Top 4 Items Busy Doggy Parents Absolutely NEED!

Are you torn when you leave your fur baby at home because you have to work? Do you hate the thought of your pooch being lonely for long hours every day? If your answer is yes. Then we believe this article will benefit you immensely, but we want to stress the importance of your presence to your pooch and note that this isn't a substitute for your face to face companionship. With that being said enjoy the read.

1. Drinkwells or Replenish Water Bowls (https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-feeding-supplies/dog-waterers-fountains-and-accessories)
   
   Keeping your dog hydrated is one of the most important things you need to remember when leaving your pooch by himself. Dogs tend to dehydrate quickly due to their inability to cool themselves down through sweat, so having one of these really helps ease your mind when you're at work. Drinkwells are like water fountains constantly rotating water in and out. They can be a bit pricey ($30-$100), but a solid investment if you're not around. Replenishing water bowls aren't as fancy but keep your pooch hydrated by pouring more water out as he drinks, this will only run you about $10, and you can find both Drinkwells and replenish waterbowls at any petmart, petco or pet stores in general. (Filtration system)
   
   
2. Pet Feeders (http://www.petsafe.net/feeders)
   
   Now keeping them hydrated is great, but what about keeping them fed? Sometimes our schedules really conflict with this task, but have no fear. All you need to avoid this inconvenience is an automatic pet feeder. Some petfeeders like the Petnet IO can even be programmed to give your dog food at an exact time and even an exact amount he eats per sitting. Pet feeders vary in prices going from $20 - $200. It all depends on what you need for your pooch, if he is on a special diet or training, it would  require a more sophisticated programmable one, if he doesn't have any special needs you can opt for a cheaper version.
   
   
3. Pet Cameras (https://www.safewise.com/blog/8-pet-cameras-every-pet-owner-should-know-about/)
   
   So you've taken care of your dog's water and nutritional needs, but what about your concerns? What about making you feel at ease while you're at work or away somewhere. You want to know that your pooch is doing fine and like any good dog owner get anxious when you can't see him. Well a Pet Camera is perfect for your needs. You can monitor him and some even allow you to speak and play with him like the Petzi and Petcube which offer a treat launcher and point laser respectively. 
   
   
4. Pet Smart Ball (http://www.startplaydate.com/) (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/973862487/pebby-the-worlds-most-advanced-robotic-pet-sitter)
   
   Staying on topic of fun and rewards. What better way to keep your pooch happy other than playing with him? Dogs love doggy toys, and with pet smart balls it's easy to accomplish this while being away. Smart balls have built in cameras to monitor your dog, and robotics that allow it to roll with simple commands from your cel phone. This way you can play with your pooch at any time! Be sure to check out the Pebby, Playdate and Swalle as they are leading the innovation on these new gadgets.

Ok, so we've covered hydration, feeding, monitoring, rewarding, and playing. Again this isn't to encourage you leaving your dog at home by himself as nothing is more important to your pooch as being with you physically, but we also can't deny that life happens and you need to work to be able to live and get him the awesome dog toys he craves and great food he wants. Try to be with him as much as possible, but if for some reason you can't, now you know what to do. Hope you found this helpful and thank you for reading.