Tips For Having A Healthy And Happy Dog

Dogs have been very popular pets for many years. The relationship seems reciprocal, with both dogs and humans benefiting from the arrangement. However, since you’re the human, you’re going to have to be sure that you’re caring for the dog properly. If you’d like to gather a little extra information about how to treat your dog right, just check out these helpful hints.

Dog-proof your home. This should be done before the dog shows up at your home. Make sure chemicals, medications and any garbage is out of reach of the dog. Some indoor plants are poisonous, so put them high up.

While it’s great to show your dog affection, you shouldn’t kiss them. In theory, giving a dog a kiss is cute, but realize that the mouth of a dog is generally very dirty. Dogs poke around trash cans, love smelling and licking other dogs’ body parts and enthusiastically drink from toilet bowls. There is an old wives’ tale that says that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than that of a human. This statement is most definitely not true.

If you are on any kind of medication, you should ensure your dog never gains access to it. If your dog has access to these pills, there can be fatal consequences. Make sure you have your veterinarian’s number handy in case your dog does accidentally swallow your medicine.

It is a good idea to use hand signals when you are trying to train your dog, instead of just relying on verbal commands. It may be easier for your dog to learn commands if they see a visual signal. Give both methods a try to find out which works best for your particular pup.

Talk to the vet about which foods you should avoid giving the dog. A puppy’s stomach may not be able to handle particular foods, which may cause stomach issues. Be cautious about what types of foods you feed your dog.

Buy or build a dog house if he is going to be outside for long periods in the winter. Remember that dogs exposed to cold and damp or excessive heat are far more likely to become ill. Build a shelter yourself or purchase a kit from the nearest pet store.

When you first notice behavior problems in your dog, take proper steps to correct the behavior. If you don’t address it head on, you will discover that it becomes more difficult to control in the future, possibly with disastrous consequences. Be sure to control and contain your dog to prevent problems with people.

Keep the nails on your dog trimmed. If they start curling under, your dog may experience a lot of pain. Find some good clippers you can use to trim your dog’s nails yourself. If you are worried about doing this, simply take him to a groomer – it doesn’t cost very much to get his nails trimmed.

Your job as the human in your human/dog relationship is to take care of your dog’s needs. When learning from this article how to approach it, it becomes easier. Use these tips to make your dog a lot happier.