Do you wish to save a little puppy at a local pound? Or maybe you want to get a dog that is purebred. Whether he is a pure bred or a mutt from the shelter, this dog is sure to give you the love and affection you seek. But, you have to be responsible as well, which is why you should read the whole article that follows.
Having a dog at your home is a big financial commitment. The costs associated with general and medical care along with high-quality food can be upwards of a thousand per year. Getting emergency care from the vet is costly, so you may need to take a look at health insurance for your pet.
It’s a great idea to keep a snap-shot of your dog handy (a digital pic on your phone is ideal) whenever you’re traveling with him. This allows you to have a photo of him if he gets lost.
If you have prescription or over-the-counter medication in the house, make sure that your dog does not have access to it. Just a few of your pills can be disastrous for the dog, inducing a heart attack or seizure. If your dog gets to your medication, you should call your veterinarian right away.
Be careful of the ingredients in many flea treatments. Some treatments contain dangerous ingredients that may put your kids at risk for diseases like cancer. Talk with your vet concerning alternative treatments, and do not let small children come near while treating your dog.
A daily brush will do much more than prevent your dog from constant shedding. It leaves them looking gorgeous, for one thing. Brushing distributes the natural oils of the skin throughout the hair coat for added sheen and softness.
Trim your dog’s nails on a regular basis. Once they get to a length where they are curling under, this is likely to cause your dog some pain. Find some good clippers you can use to trim your dog’s nails yourself. If you aren’t comfortable with this, invest a little money and take your dog to the groomers.
Take your new dog to the vet. Don’t wait to long to make your appointment. A vet will make sure the dog is healthy and also set up a future schedule of vaccinations. You should also have your dog neutered or spayed to cut down on pet overpopulation.
Trim any hair that’s around your pup’s paws so it doesn’t get matted up. Before you trim, carefully run a comb through the hairs to separate them. If you’re uncomfortable doing this, you should get a professional groomer to do it.
Ensure that your dog will come back after being lost by having some type of identification tag. To make it more likely that your dog finds its way home to you should it become lost, outfit it with a collar that has identification tags attached. This tag needs to have the dog’s name as well as a way to contact you. You can also have your dog micro-chipped.
Keep in mind that more is not always better when it comes to the number of folks training a dog. Your dog might become confused by different methods, different vocal commands and different ways of offering praise or punishment. Pick a single person to be responsible for all training, and let others support the decisions made by demanding the same standards of behavior from the dog.
Make a careful selection when choosing your dog’s food. There are many to choose from, so focus on those that are for your dog’s age and size. Giving your dog leftovers may be cheap, but it may not give them a lot of health benefits.
When you eat snacks, you might be tempted to offer some to the dog. This is true of some snacks, but not of others. Dogs should never be given caffeine, grapes, or chocolate. They won’t agree with your dog and could even cause him to become very sick.
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what your dog is eating throughout its life. As a puppy, it is okay for them to eat foods filled with calories, as they need it for their growth. If a high calorie food is fed to an adult dog, it could result in weight gain.
When you go out to work or to school, crate training is your best bet. This will allow you to be sure that you’re not going to come home to a bunch of damaged items. It also teaches the puppy not to go to the restroom inside.
When you get a new puppy for your family, one of the best things you can do for the dog is to socialize it with other dogs as soon as possible. Your dog can be socialized in many ways, such as at the groomers, play dates, and the dog park.
You should now be aware of what needs to be done to give your dog the best care, so you can bring your new pooch home now. Use online resources, which change fairly frequently, to learn as much as you can about dog ownership. Think about joining a dog forum to chat with fellow dog owners. Do not ever stop teaching your dog.
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