Your dog might scratch his bowl if he’s hungry. If a dog wants to be let outside, they often scratch at the door. When a dog want attention, they may stare at you with yearning, sad puppy eyes. Sadly, your dog can’t speak his needs, but you can learn all about them below.
Be wary of the flea treatment you’re going to use on your dog. Some treatments contain dangerous ingredients that may put your kids at risk for diseases like cancer. Ask your vet for recommendations. Be sure to keep children away while you’re applying any flea treatment.
Don’t take your dog off of your own property without a leash, no matter how well-behaved he is. A wild animal may set your dog off and send it running into traffic, or someone could provoke your dog and get injured by accident. Your dog is your responsibility.
Before giving your dog a new dog food, talk to your vet. Some foods can cause sickness or an upset stomach. Therefore, ensure you are cautious whenever providing your dog a new food.
Don’t get your dog food based on how cheap it is. Cheaper brands have tons of additives, preservatives, and ingredients that can harm a dog’s health. Professional associations and dog advocacy groups may offer lists of the highest quality foods available. Your dog will be much healthier if you feed it some healthy food.
Be sure to address your dog’s bad behavior when you first notice it. If you ignore any issue with your pet then later on it’s going to be harder to train it to obey because it doesn’t know any better. Also, the dog may end up hurting someone, perhaps even you.
Make an appointment with a good vet right after getting a new dog. In fact, do it the same day as you bring the pet home so you don’t forget. The veterinarian will do a full checkup and set a schedule for his vaccinations. Consider having your pup spayed or neutered as there is already an overpopulation problem.
Keep the fur around your pup’s paws trimmed so that it does not get matted. A comb is a good tool to straighten the dog’s fur before trimming. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, a professional can always step in to help.
If you have a pure bred dog, make sure you educate yourself on what type of problems are “normal” for that breed. You might be able to prevent some conditions from developing by taking a little extra care of him from the beginning. Speak with your vet about the positive steps you can take to help your dog avoid these sorts of breed related problems.
Playing music in your home when you leave for your job may help your dog with separation anxiety. The sounds help your dog feel like others are still home and help your dog feel more secure. It could be the right trick to help relieve your dog’s anxiety.
Be sure your dog sees the vet once a year. At regular intervals your dog needs heartworm testing, vaccinations, and general check-ups. If your dog is young, he will need to go to the vet more frequently. You need to go to the vet as soon as your dog seems sick or hurt.
When it becomes hot, do tick and flea inspections. If you spot any fleas, you can remove them with a flea comb. There are lots of products that can help with ticks and fleas. Speak with your veterinarian about various flea and tick remedies.
Choose the food your dog eats very carefully. Find a type suited for your dog’s breed, age and condition and be sure to consider other factors such as potential allergens. Also, avoid giving your pet table scraps. They are unhealthy for him.
If you have a dog but are thinking of getting another one, try to get the two to meet. Dogs can be quite social, but some are more effective at socializing than others. Compatible dogs are always your best bet.
Teaching your dog to stay in a crate while you’re away is great for people that cannot be home all the time. This will prevent him from chewing on your stuff or urinating where he’s not supposed to.
Your dog should stay clean just like you! You don’t need to bathe your dog every day, but he needs to be cleaned weekly. This stops skin irritation and shedding.
Walk your dog daily, even if you’re busy. A dog needs constant exercise, and walking provides it with a chance to interact with new animals and people. This is key to its development and growth, so walking your dog is a priority.
When your puppy is chewing on your slippers, it probably looks really cute, but that behavior will be a lot less adorable when they’re bigger. You should stop habits like this as soon as they start. If your puppy engages in a behavior that you don’t like, make sure it ceases right away. It is best to address this issue early.
Stay up-to-date on dog food, specially foods that have been recalled. There have been foods recalled because of being toxic to dogs. Online communities can help you get timely notices regarding recalled items. This information spreads faster than regular media.
Stick to the rules. Your partner may be away on business so you may think it’s okay for the canine to sleep in the bed one night. However, you shouldn’t do this because this will only confuse your pet, making it believe it can get away with a bad thing. Don’t allow yourself to make exceptions to the rules you put in place.
They say that we understand dog emotions just through their facial expressions, and after a long time with them as our best friends, there is no surprise in that. Now that you understand dogs a little better, you understand what they need. Your dog will be grateful.
