With all of the different breeds, temperaments, and characters available in dogs, there’s a perfect pooch out there for any owner. Knowing the type of dog that will fit your family, along with how to care for your breed of choice, is a huge decision. The following article can help you care for your new pup.
Hugs are good, but kisses should be avoided. Dog kisses may be seen as cute, but their mouths aren’t all that clean. You don’t know where your dog’s tongue has been, and you’re better off not knowing. Some believe the mouth of a dog is even cleaner than our own. This statement is most definitely not true.
You need to take your older pet to the vet at lease once a day. Dogs can’t talk, so how do you know he has arthritis, for example? A veterinary checkup can speak when your dog cannot, and it might help you to detect health problems before they become severe.
Flea Treatments
Be careful of the ingredients in many flea treatments. Many of them contain ingredients that can put children at risk for cancer at a rate that is 1000 times more than what the EPA considers safe! Talk to your vet to learn about flea treatments that are safer and more family friendly, and always keep flea medication out of reach of children.
When training a dog, practice in the yard or your home. You do not want to train your dog around a bunch of people. People will only distract your dog, making it more difficult to train him.
Instead of feeding your dog meat bones, give him rawhide. Real bones can chip or break and are dangerous for the dog. Rawhide is healthy for their teeth and gums, so don’t share your bones, even if the dog wants it!
Try not to force your dog to do new things. Some dogs won’t love all treats, and you shouldn’t push your dog to like something. Find out your dog’s likes and dislikes and feed him accordingly.
Take the time to correct bad behavior in your dog at the first sign of it. Ignoring it for a while can make it harder to correct later and you don’t know what may happen if you don’t. It is possible that your dog could injure a person, and that person could be you! So correct unwanted behavior right away.
If you think you want a dog, but are not sure if you are ready for the commitment involved, consider becoming a foster home. There are many less than fortunate dogs in shelters that would love to find a forever home. Become a foster parent to test the waters.
Your dog should not be left outside all the time. Dogs need to interact with people and other dogs. When your dog is the only one you have, leaving him alone will make him sad. Plan on bringing your dog inside when the weather is rainy, snowy, very hot, or very cold.
Follow through according to your vet’s suggestions if your dog needs something special or has medicine. He may want out of that cone immediately, but he needs to keep wearing it! The directions that you get from your vet are focused on the health of your pet and ignoring them can be detrimental to your pet.
If your dog isn’t happy or is lonely, consider buying a second dog. Dogs are pack animals by their very nature and usually prefer the company of their own kind. Choose another dog whose energy level and temperament matches your dog’s, and you should have a good match.
If your dog is in heat, be careful if you want her to not end up pregnant. A male dog can smell a female in heat from up to five miles away. There can be numerous problems, such as causing conflicts with neighbor’s dogs, and getting impregnated with puppies that you don’t know a lot about.
Ensure that your dog will come back after being lost by having some type of identification tag. A breakaway collar that includes an ID tag will ensure the return of your dog if they should wander. Make sure that a current telephone number and the dog’s name are included on the tag. You may also consider having a micro-chip implanted.
Keep in mind that more is not always better when it comes to the number of folks training a dog. Having multiple people train your dog will only confuse him. Therefore, ensure that only one person is doing the training. The other people should only reinforce the person’s rules and stick by them.
Set a regular schedule for doggie check-ups at your vet. Your vet will give your dog an annual exam with any vaccines that your dog might need. If your dog is young, he will need to go to the vet more frequently. At the first sign of illness or if your dog is injured, don’t hesitate to take him to the vet.
Are you more confident about caring for your pet now? You now have the facts you need in order to feel good about caring for a dog. Apply the tips from this article, and do your best to keep your dog happy.