If you own a dog, you need to take your duties seriously. You have to be sure that you have a happy and a healthy dog. By learning all that you can about being a good dog owner that knows what they’re doing, you can be sure that things go well for you and your dog.
Never give your dog a real bone to chew on. Giving them actual bones may cause them to fall apart and become lodged in the digestive tract or oral cavity of your dog. In contrast, rawhide has health benefits for your pet.
Let your dog know who is boss! Unless shown otherwise, a dog will naturally assume that he is the leader of the pack – once this has been established it is quite difficult to persuade him otherwise! When disciplining your dog, be firm in tone, but calm. Never punish a dog in a physical manner, as this will lead to lifelong mistrust. Also, when he behaves, remember to praise him!
Do you have a hard time keeping your dog from barking? You might be encouraging this behavior without even realizing it. Your dog will keep barking if you acknowledge this behavior. It is best to ignore your dog until it stops barking, even if your dog wants to come inside.
If you live with other people, make sure they are aware of your training “rules.” It is important that everyone redirects the dog off of the furniture, for example, and that they use the same language when doing so. If everyone’s rules are different, your dog is just going to get confused, which will make the training process much longer and more difficult.
Pet
It costs a lot to own a dog. Food and supplies can run you over one thousand dollars a year. Also, emergency care is a lot if your dog was to ever get sick; you may want to think about pet insurance.
Whenever you travel with your pet, don’t skimp on the packing. Of course you need to be well supplied with his food, water and any medications he may be on, but experts advise that you also bring his grooming supplies, vaccination paperwork, tags and an extra leash. Also, bring a flat sheet for when your dog will be on hotel furniture.
Do you have a “wrinkly” dog, like a bulldog? If so, you have to be conscientious about the grooming process in order to help keep your pet clean. After you brush, take a baby wipe and use it to get in between the folds on their body. Make sure, though, to get them fully dry after doing so.
If you notice your dog gets dry skin in the winter, you probably need to brush him or her more often. Doing so will get rid of old fur and help get their oil glands working properly. Try brushing once in the morning and once in the evening to see if it makes a difference for your pet.
The things you have learned here should help you get things to where they need to be. You will have greater rewards if you make a few changes in order to make accommodations for your dog. If you can’t offer a dog the best life it can have then there really isn’t a point in having a dog.