Must-Have Products for Every Dog Owner
Little kids love the idea of having their pets at home. The thought of taking care of another creature warms up their heart and awakens their nurturing side. While pets can include a variety of animals, such as cats, parrots, rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, and others, most people love having a dog.
Dogs make excellent companions to humans as they form a special bond. But being a dog parent isn’t easy as not everybody can imagine themselves doing this. We all love to cuddle with our furry buddies and take them on walks in nature, but do you know what all it takes to be a dog parent?
What Do All Dog Owners Need?
To be a good dog parent requires more than what we just mentioned. Just as humans, dogs have their essential requirements. Becoming familiar with each of these needs of your dog and making sure they’re taken care of should be your primary concern. Dogs need various equipment and accessories vital for their overall happiness and quality of life. To find out which must-have items every dog parent should have, keep reading this article to gain a better understanding and insight into the use and importance of each one of them.
Comfortable and Calming Dog Bed
On average, dogs sleep between 12 to 14 hours a day. Puppies and senior dogs tend to sleep even more, from 18-20 hours. Considering the number of hours I just mentioned, you can see how important it is to provide a good sleeping place for your furry pal. But how to find the ideal bed for your puppy? Certain aspects like your dog’s temperament, size, and breed can help you pick a bed that provides a truly comfortable and relaxing sleep.
Also, you need to be aware that dogs also have feelings and can experience various anxiety levels, which to some degree is healthy. For this reason, you may consider buying a calming dog bed that features a deep sleeping area that provides the ultimate retreat for anxious pets and those who relish the feeling of safety and security. Most anti-anxiety dog beds are specially designed to make the plushiest and most inviting surface where your dog can cuddle, snuggle or stretch.
Besides being made from the softest material, the calming dog bed also features removable cushions that are machine washable for easy cleaning. Another critical factor is to know your dog size and breed before investing in a dog bed. The best approach is to measure your dog’s size when he is sleeping, then add between 20 to 50 cm to that number to determine the length of the dog bed you plan to buy.
Also, keep in mind whether your dog is fully grown or has some more growing to do, in which case you may need to decide on purchasing a bigger-sized bed, so you don’t need to replace it soon. Some dog breeds, such as Chihuahua and Toy Fox Terrier, don’t grow big and retain the same size for their whole life. In this case, you can choose a standard-sized bed that will accommodate the breed and size of your dog without caring about replacing it.
Delicious Treats and Healthy Food
Part of raising healthy and happy dogs is making sure they’re well-fed. We all need food as a source of energy and vitamins for supplying our bodies with the required mental and physical strength we often need to perform our daily chores. Dogs are no different in this matter. If you’ve just become a pet parent, you may be wondering what type of food your dog needs. While there is no standard approach and answer to this question as all dogs are different, it depends on your budget and your dog’s specific requirements. For instance, some dogs grow accustomed to eating human food that consists of raw meat, bones, tuna, eggs, etc. Others prefer to feed their puppies as per their veterinarians’ recommendation, with food that is specially designed for dogs.
Most often, stores and big chain supermarkets provide a wide variety of canine food for dogs. If you’ve just adopted a small puppy, you should include puppy food and milk for growing puppies. Besides this, you can include all sorts of healthy snacks such as healthy biscuits and cookies as an in-between meal option to satisfy their hunger and keep them active. Also, including a healthy dose of additional vitamins and supplements can help your dog pet gain all the essential nutrients it needs for vitality, energy, and boost of its metabolism. Apart from all these aspects, when choosing which food to buy, you’ll also need to pay attention to the label and make sure the food you buy is FDA approved and contain all the nutrients dogs need in particular.
Play Toys
Puppies and big-sized dogs all love to play. This feature comes intrinsically to their wild, animal nature. To help your puppy keep engaged in various playful activities, you should make sure you provide for them some valuable gadgets that can keep their mind and body in tune and engaged; while many dog owners may consider buying toys for pets as a luxury, they probably don’t know the importance of each of them for their dog’s development. Some dog toys are specially designed to give your dog the proper mental stimulation, which may soothe their anxious brains and help them sleep better.
There are hundreds of different toys on the market, which may be challenging to choose the right ones. As dogs love to chew on other objects, you can select a toy that they can safely chew on. This will keep your priced home items from getting destroyed, in case you’re keeping your puppy inside. Most often, these toys are made from safe materials such as hard rubber or tough nylon and contain substances that aren’t in any way harmful to dogs’ health. Besides these, dogs love to play with comfort toys. They are plush and squeaky and can bring a sense of security to many dogs, particularly those who suffer from separation anxiety.
GPS Tracking Device
Last on the list, we included one essential item that plays a massive role in your dog safety, and that is the GPS tracking device. The GPS tracking device for dogs is a relatively new invention and a beneficial one when it comes to the safety of your dog pet. These are small items that come attached to your dog’s collar or harness and allow you to see where they’re at any time of the day. This can be especially helpful if your dog gets lost or runs away. Besides showing your dog’s precise location, most GPS trackers also include some other advanced features that make them even more helpful. For instance, you can easily monitor your dog’s daily activity on these devices to see how much exercise your dog is getting and get identified about some potential medical issues.