Learn Tips on Caring For Your Dog
Your dog will gladly give you a lifetime of loyalty, friendship and unconditional love.
In return, he needs you to provide him with water, food, veterinary care and routine health checks, exercise, a safe shelter in bad weather and friendship.
That's not too much to ask, after all he gives you, is it? If you meet all his needs, your dog will be a long-time companion for you and your family.
Your dog should always wear some type of collar and ID tag with your name and phone # on it.
Microchipping is inexpensively done these days, but this assumes that if someone finds your dog wandering, they'll think to have him examined for the chip.
You can include a tag on his collar even if he is also chipped, just to be safe.
License your dog per local laws, and vaccinate him against rabies.
Facts about dogs tell us that this information is usually available at the Animal Control office or through your veterinarian.
If you walk off your property, your dog should be on a leash.
Not when you're at your neighbor's farm hunting, but when you're in populated areas.
Most dogs will come when you call, but if there is an emergency in the area, you want him close at hand.
Provide proper shelter for your dog.
A fenced yard with a doghouse is great! But don't leave dogs outside alone for extended periods of time.
They want and need your companionship to be happy.
Allow your dog to spend lots of time inside with you.
Take Poochie to the vet for regular checkups.
Your veterinarian will check for heartworms, and you can have your dog vaccinated for rabies at the same time.
Pick up heartworm and topical flea/tick meds unless you order them from a catalog or online.
Your vet can also tell you if your dog seems over- or under-weight, although you should be able to tell that for yourself.
Neuter or spay your dog.
Dogs who are "fixed" usually settle in, and live longer and healthier lives.
Facts about dogs confirm that you are also doing your part to stop overpopulation of pets by spaying or neutering yours.
Give your dog a proper diet, nutritionally balanced, and *always* give him access to fresh, clean water.
How often you feed Poochie will depend on whether he needs more weight or needs to take some extra pounds off.
With some dogs, you can leave food out all the time and they'll eat what they need.
Other dogs will skarf the whole bowl as soon as you sit it down.
Enroll you and your dog in a training class.
You will learn together, and that will allow you to control his behavior humanely and safely.
Training also provides you and your dog some quality alone-time, so make sure you're patient and reward him when he does well.
Exercise your dog to keep him in shape - you can exercise yourself at the same time.
Walking once or twice a day, and playing with him, will normally be enough exercise for an adult dog.
Be as loyal to your dog as he is to you.
Don't set expectations that he can't meet - he *will* try.
If you have training issues, seek professional help.
Many problems are caused by the handler too, not just the dog.
Be patient, be fair.
In return, he needs you to provide him with water, food, veterinary care and routine health checks, exercise, a safe shelter in bad weather and friendship.
That's not too much to ask, after all he gives you, is it? If you meet all his needs, your dog will be a long-time companion for you and your family.
Your dog should always wear some type of collar and ID tag with your name and phone # on it.
Microchipping is inexpensively done these days, but this assumes that if someone finds your dog wandering, they'll think to have him examined for the chip.
You can include a tag on his collar even if he is also chipped, just to be safe.
License your dog per local laws, and vaccinate him against rabies.
Facts about dogs tell us that this information is usually available at the Animal Control office or through your veterinarian.
If you walk off your property, your dog should be on a leash.
Not when you're at your neighbor's farm hunting, but when you're in populated areas.
Most dogs will come when you call, but if there is an emergency in the area, you want him close at hand.
Provide proper shelter for your dog.
A fenced yard with a doghouse is great! But don't leave dogs outside alone for extended periods of time.
They want and need your companionship to be happy.
Allow your dog to spend lots of time inside with you.
Take Poochie to the vet for regular checkups.
Your veterinarian will check for heartworms, and you can have your dog vaccinated for rabies at the same time.
Pick up heartworm and topical flea/tick meds unless you order them from a catalog or online.
Your vet can also tell you if your dog seems over- or under-weight, although you should be able to tell that for yourself.
Neuter or spay your dog.
Dogs who are "fixed" usually settle in, and live longer and healthier lives.
Facts about dogs confirm that you are also doing your part to stop overpopulation of pets by spaying or neutering yours.
Give your dog a proper diet, nutritionally balanced, and *always* give him access to fresh, clean water.
How often you feed Poochie will depend on whether he needs more weight or needs to take some extra pounds off.
With some dogs, you can leave food out all the time and they'll eat what they need.
Other dogs will skarf the whole bowl as soon as you sit it down.
Enroll you and your dog in a training class.
You will learn together, and that will allow you to control his behavior humanely and safely.
Training also provides you and your dog some quality alone-time, so make sure you're patient and reward him when he does well.
Exercise your dog to keep him in shape - you can exercise yourself at the same time.
Walking once or twice a day, and playing with him, will normally be enough exercise for an adult dog.
Be as loyal to your dog as he is to you.
Don't set expectations that he can't meet - he *will* try.
If you have training issues, seek professional help.
Many problems are caused by the handler too, not just the dog.
Be patient, be fair.
