1. Assuming it's an adult dog rather than a puppy, we found a wide flat collar and one of the heavy-duty nylon leashes to be the best. I always look for a strong D- or O-ring for leash attachment. Lots of leather or synthetic collars have good stitching on the band itself but can be single-layer or single-stitched for the ring and that could break. With our Oscar's training issues, we're in the habit of using multiple collars at once which can be an option for a backup system. Some leashes have a second short snap that can attach to a second collar (Leerburg comes to mind). Stay away from harnesses, just my 2cp.
2. We use a stand for Oscar that is hollow to hold food and also has two heights (basically you just turn the top lid part around and it settles in at one of two heights). We took him to PetSmart and had an employee set stands in front of him to see what height was appropriate. For water, we just use a livestock bucket from Fleet Farm. Easier to clean/refill and it holds a mastiff-sized amount of water
3. Old futon mattress (free), folded in half. In my experience a lot of dog beds will smoosh flat pretty quickly so you'll either have to re-stuff them (old pillows work great), buy a more expensive orthopedic-style bed, or get creative. Futon mattress works great, I've also heard some people use old crib mattresses or human mattress pads (egg-crate style) folded up inside a doggie bed sleeve.
4. Crate. Even if your dog won't be sleeping in it, it's invaluable for things like company, contractors, etc. Oscar had some problems adjusting to his at first but will now voluntarily sleep in it because it's his "den". We got one of the black-coated metal ones from PetSmart (2 doors) but some people use the more enclosed plastic "pet taxi"-style.
5. Antlers are great, just make sure they're big enough not to get swallowed on accident. We also found cow hooves to be good chewies but they do tend to smell a bit with use. We bought a giant box on Amazon a year ago for about $30 and we're
still going through them. Aside from the odor, it
is possible for a dog to eventually bite off a piece of the hoof and swallow it. Oscar has done this and the only problem it caused was puking until the chunk came out - no perforation or super-sharp edges and they don't splinter like bones can. As far as treats, Oscar would do anything for a strawberry (fresh or frozen) and also eats pineapple, mango, raspberries, banana, yoghurt, and the occasional Satin Ball as a treat.
6. Anything made by Kong. Oscar never got into using his red rubber hollow Kong (even with treats in it) but he
loves his Kong Wubbas. Nearly indestructible, heavy enough to fly far when thrown, and reasonably priced. We also use stuffing-less soft toys (the more squeakers the better) and the Kong AirDog balls.
7. Not something we have to worry about, Oscar poops in the cow pasture and will stand patiently by the gate and wait to be let in when he has to go.
8. Yes; we bought about a half-dozen cheapie throw rugs from Home Depot when they were on sale and we just cycle those through to try and catch most of the spray. That being said, Oscar still leaves water trails anywhere he walks for a few minutes after drinking so if you've got lots of carpet or high-finish floors you might want some drool-rags around the place to clean up the worst of it.
~Marrow
