The weather seems to have turned the last few days and our kitchen floor is now a sea of muddy paw prints.  With 2 dogs, a labrador and a cockapoo, it is very hard to keep things clean in this wet weather.  So I have set about looking for the best buys to keep our pooches  and car / home dry and clean this Autumn.  Here are my findings:

For the car:  My all time favourite is the Petface memory foam microfibre care mat  available at Argos – read our review here.  It soaks up moisture, is useful in the car to prevent the upholstery getting wet and muddy but is also comfy enough to be used as an occasional dog bed in the home.  Pet Supermarket are also selling the Danish Design Boot Bed at a reduced price of £42.99 (RRP £62.49), this comfy, washable bed also has a flap that protects your car bumper from mucky paws and scratches as your dog gets in and out of the boot.  A dog towel in the car is also vital for wet days, 2 that absorb more than a regular towel and look good are the Super Absorbant Micofibre Pet Towels from World of Pets (£8.99 for a pack of 2 from Amazon) and Barbour’s microfibre dog towel (£14.95 from Monster Pet Supplies)

For the home:

Most dog beds are washable and some of the best we have found are those that have removable covers that can be popped on a quick cycle in the washing machine like the Casper Dog Bed , Wolfybeds and  Rosewood Jumbo cord bed.  Another good option is placing some inexpensive vet bed in your dogs bed – it’s comfy and easy to remove and wash.  Pets at Home sell vet bed in various sizes.

Not a dog bed but an essential item for dog owners is a good door mat – my personal favourites are the turtle mats, as they absorb dirt, are machine washable and come in various different colourful designs.  Available from John Lewis with up to 5 year guarantees.

So, the wet, muddy dog is now temporarily dry but the wet dog smell still lingers – aargh!!!  Did you know that Microorganisms like yeast and bacteria quietly live in your dog’s fur and when they get wet the water causes the release of smelly compounds? So how do your dog is dry but prevent the dreaded wet dog smell?  Once you have dried your dog with one of the dog towels we’ve mentioned or their dog bed has soaked up the worst, then it is worth either washing your dog, if you have time or pampering them with a blow-drying session.  Just towel drying will not be enough to remove the smelly bacteria.  If you don’t have time a grooming spray or doggy perfume will help!  I particularly like the Pet Head and Animalogy products available from Amazon.  The Pet Head Puppy Fun, Yummy Orange shampoo is gorgeous – I still use it when washing my cockapoo and she is almost 3yrs as we like the smell so much!  Monster Pet Supplies also have a great range of dog grooming products – I regularly buy Petkin Pet Wipes For Dogs & Cats from them to quickly tackle muck and odours.  They are just like baby wipes for dogs.