Read This Article To Find Great Dog Ownership Advice
When you arrive at the pet store or pound, you probably are dreaming of a kind dog who will sleep quietly in bed with you every night and obey your every command. What could happen may differ completely from this. Nevertheless, this article can teach you how to take care of your dog.
Dog-proof your home. Don’t take a dog into your home without being sure that it is safe from top to bottom. Make sure anything toxic is put up. Make sure no toxic plants are in the vicinity of your dogs.
Associate some hand signals to verbal commands when training your dog. Your dog may have a better time understanding you when you use manual signals. Find out the way that your dog prefers and use it.
When it is time to buy dog food, avoid buying the cheapest brand. It is important that your dog get nutrient dense, good quality food. You’ll have to pay more, but you can be certain your dog gets the right vitamins and minerals from good sources.
Schedule a visit for your new dog with your local veterinarian. As soon as your dog is brought to your home you should get an appointment scheduled with the vet. Your vet will administer the necessary shots and make sure your dog is in good health. In addition, consult your vet about spaying or neutering your dog. The shelters are already overcrowded, so you do not want to make that problem worse.
If you only have one dog and they aren’t happy or can’t handle being alone a lot, consider getting them a companion. Dogs come from packs, so it’s in their nature to prefer spending time with a member of their own species. Match them up carefully by temperament and energy levels and your dog should be in canine heaven!
A dog needs both mental and physical exercise. Bring him outside and teach him how to fetch. 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.
If your dog has an accident indoors, be certain you get rid of any sign of it. Special cleaners and deodorizers are available to do the job right. If you do not clean up the mess well enough, your dog might just go again in the same spot.
If you’re having a snack, you may feel like it would be okay to give your dog a bite. 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. These kinds of foods may have detrimental effects on the animal’s health.
Vitamins can be harmful to dogs. Your dog does not need vitamins if you feed it a good diet. Too much of a good thing can compromise the liver, kidneys and other essential organs. Consult with your vet before starting your dog on a regimen of vitamins.
Don’t think that a dog’s health status can be determined by how its nose feels. A cold and wet nose could be due to many reasons, and it does not preclude illness. You can get a feeling about a dog’s overall health by watching its demeanor, appetite, and energy levels. You will be able to learn a lot about how your dog might be feeling. A dog’s temperature can be taken rectally if need be.
Think about how your life is lived, including vacations and events that you go to, before considering a dog. You might feel like you are ready to be a dog owner because you love animals but you need to carefully consider the pros and cons of having a dog.
Now that you have gone over this fantastic advice, you should make sure you don’t ignore any of it. Use it liberally and you will see that your dog can be a model of good behavior. A dog that is happy will love you unconditionally.