unbuckle! I find them fantastic for sensitive and handshy dogs.

Harness: Petsafe 3-in-1  Reflective Dog Harness with Car Control Strap available on Chewy

Big, but not too big, treat pouch by OllyDog

https://ollydog.com

The Backcountry Day Bag has been my favorite treat pouch for when I’m walking one dog at a time. It’s spacious enough to keep 3 cups of treats and has multiple pockets for keeping different types of treats separated if that’s what you’re into. Room for small aerosols, keys, poop bags, this pouch is complete with a zipper top to keep inquisitive snouts from jackpotting themselves.

Treat pouch: Back Country Day Bag by Ollydog

Pressure Mounted Gate by Midwest Home for Pets

When I tell you this metal gate is tough, I mean it’s been put through the wringer: dug at and jumped on for YEARS by my energetic, bulldozing 70 pound dog, this gate has won my heart over and I will recommend it to anyone looking to set up barriers. It comes with a door that swings both ways and has a height of over three feet and width expanding options. This gate works great for keeping dogs away from the front door or separation needs when the humans aren’t around to monitor.

Pressure Mounted Gate: MidWest Home for Pets Tall Metal Gate on Amazon

Meeting Their Needs

Having reliable water resources, food, and play outlets help your dog feel their best and you sleepign well at night.

Compact water bottle for hikes and walks by OllyDog

https://ollydog.com

This water bottle and bowl combo is a handy way to keep water available for your dog when you’re out and about, available in two sizes, the smaller size fits easily into small backpacks and purses for day use. The larger bottle works great for shorter hikes. While the bowl isn’t big enough for larger dogs who have muzzles on, it works great for keeping your gear together without creating a mess. For dogs who need to wear muzzles, opt for a wider bowl so they can keep their gear on.

Low spill metal water bowl by Upsky

Some dogs drink their water so fast they throw up. Others think digging in their water makes for good fun (it is for them! just not for us humans.)  Grab this bowl for your home so your messy bub can have access to water without driving you nuts. “no spill” on Amazon

Slow Feeder Bowls by Sodapup

Diswasher safe and tough enough to handle dogs who think slamming bowls is a fun way to eat, Sodapup bowls has lasted my hard chewers two years and counting, putting up with teeth, abuse, and freezing day after day to keep my dogs busy and slow down their eating time to make it more of an activity they can enjoy instead of a task to get done as fast as possible.

Bowls on Amazon and Chewy

Puzzle Food and Food Stuffing Toppl toy by WestPaw

https://www.westpaw.com

Made of a durable, rubbery plastic that can be sent to WestPaw to be recycled if torn apart, Toppls come in different sizes and can fit into each other to create more challenging puzzles for your dog to noodle while getting rewarded with peanut butter, yogurt, or whatever you decide to stuff in there. Dishwasher safe (easier to handwash than kongs!) and able to be frozen, Toppls make it easy to give your dog something to do.

Toppl on Amazon and Chewy

The comfiest dog bed approved by clients and personal dogs by FurHaven

https://furhaven.com

My dogs like this bed so much I had three of them at one point. Available in multiple sizes and 3/4 of the sides covered in bolsters, this bed comes with a gel-based foamy stuffing that comes out for when you need to wash the cover. One bed lasted two years of nightly nest-digging by my german shepherd mix before the cover needed repairs. Dogs big and small, round and boney, anxious and chill have all enjoyed these beds. I initially balked at the price, but they’ve been worth it! On their website it’s called Velvet Waves Perfect Comfort, and honestly? That’s a great name for it.

FurHaven’s Cooling Gel Bed with Bolsters on Amazon

The least annoying sound masking machine by SNOOZ

https://getsnooz.com

Look, these things are usually not fun sounding to me, to the point of getting nauseous. The Snooz uses a real fan, not a speaker, and it comes with volume control and tone control. With a bluetooth option – nonwifi — you can adjust with your phone or tablet from another part of the home as needed, and there’s also options in the app to set up automatic times for off and on with a choice to customize each day if you like. It’s compact and doesn’t take up a ton of space.

If the pricetag is not for you, a box fan is also a great sound masker.

SNOOZ White Noise Machine (with real fan inside) on Amazon or buy directly from SNOOZ!

You’re braving the dog park, you’ve come with friends who are used to the dogs, you’ve even come to the park without your dog to scope it out and learn who’s who. You’re ready! Your dog walks in after the initial sniffing exchange at the airlock, and you watch them run for the first time in months since you don’t have a yard. Pure joy.

Then a friendly looking pup walks over and mounts. And doesn’t let go. Your dog isn’t happy. What do you do?

Why Do Dogs Hump Anyway?

Humping has many reasons besides reproductive. It’s a way to say,

• “I’m overstimulated and don’t know what to do”
• “I want to play and you’re not playing”
• “I’m upset”
• “I’m tired”
• “You’re weird”
• “Do something!”

My dog does it when she’s tired or if a male dog is intact. We leave after I remove her from her chosen humpee and lots of uhhhh apologizing, or at least go to the other end of the park if it appears she still wants to sniff or play with other dogs.

When Someone Else’s Dog is Humping Yours

The initial goal is physical separation. The secondary goal is removal of the dogs in each others’ spaces to prevent it from occurring again. Treats, air, or horn can create that two second time period you can swoop in to grab your dog and move away from the other.

As both a pro and as an owner of a humpy dog and what I can say without seeing it with my own eyeballs is you’re completely in the green to say you don’t want this happening beyond five seconds, especially if your dog is getting to the point where they are snapping back or getting into arguments. That’s what I would deem acceptable behavior as a response to being harassed. Some dogs understand humping can be an invitation to play and will start bouncing around in reply. Not every dog is into it, though, and not every humping dog understands an unenthusiastic response like sitting down, shrinking down, or turning and snapping means “no thanks.” (We can train dogs to go away or even prevent the humping to begin with. That’s an option.)

In a perfect world, the owner of the humper would call the dog away from yours, the dog would leave your dog, and the humper would be minded. That, of course, doesn’t consistently occur.

How to Separate Dogs From Least Invasive to More Invasive

I have seen some aggressive stuff by overprotective owners when another dog so much as bark in their dog’s face, including but not limited to a person punting a 10 pound dog who herded their 40 lb dog. What I would find acceptable and reasonable for creating space between dogs would be:

• a shower of treats at the offending dog’s face
  • can the other dog have food allergies? yeah. but diarrhea over a dog with a puncture wound wins every time for me
• using a compressed air can like the pet corrector red can
  • similar to a keyboard cleaner, compressed air fits easily in a pouch or on a belt and it doesn’t matter which direction it is facing to be effective
• an airhorn (I hate this personally)
  • like the compressed air, it’s easy to carry and doesn’t matter which way you hold it
• swooping your arm under the offender’s neck to lift them off your dog
  • this can be done gently
  • I strongly urge practicing it “dry fire” before needing it in realtime
  • practice with a stuffed animal first
  • work towards practicing on a live dog
  • take special care not to damage their windpipe

and so forth with an increase in intensity and force dependent on situation, level of danger, potential for injury, and so forth. There are more physically invasive, aggressive ways to pull dogs apart. I would try this list first before progressing to a two-person jobby that involves angles and care in how you separate to prevent injury for both dogs and humans or exacerbating the situation. Humping is almost always NOT a life threatening situation that requires that level of intensity.

A Note on Pepper Spray When It Comes to Dogs Humping and Dogs Fighting

I strongly encourage people to NOT use a pepper spray for humping or breaking up dog fights. Pepper spray shoots in a mist and will affect everyone in the area, including the humans. Even pepper blasters that use gel or balls can lead to human and dog injury as it is directional, and if that thing isn’t pointed directly at the intended individual, you can injure yourself or other unintended victims with it. When it comes to a fight-fight, as my former self-defense partner put it regarding humans, something like pepper spray will “just make your attacker more angry.” This is part of the LAST RESORT toolbox.

You Can Always Leave. People Are Dumb.

There’s also leashing up your dog and leaving, which is hard to do when another dog is on them. It feels like “losing” when you have to leave due to another’s behavior. But at the end of the day, you’re preventing stress for your dog …which is why I personally take my humpy dog away or out of the park when she does it.

Not everyone considers that dogs have feelings and can have an experience so poorly that they can’t be around other dogs without freaking out. They don’t understand their dog could traumatize another dog like that. “They’ll figure it out,” is something I hear a lot and used to say myself. To a degree? Yes. But there’s so much that can go wrong, I don’t “let them” unless the conditions are okay to make that happen, and I supposedly know what I’m doing.

For those reading and thinking “why doesn’t she train her dog to not hump?” I have, bro! This post is focused on what a person can do when their dog is being harassed in a public setting, not the humper’s side of things.

More On Defensive Leash and Dog Handling

If you’re interested in how to safely handle dogs in stressful or dangerous situations, Trish McMillan and Mike Shikashio have defensive dog handling classes and are Names in the Behavior World. The classes may only be online at the time of writing and are a great introduction to what to do in low and high level emergency situations regarding dogs.

If you’re thinking about setting up a sniff spot on property you rent or own, you can always sign up and start it going later! Follow their prompts to set up your account. As far as how to set up your yard? That’s what this article is for.

Conditions Sniffspot renters are looking for:

• no or minimal gopher holes
• no people present
• no other dogs, pets, or livestock present
• access to clean water 
• 2+ water bowls
• completely fenced in
• easy access to gate from parking area
• bin for poops (bonus if there’s a scooper or bags!)
• relatively flat
• no dangerous plants or standing water
• a mix of sun and shade
• a place for the human to sit
• fence at least 4 feet tall
• no pieces of garbage, especially plastic or food, left out

Size Matters (So Does Knowing How To Use It)

Not just any amount of land works for a dog rental yard. If you’re looking to rent to big dogs or groups of dogs, at least a quarter acre is a good size. Other things to consider for those locations are completely enclosed fence area where a dog cannot escape.  If you do not have a fence but would like to get started, There’s relatively easy-to-install staked fencing that you can buy online or at stores.

It’s important to remember who you’re wanting to rent your place; if you’re comfortable with having dogs who don’t like strangers around, make sure they can’t see other people. If the yard is small but works for smaller pups, say it’s best for smaller dogs. State that in your description. Lots of trees? Maybe this yard gives a hiking aesthetic. If you’re wanting to rent to professionals with groups or clients, having multiple water bowls and access to a garbage can for poops goes a long, long way.

In densely populated areas, yards that may be less than a quarter acre but sizable enough for a game of fetch are a godsend. Ask your dog-having friends if your potential dog yard is enough space to rent.

The Importance of Safety

Renters look for:

• maintained fencing
• little to no holes in the ground
• grass and plants trimmed back
• sanitation
• no disturbances when at the yard
• parking with easy access to gate or door

You don’t necessarily need to have an 8 foot wooden fence with no footholds and reinforced with steel. An example fencing that has worked well with my dogs is this type of metal, staked fence. It’s similar to temporary exercise pens but has metal stakes to secure the fencing. It’s not a type of fencing I would feel comfortable leaving adventurous dogs unattended in, but for dogs who are monitored, it works great. Not everyone is comfortable with this less enforced type of fencing. Make sure your photographs and description reflect an honest depiction of your fencing to prevent unhappy customers or escape attempts, and hammer those stakes as deep as they can get.

Some people want something that’s at least 6 feet tall. That’s up to you if you want to get something like that. Regardless of the height you choose, make sure the fencing does not have any holes or gaps. Please make sure to repair or fill in any gaps below the fencing or in between slats. Gates and doors must properly latch shut. More than one client of mine have gates with spring hinges to further prevent “adventures” if their gate were to not properly latch.

Get a few photographs of what the surface looks like.  Showing that the yard area is cared for and kept up is always great, and keep maintaining it. Some dogs have fur that grabs all pieces of debris, so having grass or grasses and plants trimmed back. This basic maintenance will decrease the likelihood of foxtails getting stuck in their fur will help immensely. If you decide to keep out toys or fun additions like kiddie pools, make sure they stay maintained. There’s nothing worse than showing up to something and seeing a lot of places where bacteria or bugs can grow.

Something that a lot of sniff spot people are looking for is no strangers. There are people who will come with dogs who are afraid of and may actually chase or try to bite humans. Please be sure that no family members or workers will be coming in during the times your visitors are renting.

Presentation on Sniffspot: Go the Extra Mile with Description and Photographs

• clear photographs of the fencing and access gate/door
• photos of where the water is
• photos of dogs of different sizes playing 
• explain what your yard offers: size, shade, hills, level land, dig pit?

I feel like this list doesn’t particularly need more explanation.

If you believe you can provide, at minimum, a securely fenced in area with a designated parking spot and relief from interacting with stranger humans or dogs, you may have what it takes to host a Sniffspot. You can take a look on their website to see how signup works.

Use our referral link to get a bonus when you sign up: https://www.sniffspot.com/to/e1lmh

Please note: our referral link will give us a credit on sniffspot, and some of our links will result in a kickback for us. Thanks for supporting our writing in this way!

This post marks when it started. Dundundunnnn.