If you’re anything like me, you made a huge list of all the items you’d need to make your pup feel right at home before picking him or her up. Since then, a few have stood out out for me as the most useful for managing my own anxiety about her health and happiness.

Furbo Dog Camera

Being able to keep an eye on our pup when we are not home has been a huge comfort to me. The Furbo set up is simple. Place it in a location your dog is likely to spend time, download the Furbo app and connect. It’s easy to move the camera around, as long as it’s in a location that is near an outlet. When she was in her crate, I propped it up on the floor outside, and pointed the camera in. (This stopped me from worrying that she was staring forlornly out into the living room, wondering where we were). The Furbo will also send notifications if it detects barking. When this happens, I open the app, load the camera and check to see what’s going on. Usually by then she’s already settled back down.

Coolaroo Elevated Bed 

We use the Coolaroo Elevated Dog Bed as our pup’s “place.” It’s the only spot in the house that’s just for her — no one else is allowed on it. We have trained her with the “place” command, and it has become an invaluable tool for both us and her. She ask her to go to her place when there’s a lot going on at home (i.e. visitors, delivery, repair work) and she’s on the verge of getting overly excited or stressed. She has come to know “place” as the spot that she can feel safe and relaxed. We added this dog bed mattress to the top and she is happy to spend hours here snoozing away. It’s a big relief to know that she’s so comfortable there.

Snuggle Puppy

Our pup’s breeder recommended the Snuggle Puppy to help her feel more comfortable during her first nights away from her littermates. (Sob!) The Snuggle Puppy has a heartbeat function and a heat source that are designed to soothe puppies during moments of stress, loneliness or separation anxiety. We kept it in her crate when she was a baby puppy, where she’d fall asleep snuggled next to it. Now that she’s grown up, it’s still one of her best friends.

Brain Teasers

Brain teasers have been a huge help in keeping our pup busy on days when the weather is bad or the calendar is filled with back-to-back calls. When I know it’s going to be tough to give her as much attention as I’d like to, we turn to Nina Ottosson dog puzzles. They hold her attention, challenge her coordination, and tire her out. 

We used this one when she was a brand new puppy and she loved sniffing around and finding the treats. (We had to get rid of it when she started to gnaw too much on the removable plastic bones, though). We upgraded to this one, which requires a bit more coordination to reveal the hidden treats. We also got this more advanced puzzle, but so far it seems a bit too challenging for her.