Dog ownership is a responsibility you have to take seriously. Your job is to keep the dog happy and healthy always. In order to have a happy, and healthy, dog, you’ll need to learn all that you can.
Be sure your house is dog-proofed. Prior to bringing the pooch home, check that the whole home is safe. Medicine and cleaners should be stored, and indoor trash should be placed in a cabinet. Research the toxicity of plants you own, and move or remove anything that might be an issue.
Just like humans benefit from an annual physical, your dog should see the vet at least once a year. Because your dog is unable to speak, you may not know for sure when your dog feels sick or has an injury. You need to go to the vet every year to get a check up.
You should have your dog spayed or neutered. Your pet stands to enjoy a significantly better (and longer) life. It’s been verified through research that this simple procedure reduces cancer risks and provides other benefits, too. Dogs that are neutered or spayed don’t have strong urges to leave their home, reducing their chances of getting hit by a vehicle or getting lost.
If your dog is coming along on a family vacation, keep a picture of him handy or take one using your phone. This will help in the rare situation that you get separated from your dog. You will have a current picture of your dog to show to people.
Avoid giving your pup table scraps. You will spoil him and his appetite and set up begging behavior. Scraps can be terrible for his diet and lead to obesity and other health problems. Train your dog to remain in another room while the family eats so no one is tempted to slip something to him under the table.
Always have your dog on a leash when he’s off your property. He could easily get spooked by something and run off into harm’s way. You are responsible if your dog does this.
If you have a dog that does something right, like sitting when you’re getting out the leash, you should give the animal lots of praise and affection. He needs to understand that this is the right thing to do. This shows your pup that when things are done right, he will be rewarded.
Take your time to teach your dog what kind of behavior is right or wrong as soon as it occurs. You should never ignore bad behaviors when they are puppies because this will make it a lot harder to correct down the road. If your dog is not under control, he could end up hurting you or someone else.
Bring your shelter dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible after you adopt him. You need to find out if they picked anything up at the shelter. It is best to make sure your new puppy gets all the shots needed before you bring it home.
If you are considering a dog but aren’t sure, why not trying providing a good foster home for a dog? A lot of shelters that take in homeless or abused animals have a way to let you adopt them for a while. Lend a hand by fostering a dog, and determine if it is a good fit for you and your family.
You should carefully trim the hair near the paws to avoid matted hair. You should use a comb to straighten out the hair a bit before trying to trim it. If you are not comfortable with this process, it would be a good idea for you to go and get it done by a professional groomer.
There’s nothing stopping you from putting these tips into action immediately. Change habits to accommodate the dog and get more out of your efforts. You shouldn’t own a dog if you won’t put in the work to make it the best that it can be.
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