Tips For Successfully Adding A Dog To Your Family

Dogs are a good pet to have, they are very loyal. However, some start out a little more challenging and you have to work to get them to the point that they are ideal pets. You have to teach them how to behave properly, and you have to know how to take care of them. Learn more about dogs in the paragraphs that follow.

Hugs are great, but avoid kisses. While getting kisses from your dog may seem cute, your dog’s mouth is extremely dirty. Dogs root around in garbage pails, drink enthusiastically from the toilet bowl and love to lick and smell certain body parts of other dogs. Keep in mind that an animal’s mouth is full of germs. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

There are many pleasures derived from dog ownership, but it is also a serious financial commitment. Dogs need good food, medical care and other supplies. This can add up to $500-$1000 a year. Getting emergency care from the vet is costly, so you may need to take a look at health insurance for your pet.

In the same way that a yearly physical is helpful to you, a yearly trip to the veterinarian is a must for your dog. Even the best dog owner will find it difficult or impossible to detect the first signs of health troubles, like a tooth infection or arthritic joints. Annual checkups can catch these things before they become major problems.

Make your home safe for your dog. Create a safe area to bring a new puppy into the home. Put up all of your cleaning supplies and medications, and be sure you put away any trash cans. Some houseplants are toxic and need to be kept out of your dog’s reach.

Because non-verbal communication is vital to dogs, you should devote yourself to learning how to read your dog’s signals. Hesitant dogs need to be taken out of fearful situations. That could lead to another person or dog being bitten. Watch for these non-verbal hints and let the dog guide your actions.

Whenever you bring your dog along on vacations, take a quick snapshot of him and keep it on your phone. By doing this, in case your dog gets lost, you can provide others with a picture and easily put up flyers, which will assist in finding your dog.

Make sure you are informed of what flea treatments you are using for your dog. Many have ingredients that may put kids at risk for various cancers over 1000 times what the EPA may consider to be safe. Bring up the subject of alternative and family-friendly treatments the next time you see your vet, and always be sure to apply these treatments when no children are present.

When you begin training your pup, start in your yard or home. Don’t train in a park. It is very difficult to teach a dog that is distracted by people and disturbances.

Don’t give table scraps to your dog. This will encourage constant begging and reduce their appetite towards their own food. Table scraps can actually lead to obesity and other health concerns. Make your dog stay out of the room when the family is eating.

Speak with your vet to determine whether or not certain foods are okay to give to your dog. Sometimes, your puppy may not be developed enough to consume certain brands, as this can lead to an upset stomach or sicknesses. Always exercise caution when it comes to your animal’s food.

Use hand signals when training your dog along with verbal commands. When provided with signals of this type, dogs tend to pick things up faster. Every pet is different though, so use a combination of both verbal and visual cues and then determine what works the best.

Schedule a vet appointment before adopting a shelter dog. They may be carrying some sort of illness that they picked up at the shelter. Therefore, you should ensure your new dog receives its vaccinations as soon as you obtain it.

Ask your vet the amount of food your dog needs daily. 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. Speak with your vet and work out an appropriate eating plan for your dog.

If you think you want a dog, but are not sure if you are ready for the commitment involved, consider becoming a foster home. Many homeless dogs are waiting for a home in shelters, where overcrowding is a major problem. You can foster one to help out the cause and find out if you want to keep one!

Trim your dog’s nails on a regular basis. The nails can cause the dog discomfort if they start to curl under. These can be trimmed at home if you use nail clippers from the store. If this idea makes you uneasy, a groomer can easily attend to them for you.

Trim all hair surrounding the dog’s paws so that it does not become matted. Try to comb the hair to straighten it before trimming. You can always use a dog groomer if you find the process difficult.

Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. A dog requires regular exercise and game time; it keeps him healthy and happy, both mentally and physically. Whether you take a dog on an extended walk or toss a ball around, your dog and you will both benefit. This will create a great bond with your dog when performing these activities.

Always follow through with instructions from your vet if your dog has medication or needs special attention. The dog may not be fond of the treatment or medication, but it’s for its health. Recommendations that a vet makes are for the good of your pet and if you don’t adhere to these things it could be bad for your pet.

Your dog should not be left alone outside all day. Dogs are social creatures and need interaction with others. Only having one dog can cause him to get lonely. Plus, bad weather can be health and even life threatening to your pet.

When seeking pure bred dogs, you shouldn’t automatically rule out pounds. A lot of dog owners leave their dogs in the city pound when they can’t look after their dog anymore. Call the pound to see what they have. This could help you save the life of a dog.

Trim the hair around your dog’s paws to prevent it from getting matted up. Before you trim, carefully run a comb through the hairs to separate them. If this scares you, have a professional do it.

If you have a dog that has problems with separation anxiety, or to be nice, you should leave music on when you’re going out of the house. The sounds of the music will provide a sense of security and company for your dog. This may help ease the dog’s fears and calm him down just enough so he isn’t going crazy while he awaits your arrival.

If you’re thinking about getting a dog that is pure bred, keep the local pound in mind. Unfortunately there are many people out there who simply cannot care for their dogs anymore and they end up at the local pound. Just give a quick call to your local humane society to see what breeds they may have available. This action could also help to save the life of a dog!

Prove to your canine friend that your love for him is true. A lot of owners focus on correcting bad behaviors rather than displaying affection for their dog. This can cause issues later. Instead, make sure you pet or praise your dog five times more often than you scold him. Dogs stand a much better chance of displaying good behavior if that is the case.

Make sure you make and keep yearly vet appointments for your dog. Vets can find problems such as kidney troubles, thyroid issues and diabetes well before symptoms appear to you. Annual dog physicals can spare lots of money later for owners and keep them from suffering now.

Keep a dog tag on your dog at all times. It’s a good idea to fit your dog with a sturdy collar equipped with ID tags. Keep the ID tags updated with your current contact information. Have you considered micro-chipping your dog?

When choosing to introduce a new pooch to a home that already has one, it is best that you bring your current dog along to meet him. Dogs are quite social, but sometimes two particular dogs just are not compatible with each other. If you are able to find dogs that are compatible you will not be troubled later on.

You have likely realized that it isn’t terribly hard to care for your dog. You may not be used to the daily commitment in the beginning, but the solid advice in this article will help you adjust. Take all of the things you learned here and put them to good use.

You may not have known that some vitamins can harm your dog. If your dog already has a good diet, avoid giving him supplements. Having excess vitamins can damage bones, blood vessels and joints. Speak to your vet about your dog’s requirements.