Owning a dog can bring a lot of happiness to your life, but that is not true of every dog. To really get the most out of your relationship with your dog, you need to spend a little time learning about proper dog ownership. The following tips give you a good idea of the responsibilities you will have.
It takes a lot of money to raise a dog. You need to pay for high quality food, regular vet care, and various supplies. This can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars each year. Emergency visits to the vet can cost thousands, so you may want to invest in health insurance for your dog.
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. If, by chance, a dog does eat some of your pills, contact the vet right away.
Don’t let a dog go off property without their leash, even if they’re well behaved. There are quite a few things that could cause your dog to run off unexpectedly. You are responsible if your dog does this.
Which breed you need to buy depends on your lifestyle. For instance, if you are athletic, you might want an active dog, not a poodle. Likewise if you spend quite a lot of time at home you may want to get a dog that likes to be pampered a lot. Getting the right fit for you will give you both much more joy.
If you aren’t sure of the amount of food your dog needs on a daily basis, talk to your vet. Dog food packages provide guidelines, but they can be wrong for your particular pet and lead to obesity. Speak to the vet about what makes sense for your dog.
Build or buy a house for your dog if he has to stay outdoors for any length of time in cold weather. This is especially important during wet weather. Give your dog a shelter that is spacious and dry, and your dog will be protected from the hard winds and dampness.
Always correct any bad behavior you see in your dog as soon as you see it. If you ignore any issue with your pet then later on it’s going to be harder to train it to obey because it doesn’t know any better. You could end up with a dog that hurts other people, so make sure you’re in control at all times.
If you get your dog from the pound, make sure you have a vet check him out right away. Dogs that live in shelters may be sick or may have been around other sick dogs. Therefore, you should have the animal looked at prior to taking it to your house.
Train your dog how to properly walk when on a leash. He should stay by your side, not in front of or behind you, and respond to the command “heel”. If you do this, your dog will be safe, and it will be easy for you to handle. This command will be very useful if you walk your dog while keeping the leash very loose.
You may need to trim hair that grows near the dog’s paws to help keep it from matting. Prior to trimming the hair, make sure the hair is straight by using a comb. You can always use a dog groomer if you find the process difficult.
Remember the expression “Too many cooks spoil the soup” when training your dog. Be sure that each person working with the dog uses the same commands and responses. One person should be in charge, and everyone else needs to reinforce everything this person teaches the dog.
If your dog happens to have an accident in the house, make sure you remove all traces of it. You must make use of an effective cleaner and a strong odor remover. If the smell from your pet’s mess stays there, it might motivate your dog to continue defecating there.
Make a careful selection when choosing your dog’s food. Always consider your dog’s age, health status and size when selecting the brand and formula you want to feed your dog. Serving table scraps to your dog may be cost effective, but it does not provide a balanced and healthy diet for your dog.
If you want to do right by your dog, you need to learn a lot of things. There’s a lot more to it than choosing a dog you find cute and loving it bunches. You have to do your part, too. Take advantage of the things you’ve learned and have a great time with your dog.
Locate a dog walker to look after your pets. If you have a cat or pet dog or other pets who needa sitter, go through our web site and find the best pet sitter for you.
