Are you someone that has owned a dog or has grown up around them? If you are a dog owner or looking to become one, there are several things you should know. The following article contains dog care tips that you need to know.
Hugs are good, but kisses should be avoided. Dog kisses are adorable, but your dog’s mouth is really dirty. Dogs rummage through trash, drink toilet water and lick other dog’s body parts. It is not true that a dog has a cleaner mouth than a person. This is not in the least bit true.
Neuter or spay your dog. Research has proven that this can help your dog live longer and also specifically help prevent cancer. Also, dogs that get fixed won’t feel the need to wander away so that may mean that they won’t get into accidents like getting hit by a vehicle.
Dogs can’t talk, so you must learn their body language. If your dog seems hesitant when meeting another person or dog, do not force them to interact. This could cause your dog to get scared and to bite. Pay attention to the posture of the dogs and let them take their time.
Watch out for dog flea treatments. A large number of them contain high doses of carcinogens and other hazardous ingredients. Talk to your vet about safer options, especially when there are kids around.
Keep table scraps to a minimum. This teaches dogs bad habits. Table scraps can actually lead to obesity and other health concerns. 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.
Use hand signals when training your dog along with verbal commands. Your dog might learn commands more easily using this approach. Try using both ways with your dog to see which works best.
Purchase or construct a dog house if your dog must stay outside when the weather is cold. A dog can get ill if he is left out in rough weather, so make sure you have a warm, dry dog house where he can rest. Give your dog a shelter that is spacious and dry, and your dog will be protected from the hard winds and dampness.
It is important that your dog’s nails are not allowed to get too long. Once they get to a length where they are curling under, this is likely to cause your dog some pain. These can be trimmed at home if you use nail clippers from the store. If you’d prefer, you can have the groomers trim your pup’s nails.
Follow through according to your vet’s suggestions if your dog needs something special or has medicine. Dogs do not like having a cone around their head, but it was given for a reason. The directions that you get from your vet are focused on the health of your pet and ignoring them can be detrimental to your pet.
Let your dog feel the love that you have for him. Do not focus on just the negatives with your dog. This could lead to trouble down the line. On a ratio of five:one, seek out the positive things your dog does and reward him accordingly. This will reinforce that positive behavior brings due rewards, and thus lead to a better behaved pet.
There is a lot that goes into owning a dog as evidenced by this article. As long as you put what you read into practice, there really shouldn’t be anything that can make this go badly. Take the time to absorb this information by reading it again.
