There are lots of pets out there that a person can pick from. Fish or snakes, birds or turtles, cats or ferrets are but a few. If you want unconditional love, turn to a dog. In the following paragraphs, you’ll find advice that will help you be a great dog owner.
Having a dog at your home is a big financial commitment. When you add up the medical care, food and supplies in general, your costs could run from $700-$1000 annually. Also, should an emergency arise, this can cost thousands so you might consider pet health insurance.
When you’re thinking of taking a dog with you when you travel, snap a photo of the animal with your phone. If he is ever separated from you, it will be easy to show people what he looks like or print out flyers with a recent picture showing that you are looking for him.
Anti-flea products are dangerous. Some treatments contain dangerous ingredients that may put your kids at risk for diseases like cancer. Talk with your vet concerning alternative treatments, and do not let small children come near while treating your dog.
It is a good idea to use hand signals when you are trying to train your dog, instead of just relying on verbal commands. Your dog can figure out things easier when they get these signals. Every pet is different though, so use a combination of both verbal and visual cues and then determine what works the best.
Provide your dog with rawhide to chew on rather than actual meat bones. Real bones can splinter and can get caught in your dog’s mouth or digestive tract. Rawhide is much safer and also cleans teeth.
Dedicate enough time to correcting bad behavior right away. If you ignore it, it will be hard to contain it later. Bad behaviors that are left uncontrolled can result in human injuries to you, your child, your friend or your neighbor. This is why it’s important to nip them in the bud immediately!
It’s not a small thing to take a dog home, but the knowledge that you’ve got now can help you do this. Continue your education on dogs and their care by reading all you can find. You will have a great hobby, and you’ll learn about how best to care for your dog.