Dog ownership is definitely a serious responsibility. You need to ensure your dog is healthy and happy at all times. As with many other life skills you want to cultivate, solid education is the key to being a successful dog owner. Check out the tips below and expand your fund of canine care knowledge.
If you are going to taking your dog on vacation, take a pic of him on your phone. If the worst happens and your pet gets lost, you have a current picture that you can show others or use to make "lost" posters.
Keep table scraps to a minimum. This causes regular begging and will cause him to dislike his food. Giving your dog table scraps isn't good for his health as it could result in weight gain and digestive problems. Keep the dog away from your table when you eat to avoid any temptation on both parts.
Anti-flea products are dangerous. A lot of them can cause cancer in children. Ask your vet for recommendations. Be sure to keep children away while you're applying any flea treatment.
Rawhide treats are better for your dog than real meat bones. Real bones can chip or break and are dangerous for the dog. Rawhide is great for oral health, so don't give Rover any of your T-bone, regardless of how much you know he wants it.
When you are training your dog, you should practice in your home or in your yard. It's never good to try and train your pet when there are quite a few people around. There are too many distractions there.
Always make sure your dog understands how to walk correctly on a leash. Your dog should walk beside you, not lag behind or run ahead, and should obey the command "heel." This will not only make your walks more enjoyable, but it will also help keep your dog safe. Even if you practice a loose leash walk, it's still important for your pet to know this command.
If you are interested in adopting a pure breed, consider visiting the dog pound. Many pure bred dogs are abandoned at dog pounds or shelters when owners aren't able to care for them. Call the pound to see what they have available. You'll be saving a life.
Some breeds have inherent health issues you need to watch for. Research his heritage and take preventative steps for problems you know he is a candidate for. Be sure to ask the vet if there is anything you can do in order to avoid health problems that run in the breed.
Your dog needs to wear some sort of identification in case he escapes your house. A good way to ensure your dog is returned if he is lost is to attach an identification tag to his collar. Put your own name and contact information on it, along with your dog's name. The dog could also get a micro-chip implanted in it.
There's quite a bit behind taking great care of a dog. It involves much more than just playing with it a little each day and making sure it gets fed. It's important you know how to properly take care of your dog. The more you learn the better your chances are at having this wonderful companion with you for a very long time.
