Dog Supplies And Accessories

Dog ownership carries with it the burden of a number of other purchases. To properly care for a dog and to comply with certain local laws, the owner must have a number of dog accessories in your arsenal. Some of these are needed, others are merely conveniences. It is important to know exactly what you'll need to properly care for your dog.

The Essentials

Most truly necessary elements for dog care are fairly obvious. If you've got a dog you'll need bowls for dog food and water. Medium to large dogs have a habit of moving their food bowls around the room, and to eat. This can be very noisy and can sometimes be messy too, as the bowl may even tip over. The problem can be solved by using a heavy ceramic bowl that is difficult for the dog to move. A sturdy plastic bowl with a rubber coating on the bottom can be useful too. The rubber on the bottom prevents the bowl from sliding around as your pet enjoys his meal.

For taking the dog for a walk you'll need a leash and collar or harness. These can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like, but of course you will need to consider the size and strength of your dog when making your selections. The neck can (and should) be adorned with a license tag or at least an identification tag that provides your name and contact information in case your dog gets lost.

If you live in a big city like New York (Manhattan), Chicago, or another urban area, you need to buy the miracle of modern comfort, the little dog pooper scooper. Most cities have laws against owners simply allowing their dogs mess on the sidewalk or leave little Poodle bombs around the city park. In some cities there is a heavy fine for such uncaring behavior.

Optional Accessories

There are literally thousands of optional supplies available for people to buy for use with their dogs. Some of these elements, such as gravity refillable water dishes and bowls, serve a useful purpose, while other items, such as a decorative dog handkerchief, serve no real purpose and are mostly just to please the eyes.

Dog booties are of course useful for dog owners that live in areas that are cooler or that experience snow in the winter, but they can even be useful for people that live in warm climates. The dog booties, while they may seem to only be decorative, actually do serve to protect the sensitive pads of a dog's feet. This is true whether the terrain is rocky or simply hot pavement. Anyone that lives in hotter climates understands that the pavements can reach extremely high temperatures that can cause burns.