In case you don’t know this about me yet, I’m a crazy dog mom. Ollie and Milo are my best friends and I just love spending time with them. This includes Kris, of course, but today we’re talking all about the pups. They make life so enjoyable, keep me active, and I constantly wonder how so much love can fit in a tiny body. Kris and I both try to spoil them as much as we can because let’s be honest, they deserve it so much. For that reason, I wanted to share a few of my favorite dog products for Ollie and Milo. Sadly they can’t give me their opinion on these products. However, I’m going off of how they behave around the product and how useful it’s been for Kris and I as dog owners.

Favorite Dog Products for Ollie & Milo

Below I’m sharing a mix of toys, treats, home pet accessories, travel-friendly items and more so you have everything you could possibly need. Please note Ollie and Milo are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels so they behave differently from other dogs and are relatively small. Most of the products I’m sharing will work for all dogs, you might just need to adjust for sizing. Another thing worth mentioning, these pups may be small but they chew through everything. That’s why you’ll find most toys we choose are for hard chewers. Anywho, enough notes, let’s get on to their favorite dog products.

Toys

First and foremost I had to start with toys. We had a Barkbox subscription for them for some time but the toys are simply too soft for them. They ended up destroying them as soon as we gave them to them. Plus, we had to constantly monitor them to ensure they wouldn’t eat the toys. We even tried the super chewer version of the box and somehow they managed to destroy them all. I think Barkbox is an amazing subscription and I wish it would’ve worked for us but it just wasn’t worth it. Since then we try to focus on products that are for super chewers and avoid products that are stuffed since Ollie likes to eat that. He’s also a big fan of balls so we always have a few at home to play fetch with him. Milo luckily does not let any toy go to waste and always goes through his toy basket to find a different one.

Home Accessories

While the pups are huge fans of our couch and bed, that wasn’t my original plan. Obviously I gave in and now I have to live with dog hair everywhere but anyway, that’s not the point of this. They have their own beds downstairs so they can take naps, and we got them a big, comfy bed for our bedroom. Again, the intention of that bed was to keep them away from ours but that did not happen. I can say that their bed is super comfy though (yes, I tested it). In addition to beds, we got them a cute toy basket so they can store them when they’re not spread out all over the living room. Side note, if anyone’s been able to train their dogs to put their toys back, please hit me up! Lastly, I got lucky last year and won a Furbo at a Cavalier meetup (it’s a thing) and we love it. It’s great for when we have to leave our house (not that that’s been happening much this year) so we can keep an eye on them, talk to them, and share treats. 

Treats

This is probably Ollie and Milo’s favorite category. These dogs genuinely love food and do not miss a chance to remind me when it’s treat time. While we usually buy their treats, I recently started making their own thanks to Once Upon a Pumpkin’s recipes. It’s actually been quite fun and I got some super cute baking molds. Plus, I always like to bake them a little treat for their birthdays. They also get multivitamins daily and while it serves as more than a treat, it appears to be very tasty. They actually sit by the pantry every morning waiting for it. Lastly, Ollie’s not a fan of taking his flea and heart worm prevention medicine so we got them some pill pockets that truly make it so much easier. 

Travel-Friendly 

While we don’t travel often, we do take the pups with us everywhere we go. For that reason, it was important for us to find the perfect travel-friendly accessories. This means travel-friendly water and food bowls, crates, and a tote to carry everything. Whether it’s a long trip or a trip to the park, we also love to take water bottles that have a drinking bowl attached. Lastly, we have car seat covers that we use when we take them places. 

Grooming

Last in the categories is probably our favorite dog products, albeit Ollie and Milo’s least favorite. However, they do need to be clean so it’s a must. We love using an odorizing spray to keep them smelling fresh in between baths and especially when they come back from the dog park. We also use a shampoo to protect their coats and brush them daily to prevent knots. Lastly, we keep their teeth fresh with a toothpaste they tolerate. It’s not the easiest but it’s worked for us so far!

There you have it. Those are our favorite dog products for Ollie and Milo. I hope this blog post helped. I’m always looking for recommendations so if you have favorite dog products of your own, feel free to comment below or DM me on Instagram. 

The post Favorite Dog Products for Ollie & Milo appeared first on Dear Moscato.

Surprise! Ollie is a big brother!

Now I know some of you may be thinking “what in the world was going through your mind?” while others may be thinking “oh how cute!”

Whatever your reaction may be, I can assure you I’ve gone through all of them myself.

If you’re in the same position as I am and recently got a second dog, or have one pup and are considering getting a second dog, this post is for you.

I’m going to walk you through everything that happened prior to getting a second dog and what has happened since he came home.

Why We Considered Getting a Second Dog

When we first got Ollie, we knew we’d eventually get a second dog.

The thing with Cavaliers is that they are companion dogs and don’t do very well alone.

I was very lucky to work very close from home and was allowed to take Ollie to the office back in Illinois, so he really didn’t spend much time alone.

In Miami though, he can’t join me at work. 

I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it was to leave that sweet face every morning.

Over time, the idea of a second dog became even more of a reality.

We kept joking about it but never got serious until we realized it was the perfect time.

Both of our jobs are currently 10-15 minutes away from home, which is the perfect distance for us to come home during lunch, feed the pup and take them out.

We’re currently renting but have been looking at buying houses. Sadly, they’re all a bit of a drive from work, so coming home for lunch is not really a possibility.

That’s when we realized that now was the perfect time since we could come home to feed the dog and take both of them on a walk. 

All the Emotions Before Getting a Second Dog

I’m not gonna lie, I was a mess before getting a second dog.

I was crying, I thought Ollie would be mad at me, I thought we wouldn’t be able to handle it, etc.

Every day I’d talk to Ollie and tell him how much I love him and that nothing would change.

All I wanted was for him to be able to tell me if he wanted a furry brother or not.

Obviously I never got that answer, but nonetheless I tried. Honestly, so lucky that Kris can handle all my emotions!

He constantly reminded me that all the feelings I was having about our second dog, I had with Ollie.

Don’t get me wrong, I was super excited as well. The thought of having two pups running around and Ollie having a best bud made me super happy. 

That didn’t take away all the stress though. 

World, Meet Milo

Despite all the emotions, we ended up getting Milo!

He’s a tricolor Cavalier and fits right in!

Ollie and Milo quickly became besties. The first few days Ollie was a bit confused.

I think he thought Milo was just a guest so he let him get away with everything, but now he tries to teach him the rules of the house.

Honestly, Ollie is an angel pup because he is so patient, loving, caring, and the best big brother ever!

I must say he has helped train Milo and although it’s been overwhelming (he’s still a puppy), it’s been easier than when it was just Ollie as a pup.

They both have different personalities: Milo is a totally confident pup that loves playing, while Ollie likes to chill and cuddle.

Luckily though, they love playing together and even nap together. 

It’s so sweet seeing their bond and having extra love around the house.

Am I still stressed out and tired? Absolutely!

He’s a handful of a puppy and having two requires new training plus continuing with existing training. 

It’s also a lot harder to work out at home since they both seem to want to play with me at that exact time (go figure).

It also gets quite loud –  not sure why they make weird noises when they play, but they do.

Despite all of that, I love both of them so much and coming home to two extra happy puppies warms my heart!

The post Getting a Second Dog: What Were We Thinking appeared first on Dear Moscato.

As Ollie’s second Gotcha Day anniversary approaches, I wanted to take this opportunity to share my love for this munchkin. 

I find myself always looking at pictures of him when we’re away, and I love reminiscing about those first few months with him. 

I’ve also cried multiple times because I don’t want to imagine a world without him (yeah crazy I know…).  

But truthfully this little guy was the best gift I ever received. 

And I mean that because I talked about dogs all day long until Kris said “fine, I’ll get you a pup.” 

You best believe I started looking for dogs ASAP! 

But our story might not be exactly what you expect. 

So help me celebrate Ollie’s Gotcha Day by taking a stroll down memory lane. 

Not what I wanted

Did you read that heading? Say what?

Yes, I really wanted a dog. But I wanted a specific dog. 

Growing up I had a Labrador so I really wanted another one or a Golden Retriever. 

Sounds lovely right? Well, keep in mind we lived in a 700 sq ft apartment at the time. 

So perhaps not the best choice of breed. 

Kris kept telling me about how awesome Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are and I just wasn’t convinced. 

Adorable? For sure! But I was used to big dogs and the thought of a small dog was unimaginable. 

Of course, though, I had to come back to reality and understood that a small apartment was not the best decision for a big dog. 

So I told Kris I’d research Cavaliers and let him know what I decided. 

My findings led me to Ollie

While researching Cavaliers (btw if anyone has any questions about the breed feel free to comment below or DM me), I found Ollie. 

I went through all the facts and needs about the breed and then decided to look into Cavaliers near me to figure out if I should get my hopes up or not. 

Didn’t take long enough until I found Cavalier Corral and thus I found our little munchkin. 

I swear (not exaggerating) as soon as I saw his photo I fell in love with him.

I sent Kris the picture and told him we NEEDED that dog. 

Then I proceeded to call, email, text, and FB Message Cavalier Corral.

Yes, all of that because like I said, we NEEDED Ollie. 

Lee and Cynthia (owners of Cavalier Corral) probably thought I was crazy but hey, it worked! 

We agreed to pick Ollie up that weekend from Ohio (where they’re located) and our lives forever changed. 

What a first impression

When we got Ollie we were living in the Chicago suburbs.

It was about a 5-hour drive to get to Ohio but Kris and I left at 6am. I genuinely couldn’t contain my excitement. 

When we finally got to Cavalier Corral, Lee pointed at Ollie who was walking around on the backyard.

I couldn’t believe how tiny he was! 

And then it happened. Ollie showed us his true colors. 

And by that I mean he showed us from day one that he’s a walking pooper! 

Yup, you read that right. Til this day I have to walk behind him picking up his poop. 

Building a home

After Lee told us everything there is to know about Cavaliers and even trained Ollie to sit (they learn very quickly), we were back on the road. 

We stopped a few times to make sure Ollie could potty, but overall he loved being in the car. 

When we got home he had no trouble exploring around and making himself comfortable. 

He knew he was home! 

The first few nights were rough – he just wanted to be with us and crate training was not the easiest. 

Kris and I weren’t sleeping, I was crying every time Ollie cried, and I couldn’t even eat from the stress. 

After about a week he learned the crate was his friend and he slept like a baby. 

Side note – try giving them food and treats in the crate so they associate it with positive things. 

Breaking all the rules

When we decided to get a dog I told Kris very clearly that the dog would not sleep on our bed or lay on the couch. 

I didn’t want hair all over the place and I wanted the dog to respect our space. 

Guess who broke that rule first? Yes, of course it was me. 

I got sick one night and Ollie was cuddling me on the floor and it felt so nice. 

At bedtime Kris told me to let Ollie sleep on the ground next to my side of the bed. 

So instead I grabbed him and cuddled with him in bed. 

Safe to say he has slept on our bed every day since. 

Going through life

For the past two years, Ollie has joined us in our biggest moments. 

He was there for our wedding, saw us change jobs, went to work with me for a while, and finally, came with us to Miami!

Through all those changes and special moments, he’s been our rock. 

He’s brought us closer together and added so much joy to every day. 

There’s never a dull moment with Ollie and you can count on him to always show you unconditional love. 

So this is my thank you to our sweet pup. 

Although he can’t read I hope he knows how loved he is. 

And to my sweet hubby who can read, thank you for the best gift ever. 

Happy gotcha day, Ollie! 

The post Gotcha Day! The Best Gift I Ever Received appeared first on Dear Moscato.

For what felt like forever, I kept asking Kris for a puppy. I absolutely love dogs and knew having one would make our lives ten times happier.

However, I’m not always the most realistic person. Lucky for me, Kris kept me grounded and reminded me of the importance of finding a dog that we can actually take care of.

Although I initially wanted a big dog, our small apartment is not the best fit for a large breed.

When Kris brought up looking at Cavalier King Charles Spaniels I was surprised. I knew nothing about the breed except that Katrina from Tone It Up had a Cavalier named Winston and he’s adorable.

I went on a search to find the perfect Cavalier to add to our little family. Soon, I learned that Cavaliers are difficult to find, because they’re small dogs that can’t be bred too often.

But, one day, I found Cavalier Corral and saw a picture of our future pup. I immediately fell in love with Ollie and told Kris we had to get him.

The only problem was that Ollie was in Ohio. That didn’t stop us, though. So off to Ohio we went!

Once we got Ollie, things changed very quickly for us.

A first-time dog owner reality check

I was convinced that once we got Ollie things would be so easy! We’d have a cute pup as part of our family and things would be all fine and dandy. Right? Wrong!

1. Losing sleep

The first three nights with Ollie were awful. We wanted him to get used to his crate and sleeping on his own, but poor thing just wanted to sleep on our bed.

He cried non-stop for hours and hours. I honestly didn’t know what sleep was for three days.

I’m sure moms reading this are laughing because I was struggling with three nights of no sleep with a dog. I honestly cannot imagine going longer than that without sleep.

After three nights of barely sleeping (earplugs included), Ollie finally got used to his crate and I got my sleep!

I will admit, though, those days were stressful! I was irritable, anxious, barely eating, and constantly crying. But we made it through!

2. Forget about your personal bubble

If you’ve ever been around a Cavalier (or most dogs to be honest) you’ll know personal space is no longer a thing.

Ollie is 100% a lap dog and loves to be by our side. I can’t sit on the couch without him laying on my lap or right next to me.

Although it makes getting stuff done a bit more complicated, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Ollie has quickly become my best friend and we go together almost everywhere. I say almost only because it’s frowned upon to take your dog everywhere (can we do something about that, businesses out there?).

3. Loyalty and love take on a whole new meaning

I cannot imagine a love more pure than a dog’s. No matter what, Ollie is always next to us and does not leave us out of sight.

There’s no better feeling than coming home and seeing how excited he gets when he sees us.

I truly believe dogs have the purest souls and are as loyal as it gets.

Since getting Ollie, my anxiety has been so much better and he makes me feel so loved. Plus, he keeps me active with daily walks and lots of play time.

Although the first week or so with Ollie wasn’t easy, just seeing his face and cuddling him reminded me why we got him.

I don’t think being a dog-owner is an easy task, and I was very wrong to believe so.

To be honest, though, I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.

If you’re a dog-owner or thinking about becoming one, let me know in the comments below what else you’d like to learn about our experience with Ollie!

The post 3 Things I Learned as a First-Time Dog Owner appeared first on Dear Moscato.