Doggy Chic

I have always loved dogs. Their loving nature, their ability to show emotion, their sweet warm kisses on your cheek, and of course that bum that won't stop wiggling from excitement as soon as you walk through the door. Yes, dogs are truly a girl's best friend.

Just three years ago, my boyfriend and I adopted a baby of our own, Laila. We discussed getting a dog for months and kept our eyes open on puppies for sale. They were all adorable, but none that I really thought were a good fit for us....until Laila. One morning in May, I felt the inclination to visit our local Humane Society in search for the perfect pooch. This particular morning, every cubby was filled with puppies! Laila was the first dog that caught my attention. The volunteers had named her 'Longitude', which definitely would have to go if we brought her home as our own.

I'm not sure how everyone else goes about choosing their new dog, but I had developed a method of my own. 

Step 1. See how 'needy' she would be.

Garrett & I both have to go out and about during the day for work, and we needed a dog that had a bit of independence.  I tested this by petting her for a number of minutes and then walking away. If she cried for an extended amount of time, I assumed she may not get along well with our lifestyle. She passed.

Step 2. See if her energy level was calm.

Everyone who has ever owned a high-energy dog knows it can be extremely tiring. We needed a pooch that would, with exercise, could be calm around people when they came over. My test was by taking her into the play room to play and then shifting her energy by holding her in my lap. If she was wiggling like crazy to get back down, I assumed she may be a bit too high energy. Here again, she passed. She immediately calmed as soon as I held her....and as a bonus, she laid her sweet little head on my shoulder.

Step 3. How responsive to people would she be considering she was so young and had no training. So I called her over and put my hand down. She immediately responded and came right to me! Three-for-three she was going to be ours!

This was Laila on the way home from the Humane Society! Isn't she just adorable?!

My only concern was getting all the dog accessories to fit my home decor and not look cheesy. This is where I bring you my chic dog finds.

Chinoiserie Dog Bowls from Harry Barker / Tweed Dog Bed from Harry Barker / Hermes Orange Collar with chic gold equestrian detail / Champagne bottle toy (my dog loves this!) / Mungo & Maud dog itch relief spray (essential)

Why I love these: the toile dog bowls look refined and as through they are a casserole from my china cabinet rather than a dog bowl. They seem to blend into wherever I put them and I always get compliments. The tweed dog bed is both refined and practical. It is machine washable and and very soft, so my dog loves it. Sometimes I'll even through a sheepskin on top of it for an extra ounce of 'chic'. The orange dog collar with gold equestrian detail is oh-so-chic. I've yet to find a dog collar that looks quite as dashing as this....now if only I could find a matching bracelet for myself.

What started off as a bit of a joke having Laila trot around with a faux champagne bottle, has actually become her favorite toy! It is the same size as an actual wine bottle and every time she chomps down, it gives her a delightful squeak that she finds intoxicating....(see what I did there?)

Finally, the Itchin' for Relief spray is wonderful during those winter months that dry out her skin. No house guest likes being in a room with an itchy dog. Regardless of if they have a little dry skin or fleas, it makes people feel a bit germaphobic to be around. The spray is all natural and smells like rosemary! It works almost immediately, and lasts for hours to relieve her.

Have any of these products? Have a story of how you picked your dog? Let me know in the comments!!