Owning a dog may bring joy into your life, but it isn’t always a simple job. Dogs are like children, where they need proper food, exercise, cleaning and grooming and to visit a physician. How can you ever remember everything you need to do? Therefore, you need to be a responsible owner, and this article will guide you into becoming one.
If you have over-the-counter medication or prescription medication in your home, keep it in a place the dog can’t access it. Taking just a few such pills can have devastating consequences for a dog. Call the vet immediately if you suspect that the dog has swallowed the medication.
Train your dog indoors or in the backyard. You do not want to train your dog around a bunch of people. There are too many distractions there.
Speak with your vet to see how much you’re going to have to feed your dog daily. While there are those that feed their dog whatever it says on the package, this may not be good for your dog and can make it overweight. Check with you vet to find out about the feeding guidelines for your particular dog.
Don’t give your dog real bones. Pieces can break off of the real bone, which may cause your dog to choke. It has been proven that rawhide is healthy for your dogs teeth, therefore avoid giving your dog natural meat bones.
You won’t just stop your dog from shedding on your carpet if you brush him on a daily basis. Brushing them daily can help them keep a shiny and beautiful coat. When you brush the coat, oils from the skin are distributed throughout, and this is makes the coat soft and silky.
If you’re going to adopt a new dog from an animal shelter, you need to get a vet appointment scheduled as soon as possible. Dogs are more likely to be sick or have exposure to viruses in the shelter. That is why it’s important to have a full checkup and a course of vaccinations before you bring your puppy home.
A foster home is something you can provide for a dog that needs it. Animals are overcrowded in shelters, and the resources available for them are not abundant. Fostering an animal will help animals and help you decide whether or not you would like to keep a dog of your own.
To prevent the hair around a dog’s paws from matting, you should keep it trimmed. Use a comb and a small pair of scissors for this task. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, a professional can always step in to help.
When you train your dog, don’t allow your efforts to be diminished by an excess of trainers. Many people do it differently than just having a few commands to give your dog. Pick a single person to be the main person doing the training, and let the others know what that person’s methods will be so they can follow along.
Bring your dogs to their scheduled appointments. Your vet may see problems, such as thyroid problems, kidney problems, and diabetes, before you’ll notice any signs. In the long run, annual check-ups save the owner a lot of money and prevent the dog from a lot of unneeded suffering.
Take your dog to the vet regularly. He should visit once a year for tests, weighing and vaccinations. If your dog is young, he will need to go to the vet more frequently. If you see any signs of injury or illness, talk to your vet immediately.
You might be tempted to share your food with your dog. Sometimes that’s okay, but certain foods are bad for dogs. Dogs are not able to tolerate grapes, chocolate and anything with caffeine, for instance. Foods like these can cause huge medical problems.
It is very important that you put a lot of thought into whether or not you’re ready to add a dog to your family. You can quickly fall deeply in love with a puppy without considering everything that is involved. Think it through carefully and talk to friends with dogs so you fully understand all that is involved.
When you start training your dog, experiment with different rewards systems. Take the time to learn what will motivate your pet the most. If your dog enjoys food, use small hot dog pieces. If your dog is toy driven, short games can be a great reward. Some dogs just like to be shown attention as a reward.
This expert advice is something that you will remember so that you may use it with your dog every day. If you want to become the benevolent, caring master your dog deserves, you should be well on your way. Use what you learned here and your efforts will be rewarding for both you and your dog.
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