A dog is a man's best friend, but how do you know that you are properly taking care of your dog if your dog doesn't speak the same language? Learning how to take care of your pet is very important. You need to consider the following helpful advice for taking care of your dog.
Always be prepared to pick up after your dog with a scoop and bag. Although most people think that this is simply a polite thing to do so that others don't step in it, your dog's excrement is actually hazardous!
It contains a bacterium that can contaminate local supplies when it washes through to ground water.
Have your dog spayed or neutered. Statistics show that doing this can reduce your dog's cancer risk, which can result in a longer life span. Also, dogs that are fixed lose their desire to stray from the home, lessening the chance of them getting lost or hurt.
Take care to keep your dog cool while traveling during the summer by car. Even with your air-conditioning on, the dog may become over-heated in his pet carrier. A simple and low-cost countermeasure is freezing a few gallon jugs of water and placing them near him where he can curl up and cool off.
Be careful when selecting canine flea treatments. Some medicines can put your children in harms way. Talk to the vet about different forms of treatment that are safer for use around small kids.
Some people think that it is necessary to bath a dog often. The truth is that unless your dog gets into something to get dirty, they only need bathed once every two to four months. Bathing more often could strip their skin of the oils they need for a healthy coat and skin.
If you are a very enthusiastic owner of a pure-bred dog, join your local AKC. They are an active social group where you can share your love for your dog, learn a lot and make new friends too. The experience can also help prepare you and your dog for entering contests and winning shows!
Dogs, like humans, can develop health problems, and because of this they should be taken to see their vet at least once eat year. This can help to diagnosis any health issues early on, reducing both the extremity of the illness and the cost to fix it. Do whatever you can to follow this rule of thumb strictly.
When a dog behaves badly, correct him immediately. Ignoring it for a while can make it harder to correct later and you don't know what may happen if you don't. This could lead to huge problems down the road.
Don't buy the cheapest food for your dog. Generally,
great post to read that is less expensive is not as healthy for your pet due to preservatives and additives put into the food. Find a list of recommended dog foods from the vet or an advocate for animals. Your dog is going to be healthier if he eats better.
The pads of your dog's feet can become dry and cracked, so make sure that you moisturize them regularly. Ask your veterinarian for advice on which product to use. Avoid using moisturizers that are intended for humans, because they can make the pads too soft and your dog may get hurt.
Make sure that you trim your dog's nails on a fairly regular basis. You do not want them to get too long since it will make it uncomfortable for them to walk and they may develop health issues. They should be at a length that just about touches the ground.
Just like
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/30/world/dog-dna-intl-scli-gbr-scn/index.html , dogs need plenty of exercise for optimum health. Dogs are naturally hunters and love to run by instinct. Take your dog to the park, play Frisbee with him and give him a daily walk. This will help keep him physically healthy but will also make him mentally healthier.
Just like people, dogs need their exercise too. Playing a game of fetch or Frisbee is a great way to get your dog to burn some calories, while having fun at the same time. Dogs should also be walked everyday. Some dogs require more exercise than others, which is why it is so important to understand your dogs needs.
You need to teach your dog a few simple commands at a very young age for its own safety. Your dog should always come when you call its name and a command such as 'give' should be used to get your dog to stop gnawing at a potentially dangerous object.
Punish your dog carefully. You should never punish your dog for a mischief that happened more than fifteen minutes ago since your dog will probably not establish a connection between the punishment and the bad behavior. If you catch your dog misbehaving, say no in a firm voice and have your dog sit in a corner for a few minutes.
If you have a dog that constantly chews, get him raw hide bones or toys. These toys and treats are made with dogs in mind, and can provide an outlet for your dog's need to chew. You can find these dog toys at supermarkets or a local pet store.
Schedules play a key role in the lives of children. Dogs are quite similar to children in this respect. Pets tend to get crabby if they cannot predict or anticipate how their day will go. How they feel will affect how they behave. You should have specific times for training, play, and meals.
The truth is that no advice will be perfect either. Every single situation calls for different reactions, be it what to feed a dog or whether or not to take the dog to the vet. Your dog will be happy as long as you love them, and thankfully, that is the easiest part of the job!