Basic Items For Your Dog

If you are like most folks, your dog is just as much a part of your family as your children. As such, it's necessary for you to provide your fur kid with all the necessary items for them to be happy and healthy. There are some basic items you will need to buy for your dog in order for them to have a happy and healthy life. To protect them in case they get lost should be your first priority. All dogs should have a dog collar and on it they should have a ID tag with the name of your dog and owner's phone number.

Dog collars are available in all different styles, ranging from expensive diamond collars to less expensive but still functional cloth or nylon dog collars. Rememeber, when choosing a collar, the function of the collar and a comfortable fit are the first priority and then how it looks comes next. In addition to a dog collar and ID, you should also have a dog tag that your vet will give you when your dog goes in for its yearly shots.

These tags should be easily visible, so if you have a black dog, you should buy a yellow tag so it stands out more. Although at first your dog, especially a puppy, might be frightened of the noise the tags make, they will soon get used to them and it's best for both you and them that they always wear them. Just like a baby, your puppy will have to go to the vet more often than an adult dog in order to get its first series of shots.

As mentioned above, your adult dog will go once a year to the vet in order to get booster shots to protect it from diseases such as Canine Distemper and Rabies. Of course, although you will take your dog to the vet once a year to get an annual check-up and annual boosters, you'll also have to care for your dog at home. Heart Worm is a life-threatening disease for dogs, happily enough, you can easily protect your dog from Heart Worm by giving it monthly Heart Worm medication. Heart Guard is a common choice.

These pet meds will protect your dog from disease and ensure a long, healthy life. At night, your dog should have its own dog bed or thick blanket. These beds come in all shapes and sizes, so you'll have lots to choose from. Although there are many designs to choose from, you'll have to keep the size of your dog in mind when choosing a bed. A small dog could sleep in a large dog better, but a small dog bed would be best for them. Although small dogs might feel comfortable in large dog beds, a large dog should never be put in a bed too small for them.

They need adequate room to move around. Imagine how you would feel if you had to sleep in a bed too small for you. When buying a bed for your puppy, keep in mind that they will grow. You might want to buy a small bed for them when they're puppies and then purchase a larger bed as they start to grow.

Or you could purchase a large bed that they can grow into. To measure for a dog bed it is best to have your dog lie down and the measure from the base of the tail to the nose. That will give your dog plenty of room to move around.

So remember your four legged child, just like people, needs basic care items. These basic items, a dog collar, ID tags, shots, basic pet meds and a dog bed are essential to your dog's well being. With a bit of research, help from your vet and lots of love your dog will be part of your family for many years to come.

Hans is the webmaster of Lucy's Dog House and is a life long dog owner. Lucy's Dog House offers a wide selection of dog toys, dog beds and much more to make your dog's life happier and healthier.