It’s never going to be easy all of the time when you own a dog. They have to be fed, walked, brushed and brought to the vet. Not all the steps to proper dog care are intuitive. This article will teach you everything that is needed to be a great dog owner.
Go on and hug your dog, but do not kiss him. Dog kisses are cute, in theory, but understand a dog’s mouth is typically very dirty. Dogs are always getting into garbage, drink from places like the toilet, and they clean their bodies with their tongues. Many people believe that dogs’ mouths do not have as much germs as humans’ mouths. It simply is not the case.
A physical is good for you, and a yearly vet trip is good for your dog. Dogs can’t talk, so how do you know he has arthritis, for example? Regular checkups will assure these issues are caught before they turn into something big.
Be sure your dog is neutered or spayed. Research has shown that by doing this you can be sure your pet can have a longer life and not be at risk for things like cancer. In addition, spayed or neutered dogs aren’t as likely to roam away from your home, which can result in them getting run over by a vehicle, killed by a bigger animal, shot, or kidnapped.
Try hand signals in conjunction with verbal commands when training your dog. These signals will help you keep your dog under control in a noisy environment. Try both ways and see which is best for your dog.
Talk to your vet about which foods you should be feeding your dog. Some puppies take longer to develop, and some types of food may be too rich, leading to an upset belly or vomiting. Be safe when taking care of your dog.
Don’t get your dog food based on how cheap it is. Less expensive dog foods include fillers and additives that are not beneficial to your dog’s health. Find an advocacy group that can provide you with a list of vet recommended foods. Your dog will thank you for feeding him a better food.
Properly teach your dog how to walk with a leash. He should know the “heel” command, stay close to you and not veer far ahead or drag behind. This will keep him safe, and it’ll make walks more enjoyable. Even if you decide to give him additional slack on the leash from time to time, teaching your dog to heel remains an important task as a pet owner.
Avoid leaving your pup outside all day. Yes, people do this too often, but dogs require interactions with people and other dogs for their well-being. If you only have one dog, he can get lonely outside. Plan on bringing your dog inside when the weather is rainy, snowy, very hot, or very cold.
Keep your dog mentally active along with providing him plenty of opportunity to get physical exercise. Train your dog to perform useful activities like fetching the newspaper. This gives him a job to do and he’ll feel fulfilled as a result.
Now that you have learned more about caring for and enjoying your dog, you are ready to apply your knowledge. When it comes to mastering dog ownership, you have the foundation you need to make it happen. Use what you learned here and your efforts will be rewarding for both you and your dog.
