Are you wondering how to take better care of your dog? The many responsibilities of dog ownership can be overwhelming to a lot of first-time owners. Some think they will always have a misbehaved pooch. Avoid this sad option, and learn how to raise a happy, healthy dog with these tips.
Have your dog spayed or neutered. Research suggests that this small thing can give extended life to your dog by reducing cancer risk. It also keeps dogs from humping, running away from home or becoming violent at puberty.
If your dog is coming along on a family vacation, keep a picture of him handy or take one using your phone. This ensures that, should he get lost, you have a current photo, ready for showing around or being used in flyers.
Don’t take your dog off of your own property without a leash, no matter how well-behaved he is. He can be scared away by some wild animal, or an unforeseen provocation with another dog can result in an unpleasant situation. You are solely responsible for the dog’s actions and for the dog’s safety as well.
In addition to verbal commands, employ a variety of hand signals when training your dog. This is a very effective way to communicate with your dog. Give both methods a try, and see for yourself which your dog responds best to.
Think about your life and then find a dog breed that will fit in well with your habits. Joggers should get a high energy dog, for example. Likewise if you spend quite a lot of time at home you may want to get a dog that likes to be pampered a lot. You and your dog will both be happier if you are a perfect match.
Let your dog chew some rawhide rather than meat bones. Genuine bones can chip, and the pieces may become stuck in your dog’s teeth or digestive system. Rawhide has been proven to be healthy for your dog. It is excellent for its teeth too, so do not give in to the temptation to give your dog a real bone no matter how hard it begs.
There are more advantages to daily brushing of your dog than just keeping your home hair free. A daily brush will make their coat radiant and shiny. The brushing motion encourages distribution of the skin’s oil, leaving the coat healthy, soft and glossy.
When you are getting dog food for your pet, don’t try to save money and get whatever is cheapest. Your dog will benefit from eating healthy, quality food. Although it will cost you more, you can feel good about the fact that you aren’t skimping when it comes to what your pet eats.
If you’re the owner of a lone, lonely dog, you should consider getting a second pooch. Dogs are pack animals by their very nature and usually prefer the company of their own kind. Match him with a dog that shares the same temperament and energy level to ensure canine bliss.
When the weather heats up, ticks and fleas become active. Remove fleas with a special comb. There are also other products you may want to consider using to get rid of fleas and ticks. Talk to your vet if you are not sure which products should be used.
Make sure you carefully consider what feeding program you will use with your dog. There are quite a few different types of food out there but you have to get one that works with your dog’s size and age. Serving table scraps to your dog may be cost effective, but it does not provide a balanced and healthy diet for your dog.
If you own a dog, you know that pet ownership comes with a lot of responsibility. Sometimes it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to see to your pet’s needs. However, now that this article is something you’ve read, you should have the knowledge you need to know to care for dogs. Soon you won’t have to worry as much.
