We Love Our Pets Do you have a pet Is it a dog or a cat Maybe it’s a goldfish turtle or hamster Pets can be an important part of your family There’s a reason that dogs have been called man’s best friend Having a pet is a huge responsibility Pet owners need to make sure their pets get plenty of food and water Keeping your pet clean is also important as is making sure your pet gets enough exercise All of this hard work will make sure your pet is healthy and happy Over the years there have been some truly inventive ideas of how to take care of your pet If there’s one thing people may love more than pets it’s coming up with crazy inventions to care for them Wacky Wonders Today pet collars range from extravagant to practical Some are made with fancy crystals while others have tracking devices that could help owners find a lost pet 4
Our pets are an important part of our lives It’s no surprise that we want to find ways to make their lives easier and more comfortable DOG COLLARS Some of the earliest inventions for pets were the collar and the leash Dogs in ancient Egypt wore fancy decorative collars Sheepdogs in ancient Greece wore special leather collars with nails in them These would protect the dog’s neck if a wolf tried to attack it By the Middle Ages dog collars were simpler than the ones used in ancient Egypt and Greece Shepherd dogs however still wore spiked collars to keep them protected from wolves Around the 1940s the dog restraint was invented It went around the dog’s midsection and had handles designed to keep the dog still 5
WALKING THE DOG One of a dog owner’s biggest responsibilities is remembering to take his or her dog for a walk Taking your dog for a walk has many benefits Walks are a great way for your dog to exercise It also exposes your dog to other dogs which will help your dog learn how to interact with other dogs and people A simple leash is usually a good enough tool to use to walk your dog but that hasn’t stopped some people from coming up with a few crazy new ways to complete the task Treadmills are a common exercise machine that people use to run or walk on But they’re not just for people You can buy a special treadmill for your dog too Wacky Wonders Nicholas Potter invented a treadmill for dogs that had nothing to do with exercise The Enterprise Dog Power treadmill was designed to power small In the late 1800s farm machines 6
PUT YOUR PET TO WORK Many inventions try to answer the question How can I make this easier Some people don’t like cleaning but it’s an important chore If only there was an easier way to clean and dust the floor Thankfully some inventive person came up with a solution You can buy special slippers for cats that have built-in dust mops When your cat wears them the slippers tidy up everywhere the cat walks in the house Dogs and people both need exercise A treadmill might be a good option for both when the weather isn’t cooperating 7
