For the Ranch Dog: Gear for the Hardest Worker on the Place

Every place has one: the dog that's at the gate before you are, rides shotgun to the feed store and finds the one calf that slipped through the fence. A good ranch dog doesn't ask for much. What it does need should be made as well as the rest of your gear. Here's what we'd put together for the hardest worker on the place.

A collar with some character

A working dog's collar takes a beating, so start with good leather. Weaver Leather, better known for tack, makes this one from oiled leather with floral tooling, stained so the pattern stands out, with stainless steel hardware that won't rust in the rain.

A lead that lives in your coat pocket

Mendota's braided snap leash is hand made in the USA from waterproof rope with oil-tanned leather splices. It's soft in the hand, rolls up small enough for a pocket, and goes in the washing machine when it's been through the mud. This size is for dogs over 50 pounds.

Water that stays put

A big dog after a long morning needs a big bowl. YETI's Boomer 8 holds 64 ounces in stainless steel, with a non-slip base that keeps it from skating across the barn floor or the tailgate.

A coat for cold mornings

Carhartt makes its firm duck chore coat for dogs too: 12-ounce canvas over a quilted, insulated liner, with a corduroy-lined collar and triple-stitched seams. For the short-coated dogs who'd rather not wait out a January morning in the cold.

A first-aid kit for the saddlebag

Cuts, splinters and ticks come with the territory. Adventure Medical Kits' Trail Dog kit packs bandages that won't stick to fur, a tick and splinter remover and an instruction manual into something small enough for a saddlebag or the glovebox. It's no substitute for the vet, but it'll get you home.

A cot for the porch

When the work's done, an off-the-ground bed keeps them out of the dirt and the damp. Coolaroo's elevated bed stretches breathable fabric over a light frame. Put it on the porch or in the barn, and hose it off when it needs it.

A bed for the house dog

For the dog who's earned a spot inside, TOV's Cali pet bed is upholstered in performance fabric on a pine and plywood frame, so it sits in the living room like a piece of furniture. It's 40 inches wide and made for dogs up to 65 pounds.

For the old-timer

Working dogs get stiff in the joints, same as the rest of us. Dog Cloud makes a cushioned bed with vibration massage built in, run from a phone app that can start a session when your dog lies down. The company makes strong claims about pain relief, and we can't speak to those; if your dog's slowing down, start with your vet. But for an old hand who's given you a lot of good years, it's a comfortable place to rest.

A seat of their own in the truck

If the dog rides along, the bench seat takes the mud. Kurgo's Rover cover fits a 55-inch bench, resists water and stains, and has openings for the seat belts and anchors so it doesn't slide around on the washboard roads.