There’s more to dog care than providing your pet with food and simple affection. Taking care of a dog is a full-time job. Want to get a better idea of how your dog needs to be cared for? The following information will teach you what you need to know to properly care for your dog.
It’s very important to make sure that your home is safe for a dog. It should be perfectly safe before you bring a dog in. Make sure chemicals, medications and any garbage is out of reach of the dog. Some very common plants are quite toxic to animals, so always make sure they are out of reach.
Dogs can’t talk, so you must learn their body language. Avoid forcing your dog to interact with others if he doesn’t want to. This may lead to someone getting bitten. Pay attention to the posture of the dogs and let them take their time.
If there are prescription medications in your home, be sure to keep it out of your dog’s reach. Just a few of your pills could literally kill your dog. If, by chance, a dog does eat some of your pills, contact the vet right away.
Try hand signals in conjunction with verbal commands when training your dog. Using hand gestures can help your dog to recognize commands quicker. Look at both options and see if one particular way works best.
Try not to buy low quality food for your dog. The cheaper brands actually contain a lot of preservatives, additives and other ingredients that can compromise your dog’s health. Professional associations and dog advocacy groups may offer lists of the highest quality foods available. Your dog will benefit greatly from better food.
Don’t force your dog to eat something. If your dog doesn’t like a treat you give him, let it go. The best judge of what your dog likes is the dog himself. Fancy name brands mean nothing.
Be sure to address your dog’s bad behavior when you first notice it. Ignoring it for a while can make it harder to correct later and you don’t know what may happen if you don’t. Also, the dog may end up hurting someone, perhaps even you.
Make sure to exercise your dog often. Exercise and play are necessary for a dog. They keep the dog fit and healthy, both physically and mentally. Get out and do something with your dog. Go for a walk or play fetch. Exercising with your dog will help you establish a bond with it.
Becoming a foster home is a good way to work with dogs without committing to one on a long term basis. Animals are overcrowded in shelters, and the resources available for them are not abundant. Fostering a dog could help the cause as well as find you a new companion you cannot bring yourself to return.
Investing a little time in self-education can pay off big dividends during your time as a dog owner. As a result, you will achieve an excellent friend for years to come. Don’t you think every dog deserves a wonderful life?