Many people grow up with animals or currently have some. If you are someone who now owns a dog or may be considering getting one, there are some things you should know. This article will teach you a few things you need to know about dogs so you’re able to care for it.
Spay or neuter your dog. Studies show that these operations help your dog live longer and can reduce cancer risks. In addition, dogs that are spayed or neutered do not have as strong of a desire to wander from their home, meaning that they are less likely to get lost or hit by a car.
Dogs don’t talk so you should learn his non-verbal language. If it seems as though your dog holds back when around other dogs or people, don’t insist that they interact. It could end up with someone getting bit. Keep an eye out for your dog’s hints, and do what he needs you to do.
If you bring your pet on vacation with you, keep a picture of him with you, particularly on your phone. This way, should he get lost, you have a picture you can show others. You can also use the picture to hand our “lost” flyers.
When you take your dog with you on vacation, take a picture and save it to your phone. If he is ever separated from you, it will be easy to show people what he looks like or print out flyers with a recent picture showing that you are looking for him.
Beware of flea treatments for your dog. A lot of the ones on the market have ingredients that are 1000 times more potent than what is considered safe by the EPA and it may be a cancer risk for children. Talk to the vet about different forms of treatment that are safer for use around small kids.
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. Discuss any concerns with your veterinarian, and see if he has more holistic treatment options that might help to keep your pet free from fleas and your family safe.
It is a good idea to use hand signals when you are trying to train your dog, instead of just relying on verbal commands. This is a very effective way to communicate with your dog. Try these things to find out what is the best for your pet.
Practice training your dog in your house or yard. It’s a bad idea to train a dog in a busy place. This will make it more difficult for your dog to pay attention.
Try giving the dog rawhide versus actual meat bones. Bones can lodge in the mouth or throat, causing devastating injuries. Rawhide is healthy and good for their teeth, so don’t share that T-bone no matter what faces they make.
Use hand signals when training your dog along with verbal commands. Your dog can figure out things easier when they get these signals. Find out the way that your dog prefers and use it.
Grooming your dog every day will ensure it doesn’t shed all over the place. Daily brushing can help them acquire a beautiful, shiny coat. Brushing distributes the natural oils of the skin throughout the hair coat for added sheen and softness.
Speak with your vet about the amount of food you should be feeding your dog each day. Many people look at the guidelines on the dog food bag; the problem with this is that some of the recommendations may be inaccurate and could cause your dog to gain weight. Therefore, ask your vet the acceptable amount of dog food your dog needs to ensure its health and well-being.
You can always choose to foster a dog for a few weeks if you’re not sure about making the full commitment of dog ownership. There are many animals who need a temporary home until they are adopted. Fostering is a good way to do a good deed and determine if you want a dog of your own.
Rather than purchasing an actual meat bone for your dog, go with rawhide instead. Genuine bones can chip, and the pieces may become stuck in your dog’s teeth or digestive system. It has been shown that rawhide bones are safe and great for their teeth, so be sure to not give your dog that ham bone next time.
Give your dog a lot of love. Similar to other areas of life, dog owners notice a dog’s bad behavior rather than the good. This causes problems with dog behavior. Give your dog positive reinforcement every time they do something right. When you do this, you will probably end up with a better behaved dog.
It is important that your dog’s nails are not allowed to get too long. The nails can cause the dog discomfort if they start to curl under. You can use store bought clippers to trim them yourself. If this idea makes you uneasy, a groomer can easily attend to them for you.
Always make sure to keep your dog’s annual vet visits. This will give your dogs the best chance to avoid life-threatening diseases. Annual physicals save dog owners money and saves your pet a lot of undue suffering.
A trip to the vet should be at the top of your schedule if your new dog’s last home was the animal shelter. Shelters expose dogs to a number of illnesses, and your pet could be ill already. Make sure the new puppy gets their required shots before going home.
Be sure your dog sees the vet once a year. Dogs need to be checked for heartworm and other health issues, and need to have any and all necessary vaccinations. If your dog is younger, make sure that you go to the vet often. If your dog shows signs or injury or illness, you must see a vet immediately.
Teach your dog the proper way to walk while on a leash. The dog needs to stay beside you, not behind or in front of you. It also needs to know the command “heel”. This will keep him safe, and it’ll make walks more enjoyable. Even if your dog is sometimes walked on a loose leash, it should still know the command anyway.
You might feel the urge to feed your dog a piece of your snack. Some foods are okay to share, but there are foods that can be hazardous to a dog’s health. Onions, garlic and chocolate are just a few foods which are intolerable to dogs. They can make you dog seriously ill or even cause death if enough is ingested.
Medical Conditions
As you start training your dog, don’t be afraid to try out a few different reward systems. See what motivates your dog to succeed. Pieces of sausage or tasty dog treats will work for a dog that is motivated by food. If your dog is toy driven, short games can be a great reward. Some dogs just like to get petted and rubbed when they’re good.
Certain dogs are prone to medical conditions and make yourself aware of this before selecting a dog. Check your dog’s genetic background if possible to determine if he is more likely to develop certain medical conditions. Your vet can also tell you how to give your dog the best odds for overcoming any conditions that are typical for his breed.
Monitor your dog’s diet and eating habits. You can give a puppy a high calorie diet because this will help him grow. As your dog ages, his caloric intake should be reduced to avoid obesity.
If your dog happens to have an accident in the house, make sure you remove all traces of it. Use a cleaner that is professional strength, and follow up with an odor remover. If your dog can still smell the spot, he may go to the bathroom there again.
Be sure that you’re washing your dog’s water and food bowls regularly. You wouldn’t want to always eat from the same dirty plate, so why should you expect your dog to? Food bowls should be cleaned on a daily basis and fresh drinking water provided.
When selecting a new dog to come and live with an existing dog, take your current dog to meet him if at all possible. Just like people, dogs can have a personality clash. Finding a dog that gets along well with your current pet will be best for everyone in the long run.
Your dog should be as clean as you are. You may not need to bathe your dog daily, but it should get a thorough cleaning once weekly. Doing so will stop skin problems from occurring. It will also prevent your home from getting dirty.
Were you aware that vitamins can be harmful to dogs. Your dog does not need vitamins if you feed it a good diet. Too much of certain vitamins could cause damage to the blood vessels, bones and joints. Talk with your veterinarian prior to starting a vitamin regimen with your dog.
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. A good way for your dog to hang out with other dogs is to take them to the dog park or even to a play date.
Do you go on many vacations? Are you home infrequently? Should you really get a dog? It’s easy to get a dog and think everything will go fine, but you have to be prepared to be a responsible pet owner.
If possible, avoid leaving your dog by himself for long times. Your dog will get used to the fact that you may have to work, but you have to figure out how to handle being away during other times. Having noise in the background can help to calm your dogs anxiety. A pet sitter is another option that you can consider instead of keeping your dog in isolation.
When you start to train your dog, try out various reward systems. See what motivates your dog to succeed. Many dogs are motivated by food, so make sure to have their favorite treats on hand while training. Maybe your dog will respond better to a game of tug-of-war with a favorite toy. You may even find that your dog is best motivated by a little rubdown and affection.
Stay alert for news on pet food and product recalls. Contaminated foods and dangerous toys, sometimes lethal, have appeared in stores on occasion. An easy way to stay abreast of recalls and potential problems is to join internet message boards. This is the quickest way to keep on top of potential hazards to your pets health.
Be consistent. When you first bring a dog home, you might think it’s fine to sneak them table scraps or let them chew on your shoes. The cuter the dog, the greater the temptation to bend the rules! However, there will be no accidents if you act firmly. If your dog learns that it is not necessary to wait patiently for a few scraps and prefers jumping up to help himself, you may find that the dog takes whatever is in reach without waiting for your permission.
Make rules for your dog and stick to them. Even if your circumstances alter temporarily, your dog’s patterns should remain consistent. This is not fair to your pet, because he or she will not understand why they can do something one time but it is not okay to do again. Don’t make exceptions to your rules.
Since reading this piece, you know what it means to properly care for your dog. Information is the key to having a happy life with your pet. Simply go slowly and review the piece as needed.
A dog who has long-term diarrhea needs to go to the vet. Sometimes a dog will eat something that isn’t good for them that causes them to get the runs. If it doesn’t clear up, this could be a sign of something more wrong and a vet visit is in order.