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Owning a dog is a serious matter. You need to ensure your dog is healthy and happy at all times. Education is the key here, so do everything possible to make sure you are knowledgeable about dog care.
Use hand signals when training your dog along with verbal commands. Your dog can figure out things easier when they get these signals. Every pet is different though, so use a combination of both verbal and visual cues and then determine what works the best.
Your lifestyle should be a determining factor in the breed of dog that you choose. For instance, if you like to go running, you’re not going to want a little dog that can’t keep up with you. However, if you’re someone who stays mainly at home then seek out a small dog that loves to be adorned with lots of love while lounging around the house. By selecting the right dog breed, both you and your dog will be more content.
Your dog deserves to have quality dog food. Cheaper brands usually contain lots of additives and preservatives that can harm your dog’s health. Check out professional recommendations from groups online. Your dog will enjoy and benefit much more from healthier food.
Rather than purchasing an actual meat bone for your dog, go with rawhide instead. Real bones can chip and fragments may become lodged in their mouths or digestive tract. Rawhide is healthy and good for their teeth, so don’t share that T-bone no matter what faces they make.
Be sure to address your dog’s bad behavior when you first notice it. If you ignore an unwanted behavior, it is as good as reinforcing it. It will become very difficult to correct the more time passes. Your dog could hurt somebody, including you, so keep him under control.
If you want to get yourself a new dog, but aren’t totally sold on the idea, you could try to get a foster pet. A lot of abused and homeless animals are in shelters waiting, but resources are slim. Become a foster parent to test the waters.
Make sure you exercise both your dog’s mind and its body. Train him to fetch the newspaper and help with other household chore. This will make your dog feel helpful and simultaneously keep your dog sharp physically and mentally.
If your dog is in heat, be careful if you want her to not end up pregnant. A female’s scent can travel a very long distance. 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.
Dog Owners
Make political decisions which will help your dog! Watch local legislation that passes to see how it regulates or restricts the rights and behavior of dog owners. This is just motivated by some bad apples or a certain breed. Be sure to voice your concerns in regards to dogs and dog owners by staying in touch with local officials.
Remember the saying “The more people that work on something, the less likely they are to succeed” while you train your dog. Everyone trains differently, and this can lead to confusion for your dog. Therefore, ensure that only one person is doing the training. The other people should only reinforce the person’s rules and stick by them.
It is not uncommon for dogs to get cuts on their paws from stepping on pieces of glass and debris. If your dog suffers a cut, clean it with antiseptic and bandage the wound. If the cut seems very deep, take him to the vet.
You need to watch your dog’s diet. Puppies can eat higher fat options to help them grow. When they become adults, if they eat too much, they can become obese which is not healthy.
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 him from chewing on your stuff or urinating where he’s not supposed to.
Your dog, like you, must be kept clean. Though dogs don’t need bathing every day, they ought to have one each week. A clean dog will be less likely to develop skin problems and will help you keep your house clean.
It is kind of funny when a little puppy “attacks” slippers and other items, but once that same puppy is full grown he can cause some serious damage to your things. Such bad habits should be curtailed from the start. Reprimand your puppy right away so he learns what is not okay for him to do. This will help you to train your dog effectively.
If you have a dog that loves to chew on things, you should get it a raw hide bone or other dog toys. Those are particularly for dogs, and can satisfy him without destroying things in your house. There are many places you can buy these things, including your local supermarket.
Do not let your dog stay home by itself for extended periods. You probably have a job, and your pet will have to deal with that, but try and be there as much as possible for him when you have down time. Consider putting on a little background noise, like music, to help keep your dog company when you are out. A pet sitter is best for longer trips away.
Establish house rules that your pet must follow, and remain firm by them. Even if your circumstances alter temporarily, your dog’s patterns should remain consistent. If you change your dog’s pattern for one day, he won’t understand when you switch it back the next day. Be consistent and do your best to always communicate your expectations clearly.
The suggestions in the article will help you a lot if you apply them! Adjust your habits a bit, and you will reap the benefits. There is much joy in dog ownership when you take the care to do things right.
