DOG
PREP
If you have never had a dog, here are the things
you will need. You can get these items from any major chain
petstore (e.g. Petsmart), a smaller mom-and-pop pet store
(can be more expensive, but will have more variety and specialty
items), or online e.g. JBPet (http://www.jbpet.com ). Online sources like
the latter are cheaper, but you tend to have to order more,
so it's just as well for the first-time dog-owner to get the
lay of the land at a "real" store.
- Collar: There are many types on the market. If you don't
want the collar to get tangled in the hair, a rolled leather
collar is best. Check on the size of the dog's neck. You
want to give it breathing room, but not so loose that
the dog can slip right out of it. Some owners may later
opt for a "body harness" to which the leash
may be attached.
- Leash: Again, you can get the standard non-retractable
6-foot leash or you can get the retractable leash. The
good thing about the former is that it ties up to posts
if you want to pop into a store (if you live in a nice,
safe neighborhood). The retractable is great for a park,
when you can let the dog run around and still be on its
"flexi-leash." Doggies will learn the sound
of the switch going back and forth really fast!
- Food and water bowls: Stainless steel or ceramic are
best, as these are easily washed in the dishwasher or by
hand.
- Food: Standard dry good comes in many, many different
brands. There is the recommended Science Diet, IAMS, the
more offbeat Paul Newman's brand, the Solid Gold Holistique
brand (good for dogs with allergies). Generally, some
of the cheap grocery store brands are not so good for
the longterm health of your dog -- they may be full of
additives and mysterious animal products.
- Supplements: Just as with humans, some canines are given
supplements for their health. The Solid Gold Seameal is an
allover good supplement that you can just add to the food.
Also, some dogs need some good healthy fatty supplements to
help with the coat. Your vet or friendly petshop attendant
would be able to give you some advice, as, once again, there
is a bewildering array on the market.
- Treats and chewables: Dogs respond well to the "treat"
culture. You will want some healthy dog treats ? there
are treats made by the major manufacturers as well as
other types of chews that you can get either in bulk or
not. For the first-time dog-owner, it's just as well to
try out certain items to see how your pooch takes to them.
Some dogs are aggressive chewers, so it's better to get
a slightly bigger rawhide bone for them (regardless of
the recommendation on the packaging). Possibilities for
chewables and training treats:
- Rawhide bones, best if they are "made in America."
- Pig-ears
- Pig-skin twists
- Healthy dog biscuits. You can break these down, as
some biscuits are large.
- Some "dental" chewbones, that are good
for their teeth
- Freeze-dried liver. These keep a long time. Dogs
LOVE them, and these are frequently used by training
professionals to entice and coax certain types of
behavior out of a dog. Again, you can cut the chunks
up, so that you don't overfeed the dog.
- A crate or kennel. A quick perambulation around a petstore
will show you that there is a bewildering variety of kennels
or crates in the petstore. For an economic alternative
for small to medium-sized dogs, you can get a hard-sided
pet-carrier that can be used both to transport the dog
when you are traveling (car or plane), but also as its
crate at home. Remember, you will be using this as part
of its "crate-training" program. Too small,
and it's not comfortable for the pooch; too big and Fido
could do his business in the corner and huddle up in the
opposite corner -- definitely not what you want, and defeats
the purpose! For larger dogs, the wire crates can work
very well.
You will also want a crate-pad for the crate, and some
suggest a small water bottle that can be hung on the metal
door of the crate (sometimes you can find these in the
small mammal section) -- these are useful for travel.
Otherwise, you can just put a small dish at the corner
of the crate. For more information on crates and crate-training,
try: http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html
There are deluxe heated dog houses that are on the
market, as well as summer dog-houses (these CAN be used
throughout the year, if your dog won't chew through it!
These look like tents, are portable and very easily set
up, and let air in on both sides as well as through the
roof.
- If you are getting a pre-housetrained dog (lucky you!),
and want to get a dog bed, there are all sorts of beds
also on the market, ranging from simple to deluxe. Some
have a base, and the top portion may be removed for washing
-- a practical consideration!
- Toys: Doggies like squeaky toys, that you can train
them to fetch when you throw them. Also, depending on
your dog, you can play a tug-of-war with him with certain
"pull" toys. Make sure to get a size-appropriate
toy for your friend. Play-time is important for both bonding
and to keep the animal keen and interested and happy!
- There are two toys that are food-related that are extremely
useful. One is called the kong, and it is a hollow plastic
red object that can be filled with food. The dog rolls
this around and chews on it to get the food out. This
is particularly successful if you coat the food with a
little peanut butter. (Not many dogs don't go crazy for
peanut butter!) The other type of toy is in the shape
of a cube, and actually won an award for its ingenuity,
justly deserved. The hard plastic cube can be filled with
kibble (hard food) and then shaken up, so it falls into
the middle of the cube. The dog then bats this around,
and food falls out of it. It is a fun way for the dog
to get its exercise and be rewarded at the same time!
- Petgates: If you are not getting a supremely large dog
or a great jumper, you can determine which areas of the
house you would be comfortable letting you house into,
particularly as the pup or dog is getting acclimated to its
surroundings. You can get relatively inexpensive gates at
places like Walmart and Target (sometimes, look under the
baby/child section). More elaborate ones that can swing one
way or the other can be gotten online (JBPets.com) or at a
pet store. You may need more than one of these, depending on
the configuration of your house, and the expense can
certainly add up.
Finally, get ready with a
supply of poop bags! These can be grocery bags, any type of
plastic bags, OR if you are tired of scrounging around (it is
amazing how quickly you will go through them!), it is not a
bad idea to get a mega supply of plastic pooping scooping bags
from an online source. |
|
|
|
|
