Owning a dog is no small feat. There are many similarities between the care of a pet and the care of a young child. Becoming a good dog owner is easy if you are motivated and have enough time. Read on for some dog care tips.
Be sure to keep all medications out of the reach of children and pets. If your dog ingests your medications, it could be fatal. If you find that your dog has eaten any medication, you should call a vet as soon as possible.
Table Scraps
Keep table scraps to a minimum. Not only will table scraps turn your dog off on their regular food, but it will also teach them to constantly beg. Feeding table scraps to your dog could lead to digestive problems or obesity. You need to make sure your dog is not near the dinner table. This will make it easier for your pet (and you!) to avoid temptation.
Don’t ever give your dog bones. Real bones can chip or break and are dangerous for the dog. Rawhide is completely healthy and improves the teeth, and therefore is preferable to animal bones.
If you have an outdoor pet, build a shelter for him or buy one that is ready to use. If his feet are wet, extreme temperatures can be stressful and bad for his health. Keep your dog safe by giving him shelter.
Try not to force your dog to do new things. If you purchase a treat your dog doesn’t appear to like, just try another brand rather than making him eat. Learn what he likes and what he doesn’t.
Train your dog how to properly walk when on a leash. He needs to know to heel next to you, not behind you or in front of you. Your dog will be safer in this position, and you’ll both enjoy your walks more this way. Regardless of how you intend to take your walks, this is a good command for your dog to know.
Your dog should not be left alone outside all day. Understand that dogs need to interact with other people and animals. Only having one dog can cause him to get lonely. Also, when the weather gets bad, you need to keep your dog inside.
If you are interested in adopting a pure breed, consider visiting the dog pound. Many pure bred dogs are abandoned at dog pounds or shelters when owners aren’t able to care for them. Contact the pound in your area to see what kinds of breeds they have at the time. This action could also help to save the life of a dog!
Be certain a lost dog can be returned to you by giving him some identification. A good way to ensure your dog is returned if he is lost is to attach an identification tag to his collar. Put your own name and contact information on it, along with your dog’s name. You may also consider having a micro-chip implanted.
Make political decisions which will help your dog! Watch for local legislation that may be passing through the system, restricting and regulating dog owner’s behavior and rights. Many times new, overly-restrictive ordinances have incredibly broad impacts when they’re only intended to affect a tiny minority of pet owners. Take action and speak up on behalf of your pet by calling or emailing local officials.
You should always keep in mind that taking care of a dog is a lot of work. In the same way you would care for a child, you must make sure that your dog has everything necessary to survive. Although it takes work, you can handle it. This article should have helped you with caring for your dog, so use it well.
