A dog needs a lot more than just food and attention. Your dog also needs constant TLC. But do you know how to care for your dog? The following article is filled with helpful tips you can use to care for your dog and train it properly.
It is expensive to own a dog. Every dog requires good quality food, general supplies and medical care; this can range in cost from $700 to $1000 per year. Emergency care for animals can cost thousands of collars, so think carefully about getting pet health insurance.
Make sure your home is dog-proof. Before bringing home your new pup, make sure that it’s safe. Put all medication and cleaning supplies away, and keep your indoor trash can inside a cabinet. Some plants can be lethal, so move them out of your dog’s reach.
You should not kiss your dog. Kissing a dog might seem cute, but they have dirty mouths. Dogs really get into everything, from toilet water to the neighbor’s trash. It’s a folk tale that dogs have cleaner mouths than humans. It is not necessarily true.
It’s a great idea to keep a snap-shot of your dog handy (a digital pic on your phone is ideal) whenever you’re traveling with him. By doing this, in case your dog gets lost, you can provide others with a picture and easily put up flyers, which will assist in finding your dog.
It can be really helpful to incorporate hand signals with verbal commands when first training your dog. Hand signals can really help your dog. Try both methods to see which your dog prefers.
Ask your vet about which foods he can eat. A lot of the time a dog might not want to eat some brands of dog food, this might make them sick. Always exercise caution when it comes to your animal’s food.
Talk to the veterinarian about the proper amount of food for your dog. While some individuals give their dogs food by following the package, sometimes these guidelines are inappropriate for your dog. Speak with your veterinarian about what your dog’s needs are and what amounts are proper.
Brushing your dog every day is going to stop them from shedding in your home, but more than that. Daily brushing can help them acquire a beautiful, shiny coat. The reason for this is that brushing distributes a dog’s oils from its skin so it looks soft and shiny.
Even if you are looking for a dog that is a pure breed, always check the local pound. A pure bred dog is just as likely to be abandoned at the pound as any other if its owners can no longer take care of it. Just give a quick call to your local humane society to see what breeds they may have available. This action could also help to save the life of a dog!
If your dog seems lonely or seems to have separation anxiety, leave the radio or a CD on when you leave the house. The noise from the music will comfort the dog and that can help the animal to feel secure. That might work to appease his anxiety during the time you aren’t home.
Were you aware that vitamins are not good for your dog? If your dog eats commercial foods, he doesn’t need vitamin supplements unless your vet advises you to give them to him. If you give your dog too many vitamins, joints, bones or blood vessels could be damaged. Before giving your dog vitamins, speak with your vet.
When thinking about acquiring a dog, be sure to take your entire life (special events, weekends away, vacations) into account. It’s easy to get a dog and think everything will go fine, but you have to be prepared to be a responsible pet owner.
Always praise your dog when he does something good. Praise your dog and give it a treat when it does something well instead of using punishments to get rid of bad behaviors. This form of training will give you many benefits in the future for your dog. Always treat your dog with kindness during training so you will see a much better end result.
Table Scraps
Develop some basic guidelines for your pet and stick to them. When you first bring a dog home, you might think it’s fine to sneak them table scraps or let them chew on your shoes. This is especially the case with a very cute dog! If you’re firm, you won’t have these accidents. For example, you might give your dog table scraps after you have eaten, but your dog might think there is nothing wrong with jumping on the table and eating your entire meal.
Make sure that you wash your dog’s food and water bowls on a fairly regular basis. Germs can develop on a dirty bowl, especially if food or water stays in it for a long time. Each day, wash the bowls and make sure your dog has clean water and fresh food.
Crate training a puppy is a good idea if you’re going to be gone all day and will have nobody there to watch your pet for you. This will prevent your puppy from damaging your home, and he will not use the bathroom anywhere he shouldn’t.
Investing a little time in self-education can pay off big dividends during your time as a dog owner. You can make sure your dog is both happy and healthy. Naturally, a dog wants an owner who is competent.