Some Stuff For Your Dog

I remember when my first daughter was born how mind boggling all the "stuff" was that accompanied her tiny little self. It wasn't just the stuff in the house -- bassinet, crib, changing table, swing and high chair, to name the obvious few, but the stuff you had to take on the road -- the carseat, blankets, diapers and their diaper bag, onesies, wipes, spit rags, slings, backpack, snugly and later, baby food jars and Goldfish crackers and OMG it seemed to get exponentially bigger as she got older until suddenly there was no more emergent need to have on hand all that stuff. Of course in my situation there were two other daughters who also went through that phase but now that the youngest is 10, we can travel pretty light these days. This is because they can walk on their own, buckle their own seat belts, use the bathroom and use pretty sophisticated language to get their needs met.

So it is with our dogs as well. We have EQUIPMENT to help us MANAGE the dogs -- the obvious ones like tethers and leashes and collars and harnesses and crates or cages and Har-Vest, as well as different kinds of TOYS -- stuffed ones, interactive ones like KONGS and BISCUIT BALLS and TREATSTICK'S and chewies like BULLY STICKS as well as dog beds and coats for inclement weather. We use TREATS to TRAIN and REINFORCE and REWARD and sometimes I look around at all the STUFF I have accumulated and reassure myself that my dogs, too, like the girls, can just as happily, because they COME WHEN I CALL THEM and STAY WHEN I ASK THEM, go out with nary a thing and have jolly fun and safe times.

Keep on keeping on top of maintaining the skill set of your dog and you too can enjoy showing them off with flair, with or without the stuff.