Dog stuff

My husband and I own two dogs. They are considered a part of the family and we try to include them in many of our activities. This means that we have accumulated a great deal of dog stuff through the years. It is amazing the amount of advertising there is that gets directed towards dog owners and pet owners in general. The marketers know that people love their pets and are willing to spend a great deal of money on them. It seems that each holiday season there is more and more dog stuff in the stores.

This past holiday season I could not believe my eyes when I was in the accessory section of a national department store. At first I thought there was a new section of doll clothing that was placed in this section. Upon closer examination I realized that the clothes were for dogs. Along with the clothes there were beds, toys, designer dishes and other dog stuff. This is a store that does not ordinarily have a pet section. I asked one of the sales clerks when this section of dog stuff had been added. She stated that it was part of their holiday campaign nation wide. It seems that people were requesting more items that they could purchase, not only for their dog, but for the dogs of their friends. I jokingly asked if this did not snub cat owners, but I was told that the cat merchandize was on the opposite side of the display I was looking at.

The dog stuff included very elaborate outfits for the holidays. Velvet dresses, satin off the shoulder cocktail dresses, and the more traditional knit sweaters. There were also collars that were studded with sequins and stones. I could tell that the sales clerk was not thrilled with this new merchandize. I commented that our female dog would certainly prefer precious stones. When I said this she lead me over to the fine jewelry counter and showed me a display of precious and semi precious collars. I could not believe what I was seeing. I knew that there were specialty stores and catalogs that handled this kind of dog stuff, but I never thought that it would be featured in a national department store. The clerk mentioned that they had a large display of Halloween costumes in the fall along with special treats for the four legged trick or treater’s.

I came home and told my husband about the display of dog stuff. He commented that we might be recipients of some of the items, because our family members and friends know that we pamper our dogs. I told him that if we did get something I hoped it would be the 14 carat gold collar with the pearl pendant.

Toys are an important part of any pet's development, especially if the pet's owners are not around all of the time. If you have a dog, especially a dog which spends quite a bit of time home alone, then both you and your dog will be happier and more entertained if you can find some dog toys to keep your best friend entertained.

Dog toys come in all shapes and sizes, from bones the size of your arm to balls, baubles, and doohickeys. So what type of dog toy is best for your particular dog? It seems that, in general, the best toys are a matter of doggie preference. Some dogs love bones more than anything else in the world, while others won't touch the things. Other dogs love the newest sparkly, noisy gadgets and the newest playthings. They'll be fascinated with whatever loud, squeaky, rattley toy you get them until you find them a different one. Other dogs don't like any toys and want nothing more than your company. How to train dogs.

If your furry friend spends a lot of time at home while you're at work, look for dog toys which will let him or her have fun alone. Dog toys with lots of knobs and protrusions allow dogs to flip and toss the toys on their own, allowing them sort of a solitary form of catch. Be sure that any dog toy you buy is large enough for the dog you're buying it for. Oversized toys are fine, but if you get toys that are too small your dog may accidentally swallow them and they can get lodged in your dog's throat. Since your dog will primarily play with the toy by biting, carrying, and tossing it in its mouth, the toy needs to be large enough so it can't be accidentally swallowed. Be sure to get toys that are sturdy enough to handle your dog too. If your dog can bite off smaller pieces of the toy they can be just as dangerous to swallow. How to train dogs.