Puppies and Porches Summertime Fun

What says Summer more than Puppies and Porches! We recently added to our family size by 2! Come meet them and see how we prepared our home and family. Sharing some of my favorite items and a few things we’ve learned along the way.

I’ve been a little MIA lately and this is why. We’ve had our hands FULL! 🙂 We had been wanting to get a Weimaraner puppy to add to our family. So I started looking for one as an Anniversary gift for Mr. BeesNBurlap. Well…we fell in love with 2. If you don’t know much about the breed, let me tell you they are the best family dogs, protective and loyal, fearless but gentle…the perfect companion. And we found the sweetest family that raises them so that made the choice to get them even easier.

Meet Ford and Cooper!

Weimaraner’s come in a silver gray color or what is called a blue gray. 

With their arrival, I felt like a Mother Nesting. I wanted to get things done and ready. I also knew once they arrived I wouldn’t have time to do much else. Boy, was I right! 😉

“Whoever said you can’t buy happiness, forgot little puppies.”

So true…their little faces melt us…no matter what mess they make. Only 9 weeks old and they are the masters of this house. 🙂

One of the first things we did before they got here, was painted the front porch. It was time… and again, I wanted everything just right. Besides, it’s funny how many “visitors” you start to get when you have these adorable little guys, so you want it to look nice right?

This post contains affiliate links at no additional cost to you. 

I used Rustoleum Anti Skid Porch Paint in Dove Gray. It went on so well and the coverage was amazing. I’ve bought anti skid porch paint before but it didn’t seem to work very well. This one does. 🙂 It was tricky too, because I painted it IN Florida, IN August, when the weather is less than ideal. It was amazing to have a 24 hour period without rain, to paint and let it dry.

While one part of the porch is where our older Weim Molly likes to hang out, I decided to do a quick mini makeover on the other. I created a sense of privacy by using this wood screen from Costway. Our ceilings are so high on the front porch so curtains are impossible. I love how this screen instantly created a cozy nook. Perfect for watching the puppies run and play.

I added a rug from World Market, a few lanterns, chairs and accessories. It took less than 30 minutes to style. So much better now! Easy and budget friendly. 🙂

So now that the porch looked better, I had to prep the other areas. I moved some furniture off the back porch to make room for a play pen area. I told you it’s like having a baby…you need all the equipment.

We had to travel a few hours to get these sweet babies, so transporting them was a big concern. I discovered a company that has the strongest crates I’ve ever seen. You literally can put cinder blocks on top and it won’t hurt them. Go to Impact Crates to see for yourself. We got the collapsible crate because it’s strong enough to use every day, and we can fold it up and store it when we’re done. We got what I call the Hulk Green color, but I thought it would be fun with 2 little boys…and who doesn’t love a superhero! 🙂

It’s a serious crate and super cool! Wouldn’t you know that the day we had to travel we drove through a Tropical Storm…typical Florida weather. With accidents happening all around us and the rain just pouring down, I was so happy that our babies were just as safe inside the car as we were. The size of the crate is so large, so they have plenty of room to grow and they had a nice thick pad to lay on. We had pee pads at one end, chew toys to occupy them and they couldn’t have been more comfortable. Let me tell you…photographing puppies is hard work…they don’t like to pose unless sleeping! 😉

They even make standard non-collapsible crates and high anxiety ones, even the most experienced escape artist won’t get out. Take a look for yourself… Impact Crates. We love ours!

So now for all the little stuff…would you believe I got most of it from Bed Bath & Beyond. Yep, I did. They carry a number of pet items online and when you use a 20% off coupon and get free shipping…the prices can’t be beat.

I got the play pen initially thinking it would be great in the yard. It ended up on the back porch and has created the perfect space for the boys to get some fresh air and exercise, a.k.a. wrestle, in between runs in the yard. It also provides a secondary crate to put the boys in when we need to clean up the crate inside…which happens! 😉 Lifesaver, let me tell you.

Of course, we had to get them some collars and leashes so why not get them some cool ones. I loved these from Bed Bath & Beyond. Funny enough the Small collars are still too big, but not for long. 🙂

I also bought some harnesses to wear which actually is really good for small pups. More supportive and keeps them safe when walking on a leash. Because we live in the country we’ve used the harness and leashes when exploring the property. The boys fit a Medium at 8 weeks old, just to give you a reference. Strike a pose Cooper! 😉

Another cool “toy” we got is a filtered water fountain. Nothing but the best for these guys, right? There was no way I’d get a clean pic of them drinking from it because it’s more like a velociraptor attacking its prey, so here it is before they attack! 🙂 But it keeps the water moving and stays fresh and clean.

I also picked up these cool bowls to feed them which work great because they can’t move them around as much as the others. They collapse so you can take them with you for trips or car rides. AND… they go with the decor! 😉

So what pearls of wisdom do I have for you? I’m still learning but here are a few! 😉

1. Get your TO-DO list done before the new arrivals “arrive”… i.e. paint the porch! Because once they get home, your time will not be your own! 😉

2. Think about the logistics of travel…picking them up, transporting to the vet, etc. If possible, get an Impact Dog Crate. Safest crate out there.

3. Have a crate for indoors and one for another area like a back porch, to help with cleanup, feedings, and exercise. If you can get a playpen like mine, I highly recommend it because it gives them more room to run and for rainy days it gives them exercise regardless of the weather.

4. Stock up on Puppy Pee Pads, puppy shampoo, paper towels and cleaning products…oh yeah, and coffee. You’re gonna need it! 😉

5. Be sure to get Puppy food, ask the breeder what food they are using to make the transition easier. Their tummies can’t take an immediate change so if you’re going to use a different brand, gradually introduce them to it. We are using Purina Pro Plan Focus for Puppies. It’s a great product and I feel good about what we are feeding them.

6. Lastly, enjoy the chaos. They won’t be small for long, so enjoy it. Our house is not picture perfect right now and I’m ok with that because these boys melt my heart.

So there you go… a peek into our lives with our newest family members. I’ve linked a number of the items that I mentioned here for reference.

• Impact Dog Crate
• Puppy Play Pen
• Collars and Leashes
• Filtered Water Fountain
• Feeding Dishes
• Harness
• Puppy Pee Pads (these are our favorite so far and a great deal)
• Rustoleum Anti Skid Porch Paint
• Wood Folding Screen
• Outdoor Rug

Disclaimer: Rust-Oleum donated the paint for this project.

I’ll close with a few more pics of these cuties!! Ford is modeling the big boy bandana! 🙂

If you follow me Instagram and Facebook I’m always posting pics and sharing stories…I’d love for you to follow along and watch these boys grow. Soon we will be moving into Phase 2 of Living with Pups! I’ll share as we go!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment below.

Take care! See you soon!