(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best basic dog collars

I totally agree with TheCatGuardian's post. We just adopted our first cat from a shelter and he is 8 months old, and honestly he's still a bit of a handful at times (but that should be expected with any new pet). Try to get one over a year, if not closer to 2 years, as ours is still learning how to play nice and not nipping our ankles to get attention. My husband has always had cats, but this was my first pet and we adopted because I've always wanted one. I did a ton of research and here's what I would suggest as far as supplies:

A high sided litter box with rim - to keep them from kicking litter around and the high walls help keep everything inside. I didn't waste the money on litter liners. They seem gimmicky to me.

Pooper Scooper - It's cheap and gets the job done. Nothing else needs to be said about it.

Stainless Steel Bowl(s) - This one gets good reviews and is the perfect size for their food. You can get two, one for wet and one for dry food. Though I got this one for dry and got a cute oval dish at walmart for ~$2 for his wet. Whatever you want.

Slightly larger bowl for water - Make sure they have plenty for fresh water. I give him new water in the AM and evening after work. I know a lot of people rave about water fountains...but honestly I didn't want to spend the money initially, and my kitty seems to be perfectly fine drinking from the bowl. It'd be worth it to see how your cat feels about the bowl...esp since they will be drinking from bowls at the shelter...they shouldn't be too picky. You can spoil them later on if you decide to, but definitely not necessary.

A safety collar - Make sure it is either a break-away or elastic to ensure the cat doesn't get strangled if it climbs and gets stuck on something and is hanging by its neck. I liked this one because it didn't have an annoying bell, though some like the bell to let you find your cat in the house. The collar also ensure that if the cat gets out anyone who finds him will know he belongs to someone and isn't just a feral cat that they can take for themselves.

Scratching Board - Simple and good reviews. Seems like it will last. You can also get one or two cardboard cheaper ones and see what they prefer to scratch on. My cat doesn't really scratch that much...he uses the scratching posts that are part of his cat tree.

Cat Perch - This is the one we got so he can look out the window. It seems like a good balance of expense and functionality...especially at first. The cat might not even like jumping up on things, so at least this is a safe buy since it's not that tall but still lets them get up off the floor.

Cat bed - This one is highly reviewed and really durable. It's machine washable and will last forever. I really love this bed.

Simple toys at first: Wand Toy, Jingle Balls, Ball Circle Thing, Little Catnip Critter. He also likes paper bags, toilet paper rolls, and his laser pointer. I highly recommend the laser pointer...ours is green.

Greenies Treats

As far as food, you want to ask what they feed at the shelter and get a bag of that at first even if you read online that it isn't "the best." We wanted to get our cat on a mainly wet food diet, so we left his shelter dry food out at night, and gave him half a can of wet food in the morning before work, and half a can at night beofre bed ~9PM, and took the dry food away while the wet food was out. We feed him Friskies Pate...it's actually pretty good for the price. People will get passionate about cat food. Honestly Friskies is fine for us now...they sell it in bulk at Sam's.

Litter - you want to use the kind they use at the shelter so they have comfort in that. You can switch later if you want.

You might also want to get nail clippers and a brush. Our cat is long haired and I like using a comb, but it's really up to you.

As far as gimmicks I would assume that if it seems like a luxury it probably isn't necessary. Cats are very happy with simple things. The vitals are what I listed...a bathroom, food and water (bowls), a few toys, somewhere to scratch, somewhere to get up off the floor, and a safety collar. The bed isn't absolutely vital, but it's nice for them to have somewhere that they feel secure and happy...even if they don't use it at first.

1. Blue diabolo Okay but I want to do diabolo tricks at my wedding with a blue diabolo as my something blue
   
   
2. Summer flip flops the only time of the year that you can wear them as more than shower shoes! At least here in NY where it literally snowed this morning
   
   
3. Avocado peeler I don't actually like avocados, but I can't imagine anyone needing this tool. Anyone who actually needs this must eat A LOT of avocados
   
   
4. Light up cactus That I'd want to give u/SaintSayaka because she loves cacti things and she's mah friend
   
   
5. This is my all time favorite book! I actually reread this at least twice a year. I love love love love love it
   
   
6. Squishy stress balls on sale! hahaha squishy
   
   
7. Dog bowtie! I have one like it for my cat, Jack! He's a tuxedo cat who looks extra dashing in his bowtie!
   
   
8. Really cool, really unnecessary posters Space space space space spaaaaaaace (portal reference anyone?)
   
   
9. My all time favorite movie ever I love this movie everyone should see this movie especially if you're a future or current teacher
   
   
10. Classic baseball bat to smash in zombie skulls
    
    
11. Stamps It's my goal to just make people happy, I do a lot of that by sending A LOT of mail to make people smile
    
    
12. Q tips are an add on item? That's different
    
    
13. Boston Bruins coffee mug! HOCKEY. I really love hockey, and the Bruins are my team!
    
    
14. BODY REFRIGERATOR It's for a morgue, it fits four bodies, it's $26,402!
    
    
15. Funny shark t shirt hahaha I like sharks more than I like people
    
    
16. My perfume! This is the only perfume I use, and it smell so wonderful!
    
    
17. American Girl Doll Samantha! I still have this somewhere at my mom's house!
    
    
18. A lot of pens I always lose pens or run out of ink. That might just be a me problem though because I prefer to write on paper
    
    
19. Juggling clubs! I am in the process of learning juggling clubs. Right now I can consistently get 6 catches before I fail.
    
    
20. I just love this, it is so funny, cute, and random! I want to find a shower curtain that's funny like this to put in the suite I'm living in next year
    
    That was actually a lot of fun!

Hey Amelia, I'm Tina welcome to raoa! I was a Nanny for a few years as well and miss it, but my family moved across country! How old are the children you take care of? Cool intro and contest idea- you've already hopped into a great start in the community!

Here are 5 things that would greatly help me:

1- LED dog collar. My boyfriend and I take our dogs down to the field and let them run away, but we lose them sometimes cause they get excited hearing a bird. We have one collar already but they never run in the same direction, so having another would be great.

2- Dog Car Seatbelt clip. Another item for my rambunctious pups who enjoy car rides like it's no one's business. Sometimes they get in our face or want to be on our lap and it's distracting and I'm afraid of it causing an accident but there's currently no way to keep them secluded to the back.

3- This puzzle book. I love mazes, sudoku, and puzzles to keep my brain working haha

4- Pop Socket for my phone. I'm quite clumsy and drop my phone pretty often. Plus, it's mermaid!

5- Sloth Skirt. I love wearing skirts and feeling pretty, plus it's got sloths all over it!




I'm gonna nominate /u/LaLocaChristina because she's been here and always contributes positivity and is very generous when gifting. She's also taking a big leap and moving so this could lift her spirits if she needs it because I'm pretty sure everyone could agree that moving can be stressful!

Ditto on the trainer but, moving to NYC, you may not be in a place financially to do that as everything here is crazy expensive.

I've got two apartment pups and have had some success with the following tips from a trainer that we saw a couple of times:

• Change up your homecoming/leaving routine. Don't greet at the door. Excitement triggers for her are the same as anxiety triggers, so you need to help her disassociate the door as something remarkable. When you enter, ignore her and walk into the kitchen, bedroom, etc. Once there, get her to sit or at least stop jumping up on you until she's calmed down a bit. Then give her treats, hugs, kisses, whatevs. In her tiny dog brain, this translates to: "The door is boring, 30 seconds after the door, when I'm pretending to be calm in the kitchen is awesome. Yay, treats!" Do something similar when you are leaving.
  
• She may be freaking out because of all the loud, new noises as well. To mitigate, try playing an approximation of city noises while she's eating and or cuddling with you; there are apps for this. The basic idea is that she is being acclimated to something scary while she's doing something comforting.
  
• Calming dog collars work pretty well. This one is all natural, its basically just potpourri so it'll make your little one smell better, and will last many months (keep it in a ziploc when she's not wearing it).
  
  And finally, try not to worry about it too much. Dogs exist as pets pretty much solely because they are fantastic at reading/mimicing human emotions. If her barking stresses you out, it will stress her out more and that feedback loop aint great. There are about a million small yappy dogs in NYC and if you are in a pet-friendly building, people are probably more acclimated to it than you think. If you see people in the halls, apologize for the noise and say something like "she's still getting acclimated, but we're working on it." That ought to be sufficient.
  
  Good Luck!
  
  

I’ve been there! Here are my ideas:

Maybe a glowing led dog collar or a reflective dog vest for night walking? A dog raincoat is nice to have in the rainy months.

Pet beds always seem to need replacing.

I know you said she has a good vacuum, but one year I bought my parents a roomba for pet hair. I also bought them an eye vac because they sweep their kitchen so frequently and I thought it might save them from having to bend over so often.

You could buy ornaments with their names on them or pictures if she doesn’t already have them. You could also consider having pet portraits made by an Etsy artist or from r/artstore & r/hungryartists .

I’ve purchased catnip bubbles after seeing many internet cats enjoying them. However, my old tortie was NOT impressed. She prefers an actual plant that she can murder. You could grab a few plants. Heated cat houses are also a thing.

When all else fails, animal lovers generally seem to appreciate donations in their honor to animal welfare charities. Good luck!

I’ve had strong, very large breed dogs and I may take some heat for this but I say go for the chain collar. He will pull for the first few walks and then never again. My big dogs would walk with the chain hanging loosely, they just never pulled. I tried everything else including the haIti listed above, the illusion, the harness (should be useless with this guy, he’s stronger than you are), etc. I have two that are lined. https://www.amazon.com/Terrain-D-G-Laced-Collar/dp/B079FQ2S4G/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1541962171&sr=8-24&keywords=chain+collars+for+large+dogs

He may be a bit cray when you bring him home and don’t worry, he will settle down. But be 100% about the rules from day one. Is he allowed on the couch? Is he allowed to jump up on people? Is he allowed to put his front paws on the kitchen counter and counter surf? My answer is no, no, no but others allow these things. Just decide on what rules you want to observe and stick right with them. You can put some kibble in your pocket so you have it at all times to reward when necessary and to entice him to you (I don’t know if you have a fenced back yard). Don’t use bones/bigger treats than kibble because then his pooping cycle will be messed up. I feed my dogs twice a day, right on schedule.

Just give him lots of love but don’t over excite him. Remember that he’s a big guy, think about the oldest and youngest person who would ever come to your house and train him as though that person was about to walk in your door (no jumping, etc). And rely on the crate, the crate is your BFF.

Iams large breed is fine. I use Science Diet but used Iams for a long time. Someone will always helpfully tell you that you’re giving him the wrong food, but Iams produces stool that is very easy to pick up. “Uniform stool” they call it. My advice: don’t give him any people food, not one bite. That way you can eat on the couch in peace, you have to worry a lot less about him knocking over the garbage can, and he won’t get diarrhea at 1 am. He will just be much less of a pest if he knows people food is totally off limits.

Have you looked into a training class? There are many trainers that have classes on mannered walking. Look into positive reinforcement trainers!

Basically you'll want to stop/even turn around every time your dog pulls. Reward the dog for walking next to you. It doesn't take long for them to realize what you want. Read more about loose lead walking.

Equipment is very important -- we use an Easy Walk Harness (you only want front clip harnesses! Back clip harnesses make pulling worse). Also purchase a Matingale Collar. The most secure you can be is to clip the front clip of the harness to the loop of the martingale collar.

Another alternative is to use a Head Halter (halti or gentle leader). When the dog pulls forward the equipment redirects their head so they'll basically turn back.

Harnesses and head halters are the most humane methods you can use. They'll give you added control until the training piece catches up!

​

Best of luck!

What about a martingale collar? Those can slip on over the head while still being safe for walking (they tighten to regular collar size when there's pressure on the leash, so they don't slip off):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072DG764/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1426947529&sr=1

http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Martingale-Collar-Quick-Buckle/dp/B00CZ7I120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426947529&sr=8-1

For these martingales, you can get it on/off your dog without ever messing with the quick release buckle (which is what I do with my standard poodle), but the quick release is also there in case of emergency.

Ruffwear is an EXCELLENT company, though. Great warranties on all their products, and their products really do last. Some of the sizing can be hit or miss for smaller breed dogs, so measure carefully.

These are my absolute FAVORITE leashes -- they work over the shoulder and in multiple lengths:

http://boldleaddesigns.com/shop/8-way-lead-6-ft-multi-functional-leash/

http://boldleaddesigns.com/shop/brahma-8-way-lead-6-ft-multi-functional-leash/

They also sell clip-on traffic leashes and can do a wide variety of custom buckles and other custom work.

This one looked interesting as well (haven't tried it personally):
http://boldleaddesigns.com/shop/quick-grab-plus-a-two-handled-hands-free-leather-dog-leash/

Vanskelig, siden det ikke er godt å si hvor varmt det kan bli på 2,5 time og det ikke er helt kosher å ta sjanser her. Hvis det er en løsning for deg å la hunden være hjemme dager da det er veldig dårlige forhold kan kanskje en kombinasjon av følgende hjelpe:

• Prøve hardt å finne skyggeparkering. Parkeringshus hvis mulig? Tenker det er litt relevant hvor mye du kan vite på forhånd om forholdene der du skal parkere.
  
• Hvit bil og reflektiv solskjerming på vinduer? Ikke svart bil, vet ikke hvor stor forskjell det utgjør, mer en hunch.
  
• Vinduer på gløtt/så åpne som du tør uansett. Noen har hund i bur og bakdør åpen i perioder - men det betyr potensiell tilgang for skumliser i bilen din. Kanskje det funker hvis hunden er skummel :) Noen biler av trucktypen har jo et separat bagasjerom med gitter mellom romslig bagasjerom og resten av bilen, det er kanskje bedre for den situasjonen.
  
• Noen har vinduer åpne og elektrisk vifte for å få litt gjennomtrekk.
  
• Hvis stasjonsvogn med litt plass: Ekstra tiltak som å ha godt med kjølig vann tilgjengelig, feks med is i for at det skal være kjølende over en periode? Hvis den ikke veltes utover hele bilen, haha. Kanskje to skåler, en med bare is som smelter? Kjølehalsbånd/matter (har ingen erfaring med dette altså så best å lese reviews) https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Collar-Large-Blue-tube/dp/B00261QQPE/ eller https://www.amazon.com/Green-Pet-Shop-Cooling-Extra/dp/B006NOO440/
  Finnes visst også tørkler og lignende. Så lenge hunden ikke tygger det opp og spiser giftig kjølemateriell... Må kanskje øves inn.
  
  
• Budsjettversjon som også er billig: Jeg har noen hacks for pikniker, jeg fryser vann i vanlige farris/brusflasker (ikke helt fylt opp) og bruker det som kjøleelementer i matbag - da har man også kaldt drikkevann på slutten av en varm dag! Hvis man har en del frosne vannflasker pakket inn i et pledd, kanskje sy det sammen så flaskene ikke ruller ut - så kan hunden kjøle seg på kjølig "pute". Forsiktig så det ikke blir frostskade - man må alltid ha litt isolasjon mellom hud og is. Har tabbet meg ut med det selv etter skade, fryseskade er vondt! Dette kan være en ok ting å ha for folk som kjører rundt med hunder i varme bakseter på sommeren, dersom hunden liker det. Hvis man har frosne flasker tilgjengelig daglig er det bare å bytte ut.
  
  
  
  Vet ikke om nok slike "hacks" er nok til å føle seg trygg på at hunden har det ok, de er mer tenkt for kortere tid eller lengre turer i varmt vær tror jeg.

You guys are doing a great job - its only been a month and i'm sure it'll continue to get better and easier!

As far as the separation anxiety goes - in addition to the prozac/fluoxetine, have you looked into trying DAP? Dog Appeasement Pheromones are basically the pheromones a mom dog gives off to calm her puppies - products like Adaptil collars and wall plug ins diffuse this pheromone and can help with anxious dogs.

There are also supplements like Solliquin and Composure that you can get over the counter or online that might help with anxiety issues as well.

Looks like you have a good list going, remember to update your pups microchip with your address and get him/her a tag with your details.

We got a 36 inch crate and it's plenty big for our boy (he's around 30 pounds).

Puppia harness is a great starter harness, it's soft and doesn't have a bunch of metal jingling pieces which our puppy HATED on his harness our breeder gave us.

Kibble, check out dog food advisor for reviews and ratings of foods content, we were using grain free salmon and sweet potato from chicken soup for the soul, it's decently priced and well rated I can't find it anywhere atm so we're switching him back to their normal kibble.

Salmon Oil is a lifesaver in the winter, our pup gets terribly dry skin and extremely itchy without it.

Start out with a puppy kong, they sell kong fillers that are cheese and peanut butter flavored, our puppy was pretty picky at first and only ate the cheese one, didn't like frozen kongs either.

I'd start with a Basic Collar here's a Dog Tag Silencer and a Break-away collar for outdoors or dog park. A dog was choked unconscious at our park so I typically just keep our guys ID tags on his harness and don't use a collar, but if you do I definitely recommend a break-away if you are primarily using a harness with it.

Items we found useful: Bed Liner, Crate Fence, Kong, Stainless Steel Bowls (highly reccomend US made do not buy any made in China for health reasons), Zippy Paws Hide and Seek toys, Potty/accident cleaner, Potty Bells, Anti-chew Bitter Apple spray, 50 ft Leash, Retractable Leash, Soft stop Leash extender, Car Seat Belt, Car Booster Seat, Gentle Shampoo, Comb, Travel Water Bottle, Flirt Pole, Special Treats, Chew Stick, Greenies

Sorry for the HUGE list lol, feel free to ask any questions!

Hey, I see that you love dogs just as much as me!! I wanted to share with you this LED rechargeable dog collar I recently bought. It works really well at night when I take my dog out for walks. I had to share with you because I know it bothers you whenever you don't know where your dog is. Just a fellow dog owner that wants to help keep your dog safe and visible! You'll thank me later. :) P.S. They also have matching dog leashes too! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VJXYN97?ref=myi_title_dp

Oh i love scavenger hunts! They are so much fun!! Not gonna enter but I am gonna participate because they are a blast!!!

I'm gonna keep editing as I find things lol

1. Something Blue
   
   
2. Summer fun flag!
   
   
3. Dehydrated spider yum?
   
   
4. Will come back
   
   
   
5. Meg Because irs a book about the most amazing shark that has ever lived! (Or still alive maybe....)
   
   
6. Will come back
   
   
7. Collars . I wanna get my GSD one of these! They would look absolutley amazing on him.
   
   
8. I'D WEAR THIS EVERY DAMN DAY

This collar would make a great stocking stuffer for my cat! She usually wears a red bandana, but it requires a wash every now and then, and we could have her wear this while it is being cleaned! It would also be a great stocking stuffer for anyone's cat or small dog, since it's super cute!

My guy licks to lick his leg. He loves to do it when we're gone. I tried so many different methods, including an elizabethan collar, and none of them worked. Then I found the [bite-not collar] (http://www.amazon.com/BiteNot-Collar-7-x-28/dp/B001VP63QS/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1395797874&sr=1-2&keywords=bite+not+collar) and his leg is healing up very nicely. He isn't inhibited by it, can still play and get around well, and it's easy to take on and off when we go for walks outside. It's very durable, and I honestly won't ever buy another thing again. It's perfect.

I'll also note that German Shepherds tend to develop hotspots when they're lacking mental stimulation, so also consider getting her some new toys and getting her some more exercise whether its a doggy daycare or going for runs.

Cheer up, buttercup!

This is an oldie but one of my favs!

The next walking dead issue would be awesome!

Edit: Or I just added hemp stuff for my pugger bc found out today he has contact allergies. He's looking pretty naked.

Thanks for the contest!

Ugh, we tried a martingale without a buckle and it was the worst! (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YICDOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DTN3BbXR8ZJCK)[This] one has held up really well and was pretty inexpensive. I don't think we could have taught Wendy without it because she could so easily slip out of any flat collar and we had to search forever to find a harness that fit her.

I'm no dog trainer by any means (Wendy is my first dog and the farthest I've taken her is passing her cgc test), but I've found that the fastest and least painful way for her to learn is by being really clear on what I want her to do when in a specific situation or when I give a specific command. So when we walk, I generally let her sniff where she wants as long as she's not pulling me. If I notice she's going too fast and will hit the end of her leash, I try calling her to me. If she comes, treat and continue walking. That's what I try to focus on. The negative marker word/stopping is a worst-case scenario that I try to avoid. So walks with her have actually really strengthened her recall as well as her LLW. I also have a command for her to be in a loose/informal heel if I need her to walk by something distracting or I'm in a hurry and need her to keep up with me.

Of course, the downside to that method is that the human has to be really aware and vigilant about where the dog is in relation to them all the time. I'm totally accustomed to having my attention on Wendy all the time because of her leash reactivity (I taught her an auto-sit when we see dogs coming, which took quite a while lol), but I know it can be hard for some people if they listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks on walks.

Good luck whatever you choose to do! :)

I want Jessica to make me a hat!

If you're getting into running, I highly recommend some good socks. You wouldn't believe how much wear and tear on the feet is prevented by proper socks and good shoes.

Or maybe you should get Chewie a bandana. Every dog loves being fashionable.

I kind of want a viking hat. If that's not possible, I'll pick something else. :)

Thanks for the contest!

I like these slide on metal tags. They fit a basic belt buckle collar, but you can get them onto quick release buckle collar if you're willing to take it apart and sew it back together. This is the collar on my dog right now along with this id tag. No sewing necessary. I'm pretty happy with it, but I also am a fan of the fun patterns that Blueberry Pet offers.

This is awesome thanks!! Someone else suggested a reflective collar but this will be much better. She's black so it's like impossible to see her at night. Thanks!

EDIT: I found this one only 10 bucks and two day shipping! Nice!