The Ottimo Journal
Notes on hydration, design, and life with a dog.
Why Is My Dog Scared of Traffic?
A calm, practical guide to why dogs fear traffic, building confidence at a safe distance, choosing routes and knowing when to ask for help.
October 9, 2026
How Do You Calm a Dog During Fireworks?
Fireworks can frighten dogs. Prepare early with a familiar safe space and gentle sound practice, then keep the night itself quiet, dim and calm.
October 8, 2026
Is It OK to Let Your Dog Pee on Someone's Lawn?
A considerate guide to dog toilet etiquette: private lawns, shared verges, rinsing urine spots and handling a neighbour's objection with grace.
October 8, 2026
Does Your Dog Really Need a Crate?
Does your dog need a crate? Learn when one helps, when to choose an alternative, and how to find the right size and introduce it without pressure.
October 7, 2026
Why Does My Dog Pull on the Lead?
Why dogs pull on the lead, and how to teach calmer walks with rewards, stop-and-wait practice, comfortable equipment and room to sniff.
October 6, 2026
How Do You Keep a Dog Safe in the Car?
How to keep a dog safe in the car: compare harnesses, crates and boot guards, check the fit, and build a calmer routine before every journey.
October 5, 2026
Do Dogs Get Seasonal Allergies? How to Tell and What Helps
Learn the signs of seasonal allergies in dogs, how they differ from food and flea allergies, and which everyday habits help when autumn itching starts.
October 2, 2026
How Do You Introduce Your Dog to a New Baby?
A calm, staged plan for preparing your dog for a new baby, from changing routines before the birth to a supervised first meeting and the weeks that follow.
October 1, 2026
Should You Walk Your Dog Before or After Eating?
Should you walk your dog before or after eating? Learn when a gentle outing is fine, when to avoid hard exercise, and how to settle on a daily routine.
September 30, 2026
How Do You Find a Genuinely Dog-Friendly Hotel?
A practical guide to checking hotel pet policies, choosing a quieter room, and helping your dog settle once you arrive.
September 29, 2026
What Makes a City Dog-Friendly?
City rankings disagree about what dog-friendly really means. A practical framework for judging a place the way your dog actually experiences it.
September 28, 2026
Are Dog Boots Worth It? (And When They Actually Help)
Dog boots have a place, but not on every walk. Here is when they protect paws, when wax makes more sense, and why hot pavement calls for a different plan.
September 25, 2026
How Cold Is Too Cold to Walk a Dog?
Cold-weather walks depend on more than the forecast. Learn how coat, size, wind and your dog's behaviour can guide a safer winter routine.
September 24, 2026
How Do You Design a Home That Works With a Dog?
A practical guide to dog-friendly home design, from durable floors and calm dog zones to considered ways of handling mud, hair and water.
September 23, 2026
How Do You Fly With a Dog in the Cabin?
A practical guide to cabin eligibility, airline pet carriers, airport security, and keeping your dog calm and comfortable in flight.
September 22, 2026
How Do You Walk a Dog Safely in the Dark?
A practical guide to visibility, route choice and calm handling when you walk your dog after dark.
September 21, 2026
How Much Attention Does a Dog Really Need?
A practical guide to meeting your dog's need for exercise, enrichment and connection while helping them feel comfortable on their own.
September 18, 2026
How Much Exercise Does a Senior Dog Need?
A practical way to shape gentle exercise for an older dog, read their comfort and know when a change in pace deserves veterinary advice.
September 17, 2026
How Long Should a Dog Lead Be?
How to choose a dog lead length for busy pavements, relaxed walks and training without treating one number as the answer to every outing.
September 16, 2026
How to Prepare Your Dog for Public Transport
A calm, practical progression for helping your dog feel comfortable on buses, trains, and other public transport.
September 15, 2026
Why Won't My Dog Walk in the Rain?
Why some dogs refuse rainy walks, how to make wet weather easier, and when a shorter outing is the more considerate choice.
September 14, 2026
How Do You Teach a Dog to Settle at a Café?
A gradual, practical plan for teaching your dog to rest calmly at a café, from quiet practice at home to short visits at easy times.
September 11, 2026
How to Clean Your Dog's Paws After a Walk
A calm, practical routine for cleaning muddy dog paws, checking between the toes and knowing when a small irritation needs closer attention.
September 10, 2026
Why Does My Dog Stop and Sniff on Walks?
Why dogs pause to sniff on walks, when to let them explore, and how to balance scent time with a safe, purposeful route.
September 9, 2026
How Should a Dog Harness Fit?
A practical dog harness fit check: what to measure, where straps should sit, and when a different shape makes more sense than another adjustment.
September 8, 2026
How Often Should You Stop on a Road Trip With a Dog?
A practical way to plan dog-friendly road trip breaks around your route, the weather, and the dog travelling with you.
September 7, 2026
A First-Timer's Checklist for Hiking With Your Dog
A first hike goes wrong less often from bad luck than from overpacking, overestimating distance, and underestimating water.
September 5, 2026
How to Help Your Dog Settle After Moving House
A calm, practical plan for moving day and the first days in a new home, built around familiar routines and gradual exploration.
September 4, 2026
How to Clean a Dog Water Bottle Properly
A practical routine for cleaning a portable dog water bottle, including the drinking surface, seals, drying, and storage between walks.
September 3, 2026
Why Otto Won an IDA Design Award
What a design award actually judges, and why a dog water bottle won one.
September 2, 2026
What 'Eco-Friendly' Actually Means for Pet Gear
"Eco-friendly" gets stamped on almost anything now. Here's what the label should actually mean before you trust it on pet gear.
August 30, 2026
Hot-Weather Walks: Reading Your Dog's Hydration Signals
Heat sneaks up on dogs faster than it does on people. Here's how to read the early signs before a hot walk turns into an emergency.
August 27, 2026
Choosing Dog Travel Gear That Actually Gets Used
The best dog travel gear isn't the gear with the most features — it's the gear simple enough that you'll actually bring it every time.
August 18, 2026
The Engineering Behind Otto's Flip Cap
Three patents, one everyday object. A look at the mechanical thinking behind Otto's rotating bowl and magnetic seal.
August 14, 2026
How Much Water Does Your Dog Really Need on a Hike?
Dogs overheat faster than we do and can't tell us when they're thirsty. Here's how to keep your hiking partner properly hydrated.
August 10, 2026