Many people grow up with animals or currently have some. If you have a dog or wish to get one, you must learn some things. Read on to find some great tips from experts and owners alike.
Being a dog owner can be very costly. Every dog requires good quality food, general supplies and medical care; this can range in cost from $700 to $1000 per year. You should also look into purchasing a good pet health insurance policy to avoid high medical bills.
Your dog needs annual medical exams. Since your dog doesn’t talk, you may have difficulty figuring out if a tooth starts hurting or where arthritis is developing. Bringing your dog to the vet each year can help stop these health issues from becoming a huge problem.
Don’t give your dog leftovers from your own plate. This will make your dog beg all of the time and also will make it not want to eat its regular food as much. You might be wrecking your dog’s health by giving him table scraps. Resist the temptation and only give dog food to your pup.
Rather than merely using verbal commands, it is wise to utilize hand signals when training your dog. Dogs tend to read body language and signs very well. Give both methods a try, and see for yourself which your dog responds best to.
Don’t make you dog eat something they don’t want to eat. If your dog is not interested in a treat, do not force your pet to eat it. When you first get a dog, you should take some time to get to know what it likes and what it dislikes.
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. Many abused and homeless animals are in shelters waiting for adoptions, but there is a lot of overcrowding and many resources are scarce. Fostering an animal will help animals and help you decide whether or not you would like to keep a dog of your own.
You can find pure breeds at the dog shelter. Pets are abandoned due to a variety of circumstances, so you might be lucky enough to find one at the pound. Contact the pound in your area to see what kinds of breeds they have at the time. This could help you save the life of a dog.
If you only have one dog and they aren’t happy or can’t handle being alone a lot, consider getting them a companion. Dogs are animals that love to be with other dogs. Matching a dog up with another of a similar disposition will make your dog very happy.
If your female dog is in heat be cautious – she could very easily become pregnant. Male dogs from as far as 5 miles away may pick up the scent. This may cause a fight or impregnation if a male dog spots her.
Always make sure that your dog is wearing some sort of identification on their collar. One way to do this is to always have your dog wear a collar, and ensure that the collar has an identification tag attached. The tag should let people know what your dog’s name is along with your contact information. You may also consider having a micro-chip implanted.
Dogs tend to get cuts and scrapes on their paws from things they step on. Clean any small cuts on your dog with antiseptic, and bandage the area. If the cut continues to bleed, go to an emergency veterinary hospital.
If an accident occurs on your floor, take extra care that all traces are removed. Make sure that you clean up the mess quickly and thoroughly. If the scent from his excrement remains behind, your dog may be inclined to soil in the same area again and again.
Carefully pick the foods you feed your dog. Since there are so many, you should find one that is made for your particular dog. You might think that you can save money by feeding your dog table scraps, but this is very unhealthy.
Vitamins can be harmful to dogs. Don’t give your dog extra vitamins if he’s eating a well-balanced diet. If you give your dog too many vitamins, joints, bones or blood vessels could be damaged. If you’re going to be giving your dog vitamins, be sure to talk to your vet first.
You should take the time to reflect about your lifestyle before getting a dog. You may really want a dog; however, you need to have both the time and patience to make the commitment that a dog requires.
You must keep a close eye on what and how much your dog eats. You can give a puppy a high calorie diet because this will help him grow. When they reach adulthood, these same foods can lead to obesity and health problems.
There is a lot that goes into owning a dog as evidenced by this article. So long as you apply these tips, you can avoid any issues. Read carefully and talk to your vet should you have some questions.
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