You may be looking for the perfect companion and a preconceived notion of what you look in a dog. What you get may differ completely different from what you wanted. No matter what, you now have to learn how to care for your pup.
Getting a dog is going to cost you some money. You will have to spend between $700 and $1000 a year to cover food and medical expenses. Getting emergency care from the vet is costly, so you may need to take a look at health insurance for your pet.
It costs a lot to take care of money to own a dog. Emergency care for animals can cost thousands of collars, so you may want to invest in health insurance for your dog.
Make sure your home safe for your dog. It should be perfectly safe before you try to foresee any problems your dog in. Make sure all of the medicine is put up. Some common house plants that are toxic and need to be kept out of your dog’s reach.
Don’t give table scraps to your dog. This can make your dog not want to eat his dog food, and it will promote begging. Giving your dog table scraps isn’t good for his health as it could result in weight gain and digestive problems. Don’t allow your dog to beg at the table while you are eating.
Be careful of the flea treatments. A lot of these medications have chemicals that can be harmful to children and can cause cancer. Talk to the vet to determine if there are safer for use around small kids.
Do not feed table scraps to your dog “people food”. This causes regular begging and will only teach him to dislike his food.
Do not try to feed your dog something they do not like. For instance, don’t force it to eat a treat that it appears to hate. Not all dogs like the same things.
Your daily lifestyle should help guide your choice of dog breed is a good match for you. For instance, if you’re a jogger, get a type of dog that can run with you, not a toy-poodle. If you are a homebody, perhaps you would like a small dog. You will be much happier when you make a dog that fits well with your lifestyle.
Daily brushing for your dog has more than simply prevent shedding. Brushing them daily can help them keep a shiny and healthy. The reason for this is that brushing helps distribute the skin’s oils from its skin so it looks soft and shiny.
You need to make sure your dog can walk on a leash. They should walk by your side, instead of behind or in front of you, and they must respond to “heel.” Walking in this manner keeps your dog safe, and you are bound to enjoy walks more as well. Even if you’re using a loose leash from time to time, you should still train your dog so that it understands when you issue that command.
Make sure that your dog always has trimmed weekly. If the dog’s nails curl under, you dog could experience quite a bit of pain. You can purchase clippers in a pet store and do this at home. If you are worried about doing this, a groomer can do it for little money.
Make sure that you’re giving your dog gets plenty of exercise. Dogs need routine activity and play time; it’s good for their physical and mental health. From a simple walk to a vigorous game of fetch, everything counts.
Be politically active on behalf of your pooch! Look for changes in the local laws that govern pet ownership in your area. Frequently, this sort of thing is just a knee-jerk reaction based on an isolated incident. Stand up for your rights!
Schedule a vet appointment for your new dog.The vet will provide a full health check him over and create a vaccination schedule. You also have your dog if you will not be breeding him.
A lot of dog owners leave their dogs to the pound when they can no longer keep their pet for whatever reason. Just give a quick call your local humane society to see what breeds they may have available. You may be saving a poor dog’s life by doing so!
Prior to getting a dog, take into consideration your lifestyle and the amount of time you are away from home. You may want to get a dog, but there are lots of hard responsibilities that are involved in being a great dog owner.
If your dog is a female and in heat, be very careful with her around other dogs or she may become pregnant. A male will be able to smell her from up to five miles away. This may cause a fight and it could also get her pregnant which will make her have puppies from an unknown source.
Identification Tag
If you are thinking about getting a dog, it is also wise to think about a training course for that dog. You and your dog will have happier lives if the rules are set out and then enforced. While training a puppy is easier, you can still teach an old dog new tricks.
Ensure your dog will come back after being lost by having some type of identification tag. A popular way to ensure your dog is returned if he is lost is to attach an identification tag. Include your dog’s name and information on this tag.You may also consider having a micro-chip inserted into your dog.
You’d be silly to ignore all of the great advice provided. Apply it on a regular basis, and you’ll see your relationship with your dog improve. A happy dog is one who loves you unconditionally, so make it so.
Always be on the lookout for news about your dogs food to make sure you are aware of all recalls. There have been lethal pet products sold. Sign up for reputable online pet communities to stay abreast of the latest news. You can quickly get news this way.