| The Well-Equipped Dog | | | | pack that his stuff beunmolested. |
| Part 9 in a 10-Part Series | | | | SAFETY |
| By Steph Bairey | | | | This is the simplest, but best, reason to buy |
| Dogs are one of the most popular companion animals | | | | equipment for your dog. |
| worldwide. Thisseries of articles will discuss the basics | | | | The outside world is full of speeding cars, unfamiliar |
| of feeding, habitat,health, lifespan, size, grooming, | | | | animals,pesticides, and even pet thieves. All dogs |
| time, breeding, equipment, and costof caring for your | | | | must have sturdy collarswith tags, and be walked on |
| dog. The focus of this article is equipment. | | | | a leash. Lost pets without tags usuallyend up being |
| *** | | | | put to sleep at the shelter when they lose their |
| There are many items you can buy in aid of caring | | | | wayhome. Dogs who are allowed to run loose while |
| for your dog,including apparel, dishes and feeders, | | | | on a walk may dart infront of a car, fall into holes or |
| beds, dog doors, food, treats,medicated lotions and | | | | ravines, or approach an unfriendlyanimal, even in play, |
| oils, electric trimmers, scissors and clippers,books, flea | | | | all with disasterous results. |
| and tick control products, shampoos and | | | | Grooming supplies also fall into the Safety category. |
| conditioners,brushes and combs, gates and barriers, | | | | Dogs candevelop matted hair and sores on their skin |
| carriers and crates, othercleaning products, hair | | | | if left unbrushed, dentalproblems if they don't have |
| pick-ups, tie-outs, collars, tags, harnesses,toys, | | | | their teeth cleaned often enough, and canscratch |
| computer software, dog houses, training supplies, | | | | human family members accidentally if their nails are |
| dentalproducts, leads, waste disposal aids, and dietary | | | | leftunclipped. Buying and using the proper grooming |
| supplements. | | | | equipment is a veryimportant part of owning a dog. |
| For any dog, the minimum recommended list is a | | | | ENRICHMENT |
| stout collar and tagwith your name, address, and | | | | This term is most often used at zoos, to describe |
| phone number including area code, aleash, nail clippers, | | | | the objectsintroduced into habitats which keep the |
| dog dishes, and lots of toys. | | | | animals engaged andinterested in their environment. It |
| There are three main reasons to buy such equipment | | | | also applies to the equipment youprovide your dog. |
| for your dog:possession, safety, and enrichment. | | | | Dogs are curious and intelligent animals who wantto |
| POSSESSION | | | | explore and enjoy their environment. New toys are |
| Dogs are most comfortable with routine, and most | | | | an excellent wayto keep your dog's mind engaged |
| insecure aboutfrequent change. By providing your dog | | | | and interested. |
| with his own food bowl, hisown bed, and his own | | | | Dog's will play with whatever they can find, be it a |
| grooming brush, your dog gets used to havingthose | | | | sock on thefloor, an extension cord, or a rawhide |
| items around, and familiar with what they are for. He | | | | chew. Which of these would yourather your dog play |
| is morelikely to disdain food dropped on the floor if | | | | with? If that rawhide chew is a few days old,you can |
| he knows that "his"food goes in his dog dish, and | | | | bet that the sock and the cord will be more |
| more likely to sleep in a strangeplace if provided with | | | | interesting. |
| his usual bed. | | | | Provide new toys frequently, and try to find those |
| Having his own possessions also gives your dog a | | | | that will makeyour dog think a little. An example of |
| place in yourfamily, which he considers his pack. Dogs | | | | these would be the popular |
| understand status, andappreciate having items that | | | | Kong toys, which are hollow rubber toys, easily filled |
| belong to them, as proof of theirstatus. This sounds | | | | with kibble oranother treat. The dog must work at |
| a little advanced for a creature like a dog, butis | | | | getting the treat out of the toy,which interests and |
| nevertheless true. Teaching a small child to leave the | | | | rewards him when he plays with it. Much betterthan |
| dog's fooddish alone proves to a dog that he has | | | | a simple dog biscuit! You should also provide |
| some value, since his statusmerits the consideration | | | | interactive toys,such as tug-of-war ropes and balls |
| of ownership. The dog doesn't actually careabout his | | | | for fetching, and play with yourdog often. |
| property, of course, but can appreciate, in a very | | | | Buying the proper equipment for your dog can be |
| vagueway, that he is important enough within his | | | | expensive, but is anessential part of dog ownership. |