As pet owners, we know how expensive pet supplies can get — we, along with all the pet stores out there, believe for some reason, our dog or cat will love us more if we buy them more stuff.  Besides that, watching Bo or Spot dance around with a toy and then snuggle up in their pillow topped orthopedic dog or cat bed brings us some of that same unadulterated joy it does them.

The sheer quantity of cool stuff for your pet is mind boggling. There are squeaky toys, fuzzy toys, toys that are squeaky, fuzzy and make gorilla noises. There are balls (in every size shape and color), there are chew toys, ropes, bones, ducks, dog and cat sweaters, animal socks and doggie raincoats. You name, someone makes it. And these are just the fun not so necessary things — what about the stuff they really need?

I hope I can help to decipher some of all this for all you newbie pet owners, old hats, veterinarians, and, of course all of you “I’m thinking about maybe getting a puppy, kitten, iguana…” people out there.