Bowls, Beds, Crates, and Toys
So many things to shop for! Because every dog needs these things, there are lots of them to choose from. What's great about the large selection you'll find is that it means you can really personalize your dog's things. Another bonus is that you can find things that complement the overall décor of your house — while being practical, comfortable, and easy to care for.
Bowls for Food and Water
There is one simple rule with dog bowls: Make sure you buy bowls with wide, heavy bases that are hard to tip over. Especially with puppies, bowls can become playthings. You want to avoid letting this happen. With smaller dogs, obviously, you don't want to have too small a bowl. With larger dogs, make sure the bowl is not just bigger, but also a little heavier. Another consideration when buying bowls is what they're made of. You'll find stainless steel, ceramic, and plastic bowls, all in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Stainless steel is the easiest to clean. Ceramic is another excellent choice, and it can complement your home's décor. A plastic bowl can come in handy while traveling, but be advised that it can be easily chewed, and the materials it's made with can possibly leach into your dog's food or water. For safety and sanitary reasons, ceramic or stainless steel are best.
You will need two bowls for your dog: one for water and one for food.
Clean the food bowl after each use and set it aside. Clean the water bowl once or twice a day, and be sure to keep it filled with cool, fresh water.
Beds, Glorious Beds
No, not yours, hers! Let's get this right out in the open: Your puppy should not sleep on your bed with you. You may want to comfort her and have her near you, but it's not a good idea for several reasons. When a dog sleeps on your bed, you're confusing her. Sleeping in your bed (or one of your kids' beds) with you tells her that she's an equal member of the pack, and that she has as much say about things as you do. Dogs who sleep on the bed with human family members often become possessive and territorial of the bed. As the pup grows or the older dog feels more comfortable and starts to stretch out and hog the bed, she may not accept your request that she get down. This can lead to aggressive behavior and result in a child who becomes afraid of the dog in his bed.
This certainly doesn't mean you should banish your puppy to the basement to “keep her in her place.” But a cozy dog bed or crate placed in the bedroom with you or in one of the kids' rooms will be comfortable for your dog, and better for you to maintain the hierarchy. You need to be the Top Dog in your puppy's or new dog's eyes, especially in the beginning.
There are a number of well-made dog beds available, so you won't have to look long or spend a lot to find one that suits your tastes and your dog's needs. Like collars, there are many types of beds to choose from. They're filled with different materials, covered with different fabrics, designed for arthritic dogs, big dogs, tiny dogs, spoiled dogs. This is another area where you can have fun shopping for Fido. Beds are better than folded blankets or towels or carpet remnants. Remnants can't be cleaned as thoroughly, and folded blankets may end up being a play toy and will require your constant folding. The only recommendation about doggy beds is that the bed you choose should have an outer shell that can be removed. Many have zippers. Unzip that shell and toss it into the washing machine whenever it starts to get dirty or stinky.
All about Crates
Even today many people still think crate training is cruel for a dog. Despite it's “cagey” look — which is evolving — the crate is one of the most popular training tools, and rightfully so. Training a dog to use a crate gives the owner a way to control her dog. With a crate, the dog gets his own private “room” in the house. Let's consider some things. First, the dog is a den animal by nature. He likes a closed space that offers him protection and, when he wants, isolation. Dogs will also typically not eliminate where they eat and sleep, which is in their den or crate. This is why crates are such useful housetraining aids.
Proper crate-training starts with the right crate, correctly appointed. You want to buy a crate that will be big enough for your adult dog to stand up and turn around in. There are two main types of crates: wire and plastic. The wire crates fold down and can be carried. The plastic crates are typically referred to as airline crates because they're the ones that are used to transport animals on airplanes. The wire crates are open and airy so your dog can see, hear, and sniff everything that's going on around him. Airline crates have only a front opening and some air holes for ventilation; they are much more denlike. One way that owners can make a wire crate more protected is by draping sheets or, in cold weather, blankets over the top of the crate. This shuts out light and drafts.
You might consider having more than one crate for your dog if you want a permanent crate for her in the kitchen as well as one to serve as her bed upstairs with you. That way you won't have to worry about transporting the crate several times a day. You can also decorate each crate differently to fit into its respective room.
Whichever kind you choose, if you have a puppy and you've bought a crate that will fit him when he's full grown, he is going to have a lot of room in it. This is not good because he will be able to eat and sleep in one end and eliminate in the other, which defeats all your housetraining efforts. To reduce the amount of room your pup has in the crate, create a divider to put in it so that the space is cut down to about half. As your puppy grows, you can move the divider until he doesn't need it anymore. You can use anything from stiff cardboard to plywood as a divider. Just make sure it's securely positioned so your puppy can't grab an end to chew on and devour it.
Once you've selected a type of crate, you want to create the perfect den inside it. The best thing to do while housetraining your pup is to line the crate with a thick layer of old towels or blankets — ones that can be easily washed. This way if he spills food or water or has an accident, it's no big deal. Help your puppy associate the crate with good things by feeding him in his crate. The first time you want him to go in, put his food dish just past the opening and let him eat from it. After you've taken him out after his meal and played with him, toss a toy or treat into the crate so he scampers in after it. Close the door behind him, tell him what a good doggy he is, and leave him. He will probably cry, but you have to be strong. If you let him out while he's whining or crying he'll learn that making that sound brings you to his rescue. Instead, wait until he stops for at least a minute, then let him out while he's quiet. He will soon learn that good things happen when he's behaving himself in the crate.
Once your puppy or dog is crate trained using a more traditional style crate, you can shop around for ones that are more fashionable. These include collapsible crates made in a variety of materials, from a combination of wire and hard plastic to mesh and nylon.
Toys — Oh, Joys!
A trip to your local pet supply store will reveal that there are almost as many toys for pets now as there are for children. This makes choosing some for your dog a lot of fun!
Kongs are cone-shaped rubber pieces that are seemingly indestructible, and dogs love the way they bounce. They are also hollow, and trainers recommend stuffing them with different dog-friendly foods to keep your dog interested in the Kong and not your kitchen cabinets. Frisbees are a lot of fun, too. But most Frisbees, while they feel pretty strong, are made out of a plastic that just can't take the pounding that a dog's teeth can dish out. That's why the Nylabone Frisbee is the best. Your dog can play Frisbee with you all day long and not puncture it. It also has a bone-shaped handle on the top, which makes it easier for your dog to pick it up. And of course, if your dog has a passion for fetch, you'll want tennis balls, which are also handy because they float in water.
There are all kinds of toys with squeakers in them, even ones that make particular animal noises. These are designed to tease and interest your dog. Just be sure the toys don't rip apart too easily; you do not want your dog to swallow the squeaker!
Toys that are not appropriate for your dog are those meant for children, including action figures, plush animals, any plastic object with a liquid center, footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, kickballs, baseballs, and anything made of glass or twine.
As dogs chew things they have a tendency to swallow pieces. If the pieces are big, they may become stuck in the dog's throat, or they can cause intestinal damage. Supervise your dog with some toys to see how she chews. Some dogs will rip almost anything apart; some will simply sniff, nibble, and carry a toy around. Ask the people in the store for help selecting what's best for your dog once you see what kind of chewer she is.
Edible Chews
Many toys for dogs are edible, such as Greenies, some Nylabones, chew hooves and other smoked or dried animal parts, and rawhide. These should only be given to your dog while you're there to supervise so you don't risk your dog choking on small pieces. Rawhide, in particular, can become gummy when softened, and dogs can rip off and ingest fairly large chunks of it. When provided correctly, though, they make great cross-overs between treats and toys.
