Back in the 1970s I encouraged the 4-H dog club members to fill out record book sheets which they submitted for judging in the fall of the year. I understand that record books are no longer used in the different 4-H projects and I think that, at least for the dog owners, it is a shame.
The 4-H dog record books were relatively simple. They asked for the amount of time the 4-H member spent caring for the dog, how much money was spent for supplies, what activities or events the dog and owner did together, the veterinary expense, and finally, any money received as awards from showing, caring for other people's dogs or selling puppies from their 4-H animal.
To set an example, I kept a record book on my own pets. I chose a spiral bound notebook with enough dividers so each pet had a section. I color-coded the entries, such as blue for grooming supplies or professional grooming, red, orange and green for various medical entries. I remember that the animal's weight always was in the same color so it was easy to spot.
