Time to review some of the BASICS
Lots of families will be getting new dogs as a gift for the Holidays. Lots of families will not know what hit them . Come February, lots of dogs will need new homes.
Hopefully it will all work out. Having the right swag and a plan will help make the new dog event a positive time for everyone.
Not all of the equipment on the list is needed for all dogs, but it is sweet to have it all if you can.
EQUIPMENT for normal dog, non-aggressive
1. Leather gloves
2. jacket or long sleeved shirt
3. Outer wear for weather
4. Soft footwear
5. Leather leash 6ft long with a spring clip the correct size for the dog
6. Chain training collar (collar 1)
7. Woven slip collar ( collar 2)
8. Bed sheets for bedding if needed
9. Pillows for beds
10. Dog towels
11. Stainless steel dishes
12. Toy bins 3
13. X pen indoors (8 panel no gate)
14. X pen outdoors (8 panel no gate)
15. Grooming table
16. Dog crates
17. Shampoo
18. Conditioner
19. Eye rinse
20. Ear cleaner
21. Q tips
22. Cotton pads
23. Facial tissues
24. Wash clothes
25. Paper towels
26. Disposable diapers for clean ups (or pee pads)
27. Wet/dry vac
28. Floor mop and bucket
29. Fragrance free cleaners and detergents
30. Slicker brush
31. Coat Rake
32. Greyhound comb
33. Zoom groomers
34. Nail snippers
35. File for nail smoothing
36. Toothbrush (people style)
37. Pet dental foam mint
38. Poop shovels for outside pen
39. Poop buckets (referred to as honey buckets)
40. Plastic bags for buckets
41. Plastic bags for dog walks
42. Rover's Brief Case from RBARK
43. 3 sets of toys suitable and safe
44. Dog kibble
45. Cookies
46. First aid kit
47. Sitting room cushion and blanket
48. Flexi leash
49. Other gear
50. A good paying, reliable job
 |
| Leads |
 |
| ribbon leads for pup training |
Select dishes which will be easy for the dog to use, wide enough to accommodate long whiskers or narrow enough to keep ears from dipping in, depending on the dog.
 |
| some dogs need an elevated dish but they are awkward to fill and keep clean |
INDOOR DOG ENCLOSURE
This is to keep the dog out of trouble while being trained. Freedom is gained eventually as training progresses. The new dog should not be given run of the house and most certainly should not be on the human beds. Once trained cuddle all you want but not until.
 |
| Curtains drawn for bedtime |
 |
| keep pets out of trouble until they know the rules |
 |
| Puppies should be trained on a pee proof floor |
The crate is Puppy's bed den
Indoor enclosure for new pup
Crate
Exercise pen enclosure fence
Water dish
Food dish
Toys
Floor mat
Bed cushion
Cover sheet
Blanket
Xpen curtains (dollar store table cloths work well)
If your crate is the wire sort, cover it to make it more snug for the dog (if your dog eats the covers, explain to him NOT to do that)
GROOMING
Know what equipment your dog will need for everyday care. It is wrong to rely entirely on grooming parlors to keep your dog groomed because your dog will get hurt in the process. Learn to do the task yourself.
Naturally, short coated dogs do not need a full complement of clippers etc. but they must still be groomed frequently. Grooming keeps the endocrine system healthy. All dogs need their ears, eyes, feet, coat, privates and teeth attended regularly. Ears are top on the list. Obedience training helps.
- Grooming table This is an expense but totally worth it...almost Nana decreed. Life with a dog is much easier if you have a grooming table, yes even for Pit Bulls and St. Bernards
- Shears
- Combs face/ body
- Clippers
- Pin brush
- Slicker brush
- The stuff spray
- finishing clippers
- Nail cutter\nail grinder
- Quik stop for nails that are cut too close to the quick
- Clipper blades
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Towels
- Face flannels
- Sponges
- Utility scissors
- Exfoliating gloves
- Hound groomers
- Zoom grooms
- Wash Gloves
- wash leash
- wash collar
- Light
- Wash Apron or jacket and pants
- Tissues
- Paper towels
- cotton daubers
- Cotton balls or pads
- Alcohol 99% isopropyl alcohol
- Witch hazel
- Hydrogen peroxide
PET BEDS
- Sheets
- Quilts
- Towels
- Cushions
Save the cost of beds that ruin the washer, fall apart, or choke the pet. Do not use frayed, or unraveled blankets for safety. Be careful of blanket binding that is un-stitched.
If you are purchasing something new, just buy polar fleece from the fabric store, no need to hem ,just cut to sizes you want.
For recycling human old bedding, fold twin sizes in four, queens into half then thirds. Fold sheet in half and wrap around the quilt, tuck in neatly. Change sheet daily if needed, for laundering. Buy bedding on sale in funky colors dogs love. For smaller guys, wrap discarded human pillows in sheets or pillow cases as cushions. Make a cushion igloo.
About the phrase: What a good dog!
The word
WHAT clearly and emphatically pronounced, instantly gains a dog’s attention in a distinct fashion. WHAT A GOOD DOG! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?; WHAT IS THAT NOISE?
THIS IS A WORD YOU MUST USE A GREAT DEAL WITH DOG TRAINING
When praising your dog with a pat, pat on the sternum and say WHAT a good dog.
When praising your dog with only a word of praise and no patting, say, “WHAT a good dog”
The manner in which you praise your dog is most important.
About crate training
The best way to crate train is to start when you are going to be at home for a few days. The idea is to teach your dog to stay in the crate quietly while you go about your chores or watch tv etc. After you have given him the opportunity to go poo and pee, to have a drink and a snack, put your dog in the crate. Take off the collar or leash. Be sure the bedding is safe, no strings etc to swallow and tangle the guts up. Once the crate gate is closed, use your voice, a magazine or whatever to persuade your dog to lie down be quiet, in no uncertain terms, in the crate while you are busy. You must give a pee break every twenty minutes or so until you actually see your dog has gone and will be comfortable locked up. If any screaming is going on you need to be sure the dog is not in distress. Be very effective in telling him to be quiet in the crate. It seems to take forever but persist and eventually, he will quiet down.
 |
| The crate is a safe haven for the dog and in will be used throughout the dog's life |
 |
| A Puppy crate that wheels to the door and outside is the Cadillac of housebreaking equipment |
 |
| Pup must be calm and quiet in the crate |
 |
| After dogs are trained , their crates can be kept open in bedrooms |
Water dishes
When it comes to providing drinking water for your dog at home, the type of water dish is important. The shape should not only work for the dog, but since you have to pick it up and wash it out a lot, it should be easy to grasp and carry. If your dog has long ears that dip in the water when he drinks use a tall narrow bowl that lets his ears hang on the outside when he drinks from it. Seeing their own reflection in shiny stainless steel bowls, disturbs some dogs to where they will not drink. Dishes that look earth natural are ideal. Dogs prefer them too. Get in touch with your community pottery clubs; sometimes they have left overs or rejects that are perfect for water dishes. Dogs with short or flat muzzles need a wide bowl type of dish, pointy faces can use a narrow dish. The material is important too. Stay away from any type of plastic, especially ice cream buckets. They can affect the pigment on a dog’s nose and lips so that just can’t be a good thing.
Keep the water dish freshened. Just because there is water in the dish that does not mean the water is fit for your dog to drink. If he has licked out of it at all, it most likely saliva you are looking at and not water. The water dish needs to be emptied out and refilled at least twice a day if not more. ANNA LEE changes water dishes AM NOON PM and before bed. The water dish needs to be washed daily with hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. If you let scum and mineral deposit build up around the dish rim expect to be cleaning up tummy bug messes. (puke and poop) Yes dogs drink out of toilets and puddles and so would you if that was the only water you could get at. Dogs to not turn on the water tap (I had a Doberman who did but that was one dog in how many?) and I suspect if they did they would use water from the tap before water from the toilet.
Pet supply stores too have no shortage of food and water dishes, so consider your dogs needs before you purchase. There are slow feeder dishes, anti-tip dishes (difficult to pick up for refilling) portable dishes, and dishes on stands for tall dogs. There are low profile dishes, anti-chew dishes, raised sloping dishes, anti-ant dishes. There is no shortage of dog dishes and new ones are developed daily as companies jump on the pet product band wagon. Base your choice on the shape of your dog, his habits, the material the dish is made of, and how easy the dish is to look after.
Keeping your dog healthy with good food, fresh water at all times, exercise, love and clean bedding, establishes the trust needed to build a solid obedience training relationship. If your dog cannot trust you to provide clean water, bedding, food and exercise, he will not trust you at all. Obedience training is a discipline and a learning experience.
 |
| earth tones and clay looking human bowls are nice |
 |
| Stainless steel water dish is easy to clean with vinegar and hot water |
 |
| stainless steel dish with hanger for inside crate or pen |
 |
| Have lots of safe toys available for the pup and be sure to supervise. remove damaged toys and replace them. |
