Top Ten Things a Dog Owner Should Have

Hopefully, your furry friend will live a long, healthy life, but if something does happen that causes your dog to need medical attention, you'll be grateful you prepared for this emergency.

Animal health care can be expensive, and nobody wants to be in a situation where you have to determine the dollar value of a family pet.

Typically, for under $50, you can have a permanent microchip implanted in your pet that can be used to identify them if they become lost and lose their collar.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, animals with a microchip have a significantly higher chance of being returned to their owners. The study reported that only 22% of lost dogs that entered animal shelters were reunited with their families. However, dogs with microchips have a return-to-owner rate of over 52%.

Of course, microchips aren't just for dogs. Cats can and should be microchipped too. According to the same study, less than 2% of cats that entered shelters were reunited with their families. With a microchip, cats are 20 times more likely to be returned to their homes.

A good walking setup will make taking your dog outside less stressful for you and your dog.

The traditional leash and collar have a number of drawbacks. They allow your dog to pull hard and are relatively easy for your dog to slip out of. A well-fitting no-pull harness (as opposed to a basic harness that makes it possible for your dog to pull even harder than they can with a collar) or a gentle leader prevents your dog from pulling too hard and provides immediate feedback to help your dog learn proper walking etiquette.

Let's face it, dogs make messes. And the bigger the dog, the bigger the mess. When your four-legged friend redistributes the dirt from a potted plant throughout the kitchen or decides the insides of a bean bag chair deserve to be set free, you'll be happy to have the right tool for the job.

If you have a puppy, there will be accidents. If your dog is older and completely housebroken, there may still be the occasional upset stomach or muddy paw prints across the carpet.

A good carpet cleaning machine may seem expensive, but it pales in comparison to having to replace carpets that never seem to smell quite right.

As important as it is to get your pets insured and chipped, it's imperative that they have fun. My dogs have spent hours amusing themselves with these, as well as becoming more intelligent, fit, and flexible. If you have a dog, you better have a Kong.

Whether you opt for the standard red Kong or the more durable black, it's pretty much a sure thing that if your dog likes chewing, it will like this toy. Plus, you can pack it with treats as an extra reward.

My dog eats his food out of these.

A dog doorbell is a simple string of bells you hang from your doorknob that they can be trained relatively easily to ring when they need to go outside. It's a nice substitute for whining or having your dog damage your door by scratching on it.

For not much money, you can get a collar with your pet's name and a contact number sewn into it. It's a nice alternative to a dangling tag that makes noise and can get caught on things. It's also easier to read for the person who finds your dog, so they don't have to get their face close to the tag, something that could be upsetting for a dog and potentially dangerous for the good Samaritan.

Unlike a traditional leash, a retractable leash is always taut, which helps prevent the leash from getting tangled around your dog. It also helps prevent your dog from letting the leash go slack and then building up a head of steam before reaching the end.

Finally, a retractable leash is often much longer than a traditional leash, so in suitable areas, you can give your dog much more range while still keeping them on a leash.

Even with a quality cleaner, there are some stubborn odors that refuse to leave your carpet. A deodorizer such as Arm & Hammer's Pet Fresh works great in these cases. Sprinkle some of the powder on the affected areas, wait 10 minutes, and vacuum it up.