Whether your dog is a champion or a stay-at-home pet, you need a grooming table if the breed’s grooming requires a moderate amount of your time. The right grooming table reduces your back strain and can make your dog feel more at ease while you are caring for his physical needs. An unsuitable grooming table, however, can make grooming a nightmare. Your table should be appropriate for your height, for the dog being groomed and for the frequency of use.

Size of Dogs Being Groomed

A grooming table must allow a dog to stand and recline in comfortable positions without giving him too much room to move around. Commercial grooming tables are frequently 18 or 24 inches wide and 30 to 48 inches long; however, sizes can vary between manufacturers. If you will be grooming dogs of different sizes, choose a table that takes the comfort of the largest dog into consideration. A small dog grooming table, which typically consists of a round, rotating tabletop on a frame with a nonslip base, is suitable for use with toy- and small-breed dogs. It can rest on top of any counter or table to make grooming a small dog more comfortable for both parties involved.

Size of the Groomer

A grooming table should be appropriate for the height of the groomer in relation to the size of the dog. The table should bring your dog up to approximately the level of your waist, to prevent bending or stretching while brushing, combing or attending to ears or nails. Grooming tables with adjustable legs allow you to groom dogs of different sizes. They also permit you to stand or to sit while grooming. Hydraulic grooming tables can be expensive. Regardless, they are worth the investment if you need assistance lifting a dog onto the table or if you will be grooming often. You can adjust a hydraulic table even with the dog in place.

Construction and Portability

Your table should be sturdy enough to withstand the weight and energy of your dog. A lightweight wooden fold-up table would not stand up to use with a Siberian husky, even if the dog would fit on top: Its base would wobble and the tabletop would eventually buckle or crack. By the same token, a 5-pound dog does not need a table with all-metal construction. Sometimes, portability is important. If you will be keeping your table at home, a well-made, slightly heavy table might be the better investment. If you will be traveling with it, however, a folding table constructed of lightweight metal or wood is ideal.

Frequency of Use and Storage

If you have more than one dog or if your dog requires frequent grooming, you may prefer to keep your grooming table set up all the time. In this case, you will want a table that fits into the space you have set aside for grooming. If you will be grooming infrequently, a table that suits the size of your dog and folds to store under a bed or in a closet is likely more appropriate.

Fifty-nine percent of pooch owners have patronized food trucks, and 48 percent would likely take their dog to lunch or dinner at a truck that offered food for dogs if one was in their neighborhood, according to a recent survey by Chef Michael’s, a line of dog food.

That’s why Nestlé Purina PetCare debuted a traveling food truck for dogs in July 2012 to promote its Chef Michael’s brand. “People who want to share the food truck experience with their dog can now do it in a healthy way,” says Niky Roberts, a spokeswoman for Chef Michael’s. The truck, which visits numerous cities throughout the country, passes out free samples of Chef Michael’s products.

Yet, Chef’s Michael’s isn’t the only truck on the block, so to speak. In Orlando, Fla., for instance, you’ll find the Sit ‘n Stay Pet Café, a food truck that operates year-round on varying days. Two sisters — Lauren Hicks, a veterinary technician, and Kathy Trimble — are the brains behind this two-year-old operation, which attends regular monthly events but doesn’t have a set route.

It does have crowd pleasers, though. The sisters have created more than 30 different treats, which they rotate on the menu. Their most popular items? Doggie cupcakes, Italian Mutt-Balls, and jerky treats. “We try to mimic human goodies as much as possible,” says Hicks, adding that she once had to stop an owner who almost popped a Quesadilla Cookie in her mouth.

Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas, Lara Enzor is dishing out doggie treats and ice cream through the Bow-Wow Chow food truck. She opened her truck in July 2012, and the response when she pulls into dog parks, groups for dog owners, or special canine events has been overwhelming. “It gives people a way to enjoy special time with their pets,” she says.

Fortunately for dogs, the trend isn’t going away soon. Enzor, for instance, has purchased two more trucks and is offering licensing opportunities to grow her food truck brand. As she says, “Whether you’re a person or dog, eating from a food truck is just plain fun.”