All You Need To Know About Caring For Dogs

TIP! It costs a lot to own a dog. When you add up the medical care, food and supplies in general, your costs could run from $700-$1000 annually.

If you’re looking for love and affection, dogs are for you. Anyone can love a dog, whether they’re a part of someone’s big family, or a great companion for a person who lives by themselves. If you have a dog, try these tips out to help make its life even better.

TIP! Just as you need an annual physical exam, dogs do as well. Since your dog doesn’t talk, you may have difficulty figuring out if a tooth starts hurting or where arthritis is developing.

Go on and hug your dog, but do not kiss him. Dog kisses are very unsanitary. Dogs root around in garbage pails, drink enthusiastically from the toilet bowl and love to lick and smell certain body parts of other dogs. There is an old wives’ tale that says that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than that of a human. It’s not true.

TIP! Always neuter or spay your pet. It is a known fact that doing this will lessen the probability of your dog getting cancer.

Just like humans, dogs should go to the vet for a checkup yearly. Even the best dog owner will find it difficult or impossible to detect the first signs of health troubles, like a tooth infection or arthritic joints. You need to go to the vet every year to get a check up.

TIP! Your dog can not tell you what is wrong, so just listen to his body language. If your dog is fearful or shy, do not insist that they interact.

If you have medications at home, ensure that it is safely hidden away and out of the reach of your dog. Consuming even a single pill can cause serious health problems or your dog. If you find that your dog has eaten any medication, you should call a vet as soon as possible.

TIP! You should never give table scraps to your dog. This can make your dog not want to eat his dog food, and it will promote begging.

Be careful when selecting canine flea treatments. A lot of these medications have ingredients that can be harmful to children and can cause cancer. Talk with your vet concerning alternative treatments, and do not let small children come near while treating your dog.

TIP! If your dog does something the correct way, such as sitting before you put the leash on, make sure that you give it tons of affection and praise. This communicates to your dog that he is doing just exactly what you want.

Talk to your vet about which foods you should be feeding your dog. If your puppy is very young, it might not be ready to consume specific brands, and feeding them to your pup can result in sickness. Be safe when taking care of your dog.

TIP! Avoid the bargain brands of pet food. The cheaper dog foods have tons of additives and preservatives which aren’t the best for your dog.

Don’t make you dog eat something they don’t want to eat. If you offer him a treat he doesn’t seem to like, do not make him eat it. It’s important to take your pets likes and dislikes into consideration and to not push them into anything unnecessary.

TIP! Keep your dog�s nails trimmed. If the dog’s nails curl under, your dog might be in pain.

Make sure your dog knows how to properly walk while it’s leashed. Your dog has to understand the “heel” command and respond to it by walking beside you, not ahead of or in back of you. This will keep him safe, and it’ll make walks more enjoyable. Even if you still use the loose leash walk at times, helping your dog to understand this command is a good idea.

TIP! Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. Dogs require metal and physical exercise to ensure a happy puppy.

If you want a dog but don’t know if you can handle the responsibility, start out as a short-term foster home. Animals are overcrowded in shelters, and the resources available for them are not abundant. Fostering a dog will both help the cause and allow you to test drive the responsibility involved with pet ownership.

TIP! If you’d like to be a dog owner, but think you might not be able to handle the commitment, consider fostering dogs. Shelters are full of abused and homeless dogs and they are hard pressed to give them all proper care.

If you are in the market for a pure bred pooch, consider checking your local shelter. Many pet owners abandon their dogs at the pound when they no longer want to, or are able to, keep them. Call the pound to find ask what dog breeds are in house at the time. When you adopt a dog, you save its life.

TIP! Prove to your canine friend that your love for him is true. As it usually happens, many times owners focus more on bad behavior rather than good ones.

Always go to your dog’s yearly check-up. Your vet can notice health ailments long before you can, and many of the tests he can perform will help to detect or prevent things like diabetes, kidney or thyroid problems. Annual exams can prevent lots of unneeded expenses later on.

Dog Care

TIP! Dogs do not necessarily need vitamin supplements like humans. If you are feeding your dog a well-balanced dog food, specific to his age, weight and health needs, additional vitamins can do damage.

Taking proper care of your dog is a lot of responsibility. There is more to dog care than going for walks and providing food. You must understand proper dog care methods. You will have many great years with your dog if you learn how to care for them properly.


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