Owning a dog comes with certain requirements. You must have water bowls, food dishes, leashes, collars, and chew toys to keep your pup from teething on your Tupperware. But aside from necessities, there are extracurricular items that every dog owner can use.
From the practical to the fun, your home is begging for the following:
A Dog Bed: Not all dogs sleep in dog beds; many are content to sleep in the bed of their human……. horizontally, of course, so that they take up as much room as possible. But there are benefits to dog beds, even when they’re not used at night. A bed reserved for Fluffy or Fido gives them personal space that they view as theirs. That makes them keen to sit on it instead of you.
A Dog Portrait Painting: This is a great way to show off your love for your pooch; it’s art meets arf. These paintings are one of the most unique things you can feature in your home and they require little effort on your part. This website offers such service. Simply upload a photo of your furry family member and the artists will take it from there. All you need to do is figure out where to put it: living room conversation piece or entry way décor?
A Lint Roller: Certain breeds of dogs (like labs, beagles, and blue heelers) are known for the incredible amounts of fur they shed. It’s enough to knit an entire line of sweaters (Cattle Dog Chic? Time for an Etsy account!). A good lint roller helps you keep the fur at bay (or at least off your work suits). Avoid buying one that is tape-based (as you constantly must replace the rolls) and spring for the washable kind instead. Just add a little soap and water and the roller becomes like new.
A Steam Cleaner: From puppies to seniors, from dogs in homes without doggie doors to dogs that got into the trash and ate a weeks old chicken salad sandwich, there are several reasons why a steam cleaner may come in handy. In the long run, owning one is much cheaper than renting one every time your dog colors the carpet or stains the stairwell.
Rugs: If you live in a home with lots of hardwood floors, it can be a challenge for older dogs or arthritic dogs to get around. The slipperiness of the hardwood’s surface prevents them from finding the footing necessary to propel their bodies upwards or forwards. Even young dogs can slide around when they try to run, looking like Bambi attempting to ice skate. Laying down a few rugs helps minimizes this issue. Alternatively, you can fashion some booties onto your four-legged friend (there are some designed specifically to help with mobility). But Rover likely prefers runners over shoes.
So, now that you know what you need, what’s the one item you can do without? An alarm clock! There’s no need for beeping and blaring to spring you from bed. Simply make unintended eye contact with your dog instead; it’s much, much more effective.