Dog ownership is never easy. In many ways, having a dog is very similar to having a child in your home. You will be responsible for feeding your dog a proper diet, grooming, cleaning up the messes it makes and taking it regularly to a doctor for vaccinations. Sometimes it can be hard to meet the challenges that come along with owning a pet. If you want to give your dog a happier, healthier life, the outstanding canine advice you’ll find below will definitely come in handy.
An annual checkup at the vet is a great idea for your dog. Your dog can’t speak to tell you he’s in pain. You need to go to the vet every year to get a check up.
Because non-verbal communication is vital to dogs, you should devote yourself to learning how to read your dog’s signals. If your dog gets stressed when meeting a new dog or person, don’t force them to meet. You might cause your dog to bite someone or another dog. By reading the body language of your dog, you can ensure that this does not happen.
Be wary of the flea treatment you’re going to use on your dog. A lot of them have chemicals that might be bad for kids! Speak with your vet to see if there are any alternatives that are healthier choices for your pet and your family.
You should never give table scraps to your dog. This causes regular begging and will cause him to dislike his food. Table scraps can also be unhealthy and lead to excess weight and digestive problems. Train your dog to remain in another room while the family eats so no one is tempted to slip something to him under the table.
Whenever your dog performs a good action, such as sitting or staying, give it praise and rewards. This is to let the dog know that you want more of that behavior. He’ll learn that praise will come when he is good, too.
Trim your dog’s nails on a regular basis. The nails can cause the dog discomfort if they start to curl under. Simply purchase a pair of clippers from the store. If you’d prefer, you can have the groomers trim your pup’s nails.
Prevent matting on your dogs paws by keeping the area well trimmed. You ought to use a comb as a means to straighten it before trimming. If you’re uncomfortable trimming hair, you should probably have your dog groomed by a professional.
If you are interested in adopting a pure breed, consider visiting the dog pound. Unfortunately there are many people out there who simply cannot care for their dogs anymore and they end up at the local pound. Simply call your pound and see what they have. When you adopt a dog, you save its life.
With these great tips, you can now really be an exceptional dog owner. Take the time to do more research on how to care for your dog and on any specific issues you are encountering. If you just apply the tips above, you and your dog can be very happy together.