Excellent Tips On Training Your New Puppy
Owning a dog is a major responsibility; for starters you have to figure out exactly what type of food to feed him. A number of people feel like the dog food sold at big box stores isn’t good enough for their pet. If you want to be able to care for your canine friend, then you’re in the right place. You can do a great job as a dog owner yourself; just take a look at the hints below.
It can cost a lot to take care of a dog. The costs associated with general and medical care along with high-quality food can be upwards of a thousand per year. One huge expense you might encounter is emergency vet care, so you may want to think about getting health insurance for your pet.
Since dogs cannot talk, you’ll need to learn about your dog’s way of communication. For instance, if your dog is hesitating, it is not a good idea to force him to approach a person or another animal. This might lead to a bite to another dog or even to a person. Always be on the look out for non-verbal hints. If you see them, allow your dog to guide you in the next action you will take.
It’s a great idea to keep a snap-shot of your dog handy (a digital pic on your phone is ideal) whenever you’re traveling with him. This ensures that, should he get lost, you have a current photo, ready for showing around or being used in flyers.
Try hand signals in conjunction with verbal commands when training your dog. When you give your dog these kinds of signals, he may learn faster. Always associate the spoken command and the hand gesture at first and choose the system that works best later on.
The dog breed you choose should blend in well with your lifestyle. For instance, if you jog, a toy poodle may not be as great a choice as a dog that is able to run with you. If you prefer to stay at home, seek out a small dog that loves to snuggle on the couch. Steer clear of a breed mismatch if you want to be a happy dog owner.
Praise your dog when he behaves or performs in the way that you have been training him to. By rewarding your pup when it does the right thing, you’ll be teaching it to do these behaviors more often. Your dog will quickly understand that the praise is connected to a certain action.
If you have an outdoor pet, build a shelter for him or buy one that is ready to use. If his feet are wet, extreme temperatures can be stressful and bad for his health. Keep your dog safe from the elements by providing shelter.
When you first notice behavior problems in your dog, take proper steps to correct the behavior. Ignoring it for a while can make it harder to correct later and you don’t know what may happen if you don’t. It is possible that your dog could injure a person, and that person could be you! So correct unwanted behavior right away.
If you’re adopting a dog through a local shelter, try scheduling a vet appointment right away. Dogs in shelters could be sick or may have already been exposed to some viruses. It is best to make sure your new puppy gets all the shots needed before you bring it home.
You and your dog don’t have to settle for simple bags of dog food at the store. There are many choices beyond supermarket offerings when it comes to dog food. Just remember the information from this article and provide your dog with the best possible care.