Being a dog owner is not easy. Dogs, just like children, need to be fed the right foods, exercised, groomed and cleaned, and taken to the doctor. How can you be sure what exactly must be done? Reading this article can help you become a great dog owner.
Make your home dog-proof. Don’t take a dog into your home without being sure that it is safe from top to bottom. Hide cleaning supplies and medicines and hide trashcans in a cabinet. Some common house plants that are toxic to pets should be removed from your home.
Hugs are great to give your pets, but kisses are not that great. Dog kissing may be adorable, but dogs have awfully dirty mouths. After all, dogs eat out of the garbage, drink from toilet bowls, and lick all over their body. There is an old wives’ tale that says that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than that of a human. It’s not true.
Make sure that your dog is spayed or neutered. Statistics show that doing this can reduce your dog’s cancer risk, which can result in a longer life span. In addition, dogs that are spayed or neutered do not have as strong of a desire to wander from their home, meaning that they are less likely to get lost or hit by a car.
Flea Treatments
Use flea treatments with caution. A lot of these medications have ingredients that can be harmful to children and can cause cancer. Talk to your vet to learn about flea treatments that are safer and more family friendly, and always keep flea medication out of reach of children.
Try not to feed your dog any table scraps. Feeding a dog from the table only reinforces begging. The dog will also be less likely to eat its normal food. Table scraps can negatively affect the dog’s health and cause digestive issues or obesity. 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.
Don’t let your dog out of your property without wearing a leash, regardless of how well he behaves. He could easily get spooked by something and run off into harm’s way. It is your job to keep your dog safe, and to keep him from harming anyone else or causing anyone problems.
Talk to your vet about what kinds of foods you might want to keep your pet away from. Some foods can cause sickness or an upset stomach. Always be cautious about dog food.
Choose a dog in that can easily and happily blend into your lifestyle. If you jog a lot, buy a dog that likes to run, and not something like a toy poodle. If you are more of a homebody, a smaller, less active dog who enjoying being pampered is the better choice. Don’t get a dog that you don’t fit in with if you can avoid that.
Be sure to praise your dog thoroughly any time it behaves correctly, such as sitting when it is time to put their leash on. You need your dog to realize that you’re proud of their behavior and want to see it more often. Your dog will soon understand that good behavior is rewarded with praise.
If you are not sure of how much to feed your dog each day, talk to your vet about it. The amounts on the label might not apply in your dog’s situation. Speak with a vet to see what you should be feeding your dog according to its needs.
If you are going to get a dog from the shelter, make a appointment with the vet. You never know what condition the dog might be in. Error on the side of caution and get your dog all its shots.
When it is time to buy dog food, avoid buying the cheapest brand. Over the course of the dogs life he will be much healthier if you stick to high quality food with plenty of nutritional value. Even though you are paying more, it will save on health bills down the road.
Take your new dog to the vet. Don’t wait to long to make your appointment. The vet will give him a complete health check and set up a vaccination schedule. Also discuss the spaying or neutering process with your vet. This can help to eliminate unwanted animals and keep your dog happy and healthy for a longer period of time.
Stimulate your dog mentally and physically with plenty of exercise. You can have him fetch things like the paper, or perform other household tasks. He’ll feel helpful and like he is a member of the family. At the same time, the training is good for his mental and thinking skills.
Dog Owner
As you can see, there is a lot to know when it comes to being a dog owner. If being a great dog owner is what you want to do, you should now be a few steps closer to that goal. Using these suggestions, treat your dog right!
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