Are you thinking about adopting a dog from the pound? Or, would you prefer a pure bred dog from the breeder? From a mutt to a show dog, they’ll all bring you love. Although, having a dog is a great responsibility that must be considered before jumping into getting one.
Being a dog owner requires a financial commitment. Every dog requires good quality food, general supplies and medical care; this can range in cost from $700 to $1000 per year. Pet health insurance can help; although you will pay a monthly or yearly fee, you will often be covered if a big medical emergency occurs for your pet.
Just as you need an annual physical exam, dogs do as well. Your dog is not able to talk, so it is not easy to know when he’s got arthritis or an aching tooth. Annual checkups can catch issues before they develop into something serious.
Anti-flea products are dangerous. Some of them contain chemicals that can increase the risk of cancer in children, and are 1,000 times as strong as the safe levels recommended by the EPA. Talk to the vet about different forms of treatment that are safer for use around small kids.
Table Scraps
Keep table scraps to a minimum. Not only will table scraps turn your dog off on their regular food, but it will also teach them to constantly beg. You might be wrecking your dog’s health by giving him table scraps. You can keep your dog healthy and avoid any temptation to feed it from the table by teaching it to spend dinnertime well away from your family.
Never take your dog outside your yard without a leash. Something could distract him, like a squirrel or a cat, causing him to leave your side. You will be responsible for your dog’s actions and safety.
Always give your dog lots of praise and hugs when it does something right. You want to reinforce your dog’s good behaviors. It teaches your pup that he will be rewarded for good behavior.
Try not to base your dog food choices on the price of the food. The brands that are cheaper have preservatives, additives, as well as other things that aren’t good for your dog. Instead, research which brands are considered to be nutritious. Your dog will thank you for feeding him a better food.
Do not force your dog to do anything. If you got them a treat and they aren’t interested in it, don’t make them eat it. It will take you a little while to figure out what your dog likes and what he doesn’t, but you’ll get the hang of it.
Bad Behavior
Take your time to teach your dog what kind of behavior is right or wrong as soon as it occurs. If you ignore it, you are going to make the problem harder to contain, and you aren’t sure what the result of bad behavior will ultimately be. Not only will it be difficult to curb the bad behavior, he can pose physical harm to you or someone you love.
If you get your dog from the pound, make sure you have a vet check him out right away. Shelters expose dogs to a number of illnesses, and your pet could be ill already. It’s crucial that your pet has all necessary shots before it’s brought into your house.
You should now know what taking care of a dog entails, so get ready to take that purebred or mutt home! Keep learning because there is always new and fresh information out there concerning care for your dog. Think about joining online forums to talk about dogs with other dog owners. You can always learn more, so you should never stop educating yourself.
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