I love sharing my tiny home with my dog. Here's how we make it fun

Jennifer Sheahan shares the pet-friendly ideas, tools and products that she and her pooch Perry find useful

Dog showers

My dog Perry loves water so he’s easy to clean — he will happily dive into our local river and delights in playing with the garden hose. Last week I picked up a water sprinkler play mat in Lidl and it has given Perry hours of fun in the garden while keeping him clean! 

Sprinkler mats simply connect to your garden hose and provide a safe splash area which will clean off mucky paws and undercarriages. I’ve used this mat every day since I got it and Perry adores it! 

Perry playing with his sprinkler mat.

I have also seen custom dog showers all over Pinterest and Instagram lately and I won’t lie — I’m jealous. If I had lots of space and a separate utility I think I’d probably install one, especially if I had a large dog who wasn’t as easy to clean as Perry. 

If your dog doesn’t like water so much, check out paw cleaners — they are devices with silicone teeth that your dog puts their paw into and it cleans off dirt as they do so. A quick wipe with a cleaning glove and some no-rinse cleanser and you should be good to go without fuss!

The Incredible Dog Shower makes washing pets easier.

Dog backpack

One of my favourite purchases for Perry is his doggie backpack. I’m quite active, and Perry has lots of energy but he is small and sometimes my longer hikes are a bit much for him. In those cases, it’s so handy to sit him into his backpack and he can rest up while I carry on. 

Perry in the K9 Sportsack.

It’s also super-handy if I need to quickly pop into a shop or hop on my bike, as he can just travel on my back! Mine is the K9 Sportsack Plus 2 from k9sportsack.com and I definitely recommend it. Perry loves it, it’s comfortable to wear, and it comes with an extra detachable bag that I can carry his leash or water bowl in if needed. Perry is 6.5kg and I have the size small.

Bike basket

Speaking of carrying Perry on a bike, another favourite purchase is his bike basket. He absolutely loves sitting in this and being pedalled around like a little furry king in a chariot — he’s secure and comfortable, he has a great view and loves all the smells coming at him from the open air. 

Perry in the Trixie rear-mounted bicycle basket.

Mine is the Trixie Rear-Mounted Bicycle Basket and I think it’s so cute. While I more often put him in his K9 backpack, the basket is really handy when I have something else I need to carry on my back.

Hands-free leash

I broke my ankle back in September, and while my amazing neighbours helped me out by walking Perry every morning, I still wanted the independence of walking him myself when I got stir-crazy. I bought the handiest device in Petstop — it’s the Trixie Waist Belt with Lead and it works perfectly. The belt clips around the waist and the lead is an elastic bungee cord, so it absorbs any sudden pulls that might otherwise trip you up. 

It’s made for running, which I hate to do, but it was great when my hands were occupied with crutches and I still use it regularly when I want to keep my hands free while walking Perry — ideal for coffee runs!

Feeder toys

On rainy days, making your dog work for their dinner is a great way to provide stimulation and exercise indoors. The king of them all is the Kong, a genius little rubber device that you fill with food and let your dog work to lick out. 

I fill mine with pate or peanut butter and pop it in the freezer, which means Perry has to work harder for it. LickiMats are also highly stimulating and work very well if you need to slow down your dog’s eating. A favourite of mine is the Trixie Snack Popper (I swear I’m not sponsored by Trixie but they make the best stuff!). 

Perry at the home he shares with Jennifer Sheahan.

I fill this device with kibble, and as Perry pushes it along the ground it randomly pops pieces of kibble out the top, so he gets plenty of exercise. You don’t have to spend money on feeder toys — actually the most effective ones I make myself by filling an empty toilet roll with food and folding the ends closed, or for a bigger challenge just fill an old tea towel with food, roll it up, and thread it through a couple of empty toilet rolls. 

Your dog will have lots of fun trying to get at the food, although I must apologise in advance for all the bits of torn cardboard you’ll have to clean up!

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