Dog Care Essentials: What Every New Dog Owner Should Have

Your dog must always have its ID tag on its dog collar. The tag will contain information about your dog, such as its name, and how to contact the owner should your dog get lost.

A dog leash is used when walking your dog. Once your dog is off your property, you should always have him/her on a leash.

Bedding for your dog to sleep in comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes and can be bought from the pet store or online. You can even make up a comfortable place with old blankets and cushions for your dog to sleep on. A crate is useful for puppies to sleep in.

By the way, if you're going to be keeping your dog outside the house, your dog needs warm shelter to keep out of the cold weather. There are a variety of dog houses or dog kennels to choose from.

Dogs love to chew things and chase balls. Make sure you have a few on-hand for your dog to play with.

FYI: Some dog toys are designed purely as a temporary distraction . . . others are geared toward intelligence development. In either case, ensure you get dog toys that are the right size for your dog. You don't want ones that are too small and can be accidently swallowed.

Once you have these 5 basic dog care essentials, you can safely bring your dog home and begin to enjoy your new family member.