Easy Dog Care Advice Every Dog Owner Should Know

There is nothing easy about dog ownership. Similar to kids, dogs have to eat certain food, need physical activity, have to go to a vet, and require cleaning and grooming. How can you learn all the steps you need to take? Learning these basics will get you off to a great start with your new dog.

Your home needs to be ‘dog-proofed’. This should be done before the dog shows up at your home. Put all medication and cleaning supplies away, and keep your indoor trash can inside a cabinet. Certain plants are toxic, and it’s best to move them, too.

Make your home doggie-proof. Take the time to tour your home with an eye for safety before you introduce your dog to your home. Make sure chemicals, medications and any garbage is out of reach of the dog. Some plants in your house may be toxic to your dog, so they should be kept where your dog cannot reach them.

Look into the flea treatments. Some medicines can put your children in harms way. Talk with your vet concerning alternative treatments, and do not let small children come near while treating your dog.

Just like people need regular yearly physicals, dogs need the same thing. Your dog can’t speak to you, which means it isn’t easy to tell if they’re having a tooth ache or issues with arthritis. Annual checkups can catch issues before they develop into something serious.

Try not to base your dog food choices on the price of the food. The brands that are cheaper actually have lots of additives, preservatives and other harmful ingredients that can endanger the health of your dog. Professional associations and dog advocacy groups may offer lists of the highest quality foods available. Your dog will thank you for feeding him a better food.

Anti-flea products are dangerous. Many contain ingredients that are dangerous to children. Talk to a vet about safe alternatives and keep little kids away when applying any flea treatment.

If your dog will be outside, he will need a dog house. If his feet get wet, being exposed to extreme weather can cause health issues and stress. Make certain your dog house has a good floor that keeps your dog up off the ground and dry.

Table Scraps

Your dog’s claws must be trimmed. If they get so long that they start curling under, your dog will probably hurt a lot. Buy some clippers from a pet store and cut them yourself. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming them yourself, a groomer can do it for little money.

Avoid giving your pup table scraps. This teaches dogs bad habits. A dog fed on table scraps will be prone to unhealthy weight gain, disruptive digestive problems, and other health issues. Make sure your dog doesn’t hover around your dinner table so it isn’t tempted to eat your food.

When obtaining a shelter dog, you need to set up an appointment with your local vet immediately. Dogs that live in shelters may be sick or may have been around other sick dogs. You need to be sure that you get your animal all of the shots it needs prior to bringing it home.

When you are training your dog, it is always best to incorporate the use of hand signals in addition to using verbal commands. When you give your dog these kinds of signals, he may learn faster. Experiment with each way and determine what works.

Always buy high quality food for your best friend. Over the course of the dogs life he will be much healthier if you stick to high quality food with plenty of nutritional value. While this may mean paying higher prices for a premium brand, you can be assured your dog is getting the proper nutrients from wholesome sources.

Talk to your vet about what kinds of foods you might want to keep your pet away from. If your puppy is very young, it might not be ready to consume specific brands, and feeding them to your pup can result in sickness. Err on the side of caution when feeding food to your dog.

Love your dog! In life, it is far too common to give bad behavior more attention than good. This could lead to trouble down the line. Instead, make sure you pet or praise your dog five times more often than you scold him. Your dog will more likely showcase proper behavior when you do that.

If your dog behaves properly, be sure it is praised and given affection. Make your dog understand you are pleased with the behavior and expect to see it again. This is called positive reinforcement.

Make sure that you can get your dog back by ensuring they carry some type of identification. One way to do this is to always have your dog wear a collar, and ensure that the collar has an identification tag attached. On the tag, make sure to include your pet’s name and your phone number. Micro-chipping is another great option to help in the event that your dog gets lost.

Give your dog rawhide instead of real meat bones. Real bones can splinter and can get caught in your dog’s mouth or digestive tract. Rawhide is proven healthy and great for teeth as well, but don’t be tempted to share that T-bone, no matter what kind of eyes your dog gives you.

When you train your dog remember that the end result might be ruined if too many people try to take charge. Everybody does things differently, and a dog can be confused by having several commanders. You need to put just one person on the task of teaching the dog.

Do not force your dog to do anything. If you have purchased treats the dog does not appear to enjoy, do not force the issue. Upon initially bringing a dog into the home, spend some time discovering its likes and dislikes.

Are you aware that vitamins can harm your dog? If your dog is eating a balanced diet,do not give him additional vitamins. Giving your dog too many vitamins can end up resulting in problems. Speak to a vet before beginning any dog vitamin regimen.

Let your dog know that you care about him. Do not focus on just the negatives with your dog. This causes problems with dog behavior. Try to ensure that you praise or give affection to your pet at least five times for every instance of reprimand or scolding. This increases the chance that your dog will repeat the good behavior rather than the bad.

You can tell about your dog’s health by feeling is nose, but there are other factors, too. A cold and wet nose could be due to many reasons, and it does not preclude illness. Instead, monitor your dog’s health through energy levels, demeanor, and appetite. These signs more accurately foretell the state of your dog’s health. You can also check the temperature rectally.

Keep your dog mentally active along with providing him plenty of opportunity to get physical exercise. Train your dog to perform useful activities like fetching the newspaper. Doing this will help your pet to feel like a loved and needed family member, and teaching your dog these skills will give it some much needed mental exercise.

Think over what you have to do every day, including vacations and anything else before you get yourself a pet. Most people want dogs, but sometimes they cannot give the dog everything that they need.

Remember the saying “The more people that work on something, the less likely they are to succeed” while you train your dog. Be sure that each person working with the dog uses the same commands and responses. Have a single person focus on training your dog, and have anyone else work to reinforce what the dog is learning. No matter what their opinions are, they should stick to the rules set by the trainer.

Outdoor dogs need attention just as much as indoor dogs do. When left by himself all the time, he may pick up negative habits, such as biting, chewing, and barking. He could also become aggressive. Provide them lots of playtime and love to maintain their happiness.

As you can see, there is a lot to know when it comes to being a dog owner. You now know what it takes to be a responsible, caring master. Use what you learned here and your efforts will be rewarding for both you and your dog.

Watch what your dog is eating. As a puppy, it is okay for them to eat foods filled with calories, as they need it for their growth. When they reach adulthood, these same foods can lead to obesity and health problems.