Pet Supplies

Taking care of pets involves lots of responsibilities which ensure that your beloved dog or cat will be well taken care of. They require love, attention and of course, stuff that will allow them to live very comfortably. You have to invest considerable amount of money for pet supplies, which you can easily get at pet stores and online shops. Before you head out to the store or visit the pet shops online, keep in mind the basic stuff that you need to buy.

Food

Food should be on the top of your list. Some people manage on feeding their pets with leftovers of human food, but remember that it may not give your pet all the nourishment it needs. So if you want to have a healthy dog or cat, you better include pet food in your grocery lists regularly. Luckily, even the smallest of grocery stores have dog and cat food on their shelves, so it is very easy to get a steady supply.

The tricky part finding out the type of food that your pet will eat heartily. Some dogs and cats are very picky when it comes to the stuff that they eat. Dog and cat food is classified into two main types: wet and dry. The wet stuff is made of real meat or fish while the dry stuff is made of crunchy pellets. Your pet may eat only wet food and refuse the dry ones, and vice versa. To avoid spending money on food that your pet will just ignore, try getting small portions of each and observe which type he likes. Most dogs and cats will stick to a particular type of brand they like. Yes, they can be very choosy, just like humans.

Dishes

And while you are at it, make sure to get a couple of dishes for your pet; one for food and one for water. You can buy extra dishes so you will never run out of it in case you need to wash the used one or if your pet breaks the dish, or loses it under the bed or sofa. To avoid this from happening, you can get those dishes with rubberized bottoms so it will not slide under furniture or skid noisily on the floor.

Leashes and Collars

Leashes and collars should rank high on your pet supplies list. Dogs especially need their leashes because you cannot let them run around loose all the time. You will need the leash when you have to walk your dog outside the house. If you have a cat, you can also teach him to walk on a leash, although most cat owners think that this is not necessary and that putting cats on leashes will go against the animal’s nature. Both dogs and cats need collars, though. Aside from being the place where you will attach the leash, collars can also be attached with tags that contain the name of your cat, your address and contact number. This will come in very handy when your pet gets lost outside the house. This will make sure that your pet can be returned to you easily.

Beds

Beds are becoming very popular on the pet supplies list. Although dogs and cats can sleep anywhere, there are lots of owners who want to spoil and pamper their pets by providing them soft, clean beds to sleep on. Dogs usually love beds and will get the habit of sleeping on their beds all the time. For cats, however, beds may be unnecessary. Cats are known to pick their own sleeping spots, usually in the sofa or at the foot of your bed. You can experiment first by placing a pillow on his usual curling up spot on the floor. If he sleeps on it, then maybe he will be able to sleep on a real cat bed.

For older and ailing pets, you might want to try giving them orthopedic beds. These beds are especially made for the extra comfort of dogs and cats who have health problems.

Toys

Of course, no pet supplies list will be complete without toys. Toys are very important for the enjoyment and well-being of pets. This time, it would not be a hit and miss; both cats and dogs LOVE toys.

For your dog, you can get a rubber or plastic bone which he can chew nonstop when he is not gnawing on a real bone. Rubber balls are also a favorite among dogs. For cats, you can get a rubber mice which he can play with when he is not busy chasing around a real rat. For the budget-conscious, a ball of yarn will suffice. If you are a cat owner, you will benefit greatly from buying scratching posts. Cats scratch surfaces ALL THE TIME and you would not want them scratching your luxurious carpet or your expensive sofa.

Other pet supplies

There are also some pet supplies that you can purchase for your pet to add a bit of uniqueness to your animal such as dog goggles. These not only look great on your dog but also add some benefits such as 100% UV protection, side air vents, and padded foaming around each of the lenses. So if you are looking for a cool look for your dogs this summer then don't look past this great item!